MLB 2019 thread

[MU82]

Its ok, now he just has to hit 2 HRs in the ASG and Hank will buy a cat!

But interesting he is playing in the game if his back is that bad...

Not very surprising. It's the difference between a couple of swings in a game and dozens of swinging for the fences.

All of it is an exhibition, though. He definitely should skip the HR contest (as he is), and if there's any bit of worry at all, he should skip the ASG.

At the end of the season, everybody associated with the Brewers, including the fans, will care a hell of a lot more about how his health was over the last 2 1/2 months than about whether he played in a meaningless exhibition.

[Cheeks]

No doubt a dirty slide.  Under the new rules you can only take out the catcher if he is blocking the plate.  Lucroy gave him a path the entire play.

Been a tough tough week for my Halos.

[#UnleashSean]

Pretty sure the random guy is an undercover cop.

Maybe off duty. I don't think the Sox or anyone employs undercover cops for security.

[StillAWarrior]

Like so many others, I was captivated by Vlad Jr. last night.  I wanted to check his stats on ESPN.com.  The first thing I noticed is that they have him listed at 6'1" and 200 lbs.  Not even close.  I see that the Blue Jays official roster has him listed at 6'2" and 250.  I'd say that's significantly closer. 

[CTWarrior]

Like so many others, I was captivated by Vlad Jr. last night.  I wanted to check his stats on ESPN.com.  The first thing I noticed is that they have him listed at 6'1" and 200 lbs.  Not even close.  I see that the Blue Jays official roster has him listed at 6'2" and 250.  I'd say that's significantly closer.

Probably belongs in the 'Things I don't get" thread, but I really don't get the Home Run Derby.

[MU82]

Probably belongs in the 'Things I don't get" thread, but I really don't get the Home Run Derby.

Ditto.

If I were a kid, I think I'd like it. Otherwise ... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Haven't watched it for years.

[DegenerateDish]

Home run derby last two years has been awesome. MLB does a poor job of showcasing their individual superstars, and no other event does it better than the derby. If anything, they haven't gone far enough to spice up the derby. They should have targets, a round with aluminum bats, probably some other things.

That Vlad/Pederson round was awesome tv, totally captivating.

[StillAWarrior]

Home run derby last two years has been awesome. MLB does a poor job of showcasing their individual superstars, and no other event does it better than the derby. If anything, they haven't gone far enough to spice up the derby. They should have targets, a round with aluminum bats, probably some other things.

That Vlad/Pederson round was awesome tv, totally captivating.

I agree completely.  They've improved it significantly over the last couple years, and I'd love to see additional changes.  It'd be interesting to see what these guys would do with aluminum bats.  I'm torn about the "head to head" format.  On the one hand, the immediacy of the competition is compelling.  On the other hand, it creates issues both when someone has an extremely difficult opponent and/or an easy opponent.

[WI inferiority Complexes]

Haven't watched it for years.

The new format is so radically different, it's not even the same contest.

I love the new derby.  My kids and I were captivated by the entire show.

[wadesworld]

I do think they should shorten the rounds a little bit just for the players' sake.  But the whole All Star weekend is awesome.  I don't follow hockey so I can't speak to their AS Game/weekend, but of basketball/football/baseball, baseball does it by far the most right.

The Freeman mic'd at bat last night was hilarious.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Home run derby last two years has been awesome. MLB does a poor job of showcasing their individual superstars, and no other event does it better than the derby. If anything, they haven't gone far enough to spice up the derby. They should have targets, a round with aluminum bats, probably some other things.

That Vlad/Pederson round was awesome tv, totally captivating.

MLB does a poor job of showcasing their individual super-stars because the game has become completely regionalized.  I've watched dozens of Brewer games this year.  I don't think I have watched a single non-Brewer game this year.

[DegenerateDish]

MLB does a poor job of showcasing their individual super-stars because the game has become completely regionalized.  I've watched dozens of Brewer games this year.  I don't think I have watched a single non-Brewer game this year.

For sure, it's definitely a regional sport. MLB does nothing to fix it either, from the absurd blackout rule, poorly marketing it's players, letting the RSN's become huge power players.

While watching the derby, I tweeted at Keith Law an idea for a Red Zone-esque version for MLB, I called it "Superstar At Bat". He retweeted it, and it got a pretty overwhelming response on Twitter of people being in favor of it. Basically my idea was I'd sign up for a service where if Vlad is in the on deck circle, my phone sends me a notification that Vlad is on deck, do I want to watch a live stream of his at bat. I set up my subscription where I pick whatever players (as an example, Vlad/Trout/Acuna/Alonso) and I can watch their at bats live (or 5 second delay). I can basically customize the players I want to see, and after their at bat, the feed cuts out.

I'm not going to watch a Blue Jays/Royals game anytime soon, but if I had the option to watch a minute of Vlad batting, I'd sign up for that. Especially for a season long or daily fantasy player, it'd be a boon.

Someone tweeted at me that something like this kind of exists in the black market, but I think if MLB took me up on my idea, they'd make some great coin. MLB isn't that forward thinking, so they'll never do it.

