Great post , plus I see a few players who surprise and give more than expected like Hatch
OT: The Toronto Blue Jays
- Thread starter PlayerToBeNamedLater
- Start date
Great post , plus I see a few players who surprise and give more than expected like Hatch
axlsalinger
Well-known member
UWHabs
Well-known member
I mean, it's a problem if you want the old traditional setup, but the more I consider it, the more I basically feel like that old starter is dead. I don't know if it was injuries, luck, or whatever, but the amount of games in these playoffs which are virtually pure bullpen games has been astronomical, and I really don't know if that's going to change. Heck, even the Dodgers who probably started the season with 8 starters who would be #1s on a lot of teams ended up running bullpen games a number of times.
And also, whether this is truly a problem we should even care about fixing. I mean, yeah, I love the workhorse who can throw 9 innings, and I hate mid-inning pitching changes. But is it truly a problem that we got 5 innings of Anderson, and then 1 each from Minter/Jackson/Matzek/Smith last night?
If it were up to me, I think I would just set a rule where teams are allowed like 5 active pitchers for the game total, and you get another one you can add every extra inning if you want. So if you do that, maybe Houston changes their plans to stretch guys a little bit to not run out of arms later. But all these people coming up with the whole double-blind DH or whatever, I don't know if that's a thing I like.
WeHaveMoreCupsThanYou
I will get banned again soon, worry not.
If some analytic geek manager had come to the mound and tried to pull Bob Gibson out in the 5th inning of a game in which he had yet to surrender a hit Gibson would have murdered said manager on the spot and not a jury in America would have convicted him for it. Hell they'd be more likely to dig up the manager's corpse and put it in prison instead.
Call me an old man yelling at clouds if you want but when it comes to baseball literally EVERYTHING aside from pre-Jackie Robinson segregation was better before the here and now. Lowering the mound and introducing the DH because fairweather fans wanted to see more runs was bullshit. Juicing the baseballs and moving the fences in to allow more cheap home runs was bullshit. Analytics basically eliminating base stealing as a thing was bullshit. Outlawing hard slides into second, third and home was bullshit. And pulling a pitcher who's halfway to tossing a no-no is also bullshit. Precisely none of the things mentioned have made the game of baseball better in any way. Quite the opposite, in fact.
Baseball today is becoming disturbingly like football. It is becoming a sport dominated by specialists instead of generalists. Rosters made up of people who can only do one narrowly defined thing or just part of one narrowly defined thing for a short span of time. In the NFL they have a roster spot for a center who only does long snaps. He isn't good enough to be the every down snapper, just the long snapper for field goals and punts. Are you shitting me? When I was a kid, the Alouettes punter was starting quarterback Sonny Wade or later on, linebacker Wally Buono. Now teams import soccer players from halfway around the world just to kick the ball once or twice a game. Baseball is increasingly becoming that stupid and specialized. They can't find a pitcher who can throw more than an inning because they can only pitch to right handed batters or some shit.
I'm sick and tired of watching guys who can only pitch to three batters. I'm tired of watching guys make millions to stand at the plate four times a game but who don't even own a glove or know how to throw. I'm tired of pitchers looking like little leaguers as soon as they have to step into the batters box. I want to watch baseball players play baseball, not a bunch of specialists make millions to do one small aspect of playing baseball and who need to be replaced as soon as the situation changes and they no longer possess the requisite skills to continue.
Call me an old man yelling at clouds if you want but when it comes to baseball literally EVERYTHING aside from pre-Jackie Robinson segregation was better before the here and now. Lowering the mound and introducing the DH because fairweather fans wanted to see more runs was bullshit. Juicing the baseballs and moving the fences in to allow more cheap home runs was bullshit. Analytics basically eliminating base stealing as a thing was bullshit. Outlawing hard slides into second, third and home was bullshit. And pulling a pitcher who's halfway to tossing a no-no is also bullshit. Precisely none of the things mentioned have made the game of baseball better in any way. Quite the opposite, in fact.
Baseball today is becoming disturbingly like football. It is becoming a sport dominated by specialists instead of generalists. Rosters made up of people who can only do one narrowly defined thing or just part of one narrowly defined thing for a short span of time. In the NFL they have a roster spot for a center who only does long snaps. He isn't good enough to be the every down snapper, just the long snapper for field goals and punts. Are you shitting me? When I was a kid, the Alouettes punter was starting quarterback Sonny Wade or later on, linebacker Wally Buono. Now teams import soccer players from halfway around the world just to kick the ball once or twice a game. Baseball is increasingly becoming that stupid and specialized. They can't find a pitcher who can throw more than an inning because they can only pitch to right handed batters or some shit.
I'm sick and tired of watching guys who can only pitch to three batters. I'm tired of watching guys make millions to stand at the plate four times a game but who don't even own a glove or know how to throw. I'm tired of pitchers looking like little leaguers as soon as they have to step into the batters box. I want to watch baseball players play baseball, not a bunch of specialists make millions to do one small aspect of playing baseball and who need to be replaced as soon as the situation changes and they no longer possess the requisite skills to continue.
