Official MLB 2023 Thread

[bill5]

Wow what an ending. I don't think Texas will win this but it was a great Game 1.

[Geoff Grace]

Yeah, it was a dramatic finish, no doubt. First, Corey Seager’s home run sent the game into extra innings; and then, in the 11th inning, Adolis Garcia nailed a walk-off home run.

 

Great comeback by the Rangers. 
 

Best,

 

Geoff

[Adan]

For me, a world series is only interesting if either it involves a team I root for, or if there's enough great players collectively involved.  

 

Neither Arizona nor Texas have many fans outside their respective regions.  Neither of them really feels like a central part of baseball history.

 

As for great players who will be remembered in 10 or 15 years, Arizona has the rookie Corbin Caroll who's fun to watch and could be one of the greats. Texas has some young guys who could have good careers but only one really great player: Seager.  Scherzer is a  HOF'er, but at this point in his career he's mostly a late season rental for teams headed to the playoffs, why even call him a Texas Ranger?

 

Any world series is worth watching, but there's a difference between that and being genuinely excited as a baseball fan.

[Geoff Grace]

I’m a Dodgers fan because they and the Giants were the closest things we had in Arizona to home teams in the ’60s. I moved to LA years before the Diamondbacks were born. I love the tradition of baseball; but I also realize that times change, and even baseball must change a little too or risk becoming irrelevant.

 

I went back to the Phoenix area (“The Valley of the Sun”) for the first time in years earlier this month, and I was taken aback at the changes. Complete sections of town had been erased and replaced. Downtown Tempe, dominated by high-rise buildings, looks like a real city rather than the sleepy college town I left behind. The ghetto area in South Phoenix, where I used to practice in a P-Funk band, has been replaced by large, upper-middle-class homes. What I’m getting at is that Phoenix has rapidly grown to become the fifth-most populous city in the United States. It’s no longer irrelevant, and a lot of sports fans live there. It may not have been a storied part of baseball’s past, but it’s likely to be an important part of baseball’s future.

 

Even though the Diamondbacks franchise itself doesn’t evoke nostalgia, their small ball approach to baseball is an enjoyable throwback. I loved their three-run third inning last night, based largely on a stolen base, a triple, and a sacrifice bunt. They’re not a swing for the fences team.

 

Best,

 

Geoff

[harmonizer]

I am rooting for the Texas Rangers, only because their franchise has never won a World Series (the Texas Rangers played as the Washington Senators from 1961-1971, before they moved to Texas and changed their name).

[bill5]

1 hour ago, harmonizer said:

I am rooting for the Texas Rangers, only because their franchise has never won a World Series (the Texas Rangers played as the Washington Senators from 1961-1971, before they moved to Texas and changed their name).

Same here. And I for one am glad to see somewhat "different" teams in the WS for a change. 

 

Tonight's game, Texas didn't have it, period. Arizona's pitcher was on and that was that...even when it was 3-1 I felt it was over. 

[Synthaholic]

5 hours ago, harmonizer said:

I am rooting for the Texas Rangers, only because their franchise has never won a World Series (the Texas Rangers played as the Washington Senators from 1961-1971, before they moved to Texas and changed their name).

Despite my intense dislike for the state of Texas, I feel the same.

[Synthaholic]

There's been a robbery.

 

The Sporting News named Cody Bellinger Comeback Player of the Year in the NL instead of Marcel Ozuna, who belted 40 home runs and 100 RBI after a dreadful 2022.

[Adan]

The world changes, and maybe it's just a lack of imagination not to see Arizona versus Texas in the same sepia-toned light as New York v LA.  

 

When I'm not a fan of either team, I'll usually root for whichever best exemplifies scrapiness, creativity, or just dumb luck over money. In this case that's a clear distinction, with Texas's payroll about 80% higher.  

 

it's also fun to see a guy like Tommy Pham, who's been counted out and discarded many times (not to mention shived in a strip club parking lot) in the spotlight. There's hope for all of us!

