Official 2016 MLB season thread

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Suicane75

Something I've never seen in any of the stories, how did that guy turn out?

DUI victim, Tufano, hopes Matt Bush can right his ways | FOX Sports

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by stevew

You forgot the part about how he was in such a hurry to flee the scene that he ran the guy's head over with his car.

And he ended up getting a sentence that matches the low end for what causing one or more deaths in Florida draws.

| Miami Herald

[Suicane75]

Phillies have a murderers row of a month coming up, but they're only 1 game out and have already provided more fun than I think anyone in their right mind would have anticipated coming into the year. If you're an old school kind of guy, they are fun as heck to watch. Herrera looks like he may be the real deal but outside of him, nobody on the team is really hitting, not even Franco.

[Suicane75]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

DUI victim, Tufano, hopes Matt Bush can right his ways | FOX Sports

I know it shouldn't be this way, but I have more compassion for Bush, because this guy does. He's got so many checkpoints in his life right now, that if he screws up again, he's only going to hurt himself, so if he wants to pitch, and he can pitch, I'm OK with it.

[Comey]

Originally Posted by Suicane75

Phillies have a murderers row of a month coming up, but they're only 1 game out and have already provided more fun than I think anyone in their right mind would have anticipated coming into the year. If you're an old school kind of guy, they are fun as heck to watch. Herrera looks like he may be the real deal but outside of him, nobody on the team is really hitting, not even Franco.

Agreed. When the ESPN guys analyzed the early schedules, they predicted the Phillies could be one of the surprises of the league. I don't think anyone could have predicted this, or predicted the staff would be this sharp.

Of course, the hitting...as a pitcher, I love this team. Easiest to say it that way, I guess.

Nobody expects them to keep this up. I'm not even sure, in the long game, I entirely want them to. But they're fantastic to follow. Most fun I've had since 2011, though, really, since 2007-08. It's fantastic to see them pulling wins out of nowhere.

[Logan]

Brawl in Texas. Odor clocked Bautista with a straight right.

[Logan]

[cuervo72]

That's a quality punch.

[JonInMiddleGA]

And he very nearly took him out with the sidearm throw to first.

[miked]

Could not have happened to a more deserving player.

[lighthousekeeper]

[Johnny93g]

Odur plays the game the right way!! lol

And his best punch couldn't drop him......

[HomerSimpson98]

Odor is a fucking bitch. Throws a quality right though. Would have been interesting had Bautista known he was in a fight first before Captain Bitch decked him. Thing about Odor is that he is a good player who goes hard, but how every pitcher resists the urge to put one in his earhole everytime he is at bat is beyond me.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by HomerSimpson98

Odor is a fucking bitch. Throws a quality right though. Would have been interesting had Bautista known he was in a fight first before Captain Bitch decked him. Thing about Odor is that he is a good player who goes hard, but how every pitcher resists the urge to put one in his earhole everytime he is at bat is beyond me.

Once a guy shoves you in the chest, you should know you're in a fight.

[Johnny93g]

Originally Posted by Logan

Once a guy shoves you in the chest, you should know you're in a fight.

Really, maybe with Odur, but in reality, he went from 0-100 in a half a second.

[HomerSimpson98]

He shoved him and then the overhand right came as soon as he got his balance back. Pretty sure Bautista was surprised Odor lost his shit that fast, otherwise he'd have been in more of a defensive positioning.

The more I see this and read stuff, the less respect I have for Bannister. What a bitch move waiting until the end to try and show everyone what a tough guy he is. Is there a manger out there he hasn't pissed off yet? I know Hinch wanted to kick his ass last year too

[Easy Mac]

Another Odor slide from the end of last year

http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/6479266...ella-at-second

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by HomerSimpson98

He shoved him and then the overhand right came as soon as he got his balance back. Pretty sure Bautista was surprised Odor lost his shit that fast, otherwise he'd have been in more of a defensive positioning.

Schoolyard 101. Bautista not being ready after shoving Odor is nobody's fault but his own.

[Marmel]

2 assholes continually act like assholes and get into a fight? That is bringing the excitement back to baseball!

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by Dutch

Schoolyard 101. Bautista not being ready after shoving Odor is nobody's fault but his own.

Bautista was the one shoved, not the other way around. But yes, he should have expected a swing after being shoved like that.

[rowech]

Fredi Gonzalez is the happiest person in America right now.