MindzEye
Wayward Ditch Pig
Don't hate the player, hate the game.
Fact of the matter is that those tactical changes make the teams more likely to win. If a team decided to play 1960s baseball in 2021, they would finish near the bottom of the league every year. The nature of the game demands the changes.
I'll never understand anyone pining for watching pitchers hit. Would be like watching one of those make a wish foundation kids get a shift in the nhl.
Fact of the matter is that those tactical changes make the teams more likely to win. If a team decided to play 1960s baseball in 2021, they would finish near the bottom of the league every year. The nature of the game demands the changes.
I'll never understand anyone pining for watching pitchers hit. Would be like watching one of those make a wish foundation kids get a shift in the nhl.
Deckie007
Well-known member
I was lamenting to MNIJ that the lack of variety in MLB has definitely made it less appealing to me. I understand analytics and I support their use but I’m not sure it’s made baseball a more entertaining product in general. I can’t imagine being a casual fan and being interested in investing 4 hrs in a playoff game.
manny
Well-known member
Does anyone want to see Josh Donaldson again as a Jay? He’ll cost nothing. Minnesota would almost certainly even pick up some of his contract.
Still owed $51.5M over the next two years (including an $8M buyout) or $59.5M for three years. I don’t see him lasting another 3 years in the league so realistically, it’s $26M per for two years, minus whatever the Twins will eat.
3.2 WAR last year. In obvious decline. Any attitude issues he has used to be more than offset by what a great player he was. Not sure how the arrogance and swagger will age as his skills continue to decline.
I’d still think about it.
Still owed $51.5M over the next two years (including an $8M buyout) or $59.5M for three years. I don’t see him lasting another 3 years in the league so realistically, it’s $26M per for two years, minus whatever the Twins will eat.
3.2 WAR last year. In obvious decline. Any attitude issues he has used to be more than offset by what a great player he was. Not sure how the arrogance and swagger will age as his skills continue to decline.
I’d still think about it.
axlsalinger
Well-known member
Meh. Not a hard no, but decline is obvious and injuries are frequent. Maybe if he had 1 year left.
UWHabs
Well-known member
20M is probably towards the amount they need to pick up to move him, so they probably would go for it.
My problem with going for Donaldson is that he's obviously declining, so like he's probably not really a huge upgrade from just running an Espinal out there. And because of the contract and the history, it prevents you from sitting him too much if he does keep going off the rails.
One option I was thinking would be intriguing would be to bring in both Seagers. Jays could use some lefty bats, and they would fill a couple of the infield spots, although obviously one of Seager or Bichette would have to pull a Semien and cover 2B. It's not a perfect fit, but would fill a couple spots on the roster in need.
UWHabs
Well-known member
Yeah, it's the annoying thing where the analytically correct thing to do is not a fan-favorite. Like, as a fan, I want my team to win more, and if I'm invested in a playoff game, I don't mind too much if it stretches 4 hours. But I also agree that especially with the long regular season, I don't want to watch 3.5 hour games on a daily basis.
manny
Well-known member
I’m interested in Kyle Seager too, but he is approaching the cliff much like Donaldson. I think they’ll cost around the same amount, once you factor in what MIN might be willing to eat to trade Donaldson and the fact that Seager is a FA (almost certainly). It’s a scouting call which of the two is more likely to produce value in the next two years.
Espinal seems like a great 5th IF to me. I don’t see him maintaining much offensive value as an everyday or even platoon player. But that’s the most likely outcome, I expect.
axlsalinger
Well-known member
Trading for Jose Ramirez would be a great option, team-friendly contract and great hitter but Cleveland would want a fortune back.
I think my favourite option would be to sign Corey Seager as a middle of the order lefty bat to play 3rd (he'll have to move there eventually) and move Espinal to 2nd. The bat & glove should be just fine there, he looks like a great fit in the clubhouse too. Biggio as the backup plan and super-util guy, assuming you can't sign Semien.
I think my favourite option would be to sign Corey Seager as a middle of the order lefty bat to play 3rd (he'll have to move there eventually) and move Espinal to 2nd. The bat & glove should be just fine there, he looks like a great fit in the clubhouse too. Biggio as the backup plan and super-util guy, assuming you can't sign Semien.
axlsalinger
Well-known member
It's hard to say, $200M seems like a lot but 6 x $30 already gets you to $180M, so I guess I probably would.
He's had a lot of injury issues and the D is getting a little shaky, plus the shortstop market is flooded this year so his price may be a little lower as a result. Getting a LHB into the middle of the order would be awesome.
He's had a lot of injury issues and the D is getting a little shaky, plus the shortstop market is flooded this year so his price may be a little lower as a result. Getting a LHB into the middle of the order would be awesome.
Pick up 40 mil and I might be intrigued
Is Groshans not ready to platoon with Espy
Mets won’t sign MC ?