Random MLB News & Discussion 2015–16

[pacopete4]

But, but, he's too fat!

 

Give us the DH and we may still have Fielder. Was so fun watching Braun and Prince hit back to back. In their prime there weren't many better than that duo.

[ELCABALLO45]

Prince went 3-5 again tonight with another homer.

 

.371/.422/597/1.018 on the season now. Unreal.

[igor67]

Very happy for Prince, hopefully his bounce back last long enough to avoid becoming the next Ryan Howard/ Mo Vaughn

[Invader3K]

From what I understand, Prince has changed his approach at the plate somewhat, and it's helped him be more productive. I haven't really gotten the chance to watch him yet this season, though.

 

Either way I'm happy for him. We got to enjoy him for a few seasons, and everyone knew he was never going to spend his whole career in Milwaukee.

[jjkoestler]

Think Billy Beane is kicking himself for flipping Donaldson for Lawrie? Donaldson's OPS is 960 and he is playing out of his mind. Lawrie's OPS is 658 and he has terrible tattoos.

[trwi7]

I think Beane completely overreacted to the bad stretch by the A's last year and sold a bunch of really good to great players for pennies on the dollar.

 

I get shaking some things up. The team barely held on to their playoff spot and hadn't won a playoff series but he just went out and gutted a team that didn't need it.

 

It was actually pretty weird. He made a bunch of rebuilding type moves and then later went out and traded for Escobar (later traded for Clippard) and Zobrist.

[jerichoholicninja]

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/128634684/removal-of-unique-tals-hill-excites-hitters

 

Tal's hill will be removed from Minute Maid park this offseason. Based off of the quick renderings shown in the video it looks like all of the nooks and crannies will be removed from the outfield fence and replaced with seating.

[Baldkin]

He's coming up! He's coming up!

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/athletics-call-up-switch-pitcher-pat-venditte-from-triple-a-151913411.html

 

http://pixel.nymag.com/imgs/daily/intelligencer/2015/06/05/05-pat-venditte.w529.h352.2x.jpg

[3and2Fastball]

Think Billy Beane is kicking himself for flipping Donaldson for Lawrie? Donaldson's OPS is 960 and he is playing out of his mind. Lawrie's OPS is 658 and he has terrible tattoos.

 

I think Beane was looking longterm at Lawrie's potential (which I still think is there) and figuring Donaldson would break down physically before too long. Also cut a lot of salary cap $$$ for the A's. It is no surprise that Donaldson would have some success hitting in Toronto

[Invader3K]

The Paul Molitor managed Minnesota Twins are currently in first place in the AL Central. Good to see "The Ignitor" doing well. I still say he should have a statue outside Miller Park.

[WV Brew]

Brett Lawrie Incident

 

Bat shatters and strikes a woman in the face. Be careful at the game folks.

[pitchleague]

I may have missed it elsewhere on bf.net but I just saw on mlbtraderumors that Seattle has DFA'd Mr. Rickie Weeks.

[yfinn6]

Padres have fired Bud Black.

[jerichoholicninja]

http://m.mlb.com/cutfour/2015/06/15/130730738/relive-the-glory-of-jim-abbotts-first-mlb-hit

 

The one-handed Jim Abbott's first career hit. Jim had an .095 career average but was 2 for 5 with 3 RBI's against Jon Lieber. Seeing Abbott and Sean Berry in the angular jerseys actually made me nostalgic for the late 90's Brewers.

[jerichoholicninja]

Padres have fired Bud Black.

 

Pat Murphy named interim manager. Probably why the Padres denied the Brewers talking to him.

[AKCheesehead]

Let me say first of all, I don't give much of a rip about the all star game. That said, anybody who looks at the voting, especially the AL voting, can see it's time for a change in the way it is being done. I just so happen to have the solution. It's a no-brainer. Get rid of the online voting, period. None of this stuffing a box with your e-ballots multiple times in a day. Sure, some people won't like it. Want to vote for your team's players to be in the all star game? Buy a ticket to an MLB game, get the vote ballot there (you get one per game) and punch out the perforated circles for your favorite players with your car keys. It might seem archaic to go back to the old ways but I think all star voting should be a privilege that comes with attending a game.

