2015 MLB Season - Let's Play Two!

[ghost of miles]

Yankees-Texas is a wild one tonight, and it's only the top of the second inning.

 

[paul secor]

Yankees-Texas is a wild one tonight, and it's only the top of the second inning.

 

One of the weirdest games I've ever seen. A number of strange plays and I've never seen anything like a game where a team scores five runs on three hits and five walks in the first 2/3 inning, is held hitless by two relief pitchers the rest of the way, and loses 21-5.

[GA Russell]

OK, GA. 

Here are the official rules from MLB.

Please show me where any of them say that any of the pitches we've seen are balks. 

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/official_rules/pitcher_8.jsp

 

Scott, I haven't forgotten about you!  I've just been busy.  I'm looking forward to studying your link, and if I don't find what I like, I'll look for a rebuttal.

[ghost of miles]

Holy crap... Cole Hamels to Rangers, didn't see that one coming:

Phillies trade Hamels to Rangers

 

[Soulstation1]

I hope ARod doesn't win AL Comeback Player 

Even if he hits .400/75 hrs/ 200 rbi

[JSngry]

Holy crap... Cole Hamels to Rangers, didn't see that one coming:

Phillies trade Hamels to Rangers

 

It's been in the wind since last off-season.

[ghost of miles]

What do you think, Jim?  Good move for the Rangers?  I don't know anything about the prospects that they gave up, but seems like a good one... they get Hamels under contract while he's still in his prime for what, two-three more years?

[JSngry]

We'll see...this is a team that should be playing better than it is, but it's also not as good as we'd all like for it to be...pitching has been pitifully  erratic, and it will take more than Cole Hamels to fix it.

But as far as is this deal itself in and of itself one to have made, I think, sure it was. Just...now, where's the rest of them?

[paul secor]

To me, this is a very iffy deal for the Rangers. I don't think they have enough - even with Hamels - to make the playoffs. And if they do, I don't see them going far. As for the future, he has a lot of miles on him, so how will he play out over the next few seasons? As always, time will tell.

[JSngry]

Yes, team needs some more moves to get the rotation (hell, hte battery, period) stronger. We shall see.

As it is, Matt Harrison gone, sentimental favorite, but pretty sure Cole Hamels will hold up better than Matt Harrison.

Playoffs this year? Not using any calender system I have access to.

[ghost of miles]

I'm simply hoping that the Yankees don't give up any of the potential "New Core Four" (Severino, Judge, Bird, and Sanchez or Mateo) to land David Price.  Can't imagine how they'd get him without yielding at least one of those players plus perhaps Nova.  Also, Price becomes a free agent at the end of this season, is 30 years old, and will undoubtedly want a long-term contract.  As uncertain as the Yankees' rotation is at this point (Pineda inconsistent, Tanaka somewhat fragile, CC a disaster against righthanded hitters, Eovaldi decent but rarely able to go more than 5 or so innings), I would rather see NY bring up Severino than give away the future for a rental.

Looks as if I may not have to worry--can switch my concern to the Blue Jays loading up for a run at the AL East title or a wild-card spot:

Blue Jays making major push for David Price

 

Edited July 30, 2015 by ghost of miles

[paul secor]

I'm simply hoping that the Yankees don't give up any of the potential "New Core Four" (Severino, Judge, Bird, and Sanchez or Mateo) to land David Price.  Can't imagine how they'd get him without yielding at least one of those players plus perhaps Nova.  Also, Price becomes a free agent at the end of this season, is 30 years old, and will undoubtedly want a long-term contract.  As uncertain as the Yankees' rotation is at this point (Pineda inconsistent, Tanaka somewhat fragile, CC a disaster against righthanded hitters, Eovaldi decent but rarely able to go more than 5 or so innings), I would rather see NY bring up Severino than give away the future for a rental.

Looks as if I may not have to worry--can switch my concern to the Blue Jays loading up for a run at the AL East title or a wild-card spot:

Blue Jays making major push for David Price

 

Yep. I don't believe in giving up a chance for the long run just to take a chance on one year.

As far as Price goes, I don't see the Yanks giving any 30 year old pitcher a long term contract. I think they learned their lesson with C.C.

[Dan Gould]

Yeah right. They'll be bidding a lot for Price, I'll wager.

