Big Al 1992 said:

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I'll say it - not a fan of WBC. Does anyone remember - or care - who has won in the past? Time away from the MLB roster when decisions are being made, time to reconnect with the team and get ready for the season that really matters. More ABs for some players while others are away? That's what split squad games are for. Risk of injury during WBC games > than spring games where everyone is watching pitch counts, not running all out, getting gradually worked into playing condition. Save this for the Olympics.

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To each their own, but the Olympics is where you lost me. If there's going to be an international competition with top MLB talent taking part, it needs to happen before or after the MLB season. No way I would want the Kyle Tucker's of the world leaving in late July/August for that competition. After the MLB season would be ideal in my opinion, would just have to find host cities with domed stadiums at that time of year, like Houston .

McInnis said:

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Arw we saying that if a player bulks up a lot from the start of his career to the finish it must be proof he used steroids?

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Google Nolans off season workout and let the light bulb come on. Nolan is a once in a lifetime combo of arm strength and work ethic. I'd put him up there with Jerry Rice on what he did in the off season

Quote:

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Google Nolans off season workout and let the light bulb come on.

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His workout routine was covered in Facing Nolan. When he was chasing Walter Johnson's strikeout record the common belief by the media was that he might break if first but then Steve Carlton would eventually pass him because he (Carlton) used martial arts, yoga, whatever else for training. At that time Nolan's workout dedication probably wasn't that well known. But people who have followed his career have known about it for a while. I used photos of Nolan because I knew that no would even consider suggesting that he used steroids.

But considering Bagwell's dead serious approach to every at bat he ever had in his career I would be surprised if he was a slouch when it came to working out. It's hard to believe he could have gotten away with it with as much of a scandal there was about PEDs in the early 2000s. Clemens and Petite were his teammates and news of their usegage leaked out then they were in Houston. Did anyone every hear a former teammate, or coach, or trainer ever say they had evidence about Bagwell? I really cannot remember hearing anything like that.

Accusing sluggers who played in his era of juicing is a serious allegation. If true, his reputation would be ruined. I was surprised to see it here.

Live BP on Minor League fields: Michael Horrell vs. Drew Gilbert pic.twitter.com/7Tz15LPlTE

— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) March 6, 2023

KC_Ag14 said:

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Big Al 1992 said:

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I'll say it - not a fan of WBC. Does anyone remember - or care - who has won in the past? Time away from the MLB roster when decisions are being made, time to reconnect with the team and get ready for the season that really matters. More ABs for some players while others are away? That's what split squad games are for. Risk of injury during WBC games > than spring games where everyone is watching pitch counts, not running all out, getting gradually worked into playing condition. Save this for the Olympics.

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To each their own, but the Olympics is where you lost me. If there's going to be an international competition with top MLB talent taking part, it needs to happen before or after the MLB season. No way I would want the Kyle Tucker's of the world leaving in late July/August for that competition. After the MLB season would be ideal in my opinion, would just have to find host cities with domed stadiums at that time of year, like Houston .

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Spring training is boring, I'm glad to have something a little more interesting to watch.

But that's the thing, people with a brain know it's not a serious accusation. When something is that prevalent it becomes just another "everyone was doing it so who cares"

But I can pretty much guarantee you the reason it took him longer to get in was the assumption that he did.

I equate steroids to sign stealing. Very few (only us) got hammered on it and railroaded but it was going on for every team to some degree.

Well said

And I take the same attitude that it's not a big deal. But what gets me is the guys like A-Rod, Palmeiro, Roger, Bonds, etc that lied about it.

Doesn't piss me off they used. Pisses me off that they lie about it and think we're stupid enough to actually believe that they were clean.

That's essentially a big middle finger to any fan with any common sense whatsoever.

Lonestar_Ag09 said:

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But that's the thing, people with a brain know it's not a serious accusation. When something is that prevalent it becomes just another "everyone was doing it so who cares"

But I can pretty much guarantee you the reason it took him longer to get in was the assumption that he did.

I equate steroids to sign stealing. Very few (only us) got hammered on it and railroaded but it was going on for every team to some degree.

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Why aren't Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Alex Rodriguez in the Hall of Fame?

Please explain it to me really slow because apparently, I do not have a brain.

That's really weak. If someone accused Bagwell of using steroids do you think he would take it seriously? You know that answer.

There a great number of pictures that used steroids that you would not think did from looking at pictures of them. Nolan, Ryan credits Tom house with resurrecting his career. House says they were using steroids as early as the 70s. I'm not accusing Nolan of using, but it should not be surprising to anyone if it turned out he did. People get caught up in the "steroids era" and think it started with Bonds, sosa & McGwire. It started long before that.

The reason that a rod Clemens and bonds are not in is because we know they did steroids. It's not just an allegation. I think they should all be in the Hall of Fame, but there's a difference between known users versus suspected users.

I had a friends dad who played college football be said when he enrolled as a freshman in the 70's they were given anabolic steroids like vitamins at meals

harold baines is in the hall of fame

it's a silly place

Astros prospect Hunter Brown allowed a single and struck out two batters in the first inning Monday, but he won't survive the second. He walked all three batters he faced.

— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) March 6, 2023

Brown struggling

44 pitches through just 1+ IP. Yanked in the 2nd after walking 3 in a row to load the bases.

Hunter Brown's thrown 73 total pitches during his two Grapefruit League starts. Just 38 strikes — a 52.1 percent strike rate. He's walked five batters in those two innings.

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) March 6, 2023

not a great track record...

New MLB Pipeline Astros Top 30 list out today. A few interesting notes:

• Will Wagner goes from unranked to No. 14. Solid use of an 18th round pick. Didn't realize he dominated the AFL.
• Sexy Dominicans fastball guys move up (Ullola from 19 to 12, Tamarez from 18 to 13)
• Alimber Santa and Jayden Murray dropped out of the rankings for some reason. Same with Christian Gonzalez.
• Camilo Diaz, one of our 2023 international signees, debuts at 28
• Justin "skinny" Dirden moves up from 11 to 9. Whitley drops from 10 to 21

David Hensley reading the article looking for his name.

Thoughts?

Give me prime JV over each of those but Max may be 1b

cmk10 said:

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Thoughts?

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Kershaw for me.

From 2011 to 2016 his era was like 2.00

shano0603 said:

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cmk10 said:

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Thoughts?

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Kershaw for me.

From 2011 to 2016 his era was like 2.00

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Kershaw and deGrom then JV and Max. But we're really splitting hairs here. ZG should probably be in this discussion too. His tip top years were as good or better than Kershaw and deGrom but he was inconsistent and didn't age as well. deGrom doesn't have the length to his career as the other 4.