BASE-BALL

[zzcarp]

My Guardians née Indians start their defense of last year's AL Central title with a night game in Seattle. First pitch is at 7:10 PDT which is a tolerable if late start for me living in Denver but that's a 10:10 first pitch for the local Cleveland fans, ensuring that few if any kids will be able to watch the game and that adults who work will likely be asleep well before the 7th inning stretch.

[Roadgeekteen]

Opening day today. I don't normally pay attention to the sport until September, but maybe with the pitch clock I will watch more games this year.

[Dellbeam]

Opening day today. I don't normally pay attention to the sport until September, but maybe with the pitch clock I will watch more games this year.

I gotta say, I was impressed with how fast the games went today. I watched the Giants-Yankees game earlier and they were already done with the game by a couple hours. I don't like how Manfred runs MLB, but I think I'll give him credit for suggesting this to the league.

[Ted$8roadFan]

I was only able to watch what will likely become another loss for the Red Sox (sigh), but I, too was impressed at how the pace of play has picked up. Right now it is the bottom of the 8th inning, and the game has only been going on since 2:10 PM.

[SectorZ]

I was only able to watch what will likely become another loss for the Red Sox (sigh), but I, too was impressed at how the pace of play has picked up. Right now it is the bottom of the 8th inning, and the game has only been going on since 2:10 PM.

3:10 time for a game with 19 runs, 27 hits, and the Sox walking double digit Orioles, this would have been 4+ hours in the old days.

[Henry]

The Cubs start the season off on the right foot, winning their opener against the Brewers. Probably not going to get too many more of those, but you never know.

That pitch clock is one of the best things that the sport could ever come up with; makes the game go much faster, and allows for much smoother action.

[Flint1979]

I'm tired of giving my money to people that aren't going to do anything to put a winning product on the field. What would be real nice if people supported this and didn't give Jerry Reinsdorf anymore money. I find it ridiculous that this guy doesn't have a clue and continues to put crap on the field. About 6-7 years ago when they traded Sale and everyone they claimed they were rebuilding, if this is the final result of that rebuild than they failed just like they have every year except for 2005. I don't understand why Jerry Reinsdorf even owns a sports franchise let alone two of them. He is the most anti fan friendly owner in the game.

[Flint1979]

And on top of all that I just said the White Sox play in the worst division in MLB and still can't win. And when you haven't even won a series yet this year that's just a recipe for a last place finish.

[hotdogPi]

Compared to the NHL, NFL, and NBA, individual MLB games are less lopsided as to winning percentage. Even the worst team against the best team still has a 25% chance or so of winning any one particular game, and the worst team against the median team is in the 30s.

[ET21]

White Sox are straight garbage

[Flint1979]

White Sox are straight garbage

I wish I could say differently but you got that right.

[Flint1979]

Compared to the NHL, NFL, and NBA, individual MLB games are less lopsided as to winning percentage. Even the worst team against the best team still has a 25% chance or so of winning any one particular game, and the worst team against the median team is in the 30s.

There's a little margin for error in baseball though because they play 162 games it's a marathon they call it so it's a little room for failure but not much I mean you don't want to get into the middle of May and be 10 games out. Not too many teams will overcome a 14 game deficit at the all star break like the 1978 Yankees did and I've seen teams that have been like 10 games under .500 in May win the World Series before or at least appear in the World Series.

[brad2971]

And so the centralization of MLB's TV product distribution begins: https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/37762861/diamond-sports-group-fails-pay-padres-loses-broadcast-rights

The D-Backs, Reds, Guardians, and Rangers are only a few weeks away from similar arrangements. And if NBC's regional sports networks have a corporate structure similar to ATT regional sports that have already announced they are getting out of the regional sports business (Rockies, Astros, Pirates, and other NBA/NHL teams), this will likely be the last year the White Sox, Phillies, Giants, and A's are on those NBC regional sports networks.

