2025 MLB Season

[MU82]

Out as skippers:  Rocco Baldelli in Minnesota and Bob Melvin in San Francisco

Staying:  Don Kelly in Pittsburgh and Carlos Mendoza with the Mets

Rookie GM Buster Posey gave Melvin a contract extension ... and then fired him 3 months later. After giving Melvin the ax, Posey of course said: "I have a tremendous amount of respect for Bob Melvin."

At least the respected Melvin will earn a nice buck over the next 12 months.

[The Sultan]

Rookie GM Buster Posey gave Melvin a contract extension ... and then fired him 3 months later. After giving Melvin the ax, Posey of course said: "I have a tremendous amount of respect for Bob Melvin."

At least the respected Melvin will earn a nice buck over the next 12 months.

They really didn't give him an extension - they just picked up his option by the deadline in his contract.

[MU82]

They really didn't give him an extension - they just picked up his option by the deadline in his contract.

Exact same effect, but thanks for the clarification.

[The Sultan]

Exact same effect, but thanks for the clarification.

I have never heard of an option pick up being called an "extension." The latter implies that it was an entirely new contract.

[MU82]

I have never heard of an option pick up being called an "extension." The latter implies that it was an entirely new contract.

As I said, thanks for the clarification.

[TallTitan34]

I'm all for the ABS challenge system but we're going to quickly realize that we don't need to live this way where we're at the whims of CB Bucknor when the robot overlords are grading each call in real time. Why leave it to a challenge for the sake of gamesmanship? Don't we want to get it right? (Narrator: No - we need something to bitch about the next day).

I think it's amazing the umps get as many right as they do. Trying to accurately determine where a +90 mph pitch is breaking through an invisible box five feet in front of you is a tough ask.

But over 26,000 ball-strike calls were missed this season.  The technology is there to get it right so why not use it.

Yeah, I am not sure about the extra inning rule. Maybe the extra runner should start in the 11th instead of the tenth?

It just doesn't feel like real baseball.  The Cubs walked off a game this year with a ground out to second and a sac fly to right. 

I suppose the other team had the same opportunity to do the same but making two outs shouldn't get you a win. 

[The Sultan]

I think it's amazing the umps get as many right as they do. Trying to accurately determine where a +90 mph pitch is breaking through an invisible box five feet in front of you is a tough ask.

But over 26,000 ball-strike calls were missed this season.  The technology is there to get it right so why not use it.

It just doesn't feel like real baseball.  The Cubs walked off a game this year with a ground out to second and a sac fly to right. 

I suppose the other team had the same opportunity to do the same but making two outs shouldn't get you a win. 

I don't disagree, but it could be argued that all overtimes don't feel like "real" versions of their sports either. Basketball seems like the only exception these days.

[wadesworld]

I think it's amazing the umps get as many right as they do. Trying to accurately determine where a +90 mph pitch is breaking through an invisible box five feet in front of you is a tough ask.

But over 26,000 ball-strike calls were missed this season.  The technology is there to get it right so why not use it.

It just doesn't feel like real baseball.  The Cubs walked off a game this year with a ground out to second and a sac fly to right. 

I suppose the other team had the same opportunity to do the same but making two outs shouldn't get you a win. 

Winning a game in the 16th inning because your opponent was on their 15th game in 15 days while you just had 2 off days in the last week and they had to throw their backup catcher out on the mound because they were the last available player doesn't feel like real baseball either.

The extra inning change is great.  It's not a tie, but it's also not a 5 hour game.

[GB Warrior]

Ghost runner is great in the aggregate. While cool, I'm not going to wax poetic about staying up for an 18 inning west coast game at game 120 of the regular season. 

I think in the playoffs, rest days are essentially even, so I'm good with doing away. I'd even live with moving the runner to first, but I'm generally good with the purist view that it's a clean slate.

[TallTitan34]

Winning a game in the 16th inning because your opponent was on their 15th game in 15 days while you just had 2 off days in the last week and they had to throw their backup catcher out on the mound because they were the last available player doesn't feel like real baseball either.

How often does that happen though?

I'd rather the game end in a tie after say the 12th then changing how baseball is played. 

I don't disagree, but it could be argued that all overtimes don't feel like "real" versions of their sports either. Basketball seems like the only exception these days.

That's a good point.

[Shaka Shart]

Just make teams have to go for 2 after the first extra inning

[MU82]

Winning a game in the 16th inning because your opponent was on their 15th game in 15 days while you just had 2 off days in the last week and they had to throw their backup catcher out on the mound because they were the last available player doesn't feel like real baseball either.

The extra inning change is great.  It's not a tie, but it's also not a 5 hour game.

Agree. And it doesn't even have to be the extreme-ish example you stated. In an era in which everybody is worried about pitchers' arms, for a team to have a stretch of 3-5 extra-inning games in a week ... it's just unnecessary during a 162-game regular season that several of those might go 11-12 innings or more.

I like the ghost runner. I like the strategic decisions that some managers use. I like that it helps ensure that regular-season games won't last 4+ hours. As soon as MLB went to a DH 50+ years ago, there was no "purity" (whatever that's supposed to mean) in baseball anyway.

The recent rule changes to ghost runner, pitch clock, and relievers having to face at least 3 batters all were winners IMHO. Most fans seem to like them. Fans will like the pitch-challenge rule, too.

[GB Warrior]

Just make teams have to go for 2 after the first extra inning

Let everyone use Sammy Sosa's bat

[wadesworld]

Let everyone use Sammy Sosa's bat

No hablo ingles.

[The Sultan]

No hablo ingles.

Joe Ingles?

[MU82]

Skubal was awesome today. And just like that, the Tigers don't look so troubled.

Great pitching for the Cubbies, too. One win away from the matchup with the Crew, which will be fun.

[tower912]

Tarik Skubal is going to get paid.  Hopefully, by the Tigers.

[MuggsyB]

If Woodruff is out for the Brewers, who is their 3rd starter?  Ty. 

[MU82]

Bases loaded, nobody out ... and the Yankees don't score in the ninth.

Chapman whipped em as if they were his girlfriend.

[GB Warrior]

If Woodruff is out for the Brewers, who is their 3rd starter?  Ty. 

Bullpen game. It could be Quintana but it'd be his first start off the IL.

[BM1090]

What GB Warrior said. And with the way the off days are, Peralta and Priester will be able to pitch two games each if it goes five.

[tower912]

Bases loaded, nobody out ... and the Yankees don't score in the ninth.

Chapman whipped em as if they were his girlfriend.

Contagious in AL playoff games.

[MuggsyB]

What GB Warrior said. And with the way the off days are, Peralta and Priester will be able to pitch two games each if it goes five.

So the rookie phenom isn't ready I presume.  Despite his early success.  That's too bad. 

[Uncle Rico]

Bases loaded, nobody out ... and the Yankees don't score in the ninth.

Chapman whipped em as if they were his girlfriend.

I don't think that's a crime anymore

[GB Warrior]

I don't think that's a crime anymore

Only if you're in the military