MLB Thread

[xaxat]

Some genius has managed the impossible. He wrote down the unwritten rules of baseball.

Quote

Rule 1

If a team is down by a lot of runs, they should stop trying to win. And the other team should stop trying to score. And the fans should fall into a deep, awful sleep. That’s how the game is supposed to be enjoyed: not at all.

 

[DXD526]

Quote

Baseball is a sickness.

Indeed. I once spent all afternoon watching a doubleheader at the local college, then turned on the Mets at 7 that night. Didn't even realize until about an hour in that I'd watched 18 innings of baseball already that day, and just signed up for nine more. A sickness!

If only every sickness could be so much fun, though 😊

[theatremouse]

3 hours ago, RedElf said:

You can't break up double plays?

Not by sliding and aiming for the infielder. The rule is:

• Your slide must make contact with the ground ahead of the base
• Be in position to reach the base with a hand or foot and to remain on it
• Sliding within reach of the base without changing path to initiate contact with a fielder

So, if the guy covering second is positioned such that you can slide the way you would if you were, say, needing to avoid a tag, and still "break up" the double-play, go ahead. But if the direction/timing/positioning of the slide is clearly to break up the double play, rather than to get directly to the base and stay there, that's a noperoo.

[catlover79]

 

On 5/19/2021 at 10:31 PM, mojoween said:

Yesterday - Ho-hum, another no-hitter

Today - the no-hitter is the greatest feat in all of baseball

I'm really happy for Corey Kluber, who won two Cy Youngs for us in Cleveland and battled through two absolutely miserable, injury-filled years. He never even got a no-hitter here (though he came very close a couple of times)!! He's a great pitcher and classy clubhouse guy. You are lucky to have him. 

On 5/19/2021 at 9:17 AM, mojoween said:

Is Tony LaRussa a giant jerk, or does he just sound like one?

Is that a rhetorical question? 😉😂

[xaxat]

The Pirates put in a position player to pitch the eight inning tonight. He walked three Atlanta players, so I guess that's cool with La Russa, but then they also racked up a couple of hits, two or three doubles and a grand slam for eight runs in the inning.

Violation of the unwritten rules? Asking for a friend.

[Lantern7]

ESPN goes over the St. John's/Yale marathon from forty years ago. That featured Ron Darling pitching a perfect eleven innings, Frank Viola lasting eleven innings, and both throwing way too many pitches by 2021 standards.

[catlover79]

The Indians' Franmil Reyes just injured himself swinging and missing a pitch. It looked like he hurt his side/ribcage area. Not good. 😳

[mojoween]

A walk-off walk is so lame.

And SO GREAT.

[catlover79]

Here's the latest entry in the bizarre injuries file:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.wkyc.com/amp/article/sports/mlb/indians/cleveland-indians-zach-plesac-injured-list-fractured-thumb-taking-shirt-off/95-136a59fe-3add-4b0c-ac5d-15c8d67bfb67

[RedElf]

MLB and New Era have withdrawn those ugly "local market" caps.

 

[cleo]

I didn't even know they were a thing until they were withdrawn. 

I guess they couldn't figure out where Kansas City was? Or something like that? I'll tell you the truth I also didn't know it was Missouri for a while but I'm Canadian and I haven't been to the US since I was 15 years old. What's their excuse lol?

[catlover79]

I was hoping for a permanent ban, but I guess this is better than nothing.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/31516235/mlb-bans-mickey-callaway-least-2023-season-investigation%3fplatform=amp

[emmawoodhouse]

Disgusting. I hope he's blackballed when eligible to return.

[smittykins]

It’s interesting how, when MLB announces a weather-related postponement, they use the term “inclement weather” instead of rain, snow, etc.

[mojoween]

If the weather they get is what we had here, it’s going to downpour for 15 minutes and then move on.  Let them play!

[DXD526]

I was wondering recently if anything became of the Callaway situation, and was dismayed to learn when I looked it up that he was still employed by the Angels. Looks like they were finally forced to fire him. Nice clueless statement he issued. The guy whose bad behavior was so notorious that he was nicknamed 'dick pic Mick' said that he "never intended to make anyone feel uncomfortable and didn't understand that these interactions might do that". Uh huh. Good riddance, idiot. 

[catlover79]

Along the same lines, I don't know how this flew under our collective radar. Roberto Alomar is also in hot water with MLB for sexual misconduct allegations. This WaPo article was published almost a month ago:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2021/04/30/roberto-alomar-mlb-ineligible-list/%3foutputType=amp

[catlover79]

We all realize that rain delays can be boring, but most people don't do things like this. I wonder how many beers were consumed here...

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.si.com/.amp/extra-mustard/2021/05/27/nationals-park-nude-streaker-tarp-roller-video

[smittykins]

Interesting that Mets pitcher Joey Lucchesi’s last name is pronounced Loo-KAY-see.  The Ford dealership in my town, before it was bought by Billy Effing Fuccillo, was Lucchesi Ford, pronounced Loo-CHESS-ee.

