*** OFFICIAL *** MLB 2024 Thread

[padre33]

San when is the last time you been to CA?
Don’t be like the flyover state ppl that can’t have a good time and always hate on CA sight unseen. We good bruj

Merrill has been playing a great CF and continues to hit while playing every day. For never playing center he makes every play look relatively easy. Skenes 1.99 ERA is so sick , I think sub 2 ERA is going to decide it.

Big win by the Dodgers today. We have to sweep the Dodgers to win the division in LA and we have owned them this year. Too much to ask probably. I’m fine with a Wild Card series at Petco knocking AZ or Mets out early.

Detroit Tigers is an amazing story and they have as good a chance as anybody in a wide open AL. Overall an amazing regular season with Judge and Soto, Ohtani, Skenes, Mets turn around, Braves fail, Astros being the Astros.

1Thyme San Diego Padres. This team has it all and the pitching stafff is healthy and rolling.


I only watch Brewers games when I have action on them but Jackson Chourio looks like a future star. BCR how confident are you in your team? My friend thinks Naylor and Clase(former Padres) are going to the WS

[BCR]

San when is the last time you been to CA?
Don’t be like the flyover state ppl that can’t have a good time and always hate on CA sight unseen. We good bruj

Merrill has been playing a great CF and continues to hit while playing every day. For never playing center he makes every play look relatively easy. Skenes 1.99 ERA is so sick , I think sub 2 ERA is going to decide it.

Big win by the Dodgers today. We have to sweep the Dodgers to win the division in LA and we have owned them this year. Too much to ask probably. I’m fine with a Wild Card series at Petco knocking AZ or Mets out early.

Detroit Tigers is an amazing story and they have as good a chance as anybody in a wide open AL. Overall an amazing regular season with Judge and Soto, Ohtani, Skenes, Mets turn around, Braves fail, Astros being the Astros.

1Thyme San Diego Padres. This team has it all and the pitching stafff is healthy and rolling.


I only watch Brewers games when I have action on them but Jackson Chourio looks like a future star. BCR how confident are you in your team? My friend thinks Naylor and Clase(former Padres) are going to the WS

Not particularly confident. but hopeful given no one is very good. We haven't hit in months consistently. As good as the bullpen is, and Clase has had an all-time year, you need to get to them. I have undervalued them from spring training and still do. They are resilient and pretty much went wire to wire with a few days of being tied.

On the optimistic side, I haven't felt outclassed when going up against Balt or NY. But, NY is better. Gerrit Cole takes our lunch money like a bully. I am not sold on Balt pitching. We always struggle with Houston.

Once it was apparent they were going to win division, I have almost hoped they stay cold at the plate in a superstitious sense. No one can feel overly confident about their team this year, so who is going to get hot? Does Cle get hot for once at the right time? Be nice. If they can score at all, I would really like our chances. I am confidentt in the bullpen. I am confident in Clase if he has to face Soto and Judge both for the game. I am confident in Smith if you have a runner at 3rd with an out and need a K. Only place where we have true edge over field.

[Dan Druff]

Funny how the Injuns can pitch but can't hit, and the Dodgers can hit but can't pitch.

BCR and I are in the same boat on opposite sides.

Injuns have 3rd fewest runs allowed in MLB.

Dodgers have 2nd most runs scored in MLB (behind the Dbacks, surprisingly).

Dodgers pitching has been especially bad in the second half, and same with the Injuns offense.

[Jayjami]

My siblings and I are taking my mom to the game Thursday night for her 81st birthday. Got a box right behind the Dodger dug out. Looking forward to seeing him live for the first time. Probably going to be a meaningful game against the Padres. Go Dodgers!

That’s fantastic. How long ago did you buy these tickets?

My family used to have season tickets on the loge level for 35 years, but my dad gave them up. So my brother bought a share of a box behind the Dodger dugout. It isn’t costing me anything. I’ll probably have to buy him a beer though. Love freeloading off my family!

[Sanlmar]

San when is the last time you been to CA?
Don’t be like the flyover state ppl that can’t have a good time and always hate on CA sight unseen. We good bruj

Merrill has been playing a great CF and continues to hit while playing every day. For never playing center he makes every play look relatively easy. Skenes 1.99 ERA is so sick , I think sub 2 ERA is going to decide it.

Big win by the Dodgers today. We have to sweep the Dodgers to win the division in LA and we have owned them this year. Too much to ask probably. I’m fine with a Wild Card series at Petco knocking AZ or Mets out early.

Detroit Tigers is an amazing story and they have as good a chance as anybody in a wide open AL. Overall an amazing regular season with Judge and Soto, Ohtani, Skenes, Mets turn around, Braves fail, Astros being the Astros.

