Around Baseball 2020

[43211234]

f*** it, as fans we've lived our lives long enough having to deal with being in the AL East. Especially since the Rays became good 12 years ago.

 

Time to embrace coin flips after 162 games. Count me on team #16Teams

 

 

But it was never going to go back to the way it was anyway. Too much money being left on the table. Especially after losing all stadium revenue this year.

[Boxcar]

I can't wait until there are 30 teams with no discernible difference in talent when the salary cap is also introduced.

 

This sucks.

[glory]

 

Kind of expected this.

 

I did too, but surprised they kept it at 16. I thought they might go 14 and give the top teams a bye like was rumored many months ago. If they keep it at 16, then they need to give the top seeds an advantage, otherwise the regular season loses any meaning. Maybe in the 3 game WC series, the lower seed has to win 2 while the higher seed only has to win 1. At least that makes finishing higher more of an incentive.

[Deadpool]

I can't wait until the Skydome is filed with "16th best team in the league, but we made the playoffs!" banners.

[Boxcar]

What really sucks about this is that the playoffs were really fun as they were. The wild card games kicked ass, and added another team to the playoffs without overdoing it or significantly lengthening them. Now we'll be playing the WS in December. And probably at a neutral field like in the NFL.

[Olerud363]

Just give the top team a man on second to lead off every inning.

[BTS]

Most years one or two teams that finish under 0.500 (after 162 games!) are going to make the playoffs. I can’t wait for the 80-82 Orioles to fluke their way to a WS win. Manfred has just cheapened WS titles.

[Laika]

I did too, but surprised they kept it at 16. I thought they might go 14 and give the top teams a bye like was rumored many months ago. If they keep it at 16, then they need to give the top seeds an advantage, otherwise the regular season loses any meaning. Maybe in the 3 game WC series, the lower seed has to win 2 while the higher seed only has to win 1. At least that makes finishing higher more of an incentive.

 

This is my point of view too. Other ideas:

- Division winners have all home games in the first series

- Division winners can pick their first round opponent from the other 5 teams

 

As a general baseball fan I don't love this but as a Toronto Blue Jays fan I think it's good. We should almost never see Toronto enter a sad rebuilding phase in the future if 8 AL teams make the playoffs.

[Laika]

Great, MLB is the NHL now. Only worse because they have 162 games to separate the good teams from the bad instead of 82.

 

Not worse. I have read that the MLB, NBA, and NHL season lengths are all roughly equivalent at separating good teams from bad teams. Baseball needs more games to do that because each specific game is more random.

 

If MLB goes to 8 team playoffs it will become the same as the NHL and NBA.

 

In the NBA 8 team playoffs still seem fair because better teams have such a large on the court advantage.

 

MLB needs to find a way to at least give the higher ranking teams a significant advantage. It won't come from talent alone so it needs to be structural with how the playoffs work.

 

If they have 100 win teams facing 81 win teams in a 3 or 5 game series, with nothing else on the scales, it will be a f***ing disaster.

[Carlos Danger]

So, just to push Boxy's buttons and get some controversy started

 

A number of weeks ago, Boxy says Marlins suck, I say they don't.

 

Rhetorical question: Would you rather have the Marlins (a playoff team) rotation going into the playoffs or the Blue Jays?

 

[Stangstag]

So, just to push Boxy's buttons and get some controversy started

 

A number of weeks ago, Boxy says Marlins suck, I say they don't.

 

Rhetorical question: Would you rather have the Marlins (a playoff team) rotation going into the playoffs or the Blue Jays?

 

 

Maybe their rotation, but besides that the Jays have better everything

[glory]

This is my point of view too. Other ideas:

- Division winners have all home games in the first series

- Division winners can pick their first round opponent from the other 5 teams

 

As a general baseball fan I don't love this but as a Toronto Blue Jays fan I think it's good. We should almost never see Toronto enter a sad rebuilding phase in the future if 8 AL teams make the playoffs.

 

Agreed. If seeds 1-4 have all the home games in the 1st round, get to choose their opponent, and only have to win 1 of the 3 games, then I'm fine with 16 teams. It makes being a 5-8 seed pretty unattractive, but at least it gives more teams a chance to have post season play. My guess is they won't do the "higher seed only has to win 1" model. The other two seem likely. I have said before, "choose your opponent" is a money idea. Have a 30 minute show where the star of each team represents their team and chooses their opponent. It would be great, and make the first round a lot more meaningful.

 

Too much money to be made with more playoffs. I read that ABC will be airing some of the Wild Card games this year, and all the others on ESPN and ESPN 2. They instantly become a more valuable commodity to TV networks with more content. There's no going back to the old playoff format.

[Boxcar]

So, just to push Boxy's buttons and get some controversy started

 

A number of weeks ago, Boxy says Marlins suck, I say they don't.

 

Rhetorical question: Would you rather have the Marlins (a playoff team) rotation going into the playoffs or the Blue Jays?

