MLB 2012 Season

[BERIGAN]

The Braves are 34-27, in spite of going....0-9 on Mondays! Go figure that one out...Was looking forward to interleague play for once as the team was on a roll. Beat the Jays Fri and Sat, then Sunday came along. Knocked Ricky Romero out, were up 4-1 in the 5th, then Julio Teheran(You know, one of the 3 "untouchable" starters, the next Pedro we are told) ran into some trouble, gave up a run, had the bases loaded...so naturally, you don't let him figure out if he is good enough to get out of a jam, and in comes....Livan Hernandez. He hadn't pitched in 13 days, and can't throw harder than 84, so what better pitcher do you want in with the bases loaded? So, after giving up only 5 hits, the inning ended. Braves down 6-4. Super smart manager, Freddi Gonzalez(he truly learned every stupid move Bobby Cox had up his sleeve) leaves him in for the next inning, and he gives up 3 more runs on 2 homers. 9-4. Game was basically over. Reporters dared to question him and he had the balls to say , “Who else would you like me to go with? If you give me a suggestion we can talk about it. I could have brought in [Craig] Kimbrel there. Some of the SABR people thought that would be a good spot. In these situations, the fifth inning of a game, is a perfect situation for [Hernandez] with all the experience he can wiggle out of there. He’s not going to spook in that situation. They got him. You have to tip your hat to the Toronto Blue Jays.”

MORON! Truly Bobby Cox's heir.

I think it's part of the reason they looked so flat against the Yankees last night. That, and it was Monday...of course, one of the 3 overrated guys is starting tonight, Mike Minor, who wouldn't be up with the big club on any other team, but you know, you NEED a left handed starter! His ERA is in the mid 6's? He should do just fine against the Yankees tonight. A Moral victory would be if he someone survives 5 innings, more likely he will be knocked out after say... 1 2/3.

[Tim McG]

I've come to embrace the DH myself, but the big thing for me would be some simple consistency. so inter-league play (which I'm still not fully sold on) takes on less of a gawky, slack-jawed "GAWRSH, let's watch the pitchers BAT" quality.

Nothing is quite as coitus-interruptussy (aside from actual coitus-interruptus) as getting runners on 2nd & 3rd with two out in the early innings, and here comes Herbie The Can't Hit Hurler to the plate But what makes it worse is knowing what would happen if you were in your own bed, er...ballpark.

Either keep the DH or drop it, (and give the NL a five year period to use it so they'll know what they're missing and if they feel better off with it or without it) but make it consistent across both leagues.

One word: Strategy.

When you have that two on, two out then here comes Can't Hit Herbie, the manager has several options depending on how late in the game we are. If it's early in the game, it is a posible bunt situation, double steal, squeeze play or sacrifice fly. If it is late in the game, pull Can't Hit Herbie for a PH and try to bring in a run or two.

Personally, I think it makes the game far more interesting and much less predictable than the Designated Gashouse Gorilla who could usually put the ball into orbit each and every time at bat. So they throw junk at him or intentionally walk him on [bor-ing]. Besides, NL pitchers can hit once in a while. Cain, Lincecum, Vogelsong, Bumgarner and Zito have done as much this season.

Besides, maybe the AL pitchers need to start taking some BP.

Just sayin'.

Edited June 12, 2012 by GoodSpeak

[JSngry]

Runners on 2nd & 3rd with two outs and try for a double steal or a sacrifice fly? Really?

Playing with the DH presents its own strategies. They're not the same strategies as the NL strategies, but those who claim that AL ball is strategy-free as the result of the DH are wrong.

In other news, this time bad, Ogando to the DL with a strained groin.

Yuck.

[Tim McG]

Runners on 2nd & 3rd with two outs and try for a double steal or a sacrifice fly? Really?

Playing with the DH presents its own strategies. They're not the same strategies as the NL strategies, but those who claim that AL ball is strategy-free as the result of the DH are wrong.

In other news, this time bad, Ogando to the DL with a strained groin.

Yuck.

Well..sac fly with less than two outs, sure.

I used to follow the Angels [along with the Giants] back when I lived in LA/OC and if there is a strategy to the DH, I ain't seein' it. The biggest and best hitter on the face of the planet steps up, usually in the #4 hole, and his sole purpose in life is to whack the ball as far away from any glove within the same area code. No strategy to that, Jim. Dump the DH...it's bad for baseball.

BTW, I hope Ogando gets better soon. I hate to see any player go down like that.

