Time For Change …
Baseball has entered the last complete month of its regular season and there is a great deal on the line for several teams . The likelihood is that there will be major changes within several of the organizations either from a managerial standpoint or among the front office. We already know the Miami Marlins will see a change in ownership with the Sherman group coming in led by Bruce Sherman , Derek Jeter and Michael Jordan . Jeter and Jordan give more visibility to the ownership group because of their high profiles .,instant visibility and name recognition . Yet, I am not so sure that will be enough to turn around an organization which his has been mismanaged and starved of resources by outgoing owner Jeffrey Loria .
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Slide show.
Within the NL East the Miami Marlins have played themselves out of contention for the divisional title and while their hopes are faint for a wildcard berth , they remain in the hunt for one of the two positions on offer. Fans have been salivating over the season attained by Giancarlo Stanton and his having hit a franchise record fifty-four home runs. Sixty remains out of his reach and while this is all admirable for the player , I don’t believe he will be taking home the NLMVP for this season . I believe it would be a great disservice to the other leading candidates who have contributed to a winning season for their teams who have been in the hunt throughout much of the season. The same cannot be said for the Miami Marlins at any point during this season . Marlins’ manager Don Mattingly and his managerial staff are likely to be retained but I do believe Derek Jeter will be looking to bring in his own people to run the front office. Jeter’s role will be to oversee the overall operations with the new general manager reporting to him directly.
The Miami Marlins will be in action over the weekend as they continue their current series against the Milwaukee Brewers at home. With very little to play for other than pride , it is imperative the Marlins round out their regular season on a high note.
Say what you will , but I do believe seven years is more than enough for a Big League Manger to try and turn an organization around . The New York Mets have been a complete bust with the triumvirate of front office executives , Sandy Alderson , JP Ricciardi and manager Terry Collins at the helm. The trio have gotten to the stage, where they might be even funnier than The Three Stooges and The Marx Brothers. Comedic pratfalls being one thing, but the level of incompetence seen with the Mets over the past seven years has sunk to a new low. This team has been far from being competitive and there has not been one saving grace to suggest they have been worth watching at any point during 2017. Their fans are not only opinionated . but also clearly delusional and obnoxious as always. The Mets have several free agents at the end of this season as well as players set for arbitration and it will be interesting to see the decisions made by Sandy Alderson as they will undoubtedly make changes.
An injury-prone and non-productive David Wright is of no use to the New York Mets and it is unclear why he remains part of the Mets roster . Wright’s best years are behind him , certainly not ahead of him and it is hard to envisage who is meant to be the leader on a team of highly overpaid players . Granted , the Mets don’t have a payroll which ranks alongside the Los Angeles Dodgers or New York Yankees their crosstown rivals . Yet clearly the organization believes they rank up there alongside teams of that caliber, having not shown anything of note this season much less over the past five seasons. Another failed year and the idiocy of continually suggest they have prospects when many of them since 2010 haven’t stepped up to the plate , leads me to believe this organization and their fans are just eternal optimists.
Terry Collins will lead the team into action on Saturday when the New York Mets will face the Atlanta Braves at Sun Trust Park in Atlanta , Georgia . The opposing pitchers will be Jacob deGrom of the Mets as he goes up against R A Dickey , the knuckle-baller who once played for the Mets. This game isn’t critical for both teams but it should prove to be interesting just as many of their regular season meetings have been this season. If this is to be Terry Collins’ last season with the Mets , then his departure can’t come about quick enough along with the dead weight of players who have under-performed over the course of this season. The same can be said for Sandy Alderson and JP Ricciardi .
For Dusty Baker a great deal of weight has been placed upon his shoulders ever since he assumed the role as manager of the Washington Nationals succeeding Matt Williams in the position. With stars such as Bryce Harper , Gio Gonzalez , Stephen Strasburg and Daniel Murphy on the roster , it was assumed it would plain sailing for the ball-club . Instead near misses and a lack consistency prevailed with regard to their postseason ambitions . Washington has seen the rise of the Chicago Cubs with the end of their one hundred and ten-year drought . I get the feeling Baker and the entire Washington Nationals’ organization wouldn’t mind being in the driver’s seat while being called World Series champions.
The Washington Nationals have not made a postseason appearance since 2014 when they appeared in the NLDS losing to the San Francisco Giants in four games . In the three subsequent yeas the ball-club is eager to make another return to the postseason. A commanding lead in the NL East , the Nationals will be there and everything suggests they will be among the favorites for the NL Pennant . . Baker and his team are in the midst of a series against the Los Angeles Dodgers being played at Nationals Ballpark in Washington , DC. Game two of the current three game series takes place today , Saturday 16th September , 2017. It will be interesting to see what Daniel Murphy and Bryce Harper are able to do in this series against the Dodgers. Dusty Baker and his managerial counterpart Dave Roberts are different stages of their managerial careers , but both are under a great deal of pressure to succeed.
While I wasn’t surprised by the sale of the Miami Marlins , the price paid by the new owners was simply ludicrous and outrageous. The Marlins are not a big market team and their accessibility by way of marketing revenues is nowhere as great as baseball’s hierarchy would have us believe. Bruce Sherman and business partners may well have paid $1.2 billion for the team , with Jeffrey Loria’s original asking price being in excess of $2.1 billion , but even in this day and age of wealthy owners within the game of baseball. Unless that ball club is competitive , profitable and a perennial contender then there’s no way in hell they’re worth the type of money now being banded about within the game. The only thing driving these upward trends within baseball’s economics remains the television deals and marketing which MLB continues thrive off.
Baseball’s players are some of the highest paid athletes in the world , but their names are not among the most widely recognized or the most marketable , while being able to attract major commercial sponsors. Mike Trout might well be considered the best player in baseball , but beyond North America the two-time ALMVP is not universally known across the planet. It is indicative of one of the many reasons the sport hasn’t really resonated around the globe even in light of the miserably mundane World Baseball Classic which elicits about as much excitement as watching paint dry on hot Summer’s Day . From Bud Selig to Rob Manfred , baseball and its hierarchy is still figuring out to make the game more widely accepted across the globe.
