MLB 2019 thread

[Cheeks]

https://twitter.com/SNYtv/status/1157009581551378433?s=20

But I was told the nets would keep awesome catches in the stands from happening?

Incredibly lame attempt.  I said catches in the stands as in catching a ball that now will be over the net, which is exactly what will be prevented.  A great bunch of examples here....gone.  Meanwhile, nets don't go up in the outfield....until they do.....put the nets to the dug out, measure the hot zones, there is ZERO reason to make them go to the foul poles.  The heat zones will show that.  Absolute over rotation.

EVERY damn one of these catches below is way better than that soft toss nonsense you just put up.  I was at one of these games.  Wait until the nets injure a player, and they will.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/FWH8R2muvuw&amp;t=2s" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/FWH8R2muvuw&amp;t=2s</a>

[cheebs09]

Incredibly lame attempt.  I said catches in the stands as in catching a ball that now will be over the net, which is exactly what will be prevented.  A great bunch of examples here....gone.  Meanwhile, nets don't go up in the outfield....until they do.....put the nets to the dug out, measure the hot zones, there is ZERO reason to make them go to the foul poles.  The heat zones will show that.  Absolute over rotation.

EVERY damn one of these catches below is way better than that soft toss nonsense you just put up.  I was at one of these games.  Wait until the nets injure a player, and they will.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/FWH8R2muvuw&amp;t=2s" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/FWH8R2muvuw&amp;t=2s</a>

Has a catcher been injured by the nets yet? With the extended netting now has any player been hurt? Genuinely asking.

If that’s the biggest loss of putting up nets so be it. As a fan, that’s a tradeoff I’d be glad to make to not have a screamer coming at me in those sections. If that makes me less of a man, fine. I’m guessing most players would too when looking at the reactions of a hot shot or bat going in the stands.

[MU82]

It was a fine catch, and the net being there seemed to make it even better.

Hockey used to be "better" when the players didn't wear helmets. Baseball used to be "better" when there were collisions at the plate every other game. Football used to be "better" when players were celebrated for giving each other life-threatening concussions. Arguments about the great things the nets supposedly will prevent ... complete silliness.

The nets will save injuries and maybe even  a few lives. They have not hurt the game one iota. Not one iota. It's a total no-brainer and only a matter of time before every ballpark has 'em from foul pole to foul pole.

I do look forward to some knuckleheads blaming them for attendance going down, ratings going down, etc ... because that wasn't happening at all before the nets went up.

[#UnleashSean]

Incredibly lame attempt.  I said catches in the stands as in catching a ball that now will be over the net, which is exactly what will be prevented.  A great bunch of examples here....gone.  Meanwhile, nets don't go up in the outfield....until they do.....put the nets to the dug out, measure the hot zones, there is ZERO reason to make them go to the foul poles.  The heat zones will show that.  Absolute over rotation.

EVERY damn one of these catches below is way better than that soft toss nonsense you just put up.  I was at one of these games.  Wait until the nets injure a player, and they will.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/FWH8R2muvuw&amp;t=2s" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/FWH8R2muvuw&amp;t=2s</a>

Ya the nets are more likely to injure someone then say a chair, the concrete, or the bodies crashing into each other. 

[HouWarrior]

Most trade deadline talk centered on Astros getting Zach Greinke.

Well ...tonight was Astros Hall of fame night....16 in this first class...the plan is to add 2 or so each year.  So...with Mike Scott ,  Nolan Ryan, JR Richard in the house we

turn to our relatively unnoticed acquisitions from Toronto ..

Starting new guy Aaron Sanchez .....he tosses 6 innings of no hit ball then
new guy Joe Biagini adds 1 inning no hit

and two Astros Harris and Devinski help finish a 4 pitcher no hitter.

Hitting was pretty good too...15 hits 9-0 final

Astros Hall of Fame night indeed!

