MLB 2022

[Krabby]

Happy Bobby Bonilla Day @CM Busch !

[gunnar hendershow]

In the end inflation won out.

Never take deferred payments.

[The Buscher]

Bruce Sutter signed a 6-year deal with the Braves before the 1985 season. He appeared in just 112 of a possible 972 games for them during the life of the contract, last pitching in 1988.

He receives his final payment from the Braves today.

[GhostMachine]

The commissioner has said that they're considering:

1. A pitch clock. Something being tested in the minors. The pitcher would have 14 seconds to throw if no one is on base, 18 or so if someone is on base. No idea how it works if he's trying to throw a runner attempting to steal. This is to shave time off games.

2. An automated strike zone, using I guess cameras and some of sort of computer system. 

3. Adding 2 more teams.

[gunnar hendershow]

I went to a Delmarva Shorebirds game and yes absolutely give me the pitch clock in the majors. It just added such a flow to the game. 

Automated strike zones are a must.

The 2 more teams... ehhhh. But it might help save the Orioles in Baltimore.

[GhostMachine]

They believe the pitch clock could shave off as much as 30 minutes from each game.

I've got an idea for a fourth change: Fire Angel Hernandez. And make a compilation video of his many fuck-ups to show his incompetence, in case he tries to sue for racial discrimination again. 

 

[The Buscher]

Jacob deGrom pitches 2 innings in a rehab game tonight.  Of note, he was shut down right before the season and set to be re-evaluated and resume throwing within 4 weeks.  Well after 4 weeks his scapula had healed yet here we are 2 months later and he’s only now starting rehab.

I really don’t buy that he’s gonna return this year.  He’ll feel “something off” and shut himself back down.  This scapula injury was the first actual injury he’s had, last year he shut himself down 3 or 4 times and had clean MRIs every time.  I love the guy but I think he’s his own worst enemy sometimes in terms of shutting himself down.

Naturally, hack Buster Olney poked the bear yesterday suggesting the Braves will be the favorites to sign him if he opts out.  First off, I don’t see him opting out of a final $63 million unless he actually gets back on the field.  Secondly, it would mean all his talk about wanting to be a career Met (something he has consistently said for years) was a lie, because there is no chance Cohen will be outbid.

[gunnar hendershow]

So the Orioles bullpen has been elite all season, and then the weekend series with Minnesota happened. Two blown saves.

On Monday they won in extras via a walkoff HBP. Then last night they blew leads in the 7th, 8th, and 9th innings. Been peak drunk baseball as they call it.

 

[The Buscher]

With All Star rosters set to be announced this week...there is apparently a clause in the new CBA which allows the commissioner to elect extra players to the All Star team "in recognition of career achievements", in other words they are de-facto legend spots designed to give guys a final send-off.  Which is fine, I've been all for adding more fun to the game once it stopped having home field advantage at stake.

So it's entirely possible Albert Pujols gets to make one final All Star appearance despite hitting under the Mendoza line at the moment.

I'd say Miguel Cabrera would be the best legend choice for the AL to celebrate his 3,000 hits, but at this point it feels like he had a case to make the team anyway under the old rules as the Tigers' lone rep.

[gunnar hendershow]

Yeah I love the "let's just let the legends be added in" idea. I think the days of guys like Cal Ripken getting voted as a starter no matter what are very well behind us. But those legends in their last run do deserve the send off, and the fans will all love it too.

Baseball has the best ASG and just making it a total fun free-for-all is the way to go.

[GhostMachine]

I always wanted the ASG to add something I call `The Bobby Cox Rule' (because he's first manager I can think of offhand this would have stopped): Limit the # of players a manager can pick from his own team to be in the game. Because there was one ASG he managed where the Braves already had at least two starters, and he loaded up on Braves when it was time to pick the additional players.

 

 

[The Buscher]

On the day the Mets retired Keith Hernandez’ number, they won on a walk-off error in extra innings.

The last time they won on a walk-off error in extra innings?  Game 6 of the 1986 World Series.

Baseball is wild.

[gunnar hendershow]

The Orioles have won 7 in a row. Including 3 straight over the Angels who feature 2 generational talents (and suck beyond that as we all know).

3 games back in the wild card race!

 

[The Buscher]

Preliminary All Star rosters announced, as always plenty of replacements to be announced in the next week:

AL Starting Lineup
C Alejandro Kirk, Blue Jays
1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr, Blue Jays
2B Jose Altuve, Astros
SS Tim Anderson, White Sox
3B Rafael Devers, Red Sox
OF Aaron Judge, Yankees
OF Giancarlo Stanton, Yankees
OF Mike Trout, Angels
DH Shohei Ohtani, Angels

AL Reserves
C Jose Trevino, Yankees
1B Luis Arraez, Twins
2B Andres Gimenez, Guardians
3B Jose Ramirez, Guardians
SS Xander Bogaerts, Red Sox
OF Andrew Benintendi, Royals
OF Byron Buxton, Twins
OF Jorge Rodriguez, Mariners
OF George Springer, Blue Jays
OF Kyle Tuckers, Astros
DH Yordan Alvarez, Astros
DH Miguel Cabrera, Tigers (Commissioners' Legacy Selection)

AL Pitchers
RHP Paul Blackburn, Athletics
RHP Emmanuel Clase, Guardians
RHP Gerrit Cole, Yankees
LHP Nestor Cortes, Yankees
RHP Clay Holmes, Yankees
RHP Jorge Lopez, Orioles
RHP Alek Manoah, Blue Jays
LHP Shane McClanahan, Rays
RHP Shohei Ohtani, Angels (does not count toward 12-pitcher limit)
LHP Martin Perez, Rangers
LHP Gregory Soto, Tigers
LHP Framber Valdez, Astros
RHP Justin Verlander, Astros


