Isn't a shift akin to Hack a Shaw? Giving up easy production knowing your opponent has a hard time beating it?

The Giants are currently 42 innings into their season and have scored three runs. All on Joe Panik solo home runs.

Sounds like the MLB shouldn't have de-juiced the ball.

I should have complained earlier.

So if we stretch the analogy, this would be the equivalent of complaining of complaining that he was trying too hard if Shaq actually made both free throws? Though I guess complaining if a team down 10 with 10 seconds left made an uncontested layup would be more appropriate.

Ohtani with a 3 run shot in his home debut. Was an impressive at bat and he looked much more comfortable than when I went to see him in spring training.

I dunno, is it as uncommon for teams to come back down 7 runs in the ninth as it is a team down 10 with 10 seconds left in basketball? Either way it's fucking stupid and Dozier is a moron.

It's not often you get a guy who completely invalidates his own argument in the exact same sentence, but what is the shift if not a way to be trying really hard to get an opponent out?

Another HR for Ohtani last night. Are the pitchforks away at this point? We cool with allowing people more than a month on a new continent before declaring them complete failures?

I want to see 712 more before I think he's legit.

Gabe Kapler is managing the Phillies the same way I would in The Show if I got bored and wanted to make things more difficult for myself.

I don't know if he survives the month. Forgetting all the pitching/bullpen stuff he got destroyed on in the opening series, his explanation for why he played the RF so ridiculously far in yesterday against Amed Rosario was just laughable.

"According to MLB’s Statcast data, Williams was standing 52 feet closer to home plate than the average rightfielder did last season at Citi Field. He was noticeably shallow."

Did you guys see the bald eagle land on Mariners pitcher James Paxton during the national anthem in Minnesota? Crazy.

I thought you were joking until I Googled it. Holy cow!

Paxton showed crazy poise throughout that. I can't imagine I would have been anywhere near that stoic.

Hey, if you can stare down Aaron Judge, Manny Machado and Jose Altuve you can handle a bird on your shoulder :)

The Phillies went on a 20-0 run against the Marlins today.

Shohei Ohtani is absolutely incredible (at least so far). Live in Ohio and find myself checking when Angels games starts so I can get some Ohtani action in my life.

Perfect game spoiled in the 7th inning. Final stat line 7.0 IP, 12Ks, 1H, 1BB, 0ER.

Oh and he hit 3 HR this week.

What a gifted athlete, incredible!

Obviously it's awesome to see, and since the Angels mean nothing to me I'd be happy to see it dominate both pitching/hitting...but I honestly hope he does turn into Babe Ruth just because of the few talking heads who bashed him before the season even started. Fuck those guys.

Everything will turn around for him but this is still pretty nuts:

Giancarlo Stanton is the first player in the live ball era to have 2 games with 0 hits and 5 strikeouts in the same season.

It's April 8th. pic.twitter.com/TBy91mpYcJ

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 8, 2018

Music thread? Random thoughts thread? I'm going here, since it probably hits the most interested audience for it.

I'd heard the song a couple weeks ago but will admit that I didn't connect singer/songwriter Brett Myers as being former Phillie Brett Myers.

https://hickhopmusic.com/world-serie...urns-musician/

Today was a fun day out at the brawl game, Padres/Rockies, Yankees and Red Sox cleared the dugouts twice..

Break up the Mets!

Two things on Shohei Ohtani:

1. Holy shit what a start to his career! It's beyond early, but if can be a productive hitter while also an upper-level pitcher at the MLB level, that's some all-timer kind of stuff and something the game could really use
2. Fuck you Ohtani for not signing with the Mariners

Also, Edwin Diaz is off to a ridiculous start: 18 batters faced, 12 strikeouts, no hits or walks allowed (two hit batters and a batter reaching on an error are the only blemishes)

The expectation curve for Ohtani from being the most hyped international FA ever to a spring training where he looked like an A level player to the first 10 games of the season has to be pretty unique.

Have to figure the league will catch up to him as a hitter at some point and it’s not going to be as smooth sailing for him moving forward, but he’s clearly an absolutely elite athlete and his stuff is filthy. If he stays healthy he has a chance to be a player we haven’t seen ever before.

I'm pretty sure this Reds season is going to end with Joey Votto saying, "The Aristocrats!"

.470
.627
.538
.722
.521
.919
.154
.498

The OPS for the Reds starting eight today. They are one shitty team right now.

LA has given Kersh 5 runs, through 5. Looks like we may break that Dbacks 12 game win streak against us. Sigh.

It's gonna be a long year JPhillips for us Reds fans. I mean, I'm just looking at it like an opportunity to see some youth and 4A players, get some sun at the ballpark and enjoy the atmosphere. If I want to watch competitive baseball I'll go to the Florence Freedom games.

And yet, entering the day, there were four clubs with worse (team) OBPs.
(And a fifth that was just a tick ahead of them).

I'm definitely not saying they aren't shitty, just that they aren't alone in being shitty.

edit to add: And, in support of their shittiness, there is no team with a worse ERA than the Reds right now, and none of the other bad hitting teams are in the bottom five there.

They'll improve a bit today, but the Reds are almost a fun point higher in team ERA than #29 Seattle.

It is super confusing when you’re barely paying attention to your super surprising team and you don’t even know their closer has changed last names.

Admittedly, that point is more fun if you're a fan of the opposing team.

44 year old Bartolo Colon is perfect through 7 against the Astros.

44 going on 48 :)

Overlooked is that his opponent, Verlander, has only allowed two baserunners himself through 8.

Colon walks lead off hitter on 8th

Dream is daed

ANd the no-no goes bye bye

I've seen a broken bat HR before. But I don't recall seeing if as completely sawed off like Harper just did to deGrom.

It was incredible. I'm not even mad

Reds give Price the boot after a 3-15 start. I am not sure that'll solve the issues in town.

The lineup stinks, and that isn't Price's fault, but the pitching is terrible and has been for years. That has to fall, to some degree, on the former pitching coach manager.

Cubs have played 15 games and have had 5 postponed to later dates.

The whole roster is atrocious right now. They need to bring up a bunch of youngsters and just let them get on the job training. Senzel in particular. The pitching staff especially.

Also need a new GM if that's doable.

I like Garrett, Iglesias, Hughes, Reed... some other youngsters haven't gotten much time yet.

The Red Sox are good.

No love for the no-no last night? Damn, west coast games never get the love.

I watched it on TV. I thought Benitendi eluded the tag...but I'm a Red Sox homer. :)

Sometimes all you can do is tip your cap to a guy who's dealing. Manaea had wicked stuff last night.

Nope he is was clearly outside the lines. The over the shoulder missed catch was a hit though. IDK if I’ve ever really seen a diving over the shoulder missed grab ruled an error before that one.

Riggleman might be worse than Price. He's batting Peraza second, with a current .260 obp and .575 ops and a lifetime ops of .657.

I'm pretty sure the Reds will win more than thirty games, but they're going to make a run for it.

They better get to 30 before they trade Votto. Otherwise there is no way.