MLB Season 2022. Playball!

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Re: MLB Season 2019. Playball!

Post by sportdan30 »

dbdynsty25 wrote:Now this is what I call an A+ effort.

https://mobile.twitter.com/Cut4/status/ ... 5365068800
I watched it live. It was just ridiculous and hilarious. Don't recall seeing anything quite like that. What that video didn't show was him laying on the ground for about 30 seconds. I don't think he was hurt, but more embarrassed. In any case, I don't know how he ever won a gold glove. He's a very mediocre defender.

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Re: MLB Season 2019. Playball!

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If there’s something exciting this year for Jays fans is the much anticipated debut of Vlad Guerrero Jr. I’ve been kicking his tires since last season in the minors, he was injured during the preseason and his arrival to the Majors was reality today with a key hit setting up the win vs the A’s.

This guy will fill some seat at Rogers.

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Re: MLB Season 2019. Playball!

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Apparently Papi Ortiz was shot in the Dominican Republic and is currently in stable condition. Hope he’s ok.

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Re: MLB Season 2019. Playball!

Post by Rodster »

An interesting tidbit about Baseball I wasn't aware of. Why are Baseball games 9 innings long?

https://getpocket.com/explore/item/why- ... ket-newtab

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Re: MLB Season 2019. Playball!

Post by Rodster »

I bet if Philadelphia could have a do-over they wouldn't have signed Bryce Harper to all that money. Not because he's not worth it, he has Star Power and puts butts in the seats but Philly was eliminated from the Playoffs and Washington is trying to get in. I was reading that some GM's think Harper isn't a winning ball player. Can't say yeah or nay to that but damn, you drop 300+ million on one player and you can't make the Playoffs? Yikes. 8O

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Re: MLB Season 2019. Playball!

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Rodster wrote:I bet if Philadelphia could have a do-over they wouldn't have signed Bryce Harper to all that money. Not because he's not worth it, he has Star Power and puts butts in the seats but Philly was eliminated from the Playoffs and Washington is trying to get in. I was reading that some GM's think Harper isn't a winning ball player. Can't say yeah or nay to that but damn, you drop 300+ million on one player and you can't make the Playoffs? Yikes. 8O
Harper has been great. Tremendous player. Had a great year. As far as Harper not being a winning player...Bullsh@t. The reason the Phillies didn’t make the playoffs is a simple one...their starting rotation was not dealt with after last season. That and their pen, which was to offset the above mentioned rotation, was decimated by injuries. Robertson, Dominguez and Neshak all done. Matt Klentak (GM) is the one who should be shown the door. After Nola and Arietta the rotation to start the season was Nick Pivetta, Zack Eflin and Jared Eikoff. That is inexcusable. Everyone is clamoring about Kapler. Klentak is more to blame than Kapler.
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Re: MLB Season 2019. Playball!

Post by dbdynsty25 »

Diablo25 wrote:
Rodster wrote:I bet if Philadelphia could have a do-over they wouldn't have signed Bryce Harper to all that money. Not because he's not worth it, he has Star Power and puts butts in the seats but Philly was eliminated from the Playoffs and Washington is trying to get in. I was reading that some GM's think Harper isn't a winning ball player. Can't say yeah or nay to that but damn, you drop 300+ million on one player and you can't make the Playoffs? Yikes. 8O
Harper has been great. Tremendous player. Had a great year. As far as Harper not being a winning player...Bullsh@t. The reason the Phillies didn’t make the playoffs is a simple one...their starting rotation was not dealt with after last season. That and their pen, which was to offset the above mentioned rotation, was decimated by injuries. Robertson, Dominguez and Neshak all done. Matt Klentak (GM) is the one who should be shown the door. After Nola and Arietta the rotation to start the season was Nick Pivetta, Zack Eflin and Jared Eikoff. That is inexcusable. Everyone is clamoring about Kapler. Klentak is more to blame than Kapler.
Excuses. Everyone has injuries...the Braves have been destroyed by injuries all year...they just have players who stepped up and produced. They also didn't address their rotation, they just expected the rookies to come in and produce and they did that. The Phillies guys didn't. Hell their ace last year, Folty (not spelling it), was in the minors for two months because he was terrible (and has been lights out since returning). It happens. That and when the trading deadline rolled around, their GM didn't hesitate to add to the bullpen which was atrocious through the first half of the season. I believe there are 2 guys in their pen that were there at the opening of the season. That's called some turnover.

Nothing makes me happier than all the pundits and "experts" picking the Braves to finish fourth and they basically ran away with the division. By playing great inside their division...that's what set them apart from the rest of the division.

Yes, Harper is great - but one player does not make a team. The biggest offensive issue for the Phillies was losing Cutch so early and the regression of Hoskins. Nearly everywhere else in the lineup they were better than last year. Probably is, all of the Braves outproduced last year for the most part. So yeah...repeat division champs.

