2018 Baseball season (1 Viewer)

[mikemiller1955]

Mike, the current WC teams are Oakland and the NYY's. If things stay as they are, the NYY's and Oakland will face off in the 1-game WC playoff, with the winner advancing, loser goes home. -- Al

I'm sorry Al...thank you...I knew that...I just typed it wrong...doh!

I got it now.....

I'm just looking for a scenario that Boston will get Oakland...^&grin...I don't think anyone can eliminate them...

thank you!

 

[Panzer ace]

With yesterday's defeat, the Giants set a San Francisco era record with 11th straight losses.

This season can't end quick enough.................

 

[lancer]

With yesterday's defeat, the Giants set a San Francisco era record with 11th straight losses.

This season can't end quick enough.................

It has been a bad year. I actively follow 2 teams (Nats, O's) and have a rooting interest in 2 others (Giants, NYY's), and only the NYY's are still in the playoff picture at this point. I expected a lot more out of the group this year than what has transpired. Injuries basically took out the Nats and Giants, while the O's just plain collapsed. The one positive is that as long as the earth moves around the sun, March isn't that far off.:rolleyes2: -- Al

 

[Rutledge]

It has been a bad year. I actively follow 2 teams (Nats, O's) and have a rooting interest in 2 others (Giants, NYY's), and only the NYY's are still in the playoff picture at this point. I expected a lot more out of the group this year than what has transpired. Injuries basically took out the Nats and Giants, while the O's just plain collapsed. The one positive is that as long as the earth moves around the sun, March isn't that far off.:rolleyes2: -- Al

Sorry but what evidence is there that the Nats and Giants suffered significantly more devastating injuries than other teams? Every team gets waylaid by injuries. Teams that have more injuries than other teams either don’t have a good physical fitness program, are poorly coached or lack enough depth to rest players when necessary. Luck does not apply in a 162 game season, and neither does bad luck. It all comes out in the wash.

 

[lancer]

Sorry but what evidence is there that the Nats and Giants suffered significantly more devastating injuries than other teams? Every team gets waylaid by injuries. Teams that have more injuries than other teams either don’t have a good physical fitness program, are poorly coached or lack enough depth to rest players when necessary. Luck does not apply in a 162 game season, and neither does bad luck. It all comes out in the wash.

I didn't say a word about luck and it is a documented fact that the Nats lost the second most man-games to the DL in MLB this year. The injuries were a major problem but not the only one, as is usually the case with disappointing seasons. -- Al

 

[Rutledge]

I didn't say a word about luck and it is a documented fact that the Nats lost the second most man-games to the DL in MLB this year. The injuries were a major problem but not the only one, as is usually the case with disappointing seasons. -- Al

You implied it. But if the injuries weren’t bad luck, then why did they have so many? Poor coaching, weak fitness or shallow team depth? Incompetent trainers? Older players? Injuries shouldn’t be used as a “throw ones hands up in the air” cop out. At least at the major league professional level.

You are doing just that by claiming that injuries “basically took them out.”

 

[lancer]

You implied it. But if the injuries weren’t bad luck, then why did they have so many? Poor coaching, weak fitness or shallow team depth? Incompetent trainers? Older players? Injuries shouldn’t be used as a “throw ones hands up in the air” cop out. At least at the major league professional level.

You are doing just that by claiming that injuries “basically took them out.”

I didn't say anything about luck, nor did I imply it. You read that in on your own. I made the simple statement that injuries took them out. Whether you choose to agree or not doesn't change the facts. Obviously, injuries are only part of a the problem for a team that doesn't perform as expected, like this year's Nats, but it was the major factor. -- Al

 

[jazzeum]

Not having Murphy early on was a major factor. It set them back.

To the point about the training staff being poor, the Mets completely overhauled their training and medical staff in the off season and yet injuries happened, including losing Céspedes, a key player for them. Would they have won a playoff berth without the injuries they suffered. Maybe not.

Injuries seem to happen to every team and sometimes it’s bad luck. They are a fact of professional life and the teams that can avoid them or manage them will have a better chance of success than not.

 

[lancer]

Not having Murphy early on was a major factor. It set them back.

To the point about the training staff being poor, the Mets completely overhauled their training and medical staff in the off season and yet injuries happened, including losing Céspedes, a key player for them. Would they have won a playoff berth without the injuries they suffered. Maybe not.

Injuries seem to happen to every team and sometimes it’s bad luck. They are a fact of professional life and the teams that can avoid them or manage them will have a better chance of success than not.

Agree. The Mets, Nats, and Giants were all impacted negatively by numerous injuries, perhaps fatally to their playoff chances. To deny that injuries can ruin a team is to deny the facts. Injuries will happen, and the team, as Brad says, that deals best with them will have the better season. -- Al

 

[jazzeum]

I think that in the Nats’ case, they made a big difference because they were a very good team, poised to win.

 

[lancer]

I think that in the Nats’ case, they made a big difference because they were a very good team, poised to win.

Still think the Nats were crazy to let Murph go. He is very popular and was the best hitter on the team. We don't have an adequate replacement over the long haul. Don't know what the Nats were thinking. With Eaton and Murphy both injured, the Nats never really got going. -- Al

 

[Rutledge]

So, in other words, the teams that did well mainly did so because some other teams were unduly affected by injury while they, fortunately, weren’t.

