The 2023 MLB Season Thread

[Ksyrup]

Better than ballgargling.

[Sweed]

Article on analyzing the rule changes up to the AS break. Games down to 2:38 from 3:04. LHB babip up, SB att and success up, among many other things. In a video they talk about suspending the pitch clock for those "most important games" ie the playoffs, and how it's not necessary. Their example is they ran the clock on the Gibson/Eckersley Dodgers A's WS game. Long AB and every pitch was made within the pitch clock timer. The only thing that didn't fit is Eck threw over to first base four times.

I've been to one MLB and one MiLB game this year and absolutely loved the changes. Baseball doing something right.

https://www.mlb.com/news/impact-of-m...=1689253866099

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Sweed

Article on analyzing the rule changes up to the AS break. Games down to 2:38 from 3:04. LHB babip up, SB att and success up, among many other things. In a video they talk about suspending the pitch clock for those "most important games" ie the playoffs, and how it's not necessary. Their example is they ran the clock on the Gibson/Eckersley Dodgers A's WS game. Long AB and every pitch was made within the pitch clock timer. The only thing that didn't fit is Eck threw over to first base four times.

I've been to one MLB and one MiLB game this year and absolutely loved the changes. Baseball doing something right.

And I haven't watched a game nor see any reason to. Whatever bastardized shortattention span theater bullshit they're doing now isn't baseball any more than softball or teeball are baseball.

[SirFozzie]

Ah, Jon, never change (that wasn't a rhetorical line either, I know you'll never change )

[molson]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

And I haven't watched a game nor see any reason to. Whatever bastardized shortattention span theater bullshit they're doing now isn't baseball any more than softball or teeball are baseball.

Did you think baseball games were too fast before the '00s?

I would think that games averaging 3+ hours would fall into the category of "not the baseball I grew up with" kind of thing.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by molson

Did you think baseball games were too fast before the '00s?

I would think that games averaging 3+ hours would fall into the category of "not the baseball I grew up with" kind of thing.

Those times were natural, not artificially induced. I chuckled lightly at Mike "The Human Rain Delay" Hargrove's routine, I was not in such a hurry to stop watching a game that it ever bothered me.

Shift didn't bother me, if players are so limited in their skill set that they can't hit around it then they deserve to hit .205 . Pitchers having varying rhythms never bothered me. I'm exponentially more bothered by the DH and by SPs that can't last 5 innings than with anything the idiots in charge now are upset by.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Those times were natural, not artificially induced. I chuckled lightly at Mike "The Human Rain Delay" Hargrove's routine, I was not in such a hurry to stop watching a game that it ever bothered me.

The fact that you can call out one guy from the 70s/80s who took a long time is precisely the point. Multiply that by 100% of all hitters and that's what you had before this year - and then we get to the stupid mound antics, step-offs, etc. from the pitchers side, none of which were nearly as much a thing as they are now. The game naturally grew to be a shitty product, and they course-corrected it.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

The fact that you can call out one guy from the 70s/80s who took a long time is precisely the point. Multiply that by 100% of all hitters and that's what you had before this year - and then we get to the stupid mound antics, step-offs, etc. from the pitchers side, none of which were nearly as much a thing as they are now. The game naturally grew to be a shitty product, and they course-corrected it.

I'd take 700 guys pulling a Hargrove over the "antics" of the various showboats that need a fastball in their earhole.

[Ksyrup]

Bat flips don't speed up or slow down the game, Jon. Focus on shaking your fist at the first due walking across your lawn, not that other guy.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Bat flips don't speed up or slow down the game, Jon. Focus on shaking your fist at the first due walking across your lawn, not that other guy.

They cheapen the game, though it's value it's pretty limited under current management anyway. The fuckwits engaged in such antics on a regular basis can all diaf afaic

[Swaggs]

I used to be more of a purist on the DH, but after seeing it in the NL for a few years, I think the game is better with it. Primarily because so many NL managers overmanaged their bullpens and subs. I don't mind the game clock either. I go to 8-10 Pirates games a year and the ballpark experience is so much more enjoyable, in my opinion.

The two changes I would ditch are the extra runner in extra innings and 3 batter minimum for bullpens. I just don't like when they change the rules up in extra innings and make the game different (shootouts in hockey and soccer are similar - why play an entirely different game when teams are closely matched and the game is tied?). And the bullpen rule, I dislike because some of baseball's best moments are the 1-on-1 battles between a pitcher and hitter. I enjoy seeing the best vs the best.

