MLB thread for non-Red Sox and Yankees fans

[MSOrange]

All Star voting is now open. Who you got? This is my ballot as of today.

AL
C Salvador Perez
1B Mitch Moreland
2B Jose Altuve
SS Manny Machado
3B Jose Ramirez
OF Michael Brantley
OF Mookie Betts
OF Mike Trout
DH JD Martinez

NL
C Francisco Cervelli
1B Freddie Freeman
2B Ozzie Albies
SS Brandon Crawford
3B Noland Arenado
OF Bryce Harper
OF Nick Markakis
OF Matt Kemp

Here are my updated picks. For the AL outfield, it's practically impossible to just pick 3 guys. Several have strong arguments. Not going to argue if you have Judge, Castellanos, Haniger

AL
C Wilson Ramos
1B Jose Abreu
2B Jose Altuve (won't argue with Jed Lowrie)
SS Manny Machado
3B Jose Ramirez
OF Andrew Benitendi
OF Mookie Betts
OF Mike Trout
DH JD Martinez

NL
C JT Realmuto
1B Freddie Freeman
2B Javier Baez
SS Trevor Story
3B Nolan Arenado (Eugenio Suarez has a very strong case also)
OF Marcell Ozuna
OF Nick Markakis
OF Matt Kemp[/QUOTE]

 

[Alsacs]

Here are my updated picks. For the AL outfield, it's practically impossible to just pick 3 guys. Several have strong arguments. Not going to argue if you have Judge, Castellanos, Haniger

AL
C Wilson Ramos
1B Jose Abreu
2B Jose Altuve (won't argue with Jed Lowrie)
SS Manny Machado
3B Jose Ramirez
OF Andrew Benitendi
OF Mookie Betts
OF Mike Trout
DH JD Martinez

NL
C JT Realmuto
1B Freddie Freeman
2B Javier Baez
SS Trevor Story
3B Nolan Arenado (Eugenio Suarez has a very strong case also)
OF Marcell Ozuna
OF Nick Markakis
OF Matt Kemp

[/QUOTE]
I think Bientiendi is an allstar but Judge is a bigger star and has enough power I would start him.

The rest of the AL I agree I haven’t watched enough NL to disagree with you but Markakis as a starter?

 

[MSOrange]

I think Bientiendi is an allstar but Judge is a bigger star and has enough power I would start him.

The rest of the AL I agree I haven’t watched enough NL to disagree with you but Markakis as a starter?[/QUOTE]

Markakis is having a really good year fairly quietly. 326 BA which is 3rd in the NL, 9 HR and 55 RBI which is tied for 5th in the NL. He's really providing nice support hitting behind Freddie Freeman.

Bryce Harper is normally a shoe in starter for the NL but just can't pick him this year with his 219 BA.

 

[donniesyracuse]

Finally voted

AL
C: Wilson Ramos
1B: Matt Olson
2B: Jose Altuve
SS: Franciso Lindor
3B: Jose Ramirez
OF: Mookie Betts
OF: Aaron Judge
OF: Mike Trout
DH: JD Martinez

NL
C: Wison Contreras
1B: Freddie Freeman
2B: Scooter Gennett
SS: Brandon Crawford
3B: Eugenio Suarez
OF: Matt Kemp
OF: Nick Markakis (actually voted for Lewis Brinson instead for The Dan Le Batard Show)
OF: Brandon Nimmo

 

[MSOrange]

Finally voted

AL
C: Wilson Ramos
1B: Matt Olson
2B: Jose Altuve
SS: Franciso Lindor
3B: Jose Ramirez
OF: Mookie Betts
OF: Aaron Judge
OF: Mike Trout
DH: JD Martinez

NL
C: Wison Contreras
1B: Freddie Freeman
2B: Scooter Gennett
SS: Brandon Crawford
3B: Eugenio Suarez
OF: Matt Kemp
OF: Nick Markakis (actually voted for Lewis Brinson instead for The Dan Le Batard Show)
OF: Brandon Nimmo

Can't really argue with any of those choices although I'd probably pick Moreland or Abreu at 1B in the AL. I had trouble picking a 3rd NL outfielder after Kemp and Markakis but Nimmo is a solid choice.

 

[MSOrange]

ESPN's 2018 AL and NL All-Star picks

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[KaiserUEO]

Where’s the speakers that caused the Yankees to get swept last week??

 

[MSOrange]

What a tackle! Audio NSFW

Streaker At Coors Field Almost Escapes Security Before Getting Blasted By a Fellow Fan

 

[Day2]

Twitter reacts to Matheny's dismissal

Long overdue.

 

[MSOrange]

Who is your team and what's your first half grade?

I give my Braves a B. Would have been higher but they were leaking oil coming into the break. Thrilled with 10 games over 500 though. This was probably a year earlier than I expected. Our bullpen needs some work though and we need our starts to go deeper than 5-6 innings. Very excited about the coming seasons though with Albies, Acuna and Freeman leading the way.

