Man, the Twins have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of after their season. It was one hell of a turnaround from the year before.
I'm not disappointed at them as a team considering how far they've come this year. I'm just absolutely sick and tired of always losing to the Yankees. The Twins have lost 10 consecutive postseason games to the Yanks, who eliminated them in 2003, 2004, 2009, 2010, and now 2017.
The Red Sox are repeating 2016 very well. Yay, we got the division two years in a row! However, our team is running on fumes and the pitching is falling apart, just like last year.
An Astros/Indians series would be mint. I was thinking Nationals are the team to beat, but the Cubs very well could repeat.
If you haven't already, go to TBS for the LA/D'Backs game. My boy Robbie Ray is on the mound tonight and if he's on, you're in for a treat. EDIT: Never mind. Wow. I've never seen him struggle like this. He looks like shit. EDIT II: This is painful to watch. But I've got to give Robbie credit for keeping the game from getting away from him. After 4 innings, he's down 3-2. He's thrown 3 wild pitches, walked 4 and hasn't thrown anything over 95, plus he's thrown 84 pitches. But somehow, the D'Backs are still in it.
What a game, what a series. (Too bad the games don't start an hour earlier.) George Springer, could you show a little enthusiasm? https://www.instagram.com/p/Ba3IBsMl3IK/?taken-by=espn
Wtf? My local Fox station just switched to the 11:30 syndicated show, in the bottom of the eight inning. Morons.
Here we go! "Japanese baseball star Shohei Otani will be made available to major league teams, according to Japanese media reports. Otani's team, the Nippon Ham Fighters, announced Friday that the highly touted pitcher-outfielder will made available via the posting system, according to the reports." This is going to be interesting. I thought he would wait until he was an unrestricted FA, but I was wrong. I have a feeling this is going to be another "Meet the newest Yankee" even though they can't throw buckets of money at him.
Both wrong. He will go to either the Mariners (cause they suck) or the Oakland Athletics cause they have proven they will pay and take a chance on unproven out of country talent like Cespedes. Seriously, both those teams have taken Japanese players before, and I am sure those players are talking to Otani.
I don't think that will happen. The Rangers, Yankees and Twins can post the biggest signing bonus. The Mariners are also in the top 7 or 8. The Cardinals aren't even in the conversation. The big deal about Otani is that he can both hit and pitch well. He'd be better off in the AL where he can pitch and DH, at least until the team decides which way to go with him.
I don’t think any MLB team will make him both a field player AND pitcher. They’ll no doubt consider it too risky for injury.
If Otani is able to be a starter in MLB, I think he would be more valuable in the National League. Having someone who can actually hit in the ninth spot is simply a huge advantage over the other NL Teams if only for 32 games a year. Plus he could be used as a pinch hitter in games he does not start.
True in theory, but would he really be able to hit as well as he’s used to if he’s not getting ABs regularly? Between that and the higher level of pitching in the MLB I could see it being too much of a learning curve.
Is he more valuable (right now) as an offensive player/fielder, or a pitcher? Because if it’s the latter than NL seems like the odds-on smarter choice.
I believe he has publicly stated he wants to both pitch and hit on his days between starts. So he is likely only going to sign somewhere that is going to allow him to pitch and hit.
Exactly this. He wants to do both and I have a feeling any team that will allow it is who he will sign with.