At this stage last season it was difficult to foresee what was about to happen as the postseason approached . It certainly wasn’t the case where there were many believers in the chances of Chicago Cubs pulling off the impossible , changing the course of the club’s history with their improbable run to the 2016 World Series . Once again they have all but sealed the deal , leading the NL Central as they look to round out the season with another divisional title. Having just ended their weekend series against the St Louis Cardinals with a decisive 4-3 home victory , Cubs’ manager Joe Maddon will now take his team on the road to face his old club the Tampa Bay Rays in a nostalgic visit to Tropicana Field , St Petersburg , Florida on Tuesday 19th September .
While Chicago’s fortunes have risen , the same cannot be said for the Tampa Bay Rays since Joe Maddon’s departure from the organization. The Rays remain in a state of disarray and for manager Kevin Cash things have not come easy for himself and his managerial staff . This team lacks confidence even with the leadership of Evan Longoria at the helm of the roster and the continued lack of self-confidence is no longer bewildering . Rays’ front office executives Brian Auld and Matt Silverman will have their work cut out for them this off-season as they will undoubtedly have to make some changes up and down the team. The penny-pinching , continues as team owner Stuart Sternberg continues to gripe over the reticence of the local governmental authorities to build them a new stadium at their expense.
There doesn’t seem to be a great deal of support coming from Rob Manfred as Stuart Sternberg vies to have a new stadium built. A stark contrast to the efforts of the Miami Marlins, New York Mets and New York Yankees. It seems when you have the ear of baseball’s hierarchy , as it actually counts for something, rather than continually being seen and treated as if you are at the bottom of the food chain. Sternberg is unwilling to put up any of his own money as a sign of good faith to even get the possibility of the project started . Furthermore , there is no evidence to suggest even with the new venue the Tampa Bay Rays’ fan-base of a paltry 23,500 would be able to continually support such an extravagance, with the stadium likely to take years to pay for itself were it to be publicly financed.
Kevin Cash’s position is not necessarily in jeopardy, but how his team looks next season is going to be far more different than the opening day roster of 2017. Make of it what you will , but these are the continued dire times for the Tampa Bay Rays who have been plodding from season to season over the last eight years without a real plan for growth and stability. It might well be another four or five years before the Rays make another return to the postseason. This is an organization devoid of leadership a t all levels within the ball-club and it shows. Evan Longoria has long been considered the franchise’ s best player , but he has never really led by example . Pretty much sums up what to expect from professional sports’ franchises within the Tampa Bay area in general .
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Picture gallery . By clicking on an individual frame you can view that picture while also reading the accompanying narrative.
This MLB postseason could very well be a very interesting one if the teams thought to be in the hunt play to their full potential . As for those on the outside looking in , they simply have to look at their issues and make the changes necessary .
Tophatal ……… 09/16/2017
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MLB weekend schedule (15-17th September)
This week in baseball history
On this day in baseball
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Tophatal's Blog 
Baseball is essentially just as much as a mess as the state of boxing .
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Tophat,
GStanton almost a cinch to be an ex-Marlin next year. Cost cutting for new ownership a priority and besides he was placed on waiver last month with no takers.
Why was Jamele Hill given a mulligan? ESPN is a fucked up organization. Viewership sinking.
Marshawn Lynch…..an overpaid, overweight has been can plop his ass on the ice for this rendition of the the SSB.
https://t.co/wbIjQ0ix4X
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Ronbets
Stanton is the only reason to watch the Marlins this season and beyond that , there’s nothing much within the organization to write home about. When the Miami Marlins front office decided to offer the contract to Giancarlo Stanton , it was done out of desperation and by idiots who are simply devoid of actual common sense.
Jemelle Hill speaks a truth that no one wants to admit is true . ESPN as an organization is a fu#king joke from the top on down. Misoginy , sexism and racism is allowed to coexist alongside criminal behavior while Disney CEO Robert ‘Bob’ Iger pulls down millions in an annual salary. Personally , I believe the outlet much like the two main political parties in this country aren’t worth $hit !
Marshawn Lynch was simply brought back to prop up the deficiencies of an overrated Raiders team and so-so quarterback in Derek Carr . The team stands no chance being considered a serious contender for the AFC championship much less the Superbowl .
That’s it . In the space of three weeks we have a circus of a non-competitive fight between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor and then on Saturday night , a female judge , Adalaide Byrd (pictured below) scores the fight between Gennady Golovkin and Saul Canelo Alvarez to be a draw . What the fu#k is going on in the world of boxing ? Golovkin was a clear winner of the fight !!! Alvarez was never aggressive and did nothing to convince me he won the bout .
Adalaide Byrd , is she legally blind ?
Gennady Golovkin (top) facing Saul Alvarez on Saturday night .
It’s at times like this I am glad to become a real devotee of MMA , because boxing has definitely lost its luster altogether. The sport no longer has any legitimacy or fuc#ing credibility.
Tophatal …………….
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For several years Paul Goldschmidt has been the best player for the Arizona Diamondbacks . This season Goldschmidt has been at his best while the Diamondbacks challenge the dominance of the continued dominance of the Los Angeles Dodgers within the NL West . Unfortunately, the Diamondbacks are playing second fiddle once against to their divisional counterpart where they are likely to make the postseason for the first time in six years when they lost the NLDS in 2011 to the Milwaukee Brewers . If they can continue to play at a heightened level then the Diamondbacks could be seen as a major threat to any of the NL teams in the hunt for this seaon’s World Series.
The Arizona Diamondbacks are in action today when they face the San Diego Padres in a road game being played at Petco Park in San Diego , California . As the Diamondbacks look to round out their regular season schedule it will be interesting to see how they acquit themselves in those games.
Arizona Diamondbacks news
Monday’s schedule
Tophatal ……………….
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This has been an interesting season in Major League Baseball , especially among the starting pitchers in the game , with the dynamic duo of Alex Wood and Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers having truly great seasons for the team . The two are among the leaders in wins within the NL and are viable candidates for the NL Cy Young Award for this season. Both of these pitchers are likely to see action as the Dodgers wind down their regular season schedule before heading into the postseason as favorites for the NL Pennant and World Series .
