***2023 MLB Season Thread***

BigJCy

Well-Known Member
Apr 11, 2006
16,615
13,383
113
Opening Day now just 2 days away so figured I would start this thread up.

See some of the different sites "experts" are making their Season Predictions. Here are the ones from MLB.com:

1680034391562.png

1680034406821.png
 

1UNI2ISU

Well-Known Member
Jan 30, 2013
5,111
5,791
113
Waterloo
I don't think people are making a big enough deal out of the new balanced schedule. Huge change.

The East and West Division teams having to playing 20 less division games and getting more games against both Central Divisions is going to bump everybody's records up and make it much, much harder for a Central Division team to ever get a wild card. A team like the Brewers is going to have go like 10-4 against the Cubs, Reds and Pirates to even get themselves into shouting distance.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MJ29

4cy16

Well-Known Member
Jun 14, 2021
611
656
93
65
Oakland and Pittsburgh have officially been eliminated from the playoff race.
 

BigJCy

Well-Known Member
Apr 11, 2006
16,615
13,383
113
I don't think people are making a big enough deal out of the new balanced schedule. Huge change.

The East and West Division teams having to playing 20 less division games and getting more games against both Central Divisions is going to bump everybody's records up and make it much, much harder for a Central Division team to ever get a wild card. A team like the Brewers is going to have go like 10-4 against the Cubs, Reds and Pirates to even get themselves into shouting distance.
Agree. As a fan I like it because I got tired of watching 18-19 games vs. the same team. At least now you get to see your team play everybody at least 1 series.
 

1UNI2ISU

Well-Known Member
Jan 30, 2013
5,111
5,791
113
Waterloo
Agree. As a fan I like because I got tired of watching 18-19 games vs. the same team. At least now you get to see your team play everybody at least 1 series.
Agreed. Great for the fans but bad for small market owners that have convinced themselves they can't spend money.
 

cmjh10

Well-Known Member
Dec 5, 2012
22,199
13,900
113
Buffalo Center
You could maybe argue that all this small market bs is hurting baseball more than the time of the game. When you have organizations that obviously and blatantly refuse to field a competitive team for years, it really hinders and limits your growth, IMO

Saying this though, the thing I love about baseball more so than other sports is there are different ways to win. Wanna buy a ‘ship? Yankees of old, want to tank and develop young talent? Rays. Then varying degrees of anything in between.
 

3TrueFans

Just a Happily Married Man
Sep 10, 2009
56,253
46,538
113
43
Ames
I don’t watch much baseball, but I would like to watch more, and I’m intrigued by the pitch clock. The little bit of spring training I’ve seen really seems like there’s a flow to the game, the reduced downtime is amazing.
 

BigJCy

Well-Known Member
Apr 11, 2006
16,615
13,383
113
I don’t watch much baseball, but I would like to watch more, and I’m intrigued by the pitch clock. The little bit of spring training I’ve seen really seems like there’s a flow to the game, the reduced downtime is amazing.
Yep, I'm a fan of it think it will be good for the sport/fans. Won't miss the shift either.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CloneIce

CloneIce

Well-Known Member
Apr 11, 2006
35,384
17,560
113
I don't think people are making a big enough deal out of the new balanced schedule. Huge change.

The East and West Division teams having to playing 20 less division games and getting more games against both Central Divisions is going to bump everybody's records up and make it much, much harder for a Central Division team to ever get a wild card. A team like the Brewers is going to have go like 10-4 against the Cubs, Reds and Pirates to even get themselves into shouting distance
From a fan perspective- it will be different, but I think he will be fun to play more games against a wider variety of teams.

Opening day is almost here - I can’t freaking wait! Love baseball season. Going to my first game of the year next week.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Cyismymonkey

SEIOWA CLONE

Well-Known Member
Dec 19, 2018
5,003
5,002
113
61
Yep, and look where some of those teams show up in these rankings:

None of the teams are losing money, its nothing but creative bookkeeping that is showing loses. Much like a lot of large corporations, they are making money, and have farmed out other assists that do not show up under the team. Look at St. Louis, the ownership group owns the team and the stadium, but they also own Ballpark Village across the street and run parking around the stadium except for the two parking garages across the street. On paper they are not making much money, but when you throw in all revenues of money coming in, they are clearing 10's of million each season.
 
  • Winner
Reactions: CloneIce