Octopus Overlords

Watching Max Scherzer pitching with a black eye and broken nose last night and dominating the Phillies was awesome! They had a close up of all the fluid under his eye jiggling up and down in slow motion during a pitch. He is a beast!

One more argument for DH. He took a ball to the face during BP.

Is that an argument for 9 DHs or just the one?

One would expect the eight daily players would be better about not bunting the ball into their face.

Maybe it's an argument against being a terrible bunter?

I mean how often has this happened in BP vs a star position player getting hit by a pitch or blowing out a knee on the bases?

Injuries happen. Self inflicted ones happen less. But I don't think either are a good reason for the DH. Unless you start to see pitchers unable to get out of the way of an inside changeup or something.

I think the injury just made him more intimidating and fierce like the Hulk

It was strictly tongue-in-cheek.

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Thu Jun 20, 2019 5:10 pm It was strictly tongue-in-cheek.

Really? There is only one state in the nation with more than one MLB team where 100% of the teams have the DH. And you're in it, baby!

Excuse me if I'm a bit suspicious of your motives.

LawBeefaroni wrote: ↑Thu Jun 20, 2019 5:15 pm

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Thu Jun 20, 2019 5:10 pm It was strictly tongue-in-cheek.

Really? There is only one state in the nation with more than one MLB team where 100% of the teams have the DH. And you're in it, baby!

Excuse me if I'm a bit suspicious of your motives.

And it's a recent development. How many Astros pitchers have been forced to embarrass themselves at home since 2013 by trying to bunt?

Mets fired all their pitching coaches yesterday. So this season is going well. I’m just checking in for the almost daily Alonso homer. 25 now which is nuts. Bet Philly would love to have him over Harper. I have to find something positive out of this shitshow of a franchise.

Octavious wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2019 1:26 pm Meta fired all their pitching coaches yesterday. So this season is going well. I’m just checking in for the almost daily Alonso homer. 25 now which is nuts. Bet Philly would love to have him over Harper. I have to find something positive out of this shitshow of a franchise.

2015 seems so long ago. Now the Royals might pick #2 overall two years in a row and the Mets are, well, the Mets.

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Thu Jun 20, 2019 4:54 pm One would expect the eight daily players would be better about not bunting the ball into their face.

Why? My guess is that most pitchers are better bunters than most position players. Bunting is pretty much a pitcher only thing now a days.

Octavious wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2019 1:26 pm Mets fired all their pitching coaches yesterday. So this season is going well. I’m just checking in for the almost daily Alonso homer. 25 now which is nuts. Bet Philly would love to have him over Harper. I have to find something positive out of this shitshow of a franchise.

They hired Phil Regan as their pitching coach. The guy is 85 years old.

Scuzz wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2019 1:42 pm

Octavious wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2019 1:26 pm Mets fired all their pitching coaches yesterday. So this season is going well. I’m just checking in for the almost daily Alonso homer. 25 now which is nuts. Bet Philly would love to have him over Harper. I have to find something positive out of this shitshow of a franchise.

They hired Phil Regan as their pitching coach. The guy is 85 years old.

Really only 82!

Can he even lob a ball without shattering his forearm?

Mets have tied the Cubs in the 6th inning. It's working already!

stessier wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2019 3:25 pm

Scuzz wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2019 1:42 pm

Octavious wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2019 1:26 pm Mets fired all their pitching coaches yesterday. So this season is going well. I’m just checking in for the almost daily Alonso homer. 25 now which is nuts. Bet Philly would love to have him over Harper. I have to find something positive out of this shitshow of a franchise.

They hired Phil Regan as their pitching coach. The guy is 85 years old.

Really only 82!

Ya I was dying laughing when I saw that was the replacement. That's all I can do at this point.

Alonso has tied the Mets rookie HR record at 26. It's not even the all star break yet lol. He could make a run at Judge's record from the looks of it.

And he has the record. That took long. God Kind of wish they would trade degrom. I’m so sick of watching him
get screwed over and over.

Good to hear Octavious. I guess Calloway is getting a little sensitive?

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/270 ... n-reporter

Ya he can’t handle the pressure of NY. I doubt he makes it to the end of the season. Their bullpen has blown 17 games. 17! They could be in first with a decent pen. Oh well.

I think this may be the worst pen ever assembled. It’s quite an accomplishment really.

It's totally just you.

SI

For half a century, ever since the mound was lowered in 1969, relief pitchers posted a lower ERA than starting pitchers. That no longer is true.
...
Relievers have a higher ERA (4.50) than starters (4.44) for the first time since 1969. Only three years ago, relievers’ ERA was almost half a run better than that of starters (3.93 to 4.34).

Bullpen ERA this year is the second worst in the past 69 years (only 2000 was worse) and the eighth worst of all time. And it’s getting worse as the workload piles up. Monthly bullpen ERA this year: 4.37 in April, 4.45 in May and 4.72 in June, making this the worst June for relievers since 1950.
...

