MLB

[numbers]

I remember watching it thinking, "well Nelson Cruz's career is now over." Then after the series ended, no one ever mentioned it again. Not to mention he gets popped for PEDs a couple years later, the guy should be a pariah. Instead, everyone bemoans the fact that their team didn't sign him while he was twisting in the wind this offseason.

[Norah]

In the 19 LDS-era seasons, only four teams who finished with the best record in baseball won the World Series (2013 Red Sox*, 2009 Yankee, 2007 Red Sox*, 1998 Yankees).

Some stats from the first sixteen seasons of LDS-era ball (I can't find them for all 19, and I really don't feel like crunching the numbers myself)...

On average the team who won the World Series had 7.1 less wins than the team with the best record (102-94.9). The average World Series champion had the fourth most wins in the league that season (well, 4.3 to be exact).


*These teams were tied for the most wins

Baseball is a funny game. The best team almost never wins the World Series as these numbers prove. Without looking it up the Cardinals in 2006 won the World Series and were barely over .500. Fucking Cardinals. For you Red Sox folks they are my New York Mets. I digress............

As soon as you know what's going on something ridiculous happens. I think that is why I love it so much. Two of my favorite quotes about baseball.......

"In baseball, you don't know nothing." ~ Yogi

"That's the way baseball go." ~ Ron Washington

The Rangers didn't deserve to win the 2011 World Series because Nelson Cruz was afraid of a wall. He's the one you should be angry at.

Eh. Hamilton hit a 2 run homer in the tenth and Feldman gave up 2 runs in the tenth. They were one strike away (again) in the tenth. People always forget that. Plus, there was a game 7 as well. It wasn't just Nelly.

But yes Cruz should have made that play.

I think what Cruz did was worse than Buckner. Buckner rushed a play in an effort to beat a fast runner and botched it. Cruz was just too much of a pussy to run into a wall to get a World Series ring.

IMO, if you miss a play because you didn't have the balls to play as hard as you possibly can, then you don't deserve to win it all.

I don't disagree with that they didn't deserve to win. Not sure if it's worse per se. I'd say it's pretty damn similar. Buckner's play ended the game and Cruz's did not. Cruz will never see the OF everyday ever again IMHO. Plus, had Buckner come up with that ball cleanly does he beat Mookie to the bag? Hard to say.

It's weird Buckner or Cruz (Stapleton and Endy Chavez) were even in the game at all.

But Cruz's play would have ended the game, and the series, if he made it.

Correct but they blew another 2 run lead in the 10th after the Hamilton homer. Game 6 of the 86 series didn't go to extras.

Both teams had a chance to win the series after the botched play. The difference I see is Cruz's was made because he didn't try hard enough, and Buckner's was made because he tried too hard. Because of that, Cruz's gaff is that much more egregious to me.

[BigRedLedbetter]

I've always wondered why Cruz didn't become "the guy that cost his team a World Series" the way Buckner and others have. He's basically skated on that whole thing, which I don't get.

I can totally tell you why. Well in my opinion anyway.......

Our fan bases are totally different. Red Sox nation is one of the most passionate, hardcore fan bases. Which I as a fan relate to. Most Rangers fans aren't like that. There are some but not near as many as Boston has. For most Rangers fans it's something to do until football season. Though I'm very happy with Rangers attendance this year despite how bad they are.

[Norah]

Either way, game 6 of the 2011 World Series was one of the best baseball games I've ever seen.

[Norah]

I've always wondered why Cruz didn't become "the guy that cost his team a World Series" the way Buckner and others have. He's basically skated on that whole thing, which I don't get.

I can totally tell you why. Well in my opinion anyway.......

Our fan bases are totally different. Red Sox nation is one of the most passionate, hardcore fan bases. Which I as a fan relate to. Most Rangers fans aren't like that. There are some but not near as many as Boston has. For most Rangers fans it's something to do until football season. Though I'm very happy with Rangers attendance this year despite how bad they are.

[BigRedLedbetter]

I remember watching it thinking, "well Nelson Cruz's career is now over." Then after the series ended, no one ever mentioned it again. Not to mention he gets popped for PEDs a couple years later, the guy should be a pariah. Instead, everyone bemoans the fact that their team didn't sign him while he was twisting in the wind this offseason.

Whats funny is we offered him a qualifying offer for this year. Like $12-13 mill I wanna say and he declined and signed with the O'd for $5 million and he's been a monster this year. He's always had it with the bat.

[Norah]

I remember watching it thinking, "well Nelson Cruz's career is now over." Then after the series ended, no one ever mentioned it again. Not to mention he gets popped for PEDs a couple years later, the guy should be a pariah. Instead, everyone bemoans the fact that their team didn't sign him while he was twisting in the wind this offseason.

That play instantly made him my least favorite player in the majors. And sometimes I feel like I'm the only one who remembers it happening.

[BigRedLedbetter]

Either way, game 6 of the 2011 World Series was one of the best baseball games I've ever seen.

