|
|
Post by 😎 on Mar 24, 2023 4:04:21 GMT
LET’S FUCKING GO  |
|
|
|
Post by Bill in the rain on Mar 24, 2023 5:04:58 GMT
I don't follow baseball at all, but Japan seems to have gone absolutely nuts over winning the WBC.
Though every time I hear WBC i think they're talking about boxing or something...
Apparently there was even a GB team, though I have no idea where they got those guys from.
|
|
dogbot
Full Member
Posts: 8,738
|
Post by dogbot on Mar 30, 2023 15:31:13 GMT
OPENING DAY!
Although, obviously, being as I'm a Cubs fan it's entirely possible our season will effectively be over by mid April...
Contreas is gone, Suzuki has missed spring training and I barely recognise anyone on the roster from even last season as almost all the half decent players who weren't on 1st year contracts got traded before the deadline or over the winter.
How's your team looking?
At least the games on at a reasonable time today. Bring on Milwaukee.
|
|
|
|
Post by 😎 on Mar 30, 2023 16:30:45 GMT
We’ve lost a lot of our star players so have a very fresh team, but we still have Mookie and Freddie Freeman as our leaders, and Kersh has apparently been on absolute top form during training.
|
|
|
|
Post by starchildhypocrethes on Mar 30, 2023 16:47:27 GMT
Quietly confident about the Jays.
Rotation is strong and defensively looks strong all round. If Vladi and the offence can re-find their consistency from two seasons ago then I reckon we’ll give the Yankees a good scrap.
|
|
dogbot
Full Member
Posts: 8,738
|
Post by dogbot on Mar 30, 2023 17:09:32 GMT
We’ve lost a lot of our star players so have a very fresh team, but we still have Mookie and Freddie Freeman as our leaders, and Kersh has apparently been on absolute top form during training. Lots of the commentators have you down for the Wildcard this year, the Pads seem to be universal favourites for the NL west? Guess that means you'll just have to prove them wrong, eh.
Quietly confident about the Jays. Rotation is strong and defensively looks strong all round. If Vladi and the offence can re-find their consistency from two seasons ago then I reckon we’ll give the Yankees a good scrap. Meanwhile, seen a lot of people saying the Jays will sweep to the big show winning the AL East and the pennant. Good article/opinions here: www.theringer.com/mlb/2023/3/30/23663023/2023-mlb-preseason-predictions-shohei-ohtani-san-diego-padres |
|
|
|
Post by 😎 on Mar 30, 2023 17:15:36 GMT
If it forces Dave Roberts to actually give a shit about defense and managing the bullpen then I’m all for it. Rather a competitive season than a Dodgers locked in for the pennant by the All Star game as it has been for the past few, and I say that as a die hard fan.
|
|
dogbot
Full Member
Posts: 8,738
|
Post by dogbot on Mar 30, 2023 18:32:14 GMT
If it forces Dave Roberts to actually give a shit about defense and managing the bullpen then I’m all for it. Rather a competitive season than a Dodgers locked in for the pennant by the All Star game as it has been for the past few, and I say that as a die hard fan. Yeah, agreed. Personally I'd prefer to win a close contest rather than just walkovers all the time. |
|
|
|
Post by 😎 on Mar 30, 2023 18:34:42 GMT
Honestly last season was just boring. Especially with the expanded wild card slots it felt like the main season just didn’t matter at all, and I think towards the end most teams felt the same way and didn’t bother much.
|
|
dogbot
Full Member
Posts: 8,738
|
Post by dogbot on Mar 30, 2023 18:39:38 GMT
Yeah, I'm not sure if that's going to work out in the long term but it's part of the cba and they seem set on having even more games.
On another note, really odd seeing Cody Bellinger in a Cubs uniform.
|
|
|
|
Post by 😎 on Mar 30, 2023 18:42:52 GMT
It’s even weirder seeing Justin Turner in Red Sox garb. He was the face of the Dodgers for the longest time.
|
|
dogbot
Full Member
Posts: 8,738
|
Post by dogbot on Mar 30, 2023 18:51:12 GMT
It’s even weirder seeing Justin Turner in Red Sox garb. He was the face of the Dodgers for the longest time. He must be getting on a bit now? Surprised he hasn't gone to the Cubs, considering how many vets we've got starting today. |
|
dogbot
Full Member
Posts: 8,738
|
Post by dogbot on Mar 30, 2023 19:06:15 GMT
Well, the Cubs have one record. First pitch clock violation of the season from Stroman. Ended up loading the bases, but got out of it with a double play ball.
|
|
dogbot
Full Member
Posts: 8,738
|
Post by dogbot on Mar 30, 2023 20:47:33 GMT
An opening day win over the Brewers. Big 3rd inning gave the Cubs a 4-0 lead and Milwaukee never looked like coming back.
|
|
|
|
Post by bichii2 on Mar 30, 2023 21:56:47 GMT
I've always thought the MLB and NBA seasons to be bonkers with how many games they played. Last time in NYC I saw the Yankees and knicks and it was pick and choose as they were both playing practically every night of the week!
|
|
dogbot
Full Member
Posts: 8,738
|
Post by dogbot on Mar 31, 2023 10:39:57 GMT
Absolute robbery!
 |
|
|
|
Post by 😎 on Mar 31, 2023 13:41:10 GMT
I like how even in their first game they’ve got Ohtani breaking records left right and center, Trout on top form, and the Angels still fucking lose. Their whole team is just a meme at this point.
|
|
dogbot
Full Member
Posts: 8,738
|
Post by dogbot on Mar 31, 2023 18:16:00 GMT
Mad, innit.
