MLB 2018-19 Offseason Thread

In the summer, I watch Cape League baseball games when I'm down there. These are college kids just past their freshman or sophomore years, and quite often pitchers cannot find the strike zone with a GPS inside the baseball. Fielding isn't quite big league quality either. But the games seldom if ever go more than 2:30-2:40. There's no TV, so inning breaks are way shorter. The kids are encouraged/mandated to play quickly, and guess what? They enjoy it. It makes the game more fun to play as well as watch. Perhaps this thought could be passed along to big league clubhouses.

 

The balk rule is 7384 times as absurd as the pitch clock, but we've had the balk rule for 125+ years, and it's just as
possible a World Series could be decided by a bases-loaded balk call.

 

Baseball is the only one of the four major sports without a clock of any kind. It should remain that way. It's a differentiator for the sport. There are many ways they can speed up the pace of play that don't involve a stupid-ass clock.

 

There was a game a couple of years ago between the Rangers and Indians that was played in 2:05. A line of storms was bearing down on DFW and they wanted to get the game in before the weather hit, and they did it with hours to spare. It can be done.

 

In 1999 Herald beat guy Tony Massarotti and myself were in Atlanta for the last game before the All-Star break. Game was at Fenway of course. We were on the last plane from ATL to Boston and we HAD to make it. Plane was at like 7:40. Luckily, Greg Maddux started for the Braves. Complete game four-hitter in 2:15 or thereabouts. My Hall of Fame vote him for him was done in total gratitude. When a pitcher works fast and throws strikes, baseball games move right along.

 

1) Goddamn it, Phillies, don't let him go to LA
2) Boras trying to squeeze every drop he can for Harper now having another team "making a bid"
3) F*ck the Dodgers (out of principle because it's in my contract with the Giants Fandom to say it)

Sources: Dodgers re-enter Harper sweepstakes

 

So who besides Boras is a source here? His secretary?

 

I would love love love to have been behind the plate for one of Maddux' games.
That's when you tell your catcher. "Set up on the black, don't fucking move, and we will be at the bar inside of 3 hours."

 

So I understand why Harper still hasn't been signed, but I'm wondering why the market is still so cool on Kimbrel and Keuchel. I don't think I've read anything about them turning down offers. Are they just asking too much?

 

There was a report the other day that Kimbrel had not budged off 5 years, $100 million, which he's not going to get. And supposedly Kimbrel and Keuchel are back-up plans for the Phillies if they don't get Harper.

 

As consolation prizes go, that one isn't gonna impress many Phillies fans.