MLB

[Colin1230]

Spring training 2020, my wife and I flew out to Surprise, AZ the week after I retired hoping for a great start to the baseball season. That didn't happen. Air travel shut down shortly after arriving home. Still, we got somewhat of a season and I'm thankful for that. This year we have high hopes.

 

[pineywoods]

Years back when we lived in central FL the wife had worked at the same hospital for over 25 years so got lots of vacation time. I ran our business so schedule was fairly flexible most of the time. The Braves had Disney's Wide World of Sports as their spring training home and we'd get season tickets for it. We'd take our 5th wheel or my Dad's motorhome over and put it in an RV park for the month. She would look at the spring training schedule and arrange her work schedule around it and would catch every game held at Disney. I would go when I could and if I couldn't one of her friends from work would go over and stay and go with her. We did this for like 4 or 5 years and she attended every "home" spring training game and I usually attended about 75% of them.
Hopefully we get a full season this year and they allow fans all year as she's putting in for time off tomorrow so we can go take in 4 or 5 games we haven't been to the new stadium yet.

 

[gmc2003]

Yankee fan here. Been one since the late 60s. Side note: my grandfather was a huge Dodgers fan. He went to most every home game, and allot of away games. Gramps would even travel to Florida and watch their spring training season. Once they moved to LA his love for baseball vanished. That move broke his and many other many other Brooklynites hearts. The Trolley Dodgers were no more in their eyes.

Dem Bums took on a literal meaning that day in May 1957. The day baseball died.
Chris

 

[JLeonard]

We have some very good amateur teams around here. I prefer to watch those guys play for the love of the game, plus the beers are cheaper there!

We have the Redbirds here in Memphis. Triple A team for the Cardinals. They have a excellent stadium to play in, And yep the beers are cheaper!
Jim

 

[Bearcarver]

Lifelong Mets fan here, don't laugh. They have a lot of promise with a new owner, but they have a lot of promise at the start of most years. We'll have to wait and see. To understand the plight of a Mets fan, I'll share an example. A few years ago, they won 11 in a row in the 2nd week of the season. As they started winning 6,7,8 etc in a row, my wife would say "Look they won again", I'd say, no reason to get excited, been there done that. Sure enough it ended. Then they eventually go to the World Series and lose in 5 games.
I'll always be a Mets fan, although I don't know why, lol.

<<<<<I'll always be a Mets fan, although I don't know why, lol.>>>>>

Why??? Does the name "Tom Seaver" ring a Bell???

Always been a Philly Fan, and Seaver gave us Nightmares!!!

Bear

 

[gmc2003]

I remember when the Mets traded Nolan Ryan. Hindsight is 20/20.

Chris

 

[MJB05615]

<<<<<I'll always be a Mets fan, although I don't know why, lol.>>>>>

Why??? Does the name "Tom Seaver" ring a Bell???

Always been a Philly Fan, and Seaver gave us Nightmares!!!

Bear

That's 100% right on, Bear! Tom Seaver was and is my all time favorite ball player. Grew up watching him. Ironically, the only time I saw him pitch live, was opening day 1984 against the Phillies, and I think Steve Carlton, when he came back to the Mets from the Reds. This after I forgave them for letting him go in 1977, but that's for another time. I've been to many Met games, never got to see him live until then. He struck out Pete Rose 3 times. The Mets won. Truly one of the greatest of all time. Carlton was nothing to shake a stick at either. Although his refusal to talk to the press for many years was disappointing to many fans, but I understood why.

 

[MJB05615]

I remember when the Mets traded Nolan Ryan. Hindsight is 20/20.

Chris

I'll never forget it Chris, it was the beginning of sooooo many terrible trades they've made over the years.
2 words, if you mention them to any lifetime Met fan, will start a long conversation.
Those 2 words are "Jim Fregosi". Now if you'll excuse me, I have to wash my mouth out with a shot of Scotch, lol.

 

[Bearcarver]

I liked Carlton, but Mike Schmidt was my favorite All-Around Ball Player.

Plus I liked Rick Wise, and I'll never forget the record he made, which will probably never be broken, when he pitched a No Hitter & hit two Home Runs in the same game. Not much chance of that one ever being beaten.
I think the Phillies Traded Wise for Carlton.

Bear

 

[gmc2003]

I'll never forget it Chris, it was the beginning of sooooo many terrible trades they've made over the years.
2 words, if you mention them to any lifetime Met fan, will start a long conversation.
Those 2 words are "Jim Fregosi". Now if you'll excuse me, I have to wash my mouth out with a shot of Scotch, lol.

