2025 MLB

[anewbie]

Hum - i dont' really care what happens as long as Boston wins

 

[jaylach]

Hum - i dont' really care what happens as long as Boston wins

Well Boston lost so that puts Cleveland only one game out of the wildcard in the loss column. Take THAT!

 

[anewbie]

Well Boston lost so that puts Cleveland only one game out of the wildcard in the loss column. Take THAT!

It is a sad day very very sad. Don't you agree ?

 

[jaylach]

It is a sad day very very sad. Don't you agree ?

LOL! Can't say that I do... It is part of a Cleveland fan's duties to hate both the Red Sox and Yankees. This stems back to the 1960's when all three were in the same division.

 

[anewbie]

LOL! Can't say that I do... It is part of a Cleveland fan's duties to hate both the Red Sox and Yankees. This stems back to the 1960's when all three were in the same division.

Did you follow baseball in the 1960's or were you taught this pattern of hate after the fact ?

 

[jaylach]

Did you follow baseball in the 1960's or were you taught this pattern of hate after the fact ?

I was born in 1954 so, yes, I was following and, also, playing. Of course back then the game was quite different. Personally I wish some changes were not made as follows.

• I seriously wish that the AL had gotten rid of the DH instead of the NL adopting. To me the DH goes a long way as to ruining the game's strategy. It turned a chess match into a checkers game. Say that you are down by one run or tied and have runners on 2nd and 3rd with 2 outs and your pitcher is doing really well. You could leave the pitcher and hope for an unlikely hit or replace at the plate with a good hitter. With the DH such strategies no longer exist and I think it hurts the game.
• I detest the regular season extra inning games starting with a runner on 2nd. If this was really the best way to go why isn't it used in the playoffs?
• While I don't really mind the pitch time counter I think it takes away a bit from fan enjoyment. Take Jim Tome and all his antics at the plate when at bat. Such can no longer happen which is a shame.
• Not long from now ball/strike calls will be done by computer. This, to me, is a travesty as it removes another 'human element'. Sure, plate umps blow it more often than makes sense but baseball is a team sport that isn't. In this it is unique as the basis is batter against pitcher against the ump. Take away the ump and it takes away from the game. One of the saddest days in baseball was when some dummy decided that a coach or player could no longer argue ball/strike calls. Such conflicts were fan favorites and it is a shame it is gone.
• Bottom line is that it is now a totally different game than when I grew up. I still love the game but miss the old school game a lot.

 

[anewbie]

I was born in 1954 so, yes, I was following and, also, playing. Of course back then the game was quite different. Personally I wish some changes were not made as follows.

• I seriously wish that the AL had gotten rid of the DH instead of the NL adopting. To me the DH goes a long way as to ruining the game's strategy. It turned a chess match into a checkers game. Say that you are down by one run or tied and have runners on 2nd and 3rd with 2 outs and your pitcher is doing really well. You could leave the pitcher and hope for an unlikely hit or replace at the plate with a good hitter. With the DH such strategies no longer exist and I think it hurts the game.
• I detest the regular season extra inning games starting with a runner on 2nd. If this was really the best way to go why isn't it used in the playoffs?
• While I don't really mind the pitch time counter I think it takes away a bit from fan enjoyment. Take Jim Tome and all his antics at the plate when at bat. Such can no longer happen which is a shame.
• Not long from now ball/strike calls will be done by computer. This, to me, is a travesty as it removes another 'human element'. Sure, plate umps blow it more often than makes sense but baseball is a team sport that isn't. In this it is unique as the basis is batter against pitcher against the ump. Take away the ump and it takes away from the game. One of the saddest days in baseball was when some dummy decided that a coach or player could no longer argue ball/strike calls. Such conflicts were fan favorites and it is a shame it is gone.
• Bottom line is that it is now a totally different game than when I grew up. I still love the game but miss the old school game a lot.

I definitely prefer the rules in the 70s to the rules in the 2020s. And they did the same crap in football; it is all about people wanting excitement quickly not long term strategy.

 

[jaylach]

I definitely prefer the rules in the 70s to the rules in the 2020s. And they did the same crap in football; it is all about people wanting excitement quickly not long term strategy.

