MLB Off-Topic

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I'm 100% against any NBA'ization of NHL'ization of Major League Baseball. Having HALF of the league make the playoffs is just so dumb. As was already stated so eloquently, the 162-game season is already doing the hard work of winnowing down the field. Any proposals about expanding the playoffs are a shameful cash grab at the expense of what makes this game unique.

[Mentch]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

It's not aimed to gain fans at all. It's strictly aimed at the advertising money they would bring in with the show. That's why this proposal is conveniently timed with the expiration of current TV deals.

Id be more willing to agree with your point if it wasn’t for the fact that they changed it to a reality TV show format. If it was just a standard selection show it might be different, but I know that they know that their audience isn’t what it once was and that’s exactly why they’re tryna implement changes to the game such as pitch clocks in order to speed it up. What kind of diehard fan, let alone casual, is able to sit through 3.5+ hours of a baseball game. I can’t remember the last time I was actually able to do that

[jeebs9]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Just to play devil's advocate, I remember one night in 2009 my dad and I spontaneously went to a Giants game the night before we had to road trip, and we were under the impression it was Randy Johnson's turn in the rotation... only to completely forget that he was on the disabled list, and Jonathan Sanchez was going to pitch in his spot.



Entering that mid-July start, Sanchez (still on his rookie contract, by the way) was on a steady decline with a 5.30 ERA and was demoted to the bullpen. This was his shot to show something, and one more shoddy performance definitely meant being sent down to AAA, being a trade piece for somebody by the deadline (he still had nasty stuff, but couldn't figure out the control and effectiveness), or not getting a new contract with a team at the end of the year.



That night, Sanchez threw a no-hitter with 11 strikeouts and no walks (there was an eighth inning error by Juan Uribe).



This start changed everything for him. He stayed in the rotation (even upon Johnson's return) and ended the season with a 4.24 ERA. He stayed with the Giants for two more strong seasons (honing a 3.07 ERA the next season), and was an important trade piece to the Royals when we snagged Melky Cabrera (who was great till his steroid suspension). He made about $14 million more from contracts following that season as a result, compared to a measly $1 million.



Now, if that night Sanchez doesn't throw a no-hitter, and instead faces a team that is stealing his signs? Way different story.



Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Bolsinger was going to no-hit the Astros, but I'm saying that his lawsuit absolutely holds merit in my eyes. In a way, this start very well may have ended his major league career. If he instead throws a quality start, there is no telling where it could have gone. Sanchez's story is a strong anecdote for that.

Thank you!!

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[Jr.]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Id be more willing to agree with your point if it wasn’t for the fact that they changed it to a reality TV show format. If it was just a standard selection show it might be different, but I know that they know that their audience isn’t what it once was and that’s exactly why they’re tryna implement changes to the game such as pitch clocks in order to speed it up. What kind of diehard fan, let alone casual, is able to sit through 3.5+ hours of a baseball game. I can’t remember the last time I was actually able to do that

I'm guessing this was a question, despite the lack of a question mark... but I can absolutely sit through a 3.5+ hour game with no problem.

The things they're doing aren't to try to speed up a game (you can't do it when the game isn't dictated by a clock), they're trying to increase the action and decrease the amount of time where nothing happens. I fully support that as a former player, and now coach.

[DamnYanks2]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

If they cared about respect, they wouldn't have done what they did in the first place. They won.

They still are gonna pay in a different way. It's going to be hell for them on the road this year. Nobody respects that organization. And I can imagine there are gonna be quite a few teams that will bury some fastballs into the Astros backs.

Especially when the Yankees play them. There is going to be Fireworks. I'm hoping Judge just runs over Altuve. Looks at him and says "I'm the real MVP bitch".

But seriously. It's going to get ugly for Houston. Hope that fake title was worth it.



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[DamnYanks2]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

It's pretty much been covered. But, Manfred is the worst thing that's happened to baseball since the "94 strike". I thought Selig was the worst commissioner.... Hold my beer, Here comes Manfred. A man that seems dead set on destroying baseball and it's tradition.

He wants to make sweeping changes to an already great game, He made the weakest decision he could have ever made on the Astros scandal. He doesn't give a damn about baseball. It's just a paycheck for him.

I hear all this nonsense from MLB about steroids and how it ruined the integrity of the game and then this moron comes in and now the baseballs are juiced and then he completely denied it. Even though everything and anyone credible can easily confirm that the baseballs are most certainly juiced. But that's ok apparently [emoji849]

But honestly, it doesn't surprise me anymore. Every major sport that I love right now has a dip**** commissioner, including the NCAA, that continues to ruin these sports. excluding the NBA.

But Manfred might just be the very worst, and I do not like what the future holds at all with him in that seat.

Edit: I'm starting to really like Bauer.

