Hydrogen bomb (Dodgers) vs coughing baby (everyone else): 2025 MLB regular season thread!

Starting this now cos the Japan series is in like two days? And I wanted to link this article about Dave Roberts ahead of that.

https://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgers/story/2025-03-13/dave-roberts-japanese-heritage-tokyo-opening-day

The Dodgers’ acquisition of Japanese stars Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki has made Roberts a baseball celebrity in Japan. It has exposed him to a culture he once rarely encountered, only at home through his mom and on occasional trips to Okinawa while growing up.

It also has come at a point in life where the 52-year-old skipper feels “more secure with who I am,” he said, and “much more confident in doing a deeper dive into where I came from.”

wait, shouldn’t the st. louis cardinals be in the thread title for the regular season? because they’re going all the way this year

jk about the cards, sadly, but i do honestly think the dodgers won’t win the WS this year though, even though of course on paper it seems like a foregone conclusion. why? baseball’s weird

Thread title jinx 😎

Oh should have linked in the original post, but Jeff Passan’s regular season preview is really good!

https://www.espn.com/mlb/insider/story/_/id/44195789/mlb-season-preview-2025-jeff-passan-bold-predictions-breakout-stars-fantasy-tips

Some interesting facts about various teams:

Twins:

The best thing I heard all spring: Cory Lewis' knuckleball is almost ready for the big leagues. A ninth-round pick in 2022, Lewis -- who finished last season at Triple-A -- has averaged 83.5 mph on 13 knuckleballs this spring.

It is by far the hardest version of the pitch ever seen at the professional level. San Diego's Matt Waldron averaged 77.6 mph on his knuckler last year. R.A. Dickey topped out at 77.3 mph. While Lewis mixes it with a 90 mph fastball as well as a slider, the knuckler will be the pitch that gets him to Minneapolis.

The best thing I heard all spring: The noise from the crowd outside the fencing on a Mariners backfield. Members of the team's front office had gathered with great anticipation to take in a one-of-a-kind live batting practice. When Jurrangelo Cijntje pitches, he can run one of his fastballs up to 98 mph and the other to 93. And this isn't a four-seamer/sinker situation. It's right hand and left hand.

In a moment where the best player in the world hits and pitches at an otherworldly level, the shock of a switch-pitcher -- not a slopmaster like Pat Venditte but a true-blue power arm -- shouldn't be quite as acute. Be forewarned: It is. Even if Cijntje, taken in the first round last year as the Mariners continue a tremendous run of draft classes, is a couple of years from the big leagues, the 21-year-old is no novelty. The stuff will play, and the power switch-pitcher will be a reality.

Something you might not know: Only five of MLB's 30 teams have never won a World Series: the Brewers, Mariners, Rays, Rockies and, yes, the Padres. (The Mariners are the lone team never to have even made it to one.)

I’m feeling good about the Cubs for the first time in a few years, though I haven’t been to bummed about their lack of success in the post World Series win era just because knowing that era is only nine years and not 117 is pretty nice.

Jeffers' response is the kindest shut the fuck up i have heard in a while. There was an interview with Cease on MLB Network a few days ago where he was talking shop - it's not hard to find alternatives to Bauer.

I’m feeling good about the Cubs for the first time in a few years, though I haven’t been to bummed about their lack of success in the post World Series win era just because knowing that era is only nine years and not 117 is pretty nice.

What a beautiful morning

Yama's last season opening Asia trip still in the memory but it's a new day! Ready for these splitter boys to do some splitting

Ohtani’s batting stance is so unusual looking from that straight on angle, looks almost like he’s threatening the pitcher. Maybe to make himself look more intimidating like goalies do during penalties.

Hopefully Freddie Freeman just has the clubhouse shits.

Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman was scratched from today’s lineup with left rib discomfort.

:|

Yama through 1 was all I asked for this game. Everything herein is a bonus.

Empty seats behind home plate wtf Japan?

Steele-Imanaga or Imanaga-Steele is such a sexy 1-2 and maybe the only LHP pair at the top of a rotation?

Ump in form

Joey Votto is there!
https://i.postimg.cc/T1DXNQKh/IMG-3077.jpg

Jed Hoyer: Shohei just coming out for batting practice was amazing, the reaction he’s like…
Commentator: Elvis
Jed Hoyer: Taylor Swift

That was a real "I'm getting a hit this ab whether you like it or not" swing from Ohtani

Just when you get hyped for the Cubs season...

you realize Counsell is involved in in-game management and that alone sucks all the wind out of your sails.

Tbf to Counsell the throwing philosopher managed to suppress the Dodgers last season & was doing a decent job again before he got taken out… probably on a pitch count limit. Iirc Passan mentioned Ben Brown as a real possibility for making this rotation but this probably isn’t the best evidence for that.

ah ok, finally there's movement in the bullpen

Also, Cubs taking Reese McGuire to Japan is an accident waiting to happen

“I can’t even look at King Tuck in another uniform” - the Astros fan I am married to

Commentator: I did not expect them to be playing EDM music…that’s a curveball…Tokyo, Japan never ceases to amaze

Who is this hayseed?!

guess i'm getting up early to watch tomorrow's

i only had to get up a little earlier than usual and it was pretty cool sipping my coffee and catching a few meaningful innings this morning.

Honestly it was pretty boring but Justin Steele has a new mountain man look & I haven’t watched a game he pitched in like ten months and I haven’t seen Sasaki at all so hoping it’s better. Also hope for good news on Freeman

i am also feeling mildly optimistic about the cubs but it's interesting that they don't have a starter who throws harder than ... 93?

thank god for baseball

xp soft contact merchant Imanaga has maybe one of the best middle infields in the game behind him, plus Imanaga and Taillon both finished top 10 in adjusted ERA+ for NL starters last year. Justin Steele is also a soft contact merchant and had the lowest HR/9 rate in the NL in 2023. It’s antithetical to the Rays or Dodgers but it works for them.

i am also curious if the white sox will actually be worse this year. it doesn't seem possible but they lost crochet and will presumably trade robert at some point.

i'm sure they have some young guys ready to prove themselves – but literally can't think of a single one off the top of my head.

They got Braden Montgomery off the Red Sox in the Crochet trade and Kyle Teel; both are top 100 prospects who’ll contribute to the rebuild significantly. Montgomery could have gone 1st overall if he didn’t break his ankle. Whoever they get for Robert Jr should too. Colson Montgomery is going to be a stud too.

Is Robert the only ChiSox player who got drafted in the fantasy league this year?

And their top pitching prospect in the system (16th overall) had this writeup:

Schultz has done a nice job honing an upper-80s changeup that can get a bit firm but is a solid offering that fades in an opposite direction from his slider. He has advanced body control for a pitcher who is so large and so young, and his control and command both grade as better than average. His frame, arm angle and slider prompt inevitable comparisons to Randy Johnson, but Schultz is a much more polished pitcher at the same stage of development.

Both Smith's fastball and slider are well-above-average pitches. His four-seamer works at 94-97 mph and reaches 100 mph, playing even better than its impressive velocity because his funky delivery and low release height create plenty of deception and carry. His slider is his best offering, an 83-87 mph beast with horizontal and vertical action that overwhelms lefties and also works against righties.

As a Cubs fan, I still hope the White Sox return to competitive relevance, Chicago is a lot more fun when both of those teams are doing well. And I’ve always had a soft spot for them because they kept my baseball fandom going in the immediate aftermath of the Cubs basically letting Greg Maddox walk because they didn’t want to cough up $35 million for his peak era. Those White Sox teams in the early to mid 90s were legitimately fun and awesome.

I mean, actually I think all the way through that 2000 season when Frank Thomas finished second in the MVP voting, they were just a blast.

I’m not sure Mookie Betts could afford to lose “a bunch of weight”!

Can’t believe I just had to hear a commentator say “Roki Sasaki is from a little town in Japan with a load of letters” in the age of pronunciation guides.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KYS6xeoBnc

Steele looks like he just emerged from a cave in the mountains with that hair and unblinking stare, I would NOT be fumbling pitches at the plate if I was the catcher

Btw Roki Sasaki being considered a “prospect” is extremely stupid and bad

Ohtani’s walkup being Michael Bublé’s cover of Feelin’ Good is Bad For The Game.

are there any MLB stadiums that don't have dirt along the paths between bases? looks so strange.

48 pitches, 19 strikes for Roki. yikes

Could write a doestoevskian psychological novel on this inning

Love to see the crowd behind him. Nasty strike outs following the walks, glad Roberts left him in to figure it out

I don’t think the mound has seen a guy visibly sweating that much trying to find the zone since Lincecum

Mountain man Steele should be allowed to descend from the mound and dish out a few slaps if his godawful defence lets him down again

Embarrassing

Poor Dino Ebel

A slop merchant with a league leading lowest home run rate in his last full season giving up a home run to a guy whose OPS hasn’t topped 700 in years has got to be on the lower probability of outcomes.

You don't know big stage .875 OPS Kiké

Good to see Luis Garcia is still terrible

(Yeah it's not the post season but bright lights kike is legit over a sizeable sample size of 86 game/230 ab's. Dumb stat shared on the broadcast last post season: Kike has the 4th highest road post season OPS (1.077) of all time minimum 75 plate appearances, trailing Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth and Carlos Beltran)

that's not an unimpressive collection of names there tho

god it bums me out the potential Nate Pearson had going for him

Oh yeah

Did a fan interfere with that?!

Yeah that’s a joke sorry

Oh yeah - confirmed

That kid can fly

Pete Crow-Armstrong getting people chanting PCA in the Tokyo Dome is one of the funniest parts of this series

“They’re booing the Cubs intentionally walking Ohtani.”
“Of course they are, you’re not paying three and a half grand to see Ohtani being walked. Cowards!”

Shaw has a julio franco thing going on

I was going to say why didn’t they pinch hit for him but saw the bench…bad options

It was cool to see Sasaki giving Tucker the Bonds treatment... the bases loaded BB is the ultimate sign of respect imho

ok i finally realized that hydrogen bomb vs coughing baby is a meme

but i still find it bit offputting that the team that is a proxy for japan is being associated with nuclear weapons…

anyway enough of the concern trolling, the dodgers look like they havent missed a beat have they

MLB ‘evaluating’ Diversity Pipeline Program, strikes DEI references from its website

Maybe they can remove Jackie Robinson Day as well? Seems to be the trend.

