Saw the Angels are actually having their pitcher bat today.

You wonder if Ohtani pitches well while he's batting- does Maddon go crazy and let him bat for himself always?

(03-21-2021 11:05 AM)stever20 Wrote:  Saw the Angels are actually having their pitcher bat today.

You wonder if Ohtani pitches well while he's batting- does Maddon go crazy and let him bat for himself always?

I can see doing it a few times in spring training because there are 8 (?) games to play in NL parks this season. In the regular season, though, if a team starts the game with the pitcher and all other field players batting, they can't use the DH in that game even after they change pitchers, so I don't see why a manager would do that in an AL park.

(03-21-2021 02:04 PM)Wedge Wrote:  

(03-21-2021 11:05 AM)stever20 Wrote:  Saw the Angels are actually having their pitcher bat today.

You wonder if Ohtani pitches well while he's batting- does Maddon go crazy and let him bat for himself always?

I can see doing it a few times in spring training because there are 8 (?) games to play in NL parks this season. In the regular season, though, if a team starts the game with the pitcher and all other field players batting, they can't use the DH in that game even after they change pitchers, so I don't see why a manager would do that in an AL park.

well if you look at the lineup it makes sense. He's leading off. Figure if he goes well he gets 3 AB's at least, and maybe 4. After that it's the bench(and they have a pretty good one I think).

Plus if it helps him mentally pitch better- that's huge.

So I think it might have worked....
Batting 2-2 and walk- BA up to .636 with a 1.836 OPS
pitching 4 innings 1 run 2 hits, 2 walks, 5 k's

So lets start the real fun part of the year....

Bold prediction for the season.....

For me- I predict Clayton Kershaw has a Cy Young season going 20-3 with a sub 2 ERA.

(03-22-2021 11:45 AM)stever20 Wrote:  So lets start the real fun part of the year....

Bold prediction for the season.....

For me- I predict Clayton Kershaw has a Cy Young season going 20-3 with a sub 2 ERA.

That's not a prediction, that's an attempted jinx! I call foul.

I've got a few:
- Mets will underachieve
- Dodgers will be 1.5 games back of the Padres in mid May and twitter will blow up with claims the dynasty is over.
- NL East will not have a WC team
- Toronto will win the AL East and it won't be close
- Over/under on Trevor Bauer controversies: 2.5; one of them will be a fight with a teammate.

Honestly, not much boldness in there.

(03-23-2021 11:34 PM)Brookes Owl Wrote:  

(03-22-2021 11:45 AM)stever20 Wrote:  So lets start the real fun part of the year....

Bold prediction for the season.....

For me- I predict Clayton Kershaw has a Cy Young season going 20-3 with a sub 2 ERA.

That's not a prediction, that's an attempted jinx! I call foul.

I've got a few:
- Mets will underachieve
- Dodgers will be 1.5 games back of the Padres in mid May and twitter will blow up with claims the dynasty is over.
- NL East will not have a WC team
- Toronto will win the AL East and it won't be close
- Over/under on Trevor Bauer controversies: 2.5; one of them will be a fight with a teammate.

Honestly, not much boldness in there.

after yesterday's Blue Jays news that might be bold. Springer out with the dreaded oblique and Yates out for season needing TJ.

(03-24-2021 09:37 AM)stever20 Wrote:  

(03-23-2021 11:34 PM)Brookes Owl Wrote:  

(03-22-2021 11:45 AM)stever20 Wrote:  So lets start the real fun part of the year....

Bold prediction for the season.....

For me- I predict Clayton Kershaw has a Cy Young season going 20-3 with a sub 2 ERA.

That's not a prediction, that's an attempted jinx! I call foul.

I've got a few:
- Mets will underachieve
- Dodgers will be 1.5 games back of the Padres in mid May and twitter will blow up with claims the dynasty is over.
- NL East will not have a WC team
- Toronto will win the AL East and it won't be close
- Over/under on Trevor Bauer controversies: 2.5; one of them will be a fight with a teammate.

Honestly, not much boldness in there.

after yesterday's Blue Jays news that might be bold. Springer out with the dreaded oblique and Yates out for season needing TJ.

Wrote it up before I saw that. I guess maybe it'll be close.

It will be interesting this year to see how Chris Sale comes back. And his old message board buddy, Corey Kluber.

Can't believe that was 4 years ago now.

(03-24-2021 09:43 AM)stever20 Wrote:  

What is crazy about that now.... the Batter is Calvin Murray. He is Kyler Murray's uncle.

(03-24-2021 02:46 PM)stever20 Wrote:  

(03-24-2021 09:43 AM)stever20 Wrote:  

What is crazy about that now.... the Batter is Calvin Murray. He is Kyler Murray's uncle.

Did that pitch count or did they do a redo?

(03-25-2021 08:55 AM)tribe_pride Wrote:  

(03-24-2021 02:46 PM)stever20 Wrote:  

(03-24-2021 09:43 AM)stever20 Wrote:  

What is crazy about that now.... the Batter is Calvin Murray. He is Kyler Murray's uncle.

Did that pitch count or did they do a redo?

It was ruled a no-pitch.

Also, the bird wasn't vaporized. The Giants' Jeff Kent picked up the dead bird and put it in a plastic bag.

https://theathletic.com/2460325/2021/03/...nson-bird/

Quote:Murray: The bird was between the mound, home plate and first base, off where I’d hit it if I was trying to do a push bunt.

Gonzales: Jeff Kent walked up from the dugout and picked up the bird with his bare hands.

Rodriguez: Nobody wanted to touch it at first, and then he picked it up.

Murray: Jeff’s Mr. Nature. He’s a hunter and fisherman and all that stuff.

Swanson: Jeff Kent, being Jeff Kent, picked up the carcass. It seemed as if he was going to take a bite out of it. I think about half the people on the first-base side passed out. There was just this loud “ewwww.” I think he was like, “You know what, I’m going to see if I can gross out a few thousand people here.”

Remember Jeff Kent used to be on Survivor a few years ago(2012).

saw this today-

you know it's been really weird this spring about pitchers and hitting. looked and only 73 pitchers have an at bat this spring. Now might have a few more PA's if there were some SH in there.... Only 43 have more than 1 at bat

It's almost like teams are hedging against pitchers hitting.

(03-29-2021 10:10 AM)stever20 Wrote:  you know it's been really weird this spring about pitchers and hitting. looked and only 73 pitchers have an at bat this spring. Now might have a few more PA's if there were some SH in there.... Only 43 have more than 1 at bat

It's almost like teams are hedging against pitchers hitting.

I'm sure that's been a thought in LA - we've seen reporting that Roberts has been waiting/hoping to see a decision to have a NL DH. Doesn't it seem like MLB would have said something by now if that was going to be the case?

(03-29-2021 11:20 AM)Brookes Owl Wrote:  

(03-29-2021 10:10 AM)stever20 Wrote:  you know it's been really weird this spring about pitchers and hitting. looked and only 73 pitchers have an at bat this spring. Now might have a few more PA's if there were some SH in there.... Only 43 have more than 1 at bat

It's almost like teams are hedging against pitchers hitting.

I'm sure that's been a thought in LA - we've seen reporting that Roberts has been waiting/hoping to see a decision to have a NL DH. Doesn't it seem like MLB would have said something by now if that was going to be the case?

remember the expanded playoffs didn't get announced until about an hour before the season started last year.

(03-29-2021 08:14 AM)stever20 Wrote:  saw this today-

This is because MLB greatly relaxed the protocols for vaccinated players and coaches.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/3115...yers-staff