We are saved! Baseball Season is here!

[Doc Dan]

Well the home run derby was just amazing. That was a real battle and well worth watching.

[MacLaren]

Okay MLB........Okay......

In my opinion, based solely on my observations, the "steroid era" fellas saved baseball. After the strike in 81' and 1994 baseball reached rock bottom, at least from the fans point of view, then "something" happened. Suddenly you have multiple players reaching 40 homers, Dale Murphy led the league two years in a row with 36,37 hrs in 84'-85' and only a handful of players were close to that.

Jump to the 90's and homers go through the roof! 50,60,70 homers and the commentary was that "players now use weights an and conditioning is better" and boom MLB is relevant again and chicks dig the longball! Then when flags were being raised the "blame" went to steroids and a few bad apples; McGuire, Canseco, Bonds, etc. Did the bad apples infect the 30 something players who now were 30+ homer sluggers, maybe the others got "contact highs" from the bad apples.

So now the bad apples are fall guys and they "took one for the league". Sure no hall of fame for these guys but MLB's profits have stabilized and now that the bad apples are out and the homeruns have receded back to a normal curve....but MLB remembers that "peak" and all the attention and money flowing in from the longball so the numbers start to increase again, but now the catchphrase is "launch angle" and "exit velo"

Verlander is in my opinion correct and just like the scandal in Japan the balls are whats really juiced. I love baseball but the mantra "too big to fail" is bologna. Who will be the fall guys this time? Ball manufacturers? Bats? 5 minute energy drinks?

I love the game and I'm a little bit of a conspiracy nut :D and I'll still watch...

I agree. I may not like juiced balls, but I'll always watch lol

[MacLaren]

I would just love to see a Josh Hamilton in his prime compete in last nights home run derby with those juiced balls :D
Or a juiced Bonds, Sosa, etc lol.
What Vlad Guerrero did was just make a mockery of derbys past.
And, please dont get me wrong. I have nothing against Vlad Jr.
You absolutely cannot blame him.
Come on MLB...surely the dam home run derby doesn't need to be doctored does it??
Is it that bad??
I think not....

[legOFwhat?]

I would just love to see a Josh Hamilton in his prime compete in last nights home run derby with those juiced balls :D
Or a juiced Bonds, Sosa, etc lol.
What Vlad Guerrero did was just make a mockery of derbys past.
And, please dont get me wrong. I have nothing against Vlad Jr.
You absolutely cannot blame him.
Come on MLB...surely the dam home run derby doesn't need to be doctored does it??
Is it that bad??
I think not....

The Hamilton derby is what got my son interested. He blew everyone away. Vladdy is like if Gary Sheffield and Kirby Puckett had a baby! So violent and with a base that will hit for average for years to come.

[MacLaren]

Just watched home run derby from I think 1959
It was Willy Mays vs Mickey Mantle
It was freakin EPIC!! LOL
Man, Willy Mays jumped out to an 8-2 lead, but the Mick tied it up at 8 all in the bottom of the 8th, and won it all 9-8 in the bottom of the 9th!!
Mick won the coin toss and was the home team.
The next week, Mick was to face Ernie Banks!
Can yall believe they did this every week back in the day!!

[Doc Dan]

Who won the All Star game. I was at doctors.

[TkoK83Spy]

The AL...as usual. Thought the NL had a shot this year!

[bearrowland]

I missed it too. I'd love to see all the legends go at it in their prime in a fantasy derby.

[bearrowland]

Cubs gave my Pirates a time today

[TkoK83Spy]

The Brewers have been absolute garbage the past month. They either score 8 runs...but give up 10, or else they lose 3-1. Other than Yelich, occasionally Moustakas and our pitcher Woodruff... EVERYONE needs to step it up!!! Including Hader and Jeffress.

One bright spot has been them finally calling Keston Hiura back up. He's been playing great the past few weeks, as he was before they sent him back down to the minors for buster Travis Shaw. Hopefully they learned their lesson this time around!

Incredible how the Braves and Dodgers currently own the NL and everyone else is a log jam of average/streaky teams.

[MacLaren]

I think the Brew Crew are running on all cylinders tonight.

[legOFwhat?]

Love Keston! Homered again tonight and they have him 8 spot, I get it he's young but he rakes and should be in the 5/6 slot.

[TkoK83Spy]

You called it Larry! Up to the 4 spot today.

[legOFwhat?]

You called it Larry! Up to the 4 spot today.

:D he's got 2 doubles an an rbi today too...beating up on Mac's braves ...

[MacLaren]

You called it Larry! Up to the 4 spot today.

:D he's got 2 doubles an an rbi today too...beating up on Mac's braves ...

Lol, I hear ya :p
Man, the Brewers are good.......maybe they've found their rhythm?

[TkoK83Spy]

I dunno, they wanted to give it away from the 8th to the 9th. Their bullpen isn't what it was last year, that's for sure! We need a starting pitcher and the bullpen to pick it up a bit.

[MacLaren]

Man, the Brewers have got the horsepower. No doubt.
Just need to be more consistent. More better.
With what they have. I know, easier said than done.
But, I believe they could do it....

[TkoK83Spy]

Yep! They can score runs for sure. Consistency is definitely the problem this year. Really hurts them that Chacin is off, Nelson and Knebel are done, Jeffress and Hader dont have their typical stuff. Thankfully the NL Central is still up for grabs.

[MacLaren]

Yep! They can score runs for sure. Consistency is definitely the problem this year. Really hurts them that Chacin is off, Nelson and Knebel are done, Jeffress and Hader dont have their typical stuff. Thankfully the NL Central is still up for grabs.

I think we will see the Brewers in the playoffs for sure.
I think......the NL Central is particularly strong/tough Division.
I see the NL Central and NL West (Dodgers)in the NL Championship.

[legOFwhat?]

Whoo! Dodgers vs. Phillies live free game today on youtube..Not a bad day's work to get to see a game from my office chair...

It's gonna be fun to watch the Crew, Cubs, Nats and Cards all fight for one of the wildcard slots. LA and Atl look to win their division and the Central looks to be a dogfight!