Yasiel Puig, Cubs Lineup, and Why MLB Needs To Adjust Their Scheduling Early in the Season

Before I begin, let’s not get crazy with our reactions. About six days ago, the sky was falling because the Cardinals were 0-3 and couldn’t score a run to save their lives. Since then, all I hear about is how many runs the Cardinals have scored compared to the Cubs.

Now Mets pitchers are all of a sudden struggling and the “Metsees” (as Keith Hernandez would say) are winless in their last three or whatever and Matt Harvey’s strikeouts are down, Jacob deGrom is dealing with a back issue and Steven Matz was just shelled by a right-handed heavy Marlins lineup.

Maybe, just maybe, it’s too soon to hit the panic button in some of these scenarios.

I want to start today though with the scheduling of Major League Baseball.

I sat last night, watching the Mets and Marlins play at a very cold Citi Field. I sat Sunday watching the Mets host the Phillies at a frigid Citi Field, and I watched Saturday night watching players and umpires do anything they could to keep any part of their bodies warm.

This is ridiculous. The worst thing is, that’s not the only baseball that I have seen in the cold weather this year or the last, well 20-whatever I’ve been watching.

Here’s the deal MLB: I know you want teams to get home games in the early part of the schedule. I understand that. I really do. But a warm-weather Marlins club playing the New York Mets in the first weeks of the season in the northeast, notoriously cold, is just ludicrous.

#Mets #MLB RT @jackrubin1527: @[me] freezing rain in Queens tonight pic.twitter.com/0C1zI9aeLq

— Empty Seats Galore (@EmptySeatsPics) April 11, 2016

And yes, I do understand you can’t load up a warm or dome team’s schedule with all home games in the first few weeks of the season, I totally get that too.

And I’m not saying the Mets or Phillies or Twins or Tigers should play their first home game in mid-to-late April, but can we do a better job of scheduling?

Why are we playing so many night games when the temperature across the midwest and northeast drops almost 15-20 degrees once the sun sets at quarter to eight?

While these teams need home games, they also need fan support to make money at these events, and if you watched any baseball at all, section after section at stadium after stadium are empty, because who wants to go out and sit and watch a baseball game when game time temperatures are 45-degrees at best, and will only drop as the evening moves along?

Hell, who wants to even play in that? I used to and it totally sucks.

This is what baseball needs to to.

Lots of empty seats at #ComericaPark for today's Monday day game v. Pittsburgh pic.twitter.com/ADRbhyQRSJ

— Steven J. Kelly (@StJohnsPriest) April 11, 2016

First, the first week of the season, there’s no reason the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros should be playing anywhere but their home parks, against teams like Minnesota or Detroit.

Second, the first almost three weeks of the season, games in cold weather cities (obviously excluding Milwaukee, Toronto and Seattle, who play in domes) need to be day games.

Why? Because the day time temperatures in these locations are significantly warmer than evening and night temperatures, drawing more fans, making the game better to be a part of for the players and more watchable for the fan in the stands and at home.

Additionally, day games need to be scheduled in case rain and inclement weather pushes the start times back.

But finally, warm weather games need to be scheduled because teams probably aren’t bringing in the money the normally do during a fair-to-good weather day at the ballpark.

Just taking a stab in the dark judging by the empty seats you see all over the place at these early season games.

And, again, I do realize a lot of these seats are probably empty because people aren’t inclined to take work off early in the year, especially with kids in school still, to go to the ballpark, but the junk weather is making that decision to stay in so much easier.

This is something that has bothered me for a long time and watching a warm weather Miami Marlins team play in New York last night was really annoying to watch. 

Other notes: 

• Don’t look now, but the lightning rod that is Yasiel Puig is off to a roaring start in 2016. So far, Puig has a home run, 4 RBIs and a 5:4 BB:K ratio.

• The Chicago Cubs overcame a 3-run deficit and were no-hit through almost seven innings and still won Monday night proving just how difficult it will be to not only shut this offense out, but hold them down an entire game. I’m setting the over/under at 3 for shutouts of this offense this season.

• Speaking of being shut out, the Tampa Bay Rays offense continues to slide early in the year. I’ve said it over and over and over, but the Rays have the pitching to beat any offense on any night, will their bats give them enough support to get past that three-run threshold that I think is going to be the key number for this team this year? It’s a rock fight every night you play Tampa and the first to three is usually going to be the winner.

