the pitch clock is counting down to the MLB 2023 REGULAR SEASON THREAD

Really expected the Rangers to finish the collapse after giving their fans a few weeks of hope after the big plummet.

Rest in peace Mariners 2023, kept it going right to the end

I was watching some Rangers Mariners game and a Jonah Heim stepped to the plate in front of Cal Raleigh. The commentary mentioned that Heim is a switch hitter, like Raleigh. I knew Adley Rutschmann and Patrick Bailey are also switch hitting catchers, statmuse tells me that there is a surprising amount (or it was to me, anyway!) of switch hitting catchers in the league this year:

https://i.postimg.cc/kGTtqs0z/IMG-0119.jpg

A website that claims to be an authority on catchers suggests they are rare:

Switch hitting catchers are pretty rare in the major leagues, as there have been less than 100 in total since the late 1800s.

One of my favorite players of all time, who was not on the Cubs, was the great switch hitting catcher Mickey Tettleton. He was absolutely fearsome, massive power and a total walk machine and one of the inner circle sluggers on those fun 1990s Tigers teams, the ones with Cecil Fielder and Rob Deer and Travis Fryman and Tony Phillips. As I'm sure I've noted here before, he also had the chillest and illest stance of all time.

Speaking of the cubs, it was a pretty fun season and if a couple of things had gone right they would have slipped into the postseason. Probably wouldn't have gone anywhere, but looking forward to next year. Especially if they can sign a good free agent or two and re-sign Bellinger.

This was my first session following from start to finish. Surprised by how many games I watched in the end, but the thing I learned - and I really didn’t get - is how thin the margins are between 82 wins and 88 and how most teams aren’t that far away from either number.

And also? Umpires are a disgrace.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqNLWKfSgMk

This video might be of interest, the dude was a real singular character

I will watch this in a bit. I do hope the Cubs re-sign Bellinger btw, guy had a great year in Chicago, but can probably also get a kings ransom in free agency so who knows.

Buck out

BREAKING: Buck Showalter says he will not be back as Mets manager.

— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) October 1, 2023

gabe to queens imo

Our hearts are broken with the loss of Tim Wakefield.

Wake embodied true goodness; a devoted husband, father, and teammate, beloved broadcaster, and the ultimate community leader. He gave so much to the game and all of Red Sox Nation.

Our deepest love and thoughts are with… pic.twitter.com/ah5kV2Yt8j

— Red Sox (@RedSox) October 1, 2023

Thank God the regular season is over today, I don’t think I can take any more forced apologies by young Mariners

Cal Raleigh’s statement … pic.twitter.com/AI0oP4z7zU

— Ryan Divish (@RyanDivish) October 1, 2023

wtf

Joey Votto has been ejected from the game in St. Louis after the first inning. pic.twitter.com/U45NY1wHPe

— Bally Sports Cincinnati (@BallySportsCIN) October 1, 2023

And that's how Joey Votto's career might end? Getting tossed out of the game over ... what exactly?

That is beyond bizarre. And not knowing any details, I have to really question that umpire.

there was a bad called strike in his at-bat

i mean, yes, you can’t argue balls and strikes, but have a fucking sense of the game shane livensparger

George Kirby, Disgusting 73mph Knuckleball. 🦋

That movement. 🤮 pic.twitter.com/qzFXWoDUjw

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) October 1, 2023

“don’t talk about my momma”? need some jomboy lipreading on that votto clip

xp otm, zero sense of occasion. Am watching Giants-Dodgers game and Kruk & Kuip were fairly scathing about umpires needing a new rule to stop them calling an automatic strike on hitters at the plate

Votto too gracious:

I cannot holler at the umpire from our teams bench. He was completely justified in ejecting me.

For those that wanted to see me play today, I am sorry.

— Joey Votto (@JoeyVotto) October 1, 2023

Initially scored as a triple with an error

Quick lap around the bases. pic.twitter.com/5cXVC9kGtE

— Houston Astros (@astros) October 1, 2023

Kyle Tucker no longer has a home run. It remains a triple. This is the fourth official scoring change of this thing. Incredible.

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) October 1, 2023

Three games still going, two of them in extras…regular season’s almost over.
If you have stats to pad, pad them now! 🔔🔔🔔

xp if that game is in houston the official scorer says fuck it and gives him the homer

Right, 1000% pettiness by the scorers in AZ.

oh no! he in no way deserved a homer, the AZ scorer was eventually correct, not petty

i'm just saying the scorer in houston would have overridden propriety

uh Kirby might want to keep throwing that knuckler

Dick Mountain getting his one and only win as a Padre

xps inside the park home runs are fun and good, I would have scored it as one despite my abiding dislike of the Astros (aside from Mauricio Dubón).

oh yes looove dubon

Brandon Crawford, San Francisco 🧡 you. pic.twitter.com/abfYun98Wq

— MLB (@MLB) October 1, 2023

George Kirby confirms that the knuckleball he threw was in honor of Tim Wakefield, who passed away today.#SeaUsRise #DirtyWater

— Circling Seattle Sports (@CirclingSports) October 1, 2023

🫡

Dodgers clinch 100+ win season for the 4th time in a row (MLB leading). Was not a fan of 3 hbp's by the giants in the first 4 innings, but no injuries so no foul.

Post season predictions?

https://i.postimg.cc/Pr1XksxB/Screenshot-2023-10-02-134345.png

My analytically-deduced picks are on the Jays thread.

Officially, Thursday's suspended game against the Marlins will not resume. All statistics from the game, including David Peterson's seven scoreless innings, WILL count.

MLB hasn't yet determined if it will go down as a Mets win, loss or tie.https://t.co/zQHM9yBomC

— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) October 2, 2023

RIP to my mlb.tv account for the season, time to sail the high seas to watch playoff baseball

Am I right in thinking you’re an Aussie Milo? Kayo should be screening all games if you want the convenience

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/ad/18/48/ad1848db2a9bf15bc6b0dc3160b54114--friday-night-lights-friday-nights.jpg

or at least until my last family is gone and I can assert squatters rights to an abandoned church in Pennsylvania or Ohio

Oakland A’s Brent Rooker making a strong case to be an essential Twitter follow:

One of my favorite parts of the season is getting to travel to all the different cities and try out new breakfast places in the mornings. Now that the season is complete, here is a list of some of my favorite breakfasts that I ate this year. (Absolutely nobody asked for this)

— Brent Rooker (@Brent_Rooker12) October 2, 2023

a's don't pay him well enough for him to afford breakfast in new york smh

Guys if I didn’t list your city it is not a personal attack on the food scene there. It probably just means that I was too lazy to leave the room that series and ordered room service. https://t.co/f43rvXwmqu

— Brent Rooker (@Brent_Rooker12) October 2, 2023

Mlb players are perfect for this, lots of money, always travelling, always hungry

Loved both Freehouse and Fairgounds in Minneapolis. Not breakfast, but went to Gai Noi last week for dinner and can’t recommend that place enough. https://t.co/3QNZxqxOns

— Brent Rooker (@Brent_Rooker12) October 2, 2023

For the "i need 10,000 calories before 11AM" crowd

Blue Moon Cafe rules, Tatte severely overrated

Isn’t that the haunted hotel in Milwaukee, good to know they do a good breakfast I guess

Phil Nevin not returning in 2024

2023 per diem was something like $117.50 - guess that buys a lot of waffles

I am really hoping for an Orioles/Braves World Series. The O's are certainly my pick to come out of the AL.

Anyone but the Braves or Astros in the World Series and I’m a happy man.