2023 MLB Season

[pfrduke]

Baseball is back! And quicker! Open thread for the season.

[Duke79UNLV77]

Max Muncy is on pace to strike out 810 times this year! Would that be a record?

[Turk]

Let me get this out of the way: your undefeated, first place Pittsburgh Pirates!! If they can sign Reynolds (rumors say they're close on duration $$, and just need to hammer the details on opt-out capability), it says here the "baby Yuccos" should be close to 79 wins. Love that they brought Cutch back. I think there will be flashes of competent baseball at the Confluence this summer... I have pretty much given up on the fantasy of Mark Cuban or Mario Lemieux buying the team, and will learn to live with what we have. On the plus side "Potato Pete" is returning back to the pierogi racers ("so we have that going for us...")

[Rogue]

After 2 straight losses to open the season. I feel like my Padres are like UNC as the preseason #1 pick in many places.
It'll be nice to get our #1 & 2 starters back in uniform ,, maybe by the end of the week .
Starting April 6th the Friars start a 7 game , 7 day , road trip to Atlanta and the NY Mets.

Ok guys, turn it around.

[75Crazie]

After 2 straight losses to open the season. I feel like my Padres are like UNC as the preseason #1 pick in many places.
It'll be nice to get our #1 & 2 starters back in uniform ,, maybe by the end of the week .
Starting April 6th the Friars start a 7 game , 7 day , road trip to Atlanta and the NY Mets.

Ok guys, turn it around.

You have my permission to wait a couple of days before starting the turnaround. I am enjoying the all-too-rare sensation of seeing the Rockies alone in first place.

[duke2x]

After 2 straight losses to open the season. I feel like my Padres are like UNC as the preseason #1 pick in many places.

It's better than being a Reds fan and already knowing your team is the Louisville of the season.

[Rogue]

You have my permission to wait a couple of days before starting the turnaround. I am enjoying the all-too-rare sensation of seeing the Rockies alone in first place.

Baseball is an amazing game. Enjoy being in 1st. It’s yours until some team can take it away.
Rockies have been a tough out for my Friers the last few years .

[CameronDuke]

The Cardinals’ staff walked 10 batters today yet they still won 4-1. Figure that one out.

[CameronBlue]

The Cardinals’ staff walked 10 batters today yet they still won 4-1. Figure that one out.

True story, my worst day on the mound in Little League, we won 14-8, I had 8 walks and 4 passed balls (in a 6-inning game). I was so wild that the headline on the writeup in the paper read

"<My name> Pitches 4-Hitter Thomas Oil wins 14-8"

I should've sent that sports writer a root beer.

[Duke79UNLV77]

True story, my worst day on the mound in Little League, we won 14-8, I had 8 walks and 4 passed balls (in a 6-inning game). I was so wild that the headline on the writeup in the paper read

"<My name> Pitches 4-Hitter Thomas Oil wins 14-8"

I should've sent that sports writer a root beer.

I pitched a no-hitter and lost in Little League.

[CameronBlue]

I pitched a no-hitter and lost in Little League.

Were you like me so wild that you couldn’t get one in the strike zone?

[duke2x]

The Cardinals’ staff walked 10 batters today yet they still won 4-1. Figure that one out.

They are in a 5-way tie for last place right now with my Reds.

[El_Diablo]

Max Muncy is on pace to strike out 810 times this year! Would that be a record?

And Trayce Thompson is on pace to hit 480 home runs this year.

[jv001]

The Cardinals’ staff walked 10 batters today yet they still won 4-1. Figure that one out.

Jack Flaherty who is in his FA year with the Cards, started the game and didn't allow a hit or a run in 5 innings. However, he gave up 7 walks, a HBP and had 95 pitches. Needless to say, he won't get away with that kind of performance many times. His ERA looks good but I bet his WHIP isn't as impressive.

[budwom]

Detroit City I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this. Cats off to their usual abysmal start...that franchise is just lost.

[Duke79UNLV77]

And Trayce Thompson is on pace to hit 480 home runs this year.

People will start referring to Klay as Trayce’s brother!

[CameronDuke]

The Cardinals averaged 45,878 fans per game this weekend at Busch Stadium as they took 2 of 3 from the visiting Toronto Blue Jays from north of the border. That trails only the Dodgers for highest attendance in MLB three games into the long season. I heard the Nationals didn’t even sell out their opening day in D.C. How quickly that franchise went from the penthouse (2019) to the outhouse.

[mkirsh]

The Cardinals averaged 45,878 fans per game this weekend at Busch Stadium as they took 2 of 3 from the visiting Toronto Blue Jays from north of the border. That trails only the Dodgers for highest attendance in MLB three games into the long season. I heard the Nationals didn’t even sell out their opening day in D.C. How quickly that franchise went from the penthouse (2019) to the outhouse.

Tell me about it. The Nats had an 8 year run from 2012 through 2019 where they finished 1st or 2nd in the division every year, averaged 91 wins, paired incredible home grown talent (Ryan Zimmerman, Bryce Harper, Steven Strasberg, Trea Turner, Anthony Rendon, Juan Soto) with Scherzer and some other savvy vet signings/trades (Kendrick, Eaton, Corbin) that culminated in a magnificent WS run in 2019. Now they are an AAAA team (at best) who are 2 years away from being 2 years away. Sad that the franchise let all their stars leave (except Stras, ugh) and now will walk the wilderness for a while. May have to check out the ball a bit up 95 this season.

[CameronDuke]

Tell me about it. The Nats had an 8 year run from 2012 through 2019 where they finished 1st or 2nd in the division every year, averaged 91 wins, paired incredible home grown talent (Ryan Zimmerman, Bryce Harper, Steven Strasberg, Trea Turner, Anthony Rendon, Juan Soto) with Scherzer and some other savvy vet signings/trades (Kendrick, Eaton, Corbin) that culminated in a magnificent WS run in 2019. Now they are an AAAA team (at best) who are 2 years away from being 2 years away. Sad that the franchise let all their stars leave (except Stras, ugh) and now will walk the wilderness for a while. May have to check out the ball a bit up 95 this season.

Yeah they simply let their stars walk. There are many names in their lineup I don’t even recognize. They had a hell of a run in the timeframe you mentioned. Traveling quite a bit to D.C. on business during that time, they seemed all the rage in that region. However, now the Braves appear to be positioned for a long period of domination in that division like the 90s/early 2000s. They have locked up Acuña, Albies, Riley, Harris II as well possess as a young stable of pitching coupled with some decent acquisitions. I think they’ll likely win another championship before this run of theirs is done.

[mkirsh]

Yeah they simply let their stars walk. There are many names in their lineup I don’t even recognize. They had a hell of a run in the timeframe you mentioned. Traveling quite a bit to D.C. on business during that time, they seemed all the rage in that region. However, now the Braves appear to be positioned for a long period of domination in that division like the 90s/early 2000s. They have locked up Acuña, Albies, Riley, Harris II as well possess as a young stable of pitching coupled with some decent acquisitions. I think they’ll likely win another championship before this run of theirs is done.

The Braves have had the magic touch in getting their stars locked up to long term deals that appear team friendly. Their farm system is poorly rated right now but I think that's a function of so many of those guys now contributing in the bigs. The division is really tough with the free spending Mets and Phils, but the Braves are solidly positioned to contend for a long time.