Around Baseball 2022

[Stangstag]

In MTL for some meetings today. Back to Calgary tomorrow. Might have to turn right back around and hit these games too.

 

I went to the 1st 2 games in TOR in '15 after the drought since '93. Sat in depressed shock as we got beat in them both and Cecil got hurt. Odor bombs.

 

Jose and Andrus saved us in Gm 5 I wasn't at.

 

This is such a short series. Literally anything can happen results wise no matter how well you draw it up. Got to drink it all in.

 

Exact same as me dude. Couldn’t bring myself to go to game 5 after sitting through that brutal 14 inning loss in game 2. I made a pretty penny selling the tix though so it wasn’t so bad

[jaysblue]

You're going...

 

See you Saturday Jay!

[jaysblue]

That sounds about right. So like 3pm/4pm for Jays

 

I think I heard on MNF the four time slots are 2PM, 4PM, 6 PM and 8PM if I'm not mistaken. Might have been hearing things haha.

[Grant77]

It will probably impact them very little because they are deep offensively if you use wRC+ instead of batting average.

 

Despite the narrative that the Ms suck offensively, everyone on the team except Adam Frazier has an wRC+ 100 or greater.

 

https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=50&type=8&season=2022&month=0&season1=2022&ind=0&team=11&rost=&age=&filter=&players=&startdate=&enddate=

 

OK Technically Carlos Santana is at 99 despite the fact he is hitting .195 or something. Still has an above average on base percentage and power.

 

Equivalent to the Jays losing Espinal. I haven't watched enough Mariner games to get a feel for how they set their lineup. I guess if Winkler, Frazier, and Crawford are at the bottom together not having Haggerty to pinch hit could hurt a bit, but last time we played them those guys were spread out with Crawford near the top.

 

A player with a diverse skillset that differs from the rest of the team can be a difference maker in the playoffs. I never said he was one of their best hitters.

 

His contact oriented bat, versatility and speed has been useful for a team that:

 

- Carries 3 catchers and has a lot of slow players

- Has multiple poor hitting lefties in the lineup

- Lacks pinch hitting options that make contact

- Has 3 poor defensive outfielders

Edited October 4, 2022 by Grant77

[Olerud363]

A player with a diverse skillset that differs from the rest of the team can be a difference maker in the playoffs. I never said he was one of their best hitters.

 

His contact oriented bat, versatility and speed has been useful for a team that:

 

- Carries 3 catchers and has a lot of slow players

- Has multiple poor hitting lefties in the lineup

- Lacks pinch hitting options that make contact

- Has 3 poor defensive outfielders

 

His skillset is easily replaceable. I don't know the Mariners well enough to tell you who else can do his job. However on the Jays you have Merrifield, Espinal, Moreno, even Vinnie Capra who could pinch hit for lefties and pinch run. You have multiple guys (Bradley, Zimmer) who can sub for outfield defense.

 

Aside from that, there is no magic in the playoffs that makes scrappy role players super-important.

 

Mariners route to winning a playoff series is for their on base guys and power guys to get on base and hit for power. Did you watch the Atlanta/Mets series?

 

The NY Mets have 2 great starting pitchers and a great shut down reliever. Did some scrappy contact guy win the series for Atlanta? No, they hit for power early in the games.

[Grant77]

His skillset is easily replaceable. I don't know the Mariners well enough to tell you who else can do his job. However on the Jays you have Merrifield, Espinal, Moreno, even Vinnie Capra who could pinch hit for lefties and pinch run. You have multiple guys (Bradley, Zimmer) who can sub for outfield defense.

 

Aside from that, there is no magic in the playoffs that makes scrappy role players super-important.

 

Mariners route to winning a playoff series is for their on base guys and power guys to get on base and hit for power. Did you watch the Atlanta/Mets series?

 

The NY Mets have 2 great starting pitchers and a great shut down reliever. Did some scrappy contact guy win the series for Atlanta? No, they hit for power early in the games.

 

He's a legitimately good player and brings more to the table than a Bradley Zimmer. Another average hitter and above average defender/runner doesn't exist on their depth chart, but I digress.

 

Pinch runners and defenders make a difference in the playoffs. It's the reason Tereance Gore was in the playoffs every year and the reason we kept Zimmer all year. I hate this example, but look at what Dave Roberts did.

