The 2010 MLB Season Thread

[k0ruptr]

pretty sure Gonzalez is gonna be on a short leash this year. my guess is he's out of the closer position by the first week in May.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Exciting comeback by the Royals tonight over the Red Sox. The two big sticks in the lineup (Butler and Ankiel) got all the RBI's. Ankiel was a perfect 4-4.

We're still .500!!!!!! Woohoo!!!!!!

[stevew]

I'm on LaRouche suicide watch. Andy can not get traded quickly enough.

[MrBug708]

97% of the betting lines for the Sox game was in their favor. Vegas made a killing

[mckerney]

Originally Posted by sovereignstar

Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!

The first regular season game I have tickets to is the second home game of the year on the 14th. I was at the exhibition opener and other than service at the bar everything was awesome.

[molson]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

97% of the betting lines for the Sox game was in their favor. Vegas made a killing

I would think early-season mlb is a great time to bet baseball. Lots of people are paying attention and a lot of them are going to overestimate the chances of a "name" team winning any individual game.

Royals/Sox in KC in April isn't that far from a coin flip.

[Chief Rum]

Maybe 76 wins was optimistic.

[henry296]

Originally Posted by stevew

I'm on LaRouche suicide watch. Andy can not get traded quickly enough.

And Alvarez has 3 HRs in 2 games in AAA.

[DeToxRox]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

Maybe 76 wins was optimistic.

It's early but how is the Fernando Ryan experience treating you?

I am going to watch intently at how he does as a set up man. His ERA was over 6 in non save situations but I can't find specific splits for last year outside of this from mid June:

Counting tonights game Fernando Rodney has now posted the following numbers in 19 non-save situational appearances this year:

19 Innings pitched, 15 earned runs allowed (7.11 ERA), 21 hits, 9 walks (1.58 WHIP), 14 K’s

To me, Rodney is a guy who would not still be in the bigs without the save statistic. He has nasty stuff but erratic command and lives very dangerously but he could close down games, even though he would give up a lot of runs in the process.

[stevew]

Here's what I don't get about fangraphs, etc. Laroche was alledgedly 2.5WAR last year. I know defensively he was probably above average. But his bat was such a liability. Also the stats don't account for the inconsistent play. He had 2 months over a .700 ops, and the rest were under. A guy like that kills your lineup and your run scoring abilities. Maybe it's just too easy for him to be a scapegoat. I just laugh at the notion that his play was worth 11.5m in theoretical dollars last year.

[Lathum]

And the first screwage of the year of MLB Extra Innings takes place. Idiotic blackout because of the Saturday day game rule and I can't watch Reyes.

[bhlloy]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

Maybe 76 wins was optimistic.

I really wanted to put money on the Angels finishing last in the division and I'm pissed that I didn't now. If not the worst pitching staff in the whole of baseball, gotta be in the top 5 and definitely the worst bullpen in all of baseball. Reagins really has his head up his ass when it comes to pitching.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by bhlloy

I really wanted to put money on the Angels finishing last in the division and I'm pissed that I didn't now. If not the worst pitching staff in the whole of baseball, gotta be in the top 5 and definitely the worst bullpen in all of baseball. Reagins really has his head up his ass when it comes to pitching.

Oh, I don't agree with that at all. This team will turn it around. The staff is much, much better than you're giving them credit for. It's potentially a top ten staff, maybe even better, although I have strong doubts about Rodney's role in that staff, and I would like to see Palmer not start anymore (he's much better in relief).

[bhlloy]

We must be seeing very different teams then. I think this is a staff made up of guys overrated on one good season or on the downside of their careers, and I really only feel comfortable about Weaver, Kazmir and Jepsen at this point. I'll reserve judgement on Pineiro, and I feel very strongly that Saunders is just going to continue to slide down into mediocrity. We'll see I guess. I think this team will just about finish above Oakland who are 1 year away from all those studs really maturing, but behind Seattle and Texas for sure.

[Lathum]

What a play by ARod...

