Baseball 2020

Discussion in 'Miscellaneous' started by jumpkutz, Feb 6, 2020.

  1. jumpkutz

    jumpkutz Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2011
    Location:
    Louisville, KY
    Too early you say?
    Newp.
    Pitchers and catchers report next week.
    Today I purchased 12 tickets to a pair of Reds-Cardinals games in St. Louis in August.
    Got a loft big enough for us, the kids and their spouses. Haven’t made the pilgrimage to the Mecca of baseball in several seasons. Looking forward to some good old fashioned National League baseball, some great Italian on The Hill, frozen custard at Ted Drewe’s on Route 66 and the Clydesdales and a free, cold Budweiser at the end of the Anheuser-Busch Brewery tour. And we we’re way overdue for another trip to the top of the Arch!
     
    #1
  2. stlouisbrad

    stlouisbrad Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2007
    One of the best and worst and worst things about my house is it's proximity to Ted Drewe's. It's less than a 5 minute walk.

    I'm still hoping the Cardinals add a proven bat before opening day, but that's looking extremely unlikely.
     
    #2
    SoCalJoe and jumpkutz like this.
  3. nevzter

    nevzter Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 5, 2007
    Location:
    A City by a Bay
    Los Dodgers just won the NL West...again. Betts is an incredible talent and they didn't even have to divulge the cream of their loaded farm system to acquire him. They're on another level in the NL West and this is coming from a guy who bleeds black and orange.

    Oh, and the 'stros got off easy. Post-season death penalty for 5 years - make them play regular seasons with no prospect of the post season. I think Jim Crane found the $5 million to pay their "fine" in his couch cushions. It's a bunch of BS in my opinion - and yes, cheating has always been present in baseball, but I don't see the punishment as any meaningful deterrent to clubs pulling the same stunt in the future.
     
    #3
    encorespanish and SoCalJoe like this.
  4. jumpkutz

    jumpkutz Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2011
    Location:
    Louisville, KY
    I haven't given up on Arenado yet Brad. Just once, I'd like to see us get a player like that instead of the Yankees or the Angels or the Astros. Speaking of the Astros, I strongly agree Nev. They got off VERY easily. I don't think a post season ban is logical for professional sports teams. I would say a more appropriate penalty would be a significant increase in the club's luxury tax, aka, the "competitive balance tax threshold," although Houston is not one of the eight clubs who have surpassed the current limits, reset in 2003. It starts at 20% on all overages the first year, goes to 30% for two consecutive years, then 50% for every year three and over. I'd say make theirs 80%-85%. That still may not be high enough to punish them adequately since they've never done it. The Yankees, on the other hand, did every year between 2003-2017, paying $319,600,000 over that period. I think a one season ban for every player and coach involved isn't too harsh. Determining involvement might be tricky, but that definition should include every player or coach who knew about it and said or did nothing to stop it.
     
    #4
  5. jumpkutz

    jumpkutz Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2011
    Location:
    Louisville, KY
    Brother, if I lived that close to Ted Drewe's, I wouldn't look like the Goodyear blimp, I'd BE the Goodyear blimp. That's temptation beyond what any mere mortal should have to endure. Prayers for your strength and resolve, sir!
     
    #5
    encorespanish, HatterDon and nevzter like this.
  6. HatterDon

    HatterDon Moderator

    Joined:
    Mar 18, 2006
    Location:
    Peoples Republic of South Texas
    I know there's some professional sports writers on this site, so I have a question about the "three batters rule" -- that is, a relief pitcher must face at least three batters. This is, I suppose, a "speed up the game" thing, along with the 10 seconds shaved off the time managers have to decide whether or not to appeal a decision on the field.

    Here's my question: does this mean that a pitcher can't come on in the 9th [or potentially final] inning with nobody out if there's a base runner? I mean, if the runner is out stealing or is part of a double play, then the pitcher can't face more than two batters.

    Now for my annual rant: want to speed up the game? Here's two things that can be done:
    1. have the same time interval between half innings that they have in the minor leagues &
    2. get rid of instant replay altogether

    you're welcome ... now about my question ... .
     
    #6
    encorespanish likes this.
  7. astroevan

    astroevan Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 5, 2013
    Location:
    Virginia Beach
    Pitchers have to face a minimum of three batters or reach the end of the half inning. You can always start the inning with a new pitcher no matter how many batters the previous pitcher faced. So you could still technically bring in your LOOGY if there are two outs and your pitcher gets his one guy out.
     
    #7
    HatterDon likes this.
  8. SoCalJoe

    SoCalJoe Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 5, 2006
    Location:
    Walnut, CA
    RIP Tony Fernandez. Heartbeat at Shortstop for those great early 90’s Blue Jays teams. Underrated bat to go along with that amazing glove and signature flip throw across the diamond.
     
    #8
    nevzter likes this.
  9. HatterDon

    HatterDon Moderator

    Joined:
    Mar 18, 2006
    Location:
    Peoples Republic of South Texas
    Time to resurrect this thread. I'm watching Scherzer v. Cole "live" on ESPN and enjoying it. It's good to see baseball back.

    Having said that, we still have time to drive down to the 7-11 for a Slurpee between half innings. Love to see those who want to "speed up the game" mandate 90 seconds between half innings, but what would really help is ELIMINATING video review of umpire's calls -- with one exception: the umpire's crew chief requests one.
     
