2015 MLB Season Thread with Postseason Discussion

[AnPheitseog]

Pitchers are players too.

[DCarp1231]

Orioles-White Sox game postponed until further notice due to the riots in Baltimore. Talks about playing the series at Nationals Park have been discussed.

[cmm]

Real baseball fans shouldn't want to watch a pitcher stare at three pitches and then walk back to the dugout. Nothing ruins the momentum of a game like a :censored:ty at bat from someone who doesn't know or care about what they're doing. If I were a pitcher in the National League, I wouldn't want to risk my career by batting and running the bases.

Now with Scherzer and Waino getting injured doing something they shouldn't be wasting their time doing, you're going to start seeing NL teams be more open to the NL adopting the DH. Which will happen. Maybe not next year, maybe not in ten years, but eventually it will happen. One league shouldn't be more appealing to others players who can hit better than field, and pitchers who don't want to waste five minutes they could be preparing for the next frame by standing at the plate.

So every once in awhile, there's a freak injury and a pitcher gets hurt while batting. This is why no pitcher should be allowed to hit? The next time a pitcher rolls his ankle fielding a grounder, should they institute a designated fielder behind the mound so a pitcher won't have to field his position anymore?

Injuries are part of the game; Wainwright could just have easily gotten hurt on defense or even stumbling while walking his dog or something. And most pitchers are capable of taking a turn at bat without requiring a trip to the disabled list. Why punish a guy like Madison Bumgarner, who takes hit hitting seriously, because other pitchers can't be bothered to practice hitting and bunting and running the bases? If you're really that worried about getting hurt while hitting, just stand there and take three strikes because you deserve to be ridiculed and scorned. Just don't get mad if your teammates don't dive or if they pull up in front of the wall because they don't want to get hurt while playing defense (they're paid to hit, after all).

People have their reasons for liking the DH. Maybe they like more offense, or maybe they want both leagues to have the same rules, or maybe they have a fondness for 1970s relics like Astroturf and cookie-cutter stadiums. Fine. But I don't by this pitchers are precious snowflakes argument.

[RedSox44]

Players have clauses in their contracts prevent them from engaging in certain activities off the field so they don't get injured. Injuries happen. But their job is to throw the baseball. That is what they get paid for. Not to hit. Yes, they could've gotten injured fielding. But they didn't. They got injured doing something half the pitchers in the league don't have to do. And if I were them, I'd be pissed because AL pitchers don't have to worry about it.

So every pitcher has to accommodate Baumgarner because he takes it seriously?

There shouldn't be one place in the lineup a team can take as a sure out every night anyway.

[OnWis97]

Real baseball fans shouldn't want to watch a pitcher stare at three pitches and then walk back to the dugout. Nothing ruins the momentum of a game like a :censored:ty at bat from someone who doesn't know or care about what they're doing. If I were a pitcher in the National League, I wouldn't want to risk my career by batting and running the bases.

Now with Scherzer and Waino getting injured doing something they shouldn't be wasting their time doing, you're going to start seeing NL teams be more open to the NL adopting the DH. Which will happen. Maybe not next year, maybe not in ten years, but eventually it will happen. One league shouldn't be more appealing to others players who can hit better than field, and pitchers who don't want to waste five minutes they could be preparing for the next frame by standing at the plate.

So every once in awhile, there's a freak injury and a pitcher gets hurt while batting. This is why no pitcher should be allowed to hit? The next time a pitcher rolls his ankle fielding a grounder, should they institute a designated fielder behind the mound so a pitcher won't have to field his position anymore?

Injuries are part of the game; Wainwright could just have easily gotten hurt on defense or even stumbling while walking his dog or something. And most pitchers are capable of taking a turn at bat without requiring a trip to the disabled list. Why punish a guy like Madison Bumgarner, who takes hit hitting seriously, because other pitchers can't be bothered to practice hitting and bunting and running the bases? If you're really that worried about getting hurt while hitting, just stand there and take three strikes because you deserve to be ridiculed and scorned. Just don't get mad if your teammates don't dive or if they pull up in front of the wall because they don't want to get hurt while playing defense (they're paid to hit, after all).

People have their reasons for liking the DH. Maybe they like more offense, or maybe they want both leagues to have the same rules, or maybe they have a fondness for 1970s relics like Astroturf and cookie-cutter stadiums. Fine. But I don't by this pitchers are precious snowflakes argument.

Yeah. They are professional athletes for goodness sake. But yeah, the Wainright injury is going to hasten the move toward sterilized baseball in both leagues. I would not be surprised if it comes as early as next year. Look what happened when Buster Posey got run over...when important players on important teams get hurt, we tend to be knee-jerk.