The best player in baseball for the last two seasons (apologies to Aaron Judge) and the best for several seasons before that and yet...
They're basically Spurs. 😁
Just goes to show how much it's a team sport and how easy it is to lose a few games here and there in the regular season.
|
|
dogbot
Full Member
Posts: 8,738
|
Post by dogbot on Apr 1, 2023 10:38:01 GMT
|
|
dogbot
Full Member
Posts: 8,738
|
Post by dogbot on Apr 2, 2023 20:16:46 GMT
Oh well, at least the Cubs will... Chicago gives up a 5 spot in the 6th.
Oh.
|
|
|
|
Post by 😎 on Apr 5, 2023 2:55:20 GMT
A few days in and I’m still not a fan of the rule changes. Are games faster? Sure. Are games showing higher hit rates and runs? Yes, definitely. But only because you can now swing at every pitch and still have an average above .300. They’re more “exciting” games but so far they’re considerably less interesting.
|
|
dogbot
Full Member
Posts: 8,738
|
Post by dogbot on Apr 5, 2023 9:05:48 GMT
A few days in and I’m still not a fan of the rule changes. Are games faster? Sure. Are games showing higher hit rates and runs? Yes, definitely. But only because you can now swing at every pitch and still have an average above .300. They’re more “exciting” games but so far they’re considerably less interesting. Yeah, I'm not sure if I'm a fan either.
I sort of do appreciate the idea that they don't want 17 hour long games, but you can already see how it's disrupted the some of the pitchers' process and rhythm on the mound. I don't have a specific Cubs complaint, the few violations I saw only led to a ball, but apparently one of the Cincy pitchers had problems last night and it led to a 6 run innings, which doesn't really save time.
|
|
|
|
Post by starchildhypocrethes on Apr 5, 2023 9:22:51 GMT
I feel the increased base size was a bit pointless and the shift ban feels a bit reactionary. If anything, the shift just showed how poor most batters are at adapting their swing to situations.
The main event though, the pitch clock, I’m personally a big fan of so far. I don’t think it’s impacted games massively, and any issues that players are having will get ironed out soon enough as they get used to it.
On the plus side though, the games really clip along at a nice pace without feeling rushed, and far less time is spent excitedly watching a man undo and redo his gloves for the 23rd time that at bat or a pitcher shaking off 17 pitch suggestions, stepping off the mound, throwing to first a few times and then having the manager come out for another chat.
Thumbs up from me.
|
|
|
|
Post by 😎 on Apr 5, 2023 10:16:45 GMT
I think they could have achieved that without removing the pitching/plate strategy though. Two disengagement rule is there too, and it would have been easy enough to have some step up rules without a seemingly arbitrary limit. Plus only introducing one major rule change at a time would have been nice, the lack of shift is really showing to be hurting the strategy side of things, and again is just making most games into mini home run derbies because you’re really not getting penalized for swinging for the fences constantly against most pitchers. Ultimately the changes aren’t really there to make the game itself better, but to improve late game viewership and thus better advertising engagement.
|
|
|
|
Post by starchildhypocrethes on Apr 5, 2023 10:35:15 GMT
I’d disagree about it just turning games into homerun derbies, although this is based on limited viewing so far. I think, if anything, it’s increased the viability of small-ball baseball again. Already seen a lot more singles up the middle and stolen bases etc.
I don’t necessarily agree with banning the shift, but I think the much more pronounced exaggerated use of it over the last few seasons did get a bit silly.
|
|
dogbot
Full Member
Posts: 8,738
|
Post by dogbot on Apr 5, 2023 10:37:09 GMT
I've seen 5 games so far and apart from the (really cold) middle game of the Cubs-Brewers series, which was low scoring because it was 32 degrees out, they've all been slugfests.
I think the pitchers will adjust eventually, but there's going to be a lot of runs scored this season and the games aren't going to get shorter when lots of people are getting on base with doubles and triples etc.
|
|
|
|
Post by starchildhypocrethes on Apr 5, 2023 10:39:50 GMT
It’s also a period of transition too. The first coupe of months are probably not worth following stats too closely, as everyone is getting used to it. If things are still a bit chaotic come June / July then maybe alarm bells will start ringing, but I’d be surprised if that’s the case.
|
|
dogbot
Full Member
Posts: 8,738
|
Post by dogbot on Apr 5, 2023 10:44:30 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by 😎 on Apr 5, 2023 16:24:15 GMT
It’s also a period of transition too. The first coupe of months are probably not worth following stats too closely, as everyone is getting used to it. If things are still a bit chaotic come June / July then maybe alarm bells will start ringing, but I’d be surprised if that’s the case. Yeah, that’s fair. We’re only a week in, so I’ll hold off on judgment. Just a little weird that the power balance and dynamic seems to have shifted practically overnight and left a lot of talent stumped, I’d have thought the transition would have occurred during spring training and pitchers would be better prepared. |
|
dogbot
Full Member
Posts: 8,738
|
Post by dogbot on Apr 11, 2023 11:45:50 GMT
Hands up who had the Rays going 10-0 - the first team to do so since 1987! - then?
No one, eh? Seems like no one anywhere did.
Their pitching looks fantastic.
(also, 10 games in and the Cubs aren't out of anything yet, only 1.5 GB the Brewers)
|
|
