Raiderstation

A new year.....

Another title won by cash...errrr... Dodgers

[quote=ToastPatterson post_id=1277203]Tired .180 batters even if they go yard 30 times.

Dave Kingman at least was good for a few tape measure shots.[/quote]I remember sitting on the left field bleachers before games batting practice watching Dave Kingman parking moonshots on the apartment building roof across Waveland Av.

352....You check out any spring games lately?

No been too busy. On a sidenote the Rays might be moving to Orlando, looking forward to having MLB closer to central Florida.

https://www.draysbay.com/2025/3/14/2438 ... r-the-rays

Heard that.....What up with Tampa town?

MLB Wants to Split ESPN’s Rights Between Multiple Companies

Rather than seeking a one-for-one replacement for ESPN’s MLB rights expiring after the 2025 season, the league is expected to cast its attention in multiple directions.

Of course....

That way subscribers have to have multiple streaming services like football does now.

Who doesn't love that?



https://frontofficesports.com/mlb-is-ey ... spn-split/

17. Minnesota Twins

Projected record: 85-77 (52.4% playoff odds | 2.7% World Series odds)

The thing we'll be talking about most this season: The health of their three stars.

The Twins, on paper, might have the most talent in the AL Central. But their best every-day players have long injury histories. Carlos Correa (86 games played), Royce Lewis (82) and Byron Buxton (102) all missed significant time in 2024. Minnesota, as a result, faded down the stretch and missed the postseason. Lewis is already dealing with a strained left hamstring that will sideline him for the start of the season. Buxton, 31, has played more than 92 games only twice in his career. Correa was an All-Star last summer before plantar fasciitis hampered him for the second straight season (right heel in 2024 and left heel in 2023). The Twins' fortunes hinge on the three staying on the field. -- Castillo

Most likely 2025 award winner: Three of the top 15 favorites for AL Cy Young are members of the Twins' rotation, per ESPN BET: Leading the way is Pablo Lopez, with Bailey Ober and Joe Ryan lurking behind. Their numbers are similar, with Ryan rating as the most dominant and Ober with the best command. But Lopez has a decided edge in volume and consistency, making him the best combination of everything.

Over the past three seasons, Lopez has averaged 186 innings while posting an ERA+ of 110. A little luck in the BABIP and HR/FB columns -- and a little run support -- would push Lopez into the Cy Young conversation and could allow him to threaten the 20-win mark. We need more 20-game winners. -- Doolittle

One (realistic) bold prediction: It's hard to out-bullpen Cleveland, but the Twins will have the best bullpen in the majors, leading in win probability added, with Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax both posting sub-2.00 ERAs. -- Schoenfield

How they can contend: It starts with the trio of Lewis, Correa and Buxton playing as many games as possible. But when the Twins won the American League Central in 2023, it was their rotation that carried them -- and it was their rotation that fell off when they came up short in 2024. Lopez is still there to lead the staff, but Sonny Gray, who joined him to form a devastating combo two years ago, is long gone. Ryan, Ober and Simeon Woods Richardson, acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays in the Jose Berrios trade of July 2021, need to take steps forward. -- Gonzalez



If ya got a team I'll post the ESPN+ prediction for you..

Twins off to a smashing start....

[quote=Sold My Soul post_id=1281976]Twins off to a smashing start.... [/quote]Meanwhile the Cubs are "Cubbing."

The Cleveland Bridge won their first game.

I've watched baseball for many years but never saw a games first 3 pitches go yard. f[raiders_icon]cking crazy.

[quote=Sold My Soul post_id=1281467]Heard that.....What up with Tampa town?[/quote]The Sternberg's don’t want to spring for a new ballpark:

https://twitter.com/kevinbaum013/status ... 8758138938

https://www.tampabay.com/news/2025/03/2 ... might-too/

[quote=352Raider post_id=1282278]The Sternberg's don’t want to spring for a new ballpark:

https://twitter.com/kevinbaum013/status ... 8758138938

https://www.tampabay.com/news/2025/03/2 ... might-too/[/quote]Can't believe this shit. But I understand it.

Twins up for sale.

If you are an owner, and don't want/or can't invest the capital to move the franchise forward in it's current location ...you need help from outside sources.

Owners of the Minnesota Twins have put the team up for sale.

The problem with MLB is two fold.

1 )There will never be a cap because the player association won't agree to one because they want unlimited contracts....

2) The owners who have fat stacks don't mind because they will always be in the minority to be able to bid for the best players.

Swept by the Cards....

No better way to start the season.

MLB OK With New Yankees ‘Torpedo’ Bats Used in 9-HR Game



https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/meips ... 714_13.jpg

On Saturday, the Yankees became the third team in MLB history to hit nine home runs in a game. And some of them did so with new bats that fans are buzzing over.

Paul Goldschmidt, Cody Bellinger, and Aaron Judge hit consecutive home runs on the first three pitches of the game—a first since pitch counts have been recorded. Judge added two more homers, including a grand slam, in the 20–9 win.

This offensive explosion has been partially attributed to some players’ adoption of new bats. Per former Yankees infielder Kevin Smith, who called them “torpedo” bats, they were designed by former MIT and Michigan physicist Aaron Leanhardt. The bats feature a reconfigured barrel that shifts the sweet spot to align with players’ typical contact points, aiming to enhance hitting efficiency.

Chisholm and Volpe are two of the players using “torpedo” bats, according to Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay. Judge did not appear to be using the new bat.

An MLB spokesperson told FOS the bat shape does not violate the league’s Official Baseball Rules or the Bat Supplier Regulations.

Brewers closer Tylor Megill had strong opinions on the bats: “I’ve never seen anything like it before. … But it’s the Yankees, so they’ll let it slide.”

The Yankees hit two home runs on Opening Day Thursday, a 4-2 win over the Brewers. They hit four more in a 12–2 Sunday win, bringing their three-game total to 15.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone credited the team’s staff for finding advantages where they could, but emphasized that the bats were compliant.

“The reality is, it’s all within Major League standards. It’s 2025, so we can account for things a lot better. When I played, I probably used six, seven, eight different model bats throughout my career. … Those things aren’t new. There’s just more people pouring into trying to optimize guys as best we can,” Boone said after Sunday’s game.

Chalk one up for the Yankees.

Judges isn't using new bats so that takes the numbers down.

Brewers pitching terrible so far, already gave up 11 runs. to normal bat KC.