Batter Up! Baseball 2025

Hedgehog

Spring Training has started and this coming weekend will have the first Spring Training games, so I guess it is time to kick off the annual Baseball discussion!

LA Dodgers are the heavy favorite to repeat as World Series champs. The last time any team repeated as Champs was way back in 2000, when the Yankees completed three in a row.

Another oddity this year are the Athletics. Formerly known as Oakland Athletics, but they no longer play in Oakland. They are moving to Las Vegas, but the stadium is not built yet. As such, they are playing their home games in Sacramento. The A's have announced that their "official" name will simply be "the Athletics" with no town name. But the media is having none of that and is calling them the Sacramento A's whether they like it or not!

Entering 2025, the number of years since the listed teams last won the World Series is listed below (teams marked by * have never won the World Series and the count starts with the team’s formation):

Cleveland Guardians (76 seasons)
Milwaukee Brewers (56 seasons)*
San Diego Padres (56 seasons)*
Seattle Mariners (48 seasons)*
Pittsburgh Pirates (45 seasons)
Baltimore Orioles (41 seasons)
Detroit Tigers (40 seasons)
NY Mets (38 seasons)
“Sacramento” A's (35 seasons)
Cincinnati Reds (34 seasons)
Minnesota Twins (33 seasons)
Colorado Rockies (32 seasons)*
Toronto Blue Jays (31 seasons)
Tampa Bay Rays (27 seasons)*
Arizona Diamondbacks (23 seasons)
LA Angels (22 seasons)
Miami Marlins (21 seasons)
Chicago White Sox (19 seasons)
Philadelphia Phillies (16 seasons)
NY Yankees (15 seasons)
St. Louis Cardinals (13 seasons)
SF Giants (10 seasons)
Kansas City Royals (9 seasons)
Chicago Cubs (8 seasons)
Boston Red Sox (6 season)
Washington Nationals (5 seasons)
Atlanta Braves (3 seasons)
Houston Astros (2 seasons)
Texas Rangers (1 seasons)
LA Dodgers (0 seasons)

**************************************************

And here is the list of how long it has been since a team last competed in the World Series:

Seattle Mariners (Never)(Team formed 1977)
Pittsburgh Pirates (1979)
Milwaukee Brewers (1982)
Baltimore Orioles (1983)
“Sacramento” A’s (1990)
Cincinnati Reds (1990)
Minnesota Twins (1991)
Toronto Blue Jays (1993)
San Diego Padres (1998)
LA Angels (2002)
Miami Marlins (2003)
Chicago White Sox (2005)
Colorado Rockies (2007)
Detroit Tigers (2012)
St. Louis Cardinals (2013)
SF Giants (2014)
NY Mets (2015)
Kansas City Royals (2015)
Cleveland Guardians (2016)
Chicago Cubs (2016)
Boston Red Sox (2018)
Washington Nationals (2019)
Tampa Bay Rays (2020)
Atlanta Braves (2021)
Philadelphia Phillies (2022)
Houston Astros (2022)
Arizona Diamondbacks (2023)
Texas Rangers (2023)
NY Yankees (2024)
LA Dodgers (2024)

Ruth

Hedgehog wrote: »

LA Dodgers are the heavy favorite to repeat as World Series champs. The last time any team repeated as Champs was way back in 2000, when the Yankees completed three in a row.

The Dodgers have on paper gotten better than last year, when they limped into the post-season with hardly any starting pitchers and had to have multiple bullpen games. My annual baseball bet with my partner this year is that they will win at least 105 regular season games, because however deep they are, the post-season is a crap shoot, given how many teams make it in.

The A's have announced that their "official" name will simply be "the Athletics" with no town name. But the media is having none of that and is calling them the Sacramento A's whether they like it or not!

Something I fully support! John Fisher is an absolute disgrace, and it's appalling that the other owners and the apparently useless commissioner are okay with a team choosing to play in a minor league park for several years. Tampa Bay had this forced on them when a hurricane tore up their ballpark, but the Sacramento A's are doing it on purpose.