[brad2971]

Compared to the NHL, NFL, and NBA, individual MLB games are less lopsided as to winning percentage. Even the worst team against the best team still has a 25% chance or so of winning any one particular game, and the worst team against the median team is in the 30s.

The Oakland A's are playing .200 ball right now. UPDATE: The A's just won and are now above .200 with a series win against the Atlanta Braves (!!!).

[NWI_Irish96]

And so the centralization of MLB's TV product distribution begins: https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/37762861/diamond-sports-group-fails-pay-padres-loses-broadcast-rights

The D-Backs, Reds, Guardians, and Rangers are only a few weeks away from similar arrangements. And if NBC's regional sports networks have a corporate structure similar to ATT regional sports that have already announced they are getting out of the regional sports business (Rockies, Astros, Pirates, and other NBA/NHL teams), this will likely be the last year the White Sox, Phillies, Giants, and A's are on those NBC regional sports networks.

White Sox (and Bulls) already positioning themselves for after their NBC contract ends after the 2024 season.

https://www.sportsmockery.com/chicago-white-sox/uh-oh-jerry-reinsdorf-is-making-moves-fans-may-not-like/

[CoreySamson]

ORU Baseball has clinched a spot in the College World Series for the first time since 1978!

[Henry]

Bring on the grudge match! With the Nuggets defeating the Heat in the NBA Finals, there'll be lots of Marlins fans looking for revenge against the Rockies when they play in Miami next month. As someone else mentioned, the Rockies won three out of four in Denver, so there's even more reason for something like this to happen. That the Finals occurred during the 30th anniversaries of both MLB franchises is both awesome and surreal.

[Flint1979]

Bring on the grudge match! With the Nuggets defeating the Heat in the NBA Finals, there'll be lots of Marlins fans looking for revenge against the Rockies when they play in Miami next month. As someone else mentioned, the Rockies won three out of four in Denver, so there's even more reason for something like this to happen. That the Finals occurred during the 30th anniversaries of both MLB franchises is both awesome and surreal.

A lot of Marlins fans? They rank dead last in the NL in attendance. They only average about 10,000 people per game I doubt anyone is going to care about the Marlins playing the Rockies.

[gonealookin]

Everybody knows the A's are terrible.  Their loss today dropped their record to 19-52.  They are going back and forth with the Kansas City Royals for worst record in the major leagues.  The Royals are 18-50, which is 32 games under .500 vs. the A's 33 games under, but with three more games played the A's actually have a higher less low winning percentage, .268 to .265.

However...

The A's got 5 hits in today's game, which extends their streak of not being no-hit to exactly 5,000 consecutive games.  The last no-hitter pitched against them was on July 13, 1991.  It's the longest current streak in major league baseball.  The Washington Nationals, then the Montreal Expos, and the Los Angeles (then Anaheim) Angels were both no-hit most recently in 1999, and every other team has been no-hit no further back than 2008.

The all-time record is held by (you probably would not guess) the Chicago Cubs, who went from September 9, 1965 (a Sandy Koufax perfect game) to July 25, 2015 (Cole Hamels of the Phillies) without being no-hit, a streak of 7,920 consecutive games.  The A's would need a little more than 18 more full seasons without being no-hit to tie the Cubs, so that would probably be the Las Vegas A's doing it in 2041.

[epzik8]

Elly De La Cruz is definitely doing wonders for Cincinnati.

[CtrlAltDel]

Cubs win in London against Saint Louis.

[Hunty2022]

The Angels scored 25 runs against the Rockies last night, setting a franchise record for most runs scored in a game.

[epzik8]

The Angels scored 25 runs against the Rockies last night, setting a franchise record for most runs scored in a game.

Finally they avoided a Twitter tungsten game...

[Ted$8roadFan]

I wonder if Colorado still allows the use of paper bags, because Rockies fans may want them.

[Big John]

I wonder if Colorado still allows the use of paper bags, because Rockies fans may want them.

Several states have banned plastic bags, but not paper bags.