*** OFFICIAL MLB 2022 THREAD ****

[Dan Druff]

Pretty pedestrian output from the greatest lineup in the history of baseball Druff.

Wanna know why? 3 outcome baseball in the dead ball era.

+290 Tigers vs Kershaw. Maybe the fade Kershaw era is still with us. I find comfort in the familiar.

Trivia question: how many rings did Don Sutton win? Kershaw and Sutton have something else in common.

If you really bet that, good job. Indeed, despite Kershaw setting the LA Dodgers strikeout record yesterday, the team wasn't hitting, and they lost.

Dodgers did take 2 of 3 from the Tigers by winning today.

The offense has been uneven, but they're still averaging almost 5 runs per game, and are a close second to only the Giants in that category in the NL.

Max Muncy probably came back too early. He wanted to miss no games in 2022, but it just seems like he wasn't recovered. He's hitting a brutal .136. He sat today. A trip back to the DL wouldn't surprise me.

Justin Turner is also off to a bad start (.187 with 1 HR), and I'm afraid he might just be old. He's almost 37 1/2, and it's possible his body just isn't allowing him to perform at the same level anymore. He wasn't an MLB starter until age 29 (when he joined the Dodgers), so there was some hope that this might allow him to be effective until a later age than normal, but perhaps not. While not injured now, he had enough of them over the past 8 years to where he probably feels like a typical 37-year-old MLB player at this point.

Mookie got off to a terrible start but is doing better. I think he'll be fine. Freeman has his usual .300-ish batting average, but isn't slugging like he usually does. However, note that he had a horrible start last year and finished well. He's been solid thus far, but the Dodgers were hoping for a bit more power out of him. He does have 3 HR, so this signing is going fine thus far, and he was a great addition.

Bellinger has regressed since being Player of the Week.

So basically the Dodgers sometimes-struggles on offense come down to the fact that Muncy, Justin Turner, and Bellinger are sometimes automatic outs. This was a lineup which was expected to have no automatic -- or even easy -- outs.

The saving grace for the Dodgers thus far has been the pitching. Starters have been excellent, and the bullpen has been the best in baseball (though not so great the last 2 days). They've allowed just a hair over 2.5 runs per game, which is tremendous.

Funny how the narrative was, "The Dodgers offense will be historically great, and their only question mark is the pitching", and so far it's been the pitching carrying them.

Craig Kimbrel has been good. It's a complete crapshoot with this guy, but somehow we have Good Kimbrel -- at least for now.

[Dan Druff]

I would like to bring your attention to the Cincinnati Reds.

3-19 record after losing today.

It's still early, but this might be one of the worst teams of all time. Yes, presently Tyler Stephenson and Jonathan India are injured, and will be back soon. Yes, Cuban prospect Jose Barrero, slated to be a starter this year, has also been injured.

Still, the team is really awful. They'll be a little better when these guys return, but probably not all that much.

The pitching has been disasterous. Reiver Sanmartin, thought to be a sleeper this year, has gotten obliterated every game. I have to imagine he's going to be sent down soon. Tyler Mahle, who I thought would get even better this year, hasn't been very good. Hunter Greene, the hard throwing rookie, has been hittable. They hoped Vladmir Guiterrez would eat innings, but he just gives up runs and loses every game. Luis Castillo returns soon, but even he's a question mark.

Basically this team's starting pitching is bad enough to give up more runs than the shitty offense can possibly get back, thus 19 of 22 losses.

Will they lose 100? Highly likely at this point.

110? I could easily see that.

120? Unthinkable, but possible.

[gut]

2022 MLB in a nutshell:

Arizona is worst in all of baseball with a team batting average of .193

Arizona is also 15-14 so far.

[Dan Druff]

Dodgers about to lose to the Pirates, barring a late comeback. 2nd in 3 days.

Dodgers pitching prospect Ryan Pepiot debuted today. No runs in 3 innings, but 5 walks. He and Bobby Miller are the top two pitching prospects in the organization, both of whom are expected to pitch for the Dodgers this year.

