OT: World Series preview coming this week!

[storrsroars]

Best of NL and AL as Pirates (20-8) visit Tampa Bay (23-5) for 3 games.

Who ya got?

 

[Jaydumo20]

Best of NL and AL as Pirates (20-8) visit Tampa Bay (23-5) for 3 games.

Who ya got?

As a hard core Rays fan I got the Rays. I'm happy that the Pitates are killing it though. I love Ji Man Choi. But what the Rays are doing is historic. If ex-pirate Glasnow comes back as pre-surgery Glasnow even better. I wish they did better against the better teams though. Either way,
Yipes

 

[HooperScooper]

The Rays are 27th in MLB with a projected payroll of $77 million. The Pirates are right behind them at 28th with a projected payroll of $75 million.

Here are the records of the top 6 projected payrolls this season. All are right around .500 and way behind the Rays and Pirates to this point.

1. Mets - $358 million: 15-12
2. Yankees- $273 million: 15-13
3. Padres - $249 million: 14-14
4. Phillies - $244 million: 15-13
5. Dodgers - $228 million: 14-13
6. Angels - $214 million: 14-14

Roster Resource | FanGraphs Baseball

www.fangraphs.com

It's still very early in the season so we'll see what happens. But money doesn't always buy winning teams.

 

[storrsroars]

The Rays are 27th in MLB with a projected payroll of $77 million. The Pirates are right behind them at 28th with a projected payroll of $75 million.

Here are the records of the top 6 projected payrolls this season. All are right around .500 and way behind the Rays and Pirates to this point.

1. Mets - $358 million: 15-12
2. Yankees- $273 million: 15-13
3. Padres - $249 million: 14-14
4. Phillies - $244 million: 15-13
5. Dodgers - $228 million: 14-13
6. Angels - $214 million: 14-14

Roster Resource | FanGraphs Baseball

www.fangraphs.com

It's still very early in the season so we'll see what happens. But money doesn't always buy winning teams.

It's a crime that the Angels ownership and management can't get Trout - and now Ohtani - to the post season. The two of them alone represent $67 million in payroll. Add in Rendon and it's $105 million. Even the "genius" Joe Maddon couldn't get the Angels to 80 wins. They've been to the playoffs just once in Trout's 11 full seasons.

Anyway, nobody here in Pittsburgh can figure out what the hell is going on, but there are a whole lot of signs that it's real and sustainable. The pitching is pretty good, although Vince Velasquez having a 3.06 ERA and 18 consecutive innings of shutout ball is inexplicable. The Pirates run a ton and are good at it. And the roster construction, specifically additions of veteran FAs, was designed to take advantage of the new no shift rules.

It'll be interesting to see how the "weak schedule" theory applies as it applies to both squads. Combined record of Pirates' opponents is 30 under .500, while Rays' opponents are 37 under. Against common opponents, Pirates are 13-5, Rays 15-6. Against teams over .500, Pirates are 6-3, Rays are 6-4.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Yeah, it's always a good idea to call the results of a baseball season when we're still in April....

 

[Jaydumo20]

It's a crime that the Angels ownership and management can't get Trout - and now Ohtani - to the post season. The two of them alone represent $67 million in payroll. Add in Rendon and it's $105 million. Even the "genius" Joe Maddon couldn't get the Angels to 80 wins. They've been to the playoffs just once in Trout's 11 full seasons.

Anyway, nobody here in Pittsburgh can figure out what the hell is going on, but there are a whole lot of signs that it's real and sustainable. The pitching is pretty good, although Vince Velasquez having a 3.06 ERA and 18 consecutive innings of shutout ball is inexplicable. The Pirates run a ton and are good at it. And the roster construction, specifically additions of veteran FAs, was designed to take advantage of the new no shift rules.

It'll be interesting to see how the "weak schedule" theory applies as it applies to both squads. Combined record of Pirates' opponents is 30 under .500, while Rays' opponents are 37 under. Against common opponents, Pirates are 13-5, Rays 15-6. Against teams over .500, Pirates are 6-3, Rays are 6-4.

But we are both crushing the weak teams.
And the Angels not making the postseason is as much of a crime as the fact that still nobody knows who Ohtani is. Most of my "sports fan" friends have no clue he exists. Imagine if Lamar Jackson was also one of the best pass rushers in the league? He'd be President.
And I still think Joe is a genius.
Let's talk s*** to each other during the series, good luck

 

[storrsroars]

Yeah, it's always a good idea to call the results of a baseball season when we're still in April....