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Re: MLB Season 2019. Playball!

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dbdynsty25 wrote:Excuses. Everyone has injuries...
I'm really surprised by the consistency the Yankees and the type of season they've pulled off with all of their injuries to key players. At certain points in the season Judge, Gregorius, Stanton and Severino were out for a good portion of the season but still kept racking up the wins. Aaron Boone has done a nice job with the team. Let's see if they can beat the Astros or Dodgers in a series?

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Re: MLB Season 2019. Playball!

Post by snaz16 »

Rodster wrote:
dbdynsty25 wrote:Excuses. Everyone has injuries...
I'm really surprised by the consistency the Yankees and the type of season they've pulled off with all of their injuries to key players. At certain points in the season Judge, Gregorius, Stanton and Severino were out for a good portion of the season but still kept racking up the wins. Aaron Boone has done a nice job with the team. Let's see if they can beat the Astros or Dodgers in a series?
Yep agree with that and Db,,you can add Tampa and Cleveland to that mix that perservered. The Tribe lost Kluber,Carrasco, Clevinger,Kipnis,Naquin,Lindor was gone for the first month,etc. Smart trade to peddle Bauer and getting F.Reyes and Puig,who has been pretty good. Terry Francona is the glue that holds this team together. The Rays lost Snell,Lowe,Chirinos,Glasnow,etc.

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Re: MLB Season 2019. Playball!

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Indians were clobbered with injuries, don’t forget Ramirez. TPA has been really good too without those names at one point but what impressed me the most is how they separated themselves from BOS is that always tough division. C. Morton has been awesome for them.

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Re: MLB Season 2019. Playball!

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dbdynsty25 wrote:
Diablo25 wrote:
Rodster wrote:I bet if Philadelphia could have a do-over they wouldn't have signed Bryce Harper to all that money. Not because he's not worth it, he has Star Power and puts butts in the seats but Philly was eliminated from the Playoffs and Washington is trying to get in. I was reading that some GM's think Harper isn't a winning ball player. Can't say yeah or nay to that but damn, you drop 300+ million on one player and you can't make the Playoffs? Yikes. 8O
Harper has been great. Tremendous player. Had a great year. As far as Harper not being a winning player...Bullsh@t. The reason the Phillies didn’t make the playoffs is a simple one...their starting rotation was not dealt with after last season. That and their pen, which was to offset the above mentioned rotation, was decimated by injuries. Robertson, Dominguez and Neshak all done. Matt Klentak (GM) is the one who should be shown the door. After Nola and Arietta the rotation to start the season was Nick Pivetta, Zack Eflin and Jared Eikoff. That is inexcusable. Everyone is clamoring about Kapler. Klentak is more to blame than Kapler.
Excuses. Everyone has injuries...the Braves have been destroyed by injuries all year...they just have players who stepped up and produced. They also didn't address their rotation, they just expected the rookies to come in and produce and they did that. The Phillies guys didn't. Hell their ace last year, Folty (not spelling it), was in the minors for two months because he was terrible (and has been lights out since returning). It happens. That and when the trading deadline rolled around, their GM didn't hesitate to add to the bullpen which was atrocious through the first half of the season. I believe there are 2 guys in their pen that were there at the opening of the season. That's called some turnover.

Nothing makes me happier than all the pundits and "experts" picking the Braves to finish fourth and they basically ran away with the division. By playing great inside their division...that's what set them apart from the rest of the division.

Yes, Harper is great - but one player does not make a team. The biggest offensive issue for the Phillies was losing Cutch so early and the regression of Hoskins. Nearly everywhere else in the lineup they were better than last year. Probably is, all of the Braves outproduced last year for the most part. So yeah...repeat division champs.
Thanks for making my point. The Braves rookies stepped up because they were better and actually capable of doing it. I’m with you on the Phillies offense. Losing Cutch was a turning point. No excuses made. Just stated that the biggest issue that needed to be dealt with was not dealt with. The point I made was the pathetic rotation Klentak went with was the Phillies biggest issue. You aren’t going to compete with the Braves with the rotation Klentak threw out there. Even with Hoskins horrid 2nd half they would have been competing for the wildcard if they would have addressed the rotation. As far as injuries, sure every team has them. I simply made the point the Phillies lost their 7th, 8th and 9th inning guys within the first month. Tough to deal with....especially if your GM gives you a puss rotation.
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Re: MLB Season 2019. Playball!

Post by sportdan30 »

Great win by the Cardinals in game 1 last night against the Braves. They looked miserable for the first half of the game as they simply couldn't do anything at the plate. Nice pitching by Mikolas, and once again Martinez made things very interesting late. Key hits by Goldschmidt, Ozuna, Carp, and Wong were big late in the game.

