Well, that was pretty fun. Didn't really have a dog in that fight, but I got a 101 course in Japanese baseball culture. Very cool, that. There was a marching-band style rally group in left field where my seat was. They would play during Japanese offensive half innings. Each player had a song of his own. Highly enjoyable. Of course, the American fans countered with their own style (I.e., getting piss your pants drunk and yelling "USA!USAUSA! Over and over and over and over and over again). I bought a Japan cap.

.Of course, the American fans countered with their own style (I.e., getting piss your pants drunk and yelling "USA!USAUSA! Over and over and over and over and over again).

Yeah, not surprised and why I distance myself from these events.

 

But very cool that you went. Do you have pictures? Going to the finals?

 

  If you needed to see a game that makes the case for why Yadier Molina is a first ballot Hall of Famer,

 

If Joe Torre (as a C) and Jorge Posada are not in the Hall of Fame, Molina does not belong there. Period.

 

If Joe Torre (as a C) and Jorge Posada are not in the Hall of Fame, Molina does not belong there. Period.

They are all deserving, let's add Ted Simmons too, Molina is the defensive superior of the group and that should add on to what he is lacking offensively comparatively. All HOFer's to me.

I'd put Yadi in the hall.

 

Speaking of catchers, anyone notice that lucroy, like, can't catch anything tonight?

Berrios struck out the side in order. Stanton, Lucroy, Kinsler.

 

And yet, not overly impressive. Seems to be missing quite a bit.

Edited March 23, 20179 yr by Pardon My Dinger

 

Berrios struck out the side in order. Stanton, Lucroy, Kinsler.

And yet, not overly impressive. Seems to be missing quite a bit.

 

I don't know, his pitches seemed to move well and had the velocity. But not great way to end your tourney.

Let's see if this Twitter link works....

 

Flashes of brilliance, flashes of the opposite of brilliance. Get ready to ride this roller coaster of a team full of that, Twins fans

The runs charged to Berrios were let in by the reliever after him, fwiw

I am sure Kennys is a terrific guy, but I don't want him to make the team opening day. That AB right there reminded me just how clueless he tends to look up there. Again, seems like a swell guy, so no ill will from me, but I want Park to get another shot this April.

The runs charged to Berrios were let in by the reliever after him, fwiw

Well, that's what can happen when you load the bases with one out.

 

And while the strike outs are nice, they weren't exactly efficienct considering he loaded the count on three of them and went 2-2 on the other.

I know this is slightly off topic- but have there been comps between Berrios and Stroman in the past? Similar size, etc?  I would love for Berrios to blossom into Stroman-- and Stroman's size shows that a short pitcher can still create the strong downward angle that people like K-Law think is impossible. 

 

A fairly interesting comparison, right? Of course, comps mean nothing between the two if Berrios can't figure out how to pitch to ML quality hitters. 

Edited March 23, 20179 yr by GP830

 

I know this is slightly off topic- but have there been comps between Berrios and Stroman in the past? Similar size, etc?  I would love for Berrios to blossom into Stroman-- and Stroman's size shows that a short pitcher can still create the strong downward angle that people like K-Law think is impossible. 

 

A fairly interesting comparison, right? Of course, comps mean nothing between the two if Berrios can't figure out how to pitch to ML quality hitters. 

 

KLAW doesn't think it is impossible, he thinks its not likely and risky to assume you can overcome the hurdle. At least that's how I read him. there is increased risk, and therefore the player's expected value is lower.

 

I think people forget Berrios was a 2nd round pick (call it what you want, it came after everyone picked). While the hype got high, when he's a legit #4, that's a nice return, if disappointing given his outcomes in the minors.

KLAW doesn't think it is impossible, he thinks its not likely and risky to assume you can overcome the hurdle. At least that's how I read him. there is increased risk, and therefore the player's expected value is lower.

 

I think people forget Berrios was a 2nd round pick (call it what you want, it came after everyone picked). While the hype got high, when he's a legit #4, that's a nice return, if disappointing given his outcomes in the minors.

That's a good point. Not to be nit picky , but wasn't he a auxiliary first rounder?

 

That's a good point. Not to be nit picky , but wasn't he a auxiliary first rounder?

 

well, in my head that's bunk. If every team has already picked, it is round 2, no matter what you call it. But that's just me, and I think I said that in the post....

 

well, in my head that's bunk. If every team has already picked, it is round 2, no matter what you call it. But that's just me, and I think I said that in the post....

 You did. I'm just easily confused. -- and was only half paying attention. My apologies. 

Edited March 24, 20179 yr by GP830

 

KLAW doesn't think it is impossible, he thinks its not likely and risky to assume you can overcome the hurdle. At least that's how I read him. there is increased risk, and therefore the player's expected value is lower.

 

I think people forget Berrios was a 2nd round pick (call it what you want, it came after everyone picked). While the hype got high, when he's a legit #4, that's a nice return, if disappointing given his outcomes in the minors.

 

Plane, schmlane. I still think short pitchers are a market inefficiency. Especially with hitters' swing planes going lower (elevate and celebrate), pitching downhill is becoming less important. I thought both Stroman and Berrios were steals where they were drafted. I thought Stroman had top 10 talent and #2 college arm (behind Gausman) in that 2012 draft. Berrios's problem is his lack of fastball command. That's completely unrelated to height. I actually thought he had better command of his slider than fastball the other night.

I really enjoy watching the WBC. I hope it sticks around. I especially enjoying learning about and watching the baseball culture in other parts of the world. Frankly, I would like to see it replace the All-Star game once, every four years. Pretty pie-in-the-sky here but maybe have MLB, the Nippon League, KBO and other international leagues take off 3 weeks in July to do a tournament and actively encourage players to participate. I'd also like to see the Cuban players in the MLB playing for Cuba. 

 

I really enjoy watching the WBC. I hope it sticks around. I especially enjoying learning about and watching the baseball culture in other parts of the world. Frankly, I would like to see it replace the All-Star game once, every four years. Pretty pie-in-the-sky here but maybe have MLB, the Nippon League, KBO and other international leagues take off 3 weeks in July to do a tournament and actively encourage players to participate. I'd also like to see the Cuban players in the MLB playing for Cuba. 

 

I would very much like to see this happen, and pull the plug on the all-star game/festivities that happen. There's nothing more boring, IMO, than sports all-star exhibition games. 

If they take 3-4 weeks off, do you cut the number of games, start the season earlier in the cold, or finish later in the cold? I love the idea, I just don't know how to do it...

I thought Buster Olney's idea was good to expand the event to having the prelims during spring training, then hold off on the semifinals and finals for All-Star week, and turn the week into a showcase event, starting with the Futures Game Sunday, Home Run Derby Monday, WBC Semifinals Tuesday, then (this is where I will vamp from what Olney suggested) have a combination of the All-Star game, WBC finals and one off day during the week, whether that off day is between the AS game and WBC final or the semis and the other two events are consecutive on Thursday/Friday. You finish with Saturday/Sunday off for the players to get their rest.

 

If you do that sort of schedule every three years, are you really going to have that many people upset about the AS game being disturbed, especially now that it's back to being a truly meaningless showcase event?