...
The second-worst slugging allowed by relievers is happening right now–worse than even the Steroid Era. Relievers are on pace to give up more homers this month than any month in baseball history–breaking the record set in April of this season. And May will be the third most.
...
The Nationals this year have the worst eighth-inning ERA of all time (7.70). This year’s Tigers are fifth-worst (7.00).

The Orioles have the second-worst ninth-inning ERA of all time (7.71); the Rockies are sixth-worst in that inning (6.75).

Well they now have 18 blown saves to lead MLB. They only have the 3rd worst ERA so yay.

Can’t blow a save if it’s tied in the bottom of the 9th.

Ya Lugo already did that earlier. That’s 19 now! Wooo

Which makes me wonder, have they blown 2 saves in the same game yet?

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Wed Jun 26, 2019 12:45 am It's totally just you.

SI

For half a century, ever since the mound was lowered in 1969, relief pitchers posted a lower ERA than starting pitchers. That no longer is true.
...
Relievers have a higher ERA (4.50) than starters (4.44) for the first time since 1969. Only three years ago, relievers’ ERA was almost half a run better than that of starters (3.93 to 4.34).

Bullpen ERA this year is the second worst in the past 69 years (only 2000 was worse) and the eighth worst of all time. And it’s getting worse as the workload piles up. Monthly bullpen ERA this year: 4.37 in April, 4.45 in May and 4.72 in June, making this the worst June for relievers since 1950.
...

...
The second-worst slugging allowed by relievers is happening right now–worse than even the Steroid Era. Relievers are on pace to give up more homers this month than any month in baseball history–breaking the record set in April of this season. And May will be the third most.
...
The Nationals this year have the worst eighth-inning ERA of all time (7.70). This year’s Tigers are fifth-worst (7.00).

The Orioles have the second-worst ninth-inning ERA of all time (7.71); the Rockies are sixth-worst in that inning (6.75).

ERA is the worst way to evaluate bullpens because of the stupidity of not charging them with runs that they give up. The stat to look at is Inherited runners. Unfortunately this stat has not made it to radio and TV and it desperately needs to.

More on the IR stat:

http://m.mlb.com/glossary/standard-stat ... ted-runner
http://m.mlb.com/glossary/advanced-stat ... percentage
https://blogs.fangraphs.com/relief-pitching-in-context/

Lorini wrote: ↑Thu Jun 27, 2019 9:03 am

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Wed Jun 26, 2019 12:45 am It's totally just you.

SI

For half a century, ever since the mound was lowered in 1969, relief pitchers posted a lower ERA than starting pitchers. That no longer is true.
...
Relievers have a higher ERA (4.50) than starters (4.44) for the first time since 1969. Only three years ago, relievers’ ERA was almost half a run better than that of starters (3.93 to 4.34).

Bullpen ERA this year is the second worst in the past 69 years (only 2000 was worse) and the eighth worst of all time. And it’s getting worse as the workload piles up. Monthly bullpen ERA this year: 4.37 in April, 4.45 in May and 4.72 in June, making this the worst June for relievers since 1950.
...

...
The second-worst slugging allowed by relievers is happening right now–worse than even the Steroid Era. Relievers are on pace to give up more homers this month than any month in baseball history–breaking the record set in April of this season. And May will be the third most.
...
The Nationals this year have the worst eighth-inning ERA of all time (7.70). This year’s Tigers are fifth-worst (7.00).

The Orioles have the second-worst ninth-inning ERA of all time (7.71); the Rockies are sixth-worst in that inning (6.75).

ERA is the worst way to evaluate bullpens because of the stupidity of not charging them with runs that they give up. The stat to look at is Inherited runners. Unfortunately this stat has not made it to radio and TV and it desperately needs to.

Yeah but if the bullpen ERA is higher without considering IR runs you know they're doing bad since IR would only inflate it more. Unless the contention is that previous eras had more IR runs score.

LawBeefaroni wrote: ↑Thu Jun 27, 2019 8:53 am Which makes me wonder, have they blown 2 saves in the same game yet?

The record for most blown saves in a game is 4. I know the Astros hold the record - not sure if anyone else has tied them.

LawBeefaroni wrote: ↑Thu Jun 27, 2019 9:14 am

Lorini wrote: ↑Thu Jun 27, 2019 9:03 am

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Wed Jun 26, 2019 12:45 am It's totally just you.

SI

For half a century, ever since the mound was lowered in 1969, relief pitchers posted a lower ERA than starting pitchers. That no longer is true.
...
Relievers have a higher ERA (4.50) than starters (4.44) for the first time since 1969. Only three years ago, relievers’ ERA was almost half a run better than that of starters (3.93 to 4.34).

Bullpen ERA this year is the second worst in the past 69 years (only 2000 was worse) and the eighth worst of all time. And it’s getting worse as the workload piles up. Monthly bullpen ERA this year: 4.37 in April, 4.45 in May and 4.72 in June, making this the worst June for relievers since 1950.
...

