MLB 2021 Official Thread

[Woodsy]

Robo Umps coming to AAA ball
From Axios:
"The Automated Ball-Strike system (ABS), the tech powering what's colloquially known as robo-umps, is inching ever closer to the big leagues.
Simple sleuthing all but confirms that ABS is coming to Triple-A in 2022: this job posting is recruiting ABS techs in 11 Triple-A markets.
How it works: Though the informal term calls to mind a dystopian future ruled by robot overlords, ABS still requires a human umpire to stand behind the plate all game.

Technology from Danish golf startup TrackMan determines if each pitch is a ball or strike. ABS then feeds its call to the ump via an earpiece, and he relays the call to the players.
The ump still makes calls like check swings, interference and plays at the plate. ABS simply eliminates guesswork from the strike zone."

Makes sense, seeing a !00+ mph pitch, especially as it is moving drastically like so many do these days is incredibly difficult.
Why not use the same tech that pitchers are using to work on that movement.

[Bunion 2020]

That is going to suck for the umpires, having to decide checks and listen to an ear piece will lead to some funny shit.

[ötzi]

Oh, a Danish golf startup. I'm sure it'll be fine.

[Woodsy]

Oh, a Danish golf startup. I'm sure it'll be fine.

Trackman has been around for at least 15 or so year in the golf world. TV has used it for years and they are fairly ubiquitous at golf courses these days
MLB has been using it since 2017 to track pitch speed. Uses Doppler Radar

[BmillsSkier]

Doppler huh?

Can it tell us when the rain delay will be over too?

[alias_rice]

Doppler huh?

Can it tell us when the rain delay will be over too?

Can it tell us when the lockout will be over?

[BmillsSkier]

Lockout update. Apparently the MLBPA dropped or lowered some of their requests. Can someone please explain to me what this request from the Union serves? Do the players actually want small market teams to receive less from revenue sharing?

How is that good for the game?



https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/...ss-sources-say

[ex-powderbroker]

I thought an age-based cutoff for free agency made sense so I am sad to see it dropped but I really like this idea of a lottery for the first 8 draft spots among the losing teams. Maybe that will help ever so slightly as a defense against tanking.

[BmillsSkier]

HOF elections named today with Schilling, Bonds, Clemens and Sosa facing their last year of eligibility. First year for ARod and David Ortiz.

I really don't like any of those guys and couldn't care if they don't get in.

I don't disagree that there is a very good argument that each of these guys should be in, I'm just hoping that writers refusing to vote for these guys decide to toss a vote for my man Omar. (But as proven time and again, HOF voters are some really self-important douchebags who use their ballot as a way to push personal grudges and agendas)

Benny's Hall of Juicers and Bar + Grille is making more sense by the day.

[ex-powderbroker]

i am pulling for andruw jones, i hope the voters show some brains for once.

[BmillsSkier]

There's just so much self-inflicted grey area by the Hall that leads to some goofy ass results.

Morality clause? You telling me what a guy did or didn't do years after he took off the uniform make a difference for a sports hall of fame?

But he's an asshole too. "Yeah, but he's our asshole." HoF has Ty Cobb as a proud member, but other notable jerks get the cold shoulder.

Pete broke the number one rule of the game. **Commissioner checks to see how the new in-stadium Draft-Kings Sportsbook in Wrigley is coming along**

But he juiced. **Ignores all other juicers**

[Woodsy]

AS much as I never liked him, Bonds not being in the hall just doesnt make sense.

asterick, disclaimer, whatever but you cant just ignore one of the greatest hitters, Pete too.

[Danno]

Lockout update. Apparently the MLBPA dropped or lowered some of their requests. Can someone please explain to me what this request from the Union serves? Do the players actually want small market teams to receive less from revenue sharing?

How is that good for the game?



https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/...ss-sources-say

the PA doesn't care about what's good for the game, they WANT the owners to spend like crazy, and revenue sharing doesn't make that happen. As I understand it, revenue sharing comes about because of the tax lines, and the tax line makes the big spenders spend less. So the PA wants the tax line increased, even if that results in smaller payments to the small market teams.

It's totally fucked up that the fans can see what the problems are, but the owners and the players are both about grabbing as much of the pie as possible, versus making choices that ensure the pie tastes great for everyone for years to come.

HOF elections named today with Schilling, Bonds, Clemens and Sosa facing their last year of eligibility. First year for ARod and David Ortiz.

I really don't like any of those guys and couldn't care if they don't get in.