Mookie Betts has lost between 20-23lb with a mystery illness and still no diagnosis, sounds fucking terrifying tbh

ianad but when i was in japan last month there was a lot of news of spiking norovirus cases:

https://i.imgur.com/7DbPQnu.png

yesterday the government addressed it:
https://evrimagaci.org/tpg/japans-cabinet-office-warns-of-rising-norovirus-cases-286098

it's been going around the theater community in NYC too

Mookie says that it predates the Tokyo trip. Wilyer Abreu on the Red Sox missed almost all of spring training with a mystery “gastrointestinal ailment” that they had to keep doing bloods(!) on him for, he also lost over 20lb (though he is a stockier fellow so it wasn’t making him frail like you’d imagine Mookie would be).

A separate virus, probably norovirus, swept through Red Sox camp and knocked 10–15lb and about a week’s playing time off everyone who had it.

Maybe patient zero (Mayer & Anthony had it first) spread it to everyone else via this event

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25170606-inside-walker-buehlers-coffee-prank-red-sox-prospects-roman-anthony-marcelo-mayer

A Major League clubhouse does not strike me as a place where you’re going to get 100% adherence to washing hands before exiting the bathroom and going straight to the clubhouse spread iykwim

might also be full of a lot of guys who "do their own research"

Mookie down to 157 lbs, that's insane

grim aside but did u see that thing about brett gardner's kid?

I did indeed, what an awful thing to happen

might also be full of a lot of guys who "do their own research"

Thread title jinx 😎

God I hope so. FTD

coughing baby has infected team

Ippei's revenge 😈

Dad’s izakaya must catered before the big send off

(Seriously get well soon Mookie)

in chinese there’s a saying if one day you eat something that gives you food poisoning you should spend the next ten days eating soup (basically brothy, bland foods like congee and soup stock)

mookie i’m happy to share this ancient chinese wisdom with you should you need it

ty

(tbf my username is based on having pwnd mookies on the basketball court 30+ years ago but i guess language changes and also i think mookie betts is wonderful)

https://www.t-mobile.com/benefits/mlb

​​Get free MLB.TV

When you’re a customer, thanks to Magenta Status. Score a FREE MLB.TV subscription for the 2025 season, a $149.99 value.

Don’t miss out! You can only redeem this benefit March 25-March 31.

I'm set for 2025, not sure how much I'm invested anymore and not sure how much I will use the Posey thread to cry into my beer. But it's free and I'm set up.

pinching pennies atm so mlb.tv is off the budget (for now). See how those streaming websites turn out

also: $105mil, 6 more years of the https://www.easternplanthire.com/wp-content/uploads/caterpillar-757f.jpg

https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/qYINv2k4J4FN_5wMDMhkghThick=/1400x1400/filters:format(jpeg)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25293277/usa_today_21465013.jpg

Some very sexy Opening Day matchups:

Skubal-Snell
Skenes-Alcantara
Steele-Gallen

I'm set for 2025, not sure how much I'm invested anymore and not sure how much I will use the Posey thread to cry into my beer. But it's free and I'm set up.

If/when Birdsong gets sent down, the River Cats will have a pretty good rotation (Harrison, Birdsong, Hjelle, Lucchesi, Winn?).

Maybe even better than the team they're sharing their stadium with.

I haven’t followed closely but Giants Twitter is really high on Birdsong and his development and thinks he could be a #2 in short order?

he lost out on the #5 rotation spot (to Roupp) and may be sent down to get stretched out as of local sports radio yesterday.

Ty I had missed that!

stupid european here, what's a fun team of plucky losers I can follow this season?

the reds are fun

xp choose an east coast team cos the west coast time difference is very difficult

Reds are a good pick, Elly de la Cruz is an incredible player

good point, I can watch some games on a channel here but the west coast ones will be on in the middle of the night. will look into Reds!

Where do you live

UK

Yeah, I think if you want losers with some hope the Reds and Pirates are a good bet. If you want losers without hope, living in a town without pity, you could go with the White Sox.

xp same as me. If you really want to watch it, the MLB app is your best bet, however it costs like £160 for the year. So your better bet is to download the app and watch the free games on there until they send you a 50% off code for the subscription. It’s honestly worth it, you can watch everything that way instead of relying on whatever BT sport shows.

ooh top tip, will try that. I love the sound of baseball broadcasts more than anything, just leaving it on in the background while I do other stuff is v appealing

https://www.t-mobile.com/benefits/mlb

​​Get free MLB.TV

When you’re a customer, thanks to Magenta Status. Score a FREE MLB.TV subscription for the 2025 season, a $149.99 value.

Don’t miss out! You can only redeem this benefit March 25-March 31.

― Bee OK

yo thanks so much for this! i would have never known

Dodgers/Yankees are the Real Madrid/ManU mass-appeal easy starter teams to like, incredibly popular with vanilla overseas fans.

Orioles are a niche east coast friendly team. Nice stadium too. Rich history, young team bursting with raw talent.

If you hate yourself and the world at-large, I recommend following a team that even the owner and the players themselves hate: The Athletics...

They are a bedouin team with no real home.

Jacob Wilson is my darkhorse for ROY

him or Roden

My company just sent an email out that they are showing Mets-Astros on the big screen in our conference room with snacks for opening day. LFGM!

oh that reminds me! I started a new job this last summer and the owner is a big Dodger fan, she told me that the Dodger hat in the background of my video interview was a deciding factor in getting me an in person.

Companies that have the right priorities.

The Mets backup catcher (actually the third catcher but Alvarez is injured) works at Whole Foods during the offseason due to being a career minor leaguer. Hopefully big league salary means he can afford not to do that.

I read a whole article about him. Great story and hope this opens up some new opportunities for him.

Jeff Passan tweeted about a reliever on the Nationals earlier:

“From Home Depot to home opener: Washington right-hander Brad Lord, who worked at the home-improvement store moving mulch and Christmas trees over the winter, has made the Nationals and will be in the bullpen for Opening Day on Thursday against Philadelphia.”

it’s the most, wonderful time, of the year 🎶

god i needed this

^^^
Basketball and hockey were both black holes from jump street for me this year. I'm so ready.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GnC21DRWQAAt1we?format=jpg&name=small

Happy Opening Day, ILBB! May all our studs stay healthy and may all our prospects prosper!

First med exam means missing first pitch. Will have to settle for Gilbert x Severino (go mariners). It's nice for the world to return to normality for another 7 months

HE’S READY
https://i.imgur.com/vCeoICm.jpeg
HE’S READY
https://i.imgur.com/lY3u6wI.jpeg
HE’S READY
https://i.imgur.com/7CVdRoQ.jpeg
THEY’RE MUNCY
https://i.imgur.com/zrT7KBb.jpeg
HE’S READY
https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/ar_16:9,g_auto,q_auto:good,w_1024,c_fill,f_jpg/mlb/ikxgi8wacktrbmyuttqh
THEY MIGHT BE READY
https://i.imgur.com/rvrOwKb.jpeg

Oh and for user SV:

HE’S A CUBBIE

https://i.imgur.com/0IKKsRP.jpeg

https://www.branson-reese.com/archive/2017/9/14/mr-met

Also Cam Smith getting called up to the Astros is the best thing I’ve seen this week. There’s going to be a lot of young guys making their debuts today, got to be an incredible time for them

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWUQ7txkxEI

MLB app is not working for me
Why are they micing up Rhys Hoskins

Thank you Red Sox Stats for posting the lineup video so I could see Rangers playing Bad Guy for Cora running out lmao

MLB tv app or mlb tv also not working for me too. Come on already.

yeah it's down

Tyler O’Neill! 6 in a row!

You think they would have figured out how to handle the server load for opening day after doing this for two decades

Because MLB.TV is down, I switched to ESPN who are broadcasting the Yankees b Brewers game. Joe Buck is calling this game!

MLB APP IS BACK

…watched Devers strike out cos he’s still rusty from barely playing during spring training

not for me

Force reset it

I thought bc I’m on vacation in New Mexico I’d get to watch the cubs game without it being blacked out but instead it’s blacked out bc they’re playing the diamondbacks

Great pitcher's duel between Skenes and Alcantara going on.

Watching Crochet-Eovaldi. This ump’s strike zone is already pissing me off. Baseball is so back.

Fun commentary in this game about which players had the shits during spring training and how much weight they lost

Mackenzie Gore of the Nationals had struck out 12 through five innings last I checked btw

My guy for fantasy!

Once they bring in the robo-challenges they could dispense with the totally inaccurate made-up overlay zone on TV because it won’t correspond with the actually accurate zone though I doubt they will because we can’t have nice things

Four run Top 9th for Giants, wow.

Were down one

white sox are a juggernaut

The Padres are going to be better than we think again.

Action keeps interrupting these riveting on-field interviews I've been waiting all winter to watch.

Ohtani delivers in the home opener

No doubt

Angels got absolutely throttled by the CWSox last night and had to resort to a position player pitching (Nicky Lopez, former '24 CWS IF).

Lopez was the only Angels pitcher who didn't surrender a run.

The Apple TV+ announcers for the Orioles/BJs stink. I don't know why they don't use the local guys or something.

You can have Joe Buck if you want (he called the Yankees opener)…just want to punch that guy in the face so badly

classic pirates bullpen opening-day pitching line

https://i.imgur.com/qc1UbeW.jpeg

I’m sorry for Twitter but Jack Leiter had a Hans Moleman moment on the mound and it cracked Garrett Crochet up

Jack Leiter takes one off the tip pic.twitter.com/PqYpAUot9k

— Red Sox Stats (@redsoxstats) March 29, 2025

bednar update, game 2: UNDER INFINITY

https://i.imgur.com/LSBYaek.jpeg

he probably deserves his own thread but i lack the energy for that

Mookies still got enough weight on him. Wow

Betts, that is

I was surprised that call at the plate was overturned tbh

Tommy Edman just performed three separate brilliant defensive plays for three outs to save the dodgers in the 9th. A really tough scoop at 2nd, a diving save on a ball up the middle to a quick throw to first, and then a relay to the plate just in time to get the winning run out. Absolutely bailed Tanner Scott out

Xp same. It's the right call but so close that I though call on the field would stand.

