MLB 2021

[The Minsky Moment]

You can get radio of any MLB game if you their app.

[Barrister]

You can get radio of any MLB game if you their app.

The thing is I'm far from a huge fan.

Over the course of the regular season I'm happy to just check the standing every few days when I remember to.

Of course when they had their little playoff run I was a bit more intense... 

[The Minsky Moment]

In 1966 the Phillies traded Fergie Jenkins to the Cubs for two veteran pitchers, Bob Buhl and Larry Jackson.  Buhl was washed up, Jackson had 3 decent years left. Jenkins reeled off 6 straight 20 wins and a Cy Young.

Then the Cubs traded Jenkins to the Rangers for Bill Madlock.  Madlock did win the batting title two years in a row but he had no power and couldn't play any position in the field which it turns out is a problem in the National League. So they dumped him a few years later.  Meanwhile Jenkins won 25 games for the Rangers the season after the trade, finished 2nd in Cy Yon voting.

So of course the Rangers trade him to the Red Sox.  For Juan Beniquez, a fine fielding outfielder who spent most of his career as a defensive replacement because he couldn't hit his way out of a paper bag.  The Rangers foolishly played him full time and he hit ZERO home runs in 526 plate appearances.  Meanwhile Jenkins gave the Red Sox 400 innings of better than league average ERA in the AL's best hitter's park.

The Red Sox finished in second place in 1977 because despite scoring scads of runs their staff ERA was only 8th in the league.  So what do they do? 
Trade their best pitcher of course!

Jenkins goes back to the Rangers.  Red Sox got a prospect that never pitched in the majors again.
Jenkins went 18-8 for the Rangers in 1978, finished 6th in the Cy Young
The Red Sox tied for 1st with the Yankees and lost the 1 game playoff.  They had decent pitching that year, but they would have won easily with Jenkins on the staff.

Rangers learned their lesson.  Jenkins was never traded again.

[The Minsky Moment]

What does this have to do with 2021?
Nothing.

But anyone who saw the Yankees play the Rays this evening will understand.

[Syt]

Michael Flynn can't catch a break.

https://pirates.pittsburghbaseball.com/2021/04/27/pirates-release-six-minor-league-players/?utm_source=ReviveOldPost&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ReviveOldPost

The Pittsburgh Pirates made six cuts yesterday ahead of setting the Opening Day rosters for the four full-season minor league affiliates, who kick off their season a week from today. The released players are pitchers Michael Flynn, Samson Abernathy, Zach Spears and Winston Nicacio, along with catcher Zac Susi and infielder Zack Kone.

Michael Flynn was a sixth round pick in 2018, who battled through injuries in his first two seasons. He was able to pitch just 21 innings in pro ball.

[Syt]

Here's a random little bit of trivia: one of the contacts for SABR.org for Europe is Indy Neidell, who some people here may know from his YouTube history series (e.g. Great War & WW2 in real time).

[The Minsky Moment]

Klubot named AL player 'o the week

Could he really be: back?

[Valmy]

The Orioles were beaten yesterday in demoralizing fashion and are now back where they belong in last place.

But...only two games below .500! These days that is enough to get me excited.

[Barrister]

Royals still in 1st place in the AL Central.   

[Grey Fox]

Giants are 6 games over 500. They are the closest thing I have to a team nowadays.

[The Minsky Moment]

The Orioles were beaten yesterday in demoralizing fashion and are now back where they belong in last place.

But...only two games below .500! These days that is enough to get me excited.

Harvey is pitching better than I've seen since the old days and Mullins has been breaking out.
They still aren't a good team overall but at least they aren't a boring team.

[The Minsky Moment]

Trevor Story is on the trading block.

Checked to see how he does away from Coors.  On the road he has been meh at .249/.317/.446.  That's fine for a good fielding SS but not superstar territory.

[Barrister]

Royals still in 1st place in the AL Central.   

I jinxed them!

They've lost 8 in a row since I posted the above. 

[Syt]

The Bucs are slowly puttering along, negative record of course, but they're not completely embarrassing themselves, so there's that.

[Valmy]

Any enthusiasm I once had with the Os this year was severely drained by their recent annihilation at the hands of the Red Sox and the Mets. Ah well things can only look up as next they are playing the...*checks notes*...Yankees. Oh boy.