2026 MLB Thread

[SoCalEagle]

I find it hard to choose sides when millionaires are fighting with billionaires, but I can't shake one image from the 1995 strike. Lou Whitaker showed up to a players meeting via stretch limo and decked out in an expensive suit and gold rimmed glasses. Was he just tone deaf? Maybe, because when he was criticized for being so extravagant when workers and staff at stadiums were suffering, he went into a tirade about not hiding his riches. Then he began to list them off, his houses, his jewelry, his large bank accounts. Just laughable stuff. Now, should today's players be judged by that kind of behavior. Of course not. However, as noted above, I find it hard to side with either the players or the owners (the millionaires or the billionaires). Just put a quality product on the field and let's play ball!!!

[SoCalEagle]

They've already won the 2026 World Series.

Unlikely, but I've got my fingers crossed.

[Shaka Shart]

Unlikely, but I've got my fingers crossed.

Wades's marriage depends on it (I don't actually remember this reference specifically anymore please someone google it for me ty)

[wadesworld]

Wades's marriage depends on it (I don't actually remember this reference specifically anymore please someone google it for me ty)

Nah, I'll just lose the third house we have because of my betting on the Dodgers.  I bet the house on the Dodgers last year, and since MU82 didn't take my advice to do so, I bet his house on them, too.  So we're sitting on 3 houses, and I bet one of the houses on the Dodgers again this year.  So we'll either be at 2 or 4 houses.

[Shaka Shart]

Nah, I'll just lose the third house we have because of my betting on the Dodgers.  I bet the house on the Dodgers last year, and since MU82 didn't take my advice to do so, I bet his house on them, too.  So we're sitting on 3 houses, and I bet one of the houses on the Dodgers again this year.  So we'll either be at 2 or 4 houses.

Please tell me which is good or bad ty

[Pakuni]

I didn't analyze your motives. I honestly couldn't care less.  And I'm not necessarily questioning your work ethic either. When I've had similar conversations with coworkers IRL it's usually not a matter of work ethic but a lack of awareness of how their actions are being percieved and the burden they are placing on others. A mentor of mine had the same conversation with me when I was first starting out and it really stuck with me.  Knowing how to ask for help is as or even more important than knowing when to ask for help.

I think we agree that it would be better if revenue disparities were narrowed. But if that were their goal, the owners could do that now without a cap.
IMO, the cap is about creating cost certainty and enhancing franchise values. MLB owners have seen the values of NBA, NFL and even NHL franchises grow at a greater rate than their own and decided the way to replicate that growth is via a wage structure that ensures profitability (see: clawback clause in the CBA).

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I think we agree that it would be better if revenue disparities were narrowed. But if that were their goal, the owners could do that now without a cap.
IMO, the cap is about creating cost certainty and enhancing franchise values. MLB owners have seen the values of NBA, NFL and even NHL franchises grow at a greater rate than their own and decided the way to replicate that growth is via a wage structure that ensures profitability (see: clawback clause in the CBA).

Oh I 100% agree. The owners are completely self motivated. But I don't really care why the owners want it, I just care whether or not or so be good for the sport.  I think the right cap/floor would be,  but I'm also open to other solutions. I'm also open to cap/floor and other solutions.

[MU82]

Nah, I'll just lose the third house we have because of my betting on the Dodgers.  I bet the house on the Dodgers last year, and since MU82 didn't take my advice to do so, I bet his house on them, too.  So we're sitting on 3 houses, and I bet one of the houses on the Dodgers again this year.  So we'll either be at 2 or 4 houses.

Our landlord won't love the idea of you betting his house, so you're on your own. It actually was you betting $500K if memory serves. Good luck, wades!

They've already won the 2026 World Series.

Yup. Not even sure why MLB played the season. And I guess losing all of 2027 won't matter, either, because the Dodgers are guaranteed their 4th straight if the owners let the season be played. Might as well just give it to them now.

No other team has a chance to even score on the Dodgers let alone beat them, as the Brewers proved over the weekend.

[StillAWarrior]

I expect big things from the Guardians tonight.

[wadesworld]

Our landlord won't love the idea of you betting his house, so you're on your own. It actually was you betting $500K if memory serves. Good luck, wades!

Yup. Not even sure why MLB played the season. And I guess losing all of 2027 won't matter, either, because the Dodgers are guaranteed their 4th straight if the owners let the season be played. Might as well just give it to them now.

No other team has a chance to even score on the Dodgers let alone beat them, as the Brewers proved over the weekend.

I bet his house last year.  This year I'm betting the house that I won off of last year's betting his house.  So we're good there!

[MU82]

I bet his house last year.  This year I'm betting the house that I won off of last year's betting his house.  So we're good there!

