2013 MLB Thread

[SaintPaulWarrior]

Two things Carlos Quentin has always done well:

1.) get hit by pitches (I think he's got 77 career, beating second-place Utley by at least 15)
2.) losing his temper (he could have potentially been the MVP in '08 before he broke his hand in anger following a strikeout)

97 times HBP since the start of the 2008 season.  116 times in his career.

Quentin claiming that Greinke "said something to him" and if he wouldn't have said something then nothing would have happened.  Also claims there is a "documented history" between the 2 going back obviously to Sox and Royals.

[MU B2002]

97 times HBP since the start of the 2008 season.

Quentin claiming that Greinke "said something to him" and if he wouldn't have said something then nothing would have happened.  Also claims there is a "documented history" between the 2 going back obviously to Sox and Royals.

Said something to him, yes as he was on the way to the mound.

Probably something along the lines of "first base is over there you big dummy."

[SaintPaulWarrior]

Said something to him, yes as he was on the way to the mound.

Probably something along the lines of "first base is over there you big dummy."

He wasn't liked too much by a lot of his teammates when he was with the Sox.

[MUBurrow]

Charging when hit on the elbow over the plate on a 3-2 count in a tie game. History between them or not, Quentin has shown himself to have a baseball IQ of zero if he thinks it was intentional. Greinke had also allowed a run on a wild pitch earlier in the game.

[WI inferiority Complexes]

A pitched sailed over Kemp's head earlier in the game, and it's possible Quentin thought this was retaliation.  I don't think it was, but, that combined with past history, (and Quentin has never seemed like the smartest guy), may have led to the charging.

[Benny B]

Said something to him, yes as he was on the way to the mound.

Probably something along the lines of "first base is over there you big dummy."

Prefaced with a "derrrr" or "duuuuuuh," most likely.

[MerrittsMustache]

A pitched sailed over Kemp's head earlier in the game, and it's possible Quentin thought this was retaliation.  I don't think it was, but, that combined with past history, (and Quentin has never seemed like the smartest guy), may have led to the charging.

He's very articulate and has a degree from Stanford so I can see why you'd say that.

[buckchuckler]

Two things Carlos Quentin has always done well:

1.) get hit by pitches (I think he's got 109 career, beating second-place Utley by at least 15)
2.) losing his temper (he could have potentially been the MVP in '08 before he broke his hand in anger following a strikeout)

Quentin broke Grienke's collarbone in the scrum, and then Kemp and Quentin got into in it the parking lot after the game.

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/04/12/benches-clear-after-zack-greinke-drills-carlos-quentin/

Good thing for the Dodgers it got broken up.  I feel like Quentin would have put about 300 million in Dodgers on the DL if that escalated. 

I think Greinke was throwing at him, I think he has thrown at him before.  Quentin gets hit a lot.  I would guess he knows when a pitcher is headhunting.  It is easy for pitchers to be tough guys from sixty feet six, but you mess with the same guy repeatedly and you have to expect repercussions. 

Don't feel sorry for Greinke at all.  Got what he deserved in my opinion.   

[wadesworld]

Good thing for the Dodgers it got broken up.  I feel like Quentin would have put about 300 million in Dodgers on the DL if that escalated.  

I think Greinke was throwing at him, I think he has thrown at him before.  Quentin gets hit a lot.  I would guess he knows when a pitcher is headhunting.  It is easy for pitchers to be tough guys from sixty feet six, but you mess with the same guy repeatedly and you have to expect repercussions.  

Don't feel sorry for Greinke at all.  Got what he deserved in my opinion.    

This is the silliest post about baseball I've ever seen on Scoop, and there have been some dandies.  Regardless of the score, intentionally hitting a guy when the count is 3-2?  Uhh, no.  If he was meaning to hit someone, he wouldn't wait until the 6th pitch of the at bat to do so.  Why give him 5 chances to put a ball into play, then you don't get your chance to hit him?  Add onto that that it was a 1 run game when it happens later on in the game and that's just plain stupid baseball.  Intentionally put the tying run on first base and bring the winning run to the plate?  No.  Even if Greinke was the most prideful player in the MLB (and he might be?), that would not be the situation you would plunk a guy.

