Running 2017 MLB regular season thread

I'll take this to mean you accept my premise. Bottom line is still the same. You are far more interested in trolling, which is the only way I got you to start posting about Lester as much as Arrieta.

 

You must be a big wins guy then.

 

How am I accepting your premise? I have illustrated in exacting detail why Jon Lester's underlying performance has not changed this year from last year and why I am not concerned about him.

 

When you resort to moving the goalposts, I take that as accepting my premise and moving on. And you can talk about the detail all you want, but in terms of actual results on the field, Lester's performance has changed.

The larger point, the one you keep trying to run away from, still remains. Your interest is in posting things to start shit. That is why you came back from your vacation going on and on about Arrieta while so many other Cubs stumbled, too.

Also, if I was to take on your tactics, Lester doesn't even have to decline much this season for it to matter. If he falters next year, you're still wrong. That is exactly what you are pulling with Arrieta.

 

Other than winning the argument, no, I'm not.

 

Why do you think Lester's "performance has changed"? What aspect of his performance this season particularly concerns you as compared to last year's?

I could tell you very specifically that Five-Inning Jake's home run rate has gone from 0.38/9 IP to .73/9 IP last year to 1.36/9 IP this year, a very alarming figure.

That said, his other peripherals are pretty steady, at least as compared to a year ago, if not better. Like Lester, he's been victimized by a pretty horrendous BABIP after benefiting from the Cubs' all-time great defense last season.

Last year, Five-Inning Jake's 3.10 ERA was not indicative of how poorly he pitched. This year, outside of the home runs, which aren't nothing, of course, he's actually pitching better than his sky-high ERA would indicate. I think he pitches today. We'll see what kind of five innings he turns in.

 

What is it they say about April? You can't win the division, but you can lose it? The Royals are six games over .500 since May 1, but...

 

How can you move the goalposts in a baseball argument?

 

You can't, but it's clear Yankee Fan chose his team because it's easy to clear the fence on the right.

 

Yeah, who wants to consider how many earned runs a pitcher gives up when evaluating their performance, right?

 

And now can you please answer my question?