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:

[catfish1957]

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!

In '19 and '21 we were the favorites against the Braves and the Nationals.  We know how they came out

Like I said, Young, Hungry, Angry, and Nothing to Lose  trumps Talented but complacent every time.   If we let this one slip through our fingers our WS record will be 1-6.  Talk about oppotunities and talent wasted.

And the one win, will only cement the moniker, they needed to cheat to win it.   There has to be some pressure for that.

[DCPatriot]

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.

ROFL!!       

[AllThatJazzZ]

.

[DCPatriot]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUTWDhWrnDU

PHILLIES start NOLA in Game 1...then WHEELER in Game 2...

[catfish1957]

If I hear one person give Dusty Baker accolades for being a great manager, I think I will puke.

This POS is living proof of Affirmative Action gone amok.  There's a reason he has set records for going the longest managerial tenure without a WS Title.

He sucks!!!!!!

[cato potatoe]

Dusty is in the Brian Snitker wing of old fashioned managers.  McCullers has not exceeded 100 pitches, ergo, you leave him out there.  You gotta allow him to work out his mechanics and build confidence.  He will be fired up and ready for spring training. 

Meanwhile, the deepest pitching staff in the MLB languishes in the bullpen.  The Astros can still prevail, but it will come about through a talent disparity rather than strategizing.

[GrouchoTex]

A bit dazed after last night.

McCullers had a tell. The Phillies knew what was coming.
Even so, he left it in the strike zone. Only 1 of the home runs of the 5 hit by the Phillies was a good pitch.
Nobody on the Astros spotted the tell.
Dusty didn't pull him after the 3rd home run, which baffles me.
Did Maldonado, known for his great handling of pitching staffs, call a bad game?
We didn't hit a lick, 1 double and 4 singles?
Altuve, Bregman, Alvarez, Tucker:
0 for 15.

I don't think the Phillies win both of the next 2, but they could.
I think it comes back to Houston, 3-2 Phillies.

I could be totally wrong.

[Free Vulcan]

Hate to concede anything to a team from Philthydelphia, but unless the Astros can hit the brakes, the Phillies might ride the Big Mo to the finish line.

[Bigun]

Lance McCullers Jr. is, at best, a barely major league caliber pitcher but someone in the Astros organization is in love with him.  Why, I have NO idea.

Edit to add: I didn't even watch last night after I heard McCullers was going to be on the hill. I knew what the result would be.

[DCPatriot]

Some [rich] guy bet $100. that Harper, Schwarber, Hoskins and Marsh would each hit a HR.

He won over $100K!!   

[DCPatriot]

Lance McCullers Jr. is, at best, a barely major league caliber pitcher but someone in the Astros organization is in love with him.  Why, I have NO idea.

Photos I've seen show...on a breaking ball his rising left leg stays parallel to his body (below the knee)

On a fastball, it points to the 3rd base dugout.   

Harper called Marsh over just before his AB and whispered something in his ear.  When asked about it mid-inning in the dugout, Marsh simply refused to say.

Anyway...first pitch, it was in the left field stands in less than 3 seconds.   

[GrouchoTex]

Lance McCullers Jr. is, at best, a barely major league caliber pitcher but someone in the Astros organization is in love with him.  Why, I have NO idea.

He's had his moments, though.
I saw him live at Minute Maid in 2017.
He was perfect through 5, allowed a single in the 6th.
24 curveballs in a row to close the Yankees down in the 2017 playoffs.
Maybe he just won't fully recover from the injuries.
When he's on, he's pretty darn good.

[GrouchoTex]

Photos I've seen show...on a breaking ball his rising left leg stays parallel to his body (below the knee)

On a fastball, it points to the 3rd base dugout.   

Harper called Marsh over just before his AB and whispered something in his ear.  When asked about it mid-inning in the dugout, Marsh simply refused to say.

Anyway...first pitch, it was in the left field stands in less than 3 seconds.   

