I admit it...

[SKO]

I find the writing style of the MLB At Bat app to be obnoxious. They try to make everything trendy, and it just comes off as forced and kind of lame. "Video: A hanging curve to the amazing Manny Machado with the bases loaded? You know the results." I dunno, would it be worse for them to just announce that Machado hit a grand slam #PapaSlam? Would they really lose click-throughs if they didn't try to sound hip?

Even worse'd.

Can we also throw in all of the statcast shit? I say this as a guy who really f--king loves stats, and even exit velocity and all of that, but  I do not need a notification in the middle of a Cubs game that Bryce Harper just hit on 111 MPH or whatever, or that Kevin Kiermaier just showed off a goddamn 99.7% route efficiency or whatever.

[Quality Start Machine]

...at some point MLB and the Baseball Hall of Fame should just acknowledge the Steroid Era existed, and start electing those guys to the HOF.

Like it or not, those guys made baseball interesting after fans started turning away when they couldn't even get it together to put on a World Series.

[SKO]

...at some point MLB and the Baseball Hall of Fame should just acknowledge the Steroid Era existed, and start electing those guys to the HOF.

Like it or not, those guys made baseball interesting after fans started turning away when they couldn't even get it together to put on a World Series.

I think that's probably most people's opinion here. It's a crime that Bonds is the best player in the history of the sport and he's not in. I'd be more hesitant with a guy like McGwire because I'm pretty sure he'd have washed out in the early 90s without PEDs and even his numbers on PEDs weren't that good relative to a guy like Bonds.

I don't care if guys are doing PEDs right now, even, I just understand why guys don't want what their achievements to be tainted in the eyes of people who do care about such things by unfounded PED allegations. Since there's testing and everything else now I think it's fine to extend people the benefit of the doubt until there's actual evidence against them.

[Slaky]

...at some point MLB and the Baseball Hall of Fame should just acknowledge the Steroid Era existed, and start electing those guys to the HOF.

Like it or not, those guys made baseball interesting after fans started turning away when they couldn't even get it together to put on a World Series.

I think that's probably most people's opinion here. It's a crime that Bonds is the best player in the history of the sport and he's not in. I'd be more hesitant with a guy like McGwire because I'm pretty sure he'd have washed out in the early 90s without PEDs and even his numbers on PEDs weren't that good relative to a guy like Bonds.

I don't care if guys are doing PEDs right now, even, I just understand why guys don't want what their achievements to be tainted in the eyes of people who do care about such things by unfounded PED allegations. Since there's testing and everything else now I think it's fine to extend people the benefit of the doubt until there's actual evidence against them.

McGwire was a sideshow and made the game extremely entertaining. I'd put him in too.

[SKO]

...at some point MLB and the Baseball Hall of Fame should just acknowledge the Steroid Era existed, and start electing those guys to the HOF.

Like it or not, those guys made baseball interesting after fans started turning away when they couldn't even get it together to put on a World Series.

I think that's probably most people's opinion here. It's a crime that Bonds is the best player in the history of the sport and he's not in. I'd be more hesitant with a guy like McGwire because I'm pretty sure he'd have washed out in the early 90s without PEDs and even his numbers on PEDs weren't that good relative to a guy like Bonds.

I don't care if guys are doing PEDs right now, even, I just understand why guys don't want what their achievements to be tainted in the eyes of people who do care about such things by unfounded PED allegations. Since there's testing and everything else now I think it's fine to extend people the benefit of the doubt until there's actual evidence against them.

McGwire was a sideshow and made the game extremely entertaining. I'd put him in too.

Yeah but I hated him, so no.

[InternetApex]

...at some point MLB and the Baseball Hall of Fame should just acknowledge the Steroid Era existed, and start electing those guys to the HOF.

Like it or not, those guys made baseball interesting after fans started turning away when they couldn't even get it together to put on a World Series.

I think that's probably most people's opinion here. It's a crime that Bonds is the best player in the history of the sport and he's not in. I'd be more hesitant with a guy like McGwire because I'm pretty sure he'd have washed out in the early 90s without PEDs and even his numbers on PEDs weren't that good relative to a guy like Bonds.

I don't care if guys are doing PEDs right now, even, I just understand why guys don't want what their achievements to be tainted in the eyes of people who do care about such things by unfounded PED allegations. Since there's testing and everything else now I think it's fine to extend people the benefit of the doubt until there's actual evidence against them.

McGwire was a sideshow and made the game extremely entertaining. I'd put him in too.

Yeah but I hated him, so no.

I'm ok with saying that all McGwire did was hit a dickload of homers in an era when most everybody had a 30-40 homer guy on the roster and demand someone show me what additional value he provided. Same with Sosa and the relatively short window of his dominant run also makes him a close call. I dunno about either.

[Chuck to Chuck]

...at some point MLB and the Baseball Hall of Fame should just acknowledge the Steroid Era existed, and start electing those guys to the HOF.

Like it or not, those guys made baseball interesting after fans started turning away when they couldn't even get it together to put on a World Series.

