More sad news for baseball fans is that Shohei Ohtani tore his UCL again. While surgery is being held off as they monitor the arm, him pitching this year has been shut down. It may be shut down for all next year too; possibly for good. If he ends up needing surgery, this will be his 2nd, and the recovery from the 2nd is a lot less successful.
He too is someone now getting to the wrong side of 30 (next year will be the age 30 season) and who knows how he holds up. The unicorn with a broken horn.
Baseball
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NapLajoieonSteroids
- Posts: 8436
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Re: Baseball
The American League West is more or less a race to the finish: the Seattle Mariners, Houston Astros and Texas Rangers are all within a game of each other heading into the final leg of the season. The winner of the division will get a playoff bye while the other two will have to take their chances in the first best of three wild card round.
The Mariners have been red hot since the All Star break and I wouldn't be surprised if they won it. The Rangers, in contrast, are in free fall right now. They have led the division most of the summer but have lost something like 8 or their last 10. This is the weakest Astros team in some time and least likely to vault ahead but they could always sneak in there.
The Mariners have been red hot since the All Star break and I wouldn't be surprised if they won it. The Rangers, in contrast, are in free fall right now. They have led the division most of the summer but have lost something like 8 or their last 10. This is the weakest Astros team in some time and least likely to vault ahead but they could always sneak in there.
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Nonc Hilaire
- Posts: 6207
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Re: Baseball
“Christ has no body now but yours. Yours are the eyes through which he looks with compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks among His people to do good. Yours are the hands through which he blesses His creation.”
Teresa of Ávila
Teresa of Ávila
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NapLajoieonSteroids
- Posts: 8436
- Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2011 7:04 pm
Re: Baseball
The Cubs have now dropped 12 of their last 18 and have collapsed. The Miami Marlins tied the Cubs in the standings for the last wild card spot with 4 games left to go. The Marlins hold the tiebreaker as they've won the season series against the Cubs.
Arizona is 2 games ahead of them; and the Reds, who've had their own collapse are still 2 loses down with 4 to go and a very outside chance at making it if they win the rest of the way and everyone else loses.
The Blue Jays are stumbling into the playoffs while the Mariners blew their chance. Last night's loss puts them 1.5 games back of the Astros for the last wild card spot. The only saving grace is that they are only 1 back in the loss column and 2 in the win. Can't make up losses-- that said, I think the Astros hold the tiebreaker.
So it's looking like the playoffs are all pretty much set, the top two division winner seeds get a first round bye:
American League:
1) Baltimore
2) Texas
3) Minnesota
4) Tampa Bay
5) Toronto
6) Houston
National League:
1) Atlanta
2) Los Angeles Dodgers
3) Milwaukee
4) Philadelphia
5) Arizona
6) Miami or Chicago Cubs
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With last night's win, the Yankees will avoid having their first losing season in 31 years. It's the second longest streak in baseball history and third longest in American professional sports. It will be the first time in 31 years the playoffs will not feature a team from New York, St. Louis, or Boston.
Arizona is 2 games ahead of them; and the Reds, who've had their own collapse are still 2 loses down with 4 to go and a very outside chance at making it if they win the rest of the way and everyone else loses.
The Blue Jays are stumbling into the playoffs while the Mariners blew their chance. Last night's loss puts them 1.5 games back of the Astros for the last wild card spot. The only saving grace is that they are only 1 back in the loss column and 2 in the win. Can't make up losses-- that said, I think the Astros hold the tiebreaker.
So it's looking like the playoffs are all pretty much set, the top two division winner seeds get a first round bye:
American League:
1) Baltimore
2) Texas
3) Minnesota
4) Tampa Bay
5) Toronto
6) Houston
National League:
1) Atlanta
2) Los Angeles Dodgers
3) Milwaukee
4) Philadelphia
5) Arizona
6) Miami or Chicago Cubs
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With last night's win, the Yankees will avoid having their first losing season in 31 years. It's the second longest streak in baseball history and third longest in American professional sports. It will be the first time in 31 years the playoffs will not feature a team from New York, St. Louis, or Boston.
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NapLajoieonSteroids
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- Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2011 7:04 pm
Re: Baseball
In individual accomplishments, Ronald Acuna Jr of the Braves became the first player in history to have a season of 40+ home runs and 70+ steals.
His 70th swiped bag came last night
In context only five players, including Acuna Jr., have ever achieved 40/40.
Before this season, I think 24 home runs was the most ever hit for anyone who stole 70 bags in a season.
