Sports 2017 MLB thread

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Lukewarm Carl

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Could be, but even Griffey wasn't 100%.
True... But even as special of a talent as Griffey was, he had some down seasons and injury problems that took him down a notch.

Mo changed the role of the closer. With 1 pitch he was able to shorten games as soon as he stepped onto the mound. With 1 pitch he was the most important person in the playoffs time and time again.
 

mysticmac

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Oct 18, 2015
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True... But even as special of a talent as Griffey was, he had some down seasons and injury problems that took him down a notch.

Mo changed the role of the closer. With 1 pitch he was able to shorten games as soon as he stepped onto the mound. With 1 pitch he was the most important person in the playoffs time and time again.
Best closer ever.
 

Truck Party

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True... But even as special of a talent as Griffey was, he had some down seasons and injury problems that took him down a notch.

Mo changed the role of the closer. With 1 pitch he was able to shorten games as soon as he stepped onto the mound. With 1 pitch he was the most important person in the playoffs time and time again.
there's a large portion of the sabermetric community that likes to undervalue closers, they like to makes themselves feel smart by pointing out that if a pitcher was really great he should start & pitch 200 innings a year instead of the 80-90 that a top bullpen arm would. He should be 100%, Griffey & a lot of others should've been, too. there's a lot of BBWAA voters that love to make themselves feel smart by being complete idiots, though
 

Hauler

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Feb 3, 2016
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The Tampa Bay Rays are moving... to Tampa.
Tropicana Field is a fucking shithole. It's in St Pete - which is SW of Tampa. I've caught a Reds game down there - it truly is one of the worst places on earth to watch a ball game.

Apparently they are building a new facility in Ybor City - which is NE of Tampa. That area has one of the highest crime rates (per capita) - in the country . Should be interesting.
 

Truck Party

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Tropicana Field is a fucking shithole. It's in St Pete - which is SW of Tampa. I've caught a Reds game down there - it truly is one of the worst places on earth to watch a ball game.

Apparently they are building a new facility in Ybor City - which is NE of Tampa. That area has one of the highest crime rates (per capita) - in the country . Should be interesting.
just got this in the mail yesterday, did you see who's on the cover of the 2018 Baseball Prospectus?


 

Hauler

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what are the chances Bryan Price puts Winker at leadoff & Hamilton at the bottom of the order to start this year?
He wants Hamilton at 1, but he has said that he has to earn it. And if you aren't going to bat the guy 1st, the only other logical place would be 9th.
As for Hamilton, he said he wants to bunt more - which I've been saying for years. Even the threat of a bunt increases your chances of a grounder getting through when you swing away. He needs all the help he can get.

I'd also like to see him at least try giving up the switch hitting. He isn't great from the left side, but he absolutely sucks as a righty. It's a 40-50 point swing on his average. Too high. Plus from the left side he's already a couple steps closer to first.
 

Truck Party

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He wants Hamilton at 1, but he has said that he has to earn it. And if you aren't going to bat the guy 1st, the only other logical place would be 9th.
As for Hamilton, he said he wants to bunt more - which I've been saying for years. Even the threat of a bunt increases your chances of a grounder getting through when you swing away. He needs all the help he can get.

I'd also like to see him at least try giving up the switch hitting. He isn't great from the left side, but he absolutely sucks as a righty. It's a 40-50 point swing on his average. Too high. Plus from the left side he's already a couple steps closer to first.
Most of the time batting anyone but the pitcher 9th in the NL seems stupid based on how many more plate attempts the 8th spot in the lineup will get over the 9th over the course of a season, but I think Billy is the exception. If I were the Reds GM & it's the same Billy this year & Price still has him at leadoff, I'd fire him quickly
 

Hauler

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Most of the time batting anyone but the pitcher 9th in the NL seems stupid based on how many more plate attempts the 8th spot in the lineup will get over the 9th over the course of a season, but I think Billy is the exception.
I don't mind it. At most, the starting pitcher comes to the plate 3 times in a game - And that's only if he's dealing. Unless the offense put up a shit ton of runs, by the 3rd AB you are getting into the 6th or 7th inning anyway so it is pinch hitters from there on out.

Batting him 8th doesn't make sense, because if he does happen to get a hit you don't want the pitcher up there. Billy doesn't need a sacrifice - he can just steal the base if you need him at 2nd or 3rd. Bat him 9th, pray for a hit and roll it to the top.

But if he can maintain a .320+ OBP - which is pretty damn low for a leadoff guy - I'd still keep him at 1. I'm not convinced he has that in him though.