Bryants Disco Ball

I'd have let Jay bat, but why not have Albert dong?

He flat out should have stood there and not swung.

Yeah, I have absolutely no doubt he can be the closer of the future. That said, it would be nice to resign Wade if he continues to do what he do. I'd be shocked. This front office doesn't appear to like to put big money in the closer.

This could be fun. Didn't some player, maybe Ian Desmond, do this at some point during the decade? not sure. i remember guys ditching switch hitting but can't remember any picking it up off the top of my head Eddie Murray did, but he picked it up when he was still in the minors so that doesn't count as much.

What if Bizzaro Left-handed Javy was super patient and didn't swing at bad pitches? Would Javy have a better OBP if he never swung at a single pitch?

Not your fault, but this is my biggest pet peeve. Haha.

And he was tested again after last night's game. Twice in about 10 days. But it's "random testing" right? Not in reference to Thames, but I wonder how many guys are getting away with PEDs? Obviously there has to be more than the few who get busted by MLB.

It's weird that Eric Thames has more homers than Schwarber, Bryant and Rizzo combined.

I've been able to hear people's conversations in the stands throughout this series. A new way of making the viewers feel like they are at the game.

This is probably how Pirates fans felt with Cole dealing yesterday and still trailing the whole time.

Schwarbs has to get a guy in.

Man, a Rizzo dong on the first pitch would be great.

Man, we've had some games early on where the D has been downright embarrassing.

If someone would have told me we'd have nine base runners and force the pitcher to throw 59 pitches in the first two innings, I would have bet we'd have more than a run. Facinating.

Is Almora catching the ball at his chest like Dexter or am I imagining this?

Even if it's not true, I'm totally going to pretend Zobrist doesn't get to that.

Really wish he hadn't walked him.

I checked after like the first 10 games and it was 63-47 from last year to this, but I think they are still walking at a clean rate. I think.

Baseball is facinating. All the Mojo was on our side during that at-bat, and boom, it goes over to the other side in a second.

Very true. One more question off the Willson one. Bryce Harper signs a 10-year contract with an AAV of $37 to $40 million after the 2018 season. Since Scott Boras would have just negotiated that, would you as GM be willing to approach him and offer the same exact deal for Bryant? Bryant would be entering his age 27 season in 2019 and would still be under control through 2021 even if you don't do anything. This would lock him up for his first 10 years of free agency, going through his age 39 season. Obviously, that deal would be rough in the final couple seasons, but that's also what free agency presents for the best of the best. OK. I'll stop now. Realistically, that deal is going to include an opt-out after a few years out, so you would really only be locking up 1-2 years of free agency with all the downside risk. Very, very true. But the Cubs or whatever team that signs him is going to have to give him a lot of flexibility and a lot of money, and with it they will take most of the risk. If Bryant remains Bryant, there are going to be a handful of teams that will be both willing and able to give him whatever he wants going into his age 30 season. He will be the face of somebody's franchise. ETA: Of course, by that time Theo will probably have drafted three more Bryants and Eloy will be hitting 40 dongs. So we are fine either way.

Eh, I love Willson but if we have him through his age 30 season I'd be fine riding it out year by year. Knowing there's a 0 chance on Bryant to extend the only guy I'd really like to see an extension for is Russell. Everyone else I'm fine with letting it ride for various reasons. Addy is gonna be just as difficult to extend as KB for the same reason Very true. One more question off the Willson one. Bryce Harper signs a 10-year contract with an AAV of $37 to $40 million after the 2018 season. Since Scott Boras would have just negotiated that, would you as GM be willing to approach him and offer the same exact deal for Bryant? Bryant would be entering his age 27 season in 2019 and would still be under control through 2021 even if you don't do anything. This would lock him up for his first 10 years of free agency, going through his age 39 season. Obviously, that deal would be rough in the final couple seasons, but that's also what free agency presents for the best of the best. OK. I'll stop now.

So before the game starts in four hours, question: Willson seems like one of the few from this current wave of offensive guys that could be open to an extension. This is just speculation, but when you look at the fact that he didn't get a big bonus like Bryant, Russell or Schwarbs, and the fact that Boras isn't his agent, it's just something I could imagine he'd be open to. That said, he's under control through the 2022 season, which also takes him through his age 30 season. Would you be interested in buying out the first two years of free agency? Or having a catcher locked up for five more seasons after this one, based on how they could possibly break down over that span, are you good letting it be?

I remember in the NLDS in 2015 how uncomfortable I was when he'd come up to bat against us. I'm hoping he's doing that a bit to other teams fans now. eh he didn't really worry me that much at that stage as far as thinking he'd go up and crush you with a dong or xbh however i think we might be seeing the return of 2012 heyward now Very true. I just meant uncomfortable because I felt he was going to get a hit every time, not a dong. But I also was a lot more scared way back then, before a World Series title.

I remember in the NLDS in 2015 how uncomfortable I was when he'd come up to bat against us. I'm hoping he's doing that a bit to other teams fans now.

Call me crazy but I still hope he opts out just because I think the last few yrs are gonna be ugly and the defense will be in decline. Also, we could allocate that money somewhere else to someone better (probably). The fascinating thing about his 8-year contract is that it only takes him through his age 33 season. In decline, maybe, but certainly not a guarantee. It for sure doesn't have to be ugly. I want him to opt out too, but only because that means he had a great two seasons.