Real MLB Thread

[GB Warrior]

Maddon gone.

Go west, old man

[WarriorDad]

We did our part to help Brewer fans. 

[wadesworld]

We did our part to help Brewer fans.

Thank you for your service.

Way to win 2 of 7 games against the Cards in your last 10 games. Your play really gave the Brewers a chance at a division title. I only wish the Brewers would've played good ball in those last 10 games and they might've caught the Cards.

[Cheeks]

Maddon gone.

Come back home to where you started and spent 31 years...with the Halos.  I worked with Joe for two seasons,  including when he was interim manager before Scioscia and after Collins....love to have him back.  Ausmus is an analytics / zero gut manager.  Always by the analytics book.  If you are only going to do what the analytics say, why need a manager at all.

[wadesworld]

Come back home to where you started and spent 31 years...with the Halos.  I worked with Joe for two seasons,  including when he was interim manager before Scioscia and after Collins....love to have him back.  Ausmus is an analytics / zero gut manager.  Always by the analytics book.  If you are only going to do what the analytics say, why need a manager at all.

That is awesome.

[Cheeks]

That is awesome.

He's hilarious, enjoyed working with him a lot. Don't think it will happen, but would add a spark.

[MU82]

He's hilarious, enjoyed working with him a lot. Don't think it will happen, but would add a spark.

As valuable as you were "working with Joe," I'm sure Maddon will hire you as a coach. I'd wish you good luck, hoopy, but I know that as desperate as you are to get out of Cali you wouldn't take the offer.

[MU82]

This opinion would be more convincing had the Cubs not lost >40% of their offensive output and essentially their entire starting infield due to injuries in September

All right. You win. Cubbies didn't choke at all. They never have. Not in '69 or '84 or '03 or '04 or any of the other times. Just victims of a lot of bad luck.

That is awesome.

Brewers had the opening, gift-wrapped the previous 2 days. They have only themselves to blame.

I'll nonetheless be rooting for them in the playoffs; they seem to be a likable team. Though the Nats, sans Harper, also seem likable.

[wadesworld]

All right. You win. Cubbies didn't choke at all. They never have. Not in '69 or '84 or '03 or '04 or any of the other times. Just victims of a lot of bad luck.

Brewers had the opening, gift-wrapped the previous 2 days. They have only themselves to blame.

I'll nonetheless be rooting for them in the playoffs; they seem to be a likable team. Though the Nats, sans Harper, also seem likable.

I'm fine with the Brewers going 21-6 in September. If that's choking away a division title so be it.

[buckchuckler]

This happens more then people realize: Teams with the best run differential in the division, tend to progress to the mean. So when they lose 5 one run games in a row, it eventually turns the other way and they win.

This is gold. 

[MU82]

I'm fine with the Brewers going 21-6 in September. If that's choking away a division title so be it.

I didn't say the Brewers choked away the division, and you know it.

They had a great Sept, and they did a great job of taking advantage of the Cubbie choke.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Just the messenger here from the west coast.  I think i have made it known I despise the Dodgers.  Cheer Ed wildly for the Brewers or any team that takes them out.  My Halos went 4-0 against the Dodgers this year,  it sure why no one else can figure them out.   

At any rate, the sports intelligentsia here is arguing the Brewers tore it up with Yellich hurt down the stretch, further showing his value is not that great.  I laughed, but figured I would share.  Brewers schedule down the stretch also quite easy, which helped in achieving that record.

Most Yankees fans ask why didn't we trade for Yellich instead of Stanton?

[Cheeks]

As valuable as you were "working with Joe," I'm sure Maddon will hire you as a coach. I'd wish you good luck, hoopy, but I know that as desperate as you are to get out of Cali you wouldn't take the offer.

I didn't say a word about my value to Joe, but enjoyed my time with him.  Hope he can make a return to the org that he started with.  And you are correct, I would not accept the offer.  Been there, done that and new challenges are ahead outside of this place.  Happy to be joining the net migrators out of the state.  Less than a year now. 

[Mr. Nielsen]

https://twitter.com/MLBONFOX/status/1178427510683422720

[MU82]

I would not accept the offer.  Been there, done that and new challenges are ahead outside of this place.

You've been a coach for an MLB team? Who knew?

[TSmith34, Inc.]

Most Yankees fans ask why didn't we trade for Yellich instead of Stanton?

I'm sure the Brewers would be willing to take a chance and take him off the Yankees hands for a similar package as they gave up to acquire Yelich, so long as the Yankees also agree to pay his salary.

[Cheeks]

You've been a coach for an MLB team? Who knew?

Nope, but I am sure you realize with some clubs the manager also has other positions not coaching that he influences and can even have reporting to him based on the setup of the org.  That is how it was my first go around.  Mike had more than just coaches reporting to him.  Mike also had power to influence other hiring decisions throughout the org. 

I suspect Joe will get the same.

You are right, you didn't know and your smartassery now knows. 

