The 2022 MLB Season (?)

[tarcone]

After taking 2 of 3 from the Braves, St. louis leads cinci 8-0 going into the bottom of the 3rd.Goldy and Arenado are 0-4. Albert hits #694!

[MrBug708]

Keeping feeding him those juiced balls

[Lathum]

Brandon Nimmo just made one of the best catches you will ever see.

[Lathum]

What an absolutely unbelievable catch by Brandon Nimmo to rob Justin Turner of a homer and preserve a one-run lead. The catch of the year, easily, and the catch of Nimmo's career. pic.twitter.com/63eiS7Axfl

— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) September 1, 2022

[Lathum]

These Mets- Dodgers games have had such a post season feel. These teams know they are potentially on a collision course.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by Lathum

Brandon Nimmo just made one of the best catches you will ever see.

There haven't been many Mets in my lifetime more likeable than Nimmo.

[Atocep]

There isn't much in sports right now more exciting than an Edwin Diaz appearance.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by Atocep

There isn't much in sports right now more exciting than an Edwin Diaz appearance.

He is electric. Kelenic who?

[sterlingice]

So, this reminds me a little of the 2015 Royals and how they broke Baseball Tonight's webgems.

In late April, Alex Gordon made this catch in the stands in Chicago:
Gordon dives into the stands to make catch - YouTube

And it becomes the reigning Webgem of the day. For 50 days. Baseball Tonight makes this big show of retiring it.

A couple of weeks later, Gordon gets hurt. The next day, Jarron Dyson does this Wille Mays-style double play and instantly takes over webgem of the day:
Jarrod Dyson Over The Shoulder Catch & Double Play - YouTube

...for three weeks. Until Infante and Escobar combine for this crazy play, which is still one of the most insane baseball plays I have ever seen. It just brings joy to my heart every time I see it (glove flip, barehand, spin, and still gets the runner - just so pretty):
Infante backhand flips to Escobar, nabs Perez - YouTube

So, for those keeping track at home:

Gordon's play reigned for 8 weeks. Then there's a 2 week break before Dyson's play takes over. It lasted 3 weeks until this play. Another 8 weeks and the season is pretty much over. So, in short, the Royals will hold the reigning webgem for all about a month and a half of the baseball season.

Only, a funny thing happened on the way to the end of the season:

Except, it doesn't. What great play the knocked it off? Well, no play did. But ESPN still removed it. After being voted winner for about 3 weeks, it came up against an impressive play by Anthony Rizzo going into the stands. the Royals play won handily on August 13, however. The next day, the Escobar-Infante play beat a play by Francisco Lindor. But on August 16th, neither the Royals play nor Lindor were up and the losing Rizzo play was back.

And that's how the Royals had a season where the "worst" of their three best plays stacks up well against a lot of best "plays of the year" any year.

(Damn we were spoiled by the 13 month party from October 2014-2015.)

SI

[MrBug708]

Originally Posted by Lathum

These Mets- Dodgers games have had such a post season feel. These teams know they are potentially on a collision course.

Not taking the DeGrom Mets lightly here but they were treating this like the WS plus an off-day before and LA just meh’d its way though on the road, winning with its B team yesterday and losing to DeGrom by a run using only Anderson and Reed.

This isn’t what LA will look like if they make the LCS. This is exactly what the Mets will look like, if DeGrom can stay healthy for another month.

[tarcone]

695!!!!

A 2 run game winner as the Cards sweep the Cubs with a 2-0 victory.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

I am going to enjoy Casey Close humiliating Doug Gottlieb in what promises to be a wild libel lawsuit, regardless of outcome. Maybe Braves owner Liberty Media will give Dougie a show on Sirius for carrying its water?

In a court filing, Close explicitly maintains the Braves made their final offer to Freddie Freeman on August 4, 2021: 5/$135M.

Lying in a court filing is bad, so I doubt Close is lying. But pissing off a rich guy with good lawyers by falsely claiming in writing that he breached fiduciary duty of a client is perhaps much worse.

What had happened was...

Radio host Doug Gottlieb admits he made false claim on Freddie Freeman contract talks with Atlanta Braves

[MrBug708]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

They trusted the agent. This is not the first time an agent pulled something like this banking on a bigger commission.

