Our favorite award winning simulated baseball game, Out of the park Baseball (OOTP) is back. Their new 2019 release features a ton of new features, upgrades and new designs. OOTP 19 has it all. We’re talking about dramatic 3D enhancements, redesigned interfaces, new scouting systems, ultra-realistic artificial intelligence and updated opening day lineups from the 2018 rosters.
This is one of the most realistic incredibly detailed simulated baseball games I have ever seen. You can do almost anything within this game. Play as a GM and build your rosters and go through an entire season, or play as a historically great club, like the 1988 Dodgers. Whatever you want to do, OOTP can accommodate anything for the baseball fan. Check out the press release below and get cracking on this guys.
Out of the Park Baseball 19 Now Available Worldwide
OOTP 19 features dramatic 3D enhancements, a redesigned interface, new scouting systems, ultra-realistic artificial intelligence, 2018 Opening Day rosters, and more!
Out of the Park Developments, an official licensee of MLB.com, the Major League Baseball Players Association, and MiLB.com, announced today that Out of the Park Baseball 19 is available worldwide, ahead of the start of the 2018 Major League Baseball season on March 29.
OOTP 19 offers dozens of exciting new features and deep improvements to its award-winning gameplay including a dramatic 3D in-game engine that shows players pitching, hitting, fielding, and running the bases. Images of the new in-game engine can be found in the screenshot bundle and in the trailer.
Out of the Park Baseball 19 includes:
New 3D stadiums and 3D player models with improved on-field movements, including running, sliding, jumping, and throwing.
New in-game screen design for an optimized virtual dugout.
2018 roster sets with all Opening Day MLB rosters, as well as the complete minor league system from Triple-A to rookie leagues and the Arizona Fall League. All Major League (and over a thousand minor league) player ratings will be based on the popular ZiPS player projection system. The 8 international leagues, as well as independent minor leagues in the US, also return this year with accurate rosters.
Rewritten scouting reports that give a more detailed and realistic look at players.
New tournament modes! Create a stand-alone tournament bracket and draw any teams in history into it. The possibilities are endless!
Ultra-realistic AI roster management and in-game decisions.
A reworked ratings module.
User voting for end-of-season awards.
Many more improvements, including:
Redesigned interface, with the ability to choose between 6 different fonts
800 custom team logos for fictional leagues
Improved Manager Home screen, with a more customizable layout and new widget options
A new stat — RA9-WAR (WAR based on runs allowed) — for pitchers
Delayed substitutions for injured players
And much more!
This summer, Out of the Park Developments will unveil an exciting new online mode called PERFECT TEAM. An open Beta will happen this spring, and the company will announce more information soon.
Customers can purchase OOTP 19 for $39.99 from OOTP Developments through this link:
http://store.esellerate.net/s.aspx?s=STR4965245709
OOTP 19 is also available on Steam:
http://store.steampowered.com/app/619290/Out_of_the_Park_Baseball_19/
And on Electronic Arts’ Origin:
https://www.origin.com/store/out-of-the-park-baseball/out-of-the-park-baseball-19/standard-edition
OOTP 19 runs on PC/Mac/Linux and like last year it features the American League and National League logos, the World Series trophy, official logos and jerseys for all 30 MLB teams, over 150 Minor League Baseball league and team logos, and historical MLB logos.
OOTP creator Markus Heinsohn conducted an interview for the Out of the Park Developments blog which can be read here: http://blog.ootpdevelopments.com/an-interview-with-ootp-creator-markus-heinsohn/
OOTP 19 predicts the 2018 season
On March 28 at 7 PM Eastern time, MLB Network will feature the results of the 2018 season + playoffs simulation conducted in OOTP 19. Last year, the game predicted that the Houston Astros would win the World Series. Will it make the right call again?
A look back at OOTP 18
2017 was a record-setting year for Out of the Park Developments, which boasted more than 120,000 players of OOTP 18 around the world. More than 3.5 million hours of the game were played on Steam, which equals 405 years. A record peak of 1,147 concurrent players was set on Nov. 9 on Steam, and South Korea is now number two in total sales, surpassing Canada.
The most-accomplished achievement in OOTP 18 was a five-game team winning streak and the three rarest achievements were a player hitting 4 home runs in a game (accomplished by 0.4% of users), a pitcher tossing a perfect game (0.5%), and a hitter having 10 or more RBI in a game (0.6%).