Stripes+francis GIFs | Tenor

Click to view the GIF

tenor.com

 

[HuskyHawk]

The Rays are 27th in MLB with a projected payroll of $77 million. The Pirates are right behind them at 28th with a projected payroll of $75 million.

Here are the records of the top 6 projected payrolls this season. All are right around .500 and way behind the Rays and Pirates to this point.

1. Mets - $358 million: 15-12
2. Yankees- $273 million: 15-13
3. Padres - $249 million: 14-14
4. Phillies - $244 million: 15-13
5. Dodgers - $228 million: 14-13
6. Angels - $214 million: 14-14

Roster Resource | FanGraphs Baseball

www.fangraphs.com

It's still very early in the season so we'll see what happens. But money doesn't always buy winning teams.

This is why I get so frustrated with Red Sox fans (Yankee and Mets fans too) that bitch about spending on big name talent. Look where the Padres are. The times the Red Sox broke through and won, it was on the backs of guys like Kevin Millar, Bill Mueller, Mike Napoli, Jonny Gomes and a lot of home grown talent. Big name free agents are not the path to success in MLB.

 

[Jaydumo20]

Stripes+francis GIFs | Tenor

Click to view the GIF

tenor.com

We also both have tough divisions. The Brewers ain't going away, the cubs can be a problem and I'm not looking forward to playing Baltimore, Toronto and the yanks 100xs this year

 

[superjohn]

But we are both crushing the weak teams.
And the Angels not making the postseason is as much of a crime as the fact that still nobody knows who Ohtani is. Most of my "sports fan" friends have no clue he exists. Imagine if Lamar Jackson was also one of the best pass rushers in the league? He'd be President.
And I still think Joe is a genius.
Let's talk s*** to each other during the series, good luck

Your friends aren't sports fans.

 

[Scoe]

This is why I get so frustrated with Red Sox fans (Yankee and Mets fans too) that bitch about spending on big name talent. Look where the Padres are. The times the Red Sox broke through and won, it was on the backs of guys like Kevin Millar, Bill Mueller, Mike Napoli, Jonny Gomes and a lot of home grown talent. Big name free agents are not the path to success in MLB.

Umm Manny, Schilling, Pedro, Papi turned into a big name. Padres have Machado, and Soto and that’s just 2 of them off the top of my head.

 

[storrsroars]

This is why I get so frustrated with Red Sox fans (Yankee and Mets fans too) that bitch about spending on big name talent. Look where the Padres are. The times the Red Sox broke through and won, it was on the backs of guys like Kevin Millar, Bill Mueller, Mike Napoli, Jonny Gomes and a lot of home grown talent. Big name free agents are not the path to success in MLB.

Sometimes it works. The key is less about the money and more staying healthy. The Nationals are basically ruined for the duration of Strasberg's contract unless he can actually show up some day and pitch.

Certainly a team doesn't need to spend $200+ million. But most WS teams will at least spend $120 mill or more to lock up a couple of stars and have $ to get an FA still in their prime.

That said, the difference between the Rays and Pirates and most everyone else is how ridiculously low the payroll is. The Rays have been masterful at moving pieces and getting value, but I'm not sure I could ever really be a fan as it seems wholesale changes happen every year. With the Pirates having Reynolds and Hayes locked up, there's little doubt their payroll will increase over the next few years as their competitive window opens. One thing they probably won't do is sign a pitcher to a long-term deal. And I think that's smart for a small-market team.

 

[Waquoit]

This is why I get so frustrated with Red Sox fans (Yankee and Mets fans too) that bitch about spending on big name talent. Look where the Padres are. The times the Red Sox broke through and won, it was on the backs of guys like Kevin Millar, Bill Mueller, Mike Napoli, Jonny Gomes and a lot of home grown talent. Big name free agents are not the path to success in MLB.

Manny, Schilling and Foulke were the stars of the team that broke through. Two expensive free agents, one a salary dump. Get of here with your Jonny Gomes nonsense.

 

[McLovin]

The Rays are 27th in MLB with a projected payroll of $77 million. The Pirates are right behind them at 28th with a projected payroll of $75 million.

Here are the records of the top 6 projected payrolls this season. All are right around .500 and way behind the Rays and Pirates to this point.

