7/2 - 7/15 Game Discussion Thread

[bcruise]

Re: 7/2 - 7/15 Game Discussion Thread

The Mike Shildt era in St. Louis begins with a Cards W.

And here's the Pirates walkoff:

<iframe src='https://www.mlb.com/video/share/bells-walk-off-2-run-double/c-2273041783?tid=266435218' width='540' height='304' scrolling='no' ></iframe>

[TripleCrown9]

Re: 7/2 - 7/15 Game Discussion Thread

Best team in baseball going into the break, and 4.5 games ahead of New York. I can live with that.

[Majingir]

Re: 7/2 - 7/15 Game Discussion Thread

One of these isn't the same:

Player A: 322/445/705, 53 HR, 116 RBI in 596 PA's

Player B: 224/355/448, 26 HR, 58 RBI in 592 PA's

Spoiler

Or are they...these are Judge's career splits HOME (Player A) and AWAY (Player B). Crazy how good Yankee Stadium makes him...

That's something about baseball I've always found to be so weird. How different each ballpark might be, so a team who has a ballpark with much different dimensions can get players who are best suited for those ballparks. Not like other sports where all teams homes for the most part are the same (minus minor things like grass quality, ice quality, wind, and so on)

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: 7/2 - 7/15 Game Discussion Thread

Dexter Fowler homers in first game after Matheny's dismissal and Jordan Hicks gets the save. It will be interesting to watch these guys going forward.

[Sportsforever]

Re: 7/2 - 7/15 Game Discussion Thread

Dexter Fowler homers in first game after Matheny's dismissal and Jordan Hicks gets the save. It will be interesting to watch these guys going forward.

I think that stuff is WAY overblown. As far as I know, it was the GM who started stuff with Fowler and the who cares if Matheny is using Norris to keep an eye on the bullpen? I was reading the Chicago Tribune on Matheny's firing and they were trying to say how he isn't as laid back/inclusive as Maddon...uh, who cares?

I know that Countryboy has said it, but in this case Matheny is taking the fall for a front office that has really been subpar the last several years. From the cheating scandal with Houston, giving a massive contract to Fowler, putting together an awkward team, and not really getting much from their system I'd say the performance falls more on the FO...Matheny is just the guy who takes the fall.

[TripleCrown9]

Re: 7/2 - 7/15 Game Discussion Thread

For the second straight day, a walk-off grand slam in extras.

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: 7/2 - 7/15 Game Discussion Thread

LOL at that double play. El Mago, indeed.

[Jr.]

Re: 7/2 - 7/15 Game Discussion Thread

Congrats to fellow UNCA alum Mike Shildt. Too bad it's with the Cardinals

Sent from my SM-G920V using Operation Sports mobile app

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: 7/2 - 7/15 Game Discussion Thread

I think that stuff is WAY overblown. As far as I know, it was the GM who started stuff with Fowler and the who cares if Matheny is using Norris to keep an eye on the bullpen? I was reading the Chicago Tribune on Matheny's firing and they were trying to say how he isn't as laid back/inclusive as Maddon...uh, who cares?

I know that Countryboy has said it, but in this case Matheny is taking the fall for a front office that has really been subpar the last several years. From the cheating scandal with Houston, giving a massive contract to Fowler, putting together an awkward team, and not really getting much from their system I'd say the performance falls more on the FO...Matheny is just the guy who takes the fall.

I think it was reported that Matheny and Fowler weren't even on speaking terms. Say what you want about how Matheny not being Joe Maddon doesn't matter, but a manager has to get along with the players he's given (and it's not like Fowler has any history of insubordination). Especially in this day and age where players have much more cachet than most managers. It seems to me that Matheny doesn't really have the people skills you need to be a decent manager. I also think him cheering on Bud Norris for being a snitch was pretty stupid. Snitches get stitches.

Matheny is pretty well known to be bad at managing a bullpen, and he's "old school" to the point of having bad clubhouse chemistry...so what exactly was he providing to be kept around? I mean you're either a player's manager or a tactician, but if you're neither one? And your team is underperforming?

