BASEBALL 2018---BRING IT ON!

[Cyber Liberty]

Meanwhile, while nobody was looking, the Snakes took the lead for the NL away from the Mets....

[al_c]

As if my Rangers didn't have enough problems ... now Beltre is out with an injury. The season just got longer.

[GrouchoTex]

Just asking this:

Has anyone seen the new pitcher for the Angels pitch?  He is outrageous!  Twice pitching, and 12 strikeouts both times.  Plus the guy can hit!  Three homers already.  Records will be made with this player.  His name is Shohei Ohtani. He made player of the week with Jameson Tallon.  Ohtani is all of 23 years old.

Watch out Astros!

 

Got to see him live (on TV) last night against the Astros.
He did throw 100mph and has a good slider.
In the end, neither starter was a factor, both left early.
final Angels 8, Astros 7
Angels did take 2 out of 3.
 Along way to go, so....

Still
Ain't
Skeered.

Ohtani and Trout
and then.....?

I'll have to see more from a few others to be convinced that they can overtake the Astros over a course of a year.
Yet, anything can happen.
That's why they play'em.

[Polly Ticks]

Meanwhile, while nobody was looking, the Snakes took the lead for the NL away from the Mets....

Speaking of toppling the Mets ...

Baby Braves growing up fast, take 1st in NL East

[catfish1957]

Separated at Birth........

[GrouchoTex]

LOL

Yeah, wasn't that a special moment in our Astros history....

 

[catfish1957]

LOL

Yeah, wasn't that a special moment in our Astros history....

 

Yep, Giles is Nutzoid.  Jung and Freud together couldn't solve his mental issues.

[Bigun]

Astros bullpen just aTAD sucky this homestand.

[GrouchoTex]

Astros bullpen just aTAD sucky this homestand.

Yep, a bit, I'm afraid

[TomSea]

Willie Mays at 87 years old, May 6th was his birthday, so sorry Willie for being one day late...



With Tommy Lasorda of all people, when they played for Almendares in Cuba (picture from 1951).

https://babalublog.com/2018/05/06/happy-87-willie-mays-who-played-with-almendares-in-cuba/

[EasyAce]

Willie Mays at 87 years old, May 6th was his birthday, so sorry Willie for being one day late...



With Tommy Lasorda of all people, when they played for Almendares in Cuba (picture from 1951).

https://babalublog.com/2018/05/06/happy-87-willie-mays-who-played-with-almendares-in-cuba/

Willie Mays, Game One, 1954 World Series . . .



Overhead view of the Polo Grounds with notes should amplify even more why that catch was so amazing . . .

[TomSea]

Games will be played in England in 2019, I saw the headlines.

[DCPatriot]

I saw that catch 'live' on my grandmother's 13 inch black & white Admiral television   

[EasyAce]

I saw that catch 'live' on my grandmother's 13 inch black & white Admiral television   

Wow.

The first TV set in my bedroom when I was a kid was an RCA Victor that looked almost exactly like your grandma's old Admiral. I remember two things most about that RCA set: 1) It had amazingly clear sound volume. 2) It had the longest-fading of the infernal old white dots when you turned it off that I ever saw. Took a full four minutes for the dot to fade!

[Cyber Liberty]

Games will be played in England in 2019, I saw the headlines.

That pisses me off.  In '17, the Dbacks and Dodgers played their season opener in Australia, in the middle of March when there were still two weeks of Spring Training.  WTH Baseball decided to do that is beyond me.

[dfwgator]

NO-HITTER!

Seattle's James Paxton No-Nos the Jays.

[Bigun]

NO-HITTER!

Seattle's James Paxton No-Nos the Jays.

Congratulations Mr. Paxton!  Quite an accomplishment!

[catfish1957]

GT....

I know it didn't get much press, but how about Springer last night being the first Astro to go 6-6 in a game.

[Bigun]

GT....

I know it didn't get much press, but how about Springer last night being the first Astro to go 6-6 in a game.

And only needed a triple to hit for the cycle as well.

