MLB: The 2017 Season

[YmoBeThere]

Dodgers finally clinched...

[weezie]

...weezie, but what should we make of the news out of Detroit City?

Oh my goodness. Thank you for your kind, appropriately mild, interest.

It's a steaming, post-apocalyptic mess. There aren't any signs of rescue on the horizon either. Whatever he is (I've got my own, more colorful adjectives) GM Avila is a ham-handed clod. Everybody and their sister is looking to Dan Gilbert to buy the team and save us but I dunno. Why would a smart guy like Gilbert want to stick his head into the chipper? Our farm system actually does grow only potatoes. Attendance will plummet, season ticket sales predicted to be way down, advertisers fleeing. Looking for Fulmer to be traded in a package with Zimmerman next.

We're all bracing for at least three years of pre-Pudge Rodgriguez type records. As a lefty, I might even have a shot at the rotation.

And I always groaned at how Todd Frazier had the Tigs' number but I have nothing but respect and sympathy for him now. What a terrible situation for a good guy to be in. God please help that little baby girl.

[YmoBeThere]

Oh my goodness. Thank you for your kind, appropriately mild, interest.

It's a steaming, post-apocalyptic mess. There aren't any signs of rescue on the horizon either. Whatever he is (I've got my own, more colorful adjectives) GM Avila is a ham-handed clod. Everybody and their sister is looking to Dan Gilbert to buy the team and save us but I dunno. Why would a smart guy like Gilbert want to stick his head into the chipper? Our farm system actually does grow only potatoes. Attendance will plummet, season ticket sales predicted to be way down, advertisers fleeing. Looking for Fulmer to be traded in a package with Zimmerman next.

We're all bracing for at least three years of pre-Pudge Rodgriguez type records. As a lefty, I might even have a shot at the rotation.

And I always groaned at how Todd Frazier had the Tigs' number but I have nothing but respect and sympathy for him now. What a terrible situation for a good guy to be in. God please help that little baby girl.

So, is the Ausmus departure a good thing?

[Jim3k]

The A's rookie first baseman: Matt Olson, hottest slugger in baseball at the moment.

He's a big dude, 6-5, 230. Fifty-four games, 22 home runs, hit a HR in four straight games over the weekend. Part-time player when Yonder Alonso was on the team. He's also very smooth at first. He began full-time on August 8. He's only had about 200 plate appearances so far; 137 since becoming full-time.

And, the August-September A's have been almost hot -- despite being at the bottom or near the bottom of the division. 10-3 since Sept. 6. In part, this matches Olson's full time play. In the meantime, if you extrapolate his 22 home runs to a full year, you get 60+. Can he keep it up? Unlikely, but who knows?

So--where is he on the ROY list? Looks like the East Coast hasn't even heard his name. All they know is Judge, who has had a full year. It may not be until next year, but they will learn Olson's.

He's now up to 24. Two run dinger against Texas last night in the 4-1 win.

[weezie]

So, is the Ausmus departure a good thing?

Yes. For Ausmus. Nobody wants to see Miggy become the next Ryan Howard but it's looking might grim now.

And there was nothing left for Brad to do or say. No confidence vote.

[Blue in the Face]

Cubs shortstop Addison Russell is kind of a boss. (The picture is shortly after he'd gone into the stands for a foul ball, and obliterated this guy's tray of nachos).

[rsvman]

Cubs shortstop Addison Russell is kind of a boss. (The picture is shortly after he'd gone into the stands for a foul ball, and obliterated this guy's tray of nachos).

I love this.

[cspan37421]

Yes. For Ausmus.

For the Tigers too. Brad made a you-know-what of himself on the field too many times late in the season. Everyone knows you can't argue balls and strikes with the ump, and he did a lot more than that. They are finishing disastrously. Granted, they may not have the horses at this point, but they are abysmal. 4-21 in September, a 0.160 winning percentage.

Granted, they're just under .400 winning on the year, but saying it's not so bad because it's nearly as good as the Ralph Houk years is hardly a consolation.

And given their relative payroll (relative to the league), they massively underperformed.

This is not to defend Avila, but to suggest that Ausmus shoulders at least as much of the responsibility, IMO.

[weezie]

^^^Absolutely cspan, I meant to imply that the ship has sunk, no lifeboats left and he deserves the firm boot. As much as next season is going to be another long agony, I think Comerica might have actually imploded with Ausmus at the bottom of the dugout steps.

But, of all of them, I feel sorry for Castellanos. Not a terrible year and he weathered a lot of criticism.

Quite a challenge ahead to market tickets and season seats.

[Blue in the Face]

If Ausmus is going to go, he's going to have some fun on the way out.