Ughhhhhh it was just begging for an edman walk off to cap off the best single player 9th inning performance. The contact sounded good too

Wow

yep

Nestor Cortes…he’s a great pitcher…got that fastball…

That has to be a first (HR on first three pitches of the game).

Judge grand slam, Milwaukee throwing batting practice

Chisholm home run right after lol

Yankees: first team with 7+ HR since the A’s on July 14 of last season and first time the Yankees have done so since Sept. 16, 2020 against Toronto.

NY lineup can still mash

Buster Olney says

The MLB record for homers in a game by one team is 10, in 1987. The Yankees have 7 in the first three innings.

Pretty sure the 10 HR was the Jays.

https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/2024/9/14/24244622/today-in-jays-history-jays-hit-10-home-runs

We’re still in spring training right

Ball seem to be flying this year #sss caveats apply

was just coming here to ask if they fucked with the ball again. lots of hits/HRs and the weather hasn’t even warmed up yet

sus

i LOVE the directly-over-the-mound camera angle for TEX-BOS. dead on. is this just an arlington thing? is this a trend?

single POV

Skipping between broadcasts - digging the camera angle, but def enjoying the Rangers broadcasters more

Oh - turns out they were using the radio audio. I’m into it

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6240911/2025/03/29/yankees-new-bats-torpedo-home-runs/

Sasaki is wild (derogatory)

You can't help but feel for a guy sweating that much on the mound. Out after 1.2ip. He's got the stuff, man just looks so nervous!

I thought Sasaki looked "better"* this time than he did in Tokyo tbh... but yeah, still very much a WIP.

Silver lining: at least there's no worries about him hitting an innings-limit any time soon...

steve shasta who are you rooting for these days

Mariners playing beer league softball defense right now

steve shasta who are you rooting for these days

― mookieproof, Saturday, March 29, 2025 8:24 PM (fifty-seven minutes ago)

my fantasy team tbh

oh no : /

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6240911/2025/03/29/yankees-new-bats-torpedo-home-runs/

― na (NA), Saturday, March 29, 2025 9:46 PM (yesterday)

gotta say these look kinda... sexual

lol, the yankees bats are really something...

when does the league step in?

Jazz Chisolm Jr HR/AB:

2024: 4%
2025: 25%

xp either the league steps in or every other team quickly makes copybats

i was thinking the latter

Are the bats even illegal? I assume as long as they meet the league’s specs they’re allowed. Aaron Judge is continuing to use his normal bat btw.

What the fuck happened in this walk off

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YQK-UDIuYM

Many are using the bats! Not just NYY! Also ball seems juiced

hilarious to think there's a very real chance the braves start the season 0-7.

“What the fuck happened in this walk off”

which one lol

Marlins Pirates game 3

well as temptingly cruel as it would be to say “the pirates happened” it does seem that endy rodriguez took it entirely upon himself to single-handedly lose that game

profar peds？？

80 games

Irrelevant

peeeete alooonso

About time the offense showed.

A's - Cubs making an argument for the mercy rule

Should be illegal to have two Corbins on the same team, but I also think this about the Red Sox and their two Romans (and their two Garretts).

Nate Eovaldi going for a cgso in Cincinnati

Wow, a Maddux for Eovaldi (SO, 99 pitches)!

so the dodgers are going 162-0 eh?

Nate Eovaldi going for a cgso in Cincinnati

― triste et cassé (gyac), Tuesday, April 1, 2025 8:50 PM (yesterday)bookmarkflaglink

Wow, a Maddux for Eovaldi (SO, 99 pitches)!

― NoTimeBeforeTime, Wednesday, April 2, 2025 4:36 AM (six hours ago)

had to laugh thinking about the people who showed up a bit late to this game and missed wyatt langford's solo homer three batters into the game and settled into their seats thinking they were about to see yet another great american ballpark home run derby or at the very least one more run

so the dodgers are going 162-0 eh?

― 龜, Wednesday, April 2, 2025 7:15 AM (two hours ago)

fun fact: Dodgers don't own the highest run differential in MLB, NL nor the NL West.

The entire NL West is off to a surprising 21-6 (.778) start.

padres and dodgers both feasting on the braves, who look absolutely horrible

i was really anticipating a bounce-back season in ATL but their "best" hitter right now is Ozuna, Riley looks as lost as Devers, Profar signing was vv quickly a disaster, etc

xp Not entirely unexpected to me, as they were so bad in the 2nd half last year and stood pat over the winter except for lolProfar. Sure there was some bad luck, but in general the whole team looks like they're waiting for Acuña and Strider to show up and tell them what to do.

Giants are off to a great start at 4-1 on their road trip and find themselves 2 games out in third place LOL

i don't think the braves are actually going to be bad but they have morphed from this young cost controlled nucleus that was going to dominate the NL for years on end to a roster that just feels kinda old and creaky now? olson hit 30 and fell off a cliff, riley and albies are 28 and crashing + albies has missed huge chunks of seasons recently. sean murphy is 30 and might just be a write off at this point. the michael harris II situation is less explainable but when you look at his BABIP numbers his first two seasons when he was actually hitting it's a bit scary obviously when you have a cy young candidate and mvp winner both suffer year long injuries you're gonna look a lot worse but their line up has seemed to crater way faster than i'd have to imagine most anyone was anticipating. and their minor league system is essentially bereft of high level hitting talent drake baldwin aside

Matt Olson has played 162 three straight seasons; have wondered if/how often he might have been playing through something cos they never sat him. He’s only 31, can’t just rule out something like that. Phillies lineup feels like it’s kind of approaching that turning point too.

the michael harris II situation is less explainable but when you look at his BABIP numbers his first two seasons when he was actually hitting

actually just remembered i read this the other day on fangraphs

Harris hit just .250/.295/.358 (80 wRC+) with an 89.3 mph average exit velo, 5.9% barrel rate, and .393 xSLG before missing two months — from mid-June to mid-August — due to a left hamstring strain. After returning, he improved to .283/.318/.506 (125 wRC+) with a 92.2 mph exit velo, 15% barrel rate, and .560 xSLG. His overall 99 wRC+ was still 16 points below his 2023 mark, and his 2.0 WAR — bolstered by outstanding defense (11 DRS, 8 FRV) — was just over half the prior year’s 3.8. Paralleling [Julio] Rodríguez, Harris fell 43 points short of his .461 xSLG, the majors’ 18th-largest gap. At 24, his odds of bouncing back are high — if he can stay on the field.

however when i was watching them the other night he just looked completely lost at the plate vs glasnow. struck out his first two ABs on six pitches, basically looked like they had pulled someone out of the crowd. he singled and homered later in the game but didn't look like someone close to going on a tear or anything (0-4 last night)

Would wait and see because early season teams are getting exposed to pitchers unleashing their new stuff and you’d expect scouting reports to be a little behind to begin with - healthy Glasnow is a monster

Hold on a second, MH2 homered off Tanner Scott? Tanner Scott who left handed batters have managed 9 home runs in 567 plate appearances against?! Cmon man lol

Squeeze bunt walk off for the Brew Crew, perfect execution by Turang

To piggyback on what Steve Shasta and octobeard said upthread:

NL West after one week:

Team W L Diff
Dodgers 7 0 +21
Padres 7 0 +25
Giants 5 1 +14
DBacks 3 2 +8

Dodgers play tonight but they're going 162-0, so they will only add.

Braves will lobby MLB to never open on the West Coast.

The Devers slump is over, scorched an RBI double. Let’s never do that again.

3 errors in 1.1 for the Dodgers + a brutal bunt hit on Snell. Braves small balling 3 runs into effect WS game 5 style

okay apparently just 2 errors on the scorecard but it's kinda 4 errors in spirit.

these dodgers

Crazy

rich-man's padres

or just the padres

Ketel Marte + Jackson Merrill + Garret Crochet all sign 100mil+ extensions within 24hrs

LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani hit a tiebreaking home run in the ninth inning on his bobblehead night, lifting the unbeaten Los Angeles Dodgers over the winless Atlanta Braves, 6-5, on Wednesday.

https://media1.tenor.com/m/7MOJO_mG7lsAAAAd/never-lose-again-streak.gif

Two teams in the same division 15-0; that surely is the first time.

what happens if you get a base hit and fail to do your team's gesture-of-the-year (red sox 2025: 'let it eat'; orioles 2025: something involving fishing)? do you get fined?

feel like these should only be pulled out for XBH but i am old

kinda want an article about how and who decides these gestures for each team. it would be absolutely stupid as hell, but at least a relief from the torpedo bats discourse

2015 Jays did a little stirring-it-up hand motion, the first time I ever noticed such a thing. Does every team have one now?

feels like it has been a thing for many years

agree that non-RBI base hits do not warrant a little mime

Bregman was asked what the Red Sox one, which looks like the classic “film” gesture from charades means; he smirked and said, you need to ask El Rey (Romy Gonzalez). Could be related to the camcorder they took turns using during spring training? I haven’t seen a guy fail to do it because when they get on they look to the dugout and the dugout does it back to them. I do think the team runs a kangaroo court so possibly a fine is in place, yeah. They also do old school things like rookies carrying beer coolers on road trips and backpacks with snacks. However the flip side is veterans buying the rookies suits and picking up their dinner etc.

