2024 MLB season

[Oldspartan]

Yeah Dodgers. I am a big fan but was subdued about it this year. I also admired how they grew their talent. This year they bought it.

Soto ... He is a mercenary plain and simple. That is the reality of the game.

 

[Ceez]

Yeah Dodgers. I am a big fan but was subdued about it this year. I also admired how they grew their talent. This year they bought it.

Soto ... He is a mercenary plain and simple. That is the reality of the game.

Much of the talent is in fact homegrown. Will Smith, Pages, Buehler, Lux etc etc.. and throughout the years this team isn't much different than other years past when they traded for Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett and Carl Crawford, years later Mookie Betts and David Price, Manny Ramirez, Gary Sheffield, Max Scherzer and Trea Turner all super stars. They were able to sign Ohtani without a trade because the Angels gambled that he would stay and chose wrong. Every team was in on the ohtani sweepstakes and 3 made 700m dollar offers. Yamamoto was also up for grabs for everyone and Glasnow was a no brainer.

I see what you're saying to a degree, they are the evil empire of the West but this team has been loaded with talent and won 12 NL West titles in the last 14 years. Unfortunately they always get hit with the injury bug on the pitching staff and Dave Roberts couldn't manage his way out of a wet paper bag. He has made horrendous call after horrendous call concerning their pitching in the playoffs time and again but that's a different topic altogether.

I'm glad we have ownership in place that has the means to spend, if it wasn't us it would be the Yankees or someone else. Rather see my team create the best roster than anyone else and if they're playing by the rules of the CBA it's all fair game isn't it?

They still have a top 4 farm system in the game too! They scout, draft and trade well. My only complaint is roberts and the analytics. But old spartan you're not the only one who feels that way and I understand because when the shoe was on the opposite foot all those years the Yankees were spending and winning I didn't like it. Much better now lol

 

[GaryE]

My Dad was a Brooklyn fan, and still half followed the team when it went to LA. I have a soft spot for them, as mercenary as many of them are. The players chase big money, the owners have big money, so you live with it. Congrats Dodgers fans. Anyone who beats the Yankees is okay with me.

I like this part of the season, since I follow a few weaker clubs. It's building season, where you see what can be created for the next summer. Even if I don't have a team anymore (I'm still grieving for my Expos), I like to see what teams do, and how well managed smaller markets can be competitive with the rich clubs.

I watch the Blue Jays, mainly to see the clubs they play against and who hopefully beats them. My elderly mother in law lives with us, and so we have cable, and they're on the feed. I don't bother seeking online viewing packages. I'm hoping that the Red Sox improve, and my NL vaguely liked favourite Pirates become more than a farm club for the rich teams. Maybe the Mets will improve. Maybe the diamondbacks. At this time of year, I see who does what that's interesting, and pick a team for the next season.

It's hard to dislike a team with Freeman and Betts on it.

 

[Oldspartan]

Oh, I am a Dodger fan. Been one since the days of Da Bums of Brooklyn. Happy for another title, just not a fan of the mercenary tenor of today's game. Then again it probably beats the indentured servant era of the past.

 

[Ceez]

Yeah Dodgers. I am a big fan but was subdued about it this year. I also admired how they grew their talent. This year they bought it.

Soto ... He is a mercenary plain and simple. That is the reality of the game.

Much of the talent is in fact homegrown. Will Smith, Pages, Buehler, Lux etc etc.. and throughout the years this team isn't much different than other years past when they traded for Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett and Carl Crawford, years later Mookie Betts and David Price, Manny Ramirez, Gary Sheffield, Max Scherzer and Trea Turner all super stars. They were able to sign Ohtani without a trade because the Angels gambled that he would stay and chose wrong. Every team was in on the ohtani sweepstakes and 3 made 700m dollar offers. Yamamoto was also up for grabs for everyone and Glasnow was a no brainer.

I see what you're saying to a degree, they are the evil empire of the West but this team has been loaded with talent and won 11 NL West titles in the last 13 years

 

[GaryE]

As much as I 'hate' the Yankees, they too have some homegrown talent. Judge, for a start. A well run team can develop some solid players. If they don't, they end up with a bunch of overpaid stars and a thin lineup.

You can hold a team like Toronto up as contrast. They had a huge payroll last year, but they spent badly, and fell apart. The game is also how teams and farm systems are run, and some make bonehead call after bonehead call. Others like the Dodgers are clear headed and have a long term vision. Even the Yankees can retool on the fly. Having the ability to bring up young players with potential is as important as the big bucks. Good scouting, player development, good trading, smart signings - these are what are fun to see at this time of year.

Toronto has a farm system of utility players, fifth outfielders and pitchers who barely make Triple A. Run a franchise that way, and you aren't going to be in the game with the Dodgers, Yankees, Braves and even really smart organizations like the low budget Guardians.