[Sanlmar]

Machine Gun Kelly is now a White Sawk. As awful as ever.

Gets two quick outs then walks bases loaded and 2 runs result - prolly more




Machine Gun Kelly was so much fun on the Dodgers … shame

[Dan Druff]

Reds hit a new low.

They threw a combined no-hitter and lost.







https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/...sburgh-pirates

[BCR]

Reds hit a new low.

They threw a combined no-hitter and lost.







https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/...sburgh-pirates

I was in Pittsburgh that day and bet the Pirates, -1.5 of course. I knew the Reds couldn’t score even 2 runs against Quintana. I had just watched him pitch a gem against your Dodgers. I think it was the fifth when I started to envision a scenario where the Pirates won 1-0 on a no-hitter. His pitch count was getting super high, so knew it would be combined.

As I watched I started to remember a double header I went to thirty years ago where Matt Young no hit the Indians and they beat him with some shit like that. He walked a lot of guys also. Reds pitcher pitched much better. At least that Matt Young game was the first week of season and cold as fuck, hence the lack of offense. This last weekend was glorious weather. Both those teams were just pathetic.

[Sheesfaced]

Braves appear to have a WS hangover. They can’t hit for shit. Dealing with some injuries but who isn’t.

They started last year poorly too, but can’t rely on just turning it on down the stretch like last year. They also have a depleted farm system after the Matt Olson trade so not going to be able to make any major moves either.
They caught lightening in the bottle with last years low cost deadline moves and that’s not a repeatable strategy.

Fortunately 80% of the league seemingly makes the playoffs now so they’ve got some time to get their act together but it’s painful to watch right now.

[Jayjami]

Braves appear to have a WS hangover. They can’t hit for shit. Dealing with some injuries but who isn’t.

They started last year poorly too, but can’t rely on just turning it on down the stretch like last year. They also have a depleted farm system after the Matt Olson trade so not going to be able to make any major moves either.
They caught lightening in the bottle with last years low cost deadline moves and that’s not a repeatable strategy.

Fortunately 80% of the league seemingly makes the playoffs now so they’ve got some time to get their act together but it’s painful to watch right now.

They could really use a first baseman who hits .300 and 20+ home runs every year.

[Sheesfaced]

Braves appear to have a WS hangover. They can’t hit for shit. Dealing with some injuries but who isn’t.

They started last year poorly too, but can’t rely on just turning it on down the stretch like last year. They also have a depleted farm system after the Matt Olson trade so not going to be able to make any major moves either.
They caught lightening in the bottle with last years low cost deadline moves and that’s not a repeatable strategy.

Fortunately 80% of the league seemingly makes the playoffs now so they’ve got some time to get their act together but it’s painful to watch right now.

They could really use a first baseman who hits .300 and 20+ home runs every year.

While I’m still sad that Freddie is a Dodger now I don’t believe Matt Olson has really been the problem thus far this season.

[Dan Druff]

Matt Olson got off to a super hot start and has fizzled out since, but overall he hasn't been that bad. He's got an OPS of .821. Freeman's is better at .902, but neither player is killing it in the power department. Olson has 4 HR, Freeman has 3.

Freeman is one of the most consistent players in baseball, however. Ignoring shortened 2020 (where he had a monster season), every year since 2016 he's hit between .295 and .309, 23 and 38 HR, and played almost every game aside from 2017 where he missed 45.

Eventually that consistency will fade with age, but it's impressive how he keeps it up. This year, he's hitting .312, even with the dead ball.

Braves have to be thrilled about Scherzer going down. Might give them a chance to make up some ground. Fortunately for them, the Phillies have such bad defense and bullpen that they will probably not be a factor to win the division.

[Dan Druff]

Joe Panik has retired at the ripe old age of... 31.

Panik was the 29th overall pick of the 2011 draft, going in the first round to the Giants. Who was selected behind him? Jackie Bradley went 40th, Trevor Story went 45th, Blake Snell went 52nd, Josh Bell went 61st, amazingly Mookie Betts went 172nd (bet you didn't know that), Brandon Woodward went 174th, and Anthony DeSclafani went 199th. I stopped looking after 200th. Anyway, the Giants could have done worse, as other than those guys mentioned, the rest after 29th were failplayers.

