2022 MLB Season (1 Viewer)

[Carlo_M]

They also needed to figure out how to fix Belly as well,

I have never seen such an extended (2 1/2 year!) slump. In fact when you look at his career stats, I'm not sure it would qualify as a slump anymore. He's been in the slump as long as he was "good". I don't know what's wrong with him but I've seen slumps of weeks, heck in rare cases months. But 2 1/2 years begs the question: is this just now who he is?

 

[TonyD]

I’ve only seen one relatively recent player who swings that hard and with that much of an uppercut successfully sustain it for an entire career and that was Jeff Bagwell.
Plus he was enhanced.

I’m not calling him Belly these nicknames with a “Ly” on the end are corny, anyway I don’t think Bellinger is slumping this is what he is now.

 

[Carlo_M]

Obviously over the last couple of days the Scully tributes are pouring in all over L.A. and in many parts of the country. Everyone by now has seen his most famous calls (Gibson HR in 88, Koufax perfect game, The Catch (49ers), etc.).

All iconic moments to be enshrined in sports memory.

But if you want to know what it was like to listen to Vin every day, for 9 innings, when 99.99% of the time momentous, historical acts are not occurring, I can think of no better example than this. Keep in mind too that this is during his last year in the booth, at the age of 89.

They say the Baseball Gods make sure each inning is as long as Vin needs to tell a story. "I'm not going to do this with two outs..." and then proceeds to tell, and finish, the story.

Also a nice remembrance by Kirk Gibson, who himself is suffering from Parkinsons (in case you wonder about his speaking style/delivery). Father Time, Disease, and Old Age are indeed our mortal enemies.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

I have never seen such an extended (2 1/2 year!) slump. In fact when you look at his career stats, I'm not sure it would qualify as a slump anymore. He's been in the slump as long as he was "good". I don't know what's wrong with him but I've seen slumps of weeks, heck in rare cases months. But 2 1/2 years begs the question: is this just now who he is?

I’ve only seen one relatively recent player who swings that hard and with that much of an uppercut successfully sustain it for an entire career and that was Jeff Bagwell.
Plus he was enhanced.

I’m not calling him Belly these nicknames with a “Ly” on the end are corny, anyway I don’t think Bellinger is slumping this is what he is now.

I suspect he really needs to do something about that pretty big stride of his. I get the sense that's part of the problem -- that and all the tinkering I hear he does even when he had it all going very well a few years ago. Bagwell doesn't do anything like that -- really more like the opposite of that IIRC.

He probably needs to simplify a whole lot... starting w/ that stride of his me thinks...

_Man_

 

[MartinP.]

I know there were a couple posts earlier about the "Devil you know" Jansen, but whatever occasional issues he had seem to pale in comparison to Craig Kimbrell's struggles (again).

It's felt like we need to be at least three runs ahead when Kimbrel comes in. Of course, it always felt that way when Jansen was pitching, too. Jansen's blown saves always seemed to be, well, spectacular.

Kimbrel's ERA is high, 4.26, but comparable to MLB's current save leader, Josh Hader, but Hader has 9 more saves.
(1) Hader ERA 4.11, 38 games, 29 saves, W-2 L-4
(11) Kimbrel ERA 4.26, 40 games, 20 saves, W-3 L-4

MLB Saves Stats 2022 - Pitching Leaders

Get updated MLB saves stats for 2022, including leaders in the American League and National League for the regular season and playoffs.

www.covers.com

 

[David Norman]

It's felt like we need to be at least three runs ahead when Kimbrel comes in. Of course, it always felt that way when Jansen was pitching, too. Jansen's blown saves always seemed to be, well, spectacular.

Kimbrel's ERA is high, 4.26, but comparable to MLB's current save leader, Josh Hader, but Hader has 9 more saves.
(1) Hader ERA 4.11, 38 games, 29 saves, W-2 L-4
(11) Kimbrel ERA 4.26, 40 games, 20 saves, W-3 L-4

MLB Saves Stats 2022 - Pitching Leaders

Get updated MLB saves stats for 2022, including leaders in the American League and National League for the regular season and playoffs.

www.covers.com

Geek out time.

