h2oface

"What's the impact of all this? Well, entering play on 6/8/24, Cleveland is 40-22 and the Twins are 33-30. Based on expected win totals were balls and strikes called accurately and consistently, the ACTUAL win/loss records should be Cleveland at 36-26, and the Twins at...36-27. That reality would feel much different for fans than the one we are living. The good news is we are well-positioned the rest of the way, with one of the easiest remaining schedules in baseball. Cleveland has one of the hardest. With some fair umpires, we just might be able to run away with the division." Wow! Great article! This one is saved and bookmarked. Well, there will always be guys that like to dress up in the umpire outfit and wield the power that comes with it. They love to stay involved and be at the game and on the field, and even get paid handsomely. They want to be good. I truly believe that. Most are. Well, good as they can be, which is always a best guess. They never had to really be accountable, as they proudly double down no mater what with the authority and conviction. Time is far overdue. I really think they want to do the job better, but it is not possible. They guess better than I could, probably, and have a lot more practice. I was never very good at it, even at the low levels I got involved and studied the rules, passed the test, dressed up, and had a power tripping go at it. A lot of bias is subconscious. Many racial studies deal with it. Time to properly assign the human element to the players - the correct calls for the pitchers and batters perfect, ever so close, pitches and takes - the ones they deserve the most because of their special talents - and showcase the players instead of the umpires that are affecting the outcome of every game ever played. Past time...... way past time..... Yes, there is still all the other ways umpires can and will impact the game, and we need umpires for for sure, but this will be the most major step ever to eliminate perhaps the most of the impact.

"Their ace Pablo López ......" Seriously? It is really comical to call him an ace. His career ERA is even above 4 again. He never was an ace. It is unfortunately apparent that his one very good 2/3 of a season last year might be an outlier. I just hope he can be a consistent #3. That would be valuable.

Thank you! I guess the pitching coach has been as inconsistent as the guys he is now coaching. 😇

Yeah, And a lot to credit to give to a pitching coach that doesn't hit the ball. Exactly. I didn't say they couldn't be helpful. I said that they are overrated. You think Miranda's performance now that is similar to his performance before he was injured was more because of his health and his talent........... or a coach? I give it to the talent of the player they pay millions and millions to for that very trait much much much more that a coach? (well, not Miranda, yet, because the union has seen to it that younger players can't get paid for worthy performance years) And the Yankees have rostered talented players that came with the ability to hit for years and years and years, and many coaches before the guy they pay a relative pittance, and most hitting coaches could never really hit that well themselves. That doesn't mean they can't be helpful and notice things in others just because they could never and can't excel at the task also. But they can be very overrated. Kinda like the PT guy really hasn't really stopped injuries significantly. Not his fault, either.

Like not injured? How did the Twins hit the year before they moved on?

Hitting coaches are overrated. They don't swing the bat, ever. And if a hitter is hitting well, they don't do a thing. It is on the hitter to hit the ball.

I don't know about rusty. Whether is it weak or hard contact, batters are making a lot of contact off of Duran. And have been since the second part of last year. Ks are down. More walks. Lots of runners on base. Rarely a 1,2,3 inning. What a waste of two great starts. Jax and Duran giving up insurance runs in the late inning(s). Nelson writes that article about how great the pen is again in the 9-3 stretch after the 7 game losing streak, and then this now 5 game losing streak with the pen giving up runs. Best not to gloat, it appears. Reality is just around the corner.,

"Again, just a reminder. Every pitching coach will tell you, hit the ball hard where it's pitched. Hit the ball hard and good things will happen. Every once in a while, a blooper will find a spot on the outfield grass to land safely, but the more often you hit the ball harder, the better your odds." NOW I see what is going on. We have the pitching coach coaching the batters! 😵 And there is a two walk per inning strategy by the "ace"? That's how your #1 handles the Yankee lineup? On purpose? I hope that was satire.

Lack of respect for the opponent, and higher than earned estimation of the home team. You are your record. This is our team. They need to earn it. Cutting budget was a bad strategy from the top. And players don't get better at hitting both left and right handed pitchers if they don't get at bats.

Just you. Must be a fave. I'll be sure to take it to heart. I'm all for team celebration. The kingly robe that Cruz initiated coupled with a team that was setting the MLB record for HRs in a season was classy. It was fun. But the stuff now, embarrassingly lame. So was the fishing vest and toy fishing rod. (First a rod, and then a sausage. Kind of a theme, eh?) And topping it off with selfies is just...... well, to each their own. I would think that when the 12 game streak is over, the gig is up. But nooooooo. After the embarrassing 6 games against Cleveland and NY, followed by a 12-3 beatdown by the Nats, one would have thought that it had run it's course. And now another sweep from the Yankees with Ober and Paddack and Lopex looking like AAAA players. I'm not close to wanting to kill anyone for it. Just please stop already. Or win 12 more and replace it with a more classy option.

A repeat of a repeat. I don't even know what a Francis is. Not the other times, either. Just as well, because I don't care.

Sure they are. They are still doing selfies and tossing the ridiculous meat around, aren't they? Oh course they will. It is that kind of self indulgence that brings the arrogance to, as a team, including Lopez, to keep throwing meat down the middle on 0-2 counts.

Good luck with that, eh?

Pretty close to Pablo Day Lopez's career ERA. Ace/Cy Young projections, though.

With you all the way.... since the aughts.

Remember when after about a 4 week stretch around the winning streak folks were declaring Jeffers the best catcher in MLB, deserving an All-Star vote? Right. Colabello had a good month, too. Now Jeffers looks so lost. Right there with Buxton. The selfies on the mound are just looking desperate, now. It is a long season.

Kinda like Correa last year. Short memory for how good Polanco can and will be.

ROYCE LEWIS!

Definitely. I doubt it was malicious though. I think that umpires do the best they can, it just isn't good enough, especially when there is a better option.

Our bats totally shutdown by Gil and Hamilton. Cast offs haunt again. People get paid a lot of money to make these decisions.

Well I guess you have to take the opportunity while it exists. It might be more impressive if it was written after this 3 game series in New York. And folks sure are still making a lot of contact against Duran, but getting rid of a couple pitchers that stunk, and one that never should have been signed has made them better. I'm sure Theilbar appreciated the article.... 😇

Obviously.

Folks like to say that, but I believe in shutouts, even if it takes more than one pitcher. One run is all that is needed. Just have to sync the pitching with the hitting. Simple.

Just lazy.

Nelson keeps writing about how good the bullpen is. It's his fault.