Baseball

Ichiro Suzuki finally retires .... in Tokyo!

Baseball's back!

Looks like it's going to be a long, hard season for Baltimore.

Currently 1up against Angels mid 3rd, we're gonna win it all this year!

GO A'S

Getting Kendrys Morales for (essentially) nothing shows TeamBillyBeane
have still got some voodoo power over competitor's dumb management.

I haven't read over the details of it yet, something to do tonight then.

Kris Davies with a sweet HR into the second deck, 4-0 a's

Good to see Baseball back... my mate across the pond went to opening day at the Jays, one of those things I've always wanted to do, would love to see them get post season but the Yankees and Sox will be hard to beat again this year

They're playing at the London Stadium this year, two games.

Yea I tried to get tickets and found it impossible... only to then get another email to tell me the tickets I wanted are now going to be available soon... happy days!

Even if you think the Red Sox are another evil empire,
this:
https://www.mlb.com/news/dustin-pedroia-activated-by-red-sox
ia heartwarming story.
Dustin Pedroia has both knees repaired, in 2017,
rushes back in 2018,
manages just three games and ends up on the Disabled List again.
Alex Cora watches him prove he is fit during Spring Training,
but delays putting him in the line-up until the Red Sox home opener today.

This may well be the end for Dustin Pedroia

A dream comes true!

12 runs, so far, in the 1st innings suggests that the London Stadium may not really be suitable for baseball.

And to undermine expectations of pitchers hurling 100+mph four-seam fastballs past sluggers swinging for 450ft home runs, a bemused crowd are treated to the fluttering knuckleballs of Steve Wright. (Not 'that' Steve Wright).

Is it that much smaller than a regular ballpark?

the 1st innings

You can put the Englishman in the Baseball thread, but ... :)

Did you go or did you watch it on TV?

Goodness, it's only the top of the 9th. Yankees 17-13 Sox.

All those fast-twitch muscles must be going great guns.

Clinical.

I wasn't aware it was on TV, (no subscription tv, only Freeview Plus in this household).
I didn't have the patience to try to apply for tickets,
and,
I don't buy from touts.
Was keeping half an eye on MLB Gameday.

I haven't seen the actual dimensions,
but
only Oakland share a stadium with another sport,
suggesting a baseball diamond doesn't work in a conventional rectangular stadium.

Bizarrely it was on the BBC iPlayer, just the regular Fox coverage with baseball montages instead of the ad breaks, and the commentators banging on about how much history there is in England

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/29/sports/baseball/yankees-red-sox-london-series.html Every cliche you could ever need in this NYT article

Is todays game on iPlayer, I'm guessing it will be? I've had a look and can't see it listed anywhere.

Edit, I've looked harder: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/baseball/48560033