2020 Around the MLB Thread

[TxBuckeye]

What I dont understand is why there isn't wall to wall baseball on TV on the weekends.

There should have been national games today at noon, 3PM 6PM and 9PM...and on Sunday too.

Because MLB is the absolute worst of all the major sports at marketing it's product.

 

[LL3]

This is the type of thing that could actually spur on a few trades...not to mention be potentially a real plus for players in the present minor league “villages”.


MLB Considering Expansion Of Player Pool
By Jeff Todd | August 14, 2020 at 9:54pm CDT

As Major League Baseball continues to adapt to the unprecedented circumstances of the 2020 season, it is considering a notable change to the present 60-man player pool system. Per Josh Norris of Baseball America, a proposal under consideration would add something like 15 more slots to each team’s alternate training site.
It doesn’t sound as if this evolution is a done deal, or even a firmly hammered out system under consideration. But developments have come far more rapidly than usual during this ad hoc, covid-addled campaign. If the league is to implement it, we’d presumably see things come together in rather short order.
As with the alternate site information sharing plan that is set to go into effect, this latest development reflects observations from the early functioning of a modified season and an effort to anticipate issues to come. First and foremost, as Norris explains, the current approach has left too few players around to participate in alternate site games. And teams would surely rather have more flexibility to get players in action, both to enhance development of younger players and to build out veteran depth.
There’s also an interesting potential trade deadline tie-in here, as with the enhanced scouting that would come from video and statistical sharing. Bigger player pools would give much greater flexibility to teams looking to structure mid-season deals. (Remember, only players in the 60-man pool may be traded.) Teams would have more room for prospects in their pools, thus making it easier to put trade candidates into play without unduly sacrificing the ability to supplement the active roster as needed.
With just over two weeks to go until an undeniably bizarre trade deadline, this could be quite the wild card. It’ll be especially interesting to see how quickly the changes are agreed upon and implemented. If teams are to wheel and deal at anything approaching their typical levels, they’ll want to have some advance notice to hash out potential agreements.
There’s a tie-in to a broader matter within the baseball operations landscape. In the past decade or so, roughly the span of MLBTR’s existence, we’ve seen analytics (in the broadest sense) grow from a niche element of the roster-building meta game to a more-or-less universal, rather uniform philosophical framework. Thinking about the game critically and shrewdly applying analytical resources is the base state for the contemporary front office. Doing more and better remains the goal, but the returns are necessarily diminishing. What we’re seeing now is something else entirely: an entire new set of challenges with human dimensions; ever-changing rules regimes and economic circumstances; information gaps that technology can’t really solve.
Navigating this world to construct a winning MLB team presents a new — or at least heavily altered — challenge. Particularly for those of us who’ve observed the evolution to this point, it’ll be fun to sit back and see which executives thrive in this new era of the hot stove.

 

[jup]

This is the type of thing that could actually spur on a few trades...not to mention be potentially a real plus for players in the present minor league “villages”.


MLB Considering Expansion Of Player Pool
By Jeff Todd | August 14, 2020 at 9:54pm CDT

