A few baseball observations after a week.

Darin · April 2, 2026 5:16PM

Already seen something interesting happen with the challenge of balls and strikes. Situation- Tatis batting for Padres, theyre down 3 runs in the ninth. Count is 2-1 when the pitcher throws an obvious low ball. Ump calls strike 2, Tatis does not challenge, and they did have one left. So count is 2-2 instead of 3-1 and Tatis flies out next pitch. Next batter jacks a homer leaving the Padres down 1 run as there was a runner on. The scoring ends there. Why didn’t Tatis challenge that call? The announcers and I were perplexed. At 3-1 he might try harder to draw a walk or even get a better pitch to hit. And yes he would have won the challenge it was obviously low. Dumbest non use of a challenge I’ve seen so far.
In other news light hitting Royals center fielder Kyle Isbel has an OPS+ of 356 while proven hitter Josh Naylor is at -45. I love early season stats
Also if you haven’t seen the play where the first base ump called a runner out for not stepping on first base you’re missing out on some good stuff. He clearly stepped right on the bag, call overturned! How do you call something like that if he’s not certain? Is he seeing things?

Wow didn’t know the Dino emoji would be huge. Got a new phone and my only demand was it has to have Dino emojis. Kidding. But YES!

Darin · April 2, 2026 5:24PM

Also if you’re not aware…..
Corbin Carroll is the greatest combination of speed and power I’ve ever seen.
Never forget to embolden his name when writing of his exploits.

bgr · April 2, 2026 7:15PM

That was Bauers. With the infamous Buckner on the call… daydreaming I’m sure.

Funny story tho cause Bauers missed 2nd the next game.

What I’ve noticed is that umpires knew how to call balls and strikes all along. I see challenges being won but I also see a ton of clean innings behind the plate. Wild.

Darin · April 2, 2026 9:02PM

@bgr said:
That was Bauers. With the infamous Buckner on the call… daydreaming I’m sure.

Funny story tho cause Bauers missed 2nd the next game.

What I’ve noticed is that umpires knew how to call balls and strikes all along. I see challenges being won but I also see a ton of clean innings behind the plate. Wild.

Yes, Buckner with the crazy call.
Same with me, I’ve seen challenges won but most are borderline. The one I mentioned with Tatis was an obvious ball and he didn’t challenge.
I like how the rule works, start with 2 challenges and you can either retain them or lose them depending on how wisely they’re used.
Brewers vs. Royals starting tomorrow.
We have a relief pitcher last name Falter. If you can get him in the game he will live up to his name.
Royals just played the Twins and they have a player named Outman, I kid you not. If Falter faces Outman what happens? Somebody has to rise above his name.

Darin · April 2, 2026 9:35PM

I just found out one of our young rookies, Carter Jensen was supposed to start today at catcher and Salvy was going to DH after he caught a long nine inning game last night. But young Carter overslept and didn’t make it to the ballpark in time so Salvy had to catch again.
From the article I read it sounds like Vinnie Pasquintino probably had some choice words for him, and hopefully our manager let him know that better not happen again. The Royals players are going to stick up for each other and especially Salvy. Fortunately Sal is a true pro and was ready to go.
Carter is a promising rookie and seems like a good kid so I think he will learn that can’t happen again.

VikingDude · April 3, 2026 5:26AM

I did not know the strike zone was that large - that it takes only a sliver of the ball to be in it for it to be a strike.

Maywood · April 3, 2026 11:29PM

I’m not a fan of all the changes made to MLB in the past years. Just because technology is available doesn’t mean it should be used. That probably means I’m in the minority but really how far are we away from eliminating the Umpires completely??

perkdog · April 4, 2026 5:24AM

I can't name a single rule change, that's how much I follow base all outside of betting

Darin · April 4, 2026 7:38AM

@perkdog said:
I can't name a single rule change, that's how much I follow base all outside of betting

The pitch clock saved baseball. You don’t see batters grabbing their crotches, adjusting batting gloves after every pitch etc. and the pitchers are no longer squirming around nervously acting like they’re afraid to throw a pitch. All of that crap used to add 45+ minutes to every game and has now been eliminated.

perkdog · April 4, 2026 8:20AM

@Darin said:

@perkdog said:
I can't name a single rule change, that's how much I follow base all outside of betting

The pitch clock saved baseball. You don’t see batters grabbing their crotches, adjusting batting gloves after every pitch etc. and the pitchers are no longer squirming around nervously acting like they’re afraid to throw a pitch. All of that crap used to add 45+ minutes to every game and has now been eliminated.

I stand corrected, I was aware of that and it is a great change without question

I think the extra innings rule change is a runner on 2nd?

Maywood · April 4, 2026 8:39AM

Clock on the batter.
Clock on the pitcher.
Limit on relief pitchers.
Runner starts on 2nd base in extra innings.
Multiple allowed reviews.
Intentional walk rule.
Mound visits to the pitcher restricted.

Future changes:
I'm sure on the horizon the home-run-trot will be eliminated.
Someone will invent a perfected pitching machine and that position will be eliminated.
No more tossing around the ball between innings while the pitcher warms up, see above.
Etc, etc, etc.