ERA for relievers is less of an issue than style -- devil is in the details. Hader has a relatively bad ERA related to 2 of his nearly 40 appearances (9 of his ER came in back to back games in 0.1ip) right before the ASG. Other than those 2 games Hader has an ERA of 1.5. Overall he has allowed Runs (ER or otherwise) in 8 or his 37 appearances , Jansen 12 of 40 included some of the Extra inning debacles, Kimbrell is consistently scary and allowed runs scored in about 35-40% I think

Hader has about 50% 1-2-3 innings this year
Jansen is also around 50% 1-2-3 innings.
Kimbrell is around 20% (2 of 14 since early July)

Hader and Jansen have WHIP's around or below 1 over the last 4 years and WAR of 8.5 and 5.0 re along with K/BB ratios around 5. Kimbrell WAR would be negative since mid 2018 if not for his first half 2021 with Runners allowing nearly 1.7 per inning and K/BB around or below 3. There are some folks who look at Dominance and thinks Hits allowed or hard hits allowed per inning as significantly more important for relievers/closers than Walks

Opponent BA and OPS
Hader 130 and 500 -- 26 hits, 13 extra base, but oddly 7 HR which has been his tendency. He doesn't give up a lot of hits, but they tend to be memorable when it happens (Freeman in the playoffs last year).
Jansen 190 and 600 (28 hits, 10 extra bases)
Kimbrell 260 and 740 (41 hits in 36ip included 15 extra base). About the only thing that has saved Kimbrell from really having a bad season is he's only allowed 1 HR this year instead of his normal 1 HR every 4 ip. If you believe in luck or things like Expected runs allowed, he's actually been very lucky this year.

The good news is Kimbrell can be incredibly streaky and can go on those 1-2+ months untouchable runs like early 2021. It's just not come around very often in the last several years.

No geek -- just the eye test.
I'm shocked when Hader doesn't get the same and a little surprised when there's any drama at all.
Jansen (outside of Colorado) I expect him to get the save, but not all that surprised to see a bit of extra fingernails. I'm a bit nervous with a one run lead, but the not much different than most closers other than the real elites.
Kimbrell I'm scared to death no matter the score and I'm shocked when he doesn't allow/put the tie-winning run in scoring position even if he ends up getting out of his own jam. If I'm the manager, if I've got the lead of any size and he's in the game I'm warming up my next best RH and LHP just in case.

 

[David Norman]

For a completely different topic -- Justin Verlander won his 15th game last night on Aug 4. He has a (very) long shot of winning 20 games either by the end of August or at least before Labor day. Going by the current rotation he could either have 5 more starts this month if Houston goes on a 5 day rotation skipping a pitcher once or he could make his 5th start on Sept 2/3/4 if they stay on a strict 5 man rotation.

I was looking for any information about the last time that happened and it turns out it may have been Verlander himself in 2011 when he won his 20th on Aug 27. That year he won 12 starts in a row after losing his first start after the ASG and then got a no decision on his last start of the year

39yo and coming off Tommy John, he's been reborn after missing essentially 2 full seasons. I think he has at most 11 starts possible by the end of the year so really outside chance he could win 25 this year. With Houston's lead and coming off TJS, may guess is he won't actually make another 11 starts and it wouldn't shock me to see him skip a couple game or possibly for Houston to go to a 6 man rotation in Sept to save some innings and pitches.

FWIW -- the only 2 pitchers to win 25+ in a season since 1980
Bob Welch won 27 in 1990
Steve Stone won 25 in 1980

Verlander won 24 in 2011 and the last person to do that. Randy Johnson in 2002 won 24 for Arizona and is the only other pitcher to win 24 in a season since 2000. Curt Schilling also won 23 in that 2002 season with Arizona

If he gets to 24 wins this year that would also be his 250th Career Win and without a doubt his 3rd Cy Young. Currently he has 241 career wins and is 45 ahead of 38yo Matt Scherzer (his teammate on the 2011 Tigers just for fun)

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

He's a top quality, factory certified renewed machine that Verlander... but yeah, they'll likely give him some extra rest in prep for the postseason unless the Stros' position unexpectedly caves -- they actually already started giving him some extra bit of rest heading toward the All-Star break...