Quotes from OOTP Developments executives
“After nearly 20 years of development, we’re still finding ways to make Out of the Park Baseball even better,” said lead developer, lifelong baseball fan, and Out of the Park Developments CEO Markus Heinsohn. “We can’t wait for our fans to see what we have in store this year.”
“Out of the Park Baseball is unique. Its high quality, delivered over two decades, has created generations of loyal fans who recognize it as the gold standard of sports strategy games,” said Out of the Park Developments CMO Richard Grisham. “Out of the Park Baseball 19 is our best version yet, purpose-built for those fans. We couldn’t be more excited for it.”
About Out of the Park Developments
Out of the Park Developments is the developer of the award-winning OOTP and MLB Manager series of baseball management simulations, Franchise Hockey Manager, and Beyond the Sideline Football. German-based OOTP Developments was founded by Markus Heinsohn and Andreas Raht in 1999. OOTP Developments has consistently produced games that have met with critical acclaim, including winning Metacritic’s coveted “PC Game of the Year” for the 2016 version of OOTP and “Game of the Year” for the 2007 edition of OOTP, which remains the second highest-rated PC game on Metacritic of all time. Further information on the company and its games is available from the OOTP Developments website, http://www.ootpdevelopments.com
About MLB.com
Established in June 2000 following a unanimous vote by the 30 Major League Baseball club owners to centralize all of Baseball’s Internet operations, MLB Advanced Media LP (MLBAM) is the interactive media and internet company of Major League Baseball. MLBAM manages the official league site, MLB.com,and each of the 30 individual Club sites to create the most comprehensive Major League Baseball resource on the Internet. MLB.com offers fans the most complete baseball information and interactivity across computers and mobile devices, including up-to-date statistics, game previews and summaries, extensive historical information, online ticket sales, baseball merchandise, authenticated memorabilia and collectibles, fantasy games, live full-game video streaming and in-progress and on-demand highlights, live and archived audio broadcasts, Gameday pitch-by-pitch application, Statcast tracking technology, around-the-clock hosted and specialty video programming, complete blogging capabilities, console and mobile video games and the award-winning At Bat and Ballpark mobile applications. MLBAM powers more live events across the Internet than any other company in the world.
Major League Baseball Players Association
The Major League Baseball Players Association (www.mlbplayers.com) is the collective
bargaining representative for all professional baseball players of the thirty Major League
baseball teams and serves as the exclusive group licensing agent for commercial and licensing
activities involving active Major League baseball players. On behalf of its members, it operates
the Players Choice licensing program and Players Choice Awards, which benefit the needy
through the Major League Baseball Players Trust, a charitable foundation established and run
entirely by Major League baseball players. In 2017, the MLBPA launched Infield Chatter, an
innovative social media app created by the Players for the fans and available in the App Store
and Google Play. Follow: @MLB_Players; @MLBPAClubhouse; @MLBPlayersTrust.;
@InfieldChatter
Is this another ad?
Time to move this guy up:
http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?sid=t526&player_id=667445#/career/R/pitching/2018/ALL
Seriously. That guy is super over-aged, right?
Yeah, I guess, but he graduated (top 25% of his class) from West Texas A&M. Didn’t sign until he was 22. I think it’s time he was in AA ball.
Concur 100%
DJ Peters finally got off his schnied and hit 2 HR’s last night in Tulsa’s win. Will Smith also homered for the 3rd straight game. The only baseball game I play is MLB 2004 on my PS-2. I like that I can create my own players. Plus, it is pretty easy to play and at my age, I do not need something it takes a computer genius to figure out.
Ferguson got out of that inning nicely. I think he has the stuff. Keep him up, in the pen and a few spot starts. In the bright lights of NY, along with his other high pressure starts, he is the shit!!!!
Dude 7777, I mean Badger,
When you had piriformis syndrome did you have pain in your pelvis area, and was it a sharp pain?
Corey finally went the other way, it looks like he is turning the corner.
By pelvis do you mean the front of it? I’d so, then no, not really.
The piriformis muscle, located in the buttock region, spasms and causes buttock pain. The sciatic nerve can also run through or be irritated by the piriformis and cause pain, numbness and tingling along the back and down the leg. If you’ve got one that spasms google piriformis stretch and start right away.
