CFB51 College Football Fan Community
The Power Five => Big Ten => Topic started by: ELA on March 29, 2023, 12:57:58 PM
-
AMERICAN
EAST
- Yankees
- Blue Jays
- Rays
- Orioles
- Red Sox
CENTRAL
- Guardians
- White Sox
- Twins
- Royals
- Tigers
WEST
- Astros
- Mariners
- Rangers
- Angels
- Athletics
NATIONAL
EAST
- Braves
- Mets
- Phillies
- Marlins
- Nationals
CENTRAL
- Cardinals
- Brewers
- Pirates
- Cubs
- Reds
WEST
- Padres
- Dodgers
- Giants
- Diamondbacks
- Rockies
WILDCARD ROUND
- Twins d. Guardians
- Blue Jays d. White Sox
- Padres d. Brewers
- Mets d. Dodgers
DIVISIONAL SERIES
- Astros d. Twins
- Yankees d. Blue Jays
- Mets d. Cardinals
- Braves d. Padres
CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
- Yankees d. Astros
- Braves d. Mets
WORLD SERIES
- Atlanta Braves d. New York Yankees
-
I was right there with you until the champ series
then you kinda went off course
:)
-
Sounds like a plan to me.
-
I'm taking my first day off work this year for my personal holiday: Opening Day. Gonna grill up some hotdogs and watch some baseball.
Gonna sleep in.
Nathan's bun-length.
Mustard.
Diced onion.
Games start at 10am.
-
My only prediction is that the Dodgers will not win the West this year.
.
My desire is that the Mets fall on their face, as they often do. If the Yankees then Dodgers have been fat-wallet payroll sinners, what the Mets have done is akin to Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates' bank accounts sumo wrestling.
-
I'll be attending the Diamondbacks home opener next week. Really enjoy sampling other city's opening day. Bummed to have missed Cactus League this yr.
-
I'm taking my first day off work this year for my personal holiday: Opening Day. Gonna grill up some hotdogs and watch some baseball.
Gonna sleep in.
Nathan's bun-length.
Mustard.
Diced onion.
Games start at 10am.
Same, but also diced pickles
Also, I sort of feel like every home team deserves to win on Opening Day, but playing in Tampa, eh....
They showed a stat that the Tigers are 2nd only to the Astros in Opening Day record over the past decade. Astros are 9-1, Tigers are 8-2. Astros makes sense, Tigers, not so much. A decade captures 2 playoffs teams, and one solid team that would have made the 6 team playoff, but 7 pretty awful teams.
-
The Braves are undefeated.
-
Loving the pitch clock. Only have to suffer through about 2:15 of Tigers baseball
-
Same, but also diced pickles
Also, I sort of feel like every home team deserves to win on Opening Day, but playing in Tampa, eh....
They showed a stat that the Tigers are 2nd only to the Astros in Opening Day record over the past decade. Astros are 9-1, Tigers are 8-2. Astros makes sense, Tigers, not so much. A decade captures 2 playoffs teams, and one solid team that would have made the 6 team playoff, but 7 pretty awful teams.
I show that the Astros are 10 and 0 opening day last 10 years
going for 11 in a row tonight
-
Loving the pitch clock. Only have to suffer through about 2:15 of Tigers baseball
Are you saying mlb games will only be a little over 2 hours because of the pitch clock?
Ive not watched any pre season games this year
-
I'm loving the pitch clock too. I was tired of regularly needing 4 hours to see 9 innings of baseball.
-
I'm loving the pitch clock too. I was tired of regularly needing 4 hours to see 9 innings of baseball.
too early for me to decide but one thing I dont like is limiting pitcher to two pick off moves per batter
-
Best sign in today's micro sample size is this. A 10-9 game was over in 3:10! Sign me up.
-
too early for me to decide but one thing I dont like is limiting pitcher to two pick off moves per batter
We could find another Lou Brock
-
Rickey likes these rules.
-
Not pinch running for Maldonado there shows the managers being behind the rules changes early
-
I show that the Astros are 10 and 0 opening day last 10 years
going for 11 in a row tonight
Oh well
-
Great last couple of innings in HOU.
.
It's time for Dodgers baseball!
-
too early for me to decide but one thing I dont like is limiting pitcher to two pick off moves per batter
Yeah. I generally like rule changes which help maintain the original balance. I think the pitch clock and larger bases and shift limitations just put baseball back to how it was drawn up. But I think the throw over limit is just to prevent pitchers from using it to slow down the game. But stragically I don't think it was an issue. So if the pitcher has already thrown over twice, do you essentially just get a free pass?
-
Yeah. I generally like rule changes which help maintain the original balance. I think the pitch clock and larger bases and shift limitations just put baseball back to how it was drawn up. But I think the throw over limit is just to prevent pitchers from using it to slow down the game. But stragically I don't think it was an issue. So if the pitcher has already thrown over twice, do you essentially just get a free pass?
Im thinking there will be very few times when a pitcher will actually throw over for the 2nd time
-
Longer leads after 2 throws, more stolen bases. Then, over time, ideally, better pickoff moves, better catcher-throwers, and most importantly, diversity in the lineup.
No more lineups made up of 9 guys trying to hit dingers. Some fast guys in there that truly contribute meaningfully and will stick around. With those players, more doubles, more triples. More action.
-
So MLB Network is showing Angels-As, as their national game, with Mariners-Guardians at their regional game, because they've apparently gone full NBA, showing a crappy team with big stars
-
Angels already in mid-season form in terms of wasting Ohtani
-
Mariners game in a tidy 214.
-
Mariners game in a tidy 214.
And that game should have been the MLB Network national game, between two playoff contenders. Instead, I'm stuck watching the Angels squander another Ohtani start against the As, while a potential playoff preview between the Guardians and Mariners is relegated to regional coverage
-
Be happy you have MLB Network. It's not on Youtube TV, because they're squabbling over money. And since MLB decided having games on different channels is stupid, I had to go out to a sports bar.
Zero baseball games on TV today for me. FFS.
-
its all about ratings and advertising $$$
Angels = large market
-
its all about ratings and advertising $$$
Angels = large market
MLBN carried both games, but they are only allowed to air the game in the local market a limited number of times, so they generally show one game "nationally" and put the other game in the local markets of the national game. So actually LA was the one place that got Mariners-Guardians
-
the avg game time for opening day games was 28 minutes shorter then 2022 opening day games
is the 28 minutes worth all the effert spent on continually watching a 20 second timer
to me no way
-
Yes
-
to the majority of fans, yes
to the majority of baseball purists, maybe not
-
I wouldn't be too sure of the latter.
-
that's why the "maybe"
Tell Jake, "Happy Birthday"
-
Yeah, I think I'm fairly purist, and most of the baseball personalities who I would say are purists, and they are all on board.
-
Yeah, I think I'm fairly purist, and most of the baseball personalities who I would say are purists, and they are all on board.
I fear this is just the start
pretty soon it wont be baseball anymore
-
Everyone stepping off and adjusting their batting gloves, sign sequence, and jock strap for a minute between a pitch being thrown wasn't baseball.
-
Everyone stepping off and adjusting their batting gloves, sign sequence, and jock strap for a minute between a pitch being thrown wasn't baseball.
sure it is
calling a ball if the pitch isnt thrown in 20 sec is whats not baseball
-
Count me in opposition to all this malarkey intended to infuse baseball with action. How will I ever be able to nap through a game?
-
Everyone stepping off and adjusting their batting gloves, sign sequence, and jock strap for a minute between a pitch being thrown wasn't baseball.
LMAO
Thanks!!
-
I've suggested simply doing away with the velcro on the gloves or just get rid of gloves.
Jock straps are important, gloves are for sissies
-
I still have my mitt from when I was a kid. Had it for 30 years or so. First base mitt (not a glove). Almost bought a replacement, but couldn't do it and got it re-laced.
.
Purists should like the pitch clock, and honestly, it should only be needed for a few years. Get them into the habit. That's all.
A 2 hr and 30 min game IS baseball, not a 4-hour Yankees-Red Sox crapper.
.
I would have preferred they made batters adjust to the shift, but oh well. I love the limited throws to first rule, because of the natural consequences.
The HR-BB-K game isn't "real" baseball. Triples and going 1st-to-3rd, and plays at the plate are baseball.
-
Angels already in mid-season form in terms of wasting Ohtani
Hearing Ohtani struck out 10 over 6 scoreless innings, only to blow the lead against the lowly A's once relievers took the mound, my first thought was a less elaborate version of this:
https://twitter.com/matttomic/status/1394498097254965249
-
Ohtani is good, but he's no High Pockets Kelly!
-
Hearing Ohtani struck out 10 over 6 scoreless innings, only to blow the lead against the lowly A's once relievers took the mound, my first thought was a less elaborate version of this:
https://twitter.com/matttomic/status/1394498097254965249
There's a reason Tungsten Arm O'doyle was trending as the Angels blew it. I don't think a comedic tweet has ever been quite so accurate as what the Angels perpetually do
-
ya know... it's not l;ike the Angel's management hasn't tried to find 7 other decent players to put on the field with Ohtani & Trout
it's got more to do with the 7 other players finding a way to SUCK
-
ya know... it's not l;ike the Angel's management hasn't tried to find 7 other decent players to put on the field with Ohtani & Trout
it's got more to do with the 7 other players finding a way to SUCK
They've hit on a couple hitters, but their defense sucks, and they can't find pitching.
And it's pretty lear that the Dodgers are willing to take a half step back because they are getting Ohtani next year. And a half step back is still enough to make the playoffs, and as long as you get in, you've got a shot. If the Dodgers win 91 games, finish 2nd in the West, and win a World Series, nobody would be shocked.
-
except OAM
-
except OAM
No, he'd expect it. Because the Dodgers wouldn't "deserve" it
-
that's right
the "best" reg season team never stands a change in the post season tourney
-
that's right
the "best" reg season team never stands a change in the post season tourney
except guess who
-
except guess who
The 2020 Dodgers? The last team with the best regular season record to win the World Series
-
cheaters
-
The 2020 Dodgers? The last team with the best regular season record to win the World Series
the Astros had the 2nd best record last year and won the WS
to me that should count as the team that should win actually winning
-
todays Astro game was 8 and a half innings and took 3 hours and 11 min to play
so I guess last year this would have been a 4 hour game
they had their 1st clock violation toiday
-
won't be their last
-
won't be their last
well actually it was on the sox but yes we will have our share
-
that's right
the "best" reg season team never stands a change in the post season tourney
It's not that they don't stand a chance, it's just virtually the same chance as everyone else.
.
You guys joke, but look what the Angels have done....in the easiest environment to just get into the playoffs, they've only done it once, in 2014 and got swept.
They've had 3 disastrous $100 million contracts. They're a red-headed stepchild. Just an utter lack of competence. If they'd just get into the playoffs every few years in some capacity, yes, anything could happen.
-
they need some monkey mojo
(https://sportmascots.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Rally-Monkey-Los-Angeles-Angels-of-Anaheim.jpg)
-
the Astros had the 2nd best record last year and won the WS
to me that should count as the team that should win actually winning
Speaking of cheaters.
-
The Braves are undefeated.
:)
-
Speaking of cheaters.
get those trash cans ready
-
Nothing like opening the season with back to back road series at Tampa and Houston to get fans thinking *maybe*
Got outscored 21-3 over the weekend at Tampa
-
Nothing like opening the season with back to back road series at Tampa and Houston to get fans thinking *maybe*
Got outscored 21-3 over the weekend at Tampa
I think you have a real good shot at winning the Houston series
The astros are not hitting and our pitching isnt all that great
-
Riley Greene is a 22 year old rookie who both looks older and has a better beard than me
-
On this date in 1973, Minnesota Twins legend Tony Oliva became the first DH to homer in a regular season American League game. After missing most of the 1972 season with a bad knee, Oliva had his career revitalized by the new DH rule.
-
I remember those teams Carew,Tovar,Blyleven,Killebrew,Oliva,Kaat,Mitterwald good not great
-
never gonna be great with Calvin Griffith as owner, but the club was gonna make $$$
-
Chase Field isn't so bad with that roof open.
-
I wound up going to the DBacks opener, too.
For the first time, I got the worst, nose-bleed foul pole seats.....and the view was much better than I had anticipated! Could still track the ball from there....very surprising.
Good to see LA win. Looks like Kershaw got rocked tonight, though.
-
My 10U team does this for free
https://twitter.com/TomNichols02/status/1644843839323095042?t=uidIGzxe08Vz6suw3s41pA&s=19
-
There have been seven MLB teams losing even though their pitching threw a no hitter
The Astros are one of those teams losing a no hitter in 1964 when they were the Colt 45s
-
I remember those teams Carew,Tovar,Blyleven,Killebrew,Oliva,Kaat,Mitterwald good not great
Ray Scott and Harmon after Twins clinched AL pennant in DC 1965
(https://scontent.ffod1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/340773616_923209472133816_3185459796478299856_n.jpg?_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=5cd70e&_nc_ohc=P1zopDdV1H4AX94hmFZ&_nc_ht=scontent.ffod1-1.fna&oh=00_AfALdSlQmz0WYh3PGO4m8gLIAIo_mRMQSazFQKOJJB1xNw&oe=64384D46)
-
The Diamondbacks beat the Dodgers 5 times all year last year (5-14).
The Diamondbacks have beaten the Dodgers 5 times this year.
-
The Braves and Reds had mirror first innings last night:
Double
Walk
Double play
Strike out.
-
The Diamondbacks beat the Dodgers 5 times all year last year (5-14).
The Diamondbacks have beaten the Dodgers 5 times this year.
Hell the Tigers might win 5 games all year
-
Throwback to when the Tigers had 3 pitchers named in MLBs top 50 prospects, called up all 3, and now all 3 seem to be done for the season
https://twitter.com/EvanPetzold/status/1645976671810363394?t=EU5tLgTuIB3jFdssT7XgFg&s=19
-
Marlins finally get a player to hit for the cycle.
-
Marlins finally get a player to hit for the cycle.
It's far too late for me to get on my soapbox as to why that shouldn't even be a thing
-
The cycle is fine, it's an oddity and rare enough.....it's when a player forgoes a triple to stay at 2nd FOR the cycle.
That's nuts.
-
Unless the game is in hand
-
A player could miss third base on a HR intentionally to get his 2B ...
I wonder how often a missed cycle is lacking a single?
-
A player could miss third base on a HR intentionally to get his 2B ...
If the defensive team was paying attention, this wouldn't be a 2B. It would be an out on appeal.
-
I thought if you missed say 3B on a homer you'd get credit for a double, if appealed.
-
Maybe in OBR, but in softball and HS baseball, the BR is out.
Determining which runs score also gets tricky, but not as much as if one of the runners on base had missed a base and the whole mess then becomes a timing play.
-
I dimly recall where someone hit a walk off with a runner at second, and the batter touched first and celebrated. He got credit for a single, as I dimly recall. Maybe nobody appealed.
-
Didn't something like that happen with the Harvey Haddix near 13 inning perfect game loss?
-
I dimly recall where someone hit a walk off with a runner at second, and the batter touched first and celebrated. He got credit for a single, as I dimly recall. Maybe nobody appealed.
Yeah, if the BR doesn't touch all 4 bases, it ain't a homer.
-
Se robin Ventura grand slam single.
Haddix had that outcome when Aaron walked off the field from first base after Joe Adcock homered ruining the perfect game.
Something much more complicated but similarly happened in two pivotal NL games in 1908. One of which known as Merkle's Boner.
-
Considering all the relievers who blow a save, and then get the W when their team regains the lead in the bottom of the inning, this seems harsh
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/36173995/oakland-chad-smith-gets-win-scorer-applies-obscure-rule
-
Considering all the relievers who blow a save, and then get the W when their team regains the lead in the bottom of the inning, this seems harsh
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/36173995/oakland-chad-smith-gets-win-scorer-applies-obscure-rule
I dont like it just cause the rules allow a judgement to be made on the winning pitcher
The rules should not permit judgement to be used here
They should change the rule
-
I've always thought the two limitations should be...
- If you are in line for the L when you threw your last pitch (not tied), you don't get the W, for what subsequently happens; except...
- If you are in line for a save, and blow it, even if you leave tied, not behind, you can't get a W
-
I've always thought the two limitations should be...
- If you are in line for the L when you threw your last pitch (not tied), you don't get the W, for what subsequently happens; except...
- If you are in line for a save, and blow it, even if you leave tied, not behind, you can't get a W
whatever the rule should not leave any room for judgement
-
Often, a number of wins for a short reliever is a bad sign, they do have blown saves of course. If I see a closer who is say 4-7, I think he probably had BS's.
There are so many stats already ...
-
Da Braves are filling up hospitals right now. Or DLs.
-
Tigers swept Cleveland in a DH today. 5 in a row, to battle back to 7-9. Not asking for this team to get to the postseason. Just get me through the summer. It's been 7 years since the Tigers played meaningful baseball past Memorial Day. Even the 2021 team that finished with an ok record, dug themselves such a hole, that they had to play outstanding just to almost be .500, so they were never particularly interesting
-
Oakland’s home attendance Vs the Cubs this past Monday was announced as 4,714.
For the Oakland As it’s like a different form and purpose of tanking than we’re used to. Instead of losing for the sake of a higher draft pick, the As ownership has ruined the gameday experience and driven off the fans to justify moving the team elsewhere – Las Vegas. On top of all that the As have a league worst W/L record of 3-15.
https://twitter.com/DannyVietti/status/1647229068797169664
-
I saw a movie just like that.
-
I saw a movie just like that.
The movie was better
-
April 18, 1958: Before a crowd of 78,672 at the Coliseum, the Dodgers play their first game in Los Angeles and defeat the San Francisco Giants, 6-5:
(https://scontent.ffod1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t31.18172-8/922125_10151847635203508_104872360_o.jpg?_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=9267fe&_nc_ohc=JHrzP9CJKIYAX8-wEB9&_nc_ht=scontent.ffod1-1.fna&oh=00_AfDlzkZGlsbYu7k_JAIDEntajkF3-QZlnBvLUUVWmqIziQ&oe=6468E8BA)
-
And in "moves by owners who certainly aren't cheap", the Diamondbacks DFAd Bumgarner, and will have to eat the remaining $34 million on his contract.
-
Shohei Ohtani struck out the side on 12 pitches in the first inning Friday night, throwing sweepers that broke horizontally like Frisbees and punctuating them with a 98.7-mph fastball.
Ohtani struck out a season-high 11 and allowed two hits over seven innings, and fill-in catcher Chad Wallach hit a two-run homer in Los Angeles' 2-0 victory.
Ohtani has given up two runs and eight hits over 28 innings with 38 strikeouts while lowering his ERA to 0.64 — the lowest in franchise history through a pitcher's first five starts. Ohtani also extended his franchise record with his 12th consecutive start allowing two runs or fewer.
After issuing a leadoff walk in the sixth, Ohtani fanned six in a row to secure his major league-best 12th double-digit strikeout game since the start of 2022.
-
And in "moves by owners who certainly aren't cheap", the Diamondbacks DFAd Bumgarner, and will have to eat the remaining $34 million on his contract.
I have no idea what they expected when they signed him. There were exactly zero data points suggesting it was a good idea.
-
Brewers hosting 9 vs old AL mates including 6 vs ole AL east clubs. Crew playing like those mid 80s clubs
-
I have no idea what they expected when they signed him. There were exactly zero data points suggesting it was a good idea.
The athletic did a study of the 20 largest AAV pitching contracts of the past decade. And I was surprised that in general, it was about a 50-50 split as to whether they were team friendly or not. But the major caveat was that guys who came up young, and their big contract was not their first, but their second, like MadBum, were the terrible ones. Scherzer was the only one that held up. The guys on a more normal schedule, actually generally wound up deserving the deal
-
that deal was very un-AZ like, had the stink of 'owner' wants a splashy signing. having said that, pretty staggering drop from a really nice four ish year peak.
on the other hand, they ought to ship him and Brian McCann to a fun camp somewhere far away.
-
(https://i.imgur.com/eyWlEYx.png)
-
(https://i.imgur.com/eyWlEYx.png)
Have they recovered from the Astros visit?
-
I think so, I'm friends with two of those guys.
-
My autographed Steve Avery rookie card didn't pan out.....
-
We should pair it up with my autographed baseball from Henry Blanco.
-
Avery is a pretty cool dude. He can't throw much any more of course.
Two nights ago the Braves came back late to cover a 4 run deficit and win, last night they blew a 4-0 lead in the 9th.
-
I hope Pirates fans aren't buying in. For their own sake.
-
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/36307953/shohei-ohtani-only-feet-short-hitting-historic-cycle (https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/36307953/shohei-ohtani-only-feet-short-hitting-historic-cycle)
Ohtani came to bat in Thursday's eighth inning with a chance to become the first player in baseball history to hit for the cycle while also serving as that game's starting pitcher. He then drove the first pitch he saw into deep center field, bringing a sparse Angel Stadium crowd to its feet -- but Oakland Athletics center fielder Esteury Ruiz caught it right before crashing into the fence. It was a 389-foot out.
"It was off the end," Ohtani said through an interpreter, "so I knew it wasn't gone off the bat."
Despite allowing five runs, Ohtani scattered only three hits. It marked the 10th consecutive time Ohtani had allowed three hits or less, tying Jacob deGrom for the longest streak by a starting pitcher since the mound moved to its current distance in 1893, according to research from the Elias Sports Bureau.
Ohtani, who hit for the cycle in June 2019, would have become the first player since Jimmy Ryan of the Chicago White Stockings in 1888 to hit for the cycle during a game in which he also pitched. Ryan, though, started that game in center field and merely came in for relief. No player had accomplished the feat while also serving as a starting pitcher, an unsurprising circumstance given that Ohtani qualifies as the first two-way player since Babe Ruth.
Instead, Ohtani became the first player to strike out eight batters and hit a single, a double and a triple in the same game since Dave Danforth of the St. Louis Browns on Aug. 25, 1923. During his last four starts, Ohtani has contributed more hits himself (seven) than he has allowed to others (six), an unprecedented feat.
-
I hope Pirates fans aren't buying in. For their own sake.
Buying in to what? Being a title contender? No. Actually having a team that can give them an entertaining summer? Yeah
And entertainment is fun
-
At 18-8, the Pirates have been competitive so far. I don't see a reason why a fan wouldn't be more interested in them right now. It doesn't harm anyone to follow them and be excited a bit even if they fade down the stretch (or before the ASB).
"We" like a winner, generally. I did follow the Braves when they were so bad it was kind of entertaining on WTBS. There wasn't much else to watch, and I expected them to lose. Then one year they start winning and in a way it was too stressful to be fun.
Sid Bream and "The Slide" and all that.
-
hey, if the Pirates make the playoffs, they've as good a chance to win it as any other playoff team
-
The Tigers sweeping the Mets at home, just to go play a road game against a St. Louis team playing as poorly as I can ever remember that franchise, feels like a trap to get me re-engaged.
-
In a rebuilding year (ie - payroll pause to reset penalties), the Dodgers still find themselves in first place a month into the season.
The DBacks can't win it and I have no earthly clue the Padres are doing.
.
Right now, the Dodgers are like that player who told everyone he wasn't swinging at any pitches in spring training, but still got on base half the time.
They're not going to spend money, not bringing anyone special in at the deadline, and have basically freed up the reigns to the division, only for no one to take it.
-
I mean they still have the 5th highest payroll. Granted the Angels are 6th. :57:
-
Yeah, but in this year's marathon, the Dodgers didn't bother putting band-aids over their nipples.
-
Yeah, but in this year's marathon, the Dodgers didn't bother putting band-aids over their nipples.
Trevor Bauer seems down with that
-
Trevor Bauer seems down with that
I don't think he's going to bother learning Japanese.
-
I don't think he's going to bother learning Japanese.
