# MLB: June 2018 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [June 1, 2018, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2018/815250 "2018-06-01T12:01:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2018, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2018/815250/101 "2018-06-13T16:00:32Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Except pitching, overall there is too little already. There is no reason at all to believe this is true. Pitching is better than ever. These are objective facts: 1. Pitchers throw harder than ever. 2. Pitchers are dominating the game through strikeouts to an extent never before seen, but aren’t walking any more men than they ever have. 3. Scoring levels are not high, despite conditions for home runs being extremely favorable. 4. Improvements in fielding cannot explain any of this. The idea that expansion makes pitching worse baffles me; it should make hitting worse too. AAA isn’t a hitter’s paradise, so the notion that the talent level below MLB has a disproportionate amount of capable hitters and incapable pitchers isn’t really supported by common sense. I went and looked at offensive levels in expansion years but it’s hard to tell what happened. Sometimes things did not change to any significant extent (1961, 1962, 1998) and sometimes they went up, but the times they went up there’s either 1. Conflating factors: offense went way up in 1969, but they changed the rule to make that happen, or 2. It just makes no sense. In the 1977 AL and 1993 NL expansions offense went up a lot - but it goes up just as much in the league that DIDN’T expand, and you can’t explain it by saying that league lost good pitchers to the expansion teams. Indeed, in the case of 1977, the Mariners and Blue Jays had probably the most restrictive expansion draft rules ever, and they got pretty much NO good pitchers from any other team. Why would the Seattle Mariners being shitty cause the Phillies to score more runs? Weird. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2018, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2018/815250/102 "2018-06-13T17:03:32Z")
Which means we’re due for a major rule change, because TPTB like scoring, not strikeouts. **RickJay** - A couple of your ideas are non-starters. No city or team would allow another team into its market _in the same league_. NYC already has one in each. And don’t bring up the Dodgers and the Giants. That was pre-TV, when you rooted for the team in your neighborhood. LA could get an AL team, I’ll admit. If only because it would send those up-start Angels back to the hell-hole of Orange County where they belong. Your dreams are nice, but since MLB can’t come up with 30 decent owners **now** , just where are the new ones going to come from? I can see some of those cities you mention supporting teams, but Las Vegas will need to build a dome before they can field a team. A 1pm start in August in Vegas is a death sentence. ---
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2018, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2018/815250/103 "2018-06-13T18:19:41Z")
The baseball commissioner has said no expansion until the two ugly ballparks are made pretty. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2018, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2018/815250/104 "2018-06-13T18:30:07Z")
I’m going to be in Washington DC on September 24, and the Nationals are at home against the Marlins. How difficult are tickets going to be? As of now, there is good availability. Is there any particular part of the ballpark I should sit in? Usually, I like to sit along the third base line. As of today, I don’t know how many of us there will be, it could be just me or as many as 3. I know there were articles about public transit not running late at night during some of the Nationals playoff games, is this still an issue? I haven’t picked a hotel yet and I’d prefer not to have a $50 (or more) cab ride because the train isn’t running. ---
**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:** [June 13, 2018, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2018/815250/105 "2018-06-13T18:38:11Z")
Teams, nearly all teams are short of pitching now. The staff size is now 12+. Hard to think 10 more teams won’t make the situation worse. ---
**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:** [June 14, 2018, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2018/815250/106 "2018-06-14T00:11:45Z")
Nats commit four baserunning goofs in a row! Adams doubled off second on a line drive, then Soto picked off first. Then Eaton out trying to stretch a single, and then Turner picked off first. Guess they figure they might as well spot the Yankees some runs, it’s not like they’re any good… ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2018, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2018/815250/107 "2018-06-14T12:21:57Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Teams, nearly all teams are short of pitching now. The staff size is now 12+. Hard to think 10 more teams won’t make the situation worse. They have more pitchers but they’re short of pitching? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2018, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2018/815250/108 "2018-06-14T12:23:47Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Which means we’re due for a major rule change, because TPTB like scoring, not strikeouts. > > **RickJay** - A couple of your ideas are non-starters. No city or team would allow another team into its market _in the same league_. Of course they would oppose such a thing. My point was that NY could support another team, not that it wouldn’t piss off the existing ones. You could have teams in Brooklyn, Manhattan (if space can be found) or New Jersey, which is close enough. If I was commissioner this is how it would be. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2018, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2018/815250/109 "2018-06-14T12:30:09Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > They have more pitchers but they’re short of pitching? Warm bodies. Quantity =/= quantity. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2018, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2018/815250/110 "2018-06-14T16:23:45Z")