• We got our first glimpse of the future outfield in Texas a few years ago, when Joey Gallo, then a third basemen, made his big league debut. Now Nomar Mazara is the latest Rangers phenom to break into the big leagues and has done so in amazing fashion (5-for-8 with a HR, 2 RBIs). The Rangers have a special player in Mazara with another one in Lewis Brinson right behind him. I said it earlier this weekend, that outfield in Texas is going to be the best in baseball as soon as next summer. I would not want to be a pitcher in the American League West in the near future.

• Speaking of the AL West, they’re the only league without a team above .500 thus far (as of Tuesday’s games). I picked the A’s to win the division, and if their pitching staff finds health and consistency, that’s not a team that you want to get down in the mud and play in July, August or September. Billy Beane put together a really good team this year. As Brad Pitt said in Moneyball, “You may not look like a winning team, but you are one.” 2016 totally epitomizes the moneyball mentality of the Oakland A’s.

There’s just a few early thoughts of mine as we get into the 2016 MLB season, I’m going to work on a prospect piece for you. Some guys to keep an eye on in the minors this summer.

Check out my Facebook Page, Seth’s Sports Talk or follow me on Twitter, @seth_sportstalk. Always active and up for good sports discussion.

The Offseason of the New York Mets

You know guys, I was thinking about this.... It's been the offseason of the New York Mets.

It's crazy. Even though the Royals won the World Series and the Cubs had the headlines early with adding Jason Heyward and Ben Zobrist, but the buzz is all about those pitchers - then Mike Piazza gets voted to the Hall of Fame.

Then they swoop in and resign Yoenis Cespedes - stunning everyone.

Now they announce Piazza is gonna get his number retired this summer.

I know a lot of teams are getting better too, but the Mets are winning the offseason with the headlines.

Now they gotta do it on the field.

It's a good time to be a Mets fan.

Can John Groce Win Illinois Fans Back Over?

If you're an Illinois fan, you're probably all about wins and losses with Illinois. If you're not all about that you're all about progress and the kids getting better and all that.

Let's be honest, the players under John Groce that we expect to get better, are getting better. Malcolm Hill is leaps and bounds better than he was as a freshman. Kendrick Nunn, it's the same. I want him to find consistency, but he's getting better. You can't argue that. Look at what Michael Finke is doing. I would be willing to bet he's doing far more than you thought he'd do. If LeRon Black were to get healthy, I'd be willing to bet he'd be making similar strides. I really believe that based on what is happening with guys around him.

Here's my biggest gripe w/ John Groce and this program as of now. He talks about leadership, toughness, and guys finding cohesiveness among each other, it's really tough to do that when the role players of your team are changing year to year. Right now, Hill, Nunn and Tate are the only guys that have been in the program their whole careers as upper classman in the last several year, really since the Richardson/Paul/Griffey group. I guess Egwu was too so add one]

You can't build a relationship when you have your guys that are supposed to be leaders who are a basically one and dones. Do Hill and Nunn and Tate need to start taking more of a role there, probably.

To me, it all comes down to him being unable to build up the program through recruiting and missing out on [unrealistic] targets, and then being forced to piece the team together through graduate transfers.

It's been a disastrous start for him. So with the presumption he's back next year after all the injuries and such this year, he'll no doubt be on the hot seat.

Here's my scenario where I'd like to see Groce through.

First of all if he can grab a few more recruits this year to add to Tejon Lucas. I really think he's going to be a dynamic player. I think that was a great get by Groce. He doesn't have to get all four star guys, but build depth. Get a big guy (ie Nick Rakocevic). I'd really like Ben Coupet out of Simeon. Probably no interest there but still. I like Coupet, just want that on record.

Next year: I'd like to see him win the games he's supposed to win in non-conference. I'd like to see some competitive Big Ten games. Blowouts at Indiana, a loss at home to Nebraska (this particular Nebraska team at least) to me are not acceptable. I need him to make the Assembly Hall (errr - State Farm Center) a place where teams simply don't win. I need him win a few Big Ten road games. Anymore Big Ten road wins are asked for, not just expected at places not MIchigan State or Wisconsin.

I need a 20 win campaign to reinvigorate my enthusiasm.

I'd like to see him continue to build on the '17 class. Javon Pickett is a great start but I don't care who it is, where they come from (I'd prefer Chicago or the St. Louis area) but just get a four star, hell, even a five-star here recruit.

Make me want to keep him (Groce) around and see what he can do.

That's a lot. I realize that, but it's not impossible, in fact, I think it's just the very basics of what Illinois fans expect and frankly, they should.

I think Groce can do it. I really do. But if he starts to stumble at any point, I just don't know if I can buy into him.