While the pitching staff of the Los Angeles Dodgers has proven to be effective their offense has been equally adept . Leading the Dodgers’ offense this season has been Cody Bellinger who has been the most effective players for Los Angeles in 2017. Bellinger and his teammates will be in action today when the Dodgers face the Philadelphia Phillies , with Yu Darvish of the Los Angeles Dodgers on the mound against Aaron Nola of the Phillies .
MLB news
MLB schedule three day look ahead
Tophatal ….
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It will be interesting to see which player in the AL reigns supreme and take home the ALMVP Award , because in all likelihood Mike Trout is unlikely to win his third award as a player for the Los Angeles Angels . Having returned from injury Trout is still having a great season though not as productive as in years past . He remains the best player on the Angels’ roster . Teammate Albert Pujols may well be having an excellent season himself , having moved up the active and all-time ranking of home run leaders .
Albert Pujols and Mike Trout will be looking to keep the Los Angeles Angels in the wildcard hunt within the AL as the team’s regular season schedule winds down . The Angels will be in action today as they face the Cleveland Indians at Angels Ballpark in Anaheim , California . Opposing pitchers will be Mike Clevinger of the Indians against Tyler Skaggs of the Angels.
Los Angeles Angels news
Tophatal …….
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Results from Tuesday’s games in Major League Baseball and how the divisional standings have been altered by these outcomes . There will be a full schedule of games set for Wednesday , with pride of place being the contest between the Minnesota Twins and New York Yankees being played at Yankee Stadium in The Bronx , New York . A win is of vital importance for both teams as it would go a long way in strengthening their wildcard berth ambitions.
MLB news
Tophatal ……………
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Two hundred hits in a season is quite an accomplishment . The Colorado Rockies’ slugger Charlie Blackmon is the first player this season to have struck that mark . Colorado might not be in a position to win anything this season, but Blackmon is proving his weight in gold for the team . The player and his teammates will be back on the field today when they face the San Francisco Giants in an NL West match-up .
Rockies’ sluggerr Charlie Blackmon .
Charlie Blackmonn might not have the dynamics of hitting machines such as Jose Altuve’ or Ichiro Suzuki , but he is certainly beginning to make a name for himself in the Big Leagues. It will be interesting to see if the player will be considered among the favorites for the NLMVP Award this season . Blackmon will have a stellar season by his own lofty standards , but I doubt he will come close the single season record held by Japanese star Ichiro Suzuki . Charlie Blackmon has been relentless with his hitting this season . With the remaining games left on the Colorado Rockies’ schedule it will be interesting to see if Blackmon can beat the franchise record for hits in a season.
Colorado Rockies news .
Tophatal …………..
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Tophat quote: “Jemelle Hill speaks a truth that no one wants to admit is true.” That’s not the issue! She ‘might’ be speaking the truth, but also an employee of ESPN. You wanna be an activist? Ok, quit your high profile cushy job and continue the ranting. Show some respect for your employer. Ppl have been fired from Disney for lessor offensives.
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Ronbets
People have been fired for less , but ESPN as an environment has been a bastion for male chauvinism, sexual misconduct by male employees , criminal activity and need we be reminded of the racism at the outlet ? So explain to me why Jemelle Hill should be ostracized ? Look at the hypocrisy of ESPN, removing Asian American commentator Robert Lee from calling a College Football game between University of Virginia and William & Mary because they thought it might incite racial tension and protests . How fu#ked up is this country and how the fu#k can Robert Iger still be head of Walt Disney , parent company of ESPN ? Please stop with this idiocy of Hill speaking out of turn. You’re far more intelligent than that !!!
Does he (Robert Lee) look anything like Robert E Lee and are you offended by that at all ? LOL,LOL,LOL !!!!
This is the Robert E Lee people should be talking about don’t you think ?
Tophatal
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Ronbets
First and foremost is ESPN a sports broadcast outlet or a source of news ? I see it as being both, because if it’s only meant to be sports’ broadcast outlet then it shouldn’t be broaching social commentary on issues outside the realms of the product it places , there for the public’s edification .
If Jemelle Hill wants to address the issue of Colin Kaepernick and then we have the recent issue of Anthony Bennett and his harassment by Las Vegas Police Department , wherein the cops themselves didn’t even have their body-cams working , when they confronted the player and then alleged he was the one who was physically abusive , then it speaks to the fact , the issue of race in this country is not something whites in general want to address in any type of meaningful way . When this country and in particular many of its political leaders still yearn for years gone by , while still portraying itself as some moral beacon of light , it should tell you why the US is rapidly becoming a complete shit-#ole altogether .
I think it hypocritical that there are as many Caucasians in this country as there are African Americans , who seem to forget the likes of Muhammad Ali , Jack Johnson , Jackie Robinson , Tommie Smith and John Carlos took a similar stance to Colin Kaepernick, but all I hear is the nonsensical bull$hit of his being unpatriotic. These individuals wouldn’t know patriotism if it were defecated right on top of their fu#king heads .
Tophatal …….
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So, Al, with more home runs going out of the park this season than in the steroid era, why is any seasoned baseball fan supposed to believe that what we’re seeing is legit?
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Chris Humpherys (@SportcChump)
Home runs are one thing , but here’s the issue we’ll always have , ever since Mark McGwire , Bonds and Sammy Sosa simply mocked the single-season home run record with their dubious actions . What legitimacy is there left to the game ? Giancarlo Stanton might well be having a good season , but he’s not playing on a winning team or making the Miami Marlins any better. This is simply giving the writers something to talk about and that’s it. Roger Maris is still the legitimate holder of the record , but the likes of Bud Selig and Rob Manfred remain to frigging gutless to do what is morally right .
Nothing else needs to be said !!!
Tophatal ……….
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Tophat,
The LVPD is an equal opportunity and frequent user of excessive force. Skin color had nothing to do with his take down. Problem with ABennett that he’s used to dealing out punishment under a controlled environment.
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Tophat quote: “many Caucasians in this country as there are African Americans , who seem to forget the likes of Muhammad Ali , Jack Johnson , Jackie Robinson , Tommie Smith and John Carlos took a similar stance to Colin Kaepernick,”
The common denominator here stops with the Italian-African American Kaepernick. The first 5 superstars mentioned were at the top of their game when they exhibited their beliefs. Kaepernick’s attempt at relevancy by his protests are very transparent. Geez, does he really have convictions when tells Harbaugh and the Ravens he’ll be a good boy and not kneel if they sign him? The 49’ers had a mult-million dollar obligation on the table and he gambled and lost.
