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MLB 2020 (Off-season/Spring Training/Regular Season) : Baseball is dull only to dull minds

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Is anyone else getting tired of seeing Astros highlights every commercial break in MLB.TV? How are they still doing this? It's like they are spitting in the face of 29 teams fanbases by continually showing it.
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
Hey StreetsofBeige StreetsofBeige ManaByte ManaByte @Nester99 Ron Mexico Ron Mexico GreatnessRD GreatnessRD and the others who post here but I missed, we're setting up another year of fantasy baseball and we've got spots open. If anyone wants in just let us know (by us I mean Musky_Cheese Musky_Cheese ) and we'll get you in the lineup.
Just saw this now. Thanks bud, but will pass. I don't follow baseball like I used to.

Vladdy Jr will be a .290 / 30 hr /100 rbi machine this year. Avoid Ryu. He'll get bombed in the AL. Those are my only tips.
 
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Just saw this now. Thanks bud, but will pass. I don't follow baseball like I used to.

Vladdy Jr will be a .290 / 30 hr /100 rbi machine this year. Avoid Ryu. He'll get bombed in the AL. Those are my only tips.

I actually like the Ryu signing by the Jays. He keeps the ball down, lots of grounders and weak contact. I know he's at the Skydome and the turf is nasty (and Vlad can't defend) but I don't think this is like Dickey going to the Jays. Ryu isn't a flyball pitcher so I think he'll be fine. His ERA will definitely go up as a product of pitching in the Homer happy AL East but I don't think he'll be a bust.
 

greyshark

Member

Caesar's sportsbook as of 3/9:

Chicago White Sox odds of winning WS: 15-1

Washington Nationals odds of winning WS: 20-1

giphy-downsized.gif
 
With all the uncertainty about the upcoming season, I thought I'd derail just a bit and say how much I miss 70's and 80's baseball. It was, for me, *so* much better.

Small ball was a thing - not everything was a HR or K.

Baseball was still a beloved centerpiece of American sports. It felt *special* to society at large still. (I still think the strike of '94 did long-term damage to MLB.)

The announcers were legendary. Ernie Harwell, Vin Scully, Joe Garagiola. Wow!

There was TWIB:



And so much more!

Man, do I miss that era.
 

greyshark

Member

Should we really be that surprised that yet another hard thrower can’t stay healthy? At one point will teams prioritize keeping a pitcher on the mound over lighting up a radar gun?
 

Should we really be that surprised that yet another hard thrower can’t stay healthy? At one point will teams prioritize keeping a pitcher on the mound over lighting up a radar gun?

It's such a gamble. Draft one of these guys knowingly they will probably require TJ, giving up a season + change of service time and then hoping they bounce back from TJ (it is not a given at all). Lighting UK the radar gun sure gets the attention of scouts but man, give me the soft tossing lefty who relies on control and deception any day of the week over the 6'3 kid throwing 98+
 
It's such a gamble. Draft one of these guys knowingly they will probably require TJ, giving up a season + change of service time and then hoping they bounce back from TJ (it is not a given at all). Lighting UK the radar gun sure gets the attention of scouts but man, give me the soft tossing lefty who relies on control and deception any day of the week over the 6'3 kid throwing 98+
I would suspect that many of the issues are improper technical pitching. That and perhaps high speed throwers need to throw things like sliders less often. You can't throw 100 pitches a game, throwing up to 100MPH and 90 MPH sliders and have positive long term health

Here is a great example

Strasburg first start Curveball. He is clearly using a bunch of hand and wrist to get the spin. And he got TJ less than a year later



Now check him this year. Entirely healthy year. Also FYI he stopped using his slider altogether

But the obvious difference here is he isn't snapping his wrist to get the spin.



Now I haven't studied Noah so I can't say for sure. But it seems we have an issue in MLB with pitchers breaking down when they aren't throwing to last from the very beginning
 
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I would suspect that many of the issues are improper technical pitching. That and perhaps high speed throwers need to throw things like sliders less often. You can't throw 100 pitches a game, throwing up to 100MPH and 90 MPH sliders and have positive long term health

Here is a great example

Strasburg first start Curveball. He is clearly using a bunch of hand and wrist to get the spin. And he got TJ less than a year later



Now check him this year. Entirely healthy year. Also FYI he stopped using his slider altogether

But the obvious difference here is he isn't snapping his wrist to get the spin.



Now I haven't studied Noah so I can't say for sure. But it seems we have an issue in MLB with pitchers breaking down when they aren't throwing to last from the very beginning


That is a good point but I would hope the pitching staff would get rid of improper technique in the minors. Or maybe they think "well he's throwing hard, don't want to mess up his delivery", but again, as a musician/teacher (which I know you're all tired of hearing about at this point), I make sure my students have clean technique from the start. And when I have a student come to me who have been playing for a few years but they have glaring flaws in their technique, I help them correct that. Because otherwise, you risk tendonitis/carpal tunnel/other injuries.

So I get maybe at a youth level where it's just parents coaching who don't really know a whole lot about proper mechanics, but surely the further you get into professional baseball there should be coaches helping their players avoid injury.
 
That is a good point but I would hope the pitching staff would get rid of improper technique in the minors. Or maybe they think "well he's throwing hard, don't want to mess up his delivery", but again, as a musician/teacher (which I know you're all tired of hearing about at this point), I make sure my students have clean technique from the start. And when I have a student come to me who have been playing for a few years but they have glaring flaws in their technique, I help them correct that. Because otherwise, you risk tendonitis/carpal tunnel/other injuries.

