Around Baseball 2025

[jaysblue]

1 hour ago, Terminator said:

Mariners needed to add another bat and a reliever. They made some good additions to the lineup but stopped just short.

Their bench is embarrassing but I suppose they feel that Robles and Raley can return and give them a boost in the form of platoons?

But that roster plays up in the playoffs because of the formidable playoff rotation and top heavy bullpen. Fangraphs has them as the most likely team in the AL to advance to the WS right now, just edging us out.

Yeah their roster plays very well in a short playoff series. Having both Kirby and Gilbert possibly pitching twice in a series, and with their top heavy bullpen which they'll be able to use frequently given the # of off-days gives them a nice advantage. 

As for their lineup, they rely on the long-ball with Raleigh and Suarez, but we've seen in close games where a HR could be the difference. 

Still a lot of baseball left until October, so anything could happen and change. But yeah out of all the AL teams right now, they're the ones I'm most worried about facing in a 5 or 7 game series. 

[Terminator]

AL is such a crapshoot. Even a team that's unlikely to make it in the Rangers would be formidable. The only team in contention that doesn't seem like a threat is the Guardians.

[jaysblue]

4 minutes ago, Terminator said:

AL is such a crapshoot. Even a team that's unlikely to make it in the Rangers would be formidable. The only team in contention that doesn't seem like a threat is the Guardians.

Would be hilarious after having a fire sale, the Guardians take the last WC spot from the Yankees and make it all the way to the World Series haha. 

Tigers had a fire sale last year and ended up winning a WC spot and going to the ALCS, so anything is possible. Wouldn't count Cleveland out lol. 

[Jays24]

8 minutes ago, jaysblue said:

Would be hilarious after having a fire sale, the Guardians take the last WC spot from the Yankees and make it all the way to the World Series haha. 

Tigers had a fire sale last year and ended up winning a WC spot and going to the ALCS, so anything is possible. Wouldn't count Cleveland out lol. 

Would love to see Bieber shove it to Cleveland in the playoffs lol.

[glory]

Yeah the only team I wouldn't be afraid of as an AL playoff team is the Guardians but otherwise any of the Jays, Tigers, M's, Astros, Red Sox, Yankees, and Rangers could come out of the AL and it wouldn't surprise me. Really wide open field even ignoring the crapshoot nature of baseball. 

[Brownie19]

It sounds like the playoffs are a crapshoot to me.  The "favourite" in each matchup will likely be expected to win about 55% of the time.  

[John_Havok]

9 minutes ago, Brownie19 said:

It sounds like the playoffs are a crapshoot to me.  The "favourite" in each matchup will likely be expected to win about 55% of the time.  

Thats just it, the playoffs, and how they're structured with the off days basically level the playing field. 

Depth doesnt matter nearly as much. The top 3 starters and top 3 pen arms from team to team in the post season don't really have a massive gap. 

I think the Jays are probably the deepest team in the AL... but none of that really matters in short series unless all kinds of crazy s*** happens 

[mphenhef]

2 minutes ago, John_Havok said:

Thats just it, the playoffs, and how they're structured with the off days basically level the playing field. 

Depth doesnt matter nearly as much. The top 3 starters and top 3 pen arms from team to team in the post season don't really have a massive gap. 

I think the Jays are probably the deepest team in the AL... but none of that really matters in short series unless all kinds of crazy s*** happens 

The Jays depth comes into play in game too as they can play matchups and platoons with all of their end of the bench guys and usually do so without burning multiple guys since they can shift people all over the diamond.

[John_Havok]

Just now, mphenhef said:

The Jays depth comes into play in game too as they can play matchups and platoons with all of their end of the bench guys and usually do so without burning multiple guys since they can shift people all over the diamond.

That is a plus for sure

[jaysblue]

Will be interesting to see who the Jays top 3 starters are in the ALDS. They'll be able to set up the rotation the way they want if they avoid the WC round, which will be nice.

Assuming Bieber is healthy and shows elite form, he's your Game 1 starter. The other two starters I would go with right now would be Scherzer in Game 2 and a toss-up between Gausman/Lauer for Game 3. Since the beginning of July, Gausman has looked like his old self and if he continues, probably go with him. A lot will be determined on matchups/lineups and also if Lauer keeps up pitching the way he has. 

Still 1.5 months left of baseball so a lot could happen from now until October. 

[hanton]

8 hours ago, Brownie19 said:

The rule is actually that you can't stand on the mound without the ball and my understanding is that any part of the dirt is considered the "mound"...

The pitcher cannot straddle the rubber or stand on it without the ball, not sure what other rule you are referring to.

[Brownie19]

5 hours ago, Pendleton said:

 

Ranked 13th of 15 umps on the day, that would have normally flown completely under the radar otherwise. The first call was pretty funny though 

Blair talked about this today as obviously people are taking pot shots at her for finishing 13th on the day.

She's a replacement ump (which I didn't know) who's filling in for a ML guy.  Therefore, you should expect she's one one of the worst.  She's a AAA ump. If she finished 5th overall, that would look bad on the ML umps as they should be better than her... otherwise, she's umpiring at the wrong level.

Makes sense to me.

[hanton]

1 hour ago, jaysblue said:

Will be interesting to see who the Jays top 3 starters are in the ALDS. They'll be able to set up the rotation the way they want if they avoid the WC round, which will be nice.