Yeah the Mets got the short end of the stick on that trade. A broken down shortstop for a future hall of fame pitcher. Who wasn't a bad fighter either. I still have a beer glass from 1970 that my dad got at a gas station celebrating the 69 World Series win. He had to do some finagling to get it. As you needed X number of fill-ups to get one, but since we were from VT visiting Long Island. The gas station attendant gave it to him. Must have been my cute innocent smile that did it, or my 10 year old pouty face.

Chris

 

[MJB05615]

Yeah the Mets got the short end of the stick on that trade. A broken down shortstop for a future hall of fame pitcher. Who wasn't a bad fighter either. I still have a beer glass from 1970 that my dad got at a gas station celebrating the 69 World Series win. He had to do some finagling to get it. As you needed X number of fill-ups to get one, but since we were from VT visiting Long Island. The gas station attendant gave it to him. Must have been my cute innocent smile that did it, or my 10 year old pouty face.

Chris

That's a cool collectible. Hang on to that. Nolan Ryan was a good fighter. It was nice back then when gas stations gave away stuff for fill ups, or coupons collected. I remember my Mother collected S&H green stamps, then when you filled enough books to get what you wanted. Ah the good ol' days, right? I started working in gas stations in the late 70's and remember we were giving away pocket calculators, weird right? I still had one of the leftovers as recently as 6 years ago. Battery lasted over 20 years, lol.

 

[MJB05615]

I liked Carlton, but Mike Schmidt was my favorite All-Around Ball Player.

Plus I liked Rick Wise, and I'll never forget the record he made, which will probably never be broken, when he pitched a No Hitter & hit two Home Runs in the same game. Not much chance of that one ever being beaten.
I think the Phillies Traded Wise for Carlton.

Bear

Schmidt was a true powerhouse hitter. He clobbered the Mets plenty.
I do remember Rick Wise's no hitter and the 2 HR's. You're correct they traded Wise for Carlton. Truly one of the "WISEst" trades ever. That record may never be broken. Here's one that won't ever be broken.

Johnny Van Der Meer pitched back to back no hitters. To beat that you have to pitch 3 consecutive no hitters. I truly don't think that's possible.

 

[bigfurmn]

Hey Mets fans??? Remember when you fleeced my Twins of an amazing pitcher named Johan Santana??? Then they tried to tell us we got the better end of the trade.

 

[MJB05615]

Yes. He did great the first 2 years. Then after his no hitter , the only one in Met history, he got injured, recovered, injured, etc. Was never the same after the no hitter. They always question that no hitter because of 1 questionable call, slow roller down the third base line. I watched it on TV live, and it is debateable. It was one of the better deals the Mets have made. But 1 out of so many bad deals, right?

 

[bigfurmn]

Take a look at theTwins trade history. Are you an old washed up has been??? Here is a massive contract.
I was at the Santana game at the Metrodome when he threw out his shoulder the first time. You could hear his elbow 30 rows up.

 

[MJB05615]

Ouch. That had to be rough. Twins trade history similar to the Mets. Both teams have had some great players though. In 1969 Twins won their Division but lost to the O's in playoffs, right?

 

[Bearcarver]

Schmidt was a true powerhouse hitter. He clobbered the Mets plenty.
I do remember Rick Wise's no hitter and the 2 HR's. You're correct they traded Wise for Carlton. Truly one of the "WISEst" trades ever. That record may never be broken. Here's one that won't ever be broken.

Johnny Van Der Meer pitched back to back no hitters. To beat that you have to pitch 3 consecutive no hitters. I truly don't think that's possible.

LOL---Certainly not likely. 3 No hitter in a row??? Never!
On Wise---How many No hitters are pitched?
And How many times does a pitcher hit 2 homers in one game?
Now do them both in the same game. LOL

Mike Schmidt was a "Golden Glove Third Baseman" 10 times too.

Bear

 

[MJB05615]

LOL---Certainly not likely. 3 No hitter in a row??? Never!
On Wise---How many No hitters are pitched?
And How many times does a pitcher hit 2 homers in one game?
Now do them both in the same game. LOL

Mike Schmidt was a "Golden Glove Third Baseman" 10 times too.

Bear

All true. Especially now with most pitchers being pulled after 6-7 innings.

 

[olecrosseyes]

White Sox and Cubs fans here. The wife and I watch em both but when it comes to an inner city play we are a house divided.

 

[Inscrutable]

Orioles fan here. My goal is to not lose 100 games.

O’s fan. And I would not like to talk about it. Haha

Lifelong here too ... Grew up in 60’s in Elmira NY with the AA Orioles farm team ... many of the 69-71 major players came through there, and Weaver the manager. Was a great time and place to be a young baseball fan.