Real MLB Thread

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Yeah, what does being a "loving and committed husband and father" have anything to do with this?  God I hate when people put that crap in these types of statements.

Anyway, this is pretty much an admission, validates the original story, and makes the Astros initial statement look ridiculous.  All will be forgotten though since the WS starts tonight.

[Jockey]

This portion of the "apology" is a pile of horsesh*t:

My overexuberance in support of a player has been misrepresented as a demonstration of a regressive attitude about an important social issue. Those that know me know that I am a progressive member of the community, and a loving and committed husband and father. I hope that those who do know me understand that the Sports Illustrated article does not reflect who I am or my values. I am sorry if anyone was offended by my actions.

If he went out before the press and simply said " I am sorry. I was 100% wrong. My comments were insensitive", I would be fully accepting.

Hiding behind a lawyer's written apology means nothing to me.

[MU82]

If he went out before the press and simply said " I am sorry. I was 100% wrong. My comments were insensitive", I would be fully accepting.

Hiding behind a lawyer's written apology means nothing to me.

Especially when it includes the old "if anyone was offended" line.

Yeah, what does being a "loving and committed husband and father" have anything to do with this?  God I hate when people put that crap in these types of statements.

Anyway, this is pretty much an admission, validates the original story, and makes the Astros initial statement look ridiculous.  All will be forgotten though since the WS starts tonight.

Yep yep.

[Cheeks]

He's only "so phucking happy" that the Astros have Osuna, hey?  Seems very...odd.  If I were the assistant GM I'd be "very phucking happy" I had Correa...and Altuve...and Cole...and Verlander...and Greinke...and Bregman...

Weird.

I’m sure he is happy they have all of them...in fact he has said as much about some of those other players at different times.

I just want to make sure I have yours and other stories correct....he purposely said this because he wanted to offend several female reporters and he supports sexual assault?  Is that what some of you are saying?

Or is there middle ground where the guy is phucking happy they signed a great closer (who is a d bag and I wouldn’t sign him from the start, but that’s another story) and he said it, said it loud, with no intent at all to offend anyone?  Why is it one and not the other?  What is dictating that response?  Did he hate these reporters?  Is he pro sexual assault?  Is he anti woman? Or was he caught up in the moment of victory and said something stupid and totally misinterpreted?  I get why in today’s world it always defaults to the worst....why?

As for the response, most of these things are lawyerly these days.  That is no surprise.  Astros are protecting themselves against doing anything against him, as well.  That’s the deal with labor law today. 

[cheebs09]

I’m sure he is happy they have all of them...in fact he has said as much about some of those other players at different times.

I just want to make sure I have yours and other stories correct....he purposely said this because he wanted to offend several female reporters and he supports sexual assault?  Is that what some of you are saying?

Or is there middle ground where the guy is phucking happy they signed a great closer (who is a d bag and I wouldn’t sign him from the start, but that’s another story) and he said it, said it loud, with no intent at all to offend anyone?  Why is it one and not the other?  What is dictating that response?  Did he hate these reporters?  Is he pro sexual assault?  Is he anti woman? Or was he caught up in the moment of victory and said something stupid and totally misinterpreted?  I get why in today’s world it always defaults to the worst....why?

As for the response, most of these things are lawyerly these days.  That is no surprise.  Astros are protecting themselves against doing anything against him, as well.  That’s the deal with labor law today.

I think you might want to hit the brakes defending this guy. I’m sure more will come out, but this isn’t a great look.

https://twitter.com/davidfolkenflik/status/1186755725969809408?s=21

[Vander Blue Man Group]

I’m sure he is happy they have all of them...in fact he has said as much about some of those other players at different times.

I just want to make sure I have yours and other stories correct....he purposely said this because he wanted to offend several female reporters and he supports sexual assault?  Is that what some of you are saying?

Or is there middle ground where the guy is phucking happy they signed a great closer (who is a d bag and I wouldn’t sign him from the start, but that’s another story) and he said it, said it loud, with no intent at all to offend anyone?  Why is it one and not the other?  What is dictating that response?  Did he hate these reporters?  Is he pro sexual assault?  Is he anti woman? Or was he caught up in the moment of victory and said something stupid and totally misinterpreted?  I get why in today’s world it always defaults to the worst....why?