Maybe safe words
-
Tigers with their second 5 game winning streak of the season, and yet are 5-17 outside of those two spurts
-
(https://scontent.ffod1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/345429644_5849803268479866_8443786945944241712_n.jpg?_nc_cat=1&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=a26aad&_nc_ohc=QxcjD8OIhJ4AX_nQAxR&_nc_ht=scontent.ffod1-1.fna&oh=00_AfCHHKuOsMcdamkrRBToKVAVRYmueG8dmqxX7nE4IY-Czw&oe=645C5A64)
-
I never realized how weird Wrigley was
-
Yeah, the corners are deeper than left and right fields.
-
Vida Blue has passed
RIP
-
More Oakland As to Vegas posturing. This intersection of Las Vegas BLVD and Tropicana Ave where the aging Tropicana might be torn down for a new baseball stadium is famed for boasting the most hotel rooms in the world, accounting also for the New York/NY, MGM, and Excalibur.
https://twitter.com/LasVegasLocally/status/1656135167583608834
-
The Braves have had a lot of injuries to date, Fried is now out again for a while.
-
One benefit to fast games early on is that Rocco Baldelli can't overthink how he uses his bullpen.
-
(https://scontent.ffod1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/345215614_908218357134102_3716429856622495875_n.jpg?_nc_cat=109&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=5cd70e&_nc_ohc=_DQER0pF_qQAX8joMfF&_nc_ht=scontent.ffod1-1.fna&oh=00_AfAebymeDFFU4HiYCo4eJKPM3Enfil7iOKtBX_pMOwhUzg&oe=64658251)
-
Ruth was on base in front of him 40% of the time, minus those HRs.
-
More Oakland As to Vegas posturing. This intersection of Las Vegas BLVD and Tropicana Ave where the aging Tropicana might be torn down for a new baseball stadium is famed for boasting the most hotel rooms in the world, accounting also for the New York/NY, MGM, and Excalibur.
https://twitter.com/LasVegasLocally/status/1656135167583608834
I can't fathom the math that gets a team with a shit payroll to buy land on the Las Vegas strip AND building a stadium.
-
(https://scontent.ffod1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/346977438_773500037662092_5569358760619627209_n.jpg?_nc_cat=1&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=9267fe&_nc_ohc=j7aKb_7pBxMAX_mC-rH&_nc_ht=scontent.ffod1-1.fna&oh=00_AfBCTmXb_6tz2WsB07icsw5MXDz5gJLM1ey2cOQjWubTUg&oe=6466FDFE)
-
Idk why Piazza gets shit on.
Everyone acknowledges him as the best offensive catcher.....yet he's never top 3 in these rankings, just because he wasn't good at throwing out runners.
All of the advanced stats say he was great at everything else a catcher does (blocking, pitch-framing, etc).
Add that to being an offensive MONSTER....and you get ranked behind guys like Carlton freakin' Fisk.
-
Former Marlin, Mike Piazza. love thinking about that brief era.
-
Idk why Piazza gets shit on.
Everyone acknowledges him as the best offensive catcher.....yet he's never top 3 in these rankings, just because he wasn't good at throwing out runners.
All of the advanced stats say he was great at everything else a catcher does (blocking, pitch-framing, etc).
Add that to being an offensive MONSTER....and you get ranked behind guys like Carlton freakin' Fisk.
Arguing with AI?
-
When AI falls in line with the masses.
-
When AI falls in line with the masses.
AI is just a product of the masses
-
I've always kind of liked the JAWS rating, which averages your career WAR, with your 7 year peak WAR. It rewards longevity, but not as much as pure career WAR, because it demands you be great at your peak, without making that peak too short.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/jaws_C.shtml
Sort of confirms what most anyone would say, that Bench and Carter are 1-2. Piazza with a strong case for #3. His peak was better than anyone but those guys. He just falls behind Pudge and Fisk because he didn't play nearly as long.
-
I can't fathom the math that gets a team with a shit payroll to buy land on the Las Vegas strip AND building a stadium.
And what are the hopes for fan attendance once/if the Athletics find themselves in Vegas?
For a guess look at the Diamondbacks latest homestand.
Weekend numbers look up, about 25k Vs the Nationals and Giants. Then on weeknights in Phoenix, attendance Vs the Marlins drops down to about 10k. I can see the weekend bringing in big numbers of visiting fans to Vegas before the weeknight numbers plunge without built-in hometown support.
As for the Athletics existing numbers, look at the horrific figures for Oakland's last two homegames (Vs the Diamondbacks). 2k & 3K are like high school numbers.
(https://i.imgur.com/g8nISBG.png)
-
The problem with Oakland is that they also wanted enough land to build their own entertainment complex, and control the surrounding shops, restaurants and bars.
I'm assuming they got this here, so maybe the terrible attendance doesn't matter if they got public funding to run up their own bars, restaurants (and in this case casinos?) around the park
-
The "secret" to having your team come from behind is apparently to give up and go to bed.
-
The "secret" to having your team come from behind is apparently to give up and go to bed.
Last night the Cubs were ahead of the Astros 6 to 1 after 7 innings only to have the Astros score 6 runs in the last 2 innings and win the game 7 to 6
Yes I stopped watching after inning 6 but thats why I record the games.
-
AI is just a product of the masses
If that's true, then it isn't very I.
-
Yeah, the A's attendance the other night was lower than 11 of 13 AAA games.
That's what you get when you pull a U-haul out front.
-
When and why did OPS become a thing?
-
AI is just a product of the masses
Garbage in, garbage out.
-
AI is supposed to evolve that garbage into something amazing, though. Otherwise, you're just describing one of those giant computers from the 70s predicting things incorrectly.
-
When and why did OPS become a thing?
Like 20 years ago.....because getting on base is the best thing a batter can do and hitting for power is the 2nd-best thing he can do.
You'll be pleased to know OBP is about 3x more "important" than SLG, so a more accurate evaluation of a player's offensive worth would be (3*O)PS. But no one uses that.
.
OPS+ is even better, as it takes into account context.
-
btw, the Dodgers have "oopsied" into the best record in the NL.
-
(https://i.imgur.com/qNzZ09e.png)
-
In Chicago this week. Will be at tonight’s Cubs homegame Vs the Mets.
-
In Chicago this week. Will be at tonight’s Cubs homegame Vs the Mets.
have a dog and a beer on me
-
In Chicago this week. Will be at tonight’s Cubs homegame Vs the Mets.
Cubs won 7-2 last night with Drew Smyly picking up the win to go 5-1.
(https://i.imgur.com/OTBa3yN.jpg)
Gorgeous weather with temps right around 70F at first pitch. Seats behind the Cubs dugout.
(https://i.imgur.com/yUhG8JA.jpg)
Guy one seat in front of us in the Swanson jersey caught a stray foul ball.
(https://i.imgur.com/9e92OzP.jpg)
Right outside stadium is very densely urban w/ lots of sports bars and the L Train stops in the distance.
(https://i.imgur.com/WX199UU.jpg)
-
My fav baseball movie is Bull Durham, my favorite scene is when he says "Yeah, I've been in the show." and then talks about the difference between .250 and .300.
-
The Braves' broadcast crew last night was:
Tom Glavine
John Smoltz
Larry Jones
Jeff Francouer (who is in the Georgia HS football HoF).
And they won in a walk off. Smoltz was talking pregame about how they had two top level starters going, and how many times does that result in a score like 13-11! Ha ha ha.
The final was 13-10.
-
I could see this happening. I miss that kind of pitching. No clock required for this guy.
Ex-catcher says White Sox All-Star pitcher was ‘drunk’ during 2005 World Series appearance (msn.com) (https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/ex-catcher-says-white-sox-all-star-pitcher-was-drunk-during-2005-world-series-appearance/ar-AA1cnBce?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=d35ad09825bd4a4cb87fbbd0523bdd56&ei=16)
-
49 years ago today, Nolan Ryan strikes out 19 batters, walks 10 and throws 235 pitches in 13 innings for the California Angels against the Boston Red Sox but settles for a no-decision.
The Angels eventually win 4-3 in 15 innings.
Luis Tiant pitches 14 1/3 innings for the Sox and takes the loss.
(https://scontent.ffod1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/354045798_566971688928573_4801680901893875323_n.jpg?_nc_cat=104&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=dlc3Nwy-KfYAX9fzJ4B&_nc_ht=scontent.ffod1-1.fna&oh=00_AfBRe6Uoe1vzCjf59w2Rzwy9UhOscGHDKF7Yp13NmAjaiQ&oe=649184C6)
-
I hope no one here is a Mets fan, otherwise we're all happy at least to see their attempt to buy a pennant so far flail badly.
-
The Mets are the Mets. They can't help it. And it's hilarious.
-
Per ESPN Stats & Info, "Shohei Ohtani has his 150th career MLB home run. He required the 4th-fewest games played (652) to reach 150 HR and 75 SB in MLB history, trailing only: Willie Mays (598), Jose Canseco (630) and Alex Rodriguez (646)."
-
An Ohtani stat from a few days ago: has hit the most HRs in MLB and thrown the 2nd-most Ks. Simultaneously.
-
An Ohtani stat from a few days ago: has hit the most HRs in MLB and thrown the 2nd-most Ks. Simultaneously.
The Angels are 246-286 with no postseason appearances since he got there.
-
gotta have pitching
led the hapless Royals today 8-2
lost 10-9
-
Vernon Wells: $126 million
Justin Upton: $106 million
Albert Pujols: $240 million
Josh Hamilton: $125 million
.
They signed several other ordinary players to bloated contracts after rogue-wave All-Star appearances (Matthews Jr, Cozart).
Also, they seemed incapable of signing anyone who was in their prime and actually performed. You could argue Wells and Upton were bad luck, but it's as if a guy wasn't even on their radar unless he was 30+ and his best was obviously behind him. As if Artie Moreno thought everyone aged like Barry Bonds, lol.
And who could've predicted a former addict would do poorly after getting paid 100 millon bucks?!?
AND none of the above are pitchers, lol. That's the position you fear most with injury risk, but oh well.
-
I figured the Braves would hit a soft spot with all the injuries, and they may yet of course, but so far, not. They seem to have pitchers in the minors who step in and do well.
-
X-Golf Ambassador Paige Spiranac joined us to throw out tonight’s first pitch!
(https://scontent.ffod1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/354416772_820575559431633_1851052643389525009_n.jpg?_nc_cat=1&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=i_LMSmu1gusAX8weGQ8&_nc_ht=scontent.ffod1-1.fna&oh=00_AfCjfLIlUjnUg7DPrvhjdUqsaWmaW57lD_fV6POJi6am-Q&oe=6494ADB1)
-
Twins spit up 3 of 4 to the Tigers at home. Rocco's seat is getting warm.
-
Twins spit up 3 of 4 to the Tigers at home. Rocco's seat is getting warm.
I think three's a heat wave in the AL Central under those seats.
-
Attended yesterday's Athletics home game Vs the Phillies.
After hearing all season how small Oakland's home crowds have been, yesterday drew their third largest crowd of the season, only behind Opening Day and last Tuesday's Reverse Boycott. When I realized by the 4th inning this was most likely because of Father's Day - plenty of families were in attendance - that was when I remembered to call my Dad to wish him happy Father's Day.
Halfway through our call, Oakland fans broke out in chants of "Sell The Team! Sell The Team!" Dad, overhearing, naturally asked for an explanation. My Dad is from Poland and has never taken to following pro sports. So with a mix of fluent English and broken Polish I tried explaining how nobody within a square mile of me likes this guy named John Fisher thanks to his plans to move Oakland's baseball team to Las Vegas.
"But," my Dad asks, "isn't everybody who can leaving California for places like Vegas?"
On that note, I've never seen a more graffiti-ed city than Oakland California.
(https://i.imgur.com/fe775Gj.jpg)
-
I think three's a heat wave in the AL Central under those seats.
Yup. If the Twinkies were anywhere else, they're 12 games back in the loss column and were discussing how the Pohlads are going to gut the team at the deadline.
That said, Rocco's extension two weeks ago looks an awful lot like the Dreaded Vote of Confidence.
Speaking of the AL Central...
https://youtube.com/watch?v=GtImIqR5neU&feature=share9
-
24-0 7th inning score not very common.
Three games in the 1880s are comparable but that's it. 28-0 being the largest shutout in professional baseball history.
Well, 25-1 it is.
-
Feels like a blown save, lol.
-
(https://i.imgur.com/MYHYyay.png)
-
well, the Halos aren't dead last in the AL west
-
The Dodgers are taking a year off to reset the luxury tax. In 2024 they'll be back big time.
-
didn't think it was possible to score 25 runs with only 5 HRs
Halos were playing small ball and proved it still works
-
The Reds are good
-
(https://i.imgur.com/QaIctJY.png)
-
The Braves and Reds played six times this season, every game was a one run decision.
-
(https://scontent.ffod1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/356939033_793729425515472_6258354965107282896_n.jpg?stp=cp6_dst-jpg&_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=l8zNwnfT8VQAX9pewww&_nc_oc=AQmvssaPNHqBKweB8DR_6_F-7V_Suml9fv9hs_hVQKtfGHMjwSgHKTw_EA-IyZnfwzc&_nc_ht=scontent.ffod1-1.fna&oh=00_AfBzblADYhRInWn5btSCumkHXMtOtvMKNWrwwW1h6MoCkQ&oe=64A21209)
-
Ohtani is pretty other worldly. Babe Ruth?
-
(https://i.imgur.com/JhUDoPj.png)
-
yup, Ruth's first 5 seasons with the BoSox
Yanks took away the pitching
-
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- — Shohei Ohtani hit the longest home run of his major league career and became the ninth player to reach 30 homers in a season by July 1. Yet, it wasn't enough to overcome Lourdes Gurriel Jr.'s grand slam in the second inning as the Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the Los Angeles Angels 6-2 Friday night.
The two-way superstar from Japan drove a slider from left-hander Tommy Henry 493 feet to right field in the sixth inning to get the Angels within 5-1. It was the longest home run in the majors this year.
Ohtani became the first player since Baltimore’s Chris Davis in 2013 to hit 30 homers by the end of June. Davis had 31.
Babe Ruth, Ken Griffey Jr. and Sammy Sosa each did it twice. The others are Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds, Luis Gonzalez and Albert Pujols. Bonds had 39 by July 1 in 2001 en route to setting the single-season record with 73.
Ohtani hit 15 home runs in June. Besides being an Angels record for the most in any month, he tied Babe Ruth (1930 Yankees), Bob Johnson (1934 A’s) and Roger Maris (1961 Yankees) for the AL mark in June.
-
Ohtani has to be juicing ...;)
-
(https://i.imgur.com/QEIpXKb.png)
-
(https://scontent.ffod1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/357404638_664548409050706_1988222558091951071_n.jpg?stp=cp6_dst-jpg&_nc_cat=1&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=nIEQOrpka5YAX94rrsP&_nc_ht=scontent.ffod1-1.fna&oh=00_AfDnW-fV_CJ0zqXzHkaV1_t7WkmUEiuM3T0HTtcLBGydMw&oe=64A69865)
-
1992 starting rotation:
(https://i.imgur.com/b9G9fTw.png)
-
Diamondbacks game last night. Vs the Mets. Took a group of 11 of us. Arizona could not have had a more miserable showing. Their pitcher giving up back to back home runs. The batting order only managing 4 hits Vs the Mets 17. A 9-0 loss made all the worse by Corbin Carroll exiting the game in the 7th inning with a shoulder injury. The Diamondbacks have lost 4 straight and the Dodgers are quickly closing in on their division lead.
At one point the benches cleared late in the game:
(https://i.imgur.com/S4b06Mw.jpg)
-
I went to 'new' Yankee Stadium for the first time this past week (or YS III as my friends and I like to say). These comments are not novel or original; 1. Why did they build a lame replica of YS I/II? 2. I've been to most of the post Camden Yards era new ballparks, and it kind of seems built on the cheap. That said, really nice club lounge (A/C great plus on a hot evening) with superb service. Downright hilarious to see the efforts by the ushers to police the moat around home plate area.
-
On this date in 1985, Nolan Ryan becomes the first pitcher to record 4,000 career Ks.
https://youtu.be/fIOAXOpiHJo
-
Shohei Ohtani's Angels era is reportedly expected to come to an end, but not necessarily his time in Los Angeles.
According to the L.A. Times, the Dodgers are the clear favorites to land the MVP frontrunner, who recently said that it "sucks to lose" as the Halos continue to struggle.
Per the Times: "One rival team executive, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because tampering rules forbid him from discussing prospective free agents on other teams, was willing to bet a sushi dinner on the Dodgers. Three other executives echoed that it's the Dodgers and then everyone else. Multiple agents, granted anonymity to speak freely, agreed."
-
Sweet!
-
I will cheer against any team that tries to outright buy a pennant (Mets). My pitching coach said Ohtani will sign for north of $600 million.
-
so, the Dodgers are playing the Orioles on TBS
meanwhile, the Diamondbacks are playing at the Braves with no TV coverage
WTF??
-
You all should be playing the Immaculate Grid. fun online game.
-
a quick google search claims there's an NFL Immaculate Grid
-
Sports Reference bought the game quickly and then created versions for other sports.
-
(https://scontent.ffod1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/362228499_9611860328886363_6612993891609053466_n.jpg?stp=cp6_dst-jpg&_nc_cat=1&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=5cd70e&_nc_ohc=thDB9sucgFQAX9JfGuA&_nc_ht=scontent.ffod1-1.fna&oh=00_AfAVbZI4sZulntR0xMKmHwYVyebp2G87tvDi1p2wKPYuZg&oe=64C21C68)
-
Why Was This Ball Called Fair in New York? | Close Call Sports & Umpire Ejection Fantasy League (https://www.closecallsports.com/2023/07/why-was-this-ball-called-fair-in-new.html?fbclid=IwAR3WpqnFw6IrP8SucCY6_s3vZOLsnjguGvpS9vyND8HZt8JQgkFEubOc9KE)
-
An odd thing about soccer, if a ball is kicked in the air on a curve and goes OB, in the air, and comes back in, it's ruled out of bounds even if it lands fair. The position of a player playing the ball is not relevant, the player can be OB and touch the ball on the line, and it's still in play.
-
Why Was This Ball Called Fair in New York? | Close Call Sports & Umpire Ejection Fantasy League (https://www.closecallsports.com/2023/07/why-was-this-ball-called-fair-in-new.html?fbclid=IwAR3WpqnFw6IrP8SucCY6_s3vZOLsnjguGvpS9vyND8HZt8JQgkFEubOc9KE)
I always thought its the spot of the ball touching the ground that determines fair or faul
This is saying even though the ball touches the ground in faul territory part of the ball was over fair territory when touched by the fielder so its a fair ball
Thats a first for me
-
Imagine a fly ball just clips the foul pole, it's a home run.
-
I always thought its the spot of the ball touching the ground that determines fair or faul
This is saying even though the ball touches the ground in faul territory part of the ball was over fair territory when touched by the fielder so its a fair ball
Thats a first for me
If any part of the ball is over any part of the foul line at the time of first touch, or if the ball touches the base, it's a fair ball.
-
Imagine a fly ball just clips the foul pole, it's a home run.
because the foul pole is in fair territory
the label is incorrect
-
The idiot got thrown out at 2nd anyway. Sheesh.
-
Padres game last night. For as praised as Petco Park is one feature that goes almost unmentioned is the standing room viewing, wrapping almost all the way around the field to include Gallagher Square's hills in the outfield. I usually buy the cheapest tickets and take advantage of the standing room views unless my buddies want to sit for a while.
As for the Padres, they finally beat the Pirates after five tries since late June. In fact, the Padres have been the ONLY team they've had any success against since a ten game losing streak starting in mid-June. They've lost every series since, except those against San Diego. Rubber match is tonight.
The Padres improved to 49-53 last night, a thus far disappointing season that, given the batting order and the money invested into pitching, all falls on the players.
(https://i.imgur.com/eBtMh8L.jpg)
-
Good crowd, the pitch clock seems to be working.
-
Good crowd, the pitch clock seems to be working.
The pitch clock is the best thing to happen to baseball in my lifetime.
-
so, the Halos decide to keep Ohtani and try to make the playoffs today
Ohtani goes 0-5 with 2 Ks at the plate, but..........
complete game shutout 1 hitter with 8 Ks on the mound
2nd game of the double header........... Ohtani at the plate hits his 37th - a 2-run shot
-
so, the Halos decide to keep Ohtani and try to make the playoffs today
Ohtani goes 0-5 with 2 Ks at the plate, but..........
complete game shutout 1 hitter with 8 Ks on the mound
2nd game of the double header........... Ohtani at the plate hits his 37th - a 2-run shot
Isnt this the last season of his contract?
If hes not traded dont the Angels stand a chance of getting nothing for him
-
yup, Ohtani will be a free agent in the offseason. Even though the franchise risks losing the 29-year-old slugger and starting pitcher on an open market where he could command $500 million, it is motivated to make its first playoff appearance in his six major league seasons.
-
yup, Ohtani will be a free agent in the offseason. Even though the franchise risks losing the 29-year-old slugger and starting pitcher on an open market where he could command $500 million, it is motivated to make its first playoff appearance in his six major league seasons.
they are 3 and 1/2 out of a WC spot so its not a given
they might end up not in playoffs and nothing for their free agents
-
seems Arte Moreno wants to resign Ohtani
Guy is obviously putting butts in the seats
and LA is a pretty good place for a Japanese player
-
The Mets have just traded J Verlander to the Astros
Verlander has a 1.92 ERA in his last 7 starts
so this couldnt hurt
-
The problem is that the Angels are 3 games out of the WC amidst teams far better than them. IMHO they should trade Ohtani and get something for him. Him and Trout are the only players on that team that's worth more than a bucket of batting practice balls.
Speaking of teams that should be gutted out at the deadline, the Twins should be cleaning house after that pathetic performance in Kansas City this weekend. They're only getting in because the Central has 4 of the worst 6 teams in the AL. Don't count on the Twins 18-game postseason losing streak to end.
-
Angels gonna Angel.
-
Valdez throws a no no against Cleveland
Only lefty to ever throw a no hitter for the Astros
This is the Astros 16th no hitter
-
The Angels are thinking if they get Trout back they would be dangerous.
-
(https://i.imgur.com/ApiTf63.png)
-
A thing MLB does better than most is nicknames, I think.
-
(https://scontent.ffod1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/367746159_689662299872650_7289078103104301050_n.jpg?_nc_cat=1&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=HQwnyvkSfEcAX8pM63d&_nc_ht=scontent.ffod1-1.fna&oh=00_AfA-RHIWFhxvcy1bQSp13j1m5Y9q41_A6Xvi4SlOZGwXAw&oe=64E46E5E)
Nolan Ryan once threw 235 pitches in a game and made his next start against the Yankees on just three days’ rest.
In 1974, Ryan struck out 19 Red Sox hitters over 13 innings in the California Angels' 4-3, 15-inning victory at the Big A. But the most astonishing stat from Ryan’s outing might be his pitch count: 235, according to accounts from the game.
This was the second of Ryan’s three 19-strikeout performances in 1974, a season in which he finished with 367 strikeouts - 16 shy of the all-time record he set the year before. Ryan finished with a no-decision and didn’t even log the most innings by any pitcher in Anaheim that day: His opponent, Luis Tiant, went 14 1/3 innings before surrendering Denny Doyle’s walk-off double in the bottom of the 15th.
But Ryan’s mammoth effort didn’t do him any worse for wear. He made his next start against the Yankees (six scoreless innings) on just three days’ rest and finished the season with 26 complete games.
