***Official*** MLB 2025 Thread

[gut]

Anyone else watching this Devers/Sox soap opera and just LOL'ing.

Damn, Boston, if only you had a great athlete you could have gave an extension to who would move across the diamond for ya.

Yeah it’s funny. I don’t know how you can make $300 million and say no. But that’s me. He stunk as a 3rd basemen anyway. I’d be like I think I’ll stink but if you want me to try, why not? It’s not like they are asking him to play catcher.

Yeah, I mean 1B (and LF) is basically the retard position anyway in MLB. "Big? Dumb? Hits dingers? 1B!"

I just love his excuse of "having already changed positions"....YOU DIDNT DUMBASS! YOU SWITCHED TO DOING HALF YOUR JOB FOR SAME PAY!

Curious what the Bostonites here have heard/think?

[Dan Druff]

Dodgers won 19-3 today.

16 of those 19 runs were against real pitchers, the last 3 were against a position player.

But this brings up a point of concern. There has been a marked increase of teams using position players to pitch when the game gets out of reach. The players are instructed not to pitch seriously, but more to lob the ball, thus preventing potential injury. However, this does cause an issue which is getting on my nerves.

This really fucks up player stats, and wreaks havoc with fantasy baseball. It's one thing if your fantasy player gets the benefit of hitting off a pitcher (or series of pitchers) who just doesn't "have it" on a particular day. It's another if they're essentially being thrown BP by a position player, which allows them to pad their stats.

I find it tilting when my fantasy opponents get a jump on me because their team features more players who are facing position players in a blowout.

But perhaps you might argue that MLB shouldn't care about fantasy baseball. Okay, that's fair.

However, it still screws up the stats for purposes of player assessment, both for the teams themselves and the fans. Baseball is a game of statistics. It's fun as a fan to stat watch your favorite players -- and also to stat watch those who might be overperforming or underperforming expectation. This position player pitching thing screws that up.

I realize that position players pitching isn't new. However, it used to be quite rare, and now we see it fairly often. Teams don't want to burn their bullpen if 10 runs behind (or sometimes even as few as 7 runs behind late), so they'll plop in a position player to just finish things off. In a recent game, the Dodgers even used a position player (Kike' Hernandez) while LEADING in the 9th.

I really wish this would stop, save for a few really unusual circumstances like today, where it's 16-3 in the final inning.

[Sanlmar]

The position players are instructed to lob the ball OVER THE PLATE and allow the ball to be put in play so we can go home. It’s not a player health thing. If a position player is going to indulge a 9 pitch at bat trying to strike someone out he’s gonna catch a beating from his team mates.

The load management is happening earlier than you think this year. In the Dodger game the A’s punted in the 3rd inning. They were committed to leaving the pitchers in and letting them take a beating to preserve the rest of the bullpen.

Most days there are multiple 17 run games this trashy year

In the recent DraftKings earnings call it was stated that live MLB wagering is up 36%. The baseball is bad but the live opportunities in trash games is good. Humans beat algos in spotting a forfeit. The live innings (run) props are slow to adjust

[BCR]

The position players are instructed to lob the ball OVER THE PLATE and allow the ball to be put in play so we can go home. It’s not a player health thing. If a position player is going to indulge a 9 pitch at bat trying to strike someone out he’s gonna catch a beating from his team mates.

The load management is happening earlier than you think this year. In the Dodger game the A’s punted in the 3rd inning. They were committed to leaving the pitchers in and letting them take a beating to preserve the rest of the bullpen.

Most days there are multiple 17 run games this trashy year

In the recent DraftKings earnings call it was stated that live MLB wagering is up 36%. The baseball is bad but the live opportunities in trash games is good. Humans beat algos in spotting a forfeit. The live innings (run) props are slow to adjust

Your last paragraph, very true. I’m reticent to bet anything before games anymore besides first 5 bets.

The algos are bad at understanding pitch counts also. You’ll see two good pitchers, one at 44 pitches through 4 and the other guy at 76 through four. Guy with 76 also has slightly worse bullpen. You’ll catch lines like a typical 1-1 game where the team with the burnt pitcher should be +170. It’s my go to bet anymore.

I just am looking at pitch counts and looking for bad bullpens. The most lucrative spots are the good pitchers on shit teams. They’ll be priced like the guy can throw 150 pitches when you know he’s got maybe an inning left and then the Reid Detmers of the world will be taking the mound and giving up their 5 in 0.2 IP. There are a number of guys that when you see them warming you just start mashing buttons because they are going to walk 2 and then give up the HR two out of 3 appearances.

[country978]

Yeah it’s funny. I don’t know how you can make $300 million and say no. But that’s me. He stunk as a 3rd basemen anyway. I’d be like I think I’ll stink but if you want me to try, why not? It’s not like they are asking him to play catcher.

Yeah, I mean 1B (and LF) is basically the retard position anyway in MLB. "Big? Dumb? Hits dingers? 1B!"

I just love his excuse of "having already changed positions"....YOU DIDNT DUMBASS! YOU SWITCHED TO DOING HALF YOUR JOB FOR SAME PAY!

Curious what the Bostonites here have heard/think?

The team handled the situation like a bunch of amateurs from the start. From what I know about this is when the team signed Bregman they did so without letting Devers know how they planned to handle the 3b situation and then had to cajole him into being the DH. Now they want him to play 1st and he's acting like a big turd. It is not endearing with the fan base. He's coming across as a malcontent and bad teammate.

Team management isn't coming across as competent in their own handling but Devers looks worse. He's playing a game and should be happy for the opportunity.

[Sanlmar]

Yeah, I mean 1B (and LF) is basically the retard position anyway in MLB. "Big? Dumb? Hits dingers? 1B!"