1. Mets - $358 million: 15-12
2. Yankees- $273 million: 15-13
3. Padres - $249 million: 14-14
4. Phillies - $244 million: 15-13
5. Dodgers - $228 million: 14-13
6. Angels - $214 million: 14-14

Roster Resource | FanGraphs Baseball

www.fangraphs.com

It's still very early in the season so we'll see what happens. But money doesn't always buy winning teams.

Pick any 2 of the top 5 yankees salary this year and they make up almost the entirety of the Rays or Pirates payrolls. The Yankees are so mismanaged its sad lmao.

 

[alexd]

Manny, Schilling and Foulke were the stars of the team that broke through. Two expensive free agents, one a salary dump. Get of here with your Jonny Gomes nonsense.

He did say "The times the Red Sox broke through".... that 2013 team had a bunch of low cost vets like Gomes, Napoli and Holt.

 

[HCCForever]

I applaud the Rays success even though I’m a Sox fan. Too bad their ballpark is s dump. Baseball should be watched outside with a dawg and a cold one.

 

[Scoe]

I applaud the Rays success even though I’m a Sox fan. Too bad their ballpark is s dump. Baseball should be watched outside with a dawg and a cold one.

The Rays should move to Hartford, Dunkin Donuts park is better then the Trop I’m not even joking.

 

[HooperScooper]

I applaud the Rays success even though I’m a Sox fan. Too bad their ballpark is s dump. Baseball should be watched outside with a dawg and a cold one.

And it's a dump where nobody goes to watch their team that is pretty good. Even in their best seasons I think they average about 15,000 fans a game. And even that is pumped up by all the Yankees and Red Sox fans that go when their teams play at the Rays.

 

[uconn13]

Sometimes it works. The key is less about the money and more staying healthy. The Nationals are basically ruined for the duration of Strasberg's contract unless he can actually show up some day and pitch.

Certainly a team doesn't need to spend $200+ million. But most WS teams will at least spend $120 mill or more to lock up a couple of stars and have $ to get an FA still in their prime.

That said, the difference between the Rays and Pirates and most everyone else is how ridiculously low the payroll is. The Rays have been masterful at moving pieces and getting value, but I'm not sure I could ever really be a fan as it seems wholesale changes happen every year. With the Pirates having Reynolds and Hayes locked up, there's little doubt their payroll will increase over the next few years as their competitive window opens. One thing they probably won't do is sign a pitcher to a long-term deal. And I think that's smart for a small-market team.

Watching the Pirates regularly here in NE PA, I am a fan of Ji Hwan Bae. Love the guys speed, his hustle. I hope that the Buccos can keep it up. Between the youngsters and the, so far, re-energized veterans, it's been a fun start to the season.

 

[storrsroars]

Watching the Pirates regularly here in NE PA, I am a fan of Ji Hwan Bae. Love the guys speed, his hustle. I hope that the Buccos can keep it up. Between the youngsters and the, so far, re-energized veterans, it's been a fun start to the season.

Bae is fun on offense. He's close to unplayable in the outfield - even with his speed, he makes bad reads and bad decisions, and has a weak arm. His spot should be 2nd base where his arm isn't exposed, but with Cruz going down, Rodolfo Castro moved to SS and Bucs went out and got another 2b, Mark Mathias, leaving Bae w/o a regular spot.

 

[Waquoit]

He did say "The times the Red Sox broke through".... that 2013 team had a bunch of low cost vets like Gomes, Napoli and Holt.

Please.

 

[Captbluefin]

Neither will be in the World Series..

 

[AZHuskiePop]

Yeah, it's always a good idea to call the results of a baseball season when we're still in April....

Back in the day the Giants were always a hot spring team
Then came what was known as the June Swoon
and reality set in .

 

[Jaydumo20]

Your friends aren't sports fans.

We both know that. Football only fans just masquerade as sports fan. You'll see them in the bars, You'll see them on the streets, but they don't know Rory Mcilroy from Rory Sparrow.

 

[storrsroars]

This thread will probably now devolve to just me and @Jaydumo20, but since the series starts tonight, I'm thinking this is the game the Pirates have to get. Contreras vs Guerra is a mismatch in Bucs' favor. Contreras is susceptible to the HR ball, but he generally only gives up solos. He's been great at getting out of trouble. Tomorrow's game should go Rays way. Keller is good, but he has crappy 1st innings then shuts it down. McClanahan just wasted the Pirates last year, and Suwinski, our best power hitter, will likely sit vs a top LHP.. So I'm expecting something like 4-1 Rays. Game three is a mystery. We have no idea if Vince Velasquez is real or not, but the guy has pitched like an ace last 3-4 times out.