2022 Baseball Thread

[unclevlad]

We were talking about statistical aspects we don't like...another one came last night.

 

Houston-Boston.  The roof caves in on the Red Sox pitcher, Nathan Eovaldi, in the 2nd.  Leadoff HR, error on the 1st baseman, runner is safe.  HR, HR.  Fly out...a respite that doesn't last.  Single, double, 3 run HR.  Single, ground ball out.  Now there's 2 outs.  Another 2 run HR.

 

The runner that got on due to the error...unearned run, no problem.  Because the last HR came with 2 outs...they're counted as unearned runs.  

 

Never liked that.  The pitcher *deserves* to have them count as earned.

 

Also note:  9 run inning, with every run scoring on home runs.  5 of em.  Red Sox are one of six teams under the "Mendoza line", if you will.  Below .400.  That means flirting with, or exceeding, 100 losses;  .400 == lose 60%, that's 97.

 

Kinda freaky stat:  looking at the standings right now, with some of today's games over, most in progress or later.  Of the 30 teams, 25 of them have gone 4-6, 5-5, or 6-4 over their last 10.

 

 

[slikmar]

I agree on the earned run thing. any batter who gets due to error is unearned, but everything else is on the pitcher.

They still need to add team errors too, the fly ball that 2 defenders get too then because no one is calling neither catch, not even touch, is an error, not a single or double.

 

And right now I am so annoyed with the Angels. middle of a 12 game stretch with Oakland (who are basically fielding a AAA team) and Texas, who aren't much better. first, against Oakland in first of double header, our closer after getting 2 outs and 0-2 to a batter with no one on gives up single, walk and Hr to lose game, but we still take 3 of 4 from them, though feels like should have swept and losses like that linger. On to Texas where we have Syndegaarde, our number 1 or 2 pitcher and usually very good, spot him 3 runs in 1st (and felt like let Texas pitcher Gray get off easy as our 4 and 5 hitters (Rendon and Walsh) had terrible at bats. Bottom 1st, Syndegaard couldn't get out of the inning, giving up 6 runs and only getting 2 outs. lost game 7-4. Then 2nd game, pull Detmers after 3 2/3 having given up 3 runs (2 on a HR by Cole Kalhoun just before being removed) as Joe Maddon felt like he didnt have control of anything but his fastball. Game stays tied until 8th inning when Trout Homers to give us a 4-3 lead. Bring in Ryan Tepera, considered one of the better relievers in baseball and a great signing by Angels, who basically proceeded to help Texas have a 7 run inning (he was relieved after 2 runs, but left with bases loaded). So now, on a stretch I would have said we should win at least 9 games, if not 10, we are 3-3 for the first half of it.

[unclevlad]

49 minutes ago, slikmar said:

I agree on the earned run thing. any batter who gets due to error is unearned, but everything else is on the pitcher.

 

 

I'd go further;  for example, runner on 2nd, 2 out.  Ground ball to short, the throw's air mailed and goes into the dugout.  That's automatic for the runner on 2nd to score, and that run is a direct consequence of the error.  

 

The problem is getting broad agreement on all variations would be tough, but yeah...at the very least, tho, there's no substantive connection between the error to the 2nd batter, and the runs after 2 outs.

 

But the purists have screamed bloody murder that the runner on 2nd in extras, "destroys the validity of the stats."  This would fall into the same category.  So it'll never be considered.

[Pariah]

Let the stats die. Kill them if you have to.

/KyloRen 

[unclevlad]

At some point this season, the Mets are going to have a major bench-clearing brawl.  The type that leads to multiple ejections.

 

Pete Alonso just barely got out of the way of a 3-0 breaking ball heading straight to his head.  He's already been hit in the head twice this season.  And worse, they've been hit 28 times in, with today, 40 games.  Multiple times in the head.  3 times yesterday.

 

They're NOT!!! happy, and at some point, there's a strong chance, I think, that they'll blow up.

 

 

[Pariah]

Well, the Mets are going to be in Colorado this weekend, and with the less-than-idea precision of the Rockies' pitching staff....

[slikmar]

It makes you wonder. Do they, as a team, stand closer to the plate then most teams or is there a reason other pitchers keep trying to hit them. this is not trying to blame them. Sometimes I think pitchers are intentionally throwing at guys so they can go "See, we need our Spider Tack back" wah wah wah.

MLB tried to form a group with a bunch of pitchers to come up with something not quite that grippy (for lack of a better term) that could be used universally and allowed and the Union could not agree on anything, so MLB said, ok, then you use nothing by the rosin until we come up with something, so I blame the pitchers/union completely. It was Glasnow saying he needed Tommy John surgery because they took away his spider tack, or whatever he was using.

[unclevlad]

Mr. P:  that's assuming they'll get the games in.

