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    #26
    2017 baseball thread

    The World Baseball Classic gets off to a flier, with Israel "shocking" South Korea in the opening game 2-1 in the 10th.

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      #27
      2017 baseball thread

      Israel could have a decent squad if they had Jewish MLB players on their team, but the big names like Braun, Kinsler and Joc Pederson weren't interested.

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        #28
        2017 baseball thread

        They have some Major Leaguers or ex-MLB players, but not all the ones they could have.
        http://m.mlb.com/news/article/215475224/davis-feldman-decker-play-for-israel-in-wbc/

        This is an interesting infographic thingy.
        Interesting that China hasn't produced a major leaguer since 1914.
        http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/18759080/world-baseball-classic-meet-baseball-global-power-hitters

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          #29
          2017 baseball thread

          Incandenza wrote: My son is starting T-ball this year through the city's little league. We did uniform pickup this past weekend, found out that his team is the Athletics. The league must have some licensing agreement with MLB, they use all real team names and logos. The uniforms are white pants and t-shirt jerseys that I guess would be the real teams' alternate uniforms--colored shirt with the chest logo. So for the A's, green t-shirt with the yellow script.

          I'm glad that his team isn't the Yankees or the Red Sox. I found it interesting that they didn't have a Dodgers or Angels team, I don't know if they don't do local teams at all. I was really excited to see that there is an Expos team, with the classic tri-color cap.
          This is pretty typical these days. My nephew played for an Expos, a Blue Wahoos (Red's AA team in Pensacola), Yankees and somebody else. Nationals, maybe.

          It's a shame, really, that kids will not know the honor and glory of playing in cheap t-shirts and half-mesh/snap-back caps with ironed on-letters promoting local businesses and philanthropic organizations. In my day, I played for Lions Pride and Gulfstar, among others. My brother played for the Elk's Lodge, VFW, and Stanley H. Kaplan. My dad played for Silverton Sporting Goods (Gold). I coached Mellon Bank in T-Ball when I was in high school.

          But when I was in pee-wee (7 and 8) we got to use real MLB teams and the teams were based on neighborhood. Somehow, our area always got to be the Pirates, which was cool. There was also a Phillies that were usually good, Dodgers, Reds, Astros, and Cardinals.

          But the other pee-wee league in our community (the two have since merged) just gave every team the same orange and white hats and shirts (in those days, only the older kids got proper baseball pants. We just wore jeans) and named each team based on the township they were in and then a number. I knew kids who played for Harris 5 or Patton 2. Really inspiring for 8 year olds.

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            #30
            2017 baseball thread

            Neat article on Matt Murton, who started as a Chicago Cub, was a sparkplug for the Hanshin Tigers over the past few years, and now is trying out for Detroit. That link has a neat at-bat vs Yu Darvish in Koshien Stadium in Osaka.

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              #31
              2017 baseball thread

              Taiwan down 4-0 to Israel in the first. Starter is hooked, with two out, top of the first,

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                #32
                2017 baseball thread

                Nice piece on the Netherlands, who look likely to qualify along with Israel from this pool.

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                  #33
                  2017 baseball thread

                  Netherlands win on a walkoff against Taiwan.

                  Israel and Netherlands qualify.

                  Hup Holland, Hup.

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                    #34
                    2017 baseball thread

                    Crap like that at the plate is why Mike Hargrove was nicknamed the Human Rain Delay.

                    Proof that spring training does not matter: 3rd inning of Minnesota v Team USA, and the Twins announcers are interviewing....the guy who owns the fishing boat they were out on today.

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                      #35
                      2017 baseball thread

                      Australia about to Mercy Rule the PRC

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                        #36
                        2017 baseball thread

                        Italy just beat Mexico 10-9 with a walk-off, in Mexico, and it was totally brilliant.

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                          #37
                          2017 baseball thread

                          jefe wrote: Crap like that at the plate is why Mike Hargrove was nicknamed the Human Rain Delay.

                          Proof that spring training does not matter: 3rd inning of Minnesota v Team USA, and the Twins announcers are interviewing....the guy who owns the fishing boat they were out on today.
                          In person, Spring Training games are fine. They resemble the real thing more than pre-season games in any of our our other major sports. But they're not great on TV. Once the regulars are out of the game and it's just guys who will probably end up in the minors that year, the TV commentary tends to lose focus because they know that only a small (although not as small as you might imagine) handful of hardcores are interested in the prospects. Sometimes they'll have somebody in the booth with something baseball-related to talk about like the head of scouting or analytics guy, but spring training is way too long now and there's a lot of air to fill, so as often as not they talk to celebrity fans or old-timers in attendance or whatever.

