MLB 2025 Spring Training Thread

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

I still wish pitchers hit, because I enjoyed watching the strategy as the bottom of the order approached and it was fun as shirt to see them get a hit and especially sock a dinger. But they also meekly made an out like 95% of the time. And I just realized I got so used to the DH in the NL so fast that I can't even remember the season in which the DH became universal w/o looking it up (it was 2022).

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

Someone NOT invited:

Accused of giving away his team's pitches, Derek Bender reckons with the world's mistrustAccused of giving away his team's pitches, Derek Bender reckons with the world's mistrust

Wow how do you even get this close to the sun? Even if he was wrongly accused, his batting coach is right on, he was selfishly immature.

That was pretty good. Sam did a good job of allowing Derek to basically dig his own grave and paint himself as an immature dolt who doesn't listen to anyone. (Of course, neither did I at 22 years old) If you are repped by a major agency and your career is hanging by a thread, maybe don't do interviews until they tell you to do so!

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

I still wish pitchers hit, because I enjoyed watching the strategy as the bottom of the order approached and it was fun as shirt to see them get a hit and especially sock a dinger. But they also meekly made an out like 95% of the time. And I just realized I got so used to the DH in the NL so fast that I can't even remember the season in which the DH became universal w/o looking it up (it was 2022).

For Rick Camp, it was more like 99 percent of the time … except for one late night in Atlanta.

 

[dixiehack]

ChatGPT should stick to selling steak knives.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

Today in ChatGPT prompts: Roast the DH.

Ah, the DH (Designated Hitter) rule — the baseball equivalent of letting someone else take the hit for you. It's like saying, "You know what? Swinging a bat is too hard, so let's just let someone else do it while I sit here and collect the same paycheck."

It's the rule that says, "We don't trust pitchers to hit, but we still want them to pitch," as if those guys can't throw a 100-mph fastball but can't be trusted to swing a bat without injuring themselves. You've got all these baseball purists clutching their bats in agony, watching the game get less strategic and more like a slow-motion home run derby.

And what's the point of *having* a DH if you're just going to let pitchers get a free pass? Like, we're one step away from a rule where players can just wear bubble wrap and get a free walk to first base. What's next? The Designated Baserunner? Do we just start outsourcing every skill now? At this rate, why even bother with a game? Just hand out participation trophies and let the players lounge in the dugout.​

Herb Washington to the green and gold courtesy phone.

 

[micropolitan guy]

Herb Washington to the green and gold courtesy phone.

He was a pinch-runner, one appearance and done; he and the player he ran for had to be replaced if he didn't remain in the lineup, which he never did (unlike Allen Lewis, the Panamanian Express). Completely different than a DR, who (ostensibly) would be able to remain in the game and run on numerous occasions.

Sort of like comparing a pinch-hitter to a DH.

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

Today's sign that it's still the first full week of spring training: A bunch of guys with jersey numbers in the 80s and 90s and no names on their jerseys are about to pick up a win for the Braves over the Nats.

 

[Dog8Cats]

Has anyone done an in-depth dive on why ESPN has scaled its baseball coverage back?

First, SNB ratings last season were up 6 percent from the previous season. So any comments about how ESPN killed its audience's desire for the game doesn't hold water (at least YOY in 2024).

What is the prime age demo for advertisers ... 19-34 or something? What's the median age of a viewer of a baseball game on TV? Probably 50 to 55, if not older. I think that tells you 90 percent of the thinking behind ESPN's actions.

As to all of our comments about how the in-game talent falls short, what's your solution? Having the announcers treat it like a radio game? "Checks the sign, shakes once. ... Deals ... outside. Ball one." Maybe sometimes the apparent goal of "Talk about anything except what the viewers can see" was taken too far, but short of having Vin Scully do the game, what are you going to do?

The alternative broadcasts (Kay-Rod or whatever) were ... interesting. Paul Simon as a guest was pathetic - truly - except when he sang. But one time I saw Rodriguez correct Michael Kay on how a certain play was scored ... and it was delicious. Didn't break cadence, didn't turn to look at him, didn't seem to care that he was pointing out that Kay screwed up.

 

[Batman]

Today's sign that it's still the first full week of spring training: A bunch of guys with jersey numbers in the 80s and 90s and no names on their jerseys are about to pick up a win for the Braves over the Nats.

That's also a sign of a June interleague series at Yankee Stadium.

 

[jr/shotglass]

Felix Bautista hits 97 in his first live action of the spring, setting Boston down 1-2-3. Huzzah.

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

Adam Duvall is looking for an excuse to retire without actually retiring.

Braves World Series champion says he'll retire if he doesn't get $3M guarantee — Sporting News

 

[MTM]