Major League Baseball: 2024 Season

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JohnBM01

JohnBM01

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For the first time in franchise history, the Texas Rangers won the World Series. This marked one of the more unique seasons of Major League Baseball with new changes. Pitch clocks and quicker than usual games made for a handful of challenges for 2023. Now that the 2024 season has yet to be played, it is time to welcome a new thread of Major League Baseball on GTPlanet!

In case you need some retrospective from last season, here you go:

--- 2023 Season Retrospective ---

FINAL 2023 REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS
AL EAST: Baltimore! (101-61), TB! (99-63), TOR! (89-73), NYY (82-80), BOS (78-84)
AL CENTRAL: Minnesota! (87-75), DET (78-84), CLE (76-86), CHW (61-101), KC (56-106)
AL WEST: Houston! and Texas! (90-72 each), SEA (88-74), LAA (73-89), OAK (50-112)

NL EAST: Atlanta! (104-56), PHI! (90-72), MIA (84-78), NYM (75-81), WSH (71-91)
NL CENTRAL: Milwaukee! (92-70), CHC (83-79), CIN (82-80), PIT (76-86), STL (71-91)
NL WEST: Los Angeles Dodgers! (100-62), ARI! (84-78), SD (82-80), SF (79-83), COL (59-103)

2023 PLAYOFFS SUMMARY

WILD CARD (best-of-3):
  • TEX def. TB 2-0
  • MIN def. TOR 2-0
  • ARI def. MIL 2-0
  • PHI def. MIA 2-0

LDS (best-of-5):
  • TEX def. BAL 3-0
  • HOU def. MIN 3-1
  • ARI def. LAD 3-0
  • PHI def. ATL 3-1

LCS (best-of-7)
  • TEX def. HOU 4-3
  • ARI def. PHI 4-3

WORLD SERIES (best-of-7)
* TEX def ARI 4-1


Now that you have an idea of how last season ended up, we can now look ahead to 2024. Everything from offseason moves to the 2024 World Series Champions is fair game for this thread.

The first of the Spring Training games happens on February 22, 2024. Ready to discuss Major League Baseball for 2024? Then let's get it! PLAY BALL!
 
I heard the Cincinnati Reds declined the 2024 option on Joey Votto, essentially letting him go. J. Votto has been a big part of the Redlegs. They also have a rising star in Elly de la Cruz. I'll have to see who they may replace Votto with.
 
Houston Astros fans, meet your new manager- Joe Espada. He takes over as manager of the Astros announced yesterday. The Astros are coming off of a time with Johnnie "Dusty" Baker that led to successive trips to the ALCS and their 2022 World Series triumph. I'm hopeful Joe Espada can continue to point this team in the correct direction.
 
Owners approved Oakland's moving from Oakland to Las Vegas. So we will be slowly looking at the (hypothetical name) Las Vegas Athletics. The lease for their current stadium ends in 2024, and the new stadium in Las Vegas won't be available until 2028. The end of an era in Oakland, California, USA. I think I read this is the only team in the Expansion Era (since 1961) that one team has moved twice. I think I read today's Athletics used to be in Philadelphia circa 1901, then moved to Kansas City, MO; and then moved to Oakland. Now the A's are transitioning to Las Vegas. They'll be playing at the Las Vegas Minor League Baseball ballpark after 2024, I'm assuming.

It's possible Kansas City and Tampa Bay may be looking at new ballparks in the future. Both looking for new arenas closer to downtown.
 
JohnBM01
I heard the Cincinnati Reds declined the 2024 option on Joey Votto, essentially letting him go. J. Votto has been a big part of the Redlegs. They also have a rising star in Elly de la Cruz. I'll have to see who they may replace Votto with.
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I just noticed this post was from 12 days ago. I haven't paid any attention to the Reds since the season ended, thus this is news to me. I would say good luck to him with another contender, but Cincinnati may compete next year. They outperformed all expectations last year, so I don't see why they shouldn't be even better this season. The injury bug really bit them last year, as well. A healthy core of players not stuck on the IL will make this team strong. That, and these young guys getting some more big league playing time under their belts.

Wherever Votto ends up, I wish him luck. He's been a true team player for this club his entire career. I would love to see him hoist the trophy at season's end.
 
Congrats to Gerrit Cole for winning his first Cy Young award. No sticky stuff needed.

