<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Rays have been no-hit 5 times since their first season in 1998, most of any MLB team in that span</p>— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNStatsInfo/status/235862588473368576" data-datetime="2012-08-15T22:16:37+00:00">August 15, 2012</a></blockquote> <script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Baseball has become more interesting with the addition of another WC team. It gives more cities to be involved in September.
Agreed the play in games are gonna be must watch TV. Granted its manufactured but still going to be great to watch....
With the 2nd team in the WC hunts very close to the 1st team, I don't see it as being more exciting. We've had plenty of play in games and wild card races to the final day, so the play in game is stupid.
But the play-in game also provides incentive to try to win the division. Those close division races will matter much more, even if the losing team is likely to make the playoffs. For the first time since the introduction of the wild card, winning your division matters and provides a significant advantage.
Winning the division has always mattered. It was an automatic in to the playoffs, and usually less competitive race than the wild card. I'm sure the Pirates/Reds/Cardinals would still be fighting for the division lead without the 2nd wild card. The Dodgers/Giants/Diamondbacks. White Sox/Tigers/Indians. Angels/Rangers/As. Last year was one of the most enjoyable playoff races of all-time. This year? It would have been amongst the most boring of all-time.
Certainly true in mid-August, but that's not necessarily the case later in the season. As has been seen in years where the Yankees/Red Sox locked up the playoffs, they stopped worrying about the division, because they both knew they were in - and winning the division vs the wildcard was less important than having your rotation set and getting players rest. Sure - but that's purely anecdotal. If there had been another good team last year that had locked up the WC, and those teams were competing for the #5 spot instead of #4, then it would have been totally irrelevant and boring last year, but very exciting this year.
Edit: <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Blockbuster: red Sox, Dodgers working on deal that would send AGon, Crawford, Beckett and Punto to LA. Hurdles remain, but closing in</p>— Gordon Edes (@GordonEdes) <a href="https://twitter.com/GordonEdes/status/239110628877422592" data-datetime="2012-08-24T21:23:11+00:00">August 24, 2012</a></blockquote> <script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> ______________________________________ Big money, big money! After previously claiming Cliff Lee on waivers(although he was pulled back), the Dodgers have claimed Adrian Gonzalez and Josh Beckett. Red Sox have 2 days I think to work something out with LA(trade; let him/them walk to LA or pull them off).
Getting tired of these LA teams ending up with the more superior players. Can't hate though, but it's some bull****.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/search/?q=%23Dodgers"><s>#</s><b>Dodgers</b></a> have agreed to send Allen Webster, James Loney, Jerry Sands, Ivan De Jesus, and Rubby De La Rosa to <a href="https://twitter.com/search/?q=%23RedSox"><s>#</s><b>RedSox</b></a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/mlbonfox"><s>@</s><b>mlbonfox</b></a></p>— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) <a href="https://twitter.com/jonmorosi/status/239146049904734210" data-datetime="2012-08-24T23:43:56+00:00">August 24, 2012</a></blockquote> <script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search/?q=%23Dodgers"><s>#</s><b>Dodgers</b></a> will receive Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford and Nick Punto as long as no-trade clauses and medical info checks out.</p>— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) <a href="https://twitter.com/jonmorosi/status/239151420778106880" data-datetime="2012-08-25T00:05:16+00:00">August 25, 2012</a></blockquote> <script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
At least the Dodgers are willing to spend. This might be an exorbitant and unwise move to make, but hell you can't say they don't care anymore. At least not like McCourt. Ultimately, this is about 1B, solidifying the rotation, and shoring up the third outfield spot. The money is unholy, though.
The contract for Crawford is awful. They should have just waited and went crazy for Hamilton in the off-season but perhaps theyll do that as well
Adrian Gonzales is going to come back and own the NL. That's some sick money the Dodgers are putting out in all of these trades. The Yankees of the NL now?
You're done, bro Part of their plan... just talk about it non-stop so it gets to his head, then tell him that he's being shut down.
