2021 MLB Regular Season Thread

[tennbengal]

Hitters spend their entire careers building a library of pitches, explains Garrett Beatty, who teaches physiology and applied kinesiology with a focus on sports at the University of Florida. Because they have only 200 to 400 milliseconds—about the blink of an eye—to decide whether and where to swing, they have to extrapolate where the pitch will end up, based on all the pitches they have seen in their lifetimes.

“There’s some [pitchers] where, if you swing where your eyes tell you, you won’t hit the ball, even if you’re on time,” Blackmon says. “I have to go out there and if my eyes tell me it’s in one place, I have to swing to a different place. Which is hard to do. It’s hard to swing and try and miss the ball. But there’s some guys where you have to do it, because their ball and the spin rate or whatever is defying every pitch that you’ve seen come in over the course of your career. … I basically have to not trust my eyes that the pitch is going to finish where I think it’s going to finish and swing in a different place, because the ball is doing something it has no business doing.”

[EnochRoot]

I think Griffey is probably closest to the right answer in my mind, but I see the arguments for Willie Mays as well.

Before the answer was Griffey the correct answer might have been Rickey Henderson.

[Ryan]

Pedro

[brian]

Pedro

One of the other guys I was thinking of.

Really the only argument you could probably make against this was that I think Bonds' peak lined up with Pedro's peak?

[mister d]

That Blackmon quote explains his home/away splits.

[mister d]

I'm pro-sticky stuff. Things aren't good this year, but I don't think a lesser grip is the way you want to fix it.



(And it would be a lesser grip, not cleaning up some new 2021 issue. Guys have been doing this forever.)



(Has anyone proposed making the ball slightly larger?)

[Rams Fanny]

When was the last time (before Fernando Tatis Jr.) that the best player in baseball was the most exciting player in baseball. I'm really not sure (because both are obviously subjective) but you have to go back before the start of Mike Trout's career for any correct answers.

I really hate giving Boston athletes credit no matter how deserving but I think the (an?) answer is 03-05 Manny Ramirez. Between amazing hitting and floundering defense, he was must-watch TV. This will totally depend on your definition of "exciting".

[Giff]

OPS up .220 since this post. Thanks man!

Yeah. He'll never know it, but I'm pretty sure I'm the one who turned everything around.

He's 0-fer since my post. You're welcome.

[EnochRoot]

Pedro

One of the other guys I was thinking of.

Really the only argument you could probably make against this was that I think Bonds' peak lined up with Pedro's peak?

I never viewed Pedro or Randy Johnson or Roger Clemens as must-see-TV because they represented an anathema to what fans really come out to see.

Junior was must-see TV. Rickey. Vlad. Reggie. The Big Hurt. Yaz. Brett/Schmidt. Pujols. Bench. ARod. Aaron….Those guys were must-see-TV. Not sure people stop what they’re doing to watch Pedro, the Big Unit or Greg Maddux paint corners much the same way.

[Giff]

I'm not arguing for his inclusion here, but however many starts Johnson made in the Astrodome was electric and definitely must-see TV. Johnson, Pedro and Ryan are the closest pitchers to be considered.

[mister d]

I will, once again, posit that Eric Davis would have been in the running for best player in baseball through the early 90s if he'd stayed healthy and if so, he would have qualified here.

[L-Jam3]

I will, once again, posit that Eric Davis would have been in the running for best player in baseball through the early 90s if he'd stayed healthy and if so, he would have qualified here.

Agreed. Eric Davis was so, so good.

ETA: Someone mentioned Eric Davis on Twitter a few months ago, and I responded how I remember he incinerated the Phillies back in 1987. Sure enough, B-R came through. Here was Eric Davis' numbers vs. Philly that year:

12 G, 21 of 49, 8 HR, 22 RBI, 17 R, 3 SB, 52 TB, .429/.472/1.061. That's an OPS of 1.533.

[mister d]

Those are 2008 playoffs Bossman Junior numbers. Not coincidentally, I was sure he was going to be the one who became what Eric Davis should have.

[EnochRoot]

Yeah, Eric Davis belongs on a short list of players who never realized their true potential. Shout out to Kal Daniels, too!

[mister d]

Yeah, that dude was a hitter. In a different world that OF is together a decade and Paul O'Neill is the weak link.

