2023 MLB Thread

[pg1067]

For everyone's info, the attendance numbers I quoted were for the entire 2022 season.

The A's are moving, so that solves that one.

From an attendance perspective, baseball in south Florida has been a failure.  If there are other markets that MLB wants to occupy, send the Marlins and/or Rays there.  I know there was talk for a while about the Rays moving to Montreal and becoming the new Expos.  Don't know if that's still happening or if it was ever serious.

The Pirates are a flagship team that needs to stay put.  They're one of the worst offenders with the "we're a small market, so we can't compete" bullshit.  Pittsburgh is a bigger market than San Diego, but the Padres' payroll is probably 5x that of the Pirates.  St. Louis is only fractionally bigger than Pittsburgh, but the Cards have NO problem being competitive.  MLB needs to stop tolerating the "small market" whining of some of its owners.

[Prog Snob]

We're either looking at a greedy team owner in Pittsburgh or someone who doesn't know how to run the business. I'm actually a Steelers fan and know quite a few Pittsburgh sports fans. The Pirates are looked at as the joke of the Pittsburgh sports teams.

[pg1067]

Exactly.  There have been 30 full seasons since Barry Bonds failed to throw out Sid Bream from deep short (well...29 full seasons plus 1994).  In those 30 seasons, the Pirates have zero division titles, 3 wild card appearances and a total of 8 postseason games played with a 3-5 record.  Over that same period of time, the Steelers have made the playoffs 19 times and won two Super Bowls (with two additional SB appearances.  The Penguins missed the playoffs this year for the first time in 17 years and only the fourth time in the last 30 years, during which time they've won three Stanley Cups (and appeared in one other SCF).  The Pirates were a storied team from the time I was growing up through the Bonds years.

My whole point is that MLB needs to clean house and get its existing teams healthy before creating new ones.

[Prog Snob]

Speaking of, did you see the pictures of one of the Tigers and Guardians game at Comerica Park? Everyone seems to making a big deal out of it.

https://larrybrownsports.com/baseball/attendance-tigers-guardians-game-fans-embarrassing/614101

[pg1067]

I don't know that I'd make too much of an unscheduled early weekday game.  That said, the Tigers were one of the bottom third/sub-50% teams and, aside from the run of four straight division titles in the early '10s and the '06 WS appearance, the Tigers have been generally terrible since the mid-'80s.

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

I don't know that I'd make too much of an unscheduled early weekday game.  That said, the Tigers were one of the bottom third/sub-50% teams and, aside from the run of four straight division titles in the early '10s and the '06 WS appearance, the Tigers have been generally terrible since the mid-'80s.

Not to mention Detroit is a dead and broke city.

[Prog Snob]

That's my whole point. The market there has been terrible, probably worse than Oakland. They have a shitty team and the fans have nothing to look forward to. This is Miggy's last season so next year there will even be less to watch.

[pg1067]

Generally not a fan of "if the playoffs started today" scenarios, but it's kinda fun in this case.

The Diamondbacks, Pirates and Rangers would be division winners.

The Yankees and Dodgers would miss the playoffs while the Orioles and Marlins would make it.  In fact, if the Orioles were in almost any other division, they'd win the division.

MLB, of course, would hate the possibility of a Pittsburgh v. Tampa Bay World Series.   

[Glasser]

Generally not a fan of "if the playoffs started today" scenarios, but it's kinda fun in this case.

The Diamondbacks, Pirates and Rangers would be division winners.

The Yankees and Dodgers would miss the playoffs while the Orioles and Marlins would make it.  In fact, if the Orioles were in almost any other division, they'd win the division.

MLB, of course, would hate the possibility of a Pittsburgh v. Tampa Bay World Series.   

Rangers just embarrassed the Yankees. Question to all that were opposed to the universal DH, how do you feel about it now?

[pg1067]

Question to all that were opposed to the universal DH, how do you feel about it now?

Well...here's my opinion (which has not changed recently):  no DH >>>>> universal DH >>>>> one league has DH/other league doesn't.

Did something happen in a Rangers/Yankees game that led you to ask this question?

[Samsara]

I am a Yankees fan.

I hate the DH. I believe the only reason the game has the DH throughout MLB now is because it creates another "job" for a player and extends the life of hitters. More jobs, popular hitters batting, equals more money for everyone.

That said, if we aren't going to be traditional, I prefer the DH in both leagues as opposed to having it one one league and not the other.

The existence of the DH doesn't inhibit my enjoyment of the game, I just would prefer the pitcher hit. It increases in-game strategy, IMO.

[Glasser]

Question to all that were opposed to the universal DH, how do you feel about it now?

Well...here's my opinion (which has not changed recently):  no DH >>>>> universal DH >>>>> one league has DH/other league doesn't.

Did something happen in a Rangers/Yankees game that led you to ask this question?

No, I was just curious. Not sure why I posted it quoting this.

[Glasser]

I am a Yankees fan.

I hate the DH. I believe the only reason the game has the DH throughout MLB now is because it creates another "job" for a player and extends the life of hitters. More jobs, popular hitters batting, equals more money for everyone.

That said, if we aren't going to be traditional, I prefer the DH in both leagues as opposed to having it one one league and not the other.

