2024 MLB Season Thread
Nobody wants these games to start more than Mannfred.
Shohei just spoke to the media for the first time. In a prepared statement, he said:
-He never bet on baseball, or any other sport,
-He didn't know that Ippei lied to him, and that Ippei took the money from Shohei's account to pay his gambling debts
-He'll continue to cooperate with the investigation, and play as the investigation plays out.
If all that's true, then this is probably the best possible outcome for his reputation going forward. He's a naive star athlete who trusted the wrong person. It happens.
In any event, these games are about start! Last year, just like we all predicted, "Someone Else" came on strong in the playoffs, as the Texas Rangers defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks for the World Series. Can that happen again?
T-Mobile is giving away a free MLB.tv subscription ($149 value) to T-Mobile subscribers starting TOMORROW (Tuesday 3/26 - April 1). Don't miss out.
So speaking of gambling, here are the current best odds for the World Series you can find, from Vegas insider!
Peak Miggy #2
Since Judge's first full season in 2017, he ranks:
t1st with Trout in wRC+ (172)
2nd to Trout in wOBA (.418)
2nd to Trout in OPS (1.005)
2nd to Trout in ISO (.316)
1st in HRs (278)
And he's really close to Trout where he's 2nd.
Between 2009-16, Miggy slashed .330/.412/.578 (5245 PAs)
Judge has slashed .284/.399/.596 (3922 PAs)
Miggy's wRC+, 164 to Judge's 172
Miggy's wOBA, . 417 to Judge's .418
Miggy's ISO, .248 to Judge's .312
Miggy's 271 HRs to Judge's 278
I didn't think he was ahead of peak Miggy, but yeah, he is.
You can’t name the best peak Pujols or Trout season because they were so consistently excellent for so long. That’s kind of their appeal in these sorts of discussions.
I would say peak Pujols is 2008-2009.
Peak Trout with the bat was 2018-2019.
Name every active player to record an OPS > 1.000 over a season in which they had more than 500 plate appearances. Judge and Trout obviously have done it.
There are 13 other active players who have done it.
Shohei Ohtani
100% sure:
Ohtani
Alvarez
Goldschmidt
Bregman
Betts
Stanton
Votto (is he active?)
Harper
Yelich
Bellinger
Less sure:
Vlad Jr.
Freeman
Abreu
jd martinez
bregman
alonso
Kris Bryant
Charlie Blackman
Ooh Charlie Blackmon is a good one.
Pretty sure Nelson Cruz did it too.
No on Alonso and Bryant.
Braves have lost 5 straight games for the first time since 2017.
This makes me sad
matt olson, matt chapman. Whichever one was the good hitter. Nobody should have to recall A's stuff, but I know they were both Blackmon level underappreciated.
Acuna last year, duh.
Votto had one PA in spring and homered.
He wants to play. He's Canadian. And the Jays offense is terrible this year. He'll likely get a shot.