 

The local neighborhood app had a thread going about wind and weather down here...and how it's so windy, and the weather changes so much.
LE SCOFF!!!!!

 

Denver high today:  88

High tomorrow:  43 with possible rain and snow

 

silkmar:  everyone crowds the plate.  Orioles are now up to #2;  they've been hit 24 times.  Then there are 11 teams with 17-20.  OTOH, several teams are well under 10.  

 

The Spider Tack was actually brought up on the pitch that almost hit Alonzo, with Ron Darling in particular going "this just can't happen, on a 3-0 breaking ball."  But Spider Tack got banned because no one could hit the ball when it was getting used.  The pitching is generally just too dominant.  There are 10 teams hitting under .230 right now...without the Spider Tack.  Rockies are at .263...but then it's Mets, Phils, Nats at .252-.250.  23 teams have team ERAs below 4...which is not a bad ERA.  Giants are 22-15 with a team ERA of 3.9.  

 

I think we may see more of a push to move the mound back.  We can't demand pitchers throw less hard or with less effort...it's not enforceable.  It might be plausible to put a rule in that ALL runners advance a base, regardless of where they are/other runners.  (So a runner on 3rd...no one else on...scores.)  Not sure that'd help enough tho.  Throwing so hard simply leads to more erratic targeting.  Spider Tack creates a reciprocal problem.  So what's left?  Move the mound back.

[Grailknight]

Lowering the mound would work better I think.

 

[unclevlad]

When the pitching falls apart...

 

https://www.mlb.com/news/iowa-comes-back-down-13-2-to-beat-indiana-30-16

 

 

[slikmar]

on a side note about the Mound. Mark Gubiscza made an interesting point the other day. Most bullpen mounds face a different direction then the on field Mound (space required alone I am sure has a lot to do with it), so if it is a windy day, such that can affect pitches, all pitchers are basically warming up in different conditions then will be on field. I also wonder, is there someone in charge (and I mean officially, not team based) of making sure the bullpen mounds match the height and angle of the game mound. I wonder this because it felt like for years every Angel reliever who came in (and granted they might have just sucked) threw their first 3-4 pitches off the plate to the same side. If anyone knows, would be interesting, because you could really mess up the other team if there isn't.

[unclevlad]

Speaking of windy days...

 

D'backs vs. Cubs.  

D'backs starting a #5.  Cubs are starting a pitch-to-contact type...1.3 WHIP.

 

And the wind's howling out.

 

Top 5, D'backs are up 7-3.  6 dingers already...D'backs have gone back to back twice...same players, in fact, and in consecutive at-bats.

 

EDIT:  final ended up 10-6 D'backs.  11 homers total.  16 runs on only 20 hits, total.  

[Pariah]

Today's Mets vs. Rockies game at Coors Field was postponed due to snow.

 

Gotta love springtime in Colorado.

[unclevlad]

The original plan was doubleheader today.  That's been shifted to tomorrow.  Even that may be delayed;  there's decent chances for rain between 5 and 7 MT according to weather.com.

 

And it's gonna be cold and damp for sure.  Mid 40's up til 7, humidity nearing 50%.  Temp drops a bit, which means relative humidity goes up.  11 PM forecast is 40 degrees and 64% RH.   Awesome weather to sit by the fire with a glass of Islay...not so great to try to play baseball in.  Or try to sit and watch the game.  

[unclevlad]

So the Cards were desperate for bullpen innings again, and they tossed out another kid making his first appearance on the mound.  Not a good result...he gave up 4 hits including 2 HRs, and 4 runs.  No walks, tho.  In one inning.  Pretty clear the kid's never gonna make it as a pitcher.

 

What was his name?

 

Yaddy something...

 

 

EDIT:  coulda been worse.  Pirates used Josh VanMeter, their 2B who...probably has to be looking over his shoulder, as he's hitting .167 (and is only a .207 lifetime hitter, with over 600 ABs)...gave up *5* runs in the top of the 9th.

Also, stunning fact of the week, to me...2 players completed 10 years in MLB, which means full vesting and max pensions.  That elucidated the fact........the average career in MLB is only 3 1/2 years.  That floored me.  I would've guessed notably longer.  What I think that means is, there's a LOT of players that get stuck at AAA most of the time, with spot call-ups.  I'm particularly thinking pitchers.  Story about the Rays...30, 31, and 33 starting pitchers in the 17-19 seasons, 41 in '21.  Another story cited a report saying the major league average was 3.4 relievers used per game.  So there may be a massive number of players getting VERY little major league time and that'll draw the mean down.

 

Still interesting and unexpected....

[unclevlad]

Whoa...freak play...

 

Angels are warming up...pre-game.  Pitcher bounces a curve ball.  Ball bounces a bit funny...

 

...and hits catcher Kurt Suzuki squarely in the throat.

 

He had to be helped off the field.  No further word;  the game's ongoing.