-
(https://scontent.foma1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/366063530_827652622485307_5640366964041906795_n.jpg?stp=cp6_dst-jpg&_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=krb1hb1beQ4AX-fGCeO&_nc_ht=scontent.foma1-2.fna&oh=00_AfDRNtZu8i5mUenbeRfqxWS-3O4ASJ_xjXbGHKwncwo5sw&oe=64E3F1FF)
-
(https://scontent.foma1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/366972644_10233257878055863_4577532162475296681_n.jpg?_nc_cat=1&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=5cd70e&_nc_ohc=IS9-Pqp5x9kAX9Gn5Ud&_nc_ht=scontent.foma1-2.fna&oh=00_AfBI0s3t4xTUjcAxFBpC2qYXLmdpYnO9keU_UV4WeOUPYw&oe=64E48A8B)
-
(https://scontent.ffod1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/369786537_880595483495816_2652615228088683128_n.jpg?_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=9ZLIts3DxasAX8Wunn4&_nc_ht=scontent.ffod1-1.fna&oh=00_AfDN0Tw2Ql1rXKyQ1u6kAYqsTx1P12A1y8N1sW0AKWJpjg&oe=64EA6E7B)
-
(https://i.imgur.com/7wJ9Dtt.png)
-
MLB executives on how to beat the Atlanta Braves - ESPN (https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/38283725/mlb-executives-how-beat-atlanta-braves-2023-playoffs-postseason)
-
Aside what whoever wins the AL Central, every team except the Giants is either really damn good, or really damn fun, or both. If Arizona, Cincinnati or Miami can overtake SF, I think I will be as in on these playoffs as I've been without a horse in the race
-
I had lunch with my coach last Thursday. He was a first round pick, pitcher of course, had a somewhat injury prone MLB career. He was musing back to his start in pro ball, right out of HS. He said the first time he threw on the side in rookie league about 30 other players came up to watch. He's 18/19 years old at that point. He got traded to the Braves for various reasons and told me it was AA ball where the talent started to be fairly serious. Before that, players were often just over matched. At the AAA level, everyone was quite good, some players had "holes in their swing" etc. But nearly everyone could hit well if you made a mistake.
I've heard some say it's a bit easier to hit in the majors because the pitches would be around the plate, while in the minors a lot of pitchers could throw hard but with sparing control. My coach said everyone in the majors is looking for a fastball to hit, they would usually sit on that, and adjust if you hung a breaking pitch.
He said Tony Gwynn was unreal, he'd hit the best pitch anyone threw him. He said their approach was to throw it done the middle and confuse him.
-
The Tigers can't even cobble together a starting rotation, while the Dodgers are going to finish we ith the 2nd best record in baseball with 2/5 of their expected rotation banned from baseball, and a third trying to come back from TJ
-
The Braves have 23 divisional titles and only 2 WS championships.
-
The Braves have 23 divisional titles and only 2 WS championships.
Where are you getting this dubious data. The Braves have won four World Series and 18 NL pennants, 8 of those prior to the WS era which began in 1903. Braves history in both Boston and Milwaukee is still longer than Atlanta.
Unless you're only counting Atlanta which then would be two ws, six pennants and 23 divisional titles.
-
The Braves have 23 divisional titles and only 2 WS championships.
Sounds like Michigan football.
-
Where are you getting this dubious data. The Braves have won four World Series and 18 NL pennants, 8 of those prior to the WS era which began in 1903. Braves history in both Boston and Milwaukee is still longer than Atlanta.
Unless you're only counting Atlanta which then would be two ws, six pennants and 23 divisional titles.
Yeah, I meant two WS coming from the divisional titles. I should have been more specific.
-
(https://scontent.ffod1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/382171714_10224500039271025_4302205863240336639_n.jpg?stp=cp6_dst-jpg&_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=5614bc&_nc_ohc=62nl-JTdJOUAX_97RJd&_nc_ht=scontent.ffod1-1.fna&oh=00_AfAVMplOI09oDjjSJk4CEVUXiOVscknJKGhkHjHR97Dgig&oe=65167E00)
-
I have this notion the Braves are going to set a lot of regular season records and get eliminated in the NLCS.
-
I think Kyle Tucker is the most underrated player in the league
-
I have this notion the Braves are going to set a lot of regular season records and get eliminated in the NLCS.
Wouldn't be an MLB postseason in the bloated era w/o somebody going home early
-
I have this notion the Braves are going to set a lot of regular season records and get eliminated in the NLCS.
Welcome to my world the last decade.
It's a coin flip.
-
Throwing a foul ball back into play at a player, is dumb. But for the TBS announcer to say that that 17-year-old should never come to another baseball game for his life is even dumber.
-
Wouldn't be an MLB postseason in the bloated era w/o somebody going home early
At least they're getting there. Before the bloated age, a 100+ win Dodgers team would be in line for elimination tomorrow, and 3 of the 4 LCS teams would already be locked in.
-
Lest we have a pennant race. Pick your poison. Giants win 103 games in '93 and stay home. Or we flip coins and let the 87 win Astros have a chance.
-
(https://scontent-msp1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/383400941_10230592759713162_7359788209513815456_n.jpg?_nc_cat=104&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=4c1e7d&_nc_ohc=PHt3JOtZASEAX_N6Tcj&_nc_ht=scontent-msp1-1.xx&oh=00_AfDKvyucgVIRsZyV6JBMEbZCUnRQT3L0jWN746aLRHfCOA&oe=6519C465)
-
On w the tournament.
-
Lest we have a pennant race. Pick your poison. Giants win 103 games in '93 and stay home. Or we flip coins and let the 87 win Astros have a chance.
I'll never understand wanting a more inclusive postseason in any sport, especially baseball. Total sellout for the causal fan. No interest in determining the best team.
Baseball is special in that it literally created the World Series to see which "best team" from each league was actually better, and it was a best-of-9 series.
Now we have barely-over .500 teams in short series duking it out. It's a joke.
-
Because it's entertainment? We aren't solving world hunger here.
Granted I've always said to end the regular season at Labor Day, and then set a ladder bracket from there. The bottom 2 teams play a best of 3 at the home site of the better team, and the winner advances, and plays the next team up, and so on
-
But it's only entertaining if it's great baseball.
There's a reason MLB averages 30K fans per game, AAA 4K, and college something like 1K.
The more 85 win teams you allow into the playoffs, the worse your average champ is going to be. Over time, that matters.
The better the teams are in the end, the better competition it is, and that's what makes it entertaining.
Interleague play, expanded playoffs, etc are to get more fans, not to improve the competition on the field.
I'm not saying it should be far at either end of the competition vs entertainment spectrum, but EVERY change has it going one way.
-
I mean, I've never heard of any fan care less because their team only won 90 games. MLB still has the most restrictive playoff
-
A lack of anecdotal evidence isn't really a good support for anything.
The longest regular season should have the most restrictive playoff.
-
Again, nobody is arguing about the best method of determining a champion.
-
Just got back from Terry Francona's last home game as
Guardians Indians Manager as they beat the Reds 4-3. Bieber got the win,beautiful evening 70ish,Cleveland drew 1,834,000 fans this year
-
Again, nobody is arguing about the best method of determining a champion.
But it's tied to the entertainment-competition sliding scale.
-
but, but, but...........
-
I'm not saying it should be far at either end of the competition vs entertainment spectrum, but EVERY change has it going one way.
I think everyone here understands that, understood it long ago, and knows it's because of money.
At least the best record now gets you home field (so long as you win each series).
I know HFA is of substance in CFB, I don't know about baseball, it's a thing to be in your own dugout etc. Does the crowd aid in baseball performance?
-
I was musing how certain events divisible by ten seem to carry more cache than otherwise. This 40/70 thing is a thing, OK, got it, but is it not about as good at 39/69? Now we have a 40/70 club, of one. And we do this with say 500 HRs of course, or batting over .300, or .400.
-
We're apes.
It's cool to finally see someone approach Rickey Henderson/Eric Davis numbers.
Henderson went 28 HR, 87 SB for the Yankees in 86. That's sick.
Davis' famous season was in 86 as well (27 HR, 80 SB) in under 500 PAs. Followed it up with 37 HR, 50 SB, but '87 was a rogue wave of offense (freakin' Boggs hit 24 HRs that year).
-
Davis' '86 season is famous with baseball nerds and guess what it got him? A 12th-place finish in MVP voting. What in the actual fuck?
-
Fun with end points.
-
The MVP thing depends a lot on who else is having a year. Mark Olson would be a strong contender in some years, 54 HR, 137 RBI, .282. The BA is a bit low.
-
If this were 1987 Olson would win based on voters drooling over RBIs and the like. Bet he finishes 3rd this year
-
Is BA even cornsidered these daze?
-
The more recent MVP batters usually have a BA above .300.
It's a factor, even if they talk other metrics like OPS in which BA/OBP are parts.
A walk broadly is not as good as a hit.
-
A walk isn't as good as a hit, but it's a lot better than an out.
OBP is much more useful than BA, as it's not hit vs walk, but hits & walks vs just hits.
Here's a fun stat: the MLB leader in walks this year is hitting .197 for the season. What sense does that make?
-
Here's a fun stat: the MLB leader in walks this year is hitting .197 for the season. What sense does that make?
He's not looking to swing the bat
-
So, all 12 playoff spots are decided. Really all that matters is whether the Rangers or Astros win the AL West, because that's the difference between a bye, and home field in the ALDS, or having to win 2 of 3 in Tampa.
Just looking back at the prior 8 and 10 team formats in the 6 division era
10 TEAM
- Astros and Blue Jays tied for the final AL Wildcard spot, but Astros could potentially still win the West, setting up a potential playoff between the Blue Jays and whoever doesn't win the West
- Marlins and Diamondbacks tied for the final NL wildcard spot going into the last day
8 TEAM
- Same as 12 team, all that matters is who wins the AL West, but whoever doesn't, goes home
- Everything already settled. Phillies have the Wildcard
-
American League
Wild-card round: (6) Astros* at (3) Twins*, (5) Blue Jays* at (4) Rays*
ALDS: Twins/Astros vs. (2) Rangers*, Rays/Blue Jays vs. (1) Orioles*
National League
Wild-card round: (6) D-backs* at (3) Brewers*, (5) Marlins* at (4) Phillies*
NLDS: Brewers/D-backs vs. (2) Dodgers*, Phillies/Marlins vs. (1) Braves*
-
Tony Gwynn and Rod Carew 6,149 hits 15 batting titles
(https://i.imgur.com/ubdyabB.png)
-
He's not looking to swing the bat
Then throw strikes.
-
American League
Wild-card round: (6) Astros* at (3) Twins*, (5) Blue Jays* at (4) Rays*
ALDS: Twins/Astros vs. (2) Rangers*, Rays/Blue Jays vs. (1) Orioles*
National League
Wild-card round: (6) D-backs* at (3) Brewers*, (5) Marlins* at (4) Phillies*
NLDS: Brewers/D-backs vs. (2) Dodgers*, Phillies/Marlins vs. (1) Braves*
wrong
Tuesday, Oct. 3
Game 1: No. 3 Brewers vs. No. 6 Diamondbacks (ABC/ESPN/ESPN2)
Game 1: No. 4 Phillies vs. No. 5 Marlins (ABC/ESPN/ESPN2)
Game 1: No. 3 Twins vs. No. 6 Blue Jays (ABC/ESPN/ESPN2)
Game 1: No. 4 Rays vs. No. 5 Rangers (ABC/ESPN/ESPN2)
Wednesday, Oct. 4
Game 2: Brewers vs. Diamondbacks (ABC/ESPN/ESPN2)
Game 2: Phillies vs. Marlins (ABC/ESPN/ESPN2)
Game 2: Twins vs. Blue Jays (ABC/ESPN/ESPN2)
Game 2: Rays vs. Rangers (ABC/ESPN/ESPN2)
Thursday, Oct. 5
Game 3*: Brewers vs. Diamondbacks (ABC/ESPN/ESPN2)
Game 3*: Phillies vs. Marlins (ABC/ESPN/ESPN2)
Game 3*: Twins vs. Blue Jays (ABC/ESPN/ESPN2)
Game 3*: Rays vs. Rangers (ABC/ESPN/ESPN2)
-
Then throw strikes.
Too many pitchers are dependent on getting swings and misses out of the zone
-
I blame Vlad Sr.
-
Guy ruined a Ben Sheets perfecto, by clubbing a ball out of the dirt.
-
I blame Vlad Sr.
Nah, he actually hit them.
I blame converting pitchers to throwers. If you can get through 18 batters,.you are a starter. Everyone else is a specialist. And they come out throwing 98. Every hitter has to be ready to face 3-4 pitchers a game, all of whom throw as hard as.possible, knowing they are only there for a minute
-
Maddux says he was throwing 94-65 when he started in pro ball, I had not known that. Pete Smith tells me he was a thrower before his injury and surgery and had to learn to pitch then. When he came up to the Braves, the pitching coach gave him a week to learn to throw a change up.
Then he taught me how to throw a circle change and I've gotten pretty decent at it. My problem is I change speeds from about 60-65 to about 50-55.
Spencer Strider is a definite thrower though he has a nice slider, but no dependable change.
Two of the best pitchers of our time threw 90-91, changed speeds, and located, and Tony Gwynn hit them anyway.
-
Tony Gwynn hit everybody
-
He should be in the HoF.
-
he's not???
-
Of cousre he is.
(https://i.imgur.com/VARfxQr.png)
This guy might be some day if he stays healthy. He's hitting lead off.
-
https://twitter.com/nut_history/status/1708597643377623344?s=20
-
My playoff picks
WILDCARD SERIES
- #3 Twins d. #6 Blue Jays in 3
- #5 Rangers d. #4 Rays in 3
- #6 Diamondbacks d. #3 Brewers in 2
- #5 Marlins d. #4 Phillies in 3
DIVISIONAL SERIES
- #5 Rangers d. #1 Orioles in 6
- #3 Twins d. #2 Astros in 6
- #1 Braves d. #5 Marlins in 5
- #2 Dodgers d. #6 Diamondbacks in 6
CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
- #3 Twins d. #5 Rangers in 7
- #1 Braves d. #2 Dodgers in 7
WORLD SERIES
- Atlanta Braves d. Minnesota Twins in 5
-
Brandon Woodruff a scratch for series. Not helping.
-
My playoff picks
WILDCARD SERIES
- #3 Twins d. #6 Blue Jays in 3
- #5 Rangers d. #4 Rays in 3
- #6 Diamondbacks d. #3 Brewers in 2
- #5 Marlins d. #4 Phillies in 3
DIVISIONAL SERIES
- #5 Rangers d. #1 Orioles in 6
- #3 Twins d. #2 Astros in 6
- #1 Braves d. #5 Marlins in 5
- #2 Dodgers d. #6 Diamondbacks in 6
CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
- #3 Twins d. #5 Rangers in 7
- #1 Braves d. #2 Dodgers in 7
WORLD SERIES
- Atlanta Braves d. Minnesota Twins in 5
no love for the Astros even with home field advantage
-
My playoff picks
WILDCARD SERIES
- #3 Twins d. #6 Blue Jays in 3
- #5 Rangers d. #4 Rays in 3
- #6 Diamondbacks d. #3 Brewers in 2
- #5 Marlins d. #4 Phillies in 3
DIVISIONAL SERIES
- #5 Rangers d. #1 Orioles in 6
- #3 Twins d. #2 Astros in 6
- #1 Braves d. #5 Marlins in 5
- #2 Dodgers d. #6 Diamondbacks in 6
CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
- #3 Twins d. #5 Rangers in 7
- #1 Braves d. #2 Dodgers in 7
WORLD SERIES
- Atlanta Braves d. Minnesota Twins in 5
You have way too much faith in the Twins to even win a game, much less a series.
-
I used to RELISH the regular season's end, just to get my hands on the final season stats. Just a few years ago, actually.
Now, something else takes up all my nerdy sports numbers time. At least it makes money. Before, I was nerding out for free!
-
You have way too much faith in the Twins to even win a game, much less a series.
I'll believe it when I see it
-
The Twins current postseason losing streak is L18, and it dates to 2004.
Since that time, MSP pro teams not named the Lynx or the Vikings have advanced exactly two playoff rounds since then. Both of those advances ended by getting shelled in the second round by the Blackhawks.
So color me pessimistic.
-
when did the Phillies get good?
-
FF missed last year's WS
-
yep
-
Can we at least agree that the value of having four playoff games in one day is to line them up better? Why are these games not at like 1, 4, 7, 10
-
when did the Phillies get good?
I don't even think they are. The $400 million Mets fell on their faces and save for the Dodgers, the Central and West divisions suck.
-
Can we at least agree that the value of having four playoff games in one day is to line them up better? Why are these games not at like 1, 4, 7, 10
and not only that while you are watching 1 and recording another the one you are watching keeps telling you the current score of the one you are recording which is bullshit
-
I struggle to view Evan Longoria as a grizzled veteran
-
I still stand by expanding to 8, with no divisions. But these games are all in a row, with no days off, with all games hosted by the higher seed. The lower seeded team always needs to win 4, but the higher seeded team just needs to win the number of games pursuant to their seed. So the #1 seed needs to win 1, #2 seed 2, and so on
-
and not only that while you are watching 1 and recording another the one you are watching keeps telling you the current score of the one you are recording which is bullshit
I don't mind a subtle but not wide gap. I think one rationale for this set up, not going to start a game locally at 9pm.
-
19K fans yesterday.
(https://i.imgur.com/XHJsO5e.jpg)
-
tuesday day game?
-
Perfect time for retired folks.
A good seat for $185.00. A cheap seat for $75.00.
Not perfect for fixed-income folks in a period of high inflation.
-
Major league baseball has no business in Florida.
There. I said it.
-
$150/seat for a couple retired folks living on SS is a bit high
even $75, with parking, transportation, a hot dog & a beer
I'd wait for the next round and a night game
-
agreed
I couldn't root for Miami and I dislike the Phillies
-
Lowest attended postseason game since the 1919 World Series apparently
-
Major league baseball has no business in Florida.
There. I said it.
I would agree.
Now, the spring training stuff is great. All of the games around here mostly sell out. Especially the Red Sox.
-
I would agree.
Now, the spring training stuff is great. All of the games around here mostly sell out. Especially the Red Sox.
Spring training is fine, most games there outdraw the Rays and Marlins together.
Fort Myers in February when Minnesota and Boston are hip deep in snow? Absolutely.
-
Come on down. I'll go to a Twinkies game or two with you.
-
My parents are begging to try and get the grandkids down there for a Red Sox spring training game
-
My parents are begging to try and get the grandkids down there for a Red Sox spring training game
Those are not cheap tickets, as you can imagine.
-
Those are not cheap tickets, as you can imagine.
No, that's why they want to try and lock in dates early. They are down there longer and longer each year.
-
Where are they? Fort Myers?
-
Come on down. I'll go to a Twinkies game or two with you.
The closest I'm coming to you is Destin in January. My FIL's family mostly lives around there. I also know that's about as far from you as one can get while still in Florida.
-
The closest I'm coming to you is Destin in January. My FIL's family mostly lives around there. I also know that's about as far from you as one can get while still in Florida.
Well, you're halfway here at least.
-
Where are they? Fort Myers?
Yep
-
Cactus>Grapefruit.
Very few deals left in spring training.
-
Cactus>Grapefruit.
Very few deals left in spring training.
From my understanding, the cactus League is both more tightly concentrated, and in nicer stadiums. The grapefruit League is dependent on nostalgia. But for me, Florida is closer, and I have a free place to stay
-
Played it out on OOTP, and the Braves beat the Astros in 6 to win the title. But it's rarely that predictable
-
That also has to go down as the worst round of playoffs in any American sport ever. 4 2-0 sweeps, no 1 run games,.only 6 of 8 decided by 2 runs
-
Yet it was played in less than 32 hours so I won't complain too much. Nba first round takes 2+ weeks .
-
NBA playoffs are in tight competition with college basketball's regular season for the most unwatchable individual sports games on the planet.
-
NBA playoffs are in tight competition with college basketball's regular season for the most unwatchable individual sports games on the planet.
Wait, but you are on board with the NBA regular season?
-
How many people showed up in St. Pete yesterday?
That team should move to Orlando. Maybe. Or to some place that really wants a team.
Charlotte??
-
How many people showed up in St. Pete yesterday?
That team should move to Orlando. Maybe. Or to some place that really wants a team.
Charlotte??
They just approved a new stadium, staying in St. Pete
-
They just approved a new stadium, staying in St. Pete
I know - but I thought it was in Tampa this time??
They should rescind the stadium. Let them move.
-
I know - but I thought it was in Tampa this time??
They should rescind the stadium. Let them move.
Looks to be in the same area
(https://i.imgur.com/9siXzhy.jpg)
-
I thought they were looking at Ybor City. Shows you how much I follow.
I still have a "Florida White Sox" hat that I bought in 1988 while on my "honeymoon" (first wife) in Clearwater. They thought they had them on the hook and then the IL governor swept in at the 11th hour to keep them in Chicago.
-
There's some St. Petersburg Giants gear around too.
-
The Rays are in St. Pete. Good to hear they're getting a new ballpark. It better have a retractable roof, with all the rain.
Tampa sites made sense because there's room there. Pinellas county is something like 99.7% developed already. There's almost literally no undeveloped land on the peninsula.
Tampa's fanbase problem has to do with the fact that half of baseball fans there are Yankees fans. NYY has held spring training in Tampa for 25+ years. It's a few hundred yards from the Bucs' stadium and across the street from a strip club. To be fair, everything in Tampa is across the street from a strip club.
Those ladies must make a pretty penny in March every year.
-
The Rays are in St. Pete. Good to hear they're getting a new ballpark. It better have a retractable roof, with all the rain.
I think it's fully enclosed again. You think they are going to pony up for the retractable roof?
-
Astros controlled that whole game except for Hector Neris
-
https://twitter.com/ChrisMuellerPGH/status/1710821205769326820?t=yCdqaUAkNgNNC6kEKWObYg&s=19
-
(https://media.tenor.com/DluhpUwlqnIAAAAC/shit-thebed.gif)
Clayton Kershaw tonight.
-
So in light of his video, are the Dodgers going to immediately reinstate Bauer, with back pay?
-
The Dodgers are fine. They're like 5% less likely to win the series now. Arizona can win 20-0, it's still just 1 game.
-
So only 45% likely to win?
-
Exactly, actually. Somewhere in that 45-55% range. Phils shut out the Braves today. It's an utter coin flip.
-
that's baseball
-
Looks like we finally have a series where both teams have a win. 14 games in
-
(https://i.imgur.com/yD6ENyI.png)
-
About to vastly increase.
Joe Mauer, David Price, Stephen Strasburg (?), Bryce Harper, Gerrit Cole, Carlos Correa(?), Adley Rutschman (long way to go)
-
Acuna if he stays healthy. Max Fried?
-
Joe Mauer might make it onto the HoF ballot, but the only way he gets into Cooperstown is if he buys a ticket.
-
Braves fans want Dale Murphy to get in, and Andruw Jones.
-
Acuna if he stays healthy. Max Fried?
Were either of those guys #1 picks?
-
Joe Mauer might make it onto the HoF ballot, but the only way he gets into Cooperstown is if he buys a ticket.
I would bet he gets in
-
At some point there will be on overcorrection on 3B and C getting in. There will be a 2-3 year floodgate for them, and then it'll be back to normal.
-
We're getting close already.
-
Braves with a comeback win to beat Philly, and a hell of a double play to end the game.
-
I love Magic Johnson flying back and forth from Dodgers games to Commanders games, Tweeting like a.bot
-
I got frustrated watching the inept Braves last night, so we went to the local tavern for dinner. It was quiet night, not many folks out for some reason, Monday etc. They had the game on, I could hardly believe it. It reminded me of the UGA-OSU game where I went to bad start of the 4th figuring it was done.
So, that's my gig now.
-
Great calls by tbs PBP Brian Anderson late innings last night. I'm a big homer of his due to his day job doing primary TV PBP for the Brewers, but he's the best in the biz on the national calls.
-
I got frustrated watching the inept Braves last night, so we went to the local tavern for dinner. It was quiet night, not many folks out for some reason, Monday etc. They had the game on, I could hardly believe it. It reminded me of the UGA-OSU game where I went to bad start of the 4th figuring it was done.
So, that's my gig now.
Did you at least get back to watch the ending?
-
We got back, and I went to the head, and my wife started screaming, so I finished and saw the replay. (The bar is next door, and pretty decent.)
At least I wasn't completely asleep.
-
I saw 3 managers in a row remove the dominant starter. DBacks did it last night, Phiillies did it and lost, and someone else did it, I can't remember.
A lot of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" being thrown out the window.
