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2021 MLB Season Thread

MLB.com just released an updated top 100 MLB prospects list: https://www.mlb.com/news/top-100-prospects-updated-midseason-rankings?t=mlb-pipeline-coverage

Here is the new top 10:
The Top 10
1. Adley Rutschman, C, Orioles
2. Julio Rodríguez, OF, Mariners
3. Bobby Witt Jr., SS, Royals
4. Spencer Torkelson, 3B/1B, Tigers
5. Marco Luciano, SS, Giants
6. C.J. Abrams, SS, Padres
7. Riley Greene, OF, Tigers
8. Grayson Rodriguez, RHP, Orioles
9. Marcelo Mayer, SS, Red Sox
10. Francisco Álvarez, C, Mets

The Orioles need the talent infusion. Not only have they lost 14 straight (they are first AL team with a 13 game and a 14 game losing streak in the same season), their run differential (-91) is the worst run differential in a 14 game span for any MLB team since before 1900. The O's have given up 8 or more runs 11 times in their last 14 games.
 
O's ownership seems to prefer collecting coin and not making even a pretense of putting a competitive team on the field. Anybody on the O's who wants to get paid is free to leave town.
 
Mariners announce they have promoted Jerry Dipoto to President of Baseball Operations and extend Scott Servais with a multi-year contract.

Smart move to get this done the season before the Mariners start their streak of winning 3 World Series in a row.
 
also, the club option for Kyle Seager simply must be picked up. It's kind of insane that they haven't done so already. It's not like he's blocking the path of a 3B in the farm system.
 
deacvision7 said:
also, the club option for Kyle Seager simply must be picked up. It's kind of insane that they haven't done so already. It's not like he's blocking the path of a 3B in the farm system.
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what is the payroll situation? could they afford Bryant? $15m for a 103 wRC+ is a lot.
 
The Rays are just a machine.

They have lost their top 3 starting pitchers from last year (Snell, Glasnow and Morton). Their team payroll is $70 million (only the O's, Marlins, Pirates and Indians have a lower payroll); 16 of the 26 players on the Tampa current active roster make $825K or less; only one player on their roster makes more than $6.5 million; their highest paid player, Kevin Keirmaier makes $11 million a year. As a comparison, the Dodgers current payroll is $266 million, and they have 9 players who make more than the highest paid Rays player.

The Rays starting rotation is:

Shane McClanahan (rookie)
Ryan Yarborough (36 career wins)
Luis Patino (rookie)
Drew Rasmussen (2 career wins)
Chris Archer (just returned from 3 months on the IL; 9 wins over the last 4 MLB seasons)

The Rays traded their closer, Diego Castillo, before the deadline. They have no current closer as 12 pitchers are on the IL.

Yet, the Rays currently have the best record in baseball. This is just amazing sorcery to be dominating the game with this roster, this pitching staff and this payroll. Not sure why anyone would ever trade with them as they always find the diamond in the rough.
 
The Rays are the best run organization in baseball, possibly in professional sports. I used to be amazed at their ability to a field competitive team. Now, I expect it.
 
In an article about the shake up of the Nats organization, there was a tidbit that the Rays employ 3 times as many people (27) in the position of "baseball analyst" as compared to the Nats (9). The cost of those 27 Rays' analysts is probably not much more than the cost of paying a couple of players the MLB minimum salary. Guessing that the Rays employ more analytics people than anyone in baseball. They have figured out the return on investment is greatest when you have a kick ass analytics department, and they have been able to successfully marry that with traditional baseball scouting.
 
Pilchard said:
In an article about the shake up of the Nats organization, there was a tidbit that the Rays employ 3 times as many people (27) in the position of "baseball analyst" as compared to the Nats (9). The cost of those 27 Rays' analysts is probably not much more than the cost of paying a couple of players the MLB minimum salary. Guessing that the Rays employ more analytics people than anyone in baseball. They have figured out the return on investment is greatest when you have a kick ass analytics department, and they have been able to successfully marry that with traditional baseball scouting.
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So we have them to blame for the shift?
 
