MLB 2018 Season

[wadesworld]

I have 3 observations:

1) The Crws is going to benefit from a lighter than normal schedule the rest of the way.  Only 48 games with at least one off date every week.  They are almost at a point where they could go to a 4 man rotation.  I'd expect Freddy to get skipped a couple of times to keep his innings from getting too high.

2) Has Yelich upped his game so much since the All-Star break that he's become an MVP candidate?  I haven't studied it but it's not crazy talk.

3) Despite what I said 2-3 pages ago, Albers might find himself DFAed if he doesn't get this squared up soon.  If Couns can't count on him with a 6 run lead......

2) Unquestionably.

3) Yeah once he got hurt and the Brewers traded for Soria Albers lost any meaningful innings he was going to see except for when the bullpen was spent and nobody else is available.

[SaveOD238]

3) Despite what I said 2-3 pages ago, Albers might find himself DFAed if he doesn't get this squared up soon.  If Couns can't count on him with a 6 run lead......

I think the Lyles addition might mean the end of Matt Albers in Milwaukee

[jsglow]

I think the Lyles addition might mean the end of Matt Albers in Milwaukee

Yep.  They didn't make that move for nothing but it might wait until Williams is off IR.

[Lennys Tap]

It means that an overwhelming long term trend is still in place that says the AL is superior and chances are that the NL's inter league edge this year is an aberration. Maybe not, of course, but the AL already won the All Star game and I wouldn't spend any money you have bet on the NL in the WS just yet.
[/quote
So there's a few good teams in the al and a lot of bad ones this year? Okay? I'm super confused on what 2016 has to do with this year and what the allstar game has anything to do with.

Sorry you're super confused.

[TallTitan34]

Mike Moustakas:  Good Guy

https://twitter.com/monkeyzmonkeydo/status/1025832589108674561

[Its DJOver]

Mike Moustakas:  Good Guy

https://twitter.com/monkeyzmonkeydo/status/1025832589108674561

Love seeing stories about professional athletes being at normal everyday places.  Saw Christian Yelich at the Public Market in June.  Very approachable guy, not ego driven at all.

[WI inferiority Complexes]

Mike Moustakas:  Good Guy

https://twitter.com/monkeyzmonkeydo/status/1025832589108674561

Either he produces a receipt for the Sharpe, or I'm calling BS.

[Jockey]

Right now, Juan Soto is the best teenage hitter in baseball history. Better than Cobb, Ott, Harper, Mantle and the rest.

[withoutbias]

What more is there to say?  Everyone’s thoughts on Hader will be identical to their thoughts on Newcomb and Turner. It’s not a different situation.

If a Cub or Rockie or Dback are found to have similar tweets everyone’s opinions will be the same. We aren’t breaking new ground here.

oh. so we were breaking new ground when jacob nottinghams tweets surfaced then? people had different thoughts about his tweets but not the braves or nats. makes sense.

you in particular and all of your cubs fans friends are full of crap if you really want people to believe that if turner played for the brewers you wouldnt have had a post out not 15 seconds after those tweets surfaced.

[buckchuckler]

oh. so we were breaking new ground when jacob nottinghams tweets surfaced then? people had different thoughts about his tweets but not the braves or nats. makes sense.

you in particular and all of your cubs fans friends are full of crap if you really want people to believe that if turner played for the brewers you wouldnt have had a post out not 15 seconds after those tweets surfaced.

You guys are so juvenile.  All this social media bs.  It is a joke.  Your teams don't even have legit drug kingpins to revere. 

[buckchuckler]

Right now, Juan Soto is the best teenage hitter in baseball history. Better than Cobb, Ott, Harper, Mantle and the rest.

He is unreal.  To me the most impressive part of his game is the plate discipline.  Such a rare skill for a young player, much moreso for a guy that young.  Usually 19 year olds are struggling with the zone in the fire league.

[MU82]

Right now, Juan Soto is the best teenage hitter in baseball history. Better than Cobb, Ott, Harper, Mantle and the rest.

As always, we'll see what this means 5 and 10 and 15 years from now.

There have been lots of phenoms in baseball history. Some take off, some fall off, some disappear.

Even some who take off hit a wall. Ten years in, Frank Thomas seemed poised to hold every record. Look at Albert Pujols' stats 10 years in. Hell, even Andruw Jones.

I hope this kid has a fine career. Two words: We'll see!

[Jockey]

As always, we'll see what this means 5 and 10 and 15 years from now.

There have been lots of phenoms in baseball history. Some take off, some fall off, some disappear.

Even some who take off hit a wall. Ten years in, Frank Thomas seemed poised to hold every record. Look at Albert Pujols' stats 10 years in. Hell, even Andruw Jones.

