TWIB Notes 8/3 to 8/9

[ashie62]

The Yankees promote their number one prospect George Lombard Jr to the show

He is a 21 year old shortstop who has raked everywhere with an elite glove

[Frayed Knot]

Yeah, after they were done with their trades they demoted both SS Anthony Volpe and their previous prized prospect Jasson Dominguez in order to make room for new faces including the newly promoted Lombard. 

They also got what seemed like a big HR from newly acquired Luis Garcia: a 2R come-from-behind job in the 7th of a game where the Cards were once up 6 - Zip including 4 earned of Schlittler in just 3 frames (4 runs, 4 hits, 5 BBs). But then the Cards stormed back with seven in top 8th for a 13 - 7 win. Alex Burleson hit three HRs in the game.

Amid all the trade talk on our off-day it was easy to overlook that there were games last night.

Don't think the Yanx know what to do with Volpe these days. A former 1st round pick and a local kid, he won a Gold Glove as a 22 y/o rookie and seemed to be a fan favorite. But his offense never got any better: his OPS+ over four seasons is 81, 86, 82, 82 (at least he's consistent) and his defense somehow got Much worse to the point of unreliable. Still just 25 years old, but it now looks like he'll finish the season with < 200 PAs after getting 600+/yr in each of his first three.

[Frayed Knot]

Yanx beat Cards 2 - 0 on solo HRs by Jazz Chisholm and ... George Lombard in his second ML AB

[Frayed Knot]

Skubal's LAD debut (at Wrigley): 6 IP, 2 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 5 K ... and a big 'ol 'L' next to his name as the Dodgers lose 5 - 1 for their 5th straight loss [BOS x 3, CHC x 2] and 7th in their last 10. Probably not panic time in LA quite yet though.

 

BoSox keep on rolling: 14 - 2 last night over the ChiSox. Now 24 - 4 since June 24, or from 14 G under .500 to 10 G above. And to think that it all started with a four game sweep over the Yanx [June 25 -28]. Sox were 15.5 behind the then 1st place Yanx when that series started. Now they're just two games behind the 2nd place Bombers and 5.5 in back of TBR

[Frayed Knot]

- Brandon Sproat has been sent down to AAA. 21 G (19 starts) with a 5.27 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, plus high BB (4.5/9) and HR (1.6/9) rates will do that to a guy.

- Pirates released Marcell Ozuna [.203/.286/.327]. Starting in 2023, hIs OPS+ was 140, 157, 113, ... and now 68.  The Braves generally known when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em.

[seawolf17]

The Red Sox tied the game FIVE times last night -- in the 4th, 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th! -- before winning in the bottom of the 13th:

		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	R	H	E
	Chicago White Sox	0	0	4	1	2	0	0	0	0	2	1	1	0	11	13	1
	Boston Red Sox	0	0	2	3	0	1	0	0	1	2	1	1	1	12	16	2

[Frayed Knot]

Sox now just 1/2 G behind the Yanx both for 2nd place in AL East and for the #1 WC slot. On June 17th that gap was 15.5 games. Three of the five AL teams above .500 are in the East. The ChiSox (+4) and Astros (+2) are the other two.

Red Sox are hosting the Athletics this weekend while the Yanx get a visit from the Braves

[Frayed Knot]

Yanx & Braves scoreless thru 6 in a duel between Max Fried pitching against his old club [3 singles, 2 BB] and Tyler Mahle: 2 doubles + 1 single and 2 walks

Red Sox eked out a 13 - 1 win vs ATH, two teams going in very opposite directions.

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

Edwin Diaz gives up the walkoff homer as Dodgers lose 7th straight

[Frayed Knot]

Would be fun if they got to 12 ... or even close.

[Gwreck]

2 hours ago, Frayed Knot said:

Would be fun if they got to 12 ... or even close.

Why stop at 12?  45 in a row is fine with me

[Frayed Knot]

Sure, but at 12 at least they'd match our low-water mark.

[Frayed Knot]

7 hours ago, Johnny Lunchbucket said:

Edwin Diaz gives up the walkoff homer as Dodgers lose 7th straight

Dodgers held a 14 Game lead in the NL West following the games of July 8th exactly one month ago. And while still large and in charge, that lead is currently down to 7.5 (over ARZ, and 9.5 over SDP).

Just sayin'

[Frayed Knot]

Braves decide to wait until getting to the Bronx to start sucking. Actually they've lost two close games: 3 - 2 in 10 last night after Raisel Iglesias blew a save in the 9th. Today Sale and Cole hooked up (allowing 3 and 2 runs) and the Braves wound up stranding the tying run on base in the 9th in a 5 - 4 final.

[Frayed Knot]

Braves pull out the finale in the Bronx. All were one run games, this one 2 - 1 in 10

 

I didn't see it yesterday, but Chris Sale got called for a balk with the go-ahead runner on 3rd in the 5th inning. The Braves and Walt Weiss went ballistic with Weiss getting tossed over it. So prior to the first pitch today Sale picked up the argument from the dugout and he got tossed before the game ever started.

[Edgy MD]

The Mets miss Sale this series.  I still wish I could be there yelling "BALK!" after every move their pitchers make.

[whippoorwill]

Freddie Freeman took a scary tumble

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

Diaz coughed up 3 runs in the 9th as the Brewers came back for a 5-4 win, Diazes 3rd blown save in a week. His era is 11.57.

Jacob deGrom leaves a start with an apparent injury

[Frayed Knot]

It's already five days past the expiration date on this TWiB. I'll let it go this time but there will be repercussions in the future.

Only 14 appearances for Diaz this season but he's been scored upon in eight of them including  seven of his last nine outings.  But wait, it gets worse: half of those eight games have seen him allow multiple runs including allowing three runs in three of them! That the Dodgers are 4 - 4 in those 8 games (and that he's a mere 2 - 2) is some kind of minor miracle.

[Frayed Knot]

More 'Adventures in Diazland' last night

Edwin comes in with a 2-run lead: HPB - SB - K - BB - GO - BB - GO

So on the one hand, he didn't blow the lead, didn't even give up a run, and never let the ball leave the infield. On the other hand he still kind of sucked.

So it's a split so far in the first two games of this four game possible preview for the NLCS.