I do believe they said "If you didn't get chicken skin after hearing Nomar, you may not be human."

7/7/2009 1:16:13 PM

What a bunch of clannish cocksuckers...

7/7/2009 1:33:48 PM

I think its ok to vote an All-Star in based on history as opposed to this season. A fan-favorite is going to win over a better player that no one likes.

For example, the season that Ripken and Gwynn both announced their retirement plans, they both were voted in as all-star starters. Neither had all-star numbers that season, but it didn't matter, fans wanted to see them play.

I am not comparing Hamilton to Ripken and Gwynn, both hall of famers. I'm just saying that memories of last year are enough to get someone voted in.

Jeter will be an all-star every year until he retires regardless of his numbers.

7/7/2009 1:58:15 PM

Then why isn't Big Unit an All-Star?

And he got hurt after the fact, btw.

7/7/2009 2:26:25 PM

guys like Ripken were at least the best shortstop on the Orioles even if he didn't deserve to make the AS team

Randy isn't even the 2nd best SP on San Fran

If he was on the Rangers, or a team without big name starters doing well like Lincecum and Cain, he might have gotten a shot

7/7/2009 2:28:22 PM

Yeah, apparently Cain is.

Lincecum is fucking sick nasty. I want his haircut.

7/7/2009 2:33:15 PM

The Big Unit was a fan favorite in like 2002. But I get where you're going.

I, too, want Tim Lincecum's haircut.

7/7/2009 2:34:48 PM

"We throw inside when we have to (*thats all thats all*)...and we don't listen to that"

7/7/2009 2:35:59 PM

Did you take a picture of your TV with a shitty camera phone, lol?

7/7/2009 2:37:01 PM

nah its a youtube thumbnail that i tried to enlarge to fit the text

7/7/2009 2:38:18 PM

Back on the subject, the game is held in Anaheim next year. That place is falling apart, I went there last month. Each section had a tube TV still and they were all rusted out, haha.

Wonder how much it will cost to upgrade and all. Wonder if MLB pays for it or if Arnie will just write an IOU.

7/7/2009 2:41:23 PM

Quote :

"Then why isn't Big Unit an All-Star?"

Because fans don't vote for pitchers...

7/7/2009 3:57:13 PM

haha yeah i never even thought of that

7/7/2009 4:01:05 PM

Yeah, even after I mentioned something about Jenks. MAN I need sleep...

7/7/2009 4:21:00 PM

Quote :

"ANAHEIM, Calif. – Hey, Josh Hamilton(notes) wishes he was sturdy enough, too. He wishes he hadn’t run into a couple walls, hadn’t been to the disabled list twice, hadn’t needed abdominal surgery, hadn’t had all that stuff happen to him in just half a stinkin’ season. So, yeah, he’d like to be hitting something more representative than .240. A week before the All-Star Game, he has six homers and 24 RBIs? A year ago he boarded a flight to New York with 21 and 95, then lit up Yankee Stadium with those 28 bombs in the first round of the Home Run Derby, a few clearing 500 feet. He came off the disabled list Monday night for a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels hoping, he said, to be the “same old Josh,” but he might not be that hitter right now. For the time being, he’ll concentrate on staying on the field and helping the surprisingly competent Texas Rangers remain surprisingly competent for the rest of the summer, which means, sorry, no Derby this year in St. Louis. ADVERTISEMENT And, well, were it only just that easy. Based on last season (32 homers, 130 RBIs, .304 batting average, etc.), and on his comeback story, and on his very humble countenance, and on the fact he knocked the daylights out of all those balls in the Bronx, Hamilton rated very well on more than 2.4 million All-Star ballots, enough to win a starting job on the AL squad next to Jason Bay(notes) and Ichiro(notes) Suzuki. It’s a little dicey, because Hamilton ranks only fifth among outfielders in home runs and fourth in RBIs – among Rangers. And, well, there’s the strong possibility Hamilton received a lot of those votes because nobody cared what he did from April through June, folks wanted him at Busch Stadium for the Derby, challenging Albert Pujols(notes), and Ryan Howard(notes) and the rest. On the other hand, more than a few voters simply appreciate Hamilton’s tale. And if they wanted to see Hamilton in St. Louis, who is Hamilton to refuse? They, after all, might be the people who welcomed him back to the game after his well-chronicled addiction to crack cocaine when they could have been unforgiving. So, after consulting with the Rangers, Hamilton will accept his position in the AL outfield and decline an invitation to hammer away in the Derby. “You get that, right?” he asked. “I mean, that makes sense, right? You understand?” The man is coming off abdominal surgery. Two months ago he’d strained his rib cage and spent another couple weeks on the DL. Seems a lot to risk for a glorified batting practice, just to give MLB a show. “I talked to Josh about it before he went out on rehab,” Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said. “Basically, I just said we’d support him playing in the game if that’s what he wants, but we’d prefer he not participate in the Derby. He agreed, said that’s what he was thinking.” In case the message wasn’t clear, manager Ron Washington said, “I told him I didn’t want him to do it. I told him I certainly hope he’s man enough to understand the Texas Rangers is where we need him to be. It just takes so much out of you doing that.” Even a reasonably healthy Hamilton last year was no match for a full big-league season (his first) and the Texas sun and a home run derby. All of his offensive numbers declined in the second half. In September he admitted he was exhausted, so much that he sought out Mark Teixeira(notes), renowned for his big second halves in Texas, for a survival hint or two. Washington said he’ll play Hamilton almost every day, but will rest him occasionally in one of the outfield corners or at designated hitter. Meanwhile, Hamilton still has three months of games left and he doesn’t want to leave any of them in St. Louis on Monday night. It’s a reasonable decision, the right one. “I’m ready to go,” he said before hitting a single in his first at-bat against the Angels and hitting a double in his second. “I wouldn’t be back if I wasn’t ready to go. “It’s good to be back here and be one of the guys again, actually feel part of the team instead of a guy just hanging around.”"

