It really is time to eliminate the each team needs one representative rule.
That might have been fine before expansion, inter league play, and every game being televised, but there’s no need for it now. I’d be fine with requiring that the host team gets at least one representative.
I strongly disagree. The All-Star Game is an MLB-wide exhibition, and there should be someone for every team’s fans to cheer for.
For the 4th straight year the game is at an NL city (though I think the AL is the “home” team this year). Yes, I know everybody wants to showcase their new stadiums as soon as possible. Still, they should stick with the alternate years.
I’d be in favor of eliminating the fan vote. On what planet does it make sense to let people vote many times? Let the players vote half of them in and the manager selects the other half. Make every pitcher go two innings so we don’t have the endless parade of relievers. Have two guys for every position splitting the night evenly. And don’t let Fox have the PA system for introductions.
One inning. I don’t want Sevy throwing two.
Pillar is a better defender than Smoak and Solarte are hitters, so he should get sent if Happ is gone.
WAR really does not adequately reflect the value of a multipositional player, a known hole in the methodology. Solarte’s multi-positional skills have been a huge, huge deal to the Blue Jays, certainly worth at least the 1 WAR difference between him and Justin Smoak.
Of course, if Solarte was playing on a team with a more set lineup and he just played one position he’d be less valuable. But he doesn’t, and isn’t.
Like the players and managers do a better job? They left out Blake Snell, who might be the best pitcher in the American League.
It’s interesting that with the new schedule format, they’ve returned to playing games on the Thursday after the All Star break, although it’s just Cards vs Cubs, the start of a 5 game series with a makeup game for the hideous weather in mid April
Now there is talk the Yankees are in talks with the Orioles for Manny Machado, who would, I assume, go back to third base were he a Yankee.
The Orioles would, conversely, go back to double-A.
Manny’d be a little guy on the Yankees. He’s only 6’3". They’ve got a damn basketball team over there.
Machado insists he’s a shortstop and doesn’t want to play 3B. Don’t think it will matter if he’s traded to the NYY, though.
OOTP is on sale during the All Star break. The phone app MLB manager 2018 is on sale for $1.99. I’m currently playing the app and loving a simplified OOTP experience.
Other stories have as many as 7 teams “in talks with the Orioles” for Machado. The Yankees are a good bet to get him but don’t bank it.
The statistics say he’s a third baseman. His thing about playing short isn’t going to last on a team that wants to win.
I just finished a ten year run in OOTP managing the Blue Jays from 2008 on and I won the World Series twice, in 2010 and 2017. Honestly, as a Toronto baseball fan, this is the joy I can get right now.
The game is wonderful.
Boston has lost Christian Vazquez for 6-8 weeks with a broken finger. Why the *hell *do any players insist on sliding head first, fingers out?
I assume the Nats/Pirates were delayed by rain? It’s only the top of the third. O-0 and it is 847 Eastern time.
How about that shit? Reds turn the tables on the Indians and Votto hits a 9th inning game winning double to plate the winning run(s).
If this is the Reds rebuilding, I am liking it for once. We have a good core of players. I hope we can keep most of them. This is fun for a change for a cellar dweller climbing out of the morass of suckitude.
‘All Star’ Bryce Harper with 4 AB and 4 strikeouts. This guy needs some time on the bench
Alex Bregman of the Astros now has two walk-off “hits” this year that failed to go as far as the pitcher’s mound. Crazy play to end the Astros-A’s game.
Garrett Richards had to leave the game with a right forearm issue. MRI tomorrow. The Deity of Baseball won’t be happy till their entire Angels 25 man roster is on the DL.