MLB 2019-2020 Offseason Thread

[Meacon Keaton]

You don't seem to gather that the vast majority of the American League doesn't use the DH like that anymore. Aaron Judge is one of the best right fielders in the league, and yet he DH's once or twice a week. It's essentially used as a way to give players a rest from playing in the field, but still allowing them to bat. And for that reason, it does extend careers.

It's good for the players, it's good for the fans, it's good for the game. Open your eyes and look at it from a different perspective than the one you've had since 1973.

[GhostMachine]

Its honestly more the strategy difference than anything. 

 

 

 

[Meacon Keaton]

What super strategy are you talking about, though? The irreplaceable "pinch hitter for the pitcher" strategy? And don't get me started on double-switches, because every person who has ever picked up a baseball thinks they're Tony LaRussa because they know how a double-switch can be utilized.  

The way I see it is that pitcher's don't generally pitch later than the fifth, sixth, seventh at most any more. And if they do, they most likely having an incredible game. I'd much rather see a pitcher stay in and pitch the 8th inning of his 1-hitter than be pinch-hit for and see him taken out. If you're DH-ing for him, then you don't have to remove him from the game just because it's his turn to hit. 

[Mx. Canadian Destroyer]

1 hour ago, B-li Manning said:

Baseball fans if their team doesn't win the 2020 World Series:  you call that a championship season?  fraudulent, needs an asterisk, nothing to be proud of
Baseball fans if their team wins the 2020 World Series:  WORLD FUCKIN' CHAMPIONS!!!!!

As someone who's become less interested in my team in favour of players as a whole, I think this season has the potential to be super entertaining. I hope we get some really fun narratives out of it.

21 minutes ago, Mr. Meacon Moneybags said:

You don't seem to gather that the vast majority of the American League doesn't use the DH like that anymore. Aaron Judge is one of the best right fielders in the league, and yet he DH's once or twice a week. It's essentially used as a way to give players a rest from playing in the field, but still allowing them to bat. And for that reason, it does extend careers.

It's good for the players, it's good for the fans, it's good for the game. Open your eyes and look at it from a different perspective than the one you've had since 1973.

Also, if we get rid of the DH, then I will stop messing up my substitutions in MLB The Show.

[The Buscher]

Schedule will be released later this week but it's assumed to be 40 games in-division (10 games per division rival) and 20 games against the corresponding division in the other league.  Logic would dictate that the interleague will be four games against each of those teams to make it a completely balanced schedule for everybody, but apparently it's not and you'll be playing your "natural interleague rival" six times with the rest of the interleague games TBD.

I understand the desire to cut down on travel but not all of the natural rivals are close by.  I don't mind an unbalanced schedule over a full season but 60 games makes every game that much more important, those two games against a really bad team could actually be the difference.

That said it might be splitting hairs because any team is capable of having a good two months or a bad two months so preseason projections mean jack.  Just enjoy what you get because it can all be shut down at any time.

[gunnar hendershow]

Congratulations to all NL East teams on their free wins against Baltimore.

[The Buscher]

Be funny if a doormat team goes 8-2 against one of their division rivals or something.  That would sink their season on its own.

[Meacon Keaton]

So Yanks/Mets, Nationals/Orioles, Rays/Marlins, Phillies/Red Sox, Braves/Blue Jays (so close).

Cleveland/Reds, White Sox/Cubs, Royals/Cardinals, Pirates/Tigers, Twins/Brewers.

Dodgers/Angels, Giants/Athletics, Diamondbacks/Mariners? , Padres/Astros? Rockies/Rangers?

The Central is literally the only cluster that makes 100% sense. The East is close. But that West is scattered.

[gunnar hendershow]

I'd guess: 

Dodgers/Angels, Giants/Athletics, Diamondbacks/Astros , Padres/Mariners Rockies/Rangers

SD and Seattle are on opposite ends of the Pacific Coast but it works from a "they share a highway" perspective I believe.

