Long Live The Sho’.
“The Baseball Rundown?”
That’s A Stupid Idea, But It’s Brilliant when I Have It.
I Missed Most of The Baseball This Week, So Writing Gave Me An Moment to Catch up. Where To Start?
Why, of course?
If You Are A Fan of The Sho’,— Honestly If You are A Baseball Fan, That play on Words Alone Should Induce You To Continue reading—You’d be happy To Know That The Dodgers Are Back Where They Belong.
Zach Kram Of The Ringer Did Me A grave Disservice At the Early Stages Of The MLB season. The Analytically persuasive Baseball Writer Convinced Me, Unwaveringly, That My 2021 Dodgers Could Break The record For Wins. His dialogue That Follows The Trails Of the Dodgers’-projection-Extrapolation-delta-paradox, or, in other words, What We Expected them To Do, Put This Dodger Squad fresh Off A climatic World Victory In Truly rarified Air. The Numbers that he Referenced From Those Dated Days In The Distance Further Solidified Of Kram’s Presupposition. The pitching Staff was virtually unsinkable, thanks to Clayton Kershaw’s Sinker. The Hitting Was Near Record Levels, Without MVP Cody Bellinger In the Lineup At the time. The Competition Hadn’t reached Peak Levels Yet But If We Evoke The term “on Pace,” Rendered Through “simulations,” That gave “expectations,” This meant LA was on Set To Win a Record Number 126 Games On The Season. Shattering(Somewhat) The Longstanding 116 Win Record Held By the 1906 Cubs and 2001 Mariners for the most victories ever.
Of course, Now I Know Better;
“One of the fundamental truths of baseball is that almost anything can happen to anyone over a short period of time.”
Those Dodgers Projections fellThroughh Somewhere. The Injuries Began To Pile Up. Soon the Dodgers Were Without Corey Seager And Bellinger, And A sizable Winning record For a Brief Moment.
The 2020 Dodgers Were On pace To Tie This Record The Year Before. The Team Settled at 43-17, the 6th highest win percentage through 60 games, courtesy of none other than Than The Ringer. This Optimistic Outlook Before The LOng summer. Before The MLB season was Altered And Amended, So to Say. Leaving the 2020 Dodgers To settle For The Mere satisfaction of Ending Their Franchises’ 3 Decade Long World Series drought and Winning Out On One Of The More strenuous world Series Structures MLB History(Major League Baseball Added An Extra Wild Game to Fill The Lost Of the Regular Season, which Left The Number One Seeded Dodger Without The Extra Weekend off). The Dodgers Also won the Most Games The Year Prior, 2019, Before Their ill-fated Matchup with The Washington Nationals In The NLCS.
No Matter, The Boys In Blue Seemed Poised To Overtake The 116 Mark This Season, Extenuating Circumstance With Standing of course.
They Signed Soon To Be Embattled Cy Young Award Winning Pitcher Trevor Bauer And Took Off On A 14-4 Start To To Lift Themslef Form Amongst Their Rivals .
In Their First Season As Title defenders This Turn Of The Century. For a while, It Was LA And The rest Of Them.
This, Of Course, was In April, Ahead of A Critical 4 Game Series Against A Certain NL West Rival, the Padres—the second Best team in the Major at the time—which The Dodgers Won; Only further deepening my delusion. What Ensued—In the Not so distance Future— Was The Grand Zenith And Nadi Of Dodger Decadence and Demise. The Welcoming Of Fans, Unfiltered Into Dodgers Stadium Before Handling the Reds To Climb Back Atop The NL Standing, Post A 4-14 Streak In May That Saw The Team trail The Padres And Giants In The NL West Standings.
At the Mid WayPoint, The Dodgers Are 56-35 Back A Perched The MLB Power Structure.
P.S. The Giants Have A Better Overall record At 57-3, 3 But The Dodgers Own The Head-to-Head Series, 3-6.
Shohei Is All World In His Own World.
Baseball’s Stars seem to Appear in tiers. There Are the Stars within The Sports itself; Most Baseball fans Know Clayton Kershaw And Mookie Betts; Then There Are Stars Within The Sports Universally; Most sports Fans Know Derek Jeter or Mike Trout. Then there Are Transcendental Stars, who Blind us Across All Boundaries; Most Everybody Not named Anthony Edwards Knows Who A-Rod Or Ken Griffey Jr. Somewhere Beyond All Of This Is Japanese Star And Anaheim Angels Designated Hitter Soon To Be Allstar Ace Starter Shohei Ohtani Entering strata Somewhere Near The Crab Nebula And Before Long, He’ll Become His Own Galaxy. At least That’s If Baseball Writers have Anything To Say About It. And Trust Me, They Have A lot to say.