-
The NL "champ" will have finished either 14 games back in their DIVISION or 16 games back.
What is the fucking point?
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
-
you may need therapy
the playoff crowns a playoff champ
the reg season crowns a reg season champ
they are different
-
There's no such thing as a regular season champ in baseball.
And I'm sorry if I'm incredulous, but having a 162-game season only to whittle it down to a best-of-5 or 7 series is plainly stupid.
-
There's no such thing as a regular season champ in baseball.
And I'm sorry if I'm incredulous, but having a 162-game season only to whittle it down to a best-of-5 or 7 series is plainly stupid.
If team A cant win at least 4 out of 7 games against team B they lose and its been that way for over 100 years
Not sure what would make you happy short of just declaring the Dodgers as champions for winning more games during the reg season
-
obviously, the Dodgers and Braves are not built for the playoffs ;)
-
If team A cant win at least 4 out of 7 games against team B they lose and its been that way for over 100 years
Not sure what would make you happy short of just declaring the Dodgers as champions for winning more games during the reg season
How long something has been in place is irrelevant.
Also, for the first 68 years, there were 2 leagues that didn't play each other and no divisions. So to correct your statement, it's only been this way for like 55 years.
.
What would make me happy? Not rewarding mediocrity.
Divisions are a thing, so be it.
Division champions should face off to determine the league champ. Simple.
.
Having teams that finished 15 games back in your playoff is sheer obliviousness and is solely for money. Throw competition out the window. Entertainment only.
There is ZERO interest in the champion being the best team.
.
I simply don't see the point of that.
If this isn't the appropriate place to share that, then what is? lol
-
obviously, the Dodgers and Braves are not built for the playoffs ;)
How dare you! :96::57:
-
How long something has been in place is irrelevant.
Also, for the first 68 years, there were 2 leagues that didn't play each other and no divisions. So to correct your statement, it's only been this way for like 55 years.
.
What would make me happy? Not rewarding mediocrity.
Divisions are a thing, so be it.
Division champions should face off to determine the league champ. Simple.
.
Having teams that finished 15 games back in your playoff is sheer obliviousness and is solely for money. Throw competition out the window. Entertainment only.
There is ZERO interest in the champion being the best team.
.
I simply don't see the point of that.
If this isn't the appropriate place to share that, then what is? lol
I would like the wc teams reduced to 1 in each league
While we are at it lets get rid of the time clock bs on the pitcher and batter and the starting a runner on 2nd base in extra inning games
-
I like the pace-of-play changes. A 2.5 hour baseball game is better than a 4 hour baseball game.
-
I like the pace-of-play changes. A 2.5 hour baseball game is better than a 4 hour baseball game.
the 2023 average time is 24 min shorter then the 2022 time
not enough to make me want it
-
I'm old school but like the shorter games
-
Shorter games ARE old school. Games were barely 2 hours back before lights were a thing. They had to get the game in before the sun went down.
-
up, well aware
easy before the creation of batting gloves w/velcro
-
(https://scontent.ffod1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/385263172_18303935458114500_3469900731914517501_n.jpg?_nc_cat=1&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=5f2048&_nc_ohc=Xykib_g2-KIAX_-cAkA&_nc_ht=scontent.ffod1-1.fna&oh=00_AfDygJ_uK6AvzdaXrC7onxk0dijdzIYl0xr4VmEAHG-lKw&oe=652FB614)
-
Yeah, all the timing rules do is get the game back to how it was always played.
I like all of the other changes they made this year (larger bases, pickoff limits, shift restrictions)
I don't like the Manfred Man/zombie runner though. That, like the 7 inning DH, was a COVID rule when there were no real minor leagues, so you couldn't really adjust your roster on the fly after having to burn your entire pitching staff with 18+ innings in a day. There is no reason to keep it.
Same way I feel about college football, even before they made everything after the first 2 OTs a 2pt contest. Once you change the game fundamentally that much, just to declare a winner,.I'd rather just have ties.
-
(https://scontent.ffod1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/385263172_18303935458114500_3469900731914517501_n.jpg?_nc_cat=1&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=5f2048&_nc_ohc=Xykib_g2-KIAX_-cAkA&_nc_ht=scontent.ffod1-1.fna&oh=00_AfDygJ_uK6AvzdaXrC7onxk0dijdzIYl0xr4VmEAHG-lKw&oe=652FB614)
He led the league in ERA one year with an 8-16 W-L record.
-
Same way I feel about college football, even before they made everything after the first 2 OTs a 2pt contest. Once you change the game fundamentally that much, just to declare a winner,.I'd rather just have ties.
I haven't really thought about overtime rules. What they have in place right now is genuinely bizarre. It's like something you tinker with little by little until it's just crap.
My idea to fix it would be for tie games to have 1 OT. Both teams get the ball, like now. But the idea is the team that gets the ball 2nd has to go for the win.
SO, if:
Team A doesn't score, Team B wins with any score. If Team B fails to score, it's a tie.
Team A kicks a FG, Team B has to go for a TD when they have the ball. No ties.
Team A scores a TD + XP*, Team B has to score a TD and must go for 2. No ties.
.
So the only way a game can end in a tie is if both teams poop the bed. That's like kissing your sister, right? They'd have patheticked their way to a tie.
.
*Team A cannot go for two. They can earn their win by not allowing a TD to Team B or denying their 2-pt conversion.
-
.
Having teams that finished 15 games back in your playoff is sheer obliviousness and is solely for money. Throw competition out the window. Entertainment only.
There is ZERO interest in the champion being the best team.
.
I simply don't see the point of that.
If this isn't the appropriate place to share that, then what is? lol
Psst. Don’t tell anybody, but it’s all for entertainment.
Carry on.
-
It is, but up to a point.
The competition aspect is vital, as it's what draws the best players to the field. Trotting out a fat 50 year old would be entertaining, in a #failarmy kind of way, but he'd suck and not help his team win.
Sports viewing is generally correlated with mastery and skill of the athletes. pro attendance > college attendance > women's sports, etc.
Athletes are drawn to sports to show how good they are, win games, and find out who is best.
The more we screw around with that, the riskier it gets.
I could see professional sports as we know it falling off a cliff 20 years from now, having sold out on entertainment and eschewing actual competition.
I don't think it's LIKELY, but the intro in the movie BASEketball could easily happen. We're in a post-truth, 9-second attention span world and baseball with football safeties taking people out or basketball requiring 1 woman on the court at all times is possible. Anything that gets 1 more click or like is a possibility.
While it's far-fetched and unlikely and perhaps silly to talk about, how would it start?
Players making more money pitching products than pitching baseballs.
Kids getting paid millions before taking a snap.
Teams finishing a distant 2nd (or 3rd) place, but being crowned champions.
A season-ending conference championship outcome being irrelevant.
Losses in a short regular season lacking any consequence in the polls.
And so on and so on.
-
I've been umpiring softball for a long time, and we've started extras in non-HS ball with the last runner due up on 2nd. That doesn't bother me.
-
It is, but up to a point.
the point is $$$ = entertainment
deserves has nothing to do with it
-
If you made me Commissioner, I'd abolish divisions, but keep the AL (with a DH) and the NL (without one). No crossover games.
Top 8 from each league would make the playoffs. The higher seeded team would host all games. The lower seeded team would always have to win 4. But the higher seeded team would have to win 1, 2, 3 or 4, based on their seed. So...
AMERICAN
- #8 Yankees at #1 Orioles (Yankees would have to win 4 in a row)
- #7 Twins at #2 Rays (Twins would have to win 4 of 5)
- #6 Mariners at #3 Astros (Mariners would have to win 4 of 6)
- #5 Blue Jays at #4 Rangers (true best of 7)
NATIONAL
- #8 Reds at #1 Braves (Reds would have to win 4 in a row)
- #7 Cubs at #2 Dodgers (Cubs would have to win 4 of 5)
- #6 Diamondbacks at #3 Brewers (Diamondbacks would have to win 4 of 6)
- #5 Marlins at #4 Phillies (true best of 7)
I think that would keep fan bases involved, while still valuing the regular season, better than it does now. And I'm sorry, no matter how great you were for 162 games, if you lose 4 straight playoff home games, against the 8th best team in your league, you deserve nothing
-
I like the current playoff system divisions and all
just lower the number of wild card teams to 1 from each league
everybody plays a home and home 7 game series with home field advantage decided by season w/l record and or head to head if necessary
-
If you aren't going to have unbalanced schedules, there no reason for divisions
-
If you aren't going to have unbalanced schedules, there no reason for divisions
you have divisions for increased fan interest
which has more fan appeal being overall 3rd in your league or being a division leader
and you would play division teams more then non division teams with some scattering of playing teams from the other league
all to increase fan appeal
-
Yes, rewarding mediocrity.
YOU get a playoff spot!
And YOU get a playoff spot!
Fuckin' Oprah over here.
-
Yes, rewarding mediocrity.
YOU get a playoff spot!
And YOU get a playoff spot!
Fuckin' Oprah over here.
I dont consider it rewarding mediocrity to allow division winners plus 1 wc team to play for a league title
their positions are well earned
-
I can't help but feel like the same people who say if you don't win your division in college football you don't deserve a chance at a NC are the same ones advocating for wild-card spots in MLB.
At least be consistent. The moment you allow a 2nd-place team into your playoff, you're rewarding mediocrity.
At least college football's short season allows for some uncertainty, right? Why bother with 162 games if you're just going to let everyone with a .500 record in your playoff in 3 and 5-game series???
(https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTfqz92tEtnS77o4n6i3VivV1Dki9ZUyGMmGg&usqp=CAU)
-
I can't help but feel like the same people who say if you don't win your division in college football you don't deserve a chance at a NC are the same ones advocating for wild-card spots in MLB.
At least be consistent. The moment you allow a 2nd-place team into your playoff, you're rewarding mediocrity.
At least college football's short season allows for some uncertainty, right? Why bother with 162 games if you're just going to let everyone with a .500 record in your playoff in 3 and 5-game series???
(https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTfqz92tEtnS77o4n6i3VivV1Dki9ZUyGMmGg&usqp=CAU)
4 out of 15 teams is not allowing just any 500 team in the playoffs in MLB
as far as college football is concerned I feel if a team has lost to a playoff team during the regular season they should not be in the playoff unless they play a 2nd time and win like a ccg
if a team with 1 loss did not win its conference but did not lose to another playoff team during the season they could be considered for the playoff
-
Have to get Valdez out of there. He's a mess
-
https://twitter.com/BaseballQuotes1/status/1713908853979418951?t=BBkVsX_6W57tL2844Mvrhw&s=19
-
she's toast.
-
She deserves what they will do to her in jail
-
Looks like we might finally have a good series this fall!
-
That video is from 2011. Hopefully that kid went to therapy and is well past this now.
Did not know Kris Jenner was an Astros fan tho.
-
I will say, postseason baseball is compelling. Baseball is the one sport where games affect each other due to pitching, so series make way more sense and aren't obvious money grabs. But man, it's too bad they hide the best stuff in October while football is going on.
-
Juicy game tonight.
-
Juicy game tonight.
I enjoyed it but have to admit had given this one up
-
Are the Astros allowed to decline going back to Houston for Game 6?
-
8 in a row in Arlington?
-
Are the Astros allowed to decline going back to Houston for Game 6?
no but they might get lucky ya just never know
-
Finally,.an all around fun baseball.night this postseason
-
and, not that there's any doubt about it, Brian Anderson >>>>> Joe Davis on the PBP.
-
My oldest daughter can't get over how often A. Garcia is up to bat for Texas. He's been an awesome menace.
-
Two game sevens is cool.
Bye-bye ASStros
-
Two game sevens is cool.
Bye-bye ASStros
Yes. Granted the one tonight was over early.
Hopefully tomorrow night is better
-
Good example of a series being memorable despite a dud game 7. Though Garcia has been memorable.
Btw: first ever game 7 involving the Phillies.
-
Good example of a series being memorable despite a dud game 7. Though Garcia has been memorable.
Btw: first ever game 7 involving the Phillies.
Cardinals beat the Tigers once 11-0 in a WS Game 7. So it could be worse
-
Are the Astros allowed to decline going back to Houston for Game 6?
They should've declined the game entirely.
-
Cardinals beat the Tigers once 11-0 in a WS Game 7. So it could be worse
That game is infamous for the bottles, trash and food thrown at the Cardinals.
-
That game is infamous for the bottles, trash and food thrown at the Cardinals.
Meaning not enough of them?
-
https://youtu.be/7CGNUlY43_s?si=am_hbedjHPwgyRM1
See for yourself
-
It's a low level staffer, and mere video evidence. Doesn't prove anything
-
I am closing in on watching an entire baseball game
-
Rangers-DBacks, as expected.
Can we get a location on SDF?
-
(https://scontent.fmci2-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/395242294_882748436554095_5112037726960681688_n.jpg?_nc_cat=1&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=5f2048&_nc_ohc=VlWJF8MKXRMAX_e0mcL&_nc_ht=scontent.fmci2-1.fna&oh=00_AfA-L-GhE3z-H4hYqNJAOBtT2Gt_NB4dwvZtW8RmUSm08w&oe=653DC844)
-
(https://i.imgur.com/x1lFDQg.png)
-
(https://scontent.fmci2-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/395242294_882748436554095_5112037726960681688_n.jpg?_nc_cat=1&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=5f2048&_nc_ohc=VlWJF8MKXRMAX_e0mcL&_nc_ht=scontent.fmci2-1.fna&oh=00_AfA-L-GhE3z-H4hYqNJAOBtT2Gt_NB4dwvZtW8RmUSm08w&oe=653DC844)
Rewarding mediocrity.
20 fucking games back.
Champions my dick.
-
A sort of good thing about this, and I believe the Dodgers are already doing this, is that it puts a kind of restrictor plate on team spending.
The Mets are the Mets and obviously haven't discovered anything about anything.
.
Follow me here - if you believe that each short-series in the postseason truly is a coin-flip (and it is), then building a team to win 100+ games is superfluous. It's waste. Stupid. Overkill.
Don't do it.
The Dodgers won 100 games this year, but they were a very imperfect team and I"m not sure how in the hell they won 100. Every pitcher hurt, no big add at the deadline, etc....just happened to win 100.
Teams should limit their spending and just get into the postseason with 84-87 wins. Owners should LOVE this.
No more bloated contracts. No more reaches for guys 2 years too late. IF GMs are smart. IF.
-
the problem with your theory is that a team has to first make it to the playoffs to get any reward
for a team to make it to the playoffs they have to win 92 to 95 games on average
you cant win that many games without a pretty good roster
last year the Astros won 106 games and won it all
-
the problem with your theory is that a team has to first make it to the playoffs to get any reward
for a team to make it to the playoffs they have to win 92 to 95 games on average
you cant win that many games without a pretty good roster
last year the Astros won 106 games and won it all
Number of wins of playoff teams the past 5 years:
84, 84, 87, 86, 90, covid sub-.500, 89, .......here, that doesn't even matter, we have 3rd-place teams getting to the postseason.
And I'd even say all of this is fine, except for the fact that they play 162 games. The most games of any professional sport, by far, and thus the most statistically significant.....and then they're taking that and throwing it out the window.
Why bother with 162 games!?!? If you're going to negate your own significance, what's the fucking point?!?
-
can you get into the playoffs winning under 90 games sure but its not the norm
-
can you get into the playoffs winning under 90 games sure but its not the norm
90 games in a vacuum is decent, but when it's behind a 105-game winning team, it's crap.
Inclusivity in a playoff to determine a champion is stupid, no matter the sport.
-
90 games in a vacuum is decent, but when it's behind a 105-game winning team, it's crap.
Inclusivity in a playoff to determine a champion is stupid, no matter the sport.
Its not pure inclusivity due to the better teams givin byes and home field advantage
-
I'd guess the team winning 105 games has about a 60-40 shot at winning a 5 game series. I think there is a problem with the former team having too many off days.
-
My Phoenix buddies are looking into Diamondbacks home tickets for the World Series. My guess was the nose-bleeds at Chase Field would start at $350. Turns out its $600 but dropping. My max limit for a ticket, any ticket across all sports and events, is $800. Only broke this rule once.
-
Its not pure inclusivity due to the better teams givin byes and home field advantage
I don't think I typed "pure inclusivity" because that's a stupid phrase.
The more teams you let in, the more inclusive it is.
-
I don't think I typed "pure inclusivity" because that's a stupid phrase.
The more teams you let in, the more inclusive it is.
it also means included under the same conditions of play
thats not the case here
-
it also means included under the same conditions of play
thats not the case here
A bye in baseball isn't necessarily a good thing. HFA is also negligible in baseball. 51-54% or so.
The point is, just get in and you have as good a chance as anyone else. Of the 4 best teams this year, 3 didn't make the LCSs.
What you thought mattered and helped higher seeds doesn't move the needle much at all.
-
A bye in baseball isn't necessarily a good thing. HFA is also negligible in baseball. 51-54% or so.
The point is, just get in and you have as good a chance as anyone else. Of the 4 best teams this year, 3 didn't make the LCSs.
What you thought mattered and helped higher seeds doesn't move the needle much at all.
it didnt this year
-
I think the bye is a detriment. I recall reading something after the Giants beat the Tigers in the 2012 World Series that since the start of the LCS in 1969, when the World Series competitors had a 2+ game difference in games played in the LCS, the team that had to play more games had a winning record.
I think a bye, particularly now, with a Best of 3 is detrimental. If you are going to do it, change the schedule. TV would throw a fit, but start the DS the day after the WC series ends. Flexing for it going 2 games or 3.
I think my 16 team playoff proposal helps, but I have an even more extreme option, that they would never accept
-
Give me 4 divisions that never play each other and you have an LCS and a WS. Done.
-
I don't fret about scenarios that simply are not going to happen, except maybe casually a few times, it's a waste of mental energy. And I don't have much left.
-
Rangers draw 1st blood Carter doubles to center scoring Seager ,now Carter just scores Garcia singles him Home 😎
-
Welp all knotted up
-
snakes right back at em
-
entertaining so far
sipping a Yuengling
-
Wasn't it like as recently as 10 years ago that there would be no Sunday night football during the World Series? Now they have to start playing on Friday night, and use Sunday as a travel game
-
well, snakes are a lock.
2 stolen bases
-
Tv hated having ws start game 1 on Saturday, that's why it changed. Of course it could end on a Saturday.
-
DaFuq Taveras get the bat off your shoulder on a 78mph pitch
-
Nice job Garcia
-
C'mon Rangers can't come up goose eggs there
-
I like the Rangers' home jersey. Nice subtle update to the mid/late 80s look. Meanwhile Arizona continues to have the worst looks in the bigs. I don't think there's one set/combo that I like.
-
They're looking good on the scoreboard and could count for something
-
Go to take a leak and just like that I miss it
-
Seager and Garcia are must see TV. Meanwhile, and i haven't watched much Texas pen i'm not feeling it w LeClerc this post season. He's a guy i'd be stressed about watching as a Rangers' fan.
-
Around the horn - that's one thing that's great - the Defense in the post season
:cool2:
-
I like the Rangers' home jersey. Nice subtle update to the mid/late 80s look. Meanwhile Arizona continues to have the worst looks in the bigs. I don't think there's one set/combo that I like.
Their turquoise-accented jerseys are nice.
Maroon and grey isn't great, but they try with turquoise and desert tan.
-
Go to take a leak and just like that I miss it
Throwing Seager anything other than a slider down and in is unconscionable. There's a phantom zone in his swing more severe than the Bermuda triangle. Been that way his whole career.
-
I almost forgot what extra innings baseball without a runner starting on second base was like
-
Garcia goes Yard - after he got hit in the the wrist in the 7th I believe - great game Rangers 1-0 in the Fall Classic
-
Fun game. Rangers are just a fun team to watch
-
Nice, competitive game between 2 good teams.
Not championship caliber, but good teams.
-
Brian McCann must be fuming watching Garcia have so much fun.
-
Umps need robot help.
-
Certain ones do, but the other night the ump was 1 pitch away from a perfect game called.
-
Good point. A matter of time it would appear.
-
Barnstorming like I've never seen.
-
Dbacks spectators in their own game tonight.
-
6 no-hit innings and it didn't matter, lol.
Yeeesh
-
Optimistic that the Rangers have inspired more middling teams to just go for it. MLB is better if all teams are trying to win. Astros/Cubs model ruined the sport for people who enjoy the regular season
-
Yeah, their way (HOU, CHC) is one of many optimal acts in baseball that make the game worse.
Teams should completely abandon trying to win 95+ games or winning their division, just spend the minimum amount they determine will get them to 85 wins and then just see what happens.
If they're smart.
-
Optimistic that the Rangers have inspired more middling teams to just go for it. MLB is better if all teams are trying to win. Astros/Cubs model ruined the sport for people who enjoy the regular season
not sure what you mean
how did Astros/Cubs ruin the sport for people who enjoy the regular season
-
not sure what you mean
how did Astros/Cubs ruin the sport for people who enjoy the regular season
They tanked on purpose for multiple seasons in order to draft high and accrue talent for an eventual run.
Not fun for your fans when you're purposely tanking over multiple seasons.
Remember when the Cubs won the WS and were going to be a dynasty? lol
-
They tanked on purpose for multiple seasons in order to draft high and accrue talent for an eventual run.
Not fun for your fans when you're purposely tanking over multiple seasons.
Remember when the Cubs won the WS and were going to be a dynasty? lol
no they should have followed the example set annually by the Dodgers
play a strong reg season and then tank in the playoffs
-
I answer your question accurately and that's what you post.
'Bout right.
-
truth hurts sometimes dont it
-
Basically, where people might have labeled the Braves' 1 WS title in a 14-year run of division titles as being a big choke job, it's actually just more evidence that the postseason is a series of coinflips.
-
truth hurts sometimes dont it
It doesn't hurt at all. You're a baby kitten.
-
It doesn't hurt at all. You're a baby kitten.
at least I stay away from sour grapes
-
No, no, they're talking wine on another thread.
-
fitting as hell
the stRangers won more reg season games than the Dbacks, correct?
better team won the series
-
Wife is a Rangers fan, so she's happy. That can only benefit me. Best of all there will be no game 7 Saturday night interfering with the footballz.
My cousin's kid goes to a private school in Houston where one of her classmate's is Eovaldi's son. I saw some photos on FB where all the kids and parents were sporting "Eovaldi 17" jerseys and had made a bunch of posters in support of him and the Rangers. All I could think of was how rough that had to be on a bunch of people I know are Astros fans.
-
Wife is a Rangers fan, so she's happy. That can only benefit me. Best of all there will be no game 7 Saturday night interfering with the footballz.
My cousin's kid goes to a private school in Houston where one of her classmate's is Eovaldi's son. I saw some photos on FB where all the kids and parents were sporting "Eovaldi 17" jerseys and had made a bunch of posters in support of him and the Rangers. All I could think of was how rough that had to be on a bunch of people I know are Astros fans.
the Astros will be back next year stronger then ever
-
the Astros will be back next year stronger then ever
They have a new way to cheat?
-
They have a new way to cheat?
nope wont need to
Just sit back and watch the Dodgers fall apart again and you losing your mind over it
-
nope wont need to
Just sit back and watch the Dodgers fall apart again and you losing your mind over it
I don't lose my mind over it, it's just a bizarre combination of a long regular season and insanely small sample size in the postseason.
It's not prudent.
-
I don't lose my mind over it,
Eh....might as well, I say. It is sports fandom after all.
You know that Fansville commercial this year where they're all melting down and going crazy and the sheriff finally says settle down, it's the first play of the game? That more or less describes me internally every time we miss a tackle, fumble, etc.
-
Yeah, I try not to watch Gators games around other people (much easier here in AZ, lol). I don't want to chit-chat, don't want to be distracted, and don't want other people to see my reactions.