[al_c]

NO-HITTER!

Seattle's James Paxton No-Nos the Jays.

I wish my Rangers could get some good pitchers like that. *sigh*

[catfish1957]

Through 68 games our team era is 2.43......   and we are in the AL no less.  Playoffs oughta be fun.

How sick is that!!!!!!

[GrouchoTex]

Through 68 games our team era is 2.43......   and we are in the AL no less.  Playoffs oughta be fun.

How sick is that!!!!!!

Pretty amazing.
I saw an article suggesting that our starting 5 go down as one of the best in history.

On another note, I am taking a vacation day tomorrow to see the Astros play the Giants, a day game.

Verlaner vs. Samardzija

[DCPatriot]

! No longer available

Bryce who???   19 year old Juan Soto.


1st major league AB.....1st pitch......GONE!!!

[GrouchoTex]

! No longer available

Bryce who???   19 year old Juan Soto.


1st major league AB.....1st pitch......GONE!!!

Nice!

I was in the Astrodome when Will Clark of the Giants (later on the Cardinals) hit his 1st home run on his first at bat off of Nolan Ryan.

[DCPatriot]

Nice!

I was in the Astrodome when Will Clark of the Giants (later on the Cardinals) hit his 1st home run on his first at bat off of Nolan Ryan.

 

[EasyAce]

! No longer available

Bryce who???   19 year old Juan Soto.


1st major league AB.....1st pitch......GONE!!!

@DCPatriot

Until Soto connected, each league had fifteen players each who hit home runs on the first major league pitch they saw:

National League:
Walter Mueller (Pirates), 1922
Clise Dudley (Dodgers), 1929
Eddie Morgan (Cardinals), 1936
Clyde Vollmer (Reds), 1942
Chuck Tanner (Braves), 1955
Jim Bullinger (Cubs), 1992
Jay Gainer (Rockies), 1993
Chris Richard (Cardinals), 2000
Gene Stechschulte (Cardinals), 2001
Kaz Matsui (Mets), 2004
Adam Wainwright (Cardinals), 2006
Mark Saccomanno (Astros), 2008
Tommy Milone (Nationals), 2011
Starling Marte (Pirates), 2012
Willson Contreras (Cubs), 2016

American League:
Bill LeFebvre (Red Sox), 1938
George Vico (Tigers), 1948
Bert Campaneris (Athletics), 1964
Brant Alyea (Senators), 1965
Don Rose (Angels), 1972
Al Woods (Blue Jays), 1977
Jay Bell (Indians), 1986
Junior Felix (Blue Jays), 1989
Esteban Yan (Devil Rays), 2000
Marcus Thames (Yankees), 2002
Andy Phillips (Yankees), 2004
Kevin Kouzmanoff (Indians), 2006
Daniel Nava (Red Sox), 2010
J.P. Arencibia (Blue Jays) 2010
Eddie Rosario (Twins), 2015

Notes on the above:

* Two of the first-pitch bombardiers did it as pinch hitters. (Phillips and Saccomanno)

* Eight were pitchers. (Dudley, Bullinger, Stechschulte, Wainwright, Milone, LeFebvre, Rose, and Yan)

* The longest span between first-pitch-ever home run hitters in the American League is seventeen years, between George Vico and Bert Campaneris. The longest in the National League is 37, between Tanner and Bullinger.

* Each league has had a first-pitch-ever home run hitter in back-to-back seasons only once.

* In terms of the field position of the player at the time he hit the bomb, every field position is represented on the first-pitch-ever home run list in the American League, but no second basemen or third basemen have ever done it in the National League.

* The National League team with the most first-pitch-ever home run hitters: the Cardinals, with four.

* The American League Team with the most first-pitch-ever home run hitters: the Blue Jays, with three.

* The longest major league career by any first-pitch-ever home run hitter: 20 years. (Bert Campaneris; Jay Bell had an 18-year major league career.)

* The career home run leader all-time among the first-pitch-ever home run hitters so far: Marcus Thames, with 115 before he retired.

