Major League Baseball 2018 Season Thread

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Are the 2018 Braves the 2014 Royals?

Hmm! That's a darn good question. They could well be. The Braves certainly do have more than enough mojo to make a run all the way to the World Series.

[Deathstroke]

They tied the team record with 105 wins on Friday. Their next win will set a new record for most wins in a season for the franchise, but they will fall short of the MLB record 116. Their next win will also clinch home field advantage throughout the playoffs for them (assuming the Astros didn't lose today as the magic number was 1 going into today's games and the Sox lost to the Indians in extras).

-M

MRP, I know it's not the MLB record, that's why I said team record.

Still, I don't think any Red Sox fan saw this kind of season back in spring training.

[MRP]

MRP, I know it's not the MLB record, that's why I said team record.

Still, I don't think any Red Sox fan saw this kind of season back in spring training.

I had them at 92-98 wins and likely being the first AL Wildcard. The Yanks, while still very good, underperformed a bit from where I expected them to be this season (which was in the 98-102 win range and winning the AL East). So I thought the Sox would be very good, but they have exceeded that. I thought their bullpen would hold them back more than it has, but that bullpen is still shaping up to be an Achilles heel in the post-season. But at least they didn't make a Bagwell for Larry Anderson type trade in response to it this time around.

-M

PS I only mentioned the MLB record because there was a time in late July/early August that they were on pace to be close to breaking it, and they cooled off some from that point. Still the most impressive accomplishment to me tha tthey have achieved this year is they have not lost more than 3 games in a row at any point this season. They are the only team that does not have at least a 4 game losing streak at some point in the season.

[Hiromi]

Are the 2018 Braves the 2014 Royals?

could be, I honestly won't be too sad if they aren't because they're so loaded with young talent and cap room that they should make major improvements to the roster by next year, but they can get really hot and are a really dangerous team, especially on the road

[Deathstroke]

I had them at 92-98 wins and likely being the first AL Wildcard. The Yanks, while still very good, underperformed a bit from where I expected them to be this season (which was in the 98-102 win range and winning the AL East). So I thought the Sox would be very good, but they have exceeded that. I thought their bullpen would hold them back more than it has, but that bullpen is still shaping up to be an Achilles heel in the post-season. But at least they didn't make a Bagwell for Larry Anderson type trade in response to it this time around.

-M

PS I only mentioned the MLB record because there was a time in late July/early August that they were on pace to be close to breaking it, and they cooled off some from that point. Still the most impressive accomplishment to me tha tthey have achieved this year is they have not lost more than 3 games in a row at any point this season. They are the only team that does not have at least a 4 game losing streak at some point in the season.

Maybe it is my Boston sense of pessimism, but I thought they'd be GOOD or at least hoped they would. But I didn't expect anything like this.

[MRP]

Ohtani has decided to undergo Tommy John surgery the first week of the off season to deal with the UCL issues he has developed. He may return to play as DH next season, but likely won't throw again until 2020.

-M

[Hiromi]

He'll probably eventually need to decide if wants to hit every day or pitch, really don't know if it's feasible with modern pitching standards to do both

[Deathstroke]

He'll probably eventually need to decide if wants to hit every day or pitch, really don't know if it's feasible with modern pitching standards to do both

Which was known by anyone with a lick of sense before the Angels signed him. This injury was destined to happen. The Angels were stupid to let him do both. Yet another reason why they haven't really been a legitimate threat for years. One stupid decision after another.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Which was known by anyone with a lick of sense before the Angels signed him. This injury was destined to happen. The Angels were stupid to let him do both. Yet another reason why they haven't really been a legitimate threat for years. One stupid decision after another.

Meanwhile, the career of Mike Trout, one THE greatest players of this generation continues going to waste as the Angels remain an afterthought. Oh, yeah, Anaheim has already made noises about wanting to sign Trout to a new, lifetime contract, knowing full well that if he walks, the Angels, like Miami, won't draw flies.

[Scott Taylor]

Trout seems happy there, by all accounts. He gets to wrack up a HoF career but has no pressure to win anything. Maybe thats what he wants (get paid, no pressure).

[C_Miller]

Which was known by anyone with a lick of sense before the Angels signed him. This injury was destined to happen. The Angels were stupid to let him do both. Yet another reason why they haven't really been a legitimate threat for years. One stupid decision after another.

In fairness to the Angels, it was one of his conditions for signing. Truthfully, his route should have either been a pitcher on a National League team if he really wanted to do both.

[Deathstroke]

In fairness to the Angels, it was one of his conditions for signing. Truthfully, his route should have either been a pitcher on a National League team if he really wanted to do both.

You are correct, they had to say OK. But to be held hostage to a stupid demand like that is just another reason why the team seems to have no intention of ever truly competing again. Instead of paying all that money and having it blow up in their face like it did, all the MLB teams should've said if you want to hit and pitch so bad, stay in Japan.

[Deathstroke]

Trout seems happy there, by all accounts. He gets to wrack up a HoF career but has no pressure to win anything. Maybe thats what he wants (get paid, no pressure).

If he doesn't want to win, then he has no business playing professionally.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

For the first time since 1958, the year before I was born, my freefalling Phillies gave up 10 runs in back to back to back games after a 14-0 asswhuppin' at the hands of Colorado last night.

[Hiromi]

For all the talk that the Phillies were a year ahead a few months ago, you have to wonder now, last year once they went to their young players around mid season they finished up only a game under .500 for that time period. Now? 2 games under .500.