[Docbop]

I don't follow sports much anymore and baseball was one of the first sports I lost interest in, but I thought it was still the big sport in the US.    I read an article yesterday on how small the television viewing audience has shrunk.  It said baseball and car racing have only a 7% of the sports television market.    That eSports has twice the audience of baseball, football then basketball are the top two.   I guess in the digital world where even short Pop songs get shortened by radio to keep the audience attention baseball is becoming a boomer thing. 

 

 

[Polychrest]

15 hours ago, Synthaholic said:

There's been a robbery.

Blue Jays fans won’t require a subpoena to testify in court about a heist inflicted on their team last winter: catcher Gabriel Moreno and OF Lourdes Gurriel to Arizona for 27-year-old all-glove no-hit OF Daulton Varsho.  The 23-year-old Moreno’s one HR away from tying the all-time post-season record for HRs by a catcher and he’s got a bunch of key RBIs.  He’s a good catcher—great arm. Based on their production this year, Gurriel for Varsho even-up would be a saw-off.  Throw in Moreno and it’s grand larceny. There’s something seriously wrong with Toronto’s management team for even contemplating this deal.

[Synthaholic]

On 10/29/2023 at 5:38 PM, Polychrest said:

Blue Jays fans won’t require a subpoena to testify in court about a heist inflicted on their team last winter: catcher Gabriel Moreno and OF Lourdes Gurriel to Arizona for 27-year-old all-glove no-hit OF Daulton Varsho.  The 23-year-old Moreno’s one HR away from tying the all-time post-season record for HRs by a catcher and he’s got a bunch of key RBIs.  He’s a good catcher—great arm. Based on their production this year, Gurriel for Varsho even-up would be a saw-off.  Throw in Moreno and it’s grand larceny. There’s something seriously wrong with Toronto’s management team for even contemplating this deal.

Daulton Varsho (son of Gary Varsho) can't hit at all, unlike his namesake, Darren Daulton, who was good friends with Gary. And catchers have to be run producers. It's just expected from the position. But he couldn't hit in his previous 3 seasons with the Diamondbacks, so yeah, I don't know what Toronto brass were thinking. He does have a great fielding percentage behind the plate, and he led all of major league baseball in Defensive Runs Saved, with 29, ahead of Fernando Tatis Jr. with 27.  Maybe they just wanted to compile a team consisting exclusively of sons of major leaguers. Vlad Guerrero, Jr., Cavan Biggio, Bo Bichette - they're gettin' there!

 

Gabriel Moreno has been very impressive. They mentioned that he was #1 in caught stealing, held by J.T. Realmuto for the last few years. Lourdes Gurriel is good but he's 30 and still hasn't gone to the next level as a player, so he needs to make the most of the next few years. I can't pinpoint why but he reminds me of Expos/Astro/Cubs LF Moises Alou. 

[Polychrest]

10 hours ago, Synthaholic said:

He does have a great fielding percentage behind the plate . . .

We never saw Varsho play catcher in Toronto.  Jays used him exclusively at LF or CF.  He was very good in the outfield, and his ability to drag bunt for hits off lefties was impressive, but those were the only hits he could get off southpaws.  He wasn’t much better against righties.  Gurriel was streaky at the plate with the Jays.  When he got hot, he could be formidable.  Arizona could use a Gurriel hot streak right now.

[Synthaholic]

4 hours ago, Polychrest said:

We never saw Varsho play catcher in Toronto.  Jays used him exclusively at LF or CF.  He was very good in the outfield, and his ability to drag bunt for hits off lefties was impressive, but those were the only hits he could get off southpaws.  He wasn’t much better against righties.  Gurriel was streaky at the plate with the Jays.  When he got hot, he could be formidable.  Arizona could use a Gurriel hot streak right now.

