Top baseball game this year?

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Thu Sep 23, 2004 7:37 pm

DB, Parker's just drinking the Sox kool aid and criticizing the Yanks for their oh-so-excessive payroll just like their owner did.

s*** like that cracks me up.

Parker, by the way, you're welcome for David Ortiz. Too bad the Twins couldn't afford to pay a guy with great potential $3MM a couple years ago because he had been injury prone and we had to decide to keep him or sign Torii Hunter. Then your beloved Poppy prospers in a lefties dream park, building his confidence to the point he becomes a damn fine hitter everywhere.

When your team struggles with things like that, then you can complain about the Yanks payroll. The back-to-back-to-back AL Central champs might have 4 infielders who weren't starting at the start of the season opening next season. You big market thugs make me sick

Theo · Post by **Theo** » Thu Sep 23, 2004 8:36 pm

Thanks for the feedback guys. I bought ESPN. I have a few questions. First, if you want your pitches to be more precise, do you turn pitching variability up or down? Secondly, should I enable custom sliders or not? Thanks again!!!

K_Mosley · Post by **K_Mosley** » Thu Sep 23, 2004 9:20 pm

dbdynsty25 wrote:
Parker wrote:It doesn't matter if the Yanks do win the world series, they still don't know how to have fun, because they aren't a team, just a high-priced roster pieced together by Moneybags Steinbrenner who demands that everyone has the same hair style. Boston has real team spirit which is why they enjoy playing baseball for more reasons than just making money.
I find it funny when you or any Red Sox fan criticize the Yanks and yet Boston has the 2nd highest payroll by far. LOL.

My sentiments exactly!

Mr. pot, meet Mr. kettle...

Kevin

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Thu Sep 23, 2004 9:23 pm

Finally we agree on something Kevin. LOL

K_Mosley · Post by **K_Mosley** » Thu Sep 23, 2004 9:31 pm

Hey Scott,

We both like Fulham, right?!

Kevin

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Thu Sep 23, 2004 9:43 pm

Oh yeah...that too. So two things.

snaz16 · Post by **snaz16** » Thu Sep 23, 2004 10:23 pm

Theo wrote:Thanks for the feedback guys. I bought ESPN. I have a few questions. First, if you want your pitches to be more precise, do you turn pitching variability up or down? Secondly, should I enable custom sliders or not? Thanks again!!!

If you go to the top of the page and click on search, and type in "snate's sliders", about the 3rd page or so, you should be able to find the answer to your question. Along with the fact that you asked that same question back in June...I'm guessin the 1rst time you owned it?

Theo · Post by **Theo** » Thu Sep 23, 2004 10:38 pm

Yeah, I bought it a while back but I didn't give it a chance. Sorry, forgot that I asked the same question 3 months ago.

kevinpars · Post by **kevinpars** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 8:31 am

I have enjoyed playing MVP Baseball for the PC as well. I got all of the mods installed. I still have some problems with the pitch meter, but it is a fun game to play as a change of pace.

Jason · Post by **Jason** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 9:29 am

This may not make much sense - ESPN is the best baseball game but MVP is more fun if you can look past some of its flaws.

If MVP fixes the "lefty" bug (most likely), goes to a true Zone Hitting batting scheme (hopefully) and works on the AI (probably), they will have a great game next year (I can't comment on the franchise aspects since I don't play franchise mode).

Parker · Post by **Parker** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 11:04 am

Wait until next year...our payroll will be under 100 mil while the Yanks will be even higher. It's normal for a big market team to have an abnormaly high payroll every so often in cycles, but it's not normal to have an extremely high payroll that grows every year.

The fact is the Red Sox and Yanks are very different teams. Our starting rotation is the same as last year except for Schilling. Our lineup is essentially the same with the replacement of Bellhorn for Walker and the addition of role players. Of course our players are going to form strong bonds with each other and they show this openly by hugging and celebrating, even if it's not the world series. What fun is it to party just once a year? We will party when we win the division, party harder when we win each round of the playoffs, and party like you've never seen before when we win the world series!

If you want to watch a team that goes about their business as individuals, then the Yanks are for you. They may play good baseball, but there is little else I find appealing about them.

