2024 MLB Thread; RIP Willie Mays & Pete Rose. Dodgers win #8!

I really hope Nats fans don’t plan on booing him all season. It’s going to get really old really quick. Hopefully they got it out of their system tonight and we can all move on.
 
I think 'ol Johnny Miller and the Giants are my new team to watch just to hear the play-by-play since Scully been gone. Makes me miss his ESPN days with Joe Morgan.

Gary Thorne is up there too.
 
651akathepaul said:
Grienke and Bumgarner can hit, man. :lol:

3 HRs on the board for them today.
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Facing them is like wrestling a girl in high school. You can’t win. On one hand if they take you yard on your fastball a pitcher notched an HR on you. On the other hand if you K them with a secondary pitch you’re conceding you can’t get them out with your FB.
 
Marlins had 16 hits. Somehow Mets held them to only five runs

I love baseball
 
The Washington Nationals may never recover from tonight ... And I'm sad to say I was there for the demise ...

From the rain delay, cold temps, Turner broken finger, Soto woes, bullpen woes, Harper 2B, Philly fans, Harper hype, bomb, bat flip, drive home ... Damn near the WORST that could happen, happened ... SMH ...

The fans showed out and I was happy for that ... The problem is our team is trash ... Our Manager is TRASH ... Our free agent pickups are TRASH ... Watching the chasm between those two lineups ... Jesus ...

I was letting Bryce have it and got a bit caught up in the moment ... I am convinced walking up for his 2nd at-bat he heard me say, "Maury says, you are not the Father" ... He shook his head and K'd ... I'm on the dugout so the bat flip was right at me ... It was lit but such an exclamation point ...

I was sitting with money and they were ****ting on the Lerner's ... One guy said he offered up $8 million in a contract mod to keep Harper ...

Dave Martinez is clueless ... he's in over his head ... His move to pinch hit THE PITCHER with runners on 1st and 2nd and no outs will be his legacy ... How someone who played so much baseball at the highest levels can be so baseball tone deaf is baffling ... Dave Martinez needs to be fired, tomorrow ...
 
8 Runs even with our 4/5 hole hitters going 0-10

We deep. The damn 8th hole hitter with 3 HRs on the season

Been fun to watch
 
jayt1202 said:
Anyone have an Athletic membership? Wanted to read the following article https://theathletic.com/889416/2019...he-mariners-pickup-basketball-game-from-hell/ if anyone has the article or knows where I could read it please let me know.
Click to expand...

‘It was carnage’: The oral history of the Mariners’ pickup basketball game from hell


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By Corey Brock Mar 28, 2019
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Dave Sims was in his hotel room in Minneapolis last April when his phone buzzed with a text message. Curious, he picked it up. He now wishes he hadn’t.

It was a group message from Jack Mosimann, Seattle’s director of major league operations. Mosimann had sent the message to the team’s traveling party of 65, which included coaches, front-office staff and broadcasters.

The Mariners had an off-day before a series with the Twins, and while the skies were bright and clear, the air was bitingly cold. The temperature hit 19 degrees but wouldn’t climb higher. A thin blanket of snow and ice covered the ground.

It was a good day to stay indoors, and Mosimann had an idea of how to spend it: Anyone interested in some pickup basketball?

“We transferred hotels last year in Minneapolis, going from The Grand to Loews,” Mosimann explained later. “Part of the selling package was we could utilize the Life Time gym across the street. It was the nicest gym I’ve ever been in.”

A handful of people replied. Third base coach Chris Prieto texted back: “I just talked to my body and everyone was in on the pickup game … except my knees, feet, calves and joints. Thanks, though.”

Sims, the Mariners’ television play-by-play announcer for Root Sports Northwest, had the same thought, at least initially.

“I said, ‘That’s a great idea, but I’m going to take a pass,’” Sims recalled recently. “My hoops days were long over. I mean, I haven’t played in 20 years.”

He should have trusted his gut. But in a moment of temporary insanity, the 66-year-old caved.

“I was going to head over and use the facility, lift some weights. … I get there, I sign in. I see Jack and he’s like, ‘You’ve got to play, you got to play,’” Sims said, before offering explanations. “But I made sure I warmed up. I stretched. I was ready.”

