2016 MLB Season

[2001mark]

Michael Saunders wins with 17 million votes.  

 

Kyle Lowry knows what's up, & now Saunders.  Toronto teams can be a pathway to ASG appearances, earned of course.  

I'm a bit biased because Saunders is on my fantasy roster, since he raked it in spring training.  Donaldson may be mashing, yet this team isn't closing without Saunders helping overcome the bullpen slumps.  

Now Tulo is f'n on fire... this team is getting jAcKeD uP for another run.

[Unocal]

Cubs badly need a break.

 

They have literally been playing every day.

 

How long has it been since they had a day off? The night of NBA Finals game 6 (6/17)

[dsaline97]

1 minute ago, SabresRule7361 said:

Cubs badly need a break.

 

They have literally been playing every day.

 

How long has it been since they had a day off? The night of NBA Finals game 6 (6/17)

There's 162 games, this happens to every team. Suck it up, baseball's a game of streaks. 

[pmoehrin]

I know I don't really post in this thread anymore, but I figured I would pass this along.

 

Who Was Ty Cobb? The History We Know That's Wrong

 

I know the article is backdated to March and there's several others out there but this was the best I could find.

 

For anyone who is seriously interested in learning more about the history game, I think this is a must read. In terms of rexanining the history of the game I think this is the biggest contribution there's been in years.

 

The mainstream image of Cobb is one of a cartoonish baseball super villain. Not that there isn't factual basis for this view, but if he was really that person 24/7, he probably would not have made it 20+ years in life, let alone 20+ years in the majors.

 

The real Cobb is still very much an unknown, but we do know that he was not universally dispised by his counterparts or the media and was nowhere near as bad as is commonly portrayed. He may have been an unpleasant person with a short temper but he wasn't the baseball equivalent of Lex Luther.

 

As for the research pieces I mentioned awhile ago, they won't be happening but for anyone that has the means and the time I would still recommend going to the SABR Convention in Miami this year. I won't be there this year because of financial reasons, but I've been to each of the last three and I've said before this type of research is endangered and without new blood it will die out.

 

As for my proposed website, I'm still projecting a fall launch but I also have a lot on my plate at the moment, which is the main reason why I'm not going to Miami this year, nor was I even that upset when my proposals were rejected. So at the moment it is very much in danger of being pushed back. I've had to essentially shut down my research for the past month and that will probably remain the case until I decide to actually get serious about launching it. At the moment life is just too much in the way and if I can't do it the way I want to do it, I'm not doing it at all.

 

As always even though I don't really post in this thread I will be happy to answer PM's that people have about the ongoing season or anything baseball related.

[2001mark]

9 minutes ago, pmoehrin said:

I know I don't really post in this thread anymore, but I figured I would pass this along.

 

Who Was Ty Cobb? The History We Know That's Wrong

 

I know the article is backdated to March and there's several others out there but this was the best I could find.

 

I think I heard a podcast about that, or maybe sports radio.  Something about the myth of Cobb being a total jerk becoming his legend.

[pmoehrin]

45 minutes ago, 2001mark said:

I think I heard a podcast about that, or maybe sports radio.  Something about the myth of Cobb being a total jerk becoming his legend.

 

It's a bit complicated than that, but overall I would say that statement is pretty accurate.

 

He was a very aggressive player, no question about and it's not like his reputation is not without some merit. But the idea that he was some stark raving lunatic that would sharpen his spikes before every game and go out of his way to injure players is pretty absured when you start to think about what that would actually looked like.

 

Its possible if not likely that Cobb has the most unfair reputation in US sports history. He's career .366 who you could still argue as the greatest player off all-time. Yet if you ask most people who the worst person is in the HOF most will say Ty Cobb. This time last year, I would have been inclined to say the same but seeing how little evidence there actually is to back these stories up and in some cases the evidence actually suggests the opposite, like the fact that he was an extreme racist, I would say the game and its historians owe Cobb an apology for what his legacy has become and I'll throw myself in the group who viewed him in a very unfair and untrue light.

