unclevlad Posted September 10, 2022 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2022 Yeah, in the minors when those restrictions were in place, I believe they said stealing was more prevalent. And the restrictions on throwing over will create some interesting dynamics. The other point brought up is, when the pitch clock gets down to 2 or 1, a runner on first can play head games back at the pitcher, because the runner has freedom...the pitcher doesn't. Some runners will start a touch prematurely and get picked off, but you can also expect a few more balks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclevlad Posted September 14, 2022 Author Report Share Posted September 14, 2022 Speaking of NOT pitching to Judge... Sox up 3-2, Judge leads off top 6th...with Stanton behind him. First pitch, get me over breaking ball.... Oh dear, he wasn't looking dead red. That one didn't come back. 56...and 19 more than anyone else in either league, which is even more insane in some ways. EDIT: The casual definition of insanity is repeating the same action, expecting a different result. The Sox are insane. Top 8th, up 4-3. Judge leads off. #57 sails magnificently out, over the Monster and, I believe, completely out of Fenway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclevlad Posted September 14, 2022 Author Report Share Posted September 14, 2022 Twins pitchers take a combined no-hitter into the 9th. Guy who pitched the 8th stays in. Gets the first batter. Then nibbles...walk, walk. 1-2 on the next guy...pulled into the corner for a double. Woopsie.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slikmar Posted September 14, 2022 Report Share Posted September 14, 2022 2 hours ago, unclevlad said: Speaking of NOT pitching to Judge... Sox up 3-2, Judge leads off top 6th...with Stanton behind him. First pitch, get me over breaking ball.... Oh dear, he wasn't looking dead red. That one didn't come back. 56...and 19 more than anyone else in either league, which is even more insane in some ways. EDIT: The casual definition of insanity is repeating the same action, expecting a different result. The Sox are insane. Top 8th, up 4-3. Judge leads off. #57 sails magnificently out, over the Monster and, I believe, completely out of Fenway. And Angels, playing Guardians. Mike Trout has homered in 7 straight games. so first 3 at bats, 10 balls and 1 strike, because he swung at it an popped it up (no, I am sure he wasn't trying to tie the MLB record). Now, their pitcher is effectively wild, but you cannot tell me, even with Ohtani behind him, that they are not pitching around Trout. So again, WHY DOES ANY TEAM, UNLESS IT IS A 10 RUN BALL GAME, THROW A BALL ANYWHERE NEAR THE PLATE WHEN JUDGE IS HITTING. If not going to just hold up 4 fingers, throw 4 balls to the third baseman and tell ump they were pitches. Until someone other then Judge beats you repeatedly, don't let him hit the ball. Your example is not machismo or mano y mano, this is either utter stupidity or a mandate from someone (as conspiracy people would tell you, wanting Judge to threaten 61). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclevlad Posted September 14, 2022 Author Report Share Posted September 14, 2022 The 2 dingers were when Judge was leading off the inning, and Stanton was hitting behind him. I don't have a problem choosing to pitch to him...because Stanton's no Judge but he's also dangerous. It's also why, I think, Boone had Judge leading off. Put as many of their better hitters behind him. Also, the Sox didn't even wait to put him on in the 10th. Inning starts with the runner on 2nd, of course. Walk, double play...so Judge comes up with a runner on 3rd and 2 outs. WALK!!! Signaled as the double play's still in progress. BUT, the flip side: Familia walks Stanton, then Torres doubles to drive in 2. Boom, it's a 3 run game. Yankee pitching is shaky too; Sox score 2 and have the tying run in scoring position, but that's as close as they get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Logan D. Hurricanes Posted September 15, 2022 Report Share Posted September 15, 2022 "A little league three run home run!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cancer Posted September 15, 2022 Report Share Posted September 15, 2022 Boy, I haven't seen anything like that since the 1995 sudden death AL West one-game playoff between Seattle and the Angels. (the crucial hit) That differs from my memory, because I watched it in Seattle with the local announcer team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclevlad Posted September 15, 2022 Author Report Share Posted September 15, 2022 I haven't seen anything like that since...oh, 3, 4 weeks ago. At the LLWS. Even then, it didn't happen *that* often. Bummer. Yankees are 6 up now, with only 19 left, so the division's probably sewn up. Dodgers won the division Tuesday, and are now 11 up in the loss column for best record in the NL, so that's basically a lock. The playoff teams are almost set; the Orioles are 4 back of Tampa Bay. Not impossible but time's very short. Brewers and Padres are fighting for the last NL WC spot; Padres are only up 2 games, so that's the only one likely to go down to the wire. Minnesota's 5 back of Cleveland. They've got a 5-game, 4 day weekend wraparound series starting tomorrow in Minneapolis. Twins must win that series. If it's 3-2 Cleveland, that puts them 6 back with 16 to play, and that's a very tall order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slikmar Posted September 15, 2022 Report Share Posted September 15, 2022 The Seattle/Angels one is painful, especially as the guy playing first was JT Snow and a perennial gold glove nominee. Padres are treading water. The Tatis PED thing really took the air out of them. As the people on MLB have said, how much have anyone talked about Soto since he got to San Diego. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pariah Posted September 15, 2022 Report Share Posted September 15, 2022 I see that the Rockies are only four spots and 16 games out of the final NL Wild Card spot. Logan D. Hurricanes 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cancer Posted September 15, 2022 Report Share Posted September 15, 2022 1 hour ago, slikmar said: The Seattle/Angels one is painful, especially as the guy playing first was JT Snow and a perennial gold glove nominee. And the son of Jack Snow, long-time star WR for the Rams in the Roman Gabriel era. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclevlad Posted September 15, 2022 Author Report Share Posted September 15, 2022 3 hours ago, Pariah said: I see that the Rockies are only four spots and 16 games out of the final NL Wild Card spot. Not for long. E == 4, so it's quite plausible they'll be gone before you blink twice. Or before the Broncos win a game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pariah Posted September 15, 2022 Report Share Posted September 15, 2022 1 hour ago, unclevlad said: Not for long. E == 4, so it's quite plausible they'll be gone before you blink twice. Or before the Broncos win a game. Why you got to be so hurtful? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclevlad Posted September 16, 2022 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2022 38 minutes ago, Pariah said: Why you got to be so hurtful? I really hate that meme, Mr. P. It just screams out for tough love to break someone out of rosy-eyed fantasyland... Besides, the Broncos are 10 point favorites, and if I were to bet that game...I'd give the points, honestly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pariah Posted September 16, 2022 Report Share Posted September 16, 2022 They beat the Blue Jays 11-0, incidentally. Rays make history by starting MLB's first all-Latino lineup on Roberto Clemente Day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclevlad Posted September 16, 2022 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2022 10 hours ago, slikmar said: Padres are treading water. The Tatis PED thing really took the air out of them. As the people on MLB have said, how much have anyone talked about Soto since he got to San Diego. Yeah, Padres have been basically .500 since the trade, and Soto's been a non-factor. That said, he's also gotten 32 walks in 34 games, so it's quite possible that he's not seeing anything to hit. .209 average, 3 HRs in 34 games and 115 ABs. Basically miserable. Also saw this story from B-R...a thought I'd had when the trade happened. https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10044252-nl-exec-padres-in-danger-of-entering-angels-territory-after-juan-soto-trade TL;DR summary: Quote "San Diego is in danger of entering Angels territory within the next few years," the executive told Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. "A strong top-third of the roster with below-average depth behind it due to a series of system-busting trades." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slikmar Posted September 16, 2022 Report Share Posted September 16, 2022 Great, so the Angels have become the anti Rays model. So proud to be a fan. DeRosa did a breakdown of Soto today and its not he isnt getting pitches, but that he looks like he is up there to walk and not pulling the trigger on pitches he usually would have crushed. It makes me wonder if he is actually hurt and not telling anyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclevlad Posted September 17, 2022 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2022 Albert Pujols continues to have what is likely the best season for a 40+ hitter, ever. Down 2 vs. the Reds in the 6th, he hits #698. 19th homer of the season in ~260 at bats. Never dreamed, at the start of the season, he'd reach 700, but the team has 17 more games after tonight. Unless he changes his mind and comes back next year, he'll end with 2200+ RBI and 1900+ runs. He's at 3370 hits; 3400 seems a stretch. And may hit the 700 homers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slikmar Posted September 17, 2022 Report Share Posted September 17, 2022 Albert is one of those guys who came from the Steroid Era but never had the stigma attached to him in any way. I really hope this resurgence isn't due to outside help, but he is looking way better then he has in 5+ years. As a fan of Albert, I cheer him on, as a fan of the Angels I just have to say " Where was this the last 4 years of your contract?". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclevlad Posted September 17, 2022 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2022 6 hours ago, slikmar said: As a fan of Albert, I cheer him on, as a fan of the Angels I just have to say " Where was this the last 4 years of your contract?". He'd checked out of the Hotel California. He just couldn't leave... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclevlad Posted September 18, 2022 Author Report Share Posted September 18, 2022 The Rockies help provide the coup de grace today, as they beat the Cubs. With the Padres winning, the Cubs are eliminated...and the Rockies *aren't*. 5 NL teams formally eliminated now. 3 in the AL. Rockies, Rangers, and Angels are all dormie, tho... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclevlad Posted September 19, 2022 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2022 Oh my, the Rockies survive another day. The Padres win, so they can't catch them at this point...but the Phillies have dropped 4 straight while the Rockies swept the Cubs. And the Broncos got their win..... Can't trust them Philly teams to get anything right...<sigh> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pariah Posted September 19, 2022 Report Share Posted September 19, 2022 1 hour ago, unclevlad said: Can't trust them Philly teams to get anything right...<sigh> Yeah, Temple had a chance to beat Rutgers over the weekend and couldn't get it done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slikmar Posted September 19, 2022 Report Share Posted September 19, 2022 Apparently, we should watch the stock market as the last time the New York Yankees, Mets, Jets and Giants all won on the same day was 2009. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclevlad Posted September 19, 2022 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2022 Stories are starting that we've overlooked, somewhat, something Judge is doing. He leads the universe in HRs; that's a lock. He leads the majors in RBI by 12...the AL by 15. It's fairly likely he's got enough now to win that. Jose Ramirez is 2nd in the AL with 112, which is just under 0.8 per game. 16 games left, that says about 13 more. Yes, well, now he's one of three players *locked up* for the batting title. As in, MLB.com stats shows Bogaerts ahead of Judge, who's ahead of Arraez...but all at .316. Bogaerts is .3164; Judge is .3162; Arraez was .3161...but made an out to lead off the game going on right now. That knocked him down to .3155. THAT is how close it is. Each AB matters. (And the Guardians have jumped all over the Twins, with a 3 run bomb in the bottom of the 1st.) Paul Goldschmidt has slid...a bit...but he's still top 3 in each stat in the NL...which is extraordinary enough. But he's slipped back; he's 4 HRs behind Schwarber now. Can't remember having legit Triple Crown runs in *both* leagues in the same year...that's taking the place of any real drama in the playoff runs, I guess........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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