Play Ball (maybe): the 2020 Season Thread

[TheNorm]

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/29354014/sources-mlbpa-agrees-report-july-1-discussing-health-safety-protocols

So uh...am I the only that thinks trying to start sports back up is an unbelievably stupid idea in a country that has somehow made wearing a mask in public a political issue? Just curious.

[BojackHorsefella]

Very excited to not step foot in Safeco this season.

[Crewe]

This is just crap and I hate it. But MLB has a history of shortened seasons with no-one really denouncing those WS winners.
But in the face of the second wave of a pandemic? 

[TheNorm]

Somehow, baseball is on. After watching a few innings of the Tigers last night, I'm already wanting it to go away again.

Spin is key, though: If you'd have told me at the beginning of the year that the Tigers would be a game out of first in late July, I'd have laughed in your face so there's that.

Was also nice seeing a good majority of the teams allowing their players to kneel. Detroit Tigers even all wore "Black Lives Matter" t-shirts in pregame warmups, which was really nice when the team posted it on social media. Love seeing all the racists come out and swear off the team and sport. Really hoping that takes off in other leagues too, pretty soon the closed minded clowns won't have anything to watch. I'm perfectly okay with that.

[Crewe]

I think every team is wearing the BLM shirts during practice.

I didnt think baseball would or should go forward this season, but it is nice to see a game though.

[Crewe]

First game cancelled, many more to follow along with the season Im betting.
MLB is sternly saying season will continue.

[TheNorm]

Rangers manager Chris Woodward on Fernando Tatis Jr. swinging 3-0 on his grand slam: "I didn't like it personally. You're up by 7 in the 8th inning, it's typically not a good time 3-0. It's kind of the way we were all raised in the game. But ... the norms are being challenged."

— Sam Blum (@SamBlum3) August 18, 2020

I'm starting to get real sick and tired of baseball's "unwritten rules". You don't want Tatis Jr. to swing on a 3-0 count when his team's up 10-3? Then don't groove a pitch for him to blast out of the park. Last I checked a baseball game doesn't end until 9 innings are up. Only mistake Tatis Jr. made was apologizing. F that, it was his first grand slam and he's supposed to show remorse for it? Lol, f the Rangers and F anyone crying about it.

Fernando Tatis Jr. is one of the most exciting young players in MLB.

Unwritten rules? There are too many in baseball.

Kids across the world are gonna pretend to be Tatis in their backyards. That’s a good thing. pic.twitter.com/d7Z1VEMxa5

— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) August 18, 2020

Damn, that was pretty. At least the pitcher finally got one over the plate lol

[Crewe]

The game is so full of young players that honestly arent connected in any way to the old guard. Up until 90's you still had that aura of what you do and don't do in baseball, but those days are flying by and it all started with the bat flip.
Im a traditionalist in almost every aspect, but I honestly don't have a problem with this, especially in today's game. Seven runs in two innings is not nearly as far fetched as it was even in the 90' during the steroid jerk era.
Some unwritten rules should still apply.
You bean somebody, expect to get beaned. You throw behind a guy or at the head, expect a mound charge and retaliation on top of that.
Stealing third base with two outs in the 9th up 8 runs...yea, now that's a shitty thing to do and if I did that, I would expect retaliation somewhere down the line and it should be taken personally.
All that guff about, well, stop him if you don't want him to do it. That's just 8 year olds that were never even picked for kickball and it's sad they have such a large voice, but they do.

All in all, I think this is a big nothing burger.
The Rangers and Padres coach both had reasonable responses to it and moved on. The kid missed the sign and didnt have a green light on 3-0.
That should be the takeaway from this so called scandal.
Well, that and the fact he launched a missile to right center on a low and away pitch, that was the shit.

[Crewe]

So the Astros move on to the ALCS, again.
The Yankees are making a play to be there too, but whether it's them or the Rays, it's going to be spicy.
Im just happy Houston didnt fold, showed strength and are making a good run with absolutely zero pitching, and I mean, ZERO pitching help.

On the other side, I dont see Atlanta upsetting the Dodgers, and yes, Im assuming they win tonite or tomorrow.
I'll be pulling for Atlanta though because even though I really don't have a problem with the Dodgers per se, I do have a problem with their holier than thou attitudes, acting is they were robbed in 2017. You got your asses kicked, just own it.

Keep in mind, as an Astros fan, Glavine and Maddox are still seared in to my brain, so there's residual hatred there too.

[TheNorm]

My god that walkoff last night is probably one of the wildest walkoffs I've ever seen...easily up there with Buckner and Gibby. Crazy.

[Crewe]

That was insane. You Jansen is peeved. Two errors on one play to give up the game, plus on a weak Texas leaguer to boot? Man. Anyone else thinking 7?

[TheNorm]

Hoping for 7 lol.

[Crewe]

I hope the Rays win for several reasons. One, Bellinger is a whiny little bitch. Two, it's ok to get knocked out of the playoffs by eventual champions.
Three, I really like Morton and Phillips. I know Brett hasnt panned out yet, but he also hasnt played regularly in his MLB career. Never more than 60-70 games a year so who knows what more time could do for him and,  I think the Astros organization would have been better for him to learn and progress.
I really hated giving up on a 5 tool guy for Fiers and Gomez. the other guys we traded in that deal, sure, but I wanted to keep him.