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!
I'm kind of wondering if Dodger Stadium has changed in terms of being such a pitcher's park over the years. Nobody including lumberjack Piazza could get past 40 homers playing there, and suddenly there were all kinds of upper 40s: Green, Beltre and Bellinger all made runs at 50 seemingly out of the blue. Wondering if the park factor has changed at all, maybe related to weather??
It's a league average park this year. I just look at a bunch of years in the last 2 decades and it has varied from some years being 2nd best pitchers park to being a neutral park occasionally (but never being higher than neutral park factor)
Are the Ohtani/Judge seasons of 2024 worth comparing to DiMaggio/Williams of 1941, or not even close..?
I am thinking this is a historic year, but then....recency bias.....
PS. That Williams did not win the MVP in 1941 is still nuts.
Would’ve went to the Mets game today but didn’t feel like paying $250
Luisangel Acuña is going to be better than his older brother!
Ohtani with 37 steals (only 2 times thrown out) in the last 68 games. That would be about a 90 steal rate for a full season. He's still got a decent shot at creating a 50/60 club.
I wonder who the last player to even steal 37 in 68 would be.
Are the Ohtani/Judge seasons of 2024 worth comparing to DiMaggio/Williams of 1941, or not even close..?
I am thinking this is a historic year, but then....recency bias.....
PS. That Williams did not win the MVP in 1941 is still nuts.
Ted Williams in his final year at age 41 still put up an OPS+ of 190. That's even more ridiculous than his career OPS+ of 191
fun stat, in the top 13 career OPS+ guys, not a single player has 3000 hits. Cobb at 14th is the highest. Musial is the only guy in the top 20. 3 players in the top 20 are from the negro leagues. and 3 are active players.
i love finding statistical oddballs.
Starling Marte is the active leader in steals, but has never led the league in any season. career high of 47.
Ohtani with 37 steals (only 2 times thrown out) in the last 68 games. That would be about a 90 steal rate for a full season. He's still got a decent shot at creating a 50/60 club.
I wonder who the last player to even steal 37 in 68 would be.
And he always slides feet first and he does it so efficiently it blows McMuffin’s mind!!!
3 more hits for Ohtani tonight, raising his average to .300
Edit: now 4 hits and .301 (14 hits in his last 4 games)
And 2 more steals, now at 55. I think he wants to get 60. 39/41 on steals in 69 games.
The way Ohtani checks off these unthinkable milestones, maybe one year he'll switch to contact hitting and try to hit .400
It sounds crazy but if someone told you he'd go 55/60 this year prior to the year starting it would sound like a similar level of crazy.
2 years ago Ohtani opened a 30/200 (30 homers, 200 strikeouts as a pitcher) club and also a 15/30 club (15 pitching wins with 30 homers), and that's the year that prevented him from having 4 MVP's in a row. I'd say those clubs are far less likely to see a 2nd member than the 50/50 club he just created.
with only a few games left in the season, there are only 2 pitchers in the NL with 15 wins or more. And this is with the DH in the NL now which should make wins easier.
Greg Maddux did it 17 years in a row without the DH including 2 strike shortened years in that stretch.
How times have changed.
Currently no pitcher has 200 innings, but there's 3 guys knocking on the door that should get there as long as they make 1 more start. Mark Buerhle, retired in 2015 after falling 4 outs short of doing this for the 15th year in a row. I remember watching that game where he started on 1 or 2 days rest just to try to pitch 2 innings, and just got clobbered. It was kind of crazy that he led the Jays in wins that year and then was left off their post season roster. That team also featured Roberto Osuna, who has a pretty unique career. He was basically always a good relief pitcher, and then he chose not to have TJ surgery after an injury and chose to rehab instead. Released by the Astros, he has since pitched in Mexico and now Japan and is doing well, all his stats are good and he has a 4 year 26 million contract in Japan.
I'm always amazed that with all the increases in strikeouts over the years, that Reggie Jackson has held on to his all time record for strikeouts. Stanton looks like he has a strong shot taking that title. needs 600 more.
