The Official 2013 MLB Thread

[miami_fan]

Buster Olney explaining the perceived violations of baseball's unwritten rules in the LA-ARIZ game was both funny and embarrassing.

[Ryan S]

If anyone is interested, MLB.tv premium is $50 for the rest of the season for a limited time. It's a Father's day offer, so I would guess that the price will go up after Sunday.

[Jas_lov]

The Yankees offense is starting to hit the wall and the pitching can only do so much. Hafner, Youk and Wells are a combined 0-20 today. Add in Teixera's 0-4 and the 4-7 hitters are 0-24 with 3 walks and 10 Ks.

[Jas_lov]

Chris Stewart just took a big collision at home plate and held onto the ball in the 15th inning. This game just won't end. Nobody wants to score a run.

[lungs]

Carlos Gomez leads the league in WAR. Wrap your heads around that one. Too bad he can't pitch.

[MrBug708]

MLB hands out suspensions...Kennedy go 10 games

[bhlloy]

Suspensions for starting pitchers in MLB is such a unique situation. Essentially Kennedy misses three less games he would have actually been in than Hinske does

[Easy Mac]

Hinske has played in 2/3 of the team's games, so it's more like a 3 game suspension.

[miked]

My first Braves game in 2 years and they nearly get no-hit. Nothing like watching McCann, Uggla, and the Uptons ring up 7 Ks or so.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

God, please stop teasing us Royals.....

[Vince, Pt. II]

Originally Posted by bhlloy

Suspensions for starting pitchers in MLB is such a unique situation. Essentially Kennedy misses three less games he would have actually been in than Hinske does

2 starts is about 6% of his season. 5 games for Hinske (if he were a regular) is about 4%. Technically, Kennedy is missing more of the season than Hinske.

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by Vince, Pt. II

2 starts is about 6% of his season. 5 games for Hinske (if he were a regular) is about 4%. Technically, Kennedy is missing more of the season than Hinske.

Honestly, that's irrelevant. Because he's a starting pitcher, the team needs his services in fewer games. He's gonna miss two appearances, he might otherwise have made, at most. Maybe only one depending on how his starts and off days line up the rest of the season.

That's his punishment for throwing at someone's head. Kontos got three games for hitting somebody in the ass, and Hinske's 5-game suspension is for no good goddamn reason at all.

I mean, whatever you think of the suspensions and who deserved what (and I'm including guys who should have been suspended and weren't, like Puig and Kershaw), you can't tell me that's not seven flavors of fucked up - throw at a guy's head, miss two starts. Have someone take a swing at you, miss five games. Hit someone in the ass, potentially miss three relief appearances.

It's bullshit. Kennedy's headhunting should've gotten him 20-25, minimum. Send a message that headhunting won't be tolerated. If MLB is going to do this handwaving thing over concussions on batted balls hit back at the mound, they need to sack the fuck up on pitchers throwing at a batter's head.

Otherwise what you're doing is trying to protect pitchers from things they can't control while failing to protect hitters from things pitchers CAN control.

And that's bullshit.

[Vince, Pt. II]

Originally Posted by SackAttack

Honestly, that's irrelevant. Because he's a starting pitcher, the team needs his services in fewer games. He's gonna miss two appearances, he might otherwise have made, at most. Maybe only one depending on how his starts and off days line up the rest of the season.

That's his punishment for throwing at someone's head. Kontos got three games for hitting somebody in the ass, and Hinske's 5-game suspension is for no good goddamn reason at all.

I mean, whatever you think of the suspensions and who deserved what (and I'm including guys who should have been suspended and weren't, like Puig and Kershaw), you can't tell me that's not seven flavors of fucked up - throw at a guy's head, miss two starts. Have someone take a swing at you, miss five games. Hit someone in the ass, potentially miss three relief appearances.

It's bullshit. Kennedy's headhunting should've gotten him 20-25, minimum. Send a message that headhunting won't be tolerated. If MLB is going to do this handwaving thing over concussions on batted balls hit back at the mound, they need to sack the fuck up on pitchers throwing at a batter's head.

Otherwise what you're doing is trying to protect pitchers from things they can't control while failing to protect hitters from things pitchers CAN control.

