I saw that. What's the scuttlebut in Chicago? Burnout? Not on same page as ownership? Greener pastures?
Chicago Manager Envy (CME) -- they're talking to Lou Piniella
I saw on the twitter machine rumor mill that he and the owners are not on the same page. The Ricketts want to slash payroll and Theo wanted no part of that.
He's still only 46 years old with a resume that includes bringing World Championships to Boston and the Cubs. Obviously, he can go wherever he wants and I wouldn't want to work for the Cubs and the Ricketts family anymore either. Just think: Mark Cuban wanted to buy the Cubs and MLB pretty much blocked him. He would have been the best owner in all of baseball -- he's the best pro sports team owner of any sport in my opinion. And now he has Luka, my post-LeBron basketball idol.
Maybe he'll work for MLB:
Theo Epstein said he was interested in a baseball job that allows him to help address some of more existential threats to the game. So I asked him what he thinks those are: pic.twitter.com/3yjdKvatGF
Really? I don't necessarily think he means that analytics have been wholesale bad for the game, but if his main point is that the game would be better if there was a higher ratio of balls-in-play to pitches thrown, then I am totally on board. To me, there is a sweet spot somewhere--I don't have an exact number for it--where home run rate is high enough that power hitting matters, but it's low enough that contact hitters are rewarded just for putting the ball in play a lot. Personally, I think I love fielding more than any other part of the game, and the more that we force the players in the field to make plays, the better off we are.
so...pitch to contact π
I'm with Ubelmann. More athletes and less slow pitch softball for me.
I've been thinking for some time that the next Moneyball would be to put together a team of line-drive hitters who could shoot the ball into the gaps, play good defense, and steal a bunch of bases. Sort of like the 1980s Cardinals teams. It's the opposite of what most teams are doing so a) those guys would be undervalued and b) it would take a while for teams to be able to react to it and stop it. So far, though, it doesn't seem to be happening.
The problem with this approach right now is
A)There are just fewer gaps. More hard hit balls are getting caught because all hitters have tendencies and defenders get moved to those spots.
B)Even the #9 hitter can hit the ball over the fence on a regular basis, and homers are much more conducive to scoring runs than anything else.
The ball needs to be deadened to reduce homers (since there's no way the move the fences back) and some change needs to be made with the mound or something to reduce strikeouts. Then players will change approaches.
More hard hit balls are getting caught because all hitters have tendencies
I read the Padre's comment as more that batters who hit to all fields are an underexploited group, and that the market will shift as teams find those guys. You can't beat the shift consistently, but if you don't have a dominant tendency, defenses can't shift to it.
Need less three true outcomes...like 2020's MLB leader Miguel Sano at 59%
Man, the holiday commercials have really jumped the gun this year.
No kidding, it's only March.
The Sugar Land Skeeters are leaving the Atlantic League to become the AAA team for Houston.
Who wants to join bjhess, cheaptoy, and me (and TDO!) in an OOTP league? We just concluded the 2008 season and have some openings. The available teams are: Kansas City Montreal Oakland, and Seattle
I still have no real idea what this is, but if it's free, I'll give it a shot. Montreal maybe?
The only cost is to purchase OOTP21 (and then we upgrade each year, so you usually get about 3 seasons out of each one). Still interested?
Hmm. Let me think on that.
It is also on Xbox GamePass PC, should you happen to have that.
I'd be willing to play. I may need a little advice.
Yeah, whatever, I'll do it too I guess. Same boat though.
Maybe you guys could feel the glory of taking a team to the playoffs for the first time in five years in your first season on the job.
I won the series in my first year. Crickets since!
Happy belated 100th birthday, Wayne Thiebaud.
Maybe my favorite artist of all time.
Is that a Thiebaud cuppa? I love that painting.
Covid immunity might last for years.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/17/health/coronavirus-immunity.html#click=https://t.co/U38g1NieHc
Woot!
You are a golden god!
I can hang with Republican Senators fearlessly. Maybe even venture into the Dakotas.
It was a good run
Theo is stepping down.
I saw that. What's the scuttlebut in Chicago? Burnout? Not on same page as ownership? Greener pastures?
Chicago Manager Envy (CME) -- they're talking to Lou Piniella
I saw on the twitter machine rumor mill that he and the owners are not on the same page. The Ricketts want to slash payroll and Theo wanted no part of that.
He's still only 46 years old with a resume that includes bringing World Championships to Boston and the Cubs. Obviously, he can go wherever he wants and I wouldn't want to work for the Cubs and the Ricketts family anymore either. Just think: Mark Cuban wanted to buy the Cubs and MLB pretty much blocked him. He would have been the best owner in all of baseball -- he's the best pro sports team owner of any sport in my opinion. And now he has Luka, my post-LeBron basketball idol.
Maybe he'll work for MLB:
Hmmm, I completely disagree with his comment.
Really? I don't necessarily think he means that analytics have been wholesale bad for the game, but if his main point is that the game would be better if there was a higher ratio of balls-in-play to pitches thrown, then I am totally on board. To me, there is a sweet spot somewhere--I don't have an exact number for it--where home run rate is high enough that power hitting matters, but it's low enough that contact hitters are rewarded just for putting the ball in play a lot. Personally, I think I love fielding more than any other part of the game, and the more that we force the players in the field to make plays, the better off we are.
so...pitch to contact π
I'm with Ubelmann. More athletes and less slow pitch softball for me.
I've been thinking for some time that the next Moneyball would be to put together a team of line-drive hitters who could shoot the ball into the gaps, play good defense, and steal a bunch of bases. Sort of like the 1980s Cardinals teams. It's the opposite of what most teams are doing so a) those guys would be undervalued and b) it would take a while for teams to be able to react to it and stop it. So far, though, it doesn't seem to be happening.
The problem with this approach right now is
A)There are just fewer gaps. More hard hit balls are getting caught because all hitters have tendencies and defenders get moved to those spots.
B)Even the #9 hitter can hit the ball over the fence on a regular basis, and homers are much more conducive to scoring runs than anything else.
The ball needs to be deadened to reduce homers (since there's no way the move the fences back) and some change needs to be made with the mound or something to reduce strikeouts. Then players will change approaches.
I read the Padre's comment as more that batters who hit to all fields are an underexploited group, and that the market will shift as teams find those guys. You can't beat the shift consistently, but if you don't have a dominant tendency, defenses can't shift to it.
Need less three true outcomes...like 2020's MLB leader Miguel Sano at 59%
Man, the holiday commercials have really jumped the gun this year.
No kidding, it's only March.
The Sugar Land Skeeters are leaving the Atlantic League to become the AAA team for Houston.
Who wants to join bjhess, cheaptoy, and me (and TDO!) in an OOTP league? We just concluded the 2008 season and have some openings. The available teams are:
Kansas City
Montreal
Oakland, and
Seattle
I still have no real idea what this is, but if it's free, I'll give it a shot. Montreal maybe?
The only cost is to purchase OOTP21 (and then we upgrade each year, so you usually get about 3 seasons out of each one). Still interested?
Hmm. Let me think on that.
It is also on Xbox GamePass PC, should you happen to have that.
I'd be willing to play. I may need a little advice.
Yeah, whatever, I'll do it too I guess. Same boat though.
Maybe you guys could feel the glory of taking a team to the playoffs for the first time in five years in your first season on the job.
I won the series in my first year. Crickets since!
You'll never replace Randy Bass!
Ahahahahahaha!
I mean 1983 was one of his worst years, but he certainly contributed! http://antiquityleague.anthonygiacalone.net//news/html//players/player_4448.html
Shoot me an email at [my first initial][my last name] @ gwu.edu
I'll get you in touch with the commissioner who can help you get settled. Feel free to shoot me any questions you have once you get going...
If all these happen we may need a shear sheet mapping teams to WGOMβers.
I brought in another curler, so that will make at least three of us now.
Did either of you guys (algonad or HJ) take Seattle?
He had me rank them. I ranked Seattle last.
None of the teams stood out to me. I ranked them based on hats.