2026 MLB Thread

[Uncle Rico]

Excellent posts, TAMU and Rico.

My point was that while the big boyz obviously have much more margin for error, numerous little guys can - and do - contend by running great all-around organizations centered on talent acquisition, development and culture.

There is an easy path toward a more financially level playing field, and it's true revenue sharing.

Yes, my post "left something out." But for some, the final eight could be seven small-market teams and the Dodgers ... and if the Dodgers win the World Series on a bloop hit in the 14th inning of Game 7, the conclusion will be, "See, nobody else can even compete!"

Baseball ownership from the first day baseball was organized into leagues have been the issue.  It's one of America's true consistencies.

[cheebs09]

I think that's what makes the Dodgers so tough. They have basically taken the small market mentality ability to identify talent and have endless amounts of money. I think it's what the Mets were hoping out of Stearns.

The Dodgers success is more than just an infinite checkbook.

[Jockey]

I think that's what makes the Dodgers so tough. They have basically taken the small market mentality ability to identify talent and have endless amounts of money. I think it's what the Mets were hoping out of Stearns.

The Dodgers success is more than just an infinite checkbook.

Great point, cheebs. Meanwhile the Mets think that just spending money without the scouting & player development is the answer. Stearns built a team in Milwaukee to compete, but Cohen doesn't have the patience to let him combine spending with player acquisition and development.

[Jockey]

That's pretty ridiculous. What a team.

It was needed. That was the worst 5 game defensive middle infield stretch that I can remember from the Brewers.

[wadesworld]

He has been late/unable to square up on anything the entire series

And it was the same problem last year in the Playoffs for him.

[cheebs09]

While they didn't put up a lot of runs, I do think this year the batting order is more balanced. It felt like last year, once you got past maybe 5 or 6, there were 3 automatic outs coming. Granted, Ortiz didn't have a good series, but the bottom of the order can at least string some hits together and put pressure on pitching.


At the end of the day, the Brewers need to put pressure on the Dodgers starters. Last year, they barely got into the bullpen and the starters cruised.

[The Sultan]

Great point, cheebs. Meanwhile the Mets think that just spending money without the scouting & player development is the answer. Stearns built a team in Milwaukee to compete, but Cohen doesn't have the patience to let him combine spending with player acquisition and development.

I do kinda wonder how much Matt Arnold was the guy doing the actual work in Milwaukee. That might be unfair...

[MU82]

Great point, cheebs. Meanwhile the Mets think that just spending money without the scouting & player development is the answer. Stearns built a team in Milwaukee to compete, but Cohen doesn't have the patience to let him combine spending with player acquisition and development.

Yup. "He won in Minnesota, so just imagine what he'll accomplish with the Cubs" was a similar fallacy that led to mostly frustration under Andy MacPhail.

[GB Warrior]

How the Rays and Brewers spend their money is always overlooked.  I can't speak for Tampa, but Milwaukee spends internationally and in development. They could spend more on payroll, but paying Burnes, Adames, Williams, Hader, and Peralta was never going to happen, and quite frankly, nor should it have.  They maximized the value of all of them and would have gotten diminishing returns had they handed out the contracts they got or will get.

They're going to do it with Contreras and Turang as well.  Those may play out differently as far as what they go on to do but they'll fill those positions on their terms.

I've said this ad nauseam about the Dodgers. They mix large contracts with one of the best run overall organizations in the game.  It mirrors the Yankees of the 90's and the Red Sox of the 00's.  You can spend all you want, but no success is guaranteed.  It's what the Mets have failed to do the past half decade.

What the large markets have, is the capability to absorb bad contracts.  The Brewers can do that with one, maybe two.  That's the difference.  And even the Mets and Yankees can get hamstrung with bad contracts if their organization can't develop young talent.

When Reds ownership bemoaned not being Milwaukee, it's time for a deep dive into your people running the org.  It isn't all luck, there is some of that, but it's about people, process, and understanding how to invest in them and it.

Like JB with the cute ball boy at the pickleball tournament, Rico fcking nailed it.

I know Vlad got derided for his comments that he was paid for past performance but there is a lot of truth that you are paid because of scarcity and perceived certainty for the first few years of the deal, and everything else is a crapshoot or negative value.

The brewers will never pay a pitcher because the risk is too high that you never get that value in the front years because of injury. Paying Corbin would have been a death sentence.

I am very interested in what the CBA does to the parts that aren't the salary cap. There's been discussion of an international draft that I think would be unfairly damaging to the infrastructure they've laid in international markets.

