MLB 2020 Thread

[BmillsSkier]

I'm going to spend my summer in Alaska hunting wolverines.

[SkiBall]

Your OSU fandom is getting a little out of hand.

[BmillsSkier]

Your OSU fandom is getting a little out of hand.

God no, I’m a Michigan fan. I was just continuing the Napoleon Dynomite quotes.

Screw the Buckeyes.

[BmillsSkier]

I listened to a Tito Francona press conference today about the start of the season. My takeaways:

1) Tito is a gift; if there’s one guy I could talk baseball with it’s him, hands down.

2) The owners and the players union both came off as turds in all this and I’m not optimistic about the future; that said

3) I’m stoked for baseball to come back and think this short season could be really fun.

[SkiBall]

God no, I’m a Michigan fan. I was just continuing the Napoleon Dynomite quotes.

Screw the Buckeyes.

Damn. My bad. I’m slipping.
I really didn’t see that loyalty coming either.

[Benny Profane]

Two Nationals players, Ryan Zimmerman, Joe Ross, will not play this farce. Beginning of cascade of veteran, well healed players, and probably some prudent rookies.

[BmillsSkier]

If they're well-healed then why are they sitting out? You're healthy, you play.

[hawkgt]

Ian's has thoughts on sitting out

https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/30/us/ia...rnd/index.html

[Benny Profane]

If they're well-healed then why are they sitting out? You're healthy, you play.

Because they have enough bank to not risk their health and their family's health to play a stupid 60 game tourney that will be essentially triple AAA quality (maybe) spring training that nobody will take seriously.

[BmillsSkier]

Because they have enough bank to not risk their health and their family's health to play a stupid 60 game tourney that will be essentially triple AAA quality (maybe) spring training that nobody will take seriously.

Woooosh, Ben.

Healed vs Heeled.




Happy Bobby Bonilla Day, Mets fans!

[Timberridge]

And belated happy Bruce Sutter day to all you down in ATL, Bmills.

[Benny Profane]

Woooosh, Ben.

Healed vs Heeled.




Happy Bobby Bonilla Day, Mets fans!

That guy. Doesn't he have like another fifteen years of cash flow?

[BmillsSkier]

And belated happy Bruce Sutter day to all you down in ATL, Bmills.

Heh,

That guy CLEANED up. Talk about a fuckin' deal. He signed for $9.1MM on a 6 year deal. Took only $750K while in ATL and for the next 30 fucking years after he retired he gets $1.12MM a year AND the principal $9.1MM when it finally ends in a couple years. All told, somewhere north of $45MM.

[Benny Profane]

For the life of me, I can't understand why more players structure deals like this. Must be a sucky deal for the agent.

[Timberridge]

You might have answered your own question.

[ex-powderbroker]

I'll give Bauer credit for being entertaining.

https://twitter.com/BauerOutage/stat...29692346331136

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...ht/3241926001/

[SkiBall]

https://www.si.com/mlb/rockies/liste...rn-of-the-bunt

SI article thinking modified rules this season may lead to more small-ball. Old dogs and new tricks makes it interesting how that turns out. Lots of ugly bunts in the 10th inning, or PH specialists maybe.

But the interesting stat in there shows the most K’s/season as the 12 highest totals occurred in the last 12 seasons, in reverse order no less. Maybe why IBB’s have gone down.
Also shows the descent of sac hits in recent years. I like big hits like most, but those little strategy plays have been missing. Subconsciously I think I have noticed but couldn’t put my finger on what seemed to be lacking.

[DBdude]

Though the poles at Buffalo's old War Memorial (where the move The Natural was filmed) were far more majestic. Check these fuckers out.

Attachment 332517

Greatful dead shows for two hundred alex

[smmokan]

https://www.si.com/mlb/rockies/liste...rn-of-the-bunt

SI article thinking modified rules this season may lead to more small-ball. Old dogs and new tricks makes it interesting how that turns out. Lots of ugly bunts in the 10th inning, or PH specialists maybe.

But the interesting stat in there shows the most K’s/season as the 12 highest totals occurred in the last 12 seasons, in reverse order no less. Maybe why IBB’s have gone down.
Also shows the descent of sac hits in recent years. I like big hits like most, but those little strategy plays have been missing. Subconsciously I think I have noticed but couldn’t put my finger on what seemed to be lacking.

The stats still don't lie on bunting, especially with a runner on 2nd and no outs... so I doubt things will change. Additionally, for half the league (the NL, obviously), there's now a full-time DH which means more offense and no stupid double switches to move the pitcher's spot in the order.

To comment on your "what seems to be lacking", one thing I'll add: players hitting the ball to the right side when there's a guy on second. Very few try to do that on purpose, and even fewer of those succeed anymore. Our coach in college used to get pissed if we didn't move the runner over, now it seems to be a surprise if they do. It's very much a team sport played by individuals these days.

[Benny Profane]

Not a good start, before the start.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/...st-round-tests

[SkiBall]

The stats still don't lie on bunting, especially with a runner on 2nd and no outs... so I doubt things will change. Additionally, for half the league (the NL, obviously), there's now a full-time DH which means more offense and no stupid double switches to move the pitcher's spot in the order.

To comment on your "what seems to be lacking", one thing I'll add: players hitting the ball to the right side when there's a guy on second. Very few try to do that on purpose, and even fewer of those succeed anymore. Our coach in college used to get pissed if we didn't move the runner over, now it seems to be a surprise if they do. It's very much a team sport played by individuals these days.

Fundamentals. Or lack thereof.
And the players that can spray the ball to all fields get much more of my respect.
Do you even launch-angle bro? Whoever turned the light on to that should be drawn and quartered.

[Benny Profane]

A turning point to me was when I was trying to explain the extreme shift that the opposing team was using against Jason Giambi at Yankee Stadium to my girlfriend early in the newfangled shift strategy days. I vocally mused that this guy, who is paid 6 million a year or something at the time, couldn't do something as simple as hit to the opposite side. How did that happen?

[BmillsSkier]

Freddie Freeman out with the Rona

[ex-powderbroker]

A turning point to me was when I was trying to explain the extreme shift that the opposing team was using against Jason Giambi at Yankee Stadium to my girlfriend early in the newfangled shift strategy days. I vocally mused that this guy, who is paid 6 million a year or something at the time, couldn't do something as simple as hit to the opposite side. How did that happen?

i saw you!

[Mr. Mike]

Not a good start, before the start.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/...st-round-tests

Well, a better start than the other starters:

"Seven staff members also tested positive. The 38 positives represent 1.2% of 3,185 samples collected for the first set of results. For comparison, the NBA on June 26 reported a 5.3% rate of positive tests (16 of 302) among players, while MLS announced a positive rate of 2.7% (18 of 668) among players two days later."