Non-Phillies 2023 Major League Season Discussion

andyb 2023-09-27 15:55:49 UTC #482

Velocity matters. Obviously command and changing speeds makes everything better, but a good fastball down the middle is better than a mediocre fastball on the edge of the zone.

When pitchers dot the edges of the strike zone with an 88-92 mph fastball in 2023, hitters hit .267/.346/.464. Those same hitters hit .261/.261/.348 against four-seam fastballs of 98 mph or faster in the heart of the strike zone.

bkox 2023-09-28 23:54:17 UTC #483

Aquapong 2023-09-29 14:46:10 UTC #484

Man now Jeff McNeil has a partially torn UCL. That sucks. I hate having to play him, but that sucks.

zambonir 2023-09-29 15:39:11 UTC #485

Well, there would be worst times for that to happen. If he's not having surgery he won't miss any time, not even in ST probably.

bkox 2023-09-30 00:48:11 UTC #486

Putting this here since it has to do with rules and not prospects.

the Big changes.. 18 seconds for pitchers with runners on base instead of 20. (Not good for Nola if implemented)

But maybe the biggest one. Fielders will no longer be able to block the base with a foot or knee to make a runner slide around. They must provide an unimpeded path to the base.

Aquapong 2023-09-30 13:07:10 UTC #487

Gabe Kapler out as the Giants manager. A little surprising.

zambonir 2023-09-30 13:29:27 UTC #488

Inasmuch as he's not really to blame (given the general talent level and failure to land good free agents) and that they'd publicly backed him recently, yeah. But he made it four years (versus just two in Philadelphia!) and there was obviously pressure on the President of Baseball to change it up. If you're not winning it's hard for any manager - whether he's a player's coach, a hard-ass or an annoying new age analytics wonk - to keep the clubhouse (or the fan base) for more than a couple of seasons.

This year was a missed opportunity for them given San Diego's stumbles and instead Arizona has passed them. I suppose public perception is that the team collapsed this season but they were never really a strong wild card contender wire-to-wire.

bkox 2023-09-30 20:59:11 UTC #489

Orioles lose their lights out All Star closer for all of next year

zambonir 2023-10-01 02:24:24 UTC #490

It's crazy that the Marlins won the World Series both times they previously made the playoffs in a full season (and that they haven't ever made it other than those two times and 2020).

bkox 2023-10-01 17:59:46 UTC #491

Buck Showalter just announced he is not coming back as Mets manager.
— Joel Sherman ( @Joelsherman1 ) October 1, 2023

None of the last four National League manager of the year winners are currently managing (at least, after today)
— Eric Stephen ( @ericstephen ) October 1, 2023

BostonRoss 2023-10-01 19:01:34 UTC #492

One less manager who is older than me. Keep going, Dusty!

bkox 2023-10-01 19:57:26 UTC #493

Reds fans have to be livid. Ump ejects Joey Votto in the first inning in what could be his last game with the Reds or even his MLB career.

BaseballCat 2023-10-01 21:14:06 UTC #494

I will have to see what happened, but wow, unbelievable.

zambonir 2023-10-01 21:35:15 UTC #495

Well it wasn't a home game. Also I think he's probably going to come back on a cheap one year deal, or else sign with Toronto which nobody would begrudge him

zambonir 2023-10-01 23:25:33 UTC #496

The Mets being the Mets it seems they have leaked that he was gonna get fired anyway.

Callison 2023-10-02 00:08:34 UTC #497

Was thoughtless. What is gained by firing the guy before the season is over? Whoever made this decision should be fired for lack of judgment.

zambonir 2023-10-02 00:34:20 UTC #498

Well, once you've decided to do it is any more fair to not to tell him? And what do you do when the press is asking, lie?

Callison 2023-10-02 15:40:42 UTC #499

It would cost the Giants NOTHING to just wait until the end of the season. Why go out of your way to do it early? I see arbitrary lack of respect for a guy that did a lot of great coaching. For all the world, it looked like Kapler and Zaidi were working well together. It's not Kapler's fault that the team hasn't been able to sign talented FAs or that so many key players went on the DL.

The press? Is there any need to tell the press anything? They could wait a couple days, as the Giants could have and should have.

bkeich 2023-10-02 16:21:50 UTC #500

Well, there is an advantage for both to let him go earlier. Gives the team to look at options before other teams that are just waiting and it gives the coach a chance to make his case to teams that are looking for a manager. Agreed it is small, but conversely why keep him if you know you don't want him as manager? Why stay if you know the team wants to move on?

zambonir 2023-10-02 16:34:24 UTC #501

It's actually fairly common for managers to get let go with a week or two left (or a month or two left, if the season is completely lost). And you're also sending a message to the fans and players. I'm sure that the relationship is such that it wasn't a big deal, or a big surprise. I doubt Kapler was like, "WTF, why can't I manage the last two games?" If you're not wanted, you don't want to be there, and his paycheck is gonna clear (for all of next season) just the same.

I mean, if we're really going to get outraged on behalf of Gabe Kapler because he was endlessly jerked around by the team that fired him when he still had a year left on his contract, let's go revisit 2019.