Official 2017 MLB Season Thread

[CrescentMoonie]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

You would bench Turner in place of Difo?

Difo is the better defender and Turner is 0-8 with 4k and was bad in the playoffs last year as well.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by CrescentMoonie

Difo is the better defender and Turner is 0-8 with 4k and was bad in the playoffs last year as well.

I dunno! Would seem kind of hasty unless he looks out of sorts at the plate. You'd be sending a message to a young talented player that you dont believe in him during the biggest moments of the year. In that case you might as well just trade him. I know Barry Bonds struggled in the playoffs in his first couple of appearances but seemed to kick the problem later in his career.

[CrescentMoonie]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

I dunno! Would seem kind of hasty unless he looks out of sorts at the plate. You'd be sending a message to a young talented player that you dont believe in him during the biggest moments of the year. In that case you might as well just trade him. I know Barry Bonds struggled in the playoffs in his first couple of appearances but seemed to kick the problem later in his career.

His first two at bats tonight were over on 3 pitches. That's the "leadoff" guy. His next two were swinging strikeouts on pitches in the dirt. Like I said, his game relies on an absurdly high BABIP. He doesn't draw walks. He doesn't work the count. He's a prototypical 7 or 8 hitter with a long, looping swing. When he's right, he's on base a lot and running everywhere. When he's off, he's a good but not great defender and a black hole in the lineup.

[cuervo72]

Hasn't that been one of the criticisms historically on Dusty, that he doesn't really get the value of OBP from the top of the order? (Well, that and the occasional 140 pitch outing...)

Turner is an exciting player with the SB, but yeah, I'm not so impressed by a .338 OBP. Though at least I guess that's better than what the Nats got from Ian Desmond...

[CrescentMoonie]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

Hasn't that been one of the criticisms historically on Dusty, that he doesn't really get the value of OBP from the top of the order? (Well, that and the occasional 140 pitch outing...)

Turner is an exciting player with the SB, but yeah, I'm not so impressed by a .338 OBP. Though at least I guess that's better than what the Nats got from Ian Desmond...

He's the manager that was quoted as saying he didn't like players taking walks because he doesn't want them out there clogging up the bases. He's good for a few losses due to a complete lack of tactical understanding each season and is lost in the playoffs. He's got 23 playoff wins, but 16 of them were in 02-03 with loaded teams in SF and Chicago.

[jbergey22]

Well the team you cheer for has incredible hitters. While 338 isnt excellent its also above average for a leadoff hitter and especially a shortstop.

I mean I suppose you could bat Murphy leadoff and maybe have a more productive lineup but Turner can also spark a struggling lineup with his speed if the balls arent finding the gaps.

Rendon is a nice player but he is so much better against left handed pitching. I guess where I would struggle is who you would want hitting leadoff all the time.

Murphy, Rendon, Harper, Zimmerman, ?, ?, ?, ?

[CrescentMoonie]

When healthy, the leadoff guy would be Eaton. Right now, with the way the guys have handled their at bats recently, I would either play Kendrick in LF and have him lead off or move Taylor all the way up.

As for the .338, it's highly dependent on that BABIP (.388 last year, .329 this year) that he gets. He's also a 17-18% K guy.

My ideal situation after this season is trading Murphy for young pitching and going with Difo at SS and Turner at 2B next year.

[MrBug708]

Apparently Coors field is the 4th oldest stadium in baseball. That's pretty crazy

[cuervo72]

If .338 is above average, that's a bit of a league problem.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/l...-batting.shtml

145 players on that list for qualifiers, and .338 is basically in the middle. You don't want your leadoff guy to be in the middle.

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

Apparently Coors field is the 4th oldest stadium in baseball. That's pretty crazy

Nope.

Fenway.

Wrigley.

Dodger Stadium.

The Big A.

Oakland Coliseum.

Now we hit the '70s!

Kauffman.


Bring on the '80s!

Skydome/Rogers Centre.

'90s fever!

Tropicana*

U.S. Cellular/Guaranteed Rate Field.

Camden Yards.

Ballpark in Arlington.

Progressive Field.

Coors Field. Oh, there it is!

So it's the 13th* oldest stadium in baseball.

*Tropicana was built in 1990, but the Devil Rays didn't start playing there until 1998.

[MrBug708]

Dont shoot me, I was quoting the announcers!

[stevew]

4th oldest NL Park likely.

