MLB 2021

[death tribble]

To which I say

 

[Pariah]

Silly Tribble, those aren't Vikings!

[Christopher R Taylor]

An alternate option for baseball lovers

[unclevlad]

The problem with baseball in 2021...

 

Braves just beat the Cubs, 5-2.  15 hits total.  No errors.
Time of game:  4 hours, 8 minutes. 

4 hit by pitch.  14 walks.  18 strikeouts.  Can't quickly find the total number of pitches, but had to be a lot.  And nothing happening on SO many of em...
Had it on but didn't pay a lot of attention.  Just as well...

[Pariah]

Kiszla may be right.

 

Kiszla: Rockies need to wave white flag on lost season and trade shortstop Trevor Story

[archer]

6 minutes ago, Pariah said:

Kiszla may be right.

 

Kiszla: Rockies need to wave white flag on lost season and trade shortstop Trevor Story

 

If you give the appearance of having completely given up on the season before the end of April, what negative effect does that have on ticket and merchandise sales beyond the effect of fielding a losing team?

 

A 1% drop? A 50% drop? 75%?

 

And what percentage of those become disgusted enough with the franchise to give up on it completely?

[Christopher R Taylor]

MLB is having ratings and ticket sales problems enough without throwing in the towel the first month

[unclevlad]

And if you throw in the towel before May, what message does that send to your current players, and to every player in the league during free agency?

 

The writer's trolling. 

 

And just bopping around MLB.com, ran across this story:

https://www.mlb.com/news/featured/the-story-of-the-los-angeles-browns-changed-baseball-forever

 

What a difference a couple days can make...

 

Still very likely the Dodgers and Giants would've left New York, but obviously the Dodgers weren't gonna end up in LA, and that might've convinced the Giants to go elsewhere too.

[Pariah]

These are all good points. On the other hand, when you trade the face of the franchise away for the equivalent of a bag of magic beans, are you really sending any better message?

 

Dissatisfied or not, Nolan Arenado was under contract for several more years. Sure, he could have chosen to sit rather than play. He could even have chosen to complain while playing. In either case, Arenado comes across as the bad guy. But the franchise jettisoned him, pure and simple. That puts the onus squarely on the owner and the GM. It gives fans the distinct impression that the franchise has higher priorities than winning.

 

At this point, I'm not sure there's more damage to be done to the Rockies fan base. The diehards will continue to support the franchise regardless; the fair weather fans have already left. If that's the case, why delay the rebuild longer than necessary?

 

Of course there's probably something to be said for waiting to make trades until teams are in the middle of a pennant run, when you can probably get more value for a player like Trevor Story.

 

Regardless, the Rockies are FUMTU this season.

[Pariah]

The Rockies used effective pitching and late-innings offense to beat the Asstros last night. Nice.

[unclevlad]

How bad is the state of offense this year?

 

Currently, 10 teams are hitting a collective .222 (2 for 9) or lower.

 

Just 4 teams are hitting .250 or better.  

 

3800 total hits...4600 total strikeouts.  Only 4 teams have more hits than strikeouts.  Across all of MLB, strikeouts per 9 innings is over 9...so a bit better than 1 strikeout per inning pitched.  That used to be...not that long ago...*elite* level.  8 teams are over 10;  2 more are just under 10.  And also across MLB, hitters are striking out in almost 28% of ABs.

 

And this is still in the period where, historically, hitters have been ahead of pitchers.

[Pariah]

Yesterday's game in Denver:

 

[Starlord]

9 minutes ago, Pariah said:

Yesterday's game in Denver:

 

 

Reds game starts in a few minutes and it's snowing here.

[Pariah]

Might be the same storm.

 

We were in Cincinnati a few years ago (Lady P used to live in Lexington and still has a lot of friends there) as we drove past the stadium. Looks like a nice park.

[unclevlad]

Just watched the Reds game...it was clear and sunny.

 

And man...that Reds bullpen is a total dumpster fire, at least the last few days....not like the D'backs pitch much better.  2-1 after 5.  Final (in 10):  14-11.  Reds hit 6 dingers and LOSE.  Flip side, D'backs score 6 in the top of the 10th...and the Reds get the potential tying run to the plate in the bottom of the 10th.  

 

Another pattern I've seen *quite* often already this year:  outfielders charging balls they've got no chance to catch. losing balance, and the ball getting by them as a result.  At least 3 times already.  Happened in the 10th today.  To a degree, on at least 2 of the plays that I can recall, the ball dropping in at all would've been a very bad result;  today, it was top 10, 2 outs, bases loaded with 1 run in already.  So 1 run scores for sure, and 2 runs probably.  But whiffing on the ball changed bad situations into disasters.

