MLB 2022 Regular Season Thread

[alkeiper]

The offense is obvious. They lost or traded guys and several retired. With the pitching when an entire team bombs like that I question the defense.

 

[alkeiper]

Something we may have forgotten about. The 2019 Nationals' bullpen was an absolute dumpster fire. Highest ERA ever for a World Series winning team. They only had four starters with 100+ innings. So when two of those guys got hurt, no surprise it accelerated their demise.

 

[alkeiper]

The expanded schedule is something to consider next season. It may not affect overall standings but some teams could rise/fall with their win/loss records due to playing less in-division games.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

Kamala asks @alkeiper post...

Why is MLB the one league that announces next season's schedule while the current season is still going on? Is it cause of the length?

GD. Red Sox are going to play 46 interleague games next season. Disgruntled boomer noises.

 

[alkeiper]

Just guesses here...

1. MLB teams want to start selling season tickets during the season.

2. Unless I'm missing something all MLB teams have first dibs on their stadiums. NBA and NHL teams need to coordinate with each other and possibly with concert promoters and other interests.

3. I don't know how the NBA and NHL do their schedules, but MLB does not base their schedule on prior season results.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

Just guesses here...

1. MLB teams want to start selling season tickets during the season.

That's a very good guess. For the 50% of the league that has little to no chance of making the playoffs, the hook of "Hey! Guarantee tickets for the series against the Yankees/Dodgers/Cubs/Red Sox/whatever major tentpole team is swinging through." is something to mildly incentivize watching lameduck September baseball.

 

[alkeiper]

Don't forget my personal favorite. "Guarantee tickets for the All Star game!"

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

That only has a 1 in 30 chance of working though!

 

[alkeiper]

In the Selig era there was a conspicuous trend of teams who needed to boost attendance getting the All Star game.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

Looking at that Wikipedia page on the All Star Games venues. Fun fact that Tropicana Field is the oldest ballpark to never host an All Star Game and I doubt they'll ever break that streak barring something extremely unexpected.

Unfortunately for al, 2nd oldest is Citizens Bank Park but they're penciled in for 2026 to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing for the Declaration of Independence.

 

[alkeiper]

I like baseball's new system of letting us know the Rookie of the Year candidates by giving them $100 million+ dollar contracts.

 

[alkeiper]

Paul Goldschmidt has a shot at the triple crown. Leads league in batting and RBIs, two behind Kyle Schwarber in home runs. He's the MVP front runner, he has previously had two second place finishes and a third place finish. Right now Goldschmidt's career WAR is 57.8. A couple more good seasons and his Hall of Fame case becomes extremely strong. He turns 35 next month so there's always a chance he could fall off a cliff. But Goldschmidt is on the threshold.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1564045200170913793

I guess it’s nice Gen Z has their own version of the Dotel boner.

 

[alkeiper]

Phils playing the Diamondbacks tonight. It’s Corbin Carroll’s MLB debut and I’ll tell you that kid can fly.

 

[alkeiper]

I don't go for asterisks. Barry Bonds is the single season record holder for home runs with 73. But Aaron Judge chasing Roger Maris' mark of 61 is still interesting.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

It's interesting that he's the first person to hit 60 home runs in the "post steroid" era (although Giancarlo Stanton hit 59 in 2017). And despite the dinger craze during the steroid era, he'd still only be the 6th person to have a 60+ home run season. It's still a huge deal IMO.

 

[strummer]

Buck Showalter will not stop pitching Joely Rodriguez in high leverage situations. He gets burnt nearly every time.

Love Buck but his bullpen management scares the shit out of me

 

[Aero]

There's no one that can be trusted before they get to Diaz. I guess maybe Ottavino, and that's about it.

 

[alkeiper]

September 1. The biggest September comeback of the wild card era was the 2011 Cardinals who came back from 8 1/2 games out to make the playoffs (and win the World Series). Of course the Cardinals that season only needed to chase down the Braves. The American League has the Blue Jays holding the last wild card spot with the Orioles (2.0 GB), Twins (3.0), White Sox (6.5) and Red Sox (8.0) trailing. The Twins and White Sox are actually closer to the Guardians in their division race. The Red Sox, while it wouldn't seem impossible...it seems safe to say they're done. So the drama is in the Central division race and whether the Orioles can pull off a miracle playoff berth.

