2022 MLB Thread

[Jockey]

There fixed it for you.

Mediocre white guy upset that a racist reference is no longer used.

[Jockey]

Gotta have an asterisk if Judge sets the record.

He didn’t do it the Cardinals Way.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

So do we assume that Judge is “clean,” and that he is about to become the all-time, non-roided HR king?

Yes, he is.

[StillAWarrior]

I feel like an AL-only record is a nice thing to flash along the bottom line and sell t-shirts for. Maybe Yankee fans care more about it since it’s Maris’ record.

For the vast majority of fans, I think 73 is the number that matters.

The Brewers have been pumping social media about Adames having the most homers by a shortstop. Is it a little silly? Yes. But something they can use to drum up interest, especially as the Brewers fall out of the playoffs.

There is no question that people get a little silly with records, but people do slice and dice them all the time. I suspect every team in the league has it's own records. With that in mind, when one considers the Yankees' history, "Yankees' Single Season Home Run" record seems significant. If that's the case, I can't really fault someone citing the "AL record". But yes, we all know that the record that really matters is 73.

[wadesworld]

I don't assume any professional athlete is "clean" when it comes to PEDs.  Some are.  Many aren't.  If you're approaching 70 home runs in a single season...

[MU82]

There is no question that people get a little silly with records, but people do slice and dice them all the time. I suspect every team in the league has it's own records. With that in mind, when one considers the Yankees' history, "Yankees' Single Season Home Run" record seems significant. If that's the case, I can't really fault someone citing the "AL record". But yes, we all know that the record that really matters is 73.

Yessir. There's nothing wrong with saying Judge's 62 will be a record for a league that has been in existence for 120+ years.

"Records" for most HR by a certain position or some of those dopey "combo records" (he's the first third baseman to finish with 44 HR, 35 doubles, 110 RBI and a Gold Glove!) are pretty different from a home-run record for an entire league, especially when numbers Judge would be eclipsing are as hallowed (for lack of better word) as 60 and 61.

Then, if one wants to factor in that the three NL guys with more than 61 HR all used their tushies as pin cushions, Judge's record is all the more impressive. Right now, he's got 20 HR more than MLB's next-most-prolific slugger. That's Ruthian stuff.

I mean, would Judge winning the Triple Crown merit an asterisk if the NL's Freeman finishes with a higher batting average, as will probably happen?

[lawdog77]

Yessir. There's nothing wrong with saying Judge's 62 will be a record for a league that has been in existence for 120+ years.

"Records" for most HR by a certain position or some of those dopey "combo records" (he's the first third baseman to finish with 44 HR, 35 doubles, 110 RBI and a Gold Glove!) are pretty different from a home-run record for an entire league, especially when numbers Judge would be eclipsing are as hallowed (for lack of better word) as 60 and 61.

Then, if one wants to factor in that the three NL guys with more than 61 HR all used their tushies as pin cushions, Judge's record is all the more impressive. Right now, he's got 20 HR more than MLB's next-most-prolific slugger. That's Ruthian stuff.

I mean, would Judge winning the Triple Crown merit an asterisk if the NL's Freeman finishes with a higher batting average, as will probably happen?

Judge's home run should have an asterisk because
1. Trout was injured for part of the year
2. Judge didn't have to face Yadier Molina pitching

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Yessir. There's nothing wrong with saying Judge's 62 will be a record for a league that has been in existence for 120+ years.

"Records" for most HR by a certain position or some of those dopey "combo records" (he's the first third baseman to finish with 44 HR, 35 doubles, 110 RBI and a Gold Glove!) are pretty different from a home-run record for an entire league, especially when numbers Judge would be eclipsing are as hallowed (for lack of better word) as 60 and 61.

Then, if one wants to factor in that the three NL guys with more than 61 HR all used their tushies as pin cushions, Judge's record is all the more impressive. Right now, he's got 20 HR more than MLB's next-most-prolific slugger. That's Ruthian stuff.

I mean, would Judge winning the Triple Crown merit an asterisk if the NL's Freeman finishes with a higher batting average, as will probably happen?

These days the American League is called a "league" due to history.  It is no different than a "conference" in the NBA or NFL.

[muwarrior69]

He didn't. Those titles have been officially vacated.  Bonds' record still stands.

Perhaps MLB should follow suit; but even if they did it does not negate the fact that McGuire, Sosa and Bonds hit those Home Runs.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Perhaps MLB should follow suit; but even if they did it does not negate the fact that McGuire, Sosa and Bonds hit those Home Runs.

Yes. They clearly hit those home runs. You have a point there.

[MU82]

Judge's home run should have an asterisk because
1. Trout was injured for part of the year
2. Judge didn't have to face Yadier Molina pitching

Can't argue that!

He also is being cheered on by Not The Best Fans In Baseball.

