MLB 2018 regular season thread

I trust experts over non-experts. But when I am something of an expert, I trust myself over everybody else.

 

A baseball expert?

 

I know a little bit about baseball, and I know more than most about Japanese baseball.

 

Ok.

 

Regarding the other part of your post about Japan youth baseball and high pitch counts, you should read that chapter in Passan’s book, if you have not yet. It’s child abuse, practically.

 

Jeff and I have discussed that a bunch.

 

I know more about baseball than I know about all other topics combined, and I assume Passan still knows exponentially more than I do.

That said, I have always understood that scouts need a lot more time to evaluate the hitting tool than any other, even with amateurs, before reliable bases emerge for evaluation. That said, he offered his mea culpa way too fast here, although he did note that Ohtani has adjusted his mechanics since that column.

 

Scouts need more time to evaluate the hitting tool than others, but after 14 at-bats in Spring Training, you're good with them declaring that Ohtani wasn't ready to hit major league pitching. You're funny.

 

Nothing happening in Baltimore.

 

Single through Donaldson's legs.

I don't envy that official scorer. If he stays down, it's in his glove.

 

Ceteris paribus your conjecture makes sense, but I suspect the way they measure average exit velocity — it’s based strictly on contact (I think) — makes ceteris rarely paribus.

 

My ceteris was paribus once. But then MD gave me a cream. Cleared up in like a week.