I also don't like that teams only get three extra roster spots in September now. It used to keep me more interested later in the season, when you had a better chance of seeing a prospect or a marginal player would get a chance to create an opportunity going into next year or when a career minor leaguer got the call. Now, it is largely an extra catcher and two relievers or a reliever and a utility player.

[JPhillips]

Now Elly has the fastest recorded infield throw at 97.9 mph.

[PilotMan]

Not quite MLB (AAA), but this is one I've not seen ever before.

Dodgers' Mann hits strange homer - YouTube

[Ghost Econ]

First off, that's a 6 in cricket... Gotta be in control of your body.

Second, I feel that needs to be a ground rule double. It touches the fielder with his feet on the ground in the field of play. If he had cought it then tossed it over the fence would it have been a home run also?

[miami_fan]

So five steps in the field of play with the ball in his glove was not enough to declare it a catch? Even the NFL is not that bad.

[JPhillips]

Reds baseball sure has sucked since the break.

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by Ghost Econ

First off, that's a 6 in cricket... Gotta be in control of your body.

Second, I feel that needs to be a ground rule double. It touches the fielder with his feet on the ground in the field of play. If he had cought it then tossed it over the fence would it have been a home run also?

If it touches a player and goes over, it's a home run. But this one is really weird. They must have felt that his momentum was part of the play, but still, he took like 4 steps with the ball. It was freak. I'd be pissed as the opposing team.

[Ksyrup]

Is this legit?

Whoever runs the scoreboard at Coors Field is NOT OKAY. pic.twitter.com/lg5jcoIrDs

— Suz Now (Suzie's Version) (Eras Tour 7/15 version) (@TheSuzieHunter) July 19, 2023

[flere-imsaho]

I want it to be legit.

[Ksyrup]

I've seen enough articles and tweets about it that it appears to be legit. Even Newsweek put a hilarious statement that they had not been able to independently verify the bad breakup between the scoreboard operator and Becky or verify Becky's existence. But the fact of this being posted during a game apparently did happen.

[PilotMan]

Elley hit 99 again on a relay to home and broke another record yesterday.

[stevew]

Is “the field” +500 for AL MVP a sucker bet? Like if Ohtani gets traded to the NL next week, I can’t imagine he’d win the mvp. Or is it Better to put money on guys like Seger, etc. who are+1900 or more?

[JonInMiddleGA]

Very minor blip in transaction news brings me to a baseball rules question.

Braves needed a spot on their 40-man so they released OF Eli White. Didn't DFA him, just straight up released him.

White, who fizzled in a brief MLB appearance had been so-so in AAA but a torn labrum ended his season in early July ... which brings me to my question:

Is MLB like the NFL where they have to reach a buy-out / injury settlement with a player to release one that's injured? Or can they just cut him loose?

[JPhillips]

I would imagine that since contracts are guaranteed they can just cut him.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

I would imagine that since contracts are guaranteed they can just cut him.

Right. Cut players still get paid.

[JonInMiddleGA]

smh, I didn't even think about that part of it

[flere-imsaho]

One spends all this time getting used to all the intricacies of NFL contracts and then something as simple as MLB contracts just smacks you upside the head. TBF, I wouldn't have thought of that either, Jon.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Braves turn first 8-3-5 triple play since 1884 against Red Sox - ESPN

[JPhillips]

Happy for the Reds not to play the fucking Brewers again this year. 3-10. Yikes.

[Ksyrup]

Otani is the greatest baseball player of all time.

[PilotMan]

He's a true unicorn for sure. We all thought Trout was the greatest because of what he's done, but damn, if Ohtani isn't next level. He's stupidly talented. Ruth could pitch for the time, but not in this era of specialization.

[Ksyrup]

Ruth was never really a full-time pitcher and hitter, at least for the times. 1918 and 1919 were the only seasons he had more than 300 ABs and 100 IP in the same year. And throwing 133 and 166 innings in the 1910's was like part-time. Looking at his stats, when he had just over 100 ABs a year, he threw 300 innings. When he started hitting full-time, he completely quit pitching. Otani is exceeding Ruth pretty easily in terms of being a full-time hitter/pitcher.

[PilotMan]

True, but Ruth's upside is his pure dominance as a hitter versus the rest of the league sets him apart the other way. What Ohtani's done is really phenomenal. It's a shame that the combo of him and Trout together has been so wasted. Time to head up the interstate and put it all together.

