2015 MLB thread

[Chief Rum]

Wow, what a trip. Bill Stoneman back in as GM of the Angels, at least on the interim.

Can't wait to see if Scioscia pens in Eckstein's name on tomorrow night's lineup card.

[Arles]

Cards fired their scouting director over the hacking situation:

Cardinals fire scouting director : Sports

The St. Louis Cardinals have terminated the services of their scouting director, Chris Correa, after an “imposed leave of absence,” a lawyer for Cardinals executives said Thursday.

Correa has admitted hacking into a Houston Astros database but said it was only to verify that the Astros had stolen proprietary data, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation.

Correa did not leak any Astros data, and is not responsible for additional hacks that the FBI has alleged occurred or leaking any data, said the source.

In 2009, Correa left a Ph.D. program at the University of Michigan to work on a contract basis with Jeff Luhnow, who was director of amateur scouting and farm director. He later joined the front office full-time and was promoted to manager of baseball development in 2012.

[JPhillips]

#Justacoupleofinterns

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Correa did not leak any Astros data, and is not responsible for additional hacks that the FBI has alleged occurred or leaking any data, said the source.

So that means that he's not the big fish they're looking for. It's clear that the trade chatter that was leaked came from the database. If this guy didn't do it, someone else in the Cards likely did.

[panerd]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

#Justacoupleofinterns

Yes the blind support a lot of my friends throw behind the Cardinals on this one is sad. They are no better than the Patriots deflate gate apologists. Clearly hacking occurred and it wasn't just a group of drunk interns. Sports like politics are one of those hate it until it's my team and then I will make excuses.

[Arles]

I'm not sure what you want Cards fans to do - never root for the team again?

I can't speak for your friends, but I think this was a tacky and completely unprofessional act by whomever was involved. I think the Cards should keep firing anyone involved and if MLB decides to dock the team some draft picks, I don't have an issue with that. I will still root for the team and can't see how this issue impacts their on the field legacy. If that makes me a "blind supporter", so be it.

[Suicane75]

Thought I'd try here instead of starting a new thread. I'm in desperate search of a retro Astros cap, the kind they wore during the 80's. For whatever reason I'm having a hell of a time finding anyplace that has them. Anyone know a good site that sells retro swag?

Edit: Am I going out of my mind? I swear to god I remember a Astros cap that was white with an orange/blue H or A and a bunch of space wigglies going around it. But even Youtube searches don't show that sort of design on any of their caps from that era. Grrrr.

[BishopMVP]

For all the hand-wringing, the Red Sox have turned it on a little bit and sit 6 games out. Pitching has stabilized (even with Porcello still being a dumpster fire), Betts and Bogaerts turned it on after early slunps, and Alejandro de Aza has been the AL version of Bryce Harper since we picked him up off waivers. I predicted 2 out of the 3!

[BillJasper]

Originally Posted by Suicane75

Thought I'd try here instead of starting a new thread. I'm in desperate search of a retro Astros cap, the kind they wore during the 80's. For whatever reason I'm having a hell of a time finding anyplace that has them. Anyone know a good site that sells retro swag?

Edit: Am I going out of my mind? I swear to god I remember a Astros cap that was white with an orange/blue H or A and a bunch of space wigglies going around it. But even Youtube searches don't show that sort of design on any of their caps from that era. Grrrr.

Some type of rare promotional cap?

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Miggy out six weeks with a calf injury. That lineup in Detroit just got a WHOLE lot more manageable.

Probably means that Hosmer gets the nod in the All-Star game too.

[Suicane75]

Originally Posted by BillJasper

Some type of rare promotional cap?

I thought it was their normal everyday cap in the 80's. I'm starting to think I'm misremembering their uniform logo being their cap. It's engrained in my brain though.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Suicane75

I thought it was their normal everyday cap in the 80's. I'm starting to think I'm misremembering their uniform logo being their cap. It's engrained in my brain though.

Hrm. Not seeing anything like what you're describing at all, the closest might be an unused prototype cap from the mid/late 70s.

From Pistols to Pinstripes

[Suicane75]

Hmm, I think this is what I'm remembering, only a white cap. Must be a delusional memory. Looks like I can cross the Astros off my list.

[stevew]

Their 2015 AS hat looks sorta like what you're describing

[kingfc22]

This clown behind home plate has been brutal.

Also, how is Donaldson the #1 overall vote getter? Talk about a broken process.

[Johnny93g]

Originally Posted by kingfc22

This clown behind home plate has been brutal.

Also, how is Donaldson the #1 overall vote getter? Talk about a broken process.

not saying he deserves to be, but Donaldson has been great this year. Who should be the #1 vote getter?

