2014 MLB Thread

[sterlingice]

I know I'm conditioned to expect the worst, but that just looks like a torn labrum for Duffy

SI

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

That's not an endorsement. That's a further indictment of how stupid this all is.

I feel like it ONLY became stupid when it became about Jeter because nobody is complaining about Konerko.

[sterlingice]

6-4 run differential against but a series win against the Yankees. I'll take it every time.

Huge series coming up in Detroit, starting Monday

SI

[cartman]

The Rangers are shutting down Darvish for the season. The rumor in Arlington is that this decision was the straw that broke the camel's back in the relationship between Washington and Daniels, and led to Wash stepping down.

Yu Darvish of Texas Rangers shut down for season - ESPN Dallas

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by cartman

The Rangers are shutting down Darvish for the season. The rumor in Arlington is that this decision was the straw that broke the camel's back in the relationship between Washington and Daniels, and led to Wash stepping down.

Yu Darvish of Texas Rangers shut down for season - ESPN Dallas

So the personal stuff was BS? Washington leaving is some sort of "I'm taking my ball and going home" thing after a disagreement with Daniels?

[cartman]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

So the personal stuff was BS? Washington leaving is some sort of "I'm taking my ball and going home" thing after a disagreement with Daniels?

Wasn't just one disagreement. Apparently this has been building for quite a while, if the rumors are to be believed.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Joe Poz has got me all fired up! Loved the Buck O'Neil quote at the end.

A Royal Pennant Race | Joe Blogs

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by cartman

Wasn't just one disagreement. Apparently this has been building for quite a while, if the rumors are to be believed.

That's unprofessional, IMO. If this isn't some personal off the field stuff, they shouldn't say that it is. Well, I mean, Washington dealing with off the field stuff. Technically, I guess his relationship with Daniels is "off the field", but you know what I mean.

They must have had some massive throw it all out there type of argument to lead Washington to resign.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Danny Duffy's MRI showed no structural damage in his shoulder. He'll skip his next start and they'll wait and see how his shoulder responds. Overall, very good news for the Royals.

[cartman]

Now that the Rangers are officially out of it, going through possibly the worst season in franchise history, it is only fitting that MLB has released the 2015 schedule today. Hope springs eternal!

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/936705...evealed-by-mlb

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Wow, rough start for the Royals. Hitting all the holes right now. It's what amounts to our #5 starter, but still frustrating.

[CraigSca]

J.J. Hardy going in for an MRI on his back. So, the only starters for the Orioles infield now consist of a below .200 hitting first baseman and a second baseman batting in the low .200s. No idea how they're in first place.

[ISiddiqui]

Not only in first place, but 10 games up in the division... the first time they've been 10 games up in a division since 1979!

Baltimore Orioles vs. Boston Red Sox - Recap - September 08, 2014 - ESPN

[CraigSca]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Not only in first place, but 10 games up in the division... the first time they've been 10 games up in a division since 1979!

Baltimore Orioles vs. Boston Red Sox - Recap - September 08, 2014 - ESPN

I was a 10 year old in 1979 and learned an important lesson that year. NEVER count your chickens before they hatch or celebrate until the fat lady sings.

[BishopMVP]

http://fat.gfycat.com/AbsoluteWelltodoBlackpanther.webm

Dodgers D last night. Gets funnier every time.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

http://fat.gfycat.com/AbsoluteWelltodoBlackpanther.webm

Dodgers D last night. Gets funnier every time.

[sterlingice]

Royals wetting themselves against the Tigers (again)

SI

[CraigSca]

Big pickoff by the Tigers in the 9th.

[Vince, Pt. II]

Yusmeiro Petit just threw an 84 pitch complete game in which he gave up 4 hits and struck out 9. That seems ridiculously low.

[JPhillips]

Who would have guessed that three of the top four MLB catchers in WAR would be from the NL Central and none of them would be named Yadier Molina?

[Butter]

Mesoraco has been great this season... too bad the rest of the team couldn't join him.

[Bobble]

Originally Posted by Vince, Pt. II

Yusmeiro Petit just threw an 84 pitch complete game in which he gave up 4 hits and struck out 9. That seems ridiculously low.

Sim stats are borked. Known bug. Expect a patch soon.

[Chief Rum]

I feel like the Angels are peaking too early.

Of course, I am still trying to figure out how they're this good with only a couple guys in the lineup you really fear and the only starter you don't want to face in a one game playoff out for the season.

[ISiddiqui]

Having a solid batting lineup from top to bottom generally helps you get a good record .

[bhlloy]

Same here - I'm stunned they are still in this position after the Richards injury. I doubt they will make much noise in the playoffs with the starting rotation they will be rolling out there, but I'm happy just to be in this position, anything else would just be a bonus

[ISiddiqui]

I don't really understand this "I'm stunned that the Angels are this good" stuff. Their worst starting lineup hitter has an OPS+ of 97 (David Freese, though I realize Hamilton just got put on the DL). So their worst hitter is a league average hitter. There is a reason they lead the majors in Runs per Game and OPS+ as a team (at 111 - meaning the team as a whole is 11% better than the average MLB hitter).

