2020-2021 Hot Stove League (2 Viewers)

[Panzer ace]

Here is why I love baseball:

The Giants and Dodgers met Friday night in a showdown of the best teams in MLB.

The game goes to extras.

As I watched I waited for one of the big name (Betts, Turner, Bryant) to hit a home run or a game winning clutch single.

Nope, the Giants won when Posey hit an infield grounder to second that led to an error on the throw.

 

[jazzeum]

Here is why I love baseball:

The Giants and Dodgers met Friday night in a showdown of the best teams in MLB.

The game goes to extras.

As I watched I waited for one of the big name (Betts, Turner, Bryant) to hit a home run or a game winning clutch single.

Nope, the Giants won when Posey hit an infield grounder to second that led to an error on the throw.

Oh, ye of little faith. Giants back in first.

 

[Panzer ace]

Oh, ye of little faith. Giants back in first.

and less than 24 hours later they are tied……

Tonight’s game really sums up the SF/LA battle this year, one of them will be in first while the other will remain in hot pursuit. All the while they are the two best teams in MLB.

Here’s to the hope that it is the Dodgers one game behind on Monday morning.

 

[mikemiller1955]

Jason...
you better smuggle in your own hot dog to the next Giant's home game you attend...
the concession workers are planning to strike over Covid infections...
over 20 concession workers have contracted Covid since the stadium opened this season...
how they can positively blame it on the stadium is beyond me...
but...they will probably work something out...
money rules everywhere...
big profit in nachos...

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id...-san-francisco-giants-oracle-park-vote-strike

 

[Combat]

It's really shocking to see how far Cody Bellinger has fallen. He went from MVP a couple years ago to hitting .170. Not sure if it is the women or booze but there is something really wrong with him. He looks awful. He is batting eight when he plays. Last night he comes up with runners on second and third with one out and the pitcher on deck. Instead of walking him to get to the pitcher, the Giants pitch to him. And he strikes out in an embarrassing way.

 

[Warrior]

Red Sox blew a 7-1 lead to the Doofin Rays and lost 11-10 in extras; the doofin rays hit not one, but two inside the park home runs.........first one clanged off of Verdugo's glove, had the batter at third, but a horrible relay throw resulted in him getting home, then in the top of the ninth, another miss by Verdugo, clanged off the wall, no one backing him up, batter ended up with an inside the park home run.

Their defense is offensive.

They suck and don't deserve to make the playoffs.

Just a horrible, unwatchable brand of baseball they play.

 

[jazzeum]

Red Sox blew a 7-1 lead to the Doofin Rays and lost 11-10 in extras; the doofin rays hit not one, but two inside the park home runs.........first one clanged off of Verdugo's glove, had the batter at third, but a horrible relay throw resulted in him getting home, then in the top of the ninth, another miss by Verdugo, clanged off the wall, no one backing him up, batter ended up with an inside the park home run.

Their defense is offensive.

They suck and don't deserve to make the playoffs.

Just a horrible, unwatchable brand of baseball they play.

We must have been watching similar games. Mets took a 3-2 lead against the Nats in the bottom of the 9th and lost the game. In two of the games they won against the Nats they blew the lead. When you are playing bad teams (sorry Al) you have to put them away.

 

[lancer]

We must have been watching similar games. Mets took a 3-2 lead against the Nats in the bottom of the 9th and lost the game. In two of the games they won against the Nats they blew the lead. When you are playing bad teams (sorry Al) you have to put them away.

No offence taken as the Nats are bad. The only thing they have going for them is a scrappy attitude. They come close on most occasions but just aren't good enough to win. I was happy they took 2 of the 5 games. Nats are going to have to step up their game to avoid 100 losses at this point. -- Al

 

[Panzer ace]

The most dangerous potential wild-card team is the Mets.

If they win the 2nd WC and put deGrom on the mound either the Giants or Dodgers could be in big trouble.