What a hot dog that Acuana is! Hope that kid learns to mature quickly. He's a heck of a ball player, but he needs to be smacked around by the veterans.

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Re: MLB Season 2019. Playball!

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sportdan30 wrote:Great win by the Cardinals in game 1 last night against the Braves. They looked miserable for the first half of the game as they simply couldn't do anything at the plate. Nice pitching by Mikolas, and once again Martinez made things very interesting late. Key hits by Goldschmidt, Ozuna, Carp, and Wong were big late in the game.

What a hot dog that Acuana is! Hope that kid learns to mature quickly. He's a heck of a ball player, but he needs to be smacked around by the veterans.
Acuna has his moments when he needs to not be 20 years old. So yeah, you're right. And he got his tongue lashing through the media last night so we'll see if it sticks this time.

That game was heartbreaking all around on both sides really. Sloppy and not really indicative of either's teams strengths.

Such a weird game from start to finish. It was managed poorly by Snitker for sure. It shouldn't even have been that close but some gifts from the Cards in the first half of the game. And sticking Luke Jackson in the game when Martin got hurt compounded the mistake of not bringing Fried back out to pitch a second inning because he's starting game 4 is just ludicrous. Way too "by the numbers" in that game when he spent the entire year NOT coaching like that. So weird to completely change philosophy once the calendar turns. Luke Jackson should not touch the field of a close game...he's mop up at best. And he proved it again.

I find it absolutely hilarious, like seriously hilarious, that Carlos Martinez of all people was talking about Acuna's home run trot when he hit his ball to the moon in the 9th. That was precious.

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Re: MLB Season 2019. Playball!

Post by MizzouRah »

Too bad we can't hit when Flahtery pitches.

This series will go 5 games.
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Re: MLB Season 2019. Playball!

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Martinez ruined an amazing pitching performance from Adam Wainwright. I'm sorry, but Shildt can't actually think that Martinez can be counted on as the closer going forward.

Absolutely poor managerial decision making in the bottom of the 8th inning. First and 2nd and no out with a struggling DeJong at the plate. You have to bunt with the speedy Bader on second. Play for one run at the very least. Instead, DeJong pops out to short right.

The Cardinals can't expect to win this series with this inept offense. But the credit goes to the incredible starting pitching from the Braves rotation. They've got a great future ahead of them. All in all, they're a more rounded team. I was real impressed with Soroka. He looks like a future number 1.

Thankfully, the game is on in the early afternoon while I'm at work. I won't be watching or following the game too closely. So, it won't hurt that bad when we once again put up 1-2 runs.

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Re: MLB Season 2019. Playball!

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Soroka is already the #1...btw. He just had a VERY good ERA on the road and both Keuchel and Folty were hot, so that’s the reason he went game 3.

There has been some really bad managerial decisions this series...it’s been weird. For example, no idea why Snitker thinks it’s a good idea to keep running out the same lineup with black holes in LEFT and RIGHT field while their hottest hitter (Duvall) is left on the bench so he can be used later. WHY????? Get him 4 at bats! Not like either lineup is destroying the ball or clicking. Make a change.

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Re: MLB Season 2019. Playball!

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I was also trying to figure out why the announcers were so ademant about them not pitching Carlos “Don’t Round the bases too Slow” Martinez too long so they could use him today??? He has gotten hammered by the Braves in both appearances so far. Can’t imagine they are too excited to throw him out there again.

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Re: MLB Season 2019. Playball!

Post by dbdynsty25 »

And game 4, 100% - the most frustrating game I’ve ever watched. Even more than some of those World Series choke jobs in the 90s. This game was won about 5 times by the Braves, and yet, they lose. Impossible to have that many chances to not come through.

My TV is lucky it made it through the game today.

Dreading going against Flaherty again. Not sure Folty has another performance in him like he did in game 2.

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Re: MLB Season 2019. Playball!

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dbdynsty25 wrote:And game 4, 100% - the most frustrating game I’ve ever watched. Even more than some of those World Series choke jobs in the 90s. This game was won about 5 times by the Braves, and yet, they lose. Impossible to have that many chances to not come through.

My TV is lucky it made it through the game today.

Dreading going against Flaherty again. Not sure Folty has another performance in him like he did in game 2.
It's your bad luck to be running up against the standard Cardinals black magic. They are objectively the worst team left in the tournament, but this just makes it more certain that they will win it all. Edman or some stiff like him who will never be worth 2 WAR again in his career will hit .942 in the Series and homer off Verlander 4x to win the MVP. It's what they do.
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Re: MLB Season 2019. Playball!

Post by sportdan30 »

Great game by Ozuna at the plate. Nice to see him having a good series. Unfortunately, it appears he won't be back with the Cards next year. Hopefully, he goes to an AL team.

