2026 MLB Thread

[Jockey]

OK, Jock, I'll let you stay on this hill. Enjoy.

If needed, I appoint you to carry my dead body down.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Murphy: 2nd Best record and current 2 top overall seed in NL the majors despite being 19th in payroll and being widely picked to fall off (again).

FIFM

[Dish]

7 games over .500, it can still come crashing down (Yankees/Rays/Red Sox gauntlet coming up next week), but this has been as enjoyable a Sox season as I can recall.

[MU82]

I know Cal Raleigh has had a horrible season so far, but ...

Did Reds manager Terry Francona REALLY have a LH reliever intentionally walk LH hitter Dominic Canzone to pitch to Raleigh with the bases loaded? By the look on his face, Canzone certainly couldn't believe it.

Next pitch ... grand slam.

"I'd do that every time," Francona said.

OK then. Thanks.

[WhiteTrash]

7 games over .500, it can still come crashing down (Yankees/Rays/Red Sox gauntlet coming up next week), but this has been as enjoyable a Sox season as I can recall.

Maybe a little too early to call, but this looks to be a remarkable / unbelievable season based upon the expectations and history of the team. For being one of the youngest teams in MLB, they still have decent talent in the minors to add in the future.

Based upon Getz's resume, this season is truly unforeseen. Maybe he's one of those guys that needs to be in charge of the major league team, because he was god awful as the director of minor league development for the WS. Is a bizarre twist of fate, if he wasn't made CWS GM, he may have not have even got another job at any level in baseball.

[tower912]

Those who chose to enjoy last season were wise.

[Pakuni]

7 games over .500, it can still come crashing down (Yankees/Rays/Red Sox gauntlet coming up next week), but this has been as enjoyable a Sox season as I can recall.

Given that they're in first place - for now - I'll allow it.
But if they fall in the standings, the enjoyment comes to a crashing halt.

[Dish]

Given that they're in first place - for now - I'll allow it.
But if they fall in the standings, the enjoyment comes to a crashing halt.

<Nodding in total agreement>

[Pakuni]

Based upon Getz's resume, this season is truly unforeseen. Maybe he's one of those guys that needs to be in charge of the major league team, because he was god awful as the director of minor league development for the WS. Is a bizarre twist of fate, if he wasn't made CWS GM, he may have not have even got another job at any level in baseball.

Maybe the problem wasn't Getz's ability but the tools he had to work with. He didn't pick the players, or the coaches, and it's been well-established that when he took over the White Sox were light years behind the competition in developmental tools and practices.

While the major-league team floundered in 2024, Getz was busy investing Jerry's money in significant behind-the-scenes upgrades like the hiring directors of pitching (Brian Bannister) and hitting (Ryan Fuller), two positions that didn't exist previously in the organization. Turnarounds like those of Colson Montgomery and Miguel Vargas, or the development of back-of-the-rotation/AAA guys like Davis Martin and Sean Burke into frontline starters, never happened under the previous administration because the developmental system was broken. Getz knew it and fixing it became his first priority when he became GM.
Also, credit to Getz for abandoning the organization's penchant for making hires in-house (irony, I know) by bringing in respected front-office hires from other organizations, i.e. Josh Barfield from Arizona, Carlos Rodriguez from Tampa, David Keller from the Mets, Gene Watson from KC, etc.
And lastly, it's pretty clear he hit a home run in convincing Will Venables to manage this team.

[MU82]

Maybe the problem wasn't Getz's ability but the tools he had to work with. He didn't pick the players, or the coaches, and it's been well-established that when he took over the White Sox were light years behind the competition in developmental tools and practices.

While the major-league team floundered in 2024, Getz was busy investing Jerry's money in significant behind-the-scenes upgrades like the hiring directors of pitching (Brian Bannister) and hitting (Ryan Fuller), two positions that didn't exist previously in the organization. Turnarounds like those of Colson Montgomery and Miguel Vargas, or the development of back-of-the-rotation/AAA guys like Davis Martin and Sean Burke into frontline starters, never happened under the previous administration because the developmental system was broken. Getz knew it and fixing it became his first priority when he became GM.
Also, credit to Getz for abandoning the organization's penchant for making hires in-house (irony, I know) by bringing in respected front-office hires from other organizations, i.e. Josh Barfield from Arizona, Carlos Rodriguez from Tampa, David Keller from the Mets, Gene Watson from KC, etc.
And lastly, it's pretty clear he hit a home run in convincing Will Venables to manage this team.

In other words ... he Getz it?

[Uncle Rico]

Maybe the problem wasn't Getz's ability but the tools he had to work with. He didn't pick the players, or the coaches, and it's been well-established that when he took over the White Sox were light years behind the competition in developmental tools and practices.