 

I've also just seen a LOT of basically BAD defense.  Not just errors ruled, but a ton of basic mistakes...outfielder diving for a ball, never touches it?  Triple, most of the time, not single and error.  A's beat the Twins because, with 2 outs:

a)  a simple grounder to 2nd gets fumbled

b)  next batter, a hard 2-hopper to 3rd.  3rd baseman has it, lines it up...and airmails the throw 5 feet wide and high.  Winning run scores *easily* from 2nd.

It doesn't help that the relief pitcher gets the first 2 batters...but walks the next 2.  With a 2 run lead.

[unclevlad]

Talk about dominance.

 

Zac Gallen throws a 7 inning, 1 hit shutout for the D'Backs in Atlanta.  

Then Bumgarner does one better.  A no-hitter, the only base runner on an error, AND actually facing the min.

 

So the Braves flail for 14 innings, and get *1* hit all day.  

 

First time there was a scheduled 7-inning game with no hits;  didn't count as a no-hitter statistically because it was only 7.  Granted, there've been bloody few of them, since we've not seen a 90-game section of the schedule.  (Altho I suspect doubleheaders happened much more last year than normal.)

[Pariah]

Too late.

 

I mean, better late than never, but still too late.

 

Colorado Rockies' Jeff Bridich steps down as GM, two months after trading Nolan Arenado

[slikmar]

So, Mike Trout was 4 for 5 with 2 RBIs in return from injury and he was the secondary story of the night as Ohtani had 9ks, 5 innings pitched for the win (I thought he was squeezed in first inning and if could have gotten even half the borderline pitches called strikes, might have gone 7), went 2 for 3 at the plate with 2 RBIs and 3 runs scored and his last hit was a bunt up third base line against the shift. Even the Texas announcers were kind of joking about it.

[archer]

On 4/26/2021 at 3:34 PM, Pariah said:

Too late.

 

I mean, better late than never, but still too late.

 

Colorado Rockies' Jeff Bridich steps down as GM, two months after trading Nolan Arenado

 

Yeah, the time to fire him was BEFORE he gave away $50 million of your dollars to bribe another team into accepting one of the best players in baseball to be traded from your roster onto theirs.

[Pariah]

18 hours ago, archer said:

 

Yeah, the time to fire him was BEFORE he gave away $50 million of your dollars to bribe another team into accepting one of the best players in baseball to be traded from your roster onto theirs.

 

This. This right [REDACTED] here.

[unclevlad]

On 4/27/2021 at 10:12 AM, slikmar said:

So, Mike Trout was 4 for 5 with 2 RBIs in return from injury and he was the secondary story of the night as Ohtani had 9ks, 5 innings pitched for the win (I thought he was squeezed in first inning and if could have gotten even half the borderline pitches called strikes, might have gone 7), went 2 for 3 at the plate with 2 RBIs and 3 runs scored and his last hit was a bunt up third base line against the shift. Even the Texas announcers were kind of joking about it.

 

So one half of Baseball Umpiring As Usual.  The other side was last night...Dodgers/Reds was on.  Angel Hernandez behind the plate.  Pitches 3" outside were called strikes, several times.  Others that should've been strikes were called balls.  OK, this is Angel Hernandez...frequently listed as the worst umpire in MLB.  I even found out:  Hernandez sued MLB for discrimination, and lost.  Decision came down, end of March.  And why?  Oetken was the judge in the case:

 

Quote

Oetken wrote that Torre made legitimate denials for Hernandez.

 

"The explicit reason MLB offers -- that according to Torre, Hernandez 'has not demonstrated the leadership ability and situation-management skills in critical high-pressure roles on a consistent basis' -- is presented in clear and specific terms," the judge said.

 

Hernandez was arguing discrimination in being passed over for crew chief and for WS assignments.  Yeah, right.

 

Not like this is anything new, of course.  I'm not even sure I think Hernandez is the worst behind the plate;  CB Bucknor's erratic as heck.

I *know* purists will loathe it, but if MLB can't sit terrible umps...take ball/strike calls out of their hands.  It's not perfect either;  the strike zone varies (vertically) from batter to batter, so precise registration's a lot trickier than in, say, tennis, which makes the best and most extensive use of replay.  The lines on the court are fixed, tho.  It's clay court season for tennis right now...which means that system's generally NOT in use, so it's the "the umpire gets down from his chair to check the mark."  ARGH!!  LOTS!! of arguments.  Last season, and somewhat still this season, there were no linesmen, and lots of tournaments used the Hawkeye system for ALL in/out calls.  Virtually no arguments.  The frequent comment was, players preferred it.

