The Hey its 2021 now guys MLB thread

[#UnleashSean]

Oooooooooooof

[MuggsyB]

Sorry Brewers fans.  What was that?  Brutal AB for Yelich.

[buckchuckler]

It pains me but I have to agree.

Sox weren't the same team in the second half. Two best starters dinged up, Giolito took a step backwards and Keuchel was awful. Cease was a bright spot but struggled against teams who showed plate discipline - like Houston.

Giolito was considerably better in the 2nd half...

[Boone]

Fittingly feeble  last AB by Yelich

[4everwarriors]

He's totally lost. Pedal his heine, hey?

[MuggsyB]

I was rooting for the Brewers.  Seems like they blew a huge opportunity.  But that was bizarre from a former MVP.

[Lennys Tap]

Giolito was considerably better in the 2nd half...

Yeah, but he took a big step back overall and his better second half wasn't as good as last year.

[Jockey]

Fittingly feeble  last AB by Yelich

Game came down to the 2 stars. Freeman pounded the ball. As you said, Yelich looked feeble.

[CTWarrior]

Well, at least they won a playoff game this series.  Thats 1 more than the Twinkies have won in what, 30 years?

In the five postseasons since the Cubs won the World Series, the MLB Central division teams are a combined 19-49 in postseason games, including 4-21 the last two years and 7-31 the last three.

[Jockey]

Interesting that the 3 teams who clinched the earliest are the early teams out.

Once you take the foot off the pedal in baseball. I think more than other sports, you are in serious trouble.

[MuggsyB]

Excuse my ignorance but did Houston receive any penalty for cheating?

[Uncle Rico]

Not basing this on tonight, but Hader is a piece that can be moved to get better on offense.  There's no one on the staff that can replace him but I feel good about the front office finding arms to fill that role.

One of the big 3 starters can get moved, too.  I think they can start the year with Houser/Lauer/Ashby filling the final 3 spots and try getting an Anderson type as a swing man 6th starter.

The injuries to Williams and Suter were crushing, especially Suter who would have replaced Freddie yesterday. 

I admit, this one hurts a lot more than 2018 because I think they're better than how they played

[HutchwasClutch]

Fittingly feeble  last AB by Yelich

Pathetic. It's only the season hanging in the balance and can't get the bat off his shoulder. 

[HutchwasClutch]

Game came down to the 2 stars. Freeman pounded the ball. As you said, Yelich looked feeble.

Yelich hasn't been a star in two years

[The Sultan]

Not basing this on tonight, but Hader is a piece that can be moved to get better on offense.  There's no one on the staff that can replace him but I feel good about the front office finding arms to fill that role.

One of the big 3 starters can get moved, too.  I think they can start the year with Houser/Lauer/Ashby filling the final 3 spots and try getting an Anderson type as a swing man 6th starter.

The injuries to Williams and Suter were crushing, especially Suter who would have replaced Freddie yesterday. 

I admit, this one hurts a lot more than 2018 because I think they're better than how they played

You better get huge value if you trade one of the big three. Burnes and Woodruff have three more years prior to free agency and Peralta has five with club options the last two.

[Dish]

All the criticism of the Sox here that I read is warranted.

Baseball is such a hard sport to cheer through the playoffs on. You devout so much time to cheering for a team, it's such a long season that can be deceiving, and then it ends with a huge thud.

Both the Sox & Brewers were built to win their respective divisions, but neither had the swag to get to the ultimate finish line. Houston is just flat out really good, they don't just hit well, their almost always set up properly defensively, they aren't fast, but will pounce on an extra base. Sox don't do any of that stuff, none, and in October, it will always reveal itself.

[Billy Hoyle]

No it is not anything like that.

You want a pitcher who has thrown way more innings than he ever has and who normally pitches on 5-6 days of rest to start on 3 days rest. That is beyond stupid - Renaldo isn't risking arm or leg issues based on where he is in a penalty kick lineup.

Well, at least Corbin will be available for opening day.

[Uncle Rico]

You better get huge value if you trade one of the big three. Burnes and Woodruff have three more years prior to free agency and Peralta has five with club options the last two.

That's why you dangle them, imo.  They're valuable resources and selling high when it comes to pitchers isn't that crazy. 

Adames, Wong and Urias are back in the infield next year and Narvaez is back behind the plate.  Garcia will certainly test the market.  JBJ will be back because of his contract as will Yelich and Cain. 

1B and a probable OF spot definitely need upgrades.  The system is loaded with OFs, whether any are everyday players, well that's up for debate. 

My dream scenario is Freeman and the Braves can't work out a deal but I can't see that happening.  They'll be tempted to run it back and with that staff, that's fine but they need more sizzle on offense.  It'll be a fascinating off-season

[HutchwasClutch]

Anything other than Braves getting smoked in NLCS will surprise me.  They're a nice team, nothing special at all.  Dodgers or Giants are both so much better

[buckchuckler]

Yeah, but he took a big step back overall and his better second half wasn't as good as last year.

If you say so? But his ERA, WHIP, and K/bb were all better the 2nd half of this year than they were last year.  He threw more innings in the 2nd half this year 74.2 compared to 72.1(just noting to show the statistical comparison is pretty fair), and had fewer walks, (19 this year, 28 last year).  You could make the argument he was basically the same, I don't see how he was worse in any way. 

The pitching in the playoffs was terrible.  They all crapped down their legs.

[buckchuckler]

Anything other than Braves getting smoked in NLCS will surprise me.  They're a nice team, nothing special at all.  Dodgers or Giants are both so much better

Acuna would make a huge difference.  Its a shame they don't have him.  That'd be great for baseball.

[buckchuckler]

Excuse my ignorance but did Houston receive any penalty for cheating?

A slight fine and lost a couple draft picks if I remember correctly.   Really nothing significant. 

[MU82]

I agree
I had not followed Dusty over his prior jobs, but I was aware of his blowing some key game/series leads in the playoffs. Whereas here his players and hitting are accustomed and businesslike, bailing him out in this game.
It appears with the Cullers move , and I think the Luis Garcia pull yesterday for Jimi ... both hinted at Dusty getting tighter later in the series, at risk of overmanaging right into a screwed up overextended staff.

In previous stops, especially SF and Chicago, Dusty actually was usually criticized for leaving his starters in too long.

[MU82]

Fittingly feeble  last AB by Yelich

The last view they showed of him on the telecast, he was walking away from home plate and clearly saying an f-bomb.

That about covers it.

[MuggsyB]

A slight fine and lost a couple draft picks if I remember correctly.   Really nothing significant.

That's pathetic.  Terrible message to our youth.