Quote from fenn68 on July 24, 2020, 4:01 pm

Side bar observation after just a few games ... ESPN baseball coverage is just bad .... MLB Network coverage is good.

MLB Network has a "normal" crew just trying to call an "normal" game of baseball with focus on the game / players.

ESPN has a mis-mash of "personalities" trying to philosophize on stuff other than the game at hand plus inserted way too much non-game related features / interviews. So full of themselves they really missed the game going on. Seemed opening day and the game were just fill for them to they could talk and do features.

I watched Orsillo and Grant in the two exhibition games against the Angels ... now I appreciate them more after seeing ESPN's production.

Quote from fenn68 on July 25, 2020, 1:32 pm

IF we are rooting for the Padres to get into the playoffs and get the highest seed possible ... might have to adjust our normal rooting strategy.

Since the Padres have no control over the wins / losses over NL East / Central ... should we be behind every AL team beating every NL team (except the Padres) ... tacking on some losses to the rest of the NL teams which will put the Padres in a better position?

Hard as this is ... go NYY vs WASH today.

Quote from Brian Connelly on July 25, 2020, 4:43 pm

Since the visitors "only" have to travel once, they're really only giving up one "home" game in a 3 game series, AND there will be no or few fans in the stands, I'm really not convinced there's that much advantage to the home team.  I actually think they would have more distractions at home with family, kids , etc.   If it were the last game of the season, had made playoffs, and were playing for the 4 vs 5 seed, I would positively hold onto my ace for the playoffs, not use him to try to get the 4 seed.

Really no different than any interleague series; always want NL to lose to improve possible wild card chances.... so yes, I'm (uggh) rooting for NYY today

Quote from fenn68 on July 25, 2020, 5:16 pm

Since the initial series is 3 games in the city of the higher seed ... might be an advantage for a team to remain at home in the time zone that they are accustomed to in 2020 rather than going cross country for the first time in 2020.

So finishing 4th (as the top 2nd place team) may avoid the Padres traveling to the East Coast for the first time this year for a quick elimination series of 3 games.

Plus in the following rounds the higher seed gets the final scheduled game at home ... even without fans ... a presumed advantage over playing in a park that you have not visited this season. So, if there are upsets in round 1 a better seeding is advantageous. So if you are 6 playing 3 and win and 7 playing 2 wins ... 6 gets home field in the next round. Make your opponent travel out of their comfort zone.

Players are creatures of routine ... so keeping their "home routine" should be a plus. Small advantage maybe ... but still and advantage.

Of course finishing 4th or 5th is a double edge sword .... win that series and likely facing the #1 baring a major 8 over 1 upset ... but that is possible in a 3 game series. So, if you think your team can take out the LAD in a 3 game set in LA .. better to come in 8th rather than meeting them in a 5 game set with 3 in LA? Too many variables ... so just go for the best seed and keep winning.

 

Quote from fenn68 on July 27, 2020, 2:43 pm

The plot thickens as 11 (or 14) Miami players are “at risk” Covid cases causing cancelling their opener in Miami. I guess the NYY-PHIL opener has been put on hold since Miami just finished a series in PHIL.

Don’t know if the Miami players arrived with COVID or it was in PHIL. Going to be a scheduling dilemma going forward and some major sanitizing the ballparks in PHIL and MIA plus the PHIL hotel. Maybe some more stringent rules on players coming in contact with each other (high 5s, etc ... still being done, etc.)

No teams, players should get complacent about the risk ... even if young / healthy / and no others on the team have symptoms .... lest SD becomes MIA.

Quote from WindsorUK on July 27, 2020, 4:16 pm

What in the world happened to Allen Cordoba???

I know he was in a car accident but how bad was it? How long ago was it?

Is he back playing and does he have a legitimate chance in being in SD anytime soon?

I just remember him looking like he belonged, even as a Rule 5.

Quote from fenn68 on July 27, 2020, 4:51 pm

Quote from WindsorUK on July 27, 2020, 4:16 pm

What in the world happened to Allen Cordoba???

I know he was in a car accident but how bad was it? How long ago was it?

Is he back playing and does he have a legitimate chance in being in SD anytime soon?

I just remember him looking like he belonged, even as a Rule 5.

Played well in A+ last season (301/367/412) splitting time in the OF and 3B.

The car accident was really bad ... vision / sensitivity to light kept him out for quite awhile and was brought back slowly. Last season pretty much back to normal ... and he produced.

Agree on Cordoba ... thought he looked like he had what it takes to be a ML player. I pegged him as a plus OF who could hit although worked at SS by STL then SD. Lost a lot of time then this year ... will be 25 next season. Hope the Padres hang on to him for 2021 ... put him to start in the OF in AA and give him a real shot to get bumped to AAA mid-season.

Quote from WindsorUK on July 28, 2020, 12:34 pm

Thanks Fenn.

No idea he was 25 already. The crash really set him back.

 

Quote from Brian Connelly on July 28, 2020, 4:30 pm

I'm in Cordoba fan club too.  Terrible development curve due to Rule 5, then the accident, now no Minors season.

I thought his performance last year even though "old" for level was enough that he would have been a Top 20-30 range prospect in our system if he were still a "prospect" (which really he is).  He's exactly the kind of guy you need in high minors anyway who is athletic enough to fill in at both CF & SS.  Wouldn't be surprised if Pads re-sign him as Minors FA this offseason.