* Hall of Famers who've hit home runs on the first major league pitch they ever saw: None.

* Eventual major league managers who hit home runs on the first major league pitch they ever saw: Chuck Tanner.

[DCPatriot]

@DCPatriot

Until Soto connected, each league had fifteen players each who hit home runs on the first major league pitch they saw:

National League:
Walter Mueller (Pirates), 1922
Clise Dudley (Dodgers), 1929
Eddie Morgan (Cardinals), 1936
Clyde Vollmer (Reds), 1942
Chuck Tanner (Braves), 1955
Jim Bullinger (Cubs), 1992
Jay Gainer (Rockies), 1993
Chris Richard (Cardinals), 2000
Gene Stechschulte (Cardinals), 2001
Kaz Matsui (Mets), 2004
Adam Wainwright (Cardinals), 2006
Mark Saccomanno (Astros), 2008
Tommy Milone (Nationals), 2011
Starling Marte (Pirates), 2012
Willson Contreras (Cubs), 2016

American League:
Bill LeFebvre (Red Sox), 1938
George Vico (Tigers), 1948
Bert Campaneris (Athletics), 1964
Brant Alyea (Senators), 1965
Don Rose (Angels), 1972
Al Woods (Blue Jays), 1977
Jay Bell (Indians), 1986
Junior Felix (Blue Jays), 1989
Esteban Yan (Devil Rays), 2000
Marcus Thames (Yankees), 2002
Andy Phillips (Yankees), 2004
Kevin Kouzmanoff (Indians), 2006
Daniel Nava (Red Sox), 2010
J.P. Arencibia (Blue Jays) 2010
Eddie Rosario (Twins), 2015

Notes on the above:

* Two of the first-pitch bombardiers did it as pinch hitters. (Phillips and Saccomanno)

* Eight were pitchers. (Dudley, Bullinger, Stechschulte, Wainwright, Milone, LeFebvre, Rose, and Yan)

* The longest span between first-pitch-ever home run hitters in the American League is seventeen years, between George Vico and Bert Campaneris. The longest in the National League is 37, between Tanner and Bullinger.

* Each league has had a first-pitch-ever home run hitter in back-to-back seasons only once.

* In terms of the field position of the player at the time he hit the bomb, every field position is represented on the first-pitch-ever home run list in the American League, but no second basemen or third basemen have ever done it in the National League.

* The National League team with the most first-pitch-ever home run hitters: the Cardinals, with four.

* The American League Team with the most first-pitch-ever home run hitters: the Blue Jays, with three.

* The longest major league career by any first-pitch-ever home run hitter: 20 years. (Bert Campaneris; Jay Bell had an 18-year major league career.)

* The career home run leader all-time among the first-pitch-ever home run hitters so far: Marcus Thames, with 115 before he retired.

* Hall of Famers who've hit home runs on the first major league pitch they ever saw: None.

* Eventual major league managers who hit home runs on the first major league pitch they ever saw: Chuck Tanner.

LOL!

My grown sons and my grandchildren tell me all the time that watching a game with me is their favorite thing in the world.

They tell me I have a different eye for the Game...etc..

Next to you, I know sh*t!   

[GrouchoTex]

Nice!

I was in the Astrodome when Will Clark of the Giants (later on the Cardinals) hit his 1st home run on his first at bat off of Nolan Ryan.

@DCPatriot

The Will Clark home run I saw was not his 1st pitch, but it was his 1st at bat.

[DCPatriot]

@DCPatriot

The Will Clark home run I saw was not his 1st pitch, but it was his 1st at bat.

@GrouchoTex

I had 'caught' that in your post.

Still can't get over how many hit HRs in the first pitch they ever saw.

...also how many names weren't that memorable.

[GrouchoTex]

@GrouchoTex

I had 'caught' that in your post.

Still can't get over how many hit HRs in the first pitch they ever saw.

...also how many names weren't that memorable.

Right about that.
A couple of the names were/are good players, but none were big standouts.

[EasyAce]

LOL!