His 70th swiped bag came last night
In context only five players, including Acuna Jr., have ever achieved 40/40.
Before this season, I think 24 home runs was the most ever hit for anyone who stole 70 bags in a season.
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NapLajoieonSteroids
- Posts: 8436
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Re: Baseball
The Wild Card round ended in all sweeps; nothing too exciting as the teams who won were the favorites anyway.
The best-of-five division series have begun. So far the American League is two games in while the National League sits at 1, with a scheduled off day yesterday.
American League
Baltimore Orioles vs Texas Rangers (currently) 2-0 Texas
The Orioles have a very good young team, and they entered this series having had the best record in the American League; but they are short star pitching and it has really shown in this series. The Rangers, whose pitching has taken a hit due to injury, still has the better staff and their lineup is just as good if not better than the Orioles and it's shown. Despite only being the 5th seed, for most of the summer the Rangers were battling for the best record spot and if not injury and streakiness, would've likely gotten it. They've gotten hot at just the right time. These have been high scoring games with the series now heading to Texas, and a chance for the Rangers to sweep.
Houston Astros vs Minnesota Twins (currently) 1-1 tied
The Astros have been the best team in the American League for several years now. They've retained a core that has been through it all (including the cheating scandal) and pop back up every year. But this is the most vulnerable they've been in some time; the team isn't quite as good as it once was.
The Twins, who just broke their winless streak in the playoffs (it was a north american record of 18 losses in a row) went through Sept. as the hottest team in the league. They are solid, if not spectacular, in all aspects of the game and they do have that underdog quality to them. Once they were able to get over the hump and have a "team of destiny" feel to them; and it's clear that the players believe that themselves. They managed to take one game in Houston, which is tough and the series now heads to Minnesota where the fans will be fanatical.
I can't see either team winning 2 games in a row here. I think this is going to come down to game 5 in Houston; my feeling is whoever wins game 3 is going to win this series.
The best-of-five division series have begun. So far the American League is two games in while the National League sits at 1, with a scheduled off day yesterday.
American League
Baltimore Orioles vs Texas Rangers (currently) 2-0 Texas
The Orioles have a very good young team, and they entered this series having had the best record in the American League; but they are short star pitching and it has really shown in this series. The Rangers, whose pitching has taken a hit due to injury, still has the better staff and their lineup is just as good if not better than the Orioles and it's shown. Despite only being the 5th seed, for most of the summer the Rangers were battling for the best record spot and if not injury and streakiness, would've likely gotten it. They've gotten hot at just the right time. These have been high scoring games with the series now heading to Texas, and a chance for the Rangers to sweep.
Houston Astros vs Minnesota Twins (currently) 1-1 tied
The Astros have been the best team in the American League for several years now. They've retained a core that has been through it all (including the cheating scandal) and pop back up every year. But this is the most vulnerable they've been in some time; the team isn't quite as good as it once was.
The Twins, who just broke their winless streak in the playoffs (it was a north american record of 18 losses in a row) went through Sept. as the hottest team in the league. They are solid, if not spectacular, in all aspects of the game and they do have that underdog quality to them. Once they were able to get over the hump and have a "team of destiny" feel to them; and it's clear that the players believe that themselves. They managed to take one game in Houston, which is tough and the series now heads to Minnesota where the fans will be fanatical.
I can't see either team winning 2 games in a row here. I think this is going to come down to game 5 in Houston; my feeling is whoever wins game 3 is going to win this series.
Last edited by NapLajoieonSteroids on Mon Oct 09, 2023 9:09 am, edited 1 time in total.
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NapLajoieonSteroids
- Posts: 8436
- Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2011 7:04 pm
Re: Baseball
National League
Atlanta Braves vs Philadelphia Phillies (currently) 1-0 Phillies
The Braves are the better team; the best team in baseball this year. But the Phillies, no slouches themselves, match up well with them. This is a team built for short series and are healthier at the moment than the Braves. This is already looking like a repeat of last year where the Phillies beat out the much better Braves and while I wouldn't count them out, the Braves need to win game 2 or else I think it'll be a guaranteed sweep.
Los Angeles Dodgers vs Arizona Diamondbacks (currently) 1-0 Arizona
Much like the Rangers, the Diamondbacks spent a long time in first in the western division only to hit a cold streak and deal with injuries which lowered them in the pack. But they do everything reasonably well, and in a short series where they don't have to use their weaker pitchers, they are formidible and have already shown it, where they made quick work of the Milwaukee Brewers in the wild card round.
