2024 Game Thread

[lou]

Guys walked first two batters and you K wildly on ball 4.

I literally popped on and immediately hit into a double play. I turned it off.

I know we talk about this, but how in the living fuck does this team genuinely hit into so many DP? There are some bad base runners all around which explains some, but its frankly still more than it should be.

[Namaste]

Only 2 missed calls by the ump in that Trout AB

[Nick]

Pre-2023 Tanner Scott is back.

[Nick]

Anger

[fish16]

Shadows have to be affecting the team tonight

[lou]

Anger

I just saw in the Herald they've never opened 0-5 before or lost two games in a row they've led by 4.

Frankly, Bruce and Bendix deserve it for being do nothings, but we don't.

[Nick]

Imagine what it'll be like when we play an actual good team.

[lou]

Imagine what it'll be like when we play an actual good team.

My response to that is Ethan Holliday (his brother) is the # 1 draft prospect in 2025. He's a 3B.

Tank for Ethan?

[fish16]

My response to that is Ethan Holliday (his brother) is the # 1 draft prospect in 2025. He's a 3B.

Tank for Ethan?

there is a draft lottery. and this team isnt bad enough to tank even if there was no lottery.

[lou]

there is a draft lottery. and this team isnt bad enough to tank even if there was no lottery.

You're probably right because the SP will settle in and it was a joke. It's just a real pathetic opening and we can complain.

Watch these assholes win 5 games in a row all 1 run games.

[fish16]

You're probably right because the SP will settle in and it was a joke. It's just a real pathetic opening and we can complain.

Watch these assholes win 5 games in a row all 1 run games.

quite frankly, it's really the bullpen that has been apocalyptically bad and has made this look a lot worse. Meyer was good yesterday, Luzardo was good opening day, Rogers and Weathers had better peripherals than their numbers showed, and the hitting has been bad in key spots but overall they are scoring 4.2 runs per game which isnt lighting the world on fire but isnt abysmal. They have had at least a 3 run lead in 3 of 5 games and somehow lost all 5. They refuse to spend on the bullpen every fucking year and every fucking year we are left with 3 months of trying to figure out some sort of combo that works in key moments. This year our 2 best righty relievers havent pitched in a combined 4.5 years.

[lou]

quite frankly, it's really the bullpen that has been apocalyptically bad and has made this look a lot worse. Meyer was good yesterday, Luzardo was good opening day, Rogers and Weathers had better peripherals than their numbers showed, and the hitting has been bad in key spots but overall they are scoring 4.2 runs per game which isnt lighting the world on fire but isnt abysmal. They have had at least a 3 run lead in 3 of 5 games and somehow lost all 5. They refuse to spend on the bullpen every fucking year and every fucking year we are left with 3 months of trying to figure out some sort of combo that works in key moments. This year our 2 best righty relievers havent pitched in a combined 4.5 years.

Max had some disappointing swing and miss numbers and a few really hard hit balls that should have been hits (at least 2). He was fine because of the low walks - which is a novel concept Cabrera and Rogers should learn from him as good things can happen when you don't put guys on base even if you don't have your best stuff. It was a fine first start back after so much time, but some shellings are coming if he doesn't tighten it up quickly. I am hoping this was just a whatever SSS outing and not a trend but we'll see. I mention this as the nerds in the front office think like this (and they aren't wrong) and it's suggestive he's going to be sent down when Garrett and/or Cabrera is back absent a real good next start. Probably needs some more time purely developmentally/rehab ignoring service time considerations.

Also not sure spending on a reliever (or anything) would help here. Nardi got bombed. Scott had a walk attack. Bender, Sixto, and Soriano all had a rough outings. All those guys are making the team. Eury/Garrett/Cabrera is effectively Gutierrez/Smith/Cronin/Hoeing (and Cronin and Hoeing were actually good!). Whose getting replaced here? Soriano because he has an option? It's frankly an everything failure right now from the bats hitting into unbelievable GIDP, lack of slugging entirely, poor starts, poor relief outings, the front office didn't sign the 3-4 guys they desperately needed as just 1 more guy wouldn't be enough, guys are hurt on top of this, etc. But, signing a SP would be better than a RP as it would give them more innings potential and cause a trickle down of someone into the pen. But we don't need to get into that.

It's just every level right now, but it is just 5 games and win 15 of the next 25 games and all is forgiven quickly. Not holding my breath but you never know.

[fish16]

Max had some disappointing swing and miss numbers and a few really hard hit balls that should have been hits (at least 2). He was fine because of the low walks - which is a novel concept Cabrera and Rogers should learn from him as good things can happen when you don't put guys on base even if you don't have your best stuff. It was a fine first start back after so much time, but some shellings are coming if he doesn't tighten it up quickly. I am hoping this was just a whatever SSS outing and not a trend but we'll see. I mention this as the nerds in the front office think like this (and they aren't wrong) and it's suggestive he's going to be sent down when Garrett and/or Cabrera is back absent a real good next start. Probably needs some more time purely developmentally/rehab ignoring service time considerations.

Also not sure spending on a reliever (or anything) would help here. Nardi got bombed. Scott had a walk attack. Bender, Sixto, and Soriano all had a rough outings. All those guys are making the team. Eury/Garrett/Cabrera is effectively Gutierrez/Smith/Cronin/Hoeing (and Cronin and Hoeing were actually good!). Whose getting replaced here? Soriano because he has an option? It's frankly an everything failure right now from the bats hitting into unbelievable GIDP, lack of slugging entirely, poor starts, poor relief outings, the front office didn't sign the 3-4 guys they desperately needed as just 1 more guy wouldn't be enough, guys are hurt on top of this, etc. But, signing a SP would be better than a RP as it would give them more innings potential and cause a trickle down of someone into the pen. But we don't need to get into that.