 

[alkeiper]

Albert Pujols has a shot at 700 home runs. But another gratifying aspect of this season is that he has planted himself firmly above 100 WAR for his career. It seems silly but it's kind of a cool thing.

 

[HarleyQuinn]

Nolan Arenado, Paul Goldschmidt, Manny Machado, and Mookie Betts are all sitting between 6 & 7 fWAR in the race for the NL MVP.

Worth noting Goldschmidt has an insane 193 OPS+ on the season. For context, Ted Williams' career OPS+ was 191 and Babe Ruth's was 206.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

The Red Sox, while it wouldn't seem impossible...it seems safe to say they're done. So the drama is in the Central division race and whether the Orioles can pull off a miracle playoff berth.

I mostly have spiteful reasons to follow the MLB this month. If the Rays sweep the Yankees, they'll only be 3 games back in the AL East race (in a season where Yankees lead by as many 15.5 games!)!

 

[alkeiper]

The Mets' record on June 1 was 35-17, 10.5 games up in the East. Since then their record is 50-33 yet their lead is down to one. The Braves went 60-24 in that span. I don't think it's far to say the Mets have collapsed at all and as a pennant race it looks like an all-timer. While both teams are essentially guaranteed playoff spots the division winner is likely to get a first round bye.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1567318219878277120

Something needs to be done about The Rays and their GD dead mall of a baseball stadium.

 

[Hawk 34]

Hey man that place is a god damn treasure.

Keep your racist haunted Fenway away from the beloved abandoned Spirit Halloween ass stadium!

 

[HarleyQuinn]

MLB Announces Pitch Clocks, Shift Bans And Larger Bases Will Be Implemented in 2023

MLB officially announced Friday that three major rules changes will be implemented beginning with the 2023 season.

www.baseballamerica.com

New rule changes for the 2023 Season. Most excited about the pitch clock... should dramatically speed up the game, especially after foul pitches, etc.

"Pitchers will have only 15 seconds between pitches to begin their motion with no one on base and 20 seconds between pitches with runners on base; two infielders must be on either side of second base at all times and every infielder must remain in the dirt; and the size of first, second and third base will be increased from 15 to 18 inches.

MLB implemented pitch clocks in every full-season minor league this year. Pitchers had 14 seconds between pitches with no runners on base and 18 seconds with runners on (19 seconds in Triple-A). Pitchers were allowed to step off the rubber twice per plate appearance and would be called for a balk if they stepped off a third time.

The average time of a nine-inning game in 2022 has been 2:38 through Sept. 8."

 

[strummer]

I will certainly be in the minority but I don't really like shifts being banned. Just don't like taking away strategy. Should def. help out offense in the game so I can see it from that point.

 

[geniusMoment]

Pickoff attempts are now called disengagements. You only get 2 per plate appearance. The third is called a balk, and the runners advance. Essentially this means if you try to pick someone off twice and don't do it the runner will be able to go to 2nd without penalty, as you can't throw over again, so the runner could just take off while the pitcher is holding the ball on the mound and there is nothing anyone can do about it:

"The new rule: Pickoffs are now considered one version of "disengagements," which consist of any time that the pitcher makes a pickoff attempt, fakes a pickoff, or steps off the rubber, as well as when the defense requests time. Pitchers are allowed two disengagements per plate appearance without penalty.

How it will be enforced: After a third step-off, the pitcher will be charged with a balk, unless at least one offensive player advances a base."

 

[alkeiper]

I’m not 100% certain on this. But I’m seeing tweets that it’s only a balk if you fail to get the runner out. So two pickoff attempts, runner starts for second too early, pitcher can step off and the runner is in jeopardy. And that’s a sensible way to use the rule, imo.

Not a big fan of the shift ban but that’s kind of an invisible rule.

 

[geniusMoment]

That makes sense. Even if it isn't the rule currently, I'm sure it will be. No way MLB just lets runners jog to 2nd as soon as the pitcher steps on the rubber after 2 pickoff attempts.