Caissa

My Blue Jays have already screwed up by not signing Vladdy to a contract extension.

Hedgehog

I have been listening to MLB Radio's "Power Alley" this morning. The hosts are beyond angry that the Vladdy deal has not been done.

sharkshooter

Hedgehog wrote: »

I have been listening to MLB Radio's "Power Alley" this morning. The hosts are beyond angry that the Vladdy deal has not been done.

Inexcusable. This was their number one job to do this offseason, and they didn't get it done. I fully expect Vladdy to be traded by the trading deadline this summer.

Having been a Blue Jays fan since attending games in the inaugural season, it will be difficult to care this year.

Caissa

I was living in TO the summer '92. Exciting times. I got out of Dodge in June 1993.

Ruth

Does Guerrero have any interest in staying with the Blue Jays?

Hedgehog

He has stated that he wants to stay in Toronto. That is part of what makes the whole situation so weird. A good player who wants to be there, and management can't find a way to reach agreement on a contract extension.

Hedgehog

Just to back that up with a citation:

Keegan Matheson, Blue Jays beat reporter: Vladdy has said for years now that he wants to play his entire career with the Blue Jays, which he reiterated multiple times on Tuesday. The money needs to make sense first and foremost, but this is one situation where there will be no conversations about the border or “coming to Canada.” Guerrero loves the city and wants to stay there, so this should come down to money alone.

From here.

Caissa

Blue Jays ownership sucks.

Ruth

I will never understand rich owners not spending money to put the best possible team on the field. It's like owning a Maserati and not changing the oil. What's the point? They can go make money doing mediocre things in some other line of work that doesn't have a fan base to disappoint. (I will never forgive Frank McCourt for using the Dodgers as a bank account when he owned the team.)

Did folks here hear/see the epic rant of White Sox fan a few years ago about how badly managed that team is? From 2023, before they set the record for most losses in a single season. It's Shakespearean. Just brilliant. And kind of sad.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jYGxY5icxjc

sharkshooter

The Jays had hundreds of millions for stadium renovations, but aren't interested in fielding a contending team.

Hedgehog

During Spring Training, MLB is experimenting with a computerized assist on ball/strike calls (a "robo-ump"). A human ump makes the original call. If challenged, the computer generates the image of the pitch with a superimposed strike zone and calls it (and, if a ball, it will even tell you how far outside the strike zone it was; I saw one where the robo-ump called the pitch a ball because it missed by 0.6 of an inch).

Only the batter, catcher or pitcher is allowed to make a challenge to a ball/strike call (if anybody else does it, the human ump is instructed to refuse). In theory, you can challenge as often as you want---provided that you win the challenge. A team is allowed two wrong challenges--after that, no more challenges.

Now, here's the thing: the robo-ump will NOT be used during the regular season. At least, not this year. This has led to different managerial choices:

Terry Francona (Cincinnati Reds) has instructed his players NOT to challenge any ball/strike call. His theory is that, if it is not going to be part of the regular season, he wants his players playing Spring Training with the rules they will face during the regular season. There is a logic to that that I can understand.

Rob Thompson (Philadelphia Phillies) feels that, at least early on in Spring Training, the players who are playing are mostly guys trying to make the team--trying to impress with what they have in order to get selected to be part of the team during the regular season. That being the case if, for example, you are called out on a third strike, and you think it was a ball--then challenge it. Try to get a reprieve so you can face another pitch and have another opportunity to show your stuff. And I can see that point of view, too.

So, if you were an MLB manager, which approach would you take?

jedijudy

Ruth wrote: »

Did folks here hear/see the epic rant of White Sox fan a few years ago about how badly managed that team is? From 2023, before they set the record for most losses in a single season. It's Shakespearean. Just brilliant. And kind of sad.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jYGxY5icxjc

@Ruth, that is amazing! How have I missed this rant? Thanks for sharing!

Caissa

Not all spring training sites are equipped with robo-ump. I look forward to the day when the individuals quirks of umpires stop marring the game with terrible strike zone calls.

