Frayed Knot

Bring on the dancing bears!

I wonder if Alvarez's marching orders when he was sent to the minors [work on blocking, pitch selection, etc.] also included "and get rid of that stupid face paint" ? It has been conspicuously missing since his return after being a nearly everyday presence for the past two seasons or more.

I was just looking up how often Mullins ran in his career. A: average of 28.8 SB / 7.4 CS per 162 games [79.6% success rate]

Halfway through in < 1:00

Manaea tossing a pop-up-a-thon tonight.

Game really racing along so far (lack of hitting helps): 3 innings; 35 minutes; 36 pitches for each pitcher

The suddenly spunky Guardians come into CitiField (first time as Guardians?) for a three game set: Monday 7:10, Tuesday 7:10, Wednesday 1:10 They won 92 games and the AL Central last season under rookie manager Stephen Vogt (Vote for Vogt!) before flubbing out to the Yanx 4-1 in the ALCS. This year they were mostly hanging around .500 until Ten Game Losing Streak (from June 26 thru July 6) dropped them to 40-48 and seemingly into 'Sell Mode' territory. Except that they've gone 16-7 since then which nudged them back over the break even point (56-55) and three games out of the final AL WC slot. Much of this winning came after the loss of their Class A closer Emmanuel Clase who is currently on Double Secret Probation for possible ties to gambling irregularities. Sean Manaea will face off in the opener vs Slade Cecconi a name which sounds like one of Madonna's kids but he's actually a former 1st round draft pick of the DBacks (33rd overall/2020 out of U Miami) who dealt him to Cleveland last winter for Josh Naylor. In 13 starts/76 innings this season the 26 y/o righty is a respectable 5-4, 3.77, 1.22 Not only is 3B Jose Ramirez their top offensive star but he's also their best base stealer and has been for years (I had no idea!). 32-of-39 this season and 275/337 (81.6%) for his career. Not bad for a power hitter listed at a stocky 5'8"/190

This two-part (Some 4 hrs+) docu on Joel is currently running on HBO

Schwarber HRs in bottom 8th, new closer cruises thru the 9th 1-2-3 for a 2-0 Philly win So it's the Phils turn to man 1st place NLE for the next 24 hours.

Philly hurler Christopher Sanchez is thru 8 innings on 84 pitches as the Phils lead the Tigers 1-0 heading to bottom 8 in PHI NYM pitchers refer to 84 pitches as 4-2/3 IP

In Baltimore if you order breakfast cereal you might be asked if you want Old Bay on it.

You wouldn't know there were ANY problems from watching/listening to Davis & Smoltz in today's intro. One the one hand they were likely shuttled to and from their 5* Hotel and may not even know about logistical issues. On the other hand, if they do know they're probably under strict orders not to mention them.

Amazing that, of the top two probable claimants to the title of 'MLB's Most Casual Fuck-ups', one succeeded the other at the same team & position. Come to think of it, Robinson Cano had his share as well. The Marlins, btw, now at .500 for the season (62-100 last year) and currently sit a shrinking 7.0 G behind the Mets in the standings.

I'm not sure they're getting the game in today either.

It means you're a Foreigner as far as he was concerned.

The Marlins just broke out the brooms (there were literally folks carrying brooms in the stands) as they complete the sweep of the Yanx. Maybe the best thing all weekend was yesterday when Jazz Chisholm got doubled off of 1st on a routine infield pop-up to 2nd late in a 2-0 game. He had just a normal lead off the base while the ball was airborne but, after the catch, turned his back and went back too casually. He's a talented guy but might make more dumb/stylin' mistakes than anyone in the game.

I'm starting to doubt that we're going to see a comeback today.

Signs of life from Lindor over the last day or two.

Where does everyone park when there's a race there? There are certainly more fans in the stands on a race day than today with the stands cut in half, no?

He almost stranded the leadoff triple.

That's the best double dive in sports since Sonny Liston.

Tigers win! It's starting to smell like 1st place around here.

Marlins, now hanging around the fringes of the NL WC race, shut out the Yanx on 2 hits to take the second game of that season.

Mullins HBP He's a 'True Met' now.

Harper: 2R HR in bottom 8 Now 7-5 Tigers