The Dodgers, like the Astros, have been the standard bearers of the National League for several years now. More impressively, this was supposed to be an off year for the Dodgers, a bit of transition was expected; but they rolled along and won their close to a 100 games as they have done year after year. But the Dodgers are really banged up on the pitching front and they got crushed in game 1. Unlike the Astros, the story of this era of Dodgers baseball has been great regular season teams who manage to choke it away in the playoffs. I don't see this being any different. While they can easily lose the next game and win three in a row, I think the Diamondbacks are in a good place right now.
Atlanta Braves vs Philadelphia Phillies (currently) 1-0 Phillies
The Braves are the better team; the best team in baseball this year. But the Phillies, no slouches themselves, match up well with them. This is a team built for short series and are healthier at the moment than the Braves. This is already looking like a repeat of last year where the Phillies beat out the much better Braves and while I wouldn't count them out, the Braves need to win game 2 or else I think it'll be a guaranteed sweep.
Los Angeles Dodgers vs Arizona Diamondbacks (currently) 1-0 Arizona
Much like the Rangers, the Diamondbacks spent a long time in first in the western division only to hit a cold streak and deal with injuries which lowered them in the pack. But they do everything reasonably well, and in a short series where they don't have to use their weaker pitchers, they are formidible and have already shown it, where they made quick work of the Milwaukee Brewers in the wild card round.
The Dodgers, like the Astros, have been the standard bearers of the National League for several years now. More impressively, this was supposed to be an off year for the Dodgers, a bit of transition was expected; but they rolled along and won their close to a 100 games as they have done year after year. But the Dodgers are really banged up on the pitching front and they got crushed in game 1. Unlike the Astros, the story of this era of Dodgers baseball has been great regular season teams who manage to choke it away in the playoffs. I don't see this being any different. While they can easily lose the next game and win three in a row, I think the Diamondbacks are in a good place right now.
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NapLajoieonSteroids
- Posts: 8436
- Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2011 7:04 pm
Re: Baseball
The Braves were being no-hit through 6 innings but managed to come back and win it on this great catch by Michael Harris who doubles up Bryce Harper at first base to end the game.
Bryce Harper is a great player, moreover he is a very smart one, so to see him make a baserunning error is unusual.
By being too aggressive and reading the outfielder's chance to catch it wrong, he may have cost the Phillies the game (who knows if they score otherwise) and have allowed the Braves into what is now a best of 3 series.
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And while typing this out, the Diamondbacks just won game 2 at Dodgers Stadium and head back to Arizona needing just one win. The Dodgers look done. In the Division Series era, teams that has won the first two games of the best-of-five series are 29-3 in winning the series.
Bryce Harper is a great player, moreover he is a very smart one, so to see him make a baserunning error is unusual.
By being too aggressive and reading the outfielder's chance to catch it wrong, he may have cost the Phillies the game (who knows if they score otherwise) and have allowed the Braves into what is now a best of 3 series.
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And while typing this out, the Diamondbacks just won game 2 at Dodgers Stadium and head back to Arizona needing just one win. The Dodgers look done. In the Division Series era, teams that has won the first two games of the best-of-five series are 29-3 in winning the series.
Re: Baseball
the double play thing is crazy , calling deadball must be plagued with areas of grey ?
ultracrepidarian
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NapLajoieonSteroids
- Posts: 8436
- Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2011 7:04 pm
Re: Baseball
Nah. Every park has its own set of ground rules that the managers agree upon before the game when they meet with the umpires and exchange lineup cards. For the most part, unless a ball gets stuck in a fence, rolls under a tarp or hits an umpire off the bat, spectator interference (like a fan leaning over the wall and making contact with the ball or directing it in the stands; everything between the foul lines is a live ball until action stops, the ball is secured, and a player calls for time.
What has become even rarer, due to pitchers throwing less traditional sinkers and replay, are batted balls that graze the batter before entering fair territory. While the above could lead to some arguing about base runner positioning, these particular instances used to always get heated because the other team would almost always argue that the batter was out of the box when it hit him and so should be considered an automatic out, or base runner interference which is an automatic out, or a runner out of the basepaths which is an automatic out. The other team-- depending on if the batter made it safely to first or not-- would then argue it never actually hit the batter and even if he did, it was a foul ball as he was in the batter's box when it happened. Of course, rules around the batter's box are little enforced and players start erasing the chalk lines while stepping into and out of it all game long, so it becomes a guessing game while umpires loathe overturning their own calls- so it's roulette landing on gray how it shakes out.
