2019 Misc MLB News

[JohnBriggs12]

Nice to see Garrett Cooper having some success after battling injuries the last 2 years with Marlins. After his first career HR Wednesday, he blasted a Grand Slam in 9th to beat the Tigers yesterday. I think he's going to be seeing a lot of time in the Marlins lineup from here on.

[pacopete4]

MLB on pace to hit 900 more home runs over all this year compared to a season ago. Something isn’t right.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

The balls are juiced. Some magazine proved as much with x-rays. That is an insane jump though.

[owbc]

The balls are juiced. Some magazine proved as much with x-rays. That is an insane jump though.

 

It's probably a combination of several factors. Regardless of the cause it's way too easy to hit home runs. I have no idea what the solution should be.

[True Blue Brew Crew]

It's probably a combination of several factors. Regardless of the cause it's way too easy to hit home runs. I have no idea what the solution should be.

 

Not use juiced balls?

[sveumrules]

League ERA/total HR in the post strike era peaked at 4.77/5693 in 2000 then bottomed out at 3.74/4186 in 2014.

 

During that time frame the the average year to year change in season HR total was around 294 with a low of 79 & a high of 475.

 

Since then the season to season HR totals have fluctuated by 723, 701, 495, 520 & now on pace for 900ish for an average year to year change around 628 HR.

 

Those are some wild year to year swings compared to the relative stability demonstrated over the preceding 14 seasons which encompassed a transition from the peak of the steroids era to the valley of post PED run scoring.

[nate82]

Dustin Pedroia retiring? Sure sounds like he won't be making it back from his knee issue.

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2019/05/27/red-sox-2b-pedroia-put-on-60-day-il-future-in-doubt/39519557/

[sveumrules]

Pedroia got 31 million to be hurt 2018-19 & is still due another 25 million for 2020-21.

 

Makes Braun seem like a steal by comparison.

 

Great career for Dustin though, had a peak right in line with Biggio/Alomar but probably a little short on the counting stats to get the Hall call.

[nate82]

Pedroia got 31 million to be hurt 2018-19 & is still due another 25 million for 2020-21.

 

Makes Braun seem like a steal by comparison.

 

Great career for Dustin though, had a peak right in line with Biggio/Alomar but probably a little short on the counting stats to get the Hall call.

 

Insurance is likely to pay for the majority of Pedroia's contract. He also won't get the full amount if he retires I believe? Not 100% how this works but I believe when Alex Rodriguez retired he didn't get the full amount of his contract could be wrong on this.

[adambr2]

A-Rod got every last penny from his contract, which normally doesn't happen when you retire.

 

My guess is, he was so bad in 2016 that the team would have had no choice but to DFA him, which would have been a rather embarrassing end to his legacy but still required him to be paid.

 

So the team likely approached him about the situation to get him to "retire" instead. He saves face, still gets paid, and the team looks like the good guys and avoids the fan backlash of DFAing a legend at the end of his career.

[wallus]

The AL Central is really bad, wish we were in that division.

[stoutdude04]

Couple of notes from the Cubs and Astroa game.

 

Almora hit a foul ball and it hit a 4 year old. The ballpark is filled with distractions. Is it time to put netting up even further down the line? Also, why bring a child that close?

 

The Astors have 106 games left this year and only.26 are against teams that are currently over 500. Wow.

[DuWayne Steurer]

Why is the argument always "don't sit that close with kids"?

 

People can sit wherever they want. The question should be "why aren't nets further down the line"?

 

Better yet, why are we so afraid to be mildly inconvenienced by safety?

 

I think when people say "don't do X,Y,Z with kids", it comes off sounding like "I don't want the fun thing I do to by mildly less entertaining so it can be fun and safe for children"

 

Baseball should be fun and safe for everyone. I love the 'YOU SHOULD PAY ATTENTION WHEN YOU'RE AT A BALLPARK!" people, as if it's a pre-requesite that every single one of the 35K attendees be at the ready to catch a 103 mph liner off a bat. How about instead of putting the onus of safety on the attendees to public events, we hold the proprietors responsible?

[stoutdude04]

If you arent behind the netting, you should be paying attention.

