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2020 MLB Spring Training (1 Viewer)

So, Glasnow v. Cole in Game 5.  I predict Austin Meadows wins the game with a HR and the fans at PNC Park go crazy.  Ooops, scratch that last part.

 
Grahamburn said:
You won't be thanking them when they advance and kick the Hell out of the Yankees too!  Wouldn't that be somethin?!
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Whoever Yankees face will be a tough battle. But would've been tougher facing Cole G1 or if Ray's advance im hoping Morton, Glasnow and snell are all used in G5.

 
TheIronSheik said:
Boy, this is not the time of the year you want your bats to go cold.  Astros better figure out their hitting before Thursday if they expect to advance.  Cole can only pitch, he can't score runs. 

And I hate to say it, but usually teams don't "figure stuff out" going into an elimination game.  Usually the pressure makes it worse.  Trying too hard.  If I had to bet, I'd put money on the Rays Thursday.  I hope I'm wrong, but I think it's overs.
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Nice try

 
TheIronSheik said:
:lol:

I don't believe much in superstition.  Like Michael Scott said, "I'm not superstitious.  Maybe a little stitious."  

But those are my real thoughts.  I've said from the middle of the season that the MLB playoffs are hard and anyone who makes it can win.  So if the Rays advance, it wouldn't shock me.  They won 96 games this year.  It's not like it's the Marlins or Orioles pulling off an upset.  I'm obviously still pulling for the 'Stros, but I don't think they would be the favorite right now.  Astros have averaged less than 2 1/2 runs in the past 3 games and about 6 hits.  This is a team that was putting up scores that looked like college football scores a couple of weeks ago.  When everyone was hitting homeruns.  But the well has dried up.  We are currently in a drought.  And we have one game to figure how to get this train back on the tracks.  
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Ray's have the best ERA in AL

 
I imagine if the Rays do win they would go Morton game1/Snell (or opener if Snell pitches tomorrow)/Glasnow/opener. Astros would have Verlander/Cole for game 2 and 3. 

 
Loved Snell coming in to close last night. You can’t save your arguably best pitcher for that situation but it was a relief to see him out there when things got hot. Plz deploy tomorrow night too. 

 
shadyridr said:
Whoever Yankees face will be a tough battle. But would've been tougher facing Cole G1 or if Ray's advance im hoping Morton, Glasnow and snell are all used in G5.
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If you would have posted this originally I wouldn't have quoted you.  It's just the vibe a "Thanks, Rays" post gives off like they're doing the Yankees some giant favor by extending the series to weaken Houston versus the Yankees being scared to play a team that is hitting, looks really loose right now, and had the best ERA in baseball. 

The playoffs are a funny thing in sports.  What you did in the regular season doesn't matter anymore.  Just ask a Tampa Bay Lightning fan. 

 
Grahamburn said:
If you would have posted this originally I wouldn't have quoted you.  It's just the vibe a "Thanks, Rays" post gives off like they're doing the Yankees some giant favor by extending the series to weaken Houston versus the Yankees being scared to play a team that is hitting, looks really loose right now, and had the best ERA in baseball. 

The playoffs are a funny thing in sports.  What you did in the regular season doesn't matter anymore.  Just ask a Tampa Bay Lightning fan. 
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I told my wife last night that a Rays run would be so funny/perfect in contrast to that Bolts fiasco. 

 
Grahamburn said:
If you would have posted this originally I wouldn't have quoted you.  It's just the vibe a "Thanks, Rays" post gives off like they're doing the Yankees some giant favor by extending the series to weaken Houston versus the Yankees being scared to play a team that is hitting, looks really loose right now, and had the best ERA in baseball. 

The playoffs are a funny thing in sports.  What you did in the regular season doesn't matter anymore.  Just ask a Tampa Bay Lightning fan. 
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I watched a lot of baseball this year and the regular season is kind of a joke. 

The good teams aren’t really trying super hard to win every game. They keep guys on the IL longer than they should and give lots of off days. They pitch scrubs every now and then because they can. Then you have the teams that are out right tanking as well. 

 
Capella said:
I told my wife last night that a Rays run would be so funny/perfect in contrast to that Bolts fiasco. 
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All kinds of people want to talk to me about baseball all of a sudden.  :lol:

My Dad texted me last night after the relay, and said, "that's why you watch baseball right there!."  I didn't even realize he was watching the games.  I'm like, "you know, they've been really good all year." 

The Trop looks like a pretty fun place to watch baseball when it's rocking like that.  It's unfortunate they can't generate this atmosphere all season. 

 
NREC34 said:
I watched a lot of baseball this year and the regular season is kind of a joke. 

