2014 MLB Thread

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by AENeuman

Rockies Review - A Colorado Rockies Blog: Here come the excuses for the Colorado Rockies.

OK, so our ownership and a portion of psychotic fans think injuries are the reason we always suck. Injuries are not the reason the Rockies suck.

On the other hand, I'm not seeing any "they steal signs to win" or "they are using different baseballs" or "their stadium isn't baseball" type of comments that I hear from the other side.

Like I said, I'm sure the Giants will come up with some reason. I

As an aside, earlier this year, the Rockies lost a game in SF. Down by one run in the top of the ninth, Romo threw a pitch two feet outside the strike zone that was called strike three. I was screaming for Weiss to go get kicked out and not put up with the garbage. Today Bochy did it. Good for him. Well run organization vs. a horrific one.

But the horrific one isn't out accusing anyone of cheating repeatedly like the well run one. At least I have that going for me.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

What say you, SI? Time to get excited????

It's been a really nice week. I'll be quite happy if the Royals could break the 0-fer against Detroit and at least split the series. The offense has seemingly just woken up. It's amazing that averaging over 5 runs per game in June leads to a 10-3 record.

SI

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Two Royals go deep in the same inning? Against Max?!?!?!

The end of the world is near.

[cuervo72]

I generally like FP, but he's ranting against the shift right now and I can't agree with him.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Two Royals go deep in the same inning? Against Max?!?!?!

The end of the world is near.

The end is nigh

SI

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

The end is nigh

SI

First place feels good after wins against Verlander and Scherzer.

[sterlingice]

*dances a little jig*

SI

[sterlingice]

This has to be the latest in 1st place since August 2003, right?

SI

[lungs]

LOL @ Kirk Gibson and the D'Backs

[Vince, Pt. II]

The Giants are scuffling hard, losing four in a row and seven of their last eight. Amazingly enough, they've still got the best record in major league baseball...but everything has been falling apart lately. Bullpen is bad, defense is bad, timely hitting is not happening at all. The starting pitching has been largely ok (today notwithstanding), so that's good...but man. Everything that CAN go wrong IS going wrong at the moment. They were due for some regression, but it's all happening at the same time.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by lungs

LOL @ Kirk Gibson and the D'Backs

That fist bump should earn him a nice suspension.

[lungs]

I guess Kirk Gibson would prefer to have his team lead the league in toughness rather than wins. Maybe that explains why they are in last place?

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

This has to be the latest in 1st place since August 2003, right?

SI

It is. Pretty exciting. Would love to get to the All-Star Break hanging right around the top of the division. KC has been great in the second half in recent years.

[Jas_lov]

Masahiro Tanaka is currently leading the MVP, Cy Young and ROY race. I don't think a player has ever swept all three. If Verlander can win MVP then so can other dominant pitchers.

Farrell should pick Tanaka to start the ASG, Betances for one inning and David Robertson to close. They'd strike out 10 between them and electrify the crowd.

[Ronnie Dobbs3]

Robertson isn't an All-Star and middle relievers only get picked when they have to grab a guy from a team.

[Ronnie Dobbs3]

Also Sale has been just as good as Tanaka (but missed some innings for injury) so he's one to keep an eye on as well.

[Scarecrow]

10

[sterlingice]

10: woot

SI

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Jas_lov

Masahiro Tanaka is currently leading the MVP, Cy Young and ROY race.

I think you are forgetting about Mike Trout.

[kingfc22]

Originally Posted by Vince, Pt. II

The Giants are scuffling hard, losing four in a row and seven of their last eight. Amazingly enough, they've still got the best record in major league baseball...but everything has been falling apart lately. Bullpen is bad, defense is bad, timely hitting is not happening at all. The starting pitching has been largely ok (today notwithstanding), so that's good...but man. Everything that CAN go wrong IS going wrong at the moment. They were due for some regression, but it's all happening at the same time.

And now Hudson gets rocked.

[MrBug708]

Top notch Clayton

[SackAttack]

If only gif's had sound.

[oykib]

Originally Posted by SackAttack

If only gif's had sound.

I was there to see that no-no. Unfortunately, I was at Dodger Stadium for a work outing. People around me didn't appreciate what was going on.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Fun times at the Reds-Pirates game last night

After an awful 3rd inning for the Bucs (more on that later) and an hour+ rain delay, Travis Snider struck out Joey Votto in the 9th (he also gave up 2 ER)



In that third inning, where the Reds scored 7, was this gem.

Bases loaded, 1 out, tapper out between pitcher and 3rd. Pitcher tosses home for force out to Russell Martin...except it's later overturned, saying Martin was blocking the plate. Could he have set up higher on the plate, sure. But it's still a force out, in my mind, as soon as he has possession of the ball, foot on the plate, the runner is no longer in the play.

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index..._copy_33840745

[Butter]

Originally Posted by Suburban Rhythm

Bases loaded, 1 out, tapper out between pitcher and 3rd. Pitcher tosses home for force out to Russell Martin...except it's later overturned, saying Martin was blocking the plate. Could he have set up higher on the plate, sure. But it's still a force out, in my mind, as soon as he has possession of the ball, foot on the plate, the runner is no longer in the play.

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index..._copy_33840745

I'll admit it's pretty nitpicky and not a great rule, BUT Mesoraco was into his slide before Martin had the ball. It's not like Mesoraco was 6 steps away when Martin got the ball.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by Butter_of_69

I'll admit it's pretty nitpicky and not a great rule, BUT Mesoraco was into his slide before Martin had the ball. It's not like Mesoraco was 6 steps away when Martin got the ball.

