TWiB Notes - June 16-23

[Frayed Knot]

- How 'bout them 1st place Royals! Winners of ten straight including three in a row over presumptive ALC winner Detroit which in turn included back to back thumpings of the winners of two of the last three AL CY awards; Verlander [7 earned on 12 hits over 6 IP]; and Scherzer [10 Runs, 10 Hits over 4]

- Speaking of getting their asses swept, the Braves drop three straight at home to the Phillies [outscored 21-8] and now sit just 1 game over .500 with a -13 RS/RA differential

- a 7th inning Hanley Ramirez error was the only thing between Clayton Kershaw and a perfect game late Wednesday night vs Colorado

- How's this line for Oakland closer Sean Doolittle so far this season?: 32 Games, 34 IP, 20 Hits, 48 K, 1 BB. Not quite sure how he even managed to give up 8 runs.

[Vic Sage]

Not quite sure how he even managed to give up 8 runs.

he's not clutch.

[Frayed Knot]

Vic Sage wrote: Not quite sure how he even managed to give up 8 runs. he's not clutch.

**SMACK** Of course!! I should have thought of that.
Also, it turns out that half of those 8 runs allowed were in a late April game vs Houston when he was brought in in the 8th inning of a tie game and blew up. But, because he's now 'A Closer' and was brought in out of his element, we can blame this one on the manager for "mis-using" him.

[Edgy MD]

Lets not go the late innings trailing against Oakland.

[Edgy MD]

And, uhhh, Clayton Kershaw. He's good.

[Ceetar]

Edgy MD wrote: And, uhhh, Clayton Kershaw. He's good.

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/06/clayton-kershaw-no-hitter-vin-scully-los-angeles-dodgers-mlb

Every out as called by Vin Scully.

[Frayed Knot]

Boston's Grady Sizemore experiment got off to a good start -- Opening Day CF going 2/4 w/1 HR after not appearing in a game since 2011 and a full season since 2008 -- but he hit only .210 w/1 more HR since and the Sox DFA'd him this week.
In his place comes Garin Cecchini, older brother of NYM farmhand Gavin.

[Frayed Knot]

Nats still can't beat the Braves.
Got shutout 3-0 last night in the start of their big four-game series for NL East supremacy despite the fact that the Nats were coming in hot and the braves were coming in not.
Washington 1-6 vs Atlanta this season to go with their 6-13 last year.


And the Blue Jays can't beat the Yanx. Pinstripers complete the 3-game sweep and are now just 1.5 out of 1st place despite their STILL negative-19 RS/RA numbers
Jays 1-5 vs Yanx this year, 5-14 in 2013, and have lost something like 15 straight in the Bronx. Fuckin' dogs!

[HahnSolo]

I vaguely recall looking up Toronto's futility in the Bronx at some point last year. A quick look around the interwebs reveals that the Jays are 4-27 in the Bronx since the beginning of 2011.

[Edgy MD]

Wouldn't be surprised to see Grady Sizemore get a fortnight vacation in Queens, a la Rick Ankiel.

[Edgy MD]

Kershaw landed a game score of 102. Second-highest nine-inning jobbie on record, after Kerry Wood's 20-strikeout game.

Against a good-hitting Rockies' squad also.

[Frayed Knot]

The average MLB game on Friday night lasted 3:25 - with only 3 games clocking in at (barely) under 3 hours: 2:59, 2:52, and 2:48
Only one of the fifteen games went extra innings.

[Frayed Knot]

All three runners scored for the Brewers today after a bases-loaded wild pitch.