 

As far as bringing a kid that close without netting, how many people are going to actually be able to protect that child? I've knocked a few line drives down with my wife when we were in the 2nd row down the left field line. It's not easy. That's why I brought it up.

 

I agree with you though. Move the nets down further. It's not even a real hindrance.

 

Edit: also, I wasnt arguing against bringing kids down. I was asking why one would. Many are unprepared to deal with a young child and stay focused when in a dangerous spot.

[DuWayne Steurer]

Here's the thing...

 

People will bring kids to games.

People will sit behind the dugouts and down the lines.

There's absolutely no way anyone will pay absolute attention to a 3 hour game, even if we can make the argument that they "should"

 

The cost of putting up some rope or wire netting against an MLB team's revenue stream is probably about negligible, so I don't even know why this is still a consideration or discussion, but it's one that we still have, on practically a national level every time someone gets absolutely smoked by a line drive.

[pacopete4]

Here's the thing...

 

People will bring kids to games.

People will sit behind the dugouts and down the lines.

There's absolutely no way anyone will pay absolute attention to a 3 hour game, even if we can make the argument that they "should"

 

The cost of putting up some rope or wire netting against an MLB team's revenue stream is probably about negligible, so I don't even know why this is still a consideration or discussion, but it's one that we still have, on practically a national level every time someone gets absolutely smoked by a line drive.

 

I know we shouldn’t +1 but, +1.

[trwi7]

If you arent behind the netting, you should be paying attention.

 

The problem is even if you are paying attention, a lot of people don't have the reaction time to get out of the way. Real Sports did a segment on this where they put people behind protective glass, told them a ball was coming and they still couldn't get out of the way. The only thing that stopped them from getting smashed in the face was that protective glass. A lot of people don't realize how quickly the ball gets on you. You're generally pretty far away from the batter's box and you think you have time to react and the ball doesn't really seem like it's coming that fast when it first leaves the bat. Then it starts to get closer and you realize how fast it's coming and how little time you have to react.

 

Now, unlike that Real Sports segment where people know a ball is going to be coming at them at 90+ mph, you have people at an actual game that have no idea that a ball is going to be coming at them, they might be distracted by someone else getting out of their seat, they might be a child that can't see around an adult, there might be sun creating glare.

 

There's just no reason not to have nets around the field at this point.

[trwi7]

Dodgers 9th inning against Edwin Diaz down 8-5.

 

Homer

Homer

Double

Double

Intentional Walk

Error (?) Slow grounder to Rosario and he was way late stepping on 2nd which allowed all runners to be safe, bases loaded.

Sac Fly

 

I guess the most Mets way to lose that game would've been a few more errors but that loss is pretty Mets.

[Dean Machine]

If you arent behind the netting, you should be paying attention.

 

The problem is even if you are paying attention, a lot of people don't have the reaction time to get out of the way. Real Sports did a segment on this where they put people behind protective glass, told them a ball was coming and they still couldn't get out of the way. The only thing that stopped them from getting smashed in the face was that protective glass. A lot of people don't realize how quickly the ball gets on you. You're generally pretty far away from the batter's box and you think you have time to react and the ball doesn't really seem like it's coming that fast when it first leaves the bat. Then it starts to get closer and you realize how fast it's coming and how little time you have to react.

 

Now, unlike that Real Sports segment where people know a ball is going to be coming at them at 90+ mph, you have people at an actual game that have no idea that a ball is going to be coming at them, they might be distracted by someone else getting out of their seat, they might be a child that can't see around an adult, there might be sun creating glare.

 

There's just no reason not to have nets around the field at this point.

 

I would likely stop going. I'm too old for nose bleed seats and I've already had to move down past the dugouts just to avoid the net. People always say you get used to it immediately but I never do. Granted I typically sit in the front row but it never works for me.

[Brew crew 92]

Dodgers 9th inning against Edwin Diaz down 8-5.

 

Homer

Homer

Double

Double

Intentional Walk

Error (?) Slow grounder to Rosario and he was way late stepping on 2nd which allowed all runners to be safe, bases loaded.

Sac Fly

 

I guess the most Mets way to lose that game would've been a few more errors but that loss is pretty Mets.