You show 'em, Josh!

(Please stop this madness)

7/8/2009 1:55:10 AM

Quote :

"If fans say Texas Rangers' Hamilton is an All-Star, let it be There are things I love and things I loathe about Major League Baseball's All-Star Game. That, in itself, sets it apart from its All-Star Game rivals because I don't care to watch the others, and TV ratings suggest that most fans agree with me. The baseball game, by its nature, comes at the right time. The sports scene in July is pretty dead in the United States. If we're tuned in to tennis in England and cycling in France, no matter how great those events, it means it's a slow month over here. So I think it's the "nothing else going on" factor along with the game's tradition that stirs so much debate. Even now, having expanded the rosters to 33 players in each league – file that under Totally Unnecessary – we argue over quality players left at home and undeserving players chosen. Leading the league in "undeserving" this season, based on the variety of media outlets out there voicing this opinion, is Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton. You can only laugh at the misguided critics. Bottom line: It's the All-Star Game. It's the fans' game. Major League Baseball restored voting to the fans in 1970 to create interest in the game, and it worked. If the fans want to cast 2 or 3 million votes in order to see a player just returning from the disabled list, that's their call. It's my guess that a high percentage of those voting for Hamilton, who had two hits in Anaheim in his Rangers' return Monday, thought they would get another Home Run Derby showcase from him. He said two weeks ago he wouldn't be participating in anything like that, nor should he. The game itself? Why not? Hamilton is 28, and his return to baseball after years of drug abuse doesn't need to be detailed here. But there are no guarantees of All-Star games in his future. If he can stay healthy, sure, he should make a few more. In the meantime, let him enjoy a couple of at-bats in St. Louis and the fan appreciation that has become a major part of his tale of recovery. As for the Home Run Derby itself, it's my least favorite part of the show. Hamilton's unreal performance last year injected life into an event that needs more life support than the NBA's Slam Dunk Competition. The Derby, which easily exceeds two hours from start to finish, is far too drawn out, which explains why Minnesota's Justin Morneau and not Hamilton won it in 2008. Hamilton was out of gas before the final round arrived. Who decided hitters needed all those outs in each round? If the Players Association isn't still hiding under the covers after its failures of the Steroids Era, some representative should mention that Hamilton and Bobby Abreu and others appear to have tailed off dramatically in the production department after exhaustive Home Run Derby showings. People should pay more attention to the downside of the Derby than to the overly criticized quest for World Series home-field advantage that comes with winning the All-Star Game. Yes, it's an unnecessary addition stapled onto the game by Commissioner Bud Selig in order to force managers to try to win the contest. But home field in baseball is not the equivalent of home court in the NBA Finals. And while it might make sense in other sports to award the team with the best regular-season record the home field edge, that's not the case in baseball. What team is going to finish with the best record? Probably the Los Angeles Dodgers. Does life in the National League in general and the West in particular have something to do with that? Oh my gosh, yes. You can't even compare what it's going to take for Boston or the Yankees or Tampa Bay to reach the 95-win plateau versus how smoothly the Dodgers can coast their way to that mark. I'm not knocking the Dodgers. They are a terrific, balanced team that barely noticed the absence of Manny Ramirez's power during his 50-game suspension, going 29-21. I'm just saying that if Game 1 of the World Series is played in an A.L. park because of Ben Zobrist's ninth-inning pinch hit off of Heath Bell on Tuesday night, let someone else express outrage at the injustice heaped on the Dodgers. They survived Manny's exile. If they're that good, they can live with the possibility of an extra World Series game on the road."