While the major-league team floundered in 2024, Getz was busy investing Jerry's money in significant behind-the-scenes upgrades like the hiring directors of pitching (Brian Bannister) and hitting (Ryan Fuller), two positions that didn't exist previously in the organization. Turnarounds like those of Colson Montgomery and Miguel Vargas, or the development of back-of-the-rotation/AAA guys like Davis Martin and Sean Burke into frontline starters, never happened under the previous administration because the developmental system was broken. Getz knew it and fixing it became his first priority when he became GM.
Also, credit to Getz for abandoning the organization's penchant for making hires in-house (irony, I know) by bringing in respected front-office hires from other organizations, i.e. Josh Barfield from Arizona, Carlos Rodriguez from Tampa, David Keller from the Mets, Gene Watson from KC, etc.
And lastly, it's pretty clear he hit a home run in convincing Will Venables to manage this team.

As a Brewers fan, this sounds and looks familiar. 

[WhiteTrash]

Maybe the problem wasn't Getz's ability but the tools he had to work with. He didn't pick the players, or the coaches, and it's been well-established that when he took over the White Sox were light years behind the competition in developmental tools and practices.

While the major-league team floundered in 2024, Getz was busy investing Jerry's money in significant behind-the-scenes upgrades like the hiring directors of pitching (Brian Bannister) and hitting (Ryan Fuller), two positions that didn't exist previously in the organization. Turnarounds like those of Colson Montgomery and Miguel Vargas, or the development of back-of-the-rotation/AAA guys like Davis Martin and Sean Burke into frontline starters, never happened under the previous administration because the developmental system was broken. Getz knew it and fixing it became his first priority when he became GM.
Also, credit to Getz for abandoning the organization's penchant for making hires in-house (irony, I know) by bringing in respected front-office hires from other organizations, i.e. Josh Barfield from Arizona, Carlos Rodriguez from Tampa, David Keller from the Mets, Gene Watson from KC, etc.
And lastly, it's pretty clear he hit a home run in convincing Will Venables to manage this team.

I think you are probably correct. Maybe it helped that things got historically bad and Jerry had to act like a real owner and be receptive to new ideas. ("new" being ideas other clubs implemented a decade plus before).

Also agree Getz deserves kudos for Venables. He's the run-a-way leader for Manager of the Year.   

[Pakuni]

Oh no.

The Athletics announced Tuesday that they have placed rookie infielder Joshua Kuroda-Grauer on the 10-day injured list with a ruptured testicle.
Kuroda-Grauer sustained the injury during Monday's 5-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks. He fouled a ball hard off the handle of his bat, and it ricocheted directly into his testicles. He fell immediately to the ground in pain.

https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/breaking-news/article/as-place-rookie-joshua-kuroda-grauer-on-injured-list-with-ruptured-testicle-221458466.html

[MU82]

Maybe I'm nuts, but this just seems like one of life's little testes.

[TallTitan34]

For the first time this season, PCA has passed Shohei in fWAR.

1) PCA 6.3
2) Shohei 6.0 (3.0 + 3.0)
3) Yordan 4.9
4) Witt Jr. 4.7
5) Miz 4.6

[cheebs09]

For the first time this season, PCA has passed Shohei in fWAR.

1) PCA 6.3
2) Shohei 6.0 (3.0 + 3.0)
3) Yordan 4.9
4) Witt Jr. 4.7
5) Miz 4.6

Counsell might start getting some attention for MOY with the turnaround and dealing with all the injuries.

[Uncle Rico]

Counsell might start getting some attention for MOY with the turnaround and dealing with all the injuries.

Anyone that can manage a team while standing in a lake of urine gets my vote

[wadesworld]

For the first time this season, PCA has passed Shohei in fWAR.

1) PCA 6.3
2) Shohei 6.0 (3.0 + 3.0)
3) Yordan 4.9
4) Witt Jr. 4.7
5) Miz 4.6

MVPete!  MVPete!  MVPete!

[TallTitan34]

Anyone that can manage a team while standing in a lake of urine gets my vote

I think you may be on to something here. Going to assume this is why they built Murph that platform in the dugout.

Side Note: Could they have not gotten the leg fully on a step?  It's 2/3 on 1/3 off.

[wadesworld]

Is Joey Ortiz MLB's best 3B and MLB's worst SS?

[Uncle Rico]

I think you may be on to something here. Going to assume this is why they built Murph that platform in the dugout.

SIDE NOTE: Could they have not gotten the leg fully on a step?  It's 2/3 on 1/3 off.

That video was debunked, sadly.

[Uncle Rico]

Stand for the anthem.  Urine fumes causing tensions to rise

https://bsky.app/profile/razzball.bsky.social/post/3mrap4iy7xs2l

[Jockey]

Counsell might start getting some attention for MOY with the turnaround and dealing with all the injuries.

If you can finish in 2nd place when you were predicted to finish 1st by most experts, you absolutely deserve it.

[GB Warrior]

If you can finish in 2nd place when you were predicted to finish 1st by most experts, you absolutely deserve it.

After finally spending like a big market team