Playing Catch

Best first baseman(s) in baseball.

Hardcore fans in the big markets suddenly like defence, especially in Philly.

It looks to me that he just may have unlocked something that is sustainable, offensively. His value has skyrocketed all the way past cromulent so that he, himself, has a very real-world value for other clubs. Nearly every single club would benefit from his being on their roster, probably as a primary shortstop, excepting the teams that have a committed superstar playing there. Or he's just hot, and that he'll never be more than a glove-only defensive utility player. But I think he will settle into this new identity as a non-black hole platinum-glove level defender. But if they move him to make room for Made or someone else, I think with his being under team control for a couple more years makes him a really valuable asset, and could get a lot in return.

That's a fun list. I have to think this is a huge opportunity for Wood to really put himself in line for a 40-man spot depending on what they decide to do with Contreras. Meanwhile with continued performance, Payne could really rocket to the top of off-season prospect lists if he can maintain any discipline in the zone. Payne looks a lot like 2026 Garrett Mitchell. The vestiges of the flat bat-path he was drafted with remain, but he is so short and stiff to the ball from the left side, with the similar 5-tool frame. He's just so exciting as a prospect to dream on.

After Payton Tolle's immaculate inning the other day, I wonder if Miz has that on his radar. I feel like the Pirates offer a good opportunity so long as Miz doesn't overthrow and miss the zone.

They've rotated all season. It's the norm. They can coast with daily lineups and managing innings without the change in mindset that would come from "coasting". I don't think they are peaking too early or anything. It's time to turn it up, and every guy that goes out there knows what his teammates expect from him, which is to get out there and ball out.

Over the seasons, I try to be as objective as possible with guys, but admittedly, I have a blind spot for Wild Bill. I see all the same stuff others do that annoy them, but I can't help it. I just think every lockerroom needs a guy that brings the grit and toughness and grind (if not always the hustle or concentration), simply to serve as a role model in that regard. I said it at the deadline and I'll say it again here. It's really hard to improve the best team in baseball, and for that reason, he's going to be harder to replace than to trade away. I think they look around at every single trade possibility, but in the end, I think he's more valuable on next year's roster. Next year is too important to mess around at catcher unless you're really confident in the next guy(s).

I will now forever think of you as, "Gregmagnanimous"

I like the possibility of a dedicated Daily thread. It would be at the expense of the other threads, perhaps, but so often the IGT and Daily-posters don't see eye-to-eye, so it could be a way to keep the peace. Good fences, good neighbors and all that.

What were Vegas lines in the spring? I've been told there is no one better at knowing (commanding?) the future than betting markets.

This board still predicted higher win totals than most of the experts in the industry. Obviously great baseball minds, here.

The best part about winning a world series would be ending the stupid, "you have to hit dingers to win in the playoffs" trope. You used to have to hit dingers in the regular season to win, too.

After Boyd's performance against the Brewers last week, I'd like to see Hamilton start and bunt down the first base line in his plate appearances to make Boyd play defense.

I think many teams have begun to exploit the Brewers style of hitting, which in this example means looking for "their" fastball, and adjusting to pull soft stuff in, or take, or foul-off stuff off the plate. I think opposing staffs have begun pitching backwards more often, or getting ahead with pitches that they know Brewers hitters will take (because they know that a fastball-out-of-the-hand in that part of the zone is an auto-take for Brewers early in the count, whether the pitch ends up being a back-door braking ball, or a fastball down in the zone).

David Ross made over $22M in his playing career. Many former players don't have to work for money. Therefore, he can wait for the "right opportunity". Also, while win-loss record will get a manager fired, it won't always get you hired. Perhaps (no idea) word got out that he just was merely "fine" as a manager, and no one feels compelled to go get him.

If we were looking for comps, I would compare Made to Jose Ramirez. They seem like very similar players, even though Ramirez learned his plate discipline as a switch-hitter at the big league level, basically immediately as a 20 year old. While Made may end up as a "poor-man's" Jose Ramirez, they have remarkably similar profiles.

Cubs fans have to ask themselves if they should even tune in. Peterson's K/BB% is not good. Against the Brewers? He'll be lucky to get through the 4th, and then the bullpen kicks in. I doubt the Cubs do anything different on the mound tonight since Peterson is 6'6" with elite extension and will be landing in the same vicinity as Miz. But I wouldn't put it past them to use a passing shower this afternoon to declare a rainout.

He should just throw a perfect game with an immaculate inning or two since he's breaking records. Anyone here that doesn't have a lot of background in baseball history (for whatever reason) should know that in this sports world filled with superlatives like Ohtani, that what Misiorowski is doing is seriously historic. I can't believe he's on my team.

It's the known unknowns that cloud any discussion on playing time... None of us know what the "other" player will do with any given plate appearance. The team has acknowledged recently (when starting a number of left-handed hitters against a lefty) that it's about the pitcher's repertoire, and how it relates to the swings of different players and I think that probably even considers defensive alignment of the opposition, and where they anticipate hitting the ball against a particular pitcher. So even though I was pleased as punch last night that Vaughn got to stay in the game against Palencia, for all we know, some lefty may have been able to park that slider into the seats. My point is, is that for all we know, Bauers has had a great season because they've been able to protect him from 15 more Ks, and 15 fewer walks by using Vaughn or Sanchez in different spots. The posters that demand hot hitters regardless of platoon are disregarding this known unknown. We may not like it, but teams across baseball are either leaning into platoon splits, or suffering the consequences of disregarding them --- or more likely, the consequences of having a weak bench of players with the same skillsets.

If the Brewers win the next three 1-0, 2-1, 5-4, no one in Chicago will remember the seven runs allowed by Andrew Vaughn, and their enthusiasm will transition to wondering if they've "peaked too early," or that they "rely too much on the HR," or that their bullpen stinks. We'll be back to crowing about owning the division. But even if ultimately, the Brewers succumb to the inevitable Cubs, it won't be because they suck, or because they forgot how to play good baseball. They have been a .600+ winning team for too long for them to collapse, I think [knocks wood]. Stay the course. Get to their 'pen. Play your way. Play clean. Play hard. Relaxed focus. Rinse, repeat. Bob's [Gasser] your uncle.

I tend to believe that his good fastball has more to do with movement and location than pure velo, but it's always nice to have 2-3 more clicks. His location last night was middle-middle. Even w/o tipping, the Cubs lineup will rock you. You simply have to hit your spots, and he couldn't do it. Credit the Cubs with keeping him in the zone, but it wasn't hard with him spraying pitches all over the place whenever he tried for a corner.

Worst game of the season. The failure of Frelick to challenge that ball-called-strike on the strike-em-out-throw-em-out DP, and the failed Bauers flip to Harrison were early back-breakers. They had a chance to make Holmes work in the heat early, and let him off the hook. Had they been able to get to the pen, perhaps they could have made things harder the rest of the week. There should be an acknowledgement that the game was a great set-up for the Cubs. Holmes' sinker was incredible at times last night in the thick air. A perfect foil for Wrigley's windy weather. But it doesn't change the fact the Brewers were collectively poor. It's obvious that Harrison's velocity and tipping were the primary culprits responsible for the massacre, but the Brewers TERRIBLE performance was team-wide. They weren't ready to play. Blame it on the heat/humidity/nerves/youth/Cubs/Wrigley/Murphy/whatever... Doesn't matter. That was an embarrasing performance, and I expect that they will be ready to play tonight. Putrid performance. I have hope that Murphy/Harrison are being truthful about his mechanics being out of whack, which could explain all of it (velo, movement, location, and tipping). But I still kind of feel like they should option him or IL-him or something so that he can rest up and get things straightened out. If he's injured and waiting to have surgery, that's fine, but then his role needs to be lessened so that you can control for a blow-up outing, which he's proving he's capable of having. It's games like last night that jeopardize his being able to be trusted to pitch in the playoffs unless it's part of a bullpen-game.

My guess is that he was indirectly telling his team to relax and not put the playoff chase cart in front of the horse. Nothing more to read into it, and as Snapper says above, the statement isn't exactly breaking news. No team should feel like they failed because they didn't win 100 games.

If you are trying to run through Shohei, Freeman, PCA, and Matt Olson, you could use all of the lefties you can get. But when you have Gasser, and in varying roles, Harrison, Drohan, and Ashby, it gives them tremendous flexibility, roster-wise in each series. And if any of those guys have issues with certain RH pitches, like Henderson's changeup, or Senzatela's sinker, they could really get matchup-happy in the playoffs.

Sounds like a self-affirmation he says into the mirror every night before bed.