*** OFFICIAL *** MLB 2019 Thread

[Dan Druff]

Dodgers finished 0-4 against the Angels this year.

For some reason that team always gives them fits, even when the Dodgers are way better (such as this year).

One problem this year has been that the Dodgers happened to run into them with their worst starting pitchers going 3 of the 4 times, with 2 starts by Maeda, one by Stripling, and just one by Ryu. The Angels did not see Buehler or Kershaw this year.

[BCR]

Well the Indians have cut it to 2. It’s amazing how I’ve watched Groundhog Day for pretty much every Franconia season. A few games over .500 until the 60-70 game mark and then they beat the shit out of the teams they’re supposed to. Decisively. Thank God the Tigers are truly horrendous and the Indians rarely drop a single game against them.

That said, unless the Twins have been broken mentally, the schedule for them going forward is one that lends itself to getting it together and the Indians have to actually play some games against teams with a pulse, and beating those teams hasn’t been a strength. Kluber should return imminently but who knows in what form, and Carassco is still dealing with some mysterious blood condition with no timetable for return. They’ve made due with their patchwork rotation against the poor teams, but I suspect they might catch the Twins only to struggle down the stretch and ultimately finish 3-4 games behind unless they can manage to win 80% of the remaining h2h games. It’s a race now, but one they likely lose.

[Sanlmar]

BCR, your sports posts are like what getting the old hard copy Sports Illustrated in the mail used to be like. You’re a homer but a realist. I like that.

I hate to filter everything through the prism of sports wagering but it’s who I am. I posted a sportsbook trip last week just for the Indians. I think I caught the Indians run early

I made my trip to bet Cleveland RL 2 days. Even though people still have a negative Indians narrative the price was big and I took it. Both won

This time of year you ride what’s hot and skip what’s not. Indians are hot. 9 of 11. Nationals, I wrote about them. I missed SF Giants.

Questionable night tonight. Definitely high scoring.

I’ve been betting & watching Indians every day for well over a week. I bet them so big I’ve had to drive to smoky casinos to get down. (I didn’t venture outside of the book other than taking a piss. No cards or dice. Business trips.)


Last night:



Bieber, complete game shutout in juice ball 2019. Bauer over 7 innings.

Are they a fun team to watch? No. Kind of workman-like tbh. No heroics. I don’t feel the same juice as Nationals or Giants.

What’s the deal with Bauer? I haven’t looked it up but he clearly has some mental issues. Autistic? He always looks mad. I was never alert to it before listening to the bettors in the sports book talk about it. Actually, there seems to be a lot of Bauer hatred out there. He has a history of becoming unwound? Kinda funny

You still see talk of Bauer being dealt. Wow. I am fascinated by the Giants situation too.

Deal or no deal? Howie Mandel?

Oh yeah, Tito is one of the greatest managers to have graced the diamond in the history of the game and still somewhat young. Lotta miles though. Very likable too. I kinda forgot about him lately. Props

I recommend Tito’s biography written after the Sawks fucked him over. Tito was candid Tito which is so rare. He lit the Sawks up. Genuinely hated the Sawks. A refreshing “I don’t give a fuck about consequences” reporting. Good beach read. He put you behind the doors of management. Informs your understanding of Sawks, Tito and Cubs/Epstein.

[Sanlmar]

While I am being tortured thru 13 innings of Royals v Cleveland I made a surprising discovery

Kansas City is #1 in defensive fielding percentage. Say, what? You can see it

Dodgers are last. We forecast that long ago.

The more you know

[big dick]

While I am being tortured thru 13 innings of Royals v Cleveland I made a surprising discovery

Kansas City is #1 in defensive fielding percentage. Say, what? You can see it

Dodgers are last. We forecast that long ago.

The more you know

last huh? easy to lose a short series in the playoffs when your defense sucks

[Jayjami]

MLB stadium news:

Dodgers to get $100 million renovation, but will still maintain the same basic structure and look: https://www.latimes.com/sports/dodge...eld-renovation

Dodger Stadium is the third-oldest stadium in baseball, built in the early 60s. I personally love the place, and feel it's the perfect middle ground between the classic old time stadium and the modern stadiums. There are a few annoying things about it -- it's not particularly easy to move around in the hallways, and the entrances to the parking lot aren't well designed and prone to big backups, plus the parking lot itself is a weird maze.

