MLB Hot Stove 2019-20

[buckchuckler]

You all make fair points, but not enough to sway me (sorry, I'm sure you're broken up about that).

Especially the "games caught" argument. Again, two-thirds of Mauer's MLB starts came as a catcher. He wasn't a part-time player there. And all of his best seasons came when he playing cztcher nearly full time.
Longevity isn't meaningless, but it's a poor measure for greatness.

Well, this is just factually incorrect. 

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mauerjo01.shtml

In the games started category, Mauer started 885 games at catcher.  He started 584 at 1st and 304 at DH.  That is 888 starts at non-catcher, and 885 at catcher.  That doesn't seem like 2/3 to me, but maybe I'm fuzzy on math.

For the record, Molina started 1911 games at catcher.  Longevity isn't everything, but Mauer started at catcher more than 1000 fewer games than Molina. 

[Pakuni]

Well, this is just factually incorrect. 

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mauerjo01.shtml

In the games started category, Mauer started 885 games at catcher.  He started 584 at 1st and 304 at DH.  That is 888 starts at non-catcher, and 885 at catcher.  That doesn't seem like 2/3 to me, but maybe I'm fuzzy on math.

For the record, Molina started 1911 games at catcher.  Longevity isn't everything, but Mauer started at catcher more than 1000 fewer games than Molina.

Dammit. You're correct. Not sure how I botched that. Apologies.
Still, doesn't change that Mauer was the better player and he was predominantly a catcher in his best seasons.

[shoothoops]

Dammit. You're correct. Not sure how I botched that. Apologies.
Still, doesn't change that Mauer was the better player and he was predominantly a catcher in his best seasons.

You like who you like. Go for it. 👍

As for Molina, I think some things that some people talk about and that stand out are that he is statistically considered among the best to ever do many categories of things defensively, some of which you didn't include in some of the statistics you provided. And when combined w/his offense and other categories he statistically passes many.  And, some of your other provided statistics were incorrect i.e. MVP listed below. These of course don't include some of the other aspects of managing and calling a game not included in those statistics.

Just some of them:

9 time All Star
9 Gold Gloves
2 WS Titles
Only MLB player to catch 15 straight seasons of at least 100 games a season.
5 MVP ballots, (3rd and 4th place)
2nd all time Total Zone Runs
1st, active players, over 40% runners caught stealing.
1st runners not attempting to steal
1st Catcher E.R.A.
3rd amongst peers in pitch framing.
1st all time defensive runs saved.
1st active catcher assists.
1st in pickoffs.
6th all time (and climbing) games caught.
All 17 seasons, one team.
Silver Slugger.
Will be soon, 8th Catcher ever w/ 2,000 hits all time.
.328 avg 12 RBI's in career 21 World Series Games
.312 avg in 38 career NLCS games.
Game Winning HR 9th inning Game 7 NLCS at New York. (Mets fans still discuss this)
Slashed .471/.524/.588 9 RBI's final five games for one of two World Series Titles.
Roberto Clemente Award Winner.

When you combine the totality of things in many different aspects of the game, it becomes a lot.

Not a bad career so far for the youngest Puerto Rican kid in a 3 MLB Catcher family.....the only family of 3 MLB brothers to all win World Series Rings. .....Pretty fun.

[#UnleashSean]

That's a lot of arguments for people who aren't David Ross. 

[DegenerateDish]

Been 12 long years, but nice to see the Sox playing in October again.

[Lennys Tap]

Been 12 long years, but nice to see the Sox playing in October again.

Tip of the hat to Hahn.

Sale, Eaton and Quintana brought Moncada, Kopech, Giolito, Dunning, R Lopez, Jimenez and Cease.

All in to get Robert.

Signing Grandal and Keuchal.

Drafting Madrigal and Vaughn.

[Pakuni]

Tip of the hat to Hahn.

Sale, Eaton and Quintana brought Moncada, Kopech, Giolito, Dunning, R Lopez, Jimenez and Cease.

All in to get Robert.

Signing Grandal and Keuchal.

Drafting Madrigal and Vaughn.

Hahn also signed Abreu and drafted Tim Anderson.
Now if only he hadn't traded Tatis the Younger ...

Unrelated, but just how dumb is Josh Donaldson:
A. Regular dumb
B. Very dumb
C. Extraordinarily dumb
D. Terry Bevington dumb

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Hahn also signed Abreu and drafted Tim Anderson.
Now if only he hadn't traded Tatis the Younger ...

Unrelated, but just how dumb is Josh Donaldson:
A. Regular dumb
B. Very dumb
C. Extraordinarily dumb
D. Terry Bevington dumb

Dumb with flair.

[buckchuckler]

Hahn also signed Abreu and drafted Tim Anderson.
Now if only he hadn't traded Tatis the Younger ...

Unrelated, but just how dumb is Josh Donaldson:
A. Regular dumb
B. Very dumb
C. Extraordinarily dumb
D. Terry Bevington dumb

Hahahahah!