Ruth

jedijudy wrote: »

@Ruth, that is amazing! How have I missed this rant? Thanks for sharing!

You're welcome! It's remarkable, isn't it!

Hedgehog wrote: »

Terry Francona (Cincinnati Reds) has instructed his players NOT to challenge any ball/strike call. His theory is that, if it is not going to be part of the regular season, he wants his players playing Spring Training with the rules they will face during the regular season. There is a logic to that that I can understand.

Rob Thompson (Philadelphia Phillies) feels that, at least early on in Spring Training, the players who are playing are mostly guys trying to make the team--trying to impress with what they have in order to get selected to be part of the team during the regular season. That being the case if, for example, you are called out on a third strike, and you think it was a ball--then challenge it. Try to get a reprieve so you can face another pitch and have another opportunity to show your stuff. And I can see that point of view, too.

So, if you were an MLB manager, which approach would you take?

Off the top of my head ... I'd tell all the catchers to challenge -- sooner or later they're going to need to learn the system, which changes how they do their work; I don't see how the art of pitch framing survives the ABS system. I'd tell pitchers not to challenge, and that would go for the regular season as well once ABS gets to the majors' regular season. The pitcher doesn't have nearly as good a view as the catcher; I wouldn't want a pitcher getting mad and challenging because of his feelings. I'd tell the batters trying to make the team to challenge, for the reasons Thompson gives, and I'd make it optional for the batters who know they're on the team -- if they want to get a feel for it, fine, but I imagine some of them would consider it a distraction.

Caissa wrote: »

I look forward to the day when the individuals quirks of umpires stop marring the game with terrible strike zone calls.

We needed this before Angel Hernandez retired!

Caissa

The Angel Hernandezs will always be with us.

sharkshooter

Ruth wrote: »

...
Off the top of my head ...

I like your analysis.

Catchers yes. Pitchers no.

Hitters - roster players no, those trying to make the team yes.

Ruth

In Arizona for a couple of spring training games ... Saw both Yamamoto and Sasaki pitch for the Dodgers last night. Yamamoto did what he seems to usually do: start off shaky and then pull himself together and do well. Sasaki is still a work in progress, but struck out 5 in 3 innings.

We had great seats behind home plate, so got to see the Dodger greats up close, as well as Elly de la Cruz for the Reds, who is extremely fun to watch.

Hedgehog

As discussed earlier, the Sacramento A's will be playing in a minor league ballpark this year because the A's owner is a deleted expletive. But, as @Ruth mentioned, the Tampa Bay Rays will also be playing in a minor league park because their regular stadium was ripped up by a hurricane.

But it does sound like their new temporary clubhouse will be quite comfortable! The primary concern is that the stadium has no roof (like the damaged stadium did--until the hurricane came along) so they will be more prone to rain delays/rainouts than in previous years.

Hedgehog

In other news, New Era managed a self-inflicted wound for the second year running. They issued special "Overlap" caps for the teams, where on the hat the logo of the team is superimposed over the name of the team. Last year, the then-Oakland Athletics' hat proudly display "A'ss." I will let USA Today explain what happened this year.

I suspect Dodgers fans will consider the Astros hat to be spot-on...

Caissa

Dumb asses or should I be using another part of the anatomy. ;^) Were you referring to the Texas hat?

Hedgehog

No. I was thinking that the LA Dodgers are still angry at the Houston Astros and the cheating scandal back in 2017 (?), in which case the Astros "Overlap" cap is pretty much (spelling aside) what the Dodgers have been calling the Astros for several years.

But the Texas Rangers hat was the one so bad they yanked it from the store!

Ruth

Hedgehog wrote: »

I suspect Dodgers fans will consider the Astros hat to be spot-on...

I snickered!

Re: the Texas hat, I guess I shouldn't be shocked that they don't have anyone on staff with enough knowledge of Spanish slang to catch that problem.

