Jump to content
Please note: You can easily log in to MPN using your Facebook account!

Official MLB 2023 Thread


Recommended Posts

2 hours ago, Dave Ferris said:

 

Good question. I wouldn't be surprised at all to see Aaron Judge sign with the Giants, as that's his home and his home team. I also wouldn't be surprised to see him stay with the Yankees, if his emotional ties to that team are strong enough. Either way, he's going to make great money.

 

Best,

 

Geoff

My Blue Someday appears on Apple Music | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My condolences, Dave, that Turner didn't return to the Nats. Your team sure has lost a lot of great talent.

 

Other activity today:


Sources: New York Mets, Justin Verlander reach agreement


Dodgers re-sign Clayton Kershaw to one-year, $20M deal


I also hate to see the Dodgers lose Trea Turner. He’ll be a star player for the Phillies. I’m glad at least that Clayton Kershaw is sticking around.


Best,


Geoff

My Blue Someday appears on Apple Music | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Apparently Turner has been in the MLB for 7 years and only has 200 SB.

When I see his highlights, I ask, how can this be?   Late bloomer?

 

EDIT: I see Trea's SB max is running at Ricky's 16 year low.  (40 vs 130)

J  a  z  z   P i a n o 8 8

--

Yamaha C7D

Montage M8x | CP300 | CP4 | SK1-73 | OB6 | Seven

K8.2 | 3300 | CPSv.3

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Geoff Grace said:

My condolences, Dave, that Turner didn't return to the Nats. Your team sure has lost a lot of great talent.

 

Thanks, Geoff. 

 

There was no chance of him coming back to DC, although he really liked it here and was surprised to be traded. 

 

The Nationals will not be competitive again until the Lerner family find a buyer and the team gets sold to new owners.

 

They had a business plan. Buy a team, win a World Series, sell the team.

 

So far the first two have happened. Hopefully, the third is not far off. 

  • Like 1
:nopity:
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can understand spending that kind of money on Trea Turner.  11 years takes him to about age 40.  Certainly he'll lose the speed part of his game and maybe have to shift away from shortstop, but I guess the hope would be he keeps hitting and maybe even increases his power.

 

It seems like the 80's was the golden age of the stolen base, with guys like Henderson and Vince Coleman who would attempt a steal almost every time they could.  Seems like that's fallen out of favor as a strategy for winning games.  When Henderson stole 130 bases he was also caught 42 times. Someone like Trea Turner steals only when it makes sense situationally.   He's got one of the best stolen base success rates ever, better than Henderson.

 

Verlander and deGrom are harder to fathom with the money those teams are throwing at old fragile albeit great-when-healthy pitchers.  But there's always the part of the game that's below the table to the average fan concerning how free agent signings make money back just in advance ticket sales and advertising deals.  A big name signing doesn't necessarily pay for itself in WAR only.

 

  • Like 1

Gigging: Crumar Mojo 61, Hammond SKPro

Home: Vintage Vibe 64

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Padres offered serious $$$ to both Judge and Turner, then eventually landed Xander Bogaerts for Bogaerts money.

 

I had to look up who owns the Padres now because I don't remember them throwing money around like this before.  It's an ownership group led by chairman Pete Seidler, grandson of Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

I would love to see Josh Donaldson and Marcel Ozuna be the Comeback Players of the Year in each league. I do not think that either of them is washed up, and Donaldson, at 37, is still a Top 3 defensive 3B. 

The fact there's a Highway To Hell and only a Stairway To Heaven says a lot about anticipated traffic numbers

 

People only say "It's a free country" when they're doing something shitty-Demetri Martin

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
On 2/28/2023 at 9:43 PM, OB Dave said:

I want to hear Bobby Cressey play at the World Series. 

 

You and me both

Kawai C-60 Grand Piano : Hammond A-100 : Hammond SK2 : Yamaha CP4 : Yamaha Montage 7 : Moog Sub 37

 

My latest album: Funky organ, huge horn section

https://bobbycressey.bandcamp.com/album/cali-native

Link to comment
Share on other sites

From The Athletic's Dave O'Brien:

 

Braves prospects and 5th-starter candidates Dylan Dodd (0.69) and Jared Shuster (0.71) currently have the lowest ERAs among all MLB qualifiers this spring.

 

There's a lot of competition for that 5th starter slot, between Shuster, Dodd, Ian Anderson, Mike Soroka, Bryce Elder, Nick Anderson (looking for a comeback), Jackson Stephens. The Braves are loaded with pitching again. Shuster has been particularly impressive:

 

 

The fact there's a Highway To Hell and only a Stairway To Heaven says a lot about anticipated traffic numbers

 

People only say "It's a free country" when they're doing something shitty-Demetri Martin

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know about this World Baseball Classic. Freddie Freeman gets hurt. Edwin Diaz gets really hurt. Jose Altuve left the game after getting drilled on the hand - haven't heard if he broke anything. I realize all these things could happen in Spring Training, but the added intensity of playing for your country has made these players really go all out. I was scared to death watching Ronald Acuna, Jr. round third base the other day. He was going so hard I was worried he would pull a hamstring or something.

