Men's Baseball MLB 2024

[Quaker2001 251]

1 hour ago, Topicmaster1010 said:

That's been the story of the Angels ever since Trout entered the league  (besides 2014). At least he had Ohtani to keep him company for a few years.

Going to be another long season for the Angels.  It's mind-boggling that Mike Trout has never won a playoff game because he's been stuck in Anaheim all these years and they don't know how to build a team

[Monzanator 4,498]

There's a good chance Trout will hit IL even before the All-Star break for a change!  Gonna be a very bleak season in Anaheim.

[Monzanator 4,498]

Long-time NPB pitcher Shota Imanaga made his MLB debut for the Cubs and gave up only 2 hits in 6 IP vs Rockies.

 

Cubs won 5-0 also thanks to one Colorado guy making two errors on one play

 

 

[Monzanator 4,498]

First no-hitter of the season. Ronel Blanco of the Astros blanks the Blue Jays in 10-0 rout.

[Topicmaster1010 4,166]

If the Jays don't fire somebody this season, I'm going to eat a sock. They did nothing to improve the offense during the off season and expected to contend this season.

Edited April 2 by Topicmaster1010

[Monzanator 4,498]

Guess Guerrero and Bichette will ride on their reputation for a while yet while in reality they're not the difference makers? I mean Orioles turned it around to become the new talk of the town and Rays will keep doing what they're doing while the media ignores them as usual.

[Topicmaster1010 4,166]

8 minutes ago, Monzanator said:

Guess Guerrero and Bichette will ride on their reputation for a while yet while in reality they're not the difference makers? I mean Orioles turned it around to become the new talk of the town and Rays will keep doing what they're doing while the media ignores them as usual.

Guerrero and Bichette aren't the biggest problem (though they can be better), it's the bottom 2/3rds of the lineup that's horrendous. Trading Teoscar Hernandez for a relief pitcher and trading Lourdes Gurriel/Gabriel Moreno for Dalton Varsho completely killed the offense. Then this offseason, we let Matt Chapman and Whit Merrifield hit free agency who while not the greatest hitters, are still better than some of the guys hitting now. The problems were already there at the end of last year and the Jays decided to fix that by signing a 39 year old Justin Turner and a below average Isiah Kiner-Falefa. 

 

The Orioles and Rays both have much better depth offensively than the Jays.

[Monzanator 4,498]

Yeah, but this top-heavy approach has brought down more aspiring contenders before. Kiner-Falefa looked okay in Texas but that's the thing with players looking good on terrible teams (as Rangers were then). They usually look below average on better teams. At least you didn't sign Daniel Vogelbach But yeah, 39-year old Justin Turner makes no sense whatsoever.

 

Overall teams that have sucked in the last several years have turned it around somewhat fast (Rangers, Orioles and DBacks) and Blue Jays might have a copy of the Mets situation where Alonso/Lindor combo just doesn't win enough games save for that one season. Hell, I kinda expect Alonso will be traded if Mets are few games below .500 at the All-Star break.

Edited April 2 by Monzanator

[Monzanator 4,498]

Shane Bieber is set for TJ surgery and Spencer Strider could follow suit. The rash of pitcher's arm injuries seems to be going up at fast rate so I wonder how long until mainstream media begin to realize there is some connection between this and the push for velocity numbers OR even the pitch clock being introduced last year. Something is definitely going on since I believe those injuries will only increase.

[phelps 7,670]

4 hours ago, Monzanator said:

Shane Bieber is set for TJ surgery and Spencer Strider could follow suit. The rash of pitcher's arm injuries seems to be going up at fast rate so I wonder how long until mainstream media begin to realize there is some connection between this and the push for velocity numbers OR even the pitch clock being introduced last year. Something is definitely going on since I believe those injuries will only increase.

quick (and tough) exchange of accusations between MLB and MLBPA Yesterday...strike incoming? 

 

imho, overpowering has a lot more to do with the current streak of injuries than pitch clock

 

actually, I don't think pitch clock has any influence

 

another question that's not been raised yet (and who knows if it will be at some point?), it's how the pitchers are grown in their young age, asking them too much and too early, so to be ready for the pro ranks as quick as possible (= more money and earlier for all the parties involved, from the family to the youth ranks coaches to the scouts and agents, who are well known to be interested only in their own earnings rather than the health of the people they represent...there's always someone else once you're gone)

 

p.s. a more relaxed pitch clock, 6-man rotation and 15/20 RS games less (like in the NPB/KBO) might be a good idea in any case, independently from the increase of injuries to the pitchers' elbows