Panik was just kind of a low upside guy. Never had a lot of power (he hit 10 HR twice, his career high), not particularly fast, and decent but not great defensively. He did hit .312 in 2015 and .288 in 2017, so he was one of those guys you just plug in who is kinda okayish and not a liability.

However, starting from 2019 he just wasn't very good, and the Marlins outrighted him off the 40-man roster in October 2021. No other team was interested, so he's decided to call it quits.

[Sanlmar]

Joe Panik has retired at the ripe old age of... 31.

Panik was the 29th overall pick of the 2011 draft, going in the first round to the Giants. Who was selected behind him? Jackie Bradley went 40th, Trevor Story went 45th, Blake Snell went 52nd, Josh Bell went 61st, amazingly Mookie Betts went 172nd (bet you didn't know that), Brandon Woodward went 174th, and Anthony DeSclafani went 199th. I stopped looking after 200th. Anyway, the Giants could have done worse, as other than those guys mentioned, the rest after 29th were failplayers.

Panik was just kind of a low upside guy. Never had a lot of power (he hit 10 HR twice, his career high), not particularly fast, and decent but not great defensively. He did hit .312 in 2015 and .288 in 2017, so he was one of those guys you just plug in who is kinda okayish and not a liability.

However, starting from 2019 he just wasn't very good, and the Marlins outrighted him off the 40-man roster in October 2021. No other team was interested, so he's decided to call it quits.

The Dodger guy omits the World Championship and a player rising to great heights in the playoffs

Hurts doesn’t it

[Texter]

Benches clear when one player calls another “Jackie Robinson”….player is then called a racist by Tony Larussa and gets suspended.

Well it turns out the first player was just making fun of the second player who referred to HIMSELF as a modern day Jackie Robinson,see quote below


"I kind of feel like today’s Jackie Robinson,” Anderson said in 2019. “That’s huge to say. But it’s cool, man, because he changed the game, and I feel like I’m getting to a point to where I need to change the game."

MLB is a joke.

[Sanlmar]

Great article in the Athletic Druff

Walker Buehler Looking To Get His Fastball back on the Fast Track
https://theathletic.com/3322991/2022...his-dominance/

[Dan Druff]

On June 3, Dodgers are hosting pride night at the stadium, and will all be wearing rainbow caps on the field during the game.

I wish I were joking.

They have already sold 15,000 "pride packages" to the game, which come with a rainbow Dodgers jersey.

On June 11, there will be a second pride night, appropriately located in San Francisco, where both teams will be wearing rainbow caps.

[Strokeofluck2020]

Freeman was the best teammate on the braves without a doubt. I am concerned about my Braves. Starting pitchers have been solid. Freddie is missed in the dugout and locker room.

[Dan Druff]

You guys seen what Mookie Betts has been doing lately?

He's hitting better than he ever has, following a slow start during the first few weeks of the season.

Not only is he getting a million hits, but he's also hitting for power -- 12 HR already, after zero for the first few weeks.

He's 3-for-3 tonight, as well. Given his semi-disappointing 2021, and his bad April, I thought the Dodgers might have made a $360 million mistake. Apparently not. He and Freeman are the toughest 1-2 spots in baseball.

[Sanlmar]

You didn’t mention Betts defense. Even last night the exchange from Betts to Bellinger was sublime.

$360m mistake? Brace yourself for Soto if you think $360 is money.

[simpdog]

Jays pitching has been great to start the season. Where are the bats?

Biggio 0.038. You can't have him on your roster if he is hitting that poorly regardless of his last name.
Zimmer .128 . Been great defensively so Springer can rest, but again how can you have him in your lineup.
Chapman .187 has been a bust.
Hernandez .152 has been hurt and needs time to get up to speed.
Gurriel Jr .221 well below his career avg.
Bichette is starting to come around but didn't get a great start.


I'm not going to sound any alarms yet but if they want to load up for a post season run they will need to deal for help at the plate.