2023 MLB Season Thread

[Sylvanfan]

The problem Baseball has is that every series changes in length. So shorter series do let lesser teams with a hot hitter or ace pitcher have an advantage because each win carries more value.

I think Baseball changes the most in the post season because instead of getting through a long grind, you need to win up to 4 series with 3 different durations.

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

The problem Baseball has is that every series changes in length. So shorter series do let lesser teams with a hot hitter or ace pitcher have an advantage because each win carries more value.

I think Baseball changes the most in the post season because instead of getting through a long grind, you need to win up to 4 series with 3 different durations.

Baseball is also unique in that the most important player doesn't play every game. Hockey playoffs would be different if you had to alternate goalies...

[GirlySports]

There's just not enough of an advantage for the higher ranked team in the playoffs, so they've made it random like hockey.

I may have mentioned this before but the Japanese baseball playoffs are as follows. There are 2 leagues and the top 3 teams from each league get in.

Playoff round: 3rd placed team plays a best of 3 at the 2nd placed team's park (like in MLB)

Championship Round: The playoff winner plays a best of 7 at the 1st placed team's park. The first placed team is given Game 1, therefore the series starts with Game 2

World Series: same as MLB, 2-3-2 format.

[Kasi]

They’re never going to have a playoff format where they just give a team a free win. Don’t see that flying in NA. Also the owners will never agree to a seven game series all played in one ballpark. Interesting ideas for sure and it does reward the home team but it’s also just too out there to ever be accepted in NA.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by bizaro86

Baseball is also unique in that the most important player doesn't play every game. Hockey playoffs would be different if you had to alternate goalies...

The game has really changed though and the starting pitcher isn't what they used to be. It's why if Verlander can get to 300 wins he might be the last pitcher to ever do it unless they change the rules.

Now if you have three great arms in your bullpen you can shorten the game. With all the off days in a playoff, you could use those three pitchers in almost every game in a 5 game series and maybe 6 of the 7 in a seven game series. Doesn't work the same in a regular season where you regularly play 6 or 7 games a week.

Starting pitching is still important since no one's bullpen is quite that deep, but it won't have the same impact on a series that it used to.

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

The game has really changed though and the starting pitcher isn't what they used to be. It's why if Verlander can get to 300 wins he might be the last pitcher to ever do it unless they change the rules.

Now if you have three great arms in your bullpen you can shorten the game. With all the off days in a playoff, you could use those three pitchers in almost every game in a 5 game series and maybe 6 of the 7 in a seven game series. Doesn't work the same in a regular season where you regularly play 6 or 7 games a week.

Starting pitching is still important since no one's bullpen is quite that deep, but it won't have the same impact on a series that it used to.

Yeah, the playoffs are different than the regular season because essentially you don't need all your pitchers. So having strong arms in the bottom of the rotation/bullpen will win you games in the regular season (and did for the Jays this year) but doesn't help in the playoffs.

[SuperMatt18]

Saw one stat that I think speaks to how random and dramatic post-season baseball can be:

The game winning home run by Castellanos was the first extra base hit that Spencer Strider has given up off a 100 mph or faster fastball in his MLB career.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Kasi

They’re never going to have a playoff format where they just give a team a free win. Don’t see that flying in NA. Also the owners will never agree to a seven game series all played in one ballpark. Interesting ideas for sure and it does reward the home team but it’s also just too out there to ever be accepted in NA.

That's true, too radical.

In Korea it's a ladder. 5th plays 4th, winner plays 3rd, winner plays 2nd, winner plays first. So the pennant winner is off 2 weeks!

The Japanese playoffs start tonight. The leagues were both won in landslides (10+) games, Hanshin Tigers and Orix Buffaloes so well see if they meet in the final.

[Strange Brew]

Personally I’m not aching to see the higher seeded teams given more of an advantage. Like the Dodgers or Orioles could have actually helped themselves a little.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Was coming to post the same thing

404-244 in the regular season.

1-11 in the playoffs.