Of course our players care about the money they make. But if you think their behavior in the dugout is all a big act and they aren't having fun, then you need your head examined.

Parker · Post by **Parker** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 11:07 am

"Ha ha. Silly Red Sox fans. They still labor under the impression that the regular season means anything. You guys could go 25-0 against us in the regular season and all it would mean is that it would be that much funnier when you crashed and burned in the playoffs."

I'll take Schilling and Pedro anyday in the playoffs compared to the Yanks constantly changing rotation. There is no Wells or Pettite anymore. It's sad Steinbrenner couldn't build a team suitable for the playoffs with all of his money.

marino · Post by **marino** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 11:13 am

You have no ground until your sox beat the yanks in the playoffs and(shock, shock) win a world series. When is the last time the sox beat the yanks in the playoffs?yeah.
Better yet when was their last world series appearence or win? I thought so.
I could care less if they end up winning the divison.Last time I checked winning the division isn't the World Series.

Boston will always be the yankees bitches.Just face it.

Curse of the bambino.
Curse of the bambino.
Curse of the bambino.
Curse of the bambino.

Parker · Post by **Parker** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 11:19 am

Yankee fans are scared to face us in the playoffs. You can say season records are meaningless, but it will only take one win this weekend to take the season series. Last year's ALCS was basically a wash, it won't take much to tip the scales in our favor. And we are definitely a better team than last year, I can't say the same thing about the Yanks despite their payroll because you need dominant pitchers in the postseason to do anything.

spooky157 · Post by **spooky157** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 11:19 am

Parker wrote:We will party when we win the division, party harder when we win each round of the playoffs, and party like you've never seen before when we win the world series!

After 85 years of World Series blue balls, I'd expect Beacon Hill to go up in flames.

The most annoying thing about Red Sox fans is all the bravado. Yeah, Yankee fans can be obnoxious, cocky, arrogant SOB's but at least they have a reason. Can't you guys at least STFU till your team does something to prove themselves on the field?

marino · Post by **marino** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 11:21 am

spooky157 wrote:
Parker wrote:We will party when we win the division, party harder when we win each round of the playoffs, and party like you've never seen before when we win the world series!
After 85 years of World Series blue balls, I'd expect Beacon Hill to go up in flames.

The most annoying thing about Red Sox fans is all the bravado. Yeah, Yankee fans can be obnoxious, cocky, arrogant SOB's but at least they have a reason. Can't you guys at least STFU till your team does something to prove themselves on the field?

Yes .STFU Parker.

Parker · Post by **Parker** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 11:23 am

I also find Yankee fans are much more compelling in the way they argue for their superiority.

You need to understand that most Red Sox fans are also fans of the other local major pro sports teams. The same spirit is found with all teams. It's difficult not to expect success in all sports when you regularly have championship parades downtown.

This Yankee team is nothing like the last Yankee world series team. The only constant is Steinbrenner. Your players have not proven anymore than our players have.

Jason · Post by **Jason** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 11:25 am

Parker wrote:If you want to watch a team that goes about their business as individuals, then the Yanks are for you.

I couldn't disagree more. Maybe the Yankees of the late 80's and early 90's were a group of overpaid individuals but there have been few teams in all of professional sports that define the term "teamplay" better than the Yankees. It started with Gene Michael and Buck Showalter and only got stronger under Joe Torre.

Parker · Post by **Parker** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 11:28 am

It's not the players fault entirely, it's the fact that most of them haven't been together long enough to form relationships. You can't stick a bunch of free agents together and expect the same atmosphere as the sox have.

marino · Post by **marino** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 11:32 am

Manny and Schilling aren't free agents.Your team didn't make any trades.I highly doubt your team is any more home grown than the yanks are.

Parker · Post by **Parker** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 11:35 am

What does homegrown have to do with it? I admire teams that have a ton of homegrown players, but the point is our team is basically the same as last year with a few improvements.

tsunami · Post by **tsunami** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 11:35 am

Parker wrote:Wait until next year...our payroll will be under 100 mil while the Yanks will be even higher. It's normal for a big market team to have an abnormaly high payroll every so often in cycles, but it's not normal to have an extremely high payroll that grows every year.

