TWiB Notes - Aug 27 - Sept 2

[MFS62]

What a dick.

https://www.khou.com/article/news/nation-world/red-sox-star-jd-martinez-defends-pro-gun-instagram-featuring-hitler/285-588614679

Whether you are for or against guns (or for or against anything for that matter), there has to be a better support of your position than Adolf Hitler.

Later

[bmfc1]

"At the time I posted that, the Second Amendment at the time was definitely a hot topic," he said. "The point of it wasn't to offend anybody."

He's right, it's not a hot topic today and no one would think that a picture of Hitler might be offense. Good thing this dope can hit a baseball.

[Edgy MD]

More importantly, it's a bullshit quote.

[Frayed Knot]

There's a saying in politics that the first side to resort to invoking Hitler (or Nazis or fascism) in an argument is the loser.
It's also the rule that's probably broken more than any other.




In actual baseball news:
- the Phils scored on a 1-out/bottom-9th double by ex-Nat Wilson Ramos to close their deficit down to 5-4 with 2 outs in the 9th vs the Nats
Seeing as how Ramos was the tying run but also is slow enough to be an honorary Molina brother, a pinch-runner was required. But, in this age of short benches, Philly resorted to using pitcher Vince Velasquez
So Velesquez decides he needs to tag up on a fly to CF by the next batter ... because we all know how important it is that he get to 3rd with 2 outs ... and your team starting to lose it's grip on a playoff spot.
He was thrown out to end the game ... on a replay reversal no less.
Phils lost another game in the standing (Braves beat TBR) and are now 4.5 behind the Braves and just 3.5 ahead of the Nats

Pitching stats for the Nola/Scherzer matchup - the second of these inside a week:
Scherzer: 5 innings (99 pitches) 3 Runs, 4 H, 5 K, 2 HR. ERA now 2.22
Nola: 7 IP, 2 Runs (1 earned), 4 H, 8 K, 2 BB. ERA now 2.10
JdG ERA = 1.68 None of the three CY contenders registered a decision

[HahnSolo]

I think Velazquez was called out on the field on the original appeal by the Braves; the Phillies then asked for video appeal (because at that point why not?); and the umps stuck with the out call.

My question is, on "tag up" video reviews: usually you see side-by-side videos of the baserunner and the guy catching the ball. How do we know for certain they are synched up time-wise? I'm sure there's a way for them to know it but I'm curious.

[Frayed Knot]

That's right, he was called out for leaving too early from 2nd not for the play at 3rd.

The Atlanta announcers were making some comments, while the review was taking place, about there being a time clock on each angle to make sure the two are synched-up. I didn't really hear their whole discussion but it sounds like the umps in the Chelsea studio get the feed from the networks which includes all the time stamps on them rather than the "cleaned up" version that goes out over the air. Or maybe they were just assuming that, I don't know, but there have been enough media visits into the the control center there where I assume they've got good info on what the men in blue see.

[Edgy MD]

I didn't see much, but yesterday looked like an awesome night of baseball.

[Frayed Knot]

Edgy MD wrote: I didn't see much, but yesterday looked like an awesome night of baseball.

Among others things from Wednesday's games: Christian Yelich = 6-for-6 including a cycle



I posited the question beginning of last season (2017) about betting on the future of just-then traded Miami OFs Yelich or Stanton
I was inclined to go in on Yelich's more all-around-ness over Stanton's obvious power edge. I would have lost that bet last season [CY = 120 OPS+ vs GS @ 169 and a near MVP]
But not so much this season as Yelich will probably get some Top-5 MVP points with his league leading .319 BA and 148 OPS+.
Stanton has managed to stay in the lineup everyday since being dealt to the Bronx (never a given with him) but is down to a 129 OPS+ and is only out-HR'ing Yelich by 32 to 26 despite more GP and PA/ABs

Yelich is also a full two years younger and singed to a much nicer contract, from a team's vantage point anyway.

[Frayed Knot]

Dodgers back up atop the NL West (were 4.5 out 10 days ago) thanks to third straight 8th inning or later come-from-behind win against the Phoenix Snakes.
- Friday: Justin Turner tie-breaking HR in the 8th to win 3-2
- Saturday: also a 3-2, this time on a Matt Kemp 3R HR in the 8th.
- Sunday: 2-run walk-off double by Kemp in the 9th

[MFS62]

Frayed Knot wrote: Dodgers back up atop the NL West (were 4.5 out 10 days ago) thanks to third straight 8th inning or later come-from-behind win against the Phoenix Snakes. - Friday: Justin Turner tie-breaking HR in the 8th to win 3-2 - Saturday: also a 3-2, this time on a Matt Kemp 3R HR in the 8th. - Sunday: 2-run walk-off double by Kemp in the 9th

There was a time not too long ago I wanted the Mets to try to get Kemp.
I hope by the end of the upcoming series I'm not feeling the same way.
Later

[Lefty Specialist]

So there actually is a team with worse giveaways than the Mets. The Padres gave out straw beach hats, only to go through the stands later taking them back because they were infested with tiny grain beetles.....

https://fox5sandiego.com/2018/09/01/grain-beetles-cause-padres-to-take-away-giveaway-hats/

[Benjamin Grimm]

Had they promised the fans that the hats would include full-sized beetles?

[batmagadanleadoff]

MFS62 wrote: There was a time not too long ago I wanted the Mets to try to get Kemp.

Patience is all that is needed. Odds are that with enough passage of time, the Mets will one day acquire Kemp.

[MFS62]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: MFS62 wrote: There was a time not too long ago I wanted the Mets to try to get Kemp. Patience is all that is needed. Odds are that with enough passage of time, the Mets will one day acquire Kemp.

Down deep, in a place I would prefer not to admit exists, I know that is probably right.
Later

[MFS62]

Oh duck snort:
https://sports.yahoo.com/white-sox-broadcaster-ken-hawk-harrelson-wants-lebron-james-athletes-stick-sports-031509447.html

Later