The good teams aren’t really trying super hard to win every game. They keep guys on the IL longer than they should and give lots of off days. They pitch scrubs every now and then because they can. Then you have the teams that are out right tanking as well. 
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I can't disagree.  The intensity is definitely way up.  I posted in here a few pages back that I didn't even watch the regular season games with sound on. 

 
Grahamburn said:
All kinds of people want to talk to me about baseball all of a sudden.  :lol:

My Dad texted me last night after the relay, and said, "that's why you watch baseball right there!."  I didn't even realize he was watching the games.  I'm like, "you know, they've been really good all year." 

The Trop looks like a pretty fun place to watch baseball when it's rocking like that.  It's unfortunate they can't generate this atmosphere all season. 
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I don’t know how you could have that kind of atmosphere in game 358 in May. It’s just too long of a season.  Hardly any stakes until September. 

 
Grahamburn said:
I can't disagree.  The intensity is definitely way up.  I posted in here a few pages back that I didn't even watch the regular season games with sound on. 
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We watched a few innings of most games. Usually the 1st and 8-9th. Lot of movies and tv shows take priority in the summer. 

 
Has anyone else noticed that this season (all season, not just the playoffs) the umpires seem to be calling more checked swings as strikes?  Not sure what happened, but it used to be checked swings almost always were "no swings" unless the guy really got his bat out in front of the plate.  But this entire season, I've seen them appeal down the line and it called a swing on times even the announcers seemed to be shocked.

It's weird, because it's one of the few things in baseball that doesn't even have a specific rule about it.  So realistically, the umpires are just making guesses as to what the rule should be.  But this year, it seems like they've all decided that checked swings should be considered swings on swings that weren't last year.

 
Grahamburn said:
If you would have posted this originally I wouldn't have quoted you.  It's just the vibe a "Thanks, Rays" post gives off like they're doing the Yankees some giant favor by extending the series to weaken Houston versus the Yankees being scared to play a team that is hitting, looks really loose right now, and had the best ERA in baseball. 

The playoffs are a funny thing in sports.  What you did in the regular season doesn't matter anymore.  Just ask a Tampa Bay Lightning fan. 
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I think you're reading a bit too much into my post. I said thanks rays because extending the series is good for the yankees regardless who they face. 

 
If the Astros want to win, they should work really hard on perfecting their wave in the dugout.  All sports teams in every sport do this.  

 
TheIronSheik said:
Has anyone else noticed that this season (all season, not just the playoffs) the umpires seem to be calling more checked swings as strikes?  Not sure what happened, but it used to be checked swings almost always were "no swings" unless the guy really got his bat out in front of the plate.  But this entire season, I've seen them appeal down the line and it called a swing on times even the announcers seemed to be shocked.

It's weird, because it's one of the few things in baseball that doesn't even have a specific rule about it.  So realistically, the umpires are just making guesses as to what the rule should be.  But this year, it seems like they've all decided that checked swings should be considered swings on swings that weren't last year.
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Replays show the 1B and 3B umps almost invariably get these right.  It's not easy to check a swing considering the torque required to generate bat speed.

 
Eephus said:
Replays show the 1B and 3B umps almost invariably get these right.  It's not easy to check a swing considering the torque required to generate bat speed.
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Not this year.  Replays have shown that a lot of times, the bat is still behind the plate or the wrists weren't broken.

But again, there is no definitive rule on this.  It just states something like "if the batter makes an attempt" or something like that.  The interpretation for years has been if the bat crossed the plate or the batter's wrists broke.  But there is no rule stating what signifies the attempt.

Regardless, this season the replays have shown a lot of times a batter not crossing the plate.  And this isn't me being a homer talking about my team.  I watch a lot of baseball and I see announcers all of the time show a replay then say something like, "Wow.  I guess he went?  But it sure looked like he held up to me."  Kind of like they don't want to criticize the umps, but you can tell from their voice they totally disagree.  And I don't care one way or another.  Just seems to have changed this year.  I wish they'd clarify the rule so everyone knew what the criteria for a swing was.

 
Eephus said:
Replays show the 1B and 3B umps almost invariably get these right.  It's not easy to check a swing considering the torque required to generate bat speed.
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The home plate umpire can see whether the bat went forward or not.  The check to another umpire, who's so far away, is a novelty.  Like he's some eagle-eye, that caught something no one else could see.  But it's dramatic!

 
Rodrigo Duterte said:
Eephus said:
Replays show the 1B and 3B umps almost invariably get these right.  It's not easy to check a swing considering the torque required to generate bat speed.
Click to expand...
The home plate umpire can see whether the bat went forward or not.  The check to another umpire, who's so far away, is a novelty.  Like he's some eagle-eye, that caught something no one else could see.  But it's dramatic!
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Camera above the plate takes care of this nonsense.