...
The second-worst slugging allowed by relievers is happening right now–worse than even the Steroid Era. Relievers are on pace to give up more homers this month than any month in baseball history–breaking the record set in April of this season. And May will be the third most.
...
The Nationals this year have the worst eighth-inning ERA of all time (7.70). This year’s Tigers are fifth-worst (7.00).

The Orioles have the second-worst ninth-inning ERA of all time (7.71); the Rockies are sixth-worst in that inning (6.75).

ERA is the worst way to evaluate bullpens because of the stupidity of not charging them with runs that they give up. The stat to look at is Inherited runners. Unfortunately this stat has not made it to radio and TV and it desperately needs to.

Yeah but if the bullpen ERA is higher without considering IR runs you know they're doing bad since IR would only inflate it more. Unless the contention is that previous eras had more IR runs score.

The problem is that the reliever's leave inherited runners as well and they aren't being scored properly. So Joe Kelley relieves Kershaw with bases empty. Joe Kelley loads the bases. Roberts replaces him with Baez. Baez gets out of a bases loaded jam that Kelley created. Neither reliever is scored properly using ERA.

Lorini wrote: ↑Thu Jun 27, 2019 9:56 am
The problem is that the reliever's leave inherited runners as well and they aren't being scored properly. So Joe Kelley relieves Kershaw with bases empty. Joe Kelley loads the bases. Roberts replaces him with Baez. Baez gets out of a bases loaded jam that Kelley created. Neither reliever is scored properly using ERA.

2005 ALDS Game 3, El Duque on the bump.

(Looking at you, El Guapo)



Agreed, Lorini. But when you're comparing bullpen to starters, it doesn't matter if the first or second reliever loads up the bases. It's all bullpen IR.

Obviously when you're rating individual pitchers it's an important distinction.

LawBeefaroni wrote:Which makes me wonder, have they blown 2 saves in the same game yet?

I’ll have to check but I think they may have. Last night the starter was at 77 pitches and doing well. Considering the pen history anybody else in the universe would leave him in. Nope double switch taking out Smith who was 3-3. Brilliant. Lol

And they did it again! Diaz gives up 5 runs in the 9th after the Mets pull ahead in the top of the 9th. This is kind of hilarious at this point.

I predict that Mickey is gone by tomorrow. This has gotten too embarrassing even for the Mets.

Cubs are at the halfway point, so it's a good chance to find out whether they're serious about competing in 2019. As fate would have it, the Cubs are in first place in the NL Central, one game up on Milwaukee and three games up on St. Louis. It certainly hasn't been easy this year, but being in first place after 81 games beats the alternative. I'd like to see more consistency from the starters and we need to get Hendricks back and healthy. The bench isn't doing us many favors with Descalso not even close to the Mendoza line and the CarGo reclamation project not panning out so far. It's seeming more and more like Zobrist will not be returning, so I'd like the Cubs to figure something out there. On the plus side, the closer appears to be well-rested going into the second half of the season, with Craig Kimbrel just making his debut yesterday to close out his first save of the year.

Of course, someone (we'll stay anonymous here out of kindness) noted in the offseason that:

Baseball Knower wrote:JayHey and Contreras need to go if you want to get serious. No sure there is a way to get rid of them, but they are drags on that team as far as offense goes.

How has that held up? Contreras is slashing .300/.395/.586 with 17 HRs and a WAR of 2.4 at the midway point. Heyward is at .270/.358/.445 with 11 HRs and WAR of 1.0. Contreras is likely to fade a bit in the second half given how much the Cubs play him behind the plate (and the hot weather has finally started coming in), but he's earned his All Star starting position this year. Heyward is pretty pedestrian (and his defense has fallen off greatly, at least in part because the Cubs frequently put him in center), but at least he's hitting about league average instead of being a black hole. He's not likely to live up to that big contract (unless we count his leadership intangibles?), but I'll take what I can get here.

(Yes, I'm petty. Why do you ask?)

I'll take a stab and guess it was me.

The alternative, of course, is that they have career years (or Cub career year in the case of Heyward). Did not see it coming (or maybe didn't want to).

And just for you, my wife texted this on Wednesday:

[kidname, almost 3] decided he had had enough of the water feature, so he peeled off his trunks and ran naked to the middle of the Cubs logo where he squatted down and I managed to grab him before he actually pooped.

I was losing hope because his sister has been preaching the Cubs Bible. But a glimmer of hope!


Of course an hour later at the next park they all ran into Baez and his kid so I think I lost him again.

The twins would be so jealous! They're obsessed with Javy Baez.

Dodgers gave up eight friggin runs in the fifth inning at our favorite stadium, Coors Field. Three errors were made during the inning, two by the same player and the defense was terrible, I mean super bad. Oh well, at least it's only one game but geezus if they keep playing defense like that, they will be losing a lot more games.

Very hard to win games by fumbling the ball all over the field Dodgers. Maybe some field practice should be scheduled on the off day?