[tennbengal]

I was in HS and first two years of college for Eric Davis 1985-1990. I promise you, there's not been a more electric player in my lifetime. Particularly his 1986-1988 stretch. With apologies to Jr. And a few others. Still not what Eric was. The combination of speed and power remains unmatched in my lifetime.

[tennbengal]

Also, this is a pretty fantastic story.

28 days ago, Kyle Boddy, the Reds minor league pitching guru (part of the spin rate revolution stuff) was doing a Reddit AMA. He got this question/inquiry:

[–]thesayheykid24 90 points 28 days ago3
Appreciate what you are doing here, have learned a lot from this Q&A!

I planned on just sticking to my question but I figured I would shoot my shot in here because well, why not..

I am NDFA RHP currently going into my second full season of Indy ball. FB 92-96 avg 2400-2600rpm & ~18-21in of HB. Gyro SL 83-87 avg2700-3000rpm and SplCH 80-84 with 16-18in HB.

Posted a line of 21IP 4ER 0.71 WHIP 33/2 K/BB 14.1 K/9 in a Covid-shortened Frontier league season. My goal is to sign with an affiliate team bc I know I can add value to an org.

Thanks for your time Kyle!


kyleboddy Reds Director 73 points 28 days ago

Awesome. Keep playing. Send me your pitch physics reports (Trackman/Rapsodo) and any video you have. kboddy@reds.com works.

The Reds signed him today. Guess he sent in reports and video...

[tennbengal]

Not sure where to put this, so will put it here...

[tennbengal]

[mister d]

15+ years ago I had a far-too-long debate with a friend who had just become a cop over the fact that they apparently asked all training cops (atleast where he was at the time) if they've ever smoked weed and a "yes" answer was disqualifying. Cole's response here has the feeling of what would have happened if I were trying to be a cop and knew what I was supposed to say but still couldn't.

[tennbengal]

[mister d]

Oh yeah. PEDs all over again where something is fine until it’s not and then they need to sacrifice a few stars to save the executives.

[tennbengal]

Oh yeah. PEDs all over again where something is fine until it’s not and then they need to sacrifice a few stars to save the executives.

Yup. And making the story about anything but the game on the field. Just shrewd as shit.

[mister d]

"The game and its star players suck, don't they? Don't you agree?" - MLB Commissioners Office

[EnochRoot]

If I were Cole, I'd have told Josh Donaldson, as one union member to another, to shut his mouth. Then I'd have turned to the camera and pointed out this is a sport that only took steroids seriously when the United States Government started to threaten the league's antitrust exemption. That it made examples of some players, ruined some careers, and let others get away scot-free, when we all knew damn well everyone was doing it. I'd have pointed out that this is a league that, when it doesn't like statistical trends, actually changes the way baseballs get manufactured. That MLB's very approach creates the atmosphere of suspicion.

Then, if I were to be asked if I ever used the "spider tack" substance? I'd have jumped back and said, "Spiders?! Where?!" I'd then swat the back of my neck a few times and get up and leave the interview.

[DSafetyGuy]

Turn on the Tigers game, see they are interviewing Zack Hemple, turn off Tigers game.

[Giff]

If I were Cole, I'd have told Josh Donaldson, as one union member to another, to shut his mouth. Then I'd have turned to the camera and pointed out this is a sport that only took steroids seriously when the United States Government started to threaten the league's antitrust exemption. That it made examples of some players, ruined some careers, and let others get away scot-free, when we all knew damn well everyone was doing it. I'd have pointed out that this is a league that, when it doesn't like statistical trends, actually changes the way baseballs get manufactured. That MLB's very approach creates the atmosphere of suspicion.

Then, if I were to be asked if I ever used the "spider tack" substance? I'd have jumped back and said, "Spiders?! Where?!" I'd then swat the back of my neck a few times and get up and leave the interview.

Anyone tell Fiers to shut his mouth? One union member to another?

Fuck all this media and dumbass fan narrative. This sport is full of cheaters, always has been. And it's fucked up the Astros are literally the only team vilified for it when it didn't even work.