1Thyme San Diego Padres. This team has it all and the pitching stafff is healthy and rolling.


I only watch Brewers games when I have action on them but Jackson Chourio looks like a future star. BCR how confident are you in your team? My friend thinks Naylor and Clase(former Padres) are going to the WS

Ironically, my daughter briefly had a little Craftsman house in San Diego but bailed 4-5 years ago. So I would visit.

Otherwise, I have less than zero interest in Cali as a tourist. We LOVE the other side of the Rockies though. Wife will be there next week.

I spent my summers on La Jolla beach as a guest of a wealthy high school friend when I was going to school in Phoenix. I saw first hand LA go awry at the tail end of California paradise. True paradise was 1960’s and prior. I’ve dug deep into the SoCal developers like the Irvine family and the importance of the SoCal military industrial complex and its decline in early SoCal. It’s a very interesting story.

I cannot tell you how much I’m looking forward to the Padres/Dodgers series starting tomorrow. Just as soon as my home equity line of credit is approved I’m gonna wager the series props.

Starting pitchers have been announced just now. Don’t laugh. It’ll still be fun.

[Sanlmar]

We took a cruise out of San Diego toward Baja and Mexico one year.

I remember leaning on the rail as the ship was disembarking port along with everyone else on board. I say hello to the fellow standing next to me and ask him where he’s from. He says, San Diego.

I reply, “I always wondered where people who live in paradise go for vacation”.

I can spew some bullshit with the best of them. This line struck me as some of my best work and I still remember it years later.

[Sanlmar]

Dodgers have finally driven Todd to the NFL. Sad.

[Dan Druff]

Don't praise the Padres too much.

Keep in mind that they:

- Spent $280m on Xander Bogaerts -- a guy currently with a career OPS of under .800, and who only exceeded .900 once (2019)

- Gave up Juan Soto for Mike King and a bunch of nobodies

- Are still paying Eric Hosmer, who is out of baseball at age 34

- Signed toxic Manny Machado, and then wondered why their clubhouse vibe sucked


I mean, yeah, it's a pretty good team, and probably the biggest threat to knock out the Dodgers outside of the Phillies, but still. Not exactly a flawless organization in recent years.

[Sanlmar]

Speaking of clubhouse vibes…

Who is the Dodgers clubhouse leader?

I’ll start. There isn’t one. It’s odd to consider.


Is there gonna be an opener for Knick Knack tomorrow?

[Dan Druff]

Speaking of clubhouse vibes…

Who is the Dodgers clubhouse leader?

I’ll start. There isn’t one. It’s odd to consider.


Is there gonna be an opener for Knick Knack tomorrow?

That's true. There hasn't been one since Justin Turner left.

Mookie and Freddie are good citizens and excellent hitters, but personality-wise, they are quiet and reserved.

Shohei doesn't speak English.

It's tougher for a pitcher to lead the clubhouse since they don't play every day. So that counts out Kershaw, who also is kind of a quiet guy.

One criticism of the Dodgers during the playoffs was that the team just was too quiet. There just wasn't the infectious fire coming from the dugout. Teoscar Hernandez has helped with that a little bit. I guess Kike' Hernandez does too, but he's more quiet during those streaks where he's an automatic out.

With all of that said, it's still better than having a toxic clubhouse. Nobody on the Dodgers is toxic. They're just a little too quiet.

[Sanlmar]

Speaking of clubhouse vibes…

Who is the Dodgers clubhouse leader?

I’ll start. There isn’t one. It’s odd to consider.


Is there gonna be an opener for Knick Knack tomorrow?

That's true. There hasn't been one since Justin Turner left.

Mookie and Freddie are good citizens and excellent hitters, but personality-wise, they are quiet and reserved.

Shohei doesn't speak English.

It's tougher for a pitcher to lead the clubhouse since they don't play every day. So that counts out Kershaw, who also is kind of a quiet guy.

One criticism of the Dodgers during the playoffs was that the team just was too quiet. There just wasn't the infectious fire coming from the dugout. Teoscar Hernandez has helped with that a little bit. I guess Kike' Hernandez does too, but he's more quiet during those streaks where he's an automatic out.

With all of that said, it's still better than having a toxic clubhouse. Nobody on the Dodgers is toxic. They're just a little too quiet.

Dodgers Rojas is a teacher and a leader. Aspires to be a coach. It is interesting to see him get on Lux for his mistakes during games. That is the sort of thing the Dodgers will need in October. Rojas is simply too new to the team and his personal contributions don’t demand an audience in the locker room either.

You mentioned Machado but Tatis is such a sketchy character. How many children by how many different women? Suspended for drugs. Hurt himself being a clown in off season one year. Selfish fool

Battle of two poor front offices with more money than brains this week.