Yeah, I can see both sides. Just odd that, any other base, there is no issue. Because of the new rule, a force out at home is now different than a force out anywhere else.

I think it's an instance of the call was probably made correctly...just that it's a terrible rule.

[Ronnie Dobbs3]

Isn't the idea that Martin could have stood, still with a foot on home, without blocking Mesoraco's path to home as well? Looks to me like he set up right in the runner's way which is what they were trying to eliminate.

[Ramzavail]

Originally Posted by Jas_lov

Masahiro Tanaka is currently leading the MVP, Cy Young and ROY race. I don't think a player has ever swept all three. If Verlander can win MVP then so can other dominant pitchers.

Farrell should pick Tanaka to start the ASG, Betances for one inning and David Robertson to close. They'd strike out 10 between them and electrify the crowd.

Nobody has ever done it in the same year, but Verlander and Don Newcombe are the only guys to have at least one of each award.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Suburban Rhythm

just that it's a terrible rule.

This.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Butter_of_69

BUT Mesoraco was into his slide before Martin had the ball. It's not like Mesoraco was 6 steps away when Martin got the ball.

And I think that's the key. You can also tell that Martin deliberately set himself up on the basepath while waiting for the ball.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by Ronnie Dobbs3

Isn't the idea that Martin could have stood, still with a foot on home, without blocking Mesoraco's path to home as well? Looks to me like he set up right in the runner's way which is what they were trying to eliminate.

And I agree. Had he been at the top of the plate, not an issue.

But, again, any other base, that runner is dead as soon as the force out is made. So Mesoraco 1 foot or 30 feet away, IMO, shouldn't matter. Martin being on any part of the plate, and completing the out, ends Mesorcao's participation in the play.

[ISiddiqui]

But if Mesoraco touches the base first, isn't he safe? So if he's 1 foot away, that matters.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

But if Mesoraco touches the base first, isn't he safe? So if he's 1 foot away, that matters.

If he touches the base first, then there was never a force out, no? He's already safe.

In instances where a tag is required, then I can see the differentiation. That's not the case here.

Or if Mesoraco slides, hits Martin's leg prior to the ball arriving, then agree again.

But because it's a force play, anything after the force out, IMO, should be irrelevant.

[Chief Rum]

Fun question. You have one at bat to make the difference in a game. You have Kershaw on the mound and Trout at the plate. Who do you take?

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Suburban Rhythm

If he touches the base first, then there was never a force out, no? He's already safe.

In instances where a tag is required, then I can see the differentiation. That's not the case here.

Or if Mesoraco slides, hits Martin's leg prior to the ball arriving, then agree again.

But because it's a force play, anything after the force out, IMO, should be irrelevant.

But its not AFTER the force out. It's during. Martin blocking the plate may impact how Mesoraco slides or which direction he takes as he's trying to beat the force. Therefore him being that close matters.

[stevew]

jeez that's a horrible interpretation of the rule.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

Fun question. You have one at bat to make the difference in a game. You have Kershaw on the mound and Trout at the plate. Who do you take?

Until we have a hitter bat .501, seems like an easy call, no?

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Logan

Until we have a hitter bat .501, seems like an easy call, no?

Same thought here

SI

[Chief Rum]

Yeah, true.

Okay, who's career do you take?

[stevew]

Originally Posted by Logan

Until we have a hitter bat .501, seems like an easy call, no?

Trout slugs over 600 which means he has a 60% chance of getting a base.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

Yeah, true.

Okay, who's career do you take?

Trout because a) 162 games of excitement vs 35 and b) less chance of an injury derailing the career.

[cartman]

This might be the worst case of the yips I've ever seen.

Rangers release Daniel Bard after he posted a 175.50 ERA at Single-A | HardballTalk

[stevew]

Bard and Blass and pitch like Ass

[sterlingice]

Anibal keeping the Royals at bay today. KC down 2-1 middle of the 7th

SI

[Chief Rum]

Scioscia, for all his good qualities, might be the worst manager at handling his bullpen in the history of baseball.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

Anibal keeping the Royals at bay today. KC down 2-1 middle of the 7th

SI

And the streak is over. Still was fun and Royals clinging on to 1st place.

SI

[Logan]

Joe Torre and MLB release statement saying Wednesday's Russell Martin play should not have been a violation of Rule 7.13.

— Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick) June 19, 2014

[Vince, Pt. II]

Originally Posted by stevew

Trout slugs over 600 which means he has a 60% chance of getting a base.

No, it means he gets 0.6 bases per plate appearance. There's a subtle difference there.

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by stevew

Trout slugs over 600 which means he has a 60% chance of getting a base.

Originally Posted by Vince, Pt. II

No, it means he gets 0.6 bases per plate appearance. There's a subtle difference there.

Correct. One is about how often he reaches base and the other is about how much damage he does IN reaching base.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by Vince, Pt. II

No, it means he gets 0.6 bases per plate appearance. There's a subtle difference there.

Stuff like this makes baseball a crazy game when you think about it. Imagine explaining to someone who has never seen the game that when a batter gets up to the plate, they can hit the ball so it lands anywhere and get one base. Or they could have it land somewhere else and get two or three bases. And the best thing that can happen is that they go all the way around the diamond after one swing.

Then tell them that, on average, the best (or second best) offensive player in the game only gets 60% of the way to the first base for every time they get up to the plate. They'd probably think it's the most pointless game in the world.