[sancarlos]

If I were Cole, I'd have told Josh Donaldson, as one union member to another, to shut his mouth. Then I'd have turned to the camera and pointed out this is a sport that only took steroids seriously when the United States Government started to threaten the league's antitrust exemption. That it made examples of some players, ruined some careers, and let others get away scot-free, when we all knew damn well everyone was doing it. I'd have pointed out that this is a league that, when it doesn't like statistical trends, actually changes the way baseballs get manufactured. That MLB's very approach creates the atmosphere of suspicion.

Then, if I were to be asked if I ever used the "spider tack" substance? I'd have jumped back and said, "Spiders?! Where?!" I'd then swat the back of my neck a few times and get up and leave the interview.

Anyone tell Fiers to shut his mouth? One union member to another?

Fuck all this media and dumbass fan narrative. This sport is full of cheaters, always has been. And it's fucked up the Astros are literally the only team vilified for it when it didn't even work.

Fwiw, I've read a couple articles about how Fiers is shunned by a segment of the MLB players. Being a whistle blower is lonely.

[EnochRoot]

If I were Cole, I'd have told Josh Donaldson, as one union member to another, to shut his mouth. Then I'd have turned to the camera and pointed out this is a sport that only took steroids seriously when the United States Government started to threaten the league's antitrust exemption. That it made examples of some players, ruined some careers, and let others get away scot-free, when we all knew damn well everyone was doing it. I'd have pointed out that this is a league that, when it doesn't like statistical trends, actually changes the way baseballs get manufactured. That MLB's very approach creates the atmosphere of suspicion.

Then, if I were to be asked if I ever used the "spider tack" substance? I'd have jumped back and said, "Spiders?! Where?!" I'd then swat the back of my neck a few times and get up and leave the interview.

Anyone tell Fiers to shut his mouth? One union member to another?

Fuck all this media and dumbass fan narrative. This sport is full of cheaters, always has been. And it's fucked up the Astros are literally the only team vilified for it when it didn't even work.

Fwiw, I've read a couple articles about how Fiers is shunned by a segment of the MLB players. Being a whistle blower is lonely.

Yeah it’s not quite the same thing to compare Fiers (who, as you noted, was a straight-up whistleblower calling out fraud) to Donaldson, who mealy-mouth implicated Cole to have cheated. He then made matters worse when he walked it back by saying he only called out Cole cuz he had just pitched ineffectively the day after the MiLB suspensions were announced.

Sweet narrative you got there, Josh.

[mister d]

Giff and his favorite teams against the world today.

[EnochRoot]

I can't help but think that there's a wag-the-dog element to all of this.

We've gone from management deadening the baseball to drive all the lack of scoring this year to labor's cheating causing the issue.

That's another reason Josh Donaldson's a moron.

[Giff]

If I were Cole, I'd have told Josh Donaldson, as one union member to another, to shut his mouth. Then I'd have turned to the camera and pointed out this is a sport that only took steroids seriously when the United States Government started to threaten the league's antitrust exemption. That it made examples of some players, ruined some careers, and let others get away scot-free, when we all knew damn well everyone was doing it. I'd have pointed out that this is a league that, when it doesn't like statistical trends, actually changes the way baseballs get manufactured. That MLB's very approach creates the atmosphere of suspicion.

Then, if I were to be asked if I ever used the "spider tack" substance? I'd have jumped back and said, "Spiders?! Where?!" I'd then swat the back of my neck a few times and get up and leave the interview.

Anyone tell Fiers to shut his mouth? One union member to another?

Fuck all this media and dumbass fan narrative. This sport is full of cheaters, always has been. And it's fucked up the Astros are literally the only team vilified for it when it didn't even work.

Fwiw, I've read a couple articles about how Fiers is shunned by a segment of the MLB players. Being a whistle blower is lonely.

Good. That's what he deserves.

[tennbengal]

Obv this won't hold, but dayum...

[A_B]

It will hold. Swept cards in at Louis for first time since 1990. Destiny.

[Nonlinear FC]

Not for nothing, but there's a podcast out there called Prodigy that is all over the Junior years. Not clear if they'll get to interview him at this point, but it's a nice reminder of what an interesting/compelling player he was.

(The first season of The Prodigy was all about Freddie Adu, as told by Grant Wahl... Very very good.)

[tennbengal]

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