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Veteran Bauxite Mike Green, in the most recent Jason Returns thread, notes, finally, "This thread is a little long. Maybe a new one is in order for the new year. How about with a question: which NL team do you root for, and why?' And, he admits, "If Rogers continues on its current road, I need to find an NL team to root for. It was always the Expos, of course, but I just can't get excited about the Nats."

So a tri-level of questions:

  1. Which NL team do you root for, and why?
  2. Which (other) AL team do you root for, and why?
  3. How do you feel about the Washington Nationals?

As always, thanks Mike. Let's stir up the rabble!

(P.S. what else is going on? Anything else worth reporting or asking, let us know!)
New ... the conversation has taken an interesting turn and Bauxites are now sharing (and linking to) their first game ... join in!

A new thread, new questions .... | 58 comments | Create New Account
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Chuck - Thursday, January 05 2012 @ 01:41 PM EST (#250162) #

1. The Montreal Expos because of Mack Jones, John Boccabella and C/SS Ron Brand
2. TB because they do much with little
3. The Washington who?

 

whiterasta80 - Thursday, January 05 2012 @ 01:48 PM EST (#250163) #

1. Cincinatti because of the 1990 Reds and Canada's own Joey Votto

2. Detroit because I was born in Windsor and because I was too young to hate in the 1980s

3. They're 1-2 years away from being the NL Tampa Bay Rays, I wish they were still in Montreal desperately, and I'm a big Ryan Zimmerman fan.

Chuck - Thursday, January 05 2012 @ 01:51 PM EST (#250164) #
Another thread idea: first game attended. Here's mine. Tom Seaver hits a game-winning homerun in the 8th.
whiterasta80 - Thursday, January 05 2012 @ 01:54 PM EST (#250165) #

Love that discussion too Chuck.  Here's mine

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/box-scores/boxscore.php?boxid=198606200TOR

I saw Doug Drabek pitch against the Jays before Kyle was even born. Mind you I was 6

Mike Green - Thursday, January 05 2012 @ 02:05 PM EST (#250167) #
My first game was supposed to be in Shea, but we were derailed by car troubles on the Thruway.  Instead, it was a one-sided doubleheader in Parc Jarry; here is the boxscore for the first game.  Willie Stargell blasted three homers in the double dip. 
ayjackson - Thursday, January 05 2012 @ 02:05 PM EST (#250168) #
  1. Dodgers, largely because of their storied past.
  2. nada
  3. they'll beat the Globetrotters one of these days.
Brian W - Thursday, January 05 2012 @ 02:06 PM EST (#250169) #
1. Dodgers because that's who my Dad cheers for.
2. Mariners because they are the closest thing I have to a home team and because when I was growing up their AAA team was my actual home team - the Calgary Cannons.
3. They'll always be the Expos.

First MLB game was Toronto vs. Detroit in 1991. http://retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1991/B08070TOR1991.htm
First pro baseball games were the Cannons led by Danny "Just Say Bull" Tartabull in 1985.

hypobole - Thursday, January 05 2012 @ 02:16 PM EST (#250170) #
1. None. Used to be the Expos w/ Rusty Staub, Coco Laboy et al.

2. None. Used to be the Tigers w/ Denny McLain, Mickey Lolich, Willie Horton, Bill Freehan and the recently deceased Jim "Grand Slam" Northrup.

3. Could we trade owners with the Nats?

baagcur - Thursday, January 05 2012 @ 02:22 PM EST (#250171) #
My First.

1958 but still remember vividly

Lugnut Fan - Thursday, January 05 2012 @ 02:52 PM EST (#250172) #

The Cubs are the NL team that I root for the most.  The two main reasons are 1) they were a Lansing affiliate at one time so it was interesting to see the guys come up (I think Marmol and Wells who were both catchers in Lansing and are now pitchers are really the only two that truly remain from those days) and 2) A guy from my high school that was a few years older than me and was drafted by Milwaukee eventually played right field behind Sammy Sosa in the late 90's.