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The issue within the Niners’ framework was already disintegrating , with regard to Harbaugh’s own relationship with then GM Trent Baalke. Bear in mind also the York family as owners of the franchise were as negligent as they come. Jed York has spent most of his time simply looking at taking money from Santa Clara County in order to get Levi Strauss Stadium built . The issues with the likes of former Niners’ players Ray McDonald (drug use , spousal abuse ) , Aldon Smith (sexual assault) and countless others on the roster was like watching the Titanic sink , while it was never being addressed by the front office once things took on a really serious note .
It’s true African Americans and Caucasians wouldn’t know their @ss from their elbow, when it comes to social conscience or activity , because their apathy is laughable to say the very least. All of what they have recently gleaned comes from the tidbits and sound bytes they gleam from news stories and not much else. Tell me what really leadership was actually being shown by the San Francisco 49ers as they went into their tailspin and do remember who their last two head coaches just happened to be ( Jim Tomsula and Chip Kelly). Do you really believe either of those two @ssholes would be competent enough to coach a Pee Wee League Football team ?
You should be more concerned with the fact at the time Ravens’ owner Steve Biscotti was giving his rather odious comments about whether or not they would sign Colin Kaepernick , NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was there on the dais off-screen , simply making sure the owner (Biscotti) stood in line with the rest of the other owners within the league.. If you don’t believe this has more to do with hypocrisy on the part of the NFL and the union (NFLPA), where DeMaurice Smith will continually go to bat for players with far more harmful reputations , but sits in silence on a matter such as this , then it speaks volumes as to what is wrong with the league and the union itself.
Listen to this drivel from Ray Lewis whose credibility is bull$it . Shannon Sharpe ‘schooled’ Lewis about principle , integrity and black consciousness.
I’d rather listen to Shannon Sharpe than an ungrateful di#k such as Ray Lewis .
As for Anthony Bennett it wasn’t about his actions , but that of the LVPD’s own actions and he was quite within his right to act the way he did. He was not belligerent to the officers in question , who somehow had no justification for their actions or had any evidence to support the arrest of the player at the time.
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So now that we know Al Avila believes it was best for the Detroit Tigers to trade away Justin Verlander to AL contenders the Houston Astros . I have to ask how long before the general manager then decides to continue with his fire sale by then ridding the ball-club of Miguel Cabrera to start afresh with the rebuilding of the franchise ? If nothing else it would be fair to suggest the Tigers are having a horrendous season barely competing within the AL or the AL Central for that matter. Over their last ten games the Detroit Tigers are 2-8 which is among the worst records in the entire league. Tigers’ manager Brad Ausmus is likely to be out of a job at the end of the season if Avila believes him not up to the task. As to the makeup of the team itself , well decisions will have to made there also . Their payroll for this season has seen a fall from last season . With Michael Ilitch no longer there to lead the franchise in his ownership capacity , his legacy has now been left in the hands of his son, Chris Ilitch to carry on in the capacity as the CEO and owner of the franchise.
It will be interesting to see how the Detroit Tigers weathers the storm as they round out their regular season schedule . The Tigers will be in action against the Minnesota Twins as part of a four-game home stand beginning on Thursday , 21st September . This should prove to be a very interesting game for both participants
Chris Ilitch (left) and Al Avila .
If Al Avila does decide to trade Miguel Cabrera then there could be a multitude of teams showing interest in the Triple Crown and AL MVP slugger.
Detroit Tigers news
Tophatal ………
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Several of the divisional races have been sewn up with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Washington Nationals being among the ball-clubs now crowned as a divisional champion . Wildcard berth places are still up for grabs for a number of teams and with many having less than ten games to play before the end of the regular season schedule , it will be interesting to see how things play out for those teams.
At this time last season the situation was not that clear for many of the teams presumed to be the hunt for a divisional title or a postseason berth .
The 2016 World Series champions the Kansas City Royals are out of the race and another disappointing season will come to an abrupt end. GM Dayton Moore will now have to assess the makeup of this roster moving forward . Team owner David Glass might now be intent to resort to ways of old rather than actually spending money . For the impending free agents on the Royals’ roster it will be interesting to see if the organization will be willing to up the ante in order to make the team competitive while also seeking to acquire players for the ball-club. There is no denying the core of that championship winning team of 2016 came by way of the Royals having drafted successfully in the previous years and then watching that talent develop through their Minor League System. One player the ball-club would like to retain has to be Mike Moustakas , whose reliability and consistency has been one the hallmarks of the organization. The third baseman would undoubtedly like to be rewarded as a player of his position should be.
The Kansas City Royals will take to the field on Thursday when they face the Toronto Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario.
MLB news
Tophatal ……….
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Tophat,
Miggy Cabrera is a shell of what he use to be. His slugging % is disappointing compared to most other RBI sluggers in the league. A smart GM wouldn’t give away the ‘store’ for his services. Add to the fact he’s a defensive liability. Speaking of the Detroit Tigers……..Ausmus better have a real estate agent. HE GONE!!
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Tophat,
I mentioned this during a recent college world series game involving O’Miss. Maybe only one black kid on the team. Why are they staying away from baseball?
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Ronbets
Cabrera can still hit , but I think the Tigers’ problems comes down to the fact manager Brad Ausmus doesn’t instill a great deal of confidence and he’s not inspirational or motivational type of manager. He’s simply not as good as Jim Leyland .
Tigers’ manager Brad Ausmus
Kids are not inspired to play the game (baseball) and at the same time baseball’s RBI Initiative (Bringing Baseball Back to the Inner Cities) has been a monumental failure . What we are seeing , are baseball academies being built in Latin America , Far East and the Caribbean . The New York Yankees , New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers over the past five years have spent in excess of $60 million in conjunction with Major League Baseball to get these academies going . Simply look no further than the team owners and league hierarchy for that.
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David Ortiz and Edgar Martinez are considered to be two of the greatest DH’s baseball history. Ortiz is a three-time World Series champion , having won his rings while playing for the Boston Red Sox . Martinez for his part made a name for himself while playing for the Seattle Mariners . Refined as the art may be , this position carries with it a great deal of weight for the players and their respective teams.