I think that's probably most people's opinion here. It's a crime that Bonds is the best player in the history of the sport and he's not in. I'd be more hesitant with a guy like McGwire because I'm pretty sure he'd have washed out in the early 90s without PEDs and even his numbers on PEDs weren't that good relative to a guy like Bonds.

I don't care if guys are doing PEDs right now, even, I just understand why guys don't want what their achievements to be tainted in the eyes of people who do care about such things by unfounded PED allegations. Since there's testing and everything else now I think it's fine to extend people the benefit of the doubt until there's actual evidence against them.

McGwire was a sideshow and made the game extremely entertaining. I'd put him in too.

Yeah but I hated him, so no.

I'm ok with saying that all McGwire did was hit a dickload of homers in an era when most everybody had a 30-40 homer guy on the roster and demand someone show me what additional value he provided. Same with Sosa and the relatively short window of his dominant run also makes him a close call. I dunno about either.

McGuire can go in after he's dead so he can't profit from upcharging for autographs with HOF next to his sig. Same with Rose.

But none of them get in until Shoeless Joe does.

[InternetApex]

...at some point MLB and the Baseball Hall of Fame should just acknowledge the Steroid Era existed, and start electing those guys to the HOF.

Like it or not, those guys made baseball interesting after fans started turning away when they couldn't even get it together to put on a World Series.

I think that's probably most people's opinion here. It's a crime that Bonds is the best player in the history of the sport and he's not in. I'd be more hesitant with a guy like McGwire because I'm pretty sure he'd have washed out in the early 90s without PEDs and even his numbers on PEDs weren't that good relative to a guy like Bonds.

I don't care if guys are doing PEDs right now, even, I just understand why guys don't want what their achievements to be tainted in the eyes of people who do care about such things by unfounded PED allegations. Since there's testing and everything else now I think it's fine to extend people the benefit of the doubt until there's actual evidence against them.

McGwire was a sideshow and made the game extremely entertaining. I'd put him in too.

Yeah but I hated him, so no.

I'm ok with saying that all McGwire did was hit a dickload of homers in an era when most everybody had a 30-40 homer guy on the roster and demand someone show me what additional value he provided. Same with Sosa and the relatively short window of his dominant run also makes him a close call. I dunno about either.

McGuire can go in after he's dead so he can't profit from upcharging for autographs with HOF next to his sig. Same with Rose.

But none of them get in until Shoeless Joe does.

Agree on Rose. PEDs and gambling aren't even close to being equal in my book.

[SKO]

...at some point MLB and the Baseball Hall of Fame should just acknowledge the Steroid Era existed, and start electing those guys to the HOF.

Like it or not, those guys made baseball interesting after fans started turning away when they couldn't even get it together to put on a World Series.

I think that's probably most people's opinion here. It's a crime that Bonds is the best player in the history of the sport and he's not in. I'd be more hesitant with a guy like McGwire because I'm pretty sure he'd have washed out in the early 90s without PEDs and even his numbers on PEDs weren't that good relative to a guy like Bonds.

I don't care if guys are doing PEDs right now, even, I just understand why guys don't want what their achievements to be tainted in the eyes of people who do care about such things by unfounded PED allegations. Since there's testing and everything else now I think it's fine to extend people the benefit of the doubt until there's actual evidence against them.

McGwire was a sideshow and made the game extremely entertaining. I'd put him in too.

Yeah but I hated him, so no.

I'm ok with saying that all McGwire did was hit a dickload of homers in an era when most everybody had a 30-40 homer guy on the roster and demand someone show me what additional value he provided. Same with Sosa and the relatively short window of his dominant run also makes him a close call. I dunno about either.

In 1998 McGwire was worth 7.5 bWAR. That's 1 win more than Kris Bryant was worth last year (so good, but not mind-boggling historical greatness even with the 70 dingers). Sammy's 2001 was worth 10.3 bWAR, though, even at the peak of the video game statistics era. Based on peaks (10.3 vs 7.5) Sammy was better, overall career the edge goes to McGwire (62 vs 58 bWAR). But if you let one of them in you probably should let the other in, I guess, because they are pretty inextricably linked. I'd just leave them both out, they don't hold a candle to Bonds (peak year of 11.9 bWAR, career value of 162.4 WAR). Hell, if you believe the Game of Shadows narrative that Bonds didn't even begin taking PEDs until he got pissed off about all the attention McGwire/Sosa got, his entire pre-PEDs career was still unbelievable (99.6 bWAR).

[Chuck to Chuck]

...at some point MLB and the Baseball Hall of Fame should just acknowledge the Steroid Era existed, and start electing those guys to the HOF.

Like it or not, those guys made baseball interesting after fans started turning away when they couldn't even get it together to put on a World Series.

I think that's probably most people's opinion here. It's a crime that Bonds is the best player in the history of the sport and he's not in. I'd be more hesitant with a guy like McGwire because I'm pretty sure he'd have washed out in the early 90s without PEDs and even his numbers on PEDs weren't that good relative to a guy like Bonds.

I don't care if guys are doing PEDs right now, even, I just understand why guys don't want what their achievements to be tainted in the eyes of people who do care about such things by unfounded PED allegations. Since there's testing and everything else now I think it's fine to extend people the benefit of the doubt until there's actual evidence against them.

