MLB 2018 Season thread

[dannyyankou]

You might be right. I think the Red Sox might be favored but that doesn't mean too much.

I was actually hoping that the Brewers won the series because I'm going to be sleep deprived watching the World Series games when they play on the west coast .

I was cheering on the Brewers too. That would’ve been cool.

Lot of question marks with the Red Sox. Shaky bullpen, and you don’t know how hard Sale is going to throw. And then there’s David Price, who is dreadful in the postseason.

 

[ucfgrad93]

As much as it pains me, I’ll be rooting for the Dodgers.

 

[rhett7660]

As much as it pains me, I’ll be rooting for the Dodgers.

You and me both...

 

[Silencio]

Welp, I am now the world's biggest Red Sox fan.

 

[oneMadRssn]

And then there’s David Price, who is dreadful in the postseason.

He’s 2-1 this post season. Historically he’s not good in the postseason, but this year he seems to have a chip on his shoulder. I’m hoping for the best. I’m surprised he’s starting game 2, since he’s always better in warmer weather and its currently quite cold in Boston. I would think game 3 in LA would be a better fit for him.

I do hope we get to see Kelly bean Machado in the kneecap though...

 

[dannyyankou]

He’s 2-1 this post season. Historically he’s not good in the postseason, but this year he seems to have a chip on his shoulder. I’m hoping for the best. I’m surprised he’s starting game 2, since he’s always better in warmer weather and its currently quite cold in Boston. I would think game 3 in LA would be a better fit for him.

I do hope we get to see Kelly bean Machado in the kneecap though...

He’s 1-1 this postseason. He pitched in 3 games, but only pitched well in one of them. The first game, he gave up 2 home runs before being taken out in the second inning. The second game, while the Red Sox won, he gave up 4 runs in 4.2 innings. Didn’t get the decision. Game 5 is the only game he pitched well in.

 

[maflynn]

I got into the office at 6:00am, this morning with Fenway park lights on, and helicopters circling. Security is already increase. I have the joy/burden of working across the street from fenway park.

 

[oneMadRssn]

I got into the office at 6:00am, this morning with Fenway park lights on, and helicopters circling. Security is already increase. I have the joy/burden of working across the street from fenway park.

I used to live in that neighborhood, with a car, commuting out of the city for an internship. Parking was hell. Being able to score a cheapo seat from a scalper in the 2nd or 3rd inning just by walking a block away from my front door was awesome.

 

[Silencio]

I used to work across the street from AT&T Park. Since they played a lot of day games it was a bit rough navigating though all the people milling about, but I also got to partake of the Knothole Gang on a regular basis, including for a playoff game in 2003, which is the only postseason game I've "attended" so far.

 

[Plutonius]

Anyone watching the World Series or do you lose interest when your team is not in it ?

 

[rhett7660]

Anyone watching the World Series or do you lose interest when your team is not in it ?

I still watch it. I like the World Series, no matter who is playing. While I am not sitting down in my house watching it from start to finish, I will have it on in the background or have it in my rotation of channels that I switch between. I also follow it on my phone.

 

[ucfgrad93]

Anyone watching the World Series or do you lose interest when your team is not in it ?

I'm not watching it. I follow who wins, via the internet, but I'm not watching it.

 

[oneMadRssn]

Definitely watching it.

I read somewhere that it is broadcast in 4k on the Fox Sports Go app. It does seem crisper than my OTA Fox broadcast, but I'm not sure it's actually 4k. Does anyone know?

 

[Plutonius]

I still watch it. I like the World Series, no matter who is playing. While I am not sitting down in my house watching it from start to finish, I will have it on in the background or have it in my rotation of channels that I switch between. I also follow it on my phone.

The Red Sox are in the World series and I never watch an entire game .

Like you, I'll have it on in the background and will watch a few innings (I don't know of any sport where I will watch the entire game).

I'm not watching it. I follow who wins, via the internet, but I'm not watching it.