Maybe you can stop talking about Hamilton now and end your little obsession with him

7/8/2009 9:14:57 AM

well he is up to .263. if he keeps this up he could be over .300 before the AS game

7/8/2009 9:52:06 AM

I, for one, and shocked that the Dallas Morning News columnist Tim Cowlishaw would write an article supporting the retardation that is fan voting electing Hamilton to starting CF.



Back to Around the Horn with Woody and Jay, bro.

7/8/2009 9:58:48 AM

double post

[Edited on July 8, 2009 at 10:14 AM. Reason : .]

7/8/2009 10:11:53 AM

i think you have a problem...i know there are people on TWW who like Hamilton...you on the other hand, seem to have some extreme contempt for him...did he disrespect your sister or something? i don't get all the extreme hate or why its such a huge deal to you that fan voting doesnt always yield the most deserving players...is it simply your selfish projection of anger about J Dye not making the squad?

[Edited on July 8, 2009 at 10:15 AM. Reason : .]

7/8/2009 10:13:40 AM

No, I do not have a problem with Josh Hamilton. I know a lot of people here like him simply because he's from Raleigh, went to Athens Drive... fine. That may add some real sentiment for them.. but not for me. I am glad, though, and proud of him that he got his shit together and had the incredible season he had last year.

I do have a problem with fan voting putting him in CF despite the fact he's played something like 40 games this season. It's absolutely insane! Hell, he could have played ZERO games and still won so long as his name was on the ballot. That just proves what a stupid, stupid stupid system fan voting is (and is probably a reflection on any system that lets a majority of emotional voters control the results of an election).

I also don't like it when people call the All Star game a "meaningless game" for "the fans"... that's equally ridiculous, with or without some BS analysis of the 7 game WS format. A lot of people want to see players from teams who are having career years get their recognition in this game that recognizes achievement. To me, when you put in a player who isn't even in the vicinity of having an "All-star" season and start him, it feels cheap. And even so, just because some percentage of sentimental Hamilton fans elected him doesn't mean I did.

Look, this is just my opinion, you don't have to agree with me. I guess we view the ASG's importance and meaning a little differently. But like I said, it's not about Hamilton, just this ridiculous system that has some glaring issues when a guy with Hamilton's extremely short '09 season-so-far gets the nod to start.

If you're going to copy and paste something to objectively support your view, you can probably cite better journalists than the guy from the city Hamilton plays for, though.

7/8/2009 10:28:02 AM

You don't think he made a good point when he said it would be a lot harder for NYY or BOS or TAM to win 95 games versus the Dodgers? I don't think the ASG should dictate home field advantage in the WS, but its just as much of a backdoor as playing in the NL West.

Also aside from Hamilton, was the fan voting really THAT BAD? Were there any other huge snubs, or people who clearly didn't deserve it? If your gripe with fan voting is only with one player, that doesn't seem like that big of a deal. Its not like the teams are filled with undeserving big name players like David Ortiz, A-Rod, Matt Holliday, Jose Reyes, etc, seems like Hamilton is about the only one the fans messed up.

7/8/2009 10:35:57 AM

Like I said, to me it's more than just the homefield thing (I don't care about that and don't really have an opinion on it). I didn't need HF advantage before the 2002 debacle to make me watch and don't need it now. I do like seeing players get all-star recognition when they deserve it.

Yes. Truly, fans did a pretty good job. But I'm not out here saying everyone the fans voted is shitty. It's the one that has hardly played this season, and even when he's played, hasn't been close to being all-star worthy that bothers me.

7/8/2009 10:40:38 AM

I don't even know why Hamilton was on the ballot? Shouldn't he have been taken off for Marlon Byrd or whoever has played more games than him now? I could see at the beginning when they started because it was so long ago he probably had played most of the games, but they should have taken him off. And I doubt that many people would have written him in.

7/8/2009 6:06:42 PM

^ Aki was on the ballot too and he got seasoned over a month ago...

7/8/2009 6:29:17 PM

New changes to All-Star rosters:

Carlos Beltran, Matt Cain, Jonathan Broxton, and Dustin Pedroia will not be participating.

Their replacements are Jayson Werth, Zach Duke, Trevor Hoffman, and Carlos Pena, respectively. Pena will also be playing in the home-run derby.

The final vote winners were Brandon Inge and Shane Victorino.