McGwire was a sideshow and made the game extremely entertaining. I'd put him in too.

Yeah but I hated him, so no.

I'm ok with saying that all McGwire did was hit a dickload of homers in an era when most everybody had a 30-40 homer guy on the roster and demand someone show me what additional value he provided. Same with Sosa and the relatively short window of his dominant run also makes him a close call. I dunno about either.

McGuire can go in after he's dead so he can't profit from upcharging for autographs with HOF next to his sig. Same with Rose.

But none of them get in until Shoeless Joe does.

Agree on Rose. PEDs and gambling aren't even close to being equal in my book.

Agreed. Gambling is far worse as it can lead to players predetermining (fixing) outcomes.

I'm paying to see unscripted performances, not wrestling.

[Bort]

...at some point MLB and the Baseball Hall of Fame should just acknowledge the Steroid Era existed, and start electing those guys to the HOF.

Like it or not, those guys made baseball interesting after fans started turning away when they couldn't even get it together to put on a World Series.

I think that's probably most people's opinion here. It's a crime that Bonds is the best player in the history of the sport and he's not in. I'd be more hesitant with a guy like McGwire because I'm pretty sure he'd have washed out in the early 90s without PEDs and even his numbers on PEDs weren't that good relative to a guy like Bonds.

I don't care if guys are doing PEDs right now, even, I just understand why guys don't want what their achievements to be tainted in the eyes of people who do care about such things by unfounded PED allegations. Since there's testing and everything else now I think it's fine to extend people the benefit of the doubt until there's actual evidence against them.

McGwire was a sideshow and made the game extremely entertaining. I'd put him in too.

Yeah but I hated him, so no.

I'm ok with saying that all McGwire did was hit a dickload of homers in an era when most everybody had a 30-40 homer guy on the roster and demand someone show me what additional value he provided. Same with Sosa and the relatively short window of his dominant run also makes him a close call. I dunno about either.

McGuire can go in after he's dead so he can't profit from upcharging for autographs with HOF next to his sig. Same with Rose.

But none of them get in until Shoeless Joe does.

Agree on Rose. PEDs and gambling aren't even close to being equal in my book.

Agreed. Gambling is far worse as it can lead to players predetermining (fixing) outcomes.

I'm paying to see unscripted performances, not wrestling.

Yep. At least players using PEDs are still trying to win. They're trying to do the job better. Gambling easily leads to people actively being worse at their jobs.

[Quality Start Machine]

...at some point MLB and the Baseball Hall of Fame should just acknowledge the Steroid Era existed, and start electing those guys to the HOF.

Like it or not, those guys made baseball interesting after fans started turning away when they couldn't even get it together to put on a World Series.

I think that's probably most people's opinion here. It's a crime that Bonds is the best player in the history of the sport and he's not in. I'd be more hesitant with a guy like McGwire because I'm pretty sure he'd have washed out in the early 90s without PEDs and even his numbers on PEDs weren't that good relative to a guy like Bonds.

I don't care if guys are doing PEDs right now, even, I just understand why guys don't want what their achievements to be tainted in the eyes of people who do care about such things by unfounded PED allegations. Since there's testing and everything else now I think it's fine to extend people the benefit of the doubt until there's actual evidence against them.

McGwire was a sideshow and made the game extremely entertaining. I'd put him in too.

Yeah but I hated him, so no.

I'm ok with saying that all McGwire did was hit a dickload of homers in an era when most everybody had a 30-40 homer guy on the roster and demand someone show me what additional value he provided. Same with Sosa and the relatively short window of his dominant run also makes him a close call. I dunno about either.

McGuire can go in after he's dead so he can't profit from upcharging for autographs with HOF next to his sig. Same with Rose.

But none of them get in until Shoeless Joe does.

Agree on Rose. PEDs and gambling aren't even close to being equal in my book.

Agreed. Gambling is far worse as it can lead to players predetermining (fixing) outcomes.

I'm paying to see unscripted performances, not wrestling.

Yep. At least players using PEDs are still trying to win. They're trying to do the job better. Gambling easily leads to people actively being worse at their jobs.

I, for one, anxiously await the first pitcher who grooves one in a meaningless game because he's got the batter on his DraftKings (the official Fantasy game of MLB) roster.

[SKO]

Throw the fucking ball to first, Jon

[Eli]

Throw the fucking ball to first, Jon

There's a segment of people who act like it's politically incorrect to criticize Lester for these problems, as if they're the result of some childhood trauma or whatever. I don't get it.

I also don't get why teams don't just bunt at him over and over until he proves he can get them out.

[SKO]

Throw the fucking ball to first, Jon

There's a segment of people who act like it's politically incorrect to criticize Lester for these problems, as if they're the result of some childhood trauma or whatever. I don't get it.

I also don't get why teams don't just bunt at him over and over until he proves he can get them out.

I guess because the yips are obviously a mental issue, and we shouldn't mock mental issues? But I mean, there's a bit of a disparity between, like, criticizing depression and saying "get the fuck over it" to a guy who can't throw a sportsball to a guy standing 10 feet away.