[MU82]

Nope, but I am sure you realize with some clubs the manager also has other positions not coaching that he influences and can even have reporting to him based on the setup of the org.  That is how it was my first go around.  Mike had more than just coaches reporting to him.  Mike also had power to influence other hiring decisions throughout the org. 

I suspect Joe will get the same.

You are right, you didn't know and your smartassery now knows.

I'm sure your best friend Mike couldn't have won the 2002 World Series without you. Well done, hoopy.

[Cheeks]

I'm sure your best friend Mike couldn't have won the 2002 World Series without you. Well done, hoopy.

Not my best friend.  Never made the claim.  Organizations "win" with many many people doing their jobs well, from the most prominent to the under the radar folks.

You seem very angry of late.  Prayer is a good option, give it a try.

[MU82]

Not my best friend.  Never made the claim.  Organizations "win" with many many people doing their jobs well, from the most prominent to the under the radar folks.

You seem very angry of late.  Prayer is a good option, give it a try.

I am the happiest person I know. Maybe a little frustrated at times dealing with a pathological liar who thinks he is an expert on everything, but I can deal with it.

I won't resort to prayer, though, as I have seen how well that has worked for those who kill in the name of their make-believe gods.

[Cheeks]

I am the happiest person I know. Maybe a little frustrated at times dealing with a pathological liar who thinks he is an expert on everything, but I can deal with it.

I won't resort to prayer, though, as I have seen how well that has worked for those who kill in the name of their make-believe gods.

LOL.  I don't think you understand the meaning of the big word you tried to use.  There is also some psychology out there that people are frustrated or angry at others who mirror themselves.  Enjoy that one.

Incidentally, people have killed in the name of peace, as well.  It is a complicated world, always has been and always will be.

[#UnleashSean]

I am the happiest person I know. Maybe a little frustrated at times dealing with a pathological liar who thinks he is an expert on everything, but I can deal with it.

I won't resort to prayer, though, as I have seen how well that has worked for those who kill in the name of their make-believe gods.

This is the most baseball post of baseball posts.

Will the two of you remove yourselves before you get a 2nd baseball thread locked because of your child like bickering?

[buckchuckler]

Hey everyone look at me!  I'm a dumbass trying to get another MLB thread locked!

[MUDPT]

Only a few innings live. Saw the highlights each night, read articles/columns, looked at the box scores, talked to my son who watched them all.

Of course, the choke job started way before that.

On Aug. 8, Cubs were 63-52 and led Mil by 3.5 and StL by 4. In less than a month, they had fallen well out of first place ... but after beating Milwaukee in the opener of a 4-game series on Sept. 5, they were 76-63 and FIVE games ahead of the Brewers with 23 games to play.

They then lost the next 3 games to the Brewers, saving Milwaukee's season and starting their own official death spiral.

At first, it was a slo-mo spiral, as they were helped by getting to play the Pirates in the midst of their doldrums to stay ahead of the Brewers. On Sept. 16, they were still clinging to a 1-game lead for the wild-card spot. They then lost 2 at home to the Reds, all 4 at home to the Cardinals and 3 to a Pittsburgh team that had started mailing it in months ago.

So they went from a 5-game lead over the Brewers on Sept. 5 to a 7-game deficit to the Brewers in a matter of 21 days. This despite the Brewers having to play without the league MVP.

That's impressive choking even by Cubbian standards!

From August 8, the Cubs would have had to gone 29-18 to win the Division, which only the Dodgers, Yankees, Twins and Astros were able to do for the entire season.  On September 5th, they would have had to have gone 14-9 to finish ahead of the Brewers, which only the Dodgers, Yankees and Astros were able to do for the entire season. Basically, the Cubs would have had to play like a 100 win team (which they were not) over those two periods to make the playoffs.  If they had played their Pythagorean season rate for those two time periods, 26-21 to go 89-73 (tie the Brewers!) from August 8 and 13-10 to go 89-73 from September 5 (tie the Brewers!).  Either way, you tip your cap to the Brewers and Cards for playing well in August/ September.

The choking thing is probably the laziest narrative in all of sports.  In September, the Cubs featured 6 regular starters who played in the most intense Game 7 of the World Series in recent history (not Castellanos or Horner).  They also started 4 pitchers with World Series experience, including their worst starter who was the World Series MVP.  Their best starter during this time period was a guy who was known for "choking" during the 2017 World Series.  Their "worst" loss in that stretch, the Saturday Cardinals game, they came back from a deficit 3 different times to take the lead.  And their closer was just in the World Series last year.  It didn't happen this year, but the take that the guys "peed down their leg" is just untrue.  In a game where your offense is limited to the amount of opportunities it gets to score, stuff like this happens. 

[MU82]

LOL.  I don't think you understand the meaning of the big word you tried to use.  There is also some psychology out there that people are frustrated or angry at others who mirror themselves.  Enjoy that one.

Incidentally, people have killed in the name of peace, as well.  It is a complicated world, always has been and always will be.

Still waiting for the new, improved hoopaloop who begged for Scoop forgiveness and vowed to change.