2026 MLB (Non-Tigers) Thread

[chasfh]

 

 

[CMRivdogs]

Another manager bites the dust

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/phillies-fire-manager-rob-thomson-don-mattingly/

Quote

Another disappointing team has made a managerial change. The Philadelphia Phillies have fired manager Rob Thomson, the team announced Tuesday. Bench coach Don Mattingly will serve as interim manager through the end of the season. The move comes a few days after the Boston Red Sox fired longtime manager Alex Cora and most of his coaching staff. 

Thomson is out after a 9-19 start in which the Phillies fell 10 games below .500 for the first time since 2017. After a 1-3 start, the Phillies won five of their next six games to push their record to 6-4. Then, the losing started, including four of six before a 10-game losing streak that left them duking it out for last place in the NL East with the similarly struggling New York Mets. Twenty-eight games into the season is one of the quickest firings for a manager in recent history.

 

[gehringer_2]

8 minutes ago, CMRivdogs said:

Another manager bites the dust

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/phillies-fire-manager-rob-thomson-don-mattingly/

 

if you lose 10 straight the problem is not your manager, it's your pitching staff, which means it's your GM. But GMS's don't fire themselves. 🙄

[Sports_Freak]

The KC HR celebration is...different. They kiss. 

[casimir]

1 hour ago, CMRivdogs said:

Another manager bites the dust

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/phillies-fire-manager-rob-thomson-don-mattingly/

 

Where is the Hinch to Philadelphia thread?

[CMRivdogs]

Just now, casimir said:

Where is the Hinch to Philadelphia thread?

They immediately hired the GM's son

[casimir]

6 hours ago, CMRivdogs said:

They immediately hired the GM's son

This confused me.  And then I found out Preston Mattingly is the GM and Don Mattingly was promoted from bench coach to manager.

[Sports_Freak]

I just heard Cora was offered the Philly job and turned it down. 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2026/04/28/alex-cora-phillies-rob-thomson-available-managers/89836503007/

Edited yesterday at 12:17 PM by Sports_Freak

[IdahoBert]

The MLB app on my phone keeps excitedly broadcasting news about another dramatic “Home Run robbery!” My natural suspicions aroused I decided to “ask the Internet” and this is what I found. 

1. Declining Fence Heights and Distances. Modern ballparks have trended toward shorter and more uniform fence heights, making robberies physically possible for more outfielders. 

Direct Impacts: Specific renovations have directly led to more robberies. For example, lowering the center field fence at Rogers Centre (10 to 8 feet) and Comerica Park (8.5 to 7 feet) immediately resulted in several successful "thefts" that would have been impossible with the old dimensions.

Average Heights: The average wall height in center field is now 8.4 feet, making it the primary zone for robberies. In contrast, stadiums with higher walls, like Wrigley Field (up to 16 feet), are often "dead zones" where robberies almost never occur.

2. Increase in Fly Balls and "Wall Action" The "launch angle revolution" has resulted in more balls being hit in the air with enough distance to clear the fence, increasing the opportunity for a catch at the wall.

Frequency: In the decade from 2005-2014, robberies occurred roughly once every 60 games; by 2019, that frequency increased to once every 29 games.

3. Advanced Defensive Positioning

Teams now use Statcast data and analytics to position outfielders more effectively.

Deeper Positioning: Outfielders are often positioned deeper than in previous eras (sometimes 5-9 feet deeper on average), which actually shortens the distance they must run to reach the wall in time for a jump.

Training and Technology: Players receive detailed reports on their jump times, routes, and catch probabilities, allowing them to refine the "science and art" of tracking both the ball and the wall simultaneously.

 

 

[IdahoBert]

Apparently, Camden Yards has the most home run robberies while Wrigley Field has had none.