 

 

Honestly, they are probably pretty close. It's essentially Sixto and Lopez + a bunch of crap. The Jays have Ryu and a bunch of lesser crap. Maybe slight edge to the Marlins? The Jays' bullpen blows theirs out of the water so I'm not really sure what difference it makes.

[Boxcar]

Agreed. If seeds 1-4 have all the home games in the 1st round, get to choose their opponent, and only have to win 1 of the 3 games, then I'm fine with 16 teams. It makes being a 5-8 seed pretty unattractive, but at least it gives more teams a chance to have post season play. My guess is they won't do the "higher seed only has to win 1" model. The other two seem likely. I have said before, "choose your opponent" is a money idea. Have a 30 minute show where the star of each team represents their team and chooses their opponent. It would be great, and make the first round a lot more meaningful.

 

Too much money to be made with more playoffs. I read that ABC will be airing some of the Wild Card games this year, and all the others on ESPN and ESPN 2. They instantly become a more valuable commodity to TV networks with more content. There's no going back to the old playoff format.

 

I agree. Choosing your opponent would be awesome. Would be even better if you had the reps for the 5-8 seeds or whatever sitting there and then there's confrontations like at a UFC weigh in. Then they do a presser where the top teams explain why the teams they chose suck buttholes and then that team responds by insinuating that the top teams cheat. It would be great TV and might actually bring personality to baseball.

 

I'd prefer doing away with divisional seeding in that case, though. What if, as has often been the case, the winner of the AL Central sucks copious amounts of dicks, but because they automatically get seeded third, the top team can't pick them? At the same time, I like divisional pennants and rivalries so idk. Maybe have it so that division winners qualify automatically but are subject to seeding strictly by record.

[Dokken]

a tweet from Joel Sherman from yesterday:

"Prior to noon Eastern 9/20 each club must submit to MLB its list postseason-eligible personnel: Up to 40 players, including 28 active and up to 12 taxi squad, including players currently on Injured, Paternity, Bereavement or Suspended List."

 

So I assume these taxi squad players need to be put on the traditional 40 man roster before they can be added to the 28 man active roster in the post-season. Anyway, if they have 28 man roster throughout, it makes the Jays' chances of piecing together a pitching staff more doable than the old 25 man roster.

[glory]

I agree. Choosing your opponent would be awesome. Would be even better if you had the reps for the 5-8 seeds or whatever sitting there and then there's confrontations like at a UFC weigh in. Then they do a presser where the top teams explain why the teams they chose suck buttholes and then that team responds by insinuating that the top teams cheat. It would be great TV and might actually bring personality to baseball.

 

I'd prefer doing away with divisional seeding in that case, though. What if, as has often been the case, the winner of the AL Central sucks copious amounts of dicks, but because they automatically get seeded third, the top team can't pick them? At the same time, I like divisional pennants and rivalries so idk. Maybe have it so that division winners qualify automatically but are subject to seeding strictly by record.

 

Yeah, I think if they had the stars of each team make the selection, explain their selection, and then the team chosen has their star respond in a back and forth, it would make for great TV, especially if the players chosen have personality. The #1 seed right now in the AL is the White Sox. I have no doubt that Tim Anderson choosing an opponent would be entertaining. Unfortunately, the Rays are the 2nd seed, so not only would their star player be boring as hell, but their reasoning for choosing a specific opponent would probably be 5 minutes of in depth statistical analysis. Regardless, imagine a scenario where the Yankees choose the Astros to play in the 1st round. Judge, who got screwed out of the MVP in 2017, has to explain why. Bregman being the dbag that he is would have to respond. And so on. As long as there are no "unwritten" filters where the players are afraid to trash talk, it would help give teams some identity and give ammo to the teams selected in the first round. Plus, no other sport does it, so if done properly, it would be unique to MLB, which would help.

 

I realize I probably made baseball purists vomit, but it's a new day. Time to embrace change.

[Boxcar]

Yeah, I think if they had the stars of each team make the selection, explain their selection, and then the team chosen has their star respond in a back and forth, it would make for great TV, especially if the players chosen have personality. The #1 seed right now in the AL is the White Sox. I have no doubt that Tim Anderson choosing an opponent would be entertaining. Unfortunately, the Rays are the 2nd seed, so not only would their star player be boring as hell, but their reasoning for choosing a specific opponent would probably be 5 minutes of in depth statistical analysis. Regardless, imagine a scenario where the Yankees choose the Astros to play in the 1st round. Judge, who got screwed out of the MVP in 2017, has to explain why. Bregman being the dbag that he is would have to respond. And so on. As long as there are no "unwritten" filters where the players are afraid to trash talk, it would help give teams some identity and give ammo to the teams selected in the first round. Plus, no other sport does it, so if done properly, it would be unique to MLB, which would help.

 

I'd also enjoy the non-sensical selections that are made simply because one team despises another. For example, Yankees choosing the Astros with teams like, idk...Seattle? On the board. Or something.