[flere-imsaho]

The Ohtani situation has gotten me thinking that we coddle American sports owners too much, especially as there's no risk related to their poor management skills (of, say, relegation). There are simply way too many owners who have no idea what they're doing, or don't care (or both) and doom countless fanbases to hopeless fandom year after year.

So I propose a rule: if a team you own doesn't make the playoffs for 10 years straight, you're forced to sell the team.

[stevew]

Pirates fans absolutely freaking out that 98 OPS+ Carlos Santana was traded for a lotto ticket half his age. I hate it here.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

True, but Ruth's upside is his pure dominance as a hitter versus the rest of the league sets him apart the other way..

I suppose I'm making a slightly different comparison of the two. Of course, what Ruth did as a hitter was revolutionary versus what anyone else who had played baseball had (or has since, even including Bonds) done. Otani would have to hit, what, 90-100 HRs in a year to come close to that level of dominance versus the rest of the league?

What I'm really looking at is not just that both of them were good-great pitchers and hitters in MLB, but doing so at the same time. And I think Otani has already surpassed Ruth in that comparison. 1919 is the only season Ruth was even close to "all in" as both a hitter and pitcher. He hit 29 HRs in 430 ABs, but as a pitcher, he only threw 133 innings and started 15 games at a time when 300 IP was common. So even in his ultimate "crossover" year, Ruth didn't really commit full-time to pitching.

Otani, OTOH, is about to have his 3rd straight year of 500+ ABs and 30+ HRs, AND start 20+ games throwing 130+ innings at a time when starting pitchers rarely break 200 IP. Even if you discount his pitching numbers by not giving him credit for the way SPs are used in modern times, he's still surpassed Ruth for the number of years both hitting and pitching at a high level during the same seasons. And unless he ends up with some sort of arm injury where he just decides to stop pitching (or he gets older and decides to just concentrate on one thing to save his body), he's likely going to keep piling on the dual-role seasons for the foreseeable future.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by flere-imsaho

The Ohtani situation has gotten me thinking that we coddle American sports owners too much, especially as there's no risk related to their poor management skills (of, say, relegation). There are simply way too many owners who have no idea what they're doing, or don't care (or both) and doom countless fanbases to hopeless fandom year after year.

So I propose a rule: if a team you own doesn't make the playoffs for 10 years straight, you're forced to sell the team.

Doesn't work, you devalue the sale price, as prospective owners simply wait out bad runs to buy in ... and even they become reluctant. Eventually you run out of owners with deep enough pockets to foot the bills.

[flere-imsaho]

I'm not suggesting the leagues would do it of their own volition, I'm suggesting it would be legislated. And given the revenue involved, and the economic impact most of these teams have on their communities, there's at least some sort of argument about "public good" to be made.

Also, I'm not suggesting it would ever happen. I mean, I'm not that stupid.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by flere-imsaho

I'm not suggesting the leagues would do it of their own volition, I'm suggesting it would be legislated. And given the revenue involved, and the economic impact most of these teams have on their communities, there's at least some sort of argument about "public good" to be made.

Government involvement in business is hardly ever a good thing. It can happen but it's nigh on a unicorn.

[Ksyrup]

Looks like Scherzer likely headed to Rangers. Kumar Rocker part of the comp.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Looks like Scherzer likely headed to Rangers. Kumar Rocker part of the comp.

It's been a shitty season for the Mets, but at least this front office knows when to sell and retool.

[GrantDawg]

Scherzer is refusing the trade.

Sent from my SM-S916U using Tapatalk

[GrantDawg]

He is hanging up on the fact they want his next year to be guaranteed, and he doesn't. He wants the option to walk next year.

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[Lathum]

Done deal.

[Atocep]

Heyman was reporting that Acuna's younger brother would be the headline prospect in the deal.

[SirFozzie]

Scherzer opted in to his 2024 season in the contract as part of the deal. Mets are paying a good part of that, which is why they're getting a high end prospect

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

Scherzer opted in to his 2024 season in the contract as part of the deal. Mets are paying a good part of that, which is why they're getting a high end prospect

They agreed to some incentives to get him to do that.

[SirFozzie]

despite all the money they're sending the Rangers, due to the way the Salary Cap Penalties work, the Mets are actually saving money on the deal.

[PilotMan]

I have to say, it's refreshing and awesome to see the Orioles just hammering the AL East. So long coming.

[stevew]

I have no idea how much the Pirates attendance has changed this year. But it feels like a few thousand a game more. 10% maybe.