Ya, I agree with the bad rule changes in the NFL. Take kickoffs; They instituted rules to cut down on injuries during such returns. Then, when fans didn't like, they change the rules again to promote more kick returns. Neither the MLB nor the NFL really care about injuries regardless how much they promote that they do. What they really care about is how they stand as to how many people watch. Sadly both the NFL and MLB are no longer pure sports. These days they are both just another aspect of the entertainment media. They are no different than a new movie coming out. Heck with the game; just get people to watch.

 

[jaylach]

And Cleveland wins again for the 14th time in 15 games 6-0 with 5 solo homers. Double header today. If Cleveland wins the 2nd game they will only be 1 game back of Detroit and have 3 games with Detroit in Cleveland to go.

Again, who knows how it will end but it is all about pitching. So how good is Cleveland's pitching? Starters have the 2nd most innings pitched and the bullpen has the 2nd fewest innings pitched in the MLB. Boils down to the Cleveland bullpen usually being fresh.

 

[jaylach]

And Cleveland continues to roll with an 8-0 win in the second game of a double header.
Now, if I see right, they are a half game behind in the wildcard race and just one game behind Detroit for the division.

 

[anewbie]

And Cleveland continues to roll with an 8-0 win in the second game of a double header.
Now, if I see right, they are a half game behind in the wildcard race and just one game behind Detroit for the division.

Well... at least Boston kept pace with a win

Interesting that D's last two series are with C and B so both C and B control their own destiny.

 

[jaylach]

Well the White Sox beat Cleveland but Atlanta also beat Detroit. Kind of ironic that, in July, Cleveland was out by 15.5 games yet the entire season comes down to the last two three series of the season. Three games against Detroit and Texas. Both series are in Cleveland. It is all in Cleveland's hands; just win games.

 

[jaylach]

Sigh, I don't know if I'm happy or not. It has been announced that the ABS system for challenging ball/strike calls will be in effect with the MLB next season. Ya, there have been terrible calls in recent seasons that have affected game outcomes but I hate taking another 'human element' away from the game.

As to the game it is sort of funny after 156 games played the AL Central comes down to 6 games. Cleveland starts a 3 game series in Cleveland against Detroit tonight and then finish with 3 in Cleveland with Texas. Cleveland is 1 game behind Detroit for the division and are even as to a wildcard spot. Not a bad finish for a team that was 15.5 games out of it in July.

What bugs me in all this is super closing pitcher, Clase. He was suspended in July for "SUSPICION" of gambling. With Cleveland able to use Clase this is probably already over. Whatever happened in the U.S. as to innocent until being proven guilty. I guess it does not apply to sports but I think it should. Sigh, I've ranted this before so will stop here...

 

[jaylach]

So far, after 7 innings, Cleveland pitching has 16 strike outs against Detroit. I just wish that Cleveland's offense was more consistent. When they are on they are way on and just about unbeatable. The series against the Twins just before this Detroit series they hit 5 home runs in one game. This evening they score 3 runs in the 6th without a ball leaving the infield.

And Cleveland wins 5-2 with Cleveland having, at least 18 strikeouts. They are now in a dead tie with Detroit and have the tie breaker if they end up even so Cleveland is now officially in 1st place in the AL Central. And they are now half a game ahead against the Astros for the wildcard if I see things right.

Not too bad for a team that was 15.5 games back in July. If I read right their September record is 17-5. Still don't know if they will even make the playoffs but this team is insane. They don't even know how to spell the word quit. As Dory said in 'Finding Nemo', just keep swimming.

 

[jaylach]

And Cleveland again beats Detroit and are now a game ahead for the division without needing the tie breaker which they own. The pitching has just been off the chart. In September their starting pitching is 12-0 with no starter giving up more than 2 runs in September. For Cleveland they have totally peaked and no one want to play them.

Still, Cleveland has not cliched but ARE REALLY close to doing so. And Cleveland finishes the game with a 5-1 win. 4 games left... Win two and the division is theirs. Actually, if they beat Detroit again tomorrow, they would just need one win against Texas in the final series.