[stevew]

Originally Posted by Johnny93g

not saying he deserves to be, but Donaldson has been great this year. Who should be the #1 vote getter?

Omar Infante

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by kingfc22

This clown behind home plate has been brutal.

Also, how is Donaldson the #1 overall vote getter? Talk about a broken process.

Donaldson is one of the most underrated players in the game. The fans nailed this one. There was just an article on fangraphs about him and his incredible defensive ability. Basically the article didnt say he was the best player in the AL this year but there was certainly an argument you would have to make to say he wasnt.

[Johnny93g]

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

Donaldson is one of the most underrated players in the game. The fans nailed this one. There was just an article on fangraphs about him and his incredible defensive ability. Basically the article didnt say he was the best player in the AL this year but there was certainly an argument you would have to make to say he wasnt.

The AL is absolutely loaded on the defensive side this year. It's going to be interesting to see the NL's offense take on a speedy and defensive-minded AL team. The AL All-Star team is going to look awfully similar to the Gold Glove Team at the end of the year.

[BishopMVP]

Reports coming out that MLB has finally realized the strike zone has gotren too big. (I know it's from last fall, but the best article on it - The Strike Zone Expansion is Out of Control – The Hardball Times)

Also, fun insane coincidence yesterday. Red Sox started Ortiz at first base in an AL game for the first time in like 10 years... And it happened to be the first game in the nearly 18,000 Red Sox game history in which the first baseman did not record a putout.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

Reports coming out that MLB has finally realized the strike zone has gotren too big. (I know it's from last fall, but the best article on it - The Strike Zone Expansion is Out of Control – The Hardball Times)

The size is fine from what I've seen. I'd say it's called more accurately than it has been in previous years. They were squeezing it down quite a bit before.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

The size is fine from what I've seen. I'd say it's called more accurately than it has been in previous years. They were squeezing it down quite a bit before.

I would be fine with a slight increase at the top, but as the linked article aptly demonstrates the entire area it's growing is on pitches at or below the knees. The strike zone should be the places where it's easiest to hit the ball, but it's gotten to the point where it's easier to hit/drive a pitch at the letters that's called a ball than one at the kneecaps that's called a strike.

[Sweed]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

I would be fine with a slight increase at the top, but as the linked article aptly demonstrates the entire area it's growing is on pitches at or below the knees. The strike zone should be the places where it's easiest to hit the ball, but it's gotten to the point where it's easier to hit/drive a pitch at the letters that's called a ball than one at the kneecaps that's called a strike.

Haven't read the linked article yet but yeah my thoughts on the strike zone a few years ago, well for a very long time really, was that they never gave the high strike. I never had a problem with the way they called the low part of the zone.

[Suicane75]

Originally Posted by kingfc22

Also, how is Donaldson the #1 overall vote getter? Talk about a broken process.

The fact that Josh Donaldson is the #1 overall vote getter is what makes you think the process is broken?

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Suicane75

The fact that Josh Donaldson is the #1 overall vote getter is what makes you think the process is broken?

Obviously someone in the Top 5 in WAR in the AL should be no where near #1 overall!

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Obviously someone in the Top 5 in WAR in the AL should be no where near #1 overall!

Donaldson is awesome. And my favorite part about him is that he no longer plays for the A's.

[ISiddiqui]

Granted, Mike Trout "deserves" to be #1 in votes, IMO, but Donaldson isn't a bad choice outside of Trout.

[cartman]

The All Star reserves have been selected. The little brother of one of my cousin's best friends was named as a AL reliever. Congrats to Zach Britton.

[BishopMVP]

Don't really care about the All-Star game itself, but I like that Brock Holt! made it.

And fwiw, Bogaerts probably "deserved" to make it at SS, while OF is much more stacked in the AL, but if they're not caring about positions for the "Final 5" voting, Mookie Betts should be up before Xander. Oh well, they'll both make plenty before it's said and done. Glad Koji and Buchholz didn't make it.

[JeeberD]

Meh...Carlos Correa deserved to be included in the AL Final Vote. He may have only played in 26 games so far, but he's far and away the best SS in the AL.

[Suicane75]

Is there some sort of ballot box I can stuff to make Meredith Marakovits the sideline reporter for the All-Star game?

[JPhillips]

I can live with that being Cueto's last start as a Red. He couldn't sell himself better with an hour on QVC.

Get it done, Walt.

[Bobble]

Originally Posted by Suicane75

Is there some sort of ballot box I can stuff to make Meredith Marakovits the sideline reporter for the All-Star game?

Too easy...