The Tigers are the other AL team I root for.  A few years ago, this would not have been the case, but I grew up with the Tigers and they were always on and Verlander has pretty much become must see TV for me.

 

AWeb - Thursday, January 05 2012 @ 03:29 PM EST (#250175) #
    1. The Rockies, oddly - they were just too fascinating to follow during the pre-humidor years. I won the only fantasy league I ever played by rotating players through my lineup that were vistiing Colorado (and dropping pitchers).

2. When the Jays were great and I was young, I rooted for the Red Sox. Now though, I guess it's Seattle (I was out west for a few years)...

3. The Nationals are a complete non-entity to me, not even achieving the modest success the Expos managed off and on for years. I hate the Marlins more - they have the owner who went out of his way to kill the Expos, and he remains a remarkably corrupt and despicable figure (currently under investigation in Florida while he spends his ill-gotten money this year). Weirdly though, I don't dislike Marlin players, just the franchise/owner.

timpinder - Thursday, January 05 2012 @ 03:56 PM EST (#250176) #
1. Phillies because of Halladay
2. Red Sox because I was a fan as a kid, I have some Irish blood, and because I've been to Fenway and it's magical.
3. I think Strasberg and Zimmermann can be a viscous 1-2, and with Harper whacking 35+ a year with good defense and nice wheels they can be very good very soon.
MatO - Thursday, January 05 2012 @ 04:04 PM EST (#250177) #

1. Before the Blue Jays - Expos

2. Before the Blue Jays - Tigers

3. Don't care.

First game attended - Exhibition Stadium - April 7, 1977 vs. the White Sox

Chuck - Thursday, January 05 2012 @ 04:22 PM EST (#250178) #

First game attended - Exhibition Stadium - April 7, 1977 vs. the White Sox

MatO's first game. I love the understated field conditions beneath the boxscore: Wet.

Mylegacy - Thursday, January 05 2012 @ 04:30 PM EST (#250179) #
Q1: Just can't come to grips with NL ball. 7 hitters, an automatic walk followed by an automatic out. Baseball? I don't think so!

Q2: My "other" AL team is anyone beating up the Yankees or Red Sox. As you might suspect - my "other" team does kinda change from day to day, series to series.

Q3: As to the Washington Expos - I still have a tiny soft spot for them - due to their years in La Belle Provence.

PS: While I have been arguing STRONGLY for Fielder...I am not in any way shape or form down on AA - quite the contrary. I am POSITIVE AA is on the right track - he WILL assemble a team that improves enough to get us fans to become bums in seats - at which time the increased revenue will prompt Rogers to fund what he needs. AA's plan WILL WORK - and sooner than some of us may think. HOWEVER - MY plan would work faster. But grudgingly - if I was Rogers I'd be happier to fund AA's plan than mine.

That just might be a clue why I'm retired, drinking single malt, looking out over the cruise ship terminal in Nanaimo and AA is running MY team!!

MatO - Thursday, January 05 2012 @ 04:39 PM EST (#250180) #

I love the understated field conditions beneath the boxscore: Wet.

The snow did melt eventually during the game!  My favourite boxscore part is: Wind 5mph in unknown direction.

If the wind has no direction is there wind?

Chuck - Thursday, January 05 2012 @ 04:44 PM EST (#250181) #

Just can't come to grips with NL ball. 7 hitters, an automatic walk followed by an automatic out. Baseball? I don't think so!

And yet it was thus for nigh on a century until which time it was only thus half the time.

due to their years in La Belle Provence

As a native of La Belle Province, albeit an anglo, I should advise you that my onetime francophone cohorts might object to your unwitting reference to a region of France, a peoples with whom les Quebecois share no small amount of love loss. Yes, anglos misprounce the French word province as if it were Provence, but we can chalk that up to the quality of this country's public education.

Chuck - Thursday, January 05 2012 @ 04:50 PM EST (#250182) #

If the wind has no direction is there wind?

