MLB 2023 Regular Season Thread

[MRP]

No arguments there. Mexico has a good line-up, no question, but Team USA should be embarrassed by that "effort".

The manager of Team USA was complaining he can't manage to win with his pitching staff because he can't use them the way he wants but has to honor their parent team's wishes about length and frequency of usage, so he couldn't pull struggling pitchers because he didn't have arms available to use because they had pitched the day before or had met pitch limits imposed by the parent teams.


-M

[achilles]

The manager of Team USA was complaining he can't manage to win with his pitching staff because he can't use them the way he wants but has to honor their parent team's wishes about length and frequency of usage, so he couldn't pull struggling pitchers because he didn't have arms available to use because they had pitched the day before or had met pitch limits imposed by the parent teams.


-M

Excuses are for losers. Also, there's no crying in baseball. And...no matter where you go, there you are.

[achilles]

Great Britain beat Columbia 7-5 today for their first ever win in the World Baseball Classic.

I like to imagine that most of their players are converted cricket players...

[MRP]

Excuses are for losers. Also, there's no crying in baseball. And...no matter where you go, there you are.

Yeah, I don't care about excuses either, but it is a sign that while most countries take the tournament seriously, the US/MLB teams see it as an inconvenience and aren't buying in, and wouldn't send players if they could avoid it.

-M

[achilles]

Yeah, I don't care about excuses either, but it is a sign that while most countries take the tournament seriously, the US/MLB teams see it as an inconvenience and aren't buying in, and wouldn't send players if they could avoid it.

-M

I don't see how to change that; all the clubs make their own rules. The Angels for example specifically said they were good with Ohtani doing pretty much anything the Japan manager wants.

[MRP]

I don't see how to change that; all the clubs make their own rules. The Angels for example specifically said they were good with Ohtani doing pretty much anything the Japan manager wants.

There's ways to do it if they wanted to.

Tell the clubs that if the player chooses to go they cannot dictate terms or they will be charged with tampering and lose draft picks. And if they try to prevent players form participating, the same. Either the players are part of the WBC team, or not. If they play, they play to win, not have it be some half-assed exhibition game in lieu of spring training.

The problem is MLB doesn't want to do anything about it.

-M

[achilles]

Well, Team USA bounced back big time against poor Freddie Freeman and Canada. Trout finally Trouted with a huge three run blast, and the mercy rule was invoked, ending the game at 7 innings. Not the only one to do that, either, Team Puerto Rico evidently managed a "perfect game" in 7 against Israel. The word perfect is in quotes as I got this off an on-air local new sports wrap-up, and it was unclear if the guy meant a pitching perfect game, or just a really good game, (they blanked Israel 12-0 IIRC). Next, Puerto Rico faces Dominican, which should be good. Dominican is looking beatable.

Pool leaders are Japan, USA, Venezuela....and pool A is completely tied from top to bottom.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Well, Team USA bounced back big time against poor Freddie Freeman and Canada. Trout finally Trouted with a huge three run blast, and the mercy rule was invoked, ending the game at 7 innings. Not the only one to do that, either, Team Puerto Rico evidently managed a "perfect game" in 7 against Israel. The word perfect is in quotes as I got this off an on-air local new sports wrap-up, and it was unclear if the guy meant a pitching perfect game, or just a really good game, (they blanked Israel 12-0 IIRC). Next, Puerto Rico faces Dominican, which should be good. Dominican is looking beatable.

Pool leaders are Japan, USA, Venezuela....and pool A is completely tied from top to bottom.

Puerto Rico used four pitchers to throw a perfect game, similar to the “relay team no-hitter” Houston threw against the Phillies from game four of last year’s World Series. The game was stopped after eight innings because of a ten run mercy rule in international play.

[achilles]

Puerto Rico used four pitchers to throw a perfect game, similar to the “relay team no-hitter” Houston threw against the Phillies from game four of last year’s World Series. The game was stopped after eight innings because of a ten run mercy rule in international play.

Thought it might be something like that. I don't hold with multiple pitcher no hitters or perfect games. Or immaculate innings.

[Deathstroke]

Former New York Yankee Joe Pepitone has passed away.

[InfamousBG]

I had a 20 year old pre med student today tell me that the Red Sox are winning it all this year and how I know nothing about Baseball. I felt so bad for him...

[achilles]

I had a 20 year old pre med student today tell me that the Red Sox are winning it all this year and how I know nothing about Baseball. I felt so bad for him...

Well, here's one thing to know about baseball---weird stuff happens. Not often on that scale, but it does. The Nationals a few years back come to mind.

Back to that USA vs Canada game; they fed THAT line-up on Team USA a 19 year old pitcher who never played above single A. No wonder he got no one out and got stuck with 6 runs. Imagine facing Mookie Betts, then Mike Trout, last year's near Triple Crown winner and then another ex-Diamondback in Arenado, with the 9th batter being last year's NL batting champ. Toast is what a 19 year old single A pitcher would think he is, and he'd probably be right. Why did Canada put him through that?

[inisideguy]

Well, here's one thing to know about baseball---weird stuff happens. Not often on that scale, but it does. The Nationals a few years back come to mind.

Back to that USA vs Canada game; they fed THAT line-up on Team USA a 19 year old pitcher who never played above single A. No wonder he got no one out and got stuck with 6 runs. Imagine facing Mookie Betts, then Mike Trout, last year's near Triple Crown winner and then another ex-Diamondback in Arenado, with the 9th batter being last year's NL batting champ. Toast is what a 19 year old single A pitcher would think he is, and he'd probably be right. Why did Canada put him through that?

There is alot of strategy that goes on in the pool play of this tournament. Canada's staff isnt that deep. And they dont want to burn pitchers against that USA lineup. They know they can compete against the other teams with in the bracket. When they play Mexico tomorrow they can run out their best pitchers against them to qualify for the elimination stage. Going to be some drama.

[Deathstroke]

I had a 20 year old pre med student today tell me that the Red Sox are winning it all this year and how I know nothing about Baseball. I felt so bad for him...

Either they have Nostradamus level powers of prediction or I really hope I never get them as a doctor.

[achilles]

Either they have Nostradamus level powers of prediction or I really hope I never get them as a doctor.

Exactly! It's the Diamondbacks or the Rockies that will win the World Series this year! I mean all either of those teams needed was starting pitching, relief pitching, hitting, base running, and defense. Beyond that, they're ready right now for the Series!