A Realistic View of 2024: Part II

[Bellhorn04]

Do you honestly think the Red Sox pitching staff all of a sudden is this good? I know some have bought into the Bailey Magic Show, but really. Do you think right now the Minnesota Twins riding a 12 game winning streak is some kind of juggernaut? Or Cleveland for that matter who also has a good record. Ah the old eye test comeback. Judge how you want to, and I’ll judge how I want to, and we’ll both watch the same thing, and we’ll also come out to a different conclusion.

 

And your explanation for all this is that baseball players just aren't as good as they were. Classic grumpy old man stuff. Okay, you can be that guy.

[Old Red]

And your explanation for all this is that baseball players just aren't as good as they were. Classic grumpy old man stuff. Okay, you can be that guy.

 

I’ve been saying that for two years now. Nothing new. Like I asked to you really think the Red Sox pitching staff is all of a sudden as good as their team ERA says it is? Classic grumpy old man stuff? I love it when you guys resort to the name calling like the PEE Man did the other day when i don’t see things as you do. Like I’ve said many times when I do watch baseball I watch it, and analyze it the way I want to, and you, or anyone else isn’t going to change that name calling, and all. 🤭🙈🤮

[notin]

"Baseball is down all across the board" - what exactly does that mean?

 

It means the Red Sox are doing better than he expected, and doing it using the Black Magic of Analytics as opposed to hoarding star players.

[notin]

I’ve been saying that for two years now. Nothing new. Like I asked to you really think the Red Sox pitching staff is all of a sudden as good as their team ERA says it is? Classic grumpy old man stuff? I love it when you guys resort to the name calling like the PEE Man did the other day when i don’t see things as you do. Like I’ve said many times when I do watch baseball I watch it, and analyze it the way I want to, and you, or anyone else isn’t going to change that name calling, and all.

 

 

Would you rather we called you the Hypocrite? Or the Guy Who Doesn’t Understand How Irony Works?

[Bellhorn04]

My old man take is that baseball does have kind of a problem, and it's that pitching is too high-powered now. Everybody throws hard and with a ton of spin, and they are armed with all kinds of technical data about the best approach to take against specific hitters and all that. And they have shorter outings so they can max out. And of course they get injured like crazy.

 

And the offenses don't really have much of an answer for the advances in pitching.

[Bellhorn04]

I’ve been saying that for two years now. Nothing new. Like I asked to you really think the Red Sox pitching staff is all of a sudden as good as their team ERA says it is? Classic grumpy old man stuff? I love it when you guys resort to the name calling like the PEE Man did the other day when i don’t see things as you do. Like I’ve said many times when I do watch baseball I watch it, and analyze it the way I want to, and you, or anyone else isn’t going to change that name calling, and all.

 

I'm calling you old, man. Because you are. It's a fact.

 

I'm old too, 68. I'm guessing you're about 75.

[notin]

My old man take is that baseball does have kind of a problem, and it's that pitching is too high-powered now. Everybody throws hard and with a ton of spin, and they are armed with all kinds of technical data about the best approach to take against specific hitters and all that. And they have shorter outings so they can max out. And of course they get injured like crazy.

 

And the offenses don't really have much of an answer for the advances in pitching.

 

Sure they do.

 

Launch angles. They actually practice hitting the ball at the optimal angle for distance…

[Bellhorn04]

Sure they do.

 

Launch angles. They actually practice hitting the ball at the optimal angle for distance…

 

The average MLB OPS so far this year is .694. And that's with a universal DH, shift ban, and the other changes that were supposed to boost offense.

 

The pitchers are winning, decisively.

[Old Red]

I'm calling you old, man. Because you are. It's a fact.

 

I'm old too, 68. I'm guessing you're about 75.

 

75? You’re off by more than what the Red Sox have scored for runs the last 3 days. You called me Grumpy, because my views don’t coincide with yours, and that’s a fact, which is pretty much standard procedure on here. A hater, a basher, and a DISDAINER just to name 3. Like I said pretty standard procedure.

[Old Red]

The average MLB OPS so far this year is .694. And that's with a universal DH, shift ban, and the other changes that were supposed to boost offense.

