Around Baseball 2021

BTS · June 3, 2021

I wonder what kind of contract Yarbrough would get if he were a FA this offseason. Like 3/30 ish?

Dr. Dinger · June 3, 2021

Odor is a fat f*** now.

RobinThicc · June 3, 2021

Cole's spin rate is down right after MLB announced they will crack down on foreign substances.

Love to see it

G-Snarls · June 3, 2021

Love to see it

Watching Traver Bauer's Twitter account for comment.....

King · June 3, 2021

This crackdown is going to be interesting. I mean we all know that 70-80% of pitchers are using it.

I am glad they are shutting down foreign substances. I don't really have faith in the umpires to police it properly but I hope they can make it work.

Abomination · June 3, 2021

The Astros lineup is f***ing scary.

Their top 7 hitters all have a wRC+ > 126 and if you exclude Alvarez, the highest K% is only 15.7%

If the Jays can't, I kind of hope the Astros put a hurting on teams in the playoffs. End the narrative. Can you imagine being an adult and thinking "I'm going to bring an inflatable trash can and a sign with a trash can and an asterisks on it to the park today - that will be really funny and people will like me". f***ing losers.

When we had the "man in white" controversy, I always thought the team should have given white shirts to everyone in that section the next game and had them make all kinds of weird movements and signs out there.

Slyfisher · June 3, 2021

https://www.thescore.com/mlb/news/2180019/baseballs-dirty-little-secret-is-out-we-decided-to-experiment

Interesting read

P2F · June 3, 2021

Travis Sawchik writes for The Score now? Seems pretty random.

glory · June 3, 2021

The crack down on illegal substances hopefully helps the hitters make more contact. Bauer telling everyone he cheated and still getting $100m over 3 years is a power move on his part. Got his money and helping the game as well by exposing it.

Abomination · June 3, 2021

https://www.thescore.com/mlb/news/2180019/baseballs-dirty-little-secret-is-out-we-decided-to-experiment

Interesting read

That is interesting.

King · June 3, 2021

Man, all these "cheating" schemes feel like a blackmark on the game. I feel like it's an elephant in the room that people don't really discuss. Gerrit Cole went from a good, above average pitcher to a mega-ace increasing his spin in Houston and secured a 300 million dollar contract. Who knows how many other pitchers have benefited statistically and financially from it. I'm sure many, especially relievers.

On the hitter side, you've got contact hitters hitting home runs with the (previously) juiced ball and look like superstars when in reality they just aren't that. Lindor secured the bag just in time for his power numbers to crash.

I don't know how anyone else feels, but I don't feel great about it..

King · June 3, 2021

Well, the ball was out of the hitter's control. But pitchers increasing spin rates artificially is 100% cheating. That clubhouse guy who got fired by the Angels sued the league and had all kinds of allegations like how it's an arms race between MLB teams to create the perfect spin rate enhancing substance and I don't even doubt that.

If HOU could bang trash cans then they sure as hell were slapping that s*** on Cole as soon as they traded for him. His spin rate spiked as soon as he put on their jersey.

I really think it's the biggest problem in baseball right now. It absolutely destroys the game. And good thing Epstein was hired because dumb f*** Manfred has no idea what goes into the hitter/pitcher matchup.

Didn't mean to say the juiced ball was cheating. I just mean that in a similar way some hitters propelled themselves to new heights and secured contracts that they probably don't deserve/would not have earned otherwise. It's more Manfred's fault than anything. I still think it's s***** for the game.

Ray · June 4, 2021

I'm thinking this is going to end in MLB providing an approved substance to pitchers that tries to limit major improvements in spin, but also helps them grip it just enough so they're not hitting batters with increased frequency.

If I'm a hitter, I'd still want to make sure that the guy who's chucking a 100 mph projectile near my head has a good grip. But maybe not so much so that it's giving them an obscene competitive advantage and affecting my potential earnings.

King · June 4, 2021

I'm not sure what a reasonable way to enforce this is. I like the idea of umpires checking the hat/glove/wrist of a player before they start an inning. You would think this would be commonplace already, especially for relievers coming out of the bullpen. Imagine how many pitchers would be caught right away?

Except for this guy:

Maybe do irregular checks of the 1B and catcher as well.

It's kind of mindnumbing. How are umpires not already instructed to check on, at minimum, relievers coming out of the bullpen before they throw a pitch? You would catch every cheater redhanded.

