MLB 2018 Season

[GGGG]

Wilson was freakishly athletic.

Not really.

Without an ounce of talent.

Absurd.

With the nba however, it's amazing how far pure athletic talent can take you.

0 for 3.

[wadesworld]

Wilson was freakishly athletic. Without an ounce of talent. With the nba however, it's amazing how far pure athletic talent can take you.

You get drafted based on athleticism when you're 19. You don't get picked up as a 27 year old based solely on your athleticism like Jamil did this year. He clearly had some basketball skills.

[BM1090]

Jamil was basically a 3 point spot shooter and good defender with LAC. Relied FAR more on skill than athleticism. He attempted 5.4 FG per game and 4.2 of them were from beyond the arc. He made 43% from deep.

[4everwarriors]

Seemed ta like goin' two da hole wen a rim protector wasn't 'round ether, hey?

[WarriorDad]

There are plenty of RHPs who bat lefty. Ohtani wears a pad from his elbow to his upper arm anyway. I can't imagine any "arm-hunting" going on.

Yes, there are, but how many of those guys also hit for power the other days of the week?   I can imagine all kinds of things when competitive juices get going.

Last year two pitchers were hit by a pitch twice.  Another 11 were hit one time, for a total of 13 pitchers hit in 15 pitches. 

Ohtani will have way more at bats then any of those pitchers because of his DH position, and as a result will likely be hit more often.  The question will be if he is hit at any greater rate than a normal player, or because he is a duel threat does that make him more prone to be hit.  I only point out the risk and temptation of other clubs, especially as the season becomes more heated.

[Dish]

I don't know much you'd have to pay me to sit at Wrigley for 9 innings today, but it'd be a lot. Weather is brutal.

[tower912]

Has been all over the upper Midwest for the entire season up to now.   July, august, and September are going to be brutal on the pitching staffs with all of the games that are going to have to be made up.

[🏀]

I don't know much you'd have to pay me to sit at Wrigley for 9 innings today, but it'd be a lot. Weather is brutal.

Six digit minimum. It's awful outside.

[buckchuckler]

Yes, there are, but how many of those guys also hit for power the other days of the week?   I can imagine all kinds of things when competitive juices get going.

Last year two pitchers were hit by a pitch twice.  Another 11 were hit one time, for a total of 13 pitchers hit in 15 pitches. 

Ohtani will have way more at bats then any of those pitchers because of his DH position, and as a result will likely be hit more often.  The question will be if he is hit at any greater rate than a normal player, or because he is a duel threat does that make him more prone to be hit.  I only point out the risk and temptation of other clubs, especially as the season becomes more heated.

Carlos Zambrano was a guy that hit for and was a switch hitter.  So he would often hit lefty and expose his right arm to pitchers.  He was a reasonably good hitter for a pitcher with some decent power (.238/.248/.388).  Not an MVP, but not a joke.  He was also a bit of an unlikable sort.

He hit 102 hitters in his career.  He was hit 0 times as a hitter.

How much a batter gets hit depends more on the batter than the pitchers.  It varies with where they set up in the box and their feelings on getting hit.  Anthony Rizzo gets drilled quite a lot.  I think it has more to do with him trying to take away the inside part of the plate with his stance and the pad on his arm than malicious intent driven by "competitive juices".

Madison Bumgarner is probably the best hitting pitcher in baseball.  1 HBP in his career. He hits right, with his left arm exposed. 

Will Ohtani get hit? Yeah, probably.  If he has 400 or so PA than he will likely get hit at some point.  Will it be malicious with another team trying to injure him?  Probably not. 

Teams could hurt the Angels more by hitting Trout.  Losing Harper could kill the Nats, why would the Mets not just aim for his hands to break bones every time?

Maybe he is a bit more vulnerable than others but I wouldn't think he is going to be a target.

And if the Angels really want to protect him, just hit him in front of Trout, because I have a hard time believing that any pitcher would purposely put a guy on base in front of the best hitter on the planet.



 

[Dish]

It's early and the weather has stunk, but this Cubs team has been a dumpster fire so far in 2018.

[wadesworld]

Oh look...a Brewers fan that has nothing to say about their own team...

You've gotten awfully quiet over the last week. Weird.

[🏀]

It's early and the weather has stunk, but this Cubs team has been a dumpster fire so far in 2018.

Fire Madden!

[buckchuckler]

The two worst teams in the NL are the Reds and Marlins.  They are a 3-2 vs the Cubs and 3-19 against everyone else. 

Though the Cubs are hardly the only expected contender that have started off poorly.

The Nats and Dodgers are also under .500, making it a clean sweep of the most likely division champs at the seasons beginning.

[Dish]

Fire Madden!

The Cubs should try running da offense out of da shotgun. I'll hang up and listen for my answer!

[🏀]

The Cubs should try running da offense out of da shotgun. I'll hang up and listen for my answer!

EPSTIEN SHOULD HIRE OZZIE!

[Dish]

I took a nap and woke up and this Cubs game is tied. Forget what I said earlier, Cubbies baby!

[drewm88]

I took a nap and woke up and this Cubs game is tied. Forget what I said earlier, Cubbies baby!

Never a doubt!

[🏀]

It's a long season boys.

SOTG to any fan that was there from first to last pitch.

[Dish]

It's a long season boys.

SOTG to any fan that was there from first to last pitch.

Disregard everything I've said in this thread, that would have been a hell of a game to be at today.

My hot sports takes = cold as ice.

[#UnleashSean]

You've gotten awfully quiet over the last week. Weird.

This post hasn't aged well.

[wadesworld]

This post hasn't aged well.

It hasn't? Did I miss something? The guy comes around pounding his chest asking where the Brewers fans are and then suddenly goes missing when his awesome Chubbies go 2-3 against the Braves and Pirates. Remind me again what's not aging well?

[buckchuckler]

This post hasn't aged well.

Really?  Crowing about beating the Braves?  It was an impressive comeback, but still against the Braves.

[#UnleashSean]

It hasn't? Did I miss something? The guy comes around pounding his chest asking where the Brewers fans are and then suddenly goes missing when his awesome Chubbies go 2-3 against the Braves and Pirates. Remind me again what's not aging well?

[#UnleashSean]

Hey a picture actually worked for me on the first try

[wadesworld]

What?