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

I don't really understand this "I'm stunned that the Angels are this good" stuff. Their worst starting lineup hitter has an OPS+ of 97 (David Freese, though I realize Hamilton just got put on the DL). So their worst hitter is a league average hitter. There is a reason they lead the majors in Runs per Game and OPS+ as a team (at 111 - meaning the team as a whole is 11% better than the average MLB hitter).

I think it comes down to style points. I hear ya on the stats backing things up. But you don't watch the team every day (or I doubt you do) the way bhlloy and I do. This is a solid team with a solid lineup. But there is no one you run to the TV to watch on this team anymore except for Trout. You might look up if Pujols is up. That's it.

You don't see Weaver or Shoemaker's command-based games, or Wilson and Santiago's lazy curves and see dominance there.

These guys don't look like they should be mashing teams...but they are.

It's fun to watch. I agree with bhlloy, though, that I am not sure how far this team gets in the postseason without a more pitch-to-pitch dominant rotation.

[bhlloy]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

I don't really understand this "I'm stunned that the Angels are this good" stuff. Their worst starting lineup hitter has an OPS+ of 97 (David Freese, though I realize Hamilton just got put on the DL). So their worst hitter is a league average hitter. There is a reason they lead the majors in Runs per Game and OPS+ as a team (at 111 - meaning the team as a whole is 11% better than the average MLB hitter).

The starters are Weaver, who has a decent W-L but is finally looking like he's primed for that regression everyone predicted for so long, Wilson who has been pretty terrible and then nobodies behind that. As good as the offense has been, it's still surprising to me that they are running away with the division after two of their best three starters were hurt. Against an Oakland team who was an absolute juggernaut, strengthened the team considerably and then went the other way? Yah, I think that counts as a surprise. I figured we'd be scrapping with Seattle for second/third in the division a month ago, not running away with it.

[sterlingice]

James Shields just awesome tonight

SI

[BishopMVP]

Lineup construction like that was basically the Red Sox key last year - only one real stud, but literally zero weak spots. Plus offense is down so much across the board I know I underrate guys and have to mentally make an effort to re-calibrate that to today's hitting environment. OPS is down by .021 since just 2012, and .048 in just 5 seasons. To use Kole Calhoun as an example, his .799 OPS is good for a 128 OPS+. Torii Hunter had the exact same OPS+ in 2009, but his actual OPS was .873!

It is funny to see Angels fans here at FOFC trying to make Weaver sound weak - that'd be like Lathum arguing Eli Manning is overrated! I mean, yeah, his FIP's up to 4.28, but he's still outperforming it by over half a run like he does almost every year, and he has the exact same K/9 as the last 2 seasons. I'm not really sure where Shoemaker came from, but a 5:1 K:BB seems to play anywhere. (I'm also not really sure why "command-based game" would be an insult for a pitcher, but I've been watching a lot of Clay Buchholz and Allen Webster starts lately!) And again, just not having one gaping black hole can often mean more than having studs at the top.

Plus, it's obvious why the Angels are still a better team than they were 3 months ago, even with the SP injuries - they fixed the bullpen. Elite vs. average starters don't matter nearly as much (in the regular season) if you have that back end you can rely on when you get those 1/2 run leads from the 7th inning on.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

James Shields just awesome tonight

SI

Big Game's last two starts have been HUGE for this team.

[Logan]

Ron Washington Departed Over Legal Issues | The Scoop Sports

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

Plus, it's obvious why the Angels are still a better team than they were 3 months ago, even with the SP injuries - they fixed the bullpen. Elite vs. average starters don't matter nearly as much (in the regular season) if you have that back end you can rely on when you get those 1/2 run leads from the 7th inning on.

Yep. Getting Street as closer, and having Smith being a setup man, led to the bullpen getting a heck of a lot stronger, which also mitigated losing Richards a bit. Along with having the best offense in baseball (the no holes lineup as you pointed out is very similar to the Red Sox last year).

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Big Game's last two starts have been HUGE for this team.

I agree with the sentiment that the Central was not won last night. However, it was not lost, which is what would have happened if the Tigers had swept

SI

[Logan]

Not that I ever want to see a woman treated unfairly in a traditionally male-heavy work environment, but if this gets the Wilpons away from running the Mets...

Mets fired me for being pregnant and unwed: exec | New York Post

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by Logan

Not that I ever want to see a woman treated unfairly in a traditionally male-heavy work environment, but if this gets the Wilpons away from running the Mets...

Mets fired me for being pregnant and unwed: exec | New York Post

yikes.

If even half of what she says can be confirmed that is pretty damning stuff.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by Logan

Not that I ever want to see a woman treated unfairly in a traditionally male-heavy work environment, but if this gets the Wilpons away from running the Mets...

