2021 MLB Regular Season Thread

[mister d]

I feel like "a rule you perceive to be wrong" gives up the whole thing.

[EnochRoot]

So…a player ignorant of MLB culture should be given a pass because the (unwritten) rule about speeding up blowout victories should be done away with?

This isn’t going to make baseball more interesting to watch, btw.

[EdRomero]

How is taking walks rather than swinging speeding up the game?

[mister d]

So…a player ignorant of MLB culture should be given a pass because the (unwritten) rule about speeding up blowout victories should be done away with?

The 3-0 take has nothing to do with speeding up the game, by rule or logically. Its a "respect" thing ... if a pitcher falls behind 3-0 in a blowout you're supposed to let him get one back without teeing off before trying again. Aside from like a rookie who is clearly dying on the mound and you don't want to ruin him, its stupid.

[EnochRoot]

How is taking walks rather than swinging speeding up the game?

It’s Baldelli’s call there, but if you want to go there, fine. Just ground out. You don’t just magically hit home runs.

Back to what I was saying about LaRussa: Mercedes was thrown at the other day for his antics, and it’s Tony’s fault. Or maybe that’s what he wanted to happen to him.

[EnochRoot]

So…a player ignorant of MLB culture should be given a pass because the (unwritten) rule about speeding up blowout victories should be done away with?

The 3-0 take has nothing to do with speeding up the game, by rule or logically. Its a "respect" thing ... if a pitcher falls behind 3-0 in a blowout you're supposed to let him get one back without teeing off before trying again. Aside from like a rookie who is clearly dying on the mound and you don't want to ruin him, its stupid.

OK so the larger point of speeding up the game isn’t in question (except it is), because of a sub-rule that was violated by swinging 3-0?

I’d say two rules were broken.

[degenerasian]

I agree that swinging 3-0 in a blowout is disrespectful to pitcher and the team.
But when a position player is pitching, that disrespect has already happened. So have at it.

I don't know if Baldelli would have thrown at Mercedes without LaRussa's comments. It's weird to me that they threw at him in the next game, in the 7th of a close game. Why not get him in the 1st?

When Tatis Jr. hit his 3-0 Grand Slam, the Rangers threw at Machado on the very next pitch so clearly they were pissed.

[mister d]

Unless you're assuming at 3-1 the position player pitcher has gained the advantage, how homering on 3-0 slower than on 3-1?

[mister d]

I don't know if Baldelli would have thrown at Mercedes without LaRussa's comments.

I would bet my entire ass that he (or the pitcher, if it wasn't a bench call) wouldn't have done a thing.

[degenerasian]

I don't know if Baldelli would have thrown at Mercedes without LaRussa's comments.

I would bet my entire ass that he (or the pitcher, if it wasn't a bench call) wouldn't have done a thing.

yeah, they kind of meekly attempted it in the 7th of a close game. Seems like they were caught in two minds

[mister d]

Yeah, I'd be more surprised if that were a Baldelli call than a non-descript reliever deciding to make a statement.

[EdRomero]

This might be an overthink, but it's a slow morning for me. I have a vague memory of someone asking Ortiz why he steps out of the batter's box, takes pitches, and the usual slowing the game nonsense, and he said something about how he doesn't want to change his approach because it could alter his habits and affect how he does in the next game.

If I'm a manager, I want my players to develop a great 3-0 approach and get in the habit of swinging when they get that perfect pitch. Ellis Burks (it's retired Red Sox day for me) on NESN said how he was a terrible 3-0 batter and ended up never swinging, which hurt his career numbers.

I don't want my players trying to hit grounders or taking good pitches to speed up the game or follow a gentlemen's agreement that many players seem not to agree to.

[mister d]

Co-sign it all. If you want to create a rule where the offense can skip their turn (they can backload innings if the other team comes back), I'm all for it. I'd even be fine with a mercy rule at this point given all the other dumbshit and even worse new rules actually in place.



(And I loved Ellis Burks. I think he's the first Red Sox player I was ever really into.)

[Giff]

I totally forgot about Ellis Burks.

[sancarlos]

Pride of Fort Worth, Giff. (I don't know why I remember that. But he looked cool at the plate with that toothpick in his mouth.)

[MaxWebster]

when i was in college i got on a Green Line T [boston subway] and Ellis Burks was on it. I was both awe-struck and confused. I said nothing and barely looked at him.

(also loved Ellis Burks)

[spongelikeninja]

From McSweeny's Internet Tendency THE COMPLETELY NORMAL, TOTALLY REASONABLE UNWRITTEN RULES OF BASEBALL

https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/the ... f-baseball

[sancarlos]

Welcome back, sponge!

[HaulCitgo]

Named my son after Ellis Burks well not so much after him but definitely where I first came across the name

[EdRomero]

[brian]

[bfj]

I laughed

[DaveInSeattle]

That's the kind of organizational genius that leads to 20 years of missing the playoffs.

ETA: And then there's this:

[degenerasian]

Pirates brought in Wilmer Difo to pitch. He gave up 8 runs.

[Rex]

“Triple plays are becoming a problem” — Clayton Kershaw tomorrow, probably

[wlu_lax6]

So Bob Watson scored MLB's 1 millionth run in 1975. The 2 millionth will score this week.

[degenerasian]

[Brontoburglar]

So Bob Watson scored MLB's 1 millionth run in 1975. The 2 millionth will score this week.

I feel this may be one of those stats that's a lot closer when you consider expansion and the increased # of games per year

[mister d]

I thought that too but it ended up being like 1.33 (16%) runs more per game to reach the second million.

[Brontoburglar]

I thought that too but it ended up being like 1.33 (16%) runs more per game to reach the second million.

that seems a lot closer than I was expecting! I was thinking more like 25-30 percent as my immediate guess before I thought it through for five seconds

[L-Jam3]

Baez ran about 280 feet or so on that “double”.



ETA: Holy crap. It was two outs! The 1B could've fucking moonwalked and taken care of business with no bad result.

[Giff]

Yeah, that's one of the dumbest plays I've ever seen.

[MaxWebster]

i....

yes. this. I just had to watch it twice to see if i was missing something. just...turn the fuck around and go step on first? o my god :D

Yeah, that's one of the dumbest plays I've ever seen.

[mister d]

Even easier, just keep standing in front of Baez. Running him back was weird but would have been ultimately harmless had he not thrown the ball.

[tennbengal]

Yeah, that's one of the dumbest plays I've ever seen.

That is literally the dumbest baseball play I have ever seen. Not even close. It will never be topped, in the annals of dumbness.

[tennbengal]

I mean.

What. the. Fuck.

Also, I have nine pitchers who are currently injured. NINE. in a 15-team league that has 10 starting pitcher slots and a 10-man reserve bench. That is, a problem. So...having to start Tyler Anderson. Who was on the mound. And, I am here to tell you. That run was "earned".

Just. I mean.

For posterity:

[sancarlos]

Sorry to beat a dead horse, but it's funny to hear the Pirates' broadcasters' call of the play.

[tennbengal]

This particular horse cannot be beaten enough. I am still in awe.

[Rex]

Maybe if there were more balls put in play he would know what to do!

[Reaper]

Yeah, that's one of the dumbest plays I've ever seen.

That is literally the dumbest baseball play I have ever seen. Not even close. It will never be topped, in the annals of dumbness.

Sure, it's super over-reactionary, but I'd never let him put on a Pirates uniform again. See ya. Pack your bags. You're an embarrassment even for an embarrassment of a team.