Also congrats to Ronald Acuna, Shohei Ohtani and Blake Snell for winning the other Cy/MVP awards.
 
Dear Santa, please can you stick Juan Soto under the Yankee tree so we fans remember what it was like to have a good team.
We've put up with Boone and Cashman, surely that's worth going on the nice list.
 
Most of you know the Yankees have money on top of money. So what did they do? Well, meet the newest Yanks- Alex Verdugo and Juan Soto. The Yankees finished with a record of 82-80 in 2023, 4th in the AL East. It is surreal to think the Yanks would be dead last in the AL East at times considering these being the 27-time World Series Champions. You got your wish for Juan Soto, @Fezzik . Merry Christmas.

The Houston Astros shipped off Martin Maldonaldo. "The Machete" did quite well catching and even hitting. Houston decided to move on from Maldy. Yanier Diaz will be the Astros' new catcher. The Astros signed Victor Caratini as their backup catcher. Houston finished 90-72 in 2023, AL West Champions.


Hot Stove staying hot.


[OMISSION] I want to congratulate Jim Leyland on being inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. J. Leyland was the manager for teams like the Pirates, Marlins, Rockies, and Tigers. The news is a bit old, but I'm proud for Jim Leyland on his Hall of Fame induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
 
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JohnBM01
Most of you know the Yankees have money on top of money. So what did they do? Well, meet the newest Yanks- Alex Verdugo and Juan Soto.
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It’s funny, they are finally using their financial might again but not like they used to. Not just flinging bags of dollars at free agents (Cole apart and he was always supposed to be a Yankee anyway). Instead they’re building through trades and the farm. Using prospects for trade capital, it’s like the smart teams do. The lineup is virtually all either homegrown or trade-acquired, I think only Lemahieu was a free agent signing.

Weird times but they can always act like the old days and give this Japanese pitcher a couple hundred million. Not Shohei, the new one.
 
If the. Yankees can get Yamato (I think that's his name) and a couple other pitchers they'll be good. Don't really trust Cash man to get pitching though
 
Rumors late yesterday were that SP/DH Shohei Ohtani was going to sign with the Toronto Blue Jays. That got put to rest as the Dodgers sign Ohtani to a 10 year, $700 million contract.
 
It's Shohei Time. At least Shohei-san won't have to leave the general area. Just that he'll be playing in Rancho Cucamonga rather than Anaheim and in the other League. I think this move will put Ohtani around some better talent than with the Angels previously. Ten years for $700M USD is some big time coin, and he's worth every penny.
 
7. Hundred. Million.

Eddie Murphy What GIF by Laff
 
It's also a deal only Dodger fans will like. $680 million of the $700 will be deferred to AFTER the contract ends. It won't collect interest like Bobby Bonilla's buyout did, but the actual monetary hit per season is insane. You get a unicorn for the price if a workhorse! If the Dodgers squander this, they will NEVER live it down, and may not recover once Bobby Bonilla day changes focus.
 
Dodgers continue to spend big. They have signed 25 year old NPB Star Yoshinobu Yamamoto for 12 year, $325 million, giving him the largest contract ever for a pitcher.
 
I won't pretend to understand salary caps and whatnot, but how on earth are the Dodgers able to afford these players? I remember when the Yankees would spend like crazy in the past, but those deals look like peanuts now.
 
Baseball teams print money and the owners are billionaires. They plead poverty and have the luxury tax so they can mostly suppress salaries and pocket the profits, but occasionally a team will just decide to screw toeing the party line and actually spend the money they all have.
 
Michael Brantley retired today after 15 seasons of MLB service. His playing time ranged from Cleveland to Houston. He is a five-time All-Star, a Silver Slugger, and a World Series Champion. I wish "Uncle Mike" well in his retirement.
 
The Houston Astros signed P Josh Hader from the San Diego Padres . The Astros need some extra pitching help, so I'm hoping Josh Hader can give the Astros a lift on the mound. I think we'll also have Luis Garcia later this season after getting injured last season. The offseason has been quiet for the Astros, but I'm hoping they know what they're doing talent-wise.
 
