The boys of summer! (Baseball Thread)

[Rogue219]

When I tuned in, it was 11-0 in top of first inning. Unreal. I suspect it was LA’s last gasp before they implode today & tomorrow. Hope I’m wrong.

Kershaw is going next, and after digging into ATL's bullpen like they just did, that's a good scenario for the Dodgers.

Would have liked to have seen the Astros swept, though I have never appreciatede Dusty Baker more until now.

Still, the Rays last five years worth of payrolls are about as much as what the Yankees gave Gerit Cole. Sign me up for them to win this thing.

 

[ACamp1900]

When I tuned in, it was 11-0 in top of first inning. Unreal. I suspect it was LA’s last gasp before they implode today & tomorrow. Hope I’m wrong.

I actually get the opposite vibe, hope I’m wrong...

 

[Rogue219]

The Braves assistant GM is probably going to be a good candidate for the Angels or Phillies job. Perry Minasian is his name, I believe.

Ron Washington and Matt Quartaro are two guys the White Sox should have a look at, though they appear interested in dragging Tony LaRussa's old, drinky bones out for an interview for whatever reason.

Ron Washington managing that White Sox team would make them even more of a compelling team to track in the next few years.

 

[ACamp1900]

Hard to believe it’s taking Washington this long to get another crack,...

 

[Rogue219]

Hard to believe it’s taking Washington this long to get another crack,...

I agree, and he wants one, too.

He's 68 years old but he's with it as far as what front offices want, which is to believe in math.

He admitted the extramarital affair he was having in 2014 and he's battled substance abuse as well, but was a finalist for the Braves job when it last opened. They were smart and hired him to coach third to replace Bo Porter when he moved to the front office.

 

[Rogue219]

Dave Roberts is like a kid who put BOTH hands on the burning stove once only to not learn his lesson and do it again.

I am thinking he's going to be on the market once the Dodger season is over.


And Chicago should hire him instead of Tony LaRussa, yes.

 

[Irishize]

When I tuned in, it was 11-0 in top of first inning. Unreal. I suspect it was LA’s last gasp before they implode today & tomorrow. Hope I’m wrong.

I was not wrong. It’s over.

 

[Irishize]

Dave Roberts is like a kid who put BOTH hands on the burning stove once only to not learn his lesson and do it again.

I am thinking he's going to be on the market once the Dodger season is over.


And Chicago should hire him instead of Tony LaRussa, yes.

I felt like that last year after the Nats eliminated them but now I’m not so sure. He can’t go to bat for those stiffs who all the sudden couldn’t hit sand if they fell off a camel. Their only way on base is a walk. If not, they’re striking out or popping out. Pitiful.

 

[Rogue219]

I felt like that last year after the Nats eliminated them but now I’m not so sure. He can’t go to bat for those stiffs who all the sudden couldn’t hit sand if they fell off a camel. Their only way on base is a walk. If not, they’re striking out or popping out. Pitiful.

Plenty of blame to go around. There always is. It is a familiar story all the way around.

One thing I have discovered during this shortened season and expanded postseason is that there are quite a few pitchers I have never heard of that all seem to throw high 90s to 100 MPH with filthy disgusting breaking stuff. That being said, if you can get a walk, just take the fucker and be happy because the idea of "just making contact" is our grandpa and dad's baseball. Off speed pitches are in the low 90s now. YOU go make contact with that filth.

The manager has control of the pitching staff. This is the second time now in the post season that Roberts has failed to lift Kershaw at a critical time when even my nine year old daughter knew he had to take him out. He let Ozuna have a third look at Kershaw and the game was hanging on by the skin of their teeth. That's systemic failure on his part and it isn't the first time.

The Dodgers are not done, but they're hanging onto the side of the building.

 

[Irishize]

Plenty of blame to go around. There always is. It is a familiar story all the way around.

One thing I have discovered during this shortened season and expanded postseason is that there are quite a few pitchers I have never heard of that all seem to throw high 90s to 100 MPH with filthy disgusting breaking stuff. That being said, if you can get a walk, just take the fucker and be happy because the idea of "just making contact" is our grandpa and dad's baseball. Off speed pitches are in the low 90s now. YOU go make contact with that filth.

The manager has control of the pitching staff. This is the second time now in the post season that Roberts has failed to lift Kershaw at a critical time when even my nine year old daughter knew he had to take him out. He let Ozuna have a third look at Kershaw and the game was hanging on by the skin of their teeth. That's systemic failure on his part and it isn't the first time.

The Dodgers are not done, but they're hanging onto the side of the building.

I agree. Roberts may be too much of a “player’s coach” to get them over the hump. It was inexcusable last season when Roberts brought Kershaw in for a perfect inning of relief & then mistakenly trotted him back out there to give up back-to-back bombs that lost the game. He would’ve looked like a maestro had he just kept Kershaw in the dugout & thanked him for doing his “job” on short notice.