Let's just stop pissing around and get these games over with. Not sure if that covers everything but it has altered the game I grew up with, watching and playing.

JMHO, one of Mankind's obsessions is to eliminate the affect of Human error in everything and the advent of technology in the past quarter/half century has enabled that and emboldened people to use it in places where it really shouldn't be used. Sports might be the best example of where it shouldn't be used, the last bastion of relaxation for many.

craig44 · April 6, 2026 6:34AM

@Darin said:

@perkdog said:
I can't name a single rule change, that's how much I follow base all outside of betting

The pitch clock saved baseball. You don’t see batters grabbing their crotches, adjusting batting gloves after every pitch etc. and the pitchers are no longer squirming around nervously acting like they’re afraid to throw a pitch. All of that crap used to add 45+ minutes to every game and has now been eliminated.

this right here!! I couldnt agree with you more!

I loved Nomahhh back in the day, but he drove me right up the wall when he would call time and back out of the box nearly every pitch to adjust those stupid batting gloves.

bgr · April 7, 2026 9:58AM

I did not like the pitch clock at first and I thought it was a tough first season for the pitchers. Love it now. I think ABS is also a win here. Maybe it ends up with 100% robo-umps someday and I'm not so sure that's what I would want, but I don't have to think about that for now. It just seems like a lot of clean games behind the plate.

BLUEJAYWAY · April 7, 2026 11:59PM

@craig44 said:

@Darin said:

@perkdog said:
I can't name a single rule change, that's how much I follow base all outside of betting

The pitch clock saved baseball. You don’t see batters grabbing their crotches, adjusting batting gloves after every pitch etc. and the pitchers are no longer squirming around nervously acting like they’re afraid to throw a pitch. All of that crap used to add 45+ minutes to every game and has now been eliminated.

this right here!! I couldnt agree with you more!

I loved Nomahhh back in the day, but he drove me right up the wall when he would call time and back out of the box nearly every pitch to adjust those stupid batting gloves.

Chuck Knoblauch was another annoyance.

Darin · April 12, 2026 6:22PM

This sums up the Royals problems right now….. after today Bobby Witt jr. has an OB% of .371 with 8 stolen bases and has scored exactly 1 run in 16 games. Salvy and Pasquintino stink.
Salvy should not be hitting fourth but I’m not sure we don’t have an idiot for a manager.
Yes Bobby is not hitting for power yet but he is doing his job getting on for the supposed big hitters and they’re both hitting a buck fifty, if that.

Darin · April 15, 2026 6:49PM

Done watching the Royals. 14 runs scored in last 8 games for a scorching 1.75 runs per game average.
They’re white hot trash…. Pure garbage in baseball uniforms. Apparently our genius manager has appointed Salvy cleanup hitter for life. Salvy was never a very good hitter but at this point it’s embarrassing to all involved watching him flail away. Pasquintino needs to move to Italy and open a nice restaurant and get out of our faces. Witt turned into Buddy Biancalana somewhere along the line. He’s now the guy who gets sand kicked in his face when he goes to the beach. Except Charles Atlas is nowhere in sight to help him. When they do have a 1-0 lead late in the game you can bet your life savings they’ll lose 1-2.
They couldn’t hit the local star pitcher on the little league team, you know the kid, the 12 year old with the mustache.
Opposing pitchers can’t stop smiling when they’re on the mound… knowing their era’s are going to drop precipitously.
It’s a shame because KC has good pitchers who never get wins they deserve because the offense is trash.

1948_Swell_Robinson · April 16, 2026 5:57AM

@Darin said:
Done watching the Royals. 14 runs scored in last 8 games for a scorching 1.75 runs per game average.
They’re white hot trash…. Pure garbage in baseball uniforms. Apparently our genius manager has appointed Salvy cleanup hitter for life. Salvy was never a very good hitter but at this point it’s embarrassing to all involved watching him flail away. Pasquintino needs to move to Italy and open a nice restaurant and get out of our faces. Witt turned into Buddy Biancalana somewhere along the line. He’s now the guy who gets sand kicked in his face when he goes to the beach. Except Charles Atlas is nowhere in sight to help him. When they do have a 1-0 lead late in the game you can bet your life savings they’ll lose 1-2.
They couldn’t hit the local star pitcher on the little league team, you know the kid, the 12 year old with the mustache.
Opposing pitchers can’t stop smiling when they’re on the mound… knowing their era’s are going to drop precipitously.
It’s a shame because KC has good pitchers who never get wins they deserve because the offense is trash.

Good rant.

It's crazy that Witt still only has one run scored through 18 games.

