Non Game-Day Open Thread

by zknower on Apr 4, 2006 2:39 PM EDT in Open Threads

Continue to post all of your thoughts on yesterday's game. (Lots has already been said in yesterday's thread).

And your views on the sweet smell of baseball in the air again.

Also anything else notable from Opening Day.

Such as the fact that fans were throwing syringes at Barry Bonds. (Source: Sportsline.com)

Aside from the second-inning double and subsequent run, the most notable thing happened as he was jogging off the field following the bottom of the eighth, when he reached down with his glove and scooped up a large syringe that had been hurled by a fan. Though it was captured by the television cameras, it seemed to go unnoticed by most.

The syringe did not have a needle.

My favorite quote from yesterday is from Billy Beane, on the Yankee's 15-2 stomping of the A's (also Sportsline):

So much for a close game in this matchup of two teams considered postseason contenders. Oakland general manager Billy Beane knew his team was in for a tough time starting the season against the Yankees.

"It's like having calculus first period," Beane said. "You are not real happy when the alarm goes off, but by second period it's already over and you are running off to wood shop."

By "wood shop", Beane must mean Seattle, whom the A's visit for three games after the Yankee series; last year the A's went 12-6 against the M's, who finished the year at 69-93.

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Comments

Oh good...

SC's gone. Now we can talk about him. :-)

Am I the only one hoping fans harrass Bonds into an early retirement?

Orioles' Rebuilding Plan: Phase 1: Steal Underwear. Phase 3: Win the World Series.

by BrianS on Apr 4, 2006 3:05 PM EDT reply actions

bonds...

i thought the syringe was pretty funny. Note that it didnt have a needle, so no one was going to get hurt. But for a cheater like Bonds, treatment such as this is what he brought on to himself

by dtran2k3 @ Camden Chat on Apr 4, 2006 3:31 PM EDT reply actions

I loved the syringe

and I CAN'T wait untell he has to go to Philly and New York, San Diego's fans are pretty calm so imagine what will happen in New York!

"We're so bad right now that for us back-to-back home runs means one today and another one tomorrow" Earl Weaver

by Larry Bigbie3 on Apr 4, 2006 3:53 PM EDT up reply actions

I feel differently...

First off I'm pretty sick of hearing about Bonds and steroids.

Secondly, while I don't condone what Bonds has done, I can kind of understand it. Back in 1998 Bonds sat back and watched as two players who were not half as good as him took the national spotlight by smashing Roger Maris' single season home run record.

Barry knew that their performances were chemically enhanced, and he also knew MLB was looking the other way at the whole situation. There was no drug testing program in place, and none on the horizon. Bud Selig and crew were giving their tacit approval as interest in the sport surged and owners raked huge amounts of money. The players (everyone of whom knew what was going on) didn't complain either.

So in that situation I can understand how someone as intensely competitive, egotistical, and with as much pride as Bonds would say "Why not me?" "If Sosa and McGuire can hit 60+ home runs with a little help from the needle, just imagine what Barry Bonds can do." Barry Bonds may be a jerk, but he is also a human being with the same weaknesses as the rest of us.

So now steroids are a big scandal and Barry Bonds is the designated scapegoat for a problem that was widespread, and at least partly institutional in nature. And the idiot fans who are booing him and throwing needles on the field are the same jackasses who don't think the game is exciting enough without a bunch of homers. The real villain in this story is Bud Selig as far as I'm concerned. But then of course there is plenty of blame to go around.

by rebop on Apr 4, 2006 4:28 PM EDT up reply actions

well said

Selig is the real culprit in all this.

by zknower on Apr 4, 2006 5:03 PM EDT up reply actions

This whole mess makes me wonder

how many of the "fans" that are now booing him were cheering like hell when he was hitting homer after homer the last few years. He has always been a bit of an enigma, and the press has always loved to egg him on and write "bad boy" stories about him. Now the press is piling on because it makes good copy. Barry is the baseball equivalent of Michael Jackson. It's a story that people that don't give 2 shits about baseball will listen to, and form their opinion of him based on what they hear.
The bigger story to me is exactly how many players got juiced in the late 90's era. How many guys pitched well, played the field well, had career years, etc. Baseball was in the toilet with ratings and attendance after the strike, and the miraculous homer jamboree in the following years brought casual fans back to the game. The owners knew, GM's knew, managers knew, the press knew, and on and on. Now all of a sudden the talking head blow hards on talk radio want to crucify one guy because he had a hell of a baseball swing, and hit the ball over the wall more than anybody else.
I'm sick of it.
Let him get his record, and history will decide if he's worthy of the HOF, and other accolades.

"What's my secret for winning? That's easy. Pitching, defense, and three run homers" Earl Weaver

by elktonfan on Apr 4, 2006 7:17 PM EDT up reply actions

Re:

No one has mentioned that the Players Association was also a willing partner in the charade.

As for Bonds, he's help make himself a target. McGwire generally portrayed himself as decent guy. Sosa was ebullient. Bonds has been dour, self centered, and at times a race baiter. While he is bearing the brunt, I don't feel much sympathy for him.

"I'd love to see the team be much better." Peter Angelos

by drj on Apr 4, 2006 7:30 PM EDT up reply actions

It's not even just the union

Every single major league baseball player knew what was going on. Even the ones that were clean (and I believe most of them were) kept their mouths' shut. Any one of them could have spoken up at anytime.

