2023 MLB General Chat

AEW Champion said:
theathletic.com

Are MLB's new rules putting the action back in baseball? The results will surprise you

The rate of base runners per game in 2022 was the second-lowest in the last 115 years. Enter the new rules. But the '23 results are complex.
theathletic.com theathletic.com

Good article from The Athletic’s Jayson Stark evaluating the effects of the new rules this season.

It’s true, it’s true. Trust me …
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Couldn't read it. Have to subscribe.

Give me the two sentence review. Are batting averages up this season? It appears to be.
 
Unless he has some sort of injury in the second half of the season, is there any argument that can be made against Ohtani being the AL MVP? The man has been super human this year.
 
A couple All-Star selection notes:

Only two of the 10 teams from the Central divisions had multiple guys get selected to the All-Star Game. Those are the Cubs (Stroman, Steele, Swanson) and the Guardians (Ramirez, Clase).

Unless a pitcher from either Central division is chosen to start the game (unlikely), the Central divisions will have only one or two players start the game. Nolan Arenado will start at 3B for the NL. Luis Robert is a possibility to start for the AL in Aaron Judge’s absence.

Big-money and/or big-market teams with low number of All-Stars:

Two selections:

Yankees: Judge, Cole
Astros: Valdez, Alvarez
Padres: Soto, Hader

One selection:

Mets: Alonso
Phillies: Castellanos
Mariners: Castillo
Giants: Doval
Cardinals: Arenado
Red Sox: Jansen
White Sox: Robert Jr.

Aaron Judge and Yordan Alvarez are both likely to miss the All-Star Game. Barring replacement selections from the Astros and Yankees, the pitching schedules of Gerrit Cole and Framber Valdez could determine whether the 2023 All-Star Game doesn’t feature a single Yankee or Astro, the two big dogs of the AL the past several seasons.
 
Local NEO player Dominic Canzone, of Sagamore Hills, Hudson, Walsh Jesuit, and tOSU, is called up to the Arizona Diamondbacks
 
AEW Champion said:
A couple All-Star selection notes:

Only two of the 10 teams from the Central divisions had multiple guys get selected to the All-Star Game. Those are the Cubs (Stroman, Steele, Swanson) and the Guardians (Ramirez, Clase).

Unless a pitcher from either Central division is chosen to start the game (unlikely), the Central divisions will have only one or two players start the game. Nolan Arenado will start at 3B for the NL. Luis Robert is a possibility to start for the AL in Aaron Judge’s absence.

Big-money and/or big-market teams with low number of All-Stars:

Two selections:

Yankees: Judge, Cole
Astros: Valdez, Alvarez
Padres: Soto, Hader

One selection:

Mets: Alonso
Phillies: Castellanos
Mariners: Castillo
Giants: Doval
Cardinals: Arenado
Red Sox: Jansen
White Sox: Robert Jr.

Aaron Judge and Yordan Alvarez are both likely to miss the All-Star Game. Barring replacement selections from the Astros and Yankees, the pitching schedules of Gerrit Cole and Framber Valdez could determine whether the 2023 All-Star Game doesn’t feature a single Yankee or Astro, the two big dogs of the AL the past several seasons.
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It makes me sad how much luster the all star game has lost. There used to be so much pride in not only playing the game, but winning it so you could tell the other league you were better.
As these selections show, just because you're in a big market doesn't mean your fans vote. The amazing part to me is the number of starters for the Texas Rangers of all teams.
 
14Red said:
It makes me sad how much luster the all star game has lost. There used to be so much pride in not only playing the game, but winning it so you could tell the other league you were better.
As these selections show, just because you're in a big market doesn't mean your fans vote. The amazing part to me is the number of starters for the Texas Rangers of all teams.
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I think the fans, with the aid of having stats right in front of them when they vote online, are generally getting better about making smart selections for the game. In the past, back when it was all done by punching holes in paper ballots, fans would just vote in all the biggest names regardless of that year’s performance. In the past, deserving younger guys like Corbin Carroll, Josh Jung and Jonah Heim would’ve had almost no chance of getting voted in as starters.

