BEISBOL IS BACK.

It's that time of year where some Americans pretend they're interested about PW's most unloved sport. A whole lot of games slated for the day, and the for the first time that I can remember in my lifetime, my Cincinnati Reds are predicted as favorites to win it all... during a pandemic and season that no one will regard as being legitimate in the future, of course! Go figure... :suspic:



Technically the season began yesterday with the evil Yankees defeating the defending WS Champs, the Walgreens Washington Nationals, 4-1. For those wondering about the scheduling, each team will play a 60-game schedule, with 10 games against each teams division rival (40 in total) and the remaining 20 games scheduled for interleague play. This will actually be the shortest MLB season since freakin' 1878. Also, the Toronto Blue Jays are about to be held hostage in Freedomland during the rest of this season due to Canada's stricter policies concerning the 'rona. Apparently the Jays have yet to confirm where their "home" games will be this season, with Pittsburgh's PNC Park recently being denied to them. 

There are also some interesting rule changes set for this year, notably the "Universal DH" rule where the position will now be available to both leagues during this season, something that's needed to change for years and especially after last season where pitchers averaged an all-time low of .128 at the plate. For all the purists out there: get over it, baseball needs to change with the times or else it will go the way of the dinosaur. Also this season, we'll be getting 8 teams rather than the previous 6 for the post-season. Also, extra innings will now begin with a runner on second base now in what I can only assume is an attempt to even further speed up the game. I love that the MLB is applying Beer League Softball-esque rules during this time; the purists can get bent.

As of now, the three top favorites to win it all seem to be the Evil Empire, the choking talents of the LA Dodgers for some reason ('cause LA, that's why) and of course the New England Patriots' favorite baseball clones, the Houston Astros, as well as an honorable mention to the Philadelphia Phillies. Of course no small market teams, despite plenty of promise being shown from clubs like my beloved Reds or the surprisingly promising Tampa Bay Rays.

So, any favorites to win it all this year? Any surprises you see forthcoming from this season?... Or will I be the only one posting in this thread because baseball is as dead as a door nail to you people? Probably the latter. Oh well... either way -- PLAY BALL!!!!

Love that when there are no fans and hardly any pressure, Giancarlo Stanton just flat out dominates Scherzer. This is going to be a 30+ HR MVP type of year for Stanton just you watch unless he pulls his triceps taking a shower or something.

Jul 24, 2020 15:56:53 GMT Blindy said:

Love that when there are no fans and hardly any pressure, Giancarlo Stanton just flat out dominates Scherzer. This is going to be a 30+ HR MVP type of year for Stanton just you watch unless he pulls his triceps taking a shower or something.

For all my anti-Yankee rhetoric in the op, I can't help but love this team that they've assembled. They've put more emphasis on development through their farm system rather than just throwing money at any and every one per usual (with exceptions like Stanton, Chapman and a few others, of course). I personally think they'll be making a big WS run either this season or the next.

Most definitely deserving of being in the Top 5 projected teams this year. Forgot to mention them but watch out for the White Sox this year, too. They broke the bank for once with some big signings but haven't gotten nearly as much attention being the Mets of Chicago and all. 

Yup, they still spend like the Cole megadeal but they traded two good prospects in Jose Devers(Rafael's brother) & Jorge Guzman to take on that bloated Stanton deal when he had a NTC to boot.

Yanks it comes down to pitching. Severino is lost with TJC, Paxton is always hurt, Tanaka took a liner from Stanton that concussed him, German is suspended via domestic abuse. That leaves you with Gerrit Cole, JA Happ, Jordan Montgomery who was sent down for some bullpen maneuvering, and a bunch of rookies(King/D Garcia/Schmidt). A lot of unprovenness IMHO. Bullpen is strong I think though.

Huge opening day for the Redlegs so far; 7-1 lead on the Tigers heading into the last 3 outs. Shogo Akiyama is absolutely killing it and becoming a new personal favorite; home runs from Votto and The MOOSE today.

Also shoutout to starter Sonny Gray for some solid pitching.

Jul 25, 2020 0:51:44 GMT rad said:

Huge opening day for the Redlegs so far; 7-1 lead on the Tigers heading into the last 3 outs. Shogo Akiyama is absolutely killing it and becoming a new personal favorite; home runs from Votto and The MOOSE today.

Also shoutout to starter Sonny Gray for some solid pitching.

Wish the Yanks got this Sonny Gray, then again our ex pitching coach Rothstein insisted Gray should never ever throw his best pitch and he goes to his former Vandy pitching coach in Cincy and they right away click.

Gray was the sort of ace this team needed but he could not handle the pressure. 

FOX's using video game fans for their games.

Man, does it look tacky.  Almost of PS2 quality.

Why is MLB coming back?

Jul 26, 2020 1:08:41 GMT 🤯 said:

Why is MLB coming back?

...money. Same reason any sport is coming back.

The Reds underperforming bullpen cost us the series w/Detroit. Bell should have kept Castillo in yesterday while he was still throwing upper 90's. I get it's the start of the season, but c'mon: it's 60 games this year. Doesn't let Bauer finish out the 7th with 13 K's? And near immediately Lorenzen gives up the game with a bad pitch. I can't be mad at Votto for the DP; he's been on fire as of late.

I'll always love this team (it's still very early in the year) but after years of seeing the Reds choke away winnable games/series like this you get sick of seeeing it happen.

Jul 25, 2020 17:08:09 GMT CM Punk'd said:

FOX's using video game fans for their games.

Man, does it look tacky.  Almost of PS2 quality.

Ugh.

The pumped in crowd noise is better than that, though still weird and I'll probably never get used to it. Still happy to have baseball back though.

