Well, we believe in exit velocity, bat flips, launch angles, stealing home, the hanging curveball, Big League Chew, sausage races, and that unwritten rules of any kind are self-indulgent, overrated crap. We believe Greg Maddux was an actual wizard. We believe there ought to be a constitutional amendment protecting minor league baseball and that pitch framing is both an art and a science. We believe in the sweet spot, making WARP not war, letting your closer chase a two-inning save, and we believe love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good, too.
The Tokyo Series is officially behind us! Pick your favorite overreaction – any overreaction – from the two-game series that was, and why does it matter?
Robert Murray: Not to pick on Hunter Meiser, one of our podcast listeners, but the Kyle Tucker slander after two (2!) games is ridiculous. He’s one of the best pure hitters in baseball and landing him was a coup for the Cubs. I get it. Acquiring Tucker - and parting with one of your top prospects in Cam Smith, who looks like a future star - puts pressure on him to perform early and often. But a 1-for-8 start should not sound any alarm bells.
Adam Weinrib: Rodney Peete should be questioned and detained by Rob Manfred! But really, though, it’s some variation of, “This Cubs offense is so anemic, why didn’t they work on that this offseason?” Robert touched on Kyle Tucker, but the Matt Shaw slander will not stand, either. The Dodgers brought Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Roki Sasaki, and a nine-deep bullpen. Didn’t we agree they’d made themselves almost impenetrable this offseason? How is that the Cubs offense’s fault?
Mark Powell: It was a tough first two professional games for Cubs third baseman Matt Shaw, who went a combined 1-for-9 with four strikeouts in Tokyo. As much as Shaw enjoyed the environment, it was a lot to ask for the Cubs top prospect to hit the ground running against Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki in what was essentially a home game for them. Even manager Craig Counsell said Shaw “didn’t swing the bat well” the entire series, but surely the Cubs need to give this guy more runway, no?
The same can be said of outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, who is still finding his footing at the plate. PCA is an electric defender at his best, but the Cubs and their fanbase have to be a bit more forgiving or else it’s going to be a long season.
What did we learn about Roki Sasaki in his (albeit brief) Los Angeles Dodgers debut?
Robert Murray: We realized that Roki Sasaki is a project, and that’s something even the Los Angeles Dodgers knew headed into his debut. He has all the tools to be one of the best pitchers in baseball, but his arsenal just needs fine-tuning and refinement. He’ll be great in the long haul, but just be patient in the short-term.
Adam Weinrib: The Dodgers went on damage control to Ken Rosenthal after his first start, helpfully planting that they view him as a “project” as he walked the house - and we knew that, of course. Sasaki said as much during his offseason interviews with interested teams. He implored them to fix his fastball, and he’s already found a few miles per hour. He’s more than on his way.
Mark Powell: We learned that as great as Roki Sasaki may one day be, the rest of MLB overreacted a LOT about what his short-term impact will be for this organization. And I think that’s fair, as Sasaki is just 23 years old and made his first MLB start. It’s going to take time for Sasaki to develop into the pitcher the Dodgers believe he can be, and he made the right choice in organization as LA is better at that than most. But anyone who assumed Sasaki would be an immediate NL Cy Young contender really ought to read up on the NPB-MLB pipeline, and any Sasaki scouting reports before taking his lone start to the bank.
With Opening Day around the corner, what’s the biggest question mark involving a contender that still has left to be answered?
Robert Murray: The Yankees’ rotation. Gerrit Cole is lost for the season. Luis Gil is out at least three months. Nestor Cortes is now with the Milwaukee Brewers. The Yankees’ rotation on Opening Day could include Carlos Carrasco. Who saw that coming? For a team coming off a World Series appearance … the rotation situation is already dire.
Adam Weinrib: Spotted: My team. Sad. Other than the Yankees, who saw Marcus Stroman go from must-trade No. 6 starter to No. 3 in a matter of weeks, I’ll add the back end of the Phillies’ rotation, especially as Ranger Suarez shows injury cracks. They might have less viable depth than even the Yanks. Dave Dombrowski will have to do his worst. Otherwise, that (aging?) lineup might have to do a little too much work.
Mark Powell: The Yankees are the right answer, but I will provide another option because I’m a contrarian. What about the Atlanta Braves? Among the NL East favorites, the Braves could be primed for another playoff run in 2025. The issue, at least to start the season, is that catcher Sean Murphy is expected to miss some time. What’s the deal with Jarred Kelenic (and is he, ya know, good)? And while Ronald Acuña Jr. and Spencer Strider should return somewhat early in the season, how will the Braves manage in the meantime?
Our own Adam Weinrib reminded us of MLB’s proposed selection show format from 2020 in a piece this week. What, if anything, can MLB learn from March Madness to grow the game?
Robert Murray: To let a players’ personality shine. Market these players. The stars of March Madness appear everywhere across the country. Heck, even the globe. In baseball it feels like star players, with the exception of Shohei Ohtani, can feel forgotten about. It’s time to change that. It’s long overdue.
Adam Weinrib: Spotted: Me. Nice. Here’s a weird one: There’s always been something “off” to me about the best-of-three Wild Card format where the higher seed gets home field in all three games. What about, if the higher seed blows one of the first two, Game 3 is played on a neutral field? I’m vehemently against the neutral site World Series, but if the stronger team lets this opening series go three, their advantage should get a little leaky.
Mark Powell: I never thought I’d be pro-MLB Playoff expansion, but here we are. Much like the NBA, I’m a firm believer that MLB needs to start experimenting with schedule and formatting changes, rather than just rule alterations.
Six teams from each league make the postseason. Why don’t we expand that to at least 16, and implement a March Madness-style tournament to determine the Wild Card matchups. I’m not paid nearly enough to talk logistics with you as of this writing, but give me a couple weeks. There is no way for MLB to copy and paste March Madness for its own viewers, but more games that matter is always beneficial to this sport.
Robert Murray notebook
- With Elias Diaz's struggles, it wouldn't be a surprise if the Padres kicked the tires on free-agent catcher Yasmani Grandal.
- It's stunning that Alex Verdugo remained unsigned for as long as he did. The Braves got an incredible value in Verdugo.