2016 MLB Regular-Season Thread

When the Pirates and Rangers hook up in the Series he'll probably have two or three huge hits in high-leverage situations and that sound you'll hear will be the sound of me eating what's left of my liver.

 

That was a tough series on any fan.

 

I hate him more than you do.

 

Would you like fava beans within that?

 

And a nice Chianti?

 

And definitely one of the forgotten classics of a series, too. Four of the five games went to extra innings, IIRC, including the Phils' Game 5 comeback against Nolan Ryan (down 5-2 in the seventh or eighth).

 

I was lucky enough to cover Games 1-2 for the Phoenix, then went to New York to witness the Brett homer off Gossage. Saw the last three games of Phils-Astros on TV. MLB Network has always played Game Five in its occasional retrospectives of great games in history.

 

They are raising a flag in Kansas City tonight and it's not surrender. I never thought I'd see the day.

 

Wife and the kids are all huddled around the TV watching the pregame on ESPN.

I must have spent all the last four months watching innings, games, at bats from 2014 and 2015. Greatest sporting storyline of my life. I'll never see this again and I treasure the memories.

Even if they defy the odds and win it all in 2016 or 2017, it won't reach the narrative of 14-15. To come 90 feet from tying it in 2014 and then to be on life support against the Astros in 2015 before winning 9 of the next 12.

After the 2014 World Series loss, I considered that greater than even 1985 because, back then, the Royals often won the weak AL West.

I hope everyone here - Cubs fans, Cleveland fans, especially - get to experience this one day in their lives.

 

Haven't been able to sit down and watch more than few minutes of them, but either MLB Network or ESPN Classic was showing Games 4 and 5 in their entirety in recent weeks. Keep an eye out for them. They might get a few more airings before we get into the regular season.

 

First time since 2009 I won't be at the Ballpark for Rangers' opening day*. Too much club volleyball/junior high musical combined with the odd 3:05 (Central) start means we couldn't make it work. Don't know who's more bummed, me or MommaQuant. Maybe I'll pick a fight with cranberry and see if that makes me feel any better ...


*A funny (to me) anecdote from that first opening day. MommaQuant and I decided to do a full-tilt pre-game picnic, and toward that end I decided to make "from scratch" Bloody Mary mix (the recipe for which called for finely diced onions and celery). So I had it all ready to go in my new food processor but got something screwed up and the lid popped off and slung tomato juice et al. all over the kitchen. I yelled out in anger, and when MommaQuant ran into the kitchen she screamed, convinced I'd cut my hand off.

 

Over the winter, I forgot how much fun the Royals are to watch.