MLB 2023 Regular Season Thread

[Hiromi]

couple head coach hires, Mets hire Yankees bench coach Carlos Mendoza, and in bigger news Craig Counsell has left the Brewers and is being signed by the Cubs, who in turn are firing David Ross

[babyblob]

Guardians hire ex catcher Steven Vogt as their new manager.

[Deathstroke]

couple head coach hires, Mets hire Yankees bench coach Carlos Mendoza, and in bigger news Craig Counsell has left the Brewers and is being signed by the Cubs, who in turn are firing David Ross

Man, David Ross got kind of screwed. Ricketts just recently said that he was their guy AND he had another two years on his contract.

[CTTT]

Baseball is a multi-billion dollar business, not a quaint past time organized into competitive leagues like bowling. Yes it does need banger ratings like the NFL. It is fueled by the major TV contracts and billionaire owners and played by millionaire players. In order for the infrastructure to survive and the games to continue, it needs to have a huge revenue flow and be in the national spotlight. Without that so called gatekeeping true fans won't have a game to watch and be a fan of. Ask the true fans of baseball in Montreal what happened when the money didn't flow. Ask the true fans in Oakland what's about to happen to baseball in their town because the money wasn't flowing. Baseball is a business geared to make big money. It is not a past time any more, national or not. To some fans it may be, but not the people who make baseball happen, and without them, "true fans will have to go to little league and pony league games, and maybe the odd independent league game to get their baseball fix, because without making bank, MLB and all the minor league affiliates it supports wouldn't be playing ball.

-M

Well, you can blame Marvin Miller and Curt Flood for the current structure. They were an enema to baseball. It's not played for love of the game it's played for the bling. Also what happened to those Oakland and Montreal teams? They simply relocated and it's happened before in the game. See the Dodgers and Giants for examples. It all comes down to building a new stadium. Which is funny because oftentimes the city/town builds a new stadium and the billionaire owners want a new one after 5 years which is absurd. City balks and the owner simply relocates.

[MRP]

Well, you can blame Marvin Miller and Curt Flood for the current structure. They were an enema to baseball. It's not played for love of the game it's played for the bling. Also what happened to those Oakland and Montreal teams? They simply relocated and it's happened before in the game. See the Dodgers and Giants for examples. It all comes down to building a new stadium. Which is funny because oftentimes the city/town builds a new stadium and the billionaire owners want a new one after 5 years which is absurd. City balks and the owner simply relocates.

Not one current MLB stadium would exist if it wasn't a revenue generator for the community. Those tax cuts that allow them to exist would not happen, and even iconic stadiums like Fenway and Wrigley would have been reclaimed by the city, torn down and the valuable real estate sold off if they did not generate revenue for the cities (and states) they exist in. Baseball continues to exist because it is a revenue generator, not just for the owners and players, but for the communities where teams play, and that only continues if they continue to bring in new audiences to the game, so the game will continue to evolve to continue to attract contemporary audiences, not those who think the game should be stuck in time sometime in the mid-20th century. That which does not evolves, stagnates and dies, and this applies to baseball as well. I don't like it, but that is the fundamental reality of what MLB is. And the truth is, money has always driven the game. The Yankees have 27 championships because for a good portion of the games history, their money drove the game and gave them the edge. The Black Sox scandal was such a big deal because money drove the game. Free agency began because MLB was losing athletes to other sports because they paid better and money drove things. Lights and night games happened because money drove the game. It's not a new phenomenon. It has always been the driving factor of MLB and the evolution of the game even if folks don't want to admit it and continue to live in denial, preferring some rose-tinted nostalgia glasses view of the game.

-M

[achilles]

Dodgers did not extend qualifying offers to JD Martinez, or to Kershaw.

[Hiromi]

Ron Washington has been hired by the Angels, as a Braves fan it hurts to lose him but he's deserved another Manager job for years

[Hiromi]

Silver Slugger winners

American League
Catcher: Adley Rutschman, Baltimore Orioles
First Base: Yandy Díaz, Tampa Bay Rays
Second Base: Marcus Semien, Texas Rangers
Third Base: Rafael Devers, Boston Red Sox
Shortstop: Corey Seager, Texas Rangers
Outfield: Kyle Tucker, Houston Astros
Outfield: Julio Rodríguez, Seattle Mariners
Outfield: Luis Robert Jr., Chicago White Sox
Designated Hitter: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels
Utility: Gunnar Henderson, Baltimore Orioles
Team: Texas Rangers

National League
Catcher: William Contreras, Milwaukee Brewers
First Base: Matt Olson, Atlanta Braves
Second Base: Luis Arraez, Miami Marlins
Third Base: Austin Riley, Atlanta Braves
Shortstop: Francisco Lindor, New York Mets
Outfield: Ronald Acuña Jr., Atlanta Braves
Outfield: Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers
Outfield: Juan Soto, San Diego Padres
Designated Hitter: Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies
Utility: Cody Bellinger, Chicago Cubs
Team: Atlanta Braves

I think Marcell Ozuna got snubbed for NL DH and find it weird that Bellinger got utility and Betts got outfield but overall about an expected showing

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Silver Slugger winners

Designated Hitter: Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies

I found that amusing since Harper played first base from midseason through the playoffs. And, it was announced by the team that he'll remain at first going from 2024 and beyond after releasing incumbent Rhys Hoskins who didn't play in 2023 after injuring his knee during spring training.

[achilles]

Ron Washington has been hired by the Angels, as a Braves fan it hurts to lose him but he's deserved another Manager job for years

It won't matter. Only an ownership change will make a difference to the Angels. Nothing he does will make them win.

[Hiromi]

Blake Snell and Gerrit Cole won cy youngs for their respective leagues

[achilles]

Shohei and Acuna Jr. both won unanimous MVPs in their respective leagues. This was the first time both MVPs have been unanimous in history. And Shohei, who had a WAR of 10.0, is the first player to win two unanimous MVPs.

[Hiromi]

Actually surprised Acuna was unanimous, very pleasantly surprised

[achilles]

Aaron Nola is going to remain a Philly after he and the team came to terms on a 7 year deal worth $172 million.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Aaron Nola is going to remain a Philly after he and the team came to terms on a 7 year deal worth $172 million.

As a Phillies fan, I thought this was a decent deal.