I mean, seriously, you were 100% certain. Not even just 99.9%. Why wouldn't you bet big on an absolute, stone-cold lock?

[PointWarrior]

Typing your question into a search engine instead of typing it into the board would take 1/10th the time for you to get a correct answer and not have the board to read your lazy question. 

Interesting.  Answering my question would have taken about 1/10th of the time than you crafting this drivel.  Maybe reevaluate things and stop overanalyzing my motives or work ethic?  I know exactly what I'm doing, and why. 

[GB Warrior]

Typing your question into a search engine instead of typing it into the board would take 1/10th the time for you to get a correct answer and not have the board to read your lazy question. 

Sure but the LLM behind it would have drained a small lake

[MuggsyB]

Gargantuan error there.  What happened to rudimentary focus?  Smh. 

[Uncle Rico]

Gargantuan error there.  What happened to rudimentary focus?  Smh. 

The ball hit the seam of the infield and dirt.  That changes the trajectory of the ball.  If you'd ever have played baseball, you'd know that.  Has nothing to do with "rudimentary focus".  "Rudimentary focus" is the kind of thing Joe Beer Guts talk about because they never played the sport.

[tower912]

Gargantuan error there.  What happened to rudimentary focus?  Smh. 

Google it.

[cheebs09]

Freddy making himself some money.

[MuggsyB]

The ball hit the seam of the infield and dirt.  That changes the trajectory of the ball.  If you'd ever have played baseball, you'd know that.  Has nothing to do with "rudimentary focus".  "Rudimentary focus" is the kind of thing Joe Beer Guts talk about because they never played the sport.

That didn't look like a bad hop or a trajectory change.  Terrible error imo. 

[tower912]

It clearly hit the lip and skidded.  At this time of year, between two teams like these, the random bad hop becomes game changing.

It reminded me of a chip in golf that hits the seam where the fringe meets the green and jumps forward far more than expected.

[CTWarrior]

The ball hit the seam of the infield and dirt.  That changes the trajectory of the ball.  If you'd ever have played baseball, you'd know that.  Has nothing to do with "rudimentary focus".  "Rudimentary focus" is the kind of thing Joe Beer Guts talk about because they never played the sport.

Perhaps you are right, but the play immediately before that where he didn't cover third base WAS a lack of focus. 

[Uncle Rico]

Perhaps you are right, but the play immediately before that where he didn't cover third base WAS a lack of focus. 

That was, indeed

[Uncle Rico]

That didn't look like a bad hop or a trajectory change.  Terrible error imo. 

Well, you're wrong.  Again.

[JWags85]

Attendance last night at the Trop was under 32,000.  Sell out is just over 35,000.  But capacity can go up over 40,000 as we saw with the Yankees series.  "Get in" price was under $100 with 90 min before the first pitch.

Will definitely look into tickets for Game 6 if the series gets there, cause its still playoff baseball and the Rays are a really fun team.  And in the event of a Brewers/Rays World Series, will definitely attend at least one game with my father.

The lack of attendance is especially odd, cause living in St. Pete, its not like the Rays are an after thought.  Tons of flags/signs on businesses.  Couple of the main streets, even going north and west well beyond downtown, have Rays signs attached to all light poles during the season.  There is a fantastic bar/restaurant district (you could argue actual main hub for all of St Pete, their Water St) is directly north of Trop (an easy few min walk from part of it, tons of shuttles from others)...yet that doesn't translate to attendance in any way.  We can clearly see from this season that quality of the team doesn't matter.  A new stadium won't change things either, IMO. 

If there is a new stadium, its gotta be in Tampa, IMO, which is unfortunate.  Lightning get good attendance. Bucs get good attendance.  I don't think people not wanting to drive from Tampa/Tampa burbs to St Pete is the ONLY reason attendance for the Rays is bad, but its certainly a major contributing factor.

[StillAWarrior]

Terrible error imo.

There is no question that it was a consequential error -- it arguably cost the Guardians the game -- but it wasn't a terrible error. The ball just stayed down.

I honestly believed that the Guardians were going to come home with a 2-0 lead, and but for that error it absolutely could have happened. Tough stretch there...Hedges failed to challenge a pitch on Caminero that should have been an out, the missed double play, Jose not covering, and the error. Three runs. If any one of those things had gone differently, Messick would have been out of the inning. A potential 1-0 Guardians victory. Damn. Hopefully they can bounce back and win three in Cleveland.

A"Get in" price was under $100 with 90 min before the first pitch.

This is exactly what I'm hoping for tomorrow night in Cleveland. I set my number at $100. Currently $145 are the cheapest tickets we're seeing.

[GB Warrior]

Freddy making himself some money.

Beginning to think the Mets aren't a model franchise