-
nothing to be proud of Rusty
-
(https://scontent.ffod1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/397138597_886070042876250_7426546586418602235_n.jpg?_nc_cat=1&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=5f2048&_nc_ohc=b4uyQ1dYFAUAX8gMTk7&_nc_ht=scontent.ffod1-1.fna&oh=00_AfAkobZmxQW8_FUnykn40brQ3bT-fowGYBbbEEK7zVYHXg&oe=654B0062)
-
I might go check out the AZ Fall League All-Star game tomorrow.
They are an oddity - it's as if they want to stay hidden and anonymous. These are top-flight prospects clustered together on 6-8 teams or so. But there's ZERO local advertising, 99% of games are at noon, and even the All-Star and championship games have to be sought out just to know they're happening.
-
Fall league is great. You're right it is not advertised. I've heard the pitchers aren't great lately but its such a cool place to see elite talent with like no fans at all.
Nobody hustles for foul balls in the seats.
-
Y'all should come to a Fantasy Camp if you want to see ... "elite talent". Some of the wives qualify anyway.
We had one guy last year go yard, which is impressive. I was told he a couple years out of college ball. Most of the pitching strives to reach 60 mph on the FBs.
-
Woah, Tigers swipe Jason Benetti from the White Sox. Went from arguably the worst television PBP guy among local broadcasts, to arguably the best.
Benetti is a lifelong white Sox fan. Ownership needs to sell that team, nobody wants to work there
-
After leading the American League in total bases and runs scored, Twins shortstop Zoilo Versalles became the first Latin MVP in MLB history on this date in 1965, receiving 19 of 20 first-place votes.
Fellow Cuban Tony Oliva came in second, after winning his second-straight batting title.
In this photo, American League president (and Hall of Fame player) Joe Cronin presents Versalles with his MVP Award and Tony Oliva a Silver Bat between games of a double header on June 16, 1966. Versalles—in a suit—missed 13 games with a blood clot on his back and what the Associated Press describes as a torn shoulder muscle.
(https://i.imgur.com/NPvuqYi.jpg)
-
Bill James REALLY doesn't think much of that MVP vote, lol. He mentions it in his writing often.
I don't think it's anything against Versalles, as his production was there. Leading the league in total bases is legit. Maybe less so when you lead the majors in plate appearances, though. Led MLB in striking out as well.
The only 2 players with a similar WAR were pitchers. No hitters had any kind of big power season, either.
There are many more severe MVP votes than that one. Not sure why James feels the way he does. Possibly that it was 1 vote away from being unanimous?
-
He felt teammate tony O was more deserving
-
(https://i.imgur.com/E5HoyNB.jpg)
-
And if Gwynn came back from dead he'd need to do better than 400-400 to eclipse Cobb.
-
And if Gwynn came back from dead he'd need to do better than 400-400 to eclipse Cobb.
I was taught growing up that Al Kaline better be your hero, and hang your head when you talk about Cobb. The fact that one sportswriter decided to make up a character to sell books, and somehow that is Cobb, and has been handed down for generations.
We should start a list here of baseball books,.or maybe just sports books
-
And if Gwynn came back from dead he'd need to do better than 400-400 to eclipse Cobb.
someone on FB posted under that pic::::
and if Gwynn came back he'd have to go 1,000-1,000 to reach Pete's number of hits
-
There is no draft lottery that Cleveland teams can't win
-
My favorite "if so-and-so..." in baseball history is Ted Williams' career with no war interruptions.
He actually hit .344 with 2654 hits, 521 HR, 1839 RBI
He's 75th all-time in hits, 20th in HR, and 14th in RBI.
With average (for him) seasons instead of going to war:
.342 with 3452 hits, 663 HR, 2380 RBI.
.
So in hits he'd move up from 75th to 7th.
In HR, up from 20th to 5th.
And in RBI, from 14th to 1st.
And those would be his rankings NOW, not when he retired.
At his time of retirement, had he not served:
3rd all-time in hits
2nd in HR
1st in RBI
.
He'd actually have been in Babe Ruth territory, and with more volume.
-
Woah, Soto to the Yankees?
-
Woah, Soto to the Yankees?
LOL @ the Padres.
Soto!
Tatis Jr!
Machado!
Darvish!
Bogaerts!
We're gonna win the West!!!
82-80
Genuine red-headed stepchild. Mets West.
What a joke franchise.
-
perhaps the Dodgers are built for the playoffs now
-
yawn. would've loved to see him in Toronto
-
perhaps the Dodgers are built for the playoffs now
This is the worst contract of all time, before it even begins.
The franchise that wins 100 games every year has taken the largest financial risk in the history of player acquisitions.
That, on its face, is dumb.
I'll never understand this.
-
THe A-Holes in their Ivory Towers just think we're all somehow need games that are out of our financial reach.Love to see sports belly up and let new leagues reform and keep thing in balance and focus
-
This is the worst contract of all time, before it even begins.
The franchise that wins 100 games every year has taken the largest financial risk in the history of player acquisitions.
That, on its face, is dumb.
I'll never understand this.
He is deferring $68 million of his $70 million every year of the deal.
So the Dodgers are just paying $2 million per year for now. And can keep adding players
In a decade, they will be paying tens of millions of dollars to a retired player, and he will be living somewhere where he isn't taxed at California rates on the bulk of that contract. People are wondering what the MLBPA thinks of this, I think the state governments are far more concerned
-
He is deferring $68 million of his $70 million every year of the deal.
So the Dodgers are just paying $2 million per year for now. And can keep adding players
In a decade, they will be paying tens of millions of dollars to a retired player, and he will be living somewhere where he isn't taxed at California rates on the bulk of that contract. People are wondering what the MLBPA thinks of this, I think the state governments are far more concerned
Ken Griffey Jr. is the Red's second highest paid player
-
Ken Griffey Jr. is the Red's second highest paid player
He might still be their second best player
-
He is deferring $68 million of his $70 million every year of the deal.
So the Dodgers are just paying $2 million per year for now. And can keep adding players
In a decade, they will be paying tens hundreds of millions of dollars to a retired player, and he will be living somewhere where he isn't taxed at California rates on the bulk of that contract. People are wondering what the MLBPA thinks of this, I think the state governments are far more concerned
If they wind up paying him $700 million over any number of years, it's the worst contract ever.
-
If they wind up paying him $700 million over any number of years, it's the worst contract ever.
I meant per year. But it's not my money, and there's no salary cap, so there's no way that any MLB contract is the worst contract ever.
-
Tough to beat Stephen Strasburg for the worst contract ever. $245 million for 8 starts. They will be paying him through 2029.
-
In a decade, they will be paying tens of millions of dollars to a retired player, and he will be living somewhere where he isn't taxed at California rates on the bulk of that contract.
Like Japan
-
I thought the Dodgers were smarter than this.
I can no longer make fun of the Mets. Or Yankees.
So when Ohtani inevitably needs his 5th Tommy John surgery and can't hit lefties for shit, it's going to be pretty lame.
-
Joe Mauer might make it onto the HoF ballot, but the only way he gets into Cooperstown is if he buys a ticket.
I would bet he gets in
Made it on his first ballot
-
doesn't make it right
-
But it makes me right, and that's all that matters!
-
I read the writers wrong.
I'm having a hard time reconciling his killer performances while making the league minimum with 8 years of bilateral leg weakness after signing his deal.
I don't blame him for getting as much money as he could from the Pohlads. The winter he was up for free agency was the winter before Target Field opened. As such, he had the Pohlads over a barrel at the negotiating table. If he would have gotten away that winter the fanbase would have been in open rebellion moving into the new ballpark.
-
Totally missed the Dodgers and Padres play a pair of regular season games tomorrow and Thursday morning
-
the Dodgers suck
-
https://twitter.com/nut_history/status/1770253596199665884?t=iNPehBEvEYs6tfWWBDbbeg&s=19
-
I'll take Bob over Blake
-
Cy young sniffs at that. Cy Young had 238 complete games in which he didn't earn a Win, out of his total 749 complete games.
-
Cy young sniffs at that. Cy Young had 238 complete games in which he didn't earn a Win, out of his total 749 complete games.
Yeah, but hes dead, and Blake Snell isnt,. so...
-
2024 picks
- Orioles
- Yankees
- Blue Jays
- Rays
- Red Sox
- Twins
- Tigers
- Guardians
- Royals
- White Sox
- Astros
- Rangers
- Mariners
- Angels
- Athletics
- Braves
- Phillies
- Marlins
- Mets
- Nationals
- Cubs
- Reds
- Cardinals
- Brewers
- Pirates
- Dodgers
- Diamondbacks
- Padres
- Giants
- Rockies
WILDCARD ROUND
- Astros d. Mariners
- Rangers d. Tigers
- Cubs d. Cardinals
- Phillies d. Reds
DIVISIONAL ROUND
- Orioles d. Rangers
- Astros d. Twins
- Dodgers d. Phillies
- Braves d. Cubs
CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND
- Orioles d. Astros
- Braves d. Dodgers
WORLD SERIES
- Atlanta Braves d. Baltimore Orioles
-
Thanks for picking the Astros so high but we have pitching problems so I dont know
Right now we have two starters on injured reserve
-
Thanks for picking the Astros so high but we have pitching problems so I dont know
Right now we have two starters on injured reserve
I still trust that lineup over 162 games. Granted if Texas actually gets a fullish, healthysh season out of Scherzer and deGrom, that would change things. But I'll believe that when I see it
-
Happy Opening Day!
-
Totally missed the Dodgers and Padres play a pair of regular season games tomorrow and Thursday morning
Yeah, I met a lot of Padres fans out in Seoul, they were interesting to talk with.
-
Can’t remember when there's been less interest or anticipation for the Red Sox among their fans. Maybe not since the 90s? Franchise has gone Meh the last 5 years. Ticket prices way down. Fans remembering the past players more.
https://twitter.com/awfulannouncing/status/1770584645148832018
-
In the past decade or so, they've finished in last place as often as not.
-
In the past decade or so, they've finished in last place as often as not.
Theyve been oddly cheap in keeping their home grown talent. Betts and Bogaerts should be Red Sox
-
Whatever they're doing, they've become irrelevant.
Anyway, LA's first "welcome to baseball" moment of the year - Mr Roboto Yamamoto goes 5 scoreless, just for a reliever to allow 5 runs and give the game away. Yay, bullpens!
Joe Kelly, the arrogant, bespectacled one. It doesn't matter if you can throw 100 mph if you suck.
-
I think pitching is less variable than hitting, do you agree? if you have good pitching, it will more often be good relative to good hitting, which seems prone to slumps.
-
Perhaps, Mr Roboto Yamamoto should have gone 6 or 7 scoreless
hell, I've heard of complete games by reading history
-
(https://i.imgur.com/AtNRTgF.png)
-
I think pitching is less variable than hitting, do you agree? if you have good pitching, it will more often be good relative to good hitting, which seems prone to slumps.
With all the pitcher injuries, I don't even know how to answer the question.
-
(https://i.imgur.com/aS9jfVJ.jpeg)
-
Watching Jason Benetti call Opening Day for the White Sox...as the Tigers' announcer might be the biggest indictment of how poorly that franchise is run. I'll take this absolute gift, but man, the White Sox had one of the best announcers in any sport, calling games for the hometown team he grew up cheering for. And he gave up his dream job, not to even go work for New York or LA, but Detroit, because of how toxic that organization is
-
Bryce Harper with a 3 HR, 6 RBI night
-
The Dodgers are really good (duh).
-
Kyle Higashioka just threw out 2 runners in the top of the inning, and then his a home run in the bottom.
Get the stats guys on finding out how many times that has happened.
-
Probably Pudge Rodriguez.
-
Very typical Byron Buxton.
https://twitter.com/Cut4/status/1775293255908765808?t=tW_DJDSPUzwa7lOKhQDUTg&s=19
-
Watching Jason Benetti call Opening Day for the White Sox...as the Tigers' announcer might be the biggest indictment of how poorly that franchise is run. I'll take this absolute gift, but man, the White Sox had one of the best announcers in any sport, calling games for the hometown team he grew up cheering for. And he gave up his dream job, not to even go work for New York or LA, but Detroit, because of how toxic that organization is
Jerry Reinsdorf needs to sell. The Bulls too.
-
Sounds like the A’s will be holding over in Sacramento’s AA stadium until their new home in Las Vegas is ready. For the new site of their stadium, the Tropicana officially closed over the past weekend after 67 years.
https://twitter.com/barstoolsports/status/1775902408696033572
-
Angel Hernandez remains comically bad at his job
-
Tigers move to 5-0. Their only 2 multi-run wins were in EI
-
Angel Hernandez remains comically bad at his job
How is he still working?
-
How is he still working?
Umpire union
-
Golden shower vids of influential people.
-
Down the street for last night's Padres game - decked out in a fake Chicago personality. Cubs 5 - Padres 1.
(https://i.imgur.com/85fqP6D.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/DLyuLV2.png)
-
The Braves lose their top ace for the year, Strider out with the UCL thingee.
I'm expecting a call soon.
-
(https://www.thebaseballjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/chin-music-3-gif.gif)
-
Top artist/last world series
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GJEaiQkXUAE0siE?format=jpg&name=small)
-
Travis D'Arnaud hit 3 HRs last night, including one Slam, his first homers of the season.
-
maybe you won't get the call
-
Yeah, I'm thinking not, they are on a winning streak without Spencer.
They could perhaps use a guy like me in garbage time ...
-
Yeah, I'm thinking not, they are on a winning streak without Spencer.
They could perhaps use a guy like me in garbage time ...
And hell, you might even get an AB
https://youtu.be/HVpjWNfnHww?si=8UjlSPULu96EALJv
-
Travis D'Arnaud hit 3 HRs last night, including one Slam, his first homers of the season.
I'm amazed he's still playing.
-
My pitching coach told me I was probably hitting 60 mph, which would fool an MLB hitter for perhaps one pitch. Fortunately, I have a quasi-decent curve ball and a pretty decent changeup, believe it or not. And he got me throwing strikes a lot more consistently.
-
(https://i.imgur.com/WuoP6an.png)
-
Torn meniscus for Mike Trout. He may be the last of the one team, no postseason success, icon in sports history. Every guy but Mike Trout would have jumped to the Yankees or Dodgers or whoever when he had the chance.
-
There's some nobility in staying with one team, but not if it's a perpetually mis-managed shit show, red-headed stepchild of a franchise.
-
Trout has it pretty good in a large market
Decent place to call home if you're that wealthy
I would push management into signing a couple guys to hit in front of him and a big stick to hit behind him in the line up for protection
who cares about pitching if you don't care about wins?
-
With all his injuries and stuff, his career numbers, while still great, will be pretty underwhelming. Guys like Pujols and Frank Thomas had epic 10-year starts that puttered out, obviously, but Trout "only" had an 8-year start like that.
Since 2020, his numbers are Fred McGriff-ish.
.
For his career comp, he was Mickey Mantle for awhile, but has since dropped to a Ralph Kiner/Duke Snider level. An all-time great, to be sure, but not the top 5/top 10 of all time he looked like 6 or 7 years ago.
-
(https://i.imgur.com/LMQMaaD.png)
-
That'll leave a mark.
-
An artificial mark.
-
(https://i.imgur.com/gyM4EsW.png)
-
SEC has a single elimination tournament? That's a choice
-
The first round for lower seeded teams is single E, then you have a loser's bracket.
-
Ah, ok. I do find it interesting how many different models there are for conference tournaments.
-
It will get very messy next year.
My HS baseball team when I was a soph had to:
1. Win a suspended game to make a 3 way tie for the last spot in the 4 team tournament.
2. Then win a playoff between the 3 tied teams.
3. Then win the 4 team double elimination tourney, which we did, to become region champions. (I was WP in the final game.)
We got blitzed in the State tournament though.
-
It will get very messy next year.
My HS baseball team when I was a soph had to:
1. Win a suspended game to make a 3 way tie for the last spot in the 4 team tournament.
2. Then win a playoff between the 3 tied teams.
3. Then win the 4 team double elimination tourney, which we did, to become region champions. (I was WP in the final game.)
We got blitzed in the State tournament though.
(https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/WYUAAOSwGIhkt0OG/s-l1200.jpg)
-
SEC has a single elimination tournament? That's a choice
Big Ten has that for softball
-
It will get very messy next year.
My HS baseball team when I was a soph had to:
1. Win a suspended game to make a 3 way tie for the last spot in the 4 team tournament.
2. Then win a playoff between the 3 tied teams.
3. Then win the 4 team double elimination tourney, which we did, to become region champions. (I was WP in the final game.)
We got blitzed in the State tournament though.
I've read about your rivalry with Ole High-Pockets McGillicuddy. Legend.
-
Wut.
-
Wut.
He's making a joke that you're roughly 130 years old.
-
Penn State trying to tag #1 Illinois with a loss in the first game for the regular season champs. True freshman who pitched for our district last year in for relief in the 6th. Cool to see
-
Florida sucks this year. No pitching. But has the best or 2nd-best player in the country. So that's fun.
-
(https://i.imgur.com/isKXGj4.png)
-
(https://i.imgur.com/oF6mBAU.jpeg)
-
Nolan is an alien.
Watch Facing Nolan | Netflix (https://www.netflitwitter.com/title/81615834)
-
That was a doc that even my wife liked, and she generally doesn't like sports documentaries.
Is today Nolan Ryan Noogie Day?
By and large, baseball players are terrible fighters.
-
Steve Avery has an excellent story about a fight he started back in the day, it's too long to recount. He was and is by the way a superb athlete, not much of a fighter.
-
That was a doc that even my wife liked, and she generally doesn't like sports documentaries.
Is today Nolan Ryan Noogie Day?
By and large, baseball players are terrible fighters.
Didn't even think about that, but it was in August I think.
It should be a holiday. Robin Ventura is a pussy.
-
Nolan is an alien.
Watch Facing Nolan | Netflix (https://www.netflitwitter.com/title/81615834)
I remember the media being fascinated with some relieving closer that threw 100+ for an inning or two, almost never 3 innings
-
By and large, baseball players are terrible fighters.
but, much better than basketball players
-
Quite the collapse here by Kansas in an elimination game with TCU.
Led 9-0 after 1, now tied 10-10
-
You know, the batter who gets mad has this BAT in his hands, a pretty dangerous piece of thick wood, and the first thing he does is throw is down.
And they all wear metal spikes which can be quite dangerous.
-
Quite the collapse here by Kansas in an elimination game with TCU.
Led 9-0 after 1, now tied 10-10
Mid-90s NASA bats not involved?!?
-
Mid-90s NASA bats not involved?!?
Those bats are illegal everywhere except youth club ball. I think using them messes up my sons swing, but when he gets ahold of one, its goes a solid 40-50 feet farther than he could ever hit it with his USA bat
-
Those bats are illegal everywhere except youth club ball. I think using them messes up my sons swing, but when he gets ahold of one, its goes a solid 40-50 feet farther than he could ever hit it with his USA bat
They're one of those 'just because we can doesn't mean we should' things.
-
Quite the collapse here by Kansas in an elimination game with TCU.
Led 9-0 after 1, now tied 10-10
Held on to win 11-10, now facing #1 seed Oklahoma, and have jumped out to a 4-0 lead with 1 out in the 1st. I'm sure they feel totally comfortable
-
Its a great day
https://twitter.com/BNightengale/status/1795261829419348209?t=KlbQRsYEhqRKopl4Hu-Rlw&s=19
-
Acura out knee ACL.
-
Figured the end was near once i learned (earlier this season) my 15 year old daughter was in on the joke(s) re: Angel Hernandez.
-
Acura out knee ACL.
That sucks. Him and Julio are my favorite players to watch
-
Figured the end was near once i learned (earlier this season) my 15 year old daughter was in on the joke(s) re: Angel Hernandez.
Aside from Ed Hocuili (sp?) due to the gun show, nobody knows the name of any ref/ump for how good they are at their job
-
Baseball fans have started noting when an umpire has a near perfect game - no missed ball or strike calls. That's something, at least.
-
Aside from Ed Hocuili (sp?) due to the gun show, nobody knows the name of any ref/ump for how good they are at their job
not for job performance but, most Husker fans know former Husker quarterback and NFL referee, Clete Blakeman
-
If an umpire becomes "in"famous, it's hardly ever for a good reason.
I missed where Angel retired...
-
Former Nebraska baseball star Spencer Schwellenbach is heading to the major leagues after the Atlanta Braves called him up Tuesday.
______________________________
Sorry Cincy
-
Oddly enough, the won the WS last time he was out for the season (which doesn't mean anything this time as they are really struggling this year to score after scoring at will most of last season).
-
NEWS: MLB will integrate Negro League records into its statistical database on Wednesday.
With that change, Josh Gibson will replace Ty Cobb as baseball's all-time batting leader in the official records.
(https://i.imgur.com/aFaMOqa.jpeg)
-
(https://i.imgur.com/eI8E8pX.jpeg)
-
https://twitter.com/barstoolsports/status/1793704311467471270?t=NX4q5YxZvhwhv0-_a9LcEA&s=19
-
NEWS: MLB will integrate Negro League records into its statistical database on Wednesday.
With that change, Josh Gibson will replace Ty Cobb as baseball's all-time batting leader in the official records.
(https://i.imgur.com/aFaMOqa.jpeg)
I thought they had done this a few years ago, but they had simply classified the Negro Leagues as MLB equivalent. Turns out they've been spending the last few years getting stats and validating things.
As a stat nerd, I have no problem with this, it's better to include them than not. None of them had much volume in official games, as most of their numbers came in unofficial games, barnstorming, etc., and MLB didn't include that.
I get it. It's a good thing. I'm on board.
BUT
there's one radical statistical discrepancy with the Negro League data: strikeouts
.
Joe Sewell and Tris Speaker were 1st and 2nd all-time in walks per strikeout, with about 7 and 6, respectively.
Now, they're 71st and 74th.
Here are some BB & K numbers:
Josh Gibson: 359 & 11
Most everyone would agree Gibson was probably one of the best baseball players of all-time. But 11 Ks and 359 walks? C'mon, man.
Turkey Stearns with 424 walks to 5 strikeouts? Stop.
Willie Keeler, of the Dodgers, had a lifetime 524 and 36. That's insane enough. But it's dwarfed by some of the Negro League guys.
I believe the walk totals, but the strikeouts are a joke.
Stearns with 5 Ks in 3837 ABs is obviously skewed. But instead of just saying "we couldn't find valid data," they included it and said it's fine.
I'd rather they just have left it blank.
-
(https://i.imgur.com/eI8E8pX.jpeg)
I sold a lot of bags of peanuts in those sections
-
I thought they had done this a few years ago, but they had simply classified the Negro Leagues as MLB equivalent. Turns out they've been spending the last few years getting stats and validating things.
As a stat nerd, I have no problem with this, it's better to include them than not. None of them had much volume in official games, as most of their numbers came in unofficial games, barnstorming, etc., and MLB didn't include that.
I get it. It's a good thing. I'm on board.
BUT
there's one radical statistical discrepancy with the Negro League data: strikeouts
.
Joe Sewell and Tris Speaker were 1st and 2nd all-time in walks per strikeout, with about 7 and 6, respectively.
Now, they're 71st and 74th.
Here are some BB & K numbers:
Josh Gibson: 359 & 11
Most everyone would agree Gibson was probably one of the best baseball players of all-time. But 11 Ks and 359 walks? C'mon, man.
Turkey Stearns with 424 walks to 5 strikeouts? Stop.
Willie Keeler, of the Dodgers, had a lifetime 524 and 36. That's insane enough. But it's dwarfed by some of the Negro League guys.
I believe the walk totals, but the strikeouts are a joke.
Stearns with 5 Ks in 3837 ABs is obviously skewed. But instead of just saying "we couldn't find valid data," they included it and said it's fine.
I'd rather they just have left it blank.
The Effectively Wild podcast did a deep dive on this, and they specified some of the weird anomalies. And how they were overly aggressive with invalidating games. I think everyone agrees that these stats should count, but its clear they werent tallying everything correctly, even if the games were verified. The mentioned that they consistently didnt count RBI or runs scored for the HR hitter, so they needed individual boxscores to adjust.