And does it make the sound of one hand clapping?

Paul D - Thursday, January 05 2012 @ 04:55 PM EST (#250183) #

Just can't come to grips with NL ball. 7 hitters, an automatic walk followed by an automatic out. Baseball? I don't think so!

Although I prefer AL ball, this is a pretty big distortion of what happens in the NL.

wdc - Thursday, January 05 2012 @ 05:12 PM EST (#250185) #
1. I cheer for the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League.Growing up in the Okanagan Valley in B.C., I learned around age 7 that my father's favourite player was Stan Musial and that Stan Musial's team was the Cardinals. So Stan Musial became my first baseball hero and I would try to mimic his corkscrew batting stance (based on pictures -- no TV for me in those days).As I entered my teen years, the Cardinals brought up Bob Gibson and he became my next hero and I copied his pitching windup in Little League (a friend had a TV by then and he had cable with three US stations -- wow!). Then the Cardinals made one of the great trades in all time in acquiring Lou Brock from the Cubs. The 1964 season was a magical one for me as was the World Series against the Yankees with both Gibson and Brock playing key roles (I listened to games on the radio) Since then, I have been attached to the Redbirds. My one regret is that we never had the Cardinals - Blue Jays world series that seemed to be ordained in 1985. Too bad about the BJs falling apart against the Royals.

 2. I don't have another American League team. Having a National League one is enough for me.

 3. Like many Canadians, I was delighted when Montreal got a major league baseball team and I had them up there in my teams right next to the Cardinals.When they left for Washington, my heart was broken and I have no interest in the Nats.
vw_fan17 - Thursday, January 05 2012 @ 06:51 PM EST (#250186) #
My first game: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/TOR/TOR198307030.shtml (I think that's the one...)

NL: SF Giants, now that I live in the area.. In the past? No one in particular..
AL: Used to like the Angels.. Also, maybe Red Sox a bit in the 80s..

Re: the Globetrotters - when we saw the Globetrotters, the Generals actually did win by 3 or 4 points...
Dave Rutt - Thursday, January 05 2012 @ 06:53 PM EST (#250187) #
Totally nonbaseballrelated, but Box resident webmaestro Joe Drew did an interview with CBC about saving Transit City. Go Joe!
CeeBee - Thursday, January 05 2012 @ 07:10 PM EST (#250188) #
1. Montreal Expo's - Le Grande Orange, John Boccabella, Woody Fryman...... love those names from days gone by. These days I can't really stand NL baseball
2. Seattle Mariners- Barely
3. Washington Expos? couldn't care less since they stole the team from us.
mathesond - Thursday, January 05 2012 @ 09:03 PM EST (#250190) #
1. Probably the Cubs, because I used to live a 10 minute walk from Wrigley

2. None during the season, unless a compelling story is in the works.

3. No interest in the laundry, but I wouldn't be disappointed if their 3rd baseman was on one of my fantasy teams
TamRa - Thursday, January 05 2012 @ 09:27 PM EST (#250191) #
1. Cardinals
2. None really, though I have a tiny soft spot for the Royals
3. ok with them, i don't have the nationalistic angle some of you will
dan gordon - Thursday, January 05 2012 @ 09:38 PM EST (#250192) #

SF Giants fan since long before the Blue Jays existed.  Started getting interested in baseball when I was about 8 or 9, I guess.  The Giants had a few players I had heard of - Mays, Marichal, McCovey Perry, and I started following them.  Was elated to find that the Giants were moving to Toronto in 1976 (or was it '75?), but then the mayor of SF found a couple of local guys with some cash who would keep the team there, and I was soooo disappointed.  The Jays birth seemed like a pretty poor consolation in 1977.  Didn't really like the AL, as I had always been an NL fan.  However, as they were the local team, I followed them, and they gradually grew to take an equal place with the Giants in my books.  Took about 7 seasons for that to happen.  Now I follow the Jays a little more closely, what with all the local media/games on TV, and much prefer the AL to the NL.

