Major League Baseball thread

[tsunamiSD]

I was really surprised to look at the standings this morning and notice that the Padres are only 5-1/2 games out of first place, even though they are 9 games under .500. Have all of the teams suffered that many injuries. I know that the Pads are missing their two home run hitters from last year.


At least San Diego can say that their last place team has a better record at this point than any of other last place teams. Granted, Texas is only one game more under .500, but still...


bigtrain - all those hitters are chasing that 'launch angle' crap...


Why MLB batters are suddenly obsessed with launch angles

“No grounders,” Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson, the 2015 American League MVP and one of the movement’s most vocal proponents, said earlier this year. “Groundballs are outs. If you see me hit a groundball, even if it’s a hit, I can tell you: It was an accident.”

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[tsunamiSD]

Well, a little over a month after my last post, I can say that the Padres are 'toast' . But their bullpen is still going strong, including the games where they (as a collective) started and finished games while the manager was waiting for one of the starters to become healthy again. And speaking of the relievers, here is a piece on one of them, another rehabilitation success by the team's pitching coach.

Kirby Yates story

... and, since there isn't anyplace else to put this, here is an article on a San Diego high school baseball player who really made it big in college:

Madison High Alum pitcher of the tournament for NCAA Finals

[bigtrain45]

Several teams are toast and should have to give away their tickets the rest of the year since they are not trying to win; Orioles, White Sox, Rangers, Marlins and Mets.
The entire National League is seriously mediocre, with not a single team playing .600 ball. My team, the Nationals, are treading water but have discovered their next star in the fabulous Juan Soto, only 19 and tearing up the league. I'm still hoping the Nats start hitting on all cylinders and put the Braves down, unmercifully and quick.

[Arturo2nd]

Originally Posted by Brian249x

Bumgarner, Cueto, Melancon, and Samardzjia all on the DL and 15th in the National League in runs scored. The Giaants are really lucky to be 5-5. We won't talk about the A's.

It's early yet, but it is not looking good for victory parades in the Bay Area this year.

Bumgarner's back and pitching well. Some hitters are heating up. The rotation has adapted with guys doing OK after promotion from the minors and Samardzjia is on his way. But, Longoria started to hit, but got his hand broken (both he and McCutchen are warm weather hitters.) Closer Hunter Strickland compounded a badly blown save by punching a wall and breaking his hand. Note to Bruce Bochy: Hunter Pence is done, toast,meurto

The Dodgers lost Corey Seagar for the year, Justin Turner for the first 6 weeks, and Clayton Kershaw has been hurt in addition to other injuries to the staff. Kershaw looked good in his last start, Bellinger and Puig have started to hit. They are not dead yet.

The first place D-backs lost their center fielder for a couple of months,Goldschmidt and Greinke started slow, and have dealt with various other arms going down. Moreover, a couple of lineup spots are black holes. But, hey, they are in first place 3.5 games up on the Dodgers.

The Rockies have had players revert to the mean and their staff ERA is last in the league. They are in 4th, 7 games back.

The Padres continue their rebuild despite buzzard's luck with injuries and some disappointing performances. Chase Headley was cut in mid-May after hitting .115, 0 HR, 4 RBI.

[bigtrain45]

Hunter Strickland is a hot-headed asshole. If you watch the video of his fight with Bryce Harper last year you'll notice his teammates did not come to help until after Harper got in a few shots.

[Adam West]

For me, the team I love to hate is the Boston Red Sox. Can't stand their sox, their history and their fans.

[Arturo2nd]

Originally Posted by bigtrain45

Hunter Strickland is a hot-headed asshole. If you watch the video of his fight with Bryce Harper last year you'll notice his teammates did not come to help until after Harper got in a few shots.

And he is a stupid one at that.

Originally Posted by Adam West

For me, the team I love to hate is the Boston Red Sox. Can't stand their sox, their history and their fans.

They and the Yankee fans deserve each other. Prediction: both teams will choke in the playoffs again this year.

[Arturo2nd]

I want to get behind the Oakland A's, I really do. It makes sense to build a team around the home run when you play in the Coliseum. It is a brutal park for hitters and you just aren't going to string a bunch of hits together for sustained rallies. They are fifth in runs scored & fourth in home runs. The team would really like to get a couple of guys going who could get on base often in front of their power guys. But damn, watching a bunch of .230 -.250 hitters and waiting for a home run is like watching paint dry.

Ten pitchers have started at least 5 games for the A's this year. Five of those guys are now on the DL, two are back in the minors, and one is Brett Anderson, back in the rotation until his next injury. Bob Melvin really earns his paycheck with this staff.

[rlg118]

Dear ESPN baseball announcers:

Can't you guys ever shut up?

Or do they pay you according to the numbers of words you say per minute?

[jomama]

the Pirates are not going anywhere anytime soon. The starting pitching isn't worth a pot to piss in and the bull pen can't close games out. They can' expect the fans to hang around much longer if they keep having losing seasons