The existence of the DH doesn't inhibit my enjoyment of the game, I just would prefer the pitcher hit. It increases in-game strategy, IMO.

You would seriously want Cole batting in a NL park? I'm personally happy with the universal DH. But that's just me.

[Samsara]

I don't think of it in terms of my team. I think of it universally. I'd rather the game have the person who is pitching, to hit. Felt that way since I became a baseball fan in the late-70s/early-80s. As a kid, I never understood why it was opposite. I always thought it was dumb. Just pick one. They did. For revenue-generating reasons. But at least it's equal now. But for me, I am not an overall DH fan.

I look back at the careers of players from the 50s and 60s in the AL...and then all the guys in the NL...if the DH was an option back in the day, how many of those players would have extended their careers a ton? Mantle might not have hurt his knee, could have played 25 years. Ted Williams, etc., the list goes on and on.

For me, baseball should go both ways. But the game is predicated on offense to generate revenue, and players want the DH to extend careers and potential earnings. So it is what it is. At least it's equal now.

[TAC]

As a lifelong baseball fan, other than having it the same in each league, I really don't have a preference which way they do it.
Gun to my head, I'd probably go with the DH though as opposed to the Automatic Out 8 man batting lineups, but I really don't care.

[pg1067]

I don't think of it in terms of my team. I think of it universally. I'd rather the game have the person who is pitching, to hit. Felt that way since I became a baseball fan in the late-70s/early-80s. As a kid, I never understood why it was opposite. I always thought it was dumb. Just pick one. They did. For revenue-generating reasons. But at least it's equal now. But for me, I am not an overall DH fan.

Once upon a time (I think it was probably in the mid- or late 90s), I was listening to one of the fill-in hosts on XTRA Sports 690, Jon Chelesnik ("the sports doctor").  For whatever reason, he was talking about the DH, and I was in my car with my new-fangled cell phone, so I decided to call him.  I railed against the DH and offered an argument along the lines of:  "second baseman don't hit well either, so why not have a DH for them too?"  Why not have it like the NFL, with guys who are exclusively offensive and defensive?

Frankly, I don't see why pitchers have to be automatic outs.

And get off my lawn!

[Glasser]

Rest In Peace Vida.

[pg1067]

It's always interesting when a name like Vida Blue comes up.  He was already a big name when I started following baseball, but I'm not sure I'd heard the name in a LONG time before the announcement of his death over the weekend.

[TAC]

It's always interesting when a name like Vida Blue comes up.  He was already a big name when I started following baseball, but I'm not sure I'd heard the name in a LONG time before the announcement of his death over the weekend.

Agreed. I wasn't even sure he was still alive.

[pg1067]

It's always interesting when a name like Vida Blue comes up.  He was already a big name when I started following baseball, but I'm not sure I'd heard the name in a LONG time before the announcement of his death over the weekend.

Agreed. I wasn't even sure he was still alive.

A lot of recent deaths have been like that (Gordon Lightfoot being another example).

[Dream Team]

Glad the Dodgers had the balls to take a stand and not allow a hate group to be part of pride day.

[pg1067]

Early season baseball carries on....

The Dodgers pitching is a mess, but Bobby Miller has been a more-than-pleasant surprise.



The question that this was answering was "Do you pretend to be in Los Angeles?"   

[Dream Team]

Ohtani is just going off. What a ludicrous talent.

[pg1067]

Ohtani is just going off. What a ludicrous talent.

Current Angels hitting and pitching leaders:

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

Ohtani is just going off. What a ludicrous talent.

Current Angels hitting and pitching leaders:

It's the Ohtani show over there in Anaheim. That dude is a once in a generation talent.

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

It's like the Dodgers didn't even show up to today's game 

[pg1067]

It's like the Dodgers didn't even show up to today's game 

Just an embarrassing display.  I turned it off at 9-0.

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

The Giants are on a roll though. Best team in baseball for the last month.

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

The Giants destroying Dodger pitching will never get old....

[TAC]

The Giants destroying Dodger pitching will never get old....

I'm watching the game.

[Dream Team]

This is getting to be ludicrous little league styled dominance; Ohtani with 2 more dingers and the win with 6 innings of 1 run ball and 10 Ks. Homeboy leads the majors in homers, rbi, total bases, etc. On pace for 12 WAR. I’m flabbergasted by this guy. Seems like a great dude too.

[Glasser]

This is getting to be ludicrous little league styled dominance; Ohtani with 2 more dingers and the win with 6 innings of 1 run ball and 10 Ks. Homeboy leads the majors in homers, rbi, total bases, etc. On pace for 12 WAR. I’m flabbergasted by this guy. Seems like a great dude too.

He's been otherworldly.

[Dream Team]

I actually hope he doesn’t participate in the HR Derby, don’t want anything to deep-six this historic year he’s having.

[Glasser]

I actually hope he doesn’t participate in the HR Derby, don’t want anything to deep-six this historic year he’s having.

I get it. Aaron Judge admitted to fatigue and it messed with his swing when he did it.

[T-ski]

Yankees Domingo German pitches a perfect game, unsurprisingly it was against Oakland.