Crimson Red Sports

Well, the all star game is Tuesday, the unofficial halfway point of the baseball season. Season has been fascinating so far. Both of my teams have done pretty well so far, with the Braves leading the NL East and the O's 5.5 back of Boston in the AL East; Chris Davis is hitting everything in sight; and the Pirates are only a game back in the NL Central.

For you baseball guys out there, what do you think thus far? Hey Hannibal, looks like the Bums are making a run out West after a slow start.

I have been a Red Sox fan since I was a kid. They have looked rock solid in the first half of the season. They are 4.5 up on the Rays, 5.5 on the O's and 6.5 on the Yanks. I hate the Yankees.

I am not a Braves fan but have noticed they have been hit with the injury bug.

Sox starting pitching has looked strong so far, and that lineup is a beast. And believe me, you and I share a mutual hate for the Stankees.

The Dodgers have made a good run, but they'd buried themselves so deep.  We've gotten back to .500, which I thought we had to do by the break to have a chance in the 2nd half.  They've got the players if they can stay healthy, but we haven't had any luck with that the first half.

I like this Orioles team.  I've enjoyed watching them on the occasions I've had a chance to.  I'm a fan of Buck Showalter for one, and that Machado kid is going to be a big star.  I like them over the Sox if Bucholtz continues having health issues the second half, but then the Rays are solid too.  Joe Madden is another of my favorite managers.  You guys just have a brutal division.

I honestly don't think much of this Braves team.  They're over reliant on the HR, and don't play very good traditional baseball at all.

I've never liked the Braves, but I always thought they were dangerous under Bobby Cox.  I don't think they're going anywhere this year, even if they make the playoffs.  Big downgrade at manager when Fredi took over.

In some ways I am a traditional baseball fan. However, I like inter-league play and the DH. The American League East is brutal that is why I like the wild card.

You have nailed it perfectly. The Braves have taken big hits in starting & relief pitching. Plus, one of the starting 8 is seemingly always hurt, like Heyward or Schafer, Upton, Gaddis, McCann, etc.

 :wall:

I am surprised the O's are so far back. I know last year don't mean anything but I really was looking for the Hot Shot team this year. Right we kind of look like the Braves of old. When pitching is on no runs from the bats. When the bats are hot, pitching falters. Injuries of course plays a big role in MLB as we all know. If we get rested up I think there will be even better play in the 2nd half of the season. There are runs that have to be made. I tip my hat to the Red Sox because last 2 years they were in disarray, now all of a sudden they whipping every thing in the league. Now we shall see. RTR!

I like the Braves and you guys are dead on with the annual injury bug for the Braves. Back in my earlier years, I don't remember players getting injured as they do in todays baseball. It's not just the Braves though, there seems to be a steady flow of players going on the injury list.

Yeah, I like this team, too, Doc. They can hit with anyone in the league, and the defense and bullpen are outstanding. My concern is starting pitching. We just got Chen back, and he looked good in his first start. Gonzalez and Tillman are fairly solid, but Hammel is a train wreck. His ERA at home is over 6.

It's amazing to me that there are so many muscle pulls in baseball.  I think it's managers not stressing flexibility conditioning enough and empowering the training staff to get the guys to the right level of prep.  One of my friends (big Braves fan) was complaining a few weeks ago that he went to a game and the Braves players were "popping" their pregame stretches like a middle school PE class and the training staff was doing nothing about it.

You think the club is ready to go spend some money to get a guy or two before the trade deadline to make a run?

BTW, talking about the Braves and people who are in good position to make runs in the 2nd half.  I was really leaning towards the Nationals pulling that division out until I saw this unreal tweet from ESPN's Buster Posey:

"Atlanta only three games in the second half outside of the Eastern and Central time zones--and only 16 total vs. teams w/ records over .500."

Not really sure yet. Matt Garza is a name that keeps getting bandied about, but the problem there is that the Cubs want some of our best prospects, and I don't think GM Dan Duquette is about to do that (especially since Garza is an unrestricted FA at the end of the season). They did make a move about a week ago to get Scott Feldman from the Cubs for two subpar bullpen guys. Feldman was solid in his first start, but was knocked around by the Rangers the other night. I still think the front office might make another move to shore up that staff, but it is going to be all about what we are willing to give up.