Of today’s DH’s perhaps the best known might be Albert Pujols and Hanley Ramirez , with both of these players likely to be future Hall of Fame bound , having met the usual requirements.
Tophatal ……………..
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Weekend schedule for baseball . It will be interesting to see if the Los Angeles Dodgers (97-56) will remain in pursuit of one hundred victories on the season . Manager Dave Roberts and his team will be in action this weekend beginning today as they face the San Francisco Giants at home . Three more victories and the Dodgers will have their best winning season since 1953 when they were known as the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Whether or not the Los Angeles Dodgers can be seen as the bona-fide favorites within the NL remains to be seen. Their record suggests they are , but recent postseason appearances suggest the players lack the confidence to get the job done. Many of the team’s leading players from this season will have to step up to the plate if the Dodgers are to succeed. Los Angeles could very well ‘sweep’ the Giants , gaining the their magical number of one to win the NL West and that one hundred victory mark.
Los Angeles Dodgers news
Tophatal …………….
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Well there comes a time when you have to take it on the chin and quit. For the past five years I’ve been a fan of the Atlanta Braves , having originally sworn allegiance to the Miami Marlins . In the wake of the misdeeds of current Marlins’ owner Jeffrey Loria , his mismanagement of the organization and wanton neglect. It only seemed obvious that I could no longer support the ball-club !
This will be season to forget for the Braves with the team performing miserably. At no point during the season were the Atlanta Braves ever in a position to compete . Over their last ten games the Braves have been a mediocre 5-5, having to watch their divisional rivals simply play with a real zest. Braves’ manager Brian Snitker might not be held over for next season as I believe there will be some deep and far-reaching changes made to the managerial staff and among the playing roster. The team’s most vital assets might well be Freddie Freeman and Mike Foltynewicz . With the payroll lagging behind many of their counterparts, it easy to understand why the Atlanta Braves might not be considered competitive. GM John Coppolella and Team President John Scheurholz haven’t exactly gone out of their way to really boost the roster over the last four years . A new stadium has been built but the support for the team remains as mediocre as ever .
Beginning today , Friday 22nd September the Atlanta Braves will be in action when they face the Philadelphia Phillies in the first of a three game series . They will then round out their regular season schedule with two three-game sets against the New York Mets and Miami Marlins , respectively.
Atlanta Braves news
Tophatal …………………
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So what’s next for the Washington Nationals ? Having clinched their division and a postseason berth , one could say things are looking on the up and up for the team . Manager Dusty Baker will be looking to have the Nationals continue to play top notch baseball as they round out their regular season schedule . It has to be now rather than later if this team is to make a real effort to win a World Series title . Everything should be in their favor and the possibility of an NLCS match-up against the Los Angeles Dodgers appears to be on the cards if everything falls into place during this postseason. It will be incumbent on players such as their veterans to lead the Nationals by example , with Baker and his managerial staff providing the impetus for this all to take place.
Heading into this weekend the Washington Nationals will begin a series against the New York Mets with the first game taking place today . This match-up should prove to be a series that the Nationals will come through with a great deal of ease .
Washington Nationals news
Tophatal …………….
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So what else needs to be said about another failed season by the Baltimore Orioles ? There will no doubt come a point where Peter Angelos and Dan Duquette will have to sit down , weigh up the pros and cons in having not only the entire managerial staff dismissed , but also the makeup of this team . There have been few if any sobering points on the season for the Orioles, as they have struggled to compete this season.
Buck Showalter’s best years might well be behind him rather than ahead of him at this juncture. The Orioles’ last posteason appearance came in 2016 and their farthest advance has been to the 2014 ALCS when they fell to the Kansas City Royals in a four-game sweep (4-0) . Showalter’s tenure as a manager with the Baltimore Orioles could be rated as a success , but I believe he has failed to meet the expectations of the fans as well as the front office !
Any future development of the Baltimore Orioles has to be built around the team’s best player Manny Machado , who has now become the face of this franchise. With seven games to play in their regular season schedule it will be interesting to see how the team will fare over the remainder of the season. They are currently in action against the Tampa Bay Rays in the first of a three-game series as part of their regular season series for 2017.
Baltimore Orioles news
Tophatal …………..
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Joe Mauer and the Minnesota Twins could be heading back to the postseason for the first time in over six years. Their last appearance came in 2010 when they made it to the ALDS where they ended up falling to the New York Yankees . In the six year since they’ve failed to make a return to the MLB postseason. Under new manager Paul Molitor , this team has seen a gradual revival , playing with zeal . Mauer might not be the cataltyst behind their exicting season but he continues to be a leader on this team .
Twins’ manager Paul Molitor who also happens to be a member of the Hall of Fame having played part of his career with the Minnesota Twins as well as the Milwaukee Brewers .
If the Minnesota Twins can continue along their present path then there is no reason to believe why they cannot be considered among the favorites within the AL for the Pennant race and quite possibly anything beyond that. The Twins were in action on Friday night when they faced the Detroit Tigers , destroying their rivals by the score of 7-3 . This was the first meeting as part of the final regular season series’ meetings between the two teams . The Tigers will once again play host to the Twins on Saturday as well as Sunday , as they round out their series. I expect the Minnesota Twins to take all three games in the series and strengthen their position in the AL wildcard standings .
Minnesota Twins news
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So who are likely to be the Rookies of the Year within the AL and NL this season ? It’s a safe bet to suggest the Los Angeles Dodgers could be on their way to producing another star and winner of the NL Award for this season . Cody Bellinger has been outstanding for the team this season and should he win the award he would be following in the illustrious footsteps of some great Dodgers’ players of the past.
In the AL it might not be so clear as to the AL Rookie of The Year , but all signs seem to be pointing towards Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees , but there also seems to be a growing trend with the productivity seen from the Andrew Benintendi of the Boston Red Sox placing his name among the list of candidates.
MLB Award winners 2016
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What does it say when you’ve been the worst team in baseball for much of the season and at this time not even pride is worth playing for ? For the San Francisco Giants this has been a terrible season and be it through injuries suffered , this team has not been competitive during their scheduled games. Manager Bruce Bochy has been lucky enough to have led the Giants to three World Series titles during his tenure with the organization. This season they have failed miserably sitting at the bottom of the NL West and being completely out of contention for a wildcard berth . There has been nothing positive to speak of concerning the team’s performances at home or on the road .