And that's bullshit.

But it's not irrelevant. Kennedy is missing twice as many games, effectively, as Hinske. Relievers appear in anywhere from 40-80 games a year if they are used regularly. We'll call it 60. Kontos is missing 5% of his games - most likely less, since he wouldn't be used on three consecutive days in a routine situation.

If you want to argue that the punishment should have been even more stiff, sure. But he's already being punished more than anyone who was suspended.

Edit: I'm with you, I think it should have been a stronger punishment. But saying that 2 starts from a starting pitcher is less important/impactful than 5 games from a position player is...well, foolish.

[cartman]

The Rangers have gone ice cold the past week and a half. I'd much rather they get it out of their system now, instead of waiting until the end of the season like last year.

[Dutch]

Another pitcher "Rays Alex Cobb" suffers only "minor" concussion after scary hit to the head. I'm almost starting to think the pitchers need some sort of padded ballcap to protect the sides and back of their head. But that would probably just make pitchers look ridiculous...

[frnk55]

Originally Posted by Mike D

Another pitcher "Rays Alex Cobb" suffers only "minor" concussion after scary hit to the head. I'm almost starting to think the pitchers need some sort of padded ballcap to protect the sides and back of their head. But that would probably just make pitchers look ridiculous...

I'm so surprised it wasn't worse. That was scary.

[cartman]

In case you've ever wondered what walk-up music a player was using, this site has compiled the entire list.

Designated Hits

[sterlingice]

The MLB AtBat At The Ballpark ap has walkup music for most players

SI

[Lathum]

Did they really just start the Mets - Braves game?
Teams play a double header tomorrow already.

[cartman]

The Rangers get off the schneid, beating the A's 8-7. That is as many runs as they scored in all six games of their losing streak. Their 12 hits also ends a 15 game streak of 10 or fewer hits, the second longest streak in franchise history.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Never thought we'd see this again this season. Royals in 2nd place and back at .500 after winning 11 of their last 14.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Ho hum, win win win

Dillon Gee is the first starting pitcher since Jeff Fassero on May 7, 1994, to lose a lead and a shutout on a walk-off home run. Fassero's Expos, like Gee's Mets, lost a 1-0 lead at Atlanta on a two-run homer.

[Lathum]

If I was a mets starting pitcher I would be so pissed at the world

[hoopsguy]

How about being a Cubs starting pitcher who sees Marmol warming up for the 9th inning?

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by hoopsguy

How about being a Cubs starting pitcher who sees Marmol warming up for the 9th inning?

haha, true.

The one good thing about last nights game was the bullpen is fresh.

Really excited for the Harvey-Wheeler double header today.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by hoopsguy

How about being a Cubs starting pitcher who sees Marmol warming up for the 9th inning?

Yeah, as a pitcher you can only hit so many home runs, even on the Cubs

SI

[cartman]

I'm heading up to Dallas today to visit a client. One of my friends has an extra ticket to the game tonight, and Yu is pitching. Last game I went to with this friend and Yu was pitching, it was the near perfecto in Houston.

[MrBug708]

So a late FOFC-BBCF sim?

[Buccaneer]

It's great to finally get excited about the Padres again. A good, young team that is having everything go right lately - sweeping 1st place Braves and Dbacks and beating the Giants last night on a squeeze that puts them 1 game back in third place.

[TroyF]

I know I'm setting the kid up here, but Matt Harvey is throwing one of the most dominant games I've seen in a LONG while right now. The Braves simply cannot touch him. 5 innings, 0 hits, 2 BB, 10 K, 77 pitches.

Wow.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by TroyF

I know I'm setting the kid up here, but Matt Harvey is throwing one of the most dominant games I've seen in a LONG while right now. The Braves simply cannot touch him. 5 innings, 0 hits, 2 BB, 10 K, 77 pitches.

Wow.

Up to 12 Ks through 6.

[Lathum]

Matt Harvey is good

[Lathum]

87 pitches through 6. I doubt he finishes the game unless he has a 5 pitch inning. Given what happened with Johan I would be shocked if he throws 125-130 pitches.