As Major League Baseball continues to adapt to the unprecedented circumstances of the 2020 season, it is considering a notable change to the present 60-man player pool system. Per Josh Norris of Baseball America, a proposal under consideration would add something like 15 more slots to each team’s alternate training site.
It doesn’t sound as if this evolution is a done deal, or even a firmly hammered out system under consideration. But developments have come far more rapidly than usual during this ad hoc, covid-addled campaign. If the league is to implement it, we’d presumably see things come together in rather short order.
As with the alternate site information sharing plan that is set to go into effect, this latest development reflects observations from the early functioning of a modified season and an effort to anticipate issues to come. First and foremost, as Norris explains, the current approach has left too few players around to participate in alternate site games. And teams would surely rather have more flexibility to get players in action, both to enhance development of younger players and to build out veteran depth.
There’s also an interesting potential trade deadline tie-in here, as with the enhanced scouting that would come from video and statistical sharing. Bigger player pools would give much greater flexibility to teams looking to structure mid-season deals. (Remember, only players in the 60-man pool may be traded.) Teams would have more room for prospects in their pools, thus making it easier to put trade candidates into play without unduly sacrificing the ability to supplement the active roster as needed.
With just over two weeks to go until an undeniably bizarre trade deadline, this could be quite the wild card. It’ll be especially interesting to see how quickly the changes are agreed upon and implemented. If teams are to wheel and deal at anything approaching their typical levels, they’ll want to have some advance notice to hash out potential agreements.
There’s a tie-in to a broader matter within the baseball operations landscape. In the past decade or so, roughly the span of MLBTR’s existence, we’ve seen analytics (in the broadest sense) grow from a niche element of the roster-building meta game to a more-or-less universal, rather uniform philosophical framework. Thinking about the game critically and shrewdly applying analytical resources is the base state for the contemporary front office. Doing more and better remains the goal, but the returns are necessarily diminishing. What we’re seeing now is something else entirely: an entire new set of challenges with human dimensions; ever-changing rules regimes and economic circumstances; information gaps that technology can’t really solve.
Navigating this world to construct a winning MLB team presents a new — or at least heavily altered — challenge. Particularly for those of us who’ve observed the evolution to this point, it’ll be fun to sit back and see which executives thrive in this new era of the hot stove.

I read this the other day LL3, and my first thought was - LATE - as baseball often is. But better late then never I guess.

How you contact players, get them to the right city, get them though the Covid intake protocols so they can enter the alternative site, and then have them game ready to be trade bait by the trade deadline is a mystery to me. Somebody in the commissioner's office didn't get their act together soon enough, but at least they woke up and smelled the coffee, just a couple months late.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

Duh. If there are only 20 players at the alternative sites and 7-8 are pitchers, how are they playing games now? Maybe like we did as kids when we only had a few players. You know, call your field. Ghost runners.

It would give each organization a chance to bring in 15 more minor leaguers for five weeks of practice and individual instruction instead of sitting at home.

 

[sportscoach]

I'm all for more players in the alternative site. It would allow more guys to get in game type of reps and you could work on stuff lile you could at an actual game with guys pitching and doing stuff like a live game, but also they can correct issues right then and there without any worries as well. I think it's the best thing for all the young guys.

 

[jup]

Sounds like the Reds may have dodged a bullet (therefore the rest of the teams in the Central region of play)

@JonHeyman

1h
Hear all Reds players tested yesterday were negative, boding well for their return next week

And I understand this to mean that the one Red testing positive, still tested positive in Saturdays screening. But the rest came up negative. And that there is another round of testing happening today, with a DH (Reds Pirates to make up Sat/Sun) for tomorrow still a GOOD possibility, depending on the results of todays screening obviously.

Would also seem to indicate that contact tracing really didn't turn up anything significant


Pittsburgh beat writer

@JMackeyPG

2h
Sounds like if Reds follow-up tests today come back negative, we’ll see that doubleheader in Cincinnati tomorrow.

 

[LL3]

I read this the other day LL3, and my first thought was - LATE - as baseball often is. But better late then never I guess.

How you contact players, get them to the right city, get them though the Covid intake protocols so they can enter the alternative site, and then have them game ready to be trade bait by the trade deadline is a mystery to me. Somebody in the commissioner's office didn't get their act together soon enough, but at least they woke up and smelled the coffee, just a couple months late.

Oh, it is late. Still, I acknowledge there were/are many challenges to pulling this season off. I hope they can make this work now.

 

[Obscured By Clouds]

Not sure what is going on, but the link isn't posting. Article on Bleacher Report that were may be an exodus of Astros free agents after this season.

 

[Gson]

Sounds like the Reds may have dodged a bullet (therefore the rest of the teams in the Central region of play)

https://twitter.com/JonHeyman

And I understand this to mean that the one Red testing positive, still tested positive in Saturdays screening. But the rest came up negative. And that there is another round of testing happening today, with a DH (Reds Pirates to make up Sat/Sun) for tomorrow still a GOOD possibility, depending on the results of todays screening obviously.