The game is never going to be meaningful anymore. Players switch between leagues constantly, and every team plays every other team. So there’s no novelty of seeing players you never see from the other league, and there isn’t any bragging rights.

The game is a casualty of those changes which as a whole are positive things for the league but not for the ASG.
 
14Red said:
It makes me sad how much luster the all star game has lost. There used to be so much pride in not only playing the game, but winning it so you could tell the other league you were better.
As these selections show, just because you're in a big market doesn't mean your fans vote. The amazing part to me is the number of starters for the Texas Rangers of all teams.
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The AL absolutely seems to care, they've dominated.
 
AEW Champion said:
I think the fans, with the aid of having stats right in front of them when they vote online, are generally getting better about making smart selections for the game. In the past, back when it was all done by punching holes in paper ballots, fans would just vote in all the biggest names regardless of that year’s performance. In the past, deserving younger guys like Corbin Carroll, Josh Jung and Jonah Heim would’ve had almost no chance of getting voted in as starters.

The game is never going to be meaningful anymore. Players switch between leagues constantly, and every team plays every other team. So there’s no novelty of seeing players you never see from the other league, and there isn’t any bragging rights.

The game is a casualty of those changes which as a whole are positive things for the league but not for the ASG.
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That, and I feel fans have much less of a connection with "their" players more than ever. Especially the younger fans, they are more connected to their fantasy teams and marketing of individual players.
Baseball tried to make the game more meaningful by attaching home field advantage to the winning league, but fans and media shouted that down. Today's players make so much money that the old financial reward isn't of interest.
But at the end of the day it's a game of the best players in baseball this season, pitchers will try to get guys out and batters will try to get hits. I guess at the end of the day that's what matters.
As for the last comment, not sure all things are positive. I would had been fine never instituting inter-league play. We know why they do it, we don't necessarily have to agree it's for the better.
 
14Red said:
That, and I feel fans have much less of a connection with "their" players more than ever. Especially the younger fans, they are more connected to their fantasy teams and marketing of individual players.
Baseball tried to make the game more meaningful by attaching home field advantage to the winning league, but fans and media shouted that down. Today's players make so much money that the old financial reward isn't of interest.
But at the end of the day it's a game of the best players in baseball this season, pitchers will try to get guys out and batters will try to get hits. I guess at the end of the day that's what matters.
As for the last comment, not sure all things are positive. I would had been fine never instituting inter-league play. We know why they do it, we don't necessarily have to agree it's for the better.
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It's fine to have that opinion but I am genuinely curious about why you think inter-league play is bad.

I think it is great for fans of Cincinnati to see guys like Ohtani & Judge in their city every two years, and to see the Reds play in Fenway, Yankee Stadium, etc. I see no downside. Just fewer games against the same NL teams.
 
wolves82 said:
It's fine to have that opinion but I am genuinely curious about why you think inter-league play is bad.

I think it is great for fans of Cincinnati to see guys like Ohtani & Judge in their city every two years, and to see the Reds play in Fenway, Yankee Stadium, etc. I see no downside. Just fewer games against the same NL teams.
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I'll tell you about myself, which you already know, but I'll restate some things and you'll probably see why.

  • I have never, ever went to a Reds game to see an opponent, a player on the opposing team. I have no idea why fans would do that.
  • To me, there is a mystery in having championships vs. teams who don't know each other.
  • Although it benefits the Reds greatly now, I do not like, never have liked the DH. It takes alot of managerial decisions away and it creates a job for a player who can't field. Also, having a good hitting pitcher was a bonus.
To me professional sports has become nothing but keeping fans interested in the games. Rules are changed every few years not because it's necessary, but because it's different. No league is worse at this than the NBA. The NBA basically makes rules to try to make the games close at the end so fans will watch until the end. Case in point, the rule of calling a time out so you can move the ball to half court? It's like the team that's worked for 3 1/2 quarters to get a lead, we're going to slant every rule for the team that's behind. I'm more concerned with the purity of the game, not keeping ADHD fans interested in games.
 
