Red Sox/MLB 2023 Spring Training Begins- Forbes says Boston Red Sox are worth $4.5 billion

[KrejciMVP]

seems like a fun tournament, didnt watch much as it all just feels like pre season this time of year

 

[Mione134]

seems like a fun tournament, didnt watch much as it all just feels like pre season this time of year

It's really exciting, imo. The atmosphere is wild. Especially in Japan.

 

[McGarnagle]

seems like a fun tournament, didnt watch much as it all just feels like pre season this time of year

I've tuned in for an inning here and there and have followed the scorelines and standings and such.

I'm alright with the WBC. It's not the equivalent of World Cup soccer or Olympic hockey, and I don't think there ever will be a true best-on-best tournament in baseball that the MLB will agree to because of strain on pitchers and the time of year it can take place, but I will say it's a hell of a lot more interesting than following normal spring training games.

 

[EvilDead]

I've tuned in for an inning here and there and have followed the scorelines and standings and such.

I'm alright with the WBC. It's not the equivalent of World Cup soccer or Olympic hockey, and I don't think there ever will be a true best-on-best tournament in baseball that the MLB will agree to because of strain on pitchers and the time of year it can take place, but I will say it's a hell of a lot more interesting than following normal spring training games.

The tournament is still young. It probably will never reach the stakes that the World Cup has but I imagine it will grow as the tournament continues to gain interest.

 

[KrejciMVP]

The tournament is still young. It probably will never reach the stakes that the World Cup has but I imagine it will grow as the tournament continues to gain interest.

I remember Matsuzaka being hyped up during that tourney but never really showed that dominance in the big leagues

 

[EvilDead]

I remember Matsuzaka being hyped up during that tourney but never really showed that dominance in the big leagues

Matsuzaka was driven into the ground when playing for Seibu ever since he was 18. He didn't get much rest, was forced to pitch over 100 pitch games on the regular with 120 pitch games being the norm and some occasions he pitch into the high 140s. His arm basically fell off by 2009 due to the ridiculous work load he had put on him going back to when he was the ace of the Lions rotation as a teenager. Thankfully, Japanese managers don't work their pitchers into the ground and are taking care of the second coming of Matsuzaka in Roki Sasaki. Sasaki was able to pitch back to back perfect games for the Chiba Lotte Marines and has looked outstanding in this WBC.

 

[Mione134]

Matsuzaka was driven into the ground when playing for Seibu ever since he was 18. He didn't get much rest, was forced to pitch over 100 pitch games on the regular with 120 pitch games being the norm and some occasions he pitch into the high 140s. His arm basically fell off by 2009 due to the ridiculous work load he had put on him going back to when he was the ace of the Lions rotation as a teenager. Thankfully, Japanese managers don't work their pitchers into the ground and are taking care of the second coming of Matsuzaka in Roki Sasaki. Sasaki was able to pitch back to back perfect games for the Chiba Lotte Marines and has looked outstanding in this WBC.

Yep!

His first season here was awesome though. He was filthy.

 

[LouJersey]

"WAAAAAAH WAAAAAH WAH! BUT WHAT ABOUT MY TEAM?!? WAAAH! NEW YORK'S SHITHOLE SECOND RATE TEAM WON'T HAVE A SHOT TO GAG AWAY ANOTHER PLAYOFF RUN! WAAAAAAAAH!"

That's all well and fine, but I don't know if you know this or not probably because the most foreign place you've visited was the Brazilian steakhouse on the corner, but the world doesn't revolve around America. There are people who don't have an MLB team in their hometown. Shocking I know. So the most important thing to them and their country is the World Baseball Classic. To the Cubans, Venezuelans, Dominicans, and Puerto Rican fans among others this is their Super Bowl. People in Taiwan, where I am currently working at right now, were ecstatic about the World Baseball Classic and sold out every game they played. And the games they didn't play were drawing over 20,000+.



The quarterfinals game between Japan and Italy was the highest rated baseball game in the history of the tournament as almost half of all Japanese households were watching the game. There's a world outside of America. Start exploring it.

Guessing you work at the tourist center?

And I should care about other people's "super bowl"? Why exactly? I care about a guy on my team that had a contract to play for my team get hurt playing for someone else's team. I think the mistake you're making is thinking people should give a flying **** about this. I would have said the same thing if a Bruin was knocked out for the yeah on the Olympic break.

Again, I follow Major League Baseball and the Mets are my concern, so I am sorry it doesn't align with your views. FWIW nobody outside of Japan cared about that game, but that's ok I guess? I mean I'm sure people here did as well, but what was the rating in the states?

And I resent your remark. I went to Europe in 1986 with my German class. I was so excited that my McDonalds meal came with a large beer and not large coke.

Looking forward to your diatribe on the Cricket World Cup which usually gets what 2 billion viewers? Surely a world traveler like yourself has taken in many hours of that.

 

[McGarnagle]

Yep!

His first season here was awesome though. He was filthy.

He was good in 2007 while adjusting to the American game, but his 2008 was outstanding, his best year by far. He never had another good year after that. Injuries and wear and tear did him in.

I remember in 2010 I went to a game in Philadelphia where Daisuke had a no-hitter going until the 8th inning, I believe Chooch Ruiz broke it up with a little bloop single. Closest I've been to seeing a no-hitter in person.