With all the video replay rules put into place in the last decade, the one thing they won't review are what they consider judgement calls-- balls & strikes, and interference calls or out of basepath calls-- so in those instances we'll still get full theatrics from both managers about how they are being wronged.
What has become even rarer, due to pitchers throwing less traditional sinkers and replay, are batted balls that graze the batter before entering fair territory. While the above could lead to some arguing about base runner positioning, these particular instances used to always get heated because the other team would almost always argue that the batter was out of the box when it hit him and so should be considered an automatic out, or base runner interference which is an automatic out, or a runner out of the basepaths which is an automatic out. The other team-- depending on if the batter made it safely to first or not-- would then argue it never actually hit the batter and even if he did, it was a foul ball as he was in the batter's box when it happened. Of course, rules around the batter's box are little enforced and players start erasing the chalk lines while stepping into and out of it all game long, so it becomes a guessing game while umpires loathe overturning their own calls- so it's roulette landing on gray how it shakes out.
With all the video replay rules put into place in the last decade, the one thing they won't review are what they consider judgement calls-- balls & strikes, and interference calls or out of basepath calls-- so in those instances we'll still get full theatrics from both managers about how they are being wronged.
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NapLajoieonSteroids
- Posts: 8436
- Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2011 7:04 pm
Re: Baseball
As for series news:
The Rangers and Astros have moved on to the Championship Series. So it will be an all Texas ALCS, with the winner moving on to the World Series.
The Rangers, as expected, easily swept the Orioles who just didn't have enough pitching (and I suspect their youth and inexperience in big, pressured games did play a small role as well.)
The Astros, to my surprise, went into Minnesota and easily won both games to finish the series. This will be a record seventh championship series in a row for the Astros who are 3-3 in previous years.
In the National League, the Dodgers were swept by the red-hot Diamondbacks and Arizona now awaits the outcome of the Phillies-Braves series to see who they match up with.
Philadelphia crushed Atlanta last night 10-2. It's Philadelphia's series to lose.
The Rangers and Astros have moved on to the Championship Series. So it will be an all Texas ALCS, with the winner moving on to the World Series.
The Rangers, as expected, easily swept the Orioles who just didn't have enough pitching (and I suspect their youth and inexperience in big, pressured games did play a small role as well.)
The Astros, to my surprise, went into Minnesota and easily won both games to finish the series. This will be a record seventh championship series in a row for the Astros who are 3-3 in previous years.
In the National League, the Dodgers were swept by the red-hot Diamondbacks and Arizona now awaits the outcome of the Phillies-Braves series to see who they match up with.
Philadelphia crushed Atlanta last night 10-2. It's Philadelphia's series to lose.
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NapLajoieonSteroids
- Posts: 8436
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Re: Baseball
A vocal set of fans are up in arms that all three 100+ win teams are eliminated in the division round and the manufactured levels of whining, aided by the media, have been off the charts to a point where the commissioner issued a statement.
What I see is that 2 of the 4 teams remaining were in the world series last year; one of those (the Astros) are on the doorstep to their 5th world series in 7 years. The Rangers, by pythagorian win-loss record and BaseRuns projections, should have been a 97 win team with a deadly lineup; good, experienced pitching and a hall of fame manager.
The Arizona Diamondbacks, the weakest of the bunch at 84 wins and only real upset (sweeping the arguably more talented Milwaukee and Los Angeles teams along the way), spent a chunk of the summer ahead of the Dodgers in the NL West, they have several young stars, and are healthier now than they were when they started their slide.
It's not embarrassing to the sport or attenuating to the regular season that these are the 4 teams remaining and certain fans have a very narrow sense of what "best" and "greatest" should mean in a professional sport that is as much about surviving and attrition over the course of a season as it is about skill and some ideal formula of what it means to be the best in the leagues.
Frankly, the idea of the "best teams in the American/National League of the year meet in the World Series" died out in 1968 as they expanded to division play the following year. It doesn't matter if the playoffs since have had only 4 teams or the current amount of 12; that was over long ago. What has been consistent is that great teams tend to survive to the end, and despite baseball being a game where the superiorly talented team will lose plenty in any given short series, one would be very hard pressed to find a mediocre team that makes it to the Series since 69, when baseball adopted the playoff format.
What I see is that 2 of the 4 teams remaining were in the world series last year; one of those (the Astros) are on the doorstep to their 5th world series in 7 years. The Rangers, by pythagorian win-loss record and BaseRuns projections, should have been a 97 win team with a deadly lineup; good, experienced pitching and a hall of fame manager.
