Around Baseball 2021

[BigCecil]

Barnes in for 3rd game in a row for the Red Sox to close out the Yanks. Regardless of outcome, I guess some teams value sweeps and aren’t satisfied with 2/3. Who knew?

[BTS]

lmao @ that called strike 3 to Odor to end the 9th. Roboumps now.

[BigCecil]

lmao @ that called strike 3 to Odor to end the 9th. Roboumps now.

 

Nobody I loathe more than Odor but that was a disgraceful strike call on full display on Sunday Night Baseball. Ump show. ********.

[BTS]

Nobody I loathe more than Odor but that was a disgraceful strike call on full display on Sunday Night Baseball. Ump show. ********.

 

And then a brutal strike call on Dalbec in the 10th. This is embarrassing for the sport.

[BTS]

The Odor PA:

 

[BigCecil]

And then a brutal strike call on Dalbec in the 10th. This is embarrassing for the sport.

 

It really is. I’m tired of the excuses for umps about how hard a job it is. And then it’s the fault of the strike box and not the umps etc etc. It is a hard job and they are well paid. Who cares? The game is what needs to be protected. Not the umps. There is a simple solution for it. Robo umps.

[King]

And then a brutal strike call on Dalbec in the 10th. This is embarrassing for the sport.

I swear these calls happen in every game these days. I've never been one to hate on umpires, but it's been terrible this season.

 

The Odor strike doesn't make any sense. How could a major league umpire make this call? Is he seeing double? In what world is does that cross the strikezone?

 

 

It's mind-numbing.

Edited June 7, 2021 by King

[King]

DJ LeMahieu is dogshit again.

[BTS]

DJ LeMahieu is dogshit again.

 

Was just going to post this. Dude sucks.

[Ray]

Not sure what happened to the Yankees offense seemingly overnight. #1 team in the AL by OPS and runs scored in 2020, 11th in 2021. That's a steep decline, and over a pretty large sample at this point.

 

This is more than just the dead ball. Almost everyone besides Aaron Judge is severely underachieving. Stanton is the only other guy who has been halfway decent offensively, but he's not even DH'ing regularly right now. Dude sits out so many games, it's ridiculous.

[L54]

I want Trevor Bauer in Toronto just so half this board is miserable every single night he makes a start. Single handedly forced the MLB's hand to crack down on cheaters and people still hate him!

[Spanky__99]

I want Trevor Bauer in Toronto just so half this board is miserable every single night he makes a start. Single handedly forced the MLB's hand to crack down on cheaters and people still hate him!

 

lol... Preach!

[Brownie19]

He's just unbelievable. I've never seen a pitcher dominate like he has this season.

 

The insane thing is Corbin Burnes is essentially matching him so far.

[G-Snarls]

Not sure what happened to the Yankees offense seemingly overnight. #1 team in the AL by OPS and runs scored in 2020, 11th in 2021. That's a steep decline, and over a pretty large sample at this point.

 

This is more than just the dead ball. Almost everyone besides Aaron Judge is severely underachieving. Stanton is the only other guy who has been halfway decent offensively, but he's not even DH'ing regularly right now. Dude sits out so many games, it's ridiculous.

 

Yankees 4th lowest in runs scored per game in all of baseball

[AI9764]

Boston pitching is giving up less than a home run per nine innings pitched, compared to 1.38 HR/9 for the Jays and 1.11 HR/9 for the Yanks. Due for regression (especially as the weather heats up)? It's like their whole staff has been kissed by Lady Luck.

[G-Snarls]

Boston pitching is giving up less than a home run per nine innings pitched, compared to 1.38 HR/9 for the Jays and 1.11 HR/9 for the Yanks. Due for regression (especially as the weather heats up)? It's like their whole staff has been kissed by Lady Luck.

 

They really seem to be outperforming any maintainable level of performance

 

They've also played the Orioles 11 times and the Rays 3 times

[Ray]

Red Sox may be outperforming based on season projections, but they’re not really getting lucky, per se. They were a great hitting team last year, and they are a great hitting team this year. I don’t think that’s going to change going forward.

 

Last year, they legitimately had one of the worst pitching staffs in their history which is the real reason they were terrible. This year, they have a staff ERA of 3.83 and a FIP of 3.41, so technically their pitching has actually been unlucky thus far. I don’t expect that to continue, but I don’t think it’s going to fall off dramatically either. They’re probably a league average pitching staff at this point.

 

They’re going to beat up on bad teams. All they have to do is go .500 against the good teams to really make the postseason, which is more than possible.

[glory]

Not sure what happened to the Yankees offense seemingly overnight. #1 team in the AL by OPS and runs scored in 2020, 11th in 2021. That's a steep decline, and over a pretty large sample at this point.

 

This is more than just the dead ball. Almost everyone besides Aaron Judge is severely underachieving. Stanton is the only other guy who has been halfway decent offensively, but he's not even DH'ing regularly right now. Dude sits out so many games, it's ridiculous.

 

I think the dead ball has hurt the Yankees more than most teams. They were built around the home run. Their lineup is full of RH sluggers (in Yankees Stadium no less) and the only non-slugger who actually puts the ball in play consistently is DJLM who can't hit for power anymore because the new ball is going to hurt wall scrappers the most. Their lineup aside from Judge and (when healthy) Stanton is a mess. I'm curious to see what type of changes they make at the deadline because they desperately need to add some variety into the lineup.