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by bhlloy

We must be seeing very different teams then. I think this is a staff made up of guys overrated on one good season or on the downside of their careers, and I really only feel comfortable about Weaver, Kazmir and Jepsen at this point. I'll reserve judgement on Pineiro, and I feel very strongly that Saunders is just going to continue to slide down into mediocrity. We'll see I guess. I think this team will just about finish above Oakland who are 1 year away from all those studs really maturing, but behind Seattle and Texas for sure.

Yeah, you lose confidence way too quick, IMO. They'll be fine. They have gotten off to a bad start. It happens. Even you have to admit that Matsui is better than Vlad right now, so that was an upgrade, and even if you think Lackey is the greatest thing than sliced bread, he would have only affected one game so far. Do you really think Figgy (or Oliver) is the difference between this team now and the team that won 97 games last year? Come on, give it a little time before you crap on them.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Shoppach breaks up Sabathia's no-hit bid with 2 out in the 8th on a clean single to left.

[Lathum]

boo

Far from a Yankee fan but it is always fun to see a no no.


Franklin Guetierez (sp?) just made an amazing catch in the Mariners game.

[bhlloy]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

Yeah, you lose confidence way too quick, IMO. They'll be fine. They have gotten off to a bad start. It happens. Even you have to admit that Matsui is better than Vlad right now, so that was an upgrade, and even if you think Lackey is the greatest thing than sliced bread, he would have only affected one game so far. Do you really think Figgy (or Oliver) is the difference between this team now and the team that won 97 games last year? Come on, give it a little time before you crap on them.

Not saying anything about the hitting. That will be fine. But this is a very poor staff IMO. And yeah, I happen to think Oliver was the only effective middle reliever on the team last year, and as frustrating as Lackey was he's still an absolute workhorse and our second best starter. How you subtract those 2 from a staff ranked 20th last year, replace them with major league average or worse players, have absolutely no young talent coming through that can be realistically expected to improve and expect them to be a top 10 staff - not sure. All the projections I've seen seem to back my view up a lot more than any notion they might be a top 10 staff.

FWIW I've been saying this long before the season started. This team has downgraded it's pitching every single year since Reagins took over and I think this year is the year that it bites them. The poor start certainly doesn't lead me to think I'm wrong on that prediction but it's not the sole reason I'm making it. And I'd love to be proved wrong.

[samifan24]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Shoppach breaks up Sabathia's no-hit bid with 2 out in the 8th on a clean single to left.

Let's go Tribe!

[k0ruptr]

regardless of the Angels issues, Matsui looks really really good this year. Small sample size I know, but he just looks locked in at the plate

[RedKingGold]

Totally believe in jinxes, I honest to god do.

But, if the Phillies stay relatively healthy this year, they'll win 100 games. There's just a real sense of confidence and talent watching this team so far, even moreso than in the past two years.

I think this is the peak year. It'll be fun to watch.

[lordscarlet]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

So who is the Nats' 5th starter and is he really better than Strasbourg at this point? Or did the wunderkid go to the minors to make those clubs some money before his major league debut?

John Lannan, Jason Marquis, Craig Stammen, Garrett Mock, Livan Hernandez

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Maybe also to have his arbitration clock start a year later

This is part of it. If you listen to the team, its to give him time to learn and to get in to the swing of pitching all the innings. I saw a quote in support of the move where Kerry Wood says that Dusty didn't kill his arm, it was his lack of time in the minors.

I don't know enough about baseball to say one way or the other. I've seen a lot of people that have said (something to the effect of) "the only place he will learn anything is in the majors". I think, realistically, why rush him? They're clearly not going to contend this year. Why not take it slow and get him going in the minor leagues first?

And, for a worthless number, the Nationals are tied with or ahead of 15 teams, including the Mets, Cubs, Dodgers, Angels and Red Sox. Of course that means nothing. Nor does talking shit about the Nationals starters at this point in the season. Will you be right in the long run? Yes. But will you be right that Strasburg should be playing? That I don't know.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by bhlloy

Not saying anything about the hitting. That will be fine. But this is a very poor staff IMO. And yeah, I happen to think Oliver was the only effective middle reliever on the team last year, and as frustrating as Lackey was he's still an absolute workhorse and our second best starter. How you subtract those 2 from a staff ranked 20th last year, replace them with major league average or worse players, have absolutely no young talent coming through that can be realistically expected to improve and expect them to be a top 10 staff - not sure. All the projections I've seen seem to back my view up a lot more than any notion they might be a top 10 staff.