However, I really would be upset if they substantially changed the stadium. Sure, there's been tweaks over the years -- the introduction of advertisements beyond the simple "76" ball which always sat over left field, the addition of the "dugout seats" at the expense of foul territory, and the (now mandatory) foul screen which extends from 1B to 3B.

However, it's still mostly the same stadium I first visited in 1976.

These renovations won't change that, but are seeking to make the place more family-friendly, adding a play area behind center field (lol), and connecting the bleacher areas to the rest of the stadium via bridges. The connection of the bleachers doesn't make me happy, because that's where a lot of the bad (gang) element sits, and I liked having them isolated. Oh well. They really don't bother me because I'm wearing Dodgers gear and am a middle-aged white guy -- basically the opposite of what they'd view as a rival.

At the same time, these renovations aren't going to really benefit me much, nor are they likely to benefit the typical fan who goes to the game, sits down, eats a Dodger Dog or two, and drives home when it's done. They're more aimed at the people who want other things to do at the game besides watch baseball.

Dodger Stadium does have a '60s feel to it in some ways. For example, they have a weird "Club" level in between the loge (2nd) level and reserved (4th) level. The Club level is tiny, and doesn't really make a lot of sense. Why is it there? It's all in the name. In the 1960s, clubs were all the range. People wanted to feel exclusive, and a lot of times they did so via club memberships. The Dodgers capitalized upon this by building a thin Club level in the middle of the stadium, and an actual Stadium Club in right field, only open to those with Club seats. It worked. A lot of people loved the Club seats and paid extra for them, even though they didn't have a particularly good view of the game, especially on the sides of the stadium. But you felt exclusive and got to sit with others who felt exclusive, plus you had that LOL Stadium Club you could enter (which was/is enclosed, and has a crappy view of the game). All of this still exists today, though people aren't nearly as excited by it. Some of the Club level has been replaced by the 2000s version of the same thing -- suites. I never understood the appeal of suites at a sporting event, as your view of the game sucks, and they're really expensive. I mean, yeah, you and 15 friends can comfortably sit there and socialize, but you can do that without going to a baseball game.

Dodger Stadium’s greatest asset is its perfect weather. I’ve been to hundreds of games, and still love the feel of walking from to the concourse down to my seats with a cold one and A Dodger Dog, knowing I am going to enjoy an evening in the 70s with no wind or rain, pretty much every time. It’s just not the same feel in Anaheim. Don’t know why.

[gut]

Funny trade today for multiple reasons.

Basically, Giants traded Derek Holland (who they had dfa'd) plus cash considerations to the Cubs for.....cash considerations.

First, the contract the Giants gave Holland was hilarious this last offseason. After being a slightly better than average starter last season (for the first year in a LONG time), they give him basically 7 mil guaranteed. Not surprisingly, he regressed.

Secondly, the state of relief pitching on a fair amount of contending teams is so bad that there was a market for him. I can't figure out the Cubs here the last month. Maybe Big Dick knows something here, but they have no decent lefties, yet traded Montgomery last month for a backup catcher. Montgomery admittedly hasn't been good this year, but he has a decent track record, I'd take him over Holland. Maybe Montgomery was banging Zobrists wife.

Back to the actual trade. Holland owed probably around 3 mil the rest of the way. Thus, I'm guessing this trade was Holland + 2 or 2.5 mil in exchange for whatever the min cash is you can send to buy/trade for a guy...wanna say it's like 50k.

Thats just a sad and funny trade.

[Dan Druff]

Embedded Tweet

https://twitter.com/twt/status/1154828707980120064

Five days til the hard deadline and nothing interesting has happened.

So far one of the most boring trade seasons I remember.

[Dan Druff]

Tulowitzki retires at age 34.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/...-dream-retires

Being shipped out of Colorado was the end for him. What a collapse.

Went from a 1.035 OPS in 2014 to out of baseball in 2019.

[Sanlmar]

Streak is 11-2 BCR

It’s been pretty sweet. I may be watching more Indians than you.

Astros around the corner. That’s gonna be a lot of fun. What’s the buzz like in Cleveland?

[Sanlmar]

Dodgers 4
Nats 2

Nationals have bases loaded bottom of the 9th.
2 out

Kenley Jansen is laboring and ultimately throws 36 pitches in the inning.

