MLB 2022: The Long and Winding Thread

Smith started Stanley at SS for about two months in 1969 before moving him bulack to CF

 

Not to be that guy, because I agree that the offensive responsibility of the shortstop position has changed dramatically since his era, but Belanger only made one all-star team, in 1976, when he hit .270.

And Ray Oyler might be the worst starting offensive player in modern MLB history. he made Eddie Brinkman look like Ted Williams.

The starting AL all-star shortstops in his era (68-80) were Fregosi, Petrocelli, Campy, Grich, Harrah, Burleson and Smalley, each of whom could hit, and Aparicio, who was a better version of Belanger, offensively.

Belanger's bigger contribution came with his work with the Player's Association, back in an era where they were just starting to flex their muscles.

 

He and Ray Oyler were foremost in my mind as I wrote that. And Phil Roof.

The thing about Belanger is that the Orioles won consistently throughout his time at shortstop, and he was part of what was considered the best infield in baseball (except maybe the Reds) -- Powell/DJohnson/Belanger/BRobinson.

 

I hate to be that person but Pujols' second half is giving off a fishy smell. Reeks of David Ortiz in 2016, when he hit 38 homers, 127 RBIs, 48 doubles... among the league leaders at age 40. The rumor back then was that Ortiz was popped and they basically told him he had to retire. And for as far-fetched as that may seem, there certainly are players that MLB would protect because a guy like that would be a huge black eye on the game after what they've been through and how much progress they've made with drug testing. Just weird how Pujols was cooked a year ago and now this. Sad to be so skeptical of it all.

 

Interested to see how this new MLB postseason format works out. I, for one, liked the one-game wild card playoff games, but I can certainly understand the disenchantment if my team lost that one-game playoff to a team with a decidedly worse regular season record. This new format -- 3 games -- will have some interesting wrinkles. All three games played consecutively at the higher seed's home park. That makes all kinds of sense to me. No off days, the drama is continuous. But you're also definitely gonna hafta go to your third starter if ya lose either of the first two games -- and THAT makes sense, too. If your aces can't get it done in one and two, you should have to do that.

A friend who's a Mets fan was explaining how if the Mets win their series with San Diego -- no gimme -- then DeGrom and Scherzer won't be available in the series against the Dodgers till like games 3 and 4.

And that's why winning the division and getting a bye is so huge.

OK, I've talked myself into it. I like this new postseason format lol. My team isn't in it this year, Boston, so I won't be losing sleep. But imagine these wild card games go extra innings for a while -- and then you have to play the next day and and maybe even the next, that third game. These wild card rounds are gonna be wild. And yet I think they're as fair as can be.

 

Well, then here's my question ... couldn't you/we say the same of Judge? And no, I don't believe he's dosing. But I believe MLB would "protect" a guy chasing 61 as quickly as they would "protect" a guy closing out his career.

 

I dig the new format. As Boogie said, huge advantage for getting one of the top two seeds, huge incentive to play well even if you've already had the division wrapped by July (Dodgers). The Mets losing the division the way they did was a disaster. Instead of getting a weekend off, you have to fend off a capable Padres team then face the Dodgers on the road to start the LDS. The Braves, instead, get to rest and then get either Philly or St. Louis at home.

The division series remain five-game series, right?

 

Yep, I agree with you. Like I said, just sucks to be skeptical of it all: Pedro's 1-something ERA at the height of the steroid ERA, guys like Pudge and Ortiz and how some of them just slip right by while others like Bonds/Clemens are vilified...shit, even Pujols' age and his rise to being one of the greatest of all time. Fact is, no matter how tight the testing is, the drugs will always be ahead and these kinds of guys have the kind of money to make it happen. How is Cabrera -- pound for pound the greatest RH hitter in history, in my opinion -- hobbling around at age 39 when Ortiz was doing that at 40?

 

On another count.

I'm listening to Kornheiser's podcast, and he has Kurkjian on. Tony said that he and Wilbon were debating the best pitcher of this era.

Kornheiser opined that Kershaw was the best. Wilbon said no, it was Verlander or Scherzer. Kurkjian said Wilbon is wrong, to simply look at the stats. Kershaw's career has been superior to both of theirs. For reference: https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kershcl01.shtml

I'd certainly lean toward Kershaw. Thoughts?

 

So thousands of people bought tickets to wildcard series games not knowing their start times. Could be Noon, could be 8 p.m. I'd have just figured for this series they'd all start at normal times. I mean, is the West Coast gonna skip work Friday morning to catch them some Guards-Rays?

 

The evolution of the shortstop can be seen in the Braves' '90s success on.

From Rafael Belliard starting around 300 games in 1991-92 (yet averaged less than 2 plate appearances per game since he was always lifted for offense at the end of games), to Dansby Swanson (practically a five-tool player who's going to be one of the only two 162 men in MLB this year and is going to make at least $20M a year this offseason).

 

The Royals won it all in 1985 with Buddy Biancalana -- who was 81g/.188 in the regular season but batting .277 in the WS.

And the Yankees got to the WS in 1976 with Fred Stanley batting .238 RS. Ironically, it was the other light hitting Yankees SS Jim Mason who had the only Yankee HR vs the Reds.

Interestingly, Stanley was 7 for 23 .304 in four ALCS.