Badger
Of course I was looking everything up, and it said sometimes the pain can be in the pelvis, and I am talking about the front.
I am also having the traditional sciatic nerve type of pain and the pain goes through the pathways my thigh, calf, and foot too.
But I am also having sharp pain at times in my pelvis, in the area that is in between my hip socket and acetabulum, in front too.
I think it is one of the nerves in between that area possibly.
I am treating the sciatic problem right now, and it is getting better.
And I am still stretching everyday too.
I don’t know what might be happening there MJ. I assume you are seeing a chiropractor?
Package
I told you it wouldn’t take long for Kemp!
One at bat per night should be enough for Kemp. Right pack?
Good win. Only 9 Ks. I would have taken the over on that.
Agree Tim, Ferguson looks like a keeper. He’s got the stuff, he just needs to locate it.
My attention has been diverted from the Dodgers to World Cup Fever. The #1 sport of the world is in full flower at the moment and I am all in.
As for the Dodgers, depending on how it goes with Chicago next week, I think they will overtake Arizona by the All Star break. The bats still seem to be there in spite of the mini slumps that we see within the team, but the pitching seems as steady as it has been due more to the bullpen than the starters. I don’t expect Kershaw to regain his old form this year. I think that would be over-optimistic considering his history with injury and the bead that other teams have drawn on him in recent years. He is not the same pitcher we once knew. I also don’t think Maeda or Hill have the makings of an Ace and that leaves us with a very shaky starting rotation. My remedy for this is to not pitch the starters more than 4 innings because they will only get themselves into trouble more times than not. This seems to be the reality with the Dodgers. Their relief staff is far more important than their starters and have produced far more results than the starters. Not one of the starters is worth the money they are making!!
Good win. Kershaw pitched about how I expected. he breezed the first inning and had issues after that. But it was just good to see him back out there. Maximus Muncy crushed that first pitch Degrom threw him. Ferguson a lot more impressive in this game. He froze Frasier who was looking off speed for a very important strikeout. Taylor’s swing on that double looked a lot like the swing he had last year. The days off may be helping him get his groove back. I do not think though Jeff that they will over take Arizona, who seems to be getting their groove back by the all star break unless they go into another spin. Goldschmidt has come back with a vengeance. He is crushing the ball now and when that guy is rolling, he can carry that team. Plus, they are getting a lot better pitching lately. Vargas not starting today for the Mets. He was placed on the DL after yesterday’s game. TBD is starting today against Hill.
Indeed, Arizona is looking good and has brought itself out of its tailspin. But we are getting back an infusion of pitching and our bats are still knocking them out of the park! It looks like another dog fight this year.
Arizona will be getting Ray back in a week or two. He has been their best pitcher so far. And we still are putting way too much pressure on the bullpen. It will be rotating arms from OKC pretty much all summer the way it looks. But they are going to need starters who can carry the load come playoff time. They will be bolstered when Buehler and Urias are both ready. Same with Ryu who is maybe a month away. I look for maybe a trade for bullpen help. but not much else. Me, I would trade for an everyday 2nd baseman or just give the job to Muncy until he proves he cannot handle it. Bats are ok for now, they still leave way too many runners stranded on base, and Grandal and Barnes, neither is hitting a lick right now. So what they really need is consistency and not to have to bludgeon the opposition into submission every game.
Jeff
From 2015:
SP first time through order: .705 OPS
SP second time through order: .731 OPS
SP third time through order: .771 OPS
RP first time through order: .699 OPS
From 2017:
SP first time through order: .731
SP second time through order: .779
SP third time through order: .801
Reliever: .720 with a K rate of 24% to starters 3rd time 18%
Then there is this…. from 2009:
https://www.billjamesonline.com/article1004/
Your theory is sounding more likely with every passing month.
This has to be where the saber game is heading. If starting pitchers only go 3, maybe 4, I see no reason to have a 5 man rotation. I’ve been pushing a 6 man for a while in an effort to save fatigue on the arms. Maybe the answer is a 4 man, to save 5th inning rallies, not to mention fatigue on the payroll. With a 4 man you won’t need to look for another 2 McKazderson’s. Or, if you do sign one of those hamburgers, they only go 2-3 innings and you don’t have to pay them $16 million.
