Around Baseball 2020

[Daniel Labude]

Great signing for Minnesota and love it for Donaldson

[DigitalRock]

All I know is I miss JD. f*** you suck my cock haters.

[BTS]

https://tht.fangraphs.com/foreign-players-in-the-kbo-what-the-future-holds/

 

This was a great read. Eric Thames had a 12-WAR season in 2015!

 

 

The NC Dinos were quick to offer him a new contract, unwittingly setting the stage for the greatest single season in KBO history. In 2015, Thames went ballistic: he hit .381, with 47 home runs, 40 steals, and 140 RBIs, becoming the first player in the KBO to join the 40-40 club. He dazzled sabermetricians as well, as he set the KBO record for SLG (.790), OPS (1.288), WAR (12.03), wOBA (.530), wRC+ (175.7), and wRAA (96.0). To top it all off, he casually hit for the cycle twice, setting another single-season KBO record. He was truly a god among men, a deus ex machina at the plate.

[EMK19]

https://tht.fangraphs.com/foreign-players-in-the-kbo-what-the-future-holds/

 

This was a great read. Eric Thames had a 12-WAR season in 2015!

 

 

Thames has a legend-like status in KBO as far as foreign players go. He really did tear up the league that season. Loved watching a former Jay perform well in Korea although he played for a rival team of the team I cheer for (Busan Lotte Giants).

 

Some other foreign players that left a mark include: Felix Jose, Karim Garcia (Pedro: who?), Tyrone Woods, Julio Franco, Jay Davis, Dustin Nippert.

 

Other former Jays that played in KBO include: Esmil Rogers, Tom Quinlan (owner of a '92 World Series ring), Deck McGuire (didn't do well but did get a no-hitter), Luis Jimenez, Dave Bush, Tilson Brito, Zach Stewart.

[Brownie19]

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/pitch-design-tyler-glasnow-can-be-more-elite-in-2020/

 

cool article on Glasnow, who I find to be one of the most fascinating pitchers in baseball. If nothing else, great .gifs.

[Terminator]

 

I hope Gibby gets it. He'd be a great fit there.

[Ehjays]

 

I hope Gibby gets it. He'd be a great fit there.

 

Astros To Interview John Gibbons

By Connor Byrne | January 15, 2020 at 10:26pm CDT

The Astros have lined up their first reported interview as they search for a new manager. They’ll meet with veteran skipper John Gibbons on Thursday, according to Mark Berman of Fox 26.

The Texas-raised Gibbons is one of many experienced possibilities to reportedly land on the Astros’ radar early in their quest to replace A.J. Hinch. Gibbons has nearly 1,600 games on his resume, all of which have come with the Blue Jays. The 57-year-old had two separate stints as Toronto’s manager (one from 2004-08, the next from 2013-18), combining for 11 years, a 793-789 regular-season record and a pair of playoff berths. The Blue Jays advanced to the ALCS in each of those two seasons.

After the Blue Jays parted with him, Gibbons spent last season out of coaching. Gibbons made it known back in the fall that he was hoping to get back into managing, but he didn’t receive any reported interviews before now.

[Boxcar]

I hate the Astros but Gibby deserves another shot.

[Laika]

 

I hope Gibby gets it. He'd be a great fit there.

 

Man, perfect fit. He'd also be a great fit for a veteran team like Boston as much as the thought makes me gag.

[Brownie19]

Man, perfect fit. He'd also be a great fit for a veteran team like Boston as much as the thought makes me gag.

 

yuck. I'd much rather see him in Houston.

[Terminator]

 

So the latest rumor is that Altuve and others were wearing devices under the jerseys and near their shoulders which would alert them to what pitches were being thrown. Rosenthal asked him about what was up with him and his jersey and Altuve's answer didn't make much sense.

[Abomination]

So the latest rumor is that Altuve and others were wearing devices under the jerseys and near their shoulders which would alert them to what pitches were being thrown. Rosenthal asked him about what was up with him and his jersey and Altuve's answer didn't make much sense.

 

It's time to let them wear ear pieces and eliminate signs altogether.

 

Also, if they were going THAT far, the punishments were way too light.