 

Goodie needs to be real worried that Price lands in L.A.

Can you imagine a playoff rotation of Kershaw, Grienke and Price?

[ghost of miles]

Exactly what I was thinking, Paul--and Price will want a similar contract, I'm sure.  We got several invaluable seasons out of CC, but as Dan Gould observed years ago, his decline was predictable. 

...and looks like it's over--a report now that the Jays have indeed landed Price:

Blue Jays land David Price

It's going to be an interesting last two months in the AL East.

 

 

[Tim McG]

Dan....no worries. Price went to Toronto.

I worry that the Giants gave away too much to pick up a rental pitcher from the Reds.

A top RHP Kuery Mella for Mike Leake with a 3.46 ERA?  Hmmm. I dunno about the wisdom behind that one.

[ghost of miles]

Pineda just landed on the DL... hoo boy.  Plus Severino has only 50 innings left on his season limit, so even if he comes up and does well, he's probably good at most  for 7-8 starts.  I think NY will still likely make it into the playoffs this year, but I can't see the rotation in its current state carrying us far at all.  Still glad we didn't give up any of the top prospects, though. 

[johnblitweiler]

We lost Billy Pierce today. One of the last of the Go-Go Sox who annually stayed in 1st place until July, when the Yankees would reclaim it. Time and again Pierce would start against the Yankees and Whitey Ford. We'd be winning 1-0 until 2 out in the 7th or 8th or 9th inning, then Mantle or Bauer would get on base followed by clean-up hitter Yogi Berra, and BANG! He ruined my boyhood.

[ghost of miles]

Severino just got promoted, and he doesn't have an innings limit after all: Severino will start next week against Red Sox 

[Tim McG]

Hey Jim...

Looks your guys were a little fiesty last night.  Firing up the Giants can be a dangerous  thing.  ;-)

Edited August 1, 2015 by Tim McG

[JSngry]

Getting the Rangers to play their A-game with any consistency is dangerous too. That's why Arlington is winning all these safety awards.

[paul secor]

We lost Billy Pierce today. One of the last of the Go-Go Sox who annually stayed in 1st place until July, when the Yankees would reclaim it. Time and again Pierce would start against the Yankees and Whitey Ford. We'd be winning 1-0 until 2 out in the 7th or 8th or 9th inning, then Mantle or Bauer would get on base followed by clean-up hitter Yogi Berra, and BANG! He ruined my boyhood.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/01/sports/baseball/billy-pierce-white-sox-power-pitcher-is-dead-at-88.html?ref=obituaries

Billy Pierce and Nelly Fox were two of my favorite players when I was young, even though I was a Giants fan.

Edited August 2, 2015 by paul secor

[johnblitweiler]

Saw the Yankees brutalize my White Sox today 12-3. Seemed like a lot of defensive shifts, like 2 right fielders and a center fielder on the right side and no shortstop or 3rd baseman when McCann came to bat (he singled and scored anyway). Are defenders getting smarter these days or are hitters less skillful?

[Tim McG]

Getting the Rangers to play their A-game with any consistency is dangerous too. That's why Arlington is winning all these safety awards.

Well, your guys got us.

Good luck the rest of the way.

[paul secor]

Saw the Yankees brutalize my White Sox today 12-3. Seemed like a lot of defensive shifts, like 2 right fielders and a center fielder on the right side and no shortstop or 3rd baseman when McCann came to bat (he singled and scored anyway). Are defenders getting smarter these days or are hitters less skillful?

That's one of the great things about baseball, John. There's always a game tomorrow - or the next day, if your team has a rare day off.

And hitters are less skillful. They seem to want to pull the ball no matter what kind of shift the defense has set up. That was fine for Ted Williams. He could hit .340, even against the shift. Not so great for guys who are hitting .250, even if they do hit some home runs.

[JSngry]

The answer to "are defenders getting smarter these days?" is not necessarily, but some organizations are getting wise to how to use spray charts in a more refined manner than ever, thus the increasing number of effective shifts. It's not so much the wave of the future as it is the new here and now, because they work, simple as that. Statistical analysis meaningfully directing game plan.

Hitters are going to have to learn to adapt, but how much of hitting is instinct, and how much of that instinct can be redirected on a consistent basis?