[CrescentMoonie]

Fister really is tailor made for ensuring an Astros sweep.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

Dont shoot me, I was quoting the announcers!

You should know the 4th oldest is the Big A, being a SoCal resident. I have even mentioned it here myself on more than one occasion, since it actually amazes me that it is the fourth oldest, after baseball cathedrals like Wrigley, Fenway and Chavez Ravine.

[CrescentMoonie]

Home plate ump screwing the pooch in the Astros-Sawks game and doubling down on it by ejecting Farrell.

Meanwhile, as a Nats fan I get to see the worst of Derpy Baker in play today. Werth has looked like dog crap almost all season and especially to start the playoffs. Howie Kendrick is 5-10 against Quintana while Werth has never faced him. The obviously right choice is to start Kendrick. Who's getting the start in LF? The wrong choice, that's who.

[Vince, Pt. II]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

You should know the 4th oldest is the Big A, being a SoCal resident. I have even mentioned it here myself on more than one occasion, since it actually amazes me that it is the fourth oldest, after baseball cathedrals like Wrigley, Fenway and Chavez Ravine.

Perhaps it's my fandom bias, but "cathedral" and "Chavez Latrine" just don't seem to go together

[jbergey22]

Hasnt the storyline conclusion already been written? Houston wins the world series... The rest is just trying to pay the bills and peak interest...

[HomerSimpson98]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

Hasnt the storyline conclusion already been written? Houston wins the world series... The rest is just trying to pay the bills and peak interest...

I sure as hell hope so. But I dont know if they can get by Cleveland. So go Yanks! First and last time of my life I'll be saying that.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by HomerSimpson98

I sure as hell hope so. But I dont know if they can get by Cleveland. So go Yanks! First and last time of my life I'll be saying that.

Indians would be quite concerning with Verlanders lack of success against them and their strong bullpen................ On the other hand Houston is playing with the extra motivation and fanbase that needs this.

I just love Houstons lineup.

[jbergey22]

Why did they take out Quintana? He is pitching a gem. Overmanaging Joe Maddon.

[CrescentMoonie]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

Why did they take out Quintana? He is pitching a gem. Overmanaging Joe Maddon.

96 pitches and the Nats had smoked 3-4 balls off him in the last 2 innings.

[MrBug708]

Dusty strikes again, pulls Scherzer at 98 pitches and then goes to his 4th best reliever with 8 outs to go

[Coffee Warlord]

Booyah.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by CrescentMoonie

96 pitches and the Nats had smoked 3-4 balls off him in the last 2 innings.

He struck out the side in the 5th and the 1st batter in the 6th? So the two batters that both should have been outs are the reason he got pulled you are saying? The cubs dont have the bullpen depth of some of the other great teams in the postseason so pulling a pitcher in complete control made no sense to me.

In any case it worked out so nice job Cubs.

[CrescentMoonie]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

Dusty strikes again, pulls Scherzer at 98 pitches and then goes to his 4th best reliever with 8 outs to go

It's like clockwork.

Today he didn't start Kendrick who is 5-10 against Quintana.
Today he didn't use Lind who started the rally for the only good inning the offense has had so far and is a great pinch hitter.
Today he kept the lineup exactly the same despite Turner, Werth, and Wieters doing nothing all series.

Baker is a stunningly bad manager. The easy things today were starting Kendrick in LF and Difo at SS. Then, with Scherzer being terribly wild his last two innings, pinch hit for him in the bottom of the 6th with Lind and let the three relievers each take an inning while you hope the offense gets another run. On top of it, both runs scored due to Werth being stunningly slow in the OF now.

A special needs speedbump could do a better job than this idiot.

[CrescentMoonie]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

He struck out the side in the 5th and the 1st batter in the 6th? So the two batters that both should have been outs are the reason he got pulled you are saying? The cubs dont have the bullpen depth of some of the other great teams in the postseason so pulling a pitcher in complete control made no sense to me.

In any case it worked out so nice job Cubs.

Scherzer was laboring badly. He was working through it to get strikeouts, but he was also very close to hitting 2 more batters and he's got a bad hamstring. His FB was 2-3 mph slower than usual. There was no reason for him to be out there to start the 7th inning.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by CrescentMoonie

Scherzer was laboring badly. He was working through it to get strikeouts, but he was also very close to hitting 2 more batters and he's got a bad hamstring. His FB was 2-3 mph slower than usual. There was no reason for him to be out there to start the 7th inning.