During this off-season Brian Sabean will once again have to work his magic as he seeks to rebuild the roster . I dare say , Sabean might seek to increase the team’s payroll considerably for 2018. The ball-club is profitable . but in comparison to the big-market teams they are considered to be minnows .
Friday evening the San Francisco Giants were in action against the Los Angeles Dodgers they suffered another demoralizing loss to the divisional rivals 4-2 . These two teams will be back on the mound this evening (Saturday) as they face-off for the second game of their current three-game series . The opposing pitchers in today’s game will be Madison Bumgarner of the Giants against Hyun Jin-Ryu of the Dodgers.
San Francisco Giants news
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Sunday’s games in Major League Baseball .
MLB news
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Tom Brady participating in the protests? LMAO. The former Trump buddy is playing a different agenda. It’s don’t piss off my O-line that protects my ass. Whatever the ‘muscle’ says is OK with him. OTOH, I give Tomlin credit for keeping his crew of the field for the NA. Kudos to the former Army ranger that stood tall. Me?, I can’t make any $$ betting these primadonnas so the video will not include the NFL.
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Tophat,
Country divided? Understatement. But hey, this is allegedly the best country on the planet. Where else can a star athlete call the leader of the free world a bum with no repercussions? However, I think Duterte and Trump are related. lmao Somehow, I don’t crave youth anymore.
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Ronbets
For me, I won’t be touching on anything concerning the NFL this season , with regards to the games never-mind the bull$hit now going on and off the field. Roger Goodell and the owners are proving to be a bunch of hypocritical fuc#kers while the NFLPA (union) under DeMaurice Smith’s leadership remains a fu$king joke.
As for Tom Brady , the moment I heard he made it known he would be supporting Trump , I simply thought , fu#k him and the horse he rode in on. Not that I am avowed supporter of either of the two main political parties (Democrats or Republicans) in the country , as I believe both are simply fu#ked up to begin with !!!!
Owners such as Stephen Ross of the Miami Dolphins are as idiotic as they are repugnant. Ross’ comments don’t really address any underlying issues with regard to the nation and it was merely his wanting to show his own understanding of an issue he is unlikely to come across in his daily life. Stephen Ross is among the richest individuals in the country with a net worth exceeding $5 billion . What would a guy like that know about racial or social injustice ? Ross was simply offering up his insights while saying nothing of real note and for that fans and the public are meant to think he has a reading of what’s really happening in this country when it comes to minorities ?
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Ronbets
Let’s talk some real issues shall we because in reality this nation and its populace are really fu#king clueless .
For real !!!! Yet no one gives a fu#k that the NFL also charges the US Defense Dept when the national anthem is actually played at the stadiums during regular season games . Yet here we have morons questioning the players protesting ? Let’s talk about who the real clueless morons are . Meanwhile Trump is out there saying NFL players are sons of bitches ? He’s never served a day of his life in the military has described someone who was a prisoner of war as a coward and less than a hero because he was caught by the enemy and held captive. John McCain may come across as some of an idiot while serving as a US Senator, but the man actually flew more than fory sorties as a damn pilot during the Vietnam War . What the fu#k was Trump doing during that time , other than getting a special deferment , because he allegedly suffered from plantar fasciitis ? Somehow he was still able to participate in a variety of varsity sports while in college. Privilege for you and it seems to have its merits based on wealth as well as color . That’s something you can’t deny at all.
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We’re almost there and the two Big League Teams from the state of Florida will end their seasons in MLB with less than stellar records . Both the Miami Marlins and Tampa Bay Rays will be sub-par . 500 teams barely competitive and in dire straits. The Marlins will be under new ownership once the deal has been approved for their $1.3 billion sale to a new consortium headed by billionaire Bruce Sherman , Derek Jeter and Michael Jordan. That’s some star power by any stretch of the imagination and then some. It is rumored Jeter wants some widespread changes within the Marlins’ front office and he will likely bring in his own people with regard to Player Personnel Development as well as new general manager. Also likely to be addressed will be the long-term future of Giancarlo Stanton and whether or not the organization can afford to pay his annual $25 million salary , while he still has over ten years left on his existing contract . Bear in mind the Miami Marlins are not a very profitable team and their revenues are among the worst in all of baseball.
Over their last ten games the Miami Marlins have been abysmal (5-5) , simply a reflection of their entire season . The team’s weekend series against the Arizona Diamondbacks ended up as expected , with a series’ loss (2-1) in the three game played . There are likely to be some potentially major shakeups within the playing staff once the new ownership group takes over as they begin to asses the team’s needs.
I am not about to suggest baseball is unsustainable within the state of Florida as Spring Training remains popular . However , the two Major League teams who make their home within the state on average have just over 20,000 attending their games . For games on the road dependent upon the opposition the figure isn’t significantly higher . Stuart Sternberg and his fellow Tampa Bay Rays’ executives need to stop crying wolf and actually place winning product on the field of play along with a managerial staff capable of leading. Many would suggest under Sternberg the Rays had their most successful years winning a ALCS and making an appearance in the World Series . Well , all of that magic has been lost with the departure of Joe Maddon , while the owner concentrated on trying to get a new stadium built, rather than improving the team and its competitiveness. Heading into the weekend the Tampa Bay Rays really , needed to into a flow . Something it would appear this team was actually incapable of doing.
The Tampa Bay Rays were in a weekend schedule against the Baltimore Orioles as they split (2-2) the series against their divisional rivals . With Monday being a rest day for the team they will resume their schedule on Tuesday when they face the New York Yankees on the road .
MLB results 24th September
Miami Marlins news
Tampa Bay Rays news
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Well the Arizona Diamondbacks will be making a welcome return to the MLB postseason after an absence of six years after their last appearance in 2011 . This season the Diamondbacks have played with the usual resolve you would come to expect of a team looking to make its presence felt during the season. For the managerial staff of Torey Lovullo this is a special moment for the ownership group and organization . This team has performed well against their opponents throughout much of the season .
