MLB Regular Season March/April 2023

I do that every single game.

Angels playing the Nats tonight. Ohtani pitching and Angels wearing their city connect jerseys. I’ll be up later tonight than I was expecting.

That’s on top of a crazy Mariners/Cubs game.

The Jays hit five homers in their home opener, which is the latest any team opened at home, as they delayed to ensure the renovations were done.

Miguel Cabrera didn’t get into the game for the Tigers. This is basically his farewell tour, and he’s not off to a good start and looks like he gained more weight. I get that he’s a great player but the Tigers are kinda giving away a precious roster spot to carry a guy who doesn’t help them anymore, and from the looks of it they need all the help they can get.

I thought of something else; Miguel Cabrera is in his 21st season. In his first season, he won a World Series. He now has gone 19 seasons not winning another, and it looks exceedingly unlikely he’ll win one this year unless he gets traded and I doubt any other team will take him. That would have to be a unique thing, surely - a rookie WS ring, followed by 20 years of none?

“Cascabel diamante” doesn’t fit on a uni, and worse, it doesn’t flow.

Nolan Ryan won a World Series in 1969, then followed it up with 24 years of nothing. Miguel Cabrera has at least played in one other World Series (2012); Nolan didn’t even make it that far again.

That would mean Tom Seaver won a ring in his third season, but then 17 years of drought.

I guess they should all be glad they’re not Phil Niekro. 24 seasons and bupkis. (Two NLCS appearances, but no pennant even).

ETA: Speaking of Niekro, he’s a good illustration of how useless w/l records are for pitchers. He lost 102 games between 1975 and 1980, on some woeful Atlanta teams. He would have reached 300 wins much sooner on a better team.

Chipper Jones won the World Series in his rookie year of '95 with the Braves, and then nothing, but I think he got to the WS a couple more times.

I should have made it clearer I meant winning as a rookie, sorry. Nolan Ryan wasn’t a rookie in 1969.

You probably nailed it, considering the combo of winning as a rooke, and then playing 20 more seasons.

Jim Kaat is sorta the flip side to that, finally winning a ring in his 23rd season. I doubt anyone waited any longer before getting there.

I have thought that cutting off beer sales so early was stupid. And that doesn’t mean I want to get as drunk as possible. I mostly go to day games and I often don’t want a beer until later in the game. I also don’t really think you’re gonna sober up just by cutting off sales in the 6th or 7th inning.

Here’s some I’ve found, none quite as long:

Willie McGee
Livian Hernandez

Cal Ripken Jr is really close, but we was a rookie in 1982.

Indeed, the first player to win ROY in one season, then MVP the next.

After they went 13-0 to start the year, the Rays have lost to the Jays twice.

I am taking the kids to the game tomorrow, so the Jays will doubtless play horribly.

Over their 13-game winning streak, they faced teams with a combined 15-36 record. So there was bound to be some drop-off when playing someone good.

A 13 game losing streak would be pretty damn funny.

Another great moment in broadcasting from last night:

I tuned in to the Rangers-Astros game in the 7th inning. The Rangers had the bases loaded, two runs already in and no one out, with Hector Neris on the mound trying to limit the damage. He gets a shallow fly out (no runners advanced) and a strikeout, then two strikes on the next batter, Marcus Semien.

The announcer says “Neris is putting on a clinic on how to pitch with the bases loaded and nobody out. He’s one strike away!”

Semien lines the very next pitch into the left field stands for a grand slam. :smiley:

It is time to put a stake in the heart of this city connect nonsense.

The Texas Rangers have made one of the ugliest uniforms I have ever seen for a pro sports team in the USA

The old Astro uniforms were worse.

But has any fan ever said, “I wish my team would come up with an alternative uniform?” Of all the criticisms of the MLB over the years, I’ve never heard one about the uniforms generally. Of course, fans will comment on a particular uniform being ugly, or whatever. But no one has said, “we need to shake this up and create a completely new look for each team that they’ll rarely wear.” I’m okay with the “throwback” games, (once a year) but I honestly fail to see the rationale behind “City Connect.” I don’t understand the name (city connect?). I don’t understand the purpose. I don’t get what the plan is here. If a team doesn’t like their regular uniforms, then by all means, change it up. But if they’re sticking with their normal uniforms, I don’t see a problem with wearing them when they play.

FWIW, I also don’t like the NFL’s candy crush uniforms.