Maybe I'm misremembering but I think a lot of people were applauding the moves made by St. Louis this past offseason. Getting Ozuna seemed like a good idea. Signing Greg Holland was something most everyone saw as logical. Miles Mikolas has turned out decently well. Bottom line, it doesn't feel like Matheny is getting the best out of this team, which should be a Wild Card team, imo. That along with the distractions rightly cost him his job.

[countryboy]

Re: 7/2 - 7/15 Game Discussion Thread

Matheny has a career winning percentage of .566 and has never finished a season at .500 or below. Sure, getting Holland was viewed a good move, I wanted it to happen, but that is really the only move that I've supported, considering what they gave up to get a guy like Ozuna.

To say that Matheny isn't getting the best out of his team is too easy of an opinion to have when the distractions that have taken place have and the team is struggling to win. Maybe he isn't, or maybe the team has been bitten by the injury bug and guys that we have to replace these players aren't quite ready because we let some younger talent go. Maybe the guys they brought in, Fowler, Cecil, Holland, aren't performing at their best level. I mean Fowler is hitting .176 in 270 something at bats. Holland has an 8 ERA and .320 BA against. You can't blame all of that on Matheny.

What happened in St.Louis is the front office ****ed up and instead of firing themselves they made Matheny the fall guy. The problem(s) in St.Louis aren't because of Matheny, they are because of DeWitt and Mozeliak. And people will see that to be true if they continue to try and sell the farm to get into the playoffs now.

[CBoller1331]

Re: 7/2 - 7/15 Game Discussion Thread

David Bote his having himself quite the day

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: 7/2 - 7/15 Game Discussion Thread

Cubs 1st half is in the books: 55-38, 2.5 games ahead in the NL Central with rival teams imploding behind them.

My grade = B. This team has scored the most runs and allowed the fewest runs in the NL en route to the best record in the NL. Still, in part, it has felt underwhelming due to the yo yo start they had, some starting pitching issues and whiffing w/RISP issues. The team has gotten absolutely nothing from Yu Darvish and very little from Tyler Chatwood (except for intrigue and a whipping boy for fans). Bryzzo has been having an off year. Hendricks and Quintana have been shaky (but are looking much better lately). Morrow has been getting results, but he's looked anything but automatic for about a month now. This team will need Javy Baez to continue his MVP-like campaign, keep Heyward's resurgence going, get better from the rotation and from Bryzzo, and shore up the 8th/9th innings a bit to really run away with the division and hopefully square off with one of those really, really strong AL teams in late October.

[TheMatrix31]

Re: 7/2 - 7/15 Game Discussion Thread

I think that stuff is WAY overblown. As far as I know, it was the GM who started stuff with Fowler and the who cares if Matheny is using Norris to keep an eye on the bullpen? I was reading the Chicago Tribune on Matheny's firing and they were trying to say how he isn't as laid back/inclusive as Maddon...uh, who cares?

I know that Countryboy has said it, but in this case Matheny is taking the fall for a front office that has really been subpar the last several years. From the cheating scandal with Houston, giving a massive contract to Fowler, putting together an awkward team, and not really getting much from their system I'd say the performance falls more on the FO...Matheny is just the guy who takes the fall.

People loved to give Matheny **** but it always seemed like just "new age people's criticism" lobbed at him because he's an "old school" guy and we just can't have that anymore because you gotta be enlightened and stuff. And of course, all the fans know better now, right?

I don't think he deserved to be fired. And I'm surprised he was.

I'd love to have Girardi or Matheny as Braves manager if we're talking about it.

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: 7/2 - 7/15 Game Discussion Thread

Here's a weird stat for the 1st half...the M's are 19 games over .500 but have a -2 run differential.

[countryboy]

Re: 7/2 - 7/15 Game Discussion Thread

Here's a weird stat for the 1st half...the M's are 19 games over .500 but have a -2 run differential.

I love baseball stats.