MLB 2017 Season

[CTWarrior]

Either way, screw the AL East.  Screw both of their stupid short walls in right field.  Hope the Astros get their groove back and the Indians have Bauer on point again.

Boston has the deepest right field in MLB.  Despite what everyone thinks it is one of the most difficult HR parks in baseball.  The Red Sox hit and allow more HRs on the road than they do at home on a consistent basis.  The wall goes straight out in right after the foul pole.  The Reddick HR that Betts robbed is a HR in every other park (and at least 20 rows deep at Yankee Stadium).  To get the famous cheap Pesky Pole home run (of which Johnny Pesky had two in his career, I think) you have to hit it in a 15-20 foot wide corridor that is about 25-30 feet deep (to be a cheap home run.  340 down the line is a HR anywhere).  There are maybe 5 of them a year.  Even the Bradley HR was 330 down the line and may not have been a home run if Reddick did not knock it into the stands.

Fenway is a great hitters park for three reasons.
1.  Best hitters backdrop in MLB, though that is less true than it used to be as the newer parks have taken measures to give a great backdrop.
2.  No foul territory
3.  The green monster turns a good number of fly outs into hits off the wall.  Balls that go over the wall are pretty much HRs anywhere because the wall is high and balls that go over it would travel another 30-40 feet.  Conversely, it often turns lower trajectory shots that are HRs anywhere else into singles.

Fenway Park is the way it is because it had to fit into the city and the property the owners had when they built it in 1912.  If you've ever been to Boston there is no open land.  The previous ownership tried to hold Boston up for a new park like every other city (and really they just wanted some land) and Boston told them to pound sand.

Agree Yankee Stadium is too short in right.  By the way, I've been to most of the new parks around the country and I think the Mets and Yankees new parks are the worst ones for openness, site lines, etc.  I liked the old Yankee Stadium better, but I can't afford the $800 seats that you can get for $80 pretty much anywhere else.

[MerrittsMustache]

I get Sale for the Red Sox, as they were low on options after blowing through the bullpen in the first three games and it was win or go home, but Verlander surprised me, at least that they didn't wait to put him in at the beginning of an inning.  Pretty safe for them to use him up since they also had Keuchel ready to go in a game 5 on regular rest.  I wasn't really watching the Cubs game but I flipped to it the inning they pulled Scherzer.  That was the most baffling decision to me.  The guy is pitching a no-hitter for 6 1/3 and finally gives up a hit and they pull him for a guy with a 5.88 ERA?  And nobody seems to be talking about it.

That move was overshadowed by Dusty pitching to the Cubs' best clutch hitter with first base open. Sure, Rizzo didn't smoke one off the wall but he got the job done. Absolutely no one is second-guessing Dusty today if he walks Rizzo and Contreras beats him.

[LAZER]

I get Sale for the Red Sox, as they were low on options after blowing through the bullpen in the first three games and it was win or go home, but Verlander surprised me, at least that they didn't wait to put him in at the beginning of an inning.  Pretty safe for them to use him up since they also had Keuchel ready to go in a game 5 on regular rest.  I wasn't really watching the Cubs game but I flipped to it the inning they pulled Scherzer.  That was the most baffling decision to me.  The guy is pitching a no-hitter for 6 1/3 and finally gives up a hit and they pull him for a guy with a 5.88 ERA?  And nobody seems to be talking about it.

I actually think pulling Scherzer was the right call.  Coming off an injury, he looked gas and was struggling to locate his pitches.  Not sure Solis is the best option there, but I think you can justify pulling him.  Pitching to Rizzo though...

[CTWarrior]

I actually think pulling Scherzer was the right call.  Coming off an injury, he looked gas and was struggling to locate his pitches.  Not sure Solis is the best option there, but I think you can justify pulling him.  Pitching to Rizzo though...

Thanks, that makes sense.

[MU82]

Hard to believe it was only a dozen years ago that Ozzie let his starters throw 4 straight complete games in the ALCS. And in the other one, Contreras pitched 8 1/3 innings. Yep, that's right, the starters pitched all but 2/3 of an inning in the entire series!!!

And then - miraculously! - they still had enough left to pitch well in the WS, which the White Sox swept.

14 years ago with the Cubs, Dusty was ripped for staying with starters too long. Now he's ripped for taking them out too soon. But hey, that's life in the hot seat!