There was also this element which is as yet unknown?

pic.twitter.com/cCcBdShf7F

— Red Sox Stats (@redsoxstats) April 3, 2025

Btw Reds losing 1-0 to the Brewers with 0 ER on the pitcher (unearned run due to missed catch) has to be brutal baseball luck, good Lord

i'm not a fan of the mets new one this year, feels like a boxer hitting the speed bag maybe?

smacking the baby last year was better

freddie getting injured slipping in the shower feels like homer at the bat. looking forward (not in a malicious way ofc) to the dodgers dropping one by one to increasingly bizarre non-baseball injuries as the season goes on

Only thing about that was that’s the ankle he had surgery on after the end of the season - you imagine they are very cautious with him though.

willson contreras is 1-for-27 (.037). rough

the padres will not go undefeated

always enjoy when the Mets opening day ceremonies includes shouting out the cooking staff

Dodgers v Phillies pitching gem. 0ER both pitchers (yamamoto gave up a run on an error to start the game). Luzardo killed this Dodger lineup

Incredible Adames walk off on his 7th AB

Tommy 'two bags' Edman, you gotta love him, now 2nd only to Judge in HR's this year (5)

its really funny when after the batter swings when the pitcher nonchalantly raises his hand and points at the ball and then the camera shows it and its flying out of the ballpark

as if no one knew the ball was in the air

braves finally play the type of game most people were expecting.

so is the ball juiced this year?

Yes i would say so

Look @ judge and pete’s HR yesterday. I know they are big strong dudes but neither of those seemed like no doubters off the bat imo

yea the pete home run was what got me thinking... half swing

i usually go and watch the homers my fantasy guys hit — for scouting purposes of course — and the ball has definitely uhhhhh been carrying this year, anecdotally speaking

like here are a few well hit balls by logan o’hoppe no doubt but these are wall scraper homers

O' (wait for it) Hoppe 🚀✅
Logan O'Hoppe Home Run💥
103.6 MPH 26° 392 Feet📏

Logan O'Hoppe homers (3) on a fly ball to center field.
99.1 MPH cutter thrown by Emmanuel Clase.

Guardians 8 - Angels 5 Bottom 9th
Credit: Fanduel West#OHoppe #Angels #GoHalos #CLEvsLAA pic.twitter.com/hD2QeseeiL

— Anaheim Sports (@AnaheimSports1) April 5, 2025

Logan O’Hoppe GO-AHEAD GRAND SLAM 💥

(via @Angels)pic.twitter.com/XGt3bvgrln

— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) April 2, 2025

Year two of Wyatt Langford is going to be a scary sight for the rest of the league. pic.twitter.com/5HSNCBOUkA

— Michael Bier (@MichaelJBier) March 30, 2025

Jasson Domínguez gets the Yankees on the board with a solo home run 🔥

(via @MLB)pic.twitter.com/6GFvFdiJRv

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) April 1, 2025

alonso's homer had the mets booth later asking about the balls

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCjWaRnzxDU

the ball will only be juiced for the first month of the season. It’s to get people talking and/or excited about the season. The beat writers and bloggers have kicked back to MLB 10% of the revenue from their clickbait think pieces about torpedo bats and juiced balls as a thank you from saving them from posting another “top 10 diving catches on opening day” listicle.

the dominguez homer looks like it’s right on the screws but alonzo’s looks kind of lifted/flicked and the other ones just look too high, like slightly popped up because the bat’s just a little under it - theoretically that can give you some backspin in the right conditions that will allow it to float a little higher and further but yeah you can see there’s a kind of tentative look after each one of them like hmm what’s happening to this here, looks doubtful

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WderYLZIuX0

Dingers! Dingers!

mets baby

i let my kid stay up for this?! :/

loool sorry

over the past few springs i have, on several occasions, encouraged my toronto friend mitch to let his kid stay up late for the leafs. it has yet to go well : /

according to EW BABIP is down and HR are consistent with the last few years. SSS caveats apply, which they admit

Mets’ vibes are looking good already this year. They have yet to get the offense going but still managing to grind out wins.

what's up with george springer - he looked immobile in right field

great barves result today (rainout)

He’d been looking like his old self at the plate and just fine in right - but that last play was super awkward. Looked uncharacteristically lost out there

homers on barrels are actually down from last year

(overall; re: juiced baseballs)

so is it the torpedo bat then?

or is that another SSS placebo tweak?

first inning of padres-cubs lasted about 50 minutes

another logan o hoppe homer for the juiced ball files — announcer noting that the ball is carrying, outfielder drifting back and back and back like he’s about to catch the ball before crashing into the wall as the ball just scrapes it way out of the park

4 HOME RUNS 4 GAMES FOR LOGAN O MOTHER FRICKIN HOPPE pic.twitter.com/shEGogsvYX

— swilly ☻ (@swillysports) April 6, 2025

abreu throw was insane!

think I've settled on the Twins as the team I'm going to watch this year after watching a few games
seeing them build up a lead before losing not once but twice in a week? yeh that's my kind of loser team
(plus I have a minor secret fascination with the midwest, I love the weirdly Scandinavian accent and Prince and Husker Du and MST3K)
the "condensed game" feature of the mlb website is excellent btw

Target is dope if u can make it

I applaud your choice. I'm a huge fan of Willi Castro, their super-utility guy who can fill in anywhere in the infield or outfield.

surely a poor man's WILLIANS ASTUDILLO

jfc, the Mariners, after losing an 11-inning walk-off where there were two missed strike threes while they still had the lead, now lose Robles (and the game) after he makes an amazing catch, which I guess actually led to the runner tagging and getting to third: https://www.mlb.com/news/victor-robles-exits-after-incredible-catch-into-net

Somehow the San Francisco Giants have the best record in baseball right now. Let me enjoy this evening because it's probably not going to last 24 to 48 more hours

And it's incredibly messed that Robles had to go down like that, with the fact him catching the ball was the reason for the runner tagging up and eventually scoring, just poetic horror there. Hope he comes back soon.

abreu throw was insane!

― 龜, Sunday, April 6, 2025 10:12 PM (yesterday)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbKUEVSIUFw

i understand wilyer abreu is the best player in baseball rn

holy shit!

not even close

Abreu always had a cannon but the pinpoint accuracy is new. He used to overthrow the cutoff man by like twenty feet a few times last season. Genuinely a very special player.

Devers has 4 XBHs for 2025, 3 of them were yesterday against the corpse of Miles Mikolas and his long-relief mop-up gang gang.

dodgers met their match in philadelphia （rain and wind）

Pages doesn't get lost on that fly ball and that Sunday's game has a different ending

as of this moment, California teams (SFG-LAD-SDP-LAA-ATH):

35W-14L (.714)

https://i.imgur.com/wED1BZO.png

Yeah we all know what happened at Chavez Ravine

Reports are that Octavia Dotel was rescued alive after being trapped for hours under rubble in a collapsed nightclub in the DR, 13 dead including Nelson Cruz's sister who was a mayor of a nearby province.

I watched all of the Netflix Red Sox documentary and it’s pretty good - but this is the regular season thread so you should watch it as insight into how the 162 season plays out for players, it’s really interesting in terms of a lot of stuff we talk about in here. Anyway if any of you do watch it now, please come to the 2025 Sox thread so we don’t derail here further. :)

so sounds like Dotel didn't pull through. what a nightmare

terrible, RIP.

(sorry for the unfortunate autocorrect several posts earlier)

I think it's safe to say the Sacramento minor league park is NOT a pitcher's park.

This Cards/Bucs game is really something.

Esp. as I started Keller & Fedde in my other fantasy league expecting to get shelled.

pretty good catch last night

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DbpoN8V8nc

My VPN wouldn't let me see it at first but I knew it was going to be Sosa vs Ozuna. Nice grab, esp in an away park.

you should watch it as insight into how the 162 season plays out for players

I have just the book for you.

didnt realize the phils are long on taijuan walker again or that he had a good first game!

Why has the yearly Red Sox thread never been titled "Talking to Girls About Jaren Duran"?

"Two Cool Rock Chicks Play Ottoneu"

https://www.milb.com/gameday/stripers-vs-tides/2025/04/10/780859/final/box

S. Strider:
90P (62 S:28 B)
5.1 IP
3 H
2 BB
13 K
1 ER

3 outs that weren't K's? def needs more work.

The delay on this ATL-PHI "getaway" game is set to make for good breakfast entertainment for our UK folx.

signs of the life from Barves?

wait a second. there are two Max Muncys??

it's Maxes Muncy

Kinda goes against the definition of the word. Gotta sort it out.

Tommy Edman now tied for the HR lead with 6. Man hates the Cubs

My street-festival cheesesteak lunch rested badly on my guts so I was kind of immobilized in the recliner watching the Braves game. I thought they were just being shitty as usual but I guess Cleavinger was being good, since ATL started beating on the bullpen. I hate that wins are somewhat surprising now.

ugh, meant Rasmussen instead of Cleavinger

Love to see it

https://i.postimg.cc/cCrdZZpS/IMG-2197.jpg

Dodger stadium is so beautiful, the perfect venue. if you’re in the upper decks there a nice view of the hills

Jacob Wilson's hitting streak came to an end at 15 today. two shy of tying the rookie hitting streak record. i'd been watching the guy, as he's hit over .400 in the minors and of course i have him on both my fantasy teams

mets booth was talking about how he's like the next arraez... pure contact hitter

i think he's gone under the radar due to the team he's on too. if he was a dodger we'd probably heard more about him/his streak

today I learned what a balk is. I understand it. sort of.
noob question: why do so many players have bandanas on under their hats?

i'm assuming you've read the balk copypasta?

just reading it now, it's not helping! agree with "Do not do a balk please."

>noob question: why do so many players have bandanas on under their hats?

sweat; awesomeness, not nesc. in that order

Dodgers' run differential is currently ±0

🙏 Can only wish that they continue this embarrassing slide (3 straight series losses) 🙏

someone check on hp? Or do we have to wait for them to win again

😭

Life is coincidently busy right now but yeah, the bottom of the line-up is tragic atm. Muncy, Pages, Rojas, Kikè all hitting under the Mendoza line, Barnes hitting .000

The pitching has been electric, but even when they were winning it was through late game comebacks from the top of the order every game. Turns out coming from behind isn't a sustainable strategy!

Also semi fk-u too michael f gill lol

:-P

Watching the Braves right now, nice to see Kenny Powers finally made the majors

that was exactly what my partner said!

i've also now shut it off in favour of the pit. i will cry less.