Question is will the players union go meekly into the night and accept that. They love it that starting pitchers get paid huge money and star relievers also. I doubt they will sit on their butts and let something like that happen without monetary consideration.
Expand rosters. That will appease them.
Aces will continue to demand big bucks. But it seems there are fewer of them every year.
That is true Badger, but the owners might not want to do that. They have resisted that move for quite a few years.
Yesterdays minor league results. OKC 7 Oma 5. Venditte 2 scoreless innings to get his 3rd win. Valera 2-5, Farmer 2-5, Verdugo 3-5, Rios, 2-4, Mora, 2-4, all of them drove in a run. No HR’s in the game, but there were 3 doubles, Farmer, Verdugo and Connor Joe who was just called up to be their new 1st baseman…I think Rob Segedin’s stock is definitely down. Tulsa 4 NWA 3. Big story there is Will Smith hitting a HR in his 4th straight game. #11 was a 3 run shot in the 8th that won the game for the Drillers. Kowalczyk got the win and Baker the save. Mike Ahmed also homered. Ranch 5 San Jose 2 Thomas and Bannon homered. # 16 for Bannon. Long, 3-0 got the win and Pop his 5th save.
Wilmer Font has found a home in Tampa. Pitched 5 1/3 shut out innings against the …..Yankees…..wow……Surprised that lineup did not light that guy up. Former Dodger Edwin Jackson called up by the A’s…his 13th MLB team tying a record set by another former Dodger…..Octavio Dotel. Another former Dodger, Mike Morgan pitched for 12 teams in his career.
Truly, I think the current model of what baseball is supposed to be is very much outdated. Everything in this world changes and baseball is no different. We are so used to having things in a certain way that the obvious often goes unnoticed.
The current model for starting pitchers is unsustainable. For every team that subscribes to this model, most fail. We only have one champion each year, not 8 or any other number. To achieve this, no team can tell you exactly how it is done. If pitching were the key, Washington would have won it the last several years. This is not to say pitching is unimportant. What makes teams solid is the combined energy, skill, and chemistry of the whole entity. It somehow works together just like a healthy body. But no one has figure out how to consciously reproduce a champion year after year because we are working with intangibles. Plus, the competition also affects how another team will perform. There are too many ‘mysteries’ involved with putting together a winner and those that do put together a winner usually cannot duplicate this year after year.
So if you are of the mind that 4 starters vs 6 starters is the way to go, this has been done over and over again throughout the years and no one has ever settled on a model that works and will guarantee victory. There are too many other elements at work and we haven’t even mentioned money yet.
What I like about World Cup Football (soccer to Americans) is the fact that most of the players are relatively unknown and are not superstars yet have to form a team without the day in and day out practice of regular league membership and go out and compete with other countries who are in exactly the same position. The superstars are there too, but they are not relied upon in the same way as starting pitchers or star batters. It is a fluid game in constant motion with an amazing amount of on the spot decision making and play making that is totally absent in baseball which is a more or less static game that leaves little decision making to the players. This is why baseball is losing its supremacy in American sports. It’s too repetitive, uncreative, and not really athletic in a free-form way that other sports excel in. Baseball is super conservative. I’m a bit sick of hearing about rotations, starters vs relievers, making trades that don’t change anything, and screwing over the minor leaguers in the sense of chaining them into a kind of indentured slavery for years.
When thinkers come along that want to invigorate an old and tired game, they are usually met with huge amounts of resistance. We love our old habits even if they are no good for us. Just look at smokers. Baseball is one of those habits that need invigoration. The first thing I would change is the ridiculous label called ‘World Series’. There is nothing world about it. The Olympics is more world than baseball. Are we playing Japan or Cuba or Venezuela for the world title? You get my point.
Cheers!