Used to have some minor interest in the Expos, but not in the Nationals.  Don't follow any other AL team, but I do like to see the Yankees and Red Sox lose when they play in the post season, so anybody playing against them becomes somebody to cheer for.

Dewey - Thursday, January 05 2012 @ 10:11 PM EST (#250194) #
You weren’t able to take Mr. Donovan’s shop class until you got to Grade Seven; and one of the perks of being in Mr. D’s class was a trip to Wrigley Field to see the Cubs play.  In 1947 I made it to Grade 7.  And Mr. D (that’s what we called him) rented a school bus and shepherded us all to the park.  How he kept a group of Grade 7 boys under control all afternoon I’ll never know.  I’m pretty sure the first game I saw was the Cubs and the Dodgers, because I remember my father asking me if I saw “Robinson”,  who played first base that day.   I had, but didn’t appreciate the importance (and sheer luck) of my having done so until years later.    I think it must have been the game of May 19, a Monday I see by BBRef.  Can’t remember much else in detail, but if that was the game I saw Arky Vaughan at 3b for Da Bums.  Stan Hack played 3b for the Cubs.  Pete Reiser and Peewee Reese and Dixie Walker. . . .  lordy, just looking at the names now is exciting.   If you look at the lineups in Baseball Reference, you’ll get an idea of how extraordinarily lucky that shop-class was.

Hey, never mind; when you get to be a post-internet ‘nose-breathing dinosaur’ yourself one day you’ll look back and remember having seen . . . oh, I dunno who, but it’ll be great.  I also saw Warren Spahn for the old Boston Braves that summer, and Stan Musial with the Cards.  Yes, I saw the Man;  and even then, in Grade 7,  I knew he was special.  Good times.

I followed the Cubs for years after that, especially during the late ’60’s when Fergie was pitching so well for them, and Leo Durocher managing them.  But I’ve lost touch with them in recent years.  My experience has been something like Dan Gordon's:  I've become an AL fan gradually, but my deepest memories go back to the NL.
damos - Thursday, January 05 2012 @ 10:21 PM EST (#250195) #
1.  Phillies.  Halladay is my favourite player
2.  Tigers I suppose.  Feels blasphemous to choose them but...eh.  No real reason other than their uniforms are great. 
3.  Nats are just ok.  Haven't cared much for their players to date but that's changing quickly.  Lots of interesting players emerging. 

1st MLB game I ever went to: 
1987, Fenway Park.   Boston Red Sox vs California Angels

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BOS/BOS198707220.shtml

Oil Can Boyd vs Mike Witt. 
I was 11 years old & my family was visiting relatives in Boston.  We sat in right field & I watched Dwight Evans...in awe.  Oil Can last 2/3 of an inning & Jim Rice went 4 for 5 w/ a HR & 3 runs batted in.  Amazingly, Wade Boggs did not have a hit.  Amazing memory...already loved the game but seeing it live for the 1st time completely took it to another level.   


Powder Blues - Thursday, January 05 2012 @ 10:48 PM EST (#250197) #
1. Giants. Beautiful park, homegrown talent, quirky players (freak, panda, bum-garnish, buster etc). Started around the time Bonds retired.

2. Mariners. Growing up in the 90s, watching the Mariners murderer's row of Vizquel, ARod, Griffey, Buhner, Edgar, Sorrento, Wilson etc. Of course, randy freaking johnson, too. They were 1-2 pitchers short of a dynasty.

3. I preferred them when they sucked with just Zimmerman. Tanking, adding Stras, Harper and signing expensive free agents is - while a sound strategy for their market - an annoying one. 

Powder Blues - Thursday, January 05 2012 @ 11:12 PM EST (#250198) #
Oh and concerning first ever game attended:

Season opener of 1994, vs the Chi White Sox.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/TOR/TOR199404040.shtml

Photo evidence:

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc248/ltpa_pics/DSC_0123.jpg

That is Ozzie Guillen, batting 9th, at the plate. Carlos Delgado is looking svelte in left field.

