2019-2020 MLB Non-Phillies News/Notes Discussion

[phillychuck]

I'm for the electronic earpiece for umps--beeps when the ball crosses the zone as indicated by Questor or some other tech sensor in big-league parks. The ump still makes the call and can overrule the electronics, but gets the aid. Pretty soon we'd get a consistent strike zone everywhere, I think. Have to make sure the Questor zone is adjusted properly for height--the top of the electronic zone is probably an inch or two too high for strikes.

[andyb]

The importance of framing as a catching "skill" really is a skill on how to steal pitches from bad umpires (racial bias or not). I was not a great fan of automated ball and strike calling because of the individual nature of the strike zone. But the vast differences might make me re-think that. Certainly on inside/outside calls there should be no debate about automated strikes being wrong.

Pitch framing should not really be an issue if we had good umpiring. And umpires giving more strikes to a Greg Maddux type pitcher as opposed to a Vince Velasquez should not happen. If it happens systematically then that is wrong.

[DurhamBull]

The importance of framing as a catching "skill" really is a skill on how to steal pitches from bad umpires (racial bias or not). I was not a great fan of automated ball and strike calling because of the individual nature of the strike zone. But the vast differences might make me re-think that. Certainly on inside/outside calls there should be no debate about automated strikes being wrong.

Pitch framing should not really be an issue if we had good umpiring. And umpires giving more strikes to a Greg Maddux type pitcher as opposed to a Vince Velasquez should not happen. If it happens systematically then that is wrong.

Yes, the same goes for veteran hitters with a reputation for a keen eye getting favorable calls that a rookie would not.

[zambonir]

Sure is an interesting season so far. Seattle is 9-2, Rays lead the East, Red Sox and Cubs are brutal.

I wonder if the Nats will go get Kimbrel, Rosenthal makes our bullpen problems look easy.

[fish]

I'm for the electronic earpiece for umps--beeps when the ball crosses the zone as indicated by Questor or some other tech sensor in big-league parks. The ump still makes the call and can overrule the electronics, but gets the aid. Pretty soon we'd get a consistent strike zone everywhere, I think. Have to make sure the Questor zone is adjusted properly for height--the top of the electronic zone is probably an inch or two too high for strikes.

After a season of that you might just have trained all the umpires into recognizing the proper strike zone. Makes me think they need to incorporate that method for training purposes if nothing else.

[philsphan67]

Ironically this article appeared today on ESPN. I get there are flaws with the electronic strike zone, BUT at least you'd have consistency. There have been some really bad umpire calls this season already. I also think the casual fan will enjoy seeing the strike zone on a screen and where the ball was based on the electronics.
Note the two strike bias in the article. I also think the electronic strike zone may make the players more defensive with two strikes and just put more balls in play -- what the MLB needs...

Study: Young umps top older peers on calls

[andyb]

Sure is an interesting season so far. Seattle is 9-2,

Domingo Santana, still only 26, is a big part of their start. 311/415/622 with 4 HR, 15 RBI, and 3 SB.

[Lawman]

Joel Sherman (Joelsherman1)

[mdougherty12]

The Albies extension seems like an incredible bargain for the Braves.

[baseballoldie]

Yes it sure does - not sure why Albies and his representation would agree to such a deal. Two option years at $7 million each on what would otherwise be his 3rd and 4th years of free agency. This seems like a total steal for the Braves. Makes no sense.

[julio]

Yes it sure does - not sure why Albies and his representation would agree to such a deal. Two option years at $7 million each on what would otherwise be his 3rd and 4th years of free agency. This seems like a total steal for the Braves. Makes no sense.

"Makes no sense" if the only thing that matters in the world to Albies is maximizing his total earnings from baseball.

It's just barely possible that he has other priorities. After all, he's not an American.

