MLB 2017 Season

[wadesworld]

It may not "seem" correct but it absolutely is.  There have been 3 instances since 200 when a team other than the Cubs or Cardinals won the NL Central.  The Astros won in '01, The Brewers in '11 and the Reds in '12.

Conveniently cut it off 17 years ago. And exclude the Reds 2010 division title.

Since going to the 6 division format the Cardinals have won 10 division titles, Reds 4, Astros won 4 before moving to the AL, Cubs 4, and Brewers 1. It is beyond laughable for Cubs fans to sit there and talk about how it's the Cubs and Cardinals and then everyone else and that's how it'll always be. It's the Cardinals and everyone else, quite simply. And I hate the Cardinals.

[buckchuckler]

It may not "seem" correct but it absolutely is.  There have been 3 instances since 200 when a team other than the Cubs or Cardinals won the NL Central.  The Astros won in '01, The Brewers in '11 and the Reds in '12.

You may want to look up the definition of absolutely.

[MUBurrow]

By the all star break the cards and cubs will be on top. The Brewers will be out of the picture. Just like every year

Since 2000 only 3 years have not had the cubs or cardinals in 1st. But k.

Brewers games back at the all-star break over the past ten years:
2007 - lead by 4.5 games
2008 - 5.0 GB
2009 - 2.5 GB
2010 - 8.5 GB
2011 - Tied for lead with StL
2012 - 8 GB
2013 - 18 GB
2014 - lead by 1.0 game
2015 - 18.5 GB
2016 -  14.5 GB

Number of times leading NL Central at the all-star break over the past ten years:
Cards - 4
Cubs - 2
Brewers - 3
Pirates - 1
Reds - 1

So if by "out of the picture just like every year" you meant less than 1/3 of the years, then i guess you were making a good point.

[WI inferiority Complexes]

Manny Machado may be my favorite current player to watch.

http://deadspin.com/the-only-possible-explanation-for-this-manny-machado-th-1796205098

[buckchuckler]

Manny Machado may be my favorite current player to watch.

http://deadspin.com/the-only-possible-explanation-for-this-manny-machado-th-1796205098

The ease with which he makes the throw is incredible.  There are two incredible defensive 3Bs going right now between Machado and Arenado. 

[dgies9156]

It's the Cardinals and everyone else, quite simply. And I hate the Cardinals.

I've known that since the 1960s.

And I love the Cardinals!!!!!

[buckchuckler]

Rizzo gonna get drilles today.  The Pads weren't happy with him.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Rizzo gonna get drilles today.  The Pads weren't happy with him.

Dunno why, didn't look like he gave Rizzo the plate, 50/50 call either way. I'm sure the Padres woulda done something similar and Maddon would have had a similar reaction.

[GGGG]

Dunno why, didn't look like he gave Rizzo the plate, 50/50 call either way. I'm sure the Padres woulda done something similar and Maddon would have had a similar reaction.

Because baseball players go apesh*t over any perceived slight and feel it is their duty to dole out justice. 

Unwritten rules are so stupid.

[MerrittsMustache]

It looks like it started as a slide and when he realized he was going to be out, he made the split-second decision to barrel into Hedges. It's a good, hard baseball play but it's also a play that MLB is trying to get rid of.

The Padres will hit Rizzo today and hopefully he takes his bruise, puts his head down and goes to first. Keep the pitch low and this incident goes away quickly. If they go up by his shoulders/head, Rizzo has every right to charge the mound and pummel the pitcher. Hopefully it's the former.

[GGGG]

It looks like it started as a slide and when he realized he was going to be out, he made the split-second decision to barrel into Hedges. It's a good, hard baseball play but it's also a play that MLB is trying to get rid of.

The Padres will hit Rizzo today and hopefully he takes his bruise, puts his head down and goes to first. Keep the pitch low and this incident goes away quickly. If they go up by his shoulders/head, Rizzo has every right to charge the mound and pummel the pitcher. Hopefully it's the former.

Nah.  Rooting for the latter.  A pitcher deserves to be pummled for that nonsense.

[MerrittsMustache]

Nah.  Rooting for the latter.  A pitcher deserves to be pummled for that nonsense.

How about he throws at him but misses and then gets pummeled?

[GGGG]

How about he throws at him but misses and then gets pummeled?