I just love his excuse of "having already changed positions"....YOU DIDNT DUMBASS! YOU SWITCHED TO DOING HALF YOUR JOB FOR SAME PAY!

Curious what the Bostonites here have heard/think?

The team handled the situation like a bunch of amateurs from the start. From what I know about this is when the team signed Bregman they did so without letting Devers know how they planned to handle the 3b situation and then had to cajole him into being the DH. Now they want him to play 1st and he's acting like a big turd. It is not endearing with the fan base. He's coming across as a malcontent and bad teammate.

Team management isn't coming across as competent in their own handling but Devers looks worse. He's playing a game and should be happy for the opportunity.

When you think Devers think Manny Ramirez. God given ability to hit & similar number of brain cells. The Red Sox barely rode that mental case Manny to several World Series. You can’t really reason with someone marginally more intelligent than a golden retriever.

The Manny Ramirez stories in Boston are some of the best MLB ever had to offer. I was blessed to witness the carnival first hand. Best right handed hitter I ever saw

In fairness, to this point Devers had been similarly lovable. Nothing made me smile more than Devers visibly talking to himself at the plate.

I don’t fault Sawks coaching. If anyone had a shot it was Cora.

[Sanlmar]

Seasoned Dodger veterans here may get a treat. Kenley Jansen warming in pen for Angels. Ahhh, the memories

[Dan Druff]

The team handled the situation like a bunch of amateurs from the start. From what I know about this is when the team signed Bregman they did so without letting Devers know how they planned to handle the 3b situation and then had to cajole him into being the DH. Now they want him to play 1st and he's acting like a big turd. It is not endearing with the fan base. He's coming across as a malcontent and bad teammate.

Team management isn't coming across as competent in their own handling but Devers looks worse. He's playing a game and should be happy for the opportunity.

When you think Devers think Manny Ramirez. God given ability to hit & similar number of brain cells. The Red Sox barely rode that mental case Manny to several World Series. You can’t really reason with someone marginally more intelligent than a golden retriever.

The Manny Ramirez stories in Boston are some of the best MLB ever had to offer. I was blessed to witness the carnival first hand. Best right handed hitter I ever saw

In fairness, to this point Devers had been similarly lovable. Nothing made me smile more than Devers visibly talking to himself at the plate.

I don’t fault Sawks coaching. If anyone had a shot it was Cora.

I saw roided Manny on the Dodgers in 2008. They got him for a song. He single-handedly lifted the team from mediocre to making their first NLCS in 20 years. Seriously.. the Dodgers won the World Series in '88, then they didn't make the NLCS until 2008. They made the NLDS in 1995, 1996, 2004, and 2006, but lost each time. They finally made it to the NLCS by sweeping the heavily favored Cubs. Manny just crushed it so hard, both in the regular season and postseason.

Then during the 2009 season he got busted for roids (at age 37), and was never the same player again.

But at least he put the Dodgers back in the NLCS. They made it again (mostly without him) in 2009, and starting 2013 they've won the division every year except 2021 (when they won 106 games), and appeared in 4 World Series, winning 2 (though one was abbreviated 2020).

[Dan Druff]

Dodgers did lose to the Angels tonight despite being a huge favorite... something like -270.

I should've suggested Angels out here as a pick. I don't like betting against the Dodgers out of my fandom, but I've noticed that the Angels always play them very hard, no matter how bad the team is. And Dustin May was going, who frankly hasn't looked great lately.

In the meantime, in San Francisco, Wilmer Flores hit 3 HR, and had 8 RBIs (all from the longball). I somehow got him cheap in fantasy. Not sure why nobody bid past $5.

Jorge Lopez is tied for the MLB lead in wins with 6. But guess what? Lopez is a relief pitcher.

[Sanlmar]

I don’t know how anyone models Kershaw tomorrow.

I’m going with pitch to contact with a C- infield behind him. The Dodgers complete indifference to defense is a marvel of modern sports. Not great.

Tyler Anderson is prolly Angels best pitcher but he doesn’t matchup well vs the lefty power

Gonna do the F5 BTTS 2 +135. Obv I’m not results oriented. lol.

I’m satisfied with that BTTS but Angels F5 +175 would be a must bet. It’s not quite there yet.

[BCR]

Feels like a 12-5 Dodgers type win. Tyler has been dancing between raindrops the last few weeks when I’ve watched and getting out of it. That bullpen is super bad for Angels.

Shohei with 3 triples and a homer in 7AB is weird stat. That is a lot of triples for 7 AB.

[Sanlmar]

The past ten years I had accurately characterized the NL West as a complete joke.

Worst to first. NL West is legit fun. Several wins vs Rockies by all to pad record but NL West has come so damn far

[gut]

I hopped on Angels f5 at +154. Why not

[Sanlmar]

I hopped on Angels f5 at +154. Why not

Yeah, I just missed the peak. last night I posted I was looking for +175. Well, it rose to +185 and now retraced

Angels TT is taking money of particular interest too me

If Kersh can keep it on the ground Angels are dead. They don’t hit for average but they crush lefties when they put it in play.

[insert open mouthed playoff Kershaw staring at outfield wall here]

As BCR said, Anderson dances between raindrops.

Damn fun for a trash game

Lil Kim hitting in the 9 hole is stealthy fun btw. Outman is comically bad.

[lol wow]

1 question orenthal salamanca are we just betting all wnba overs minus la

[lol wow]

actual bases loaded in the 8th just need 1 run NOPE get this fucking game over with

[lol wow]

thats an absolutely great yankees under for 5 cubs ml next

[BCR]

Clayton throwing batting practice out there

[lol wow]

dodgers donged one 3 3

[Sanlmar]

I hopped on Angels f5 at +154. Why not

Nice hand sir.

BTTS performed in a responsible manner too