Mo y el hilo de béisbol del Rey

[MOtorboat]

Discutimos

[Poet]

Do you believe in the Maddon breaking Bryce Harper's soul theory?

[MOtorboat]

Do you believe in the Maddon breaking Bryce Harper's soul theory?

Haha. No. I expect Bryce Harper to have a "bounce back" year. I mean, he still had a 3.5 WAR, which made him a Top 60 player. He led the league with 9.5 in 2015 and has a career WAR of 22.9 at the age of 24.

I mean, dude.

[NightTrainLayne]

No le gusto.

[Poet]

Haha. No. I expect Bryce Harper to have a "bounce back" year. I mean, he still had a 3.5 WAR, which made him a Top 60 player. He led the league with 9.5 in 2015 and has a career WAR of 22.9 at the age of 24.

I mean, dude.

Is it true that at their best, Harper is superior to Trout?

Is it true that Trout has a shot to be an all-time great?

Does Dusty Baker suck?

[MOtorboat]

Is it true that at their best, Harper is superior to Trout?

I don't think so. Trout is inner-circle Hall of Fame. Harper is a top 50 player all time. If their career paths continue as projected...


Is it true that Trout has a shot to be an all-time great?

Absolutely. I just did a Fangraphs filter for WAR from the age of 14 to 24 (Harper's current age). Here is the Top 10:
1, Mike Trout, 47.7
2, Ty Cobb, 47.2
3, Mickey Mantle, 41.1
4, Mel Ott, 38.6
5, Jimmie Foxx, 37.4
6, Ted Williams, 36.4
7, Rogers Hornsby, 35.7
8, Alex Rodriguez, 35.0
9, Ken Griffey, Jr., 35.0
10, Arky Vaughan, 34.5

That's cumulative WAR for a career, so basically the wins added by having that player on your team for a season, and then adding that WAR together. It's a complicated formula that I don't always fully understand. It's not perfect, but it's a good barometer.


Does Dusty Baker suck?

I don't think so. A little stubborn.

[chazoe60]

Is it true that at their best, Harper is superior to Trout?

Is it true that Trout has a shot to be an all-time great?

Does Dusty Baker suck?

No.

Yes.

No.

[MOtorboat]

No le gusto.

I believe you meant "no me gusto."

You're welcome. :coffee:

[Dapper Dan]

Are we talking about Johnny Cueto?

[MOtorboat]

Are we talking about Johnny Cueto?

Shimmy, shimmy, shake.

[Poet]

Are the Cubs really one of the better teams of all time?

Are my Nationals a paper tiger?

Why do people hate closers and specialty pitchers?

Now that the steroid era is over, what is the main power baseline stat to achieve?

Am I wrong for liking middle of the rotation guys and thinking that they are underrated?

[Dapper Dan]

I need a team.

[Dapper Dan]

Are the Cubs really one of the better teams of all time?

Are my Nationals a paper tiger?

Why do people hate closers and specialty pitchers?

Now that the steroid era is over, what is the main power baseline stat to achieve?

Am I wrong for liking middle of the rotation guys and thinking that they are underrated?


Asking the tough questions.

[Poet]

I need a team.

Nats. Let's gooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

[MOtorboat]

Nats. Let's gooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

Good grief. no.

[Poet]

Good grief. no.

y??????

[chazoe60]

Are the Cubs really one of the better teams of all time?

Are my Nationals a paper tiger?

Why do people hate closers and specialty pitchers?

Now that the steroid era is over, what is the main power baseline stat to achieve?

Am I wrong for liking middle of the rotation guys and thinking that they are underrated?

No.

No.

Smart people don't.

25 HRs? Maybe. IDK good question.

No.

[NightTrainLayne]

I believe you meant "no me gusto."

You're welcome. :coffee:

No. I meant no le gusto.

[MOtorboat]

Are the Cubs really one of the better teams of all time?

All time? I don't know about that. I mean, look up the 1920s and the Yankees, or the 1970s and the Reds or the 1990s and the Yankees. The Cubs have a long way to go for that to be true.


Are my Nationals a paper tiger?

They do kind of choke every year. And this year, the Dodgers and Cubs are superior on paper. Maybe the Giants too.


Why do people hate closers and specialty pitchers?

I don't know. That won my team the World Series.


Now that the steroid era is over, what is the main power baseline stat to achieve?

WAR. Home runs were way up last year, though, so just saying. Chicks dig the long ball.


Am I wrong for liking middle of the rotation guys and thinking that they are underrated?

Middle relievers are usually the worst pitchers on the team, failed starters. The 7th, 8th and 9th-inning guys are sexy.

[Dapper Dan]

I've kinda liked the Orioles.

[MOtorboat]

No. I meant no le gusto.

Don't derail Mo y el hilo de beisbol del Rey.

[Poet]

Doesn't win above replacement presume that being better than a replacement means something other than the replacement sucks? Does that replacement stat fluctuate where one year a replacement play is superior to other years?

Does WAR just negate the other stats for every day players?

[Poet]

I've kinda liked the Orioles.

Root for the Nationals with me!

[Dapper Dan]

Root for the Nationals with me!

Y tho

[Poet]

Y tho

They have a couple really huge stars, I like the city, and we're both looking for a new team.

[MOtorboat]

Doesn't win above replacement presume that being better than a replacement means something other than the replacement sucks? Does that replacement stat fluctuate where one year a replacement play is superior to other years?

Does WAR just negate the other stats for every day players?

The stat is supposed to set the mean every year so that you can compare years. A replacement level player might be slightly better or worse than the year before.

No. It's just a representation of a player's overall game. It includes fielding. But even among the statheads there's disagreement as to its use and calculation. Fangraphs and Baseball Prospectus have slightly different formulas.

[MOtorboat]

They have a couple really huge stars, I like the city, and we're both looking for a new team.

There are some buttheads on that team. That includes Harper...just saying.

[Dapper Dan]

I really like Davis, Wieters, Brach, Tillman, Britton, Jones, Machado, and Trumbo. Like the Orioles with me, King.

[chazoe60]

Why would anyone like Machado? He's a douche.

[Poet]

I hate the city of Baltimore, though. The Orioles are just the shitty Yankees, tbh.


MO, how do you follow the farm system?

[Dapper Dan]

I hate the city of Baltimore, though. The Orioles are just the shitty Yankees, tbh.


MO, how do you follow the farm system?

I like the color Orange. And the number 13. **** the Yankees.

[MOtorboat]

Dan Duquette's "we're not interested in your player because our fans don't like him" winter is worth a thousand baseball offseasons.

It is the greatest bitch-slap ever.

[MOtorboat]

I hate the city of Baltimore, though. The Orioles are just the shitty Yankees, tbh.


MO, how do you follow the farm system?

Baseball America and Baseball Prospectus. Subscriptions aren't necessarily cheap, though.

[Poet]

Dan Duquette's "we're not interested in your player because our fans don't like him" winter is worth a thousand baseball offseasons.

It is the greatest bitch-slap ever.

I am confused.

[MOtorboat]

I am confused.

Jose Bautista's agent approached Dan Duquette this offseason about the Orioles' interest in his client. He told them, "no, our fans don't like him." (Paraphrased)

[Poet]

Jose Bautista's agent approached Dan Duquette this offseason about the Orioles' interest in his client. He told them, "no, our fans don't like him." (Paraphrased)

Isn't that guy a stud, though? Is that really the best way to do business?

[MOtorboat]

Isn't that guy a stud, though? Is that really the best way to do business?

This is a hard question for me to answer. I hate him. The league hates him.

When he got lit up by Rougned Odor, the players around the league laughed.

[Poet]

This is a hard question for me to answer. I hate him. The league hates him.

When he got lit up by Rougned Odor, the players around the league laughed.

Why can't people have swag in baseball? Is it -sorry Chaz don't hate me bb- really because white people are boring?

[Dapper Dan]

Why can't people have swag in baseball? Is it -sorry Chaz don't hate me bb- really because white people are boring?

I don't think Joey Bats has any swag.

[MOtorboat]

Why can't people have swag in baseball? Is it -sorry Chaz don't hate me bb- really because white people are boring?

There is a difference between swag and being an *******. Bautista crossed that line a long time ago.

Bryce Harper has swag. He might piss off a few people every now and then, including myself, but he's not a complete *******. I have no problem with celebrating, but there's a line. Catchers piss me off when they get mad when you watch a home run. Dude, I just belted a ball traveling 100 miles per hour near my head 450 feet with an instrument that is no greater than 2 3/4 inches wide. You can gloat a little.

[Timmy!]

Speak English **** waffle.


Also, I dislike the new rox uniforms.

[Hawgdriver]

Now that the steroid era is over, what is the main power baseline stat to achieve?

HR because power is so closely associated with the HR ball and the anecdotal nature of baseball as story, but wOBA (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WOBA) is probably more accurate.

[Hawgdriver]

MO, do you have an opinion on Dave Cameron, the baseball writer/analyst?

[Poet]

Mo, were you one of the people who hated Brandon Phillips?

Why did people drool over Joey Votto when his stats are good, but not great? Or, am I just holding him to the standard of the steroid era?

[Buff]

Mo, were you one of the people who hated Brandon Phillips?

Why did people drool over Joey Votto when his stats are good, but not great? Or, am I just holding him to the standard of the steroid era?

Nobody drools over Joey Votto - in fact, he gets a ton of unfair criticism because he walks so much as opposed to driving in more runs. Whereas Phillips emphasizes driving in runs above all other metrics.

His .425 career OBP is best among active players - that seems pretty great to me.

[Poet]

Nobody drools over Joey Votto - in fact, he gets a ton of unfair criticism because he walks so much as opposed to driving in more runs. Whereas Phillips emphasizes driving in runs above all other metrics.

His .425 career OBP is best among active players - that seems pretty great to me.

I used past tense. There were two years in particular were he was excessively the toast of the town.

[Slick]

I get that this is MO's baseball thread but what does the king have to do with it.

And for the record if you didn't like something in the past tense it's no me gustó. Accent on the o.

Present tense- no me gusta
Past tense- no me gustó

[MOtorboat]

MO, do you have an opinion on Dave Cameron, the baseball writer/analyst?

I am just getting into Fangraphs. I like Carson Cistuli's podcast because I enjoy his nerdy sense of humor and Cameron comes on once a week. I guess you could say I'm indifferent at this point.

[MOtorboat]

I've been a BP subscriber for a long time.

[MOtorboat]

I get that this is MO's baseball thread but what does the king have to do with it.

And for the record if you didn't like something in the past tense it's no me gustó. Accent on the o.

Present tense- no me gusta
Past tense- no me gustó

King wanted a thread for he and I to discuss baseball. Here it is.

[MOtorboat]

Nobody drools over Joey Votto - in fact, he gets a ton of unfair criticism because he walks so much as opposed to driving in more runs. Whereas Phillips emphasizes driving in runs above all other metrics.

His .425 career OBP is best among active players - that seems pretty great to me.

I have a man crush on Joey Votto. So there's that.

[Hawgdriver]

Estaba pensando sobre viviendo con mi sister en New Jersey.

[chazoe60]

I'm so excited for baseball season. Little league, major league and family at the park league, I'm excited for all of them.

[MOtorboat]

I'm so excited for baseball season. Little league, major league and family at the park league, I'm excited for all of them.

I think King forgot about his thread.

:tsk:

[Poet]

I think King forgot about his thread.

:tsk:

I have not, my man. Just been working a lot and dealing with some shit. I also some a lot of my time on here arguing with the same people...for no reason whatsoever.

One of my chief complaints with the game is that a lot of the positional players don't seem to matter that much. Like, it's mostly, as a game, a one on one with the pitcher vs. the batter. Arguably 2 on one if you include the catcher.

Regardless, as much as I loved watching people turn a double or even dare I say, a triple play, or rob someone of a home run, the other guys don't matter so much.

Is this notion unfair? Am I missing something? Should I not be concerned that for the vast amount of the game the other players are just standing around?

[MOtorboat]

I have not, my man. Just been working a lot and dealing with some shit. I also some a lot of my time on here arguing with the same people...for no reason whatsoever.

One of my chief complaints with the game is that a lot of the positional players don't seem to matter that much. Like, it's mostly, as a game, a one on one with the pitcher vs. the batter. Arguably 2 on one if you include the catcher.

Regardless, as much as I loved watching people turn a double or even dare I say, a triple play, or rob someone of a home run, the other guys don't matter so much.

Is this notion unfair? Am I missing something? Should I not be concerned that for the vast amount of the game the other players are just standing around?

Well, no, I suppose it's not unfair. It is a game, that at it's heart, is centered on the battle between the pitcher and the batter. I'd guess I'd say that's part of it's beauty rather than a detriment. That said, every player on the field has somewhere to be and a reason for being in that place and once a ball is hit that adjusts depending on where it is hit. So even if a left fielder isn't involved in a catch by a center fielder, it's still his job to be in the general vicinity in case something goes awry. Likewise, on a routine grounder to the shortstop with no body on, a catcher's duty is to get behind first base in case of an error, a second baseman's duty is to cover second in case of the same situation, the third basemen third and the pitcher home while the left fielder in this case should be backing up second in case of a bad throw. So, while every player isn't directly involved in each play, there's a place where they should be and a firmly designed reason for said player to be there.

You could use somewhat of the same logic behind the batting order. Different managers have different philosophies. One being the righty-lefty-righty philosophy. I know Ned Yost likes that, where if your lead off man is righty, then your 2-hole hitter is going to be a lefty and so on. It's designed to not let a pitcher get comfortable throwing a single pitch to a single location or using the same pitch sequence over and over again.

There's so many intricacies to each pitch, that that's the real beauty of the game.

[PatriotsGuy]

Here we go Red Sox here we go *clap clap*

[MOtorboat]

Here we go Red Sox here we go *clap clap*

Pawtucket?

[PatriotsGuy]

Pawtucket?

Boston

[MOtorboat]

Boston

Ah. Didn't know they still had a team.

[PatriotsGuy]

Ah. Didn't know they still had a team.

Ah, I think you will start to remember as the season progresses.

[Buff]

Ah, I think you will start to remember as the season progresses.

Chris Sale is the piece you guys have been waiting for. Just curious to see how that lineup looks without Papi anchoring it.

[Poet]

Harper has put on twenty pounds of muscle.

Huh.

[MOtorboat]

Chris Sale is the piece you guys have been waiting for. Just curious to see how that lineup looks without Papi anchoring it.

I think Benintendi is the real deal. He's not going to replace Papi by any means, but he helps soften the blow and if Betts and Bradley continue on an incline in their career arcs, I think that lineup is going to end up being really good. The Red Sox have to be the favorites in the East going in, imo.

[Poet]

I'd like the season to start now please!

[MOtorboat]

I'd like the season to start now please!

WBC starts today...

[Poet]

That's not real to me, man. I want that real shit.

[chazoe60]

Pretty cool article written by Nolan Arenado about the WBC

https://www.theplayerstribune.com/nolan-arenado-world-baseball-classic-team-usa/?partnerId=as_col_20170309_70661626&adbid=10154893124306113&adbpl=fb&adbpr=64466991112

[MOtorboat]

Pretty cool article written by Nolan Arenado about the WBC

https://www.theplayerstribune.com/nolan-arenado-world-baseball-classic-team-usa/?partnerId=as_col_20170309_70661626&adbid=10154893124306113&adbpl=fb&adbpr=64466991112

I hope the Americans are taking this more seriously this time. I think it's fun once it gets past the opening round, but American teams in the past (outside of David Wright) just haven't taken it very seriously.

[MOtorboat]

The Americans are choking again.

[chazoe60]

USA has fallen apart.

[chazoe60]

I also have to be honest, it's more than a little annoying seeing that many ******* people rooting for the other team in an American baseball park. WTF?

[Hawgdriver]

I also have to be honest, it's more than a little annoying seeing that many ******* people rooting for the other team in an American baseball park. WTF?

America is a fading brand.

[slim]

America is a fading brand.

I heard we were great again.

[MOtorboat]

Long read, but very good...

http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/18900471/the-complicated-state-haitian-dominicans-mlb


Out At Home
As many as 1 in 10 Dominicans are of Haitian descent. So why do we know of virtually no Haitian Dominicans in the major leagues?

by Bruce Schoenfeld

Arroz con pollo waits on the table at Miguel Sano's duplex condo, not far from Target Field. Sano's sister is visiting from the Dominican Republic, and her husband has made the Twins slugger's favorite dish -- mounds of it, enough to feed a baseball team. "Don't worry," Sano tells me. "I eat a lot." The aroma is seductive, an anamnesis of the Caribbean. It fills the top floor of the apartment where Sano spends the major league season, more than 2,000 miles from San Pedro de Macoris, where he was raised. The coastal city is renowned for turning out big league talent, an important source for the country's baseball pipeline -- 82 Dominicans made last year's Opening Day rosters from a population of 10.6 million.

Sano stands apart from the other 81 Dominicans in one significant way: He has publicly identified as an ethnic Haitian.

Baseball is not popular in Haiti itself, but as many as a million ethnic Haitians live in the neighboring Dominican Republic, where the game is ubiquitous. As the chicken waits on the table, Sano and Franklin Johnson Mateo, who serves as Sano's adviser and facilitator, shout out examples of former and current MLB players who likely share their Haitian ancestry. They rattle off seven or eight names. The total number, Sano and Mateo agree, would shock most observers.