I Eluded Earlier That I HAvent Had The Time To Enrich Myself In As Much baseball As I would have like to; It been One Of Those Weeks. I adjusted My Scope, and I focused on this write-up into The Frame Of A class Project. I propose A thesis Then I Began Top Glean From Bevy OfSubscriptionn For Mountains Of Info Top Cobaorated It. What I Have Found, well the Dodgers Reinginhg Supreme Across the Expanse of Power Ranking, But Also, lately, It’s Not Too Hard to Find two or more Shohei Related Entries in A Given Time and Space. I had noticed It For Some Time, but it's Just Dawned On Me. My favorite Sport’s Blog Or info Disseminator Would Be “The Ringer.”. It’s What Inspiredd Me, And for Good reason, They Prepare enviable Work Weekly, Just Like Me(😊).
Beyond the Line Of The Season’s Start, There Have Been An array Of articles Written About Shohhie Ohtani; “How High Can Shohei Ohtani Raise the Bar?”(Podcast), “We May Not Be Appreciating Shohei Ohtani Enough,” “10 Questions About Shohei Ohtani,” and Most Recent,y “Inside Shohei Ohtani’s Superhero Origin Sto.”. If This Is Your First Time Reading His Name, It’s Too Late, There Is More To Ohtani Mania”, Beyond 2021. The Ringer’s Hyperbolic Veneration of The Japanese Born Two-way star Began Back 2017. Then Chief Amongst Ohtani Enthusiasts Ben Limbergh Penned this Number " Shohei Ohtani’s Signing Is Great News for Every Angel, but Albert Pujols” And Ohtanii Star Raises to The Osmium Havey Weight Of Today and Tomorrow, this endless chronicling Appeared To be Prophesied In “Baseball Might Not Be Able to Keep Up With Shohei Ohtani” Also written By Limbergh.
The Edicts Of Ohtani Dont all Owe Their Entries To The Ringer. The Athletic As Well As Espn+ shall Codify Their Entrancement of Ohtani into the expository dissertation. There Is No end to The Viens Of Praise It Seems Baseball Writers Can Bestow Upon Him. On The Other Hand, ThisX could Set Ohtani Upon The Precipice Of the Cataclysmic Plummet should He Ever Fall Out Of Favor. Ultimately, I am in No way disparaging this Publication In any way NOr Am decreeing a case to undermine Their Work. I Too Dare To dream A Draft on The Detail Of Ohtani Before His Star Goes Ultimately. Supernovas. Maybe My Lexicon Could Substantiate The Endless Superlatives Orbit, This 27-year-old Kid. But It’s Hard To Deny How the Baseball World Ahs has gone Critical Mass To make magnanimous, The Man, The Mantra,
The Moment.
The MLB Allstar Game, Better Known as The “Midsummer classic,” Is Slated For July 13th Is Less Than A Weeks Away. To Be Hosted In Colorado’s Coors Field, Home To the NL West Rockies. The. Roster For Both NL And AL Representative Are Set. The Team Will be Manage By ALst years World Series managers Dave Roberts Of The Dodgers And Kevin cash Of Tampa Bay Rays. Every Major League Team Must Be represented. Each team is AAllottedA 32-man roster, Comprised Of 20 position players and 12 pitchers. Starters Are voted Pitcher,s, And Reserves are chosen. The MLB all-star Game succeeds Where Many Other Athletic Associations All-star Exhibition Games Have Failed; It Was Actually competitive. For 13 years Between 2003-2013, TheAll-Starr Game Determined Which Of The Two Leagues (NL Or AL) Held Home Field Advantage. A Measure That Was Entertaining But Controversial In The Yes Of Some As October Rolled Around The Bend. The Major League AllsAll-Staren Veers In Between Offensive Out Pours in 2017 and 2018 and pitching Prowess Of 2019.
Baseball Is A Streaky Sport And Cold Stretches, Like The One AL 2nd, BAseamn Marcus Semien Is Caught In Could Prove Consequential. Injuries Have Also Decimated the structure Of Most Of the All-Starters. For Pride And Cash, Expect These Allstar To ShowCasee The Best Of Their Collective Talents on One Team In One Program On One Night. Baseball Is A Technical Sport. Expertise, Timing, and Training, And Discipline Play A Far greater role in its success Than Athleticism. The Crème De La Crème Of Baseball Best Is Near Easy to Distinguishable From The Massive Allotment Of Players All Vying for Grandeur. No Matter The Prize At The End, The MVP Trophy, MaMajoreaguers are Dignified In Their WWorkAnd Success And Their Competitive Approach To Every Allstar game Decided By Only 0ne Point This Past two Seasons is indicative Of Why This No exhibition The AL Won All-Star 2019 4-3 AT Progressive Park In Cleveland. ClevelanIndiansns Pitcher Shane Beiber Took Home MVP Honors. Last Year All-Star Game, Scheduled For Dodgers Stadium was Postponed, And Will Take Place In 2022. The MLB All-Star Game Has Decline Some In rating, But This Year There Is Enough Star Power To Lift The Game Back Into Double Figure Million Range.