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Radio host Doug Gottlieb admits he made false claim on Freddie Freeman contract talks with Atlanta Braves

No real surprise, if said source even exists. If they do, considering the widespread pro-Braves narratives that emerged at that time, likely is a PR person at the team or Liberty Media.

The dumbest part of this whole story is that all of this is just to spare the Braves from having to admit they just didn’t want to re-sign Freeman. The Braves fans wanted desperately to believe the narrative of an evil agent and not an ownership group who didn't want the blowback of not wanting to pay the most popular player.

[GrantDawg]

B.S. If they didn't want to sign him, they wouldn't have made the offer. They gave him an offer, he sat on it for months thinking they'd give him more. They moved on.

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[MrBug708]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

B.S. If they didn't want to sign him, they wouldn't have made the offer. They gave him an offer, he sat on it for months thinking they'd give him more. They moved on.

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Sure, they "wanted" to sign him at an extremely below market rate like everyone else they have signed. It was an insulting offer for a loyal player and the face of a franchise. Sounds like the franchise was able to fool a bunch of fans, so mission accomplished I guess.

[Ksyrup]

Both of those things can be true, can't they? Maybe the Braves' mistake was underestimating the "hometown" discount he would give, especially coming off a WS victory. They gave him a contract at the value they wanted him at. Not everyone gets exactly what they are worth - some get far more, some get far less. And maybe the Braves thought continuing to be the face of the franchise and an all-time iconic Brave was worth more to Freeman than it was to him (or his advisors, or the MLBPA).

[MrBug708]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Both of those things can be true, can't they? Maybe the Braves' mistake was underestimating the "hometown" discount he would give, especially coming off a WS victory. They gave him a contract at the value they wanted him at. Not everyone gets exactly what they are worth - some get far more, some get far less. And maybe the Braves thought continuing to be the face of the franchise and an all-time iconic Brave was worth more to Freeman than it was to him (or his advisors, or the MLBPA).

Absolutely. But I think the Braves were negotiating in bad faith this off-season and ended up with a first basemen they wanted more anyways. I think you can look at Grant dawgs comments earlier on the topic to see how the Braves organization was able to manipulate their fan base into believing the agent was the bad guy and Freddy was the greedy player who messed up his lifelong legacy as a Brave. As a Dodger fan, I'm ecstatic for their fuck up/decision.

[Breeze]

I don't think the Braves underestimated anything with regards to Freeman. When the totality of the Dodger contract is compared to what the Braves ultimately offered, I think the Braves were in the right ballpark. I think the Braves wanted to keep Freeman, but they didn't want to be paying him ~25 million at 39 years old.

Good for Freeman for getting the longer contract if that's what he wanted. And good for the Braves for sticking to their offer and not caving in to sentimentality.

Going to be interesting to see how the Yanks handle Judge this offseason. A similar situation, but this time the hometown team is the money printing Yankees. Are they going to be willing to overpay to keep him?

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by Breeze

I don't think the Braves underestimated anything with regards to Freeman. When the totality of the Dodger contract is compared to what the Braves ultimately offered, I think the Braves were in the right ballpark. I think the Braves wanted to keep Freeman, but they didn't want to be paying him ~25 million at 39 years old.

Good for Freeman for getting the longer contract if that's what he wanted. And good for the Braves for sticking to their offer and not caving in to sentimentality.

Going to be interesting to see how the Yanks handle Judge this offseason. A similar situation, but this time the hometown team is the money printing Yankees. Are they going to be willing to overpay to keep him?

Exactly, they didn't low ball him at all. They didn't pay him over market price, which is what most teams can't do and stay successful.

[miami_fan]

Major League Baseball passes significant rules changes including pitch clock, banning defensive shifts, sources say

The league's competition committee, comprised of six ownership-level representatives, four players and one umpire, approved a pitch clock of 15 seconds with empty bases and 20 seconds with runners on, a defensive alignment that must include two fielders on each side of the second-base bag with both feet on the dirt as well as rules limiting pick-off moves and expanding the size of bases.

[JPhillips]

MLB announced that they will voluntarily accept a MiBL union. That could lead to major improvements for minor league players.

[GrantDawg]

And probably further shrinking of the minor league system. Many think this most likely will be the death knell of Rookie ball.

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[JPhillips]

But they can't cut leagues without collective bargaining. They just gutted the minors a couple of years ago, so I don't think unionization would be the reason if they wanted to do it again.