I'd be good with that.

[MUBurrow]

I feel like this is the kind of stuff where baseball's evolving rules work against each other. I really like the home plate collision rule, which basically says that if the catcher gives the runner the plate and the runner hits him, there will be hell to pay. Makes sense, and managers are encouraging their catchers that the injury risk isn't worth blocking the plate. 

But baseball is also willing to go to instant replay on overslides, bobbles on tags, lifting the foot off the bag a split second early on double plays, etc. So the ball can get to the base before the runner, and there are about a million different ways the runner can still be called safe after the umps call NASA to take a second look at it.

Here, Rizzo is gunned down five ways to sunday. I'd like to see the replay-ability of plays eased a bit, where barring an egregious misplay by Hedges (completely misses the tag, never catches the ball, etc.) Rizzo is called out. I have to think a part of why Hedges doesn't give Rizzo even more room at the plate is the fear that he can stick the glove in front of the plate and still not get the call - so he feels like he needs to crowd the dish more (watching replay, hes about 1-2 feet directly in front of the plate - but toward the mound, not on the basepath). I get that its exciting to watch Rizzo try to slide around the tag, but by allowing him to have a good chance to be called safe by doing that, and based on how the rules are interpreted and put under a instant replay microscope right now, Hedges doesn't really have any choice but to put himself in harm's way.

[Pakuni]

Because baseball players go apesh*t over any perceived slight and feel it is their duty to dole out justice. 

Unwritten rules are so stupid.

Except this isn't an unwritten rule. It's an actual written rule.

Official Baseball Rule 7.13 – Collisions at Home Plate
A runner attempting to score may not deviate from his direct pathway to the plate in order to initiate contact with the catcher (or other player covering home plate).  If, in the judgment of the Umpire, a runner attempting to score initiates contact with the catcher (or other player covering home plate) in such a manner, the Umpire shall declare the runner out (even if the player covering home plate loses possession of the ball).  In such circumstances, the Umpire shall call the ball dead, and all other base runners shall return to the last base touched at the time of the collision.

As the replay photo shows, Rizzo clearly is not taking a direct pathway to the plate. He makes contact with Hedges at the top of the batters box, at least two feet above home plate. Had Hedges not been there, Rizzo would have slid and missed home plate. There's no way Rizzo makes contact with the catcher there without deviating from a direct pathway.

[GGGG]

Except this isn't an unwritten rule. It's an actual written rule.

Official Baseball Rule 7.13 – Collisions at Home Plate
A runner attempting to score may not deviate from his direct pathway to the plate in order to initiate contact with the catcher (or other player covering home plate).  If, in the judgment of the Umpire, a runner attempting to score initiates contact with the catcher (or other player covering home plate) in such a manner, the Umpire shall declare the runner out (even if the player covering home plate loses possession of the ball).  In such circumstances, the Umpire shall call the ball dead, and all other base runners shall return to the last base touched at the time of the collision.

As the replay photo shows, Rizzo clearly is not taking a direct pathway to the plate. He makes contact with Hedges at the top of the batters box, at least two feet above home plate. Had Hedges not been there, Rizzo would have slid and missed home plate. There's no way Rizzo makes contact with the catcher there without deviating from a direct pathway.

Was the runner declared out by the umpire?  No?  Then he apparently didn't break the rule.

Might he be suspended by MLB?  If so then he did upon review and will be given a penalty.

So either he didn't break the rule, or he did and MLB will punish him accordingly.  The Padres have no cause to plunk him.

[Pakuni]

Was the runner declared out by the umpire?  No?  Then he apparently didn't break the rule.

Might he be suspended by MLB?  If so then he did upon review and will be given a penalty.

So either he didn't break the rule, or he did and MLB will punish him accordingly.  The Padres have no cause to plunk him.

I'm not suggesting the Padres plunk him, and if that's what you meant by "unwritten rule," then I misunderstood you.
And, yes, Rizzo was called out, because Hedges held on to the ball, so there was no need for an immediate call one way or the other on Rule 7.13.

[GGGG]

I'm not suggesting the Padres plunk him, and if that's what you meant by "unwritten rule," then I misunderstood you.
And, yes, Rizzo was called out, because Hedges held on to the ball, so there was no need for an immediate call one way or the other on Rule 7.13.

