JohnS Posted April 2, 2015 Share Posted April 2, 2015 For those of us who are baseball fans, we understand the saying that 'good pitching beats good hitting'. I am a long-suffering Mets fan. I still acutely remember Todd Zeile's hit off the top off the outfield wall in Game 1 of the 2000 'Subway' World Series, a game which Paul O'Neill managed to get a hit late in the game and keep the Yanks alive and I believe gain the momentum to win that series 4-1. I still try to forget what happened in 2006 with bases loaded in the 9th innings of Game 7 and Carlos Beltran called out on strikes looking. 2006 - the last time the Mets made it to the postseason. The joy of 1986 (Ya Gotta Believe) is a distant memory it seems as I get older. Still, it's nice to to get people who share the joy of my suffering on my previous two trips to the USA in 2011 and 2014. I tend to wear a Mets cap as a tourist, as most Australian tourists wear Yank caps as a fashion accessory and I want to blend in, plus I can't stand the Yankees (sorry, but isn't 27 World Series wins enough?), although I greatly respect and admire Yankee players who have done great things for the benefit of the game, most recently, Derek Jeter and Mariano Riviera. My recent trip to Hawaii saw an enthusiastic driver yell 'LET'S GO METS' as I was crossing the road on the way to my hotel. 2015 brings a nice surprise for Mets fans, some type of winning season, even if it was Spring training! We topped the Grapefruit league with a 18-12 record, and Matt Harvey is back. Even though Zac Wheeler is gone to injury (Tommy John surgery required, sadly), it feels surreal that Dillon Gee has the 5th starter spot. Not since 2006 when the Mets dominated behind Tom Glavine, Steve Traschel, Pedro Martinez and Orlando 'El Duque' Hernández have we so much confidence going into new season. Still, it can all go pear-shaped, like the past 5 losing seasons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colt45 Posted April 2, 2015 Share Posted April 2, 2015 My thoughts are that, as always, I will root for the BossTown Red Sox Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted April 2, 2015 Author Share Posted April 2, 2015 My thoughts are that, as always, I will root for the BossTown Red Sox My brother-in-law, although resident in Australia now, resided in Massachusetts while studying Engineering at Penn State. He still speaks with a Bostonian accent (think JFK and vowels, especially 'o's) and I am still happy for him for 2004, it was a long wait. Plus, I partly feel for him for Game 6 of the World Series, 1986. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colt45 Posted April 2, 2015 Share Posted April 2, 2015 He still speaks with a Bostonian accent (think JFK and vowels, especially 'o's) You know, I was born and spent the first thirty years of my life in South Boston, and for the life of me I've no idea where the Kennedy's accents came from On a side note, while I live a bit south of there now, I'll always consider Southie home - I'll be there this coming Sunday for Easter - Sox! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zrotfus Posted April 3, 2015 Share Posted April 3, 2015 Phillies fan here, uh, not looking forward to this season. Tried to keep the faith with Ruben but I just don't understand the personnel moves for the last few years. Waited too long to divest and restock our farm system with assets, and still haven't moved what valuable pieces we have left. This is not a contending team and everyone in that uniform knows it. Ugh. As for predictions? Nats are the buzz team but I think the Dodgers might take it all down this year. Sick starting pitching, young talent, old talent, solid bullpen. I think the Mariners might surprise a lot of people too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted April 3, 2015 Author Share Posted April 3, 2015 As for predictions? Nats are the buzz team but I think the Dodgers might take it all down this year. Sick starting pitching, young talent, old talent, solid bullpen. I think the Mariners might surprise a lot of people too. As a baseball fan, I greatly enjoyed 'Doc' Halladay's pitching exploits in 2010 and I lament his early retirement due to injury. Dodgers are overdue and they have a great pitching staff led by Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke and Hyun-jin Ryu. Funny you mention the Mariners and Nats, the only current teams to never have made the World Series (although the Mariners should have got there in 2001). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zrotfus Posted April 3, 2015 Share Posted April 3, 2015 As a baseball fan, I greatly enjoyed 'Doc' Halladay's pitching exploits in 2010 and I lament his early retirement due to injury. Dodgers are overdue and they have a great pitching staff led by Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke and Hyun-jin Ryu. Funny you mention the Mariners and Nats, the only current teams to never have made the World Series (although the Mariners should have got there in 2001). Man Roy Halladay was great. Ah that perfect game was amazing! Really miss that guy. Class act. But yeah that 2001 Seattle team was such a strange thing. They set the record for most wins in a season didn't they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted April 3, 2015 Author Share Posted April 3, 2015 Man Roy Halladay was great. Ah that perfect game was amazing! Really miss that guy. Class act. But yeah that 2001 Seattle team was such a strange thing. They set the record for most wins in a season didn't they? The Doc was great...the perfect game and post-season no-hitter were incredible. I distinctively remember that his off-speed curveballs and sinkers and command of the corners was simply amazing, pitching at its best! The 2001 Mariners were actually not rated pre-season as Randy Johnson, Ken Griffey Jr. and Alex Rodriguez had left the club, but on the back of outstanding performances from Ichiro Suzuki, Bret Boone, Edgar Martinez and John Olerud for batting and Freddy Garcia, Jamie Moyer, Aaron Sele and Paul Abbott as starting pitchers contributed to an unbelievable 116-46 season. Sadly they lost 4-1 to the Yankees in the AL Championship Series. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PuroDan Posted April 3, 2015 Share Posted April 3, 2015 Dodgers fan here. Love baseball Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGingercon Posted April 3, 2015 Share Posted April 3, 2015 Tigers fan, very nervous to say the least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heath Posted April 3, 2015 Share Posted April 3, 2015 Been a kansas city ROYALS fan my whole life. I predict they will see the post season again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smpf67 Posted April 3, 2015 Share Posted April 3, 2015 CUBS, Finally since 1908!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wabashcr Posted April 3, 2015 Share Posted April 3, 2015 Big baseball fan myself. Also a lifelong Cubs fan, so I don't need to hear about long suffering. The Mets have been to the World Series twice and won it once in my lifetime. I'd take that any day. Cubbies should be good this year and for the foreseeable future. I'd literally die happy if I could see them win it all just once. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stunod Posted April 3, 2015 Share Posted April 3, 2015 Mets all the way 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBruce Posted April 3, 2015 Share Posted April 3, 2015 How 'bout them Washington Nationals! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lant63 Posted April 3, 2015 Share Posted April 3, 2015 Tigers fan, very nervous to say the least.We will be fine, don't worry. Iglesias Kinsler Caberra Martinez Cespedes Martinez That will be tough fire any ochre to get through. Sent by telepathic super powers -Stogie Boy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted April 3, 2015 Author Share Posted April 3, 2015 Cubbies should be good this year and for the foreseeable future. I'd literally die happy if I could see them win it all just once. Two of the three teams with the longest droughts in baseball won the world series in the 21st century: Boston Red Sox 1918 - 2004 Chicago White Sox 1917 - 2005 Chicago Cubs 1908 - ? And the eight clubs to have never won the World Series: Tampa Bay Rays Colorado Rockies Seattle Mariners Washington Nationals San Diego Padres Milwaukee Brewers Texas Rangers Houston Astros I feel your pain wabashcr...let's not mention Steve Bartman or anything about goats. Cubs are one year closer to winning, who knows, it could be 2015. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riazp Posted April 3, 2015 Share Posted April 3, 2015 Mariners fan here. We are looking good to win the AL west. I also support the Mets in the NL because i've been to many many mets games at Shae, and saw them play many times when they came to montreal. so When the expos left the city, i adopted the mets. Hopefully with De Grom and Harvey, they can have a decent year. the new CITI field is awesome, looking foward to going there a couple of times this summer. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drjammer Posted April 3, 2015 Share Posted April 3, 2015 Rockies fan here and they will suck again this year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MPS Posted April 3, 2015 Share Posted April 3, 2015 Let's go Mets! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quint Posted April 3, 2015 Share Posted April 3, 2015 Although this year is highly questionable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted April 3, 2015 Author Share Posted April 3, 2015 I also support the Mets in the NL because i've been to many many Mets games at Shea, and saw them play many times when they came to Montreal. So, when the Expos left the city, I adopted the Mets. Hopefully with De Grom and Harvey, they can have a decent year. The new CITI field is awesome, looking foward to going there a couple of times this summer. I missed out on Shea, but I have to agree that the new CITI Field is awesome. My family caught a game in April 2011, it was a nice ride on the No.7 Subway line to Mets-Willets Point. We lost 4-3 that night, but Jose Reyes had an outstanding 4 for 5 hit game on his way to the NL Batting title that year. R.A. Dickey took the loss but I thought pitched well, it was no surprise to me that he was good enough to get the NL Cy Young Pitching Award the next year. I hope to go again one day, although thankfully I've slimmed down from the images below! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElLoboLoco Posted April 3, 2015 Share Posted April 3, 2015 Sox Fan, I believe we have the pieces to give it a go in Al East. Maybe get a frontline pitcher near midseason if things look on the up and up. Really hoping we get a team in Charlotte....since we moved we have a trek to make an MLB game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brutusthebuckeye Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 Cleveland Indians fan...last won WS in 1948........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wabashcr Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 I missed out on Shea, You didn't miss much, John. I'm sure it was special to Mets fans who had great memories of the place, but it was really a pretty uninspiring stadium. Of all the legendary ballparks in New York, Shea had to rank near the bottom. I've not been to Citi Field, but it looks like a gorgeous ballpark. I love the Ebbets Field facade. Would love to see a game there next time I make it out to NYC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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