As for the response, most of these things are lawyerly these days.  That is no surprise.  Astros are protecting themselves against doing anything against him, as well.  That’s the deal with labor law today.

Why is it one and not the other?  Common f'n sense, that's why. 

[wadesworld]

I’m sure he is happy they have all of them...in fact he has said as much about some of those other players at different times.

I just want to make sure I have yours and other stories correct....he purposely said this because he wanted to offend several female reporters and he supports sexual assault?  Is that what some of you are saying?

Or is there middle ground where the guy is phucking happy they signed a great closer (who is a d bag and I wouldn’t sign him from the start, but that’s another story) and he said it, said it loud, with no intent at all to offend anyone?  Why is it one and not the other?  What is dictating that response?  Did he hate these reporters?  Is he pro sexual assault?  Is he anti woman? Or was he caught up in the moment of victory and said something stupid and totally misinterpreted?  I get why in today’s world it always defaults to the worst....why?

As for the response, most of these things are lawyerly these days.  That is no surprise.  Astros are protecting themselves against doing anything against him, as well.  That’s the deal with labor law today.

Lol.  You're as bad as the Astros cheeks.  But he's a rich white male so people are out to get him, that's all.  He did nothing wrong.  Not what is said, just who says it, hey?

I'm very phucking happy you continue to out yourself as a moron.  But I'm not directing that at you at all!  Don't be offended you SJW!

[Billy Hoyle]

Or is there middle ground where the guy is phucking happy they signed a great closer (who is a d bag and I wouldn’t sign him from the start, but that’s another story) and he said it, said it loud, with no intent at all to offend anyone?  Why is it one and not the other?  What is dictating that response?  Did he hate these reporters?  Is he pro sexual assault?  Is he anti woman? Or was he caught up in the moment of victory and said something stupid and totally misinterpreted?  I get why in today’s world it always defaults to the worst....why?
 

It just seems like an odd thing to say at the time considering Osuna blew the save just a few minutes prior and hadn't been stellar in his closer role during the post season in either series.

[MU82]

hoopaloop is not only quick to defend the overdog, but he is quick to attack the evil, enemy-of-the-people media.

[buckchuckler]

Hey!  Anyone know the Series started tonight?  Nats in 6.

[CTWarrior]

Hey!  Anyone know the Series started tonight?  Nats in 6.

Great start for the Nats.  If they win tonight (good chance with Strasburg going) they have a stranglehold on the series.  Great to see a guy like Zimmerman hit a homer in the World Series and Soto is something else.  Bryce who?

I almost always root for the American League team (Yankees are the exception), but I really like the idea of Washington getting a championship.

[Mr. Nielsen]

5-4 game. Game Time: 3:43
We need to speed up the game.

[MU82]

Scherzer vs Cole ... all the makings of a 1-0 classic.

Except, as so often happens, that's not what happened.

If Nats can win tonight -- defeating both Cole and Verlander on the road -- wow!

[#UnleashSean]

David phuccking ross is back

[JWags85]

Scherzer vs Cole ... all the makings of a 1-0 classic.

Except, as so often happens, that's not what happened.

If Nats can win tonight -- defeating both Cole and Verlander on the road -- wow!

My brother-in-law is from the DC area, big Nats fan obviously.  Talking about the game he was super nervous and I said the silver lining was Cole had been so magnificent, he was due for a shaky outing.  And there it was.  Steal one on the road for both swinging home field and momentum/confidence.  Amazing.

Also, Juan Soto is unreal at 20.

[buckchuckler]

Also, Juan Soto is unreal at 20.

So much of this.

[MU82]

My brother-in-law is from the DC area, big Nats fan obviously.  Talking about the game he was super nervous and I said the silver lining was Cole had been so magnificent, he was due for a shaky outing.  And there it was.  Steal one on the road for both swinging home field and momentum/confidence.  Amazing.

Also, Juan Soto is unreal at 20.

Totally agree about Soto. Wow!

