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    There’s just no vision or leadership.

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      The Dodgers will finally win the World Series and no one will take it seriously because of this wacky season

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        I didn't get my picks in but they will involve the Dodgers in the final. Haha.

        I'm glad they're going to play. Baseball is the one sport where I actually pay attention to news because I don't care about spoilers. But as I posted yesterday, I haven't followed any news. I watched the Michael Kay show a few weeks back when I was eating lunch and he did make one important point about the owners and players: The players in all sports expect to be paid their full contracts but they aren't playing. This wasn't an injury situation (e.g., players on the DL). Of course, this also wasn't a situation where players could control playing. Almost every country had some kind of quarantine. The reality is that in other types of jobs where people couldn't do their jobs, they weren't paid. Again, I haven't followed the news on this. The best I could tell the players want to play, the owners want a season, there is some pre-opening of the CBA posturing happening, but I don't know why either side would be up in arms. Get back to Spring training and play ball. Empty stadia won't be fun, but really I haven't been as bothered by empty stadia as I would have expected watching Bundesliga and EPL games.

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          The players and owners agreed to pro rata play for games played in March

          The owners have spent the last three months trying to re-negotiate that agreement so that it is more favourable to them and worse for the players.

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            Ah, well that's ridiculous. The players played those games and did that time.

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              Apparently they're spinning the DH rule change as a health and safety thing. How does that work?

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                There is a better grounded fear that the relatively quick re-start will lead to more injuries, especially among pitchers, and the DH is being pitched as a way of reducing any risk from batting and running the bases.

                An argument I could make with a straight face if needed, but not one I really believe in.

                I am expectedly grumpy about the likelihood that the league I care about will be playing with the DH from now on.

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                  Originally posted by danielmak View Post
                  I didn't get my picks in but they will involve the Dodgers in the final. Haha.
                  If only they have been as successful as your predictions!

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                    The news crawl on MLB Network on Tuesday night said no universal DH in 2020 but there will be a man on second base to start innings during extra innings. I don't watch the World Baseball Classic but my sense is they used that gimmick for WBC. Is that correct? And I know they used that move in the Olympics for softball tournaments. I saw some former Olympians interviewed who said they were cool with that move. I think I expressed this before, but I'm not a fan of this. Yet, I can't stand extra innings except in playoff games. I'm all for ties. Even in 60 games, a tie does not undo the integrity of the game. If you can't win the game in 9, then that's that.

                    There was one other minor rule change listed in the crawl but I can't remember it now.

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                      The crawl was wrong (or you read it wrong). There will be a universal DH for this season.

                      The WBC has used starting extra innings with runners on first and second. Originally from the 13th in 2009, then the 11th in more recent editions. The Atlantic League has used the runner on second variant.

                      Among the other rules changes are that pitchers are allowed a wet rag in their back pocket (so as not to use saliva to rub down the ball), no spitting, high fives or sunflower seeds, etc.

                      https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-rule-changes-for-2020
                      Last edited by ursus arctos; 24-06-2020, 19:53.

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                        Morrow's sitting out this season too? WTF.

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                          Very sad and disturbing story about Andrew Toles, who a few years ago looked like he was going to become a solid contributor for the Dodgers—he was arrested in Key Weat for trespassing for sleeping on the grounds of the Key West airport. It seems that he’s been homeless for some time.

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                            Yankees at Nats 7/23 to start things off, everyone plays the next day.

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                              Originally posted by Incandenza View Post
                              Very sad and disturbing story about Andrew Toles, who a few years ago looked like he was going to become a solid contributor for the Dodgers—he was arrested in Key Weat for trespassing for sleeping on the grounds of the Key West airport. It seems that he’s been homeless for some time.
                              He shouldn’t be arrested for that.

                              Maybe this will be a chance for him to get help.

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                                Ryan Zimmerman is sitting out the season.

                                The minor league season is likely to be declared dead in the next 48 hours.

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                                  Originally posted by Hot Pepsi View Post

                                  He shouldn’t be arrested for that.

                                  Maybe this will be a chance for him to get help.
                                  Indeed on both counts.

                                  I didn't know that he had left baseball. Apparently the Dodgers are "aware" of the situation and will be reaching out, hopefully he's in a place where he is willing to accept help. The story about Delonte West a few months back and now this just hammer home how precarious the situation is for many in this country. Even professional athletes are just like other people, and just a few bad breaks and things going wrong can lead to being homeless, and it seems that once you've experienced homelessness it's extremely difficult to get your life back on track.

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                                    Click through to read the whole thing

                                    https://twitter.com/cut4/status/1277806471053484032

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                                      I think the Dodgers were hoping for a reclamation project in many ways with Toles, who had some problems before he came to LA. He seemed to do well for them, but then was injured and couldn't play his way back into a crowded outfield. None of this is to counter Inca's original post (that a player shouldn't be homeless and if an MLB player is homeless, what does that say about economic hardships more generally), but it could mean that the money he did earn wasn't properly protected by the people who should have been helping him.