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

Bautista was the one shoved, not the other way around. But yes, he should have expected a swing after being shoved like that.

Ugh, sorry, It happened so fast, it seemed like a natural reaction to a push, I think my brain was making assumptions based on what normal fights look like. Now all I see is one-sided aggression. Oh, well, schoolyard rules still apply, defend yourself at all times, but it makes Bautista look less bad for sure.

[dawgfan]

Rougned Odor's been a shit for a long time

[Chief Rum]

Interesting side note: apparently Garrett Richards is going to give the stem cell treatment a try before opting for TJ surgery. If it works, he could be back in six weeks.

[Suicane75]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

Interesting side note: apparently Garrett Richards is going to give the stem cell treatment a try before opting for TJ surgery. If it works, he could be back in six weeks.

So Garrett Richards will be having TJ surgery in 7 weeks.

[cartman]

Aftermath of the Sunday brawl:

Odor 8 games, $5k fine
Bautista 1 game
Andrus 1 game
Gibbons 3 games

[rowech]

I might drive down tomorrow and tryout for the Reds pitching staff. I would be cheaper than these guys and can do just as well.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by Suicane75

So Garrett Richards will be having TJ surgery in 7 weeks.

Likely. But he was already likely to miss the 2017 season anyway, so it's no real loss to give this a shot.

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

Clayton Kershaw is now 80-0 when the Dodgers get him 4 runs. That is absurd.

He's got a chance to make it to 82-0 now.

[MrBug708]

6th game in a row with 10+ K's, less than a walk, and a win. Pretty incredible so far. Also was given the lead because Mike Trout was less than Mike Trout in the OF. It was like two seconds after they promo'ed his over the wall catch bobblehead night on Friday.

[stevew]

From MSN

The Atlanta Braves fired Fredi Gonzalez after six years with the team. The timing of the firing was bad, but how Gonzalez found out was even worse.

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Gonzalez found out that he was fired after receiving an airline confirmation for a Tuesday flight back to Atlanta. The Braves' series at Pittsburgh goes through Thursday, and with the rumors surrounding his job for weeks, it was clear what that early flight meant.

It doesn't get much rougher than that.

From the AJC:


The Braves had already made the decision to fire him and booked his commercial flight home Tuesday, but didn't plan to tell him he'd been fired until Tuesday morning, after president of baseball operations John Hart flew to Pittsburgh to join general manager John Coppolella.

Later Monday night after getting the email, Gonzalez eventually had confirmed by Braves top officials what he already was certain about by then: He was fired.

Gonzalez wouldn't discuss the email with the AJC and didn't have anything bad to say about the Atlanta front office.

The Braves are off to a historically bad start this season. Their 9-28 record is the worst in the league.

[bob]

Originally Posted by stevew

From MSN

The Atlanta Braves fired Fredi Gonzalez after six years with the team. The timing of the firing was bad, but how Gonzalez found out was even worse.

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Gonzalez found out that he was fired after receiving an airline confirmation for a Tuesday flight back to Atlanta. The Braves' series at Pittsburgh goes through Thursday, and with the rumors surrounding his job for weeks, it was clear what that early flight meant.

It doesn't get much rougher than that.

From the AJC:


The Braves had already made the decision to fire him and booked his commercial flight home Tuesday, but didn't plan to tell him he'd been fired until Tuesday morning, after president of baseball operations John Hart flew to Pittsburgh to join general manager John Coppolella.

Later Monday night after getting the email, Gonzalez eventually had confirmed by Braves top officials what he already was certain about by then: He was fired.

Gonzalez wouldn't discuss the email with the AJC and didn't have anything bad to say about the Atlanta front office.

The Braves are off to a historically bad start this season. Their 9-28 record is the worst in the league.

They gave him a one year extension, a AA ballclub, and no chance of coaching in the new stadium. It's basically the plot of Major League. He wasn't a great coach by any stretch, but I imagine he's just relieved to be done with this crap show.

[MrBug708]

Darn. Kershaw only had a 7/1 K/BB ratio today.

[cartman]

So the Rangers and the City of Arlington are planning to build a new $1 billion stadium. The current ballpark is only 22 years old, and is in great shape. But I guess since they built Jerry's World next door, they need to have something new. It will be nice to go to a day game in the summer without having to worry about heat stroke.

[Logan]

How much is the city kicking in?

[cartman]

Originally Posted by Logan

How much is the city kicking in?