[zambonir]

I don't think you are seeing the forest for the trees here julio. MLB teams are exercising incredible leverage against their young players, many of whom, as you note, are not American, which doesn't tell us anything about their value system, but does mean most of them come from poverty. So while these deals are still very lucrative to them, and insulate them from risk, collectively they are terrible for the players (as you well know) and in most cases the money being saved is not going to find its way to other players, or be spent in any way that means something to us as fans. On top of that teams are essentially using these extensions as loss leaders to help divide the union and set the stage to their liking for the next CBA

[julio]

collectively they are terrible for the players (as you well know)

No, I don't agree with this. We're talking about what share of monopoly profits the players get. I really, truly don't care. We're talking about whether a player like Albies will be paid $35 million, or some larger number than that. I really don't care. He's a ballplayer, an entertainer. I simply don't value his contributions all that much - because they're really utterly unimportant.

I care about minor leaguers receiving sub-minimum wages. I care about school teachers being paid far less than they're worth, less than they contribute to our society. Etc.

There is simply far too much real inequity in our world for me to give a rat's behind whether Ozzie Albies accepted $35 million, or held out for more than that. Sorry, but reality intrudes in my world on a regular basis, and I just can't find it in me to care about the allocation of MLB's monopoly rents.

[zambonir]

Well, that's fine but this is a baseball message board not a reality or income inequality message board. I mean, I think about whether I should even like or support sports, or entertainment conglomerates, or tech companies that let me listen to music for "free," all the time. But within the ecosystem in which I choose to continue to follow baseball, I care about something like the Albies contract and the pending labor dispute as much as I do about the equally big-picture unimportant results of a game, or a free agent signing. If not in the labor context, than in the "the Braves just got better than the Phillies without having to spend as much $" context.

Regardless, I don't think Albies has other priorities or cares about money less than an American. He's just taking a business gamble. Someone was tweeting today that teams have basically become insurance companies. They are assuming the same function that Michael Schwimer's company has, giving these guys loans that don't have to be paid back, but with incredible, unshared returns for the teams if they mature.

[Florida_Sunshine]

I think you are misreading Julio here. He is obviously a baseball fan from previous interaction. He just doesn't get worked up like some here do on whether a player contract ends up being slightly pro player or slightly pro owner. That still fits within the realm of baseball chit chat. That also leaves you room to find others to discuss the pending labor dispute and whatever else your heart desires.

[baseballoldie]

Julio - I get that there are matters that may be more important than $ for all players whether they are American or foreign. The amount of money he is getting in the deal is life changing for most. My comment about "makes no sense" is couched in the terms of the baseball industry and what other players have received. Its hard to understand on the surface why he would not have received more in the way of guaranteed salary for that many years and the free agency years given up, all else being equal.

There obviously is more to the story than what has been written thus far and I am looking forward to learning if there is a further explanation or rationale for the deal. Perhaps nothing more will be shared and that will be fine. I certainly don't begrudge the player for accepting a contract that will pay him a lot of money over the next 7 to 9 years, I just don't understand why the dollar amount came in where it did.

[Florida_Sunshine]

There may be some hints to that on ajc.com. Normally I would check, because I am curious a little, but not tonight.

[baseballoldie]

One other comment for you Julio - you have made it clear that you don't care what players get paid and how much owners make in this monopolistic industry. But many posters on this forum do have an interest in how the industry revenues get shared between the players and ownership and it clearly is a matter of importance to MLBPA, the players and the ownership given the sheer size of baseball revenues and the amount of resources both sides allocate to their efforts to support their share of the pie. I have no issues with the fact that you don't care. And I trust that since you don't care, you would have no issues with the positions of those, like myself, that do have an interest in this topic.

[zambonir]

I am certainly not suggesting julio is not a baseball fan!

[Florida_Sunshine]

I know, I am just ribbing you a little. I know you can dish it out and take it.

I just think it is funny that an innocent question by Julio has gotten blown out of proportion.

Keep in mind that his original comment to baseballoldie was to his comment that "It makes no sense".....

Well, if you listen to the player speak in his words, it makes sense to him. And if it makes sense to him, there is the answer. It really has little to do with the argument that baseballoldie is trying to make. Apples and oranges.

Sorry, forgot to add the reasoning by the player. He acknowledges it may be low, but wants to be in Atlanta with his best friend and the team that took a chance on both of them. And that he can make some of it up on his next contract.