American league Roster:
Catcher: Salvador Perez Of The Royals Is Making His Sixth Start. He Has 19 homers in 2021.
First Baseman: Vlad Guerrero, The Toronto Blue Jays. Guerrero JuniorLeadd All All-Star In Voting Getter. At 22, He Is The Youngest To Ever Acheuve this feat. Gurero Trails On Shohei Ohtani On The Season.
Second Baseman: Marcus Siemen, The Toronto Blue Jays. At Second Base. Joining Guerrero And Two Other Blue Jays In Colorado. Siemen Is in A Contract Year And is Hitting The Second Stride Of His Career. He Is Hitting: .286/.351/.893 With 21.
Shortstop: Xander Bogaerts, Boston Red Sox. Bogaerts Is The First Of the 2nd Set Of AL East Allstars. This Marks Bogaerts 2nd AllStar start, Third Appearance. He Is Hitting: .321/.385/.918 With 13 Home runs. Bogaerts is tied for Fifth In the AL In Putouts.
Third Baseman: Rafael Devers, Boston Red Sox. Devers Who Bats Behind Bagearts In The Batting Order Follows His Teammates When the Travel ToColoradoo. The Red Sox Third Baseman Is Making His Debut As An Allstar After Leading The Major In RBIs, 71, Through 85 Games. He Is Hitting; .290/.357/.938, The Best Marks Of His Young Career, With 21 Home Runs.
Outfield:Mike Trout, Los Angkles Angels. Trout Has Been Universally recognized As baseball Best Player In Baseball. A Calf Injury As Kept The Angles Slugger Out for For Two Month And He Will Be Replaced In The Al Starting Lineup. Trout was Hitting .333/.466/ 624 With 8 Home Runs Before The Injury.
Outfield: Aaron Judge, New York Yankees.
Outfield: Teoscasr Hernandez, Toronto Blue Jays. Guerrero Jr. Wouldn’t Be In the Place To Charge The Al Order With His “protection.”. Narrowly The Ceiling if Votes Need To secure the Starting Position Hernandez is Hitting, .302/.344/.492 Splits, 11 homers, and 47 RBIs
Pitchers/Designated Hitter: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels. The Most Recognizable Name In Baseball To date. The Sho, as Ohtani is so felicitouslynicknamedd, is Living Up To His Grandiose Label. Ohtani is Leading the Majors in Home Runs With 31 And Hitting 277/.363/.695. Ohtani Is All Pitching On the Mound At The All-star. The Angels Starter is 3-1 On the Season with A 3.60 ERA.
Reserves:
C: Mike Zunino, Tampa Bay Rays
2B: Jose Altuve, Houston Astros
SS: Bo Bichette Toronto Blue Jays. Narrowly Missed The SaStartingineup Fallen Short to Boagerts in Votes. Fourth Blue Jay
SS: Carlos Correa Houston Astros
1B: Matt Olson Oakland Athletics
3B: José Ramírez Cleveland Indians
1B: Jared Walsh Los Angles Angels
OF: Michael Brantley Houston Astros
OF: Joey Gallo Texas Rangers
OF: Adolis García Texas Rangers
OF: Cedric Mullins Baltimore Orioles
DH: J.D. Martinez Boston Red Sox
DH: Nelson Cruz Minnesota Twins
Starting Pitchers
RHP: Shane Bieber Cleveland Indians
RHP: Gerrit Cole New York Yankees
RHP: Nathan Eovaldi Boston Red Sox
RHP: Kyle Gibson Texas Rangers
LHP: Yusei Kikuchi Seattle Mariners
RHP: Lance Lynn Chicago White Sox
LHP: Carlos Rodón Chicago White Sox
Relievers
RHP: Matt Barnes Boston Red Sox
LHP: Aroldis Chapman New York Yankees
RHP: Liam Hendriks Chicago White Sox
RHP: Ryan Pressly Houston Astros
LHP: Gregory Soto Detroit Tigers
Natioanal league Roster:
Catcher: Buster Posey San Francisco Giants NL MVP In 2012. A Giant’s Franchise Hall Amrk Player and Fan Favorite. Posey Sat Out The 2020 Mlb Season By Way of The Covid Exemption. 2021 Posey Is On A Career Re-emergence Of Sorts. The All-Star Has Returned With Power Hitting 336/.405/.459 In his MVP Season. With A Week To the All-star Game, He’s hitting .328/.421/.547 In His Past 7 Games.