No undefeated pitcher at the break as Scherzer fell to the Rangers tonight.

Lincecum throws first no hitter of his career, blanking Padres. Kid threw 148 pitches and issued 4 walks. (Sorry HL, I know he is a Giant.)

When he's on, he's as tough as there is. He had some good help from his teammates too.

The Rays won again last night to pull 3.5 games behind Boston. They are red hot going 9-1 in their last 10 games.

You're right, they rely too much on the homerun, but that is a leftover mentality from Bobby Cox. Cox was a good season-long manager but a disaster in the playoffs & World Series. The Braves should have won AT LEAST 3 World Series with all the pitching talent they had in the 1990's, but he never would go out and get a clutch hitter or two.


 >:(

Very true. Pence and Sandoval bailed him out big time.

Sitting down to watch the Homerun Derby, and really hoping my man Chris Davis of the O's wins this thing tonight. My only complaint? I was hoping that with the event on Fox that I wouldn't have to listen to that freakin' Chris Berman, but NOOOOOOO, that idiot is on there, too. Now I have to listen to him scream, "Back, back, back, back, GONE!" somewhere in the neighborhood of a 1,000 times tonight.

Watching the All Star game. Only pro sports all star game I will watch.

Boston beat the Yanks last night with a walk-off HR in the 11th. Boston won 2 of 3 in the series.

Boston has a four game series with the Rays starting tonight at Fenway. Boston has a slim 1.5 game lead on the Rays. Boston then travels for a 3 game series with the O's. Boston currently has a 3.5 game lead on the O's.

This is a big week for the American League East. Boston has the best record in the American League but can not separate themselves from their division rivals.

I like the way the American league is pile up. There are least 2 teams in each division that could win it or come up second.
Well with Atlanta at a distance right now, the other 2 divisions is tight. I think this is going to be another season that we have to watch and see who chokes at the end. I see the Orioles are right there in the chase for the AL East and I love it. Atlanta I am sort of scared of but we shall see. RTR!

I'm just smiling that my team got back into the discussion of possible playoff teams.

Yesterday was the first time all year that Hanley Ramirez, Matt Kemp, and Carl Crawford were all able to play in the same game.  Our offense produced 9 runs off 15 hits.  Kemp went 3-4 with a double and a homer, Crawford also had three hits, and Ramirez had a 3-run bomb.  

Then Matt Kemp rolled his ankle in the ninth inning.  I'm officially waving the white flag to all the injuries!!!

I'm still sick that I didn't get in for that 1000-1 deal. I could have become a Dodger fan for that.  :wall:

O's trying to close some of the gap on the Red Sox. Four game winning streak coming out of the break, and five straight overall.

The Rays beat the Sox last night. They are 0.5 games back and the O's are 2.5 back. Sox and O's play 3 this weekend at Baltimore.

Rays are hot!

The Rays beat Boston last night. They are 1/2 game back, even in the loss column. They play one more tonight with the American League East lead on the line. Boston has three games with Baltimore this weekend. The team who wins this division will have to earn it. There is not a more difficult division in all of baseball.

Boston        61 42 .592 -
Tampa Bay   60 42 .588 0.5
Baltimore      57 45 .559 3.5
NY Yankees   53 48 .525 7.0

My, my, look who is leading the NL West division now!!!

I sure hated to see the replay of Tim Hudson. I know it was pure hustle because the Mets player was the first one there. He is a get player to me, because he had concern for a fellow competitor. You don't see that much in baseball anymore. RTR!

Your Dodgers are on a roll. They are 8-2 in their last 10. They are benefiting from playing in the NL West which is weak this year.

St louis and Pittsburgh are playing some good baseball in the NL Central. Both are playing over .600 ball.

Check out this double play turned by the Rays against the Red Sox a couple of nights ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUb_Bz3Vssc

I watched the game and that play. Good stuff!