# MLB: July 2018 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [July 1, 2018, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105 "2018-07-01T18:49:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2018, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105/121 "2018-07-14T16:06:43Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Maybe not, only 8 years so far. He has been absolutely amazing so far but it would be iffy to put him in. Give me the 2019 & 2020 seasons equal to his worst years\* and then I would say yes. For reference, his BR entry indicates this: - He’s already ranked #7 all-time among center fielders on [JAWS](https://www.baseball-reference.com/about/jaws.shtml) rating (which is built to lessen the impact of longevity alone) - Among the 19 center fielders who are already in the Hall, they have an average JAWS of 57.9; Trout’s JAWS is currently 60.8 - When looking at lifetime WAR score (for which longevity plays a bigger role), the average HoF CF has a score of 71.2; Trout has a 61.0, over the course of 7 1/2 seasons. As markdash notes, the Hall has the rule about 10 seasons played, but they have been known to waive the induction rules under special circumstances – for instance, [Addie Joss](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/jossad01.shtml) was inducted, despite only playing nine seasons (he died of meningitis just before the start of his tenth season). If Trout were to suffer a tragic accident before playing 10 seasons, given what he’s done to date, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the rule were waived for him. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2018, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105/122 "2018-07-14T22:01:53Z")
Harper gets talking to after jogging to first base [Bryce Harper, Dave Martinez meet after Harper jogged on Saturday](https://es.pn/2NcoiUz) via @ESPN App Harper having a disastrous (for him) contract year and now this. Barring a big turnaround, will he have to settle for a multiyear contract averaging $20 mil or so a season or will he accept a qualifying offer from the Nats to try to rebuild his value? ---
**Author:** ![Cell\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@Cell\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cell_Guy)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2018, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105/123 "2018-07-15T04:31:22Z")
Tonight the Cardinals mercifully ended the Mike Matheny error…I mean era. They also fired hitting coach John Mabry and assistant hitting coach Bill Mueller. There will be a press conference tomorrow to address additional coaching staff changes. I have to be honest, it feels like Christmas in July. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2018, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105/124 "2018-07-15T11:12:08Z")
> [@Cell\_Guy](#): > > Tonight the Cardinals mercifully ended the Mike Matheny error…I mean era. They also fired hitting coach John Mabry and assistant hitting coach Bill Mueller. There will be a press conference tomorrow to address additional coaching staff changes. > > I have to be honest, it feels like Christmas in July. I hear the “smartest guy in baseball” is available… ---
**Author:** ![Hawkeyeop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@Hawkeyeop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hawkeyeop)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2018, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105/125 "2018-07-15T14:55:06Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > Harper gets talking to after jogging to first base [Bryce Harper, Dave Martinez meet after Harper jogged on Saturday - ESPN](https://es.pn/2NcoiUz) > via @ESPN App > > Harper having a disastrous (for him) contract year and now this. Barring a big turnaround, will he have to settle for a multiyear contract averaging $20 mil or so a season or will he accept a qualifying offer from the Nats to try to rebuild his value? He will still get 300 million plus. A couple subpar months aren’t going to change anything. The hustle stuff is silly too. Harper isn’t the only one does it but you ever sees stories about anyone else. If I had an elite player with a tendency to over exert himself and get hurt, I’d encourage him not to run all out on the offchance of an error. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2018, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105/126 "2018-07-15T15:12:11Z")
> [@Hawkeyeop](#): > > He will still get 300 million plus. A couple subpar months aren’t going to change anything. > > The hustle stuff is silly too. Harper isn’t the only one does it but you ever sees stories about anyone else. If I had an elite player with a tendency to over exert himself and get hurt, I’d encourage him not to run all out on the offchance of an error. I wouldn’t give him anywhere near that much. He is Mr Rollercoaster; one great year followed by a down year. But I agree with you that someone will overpay for him. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2018, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105/127 "2018-07-15T22:56:09Z")
> [@Hawkeyeop](#): > > He will still get 300 million plus. A couple subpar months aren’t going to change anything. This isn’t a couple of subpar months; he is having a mediocre season with the bat and his defense has been terrible. Even discounting the hustle stuff, which absent more evidence I agree one should, I don’t see him getting $300 million. Harper won an MVP Award… four years ago. He has never had a season anywhere near like it otherwise. Since then he’s had a mediocre year, a pretty good but not great year, and (so far) a bad year. The objective evidence does NOT strongly support the notion that he is legitimately an elite player. Maybe he still can be, but he hasn’t been for three and a half seasons now. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2018, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105/128 "2018-07-16T02:28:24Z")