 
Hov34 said:
I thought if the bat passes the front of the plate it's a swing?  But wtf do I know...
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NREC34 said:
It breaks past the angled part of home plate. At least I’ve always thought that was it. 
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As I stated above, there is no actual rule as to what a swing or checked swing is.  The MLB rules say something like "an attempt to make contact".  Kind of vague.  Over the years, we've all just assumed that it means crossing the plate and/or breaking your wrists.  But that's not accurate.  It's a complete judgment call.  Based on very little information.  

"Ok, so what's next to discuss?"

"What is a check swing."

"Well, I'd say anything that's not an attempt to strike the ball."

"Should we get more specific?"

"No.  And also, instead of having the homeplate umpire make the call, maybe we could have a guy sitting in the outfield bleachers make the final call."

"Seems odd to have someone that far from the plate make the call, don't you think?"

"Fine.  Then the umpires on the bases will make the final call.  What's next?"

 
I gotta say - it's been much more enjoyable watching the baseball playoffs since the Royals got there is 2014 and won it all in 2015. I had forgotten how intense it can be (seeing as how I hadn't experienced it in 30 years).

Anyway, good luck to all your teams. Been fun so far.  :thumbup:

 
Rodrigo Duterte said:
The home plate umpire can see whether the bat went forward or not.  The check to another umpire, who's so far away, is a novelty.  Like he's some eagle-eye, that caught something no one else could see.  But it's dramatic!
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I'm sorry, but this is wrong.

The home plate umpire's primary job is to watch the ball for a called ball/strike. If he's able to identify a non-checked swing, he does. If he isn't able to/doesn't think it was a swing, it's on the other team to ask for a second opinion. Not only do the umpires down the line have a better vantage point on the angle of the bat, it's also their primary "pre-pitch" responsibility.

Can cameras help with this eventually? Sure. But I don't get the "they've been doing this wrong for 130 years" shtick. Umpires are actually well-trained and quite good at a very difficult job. Anyone who says differently has clearly never given it a shot at real speed themselves.

 
RnR said:
I'm sorry, but this is wrong.

The home plate umpire's primary job is to watch the ball for a called ball/strike. If he's able to identify a non-checked swing, he does. If he isn't able to/doesn't think it was a swing, it's on the other team to ask for a second opinion. Not only do the umpires down the line have a better vantage point on the angle of the bat, it's also their primary "pre-pitch" responsibility.

Can cameras help with this eventually? Sure. But I don't get the "they've been doing this wrong for 130 years" shtick. Umpires are actually well-trained and quite good at a very difficult job. Anyone who says differently has clearly never given it a shot at real speed themselves.
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I just want to clear up as far as I go, I think the umps do amazing jobs.  I'm amazed at how accurate they can be behind the plate, especially.  I might get mad at some missed calls sometimes, but honestly, I know they are great at their jobs.

 
They’re great but....lasers would never miss. Use them on check swings too. If the angle of the bat breaks that back part of home plate call it a strike. 

 
NREC34 said:
They’re great but....lasers would never miss. Use them on check swings too. If the angle of the bat breaks that back part of home plate call it a strike. 
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They should tie the checked swing laser into a sound effect piped into the stadium PA.

Something like: OH YEAH YOU DID!

 
ChiefD said:
I gotta say - it's been much more enjoyable watching the baseball playoffs since the Royals got there is 2014 and won it all in 2015. I had forgotten how intense it can be (seeing as how I hadn't experienced it in 30 years).

Anyway, good luck to all your teams. Been fun so far.  :thumbup:
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I can't even watch tonight - I'm going to head out for a run and just hoping the Braves bats wake up.  I have zero confidence and they've burned me way too many times in the last 25 years.

 
RnR said:
I'm sorry, but this is wrong.

The home plate umpire's primary job is to watch the ball for a called ball/strike. If he's able to identify a non-checked swing, he does. If he isn't able to/doesn't think it was a swing, it's on the other team to ask for a second opinion. Not only do the umpires down the line have a better vantage point on the angle of the bat, it's also their primary "pre-pitch" responsibility.

Can cameras help with this eventually? Sure. But I don't get the "they've been doing this wrong for 130 years" shtick. Umpires are actually well-trained and quite good at a very difficult job. Anyone who says differently has clearly never given it a shot at real speed themselves.
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Of course it's wrong.  Kind of like giving the call to some dude standing 90 feet away.  Yeah, that's the guy that should make the decision.

 
Cards chase the starter Foltynewicz in the first - nice start for the Redbirds

ETA 5-0 - Cards have batted around

ETA 7-0 - Double by Fowler with bases loaded

ETA 9-0 - Wong with a Double

 
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I was a few minutes late getting to watch and turn it on and it's 7-0?

What on Earth? I'm so pissed I missed it.

Insane start.

 
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