2011 MLB Season

[Quincy]

...but to try to knock the ball out of the 1st baseman's glove, is the pussiest (real word? No red line under it! ) moves in the game, and yet I have never heard of a career being ruined by that play.

It's because Alex wore a matching purse when he ran down the line. But seriously...it's just a rulebook call.

6.1 "While contact may occur between a fielder and runner during a tag attempt, a runner is not allowed to use his hands or arms to commit an obviously malicious or unsportsmanlike act." Alex was ruled out by interference.

Somewhat relatedly a good book for looking stuff up but not necessarily reading cover to cover is A Game Of Inches. (Although the above I got from the web.) I would suggest trying a library first as it reads more like an encyclopedia. But if you've ever been curious about why there aren't left-handed catchers, how the wheel play came about, donuts on bats or who first threw a screwball, personal catchers, bunt defense, rally caps, whisk brooms used by umps...in other words, pretty much everything in baseball, it's in there.

Anyway, in the book it mentions that in 1878 a new rule requiring fielders to hold onto the ball after applying a tag came into being. Some were very concerned that this would increase the number of collisions between runners & fielders and thus it was thought the rule wouldn't last. Wrong-o. One of the more famous home plate collisions as reported in Sporting Life involved a 210 lb. Cap Anson who sent 150 lb. (!) catcher George Myers flying "10 feet or more away from home plate, but pluckily held on to the ball...Myers has not yet recovered from the severe shock. The storm of hisses which greeted Anson ought to admonish him that audiences do not consider brutal work of that kind of ball playing."

Myers played for the St. Louis Maroons, so I don't think anyone here is old enough to get riled up this collision.

[Tim McG]

Thanks for demonstrating what kind of world-class jackass you are, Timmy.

The greatest announcer in baseball history and to you he's a jerk who calls games for the Dodgers.

That is, the "not in the top 100 franchises" Dodgers. That must make Scully not in the top 100 announcers, huh?

You're a pathetic joke, and I for one will cherish the coming months as the Giants fade out of contention because their brilliant GM built a great pitching staff and an utterly shitty offense incapable of surviving the loss of a single player.

The Scully comment was a knee jerk response and I have since said it was a stupid thing to say. What more do you want...a dozen roses? You want me to propose to you? WTF?

Again, this crap is from a guy who gave up on his BoSox 11 games into the season:

At this point I am rooting for the worst to happen. I want to see this pathetic group of assholes be the first "World Series favorite" to be booed off the field on their own home opener. And then by Sunday I want Papelbon to be on the field in the ninth inning trying to nail down the first win only to blow it up.

I need something different to do in the summer, might as well experience a baseball-free one.

Don't waste my time, Danny. Or I won't take you to the Prom.

Edited May 31, 2011 by GoodSpeak

[ghost of miles]

Mr. Jsngry: may your Rangers continue beating the pants off the Rays this evening, sir!

Dave James and other NY Yanks fans: why do I have the feeling that this year's edition is going to win just enough to keep us hoping that we're not an 87-75 kinda team? And yet somehow I think that's where we may well end up; hopefully I'm wrong.

Dan, you've got to be happy with how Boston's playing lately, in spite of the 2nd-game loss to the Tigers yesterday. They've won what, 13 of their last 15 going into tonight? They're playing right now like the team everyone expected them to be.

[Dave James]

Dave James and other NY Yanks fans: why do I have the feeling that this year's edition is going to win just enough to keep us hoping that we're not an 87-75 kinda team? And yet somehow I think that's where we may well end up; hopefully I'm wrong.

You'll get no arguments from me on your assessment. In spite of Bartolo Colon's gem today, the pitching is still suspect and now that we're into June, I don't think you can make an argument that the hitting will improve with more at bats. I'm afraid what you see is all you've got. If that gets us to a record of much more than 87-75, I'll be surprised. Frankly, what worries me way more than this year is the next three or four. I believe I described it in an earlier post as a nuclear winter. I stand by that assessment.

[ghost of miles]

Twenty hits for Texas through the 9th, with every starter getting at least one. Seems like Texas has turned the Trop into a regular shooting gallery tonight...

And I did not realize until today that the A's home stadium is named Overstock.com Coliseum. Recent development, I gather, but rather hilarious/ridiculous-sounding, even in our Brave New World of corporate branding.