That's what we are hearing in Houston, too.
I thought it was the other long haired kid Harper told it to.
I am sure the whole dugout knew before long.
Smoltz mentioned a tell last night, but didn't elaborate.
Hey, Astros did it to Darvish in 2017 as well.
It does happen.
Bad timing, of course.

[Elderberry]

World Series: Astros toss combined no-hitter in Game 4 vs. Phillies, make history after brilliant Cristian Javier start

https://sports.yahoo.com/world-series-game-4-phillies-astros-bryce-harper-aaron-nola-cristian-javier-214939012.html

The Houston Astros — led by starter Cristian Javier — have thrown the second no-hitter in World Series history. Javier and three relief pitchers combined to blank the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 4 Wednesday night, 5-0, and pull Houston even in the series in historic fashion.

The combined no-no joins Don Larsen's perfect game for the 1956 New York Yankees in World Series lore. It is the third postseason no-hitter, and comes in the same ballpark as the second: Roy Halladay's NLDS no-no for the Phillies in 2010.

Javier, the preternaturally calm 25-year-old Astros starter, fired six no-hit innings to help Houston quiet the Philadelphia crowd and rebound from a rough Game 3, striking out nine and walking two. After 97 pitches, manager Dusty Baker shook his hand and turned to the bullpen. Bryan Abreu, Rafael Montero and Ryan Pressly each pitched an inning to close it out. Overall, the Astros struck out 14 Phillies and retired 18 in a row between walks in the third and ninth innings.

Javier will cap his first full season as a major-league starter by entering the record books as the author of the longest hitless World Series start outside of Larsen's perfecto.

[GrouchoTex]

It is amazing what a difference 24 hours can make!
A no-Hitter after the drubbing the Astros took the night before?
Christian Javier was part of one of these against the Yankees in Yankee stadium this year, so I shouldn't be too surprised.
But in the World Series?
Wow!

[AllThatJazzZ]

He's had his moments, though.
I saw him live at Minute Maid in 2017.
He was perfect through 5, allowed a single in the 6th.
24 curveballs in a row to close the Yankees down in the 2017 playoffs.
Maybe he just won't fully recover from the injuries.
When he's on, he's pretty darn good.

He'll have the off-season to work on his mechanics. I hope he's able to discover and overcome the problems he's having and comes back next year as hot as a firecracker because no one in all of baseball looks better from the backside than Lance does -- or as my friends and I call him, "Mr. Buns." 

What an outstanding performance by Javier and all our relievers and closer last night! It eased the abject disappointment from the night before. I still have a question, though. Why didn't Dusty remove Verlander or McCullers when they were going south? He seems to be managing the games as if we were playing regular season games instead of do-or-die games.

[DCPatriot]

That's what we are hearing in Houston, too.
I thought it was the other long haired kid Harper told it to.
I am sure the whole dugout knew before long.
Smoltz mentioned a tell last night, but didn't elaborate.
Hey, Astros did it to Darvish in 2017 as well.
It does happen.
Bad timing, of course.

My bad...You're right!  It was Bohm in the 2nd inning!   

[Bigun]

He'll have the off-season to work on his mechanics. I hope he's able to discover and overcome the problems he's having and comes back next year as hot as a firecracker because no one in all of baseball looks better from the backside than Lance does -- or as my friends and I call him, "Mr. Buns." 

NOW I've heard everything! 

[Elderberry]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2022/11/04/astros-win-game-5-world-series-phillies-verlander-pena/8262155001/

Justin Verlander, Astros bullpen fight off Phillies in pivotal Game 5 of World Series

 Forget the starting pitchers, the offensive stars that have been alternately celebrated and vilified over the last six years and pause your sentimental feelings over their 73-year-old manager for just a moment.

The Houston Astros are one win away from the second World Series title in their history because of the greatest bullpen in postseason history. And they showed no better time to prove their mettle than a taut, gut-wrenching and possibly Series-turning Game 5 on Thursday night.