[tarcone]

This season has been one of the best St. Louis Cardinal seasons I have ever seen.

So much drama and excitement.

[Breeze]

Originally Posted by tarcone

This season has been one of the best St. Louis Cardinal seasons I have ever seen.

So much drama and excitement.

Plus you’ve got someone going for the triple crown. So cool!

[Ksyrup]

I assume there are still lingering questions about Pujols' age? Given all the attention Tom Brady is getting at age 45, is Pujols' going to get to 700 HR, retire, and then publicly acknowledge he actually had one of the greatest seasons ever for a 44 or 45 year old? Surely that's got to happen, right?

[JPhillips]

Bet you won't guess the winner.

Congrats to ???????? on being named the 2021 Latino MVP National League Rookie of the Year

He was, though, the highest ROY vote total for a Latin player.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

And probably further shrinking of the minor league system. Many think this most likely will be the death knell of Rookie ball.

It seems so short-sighted to continue to gut the minors. MLB is altering a bunch of rules because guys can't put the ball in play. Banning shifts, bigger bases, adding the DH, and messing with the composition of the baseball each year. But then they want to limit the number of players and at-bats those players are getting as they develop.

To me, I think the focus should be on making better hitters (particularly increasing contact and where the ball is hit). I do think the more games that are played benefit hitters more than pitchers when it comes to development. There's just a limit to how many innings a 20-year-old can throw a year. But a young hitter can probably play year-round getting regular at-bats.

I'd rather stop screwing around with the rules of the game each year and add more minor league teams and expand the current fall/winter ball system. And I think that has the added benefit of more minor league baseball which is good for growing the sport with fans (minor league games are incredibly fun to go to).

Maybe there are logical reasons why that won't help hitters, but I think asking some 24-year-old with 800 minor league at-bats to come in and start hitting guys throwing 98 is a tough ask.

[tarcone]

Pujols has to be about 50. Search for a picture of him as a senior in high school. Dude looks like a 24 year old his senior year.

[RainMaker]

He came over before 9/11 when they didn't care about how authentic your birth certificate was

[stevew]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Bet you won't guess the winner.



He was, though, the highest ROY vote total for a Latin player.

It’s gotta be Jose Garcia or is his last name Borerro now. Something like that. The SS

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by stevew

It’s gotta be Jose Garcia or is his last name Borerro now. Something like that. The SS

No, but correct team.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

It seems so short-sighted to continue to gut the minors. MLB is altering a bunch of rules because guys can't put the ball in play. Banning shifts, bigger bases, adding the DH, and messing with the composition of the baseball each year. But then they want to limit the number of players and at-bats those players are getting as they develop.

To me, I think the focus should be on making better hitters (particularly increasing contact and where the ball is hit). I do think the more games that are played benefit hitters more than pitchers when it comes to development. There's just a limit to how many innings a 20-year-old can throw a year. But a young hitter can probably play year-round getting regular at-bats.

I'd rather stop screwing around with the rules of the game each year and add more minor league teams and expand the current fall/winter ball system. And I think that has the added benefit of more minor league baseball which is good for growing the sport with fans (minor league games are incredibly fun to go to).

Maybe there are logical reasons why that won't help hitters, but I think asking some 24-year-old with 800 minor league at-bats to come in and start hitting guys throwing 98 is a tough ask.

I remember listening to an interview with former Marlins David Samson where he discussed the average owner's view of getting rid of minor league teams. To simplify things I will paraphrase what he said using OOTP terminology. Owners feel they are paying too players with potential rating of 2 stars or less just to hang out and play baseball. Only ten percent of minor league players make the majors. He said most major league players are not hitting each step in the minor league system. He also talked about owners looking at their brethren in the NFL and the NBA and wondering why they are paying to develop players and not allowing the colleges to do it for them.

[JPhillips]

So the answer is: Vladimir Gutierrez SP, Reds.

[Lathum]

How do you have a Roberto Clemente day and have the Pirates playing a road game?

[stevew]

Originally Posted by Lathum

How do you have a Roberto Clemente day and have the Pirates playing a road game?

Cause Elton John is playing PNC park tomorrow night?


Agreed it’s dumb.

[tarcone]

698 fellas, and a bomb in another clutch situation.

Pujols is just amazing. I am so happy he came back to St. Louis.