There is a mom who runs the digital scorecard for my sons club team, and Im offended looking at it. He plays SS and CF, and doesnt pitch, so he only benefits from it, but its become a running joke. I ran it one game, and got attacked by other dads, for saying that it was a single, advancing on the throw, with a one base error on an overthrow, not a triple.
-
George Brett and Rod Carew pose before a game, May 1, 1980
(https://i.imgur.com/7M5rVEA.png)
-
Carew is probably the best pure hitter of my lifetime of watching baseball (which ended 4 years ago).
-
I'd agree and also tip my cap to Tony Gwynn
-
Yep, he's up there.
Frank Thomas too. Prolific walker, hit to all fields, hit for power.
-
the Big Hurt
-
Carew is probably the best pure hitter of my lifetime of watching baseball (which ended 4 years ago).
Yrs ago I read "The Umpire Strikes Back" By Ron Luciano(RIP),an entertaining guy telling tales from his yrs as an UMP - gotta read it - classic.Prolly the 2nd funniest book I've ever read after "FATSO" by Art Donovan.Any way Ron regales that if Carew didn't swing he'd call it a ball
Some of Ronnie's quotes
"Throwing people out of a game is like learning to ride a bicycle--once you get the hang of it, it can be a lot of fun."
"One reason I never called balks is that I never understood the rule."
(https://www.azquotes.com/quote/1069158)"Like some cult religion that barely survives, there has always been at least one but rarely more than five or six devotees throwing the knuckleball in the big leagues . . . Not only can't pitchers control it, hitters can't hit it, catchers can't catch it, coaches can't coach it and most pitchers can't learn it. The perfect pitch."
"No one ever grew up intending to be an umpire, except perhaps my friend Bill Haller. His brother Tom wanted to be a catcher, so an affinity for masks must run in that family."
"Any umpire who claims he has never missed a play is . . . well, an umpire."
"Being an umpire is like being a king. It prepares you for nothing."
"Umpiring is best described as the profession of standing between two seven-year olds with one ice cream cone."
“Umpire’s heaven is a place where he works third base every game. Home is where the heartache is.”
-
Yrs ago I read "The Umpire Strikes Back" By Ron Luciano(RIP),an entertaining guy telling tales from his yrs as an UMP - gotta read it - classic.Prolly the 2nd funniest book I've ever read after "FATSO" by Art Donovan.Any way Ron regales that if Carew didn't swing he'd call it a ball
can't hit 300 with the bat on your shoulder
-
Or when Ryan was pitching "that sounded high"
-
when Ryan was pitching you didn't want to hear any chin music, but you knew there would be plenty of high heat
-
https://twitter.com/MLBONFOX/status/1798410755425124447
-
The Carew-Gwynn pairing reminded me of this article. Idk if the link will work, but I'll share some of the info here.
Families of Hitters (https://www.billjamesonline.com/article785/)
James found you could group hitters into their 2b-3b-HR ratios. Not a discovery, per se, but a fun exercise which yields results that make some sense.
McGwire and Killebrew were the only 3-0-7 (30% 2b, 0% 3b, 70% HR) hitters. Small family.
The best group is the 415 family (Bonds, Ruth, Griffey, Aaron, Mays, ARod, Ott, Foxx, Schmidt).
Here you can see BA isn't part of this, just ratio of XBH.
So the reason I'm sharing this is that in my mind, Carew-Boggs-Gwynn are all basically the same kind of hitter....but are they?
Gwynn is 712
Boggs is 811
Carew - 721
So, all in the same neighborhood, but perhaps not as homogenous as I had thought.
My favorite players are 505s: Frank Thomas and Ted Williams...along with Manny Ramirez, Bagwell, Chipper, and Sheffield. Btw, Thomas and Williams both had 521 career HR.
Frank Thomas and Jeff Bagwell are the same in many ways (exact birth date, position, 1994 MVPs,...and 505s here.
-
first number is singles and doubles combined?
-
https://twitter.com/DexsTweets/status/1798429838279381304?t=SLqrGgXUqkZZJjvCFduwyw&s=19
-
Angels comfortably have the best city connect unis. Only thing theyve done right, but at least they have that.
-
first number is singles and doubles combined?
Just doubles
-
Angels comfortably have the best city connect unis. Only thing theyve done right, but at least they have that.
I pushed my friend around a mall in Vegas and we went into a couple of different sports stores.
Legit, official baseball caps are now $50.00.
-
(https://i.imgur.com/5BEKG9A.jpeg)
-
(https://i.imgur.com/yMw3eqe.jpeg)
-
(https://i.imgur.com/YsjkFPz.jpeg)
-
DES MOINES, Iowa —
A prominent Major League Baseball umpire from Iowa has been disciplined for violating the league's gambling rules, according to reports.
Pat Hoberg, a Des Moines native and one of the top umps in professional baseball, is facing disciplinary action after an investigation into a potential violation. Hoberg has not called a game in 2024, according to a report from The Athletic. The report claims MLB began the investigation during spring training.
Hoberg has denied betting on baseball and is appealing the ruling, according to multiple reports. A statement from MLB said the investigation found no evidence that any games worked by Hoberg were compromised or manipulated.
Hoberg is one of the highest-graded umpires in the sport. He finished the 2023 MLB season as the No. 2 ranked umpire by Ump Scorecards.
Hoberg famously called a "perfect game" in the 2022 World Series, the first such perfect game by an umpire in more than 18,000 games tracked by Ump Scorecards.
The 37-year-old Hoberg is the latest in a long line of umps from Iowa, joining the likes of Tim McClelland, Don Denkinger and Eric Cooper.
-
RIP to the GOAT, Willie Mays
-
Willie Mays, baseball’s electrifying ‘Say Hey Kid,’ dies at 93 - The Athletic (nytimes.com) (https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/3070070/2024/06/18/willie-mays-obituary-giants/?source=pulsenewsletter&campaign=10188811&userId=341943)
I barely remember the tail end of his 24 year career, and that last year he played for the Mets, which was weird. The last 3-4 years were not very good. But those first twenty?
You might say nobody did it better than Willie Mays.
-
RIP
-
I think Mays comfortably held the title of greatest living player at the time of his death.
So now who is it?
The top 3 in terms of career WAR all have a * next to their names, and aren't even in the HOF. Bonds, Clemens, A-Rod.
I think if you ignore all of the steroids stuff, it's pretty easily Bonds.
If you do care about the steroids stuff, the next 5 on the list are Rickey Henderson, Mike Schmidt, Greg Maddux, Albert Pujols, Randy Johnson.
-
Maddux for me.
Schmidt/Henderson tie.
-
I can't ignore Bonds, he's markedly better than the rest.
Maddux, Rickey are nothing to sneeze at
-
The thing about Pujols is how many bad years he had at the end. He has a career 89.9 batting WAR. His first 12 years were 84.7, his last 10 were 5.2. And that was somewhat salvaged by a solid final season. The 5 years prior to that, he was a -2.6. He was paid on a long term deal. I think without it, he probably would have retired about 5 years earlier.
For some reason we kind of ignore pitchers in the "greatest" discussion. But I think here, between Maddux and Randy Johnson, if you ignore Bonds, I think you have your top 2.
-
Pujols wound up a lot like Griffey Jr......first half of the career was all-time great, the rest was a plateau of meh.
.
I'm a Dodgers fan and I hated Bonds, but he was so great. Here's what he did pre-73 HR-4 years of video game numbers in his 30s:
9141 PA
1584 R
2157 H
451 2b
494 Hr
1405 RBI
471 SB
400 more BB than K (1547 vs 1189)
.289/.412/.567
.979 OPS
165 OPS+
4228 TB
320 IBB
111 career WAR
Great, OAM. That's a bunch of gobbly-gook. What does it all mean?
Well, let's see. I'll list a notable player comp for each one, to see what kind of ball-player Bonds was pre-hat enlargement.
9141 PA...........Joe Carter
1584 R.............George Brett
2157 H.............Larry Walker
451 2b.............Jim Thome
494 Hr.............Lou Gehrig
1405 RBI.........Robin Yount
471 SB............Jimmy Rollins
1547 BB..........Harmon Killebrew
1189 K............Will Clark
.289/.412/.567...............Acuna/Greenberg/Walker
.979 OPS.........Mantle
165 OPS+........Foxx
4228 TB..........McCovey
320 IBB..........Pujols (Bonds would still be the all-time leader...)
111 WAR..............Henderson
.
See how the volume stat comps at the top are pretty good players? But then look at the ratio stat comps near the bottom. Legends.
He's by far the leader in power-speed number....but is only a close 2nd to Henderson here, in 700 fewer PAs.
.
He's a first-ballot HOFer pre-2001. He was doing what everyone else was doing. His crime was happening to be the best player to be doing it. Ooops.
3 MVPs long before PEDs (should have had a 4th).
He had a 40-40 season.
He AVERAGED a 30-30 season for 15 years. WTF is that?!?
.
Since he was a HOFer with his 4 best seasons taken out, before PEDs, he should be in the Hall.
-
Randy Johnson's career was a lot like Sandy Koufax's.....needed 5-6 years to figure it out, and once they did, it was lights out.
Maddux was always fun to watch, frustrating hitters so much - they either watched a 2-seamer come back on that outside corner and strike out or they'd hit a dribbler back to Maddux. Sitting 91-92, with wiffle ball movement.
Never really liked Clemens....no real reason why. It's funny that his best season was as a Blue Jay.
Loved Henderson, but he's an idiot, lol. That doesn't matter, but it's true. He "only" had a SB success rate of 80%, similar to Coleman or Morgan, but well behind Raines.
Books should be written about Henderson. He was a marvel. Before Bonds' end-run, Rickey was the all-time leader in runs, walks, and stolen bases. That's insane.
In his 2nd season, he had twice as many BB as K. That's usually a thing that improves over time, with thousands of at-bats....but no, he just showed up with perfect strike zone control.
He stole 66 bases as a 39 year old. Stop it.
He once had the all-time walks record AND still had 3,000 hits. It doesn't make sense.
There's a reason why Bill James said you could break Henderson's career in two, and have 2 HOF careers.
-
(https://i.imgur.com/p6Xu3eu.png)
-
I do care about the steroids stuff, Rickey Henderson and Greg Maddux
-
There's already PED users in the HOF, that ship has sailed. What sense is it that the best hitter and best pitcher that took them are held hostage over it?
These players worse than them are roided up and now playing better than them.....and they were just supposed to be cool with that? lol
-
There's already PED users in the HOF, that ship has sailed.
doesn't make it right
-
Bonds and Clemens are being held more guilty simply because they were too good AND did what everyone else was doing.
Makes no sense.
-
they knew at the time it was wrong and was cheating
makes sense
this isn't Nam, Smokey
-
I throw the baseball twice a week against a tennis practice wall. It tears up baseballs in a few sessions, but I have plenty. I was pondering why pitcher's arms go bad so often ....
(https://i.imgur.com/ECdMQG9.png)
-
I throw the baseball twice a week against a tennis practice wall. It tears up baseballs in a few sessions, but I have plenty. I was pondering why pitcher's arms go bad so often ....
[img width=500 height=333.996]https://i.imgur.com/ECdMQG9.png[/img]
Yeah, I had a Frank Viola card that showed his arm like that (the guy who broke his arm simply throwing a pitch) and I thought to myself, "my arm doesn't do anything like that when I throw."
I never threw hard, just accurately.
-
Yeah, I see some of these young dudes on the PGA Tour who are just bombing it, and I look at their swings and say "yeah, they're gonna have to change that by 30 or their backs will break" lol...
(https://i.imgur.com/1uNK5Lz.jpeg)
Hell, I watch my 16 yo son play and he can contort in ways I can't any more. I constantly tell him "Look at this <referencing me>... Like it or not, this is your future" :57:
-
Diamondbacks game last night, Vs the Athletics. A group of 13 of us turning a game night into an annual summer event.
Dbacks are a frustrating team to root for this year. So often they tack on early runs only to go cold the rest of the game.
Last night two 1st inning runs, and then up 4-3 going into the 8th. That's when Arizona’s bullpen imploded. Giving up 3 runs in both the 8th and 9th to lose to a bad team 9-4
(https://i.imgur.com/lOVDjUw.jpeg)
-
Diamondbacks game last night, Vs the Athletics. A group of 13 of us turning a game night into an annual summer event.
Dbacks are a frustrating team to root for this year. So often they tack on early runs only to go cold the rest of the game.
Last night two 1st inning runs, and then up 4-3 going into the 8th. That's when Arizona’s bullpen imploded. Giving up 3 runs in both the 8th and 9th to lose to a bad team 9-4
[img width=274.381 height=342]https://i.imgur.com/lOVDjUw.jpeg[/img]
Nothing os more frustrating than a team whose preseason expectations are based on overachieving in a short sample size postseason, rather than thearge sample size regular season. That has been the story of most of MSU basketballs "disappointing" teams. That it turns out they were whonthey were for 35 games over 4+ months. Not who they were for 2 weekends in March.
-
Padres game yesterday, Vs the Diamondbacks. Dylan Cease on the mound. Only 1 run given up until the end of the 6th when Arizona hit a 2 run shot to go up 3-1. After that it was all Diamondbacks, winning 9-1. Gorgeous day to play ball.
(https://i.imgur.com/roUaHAp.jpeg)
-
26 of the 30 teams are currently between 4-6 and 6-4 in their past 10. The 4 that arent are 3-7 or 7-3. I know that's typical over the course of a season, but for the whole league to be that average over the same samole size seems like an outlier.
-
Nothing os more frustrating than a team whose preseason expectations are based on overachieving in a short sample size postseason, rather than thearge sample size regular season. That has been the story of most of MSU basketballs "disappointing" teams. That it turns out they were whonthey were for 35 games over 4+ months. Not who they were for 2 weekends in March.
It's not like AZ was picked to win the NL West or anything.
-
Idk where else to put this....
I created some old teams for Whoa Nellie and the linemen tended to be a similar height/weight as some of the RBs. It's as if there was little physical variation and everyone was about 6 ft tall and 200 lbs.
So maybe if you were a lil faster, you might be a back or end, and if you were a lil stronger, you'd play line.
That height/weight (6', 200) is about what the average is for position players in MLB.
So football linemen from the 50s-60s-and into the 70s were about the same size as baseball players today. I just thought that was interesting.
-
football linemen from the 50s-60s-and into the 70s were not lifting weights
today's baseball players are
-
Jose Ramirez has all the trademarks of a dude that should just piss me off, but for some reason he doesn't.
-
He's the most invisible top-5 player over the course of a decade guy maybe ever.
The case could be made, anyway.
-
He's the most invisible top-5 player over the course of a decade guy maybe ever.
The case could be made, anyway.
So over the past decade he is #6 in WAR among position players, behind Betts, Trout, Lindor, Freeman and Altuve. I think you can argue he's top 5 considering how high Lindor's defensive WAR is, based on position.
Going back decade one year at a time, searching for guys in the top 6 who would be "surprising"
Josh Donaldson #6 from 2013-22
Russell Martin #2 from 2007-16 (#5 from 2006-15)
David Wright #4 from 2005-14 (#6 from 2004-13)
Lance Berkman #6 from 2002-11, 2001-10, and 2000-09
Jim Edmonds #6 from 1997-2006 and 1996-2005
I went a decade back, and there is nobody even borderline, so I'm not looking any further. I think the all time WAR leaderboards favor recent players, because they played in an era where we taught the effiencies that WAR values. But the top players are always the top players, and honestly, the farther back you go, the more it aligns with what you think. Jim Edmonds was the last "surprising" player, but a decade prior (1986-1995), here is your leaderboard. I stopped when I found someone I didn't consider an all time great. So WAR may have its issues generation to generation, but the greatest players have always been the greatest by any metric. And actually there are fewer "computer trickers" in an era where dudes just played
- Barry Bonds
- Wade Boggs
- Rickey Henderson
- Cal Ripken Jr.
- Ozzie Smith
- Tony Gwynn
- Barry Larkin
- Fred McGriff
- Paul Molitor
- Will Clark
- Kirby Puckett
- Ryne Sandburg
- Ken Griffey Jr.
- Lou Whitaker
- Lenny Dykstra
- Tim Raines
- Frank Thomas
- Rafael Palmeiro
- Alan Trammell
- Andy Van Slyke
I love me some Andy Van Slyke, and being #20 in that period is awesome, and appropriate. But the 19 guys above him all HOFers
-
Cleveland finally has the offense, and their starting rotation is a mess of injuries and underperformance.
-
(https://i.imgur.com/UXAI9Q8.jpeg)
-
(https://i.imgur.com/zhyLVMr.png)
-
National treasure
https://twitter.com/ChrisMuellerPGH/status/1815182646093205755?t=aZLwAqCEzUXtPvB0KxdDIw&s=19
-
(https://i.imgur.com/40m1TxW.jpeg)
-
Whoops
https://twitter.com/Razzball/status/1818653357118308738
-
I hate to say it, but the Sox are doomed until new ownership is in place and moves the team.
I was in Clearwater in 1988 for my honeymoon (that marriage didn't work out) and we were at a store that was selling "Florida White Sox" baseball caps. I bought two of them and still have them to this day.
At the 11th hour Governor Jim Thompson came up with a deal to keep them in Chicago. I was happy.
Now, I wish it happened.
(https://i.imgur.com/7ne2u0I.jpeg)
-
Isn't that what Tropicana was originally built for? To lure the Sox
-
Yep.
-
I just looked for the helluvit.
Man, the Sox are all-time BAD right now. Glad I don't watch. Jeez.
They could end up worse than the 1962 Mets (120 losses).
-
Da Braves had two players hit back to back homers, which isn't that rare, but they did it twice in the same game, which surprisingly also isn't THAT rare. All four were solo shots.
Back in the 60s, Da Braves had a PITCHER hit two grand slams in one game, Tony Cloninger. That one is rare.
-
I just looked for the helluvit.
Man, the Sox are all-time BAD right now. Glad I don't watch. Jeez.
They could end up worse than the 1962 Mets (120 losses).
https://twitter.com/JomboyMedia/status/1817383241055109526
-
Ownership can't get out of the way.
Worried that may also be the case with the nepo baby Illich for the Tigers/Red Wings
-
White Sox fans are down horrendous????
-
Da Braves had two players hit back to back homers, which isn't that rare, but they did it twice in the same game, which surprisingly also isn't THAT rare. All four were solo shots.
Back in the 60s, Da Braves had a PITCHER hit two grand slams in one game, Tony Cloninger. That one is rare.
That is probably the rare bit.
-
The announcers last night said the back to back twice in a game by two players happened 23 times in MLB history.
There have been 24 perfect games thrown.
Both are rare.
-
Man, the Sox are all-time BAD right now. Glad I don't watch. Jeez.
They could end up worse than the 1962 Mets (120 losses).
😂 I didn’t know the White Sox were this bad – from Awful Announcing (https://awfulannouncing.com/mlb/dan-bernstein-weasel-white-sox-losing-streak.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter):
“The Chicago White Sox have transformed into a toxic circus, or “weasels,” for that matter.”
“From the front office to the dugout, everyone seems more interested in pointing fingers than winning games. In terms of futility, the White Sox are on pace to catch the 1962 New York Mets, which seems somewhat impossible, but amidst their 16-game streak, this is the second double-digit losing streak of the season.”
“It’s a miserable spectacle where blame is the only currency, and the search for accountability has turned into a full-blown witch hunt. With tensions escalating and morale plummeting, it’s hard to imagine a rock bottom for this franchise. But being called “weasels” by a local Chicago radio host nearly takes the cake.”
White Sox losing streak is now up to 17, with their last win coming in a game Vs the Twins on July 10th.
https://twitter.com/awfulannouncing/status/1818750007417446496
-
It's really sad. They need to be sold and move the team. Nashville or Charlotte would be great spots for them. Maybe even Orlando or Jacksonville.
-
Bigwigs in Austin are talking about trying to get a MLB team.
Austin Whitesox doesn't sound right.
Austin Birkenstox would be more appropriate.
-
I've been told that folks in Austin think of MLB as rats ass
-
Charlotte might be a better MLB market.
-
What about Nashville?
-
Richie Sexson and Jeromy Burnitz both hit 3 Home runs in the same game for the Brewers in 2001. Don't think that's happened a 2nd time.
-
I've been told that folks in Austin think of MLB as rats ass
Well I certainly do, but apparently there are some MLB fans living in the city.
The Round Rock Express are pretty well supported way out on the edge of town, I imagine that a team playing in a stadium somewhere in the center of Austin proper, would do quite well.
-
Is there any land in the center of Austin that isn't already developed?
-
Wouldn't they put a team in San Antonio instead? Bigger, already a pro city, close enough that Austin people could come to a weekend game. Let UT have Austin.
The expansion cities are more like Charlotte, Vegas, Portland,...Montreal I guess.....I don't think San Juan or any Mexican city is realistic.
-
Vegas for the A's so they are out.
I'd say Nashville or Charlotte. I wouldn't stick a 3rd team in Texas or Florida to be honest.
-
Nashville, Charlotte or Portland. Not sure Portland could get the stadium funding done though
-
Vegas for the A's so they are out.
I'd say Nashville or Charlotte. I wouldn't stick a 3rd team in Texas or Florida to be honest.
Duh, yeah.
Florida should lose a team. It doesn't matter how big a metro is if nobody goes to games. The Rays COULD work, if they'd build a decent ballpark. So that's a wait-and-see. The Marlins got their stadium, but suck and no one watches.
The Rays shouldn't exist - the Marlins should have proved themselves first, outside of the 2 random WS teams/sell offs.
-
(https://i.imgur.com/9a4u0rn.jpeg)
-
Makes me want to tune in tomorrow.
-
Maybe theyll hit in a year with a true 1-1. I cant blame the Tigers for taking Mize and Torkelson, they juat got 1-1 in shitty years.
-
So Parker Meadows should be a Gold Glove CF (at probably the 2nd most important spot to have Gold Glove), if he can just even hit ~.230.
He was hitting ~.160 to start the season so they sent him down. He's been hitting it plenty well enough, and doing stuff like this...
https://twitter.com/dannydHRs/status/1821556397277876544
The Tigers are now 45-30 when he's on the big league club, and 10-30 when he isn't, so maybe the guys paid to figure this out should go ahead and do that
-
Sox fired their manager and rearranged the deck chairs on the Titanic.
-
I know teams have to "do something" after such a losing streak, but it really does seem pointless. Don't fire a guy without a plan to hire a guy.
-
(https://i.imgur.com/csbW8bf.png)
-
🚨 FASTEST PITCH IN THE TRACKING ERA 🚨
At 105.5mph, Ben Joyce breaks a record held by... Ben Joyce.
-
Game night last night. Hoodie giveaway. Padres beat Tigers 6-5 in 10 innings.
(https://i.imgur.com/pBZBOi5.jpeg)
-
Is there any land in the center of Austin that isn't already developed?
Oh yeah. Nothing downtown of course but there's a large lot right off I35 and 183, about 5 miles north of downtown Austin, that is large enough. It's a dead strip center that previously housed a bunch of big box stores. It was seriously considered for the Austin FC soccer team, until they decided on a another location that was further north.
It's right on numerous metro bus lines, and would be a pretty easy addition for the metro rail line as well.
-
Wow.
https://twitter.com/mlb/status/1831496780502159727?s=46&t=MdsgtR2sxv6pvK69_1CBeA (https://twitter.com/mlb/status/1831496780502159727?s=46&t=MdsgtR2sxv6pvK69_1CBeA)
-
Tigers are going to tease me just enough arent they?
-
Same w White Sox. On fire to reach 40?
Going to Brewers game tomorrow night. Not a favorable match-up for Crew. Magic # is 1.
-
Tigers are going to tease me just enough arent they?
If Twins lose to Cleveland this afternoon, Tigers and Twins are tied for the final spot
Tigers were 10 games out, and 8 games under .500 5 weeks ago
-
The Twins bullpen is running on fumes. Rocco has been running them into the ground for a long time, except now it might actually burn him.
