2024 MLB Season Thread

[browna]

Originally Posted by bluejays

There isn't a single player who does that in baseball. Maybe a pitcher but even then one player doesn't make that much of a marked improvement to a team this bad.

?
Instantly add an additional 40-50 HR and 40-50 SB (equalling a bunch more runs with a guy at second instead of at first, and less hidp), and you don't think that wouldve won the Jays a bunch of April and May games when their pitchers were giving up 3 or less runs but the Jays were getting 5 or less hits and scoring 1 or 2 runs?

Jays have 7 more wins at this point in the year and they would be wildcard 4th place. Nevermind the July sell off, the season was lost in April May and by early June they were done. But sheesh there were at least 7 games that they could've won in that 2.5 month stretch without Ohtani, never mind helicoptering in a player with a historical offensive season.

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by bluejays

There isn't a single player who does that in baseball. Maybe a pitcher but even then one player doesn't make that much of a marked improvement to a team this bad.

I mean, they aren't the White Sox either though. Subbing Ohtani for the mix of Turner/kirk/Springer we've gotten in the DH spot would absolutely have been a huge improvement. This team has lost a lot of close games, and even just the 30+ extra homers from the DH slot alone are probably good for like 5 extra wins. Add the steals, the rest of his hits, and giving some protection to Vladdy and I think they'd have the 7 extra wins they'd need to be tied for the last wild card spot.

[Jiggy_12]

Shohei is already a 7+ WAR player this year. Add 7 wins to the Jays and subtract 7 losses and we are tied for a WC spot.

Not to mention the domino effect that has on the lineup, and the confidence boost they would have started the season with. Add in a loud and full Rogers Center and yeah, they’re in the playoffs

[browna]

Yup, and buyers at the deadline for the bullpen injuries to Romano and any other gaps.

That all said, the ship has sailed. However, there is a player with even a larger WAR that's a free agent in 6 weeks or so; he wont pitch nor get 50 sb, but...

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by browna

Yup, and buyers at the deadline for the bullpen injuries to Romano and any other gaps.

That all said, the ship has sailed. However, there is a player with even a larger WAR that's a free agent in 6 weeks or so; he wont pitch nor get 50 sb, but...

Yeah. Soto's age is a huge pro as well. He's young enough that he should be at a high level for quite awhile.

Santander would be OK also.

[Strange Brew]

I hate the Dodgers.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Mathgod

I haven't followed this MLB season at all.

But holy heck, what happened to the Rangers? I guess their title last year was a fluke after all...

Yeah this is kind of water finding it's level for the Rangers.

[Sylvanfan]

I definitely want to try and get to a game where Ohtani pitches. The type of talent that comes around every 100 years.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Can you imagine if they didn't make the interpreter take the fall? Would never have gotten this season.

[bluejays]

Re: Ohtani on the Jays, it's a situation we'd have never known, but baseball is batter against the pitcher. I don't believe at all for a second that other lackluster players on the team would've upped their game. The lineup isn't a threat at all. Literally you have Vlad as the only batter who will continue to be pitched around. So unlike hockey where if you surround yourself with better players they can influence the play, with baseball it isn't the same. Certainly Ohtani could've batted more guys in, but we've struggled getting on base. That's a talent issue in the lineup. If the Jays did get Ohtani, there may have been more spending to bring certainty to the lineup instead of the nonsense defence first thing they tried selling. Anyway, I truly don't believe in guys playing better just because they have someone on their team who can hit. If Ohtani mentors and teaches his batting swing to others, and if it works for them, sure I can buy is, but just through osmosis? Not buying into that at all. This team's lineup just doesn't have the talent.

[Jiggy_12]

Originally Posted by bluejays

Re: Ohtani on the Jays, it's a situation we'd have never known, but baseball is batter against the pitcher. I don't believe at all for a second that other lackluster players on the team would've upped their game. The lineup isn't a threat at all. Literally you have Vlad as the only batter who will continue to be pitched around. So unlike hockey where if you surround yourself with better players they can influence the play, with baseball it isn't the same. Certainly Ohtani could've batted more guys in, but we've struggled getting on base. That's a talent issue in the lineup. If the Jays did get Ohtani, there may have been more spending to bring certainty to the lineup instead of the nonsense defence first thing they tried selling. Anyway, I truly don't believe in guys playing better just because they have someone on their team who can hit. If Ohtani mentors and teaches his batting swing to others, and if it works for them, sure I can buy is, but just through osmosis? Not buying into that at all. This team's lineup just doesn't have the talent.

As silly as it sounds, the saying "Hitting is contagious" is based in reality

https://www.researchgate.net/publica...itting_Streaks

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/...%20the%20plate.

[KelVarnsen]

I've watched enough Blue Jay games to disagree with that premise

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by bluejays

Re: Ohtani on the Jays, it's a situation we'd have never known, but baseball is batter against the pitcher. I don't believe at all for a second that other lackluster players on the team would've upped their game. The lineup isn't a threat at all. Literally you have Vlad as the only batter who will continue to be pitched around. So unlike hockey where if you surround yourself with better players they can influence the play, with baseball it isn't the same. Certainly Ohtani could've batted more guys in, but we've struggled getting on base. That's a talent issue in the lineup. If the Jays did get Ohtani, there may have been more spending to bring certainty to the lineup instead of the nonsense defence first thing they tried selling. Anyway, I truly don't believe in guys playing better just because they have someone on their team who can hit. If Ohtani mentors and teaches his batting swing to others, and if it works for them, sure I can buy is, but just through osmosis? Not buying into that at all. This team's lineup just doesn't have the talent.

I don't think you need him to make everyone else better though. He's better enough on his own that they'd have 7 more wins, and that would have them in the playoffs. Like you said, it's batter vs pitcher, and he's 35 HR better than the people we've had in that slot. All those extra runs mean you'd win more games.

It's not like he'd need to teach Biggio how to hit, he just has to hit like himself and it makes a huge difference.

[Jiggy_12]

Originally Posted by KelVarnsen

I've watched enough Blue Jay games to disagree with that premise

Well, the reverse is also true

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by Jiggy_12

Shohei is already a 7+ WAR player this year. Add 7 wins to the Jays and subtract 7 losses and we are tied for a WC spot.

Not to mention the domino effect that has on the lineup, and the confidence boost they would have started the season with. Add in a loud and full Rogers Center and yeah, they’re in the playoffs

Someone did the math, and Ohtani's WAR went up by 0.7 from last nights game alone. Around 7.7 now.

[You Need a Thneed]

duplicate post

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

Someone did the math, and Ohtani's WAR went up by 0.7 from last nights game alone. Around 7.7 now.

Yeah, I mean even with the Blue Jays bull pen the game where he goes 6/6 with 3 HR is probably an extra win.

[Samonadreau]

Ya, if one of your players goes 6/6 with 3hr and 2sb and you lose, you don't deserve to be an mlb franchise . That's worth 1 war.

edit: and 10RBI!

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

Someone did the math, and Ohtani's WAR went up by 0.7 from last nights game alone. Around 7.7 now.

And yet there are people who poo-poo his achievements because he's a DH

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

And yet there are people who poo-poo his achievements because he's a DH

I mean, this year he's a DH. He's also been a top of the order starting pitcher as recently as last year...

Tl;dr - he's exceptional at the two hardest things in baseball.