One night after covering the final three innings of the first combined no-hitter in World Series history, the Astros’ relief corps took up for their 39-year-old ace who was good for just five innings, stared down a fearsome group of Philadelphia Phillies sluggers and survived until their offense could provide just enough wriggle room.

[catfish1957]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2022/11/04/astros-win-game-5-world-series-phillies-verlander-pena/8262155001/

Justin Verlander, Astros bullpen fight off Phillies in pivotal Game 5 of World Series

 Forget the starting pitchers, the offensive stars that have been alternately celebrated and vilified over the last six years and pause your sentimental feelings over their 73-year-old manager for just a moment.

The Houston Astros are one win away from the second World Series title in their history because of the greatest bullpen in postseason history. And they showed no better time to prove their mettle than a taut, gut-wrenching and possibly Series-turning Game 5 on Thursday night.

One night after covering the final three innings of the first combined no-hitter in World Series history, the Astros’ relief corps took up for their 39-year-old ace who was good for just five innings, stared down a fearsome group of Philadelphia Phillies sluggers and survived until their offense could provide just enough wriggle room.

I think Game 3 really hurt the Phils when they played Home Run Derby with McCullers.  Timing and swing dynamics , and general overswinging really killed them the last two.  Game 4 with the no hitter, and tonight?  What you saw from JV was a bottom quartile performance in his repitoire. I am shocked he got the "W" He easliy could have given up 6-8 in 3 innings.

[catfish1957]

Lance McCullers Jr. is, at best, a barely major league caliber pitcher but someone in the Astros organization is in love with him.  Why, I have NO idea.

Edit to add: I didn't even watch last night after I heard McCullers was going to be on the hill. I knew what the result would be.

LMJ is toast 4 out of 5 starts if his hook isn't finding the strike zone.  He is easily not one of our best of 5 in the starting department.

OTOH, our entire staff of Latin Pitchers are BAD ASS.......

[GrouchoTex]

My bad...You're right!  It was Bohm in the 2nd inning!   

I drew a blank trying to remember his name, other than the other long-haired kid>
 

[GrouchoTex]

LMJ is toast 4 out of 5 starts if his hook isn't finding the strike zone.  He is easily not one of our best of 5 in the starting department.

OTOH, our entire staff of Latin Pitchers are BAD ASS.......

Pretty amazing, when you realize how many scouts overlooked Valdez, Javier, Urquidy, Garcia....
I've always thought that at best, LMJ was the #3 guys, but he's not there this year.
I'm not an apologist for him, but I've seen him do well in the past.
Tommy John, followed by the wrist injury, may have been just too much.
Maybe the off-season gets him back to #3.
Not based on the world series but for the season (which LMJ missed most of), I would have Verlander, Valdez, Javier, McCullers, Garcia, in that order..

World series?
Definitely the performances would be order of Javier, Valdez, Verlander, McCullers.

Anyway, how about that catch by Chas McCormick last night?

[Bigun]

Pretty amazing, when you realize how many scouts overlooked Valdez, Javier, Urquidy, Garcia....
I've always thought that at best, LMJ was the #3 guys, but he's not there this year.
I'm not an apologist for him, but I've seen him do well in the past.
Tommy John, followed by the wrist injury, may have been just too much.
Maybe the off-season gets him back to #3.
Not based on the world series but for the season (which LMJ missed most of), I would have Verlander, Valdez, Javier, McCullers, Garcia, in that order..

World series?


Definitely the performances would be order of Javier, Valdez, Verlander, McCullers.

Anyway, how about that catch by Chas McCormick last night?

Maybe the off season will get him a brand new Skeeters uniform to show off his man bunns in!

[Polly Ticks]

I drew a blank trying to remember his name, other than the other long-haired kid>
 

Or as we like to call him in Atlanta, "The Kid Who Still Hasn't Touched Home Plate".


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0ellSNbZ-4