                                      Although now that I re-visited the Wiki page, someone added a new section about mental health issues, which certainly could explain disciplinary issues at most stages of his adult baseball career (i.e., college and pro ball).

                                      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Toles

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                                        Major league baseball will not provide minor league teams with players. So the season is cancelled.

                                        https://www.milb.com/news/2020-minor...season-shelved

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                                          A number of "independent league" (i.e., clubs outside the MLB/MILB system) have expressed a desire on playing.

                                          This is likely to accelerate those plans.

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                                            It’s going to be very hard to run a league supported entirely by ticket and concession sales.

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                                              https://twitter.com/ChiSportsDay/status/1280552332657295360

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                                                Legend

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                                                  I know we still have about a month to go provided there are no unique health problems that delay the start or completion of the season, but I'm not going to learn much that will change things for me. Here are my annual picks that (like always) feature a combination of no-brainer and perhaps dumb luck or just plain stupid picks.

                                                  AL East
                                                  Yankees
                                                  Rays
                                                  Red Sox
                                                  Blue Jays
                                                  Orioles

                                                  Red Sox have lately been an every other year team and the Rays also need to deal with the NL East, but I still think the Rays will be better. I haven't looked at the schedule but on MLB Now they said that Yankess last 10 (?) games are against the worst teams from the East (I assume Marlins and Orioles) and their pitching is too good.

                                                  AL Central
                                                  Twins
                                                  White Sox
                                                  Cleveland
                                                  Royals
                                                  Tigers

                                                  This is tough. The Twins were the real deal last year and have added quality. Cleveland traded Kluber and Bauer. I think Cleveland is better than they played last year and the Twins can't seem to do the business two years in a row. But I think Minnesota keeps top spot and White Sox jump up to second.


                                                  AL West
                                                  Astros
                                                  As
                                                  Angles
                                                  Rangers
                                                  Mariners

                                                  The big question for me is if the As can hold onto the Wild Card spot again. I think the lack of fans will benefit the Astros more than any other team. If the As can't hold the Wild Card (and I think they will), it could be three from the AL East even with the East playing the East.


                                                  NL East
                                                  Atlanta
                                                  Mets
                                                  Philies
                                                  Nats
                                                  Marlins

                                                  This is division where I am probably making the least by the book picks with the Nats finishing fourth. I think age will catch up. If Stras or Mad Max feel the effects of the long season then they will be cooked. With that said, obviously the Nats benefit most from this delayed start since the pitchers got some extra rest. Atlanta is solid and I expect the Mets to get it together (but I said that last year as well).

                                                  NL Central
                                                  Reds
                                                  Brewers
                                                  Cubs
                                                  Cardinals
                                                  Pirates

                                                  Sorry, UA. I am shocked that the Cubs dynasty never happened but I think Theo's excellent decision making ran its course and was followed by poor decision making. The owner doesn't seem to want to spend and they are pitching weak. Perhaps the Cards finishing fourth is even more of a shocking pick since they were in the playoffs last year. I'm buying what the Reds have done, esp. since they were a weak hitting team (bizarre in this climate) but pitching was strong. They have added some big bats and I think Bauer will return to form. The question will be if those personalities gel. I think they will benefit for the short season. I have no horses in this race other than living in Chicago so would prefer the Cubs to win this division. But I see the tide changing a bit: Brewers staying strong and Reds making a leap.

                                                  NL West
                                                  Dodgers
                                                  Dbacks
                                                  Padres
                                                  Rockies
                                                  Giants

                                                  Padres could benefit from the short season. Arizona should benefit from improved pitching and outfield depth. Dodgers are too strong. Hopefully Pollock is out for the season or traded. I'm disappointed Price is staying home, although totally understand why any player would make that move.


                                                  AL Wild Cards: Repeat--Rays beat the As
                                                  NL Wild Cards: Brewers beat the Mets

                                                  NL: Dodgers
                                                  AL: Astros

                                                  WS champ: Dodgers (Fourth year in a row, I think. But it's a time when fandom and logic come together. If Kershaw comes out the bullpen in the playoffs, Friedman better be looking for a new gig.)
                                                  Last edited by danielmak; 09-07-2020, 04:33.

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                                                    Originally posted by danielmak View Post
                                                    Sorry, UA. I am shocked that the Cubs dynasty never happened but I think Theo's excellent decision making ran its course and was followed by poor decision making. The owner doesn't seem to want to spend and they are pitching weak.
                                                    Can't say I was shocked, and there was a bit of bad luck around injuries/form involved too, but otherwise can't disagree.

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