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2019 MLB thread


spystud13

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I think the juiced baseball is causing the swing changes (and therefore more HRs and more strikeouts) and not the other way around.  Dejuice the ball and turn a bunch of these HRs into warning track fly outs and guys will start valuing contact more again.

I’ll buy the last pet but don’t agree the juiced ball is the only, or even the primary, reason guys are changing their swing.

But yeah, gotta fix the ball and see what happens from there
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This is pretty crazy, 10 years between hits. 

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The only thing Wilkin Castillo remembers about his last appearance in the Majors prior to Saturday was feeling his right shoulder pop as he ran to second base after ripping a line drive over the center fielder's head for a pinch-hit RBI single at Great American Ball Park.

He doesn't remember the final score or any other specifics about that game, but it's hard to blame him -- it was 10 years and two days ago.

Safe to say, the Marlins’ catcher will have much fonder memories of Saturday's 5-3 victory over the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.

Playing in his first big league game since June 20, 2009, Castillo made a triumphant return by delivering a go-ahead two-run double off the right-field wall with two outs in the seventh inning. That capped a three-run frame that flipped a two-run Miami deficit into a one-run lead.

"It was something indescribable," Castillo said through an interpreter. "It’s a lot of effort, just playing winter ball in the Dominican League, the Mexican League, the Minor Leagues for 10 years. So just being up here and see things happening, I thank God, and I thank the Marlins for giving me the opportunity to be here at the Major League level."

Castillo hadn't played a Major League game since sustaining a season-ending torn right labrum in that 2009 contest -- a 10-8 loss for Castillo's Reds against the White Sox. Coupled with his RBI single in that contest, Castillo's RBI double on Saturday made him the first player in MLB history with an RBI streak spanning more than 10 years, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

 

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Remember 

19 minutes ago, TheFlagship said:

Reporters were (rightfully) challenging Callaway on his decision to leave Lugo in the game to face Rizzo and Javy and not bringing in Diaz for a 5 out save. Bullpen management has been a point of contention all year for Mickey and the press

January was a long time ago:

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"I look forward to showing people that we're a team to be reckoned with," Van Wagenen told reporters. "Let's not be shy on wanting to be the best and I fully expect us to be competitive, to be a winning team. Our goal is to win a championship and it starts with the division. So come get us."

 

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On 6/21/2019 at 8:29 PM, dbecks said:

I know “it doesn’t matter,” but the AL All-Star Shortstop Top-3 finalists is fucking asinine.
 

I don't care what his numbers are, Lindor should be in the ASG every year. If Gleyber does make the team, it might be the last time he plays SS this season.  

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Some other interesting factoids - the Blue Jays as a team currently have the lowest BABIP of all time at .268. 

The Padres currently have the highest K% of all time at 26.5%.

The Twins, Mariners, Dodgers and Astros are all in the top 5 all-time in ISO. The Twins have the highest SLG of all time at .502.

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Some other interesting factoids - the Blue Jays as a team currently have the lowest BABIP of all time at .268. 
The Padres currently have the highest K% of all time at 26.5%.
The Twins, Mariners, Dodgers and Astros are all in the top 5 all-time in ISO. The Twins have the highest SLG of all time at .502.

It’s also June 24 / ~halfway point in the season.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but none of your comp stats are for halfway points, only full season.

Sure, things are skewed and it doesn’t completely change the argument that things have gone too far but I’ll bet you we don’t see a new record in 2019 in any of the categories you just listed come September 29.
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See you in 2021. 

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St. Louis Cardinals closer Jordan Hicks has a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow.

The Cardinals announced the injury Monday but did not disclose whether Hicks will undergo surgery, saying that they are "determining the next course of action."

Hicks was removed from Saturday's 4-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels in the ninth, after 1 1/3 innings.

The 22-year-old has thrown 211 pitches at least 100 mph this season, over 100 more than the next-closest player. Last year, Hicks threw 673 100 mph pitches and became the only player in the past 10 years to throw 500 or more 100 mph pitches in a single season.

Hicks is 2-2 with a 3.14 ERA and 14 saves this year.

 

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Never change, lolMets...