He wasn’t.

In fact, none of the nine guys who showed up to play that morning, including Seattle manager Scott Servais and hitting coach — and soon-to-be Hall of Famer — Edgar Martinez, were prepared for what would happen over the next 30 minutes.

“When Jack sent out the text, I thought it would be a lot of fun,” said longtime radio play-by-play man Rick Rizzs. “We’ll get a good sweat going, get some exercise and have a little fun.

“Little did I know it was going to become the pickup basketball game from hell.”

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An oral history of the game from hell
Mosimann had no idea who was going to show up for the game. He checked in at the front desk and headed to the basketball court — a regulation-length NBA court measuring measured 94 feet by 50 feet located inside the Target Center and often used by the Timberwolves as a practice court.

Players started to trickle in, including Servais. Unlike many of the guys who showed up, he played high school basketball while growing up in Wisconsin. One of the first things he did was size up the group.

Servais: When you’re playing pickup basketball, you understand very quickly who has played organized basketball … or if it’s just going to be a lot of chaos out there.

In all, nine players showed up to play that morning: Mosimann, Servais, Rizzs, Sims, Martinez, Root Sports anchor/host Brad Adam, the team’s director of strength and conditioning director James Clifford, broadcaster Aaron Goldsmith and executive producer/radio engineer Gary Hill. Teams were drawn for a 4-on-4 game, with Adam sitting out the first game.

As he watched the others stretch and get ready to play, Adam had reservations.

Adam: I thought it sounded like a bad idea, to be honest. When you’re traveling with this group, you get to know them and understand their physical limitations. But it’s like one degree outside and there’s nothing else to do, and you’ve got a great facility.

I thought if we went into this with the right frame of mind, then we would have a chance to survive. But once you get started, the adrenaline kicks in … the competitiveness kicks in. These guys were playing to win.

The first ominous sign of the day was the ill-fated decision to play full-court. That lasted a few trips up and down the court before common sense prevailed as the participants struggled to catch their breath.

Rizzs: That was a bad idea. I was totally against that. We’re not in shape to go full court. We’re not trying out for the Timberwolves.

Servais: I played basketball in high school, went to basketball camps and coached some youth teams going through high school and college. I’ve kept playing some … but over the years, you begin to understand your limitations.

Once the decision was made to play half-court, the players settled into the game. Goldsmith somehow found himself guarding Clifford, a former linebacker for the University of Washington who led the Pac-10 Conference in tackles in 1989 and was a key member of the 1991 national championship team.

Goldsmith: I mean, Cliffy was a bulldozer. At one point, he was boxing me out. I was like, “Uncle! Do whatever you want. I give in. You can have all the rebounds, all day long. You own the glass.”

Clifford was eventually called away to work with relievers Marc Rzepczynski and Nick Vincent upstairs in the cardio area of the gym, which overlooked the court. No one was happier about this turn of events than Goldsmith.

Goldsmith: Fortunately, Cliffy had to leave before all the carnage because there were actual athletes that needed his assistance in the gym. I was so happy to see him leave. Had he not, I was going to be the one taken off on a stretcher.

Despite his minor complaint, Goldsmith remembers looking around early in the game and marveling at this unique moment.

Goldsmith: It was one of those moments where you think back to when you are a kid and idolizing baseball players, or are a minor league nobody, and you think what it would be like in the big leagues. Then you stop and look around. We had one of 30 major league managers and a guy who we all knew was a Hall of Fame hitter. And we’re just playing basketball. It was pretty cool.

Goldsmith wasn’t the only one who marveled at the unique cast of characters in the game. Hill, who grew up outside Seattle and had been a Mariners fan for as long as he could remember, had his own a-ha moment.

Hill: Edgar is guarding me, and I’m at the top of the key. I jab right and go left and get to the basket and lay it in. Edgar stops, looks at me and says, “I’m going to have to take away your left hand.” I’m like, “This is the greatest athletic achievement of my entire life. Edgar Martinez, the Hall of Famer just said he’s going to take away my left hand.” For me, that was as good as it gets.

There wasn’t much good thereafter.

