Thanks, really helpful. No, I know nothing really except what I have picked up from films, novels, TV shows etc (including quite a good one recently on women's baseball in the 2nd world war)
As long as you know the basics, you’ll be fine. Like most sports there are some complex rules (anyone want a discussion of the infield fly rule), but they rarely come up. Just grab a beer and go with the flow.
The only thing you might want to do is check the ground rules - every park is different, and some have very specific rules about how many bases a player gets it a fair ball goes out of bounds, or where a ball has to land for it to be a home run, but even then it normally obvious. But as my local park is Fenway, it’s never quite as obvious as you might think.
Thanks, really helpful. No, I know nothing really except what I have picked up from films, novels, TV shows etc (including quite a good one recently on women's baseball in the 2nd world war)
As long as you know the basics, you’ll be fine. Like most sports there are some complex rules (anyone want a discussion of the infield fly rule), but they rarely come up. Just grab a beer and go with the flow.
The only thing you might want to do is check the ground rules - every park is different, and some have very specific rules about how many bases a player gets it a fair ball goes out of bounds, or where a ball has to land for it to be a home run, but even then it normally obvious. But as my local park is Fenway, it’s never quite as obvious as you might think.
@Jints agree with this. Baseball is a good live sport, especially with the pitch clock. Drink a beer, eat a hot dog or other stadium food. Talk to people around you, baseball is a great sport for random conversation. I've long wanted to go to Coors, it's meant to be a lovely stadium. So yeah, I think just knowing the basics and you'll be fine.
For the Giants fans, the town I live in, Eugene, has their High-A affiliate. I've seen a fair amount of Patrick Bailey, Marco Luciano, and Luis Matos, plus some of Casey Schmidt and Kyle Harrison (who wasn't here for long at all because he just dominated). I was really impressed with Bailey, thought he was a big league catcher for sure. Luciano is "toolsy," was very highly rated, and I think will come good but has had some struggles. Matos and Schmidt always looked good.
Bailey looks brilliant so far, I think he is a large part of the reason we have put together our current run.
I do not get scouting right very often so I'm going to take a victory lap on this one. I saw him I think 3-4 times. I thought he had a good eye at the plate, had some pop and got on base, and then looked like he had a strong arm as well. I feel like he's been in the 5-10 range in terms of Giants top prospect rankings, so it's not like I discovered this kid out of nowhere. But I thought he felt like a surefire major leaguer, and about a year later he's both in the majors and seems to be really thriving. Which is good because Joey Bart seems like a total bust.
Bailey is excellent. The Giants have really felt it since Posey retired. Matos looks really strong as well. Very mature for such a young player. Schmidt has been hit or miss but he’s learning.
The Giants now have a really good balance of youth and experience. Their Bullpen has been really strong lately.
Baseball is a streaky game though so we’ll see how the next few weeks pan out.
I'd be tempted to go to a game (Cubs being my second team), but cheapest seats are £120, or about 3x what I paid to see the Phillies play in Philadelphia (admittedly a few years ago now)
I'd be tempted to go to a game (Cubs being my second team), but cheapest seats are £120, or about 3x what I paid to see the Phillies play in Philadelphia (admittedly a few years ago now)
I picked up two tickets for Sunday for £45 off Twickets last week. I could see that they were struggling to sell out in the general sale so I knew there would be plenty knocking about for cheap in the run up to it. The pricing strategy is way off though, works for NFL as there is a demand for it but they've spent years building the sport over here. MLB seems to think they can just piggyback off that and charge the same prices for baseball, there just isn't the same buy in from Brits at the moment.
I'd be tempted to go to a game (Cubs being my second team), but cheapest seats are £120, or about 3x what I paid to see the Phillies play in Philadelphia (admittedly a few years ago now)
Three of us went a few years ago to see the Mets play Nationals at Shea Stadium. It was an early season night game and we paid $9, that's $9 for three tickets, sparse attendance and the weather was none too good.
I went yesterday, my tickets were £145 it was a great day though. Going over there in September a Cubbies season ticket holder is getting me tickets for 15 dollars.
Went yesterday and got tickets the day before on stub hub, £145 tickets for £55, which is much more sensible the original prices definitely put me off. Thought the stadium worked quite well. Been to and fro Chicago lately, saw the White Sox lose to Miami in a great game early this month. Seeing the Cubs in August against the Braves.
White Sox won 9-7 in the end. They tacked on two runs in the top of the 9th, and then I got to see Shohei Ohtani hit a two run Homer in the bottom of the 9th.
Obviously the guy is special, but Ohtani only went 4-8 (1 BB, 1 IBB, 1 HR, 1 3B, 4 Ks) in the games I saw him play. #overrated
Watching an amazing game between the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers. Houston were 10-2 up but the Rangers have just tied it up at 10-10 in the bottom of the 7th.
Two games left. Rangers, Astros (1 GB) and Mariners (2 GB) all vying for a division win and a playoff berth. Rangers and Mariners playing each other too.
RIP to the Great Knuckleballer, Tim Wakefield, just 57. From an aggressive brain tumor. His wife has been diagnosed with aggressive pancreatic cancer. So sad.
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Bugger...
Obviously the guy is special, but Ohtani only went 4-8 (1 BB, 1 IBB, 1 HR, 1 3B, 4 Ks) in the games I saw him play. #overrated
https://www.mlb.com/giants/news/gabe-kapler-dismissed-as-giants-manager
Two games left. Rangers, Astros (1 GB) and Mariners (2 GB) all vying for a division win and a playoff berth. Rangers and Mariners playing each other too.
From an aggressive brain tumor.
His wife has been diagnosed with aggressive pancreatic cancer.
So sad.
RIP Tim
Rangers @ Rays
Blue Jays @ Twins
Diamondbacks @ Brewers
Marlins @ Phillies
Rangers 2 @ Rays 0
Blue Jays 0 @ Twins 2
Diamondbacks 2 @ Brewers 0
Marlins 0 @ Phillies 2
#5 Rangers v #1 Orioles
#3 Twins v #2 Astros
#4 Phillies v #1 Braves
#6 Diamondbacks v #2 Dodgers