Why do I like "pure" baseball? Honestly, it's more fun. I still remember a triple that Johan Santana hit at Joe Robbe (or whatever it was called) about 10 years ago. That was fun. I still remember Kerry Wood's home run in the 2003 NLCS; that was awesome (would have been more awesome had they won). So while I tend to be humorless and contemplative about sports, I actually think it's quirky and fun to have pitchers hitting. And some of them hit better than most Twins reserves. It's OK by me if pitchers who do enjoy hitting and are good at it have a little extra value. And yeah, most of the time they get out. A little more often than position players; and they frequently look worse doing it. The rare times they come through more than offsets that in the "fun" department.

AL baseball is boring. In the NL, you have to be careful about replacing people. In the AL, managers just bring in a new pitcher every-other batter mid-inning in the late innings to get the sacred left/left or right/right matchup.

And while this is just a side reason for my preference, long baseball games are a problem. NL games are shorter. 162 games per year; it helps keep fans interested if some of 'em end before 11.

[Tigers6884]

Real baseball fans shouldn't want to watch a pitcher stare at three pitches and then walk back to the dugout. Nothing ruins the momentum of a game like a :censored:ty at bat from someone who doesn't know or care about what they're doing. If I were a pitcher in the National League, I wouldn't want to risk my career by batting and running the bases.

Now with Scherzer and Waino getting injured doing something they shouldn't be wasting their time doing, you're going to start seeing NL teams be more open to the NL adopting the DH. Which will happen. Maybe not next year, maybe not in ten years, but eventually it will happen. One league shouldn't be more appealing to others players who can hit better than field, and pitchers who don't want to waste five minutes they could be preparing for the next frame by standing at the plate.

So every once in awhile, there's a freak injury and a pitcher gets hurt while batting. This is why no pitcher should be allowed to hit? The next time a pitcher rolls his ankle fielding a grounder, should they institute a designated fielder behind the mound so a pitcher won't have to field his position anymore?

Injuries are part of the game; Wainwright could just have easily gotten hurt on defense or even stumbling while walking his dog or something. And most pitchers are capable of taking a turn at bat without requiring a trip to the disabled list. Why punish a guy like Madison Bumgarner, who takes hit hitting seriously, because other pitchers can't be bothered to practice hitting and bunting and running the bases? If you're really that worried about getting hurt while hitting, just stand there and take three strikes because you deserve to be ridiculed and scorned. Just don't get mad if your teammates don't dive or if they pull up in front of the wall because they don't want to get hurt while playing defense (they're paid to hit, after all).

People have their reasons for liking the DH. Maybe they like more offense, or maybe they want both leagues to have the same rules, or maybe they have a fondness for 1970s relics like Astroturf and cookie-cutter stadiums. Fine. But I don't by this pitchers are precious snowflakes argument.

Yeah. They are professional athletes for goodness sake. But yeah, the Wainright injury is going to hasten the move toward sterilized baseball in both leagues. I would not be surprised if it comes as early as next year. Look what happened when Buster Posey got run over...when important players on important teams get hurt, we tend to be knee-jerk.

Why do I like "pure" baseball? Honestly, it's more fun. I still remember a triple that Johan Santana hit at Joe Robbe (or whatever it was called) about 10 years ago. That was fun. I still remember Kerry Wood's home run in the 2003 NLCS; that was awesome (would have been more awesome had they won). So while I tend to be humorless and contemplative about sports, I actually think it's quirky and fun to have pitchers hitting. And some of them hit better than most Twins reserves. It's OK by me if pitchers who do enjoy hitting and are good at it have a little extra value. And yeah, most of the time they get out. A little more often than position players; and they frequently look worse doing it. The rare times they come through more than offsets that in the "fun" department.

AL baseball is boring. In the NL, you have to be careful about replacing people. In the AL, managers just bring in a new pitcher every-other batter mid-inning in the late innings to get the sacred left/left or right/right matchup.

And while this is just a side reason for my preference, long baseball games are a problem. NL games are shorter. 162 games per year; it helps keep fans interested if some of 'em end before 11.

Ftfy

[OnWis97]

Ftfy

D'oh!

[Tigers6884]

Ftfy

D'oh!

It's ok, it happens to the best of us from time to time…

[CS85]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2015/04/27/josh-hamilton-rangers-angels/26489677/

edit: This whole Hamilton situation is terrible. For all involved. They all look awful.

[monkeypower]

This thing is blowing up in Arte's face, which might be good for the organization.