Edited June 12, 2012 by GoodSpeak

[alocispepraluger102]

from sportsbybrooks

"7:00 PM: SportsLogos.net reports the Tampa Bay Rays will be holding a Turn Back The Clock Night where the team will be wearing throwback uniforms from 1979 - even though the franchise did not exist then."

Edited June 13, 2012 by alocispepraluger102

[paul secor]

I'm not a Mets fan, but it was good to see them come back and win big after being swept by the Yanks. The Mets are having a better season than almost anyone expected. Good for them.

[PHILLYQ]

I'm not a Mets fan, but it was good to see them come back and win big after being swept by the Yanks. The Mets are having a better season than almost anyone expected. Good for them.

And by winning last night the Mets helped the Yanks! Collins is doing a great job managing the team, and if they had a decent bullpen they'd have 5-6 more wins easily. I'm a Yank fan but I watch the Mets also, and this year's edition is fun to watch. They never give up and fight to the last out.Ya gotta respect that.

[JETman]

R.A. first to 10!

Strikes out a career high 12, and pitches a complete game 1-hitter. No walks. ERA is now 2.20. Oh yeah, and he broke Koosman's club record for consecutive scoreless innings which now stands at 32 2/3. Only UNEARNED run came in 9th on a David Wright error.

Mets 9 Tampa Bay 1.

[Dave James]

Matt Cain has thrown a perfect game against the Astros tonight. The 22nd perfect game in MLB history. WOW!

[Chalupa]

Matt Cain has thrown a perfect game against the Astros tonight. The 22nd perfect game in MLB history. WOW!

Amazing.

[JSngry]

Matt Cain indeed!

[BFrank]

[Tim McG]

Awesome!

Edited June 14, 2012 by GoodSpeak

[JSngry]

As awesome as that game was, might I be allowed to say that the pitch that landed Mr. Cain Mrs. Matt Cain must have been his best pitch ever!

She's PURDY!!!

[paul secor]

Matt Cain and family

[Mike Schwartz]

[Quincy]

The 2nd perfect game calling balls & strikes for umpire Ted Barrett. He was also there for David Cone's.

I don't wish to detract from Matt Cain's accomplishment as he is a one fine pitcher, and is proving to be the better investment than The Freak. But there have been so many perfect games in recent years it's getting to be silly. It's like we've swung the other from cheap home runs from steroids to now no hitters and perfect games every other week it seems like. Maybe someone will go through the strike zone maps and calls and see if there is a tendency to to favor the pitcher with a no hitter from the 6th or 7th on (though the Galarraga game sure goes against this happening in one game at least). It seems like something ideal for a magazine to tackle since we don't read them for timely news anymore.

Again, my timing is rotten here, sort of like posting something slightly negative in a R.I.P. thread. I don't mean to pee on the Giants' fans thrill and I have high respect for Matt Cain. But we've now had 5 + * perfect games in 3 years. I suppose the 13 year period of no perfect games between Hunter & Barker wasn't normal, but damn. 10 from Cy Young to Tom Browning, the next 10 from Dennis Martinez to Matt Cain. Maybe it's a testament to modern fielding gloves.

[Tim McG]

The 2nd perfect game calling balls & strikes for umpire Ted Barrett. He was also there for David Cone's.

I don't wish to detract from Matt Cain's accomplishment as he is a one fine pitcher, and is proving to be the better investment than The Freak. But there have been so many perfect games in recent years it's getting to be silly. It's like we've swung the other from cheap home runs from steroids to now no hitters and perfect games every other week it seems like. Maybe someone will go through the strike zone maps and calls and see if there is a tendency to to favor the pitcher with a no hitter from the 6th or 7th on (though the Galarraga game sure goes against this happening in one game at least). It seems like something ideal for a magazine to tackle since we don't read them for timely news anymore.

Again, my timing is rotten here, sort of like posting something slightly negative in a R.I.P. thread. I don't mean to pee on the Giants' fans thrill and I have high respect for Matt Cain. But we've now had 5 + * perfect games in 3 years. I suppose the 13 year period of no perfect games between Hunter & Barker wasn't normal, but damn. 10 from Cy Young to Tom Browning, the next 10 from Dennis Martinez to Matt Cain. Maybe it's a testament to modern fielding gloves.

I get your point.

But I would argue that the pitching has gotten that much better [via coaching, technical and strength training, scouting, etc]. If you would have told me 4-7 years ago that Matt Cain would throw a perfect no-no, I would have thought you were crazy. He has improved that much.

Edited June 14, 2012 by GoodSpeak

[Quincy]

But I would argue that the pitching has gotten that much better [via coaching, technical and strength training, scouting, etc]. If you would have told me 4-7 years ago that Matt Cain would throw a perfect no-no, I would have thought you were crazy. He has improved that much.

