2016 Baseball Thread

[bayonetbrant]

I liked this tidbit from ESPN today

Good story last night from the Padres' stunning ninth-inning rally to beat the Giants. The winning pitcher for the Padres was Jake Smith, claimed off waivers from the Giants in July.  Back in 2009, Smith first worked for the Giants organization -- as a groundskeeper for its Class A team in Augusta, Georgia. He later convinced them to give him a tryout and the Giants drafted him in the  48th round in 2011.

[Bison]

Well the Royals are basically out of the playoff race...hell of a run boys.

[bayonetbrant]

https://theringer.com/who-is-the-scariest-potential-wild-card-starter-678fba6fb913#.ae9yar2rr

Some funny stuff in here around the analysis...

This section includes three guys who have finished in the top five in Cy Young voting and two others who made All-Star teams, but no matter how good you were once, you can always get old, completely lose your mechanics, or end up on the Orioles.

The Blue Jays have four starters I actively like and two more I could talk myself into starting a playoff game, while the Orioles have Gausman and Tillman, after which I guess it's a good thing they've got such a good bullpen, because they're going to need it if they make it past the wild-card game.

Tier 5: Competent Midrotation Starters
Tier 6: Young Guys I Think I Trust
Tier 6: Old Guys Who Might Have One More Good Run in Them
Tier 7: Guys Who'd Be Way Higher if I Were Convinced They Were Healthy
Tier 8: Alex Reyes
Tier 9: Young Guys I Trust More Than Those Other Young Guys

yes, there are two Tier 6's

Tier 9: The Only Two Guys Who Truly Scare Me in a One-Game Playoff
2. Noah Syndergaard, New York Mets
1. Madison Bumgarner, San Francisco Giants
I've talked a lot about which players have the potential to win the game on their own, but I'd expect a performance like that from either one of these guys. Of course, it's not out of the realm of possibility that they might face each other in the NL wild-card game, which ... if that happens, make sure you know where your fire extinguisher is.

[Arctic Blast]

Jose Fernandez, dead at 24. Goddammit.  :-[ http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/25/us/mlb-pitcher-jose-fernandez-dead/

[Bison]

Tragic for sure.  One has to wonder what the hell they were doing speeding around on a boat at 3 am.

[Bison]

Looking at the stats for rookies this year and wow is Gary Sanchez having a great season.  As much as I dislike the Yankees, Sanchez appears to have some serious upside.

[bayonetbrant]

He is pretty good.  I just wish Washington had brought Trea Turner up earlier.  Imagine how much of a runaway the ROY would be if he had a full season under his belt :)

[Bison]

Yeah Trae Turner is good too.

[Marty Ward]

While that good seasons they also had very short seasons. Before we go calling them the next HOF'er lets see them play 1 full year.

[bayonetbrant]

Before we go calling them the next HOF'er lets see them play 1 full year.

I didn't.  I just noted that he was good enough to be ROY if he'd been there the whole year.  He might flame out once everyone gets good tape on him

[Bison]

No way would I claim they have an inside track to the HoF.  And we all know how I hate, hate, hate how the HoF selection process works.  I just think they really stood out as some unexpected surprises as productive position players that have demonstrated some serious potential upside.

[Marty Ward]

Before we go calling them the next HOF'er lets see them play 1 full year.

I didn't.  I just noted that he was good enough to be ROY if he'd been there the whole year.  He might flame out once everyone gets good tape on him

They both had good parts of seasons. I can't tell you how many 3 month wonders I have seen in baseball over the years. They could be that good or the could have just had the run of a lifetime.

Sanchez had a phenomenal August, .389 average 11 HR, 79 total bases. He is batting .247, 8 HR, 48 total bases with 9 fewer AB in September. Turner has had a decent 67 games. If he can keep it up for a year he could be special with his speed. He also could be the player who was up in 2015.

Story, Diaz, Guerra, Fulmer, Oh and Maeda all had good rookie seasons too. Next season will be the one that tells us way more about them

All in all there were a lot of good young players this year. Hopefully one or two will really blossom.

[Marty Ward]

I was watching the O's game last night and one of the announcers said he had read an article that claimed it was possible for there to be a 5 team tie for the second wild card. Now that would be crazy!

[Bison]

I think you could possibly see three in the AL Toronto, Baltimore, and Detroit.  I kind of hope it happens.  The current wild card game is idiotic.  Baseball is a series game not a single game sport. 

[Bison]

Crazy last three games of the season in both leagues for the wild card game.