[Atocep]

Everyone was watching Eduardo Escobar dash home in the 3rd, but did you notice Ke'Bryan Hayes eating sunflower seeds during the play?@Todd_Zeile on Mets Post Game: pic.twitter.com/Ca6v75UPau

— SNY (@SNYtv) September 17, 2022

[Jas_lov]

Aaron Judge hit home runs 58 and 59 today, just two behind Maris's record. And he's only one point behind on the AL batting average lead, so triple crown is a possibility as well. One of the all time great seasons.

[Lathum]

Talk about betting on yourself and winning.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

It seems so short-sighted to continue to gut the minors. MLB is altering a bunch of rules because guys can't put the ball in play. Banning shifts, bigger bases, adding the DH, and messing with the composition of the baseball each year. But then they want to limit the number of players and at-bats those players are getting as they develop.

To me, I think the focus should be on making better hitters (particularly increasing contact and where the ball is hit). I do think the more games that are played benefit hitters more than pitchers when it comes to development. There's just a limit to how many innings a 20-year-old can throw a year. But a young hitter can probably play year-round getting regular at-bats.

I'd rather stop screwing around with the rules of the game each year and add more minor league teams and expand the current fall/winter ball system. And I think that has the added benefit of more minor league baseball which is good for growing the sport with fans (minor league games are incredibly fun to go to).

Maybe there are logical reasons why that won't help hitters, but I think asking some 24-year-old with 800 minor league at-bats to come in and start hitting guys throwing 98 is a tough ask.

Originally Posted by miami_fan

I remember listening to an interview with former Marlins David Samson where he discussed the average owner's view of getting rid of minor league teams. To simplify things I will paraphrase what he said using OOTP terminology. Owners feel they are paying too players with potential rating of 2 stars or less just to hang out and play baseball. Only ten percent of minor league players make the majors. He said most major league players are not hitting each step in the minor league system. He also talked about owners looking at their brethren in the NFL and the NBA and wondering why they are paying to develop players and not allowing the colleges to do it for them.

It's such short-sighted non-sense, though. Even if it's costing your major league operation a couple million a year (which most don't and many are even profitable), they're giant walking billboards to grow fans. It's a loss leader, but advertising for the future. Of course, MLB owners and their commissioner are all about right now and don't see it that way.

SI

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

It's such short-sighted non-sense, though. Even if it's costing your major league operation a couple million a year (which most don't and many are even profitable), they're giant walking billboards to grow fans. It's a loss leader, but advertising for the future. Of course, MLB owners and their commissioner are all about right now and don't see it that way.

SI

They are absolutely more interested in a nicer looking bottom line than in what advertising they get from have lower rookie leagues.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

They are absolutely more interested in a nicer looking bottom line than in what advertising they get from have lower rookie leagues.

It's been made abundantly clear that the majority of owners and especially their handpicked stooge feel that way. I know I choke when I say these words, but at least Bud Selig seemed to enjoy baseball and wanted it to succeed in a "rising tide lifts all boats" way even if he was inept at running it. Manfred is just the owner's accountant and lawyer, the game be damned.

SI

[stevew]

Judge just hit a no doubter for #60

[Ksyrup]

This is one of the most embarrassing things I've ever seen. If that was me, I would have made a u-turn into the dugout, down the steps, through the locker room, and straight out of the stadium.

Mans was about to touch home before he realized he flew out ��

(via @GoStripers) pic.twitter.com/1SsK0z1lAX

— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) September 23, 2022

[albionmoonlight]

It works out nicely that all the steroid-era HR "records" coincidently happened to be in the NL.

And I love that we have all agreed to just celebrate the AL Home Run record (when/if he gets it) as if it were the MLB home record while being careful to call it the AL record.

[Ksyrup]

This has got to be one of the last significant AL/NL records to be broken right? I imagine in the not-too-distant-future, with the DH in both leagues, MLB will officially do away with those distinctions for records.

Maybe it will take a bit longer for the old-timers to completely die off before it happens.

[Atocep]

Congrats to Pujols on number 700.

He joins Stan Musial as the only players to hit 20 homers in their first and last season in the majors.

[tarcone]

700! Unbelievable. What a great player. It is an honor tohave watched his career.

I am so happy he ended hos career as a Cardinal.

[tarcone]

I have a tear ib my ye. Wow. What a great player