Sims: We’re playing for 15, 20 minutes or so and Servais is guarding me, using all five of his fouls. I took a pass on the baseline and went to the top of the key.

Servais: Dave has the ball at the top of the key, and he’s moving toward the free-throw line. I’m guarding him, but I’m not on him.

Sims: As I turned to my right, I went down … like a sniper got me.

Servais: I’m off him, a couple feet away, and then all of a sudden, he goes down and drops a cuss word.

Sims: I was like, “Who the f-word tripped me?” They’re like, “Dude, no one touched you.”

Servais: I’m like, “Dave, I never touched you.”

Sims: I had never gone down in a heap like that. I tried to convince myself to get up and walk it off but couldn’t.

Servais: I think everyone knew right away it wasn’t good.

It wasn’t. Sims was eventually helped off the court and found a bag of ice to wrap gently around his left Achilles. If the other players were shaken by this, it didn’t show much. The game pressed on.

Adam: We just needed to dial it down a little.

Mere minutes later, Rizzs, 65, became the game’s next casualty.

Rizzs: Earlier in the game I stole the ball, and I was trying to steal it again. When Jack reached in, he hit my arm and I felt something snap — like a rubber band broke. I felt this shooting pain go up my arm. I looked at my muscle and it went right up toward the shoulder. But still, I didn’t realize I tore my biceps tendon.

Martinez walked over to Rizzs and winced.

Rizzs: Edgar looks at me and says, “Rico, are you all right?” I said, “Papi, look at my arm.” He’s like, “That don’t look good.”

Mosimann: I felt terrible about that.

Rizzs: I felt bad for Jack. He just kept apologizing.

The game from hell had already claimed Sims, then Rizzs. That was enough for Servais.

Servais: After Rick went down, in my mind, it was like, “I need to get off the court here. I do not need anything to happen to me.” It was crazy. But here’s the thing: You have to be in shape when you play those games. We all think we’re in shape, but we’re not in basketball-playing shape. I have been in those games before and pulled a calf or a hamstring. I didn’t want to go there again, so I left.

Rizzs, remarkably, kept playing. His arm hurt, but the pain wasn’t unbearable. Only later would he realized the severity of the injury.

Adam: So Dave is out and Rizzs is trying to play one-handed. We’re trying to dial it back at this point. I’m guarding Edgar, petrified something is going to happen to him. I’m like, “He’s a Hall of Famer. I can’t break Edgar.”

They broke Edgar. On what would be the final play of the game, Martinez got the ball and drove the lane. He had enough free space to easily bank in the game-winner. But when he landed, he did so awkwardly.

Goldsmith: Edgar has this audible groan of pain, and he’s writhing in pain on the ground. And Gary and I look at each other, “Is the Hall of Famer going to need ACL surgery.”

Adam: Oh my gosh, are you kidding me? That’s it … I’m out. We are all out.

The players went their separate ways, including Martinez, who able to get back to the hotel under his own power. On his way out of the gym, Adam saw Sims at the front desk.

Adam: He’s (Sims) telling people who worked there he needed an air cast. They are like, “Uh, we don’t really have that here.” We’re like, “C’mon dude, what are you doing? Do you really need that?”

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The aftermath
Turns out, he really did need that. With assistance from the gym’s manager, Sims was able to get back to the hotel, where he called athletic trainer Rob Nodine. Nodine came to Sims’ room to take a look at his left foot.

Sims: I said, “Rob, I think I did some real damage here.” I laid on the bed and Rob pinched my calf. The foot didn’t respond. He’s like, “You did your Achilles.” It was the first serious injury I’ve had. I know I’m not getting any younger, but I feel like I am in pretty good shape. The Achilles? It doesn’t care if you’re in good shape or not. It’s funny. You think you’re superhuman. But that’s hardly the case.

Nodine decided to call the Twins to see if there was someone could look at Sims. An arrangement was made for Sims to take an Uber to nearby Bloomington to see Dr. John Steubs, an orthopedist for the team. Steubs was able to confirm that Sims had indeed ruptured his Achilles tendon.

By now, reality was starting to sink in. This was serious. Steubs then offered to drive Sims back to the team hotel in downtown Minneapolis.