Hedgehog wrote: »

As discussed earlier, the Sacramento A's will be playing in a minor league ballpark this year because the A's owner is a deleted expletive. But, as @Ruth mentioned, the Tampa Bay Rays will also be playing in a minor league park because their regular stadium was ripped up by a hurricane.

But somehow it's the Rays owner being pressured to sell his team, not the A's owner. John Fisher is on some kind of owners' governance committee though, if I heard correctly when listening to a baseball podcast the other day, so that may explain it.

The Yankees rotation is suddenly a lot less formidable -- first we learn Luis Gil will be out the first part of the season, and now Gerrit Cole has to have Tommy John surgery. The AL East, heck, the whole American League, is pretty wide open now. The Rays, White Sox, A's and Angels are the only teams that I'd completely count out.

sharkshooter

hmm... pretty quiet here.

Can't wait for the regular season to start.

Ruth

Just a few more days!

Hedgehog

Technically, because of the Tokyo series, the Dodgers and Cubs have started already...but I know of few people who take that seriously. But, yes, just a few more days!

Ruth

I'm a lifelong Dodgers fan, and the Dodgers are up two games because of the Tokyo series, but even I don't take it seriously. I think opening day should be a big event, not this soft roll-out - the Rockies and Rays don't play till Friday.

Also, it's irritating that the first two games my team played were at 3 AM in this time zone. They (the Dodgers? MLB? Who gets this money?) made a crap-ton of money on merchandise alone in Japan, though, and something like 25 million people watched the first game, so it sounds like the powers that be got what they wanted out of it.

The Dodgers channel is finally offering a streaming option - up to now you needed basic cable tv plus the sports package to see that. I'm so used to listening on the radio and going to sports bars occasionally. I haven't decided whether I'm going to spring for streaming the to games.

Caissa

When I lived in Toronto (92-93), I used to love listening to games on the radio. I only watched on TV in pubs. Of course, in person was the preferred easy option.

sharkshooter

Caissa wrote: »

When I lived in Toronto (92-93), I used to love listening to games on the radio. I only watched on TV in pubs. Of course, in person was the preferred easy option.

Tom and Jerry were the best. I would often mute the TV and listen to them instead.

Ruth

I'm a baseball fan, and specifically a Dodgers fan, because my mom always had the radio on in the kitchen and all summer I'd hear Vin Scully telling stories and painting pictures.

Hedgehog

Baseball is the near perfect sport for radio. I often prefer the radio broadcast to TV, if only because the radio broadcasters seem so much better at relaying the game--the Phillies TV people, at least, rely far too much on the fact that the viewer can see what is happening that they don't feel the need to interrupt any fluff interview that they are doing to tell us what is actually going on in the game.

As mentioned, they used the robo-ump for disputed ball/strike calls at Spring Training. Learned yesterday that, when the robo-ump changed a strike call to a ball, the Phillies fans booed the robo-ump. That is so quintessentially Philly: We booed the d*mn computer!

Caissa

Often, on TV, you get annoying interviews with a player or manager as the game progresses without commentary.

I can't wait until all ball and strike calls are made by technology.

ThunderBunk

Hedgehog wrote: »

Baseball is the near perfect sport for radio. I often prefer the radio broadcast to TV, if only because the radio broadcasters seem so much better at relaying the game--the Phillies TV people, at least, rely far too much on the fact that the viewer can see what is happening that they don't feel the need to interrupt any fluff interview that they are doing to tell us what is actually going on in the game.

As mentioned, they used the robo-ump for disputed ball/strike calls at Spring Training. Learned yesterday that, when the robo-ump changed a strike call to a ball, the Phillies fans booed the robo-ump. That is so quintessentially Philly: We booed the d*mn computer!

This is almost irrelevant but the same is true of cricket - when it comes to radio commentary I mean. One of the many things the two have in common. Also, more decisions made by electronic means than many other sports - either invariably or on appeal.

Piglet

I remember thinking when the All England Club introduced "Hawkeye" (the electronic eye device used to determine whether a serve was good or not) at Wimbledon. I couldn't help thinking, the players only have human eyesight; why shouldn't the umpires/linesmen?