The Arizona Diamondbacks, the weakest of the bunch at 84 wins and only real upset (sweeping the arguably more talented Milwaukee and Los Angeles teams along the way), spent a chunk of the summer ahead of the Dodgers in the NL West, they have several young stars, and are healthier now than they were when they started their slide.
It's not embarrassing to the sport or attenuating to the regular season that these are the 4 teams remaining and certain fans have a very narrow sense of what "best" and "greatest" should mean in a professional sport that is as much about surviving and attrition over the course of a season as it is about skill and some ideal formula of what it means to be the best in the leagues.
Frankly, the idea of the "best teams in the American/National League of the year meet in the World Series" died out in 1968 as they expanded to division play the following year. It doesn't matter if the playoffs since have had only 4 teams or the current amount of 12; that was over long ago. What has been consistent is that great teams tend to survive to the end, and despite baseball being a game where the superiorly talented team will lose plenty in any given short series, one would be very hard pressed to find a mediocre team that makes it to the Series since 69, when baseball adopted the playoff format.
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NapLajoieonSteroids
- Posts: 8436
- Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2011 7:04 pm
Re: Baseball
A little chin music, as caught by the camera attached to the home plate umpire's facemask.
In the American League Championship Series, the Houston Astros just won game 4, 10 to 3. This evens up the series. The Rangers made a mistake by letting the recently injured (shoulder) Max Scherzer pitch in game 3; they basically let off the gas pedal and let the Astros back into this series. It's now a three game set, with game 5 being as close to a must-win for the Rangers as one gets when not facing elimination. What they do have going for them is that the rotation turns around again now, and their 2 most reliable and gutty starters will be on the mound for games 5 & 6.
In the National League Championship Series, after 2 dominating games in Philly, the Phillies stumbled a bit tonight in Arizona. Their bats went cold and they lost 2-1 on a walkoff. The Diamondbacks are really struggling to match the Phillies but now that they are back in it, at home, there is always that chance of evening things up here.
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Nonc Hilaire
- Posts: 6207
- Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2011 1:28 am
Re: Baseball
The batter really took a bite out of that pitch!
“Christ has no body now but yours. Yours are the eyes through which he looks with compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks among His people to do good. Yours are the hands through which he blesses His creation.”
Teresa of Ávila
Teresa of Ávila
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NapLajoieonSteroids
- Posts: 8436
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Re: Baseball
Well, he had the last laugh. Top of the 9th, his team down 2 runs, the great Jose Altuve hit a three-run homer and the Astros-Rangers are heading back to Houston with the home team a game away from advancing.
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NapLajoieonSteroids
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Re: Baseball
First time since 2003 both leagues went to game seven in the championship.
The Rangers crushed the Astros and are World Series bound; at the time of posting, the Diamondbacks are entering the 9th inning with a 2 run lead over the Phillies in Philly.
Looking like it will be a Diamonbacks-Rangers series.
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The Japan Series starts soon as well, featuring the Central and Pacific League Champs, the Hanshin Tigers vs. Orix Buffaloes
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And the KBO (Korea) is not quite to their championship round.
The Rangers crushed the Astros and are World Series bound; at the time of posting, the Diamondbacks are entering the 9th inning with a 2 run lead over the Phillies in Philly.
Looking like it will be a Diamonbacks-Rangers series.
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The Japan Series starts soon as well, featuring the Central and Pacific League Champs, the Hanshin Tigers vs. Orix Buffaloes
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And the KBO (Korea) is not quite to their championship round.
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NapLajoieonSteroids
- Posts: 8436
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Re: Baseball
The Rangers won again tonight and are one win away from the first world series win in franchise history.
Tonight's game wasn't as good as the previous ones. I think it is easy to notice that Texas is simply a better team (even with two injuries and a mostly garbage bullpen.)
The Diamondbacks came rushing out of the gate and sort of dominated the first 2 games but the Rangers managed to steal game 1, which basically set them up for these last 2 back-of-the rotation games where the Diamondbacks just can't compete as well.
I lean towards the Diamondbacks winning Game Five tomorrow in front of their home crowd; I don't think they make it past game six.
Tonight's game wasn't as good as the previous ones. I think it is easy to notice that Texas is simply a better team (even with two injuries and a mostly garbage bullpen.)
The Diamondbacks came rushing out of the gate and sort of dominated the first 2 games but the Rangers managed to steal game 1, which basically set them up for these last 2 back-of-the rotation games where the Diamondbacks just can't compete as well.
