Baseball 2024

I got my NYs mixed up. Glanced at headline and thought he resigned with Yankees. Funny how the mind plays tricks on you.

$50 million/year isn't that much if he can consistently perform for 15 years.
 
Soto can FIRE now, well, after 15 more years if he invests well. The signing feels like tacky showboating to me, but I suppose Cohen can spend his bucks as he wants. And it's going to take even more spending to compete with the Dodgers. I suspect the other team owners are just overjoyed by the salary inflation this will incite.
 
On first glance one would think the rule limiting the pitcher to two throws to a base would have an effect. But I disagree, in most cases.

For 95% of base stealers the runner is only going to attempt a steal on a specific count. Usually this is when the pitcher is ahead in the count, say 0-2, or 1-2, sometimes 1-1. The reason is the pitcher, when in a favourable count, can throw a waste pitch, trying to get the batter to strikeout on (usually) a breaking pitch out of the zone. There is no reason to throw a fastball for a strike in these situations. The team at bat know this and figure a slower, breaking pitch in the dirt is a great opportunity to steal.

However, the half dozen players per league with elite speed can go on just about ball-strike count, including fastball counts (2-0, 2-1, 3-1.) These are the guys that pitchers will use the pick off move and throw over to the base to keep the speedsters from taking that extra step. In other words, the speedsters are going to run, better hold them on base by throwing over.

Pitchers don't use the pick off move on guys with decent speed too often. They will throw over if there's a speedster on base but he's going to steal no matter what. This hasn't changed with the rule changes.
On a favorable count the pitcher is likely to use that waste pitch to throw a pitch out, a fast ball well off the plate that gets the catcher up knows won't be hit so he's already in great throwing position. Doubtful they will intentionally throw a curve in the dirt with a fast runner on first.
 
Soto can FIRE now, well, after 15 more years if he invests well. The signing feels like tacky showboating to me, but I suppose Cohen can spend his bucks as he wants. And it's going to take even more spending to compete with the Dodgers. I suspect the other team owners are just overjoyed by the salary inflation this will incite.
Soto will get over $17K per pitch during an at bat. Now that is what I call in income stream.
 
Soto will get over $17K per pitch during an at bat. Now that is what I call in income stream.
I wonder if he has a non performance and/or injury clause in his contract. I mean look what happen once Jerry Jones gave Dak his mega contract. Didn't play worth a crap and then got hurt and is out for the year. (or more)
 
Bonilla also gets $765 per year, just without the "million" word.
 
On a favorable count the pitcher is likely to use that waste pitch to throw a pitch out, a fast ball well off the plate that gets the catcher up knows won't be hit so he's already in great throwing position. Doubtful they will intentionally throw a curve in the dirt with a fast runner on first.
I said the pitcher would throw a waste pitch in the dirt on a favourable counts with 95% of base runners but not those with elite speed.

As to pitch outs they are extremely rare these days, probably only a handful per year. I'm tempted to say there are no pitch outs in baseball anymore but I remember seeing one last season. I watch at least 75 games per year.
 
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