-
I'm now 11-0 lifetime at Jacobs/Progressive Field saw a close contest into xtra innings. The
Tribe err,Guards beat the Twins in 10,Cleveland had 11 hits to the Twins 3 but Minn. took advantage of a walk and an error and got 2 runs in the 5th to take a 2-1 lead. The Guards chipped awayand tied it in the 6th. Last I had checked The Guards left 11 men on base and Cleveland went to the bull pen 6X and none allowed a run. They clinched a playoff berth in dramatic fashion - could this be the year??? Cleveland now has a chance to possibly end baseball's longest active World Series drought, dating to 1948
:singing:.
-
So, the penant races are heating up??
-
So, the penant races are heating up??
Nah, the Wildcard races
-
Hey the Tiges can dream too
-
Wow.
https://twitter.com/mlb/status/1831496780502159727?s=46&t=MdsgtR2sxv6pvK69_1CBeA (https://twitter.com/mlb/status/1831496780502159727?s=46&t=MdsgtR2sxv6pvK69_1CBeA)
That'd be a slider I'm guessin'
-
It's not a blonde snapper
-
It's not a blonde snapper
You convoluted saki sipper I'm talking about the pitch (https://www.cfb51.com/Smileys/fantasticsmileys/grin.gif)
-
Me too
-
According to The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract no such pitch exists - have you been at Hooters again?
-
The Twins bullpen is running on fumes. Rocco has been running them into the ground for a long time, except now it might actually burn him.
2006/2009 slow burn revenge
-
So Shohei decides to go 6-6 with 3 HR and 10 RBI in the game he hits 50-50. Imagine if he ever played with a Mike Trout type in his career. That would be quite the dynasty
-
He is a video game cheat code. Unreal.
-
About to be an absolute dick punch of a loss. 2 run lead going into the 9th in Baltimore. You could tell 2 batters in he didn't have it, and they waited until it was tied, with no outs and the bases loaded to make a change
-
KC lost their 7th straight. Tigers have no passed Minnesota, and are now tied with KC
-
SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Chicago White Sox tied the post-1900 MLB record of 120 losses by the 1962 expansion New York Mets on Sunday when the San Diego Padres won 4-2 by rallying for three runs in the eighth inning, capped by Fernando Tatis Jr.'s towering home run.
The White Sox (36-120) had taken a 2-1 lead on home runs by Korey Lee and Miguel Vargas off Yu Darvish, but that lead quickly disappeared in the eighth.
This defeat came a day after the White Sox tied the American League record of 119 losses set by the 2003 Detroit Tigers.
The 1899 Cleveland Spiders hold the major league record for losses at 20-134.
The Padres (90-66) clinched their first 90-win season since 2010, when they finished 90-72 but missed the postseason thanks to a brutal September collapse.
The Padres reduced their magic number to one for clinching their third postseason berth since 2020.
-
Otahni and Mookie hit back-to-back HRs to win it for LA. The first 2 MVPs took care of it, so the MVP on deck didn't have to do anything.
-
(https://i.imgur.com/nVlDb0p.jpeg)
-
2006/2009 slow burn revenge
Hopefully that comeback today was the death blow
-
Weird scenario in the NL today. Braves-Mets playing a makeup DH. Both teams need a win to get in. So if there is a split, both get in. If one team gets swept, they are out, and the Diamondbacks are in
-
must watch MLB!
-
It's also funny. Did AJ Hinch cheat. Yes. Yet the White Sox passed on him to hire Tony LaRussa, whose career is largely tied to Mark McGuire. Are Barry Bonds, Mark McGuire, Roger Clemens, great players who cheated? Yup. As is AJ Hinch. I think he's a great manager, who also cheated. His records with Houston are obviously tainted. And if he never makes the HOF, he only has himself to blame. But he's also a damn good manager.
-
Braves acting like this is a World Series in the 90s
-
Braves acting like this is a World Series in the 90s
Except in 1995 when they broke my teenage heart.
-
Except in 1995 :banghead: and '97 and 2016
-
Except in 1995 :banghead: and '97 and 2016
95 i was sad but the Braves pitching staff made that one tolerable. 97 makes me absolutely sick. There's no reason we should have lost that one. No reason. Outside of Joe Table choking.. all he had to do was shut the door.
2016 i wish we could have pulled off.. I really do. I loved that team and the weather gods decided to bring rain and screw up momentum.. but I was lucky enough to take my parents to 3/4 world series games in Cleveland in 2016 and I'll never forget those memories. That and Rajai Davis taking Chapman deep was an experience I can't put into words. The stadium was actually shaking. Was tough to lose after that, but that moment is still surreal. I still personally blame Trevor Bauer for that result. Playing with drones and slicing open his finger put too many innings on Kluber that eventually caught up to him and the staff.
-
Two teams celebrate same day on same field.
-
Pete Rose passed?
-
Pete Rose passed?
Non Hall of Famers pass every day:57:
-
Two teams celebrate same day on same field.
Definitely sucks for Diamondbacks fans yhe way that shook out. A split was almost totally guaranteed
-
Don't lose 5 of your last 7.
-
Non Hall of Famers pass every day:57:
This one still irks me. Love MLB, but they're dirty. They blackball people when they can be exposed and use people when it's their moneymaker. Blackball Jose Conseco for being honest, but rode out McGwire, Sosa and Bonds. Blackballed and likely set up Trevor Bauer when he started digging into spin rates and the mathematical and physics side of Astros pitching improvements not adding up and keeping arguably the top 3 hitter ever out of the hall of fame. None are exactly innocent, but always interesting what they pick and choose.
-
This one still irks me. Love MLB, but they're dirty. They blackball people when they can be exposed and use people when it's their moneymaker. Blackball Jose Conseco for being honest, but rode out McGwire, Sosa and Bonds. Blackballed and likely set up Trevor Bauer when he started digging into spin rates and the mathematical and physics side of Astros pitching improvements not adding up and keeping arguably the top 3 hitter ever out of the hall of fame. None are exactly innocent, but always interesting what they pick and choose.
Yup. All of them should be in the HOF. Trevor Bauer is the cautionary tale of why you don't go out of your way to make enemies. He was apparently a bad teammate, then challenged the status quo. So as soon as MLB had the chance he's gone. The fact that the charges were bogus got almost no discussion
-
Paul Sullivan: Goodbye — and good riddance — to a Chicago baseball season we’d all rather forget (msn.com) (https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/paul-sullivan-goodbye-and-good-riddance-to-a-chicago-baseball-season-we-d-all-rather-forget/ar-AA1rzFGd?ocid=msedgntp&pc=DCTS&cvid=8ccab748f4c54a90a7765060683eeffb&ei=14)
Says it all.
Go Brewers.
-
White Sox have just gone from bad owner to bad owner for 100+ years. Its a shame
-
Should have moved to Florida when they had the opportunity.
Chicago is shrinking, cost of attendance is too high for the Sox' blue-collar fan base, and they are heavily eclipsed by TTUN.
The location is also not desirable.
-
like the Brewers?
and Tigers??
-
Can't overstate how gut wrenching it is to watch baseball playoffs when your favorite 9 is involved.
Dice roll element of mlb postseason makes it particularly tough to handle.
-
Got tickets to Game 1 in Cleveland.
First playoff game I'll have been to in person since Game 5 of the 2004 NBA Finals
-
Holy Polar Bear
-
Happy to have him back, but happier hes in a different division now
https://twitter.com/Feinsand/status/1842023323732963480?t=ENKIYUqAmz6Ksz7v5aGbNg&s=19
-
Happy to have him back, but happier hes in a different division now
https://twitter.com/Feinsand/status/1842023323732963480?t=ENKIYUqAmz6Ksz7v5aGbNg&s=19
Interesting...now they just need to televise their games
-
Interesting...now they just need to televise their games
That's how their announcers get fired though
-
I definitely wish I could find the drunk Indians fan who was yelling at me and my son the whole way out of Progressive Field that raising him as a Tigers fan was child abuse, and they couldn't wait to get a piece of Skubal, but Detroit wanted no part of Clase
-
A senior citizen caught John Kruk after smoking a cigarette after a game: "That's horrible, to see a professional athlete like you smoking."
"I'm not an athlete, lady, I'm a baseball player."
John Kruk
Legend
(https://i.imgur.com/tlGMGHB.png)
-
The Dodgers are a game away from being eliminated.
Again, baseball's postseason is the least prudent one in all of sports, given how the games percentages are (the best team vs the worst team being a 60/40 thing vs and 90/10 thing with something like college football, etc).
Why bother with 162 games if you've just got a best-of-5 waiting for you at the end of it. As a person with at least a decent understanding of statistics, I'd have major trouble being highly motivated to play hard.
-
The Dodgers are a game away from being eliminated.
Again, baseball's postseason is the least prudent one in all of sports, given how the games percentages are (the best team vs the worst team being a 60/40 thing vs and 90/10 thing with something like college football, etc).
Why bother with 162 games the highest payroll in baseball if you've just got a best-of-5 waiting for you at the end of it. As a person with at least a decent understanding of statistics, I'd have major trouble being highly motivated to play hard.
-
I'm firmly in favor of retrenchment of the baseball playoffs, and going back to 4 divisions only.
-
60 years ago this week
Bob Uecker, who had been shagging out in left field, tries his hand at catching batting practice balls with a tuba when an unsuspecting member of a Dixieland band leaves it unattended. Much to the delight of the crowd, the comedic Cardinals backup catcher is successful in two of his six attempts to snag a fly ball in the mouth of the instrument, but the owner, who is not amused, asks the team for $250 to cover the cost of repairing the dented brass.
(https://i.imgur.com/0nKl6iW.jpeg)
-
I definitely wish I could find the drunk Indians fan who was yelling at me and my son the whole way out of Progressive Field that raising him as a Tigers fan was child abuse, and they couldn't wait to get a piece of Skubal, but Detroit wanted no part of Clase
Sorry to hear that,no excuse specially with a child in tow
-
A senior citizen caught John Kruk after smoking a cigarette after a game: "That's horrible, to see a professional athlete like you smoking."
"I'm not an athlete, lady, I'm a baseball player."
I thought that was a woman with a young child - but he did say it
-
Milton ripped the roof off of the Ray's Tropicana field.
-
Milton ripped the roof off of the Ray's Tropicana field.
That's one way to get a new ballpark...
-
Milton ripped the roof off of the Ray's Tropicana field.
how about the brave's (Cincy's) practice field?
-
Milton ripped the roof off of the Ray's Tropicana field.
Your earlier remark about how the White Sox should have moved to Florida did not age well.
-
The Dodgers are a game away from being eliminated.
Again, baseball's postseason is the least prudent one in all of sports, given how the games percentages are (the best team vs the worst team being a 60/40 thing vs and 90/10 thing with something like college football, etc).
Why bother with 162 games if you've just got a best-of-5 waiting for you at the end of it. As a person with at least a decent understanding of statistics, I'd have major trouble being highly motivated to play hard.
If Dave Roberts didn't sorely mismanage the pitching rotation and bullpen during the regular season, the Dodgers wouldn't be facing early exits these past three seasons. I don't know why Roberts isn't blamed more for this. 2022 in particular stands out, where he worked his starting rotation into the ground well after the NL West was decided and eventually won with a 22 game lead. Instead the LA Times (beat writers like Bill Plaschke) went after the Dodgers front office after the Padres knocked out LA.
With all that said, last night's "bullpen win" was pretty ballsy. 8 different pitchers across nine innings contributing to a shut out of the Padres. I've never liked my teams going to "bullpen games" as they've become more common these past few seasons. Say you plan on rotating in 5 middle relievers - all it takes is one of those guys to fall apart to blow the game open. Bullpen games are an undependable approach.
Game 5 tomorrow night in LA.
-
The Pohlads are selling the Twins.
https://twitter.com/MillerStrib/status/1844393483488072094
-
unfortunately, I don't have 1.5
-
Hopefully they add the double hook rule soon, which should help some.
A.J. Hinch has managed the bullpen extremely well, but that because they traded Flaherty when they thought they were done, Maeda has been terrible. Multiple pitchers were on the IL. So even when they were just whatever in August, they only had two healthy starters, one of whom had a half a (bad) season in AAA.
But yeah, I generally don't love it. Particularly in the playoff when you are looking for these epic duals between starting pitchers.
I still like my idea to expand thep layoff to retain interest, but still reward the regular season.
You actually expand the playoffs to 8 for league. I don't think the bye in baseball is an advantage. Maybe if they go to the double hook rule, the ability to set your rotation would be a bigger advantage, but for now it seems like it just gets you out of rhythm.
So I would expand to 8 teams, and the 3 division winners are guaranteed a top 4 seed. The higher seeded team hosts the entire Wildcard Series. The lower seeded team always needs to win 4, but the #1 seed needs to win once, #2 seed twice, #3 seed thrice, and #4 seed also needs to win 4. Just getting in is worth maintaining interest, and if you can go on the road and win 4 straight at the #1 seed, I'm good with that.
Then from the ALDS on, it should all be best of 7, but the ALDS should also be hosted entirely by the higher seed.
So you would have
AMERICAN
- #8 Twins at #1 Yankees
- #7 Mariners at #2 Guardians
- #6 Tigers at #3 Orioles
- #5 Royals at #4 Astros
NATIONAL
- #8 Cardinals at #1 Dodgers
- #7 Diamondbacks at #2 Phillies
- #6 Mets at #3 Brewers
- #5 Braves at #4 Padres
-
unfortunately, I don't have 1.5
Need a big weekend on the links
-
I definitely wish I could find the drunk Indians fan who was yelling at me and my son the whole way out of Progressive Field that raising him as a Tigers fan was child abuse, and they couldn't wait to get a piece of Skubal, but Detroit wanted no part of Clase
Sorry to hear this.. but it's not uncommon either. Drunk Cleveland sports fan is the reason I'm not at Browns games and the reason my kids upbringing being at cleveland sporting events is very different than my upbringing. Most Cleveland baseball fans are tend to be a better group, but you have a better chance at finding them during the regular season than the clown you came across that is probably there to get hammered and is there because it's "the place to be" during the playoffs. Good moment to teach your son what not to be in life.
-
Sorry to hear this.. but it's not uncommon either. Drunk Cleveland sports fan is the reason I'm not at Browns games and the reason my kids upbringing being at cleveland sporting events is very different than my upbringing. Most Cleveland baseball fans are tend to be a better group, but you have a better chance at finding them during the regular season than the clown you came across that is probably there to get hammered and is there because it's "the place to be" during the playoffs. Good moment to teach your son what not to be in life.
It's also not a Cleveland thing. I've been to one Lions game, and I'll never go back. Same with the Steelers. We actually had great conversations with the Cleveland fans around us, and it was 99% a great experience. I wore my throwback Al Kaline jersey, and the woman behind me tapped me on the shoulder and asked if I ever saw him play. I said no, but he's Mr. Tiger. She said "oh thank god, I'm 70, and if you saw him play, I feel even worse about how old I look"
The only guy around us who was probably overserved was simply over enthusiastic in rooting for his guys, and yelling at the ump. In a 7-0 game, he actually just added levity
-
If Dave Roberts didn't sorely mismanage the pitching rotation and bullpen during the regular season, the Dodgers wouldn't be facing early exits these past three seasons. I don't know why Roberts isn't blamed more for this. 2022 in particular stands out, where he worked his starting rotation into the ground well after the NL West was decided and eventually won with a 22 game lead. Instead the LA Times (beat writers like Bill Plaschke) went after the Dodgers front office after the Padres knocked out LA.
With all that said, last night's "bullpen win" was pretty ballsy. 8 different pitchers across nine innings contributing to a shut out of the Padres. I've never liked my teams going to "bullpen games" as they've become more common these past few seasons. Say you plan on rotating in 5 middle relievers - all it takes is one of those guys to fall apart to blow the game open. Bullpen games are an undependable approach.
Game 5 tomorrow night in LA.
Statistically, there's no one to blame for a top team's early exit in the postseason. The format is to blame.
-
Statistically, there's no one to blame for a top team's early exit in the postseason. The format is to blame.
In a vacuum, yes.
But over 11 years, LA is 41-47 in the postseason in non-COVID situations. 88 games is not a small sample size. 54-52 if you include games with no fans.
In any given year, it's a fluke. When the best team in baseball is under .500 over like 60% of a season's worth of games, there is an issue.
-
I would expand to 8 teams, and the 3 division winners are guaranteed a top 4 seed. The higher seeded team hosts the entire Wildcard Series. The lower seeded team always needs to win 4, but the #1 seed needs to win once, #2 seed twice, #3 seed thrice, and #4 seed also needs to win 4. Just getting in is worth maintaining interest, and if you can go on the road and win 4 straight at the #1 seed, I'm good with that.
Then from the ALDS on, it should all be best of 7, but the ALDS should also be hosted entirely by the higher seed.
So you would have
AMERICAN
- #8 Twins at #1 Yankees
- #7 Mariners at #2 Guardians
- #6 Tigers at #3 Orioles
- #5 Royals at #4 Astros
NATIONAL
- #8 Cardinals at #1 Dodgers
- #7 Diamondbacks at #2 Phillies
- #6 Mets at #3 Brewers
- #5 Braves at #4 Padres
Simulated both this version and the actual playoffs. The actual playoffs, I didn't get the same results, but I got equally screwy results. Doing it this way, 7 of the top 8 seeds advanced to the DS, with Mets over Brewers as the one exception.
Then the top 2 seeds in both leagues advanced to the CS. Then we got the 2nd "upset" with the Phillies beating the Dodgers in 6 to face the Yankees in the WS.
I think that allows you to keep more teams interested in the regular season, while still rewarding regular season performance
-
Your earlier remark about how the White Sox should have moved to Florida did not age well.
Now they would have an open air stadium. No biggie.
-
Now they would have an open air stadium. No biggie.
They just got one
-
They just got one
Am I missing something?
-
The other thing I noticed with both Cleveland and Detroit, is you don't have transplants. You have people in LA or NY or or Chicago or Houston who are there because its an event. There were empty seats all over the place in the Astros series. This Cleveland-Detroit series feels monumental. The crowds are absolutely electric. I was expecting a little more out of KC, but I guess they do have the Chiefs. I remember the Tigers fans in 2006 feeling different coming off 7 Pistons/Red Wings championships in the past decade vs. now when the Lions just won the first postseason GAME for a team in the city since 2014.
-
Am I missing something?
Tampa now has an open air stadium
-
That's what I was saying. Stadium is still there.
The Rays want out though. They are looking at a site in Ybor City. That would be a good move for them. The Trop sucks.
-
She said "oh thank god, I'm 70, and if you saw him play, I feel even worse about how old I look"
bahaha.. that truly made me laugh out loud. Glad the rest of the group around you was solid..There's genuinely so many good people in the midwest but so often at some of the games can be overshadowed by a small percentage of outliers. Couldn't agree more about the passion and electric moments in these areas because it is lifelong fans. I was lucky enough to experience my first hockey game at Joe Louis Arena in the 90's and the playoff atmosphere was absolutely incredible. I was at game 7 of the 2016 world series and when Rajai Davis tied it in the bottom of the 8th with his HR off Chapman. I've never felt a sports moment like that. The crowd was so insane that Progressive Field honestly shook as a building and i've been to enough games to know that's never happened.
Now if you can ask your Tigers to give the Guardians at least one more win today so we can keep the baseball season alive i'd appreciate it.
-
In a vacuum, yes.
But over 11 years, LA is 41-47 in the postseason in non-COVID situations. 88 games is not a small sample size. 54-52 if you include games with no fans.
In any given year, it's a fluke. When the best team in baseball is under .500 over like 60% of a season's worth of games, there is an issue.
88 games is still a small sample in baseball. Especially when each subgroup is a best of 5 or best of 7 series.
When each year is a coin flip, the best team being sub-.500 over 11 coin flips is unremarkable. That's the problem.
-
162 games is too many
88 is small
100 about right? 120?
-
Now if you can ask your Tigers to give the Guardians at least one more win today so we can keep the baseball season alive i'd appreciate it.
OK, there's the one. Any more would be selfish of you ;)
They also changed the game time tomorrow from 4 to 8 once the Yankees-Royals series ended, now moved it up to 1 due to inclement weather.
-
Sports fans in the US long ago agreed that they prefer playoffs to determine their champions, rather than regular seasons. We've had plenty of discussions here over the years about what the best way to crown champions is, but the US fanbase likes its playoffs, and the leagues like the money that the extra games generate.
For actually crowning the best team, I like the system the european footballers use: you play everyone home and away, the team with the best record is the best team; they are the champions. That seems pretty straightforward and most likely to identify the best team for the season. But it can also lead to less exciting games at the end of the season (although promotion/relegation, and qualifying for the the Champions League and Europa League help), and it only works where you can make the number of teams and games match up correctly.
The old system in baseball: play everyone in your league, then the best team from each league plays in the World Series. But then the leagues got too big, so they added the League Championships. Still pretty reasonable, and playing 5-to-7-game serieses continued to allow teams to use their depth--which is key to a baseball season--to determine the champions. But once MLB decided to add the divisional serieses, it decided that making money on the playoffs was more important than excellence in the regular season. I understand both the financial incentive and the desire to keep more teams in the running later in the season, but the current baseball format--I think--just isn't very good for crowning the best team.
The NFL is probably one of the most competitive leagues in the world, parity-wise. And its playoffs system also values making money over the regular season. But at least the argument for the number of teams in the playoffs is better because the season doesn't lend itself to the European style to sort out which the best teams are.
CFB is just a mess for that. So, sure, have a playoff to generate a bunch of revenue and figure out what team has the hot hand at the right moment. Why not?
-
Sports fans in the US long ago agreed that they prefer playoffs to determine their champions, rather than regular seasons. We've had plenty of discussions here over the years about what the best way to crown champions is, but the US fanbase likes its playoffs, and the leagues like the money that the extra games generate.
For actually crowning the best team, I like the system the european footballers use: you play everyone home and away, the team with the best record is the best team; they are the champions. That seems pretty straightforward and most likely to identify the best team for the season. But it can also lead to less exciting games at the end of the season (although promotion/relegation, and qualifying for the the Champions League and Europa League help), and it only works where you can make the number of teams and games match up correctly.
Well, yes and no, because they also have a million different cups they play for.
It would be like if the MLB just gave a trophy to the best team after the season. But then also they had a separate tournament where all 30 teams play, plus college teams, minor league teams, beer league teams, etc... And also the best teams played for a third trophy where they also let Canadian and Mexican teams in.
I think as long as you recognize each trophy for what it is, it's fine. I mean the NHL does have a Presidents Cup, awarded to the team with the best regular season record. It's on the fans for not caring about winning it
-
Absolutely--that's why I said the fans in the US long ago made this decision. Sure, teams celebrate winning the FA Cup, but it's a distant second to winning the EPL. It's the fans that have driven the revenue for these playoff systems--and it's the fans who don't really care about having the best record during the regular season.
-
(https://i.imgur.com/pjTCYWl.png)
-
I guess that makes two nomad teams playing in the AL next year.
-
Got tickets to Game 1 in Cleveland.
First playoff game I'll have been to in person since Game 5 of the 2004 NBA Finals
A buddy of mine just hooked me up with tickets to game 5. First base line row 2. My oldest son is only 6 and doesn't focus well on 1 thing for long periods of time so we are thinking he's still a little too young to appreciate it. So I'm lucky enough to be able to take my dad. Still my favorite moment in my life was being a punk 15 year old teenage boy, when my dad took me to game 5 of the '95 series. When Thome smoked his HR to dead center to put them up 5-2, which ended up being massive, it was my field of dreams moment with my dad with our most memorable hug of my lifetime. Pretty excited to get another experience with him tomorrow.
-
(https://i.imgur.com/pjTCYWl.png)
I'm seeing retractable canvas sails, akin to a pizza, Roman colosseum style. Hand-pulled by volunteers. $10K fix.
-
It's not like they have to get it ready in time for a playoff game.
-
Jesus.
Kopech threw a 100mph 2-seamer for a strike. Then 102 at eye-level to get the K.
-
Stupid high walls in this park have kept it 1-0, instead of 3-0
-
Would like to see a series played w Polo Grounds dimensions.