FWIW I've been saying this long before the season started. This team has downgraded it's pitching every single year since Reagins took over and I think this year is the year that it bites them. The poor start certainly doesn't lead me to think I'm wrong on that prediction but it's not the sole reason I'm making it. And I'd love to be proved wrong.

Well, just to call them a 20th ranked staff last year ignores a ton of the stuff that happened last year. Such as that Lackey missed 1-2 months, Saunders missed a month and pitched miserably through pain for the two months prior to it, Santana also missed about a month and struggled to get right from that for a good long while, and we didn't get Kazmir until a day or two before the end of August. We also lost Shields in May after he also pitched miserably through injury before that, and Moseley in April. Adenhart of course was tragically killed. We paid Escobar $9 M to rehab all season, except for one spot start in Detroit. We through out O'Sullivan, Ortega, Loux and Bell in desperate attempts to fill that fifth spot before acquiring Kazmir, which basically meant we pitched a complete crapper every fifth day, and for much of the year, those guys were filling on the fourth day as well. Palmer should have been pitching in relief all year, Jepsen didn't learn the cut fastball that led to his success in July, and Speier was so ungodly bad, he got released in August--despite a ton of cash left on his deal through this year.

I'm not saying losing Lackey and Oliver from that helps, but you really think last year was the representative staff the Angels are throwing out there? Did you ever note just how horrifically awful the Angels' luck was last year?

I said it's potentially a top ten staff, and it is. This is the same sort of staff that was indeed a top ten staff most years prior to last year. From 2002-2008, the Angels staff finished 2nd, 6th, 5th, 3rd, 3rd, 5th and 3rd in the AL in ERA. Even last year--when they had all the above happen to them and had done so relatively poorly--their 4.45 ERA was still 9th in the AL, and right at the league average.

Not everything's going to work out, for sure, and it's going to take some guys pitching well to end up with a top ten staff (which in the AL probably means about top 4 at worst, although with respect to comparing quality, in my mind, you kinda have to compare AL staffs and NL staffs differently than straight up against each other), but you're saying these guys are going to be complete crap. I mean, you call my top ten prediction a reach, but you call them a top five worst staff, and "definitely the worst pen in baseball". Now that's a reach.

If this staff is one of the five worst in baseball as of September 1, I'll buy us first deck tickets, closer to the infield than the foul pole and take on any misery you can come up with while we're in attendance. Heck, if they don't rank better in AL ERA than the 9th they put up last year, I'll buy RF pavillion tickets.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by lordscarlet

And, for a worthless number, the Nationals are tied with or ahead of 15 teams, including the Mets, Cubs, Dodgers, Angels and Red Sox. Of course that means nothing. Nor does talking shit about the Nationals starters at this point in the season. Will you be right in the long run? Yes. But will you be right that Strasburg should be playing? That I don't know.

My question wasn't really to point out how shitty the Nats' fifth starters are, but how unlikely it is that their fifth starter is better than Strasbourg, at least if the kid is legitimately even half as good as he is hyped to be. If that is the standard we are giving for Strasbourg's likely performance, my guess is he would be better than half of the fifth starters in the league, maybe more. To me, it was more about Strasbourg's apparent quality than it was about "talking shit about the Nationals starters".

But in any case, the points made about the arbitration clock make perfect sense for what the Nats are doing there, so power to them.

[RedKingGold]

I believe the only reason Strasburg's not up with Washington right now is to stop the arbitration clock from running. The Nats are better, but still have a long way to go to compete, why lose a free year when the team isn't going anywhere this year?

[Scoobz0202]

ATTN: Reds Fans

Chapman's first start against the Mud Hens will be streamed on MLB and the Reds website. From what I read on Reds Reporter and MLB's site it's free. It's at 2PM

[Lathum]

It's gonna be a long season

[samifan24]

Arizona loses C Miguel Montero to a torn meniscus. They're waiting to do more tests but there's apparently a good chance it would be a season ender.

[Crapshoot]

Chris Snyder isn't an awful player, so it could be a lot worse for Arizona.