Sims: He gave me some medicine, crutches and drove me back to the city. So we got the prescription filled. He’s like, “Have you eaten? You want a sandwich?” He got me a tuna sandwich. It was delicious. We had a great talk as he drove me back to the hotel; we talked about family, golf, kids, the whole bit. A great guy. That was the huge upside of the trip for me.

Sims was back at Target Field for the Saturday game against the Twins, where longtime friend Rod Carew gave him **** about his crutches.

Sims: I flew home on Sunday morning … but even that didn’t help. I developed a blood clot and couldn’t have surgery right away. I had the operation on the 19th and was fitted with a cast. Then they put me in a walking boot.

Sims spent the next few months away from the broadcast booth, missing 45 games while pushing himself around in a scooter while his Achilles healed.

Sims: That sucked.

Rizzs was convinced his arm would eventually feel better. He was able to finish the rest of the road trip, unaware his inattention to this particular injury could have ramifications if it went unattended to for too long.

Rizzs: I went through the rest of the road trip thinking it would be OK. When I got home, it still bothered me. I went to see (Mariners team doctor Edward) Khalfayan. He did a quick test and said my biceps tendon wasn’t there … that it had completely torn off the bone. He said I needed surgery.

Knowing the team was about to embark on a 10-game trip to Texas, Chicago and Cleveland, Rizzs agreed, saying as soon as the team returned he’d go under the knife. But Khalfayan wasn’t hearing that.

Rizzs: I told him we had a road trip coming up, but when I came back we could do it. He’s like, “No, I have to operate tomorrow.” He explained I had maybe waited a little long and he wasn’t sure if he could reattach the tendon to my radius bone.

At this point, Rizzs was in full panic mode. He never missed games, but what choice did he have?

He had surgery and was in a cast for eight days, missing his first road trip in 44 years calling games. He was then fitted for a brace that kept his arm at a 90-degree angle, which he wore at all times for eight weeks straight. His arm hurt. Missing games hurt much worse.

Goldsmith: That was the first time to our knowledge that Dave Niehaus or Rick Rizzs have not been on Mariners radio for longer than two days.

Martinez escaped with only a sore knee, getting off comparatively easily, and the Mariners were able to cover for Sims and Rizzs by shifting Goldsmith from the radio side to television, with Hill getting a chance to call games in Rizzs’ absence.

Rizzs: Gary stepped right in and did an incredible job.

Hill: I remember on the trip after this happened, Aaron and I are sitting in the back of the plane thinking, “We better not get hurt. We’re it right now.”

The pickup game became a hot topic in press boxes across the country. Everyone had heard about the game from hell and wanted to hear about the gory details.

Goldsmith: There has never been anything in Mariners history that has garnered as much conversation in every city we went to than the pickup basketball game. Every single broadcast crew we visited, they’re like, “I heard about the basketball game, what happened?” At first it was funny, but then it’s like, “Yeah … they’re all dead.”

Today, Rizzs and Sims are pain-free but bear the scars of their respective surgeries. They are now 11 months removed from the pickup game from hell and able to laugh at what was a bizarre day for everyone who set foot on that court.

This summer, the Mariners return to Target Field for a three-game series against the Twins in mid-June. And just like last year, there’s an off-day before the series starts. Who knows, maybe Mosimann will cobble together another pickup game?

Sims: Screw that.

Rizzs: I think my basketball career is over. Which is fine, because it never began in the first place.

Servais: One of the things that we also did on that trip (last year) to Minnesota was that we went bowling. Maybe we’ll do that again. That’s a bit safer.

Adam said he would actually consider playing again, though there will have to be safeguards in place before agrees to take part.

Adam: It was carnage. I never saw so many bodies. If we ever play again, there will definitely be a longer warm-up time, and a lot less defense will be played. If someone tries to jump, you let them go. You acknowledge the diminishing skills, increased age and you get out there healthy. You know what? Maybe we’ll just play H-O-R-S-E next time.
 
lolol when will teams learn ?

there go the Nats now intentionally walking harper to get to Hoskins LOL.. although hoskins was batting .200 vs sanchez still

dude is so clutch
 
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