Pilchard said:
In an article about the shake up of the Nats organization, there was a tidbit that the Rays employ 3 times as many people (27) in the position of "baseball analyst" as compared to the Nats (9). The cost of those 27 Rays' analysts is probably not much more than the cost of paying a couple of players the MLB minimum salary. Guessing that the Rays employ more analytics people than anyone in baseball. They have figured out the return on investment is greatest when you have a kick ass analytics department, and they have been able to successfully marry that with traditional baseball scouting.
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Moneyball 2
 
Vlad Guerrero has fueled the Jays recent surge to the top of the AL Wild Card standings. Right now, Vladdy leads the AL in batting average, HRs and is very close to the League lead in RBI. Could a triple crown (the AL has only had one triple crown winner in 54 years) push Vladdy over Ohtani for the AL MVP?
 
Salvador Perez hit his 45th HR of the year today, tying Johnny Bench for the MLB record for catchers. Perez is just a dominant force at the toughest defensive position in the game. HOF in his future.
 
Pilchard said:
Salvador Perez hit his 45th HR of the year today, tying Johnny Bench for the MLB record for catchers. Perez is just a dominant force at the toughest defensive position in the game. HOF in his future.
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He’s having a nice year, but he’s 31 and his resume is nowhere near HOF level. He’d need at least 3-4 more years at this level to have an arguable case for hall of fame induction.
 
Perez has hit 14 of his HR's as a DH; a purist would say Javy Lopez has the most HR in a season by a catcher (who was playing catcher in that game)
 
deac29 said:
He’s having a nice year, but he’s 31 and his resume is nowhere near HOF level. He’d need at least 3-4 more years at this level to have an arguable case for hall of fame induction.
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As of today:

- 7 time all-star
- 5 gold gloves (will be 6)
- 3 silver slugger awards (will be 4)
- World Series MVP

Agree that if he retired tomorrow, he doesn't get in, but in 2021, he's had arguably had one of the best year's ever for a catcher (in an era when most catchers are an offensive liability). He's 31, and he's getting better. Would eagerly take the action that Perez will continue to produce for the next 4 years+.
 
Per Baseball reference:

Hall of Fame Statistics

Black Ink
Batting - 4 (531), Average HOFer ≈ 27
Gray Ink
Batting - 16 (1450), Average HOFer ≈ 144
Hall of Fame Monitor
Batting - 53 (408), Likely HOFer ≈ 100
Hall of Fame Standards
Batting - 26 (493), Average HOFer ≈ 50
JAWS
Catcher (40th):
29.3 career WAR | 23.5 7yr-peak WAR | 26.4 JAWS | 4.2 WAR/162
Average HOF C (out of 16):
53.8 career WAR | 34.8 7yr-peak WAR | 44.3 JAWS | 4.7 WAR/162
 
Shane Baz is making his major league debut for the Rays tonight against the Jays Cy Young candidate Robbie Ray. The MLB prospect pundits rate Baz as one of the best pitching prospects in the game. In addition to his minor league season for the Rays, Baz pitched on the Silver Medal winning US Olympic team. In the minors this season, Baz has put up crazy strikeout numbers 78 IP 113 Ks 0.80 WHIP. The Rays acquired Baz from the Pirates along with Tyler Glasnow and Austin Meadows for Chris Archer (who sucked for the Pirates and then re-signed with the Rays), in another steal for the Rays. If Baz pitches well over the last two weeks and despite his lack of MLB experience, it would typical for Tampa to use Baz in prominent role in the playoffs.
 
Pilchard said:
Shane Baz is making his major league debut for the Rays tonight against the Jays Cy Young candidate Robbie Ray. The MLB prospect pundits rate Baz as one of the best pitching prospects in the game. In addition to his minor league season for the Rays, Baz pitched on the Silver Medal winning US Olympic team. In the minors this season, Baz has put up crazy strikeout numbers 78 IP 113 Ks 0.80 WHIP. The Rays acquired Baz from the Pirates along with Tyler Glasnow and Austin Meadows for Chris Archer (who sucked for the Pirates and then re-signed with the Rays), in another steal for the Rays. If Baz pitches well over the last two weeks and despite his lack of MLB experience, it would typical for Tampa to use Baz in prominent role in the playoffs.
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Pirates and O's need to just be retracted out of existence

 
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