OK gotcha.

[jsglow]

Was the runner declared out by the umpire?  No?  Then he apparently didn't break the rule.

Might he be suspended by MLB?  If so then he did upon review and will be given a penalty.

So either he didn't break the rule, or he did and MLB will punish him accordingly.  The Padres have no cause to plunk him.

Ridiculous linkage Sultan.  The ump called Rizzo out simply because the catcher hung on to the ball. He never felt the need to reflect on the 'outside the base path' rule.

I dislike the over regulation of baseball and dislike the runner/catcher collision situation more than most recent rules.  Handle it the way it has been handled for 120 years. He's earned a helluva thigh bruise on the hardest fastball the Padres can muster.  Of course you throw at him. Of course you throw at him below the waist. And then we move on. 

[GGGG]

Ridiculous linkage Sultan.  The ump called Rizzo out simply because the catcher hung on to the ball. He never felt the need to reflect on the 'outside the base path' rule.

I dislike the over regulation of baseball and dislike the runner/catcher collision situation more than most recent rules.  Handle it the way it has been handled for 120 years. He's earned a helluva thigh bruise on the hardest fastball the Padres can muster.  Of course you throw at him. Of course you throw at him below the waist. And then we move on. 

No.  Unwritten rules are stupid.

The umpire and the league are the ones who should determine if rules were broken and the appropriate punishment.  Not the Padres.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Why though? He was going hard to the plate I doubt Rizzo was trying to hurt him. Anyways, Rizzo get plunked more often than anyone else in the majors, hitting him will do absolutely nothing.

While on the subject of hitting players, can we please do away with the unwritten rule that you shouldnt bat flip or stare down your homerun? Celebrate as you wish.

[reinko]

Ridiculous linkage Sultan.  The ump called Rizzo out simply because the catcher hung on to the ball. He never felt the need to reflect on the 'outside the base path' rule.

I dislike the over regulation of baseball and dislike the runner/catcher collision situation more than most recent rules.  Handle it the way it has been handled for 120 years. He's earned a helluva thigh bruise on the hardest fastball the Padres can muster.  Of course you throw at him. Of course you throw at him below the waist. And then we move on.

Honest question, if a pitcher can a throw a ball @ a hitter, why if a batter charged and hit a pitcher with a bat he would be not only be suspended dozens of games but most likely arrested?

Throwing at hitters is so stupid, and honestly, it will take a batter getting seriously injured for MLB to do anything about.  A ball trails and hits a guy in the head, broken ribs, shattered kneecap or ankle are all real possibilities.

[Pakuni]

Why though? He was going hard to the plate I doubt Rizzo was trying to hurt him. Anyways, Rizzo get plunked more often than anyone else in the majors, hitting him will do absolutely nothing.

While on the subject of hitting players, can we please do away with the unwritten rule that you shouldnt bat flip or stare down your homerun? Celebrate as you wish.

Whether Rizzo intended to hurt him is irrelevant. The rule eliminates the need to judge intent. It's simply a matter of whether Rizzo went outside a direct path to the plate in order to initiate contact. Judging by the replays and still photos, it's clear that he was outside the direct path when he collided with Hedges. Hence, he violated the rule.
And, fwiw, the rule's intent - beyond protecting defenseless catchers - is to eliminate the need to plunk Rizzo here. Let the league mete out whatever punishment is appropriate and the Padres have no need to seek their own brand of justice.

[jsglow]

My goodness you guys are soft. Guys have been plunked for the entirety of baseball history. I never remember anyone charging the mound with his bat.  First off, he'd never get there.  If the benches clear and there's a punch or two, so be it.

But here's what Rizzo will do.  He'll stiffen to take the pain for a second. Then he'll trot to first base working very hard not to limp. Over. Baseball the way it was always played.

Now here's what nobody could condone. You never throw at someone high. Headhunting is never acceptable in the same way as taking your bat to the mound is never acceptable. There are lines.  Too bad we seem to be forgetting that in today's culture at large. (Not to go down that rabbit hole.)

[GGGG]

It has nothing to do with being "soft."  Gimme a break.

It has to do with simple logic.  The Padres should not be part of the enforcing of the rules.  It's not their job.  Just because it has "always been done that way," doesn't mean it should be done that way.