The Colorado Rockies placed outfielder Kris Bryant on the 10-day injured list with lumbar degenerative disk disease before Monday’s series opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

It’s a real bummer, I mean, as far as I’m concerned, he’s earned every penny of that contract for bringing the World Series title to Chicago, it was nice of Colorado to foot the bill and reward him on behalf of the cubbies.

That does not sound like something you come back from after 10 days.

Damn, Giants truly dodged a bullet by not extending him

brenton doyle, the rockies' best hitter so far this season, also looks to be heading to the IL for a bit

ILX Fantasty team for sale. Must have character references and deep pockets.

The team is fantastyic.

Corbin Carroll's really lighting it up right now.

pete alonso on such a heater

twins making me understand what bad defense looks like

Ladies & Gentlemen...

The Colorado Rockies

why does it still say first inning

i appreciate the rockies

there are teams like the pirates and reds and such who aren't really trying to win, and then there are the rockies, who have absolutely no plan for anything whatsoever beyond trading nolan arenado for nothing 13 months before giving kris bryant $182m and never answering the phone when teams want to trade with them

they are the chaotic sullen children of baseball and as a non-fan i'm okay with that

they must be lurking on this thread...

this is a very entertaining game

All’s well that ends well

coors field is such a beautiful stadium, i'm glad they're in the league

it's insane that the Giants have the 2nd best record in MLB while rostering Jordan Hicks as a starter, their #4 SP no less.

For those of you who can decipher all that Statcast and Fangraph minutiae I can't and am too lazy to learn: why is Aaron Nola so lousy all of a sudden? His strikeouts are steady, but his hits and walks are both way up; 0-4, 6.65 ERA, both of them in line with the way he's pitched.

it’s been really cold and he’s from louisiana

the phillie booth was saying how he’s been on the record saying the hotter it is the better

also last game against the giants it was pretty windy - both he and robbie ray threw 75 pitches combined in the first inning. ton of walks. booth was chalking up to the wind

That's an explanation I can understand...Didn't know he was from Louisiana--best pitcher from there since Guidry?

Answering my own question, arguably--Lee Smith, a little younger than Guidry, was born in Louisiana. Aaron Nola's 7 WAR ahead of Smith over their careers; Smith's in the HOF.

For those of you who can decipher all that Statcast and Fangraph minutiae I can't and am too lazy to learn: why is Aaron Nola so lousy all of a sudden? His strikeouts are steady, but his hits and walks are both way up; 0-4, 6.65 ERA, both of them in line with the way he's pitched.

― clemenza, Friday, April 18, 2025 1:59 PM (one hour ago)

he's performing poorly in areas that can be volatile in small samples and tend to regress over time -- .377 BABIP vs career .294, 1.66 HR/9 vs career 1.11, 63.7% LOB% vs career 73.5%. his walk rate is high but his K rate is also high.

there are some possible red flags in the statcast data. his avg fastball velocity (90.7) is in the bottom 8th percentile, but that does align w/ his complaints about the cold weather and should tick up as it gets warmer. he's giving up the highest barrel percentage of his career and the highest exit velocity of his career. his curveball in particular has been getting hammered -- 33% hard hit rate in 2024 vs 43% this year.

it's still small sample size land and a bit all over the place -- i think if you synthesized the more conservative projection systems (i.e. zips) w/ statcast it would say that there is some inevitable positive regression coming but it's worth monitoring whether his stuff seems to come back or not bcuz all the batted ball data at the moment is at career worst levels

eno sarris has a pitch quality model called stuff+ that is on fangraphs, it essentially tries put a single number on the nastiness of a guy's pitches. here are nola's numbers, you don't even need to know the significance of them to see the fall off

21 - 109
22 - 115
23 - 108
24 - 112
25 - 104

for context, in the high 110s is elite territory -- i.e. garrett crochet is at 113 so far this year, skenes and ragans are at 110. so last year by this metric nola was still an elite pitcher in terms of raw stuff. 104 isn't bad at all, he's just outside the top 20 grouped w/ chris sale, taj bradley, carlos rodon, and logan webb. they're all ahead of mackenzie gore! jordan hicks is 7 overall in this ranking. so make of it what you will. it all seems to be a question of whether his pitches are ineffective right now bcuz of the weather or if there's something deeper going on

Watching Cubs-Diamondbacks which has been way better than a 2-1 game into the 7th has had any right to be and the Cubs…they’re pretty good, right? Just watched Ian Happ flick a grand slam into right. Kyle Tucker just golfed a ball at his ankles into RF for a triple.

Commentary on this game gives (commentators discuss if players in clubhouses preparing watch day games and if so if they are judging their commentary) and takes (2 minute anecdotes about how Torey Lovello ties his shoelaces).

Second grand slam of this game, professional Cubs torturer Eugenio Suarez

Cubbies will be so happy not be playing the NL West for a long time after this series... They've had the hardest SOS possible, plus Japan!

This game has gone from 7-1 to 11-7!

11-10 lmao

Tucker puts the Cubs ahead 12-11, still the bottom of the 8th 1 out

Suzuki makes it 13-11, bottom of the 8th 1 out

Someone on Twitter says “unseasonably warm with 20mph winds out to CF” so that’s why everything is carrying

3 runs scored through 6.5IP, then 21 runs scored in the next 1.5IP

Wasn't watching or following, but reading the updates here, looks reminiscent of famous Wrigley games identified with Mike Schmidt and Ryan Sandberg.

Lindor walk off upper deck home run <3

Interesting scoring decision in that Cubs/DBacks game: the closer who indeed closed out the game was awarded the Win rather than the Save.

lol Chisholm suspended for tweeting, during the game, about getting ejected for arguing balls and strikes

The two teams combined for 21 runs in the seventh and eighth innings, with the Cubs scoring 11 runs and the D-backs plating 10. It was the first nine-inning game in MLB history in which both teams scored 10 or more runs from the seventh inning on, and the third game overall, according to ESPN Research.

feel like the dbacks are always involved in these kinds of games doesn't it?

Looks like they're trying to pick up where they left off...

My lord, Jazz - grow up. I just watched Wilmer Flores get rung up on a called third strike four inches off the plate outside on what should have been a ball 4 and 2 out 2 on situation that could have been game changing and no one was thrown out. FOH, umpires suck across the board, get used to it, kid.

On a similar topic, are we going to see ball and strike replay next year in the bigs?

"there is a strong chance it will be implemented for the 2026 season." As per USA Today

Lol nats at rockies is the late game tonite

doubleheader too, i think it's snowing as well.

whoops, the snowstorm ended yesterday (hence the snow-out)

is jose berrios not using pitchcom? how is cal raleigh supposed to be relaying pitch info if there are no signs?

~vibes~

ok, supposedly the broadcasters mentioned it was 2 things once Cal was on 2nd, he was relaying to the batter JB's grip (FB vs not) and Kirk's positioning behind the plate.

if a guy on second can see your pitch grip *and* have time to surreptitiously inform the batter, i think that’s on you

yeah that was happening w/ Pallante in Cards @ Mets the other day. I have seen guys set up the more "difficult" grip outside of the glove/in more or less plain view and then switching to the "easier" grip in glove to throw the called pitch. i think jose contreras did that w his splitter.

here's a thread with video breakdown

John Schneider & Jose Berrios confirmed they believed Cal Raleigh was relaying signs today.

Here's what it looked like Raleigh was doing, though we have no idea how he was picking up pitches (Berrios is good at shielding grips to runners on 2nd)...

1st pitch: Slurve pic.twitter.com/0NzpA6xzVJ

— Chris Black (@DownToBlack) April 20, 2025

(sorry to link to the nazi site)

Cal Raleigh vs the Blue Jays: .292/.358/.694 with 9 home runs in 20 games.

Sorry didn’t paste the rest of it. From 2024:

The question’s framing dates back to last April when Raleigh hit two home runs against the Blue Jays in a 10-8 comeback win by the Mariners and Schneider said of Raleigh afterward, “He’s not very tough to pitch to when you execute your pitches. He’s hitting .200. I know he’s done damage against us and I think if you execute, he’s obviously got big damage potential and he’s got a lot of strikeout potential, too, and when you execute your pitches, you usually get the job done.”

“I know a lot of guys have beef with him in the league,” Raleigh said. “His comments aren’t surprising and I don’t have much to say. If you don’t have anything nice, don’t say it at all I guess, if you don’t want it to come back on you. Like I said, he’s got a lot of beef with people in the league and he kind of did it to himself.”

boy that snitker double standard re: kelenic/acuna is really something

acuna otm

^^^
Also Snit saying "I didn't see the play." IT HAPPENED RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU, SKIPPER.

All including Acuña otm

Kelenic is garbage so maybe the fact that he made contact impressed Snitker.

two scary plays at first this weekend… safety bag needs to be implemented sooner rather than later

Safety bag?

https://www.si.com/fannation/mlb/fastball/injuries/luis-arraezs-scary-collision-at-first-base-with-mauricio-dubon-leads-to-interesting-discussion-about-safety-base-possibility

Pretty sure we used one at first base when I was coaching middle school.

Reading that description, no, we didn't; it was more like a base with a bright line in the middle? I'm positive I remember explaining something, unless I'm mixing it up with the rule at home plate where there was a safety line, a few feet from home, and runners veered right when they crossed it to avoid collisions.

https://d1-softball.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2022/03/27180659/SafetyBase-1000x500.jpg

first done in softball i think

That kind of safety bag was used when my son (now 16) played up until he was in 13U. I remember at the time wondering why they don't keep using it throughout youth baseball.

A bigger base would not have prevented the Arraez collision imho. They were both sprinting toward the bag with no room for deviation.

oh shit, Happy Patriots' Day to those who celebrate.

it's interesting that there's no controversy around noelvi marte hitting grand slam off a position player pitching in a massive blowout, when yermin mercedes' career was basically ended by the same thing four years ago (a HR, not a grand slam)

that was tony larussa's fault though

I usually don't go near the Braves pregame show but I watched it tonight and they didn't get anywhere near the Acuña/Snit/Kelenic story.

