MLB 2018 Season

[buckchuckler]

Have to say, never saw this coming out of David Price. 

Also Kenley blowing 2 saves, never would have bet on that either.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

So much for losing that war

[Lennys Tap]

Have to say, never saw this coming out of David Price. 

Also Kenley blowing 2 saves, never would have bet on that either.

Price actually looked good in his first WS start even though his command was a little off.

Kenley really wasn't Kenley this year - and the Red Sox can really hit.

[Lennys Tap]

Chris Sale - good morning, good afternoon and good night!

[wadesworld]

Every series, outside of the 1 game AL Wild Card, finished with the road team celebrating this Postseason.

Seeing Manny on a knee to end the Postseason trying to hit a nobody on grand slam was a tiny consolation.

[MU82]

Every series, outside of the 1 game AL Wild Card, finished with the road team celebrating this Postseason.

Seeing Manny on a knee to end the Postseason trying to hit a nobody on grand slam was a tiny consolation.

He actually tried to step on Pearce's foot last night, too. What a dirty sumbeyotch, but we already knew that. Hilarious a couple days back watching him dog it on what he thought was a HR and only making it to first on a ball off the wall when the Dodgers desperately needed to put a runner in scoring position.

[tower912]

Bittersweet to be a Tiger fan today.

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2018/10/28/world-series-2018-detroit-tigers/1760627002/

That team, sadly, lacked team speed, defense,  and a spark.   

[MU82]

The first four games of the World Series brought the lowest ratings in four years for Fox ... though that was reflective more of the general decline in broadcast TV viewership.

Hard to believe the first part of that, what with baseball players never kneeling during the anthem.

As for the second part, yep yep. Most sports, especially the NFL, has had positive ratings relative to the rest of television programming.

[CTWarrior]

Bittersweet to be a Tiger fan today.

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2018/10/28/world-series-2018-detroit-tigers/1760627002/

That team, sadly, lacked team speed, defense,  and a spark.

"...slick fielding of Ian Kinsler"?  I beg to differ.  His mishandling of a groundball gave the Red Sox their only WS loss (not to mention his 64 OPS+ with the Sox after coming over).  But JD, Porcello and Price were all huge this year and in the playoffs (especially Price, who I would have been inclined to give the World Series MVP too, though Pearce was also a very good choice.)

Those Tiger teams in the first half of this decade were good enough to win it all for a four year stretch but just couldn't get over the hump.  That stretch where they had Scherzer, Verlander and Sanchez atop the rotation could easily have won a championship.

[GGGG]

The first four games of the World Series brought the lowest ratings in four years for Fox ... though that was reflective more of the general decline in broadcast TV viewership.

Hard to believe the first part of that, what with baseball players never kneeling during the anthem.

As for the second part, yep yep. Most sports, especially the NFL, has had positive ratings relative to the rest of television programming.

Baseball has cashed in on the local programming to the detriment of their national product.  There aren't as many baseball fans these days as there are fans of the local team.  Honestly I couldn't have named half of the Red Sox line up before the playoffs began.

So outside of the Yankees and Cubs, I'm not sure there is any team that would draw more than any other, unless their local fan base is simply larger.  (LA v. Milwaukee for instance.)

[CTWarrior]

Have to say, never saw this coming out of David Price. 

Also Kenley blowing 2 saves, never would have bet on that either.

Me neither.  Going into the playoffs, the Sox had a rotation of an ailing Sale, a consistently terrible postseason pitcher in Price, and up and down guys Porcello and Eovaldi, and a bullpen that had been shaky the last month of the season or so.  Even though they won 108 games, it was mostly the same cast that had meekly bowed out of the playoffs the last two years and I didn't have high hopes for the postseason, especially against the Yankees in round 1.  But once the playoffs started, outside of Sale (who was definitely not physically right) all the pitchers were suddenly the best versions of themselves.  Joe Kelly being good Joe Kelly instead of wild Joe Kelly was huge.  But the biggest surprise (especially after getting knocked around by the Yankees in his first start) by far was Price.

[jsglow]

The first four games of the World Series brought the lowest ratings in four years for Fox ... though that was reflective more of the general decline in broadcast TV viewership.

Hard to believe the first part of that, what with baseball players never kneeling during the anthem.

As for the second part, yep yep. Most sports, especially the NFL, has had positive ratings relative to the rest of television programming.

Baseball on TV is unwatchable, unless you have a dog in the fight.  Even then it's often still better on the radio.

[mu03eng]

Baseball on TV is unwatchable, unless you have a dog in the fight.  Even then it's often still better on the radio.

It's watchable, as long as you are doing something else like reading a book, playing video games, doing work, etc.

[MU82]

Baseball on TV is unwatchable, unless you have a dog in the fight.  Even then it's often still better on the radio.

It's watchable, as long as you are doing something else like reading a book, playing video games, doing work, etc.

Agree with both of these observations, gentlemen.

I cannot sit and watch anything close to a full MLB game. I will sometimes have a game on in the background while I do other stuff, as mu03 says. Mostly, I'll watch something else and occasionally check back on a ballgame; if it's a key situation - 2 on, 2 out, tie game, etc - I'll pause and watch for the 8 freakin' minutes the pitcher works to the next batter.

I think all three of us are probably "above average" consumers of sports, and I think our apathy helps explain some of baseball's problems.

But again, compared to most of the ratings for most of the tripe on TV, baseball's ratings aren't that awful. And NFL ratings are outstanding.

[wadesworld]

I still love the MLB Playoffs.  If games are going past 10:30 and I don't have a rooting interest I'll go to bed, but if a game is on I have it on.

[jsglow]

It's watchable, as long as you are doing something else like reading a book, playing video games, doing work, etc.

That's fair.  Hence my radio comment.  I very much enjoy #Crew baseball on the radio.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

That's fair.  Hence my radio comment.  I very much enjoy #Crew baseball on the radio.

I could listen to Uecker talk about paint drying.

[MUfan12]

I could listen to Uecker talk about paint drying.

"Nothing but the best paint at your local Hardware Hank. Great wall coverage, fast drying, you betcha. You've got a lot more going for you with Hank... Hardware Hank."

[wadesworld]

In what was simply a formality, Yelich named NL MVP.  Well deserved.  As a Brewers fan, his last month (and really second half) was incredible.  What a trade.

[buckchuckler]

In what was simply a formality, Yelich named NL MVP.  Well deserved.  As a Brewers fan, his last month (and really second half) was incredible.  What a trade.

I have to say, I completely agree with the awards voting this season. 

[4everwarriors]

Includin' da dude from ATL over Counsell for mangler, hey?

[buckchuckler]

Includin' da dude from ATL over Counsell for mangler, hey?

Hey?  Yeah.  Younger, unproven team, made the playoffs ahead of schedule.  I think he deserved it.  Got a team to the playoffs where 2 of the best 3 players were what, 20 and 21?  I think he deserves a lot of credit. 

[BM1090]

Hey?  Yeah.  Younger, unproven team, made the playoffs ahead of schedule.  I think he deserved it.  Got a team to the playoffs where 2 of the best 3 players were what, 20 and 21?  I think he deserves a lot of credit.

Only real issue I have is Cain getting robbed of a gold glove.

[buckchuckler]

In the first big trade of the offseason, Yanks acquire James Paxton.

[4everwarriors]

Didn't no he played baseball. Sure wuz a hellofa playa wit da Dayton Flyers, aina?