Around Baseball 2021

[King]

Randy Dobnak extension is going excellently.

[EastCoaster]

Mets first baseman Pete Alonso is criticizing the MLB on allowing the baseball to be altered to deter mega contract to player in free agency. Alonso claim last year when it had a high number of pitchers who's contract were up to free agency the MLB allowed juiced baseball so player had higher averages higher numbers of homeruns and RBI which in turn gave pitchers higher ERA's going into free agency. This year he claims higher number of position players contract are up to free agency the MLB altered the baseball again as showing all the numbers a down across both leagues showing pitchers having the upper hand with lower ERA's players having lower averages less homeruns and RBI's.Pete claim the MLB is siding with the owners to discredit free agency.

[Laika]

It's a stupid opinion. The teams all care about adjusted/relative production, anyway.

[Ray]

We maybe should’ve resigned Taijuan Walker.

 

[BTS]

We maybe should’ve resigned Taijuan Walker.

 

 

I still don't think he's better than Matz or Ray.

[Jimcanuck]

Walker has improved pretty consistent with the improvement timeline coming back from major arm injury.

[glory]

I haven’t seen recent starts but the one start I saw of Walker this season he was pumping 96-97. Given that he missed two full seasons due to TJS and his first season back was a 60 game season, it’s certainly possible that he’s recovered and turned the corner. Let’s see how he does the rest of the season.

[max silver]

I still don't think he's better than Matz or Ray.

 

Walker's been great up to this point, but I have a hard time seeing him maintaining a 3.6 HR/FB percentage going forward. He also has a sizeable gap between woba and xwoba, so he's a prime candidate to experience some regression in his results.

[Stangstag]

I haven’t seen recent starts but the one start I saw of Walker this season he was pumping 96-97. Given that he missed two full seasons due to TJS and his first season back was a 60 game season, it’s certainly possible that he’s recovered and turned the corner. Let’s see how he does the rest of the season.

 

I liked him last year and would have loved to have him back, but that contract was/is definitely risky given his injury history. I guess its not much money overall but its not nothing.

 

Maybe if we weren’t wasting 12mil on Roark we could have signed him...

[G-Snarls]

I'm not sure my fandom would survive this, not gonna lie.

 

I've never gone back to watching hockey since their last lockout /etc

[G-Snarls]

I liked him last year and would have loved to have him back, but that contract was/is definitely risky given his injury history. I guess its not much money overall but its not nothing.

 

Maybe if we weren’t wasting 12mil on Roark we could have signed him...

 

I was happy they re signed Ray instead of Walker, though I would have been fine with either

 

Walker has had the better first 1/3 season

 

But Ray has been good too and I still think he holds up as well or better going forward

 

In the case of Roark it was clear he had to go. Im glad they ate it and didn't wait any longer to dump him

[G-Snarls]

Only the NFL could have a work stoppage and not lose fans

 

I'd bet that if the NFL missed a full season that when it came back, the first month the TV ratings would actually go up compared to usual

[max silver]

I was happy they re signed Ray instead of Walker, though I would have been fine with either

 

Walker has had the better first 1/3 season

 

But Ray has been good too and I still think he holds up as well or better going forward

 

In the case of Roark it was clear he had to go. Im glad they ate it and didn't wait any longer to dump him

 

It seems to me that the Jays didn't have a lot of interest in signing anybody for more than a year or two other than early target Gausman. Understandably the club intended to give Roark one final opportunity to prove that he wasn't totally cooked. Atkins mentioned wanting to provide opportunity to young rotation candidates, with guys like Pearson, Manoah, Hatch and Woods Richardson all at or rapidly approaching MLB ready status it's not hard to see why the front office didn't want to tie up too many rotation spots. With the rash of injuries and poor performance it's definitely easy to second guess not signing anybody else for the rotation, but in the end the bullpen ended up being the bigger concern despite really being beefed up in the offseason.

[TwistedLogic]

I'm not sure my fandom would survive this, not gonna lie.

 

I'm not concerned about this for myself because I just took more than four years off baseball, lol.

 

The stoppage will definitely cause irreparable damage for the league and its popularity though.

[G-Snarls]

...in the end the bullpen ended up being the bigger concern despite really being beefed up in the offseason.