[Andrew] Romine will play all nine positions in the regular season finale against the Twins on Sunday, manager Brad Ausmus said.

Romine has already played every position this season other than catcher (which he's never played in the majors or minors, though he has been a bullpen and between-innings catcher), and now he's going for the clean sweep all in one afternoon. This has been done a few times in mlb history, most recently in 2000.

http://www.freep.com/story/sports/ml...ers/710801001/

[weezie]

If Ausmus is going to go, he's going to have some fun on the way out.



Romine has already played every position this season other than catcher (which he's never played in the majors or minors, though he has been a bullpen and between-innings catcher), and now he's going for the clean sweep all in one afternoon. This has been done a few times in mlb history, most recently in 2000.

http://www.freep.com/story/sports/ml...ers/710801001/

Kind of along the lines of Will Ferrell in that HBO thing last year.
Pretty sure Romine won't be back in a Tigs uni next season so let him have some fun. I wish he could hit the ball!

[Jim3k]

Or bright shining moment in last place: think Roman Candle or possibly the green flash on an ocean horizon at sunset.

Anyway, according to this East Bay Times (Mercury News columnist), the A's September fire bodes well for the future. IMO, he's likely more right than wrong. Two players he mentions are the Two Matts--Matt Olson at 1B and Matt Chapman at 3B. Both are outstanding fielders, better than anyone the A's have had in a while. Chapman, as a fielder is at the Eric Chavez level. He's going to be a multi gold glover at some point. Likewise, Olson is an outstanding fielder. I'm not sure to whom he compares. Maybe Mattingly. Anyway, I expect a gold glove in his future, too. Plus, he has a knack for home runs, as the article points out. Even Marcus Semien at SS has improved his fielding to over 97%. (He's only played about half a season due to an injury.) And, of course, LF Khris Davis (at this date) has 108 RBIs and 42 home runs. He's a legitimate slugger.

Anyway, there seems to be hope at the end of a disastrous season--if the columnist is right. With improved pitching and a shore-up of center field, I think he may be.

So...Wait 'til next year, baby!

[jimsumner]

. Likewise, Olson is an outstanding fielder. I'm not sure to whom he compares. Maybe Mattingly. Anyway, I expect a gold glove in his future, too. Plus, he has a knack for home runs, as the article points out. :

Keith Hernandez is the gold standard here, IMO.

[Jim3k]

Keith Hernandez is the gold standard here, IMO.

No doubt. Both Hernandez and Mattingly were comparably sized, 6-0 and 185 or so. Olson is 6-5, 230. Sizewise, he's more like Andres Galarraga, 6-3, 235. I dunno if he has The Big Cat's extraordinary reflexes, but it seems close. I love Olson's range and his 3-6-3 capability. Like Mattingly, he is a left-handed hitter. Unlike Mattingly, he throws right. So did Hernandez and Galarraga. Not really fair to compare Olson to any of them yet. The main question is what kind of overall fielder he turns out to be over the long haul. It's too soon to see if he pans out as I predict, but I think he's got what it takes. Let's judge him next September.

[DU82]

No doubt. Both Hernandez and Mattingly were comparably sized, 6-0 and 185 or so. Olson is 6-5, 230. Sizewise, he's more like Andres Galarraga, 6-3, 235. I dunno if he has The Big Cat's extraordinary reflexes, but it seems close. I love Olson's range and his 3-6-3 capability. Like Mattingly, he is a left-handed hitter. Unlike Mattingly, he throws right. So did Hernandez and Galarraga. Not really fair to compare Olson to any of them yet. The main question is what kind of overall fielder he turns out to be over the long haul. It's too soon to see if he pans out as I predict, but I think he's got what it takes. Let's judge him next September.

Hernandez was one of us, a lefty all the way.

[weezie]

Andrew Romine did indeed play all nine positions for the Tigs tonight, notching the first and last outs. Watching him face a batter in the 8th was pretty scary. Cameras were showing his whole family in the stands with his mother and wife covering their eyes. Reminds me that this baseball hitting-throwing-catching thing is really, really hard.

Good for him, well done.

[Jim3k]

Hernandez was one of us, a lefty all the way.

Yep. It was either an editing error or I have no excuse.

[Blue in the Face]

Andrew Romine did indeed play all nine positions for the Tigs tonight, notching the first and last outs. Watching him face a batter in the 8th was pretty scary. Cameras were showing his whole family in the stands with his mother and wife covering their eyes. Reminds me that this baseball hitting-throwing-catching thing is really, really hard.

Good for him, well done.

Not just any batter, .511 slugging Miguel Sano. Well done indeed.