I predict he goes 8 then the bullpen blows it.

[ISiddiqui]

Yeah, 2 runs is not nearly enough.

[ISiddiqui]

Well there goes the no-hit

[Logan]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Well there goes the no-hit

Better off.

[TroyF]

Yeah, better off the nono was taken away. Still, 2 Braves hitters have hit it out of the infield on him in 7 innings. 12 K, 1 weak ass hit. Really impressive pitching. The kid is good.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Lathum

I predict he goes 8 then the bullpen blows it.

Almost

[Suburban Rhythm]

Time killer

Quiz: Do you know MLB rules? - SportsNation - ESPN

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by cartman

I'm sure with different pitching coaches, he would have hit more batters in his time with the Royals.

This post needed more love.

(Tho truth be told, that was one of the complaints during that time is that the Royals were soft and the pitching staff was being told to pitch away and not inside).

SI

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Ryan S

If anyone is interested, MLB.tv premium is $50 for the rest of the season for a limited time. It's a Father's day offer, so I would guess that the price will go up after Sunday.

I thought about it and ultimately decided against it. Back up to $99 now. Was curious if they would stick to their guns and they did.

SI

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

God, please stop teasing us Royals.....

It's interesting watching the "civil war" break out over at RR. There's one camp of "hey, it's cool to see the Royals winning for a change even if 10 of 12 gets them back to .500" and there's the other camp of "this team needs to lose and lose bad because Dayton Moore needs to go".

Well, and there are quite a few of us who realize that Moore is a giant eff up and doing even marginally well, like say, 85 wins might get him a ridiculously stupid extension because expectations have been stomped so low due in part, tho certainly not entirely, to his first six(!) crappy years as GM. But who also go "winning is shiny and fun and rare so let's enjoy it"

Either way, they just blew the game last night and it has all the trademarks of one of those games that sends the Royals into a 10 game losing streak death spiral.

SI

[spleen1015]

You can't make this stuff up.

I am watching the Orioles play Detroit on MLB.tv. They are talking about the upcoming pitching matchups when the O's go to Toronto for their next series.

Gery Thorne just said "The Orioles will be facing Dickey, Wang and Johnson in the 3 game series...."

[Lathum]

Entertaining meltdown by the Dodgers reliever, sure to be seen in espn tonight.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

You can't make this stuff up.

I am watching the Orioles play Detroit on MLB.tv. They are talking about the upcoming pitching matchups when the O's go to Toronto for their next series.

Gery Thorne just said "The Orioles will be facing Dickey, Wang and Johnson in the 3 game series...."

My inner 8 (10? 12?) year old just giggled

EDIT: Who am I kidding? He just passed out from a red faced laugh riot

SI

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

My inner 8 (10? 12?) year old just giggled

EDIT: Who am I kidding? He just passed out from a red faced laugh riot

SI

I was LMAO for about 20 seconds and my coworkers wanted to know what was I laughing at.

[sterlingice]

According to Camden Chat, when they mentioned it a second time, the other announcer responded with ‘it shouldn’t be hard to get up for that [series]’.

SI

[Logan]

Ping Nats fans...

Just found out I'll be in the DC area for work the week of 8/12. Now, I've spent probably the equivalent of a year in DC ever since the team moved there, but amazingly they have only been home maybe two or three times throughout that whole period, and for one reason or another I couldn't get to a game. The Giants are in town that week, and I have literally nothing else to do and won't be traveling with anyone I know, so I am definitely going to the game either on the 13th or the 14th (day game on the 15th). Of course this is the first time I'm staying in Arlington and not actually DC, but I'm committed to getting there.

Normally I would check the pitching matchups/weather and just figure out the better game to go to and pick up a random ticket on SH, but since I know there are a few local fans, figured maybe someone would be interested in making a plan to catch a game. If not, no big deal and I'll just take that approach and ride solo. Of course, if anyone would rather make plans as we get closer, we can keep in touch.

[cougarfreak]

Bronson Arroyo is in his 519th game as a starting pitcher. He's never missed his turn in the rotation.

[SackAttack]

Dear Chris Capuano: please keep pitching this well for the rest of the season.