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PHILADELPHIA — As general manager Brodie Van Wagenen continues to insist his manager has full autonomy on game decisions for the Mets, a specific example has surfaced that indicates otherwise.

According to an industry source, it was the rookie GM who instructed Mickey Callaway to remove Jacob deGrom from a game in Arizona earlier this month in which the Mets ace sustained a hip cramp. After deGrom was removed from the game in the seventh inning, the bullpen imploded in a loss that added to the frustration of a 2-5 road trip.

The source said Van Wagenen, who was watching the game at home on TV, communicated with a member of the Mets support staff with an order to remove deGrom from the game. Callaway complied with the order, and deGrom was visibly upset as he departed the field, certain that he could continue pitching. The manager was grilled for the move, but at the time insisted the decision was his.

“Hell, yeah, it’s unusual: sending word to the dugout, telling the manager what to do?” the source said. “I have never heard of that before.”

MLB rules stipulate that players and coaches cannot use cellphones anywhere during a game.

The source added there was grumbling at the time within the clubhouse that Van Wagenen hadn’t come forward and taken responsibility for the decision, as the perception persisted that deGrom was unhappy with a manager fighting to keep his job.

Before the Mets opened a four-game series against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Monday, the GM reiterated that Callaway has full charge of the in-game decisions. Van Wagenen was then asked about the June 1 game in Arizona and the deGrom decision.

“For injury-related situations we can have dialogue if there are situations that are player/health related,” Van Wagenen said. “But as far as player in-game decisions Mickey has control of those decisions for baseball.”

So did Van Wagenen communicate with a member of the support staff with orders to remove deGrom from the game that night?

 

]

Mickey has control of baseball decisions,” Van Wagenen said.

 

DeGrom said he’s unsure whose call it was to remove him from the game.

“I wasn’t happy I was coming out, no matter who was taking me out,” deGrom said. He added that he was upset in the heat of the moment that he was removed, but understands the organization’s rationale for wanting to protect him.

A source also indicated the decision to limit Edwin Diaz to pitching the ninth inning is not Callaway’s; the front office implemented that plan before the season. Diaz was left in the bullpen Sunday as Seth Lugo was struggling through the eighth inning at Wrigley Field, surrendering a go-ahead homer to Javier Baez.

 

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I wouldn't do it, but I'm OK with an adult bringing a glove if they're sitting that close to the field.

I’ll give you that.
I’m personally team no-glove as well but retract my comment (especially if there are kids in the vicinity) after thinking back to last week when I witnessed a Sanchez 481’ bomb exit the bat at 113 mph, as well as Alvarez and Encarnacion bombs at 113 and 108 that each reached the seats in under 4 seconds.
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On 6/22/2019 at 3:02 PM, WBT said:

I think the juiced baseball is causing the swing changes (and therefore more HRs and more strikeouts) and not the other way around.  Dejuice the ball and turn a bunch of these HRs into warning track fly outs and guys will start valuing contact more again.

This doesn't make any sense.  The idea behind changing a player's swing plane is to shift the player's max evit velo into the most valuable launch angle range (around 19-26 degrees).  It is to get the player to hit high line drives and fly balls harder, typically at the cost of reducing the amount of time the barrel spends in the zone.  There is a balance that must be struck there, but even with a higher drag ball you obviously still want to have your max exit velocity in the most productive launch angle range.

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9 hours ago, UpperWestside said:

That is a fairly incredible total considering the year total. Had two fans sitting near me tonight decked out in O's gear. No idea why they did that, but God help them and their sad sack franchise. 

It's going to be a really tough 3-4 years, but at least they have competent people running the organization now.  I didn't enjoy the 2012-2014 period of the Astros, but I preferred that to the rudderlessness of the late 00s when you knew things were eventually going to fall apart.  

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Dodgers are at the halfway point, and on a 110 win pace.  That’s pretty good.  But the bully is an issue, like it is for most teams.  

Listening to the pregame, I had completely forgot we signed AJ Pollack during the offseason as he is getting ready to start a rehab assignment in the next couple of weeks.  He really hasn’t been missed and not sure he slots back in when he’s healthy.

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