[BillJasper]

I'm gonna miss Johnny Cueto when he is inevitably dealt. He was fun to watch.

The Yankees, Orioles and Blue Jays were scouting Johnny Cueto yesterday | HardballTalk

[claphamsa]

first rainout in 10 years of being a nats season ticket holder...and there are blue skies everywhere....super pissed

[cuervo72]

Yeah, I went to turn on the game and saw the postponement message. Didn't even occur to me that there wouldn't be a game.

[PilotMan]

Hey anyone in Cincy next Monday want to ride on a riverboat for $5 during the HR Derby? You'll miss it, but you can drink, wave and dance for a couple hours on the Ohio.

BB Riverboats: Home Run Derby "Wave to the Camera" Cruise

[rowech]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

Hey anyone in Cincy next Monday want to ride on a riverboat for $5 during the HR Derby? You'll miss it, but you can drink, wave and dance for a couple hours on the Ohio.

BB Riverboats: Home Run Derby "Wave to the Camera" Cruise

If this weather continues, you might be able to take the boat right into the city streets.

[PilotMan]

I know, it's really ruining summer.

[MizzouRah]

Jhonny Peralta, yeah baby! Now let's close this game out!!!

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Great run right now for the Royals. Love to see them kicking it into gear.

Glad that Alex Gordon injury isn't more serious, but sad that he will likely miss the All-Star Game as a result.

[MrBug708]

Kershaw now has the lowest ERA in the modern ERA. I only hope he can be as good as deGroom

[ISiddiqui]

Well this season he still has to catch up to DeGrom!

Though... wtf, Zach Greinke. Those numbers are crazy.

[BishopMVP]

Apologies if our NL posters already had this discussion, but how is Carter Capps delivery legal? That's a full crowhop off the rubber and he's still driving off that back foot a foot closer to home plate!

FeitsBarstool's post on Vine

[Vince, Pt. II]

I haven't heard the actual explanation, but talk radio and our local (SF Giants) announcers have claimed that it is definitely legal. I'm pretty sure Bochy had a word with the umps about it early in the season.

[Logan]

I'm too lazy to look back to find out who it was that was disappointed he and his son would be unable to watch Steven Matz pitch in person at AAA. The good news is a rehab start will probably be in your future!

This fucking team's medical staff continues to amaze me.

Say hey, baseball: The Mets let Steven Matz pitch hurt and now he can't pitch - SBNation.com

[stevew]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

Apologies if our NL posters already had this discussion, but how is Carter Capps delivery legal? That's a full crowhop off the rubber and he's still driving off that back foot a foot closer to home plate!

FeitsBarstool's post on Vine

i think i mentioned it earlier but we didn't really have a discussion. But holy shit it shouldn't be legal and if it exists in a loophole then that loophole needs to be filled.

[ISiddiqui]

Here is ESPN on it:

Miami Marlins reliever Carter Capps' delivery is strange, but legal - SweetSpot - ESPN

Even then, the explanation is a little strange since it seems to reside in the suggestion that it's legal as long as Capps doesn't get too elevated in his hop. Cameron writes:

So, according to Capps, jumping forward is okay, but jumping up is not. The league clearly knows their rulebook a lot better than I do, though I will admit that I was unable to find anything in the rules that would be the basis for that conclusion. That doesn't mean it isn't in there. Perhaps there is an addendum to the delivery rule that simply didn't make its way online. This isn't an area where I'm going to claim to have any kind of insight, because I'm not a rules junkie, and I've never umpired. If MLB says it is legal, then it's legal.

Rule 8.01 (a) reads:

The Windup Position. The pitcher shall stand facing the batter, his pivot foot in contact with the pitcher's plate and the other foot free. From this position any natural movement associated with his delivery of the ball to the batter commits him to the pitch without interruption or alteration. He shall not raise either foot from the ground, except that in his actual delivery of the ball to the batter, he may take one step backward, and one step forward with his free foot.

So... since he doesn't raise the back foot up, it isn't addressed? But doesn't the hop forward elevate it slightly?

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Here is ESPN on it:

Miami Marlins reliever Carter Capps' delivery is strange, but legal - SweetSpot - ESPN

So... since he doesn't raise the back foot up, it isn't addressed? But doesn't the hop forward elevate it slightly?

Yeah, that's what I've read... That if he "drags" his back foot its legal, but he's clearly leaving the ground. I've seen speculation that MLB never wants to change a rule midseason, so they might just be waiting until winter to outlaw it, but it's clearly not a natural motion and is giving him an advantage. The pitch Bogaerts hit the other night had an "effective velocity" of 106mph due to how much closer his release point is.