First off, baseball has always and always will be slow to accept change. Second, the game is fine just the way it is. Third, professional soccer has no where near as powerful a union as baseball does. Any major changes to the salary structure, or the rules has to go through the players union, and Jeff, they are not going to stand for a pitching staff full of relievers who are not paid well. Starters get maximum bang for their buck. Star closers also. What makes you even think that the players association is going to stand for a system that limits that money? Not happening my friend, plus the fact that the rosters would have to accommodate larger pitching staffs and more players on the roster, and the owners are not going to buy into that. It is bad enough that they already have issues that will be brought up at the next collective bargaining meeting. What you propose will NEVER happen during your lifetime. Hell, the DH has been in the AL for over 40 years and the NL still opposes it. Soccer may be popular in the rest of the world, and the Olympics are no longer relevant since they are so full of corruption, and they have the world baseball classic, so no need to change the series. Soccer is probably about the 10th most popular sport in America behind bowling and golf.
I have always found soccer boring. I know it has world appeal. Just not my thing. I learned in college you could suit up an entire soccer team for the cost of suiting up one football player. It’s even cheaper to suit up a swimming team.
I think baseball is doing fine. In this nation it’s always about the money, and the money is flowing in MLB.
Jeff
For the reason you like soccer, I like college basketball better then pro basketball, but I find soccer to be boring myself, but there is not a lot of thought, when it comes to soccer, like Baseball.
The only reason soccer is so popular around the World, is the fact you only need a soccer ball, to play soccer, unlike Baseball, and Basketball.
Soccer is about as exciting as watching a casket warp. I know no one personally who has even a passing interest in the sport, and zero who have a passion for it. But I know a ton of rabid baseball fans.
The only problem with baseball right now, is the fact there is almost always, as many strikes outs, as hits.
And because of that, it is slowing the game down, but if the players got back to putting the ball in play more, that would naturally speed up the game.
Some people find reading books boring.
Americans don’t know how to watch soccer and know little about its strategy, tactics, and the actual rules of the game. The game is fast moving. That alone takes care of most of the boredom that people have. Because there is little education in America about soccer, there is little excitement for the game. Travel the world and you see kids playing in the streets, everywhere. They play mostly soccer. In India, it’s cricket. Basketball seems to have crossed over and made it very popular in the rest of the world. There are leagues everywhere now. Soccer is still in its infancy in USA. The old guys like us are not the ones that the sport will appeal to. It is a young man’s game and that is where it starts, with the youth. Soccer teams in the public schools when I attended were nil. That has begun to change. It is all in your perceptions.
The real issue as Michael points out are the unions. Baseball is still an ‘old boys club’. It is so conservative and devoted to the money, not the love of the sport. The biggest changes occur at the food concessions, not on the field. And, the fans get fatter and fatter, and this is happiness. lol
There’s strategy in a chess match too but I don’t care to watch that either.
I played intramural soccer in college. I’d never played before. It was very interesting and I got to be ok at it. I also took a 1 unit class in teaching soccer fundamentals and actually implemented a unit of it when I was a PE teacher. But thanks for considering me ignorant on the subject.
I didn’t grow up with it. Football and baseball were my sports. Soccer was never a thing in the US when I was young, not sure it is now, and I think it’s because kids would rather play the other sports we offer. Soccer has had plenty of time to catch on but it hasn’t.
And because other countries play it doesn’t mean we should. There are many activities in other cultures that won’t catch on here. They spit on the bride in Greece, they point with their lips in Nicaragua, the Nag Panchami festival in India (there’s some posters I know I’d like to see take that up) running with the bulls, the land diving ritual in Vanuatu…… Australian Rules Football……
I don’t much care for soccer. Those who do? Good for you! I understand there’s some good matches on the pitch now.
Well, it looks like Dummy has made another stupid call playing Pederson who has a .130/.160/174/334 SL against left handers. This guy has got to be the dumbest indivual I have seen manage a ballclub. The bad part is that he thinks he is smart.
Package
Joc is probably playing, because Kike is playing short, because Taylor is having that hammy issue.
And another one, for Cody pop again!
MJ
Why not play Turner and put Muncy at 1st and Cody in Center? Wait, let me guess, Turner is tired or slightly hurt or some other manufactured reason by Dummy. I would rather have Turner in the lineup than Joc any day.
And that is why you are not a manager Pack. Turner is still having trouble with his wrist, and the lefty was not going to be in more than an inning or two. No need to panic…
Package
Turner does need these days off, because it isn’t easy to hit regularly, when first coming back, from an broken wrist.
And we want to have him for the rest of the season.
And Turner is regularly given days off during the week, even when he is healthy, but his wrist is still not quite there.
Pack, it is a bullpen game for the Mets. Their only lefty started the game and pitched two innings…he is already out of the game. Taylor is still having hammy issues….dummy is using who he can today….chill brother.
It’s the Mets. Play all the backups.
Bear
You can bet if Joc’s numbers were Kemp’s numbers, Kemp would be riding the pine and Turner would be in there.
Package
I understand where you are coming from, but I don’t think that is what is happening, today.
In this case you are totally wrong and totally off base. The Dodgers knew prior to the game that the Mets were going to have a bullpen game. So Joc was going to face a lefty maybe once. You have no clue how Turner is feeling today. I get your point, but Joc has also hit 8 homers this month, 3rd in the league and since Blevins is nothing more than a relief pitcher whose fastball tops out at 88, maybe he was thinking Joc would run into one. So I personally think that no matter what, Dave had made up his mind that Taylor was not starting today and it was a normal day of rest for Turner. As far as Hill goes, I think he just reverted this start to being the mediocre pitcher he is.
Bear
I never said to play Taylor, I said play Turner and by the way, what is a normal day of rest for Turner? I still believe that if Joc’s numbers were Kemp’s, Kemp would be on the bench.
And I think that is totally wrong. You are entitled to your opinion and I respect that, but a day game after a night game is normal rest for a guy recovering from an injury and also it makes you look silly when the guy you are ranting against is hitting 40 points higher than Turner and crushes his 9th homer of the month and 10th of the year.. Same thing goes as to why Turner is in there. Turner is in there for defense, same with sliding Bellinger to CF and Pederson to left. Younger legs and when Turner came in they were ahead by 3 until the BP gave up the lead.
When do you think Dummy will get that Hill is through for today? Man, what an absolute DUMMY!!
Keep going Pack!
Ignore everyone else!
The Dummy campaign is a brilliant one.
Bluto
I don’t care if you agree or disagree, that is my opinion but your continued campaign to make it personal is getting real old.
What’s older or more inaccurate?
Your inane attempt to characterize my posts as personal?
OR
Your Sisyphus-like attempt to cast Roberts as a dummy.
Bluto
You do make my comments personal and Roberts is a Dummy in my opinion.
And I wholly support you continuing in both campaigns.
They are really going well.
Well pack, I don’t let Hill throw more than 75. He had given up 2 earned after 4. That’s it. You’re gone. Nope. Had to see if he could squeeze one more out of him. Gotta admit, that wasn’t a UCLA grad move.
But, I’m sure Dave figures “it’s the Mets. We’ll outscore them.”
By the way Pack, Turner is far from being the Turner you are used to. His power has not come back yet and he looked pretty mediocre last night. He is not swinging the bat all that well.
I told you guys the Dodgers would hit when it warmed up.
Package
I think Badger is right, about this just being the Mets.
Because we are not exactly facing tough pitching, and pitchers with sparkling ERAs, because the Mets have one of the worst bullpens, in all of baseball.
Don’t let anyone get you down!
MJ
How about Cody? He smacked another. I think he may be making a great turn even though it is the Mets. MJ, I might be wrong sometimes but not all the time.
Package
I think Cody may be turning the corner too, because he started to hit, before the game today.
He also hit the ball the other way, in yesterday’s game.
Badger
You forgot to mention that we would be facing the worse bullpen in baseball, when we would begin to hit.
We’ve had a pretty good month.
Our pen will keep it close.
Badger
They are keeping it real close.
Guess who is in??????????????Turner
Guess who is out????????????? Kemp
Kiki should have made the tag.
The Dodgers have hit six home runs today.
They are not winning right now.
I don’t know if all of these HRs today are good, because HRs are not going to come this easy, against the Cub’s pitching, in this next series.
And we won’t get a lot of runs, if everyone is swinging from their heels, in this next series.
Cubs BP gave up 8 runs in 1 inning today against the Reds who swept them in four games…..Every series is different…Dodgers are home this time.
The Reds are better then the Mets, and we won’t be playing in Great American Ball Park, where balls fly out either.
And remember the Reds swept us too!
But I hope we beat Lester
Badger
Who is favored in this next series, and will our squirrels show up, in this next series
Dodgers always favored at home.
Thanks Badger, I really didn’t know that.
