2022 MLB Season

[jv001]

<Moving this here from the "61" thread, which I decided did not need this bit of negativity>

This CNN opinion piece captures my feelings almost exactly about the hoopla around Judge's year. It is not anti-Judge, and I'm not either; it's just that major league baseball records have become next to meaningless to me. And this is from someone who devoured Washington Senator news and played hours and hours of Strat-O-Matic as a kid.

Washington lost their baseball team twice. The first time the team became the Minnesota Twins and the next time they became the Texas Rangers. I guess that's why the last time they named the team the Washington Nationals.

[75Crazie]

Washington lost their baseball team twice. The first time the team became the Minnesota Twins and the next time they became the Texas Rangers. I guess that's why the last time they named the team the Washington Nationals.

Don't get me started on that. Might as well call them the Washington Adjectives. Horrible, horrible name. Of course, as a Senators fan, I am very biased.

[acdevil]

As a Commanders fan, I don’t want to hear complaints from the Nationals fan base.

[75Crazie]

As a Commanders fan, I don’t want to hear complaints from the Nationals fan base.

I hear you. Washington is poorly served by their team names (remember the Bullets? Of course, Baltimore shared much of the blame for that). Even "Capitals", a poor name in its own right, shines by comparison.

[DUKIECB]

After beating DeGrom and Scherzer on back to back nights, the Braves now lead the NL East.

What a run by the Braves. Feel like this is kind of a collapse by the Mets, too, but more an amazing run by the Braves.

The final game between the Braves and Mets will almost assuredly decide who wins the division. Even though the Braves now lead by a single game, if they lose tonight the Mets would then hold the season head to head lead by 1 which is the tiebreaker. Therefore, the Braves would have to hope to sweep the Marlins in their final three games and hope the Nationals can take 1 of 3 from the Mets to regain a single game advantage.

This almost feels like a game 7! In past seasons it wouldn't have been quite so huge but with the new playoff format the winner of the division gets a first round bye and they don't have to face the Dodgers until the NLCS. I think this new playoff format is good. In the past the division winners didn't get enough of an advantage over the wildcard teams which in my opinion wasn't fair. With the new format the wildcard teams have a tougher road than before.

I think MLB is moving in the right direction - new improved playoff format, rule changes next year including pitch clock, no more infield shift and no more runner at second base to start extra innings. Having already made the DH permanent in both leagues I think these are all positive changes that will help make the game a better product for the fans.

[CameronDuke]

Albert Pujols just hit HR # 702 of his career and # 23 of the season at Busch Stadium on a day he was honored with Yadier Molina before the game as it’s their last regular season game there ever. The mayor of St. Louis also declared 10/4 as Yadier Molina day and 10/5 as Albert Pujols day in St. Louis.

He also has tied Babe Ruth with 2,214 RBI. That’s 2nd most in MLB history.

[ClemmonsDevil]

Albert Pujols just hit HR # 702 of his career and # 23 of the season at Busch Stadium on a day he was honored with Yadier Molina before the game as it’s their last regular season game there ever. The mayor of St. Louis also declared 10/4 as Yadier Molina day and 10/5 as Albert Pujols day in St. Louis.

He also has tied Babe Ruth with 2,214 RBI. That’s 2nd most in MLB history.

Yeah. Pujols had a Pantheon level HOF career.

[acdevil]

I’m sure some idiot will find a reason to not vote him in on the first ballot.

[CameronDuke]

Judge is going to have to start getting some hits to win the triple crown. After going 0-3 today, he’s batting .311 now. The AL leader Luis Arraez of the Twins is batting .315. Judge is still in it but he needs to get going.

[ClemmonsDevil]

I’m sure some idiot will find a reason to not vote him in on the first ballot.

Yeah. This is the greatest "clean" career from a power hitter since Griffey Jr/Frank Thomas maybe. I absolutely love Pujols and I'm a Braves fan.

[pfrduke]

Yeah. This is the greatest "clean" career from a power hitter since Griffey Jr/Frank Thomas maybe. I absolutely love Pujols and I'm a Braves fan.

I’d say since Aaron. Pujols’ career > either Griffey or Thomas.

[tommy]

<Moving this here from the "61" thread, which I decided did not need this bit of negativity>

This CNN opinion piece captures my feelings almost exactly about the hoopla around Judge's year. It is not anti-Judge, and I'm not either; it's just that major league baseball records have become next to meaningless to me. And this is from someone who devoured Washington Senator news and played hours and hours of Strat-O-Matic as a kid.

I was a Strat fanatic as well. And taught it to my son when he was younger. No doubt I know more -- a lot more -- about baseball history, and all the players that came before, their stats, and lots of other information -- due to the hours and hours and hours of Strat that was played in my house over many years . . .

Strat football was great too. Baskeball, less so. I wonder what those games are like today with all the data available now, the advanced stats, etc. Probably taken a lot of the fun out of it. . . .

[DU82]

I’d say since Aaron. Pujols’ career > either Griffey or Thomas.

Checking baseball-reference.com, career WAR (wins above replacement) totals put Pujols 29th overall. Their WAR calculations tend to over-value pitchers IMO, but as is, the players since 1952 (after Mays/Mantle, before Aaron) above him on the list (leaving out Bonds, Clemens and A-Rod) are Aaron (7), Rickey Henderson (19), Seaver (22), Frank Robinson (23), Schmidt (25), Maddux (27) and Randy Johnson (tied at 29). Right behind is Joe Morgan.

