Bunch of Moves on 7/27

[Mendoza Line]

2 hours ago, MurphDogg said:

That is just a fancy way of saying, "the reason is money". There isn't a shortage of cows in this country.

If MLB wanted to open their own tannery or whatever, they certainly have the resources. Surely fans would pay more to purchase beef made with cows that provided their hides to MLB balls.

Is this a league-wide agreement?

You'd think particularly in pitchers starting with the correct ball early in their professional development would make it more likely they succeed.

All the investment in analytics and this is neglected?

 

 

[MurphDogg]

8 minutes ago, Mendoza Line said:

Is this a league-wide agreement?

You'd think particularly in pitchers starting with the correct ball early in their professional development would make it more likely they succeed.

All the investment in analytics and this is neglected?

Nobody represents minor leaguers, and MLBPA has no interest in minor leaguers developing better to replace current MLBPA members.

[Mendoza Line]

2 minutes ago, MurphDogg said:

Nobody represents minor leaguers, and MLBPA has no interest in minor leaguers developing better to replace current MLBPA members.

I would think the owners would want to push for it as a potential better return of investment. You give all these young highly rated pitching prospects multi-million dollar signing bonuses, it only makes sense to try to maximize your chance of a good return.

[Can_of_corn]

3 hours ago, MurphDogg said:

That is just a fancy way of saying, "the reason is money". There isn't a shortage of cows in this country.

If MLB wanted to open their own tannery or whatever, they certainly have the resources. Surely fans would pay more to purchase beef made with cows that provided their hides to MLB balls.

I don't want to eat cows that are bred for their hides.  Probably going to have extra thick skin and weird connective tissue issues.  Maybe if I'm braising...

[MurphDogg]

39 minutes ago, Mendoza Line said:

I would think the owners would want to push for it as a potential better return of investment. You give all these young highly rated pitching prospects multi-million dollar signing bonuses, it only makes sense to try to maximize your chance of a good return.

Nah, because it would help all teams equally, so there would be no advantage.

[Three Run Homer]

30 minutes ago, MurphDogg said:

Nah, because it would help all teams equally, so there would be no advantage.

Improving pitcher development by insisting on a uniform ball would have a bigger positive impact on small-market clubs that are more dependent on developing their own players.  Big-market clubs can afford to sign veteran pitchers.  So I can imagine disagreement among the owners about the urgency of a uniform ball.  

[Three Run Homer]

33 minutes ago, MurphDogg said:

Nah, because it would help all teams equally, so there would be no advantage.

Still, I think this is the number one reform I would make to organized baseball if I were in charge--more important than an electronic strike zone or enforcing rules against sticky stuff.  

[waroriole]

45 minutes ago, MurphDogg said:

Nah, because it would help all teams equally, so there would be no advantage.

Someone who’s interested in the overall growth of the game could institute that. If only we had someone in that role. Something like a Commissioner of baseball. 

[Jammer7]

This whole discussion of different balls for MLB and AAA vs. the other MiLB leagues is odd. An MLB ball is used for an average of what, two pitches? How many balls do they go through in a game? It’s ridiculous how much money they spend. MLB BP/cage balls are reused, but they are actually cleaned by a machine often. I know this because I have gotten hundreds of these BP balls, which are of a slightly lower grade than game balls, from guys that work for clubs in MLB Spring Training complexes. I still have several buckets of them. The balls take a pounding for months. You would think that teams would want their prospects to make it easier for pitchers to ascend to MLB. 

[MurphDogg]

9 hours ago, Tony-OH said:

All good moves. Looking forward to putting eyes on the short right-handed Pinto to see if he's guy or not.

8 strikeouts, but 3 walks, 1 HBP, 2 hits and 4 runs (3 earned) over 4 innings in his debut tonight. Hope you get a chance to watch the video.

[OriolesMagic83]

I'm sure that minor leaguers could have a decent living wage if major leaguers gave up 1% or less of their salaryies and the owners matched it.  I don't see that happening anytime soon.  Owners and players are trying to squeeze every dime out of the game whether it hurts the game long term or not. 

[Aristotelian]

11 hours ago, Jammer7 said:

This whole discussion of different balls for MLB and AAA vs. the other MiLB leagues is odd. An MLB ball is used for an average of what, two pitches? How many balls do they go through in a game? It’s ridiculous how much money they spend. MLB BP/cage balls are reused, but they are actually cleaned by a machine often. I know this because I have gotten hundreds of these BP balls, which are of a slightly lower grade than game balls, from guys that work for clubs in MLB Spring Training complexes. I still have several buckets of them. The balls take a pounding for months. You would think that teams would want their prospects to make it easier for pitchers to ascend to MLB. 

Good point. Maybe they could just take lightly used MLB balls and ship them down to the minor league clubs after the game. If it were me I'd rather pitch with a used MLB ball and a totally different ball. 

[Tony-OH]

11 hours ago, MurphDogg said:

8 strikeouts, but 3 walks, 1 HBP, 2 hits and 4 runs (3 earned) over 4 innings in his debut tonight. Hope you get a chance to watch the video.

I watched the whole game and started a thread on it.

[Just Regular]

I noticed in the Bowie-Richmond rematch this week of Adley's team and Heliot's team that Heliot...wasn't there anymore.

Maybe next week...the Bowie bus did get halfway to Norfolk.

For all that we've ragged on Austin Martin this year, I admit I was surprised just now to discover he is actually ahead of Rutschman for the league OBP lead.   I really imagined him as a Hit tool guy somewhere towards Mountcastle on that spectrum, but he has a lower AVG and a better OBP.

[RZNJ]

6 hours ago, OrioleDog said:

I noticed in the Bowie-Richmond rematch this week of Adley's team and Heliot's team that Heliot...wasn't there anymore.

Maybe next week...the Bowie bus did get halfway to Norfolk.

For all that we've ragged on Austin Martin this year, I admit I was surprised just now to discover he is actually ahead of Rutschman for the league OBP lead.   I really imagined him as a Hit tool guy somewhere towards Mountcastle on that spectrum, but he has a lower AVG and a better OBP.

My recollection on Austin Martin, at the time of the draft was that he'd be an on base machine, with a little power, who could steal bases, and play in the middle INF, with CF as worst case scenario.  He's not doing terribly by any means but the stats aren't very exciting so far.  SS looks like a longshot. CF more likely.  Stolen base threat?  Doesn't look like it. Home run power?  Not too much.  Great contact, bat to ball skills?  A surprising high strikeout ratio so far.  So far, his numbers don't look studly.