The MLB Thread

[moof]

Japan is into it as well but they're not allowed to join the 'world series'

[Trumo]

Never understood why the Americans call their top rounders tournament the "World Series". Isn't it just Americans that play?

 

Well, they do have the Toronto Blue Jays, but I'm not sure how Canadian they are. As for the question about the odd start times, I know there is a ceremonial first pitch amongst the pre-game events, but I think it's mainly because TV coverage starts on the hour and they want a few minutes to talk about the game before it starts

[Lee909]

Japan is into it as well but they're not allowed to join the 'world series'

Central and parts of South America too

[chris71]

Never understood why the Americans call their top rounders tournament the "World Series". Isn't it just Americans that play?

Here you go.

 

Origin of the Name "World Series"

One baseball myth that just won't die is that the "World Series" was named for the New York World newspaper, which supposedly sponsored the earliest contests. It didn't, and it wasn't.

 

In fact, the postseason series between the AL and NL champs was originally known as the "Championship of the World" or "World's Championship Series." That was shortened through usage to "World's Series" and finally to "World Series."

 

This usage can be traced through the annual baseball guides. Spalding's Base Ball Guidefor 1887 reported the results of the 1886 postseason series between Chicago, champions of the National League, and St. Louis, champions of the American Association, under the heading "The World's Championship." As the editor noted, the two leagues "both entitle their championship contests each season as those for the base ball championship of the United States," so a more grandiose name was required to describe the postseason showdown between the two "champions of the United States."

 

But the Spalding Guide -- which, after all, was published by one of the world's largest sporting goods companies, with a vested interest in bringing baseball to other lands -- had grander ambitions. By 1890, the Spalding Guide was explaining that "[t]he base ball championship of the United States necessarily includes that of the entire world, though the time will come when Australia will step in as a rival, and after that country will come Great Britain; but all that is for the future." 

 

This didn't happen, but the name "World's Championship Series" stuck. Reporting on the first modern postseason series, the Red Sox-Pirates battle of 1903, the 1904 Reach Guide called it the "World's Championship Series." By 1912, Reach's headline spoke of the "World's Series," while editor Francis Richter's text still referred to the "World's Championship Series." The Reach Guide switched from "World's Series" to "World Series" in 1931, retaining the modern usage through its merger with the Spalding Guide and through its final issue in 1941. The separately-edited Spalding Guide used "World's Series" through 1916, switching to "World Series" in the 1917 edition. 

 

The Spalding-Reach Guide was replaced as Major League Baseball's semi-official annual by the Sporting News Guide, first published in 1942. The Sporting News Guide used "World's Series" from 1942 through 1963, changing to "World Series" in the 1964 edition.

 

Moreover, the New York World never claimed any connection with postseason baseball. The World was a tabloid much given to flamboyant self-promotion. If it had been involved in any way with sponsoring a championship series, the fact would have been emblazoned across its sports pages for months. I reviewed every issue of the World for the months leading up to the 1903 and 1905 World's Championship Series -- there's not a word suggesting any link between the paper and the series.

Fall 2001: Origin of the Name "World Series"

[Bjornebye]

Not sure what time it's on though, and haven't really got a clue about the game but hope the win.

 

wait till Red Knight see's this 

[Jairzinho]

Cheers lads.

 

Awesome levels of arrogance. I'm going to invent a sport and have a World Series on the off chance that people outside of me and a small circle of close mates will ever play it.

[RedKnight]

wait till Red Knight see's this 

 

I've gone nuts, Stig lad. Negged everyone in the thread bar you. There's already a baseball thread too. Jeez.

[Bjornebye]

RedKnight doesn't fuck about. 

[Gnasher]

I've gone nuts, Stig lad. Negged everyone in the thread bar you. There's already a baseball thread too. Jeez.

Sorry, didnt see the baseball thread, are the Red Sox a good bet at 8/13 on?

[RedKnight]

DO NOT BET ON MY BOSTON RED SOX AT ANY POINT IN THE WORLD SERIES. IN FACT, FORGET ALL ABOUT SAID WORLD SERIES. THERE ARE NO JINXES IN THIS THREAD.

[RedKnight]

Might have to eradicate this beast, I smell bad mojo.

[neko]

do it.

[neko]

The best place to live and watch baseball and football is the west coast (North America). Game times are very civilized.

 

RK - if you want to fly over to Vancouver, you can watch the Red Sox at our house.

 

Must like cats.

[RedKnight]

Man, I love cats. Used to have four now down to one, she's a princess, and also a really lazy bastard. 

[neko]

Man, I love cats. Used to have four now down to one, she's a princess, and also a really lazy bastard. 

Bring her along....we have four.

[Kevin D]

World Series, eh?

[RedKnight]

Dunno what you're talkin' 'bout, bro,

[neko]

Still haven't gotten over the 1986 series....not Buckner's fault. Calvin Shiraldi was the real goat.

