2023 Spring Training Thread

[MarinersBestFan]

This is NOT good for the Mariners, core / oblique strains usually are far more pesky and last much longer than they lead on at the original diagnoses.

Dylan Moore's real value just became very apparent. A swiss army knife utility player is a hard position to fill, much less on such short notice about to break camp.

 

[NWinAZ]

 

[NWinAZ]

 

[NWinAZ]

 

[NWinAZ]

 

[MarinersBestFan]

Should have been wearing his beeper / buzzer under his shirt ( or listened to the trash can beat ) to alert him the catcher was calling an up and in pitch

On a more human note* I hate to see anyone injured playing ball. Total season changers for both the NY Mets ( Diaz ) and HOU ( Altuve )

I have see Julio nearly take another pitch or 2 off his hands during few games of WBC by lunging into the pitch. He missed a week or 10 days last year for same exact thing. And I expect him to get plopped in the hands / lower arm area again this season at least 2-3 times. It is the nature of his swings and at bats that creates the problem zone of having his hands exposed too much if the pitched runs a fastball up and in on him. Some guys are more susceptible than others. Both Jose and Julio have that lunge in style lean into the strike zone like they are always looking to cover the outside corner when they don't necessarily need to on that particular pitch.

 

[seahawksfan234]

I think Hummel can be sent down, but man he is hitting. And he plays catcher, both corner outfields, and both corner infields. They have room for both but Calhoun will have to be released along with La Stella.

I just got home from Leavenworth and I'm hungover as shit but to my understanding, La Stella's stock is sort of down, J.P. and Dylan Moore have (seemingly) minor injuries but we might have to keep La Stella due to that. I wasn't under the impression that Calhoun was a serious option to be retained.

 

[NWinAZ]

 

[seahawksfan234]

It’s all good, our replies generally turn into essays. I 100% get the disposable income argument but for the health of baseball it can’t just be for people with a shit load of disposable income. They need the next generation of fans and players. It’s no different than urban areas after WWII where sandlot’s disappeared for housing. There are more youth soccer leagues around than baseball and for some reason lacrosse is gaining steam for young boys.

I mostly brought up Saudi cause as you said they have been tossing a crap load of cash for sporting events and their cash infusion can kick the can down the road so a family can go to games. I don’t know, just a thought.

I don't want to get political, but I think that many things in America are becoming things for people with a shit load of disposable income. Since the 80s there has been an ever growing divide between the "haves" and "have nots." The causes and solutions for that are a conversation for the politics forum, but I don't think there is any denying that the middle class of our parent's generation (well, at least my parents as they were born in the 50s) is no longer present in America.

If they want to promote the next generation of fans, I think they need to promote baseball more at the youth level. I don't know what that would look like, but I've worked with a number of immigrants who all think baseball is the most boring sport on Earth and if I hadn't grown up playing it, playing catch with my dad, etc. I would probably feel the same way. I mean that's how I personally feel about soccer.

Sadly I don't think a country throwing a shit load of cash at MLB would lead to a decrease in the expense of attending a game. Franchises would just look at it as additional profit and I don't think out of charity they'd make it more affordable for families to attend a game. Perhaps that's just my pessimism.

 

[NWinAZ]

I just got home from Leavenworth and I'm hungover as shit but to my understanding, La Stella's stock is sort of down, J.P. and Dylan Moore have (seemingly) minor injuries but we might have to keep La Stella due to that. I wasn't under the impression that Calhoun was a serious option to be retained.

Agreed with the infielders and Calhoun was a long shot but he was hitting mid .300's as of last week. Will be interesting.

 

[seahawksfan234]

Agreed with the infielders and Calhoun was a long shot but he was hitting mid .300's as of last week. Will be interesting.

Despite having followed the sport my entire life, I have absolutely zero idea how much stock that teams put in Spring Training performance. I remember years ago there was a Mariners player who played absolutely phenomenal in Spring Training, eventually left the organization and then we traded back for him. My scrambled brain right now can't think of who it was. Started as shortstop, ended up playing outfield. God this is going to annoy me.

EDIT: Figured it out. Michael Morse. Pretty sure he had an insane spring training one year, then eventually found himself with the Nationals.

 

[NWinAZ]

 

[NWinAZ]

 

[NWinAZ]

 

[MarinersBestFan]

Despite having followed the sport my entire life, I have absolutely zero idea how much stock that teams put in Spring Training performance. I remember years ago there was a Mariners player who played absolutely phenomenal in Spring Training, eventually left the organization and then we traded back for him. My scrambled brain right now can't think of who it was. Started as shortstop, ended up playing outfield. God this is going to annoy me.

EDIT: Figured it out. Michael Morse. Pretty sure he had an insane spring training one year, then eventually found himself with the Nationals.

Pete Rose in 1963 I believe, had a real good spring training with the Reds and made the big league club and became the starting 2nd baseman for the Reds.

Then went onto win the Rookie of the Year award that same year.

yes I know different times now. And I am with you Seahawksfan234 I think most mgrs have their minds 97% made up before spring training day 1 who makes the club and big league roster.

 

[seahawksfan234]

Pete Rose in 1963 I believe, had a real good spring training with the Reds and made the big league club and became the starting 2nd baseman for the Reds.

Then went onto win the Rookie of the Year award that same year.

yes I know different times now. And I am with you Seahawksfan234 I think most mgrs have their minds 97% made up before spring training day 1 who makes the club and big league roster.

That's what I figured as well.

I've always been of the mentality that I don't get concerned if a starter isn't playing well in Spring Training, but I also don't get too excited when someone plays well. Although Kelenic is starting to give me probably a bit more hope than I should have.

 

[seahawksfan234]

Every time I see something like this I think "Don't get too excited, don't get too excited, don't get too excited." But deGrom is no scrub.

 

[MarinersBestFan]

Every time I see something like this I think "Don't get too excited, don't get too excited, don't get too excited." But deGrom is no scrub.

If Kelenic is able to produce even 80% of the stat line thru the 1st 6-8 weeks of the regular season, and the fact HOU has lost Altuve for at least 6-8 weeks ( likely longer ). The Mariners have a great shot at being the new sheriff in town in the AL west.

Obvious all is conditional upon our SP being successful and our pen holding their own. And our lineup posting a consistent minimum of 4-5 runs each and every game.

I am not a fan of France being our everyday 1b and I am not a fan of the DH by committee. But you don't always get what you want.

I am glad we have LAA for 3 games right after a 4 game set with CLE. That way if we split 2-2 with the Tribe we can still win the home series nabbing 2 of 3 vs the Halos.

Or start the season with a 12 game winning streak to honor last season !!

 

[NWinAZ]

I am not a fan of France being our everyday 1b and I am not a fan of the DH by committee. But you don't always get what you want.

I am less in favor of this each spring game I watch. I don't know how many scoop attempts he has had that went to the fence. Or balls off his glove into the outfield. This is becoming a real problem.

 

[NWinAZ]

Here is something I didn't expect to read after last season.