I lean towards the Diamondbacks winning Game Five tomorrow in front of their home crowd; I don't think they make it past game six.
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NapLajoieonSteroids
- Posts: 8436
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Re: Baseball
And there goes my prediction for a game six. The Texas Rangers are champions:
Re: Baseball
Well, the fans in Osaka are beyond themselves with joy as their beloved Hanshin Tigers won the Japan Series of baseball this year, 2023, for the first time since 1985, finally breaking the "Curse of the Colonel".
Yt | Final game of the Japan Series: 7
Baseball: Kansai's heroes parade through Kobe, Osaka
Yt | Final game of the Japan Series: 7
Baseball: Kansai's heroes parade through Kobe, Osaka
May the gods preserve and defend me from self-righteous altruists; I can defend myself from my enemies and my friends.
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NapLajoieonSteroids
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Re: Baseball
Here I was thinking I knew all the baseball curses.Typhoon wrote: ↑Fri Nov 24, 2023 5:14 am Well, the fans in Osaka are beyond themselves with joy as their beloved Hanshin Tigers won the Japan Series of baseball this year, 2023, for the first time since 1985, finally breaking the "Curse of the Colonel".
Yt | Final game of the Japan Series: 7
Baseball: Kansai's heroes parade through Kobe, Osaka
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NapLajoieonSteroids
- Posts: 8436
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Re: Baseball
Shohei Ohtani has signed a 10 year, 700 million dollar contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
On paper it blows every other sports contract out by a marathoners length; the kicker is that he is deferring 680 million dollars of it- no interest- with payments starting in 2034.
He is taking a 2 million dollar salary and essentially giving lots of luxury tax room to the Dodgers. The luxury tax hit from Ohtani's signing is calculated to be around 46 million a year for the Dodgers. This has a lot of people calling foul that the Dodgers and Ohtani are manipulating MLB's quasi-cap. But by the latest CBA, it seems perfectly legal.
As there is no interest, and they are working with the expectation of a 3% interest rate going forward, the contract is more like 460 million or there abouts-- clearly the highest in baseball history, up there with the highest in professional sports, but not quite blowing every one else away like the headline number.
On paper it blows every other sports contract out by a marathoners length; the kicker is that he is deferring 680 million dollars of it- no interest- with payments starting in 2034.
He is taking a 2 million dollar salary and essentially giving lots of luxury tax room to the Dodgers. The luxury tax hit from Ohtani's signing is calculated to be around 46 million a year for the Dodgers. This has a lot of people calling foul that the Dodgers and Ohtani are manipulating MLB's quasi-cap. But by the latest CBA, it seems perfectly legal.
As there is no interest, and they are working with the expectation of a 3% interest rate going forward, the contract is more like 460 million or there abouts-- clearly the highest in baseball history, up there with the highest in professional sports, but not quite blowing every one else away like the headline number.
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NapLajoieonSteroids
- Posts: 8436
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Re: Baseball
Yep, it is an obscene amount.
It also brings into focus the question of just what sort of economic shape MLB is in. Between the collapse of tv deals, bad demographics and the constant assertions that "baseball is dying", the contracts they are handing out suggest the owners are either very comfortable with the economics of the game or they're just going for it all because when the actual payment comes through, the whole thing will be over and they'll figure a way to walk away from the crash.
The real value of Shohei Ohtani isn't that he's a singular unicorn with his skills; nor that he's a photogenic man who is an advertisers dream; it's that Ohtani represents the collapse of the NPB as any sort of rival. All of her best stars are now wanting & waiting to come stateside in numbers previously unseen. And Japanese teams seem willing to facilitate it. The NPB is slowly morphing into another subordinated, feeder league.
It also brings into focus the question of just what sort of economic shape MLB is in. Between the collapse of tv deals, bad demographics and the constant assertions that "baseball is dying", the contracts they are handing out suggest the owners are either very comfortable with the economics of the game or they're just going for it all because when the actual payment comes through, the whole thing will be over and they'll figure a way to walk away from the crash.
The real value of Shohei Ohtani isn't that he's a singular unicorn with his skills; nor that he's a photogenic man who is an advertisers dream; it's that Ohtani represents the collapse of the NPB as any sort of rival. All of her best stars are now wanting & waiting to come stateside in numbers previously unseen. And Japanese teams seem willing to facilitate it. The NPB is slowly morphing into another subordinated, feeder league.
