2016 Official Major League Baseball Thread

[Doc Holliday]

Jays face the Phillies at the Rogers Centre starting tonight and tomorrow the O's and Red Sox meet in a battle for first place. This week will be a great opportunity for the Jays to make up some ground on those two co-leaders. The Yankees are in Colorado and are currently in a battle for last place in their division.

Go Jays Go!! :thumb:

 

[kirkjonas]

Jays face the Phillies at the Rogers Centre starting tonight and tomorrow the O's and Red Sox meet in a battle for first place. This week will be a great opportunity for the Jays to make up some ground on those two co-leaders. The Yankees are in Colorado and are currently in a battle for last place in their division.

Go Jays Go!! :thumb:

AL East is once again becoming that tight talent division, but I love the way the bats are coing alive for the jays, we already had starting pitching and while the pen is shaky a bit starting to look like Jays of last year, bombers.

 

[Doc Holliday]

AL East is once again becoming that tight talent division, but I love the way the bats are coing alive for the jays, we already had starting pitching and while the pen is shaky a bit starting to look like Jays of last year, bombers.

I have no faith in RA Dickey. I wish they'd trade him. It looks for sure like Sanchez will be heading to the bullpen in a month or so, which is unfortunate since he's one of their top 2 pitchers. I'd send Stroman instead. But i'm not the manager or GM and understand they don't want to compromise Sanchez' career. Personally, i think pitch counts are way overrated.

As for the bullpen, Bret Cecil should be rejoining the team soon, which will be a great boost if he's 100% healthy. They need to figure out ways to rest the bullpen more since it was obvious in his last couple of outings that Osuna is starting to get tired from being overused. I really like the Grilli signing. He's been a great boost of energy for that bullpen and seems to be a good guy to have around the team.

I'm still not crazy about Bautista hitting leadoff, though. They're wasting what he brings you power-wise. Carrera would be better suited for that role, but he's the 4th outfielder. By the way, they should send Devon Travis down to the minors to regain his hitting stroke. Goins and Barney are considerable upgrades at the second base position and Tulo is close to being back in the lineup.

 

[lgna69xxx]

Just think, Noah Syndegaard could have been in the Jays rotation right now ound: ahh hindsight eh...

I have no faith in RA Dickey. I wish they'd trade him.

 

[smuler]

My Mets wasted another game yesterday due to no offense..another loss for De Grom

3 losses in a row now

Best Regards
Smuler

 

[kirkjonas]

I have no faith in RA Dickey. I wish they'd trade him. It looks for sure like Sanchez will be heading to the bullpen in a month or so, which is unfortunate since he's one of their top 2 pitchers. I'd send Stroman instead. But i'm not the manager or GM and understand they don't want to compromise Sanchez' career. Personally, i think pitch counts are way overrated.

As for the bullpen, Bret Cecil should be rejoining the team soon, which will be a great boost if he's 100% healthy. They need to figure out ways to rest the bullpen more since it was obvious in his last couple of outings that Osuna is starting to get tired from being overused. I really like the Grilli signing. He's been a great boost of energy for that bullpen and seems to be a good guy to have around the team.

I'm still not crazy about Bautista hitting leadoff, though. They're wasting what he brings you power-wise. Carrera would be better suited for that role, but he's the 4th outfielder. By the way, they should send Devon Travis down to the minors to regain his hitting stroke. Goins and Barney are considerable upgrades at the second base position and Tulo is close to being back in the lineup.

Yeah Dickey is tough, 50 50 that he'll either go 8 strong 1 or 2 ER no problems or 4 innings and get completely shelled. When he is right though he eats up innings so I can understand the allure of keeping him in the rotation, god knows u can't put him in the pen.

And Cecil if its Cecil of last year sure, but he was terrible this year, just a lead hit waiting to happen. Stroman is too wild for the bullpen I feel, you need good control guys coming in there in potentially tight spots, Stroman is still a little wild and amped up a lot of games it seems.

Totally agree about Grilli in terms on performance and mentorship and Joe Biagini has been a very nice surprise as well.

I like the Bautista leadoff personally cause while he does have power, his strength has always been great plate discipline and he leads the AL in walks. Add now he has protection from DOnalson and Edwin more likely he gets pitches to hit ot on base cause of that great eye, plus he has great base running instincts. Not a prototypical lead off man but since they made the change they are 17-8 and have the best record in the AL eaast, can't argue with that.