Would also seem to indicate that contact tracing really didn't turn up anything significant
Pittsburgh beat writer

I've been posting this for a few days now.. and most of you have avoided responding in a positive light (your choice).. but.. the Reds were home all week.. contact tracing showed PPE's and social distancing protocols were followed.. and the virus infected a player who did EVERYTHING right.. anyway...

It's not the responsibility, actions or maturity of this young person that allowed or allows this virus to be conveyed from one person to another.. It's the damn virus. Getting angry about the potential infection of one or more players is loooney toons.. No one can STOP the viral pathogenetic mechanism from following whatever path it chooses.. in spite of any and all logic involved..!!

 

[Derek]

I've been posting this for a few days now.. and most of you have avoided responding in a positive light (your choice).. but.. the Reds were home all week.. contact tracing showed PPE's and social distancing protocols were followed.. and the virus infected a player who did EVERYTHING right.. anyway...

It's not the responsibility, actions or maturity of this young person that allowed or allows this virus to be conveyed from one person to another.. It's the damn virus. Getting angry about the potential infection of one or more players is loooney toons.. No one can STOP the viral pathogenetic mechanism from following whatever path it chooses.. in spite of any and all logic involved..!!

I haven't seen anybody post negatively about the Reds employee/player (?) who was infected

 

[jup]

I've been posting this for a few days now.. and most of you have avoided responding in a positive light (your choice).. but.. the Reds were home all week.. contact tracing showed PPE's and social distancing protocols were followed.. and the virus infected a player who did EVERYTHING right.. anyway...

It's not the responsibility, actions or maturity of this young person that allowed or allows this virus to be conveyed from one person to another.. It's the damn virus. Getting angry about the potential infection of one or more players is loooney toons.. No one can STOP the viral pathogenetic mechanism from following whatever path it chooses.. in spite of any and all logic involved..!!

Yes, in the Reds case, that is true Gson. The source of the virus seems to be outside the players and staff pool.

However, what is not absolutely clear, is if all the self reporting guidelines were followed as far as self disclosure.
That being the knowledge of anyone you are in close contact with displaying possible symptoms.

It sounds like in the Reds case, the internal protocols may have picked it up in time to contain the spread within the team. But the way the protocols are suppose to work, the display of possible symptomatic behavior, by the player or someone close, are suppose to trigger an alarm before the player walks in the clubhouse and chances the spread to the rest of the team.

But because of the time it takes to get cleared if you self report, there is a disincentive to run up the red flag if it isn't absolutely clear that you have come in contact with someone Covid positive even if there are some similar symptoms.

 

[Gson]

Yes, in the Reds case, that is true Gson. The source of the virus seems to be outside the players and staff pool.

However, what is not absolutely clear, is if all the self reporting guidelines were followed as far as self disclosure.
That being the knowledge of anyone you are in close contact with displaying possible symptoms.

It sounds like in the Reds case, the internal protocols may have picked it up in time to contain the spread within the team. But the way the protocols are suppose to work, the display of possible symptomatic behavior, by the player or someone close, are suppose to trigger an alarm before the player walks in the clubhouse and chances the spread to the rest of the team.

But because of the time it takes to get cleared if you self report, there is a disincentive to run up the red flag if it isn't absolutely clear that you have come in contact with someone Covid positive even if there are some similar symptoms.

Team rules at home..or not at home.. vary.. but, make no mistake.. no one is absolutely safe.. regardless of good bad or other team rules..

but, Jup..putting it quite simply.. they didn't know and couldn't know who or what they would encounter or the ability to control the spread of this virus. They couldn't determin if their geography made a hill of beans worth of difference.... The only thing these two guys could do was socially distance.. wear PPE's.. which they did.. The reaction has become "crucify them".. Fear of the unknown is a scary thing..