 

I think it’s more how ridiculously good the dodgers are at hitting good pitching. This team could go down as top 5 all time if they win it all. Brewers better get a whole lot better before October.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Dodgers 9th inning against Edwin Diaz down 8-5.

 

Homer

Homer

Double

Double

Intentional Walk

Error (?) Slow grounder to Rosario and he was way late stepping on 2nd which allowed all runners to be safe, bases loaded.

Sac Fly

 

I guess the most Mets way to lose that game would've been a few more errors but that loss is pretty Mets.

 

I think it’s more how ridiculously good the dodgers are at hitting good pitching. This team could go down as top 5 all time if they win it all. Brewers better get a whole lot better before October.

 

The Dodgers have a good team. We get it. Move on.

[jjfanec]

The AL Central is really bad, wish we were in that division.

 

One of the worst divisions ever assembled. They are closing in on a run differential of -100. If the Indians start selling the division will get even worse. I think all of the NL central teams would be at least the 2nd best if not best team in that division.

[stoutdude04]

If you arent behind the netting, you should be paying attention.

 

The problem is even if you are paying attention, a lot of people don't have the reaction time to get out of the way. Real Sports did a segment on this where they put people behind protective glass, told them a ball was coming and they still couldn't get out of the way. The only thing that stopped them from getting smashed in the face was that protective glass. A lot of people don't realize how quickly the ball gets on you. You're generally pretty far away from the batter's box and you think you have time to react and the ball doesn't really seem like it's coming that fast when it first leaves the bat. Then it starts to get closer and you realize how fast it's coming and how little time you have to react.

 

Now, unlike that Real Sports segment where people know a ball is going to be coming at them at 90+ mph, you have people at an actual game that have no idea that a ball is going to be coming at them, they might be distracted by someone else getting out of their seat, they might be a child that can't see around an adult, there might be sun creating glare.

 

There's just no reason not to have nets around the field at this point.

 

I agree with all of this. I was just making the comment, that, currently it doesnt make sense to me to bring a young child that close while there is no netting. I have sat behind the netting and you cant even tell it's there after about 3 pitches.

[Brew crew 92]

Dodgers 9th inning against Edwin Diaz down 8-5.

 

Homer

Homer

Double

Double

Intentional Walk

Error (?) Slow grounder to Rosario and he was way late stepping on 2nd which allowed all runners to be safe, bases loaded.

Sac Fly

 

I guess the most Mets way to lose that game would've been a few more errors but that loss is pretty Mets.

 

I think it’s more how ridiculously good the dodgers are at hitting good pitching. This team could go down as top 5 all time if they win it all. Brewers better get a whole lot better before October.

 

The Dodgers have a good team. We get it. Move on.

 

Move on? You move on.

 

Nothing wrong with my COMMENT. Did you watch that half inning?

 

If you did then I would have thought you’d kinda been in awe of what you just saw the dodgers do off the best closer in the game today, instead of feeling the need to police another post of mine.

 

But go ahead and continue to tell me to stop wanting the crew to “change”their team to get better, and just relax and enjoy the team we have.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

 

Move on? You move on.

 

Nothing wrong with my COMMENT. Did you watch that half inning?

 

If you did then I would have thought you’d kinda been in awe of what you just saw the dodgers do off the best closer in the game today, instead of feeling the need to police another post of mine.

 

But go ahead and continue to tell me to stop wanting the crew to “change”their team to get better, and just relax and enjoy the team we have.

 

I did watch it. The Dodgers are playing great right now. They won't all year. Because that's how baseball works.

 

Literally no one is against the Brewers making moves to improve the team. What many are against is this "shoot from the hip" philosophy that we need to freak out with every loss, and throw money at a problem that may not even exist. This team has more than 100 games remaining on its regular season schedule. They are going to have highs and lows. They are playing like a playoff team right now, despite several hiccups in both the lineup and the pitching staff.

 

So yeah, you really, really need to relax. Because working yourself up into a lather because the Brewers are not making moves at the pace you want them to, then posting about it every chance you get, is not only going to annoy the heck out of this board, its going to make watching the Brewers, and baseball in general, not a very enriching experience for you.