[Moose135]

20 minutes ago, smittykins said:

Interesting that Mets pitcher Joey Lucchesi’s last name is pronounced Loo-KAY-see.  

That’s the proper Italian pronunciation - an E or I after a C would make a soft-C sound, unless you add the H. “CH” makes a hard-C sound, similar to the letter K, which is not used in Italian. 

[emmawoodhouse]

Yeah, I've always heard it with the hard C.

[mojoween]

1 hour ago, catlover79 said:

We all realize that rain delays can be boring, but most people don't do things like this. I wonder how many beers were consumed here...

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.si.com/.amp/extra-mustard/2021/05/27/nationals-park-nude-streaker-tarp-roller-video

All of them.

Toronto has a kid making his major league debut and I’m pretty sure his mom was crying when she was watching him face his first batter, and man is it dusty in this house.

[cleo]

Yeah the Canadian announcers keep going to his mom. 

It makes me so sad they can't debut with fans cheering them on. There were a few debuts last year too. I love watching them start and their families all excited. 

[Jenniferbug]

This was pretty crazy!

 

[catlover79]

27 minutes ago, cleo said:

Yeah the Canadian announcers keep going to his mom. 

It makes me so sad they can't debut with fans cheering them on. There were a few debuts last year too. I love watching them start and their families all excited. 

In Cleveland, a kid named Owen Miller was called up from AAA this past Sunday. The camera was on his beaming family several times during his MLB debut. His brother even skipped his HS graduation to be there.

[Moose135]

6 hours ago, Jenniferbug said:

This was pretty crazy!

That was nuts!

[AimingforYoko]

I like Jomboy's breakdown:

 

[Lantern7]

6 hours ago, Jenniferbug said:

This was pretty crazy!

 

I saw it at work with the sound off. WOW. You think Javy planned on doing that? Or did he just think, "Fuck it, I'll run to first as a goof"? The only other time I've seen a batter do that was Mookie Wilson back in the day, and he was just having fun avoiding a tag. The first baseman there stepped on first. Massive, massive, MASSIVE brain fart from the Pirates.

Mets swept a doubleheader today, but Syndergaard is going to be out until late August.  According to Deadspin, they got sixteen guys on the Injured List. Once again . . . if Tm Tebow hadn't retired, he might have been playing for the Mets. Looking at their uniforms, I'm wondering if they'll run out of numbers.

With the game rained out last night, SNY ran Johan Santana's no-hitter. I wound up noticing two guys tackling some asshole who just had to rush the field to get it on the celebration. Typical, right?

[AimingforYoko]

Answer to future trivia question: The 2 millionth run in MLB was scored today by the Twins' Josh Donaldson, driven in by Nelson Cruz.

[catlover79]

53 minutes ago, AimingforYoko said:

Answer to future trivia question: The 2 millionth run in MLB was scored today by the Twins' Josh Donaldson, driven in by Nelson Cruz.

I wonder if Nelson Cruz should get some kind of prize for that milestone. A free T-shirt, maybe? 😊

[RedElf]

Marcell Ozuna of the Braves arrested for allegedly strangling his wife and throwing her against a wall.

https://deadspin.com/braves-marcell-ozuna-arrested-for-aggravated-assault-by-1846999942

 

[mojoween]

Watching Yanks/Tigers.  Bold Little Caesars DELIVERY sign on the matting behind home plate.  Now I don’t live in Detroit, but we have Little Caesars here and that sounds good right about now.  Go to the website, would you like carry out or delivery, choose delivery.  What’s your address, type in our address.

Delivery is not available in your area.  🙄

Come ON.  You want me to use your advertising or what?

On a related note, if the third baseman bobbles the ball because THE BARREL OF THE BAT IS FLYING AT HIM that should not be an error.

Edited May 30, 2021 by mojoween

[mojoween]

Huh.  It took 99 years for the first million runs to be scored in baseball, and 46 years for the second million.

[ebk57]

Going to the game today!  Yay!!!!!!!!!!  I'm leaving the house and seeing a friend who I haven't seen since the Before Times.  And my sister!  And the weather is lovely!  (Too bad the team isn't, but we can't have everything).

[Court]

On 5/30/2021 at 1:19 AM, RedElf said:

Marcell Ozuna of the Braves arrested for allegedly strangling his wife and throwing her against a wall.

https://deadspin.com/braves-marcell-ozuna-arrested-for-aggravated-assault-by-1846999942

 

I am so disappointed by this. I hope the Braves immediately distance themselves.

[catlover79]

12 hours ago, ebk57 said:

Going to the game today!  Yay!!!!!!!!!!  I'm leaving the house and seeing a friend who I haven't seen since the Before Times.  And my sister!  And the weather is lovely!  (Too bad the team isn't, but we can't have everything).