As an actual game it was pretty exciting. From someone with a rooting interest obviously and being on the short end it was heart breaking. I will probably never watch it again. I took time off work and my bags were packed to head to the Metroplex with my friend (from Dallas) for the parade.

[BigRedLedbetter]

I remember watching it thinking, "well Nelson Cruz's career is now over." Then after the series ended, no one ever mentioned it again. Not to mention he gets popped for PEDs a couple years later, the guy should be a pariah. Instead, everyone bemoans the fact that their team didn't sign him while he was twisting in the wind this offseason.

That play instantly made him my least favorite player in the majors. And sometimes I feel like I'm the only one who remembers it happening.

Trust me you are not haha.

[BigRedLedbetter]

I've always wondered why Cruz didn't become "the guy that cost his team a World Series" the way Buckner and others have. He's basically skated on that whole thing, which I don't get.

I can totally tell you why. Well in my opinion anyway.......

Our fan bases are totally different. Red Sox nation is one of the most passionate, hardcore fan bases. Which I as a fan relate to. Most Rangers fans aren't like that. There are some but not near as many as Boston has. For most Rangers fans it's something to do until football season. Though I'm very happy with Rangers attendance this year despite how bad they are.

Thanks? I think.

[Norah]

I've always wondered why Cruz didn't become "the guy that cost his team a World Series" the way Buckner and others have. He's basically skated on that whole thing, which I don't get.

I can totally tell you why. Well in my opinion anyway.......

Our fan bases are totally different. Red Sox nation is one of the most passionate, hardcore fan bases. Which I as a fan relate to. Most Rangers fans aren't like that. There are some but not near as many as Boston has. For most Rangers fans it's something to do until football season. Though I'm very happy with Rangers attendance this year despite how bad they are.

Thanks? I think.

I was just agreeing with you.

[Norah]

Either way, game 6 of the 2011 World Series was one of the best baseball games I've ever seen.

As an actual game it was pretty exciting. From someone with a rooting interest obviously and being on the short end it was heart breaking. I will probably never watch it again. I took time off work and my bags were packed to head to the Metroplex with my friend (from Dallas) for the parade.

Yeah from a neutral standpoint it was an amazing baseball game.

[numbers]

Agreed, chud. This is a guy that basically wasn't willing to hit the wall, with the goddamned World Series on the line. I can't imagine many other guys in the league with less heart than him. Even some of the guys I loathe the most for their "whatevs" attitude like JD Drew would have done what it took to win the deciding game of the World Series.

[BigRedLedbetter]

I'd drop kick my mother for a World Series ring. My Mom (who essentially roots for the Rangers cuz I like them) said I'd sure as hell hope so when I said that.

Somebody will totally overpay for Nelly this offseason with the year he is having. I just hope they don't make the mistake of letting him anywhere near a glove. Unless bridges were burnt I could see the Rangers resigning him. Not sure how I'd feel about that. Again, I'd want him noooooowhere near a glove. He has 14 post season homers in 34 postseason games.

Funny you mention JD Drew. I have a funny story about him......

When he signed with the Red Sox I was working in fraud prevention at a credit card company. Like 2-3 days after he signed we shut his credit card off because he tried to make a purchase for like $15,000 without us knowing about it. He called in and wasn't mad per se but wanted to know what the hell was going on. I pulled up his account and it was listed as David J Drew and his address was in Georgia. My baseball lovin mind I'm like waaaaaaait a minute. So I look up his date of birth and google JD Drew and sure as shit they match up. I said sir I;m not trying to pry but are you JD Drew. He says yes. I put him on hold and tell my boss to turn his credit card back on. She was very reluctant to do so. I told her he just signed for $70 million with the Boston Red Sox. I think he's good. I told him his card was back on and he was very nice. I never liked him as a player but he was a very nice guy to me when he easily could have been a douche. Jim Thome had a card with us as well but he had an assistant who called in for him.

[Norah]

I'm glad we can all agree on this.

[BigRedLedbetter]

I'm glad we can all agree on this.

It's really the only logical way to look at it. We are three intelligent and handsome baseball fans.

[BigRedLedbetter]

Todd Helton having his #17 retired today. Good for him. Probably not a hall of famer but hall of very good no doubt. Dude was a professional hitter.

[Bammer]

Can someone post a clip of this Cruz play?

[Kaius]

Either way, game 6 of the 2011 World Series was one of the best baseball games I've ever seen.

As an actual game it was pretty exciting. From someone with a rooting interest obviously and being on the short end it was heart breaking. I will probably never watch it again. I took time off work and my bags were packed to head to the Metroplex with my friend (from Dallas) for the parade.

Yeah from a neutral standpoint it was an amazing baseball game.

As a Cardinals fan it was pretty ridiculous. I couldn't believe it was a real game.

[BigRedLedbetter]

Can someone post a clip of this Cruz play?

Nah. Lets not do this.