Quote from MrPadre19 on March 3, 2021, 5:49 am

Quote from Brian Connelly on March 2, 2021, 6:57 pm

Who agreed to a 1 game play in for the Wild Card to begin with and why?

Dumb as far as I’m concerned

Couldn't agree more.   MLB has BY FAR the 2 dumbest things in any pro sport.  #1 (by a mile) WAS the All Star game determining Home Field advantage for World Series.... instead of team record over 162 games.  So ludicrous it's hard to know where to start.  Rightfully got rid of it.  #2 (also by a mile) is the 1 game Wild Card.  SOOOOO Dumb.  Hopefully they'll come up with a modified playoff this season & then get rid of it for good in next CBA.  A 1 game playoff for a Wildcard (or division) tie?  I've got no problem with that.

 

Especially when you consider the MLB season is 162 games long.

This isn't the NFL.

To play 162 games and prove you're one of the best teams in your league and have to win a 1 and done game to continue is ridiculous.

Anything can happen in 1 game.

The point is to make sure the "best" team advances....no way you can be sure of that playing just 1 game.

 

Quote from fenn68 on March 3, 2021, 6:04 am

Should add that prior to the 1 game play-in debate ... similar arguments were put forth against dividing the leagues into 3 Divisions (basically requiring a Wild Card team) vs. just keeping the 2 Divisions and one series for the league championship. That set-up allows a 2nd place “loser” into the playoffs and devalues the regular season.

Hard to move “traditionalists” ... but for the owners, the lure of maximizing TV revenue is different now than before, so they are wanting change and most of the “traditionalists” from a decades ago are fading away.

=====

In the “old days” prior to expansion winning the League based on regular season performance was celebrated and the World Series was a simple showcase of the two best team from two leagues that never played each other.

Now, everyone just remembers the World Series winner as the best team of the year ... even if got into the playoffs as a Wild Card. Regular season performance is secondary.

Money will dictate expanded playoffs (sorry traditionalists) .... devalue the regular season ... and probably leads to a roster design change that builds for success in the playoffs and not as much focus on winning in the regular season.

Quote from Brian Connelly on March 3, 2021, 6:51 am

2020 Playoff format changed last year after season finally started.  Granted a weird year where players already knew they were losing almost 2/3 of their salaries, so WAY more motivated to expand playoffs for SOME $.

But I could see a "minor" agreement that adds DH and at least expands wild card round to 3 games.  Maybe that's the players' "concession" to "get" DH which WOULD help teams protect P's.  Adding more teams like last year would benefit good teams, but is way less likely due to the extent that it's a major bargaining chip.

But since last year set the precedent for last minute changes, I'm not ruling it out until the season starts, especially DH in NL.

Quote from fenn68 on March 3, 2021, 7:13 am

Yeh, still holding out for a last minute deal for 2021 on a NL DH. Logic for both sides will be “health and safety” of the pitchers.

At this point money is not an issue since players are already signed for 2021 ... so no “loss” for the owners or “gain” for the players.

The roadblock will be owners insisting in tying that DH decision to another change ... no matter what. Every tie to another issue just bumps into precedent for the CBA and inequity in money gain (or loss) between owners / players.

Last year’s last minute deal was pretty complicated with settling issues well beyond NL DH and expanded playoffs ... the other pieces impacted both sides in a way to accept those two issues which probably could not have been approved as stand alone issues.

Quote from MrPadre19 on March 3, 2021, 11:39 am

I'm guessing there is at least a small chance the DH is still initiated in the NL as evidenced by the Padres presence at Yeonis Cespedes's showcase.

Of course they could just be doing their due diligence but I couldn't see any interest in adding him unless it was for the DH in 21'.

 

Quote from fenn68 on March 3, 2021, 12:52 pm

Quote from MrPadre19 on March 3, 2021, 11:39 am

I'm guessing there is at least a small chance the DH is still initiated in the NL as evidenced by the Padres presence at Yeonis Cespedes's showcase.

Of course they could just be doing their due diligence but I couldn't see any interest in adding him unless it was for the DH in 21'.

 

Padres seem to do “due diligence” on everyone.

May also be seeing how he looks in case of an injury in ST or during the season and trying to assess if he is worth signing or trading for him later in the season (at least get an early read)

Something to watch is the health of Pham.  Some reports are that he is still not fully back from the stabbing (worse apparently than most of the reports) and having some difficulty with getting his swing fully back to his standards. Padres (and the Doctors) probably have a better assessment than we do.

 

Quote from Brian Connelly on March 3, 2021, 10:11 pm

Acee mentioned Pham looking pretty bad at end of the latest Hot Lava podcast.

And it was a very serious wound NOT really reported that way at the time (was really minimized); sounds like 100 stitches; high probablility of being paralyzed or even dying from the wound location possibly prevented by his being so muscular.

I thought it was weird (and frankly stupid) that Pham, of all guys,  played the very first 2 games of ST back to back?

His over the top work ethic that's the secret to his success might be an Achilles heel when it comes to a "rest & heal" type injury.   Hope he didn't have a setback.

Quote from Brian Connelly on March 3, 2021, 10:12 pm

Quote from Brian Connelly on March 3, 2021, 6:51 am

2020 Playoff format changed last year after season finally started.  Granted a weird year where players already knew they were losing almost 2/3 of their salaries, so WAY more motivated to expand playoffs for SOME $.

But I could see a "minor" agreement that adds DH and at least expands wild card round to 3 games.  Maybe that's the players' "concession" to "get" DH which WOULD help teams protect P's.  Adding more teams like last year would benefit good teams, but is way less likely due to the extent that it's a major bargaining chip.

But since last year set the precedent for last minute changes, I'm not ruling it out until the season starts, especially DH in NL.

So much for that... really "sounds" like DH & expanded playoffs are "dead" for 2021.... we'll see.

Quote from MrPadre19 on March 4, 2021, 6:04 am

It's looking more and more like Lamet will not start the season in the rotation.

Do they put him in the Pen to limit his pitches?

Can they start him in AA/AAA to let him continue to build back up?

It's also looking like Castillo will start the season on the IL.

While we weren't "counting" on him in the Pen it sure would have been nice to gave him 100%.

Does this allow Guerra a spot?

Does Morejon take his spot or does he open up in the rotation?

A lot of questions still remain concerning the opening day pitchers on the 26 man for sure.Plenty of ST to go to sort it all out I just hope it doesn't become easier to sort out due to more injuries.