2016 MLB Thread

[Kokolums]

I predicted the Diamondbacks to win the NL west but the injury to Pollock and a strong showing by Puig makes me view the Dodgers as clear favorites now.

[draynay]

I'm anxious to see how Maeda does today, his success this year would go a long way to ensuring a postseason return.

[Nellise]

It was ridiculous, because exactly, it's a rule to prevent injury, not to ruin baseball, too late, ruined.

Pretty sure there's always been a rule you're not supposed to grab a fielder while they're making a play (and Bautista clearly grabbed his ankle when there was no need for it), whether it would cause an injury or not. The new rule just let the play be reviewed in this case. It's something that probably wasn't called very often previously but this was obvious interference.

[kidsafe]

He slid off the bag and intentionally grabbed the guy's foot. Ankles are easy to injure. Nothing about this play is controversial, maybe another example will be.

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lol Stat has had me in the money every year. This is the first year without holds and other shit, different people.

What is "Stat?" Do you mean steals? You don't think there is an issue with chasing a stat where on a weekly basis both team owners score single digit values? It's the most volatile stat and the most reliant on a handful of players. It's like chasing saves on the pitching side. Don't bother. Just make sure you draft any three actual closers and be ready to grab their replacements off waivers.

[ItachiZaku]

Meant strat, we've run rotisierre leagues, so I'm 8-10 across all pitching categories every year and then SB, .AVE, runs and RBI on the offensive side. First 3 always 9-10 and I can usually slide 7+ on RBI and that's always been enough to get into the money. In a head to head, i'd have a different strat and go with a more traditional setup.

[draynay]

HOW BOUT THEM PADRES

First team EVER to get shutout in the first three games to start a season, and when something happens for the first time in MLB History, that is 140 years of history, so kudos. I was hoping Maeda would debut well, and he kept the shutout streak alive and knocked one out of the park, so he produced more runs than the entire Padres lineup over a three game stretch.

[VanillaO]

Man, one of the things I love most about baseball is all the asinine obscure stats that are kept because baseball is a slow ass sport, and we need a lot of random info to fill the time. Things like the Padres, or the Jays tying a franchise records for striking out in a 4-game series. PS, the part of the bullpen showed up that Jays fans were worried about the last couple games (read: anyone not named Osuna). And for real, they are striking out at a pretty unhealthy clip. 8 of their guys are averaging over 1 strikeout a game, with Dongerson and Tulo both at 7 already (in 18/15 PA respectively). Outside of Bautista, I have not been very impressed with their plate discipline - very reminiscent of the Jays in Games 1/2 of the ALDS, swinging at garbage pitches, swinging early and often, and just not really working counts at all.

[Vetali]

HOW BOUT THEM PADRES

First team EVER to get shutout in the first three games to start a season, and when something happens for the first time in MLB History, that is 140 years of history, so kudos. I was hoping Maeda would debut well, and he kept the shutout streak alive and knocked one out of the park, so he produced more runs than the entire Padres lineup over a three game stretch.

Mariners have hit more HRs than the Padres' have hits.

[kidsafe]

Pretty much this: Letting Jose Bautista swat at fielders' legs won't make baseball fun again.

[Stommped]

Pretty much this: Letting Jose Bautista swat at fielders' legs won't make baseball fun again.

That is such overkill.

So pretend that Bautista didn't reach out and tap the ankle with his arm. Pretend he went up and yanked on Logan Forsythe's beans like he was trying to tell the bus driver he wanted to get off at the next stop.

No. Why would I do that? He didn't do that, he lightly tapped is foot with his hand and there was zero impact on his throw to first. Every situation is different, and some are going to be worse than others. You are dangerously close to incentivizing players on 1st to just not run to second at all because the likelihood of an auto double play being called is higher than the possibility of being safe due to error or something. That's not baseball.

[Nellise]

He didn't do that, he lightly tapped is foot with his hand and there was zero impact on his throw to first.

Why should he have touched him at all? Forsythe was nowhere near the base at the point that Bautista grabbed him. Bautista went out of his way to initiate contact with a fielder making a play which has always been interference. If this happened at any other base you wouldn't question it at all, why is 2nd base different?

[kidsafe]

You know, except for the fact that it wouldn't have been a DP had Bautista simply not made a dirty move. The throw to first was wild regardless. The fact that he grabbed and turned someone else's foot is inexcusable.

[Rennadrel]

Well, what was a 7-2 lead was cut to 7-6 thanks to that useless fuckhole Chavez.

[kidsafe]

It's been a good week of baseballs...

[Collegeguy]

Why should he have touched him at all? Forsythe was nowhere near the base at the point that Bautista grabbed him. Bautista went out of his way to initiate contact with a fielder making a play which has always been interference. If this happened at any other base you wouldn't question it at all, why is 2nd base different?

Ya, I don't see the second base as some special shrine where the rules change either. I won't miss the break up slide personally.

[draynay]

The White Sox Adam Eaton just went on paternity leave following the birth of his first child, a son. No word yet if the boy has been banned from the clubhouse.

[Stommped]

The White Sox Adam Eaton just went on paternity leave following the birth of his first child, a son. No word yet if the boy has been banned from the clubhouse.

Saw this on Reddit, all 4 winners of the SF/LA series were down to under 10% chance of winning at one point in the game, pretty crazy:

Game 1: the Giants were down 0-4 in top of the 5th with runners on 2nd and 3rd and two outs: 7.3% chance of winning. They would eventually win it 12-6.

Game 2: the Giants are down 0-2 (with no hits!) one out into the bottom of the 8th and nobody on: 9.2% chance of winning. They would eventually win 3-2 (with two! hits).

Game 3: the Dodgers were down 1-2 one out into the 9th with nobody on: 7.3% chance of winning. They would eventually win it 3-2.

Game 4: the Giants were down 0-5 with runners on 1st and 2nd with one out in the top of the 1st inning: 8.0% chance of winning. They would eventually win it 9-6.

[kidsafe]

My God the Dodgers bullpen is terrible.

[Vetali]

Anybody wana apply to be a hitting coach for the Mariners?

[ItachiZaku]

Syndergaard is mean.