MLB Season 2024 March & April

The Game Room
61

Correct. But since I specifically said that McKistry was responsible for allowing 6 runs, and mentioned that the third baseman committed a three-run error, it seemed to me to be a logical follow through, especially since I said that Hinch then brought McKistry in to pitch in game one of a doubleheader where 5 pitchers had already been used.

Since McKistry was the only player mentioned in the original post, it seemed like an organic movement to refer to him as the third baseman in one part without saying his name there.

Fuck it. This is asinine. I shouldn’t have to explain this. It was perfectly clear from context what I meant.

I’m done with the goddamn hijack.

62

Oy!, I actually forgot this was Sunday.

63

It made sense to me.

I’m hating the fact that the Dodgers and Padres got 2 more games in than everybody else, and it won’t even out until August. Throws off the standing/winning percentages.

64

That story is pretty strange stuff for any time.

65

Toronto is headed for the season I expected them to be headed for because none of their young hitters are progressing, because they retained the same hitting coaches that have degraded the young hitters.

It sure is fun to watch Jose Berrios pitch, though.

66

Jackie Robinson Day today. Interesting to note that in Jackie’s time, of course, this, April 15, was Opening Day. Now every team has played 15-16 games already.

So far:

BEST TEAM: Yankees are 12-4. They’re getting on base a LOT, and so far the pitching has been shockingly good. Or maybe lucky; their ERA is 2.78, but FIP is 4.08. That won’t last.

WORST TEAM: The White Sox are 2-13, nosing out the 3-13 Marlins.

The White Sox are horrifyingly bad. In 15 games they have only scored 34 runs. No other team in baseball is nearly that awful; the A’s, who are not even really a major league team anymore, are more than half a run better. In terms of pitching there is literally nothing they do well.

Also it’s interestingly to note offense is way up so far. NL teams are averaging almost five runs a game, AL teams are around four and a half.

Best players so far:

NL: Mookie Betts. What else is new. If he retired today, I would strongly argue he was a clear Hall of Famer already. The man moved to shortstop - SHORTSTOP - and he’s playing it well. Amazing.

If you look at the totality of their careers through the lens of sabermetric methods like WAR, Mike Trout is a greater player than Mookie Betts. If they both retired now, in five years I would absolutely vote for Betts first, Trout second for the Hall of Fame. Stuff like winning matters and Betts being an outfielder and then moving to second and short has value in it WAR does not capture. He is just amazing.

AL: Anthony Volpe is batting .382, behind only Justin Turner (and second to only Turner in OBP) and playing terrific shortstop. He’s the best player on the best team. Can’t top that.

NL Pitcher: Tyler Glasnow, fairly easily. 3-0, 24 innings and he’s only given up 11 hits.

AL Pitcher: Gotta go with my man Jose Berrios here, who leads the majors in innings and has a Bob Gibson level ERA. But just barely behind him, Paul Blackburn, a rare good story in Oakland, is qualified for the ERA title and hasn’t given up any runs at all. I only rank Berrios higher because he’s pitched more.

67

Regarding Jackie Robinson, as an interesting side story, they’re changing his Hall of Fame plaque. The first one made no mention at all of his rather central role in breaking the color barrier, spending a lot of time on how he was really good at turning double plays. (Branch Rickey’s plaque sort of does; it ends with “Brought Jackie Robinson to Brooklyn in 1947,” but no mention of why that’s kind of a huge deal.)

My understanding is that Robinson himself wanted his plaque to just talk about his accomplishments as a player (which is itself a pretty big hill of facts - Robinson for a run of years there was, in my opinion, the greatest player in the major leagues) and I can see why they respected that. But the HOF is a museum, it’s not really FOR the inductees. It’s a museum to remember and teach about baseball. So I can also see why they want the plaque to state what Robinson did to improve the game in a grander sense.

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As a team, they’re hitting right at the Mendoza Line (.200).

69

Last year some Yankee fans were down on the kid due to his batting average, I kept saying it was one hell of a AAA year. He wasn’t due to be the shortstop until this season. So far, so incredible. Bonus, Soto is playing great also.

70

Volpe is an interesting case. If he had kept the same approach as last season (swinging from the heels with an uppercut, no matter the count) I’m sure he would be getting the same results. A lot of Yankee fans were hyping his 21 homers, but that came with 167 strikeouts and a .209 BA. I don’t expect his hot start to last throughout the season, but his K and BB rate last season (27.8% and 8.7%) compared to this year (13.6% and 15.2%) is night and day. If he keeps it up, he’s going to score a shit ton of runs batting in front of Soto and Judge. Oh yeah, and he was a gold glover in his rookie season. Fun stuff.

The best thing about this season so far is having baserunners and base hits. Lots of them. It’s what you want.

71

Yankees radio announcer John Sterling is retiring immediately. He is 86 and has had some health concerns apparently. He’s been in the booth since 1989. He certainly wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea but I always enjoyed listening to him call games. His “the Yankees wiiiiiiiiiin” was always great to hear, especially in the world series years. I’ll miss hearing him.

72

I’m sorry he’s not doing well, but I’m relieved he’s finally stepping down. He has been awful for at least a decade. He was excellent back in the 90s.

73

Whitey Herzog passed away today at 92 years old. I’ll assume y’all are as shocked as I was when I found out he hadn’t died a decade ago.

74

Cardinals fans knew he was still around.

75

I’m one more to add to your list. I think I had Herzog confused with Red Schoendinst, who died in 2018.

76

CJ Abrams has star written all over him. James Woods is killing it it AAA. If the Nats spend on pitching next off season they should be above .500 next season. That’s a big if, though.

77

If they dump Corbin and Gallo, they should be above .500 this season.

78

Typical Cubs weekend. Hanging around the top of the Division they go into lowly Miami for a 4-game set and end up splitting. sigh

79

True. And Kyle Hendricks is not helping things. I expect an IL trip for him pretty soon. But, on a positive note, Matt Shaw has been killing minor league pitching. It wouldn’t surprise me to see him in Wrigley before the end of the season.

80

wow dodgers are so uneven this year …i don’t know where they’ll end up …
nice to see them in one of the 2 10 run blowouts today .tho …