2015 MLB Season Thread

[Omar 382]

How does everyone feel about the Marlins with the Chen signing and Gordon extension? I still highly doubt they contend in the NL East, but I wouldn't be surprised to seem them around the 78-82 win mark, and maybe, if they outplay their Pythageron W/L, maybe they can nab a second wild card spot

[BeastieRunner]

How does everyone feel about the Marlins with the Chen signing and Gordon extension? I still highly doubt they contend in the NL East, but I wouldn't be surprised to seem them around the 78-82 win mark, and maybe, if they outplay their Pythageron W/L, maybe they can nab a second wild card spot

Is Ichiro still going to pitch for them?


I don't see them doing much, sadly.

[Omar 382]

Is Ichiro still going to pitch for them?


I don't see them doing much, sadly.

What pitch was that? It had a little movement....

[WestPhillyPunisher]

How does everyone feel about the Marlins with the Chen signing and Gordon extension? I still highly doubt they contend in the NL East, but I wouldn't be surprised to seem them around the 78-82 win mark, and maybe, if they outplay their Pythageron W/L, maybe they can nab a second wild card spot

NL East will be all about the Mets with their killer young pitching and the Nats with their bats in 2016 while everyone else brings up the rear. I don't see the Fish getting past New York and Washington to be anything close to contending.

[Omar 382]

Who's watching Top 10 center fielders and then shortstops tonight on MLB Network? I can't wait. I'll post my top 10's shortly

[The Whovian]

NL East will be all about the Mets with their killer young pitching and the Nats with their bats in 2016 while everyone else brings up the rear. I don't see the Fish getting past New York and Washington to be anything close to contending.

Agreed. Marlins aren't contending for anything

[The Whovian]

Who's watching Top 10 center fielders and then shortstops tonight on MLB Network? I can't wait. I'll post my top 10's shortly

Thanks for reminding me about this

[Omar 382]

I mainly weighed the players based on what I expect them to do in solely 2016, but I did also put a little stock in their production past 2016. Basically which players would you like to be able to have in their 4th, 5th, and 6th arbitration years. Anyway

Center fielders:
1. Mike Trout
2. Andrew McCutchen
3. Lorenzo Cain
4. Mookie Betts
5. A.J. Pollock
6. Joc Pederson
7. Carlos Gomez
8. Kevin Kiermaier
9. Marcell Ozuna
10. Brett Gardner

Shortstops:
1. Carlos Correa
2. Troy Tulowitzki
3. Xander Bogaerts
4. Corey Seager
5. Andrelton Simmons
6. Brandon Crawford
7. Jung-ho Kang
8. Addison Russell
9. Jhonny Peralta
10. Didi Gregorius

[The Whovian]

If we're talking about just defense alone (not hitting), my rankings would be:

Center Fielders:
-Trout
-Mookie Betts
-McCutchen
-Kiermaier
-Heyward
-Pederson
-Cain
-Pollack
-Carlos Gomez
-Ozuna

Shortstops:
-Russell
-Correa
-Tulo
-Bogaerts
-Kang
-Baez

I feel like I'm missing someone but that's my ranks

[Omar 382]

Agreed. Marlins aren't contending for anything

Yeah, I don't think so either. But they have players who have potential to be really good. If Fernandez throws 230 innings with a 2.20 xFIP and Chen throws 200 innings with a 2.70 xFIP and Stanton plays a full season and slug .560 and Gordon posts a .360 OBP with 50 steals (and he cuts down on his CS) and Ozuna slugs .470, you never know. Still, the likelihood of all those things occuruing in one season is unlikely.

[Omar 382]

If we're talking about just defense alone (not hitting), my rankings would be:

Center Fielders:
-Trout
-Mookie Betts
-McCutchen
-Kiermaier
-Heyward
-Pederson
-Cain
-Pollack
-Carlos Gomez
-Ozuna

Shortstops:
-Russell
-Correa
-Tulo
-Bogaerts
-Kang
-Baez

I feel like I'm missing someone but that's my ranks

Why would you rank just defense?

[MRP]

If we're talking about just defense alone (not hitting), my rankings would be:

Center Fielders:
-Trout
-Mookie Betts
-McCutchen
-Kiermaier
-Heyward
-Pederson
-Cain
-Pollack
-Carlos Gomez
-Ozuna

Shortstops:
-Russell
-Correa
-Tulo
-Bogaerts
-Kang
-Baez

I feel like I'm missing someone but that's my ranks

If you're ranking just defense alone, Jackie Bradley Jr. of the Red Sox is better than his partner there Mookie Betts (who will play right field this year as he did last year after JBJ took over in center). Bradley could have won the Gold Glove 2 seasons ago for center field but he got demoted during the season because he couldn't hit a lick. He hit better late last season, enough to stick but who knows how he'll hit this year, but what is not questionable is his defense. Some have ranked him as the best defensive center fielder in the game currently and the best to have ever played center for Boston (defensively). I might not go that far yet, but he does deserve mention in a list of best defensive center fielders.

-M

[The Whovian]

If you're ranking just defense alone, Jackie Bradley Jr. of the Red Sox is better than his partner there Mookie Betts (who will play right field this year as he did last year after JBJ took over in center). Bradley could have won the Gold Glove 2 seasons ago for center field but he got demoted during the season because he couldn't hit a lick. He hit better late last season, enough to stick but who knows how he'll hit this year, but what is not questionable is his defense. Some have ranked him as the best defensive center fielder in the game currently and the best to have ever played center for Boston (defensively). I might not go that far yet, but he does deserve mention in a list of best defensive center fielders.

-M

True, but we're talking about CF and Mookie played CF last year for the Sox.

[MRP]

True, but we're talking about CF and Mookie played CF last year for the Sox.

For the first half, the second half he mostly played right after he came back from time missed crashing into the wall-and I thought we were looking towards 2016 too, and JBJ is definitely in center and Mookie in right next year.

-M

[SUPERECWFAN1]

So in watching the film "Moneyball" it was a nice story about how Billy Beane hired a man to crunch numbers and stats to get the most outta the players he could afford for his small market team. It was such a nice film and showed how he replaced 3 big all-stars on his team. To make it more fun was the fact Beane had everyone doubting this. No one thought his approach would work and he was 41 and knowing the pressure was on.

The best part was the end as the Boston Red Sox owner offered Beane the dream job. A big market team and budget. "Billy , if you can make the Oakland Athletics nearly beat the New York Yankees who have double the payroll your team has ...I know your the perfect man for this job." But at the end as the film showed Beane once followed the money and let it dictate his future. Instead he screwed up (he was a bust and he didn't go to college as he regretted that decision) and we see him decide to stay with the Athletics.

It was nice to see that Beane stayed there because he could have left for big money and so many guys jump for that next big money contract. Coaches , GM's etc etc....its about the pay day . Instead Beane stayed and he was rewarded after so many years of service and now a VP of the team. He showed that he was happy with what he makes and the team that was loyal to him (gave him a job as a scout in 1990) and he's been there ever since.