What an insanely good day for the Tigers
Tigers beat Orioles
Red Sox sweep doubleheader from Twins
Royals lose
Mariners lose
Royals, Twins and Tigers all around 60% to playoff, which two are going to get in?
Wild Card races are pretty good. Makes me even more annoyed that MLB got rid of game 163s
Even though the Astros suck and aren't going deep again this year, I'm still rooting for them. For the opening round matchup I guess I'm pulling for the Twins to get the 6th seed. They suck. Tigazzzz are hot and did well in reg season against Astros. Royals have the SP. M's will be eliminated.
I've found my best bet for the postseason. Padres over Royals +15000. Going to take some other Padres over AL, and Phiils over AL bets too.
The Braves trail the Mets/Dbacks by 2 games for the last Wild Card spot, and host a 3 game series vs the Mets starting tomorrow. If they win the series, they'll hold the tiebreaker going into the last weekend.
I'd already written off the Braves' season, after all the injuries. I have zero expectations for the team at this point, if we even make the postseason.
However, I'll be watching, just because there's ALWAYS the potential for...
The Braves trail the Mets/Dbacks by 2 games for the last Wild Card spot, and host a 3 game series vs the Mets starting tomorrow. If they win the series, they'll hold the tiebreaker going into the last weekend.
I'd already written off the Braves' season, after all the injuries. I have zero expectations for the team at this point, if we even make the postseason.
However, I'll be watching, just because there's ALWAYS the potential for...
Seve-Schwell(Seve struggling as usual)
Peterson-Sale(Peterson struggling recently)
Manea-Fried(Good matchup, fried has the edge)
Chances for sweep are real.
3 more hits for Ohtani tonight, raising his average to .300
Edit: now 4 hits and .301 (14 hits in his last 4 games)
And 2 more steals, now at 55. I think he wants to get 60. 39/41 on steals in 69 games.
The way Ohtani checks off these unthinkable milestones, maybe one year he'll switch to contact hitting and try to hit .400
It sounds crazy but if someone told you he'd go 55/60 this year prior to the year starting it would sound like a similar level of crazy.
2 years ago Ohtani opened a 30/200 (3
**** it let him play a season at SS or CF, I'm convinced he could be elite everywhere except maybe Catcher if given the chance. He just took up stealing bases every single chance as a side-quest during a rehab season, and he's ungodly good at it, 55SB 4CS it's actively helping, most SB are pretty low value but if you just don't get caught it's sick.
What an insanely good day for the Tigers
Tigers beat Orioles
Red Sox sweep doubleheader from Twins
Royals lose
Mariners lose
Royals, Twins and Tigers all around 60% to playoff, which two are going to get in?
Not the Twins, **** the owners. It's just sad being a fan of a team that could be good and the owner is ****. I guess at least they are staying in MN unlike some of the other **** owners.
**** it let him play a season at SS or CF, I'm convinced he could be elite everywhere except maybe Catcher if given the chance. He just took up stealing bases every single chance as a side-quest during a rehab season, and he's ungodly good at it, 55SB 4CS it's actively helping, most SB are pretty low value but if you just don't get caught it's sick.
How about turning him into a closer!?
Seems like that could shorten his career having to be warm every night. Let him pitch every 5 days, and don't coddle his off days. Let him rest if he wants it and DH day before and after. Still best baseball player of all time even if yakuza takes him out tomorrow for his gambling debts.
Just realized that the Texas Rangers will make history on Thursday. They play the As at the Oakland Coloseum which is the last game they will play there.
Both teams and staff have been advised not to loiter after the game, but to immediately get out of there for fear of fan violence. I'll be watching to see if anything happens.
Tigz with another win 1:59 gametime. Still think *stros can take down DET or Regales in a 3 gm series, but nothing after that.imo.
Tigz called up Jackson Jobe for postseason. Filthy minor league triple digits and slider.
Mets vs Braves!!!
Lets Go!!!!
I’ll be watching!