 

Someone on the Jays bench will win us multiple games if we make a run. It could be Cavan Biggio scoring on a sac fly or getting a big hit. It could be Espinal making a game saving double play. It will happen though.

[Omar]

He's a legitimately good player and brings more to the table than a Bradley Zimmer. Another average hitter and above average defender/runner doesn't exist on their depth chart, but I digress.

 

Pinch runners and defenders make a difference in the playoffs. It's the reason Tereance Gore was in the playoffs every year and the reason we kept Zimmer all year. I hate this example, but look at what Dave Roberts did.

 

Someone on the Jays bench will win us multiple games if we make a run. It could be Cavan Biggio scoring on a sac fly or getting a big hit. It could be Espinal making a game saving double play. It will happen though.

 

I agree with Grant. Short series are all about tactics. The importance of the bench can be magnified based on how the manager deploys them in specific situations.

[G-Snarls]

I agree with Grant. Short series are all about tactics. The importance of the bench can be magnified based on how the manager deploys them in specific situations.

 

A role player like Whit Merrifield can end up winning a series MVP if he contributes all over the place. We've seen it happen...

[Laika]

A short series CAN be about tactics but most of the time they aren't and they are decided by who outslugs the other team or shuts the other team down.

 

So while a player like Haggerty CAN make a big difference it's not like he is likely to matter much at all. In most simulations he plays sparingly and has no impact.

 

Everyone is both correct and wrong.

Edited October 4, 2022 by Laika

[Solaxys]

https://www.mlb.com/mariners/tickets/postseason/watch-party

 

That's pretty cool.

[L54]

We’re going to have to make a rule that Grant and Olerud can’t reply to each other during the WC series if the Jays play the M’s

[wilko]

https://www.mlb.com/mariners/tickets/postseason/watch-party

 

That's pretty cool.

 

That's a great idea! I always thought they could sell virtual seats like that. Setup a fixed camera at places in the stands that you can purchase for a few bucks. Live feed with sound.

[Olerud363]

A short series CAN be about tactics but most of the time they aren't and they are decided by who outslugs the other team or shuts the other team down.

 

So while a player like Haggert CAN make a big difference it's not like he is likely to matter much at all. In most simulations he plays sparingly and has no impact.

 

Everyone is both correct and wrong.

 

A player like Haggerty can make a big difference in a key game, if a spot comes up uniquely suited to his skillset, however his skill set isn't that unique. Jays have multiple guys that can do what he does.

 

So Haggerty is gone, he'll be replaced by someone. Presumably someone fast and scrappy, though that person may not switch hit. Are we saying the difference between the guy Haggerty is going to be replaced by (Dyllan Moore maybe?) , and Haggerty is that significant?

[Laika]

A player like Haggerty can make a big difference in a key game, if a spot comes up uniquely suited to his skillset, however his skill set isn't that unique. Jays have multiple guys that can do what he does.

 

So Haggerty is gone, he'll be replaced by someone. Presumably someone fast and scrappy, though that person may not switch hit. Are we saying the difference between the guy Haggerty is going to be replaced by (Dyllan Moore maybe?) , and Haggerty is that significant?

 

Dylan Moore probably plays more than Haggerty

 

I would guess that Taylor Trammell would replace him on the roster?

[Grant77]

We’re going to have to make a rule that Grant and Olerud can’t reply to each other during the WC series if the Jays play the M’s

 

This all started because I called them a mediocre playoff team and he went nuts trying to make them out as this elite behemoth. It's nice that we get to find out which is true in short order.

[Orgfiller]

A player like Haggerty can make a big difference in a key game, if a spot comes up uniquely suited to his skillset, however his skill set isn't that unique. Jays have multiple guys that can do what he does.

 

So Haggerty is gone, he'll be replaced by someone. Presumably someone fast and scrappy, though that person may not switch hit. Are we saying the difference between the guy Haggerty is going to be replaced by (Dyllan Moore maybe?) , and Haggerty is that significant?

 

Not to get involved in this, but the reason the Jays have a lot of guys with Sam Haggerty's skillset is they just simply have a significantly stronger group of position players, which speaks to their depth.

