MLB - 2019 Season Thread - Page 5

Dru Edwards · #61 06-05-2019, 02:18 PM

Looking forward to see the big signings that should be happening now. Players who were made qualifying offers and didn't sign with their teams are now able to sign with other teams without compensation to their previous team. Kimbrel and Keuchel are two big names.

Dr. Spivey · #62 06-05-2019, 03:00 PM

The Brewers clawed their way back into first place in the NL Central. For 1 day. Yesterday's 16-0 loss to the Marlins changed that. After Miami scored 11 runs in one inning, I was reaching for the cyanide capsule.

Today is Jimmy Nelson's return to the mound after 22 months of surgery and rehab. Hope he does well, we have a great team hurting for pitchers.

Dru Edwards · #63 06-05-2019, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Spivey

The Brewers clawed their way back into first place in the NL Central. For 1 day. Yesterday's 16-0 loss to the Marlins changed that. After Miami scored 11 runs in one inning, I was reaching for the cyanide capsule.

Today is Jimmy Nelson's return to the mound after 22 months of surgery and rehab. Hope he does well, we have a great team hurting for pitchers.

I saw the scoreboard was 16-0 but didn't realize the Brewers gave up 11 runs in one inning. Wow.

Neil K Walk · #64 06-05-2019, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Spivey

The Brewers clawed their way back into first place in the NL Central. For 1 day. Yesterday's 16-0 loss to the Marlins changed that. After Miami scored 11 runs in one inning, I was reaching for the cyanide capsule.

Today is Jimmy Nelson's return to the mound after 22 months of surgery and rehab. Hope he does well, we have a great team hurting for pitchers.

There, there. There’s always the Wild Card. As long as the Pirates are in your division you’ll never be in the basement.

The Buccos have lost 11 of their last 15 and there’s talk of rebuilding. They need to start with the scouting staff. Fans have been for ownership to get out of the baseball business for years now but the profit sharing and media contracts are to lucrative so they’re content to keep on printing money and putting out a lackluster payroll.

Tahitijack · #65 06-05-2019, 05:40 PM

A lot of games yet to play but at this point it feels like a series rematch with the Dodgers and Astros. Sadly the Mariners ,that looked so good in the early weeks of this season have slipped comfortably into last place.

Jim Owen · #66 06-06-2019, 01:05 PM

Cubs just signed Kimbrel. I reckon Keuchel is the next to ink a contract, no doubt with the Yanks.

I'm a bit amazed that Kimbrel got big money; we all watched him in the World Series, didn't we?

Dru Edwards · #67 06-06-2019, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Owen

Cubs just signed Kimbrel. I reckon Keuchel is the next to ink a contract, no doubt with the Yanks.

I'm a bit amazed that Kimbrel got big money; we all watched him in the World Series, didn't we?

Kimbrel had a slightly off season last year. Credit the Cubs to keeping the contract to 3 years.

I read that the Yanks are going after Keuchel. I hope that doesn't happen.

Jim Owen · #68 06-06-2019, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

Kimbrel had a slightly off season last year. Credit the Cubs to keeping the contract to 3 years.

I read that the Yanks are going after Keuchel. I hope that doesn't happen.

Keuchel seems headed to the Braves on a one-year. Odd that he’s not donning pinstripes (and I’m thankful).

Neil K Walk · #69 06-07-2019, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Owen

Cubs just signed Kimbrel. I reckon Keuchel is the next to ink a contract, no doubt with the Yanks.

I'm a bit amazed that Kimbrel got big money; we all watched him in the World Series, didn't we?

Yea, we Pirates fans were not happy. The Cubs used to be the laughing stock of the NL Central. Now guess who it is?

TBH the Pirates were never in on the negotiations. Contrary to the Cubs' ownership's claims that they were "done" with spending any more money this year the Pirates have a long history or pinching pennies, looking to pay pennies on the dollar for rent-a-players and having a fire sale every trade deadline. In two months' time I expect that the Pirates' lineup will look more like the season-starting lineup for AAA Indianapolis.