 

So purists be damned.  Many plays in baseball can't be called purely with an automated system...or can't be called very well.  But balls and strikes can be called a HECK of a lot better by a well-built system.

[unclevlad]

CRIPES...speaking of TERRIBLE umpiring...

 

Go back a couple weeks;  you might've seen this.  Dodgers-Padres.  Kershaw strikes out Jurickson Profar...or so it seems.  Profar, however, swings WAY LATE...and tips the catcher's glove, but not until *after the pitch is already in the glove."  But it's called catcher interference.  Ridiculous.

 

Just now...Miami-Milwaukee.  Miami batter hits a dribbler up the 1st base line.    Pitcher fields it, tosses to first.  Batter wasn't running hard...he's easily out.  
Except the ump at first rules that the pitcher, still on the grass, interferes with the batter running to first.  NOTWITHSTANDING that the ball was out of the pitcher's hand and on to first...before the batter reached the pitcher.  The runner was out by 15 feet.  NOOOOoooo...fielder's interference.  And even asserting the pitcher blocked the runner was massively debatable.

Sure, mistakes will happen, but these were seriously bad.

[archer]

1 hour ago, unclevlad said:

 

So one half of Baseball Umpiring As Usual.  The other side was last night...Dodgers/Reds was on.  Angel Hernandez behind the plate.  Pitches 3" outside were called strikes, several times.  Others that should've been strikes were called balls.  OK, this is Angel Hernandez...frequently listed as the worst umpire in MLB.  I even found out:  Hernandez sued MLB for discrimination, and lost.  Decision came down, end of March.  And why?  Oetken was the judge in the case:

 

 

Hernandez was arguing discrimination in being passed over for crew chief and for WS assignments.  Yeah, right.

 

Not like this is anything new, of course.  I'm not even sure I think Hernandez is the worst behind the plate;  CB Bucknor's erratic as heck.

I *know* purists will loathe it, but if MLB can't sit terrible umps...take ball/strike calls out of their hands.  It's not perfect either;  the strike zone varies (vertically) from batter to batter, so precise registration's a lot trickier than in, say, tennis, which makes the best and most extensive use of replay.  The lines on the court are fixed, tho.  It's clay court season for tennis right now...which means that system's generally NOT in use, so it's the "the umpire gets down from his chair to check the mark."  ARGH!!  LOTS!! of arguments.  Last season, and somewhat still this season, there were no linesmen, and lots of tournaments used the Hawkeye system for ALL in/out calls.  Virtually no arguments.  The frequent comment was, players preferred it.

 

So purists be damned.  Many plays in baseball can't be called purely with an automated system...or can't be called very well.  But balls and strikes can be called a HECK of a lot better by a well-built system.

 

Unfortunately, there's some number of purists who would throw up their hands in disgust and vow to never watch another inning. And those are the kind of fans who talk up the team to casual fans and who buy tickets, merchandise, and the MLB TV package. 

 

I have no idea how many purists would give up on some level in disgust. But a lot of the smaller teams depend on their hardcore fans to prop up revenues. I'd imagine it'd take a lot to convince those owners to do something which might alienate them. Look at how long they've been arguing among themselves about adopting the designate hitter, something like 106 years now?

 

And I'm sure at least the current umpires' contract would prevent MLB from experimenting around with automated strikes/balls during actual games.

 

Now I don't doubt that MLB could itself measure the strike zone of every player in the league as he's in his batting stance and program that into a machine so there could be an individual strike zone on file for each player. Have each one do a hundred "at bats" from a pitching machine and measure the stance.

 

That'd make adjusting the strike zone very simple for the people operating the equipment: just put in the player's identification number from the batting order into the computer and tell the computer to change each time a new batter comes up to the plate (Cardinals #28 Arenado).

[unclevlad]

Batters can tweak stances from AB to AB.

What do you do with a player called up from the minors, who hasn't been pre-registered into the system?

I'm fine with the lesser, vertical errors that'd exist, as they're still almost certainly less variable than human umpires.  

 

Baseball has to move past the purists.  They're too small...and there are going to have to be changes they'll scream about anyway, or the audience will vanish.  Too many potential fans get BORED OUT OF THEIR SKULLS because too many games have nothing going on.  20% more strikeouts than hits.  MLB composite batting average has been dropping *steadily* and is down again this year.  I forget the number but the percentage of balls put into play (anything but a walk, the rare-ish HBP, strikeout, or dinger) is also the lowest it's been.  The percentage of runs that score NOT as a result of a home run, is declining.