But I looked at the starter we are facing tomorrow, and this will be his first major league game I believe, or his first start this year.
Cubs 4-6, lost 4 in a row. We are 7-3, won 3 in a row. We’re at home. We will be favored -130 by tomorrow afternoon.
It’s felt weird the last 10 games. Doesn’t feel like we should be 7-3.
If I were going to rant against any player in this game today it would be Forsythe. He has done absolutely nothing to help the team offensively in the game. And once again the teams inability to hit with runners in scoring position hurts them. Kemp drove in the only run not scored on a HR with a DP infield grounder.
Bear
I agree about Forsythe. He has not played well all year but Roberts does everything except the expected. I do not like his in game moves and his lineup picks and placement. I also think Roberts plays his favorite players and not the ones who should play. It is obvious Bear, you know it and I know it. He thinks he is smart taking out Kemp in many games. I bet he wishes Kemp was in there now. No, he would never admit he is wrong. If I bought him for what he is worth and sold him for what he thinks he is worth. I would be a zillonaire.
I have said that many times Pack. I feel DR is one of the worst at in game decisions. I do think injuries played a part in his choice of who started today, and in all honesty Kemp did not have a good day at the dish either. They just bludgeoned their way to a win today. But they have the Cubbies coming in tomorrow and will see at least 3 lefty’s in that series, Quintana, Lester and Montgomery. Turner and Hudson saved his bacon today. Myself, I would have let Paredes pitch the entire 7th inning. He used more pitchers than he should have needed by just using him for 1 hitter. Goeddel’s ERA even after giving up 3 runs is just 1.90. But that is the 2nd homer he has given up in 2 games. Hope he is not suffering from Josh Fields syndrome.
Was watching the Sox game and on the NESN broadcast, Dennis Eckersley called it “ridiculous” that infielders are allowed to set up on the outfield grass and said certain shifts should be outlawed.
What do people here think?
Bluto
Each team has 8 position players and they should be able to play them anywhere on the field they want in my opinion. If they play the whole team on one side of the field, OK, teams should learn how to hit the ball to the opposite field.
Package
I guess you get the last laugh, because it looks like Turner might have won this game.
Instinctively I feel the same way, but I’m not sure my position won’t change.
No pun intended.
Just beat the shift and they’ll stop using it.
If only….
I do not like the shifts, but all that started years ago. The Cardinals used it in the 1946 World Series against the Red Sox and Ted Williams. It worked because Williams was too hard headed to go the other way. He even admitted that years later. It was a shame because it ruined his only WS appearance and he hit a measly .200 in the series. If you learn to go the other way, which really is not all that hard, I did it when I played baseball and when I played softball, the shift is worthless, especially if you have power to the other field.
Against the hard headed, the shift works.
Ever heard of “Quantifying the Effect of The Shift in Major League Baseball “ by Christopher John Hawk Jr, Bard College? Me neither. But I’m sure it says that, in general, employing a defensive shift is advantageous to the defense.
Make them pay and it will stop. But it isn’t happening because the big strong guys would rather try to hit it 500’ and fail than hit it 50’ and succeed.
Absolutely and Williams was just that kind of guy….difference was, he could really hit… .344 lifetime average, last man to hit .400 and he hit .388 when he was 38 years old and only hit under .300 once in his ENTIRE career. His last year in the majors he hit .316 with 29 HR’s and 72 RBI’s and he was almost 42 years old. Oh yeah, and he struck out 709 times in 9788 plate appearances. He walked 2021 times. His OBP was .482! His slugging average was .634. He was only hit 39 times in his entire career, and hit into 197 double plays in 19 years. he only had 20 sac flies, but they did not start keeping that stat until 1954. About the only thing he did not do well was steal bases, but then again why would he need to ? 525 doubles and 71 triples to go with the 521 homers. Pure hitter.
Outlier numbers. The man was a freak. And that was 150 years ago.
In today’s game the shift works because hitters have a singular strategy and it isn’t to hit singles. Wee Willie Keeler they ain’t.
Dodgers have slugged .500 for a month four times bbref.com/pi/shareit/jeI…
.520 — June 1950
.508 — July 1953
.505 — Mar/Apr 1977
.500 — Aug. 1953
Dodgers are slugging .527 this June, with 6 games remaining
Dbacks are 16-6 in June.