[BuffaloWings]

I think the dead ball has hurt the Yankees more than most teams. They were built around the home run. Their lineup is full of RH sluggers (in Yankees Stadium no less) and the only non-slugger who actually puts the ball in play consistently is DJLM who can't hit for power anymore because the new ball is going to hurt wall scrappers the most. Their lineup aside from Judge and (when healthy) Stanton is a mess. I'm curious to see what type of changes they make at the deadline because they desperately need to add some variety into the lineup.

 

Living in WNY it's a joy to hear all the Yankee fans calling for both Boone and Cashman to be fired after the loss last night. If I were Cashman I'd try and move Judge now while he is healthy. They need a reset in the worst way. They are old, over paid and their best asset was more than likely cheating to maintain the success he was having on the mound. I dont think its coincidental that Cole has one win in his last 6 outings after starting the season like a rocketship.

 

They need help at Catcher, 2nd base, and probably need a complete restock in the outfield. Sell while Judge's stock is high. No shame in seeing if they can load up on younger more athletic players.

[Laika]

I think the dead ball has hurt the Yankees more than most teams. They were built around the home run. Their lineup is full of RH sluggers (in Yankees Stadium no less) and the only non-slugger who actually puts the ball in play consistently is DJLM who can't hit for power anymore because the new ball is going to hurt wall scrappers the most. Their lineup aside from Judge and (when healthy) Stanton is a mess. I'm curious to see what type of changes they make at the deadline because they desperately need to add some variety into the lineup.

 

DH - Stanton - fine, some injuries

RF - Judge - good

3B - Urshela - 105 wRC+, probably what was expected reasonably speaking

SS - Torres - 106 wRC+, they will want more power but he's at 1.4 fWAR and playing good D per the stats so not sure Yankees fans should get greedy on him

2B - DJLM - huge disappointment, hilarious, he is the Rockies version of himself again. K rate way up too. Hopefully this is the new old DJ.

1B - Voit - big injury loss so far. should be a big boost when back and healthy

LF - Frazier - huge disappointment, looks like a replacement level player, the breakout in 2020 was a mirage?

C - Sanchez/Higashioka - Yankees should count their blessings that Higashioka exists and Sanchez has been useful. Pretty obvious that Gary Sanchez is now a Rob Deer type catcher and nothing more.

CF - Gardner/Hicks - this is just poor roster construction, right? Why are these old farts your CF tandem in 2021?

 

In summary:

Some bad luck but also some poor roster construction and, more than anything, an overreliance on your own genius and a series of breakout players.

Regression to the mean is a powerful thing. Odds were that not all of Urshela, DJLM, Voit, and Frazier would sustain their breakouts. Probably should have traded Urshela and not committed to DJLM and instead moved to get younger and more athletic. Worst BsR in baseball!

[Brownie19]

Remember how much people wanted the Jays to sign DJL?

[Brownie19]

Kelenic and Hiura are sent back to the minors. How the f*** can Kelenic's defense be so bad? -2.3 in 23 games?

[Brownie19]

I wonder what it would take to land Kikuchi or Marco Gonzales from Seattle. Both off to horrible starts, but under control for another 3-4 years.

[z3r0s]

I wonder what it would take to land Kikuchi or Marco Gonzales from Seattle. Both off to horrible starts, but under control for another 3-4 years.

 

I wouldn't say Kikuchi has been terrible.

[Laika]

I wonder what it would take to land Kikuchi or Marco Gonzales from Seattle. Both off to horrible starts, but under control for another 3-4 years.

 

Kikuchi's options are not small. He's interesting from a stuff perspective but I'm not really interested in paying him $16.5M per year through 2025!!!

 

Gonzales, not really into it either. Throws 88 now.

[Brownie19]

Kikuchi's options are not small. He's interesting from a stuff perspective but I'm not really interested in paying him $16.5M per year through 2025!!!

 

Gonzales, not really into it either. Throws 88 now.

 

That's fair - I always thought Gonzales survived on smoke and mirrors. Isn't it club options each year from 2022-2025? $13M in 2022 and then $16.5M in 2023-2025. If you only have to pick up one club option at a time - I'm cool with that. That might be better than signing Robbie Ray for say 3 years $36M-$40M

[Laika]

That's fair - I always thought Gonzales survived on smoke and mirrors. Isn't it club options each year from 2022-2025? $13M in 2022 and then $16.5M in 2023-2025. If you only have to pick up one club option at a time - I'm cool with that. That might be better than signing Robbie Ray for say 3 years $36M-$40M

 

No, Kikuchis contract sucks. Team has to decide at end of 2021 whether or not to pick up all four option years at 16.5. if they don't he gets a player option for 2022 for 13

[THANOS]

That's fair - I always thought Gonzales survived on smoke and mirrors. Isn't it club options each year from 2022-2025? $13M in 2022 and then $16.5M in 2023-2025. If you only have to pick up one club option at a time - I'm cool with that. That might be better than signing Robbie Ray for say 3 years $36M-$40M

 

To be honest, I'd prefer extending Ray. I trust Ray paired with Pete. The dude is K'ing everyone and limiting his walks. He's a pitch mix adjustment away from lowering that HR rate and then he's an ace.

 

I would live and die by that type of potential.

[RustyTrombone]

To be honest, I'd prefer extending Ray. I trust Ray paired with Pete. The dude is K'ing everyone and limiting his walks. He's a pitch mix adjustment away from lowering that HR rate and then he's an ace.

 

I would live and die by that type of potential.

 

I really hope that the reason for his uptick in stuff and control isn't due to some goop he has been slathering on the ball....

[Brownie19]

No, Kikuchis contract sucks. Team has to decide at end of 2021 whether or not to pick up all four option years at 16.5. if they don't he gets a player option for 2022 for 13

 

OH - f*** - nevermind then.