Baseball 2022 - The Season is a-Go! ⚾

[Elderberry]

Phillies take a 2-1 series lead

https://theathletic.com/live-blogs/padres-phillies-nlcs-game-3/AQf5z6GVZV0P/

Well, it wasn't dull. The Phillies defeated the Padres, 4-2, but there's more to it than that. After a leadoff single from Josh Bell, the Phillies had those old, bad feelings again, but Domínguez struck out Jurickson Profar looking. Except ... yeah, it was a check swing and probably not a strike. It could have been first and second, nobody out. That's a serious nerve-wracking situation.

As is, it was one on, one out, and Trent Grisham popped out for the second out, and Domínguez got Austin Nola with a filthy slider to end the game. What could have been with a more fortunate check-swing call? Eh, maybe nothing. But, also, maybe something. As is, the Phillies will take it and not look back. They're up 2-1, in the National League Championship Series, and they need to play .500 ball or better to make the World Series.

[DCPatriot]

The YANKEES!!  Such little bitches and whiners.

They've been bitching non-stop for 24 hours about Aaron Judges 113mph off-the-bat liner that was caught at the top of the right field 'wall' last night in the ALCS. 

TWO WORDS for Aaron Judge AND Aaron Boone:

Jeffrey Meier.

[catfish1957]

The YANKEES!!  Such little bitches and whiners.

They've been bitching non-stop for 24 hours about Aaron Judges 113mph off-the-bat liner that was caught at the top of the right field 'wall' last night in the ALCS. 

TWO WORDS for Aaron Judge AND Aaron Boone:

Jeffrey Meier.

RF to LF winds will do that sometimes.

The sad truth was the roof was opened on behalf of the Yankees and their lackey commish  to temper the Minute Maid Park crowd noise.

They have only themselves to blame.

[DCPatriot]

RF to LF winds will do that sometimes.

The sad truth was the roof was opened on behalf of the Yankees and their lackey commish  to temper the Minute Maid Park crowd noise.

They have only themselves to blame.

LOL!  I would have told the Commissioner:  "WE WON 106 GAMES FOR HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE!  THE ROOF STAYS CLOSED!"

...and then I would of course,...open the roof!   

[catfish1957]

LOL!  I would have told the Commissioner:  "WE WON 106 GAMES FOR HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE!  THE ROOF STAYS CLOSED!"

...and then I would of course,...open the roof!   

We are still considered MLB cheating pariahs. Crane will do whatever Manfred wants.

Even with the only position players left from that '17 team are Altuve, Bregman, and Gurriel.

[DCPatriot]

We are still considered MLB cheating pariahs. Crane will do whatever Manfred wants.

Even with the only position players left from that '17 team are Altuve, Bregman, and Gurriel.

@catfish1957

Course, the league is complaining that fans want more "offense".

So, why not allow the players to all wear earpieces...buzzers...whatever?  Just for a week to experiment.

Let suspicious fans in the center-field camera well with zoom lens and a phone in their ear....let them in for FREE!

...just for a week!   

[Hoodat]

Baseball Trivia - Name the only two teams to win two Game 7s (pennant series and World Series) in the same post-season.

[catfish1957]

Baseball Trivia - Name the only two teams to win two Game 7s (pennant series and World Series) in the same post-season.

I know we did it in '17.  Not sure who the other team is.

[Hoodat]

If "we" = Houston, you are correct.  The other team is an AL team that advanced to the World Series on one of the worst umpire calls ever made.

[DCPatriot]

@Hoodat
@catfish1957
@Elderberry
@Polly Ticks

The Scenario:  A HOF player officially retires after fulfilling team contract.  He stays in shape merely out of habit/routine.  In October, a World Series contender wants to sign him to replace an injured player.

Tried to Google "MLB signing deadline date" but get all kinds of unrelated nonsense regarding fantasy and stovetop leagues.

Is this possible? 

[Polly Ticks]

@Hoodat
@catfish1957
@Elderberry
@Polly Ticks

The Scenario:  A HOF player officially retires after fulfilling team contract.  He stays in shape merely out of habit/routine.  In October, a World Series contender wants to sign him to replace an injured player.

Tried to Google "MLB signing deadline date" but get all kinds of unrelated nonsense regarding fantasy and stovetop leagues.

Is this possible?

@DCPatriot
Nope:

Postseason Roster Rules & Eligibility
Definition
In a typical season, any player who is on the 40-man roster or 60-day injured list as of 11:59 p.m. ET on Aug. 31 is eligible for the postseason.

Those on the restricted list at that point are also eligible if they haven't been suspended for performance-enhancing drugs during that season. (All players who have served a suspension for PEDs in a given season are ineligible for postseason play that year.)

A player who doesn't meet said criteria for postseason eligibility can still be added to a team's roster in the postseason via petition to the Commissioner's Office if the player was in the organization on Aug. 31 and is replacing someone who is on the injured list and has served the minimum amount of time required for activation. (For example, a player on the 10-day injured list who has been on it for at least 10 days, or a player who has been on the 60-day injured list for at least 60 days.) Players who are acquired in September or after are ineligible.

Postseason roster rules
Teams submit a 26-man roster (it was 25, prior to 2020) prior to each round of the postseason comprised of postseason-eligible players. A club may request permission from the Commissioner's Office to replace a player who is injured during the course of a series, but that player is then ineligible for the rest of that round and the subsequent round, if there is one. A pitcher may be replaced only by another pitcher, and a position player only by another position player.

Teams carry extra players throughout the postseason in the event of injuries, and those players, as well as players on the injured list, can be in the dugout during games, within reason.

https://www.mlb.com/glossary/transactions/postseason-roster-rules-eligibility

[DCPatriot]

Thanks, @Polly Ticks !   