You may be correct on this. But the topic was Quintana being pulled.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by CrescentMoonie

A special needs speedbump could do a better job than this idiot.

So basically, he is who we thought he was.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by CrescentMoonie

Scherzer was laboring badly. He was working through it to get strikeouts, but he was also very close to hitting 2 more batters and he's got a bad hamstring. His FB was 2-3 mph slower than usual. There was no reason for him to be out there to start the 7th inning.

It's almost like there is a downside to throwing 120 pitches in largely meaningless summer games...

[MrBug708]

Dodgers sweep the D-Backs after being the trendy pick to get swept

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

Dodgers sweep the D-Backs after being the trendy pick to get swept

Wasn't it beautiful?

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

Dodgers sweep the D-Backs after being the trendy pick to get swept

Lol...victim mentality much?

[MrBug708]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

Lol...victim mentality much?

People had written the dodgers off after their losing streak. It's nice to sweep the series

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

People had written the dodgers off after their losing streak. It's nice to sweep the series

No one wrote them off. Still your victin mentality. The worst stuff I heard during that whole streak was from woeful Dodgers fans themselves. They couldn't shut up about how shitty the team was playing and how they were doomed.

[CrescentMoonie]

DUHsty's great move is to keep Kendrick, Lind, and Difo on the bench while moving Werth from 6th to 2nd in the lineup and moving Harper, Rendon, Murphy, and Zimmerman all down 1 spot.

That's it.

[MrBug708]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

No one wrote them off. Still your victin mentality. The worst stuff I heard during that whole streak was from woeful Dodgers fans themselves. They couldn't shut up about how shitty the team was playing and how they were doomed.

You read way to much into things at time. Obviously they were still a favorite according to Vegas

[Coffee Warlord]

Rumor has it TBS refused to allow the Cubs to move the game up to 1pm today, which would have allowed them to get the came in, no problem.

edit: Now they're quashing that rumor.

[MrBug708]

This rainout is good for the Dodgers, now going 5 would be very good for them.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

You read way to much into things at time. Obviously they were still a favorite according to Vegas

You're saying people wrote them off, the most dominant team in baseball this season, and I read too much into things? Lol

[Young Drachma]

John Farrell out in Boston.

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/2...ll-return-2018

[Logan]

Yeesh. No winners here.

Stephen Strasburg and Nationals commit biggest error of the season - The Washington Post

[CrescentMoonie]

DUHsty is an idiot. He doesn't know how to handle a pitching staff. That he had Stras tossing the ball in the OF then said he's too sick to pitch the next day shouldn't surprise anyone. He's the same guy refusing to bench any of the 6 hitters that haven't shown up for the playoffs. The guy is stupid.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Young Drachma

John Farrell out in Boston.

Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell won't return in 2018

Seems a bit harsh to me.

[CrescentMoonie]

And now the Nats are starting Strasburg after their stunning BS "he got sick because of a moldy hotel room" excuse was trashed by every single one of their beat writers.

BREAKING: Stephen Strasburg now likely to start for #Nats today in Game 4, source says. @MLB @MLBNetwork

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) October 11, 2017

[Butter]

Dusty is playing chess while y'all are playing checkers.

[CrescentMoonie]

Laz Diaz continues to be terrible at his job.

[PilotMan]

It looks miserable in Chicago today.

[molson]

Originally Posted by Young Drachma

John Farrell out in Boston.

Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell won't return in 2018

Not really surprising considering Dombrowski inherited Farrell and never seemed too enthusiastic about him, Red Sox local TV ratings are way down, and Farrell's fairly high-profile occasional screw-ups. BUT, interesting that Dombrowski added that Farrell was fired for reasons that wouldn't be disclosed and that no amount of success this season in the playoffs would have changed that decision.

The Red Sox always seem to have messy breakups with managers and star players so I guess Dombrowski is just following in that tradition or operating as an ownership microphone. It's like they want to hurt Farrell's future employment prospects by hinting at some dark secret.

[CrescentMoonie]

Dusty Baker's "brilliant" lineup juggling put Jayson Werthless in the 2 hole today. He's now struck out looking twice and left 4 stranded.

[jbergey22]

Cant believe the Cubs won a world series by paying Jason Heyward the money he makes. Luckily for him, he figured out that he was overrated as a hitter and became a great glove in the field to earn the money he has.