2018 MLB Season

[CrazyNotCrazie]

Quite a fall from grace.



https://twitter.com/AnthonyDiComo/st...94657610371072

I'm not going to get the story totally right but apparently the Mets were in San Diego and used most of their bullpen in a game except Harvey, so there was a high probability he would be needed the next day. That night he was spotted at a restaurant/bar in LA, quite a ways from San Diego.

Not a bright move. He has never been a very warm and fuzzy guy, but his performance let him get away with it. As a Yankees fan, his combination of being a Met and a Tar Heel made him particularly disliked.

[duke74]

It is hard to feel too sorry for him, as he did make some very good money, but Harvey never got his "wow, both you and YOUR CHILDREN will never have to work a day in your lives" payday. He made about $16 mil over his time in the bigs. Great money... money he can retire on if he wants... but if he had been good for just 1 or 2 more seasons, he probably signs a 5-year, $120 million dollar deal.

The was a confluence of two items. First, and most relevant to the money discussions, were his injuries: Tommy John and then the thoracic outlet syndrome surgery. His career was changed. But here's the second item. He was either unable to or refused to relearn how to pitch. Add that to attitude ("The Dark Knight hits the town with XXX, supermodel...The Dark Knight hits a restaurant opening the night before a game," etc) and the refusal to go down to the minors to work on regaining his effectiveness. (Granted, if he were healthy, no one would care about his social life...many in fact would be jealous.)

He and Boras were aiming for this year to then get the deal you note Jason. The injuries short circuited that...but he frankly did not endear himself to either his teammates or management with his attitude. Contrast that with CC Sabathia, who went through physical hell a few years ago (including a drinking issue). His teammates were vocally supportive ...and, he remade himself into a finesse pitcher - and an effective one at that.

As a Mets fan since the beginning (1962 at the old Polo Grounds), I feel bad for Matt, but sometimes one compounds the issue by actions or attitude. And...lest we forget, he's a UNCheat guy.

[Blue in the Face]

The was a confluence of two items. First, and most relevant to the money discussions, were his injuries: Tommy John and then the thoracic outlet syndrome surgery. His career was changed.

TOS seems to be a really tough recovery for pitchers, and certainly seems to be what did Harvey in. It's a shame, he was really really really good, and while his embrace of the nightlife may have had a detrimental effect, if he'd stayed healthy, being a fixture on both the back pages and Page Six seems like a pretty good gig.

[duke74]

TOS seems to be a really tough recovery for pitchers, and certainly seems to be what did Harvey in. It's a shame, he was really really really good, and while his embrace of the nightlife may have had a detrimental effect, if he'd stayed healthy, being a fixture on both the back pages and Page Six seems like a pretty good gig.

Agree. (Was a pretty good life) I wasn’t saying that it had a detrimental effect. I just seems that priorities were out of sync.

I remember the electricity of “Harvey Day” at Citi when he pitched. A shame.

[Blue in the Face]

Seems like the Mets got about as good a return as could have been hoped for - a guy who, at one point, showed a ton of promise. Worst case, though likely scenario - he's a mediocre backup catcher on a team where even that has value. Best case, unlikely though it may be, scenario - his injury issues are behind him and he can get back to the guy he was in 2014. Mesoraco is overpaid, but the Reds are sending money to equalize the difference between his and Harvey's salaries, so there's no additional salary burden for the Mets. Might as well take a flyer on the guy.

The Reds acquired the former New York ace for catcher Devin Mesoraco on Tuesday, shortly before Cincinnati pulled away to a 7-2 victory over the Mets at Great American Ball Park. The 29-year-old Mesoraco also has significantly declined because of injuries since his All-Star season in 2014, when he led all major league catchers with 25 homers and 80 RBIs.

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/2...-new-york-mets

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Has anyone noticed what my Yankees are doing? We've won 17 of 18 and now lead the Red Sox by 1 game. Stanton's finally hitting at Yankee Stadium, Judge is over .300 and hit his 9th homer in our comeback victory last night. Oh, and some kid named Gleybor seems to have "it", the knack for getting clutch hits, like our previous (now retired) short stop!

The season is still very young, but it's been fun the last 3 weeks! LGY!