Not buying this excuse at the major league level. The front office has to prepare as if every player will go down, and have backups in place. However that is done. Institute a better player fitness program. Employ more younger players not subject to ready injury. Develop a deep bench so that players can be appropriately rested without damaging the team’s competitiveness. Hire a coaching staff that knows how to teach good form and monitors players so they don’t act in ways that unduly risk injury. Etc.

The Nats had the season they had, ultimately, because of how the entire organization was run, from top to bottom. If a team can’t manage player injuries effectively, over 162 games, they don’t deserve to be in the post season. Period.

Taking responsibility for poor results now is the surest way to get better results next time.

 

[lancer]

So, in other words, the teams that did well mainly did so because some other teams were unduly affected by injury while they, fortunately, weren’t.

Not buying this excuse at the major league level. The front office has to prepare as if every player will go down, and have backups in place. However that is done. Institute a better player fitness program. Employ more younger players not subject to ready injury. Develop a deep bench so that players can be appropriately rested without damaging the team’s competitiveness. Hire a coaching staff that knows how to teach good form and monitors players so they don’t act in ways that unduly risk injury. Etc.

The Nats had the season they had, ultimately, because of how the entire organization was run, from top to bottom. If a team can’t manage player injuries effectively, over 162 games, they don’t deserve to be in the post season. Period.

Taking responsibility for poor results now is the surest way to get better results next time.

Nope, not in other words. That's pretty much it. Whether you buy it or not means nothing, injuries can and do derail seasons. Happens all the time. Some teams are better run than others and some teams have deeper pockets than others and can thus overcome injuries and other problems better than others. All this can be crucial to how a team plays. Nats didn't do a good job of covering their many problems and they had a resulting bad year. What your second paragraph expounds is what all teams wish to strive for. Achieving that level is another matter. It's a long season and a lot can and does go wrong. The teams that win are the teams that have less go wrong and deal best with what does go wrong. The Nats just didn't deal. -- Al

 

[Panzer ace]

Nope, not in other words. That's pretty much it. Whether you buy it or not means nothing, injuries can and do derail seasons. Happens all the time. Some teams are better run than others and some teams have deeper pockets than others and can thus overcome injuries and other problems better than others. All this can be crucial to how a team plays. Nats didn't do a good job of covering their many problems and they had a resulting bad year. What your second paragraph expounds is what all teams wish to strive for. Achieving that level is another matter. It's a long season and a lot can and does go wrong. The teams that win are the teams that have less go wrong and deal best with what does go wrong. The Nats just didn't deal. -- Al

Even if you have deep pockets you can only do so much. The Giants loaded their pitching staff with 3 number 1's (partially out of fear of injuries). The front office wanted to add some injury security in the event that Bumgarner got hurt so they added Samardzija and Cueto. Sure enough, all three spent time on the DL and the Giants fell out of the race.

 

[lancer]

Even if you have deep pockets you can only do so much. The Giants loaded their pitching staff with 3 number 1's (partially out of fear of injuries). The front office wanted to add some injury security in the event that Bumgarner got hurt so they added Samardzija and Cueto. Sure enough, all three spent time on the DL and the Giants fell out of the race.

Perfect example. A team can do everything it deems possible to cover all the potential problems and still come up short. It's always something. No way to cover the loss of 3 pitching aces to injury. -- Al

 

[Rutledge]

Nope, not in other words. That's pretty much it. Whether you buy it or not means nothing, injuries can and do derail seasons. Happens all the time. Some teams are better run than others and some teams have deeper pockets than others and can thus overcome injuries and other problems better than others. All this can be crucial to how a team plays. Nats didn't do a good job of covering their many problems and they had a resulting bad year. What your second paragraph expounds is what all teams wish to strive for. Achieving that level is another matter. It's a long season and a lot can and does go wrong. The teams that win are the teams that have less go wrong and deal best with what does go wrong. The Nats just didn't deal. -- Al

Well, I don’t buy it. Teams are a lot more than a collection of players, at the top tier levels. They are a living, breathing organization, and every part is important.

Consider the Patriots, who lost Brady to a violation for 4 games and Gronk for a lot or most of the season. Still won a lot of games. The Eagles lost their starting QB to injury and still claimed the Super Bowl ring.

Teams with good players will win some games. A well run organization wins championships.

 

[Panzer ace]

The Giants finally snapped their losing streak, against the first place Rockies nonetheless.

 

[Panzer ace]

The Giants can have an impact on the playoffs and be a spoiler as they still play 3 game series against the Cardinals and Dodgers.

 

[lancer]

The Giants can have an impact on the playoffs and be a spoiler as they still play 3 game series against the Cardinals and Dodgers.

I wouldn't mind seeing them spoil the chances of one of those teams in particular.:wink2: -- Al

 

[lancer]

O's lost to the Jays 5-0 tonight, a significant loss for 2 reasons. The shutout is the 15th time the O's have been shutout this season, tying the franchise record for shutout losses and the loss itself was #107 on the season, tying the franchise record for most losses since the team moved to Baltimore. With 12 games left, all the O's have to do to avoid setting the franchise record for losses thus earning the title of Worst O's Team Ever, is to go 12-0. Seems we will have a new record to 'celebrate' in Baltimore very soon. :rolleyes2: -- Al