 

[KrejciMVP]

Yep!

His first season here was awesome though. He was filthy.

Pedro was was dominant and filthy, never though Matsuzaka was ever close to that level

 

[Mione134]

Pedro was was dominant and filthy, never though Matsuzaka was ever close to that level

Nobody is comparing the two. Obviously Pedro is better lol

But for 2 years Matsuzaka was damn filthy. Then the arm wear and tear f***ed him up.

 

[LouJersey]

Let me correct myself then. That MLB is the ONLY professional major league in the world and everything else is AAAA or less.

Correct. Baseball wise of course.

 

[KrejciMVP]

Nobody is comparing the two. Obviously Pedro is better lol

But for 2 years Matsuzaka was damn filthy. Then the arm wear and tear f***ed him up.

his 2nd year was good, but his first year with a ERA of 4.40, it was definitely not dominant

 

[Nothingbutglass]

Never got the unhittable gyro-ball I was promised.

 

[McGarnagle]

Never got the unhittable gyro-ball I was promised.

Despite the hype the Gyroball has never really come to America. The tailing sinking pitch that Matsuzaka, Yu Darvish, and other Japanese pitchers in MLB have used is actually a Shuuto.

I was reading a little bit about the Gyroball and the Japanese pitching instructor who is the leading expert on the subject has stated that the closest thing to a consistent Gyroball in the MLB was Jered Weaver's fastball because his mechanics caused him to pronate a little bit.

 

[Mione134]

his 2nd year was good, but his first year with a ERA of 4.40, it was definitely not dominant

1st year. 2nd year. Either way. For a short time he was filthy and adjusted to American easy. He had legit stuff. If they didn't f*** his arm, he would of been even greater.

 

[CDJ]

Despite the hype the Gyroball has never really come to America. The tailing sinking pitch that Matsuzaka, Yu Darvish, and other Japanese pitchers in MLB have used is actually a Shuuto.

I was reading a little bit about the Gyroball and the Japanese pitching instructor who is the leading expert on the subject has stated that the closest thing to a consistent Gyroball in the MLB was Jered Weaver's fastball because his mechanics caused him to pronate a little bit.

Probably why weaver couldn’t break a pane of glass by the time he was 30

 

[EverettMike]

Probably why weaver couldn’t break a pane of glass by the time he was 30

Man we knew so little about pitching mechanics even just 20 years ago. I remember a segment once (maybe Baseball Tonight?) where they talked about what made Mark Prior so good was the fact he used the exact same arm delivery on every throw, no matter what kind of pitch it was.

Only he was using the Inverted W every single f***ing time, which is why his arm blew up so quickly.

 

[CDJ]

Man we knew so little about pitching mechanics even just 20 years ago. I remember a segment once (maybe Baseball Tonight?) where they talked about what made Mark Prior so good was the fact he used the exact same arm delivery on every throw, no matter what kind of pitch it was.

Only he was using the Inverted W every single f***ing time, which is why his arm blew up so quickly.

Strasburg too. Just checked fangraphs and Weaver started his career at 90. Was 86 by 30. And 83 mph (!!!) his last 3 seasons

Now that’s an arm breaking down right there

 

[Mione134]

Strasburg too. Just checked fangraphs and Weaver started his career at 90. Was 86 by 30. And 83 mph (!!!) his last 3 seasons

Now that’s an arm breaking down right there

Worst part is, these younger kids are hurting their arms more than ever. I see it even when my nephew plays. And he's a pitcher. Luckily he's had great coaches around him to protect his arm. But the amount of kids on other teams or towns I see trying to throw curveballs or purposely have a funky arm delivery. These are 9 year old kids. It's not good.

 

[McGarnagle]

The reason pitchers only go 5 innings now is an overreaction and overcorrection to the generation of Mark Priors and Kerry Woods who had severe arm injuries after throwing 120 pitches a night - but the issue itself was more about their mechanics - If you throw 75 pitches with your elbow pronating 90 degrees then you're going to be worse off than someone going 130 pitches in an overhead motion with no elbow or shoulder rotation like Nolan Ryan. Though in absolute fairness Ryan was a freak of nature, strong ass man with durability beyond his peers. Even in an orthodoxly safe pitching motion you still have a limited amount of miles on the chassis before you have to rest.

A couple months ago I was watching a Tom Seaver game on youtube and was fascinated watching him pitch because his upper body looked so effortless while winding and throwing and the power was all legs. No one stretches out like that or drives power from the knee in the modern game.

 

[CDJ]

Worst part is, these younger kids are hurting their arms more than ever. I see it even when my nephew plays. And he's a pitcher. Luckily he's had great coaches around him to protect his arm. But the amount of kids on other teams or towns I see trying to throw curveballs or purposely have a funky arm delivery. These are 9 year old kids. It's not good.

I am a good example of that actually. My shoulder sounds like Rice Krispies when it moves in any direction and it’s because I threw way too many innings and way too many curveballs from ages 13-15

 

[KrejciMVP]

well the pitch clock certainly isn't good if fatigue is a concern

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

well the pitch clock certainly isn't good if fatigue is a concern

Christ…

 

[EverettMike]

well the pitch clock certainly isn't good if fatigue is a concern

LOL