Edited May 31, 2011 by ghost of miles

[JSngry]

Claw and antlers being replaced by....whatever this is???????

Works for me, as does the recent production from the 7-8-9 hitters. as does winning three in a row for the first time since sweeping the Royals at hoe a month ago. Not too wild about Holland totally losing it in the 6th, or about The New And Improved Maark Lowe's handling of his appearance today. As a starter, if you get a 9-1 lead after 5, you should at least be able to finish the 6th, if not the 7th, and as a releiver, you got no business coming in w/the bases empty and then ultimately allowing the tying run to come to the plate in that same inning. Not too cool, that stuff isn't....

But all in all, an encouraging sign that maybe the Rangers are starting to cohere once and for all. There's still plenty more cohering to be done (namely with Feliz, and the bullpen in general, and namely with Nelson Cruz building on his recent stretch of at least one hit of some sorts per game), but if it is true that, the first 10 games of the season aside, the Rangers have yet to play their best baseball, then there is much to look forward to from here on out.

At least in theory, and theory be a liar just as often as not, right?

Theory be damned when it comes to Endy Chaves, though. This is the kind of story that just does your hear good, period. A nice .394 average. 2 homers, 4 RBIs, a couple of steals, really solid centerfield work, for a guy who thought he was never going to make it back, hey, If I'm Julio Borbon doing rehab in Frisco right now, I'm going to be very serious, and if I'm David Murphy, I'm wondering how many good relief pitchers could I eventually be worth....

Mr. Wilson takes the mound tomorrow. Cautious optimism, they name is Rangers Right Now.

Edited May 31, 2011 by JSngry

[vajerzy]

I think Vin Scully cares alot.....IMO- he doesn't think partisan like you.

Very true.

I was just being sacastic.

TBH, he has always been one of my favorite announcers in spite of his affiliation.

Vin Scully was discussing the Posey play today during the game, and he mentioned that according to one old time catcher, the mistake Posey made was going down on his knee. Scully said he was told once that happened, the player is very venerable to injury. Makes sense.

Um.

Vin Scully is the [hated] Dodgers announcer.

WTF would he care if a Giants guy got injured?

Right, because someone roots for another team, they rejoice in injuries.... Plus, we all know what a jerk Scully is... <_<

Just a knee-jerk reaction.

I'm still feeling angry about the guy who lies in a coma because of a Dodger thug; just a bad response on my part.

That's what I thought...wasn't sure....I thought that was out of character for you.

[vajerzy]

...but to try to knock the ball out of the 1st baseman's glove, is the pussiest (real word? No red line under it! ) moves in the game, and yet I have never heard of a career being ruined by that play.

It's because Alex wore a matching purse when he ran down the line. But seriously...it's just a rulebook call.

6.1 "While contact may occur between a fielder and runner during a tag attempt, a runner is not allowed to use his hands or arms to commit an obviously malicious or unsportsmanlike act." Alex was ruled out by interference.

Somewhat relatedly a good book for looking stuff up but not necessarily reading cover to cover is A Game Of Inches. (Although the above I got from the web.) I would suggest trying a library first as it reads more like an encyclopedia. But if you've ever been curious about why there aren't left-handed catchers, how the wheel play came about, donuts on bats or who first threw a screwball, personal catchers, bunt defense, rally caps, whisk brooms used by umps...in other words, pretty much everything in baseball, it's in there.

Anyway, in the book it mentions that in 1878 a new rule requiring fielders to hold onto the ball after applying a tag came into being. Some were very concerned that this would increase the number of collisions between runners & fielders and thus it was thought the rule wouldn't last. Wrong-o. One of the more famous home plate collisions as reported in Sporting Life involved a 210 lb. Cap Anson who sent 150 lb. (!) catcher George Myers flying "10 feet or more away from home plate, but pluckily held on to the ball...Myers has not yet recovered from the severe shock. The storm of hisses which greeted Anson ought to admonish him that audiences do not consider brutal work of that kind of ball playing."

Myers played for the St. Louis Maroons, so I don't think anyone here is old enough to get riled up this collision.

