MLB: Opening Day!

[Lawrence of Arabia]

And what about the players who think cocaine and pot help them get into the game.

so let them think. they are still wrong.

speed on the other hand, might get them up.

Who cares if steroids improve performance. So can a lot of other drugs. If it ain't against the rules, it ain't cheating. US law has nothing to do with baseball's rules.

actually it does, since national laws supercede any private enterprises law.

[Imran Siddiqui]

so let them think. they are still wrong.

Pot may calm a player down if he is too wound up.

speed on the other hand, might get them up.

So... performance enhancing, yes? Add to that that a great number of players used them in the 50s and 60s (including Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays).

actually it does, since national laws supercede any private enterprises law.

No.. cheating is violating the rules of the game. Not violating the law.

See, as a good lawyer, I make you say indefensible things. How can national law determine 'cheating'? And if it CAN, then you admit that using cocaine and pot is cheating, even if it decreases performance, because, after all "national law supercede any private enterprises law".

Thanks for playing, hope you enjoy your parting gifts.

[DerSchwarzfalke]

I concede your point about Ortiz making as DH, since there really is no one else comparable to him playing that position exclusively. Even with diminished numbers, he is bar none the best DH in the league. However, my inability to name a steady DH off hand should speak to the overall quality of the position across the American League.

According to what I have read about Giambi's steroid use, btw, he was off of steroids by mid-2003. That means his homeruns in the ALCS that year were more legit than his MVP season. And of course Imran has noted that steroids were not illegal in the majors at the time, even with a ban and testing in the minors. Rather inconsistent, that: play good baseball to make the bigs, take steroids to stay there.

[Imran Siddiqui]

I concede your point about Ortiz making as DH, since there really is no one else comparable to him playing that position exclusively. Even with diminished numbers, he is bar none the best DH in the league. However, my inability to name a steady DH off hand should speak to the overall quality of the position across the American League.

Exactly. The point I was making is that in the 'DH' position Ortiz is it. Hell, if he was only a 1B, he'd be it, because the 1B position in the AL has sucked this year.

Rather inconsistent, that: play good baseball to make the bigs, take steroids to stay there.

It's because of the MLBPA. The owners were willing to deal with steroids, but the players had to be shoved there.

[Lawrence of Arabia]

Pot may calm a player down if he is too wound up.

you ever smoke pot?

So... performance enhancing, yes? Add to that that a great number of players used them in the 50s and 60s (including Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays).

yeah, greenies, and they are also performance enhacing and should not be allowed

No.. cheating is violating the rules of the game. Not violating the law.

See, as a good lawyer, I make you say indefensible things. How can national law determine 'cheating'? And if it CAN, then you admit that using cocaine and pot is cheating, even if it decreases performance, because, after all "national law supercede any private enterprises law".

national law doesnt determine cheating - it makes things illegal. then, using illegal things to give yourself an edge, now thats cheating? why? BECAUSE ITS ILLEGAL, and using it to gain and edge in a sport, is CHEATING.

oh, and generaly, cheating is defined as something that gives you an unfair advantage, not an unfair disadvantage. which makes coke and pot illegal, but not cheating.

case in point.

[Imran Siddiqui]

you ever smoke pot?

No, but some have claimed that it can calm people down. I'm sure Berz has smoked some and he's made the claim on occasion.

using illegal things to give yourself an edge, now thats cheating? why? BECAUSE ITS ILLEGAL, and using it to gain and edge in a sport, is CHEATING.

No, sorry, you're wrong. It isn't cheating unless it is against the rules of the game.

cheating is defined as something that gives you an unfair advantage

No, it is defined as violating the rules deliberately.

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=cheating

2. To violate rules deliberately, as in a game: was accused of cheating at cards.

Btw, all the other definitions there could apply to cocaine/pot as well as steroids, and you've said cocaine/pot are not cheating.

[asleepathewheel]

Check out this score from NCAA baseball today:

Miami (OH) 35
Quinnipiac 8

Jesus!

http://www.ncaasports.com/baseball/mens/gamecenter/boxscore/02/03?refresh_rate=60

[DerSchwarzfalke]

I am ashamed on behalf of my home state.

The Nutmeg state will not suffer this failure.