Darin · April 16, 2026 10:27AM

@1948_Swell_Robinson said:

@Darin said:
Done watching the Royals. 14 runs scored in last 8 games for a scorching 1.75 runs per game average.
They’re white hot trash…. Pure garbage in baseball uniforms. Apparently our genius manager has appointed Salvy cleanup hitter for life. Salvy was never a very good hitter but at this point it’s embarrassing to all involved watching him flail away. Pasquintino needs to move to Italy and open a nice restaurant and get out of our faces. Witt turned into Buddy Biancalana somewhere along the line. He’s now the guy who gets sand kicked in his face when he goes to the beach. Except Charles Atlas is nowhere in sight to help him. When they do have a 1-0 lead late in the game you can bet your life savings they’ll lose 1-2.
They couldn’t hit the local star pitcher on the little league team, you know the kid, the 12 year old with the mustache.
Opposing pitchers can’t stop smiling when they’re on the mound… knowing their era’s are going to drop precipitously.
It’s a shame because KC has good pitchers who never get wins they deserve because the offense is trash.

Good rant.

It's crazy that Witt still only has one run scored through 18 games.

And I was easy on them. When I wait all winter for baseball to start and this is the pathetic product I get I’m going to be ticked off. And I vividly remember right before the season started Vinnie talking about not getting off to a slow start. And his slugging % is under .200
I’m tired of watching serial slumpers try to hit a baseball. Im done with them.

Maywood · April 17, 2026 4:35AM

The skill set required to play MLB is the greatest of the major sports and that’s why seeing it done at a high level is so entertaining. Right now we aren’t even 20% done with the season. Teams are still settling in.

Being a cold weather team, the Indians usually struggle early but get better as the weather warms. They have already looked good in some areas. A surprising rookie in Delauter, an early call up for an injury in Brito, young pitcher Messick flirted with a no-no into the 9th. And then there is the ever steady Jose Ramirez who has found his sweet swing early!!!

I always admire the fact that a small market team on the shores of Lake Erie can challenge the big boys. One day…………………….👏👏👍

1948_Swell_Robinson · April 17, 2026 6:16AM

@Darin said:

@1948_Swell_Robinson said:

@Darin said:
Done watching the Royals. 14 runs scored in last 8 games for a scorching 1.75 runs per game average.
They’re white hot trash…. Pure garbage in baseball uniforms. Apparently our genius manager has appointed Salvy cleanup hitter for life. Salvy was never a very good hitter but at this point it’s embarrassing to all involved watching him flail away. Pasquintino needs to move to Italy and open a nice restaurant and get out of our faces. Witt turned into Buddy Biancalana somewhere along the line. He’s now the guy who gets sand kicked in his face when he goes to the beach. Except Charles Atlas is nowhere in sight to help him. When they do have a 1-0 lead late in the game you can bet your life savings they’ll lose 1-2.
They couldn’t hit the local star pitcher on the little league team, you know the kid, the 12 year old with the mustache.
Opposing pitchers can’t stop smiling when they’re on the mound… knowing their era’s are going to drop precipitously.
It’s a shame because KC has good pitchers who never get wins they deserve because the offense is trash.

Good rant.

It's crazy that Witt still only has one run scored through 18 games.

And I was easy on them. When I wait all winter for baseball to start and this is the pathetic product I get I’m going to be ticked off. And I vividly remember right before the season started Vinnie talking about not getting off to a slow start. And his slugging % is under .200
I’m tired of watching serial slumpers try to hit a baseball. Im done with them.

The offense heard ya yesterday...but the pitchers took the night off...ugh.

Maywood · April 21, 2026 9:18AM

Consider this payroll for the LA Dodgers:
$345.3 million payroll.
$169.4 million tax.
total of $514.6 million.

I would wonder why MLB and the players union can't reach some sort of agreement on limiting the spending. It's clear that certain teams aren't affected by the "penalty" imposed for going over the salary cap. It tends to distort the game.

Maywood · April 25, 2026 5:31AM

And………………after 2.1 innings, 7 earned runs and -0- K’s last night Max Sherzer is still looking for strike-out number 3,500.

Maxie had a rough outing with the Tribe and is stuck at 3,499.

Basebal21 · April 25, 2026 9:12AM

@Maywood said:
Consider this payroll for the LA Dodgers:
$345.3 million payroll.
$169.4 million tax.
total of $514.6 million.

I would wonder why MLB and the players union can't reach some sort of agreement on limiting the spending. It's clear that certain teams aren't affected by the "penalty" imposed for going over the salary cap. It tends to distort the game.

@Maywood said:
Consider this payroll for the LA Dodgers:
$345.3 million payroll.
$169.4 million tax.
total of $514.6 million.

I would wonder why MLB and the players union can't reach some sort of agreement on limiting the spending. It's clear that certain teams aren't affected by the "penalty" imposed for going over the salary cap. It tends to distort the game.

The Dodgers payroll is only 345.3 million on paper, thats not what theyre actually paying.

Over a billion dollars of Dodgers payroll is significantly deferred. Othani is getting paid 2 million a year 680 million is deferred for the decade he plays there. Over 100 million of Betts contract is deferred. Almost 60 million of Freemans contract is deferred. Almost 70 million of Snells contract is deferred. Edman has 25 million of his contract deferred which is over 1/3rd of his total contract. Will Smith has 50 million deferred.

Any team that wants to can go heavy on the deferred contracts like the Dodgers have. Yamamoto is the only big contract where he is actually getting paid what his contract says with no deferred money

A few baseball observations after a week.

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