Well a runner has a right to slide at the bag and be able to touch it with a part of his body...and the infielder has a right to the bag as well when making a play. In the umpires judgement, you can have interference (baserunner) or obstruction (fielder) when one is impeding the other. I umpire girls fastpitch softball and rules are more restrictive to protect the players. Interference or obstruction may be physical or verbal...and there's a rule specifically prohibiting intentionally slapping the ball out of a fielders glove. If Alex Rodriquez was playing softball and as a baserunner he yelled at the fielder as she was fielding the ball, it's interference.

[Tim McG]

I think Vin Scully cares alot.....IMO- he doesn't think partisan like you.

Very true.

I was just being sacastic.

TBH, he has always been one of my favorite announcers in spite of his affiliation.

Vin Scully was discussing the Posey play today during the game, and he mentioned that according to one old time catcher, the mistake Posey made was going down on his knee. Scully said he was told once that happened, the player is very venerable to injury. Makes sense.

Um.

Vin Scully is the [hated] Dodgers announcer.

WTF would he care if a Giants guy got injured?

Right, because someone roots for another team, they rejoice in injuries.... Plus, we all know what a jerk Scully is... <_<

Just a knee-jerk reaction.

I'm still feeling angry about the guy who lies in a coma because of a Dodger thug; just a bad response on my part.

That's what I thought...wasn't sure....I thought that was out of character for you.

Thanks, Man....I owe you one.

[Chalupa]

Ugh Cliff. Two homers to Danny Espinosa?? He came into the game hitting .205 for the season. WTF?

[JSngry]

A wasted, truly wasted game by the Rangers today, and for the first time this year I'm really going to question Wash's judgement - why the fuck was Arthur Rhodes facing Evan Longoria?

[Neal Pomea]

Ugh Cliff. Two homers to Danny Espinosa?? He came into the game hitting .205 for the season. WTF?

Respect. Espinosa had 8 HRs before today's game. You can't look just at average.

[Patrick]

Mitch Talbot recovers from a blowout loss to the Bosox with a solid start against the streaking Jays. Even strikes out Bautista with two on. Carmona was dreadful again the previous game. Time to call up some minor leaguers to help with the offense (Cord Phelps).

[Quincy]

Mitch Talbot recovers from a blowout loss to the Bosox with a solid start against the streaking Jays. Even strikes out Bautista with two on.

Very impressive as Bautista proved he was not a fluke.

Rumor has it the young slugger picked up for Cliff Lee hit a 3 run shot in the bottom of the 8th for a mediocre NW franchise, putting them just 1/2 a game back in the AL West. Will Justin Smoak grow up to be the Yankees first baseman for 2016? In the meantime, I'm not sure if I'm watching the '69 or '73 Mets play in Seattle. The division so reminds of the NL East's top 4 teams of '73 it's freakin' stupid. (I was 10 so that one is burned into the brain more than most things.) Okay, minus the Lou Brock and no Willie Stargell...but team performancewise it fits for now.

Edit - Oh by the way, I love how the pitcher Guthrie commits the error to put the 2nd man on, then gives up the HR but gives up no earned runs in the deal. A pitcher's best friend is his own crappy fielding.

Edited June 1, 2011 by Quincy

[JSngry]

A wasted, truly wasted game by the Rangers today, and for the first time this year I'm really going to question Wash's judgement - why the fuck was Arthur Rhodes facing Evan Longoria?

Wash cops to his error, as Rhodes, Andrus & even CJ Wilson do theirs http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/05/31/3117463/rangers-manager-takes-blame-for.html

Still, if at the end of the year one is to look back at games we should have won but didn't that made the one or two game difference in the standings that kept us from where we needed to have been, this one will be on the list. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.........

[Tim McG]

A very nice Post Game article about Sparky Anderson by Steve Henson that I think all baseball fans should read:

Sparky rests in peace

[Matthew]

Nice little three game winning streak by the Dodgers, taking the Rockies last night to move into third place, (and do the Rockies ever look bad right now, worst MLB record for May). Dodgers are still a mediocre team. Matt Kemp is great, carry the team for stretches. Andre Ethier is pretty good, but he has too much of that "too preppy-popping my collar--icing my brahs--I'm too sexy for my shirt--shout out to my frat bros from Duke--love me I'm great" vibe to be one of my favorites. Casey Blake is ok, as well as Robbie Furcal. Starting pitching is picking up; bullpen is shaky. There you have your 2011 Los Angeles Dodgers: two very good players, too decent players, two good starters, one decent one, and the rest are warm bodies. However, no one is going to run away with the division this year, so there's a chance the Blue might still be in the hunt come September... baseball is a funny game

[Tim McG]

You could be right.