 

I just think their first loyalty is to the clubs that are paying them millions, and their fans.

  • Like 1

The fact there's a Highway To Hell and only a Stairway To Heaven says a lot about anticipated traffic numbers

 

People only say "It's a free country" when they're doing something shitty-Demetri Martin

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You make great points, Synthaholic. I'm concerned about all of the injuries too.

 

At the same time, I'm glad that baseball is becoming a more global pastime. I'd also like to see the birthplace of the sport field a great team, so I'm pulled in both directions.

 

Best,

 

Geoff

My Blue Someday appears on Apple Music | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, Geoff Grace said:

You make great points, Synthaholic. I'm concerned about all of the injuries too.

 

At the same time, I'm glad that baseball is becoming a more global pastime. I'd also like to see the birthplace of the sport field a great team, so I'm pulled in both directions.

 

Best,

 

Geoff

I am, also, Geoff. They have been exciting games. But at a high cost for some teams. And they're basically exhibition games. This sucks for Altuve.

 

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/jose-altuve-injury-update-astros-star-breaks-thumb-in-vs-usa-in-world-baseball-classic/

The fact there's a Highway To Hell and only a Stairway To Heaven says a lot about anticipated traffic numbers

 

People only say "It's a free country" when they're doing something shitty-Demetri Martin

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Talk about exciting games!

 

To have the final game come down to the final out, 3-2, with Shohei Ohtani pitching to Mike Trout, reaching a full count was as classic as it gets.

 

Of course, I'd rather team USA won; but it was still a great game, well worth the watch. Congratulations to Japan for winning the 2023 WBC.

 

Best,

 

Geoff

My Blue Someday appears on Apple Music | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It’s also worth noting that the World Baseball Classic gave all stars Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout a chance to play in a meaningful game, something that has eluded them so far with the California Angels. It was great baseball drama to see the two teammates face off in the decisive moment of the contest. 

 

That doesn’t negate the injury factor we’ve been discussing, but this was a significant event in the history of baseball. 

 

Best,

 

Geoff

My Blue Someday appears on Apple Music | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon

Link to comment
Share on other sites

According to reporting in The Athletic, something like 65 million Japanese TV viewers watched an early-round WBC game featuring Japan.  As a percentage of the national population, that’s a bigger number than any Superbowl has drawn in the United States.  This tournament has leg$.

"The more a man looks at a thing, the less he can see it, and the more a man learns a thing, the less he knows it."

--G.K. Chesterton.  A lazy rationalization for not practising as much as I should

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

It’s Opening Day! Get caught up at the link below:


MLB Opening Day 2023: Live updates, game previews, highlights

 

One notable stat: the Yankees beat the Giants today in 2 hours, 33 minutes. Last year's Opening Day time for the Yankees, in an 11-inning win over the Red Sox, was 3 hours, 56 minutes.


Best,


Geoff

  • Like 1

My Blue Someday appears on Apple Music | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Your reminder again that if you are a T-Mobile customer you can get the whole MLB TV package for free. It's a $150 value. So for the third year in a row I can watch every game, every team, unless it's blacked out for some reason. Must be activated by April 4th, in the T-Mobile Tuesdays app.

 

The Braves won, but Max Fried left after 4 innings with a little hamstring tightness, covering first base.

 

The Cubs won, and Dansby Swanson had his first hit and the team's first RBI of the season. I think he's going to have a huge year.

  • Like 1

The fact there's a Highway To Hell and only a Stairway To Heaven says a lot about anticipated traffic numbers

 

People only say "It's a free country" when they're doing something shitty-Demetri Martin

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I couldn't be happier about the return of the stolen base.  It's a game within a game, and heightens game strategy in a very transparent way.  I hope it leads to a resurgance of the singles-slashing speedster in the Lou Brock mold.

  • Like 1

Gigging: Crumar Mojo 61, Hammond SKPro

Home: Vintage Vibe 64

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

How about those Tampa Bay Devil Rays? They are now 11-0 to start the season. They were projected to have the best pitching staff in the majors, but their bats have been on fire - 4 homers tonight.

 

The Braves are second in wins with an 8-4 record.

 

I feel terrible for Adam Duvall, who fractured his glove wrist diving forward for a ball in short center field. He was leading the majors in nearly every offensive category. 

 

O'Neil Cruz broke his ankle sliding into home, setting off a bench-clearing brawl while he's lying on the ground writhing in pain. Really sucks for the Pirates, who have gotten off to a great start.

 

 

The fact there's a Highway To Hell and only a Stairway To Heaven says a lot about anticipated traffic numbers

 

People only say "It's a free country" when they're doing something shitty-Demetri Martin

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rays rally past Red Sox to improve to 13-0, tie modern MLB record


While any MLB record is a big deal, it should be noted that every team the Rays beat is currently in last place, so that may take a little luster off of the accomplishment. On the other hand, it may also be the case that they’re in last place because Tampa Bay put them there. It’ll be interesting to see how great this Rays team turns out to be (and whether their opponents continue to stay in last place) as the season progresses.


Best,


Geoff

My Blue Someday appears on Apple Music | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...