 

[Gson]

I haven't seen anybody post negatively about the Reds employee/player (?) who was infected

not stated.. but it appears to be their rookie CF'er.. ( I won't write his same)

 

[Derek]

Team rules at home..or not at home.. vary.. but, make no mistake.. no one is absolutely safe.. regardless of good bad or other team rules..

but, Jup..putting it quite simply.. they didn't know and couldn't know who or what they would encounter or the ability to control the spread of this virus. They couldn't determin if their geography made a hill of beans worth of difference.... The only thing these two guys could do was socially distance.. wear PPE's.. which they did.. The reaction has become "crucify them".. Fear of the unknown is a scary thing..

What two guys?

Clev and Plesac?

If so, I don't follow your argument.

Social distance and PPE were not the only things they could have done. They could have followed the team rules. It's that simple. They broke a highly valued team rule. Regardless of what any fan thinks, their teammates are upset with them. Doesn't that say it all?

 

[jup]

So someone clued me in to an article by Jeff Passan (the ESPN guy), or should I say a portion thereof, that dabbled in Bauer's spin rates as a part of the larger => around the league in 2020 type thing. Rather then have you have to search through a fairly long article, I just copied the pertinent section. Might be breaking some kind of taboooo about "Bauer talk" by JUP, but the whole spin rate thing with Cole and the Astros is such a part of his time in Cleveland, I guess I couldn't resist. Passan and TB go back a ways. And the first time TB tried to make his spin rate point a few years back, Passan was one of the writers that seemed to know about an unusual development in the first inning of the Cleveland Rangers game the very next morning. Kind of like a cop that was monitoring spin rates for speeders in MLB games. Clearly he had been tipped. So it is no surprise that Passan is so even handed in his discussion here. Enjoy Realmuto and LeMahieu and Cruz and Colome were good last year, too. Bauer wasn't. What has changed? Well, he has been healthy, and that always helps. But there's more, and a look beyond his stat line and into other numbers illustrates it. Prior to 2020, Bauer's career average spin rate on his four-seam fastball has been 2,306 revolutions per minute, according to Statcast. Last season, it ticked up to 2,412 rpm. This year? It's 2,801 rpm, the highest in the major leagues among pitchers who have thrown at least 50 four-seamers. Bauer has seen significant upticks in each of his other three main pitches. His pre-2020 career average, 2019 average and 2020 average RPMs: Curveball: 2,535, 2,549, 2,840 Slider: 2,649, 2,736, 2,982 Cutter: 2,504, 2,640, 2,901 How has he made such extraordinary spin-rate leaps on each of his pitches? Well, in 2018, Bauer tweeted: "My fastball is about 2250 rpm on average. I know for a fact I can add 400 rpm to it by using pine tar. Look how much better I would be if I didn't have morals..." What he meant by "morals" was illustrated in a previous tweet, which said: "The rules should be enforced as they're written. Pine tar is more of a competitive advantage in a given game than steroids are." The use of pine tar as a grip agent by pitchers is time honored. While MLB's foreign-substance rule outlaws it, the league enforces the regulation only when it is so blatantly and egregiously obvious the public outcry practically demands it or managers ask umpires for a foreign-substance check that reveals illicit sticky stuff. Perhaps it is just coincidence that Bauer has said he could add 400 rpm to his fastball by using pine tar and has added almost exactly 400 rpm this season. There is no clear evidence that he has used a foreign substance in 2020. The numbers also don't lie. High-spin fastballs, as a graphic included in the first Bauer tweet referenced above indicates, are far more effective than their lower-spin brethren. Bauer's past questioning on the subject sought consistency. Either enforce the rule or don't and legalize grip enhancements for pitchers. Because otherwise, the incentive is there for pitchers to start using them. Those who don't are costing themselves money and their teams wins. Bauer, on the cusp of free agency, is set to cash in if he keeps pitching like he has. The Reds, who have playoff aspirations, could use that ace-level performance if they want to make the postseason. And it would be just like Bauer to relinquish that moral underpinning simply to prove a point about baseball's seeming double standard when it comes to foreign substances and how much better they really can make pitchers.