How about the Bucs walkoff and five game sweep against the Brewers today? Question though, shouldn’t there have been a rain delay in the bottom 11? Especially since there was a lightning strike one pitch prior to the game winning hit. I’m all about getting the game over, but the game should not be decided in a quagmire, even though it worked out for my team. ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2018, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105/129 "2018-07-16T02:31:56Z")
I watch 70-80 Nats games a year and I must agree with RickJay. Plus, it’s also worth noting that Harper’s MVP year in 2015 was the one time in the last four years that they didn’t make the playoffs. In a clutch situation, I’d rather have Murphy, Rendon, Adams, Reynolds, or newcomer Juan Soto up at the plate. Or Goodwin or Kendrick, for that matter. In other words, Bryce is dispensable. Best outcome would be if they could unload him before the trade deadline. They could use a starting pitcher. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2018, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105/130 "2018-07-16T12:46:15Z")
> [@jaycat](#): > > I watch 70-80 Nats games a year and I must agree with RickJay. Plus, it’s also worth noting that Harper’s MVP year in 2015 was the one time in the last four years that they didn’t make the playoffs. I had it in my head his MVP was in 2014; thanks for correcting me. Not that WAR is everything, but for fun, Harper’s b-R WAR: 2012: 5.2 (ROY) 2013: 3.7 2014: 1.1 2015: 10.0 (MVP) 2016: 1.5 2017: 4.7 2018: 0.0 Fangraphs is more generous to him, but the shape is basically the same. Harper is a very, very odd risk to evaluate. If he was 31, we wouldn’t even be talking about the idea of a huge contract. But he’s only 25, and a 25-year-old who has demonstrated the ability to be an elite player is a phenomenally attractive thing. On the flip side he’s also a 25-year-old who is struggling with his batting average and - way more concerning to me because the batting average is partially a fluke - he plays like an old player. Speed is not a part of Harper’s game and his statistical picture is that of an older player; he doesn’t steal bases, doesn’t hit triples, does’t hit many doubles, and is a bad outfielder. Players who play old when they are young age poorly. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2018, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105/131 "2018-07-17T04:16:58Z")
The rarity of left-hand hitting catchers > **[Left-Handed and Left Out (Published 2009)](https://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/16/sports/baseball/16catcher.html?nytmobile=0)** > > Benny Distefano was the last left-handed catcher to play in the major leagues. That was 20 years ago, and it’s likely he will be the last. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2018, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105/132 "2018-07-17T14:45:49Z")
> **[Report: Orioles Working Through Medicals On Machado Deal](https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/07/report-orioles-working-through-medicals-on-machado-deal.html)** > > The Orioles are "going through the medicals/paperwork" in an effort to finalize an agreement with an unknown team, per ESPN.com's … Looks like a Machado deal is done. But where will he land? ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2018, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105/133 "2018-07-17T15:57:58Z")
I’m happy the Yankees appear out of it, unless Cash had some plan to flip him for a pitcher. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2018, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105/134 "2018-07-17T16:11:48Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > I’m happy the Yankees appear out of it, unless Cash had some plan to flip him for a pitcher. 4.5 games is out of it? Especially when still 1st wildcard? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2018, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105/135 "2018-07-17T16:28:03Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > The rarity of left-hand hitting catchers > > [https://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/16/sports/baseball/16catcher.html?nytmobile=0](https://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/16/sports/baseball/16catcher.html?nytmobile=0) I think you mean the rarity of left handed catchers. Catchers who hit lefty aren’t that rare. Literally the first two contemporary catchers named in the article, Joe Mauer and Brian McCann, hit lefthanded. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2018, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105/136 "2018-07-17T16:40:03Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > 4.5 games is out of it? Especially when still 1st wildcard? I’m thinking he is referring to the Machado sweepstakes. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2018, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105/137 "2018-07-17T16:44:01Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > I’m thinking he is referring to the Machado sweepstakes. :smack: That makes far more sense. Thank you. I didn’t want Machado anyway, I want a starter. Just don’t think the market is great for getting one really worth getting. ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2018, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105/138 "2018-07-18T00:55:56Z")
Typical start to a Nats game this year, Max gives up an early HR and Bryce whiffs on 3 pitches (only this is the All Star Game). ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2018, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105/139 "2018-07-18T01:04:17Z")
> [@jaycat](#): > > Typical start to a Nats game this year, Max gives up an early HR and Bryce whiffs on 3 pitches (only this is the All Star Game). The All-Star game is a joke and it started with the tie many years ago. Taking selfies on the field and talking to players while the ball is in play. Cartoon bullshit. It used to be serious and for league pride. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2018, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105/140 "2018-07-18T01:13:59Z")
Jogging/walking to first on a dropped third strike. It’s a honor to be playing in this game. Run. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105.md?page=8)