 

The pitchers are winning, decisively.

 

And you are putting it all on everything, but lack of talent.

[Bellhorn04]

75? You’re off by more than what the Red Sox have scored for runs the last 3 days. You called me Grumpy, because my views don’t coincide with yours, and that’s a fact, which is pretty much standard procedure on here. A hater, a basher, and a DISDAINER just to name 3. Like I said pretty standard procedure.

 

And you tell other posters they're wrong wrong wrong all the time. So let's not get all sensitive.

[Bellhorn04]

And you are putting it all on everything, but lack of talent.

 

So if pitchers are throwing much harder on average than they did 20 years ago, which is an indisputable fact, that means they're less talented?

[Duran Is The Man]

75? You’re off by more than what the Red Sox have scored for runs the last 3 days. You called me Grumpy, because my views don’t coincide with yours, and that’s a fact, which is pretty much standard procedure on here. A hater, a basher, and a DISDAINER just to name 3. Like I said pretty standard procedure.

 

95?

[Old Red]

And you tell other posters they're wrong wrong wrong all the time. So let's not get all sensitive.

 

Where did I say someone is wrong? You sure it isn’t the other way around? Disagreeing on an opinion is not saying you are wrong. I’m not saying you are wrong right now except for the age. You guys scoff at your so called old schoolers, and that’s a fact, so let’s not get all sensitive right now. What are we going on about right now, because I said Baseball is down, which I’ve been saying for two years now, and you didn’t like it, and disagreed. That’s a fact. That’s not being defensive, and Sensitive? It sure is.

[notin]

The average MLB OPS so far this year is .694. And that's with a universal DH, shift ban, and the other changes that were supposed to boost offense.

 

The pitchers are winning, decisively.

 

Fair point.

 

In fact OBP is at its lowest since 2014 while BB% is the second highest it’s been in that range…

[Old Red]

So if pitchers are throwing much harder on average than they did 20 years ago, which is an indisputable fact, that means they're less talented?

 

Who is disputing pitchers are throwing harder? You are disputing the talent level. Are you saying Yaz, Rice, or Lynne couldn’t hit today?

[Bellhorn04]

Who is disputing pitchers are throwing harder? You are disputing the talent level. Are you saying Yaz, Rice, or Lynne couldn’t hit today?

 

I'm saying how can pitchers be less talented when they throw a lot harder?

[notin]

75? You’re off by more than what the Red Sox have scored for runs the last 3 days. You called me Grumpy, because my views don’t coincide with yours, and that’s a fact, which is pretty much standard procedure on here. A hater, a basher, and a DISDAINER just to name 3. Like I said pretty standard procedure.

 

No, you get called grumpy because when things are going well, you complain about how the “old days were much better”, and base it on nothing except a strong desire to make sure no one enjoys a product you don’t like.

 

Also you left out illiterate moron, but to be fair, that one isn’t age-related and solely focused on your inability to understand printed text…

[Old Red]

I'm saying how can pitchers be less talented when they throw a lot harder?

 

Who said anything about the pitchers being less talented? As usual you’re analyzing wrong to begin with, which is pretty much standard procedure on here also.

[notin]

Who is disputing pitchers are throwing harder? You are disputing the talent level. Are you saying Yaz, Rice, or Lynne couldn’t hit today?

 

Those guys are all well over 70. So, no…

[notin]

Who said anything about the pitchers being less talented? As usual you’re analyzing wrong to begin with, which is pretty much standard procedure on here also.

 

You did say baseball is down across the board. So now that doesn’t refer to the talent levels of the players?

[Old Red]

No, you get called grumpy because when things are going well, you complain about how the “old days were much better”, and base it on nothing except a strong desire to make sure no one enjoys a product you don’t like.

 

Also you left out illiterate moron, but to be fair, that one isn’t age-related and solely focused on your inability to understand printed text…

 

You always bring up I’m trying to make sure you AC don’t enjoy watching the Red Sox. If my comments affect you that much, and they apparently do then it doesn’t take much. Do you think all of your comments take away how I enjoy watching, and analyzing a game. Do you really? You don’t, but that doesn’t stop all your derogatory comments. If you guys want to think the Red Sox are great, and everything is great in the game of baseball, and the game of baseball is better off today then good for you, but I don’t, and I’m not going to think that way much to your chagrin. Keep pounding that thumb. The WWE has HHH, but talksox has good old NNN.