It's just every level right now, but it is just 5 games and win 15 of the next 25 games and all is forgiven quickly. Not holding my breath but you never know.

max got a little lucky but that shit evens out over time. He will get unlucky other games. Rogers and Weathers were unlucky so that will even out over time. Biggest thing for me with him was his average velocity was the exact same as it was 2 years ago and he battled through 5.

For the relievers, im just tired of never going into a season knowing who the key guys in the bullpen are going to be. Every team has a few roles up in the air but we spend every single april and may shuffling through our system trying to find a combo that works instead of ever spending very little investment on a couple steady relievers. You dont have to get hader to spend money on the bullpen. They will eventually figure it out and maldonado i think will end up being a good piece if they ever give him an opportunity, but it's just so unnecessary. For years their biggest bullpen additions have been the overflow on the rays 40 man roster. This team is just so unbelievably poorly run. Sherman is worse than loria, and i wasnt sure that was possible. He has no business owning a sports team.

[lou]

max got a little lucky but that shit evens out over time. He will get unlucky other games. Rogers and Weathers were unlucky so that will even out over time. Biggest thing for me with him was his average velocity was the exact same as it was 2 years ago and he battled through 5.

For the relievers, im just tired of never going into a season knowing who the key guys in the bullpen are going to be. Every team has a few roles up in the air but we spend every single april and may shuffling through our system trying to find a combo that works instead of ever spending very little investment on a couple steady relievers. You dont have to get hader to spend money on the bullpen. They will eventually figure it out and maldonado i think will end up being a good piece if they ever give him an opportunity, but it's just so unnecessary. For years their biggest bullpen additions have been the overflow on the rays 40 man roster. This team is just so unbelievably poorly run. Sherman is worse than loria, and i wasnt sure that was possible. He has no business owning a sports team.

I mean they did come back into this season with a top 10 and top 50 bullpen option with Scott and Nardi? They kind of did have the key guys figured out, they have just really sucked so far. They are sure as hell missing someone else (notably a right hander, etc.), but ultimately these innings should be Puk and Weathers being assassin multi innings relievers and Eury and Cabrera in the rotation for them, etc. And then Max joining the multi-inning reliever mix last 3 months of the season. Plus Chargois being in there for someone. I suppose that's the spot here - they could have just DFA'd Chargois and signed a better right handed reliever in FA. That would have been the luxury move you're talking about and the real upgrade a non-shithead owner would have done. Chargois for resigning someone like Robertson would have been huge, and then Bender/Sixto roster spots would be the reservations for optionable guys, and hey Sixto and Bender turned out to be healthy so they just made it. Anyways, there is a lot of blame all over, but if they were going to spend, the next money was absolutely bats even if they need an arm.

I'd frankly love this as the predominant staff this year, and I do think this will happen eventually and maybe quicker than we think in 6-7 weeks once Eury is back if they do opt to not worry about the Max service time and he looks ready. If any of those last 3 guys are good to have a right handed option that is good enough, they'd be in business as Sixto can just be garbage time, etc.

Starters - Luzardo, Eury, Garrett, Cabrera, Rogers
Bulks - Puk, Max, Weathers
High Leverage - Scott, Nardi
Relievers - Bender, Chargois, Sixto
(AAA - Soriano, Hoeing, Cronin, Maldonado)

Maybe they won't hit but that team is going to be screaming with innings limits removed on Eury, Garrett, and Cabrera due to the injuries, i.e. that silver lining I've talked about. They just have to survive April.... like we all said weeks ago when these guys started getting banged up and they did nothing. Because yes, Sherman is likely worse than Loria. I cannot see Loria reducing payroll close to $20m after making the playoffs, when shiny depth veterans were all magically available for $1.5-4.5m and all you needed was 3-4 of them. It's pathetic. Samson and Kim must be smiling somewhere seeing Bruce continuing to be an asshole and/or the rookie mistakes Bendix is making.

[Namaste]

Max had some disappointing swing and miss numbers and a few really hard hit balls that should have been hits (at least 2). He was fine because of the low walks - which is a novel concept Cabrera and Rogers should learn from him as good things can happen when you don't put guys on base even if you don't have your best stuff. It was a fine first start back after so much time, but some shellings are coming if he doesn't tighten it up quickly. I am hoping this was just a whatever SSS outing and not a trend but we'll see. I mention this as the nerds in the front office think like this (and they aren't wrong) and it's suggestive he's going to be sent down when Garrett and/or Cabrera is back absent a real good next start. Probably needs some more time purely developmentally/rehab ignoring service time considerations.

Also not sure spending on a reliever (or anything) would help here. Nardi got bombed. Scott had a walk attack. Bender, Sixto, and Soriano all had a rough outings. All those guys are making the team. Eury/Garrett/Cabrera is effectively Gutierrez/Smith/Cronin/Hoeing (and Cronin and Hoeing were actually good!). Whose getting replaced here? Soriano because he has an option? It's frankly an everything failure right now from the bats hitting into unbelievable GIDP, lack of slugging entirely, poor starts, poor relief outings, the front office didn't sign the 3-4 guys they desperately needed as just 1 more guy wouldn't be enough, guys are hurt on top of this, etc. But, signing a SP would be better than a RP as it would give them more innings potential and cause a trickle down of someone into the pen. But we don't need to get into that.

It's just every level right now, but it is just 5 games and win 15 of the next 25 games and all is forgiven quickly. Not holding my breath but you never know.

Splitting hairs but one of the 2 outs Max got that you mentioned should have been a hit (Rendon) should have been a called 3rd strike but the ump missed the call the pitch prior to the hard hit ball
Also, he's absolutely getting sent down (Skip telegraphed this in his post game last night).