Watching Christian Javier mow thru the Yankee lineup with nothing but hard heat...it was hilarious seeing the Yankees unable to catch up with it.

So I thought...why not bring somebody out of retirement for your roster if you know you're looking at a SHORT SERIES to get to the World Series?

Who couldn't throw as hard as Nolan Ryan for an inning?   

[Polly Ticks]

Thanks, @Polly Ticks !   

Watching Christian Javier mow thru the Yankee lineup with nothing but hard heat...it was hilarious seeing the Yankees unable to catch up with it.

So I thought...why not bring somebody out of retirement for your roster if you know you're looking at a SHORT SERIES to get to the World Series?

Who couldn't throw as hard as Nolan Ryan for an inning?   

It would definitely be ratings gold!
 

[DCPatriot]

[Hoodat]

@Hoodat
@catfish1957
@Elderberry
@Polly Ticks

The Scenario:  A HOF player officially retires after fulfilling team contract.  He stays in shape merely out of habit/routine.  In October, a World Series contender wants to sign him to replace an injured player.

Tried to Google "MLB signing deadline date" but get all kinds of unrelated nonsense regarding fantasy and stovetop leagues.

Is this possible?

Playoff rosters are usually set at the end of August when rosters are expanded to 40 players.

[DCPatriot]

Playoff rosters are usually set at the end of August when rosters are expanded to 40 players.

 

[cato potatoe]

Aaron Judge has 44 playoff games under his belt, and the results are not worthy of a $400 million contract.  The Yanks have to think about letting him walk.  I don't envy Brian Cashman right now.

[DCPatriot]

Aaron Judge has 44 playoff games under his belt, and the results are not worthy of a $400 million contract.  The Yanks have to think about letting him walk.  I don't envy Brian Cashman right now.

The Judge 'issue' keeps the fundamental disagreement about winning baseball, alive.

Great Pitching trumps Great Hitting!   Every. Single. Time.

I would pay a Cy Young winner all day before I would pay a position player for the money being thrown around today.

Of course, you're taking a chance...look at the freaking NATIONALS.  Forty percent of the rotation is worthless/injured.

[catfish1957]

The Judge 'issue' keeps the fundamental disagreement about winning baseball, alive.

Great Pitching trumps Great Hitting!   Every. Single. Time.

I would pay a Cy Young winner all day before I would pay a position player for the money being thrown around today.

Of course, you're taking a chance...look at the freaking NATIONALS.  Forty percent of the rotation is worthless/injured.

Well put.  And right now fully up and down Houston has maybe the most "stacked" pitching staff in MLB playoff history.

Start with Verlandar, Valdez, Javier, McCullers, and Uriquidy.....  1st 4 might be a No.1 or 2 pitcher,  Elswewhere.

Then add 9 of 10 in the pen that would be setup/closers elsewhere.

On the offensive side...  Pena, Bregman, Tucker, and then add these two getting out of their slump (Altuve & Alvarez)

Yeah, I know anything can happen in a 4 of 7 series, but I sure like their chances.


On the Phillie side, what scares us the most is they are now on"house money"  No.6 NL seed has nothing to lose.  No one expected them here.  There is minimal pressue for them.  They bring youth, anger, and hunger.   Sometimes that whacks talent, but complacency.

[GrouchoTex]

Well put.  And right now fully up and down Houston has maybe the most "stacked" pitching staff in MLB playoff history.

Start with Verlandar, Valdez, Javier, McCullers, and Uriquidy.....  1st 4 might be a No.1 or 2 pitcher,  Elswewhere.

Then add 9 of 10 in the pen that would be setup/closers elsewhere.

On the offensive side...  Pena, Bregman, Tucker, and then add these two getting out of their slump (Altuve & Alvarez)

Yeah, I know anything can happen in a 4 of 7 series, but I sure like their chances.


On the Phillie side, what scares us the most is they are now on"house money"  No.6 NL seed has nothing to lose.  No one expected them here.  There is minimal pressue for them.  They bring youth, anger, and hunger.   Sometimes that whacks talent, but complacency.

The Phillies scare me a little more than the Padres would have.
Still, with the arms we have stacked up, we should be the favorite.
But it is a short series.....

You could take away 13 of Judges 62 home runs he hit this year if he hit them anywhere else to right field in the Majors except Yankee stadium right field.
That whole roof-open-caused-the-ball-not-to-go-out nonsense was hilarious.

Neither inflation or Covid could shut down the Bronx Excuse Factory.
It is still up and running at full speed, as it always has.

[Free Vulcan]

Just enjoying Houston sweeping the Stankees.

[catfish1957]

The Phillies scare me a little more than the Padres would have.
Still, with the arms we have stacked up, we should be the favorite.
But it is a short series.....

FanGraphs at open has Houston favored by 54.9-45.1%

That's about the widest WS opening differnential I have seen in their about 10 year history.

Complacency is Houston's biggest enemy as we start the series.

[cato potatoe]

Yeah well Houston ought to be awarded the trophy by default.  They battled for six months.  Philly went 16-3 against the Nationals.  No 3rd place team should be allowed into the postseason.  But rest assured, everyone outside of SE Texas will be rooting for the stoopid Phillies! 

[Hoodat]

I'm rooting for the Phillies.  Love Texas and all, but I will not root for any gay-ass AL team ever.  But if you roll the clock back to the NL days of Bagwell, Biggio, and my main man Billy Wagner, then I'm all in.

[Hoodat]

btw, the second answer to the trivia question is the 1985 Kansas City Royals.  Here is what decided Game 6 against the Cardinals, forcing a Game 7: