2025 MLB Thread

[gehringer_2]

8 minutes ago, StrangeBird said:

Oof, what a horrible way for the Phils to lose. 

what is it with DD teams whose pitchers can't field in the playoffs?

🙄

[IdahoBert]

I feel for the pitcher. What a terrible thing to have on your shoulders. 

[IdahoBert]

2 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

what is it with DD teams whose pitchers can't field in the playoffs?

🙄

Ouch ouch ouch oh brutal yet on target. 

[guy incognito]

3 minutes ago, IdahoBert said:

I feel for the pitcher. What a terrible thing to have on your shoulders. 

I can’t help thinking about Donnie Moore. Hopefully he has people looking after him.

[Tenacious D]

4 minutes ago, IdahoBert said:

I feel for the pitcher. What a terrible thing to have on your shoulders. 

At least Phillies fans are known for their civility and compassion 

[IdahoBert]

15 minutes ago, Tenacious D said:

At least Phillies fans are known for their civility and compassion 

My guess is he’ll get death threats. 

[papalawrence]

43 minutes ago, guy incognito said:

I can’t help thinking about Donnie Moore. Hopefully he has people looking after him.

That was the first thing that popped into my mind after the error

[papalawrence]

51 minutes ago, IdahoBert said:

I feel for the pitcher. What a terrible thing to have on your shoulders. 

He'll carry that memory for the rest of his life. Philly fans can be brutal. And baseballs blunders have a long shelf life. Just ask Fred Merkle, Fred Snodgrass, Mickey Owens, Bill Buckner, Donnie Moore, Sal Maglie, Abbott and Costello, the Mighty Casey, Jim Joyce.........

[StrangeBird]

Whenever I hear the name Tucker, I think of a meth addict digging a hole in someone‘s front yard.

[guy incognito]

I was sure the Cubs were overmatched against Milwaukee, especially after that first game. But they’re making tonight’s game a laugher and even on the road I wouldn’t count them out for Game 5.

Possible 1945 grudge match in the WS?

[papalawrence]

Win goes to Matt Boyd this eve. The Cubs hit home runs AND they don't strike out much. Early in the summer I thought they'd be the WS favorites, even after Det won that won that series. I still think they can take it all

[gehringer_2]

43 minutes ago, papalawrence said:

Win goes to Matt Boyd this eve. The Cubs hit home runs AND they don't strike out much. Early in the summer I thought they'd be the WS favorites, even after Det won that won that series. I still think they can take it all

so does Matt now officially qualify as one that got away?

[lordstanley]

I think no fanbase would take a loss harder this year than that of the Milwaukee Brewers. If not now, when? They've made the playoffs 7 of the past 8 years, with 5 seasons of 90+ wins, and with 5 NL Central titles, and all they have to show for it in the post-season is one measly LDS series win way back in the first year of this 8 year stretch. They've won 10 playoff games 2018-2025 but only 4 playoff wins 2019-2025. The Tigers have won 8 playoff games in 2024-2025.

Edited October 10 by lordstanley

[Hongbit]

5 hours ago, lordstanley said:

I think no fanbase would take a loss harder this year than that of the Milwaukee Brewers. If not now, when? They've made the playoffs 7 of the past 8 years, with 5 seasons of 90+ wins, and with 5 NL Central titles, and all they have to show for it in the post-season is one measly LDS series win way back in the first year of this 8 year stretch. They've won 10 playoff games 2018-2025 but only 4 playoff wins 2019-2025. The Tigers have won 8 playoff games in 2024-2025.

Don’t forget the pain of blowing the series to the same manager that walked out on them because the Cubs were a better opportunity.   

I’d feel for their fans but they’re all Packers fans, so ****’em.  

[Motor City Sonics]

Why are so many pitchers so bad at fielding or throwing non-pitches (Joel Zumaya anyone?). 

[gehringer_2]

1 hour ago, Motor City Sonics said:

Why are so many pitchers so bad at fielding or throwing non-pitches (Joel Zumaya anyone?). 

I think some of it has to do with having to make a throw off level ground after having been throwing off the mound. When your front foot doesn't hit when/where your brain expects bad stuff happens. You have to believe teams just don't practice hard enough or maybe don't practice it effectively - i.e. do fielding work but don't stress the transition issues with coming off the mound.

[oblong]

I think it's simply muscle memory.  They are conditioned to throw a certain way for a living.  Having to deviate from that, especially so quickly, is hard for anyone.  I think if anybody had to reptitively perform an action that required skill over and over then suddenly had to switch up the form on that, on the fly, without much warning, would screw up on a regular basis.  Not an excuse but just an explanation.  It's why so many pitchers will toss the ball to 1B underhand if they have time.  

Looking at that play again... did the runner touch the plate? If he had made a good throw it could have been a hell of an ending the other way because he beat the ball no doubt, but if he missed the plate and they went to review....

 

[tiger2022]

9 hours ago, papalawrence said:

Win goes to Matt Boyd this eve. The Cubs hit home runs AND they don't strike out much. Early in the summer I thought they'd be the WS favorites, even after Det won that won that series. I still think they can take it all

Palencia got the win.  Boyd didn't pitch 5 innings 

[Tenacious D]

55 minutes ago, oblong said:

I think it's simply muscle memory.  They are conditioned to throw a certain way for a living.  Having to deviate from that, especially so quickly, is hard for anyone.  I think if anybody had to reptitively perform an action that required skill over and over then suddenly had to switch up the form on that, on the fly, without much warning, would screw up on a regular basis.  Not an excuse but just an explanation.  It's why so many pitchers will toss the ball to 1B underhand if they have time.  

Looking at that play again... did the runner touch the plate? If he had made a good throw it could have been a hell of an ending the other way because he beat the ball no doubt, but if he missed the plate and they went to review....

 

A lot of it is reaction time—given the proximity to the plate, ball can come at you fast.  Also, the only infield position where you can field the ball and not have first base in view, often requiring the pitcher to turn around to make a throw. Of course the Philly pitcher just didn’t execute, which happens to everyone.  Just the most inopportune time.

[oblong]

There was a discussion on "Banana ball" in one of the threads.  They announced they are coming to Comerica Park next year.   Reading some things I learned that there's a lineage between that format and the Negro Leagues.   Those guys would barnstorm the country and were very entertaining in their play.   I hadn't put that together.  The founder of the league said he took inspiration from that.  It sort of puts it in a new light for me.

[Dan Gilmore]

I’d have to watch the Philly video again to verify, but my thought is he took his eye off of Realmuto when he fumbled the ball. Realmuto was clearly pointing to first base and there was time to make that throw. My assumption is Kerkering had already determined to go home by the time he looked up.
 

I did note that Realmuto walked out to Kerkering as all the Dodgers were streaming past to celebrate. A good teammate there.

[Shades of Deivi Cruz]

Just now, Dan Gilmore said:

I’d have to watch the Philly video again to verify, but my thought is he took his eye off of Realmuto when he fumbled the ball. Realmuto was clearly pointing to first base and there was time to make that throw. My assumption is Kerkering had already determined to go home by the time he looked up.
 

I did note that Realmuto walked out to Kerkering as all the Dodgers were streaming past to celebrate. A good teammate there.

With the way he was rushing/panicking, there's a really good chance he botches that throw to first anyway.  I agree though that he committed to going home the moment he fumbled it. He may have realized at the last fraction of a second that Realmuto was pointing to first, which could explain why the throw home ended up so bad. He was rushing/panicking AND reconsidering.

[Shinzaki]

48 minutes ago, oblong said:

There was a discussion on "Banana ball" in one of the threads.  They announced they are coming to Comerica Park next year.   Reading some things I learned that there's a lineage between that format and the Negro Leagues.   Those guys would barnstorm the country and were very entertaining in their play.   I hadn't put that together.  The founder of the league said he took inspiration from that.  It sort of puts it in a new light for me.

Like the 1977 film Bingo Long's Traveling All Stars and Motor Kings

Edited October 10 by Shinzaki

[oblong]

28 minutes ago, Shinzaki said:

Like the 1977 film Bingo Long's Traveling All Stars and Motor Kings

Yep, the thing I read referenced that movie.  I didn't realize it was based on real people, Satchel and Cool Papa Bell and Josh Gibson.

 

[1776]

4 hours ago, Motor City Sonics said:

Why are so many pitchers so bad at fielding or throwing non-pitches (Joel Zumaya anyone?). 

It’s clear in this still photo that he didn’t watch the ball into his glove. He is looking directly at the plate, not at the ball. I think the guy just panicked when the ball came back to him. 
Had he already decided to throw home at this point? Who knows. Tough break in getting a manageable grounder hit back to the pitcher in that situation and not executing from that point. Brutal.