Baseball 2017

[Matt Wilson]

Dave will appreciate this: Saw two Dodgers games over the weekend. Beat the Giants both times.

[BARON CORNY DOG]

Tonight exemplifies the Astros' problems. They get a strong start from Charlie Morton and lead 11-2. But in the 7th and 8th, the bullpen absolutely craters and the Rays score five runs.

If all goes well, all the people who are hurt will come back by early September and they'll be in good shape, but they really need more pitching to compete with the best three or four teams and they got a little today, but I fear it wasn't enough.

[sloopjohnc]

Tonight exemplifies the Astros' problems. They get a strong start from Charlie Morton and lead 11-2. But in the 7th and 8th, the bullpen absolutely craters and the Rays score five runs.

If all goes well, all the people who are hurt will come back by early September and they'll be in good shape, but they really need more pitching to compete with the best three or four teams and they got a little today, but I fear it wasn't enough.

I thought it was interesting Kuechel went to the press and asked why management didn't do anything. They were in talks with the Giants about Samardzija. He pitched well again last night so talks might heat up again. Giants shouldn't do it as he's signed for two more years, but if the 'Stros have some prospects, bring it on.

[BARON CORNY DOG]

Supposedly, Peter Angelos nixed a deal for Britton at the last minute.

[sloopjohnc]

The Phillies were set to have a commemoration this weekend and put Pete Rose up on their wall of fame and give out bobbleheads. Unfortunately, a woman came forth and said Rose had had sex with her when he played for Philly and she was 15 (this also came out in Dowd Report). They nixed event. Folks on Deadspin, the irreverent sports site, always have pretty funny comments. Here's one:

That’s Charlie Hustle for you. So much dedication to the game, he’d play ball even without any grass on the field.

As I told my boss, "They should still do bobbleheads. Just make 'em of underage girls for Pete."

Rose has officially passed Ty Cobb as baseball's all-time leading douchebag.

[toomanyhatz]

Rose has officially passed Ty Cobb as baseball's all-time leading douchebag.

Neither of them are even in the top ten.

And as for the allegations, I have no reason to suspect they're not true, but if they eliminated every tribute to every player who'd ever done anything similar, they'd have to concentrate on steroid users and dead people. I suspect it was pretty damned common. It was the 70s. Not excusing it at all, just saying.

I WILL say I know a few baseball researchers, and generally speaking, Cobb's reputation improves the more research they do. Dirty player, difficult personality, dark and troubled past, all true. Racist? Plenty of folks insist no. In fact lots of research is proving he was supportive of integration before a lot of his contemporaries.

Cap Anson, on the other hand? OK, 19th Century, so the "everybody did it" card probably applies here, but he appears to have been a virulent racist even for his time.

[toomanyhatz]

Things keep getting worse and worse for the Giants and better and better for the Dodgers.

I actually feel badly enough for Sloop that I can't take any joy out of reminding him over and over, which I'd normally be doing if it weren't so pitiful a mismatch.

Mind you, it's meaningless until it results in a series win. So I'm still leaving the question mark after the year for now.

[sloopjohnc]

Things keep getting worse and worse for the Giants and better and better for the Dodgers.

I actually feel badly enough for Sloop that I can't take any joy out of reminding him over and over, which I'd normally be doing if it weren't so pitiful a mismatch.

Mind you, it's meaningless until it results in a series win. So I'm still leaving the question mark after the year for now.

I'd never admit it, but I'm kinda rooting for the Dodgers. They're winning at historic pace. If things were a little closer, it would be much different.

In the '70s, I hated all the Dodgers - Cey, Lopes, Garvey, Russell, Ferguson, etc. The only bad thing for the Dodgers is they had to send Joc Peterson, the pride of Palo Alto, to the minors, but they can do no wrong.

Fuckers - see that didn't last long.

[Dr Markus]

Is it true that the starting or star pitcher only pitches once every 4 or 5 games?

[sloopjohnc]

Is it true that the starting or star pitcher only pitches once every 4 or 5 games?

Yes, they used to have four man rotations, but the last few years it has gone to five.

Also, starting pitchers used to pitch 7+ innings if they were doing well. Now, it's rare that they go beyond 7.

A manager named Tony LaRussa revolutionized the sport with his use of starting and relief pitchers.

With the Oakland A's, he took a washed up starter, Dennis Eckersley, and made him a closer - 9th inning pitcher. Eckersley is now in the hall of fame because of it.

LaRussa gained prominence in Oakland and moved on to St. Louis.

[Dr Markus]

Is it true that the starting or star pitcher only pitches once every 4 or 5 games?

Yes, they used to have four man rotations, but the last few years it has gone to five.

So that's 32 games a season before the playoffs? Even then they don't pitch the whole game, because they bring in a closer?

[sloopjohnc]

Is it true that the starting or star pitcher only pitches once every 4 or 5 games?

Yes, they used to have four man rotations, but the last few years it has gone to five.

So that's 32 games a season before the playoffs? Even then they don't pitch the whole game, because they bring in a closer?

About. A good starting pitcher will start 30 or so games. A "quality" start is six or more innings by a starting pitcher. In the playoffs, it's good to have two really good starters because they won't go four games between starts if needed and may go three.

The Giants best starter, Madison Bumgarner, got the MVP a few years ago because he was able to pitch game 1, game 4, and even pitched relief for a few innings to win the World Series.

Bullpens, or relief corps, tend to have two or three set up guys before the pitchers and then there are left handed specialists, or right handed, if the situation warrants it.

That's what LaRussa essentially did. He "shortened" the game, because he'd put in a starter for six innings, have two relievers and a closer. Hitters could never get too comfortable with one pitcher's style.

A good hitter will figure out a pitcher with a couple trips to the plate. If you only see a pitcher one or two times, it's tough to get a read.

[Dr Markus]

I see the sense in it, but i'm just thinking of the money, teams must need to sell out all 100 and whatever games to pay all these guys. I mean do baseball teams have 50 players like a football team?

[sloopjohnc]

I see the sense in it, but i'm just thinking of the money, teams must need to sell out all 100 and whatever games to pay all these guys. I mean do baseball teams have 50 players like a football team?

25, and the roster can go up to 40 after Sept. 1. before the playoffs. It includes all players signed to a major league contract, which can include guys who played in the minors all year.

It's a good opportunity to see young guys play at the major league level.

[BARON CORNY DOG]

The bottom line is that good pitching beats good hitting and it's worth paying guys who can put your team in a solid place to win every 5 days. It's harder than it sounds and, when it gets down to it, it's the most important thing.

Which is why I'm FUCKING HAPPY Houston got Justin Verlander. They've shown some fight, but I'm glad to have August behind us.

[sloopjohnc]

Looks like the Astros and Angels are both going for it coming into the playoffs.

[sloopjohnc]

Which is why I'm FUCKING HAPPY Houston got Justin Verlander.

This trade was supposed to happen at trade deadline, but Detroit is having a fire sale.

Big pickup for Houston. Verlander is 7-5 with 3.39 ERA in postseason.

[joels344]

Even as a massive Tigers fan, I'm happy to see Verlander go to a team with that can give him support. Plus, it frees up some space for Detroit to focus on rebuilding.

[sloopjohnc]

The Dodgers have to be feeling it a little as the Diamondbacks are a likely first round playoff opponent.

[sloopjohnc]

For Baron. Today was Richard's debut at Candlestick against Giants. He struck out 15.