Mylegacy - Thursday, January 05 2012 @ 11:13 PM EST (#250199) #
OFF TOPIC

Interesting Darren Oliver article by Doug Glanville...

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/7419613/crafty-left-handed-pitchers-just-get-done

Glevin - Friday, January 06 2012 @ 12:39 AM EST (#250200) #
1. Pirates-dad's favourite team. Was the Expos but can't make myself follow the the Nationals.
2. Tigers. Grew up following them.
3. Sort of like how I felt about the Phoenix Coyotes.

My first game ever.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/TOR/TOR198207110.shtml
Chuck - Friday, January 06 2012 @ 08:20 AM EST (#250201) #

I think it must have been the game of May 19, a Monday I see by BBRef.

Dewey's game. If Moffatt were around, this would definitely warrant a cuttlefish.

Arky Vaughan, who was back from a three-year hiatus, not from fighting in the war, but from retiring to his farm because he wanted to be away from Leo Durocher. Vaughan would die 5 years later at age 40.

Jackie Robinson, in the 27th game of his historic rookie season, at age 28.

Cool. Very, very cool. Must bring back a flood of memories.

I imagine that no matter how old any of us are, the boxscore from our first game brings back memories, not necessarily of the game itself, but of the players who were in our lives whom we can now look back on with a historical perspective.

Moe - Friday, January 06 2012 @ 08:24 AM EST (#250202) #
1. Phillies, but only reluctantly. I live there now (traded only 2 months before Halladay) and I want Roy to get a ring.
2. TB but only once the Jays are out. I suppose I'm just rooting against the two Evil Empires.
3. No feelings. For me, they are a new team that has nothing to do with the Expos (which is also what they want).

I also have no attachment to the Expos since this is my first ballgame:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/TOR/TOR200209040.shtml

Not only my first ballgame live but the first ballgame period. I had come to Toronto only a week earlier and someone in my group suggested to go to a game. I have no memories of that game but went again for the last home-game -- still have that t-shirt somewhere. Got completely hooked on baseball during the 2003 postseason.

Chuck - Friday, January 06 2012 @ 08:28 AM EST (#250203) #
I forgot to mention that Dewey would have also seen the 4th hit and 9th AB in what would be Duke Snider's HoF career. And a HoF bound Pee Wee Reese.

And he saw guys named Rube, Cookie, Arky and Pee Wee.
Mike Green - Friday, January 06 2012 @ 09:10 AM EST (#250204) #
And the home plate umpire was Al Barlick.  I figured he must have been about 16 at the time, because he was around into the early 70s, but I checked and he was actually 32 and had been umpiring for 7 years. 

The Dodgers won the pennant that year, but lost the Series to the Yankees for the second time (of five in a row before 1955). 

Dewey definitely gets the prize.

Richard S.S. - Friday, January 06 2012 @ 10:23 AM EST (#250205) #
You would think by now, Darren Oliver's physical exam thingy would be over. He passed or he failed, announce it.
If he fails, it's announced before now. Since he's passed, they need to clear a 40-man Roster Space. That means A.A.'s working a trade, and chances are it's big as it's taking so long.
1,2 & 3: I am a Blue Jay fan, who was an Expo fan, and a Raptor Fan and an Oiler fan, and that's it.
bpoz - Friday, January 06 2012 @ 10:51 AM EST (#250206) #
1) Phillies. Roy Halladay.
2) None.
3) Manager D Johnson is good. They have some superstars and they have spent money to add more talent. NYM are weak but the others in that division are all interesting and committed to winning now.
bpoz - Friday, January 06 2012 @ 10:58 AM EST (#250207) #
Well said Richard SS about D Oliver. I too think a trade is happening, but I am leaning toward it being small.
BlueJayWay - Friday, January 06 2012 @ 11:09 AM EST (#250208) #
Well for whatever it's worth, there were a lot of rumblings yesterday about the Jays dealing for Gavin Floyd.  This is all just twitter stuff though, so probably take it with a molecule of sodium chloride.
Spifficus - Friday, January 06 2012 @ 12:59 PM EST (#250209) #
Personally, i think Floyd'd be a good fit, but the rumoured price of Drabek and McGuire seems steep. If that's reflective of the current value for Drabek, then he seems to be more valuable to the organization to see if his command comes back.
greenfrog - Friday, January 06 2012 @ 01:19 PM EST (#250210) #
Oliver has passed his physical and has signed for $4M with a club option for 2013, per MLBTR (not sure if this has been posted in another thread):