 

[donniesyracuse]

Yankees: A

They have exceeded expectations in every way. It is not their fault that the Red Sox never lose.

 

[bpo57]

Who is your team and what's your first half grade?

I give my Braves a B. Would have been higher but they were leaking oil coming into the break. Thrilled with 10 games over 500 though. This was probably a year earlier than I expected. Our bullpen needs some work though and we need our starts to go deeper than 5-6 innings. Very excited about the coming seasons though with Albies, Acuna and Freeman leading the way.

Red Sox: A+ but in this course it all depends on how you do on the Final.

 

[DoubleDee]

In Syracuse we have a roof cuz weather.

In Tampa, shouldn’t they NOT have roof cuz weather?

Never understood that.

 

[donniesyracuse]

In Syracuse we have a roof cuz weather.

In Tampa, shouldn’t they NOT have roof cuz weather?

Never understood that.

Have you ever spent a summer in Florida?

 

[Alsacs]

The difference between the AL and NL lineups is like the NBA East and West depth wise.

 

[MSOrange]

 

[Alsacs]

Tony Clark just said universal DH is gaining steam among the players.
It just makes no sense for the AL and NL still have different rules.
I have said this would be like the Eastern conference didn't allow the 3-pt line in its home games and the Western conference did. Just have one set of rules.
The DH is better as it brings offense.

 

[Bayside44]

Tony Clark just said universal DH is gaining steam among the players.
It just makes no sense for the AL and NL still have different rules.
I have said this would be like the Eastern conference didn't allow the 3-pt line in its home games and the Western conference did. Just have one set of rules.
The DH is better as it brings offense.

The DH sucks. Its like trotting out a softball lineup.

Then again interleague sucks too.

 

[donniesyracuse]

Tony Clark just said universal DH is gaining steam among the players.

If that happens, then I think it's time to dissolve the two leagues and realign geographically.

 

[OrangeDW]

The DH sucks. Its like trotting out a softball lineup.

Then again interleague sucks too.

The DH is an abhorrent Johnny come lately experimental rule gone wrong. Get rid of it and all those beer league clubbers in the AL can either learn how to field or be a pinch hitting specialist.

 

[Alsacs]

If that happens, then I think it's time to dissolve the two leagues and realign geographically.

I disagree with that. The leagues are just like NFL idea of conferences.
I think they should add a team to Las Vegas and Montreal.

Reduce the season to 144 games. Have 6 teams in each league make the playoffs. 1/2 seeds get a 1 week bye like football. 3-6, 4-5 play best of 5.

Don't need to get rid of leagues. As teams have history even if its not geographical i.e. Angels-Yankees, Red Sox-Indians, Blue Jays-Rangers.

 

[Alsacs]

The DH sucks. Its like trotting out a softball lineup.

Then again interleague sucks too.

I wouldn't mind interleague play being scrapped. It's overkill now.
However watching rallies be destroyed by the fact the pitcher's spot is up is useless as well.
This isn't the steroid Era where ever team is littered with hitting.
Right now the sports is tilted towards pitching. I don't need to see pitchers bunting or interfor hitters pinch hitting. If the NL had the DH a guy like Pujols never leaves where he was homegrown and a legend.

The idea every team has a Edgar Martinez or David Ortiz as the fulltime DH isn't true. Most/If not all teams use it as a spot to rotate players to keep them off their feet but in the lineup.

 

[OrangeDW]

I wouldn't mind interleague play being scrapped. It's overkill now.
However watching rallies be destroyed by the fact the pitcher's spot is up is useless as well.
This isn't the steroid Era where ever team is littered with hitting.
Right now the sports is tilted towards pitching. I don't need to see pitchers bunting or interfor hitters pinch hitting. If the NL had the DH a guy like Pujols never leaves where he was homegrown and a legend.

The idea every team has a Edgar Martinez or David Ortiz as the fulltime DH isn't true. Most/If not all teams use it as a spot to rotate players to keep them off their feet but in the lineup.

What’s wrong with the pitcher bunting? Bunting is a skill and can be a useful strategy. Same with pinch hitting.

 

[Alsacs]

What’s wrong with the pitcher bunting? Bunting is a skill and can be a useful strategy. Same with pinch hitting.

Your giving an out almost every time every 3 innings.
Pitchers don't/shouldn't need a breather inning. In the steroid era where hitting was off the deep end okay but not now.
We are in the Pitching Era right now. Sport could use a little more offense IMO. If a pitcher can hit do what the Angels were doing with Ohtani. DH him when he isn't starting.

Pinch hitting is always used in late games in the AL as well. I just don't want to give pitchers anymore breaks.
NL pitchers ERAs IMO are inflated by atleast .33 earned runs because of the lineups having a weaker 8th hitter and pitcher's spot.

Schwaber is a prototype player in the AL who would be better if he could mix in some DHing as he has to play LF because of the Cubs having Rizzo at 1b.