And this has forced the, IMO, both sensible AND more interesting, rule of starting extra innings with a runner on 2nd.  I think there's a very good chance this will become permanent.  No, it's not "pure"...but you can't hold the sport hostage to an idealized and romanticized notion of purity.  A runner on 2nd doesn't distort the game that much;  it should, over time, lead to some occasional tactical issues (0-2 on the #3 hitter with 2 outs and a fast runner on first...send him!  If he's thrown out, he'll be put on 2nd, and your good hitter will have a fresh count, next inning.  But it's still playing the full game.  Hockey's 4 on 4 in overtime for 5 minutes is a similar rule...open up the ice with the goal of more good scoring opportunities.  College football's system of the ball on the 25 is a moderate distortion, as field position is no longer a factor.  Every possession becomes independent.  Obviously, penalty shots/kicks, or a Home Run Derby style swing-off, is of course NOT playing the complete game any more, it's exercising narrow skills only.

 

I think the universal DH is inevitable;  that's another one, but IMO NOT doing the unversal DH cause far more distortion once they choose to have extensive interleague play.

[archer]

29 minutes ago, unclevlad said:

Batters can tweak stances from AB to AB.

What do you do with a player called up from the minors, who hasn't been pre-registered into the system?

I'm fine with the lesser, vertical errors that'd exist, as they're still almost certainly less variable than human umpires.  

 

Baseball has to move past the purists.  They're too small...and there are going to have to be changes they'll scream about anyway, or the audience will vanish.  Too many potential fans get BORED OUT OF THEIR SKULLS because too many games have nothing going on.  20% more strikeouts than hits.  MLB composite batting average has been dropping *steadily* and is down again this year.  I forget the number but the percentage of balls put into play (anything but a walk, the rare-ish HBP, strikeout, or dinger) is also the lowest it's been.  The percentage of runs that score NOT as a result of a home run, is declining.

And this has forced the, IMO, both sensible AND more interesting, rule of starting extra innings with a runner on 2nd.  I think there's a very good chance this will become permanent.  No, it's not "pure"...but you can't hold the sport hostage to an idealized and romanticized notion of purity.  A runner on 2nd doesn't distort the game that much;  it should, over time, lead to some occasional tactical issues (0-2 on the #3 hitter with 2 outs and a fast runner on first...send him!  If he's thrown out, he'll be put on 2nd, and your good hitter will have a fresh count, next inning.  But it's still playing the full game.  Hockey's 4 on 4 in overtime for 5 minutes is a similar rule...open up the ice with the goal of more good scoring opportunities.  College football's system of the ball on the 25 is a moderate distortion, as field position is no longer a factor.  Every possession becomes independent.  Obviously, penalty shots/kicks, or a Home Run Derby style swing-off, is of course NOT playing the complete game any more, it's exercising narrow skills only.

 

I think the universal DH is inevitable;  that's another one, but IMO NOT doing the unversal DH cause far more distortion once they choose to have extensive interleague play.

 

Batters tweaking their stances in order to change their strike zones would probably have to go by the wayside, under an automated system, until we get computers which can integrate video on the fly and adjust strike zones dynamically. 

 

As for calling up players from the minors, they'd have to be put into the system before being allowed to play. It shouldn't be too hard to film the 100 at bats against a pitching machine and having the computer assess where the strike zone is. It isn't like you'd be able to hire a computer programmer for doing it as a one-time job and let the system run on autopilot forever without human input anyway. The league would have to keep people on staff to do things like that.

 

I don't like the "automatic runner at 2nd" idea. It's irritating without addressing the underlying problem of dropping batting averages making the games boring. It isn't the extra innings making the game boring, it's the lack of scoring which is making the game boring and that lack of scoring is leading to more tied games going to extra innings. If there's a really good chance that "any team on any night is likely to score up to ten runs", you just aren't going to have as many tied games as you do when "any team on any night is likely to score up to four runs".

 

In the past, they've addressed lower batting averages by adjusting mound height, distance from the mound to the plate, and/or adjusting bats and balls.

 

Honestly though, I don't know why batting averages would be declining. I'd have guessed that COVID and restricted practice would have negatively affected pitchers MUCH more than fielders. But maybe pitchers aren't feeling so overworked and aren't having to deal with crowd noise and all the other distractions?

 

Maybe some of the cooler weather is keeping pitchers from overheating. And a baseball will travel further in warm air than in cold so maybe that's helping.

 

Maybe pitchers have a more effectual prayer game after practicing so extensively during COVID.