TWiB Notes: Week of Aug 21 - 28

[Frayed Knot]

- Mad scientist Joe Madden -- who's been known to use four outfielders, five infielders, catchers in the OF, pitchers in the OF, etc. -- wound up double-switching left-handed throwing Anthony Rizzo
across the diamond over to 3rd base on Tuesday night in the 9th inning of a game against the Reds
Cubs had a 7 run lead at the time so I suppose it's a low leverage time to try it. Reds wound up scoring 3 times that inning but totally as the result of HRs, no balls were hit to him.


- What the fuck happened to Jordan Zimmermannnnn?
The guy was a stud with the Nationals for the better part of six seasons (2009-2015): 70-50; 3.32; 1.16; twice an All-Star and twice on the CY ballot (5th & 7th in '13-'14)
He had TJ surgery with them early in his career missing parts of 2009 & '10, but then essentially never missed a turn after that taking the ball 26, 32, 32, 32, and 33 times from 2011-15
But the Nats then allowed him to walk to Detroit at age 29 without appearing to ever try to keep him (they were funneling all their money to Scherzer instead) and hasn't been a fraction of what he used
to be since. Just 42 starts total for Detroit over not quite two full seasons, he's 16-17 but with a 5.43 ERA and 1.52 WHiP with year two in Detroit being considerably worse than year one despite being just 31 y/o
And this all comes to mind because he's getting his ass kicked by the Yanx tonight - allowing six runs in the first three innings

Edited August 24, 2017 by Guest

[Zvon]

Stick a fork in him.

[Frayed Knot]

I would have preferred to stick a fork in him about five years ago when we had to face him 4 or 5 times a year.



I had missed the Doug Fister one-hitter on Tuesday night that Gary just talked about.
That's one of the problems with the Mets sucking at this time of year, it makes my overall interest in baseball start to wane.

[Frayed Knot]

Walk-off HR Josh Harrison in Pittsburgh in the 10th inning, busting up Rich Hill's no-hitter and shutout all at once.

[Zvon]

Frayed Knot wrote: I would have preferred to stick a fork in him about five years ago when we had to face him 4 or 5 times a year.

Ha! Agreed.

Frayed Knot wrote: Walk-off HR Josh Harrison in Pittsburgh in the 10th inning, busting up Rich Hill's no-hitter and shutout all at once.

YOUCH!

[Edgy MD]

$74 million left on that contract.

Let's offer the Tigers Cabrera for Zimmy-plus-$40 million!

[Frayed Knot]

Man that Josh Harrison HR was mere inches over the glove of a flying, leaping Curtis Granderson down in the LF corner.

[Ceetar]

[tweet:dqiisd80]

[/tweet:dqiisd80]

[Guest Mets Willets Point]

As a Dodger-hater, I find the way they lost to be very pleasing.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Yeah really. Tough shit, Rich Hill. Welcome to baseball.

I love it when no-hitters get broken up.

[Frayed Knot]

Yanx & Tigers exchange punches in Detroit.
Miggy Cabrera & MFY catcher Romine seem to be the combatants, but it apparently started over HBPs and brushbacks from earlier.
Tigers have been clobbered in two straight but are leading 6-3 as things erupted.

[Edgy MD]

On this day in 1919, the Indians led the Athletics, 2-1, when, with two outs in the ninth, Indians pitcher Ray Caldwell was struck by lightning. Caldwell collapsed in a heap on the mound, knocked unconscious. As his teammates gathered around him, attending to him and fearing the worst, Caldwell revived, got up, and retired Philadelphia shortstop Joe Dugan on a grounder to end the ballgame.

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

Ray Caldwell, the ultimate closer.

[Zvon]

Ceetar wrote: [tweet]https://twitter.com/adriangarro/status/900544237875347456[/tweet]

Wow! Did that really end up being a homer? Looks like a pop up. Amazing view in any case.

[Frayed Knot]

Bottom 1st in the Bronx today:
- Pop-out
- Double
- Single, run scores, batter advances to 2nd on Error
- Walk
- Error on ground ball (bases now loaded)
- Error on grounder (second consecutive potential inning-ending GiDP)
- K
- 3-RBI Double, batter moves to 3rd on a double Error (catch then throw)
- RBI Single
- FO

I made some comment a few weeks back about teams seemingly saving up their worst games for the Yanx (us included)
7-1 Yanx after 3, 2 of the runs are earned



Meanwhile the Royals, one of the teams fighting for an AL WC spot, coughs up 12 runs in the first two innings to the Indians (only one error)