2019 MLB season thread

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

This year has been amazing because even if we are terrible, we are currently ahead of Boston! Boston losing feels much better than winning. (Won't last for long! - but ugly run differential to go with it)

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Speaking of classy fanbases: https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/columnist/bob-nightengale/2018/07/21/josh-hader-cheers-milwaukee-brewers-fans/815164002/

Good to see the only two worse than Boston going at it.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Is there a reason that MLB interest pales compared to college football interest around here? I feel like those are the two most obvious sports for political/history nerds to latch onto (given how intertwined they are with ancient history along with the number compiling nature of the former). After all, it's what got Nate Silver started. On AAD, there is clearly much more passion for MLB. Is this an age thing given that AAD is largely people in their 30s?

I get that the American League is a trainwreck right now, but the stats seem more fun than ever. I'm more inclined to cite AAD as having a large New York/Boston contingent (and Mets fans being perpetually excited) compared to the Chicago/St. Louis rivalry that seems to persist around here.

I'm obviously having the time of my life watching Urshela, LeMahieu and Tauchman leave their mark on history and watching Gleyber Torres' very clear Hall of Fame trajectory. But I'm also very much enjoying Bryce Harper legitimately having fun out there, Yasiel Puig and Jose Ramirez having resurgences, Xander and Devers making up one of the finest left-sides in my lifetime, and of course the GOAT outdoing himself in single season homerun totals. Nothing would make this season better than the Mets finishing one game short of the Wild Card berth.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

I had a nightmare last night that the ALDS had been shortened to three inning games (Tyler Cowen had an interview with Samantha Power where he pushed her on games with fewer innings but she did not give in!). The Yankees trailed the Twins 5-2 in the second of Game 2 and Giancarlo hit a bomb in the second to cut it to 5-4, but a three pitch third ended all hope for what could have been at least a solid season.

I just know this line-up is about to go cold for the playoffs just as our pitching is as strong as it could be. I don't feel the Twins can shut it down thankfully so that's the better case scenario, but it does not bode well for a pennant.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Playoff baseball always seems so bleak when you're not hitting. Only four more innings to get a rally. Only three more innings to get a rally. And then...Beautiful! So happy that one of the two absolute worst teams are out.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Yankees-Nats would mean we squared off with every NL East team in my lifetime. Crazy! Currently the most likely matchup but also likely to be surpassed later today by Astros-Nats.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Austin Romine is the best catcher on the Yankees.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

The Astros have just become embarassing. They got off on the wrong foot with the Osuna comment. It's sad - I hope they can come back.

I was under the impression you were a Dallas/DC person (like Mikado?)! This is an easy choice for you?

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

I have some really out-there sports takes. I believe the Deflategate case was a favor against Tom Brady. I believe the NFL was openly rigging games for the Chiefs (not that Mahomes et al needed their help anyway).  My weirdest one has to be that the Red Sox's success in the 21st century has been despite the ownership, not because of it.

If you look at everything bad that has happened in the Red Sox ownership, it has been because of meddling ownership. Firing Francona for the players being a clubhouse cancer? Meddling ownership. Hiring Bobby Valentine? Hand-picked by Lucchino. Epstein leaving? Ownership. Firing the best broadcaster in baseball to fix losing numbers? You guessed it - meddling ownership. Dombrowski? You guessed it - meddling ownership. Lester leaving? Yep. Ownership lowballing him.

Hanley and Sandoval were the only things that really weren't the fault of this ownership group. I don't give a **** what reason you have. I don't care if you want to go under the salary cap. YOU DON'T ****ING TRADE A GENERATIONAL TALENT IN HIS PRIME. And you especially don't do it when he's the second-best player in baseball. $420 million for 12 years is the price you pay for someone like a Mookie Betts or a Mike Trout.

What an absolute ****ing disaster. I'd expect this out of Fred Wilpon or Bob Nutting or any of the other awful owners in baseball. I wouldn't expect this out of the best organization in the 21st century.  Sell the ****ing team to someone who gives a ****. It's clear Henry and company don't anymore.

I'm with you, brother. This one stings. The fact that they wouldn't just barter with him on the years instead of the AAV (because he is worth $35 million a year) is a disaster, and an unforgivable one at that. We NEVER see the Yankees shedding payroll to "get under the luxury tax"--they just continuously reload and pay for the talent they need and they are almost always in the playoffs because of it.

Completely unacceptable imo.

The Yankees just got off a four year period of having a single minded focus on not going over $189 million in payroll to avoid the super luxury tax. The only reason our unreasonable and ungrateful heirs caved this year is because there would have been an absolute mutiny if they did not sign Gerrit Cole. Hank is not good at baseball management and only cares about profits, so we are lucky to have Brian Cashman's savvy to find hidden gems for cheap. Reflexive and stubborn as he was with an inclination towards post-prime players, George's children will never come close to what he was.

Clearly a step above your ownership but not a fun position either.