                          In the old days when guys had regular jobs in the off season and nobody knew much about training and nutrition, players needed a long pre-season to get into game shape. But now these guys come to spring training way more prepared to play so it doesn't really need to be that long. On the other hand, it's not practical to start the season before April in most northern cities and its not like these guys, especially the major leaguers, have anything better to do in February and March. The towns in Arizona and Florida that host the teams make a lot of tourist dollars off of spring training.

                          Comment


                            #38
                            2017 baseball thread

                            Though Vin Scully has retired, the longest-serving active broadcaster with the same team still calls Dodger games. He's Jaime Jarrin, the team's Spanish-language broadcaster, who has called Dodger games in Spanish since the team moved to LA in 1958.

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                              #39
                              2017 baseball thread

                              Colombia v USA has gone to extra innings at 2-2.

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                                #40
                                2017 baseball thread

                                One out away from the nonsense of the 11th starting with guys on first and second with no one out, Adam Jones saves us all

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                                  #41
                                  2017 baseball thread

                                  After having a 5-0 lead, the USA are trailing 7-5 in the bottom of the 8th, after Andrew Miller gives up 2 home runs.

                                  Miami is going insane.

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                                    #42
                                    2017 baseball thread

                                    The Dominicana machine rolls on. Familia has a 1-2-3 inning to end the game 7-5.

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                                      #43
                                      2017 baseball thread

                                      Plantano Power is real.

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                                        #44
                                        2017 baseball thread

                                        Anyone else see that "out" at home plate?

                                        I thought it was an awful decision. He was trying to hold onto the ball, not actively touch the runner.

                                        Although, I may not be totally au fait with this particular rule. The Colombians were really not happy. There may be a necktie in the umpire's future.

                                        Comment


                                          #45
                                          2017 baseball thread

                                          The curses are all dead. Now we're only left with a collection of teams that have not won the world series because the clubs have historically (and perhaps the same today) been mismanaged or have run into hot teams at the wrong time.

                                          I can't get into the WBC. For me it's the worst version of international football (a lot of guys playing for a lot of nations in which the players have a tenuous connection at best---I'm thinking about all of the naturalized Brazilians who play football for Middle Eastern nations). Then add in that most players aren't in game shape yet so what I have watched seems like spring training (which it is). Finally, MLB Network is spending so much time showing these games and talking about this tournament that it's draining the excitement of spring training.

                                          Ok, my annual picks that will almost all be off in some way:

                                          AL East:

                                          Red Sox
                                          Blue Jays
                                          Yankees
                                          Orioles
                                          Rays

                                          This is a tough division once we move away from Boston. The Blue Jays should have amazing pitching and should continue to hit but I don't think they'll be as good as last year and they didn't win the division last yer. The Yankees' youth movement should push them down the standings but the holes in other teams has me thinking that they will surprise us. The Orioles always seem to get by with average starting pitching but I think they'll pay he price this year. All of that is to say that, I could see a situation where the Jays, Yanks, and Os easily swap spots.

                                          AL Central:

                                          Indians
                                          Royals
                                          Tigers
                                          Twins
                                          White Sox

                                          I don't think the White Sox are done dealing. This will be a bad club, but they know that. If the Royals can stay in it then I don't think they'll tear this thing down because they could be WS contenders. Last year was not a proper gauge of this team. They had injuries that might have been a product of back-to-back very long seasons with WS appearances. Tigers did not deal as they planned to and could finish second in a wild card spot. Indians are obviously the class of the division and should win it easily as long as they don't have major injuries.

                                          AL West

                                          Astros
                                          Rangers
                                          Mariners
                                          Angels
                                          As

                                          This is the least exciting division for me in all of baseball. It doesn't help that I can't stand the Texas teams and that the Angels are a bloated salary bore. The Mariners made a ton of trades but who knows what that will do for them. Astros still seem willing to trade so maybe they land Quintana from the White Sox. Rangers have talent. Both will make the playoffs.

                                          NL East

                                          Mets
                                          Nationals
                                          Phillies
                                          Marlins
                                          Braves

                                          Phillies will be the surprise team in all of baseball even though that only means a close to .500 record. Braves will trade off all these one-year contracts in June and July. Mets and Nats are clearly the class teams. My pick is guided by Mets pitchers staying healthy. If not, maybe someone needs to be fired since the last time the Mets were able to keep studs healthy was that great 84-89 window.