 

[lancer]

Dodgers knew what they were doing when they traded for Mad Max. He is 5-0 in 7 starts with LA, averaging 13.2 K's per 9 innings, and most impressively, an ERA of 1.05 (he now leads MLB with a 2.28 ERA overall). He should get another 5 starts and if he continues at this rate he is going to get Cy Young votes. The man is just the ultimate competitor. -- Al

 

[jazzeum]

The most dangerous potential wild-card team is the Mets.

If they win the 2nd WC and put deGrom on the mound either the Giants or Dodgers could be in big trouble.

They’re pretenders. They aren’t making the post season. Yesterday’s game was a killer. Whenever their closer lets the first batter get on base, it’s invariably trouble. They need a reliable closer (as well as many other changes).

 

[Combat]

Dodgers knew what they were doing when they traded for Mad Max. He is 5-0 in 7 starts with LA, averaging 13.2 K's per 9 innings, and most impressively, an ERA of 1.05 (he now leads MLB with a 2.28 ERA overall). He should get another 5 starts and if he continues at this rate he is going to get Cy Young votes. The man is just the ultimate competitor. -- Al

Yes, he and Turner were great additions. It was a win now trade, however, as they gave up a ton of top prospects. If they win it all, then it will be deemed worth the cost but it's a big risk.

 

[Warrior]

Yes, he and Turner were great additions. It was a win now trade, however, as they gave up a ton of top prospects. If they win it all, then it will be deemed worth the cost but it's a big risk.

Go for it.Prospects are just that, prospects.If this deal results in a WS title, you do it seven days a week and twice on Sunday.

 

[Warrior]

The Red Sox new theme song..........

https://youtu.be/WuKLXZpxOQI

 

[mikemiller1955]

Astros did their part the last 2 nights to keep you close...
both against Seattle...
tonight especially was a nail biter...

 

[Panzer ace]

Maybe Brad is right and I should be more positive about the Giants.

They have bucked just about every trend and prediction this year.

For example, they lead MLB in home runs yet the team leader in HRs (Mike Yastrzemski) only has 22. That qualifies him for 63rd in the entire league.

 

[Combat]

Maybe Brad is right and I should be more positive about the Giants.

They have bucked just about every trend and prediction this year.

For example, they lead MLB in home runs yet the team leader in HRs (Mike Yastrzemski) only has 22. That qualifies him for 63rd in the entire league.

They are probably going to end the season with 100+ wins and the best record in baseball. So that's a good start on being positive.

 

[Panzer ace]

They are probably going to end the season with 100+ wins and the best record in baseball. So that's a good start on being positive.

I hope that leads to a WS win, but in their 3 recent runs to the championship they never finished with more than 94 wins.

The SF Giants have never won the WS with a 100 win regular season.

I will try and be more positive, but I cant help being realistic.

 

[Combat]

I hope that leads to a WS win, but in their 3 recent runs to the championship they never finished with more than 94 wins.

The SF Giants have never won the WS with a 100 win regular season.

I will try and be more positive, but I cant help being realistic.

As the Dodgers have learned, the playoffs are a whole different ball of wax. Deeper teams have a greater advantage in the regular season which is a marathon. That advantage is reduced significantly in the playoffs where less talented teams can literally throw in the kitchen sink in a short series to make it more competitive. The playoffs are a sprint and teams with less overall talent can give more playing time to their more talented players to even things up.

 

[lancer]

O's just dropped a series to the Jays, 3 games to 1 and were outscored 47-25 in the 4 games. Unreal how bad their pitching is. O's have now used 40 different pitchers this season, and of the 30 with 5 or more innings pitched, only 7 have an ERA under 5 as the team ERA approaches 5.90. Matt Harvey (6-14) leads the team in wins, losses, innings pitched (127.2), starts (28), but his ERA of 6.27 is terrible and 4th among O's starters. O's are now 46-97 with 19 games left. The only thing left to aim for is to avoid 110 losses. {sm2} -- Al