[Lennys Tap]

Hahn also signed Abreu and drafted Tim Anderson.
Now if only he hadn't traded Tatis the Younger ...

Good points on Abreu and Anderson.

Don’t know Josh Donaldson, but trading Tatis the Younger proved Bevington dumb and then some. Imagine the lineup with him at SS and Anderson in RF (or 3B with Moncada back at 2B). Would even the Dodgers have a better one?

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Is there anyone on the Blue Jays who's not the son of a former major leaguer?

[JWags85]

The Donaldson tantrum was silly, but I kind of loved it. Battle lines had already been drawn, he proved a point, shrug. That was a REALLY quick trigger, he was tossed before he even went back.  But otherwise it didn’t phase me. Baseball needs more entertaining stuff like that.

FWIW, that was a TERRIBLE check swing strike call without even an appeal.

[buckchuckler]

The Donaldson tantrum was silly, but I kind of loved it. Battle lines had already been drawn, he proved a point, shrug. That was a REALLY quick trigger, he was tossed before he even went back.  But otherwise it didn’t phase me. Baseball needs more entertaining stuff like that.

FWIW, that was a TERRIBLE check swing strike call without even an appeal.

What point did he prove, while getting kicked out of a 1 run game, in the middle of September, in a game against the team his team is chasing in the standings?  Seems like a stupid time to make that point, what ever that point was. 

[Pakuni]

The Donaldson tantrum was silly, but I kind of loved it. Battle lines had already been drawn, he proved a point, shrug. That was a REALLY quick trigger, he was tossed before he even went back.  But otherwise it didn’t phase me. Baseball needs more entertaining stuff like that.

FWIW, that was a TERRIBLE check swing strike call without even an appeal.

Entertainment value aside, getting thrown out intentionally - and he had to know that was the only possible outcome - in an important game against the team you're chasing in the standings is incredibly dumb and selfish.

[LloydsLegs]

What point did he prove, while getting kicked out of a 1 run game, in the middle of September, in a game against the team his team is chasing in the standings?  Seems like a stupid time to make that point, what ever that point was.

Also cost the team defensively: replacement dropped a foul ball and Donaldson is an elite defender who may have cut off the Abreu infield single and ended the game winning rally.  Selfish.  (Though it also was funny as hell)

[WI inferiority Complexes]

Obviously, I want the players to take the game seriously.  Otherwise, what's the point of watching?  (And I have watched a ton of baseball this year).

However, over 50% of the teams this year will make the playoffs.  Teams are currently trying to position themselves to play at home--in front of no one--during a 3 game play-in series before they go to their respective bubbles. 

Yes.  What Donaldson did was stupid, but let's not pretend like it is really going to matter in the big scheme of things.

[Pakuni]

Yes.  What Donaldson did was stupid, but let's not pretend like it is really going to matter in the big scheme of things.

Might be the difference between opening the playoffs against Toronto/Cleveland or opening the playoffs against the Yankees.
That's not nothing.

[DegenerateDish]

Sox call up Crochet. He'll be the first MLB pitcher since Mike Leake to skip the minor leagues before his MLB debut.

[WI inferiority Complexes]

Might be the difference between opening the playoffs against Toronto/Cleveland or opening the playoffs against the Yankees.
That's not nothing.

If you can only lose twice before being eliminated (regardless of regular season winning percentage), I may actually rather face the Yankees than Shane Bieber and the Indians.

[Pakuni]

If you can only lose twice before being eliminated (regardless of regular season winning percentage), I may actually rather face the Yankees than Shane Bieber and the Indians.

Bieber isn't pitching three times in a 3-game series.
Also, I hear the Yankees have an OK #1 starter as well.

[buckchuckler]

If you can only lose twice before being eliminated (regardless of regular season winning percentage), I may actually rather face the Yankees than Shane Bieber and the Indians.

The Yankees completely own the Twins.

[WI inferiority Complexes]

Admittedly, I forgot who keeps eliminating Minnesota. I’d still much rather face Cole than Bieber this year, but maybe the Twins want nothing to do w/ NYY.

I also may be placing too much emphasis on facing an ace once; it’s just I’ve never seen a three-game playoff series and losing Game 1 seems huge. I thought there was talk of allowing higher seeds pick their opponents; it would have been interesting to see how that would’ve shook out.

[shoothoops]

#661

https://twitter.com/mlb/status/1307154494459912193

[Pakuni]

Admittedly, I forgot who keeps eliminating Minnesota. I’d still much rather face Cole than Bieber this year, but maybe the Twins want nothing to do w/ NYY.

I also may be placing too much emphasis on facing an ace once; it’s just I’ve never seen a three-game playoff series and losing Game 1 seems huge. I thought there was talk of allowing higher seeds pick their opponents; it would have been interesting to see how that would’ve shook out.

All things considered, I'd rather face Cleveland's very weak lineup in a series than the Yankees' ljneup.

[Hards Alumni]

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/29922184/detroit-tigers-manager-ron-gardenhire-retires-effective-immediately