2023 Game Thread

[fish16]

I don't know, if I were a Rays fan, I'd obviously be happier than as a Marlins fan, but I'd still probably feel like the lack of spending is the difference in them not winning a World Series yet. Can you imagine that Rays roster and add like a Brandon Nimmo, Willson Contreras, and Jacob DeGrom to it? (just some recent FA examples)

the mlb playoffs are a crapshoot. the real key is getting in and seeing what happens. They have been to the playoffs 8 out of the last 15 years. They have been over .500 11 of the last 15 years. Of course you can always say maybe if they had spent a little more money in this area, who knows what would happen, but i dont view their lack of a world series as an issue with them not spending as much as it is just being unlucky a lot of times in a small sample size. The dodgers spend more than anyone, have made the playoffs every year since 2013, and have 1 world series to show for it. The mlb playoffs are a crapshoot, just getting in is the hard part.

They've also spent on good veteran pieces every year. Kluber, Morton, eflin. It's not a ton, but they add quality pieces every year that complement their cheap core. it's exactly how the marlins should do it, except we never use any vision and sign guys before they break out. The rays have consistently signed guys super early, and it's allowed them to develop a super consistent cheap core.

[Nick]

the mlb playoffs are a crapshoot. the real key is getting in and seeing what happens. They have been to the playoffs 8 out of the last 15 years. They have been over .500 11 of the last 15 years. Of course you can always say maybe if they had spent a little more money in this area, who knows what would happen, but i dont view their lack of a world series as an issue with them not spending as much as it is just being unlucky a lot of times in a small sample size. The dodgers spend more than anyone, have made the playoffs every year since 2013, and have 1 world series to show for it. The mlb playoffs are a crapshoot, just getting in is the hard part.

I don't agree that the MLB Playoffs are completely luck, yes there are a lot of factors, who is the hot team going into the playoffs is a big one, and yes the best team doesn't win a lot of the time, but it always helps to have the most talented roster.

[lou]

I don't know, if I were a Rays fan, I'd obviously be happier than as a Marlins fan, but I'd still probably feel like the lack of spending is the difference in them not winning a World Series yet. Can you imagine that Rays roster and add like a Brandon Nimmo, Willson Contreras, and Jacob DeGrom to it? (just some recent FA examples)

Yes, they are cheap to a fault. They should have done backflips to get Nimmo and they could even have gone cheaper with say, Sean Murphy and Cole Irvin in a package.

They could have added those 3 guys and been a hair above - the Marlins - for 22nd in opening day payroll. Their ownership is a POS also and doesn't deserve that FO.

[lou]

Since we have nothing fun to talk about, the Royals are doing a fun 2 man OF shift - https://blogs.fangraphs.com/the-royals-try-a-new-shift/

For the TLDR crowd, this image on twitter sums up where the Royals are placing their defenders - https://twitter.com/tangotiger/statu...a-new-shift%2F

Jazz may be perfect for this to bring him in if there is some statistical advantage (the red on twitter image). DLC and Garcia have 70%+ sprint speeds and Sanchez is an excellent reaction defender, so they do have the ideal OF to try this against the lefty sluggers as those guys can cover some ground for anything hit out there.

Some food for thought since we're entering quickly into the experimentation stage of the season.

[lou]

Oh some good news, Fangraphs is all-in on Luzardo - https://blogs.fangraphs.com/reversin...jesus-luzardo/

TLDR - If this velocity jump is real and holds up he will be one of the best SP in all of baseball


Sign him

[Namaste]

Scoring from 2B on singles and from 1B on doubles. OOOF

https://twitter.com/jaycuda/status/1...5F6k6qnReU4cyQ

[lou]

Scoring from 2B on singles and from 1B on doubles. OOOF

https://twitter.com/jaycuda/status/1...5F6k6qnReU4cyQ

Great link

And terrible. Hopefully, that is low just because this is a SSS as no one is ever on base besides Arraez and Cooper and they aren't fast.

[Nick]

Pushing the bot post in the 2022 Game Thread back down.

[fish16]

no idea if villalobos ever becomes anything, but losing him to add devin fucking smeltzer to the roster seems like peak stupidity.

[Namaste]

I had the game on the radio. Segura finally had some luck and then he ran himself into an out at 2B?

[fish16]

Luzardo breakout continues.

[fish16]

Arraez is flat out unbelievable

[lou]

Luzardo breakout continues.

They gotta sign this dude immediately

[lou]

Arraez is flat out unbelievable

They gotta sign this dude immediately

[fish16]

They gotta sign this dude immediately

No one is disagreeing with that. They should have signed Luzardo during the offseason. His breakout was obvious