My grown sons and my grandchildren tell me all the time that watching a game with me is their favorite thing in the world.

They tell me I have a different eye for the Game...etc..

Next to you, I know sh*t!   

@DCPatriot
All you got to do is what I did---look it up! 

[DCPatriot]

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bs-sp-orioles-jim-palmer-chris-davis-20180524-story.html

Hall of Famer Jim Palmer offers harsh criticism of Chris Davis on Orioles' postgame broadcast
Jon Meoli

...snip


If you play nowadays, you're going to make a lot of money, if you hit 33 home runs, 47 home runs, 53 home runs and you get a big seven-year deal.

"You've got to throw that away, and you've got to make some adjustments. I don't see anything. I don't see a wider stance, I don't see a closed stance, I don't see him dropping my hands. I don't see anything. And we're seeing the results. He's just in a prolonged slump. You know, they say he works hard. Ehh. He told everybody in spring training that he worked with [hitting coach] Scott Coolbaugh. I asked Scott in spring training, I go, 'Hey, you must have really put in a lot of work.' He goes, 'We didn't work.' So, you know, I don't believe anything.

“I can just look at what's going on. He's slumping. He's really — I mean, he's killing this club. He's not the only guy doing that. It's not all on Chris Davis. Then again, you give up 11 earned runs, it really probably wouldn't have mattered. But he's got to get back on track, and he's got to make some adjustments. If you look at Giancarlo Stanton, he had 59 home runs last year. Chris has hit 53. What did he do midway through the season? He closed his stance, and he ended up hitting, what, 27 home runs in the last two and a half months? So, Chris has got to do something. It's got to change. Whether it will or not, we'll wait and see."

...continued at above link

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

[EasyAce]

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bs-sp-orioles-jim-palmer-chris-davis-20180524-story.html

Hall of Famer Jim Palmer offers harsh criticism of Chris Davis on Orioles' postgame broadcast
Jon Meoli

...snip


If you play nowadays, you're going to make a lot of money, if you hit 33 home runs, 47 home runs, 53 home runs and you get a big seven-year deal.

"You've got to throw that away, and you've got to make some adjustments. I don't see anything. I don't see a wider stance, I don't see a closed stance, I don't see him dropping my hands. I don't see anything. And we're seeing the results. He's just in a prolonged slump. You know, they say he works hard. Ehh. He told everybody in spring training that he worked with [hitting coach] Scott Coolbaugh. I asked Scott in spring training, I go, 'Hey, you must have really put in a lot of work.' He goes, 'We didn't work.' So, you know, I don't believe anything.

“I can just look at what's going on. He's slumping. He's really — I mean, he's killing this club. He's not the only guy doing that. It's not all on Chris Davis. Then again, you give up 11 earned runs, it really probably wouldn't have mattered. But he's got to get back on track, and he's got to make some adjustments. If you look at Giancarlo Stanton, he had 59 home runs last year. Chris has hit 53. What did he do midway through the season? He closed his stance, and he ended up hitting, what, 27 home runs in the last two and a half months? So, Chris has got to do something. It's got to change. Whether it will or not, we'll wait and see."

...continued at above link

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

@DCPatriot
The Orioles proved wonderful for the White Sox's morale on Wednesday. The worst offense in the American League baked them 11-1 Wednesday, and with three home runs while they were at it. (One three-run job and a pair of two-run jobs.)

[GrouchoTex]

Here's a nice article on the Astros starting rotation

www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/astros-pitching-sets-impressive-record-is-on-historic-pace/ar-AAxJTBx?li=BBnb7Kz

[catfish1957]

Here's a nice article on the Astros starting rotation

www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/astros-pitching-sets-impressive-record-is-on-historic-pace/ar-AAxJTBx?li=BBnb7Kz

Things can change between now and October, but I imagine not many teams relish facing our starters right now.  (esp. in a 5 game series)

[Polly Ticks]

So ... Rizzo's slide.  Dirty or not?