I was never a big Tulo fan. Always seems to choke with risp or strikeout waiting to happen, plus constantly injured. Trading him for Reyes was essentially a push, great middle infielders one wth more power the ither better batting and speed, both just a hair from the DL every game. I agree Goins and Barney and incredibly underused but nice to know we have a lot of young pieces for the future.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Even though knuckleball pitchers can generally pitch to a much older age than most pitchers, the aging knuckleballer will start to lose his command of the knuckleball. In the case of Dickey he always threw a harder knuckleball than most other knuckleball pitchers, so that he relied on speed and movement. Pretty much he peaked the year before the Jays got him when he won the Cy Young with the Mets. Dickey's WHIP this year is 1.31, his highest WHIP since 2009. His WHIPs have been remarkably consistent between 2010 and 2015, never higher than 1.24 and pretty much always coming between 1.19 and 1.23 the last 3 years. Any time you see a solid major league pitcher's WHIP rise up over 1.3 he is starting to suck, and usually guys whose WHIPs go up to the 1.50 range find themselves DFA'd, DL'd or sent to the minors. The WHIP does not lie.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Just think, Noah Syndegaard could have been in the Jays rotation right now ound: ahh hindsight eh...

Who's Noah Syndegaard? Never heard of him!

 

[Doc Holliday]

Even though knuckleball pitchers can generally pitch to a much older age than most pitchers, the aging knuckleballer will start to lose his command of the knuckleball. In the case of Dickey he always threw a harder knuckleball than most other knuckleball pitchers, so that he relied on speed and movement. Pretty much he peaked the year before the Jays got him when he won the Cy Young with the Mets. Dickey's WHIP this year is 1.31, his highest WHIP since 2009. His WHIPs have been remarkably consistent between 2010 and 2015, never higher than 1.24 and pretty much always coming between 1.19 and 1.23 the last 3 years. Any time you see a solid major league pitcher's WHIP rise up over 1.3 he is starting to suck, and usually guys whose WHIPs go up to the 1.50 range find themselves DFA'd, DL'd or sent to the minors. The WHIP does not lie.

Sure, it went up after he left the pitcher-friendly National League.

But i can't complain too much about Dickey since he's been very good with the Blue Jays over the past three seasons. He's done pretty much everything they asked of him. He's always been a notoriously slow starter and usually finds his groove starting in June. He usually eats up a lot of innings which is good for the bullpen. But so far i've simply found him inconsistent and maybe i'm not patient enough.

By the way, Jose Reyes was waived yesterday. I wonder where he'll wind up. I'd take him on my team anytime as a utility player. But no way he's back playing shortstop every day. No room for him in Toronto, though.

 

[smuler]

Who's Noah Syndegaard? Never heard of him!

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/184350266/noah-syndergaard-pitches-into-9th-in-victory

Best Regards
Smuler

 

[hungry101]

Hey Smuler

I saw that Colon had a contusion on his throwing arm thumb and had to come out of the game. I thought verticle stripes were supposed to be thinning. He looks like a Christmas Ham.
Anyway, I see that Cespedes is having a great first half.

The Tigers decided to go with Upton over Cespedes. Upton hit about .200 in the months of April and May. He got it going in June and he has 4 home runs in the past 5 games. Also, Rondon is up from AAA and throwing 100+ MPH. He got his first win in releif. I hope things are looking up for the Tigers.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Collins Apologizes For "Puppy Dog" Comment

Terry Colllins apologizes for calling Jay Horwitz a "puppy dog":

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/1...rk-mets-puppy-dog-remark-jay-horwitz-was-line

Not sure if there is any rule requiring a baseball manager to disclose that he has removed a pitcher due to a medical issue. In fact, I would argue that it borders on being a violation of federal privacy laws (HIPAA), especially since a manager is not a medical professional and is not qualified to give any opinion on what is the matter with his pitcher or to answer questions with speculative answers.

On the other hand, dealing with the NYC media is a task that all Mets, Yankees, Knicks, Rangers, Giants and Jets and Islanders and Nets managers/coaches sign up for and what they are being paid to do.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Yankees rallied tonight but Tanaka was hit hard!

How longer will they wait before they trade Andrew Miller? Or will they trade Chapman? Anyone else or will they wait for the trade deadline?

 

[daydreamer41]

Yankees lost again tonight and Tanaka was hit hard!

How longer will they wait before they trade Andrew Miller? Or will they trade Chapman? Anyone else or will they wait for the trade deadline?

