Around Baseball 2014

[G-Snarls]

Division rivals trying their best to help us out today but we can't seem to help ourselves.

 

Should be padding this (now awfully slim) lead

 

Grrrrr

[HERPDERP]

I guess all that hubris about Tanaka's velocity being a concern doesn't matter

[intentional wok]

Division rivals trying their best to help us out today but we can't seem to help ourselves.

 

Should be padding this (now awfully slim) lead

 

Grrrrr

 

So frustrating, I know. The East is really mediocre, wow.

[eastcoastjaysfan]

MLB Network has so much potential but the analysts are absolutely horrendous.

 

Harold Reynolds is a disaster and Mitch Williams probably can't even tie his own shoes.. forget stringing together a coherent thought.

[Slot Machine]

LOL. Keep them tweets coming. You gotta love it when someone is completely unashamed of there ignorance.

[over500]

WTF am I reading here

[Convo]

I'm pretty sure this is incorrect unless you want to die. The beauty of first base is that you can keep running, thus not losing acceleration, once you dive, friction caused by sliding on the dirt causes you to slow down.

 

Yeah, but there's no friction if you start your dive right at the bag... the point is your entire body has just moved forward 90 degrees, that gets you there faster.

[Statman]

Baseball is always a touch and feel game - Harold Reynolds

[Atothe]

Harold Reynolds still thinks he was safe on that throw to home by Bo Jackson.

[BlueJaysGirl]

I was looking at the list of pitchers probably available, and I keep coming back to B. McCarthey for the Blue Jays. His ERA is over 5, but his peripherals are really, really good. Do you think he would be a good trade target for the Jays? And who does he bump in the rotation if we do?

[ElNik2013]

So frustrating, I know. The East is really mediocre, wow.

 

 

It must be frustrating for the other teams' fans also as I'm sure everyone wants their favourite team to run away with their division. The Blue Jays are what their record shows. They have holes of which the F/O has been well aware of, it just hasn't wanted or been able to fill them.

 

In fact, look around MLB and you'll see so many teams bunched up together. I guess one could say adding the 2nd WC has helped bring parity around the 2 leagues.

 

 

The Blue Jays struggle in the upcoming road trip like they did in their previous one, they could find themselves right around .500 at the AS break and resembling the 2013 edition post 11-game winning streak. I think they're better than that, but they've played 7 games under .500 since they went up to 14 games over. Hopefully, they get to the break around 10 games over rather than 2-3 games over .500.

[jaysfan2014]

It must be frustrating for the other teams' fans also as I'm sure everyone wants their favourite team to run away with their division. The Blue Jays are what their record shows. They have holes of which the F/O has been well aware of, it just hasn't wanted or been able to fill them.

 

In fact, look around MLB and you'll see so many teams bunched up together. I guess one could say adding the 2nd WC has helped bring parity around the 2 leagues.

 

 

The Blue Jays struggle in the upcoming road trip like they did in their previous one, they could find themselves right around .500 at the AS break and resembling the 2013 edition post 11-game winning streak. I think they're better than that, but they've played 7 games under .500 since they went up to 14 games over. Hopefully, they get to the break around 10 games over rather than 2-3 games over .500.

 

Hey, if you think we have it bad, ask the SF Giants, who have seen their entire lead disappear, as the Dodgers have caught them.

 

As for the road trip, we swept Oakland earlier this year (and they just lost Reddick to the DL), LA is dangerous if they pitch well (unless someone other than Weaver, Wilson and Richards pitch), and Tampa is a hot mess.

[Boxcar]

I just reported every single f***ing one of you for posting whatever that garbage is.

 

No one should be subjected to that torture.

 

Hilarious. I wonder how bad MLB network will let it get. In an age where baseball is getting analyzed more and more accurately, and many myths are disappearing, they employ tons of stubborn old fools who know absolutely nothing about the game they used to play and are willfully ignorant.

[ElNik2013]

Hey, if you think we have it bad, ask the SF Giants, who have seen their entire lead disappear, as the Dodgers have caught them.

 

As for the road trip, we swept Oakland earlier this year (and they just lost Reddick to the DL), LA is dangerous if they pitch well (unless someone other than Weaver, Wilson and Richards pitch), and Tampa is a hot mess.

 

 

Alright, I'll oblige. I wasn't complaining about the Jays "having it bad", I just pointed out that the team is simply not good enough to run away with the division. I also pointed out that there's a lot of parity around MLB with a few exceptions. The division figures to be a dogfight till the end, it is what it is and we'll see how things turn out.

[jays_fever]

Mitch Williams still believes he was one of the best players in the league when he played. Really loathe all of those guys.

[jaysfan2014]

Oh noes! He's not Mike Trout!

 

You know who else isn't Mike Trout? Everyone else in the league. Perhaps ever.

 

Silliness.

 

His fielding rating is based on 2B play. For a guy with wheels, CF is a much easier position to manage. His arm isn't a liability out there. But it isn't a strength, either (Johnny Damon chicken-wing, he is not).