                                          NL Central

                                          Cubs
                                          Cardinals
                                          Pirates
                                          Brewers
                                          Reds

                                          The bottom is bad news. The Cubs will need to keep an older starting pitching (and bullpen) healthy.

                                          NL West

                                          Dodgers
                                          Giants
                                          Rockies
                                          Diamondbacks
                                          Padres

                                          Rockies have improved but already have been hit with injuries. And their management has made some stupid choices, signing the wrong free agents.

                                          AL Wild card: Blue Jays at Royals
                                          AL Pennant: Indians beat the Red Sox
                                          NL Wild card: Giants at Nationals
                                          NL Pennant: Dodgers beat the Cubs

                                          World Series: Dodgers beat the Indians

                                          The Cubs should be the best team in baseball. I think they are making a big mistake with Schwarber in left field, the starting pitching isn't going to be as good as last season, and the ability to avoid multiple injuries to important players won't be sustained. If some combination of Lester, Hendricks, Bryant, and Rizzo is hurt (in the same way the Dodgers were without Kershaw and a mix of other players last season) I don't see the Cubs overcoming that to win the WS. The will win the division for sure. The good thing from a Chicago residential standpoint: any Cubs loss can't be blamed on a damn billygoat. The curse is dead.

                                          Comment


                                            #46
                                            2017 baseball thread

                                            Finally, MLB Network is spending so much time showing these games and talking about this tournament that it's draining the excitement of spring training.

                                            Spring Training has no excitement to drain.

                                            I don't have a TV so I haven't watched any of the WBC. I may watch the semis and the finals.

                                            It's not an ideal way to do an international tournament, but it's currently the only option. I don't mind the players playing for countries they aren't from so much as that so many good players aren't playing in the tournament and that disproportionately hurts some teams more than others.

                                            The event probably means the most to places like Brazil, Colombia, and Australia - countries that have pretty decent players and don't need to rely on American ringers qualifying through their grandparents etc and yet still feel like they have a lot to prove and an opportunity to grow the game in their country.

                                            Comment


                                              #47
                                              2017 baseball thread

                                              I can't disagree with any of your projections. I doubt it will turn out exactly like that because that's just not how probability works, but all of those seems like the most likely final standings in each division. The playoffs and world series will come down to who has more injuries and maybe who makes the best late season moves for marginal improvements.

                                              Comment


                                                #48
                                                2017 baseball thread

                                                Indeed.

                                                I can't think of something that danielmak has said on here that I disagree with more strongly.

                                                The games have been consistently entertaining, and the joyful intensity of the Latin teams has been just what the game needs. Reed, if you had watched the games, you would see how much it means to the DR and PR, among others.

                                                Joe Girardi recommended moving the final round to the summer, as a week long replacement for the All Star Game.

                                                I'd be a strong supporter of that, as well as having it every two years.

                                                Comment


                                                  #49
                                                  2017 baseball thread

                                                  Yes. I meant to write "the countries that have the most to gain" not "means the most." It's a big deal in the Caribbean because they have a tradition of the Caribbean series, so they're accustomed to following the national team. It seems to be big in Korea and Japan too, though playing the later rounds in the US might take some steam out of it there.

                                                  But the WBC isn't likely to do much for the popularity of baseball in those countries because it's already so popular, although I've heard it's in trouble in Cuba and it's just starting to come back in Mexico. And most or all of their players are major league stars, so its not a development experience for them whereas Canada, Australia, etc, have some minor leaguers for whom this is a chance to play with older and better players.

                                                  I like the mid-season idea.

                                                  Comment


                                                    #50
                                                    2017 baseball thread

                                                    Yes

                                                    The "growing the game" and "celebrating our national baseball/beisbol heritage" constituencies are different by definition.

                                                    The Netherlands just made the Final Four for the second time running, but my sense is that they don't get much coverage in the metropole, which is unfortunate. I presume that Aruba/Curacao/Surinam, etc (which have supplied the large majority of the team) are all in.

                                                    Cuba makes me sad. They have such a brilliant tradition, but politics and economics are such that the current team is a poor reflection of that.

                                                    The midseason idea makes so much sense it will never happen. You could have easily sold 150,000 tickets for that Dominican Republic - Puerto Rico matchup last night here in New York. As it was, they didn't sell out Petco (though they did get a decent crowd).

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