[TheHurl]

Easily lost in all the s*** going down...the Giants hired the first ever female coach. Congrats to the Giants.

 

 

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Alyssa Nakken became the first female coach on a major league staff in baseball history Thursday when she was named an assistant under new Giants manager Gabe Kapler.

 

Major League Baseball confirmed Nakken is the first woman coach in the majors. Nakken is a former softball standout at first base for Sacramento State who joined the club in 2014 as an intern in baseball operations. She and Mark Hallberg, who was also named as an assistant Thursday, will work to promote high performance along with a close-knit team atmosphere.

 

Kapler, who expressed during the winter meetings that he would hire some coaches for nontraditional roles, said in a text message Nakken (nack-in) will be in uniform.

[KevinGregg]

Easily lost in all the s*** going down...the Giants hired the first ever female coach. Congrats to the Giants.

 

 

Seems like a PR move unfortunately. Her qualifications are that she played first base in softball..? She started as a baseball ops intern but now suddenly shes an on field coach specializing in "high performance" and promoting a team atmosphere..

That's pretty nebulous. A high performance coach should be a kinesiology person not someone who played a kind of similar sport at a way lower level once upon a time. A team atmosphere can be promoted by everyone and doesnt need a specialized coach.

 

I cant see a world where the best athletes in the world have anything to gain from this person. A man with those credentials would never be given an mlb coaching role like this

[Bobthe4th]

Seems like a PR move unfortunately. Her qualifications are that she played first base in softball..? She started as a baseball ops intern but now suddenly shes an on field coach specializing in "high performance" and promoting a team atmosphere..

That's pretty nebulous. A high performance coach should be a kinesiology person not someone who played a kind of similar sport at a way lower level once upon a time. A team atmosphere can be promoted by everyone and doesnt need a specialized coach.

 

I cant see a world where the best athletes in the world have anything to gain from this person. A man with those credentials would never be given an mlb coaching role like this

 

It's laughable that you can pretend to know enough about her to confidently state it's a PR exercise. A quick Google search reveals she has a masters in sports management and has worked for the Giants since 2014. But yeah, she's definitely only been promoted because she's a woman!

[Boxcar]

Easily lost in all the s*** going down...the Giants hired the first ever female coach. Congrats to the Giants.

 

 

Why does this matter? Is she good at the job or not? That's all that matters. Her having a vag isn't a qualification or something to celebrate.

[Beans]

Yikes, could go bad fast. Wouldn't be surprised if JD is M.I.A. for a good chunk of the deal.

I was going to say the same thing and make a crack about his being vegan, but the fact that he played every day last year and put up 6 WAR (might have been more if that calf injury in 2018 hadn't permanently slowed him down on the bases)....

 

If he's playing every day, hitting (15th in Runs Created) and fielding well (15 DRS; +8 OAA), but running like s*** (-3 BSR), then he's got another couple years before he moves to DH. Who knows if he'll still have the bat speed then, but his process this year was excellent (xWOBA .387; Barrels/PA% of 9.4!), suggesting he might age well. Hopefully Dominican Ryan Howard (Sano) can stay on the field till he's 30, sliding into DH when Donaldson retires. There's a lot to like in this contract. 3 years would have been better, but at this AAV and with the DH option, going 4 years to age 37 for a guy like this is not insane.

Edited January 17, 2020 by Beans

[Laika]

Seems like a PR move unfortunately. Her qualifications are that she played first base in softball..? She started as a baseball ops intern but now suddenly shes an on field coach specializing in "high performance" and promoting a team atmosphere..

That's pretty nebulous. A high performance coach should be a kinesiology person not someone who played a kind of similar sport at a way lower level once upon a time. A team atmosphere can be promoted by everyone and doesnt need a specialized coach.

I cant see a world where the best athletes in the world have anything to gain from this person. A man with those credentials would never be given an mlb coaching role like this

 

This is overly cynical. I know people who are extremely successful in real life on the back of almost nothing more than having a great personality. She could just be a rock solid person, but she also has some decent qualifications.

