2026 MLB Thread

[WhiteTrash]

If the baseball gods are generous, the White Sox won't see the Red Sox again until 2027.

The Red Sox appear to be the best team in baseball. Do simple hot streaks last this long?

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

The Red Sox appear to be the best team in baseball. Do simple hot streaks last this long?

Law of averages said they can't play this well forever.

[Dish]

RIP 2026 White Sox

It was a fun few months.

[The Sultan]

RIP 2026 White Sox

It was a fun few months.

You were never supposed to enjoy them anyway.

[MU82]

Mike Trout brought his Angels teammates to his private golf club in New Jersey on Aug. 3 for a round of team bonding. Four of them got traded during the outing.

[Pakuni]

RIP 2026 White Sox

It was a fun few months.

[Dish]

I'm good with my post being a reverse jinx (if it works out that way).

I really thought their soul got ripped out by the Red Sox and that first Guardians game. My fears of them running out of gas and pitching collapsing felt real last week.

[Pakuni]

I'm good with my post being a reverse jinx (if it works out that way).

I really thought their soul got ripped out by the Red Sox and that first Guardians game. My fears of them running out of gas and pitching collapsing felt real last week.

You aren't wrong to be concerned, at least about the pitching.

[Warriors4ever]

Hey at least I got my Pope hat.

[MU82]

Cal Raleigh asked to talk to the media after the Mariners lost to the Yankees last night, and he personally took the blame for Seattle's terrible season.

"We're not playing well, that starts with me — I'm awful. So it is what it is. I've got to find a way to be better and to help bring the guys along, and we've just got to play better.

"Ultimately, we're just playing very, very, very bad baseball in every facet of the game. We've got to pick it up from the energy standpoint, to the execution, to the little things in the game that help you win baseball games. And we're just not doing those right now. ...

"It's not (management's) fault, it's our fault. We're the ones that aren't performing and we have to accept that. It's just the tough reality of it. Ultimately, as a leader on this team, I feel responsible.

"We just have to do — I just have to do — a better job of getting ready to go and be prepared and bringing that edge and that readiness each night at 7 o'clock."

[Dish]

I would venture to guess if one wanted to make an offer for the Dodgers, they can be had.

[TallTitan34]

Nice Jomboy breakdown of the tag play in the Red Sox/Blue Jays game and playing for the fourth out with the addition of replay.

https://x.com/Jomboy_/status/2087691801687638105/video/1?s=46

[cheebs09]

Can Dustin May hit?

[wadesworld]

Can Dustin May hit?

Which is why getting Skubal wouldn't have changed anything for the Brewers.  They needed him plus 3 (minimum) bats.  Which was obviously never going to happen.

The play is for 2028.  Infield/DH should consist of some combination of Made, Pratt, Turang, Pena, Adamczewski, Fischer.  Outfield should consist of Chourio, Lara, Payne, Mitchell, Frelick.  Starting rotation hopefully consists of Miz, Henderson, Harrison, Priester, Letson, Drohan, Gasser.

Though by that point, without any changes to revenue sharing or a salary cap, the Dodgers will probably have a lineup that includes Shohei, Yordan Alvarez, Bobby Witt, Junior Caminero, James Wood, Dillon Dingler, Matt Olson, and Ben Rice and none of that will matter, either.

[MU82]

Yup. The 2000 Yankees will go on to win the next 10 World Series.

[Uncle Rico]

Yup. The 2000 Yankees will go on to win the next 10 World Series.

The 2000 Yankees didn't have the farm system the current Dodgers do nor a GM that will be forced to sign guys he doesn't want to

[MU82]

The 2000 Yankees didn't have the farm system the current Dodgers do nor a GM that will be forced to sign guys he doesn't want to

Doesn't matter. They bought whoever they wanted. They won 4 out of 5 World Series, they were the evil empire, and they were therefore sure things to win the next 10. At least.

[Uncle Rico]

Doesn't matter. They bought whoever they wanted. They won 4 out of 5 World Series, they were the evil empire, and they were therefore sure things to win the next 10. At least.

It does matter.  It's a big difference.

Andrew Friedman is a better GM than Cashman was at that time.  And he doesn't have to deal with an owner that makes him sign Rondell White and Jose Contreras.  The Yankees might have won another 6-7 titles if Cashman had been allowed to get Johnny Damon in '02 or Vlad Guerrero in '04.  Or keep Andy Pettite and have a legit lefty to throw in the '04 ALCS.

The Dodgers not only have a ton of money, they have an ownership group that lets it baseball people run things.  And they're amongst the best in baseball at what they do.

[The Sultan]

It does matter.  It's a big difference.

Andrew Friedman is a better GM than Cashman was at that time.  And he doesn't have to deal with an owner that makes him sign Rondell White and Jose Contreras.  The Yankees might have won another 6-7 titles if Cashman had been allowed to get Johnny Damon in '02 or Vlad Guerrero in '04.  Or keep Andy Pettite and have a legit lefty to throw in the '04 ALCS.

The Dodgers not only have a ton of money, they have an ownership group that lets it baseball people run things.  And they're amongst the best in baseball at what they do.

Not to mention, their farm system is one of the best as well.

[Uncle Rico]

Not to mention, their farm system is one of the best as well.

Exactly.  They're not guaranteed anything but of all the big money spenders, no one has positioned themselves better for long term success. 

[MU82]

Fair enough. I guess baseball is doomed, after all.

[Uncle Rico]

Fair enough. I guess baseball is doomed, after all.

It's not doomed but the Dodgers are a bit of a unicorn.  Deep-pocketed teams don't always win.  See: Mets. 

But they rarely make glaring personnel mistakes and understand the value of a deep system, a deep system that develops players akin to a small-market team. 

The Dodger way that served them from the Branch Rickey days through Lasorda is back, but done a bit different.

[The Sultan]

But they rarely make glaring personnel mistakes and understand the value of a deep system, a deep system that develops players akin to a small-market team. 

And gives them high quality assets to trade when the time comes.

[WhiteTrash]

It's not doomed but the Dodgers are a bit of a unicorn.  Deep-pocketed teams don't always win.  See: Mets. 

But they rarely make glaring personnel mistakes and understand the value of a deep system, a deep system that develops players akin to a small-market team. 

The Dodger way that served them from the Branch Rickey days through Lasorda is back, but done a bit different.

I think the Dodgers are amazing in their operations. Just my opinion, but I'm not sure the manager is on par with the rest of the FO and players.

[Uncle Rico]

I think the Dodgers are amazing in their operations. Just my opinion, but I'm not sure the manager is on par with the rest of the FO and players.

He isn't.  But so much of managing today is about the clubhouse.  Organizations that are successful have a program in place from the lowest levels up where the messaging and development is the same.

If Roberts were that much of a problem, they'd have dumped him by now.  But I get what you're saying.