Edited June 4, 2021 by King

Abomination · June 4, 2021

I'm thinking this is going to end in MLB providing an approved substance to pitchers that tries to limit major improvements in spin, but also helps them grip it just enough so they're not hitting batters with increased frequency.

If I'm a hitter, I'd still want to make sure that the guy who's chucking a 100 mph projectile near my head has a good grip. But maybe not so much so that it's giving them an obscene competitive advantage and affecting my potential earnings.

Just allow them to use an approved sticky substance and decrease the seam height on the ball. It'll all even out. Any substance they use to increase grip will automatically increase the spin rate.

max silver · June 4, 2021

Just allow them to use an approved sticky substance and decrease the seam height on the ball. It'll all even out. Any substance they use to increase grip will automatically increase the spin rate.

Messing with the seam height isn't something that you would want to trifle with before fully considering the potential consequences. But baseball has had zero qualms about f***ing with the baseball in the past so this actually sounds right up Manfred's alley. It's totally shoot first ask questions later with MLB.

Brownie19 · June 4, 2021

I feel like I was talking about teams creating their own substances in laboratories and the impact it could be having on baseball like 3-4 years ago and nobody even engaged in the conversation.

[pats self on back for being so smart]

Krylian · June 4, 2021

I haven't seen any batters get caught, or even suspected us using a corked bat in a while. Waiting for that fad to get popular again.

Brownie19 · June 4, 2021

I haven't seen any batters get caught, or even suspected us using a corked bat in a while. Waiting for that fad to get popular again.

You shouldn't. I think science concluded it actually decreases how hard you can hit the ball.

Krylian · June 4, 2021

You shouldn't. I think science concluded it actually decreases how hard you can hit the ball.

Well that's that then.

wilko · June 4, 2021

Back to Japan to dominate.. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/06/giants-release-shun-yamaguchi.html

G-Snarls · June 4, 2021

Back to Japan to dominate.. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/06/giants-release-shun-yamaguchi.html

Good

Charlie would have misused him so badly if we had re-signed him...

wilko · June 4, 2021

Good

Charlie would have misused him so badly if we had re-signed him...

High leverage situations.

G-Snarls · June 4, 2021

Nate Eovaldi has given up ONE home run this season

FFS

BTS · June 5, 2021

Raisel Iglesias comes in with nobody out and the bases loaded in the 8th and preserves a 1-run lead by retiring all six batters he faced.

A bunch of teams missed the boat when LA acquired him for little more than salary relief. He'll be a valuable deadline chip.

Spanky__99 · June 5, 2021

Kevin Pillar, NY's new Black Knight. Superman to Batman!

Brownie19 · June 5, 2021

Is Alex Cobb good again?

King · June 5, 2021

Just filed to ESPN:

Under the plan being swiftly advanced through MLB, umpires will be repeatedly and randomly check pitchers for foreign substances, in a push that could begin within two weeks. Estimates are there could be 8-10 checks per game -- as pitchers depart games.

One of the really interesting details: MLB has essentially built specific foreign-substance scouting reports on pitchers throughout the sport, using video -- some sent in by opposing players. Such as "On his belt, left side." One penalty being discussed: 10 days without pay.

The hope in baseball is that the gentlemen's agreement culture around foreign substances will disappear once umpires start checking pitchers -- and position players -- and that opposing teams will aggressively police each other using video.

The random checks of pitchers could happen as the pitcher leaves the mound from an inning or outing, perhaps reducing the potential impact on pace of play.

Abomination · June 5, 2021

Just filed to ESPN:
Under the plan being swiftly advanced through MLB, umpires will be repeatedly and randomly check pitchers for foreign substances, in a push that could begin within two weeks. Estimates are there could be 8-10 checks per game -- as pitchers depart games.

One of the really interesting details: MLB has essentially built specific foreign-substance scouting reports on pitchers throughout the sport, using video -- some sent in by opposing players. Such as "On his belt, left side." One penalty being discussed: 10 days without pay.

The hope in baseball is that the gentlemen's agreement culture around foreign substances will disappear once umpires start checking pitchers -- and position players -- and that opposing teams will aggressively police each other using video.

The random checks of pitchers could happen as the pitcher leaves the mound from an inning or outing, perhaps reducing the potential impact on pace of play.

I think I like that. Can't wait until fielders in the NL figure out they can "plant" something on the pitcher though if he reaches 1st. :rolleyes: