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Major League Baseball

TSwizzle said:
LA Dodgers win their first World Series in 32 years and what a great series it was. Game four was epic but game six was just as interesting. A very tight game indeed. Snell on the mound for the Rays absolutely cruising into the sixth inning, leading 1-0, when he gives up a hit, a single to Austin Barnes. Snell gets pulled for Anderson and the Dodgers could smell blood and go on to score two runs and getting an insurance run from a Mookie Betts home run in the eighth. Urias closed out the game with brilliant pitching. A great night, the fans in the stands go wild and it gets a bit crazy in Los Angeles but what a great series.
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I was rooting for Dodgers in 7, but mostly wanted a game 7. It was a great series up until the 6th inning. The Dodgers should cut Kevin Cash a check for what has to be one of the dumbest managerial decisions in WS history (and Roberts is familiar with those). It was one of the most glaring examples I've seen of when analytics should be disregarded in favor of what is happening in that moment on the field. Analytics only tell you what is typical, but Snell pitching one the best games of his life is atypical and thus analytics don't apply. Not to mention, he replaced him with a right-hander who Betts and Seager are better against. So, it isn't clear that even the analytics supported that decision.
 
It's hard to believe that Cash took him out when he did. I don't think there's a baseball fan anywhere never mind in Tampa that would agree with that decision. Betts was very poor at the plate this whole series and does terrible against left handed pitching. How did the analytics and Cash miss that ? The Dodgers were set up or at least prepared for a game seven which I think they would have won anyway and I was sort of looking forward to.
 
MLB is back baby !! Spring training already underway but the games are only five innings, WTF ?! And there’s some weird rule about the pitching. But at least in Arizona there are limited fans in attendance. I just read why Angeles player Andrelton Simmons couldn’t finish the last five games of last season. I was very sad to see him leave the Angeles, he was an excellent fielder.
 
A Brit interested in baseball, you don't see that every day.

Is BB replacing Cricket?
 
steve_bank said:
A Brit interested in baseball, you don't see that every day.

Is BB replacing Cricket?
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:D Having lived in California for 25 years baseball has grown on me and it's my favorite sport to follow. Baseball, NFL then football I guess. I've never had any interest in cricket but will occasionally check in with the world cup or Twenty20 if there is a buzz going on.
 
Entertaining weekend series from Pads and Dodgers, LA took first 2 and lost the last. Friday had lots of back and forth scoring and went 12. Sunday was a good pitching duel and SD came back in the 8th to win. Saturday had the best play of the series:

[TWEET]https://twitter.com/Dodgers/status/1384273086942375937[/TWEET]

Outstanding walk-off catch with the tying runners in scoring position. .
 
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[TWEET]<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sell the team. <a href="https://t.co/MW9LG2PNhk">pic.twitter.com/MW9LG2PNhk</a></p>— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) <a href="https://twitter.com/PatMcAfeeShow/status/1397972933755158535?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>[/TWEET]..
 
blastula said:
Entertaining weekend series from Pads and Dodgers, LA took first 2 and lost the last. Friday had lots of back and forth scoring and went 12. Sunday was a good pitching duel and SD came back in the 8th to win. Saturday had the best play of the series:

[TWEET]https://twitter.com/Dodgers/status/1384273086942375937[/TWEET]

Outstanding walk-off catch with the tying runners in scoring position.
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I was in San Diego earlier this week at Petco Park for a SDSU graduation ceremony. I rarely get to see Dodgers or Padres these days. I could easily get on board with watching the Padres if I move down there. I’m still watching the Angels but keeping an eye on Pujols who signed for the Dodgers. Seems to have hit a few home runs our Pujols.
 
This guy is a joy to watch;

In the span of six days in an otherwise unremarkable mid-June week in the middle of yet another otherwise unremarkable Angels season, the entire Shohei Ohtani Experience was put on full display. On Tuesday, June 15, he homered in a 6-4 loss to Oakland. On Wednesday, he had two hits (including another homer) and a stolen base. Thursday brought a starting pitching appearance, where he threw six one-run innings against Detroit and drew two walks while hitting second in the lineup. (He tossed in an athletic fielding play for good measure.) Friday, back at DH, he homered twice, hours after he announced he’d participate in the T-Mobile Home Run Derby. Saturday brought a homer. It was the first time in 100 years anyone had hit five homers and picked up a win within a week. As an exclamation point, the next day, Sunday, June 20, he homered again.
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Shohei Ohtani might just be a real life-superhero

The guy is phenomenal.

Meanwhile, David Fletcher is an on base machine, he is on a hitting streak of 21 games. Not a power hitter by any means but this guy gets on base a lot. Angels still 9 games back, Trout and Upton out injured will not help in making up ground.
 
TSwizzle said:
This guy is a joy to watch;

In the span of six days in an otherwise unremarkable mid-June week in the middle of yet another otherwise unremarkable Angels season, the entire Shohei Ohtani Experience was put on full display. On Tuesday, June 15, he homered in a 6-4 loss to Oakland. On Wednesday, he had two hits (including another homer) and a stolen base. Thursday brought a starting pitching appearance, where he threw six one-run innings against Detroit and drew two walks while hitting second in the lineup. (He tossed in an athletic fielding play for good measure.) Friday, back at DH, he homered twice, hours after he announced he’d participate in the T-Mobile Home Run Derby. Saturday brought a homer. It was the first time in 100 years anyone had hit five homers and picked up a win within a week. As an exclamation point, the next day, Sunday, June 20, he homered again.
Click to expand...

Shohei Ohtani might just be a real life-superhero

The guy is phenomenal.

Meanwhile, David Fletcher is an on base machine, he is on a hitting streak of 21 games. Not a power hitter by any means but this guy gets on base a lot. Angels still 9 games back, Trout and Upton out injured will not help in making up ground.
Click to expand...

Here's the problem with baseball: The Angels have the two best players in MLB in Ohtani and Trout. And yet, they are in 4th place, 9 games back from the leader, even behind my team the Mariners! Trout by himself has a greater payroll than all the M's combined. And yet, the Angels suck.
 
Harry Bosch said:
TSwizzle said:
This guy is a joy to watch;

In the span of six days in an otherwise unremarkable mid-June week in the middle of yet another otherwise unremarkable Angels season, the entire Shohei Ohtani Experience was put on full display. On Tuesday, June 15, he homered in a 6-4 loss to Oakland. On Wednesday, he had two hits (including another homer) and a stolen base. Thursday brought a starting pitching appearance, where he threw six one-run innings against Detroit and drew two walks while hitting second in the lineup. (He tossed in an athletic fielding play for good measure.) Friday, back at DH, he homered twice, hours after he announced he’d participate in the T-Mobile Home Run Derby. Saturday brought a homer. It was the first time in 100 years anyone had hit five homers and picked up a win within a week. As an exclamation point, the next day, Sunday, June 20, he homered again.
Click to expand...

Shohei Ohtani might just be a real life-superhero

The guy is phenomenal.

Meanwhile, David Fletcher is an on base machine, he is on a hitting streak of 21 games. Not a power hitter by any means but this guy gets on base a lot. Angels still 9 games back, Trout and Upton out injured will not help in making up ground.
Click to expand...

Here's the problem with baseball: The Angels have the two best players in MLB in Ohtani and Trout. And yet, they are in 4th place, 9 games back from the leader, even behind my team the Mariners! Trout by himself has a greater payroll than all the M's combined. And yet, the Angels suck.
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Woah there, I wouldn't say the Angels suck. They actually have a pretty decent team. Their problem has been a weak bullpen. Trout has been out injured for an extended period which hasn't helped and so has Upton who I don't rate that highly anyway but he can generate runs in clutch situations. But sad to say I don't think they will make the playoffs again this season.

Diamondbacks, they suck.
 
Harry Bosch said:
TSwizzle said:
This guy is a joy to watch;

In the span of six days in an otherwise unremarkable mid-June week in the middle of yet another otherwise unremarkable Angels season, the entire Shohei Ohtani Experience was put on full display. On Tuesday, June 15, he homered in a 6-4 loss to Oakland. On Wednesday, he had two hits (including another homer) and a stolen base. Thursday brought a starting pitching appearance, where he threw six one-run innings against Detroit and drew two walks while hitting second in the lineup. (He tossed in an athletic fielding play for good measure.) Friday, back at DH, he homered twice, hours after he announced he’d participate in the T-Mobile Home Run Derby. Saturday brought a homer. It was the first time in 100 years anyone had hit five homers and picked up a win within a week. As an exclamation point, the next day, Sunday, June 20, he homered again.
Click to expand...

Shohei Ohtani might just be a real life-superhero

The guy is phenomenal.

Meanwhile, David Fletcher is an on base machine, he is on a hitting streak of 21 games. Not a power hitter by any means but this guy gets on base a lot. Angels still 9 games back, Trout and Upton out injured will not help in making up ground.
Click to expand...

Here's the problem with baseball: The Angels have the two best players in MLB in Ohtani and Trout. And yet, they are in 4th place, 9 games back from the leader, even behind my team the Mariners! Trout by himself has a greater payroll than all the M's combined. And yet, the Angels suck.
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Big name players bring in viewers (see Miguel Cabrera and the Tigers).

A few years back the Jays had a post-season drought that was becoming embarrassing, they made a few moves and made it to the ALCS. In a lot of cases I think there's a not-so-straightforward calculus going on about how to build your team - are we actually trying to win a title or just making business decisions? In my view the biggest problem in baseball is the lack of a salary cap, but at the end of the day this works for players rather than owners, which in my opinion is the way it should be.

In the NHL there is far more parity and you get a much more competitive and exciting product.
 
The Home Run Derby was a hoot. Angels phenom Shohei Ohtani took part and big things were expected from him. Alas, he couldn't get past the first round. He struggled to get into the rhythm to hit home runs and by the time he found his groove and started to blast them outta the park, he was too far behind to overtake his opponent but still managed to force a tie break. Poor Shohei looked gassed at the end but had a big smile on his face. I don't think he realized just how demanding it is. Pete Alonso won it pretty handily.
 
The Mariners are in a good spot in the west.And,they are playing well.We will see.
 
bleubird said:
The Mariners are in a good spot in the west.And,they are playing well.We will see.
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Mariners outplayed the Angels but Saturday's game had an exciting ending and yesterday showed some promise as Ohtani belted his 34th home run of the season. And unfortunately Fletcher's hitting streak came to an end after he went 0 for 5.
 
Crazy game in Seattle! Grand Slam and pitcher ejection.11/8 Seattle.
 
Crazy game in Detroit. Angels trailing 2-10 in the sixth and come back to win 13-10. The rally started with six runs scored in the sixth inning. Detroit pitcher ejected. Fantastic stuff.
 
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