MLB 2023: how ya like it now?

[JSngry]

Is Front Row Amy still around? 

[Dan Gould]

If the established inability of the Red Sox to ever rise past 7 games over .500 weren't enough I just jumped ahead to September's schedule.

They got six total against bad teams (KC and the White Sox)

And the rest against the Orioles, Rays, Rangers, Blue Jays and Yankees.

Their best finish is in front of the Yankees, if that team never wakes up. 

.

[jlhoots]

Brewers sweep Texas.

[HutchFan]

Braves lost today, but still took 2 out of 3 from the Giants.

[JSngry]

1 hour ago, jlhoots said:

Brewers sweep Texas.

They pitched the Rangers really well (barring the last of the 9th of Game One, although they got out of that one finally), although the Ranger pitchers also stepped in it all three games.

The good news is that Seattle also swept Houston, so they stay 2.5 back. The bad news is that the Mariners are now just 3 games back of the Rangers.

This is still an unproven team, these Rangers. I'm still gonna need some convincing.

But I'm more than willing to be convinced....

[ghost of miles]

Ohtani has a torn UCL and likely won’t pitch again till 2025. End of the unicorn show for now, at least.

Edited August 24, 2023 by ghost of miles

[Dan Gould]

5 minutes ago, ghost of miles said:

Ohtani has a torn UCL and won’t pitch again till 2025. End of the unicorn show for now, at least.

Is this some new report you saw, because I see nothing about 2025 on the interwebs and I just searched again.

Shut down for the rest of the season, pitching-wise, yes. And if surgery is decided then 2025 is accurate (and its disconcerting to realize that second UCL surgeries don't have a great track record in terms of recovery or at least length of recovery).

The unicorn might just be a slugger in the future.

[ghost of miles]

I modified my post to say “likely won’t pitch again till 2025,” since it’s quite possible that this injury means he’ll have to undergo a second TJS.

A Twitter commenter pointed out that Ohtani on the mound has been about as good in 2023 as Gerrit Cole, who’s among the front-runners for the AL Cy Young… and then throw in Ohtani’s hitting stats for good measure:

Ohtani 10-5 3.14 ERA 167 K 1.06 WHIP

Cole 10-4 3.03 ERA 170 K 1.07 WHIP

Ohtani 44 HRs .304 / .405 / .664 / 1.069

[JSngry]

That really sucks for and about Ohtani.

And apparently Trout is not ready to play after all.

I don't at all feel sorry for "the Angels", but these are two "generational talents" as they say. They are good for baseball in general, and, for that matter, global society.

But that Arte Moreno guy...geezlewize... 

And on a completely unrelated matter, gotta love them BoSox!!!! 

[HutchFan]

10 hours ago, ghost of miles said:

Ohtani 10-5 3.14 ERA 167 K 1.06 WHIP

Ohtani 44 HRs .304 / .405 / .664 / 1.069

The fact one ballplayer has done all that in one season (before the end of August, even) is INSANE. An incomparable achievement.

SUCH a bummer that he's injured.

 

[JSngry]

But he's still going to keep hitting 5his season, right? Or did I misunderstand that? 

[HutchFan]

Yeah, he's going to continue as their Designated Hitter.

[ghost of miles]

The Martian has landed! 20-year-old Jasson Dominguez clubs a HR off future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander on his very first MLB swing:

 

So great that his family was there to see it.

Jsngry, we’ll try to knock off Houston a couple more times on behalf of your Rangers.

Edited September 2, 2023 by ghost of miles

[JSngry]

Kind of a lost cause at this point. The team is folding. Yes there is still a month left but there's a difference between tough losses and folding. This team is folding. 

[ghost of miles]

On 9/3/2023 at 4:14 PM, JSngry said:

Kind of a lost cause at this point. The team is folding. Yes there is still a month left but there's a difference between tough losses and folding. This team is folding. 

2.5 games ahead of the Astros,  with seven games to go (and only six for Houston)… they’ve put themselves in a good position for the final week in terms of winning the AL West. Me, I’m rooting for Seattle to slide past Houston into the third AL WC slot.

[Dan Gould]

On 9/3/2023 at 4:14 PM, JSngry said:

Kind of a lost cause at this point. The team is folding. Yes there is still a month left but there's a difference between tough losses and folding. This team is folding. 

 

1 hour ago, ghost of miles said:

2.5 games ahead of the Astros,  with seven games to go (and only six for Houston)… they’ve put themselves in a good position for the final week in terms of winning the AL West. Me, I’m rooting for Seattle to slide past Houston into the third AL WC slot.

Strange to realize nobody posted on this thread in between Jim's declaration of surrender to the inevitable and the huge change in their fortunes noted by GoM.

Do I get a prize for knowing that despite the Yankees August collapse that inevitably they would rise back above the Sox?

I am left to hope that the Cubs can navigate their challenging last week (Braves and Brewers on the road) and preserve the Wild Card slot.  If they do then I can hope and pray for a run like the Phils had last year.

[JSngry]

The Rangers bullpen has gotten even less reliable.  Yes they have begun winning again, but none of these wins came without way too much unnecessary bullpen drama.

And their final seven games are on the road. Recent trending suggests that the offense can go cold again, just like that.

Even if they make the playoffs, and regardless of how deep they may go, this team is deeply flawed.

At some point they will pay for it. 

[Dan Gould]

8 minutes ago, JSngry said:

The Rangers bullpen has gotten even less reliable.  Yes they have begun winning again, but none of these wins came without way too much unnecessary bullpen drama.

And their final seven games are on the road. Recent trending suggests that the offense can go cold again, just like that.

Even if they make the playoffs, and regardless of how deep they may go, this team is deeply flawed.

At some point they will pay for it. 

Pretty sure the Phils were deeply flawed in one way or another last year but came within two wins so ... this is why they play the games.

[JSngry]

Yeah, I know. But it's hard to go all-in with a team with these extremes awaiting on any given day.

 

[Joe]

26 minutes ago, JSngry said:

Yeah, I know. But it's hard to go all-in with a team with these extremes awaiting on any given day.

 

I love that they got help this weekend from Bobby Witt Jr. Shades of historic Rangers line-up volatility!

Edited September 25, 2023 by Joe

[JSngry]

Here's the softer than soft underbelly of this team:

https://sports.betmgm.com/en/blog/mlb/blown-saves-stats-most-blown-saves-teams-players-bm03/

That's just...no good. As happy as I am to be the recipient of good "luck"...uh, yeah. 

[Dan Gould]

That Cub loss last night was a gut-punch of the 1969 black cat past the dugout type. I know, Braves, at home, but blowing a lead and then losing like that ... f-ing painful and mostly since my elderly and declining Mother may not have many more memorable Cub seasons left. They got to make it count.

[Brad]

59 minutes ago, Dan Gould said:

That Cub loss last night was a gut-punch of the 1969 black cat past the dugout type. I know, Braves, at home, but blowing a lead and then losing like that ... f-ing painful and mostly since my elderly and declining Mother may not have many more memorable Cub seasons left. They got to make it count.

I caught part of the game last night since the Mets game was rained out and was pretty shocked. I’m going to the Mets Marlins games (DH) today so hopefully the Mets can do their bit to help the Cubs. 

[Dan Gould]

Hope so, Brad! With the Braves and then the Brewers their path is the most challenging of any team this year.

[Brad]

Mets helped out a little today but unfortunately Braves beat Cubs again.