MLB 2018

[Incandenza]

On the Dodgers' historically bad clutch performance this season.

[ursus arctos]

So many of these Players Weekend uniforms are a crime against nature.

I quite literally could not watch the Yankees and Orioles.

[Cal Alamein]

Truly hideous. It's as if the designers worked overtime to make them as childlike as humanly possible.

7 year old t-ball jerseys are more classy.

[San Bernardhinault]

I don't know what the Padres are wearing, but they fully deserve the thrashing they're getting for choosing to wear it.

[Patrick Thistle]

Buster Posey out for 8 months for hip surgery. His name always makes me smile.

[ursus arctos]

Some day you will be able to titter at his Hall of Fame plaque.

[danielmak]

I learned on MLB Tonight the other night that the Dodgers have the same record as the Rays. That's not going to cut it. I have a feeling that it is another year with me picking them to win the WS and another year that prediction won't come to fruition. With that said, it's going to be hard to find a NL match that doesn't matter. I guess Mets-Marlins or Reds-Padres won't matter but almost every other matchup could have an affect on final playoff spots. That's pretty exciting given the number of teams expected to tank or to not be ready yet.

[ursus arctos]

They are still only 2.5 games out of the Wild Cards (which are currently a virtual three team tie among St. Louis, Milwaukee and Arizona/Colorado (who are tied for the division lead)).

No one in their right minds will want to face them in a one game playoff.

[danielmak]

There's been a lot of chatter about injuries to the Nats affecting the team, but realistically those injuries have been minimal compared to the Dodgers, who probably have not had an expected starting 5 all season. And while I agree, UA, that facing the Dodgers in a one-game play-in wouldn't be ideal, the team just isn't that good. I think the baseball season is too long (spring training is long and the season is long--the playoffs right now are just right), but one thing 162 tells us is who is good and who is not. The Dodgers just aren't that good.

[jefe]

Apparently the only thing we're good for is kicking the shit out of the Mets and Blue Jays this year.

[ursus arctos]

Woah.

The Yankees got McCutchen.

[Ginger Yellow]

They seem pretty determined to go for it this year.

[Gerontophile]

Yes. Did we get any pitching?

We're doomed to ... if we're lucky, a good run-up by the injured guys (none of whom matter, cos they can't fucking pitch either!!!)

Sorry, I didn't want to divert the mundane thread. They lost 3 straight to the ShiteSox, and that only means trouble.

[Incandenza]

https://twitter.com/organistalert/status/1035380919983464448

[Gerontophile]

Cat got your tongue?

(I can't see tweets, unless they are ... physically linked, sorry. Bit like my tuberculosis. Can't believe it exists, but it's sitting in my seat.)

[Incandenza]

Cat got your tongue?

(I can't see tweets, unless they are ... physically linked, sorry. Bit like my tuberculosis. Can't believe it exists, but it's sitting in my seat.)

A bit late now, but here you go: https://twitter.com/organistalert/st...80919983464448

[Gerontophile]

Nice, thanks.

In Minor League news, the Las Vegas 51's ("They're out of this world!") played their last game at Cashman Field, before they move to a new stadium, and the soccer team gets Cashman. Before all home games, they usually have a sprint race between the mascot Cosmo and some random kid, where the kid always wins and gets a prize of some sort.

As this was the last game, Cosmo fucks off and wins by 20 yards!

And, no, I can't find any footage of him doing a minute's silence.

[danielmak]

Otani will need Tommy John surgery. Then he comes out and hits two home runs against the Rangers. Crazy.

As we enter the last month of the season, a few very random thoughts:

1. This is stating the obvious but something is seriously wrong with the Nats in terms of effort and attitude. This seems to have been the case for a while, but Dusty was able to keep the ship of fools organized. There seem to be some constants: Zimmerman, Harper, and Strasbourg are perhaps the longest serving.

2. Building off that last observation, I think a team would be crazy to offer Harper a monster contract. The guy is hitting less than .220, is an every other year player in terms of upper echelon quality. The pundits on MLB Now talked about him the other day and said that if there was a wide open draft, he would be a top 10 player and every team now has a chance to get him without giving anything up besides a compensation pick (knowing the Nats will make the qualifying offer). I think he's a very good player, but there is no way he is top 10. And if I thought hard enough, I am sure there are 10 position players I would want before I would take him. And that's excluding the rumored $400million that is going to kill the financial flexibility of a team.

3. The Yankees are in trouble. At one point they could slug their way out of team deficiencies but those holes are looking a lot bigger now. One of the big mistakes in my opinion was trading for Stanton. They're on the hook for a big contract and although he's a better than average defender in right field (better than average is better than that sounds), he's certainly not a rock star in the field. So now they are stuck with him DHing at a time when Sanchez is showing that he is a truly crap catcher. In some sense, Stanton's contract should be a warning to teams looking at Harper. The Yankees will make the playoffs. I am less confident about them winning the wild card than I was at the beginning of the season, although that bullpen will be solid in 1 game. The Red Sox and Astros are clearly at another level.

[Gerontophile]

Re your point 2: 5 years at $25million.

Re your point 3: If I may reiterate myself for the nth time: YANKEES HAVE NO PITCHING. Fuck the injuries. It's not going to be this year, and you can enjoy them/us losing against the A's in the wildcard playoff.

Looking good for next year.

[Ginger Yellow]

Another rain delay?

[ursus arctos]

British person schocked by persistent rain.

Film at 11.

[Ginger Yellow]

Less surprised than annoyed. I was looking forward to the double header. Especially since I stayed up til 3am last night in the hope the game would continue.

[ursus arctos]

The weather is going to be dicey all weekend, and that's before the hurricane starts making things interesting.

But at least it looks like we are done with 90+ degree (F) days for another ten months or so.

[Ginger Yellow]

Hey it's starting. Who said complaining never helped?

[Ginger Yellow]

That was quick, even for Joe.