Going back and looking at his record, Arizona pretty much divided his playing time between catcher and outfielder, too. Now I'm wondering why. Usually a primary catcher starts playing other positions toward the end of their career to save their knees and stay in the lineup, and I know that some pitchers have their favorite catchers to throw to, but that would only explain part of it. His high fielding percentage translates to each position, so he must just have a good glove.

[Geoff Grace]

Man, the Rangers are running away with Game 4: it's already 10-0 in the bottom of the third inning!

 

Best,

 

Geoff

[bill5]

Yeah it was 0-0 and I turned away to watch a movie for a little and turned back after not very long and it was already 5-0, I was like wth? Saw the three-run HR that made it 10-0. Of course comebacks this big and bigger have happened, but if Texas loses this game, they deserve to lose the series IMO - 

[bill5]

See what I mean? Just like that it's 11-5. I cannot freaking believe Texas gave up a grand slam.

 

Again stranger things have happened.......

[Geoff Grace]

Yeah, it wound up being 11-7. Not a bad comeback by the Diamondbacks, but still not enough. Now, they’ve got to win out to win the series.

 

First off, they’ve got to stop pitching to Corey Seager. He’s been demolishing them.

 

Best,

 

Geoff

[Geoff Grace]

Tonight is the first elimination game of the World Series. Let's see if the Diamondbacks can rise to the challenge at home in Arizona.

 

Best,

 

Geoff

[bill5]

I'm confident they will. In fact, I stand by my earlier conviction that this goes to seven games.

[bill5]

Like I said, I knew Texas would wrap it up tonight.

 

 

Congrats to the Rangers! I really thought the Diamondbacks would respond and this would end up a dogfight to the end

[Geoff Grace]

Congratulations to the Texas Rangers on winning their first ever World Series. Congrats also to (former Dodger great) Corey Seager for his second World Series MVP.

 

My condolences to my Arizona friends, and to any Diamondback fans who are forum members. It's a shame they had to lose after six no-hit innings.

 

Best,

 

Geoff

[harmonizer]

Congrats to the Texas Rangers on their first World Series title in their franchise history, since they started as the expansion team Washington Senators in 1961.

[bill5]

Also the only WS champ to go undefeated on the road in the post-season. 

[Synthaholic]

So, the 8th best team in baseball beat the 12th best team in baseball to be crowned the best team in baseball for 2023.  🥴

 

It shouldn't be this way. What a disaster. I've got a headache. 

[bill5]

? I think your math needs work. They weren't the 8th best by any measure I can see. And clearly they weren't the 8th best anyway, since so-called better teams couldn't beat them. I love that you have a headache about it though.   

[Geoff Grace]

I think there’s a case to be made that the best teams are the ones who finish the season with the most wins. Certainly, they were the best teams of the season as a whole. 
 

These days, the season only matters as a selection process for the postseason, in which a handful of games are given more weight than a much larger, earlier sample. The team that played the best in October is declared the champion, regardless of who played the best in all of the other months. It’s more exciting that way, but arguably less fair. 
 

Best,

 

Geoff

[Adan]

Professional sports don't exist because people love logic and science.  They exist for entertainment.  This World Series had the lowest watch ratings in recorded history, but that's not because the teams had mediocre winning records during the regular season.  If the Yankees had played the Dodgers and they had similar regular season won-loss records, ratings would have broken records.

[Lou Gehrig Charles]

20 hours ago, bill5 said:

Also the only WS champ to go undefeated on the road in the post-season. 

Is that a real statistic? 

 

The 2005 White Sox were 11-1 in the postseason and their only loss came at home.  But that's the only recent example I can think of.

 

I think the 1976 Reds were undefeated in the postseason but that was without the wildcard series.

[bill5]

That's what they said the other night during the last game (i.e. "if they win this game....").  Maybe they meant WS only, or I'm just losing it, but I could've sworn that's what they said. Oddly I couldn't find out onlilne.