[Spanky__99]

This all started because I called them a mediocre playoff team and he went nuts trying to make them out as this elite behemoth. It's nice that we get to find out which is true in short order.

 

I believe this all started when you and the 3 Darrel's got into it when you said the Mariners are/were historically bad team last season, you haven't stopped bashing them since. lol

[Olerud363]

This all started because I called them a mediocre playoff team and he went nuts trying to make them out as this elite behemoth. It's nice that we get to find out which is true in short order.

 

You are detached from reality, or trolling me, and I stupidly take the bait. I never called Seattle an elite behemoth, I just said they aren't a historically bad wild card team. What I said 2 weeks ago was...

 

"You are acting like Seattle is a historically bad playoff team, and going on and on about it, passive aggressively mentioning it in unrelated threads. They are not. They are pretty much what you'd expect from a wild card team that improved at the deadline."

 

Every time something even a little bit negative happens to Seattle you are here, going on and on about it.

[Olerud363]

I believe this all started when you and the 3 Darrel's got into it when you said the Mariners are/were historically bad team last season, you haven't stopped bashing them since. lol

 

Last year Seattle really was bad. 92 OPS+, 105 OPS+ this year. -50 run differential last year, +60 this year.

[Spanky__99]

Last year Seattle really was bad. 92 OPS+, 105 OPS+ this year. -50 run differential last year, +60 this year.

 

I understand that, but there was a bruha on this forum involving Grant and Laika/BTS/Boxcar... etc... either last year or the Covid year, over a Mariner team debate.

[Jimcanuck]

We’re going to have to make a rule that Grant and Olerud can’t reply to each other during the WC series if the Jays play the M’s

 

I kinda enjoy their banter.

[wilko]

I kinda enjoy their banter.

 

Sadist!

[Grant77]

You are detached from reality, or trolling me, and I stupidly take the bait. I never called Seattle an elite behemoth, I just said they aren't a historically bad wild card team. What I said 2 weeks ago was...

 

"You are acting like Seattle is a historically bad playoff team, and going on and on about it, passive aggressively mentioning it in unrelated threads. They are not. They are pretty much what you'd expect from a wild card team that improved at the deadline."

 

Every time something even a little bit negative happens to Seattle you are here, going on and on about it.

 

You are the person that said 'historically bad" and then you just quoted yourself to somehow prove that I said it? Mediocre is the term that I used.

 

It's pretty clear who is trolling here and you are doing a good job of it.

 

This particular exchange started when I *gasp* said that one of their players was good. Now I'm being negative? Nice mental gymnastics.

[Grant77]

I understand that, but there was a bruha on this forum involving Grant and Laika/BTS/Boxcar... etc... either last year or the Covid year, over a Mariner team debate.

 

The futility of their franchise history is really an entirely different discussion. I remember we were comparing their most recent stretch to the Angels.

 

 

There's an entire 4 hour video on this that's really worth a watch. I like our expansion cousins just fine. Everyone knows about it when I don't like a team and there's one in particular that sure as hell isn't Seattle.

[Spanky__99]

Judge hit 62 to lead off the game. Yankee and AL record, cool.

[Masterbather]

Judge hit 62 to lead off the game. Yankee and AL record, cool.

 

No American League or national league record ever gets treated like this unless it's the major League record.

 

So is everybody done pretending that they're celebrating the "American League" record and just admit that they're celebrating what they believe to be the major League record?

[Spanky__99]

No American League or national league record ever gets treated like this unless it's the major League record.

 

So is everybody done pretending that they're celebrating the "American League" record and just admit that they're celebrating what they believe to be the major League record?

 

Okay, NYY record, feel better. It's actually a really great season and accomplishment, my bad.

[Masterbather]

Okay, NYY record, feel better. It's actually a really great season and accomplishment, my bad.

 

I didn't mean you in particular, I mean all the media hoopla around what people claim to be a celebration of the American League record when in fact we all know no one ever cares about those records.

[Spanky__99]

Verlander through 3 innings, No-no... 8 K's!

[Spanky__99]

I didn't mean you in particular, I mean all the media hoopla around what people claim to be a celebration of the American League record when in fact we all know no one ever cares about those records.

 

I know, was just being facetious as it's great for baseball and NYY Lore, they get so much hype because of their fanbase volume, and history.