[Ryan S]

Originally Posted by RedKingGold

I believe the only reason Strasburg's not up with Washington right now is to stop the arbitration clock from running. The Nats are better, but still have a long way to go to compete, why lose a free year when the team isn't going anywhere this year?

An article from Yahoo suggests that we might not see Strasburg in the majors until june.

Strasburg's station based on dollars, not sense - MLB - Yahoo! Sports

[mauchow]

i hate soriano

that is all

[DeToxRox]

Gonna be a long season for the Tribe.

[samifan24]

Originally Posted by DeToxRox

Gonna be a long season for the Tribe.

That was a vintage Joe Borowski-esque 9th inning right there. Let's see: the Tribe staff allowed 27 baserunners, Laffey walked his only batter on four straight and Perez implodes on cue. This team is in midseason form and they haven't even played their home opener yet. Good grief. I knew they'd be bad but this is ridiculous.

[panerd]

As a member of a fantasy league with a weekly prize that I have already wrapped up this week I would love for rain to push Lincecum's start to later this week.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by Lathum

Gotta love Dusty, lets Cueto throw 109 pitches in his first start

106 for Mike Leake in his professional debut.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by Atocep

106 for Mike Leake in his professional debut.

It really is unbelievable.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by lordscarlet

John Lannan, Jason Marquis, Craig Stammen, Garrett Mock, Livan Hernandez


I saw a quote in support of the move where Kerry Wood says that Dusty didn't kill his arm, it was his lack of time in the minors.

The two are related. Ignoring the obvious arbitration delaying, another reason to keep young pitchers in the minors is to be able to limit their innings without the pressure of winning hanging over everyone's heads. Young pitchers can succeed at the major league level, but their innings have to be handled carefully.

Kerry Wood and Mark Prior were both overworked the last 2 months of '03. Dusty still overworks his pitchers, especially young pitchers. Kerry may be trying to defend Dusty and it makes sense considering he was his manager, but I doubt you'll find many people that don't put at least some of the blame for Wood, Prior, Harang, and Volquez on Dusty.

[RedKingGold]

Roy Halladay is impressive.

[bigdawg2003]

I'm really not sure if the Astros can win a game this season. It's gonna be a long 2010 in Houston.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by bigdawg2003

I'm really not sure if the Astros can win a game this season. It's gonna be a long 2010 in Houston.

I'm hoping they continue to tank and Oswalt is a Met by mid May

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by Lathum

I'm hoping they continue to tank and Oswalt is a Met by mid May

Why would he want to go from one lousy team ot another?

[Logan]

This small market/big market discussion that Joe Morgan and co. are trying to have right now is like listening to nails on a chalkboard.

[Crapshoot]

Tim Lincecum is better than you. Watching Infante and Conrad swing, you got the feeling they couldn't hit the pitch if it was a beachball.

[lordscarlet]

Apparently Strasburg was just as impressive in his first professional start. I look forward to seeing him pitch in the majors. The Nationals starting pitching is still a disaster. When Livan Hernandez is your bright spot...

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Crapshoot

Tim Lincecum is better than you. Watching Infante and Conrad swing, you got the feeling they couldn't hit the pitch if it was a beachball.

Conrad might look that way against pitching coach Righetti, bullpen coach Gardner, and even Bruce Bochy himself.

Conrad was 0-23 after the break last year, now 0-2 this season.

[Ksyrup]

Anybody see the final play of the White Sox/Twins game where it appears the Twins' 3B coach tried to distract Teahan by pretending to be the runner on third and going onto the field while the real runner sprinted home? Imagine if that play ended differently and the 3B umpire - staring right at the play, it looks like - failed to call the coach for interference.

Scott Ullger: Third-base coach, baserunner? | Sox Machine

[lordscarlet]

Working from home, outside, with baseball on the radio. That's the life.

And as I type: HOMERUN JOSH WILLINGHAM!! WSH 1, PHI 0

[Lathum]

Just found out a buddy of mine has an extra ticket to the Mariners home opener so I'll be heading down in a little bit.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Lathum

Just found out a buddy of mine has an extra ticket to the Mariners home opener so I'll be heading down in a little bit.

Better hope that the baby behaves itself and they get the game in, right? Isn't it just about time?