Baseball 2019

[easysurfer]

And now that the season is over, we sit and wait patiently to see where all the free agents and castoffs will end up for next season.

Any guesses on Cole?

There was a mention during one of the broadcasts that maybe the Angels as a landing spot for him. Regardless, there may be bidding war. Unless of course, the collusion continues and big name free agents don't get signed til after the all star break.

 

[jazz4cash]

I had to run out just at the end of the game and did not see the last out or the presentation of the trophy. When I got home, they were awarding the MVP (nice car) to a basically empty stadium. Question, did the Huston fans stick around for the awarding of the World Series trophy? Or, did they just leave when the game ended, which would be totally rude.

Those were all Nats fans that were allowed to move down behind home plate for the award ceremony. A couple thousand of them by one report. No one realized how many were in attendance since they were. Spread out around the stadium and the team colors are close. There were many reports about it on local sports talk radio today. A lot of good sportsmanship among fans (including Astros fans that attended games in DC). Someone said it was almost cheaper to travel to Houston because ticket prices in DC were crazy. I saw prices of ~$700 for standing room only.

 

[jazz4cash]

When all else fails, try the rules.

https://www.umpirebible.com/index.php/rules-base-running/basepath-running-lane#lane

This explanation covers it very well. The problem is that the throw was NOT made from the vicinity of the plate (where the only throwing angle is along the base path). I only heard one “expert” opine that the call was bad because the ball was not in the vicinity of the plate but it’s a judgement call so prone to unintended consequences.

 

[Montecfo]

This explanation covers it very well. The problem is that the throw was NOT made from the vicinity of the plate (where the only throwing angle is along the base path). I only heard one “expert” opine that the call was bad because the ball was not in the vicinity of the plate but it’s a judgement call so prone to unintended consequences.

That and Turner was right at the bag when throw arrived. The rule covers this, he is allowed to be in baseline at that point.

 

[Qs Laptop]

Except he ran the entire way inside the line, almost on the grass. That's why he was called out.

Not quite. He was called out for interference. He was interfering because he was running inside the line and ran into the first baseman's glove.

 

[Qs Laptop]

Horsehocky.

REMEMBER 1969 world series Mets vs Orioles. Left handed catcher JC Martin bunts and heads straight down the line. Pitcher Richart fields. His throw hit Martin on the leg No interference. Winning run scored on the play. Pics and video are out there on YouTube, Etc.

Different play sure, but the bottom line is you can't cross the first base bag without being in the base path, which is all that Turner was guilty of.

No, Turner was guilty of knocking the glove off the first baseman's hand, obviously interfering with his ability to make a play.

 

[Qs Laptop]

And all the talk about it being a bad throw? It's very simple. All Turner had to do was run in the lane. If the ball still hits them, the ump let's it go, because he's running where he's supposed to. He's says he took off from inside the lines (true, and legal), and he ran a straight line to the base. Problem with that is he's not entitled to stay in fair territory the last 45 feet. He put himself in position to be called for interference by staying in fair territory.

Yes.

 

[MuirWannabe]

Whoa. MLB lowers the boom on the Astros. And then a few minutes later, the Astros lower the boom further on HInch.

I’m a rangers fan who grew up an Astros fan. Was very happy for the Astros when they got their 2017 title. But I feel the MLB punishment was reasonable given the extent of the cheating. Now I wonder if Hinch will be blackballed and never manage again.

Shocking day for Houston. On the heels of a horrible day for Houston just yesterday with the Texans.

 

[timo2]

If MLB really wants to punish cheaters, they will award the 2017 world championship to the Dodgers.


"The Dodgers have not won the World Series since 1988. They have only appeared in the World Series twice since then, in 2017 and 2018.

Both teams that beat them — the Houston Astros in 2017 and the Boston Red Sox in 2018 — now are under investigation by Major League Baseball over allegations they improperly using technology to steal signs."
https://www.latimes.com/sports/dodg...x-astros-world-series-stealing-signs-cheating

 

[Big_Hitter]

Shocking day for Houston. On the heels of a horrible day for Houston just yesterday with the Texans.

hey we still have the rockets!

 

[Car-Guy]

They all cheat...Players, coaches, managers... He (Astros) just went over the line and got caught, or was the scapegoat, or both.

 

[harley]

If MLB really wants to punish cheaters, they will award the 2017 world championship to the Dodgers.


"The Dodgers have not won the World Series since 1988. They have only appeared in the World Series twice since then, in 2017 and 2018.

Both teams that beat them — the Houston Astros in 2017 and the Boston Red Sox in 2018 — now are under investigation by Major League Baseball over allegations they improperly using technology to steal signs."
https://www.latimes.com/sports/dodg...x-astros-world-series-stealing-signs-cheating

As a life long Dodger fan, I'm pretty sure that even if the league awarded them the title they'd still find a way to screw it up. Still, it sucks to hear about the cheating.

