MLB '24 Regular Season Thread

Sam Blum in The Athletic takes a look at the 28 third basemen the Angels have employed since signing Anthony Rendon in 2020.

Ranking the 28 Angels who’ve played third since Anthony Rendon signed his $245 million deal - The Athletic (nytimes.com)

When the Angels signed Anthony Rendon before the 2020 season, they did so believing he would be the stalwart. The everyday guy — an immovable presence in the lineup. That’s certainly what they paid for. You don’t hand out a seven-year, $245 million contract for nothing.

He earns about $235,000 per game, and still has only played in just 247 of a possible 667 games since inking his deal.

A stalwart, Rendon is not. As Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register noted earlier this month, the Angels have used a staggering 28 third basemen since the start of that 2020 season. A number that exceeds any of the other 29 teams.

Let that sink in: the team with the highest-paid third baseman in baseball since 2020 has also used the most total third basemen over that time. ...

Rendon, 34, hasn’t hit a home run in 211 plate appearances, despite averaging one homer per about 30 PAs during his lengthy career. His .586 OPS is well below league average. And his defense at third base has been lacking. He had -5 defensive runs saved last year.

The replacements haven’t worked. Of the 27 names listed below, 14 have not played a big league game since leaving the Angels.

 

Cole Irvin over Jack Flaherty was definitely not on my Bingo card. But the Baltimore bullpen came up huge for a change, especially new acquisition Matt Bowman in the middle innings.

 

Cruz already with a throwing error in center.

 

Available, apparently, within days:

Casey Mize

https://www.mlive.com/tigers/2024/0...to-return-by-this-weekend.html?outputType=amp

Matt Manning (scroll to the end)

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/...nds-on-il-with-back-inflammation/74973182007/

Reese Olson

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/...on-on-track-for-september-return/74895994007/

All of a sudden those wild card standings start to look interesting.

Not to mention the fact that they appear to be starting to build an actual starting lineup, if Hinch can resist his tendency to write up lineups like a 12U travel ball coach with 7 Class AAAA utility players playing different positions every fucking game.

 

Well said @maumann

 

What's wrong with David Bednar?

 

That's the problem. Guy is 77 games under .500 for the D-Backs & Tigers and has never posted a winning season outside of Houston's cheating empire, but he carries himself like he's the second coming of Connie Mack. Seems like he's pretty entrenched there (I read something about how he has a long-term contract that nobody discusses), so I guess they're gonna keep him around until he finally finishes over .500.

 

Kansas City had Cleveland on the ropes and let it escape. Three of four is good, a sweep would’ve been devestating.

 

@Chef2 is not gonna like that relief performance.

 

The 1916 Philadelphia A's were 36-117 (.235). That's what the ChiSox have to beat.