The 2022 MLB Season (?)

[Ksyrup]

Is everybody getting "the following media includes potentially sensitive content?" Yeah, it's a Simpsons meme.

[Ksyrup]

That was a way worse loss for the Phillies than a no-hitter. Losing a 1 run game while leaving 12 on base, in game 5 headed back to Houston... Might as well have handed the trophy over last night and saved the plane fare.

[Ksyrup]

Alvarado the clear goat in this world series. I can't believe they trusted him again tonight.

However, given the score of the FSU game, the Astros could tack on 2 TDs and it wouldn't kill my good vibes. It's been a nice, overachieving season for the Phillies either way.

[Lathum]

I'm happy for Dusty Baker.

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by Lathum

I'm happy for Dusty Baker.

Booooooo this man!

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by Lathum

I'm happy for Dusty Baker.

Dusty Baker managed a team to a World Series title. Dusty Baker managed a team with what I am seeing described as a dominant bullpen to a World Series title. 73 year old Dusty Baker did that.

That is really really cool.

[Ksyrup]

I suppose it's time to transition to an off-season thread but just came here to post that I just read about Chuck Carr dying of cancer at 55. I have fond memories of him as the Marlins' CF for the first few years. I seem to remember him as an Omar Moreno type - fast, but low OBP and the type of guy who was the default lead-off man prior to the SABR revolution.

Anyway, RIP.

[miami_fan]

Ex-MLB player Yasiel Puig to plead guilty to lying about illegal sports bets

The DOJ release did not reference any bets that were made on baseball. Puig played for Cincinnati and Cleveland in 2019 before becoming a free agent. He then played in the Mexican League, and last year, he signed a one-year, $1 million contact with South Korea's Kiwoom Heroes.

So he still has a chance at the Hall.

[Ksyrup]

I subscribed to Craig Calcaterra's daily baseball (and other things) thoughts called Cup of Coffee earlier this year and he's offering each subscriber 3 free month-long referrals, completely free (no need to enter credit card info, no auto-renew, etc.), for anyone who might be interested. I still enjoy baseball but don't have any time to catch-up on what's going on every day, so I've found his digest a great way to keep up on scores, trades, and other things. There's also a healthy dose of mostly liberal stuff and some funny/off-beat news items that have nothing to do with baseball, so subscriber be ware. But we're basically the same age and have a lot in common (in fact, we found out that his mom went to high school with my parents), so I've enjoyed it.

Anyway, if you're interested in checking it out, DM me your name and email and I'll send a referral link.

[miami_fan]

Sources: Rangers, Jacob deGrom agree to 5-year, $185M deal

[Lathum]

I have really mixed feelings. I love him, but he is so inconsistent with his health I can't be that upset. Not because of the money, but you can't rely on him to take the ball every 5 days and you end up really screwing up the rotation.

I wish him the best. Hope he with 5 straight Cy Young awards, but I think the change of scenery is a good thing for him.

[miami_fan]

Fred McGriff elected to Hall of Fame by contemporary era committee

Congrats to The Crime Dog. Also why does the Contemporary era committee exists? Or maybe a better question in why are the members of the BBWAA voting for who deserves to be in the Hall if these men and women on this panel are going to put a guy in who only received 39% of the BBWAA vote.

Greg Maddux, Chipper Jones, Jack Morris, Ryne Sandberg, Lee Smith, Frank Thomas and Alan Trammell; Major League executives Paul Beeston, Theo Epstein, Arte Moreno, Kim Ng, Dave St. Peter and Ken Williams; and veteran media members/historians Steve Hirdt, LaVelle Neal and Susan Slusser.

[cuervo72]

I wonder to what extent writers who were voting for players who played in the 80s idolized players from the 50s, 60s, and 70s and thus decided the players from the 80s couldn't compare and didn't bother voting for them. Seems like the decade is really underrepresented, especially pitchers.

(And I'd consider McGriff a 90s player too.)

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

Fred McGriff elected to Hall of Fame by contemporary era committee

Congrats to The Crime Dog. Also why does the Contemporary era committee exists? Or maybe a better question in why are the members of the BBWAA voting for who deserves to be in the Hall if these men and women on this panel are going to put a guy in who only received 39% of the BBWAA vote.

There was a point where it served a purpose. That time is gone and now it's just a group that elects friends of some of the panel members.

