TWiB Notes -- Spet 10 - 16

[Frayed Knot]

Brewers at Wrigley for a three game set is the marquee matchup of the week.
Brews started the week only 2.0 games out in the Central and are now only one out (and 2.5 ahead of 3rd place StL) thanks to getting the win on Monday.
How's this for a relief outing?: Brews up 3-2, Josh Hader (the tall long-haired lefty we saw earlier in the year) comes on in the 7th and goes K, K, K then returns for the 8th and goes K, K, K
Those six batters? Only David Bote, Addison Russell, Daniel Murphy, Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, and Javier Baez. And all in just 24 pitches.

[Edgy MD]

Houston Astros Brad Peacock is out with, you guessed it, hand, foot and mouth disease.

[Frayed Knot]

Or, in his case, hand, foot, and beak disease.

[seawolf17]

Frayed Knot wrote: Or, in his case, hand, foot, and beak disease.

[Frayed Knot]

So one of these division leaders is not like the other. Can you find the outlier? (I'm pretty sure they never used the word 'outlier' on Sesame Street but whatyagonnado?)


BOSTON: (RS/RA +/-) = +224
CLEVELAND = +142
HOUSTON = +241
ATLANTA = +132
CHICAGO = +111
COLORADO = -3

How the fuck are they 14 games over .500 with a negative run differential?!?
24-14 in one run games helps. So does being 13-19 in blowouts. But still ...
And with the Dodgers (+126) and DBacks (+73) right on their tail.





Dodgers finally beat (63-83) Cincinnati this afternoon, the first time in seven meetings this year that they did. 0-6 and outscored 16-33 prior to today's game.
If the Dodgers miss the playoffs this year (and right now they're on the outside looking in) they've got nothing to blame but their performances vs Cincy.
And more specifically they can blame Scooter Gennett: 16 for 22 vs LAD with 6 Runs scored and 10 RBIs [727/739/1035]

[Frayed Knot]

Odd move by Joe Madden in Washington Thursday night.
Cubs go ahead on a bunt single in the top of the 10th. Then a walk loads the bases with one out bringing up reliever Pedro Strop.
Now Strop has already thrown 1.2 innings in this game, has just 3 ABs in his ML career, and the Cubs are in a tight division race with a chance to break the game open.
So the worst possible outcome is a GiDP with Strop then having only a one-run lead to protect, right? No, the worst possible outcome in a GiDP [u:er64xgr5]AND[/u:er64xgr5] Strop pulling a hammy trying to beat it out.

So what is Madden doing NOT PH'ing?, especially in September with expanded bullpens. Because he really, really wanted to use a pitcher entering his 3rd season of work (even though just 21 pitches) and was comfortable with a single run lead?!?

Obviously he had to go to a different pitcher after the injury (Randy Rosario) for the bottom of the 10th. They got the win anyway, but a strange (non) move and now Strop is out for at least the remainder of the regular season.

[Guest 41Forever]

The Tigers got beat 15-0, getting just two hits -- and apparently aren't dwelling on the score.

Former Met farmhand Michael Fullmer is not having a great year, with a 3-12 record and 4.69 ERA. He's pitching better than that, but the Tigers are 60-88 in rebuilding mode.