Sure would be nice to see DeJong show up in this series. Perhaps he and Freeman can get a table for two in the press box and just watch the game from there.

I turned the game off when Martinez came in to pitch. Had my friend text me when somehow he tight roped out of the 9th inning.

Edman is gamer! Kid came out of nowhere and just hits. I'm a little surprised to see Shildt playing him in left, although he's been a little shaky at 3rd this series. Has speed and athleticism. Hopefully, he's not just a mid season wonder because he can drive other teams nuts.

Hey Shildt, how about giving Arozarena start in right? Fowler is slumping and Carpenter won't take the bat off his shoulder. Edman can go back to 3rd base.

Yadi came up big yesterday once again. But, cool it with the neck slice. That's uncalled for, even if Acuna did it earlier in the series. He's a younger player who still learning how to act. Molina should know better. He just got caught up in the emotions.

Can the Cards solve Folty? Doubtful.....and can they provide any kind of run support for Flaherty? Also doubtful. Hey, at least they forced a game 5.

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Re: MLB Season 2019. Playball!

Post by wco81 »

I just heard on a podcast about second-order winning percentages.

By that metric, Dodgers and Astros are considered super teams, maybe two of the best since 1950.

Hmm, only 1 WS win between the two. Of course good chance one of them will win again this year.

Still, what is the point of such analytics, that on paper they have a lot of talent and should be winning the WS more often?

The second-order winning percentage for both these teams are well over .700. That means they each should have won over 114 games or more.

Woulda, shoulda, coulda ...

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Re: MLB Season 2019. Playball!

Post by RobVarak »

wco81 wrote:I just heard on a podcast about second-order winning percentages.

By that metric, Dodgers and Astros are considered super teams, maybe two of the best since 1950.

Hmm, only 1 WS win between the two. Of course good chance one of them will win again this year.

Still, what is the point of such analytics, that on paper they have a lot of talent and should be winning the WS more often?

The second-order winning percentage for both these teams are well over .700. That means they each should have won over 114 games or more.

Woulda, shoulda, coulda ...
Once you take competition from the regular season to short series, those measures of quality become far less important. Second-order W%, pythagorean W% etc. are all based on the quality of the entire roster over 162 games. Short series where you are using 3 starters instead of 5, and like 4 relievers instead of 6-7, and barely touching the end of you bench, (plus the bigger role of luck over few games) introduce a huge level of randomness into the equation. All that a smart organization can do is plan to get a ticket to the postseason lottery.

I've said for years that there are better postseason structures which would be more meritocratic, but they would not be palatable to either the MLBPA or TV. It would require things like longer series with fewer off-days to force teams to use all of their starters and manage workloads in a way that puts demands on the whole roster.
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Re: MLB Season 2019. Playball!

Post by dbdynsty25 »

RobVarak wrote:Once you take competition from the regular season to short series, those measures of quality become far less important. Second-order W%, pythagorean W% etc. are all based on the quality of the entire roster over 162 games. Short series where you are using 3 starters instead of 5, and like 4 relievers instead of 6-7, and barely touching the end of you bench, (plus the bigger role of luck over few games) introduce a huge level of randomness into the equation. All that a smart organization can do is plan to get a ticket to the postseason lottery.

I've said for years that there are better postseason structures which would be more meritocratic, but they would not be palatable to either the MLBPA or TV. It would require things like longer series with fewer off-days to force teams to use all of their starters and manage workloads in a way that puts demands on the whole roster.
The 16 straight division title Braves agree with this assessment. Ugh. I hate the playoffs.

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Re: MLB Season 2019. Playball!

Post by RobVarak »

dbdynsty25 wrote: The 16 straight division title Braves agree with this assessment. Ugh. I hate the playoffs.
Nobody with a serious baseball mind looks at postseason success as a real measure of a given team's quality unless they are splitting hairs between teams of similar regular-season quality, and even then it's more of an afterthought. Bill James was on top of this 30 years ago, as he was most things of course.
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Re: MLB Season 2019. Playball!

Post by wco81 »

But it is the goal of every team.

Unlike the EPL, the regular season is a prelude to the postseason, not the main and only thing.

You can say a team's roster and the organization are better measured by regular season success, regardless of whether they follow those seasons with the WS wins or not.

But the division banners and the pennants are seen as lesser achievements to the WS.

How did the 162-game schedule come into being? It was to generate a certain amount of revenues for the ball clubs, not necessarily as a determinant of "the best" team. With so many games to play, teams are not playing with the effort and intensity of a shorter tournament, where the importance of each game, each inning, each AB is magnified several times over.

How many of those Braves players, coaches and fans would trade some of those division banners for more WS rings?

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