This is what story?

cool night tonight in flushing (mid 50s) nola’s given up two hr already

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/44767829/acuna-criticizes-braves-response-kelenic-failing-hustle

Was going to ask you about that--Posnanski wrote about it today.

...Snitker certainly should have had a more measured response, such as, “Obviously, we don’t want to see Jarred or anyone show a lack of hustle, and we’ll handle it in-house.” Or something like that. The “Was I supposed to?” line is what has been making the rounds, but I think the “Just ‘Way to swing the bat’” line is even more damning. That’s really what you told Kelenic after he admired a long fly ball that didn’t end up being a home run? Really? Way to swing the bat?

You can’t blame Acuña for being pretty ticked off. Snitker might want to fix that.

"way to get ticked off"

way to pick me up by jacket’s shoulder fabric
way to carry me through the underbelly of the stadium
way to throw me in the trash can

Lindor is so clutch right now

In the slow-start division, Marcus Semien's in a world of his own right now (through 86 PA):

.141/.209/.192, 1 double, 1 HR, OPS+ of 21.

Welcome to the big show, Sean Murphy's corrective lenses.

Granted they've been feasting on the Dodgers' pitching for most of the first month, but Cubbies' offense looks pretty scary.

I'm so sick of them

Cubbies' 2025 series schedule (team + current record):

Dodgers (JAPAN): 16-8
DBacks: 13-9
A’s: 10-12
Padres: 17-7
Rangers: 14-9
Dodgers: 16-8
Padres: 17-7
DBacks: 13-9
Dodgers: 17-7

next up:
Phillies 13-11

That has to be one of the gnarliest strength of schedule opening months in MLB history, the A's are the weakest team and even then they're almost .500

Add to that, the Cubbies are playing .600 ball against those teams is really encouraging.

.600 ball, leading the league in RS and #5 in RA.

i'm gonna be at dodgers-cubs tonight

https://i.imgur.com/fJbz2un.jpeg

jesus christ

Awful.

possibly the clearest statement of how little he cares about baseball

Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred made a regrettable statement to the Los Angeles Times recently.

In an article written by Bill Shaikin, Manfred was asked about a possible solution to escalating Los Angeles Dodgers' ticket prices.

Sam Blum of The Athletic posted Manfred's answer: "If local fans consider the Dodgers' prices too high, Manfred suggested where they could find a cost-effective alternative. 'One of the leaders in terms of thinking about affordability has been the other Los Angeles team,' Manfred said."

https://www.si.com/fannation/mlb/fastball/news/mlb-commissioner-rob-manfred-makes-statement-that-surely-wont-sit-well-with-los-angeles-dodgers-fans

2025 Braves remind me of last year's Astros... absolute dogshit godawful start and then around the ASB they'll find themselves in the WC mix and might even pull out an outright seed berth.

The Anaheim Angels decision for tonight's start time was determined by (incorrectly) extrapolating that they'd be facing Fullerton* native Paul Skenes tonight.

(*Fullerton is one city north of Anaheim, followed by 8-10 other cities before you finally get to Los Angeles 32 miles/1 hour drive later)

Skenes will face the LOS ANGELES Dodgers on Friday.

Also fuck Rob Manfred. :-)

lol just go down the street and watch the other team

2025 Braves remind me of last year's Astros... absolute dogshit godawful start and then around the ASB they'll find themselves in the WC mix and might even pull out an outright seed berth.

― imperial frfr (Steve Shasta), Wednesday, April 23, 2025 2:43 PM (thirty minutes ago)

fangraphs article today on this exact subject https://blogs.fangraphs.com/spencer-striders-return-to-the-il-complicates-atlantas-season/

tldr is that zips sees them as having about a coin flip's chance of still making the playoffs

but the NL east projects to be so good that barring a blazing hot streak they almost certainly will be competing for only the wild card, which wasn't true for the 2024 astros who were in by far the worst division in the sport

Current odds to win WS:

LAD - 20.2%
NYM - 9.5%
ATL - 7.7% (tie)
NYY - 7.7% (tie)

That's uh... looking pretty good for a team that was in last place this morning?

i'm a fun guy, i love fun things in baseball, but i don't think i really need player baby gender reveals to be part of my baseball experience. especially when it's steven kwan doing a gender reveal for david fry because he's injured: https://www.mlb.com/news/steven-kwan-does-gender-reveal-for-david-fry-and-family

public gender reveals are so very stupid

say what you will about gender reveals but most of them are at least predicated on something “exciting” happening, an explosion or whatever. these are not only lame, they’re also incredibly dull. stephen kwan fumbling around in his back pocket for a wristband is the best anyone could come up with?

What about David Ortiz swinging and missing at his own baby’s gender reveal?

https://www.mlb.com/amp/news/david-ortiz-swing-and-miss-gender-reveal.html

the pirates have now gone 10 straight games allowing 3 runs or less in regulation

and won four of them?

also i love you but i can't not 'fewer' someone who works where you do

i know i know but… it just sounds better this way

no post of n/a's ballpark view, no credibility

I'm so sick of them

― H.P, Wednesday, 23 April 2025 13:59 (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink

But also, have fun NA!

Pete Crow-Armstrong

on the mets broadcast today, discussing the phillies' next opponent, ron darling said, 'might not be popular to bring up for mets fans, but . . . is pete crow-armstrong a superstar?'

my dude

why are all the dodgers-cubs games so nuts

https://imgur.com/a/mlDTuCH

nice!

also in today's mets-phillies game, bryce harper had one vertical stripe of eyeblack under his right eye and nothing on the left side of his face

is this meant to connote something

gender reveal?

entirely possible

nice seats NA

also in today's mets-phillies game, bryce harper had one vertical stripe of eyeblack under his right eye and nothing on the left side of his face

is this meant to connote something

― mookieproof, Wednesday, April 23, 2025 5:58 PM (one hour ago)

tarriffs

classic steve shasta

Joc Pederson broke out of his brutal slump by hitting a double on a 100.7mph fastball from a Mason Miller, because why not.

we've (probably) missed the window for 'last qualifying hitter to take a walk' but kerry carpenter, jacob wilson and alec bohm have one each in a combined 271 plate appearances

the first two are doing quite well anyway. bohm is not

Baseball is fucking awesome btw! since I was able to get the free MLB pass, I've watched so much baseball this season so far and it's been such an amazing escape from all the shit going on around us atm. i think someone mentioned it before but they have me hooked now and i'll have to set some money aside to get the MLB pass next year.

we've (probably) missed the window for 'last qualifying hitter to take a walk' but kerry carpenter, jacob wilson and alec bohm have one each in a combined 271 plate appearances

the first two are doing quite well anyway. bohm is not

― mookieproof, Friday, April 25, 2025 12:53 PM (one hour ago) bookmarkflaglink

i think i saw that wilson's one walk so far was with the bases loaded, so still got the team a run

Cubs-Phillies has been delayed by rain by over two hours…due to start in half an hour

Ultimate escape, I was going to try and opt out this year because of the evil empire but I just can't. Even went to a game.

Go Giants

Xxpost

Wind update from Chicago: a graphic says that the wind is blowing in today and fly balls hit to left and left centre are being pushed back up to 57ft by it!

Xp evil empire ain't too empirey rn. Enjoy being ahead!

Inevitable White Sox-Rockies World Series

Mike Trout, leading the AL with 9 HR, is hitting .177 after tonight's game. In the NL, Eugenio Suárez hit 4 HR tonight--amazing, 19th player to ever do so--and is leading the NL with 10 HR. He's hitting .202. Turns out the most influential player from my teenage years is Dave Kingman.

kinda crazy braves keep trotting Iglesias out there to close a game at this point.

I feel bad for Suarez hitting 4 HR and still losing, but it's nice to see the Braves looking like a professional base-ball team again. Except for Iglesias.

fwiw this recent ilx outage reminds me how much i appreciate all of you

this is a good place

Here Here

Or is it hear, hear?

what a way to end a game

Little League Home Run. Love Duane's call.

Currently going through the history of baseball videogames with a mate and we manage this play like every game. Feeling very "seen" rn, thanks Giants

just a note that at this point in the 2024 season aaron judge was hitting .211 with 36 ks

Tommy Edman

What a player, what a guy. Current highest war Dodger. 5yr 74mil, looking like a bigger bargain than the Ohtani's contract.

(slight hyperbole)

Braves now one game under .500.

Jays now one thousand runs under .500.

A Rockies series was exactly what the Braves needed. Even Nick Allen is puffed up and struttin'.

Acuña is back in May right?

Yes -- Rockies booth guy said "a couple of weeks" last night, but my guess would be later in the month. Eli White will get the shitty end of the stick at that point. He's on an offensive tear but there won't be room for him except as pinch runner for Ozuna or Murphy late in games.

Hopefully Strider isn’t out too long either

Btw I don’t follow the Braves much besides select players but I didn’t realise how much Acuña haaaaaaaaated Freddie Freeman for hazing him when he came up!

Oh, I never heard about that.
I want to know about the comedy routine btw Orlando Arcia and Ozzie Albies, where Arcia slaps Ozzie's face and Ozzie just takes it with a mild look of puzzlement. I've seen it several times over the last 3-4 seasons.

what happened? did he give him the ol Maddux welcome?!

xpst

https://www.espn.co.uk/mlb/story/_/id/33690660/atlanta-braves-ronald-acuna-jr-acknowledges-rift-former-teammate-freddie-freeman

It came up because of the whole Snitker/Kelenic shitshow

Honestly not a good look for FF imo.

According to the interview on Wednesday night, the crux of Acuna's issues with Freeman, a five-time All-Star and the 2020 National League MVP, stemmed from disagreements with clubhouse rules during the 2018 season, when Acuna was a rookie.

"When you come up as a rookie, there's always someone who (wants to tell you how to do things)," Acuna said. "You come up from the minor leagues with the big eye black, the sunglasses, the hat low, and a lot of people see that as wrong. And the other person doesn't see it as wrong because it's part of the game.

"A lot of veterans (picked on me) when I was a rookie, and they called me into the office themselves and told me: 'No, you can't use that.' And they took (the eye black) off me with a towel like that. And I said, 'OK, that's fine.'"