IMO Baseball is now the "Just get in" sport. With a 3 game and then 5 game series you just have to get hot for a week and you're in the League Championship Series.

Whcih is why it's so hokey to have such short series'. Just pick your damn number of teams that you want in the playoffs and then let them play full 7 game series'. So stupid.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by jayswin

Whcih is why it's so hokey to have such short series'. Just pick your damn number of teams that you want in the playoffs and then let them play full 7 game series'. So stupid.

Problem is there are so many cities in the Northern cold weather belt, there could literally be snowouts/freezeouts that cannot be overcome. It was almost snowing in NY today as one instance.

If they shortened the season a couple weeks, it could be done but that would mean the Owners/PA would have to agree to less revenue and they would never ever do that. Ever.

[bluejays]

Some interesting news from Miami where Kim Ng declined her option and walked from the team. How often does that happen in pro sports where you're not fired? She's probably got something else much better lined up.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by bluejays

Some interesting news from Miami where Kim Ng declined her option and walked from the team. How often does that happen in pro sports where you're not fired? She's probably got something else much better lined up.

uh Treliving?

[bluejays]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

uh Treliving?

lol. How could I forget?

Anyway, it’s odd when it happens so I thought she lined something better but it also seems that franchise has been used by ever owner in a bad way. So who knows if she just didn’t want to deal with that situation anymore.

[Jason14h]

Originally Posted by bluejays

lol. How could I forget?

Anyway, it’s odd when it happens so I thought she lined something better but it also seems that franchise has been used by ever owner in a bad way. So who knows if she just didn’t want to deal with that situation anymore.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/...ng-2024-option

They wanted to being in another layer of management over her head

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by Jason14h

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/...ng-2024-option

They wanted to being in another layer of management over her head

Oof, that's incredibly disrespectful after the season that team just had, mostly because of her. You start with a president who then hires their own GM, you don't do it after you already have a successful GM in place. Draw your own conclusions, but to me it reeks of misogyny. I don't blame her one bit for leaving.

[bluejays]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

Oof, that's incredibly disrespectful after the season that team just had, mostly because of her. You start with a president who then hires their own GM, you don't do it after you already have a successful GM in place. Draw your own conclusions, but to me it reeks of misogyny. I don't blame her one bit for leaving.

I wouldn’t jump to the conclusion it’s misogyny, though it could be. Just no evidence of it. Could’ve been the last draw though considering they’ve been run so poorly before. That said, a president normally handles the business side of things. So it’s hard to say why particularly she didn’t want to stick around. Which is why it leads me to believe ownership sucks and isn’t easy to work with. She seemed like a smart person so hopefully a more appreciative organization picks her up.

[Drake]

Originally Posted by bluejays

I wouldn’t jump to the conclusion it’s misogyny, though it could be. Just no evidence of it. Could’ve been the last draw though considering they’ve been run so poorly before. That said, a president normally handles the business side of things. So it’s hard to say why particularly she didn’t want to stick around. Which is why it leads me to believe ownership sucks and isn’t easy to work with. She seemed like a smart person so hopefully a more appreciative organization picks her up.

The same ownership that let Derek Jeter walk away because they wouldn't let him spend so they could contend. Bruce Sherman is a ####ing idiot who has no idea what he wants.

[bluejays]

Originally Posted by Drake

The same ownership that let Derek Jeter walk away because they wouldn't let him spend so they could contend. Bruce Sherman is a ####ing idiot who has no idea what he wants.

Sports is an interesting conundrum. Do you spend first to attract or do you build and hope they come, then spend? That’s why it’s becoming more and more a rich man’s game. Something about Florida leads me to believe there is simply too many distractions vs a traditionally quiet sport like baseball, to attract the average person. There’s simply too many other things to do than watch a baseball game. So owners probably do want to spend money to attract people, but aren’t sure if there will eventually be a payoff. To me they need to spend more on marketing to attract fans, then spend accordingly. But totally agree that the organization is run poorly. On the surface it’s seems like prime location but I think it’s a tough market to well…market

[GirlySports]

The Rangers might never lose again!