 

She has a degree which makes her more educated than a lot of MLB coaches. She also has playing experience and was an elite athlete, which is more than some of the new nerd coaches can say. She arguably has better credentials to be an MLB team coach than, say, that Jonathan Erlichman guy the Rays hired... at least she will be able to throw BP and swing a fungo without embarrassing herself.

[Deadpool]

Seems like a PR move unfortunately. Her qualifications are that she played first base in softball..? She started as a baseball ops intern but now suddenly shes an on field coach specializing in "high performance" and promoting a team atmosphere..

That's pretty nebulous. A high performance coach should be a kinesiology person not someone who played a kind of similar sport at a way lower level once upon a time. A team atmosphere can be promoted by everyone and doesnt need a specialized coach.

 

I cant see a world where the best athletes in the world have anything to gain from this person. A man with those credentials would never be given an mlb coaching role like this

 

She's been with the team since 2014. f***, AA started out in the mail room for the Expos. I'd assume that she, like many others, worked their way up in the company and was promoted accordingly. I mean, if they hired her for that role right out of college then MAYBE you'd have a point, but I'm fairly sure she's demonstrated competence enough to earn that role in, again, the five years that she's been with the organization.

[KevinGregg]

I guess i am being cynical, for all I know shes been spending the last 5 years learning all about crazy next level sports medicine s***.

 

It still seems like a weird skill set for a coach. If you told me she was the first female assistant GM I would say that makes way more sense.

[Spanky__99]

I guess i am being cynical, for all I know shes been spending the last 5 years learning all about crazy next level sports medicine s***.

 

It still seems like a weird skill set for a coach. If you told me she was the first female assistant GM I would say that makes way more sense.

 

That belongs to Kim Ng, she now the Senior Vice-President for Baseball Operations with Major League Baseball.

[max silver]

I guess i am being cynical, for all I know shes been spending the last 5 years learning all about crazy next level sports medicine s***.

 

It still seems like a weird skill set for a coach. If you told me she was the first female assistant GM I would say that makes way more sense.

 

This is far more than just cynicism on your part. If this were a male hire announcement would you be going out of your way to denigrate the announcement because the man played softball instead of baseball? The inherent misogyny of your criticism is so obvious that it's painful.

[wilko]

Easily lost in all the s*** going down...the Giants hired the first ever female coach. Congrats to the Giants.

 

 

 

She's a ginger! Lookout!

[EMK19]

 

#Retire33 Weekend will be April 17-19 at Coors Field, culminating with the number retirement ceremony on Sunday, April 19.

[Terminator]

This is overly cynical. I know people who are extremely successful in real life on the back of almost nothing more than having a great personality. She could just be a rock solid person, but she also has some decent qualifications.

 

She has a degree which makes her more educated than a lot of MLB coaches. She also has playing experience and was an elite athlete, which is more than some of the new nerd coaches can say. She arguably has better credentials to be an MLB team coach than, say, that Jonathan Erlichman guy the Rays hired... at least she will be able to throw BP and swing a fungo without embarrassing herself.

 

Have you ever seen a woman throw? Lmao there is no chance she can throw BP!

[KevinGregg]

This is far more than just cynicism on your part. If this were a male hire announcement would you be going out of your way to denigrate the announcement because the man played softball instead of baseball? The inherent misogyny of your criticism is so obvious that it's painful.

 

There’s never been a male coach in the mlb who’s only baseball experience is college softball.. wonder why...

[Brownie19]

Have you ever seen a woman throw? Lmao there is no chance she can throw BP!

 

I'm going to have to check, but I'm pretty sure this is the type of s*** you can't say anymore boomer.

[max silver]

There’s never been a male coach in the mlb who’s only baseball experience is college softball

 

Who gives a f***? Why is this even relevant? If a billion dollar organization decided that she is the best candidate to head up their high performance department, what do you have to gain by surmising that the only reason she was given the job is because she is female?

[Brownie19]

There’s never been a male coach in the mlb who’s only baseball experience is college softball.. wonder why...

 

Um - it might be because there is no men's collegiate softball???

[Spanky__99]

Why does this matter? Is she good at the job or not? That's all that matters. Her having a vag isn't a qualification or something to celebrate.

 

lol... Boxy, it's a feat that hasn't been done before, pretty simple, mate?