It is so easy now for a manager to just go to the bullpen because that's what you're "supposed" to do. The GM got you all those relievers, so you have to use them. That's baseball now. Guys aren't conditioned to pitch more than 6 innings. Why keep using a tired guy when you have a fresh arm in the pen? Blah blah blah.

Never mind that the most of the "fresh arms" have pitched in half their team's games this season already.

[#UnleashSean]

I get Sale for the Red Sox, as they were low on options after blowing through the bullpen in the first three games and it was win or go home, but Verlander surprised me, at least that they didn't wait to put him in at the beginning of an inning.  Pretty safe for them to use him up since they also had Keuchel ready to go in a game 5 on regular rest.  I wasn't really watching the Cubs game but I flipped to it the inning they pulled Scherzer.  That was the most baffling decision to me.  The guy is pitching a no-hitter for 6 1/3 and finally gives up a hit and they pull him for a guy with a 5.88 ERA?  And nobody seems to be talking about it.

Coming off an injury. He gave up a couple piss rockets that ended up in fielders gloves. Mid 80s pitch count. Was struggling with control since the 4th. I can see why he was pulled.

[wadesworld]

Sounds like it must be an 85 degree sunny day in Chicago.

[MUBurrow]

Sounds like it must be an 85 degree sunny day in Chicago.

Huge for the Nats, no? They could go Stras on full rest tomorrow, and then come back with Scherzer for game 5 on Friday?

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Huge for the Nats, no? They could go Stras on full rest tomorrow, and then come back with Scherzer for game 5 on Friday?

Absolutely a huge boost to the Nats chances.  Except, if there is a game 5, it is on Thursday and Scherzer would be on two days rest, so maybe he could go a couple of innings. 

Rumor is TBS would not allow the game to be moved up to early afternoon today, in which case they probably would have gotten it in. 

[cheebs09]

Absolutely a huge boost to the Nats chances.  Except, if there is a game 5, it is on Thursday and Scherzer would be on two days rest, so maybe he could go a couple of innings. 

Rumor is TBS would not allow the game to be moved up to early afternoon today, in which case they probably would have gotten it in.
[/quote

Strasburg isn't starting due to being under the weather according to Dusty. Sticking with the same starter.

[TallTitan34]

Classic Dusty excuse train!  Mold, Air conditioning, everyone sick, moving hotels.

Not even exaggerating.

[MUBurrow]

Absolutely a huge boost to the Nats chances.  Except, if there is a game 5, it is on Thursday and Scherzer would be on two days rest, so maybe he could go a couple of innings. 

Rumor is TBS would not allow the game to be moved up to early afternoon today, in which case they probably would have gotten it in.

Oh my bad, I thought the delay bumped a Game 5 to Friday. Tough turnaround with no travel day.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Absolutely a huge boost to the Nats chances.  Except, if there is a game 5, it is on Thursday and Scherzer would be on two days rest, so maybe he could go a couple of innings. 

Rumor is TBS would not allow the game to be moved up to early afternoon today, in which case they probably would have gotten it in.
[/quote

Strasburg isn't starting due to being under the weather according to Dusty. Sticking with the same starter.

Stunned they are sticking with Roark.

[copious1218]

Sounds like it must be an 85 degree sunny day in Chicago.

Have to admit.  When I turned on the radio at 4:30 on my way home to hear that it "wasn't raining yet, but every forecast indicates it will soon", I thought of you and wondered if you would post!

[MerrittsMustache]

Stunned they are sticking with Roark.

A do-or-die game and a team is forced to go with a starter who has an ERA of 5.32 in his last 4 starts since their ace with an ERA under 1 since the break isn't feeling well. Strasburg definitely has some Mark Prior in him where he's not taking the mound unless everything is just right. Considering that and given how much the Nats have coddled him in his career, this comes as no surprise.

If Roark gets shelled and the Nats go home, things could get ugly.

[buckchuckler]

Classic Dusty excuse train!  Mold, Air conditioning, everyone sick, moving hotels.

Not even exaggerating.

Covering for a soft pitcher.   Can you imagine Bumgarner, Kluber, Kershaw, etc. not taking the ball on REGULAR rest in an elimination game?

[MU82]

Agreed.

Now, obviously, we are not privy to the information about how sick Strasburg is. Maybe he is so weakened he couldn't throw an 80 mph fastball, so he wouldn't be helping the club at all by insisting he could "gut it out."

But given what we have been told, it is stunning that a supposed "stud" pitcher can't work an elimination game because he is feeling a little under the weather.