The weirdest sports-related thing from this outbreak that I've seen so far was turning on the TV one day to see Nascar racers playing against e-sporters on PS4 Nascar Heat while announcers were doing commentary for it. :lol:

Fucking Giles cost the Jays today.

We were up by two in the 9th, and the Jays knew that he was off in his game. But he decided to wave them off after walking in a run, and at the next at-bat, hurts his arm.

Idiot decided to try and play hero, when he should have stepped aside.

Jul 26, 2020 21:11:38 GMT CM Punk'd said:

Fucking Giles cost the Jays today.

We were up by two in the 9th, and the Jays knew that he was off in his game. But he decided to wave them off after walking in a run, and at the next at-bat, hurts his arm.

Idiot decided to try and play hero, when he should have stepped aside.

www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/marlins-orioles-game-postponed-due-to-covid-19-outbreak-reportedly-resulting-in-at-least-14-cases/

Not even a week into the season returning, and already two games are postponed because of the virus.

Jul 27, 2020 16:09:20 GMT Leper Messiah said:

www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/marlins-orioles-game-postponed-due-to-covid-19-outbreak-reportedly-resulting-in-at-least-14-cases/

Not even a week into the season returning, and already two games are postponed because of the virus.

Ugh this could be really bad, wondering how the Marlins can even operate a 25 man side at this point. Do they callup minor leaguers and throw them into the fire regardless of if they are ready or not? Also the Phils players could be infected? 

You excited Patrick Maholmes is a part time owner of the KC Royals mikec?

Jul 28, 2020 18:21:52 GMT Blindy said:

You excited Patrick Maholmes is a part time owner of the KC Royals mikec?

I didn’t know that, but I’ve been happy with the new ownership group thus far, their decision to keep all minor leaguers on payroll paid dividends already.

I said it at the time of this Joe Kelly Fight Club nonsense but the guy seems like an unamusing prick. Fringe AAAA talent who throws heat decides to aim multiple times at people's heads because he's a fake tough guy. No place for headhunting in this sport, he's a fucking piece of shit.

And I loathe what the Astros did but Kelly was in an organization that cheated. You aren't bad or tough throwing 95 at someone's head, you are an absolute coward. I would love to see someone step up to him and bury him to the ground one of these days.

Jul 27, 2020 17:16:40 GMT Blindy said:

Jul 27, 2020 16:09:20 GMT Leper Messiah said:

www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/marlins-orioles-game-postponed-due-to-covid-19-outbreak-reportedly-resulting-in-at-least-14-cases/

Not even a week into the season returning, and already two games are postponed because of the virus.

Ugh this could be really bad, wondering how the Marlins can even operate a 25 man side at this point. Do they callup minor leaguers and throw them into the fire regardless of if they are ready or not? Also the Phils players could be infected? 

They have no choice, there going to have to call them up. Ready or not.

This has been a crazy season thus far to put it mildly. Cardboard cut-out crowds, the most HBP's I ever recall seeing in an opening week, ghost runners on 2nd, blatant headhunting, a buncha fish in Florida catching the 'RonaVarus; but one song still remains the same...

The Reds Gonna Reds. I swear this team will be the death of me one day.

Aug 1, 2020 3:41:23 GMT rad said:

This has been a crazy season thus far to put it mildly. Cardboard cut-out crowds, the most HBP's I ever recall seeing in an opening week, ghost runners on 2nd, blatant headhunting, a buncha fish in Florida catching the 'RonaVarus; but one song still remains the same...

The Reds Gonna Reds. I swear this team will be the death of me one day.

From Red rad to Ded rad in X seasons flat.

The video game crowd noise reacting to every single pitch and every single out is getting annoying. Just present the game without the extra crap.

My favorite sports is back!

Cubbies 7-2

Aug 3, 2020 15:51:01 GMT spladle125 said:

My favorite sports is back!

Cubbies 7-2

NCAA Division I wrestling!?

Aug 3, 2020 16:32:51 GMT 🤯 said:

Aug 3, 2020 15:51:01 GMT spladle125 said:

My favorite sports is back!

Cubbies 7-2

NCAA Division I wrestling!?

That’s number 2.

Baseball was my first love!

Aug 3, 2020 17:32:06 GMT spladle125 said:

Aug 3, 2020 16:32:51 GMT 🤯 said:

NCAA Division I wrestling!?

That’s number 2.

Baseball was my first love!

Unacceptable.

Aug 3, 2020 15:51:01 GMT spladle125 said:

My favorite sports is back!

Cubbies 7-2

Conflicting. We share a love for the greatest sport ever but then you bring that Cubs love up in here! :suspic:

Kidding, of course. Cubbies are way better than I expected this year. Very similar teams between CHC and Cincy, both have glaring weaknesses at bullpen that need to be addressed but the bats are on fire.

I dunno about anyone else but with teams getting infected I don’t think MLB is go9mg to even make it to 60 games…

Not in the time frame they have laid out anyway. If they delay the end of the season a while maybe but leaving everything as is there will practically be a double header per day by the end of this.

Aug 4, 2020 0:01:37 GMT rad said:

Aug 3, 2020 15:51:01 GMT spladle125 said:

My favorite sports is back!

Cubbies 7-2

Conflicting. We share a love for the greatest sport ever but then you bring that Cubs love up in here! :suspic:

Kidding, of course. Cubbies are way better than I expected this year. Very similar teams between CHC and Cincy, both have glaring weaknesses at bullpen that need to be addressed but the bats are on fire.

Way better than expected so far.

Just ready to go to the games again, sit in the sun, hot dogs and beer!

Royals legend Alex Gordon is retiring, sad day for mikec and Royals fans.