Or am I missing the point?

Caissa

The point is to avoid the game being decided by human error of those officiating.

Hedgehog

There was some fun on Opening Day (although condolences to Toronto...that was messy). Washington's MacKenzie Gore pitched 6 innings, striking out 13, walking none and allowing only one hit.

Gore joined the iconic Bob Gibson (1967) as the only pitchers in AL/NL history with 13 strikeouts and no walks in a scoreless outing on Opening Day.

Fortunately for the Phillies, he was pulled after 6 innings, allowing the Phillies' batters to get some hits. The Phillies finally won 7-3, in ten innings.

Here is a list of other remarkable performances, including Tyler O'Neill hitting a home run on Opening Day for the SIXTH straight year; the Yankees getting a leadoff homer on Opening Day for the first time in franchise history...and hit by the first catcher to hit leadoff for the Yankees in Yankee history; Kyle Manzardo (Cleveland) being only the third person since 1901 to hit a homer, triple and double on Opening Day...and many more.

Hedgehog

Oh, and how could I forget! The Chicago White Sox won...meaning that they have a winning record for the first time since March 30, 2023!

Gramps49

Well, the Mariners won their opener. Took them nine endings to get on the board. Hey, a win is a win.

Caissa

My Blue Jays better show up today. The highlight of yesterday's game was the booing of the American national anthem. The game went downhill from there.

Hedgehog

Yesterday, the Yankees started the game by hitting three homers on the first three pitches. It is the first time (that we know of*) that that has happened in MLB history.

The asterisk is that MLB didn't start tracking pitch counts until 1988. Prior to that, we might know that three consecutive homers were hit, but could not be sure it was on three consecutive pitches.

Hedgehog

We are done the first weekend of the season, so let me indulge in my annual tradition: keeping track of the Undefeated and Unvictorious.

Among the Undefeated, LA Dodgers at 5-0; San Diego at 4-0, St. Louis at 3-0, NY Yankees at 3-0.

Among the Unvictorious, there are three teams at 0-3: Milwaukee, Detroit and Minnesota. But the "leader" is Atlanta at 0-4. And next Atlanta gets to play against the Dodgers! This could get messy.

Caissa

And Blue Jays found out who is ready to pitch early and who is not. 2-2.

Caissa

On run differential, the White Sox are first in the AL Central.

Hedgehog

St. Louis falls from the ranks of the Undefeated. And Detroit won, to remove it from the Unvictorious.

Hedgehog

The Undefeated contest is now a two team race: LA Dodgers (7-0) vs. San Diego Padres (6-0).

The Atlanta Braves officially are having the hardest start to the season. At 0-6, they are the only team not to have won a game yet this year.

Ruth

I was absolutely thrilled to see Dustin May back on the mound for the Dodgers after almost 2 years off. He had to have his Tommy John surgery revised in 2023, and when he was getting close to coming back last year, a bite of salad went down wrong and tore his esophagus -- his wife made him go to the ER and doctors said he was a few hours from death, and he had a huge long surgery.

He began by striking out the side in the first inning, and the one run scored against him was unearned.

Piglet

Poor fella - glad to hear he's back to health!

Hedgehog

Dustin May is a good story.

6 games into the season, and everybody in the AL Central is tied for first--at 2-4!

sharkshooter

Blue Jays leading the AL East!

Hedgehog

Cincinnati Reds are on the verge of making history.

They have lost three consecutive games by the score of 1-0. That last happened in 1960 (when the Phillies did it). Prior to that, it only happened in the pre-1920 "Dead Ball Era" specifically 1917 Pittsburgh Pirates; 1909 Washington Nationals (now called the Minnesota Twins); 1909 St. Louis Browns (now the Baltimore Orioles), and 1908 Brooklyn Superbas (now LA Dodgers).

No team has ever lost four consecutive 1-0 games, so all eyes will be on the Reds tonight!