Centerfield

And it’s not like some weird fluke. The Rays have made the playoffs 6 of the last 8 years. The Brewers have done it 8 of the last 9. The Mets can only dream of such success.

7-3 Rays. Bottom 8. Yandy Diaz curtain call.

Before that in Washington 2018: 7th 2019: 6th 2020: 10th 2021: 8th.

Kevin Long joined the Phillies in 2022 as their hitting coach. Phils OPS rank in MLB 2022: 8th 2023: 6th 2024: 4th 2025: 4th 2026: 22nd

Higher than Wilson Contreras, Jackson Merrill, Jose Ramirez, Ketel Marte, Francisco Lindor, Manny Machado, Vlad Guerrero Jr., etc etc.

As far as power: Suzuki has averaged 22.6 HR over his 5 year career. He hit 38 his last year in Japan. Okamoto was hurt in 2025. But hit 27 HR in 2024. He hit 33 for Toronto last year. Murakami was also hurt in 2025. In 2024, he hit 33 HR. He hit 35 for CWS this year.

Okamoto went from .992 in Japan to .762 in MLB. A drop of 230 points. Murakami was 1.051 in NPB. And put up an .825 OPS in MLB. Down 226 points. Seiya Suzuki has a larger body of work. He had a 1.069 OPS his last year of NPB. His career OPS in MLB is .823. A difference of 246 points. Sato had a .991 OPS last year. Take away 230 points or so and you’re looking at a .761 OPS.

Hanshin Tigers confirm that Sato will be posted this winter.

And that’s really the key to why he’s not a prospect. While a 30% K rate isn’t a dealbreaker in the bigs, it’s almost unheard of to have a 30% K rate in the minors and then be a big leaguer. The high strikeout out guys in the bigs (Schwarber, Wood) had much lower numbers in the minors. Still. You see the 38 HR in 2026 and the .307 average in 2025 and just wonder what it would be like if he could put it all together. I mean. I guess he’d be Pete Alonso.

70 Ks in 266 PA in 2025. (26%) I mean yeah. Strikeouts are the big thing. Everything I read says his strikeout rate in the minors is way too high to be a realistic prospect.

Mets 1B Billy Amick is a masher. 38 HRs in 122 games. He’s a typical all or nothing guy. .222 - .328 - .520 (.848 OPS) This is over 3 leagues this year. Amick strikes out a lot. 161 Ks in 533 PAs. So basically we hope he can be a right handed Kyle Schwarber. A guy who will never hit for average. But wait. Check out Billy Amick in 2025: .307 - .417 - .450 (.867 OPS) And only 4 HRs! This is over 266 plate appearances. So while the sample size is small, it’s enough to be meaningful. I haven’t followed minor league numbers for long, but I cant imagine somebody goes from being a hit for average slap hitter to suddenly mashing 38 HRs. Anyone know more about this kid? Maybe the BA is not a lost cause.

No. And I said as much in the next paragraph and provided my reasoning for why. David Stearns deserves credit for Milwaukee’s success while he was there. And although we will never know how much of that success was attributable to him versus those around him, ultimately he was in charge and deserves the credit. The success of Milwaukee after he left could be proof that he put a successful system in place and that the current regime is still benefiting from that. It can just as easily mean that the current regime of Mark Arnold and crew were the keys to success all along and David Stearns was there taking credit for it. We have no idea which is correct. And depending on your agenda, you can make a credible argument either way. All we can reasonably conclude is that Mark Arnold has been in charge the last three years, and under his watch the Brewers have not only continued winning, but gotten better. And have now reached the World Series. And like Stearns before him, we don’t know how much of that is attributable to Mark Arnold, but ultimately he is in charge and deserves the credit.

I think it’s impossible to draw any conclusions on David Stearns based upon what Milwaukee has done since he left. The success could be proof of the great system he put in place, or it could be proof that he had nothing to do with the success. Obviously everyone else is smart and he was just taking credit. The fact that they’ve been better after he left could be proof that he was the one thing holding them back, or it could be proof that his teams only get better with time. Alternatively, if the Brewers had gone downhill, it would have proven that everything he did was smoke and mirrors, or he was obviously critical to their success.

As happy as I am about the Dodgers being eliminated it was hard rooting for the Brewers and I never really got over it. I thank them for doing a job. Now I’m Tampa/Cleveland the rest of the way.

And it’s over. Satisfying.

I don’t understand how a journeyman like Jake Bauers just puts it all together at 31.

The Dodgers version of Front Row Amy is Mary Hart. As far as I know, Amy has never hosted an event at Mar-A-Lago. So advantage Amy.

I got sick of listening to him, but I wish him well. I mean, I hope he sucks at his new job and the Phillies infield is a mess. But I wish him happiness and good luck in his garden and things like that.

3-0!!! Dynasty on the brink.

These guys play good defense. Well positioned. Execute well.

Would be ironic if leaving Blake Snell in too long ends up costing them their season.

Wow Snell was not taken out. And now gives up another HR.

Wow. Sit down Snell.

Nice work to keep them within 1. im totally fine with this being the Edwin Diaz blown save game.

Dammit.