Mets fired me for being pregnant and unwed: exec | New York Post

Donald Stirling called and confirmed this is all bullshit.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

It is funny to see Angels fans here at FOFC trying to make Weaver sound weak - that'd be like Lathum arguing Eli Manning is overrated! I mean, yeah, his FIP's up to 4.28, but he's still outperforming it by over half a run like he does almost every year, and he has the exact same K/9 as the last 2 seasons. I'm not really sure where Shoemaker came from, but a 5:1 K:BB seems to play anywhere. (I'm also not really sure why "command-based game" would be an insult for a pitcher, but I've been watching a lot of Clay Buchholz and Allen Webster starts lately!) And again, just not having one gaping black hole can often mean more than having studs at the top.

Plus, it's obvious why the Angels are still a better team than they were 3 months ago, even with the SP injuries - they fixed the bullpen. Elite vs. average starters don't matter nearly as much (in the regular season) if you have that back end you can rely on when you get those 1/2 run leads from the 7th inning on.

I'm not sure where you think I am saying Weaver is weak. I think you're reading your own thing into that. I was just saying the Angels don't have that dominant starter anymore, at least now that Richards is done for the season. And I did not put up "command-based" as a pejorative, but a descriptive. Weaver (and Shoemaker) don't get their opponents out with stuff or wicked off speed pitches. They place their pitches and make it as difficult as possible for the hitter to get solid contact with the ball. The truly dominant starters out there, Kershaw, King Felix, Scherzer, etc. do more than place their pitches. They can get by on pure stuff, and most people view those types as the ideal to have for playoff success. In that, the Angels don't have that, and that is partly why their success is a bit of a surprise.

I think two things you have said are spot on for the break in perspective from the eyeball test and what the team is doing, performance-wise. One, offense across the league is down and I would guess I haven't adjusted my expectations enough to compensate for just how down the offense is. In other words, I am watching a good offense, but I struggle to accept that because it doesn't fit with my idea of a good offense as established over the past decade. Two, and one I knew very well but didn't bring up--the bullpen has been incredible. DiPoto deserves executive of the year just for his reconstruction of the pen in mid-season. Not just getting Street, BTW. It started in the offseason, signing Smith and trading for Salas. Then it was the trades for Thatcher and Grilli, the latter of which moved out a very inconsistent pitcher in Frieri. And then just having the confidence that some of the younger in house arms were ready to take on bigger roles, like Jepsen, Morin, Bedrosian, etc.

Regardless, I'm excited to watch the team play and I hope they keep this thing going.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Logan

Not that I ever want to see a woman treated unfairly in a traditionally male-heavy work environment, but if this gets the Wilpons away from running the Mets...

Mets fired me for being pregnant and unwed: exec | New York Post

The interesting thing will be if there were men who had children while unmarried working in the front office who got better treatment (though it may be hard to show that Wilpon knew about the men who got someone pregnant while unmarried). That may be Wilpon's defense - he'd do the same to a unmarried man, thereby skirting the gender discrimination issue.

Of course that doesn't mean the PR hit doesn't become overwhelming for him.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

The interesting thing will be if there were men who had children while unmarried working in the front office who got better treatment (though it may be hard to show that Wilpon knew about the men who got someone pregnant while unmarried). That may be Wilpon's defense - he'd do the same to a unmarried man, thereby skirting the gender discrimination issue.

Of course that doesn't mean the PR hit doesn't become overwhelming for him.

Huh?

They would still get hammered for harrasment, etc...

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

@McCulloughStar:

As Yost challenged pickoff in the 1st, Shields asked Hosmer if he tagged out Kinsler. “Oh yeah,” Hosmer said “Got him right in the satchel.”

Here's the somewhat painful footage in case you missed it.

[miami_fan]

Hoo boy

Ron Washington: Sexual assault allegation led to Washington's resignation - Lone Star Ball

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Lathum

Huh?

They would still get hammered for harrasment, etc...

Harassment claims tend to not be as successful as you think. Castergine would likely need some solid proof, such as a co-worker or two willing to corroborate the story.

And.. according to the complaint she tends to blame everyone who possibly may have overheard any comments as being part of the discrimination (including the female head of Human Resources). Though, I wonder if she has the Severance Package she mentioned in the Complaint, as it may be very difficult for her without that.

[frnk55]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

Hoo boy

Ron Washington: Sexual assault allegation led to Washington's resignation - Lone Star Ball

And I thought he was doing blow again.

[lungs]

My god, Mike Fiers just ended Giancarlo Stanton's season by beaning him right in the face. You could see the teeth flying out of his mouth.

[cartman]

Oof. And to add insult to the horrible injury, that was called a strike because he swung and missed.

[lungs]

Fiers almost hit the next guy in the head on the next pitch. And struck him out. Reed Johnson pinch hit for Stanton and Fiers uncorked another one at the chin that he swung at and got hit in the same motion.

Terrible for Stanton, and Fiers probably won't be right either.

[lungs]

Marlins on their third manager for the game, also.

[MrBug708]

That probably is the final piece in the Kershaw for MVP campaign unless the Dodgers miss the postseason

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Ugh, Royals are just throwing this game away. Totally uncharacteristic poor fielding.