I went, too!! (Not in Baltimore, but Cleveland). Just breathing in the wonderful ballpark smells and seeing the beautiful green outfield grass made me teary!! I was just so happy to be there!! I hope you and your friend had a great time. ⚾️🥰

[catlover79]

@emmawoodhouse and @DXD526, I thought of you when I read this op-ed:

https://deadspin.com/the-mickey-callaways-should-never-be-able-to-don-a-unif-1846981552

[cleo]

My speculation is that MLB reached a deal with Callaway bc he can demonstrate with receipts that all these baseball execs and organizations saying 'we had no idea!' are full of shit and/or engaged in similar behaviour. I also suspect that's why the investigation took so long. I don't have any doubt that Callaway would have threatened to use any leverage he had to bring others down.

 

[catlover79]

24 minutes ago, cleo said:

My speculation is that MLB reached a deal with Callaway bc he can demonstrate with receipts that all these baseball execs and organizations saying 'we had no idea!' are full of shit and/or engaged in similar behaviour. I also suspect that's why the investigation took so long. I don't have any doubt that Callaway would have threatened to use any leverage he had to bring others down.

Sad but true!!

[emmawoodhouse]

Have any of the women pressed charges? If not, they should. This asshole needs to have his phone taken away.

[catlover79]

7 minutes ago, emmawoodhouse said:

Have any of the women pressed charges? If not, they should. 

I haven't heard either way. If they are unable to file criminal charges, then they should file civil suits. That would send a message to MLB as a whole.

[Moose135]

Kevin Pillar, the Met returned from the Injured List last night. Two weeks ago, Pillar was hit in the face with a 94-mph pitch, breaking his nose, among other injuries. He underwent facial surgery for multiple nasal fractures.

Pillar entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning, and batted in the eighth, driving a single to left field. For the next 4 to 6 weeks, while his nose heals, he will be wearing a mask in the field and on the base paths, and a custom helmet while batting.

In "oh by the way" news from last night's Met game, Jacob deGrom made his second start after time on the Injured List for soreness in his right side. He pitched 6 scoreless innings and drove in a run - he's batting at a .450 clip, 9 for 20 this season. In those 6 innings pitched, he allowed two hits and gave up no walks, retiring the first 13 batters he faced. He threw a total of 70 pitches, 27 of them at more than 100 mph.

[cleo]

Yeah I about Pillar. Was surprised but happy for him, that he could start playing again.

When he was in Toronto we called him Superman.

Edited June 2, 2021 by cleo

[mojoween]

Bob Brenly.  I do not even know what to say.

[emmawoodhouse]

6 hours ago, mojoween said:

Bob Brenly.  I do not even know what to say.

Never could stand the guy. What he said was offensive.

eta: Brenly apologizes.

I bet he'll still be fired. 

Edited June 2, 2021 by emmawoodhouse

[emmawoodhouse]

Also unacceptable: Not feeding your players nutritious food.

[catlover79]

Since the Indians/White Sox were rained out before the game even started, I flipped the channel to the MLB Network in search of another game to watch. So, I watched the Cubs and Padres at Wrigley. Did anyone else see the nasty outfield collision between two of the Padres? It didn't look so bad when it happened, but they both went down and stayed down for quite a while. The replay really showed how brutal the collision was, but thankfully both were able to walk off the field.

I love that this article referred to Tony La Russa as a hall monitor. So true. On the other hand, I totally would not be surprised if Karinchak was doing some sneaky stuff here. He's another Indians pitcher who is kind of a loose cannon, kind of a Trevor Bauer Lite. (He's gotten in some hot water for his anti-vax stance and has gotten at least one complaint this year about his social media posts from the Cleveland chapter of the Anti Defamation League). So, we'll see if there is any kind of investigation. 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cleveland.com/tribe/2021/06/did-james-karinchak-use-an-illegal-substance-on-the-ball-while-saving-cleveland-indians-win-chicago-broadcasters-seem-to-think-so.html%3foutputType=amp

[catlover79]

7 hours ago, emmawoodhouse said:

Never could stand the guy. What he said was offensive.

eta: Brenly apologizes.

I bet he'll still be fired. 

Especially since this isn't the first time he's said something of that nature on the air:

"I apologize to Marcus Stroman and have reached out directly to share those thoughts," the statement read. "I have had several conversations with the D-Backs and we agree that seeking sensitivity training is an important step so that I can continue to learn from my mistakes and be better in the future."

It's hard to believe this was just a poor case of judgment because this isn't the first time Brenly has questioned the choices of a minority player. In 2019, he said Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr., who is Dominican, would be able to run the bases better without the "bike chain" he wears on his neck. 

Source: https://www.google.com/amp/s/sports.yahoo.com/amphtml/bob-brenlys-du-rag-comment-is-the-type-of-venom-black-people-like-marcus-stroman-have-to-live-with-every-day-210215857.html

[catlover79]

Here's the latest on Bob Brenly:

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/31561273/arizona-diamondbacks-analyst-bob-brenly-takes-voluntary-leave-absence-undergo-sensitivity-training-comment?platform=amp

[Moose135]

"voluntary"

😉