2014 MLB Thread & Pissing Match

[RushmoreAcademy]

Congrats to the Royals.
They are playing with insane confidence.
I'll be rooting for them against either of the two remaining NL teams.

[Benny B]

I now understand what those t-shirts that said "I have a Yost infection" meant.

[CTWarrior]

The Royals are on a crazy roll.  Orioles hitting line drives and long fly balls all over the place, but the Royals either in the right place or their great outfield tracks them down.  Meanwhile, they cobble together runs with broken bat bloopers and swinging bunts (although they hit some important HRs against the O's).  2 runs yesterday without getting the ball out of the infield.  As an AL fan, I hope the roll continues, but I get the feeling their good fortune ends in the World Series.  Of course I've been wrong about almost every series so far, so they'll probably win the whole thing.

[WI inferiority Complexes]

I can't see how all the Royal home runs will continue in the World Series.  Then again, I couldn't imagine they'd have so many HR in the LCS.

[muwarrior69]

So it looks like the 2 wild card teams may make it to the Series. I still long for the days when the teams with best season record in each league went to the World Series.

[RushmoreAcademy]

Bump

Ya but how were we supposed to take it seriously when you didn't say done deal.

[tower912]

Ya but how were we supposed to take it seriously when you didn't say done deal.

D'oh!

[ChicosBailBonds]

So it looks like the 2 wild card teams may make it to the Series. I still long for the days when the teams with best season record in each league went to the World Series.

Crap shoot.   

[Lennys Tap]

Update:

Underdogs who have won: 6

Favorites who have won: 0

Series underdogs win 14 games, favorites 2.

Final Update:

Underdogs who won: 8

Favorites who won: 0

Series underdogs win 22 games, favorites 3. The two biggest longshots in the playoffs are meeting for the title. A crapshoot like the NCAA basketball tournament has never seen. End of argument, case closed.

[Benny B]

Wasn't KC the favorite in the WC playoff with the A's?

[CTWarrior]

Wasn't KC the favorite in the WC playoff with the A's?

No, because Lester was pitching for the A's. 

[ChicosBailBonds]

Final Update:

Underdogs who won: 8

Favorites who won: 0

Series underdogs win 22 games, favorites 3. The two biggest longshots in the playoffs are meeting for the title. A crapshoot like the NCAA basketball tournament has never seen. End of argument, case closed.

LOL

You sure have changed your tune on this one over the years.

I had ranked the NCAA tournament as the #1 crapshoot, followed by MLB, then NHL, then NFL, then NBA.  Nothing has changed, MLB has been this way for a long time because you never get the same team day to day.  Your best pitcher can only pitch so many games, and a team is totally different one year to the next.

That being said, I think you may want to go back and look again at what a bigger crapshoot is, and please for the love of God stop using betting underdogs, that is to get people to bet.  Worse, don't use record to determine who the best team is, especially going into the playoffs, that has been proven time and time again to you to be flawed based on schedule, key injuries, etc, etc.  This year has been rarer than most years, it's only the second time in history that two wild cards are playing for the title, but go through the power rankings year by year and despite the nature of baseball and it's quirkiness because the same pitcher can't pitch, etc, the favorites do better than in the NCAA tournament.

Case isn't closed, you're just wrong...again.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Wasn't KC the favorite in the WC playoff with the A's?

The Royals were rated higher than the A's in the power ratings.  Were they a betting underdog?  Sure, but betting lines are beyond silly for any number of reasons which those in the betting industry have explained many times over.  They have a directional purpose, but they are there to induce action.

[Lennys Tap]

Wasn't KC the favorite in the WC playoff with the A's?

No. A's were -1.10

[wadesworld]

Yikes, Oscar Tavaras died in a car accident in the Dominican Republic today. Crazy how life goes. If the Cards beat the Giants obviously he's not there. Sad.

[77ncaachamps]

Yikes, Oscar Tavaras died in a car accident in the Dominican Republic today. Crazy how life goes. If the Cards beat the Giants obviously he's not there. Sad.

RIP, Taveras. 22 yo.

crazy indeed

[🏀]

Hancocked?

[Pakuni]

 @JonHeymanCBS: joe maddon to become cubs manager. story up soon at @CBSSports

So, this will go about as well as Dusty Baker, Don Baylor and Lou Pinella.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

@JonHeymanCBS: joe maddon to become cubs manager. story up soon at @CBSSports

So, this will go about as well as Dusty Baker, Don Baylor and Lou Pinella.

Not a Cubs fan but Maddon has a track record of developing young players.

[Pakuni]

Not a Cubs fan but Maddon has a track record of developing young players.

Well, he also had the benefit of a lot of former top draft picks to develop. The Rays had a top 10 pick - and usually a top 5 pick - every year between 1999 and 2008.

[brandx]

Plenty of good young position players who would probably develop under any manager.

It all comes down to when Theo is going to get a pitching staff. There will be no success until then no matter who is sitting in the dugout.

[buckchuckler]

Well, he also had the benefit of a lot of former top draft picks to develop. The Rays had a top 10 pick - and usually a top 5 pick - every year between 1999 and 2008.

That's pretty close to what the cubs are working with isn't it?

[jesmu84]

Well, he also had the benefit of a lot of former top draft picks to develop. The Rays had a top 10 pick - and usually a top 5 pick - every year between 1999 and 2008.

Cubs had/have a ton of top picks in the system. Arguably one of the most talented farm systems right now. And, if I remember correctly, something like 6 of the top 50 prospects.

[TallTitan34]

Well, he also had the benefit of a lot of former top draft picks to develop. The Rays had a top 10 pick - and usually a top 5 pick - every year between 1999 and 2008.

Baseball America Prospect Rankings

http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/2014-baseball-america-top-100-prospects-free/

5) Javier Baez
8) Kris Bryant
14) Addison Russell
28) CJ Edwards
36) Albert Almora
41) Jorge Soler
87) Pierce Johnson
100) Arismendy Alcantara

Expected to be top 50 with next release) Kyle Schawber & Billy McKinney

[TallTitan34]

Also with all of the young players, the Cubs only have $31 million committed for the 2015 season.  (Pre arbitration and Maddon contract)