JohnBM01
The Houston Astros signed P Josh Hader from the San Diego Padres .
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Dude can hurl a ball, that's for sure. I hated when the Reds faced him when he was a Brewer, 'cause it was game over. This small blurb on Wikipedia pretty much sums up his career whenever facing Cincy: "Hader began 2018 in the Milwaukee bullpen. On April 30, Hader became the first pitcher ever to record eight strikeouts in an outing that was less than three innings long. He recorded a 2+2⁄3-inning save against the Cincinnati Reds, in which he faced nine batters, recording eight strikeouts and one walk." Sigh...:lol:
 
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Yeah, Dolph Drago. I saw a highlight video of him when he took the Padres to the NLCS downing the Los Angeles Dodgers. He's a flamethrower! I'm talking... maybe 87+ mph to 95 mph into the strike zone. This gives the Astros a second leftie in relief. We got about seven right-handers in relief. Now I'm not sure if the Astros are trying to make Hader perhaps the new closer for the Astros, but Ryan Pressly still had his ups and downs as a closer last season.

[UPDATE] The Houston Astros' deal for Josh Hader is for five years for $95M USD. Since Kendall Graveman suffered an injury that makes him unavailable for the 2024 season, they look to Hader to fill in. From what I've seen in videos, Josh Hader is an absolute flamethrower. He fires the ball fast into the strike zone and may even make you try and chase his pitches. Hader seems pretty deceptive. I mean, you think you can get a hit off of his pitches or even bang one out of the park, but he can deliver heat as a closer. It is certainly nice to get a little extra relief and closer help for the Astros.
 
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Hall of Fame ballot reveals 3 new inductees to Cooperstown. 3B Adrian Beltre, C Joe Mauer and 1B Todd Helton have all been selected. Adrian Beltre hit 477 HRs and 3,000 hits with the Dodgers, Mariners, Red Sox and Rangers. Joe Mauer had a 15 year career primarily as a catcher all for the Minnesota Twins, winning 1 MVP. Todd Helton played for 17 years as a Colorado Rockie hitting .316 with 369 HRs.
 
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José Altuve is an "Astro for life," having recently signed a 5-year deal worth $125M USD. Altuve has played his entire career with the Astros and remains a viable threat anywhere in the ballpark. I honestly can't see him going elsewhere and how much he has helped out the Astros over his career.

Other Astros signings during the offseason include 1B Trey Cabbage and pitcher/closer Josh Hader.
 
Corey Kluber has hung it up after 13 seasons of MLB service. He is a two-time Cy Young winner. I wish C. Kluber well in his retirement.
 
Best week of the year - pitchers and catchers report for spring training!
It's the time to dream - the team has some great new signings, no one has busted an elbow (yet), 6 months of games ahead.

It'll all go downhill soon enough but for now - let's go Yankees! The Empire will strike back this year.
 
It's great for the players to gear up for the 2024 season right about now. My Houston Astros will start their Spring Training against the team we share a facility with- the Washington Nationals starting Friday next week.

Not sure if I shared this or not, but the Astros' mantra for this season is #relentless . The champions are in the state of Texas, but not Houston. It's those boys from the greater Dallas-Fort Worth area. Globe Life Field last season was like Minute Maid North, and Minute Maid Park felt like Globe Life South. I think this season will be a lot different for all teams since we now have gotten used to the new rule changes made last season.


[OMISSION] I heard newly-acquired Josh Hader has been appointed as the Astros' closer this season. Hader is a powerful pitcher. So I'm sure he can close out games pretty well. If he can close for the Padres, he can close proper with the Astros as well.
 
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I got a hello and goodbye post for you all. Check it...

Hello, two new MLB cities? We have 30 teams in Major League Baseball at present. There is talk about if and when Major League Baseball expands to 32 teams. More info on what teams could be considered for expansion can be seen here: https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id...ville-orlando-portland-raleigh-salt-lake-city

Goodbye... Eric Hosmer. Hosmer called it a career recently. He helped the Kansas City Royals to the 2015 World Series crown in his 13 seasons of MLB service. I wish Hosmer all the best in his retirement.
 
Expansion location depending on which city will spend the most public money building an HQ for a private company owned by a billionaire.

In related news, the KC Royals (owned by a billionaire) are after public funding for a new park. The Chicago White Sox (owned by a billionaire) are after public money for a new ballpark. The Oakland Athletics (owned by a billionaire) couldn't get public money from Oakland and so are moving to Vegas (in a stadium to be built using public money).

Capitalism!
 

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