2016 MLB Regular Season - It's an Even Year...

Discussion in 'Sports and Fitness' started by tomalak301, Apr 3, 2016.

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  1. Tom Hendricks

    Tom Hendricks Vice Admiral Premium Member

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    The Cubs magic number is 27
     
    Tom Hendricks, Aug 23, 2016
    #421
  2. Scout101

    Scout101 Admiral Admiral

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    Magic numbers in August are stupid. Almost every team in the league could make a count. Couple others would be brutal, but I don't think anyone is even mathematically eliminated yet. I mean, if the Twins win every remaining game (38), Cleveland doesn't win more than another 14, and no one else wins more than 21, they still finish in 1st. To get into a wild card spot, it's even a lower bar.

    Magic numbers are more interesting when they are single digits. I guess it's nice to know that you can control your own destiny to the point of winning just over half of your games and unless your opponents go CRAZY, you're good. Just good for being able to rest key players down the stretch. Not sure how many remaining games are against the Cardinals, though; that magic number could get ugly fast if they lose some to the birds and the numbers flip 2 at a time...
     
    Scout101, Aug 23, 2016
    #422
  3. Ar-Pharazon

    Ar-Pharazon Admiral Premium Member

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    The Cubs have the biggest lead over a second place team. A magic number that low is very meaningful.

    Only 6 more games against the Cards (3 home/3 away).
     
    Ar-Pharazon, Aug 23, 2016
    #423
  4. Timby

    Timby o yea just like that Administrator

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    I'm starting to get worried about the Cubs, though. The strength all season has been the pitching, but Arrieta is clearly running out of gas again, Hammel has turned into a pumpkin once again (there are some rumors flying around that he has a drinking problem, but I'm choosing to take that with a grain of salt for the moment), Lackey's hurt, I'm not sure Montgomery can pull a rabbit out of his hat again, and while Hendricks has been lights-out, I'm not at all convinced that he can maintain his soft contact rate -- at some point he's going to fall back to Earth (Edit: I mean, Arrieta's amazing season last year was because he adjusted his mechanics to induce as many groundballs with his slider as he did with his sinker, and his release is clearly off this season -- while Maddon has been pretty cautious with Hendricks' use, at some point the guy is going to hit a pretty hard diminishing wall of returns). Lester's the one solid rock in the rotation right now and that's scary in a short playoff series.
     
    Last edited: Aug 23, 2016
    Timby, Aug 23, 2016
    #424
  5. Ar-Pharazon

    Ar-Pharazon Admiral Premium Member

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    Arfrieta's been out of gas since the ASG. He had one decent game two starts ago, but even then his slider wasn't working.
    If it's not arm troubles, it's mechanics. It would be a hell of a fast league-wide adjustment to him otherwise.

    Hammel had one bad game, in Colorado, which gets every pitcher once or twice.

    Hopefully they're just being cautious with Lackey, but he hasn't been that good when he's been good.
     
    Ar-Pharazon, Aug 23, 2016
    #425
  6. Timby

    Timby o yea just like that Administrator

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    Both Hammel and Arrieta have been getting bailed out by the Cubs' defense, which by some metrics is the best in the league. But to say that Hammel had one bad game is a bit incorrect; his pitch placement has been all over the place (and him attributing his improvements last month to eating more potato chips is just :wtf: as hell) and his fastball has become completely flat. You're not going to blow guys away at 89 or 90 unless you throw a 60mph changeup like Jamie Moyer. Basically, Jason Hammel went back to being ... well, Jason Hammel. As he did last year.

    With Arrieta, I'm pretty sure the league has caught up to him; while Bosio worked with him on increasing his slider usage and mechanics last year, which led to his balls-out season, he's barely throwing changeups or fastballs and with the location problems he's had since late May, it isn't exactly difficult to scout him. I said, I think in the last thread, that the Cubs would be insane to give 7/250 to a guy who randomly put it all together at the age of 29, and I'm increasingly happier by the start that the front office didn't give it to him.
     
    Timby, Aug 23, 2016
    #426
  7. Mr. Laser Beam

    Mr. Laser Beam Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    "Guaranteed Rate Field". Could the Whitesox have possibly picked a DUMBER name for a ballpark? :guffaw:
     
    Last edited: Aug 25, 2016
    Mr. Laser Beam, Aug 24, 2016
    #427
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  8. Kronos

    Kronos Admiral Admiral

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    I think Overstock.com coliseum is still worse.
     
    Kronos, Aug 25, 2016
    #428
  9. SPCTRE

    SPCTRE Badass Admiral

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    [​IMG]
     
    SPCTRE, Aug 25, 2016
    #429
  10. Mr. Laser Beam

    Mr. Laser Beam Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    The stadium itself, yes. The name, no (it's Oakland Coliseum again).
     
    Mr. Laser Beam, Aug 25, 2016
    #430
  11. Yanks

    Yanks Commodore Commodore

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    Sanchez continues to impress. I think "holy cow" is in order here.
    BA / OBP / SLG / OPS
    .377 / .427 / .797 / 1.224

    9 HR's and 5 doubles in 18 games. Throws out 70+ % of would be base stealers. Probably had the best throw to second I've seen all year last night, but didn't get the out because Tanaka isn't the best at holding runners. MLB player of the week last week.

    I know, I know.... small sample size, but this kid has come to play. Nothing seem difficult for him as I watch him.

    Oh, and the young Yankees took the series IN Seattle.

    :beer:
     
    Yanks, Aug 25, 2016
    #431
  12. Scout101

    Scout101 Admiral Admiral

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    Definitely a great start, but yeah, small sample size is the issue. 70% caught stealing rate for example. True test, anyway, is how he does after the pitchers adjust to him the first time. Some adjust back and are good, others go into the tank for a while, depends. Easier when no one has a book on you and you're not having to press.
     
    Scout101, Aug 25, 2016
    #432
  13. Yanks

    Yanks Commodore Commodore

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    True. What I like about this kid is he hits everything out. No just the fastball.
     
    Yanks, Aug 25, 2016
    #433
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  14. Timby

    Timby o yea just like that Administrator

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    Hey, if the company writes out a big enough check, you take it...
     
    Timby, Aug 25, 2016
    #434
  15. Ar-Pharazon

    Ar-Pharazon Admiral Premium Member

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    "Doc Johnson's Field"

    I don't think they have that kind of money, but it would be funny to watch anyone looking the name up on Google.
     
    Ar-Pharazon, Aug 26, 2016
    #435
  16. Mr. Laser Beam

    Mr. Laser Beam Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Oh, don't mistake my meaning, I understand big naming rights deals like this.

    It's still a stupid name, though.
     
    Last edited: Aug 26, 2016
    Mr. Laser Beam, Aug 26, 2016
    #436
  17. Timby

    Timby o yea just like that Administrator

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    Considering that a basketball team plays in a stadium named for a literal pyramid scheme, "Guaranteed Rate" doesn't seem so egregious.
     
    Timby, Aug 26, 2016
    #437
  18. Jedi_Master

    Jedi_Master Admiral Admiral

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    Is it spring training yet?
    Oakland baseball is hard to watch.
     
    Jedi_Master, Aug 26, 2016
    #438
  19. Starbreaker

    Starbreaker Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    The closest he's going to get to holding a world series trophy.
     
    Starbreaker, Aug 26, 2016
    #439
    Yanks and SPCTRE like this.
  20. Danny99

    Danny99 Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Jays re-acquire Dioner Navarro, bringing much delight to the fans and the team.
     
    Danny99, Aug 27, 2016
    #440
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