2018 MLB Thread

[ELA]

This is a horrible thing to say, but I can't be the only one seeing it.

All the announcers and everyone say is how great it is to see Ichiro in a Mariners uniform again, blah blah blah.  I'm sorry, but he looks like a cancer patient out there.  He's very old, and was always a slight man.  But now, he looks sickly compared to those other players.

Still probably better than Ohtani

[ELA]

Today was the first in a summer of Tigers gut punches

[MarqHusker]

Panik 2
Dodgers 0
18 innings

[Hawkinole]

Have to say, I'm not a fan of the current model for success in MLB, leading to seemingly 3/4 of the league just trying to tank.

If most everybody is doing this. No one is accomplishing the ultimate goal. The White Sox are now in their 2nd year after dumping most of their best players.  They might actually be close to playoff contention this year, but the pitching appears to me to be weak; somehow the hitting might finally be coming back after about a 5-year or more drought.
I am in general agreement with your Tigers prediction; although Kansas City may beat them in the race for the bottom.

[FearlessF]

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Tyler Skaggs felt so good he even managed to sneak a changeup past a left-handed hitter.

"Which I never do," Skaggs said. "It was one of those things where everything was clicking tonight."

Skaggs pitched into the seventh inning, Mike Trout homered and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Oakland Athletics 2-1 on Friday despite a rocky finish for closer Blake Parker.

It also was Mike Scioscia's 1,571st win, tying him with Hall of Famer and former A's and Angels manager Dick Williams for 21st all-time.

[OrangeAfroMan]

Baseball is so great.  17 inning game, tons of walk-offs, etc.  Despite the demented shit that's happened to the Dodgers so far, I'm loving it.

[847badgerfan]

If most everybody is doing this. No one is accomplishing the ultimate goal. The White Sox are now in their 2nd year after dumping most of their best players.  They might actually be close to playoff contention this year, but the pitching appears to me to be weak; somehow the hitting might finally be coming back after about a 5-year or more drought.
I am in general agreement with your Tigers prediction; although Kansas City may beat them in the race for the bottom.

I'd be content with the Sox if they could win 85 games this season.

Is this the last year for James Shields' contract? It would be nice if he could get hot and become trade bait in July. Can never have too many prospects in a rebuild like this one. Probably wishful thinking with him though.

[ELA]

If most everybody is doing this. No one is accomplishing the ultimate goal. The White Sox are now in their 2nd year after dumping most of their best players.  They might actually be close to playoff contention this year, but the pitching appears to me to be weak; somehow the hitting might finally be coming back after about a 5-year or more drought.
I am in general agreement with your Tigers prediction; although Kansas City may beat them in the race for the bottom.

I feel like you could put the bottom three in just about any order.  I think the Tigers are the worst, but they are all so bad, they could catch some luck, win a bunch of close ones, Sox with some bad injuries and Tigers win 70, Sox win 68.  They'll all be well out of the playoff race unless Minnesota, Seattle and LA all absolutely tank though.  Would require some big overachieving just to sniff .500

[OrangeAfroMan]

The Tigers - we've all seen coming.  It was unavoidable.  But weren't the White Sox buyers at the trade deadline like 3 years ago?  They've mismanaged.  KC got their ring, so it doesn't matter what else happens for at least a few years. 

[Hawkinole]

The Tigers - we've all seen coming.  It was unavoidable.  But weren't the White Sox buyers at the trade deadline like 3 years ago?  They've mismanaged.  KC got their ring, so it doesn't matter what else happens for at least a few years.

I think you are right the White Sox were buying 3-years ago. I think 2-years ago they were in 1st place in May before falling apart. And then they had the best pitcher in baseball - Chris Sale - who threw a 5-year old temper tantrum about wearing what I will agree, are almost the worst throwback uniforms in the history of sport. I think he tore up a pile of them on a day he was scheduled to pitch and was suspended. And after that year he was gone and the Sox were on this youth (prospect) movement (Sale was still youthful but gone).  I wasn't a player but there is something about being there and visiting with the fans around you that I really enjoy.

[OrangeAfroMan]

I should have done it last fall, but I'm finally cutting the cord, due to baseball.

Instead of paying out the whazzou to get ESPN and MLB Network through Cox cable, I'm getting them (and lots of others) for $40/mo through Youtube TV.  I'll keep Netflix, got a Roku for Youtube TV, and can use my friend's Hulu, so I'm pretty much all set.

Now how do I get HBO?  lol

Anyways, back on point.  The Dodgers have gotten out of their funk, with Seager, Puig, and Bellinger getting their first hits of the year, with Bellinger's being a HR.  

I swear to god, MLB Network is like porn to me.  Or air.  Or whatever.  Oh, I also get SEC network on this, so yeah, waiting until now was dumb.  I must've spent hundreds of dollars at Hooters (nearest sports bar) last fall.  

[ELA]

The Tigers - we've all seen coming.  It was unavoidable.  But weren't the White Sox buyers at the trade deadline like 3 years ago?  They've mismanaged.  KC got their ring, so it doesn't matter what else happens for at least a few years.

Yeah, they screwed up badly like 3-4 years ago.  But then they seemed to get a jump on being sellers, and sort of negated their previous poor decisions, by getting much better returns than most sellers have gotten since.

[ELA]

I am very confused about what the Twinkies are bitching about here?

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/23001797/minnesota-twins-upset-chance-sisco-baltimore-orioles-bunted-vs-shift-9th

[MarqHusker]

Took my kids,  9 and 6 to 3rd opening day, 1st in Milwaukee today.  They saw their first beer bong and a guy puke.   Good times .  Nice to see their reactions to this .