2016 Official Major League Baseball Thread

[Passionné]

http://m.indians.mlb.com/cle/video/v...adbpr=52861612

If the umpire goes by the letter of the rule the runner is out. Still, who was Gregorious going to throw to if he got the ball with Headley also charging. Gregorious definitely has the only angle to field and have any chance of getting the runner out. Headley becomes nothing more than a base path spoiler giving up the play with third uncovered. No way Headley will produce an out at his angle especially since there's no fielder at third. The real interference looks like Headley blocks the runner and helps distract his own teammate to fumble the catch.

BTW - What's happened to the Cubs?

 

[hungry101]

He is a pure designated hitter. The out of contention Yankees should be willing to trade both their 8th inning lefty and their closer to the Cubs for Schwarber and one other sure-fire player. Gives the Yankees Babe Ruth back while they try to rebuild a team good enough to actually need 8th and 9th inning pitchers. Why call Chapman a closer if there are no games to close.

According to the former Baseball GMs that host the talk shows on MLB radio, when a team is out of contention the stupidist thing to do is to hold onto a closer. The Yankees could get a major haul by dumping Miller and/or Chapman. It is amazing what contenders will give up for bullpen help. The Yankees could be instant contenders in the years to come with the haul they could make from all the desperate teams looking for Bullpen help.

 

[Doc Holliday]

No, worst deal since Obama's deal with Iran.

Even worse than Reagan's own deal with Iran?

 

[Doc Holliday]

According to the former Baseball GMs that host the talk shows on MLB radio, when a team is out of contention the stupidist thing to do is to hold onto a closer. The Yankees could get a major haul by dumping Miller and/or Chapman. It is amazing what contenders will give up for bullpen help. The Yankees could be instant contenders in the years to come with the haul they could make from all the desperate teams looking for Bullpen help.

All true. But no one ever claimed the Yankees were not stupid. Just take a look at the ridiculous contracts they've been handing out for as long as i can remember.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Let me take something off my chest during this all-star break:

I f##### hate video replay!!!!!

 

[Passionné]

I LOVE REPLAY. Hate it so much when a bad call can be corrected and it isn't. You'd feel the same when your team gets a major screwing.

Wow. Cubs (5 with 1 injured) and Red Sox (4) dominating starting All-Star lineups.

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/2016-mlb-all-star-game-full-al-and-nl-rosters/

 

[Doc Holliday]

I LOVE REPLAY. Hate it so much when a bad call can be corrected and it isn't. You'd feel the same when your team gets a major screwing.

There are already way too many play stoppages!!! I can't stand the long delays!!!!! The games are long enough already!!! If the current umpires can't get the calls right, then fire their big fat old asses!!!

I also hate the stupid sliding rules at 2nd and at home plate. MLB is a sport that is supposed to be played by men, not by a bunch of pantsies!

MLB has become A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN!!!

 

[EagerBeaver]

I have always thought the easiest way to speed up the pace of the game is to have a pitch clock just like they have a shot clock in basketball to get off a shot. With the pitch clock you have 20 seconds to throw your pitch or the umpire calls a ball. The umpires would also be stripped of authority to allow batters time out, unless there is an injury. This would be a very simple rule change and you will see a much faster pace of play. Players will have to adapt to the rule instead of allowing them to dictate the pace of the game.

By the way I heard Commissioner Manfred interviewed on WFAN a few weeks ago and this is one of his pet issues. He was reciting stats on lengths of games this year, last year and year before and he doesn't like what he is seeing. Expect changes-

 

[Doc Holliday]

I have always thought the easiest way to speed up the pace of the game is to have a pitch clock just like they have a shot clock in basketball to get off a shot. With the pitch clock you have 20 seconds to throw your pitch or the umpire calls a ball. The umpires would also be stripped of authority to allow batters time out, unless there is an injury. This would be a very simple rule change and you will see a much faster pace of play. Players will have to adapt to the rule instead of allowing them to dictate the pace of the game.

By the way I heard Commissioner Manfred interviewed on WFAN a few weeks ago and this is one of his pet issues. He was reciting stats on lengths of games this year, last year and year before and he doesn't like what he is seeing. Expect changes-

The problem with the lenght of the games in reality have nothing to do with the amount of time between pitches. It has mostly to do with the delays between innings due to advertising. If the broadcasters had their way, a baseball game would last 10 hours or more and you'd have commercials lasting 15 minutes long between innings.

I haven't done so but i'd be curious to check how long the delays are between innings when teams like the Dodgers, Yankees & Red Sox are playing as compared to the majority of other teams. I'd bet you that the commercial breaks between innings are regularly longer.

But what pisses me off about video replay is that the intent was good, but they totally fucked it up. There are way too many of them and often the delays are way too long. More often than not, the umpires had it right in the first place. The long delays interrupt the flow of the game and after too many of them, the average fans watching at home tune out.

I've found a good way to beat the problem: I now PVR all the Jays games i watch. I will then do something else and when the game is about 2 hrs long, i then start watching the game and fast-forward it at intervals. By the time the 8th inning comes along, i'm by then up to speed. Altogether it now takes me just over an hour to watch a game.

 

[daydreamer41]

I LOVE REPLAY. Hate it so much when a bad call can be corrected and it isn't. You'd feel the same when your team gets a major screwing.

Wow. Cubs (5 with 1 injured) and Red Sox (4) dominating starting All-Star lineups.

