Random MLB News & Discussion 2014

[Baldkin]

Good old Yosty.

 

http://joeposnanski.com/joeblogs/royal-thought-of-the-day/

 

Yes, I know I can be hard on Ned Yost, maybe even unfairly so at times. That said, when you are in a pennant race, when every win and loss counts, when you are at home against a last place team, when you can fall a game and a half back in the standings with a loss, YOU CANNOT HAVE AARON CROW PITCH TO DANIEL NAVA WITH THE BASES LOADED.

[Dead Simmons]

The Braves were swept by perhaps the worst team in baseball, the Rangers. I wonder what the mindset of that team is right now?

 

The Phils' John Papelbon got tosses by Joe West after crotch grabbing the crowd as they booed their brains out at him. What are Umps now...morality police? It's Philidelphia, for Crissakes!

 

In case you missed it: http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-baseball/24709768/jonathan-papelbon-ejected-after-obscene-gesture-toward-philly-fans

[Patrick425]

I have absolutely no problem with the umps tossing him after that.

[logan82]

I have absolutely no problem with the umps tossing him after that.

I do when it's Joe West.

[Dead Simmons]

I have absolutely no problem with the umps tossing him after that.

Personally, I thought it was funny, but I think you're missing the big picture, Patrick.

[jerichoholicninja]

Fined? Yes.

Suspended? Absolutely!

Get thrown out by an umpire? No way. That's not their job.

[TGOTJ]

Joe West should only umpire games between the Cardinals and the Diamondbacks.

[Invader3K]

Eh...I think an ejection probably is warranted. That's basically an obscene gesture.

[Patrick425]

Yeah..I don't see the difference between flipping fans off and doing what he did.

 

I have been one of Braun's biggest critics on this site, but I don't see him ever reacting to all the abuse he takes from fans on the road. I give him a lot of credit for that.

[Dead Simmons]

Yeah..I don't see the difference between flipping fans off and doing what he did.

 

I have been one of Braun's biggest critics on this site, but I don't see him ever reacting to all the abuse he takes from fans on the road. I give him a lot of credit for that.

Different can of worms Pat...Pap was at home. To me, it's their business. Joe West over-stepped his bounds. It should have been the Philly manager to handle that situation.

 

[Patrick425]

I guess we just disagree then. It just seems logical to me that if a player makes an obscene gesture towards fans, home or away, he get's tossed.

[dlk9s]

Rule 9.01(d)

 

Each umpire has authority to disqualify any player, coach, manager or substitute

for objecting to decisions or for unsportsmanlike conduct or language, and to eject

such disqualified person from the playing field. If an umpire disqualifies a player

while a play is in progress, the disqualification shall not take effect until no further

action is possible in that play.

[Invader3K]

Apparently Papelbon has been given a seven game suspension now for the incident. To me, that seems excessive.

[Dead Simmons]

Apparently Papelbon has been given a seven game suspension now for the incident. To me, that seems excessive.

It is. Just goes to show that penalties are relative, like a judge that rules by his heart and not the book. If it was a playoff contending team it would have been 2 or 3 games. But it was the Phillies.

[trwi7]

Apparently Papelbon has been given a seven game suspension now for the incident. To me, that seems excessive.

 

How many times would Papelbon be used in those 7 games? 5 at the most but considering how bad the Phillies are, it's probably around 2-3, which seems fair.

[jerichoholicninja]

After seeing the whole thing from start to finish, Pap still looks like a grade A turd but Joe West looks even more like, well, Joe West. There was no reason for him to throw him out. He was done for the game and was certainly going to fined or suspended anyway. West walked all the way from the outfield (he was umping 2B) to the dugout to personally tell Papelbon he was tossed. He could have thrown him out from the field or told Sandberg that he was gone but instead decided to draw attention to himself. If that wasn't enough, as Papelbon is arguing with him he grabs him by the uniform and throws him out of the way. I will give Joe credit for simply walking away at that point but he made the situation much worse that it should have been making it all about Joe. Good that Papebon got suspended but West should be too.

[Matt Breen]

Interesting look at how offense has declined.

 

In 2004, there were 37 players that hit 30 or more HR (including nine players hitting over 40 HR), and 36 players hit .300 or better.

 

In 2014, we have 10 guys with 30 HR (quite a few guys are have 25-27 HR, so a couple might reach 30), no one with 40 HR (Nelson Cruz has 39, so he's a good shot to get it), and 16 guys hitting .300 or better.

[Dead Simmons]

Interesting look at how offense has declined.

 

In 2004, there were 37 players that hit 30 or more HR (including nine players hitting over 40 HR), and 36 players hit .300 or better.

 

In 2014, we have 10 guys with 30 HR (quite a few guys are have 25-27 HR, so a couple might reach 30), no one with 40 HR (Nelson Cruz has 39, so he's a good shot to get it), and 16 guys hitting .300 or better.

It's no surprise that O is down. Guys that were hitting FIFTY HRs 5 years back are now hitting 25-30 and are on and off the DL. A serious PED program did that. They got their millions and don't want to join Sosa, McGuire and Bonds in the public eye.

 

Without checking, I would guess that the present numbers correspond pretty close to the pre-Canseco '90s.

[Patrick425]

Count down to someone suggesting that PEDs were not the cause of the increased offensive numbers...3...2...1....

[TooLiveBrew]

Count down to someone suggesting that PEDs were not the cause of the increased offensive numbers...3...2...1....

Well, surely only hitters were using, & not pitchers, right?

[Dead Simmons]

Count down to someone suggesting that PEDs were not the cause of the increased offensive numbers...3...2...1....

Well, surely only hitters were using, & not pitchers, right?

I guess that just goes to show that good PED pitching beats good PED hitting.

[dlk9s]

We should check hitting stats by pitchers to know once and for all.

[Patrick425]

Count down to someone suggesting that PEDs were not the cause of the increased offensive numbers...3...2...1....

Well, surely only hitters were using, & not pitchers, right?

 

Well, PEDs may help a pitcher throw harder, but it really would do nothing to help movement of off speed pitches or location of any pitch. Major leaguers are very capable of hitting poorly located fast balls. There are numerous fly balls caught just a few feet form the wall every year (every day of the season actually). It stands to reason that if hitters have a little extra "help", then many of those balls are going to travel the extra 5-10 feet needed to make it over the wall.

[Baldkin]

Count down to someone suggesting that PEDs were not the cause of the increased offensive numbers...3...2...1....

 

Just for you:

http://steroids-and-baseball.com/

[TooLiveBrew]

Many pitchers were busted for HGH use, and HGH's primary function is to aid in recovery time (not add bulk muscle mass like anabolic steroids). Given that recovery is a huge part of any pitcher's job, I think it's pretty safe to say that HGH was helpful.