Real MLB Thread

[CTWarrior]

Red Sox left Eduardo Rodriguez in yesterday when he just didn't have it to allow 7 runs in 5 innings (He had a ERA of 1 over his previous 7 starts and 2.20 over his previous 15) so he could get his 19th win with a shot at 20 Sunday at home against the Orioles.  They are out of contention and took a chance on losing (they ended up holding on 12-10, so he got his win) to help a guy go for a statistical milestone.  Reminds me of the old days when they would sit a guy to keep a .300 average or move him up in the lineup to get a shot at 40 HRs or 100 Rs or 100 RBIs or something.  I actually liked it.  What do you guys think?

[The Sultan]

Brewers run differential is finally at 0!

[MUBurrow]

The AL Wildcard race is fantastic.  Five days left, and one game separates three teams seeking two spots.

OAK	94-63	+0.5
TB	94-64	-

CLE

93-64

0.5

Should be interesting.  I really hope the Indians get one of those spots.  Getting Ramirez back last night (with 2HR/7RBI in his return game) was a nice boost.

Great race, and three fun teams too. Kind of too bad one of them has to miss out.

[Silent Verbal]

Red Sox left Eduardo Rodriguez in yesterday when he just didn't have it to allow 7 runs in 5 innings (He had a ERA of 1 over his previous 7 starts and 2.20 over his previous 15) so he could get his 19th win with a shot at 20 Sunday at home against the Orioles.  They are out of contention and took a chance on losing (they ended up holding on 12-10, so he got his win) to help a guy go for a statistical milestone.  Reminds me of the old days when they would sit a guy to keep a .300 average or move him up in the lineup to get a shot at 40 HRs or 100 Rs or 100 RBIs or something.  I actually liked it.  What do you guys think?

In this case, I like it.  Gives Red Sox and baseball fans in general a reason to follow his last start against Baltimore on Sunday, a contest that would otherwise be meaningless. 

Not a fan of guys sitting out to protect their batting averages, though, especially when it involves a batting title.  It's a weak move and deprives the fans who paid for tickets a chance to see a good player.

[Mr. Nielsen]

[The Sultan]

Keeping a guy in the game after throwing 110+ pitches, and giving up seven earned runs, just so he can reach the magic 5 inning mark pretty much shows what a useless stat "wins" are.

But it's all in good fun, and there is no harm done, so go for it!

[MU82]

Back in 1988, the Twins had a pitcher named Allan Anderson. He won the AL ERA title by a fraction over the Brewers' Eddie Higuera, and he did so by sitting out his last start to protect his stats.

In private, Tom Kelly told people it was a sign of mental weakness, and a few players said the same. Anderson had another good (but not as good) season in 1989 but followed that with two bad seasons and never pitched again in the major leagues.

But I guess he'll always be able to tell his kids and grandkids that he once won the ERA title over a darn good field -- the next 4 were Higuera, Frank Viola, Mark Gubicza and Roger Clemens. Dave Stieb and Dave Stewart were also in the top 10 that season.

Viola went 24-7 with a 2.64 ERA and won the Cy Young Award. The Twins actually had a much better regular season that season than they did the year before (when they won a weak AL West and went on to win their first championship) but they finished behind the powerhouse A's -- who were starting their steroid-fueled run of success.

[JWags85]

Back in 1988, the Twins had a pitcher named Allan Anderson. He won the AL ERA title by a fraction over the Brewers' Eddie Higuera, and he did so by sitting out his last start to protect his stats.

In private, Tom Kelly told people it was a sign of mental weakness, and a few players said the same. Anderson had another good (but not as good) season in 1989 but followed that with two bad seasons and never pitched again in the major leagues.

But I guess he'll always be able to tell his kids and grandkids that he once won the ERA title over a darn good field -- the next 4 were Higuera, Frank Viola, Mark Gubicza and Roger Clemens. Dave Stieb and Dave Stewart were also in the top 10 that season.

Viola went 24-7 with a 2.64 ERA and won the Cy Young Award. The Twins actually had a much better regular season that season than they did the year before (when they won a weak AL West and went on to win their first championship) but they finished behind the powerhouse A's -- who were starting their steroid-fueled run of success.

Even more interesting, on either side of that ERA title, the Twins won a World Series with him on the roster, and he didn't pitch in the playoffs during either run.  Truly a strange one season wonder

[Spotcheck Billy]

Back in 1988, the Twins had a pitcher named Allan Anderson. He won the AL ERA title by a fraction over the Brewers' Eddie Higuera, and he did so by sitting out his last start to protect his stats.

I moved to So. St. Paul for a job right before the '87 playoffs. I recall trying to pay with my credit card for a new muffler @ Car-X the day playoff tickets went on sale. It took over an hour for them to run my card because of all the playoff sales jamming the CC approvals. Wish I could have paid with cash vs. CC that day!

I also remember the Corvette convertibles catching fire during the Twins ticker tape parade lol.

[jsglow]

Cards lose again!  'Hey Chicago whadda say?  The Cubs are going to win today.  Go Cubs Go!'  (all weekend  ) 

#Crew

[GB Warrior]

Time for the Cubs to do their jobs.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Time for the Cubs to do their jobs.

Feel a 3 game winning streak coming up for the cubbies.

[Dish]

For those interested, top 5th inning of Sox game, tune in if you want to see my fat face on tv.

[jsglow]

#playoffs #Crew 

[Benny B]

For those interested, top 5th inning of Sox game, tune in if you want to see my fat face on tv.

What face do we get to see if we tune in the top of the 8th?

[GB Warrior]

Didn't think I'd get to use this for the Brewers this year

[TSmith34, Inc.]

Didn't think I'd get to use this for the Brewers this year

Me either.  A very very .500 team loses their MVP candidate and then rattles off 17 wins in 19 games?  Wow.

C'mon Cubs, time to wakie, wakie now.

[MU82]

Me either.  A very very .500 team loses their MVP candidate and then rattles off 17 wins in 19 games?  Wow.

That clinches it: Yelich is the NL LVP!

[Dish]

What face do we get to see if we tune in the top of the 8th?

I ended up getting to call a home run on a major league broadcast, that was pretty cool!

I told Benetti after the game, his job appears safe.

[Jockey]

Time for the Cubs to do their jobs.

Yeah.....

They've shown a lot of heart the last week or so.

[MU82]

Time for the Cubs to do their jobs.

Cubbies' response: zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[Mr. Nielsen]

[Mr. Nielsen]

[The Sultan]

I love how the Reds' two-bit pitcher plunked Braun the next AB after his grand slam.  So predictable and dumb.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

I love how the Reds' two-bit pitcher plunked Braun the next AB after his grand slam.  So predictable and dumb.

TGFIB(tm) would approve of this action.