Rizzo's slide into catcher stirs Cubs-Bucs debate

[EasyAce]

So ... Rizzo's slide.  Dirty or not?


Rizzo's slide into catcher stirs Cubs-Bucs debate

@Polly Ticks
A dirty slide, no . . . under the revamped rule, Anthony Rizzo was out of bounds because Pirates catcher Elias Diaz didn't have any foot on the plate and had, in fact, stepped well enough out in front of the plate by the time Rizzo landed. Diaz wasn't blocking the plate before he had the ball in his possession. Until that rule was revamped, Rizzo would have been seen doing only what baserunners had done for generations trying to break up a double play. Rizzo's big mistake was aiming slightly out of the baseline on the inside part of it; he didn't try barreling into Diaz on the slide, never mind trying to plow him flush on without sliding a la Pete Rose v. Ray Fosse, but he did leave the baseline somewhat.

The kicker: if you look closely at the play, Diaz might not have been able to complete the double play anyway, even without the takeout slide---batter Chris Gimenez may have had the play beaten at first base. (Look closely to the first base side after Rizzo slides past Diaz and Diaz throws up the line. Even a clean, unimpeded throw might not have gotten Gimenez; that play would have been close enough to demand a review, too, if the throw didn't go wild past first.) If Rizzo was trying to take Diaz out of the play regardless, it worked, with the throw wild and two Cub runs coming home.

[EasyAce]

Lesson for Tuesday evening: The Mets' bullpen doesn't always have to torch a stellar Jacob deGrom start. They're perfectly capable of torching the joint when Steven Matz has to leave a game for the fourth inning with an injury, too.

[EasyAce]

DUCK! DUCK! GOOSE!

! No longer available

(The Tigers have a Rally Goose now---they went on to beat the Angels after the above goosing . . . )

[WingNot]

! No longer available

[Polly Ticks]

! No longer available

Can't say I blame her.  Do you know what a beer costs at the ballpark??

[EasyAce]

Can't say I blame her.  Do you know what a beer costs at the ballpark??

That's what I call a catch! ;)

[WingNot]

That's what I call a catch! ;)

 

[TomSea]

Former Cardinals player, manager Red Schoendienst dies at 95
http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/23718274/former-st-louis-cardinals-player-manager-red-schoendienst-dies-95

[Suppressed]

Aaron Judge playing catch with a fan

http://mediadownloads.mlb.com/mlbam/mp4/2018/06/26/2197031783/1529979684876/asset_1200K.mp4


From fan perspective

https://i.imgur.com/OiQSBkY.gifv

[DCPatriot]

Washington Nationals:  BA .240   OBP .318   SLG .400   OPS .718

Ranked 10th of 15.

Bryce Harper   BA  .221   OBP .365   SLG .486   OPS.850   WAR 1.4

Dreams of a $400M+ contract are fading fast.

The team ...especially, Harper does not look like they/he's having any fun playing the game right now.

[DCPatriot]

Tonight, Red Sox catcher Sandy Leon, swung at strike 3...on a Max Scherzer pitch that went through his legs.

[Polly Ticks]

Tonight, Red Sox catcher Sandy Leon, swung at strike 3...on a Max Scherzer pitch that went through his legs.

[DCPatriot]

In all my years playing and observing The Game....never saw that before!   

[DCPatriot]

What's wrong with the Nationals?

  Eddie Matz  ESPN Senior Writer

   
 

The Washington Nationals are not who we thought they were.

Coming into the season, they were widely projected to go all Fred Astaire and waltz their way to a third straight division title. After all, the club that won 97 games last year was returning almost entirely intact. Cy Young finalists Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg were back to anchor the rotation. Sean Doolittle, Ryan Madson and Brandon Kintzler -- all of whom helped stabilize the bullpen after coming over in midseason trades -- were ready for a full season in D.C. An already good offense led by Bryce Harper and Daniel Murphy was supposed to get even better with a healthy Adam Eaton atop the lineup.

(Sound of needle scratching on record.)


...more at:   http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/23992370/wrong-nationals