This brings the total number of Phillies to 5, making them the highest represented team in the NL (the Rays and Red Sox also have 5 each not including Pedroia).

The ceremonial first pitch will be thrown by President Obama, to be caught by Albert Pujols.

7/12/2009 5:42:23 PM

Its an All Star Game not a best batting average game or a lowest era game. You do what Josh did last year in Yankee Stadium with his back story and you are a star and you deserve to play. He provided the most memorable all star moment, that includes anything in the NBA's, NHL's or even the pro bowl, for that fact alone he deserves the nod.

7/12/2009 7:45:20 PM

Sorry Carlos Pena, I think I woulda taken Miguel Cabrera over you.

7/13/2009 12:19:59 AM

Tell that to his manager...I hate how biased some all-star selections can be.

7/13/2009 2:36:43 AM

HR Derby tonight at 8pm:

Ryan Howard
Albert Pujols
Prince Fielder
Adrian Gonzalez
Carlos Pena
Nelson Cruz
Joe Mauer
Brandon Inge

My brain tells me that in St. Louis, Pujols will win, but there is the risk that he gets overwhelmed by the fan support, hits 25 jacks in round 1, and is too tired to compete later on

Also though, Howard, who as won before, will be bringing his own personal pitcher, similar to what Hamilton did last year, so don't count him out obviously. Mauer also has his own pitcher.

Lets just hope Berman keeps his "back-back-back-backs" under 1,000

7/13/2009 12:22:37 PM

if you guys were trying to separate the 8 contestants into two groups, the Favorites and the Underdogs (basically if you had 4 total people and each one was going to pick 2 batters, but trying to make it fair)

would the favorites be Pujols, Howard, Fielder, Gonzalez?

"underdogs" would be Pena (despite leading the AL in HRs), Cruz, Mauer and Inge?

would yall do anything differently there?

7/13/2009 4:15:21 PM

who won last year, no one knows due to josh hamilton lol

7/13/2009 4:19:59 PM

Morneau technically won, but even he was basically like "Hamilton is the man"

I only remember because I'm a Twins fan, that was Hamilton's show

7/13/2009 4:21:10 PM

BACK BACK BACK BACK

GYWAWNNNNNN

7/13/2009 4:41:05 PM

I just spent half an hour typing up lineups and analysis and then I lost all of it. f my life, i'll try again later when i'm done being pissed off

7/13/2009 5:47:16 PM

How many years has it been since the NL has won this game?

Because I would like to wager they win it this year.

Also, Greinke should have gotten the start over Halladay. He's been pretty garbage since coming off the DL.

7/13/2009 6:46:57 PM

was it the Marquis Grissom slide-in at home? because thats the last one i remember off the top of my head

nope, it was in Philly, and a shut-out at that
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Major_League_Baseball_All-Star_Game

im thinking of 1994 lol, and not sure exactly if it was Grissom that scored in the bottom of the 10th

[Edited on July 13, 2009 at 6:57 PM. Reason : ]

7/13/2009 6:51:38 PM

Greinke hasn't exactly been better in the last month or so than he was earlier in the year either

7/13/2009 6:52:32 PM

Either way, they pale in comparison to Lincecum...
































's hair.

7/13/2009 7:09:16 PM

Go National League!

Win this thing for once dammit.

7/13/2009 7:59:10 PM

Go National League!

Win this thing for once dammit.

7/13/2009 7:59:35 PM

Holy shit, is there a worse announcing team in the history of sports than this fucking shit... I'm going to need to get shitfaced to watch this any longer.

1) Chris Berman -- played out and God-fucking awful
2) Joe Morgan -- nothing more needs to be said
3) Steve Phillips -- are you fucking kidding me? How can this assclown get a gig analyzing baseball when he couldn't even construct a 65 game winner with a $100M+ payroll.

7/13/2009 8:27:26 PM

Someone PLEASE bound and gag berman and stuff him in a trunk.

7/13/2009 8:27:48 PM

Kenny Inge goes O-fer

7/13/2009 8:49:10 PM

Haha, the biggest fag in broadcasting just joined the group.

7/13/2009 8:51:47 PM

finally a homer after 16 straight outs

7/13/2009 8:52:05 PM

Why can't Hawk call this?

"Stretch! Stretch!"

7/13/2009 8:55:20 PM

Lincecum and Halladay starting

i have been to almost no MLB games, but the last two ive gone to have had at least one of these guys pitching lol

7/13/2009 8:57:17 PM

way to show up Brandon Inge

LOL

0 for 10

7/13/2009 9:16:48 PM

lmao, according to ESPN's tracker, Inge didn't even hit one farther than 272 feet

7/13/2009 9:31:42 PM