There’s a recency bias with Pujols, especially with his last (current) season being his only above average season since 2016. He’s certainly an inside circle HOFer but not at the top of the list in the past 65 years. Mike Trout has been better over his career so far, through the same age. To pick one comparison, Trout’s AVERAGE WAR ‘is higher than Pujols’s single season career high from his great 2008 season.

(I’m using B-R’s WAR as a comparison because it’s easy to find. Other methods, such as Bill James’s Win Shares, would have slightly different listings, but other than discounting the pre-1900 careers/seasons (especially pitchers), the names are going to be mostly the same.)

[rasputin]

Don't get me started on that. Might as well call them the Washington Adjectives. Horrible, horrible name. Of course, as a Senators fan, I am very biased.

I am a lifelong Yankee fan (my dad caddied for Babe Ruth at the Round Hill Country Club, and my most pleasant early memories are from Yankee Stadium circa 1961). One of my all-time favorite players, though, is Harmon Killebrew, who used to drive my father crazy.

[Rogue]

Padres clinch nl wildcard spot

ring the mission bell .

[acdevil]

Checking baseball-reference.com, career WAR (wins above replacement) totals put Pujols 29th overall. Their WAR calculations tend to over-value pitchers IMO, but as is, the players since 1952 (after Mays/Mantle, before Aaron) above him on the list (leaving out Bonds, Clemens and A-Rod) are Aaron (7), Rickey Henderson (19), Seaver (22), Frank Robinson (23), Schmidt (25), Maddux (27) and Randy Johnson (tied at 29). Right behind is Joe Morgan.

There’s a recency bias with Pujols, especially with his last (current) season being his only above average season since 2016. He’s certainly an inside circle HOFer but not at the top of the list in the past 65 years. Mike Trout has been better over his career so far, through the same age. To pick one comparison, Trout’s AVERAGE WAR ‘is higher than Pujols’s single season career high from his great 2008 season.

(I’m using B-R’s WAR as a comparison because it’s easy to find. Other methods, such as Bill James’s Win Shares, would have slightly different listings, but other than discounting the pre-1900 careers/seasons (especially pitchers), the names are going to be mostly the same.)

Either way, my point stands. Pujols is one of the all-time greats and by, any objective measure, a no doubt hall of famer. And yet, some idiot writer will leave him off the first ballot because REASONs.

[CameronDuke]

Braves sweep the Mets in Atlanta and hold a 2 game lead for the NL East divisional pennant. They still have to take care of business against the Marlins this week to hold on but man, that’s a huge sweep for the Braves. The Mets have had a great year but it appears they’ll be a Wild Card winner as their ticket to the postseason. I am not sure their record since the All-Star break but it can’t be fantastic. I think they held a 10.5 game lead over the Braves after the All-Star break. Atlanta’s record since then has to be close to or amongst the best in MLB.

[acdevil]

Braves sweep the Mets in Atlanta and hold a 2 game lead for the NL East divisional pennant. They still have to take care of business against the Marlins this week to hold on but man, that’s a huge sweep for the Braves. The Mets have had a great year but it appears they’ll be a Wild Card winner as their ticket to the postseason. I am not sure their record since the All-Star break but it can’t be fantastic. I think they held a 10.5 game lead over the Braves after the All-Star break. Atlanta’s record since then has to be close to or amongst the best in MLB.

I think the Mets record since that point equates to a 96 win season while the Braves pace was 114 wins. So, it was the Braves taking it more than the Mets choking it away.

[CameronDuke]

I think the Mets record since that point equates to a 96 win season while the Braves pace was 114 wins. So, it was the Braves taking it more than the Mets choking it away.

Ok, yeah that’s pretty good for the Mets and excellent for the Braves. I saw in August, September, and October, the Mets are 34-24. Their last NL East divisional pennant was 2015. It is not impossible they still win one this year but improbable. The Braves own the NL East. If they hold on this year, this will be their 17th NL East divisional pennant since 1995 (and 5th in a row). That is absurd domination of that division.

If the season ended today the Mets would be the 4 seed hosting the Friars in the wild card series with the winner getting the Dodgers in the NLDS. The Cardinals would get the 3 seed in the other wild card series hosting the Phillies with the winner getting the Braves in the NLDS.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

I was a Strat fanatic as well. And taught it to my son when he was younger. No doubt I know more -- a lot more -- about baseball history, and all the players that came before, their stats, and lots of other information -- due to the hours and hours and hours of Strat that was played in my house over many years . . .

Strat football was great too. Baskeball, less so. I wonder what those games are like today with all the data available now, the advanced stats, etc. Probably taken a lot of the fun out of it. . . .

Totally agreed on stratomatic. I played religiously in middle school in the late 80s. Like you, I know a tremendous amount about baseball history but much less about what has happened in the last 20 years. The great teacher who ran the stratomatic club at my middle school actually recently passed away - I was sad to hear of his passing, but it brought back great memories.

I am looking forward to the playoffs this year. There should be some fun series. I am cautiously optimistic about the Yanks - just not sure what to think about the bullpen, but I assume they will go with a shorter rotation and that might help with the bullpen. It will be a fun October in NY with both teams in the playoffs.