I hope this kid has a fine career. Two words: We'll see!

Completely agree.

I was just putting what he is doing this year in perspective. At 19, Robin Yount was Jordy Mercer. He ended up being a two time MVP and in the HOF.

[TallTitan34]

Even some who take off hit a wall. Ten years in, Frank Thomas seemed poised to hold every record.

He's a Hall of Famer.  What more did you want?

[TallTitan34]

Thoughts on Baez as MVP?  I think you can make a pretty good case for him.

From Bleacher Nation: Baez is up to .302/.335/.594 with a 141 wRC+, which ranks 7th in the NL, and that slugging percentage is number one. Consider that Baez also rates as the third best baserunner in the league (behind only the ridiculous Billy Hamilton and Trea Turner), and also plays stellar defense at multiple positions.

Couple that with the facts he is currently on the team with the best NL record and Rizzo and Bryant have been bad/injured.

[withoutbias]

Thoughts on Baez as MVP?  I think you can make a pretty good case for him.

From Bleacher Nation: Baez is up to .302/.335/.594 with a 141 wRC+, which ranks 7th in the NL, and that slugging percentage is number one. Consider that Baez also rates as the third best baserunner in the league (behind only the ridiculous Billy Hamilton and Trea Turner, the racist), the best slider and tagger in baseball history, and also plays stellar defense at multiple positions.

Couple that with the facts he is currently on the team with the best NL record and Rizzo and Bryant have been bad/injured.

FIFY.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Thoughts on Baez as MVP?  I think you can make a pretty good case for him.

From Bleacher Nation: Baez is up to .302/.335/.594 with a 141 wRC+, which ranks 7th in the NL, and that slugging percentage is number one. Consider that Baez also rates as the third best baserunner in the league (behind only the ridiculous Billy Hamilton and Trea Turner), is the best slider of all time, and also plays stellar defense at multiple positions.

Couple that with the facts he is currently on the team with the best NL record and Rizzo and Bryant have been bad/injured.

FIFY again.

[GGGG]

Thoughts on Baez as MVP?  I think you can make a pretty good case for him.

From Bleacher Nation: Baez is up to .302/.335/.594 with a 141 wRC+, which ranks 7th in the NL, and that slugging percentage is number one. Consider that Baez also rates as the third best baserunner in the league (behind only the ridiculous Billy Hamilton and Trea Turner), and also plays stellar defense at multiple positions.

Couple that with the facts he is currently on the team with the best NL record and Rizzo and Bryant have been bad/injured.

Right now it would seem like Matt Carpenter should be the MVP pick.  But there is still a lot of season left and Baez, Yelich and even Arenado and Freeman could stake claims with strong finishes.

Or maybe Scherzer gets both Cy Young and MVP this year.

[TallTitan34]

Right now it would seem like Matt Carpenter should be the MVP pick.  But there is still a lot of season left and Baez, Yelich and even Arenado and Freeman could stake claims with strong finishes.

Or maybe Scherzer gets both Cy Young and MVP this year.

I would agree with Carpenter if if was based on stats alone.  But they seem to favor players on winning teams.  The Cardinals don't seem to be going anywhere.

[GGGG]

I would agree with Carpenter if if was based on stats alone.  But they seem to favor players on winning teams.  The Cardinals don't seem to be going anywhere.

Yeah I agree.  Let's see where everything ends up.

[TallTitan34]

Current Bovada odds:

1. Nolan Arenado (11/4)
2. Freddie Freeman (13/4)
3. Paul Goldschmidt (7/2)
4. Javier Baez (4/1)

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Right now it would seem like Matt Carpenter should be the MVP pick.  But there is still a lot of season left and Baez, Yelich and even Arenado and Freeman could stake claims with strong finishes.

Or maybe Scherzer gets both Cy Young and MVP this year.

If I gave it to anyone right now, I'd give it to Arenado.

[Its DJOver]

I know some people don't like giving it to a pitcher, but there certainly is a case for Scherzer.  Also, while playing on a winning team helps, playing on a team overachieving is different than playing on a team that was overwhelming favorites to win their division.  Because of that, i'd go with Freeman.

[TallTitan34]

Yeah I agree.  Let's see where everything ends up.

Good call.  Wouldn't want to talk about something before it happens on a sports message board.

[TallTitan34]

I know some people don't like giving it to a pitcher, but there certainly is a case for Scherzer.  Also, while playing on a winning team helps, playing on a team overachieving is different than playing on a team that was overwhelming favorites to win their division.  Because of that, i'd go with Freeman.

This is a good point for the Braves and Freeman.  I'd be good with Freeman.