[DerSchwarzfalke]

You are right about David Ortiz being bar none the best DH in the league, but I would disagree with the statement that Ortiz would be the best hitting first baseman.

Take a look at Mike Sweeney's numbers:
BA: .302
HR: 9
RBI: 36

And now David Ortiz:
BA: .289
HR: 13
RBI: 44

Comparable numbers, with the edge obviously with Ortiz. However, one has to include Sweeney's defensive prowess in giving him the edge of Ortiz at a hypothetical first base battle.

That said, Sweeney is probably the only first baseman in the AL actually doing anything above replacement this season. The AL is lucky the Royals stupidly chose not to go over to the NL

[Imran Siddiqui]

Well, I don't know if Sweeney's defense can make up an almost 100 point OPS edge for Ortiz .

Ortiz's OPS is actually .946, which isn't that bad. It is below his .983 last year, but it is early.

Now, you would have had a better case if you brought up Teixeira or Sexson (both having better seasons than Sweeney) . However, all three are not in the big market teams, so they won't get Ortiz (who is hitting better than all of 'em).

Sweeney is probably the only first baseman in the AL actually doing anything above replacement this season

Well, like stated, Teixeira and Sexson are actually doing better than Sweeney. And Tino Martinez isn't that far behind Sexson at all, with only .005 in OPS seperating them.

[DerSchwarzfalke]

How could I have forgotten about Teixera? I need to start taking advantage of my father's XM Satellite radio. And looking at his numbers currently, they are comparable to Sweeney's. Hell, they're almost exactly the same.

As for Sexson, I know he is not a hit-for-average guy, but .243? Sure, his OPS is decent, but an average below .270 for a power guy is unacceptable in my books.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Batting average is an irrelevent number. It's useless really. OPS is the number that matters, and it's component parts, OBP and SLG. Sexson has a very good OPS and I'd take him over Sweeney, especially when you look at Sexson's home park.

I NEVER evaluate a player on his batting average. I mean the point is getting on base, so OPS is more important, and power, so SLG is more important.

I'll take a .220 hitter with a .900 OPS over a .270 hitter with a .750 OPS any day of the week.

[Lawrence of Arabia]

No, but some have claimed that it can calm people down. I'm sure Berz has smoked some and he's made the claim on occasion.

well if you did, then you would know that it makes you slower, not exaclty something you want.

No, sorry, you're wrong. It isn't cheating unless it is against the rules of the game.

yes it is cheating, since it is ILLEGAL in the US

Btw, all the other definitions there could apply to cocaine/pot as well as steroids, and you've said cocaine/pot are not cheating.

since it doenst give you an edge, its not cheating. and your little definition, have you ever seen anyone cheat at cards to make himserlf worse off? thats what i thought. implicit is the idea that it gives you a better position then before.

[DerSchwarzfalke]

Richie Sexson has a 2:1 strikeout to walk ratio, which approaches Mark Bellhorn like levels of futility. If you cannot make contact above league average, what the hell good are you?

[Imran Siddiqui]

yes it is cheating, since it is ILLEGAL in the US

Nope, sorry. If cheating means it is illegal in the US, then cocaine and pot use are cheating. What, they aren't performance enhancing? Where in "it is ILLEGAL in the US" does 'performance enhancing' come in?

And how does that change baseball's rules?

since it doenst give you an edge, its not cheating.

You said it's cheating because it is illegal, you keep saying that. And what if it does give the player an edge? What if he thinks it does and in his brain it makes him play better?

have you ever seen anyone cheat at cards to make himserlf worse off? thats what i thought. implicit is the idea that it gives you a better position then before.

Yes... but how does 'better position than before' = 'unfair advantage'? It doesn't. Cheating is breaking the rules and that's it.

Richie Sexson has a 2:1 strikeout to walk ratio, which approaches Mark Bellhorn like levels of futility. If you cannot make contact above league average, what the hell good are you?

When you have a .367 OBP and a .517 SLG, leading to a .884 OPS, VERY Hell of good. Who gives a damn about making contact if you can get on base and hit with power? Hell, Sexson gets on base more than Sweeney does, even with his bad batting average. Sexson has more walks than any other AL 1B out there.

I wouldn't mind having him on my team.