First Baseman: Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves. Freeman Is The Reigning NL MVP. Coming off Of A Fabulous Campaign That Left the Braves Short in the Postseason. Caught In Throes of A Down Year By his Standards Hitting .270/.376/.470 A Grade Down From His Play Last Year .341/.462/.640. Freeman Is Still A Force At The Plate With 17 Homers On The Season, And The Braves Are suddenly Initialing Themselves Into the Playoff Picture.
Second Baseman: Adam Frazier Pittsburgh Pirates. Frazier Is making his Debut In The All-Star Game After a Steady And Sometimes Stellar Five Year Career; in 2021, The Former 4th Rounder is Tying It All Together. Frazier as Finally Ushering His Name Into the Mainstream. Hitting “.327/.395/.471 with an 11.1 percent strikeout rate”, Leading The NL In Hits At 109 2nd in On-base Percentage, According To MLB.com. Frazier's Presence Is Felt Mostly on The Defensive End. The Pirates’ 2nd Baseman is Sporting 98% Feilding Percentage.
Shortstop: Fernando Tatis Jr, San Diego Padres. The Man Honestly Needs No Introduction. His Glove And Reach Spans Far Beyond The Stop Gap Range. The 2021 NL MVP Front Runner is Third In the Majors, first In The NL, In-Home Runs. Third In the NL In RBIs And The NL Leading All-Star Vote Getter. Hitting .317/.379/.590/.969, On Splits. Tatis Is Electric, And He Has The Padres Comfortable in the A Contenders Spot Out West.
Third Baseman: Nolan Arenado St Louis Cardinals. Arenado Will Making His Frist All-Star Appearance, In Coors field, But Nit As A Member Of The Rockies. The Eight Year Pro is Catching His Stride at The Plate, Hitting .269/.325/ .836 With 17 Home Runs And 55 RBIs.
Outfield: Ronald Acuna Jr., Atlanta Braves. Acuna Jr. Joins Freddie Freeman As The Two Brave’s Sluggers Starting In Coors’ Come Tuesday. Acuna Is Top 5, Maybe Top 10 The Least in Nearly Every Standard and Expanded Hitting Category In the NL, Including But NotLimitedd To Isolated Power, home runs Per At Bats And Exit Velocity. Not Mention Third In the NL In Home Runs at 24. Hitting: .281/.389/.596.
Outfield: Nick Castellanos, Cincinnati Reds. The NL Lineup’s Second Serving Of Teammates Begins With Nick Castellanos. Castellanos Is Making His First All-Star Appearance. The Former Al Rookie Of The Year Is Hitting: 335/.388/.589/.977. With 17 Home Runs And Second In The NL in Singles.
Outfield: Jesse Winker, Cincinnati Reds.
Designated Hitter:
Reserves
C: J.T. Realmuto (PHI)
2B: Ozzie Albies (ATL)
3B: Kris Bryant (CHC)
SS: Brandon Crawford (SF)
2B: Jake Cronenworth (SD)
3B: Eduardo Escobar (ARI)
1B: Max Muncy (LAD)
SS: Trea Turner (WSH)
OF: Mookie Betts (LAD)
OF: Bryan Reynolds (PIT)
OF: Kyle Schwarber (WSH)*
OF: Juan Soto (WSH)
OF: Chris Taylor (LAD)
Starting pitchers
RHP: Corbin Burnes (MIL)
RHP: Yu Darvish (SD)
RHP: Jacob deGrom (NYM)
RHP: Kevin Gausman (SF)
RHP: Germán Márquez (COL)
LHP: Trevor Rogers (MIA)
RHP: Zack Wheeler (PHI)
RHP: Brandon Woodruff (MIL)
Relievers
LHP: Josh Hader (MIL)
RHP: Craig Kimbrel (CHC)
RHP: Mark Melancon (SD)
RHP: Alex Reyes (STL)
The Blue Jays Are The Only Team Amongst The Bunch with three (3) starters. The Red Sox Have No Five (5) Players In The All-Star Game. The Chicago White Sox Are Sending Trio of Pitchers While The Astros Will Have 4 Allstars Serving As Their Least Amount of Selections In Five Years.
Matt Sherzer Will Serve as The NL starter After He Replaced Injured Mets Pitcher Jacob deGrom.
Buster Posey Will be Replaced By Omar Narvaez Of The Milwaukee Brewers, Who replace Yadier Molina, Who was First Slated To Replace Posey. Padres 3rd Baseman Manny Machado Will Replace Braves Outfielder And NL Leading Vote Getter Ronald Acuna Jr., who Torn His Acl On Saturday Against The Marlins.
Sticky News Is Static. Dodgers Ace Trevor Bauer Is In A “Sticky” situation And Presently On Baseball Administrative Leave following Allegations Of Sexual Assault.