[TallTitan34]

Haven't watched it for years.

If you haven't watched the homerun derby in years you should try it again.  The new format has completely changed the event for the better.

[CTWarrior]

MLB does a poor job of showcasing their individual super-stars because the game has become completely regionalized.  I've watched dozens of Brewer games this year.  I don't think I have watched a single non-Brewer game this year.

Why would you?  I think what you are saying is true of even the most die hard fans.  When I was a kid living in CT, there were probably a third of the Yankees games on a year on WPIX 11 and a third of the Mets games on WWOR 9.  As a Red Sox fan, the only time I got to see them was if they were playing the Yankees in one of those televised games or if they were on the game of the week, maybe 15 times a year if I was lucky.  So I used to watch the game of the week to see some baseball if I was home.

Now I can watch all 162 Red Sox games if I want, so I have more than my fill of baseball just from that. 

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Why would you?  I think what you are saying is true of even the most die hard fans.  When I was a kid living in CT, there were probably a third of the Yankees games on a year on WPIX 11 and a third of the Mets games on WWOR 9.  As a Red Sox fan, the only time I got to see them was if they were playing the Yankees in one of those televised games or if they were on the game of the week, maybe 15 times a year if I was lucky.  So I used to watch the game of the week to see some baseball if I was home.

Now I can watch all 162 Red Sox games if I want, so I have more than my fill of baseball just from that. 

Exactly. And those national games would let me see prominent players I wouldn’t see otherwise. Not to mention that I watched This Week in Baseball religiously back then.

[MU82]

The new format is so radically different, it's not even the same contest.

I love the new derby.  My kids and I were captivated by the entire show.

I do like to keep an open mind, so if I'm available I'll check it out next year.

Thanks for the input.

[StillAWarrior]

If you haven't watched the homerun derby in years you should try it again.  The new format has completely changed the event for the better.

In addition to the changes to the contest itself, I love that we had two guys with $555k contracts slugging it out for a $1 million prize.  Alonso's prize on Monday night was nearly twice as much as his salary for the year.  And Guerrero won $600k ($500k for second and $100k for the longest bomb of the night).

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Ditto.

If I were a kid, I think I'd like it. Otherwise ... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Haven't watched it for years.

Not surprised, there are bimbo sideline reporters in skirts.

[MU82]

Not surprised, there are bimbo sideline reporters in skirts.

Oooh ... that really hurts.

The bimbos.

[TallTitan34]

In addition to the changes to the contest itself, I love that we had two guys with $555k contracts slugging it out for a $1 million prize.  Alonso's prize on Monday night was nearly twice as much as his salary for the year.  And Guerrero won $600k ($500k for second and $100k for the longest bomb of the night).

Because of this, one change I would make would be to get rid of or enforce the rule that says you must wait until the previous ball hits the ground.

No one cared when Harper went rapid fire on Schwarber last year to win as nothing was on the line, but he if did that with a $1 million prize that could cause problems. 

[DegenerateDish]

I like what MLB is experimenting with in the Atlantic League. RoboUmp decided balls/strikes last night. Bigger bases I think helps prevent some injuries, and stealing first base is a really interesting idea. Stealing first would greatly impact value of guys like Billy Hamilton, and how speed guys are pitched to. The four strike bunt rule is stupid though.

[StillAWarrior]

Because of this, one change I would make would be to get rid of or enforce the rule that says you must wait until the previous ball hits the ground.

No one cared when Harper went rapid fire on Schwarber last year to win as nothing was on the line, but he if did that with a $1 million prize that could cause problems.

Yeah, I noticed a lot of issues with this rule this year.  It was pretty widely ignored...first by Vlad, but then by everyone.  There were definitely times when Pederson had two HR balls in the air at once.  I think they should just scrap the rule.  That way they don't even have to worry about anyone making a judgment call.

[Jockey]

I like what MLB is experimenting with in the Atlantic League. RoboUmp decided balls/strikes last night. Bigger bases I think helps prevent some injuries, and stealing first base is a really interesting idea. Stealing first would greatly impact value of guys like Billy Hamilton, and how speed guys are pitched to. The four strike bunt rule is stupid though.

I'm guessing Billy wouldn't see a lot of breaking balls in the dirt.

[TallTitan34]

Yeah, I noticed a lot of issues with this rule this year.  It was pretty widely ignored...first by Vlad, but then by everyone.  There were definitely times when Pederson had HR balls in the air at once.  I think they should just scrap the rule.  That way they don't even have to worry about anyone making a judgment call.

Agreed.

[TallTitan34]

I like what MLB is experimenting with in the Atlantic League. RoboUmp decided balls/strikes last night. Bigger bases I think helps prevent some injuries, and stealing first base is a really interesting idea. Stealing first would greatly impact value of guys like Billy Hamilton, and how speed guys are pitched to. The four strike bunt rule is stupid though.

MLB is all about shortening games.  The stealing first idea would add an at bat for most wild pitches/passed balls.  I can't see them doing this.