Edwin Díaz ejected last night with a sticky glove. That’s eight pitchers ejected for that reason since the MLB started the substance checks in 2021, three of them for the Mets. I guess we know how that bullpen keeps itself entertained during games.
Nightmare few years for Díaz, though. He fucks his knee whilst celebrating a save vs Dominican Rep in the WBC and misses the entirety of the 2023 season, returns in 2024 to blow four out of five saves (also giving up a four run lead against the Marlins), picks up another injury, and now he’s looking at a ten game suspension.
This went well, Red Sox are playing way above expectations - Houck, Devers and Duran made the All-Star team. Rafaela has been an elite defender, O’Neill has provided excellent support and the pitching has genrally been superb. This is all while dealing with injury issues, at one point a crisis, that led to a lot of unheralded players like David Hamilton and Dom Smith coming in and playing well. They get Casas back soon to add another potential all-star to the rotation.
Red Sox fans, obviously, still not happy. For some reason everyone seems absolutely desperate to tear apart a team that is playing really well. Biggest strange thing for me is why people want to trade Kenley Jansen, I know he’s made noises about wanting to go back to LA but he has half a season left on his contract then he can go where he wants. Red Sox are well placed to make the playoffs again, why would you get rid of an elite closer when you’re in that position?
Same as Liverpool fans, some people just desperate to see moves made even if those moves don’t make any sense.
I thought the fans were unhappy because they’re refusing to pay for necessary maintenance/upgrades to Fenway and they’re advertising the park’s jankiness as the “Fenway Experience”, which only a true baseball romantic understands.
Too blunt a solution. I get they are considering carve outs, but it will lead to a guy being force to stay out there when he knows he doesn’t have it and ducking up his arm resulting in a long stint on the sidelines.
One of baseball’s biggest problems is already injuries to star pitchers. I don’t think forcing them to stay out when they don’t have goes in the right direction.
I tend to agree. In theory, this might lead to steadier and more intelligent pitching eventually, but I don’t see it shaking it out that way (reminds me of that infamous Cantona speech; “As flies to wanton boys, we are for the gods”). Also doesn’t sound ideal for starters returning from injury.
A possible caveat is a starter can leave the game if he gives up four or more runs, but it seems like it’s convoluting the game to the point of alienation for casual/non-fans, which is the opposite of what Manfred is going for.
Either way, I don’t know why the MLB insists on fucking around with the game itself rather than just making the games available. I’m in Buffalo and I can’t watch Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Mets or Yankees games on the network, as if popping down to the park is a reasonable option.
Love the idea of Marquee SP matchups of years past - Pedro v Clemens, Maddox v Johnson, Schilling v his ankle.
Agreed with Limie, too blunt of a solution. Fundamentally they want the ball in play more, which Manfred assumes by forcing SPs to go longer will result in that (statistically he is correct); however, worried about how pitchers have changed their bodies and styles to match the max velocity, miss bats, will not face a hitter more than twice world we live in now and what injuries will result in this.
Don’t mind that last grammatically terrible sentence that I am too lazy to fix.
