2019 MLB Regular Season running thread

Jon's been the best for 40 years now, wherever he works.

 

Sox extend Bogaerts with a 7-year/$132M deal, according to ESPN.

All of these big-money extensions this season beg the question: Are the owners buying themselves some cover against any accusations of collusion to keep FA spending down and/or to buy some goodwill in the upcoming labor negotiations. It certainly allows them to say, "Hey, sorry we've been slow on free agents, but we're spending a billion dollars on guys who haven't even reached arbitration!"

 

I feel a little better about the Rangers, but they don’t nearly have the pitching to be a contender. (Sound familiar?)

Still, taking the series over the Cubs with a couple of walk offs was fun.

 

Well, one thing this does is take a player who wouldn't otherwise feel that way and give him a significant reason to oppose any work stoppage in 2021.

 

Here to point out the Orioles took two out of three from the Yankees in the Bronx. It may very well end up the high point of Baltimore's season, so I'll gloat about it.

 

Out-of-context line of the weekend:

 

Christian Yelich has picked up where he left off last season. Brewers took 3/4 from Cards and Yelich with 500/667/1.583 with 4 HR/8RBI. First MVP to start next season homering in first 4 games (nobody else has homered in first 3) and btw, walked it off with a double to the wall off 102 by Hicks. Before anyone says "small sample" since the all start break he has hit 368, 28 HRs, 78 RBi in 68 games with a 457 OBP. I am pretty sure this has to end at some point but not many other than Bonds have been this good for this extended time. He seemingly never gets himself out and is seeing the ball so well. He takes walks but any mistake is destroyed. When his contract is factored in he may be the best in the game.

 

That would be best value, not best in the game.

 

I get it but if this continues he may need to be in the conversation for best player. I love Trout as much as the next guy but Yelich is gaining. And BTW my numbers were off as I forgot to add in yesterday's game.

 

That's fine, and maybe he will get there. All I'm saying is that the players' contracts are irrelevant to a discussion of who is the best player in the game.

 

I don't disagree but when a team like Milwaukee has a player of his caliber on perhaps the most team friendly deal in the league that makes him extremely valuable. I probably worded it wrong but he is the best player/contract combo in MLB. Would that work? Also keep an eye on Corbin Burnes. He gave up 3 dingers yesterday but struck out 12 over 5 innings in his first ever start. What was really amazing was his spin rate. His four-seam averaged 2,912 RPM, the highest rate ever for a starter. The previous high was 2,681 by both Scherzer and Verlander. He has big, big upside.