MLB 2018

[Ginger Yellow]

Rizzo seems to be trying to make up for his early season numbers all in one game.

[ursus arctos]

Need to fill yet boots when you can . . .

[Hot Pepsi]

I’m quite surprised that the Yankees and Red Sox are first and third in Mexico at the moment.

I would have thought Los Doyers were number one by a mile.

Indeed. I'm disappointed to learn that Mexico is awash in glory-hunting poseurs.

[San Bernardhinault]

Indeed. I'm disappointed to learn that Mexico is awash in glory-hunting poseurs.

I think you're overestimating the Padres...

[danielmak]

Also, what's KB doing in the outfield? Because of that hit to the head?

Two years ago when he won the MVP, he was used mostly at third, some in the outfield, and some at first. That flexibility certainly influenced his winning the award. I assume Madden is just trying to get at bats and time in the field for someone else, but I didn't see the game.

I haven't seen much baseball this week because of working late and Sudamericana matches, but I watched a good chunk of MLB Tonight on Tuesday night on MLB Network. Pedro and Girardi were on the desk with Greg Amsinger and the conversation was fascinating. Pedro was talking about being pissed when batters stepped out of the box and how he would warn people about doing that. If they kept it up, he would drill them. That's the short version but the back and forth about strategy was, as you can expect from a thoughtful hall of fame pitcher and a former Manager of the year award winner, really engaging. I don't think they put these shows on-line but if you know some options for viewing old shows, look for this if you like tactical discussions.

[Ginger Yellow]

Two years ago the Cubs had a pretty bad injury crisis at one point, with Schwarber, Fowler, Soler and LaStella all out at one point.

[ursus arctos]

An interesting year-old piece from 538 on teams most impacted by injuries

The Cubs are notably absent from the top ten. danielmak will not be surprised to see Los Doyers topping the table, but may be intrigued by their suggestion that it isn’t the result of random chance.

[Incandenza]

Hmm, interesting. Seems to be a problem for the Dodgers most often with pitching in recent years, which makes the loss of Turner and Seager seem even worse, I guess.

[danielmak]

Thanks for sharing this, UA. I think there are a few things to consider. First, I don't know if I agree that a training staff is free from blame if a team repeatedly suffers injuries. If we exclude guys who are injured all the time (Andre Ethier with the Dodgers and David Wright) but instead focus on total quantity of injuries then something is happening with training. Second, the Dodgers are in a unique situation (akin to the Yankees in the late 90s and early 2000s) in that their farm system is strong and they have purchased high quality free agents. They have leveraged their money in intelligent ways. The 10-day DL allows the Dodgers to flex this muscle. But the 10 day DL is less useful when we are talking about top, top quality pitching (Kershaw or Syndogard or DeGrom). That's hard to replace. Finally, I agree 100% with the writer: the Dodgers bought very poorly a few years back with McCarthy and Anderson. Those guys were hurt more than healthy. That's wasted money and factoring those guys into WAR is a mistake.

On another stats related note, one thing that I think WAR and the DL miss is that when a good player is out the team as a whole can suffer when we move below the level of super teams like the Dodgers or Yankees. So, when people used to claim that Tulo for 2/3 of a season and a scrub from AAA is better than someone else, I don't buy it. A guy like Tulo who is hurt all the time (even when he was at his peak) is someone I would trade (as the Rockies did although perhaps too late) because the team is unable to settle into a consistent lineup and rhythm.

[Incandenza]

I liked Grant Brisbee on thinking about the Yankees-Red Sox as an outsider.

The Dodgers' offensive production...it's not good, folks.

The Dodgers only scored one run despite loading the bases in each of the first two innings. Chase Utley’s RBI-single in the first was only the sixth hit the Dodgers have produced with runners in scoring position in their last 47 at-bats.

Going further, Utley’s single is one of just five hits the Dodgers have in 35 plate appearances with the bases loaded this season.

[Ginger Yellow]

Nice one Contreras.

[ursus arctos]

Our guy Wilson had himself a day.

In other news

https://twitter.com/andrewsimonmlb/status/995099582576189442?s=21

[Gerontophile]

Fucking hell, I could get a hit up the left.

*Or is it right? The opposite of Paul O'Neill.

[Incandenza]

Must drive hitters crazy to basically see the other team going "go ahead, just hit it over there, it's wide open," and you know that you can't.

[danielmak]

Gallo is the best example of the worst of baseball right now: home run or strike out. I don't think he walks much but I could be missing it. In the long run, I think what we're seeing in baseball is not going to be good for baseball: these guys who hit home runs or strike out only will not get contracts when they are free agents since teams can pay guys way less to do the same thing. I think about Chris Carter: led the league in home runs, was released, signed by the Yankees for nothing, and let go. No reason to spend money on these types of hitters. Then on the flipside, the meatheads that come out of the pen throwing 100 will blow their arms out, will never learn how to pitch, and will be replaced by a cadre of flamethrowers in the minors. Called up at 23 and retired at 27.

I know the Dodgers have had monster runs in the past few years, winning so many games in a row that the end of the season hasn't mattered. That's still possible. But I am officially logging my I'm worried post. They're looking to lose a series to the Reds. The Reds. This is one of the worst teams in baseball.

[ursus arctos]

Mother's Day uniforms are out of control (so is Ohtani's splitter)

https://twitter.com/MLB/status/995776407195156480

[Amor de Cosmos]

Pinkification is running rampant. Won't somebody think of the children?

[San Bernardhinault]

Padres have managed to make the pink worse by combining it with their finest Sunday camo

[ursus arctos]

[San Bernardhinault]

I never feel as good when we win wearing that monstrosity. But a tied series against the Cardinals is a pretty good return for us. 5-2 up at the beginning of the ninth, throw away a home run to make it 5-3, and then load the bases up - it felt like a classic Padres fuck up was in the offing, yet somehow we got through it...

[ursus arctos]

Apt for the Padres to do God’s work in that regard

[Hot Pepsi]

Reds have won SIX in a row, partly thanks to the Dodgers curious ineptitude.

[Gerontophile]

Robinson Cano has been suspended for 80 games (unpaid) for violation of joint drug prevention & treatment program.

He tested positive for a diuretic.

[WOM]

That's taking the piss...

[danielmak]

About Cano the the story was that he tested positive in December and he has been involved with a longer investigation possible appeal up until the suspension was announced. He claimed that his blood pressure was high. The thing about this story and about 90% of the suspensions that continues to confuse me are the claims that the player didn't know he was consuming a banned substance. Of course, most of these guys are lying because they are taking drugs to mask PEDs. But the problem with the claim of ignorance is that every team has a cadre of medical staff. If Cano has high blood pressure and is one of the highest paid players in MLB, we know for a fact that those doctors are either flying to the DR, having him fly back to Seattle, or meeting him at a medical facility in Florida (or elsewhere). There is no way in hell that the Mariners are saying to Cano: "Oh, you've got high blood pressure? Go to a local doctor so he can prescribe something to fix that." It's nuts. If I was earning millions of dollars, I would have my team doctor call my local pharmacist and tell that pharmacist what to prescribe even if I had a cold.

Dodgers take a double header from the Nats even with Scherzer pitching like Scherzer. Jansen saves both games and increases his total saves by nearly 1/3. And the Yankees boppers bopped today.