[rams80]

Not to completely attack the source, but please keep in mind that Hillsdale as an institution has an ideological bent somewhere to the right of Liberty-to the extent that they do not accept Federal Student Aid because " Title. IX".

 

It also goes without saying, but they have a very small minority presence on campus.

[pmoehrin]

1 hour ago, rams80 said:

Not to completely attack the source, but please keep in mind that Hillsdale as an institution has an ideological bent somewhere to the right of Liberty-to the extent that they do not accept Federal Student Aid because " Title. IX".

 

It also goes without saying, but they have a very small minority presence on campus.

 

Beyond this one article and a speech he gave I'm not aware of any association between Hillsdale and Charles Leerhsen.

 

I choose the Hillsdale article simply because it was the most comprehensive one I could find. If it bothers you or anyone else that much you can google it and see what the New York Times had to say about the book.

[FiddySicks]

Solid way to end the first half for MadBum and the Giants. One hit shutout (the perfect game was broken up in the 7th on an error, and the no-no was lost after 8 1/3), with 14 K's. 

[Wings]

Giants quietly have the best record at the All-Star break. Even year odds. Sounds good to me.

[mania]

As a Rangers fan...

 

Thank god for the All Star Break.

 

What a :censored:tastic last couple of weeks.

[Crabcake]

The O's currently lead the AL East at the All-Star Break and have hit 137 homers in that span (28 of those have been Trum?s).  Our starting rotation is also crap. 

 

I'm happy for now, but we can't go any farther with this starting pitching. Tillman is literally the only pitcher that can get wins, Gausman is good but we never seem to win when he pitches. Gallardo is decent but he seems like he only is good for 5 innings a game. The rest of the rotation is... well...

 

Let's see what happens the rest of year

[AnPheitseog]

1 hour ago, Crabcake47 said:

The O's currently lead the AL East at the All-Star Break and have hit 137 homers in that span (28 of those have been Trum?s).  Our starting rotation is also crap. 

 

I'm happy for now, but we can't go any farther with this starting pitching. Tillman is literally the only pitcher that can get wins, Gausman is good but we never seem to win when he pitches. Gallardo is decent but he seems like he only is good for 5 innings a game. The rest of the rotation is... well...

 

Let's see what happens the rest of year

At this point, a four man rotation might not be too bad of an idea. 

[leopard88]

1 hour ago, DiePerske said:

At this point, a four man rotation might not be too bad of an idea. 

 

On the MASN broadcast yesterday, Mike Bordick was talking about a sort of buddy system/piggyback type of plan as an option (but I don't remember the term he used for it).

 

It involved possibly pairing some of the guys who seem to run into trouble the third time through the rotation with another guy of that type or a long reliever.  The starter in the pair would start, with the expectation that the other pitcher would come in around the 5th inning, if not earlier.  The examples were along the lines of Yovani Gallardo/Dylan Bundy, Yovani Gallardo/Mike Wright, Mike Wright/Tyler Wilson, Tyler Wilson/T.J. McFarland.

 

It is an interesting concept to me.  However, it seems like it would be difficult to manage the bullpen so as to keep the second pitcher ready for that duty.  If you held out one reliever to use every fifth game (almost like a sixth starter), it could put some serious strain on the rest of the bullpen, especially if one of the other starters got shelled in between.

[AnPheitseog]

3 hours ago, leopard88 said:

 

On the MASN broadcast yesterday, Mike Bordick was talking about a sort of buddy system/piggyback type of plan as an option (but I don't remember the term he used for it).

 

It involved possibly pairing some of the guys who seem to run into trouble the third time through the rotation with another guy of that type or a long reliever.  The starter in the pair would start, with the expectation that the other pitcher would come in around the 5th inning, if not earlier.  The examples were along the lines of Yovani Gallardo/Dylan Bundy, Yovani Gallardo/Mike Wright, Mike Wright/Tyler Wilson, Tyler Wilson/T.J. McFarland.