Nats Howie Kendrick takes the first 2 pitches but gets rung up 0-2 on this shit. The bad calls were more egregious than the Pitch f/x displayed

Jansen was so bad that he certainly hadn’t earned any privilege on the calls.

The calls were so awful I had to snap a picture.



Disgraceful way to end a great game. Kendrick was fucked. He had no earthly clue what would be considered a strike at that point.

Umpire just wanted to go home I guess

Another error by Turner at 3rd.

[big dick]

chalk up another game the cubs shit pen ahs cost them. ASSHOLES

[big dick]

gotta be the worst pen in the history of fucking baseball. ASSHOLES

[GambleBotsChafedPenis]

gotta be the worst pen in the history of fucking baseball. ASSHOLES

saw the highlights of that game...they did a cut to theo and he had that look on his face like 'what the fuck did I just fucking do to myself by signing Kimbrel?'

[gut]

I had heard all season that home runs have also skyrocketed in AAA, but I didn't see numbers til just now. The PCL always has more scoring than the IL, aided by having a good chunk of teams at altitude, but holy shit the league-wide ERA right now is 5.50!

For comparison, the AL is at 4.60 and the NL with no DH is at 4.39. The PCL last season was 4.60....and last season Colorado Springs still had a team, which moved to San Antonio for this year. The "average altitude" actually went down this year.

But sure, that baseball isn't juiced at all Mr. Manfred.

[Sanlmar]

What’s the deal with Bauer? I haven’t looked it up but he clearly has some mental issues. Autistic? He always looks mad. I was never alert to it before listening to the bettors in the sports book talk about it. Actually, there seems to be a lot of Bauer hatred out there. He has a history of becoming unwound? Kinda funny

Long toss

When Indians manager Terry Francona took his first step onto the field, Bauer turned to the outfield and launched the ball he had just received over the fence in center field a solid 375 feet from the pitcher’s mound

What nut would even think to do such a thing?

Prolly get suspended by MLB. Just in time for Astros

Was a great run BCR.

[GambleBotsChafedPenis]

I had heard all season that home runs have also skyrocketed in AAA, but I didn't see numbers til just now. The PCL always has more scoring than the IL, aided by having a good chunk of teams at altitude, but holy shit the league-wide ERA right now is 5.50!

For comparison, the AL is at 4.60 and the NL with no DH is at 4.39. The PCL last season was 4.60....and last season Colorado Springs still had a team, which moved to San Antonio for this year. The "average altitude" actually went down this year.

But sure, that baseball isn't juiced at all Mr. Manfred.

you need any more proof look at video from the CHC/MLW game today...schwarber goes oppo with all arms...

[padre33]

Long toss

When Indians manager Terry Francona took his first step onto the field, Bauer turned to the outfield and launched the ball he had just received over the fence in center field a solid 375 feet from the pitcher’s mound

What nut would even think to do such a thing?

Prolly get suspended by MLB. Just in time for Astros

Was a great run BCR.

The more I read about Bauer I like. Can't wait until he's in NY, Bos or La when he's a FA. Lindor looked at him like WTF. A lot of the hits were softly hit and Bauer was so tilted. Does this get him traded?

[Dan Druff]

Can someone tell me exactly why Stroman was traded to the Mets?

Do the Mets still think they're contending while 5 games under .500?

That's cute.

[Sanlmar]

Long toss



What nut would even think to do such a thing?

Prolly get suspended by MLB. Just in time for Astros

Was a great run BCR.

The more I read about Bauer I like. Can't wait until he's in NY, Bos or La when he's a FA. Lindor looked at him like WTF. A lot of the hits were softly hit and Bauer was so tilted. Does this get him traded?

I haven’t dug into Bauer yet. I think I will be fed endless Bauer stories in the next 24 hrs.

I just heard ARod talking about Bauer being an instant #1 in NY. That said, NY press would destroy him unless he never lost... or spoke ... or twittered

Boston has a retard pitcher already, David Price. He is savaged daily. Price is at war with the press. It’s great.

No, LA is where a retard wants to play in anonymity. The mellow LA attitude toward life and sports is why Trout gave up millions. No pressure. No attention.

Mind you, I don’t want to see him there. I don’t see LA acquiring top talent aggressively. Not worried