With the loss of Posey and with Sandoval, Fontenot, Belt and DeRosa on the DL the Giants are struggling right now. But as the season wears on, things do and will change in the NL West.

My mantra for this season?

Finish ahead of the Dodgers...

Edited June 1, 2011 by GoodSpeak

[JSngry]

The Inner Colby Lewis & the Hopefully Returned Neftali Feliz combine for a 3-0 shutout of the Rays, about which the Rays must feel bad, seeing how David Price was almost lights out today. But Wash likes to be aggressive on the basepaths to put the runners in scoring position during these tight games (wisely so, since Price was not going to make any huge mistakes today), he's got the tools with which to work, and today the hitters delivered when needed (and Nellie Cruz went 3-4, good to see him slowly and quietly but surely getting back into the swing of things, no pun intended).

A 3-0 win should not be this nerve-wracking, but that's how it's gonna be until the Ranger bullpen definitively decides to cut the crap. All in all, though, this was a particularly sweet win that almost makes the fuquitous bullshit of yesterday's loss seem but a mere bad dream. We'll know for sure at the end of September...

[Neal Pomea]

From our Columbian District, nice first win for John Lannan over Philadelphia (he was 0-10!), and save for Storen.

(Hot for day games here!)

[Chalupa]

From our Columbian District, nice first win for John Lannan over Philadelphia (he was 0-10!), and save for Storen.

(Hot for day games here!)

First win in 14 tries!

Man, the Phillies stunk it up the last three days in DC. They need to get the ship righted this weekend in Pittsburgh. Them Bucs always play us tough.

Very concerned about Oz and wondering if he might be headed back to the DL.

[JSngry]

Major buzz-kill: Matt Harrison scratched from tomorrow's start due to blister issues. Being replaced by Dave Bush.

:rmad:

Prove me wrong, bitch.

[PHILLYQ]

Major buzz-kill: Matt Harrison scratched from tomorrow's start due to blister issues. Being replaced by Dave Bush.

:rmad:

Prove me wrong, bitch.

Nolan Ryan didn't give him a jar of pickle juice?

[JSngry]

I bet he will now...

[ghost of miles]

Listening right now to the Rockies-Dodgers game--what's the deal with Ubaldo Jimenez this year? Pretty dramatic dropoff in performance so far.

BTW, Jsngry, an interesting discussion over at Pinstripe Alley about Ryan/the Rangers' philosophy on young pitchers and innings/pitch counts (this came up in the midst of some talk about the Yankees' pitching prospects Banuelos and Betances:

You almost never see starters in the low minors go further than 5 or 6 innings to keep their innings down.

by Lord Duggan on Jun 1, 2011 6:44 PM EDT up reply

Unless the guy is pitching in the Texas organization.

by tnredneckyankeesfan on Jun 1, 2011 7:36 PM EDT up reply

From my understanding, Texas is more about pitch count for their starters than they are about abolishing innings limitations (though, I doubt they do much of that either). And, as I have never seen any reason why pitchers should be trained to stop at 100 pitches, I have to think that what they are doing is smart.

by Lord Duggan on Jun 1, 2011 7:52 PM EDT up reply

When your President is Nolan Ryan

Probably not a good idea to complain your arm is tired.

by HappyLuckyGoldenDragonNumber1! on Jun 1, 2011 8:01 PM EDT up reply

Thing I've always wondered about innings limits is that all innings are not created equal. A 3 up 3 down inning where every hitter puts the ball in play on first or second pitch is not the same as a inning where there are 3 or 4 walks and three strikeouts with a bunch of foul balls thrown in for good measure.

by tnredneckyankeesfan on Jun 1, 2011 8:35 PM EDT up reply

As I understand it that’s the basis of the Rangers’ (and Ryan’s) philosophy. Rather than stick to strict limits on pitches and innings, they judge individual outings. The point is that when their young pitchers get to the majors, they don’t want to feel as though pitchers need to be limited beyond what their outing demands. They can’t (or rather don’t want to) afford to limit members of their pitching staff at the ML level.

by Dr. Copp on Jun 1, 2011 9:04 PM EDT