TWiB Notes -- June 6 thru 12

[Frayed Knot]

A bit late for a TWiB notes debut for this week ... but better late than never.



-- Braves win again (Pitt) - 8 straight

-- Phils win again (MilW) - 7 straight

-- Marlins win again (over Nats) - 3 straight

IOW ... we've had some ground bitten off of our asses over the last week





-- Gerritt Cole serves up five HRs in the first two innings in Minnesota, including back-to-back-to-back in the 1st ... and the Yanx are winning anyway. 8-7, top 7





-- ChiSox/LaRussa opted to IW Trea Turner even after getting him to a 1-2 count today so as to get to Max Muncy who was fresh off the Dodgers' IL

Muncy hit a 3R HR. LAD wins 11-9





-- Still only in the 2nd inning so I don't want to get ahead of myself, but Anaheim is in danger of scoring (bags loaded, 1 out) ...

oe: but they don't!

[nymr83]

Frayed Knot wrote: -- ChiSox/LaRussa opted to IW Trea Turner even after getting him to a 1-2 count today so as to get to Max Muncy who was fresh off the Dodgers' IL Muncy hit a 3R HR. LAD wins 11-9

Runner on 1st, the 0-2 pitch to Turner was a wild pitch moving the runner to 2nd. It was then that LaRussa decided to have his pitch face Muncy, a guy who hit 36 homeruns last year, instead of trying to get out a player who was already in a 1-2 hole.



LaRussa described it as 'not even close' of a decision. Which makes me wonder about whether he needs his head examined.



While walking Turner had the runner been on 2nd and the count 0-0 seems at least defensible, walking anyone in a 2 strike hole seems pretty fucking dumb. you can just throw 3 in the dirt or neck high or at the hands and hope he offers at one!

[Frayed Knot]

Like Bobby V, TLaR has both backers and detractors in sizable numbers, and he often shows (and tells) you why.



btw, there were also two outs so it's not like the IW set up a potential GIDP. Nor does the WP alter the strategy much as all the justifications for walking Turner once the runner got to 2nd could be used for walking him as soon as he got to the plate.

[Edgy MD]

Talk about bullet-proof, though. "You want to argue with my reasoning? That's fine. In fact, why don't you take over the team for a day or two while I go up to Cooperstown to polish my plaque, beotches."

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

Luis Castillo Watch: 6 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 6 H, 3 K, 1 BB. QS, but an L vs. StL



This season: 7 starts, 4 QS, 3.23 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 1.1 WAR

[Frayed Knot]

It was looking briefly like the Braves might have their winning streak busted. They were down 4-2 to Pitt entering the home 7th. A couple batters later and it was 10-4 ... at which point they were saying Ten-Four to the Pirates.

Ten Straight.



Philly also won today, making it nine straight for them including every game since Girardi's dismissal.





And it's now five straight W's for the Marlins including the first two vs Houston to start the weekend.



Oh and Aaron Judge hit the 2nd pitch thrown by the Cubs' hurler over the fence (1-0 in the 3rd)



... so other than those minor details, my day is going fine.





But I suppose that's why you build big leads - so as to be able to withstand weeks like this.

[Frayed Knot]

It's the bottom the 5th and the Yanx have 7 hits: one single plus six solo HRs

Judge, Torres, Stanton, Trevino, Judge, Rizzo

btw, the same pitcher, Matt Swarmer, served 'em all up.

It's his third career ML start.



Judge now has 24, putting him on a mid-60s pace for the season

[Frayed Knot]

Clayton Kershaw returned tonight; first game since early May: 4 innings, 2 ER, 3 hits, 2 BB, 4 K

But all this comes on the heels of news that LAD hurler Walker Buehler hits the IL and is expected "to miss a good bit of time" (Dave Roberts) with forearm

tightness stemming from elbow pain ... and that's never a good thing.

[Frayed Knot]

Good Lord the Cubs suck!!!

They held the Yanx to one run thru 12 innings on Friday ... and lost. On Saturday it was six HRs allowed in a 3? inning span.

But those were highlights compared to today. 75 Pitches just to get thru 2 innings, three consecutive walks, and a dropped pop-up ten feet from the plate only begin to describe the ugliness.

Only one HR so far, but it's also 8-1 Yanx as they start the 3rd









btw, the Cubs P.C. has made (at least) two mound visits so far, including one after the third hitter of the game. One was followed by those three straight BBs, the other with a 3R HR

New Rule: If you insist that a mound visit is necessary 'to settle your guy down' and then he suxx ever worse after your imparted wisdom ... you lose mound visit privileges for a month.

[MFS62]

Is anybody really sad that [CROSSOUT]the spawn of Satan [/CROSSOUT]Roger Clemens' son, Kelly is 0 for 17 since being called up by the Tigers?



Later