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/2016-mlb-all-star-game-full-al-and-nl-rosters/

That many Red Sox in the All-Star game is a fluke. Look for a nose dive afterwards.

Only 1 Baltimore Oriole starter, Manny Machado. Very surprised at that.

Mark Trumbo should be starting instead of Jackie Bradley. Trumbo has more HR's and about the same batting average.

 

[smuler]

Go National League !!

I do hope its a great game :fencing:

Best Regards

Smuler

 

[EagerBeaver]

I really like that MLB named the batting championship awards for Rod Carew and Tony Gwynn in the AL and NL. I really liked both Carew and Gwynn. I always thought Rod Carew was the toughest out I ever saw, he could hit any pitch and he was lethal slapping hits to the opposite field. My sense is that Carew was the more instinctive hitter whereas Gwynn was the more cerebral hitter, who spent hours and hours studying pitchers and pitching patterns.

However, my most feared opposing hitter from that era was their fellow Hall of Famer George Brett, who was also a great hitter and had power and frequently hit big home runs in big games.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Jose Altuve

Although he has been the best second baseman in the AL the last 3 years, Altuve has continued to improve his game. This is the first season in which he has more walks than strikeouts. In past years, he was never close to having more walks than strikeouts. This means he has figured out the strike zone, become more selective, and his slugging average has soared to .542 while his OBP is also at a career high .413. These are stud numbers. On top of all this he is a very good base stealer. He is a stud.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/stats/_/id/31662/jose-altuve

 

[hungry101]

You know 2B is the premier position in the American league. I really like Ian Kinsler and I believe he should have been named to the All-Star team. He even has a better WAR over the past 3 years than Altuve. His numbers are pretty good too.
http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/stats/_/id/6197/ian-kinsler

 

[Doc Holliday]

That many Red Sox in the All-Star game is a fluke. Look for a nose dive afterwards.

Only 1 Baltimore Oriole starter, Manny Machado. Very surprised at that.

Mark Trumbo should be starting instead of Jackie Bradley. Trumbo has more HR's and about the same batting average.

I don't disagree with you, but it's a popularity contest after all. That's what you get when you leave it up to the fans to chose your starters.

 

[Doc Holliday]

You know 2B is the premier position in the American league. I really like Ian Kinsler and I believe he should have been named to the All-Star team. He even has a better WAR over the past 3 years than Altuve. His numbers are pretty good too.

I've always liked Ian Kinsler. The Jays were about to get him a couple of years ago until Detroit came up with a better offer at the last minute. By the way, why did the Tigers ever give up on Devon Travis? Where's Anthony Gose now?

 

[Doc Holliday]

Although he has been the best second baseman in the AL the last 3 years, Altuve has continued to improve his game. This is the first season in which he has more walks than strikeouts. In past years, he was never close to having more walks than strikeouts. This means he has figured out the strike zone, become more selective, and his slugging average has soared to .542 while his OBP is also at a career high .413. These are stud numbers. On top of all this he is a very good base stealer. He is a stud.

I agree. He's a heck of a baseball player and i'd take him on my team anytime!

 

[Doc Holliday]

MLB expected to investigate Ortiz’s comments about Encarnacion

David Ortiz‘s recruitment efforts of Edwin Encarnacion during the all-star break didn’t sit well with Toronto Blue Jays fans, and apparently not Major League Baseball either.

Ortiz suggested at a press conference on Tuesday that Encarnacion would be a great fit for the Red Sox after he retires and that the team should look into pursuing the upcoming free agent – remarks that caught the attention of MLB.

According to the MLB’s rules and regulations “there shall be no negotiations or dealings respecting employment, either present or prospective, between any player, coach or manager…unless the Club or baseball employer with which the person is connected shall have, in writing, expressly authorized such negotiations or dealings prior to their commencement.”

For his part, Encarnacion was flattered Ortiz would speak so highly of him, but said he’s focused on the Blue Jays and his goal of making the World Series this season.

Encarnacion, who leads the majors with 80 RBI, is a free agent at the end of the season and has yet to engage in talks with the Blue Jays about a contract extension.


Big Poopy guilty of tampering?

 

[Doc Holliday]

Boston Red Sox acquire left-hander Drew Pomeranz from San Diego

The Boston Red Sox have long been rumoured to be seeking pitching help and on Thursday they appear to have found it, in what may be the first big domino to fall as the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline approaches.

The Red Sox have acquired left-handed starting pitcher Drew Pomeranz from the San Diego Padres for top pitching prospect Anderson Espinoza, according to several reports.

Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune first reported the trade.

Pomeranz, who earned his first career all-star berth this season, is 8-7 with a 2.47 ERA over 17 starts and 102 innings. He’s allowed just 67 hits while striking out 115 batters and his .184 opponents batting average ranks second in MLB to only Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Marco Estrada (.174).

The 27-year-old is making $1.35 million this season and will be under team control until the end of the 2018 season, making him one of the more coveted starting pitching arms on the trade market.

Espinoza, 18, is ranked by ESPN's Keith Law as the No. 14 prospect in baseball. Boston signed the Venezuelan right-hander in 2014 for $1.8 million.


Red Sox acquire Drew Pomeranz

 

[EagerBeaver]

I hate to say this but I was hoping the Yankees would trade for Drew Pomeranz who would be awesome in Yankees Stadium. Sounds like a good deal for Boston if not a heist.