It should be peanuts...all the Red Sox would be willing to play for free becuase they are having so much fun!! Lets just see how much they love their team at the end of the season when alot of them leave via free agency.

Parker wrote:The fact is the Red Sox and Yanks are very different teams. Our starting rotation is the same as last year except for Schilling. Our lineup is essentially the same with the replacement of Bellhorn for Walker and the addition of role players. Of course our players are going to form strong bonds with each other and they show this openly by hugging and celebrating, even if it's not the world series. What fun is it to party just once a year? We will party when we win the division, party harder when we win each round of the playoffs, and party like you've never seen before when we win the world series!

Yeah, that strong bond that wanted to get rid of Garciapparra and was drooling to get A-Rod, give away Manny Ramirez, and pick up Magglio Ordonez. First of all the lineup is not essentially the same (of any given day your entire infield would be different than last year), and it certainly isn't because of lack of trying on the part of Red Sox ownership.

Parker wrote:If you want to watch a team that goes about their business as individuals, then the Yanks are for you. They may play good baseball, but there is little else I find appealing about them.

I find it funny how you are an expert on the team chemistry and relationship of the Yankees. Do you follow them into the clubhouse? Do you see them besides games on the field? So, being successful and winning is not appealing? So, if the Red Sox were a losing team for a few years, but showed the same "fun" attitude, they would be just as appealing to you? You wouldn't be frustrated watching them? Because it's all about fun.

Parker wrote:Of course our players care about the money they make. But if you think their behavior in the dugout is all a big act and they aren't having fun, then you need your head examined.

Again, why do you assume the Yankees aren't having fun? I don't know about you, but I see the Yankees slapping hands with all their crazy individual hand gestures, laughing, smiling in the dugout all the time. Maybe they aren't making out with each other like the Red Sox like to do, but to each his own. But I'd like to know what facts you basing these claims on about the Yankees supposedly not having fun.

spooky157 · Post by **spooky157** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 11:35 am

Parker wrote:I also find Yankee fans are much more compelling in the way they argue for their superiority.

You need to understand that most Red Sox fans are also fans of the other local major pro sports teams. The same spirit is found with all teams. It's difficult not to expect success in all sports when you regularly have championship parades downtown.

This Yankee team is nothing like the last Yankee world series team. The only constant is Steinbrenner. Your players have not proven anymore than our players have.

It's easier when you have a one team town. Here in NY allegiances can be split in all the four major sports, with basketball being a possible exception.

Jeter, Rivera, Torre, Stottlemeyer, Posada, Bernie - they're not proven? How many guys on the Red Sox even own a WS ring? Each of those guys has more WS rings than the entire Red Sox team combined. Even Sheffield and Olerud have rings with other clubs.

EDIT: Forgot to include El Duque's 3 rings in the mix.

Jason · Post by **Jason** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 11:39 am

Parker wrote:It's not the players fault entirely, it's the fact that most of them haven't been together long enough to form relationships. You can't stick a bunch of free agents together and expect the same atmosphere as the sox have.

That I agree with, but the Yankees have a way of getting guys to play team baseball very easily and shipping out anyone that doesn't grasp the concept (such as Raul Mondesi and Kenny Lofton after this season).

I was very skeptical of the Yankees signing Gary Sheffield this year yet he has been the ultimate team player and is having an MVP year. Believe me, alot of New Yorkers don't like the constant change in the roster and were outraged when the Yanks didn't sign Pettite. As for the rest of the staff, the Yankees didn't know Clemens was going to come out of retirement and that Wells would back out of their "handshaken" agreement and Jeff Weaver just couldn't cut it in NY.

Parker · Post by **Parker** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 11:39 am

In the playoffs you will likely see like last year- Pedro, Lowe, and Wakefield, and the new guy Schilling. Here is the lineup we will use:

CF- Damon
2B- Bellhorn
LF- Manny
DH- Ortiz
RF- Nixon
1B- Millar
C- Varitek
3B- Mueller
SS- Cabrera

The only differences since last year are Bellhorn and Cabrera, who are not middle of the lineup hitters or high priced. We have more depth but you won't see them until the end of games. The Yankees lineup isn't all that different, though more different than ours, but the pitching is like an entirely different team.