Last night was not as bad when you consider Graterol got lit up worse than Kershaw but I still agree w/ your point. Still, my biggest complaint is two recent MVPs & a slew of accomplished hitters couldn’t swat a fly last night or in Games 1-2.

Lastly, not that they’ll need him to save any wins today or tomorrow but Kenley Jansen should never be a closer again. His cutter doesn’t cut half the time & he has zero velocity. Graterol is the future closer.

 

[Rogue219]

Best possible outcome of the four teams remaining. Friedman's Dodgers vs the Rays. Awesome stuff and a good story line there.

Hoping the Rays win it, but wouldn't be bent out of shape to see Friedman win one. I think he belongs up there with the top execs. Doesn't get a lot of credit compared to some of the other guys out there, particularly those who have more financial resources at their disposal.

Hopefully a competitive series like the LCS both were. Two Game 7s doesn't get any better.

 

[Rogue219]

Imagine having this Mookie Betts guy and trading him.

 

[Irishize]

Best possible outcome of the four teams remaining. Friedman's Dodgers vs the Rays. Awesome stuff and a good story line there.

Hoping the Rays win it, but wouldn't be bent out of shape to see Friedman win one. I think he belongs up there with the top execs. Doesn't get a lot of credit compared to some of the other guys out there, particularly those who have more financial resources at their disposal.

Hopefully a competitive series like the LCS both were. Two Game 7s doesn't get any better.

My two favorite sports teams are ND & the Dodgers. Ironically, the last time either won a championship was 1988 when I was a senior in HS. Obviously, I want the Dodgers to win but it won’t be easy.

I suspect the Rays rebound tonight for a win and the series goes 6-7 games. Hoping for the best. Kershaw had a great outing last night but no one remembers Game 1 pitching performances (see Game 1 of 2017 WS).

 

[Rogue219]

My two favorite sports teams are ND & the Dodgers. Ironically, the last time either won a championship was 1988 when I was a senior in HS. Obviously, I want the Dodgers to win but it won’t be easy.

I suspect the Rays rebound tonight for a win and the series goes 6-7 games. Hoping for the best. Kershaw had a great outing last night but no one remembers Game 1 pitching performances (see Game 1 of 2017 WS).

Rays are nothing if not resilient, but the Dodgers should win the Andrew Friedman Bowl.

 

[Irishize]

Rays are nothing if not resilient, but the Dodgers should win the Andrew Friedman Bowl.

Since Netflix just added it, I decided to re-watch “Moneyball”. I never understood by Beane turned down Boston. He was pretty clear that he had one goal....win it all. He finally gets a Blue Blood to offer him that opportunity plus the fact that BoSox bought in to Sabermetrics when they hired Bill James...so why turn it down?

 

[Rogue219]

Since Netflix just added it, I decided to re-watch “Moneyball”. I never understood by Beane turned down Boston. He was pretty clear that he had one goal....win it all. He finally gets a Blue Blood to offer him that opportunity plus the fact that BoSox bought in to Sabermetrics when they hired Bill James...so why turn it down?

Read the book, if you haven't. Movie is great, don't get me wrong, but the book is leaps and bounds superior.

His ex wife and early teenaged daughter lived in L.A. at the time. That puts him on the other side of the country if he goes to Boston, and if you saw the movie, you saw his daughter visiting him in Oakland often during the summer. That angle wasn't as played up in the book, but that was very real.

There was some interest from and with the Dodgers, but it never materialized, obviously. I think above all else he wanted to win in Oakland using their model. 20 years later, everyone is doing the same damn things and some are doing it better with more money. Book may have been the worst thing they could have done, but it was likely inevitable regardless of the book.

He says he has no regrets. Most don't believe him. I do, based on all I have ever read about him.

 

[Irishize]

Read the book, if you haven't. Movie is great, don't get me wrong, but the book is leaps and bounds superior.

His ex wife and early teenaged daughter lived in L.A. at the time. That puts him on the other side of the country if he goes to Boston, and if you saw the movie, you saw his daughter visiting him in Oakland often during the summer. That angle wasn't as played up in the book, but that was very real.

There was some interest from and with the Dodgers, but it never materialized, obviously. I think above all else he wanted to win in Oakland using their model. 20 years later, everyone is doing the same damn things and some are doing it better with more money. Book may have been the worst thing they could have done, but it was likely inevitable regardless of the book.

He says he has no regrets. Most don't believe him. I do, based on all I have ever read about him.

I need to read the book. One of my favorite non-fiction books is “The Big Short” and as great as that movie is (better than “Moneyball” IMO), the book blows it away.

