MLB 2022 thread

[Rockysdad]

Baseball, my team is the Blue Jays
Hockey my team is the Leafs
What can I say, I'm from Toronto.

Dru, How can you live in N.S. and root for those Boston teams ? I think I'm gonna have to report you to the Canadian Teams Police.

[Jim Owen]

Rich,
That article makes many valid points. It’s been clear for some time that baseball is losing its audience. I’m not seeing a solution as it’s a game that appears slow moving.

I’m a lifelong fan. But I ain’t setting foot in the nearest stadium to me. When the Braves moved out of the city, they lost me. I love minor league ball, though. I’ll take in some games this summer I hope.

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by Rockysdad

Baseball, my team is the Blue Jays
Hockey my team is the Leafs
What can I say, I'm from Toronto.

Dru, How can you live in N.S. and root for those Boston teams ? I think I'm gonna have to report you to the Canadian Teams Police.

Lots of Boston fans in the Maritimes. Not nearly as much as the Leafs and Canadiens though. I used to listen to the Red Sox on the radio with my grandfather when I was a kid. We could catch the Boston radio feed via Maine, static and all. My grandfather saw games at Fenway in the 20s or 30s, my father in the 50s, and me in the early 2000s.

[Dru Edwards]

Red Sox blow one last night to the Yankees. A couple of unearned runs and a walk-off loss.

Can't believe that Aaron Judge is talking about being a Yankee for life, that he doesn't want to go anywhere else, and that he is disappointed with contract negotiations. He turned down a 7 year $213 M contract offer because it's not enough.

How did you team fare during the first couple of games?

[Jim Owen]

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

Red Sox blow one last night to the Yankees. A couple of unearned runs and a walk-off loss.

Can't believe that Aaron Judge is talking about being a Yankee for life, that he doesn't want to go anywhere else, and that he is disappointed with contract negotiations. He turned down a 7 year $213 M contract offer because it's not enough.

How did you team fare during the first couple of games?

We have a leaky pen.

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by Jim Owen

We have a leaky pen.

I think the Blue Jays are going to have a great year. Going to be a tough division.

[jpd]

Tigers won on opening day!!!!!!!!!!!! They are this years "sneaky pick" to win their division. The White Sox are the betting line favorite (Tigers beat them on opening day)

[Rockysdad]

Blue Jays were down 7-0, and then won 10-8 against Texas Rangers.

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by Rockysdad

Blue Jays were down 7-0, and then won 10-8 against Texas Rangers.

Jays won again last night. Going to be a great season for them.

Red Sox lost their second in a row against the Yankees. As long as they can get a single win in today's Sunday game of the week.

[The Watchman]

It seems to me that the best American athletes are going to football and basketball because thats where the money is. Kids don't play baseball like they used to. Soccer and basketball is what they do for recreation. MLB surviving on imported talent. New stadiums wont help. Not sure speeding up the game will have much impact.

[Kerbie]

My Cards are 2-0. Of course, that's against the Pirates.

Too early to matter, but the #2, 3 and 4 hitters are batting .400, .333 and .625, respectively. Not too shabby.

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by The Watchman

It seems to me that the best American athletes are going to football and basketball because thats where the money is. Kids don't play baseball like they used to. Soccer and basketball is what they do for recreation. MLB surviving on imported talent. New stadiums wont help. Not sure speeding up the game will have much impact.

I read an article yesterday (perhaps on espn) that MLB doesn't have the viewership or interest it did 20 years ago, or even further back. One of the reasons why is that there are too many strikeouts/too few balls put in play and the games are too long. Last year the average game length was 3:11. 30 years prior in 1981 it was 2:38. Too many commercials but that won't got away since it brings in revenue.

Originally Posted by Kerbie

My Cards are 2-0. Of course, that's against the Pirates.

Too early to matter, but the #2, 3 and 4 hitters are batting .400, .333 and .625, respectively. Not too shabby.

Kerbie, IIRC the Cards had a great last couple of months last year and it's continuing into this year. How are they projected to do?

[Kerbie]

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

Kerbie, IIRC the Cards had a great last couple of months last year and it's continuing into this year. How are they projected to do?

Very true... a blistering month of September... 17 wins in a row. I haven't read any formal predictions. I think their biggest question mark will be the pitching staff and a lot may depend on the health of Jack Flaherty. The hitters are impressive and I think the defense will be sufficient. Oliver Marmol, their first-year manager is only 35, but he has risen through the Cardinal coaching ranks for more than a decade. So far, he seems pretty popular and he certainly knows the players very well.

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by Kerbie

Very true... a blistering month of September... 17 wins in a row. I haven't read any formal predictions. I think their biggest question mark will be the pitching staff and a lot may depend on the health of Jack Flaherty. The hitters are impressive and I think the defense will be sufficient. Oliver Marmol, their first-year manager is only 35, but he has risen through the Cardinal coaching ranks for more than a decade. So far, he seems pretty popular and he certainly knows the players very well.

Kerbie, I saw that Pujols hit his first HR and got his first RBI yesterday. He's only played 2 of the 4 games... is there a reason for that?

We haven't even completed the first week yet and there are no undefeated teams and no winless teams.

[Kerbie]

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

Kerbie, I saw that Pujols hit his first HR and got his first RBI yesterday. He's only played 2 of the 4 games... is there a reason for that?

Yeah, Dru. Before signing Pujols, the Cards had signed Corey Dickerson to handle the DH duties against righties. Since Pujols hasn't hit righties very well in his later years, they're platooning the two... Albert hitting against lefties.