Brownie19

I get it. I'm not picking a side at all. I'm just curious how people see this and I'm fascinated at the harsh outburst from fans and players. I find it interesting that some people can draw lines and say 'oh that cheating, that's fine, but this other cheating, that's crossing the line and i'm furious and everyone should be shot and tear down those banners'. How do you draw that line? How do players call out other players when they know they have teammates who also cheat (even if it's at a different 'level' in their mind). Will this scandal make players think twice about 'cheating' this year and in the future? Will pitchers stop using foreign substances? Will teams stop trying to decode signs from video and stealing signs in game (without using technology)? Will players reconsider using PEDs?

First - my original post was to simply create the discussion on whether cheating is cheating - or whether there are different levels of cheating. You obviously believe the later, but can't comprehend this type of complex discussion...instead you revert to insults even though I never really expressed any opinion or side on the matter (I just asked questions). Second - you believe nobody speaks out or complains about pitchers using foreign substances or PED's because 'everyone is doing it'. To start, that doesn't make it right man. Also, at some point - not everyone was doing it. Someone started it. When only a few teams or 'some' players are doing it. Are you saying you'd be totally OK with teams stealing signs using in game technology if this became wide spread and 'everyone was doing it'? Third - you actually have no idea whether certain pitchers actually benefit more than others from the foreign substances - or whether some teams actually have a better 'product' than other teams. I mean there are likely tons of teams trying to decode and steal signs....the Astros were perhaps just the most advanced. Fourth - if you found out that teams were hiring chemists to come up with special mixtures that pitchers were using to improve their grip and spin rates? Would that be organized enough to make you, fans and other players care? I wouldn't be surprised in the least if that's already happening. Nobody, including the league seems to give a f*** about pitchers using sunscreen and rosin - so why not take it to the next level? Fifth - players get penalized heavily for PED use. That's great, but if they've used it for years (without getting caught) and it helped them win divisions, awards and titles...why wouldn't other players be furious at them? Do they decide not to be furious simply because they probably have teammates who are doing the same thing and they don't want to hurt their poor little feelings? Isn't that pathetic?

It's going to be ironic when a pitcher reaches for the rosin and Bullfrog sunscreen mixtures on his arm to get some extra grip before hurling a ball at the back/head of an Astros batter. He'll sure show him what happens to dem cheaters!!!

Why don't players speak out against PED users and pitchers using foreign substances? Is it simply because half their teammates are also cheating? Or did they decide that cheating isn't 'as bad'?

Man - I'd love to know what the proposed deal actually was. It sure seemed like a slam dunk deal for the Angels, which now appears to be off the table because Art don't wait for nobody. Brilliant.

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/minor-leaguers-to-be-paid-more-not-enough/ Minor league players get a 40% raise! still grossly underpaid, but a step in the right direction I guess.

Brock Holt signs with the Brewers. Good little pickup for them.

How do you guys feel about categorizing cheating? Do you believe that all cheating is cheating and it should be punished similarly? Do you believe we should 'rank' cheating into different levels and penalize them differently? If so - how do you decide those levels? I mean it's universally known that almost every pitcher in baseball is using a foreign substance to gain grip. That's cheating. Is it 'OK' because everyone is doing it? Why isn't the baseball world losing their minds over it? Is it because they assume it doesn't have a major impact on outcome of the game? I mean in this new world of spin rates and strikeouts - why isn't there more focus on this? Do we know whether it gives some pitchers more advantage than it does other pitchers? Do we know if some teams have a better 'product' than others? Do we know when pitchers started using it? Was it one (or a handful) of teams using it originally and did they have an advantage over the rest of the league for a year or two? I find it fascinating that fans are losing their minds over the Astros. Change the record books, life suspensions, etc...when there's probably all kinds of cheating going on in baseball. It's fascinating that players will speak out against the Astros - yet I don't remember Bellinger (or other players) speaking out against other players and even his own teammates who were using PEDs and cheating. Why not? Why isn't there talk of throwing at players coming back from PED suspensions? discuss.

yes. obviously it does or I wouldn't have pointed it out. duh.

how many times are you going to share this opinion?

Made me tear up this morning watching the memorial videos on Sportsnet. Brought back so many great memories of my childhood. A class act and truly one of the best Blue Jays ever. He will be missed. I was able to show old highlight videos of Tony to my 9 year old son today (who's a SS himself). He was amazed at how smooth he was and how he could throw it from any angle. RIP Tony.

That's an incredible joke. Keep bringing the goods EastCoaster!!!

Can I get clarification on what I'm reading? Is this saying that in 2019 there were 691 times that a relief pitcher was pulled from a game without facing at least 3 batters or finishing the inning? And in those 691 appearances, those pitchers got absolutely torched? Is that just suggesting that situational pitching changes don't work?

I was joking - but in this case, PED's and the man in white are the obvious answers Boxy.

RIP Borucki.

This is shaping up as an early "thread of the year" candidate.

Also curious where Beans got those numbers. Although my perception is that baseball has been generally going away from lefty/righty match ups over the past few years. I could totally be wrong, but now that everyone out of the pen throws 95+, it seems like the soft throwing LOOGY's have been kind of pushed aside. I mean the Jays haven't had a true LOOGY for awhile now (Mayza could get both sides out).

how else does Gio Urshela become David Wright over night?

You can just fake an injury...

The 3 batter rule will just create new strategies and new 'games within the game'. 8th inning of a tied game, 2 out, runners on 2nd and 3rd. Do you bring in the lefty to pitch to the other teams top left handed hitter? If he walks that hitter, he has to stay in to face their top right handed batter who tears up LHP....

I guess the question is....is making the playoffs really that exciting when there's a very slim chance of winning - or even hosting a playoff game at home (see fangraphs breakdown). If the answer is 'yes - I'll be super excited to see us make the playoffs even if our chances of winning are <5%' - then I guess you'll support more teams.

I don't know man. While I understand that from a WAR perspective, he might be more valuable as a full time RFer, you can't deny it's pretty exciting and unique to see a player who can dominate on the mound and in the batters box. Selfishly - I hope we get to see what he can do as a starter/DH over a couple full seasons. Then it would be interesting if they transitions him into a RF/DH/RP. The other consideration is the Angels probably have an agreement with Ohtani in terms of how he'll be used. They may not yet have the ability to change the original approach (which was part of his original signing).

Top 4 teams in each 'league' make the playoffs (ie, 8 total?) Regarding the replay review....is that what the NBA is doing? Are the coaches just making decisions based on what they see (or what their players say) v. waiting for some guy to look at the replay? I fully agree with this approach.

anyone know how many days off they actually get in a season? I thought teams got like 3 or 4 per month. I'm not sure reducing that is a good idea. That said, I would like to see the # of days off in the playoffs reduced. Keep the strategy more consistent to what you'd see in the regular season.