[shiloh26]

This is the silliest post about baseball I've ever seen on Scoop, and there have been some dandies.  Regardless of the score, intentionally hitting a guy when the count is 3-2?  Uhh, no.  If he was meaning to hit someone, he wouldn't wait until the 6th pitch of the at bat to do so.  Why give him 5 chances to put a ball into play, then you don't get your chance to hit him?  Add onto that that it was a 1 run game when it happens later on in the game and that's just plain stupid baseball.  Intentionally put the tying run on first base and bring the winning run to the plate?  No.  Even if Greinke was the post prideful player in the MLB (and he might be?), that would not be the situation you would plunk a guy.

This.  In addition, its no fluke that certain players get hit more than others.  If you've watched Quentin through his career, (much like Craig Biggio) he stands in like a statue on a pitches that run in.   There is a "skill" (or, at least, the development of some kind of fearlessness or comfort) to wearing a pitch that you could avoid, and he has it. 

For those of you who appreciate quantitative analysis: http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/carlos-quentins-hbp-zone/

"Quentin's rate of being hit by pitches within six inches of the inside corner is 20 times higher than the Major League average."

He's very good at getting HBP, and for some reason, this one made him snap. 

[buckchuckler]

This.  In addition, its no fluke that certain players get hit more than others.  If you've watched Quentin through his career, (much like Craig Biggio) he stands in like a statue on a pitches that run in.   There is a "skill" (or, at least, the development of some kind of fearlessness or comfort) to wearing a pitch that you could avoid, and he has it. 

For those of you who appreciate quantitative analysis: http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/carlos-quentins-hbp-zone/

"Quentin's rate of being hit by pitches within six inches of the inside corner is 20 times higher than the Major League average."

He's very good at getting HBP, and for some reason, this one made him snap. 

But one pitcher hitting one hitter a lot is a coincidence?  Since 2008 Greinke has hit 22 batters.  3 of those re Quentin.  Since 2008 (the first time Quentin and Greinke faced off) Greinke hits Carlos Quentin once every 10.3 plate appearances.  He hits every other MLB player, once every 226.8 plate appearances.  Could that all be due to Quentin?  That seems doubtful.

[buckchuckler]

This is the silliest post about baseball I've ever seen on Scoop, and there have been some dandies.  Regardless of the score, intentionally hitting a guy when the count is 3-2?  Uhh, no.  If he was meaning to hit someone, he wouldn't wait until the 6th pitch of the at bat to do so.  Why give him 5 chances to put a ball into play, then you don't get your chance to hit him?  Add onto that that it was a 1 run game when it happens later on in the game and that's just plain stupid baseball.  Intentionally put the tying run on first base and bring the winning run to the plate?  No.  Even if Greinke was the most prideful player in the MLB (and he might be?), that would not be the situation you would plunk a guy.

So after watching that pitch run up and in on Quentin, you feel there was a 0% chance Greinke was throwing at Quentin? 

Maybe it is a full count, and you're not giving him anything to hit.  You have a fairly selective hitter at the plate.  Greinke figures it will end in a walk.  He hates Quentin.  It is absolutely feasible that he threw at him.  The first 5 pitches, he was trying to get him out.  The last pitch, he was throwing at him.

[WI inferiority Complexes]

He's very articulate and has a degree from Stanford so I can see why you'd say that.

I take that back; it's his hot-headed nature (slamming bats, getting angry with himself), that I was confusing with lack of intelligence.  He is a cerebral guy.  Articulate I'm not sure about, (he grunts answers to interviews).

[Otule's Glass Eye]

Greinke wouldn't hit him intentionally on a 3-2 count in a tie game, he's smarter than that. He said something to Quentin after he was hit that sparked his anger, not sure what it was though. Greinke probably said something out of anger himself over hitting him, and Quentin took offense.

