TWiB Notes - Aug 18 thru 24

[Frayed Knot]

Let's start off the week by updating some news from the tail end of last week:

Wheeler was put on the IL with a blood clot in his upper right arm.

Wheeler had a surgical "thrombosis procedure" today to remove the clot but the next step(s) and projected return are currently TBD,

a statement that doesn't make it sound like he's going to be on top of a pitching mound any time soon.





Phils (+5.0 G on NYM) pick up the next step of the Mariners tour of the mid-Atlantic tonight.

Logan Gilbert vs Ranger Suárez





Series involving our closest WC contenders early this week include:



- Cubs (+4.5) are hosting the Brewers for a five game set with G #1 already in the books and it wasn't pretty for the home team [7-0 MIL]

They'll play another one tonight then single games TUE, WED, THU



- Padres (+3.5) host the Giants for a four game set so this is a check-the-scores-in-the-morning set of games (except day game THU).



- the Reds (-1.5) are also out west visiting the Angels starting late tonight







Yanx start a series with fading Tampa Bay (14-26 since July 1) starting tomorrow in St Pete (the town, not our first baseman)

[Frayed Knot]

Five straight hits to start the bottom of the 2nd, the last one a Trea Turner 3R HR, and it's 5-0 Phils, still w/no one out.

btw, they must have had a concert down there recently too although their OF looks to be in MUCH worse shape than the slightly worn CitiField OF did when the recent homestead began. I mean they've got bare spots out in RCF and not just little ones. Couldn't have been from a riot seeing as how the Eagles haven't even begun their season yet.

[Frayed Knot]

So since the Met game was a quickie I immediately switched to Phils/Mariners as Gary had announced just earlier that the M's had tied the game at 4-4

Bottom 8 was just beginning as I tuned in. And then four pitches into it it's 6-4 Phils [Harper 1B - Realmuto HR]





Cubs won their DH opener with the Brewers earlier (supposed to be a DH yesterday but night cap was rained out) and are currently leading 2-1 in the 4th.

Cardinals are also winning [6-4 in the 9th in Miami] while the Reds have a late start out west.



So we're not much help so far today.





oe: Phils Win

[Frayed Knot]

The Phils are tattooing Seattle's Luis Castillo (same guy we hit last week) to the tune of 10 hits thru 4 innings including three 2Bs, one 3B, one HR, two BBs plus a SB ...

and yet are leading just 3-1

On the other side, Jesus Luzardo now has 14 outs from 11 Ks, with the only run coming from Julio Rodriguez's 1st inning HR







Houston down 7-2 to the Tigers but at least they scored. The Astros lost their previous three games 10-0, 12-0, and 1-0

[Frayed Knot]

Now 13 hits/5 XBH for the Phils thru six and still just 3-1 (11 LOB)

Be nice if the M's could steal this one.





oops, now 3-2, Eugenio Suarez HR as the first batter to face David Robertson in the 7th

[Gwreck]

Frayed Knot wrote: oops, now 3-2, Eugenio Suarez HR as the first batter to face David Robertson in the 7th

That game ended as an 11-2 win for the Phillies. Poor showing by Seattle.

[Frayed Knot]

Yup.

Phils wound up with 20 hits [inc three 2Bs, one 3B, two HRs] plus 5 walks in eight innings.

Seattle struck out 17 times.

[Frayed Knot]

deGrom to miss next start due to "shoulder fatigue".

We've seen some pretty long absences from JdG that began with that sort of generality.

[Centerfield]

Reds lead the Angels 1-0.



If they hang on the Mets would be tied for the last WC spot.



Just a ridiculous fall for a team with huge expectations.

[Edgy MD]

The Red Sox are reportedly calling up outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia.



His nickname: "The Password."

[MFS62]

According to Katie Sharp of Sports Reference:

The New York Yankees fell to the Boston Red Sox 6-3, reaching an ignominious milestone Thursday night at Yankee Stadium in a game defined by defensive miscues and missed opportunities. With nine walks and four errors, the Yankees matched a statistical low not seen since May 11, 1912, the first time in 113 years they've allowed that combination in a nine-inning home game.

Later

[Frayed Knot]

I watched that game for a while but couldn't hang until the end. Who but the Sawx & Yanx could manage a 3:25 9-inning game in the time clock era.



The Sox didn't exactly cover themselves in glory either. At one point their runner on 3rd walks over to the coaches box to discuss something and gets picked off.

[Frayed Knot]

The Yanx/Sawx game (currently 0-0 in the 5th) was interrupted for a few minutes by a squirrel running around the infield.

Not sure if the Sox were charged with a mound visit or not but the critter went right up to the pitcher to see if there was any grub underneath the dirt.

[Gwreck]

5-4 win for Nationals over Philadelphia. Top of the 9th, Daylen Lile of the Nationals:

-singles in the tying run

-advances to second on the throw

-steals third

-goes home as go-ahead run on a throwing error by Realmuto.

[Frayed Knot]

Cool!

That was 3-0 Nats, then it was 4-3 Phils.

[Frayed Knot]

Red Sox 1 - Yankees 0 is your final as Aroldis Chapman closes out the game for Boston (I didn't know he was on that team).

Sox pass the Yanx in the standings (now up by a 1/2 game for the top WC slot) and have won 7 of 8 in the season series.

Seattle is 1.0 G behind the Yanx pending their result later tonight.

[Gwreck]

Seattle won last night and Boston is winning big this afternoon but at the moment the AL is basically just a seeding race with the top 6 teams fairly stable.



Kansas City is still 3 back of knocking the Yankees out of the playoff position entirely.

[Frayed Knot]

Red Sox 12 - Yanx 1

That's three straight NYY losses in this series (outscored 19-5) and eight straight to the BoSox overall. They'll finish the 4-game set on SNB

Yanx had come into the series hot and the Sox not but the script got flipped.



Rough NYY debut for Paul Blackburn. He actually tossed 2-1/3 scoreless after coming in to a 5-1 game w/2 out in the 6th, but then the roof fell on him in the 9th

as he got hung out to dry facing 11 hitters and giving up the final 7 runs.

[Frayed Knot]

The Cards @ Rays played yesterday and will again tomorrow but are off today. I have no idea why.





Phils won.

Reds are on the short end of an 8-0 score in the 7th in Arizona

[Gwreck]

Frayed Knot wrote: The Cards @ Rays played yesterday and will again tomorrow but are off today. I have no idea why.

Conflict at the football stadium across the street, where they share parking.

[Centerfield]

Blackburn giving up 7 runs for the MFYs gives me an incredible sense of satisfaction.

[Frayed Knot]

Frayed Knot wrote: The Cards @ Rays played yesterday and will again tomorrow but are off today. I have no idea why. Conflict at the football stadium across the street, where they share parking.

Nothing like being forced to play your home games not only in a minor league park but one owned by a rival team and named for a rival owner (the guy who constantly hated and berated the very existence of your franchise). And now you lose a weekend date due to an exhibition* football game.







* Sorry, I meant 'pre-season' football game. If the NFL heard me using the word 'exhibition' they might send goons to my house and beat me to a pulp

[Frayed Knot]

Phils won, Reds won, so no good news for us today.





Cal Raleigh hit HRs number 48 & 49 today. A record for a 'primary catcher' and on pace for 60.5 HRs for the season





BoSox couldn't make it a four game sweep in the Bronx.