 

Indeed

 

A healthy Yates and Merryweather and the bullpen sure looks different

[max silver]

Indeed

 

A healthy Yates and Merryweather and the bullpen sure looks different

 

Losing Phelps for the entire season really hurts as well. He was filthy in the short stint of innings early on.

[G-Snarls]

Finally read/heard more about Spider Tack

 

Didn't realize it was designed for weightlifting competitors to help them keep a grip on 600 lb Atlas stones during competitions:

 

Currently sold out on Amazon:

 

https://www.amazon.ca/Spider-Tack-Competition-Grade-9oz/dp/B004309NLK

 

[insert joke about Gerrit Cole buying it all here]

 

 

[Laika]

Mitch Keller is awful lol

[Stangstag]

Finally read/heard more about Spider Tack

 

Didn't realize it was designed for weightlifting competitors to help them keep a grip on 600 lb Atlas stones during competitions:

 

Currently sold out on Amazon:

 

https://www.amazon.ca/Spider-Tack-Competition-Grade-9oz/dp/B004309NLK

 

[insert joke about Gerrit Cole buying it all here]

 

 

 

Jesus, that second photo...

 

Yeah this stuff should 100% be illegal and enforced

[Deadpool]

As an added bonus, Garret Cole won't be leaving any fingerprints behind at any of his many, many B&Es. (Little known fact about Garret Cole, he breaks into and robs houses as a hobby...)

[TwistedLogic]

[Laika]

Deadpool, you should know better. Posting the article is fine but the "lunatic" commentary is political and just bait for anyone of a different slant than you.

[Sorrow]

Spidertack really works well on atlas stones but I could never imagine trying to throw a baseball with it.

 

I've used rosin and sunscreen and chalk and sunscreen mixes in strongman lifts as I find even spidertack on the weights I'm dealing with almost too sticky.

[Laika]

Spidertack really works well on atlas stones but I could never imagine trying to throw a baseball with it.

 

I've used rosin and sunscreen and chalk and sunscreen mixes in strongman lifts as I find even spidertack on the weights I'm dealing with almost too sticky.

 

I imagine they just use like, a teeny tiny bit of the residue of the stuff on the pressure point of their spin finger(s).

[BigCecil]

Watched JD hit a long shot off Chapman in the 9th yesterday and then freak of nature Nelson Cruz turn around 98 to hit an even bigger walk off bomb. Just wow. Not for the PED episode Cruz is a HOF'er. To be creating this consistent EV at his age is unworldly. The only other that I can think of off of the top of my head is Papi.

 

Was good for my soul this am.

[Brownie19]

Watched JD hit a long shot off Chapman in the 9th yesterday and then freak of nature Nelson Cruz turn around 98 to hit an even bigger walk off bomb. Just wow. Not for the PED episode Cruz is a HOF'er. To be creating this consistent EV at his age is unworldly. The only other that I can think of off of the top of my head is Papi.

 

Was good for my soul this am.

 

Bonds had a 233 wRC+ at the age of 39. Let that sink in. Drugs are a beautiful thing.

 

Adrian Beltre crushed ball late into his 30's also.

[Stangstag]

Bonds had a 233 wRC+ at the age of 39. Let that sink in. Drugs are a beautiful thing.

 

Adrian Beltre crushed ball late into his 30's also.

 

Cano was kinda the same too. Started getting better into his later years in Seattle.

 

No doubt all these old sluggers are on SOMETHING.

 

Actually the fact Bautista fell off a cliff after age 35 kinda helps his case that he never roided in the first place.

[Jimcanuck]

Buxton 4-5 with 2 HR, 1 triple so far in his 2 games of rehab. Bring him up!

[TwistedLogic]

Not good news for Jays fans who want Scherzer at the deadline, or for fans of baseball in general.

 

[glory]

The stoppage will definitely cause irreparable damage for the league and its popularity though.

 

That's why I don't see it happening. New TV deals kick in starting in 2022, it will be full capacity from the jump, and chances are expanded playoffs will be negotiated into any deal so the owners have a lot of incentive to have the season. The players obviously do as well. After all the losses in 2020 and likely some loss in 2021, no one benefits from a work stoppage. My guess is there will be an ugly, public, and completely nauseating public fight between the two sides but they'll ultimately agree to something at the last minute. Maybe that's wishful thinking on my part but money will eventually win out in the end.