[slikmar]

Neck contusion. I am sure will be in IL for safety.

[unclevlad]

1 hour ago, slikmar said:

Neck contusion. I am sure will be in IL for safety.

 

Being put on the IL means you have to sit out, I believe, 10 days at minimum.  Used to be 15 but it was shortened a few years ago.  Report is he may actually be available as a backup today, so IL is not likely.

 

I suspect they may try a flapper as a neck guard, tho, at least for a couple weeks.

[unclevlad]

College baseball playoffs start today.  Makes for a crazy weekend...16 separate double elimination brackets of 4.  Each regional is 6 or 7 games, so there's between 96 and 112 games over 4 days.  One never knows what'll happen in college baseball...just a couple days ago, UCLA came to bat in the 9th, down 9 runs...and won the game.  Flip side, top pitchers can shut teams down. 

 

And then...first game.  First inning.  Florida strings a few hits, got a runner on 1st, a run in, with 2 outs.  Ground ball to second.  Easy.  Throw to first is on time, on target....and the first baseman clanks it.  Takes his eye off, or closes the glove early, whatever.  E-3.  Next batter up gets hit with a bounced curve ball.  Next batter grounds out, but still....

 

In MLB, the first axe fell.  Been hearing it for a bit, but the Phillies fired Joe Girardi.  That rumor was getting lots of play;  the criticism hasn't been Girardi, but the team construction.  Dave Dombrowski's been *roasted* for how he built this team.  The worst defense in baseball...a lot of that has to be the front office.  But hey, when you've got the 4th largest payroll in the league, but you're on pace to lose over 90 games...it'll happen.  Dombrowski wasn't gonna fire himself, so....  Writing was also apparently on the wall because Dombrowski didn't pick up Girardi's option for 2023, so this doesn't cost a lot.  

[unclevlad]

Baseball is great for dreams...until reality slaps you upside the head.

 

So the local NMSU Aggies had a season to forget for the most part.  10-20 in conference.  20-32 overall, going into the WAC tournament.

 

But baseball being baseball...anything can happen.  They won 4 straight...pretty handily from the scores, and lo and behold, they're in the NCAA tournament.

 

Friday night, they battle #3 *national* seed Oregon tight...lose on, of all things, a bases loaded, walk-off walk in the 10th;  pitcher missed with 4 straight.  Gut drop.

 

So today they have to come back semi-quick.  Not going tooo bad...3-1 after 4.

 

Then the head slap.  Vandy scores 5 in the 5th, and basically proceed to take the Aggie pitches behind the woodshed.  18 runs in 5 innings...9 in the last 2, when it was pretty much garbage time.  21-1.

 

That, however, was NOT the biggest blowout of the day.  Georgia annihilated Hofstra...13 runs in the 3rd.  Final was 24-1.  Hofstra pitchers gave up 10 walks and 16 hits...including 7 home runs.    

[Pariah]

Fun Fact: The Colorado Avalanche have as many road wins in the 2022 postseason (7) as the Colorado Rockies have so far in the 2022 regular season. 

[Logan D. Hurricanes]

That can't be right... 

 

Oh my. 

[unclevlad]

Could be worse.

 

The Tigers have 6.  In 2 more games.

 

The bad news for Mr. P is...the Rocks have played 32 home games...they're .500 at home, altho that's still not good...and only 22 road games where they're awful.  And they've only played 12 divisional games so far.

 

Baseball isn't helped by the fact that 8 teams are already close to losing contact for even the wild card spots.  Turnarounds are possible...but not likely.  Having so many teams that even by the 4th will be looking to next season...is not good.

[Pariah]

Okay, so hear Me out: I propose a seven game series in September or October, maybe during the opening rounds of the MLB playoffs. Worst team from the American League versus worst team from the National League. (Right now that's Kansas City versus Washington, but I fully anticipate a Tigers / Rockies matchup by the time the season is over.) Loser of the series is relegated to AAA and becomes the farm team for the winner of the series.

 

Who's with me?

[unclevlad]

Too narrow.

 

Bottom 2 in each league.  3 game series, #14 AL vs. #15 NL and vice versa.  Winners play another 3 game series to stay in.  The 3 losing teams get relegated.

 

The problem is, how many AAA clubs play in a major-league level venue?  El Paso plays in a 7500 seat stadium.   It's a logistical nightmare in so many ways.  In principle at least, I love the notion of relegation...but the sports industry has to be built more on that model.  It's something that perhaps could've been done up through...maybe the 60s?  Maybe 50s.  Before the big stadium reconstruction boom;  definitely before free agency changed everything.

 

Each franchise today is worth $1B, except Miami...they're only $990M.  Tigers and Rockies are ~ $1.4B.  KC is ~$1.1B.  Washington's $2B tho.  How much of this is lost if they're relegated?