I really am getting tired of hearing about Dave Roberts getting fired. He’s not great. He plays his role well within the Dodgers front office mafia. Idiot Dodger fans have no clue about the broader issues. Lately however, it is said Dave will get a one year reprieve as the roster (injuries) is so clearly not his fault. The front office is the issue yet Friedman is locked up for a generation. So nuts. So fun

But here’s the thing… no one ever claims the Padres are the greatest team of a generation (annually).

[Daly]

Don't praise the Padres too much.

Keep in mind that they:

- Spent $280m on Xander Bogaerts -- a guy currently with a career OPS of under .800, and who only exceeded .900 once (2019)

- Gave up Juan Soto for Mike King and a bunch of nobodies

- Are still paying Eric Hosmer, who is out of baseball at age 34

- Signed toxic Manny Machado, and then wondered why their clubhouse vibe sucked


I mean, yeah, it's a pretty good team, and probably the biggest threat to knock out the Dodgers outside of the Phillies, but still. Not exactly a flawless organization in recent years.

James Wood in that soto deal too….. could be a disaster

[gut]

I dig on the Rockies and Angels a lot, for obvious reasons, but I feel like I haven't as much with the Pale Hose. The Athletic took care of that last week.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/577...eason-history/

[Sanlmar]

Dodgers -120

Yet…

Look at (LAD) Knack

This is why I love betting playoffs too. Ploppy action

Padres have a distinct and sizable bullpen advantage

[Sanlmar]

Shohei doesn't speak English.

On the subject of clubhouse leaders.

Part of Ohtani’s legend has him giving a pregame speech before Japan’s epic World Baseball Classic win. What he said was brilliant

Ridiculously good.

Embedded Tweet

https://twitter.com/twt/status/1638327098938134529

He might do something similarly epic this year…. before his pitching start? Fill the vacuum?

[gut]

Lol Pirates such a cheap fuck franchise. Rowdy Tellez released with 6 games left, while 4 PA's shy of a $200k bonus.

Sure, Tellez had a .691 ops as a 1B/dh, but not like they had anyone better. Im sure a whopping 6 games will give them a great look at those minor leaguers.

[Dan Druff]

Lol Pirates such a cheap fuck franchise. Rowdy Tellez released with 6 games left, while 4 PA's shy of a $200k bonus.

Sure, Tellez had a .691 ops as a 1B/dh, but not like they had anyone better. Im sure a whopping 6 games will give them a great look at those minor leaguers.

Tellez has had a weird career. In first first full season in Toronto, he was one of those low-OBP power guys, slugging 21 HR while achieving an OBP of only .293, in just 111 games.

Then in the COVID shortened 2020, he hit .283 and slugged 8 HR in just 35 games.

Then he had a bizarre regression in 2021, hitting just 4 HR in 139 AB, and hitting just .209. He was then shipped off midseason to the Brewers, and suddenly was up to a .800ish OPS and hit .272. But he only hit 7 HR in 158 AB.

Suddenly in 2022 he became a power hitter again, hitting 35 HR, but only batting .219. Since then he's been an unfortunate combo of low OBP (below .300) and midgrade power.

[Sanlmar]

Padres freak off tonight after clinching playoffs

Might be value on Dodgers tomorrow. Dodger need to win one in this series. If Doyers lose tomorrow they prolly pull Buehler as listed starter in game 3 and perform some soul searching.

Padres molly hangover vs a sorta must Dodgers win.

Profar is god btw

[ftpjesus]

Predictions come Sunday

1. San Diego wins the NL West after Dodgers get swept by them and then Padres finish off Dbacks listless playoff attempt in Arizona running the table this week.
2. as such Diamondbacks miss the playoffs barely (Dbacks skipper is fired despite extension due to total mismanagement of players the last month of the season)
3. Dodgers get 1 WC and will play Mets in Rnd 1 likely smashing them
4. Atlanta goes to Milwaukee and Brewers get swept again in WC Rnd.

[Dan Druff]

This San Diego series unfortunately reminds me of 1996.

Dodgers came into the final series with the Padres up 2 games on them. This meant that SD had to win all 3 in order to win the division.

The Padres proceeded to win 5-2, 4-2, and 2-0. Dodgers became the wildcard after leading most of the season.

Dodgers got swept by the Braves, Padres got swept by the Cardinals.

Yankees won the World Series that year over the Braves, after beating the Orioles.


This postseason will also have the Dodgers, Padres, Orioles, and Yankees. Probably not the Braves. Definitely not the Cardinals. But the Padres could very well end up the NL West champs, which would be sad.