2018 Regular Season Thread

jack presley wrote: »

No it’s not.....!!!!!

Seriously though, they should still coast to the division but with the Braves, Phillies on Mets doing alright it won’t be wrapped up as early this year.

jack presley wrote: »

Jose Bautista's signed with the Braves. Only a minor league deal and he's due to play 3B for them.

jack presley wrote: »

Robbing this from wikipedia too, regarding the rules for walk offs etc.

"The rules of baseball[17] provide that:

1. A batter is entitled to a home run only "when he shall have touched all bases legally." (Rule 6.09(d); also 7.05(a))
2. A batter is out, on appeal, for failing to touch each base in order or for passing a preceding runner. In some cases, all runs that score are negated. (Rule 7.10 and 7.12)
3. On a game-winning hit, a batter is credited for the full number of bases only if "the batter runs out his hit." (Rule 10.06(f))
4. A game-winning home run is allowed to complete before the game ends, even if it puts the home team ahead by more than one run. (Rule 4.11(c), Exception; also 10.06(g))

The first point above was problematic in the 1976 American League Championship Series between the New York Yankees and the Kansas City Royals. The Yankees and Royals entered the bottom of the ninth inning of the decisive fifth game with the score tied, 6–6; Mark Littell was the pitcher for Kansas City, and Chris Chambliss was the first batter for New York. Chambliss hit Littell's first pitch into the right field bleachers to win the game and the American League pennant for the Yankees. However, Yankees fans ran onto the field at Yankee Stadium to celebrate the victory, and prevented Chambliss from rounding the bases and touching home plate. Recognizing the impossibility of Chambliss successfully negotiating the sea of people who had been on the field, umpires later escorted Chambliss back out to home plate and watched as he touched it with his foot, thereby making the Yankees victory "official". (A comment to Rule 4.09(b) permits the umpires to award the run if fans prevent the runner from touching home plate.)

The third point above led to Robin Ventura's "Grand Slam Single" in the 1999 NLCS. In the bottom of the 15th inning, the New York Mets tied the score against the Atlanta Braves at 3–3. Ventura came to bat with the bases loaded, and hit a game winning grand slam to deep right. Roger Cedeño scored from third and John Olerud appeared to score from second, but Todd Pratt,[18] on first base when Ventura hit the home run, went to second, then turned around and hugged Ventura as the rest of the team rushed onto the field. The official ruling was that because Ventura never advanced past first base, it was not a home run but a single, and thus only Cedeño's run counted, making the official final score 4–3.

The fourth point above was not a rule prior to 1920; instead, the game ended at the moment the winning run scored. This rule affected the scoring of 40 hits, from 1884 to 1918, that would now be scored as game-winning home runs. Babe Ruth would have been credited with 715 career home runs had the modern rule been in effect in 1918; in a 10-inning game Ruth's fence-clearing, walk-off RBI hit was scored a triple because the game was deemed over when the lead baserunner reached home."

The Reservoir Dubs Anchorman wrote: »

Why cant they send him to the minors?

boccy23 wrote: »

More than 5 years service time. He would have to agree to it.

jack presley wrote: »

It's not just him though, it's Boras. And it's a contract year. The last place he'll want him to be is in LV which is apparently amongst the worst pitchers park anywhere.

Although he can't be doing his prospects for securing a big deal any good the way he's pitched so far.

I agree with you on the bullpen use. He wouldn't be any good there either.

boccy23 wrote: »

Harvey has a huge ego himself, never mind Boras and his 2 cents worth.

They need to find some mystery ailment and put him on the DL while he works on the physical issues in Florida.

I really think that he would veto going on any minor league assignment.

Starting pitching will always get paid but he will probably have to take a 1 year and prove it deal.

Igotadose wrote: »

It's been 5+ for quite awhile, going into last season.

I like the phantom injury thing, but he's such a primadonna I think that'd backfire on him like it did every time Billy Martin wouldn't play Reggie Jackson back in the day due to 'elbow tendinitis,' and Reggie'd pitch a fit in the media.

Jason Vargas is near returning, maybe 1 more rehab start and he can then just slide into the rotation, as long as there's a spot. I don't see Callaway and Eiland going for a 6 man rotation. I'd say the plan was to offer Harvey a minor-league assignment (especially if Wheeler pitches well in his next start - he's not been terrible, but I don't trust Wheeler's stuff at all, trouble is, Harvey's not as good as Wheeler at the present time.) If Harvey won't take it, I wouldn't be surprised if they DFA him and he gets snapped up by some other team, there's plenty that could use a spot starter/guy trying to prove himself again for a payday.

8-10 wrote: »

Mookie Betts is batting .538 this week with 4 homers, .391 for the season so far.

16-2 to start the season for the Sox, good April so far. Long way to go but really enjoying this start, some great offensive performances against some good teams and pitchers.

jack presley wrote: »

That’s why people shouldn’t be reading too much into records (good or bad) or individual’s stats in April.