At least the Pirates' bats have woken up even if the starting pitching rotation is "banged up" and the bullpen is so inconsistent. Josh Bell was a nice surprise for last month but the league seems to be adjusting to him and I'm actually surprised that pitchers still throw to him. Having somebody on the roster who's only a second year player seems to even be energizing the "old" hands (Marte, Palonco) and the new faces (Colin Moran, Bryan Reynolds) alike. It's refreshing to see lots of doubles and homers landing in the river but I've long been conditioned to know that the game is usually determined by the 5th inning and if it's not a blowout then the bullpen might just blow the game.

I'm glad that the Braves didn't have any additional help this past series, but for now the real test is how the Pirates will do against Milwaukee this weekend. They just finished a homestand hosting Milwaukee that they lost - and when they lose they lose BIG.

This is an era of stats and watching trends and I've heard about this site which has a graphic that represents them in red and green vertical lines. There have been way more long red lines than long green ones for the Pirates.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/t...e-scores.shtml

Dru Edwards · #70 06-12-2019, 09:25 PM

Are the Red Sox going to get a closure? Although they won today they blew another lead in the 9th the other day.

Jim Owen · #71 06-13-2019, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

Are the Red Sox going to get a closure? Although they won today they blew another lead in the 9th the other day.

I’m not sure. I reckon Stephen Wright’s suspension ends soon, so he gets added as another swing man. Eovaldi comes off the injured list eventually. So they’ll have 5 starters, perhaps.

Truthfully, the Sox seem listless. They aren’t driving in runs like this lineup seems capable of.

A few weeks ago, I thought they had just stumbled out of the gate and would eventually right themselves. After 70 games though, I sense that they are a .500 team. Not even a true lock-down closer can do much about that.

Dru Edwards · #72 06-20-2019, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Owen

I’m not sure. I reckon Stephen Wright’s suspension ends soon, so he gets added as another swing man. Eovaldi comes off the injured list eventually. So they’ll have 5 starters, perhaps.

Truthfully, the Sox seem listless. They aren’t driving in runs like this lineup seems capable of.

A few weeks ago, I thought they had just stumbled out of the gate and would eventually right themselves. After 70 games though, I sense that they are a .500 team. Not even a true lock-down closer can do much about that.

Listless, it's a good word for this team. The desire seems to be slightly lacking. But ... they won 6 in a row, lost a 17 inning game, then won the next one. They keep hanging within a game of the wildcard so that's a bonus.

Kerbie · #73 07-07-2019, 08:35 AM

Forgive me because I know this is an MLB thread, but did any of you guys grow up with minor league baseball when you were a kid? I did and it was great! My dad started taking me around age 4 and I loved it. I saw those "Birds On a Bat" when I was young and I've been a Cardinal fan ever since.

The beauty of it was the baseball was excellent, the ticket prices were reasonable, the players were closer to us, you could talk to them, etc. It was just great family entertainment. And in my young professional days, I continued to support the local club. I had a couple great friends associated with different club organizations. I haven't been to a minor league game in years, but I'll always fondly remember those days. What great fun. In some ways, it's more fun than MLB.

Jim Owen · #74 07-07-2019, 09:01 AM

Yep. In fact, I watched those very Birds a few times. Kerbie, minor league ball is still loads of fun. For several years, I worked a week in Loo’ville every summer, so each night would find me down by the river, watching The Bats (Reds AAA).

My city (Columbus Ga) lost its minor league team, and I hated that, as I enjoyed going.

General admission tickets can be less than a tenner. Parking ain’t a hassle. Concessions won’t dent your mortgage. It’s fun baseball.

Kerbie · #75 07-07-2019, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Owen

Yep. In fact, I watched those very Birds a few times.

I bet you did, Jim! Lol...

The major league team was good and their minor league teams were good too.

I imagine there are a lot of small- to medium-sized cities that have lost a minor league team. I guess it's so much more expensive to build stadiums and provide for the teams and travel. The Cards used to have at least one, and in most cases, multiple teams at each level. Now, since the minors were restructured decades ago, they sponsor only five teams above the level of rookie ball.

I've been to a whole bunch of MLB games in recent decades, but there is some part of me that simply prefers the minor leagues. The minors give me that warm fuzzy feeling... kinda like being at home.