$500 million from each, with the team responsible for anything over $1 billion. They are using the same sales tax already in place that was used to fund the city's share of Jerry's World. They are paying that off 7 years earlier than expected.

[cartman]

Nomar Mazara with a 491 foot blast in the game between the Angels and Rangers today. Longest HR in the majors so far this season, and the longest ever hit at Globe Life Park.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by cartman

Nomar Mazara with a 491 foot blast in the game between the Angels and Rangers today. Longest HR in the majors so far this season, and the longest ever hit at Globe Life Park.

He looks like the real deal. Surprised he hasnt been talked about much. Seems very underrated as a prospect.

[cartman]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

He looks like the real deal. Surprised he hasnt been talked about much. Seems very underrated as a prospect.

He did get the biggest signing bonus ($5 million) for a non-American player when he signed at the age of 16. He has been highly rated on prospect lists, but he is pretty young, just turned 21. I don't think he was expected to be as good as he has been at this point at the major league level.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by cartman

So the Rangers and the City of Arlington are planning to build a new $1 billion stadium. The current ballpark is only 22 years old, and is in great shape. But I guess since they built Jerry's World next door, they need to have something new. It will be nice to go to a day game in the summer without having to worry about heat stroke.

Is this being received favorably there? Are folks really OK will putting half a billion into a new stadium?

[cartman]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

Is this being received favorably there? Are folks really OK will putting half a billion into a new stadium?

I think the vote will be to approve it, more as a matter of civic pride in keeping the Rangers in Arlington long term and not letting them move to Dallas. But most folks don't seem to be happy with demolishing a less than 25 year old stadium.

[Shkspr]

Half a billion for a stadium in Texas? If they can find a way to get some high school football in there on Fridays, that shit'll get funded by next week.

[lighthousekeeper]

The press keeps mentioning how this is Big Papi's last season; quietly, this is probably Ryan Howard's last season as well. The Phillies will certainly exercise the buyout on his contract this offseason (if he's still around), and as poorly as he has played, there's a good chance no other team will touch him next year, even for a spring invite.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by lighthousekeeper

The press keeps mentioning how this is Big Papi's last season; quietly, this is probably Ryan Howard's last season as well. The Phillies will certainly exercise the buyout on his contract this offseason (if he's still around), and as poorly as he has played, there's a good chance no other team will touch him next year, even for a spring invite.

Arguably the worst contract in mlb history.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by Atocep

Arguably the worst contract in mlb history.

This made me think of Mo Vaughn. I went to his stats in his later years and his fall off wasnt near as bad as a remembered. In fact his 02 season was very similar to some of Howards better years.

[MrBug708]

Dodgers call up 19 year old Julio Urias to start vs the Mets.

[JonInMiddleGA]

As Memorial Day weekend approaches, both the Braves and the Twins are on pace to match the worst record in modern (1900-) baseball history. 42-120 would match the 1962 Mets.

[JPhillips]

And the Reds have a worse run differential than both.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

As Memorial Day weekend approaches, both the Braves and the Twins are on pace to match the worst record in modern (1900-) baseball history. 42-120 would match the 1962 Mets.

Another worst to first World Series on the horizon for next season. Twins just cant get away from these unproductive players like Plouffe, Dozier, Suzuki and of course these below average pitchers they give huge contracts too like Hughes, Nolasco, Santana. They are stuck in a time warp.

The cure was suppose to be coming in Buxton and Sano and this group of young pitching prospects but of course they are having a hard time finding room for the young talent because they need to keep these known unproductive players on the field for whatever reason.

Twins are loyal to a fault with their management. Terry Ryan could go winless for the next 3 years and keep his job. Gardenhire got to stick around for years despite them going downhill in a hurry.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

And the Reds have a worse run differential than both.

Reds should trade Jay Bruce to the Yankees. I am sure theyd take him. I havent seen a good reason for Bruce to be on the team for the past 3 years. Hes not that good, doesnt improve and gets paid a lot. He has to be about the worst baseball player to have had to watch on your team this long. The type of player that has a reputation of being good so he bats 4th or 5th every game but in reality isnt good at all(Ryan Howard).

The Reds got to the point of the White Sox a few years ago and the Phillies a couple years ago. They stayed the course with the same core group too long and ended up with an aging team without any upside. Votto deserves better so I hope they speed up the rebuilding process or trade him to a contender.