6 team expansion. Mexico City, Havana, Montreal, Las Vegas, Austin…Charlotte? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2018, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2018/815250/111 "2018-06-14T16:32:54Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > 6 team expansion. Mexico City, Havana, Montreal, Las Vegas, Austin…Charlotte? Portland OR wants a team ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2018, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2018/815250/112 "2018-06-14T17:05:44Z")
They can have Miami’s. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2018, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2018/815250/113 "2018-06-14T19:48:02Z")
I like Dan Duquette and he’s done a good job patching together a serviceable roster with minimal resources during his time with the Orioles, but he seriously needs to be fired, and possibly given a mental checkup for giving Chris Davis that ridiculous $100+ million contract. It stinks of Peter Angelos’ word from on high of course, but unfortunately we have to wait for God to fire Angelos. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2018, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2018/815250/114 "2018-06-14T21:23:10Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > They can have Miami’s. From newspaper reports, it looks like the Portland baseball group is concentrating on getting the A’s. But I’m sure they wouldn’t turn down the Marlins if they became available first. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2018, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2018/815250/115 "2018-06-14T21:41:31Z")
I thought the A’s were looking at Vegas. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2018, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2018/815250/116 "2018-06-15T13:43:04Z")
They’re looking for a stadium. Whomever builds it first gets the team. God bless them, they have tried like five places in the Bay Area, and all have fallen through. It’s not about the market. The East Bay is a big market. It’s about a stadium. ---
**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:** [June 15, 2018, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2018/815250/117 "2018-06-15T14:05:50Z")
To non Yankees and Mets fans, is there a trade for them to make that sends Degrom to the Yanks. I’m thinking you start with Sheffield and/or German. Include a young bullpen arm, then their choice Frazier or Hicks. Then add Drury and 3 more prospects. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2018, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2018/815250/118 "2018-06-15T16:06:14Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > This is a bit tougher than you think. How do you do it and stick to 162 games? > > If you go 18 times in-division that’s 54. That leaves 108 games against 12 teqams, which is terrible; it’s 9 each, which means uneven home and away and it’s 5 games and 4, necessitating a lot of 2 or 4 game series. > > You could do 12 against everyone, and… no, that’s 180 games. 16 in division (all 4-game series?) is 48 games, which leaves 114, which sucks. > > 14 games in division is 42 total, leaving 10 against each extradivisional team - again, was too many 2 game series. > > If you work from the outside in, 6 games against extradivisional opponents works; that’s 72. But then you’re playing divisional opponents 30 times. > > Personally I’d like to see further expansion. 40 teams sounds about right. Here’s how I would do it. Start by giving Montreal an NL franchise, and give Portland an NL franchise. Then split into divisions as follows: AL East New York Boston Tampa Bay Baltimore AL Central Detroit Chicago Cleveland Toronto AL Midwest Kansas City Texas Houston Minnesota AL West Seattle Oakland Los Angeles Portland NL East New York Philadelphia Miami Washington NL Central Cincinnati Pittsburgh Montreal Atlanta NL Midwest Milwaukee Colorado Chicago St Louis NL West Los Angeles San Diego San Francisco Arizona Each team plays the other 3 teams in its own division 16 times = 48 games Each team plays the 4 teams in the assigned other division 12 times = 48 games That would be East v Central and Midwest v West Each team plays the 8 teams in the other two divisions of its league 8 times = 64 games So East would play Midwest and West 8 times, Central would play Midwest and West 8 times, Midwest would play East and Central 8 times, West would play East and Central 8 times That makes 160 games. To that we add one home and home game with the natural rival of the other league. If there is no natural rivalry, we create one. Now we’re at 162 games. You could even set it up so the division that you play 12 games against would rotate every year. Year one East v Central, Midwest v West, Year two East v Midwest, Central v West, year 3 East v West, Central v Midwest ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2018, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2018/815250/119 "2018-06-15T16:38:49Z")
The assigned division thing is interesting. You’re setting up a lot of 4-game series but oh well. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2018, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2018/815250/120 "2018-06-15T16:42:56Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > To non Yankees and Mets fans, is there a trade for them to make that sends Degrom to the Yanks. > > I’m thinking you start with Sheffield and/or German. Include a young bullpen arm, then their choice Frazier or Hicks. Then add Drury and 3 more prospects. Instead of the Mets giving up a prime arm for peanuts, how about the Yankees taking Jay Bruce, Jose Reyes and another underperforming veteran or two for a batch of good prospects? 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2018/815250.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2018/815250.md?page=7)