 

Also, make it a rule that the Rays can never be a 1-4 seed, permanently. I don't care if it's not fair. Or at least make your rep Kiermaier who would give us something nice to look at. With maybe like a split screen with him from a regular distance on one side and then just a close up of his baby blues on the other.

[TheHurl]

This is time for the PA to ask for a huge piece of the playoff pie. Manfred has played his card early saying the owners love this idea (which everyone knew as playoffs make them more money). Tony Clark (or hopefully the person who replaces him) should scrap every other ask and just go for playoff revenue money.

[Stangstag]

Judge just came off the DL. Just in time to f*** us hard

[Abomination]

I like the consecutive days for postseason games too. I hope they keep that change.

[z3r0s]

I like the consecutive days for postseason games too. I hope they keep that change.

 

yeah that is a real positive. I hate the shortened rotations in the post season. Its a like a fundamental alternation to the game to cut out your bottom 2 starters.

[TheHurl]

I like the consecutive days for postseason games too. I hope they keep that change.

 

Sure if you say the higher ranked team gets all the home games

[Brownie19]

I like the consecutive days for postseason games too. I hope they keep that change.

 

yeah that is a real positive. I hate the shortened rotations in the post season. Its a like a fundamental alternation to the game to cut out your bottom 2 starters.

 

That's an awesome move IMO. Replicate (closer) to a regular season scenario. Bring strategy into the game instead of the same 3-4 arms being used out of the bullpen every night.

[Brownie19]

If deGrom wins his 3rd straight Cy Young award this year at age 32 - how many more WAR does he need to reach the HOF?

 

If he remains dominant (5-7 WAR per year) for 3 more years through age 35 and then slowly declines (10 WAR combined for the rest of his career), he'll end up around 60 career WAR. Is that enough? Anyone else notice his fastball velo is up about 1.5 MPH this year? Incredible.

[Orgfiller]

If deGrom wins his 3rd straight Cy Young award this year at age 32 - how many more WAR does he need to reach the HOF?

 

If he remains dominant (5-7 WAR per year) for 3 more years through age 35 and then slowly declines (10 WAR combined for the rest of his career), he'll end up around 60 career WAR. Is that enough? Anyone else notice his fastball velo is up about 1.5 MPH this year? Incredible.

 

deGrom got injured his last start and raised his ERA unfortunately, which might take him out of the running if the Mets are careful with him down the stretch. With that said, if he does end up winning a 3rd Cy Young and ages somewhat gracefully he's a lock for the HoF. He needs to not pull a Joan Santana basically. I think if he secures a 3rd Cy Young then he'll be a lock if he passes the 50 WAR mark.

[glory]

Looking at the WAR leaders....

 

Tim Anderson, AL MVP? Leads AL in WAR, plays SS, and is on team with the best record in the AL (misleading due to schedule but still).

 

Tatis in the NL should be a no brainer.

[Brownie19]

Looking at the WAR leaders....

 

Tim Anderson, AL MVP? Leads AL in WAR, plays SS, and is on team with the best record in the AL (misleading due to schedule but still).

 

Tatis in the NL should be a no brainer.

 

f*** Tim Anderson. How does he still have a BABIP over .400 (did last year too) without hitting the ball that hard?

 

Freeman's making a push for NL MVP - after recovering from a bad bout of COVID too. Mookie still there also.

[Olerud363]

Looking at the WAR leaders....

 

Tim Anderson, AL MVP? Leads AL in WAR, plays SS, and is on team with the best record in the AL (misleading due to schedule but still).

 

Tatis in the NL should be a no brainer.

 

Interesting.

 

Do the voters look at WAR or are they just getting smarter??

 

If they aren't smart but look at WAR how could Anderson not win?? He'd be the winner by traditional stats and WAR.

 

If they are just smart and don't look at WAR, but sort of know the things to look for, then they might clue in that he isn't really a .380 hitter.

 

Weird though that he's now hit .350 for 1 entire year. I assume he hits .280 next year.

[Olerud363]

I think for the most part I would be totally OK with a .370 hitter winning MVP Ichiro style.

 

Like a .310 hitter with a 50/50 bb/k rate that is good defensively and got lucky.

 

Not sure I am OK with .280 hitter with horrible bb/k getting lucky enough to hit .370 over 50 games get it.

 

Weird thing is people will discount the luck because he did it "twice" in a row.

 

But he didn't. He was lucky over 160 games or so, only played 120 last year.

[Laika]

f*** Tim Anderson. How does he still have a BABIP over .400 (did last year too) without hitting the ball that hard?

 

Freeman's making a push for NL MVP - after recovering from a bad bout of COVID too. Mookie still there also.

 

Anderson's xwOBA (.394) is not even that much lower than his wOBA. He hits the ball hard enough for someone with 90th+ percentile sprint speed, and he has become a solid hitter as far as barreling up balls. Speed can go a long way in raising true talent BABIP.

 

Yeah, he should probably on be hitting .310 or something like that but still, another example of why core skills (hit tool, speed, power) can be so important and peripheral or secondary skills (batting eye / walk rate) are not everything

 

Tim is an excellent player.