[notin]

You always bring up I’m trying to make sure you AC don’t enjoy watching the Red Sox. If my comments affect you that much, and they apparently do then it doesn’t take much. Do you think all of your comments take away how I enjoy watching, and analyzing a game. Do you really? You don’t, but that doesn’t stop all your derogatory comments. If you guys want to think the Red Sox are great, and everything is great in the game of baseball, and the game of baseball is better off today then good for you, but I don’t, and I’m not going to think that way much to your chagrin. Keep pounding that thumb. The WWE has HHH, but talksox has good old NNN.

 

That speech is right out of Grumpy Old Diatribes 101…

[Old Red]

You did say baseball is down across the board. So now that doesn’t refer to the talent levels of the players?

 

Did I say just pitchers? Do you think this juggernaut Twins team would stack up with some of the great hitting Twins teams of the past, or the Guardians teams of the past?

[Old Red]

That speech is right out of Grumpy Old Diatribes 101…

 

You proved my point. You just pounded your thumb again. It doesn’t hurt anymore does it?

[notin]

Did I say just pitchers? Do you think this juggernaut Twins team would stack up with some of the great hitting Twins teams of the past, or the Guardians teams of the past?

 

It probably stacks up to a lot of Twins’ teams from the past, absolutely.

 

Is your logic seriously “the Twins are winning but this isn’t the best Twins team ever so therefore baseball is watered down”? Please tell me that’s not it…

[Old Red]

It probably stacks up to a lot of Twins’ teams from the past, absolutely.

 

Is your logic seriously “the Twins are winning but this isn’t the best Twins team ever so therefore baseball is watered down”? Please tell me that’s not it…

 

Please don’t tell me you think this current Twins team stacks up to a lot of Twins teams from the past. At least not some of the good ones. Please don’t tell me you really thinks it does?🙈🤭🤮

[notin]

Please don’t tell me you think this current Twins team stacks up to a lot of Twins teams from the past. At least not some of the good ones. Please don’t tell me you really thinks it does?

 

I’m just saying it isn’t the worst Twins’ team of all time.

 

For a guy who went out of his way to tell us Felger and Mazz know much more than we all do, you sure like pointing out how much more you know than Lou Merloni, who would tell you a million times over the league is deeper and more talented than ever.

 

And the notion of “the stars of yesteryear are better” as proof of anything is always so weak because it involves forgetting about the rest of the league. Yes, Yaz had to face legends like Luis Tiant and Sudden Sam McDowell. But he also faced plenty of nobodies like Booby Locke and Jimmy McShittypitcher.

[notin]

Please don’t tell me you think this current Twins team stacks up to a lot of Twins teams from the past. At least not some of the good ones. Please don’t tell me you really thinks it does?

 

In fact, there’s a pretty good argument that the American League in the 1960s was probably the weakest for any baseball league in MLB history. They had a disproportionately low number of Hall of Fame pitchers, and the hitting was so bad they made the most radical rule change in professional sports history…

[Old Red]

I’m just saying it isn’t the worst Twins’ team of all time.

 

For a guy who went out of his way to tell us Felger and Mazz know much more than we all do, you sure like pointing out how much more you know than Lou Merloni, who would tell you a million times over the league is deeper and more talented than ever.

 

And the notion of “the stars of yesteryear are better” as proof of anything is always so weak because it involves forgetting about the rest of the league. Yes, Yaz had to face legends like Luis Tiant and Sudden Sam McDowell. But he also faced plenty of nobodies like Booby Locke and Jimmy McShittypitcher.

 

Now I think you stopped hitting your thumb, and started hitting your noggin. What a bad summation you just spewed out. Show me where I said Felger knows more about anything, because I didn’t. If you are a Merloni fan good for you, but I didn’t know he’s the new spokesperson for baseball. I know he yucks it up on NESN, but that’s about it. He used to be terrible on the old Baseball show on Saturday morning, so I don’t put to much stock in what he says.