MLB '24 Regular Season Thread

Jesus, I was looking at players who hit a home run in their first major league at-bat. That's what I get for posting with tired eyes. Thanks.

 

Just catching up to this, as a guy who spent years building a stats database for every NHL game from 1917 through 1986 - with gamesheets and news accounts to help me - I can only stand up and applaud those who laboured to make this a reality. The amount of work here and the lack of source material would dwarf what I did.

 

Guess this was coming sooner rather than later. Hope he throws tomorrow; I'd like to see what he has. But I'm a little concerned about what this means in regard to Kyle Bradish.

 

Bradish didn't look right on Saturday. Sure, he struck out six, but that's because Tampa strikes out. He walked three, gave up seven hits, couldn't command his sinker, was leaving everything way up in the zone. I'm hoping for the best and that he might just need additional rest. He didn't look hurt to me, but he was up in the 70 pitch range after three innings and there was no way Hyde was taking a chance with leaving him in.

As good as Suarez and Irvin have been, I worry that there may be a little Jorge Lopez effect going there. Irvin's ERA is more than a run less than his career best. Blip, or a guy coming into his own at age 30? We're probably about to find out.

 

From what I saw, I would think Trevor Richards, Toronto's "opener" last night, should be in some demand going forward. His change -- which he throws more than 50 percent of the time -- is damn near unhittable. It nose-dives.

 

When that pitch is working like it was last night it is an awesome weapon. If the Jays are going to be sellers, as it looks like they should be, Richards and Yimi Garcia, who has been fantastic out of the bullpen, can definitely help teams down the stretch.

 

Questioning Padres manager Mike Shildt.
He had 36-year-old Donovan Solano playing first base. He's 5-foot-8. Twice he had to jump to catch throws and the batter crossed the base before he landed. That includes a play in the crucial seventh inning when the Angels scored 3 runs to break a 1-1 tie. The game-deciding hit by Zach Neto sailed over the head of left fielder Jurickson Profar, who was playing so shallow it was like deep shortstop. The ball landed on the grass in front of the warning track and bounced twice before it hit the wall. On Monday, the key hit was by the Angels' Jo Adell, who lined one over the head of Fernando Tatis in right. Granted, Adell hit a rocket and it would have been a near-impossible catch had Tatis made it. But he was shallow, too, against the Angels' top power threat.

 

Not disputing your point about last night’s game … but your post reminded me of my teenage years playing “Babe Ruth” league baseball.

At 14 I was the same height (6-foot-1) as I am now (and a bit lighter …). Anyway, our coach automatically thought the tallest player on the team should play first base, so he stuck me there, in theory, to snare all those high throws.

Problem was, Babe Ruth league was the level (ages 13-15) that went from Little League sized fields with 60 feet between the bases to high school sized fields with big infields and 90 feet between the bases. So I would guess 95% of the errant throws coming my way were short of the target with nasty bounces. It was a steep and painful learning curve trying to scoop them!

 

Solano has played 1B second most of all his positions in his career.

 

I only brought it up because those two plays definitely affected the game -- the second one especially -- and the Angels announcers mentioned it.
They did not mention that the Angels have also used 5-foot-8 Willie Calhoun at first base this season ... recently when Schanuel was hurt for a few days.

 

Now Altuve at first base …

 

Don't be throwing high, gang.

Sounds like Skenes and Ohtani are having quite a battle tonight. First time up, Skenes strikes him out on 101-100-101 fastballs. Second time up, Shohei puts one over the center-field wall.