 

And leave it to DoomsdayforNonJaysfan2014 to say that bringing up an above average hitter is not a good thing, because he lacks big power.

 

What a fool you are. It has to be a schtick, because you couldn't be this dumb. Could you?

 

Boston needs big power. They're near the bottom in OPS and SLG, and considering they play in a bandbox at Fenway, that's inexcusable.

 

Has anyone seen Betts play the OF in the minors?

[jaysfan2014]

Mookie Betts is in tonight's lineup for Boston, batting 8th:

 

Holt 3B,

Nava LF,

Pedroia 2B,

Ortiz DH,

Napoli 1B,

Pierzynski C,

Drew SS,

Betts RF,

Bradley Jr. CF,

 

Lackey RHP.

 

This should be an easy win for the Red Sox, as they're facing Chase Whitley, who we lit up earlier this week.

[TheHurl]

Has anyone seen Betts play the OF in the minors?

 

any reports would be really a moot point considering we are talking about a 27 game sample. But BA's Josh Norris has been with the team for all of his games including being at practices. Here is his video https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=UTF-rJ9ru24

 

and his write up Early reviews of Betts’ early play at the new position have been quite good.

 

“He could go out there,” one evaluator said. “If you wanted to feel nice about it and have him play an extra 50 games in center field in Double-A or Triple-A until he feels comfortable, great.”

Jackie Bradley Jr.

 

The evaluator said he sees Red Sox incumbent center fielder Jackie Bradley as more of a fourth outfielder.

 

Betts’ former manager in Salem and Portland agrees, but not without cautioning that he still needs work on the little things. It has, after all, only been a few weeks.

 

“You can see that he’s getting a lot more confident out there,” McMillon said. “His routes to balls are improving. He’s got a really strong, accurate arm.

 

“The more he plays, the better he’s going to get out there. He’s going to gain additional confidence. I think it’s just a good thing to show that he’s athletic and versatile enough to go play the outfield, because that might be a way for him to get to the big leagues quicker.”

[jaysfan2014]

any reports would be really a moot point considering we are talking about a 27 game sample. But BA's Josh Norris has been with the team for all of his games including being at practices. Here is his video https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=UTF-rJ9ru24

 

and his write up Early reviews of Betts’ early play at the new position have been quite good.

 

“He could go out there,” one evaluator said. “If you wanted to feel nice about it and have him play an extra 50 games in center field in Double-A or Triple-A until he feels comfortable, great.”

Jackie Bradley Jr.

 

The evaluator said he sees Red Sox incumbent center fielder Jackie Bradley as more of a fourth outfielder.

 

Betts’ former manager in Salem and Portland agrees, but not without cautioning that he still needs work on the little things. It has, after all, only been a few weeks.

 

“You can see that he’s getting a lot more confident out there,” McMillon said. “His routes to balls are improving. He’s got a really strong, accurate arm.

 

“The more he plays, the better he’s going to get out there. He’s going to gain additional confidence. I think it’s just a good thing to show that he’s athletic and versatile enough to go play the outfield, because that might be a way for him to get to the big leagues quicker.”

 

As long as Betts hits, any offense would be great for Boston, whose OFs have been awful this year. And Bradley should be in AAA.. if Boston had better options.

[G-Snarls]

As long as Betts hits, any offense would be great for Boston, whose OFs have been awful this year. And Bradley should be in AAA.. if Boston had better options.

 

Still literally the worst outfield in baseball according to WAR

 

As much as I hate the Sox, I did want Sizemore to have a good comeback. Didn't happen obviously.

[Atothe]

 

Creative promotion.

 

whats the tie-in to the fans?

[jaysfan2014]

 

Creative promotion.

 

Very cute. Too bad Pixar can't create anything to help the Giants hit or pitch, as that team has had an even worse spiral lower than the Jays.. they could be tied with the Dodgers at the end of today if the Dodgers win and Giants lose.

[jaysfan2014]

O's trying to make a meaningless comeback vs. the Rays. 12-7 now on a Flaherty 3-run shot.

[Atothe]

this Houston team is gonna be good. Singleton just hit an single up the middle to go up 6-4 against the tigers. It was against a lefty, a bit high

[jaysfan2014]

this Houston team is gonna be good. Singleton just hit an single up the middle to go up 6-4 against the tigers. It was against a lefty, a bit high

 

Still about a year away, though. And they need bullpen help.

[jaysfan2014]

Grilli just blew the game in KC (with some assistance from Aybar on a missed catch). Does LA even know how to evaluate relievers?

[jaysfan2014]

Homer Bailey no hitter alert.

 

What a train wreck the Giants have turned into.

[Orgfiller]

Homer Bailey no hitter alert.

 

I see that it ended but with him it would basically be "what else is new."

[BTS]

Felix Hernandez is just silly.

[Fearthedoc]

Felix Hernandez is just silly.

 

Clayton Kershaw is sillier.