Next up, starters: Verlander Grienke Cole Miley Sanchez

Their pitcher will face:

G. SpringerCF    3   1   0   0   1   .295
J. Altuve2B   5   3   2   1   0   .304
M. BrantleyLF   5   2   3   4   0   .320
A. Bregman3B   5   0   2   2   0   .264
Y. AlvarezDH    5   0   2   1   0   .338
C. CorreaSS   5   1   2   0   0   .288
Y. Gurriel1B   4   0   1   1   0   .295
M. MaldonadoC   3   1   1   0   1   .219
J. ReddickRF   4   0   1   0   0   .275

[Cheeks]

Ya the nets are more likely to injure someone then say a chair, the concrete, or the bodies crashing into each other. 

Who said anything about "more likely", but it will.  End of the day, typical knee jerk reaction and total over rotation.  Look at the heatmaps, there ZERO reason to put it to the foul poles.  NONE.

[MU82]

Give credit to the Cubs, of course, but it sure seems the Brew Crew rolled over and played dead.

[TallTitan34]

I never really thought Chicos and Warrior Dad were the same person but you are the only two who think there shouldn’t be nets...

[Pakuni]

End of the day, typical knee jerk reaction and total over rotation.  Look at the heatmaps, there ZERO reason to put it to the foul poles.  NONE.

So true. MLB ought to have waited at least another century before making such a rash decision 

[muwarrior69]

Interesting stat: This could be the year that the National League has no complete game pitcher. The American League only has one so far. Oh, how the game has changed.

https://www.baseball-almanac.com/pitching/picomg4.shtml

I say this as my Yankees seem to be throwing 2 or 3 pitchers at their opponents every game. Seems like the Astros and Dodgers are the only teams with good starters.

[CTWarrior]

Interesting stat: This could be the year that the National League has no complete game pitcher. The American League only has one so far. Oh, how the game has changed.

https://www.baseball-almanac.com/pitching/picomg4.shtml

I say this as my Yankees seem to be throwing 2 or 3 pitchers at their opponents every game. Seems like the Astros and Dodgers are the only teams with good starters.

Wow, thanks for posting.  I hadn't been paying that close attention to complete games.  I knew complete games were rare, but I figured we were still getting about one a week (1 every 100 games or so).  Baseball has changed so much.  Not sure it is for the better.  I find three true outcome baseball accompanied by a parade of relievers less compelling to watch than any other form of the game. 

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Which is why I am in support of the three-batter minimum rule for relievers.

[MU82]

Reliever starts 7th inning. Batter steps out after every pitch, taking borderline pitches, fouling off 2-strike pitches, eventually striking out, walking, grounding out into the shift or homering. Manager sends catcher out to the mound. Dithers until umpire goes out. Manager then slowly saunters out to the mound. Dithers until umpire goes out. Manager signals for reliever, who jogs in from the bullpen. Digs at the mound for a minute before taking warm-up pitches. Repeat of previous pitcher/batter battle ensues, perhaps with catcher going out to the mound once or twice.

Then the same happens with the next batter. And then the other team does the same in the bottom of the inning. Then more pitching changes for both teams in the 8th inning. The closer comes on in the 9th, but the long battles continue.

This situation repeats game after game, week after week, month after month. Frankly, I'm surprised attendance and TV ratings aren't down more than they already are.

[cheebs09]

There’s a few reasons I support foul pole to foul pole.

- consistent from stadium to stadium

- I assume it’s easiest to just attach the net to the foul pole in most stadiums

- All foul territory is behind a net for consistency in game play.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Reliever starts 7th inning. Batter steps out after every pitch, taking borderline pitches, fouling off 2-strike pitches, eventually striking out, walking, grounding out into the shift or homering. Manager sends catcher out to the mound. Dithers until umpire goes out. Manager then slowly saunters out to the mound. Dithers until umpire goes out. Manager signals for reliever, who jogs in from the bullpen. Digs at the mound for a minute before taking warm-up pitches. Repeat of previous pitcher/batter battle ensues, perhaps with catcher going out to the mound once or twice.