So I get maybe at a youth level where it's just parents coaching who don't really know a whole lot about proper mechanics, but surely the further you get into professional baseball there should be coaches helping their players avoid injury.
Idk. In the now time of Super Agents and Super Contracts, coaching players of high value can be more suggestive than command.

Keeping with Stras, he wanted to be shut down at the end of 2018. He had been on the IL for 2 months. Came back and had lower velocity.

Dave encouraged him to keep going, learning to pitch with the lower velocity instead of relying on high velocity. And he turned in a 2019 season including a ridiculous playoff run.


But had Stras said no... Then that would have been it.
 
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Well gang opening day is here and MLB is airing older games across various media platforms today. Anyone going to watch some classics?

I'm going to watch Trout go 5-5 at Yankee stadium around noon. Going back to soft tossing lefties yesterday one of my all time favorite pitchers Mark Buehrle is having his perfecto shown at 4. The 2004 ACLS up at 6 and then the legendary 2017 WS game 7 with MadBum ascending to Godlike status to wrap things up tonight.

An article on that game 7. My fav quote

FLANNERY: “He told everyone behind him, he looked at the guys in the bullpen, and said ‘You’re not going to need your gloves tonight. You’re not pitching. You can put those gloves away.’”

Play ball, lads
 
Well gang opening day is here and MLB is airing older games across various media platforms today. Anyone going to watch some classics?

I'm going to watch Trout go 5-5 at Yankee stadium around noon. Going back to soft tossing lefties yesterday one of my all time favorite pitchers Mark Buehrle is having his perfecto shown at 4. The 2004 ACLS up at 6 and then the legendary 2017 WS game 7 with MadBum ascending to Godlike status to wrap things up tonight.

An article on that game 7. My fav quote

FLANNERY: “He told everyone behind him, he looked at the guys in the bullpen, and said ‘You’re not going to need your gloves tonight. You’re not pitching. You can put those gloves away.’”

Play ball, lads
I might. I actually already watch Nats 2019 games and highlights everyday when feeding the youngest her breakfast lol
 
They are no longer skilled, disciplined hitters at the plate with great pitch recognition that's for sure.

I really miss watching Buehrle go out there. When he came to Toronto I was so happy because I could convince people to come out to games easy.

"hey come to the game tonight"

"baseball is slow and boring, I don't want to be three until 10:30"

"i promise we'll be out of there before 9"

"thats impossible, game starts at 7:05"

"just trust me on this one"

Got to love a guy who pitches fast and attacks the zone.
 
Pablo and Pence went live on Instagram and gave us some commentary from this game. They gave me a shout out!!!

I haven't watched this game since that fateful night. Its been so long I forgot the Giants used to hit with RISP and played effective small ball.

I completely forgot most of this game too due to being nervous. All I remembered was the Panik DP (I did not remember it being overturned, I thought it was a clean DP), Pablo winking at the camera, then it was all a blur after Bum came out until the mini scare with 2 outs and Pablo catching the final out. I was busy pacing the floor, chain smoking while pulling my hat over my face and doing that thing where you put your hand over your face and say you can't watch then peep through your fingers.

Even though it's all been downhill since this, revisiting this game reminds me what a great run the Giants had. The lows have been worth it for the highs.
 

greyshark

Member
They are no longer skilled, disciplined hitters at the plate with great pitch recognition that's for sure.

I really miss watching Buehrle go out there. When he came to Toronto I was so happy because I could convince people to come out to games easy.

"hey come to the game tonight"

"baseball is slow and boring, I don't want to be three until 10:30"

"i promise we'll be out of there before 9"

"thats impossible, game starts at 7:05"

"just trust me on this one"

Got to love a guy who pitches fast and attacks the zone.

Buehrle is my all time favorite pitcher. Loved getting to watch him over his career with the Sox. I wish more pitchers worked quickly like he did. I remember a college buddy of mine went to see him in his prime - he got matched up against another quick worker. The game was over in 1:39 - he was kinda pissed it ended so fast :).
 

Ron Mexico

Member
So have you guys had any fantasy drafts yet? Adjust your strategy for a shortened season? League waiting until closer to opening day?

I’ve had a couple long standing leagues draft on time just to give us something to do but found myself taking way more risk than I typically would have.
 
So have you guys had any fantasy drafts yet? Adjust your strategy for a shortened season? League waiting until closer to opening day?

I’ve had a couple long standing leagues draft on time just to give us something to do but found myself taking way more risk than I typically would have.
We keep pushing back the date until we have at least an opening day.

My strategy is to get as many Nationals as I can and roll the dice lol.
 
Usually I draft pitchers because in my opinion it's easier to find hitters who get hot throughout the year/break out than it is to find pitchers. But with a potential shortened season I might not be able to run that strategy and wait for someone to break out.

Dunno. We'll have to wait and see.

The question is who amongst is will be brave enough to draft Trashtros and risk fall off from the lack of help?
 

greyshark

Member
Usually I draft pitchers because in my opinion it's easier to find hitters who get hot throughout the year/break out than it is to find pitchers. But with a potential shortened season I might not be able to run that strategy and wait for someone to break out.

Dunno. We'll have to wait and see.

The question is who amongst is will be brave enough to draft Trashtros and risk fall off from the lack of help?

I’ve learned my lesson from the master - all White Sox players from here on out.
 
MLB.tv renewed my annual payment today without me sending them anything. Kinda cool, I guess? I assume there will be a discounted price if the season kicks off late?
 

GreatnessRD

Member
MLB.tv renewed my annual payment today without me sending them anything. Kinda cool, I guess? I assume there will be a discounted price if the season kicks off late?
For sure will be discounted. And I'm waiting for T-Mobile to stop playing and continue to offer it to me for thee freeeeee! :messenger_tears_of_joy:
 
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