[Duke79UNLV77]

Has anyone noticed what my Yankees are doing? We've won 17 of 18 and now lead the Red Sox by 1 game. Stanton's finally hitting at Yankee Stadium, Judge is over .300 and hit his 9th homer in our comeback victory last night. Oh, and some kid named Gleybor seems to have "it", the knack for getting clutch hits, like our previous (now retired) short stop!

The season is still very young, but it's been fun the last 3 weeks! LGY!

Yes, non-Yankee fans have noticed and are braced for another annoying era of dominance. The offensive lineup is epic.

I had a high school teacher who told me one should only use the term "we" for a sports team you are not on in referring to a school you attend or attended, but I know many do not follow that rule. I'm not from a city with a major league sports team, so maybe that would be different.

[duke74]

Yes, non-Yankee fans have noticed and are braced for another annoying era of dominance. The offensive lineup is epic.
.

Not sure why the era is “annoying.” This is a very differently built Yankee team in many ways. No more “spend the big money” on free agents as under the Boss. More like the 90s with the so-called “core-four.”

This team is basically home grown from the farm system, with smart trades (ie, Stanton and Didi) included. Prospects came in the Chapman trade (Torres) (Yes, I know they re-signed him) and the Miller trade. Cashman has been brilliant.

They are no more hateable now than any other big market team (Cubs, Dodgers, etc). And this from a Mets fan (from the start in 1962)

[Duke79UNLV77]

Not sure why the era is “annoying.” This is a very differently built Yankee team in many ways. No more “spend the big money” on free agents as under the Boss. More like the 90s with the so-called “core-four.”

This team is basically home grown from the farm system, with smart trades (ie, Stanton and Didi) included. Prospects came in the Chapman trade (Torres) (Yes, I know they re-signed him) and the Miller trade. Cashman has been brilliant.

They are no more hateable now than any other big market team (Cubs, Dodgers, etc). And this from a Mets fan (from the start in 1962)

Annoying because they have won approximately 500 world championships already, and, while I like NY and go there frequently for work, there is an annoying factor in its sense of self-importance. Also sort of annoying that they were able to pull off the Stanton deal with already such a great lineup, sort of like it was annoying when the Warriors got Durant, although I have nothing against either player and wish the teams I root for would have done the same. Not anything personal against the current GM, manager, or players.

[duke74]

Annoying because they have won approximately 500 world championships already, and, while I like NY and go there frequently for work, there is an annoying factor in its sense of self-importance. Also sort of annoying that they were able to pull off the Stanton deal with already such a great lineup, sort of like it was annoying when the Warriors got Durant, although I have nothing against either player and wish the teams I root for would have done the same. Not anything personal against the current GM, manager, or players.

I think only 27, but could be wrong. 😉

One man’s “annoying” is another man’s “smart” as regards the trade. The Marlins did their perodic fire sale - didn’t the Brewers and Cards also bag stars?

I am not a Yankee fan, but appreciate attitude, performance, and as an Ethics prof, a culture (in this case, of professionalism). My Met fan buddies do not understand how I can appreciate the Yankees. I do. (Their fans, not so much-perhaps that’s where we agree)

[Reilly]

Has anyone noticed what my Yankees are doing? We've won 17 of 18 ...

... I had a high school teacher who told me one should only use the term "we" for a sports team you are not on in referring to a school you attend or attended, but I know many do not follow that rule. ...

I've noticed Yankees fans using the phrase "my Yankees" more than all other sports fans combined using the phrase "my (favorite team)". Maybe I'm sensitive to it because my father grew up in Manhattan a Yankees fan and often used the phrase "how about my Yankees, baby" (and that obviously adds to the number of times I've heard it during my life). This phrase from my dad was tolerable because it was always said in a good-hearted way, my dad did not have a NY accent at all, and he was not otherwise insufferable. I can't say the same for most of the other NYY fans I've met.

I don't really have any issue with the use of "my (favorite sports team)". "We" might be a bit of a different story than "my" -- but I know I've used "we" in referring to Duke, though I'm not now (and never was) an athlete on a Duke intercollegiate team. I could see pro sports fans being so emotionally invested in their teams that they use "we" and that's OK.