I'm still waiting for that GM post to open, unless my favourite hockey team wants a 66 year old goalie first.

 

[jaylach]

My Dad was a Brooklyn fan, and still half followed the team when it went to LA. I have a soft spot for them, as mercenary as many of them are. The players chase big money, the owners have big money, so you live with it. Congrats Dodgers fans. Anyone who beats the Yankees is okay with me.

This may sound strange but I don't really blame either the owners or players for the high salaries in either the MLB or NFL, any sport for that matter. You have to look at the source of the money which is the fans. Some will argue that a large amount of the money comes from TV but, if the fans didn't watch, there would not be TV money.

 

[GaryE]

The salaries reflect an entertainment industry. Forget that it involves sports - it's a soap opera, game show, drama and sometimes tragedy all rolled up in one. Baseball, the two footballs, hockey, basketball - we discuss them like they matter as more than just keeping us amused. The money is crazy and would be better spent on health care and education, but those things aren't entertaining.

 

[jaylach]

The salaries reflect an entertainment industry. Forget that it involves sports - it's a soap opera, game show, drama and sometimes tragedy all rolled up in one. Baseball, the two footballs, hockey, basketball - we discuss them like they matter as more than just keeping us amused. The money is crazy and would be better spent on health care and education, but those things aren't entertaining.

Totally agree. What you say has a lot to do with rules being changed to increase offense as fans want to see bunches of points on the board. Personally, for myself, I'd MUCH rather see a 1-0, with great defense, pitcher's duel than a 10-0 blowout but most would probably prefer the 10-0.

 

[GaryE]

Next we'll have ball games where a homer is 3 points, but a sac fly only 1. Or no more wooden bats, so tech can get in as it has in hockey.
To me, the perfect ball game has great pitching, solid fielding, stolen bases and clutch hitting. Power is great, but watching a guy trot around is dull. A close play is better.
Strategy, momentum, and no interruptions for ads. But the way cameras present the game is limiting in entertainment value. You don't see the game within the game old players love. When we had a team and I went to games, I could watch infield positioning and enjoy the strategy, as much as the hitting or the plays as they developed. TV has to focus on the pitcher and hitter, and only go elsewhere when the ball does. With that perspective, the big hit is something happening.

Where I live now, I won't be going to live games. Ticket prices don't affect me. If I've had a busy day and a ball game is on, I'll watch it. In the morning, I check scores and stats. I don't gamble - no thrill for me there. I need my money for fish more than the betting corporations need it for yachts. I don't spend money on merchandise - I have an old David Ortiz Boston shirt and some Expos caps. So I'm a sports entertainment dropout.

 

[Oldspartan]

The money is a mixed bag from the fan’s pov. I remember rooting for Curt Flood when he fought to be free of ownership. Now I bemoan the lack of mutual loyalty between owner and player. At least the Dodgers are signing their core long term.

 

[Oldspartan]

Totally agree. What you say has a lot to do with rules being changed to increase offense as fans want to see bunches of points on the board. Personally, for myself, I'd MUCH rather see a 1-0, with great defense, pitcher's duel than a 10-0 blowout but most would probably prefer the 10-0.

Depends on which end of that score I am on.

 

[Ceez]

This off season is turning out to be a good one for the Dodgers. Blake Snell, are you kidding me? Still on the horizon is Roki Sasaki as well. From what I've read there's only 2 teams he has interest in and that's the Dodgers and the Padres. The word is hes really good friends with Yu Darvish and he's leaning towards the Padres but if he goes to LA omg the amount of pressure on them to win will be astronomical. Ohtani/Yamamoto/Snell/Rosaki/Glasnow/Gonsolin/May/Miller/Stone...incredible.

Juan Soto signing a deal over $700m seems to also be a thing. I think the Dodgers are only in on it to drive up the price to hurt another team. He's not worth that price tag. He is a minus right fielder that can only do one thing, hit. I just don't see paying that for him for a number of reasons. He's not ohtani, he doesn't do anything else well. Also he doesn't have the same impact in the endorsement market or globally. The returns any team will get that sign him are minimal. I just don't see this as a good contract no matter how you slice it.

Compared to last years FA market that never materialized, this one is gonna be on fire once Soto signs. Burnes, Fried, Crochet all top available arms. Arredando, Adames, Bellinger, Teoscar etc etc...theres a lot of high end talent available this year wheres everyone going?

@jaylach heard any Indians rumors? I heard the Washington Commanders almost have an agreement to change their name back to the redskins...lol its a great time to be alive again

 

[jaylach]

I really haven't heard anything recently but I haven't looked.

 

[Oldspartan]

I think Bellinger is going back to LA. I think that will be their last big$ signing.