Entering into the final month of the regular season the Arizona Diamonbacks have fared well . The team will be in action today when they face the San Francisco Giants as part of a three game series ending on the 27th September .
Arizona Diamondbacks news
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You talk of Goodell hypocrisy? Check this out.
“In 2015, Goodell’s NFL was revealed to have allowed teams take $5.4 million in Department of Defense money to perform patriotic pregame shows.”
Btw, Roger’s dad while serving as a politician in NYS , was sympathetic with Jane Fonda while we were getting our asses kicked during the Tet Offensive. Never elected to any post but filled vacancies through death.
I no longer crave youth.
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Ronbets
Roger Goodell is earning over $25 million a year comparable to some of the top earners in the NFL for this season . At the same time he and DeMaurice Smith of the NFLPA are still penny pinching when it comes to honoring the agreement made with retired NFL veterans in pursuance of the federal lawsuit.
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Ronbets
It’s all about privilege . Trump calling NFL players sons of bitches , while his @ss and those of his sons who’ve never done fu#k all in the service of the country, while trying to espouse patriotism .
As for Roger Goodell , he and Paul Tagliabue have been worthless self serving @ssholes . Someone needs to explain to me how this commissioner can seek the union paring down their demands, when on average since becoming the league’s highest executive he has earned on average , in excess of $20 million a year ?
He’s busy doing nothing , working the whole day through .
I find it a big fu#ing joke when I hear pundits make the claim , Donald Trump is not a politician , but they seem to forget the moment you enter that world that is exactly what you become , a frigging politician. The federal government cannot be operated as a business, because that whole environment operates by its own set of rules and is ran by a bunch of narcissitic frigging morons within the House and Senate . This President should be concentrating on the catastrophe in Puerto Rico and the fact that on the island, beyond the devastation , it is bankrupt ($70 billion in debt) and not able to sustain itself . Instead he wants to fu#k around with Kim Jong-Un in North Korea.
Are you beginning to get the picture ?
Tophatal …………….
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Monday’s results in baseball and how it all affects the league standings. On Tuesday many of the teams will be back on the field for their scheduled contests .
MLB news
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Down on their luck or simply just down and out ? There is no other way to describe the abysmal season of the Philadelphia Phillies . There were no saving graces for this team over the course of the season . Over the weekend the Phillies came off a series’ loss to the Atlanta Braves . whose season has been just as dire as Philadelphia . The final game of the series ended up being a 2-0 victory for the Phillies . Unfortunately , they couldn’t keep that momentum going when they faced the Washington Nationals on Monday evening losing that contest 3-1 . The Philadelphia Phillies will be looking to rebound from that loss as they take on the Washington Nationals again this Tuesday evening . This will be part of their regular season series against their NL East divisional rivals .
Where the Philadelphia Phillies now go from here is open to a great deal of conjecture and debate. The team lacks leadership and veteran experience . Their managerial staff left a great deal to be desired and it is my belief the front office will make changes to both the playing and managerial staff during the off-season. Since their World Series triumph the Phillies have been in a tailspin, It is hard to envisage how they will begin to turn things around . Many of their free agents will undoubtedly have to be let go and there seems to be nothing among the list of talent within their farm system which would appear to be encouraging.
In terms of attendance the Philadelphia Phillies had their share of loyal fans , but at the end of that is not enough if there isn’t a competitive and winning product on the field of play . That is something which needs to be addressed by John Middleton, Andy McPhail and Matt Klentak with a great deal of drive during this off-season.
Philadelphia Phillies news
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There are four more days left in the regular season schedule of baseball. It will be interesting to see how things pan out for the teams as the year reaches its regular season climax .
MLB news
MLB results 26th September
MLB schedule 27th September
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The Los Angeles Dodgers are closing in on a historic season for the ball-club with a number of franchise records set to be broken . Among the team’s starting pitchers both Clayton Kershaw and Alex Wood are having exceptional years . The two along with Yu Darvish have provided the team with the momentum seen over their last . The team has four pitchers with at least ten wins , with Clayton Kershaw leading the pack with eighteen victories this season. Kershaw might be on the verge of winning this third NL Cy Young Award , putting him an exclusive club of pitchers with three or more wins of the prestigious award.
While the Los Angeles Dodgers’ pitching has been getting a great deal of praise the team’s offense has been hitting the ball right out of the park . It has been some of the younger players on the roster
laying claim to the Dodgers’ offensive productivity . Heading into today the Los Angeles Dodgers lead the NL West by a healthy margin with the league-leading one hundered and one victories being the best in the Majors. It could very well be by October 1st there will be at least three teams with one hundered wins (100 wins) on the season.
The Los Angeles will be in action on Wednesday 27th September as they get ready to face the San Diego Padres at home in a game being played Dodger Stadium .
On this day in baseball and this week .
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The MLB hierarchy has now finally approved the sale of the Miami Marlins , moving ownership from Jeffrey Loria to a syndicate group led by billionaire venture capitalist Bruce Sherman , former Big League star Derek Jeter and his close friend Michael Jordan . If the rumore are to be believed then Jeter will have authorative control concerning all operational decisions with regard to managerial and player personnel as well as the front office . The likely departure of David Sansome is inevitable along with Michael Hill who serves in the capacity as the current general manager of the Marlins.
The Miami Marlins’ plight this season has been one monumental disaster and even if you buy into the success of Giancarlo Stanton and his productivity this season , you still can’t hide from the fact this really is a very mediocre team lacking in leadership. Marlins’ manager Don Mattingly and the team will round out their regular season with their final set of games beginning today, 27th September , where will face the Atlanta Braves at home . Once again the Marlins will have another subpar season , their eighth in the last nine years. Safe to say, Derek Jeter and his business partners will have their work cutout for them as they seek to turn the franchise’s fortunes around. Their very first task might well be addressing the situation concerning Giancarlo Stanton’s long-term future and their commitment in honoring his contract . Stanton is considered to be the face of the franchise , but the fact that the Marlins continue to struggle financially , as they play in mid-size market , casts a giant shadow over this ball-club. Their average home
attendance is among the lowest in the league and it doesn’t fare much better when they are on the road .