Oh if a pitcher has to pitch a perfect game he is most deserving. I am a fan of the guy and he's not one of those guys who tosses one and disappears. Cain has been so consistent in his ability to improve upon his consistency it's ridiculous. At age 21 he started 31 games and he's started 33 +/-1 for the past 6 years. Over time there's the workhorse increasing innings, fewer hits allowed than innings (this seems obvious from a high quality pitcher but Pettitte has failed there often), good K count, and ever improving control. I like that he has a bit of heft to him too as he's 230. Do you realize he hasn't allowed an earned run in playoff pitching (21 innings worth). Sure it's just one playoff run, but still, another check on the plus side of the ledger.

Aside from the points you make I would add that steroid testing is another factor as it's safer to pitch to hitters now compared to a few years earlier. Also big is that all teams position fielders based on hitter tendencies. 20-40 years ago Earl Weaver and Tony La Russa were freaks with colored pens & charts or (wee!) computers that charted where hitters hit the ball against this pitcher or that pitch. Now even the stupid managers use shifts. And there are many more hitters who would strike out 200 times (or close) compared to just a 15-20 years ago, never mind earlier.

Anyway, sorry about the timing and congrats to Matt Cain. But if this keeps up, Bud is going to lower the mound.

Edited June 15, 2012 by Quincy

[BERIGAN]

5 perfect games(6 if you count the Armando Galarraga's game) since 2009, 17 in all the years before(Wait, knowing Quincy, he will mention that there were two in 1880 ) alright, 19 in the previous 120+ years...no explainin' it!

[PHILLYQ]

5 perfect games(6 if you count the Armando Galarraga's game) since 2009, 17 in all the years before(Wait, knowing Quincy, he will mention that there were two in 1880 ) alright, 19 in the previous 120+ years...no explainin' it!

What I find unusual about the perfect games is how many of them were pitched by pitchers who were decidedly NOT Hall of Fame pitchers. Barker, Larsen, Witt, Buerhle,Humber,etc.

[JSngry]

Well hell, this team can't get this stomach virus out of the clubhouse...

Josh Hamilton hospitalized, Leonys Martin called up

http://www.lonestarball.com/2012/6/15/3090064/leonys-martin-called-up-koji-uehara-to-the-disabled-list#comments

[Quincy]

5 perfect games(6 if you count the Armando Galarraga's game) since 2009, 17 in all the years before(Wait, knowing Quincy, he will mention that there were two in 1880 ) alright, 19 in the previous 120+ years...no explainin' it!

Hey, I left those 2 off! Just saying they seem less special after nearly 1/2 a dozen in 3 years. We go from cheap 'roid HRs to overly common pitching feats. How about a happy medium?

[JSngry]

Kudos to Justin Grimm, who made his MLB debut tonight after being called up from AA Frisco. 6 IP, 6 hits, 3 runs, 7K (inc. 5 consecutive) and most impressively, no walks. Hardly eye-popping #s )especially against the Astros), but the kid got the call and didn't fuck it up, showed plenty of poise and didn't look like he's never played AA ball. Plus, he got the win, thanks to a Ranger rally in the bottom of the 6th. Good to see those Ranger rallies again, and good to see them again winning games against teams they should beat instead of letting Weird Baseball continue to have its way. I hate Weird Baseball, it's like those films from the early NASA days when rockets fail during launch, just...disturbing. Physics Gone Wrong usually is.

Alos good to see the return of Prime Yu Darvish last night, after some rest and some work with Mike Maddux. I'm still gald to have Darvis, expect there to be some bumps on the learning curve, and for some of those bumps to be painful. But the guy's got the stuff, and most importantly, he's got that fire. He's going to learn, and he's going to succeed, and for the next few years, he will do so as a Texas Ranger. I'm ok with that.

Meanwhile, Ervin Santana's got a perfect game thorough 6 in Anaheim. But here, it's good to know that even if he goes ahead and gets one, or even a win, oh well!

[Big Al]

Well hell, this team can't get this stomach virus out of the clubhouse...

Josh Hamilton hospitalized, Leonys Martin called up

http://www.lonestarball.com/2012/6/15/3090064/leonys-martin-called-up-koji-uehara-to-the-disabled-list#comments

Exact quote from the ESPN radio news bit last night:

"Josh Hamilton has been hospitalized with an intestinal virus. Doctors expect him to be discharged tomorrow."

Talk about a poor choice of words....