I think Curt Schilling made some noise about it, but then he buttoned up in front of Congress. It seems to me the MLB is like some weird fraternity were it is just understood that certain things don't leave the clubhouse, and clearly steroids was one of those things.

by rebop on Apr 4, 2006 8:14 PM EDT up reply actions

re:

Fans shouldn't throw things at players

by Awesome Mike Awesome on Apr 4, 2006 4:40 PM EDT up reply actions

agreed.

there is never any acceptable situation for fans to be throwing crap on the field. at players, not at players, batteries, syringes, whatever.

and it's high time mlb really began to enforce the rules of not interfering with balls in play (or players in play, for that matter).

by zknower on Apr 4, 2006 5:05 PM EDT up reply actions

NO!

There was no rule against using steriods when Bonds used them. Therefore, he wasn't breaking the rules. Therefore, he was not cheating. It was within the rules of the game. It may have been illegal/immoral/stupid but it was not cheating. Don't hate the player, hate the game.

by Elias on Apr 4, 2006 10:02 PM EDT up reply actions

re:

Steroids were supposedly illegal as far back as 1991. I'm by no means very knowledgeable in this area, but this link has been circulating on many chat boards and news articles.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/format/memos20051109?memo=1991&num=1

"The possession, sale or use of any illegal drug or controlled substance by Major League players and personnel is strictly prohibited... (players involved) are subject to discipline by the Commissioner and risk permanent expulsion from the game... This prohibition applies to all illegal drugs and controlled substances, including steroids..." -- Francis T. Vincent, Jr., Commissioner of Major League Baseball (1991)

"I'd love to see the team be much better." Peter Angelos

by drj on Apr 4, 2006 10:16 PM EDT up reply actions

Nice

Thanks,

But everyone in the world has done or tried drugs before. If just needs to say so.

PLay like you want it, Live like you need it

by merdon1332000 on Apr 5, 2006 1:03 AM EDT up reply actions

Not me...

Seriously. Never done any illegal drugs in my life, and I know a bunch of people just like me.

I'm not saying everyone who smokes a joint should get locked up, just saying that you shouldn't make sweeping and completely baseless generalizations.

Chuck Norris sleeps with a night light, not because Chuck Norris is afraid of the dark, but because the dark is afraid of Chuck Norris.

by CStoneNo37 on Apr 5, 2006 9:19 AM EDT up reply actions

see you read

my message wrong,

I said everyone in the world has done or tried drugs before, never said illegal. So don't tell me you never took something to keep you up or give up more PEP. If so I'm sorry to accuse you St. Father.

All I'm trying to say is - if he admits he did riods I would be able to forgive him alittle more.

PLay like you want it, Live like you need it

by merdon1332000 on Apr 6, 2006 12:40 PM EDT up reply actions

In Philly...

The syringes will have needles.

Orioles' Rebuilding Plan: Phase 1: Steal Underwear. Phase 3: Win the World Series.

by BrianS on Apr 4, 2006 4:13 PM EDT reply actions

and

they'll be thrown like darts directly at him.

Chuck Norris sleeps with a night light, not because Chuck Norris is afraid of the dark, but because the dark is afraid of Chuck Norris.

by CStoneNo37 on Apr 4, 2006 4:37 PM EDT up reply actions

and

have residue of highly infectious diseases.
Hell, you could get that in the lovely old bathrooms at the dearly deaprted Vet.

"What's my secret for winning? That's easy. Pitching, defense, and three run homers" Earl Weaver

by elktonfan on Apr 4, 2006 7:06 PM EDT up reply actions

You guys got Philly all wrong...

No way we'd waste our needles on Bonds.

But he better hope it isn't bat day when he comes to town.

by BirdFanInPhilly on Apr 5, 2006 8:51 AM EDT up reply actions

HA!

Good point, I always thought they should know better than to have that promotion there.

I'm an Eagles/Flyers/(sort of)Sixers fan myself, so can only affectionately criticize Philly fans.

I saw the footage of Bonds picking up the syringe last night. Allegedly so no one would get hurt on it. But I imagine he was disappointed when he saw it didn't contain any sweet, sweet Stanzanol.

Orioles' Rebuilding Plan: Phase 1: Steal Underwear. Phase 3: Win the World Series.

by BrianS on Apr 5, 2006 9:02 AM EDT up reply actions

Re:

Actually they don't really have that many "throwable" promotions anymore. When they do, it's usually a very limited number or given away when leaving (yes, seen this a couple of times). I seriously doubt bat day is ever coming back to Philly.

I was at opening day for the first season at Citizens Bank and they were giving away magnetic schedules. You'd be amazed how much of a frisbee effect some guys were able to get out of those schedules.

by BirdFanInPhilly on Apr 5, 2006 9:36 AM EDT up reply actions

we know

R Howard has them all

PLay like you want it, Live like you need it

by merdon1332000 on Apr 6, 2006 12:41 PM EDT up reply actions

Pujols or Arod?

Who's the better hitter and why?

I go with Arod just because he's proven over a longer period and has a better stroke then Pujols. Pujols is a great hitter and will be for his career, but I think injuries will cut back on his total numbers. There's no question that besides Manny those two are the best hitters in the world!

PLay like you want it, Live like you need it

by merdon1332000 on Apr 4, 2006 9:01 PM EDT reply actions

No question???

How about Bonds?

by BirdFanInPhilly on Apr 4, 2006 9:14 PM EDT up reply actions

Bonds?

I don't even think of him, but yes also a great hitter who i think screwed his career with this drug stuff. How would you feel if he just came out and said " Yea I did Riods from whenever to whenever, it was a huge mistake" ? I think I would say OK you screwed up lets move on. Because there's no doubt that he can hit and hit well, it just how many less HR would he have? 60 or 70?

I'd like to see a test where a guy that can hit for power hits for a year and measure ave distance and then have him shoot up and see how much more power or distance he has. In some of these guys it might not be all that much and others it might be a lot.

PLay like you want it, Live like you need it

by merdon1332000 on Apr 4, 2006 9:23 PM EDT reply actions