Both Miller and Champman are excellent relievers. Why would NYY trade either pitcher? Can you explain your logic with this statement? It's not the political thread where you have none. :bounce:

 

[Doc Holliday]

Both Miller and Champman are excellent relievers. Why would NYY trade either pitcher? Can you explain your logic with this statement? It's not the political thread where you have none. :bounce:

It's no big secret that the Yankees have been shopping Miller around in order to get players and prospects which would help them rebuild that sinking ship of theirs.

A simpler explanation is that they have three excellent closers. Three's a crowd. Miller would bring them the most value and they're probably planning to re-sign Chapman anyway.

 

[Doc Holliday]

The Red Sox and David Price lost again tonight. 4-0 to Tampa. They're now tied with the Jays 5 1/2 games behind Baltimore.

 

[hungry101]

It's no big secret that the Yankees have been shopping Miller around in order to get players and prospects which would help them rebuild that sinking ship of theirs.

A simpler explanation is that they have three excellent closers. Three's a crowd. Miller would bring them the most value and they're probably planning to re-sign Chapman anyway.

If you are ready to unload, the first guy to go is the closer. However they do have 3 excellent end of the ballgame guys.

 

[EagerBeaver]

If you are ready to unload, the first guy to go is the closer. However they do have 3 excellent end of the ballgame guys.

All 3 of them could be closer on most major league teams. Miller has pitched the best of the 3 and Chapman throws the hardest. Betances is dominant but occasionally has struggles with his mechanics and control.

A few games ago Chapman had one of the more dominant strikeouts of the side I have seen this year, on 10 or 11 pitches and the only contact being a weak foul straight up. All 3 are 100 strikeout guys out of the bullpen. It's never been done by 3 on one staff in one year but Chapman could do it despite missing a month of the season.

It's absurd for the Yankees to trade them because next year they will have a plethora of young guys coming up. The more logical guys to trade are Beltran and Teixeria both of whom are in the last years of their contracts and will be free agents. Refsnyder can replace one of the two. Again, people are commenting on trades without looking at team needs and contracts. Also being overlooked is that after the big 3, the Yankees remainder of the bullpen has been terrible so why on Earth would you trade one of your only 3 reliable relief pitchers? It will not happen. You don't expose a team weakness by making a trade that weakens a shallow bullpen that is a 3 man show.

Finally Headley will be traded if one or both of the Gurriell brothers signs with the Yankees. They are free agents and if they sign soon Headley will be traded.

 

[hungry101]

Yes, there is a big drop off in talent it appears from those 3. It is just an old adage in baseball
Once it is obvious you are not going to compete the first thing to do is unload the closer.
But this is a little different case I agree.

 

[daydreamer41]

All 3 of them could be closer on most major league teams. Miller has pitched the best of the 3 and Chapman throws the hardest. Betances is dominant but occasionally has struggles with his mechanics and control.

A few games ago Chapman had one of the more dominant strikeouts of the side I have seen this year, on 10 or 11 pitches and the only contact being a weak foul straight up. All 3 are 100 strikeout guys out of the bullpen. It's never been done by 3 on one staff in one year but Chapman could do it despite missing a month of the season.

It's absurd for the Yankees to trade them because next year they will have a plethora of young guys coming up. The more logical guys to trade are Beltran and Teixeria both of whom are in the last years of their contracts and will be free agents. Refsnyder can replace one of the two. Again, people are commenting on trades without looking at team needs and contracts. Also being overlooked is that after the big 3, the Yankees remainder of the bullpen has been terrible so why on Earth would you trade one of your only 3 reliable relief pitchers? It will not happen. You don't expose a team weakness by making a trade that weakens a shallow bullpen that is a 3 man show.

Correct. All 3 are contributing. Plus, even with all of the innings that Mariano Rivera pitched as a closer, he didn't close every game. He appeared in around 60 to 70 games per year. The most innings he pitched in a year was 74. So having 3 top closers is productive. If the Yankees get 6 or 7 innings from their Starters and have the lead the game is almost in the bank.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/riverma01.shtml

It's no big secret that the Yankees have been shopping Miller around in order to get players and prospects which would help them rebuild that sinking ship of theirs.

A simpler explanation is that they have three excellent closers. Three's a crowd. Miller would bring them the most value and they're probably planning to re-sign Chapman anyway.

Three's not a crowd. 3 top relievers gives the Yankees insurance against late run innings and losses when they are in the lead. Every team would like to have all 3 of them. Besides, who do you think the Yankees would get for Andrew Miller? A starting position player?