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/01/blue-jays-agree-to-sign-darren-oliver.html
Mike Green - Friday, January 06 2012 @ 01:32 PM EST (#250211) #
Floyd seems to me to be at roughly the Oswalt/Jackson level of ability.  He is signed for $7 million in 2012, with an option for $9.5 million in 2013.  If the club has decided that Drabek and McGuire aren't likely to amount to much, I suppose it is not such a big deal, as I was a grave skeptic when the Jays made McGuire their first choice in 2010 and Drabek's future is entirely murky.  Personally I would be happier with one of the free agents.
Original Ryan - Friday, January 06 2012 @ 01:56 PM EST (#250212) #
I'm pretty sure the Floyd rumour is just another Twitter-generated fairy tale. McGuire tweeted last night that he hadn't been traded, and given that by all accounts Anthopoulos keeps his players abreast of potential moves, I imagine McGuire would know if something was about to go down.
subculture - Friday, January 06 2012 @ 01:59 PM EST (#250213) #
I think it's so awesome that even the Yanks and Red Sox have to live and suffer with the consequences of the huge FA contracts they signed.... all the more reason to trust in AA and his methodology on team-building.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/01/yankees-fail-to-reach-deal-with-hiroyuki-nakajima.html


Wedding Singer - Friday, January 06 2012 @ 02:21 PM EST (#250214) #
Rizzo dealt to the Cubs for Cashner. A few other lesser prospects involved as well. I like the deal from both sides. Another potential landing spot for Prince Fielder eliminated. Prince and his Evil Agent will eventually come to realize that the Jays are his best option, and will sign a deal on AA's terms.
Bid - Friday, January 06 2012 @ 02:28 PM EST (#250215) #

Dewey's game. Dodgers used 19 guys, but only one separating Robinson and the racist Dixie Walker.

1} Cards...in the mid-50s we'd bike out to the Winnipeg Goldeyes' games...they were a St. Louis affiliate(?)...and we got to watch household names like Julio Gotay, Pedro Cardenal and Bob Sadowski. And Ray Sadecki...briefly. I like tthe Cards again now that TLR's gone.

2) Tigers....Yankees (sorry) as a teenager.

3) Nationals? Nice Park.

greenfrog - Friday, January 06 2012 @ 02:35 PM EST (#250216) #
If Cashner ultimately proves to be a reliever (and one with a significant injury history), this looks like a good gamble for the Cubs. I'm not a huge Rizzo guy, but he could become a solid 1B for Chicago.
92-93 - Friday, January 06 2012 @ 02:45 PM EST (#250217) #
Would it kill AA to let people know the details of Darren Oliver's deal? Some of this secrecy is completely pointless.
whiterasta80 - Friday, January 06 2012 @ 03:06 PM EST (#250218) #

I'm not reading too much into the Oliver deal.  I think it is more a case of the time of year and diligence by the newspapers rather than AA trying to hide details of a deal or holding out to complete another one.

Count me as one who doesn't have alot of faith in Rizzo either, but that being said that's about what I would have paid for him.  At this price it is worth the risk for the Cubs.  The Padres should know him better than anyone and MAY have got good value for him... but I doubt it.

