Another couple of things in the news. All AAA teams will use automated strike zone this season. Hopefully it works well, and the MLB will use it in 2024.
Matt Holiday who was hired by the Cardinals in November to be the hitting coach has resigned to spend time with his family. Probably to see his son who is one of the top prospects in the minor leagues play. Matt was just elected to the Cardinal HOF last year.
Edit: Holiday was not the hitting coach but was a bench coach.
Last edited by jv001; 01-14-2023 at 10:14 AM. Reason: position error
Maybe it’s because I don’t follow the NBA very closely, but it’s interesting that overpaid gets thrown around so much for baseball players with a 162 game regular season and few days off, but basketball salaries seem to be even higher (in a sport with a “cap”).
NL batting champ Jeff McNeil agrees to extension with the Mets. Four years, $50 million, with a team option for 2027 at $13.75 million. He probably would have gotten more in arbitration, but why take the risk? This looks like win-win.
You and me both. When there were just two divisions in MLB, the NL and AL, I could name you the player at each position for every team in both leagues. Now I can't name every player at those positions in the NL Central. Of course, part of that is from having more teams and also, this old memory ain't what she used to be.
My dad started fantasy baseball in the mid-80s. He created a spreadsheet of some sort to track stats for his league (he was a computer guy - everyone else was a lawyer). They could only make changes once a week and he would also use the weekly USA Today update for stats. It was about 8-10 teams and just NL so they got down to a lot of role players.
He and I knew every guy on every team and most key prospects. Now I know most of the Yankees, the bulk of the Mets, and not much else.
Pitchers and Catchers going to the WBC report on Monday, other WBC players on Wednesday
Spring training for the rest starts a week later.
We're almost to baseball!
YEAH .. Padres, pitchers and catchers report Thursday, February 16th ..
I like our new 2023 new starting line up. Adding Tatis Jr back to the line up (as usual, all is forgiven ) Adding Xander Bogaerts at short stop , and DH Nelson Cruz.
Soto , Grisham or Carpenter , and Tatis Jr , make up the outfield
Cronenwoth at first, Kim at 2nd , Bogaerts at short , Machado at 3rd, and Nola catahing.
I would like to see more pitching. Another bonified starter would be nice.
STAY HEALTHY MY FRIENDS !!
It's permanent now,, extra inning games , runner starts at 2nd base. I understand it. I'm probably just a little old fashion.. maybe play the 10th inning as regular baseball before starting runners at 2nd.
The positives are good for baseball. A game that last 18-20 plus innings can mess up a team for a week . Usually bullpen arms are saved , which means they aren't worn out as much in the post season. Starting a runner at 2nd allows some old style offense,, like bunting to move the runner to 3rd etc. Fans that are there for games through 9 tend to not be there in the 18th etc,
Padres are 12 -5 last year with the rule.. they are 25-12 over the last 3 years.
If you have a favorite team that has realistic chances to make the playoffs , you should like this rule to save arms.
What other new rules do you like or not like ? pitch clock ?
The best broadcasts in baseball will continue. Keith signs three-year deal.
I read a good article explaining all the new rules and I like the ban on the shift, the pitch clock and the bases but I loathe the runner on second rule being made permanent.
The lack of a shift will help hitters and allow more base hits which will make the game more entertaining.
After studying the bigger bases in the minors it led to an uptick on stolen base attempts which will also make things more exciting.
At first I wasn't a fan of the pitch clock but I think it's necessary. Something simply had to be done about the pace of play. After a period of adjustment they say it went over well in the minors so I think the players will adjust just fine.
"The future ain't what it used to be."
The rule barring the shift has me wondering, will we see a team move one of its outfielders over to the pull side of the field when there's a strictly pull hitter up? That would leave a huge gap in the outfield. On a left-handed pull hitter, the right fielder would be in short right, the left fielder would go to right field and the center fielder would stay center. There was some speculation on MLB the other day about this.
I don't see this happening but you never know. If the hitter happened to hit one into left field he would run for days. Not sure it's worth the risk. I could however see them move the SS behind the bag at second, followed by the 3B to SS and heavily shade all 3 outfielders to the right side of the field.
"The future ain't what it used to be."
I have a request for the coming season. In the last few years, one poster (I forget who), who is obviously and fantastically a fan of the St. Louis Cardinals, has posted quite regularly on strictly Cardinals-related topics. Of course that is his right and I have no problem at all with it -his posts are informative and fun. But if he's planning on doing that again, I propose we have a general thread for the baseball season and general discussion of all the teams, trends, players, controversies, etc. And a separate thread for the Cardinals. Just so the one-and-only baseball thread doesn't become so dominated again by the Cardinals posts.