Assuming Bieber is healthy and shows elite form, he's your Game 1 starter. The other two starters I would go with right now would be Scherzer in Game 2 and a toss-up between Gausman/Lauer for Game 3. Since the beginning of July, Gausman has looked like his old self and if he continues, probably go with him. A lot will be determined on matchups/lineups and also if Lauer keeps up pitching the way he has. 

Still 1.5 months left of baseball so a lot could happen from now until October. 

I think it's too early but give me Scherzer in Game#1 (Scherzer leads all starters in K/9 and the entire pitching staff in BB/9).

The history says Atkins and company will rely on the their data to determine who starts who comes in next etc.  

 

[hanton]

Pitchers going deep into games today, Abbott 100+ vs Phillies (last I checked in the 8th), Zebby Matthews 99 currently bottom 6 and he's coming out vs Yankees (well not that deep for Zebby but high pitch count, 9 K's)

[Spanky__99]

On 8/10/2025 at 10:47 AM, hanton said:

Rarely see this, can't stand on the rubber without the ball.  Balk

 

That's inexcusable, lol.

[hanton]

30 minutes ago, Spanky__99 said:

That's inexcusable, lol.

Yea.

(I had to watch it a few times)

It might have worked but Peralta didn't know the rule or maybe he forgot.  Machado had the ball at 3B (hidden) which is fine and he tried tagging Duran who was on/around the bag - but Peralta was also on the rubber - so that's a balk.

[Laika]

Lmao just saw this side angle of the Ohtani non check swing 

[Spanky__99]

10 hours ago, jaysblue said:

LOL. You can also say the Jays are overrated as well, but won't go there though since I'm enjoying this season and not going to get into back and forth bickering with someone like you.

 

10 hours ago, Orgfiller said:

Why do all your arguments sound like a child saying "no u"? Embarrassing man. It's not all about the Blue Jays.

lmao... this is hilarious, you can't opine dude.  One would say you were tarred and feathered. 😅

[hanton]

9 minutes ago, Laika said:

Lmao just saw this side angle of the Ohtani non check swing 

The overhead shot is even more telling - that shot has gone kind of viral on social media but as we all know (because we watch a s*** ton of ball) the ump doesn't always get these correct.   I had no idea he went based on watching it at regular speed.

[Terminator]

6 hours ago, mphenhef said:

The Jays depth comes into play in game too as they can play matchups and platoons with all of their end of the bench guys and usually do so without burning multiple guys since they can shift people all over the diamond.

Yeah and bullpen depth is huge too.

It doesn't have any elite talent but it is really deep. It's basically a collection of solid 7th and 8th inning guys. As we saw yesterday, we can yank a starter and effectively decide to do a bullpen game and still beat a top tier team.

The Mariners have a better playoff rotation but they need their starters to give them 6-7 innings because they only have 3 good relievers. 

[Terminator]

Red Sox are getting pounded by the Astros and will drop to 4.5 back

I tried telling everyone that they would fade but once again no one LISTENS

[Terminator]

Also, who was arguing with me about how good they think Alex Freeland is already?

I can't remember but Freeland put up an 0-fer in the series and is slugging .222 right now lmao

Another example of someone who didn't LISTEN

[John_Havok]

23 minutes ago, Terminator said:

Red Sox are getting pounded by the Astros and will drop to 4.5 back

I tried telling everyone that they would fade but once again no one LISTENS

7-6 now. Don't take your victory lap quite yet. 

Though I truly hope you end up being right

[Spanky__99]

27 minutes ago, John_Havok said:

7-6 now. Don't take your victory lap quite yet. 

Though I truly hope you end up being right

Held on 4.5 back... 😉 They didn't have their high leverage relievers available today, all 3 of Hader/Abreu and King. Javier pitched well in his debut after settling in after the 1st.

[Spanky__99]

7 hours ago, John_Havok said:

Thats just it, the playoffs, and how they're structured with the off days basically level the playing field. 

Depth doesnt matter nearly as much. The top 3 starters and top 3 pen arms from team to team in the post season don't really have a massive gap. 

I think the Jays are probably the deepest team in the AL... but none of that really matters in short series unless all kinds of crazy s*** happens 

What Brownie said isn't wrong, bruh.

[Terminator]

We might need the Red Sox to win these next two games.

Holding off the Astros for a bye is probably a bigger concern than holding off the Red Sox for the division.

[Spanky__99]

19 minutes ago, Terminator said:

We might need the Red Sox to win these next two games.

Holding off the Astros for a bye is probably a bigger concern than holding off the Red Sox for the division.

Sure would help.

[hanton]

Campero destroyed his leg trying to catch a home run by Muncy, he went up and came down shin first on the edge of the short right field wall.  OUCH.  Carting him off on a stretcher.  Sucks because he was only in the game because Adell was ejected earlier in the game.

[G-Snarls]

9 hours ago, Brownie19 said:

It sounds like the playoffs are a crapshoot to me.  The "favourite" in each matchup will likely be expected to win about 55% of the time.  

Yes 

So what does that make the odds of losing 6 in a row?  Pretty low but we've somehow done it. 

[hanton]

cool interview, Skubal Talks Pitch Tipping, Umpires, and Facing MLB Legends