[Invader3K]

Let me say first of all, I don't give much of a rip about the all star game. That said, anybody who looks at the voting, especially the AL voting, can see it's time for a change in the way it is being done. I just so happen to have the solution. It's a no-brainer. Get rid of the online voting, period. None of this stuffing a box with your e-ballots multiple times in a day. Sure, some people won't like it. Want to vote for your team's players to be in the all star game? Buy a ticket to an MLB game, get the vote ballot there (you get one per game) and punch out the perforated circles for your favorite players with your car keys. It might seem archaic to go back to the old ways but I think all star voting should be a privilege that comes with attending a game.

 

I disagree. All those paper ballots are a huge waste. I'm glad they've done away with them. Personally, I always found it silly that they were already handing them out like three weeks into the season, and you always have guys on the ballot who are already on the DL for the year. It was an antiquated system.

 

I do like the idea of weighted voting...make the fan vote count for 1/3, player vote count for 1/3, and coaches/managers vote count for 1/3.

[trwi7]

We were making fun of Lloyd McClendon a few weeks back for keeping Rodney as the Mariners closer even though he was horrible because "there were no better options."

 

Well after what I saw last night I'd like to give McClendon some credit. The Mariners were up 2-0 going to the top of the 9th (King Felix vs Mad Bum!) and Carson Smith, a RHP has been their closer lately. So obviously you bring in Smith, right? Wrong! The first two batters of the inning were Brandon Belt and Brandon Crawford, so what does McClendon do? He brings in a lefty Charlie Furbush to get the first two batters. Furbush retires both, McClendon then gets Smith to face Duffy and picks up the one batter save.

 

I was amazed. That was awesome and managers need to do that more often.

[jerichoholicninja]

We were making fun of Lloyd McClendon a few weeks back for keeping Rodney as the Mariners closer even though he was horrible because "there were no better options."

 

Well after what I saw last night I'd like to give McClendon some credit. The Mariners were up 2-0 going to the top of the 9th (King Felix vs Mad Bum!) and Carson Smith, a RHP has been their closer lately. So obviously you bring in Smith, right? Wrong! The first two batters of the inning were Brandon Belt and Brandon Crawford, so what does McClendon do? He brings in a lefty Charlie Furbush to get the first two batters. Furbush retires both, McClendon then gets Smith to face Duffy and picks up the one batter save.

 

I was amazed. That was awesome and managers need to do that more often.

 

Well, when you don't have your Proven Closer^TM you have to go Closer By Committee^TM, which generally means playing matchups. After Rodney pitches 2 or 3 innings he'll be back in the 9th.

[jerichoholicninja]

ARod is about to get his 3000 hit and I haven't heard any talk about it. The only reason I know is because he's on my fantasy team and rotoworld mentioned it.

[dlk9s]

I'm not positive, but I believe professional ball-hawk Zack Hample caught A-Rod's homer.

[Invader3K]

I'm not positive, but I believe professional ball-hawk Zack Hample caught A-Rod's homer.

Ugh.

[SRB]

It makes zero sense that fans are legally entitled to keep balls they catch.

[DocLuna7]

It makes zero sense that fans are legally entitled to keep balls they catch.

 

Legally that's not exactly true. Logistically, it would be even more of a challenge and a ridiculous waste of time.

 

Oddly ironic and pretty hysterical that ARod's 3000th hit is caught by a guy like the Happy Youngster on steroids. What are the odds??

[SRB]

It makes zero sense that fans are legally entitled to keep balls they catch.

 

Legally that's not exactly true. Logistically, it would be even more of a challenge and a ridiculous waste of time.

 

I understand that, currently, fans are legally entitled to keep the balls, but I don't see why that should be the case. You buy a ticket and are invited onto private property to watch the game. If you're shopping in a store and a box falls off the shelf and into your bag that doesn't mean you get to keep it. If you're at a concert and a musician drops his instrument into the first row, that doesn't mean it's yours. Even if it's not an automatic right, teams should write their right to reclaim foul balls into the ticket agreements.

 

It wouldn't be a logistical challenge at all, because 99.999% of the time the stadium/team would not exercise its legal rights and would let fans keep balls. When you have a historically significant ball that could be worth thousands of dollars, the stadium should have the right to confiscate it from whoever it lands on.