And Josh is just putting off the blame.

"He knew what the deal was when he signed me,'' Hamilton said. "Hands down. He knew what he was getting, what the risks were. Under the (Joint Drug Agreement), it is what it is.''

"He knew I was an addict. It was only a matter of time before I relapsed. Shame on the Angels for thinking I could change."

And there was the accountability partner that the "Angels let go" a while back.

Josh Hamilton's days of having an accountability partner who is constantly by his side are over. For 2014, the Angels' outfielder has, as he put it, "downsized the role," going with someone who will be with him only on the road and who will not dress for games as an additional coach.

"It's time to cut the cord a little bit," Hamilton said. "I don't really use it for home games. I go to the park, I do what I need to do, I know what I need to do, and I have my family. That was one of the main reasons."

[Tigers6884]

This thing is blowing up in Arte's face, which might be good for the organization.

And Josh is just putting off the blame.

"He knew what the deal was when he signed me,'' Hamilton said. "Hands down. He knew what he was getting, what the risks were. Under the (Joint Drug Agreement), it is what it is.''

"He knew I was an addict. It was only a matter of time before I relapsed. Shame on the Angels for thinking I could change."

And there was the accountability partner that the "Angels let go" a while back.

Josh Hamilton's days of having an accountability partner who is constantly by his side are over. For 2014, the Angels' outfielder has, as he put it, "downsized the role," going with someone who will be with him only on the road and who will not dress for games as an additional coach.

"It's time to cut the cord a little bit," Hamilton said. "I don't really use it for home games. I go to the park, I do what I need to do, I know what I need to do, and I have my family. That was one of the main reasons."

And people pity this guy?

[NJTank]

I think the injury to Adam Wainwright could be the catalyst to get the DH into the National League. With Interleague games every day there is now motivation to have universal rules in the NL and AL and with pitchers being so valuable getting hurt swinging a bat could be seen as too risky and move the NL owners to ascept the change.

[rams80]

Players have clauses in their contracts prevent them from engaging in certain activities off the field so they don't get injured. Injuries happen. But their job is to throw the baseball. That is what they get paid for. Not to hit. Yes, they could've gotten injured fielding. But they didn't. They got injured doing something half the pitchers in the league don't have to do. And if I were them, I'd be pissed because AL pitchers don't have to worry about it.

So every pitcher has to accommodate Baumgarner because he takes it seriously?

There shouldn't be one place in the lineup a team can take as a sure out every night anyway.

And David Ortiz should just hit rather than even attempting to field.

I'd sooner go to an 8 man batting order than letting a 'roided up clown trot over and try to hit home runs without even attempting to play defense.

FWIW I bet pitchers would be better at hitting if they actually were forced to bat in the minors.

-------------------------------------------------

Yes, letting pitchers bat cost the Cardinals Wainwright for the year (arguably). It also prevented the Cardinals from setting $254 million over 10 years on fire to pay Albert Pujols to bat well under .300 with only 78 HRs, a major injury, and 283 RBIs to show for it (presumably the advanced stats are full of fire and death too).

Point is, it balances out.

[OnWis97]

Players have clauses in their contracts prevent them from engaging in certain activities off the field so they don't get injured. Injuries happen. But their job is to throw the baseball. That is what they get paid for. Not to hit. Yes, they could've gotten injured fielding. But they didn't. They got injured doing something half the pitchers in the league don't have to do. And if I were them, I'd be pissed because AL pitchers don't have to worry about it.

So every pitcher has to accommodate Baumgarner because he takes it seriously?

There shouldn't be one place in the lineup a team can take as a sure out every night anyway.

And David Ortiz should just hit rather than even attempting to field.

I'd sooner go to an 8 man batting order than letting a 'roided up clown trot over and try to hit home runs without even attempting to play defense.

FWIW I bet pitchers would be better at hitting if they actually were forced to bat in the minors.

-------------------------------------------------

Yes, letting pitchers bat cost the Cardinals Wainwright for the year (arguably). It also prevented the Cardinals from setting $254 million over 10 years on fire to pay Albert Pujols to bat well under .300 with only 78 HRs, a major injury, and 283 RBIs to show for it (presumably the advanced stats are full of fire and death too).

Point is, it balances out.

I am going to be plagiarizing this all day.

[JasonFromMiami]

why did the rangers not have a jersey ready for josh to pose with and put on at that presser ?

