2018 Season MLB Non-Phillies News/Notes Discussion

[Philsmania]

Pretty fascinating. Among other things there are 50% fewer bunts now than there were just nine years ago.

Olney: Parts of baseball are disappearing before our very eyes

“There’s almost nothing for me to do [during a game],” another longtime manager said recently. “You change the pitchers, and you wait for somebody to hit a home run. You’re not doing nearly as much stuff as you used to. You don’t even think about doing some of that stuff.”

There is the flipside of the analytics movement. Yes, the TTO's increase efficiency but, dependence upon them is creating games that are longer and less entertaining.

[zambonir]

It has always been thus though. Winning vs. entertainment (and tradition). Arguably bunts were not entertaining when people thought they helped you win. Some people would say having pitchers hit is entertaining (because of tradition and strategy), others wouldn't. Same with the balls and the mound heights.

Certainly balls in play and running games are entertaining though.

[Philsmania]

Shohei Ohtani's elbow is hurting. Oh well, Fox broadcasters will probably need something else to hyperventilate about at the All-Star Game.

Shohei Ohtani dealing with UCL damage in elbow, which led to October PRP...

[Austinfan]

Anyone remember Earl Weaver?
3 run HRs and great starting pitching.
And a lot of platoons.

Gee, guess he'd feel right at home in today's game!

[flyers19rw]

Angels' Shohei Ohtani likely to miss significant time because of elbow injury

Yesterday there were sources stating that it was a stage 2 UCL sprain. Ohtani may well be done for the year and beyond if he needs TJ surgery which is probably what will be coming down. Just wonder if the difference in the size and weight of the baseball in Japan makes an impact on these pitchers when they come over. Dervish, Matsui and others sure seem to break down pitching in NA.

[EastFallowfield]

Who will the FOX All Star broadcast obsess on without him?

[Philsmania]

Who will the FOX All Star broadcast obsess on without him?

Seriously, could you imagine Joe Buck's verbal masturbation when Ohtani does the second of pitching or hitting?

[andyb]

Sarris on relievers pitching more innings:

Sarris: On the return of the bullpen fireman

Lots of talk about the overall workload. I am a fan of the 2-inning reliever. The problem is that major league teams use that reliever too often in that role or give the reliever back to back 1-inning outings also. A pitcher that pitches 85 innings across 72 games is probably dangerously overused. A pitcher that pitches 90 innings in 58 games might be just fine however. If they still want Dominguez to be a 2-inning pitcher then they need to decrease his appearances overall to maybe twice a week. Only go to 3 appearances if they are short outings.

[tom81]

Very good article in the WSJ about the benefit of instant reply to the running game in baseball. This has been a great advance in the game IMO in spite of the added length it brings to to the game.

New Glory Days for Slides

[teabag259]

If you haven’t yet I recommend reading the book The Arm by Jeff Passan. The book came out a few years ago is a well researched collaboration of stories, studies, and experiences in dealing with pitching arm health and care. It dedicates a full chapter or two to the abject abuse of pitching arms (starting at a young age) in Japan. Based on what I learned in that book Ohtani being hurt is the least surprising development in the history of baseball. I’d never invest in a Japanese pitcher unless you specifically accept the fact that the pitcher will miss 1to 2 years at some point in his contract due to TJ surgery.

[Philsmania]

TIgers fire pitching coach Chris Bosio over "insensitive comments" to a team employee.

Tigers Fire Pitching Coach Chris Bosio

[tom81]

Man I feel conflicted. I was following the Braves Yankees game on the MLB app rooting for the Yankees so the Phillies could pick up some ground. I decided to watch some on the Yes network and immediately started rooting hard against the “most storied franchise in American sports.” I had the quickly shut off my tv app so I could root against the Braves again.

[BostonRoss]

Man I feel conflicted. I was following the Braves Yankees game on the MLB app rooting for the Yankees so the Phillies could pick up some ground. I decided to watch some on the Yes network and immediately started rooting hard against the “most storied franchise in American sports.” I had the quickly shut off my tv app so I could root against the Braves again.

It could have been worse. You could have been listening to John Sterling.

[philsphan67]

Life long Phils fan, but John Sterling is entertaining and has a pretty good life story.....

Inside the life of John Sterling, who’s one of a kind

[Lawman]

I absolutely cannot listen to Sterling. He has a great life story, but I dislike his announcing style - like nails on a chalkboard.

[zambonir]

Interesting read on the Orioles. Could just as easily go in the trade deadline thread

As Orioles mull trade options, who is in charge in Baltimore?

The Orioles' structure is a recipe for inertia as decisions move up the chain, and free-agent signings and trades are always harder for the O's to consummate because of the exacting nature of their "Navy SEAL" physicals.

"There are 30 ownership groups, and they all have their quirks," the GM for another MLB club said. "I think some things are overblown. But I do think there's something to be said for the ominous nature of their medical reviews. It's like, 'There's no way we're getting this guy to the Orioles.' If your guy sneezes, you're like, 'Oh my god, we can write them off.' That's the bigger complication."

OTOH that limits what you can offer. OTOH it limits what every team can offer.

[teabag259]

Whoa. It looks like the Braves may not be signing first round draft pick (#8 overall) Carter Stewart. That would not break my heart. Two other first rounders aren’t signing either. SS Matt McLain (Dbacks) and RHP JT Gunn (Dodgers).

[tom81]

Interesting story on tech and Trevor Bauer from the WSJ. Sounds like Gabe Kapler would love him.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-ace-pitcher-trevor-bauer-uses-tech-to-invent-new-throws-1530802188

The idea behind my pitching repertoire is that I want to be able to attack batters on three different levels and I want every one of those pitches to look the exact same coming out of my hand before they all end up scattering to different parts of the strike zone. So I use an Edgertronic SC1 camera, which films up to 22,336 frames per second, to analyze how I release each pitch. I designed my two-seam, slider and change-up with it and I improved my curveball with it.

I eat and drink to nourish my body, not for pleasure. So I got my sweat measured to determine the amount of electrolytes lost per unit of sweat. The drink on the market that most closely replenishes that amount is Pedialyte. It’s not perfect, but it’s close.

[tom81]

Good article about the shift and why players don’t just “go the other way” to beat it.

MLB hitters explain why they can't just beat the shift

[EastFallowfield]

Matt Carpenter makes a good point, that so many players fail to hit any kind of grounder when the other team is conceding a run and playing back, so what makes people think the players can just purposely hit grounders to a specific spot on the field.