Pujols then asked Acuna if he stayed quiet.

"Yeah, of course. I can't say anything, you know?" Acuna said. "I just said, 'One day I'll be a veteran.' I'm not saying I'm a veteran right now, but nobody's going to take the eye black off my face now, you know?"

Freeman on Thursday told MLB Network that as a veteran, he was just trying to enforce the same "organizational rules" that he had to comply with as a younger player and that he never viewed any "friction or clashes" with Acuna during their time together as teammates.

"I saw the eye black situation," Freeman told MLB Network about Acuna's comments from Wednesday night. "When you put on a Braves uniform ... In that organization, there's organizational rules: You don't cover the 'A' (on your hat) with your sunglasses, you don't wear earrings, you have your hair a certain length, you wear a uniform during BP, you don't have eye black coming down across your whole face.

Oh, I never heard about that.
I want to know about the comedy routine btw Orlando Arcia and Ozzie Albies, where Arcia slaps Ozzie's face and Ozzie just takes it with a mild look of puzzlement. I've seen it several times over the last 3-4 seasons.

Freeman and Pivetta should go form their own team of cranky old white guys, jesus christ

I assume Freeman got his stupid ideas from Brian McCann.

Mariners’ Andrés Muñoz partners with Seattle cat rescue organization

https://images.seattletimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/04282025_1_173933.jpg?d=768x512

“I think they are the best friend of a human,” Muñoz said. “That is why I love to take care of them. Pets give you a lot of happiness. I feel like they make you more happy, and that is why it’s really important for me.”

A perfect ERA and a perfect heart!

Muñoz has a flat faced cat that he takes with him everywhere. One of the league’s few cat guys.

https://bsky.app/profile/lookoutlanding.bsky.social/post/3lextolqlik2a

https://sports.mynorthwest.com/mlb/seattle-mariners/seattle-mariners-andres-munoz-cat-matilda-road-trips/1780555

apparently freddie tried to chase utley the marlins 2b guy?

Speaking of cat guys: Tony Gonsolins first start since 2023 today. 6ip 3er, 9ks. Not bad.

I also don't think I've seen a worse centrefold performance than the one given by Jesús Sánchez and Dane Myers this series. Lot of free runs for the Dodgers

supposedly cal raleigh is using a torpedo bat when batting lefty but *not* righty?

That’s funny because he historically hits far better hitting lefty

jeff mcneil’s been using a torpedo baf, he’s still been hitting weak grounders and flying out tho

i’d assume the mariners are giving raleigh data that says he hits the ball on a different part of the bat depending on which side of the plate he’s on

sure wish i could watch skenes vs. cubs

speaking of the cubs, nico hoerner by some metrics has yet to swing and miss at a ball in the strike zone this season: https://blogs.fangraphs.com/nico-hoerner-is-flirting-with-perfection/

i jinxed skenes

MLB wants you to know that may 1st is high potassium awareness day. did you know today was high potassium awareness day? brought to you by astrazeneca.

I laughed when I got that email!

Cubs are legit scary. They just chased the best pitcher in MLB after 5. 4 HRs, including 2 from Seiya.

"Did anyone see the fan fall from the stands onto the field at PNC Park? Holly crap, he's alive but in critical condition..."

https://i.imgur.com/DVtfsq5.jpeg
It’s technically true (he was born in Korea but adopted and raised in America) but the placement of Rob Refsnyder in the second graphic has me puzzled
https://i.imgur.com/OGg4Z2F.jpeg

I guess Kumar Rocker is the wrong kind of Asian. :-\

y'all the AL West currently has the Seattle Mariners in first and the _______ Athletics in 2nd.

Jose Ramirez, Triston Casas and Fernando Tatís Jr. all leave their respected games injured today :\

The Jays' Yimi Garcia has pitched 14 games/innings without being charged with a run.

was surprised to see that the legendary shelby miller also has an 0.00 ERA, after 13.2 IP

https://www.pennlive.com/news/2025/05/ex-pa-high-school-football-star-who-fell-from-stands-during-pirates-game-gets-major-health-update.html

sorry for this but can someone post (on 77 or DM if not comfortable here) a stream link that reliably works? i’ve been having such trouble this year after having no issue the last several seasons. i don’t mind pop-ups and other horrible things either, my computer is a wasteland

Yimi Garcia today: 0.2 IP, 2 hits, 2 walks, 4 ER, grand slam, blown lead. My work here is done.

https://v2.sportsurge.net/list6-baseball
https://mlbbite.net
still tough sometimes to pry working streams out of those, though StreamEast feeds are usually okay with occasional refreshes

nice, thank you! first one had not been working for me, second, sucks but i can get it to work, thanks

i like

http://flostreams.xyz/sport/mlb/

oops

oh no, all the LAD-ATL streams have Braves radio for the audio

Pretty late start

Lol Clemenza, I was thinking of your post when I saw that. Have a lot of love for Yimi Garcia, seemed to cop more flack from Dodgers fans online than his stat line deserved. Shelby Miller, also Dodger legend

I like mlb web cast dot com. Most consistent for me + home/away broadcasts

whew, finally found one with Fox audio. there's only so much Ben Ingram I can take

1/5th of the way into the season, the top 5 in HRs is a little suprising...

1) Big Dumper - 12
2) All Rise - 11
3) Bolibamba - 10
4) Schwarbs - 10
5) Tork Bomb - 10

michael mcgreevey, making his major league debut, just one hit the mets over 5 2/3 in long relief

*season debut
(he debuted last year, doing quite well down the stretch)

High drama x Braves-Dodgers. Tense 9th inning, with two stolen bases and some clutch pitching by Iglesias to get the save, striking out 2 with a man on third

H.P, you need a general Dodgers thread where you and other Dodgers fans can geek out. Despite this thread having your namesake. The Giants thread helps keep my sanity without clogging up the general thread...

Probably better to for me to read a room and leave it. All the best all

I don't think anyone is "clogging up" this thread with homerism for any one team.

HP: If you listen to anyone's advice on board etiquette, please let it NOT be Bee OK. 🙏

lol Dodgers vs Giants beef is all time

It is only a suggestion and I don't want to chase anyone from this board. I really like you H.P, so please don't leave. There is a reason why teams like the Mets. Blue Jays and the Giants have their own thread and wanted to throw it out there.

Ohhhhhhh Bee Ok...

HP was chatting in general about the ending of a Braves/LAD game which was topical and not biased towards one team or another.

I'm a firm believer in passive moderation, and I don't believe we need thread police. But if I ever feel the need to deputize someone, I'll keep you in mind. Until then, kindly mind your manners.

The Reds’ left fielder went out with an injury that was Theismann-level gruesome, Matt Olsen came around with an easy inside the parker while the guy was on the ground.

^^^ that was my first time posting from my phone in 20+ years here...

welcome to... the future!

will, i believe all posts sent from an iphone require the following tag: "Sent from my iPhone, please excuse typos"

if not, your typos will be harshly punished

thanks

- sent from a mac book pro without nearly enough storage

We need a dedicated “posting from my phone” thread, so you all don’t clog up this thread with talk about posting from your phone.

This isn’t remotely related but what a fucking stud honestly
https://i.imgur.com/izylQo6.jpeg

Cubs need to make a trade for 2-3 bullpen arms IMHO.

The Jays' Yimi Garcia has pitched 14 games/innings without being charged with a run.
― clemenza, Saturday, May 3, 2025 11:51 AM

Two appearances since: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 3 BB, 1 HR, 7 ER, 63.00 ERA, two losses, two blown saves.

are we seeing more bullpen meltdowns than normal?

Checking Bref, the league wide save pct. last year was 64% (4858 games); this year so far, 64% (1076 games). Maybe the meltdowns have been more dramatic? I don't know.

as innings pitched by relievers continue to increase, meltdowns would seem likely to increase as well

Not like I've paid any attention day-to-day, but I'm looking at the standings and how can you not love the A's at 20-17? Their dollars-to-wins ratio must be off the charts.

AB/HR:

Aaron Judge: 140/12 = 11.7
Trent Grisham: 89/10 = 8.9

how many were to the short porch tho?

he's actually hitting better/more on the road but i appreciate the hate

Grisham is the true HR daddy on the Stanks.

Orioles now 13-23.

The confusion may have stemmed from the fact that their mother, the late Mildred Prevost, was from the North Side, John Prevost said. Their late father, Louis, was a St. Louis Cardinals fan. But Robert Francis Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, chose the Sox.

“Standing on his own two feet,” John Prevost said.

The Prevost family lived in south suburban Dolton and attended church on the Far Southeast Side. John Prevost was principal at St. Gabriel School in Canaryville, which is firmly in White Sox territory.

A spokesperson for the White Sox said team merch is making its way to the Vatican.

“Family always knows best, and it sounds like Pope Leo XIV’s lifelong fandom falls a little closer to 35th and Shields,” the spokesperson said. “Some things are bigger than baseball, but in this case, we’re glad to have a White Sox fan represented at the Vatican. A pinstripes White Sox jersey with his name on it and a hat are already on the way to Rome, and of course, the Pontiff always is welcome at his ballpark.”

Mariners are enjoying Cal Raleigh’s season

https://64.media.tumblr.com/fcaaa8746d9e73bb68b7ad8e1b50a90c/0c5087499168a09f-81/s1280x1920/c32868713f4462a36d07eba6c126d2787eda9961.jpg

you’d think yamamoto would be used to pitching in a dome

https://i.postimg.cc/pVSrVDG9/Capture.png

total Johnny Sack vibes

Rockies trying to outdo the ‘24 white Sox eh

Stop this power outage simulation when dude hits it

19 runs in the game between the Astros and the Reds. Not even the fifth inning

“I can guarantee you, no one cares what you post“

- guacamole

I think the padres can chill at this point?

wind is blowing out at Coors... and yet the Rockies can't hit for shit.

Honestly they should have a mercy rule

Bound to happen. The Rockies were 6-32 going into the game, but their run differential had them playing like a 9-29 team, so something had to give.