The daughter angle makes sense. I just remember him bitching to Oakland’s owner about money and wanting to win it all. Then when he gets the offer to do just that for another organization, he turns it down...left me headscractching. Money wise he still made out like a bandit. Doesn’t he now have part ownership in the A’s and a couple of soccer teams?

 

[Rogue219]

I need to read the book. One of my favorite non-fiction books is “The Big Short” and as great as that movie is (better than “Moneyball” IMO), the book blows it away.

The daughter angle makes sense. I just remember him bitching to Oakland’s owner about money and wanting to win it all. Then when he gets the offer to do just that for another organization, he turns it down...left me headscractching. Money wise he still made out like a bandit. Doesn’t he now have part ownership in the A’s and a couple of soccer teams?

I have read the Big Short and The Blind Side as well, but you have to read Moneyball if you haven't already.

I think initially, he was pissed that they could never keep their talent. That's when he realized he needed to figure out a way to do more with less. He wanted to win with Oakland, and Boston is way more high profile than Oakland, especially at the time when they still hadn't won anything since 1918.

The guy is doing fine, ultimately. Paul DePodesta (who was portrayed by Jonah Hill as Peter Brand) got a GM gig with the Dodgers, worked for Sandy Alderson wih the Mets and his now with the Cleveland Browns. They all did fine.

 

[IHateMarkMay]

Can anyone tell me how they just realized in the 8th inning that Justin Turner tested positive for Covid? I thought they took the test and got results back prior to the game and, if positive, sat out.

 

[Rogue219]

The Clayton Kershaw narrative might not have had Covid, but it died last night.

 

[ab2cmiller]

Can anyone tell me how they just realized in the 8th inning that Justin Turner tested positive for Covid? I thought they took the test and got results back prior to the game and, if positive, sat out.

[TWEET]https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/1321303445136171008[/TWEET]

 

[NDdomer2]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">In the second inning tonight, the lab doing COVID tests informed MLB that Justin Turner’s test from yesterday came back inconclusive. The samples from today had just arrived and were run. It showed up positive. The league immediately called the Dodgers and said to pull Turner.</p>— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) <a href="https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/1321303445136171008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

i dont think this answers it. if it was inconclusive he shouldnt have been playing

 

[ACamp1900]

The Clayton Kershaw narrative might not have had Covid, but it died last night.

Who says money can’t buy happiness (and titles)???

 

[Irishize]

The Clayton Kershaw narrative might not have had Covid, but it died last night.

As much as the haters want to argue otherwise, Kershaw is a first ballot Hall-of-Famer regardless of the WS outcome.

 

[NorthDakota]

Twins will win the world series next season

 

[Irishize]

Twins will win the world series next season

Count me in as a fan of that. I grew up playing baseball w/ their pitching coach, Wes Johnson. Good dude.

 

[Rogue219]

As much as the haters want to argue otherwise, Kershaw is a first ballot Hall-of-Famer regardless of the WS outcome.

It's pretty much a slam dunk, but the team sports narrative for decades has been to judge individual greatness by team accomplishment. It's a giant pile of horse shit, but no one ever accused the public of being intelligent.

Best starter without a World Series is now Zack Greinke, I suppose. Jacob deGrom won'[t get one so long as he's with the Mets.

 

[ACamp1900]

I don’t think anyone hates CK,... the trolls come out every October but that’s just internet bullshit. People hate his team and fan base tho,....

 

[Rogue219]

I'm glad Andrew Friedman wins one. Deserves credit for winning one, as other smart GMs have won with big bankrolls too and are beloved. He took chicken shit and turned it to chicken salad in Tampa. Great partnership with Farhan Zaidi in LA and guys who have worked for Friedman are landing in other spots now running their own teams, and running them well.

Obviously glad for Kershaw because his winning one, with the 24 other guys, shuts up a narrative that while ignorant has remained persistent.

I'd want Mookie Betts on my team. That's just me, though.

Rays GM Erik Neander is a good one too. $28M payroll. Incredible.

Glad we got to see a season. Now we see what the hell happens next.

 

[Irishize]

It's pretty much a slam dunk, but the team sports narrative for decades has been to judge individual greatness by team accomplishment. It's a giant pile of horse shit, but no one ever accused the public of being intelligent.

Best starter without a World Series is now Zack Greinke, I suppose. Jacob deGrom won'[t get one so long as he's with the Mets.

It is a slam dunk. Unless there’s going to be a new referendum on current HOFers who struggled in post-season play or just failed to be on a winning championship team. The list would fill this thread. Ted Williams is one that jumps to mind. Horrible WS performance in 1946 and he was embarrassed by it. Doesn’t mean he wasn’t the greatest pure hitter of the modern era.