 

[Qs Laptop]

If MLB really wants to punish cheaters, they will award the 2017 world championship to the Dodgers.

Nice try, but I don't think there is any evidence that Houston's sign stealing went on in the 2017 post season.

 

[Pellice]

I don't understand why the players were exempt from punishment, particularly since this was said to be "player-driven."

 

[Qs Laptop]

They all cheat...Players, coaches, managers... He (Astros) just went over the line and got caught, or was the scapegoat, or both.

If a runner on second base can decode the catcher's signs and signal the batter somehow, is that cheating? Or is it part of the game?

Obviously (at least to me) a camera in centerfield and a signaling system using text messages on Apple watches is cheating.

 

[aja8888]

Good Lord! I may have to burn my Astro's tee shirts and sweat shirts over this. I might even resort to going back to being a Yankee fan again.

 

[Car-Guy]

Yes, it's all cheating... Just different degrees. (and/or levels of sophistication)

 

[Qs Laptop]

Yes, it's all cheating... Just different degrees.

OK, how about this--when a pitcher is in the set position and he is going to throw a fastball he has a habit when going into the motion of throwing the pitch of separating his pitching hand with ball from his glove sooner than when he throws any other pitch. A batter on an opposing team notices this and tells his teammates. Cheating?

 

[harley]

OK, how about this--when a pitcher is in the set position and he is going to throw a fastball he has a habit when going into the motion of throwing the pitch of separating his pitching hand with ball from his glove sooner than when he throws any other pitch. A batter on an opposing team notices this and tells his teammates. Cheating?

No, no more so than noticing a tell in poker is cheating. It's when they use technology and people other than the players/coaches on the field that it turns into cheating in my opinion. If a pitcher has a tell and learns about it, he can adjust to neutralize it. But using cameras or something that you can't adjust for makes it cheating.

 

[Car-Guy]

OK, how about this--when a pitcher is in the set position and he is going to throw a fastball he has a habit when going into the motion of throwing the pitch of separating his pitching hand with ball from his glove sooner than when he throws any other pitch. A batter on an opposing team notices this and tells his teammates. Cheating?

As I said it's degrees...If you are asking me for my unofficial ruling/opinion on that particular scenario, I'd say that's not much different than studying the habits/capabilities of each batter and each pitcher and then the team adjusts field positions accordingly, which they all do every game.

 

[anethum]

Los Angeles should host a parade this weekend for the 2017 Dodgers championship team.

Maybe Kershaw didn't choke after all in game 5 in Houston.

 

[Qs Laptop]

Los Angeles should host a parade this weekend for the 2017 Dodgers championship team.

Maybe Kershaw didn't choke after all in game 5 in Houston.

I don't think there is any evidence that Houston's sign stealing went on in the 2017 post season.

 

[Qs Laptop]

No, no more so than noticing a tell in poker is cheating. It's when they use technology and people other than the players/coaches on the field that it turns into cheating in my opinion. If a pitcher has a tell and learns about it, he can adjust to neutralize it. But using cameras or something that you can't adjust for makes it cheating.

As I said it's degrees...If you are asking me for my unofficial ruling/opinion on that particular scenario, I'd say that's not much different than studying the habits/capabilities of each batter and each pitcher and then the team adjusts field positions accordingly, which they all do every game.

I agree with both of you.

I don't think a runner on 2nd base that can figure out the signs and signal the batter is cheating; I think that is part of the game. The pitcher and catcher can always adjust and change their signs (and they do).

 

[anethum]

I don't think there is any evidence that Houston's sign stealing went on in the 2017 post season.

You are incorrect. The MLB statement from the commissioner specifically cites the Astros cheating in the 2017 regular season AND postseason:

https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/mlb/cglrhmlrwwbkacty27l7.pdf

One relevant sentence:

Notwithstanding the publicity surrounding the Red Sox incident, and the September 15th memorandum that I sent to all Clubs, the Astros continued to both utilize the replay review room and the monitor located next to the dugout to decode signs for the remainder of the regular season and throughout the Postseason.

 

[Qs Laptop]

You are incorrect. The MLB statement from the commissioner specifically cites the Astros cheating in the 2017 regular season AND postseason:

https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/mlb/cglrhmlrwwbkacty27l7.pdf

One relevant sentence:

Notwithstanding the publicity surrounding the Red Sox incident, and the September 15th memorandum that I sent to all Clubs, the Astros continued to both utilize the replay review room and the monitor located next to the dugout to decode signs for the remainder of the regular season and throughout the Postseason.

OK, thanks for that. I hadn't heard about that yet.