The Pads' SP nearly pitched a Maddux in Coors during that 21-0 madness (CG SO, 104 pitches).

bud black out

relatedly:

Sam Miller‬ ✧@sammille✧✧✧.b✧✧✧.soc✧✧✧‬

Good morning. The 2025 Rockies have already allowed as many unearned runs as the 2017 Rockies.

braves are just conceding games at this point every time they trot Iglesias out in the 9th.

otm

pretty dire (and fully understandable) reports of how BC people who used to attend jays games in seattle largely stayed away this weekend despite certain seattle businesses offering to take canadian dollars at par

BC people otm

Was trying to find some hard numbers quantifying what degree BC fans stayed home

I watched a bit of yesterday's game, and they highlighted a section that was rooting for the Jays in the 9th inning...no context, though. It used to be very Jays-friendly, for sure--seemed like half the stadium during the Bautista/Edwin era.

Freddie Freeman had nine total bases today

this weekend's Seattle series attendance:
31,182
31,564
36,823

last years series (both were friday-sunday games):
34,493
38,264
34,885

that's 2,691 fewer per game

lance mccullers getting death threats is really just the tip of the iceberg with EVERY SINGLE PLATFORM embracing gambling

What? Why?! He’s been a mess for years - anyone putting money on him deserves to lose it!!
Some betting on the Generals energy there

yes but also he doesn't deserve death threats against his children

he hasn't pitched in 3 years and people are betting on him? totes normal.

hi all, me and the misses are thinking of making a fun baseball related shirt. design is a secret 🤫 but i'd like to share the love with the ilb crew. if you're interested just ilxmail me your mailing address and t-shirt size.

no cost to you (well, we'll see how many people take me up on this, so i reserve the right to change my mind later) but i might ask you to donate to a charity or something. the only rule is that if you want one and you are also the poster known as H.P., you have to photograph yourself wearing it at a dodgers game or dodgers bar (can you guess what the theme is?)

ta ta!

(can you guess what the theme is?)

#FreeIppei ?

Insane to think that Grisham may surpass Judge in the HR race despite being a platoon player (or his backup!)

Aww man, still getting Dodger zinged even after I've bowed out. No Dodger bars in Australia anyways.

:) it's a fun shirt i think you'd like it

i'm putting in the order today, so anyone who wants one lmk!

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/45115659/pete-rose-shoeless-joe-jackson-players-reinstated-mlb

Manfred ruled that MLB's punishment of banned individuals ends upon their deaths.

so ippei will be eligible for the HOF when he dies? #freeippei

that’s the dumbest fucking rule i’ve ever heard, apart from the ghost runner

If Rose, as stated in the link above, sincerely didn't want posthumous induction, I think he can literally RIP. Pretty sure the writers aren't voting him in, and the VC is even less likely to.

Eyeroll.gif

I don't see Hal Chase's name anywhere in that sidebar:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hal_Chase#Out_of_organized_baseball

I hope ATL can figure out how to give Eli White regular playing time when Acuña comes back. Always love to see a scrappy oldster playing well when he gets his chance (White will be 31 next month).

I was just going to ask about Eli White, “who’s this guy who seems to get a hit every time I check out a Braves game?”

He's on a great hot streak. Ozuna somehow (yeah I know) has 1.1 bWAR to White's 0.7 but I do love to see Eli putting it in play and running very fast rather than mash-or-K.

Some fun crowd shots today
https://i.imgur.com/gGGIW0y.png

Meanwhile, in Detroit (cross post to people who have figured out how to live)
https://i.imgur.com/fm7j6qO.jpeg

lol poor guy just trying live getting doxxed by NESN

here comes the weedza

Guy was on only on camera because Bregman hit a home run up there, which he didn’t appear to notice

Hyde fired!

(Understandably)

What do the Jays have to do/not-do to join the parade?

Phillies pitcher José Alvarado has received an 80-game suspension without pay after testing positive for exogenous Testosterone, a performance enhancing substance. The suspension of Alvarado is effective immediately. He will be unable for the postseason if the Phillies reach.

Dodgers were swept
Padres were swept
Giants sweep
DBacks two out of three against the Rockies

What were the odds of an Anaheim sweep of the Dojyaazu?

Only Ippei knows...

The Orioles have lost six straight and are 15-30. Barring a miracle run, people are going to analyze this collapse for years to come.

Their rotation collapsed, sure, but the AL in general looks so mediocre this year. It's not like a bunch of teams got better and the O's slipped back. It makes their fall that much stranger.

they've dealt w/ more injuries than anyone wants to give them credit for but you def look at their line up and are like, so what was all the fuss supposed to be about? part of the problem is that adley rutschman just forgot how to hit one day, i'm still not sure there's a good explanation for what is going on there. also coby mayo may be a complete bust?

They lost Santander who was incredible last year but hasn’t been great in Toronto so far, they replaced him with Tyler O’Neill who’s been pretty bad afaict bar his standard Opening Day home run. I don’t think I would write many of these young guys off as busts yet but they seem to be falling without a parachute and they don’t have veterans in the room to help them out of it. I guess Rutschman was supposed to be that guy right now, Posey style, but he isn’t. IIRC he was playing injured at least a part of last year, this year he seems affected by the need to be one of The Guys carrying the lineup.

Definitely I don’t really understand why Elias didn’t trade someone like Kjerstad because the rotation is a huge problem.

On a huge bright side, Jackson Holliday looks like he’s rounding into the guy he was projected to be, looks very assured at the plate.

he's playing extremely well for a 21 year old in MLB and yet if he's your second best hitter at the present you have major problems

the kyle stowers/connor norby for trevor rogers trade also looking even worse than it did last season. stowers has legit outhit their entire team this season and they could really use him in the OF

I recall reading that Stowers has a BABIP of like .400 or something crazy unsustainable? IIRC they didn’t have any playing time for him which is why he was an obvious trade chip. Think they got absolutely fucked on that return though.

Btw the other Jacksons (Merrill, Churio) are at least the second best position players on their own teams and a similar age, if a guy’s great that young then that’s fine! Orioles aren’t going to get to extend theirs though.

The yin to the Orioles' yang this year is obviously the Tigers (with records that are almost exactly flipped).

Tigers are kind of a power of friendship position player roster with a few stars (Riley Greene, Kerry Carpenter…resurgent Javy Baez????) holding up possibly the best rotation in the AL. Riley Greene is really, really good.

Btw the other Jacksons (Merrill, Churio) are at least the second best position players on their own teams and a similar age, if a guy’s great that young then that’s fine!

well, the brewers are in fourth place and are a bottom 10 offense in baseball by any advanced metric so i'm not sure i would agree with this assessment

the padres are hovering around the fringes of the top 10 but merrill is hitting .367/.400/.595 so while holliday's .275/.338/.449 line is great for a 21 year old, there are levels

Hollidays line is great for any player, be serious.

Is Churio supposed to carry the whole team? I’m confused by that rationale.

you said that it's fine if a 21 year old is the second best hitter on your team and pointed to jackson chourio who is hitting .242/.260/.429 for a fourth place team that is bottom 10 in offense as support for that argument and i'm saying that actually it's evidence that your logic is flawed. my point is not that chourio is meant to carry the whole team but rather if your team is relying that heavily on a 21 year old's production then you might have an issue, which baltimore and milwaukee do

I don’t think it’s controversial to think that Jackson Churio (born 11th March 2004) is better than he’s shown this season (which doesn’t end in May) that he hasn’t reached his ceiling, or that he’s the second best player on his team. I also don’t think it’s controversial to think he’d be the best or second best player on a considerable number of teams. If we’re going with the “good player fails to elevate bad team and therefore that’s a ding against said player” thing as a real honest to God opinion then Trout and Ohtani must both be overrated as anything right?

The point I was making, which for whatever reason isn’t getting through to you, is that a player that’s already that good that young is a great asset to a team - they’re going to be around a while, it’s not a Phillies situation where the players are good but they’re ageing and expensive. I kind of thought that was obvious going by their age, none of these players are close to finished products, and all of them are extremely valuable to their teams.

The point I was making, which for whatever reason isn’t getting through to you, is that a player that’s already that good that young is a great asset to a team

because we're not having a conversation about whether jackson holliday is a great asset to the orioles in the longterm, we're having a conversation about why the orioles are 15 games under .500 in 2025 and one of the main reasons for that is because their second best hitter is a 21 year old whose best years are like 3-5 years off in the future. we are not in dispute that jackson chourio has a bright future, we're talking about why teams are underperforming right now. i'm not sure why any of this isn't getting through to *you*

Right, throwing out Churio’s slash line in a pre-Memorial Day sample size unrelated to anything is good faith. It’s too bad I didn’t mention any of the other problems with the Orioles instead of hyperfocusing on Holliday. Not the failed FA signings, not that dogshit rotation, not the fact that they’re clearly pressing or missed their chance to trade multiple pieces. Holliday is not the problem, and even if their lineup was performing like they seemed like they should first half of last season, or some of those signings worked out better, he’d still be the second best player on their team, because his ceiling is just that high. But sure, “Adley Rutschman forgot to hit” is great analysis.

????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

ok we're having two entirely different conversations here, not sure what issues you are having w/ reading comprehension but i can only state my very simple point so many times

the problem is not jackson holliday or jackson chourio -- the problem is that their teams don't have several other much better hitters around them right now

jackson holliday - 128 wRC+
jasson dominguez - 120 wRC+

one of these two players is on the best offense in baseball. can gyac deduce the inference i am making here? we wait and see

i think the convo was "why are the orioles so bad rn".
if you'd told me to start the season, when they were the expected to finish in the top two in the AL W, that they would be in last place; i'd say it's because they phoned in their rotation. Sugano has been a pleasant surprise – but you need to have a better top to your rotation – even if you're bats are hitting well. which they are (mostly) not. Mayo has not panned out thus far (am nowhere near ready to call him a bust), Henderson had a slow start, Adley has been disappointing, as is Westberg and O'Neil (tho not incredibly surprised about the latter)...

i think the team gambled on two things: cheaping out on their rotation and relying on some very young talent. neither has worked out. not entirely Hyde's fault, but understandable that he has to answer for it.