MLBTR Chat Transcript: Giants, Cobb, Holland, Cubs

As a Giants fan, I can tell you serious Giants fans don’t feel that way. Even the way the question was asked doesn’t imply that was the thought. Either way, there is a massive gulf between the casual, cool to go to a game, trying to get into it, don’t really understand baseball Giants fans and real baseball fans Giants fans. I was once asked by a guy in head to toe Giants gear what the AB, H,… all meant while in, let’s say, not cheap seats. The Giants got crazy unlucky last year. They probably were not a playoff team, but Belt is a stud when healthy, look it up. Cueto had very serious off field issues, Madison hurt, etc. The outfield was the worst in the league defensively and hit 38HR total, so healthy Pence, Jackson, and non-CF Cutch are major upgrades, as is Longoria who doesn’t need to be 2012 Longo, just do better than the collective .220ish 9HR line with sub-par defense. He will obviously do that. It’s now an infield with GG at 3 positions and a guy at first who should have one with 22DRS the last 2 years, tied for most at 1B. Things will have to go right, avoid extended injuries, Cueto average about a 2.75 ERA over the prior 5 years, he’s much more that guy than last year’s performance. There’s reason for hope in SF. However real fans are thinking/hoping to near 90W and slide into a WC. They weren’t supposed to win in 10,12,14 either. I thin WC chances are 50/50. WS maybe 5%. But, they’ve improved in the positions they needed to much more than people understand, and if the bullpen can hold it down will be very solid.

As a side note, I think a way to fix the system would be to stop the service time manipulation. Players should be able to file and win grievances far more often. You can’t tell me Kris Bryant shouldn’t have been up his entire Rookie year. If they can change that, and not penalize the signing team for getting a player with a Q.O. Those changes would be drastic, especially at the top end. Bryant and many others get their clock delayed, with everyone knowing what is happening. That could cost a player tens of millions between the arb money, and hitting FA a year older. We’ve seen the difference it can make just to hit at 28 or 29 vs 30. As soon as that ‘3’ is in front of the age, years and dollars shrink. Figure out the league average pitch time, how much is due to the batter and pitcher, come up with a clock where a pitcher sees nothing then with ten seconds left a green light comes on 5 seconds yellow, and at red he has to be in the motion of pitching, not a big shot clock type thing though. It can be figured out easily if concessions are made on both sides. The owners have to do something about player time, and pre-arb/arbitration though. With Judge making 622k this season though maybe have a sliding scale in arb i.e. 575K 1st year min, 700 2nd year, 850 3rd year. Plus if a player in his pre-arb year gets MVP votes, bonus money that doesn’t count against the CBT or even comes from MLB. Just throw those guys a bone if they excel. A 250K bonus for getting 2nd in the MVP is big money to someone making the min. or close to it.