Then the same happens with the next batter. And then the other team does the same in the bottom of the inning. Then more pitching changes for both teams in the 8th inning. The closer comes on in the 9th, but the long battles continue.

This situation repeats game after game, week after week, month after month. Frankly, I'm surprised attendance and TV ratings aren't down more than they already are.

Should have plenty of time to oogle the sideline reporters den, aina?

[CTWarrior]

Interesting stat: This could be the year that the National League has no complete game pitcher. The American League only has one so far. Oh, how the game has changed.

https://www.baseball-almanac.com/pitching/picomg4.shtml

I say this as my Yankees seem to be throwing 2 or 3 pitchers at their opponents every game. Seems like the Astros and Dodgers are the only teams with good starters.

I just looked it up.  There is something wrong with that reference.  In the NL, Walker Buehler (LAD) and Zach Eflin (PHI) both have 2 complete games and 13 other guys have 1.  In the AL, Shane Bieber has 3, three guys have 2 and 9 other guys have 1.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

From The Athletic regarding Yu Darvish.  He's finally healthy and this is the guys the Cubs paid for.

Since May 15, Darvish has a 29.2 percent strikeout rate and a mere 5 percent walk rate. Over that period, among NL starters, only Max Scherzer, Jacob deGrom and Walker Buehler have a larger gap between their strikeout and walk percentages. His 89 1/3 innings pitched during that time is topped only by Aaron Nola, German Márquez and Partick Corbin.

[muwarrior69]

I just looked it up.  There is something wrong with that reference.  In the NL, Walker Buehler (LAD) and Zach Eflin (PHI) both have 2 complete games and 13 other guys have 1.  In the AL, Shane Bieber has 3, three guys have 2 and 9 other guys have 1.

Thanks for the correction, but I thought everything on the internet is true.

[MU82]

Should have plenty of time to oogle the sideline reporters den, aina?

Yes, I suppose you would, oona?

[CreightonWarrior]

Someone must've broken an unwritten rule with the players weekend jerseys the past couple years because the new ones suck
http://news.sportslogos.net/2019/08/06/black-and-white-uniforms-across-mlb-for-players-weekend-2019/

[GB Warrior]

Someone must've broken an unwritten rule with the players weekend jerseys the past couple years because the new ones suck
http://news.sportslogos.net/2019/08/06/black-and-white-uniforms-across-mlb-for-players-weekend-2019/

Never underestimate MLB's ability to whitewash its lone display of spontaneity and personality

[wadesworld]

Someone must've broken an unwritten rule with the players weekend jerseys the past couple years because the new ones suck
http://news.sportslogos.net/2019/08/06/black-and-white-uniforms-across-mlb-for-players-weekend-2019/

The players weekend uniforms have always stunk.  The Fourth of July, Father's Day, and Mother's Day stuff are all pretty awesome but the players weekend stuff reminds me of some little league uniforms.  They just do one weekend where teams can choose any uniform from the ballclub's history to wear.

[TallTitan34]

Never underestimate MLB's ability to whitewash its lone display of spontaneity and personality

I saw a theory that they went all white and all black so players can wear crazy accessories (shoes, socks, sleeves, gloves, necklaces, etc.) that will stand out.

[cheebs09]

The players weekend uniforms have always stunk.  The Fourth of July, Father's Day, and Mother's Day stuff are all pretty awesome but the players weekend stuff reminds me of some little league uniforms.  They just do one weekend where teams can choose any uniform from the ballclub's history to wear.

I think the point was to make it look like the LLWS uniforms. I also saw it was to make their accessories stand out. I have to imagine the sales of hats and jerseys will be pretty low this year.

[DegenerateDish]

Regarding the complete game discussion. It’s still amazing that the White Sox went four straight complete games in the 2005 ALCS. That was semi-recently and in today’s MLB would never happen again in a postseason.