The Baseball Thread!!!

[ChadR]

Nobody's season is going as bad as the Rangers this year. 2 and a half months into the season and we've been no hit 2 times already. Both times at home no less. The second time by Corey Kluber. Who was a Ranger last year. Pitched all of 1 inning before missing the rest of the season for a shoulder injury. First start back and he no hits us. This is going to be a really long season.

[fenders53]

The Twins will race you to the bottom. I did not expect anything less than a competitive season. So far so bad.

[ken-do-nim]

Kudos to the Tampa Bay Rays, they caught up with the Red Sox. A 10 game win streak; you just have to tip your cap.

[ken-do-nim]

Feels like the bloom is off the rose, so to speak, for the Red Sox. Still a .582 win percentage, but 5-5 in their last 10 and they are just not playing inspired baseball right now.

Let me check on the Twins ... oh, 6-4 in the last 10. Back to .400. That's better, right?

How about the Rangers ... 8 game losing streak ouch!

Onto the White Sox ... first place, .600 win percentage, 7-3 in the last 10. Looking good overall, despite dropping the last 2.

[fenders53]

The White Sox were expected to be good this year and they are. I'll have to stop pouting and pay closer attention.

[ken-do-nim]

The Red Sox look like Little Leaguers against the Astros.

[fenders53]

Red Sox will be OK but that division is tough again. My Twins will likely be dumping payroll in a month if something doesn't turn around quick.

[ChadR]

At least you have another month before they start dumping payroll. Rangers have already started the payroll dump by having the the former HR champion, Khris Davis, DFA. The payroll dump and trying out the young kids has already started. Expect Gallo to be gone by the trade deadline.

[fenders53]

(06-11-2021, 10:19 AM)ChadR Wrote: At least you have another month before they start dumping payroll.  Rangers have already started the payroll dump by having the the former HR champion, Khris Davis, DFA.  The payroll dump and trying out the young kids has already started.  Expect Gallo to be gone by the trade deadline.

We probably have about two weeks to make or break before they start dumping.  Still plenty of potential power and the temp is well over 90 in Minnesota now so the ball will fly.  It's now or never for this year.  

Davis was an incredible disappointment after his magic year.   He was a lock for 400HRs but that's not how it worked out I guess.  Pitchers figured out how to strike him out at an alarming rate.  Reminds me a bit of Adam Dunn but he found the HRs in between all the Ks.  Side note on Dunn.  That dude would trot to the corner fielding balls like he was playing at a family picnic.  I've never seen anyone turn so many doubles into triples due to laziness. I saw it in person a time or two.

[ken-do-nim]

(06-10-2021, 05:45 PM)fenders53 Wrote: Red Sox will be OK but that division is tough again.  My Twins will likely be dumping payroll in a month if something doesn't turn around quick.

Red Sox are struggling on all aspects of their game: starting pitching is suddenly horrible, relievers are mixed, defense is patchy, and hitting is going down the tubes.  I have no idea why Enrique Hernandez hits leadoff with his .230 batting average and .286 on-base percentage.  Our first baseman is hitting .198.  We need to make moves or we are going to sink in the standings.

[fenders53]

(06-14-2021, 07:06 AM)ken-do-nim Wrote:

(06-10-2021, 05:45 PM)fenders53 Wrote: Red Sox will be OK but that division is tough again.  My Twins will likely be dumping payroll in a month if something doesn't turn around quick.

Red Sox are struggling on all aspects of their game: starting pitching is suddenly horrible, relievers are mixed, defense is patchy, and hitting is going down the tubes.  I have no idea why Enrique Hernandez hits leadoff with his .230 batting average and .286 on-base percentage.  Our first baseman is hitting .198.  We need to make moves or we are going to sink in the standings.

Get back to us when you aren't 10 games over .500 in a strong division. 

I hear what you are saying though.  Fundamentals hurt you eventually and lead off hitters that don't hit seems crazy.  I've seen a lot of MLB managers try it for a month at a time though.  They are probably trying to show some confidence in a struggling hitter but that doesn't always work out of course.

[ken-do-nim]

Yeah, "Kike" Hernandez is in his 8th season, and his lifetime batting average is .239, his lifetime on-base just .310; Cora what are you thinking? Lifetime stolen bases is only 13 so that's not it either. He should be hitting 9th if he has to hit at all.

Except ... Dalbec our first baseman is hitting .198, our left fielder finally got sent down but had been hitting .179, our utility infielder is hitting .188, & our utility outfielder is hitting .104.

Amazingly, the team batting average is a normal .254 thanks to the core but that just means if the 2-5 batters can't score runs the rest of the lineup is dead.