 

It is an interesting concept to me.  However, it seems like it would be difficult to manage the bullpen so as to keep the second pitcher ready for that duty.  If you held out one reliever to use every fifth game (almost like a sixth starter), it could put some serious strain on the rest of the bullpen, especially if one of the other starters got shelled in between.

That's how it seems to be working now, so status quo.  Mostly because starters getting killed, and Worley/TJ needed  

 

That said, i want Worley and TJ in the rotation. Better choices than Jimenez and Wright.

 

Wilson isn't too terrible, but only use when a fifth starter is needed. 

[FiddySicks]

Cueto gets the nod for the NL tomorrow night. I knew he was going to have a great season (he was my pre-season Cy Young pick), and so far, he's right up there with some of the best in the league. Very happy about that. 

[FiddySicks]

Let's see how I'm doing mid season. Keep in mind my AL picks were always going to a bit of a shot in the dark because I hardly ever watch the AL. 

 

 

Quote

 

2016 MLB predictions.

• D backs will struggle to find offense down the stretch, and their pen will absolutely KILL them. They'll finish third in the West and miss the playoffs.

So far, this is pretty much spot on, but it's the starting pitching that's killing them even worse than the pen. AND, they're even worse than I thought. 

• Cespedes is going to have a Pablo Sandoval post contract-like bad year. Mets will miss the playoffs despite their pitching.

Lol, nope. He's having a very good year. On pace for career highs in walks, homers, and slugging %. Good for him. I still think the Mets are missing the playoffs. 

• Washington will bounce back in a big way and win the east.

Yup. They look about as strong as can be despite Harper's struggles.

• With Bonds' help, Stanton is going to end the season as the best hitter in the game. Marlins will be competitive all year. They'll squeak out the last wild card spot.

Probably a yup on both counts. Stanton started slow but has picked it up quite a bit, and the Marlins have one of their best ever first half records. 

• Cueto will have an even better year than Bumgarner, will finish top three in Cy Young voting.

Well, Cueto is having an even better year than I thought he would and is on pace for very high placing in the CYA, but Bumgarner is even better. I sure won't complain about that!

• Cubs will win 100 games. Pitching will do them in in the playoffs.

On pace to win close to 100, still having pitching issues past Lester and Jake. 

• Dodgers starting rotation will be too unstable and injuries will hurt them all season. They'll snag the first wild card spot, but lose the play in game to Miami.

Yup. Sailing that course right now. 

• Twins will be this year's surprise team, will snag a Wild Card birth.

OOPS!!!

• Royals will win the central again.

This may be wrong. Indians are looking a lot better than I expected. 

• Astros won't keep pace with the Rangers, who will win the AL West easier than any team wins any division.

Has a pretty good shot of happening.

• Yankees will trade A Rod mid season for pitching, still won't catch Toronto, but will grab a wild card spot.

They'll still probably make some dumb trades, but maybe not this dumb  

NL MVP: Giancarlo Stanton It's a down year overall, so it could happen
AL MVP: Rougned Odor Most valuable PUNCH

NL Cy Young: Johnny Cueto Right up there.
AL Cy Young: Cole Hamels Having a very solid year

World Series: Giants over Rangers in 6 (Even year magic/bull :censored:, bitch!) Best teams in baseball so far.

 

 

Overall, not too bad! Damn Twins  

[FiddySicks]

This whole AL as the home team thing is really messing with my head. Everything feels backwards.

[Cujo]

19 minutes ago, Bucfan56 said:

This whole AL as the home team thing is really messing with my head. Everything feels backwards.

 

What happened to the Cubs-induced boycott?

[FiddySicks]

1 minute ago, Cujo said:

 

What happened to the Cubs-induced boycott?

 

Cueto got the start.