 

 

1986 Boston Red Sox Roster Pitchers

• 23 Oil Can Boyd
• 27 Mike Brown
• 21 Roger Clemens
• 28 Steve Crawford
• 44 Wes Gardner
• 47 Bruce Hurst
• 48 Tim Lollar
• 49 Al Nipper
• 43 Joe Sambito
• 31 Calvin Schiraldi
• 41 Tom Seaver
• 19 Jeff Sellers
• 46 Bob Stanley
• 53 Sammy Stewart
• 45 Mike Trujillo
• 42 Rob Woodward

  Catchers

• 10 Rich Gedman
• 50 Dave Sax
• 15 Marc Sullivan

Infielders

• 17 Marty Barrett
• 25 Don Baylor
• 26 Wade Boggs
•  6 Bill Buckner
• 27 Pat Dodson
• 18 Glenn Hoffman
•  5 Spike Owen
• 51 Rey Quiñones
•  7 Ed Romero
• 11 Dave Stapleton

  Outfielders

• 20 Tony Armas
• 24 Dwight Evans
• 39 Mike Greenwell
• 40 Dave Henderson
• 12 Steve Lyons
• 14 Jim Rice
• 16 Kevin Romine
• 37 Mike Stenhouse
• 55 La Schelle Tarver

  Manager

•  1 John McNamara

Coaches

• 34 Bill Fischer
• 33 Walt Hriniak
• 36 Rene Lachemann
• 35 Joe Morgan
•  

[Pidge]

My interest in baseball peaked with that Simpsons episode, but I was enjoying it on BT when back home. Good background viewing. Usually pastimes masquerading as proper sports bore me, but it's okay actually.

 

I like them Red Sox.

[neko]

Oil Can Boyd was a favorite of mine in the 80's. Read his story aqui....

 

Dennis Ray "Oil Can" Boyd (born October 6, 1959) is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. Boyd played for the Boston Red Sox (1982–89), Montreal Expos (1990–91), and Texas Rangers (1991). He batted and threw right-handed.

His nickname comes from his beer-drinking days in his hometown of Meridian, Mississippi, where beer is referred to as "oil."^[1] Boyd had one of the more colorful personalities of his generation and a quotable outlook that made him memorable long after his career ended.

He attended Jackson State University. He was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 16th round of the 1980 amateur draft, Boyd made his debut in the 1982 season. He pitched 10 years in the majors before blood clots in his right arm ended his career.^[2] According to the Inside Baseball portion of the April 27, 1987 Sports Illustrated, Boyd listed Haiti in the '87 Red Sox yearbook as his favorite vacation destination.

In a 10-season career, Boyd collected a 78-77 record with 799 strikeouts and a 4.04 ERA in 1389.2 innings.^[2]

From 1983-85 Boyd won 31 games for Boston, with 15 victories in 1985. In the same season, he posted career-highs in games started (35),complete games (13), strikeouts (117) and innings pitched (272.1).

In 1986 he won a career high 16 games for the Sox

1990-1991: Montreal Expos[edit]

Boyd signed with the Expos as a free agent after the 1989 season.

In 1990 he won 10 games for the Expos and compiled a 2.93 ERA.

When the Rangers acquired him from Montreal during the 1991 season, it looked like a deal which might lead to a division title, and though Boyd's work with the Expos before coming to Texas wasn't great (6-8, 3.52), it was plenty good enough for the pitching-poor Rangers. That was the plan, but Boyd turned out to be a disaster. In 12 starts he posted a 2-7 record with a 6.68 ERA (the highest of his career) and allowed 81 hits in only 62 innings. Boyd was a free agent when the season ended, and after turning down some offers for relief duties, he retired.

 

In November 2005, Boyd was indicted by a federal grand jury in Mississippi for threatening a former girlfriend (who was also a business associate) as well as her son. On November 14, 2005, Boyd surrendered to F.B.I. agents in Tupelo, Mississippi.^[3]

In February 2009, Boyd announced he was attempting a comeback to Major League Baseball.^[4]

In February 2012, Boyd admitted to extensive use of cocaine while he was playing in the Major Leagues and said he was often under the influence of cocaine while pitching

 

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2012/02/08/former-red-soxoil-can-boyd-admits-to-pitching-under-influence-of-cocaine/

 

 

[TheHowieLama]

[moof]

Cardinals seem a bit crap

[neko]

 

mookie.

[RedKnight]

Jon Lester has been magnificent tonight, he's had the Cardinals' number. 112 pitches, 5 hits and (I think) 1 walk through 7 and 2/3 innings.

 

The Cardinals can't possibly be as bad in defense as they were tonight, they were just fluffing their lines all over and that culminated with Wainwright calling off his infielders to catch a pop up and... letting it drop to the ground.

[RedKnight]

Red Sox take game 1 8-1 after some Cardinals gaffes and Big Papi/Napoli heroics. Game 2 will be nowhere as comfortable as that was.