Thursday, August 12, 2010

The Rest of the Baseball Season: Musical Chairs or Spoiler?



With 2/3 of the baseball season in the books, this is what it boils down to if you are a baseball fan: Your team is either playing Musical Chairs or Spoiler.

And the bad news is this: 60% of the teams in MLB baseball are relegated to playing the role of Spoiler rather than contender. At least if you believe the playoff odds as posted on coolbaseballstandings.com


http://www.coolstandings.com/baseball_standings.asp?i=1

The 12 contenders -- ATL, PHI, STL, CIN, SD, SF in the NL and NY, TB, BOS, MIN, CHI and TX in the AL -- are beginning to jockey for position and seeding, Musical Chairs. Six teams are in serious contention in each league competing for four playoff positions.

The other 60% of MLB -- 60% of the teams -- are playing for next year. And there are two months left in the season. Is this the parity of which you speak?

2/3 of the season gone and we've eliminated almost 2/3 of the teams. That's efficient, brutally efficient, and certainly not good for fan interest. Do we see the same in the NFL? No, I don't think so. Most teams are still in the hunt until about the last two weeks or so. Let's see 2/16 = 12.5%. Carry the one and...

So, baseball would have to figure out a way to have most of the teams remain in contention until about 20 games remain, or about mid-September -- give or take a week -- to be comparable. The only way to do that is to expand the playoff pool and the purists would kill baseball over that.

The salary cap / revenue sharing isn't going to pull everyone close enough to .500 to do the trick.

I know the NFL has the advantage of the smaller # of games magnifying the impact of each game but seriously folks, it used to be in baseball that you wouldn't look to wave the "Wait 'til next season" flag until September -- unless you're the Cubs, then why wait? Get it out of the way by late-June or July and concentrate on B-BQ or something.

I don't know how some of these teams pull in fans late in the season after all hope is lost. The sales pitch "Come see our pretty new stadium" ie: "look at what we brought with your increased taxes: only goes so far. Right?

Figure it out, MLB.

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Giants Top Minor League Prospects

  • 1. Joey Bart 6-2, 215 C Power arm and a power bat, playing a premium defensive position. Good catch and throw skills.
  • 2. Heliot Ramos 6-2, 185 OF Potential high-ceiling player the Giants have been looking for. Great bat speed, early returns were impressive.
  • 3. Chris Shaw 6-3. 230 1B Lefty power bat, limited defensively to 1B, Matt Adams comp?
  • 4. Tyler Beede 6-4, 215 RHP from Vanderbilt projects as top of the rotation starter when he works out his command/control issues. When he misses, he misses by a bunch.
  • 5. Stephen Duggar 6-1, 170 CF Another toolsy, under-achieving OF in the Gary Brown mold, hoping for better results.
  • 6. Sandro Fabian 6-0, 180 OF Dominican signee from 2014, shows some pop in his bat. Below average arm and lack of speed should push him towards LF.
  • 7. Aramis Garcia 6-2, 220 C from Florida INTL projects as a good bat behind the dish with enough defensive skill to play there long-term
  • 8. Heath Quinn 6-2, 190 OF Strong hitter, makes contact with improving approach at the plate. Returns from hamate bone injury.
  • 9. Garrett Williams 6-1, 205 LHP Former Oklahoma standout, Giants prototype, low-ceiling, high-floor prospect.
  • 10. Shaun Anderson 6-4, 225 RHP Large frame, 3.36 K/BB rate. Can start or relieve
  • 11. Jacob Gonzalez 6-3, 190 3B Good pedigree, impressive bat for HS prospect.
  • 12. Seth Corry 6-2 195 LHP Highly regard HS pick. Was mentioned as possible chip in high profile trades.
  • 13. C.J. Hinojosa 5-10, 175 SS Scrappy IF prospect in the mold of Kelby Tomlinson, just gets it done.
  • 14. Garett Cave 6-4, 200 RHP He misses a lot of bats and at times, the plate. 13 K/9 an 5 B/9. Wild thing.

2019 MLB Draft - Top HS Draft Prospects

  • 1. Bobby Witt, Jr. 6-1,185 SS Colleyville Heritage HS (TX) Oklahoma commit. Outstanding defensive SS who can hit. 6.4 speed in 60 yd. Touched 97 on mound. Son of former major leaguer. Five tool potential.
  • 2. Riley Greene 6-2, 190 OF Haggerty HS (FL) Florida commit.Best HS hitting prospect. LH bat with good eye, plate discipline and developing power.
  • 3. C.J. Abrams 6-2, 180 SS Blessed Trinity HS (GA) High-ceiling athlete. 70 speed with plus arm. Hitting needs to develop as he matures. Alabama commit.
  • 4. Reece Hinds 6-4, 210 SS Niceville HS (FL) Power bat, committed to LSU. Plus arm, solid enough bat to move to 3B down the road. 98MPH arm.
  • 5. Daniel Espino 6-3, 200 RHP Georgia Premier Academy (GA) LSU commit. Touches 98 on FB with wipe out SL.

2019 MLB Draft - Top College Draft Prospects

  • 1. Adley Rutschman C Oregon State Plus defender with great arm. Excellent receiver plus a switch hitter with some pop in the bat.
  • 2. Shea Langliers C Baylor Excelent throw and catch skills with good pop time. Quick bat, uses all fields approach with some pop.
  • 3. Zack Thompson 6-2 LHP Kentucky Missed time with an elbow issue. FB up to 95 with plenty of secondary stuff.
  • 4. Matt Wallner 6-5 OF Southern Miss Run producing bat plus mid to upper 90's FB closer. Power bat from the left side, athletic for size.
  • 5. Nick Lodolo LHP TCU Tall LHP, 95MPH FB and solid breaking stuff.