Also I think Atlanta is closer to Texas and Houston than Arizona and Colorado are. Geography is wild.

[The Buscher]

Every team's 40 man roster is automatically eligible to play this year and each team can selected up to 20 more players, bringing the total pool to 60.

Active gameday rosters for the first two weeks of the season will be 30 players.  That will drop to 28 for the following two weeks, and 26 for the rest of the way.

[SeanDMan]

Or less as players die of COVID.

[Meacon Keaton]

Just saw Jeff Passan say Toronto needs to only hold Nate Peterson in the minors for 7 days into the season to save a whole year of eligibility. What shit show.

[Maxx]

3 hours ago, B-li Manning said:

Every team's 40 man roster is automatically eligible to play this year and each team can selected up to 20 more players, bringing the total pool to 60.

Active gameday rosters for the first two weeks of the season will be 30 players.  That will drop to 28 for the following two weeks, and 26 for the rest of the way.

Ooo we getting Major League Tebow?

[GhostMachine]

Due to his contract, Collin McHugh could end up having to pay the Red Sox over $64,000 to pitch for them. 

[Mx. Canadian Destroyer]

8 hours ago, Mr. Meacon Moneybags said:

So Yanks/Mets, Nationals/Orioles, Rays/Marlins, Phillies/Red Sox, Braves/Blue Jays (so close)

Yeah, this one makes no sense but the rest all do, so whatever. The Jays have a couple of fun storylines with the Braves (beat them for their first World Series and Anthopolous is their GM).

[The Buscher]

5 hours ago, Maxx said:

Ooo we getting Major League Tebow?

If there was any hope of having fans in the stands, the Wilpons are definitely the type that would insist Tebow be on the 60 just so they could trot him out there if they were out of it in the last quarter of the year.  If he makes the 60-man, I suspect it's because a lot of minor leaguers have said he's a good clubhouse guy.  Obviously I'd rather give the spot to someone who could contribute on the field if needed but the reality is if you actually need to resort to using 60 players in 60 games, something went terribly wrong.

I suspect most teams' taxi squads will look the same.  All the veterans you invited to Spring Training since they've at least got some experience, a handful of prospects you could've seen debuting in 2020, and a few extra minor league catchers for injury depth and because you're gonna have all these guys on the taxi squad that will need catchers to throw to on bullpen day.

[Lowerdeck]

On 24/06/2020 at 22:26, Mx. Canadian Destroyer said:

Yeah, this one makes no sense but the rest all do, so whatever. The Jays have a couple of fun storylines with the Braves (beat them for their first World Series and Anthopolous is their GM).

 

Unless it's Boston/Atlanta, using the Braves way back connections to Boston

[The Buscher]

Provided they don't have to shut it all back down during Spring Training 2.0, the plan is to open the season in DC on July 23 with Gerrit Cole vs. Max Scherzer in primetime.

[GhostMachine]

That'll be a good matchup. Of course, I'll be hoping Cole gets yanked in the 5th inning with an ERA over 12.00.....

Shut up, Meacon! 

 

(Besides hating the Yankees, Scherzer is one of my favorite pitchers. Cole, not so much.)

P.S. What baseball needs now is more knuckleball pitchers. `tis a thing of beauty when someone knows how to toss one.

Edited June 27, 2020 by GhostMachine

[The Buscher]

Interesting to see teams' approaches to filling their 60-man player pool.  In most cases the only way to remove a healthy player from the pool is to trade or release them, the only other way is if they choose to opt out of the season due to virus concerns.

Some teams went with the full 60, some teams left a few spots open for potential veteran adds or trades, others didn't come close to reaching the max.  Really, the Opening Day roster is 30 so I kinda think it makes sense to take a smaller group initially and avoid having a whole bunch of extra bodies around during a pandemic.

Whether it's now or later, most teams seem like they will burn a few player pool spots on their top prospects that aren't anywhere close to being big league ready, just because it's a good chance to give them a few months of structured training instead of wasting the whole season.