NL Starting Lineup
C Willson Contreras, Cubs
1B Paul Goldschmidt, Cardinals
2B Jazz Chisholm Jr, Marlins
SS Trea Turner, Dodgers
3B Manny Machado, Padres
OF Ronald Acuna Jr, Braves
OF Mookie Betts, Dodgers
OF Joc Pederson, Giants
DH Bryce Harper, Phillies (will not play)

NL Reserves
C Travis d'Arnaud, Braves
1B Pete Alonso, Mets
1B C.J. Cron, Rockies
2B Jeff McNeil, Mets
SS Dansby Swanson, Braves
3B Nolan Arenado, Cardinals
OF Ian Happ, Cubs
OF Starling Marte, Mets
OF Kyle Schwarber, Phillies
OF Juan Soto, Nationals
DH William Contreras, Braves (will be in starting lineup)
DH Albert Pujols, Cardinals (Commissioners' Legacy Selection)

NL Pitchers
RHP Sandy Alcantara, Marlins
RHP David Bednar, Pirates
RHP Corbin Burnes, Brewers
RHP Luis Castillo, Reds
RHP Edwin Diaz, Mets
LHP Max Fried, Braves
LHP Josh Hader, Brewers
RHP Ryan Helsley, Cardinals
LHP Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers
RHP Tony Gonsolin, Dodgers
LHP Joe Mantiply, Diamondbacks
RHP Joe Musgrove, Padres

[The Buscher]

22 hours ago, damhausen said:

The Orioles have won 7 in a row. Including 3 straight over the Angels who feature 2 generational talents (and suck beyond that as we all know).

3 games back in the wild card race!

 

I've pretty much crossed Mancini off of my wishlist at this point.  Hot streak notwithstanding, I don't see the O's getting enough value back for what he is worth to that fanbase.

Also, Nightengale claimed they were going to be sellers anyway so that means he's just as likely to get an extension.

[gunnar hendershow]

11 minutes ago, CM Busch said:

I've pretty much crossed Mancini off of my wishlist at this point.  Hot streak notwithstanding, I don't see the O's getting enough value back for what he is worth to that fanbase.

Also, Nightengale claimed they were going to be sellers anyway so that means he's just as likely to get an extension.

The most selling they'd do is guys like Lyles, Santander, maybe a reliever. Mancini would've definitely been dealt when the team was out of it because it's actually a good look to send him to a contender (especially one with our beloved Buck as manager). 

The return for anyone is likely to be a AA player whose ceiling is 4th OFer or late-inning reliever. And they have to ask themselves if that's really worth it. 

I assume if they don't extend Mancini he at least gets a QO. Which they can use on a college player who can be in the majors in 2024 anyway. Then again with how chaotic the ownership situation is they might be averse to any spending and just let Trey leave for nothing.

[The Buscher]

1 hour ago, damhausen said:

The return for anyone is likely to be a AA player whose ceiling is 4th OFer or late-inning reliever. And they have to ask themselves if that's really worth it. 

It really is shaping up to be a strange deadline.  The 7th wild card spot was always going to mean fewer teams will consider themselves out of it, therefore meaning fewer guys on the trading block.  So those teams can put out a higher ask, but recent history would suggest most contending teams still won't be willing to part with top prospects for rentals.

Like right now the guy I'd want the most is Josh Bell.  The Nats can't possibly expect much for a rental.  But Lerner/Rizzo seem very averse to in-division trades, so I bet they'll keep asking the Mets for someone like Mark Vientos or Ronny Mauricio only to eventually sell him off for some other team's #15 prospect.

If I were to have any gripe about Buck at the moment, it's that he seems unwilling to budge on moving Lindor off of the #3 spot.  Really should be McNeil 3rd, Lindor 5th right now.  Lindor's line since the end of April is pretty lousy...contract is looking worse and worse ahead of Trea Turner hitting the market.

[GhostMachine]

Too many Yankees and Braves in that lineup for my liking. 

[gunnar hendershow]

25 minutes ago, CM Busch said:

If I were to have any gripe about Buck at the moment, it's that he seems unwilling to budge on moving Lindor off of the #3 spot. 

Ah yes welcome to the Buck Showalter Experience! 

He'll have enormous balls and start Joe Saunders in a must-win playoff game and look like a genius and then in the same a game a few years later refuse to use Zach Britton. And all the while in between keep giving Chris Davis at bats in the middle of the lineup long after he stopped being good.

[The Buscher]

Sadly I think the Braves pass the Mets in the standings this week, possibly even with a sweep.  That's not me being overly pessimistic, it's just a reality with how the trajectories have gone.  The Braves have been blazing hot and the Mets have been playing around .500 ball for over a month without hitting consistently, and they're out two of their best hitters this series.

But even though I tend to be negative or cautious a lot of the time, I'm nowhere near as bad as most of Mets Twitter.  One glance there in the past couple of weeks and you'd have no clue the Mets were 20 games over .500 and on a 100-win pace.

The Mets have gone 19-16 since June 1st.  40% of those games were against the Dodgers, Padres, Brewers, and Astros.
The Braves have gone 29-8 since June 1st.

According to Mets Twitter, the Braves winning at a .784 clip means the Mets have collapsed and choked away a huge division lead.