[wadesworld]

Greinke wouldn't hit him intentionally on a 3-2 count in a tie game, he's smarter than that. He said something to Quentin after he was hit that sparked his anger, not sure what it was though. Greinke probably said something out of anger himself over hitting him, and Quentin took offense.

Was thinking the same thing, as he did that on numerous occasions with the Brewers, including after hitting batters.  But at the same time, Quentin took a couple steps out towards the mound and probably wouldn't have charged the mound if Greinke hadn't said anything, but Greinke probably said something about him needing to get his ass to first base or something.  And I don't put that on Greinke at all.  If Greinke said nothing at all then Quentin just takes a few steps towards the mound and then walks to first, but by taking those steps towards the mound he made it impossible for Greinke NOT to say something.

[chapman]

I'd be cool with the Crew tanking it and playing the young guys...except besides a slew of potential 4/5 starters they have no talented young guys in the farm.  Just brutal watching the past few games.

[Otule's Glass Eye]

I'd be cool with the Crew tanking it and playing the young guys...except besides a slew of potential 4/5 starters they have no talented young guys in the farm.  Just brutal watching the past few games.

I like that first baseman Hunter Morris, as well as second baseman Scooter Gennett.

[NavinRJohnson]

I'd be cool with the Crew tanking it and playing the young guys...except besides a slew of potential 4/5 starters they have no talented young guys in the farm.  Just brutal watching the past few games.

Dude, its April 14th.

[NavinRJohnson]

And the Brewers incredible April continues...

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/blog/eye-on-baseball/22083987/undefined

[Otule's Glass Eye]

Been awhile since anyone's posted on here, so I'll sum up some things.

Greinke was at the heart of another brawl a few eeks ago, this time between the LAD and Arizona. Ian Kennedy first hit Yasiel Puig, grazing his face. Greinke must've taken offense and hit Montero his next time up, which led to Kennedy hitting Greinke with a fastball which nearly hit him in the head. Big brawl broke out after that, with a bunch of suspensions being given.

Speaking of Puig, he's been off to an amazing start and already has 7 homers with a .420 BA through only 21 games.

The Brewers are playing better but continue to struggle overall, still 11 games under .500. Took a look at their farm system out of curiosity and it is GARBAGE. Almost all top pitching and positional prospects are playing bad. The Brewers may have the worst farm system in baseball. Only top 100 prospect according to MLB.com is Thornburg at #97, and he is 0-9 at Triple A.

[SaintPaulWarrior]

The Brewers may have the worst farm system in baseball.

Thanks to the genius Kenny Williams the White Sox have the worst farm system in baseball.

[Otule's Glass Eye]

Thanks to the genius Kenny Williams the White Sox have the worst farm system in baseball.

I forgot about the White Sox, and you're right. I'll say the Brewers are bottom 3 though.

[MUBurrow]

If the Brewers can find a taker for Lohse, it'll be interesting to see what they get in return.  Will it be more than the slot value of the pick they lost + enough to overcome giving a top pick to the top farm system within the division? It'll probably depend how you value the competitive detriment of giving that pick to the Cards.

[NavinRJohnson]

If the Brewers can find a taker for Lohse, it'll be interesting to see what they get in return.  Will it be more than the slot value of the pick they lost + enough to overcome giving a top pick to the top farm system within the division? It'll probably depend how you value the competitive detriment of giving that pick to the Cards.

This is why it was really a low-risk signing. They'll be able to flip him no problem, and will likely get a near MLB ready player back in return, which for my money, is better than a number 1 pick. Obviously forfeiting that pick to the competition is the downside, but as far as impact on their own system/roster goes it Is more likely a positive, because they are likely going to end up getting much more of a known quantity vs. a draft pick.

ARam and maybe even k-rod are also looking highly tradable.

[Lennys Tap]

Thanks to the genius Kenny Williams the White Sox have the worst farm system in baseball.

As a White Sox fan, I regrettably agree. This year, hopefully new GM Hahn will replenish the farm system by trading Peavy, Thornton, Crain and possibly Konerko and Dunn.