2017 baseball thread

[ursus arctos]

Excellent idea

[danielmak]

Personally, I think the current system is only broken in three ways: DH, interleague play, and expanding the rosters in September. I think the last one will be fixed, but the other two won't. Obviously, things are out of whack because there are an uneven number of teams, but that's not a rule problem. MLB either needs to add another team or payoff the Rays owner and contract that franchise (which I personally would hate to see). But to the point at hand, I don't see why more baseball is needed. I love the sport but it is long. And there is a point when even the playoffs become too long. The first sport I really loved was hockey but now I can rarely get through the playoffs (even if the Kings and/or Hawks are in). The playoffs are just too long and the drama gets drained by the length. Nothing beats a knockout game if both teams show up to play. In addition to the wild card games mentioned above, think about the WS last year. Most of the games were pretty boring for a neutral but game 7 was one of the best games in any final for any sport. So, for me the current system is good with the wild card: two teams (which gives more teams hope) and one game. Win and go on. Lose and go home.

The only way I could see more playoffs making sense is to go back to a 154-game season. But I'd rather see a 154-game season and the current playoff structure (minus interleague and the DH, of course).

[Hot Pepsi]

Unfortunately, none of the sports will ever contract their seasons. They'd lose revenue. They'd play longer if the players unions and weather would let them.

We're only talking about adding one more day to the playoffs.

I don't like the DH but I don't mind two different systems. A lot of people like the DH. I'd prefer an eight man line up, but nobody else likes that idea.

[San Bernardhinault]

Good start here

[danielmak]

I thought Francona was crazy going with Bauer in game 1 but seeing this mess that is the Wild Card game (mess from a pitching perspective but grand from an offense perspective), maybe he was onto something. Both of these teams will be fairly depleted by the time this one ends. Yankees already have Robinson up in the 3rd and the Twins are bringing in a rookie who only pitched in relief one time this season.

Well, here comes Robinson with bases loaded.

Realistically, and back to the Wild Card discussion above, neither of these teams is as good as the 3 other American League clubs. I know the Yankees were only 3 games back but objectively (not easy to do since I am a Yankee fan) when the Red Sox are on with their starting 1-9 the Yankees aren't anywhere close (at least from an eyeball perspective but maybe the analytics would say otherwise).

[ursus arctos]

Abject that there are "moat" seats behind the dugouts completely empty because the Yankees have set prices in the stratosphere.

[danielmak]

Buxton out is bad news for the Twins.

[ursus arctos]

So is the state of their pen beyond Berrios.

The prognosis for them is bleak.

[danielmak]

I think the analysis of this game up front was dead on: Santana needed to do the business for the Twins because a bullpen game was going to favor the Yankees. I guess the only caveat would be that Yankees don't have a legitimate long man at this point so each of the power arms is going to need to be efficient from here on out. Betances has been hit and miss. Chapman was on point in September but I don't fully trust him. Anyway, here we go with Robertson into his third inning of work, although his pitch count is now at 35 (not bad given the number of innings).

[ursus arctos]

Hmmmm

Here come the Rockies

[San Bernardhinault]

Fun game, this. Rockies seem to be have burned through almost all their bullpen.

[danielmak]

What a shi*show for the Rockies. They follow last night's lead with a starter pulled early (although later than he should have been pulled, which shows that Girardi knew what to do last night). Then the Rockies claw back and really blow the game by giving up a triple to a pitcher with 1 hit. How can you throw anything to Bradley that he could possibly hit? I really like Black a lot but I think he left Neshek in there too long. My sense is that this is a one-inning guy (although I admittedly haven't followed him that closely). I know the pen was thin at that point but that was the spot: one run down with Bradley now going multiple innings and amped up.

Really, I don't like either of these two teams and I probably like the Rockies slightly more, although am happy the Dodgers are avoiding Coors Field.

[Ginger Yellow]

Nice one Kris.

[Ginger Yellow]

Get in!

[ursus arctos]

That one will leave a mark on NYY

[Ginger Yellow]

One game closer.

[ursus arctos]

Fly the W

[Cal Alamein]

A win for the USMNT, Cubs, and Cleveland - a quality Friday sports night

[Gerontophile]

That was a sickener for the Yankees.

Great win over Strasberg for the Cubs. I saw that at-bat by Rizzo in about the 7th or 8th. That was some classy hitting for the final run.

[Gerontophile]

Kershaw is totally Kershawing.

[Gerontophile]

As soon as I open my gob, Pollock hits a solo homer.

[Ginger Yellow]

That was a sickener for the Yankees.

Great win over Strasberg for the Cubs. I saw that at-bat by Rizzo in about the 7th or 8th. That was some classy hitting for the final run.

Yeah it bodes really well. We've really struggled against good pitching this season, so it was great to see us overcome it for once, even if we had to wait longer than I'd have liked to even get a hit. Credit to Hendricks for giving as good as we got.

[Ginger Yellow]

Urgent message to Cubs fans. If you're in the first row, don't fucking catch the ball. I can't believe we of all teams have to remind people of this.

[ursus arctos]

Truer words . . .

[Ginger Yellow]

Whew.