_Man_

 

[MartinP.]

I wish the Orioles had kept Trey Mancini. Last night anyway.

 

[Malcolm R]

Chris Sale is a walking disaster:

BOSTON -- Chris Sale’s unfortunate 2022 season -- marred by a series of freak injuries that limited him to just two starts -- was dealt one last blow when the Red Sox revealed on Tuesday that the lanky lefty fractured his right wrist in a bicycle accident on Saturday.

On Monday morning, Sale underwent an open reduction and internal fixation of a right distal radius (wrist) fracture. The procedure was performed by Dr. Matthew Leibman at the Newton-Wellesley Outpatient Surgery Center in Wellesley, Mass.

I guess the upside is at least it wasn't his throwing arm.

 

[Jeffrey D]

I think his contract runs out at the end of next season- good news for the Sox. Arguably the worst contract the team has ever given a player.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I think his contract runs out at the end of next season- good news for the Sox. Arguably the worst contract the team has ever given a player.

He has two more years after this season.

 

[Jeffrey D]

He has two more years after this season.

Ah- I thought it ran out at the end of 2023.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Ah- I thought it ran out at the end of 2023.

Nope, it's through the 2024 season, plus a vesting option for 2025.

 

[David Norman]

Oddities galore in teh Yankees Mariners game tonight

Now in the 12th inning of a 0-0 game.

The first time I've ever seen it:
Yankees in the top of the 11th had a 2 batter inning when the leadoff hitter lined into a DP and next batter had a Flyout

And now twice in a row
Top 12th, Yankees leadoff hitter lines into another DP and next batter strikes out. Even more bizarre -- I think this DP had both runners called out for running out of the baselines.

Now in the 13th -- I think the announcers said this was the 1st Ghost Runner Era 0-0 game through 12 full innings. I actually was wondering after the 11th finished so I'm glad they mentioned that -- or Zombie Runner Era which I read the first time last night and kind of like. I think the longest Zombie Era Major League game was 16 with the Dodgers and Padres in August 2021



Leading to a theoretical discussion:
Pitcher has perfect game into the 10th inning. Runner placed at 2nd, pitcher picks him off before the 1st pitch of the inning and retires the next 2 hitters, then the Home Team win in the bottom 10th.
Would you score it a perfect game? Officially I think MLB has determined it wouldn't countas a perfect game.

 

[Osato]

I’m catching the Mets in Atlanta next Thursday. Can’t wait.

 

[MartinP.]

The first time I've ever seen it:
Yankees in the top of the 11th had a 2 batter inning when the leadoff hitter lined into a DP and next batter had a Flyout

Never considered that before!

That was quite the exciting game. Happy for Seattle fans longing for some great baseball.

 

[David Norman]

Never considered that before!

That was quite the exciting game. Happy for Seattle fans longing for some great baseball.

Now just waiting for a 2 pitch inning. I know I've seen 3 pitch innings before (rarely), but a true 2 pitch would be unique and hopefully some day soon -- impossible

I was somewhat hoping for a 1st pitch triple play in the top 13th when the Mariners intentionally walked Judge to open the inning. I guess that would technically have been three 2 batter innings in row and a 1 pitch inning

I'm still trying to find another instance of a Double Play with both outs being Out of the Baseline rulings.

 

[MartinP.]

^^^ Speaking of the chance you'll see something never seen before at an MLB game:

 

[MartinP.]

Here's something that's never happened at an MLB game before, and it's something I never even considered and I would have thought nearly impossible, but it happened for a second time last night in a minor league game: Ever hear of the "home run cycle?"

Chandler Redmond mashed his way into baseball lore. He barreled up a solo, two-run, three-run and grand slam homer to complete the rarest milestone in baseball history -- the "home run cycle." Only one other time has this feat been accomplished in the modern era -- by Tyrone Horne on July 27, 1998. It's never been done in the Major Leagues.

https://www.mlb.com/news/cardinals-chandler-redmond-hits-four-home-runs-in-game