[Turk]

Giants in Pittsburgh for the weekend; fans show Andrew McCutchen all sorts of love, including video montage and minute and half standing O.
And Buccos win the first two games; hanging in there with the Cards and Cubs, and on a 92 win pace at the quarter mark. Who woulda thunk it?

Cutch comes home

Sometimes I will use "my Buccos" or "my Devils", often in a tone of equal parts fondness and frustration.
But I will NEVER NEVER EVER use "we" for any professional sports team. And I will never wear a shirt with someone else's name on the back, not even the sainted Roberto or Pops. I outgrew that when I was 12 years old.

As for the Devils, I compromise by using "we" when talking Duke sports with other Duke people. We're a community and I knew a few athletes back in the day, so I think that qualifies. But when I'm out in the world, I'll use "they" to maintain the illusion of maturity and objectivity (a futile effort, but I still try...)

[CrazyNotCrazie]

For all of the Yankees haters:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/14/s...e=sectionfront

[Blue in the Face]

For all of the Yankees haters:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/14/s...e=sectionfront

The Silver Shield Foundation was one of George Steinbrenner's few redeeming features.

[Mal]

1. That this particular group of players on the Yankees seem likable and respectable doesn't mean that the outsized media attention, which robs so many other worthy subjects of attention when the Yankees are good, isn't extremely annoying to those of us who don't live in the NYC metro area. It's as obnoxious as ever. The same sort of obnoxious as when I was watching the Players on Saturday afternoon when they went into the 14th mention or analysis of Tiger Woods shooting a 65, without once noting "Oh, by the way, Jordan Spieth also shot 65 today and is tied with Woods in 8th place." It's not like Jordan Spieth is some nobody, the same way it's not like the defending World Series champion Houston Astros stink, but I can't hear about either of them anymore. The Astros have a run differential that's almost 30 runs better than the Yankees right now, but it's as though no one outside of the AL East exists.

2. Even then, the national sports media can't actually cover the very good Yankees correctly. One would think, since all they hear is the narrative that was pre-written the moment Stanton signed up, that the big three are leading the universe with 8,000 homeruns. They're getting their share of bombs, but none of them are in the top 5 in the American League there, Stanton and Judge have already struck out a hundred times between them, and Sanchez is barely hitting .200. It's Gregorius that should be the story, combined with Severino continuing his maturation into a bona fide ace and Sabathia looking ageless.

3. Separate topic: Shohei Mania continues! It's pretty amazing to think that the same person could be (at a quarter of the way through a season, I know) both an above average starting pitcher with lights out on any given day potential, and one of the best hitters in the league. He's sporting a 1.044 OPS right now, along with a 3-1 record pitching. ERA is at 3.53, not dazzling, certainly, though somewhat inflated by one awful outing. I hope that over time they can figure out a way to get him hitting more regularly on his off days, because there's no reason to think this guy couldn't win 15 games and hit 40 homers in the same season. Which would be incredibly cool.

[JasonEvans]

This has to be one of the greatest slides in baseball history... I love the way he pretends to reach with one hand and fakes out the catcher. Wow!! Much better than the Ichiro slide that MLB uses as a comparison.

[weezie]

Does anyone have a reasonable hunch where Manny Machado might end up?

And don't say "anywhere he wants" but what seems a likely landing spot.

[Blue in the Face]

Does anyone have a reasonable hunch where Manny Machado might end up?

And don't say "anywhere he wants" but what seems a likely landing spot.

Cubs and Phils are both potential playoff teams not getting much production at short. And both could afford to lock him up. An AL trade seems less likely to me - all the top teams are set at short, and even if you were confident he wouldn't sulk being moved back to 3rd, all have varying degrees of decency there, and then you're obviously in a difficult situation extending him.

[weezie]

Cubs and Phils are both potential playoff teams not getting much production at short. And both could afford to lock him up...

Ok, the cubbies. Sounds very reasonable.

Why has my son texted me that Cano was busted for PEDs? I don't see anything on the news sites.

[RPS]

Why has my son texted me that Cano was busted for PEDs? I don't see anything on the news sites.

Twitter.