Nats are a very compelling story, and I was rooting for them even before the Astros asst GM lost his shyte. I just love that they lost their all-time franchise player to a division rival and got off to a terrible start, but are now in the World Series. That's the kind of thing that makes sports fun.

[🏀]

David phuccking ross is back

Meh. I have no judgement.

[MU82]

David phuccking ross is back

Seems like a bright man, and he was a manager-on-the-field kind of guy as a player for two franchises that won a lot. It's quite rare for a guy to go to the manager's office having absolutely no previous coaching or managing experience, but maybe he'll be great.

Maybe a little like Glenn Rivers, who did only OK in his first NBA head-coaching stop, got fired by the Magic, but went on to become a highly respected coach with the Celtics.

Maybe Ross will get there quicker, in part because of the Cubs' resources. Or maybe he'll suck. We'll see!

[Dr. Blackheart]

David phuccking ross is back

Theo wants to manage the team so this move makes it easier. 

More significantly, one could argue, for the Cubs were the front office moves to beef up analytics.  The Brewers and Cards have blown by the Cubs in the last few years in this area.

[cheebs09]

Saw a tweet saying one thing that set him apart was his mock spring training speech that the Cubs asked each candidate to do as part of their second interview.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Saw a tweet saying one thing that set him apart was his mock spring training speech that the Cubs asked each candidate to do as part of their second interview.

Dear lord. Acting is a skill set needed now?

[JWags85]

Seems like a bright man, and he was a manager-on-the-field kind of guy as a player for two franchises that won a lot. It's quite rare for a guy to go to the manager's office having absolutely no previous coaching or managing experience, but maybe he'll be great.

Maybe a little like Glenn Rivers, who did only OK in his first NBA head-coaching stop, got fired by the Magic, but went on to become a highly respected coach with the Celtics.

Maybe Ross will get there quicker, in part because of the Cubs' resources. Or maybe he'll suck. We'll see!

I think its more common in baseball.  With varying degrees of success, Brad Ausmus, Gabe Kapler, and Craig Counsell all went into managing positions without any experience.  Alex Cora in Boston was a bench couch for just a year.  Joe Giradi got his job with the Marlins without any experience managing, same with Aaron Boone and the Yankees.

I think there is a lot less dynamic in-game tinkering that needs to be done, so you can get a pretty good feel for it as a player and there isn't a huge learning curve to handle the core of it after.  Similar to soccer where you see a number of players move right to managing after.  Football and basketball have tons of play calling and strategy on the fly that can take time to get the hang of.

[WI inferiority Complexes]

I usually shy away from criticizing players for not hustling, but Springer could have been on 3rd with one out in the 8th inning, right?  Maybe it would've changed things, maybe not.

Anyway, it was a great game.

[Jockey]

Theo wants to manage the team so this move makes it easier. 

More significantly, one could argue, for the Cubs were the front office moves to beef up analytics.  The Brewers and Cards have blown by the Cubs in the last few years in this area.

Nailed it!

In the old days (5-10 years ago), managers took care of on field concerns. That was their province. That has changed. With the advanced analytics of the last 5 years, the manager needs to work with the front office as well.

This is a different game than it was even 5 years ago. Advancements in player development demand that it be so. There was basically no player development as recently as 7-8 yeas ago. What teams called player development was the same in 2010 as it was in 1910. And the best players in the minor leagues received the least instruction. No coach wanted to have a 1st rounder make a major change in his approach at the plate or in a pitcher's delivery cuz they would be blamed if the player was then a bust. Instead, they relied on the old "truisms" that had been around forever.

Pitchers were told to keep the ball down. Spin rate was an unknown concept. The idea that pitchers who can best control the 3 true outcomes (Walk, strikeout, HR) are going to be the best pitchers was unheard of.

Hitters were told keep the ball down. Instead, we now know that the opposite is true. Simple physics was ignored. Since the ball is coming on a downward plane to the hitter, it would seem obvious that the best path to success would be to have a slight uppercut swing to have the most surface area of the bat to meet the ball.

The hires this off-season show that most teams get it now. For example, Kyle Boddy was hired by the Reds. 5 years ago, no GM would even talk to the guy.