[Spotcheck Billy]

It was a moronic comment.  And A.J. Perzinski was also openly rooting for SD all four games.  Immediate dismissals should be on the table.  Do your job. 

Does he try looking like JD Vance intentionally?

[TSmith34, Inc.]

Great news for Pete Rose:

"I worked hard to get a man named Pete Rose into the Baseball Hall of Fame before he died.

And Pete was sort of a friend of mine, but more than a friend. I used to watch him, Charlie Hustle. What — that guy was a great player, right? He had 4,256 hits, a record they say probably can never be broken, probably can't. And I called the commissioner of baseball. He's a nice guy. And I said, Commissioner, you gotta let this guy in. He's waited for years, like what, 40 years or something?...

So, the commissioner told me he was going to do it, but it took him a long time. He waited and waited. I called him, when are you doing it? Oh, I'm going to do it. And he announced it right after Pete died."

[Uncle Rico]

Great news for Pete Rose:

"I worked hard to get a man named Pete Rose into the Baseball Hall of Fame before he died.

And Pete was sort of a friend of mine, but more than a friend. I used to watch him, Charlie Hustle. What — that guy was a great player, right? He had 4,256 hits, a record they say probably can never be broken, probably can't. And I called the commissioner of baseball. He's a nice guy. And I said, Commissioner, you gotta let this guy in. He's waited for years, like what, 40 years or something?...

So, the commissioner told me he was going to do it, but it took him a long time. He waited and waited. I called him, when are you doing it? Oh, I'm going to do it. And he announced it right after Pete died."

Like POTUS, Pete was a pedophile

[MU82]

Still not in the Hall of Fame. Still unlikely to get there.

[Shaka Shart]

Like POTUS, Pete was a pedophile

Just like presidential medal of freedom receiver Roger Clemens

[Uncle Rico]

Just like presidential medal of freedom receiver Roger Clemens

Pedophilia is a platform for some political parties nowadays.  As long as we don't have affordable healthcare and we keep minorities down, its ok for some

[MuggsyB]

It was needed. That was the worst 5 game defensive middle infield stretch that I can remember from the Brewers.

This is a good point.  The Brewers did not play their best vs SD.  Far from it.  Really good teams find ways to win with their B- game.  The Brewers will hace to play better vs LA, but they absolutely can. 

[MuggsyB]

Just like presidential medal of freedom receiver Roger Clemens

There's no way to defend why this award was bestowed on Clemens. 

[Jockey]

Roger has good knee pads.

[Jay Bee]

Like JB with the cute ball boy at the pickleball tournament, Rico fcking nailed it.

I am very interested in what the CBA does to the parts that aren't the salary cap. There's been discussion of an international draft that I think would be unfairly damaging to the infrastructure they've laid in international markets.

There aren't usually ball boys at pickleball tournaments. We keep using the same ball - like reeko at the bathhouse, there's a lot of bending over.

Over the past couple of months I've played a lot with the wife of a current MLB player. She's very athletic (D-I athlete) and one of my favorite females to play with - great aggression and skill - both doubles and singles.

Unfortunately, they have left Minnesota for the offseason. If there's a lockout, that will delay the time until their return to Minnesota, so no more pb here for awhile

Nonetheless, I do have a mixed doubles 4.0-4.25 tournament tomorrow afternoon. Have not decided on my jersey, but it'll be either Markus, Fru or Nigel. We are market

[Uncle Rico]

There aren't usually ball boys at pickleball tournaments. We keep using the same ball - like reeko at the bathhouse, there's a lot of bending over.

Over the past couple of months I've played a lot with the wife of a current MLB player. She's very athletic (D-I athlete) and one of my favorite females to play with - great aggression and skill - both doubles and singles.

Unfortunately, they have left Minnesota for the offseason. If there's a lockout, that will delay the time until their return to Minnesota, so no more pb here for awhile

Nonetheless, I do have a mixed doubles 4.0-4.25 tournament tomorrow afternoon. Have not decided on my jersey, but it'll be either Markus, Fru or Nigel. We are market

Hope your tiny hands can manage holding a paddle that long.

How do you know what happens at bath houses?  The lady doth protest too much.

[Pakuni]

There's no way to defend why this award was bestowed on Clemens. 

Just a couple of regular dudes into teenage girls.

[StillAWarrior]

Guards Win!

[MU82]

Tough ending for the Sox, but they had one helluva turnaround season.

21 strikeouts out of 27 outs - live by big, balls-to-the-wall swings; die by big, balls-to-the-wall swings.

[Pakuni]

I should have listened to 18th and State.

[Dish]

I blame me for being enthusiastic these last few months.