[JasonFromMiami]

Players have clauses in their contracts prevent them from engaging in certain activities off the field so they don't get injured. Injuries happen. But their job is to throw the baseball. That is what they get paid for. Not to hit. Yes, they could've gotten injured fielding. But they didn't. They got injured doing something half the pitchers in the league don't have to do. And if I were them, I'd be pissed because AL pitchers don't have to worry about it.

So every pitcher has to accommodate Baumgarner because he takes it seriously?

There shouldn't be one place in the lineup a team can take as a sure out every night anyway.

agree, :censored: bumgarner

[2001mark]

I dislike Josh Hamilton. Now more than ever.

why did the rangers not have a jersey ready for josh to pose with and put on at that presser ?

Dunno... drug trigger?

[RedSox44]

Players have clauses in their contracts prevent them from engaging in certain activities off the field so they don't get injured. Injuries happen. But their job is to throw the baseball. That is what they get paid for. Not to hit. Yes, they could've gotten injured fielding. But they didn't. They got injured doing something half the pitchers in the league don't have to do. And if I were them, I'd be pissed because AL pitchers don't have to worry about it.

So every pitcher has to accommodate Baumgarner because he takes it seriously?

There shouldn't be one place in the lineup a team can take as a sure out every night anyway.

And David Ortiz should just hit rather than even attempting to field.

I'd sooner go to an 8 man batting order than letting a 'roided up clown trot over and try to hit home runs without even attempting to play defense.

FWIW I bet pitchers would be better at hitting if they actually were forced to bat in the minors.

-------------------------------------------------

Yes, letting pitchers bat cost the Cardinals Wainwright for the year (arguably). It also prevented the Cardinals from setting $254 million over 10 years on fire to pay Albert Pujols to bat well under .300 with only 78 HRs, a major injury, and 283 RBIs to show for it (presumably the advanced stats are full of fire and death too).

Point is, it balances out.

I don't know where this meme that Ortiz can't field came from. He's a competent fielder. He won't win any gold gloves, but he isn't Dick Goddamn Stuart. (Also: Suppan on third base in the 04 World Series).

Maybe pitchers would be better hitters if they did hit in the minors. Maybe they'd hit, like, .160 collectively, as opposed to merely .120. But you bet your ass no team is going to want pitchers hitting in the minors. What if a fastball runs inside and breaks an ace prospect's hand? Boom, career altered, maybe even ended prematurely.

If more pitchers hit well (I'm talking like .250), I'd be less adamant about the DH. But as it stands right now, it's a huge risk for no reward.

On Hamilton: good god what an asshat. "Hurr durr I'm an addict what do you expect." No sense of remorse. The sooner he crashes out of the league the better.

[Tigers6884]

Players have clauses in their contracts prevent them from engaging in certain activities off the field so they don't get injured. Injuries happen. But their job is to throw the baseball. That is what they get paid for. Not to hit. Yes, they could've gotten injured fielding. But they didn't. They got injured doing something half the pitchers in the league don't have to do. And if I were them, I'd be pissed because AL pitchers don't have to worry about it.

So every pitcher has to accommodate Baumgarner because he takes it seriously?

There shouldn't be one place in the lineup a team can take as a sure out every night anyway.

And David Ortiz should just hit rather than even attempting to field.

I'd sooner go to an 8 man batting order than letting a 'roided up clown trot over and try to hit home runs without even attempting to play defense.

FWIW I bet pitchers would be better at hitting if they actually were forced to bat in the minors.

-------------------------------------------------

Yes, letting pitchers bat cost the Cardinals Wainwright for the year (arguably). It also prevented the Cardinals from setting $254 million over 10 years on fire to pay Albert Pujols to bat well under .300 with only 78 HRs, a major injury, and 283 RBIs to show for it (presumably the advanced stats are full of fire and death too).

Point is, it balances out.

I don't know where this meme that Ortiz can't field came from. He's a competent fielder. He won't win any gold gloves, but he isn't Dick Goddamn Stuart. (Also: Suppan on third base in the 04 World Series).

Maybe pitchers would be better hitters if they did hit in the minors. Maybe they'd hit, like, .160 collectively, as opposed to merely .120. But you bet your ass no team is going to want pitchers hitting in the minors. What if a fastball runs inside and breaks an ace prospect's hand? Boom, career altered, maybe even ended prematurely.

If more pitchers hit well (I'm talking like .250), I'd be less adamant about the DH. But as it stands right now, it's a huge risk for no reward.

On Hamilton: good god what an asshat. "Hurr durr I'm an addict what do you expect." No sense of remorse. The sooner he crashes out of the league the better.

Well that's a bit harsh....

[sportstar1212]

Good god, this is a whole new level of crazy: