general 2021 MLB discussion thread

only 1 1/2 more years to go on the chris davis contract

Imagine every team in the AL East really good in 2023 - that seems unfair

I care enough to watch the playoff Maple Leafs, otherwise the Blue Jays are the only team I've ever given a rip about (and that is a very large rip). I mean, I also watched the Raps religiously in 18/19 but who wouldn't

Used to be all over the map for sports allegiances until I decided to refocus everything on Toronto. Once nos z’amours are back I’ll switch over to them because local team, and I’d love to see a NBA team in Montreal (unlikely) but there is no way in hell I’m ever rooting for the Habs.

the orioles are a great team to root for imo

― Karl Malone, Friday, May 21, 2021 9:26 PM (one hour ago) bookmarkflaglink

I don't disagree, I've enjoyed it the whole time

and as surely as i believe in the truth of the god of the christian bible, i say to thee: the yankees will finish last place in 2023. but then they shall come back to win again, some day after that. but at some undetermined but very soon day after that, they will burn in hell forever.

and the people will be happy for 4000 years

First we just need them to have a losing season for once

let's not go that far. some teams need to play above .500 every single year. it inspires the children in the region and keeps some adults occupied

20,000th player in MLB history: José Godoy

- signed w/ STL in July '11 out of VZ; $200K signing bonus
- spent 9 years w/ STL; reached Triple-A in '19; at alt site in '20
- elected FA, signed w/ SEA in Nov. '20
- OF COURSE THE 20,000TH PLAYER IN MLB HISTORY IS A BACKUP CATCHER!!! pic.twitter.com/YC8TlMuttL

— Céspedes Family BBQ (@CespedesBBQ) May 22, 2021

only 1 1/2 more years to go on the chris davis contract

franchy cordero hit one 474 ft today:

https://www.mlb.com/video/zack-wheeler-in-play-run-s-to-franchy-cordero

wheeler was completely locked in today otherwise. the guy is legit

on friday morning the braves had a -19 run differential; after three games against the pirates they're now at +11

the Erich Bacchus strike zone was fucking awful last night.

https://i.imgur.com/dXJQbms.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/rsn2o6w.jpg

also, joe west is tying the record for all-time games umpired (with bill klem) in tonight's CWS/STL game

I AM GOING TO THE GAME CWS/STL GAME ON WENDESDAY

since the pandemic, i have been to one public place, a restaurant. this is going to be nuts

wow. that’s awesome karl. looks like gant v rodon.

Turns out I’m going tonight too, which means I get to catch flaherty and giolito as well...along with joe west’s record breaking appearance

nice. giolito has not been great so far this season but his last start was strong.

i'm secretly hoping that larussa will ruin joe west's big game with a huuuuuge argument

MLB's two millionth run will score in the next few days

(the astros' bob watson scored the one millionth in 1975)

Wasn't there some controversy attached to that? I can't find anything online...I remember something, though, from the book I read about the '76 season.

One of the sickest plays I've ever seen

pic.twitter.com/p7NlMgIBO0 https://t.co/iuWw57fO8S

— Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) May 27, 2021

lol that takes me back to my beer league softball days

RBI double

that's half <3 baez <3 and half lol pirates

unfortunately did not count as a double due to how they scored it

there were two outs. all the 1B had to do was turn around and step on first ffs

I didn't realize there were 2 outs the first time I watched that, which makes the whole thing 100x worse.

I've seen this kind of stuff at my son's baseball games, parents would be screaming to just go touch 1st base.

That is a hall of fame dumb play, I love it

okay that’s the greatest

Every team at the bottom of their tank cycle has stupid plays like this every day, like the 2012 Astros were a highlight reel of dumb plays

I don't think I can remember a play this dumb though

Going to store this in my memory right next to "five reds infielders stare at a popup.gif"

hahahaha holy crap

the calliopes can heard from here to sewickley

The Pirates radio call is marvelous. pic.twitter.com/Kkptci0PWg

— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) May 27, 2021

tremendous.

I've never seen anything like that.

it just hit me for the first time, after about the 200th rewatch, that baez actually had time in all of this to call the runner at home safe in the play at the plate

The way javy teases him all the way back home is priceless. You can see him get into the dude's head like, "yeah, I know the inning is over, but I'm just gonna fuck around and make you tag me... Oops, did we just score a run?"

There were two outs on that play! I'm still trying to register this information.

hang this in the louvre

Jon he called the play at the plate and ended up on second pic.twitter.com/msynr0nlEd

— Mike Black (@mhblack) May 28, 2021

the calliopes can heard from here to sewickley

new board description?

xp even at the point of this photo, had the ball been thrown to first (and had someone been there to catch it) the run wouldn’t have counted because it’s a force out!

this is an interesting thought, although i don’t recall such an interpretation being made

@wezen_ball

Wasn’t he out as soon as he abandoned his path to first base? Running back home is not running towards a safe position.

You're allowed to run backwards in that circumstance. You don't have to run into a tag.

That play is 99% lol Pirates and 1% Baez's trickery.

If you're playing first, who cares if Baez starts running backwards? Just jog the other way and touch first base!

I’d say that play was 99% pirates and 51% baez. you don’t get to 150% without abnormal effort from all parties

https://www.mlb.com/news/2-million-runs-scored-in-mlb

I thought Donaldson and Bob Watson might be somewhat comparable in that they're both Hall of Very Good-type players, but Donaldson is actually far ahead in bWAR in a much shorter time. I don't know, when I look at Watson's career box, it intuitively feels like he doesn't get enough credit for playing his prime years in the Astrodome, where his average year looked like this: 18 HR, 98 RBI, .305/.375/.461, 139 OPS+

watson seems to have gotten dinged awfully hard on defense, and jersey al can tell you what he thinks of that

Marvell Ozuna arrested for family violence

https://www.ajc.com/news/breaking-braves-marcell-ozuna-arrested-by-sandy-springs-police/UNGRREUJENFB7G25UA6LAQHXMA/