[muwarrior69]

Mediocre white guy upset that a racist reference is no longer used.

Well there must still be a few guys here on Scoop who use Warriors to reference the Marquette Basketball team and refer to themselves as muwarrior69 and StillAWarrior just to name a few. I can't count the number of replies here that say "Go Warriors". Warriors and Indians is no more racist to me than mediocre white guy is to you.

[MU82]

White Sox have been outscored by 3 runs this season (compared to Cleveland having a +39 run differential), and they also have a losing record at home (Cleveland is 8 games over .500 at home).

Those are good ways to not win a division title.

[Plaque Lives Matter!]

The Guardians are a lot of fun to watch. Obviously, winning is more fun to watch than losing. After going to my first game of the season last Tuesday, we caught our second game on Friday. It's fun because I honestly had no idea that my 23-year old daughter loves baseball. It's even got me thinking about picking up a 20-game plan for next season.

They're a fun exciting team. What I wish the White sox were. Tone at the top makes a big difference.

[Plaque Lives Matter!]

I don't assume any professional athlete is "clean" when it comes to PEDs.  Some are.  Many aren't.  If you're approaching 70 home runs in a single season...

*teal* What about Jake Arrieta?

[MU82]

I don't assume any professional athlete is "clean" when it comes to PEDs.  Some are.  Many aren't.  If you're approaching 70 home runs in a single season...

I get it. It's hard to not be at least a little skeptical when one guy hits 20 HR more than the next HR hitter.

I really want to believe Judge is clean ... but I wanted to believe it about McGwire and Sosa, too.

Here's hoping.

[LAZER]

I don't assume any professional athlete is "clean" when it comes to PEDs.  Some are.  Many aren't.  If you're approaching 70 home runs in a single season...

So what's the number of HR's to where you get suspicious? 60? 55? 50?

[JWags85]

I get it. It's hard to not be at least a little skeptical when one guy hits 20 HR more than the next HR hitter.

I really want to believe Judge is clean ... but I wanted to believe it about McGwire and Sosa, too.

Here's hoping.

I don't care for the Yankees, and have no special affinity for Judge, but he seems different than Sosa and McGwire.  Sosa was a strong, but lean and athletic 5 tool player who was a 40/40 threat and had a great arm in right field.  Then he bulked up heavily out of nowhere and became a much more one dimensional player.

McGwire was built more like Judge in Oakland, before he too became one of those bulging big headed freakishly built guys the PED era was known for.

Judge is just huge to begin with, built like a TE not a RF.  He's probably taken some PEDs.  Pretty much all pro athletes do at one time or another, but I'm less inclined to think this HR chase is a test tube driven one than in the late 90s.

[MU82]

I don't care for the Yankees, and have no special affinity for Judge, but he seems different than Sosa and McGwire.  Sosa was a strong, but lean and athletic 5 tool player who was a 40/40 threat and had a great arm in right field.  Then he bulked up heavily out of nowhere and became a much more one dimensional player.

McGwire was built more like Judge in Oakland, before he too became one of those bulging big headed freakishly built guys the PED era was known for.

Judge is just huge to begin with, built like a TE not a RF.  He's probably taken some PEDs.  Pretty much all pro athletes do at one time or another, but I'm less inclined to think this HR chase is a test tube driven one than in the late 90s.

Oh, I agree, and I am taking the view (and hope) that he's not juicing. All I'm saying is that it's hardly abnormal for an observer to be a little skeptical. He's really having one of the great offensive seasons ever, and it's something to see.

[MU82]

On another note ... nice to see the South Siders putting up such a fight for the division title.

As for the Guardians, really nice job recovering from that mini-slump they had in late August and early September that let the White Sox and Twins back in the race. Slumps happen to everyone; it's how you respond to them that matters.

[Mutaman]

Gotta have an asterisk if Judge sets the record.

He didn’t do it the Cardinals Way.

Kudos for the Ford Frick reference.

[Jockey]

On another note ... nice to see the South Siders putting up such a fight for the division title.

As for the Guardians, really nice job recovering from that mini-slump they had in late August and early September that let the White Sox and Twins back in the race. Slumps happen to everyone; it's how you respond to them that matters.

I think the last two years have shown us that it should have been Dave Duncan in the HoF instead of the Hall of Fame baseball drunk.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

It's hard to argue that LaRussa wasn't a good manager. But his era is over. Expecting a guy in his late 70s to manage like he did in his 40s and 50s is a bad idea.

[MUBurrow]

I think the last two years have shown us that it should have been Dave Duncan in the HoF instead of the Hall of Fame baseball drunk.

Is there any more underrated position in all of sports than a top MLB pitching coach?

[Jockey]

Is there any more underrated position in all of sports than a top MLB pitching coach?

With advances in analytics, super high speed cameras, and pitching academies, the position is even more important.