2016 MLB Regular-Season Thread

Guess I wasn't looking closely or maybe just stands out more with the Royals colors, didn't remember seeing that other years.

 

Greinke gives up six earned runs; gave up 41 earned runs all last year.

 

Whomever had Miguel Montero hitting the Cubs' first home run of the season just won a shit ton of money.

 

Saw one that said:
Jake Arrieta
Great Again

 

He gave up six runs in the third. They mentioned during the broadcast that last gave up that many in an inning in 2012.

 

I was waiting for you to open one of your only two movable parts, your ass and your mouth, about the Gregory Polanco extension.
So much for those "cheap" Pirates, you little fraud.

 

Troll elsewhere, fart boy. The baseball thread is too important to allow rude personal attacks like this one.

Regarding the actual content, yes, they locked up a young player. That does not change the fact that they are still among the bottom third in the majors in payroll. They are still a significantly weaker team than they were at the end of last season because they spent the offseason cutting payroll. To do that when they have a core that made the playoffs the last three years is proof that they are cheap.

This is a team that lost one key starter to retirement (Burnett) and another to free agency (Happ). Their response to that? Trade away another veteran starting pitcher to cut payroll (Charlie Morton). The only significant addition they made to the rotation was Jon Niese, who was part of a cost-cutting trade that sent Neil Walker out of town.

Walker's departure weakened the offense. They also dumped Pedro Alvarez, supposedly because of his defense, and replaced him with a former catcher who has barely played first base in the majors (Jaso). Of course, Jaso is much cheaper. Freese was a smart move, but he does not make up for the loss of both Walker and Alvarez.

They also allowed Joakim Soria and Antonio Bastardo to leave from last year's bullpen.

So, due to cost-cutting moves, the Pirates got weaker in their starting rotation, bullpen and every day lineup. So yes, they are still cheap.

 

They needed a first baseman.
But there’s this thing called operating budget- it varies for each business.
This is a very good team that keeps developing talent.
You must hate it that they’re so good and prove you wrong so often.
And Alvarez sucked.
I use past tense because he’ll be drummed out of baseball inside five years.

 

The Pirates are consistently profitable and they are in position to contend, yet they continue to pinch pennies. You know my analysis of their offseason is dead on, but it makes a mockery of your failed attempt at a gotcha moment, so you are running away from that part of the discussion.

Alvarez is a horrible defender and a flawed hitter, but he was still an important part of that offense. Part of the justification for dumping him was his defense, but they replaced him with a converted catcher who had played first base only three times at the major league level, starting only once. Also, he couldn't even stay healthy as a designated hitter in 2015.

The Pirates have an excellent front office that has done an amazing job considering how badly they are handcuffed by ownership.

 

If only they could find a way to compete.

 

"Failed attempt."

Bingo!

For all the "counselor" jokes I get here, no one incorporates the language of legal briefs like oop.