I don't disagree that there is a very good argument that each of these guys should be in, I'm just hoping that writers refusing to vote for these guys decide to toss a vote for my man Omar. (But as proven time and again, HOF voters are some really self-important douchebags who use their ballot as a way to push personal grudges and agendas)

Benny's Hall of Juicers and Bar + Grille is making more sense by the day.

i am pulling for andruw jones, i hope the voters show some brains for once.

You guys know that the details are already sufficiently known that I can tell you with near 100% certainty that nobody is getting in, except possibly Ortiz (my guess is he barely misses, but it will be close), right? Omar is never getting in, given the way his total has gone down.

[Danno]

FWIW, I would vote for Bonds and Clemens because it's clear that they were HoFers before starting on the juice. I would not vote for ARod, Manny, Sammy because I can't say the same. Ortiz deserves to get in because people like Pudge, Piazza, Bags all got in. With no further evidence, I don't see how you keep him out.

[BmillsSkier]

Yep, well aware of the tracker.

My guess is the Veterans Committee (or whatever it goes by now) will be very busy inducting many of these guys in the years down the road.

[alias_rice]

Lockout update. Apparently the MLBPA dropped or lowered some of their requests. Can someone please explain to me what this request from the Union serves? Do the players actually want small market teams to receive less from revenue sharing?

How is that good for the game?



https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/...ss-sources-say

The thought is that if the revenue sharing is decreased, some of the cheap bastard owners may actually have to field a good team if they want to make money. Why have a competitive team when you can just sit back and cash checks from the Dodgers and Mets?


Sounds like the Union backed away from having older players hit free agency sooner. Hopefully MLB will give something up too and we can get closer to games. But Dick Monfort was crying about how difficult it is to own a baseball team, so who knows. Here’s an idea Dick, sell your team for $1.5B and go away.

[Supermoon]

Lockout update. Apparently the MLBPA dropped or lowered some of their requests. Can someone please explain to me what this request from the Union serves? Do the players actually want small market teams to receive less from revenue sharing?

How is that good for the game?



https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/...ss-sources-say

I wish they put in a minimum percentage of the cap that needs to be spent. Small market teams are trying to spend a lot less on players, which makes them less competitive, which brings in less money, which makes them pay players less....

[half-fast]

i am pulling for andruw jones, i hope the voters show some brains for once.

I saw some of his numbers on MLB, he had the most WAR of anyone on the Braves during their run and some defensive metrics show him as the best defensive outfielder of all time. He also had over 400 hrs, I think.

[Danno]

Yeah, with Jones the only argument against is that he had a precipitous drop off once he hit 30, and was a crappy defender and mediocre hitter from that point forward.

[ex-powderbroker]

Yeah, with Jones the only argument against is that he had a precipitous drop off once he hit 30, and was a crappy defender and mediocre hitter from that point forward.

so like the people that didn’t cheat for 150 years?

you don’t say

[alias_rice]

To me Andruw Jones is a no brainer. 10 time gold glover, 5 time all star, 430 home runs, almost 2,000 hits and a career WAR higher than Vladi, Killebrew, Berra, Ortiz and a bunch of other hall of famers.

I’d also vote for Bonds, Clemens, Papi, Rolen, Schilling, Arod and Sheffield for the record.

[dunfree]

HOF elections named today with Schilling, Bonds, Clemens and Sosa facing their last year of eligibility. First year for ARod and David Ortiz.

I really don't like any of those guys and couldn't care if they don't get in.

I don't disagree that there is a very good argument that each of these guys should be in, I'm just hoping that writers refusing to vote for these guys decide to toss a vote for my man Omar. (But as proven time and again, HOF voters are some really self-important douchebags who use their ballot as a way to push personal grudges and agendas)

Benny's Hall of Juicers and Bar + Grille is making more sense by the day.

never more anger than a writer embarrassed, and that’s the biggest crime bonds, Sosa, McGuire, etc. committed.

[Danno]

Ortiz is in.

[Supermoon]

Ortiz is in.

If he isn't a first ballot HOF'er then they should just close the place. Congrats to Big Papi

[Danno]

so like the people that didn’t cheat for 150 years?

you don’t say

eh, his last really good season was age 29, he was ok at 30, and replacement level or worse after that. Forget about the steroid era, you'd be hard pressed to find many who made the HoF after playing like shit from 30 on, including his defense. He got fat, IIRC.

I'm not saying he isn't worthy, he has a case because his peak was so high and he's the best defensive CF of my lifetime, but dropping off like that is not standard for a hall of famer of any era.