[MerrittsMustache]

Agreed.

Now, obviously, we are not privy to the information about how sick Strasburg is. Maybe he is so weakened he couldn't throw an 80 mph fastball, so he wouldn't be helping the club at all by insisting he could "gut it out."

But given what we have been told, it is stunning that a supposed "stud" pitcher can't work an elimination game because he is feeling a little under the weather.

It's odd that he threw a bullpen session on Monday and was said to be lethargic due to his illness and yesterday they ruled him out for a Wednesday start but believe that he's still going to start tomorrow. Why not wait to see how he's feeling this morning before making that announcement? Something doesn't add up logically.

I guess there's a chance that they're hoping to get 2-4 innings out of Roark and then they'll bring in Strasburg to see how long he can go. They'd then still have Gio and Scherzer available for a potential Game 5.

[MUBurrow]

It's odd that he threw a bullpen session on Monday and was said to be lethargic due to his illness and yesterday they ruled him out for a Wednesday start but believe that he's still going to start tomorrow. Why not wait to see how he's feeling this morning before making that announcement? Something doesn't add up logically.

I guess there's a chance that they're hoping to get 2-4 innings out of Roark and then they'll bring in Strasburg to see how long he can go. They'd then still have Gio and Scherzer available for a potential Game 5.

I think that makes sense. One criticism I have of the way these things are argued by the talking heads is "Game 4 is must win, so they have to throw everything they've got at Game 4 and not think about Game 5." That might make intuitive sense in a "run through a brick wall, high school locker room speech" kind of way. But it doesn't add up to the strategy that gives your team the actual best chance to survive and advance. E.g., if they essentially had to throw Roark (if Gio wasn't available) for either Game 4 or 5, then they might as well march him out for 4 if saving Stras for 5 makes him 10% more effective, because they need to win them both anyway. Its not like winning 4 and then watching Roark get blown out in 5 is some moral victory (though it reduces the ability to second-guess the skip).

I don't think that's the case here, because I'm guessing that Stras in 4, and Gio/Scherzer in 5 is probably far superior in the aggregate to whatever Roark gives you - more just thinking out loud.

[MerrittsMustache]

Latest report says that Strasburg is going to start today. Nats have yet to confirm.

Hayward was not going to be in the starting line-up vs. Roark (0-18 lifetime) but he's 15-37 vs Strasburg so that could potentially change also.

[buckchuckler]

Latest report says that Strasburg is going to start today. Nats have yet to confirm.

Nice.  Good for him.

[CTWarrior]

Red Sox fire John Farrell.  Strange that they kept him after two last place finishes and then fire him after two first place finishes.

I never particularly liked him as a game manager, but the team has deficiencies and they did about as well as hey could have this year. Basically, Betts, Bradley, Bogaerts, Ramirez and Leon all had down years, Pedroia never really recovered from leg injuries (missed a lot of time and was not himself when he did play) from the Machado slide, Price was out most of the season, Sandoval was dreadful until they released him and Moreland was just OK and they still won the division.  I think this was one of his better managing jobs.

[copious1218]

A do-or-die game and a team is forced to go with a starter who has an ERA of 5.32 in his last 4 starts since their ace with an ERA under 1 since the break isn't feeling well. Strasburg definitely has some Mark Prior in him where he's not taking the mound unless everything is just right. Considering that and given how much the Nats have coddled him in his career, this comes as no surprise.

If Roark gets shelled and the Nats go home, things could get ugly.

Or Dusty knew yesterday he planned on starting Strasburg but was blowing smoke in an attempt to gain some sort of mental edge?  The excuses he used made no sense. 

[JWags85]

Or Dusty knew yesterday he planned on starting Strasburg but was blowing smoke in an attempt to gain some sort of mental edge?  The excuses he used made no sense.

Thats what I'm leaning towards.  It was absurd.  Including doubling down and saying Roark was starting, and Gio AND Scherzer were available for relief, the only pitcher unavailable was Strasburg.  Dusty is such an idiot.

[MerrittsMustache]

Or Dusty knew yesterday he planned on starting Strasburg but was blowing smoke in an attempt to gain some sort of mental edge?  The excuses he used made no sense.

I just don't think that's Dusty's style. Also, if this was actually a plan then the GM likely wouldn't have gotten into an on-air argument with a couple sports talk doofuses in DC nor would the team have made their star pitcher look gutless and soft.

I'm leaning towards...the Nats botched the communication of this whole thing.