DLyons - Friday, January 06 2012 @ 03:23 PM EST (#250219) #

1) Cardinals. As a kid, I figured I should at least give an NL team a chance and a Cardinal was just a red blue jay, so I went with them.  I also like teams with history, so the Cards it was.

2) Tigers, despite coming of age as a baseball fan in the '80s. I always liked the Tigers (except in 1987). We used to get the Detroit NBC affilliate and I loved watching the Tigers games with the Al Kaline/George Kell broadcast duo. Plus, Jays/Tigers games always seemed to be slugfests in the '80s, which were always fun to watch.

3) I think the Nats will be good soon, lots of young talent, should make for an exciting ballclub. I still wish they were the Expos but I was never as attached to the Expos as I was to the Jays.

Chuck - Friday, January 06 2012 @ 03:44 PM EST (#250220) #

Count me as one who doesn't have alot of faith in Rizzo either,

He may very well turn into nothing, but you have to remember that he's only 22. He spent his age 21 season in AAA.

Many in these parts have been unduly bullish about some of the organization's old first basemen like Ruiz, Dopirak and Cooper. I'd rather roll the dice with someone young for his league.

greenfrog - Friday, January 06 2012 @ 03:53 PM EST (#250221) #
Q1. No real NL favourite. I respect the Cards organization, and I like SF (strong starting pitching, Buster Posey, gorgeous ballpark). I think my short-term fave might be the D-Backs - they could be pretty decent over the next couple of years and they'll have a couple of ex-Jays roaming the middle infield.

Q2. The Rays. The great pitching, Joe Maddon's braininess, the team's high-spiritedness, the brilliant front office, the whole David-versus-Goliath thing. Even if Tropicana has a somewhat sterile feel and is generally deserted.

Q3. No strong feelings one way or the other. The Nats could be good as soon as this year, but I wonder whether they're a bit top-heavy with expensive/overrated players (eg, Gio Gonzalez, Jayson Werth).
greenfrog - Friday, January 06 2012 @ 03:57 PM EST (#250222) #
PS. I also like the LAA in the AL. Should be a fun team to watch this year, with all the starting pitching and good defence and Phat Albert.
Richard S.S. - Friday, January 06 2012 @ 07:25 PM EST (#250228) #
LAA should do better, as this is a Vernon Wells "on year", as opposed to last's "off year".
gnor - Sunday, January 08 2012 @ 08:15 AM EST (#250258) #
1) Atlanta, because they are similar to the Blue Jays (except for the Interbrew interlude) in that:
  • They are both owned by media empires
  • They both play in a similar sized market
  • The always have a good farm system, and build around a core of home grown players
  • They aren't huge players in the free agent market
  • They keep their payroll between the ditches
  • They have been to the playoffs 15 times in the past 21 years, with 5 WS appearances
2) Detroit, because it's good to be neighborly

3) Sellouts


Matthew E - Sunday, January 08 2012 @ 07:57 PM EST (#250279) #
I don't have a National League team, not really. Not since the Expos left. I have nothing against the Nationals, and I like the Giants okay, but I don't really care what they do.

I also don't have a second American League team. I guess the Twins are okay, but again, I don't really care what they do.

First game attended: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MON/MON198608080.shtml (very satisfying)

First Jays game attended: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/TOR/TOR198709040.shtml (sloppy, but likewise)

John Northey - Monday, January 09 2012 @ 10:46 AM EST (#250292) #
Used to be a big Expos fan but refuse to cheer on the Washington Nationals - in fact, I enjoy seeing them fight for last place and especially enjoy seeing their attendance slump - 3 straight years sub-2 million now, top 10 in NL attendance just once since the move [their first season]. Of course, their worst is 1.8 million which the Expos last reached in 1987 :( The Expos had 4 years over 2 million vs the 3 the Nationals have had.

I cheer on the Astros a bit (been a fan since the 80's when Nolan Ryan was on their team), the Rangers a little, Philly a bit due to Halladay, KC & Oakland also have a soft spot in my heart.
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