MLB 2018 regular season thread

The front office looks like geniuses when you stop to look at how the great off-season is playing out on offense in 2018 (11 wins in 15 games):

* 2nd in RBIs behind the Angels -- who also lead their division
* 3rd in runs scored behind the Angels and Red Sox -- both of whom also lead their divisions
* 4th in WAR
* 4th in wOBA
* 6th in wRC+

And, only 2 other teams -- the Angels and Red Sox, both division leaders -- have a lower strikeout percentage.

 

In fairness, Passan did revisit the story and write that Ohtani had made an adjustment in his mechanics from the time he wrote the initial piece. Scouts aren't hitting coaches, so maybe that isn't something they would have noticed might accelerate his adjustment. On the other hand, if they had, you wouldn't expect them to announce it to the world. It's not in the other organizations' self-interest to help the Angels fix their off-season free agent signing.

 

This is the big one.

 

Total agreement. Scouts are very very gossipy, but in my experience they gossip with a purpose.

 

They definitely are showing braun with the bat with runners on base, that's for sure.

They have wOBA studs AND guys who can drive in runs.

 

One thing that is interesting is how quickly they have been able to re-tool on the fly and stay competitive and, I daresay, the favorite in the N.L. Central going forward right now. They are showing that mid-market teams can succeed over the long haul within the so-called economic "limitations" placed upon them.

 

Then perhaps Passan should quit using them as a source.

“He’s basically like a high school hitter because he’s never seen a good curveball,” the scout said. “He’s seen fastballs and changeups. And you’re asking a high school hitter to jump to the major leagues?”

“You don’t learn on the job in the major leagues,” another scout said. “You can’t.”

 

"High school hitter" is my favorite part.

I hope we can all agree that has been disproven, at least.

 

NOT YET!

 

At this point, he has a better chance being the 2018 AL MVP than being sent to the minors for 500 at bats of seasoning.

 

Truth.

 

I'm trying to imagine the xenophobia or myopia at work when that scout said Ohtani hadn't seen curveballs. Does he think Japanese pitchers don't throw curveballs? Yu Darvish has two different curves.