Spartacus1987 said:
The AL absolutely seems to care, they've dominated.
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There was a stretch in the 70's - 80's where the NL won 11 in a row. You do know what's coming next right? Now that there is inter-league play and so much player movement. There will be an NBA like, capitans chosen and teams picked from that. Teammates will play against each other.
 
14Red said:
There was a stretch in the 70's - 80's where the NL won 11 in a row. You do know what's coming next right? Now that there is inter-league play and so much player movement. There will be an NBA like, capitans chosen and teams picked from that. Teammates will play against each other.
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That ridiculous format isn’t coming to MLB, but I could see them someday going to a USA vs World format for the All-Star Game. Especially if they expand the league to 32 teams and totally realign the AL and NL if not get rid of those leagues altogether.

It looks like there’s a relatively close split of American and non-American players on this year’s All-Star rosters, so the player numbers would likely be able to facilitate that type of format if they want it.
 
14Red said:
There was a stretch in the 70's - 80's where the NL won 11 in a row. You do know what's coming next right? Now that there is inter-league play and so much player movement. There will be an NBA like, capitans chosen and teams picked from that. Teammates will play against each other.
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That would be God awful and I would never watch again. MLB is by far the best all star game in sports. Should have kept the stakes high too and had the winner keep home field advantage in the WS.

Regardless the AL has owned the NL so bad which is a problem. Don’t quite understand why they are so much better than us but they are.
 
Anyone else have a tough time watching the HR derby last night? I mean it's getting tired. Time to put it away for 3-4 years, then bring it back.
 
Really wish Alexis Diaz did not pitch in this game, has been really shaky lately and just gave the AL the lead back.
 
I might be picking on particulars, but I wish the players still wore their regular home and aways for the game. I know its white vs grey, but it looked cooler when you got to see every team's color/name/logo represented. Wearing All Star specific jerseys kind of cheapens it up a bit to me, but I'm guessing this a Nike driven deal to sell more gear.
 
LCL said:
I might be picking on particulars, but I wish the players still wore their regular home and aways for the game. I know its white vs grey, but it looked cooler when you got to see every team's color/name/logo represented. Wearing All Star specific jerseys kind of cheapens it up a bit to me, but I'm guessing this a Nike driven deal to sell more gear.
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Agreed 100%. Wear your teams uniform!

The National League uniforms last night were hideous. They looked like they were showing up to the stadium to fix the plumbing or HVAC.
 
LCL said:
I might be picking on particulars, but I wish the players still wore their regular home and aways for the game. I know its white vs grey, but it looked cooler when you got to see every team's color/name/logo represented. Wearing All Star specific jerseys kind of cheapens it up a bit to me, but I'm guessing this a Nike driven deal to sell more gear.
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Agreed.

Also, we don’t need someone wearing a mic in the field every inning. Soto really should have caught that double the dude hit off Diaz, but he was chatting with the announce crew. Fox Sports sucks almost as badly as Fox News.
 
MickeyMantle said:
Agreed.

Also, we don’t need someone wearing a mic in the field every inning. Soto really should have caught that double the dude hit off Diaz, but he was chatting with the announce crew. Fox Sports sucks almost as badly as Fox News.
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Yea, I felt bad for Eovaldi. Pitching is hard enough without a talking head bugging in your ear.
 
LCL said:
I might be picking on particulars, but I wish the players still wore their regular home and aways for the game. I know its white vs grey, but it looked cooler when you got to see every team's color/name/logo represented. Wearing All Star specific jerseys kind of cheapens it up a bit to me, but I'm guessing this a Nike driven deal to sell more gear.
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I've yet to find anyone who prefers the unis they wore vs their team uniforms. So why does MLB insist on having special uniforms for this game? Money. There are enough people out there who will buy these jerseys or buy a signed one after the game that its worth it to baseball to go with that route. It's silly, it's greedy. Someday I'd just like baseball and other pro sports to just say no. We like what we have, we don't need your money anymore.
 
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