[Swaggs]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

Fred McGriff elected to Hall of Fame by contemporary era committee

Congrats to The Crime Dog. Also why does the Contemporary era committee exists? Or maybe a better question in why are the members of the BBWAA voting for who deserves to be in the Hall if these men and women on this panel are going to put a guy in who only received 39% of the BBWAA vote.

It’s just funny that the list of 7 players spent the majority of their careers in just three cities (Atlanta, Chicago, and Detroit).

[Breeze]

Originally Posted by Atocep

There was a point where it served a purpose. That time is gone and now it's just a group that elects friends of some of the panel members.

The vet committees have always been about electing friends. See all the players elected by Frisch and company, most are the worst players in the HOF. However, I'd argue McGriff should be in. If not for PEDs his 493 HRs look much better. He's surrounded by HOFers in most of the power leaderboards.

[Ksyrup]

The only purpose of that group should be to elect Lou Whitaker and they couldn't even do that.

[Breeze]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

The only purpose of that group should be to elect Lou Whitaker and they couldn't even do that.

Second!

[stevew]

All 8 of the guys on the ballot(Bonds, Clemens, McGriff, Belle, Schilling, Mattingly, Murphy, Palmerio) should have made it over Harold Baines or Ted Simmons

[sterlingice]

I will never understand Mattingly's case for the Hall of Fame and he had the second most votes. Near as I can tell, it comes down to "most recognizable Yankee in the 80s"

SI

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by Breeze

The vet committees have always been about electing friends. See all the players elected by Frisch and company, most are the worst players in the HOF. However, I'd argue McGriff should be in. If not for PEDs his 493 HRs look much better. He's surrounded by HOFers in most of the power leaderboards.

I did not realize that they had split up the Veterans Committee. The point still stands. Again I think McGriff should have been in already. But it was just three years ago when he could not get 40% of the BBWAA voters in his last year of eligibility. If the BBWA vote is so off that just three years later a committee like this unanimously votes him in, the BBWA vote is worthless.

[miami_fan]

Per Jeff Passan,

Verlander to the Mets.

[miami_fan]

Justin Verlander’s deal with the Mets is for two years and $86 million, per source. It includes a vesting third-year option. After losing Jacob deGrom, the Mets replace him with the American League Cy Young Award winner, who will be paired atop their rotation with Max Scherzer.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 5, 2022

[Ksyrup]

So Carlos Baerga was right. He broke the news yesterday on his IG account.

[Atocep]

The Mets must have been really uncomfortable with Degrom's medicals because they didn't really make an offer and moved on quickly, paying more per year than it would have taken to keep degrom.

[Swaggs]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

Per Jeff Passan,

Verlander to the Mets.

I want to make a joke about adding Verlander to Scherzer puts them in perfect position to win it all in 2013, but darnit if they both aren't still elite starters ten years later.

I feel like they should grab Bumgarner and Greinke and maybe David Price, just for fun.

[Ksyrup]

If you're wondering why Arson Judge is trending on Twitter...

Jon Heyman broke some "Arson Judge" news ... then he didn't ��⁣
⁣
Yankees fans, :: DEEP EXHALE :: ⁣
⁣
** for now ** pic.twitter.com/7gTiSdUNT4

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) December 6, 2022

[Ksyrup]

In all seriousness, this is when Twitter is at its most entertaining. If Musk ruins this, I hope he dies in a Tesla.

[albionmoonlight]

It would be funny if a notable reporter tweets that "Aaron Judge is a giant!"

Then follow it up a few minutes later with "Seriously, the guy is just huge. A real giant."

[Ksyrup]

Well, this thread is interesting. Where there's smoke, there's arson...

In conjunction with Dr. Meredith Wills, Insider found evidence MLB used three distinct baseballs in 2022.
The balls show up in distinct places in our sample.
Oh! A player got a stern warning from the league for trying to help.
Balls don't lie, Part 2: https://t.co/PY13e4KDkv

— Bradford William Davis (parody) (@BWDBWDBWD) December 6, 2022

[Coffee Warlord]

Cody Bellinger on a 1 year deal to the Cubs.

[Ksyrup]

Seeing as though Carlos Baerga nailed the Verlander signing before everyone else, this may mean something...?

No big deal. Just Carlos Baerga saying that he's hearing both Aaron Judge AND Carlos Correa might be coming to the Giants. pic.twitter.com/5bRXOWsEHi

— Grant Brisbee (@GrantBrisbee) December 7, 2022

[stevew]

Judge back 9/360

Pirates win the inaugural draft lottery.