    #9
  10. jumpkutz

    jumpkutz Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2011
    Location:
    Louisville, KY
    Just timed the commercial break between the bottom of the 5th and the top of the 6th. Closer to 150 seconds Don. And I think we've had this discussion before.
    When I played Little League (well, participated in Little League) our umpire was a young newlywed with a day job. After every third out, he'd bark the same command: HUSTLE IN, HUSTLE OUT! And you know what? Even though he was a terrible ump, WE DID!
    Ain't gonna happen in today's big leagues because of the fourth and fifth words I typed at the beginning of this post: commercial break. If only they really were 90 seconds. That might actually speed up the game. But, sadly, it'll never happen. Gotta get those spots in. Mo' money, mo' money, mo' money. Same reason they schedule playoff and World Series games in October at night in the cold. More eyeballs on more TV's equals more money for ads equals mo' money...
    Greed trumps doing the right thing every time these days, or so it seems.
    And the players know that. Watch at the end of every half inning. They don't hustle in, hustle out. They linger over that cup of water in the dugout. Don't even bother to move usually before the announcers wrap and pitch to the commercial break.
    As a former local radio station owner used to say, money doesn't talk, it screams.
     
    #10
    nevzter and HatterDon like this.
  11. SoCalJoe

    SoCalJoe Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 5, 2006
    Location:
    Walnut, CA



    ‘It reminds us, of all that once was good, and can be again’
     
    #11
    nevzter and HatterDon like this.
  12. jumpkutz

    jumpkutz Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2011
    Location:
    Louisville, KY
    And the Redbirds have come out of the gate quickly, taking the first two from the Pirates in St. Louis. 60 games isn't a lot, so a good start is pretty much mandatory if you want to be around for the expanded post season. I still see a lot of holes, but they've succeeded before in seasons when they had numerous weaknesses, so we'll see what happens...if the whole thing doesn't come to a screeching halt due to this resurgent virus. Today was key because Adam Wainwright can't keep hitters honest anymore with his fastball, so they sit on the breaking ball. If he can keep that from happening for this shortened season, we've got a chance for a 12th World Series ring. I'd take that, even with an asterisk beside it.
     
    #12
  13. HatterDon

    HatterDon Moderator

    Joined:
    Mar 18, 2006
    Location:
    Peoples Republic of South Texas
    I've enjoyed the baseball I've watched -- or am allowed to watch by the Lords of Regional Blackouts. After all these years, there's still such beauty in a 6-4-3 DP.

    I'm also glad, I wasn't watching when they did the little league "let's let the kids leave while it's still daylight" extra inning stupidity. For the rest of this season, if it's tied after 9, I'm changing the channel.
     
    #13
  14. jumpkutz

    jumpkutz Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2011
    Location:
    Louisville, KY
    #14
  15. HatterDon

    HatterDon Moderator

    Joined:
    Mar 18, 2006
    Location:
    Peoples Republic of South Texas
    worst new home run call: "adios amigo."

    I KNOW that adios pelota has already been taken, but on behalf of all us gringos: YOU DON'T HIT YOUR FRIEND IN THE FACE WITH A BASEBALL BAT!
     
    #15
  16. astroevan

    astroevan Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 5, 2013
    Location:
    Virginia Beach
    Anyone think that the chances of finishing the season are better than 50%? I bet they do finish the season but not before some serious concessions are made. They're already limiting double headers to seven inning games.
     
    #16
  17. HatterDon

    HatterDon Moderator

    Joined:
    Mar 18, 2006
    Location:
    Peoples Republic of South Texas
    Bitched about this on Facebook, but ESPN's baseball game coverage is horrible. I like the two individuals involved, but I hate their apparent prime directive: don't let three seconds go by without saying something.
    Fully 50% of what they're talking about has nothing to do with the game that's going on. I get the feeling that they believe that the people who are watching the game have no idea about how the game is played, it's history, or its nuances -- and that ALL OF THAT must be discussed every damn inning.
    It's like sitting in the ball park and there are two guys sitting behind you that won't SHUT THE FUCK UP for the entire 9 innings.
    My new rule for the season: only watch games where the announcers are affiliated with one of the teams involved.
     
    #17
  18. stlouisbrad

    stlouisbrad Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2007
    You should check out their KBO coverage in the morning. It's even worse. I've seen a few half innings where they fail to even mention their is a game being played.
     
    #18
    HatterDon likes this.
  19. HatterDon

    HatterDon Moderator

    Joined:
    Mar 18, 2006
    Location:
    Peoples Republic of South Texas
    Oh, and another thing: WTF is the whole "platinum glove" thing? Gold Glove isn't hype enough?
     
    #19
  20. SoCalJoe

    SoCalJoe Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 5, 2006
    Location:
    Walnut, CA
    Playoffs start today. @encorespanish at least the Twinkies don’t play the Yanks, should be able to get by Astros. White Sox-A’s should be a tight one (Oakland losing 3rd baseman Chapman hurts). @stlouisbrad @jumpkutz Best series in NL has to be Cards v Padres. San Diego had a couple starters get hurt in last couple weeks, so that’s a coin-flip. My only hope is I somehow dodge a bullet and the Dodgers don’t win it all (got some seriously obnoxious LA fans waiting to give me grief)
     
    #20
Similar Threads: Baseball 2020
Forum Title Date
Miscellaneous Baseball 2023 Jan 17, 2023
Miscellaneous Baseball 2021 Jan 22, 2021
Miscellaneous 2017 Baseball Hall of Fame selectees Jan 19, 2017
Miscellaneous Baseball 2016 Apr 12, 2016
Miscellaneous Baseball 2015 Apr 4, 2015

Share This Page