2017 MLB Thread

[The Buscher]

Intentional walks are a thing of the past.  Now managers will press some button in the dugout and the batter will simply trot to first base.

[Your Mom]

Is that a joke or a real thing?

[gunnar hendershow]

There's a signal from the dugout that will be relayed to the umpire.

Minimal change to the game since 1 in 3 games even had intentional walks last season.

 

[MalaCloudy Black]

http://deadspin.com/mlb-is-reportedly-introducing-an-automatic-intentional-1792608808

Quote

The problem with this proposal is that the savings would be minimal. Intentional walks are on the decline and eliminating the four pitches it takes to move a batter over would only save an average of 14 seconds per game. That’s about one minute per walk on something that only happened once every 2.6 games.

That said, I don't really hate it. I mean it definitely isn't the time saver they think it'll be, but eh. Whatever. 

[Gabriel]

So, Edwin Encarnacion has spoken out about his contract discussions and is basically blaming the Jays for him not returning to Toronto, and saying that he's happy to be in Cleveland.

Did he seriously expect that the Toronto Blue Jays would wait for him after he turned down what was proven to be a more than reasonable offer? He's basically saying that the Jays should have taken the chance that they wouldn't be able to replace him, by waiting to see if they could land him. I think that's incredibly selfish behavior, to expect your team to go all in on you, knowing that if you turn them down, they could wind up slipping several spots in the standings.

As a GM, you absolutely cannot let your team get worse over an off-season unless you're rebuilding. The Jays were in a tough spot, with both Edwin and Joey as free agents and a lot of their targeted replacements being snapped up on huge deals by other teams. They replaced Edwin with Morales before replacing Bautista because, bang for their buck, the best deal to be made at the time was Kendry Morales. That they had to move on from Encarnacion is down to him and his agent feeling like he was worth more than what was offered, and it turns out, they were wrong.

I'm just flabbergasted that a guy who came into Toronto as a redemption project and walked out on the team would try to pass the blame, instead of just calling it what it was- a fundamental difference in their understanding and scouting of the marketplace and his value within it.

[Toe]

He has to say stuff like that. He can't go to the media in Cleveland and say "Yeah, I wanted to stay in Toronto but me and my agent fucked up, and now I'm here ".

[Gabriel]

1 hour ago, Toe said:

He has to say stuff like that. He can't go to the media in Cleveland and say "Yeah, I wanted to stay in Toronto but me and my agent fucked up, and now I'm here ".

It's one thing to be excited and say that you're happy to be in Cleveland... but he didn't need to say that the Jays were too hasty. It came across like he was almost bitter about it.

[gunnar hendershow]

Edwin's just upset the Blue Jays aren't as dumb as the Orioles were with Chris Davis last year.

[Meacon Keaton]

The Yanks play their first spring training game today. Thanks Jebus, Allah, whoever the hell, it's god damn baseball time, folks.

[gunnar hendershow]

The Orioles first run of spring training was on a sacrifice fly.

The last run they'll score on a sacrifice fly all year.

[Your Mom]

 I am watching Cubs baseball again! Yes it is Cubs Split Squad Spring Training Baseball but the point still stands! 

[Meacon Keaton]

Me too. Of course Rizzo got a hit for me. 

[The Buscher]

The Mets very nearly batted around without putting a ball in play.  6 walks, 2 strikeouts.

[MalaCloudy Black]

http://deadspin.com/mets-prospect-makes-incredible-nonchalant-catch-of-flyi-1792905042

What a badass catch.

Uh-oh..

[gunnar hendershow]

Boston is apparently expecting the worst.

[MalaCloudy Black]

The Pirates' Jung Ho Kang has received an 8 month suspended prison sentence for his DUI in December. He'll stay out of prison if he can stay out of trouble for the next 2 years.

[Meacon Keaton]

http://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=18808090

So that's pretty bad ass.

[thatshortguy]

16 minutes ago, Meacon said:

http://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=18808090

So that's pretty bad ass.

 

5 hours ago, Cloudy said:

http://deadspin.com/mets-prospect-makes-incredible-nonchalant-catch-of-flyi-1792905042

What a badass catch.

 

 

[The Buscher]

My favorite part of that is Brandon Nimmo actually running directly into the path of the bat.  If Luis Guillorme whiffed, Nimmo might've gotten knocked unconscious.

I'm intrigued by Guillorme.  He's considered to be the best defensive shortstop in the entire organization.  I mean Amed Rosario is probably coming up next year and if he's as good as advertised he could lock down the shortstop spot for the next decade.  But since David Wright looks like he might never be able to play 3B again, who knows.  Maybe one of those guys gets some work in at 3B.

[Meacon Keaton]

We all went to Target tonight. Each girl got a toy, the missus got a new notebook, I was prepared to get nothing. 

We were getting in line and for some reason, I looked at the baseball cards. They were selling a 72-card pack for $5, so I said screw it and bought my first pack of baseball cards in like twenty years.

Inside featured David Ortiz, Jake Arrieta, Noah Syndergaard, Gary Sanchez, Giancarlo Stanton, Carlos Beltran, Adrian Beltre, and a Mike friggin' Trout.

After a haul like that, I may become addicted all over again.