[SirFozzie]

Red Sox have a good most of the day, (signing Jansen and a Japanese player), but then get absolutely boatraced to the signing of Xander Bogaerts.

11 years.

$280 Million

I love the guy, but I don't love him that much. (our offer was something like 6-7 years for just short of $200 million

[stevew]

I know bogaerts is better than Kim or Croenenworth but both of those guys are pretty affordable. Dunno what the padres are really thinking here. I’d have thought keeping Profar and possibly Bell would be a better use of resources.

[JonInMiddleGA]

At that length, thank Bogaerts for his service and move on.

[dubb93]

His last season under that contract he will be 41. There is a good chance he’s a liability for half of that contract. I still don’t understand why baseball GMs sign there players into their 40s so consistently at premium dollars.

[sterlingice]

The Padres have gone from young and exciting to old, bloated, and expensive real fast. I mean, their payroll isn't that high because of so many young players but, man, that's a lot of big, ugly contracts they have on that team.

SI

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by dubb93

I still don’t understand why baseball GMs sign there players into their 40s so consistently at premium dollars.

Because that's what the players want. And if Team A is willing to do it, then Team B needs to match it or lose out on the player.

[cuervo72]

Just keep tossing the old guys the juiced balls, they'll be fine.

[miami_fan]

Report - Giants postpone Carlos Correa intro for medical concern

[miami_fan]

Change 2 to Correa going to the Padres. He is heading to the Mets.

Source: Carlos Correa agrees to 12-year, $315M deal with Mets


EDIT: Pending a physical of course.

[Swaggs]

It must feel good to be a Mets fan these days. They have had one of the best 2-year runs for acquiring talent that I have ever seen in sports.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by Swaggs

It must feel good to be a Mets fan these days. They have had one of the best 2-year runs for acquiring talent that I have ever seen in sports.

As a Mets fan for almost 40 years I can tell you it never feels good to be a Mets fan...

[Lathum]

Correa always felt a bit overrated to me. Career high 26 HR, never topped 100 RBI, hit .300 only once. History of injury. He had a nice year last year, but thats a pretty long contract for a guy who has never had an MVP caliber season and for most of his career was surrounded by a lot of protection in the lineup.

That being said it is Uncle Steves money and I am glad he is spending it. Personally I would have liked to see what Baty could do at third over a long stretch, but I'm not upset about the signing.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by Lathum

Correa always felt a bit overrated to me. Career high 26 HR, never topped 100 RBI, hit .300 only once. History of injury. He had a nice year last year, but thats a pretty long contract for a guy who has never had an MVP caliber season and for most of his career was surrounded by a lot of protection in the lineup.

That being said it is Uncle Steves money and I am glad he is spending it. Personally I would have liked to see what Baty could do at third over a long stretch, but I'm not upset about the signing.

He'll shift to 3rd, but he's probably been a better defender at short than Lindor. Remove the shortened 2020 season and he's averaged over 5 WAR per year and his 2021 season was a top 5 MVP finish.

[JPhillips]

According to Bloomberg Cohen has made 1.8 billion during the past year. He could double the current payroll of the Mets and still be profitable. Nobody will remember the Steve Cohen that made a healthy profit on a safe investment, but he'll be remembered forever if he makes the Mets into a dynasty.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by Atocep

He'll shift to 3rd, but he's probably been a better defender at short than Lindor. Remove the shortened 2020 season and he's averaged over 5 WAR per year and his 2021 season was a top 5 MVP finish.

I'm not a big fan of the advanced stats, and yes, I know he will move to third, hence the Baty comment who I suspect will be trade bait.

It isn't that I'm not happy to have him, like I said, not my money, he has just never struck me as a bona fied superstar.

I hope he is great for the Mets and leads them to a title. The guy has just never stuck out to me.

[stevew]

Brian Reynolds is def getting traded on Friday. They will go to the classic tactic of burying it over the holiday weekend and also with Franco(RIP) dying and the number retirement ceremony it won’t get much coverage

[Swaggs]

I think Correa basically seems like a slightly better, younger Lindor and Lindor is one of the 5 or 6 best shortstops in the league. The other good thing for the Mets (and Phillies) is that the Braves lost out on the shortstop musical chairs.