Let's talk Baseball!

[crgildart]

Another funny story shared here a couple years ago... Evan Longoria played a couple games for the Bulls rehabbing.. We were at one of those games. The first time he stepped up to the plate the pitcher beaned him in the back with the first pitch. Everybody laughed.. It wasn't a fastball. It was meant to be a joke..

 

[Marker]

Someone had to win the wildcards so it might as well be the Phillies and Padres even if both have been heartbreakers recently

 

[Uncle-A]

With these yearly contracts escalating like they are, I am not sure why any top level player would sign more than 3-4 years. I can see why Soto turned down 10 year $420m, yes a ton of money. Generational money, but honesty so is 1 year $35m. It is was my, I'd go 3 year $150m, then in three years it will be another 3 years but $225m ... even it its the same at $150m, you already have enough money to never need again.

This is probably true, but in a few incidents a long term contract could be an advantage. I think the last contract that Derek Jeter signed was a 10 year deal and it guaranteed that he would be a Yankee for the remainder of his career. If a player wants to stay with one team for a long time that is one way to achieve that goal. Others may not want to move for family reasons and they may not be in the top level of their ability, a long term contract maybe in their best interest.

 

[scott43]

If you go in the shitter the long term may be of great benefit..

 

[James]

With these yearly contracts escalating like they are, I am not sure why any top level player would sign more than 3-4 years. I can see why Soto turned down 10 year $420m, yes a ton of money. Generational money, but honesty so is 1 year $35m. It is was my, I'd go 3 year $150m, then in three years it will be another 3 years but $225m ... even it its the same at $150m, you already have enough money to never need again.

Yeah but they’re not machines with predictable maintenance and longevity.

This is the first year Judge has been healthy the whole time. It’s not a given. There was lots of speculation last year that guys that big just couldn’t stay healthy. Stanton is big and seemingly always hurt.

Let him walk if it’s a ridiculous contract. It’s not the NBA where one star makes the team. Though they do attract viewers. Unless they’re terrible as a team. Which has been the last few weeks. The Angels are terrible and have two of best players in the league with Trout and Ohtani.

 

[Jim McDonald]

I'll just say that I think the Jordan Montgomery trade is going to haunt Brian Cashman for the rest of his life.

 

[James]

I'll just say that I think the Jordan Montgomery trade is going to haunt Brian Cashman for the rest of his life.

Except people getting zero hits is what has been killing them. I think they’ve lost the most games by one run in mlb in August. They turned into last year's team, which couldn’t score a guy from third with no outs, except they added getting thrown out on the bases for stupidity.

A few years ago when Miguel Andujar came up from the minors to great fan fare and production, there was talk Cashman was going to trade him. He said no, and joked “I want to live in this town”. Should’ve done it then, as he’s gone nowhere.

Baseball is weird. Good teams lose to bad teams all the time. Last year the Oriole’s, joke of the league, were the reason the Yankees didn’t win the division as they lost 9 games to them. Then they have to play the Red Sox in a one game playoff, and Jonathan Loisiga throws 4 wild pitches in one inning to lose. You could not put that in a movie other than a farce and have it believed.

 

[Jim McDonald]

Fair enough regarding this year, and the past.
But when the Stadium is your home you don't give away a young flame=throwing leftie for damaged goods.
Montgomery had already proved himself; with half an ounce of run support he'd've won a lot more games.
That's why this trade will hurt the team for many seasons to come.

 

[TexasStout]

Astros in the World Series, again.

 

[Lorenzzo]

Well…the shift finally hit the fan.

 

[TexasStout]

Well…the shift finally hit the fan.

Lame. Batters that aren't capable of hitting opposite field to defeat the shift are lazy. Not willing to work to become masters of their craft.

 

[Philpug]

Voting on Friday to end the

Well…the shift finally hit the fan.

You don't like the shift???? Don't hit into the effin shift!!!!! Learn to hit the ball the other way.

 

[James]

If the batters won’t shift, ban the shift.
To be fair, I don’t think anyone is telling them they should hit a single to the open area. Seems like swinging away with launch angle is what those paying the millions want.

Sounds like infielders now have to have shoes on dirt too. No second baseman out in shallow right. Will we see enormous dirt infields?

Pitch clock!!

 

[S.H.]

If the batters won’t shift, ban the shift.
To be fair, I don’t think anyone is telling them they should hit a single to the open area. Seems like swinging away with launch angle is what those paying the millions want.

Sounds like infielders now have to have shoes on dirt too. No second baseman out in shallow right. Will we see enormous dirt infields?

Pitch clock!!

Pitch clock is intriguing. Getting games down closer to 2:30 is certainly appealing. Hopefully injecting more movement on the bases is also something I like. Increasing size of bases is ... cool, I guess?

Don't like banning shifts ... since the dimensions of the infield dirt aren't standardized, how can you implement a rule with "on dirt"? If they do need to legislate against the shift, I'd rather they said you needed 3 total fielders on each side of 2nd base (pitcher/catcher don't count). Then you could still have 4 outfielders and you could shift the infielders but not the outfielders, etc.

As long as math says it's better to hit .230 with 40 HR than hit .300 with 20 HR, launch angle is here to stay. If running and small ball comes back, we'll see more interesting games and fewer Ks.

 

[crgildart]

Lame. Batters that aren't capable of hitting opposite field to defeat the shift are lazy. Not willing to work to become masters of their craft.

Also
Lame.. FIELDERS who aren't capable of running from their position to make the play are lazy... Not willing to work to become the masters of their craft?

I actually think adding more rules to where the 9 players can and can't play on any given play is the worst idea ever..

 

[Lorenzzo]

Voting on Friday to end the

You don't like the shift???? Don't hit into the effin shift!!!!! Learn to hit the ball the other way.

To me it’s about greater parity between left and right handed hitters. I’m pretty sure had they left it in place, the next gen of hitters would have neutralized it but in the meantime it’s boring. It’s also contributed to the HR or nothing thing. And it’s not lazy it’s stats telling them what to do.

I realize rule changes in baseball freaks people out but baseball needs to change. Pitch clock!!!

 

[Philpug]

Pitch clock!!!

Less commercials.

Get rid of the damn call review, either the call is right or its not. Every play is subject to review from NY. If the umps get it wrong, they are immeditely called and its corrected. I hate these challenges ...the same for football.

 

[crgildart]

Still say something needs to be done to reduce countless throws to first from the mound. Call it a ball if it's not in the strike zone or make it a pitch clock violation. Pitchout to catch stealing is a ball. Throw directly to first from the mound should be as well.

Get better at pitchouts and straight up catcher throwing them out at 2nd. More scoring, more exciting misses and errors when the catcher/2nd base throwing errors in to the outfield while base runners advance.. I'm all in for that..

 

[S.H.]

Still say something needs to be done to reduce countless throws to first from the mound. Call it a ball if it's not in the strike zone or make it a pitch clock violation. Pitchout to catch stealing is a ball. Throw directly to first from the mound should be as well.

Get better at pitchouts and straight up catcher throwing them out at 2nd. More scoring, more exciting misses and errors when the catcher/2nd base throwing errors in to the outfield while base runners advance.. I'm all in for that..

Well, the new rule does this. Pitchers are allowed to step off/pickoff attempt 2x/plate appearance. A third pickoff attempt is allowed, but if unsuccessful, is a balk, allowing runners to advance a base (but resetting the step off/pickoff counter to 0).

 

[James]

What’s up with the bigger bases, safety?