If the Miami Marlins do choose to make a clean break by trading Giancarlo Stanton during the off-season , then the fans of the team will be extremely upset. However , financial stability must come first in spite of the millions which might be at Bruce Sherman’s disposal. This might be seen as a long-term investment for the businessman but to his partner Derek Jeter this has been a life-long ambition after the end of his playing career .
Miami Marlins news
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This will be the first time in several years where there has been at least one team with 100 wins on the season with a number of others also getting close to that mark . At this point last season the team with the best record notched up one hundred and one victories and that mark belonged to the Chicago Cubs . The team would go on to win the 2016 World Series in extraordinary fashion and along the way create club history with their series’ victory.
The Chicago Cubs are back in the postseason with the team playing some great baseball during the month of September. Cubs’ manager Joe Maddon knows his team will avoid the wildcard round of the postseason before entering the divisional series where they will meet a possible wildcard entrant. They begin a weekend schedule against the Cincinatti Red , with the first game taking place today 29th September at Wrigley Field in Chicago , Illinois . As part of their regular season series’ meetings these two NL Central teams have been very competitive during their contests this season .
MLB news
Results for the 28th September
MLB weekend schedule
MLB standings and MLB wildcard standings
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With just two games left in most cases to close out the regular season in baseball , it all now boils down to this . Philadelphia Phillies’ manager Peter Mackanin looks as if he could be the first managerial casualty as the season closes out. There are widespread rumors that the front office will not ask Mackanin to return for next season. An abysmal season where the Phillies were were less than I competitive has left the franchise in complete disarray. This team was lacking in so many areas of their game . The Phillies are in action this weekend as they take on the New York Mets at home . The first game of the series took place on Friday . In today’s contest the opposing pitchers will be Seth Lugo of the Mets against Henderson Alvarez of the Phillies .
The ouster of Peter Mackinan cannot be seen as a major surprise , given the incompetence shown by the managerial staff as well as the players themselves over the course of the season. Where the ball club now goes from here and who Mackinan’s successor will be remains to be seen, but at the end of it all , the manager’s record simply showed us his time was due.
Philadelphia Philles news (press releases) and Phillies’ news
MLB scheduled games for 30th September
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Yesterday was the penultimate day of the regular season in baseball leaving only Sunday’s games to bring a finality to the regular season . The postseason itself will not begin until October 3rd with the wildcard round of the postseason schedule.
I think we can all agree it is time for the New York Mets to call it time on the reign of Terry Collins’ as the team’s manager. Granted , Collins took the team to a World Series’ appearance where they were strongly favored to win the title , but abysmal performances from the players in the series became their own undoing . Since that appearance , there have been nothing but excuses from a wide array of supporters while the front office led by Sandy Alderson have been unable to come up with any answers behind the Mets’ decline. A sub-par season finishing third in the NL East has pretty much summed up how awful the Mets have been this season.
MLB news
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Monday 2nd October will be the last day of the regular season in Major League Baseball . Many of the divisionals titles have been settled along with the postseason berths within each league. Peter Mackinan’s ouster as the manager of the Philadelphia Phillies has been made public and he unlikely to be the only manager being fired once the regular season is over. Brad Ausmus of the Detroit Tigers could be joining Mackinan along with Terry Collins of the New York Mets . Both of these teams have performed abysmally throughout the season.
The Philadelphia Phillies will not be be in action having fulfilled their regular season schedule . This team was in complete disarray having lost five of their last ten games to end the season. There appears to be uncertainty concerning Terry Collins’ long-term future with the Mets , with no one within the front office prepared to issue a formal public statement concerning the beleagured manager’s position. Several of the players on the Mets’ roster failed to meet the expectations as they were clearly favored for the divisional title as well as a postseason berth. It will be interesting to see what the fallout will be after another disastrous season for this overrated ball club.
The postseason will begin on 3rd October and 4th with the wildcard round games within each division . In Tuesday’s game the New York Yankees will play host to the Minnesota Twins . The NL wildcard game will provide the fans with the opportunity to see the Colorado Rockies face divisional rivals the Arizona Diamondbacks in a contest being played at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona.
MLB news
MLB schedule
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It’s official they’re a loss bearing franchise and the best player on the team , slugger Giancarlo Stanton has made it clear he wants to be no part of a rebuilding process as part of the Miami Marlins’ new ownership structure . Having fallen one home run shy of sixty home runs for the season , Stanton had one of the best productive years of his playing career . Just a pity it was all in vain as the Marlins finished with a sub-500 record on their way to second place and distant finish behind the Washington Nationals . New team owner Bruce Sherman along with his partners Derek Jeter and Michael Jordan took on a great deal of debt when they took over the Miami Marlins. Misemanagement and a lack of recent success under previous owner Jeffrey Loria was ever present.
Courtesy of Yahoo Sports in conjunction with NBC Sports
It should be noted Jeffrey Loria originally purchased the franchise on the cheap , with a low rate loan which came courtesy of the MLB hierarchy . He now walks away with over $1 billion , pre-taxes , but you would be hard pressed to hear anyone from the league hierarchy question the justification of Loria being able to walk away so much cash after the continued reign of mismanagement by the executive. It was very much the same thing with former Los Angeles Dodgers’ owner Frank McCourt after he took the ball-club into bankruptcy in order to settle several personal debts , as well as paying off his then wife. And anyone who still believes baseball has its financial house in order, is clearly an @sshole if they actually believe that to be the case. Baseball’s hierarchy still operates its archaic and rather idiotic inoperable salary cap , taxing teams who go over the $200 million salary cap . Yet bear in mind , the teams who benefit from this , rarely do they invest in bolstering their lineups.
If the Miami Marlins are to survive , then some sweeping changes will have to be made right across the board starting with the playing staff . I am not so sure that any reassurances can be made to Giancarlo Stanton and his long-term future with the team. He still owed over ten years on the remainder of his existing contract. Without Stanton the roster the Miami Marlins simply mediocre in the true sense of the word. There is a possibility that the incoming ownership group might not seek to part ways with Giancarlo Stanton, but everything point to the fact , with not a great deal of commercial endorsement money coming their way and sparse attendance for their home games , the inevitability has to be the trading of the slugger in order to lower payroll while looking to their farm system as well as acquiring players whose salaries will not be too high.
MLB news
2017 MLB Postseason schedule
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