If my team is not in it, I'll be less likely to watch it although I will watch some of it.
[doublepost=1540481488][/doublepost]

Definitely watching it.

I read somewhere that it is broadcast in 4k on the Fox Sports Go app. It does seem crisper than my OTA Fox broadcast, but I'm not sure it's actually 4k. Does anyone know?

I'm also watching it on OTA (over the air) Fox. No idea how 4K compares with OTA.

 

[Gregg2]

I guess the network(s) think(s) the ad revenue is more lucrative for night games. I watch 2 or 3 innings if the Cubs are not in it. In 2016, I recorded games, got up at midnight and watched in super speed (skipping commercials, etc.) then went back to bed. Wish I lived on the west coast!

 

[oneMadRssn]

I guess the network(s) think(s) the ad revenue is more lucrative for night games. I watch 2 or 3 innings if the Cubs are not in it. In 2016, I recorded games, got up at midnight and watched in super speed (skipping commercials, etc.) then went back to bed. Wish I lived on the west coast!

I read the average total time of commercials during a regular season baseball game is 45 minutes. Add a bit for slow innings and post-season bs. If you start it 1hr late, you can skip all commercials and finish the game live.

 

[Plutonius]

I read the average total time of commercials during a regular season baseball game is 45 minutes. Add a bit for slow innings and post-season bs. If you start it 1hr late, you can skip all commercials and finish the game live.

Still a typical NFL game only has 15 minutes or so of televised live action. The rest of the time is dedicated to huddles, commentary, advertisements, replays, etc.

 

[LizKat]

Well I am a Boston Red Sox fan when the Cleveland Indians are not on the scene at the finish, but during any World Series I may spend more time in the sports pages of papers to which I subscribe than I usually do during the season. Love the photos of great moments. That beyond-acrobatic catch by Boston's Benintendi in game 2 fetched comparisons to the grande jeté of ballet, complete with praise from a Boston Ballet dancer for Benintendi's being able to pull that move off on the spot in the field, when as a classical dance step it can take years to perfect.

What a Boston Ballet dancer had to say about Benintendi’s amazing catch​

Here's Andrew Benintendi's leap for the catch (Jim Davis/Boston Globe Staff)

​

And Patric Palkens, the dancer who praised that move, dancing in August Bournonville's Flower Festival in Genzano.
(photo credit Rosalie O'Connor, Boston Ballet)

 

[rhett7660]

@LizKat and he made it look so smooth and effortless!

 

[oneMadRssn]

Well I am a Boston Red Sox fan when the Cleveland Indians are not on the scene at the finish, but during any World Series I may spend more time in the sports pages of papers to which I subscribe than I usually do during the season. Love the photos of great moments. That beyond-acrobatic catch by Boston's Benintendi in game 2 fetched comparisons to the grande jeté of ballet, complete with praise from a Boston Ballet dancer for Benintendi's being able to pull that move off on the spot in the field, when as a classical dance step it can take years to perfect.

What a Boston Ballet dancer had to say about Benintendi’s amazing catch​

Here's Andrew Benintendi's leap for the catch (Jim Davis/Boston Globe Staff)

View attachment 798353
​

And Patric Palkens, the dancer who praised that move, dancing in August Bournonville's Flower Festival in Genzano.
(photo credit Rosalie O'Connor, Boston Ballet)

View attachment 798354

I love how he is (1) pointing to New York's season record, and (2) above Baltimore's season record.

 

[Gregg2]

I read the average total time of commercials during a regular season baseball game is 45 minutes. Add a bit for slow innings and post-season bs. If you start it 1hr late, you can skip all commercials and finish the game live.