-
Would like to see a series played w Polo Grounds dimensions.
You can play there in The Show, and my son and I do HR Derbys there. You can just slap HRs the opposite way, but going up the middle is ill advised
-
Steven Kwan and Jose Ramirez being on the same team is so frustrating
-
When DP balls turn into infield singles, you worry its not your day
-
Tigers keep smashing balls off the top of the wall, and Cleveland ties it with one line drive single.
Not our day
-
And season over, oh well
-
Fry hits into an inning ending DP that wasnt, and two batters later its 5-1
-
Guards up 5-1 end of the 5th 😎
-
If Trump says the guy who built the Progressive Field wall is in charge of the aouthern border, Id buy in, because that thing works. Tigers have now hit the top of the wall in 3 separate spots
-
More soft hits. Cleveland just racking up soft contact hits
-
Tbs wtf. ..
-
Tbs wtf. ..
Gotta get those ads in.
Also, Guardians are a frustratingly likeable (albeit frustrating team). And then they have Clase, who flexes at the weirdest times. He'll be in NY or LA soon, and it will make way more sense
-
Congrats to 3 of the top 4 teams winning coin flips :57:
-
Fry hits into an inning ending DP that wasnt, and two batters later its 5-1
Ok what happened here? Fans in the stands were so confused and it felt like we didn’t get an explanation. Was it a foul ball?
-
Ok what happened here? Fans in the stands were so confused and it felt like we didn’t get an explanation. Was it a foul ball?
No he just hit a routine grounder, and Detroit was not positioned correctly, so it turned into an infield single. Tjen Ramirez got hit, and then the grand slam
Im guessing you are thinking of the Greene error. It was likely going foul, but Greene went to field it. He touched it and then dropped it when he was in fair territory, so it was a fair ball
Guessing everyone is rooting for Cleveland now. Hopefully the Yankees or Dodgers pay Kwan and Ramirez, because they are two killers, and Id love to never aee them again. Kwan has to have the largest bat to height ratio. The fact that he can control the zone with a bat that Judge should be swinging is absurd
-
Wow. I completely forgot about the Fry hit. The grand slam is something I’ll never forget and moments right before then was a dark feeling of wondering if José was done. What a crazy few at bats. That ball that Fry hit was bizarre. It had such a weird nasty spin on it and the fact that’s part of what lead to the grand slam is mind blowing.
-
Looks like a very undramatic 1-1 series heading back to Flushing
-
Looks like a very undramatic 1-1 series heading back to Flushing
Or not
-
So Cleveland can't afford a helmet that fits for Naylor.
-
So Cleveland can't afford a helmet that fits for Naylor.
They have one, but it has Chief Wahoo on it
-
Wow. I completely forgot about the Fry hit. The grand slam is something I’ll never forget and moments right before then was a dark feeling of wondering if José was done. What a crazy few at bats. That ball that Fry hit was bizarre. It had such a weird nasty spin on it and the fact that’s part of what lead to the grand slam is mind blowing.
Speaking of David Fry, it's what I absolutely love about the postseason chess match. Don't get me wrong, I wish we had more starter vs. starter epics. But I also like how Vogt brought in Fry in Game 4. He crushes lefties, but struggles against righties. That forced Hinch to counter by taking his lefty out, and he went to the guy who had been the best righty for them in the postseason...and he made a mistake on an 0-2, 2 out pitch, that Fry hit over the wall to save Cleveland's season.
There was a similar moment earlier in the series, but with the teams flipped. Once Cleveland switched pitchers, Detroit sent up a pinch hitter for the pinch hitter to still get the platoon advantage. Vogt didn't. If Fry strikes out, and Cleveland loses, and is eliminated, Vogt gets grilled for why he left Fry in. Instead he made the "right" call, because it's a results based business
-
Not that anyone who mattered thought it, but I'm extremely done with any sort of Clase Cy Young talk, which was laughable to begin with. He didn't even have the highest WAR within his own BULLPEN, before his terrible postseason
-
My god, postseason baseball is the best
-
What...a...game
-
Game got me so wired and ticked at one point, such volatility and boobery.
-
Game got me so wired and ticked at one point, such volatility and boobery.
My 11 year old was absolutely losing his mind, without a dog in the fight.
-
Dodgers have just stopped swinging at any pitches out of the zone. Sounds easy enough, but they're actually DOING it.
Sort of short-circuits pitchers when you do that.
-
Dodgers have just stopped swinging at any pitches out of the zone. Sounds easy enough, but they're actually DOING it.
Sort of short-circuits pitchers when you do that.
Nah, that's a big deal in the postseason. It's why Detroit was the best offense in the AL for 5 years, and failed in the postseason. They couldn't adjust to the fact that they were facing nothing but elite pitchers
-
What...a...game
Simply one of the best games I've ever watched. The emotional swings on both sides were absolutely crazy. The win probability chart says it all.
(https://i.imgur.com/NZYp15x.png)
-
Second weird infield dribble hit this postseason for Cleveland
-
Second weird infield dribble hit this postseason for Cleveland
And Yankees get one themselves.
Why does Cleveland keep going to Clase? You dont have room, and hes been struggling badly in the playoffs
-
Managers gonna manage
-
Dayum nodded off and Tribe's bullpen screws the pooch
-
Whewwwww, Mets leave the bases loaded.
-
Thought Phillips was going to walk at least ine in first
-
Guardians manager made some series altering terrible decisions. Specifically not walking Stanton with runners on 2nd and 3rd with one out and first base open. Basic baseball. Bringing in Clase in game 4 in a tie game in the 9th, the night after he fell apart and the inning after Gaddis struck out 3 on 14 pitches, where 12 were strikes.
With all that being said, I have to respect what Vogt did all season with what he had. I hope he learned from overmanaging and some massive mistakes in the playoffs, but he definitely had this team playing well above their level.
(https://i.imgur.com/WN37NeM.png)(https://i.imgur.com/FUXLLsg.png)
-
(https://ktla.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/10/AP24300134275803.jpg?w=2560&h=1440&crop=1)
HOLY SHITTTTT! WALK OFF GRAND SLAMMMMMM
-
Fun game. Lot of high leverage ABs and interesting decisions.
-
went to bed in the 9th
was afraid it would go 15 innings
-
I call extra innings "free baseball"
-
yup it's great if it's not past my bedtime
and if I cared a little bit who won
-
One of the biggest d-bag moves by a fan in the history of sports.. And what more would you expect from one of the guys wearing sunglasses to a night baseball game.
(https://i.imgur.com/L901oqJ.png)
-
One of the biggest d-bag moves by a fan in the history of sports.. And what more would you expect from one of the guys wearing sunglasses to a night baseball game.
[img width=500 height=268.984]https://i.imgur.com/L901oqJ.png[/img]
In case you thought it was some drunk idiot, you are correct. If you thought it was some drunk idiot who would apologize afterwards no. He acted like he was doing his part. The interview with him made him seem even worse
-
Is he banned from attending again?
-
Is he banned from attending again?
He claimed he was kicked out but is allowed to return tonight. Yankees had no comment. Shame on the Yankees if he is. MLB should step in
-
Should be an empty seat
-
He claimed he was kicked out but is allowed to return tonight. Yankees had no comment. Shame on the Yankees if he is. MLB should step in
Looks like MLB did
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/42093437/sources-yankees-fans-interfered-mookie-betts-banned-world-series-game-5
Here was the fan's quote, what a fake-hard floor-slapper
"We always joke about the ball in our area. We're not going to go out of our way to attack. If it's in our area, we're going to 'D' up. Someone defends, someone knocks the ball. We talk about it. We're willing to do this.
I know when I'm in the wrong and as soon as I did it, I was like, 'Boys I'm out of here.' I patrol that wall and they know that."
-
That is grounds for a Pete Rose level of banning from baseball.
-
Looks like MLB did
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/42093437/sources-yankees-fans-interfered-mookie-betts-banned-world-series-game-5
Here was the fan's quote, what a fake-hard floor-slapper
"We always joke about the ball in our area. We're not going to go out of our way to attack. If it's in our area, we're going to 'D' up. Someone defends, someone knocks the ball. We talk about it. We're willing to do this.
I know when I'm in the wrong and as soon as I did it, I was like, 'Boys I'm out of here.' I patrol that wall and they know that."
His response is a proper summation of everything I expected him to be. Shame on the Yankees for not immediately banning him the rest of the series and considering banning him for life or years at minimum. Ridiculous that MLB had to step in.
-
Wouldn't you know, Rob Gronkowski fondly remembers his college friendship with the Yankees fan in question, who was a defensemen for the Arizona Wildcats ice hockey team (https://wildcat.arizona.edu/98798/sports/icecats-handle-weber-state-win-fifth-straight/) in the late 2000s.
Quite an entertaining interview:
https://twitter.com/UpAndAdamsShow/status/1851657572128059855
-
Stupid recognize stupid
-
Call me crazy but the idea that fans can fight players for the ball is kind of awesome.
-
Considering the stakes and the situation, this might be the worst defensive inning ever
-
Dodgers win the World Series
-
Whewwwww good game, DODGERS WIN!!!! Love it!!!
Beat both NY teams with bigger payrolls, and despite being a super-team, all the injuries throughout the year made it a tough season. Still won the NL West and navigated the postseason's series of coin-flips.
This feels good.
Glad it was against the Yankees. That makes it better.
-
they don't even try to make good hats for these championships, do they? they all blow.
-
they don't even try to make good hats for these championships, do they? they all blow.
I mean, they all get thrown in the dumpster after getting covered in beer. And half of them never see the light of day
-
I didn't really have a preference, but I was rooting for more baseball yesterday
-
Considering the stakes and the situation, this might be the worst defensive inning ever
You should play all parts of the game
https://twitter.com/MarcCarig/status/1851983547810083289
-
I didn't really have a preference, but I was rooting for more baseball yesterday
Ed Zachery
-
It wasn't the 1960 WS, that result is wild when staring at a composite box score.
-
It wasn't the 1960 WS, that result is wild when staring at a composite box score.
But that was a 7 game series. This was 4-1, where the team that won 1 won everywhere except defense and base running
-
https://youtu.be/aKvO2tKQVaw
-
https://twitter.com/Alden_Gonzalez/status/1858680082187120860?t=ecxkb8TZGzDGsJW5klYDNA&s=19
-
A Wall Street Journal article Friday added speculation to Omaha's Charles Schwab Field being a home to the Tampa Bay Rays.
-
Seeing where pitching contracts are this offseason, they need a cash influx from somewhere. Luis Severino is a middle rotation pitcher, and just signed with the cheapest team for $23 million a year
-
Baseball has done a great job of tweaking the game to keep the game watchable. Changing it to maintain it. $$$
-
Baseball has done a great job of tweaking the game to keep the game watchable. Changing it to maintain it. $$$
The rule changes are great. I love the double hook rule to make starters more valuable, but I do wonder how much it will matter if the rationale is viewership. Local ratings are fine, national ratings suck, but I cant imagine people being dialed into a premier pitching matchup. There are a billion viewing options, and either you love baseball, or you dont. I would rather watch two aces battle, but if they dont Ill still watch, and the people who dont watch, still wont
-
Well baseball has volume and uses it well. More games than any other sport means your per-game butts-in-seats and clicks/eyeballs don't have to measure up, but merely exist above a minimum. The rules changes helped keep fans and probably helped bring in more young fans than it would have gained with .215 hitters walking 90 times and striking out 250 times.
Baseball is an institution....it doesn't have to go big to try to get a big, new swath of fans. It merely needs to be entertaining enough to appeal to the children of existing fans.
-
Well baseball has volume and uses it well. More games than any other sport means your per-game butts-in-seats and clicks/eyeballs don't have to measure up, but merely exist above a minimum. The rules changes helped keep fans and probably helped bring in more young fans than it would have gained with .215 hitters walking 90 times and striking out 250 times.
Baseball is an institution....it doesn't have to go big to try to get a big, new swath of fans. It merely needs to be entertaining enough to appeal to the children of existing fans.
Yes, baseball is fine. Preaching to the choir. Im just talking about the next potential round of rule changes, which seem focused on prioritizing starting pitchers. I love it. I think the faster pace keeps kids engaged. But I dont think they care of Gerrit Cole is going deeper
-
(https://i.imgur.com/Yaxr3xV.png)
-
[img width=415.999 height=500]https://i.imgur.com/Yaxr3xV.png[/img]
I saw this about a year ago and still think about this stat all the time.. It's one of the most absurd stats in baseball history. We were very spoiled watching him.
-
I loved watching Maddux pitch. His 2-seamer would cut so hard and clip within a couple of inches of the plate (never reaching the black) and get the call every time. Throwing 90-92, he'd want the batters to hit the never-straight ball and get out as quickly as possible. And so many come-backers!!!
A magician.
-
Baseball is the king of putting like 8 parameters on a stat. Hes the first guy to reach base in his first three lefty on lefty PAs, in AL games, with men on base, with both teams over .500, with at least 2 of the PA being walks since Jesimiah McGonigole of the 1896 Brooklyn Gentlemen.
But a Maddux is the one stat that Ill allow, because it so encapsulates what he was, that it doesnt feel like you kept adding qualifiers to the spreadsheet until you got down to one.
-
biggest strike zone in the league
maybe he earned it
maybe Michael Jordan earned what he got in the NBA?
-
biggest strike zone in the league
maybe he earned it
maybe Michael Jordan earned what he got in the NBA?
Umps in the 90s were hot garbage. I always referred to it as the Tom Glavine strike zone. He'd start every game making pitch after pitch a couple inches off the plate, until some of those called balls became called strikes, and then inch out further, hitting the catcher's target throughout the rest of the game.
This is why his 1st-inning ERA was crap, but it was good for the rest of the game. He was willing to walk guys and give up a couple of runs early, just to get that gradually-expanded zone and benefit from it the rest of the game.
For Maddux, I think some of his 2-seamers and his curveball were so cartoony at times, they flummoxed the umps.
-
TODAY'S BIRTHDAY:
Tyrus Raymond "Ty" Cobb (1886)
Cobb was one of the greatest offensive players and perhaps the fiercest competitor in baseball history. During his 24-year career as an outfielder for the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Athletics, he set records that would stand for decades, including 892 stolen bases—a feat partly attributed to the brutality with which he used his cleats. Cobb provoked controversy on and off the field but was the first player elected to baseball's Hall of Fame in 1936.
-
I find it "amazin'" that the team who just spent more than any other in the history of baseball just to win 89 games just signed the fattest contract for a player ever.
The Mets don't understand that they're the Mets. It's brutal to watch.
-
I always enjoyed watching this guy pitch. Not anywhere near the stats of Maddux, but he relied on accuracy and command. And his games lasted like 2 hours.
(https://i.imgur.com/goRU7G9.jpeg)
-
https://twitter.com/karlykauf/status/1874896635261833576?t=Lam0hRaJxOjdDU_xXIjQUQ&s=19
-
(https://i.imgur.com/tjMDVFk.jpeg)
-
The next great Japanese pitcher has whittled it down to LAD, SD, and TOR.
He's being posted early or something, so his salary is only going to be like $10 mil/yr, so this isn't a 'highest bidder' thing, necessarily.
-
West coast teams are always rightfully going to have a leg up here. Toronto loves finishing runner up in FA races, but nobody wants their money, so I assume it's LAD or SD. SD ownership is involved in a massive in fight, so I assume LAD
-
Apparently Darvish has mentored the kid somewhat.
-
Dodgers are at least finally plugging the holes in that roster
-
https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/1880394058234994750?t=DbMVNac3-2hMy-qsWypizQ&s=19
-
Yeah, they got Sasaki. 6 years @ a rookie contract. Wow.
That rotation at some point, but Ohtani won't be ready at the start. But that rotation, plus Gonsolin. Plus May. And Kershaw will play some.
The only thing that can keep LA out of first is listing the teams alphabetically.
-
Why are we treating the one vote omission of Ichiro's HOF tally like it's Who Shot JR?
Give it a rest.
-
(https://i.imgur.com/PVmnkCy.jpeg)
-
Why are we treating the one vote omission of Ichiro's HOF tally like it's Who Shot JR?
Give it a rest.
Because when there is no rational reason, it then becomes dubious and possibly unethical.
-
(https://i.imgur.com/xmC92pP.png)
-
(https://i.imgur.com/zYLNNFa.jpeg)
-
(https://i.imgur.com/GgoiZ9H.jpeg)
-
In 1974 the Oakland A's Charlie Finley signed 22 year-old track sprinter Herb Washington to a one year contract, to be the teams "designated runner". He had not played baseball since high school. Maury Wills coached him on base running. And the A's won the World Series that year! Washington played in 105 MLB games without batting, pitching, or fielding, playing exclusively as a pinch runner.
(https://i.imgur.com/mSXsaK0.png)
-
I think we need a new 1974 MLB Thread for Fearless
-
(https://i.imgur.com/HgCKOmK.jpeg)
-
In 1974 the Oakland A's Charlie Finley signed 22 year-old track sprinter Herb Washington to a one year contract, to be the teams "designated runner". He had not played baseball since high school. Maury Wills coached him on base running. And the A's won the World Series that year! Washington played in 105 MLB games without batting, pitching, or fielding, playing exclusively as a pinch runner.
(https://i.imgur.com/mSXsaK0.png)
Caught stealing 17 times = 65% success rate, which is bad.
-
And the A's won the World Series that year!
-
Another case of a team succeeding despite their manager and not because of him.
-
I imagine Dick Williams and Alvin Dark did heroic things to grant the team success while fending off Charlie O
-
Indeed.
-
Mapping official radio affiliates for the Yankees and Red Sox. Favorite part is the remote towns in Maine getting their own Red Sox signal.
(https://i.imgur.com/CIvDuzL.jpeg)
-
We went to the Rays/Jays game yesterday at Charlotte Sports Park. There were more f'ing Ontario plates than Florida plates in the parking lot.
I wish they would go home.
-
have the governor put some state tariffs on those canucks!
-
(https://i.imgur.com/iaB0rz2.jpeg)
-
Made it out to a couple of spring training games. Dodgers, Cubs, and Giants are up to like $55 for the cheapest ticket, so not visiting those ballparks.
Got a $12 Royals ticket and a $20 Reds game so far. DBacks, A's are like $20. And the Brewers always the best buy in ghetto Maryvale.
I'll go to a few more this week.
-
Made it out to a couple of spring training games. Dodgers, Cubs, and Giants are up to like $55 for the cheapest ticket, so not visiting those ballparks.
Got a $12 Royals ticket and a $20 Reds game so far. DBacks, A's are like $20. And the Brewers always the best buy in ghetto Maryvale.
I'll go to a few more this week.
What do the Sox charge? Does anyone even go?
-
(https://i.imgflip.com/5heuoj.jpg)
-
I was last at the sprawling, and beautiful Glendale complex two seasons ago (which merely needs a bit more shaded seats and it would be my favorite complex in AZ). White Sox ticket was 1/2 the cost of the same ticket in the same ball park for a Dodgers game.
-
Made it out to a couple of spring training games. Dodgers, Cubs, and Giants are up to like $55 for the cheapest ticket, so not visiting those ballparks.
Got a $12 Royals ticket and a $20 Reds game so far. DBacks, A's are like $20. And the Brewers always the best buy in ghetto Maryvale.
I'll go to a few more this week.
Didn't realize the prices for Spring Training games were pretty much what regular season tickets are until last month I bought tickets for the Padres Vs Giants in Scottsdale. $35/ticket for seats on the LAWN for a TUESDAY night game. And that's not including for "processing fees." $140 dollars for four of us to go to a Spring Training game when I remember watching the Rockies back in 2008 in Tucson for like $7.
To the old timers in Tucson who once in a while mention missing Spring Training, to them I tell them: "Tucson got out of Spring Training before it was going to price itself out of Tucson anyway."
(https://i.imgur.com/3sP5eLc.png)
-
For games that don't count. Starters play to their 3rd at-bat.
I'd go to 10 games in 7 days just a decade ago. Literally can't afford to now. My friend and I had a Fb page dedicated to reviewing each ballpark experience, because we'd go to all of them.
No longer.
The ?beauty? of supply and demand. The absurdly expensive sit on your ass in the grass in the outfield tickets started with the Giants. I'm a Dodgers fan, so not attending their home games felt right. This was due to 2 factors: their winning 3 WS in 5 years (or whatever it was) + old town Scottsdale having retiree fans with all the dollars.
The Cubs were next, after their burgeoning dynasty (haha) win in 2016, I think it was. There's tiered game ticket pricing.....in spring training. Regular, premium, and whatever the hell else.
Everyone should boycott most of the ballparks and just get some cheese curds in Maryvale, avoiding night games, lol.
Maybe not everyone, but that's what I'm going to do.
-
well, shoot, I was thinkin of attending spring training games after I retire
-
well, shoot, I was thinkin of attending spring training games after I retire
You should.
But budget for it and the shaded seats get gobbled up first.
-
$20 a seat I can handle
I'll spill more beer than that on the golf course that trip
-
Think $50/ticket. $20 is to sit on the ground, 350' away.
-
Rays cost us $100 with parking. $200 with other shit.
-
lotta $$$ to watch practice
-
I enjoyed the hot dog.
-
“A hot dog at the ballpark is better than a steak at the Ritz”
-
Not if the mustard is out in the 6th inning. lol
-
that would cause a riot at Miller Park (American Family Field)
-
still true I'm certain, the hot dog is not even the most popular sausage ordered in Milwaukee, but the Bratwurst.
as a former food vendor at County Stadium, it sucked to be assigned hot dogs.
A. people wanted Brats, italians, or polish, and I had none of it.
B. even if they wanted a hot dog, I didn't have the Secret Stadium Sauce, that was in the Concourse.
might as well be selling ice to eskimos.
apropos of nothing. my preferred items to vend walking the seats (early/mid 90s)
1. peanuts
2. lemon/strawberry ice chill, make a killing during hot days.
3. dove bars/snicker bars
4. Weekday day games: CottonCandy/licorice ropes for the punk kids
5. pretzels (especially for Packers games)
6. Nachos, wouldn't sell one for 20 minutes, then when you did, you'd sell out as adjacent fans watched you ladle the cheese on the chips. It was like being Vince Offer the Shamwow guy.
7. soda
-
68 and cloudy all day today, but went to SD @ COL. It was like 14-2, Rockies. Had a dog and fries. The asian noodles smelled good, but $17 for a small cup is stupid.
They take everything good about a thing and then turn that sumbitch sideways and stick it up our asses.
-
I don't eat at the ball park
-
Giants Vs Padres Spring Training at Scottsdale Stadium yesterday evening
(https://i.imgur.com/aLXuLhO.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/c9cdYWv.jpeg)
-
Dodgers take both Tokyo games from the Cubs. Well on the way to 162-0
-
Chicago in a few weeks. Bought White Sox tickets. Can't believe how rock-bottom the prices are. As low as TWO dollars and only FIVE for the lower bowl are like prices from the 1960s! ⚾
(https://i.imgur.com/OVR4Wqx.png)
-
Chicago in a few weeks. Bought White Sox tickets. Can't believe how rock-bottom the prices are. As low as TWO dollars and only FIVE for the lower bowl are like prices from the 1960s! ⚾
Say hi to the other 5 people in the stands that night.
(the ballpark has great food options)
Also, go here:
https://35th-street-red-hots.foodjoyy.com/menu
35TH STREET RED HOTS, Chicago - Bridgeport - Photos & Restaurant Reviews - Order Online Food Delivery - Tripadvisor (https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g35805-d4196189-Reviews-35th_Street_Red_Hots-Chicago_Illinois.html)
-
Chicago in a few weeks. Bought White Sox tickets. Can't believe how rock-bottom the prices are. As low as TWO dollars and only FIVE for the lower bowl are like prices from the 1960s! ⚾
(https://i.imgur.com/OVR4Wqx.png)
That's how bad they are. One of the worst teams ever last year and have 6 SP getting Tommy John this Spring Training.
-
Reinsdorf needs to sell the team (and the Bulls).
Should there be a 2025 thread? Or just an MLB thread?