Trevor Bauer (@BauerOutage) Tweeted:
No idea who made this new playoff format proposal, but Rob is responsible for releasing it, so I’ll direct this to you, Rob Manfred. Your proposal is absurd for too many reasons to type on twitter and proves you have absolutely no clue about baseball. You’re a joke. https://twitter.com/BauerOutage/stat...741682176?s=20

[jeebs9]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I'm 100% against any NBA'ization of NHL'ization of Major League Baseball. Having HALF of the league make the playoffs is just so dumb. As was already stated so eloquently, the 162-game season is already doing the hard work of winnowing down the field. Any proposals about expanding the playoffs are a shameful cash grab at the expense of what makes this game unique.

Does the NFL want to do this?

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[slickdtc]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

You know, I don’t really mind expanded playoffs. I love playoff baseball and adding two more teams per league to the mix doesn’t hurt my feelings. It will make it so that if you break .500 you have a shot at qualifying, so take that for what you will. I think it accomplishes a lot for MLB and fans without diminishing the long regular season. Just rewards a few more teams who may be worthy — I personally think 162 games is such a grind that just surviving it is an accomplishment. I’m even blasphemous enough to love the play-in game so much I wouldn’t mind one for the 7th/8th to decide for that last spot. I thought the play-in game was overwhelmingly popular even by those who traditionally hated the concept but have grown to love the stage it has become. Surprised to see it axed in this proposal. If you’re going 7, go 8 and give yourself the 2 extra games.

I’ve been against byes in baseball because it’s unnatural to the rhythm of the sport, but teams gets rest days more frequently in the postseason anyway, and if you sweep and another series goes long you get longer layoffs then you’ve had all year, so they happen regardless. So let’s go all in.

Where MLB loses me is this selection show stuff. It’s a complete gimmick. And not a gimmick on the field, but one completely made for TV that involves no actual baseball being played. It just seems so amateur. Something the minor leagues would do. I don’t particularly think anyone gives a **** about who plays who that much anyway when the choice will be obvious most of the time. Especially if we’re adding presumably worse teams to the mix.

I hear and respect why people are against this. Baseball is different in so many ways and they want to keep it like that. At least this keeps the product the same, just adds a little more wild & crazy to the postseason. I don’t mind that. I enjoy it!

[DieHardYankee26]

MLB Off-Topic

But seriously. It's going to get ugly for Houston. Hope that fake title was worth it.

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We deal with that **** on the road anyway and haven’t won in a decade, it was definitely worth it. The rings are real, the title is real, and now we’ve gotta deal with this “Barry Bonds isn’t the real home run king” angle. Worst of both worlds.

[jb12780]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

They still are gonna pay in a different way. It's going to be hell for them on the road this year. Nobody respects that organization. And I can imagine there are gonna be quite a few teams that will bury some fastballs into the Astros backs.

Especially when the Yankees play them. There is going to be Fireworks. I'm hoping Judge just runs over Altuve. Looks at him and says "I'm the real MVP bitch".

But seriously. It's going to get ugly for Houston. Hope that fake title was worth it.



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September 21st-24th Houston come to the Bronx. That’s gonna be great entertainment.


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[DamnYanks2]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

One thing I missed. Maybe it was brought up but Trevor Bauer insinuated Houston pitchers were doctoring the ball in 2018. He talked about how their spin rate was absurd. And got into it with a few of them on twitter over it, basically insistent they used a substance on the baseballs.

It was interesting to read. Could be bs. But he went really in depth on it.





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[DamnYanks2]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

We deal with that **** on the road anyway and haven’t won in a decade, it was definitely worth it. The rings are real, the title is real, and now we’ve gotta deal with this “Barry Bonds isn’t the real home run king” angle. Worst of both worlds.

Another reason to hate Houston. They've broken Diehard [emoji25]

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[DieHardYankee26]

MLB Off-Topic

Another reason to hate Houston. They've broken Diehard [emoji25]

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This sport has broken me [emoji23]. I was reading Jo Po’s Baseball 100 write up on Wade Boggs and he mentioned one year he hit a decent number of home runs and casually goes “but that was a juiced ball year”. All of these trash *** schemes with no punishment for the last 100 years...the whole thing is the Wizard of Oz. WHAT IS THE TRUTH? Protect the integrity of the game?!? What integrity?

IMG_0223.JPG

[DamnYanks2]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

This sport has broken me [emoji23]. I was reading Jo Po’s Baseball 100 write up on Wade Boggs and he mentioned one year he hit a decent number of home runs and casually goes “but that was a juiced ball year”. All of these trash *** schemes with no punishment for the last 100 years...the whole thing is the Wizard of Oz. WHAT IS THE TRUTH? Protect the integrity of the game?!? What integrity?

[ATTACH]175244[/ATTACH]

You ain't wrong man. I hate that I love this sport so much that I can't walk away. I would, But I can't. This Houston stuff definitely has hurt it in my eyes. But here I am excited for another season.

But I can feel that. It's like what the **** is happening to our pastime and why can't we get someone at the top that loves it and would take care of it like we would, if given the chance.

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[TripleCrown9]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Marwin Gonzalez is the first position player from the 2017 Astros to apologize about the scandal. He said he isn't sure if they would have won if they weren't stealing signs.