Well, since I do the record and playback thing all the time, I can tell you that it takes more "skip" clicks on the remote to get through a commercial break in the post-season. So, Baseball is worried about games lasting too long, thus they let a manager walk a batter intentionally without throwing the requisite 4 balls out of the strike zone to save, oh 57 seconds every 5th game or so, and they don't let teams have unlimited mound visits... NOT (worried, that is). What they are worried about: $$

 

[oneMadRssn]

Well, since I do the record and playback thing all the time, I can tell you that it takes more "skip" clicks on the remote to get through a commercial break in the post-season. So, Baseball is worried about games lasting too long, thus they let a manager walk a batter intentionally without throwing the requisite 4 balls out of the strike zone to save, oh 57 seconds every 5th game or so, and they don't let teams have unlimited mound visits... NOT (worried, that is). What they are worried about: $$

Oh man, don't get me started on average game time. The average game was 3:04 (or 3:01) in the 2018 regular season, which I think is a bit low. Maybe the Red Sox play longer game, but it felt like most games were longer than that and I listen to some other teams from time to time (I find baseball radio to be the perfect background noise when working late).

Regardless, the news before the season was that there would be a pitch clock only when no runners on base in 2019 if the players didn't manage to get game times down to under 2:55, and a pitch clock even with runners on base in 2020 if the time didn't improve to under 2:50 in 2019. I don't think the average time was under 3 hours at any point during the regular season. MLB doesn't need MLBPA's permission to implement the pitch clock, but some thought the MLB was bluffing with their 2:55 line and threat. We'll see if the MLB actually has the balls to do it in 2019. Personally, I hope so.

I think MLB really has to start being concerned about fans. You don't see as many young kids watching baseball religiously like they did before - and that is a huge problem for the future. I'm for very drastic measures to get the game down to 2-2.5 hours:

- Strict pitch clock.
- No mount visits or pitching changes (but for injuries) after a first pitch to a batter has been thrown.
- Strict no stepping out of the batters box once the batter has stepped into it.
- Robo-called balls and strikes (earpiece to the home plate ump).
- Earpieces for the pitcher, catcher, and pitching coach to get rid of the stupid signs and sign-stealing nonsense.
- Cut the game back to 7-innings if needed.
- If a tie game goes more than 2 extra innings, last out or pinch-runner starts on first during the 3rd extra inning and every inning after that.​

I would also be willing to accept advertisements on uniforms if MLB agrees to get rid the same amount of dollar-value tv ads.

 

[LizKat]

@LizKat and he made it look so smooth and effortless!

My practical music instructors were forever going on about perfection being the state of "effortless effort"... it can take awhile to get there, and like a lot of things, trying to nail it can make it more elusive. Both Benintendi and Palken have likely incurred the bruises to affirm that truth.

I was fascinated to learn that decades after the days of my performance instruction, formal classes in Effortless Mastery were developed, often used less to impart technique than to dispel fear of performance requirements, particularly in live jazz where improvisation is key to success.

Anyway the improvisation that made Benintendi's effort so spectacular is that his grand jeté required him to make secure contact with a hardball in his extended glove at the peak of his leap. Grace with a special purpose...

It's the kind of thing that wows fans when it happens but unreasonably enough makes us curse the dude if he can't pull it off, in a combination of motor memory of countless prior efforts and the assurance that "I can do this one" no matter what successes or failures went before and no matter how impossible the particular circumstance seems.

I would expect that the professional sports photographer has similar feelings and requirements to perform, and sometimes in the face of daunting odds -- like a fan reaching up to pay a vendor for popcorn and so obstructing the shot of a lifetime.

 

[ucfgrad93]

Holy cow! 18 innings, 7 hours and 20 minutes! Damn, this game just ruined the bullpens. Glad the Dodgers won.

 

[Plutonius]

Holy cow! 18 innings, 7 hours and 20 minutes! Damn, this game just ruined the bullpens. Glad the Dodgers won.

At 3:30 am, I was just hoping for someone to end the game.

I ended up going to bed after 4 am and I am dragging today .

Lucky it's a cold rainy day and I have no plans. I see a long nap in my future .