Random Collection of Thoughts re April 21 and 22 in MLB

Monday April 21st

The average of the MLB went up drastically!  The Cleveland Indians activated 43 year old Jason Giambi from the DL AND the New York Mets called up 40 year old Bobby Abreu.


A possible nine out of ten teams who finished in the bottom third of the MLB in 2013.  Of those nine teams, only the Miami Marlins would lose.  I know it's an obscure stat but seriously, how many times will the Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros, New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies each win on the same night?


On this night the Cubs and Astros both beat struggling teams. The Cubs beat the Arizona Diamondbacks on the strength of the pitchers BAT!  If ever there was a statement to sum up the D'Backs season thus far, that was it.  The Astros beating Seattle Mariners, that's ho-hum news.  The fact the Astros beat Felix Hernandez **blink blink** no words explain the surprise. 


The Mets and the Phillies blanked their respective opponents on this night, willing to bet a Canadian Beer that feat does not occur again in 2014!!

Tuesday April 22nd

Remember I told you to bet on David Price finding his groove against the Minnesota Twins.  Complete game, 12 strikeout getting his groove on win for Mr. Price.

Coming into the season most "experts" would not so boldly predict that the Colorado Rockies would be led by their offense and if/when the Rox failed it would be due to their pitching.  The Rockies currently lead the MLB in runs scored while their pitching has given up the sixth most runs in the league.  On Tuesday night, for the second time this season, the Rockies outpitched the San Francisco Giants in a pitching duel.  Going back to those "experts", many predicted the Los Angeles Dodgers to walk away with the NL West.  My prediction, if the Colorado Rockies pitching staff can improve to even just mediocre (not in the top 13 in runs allowed), the final series of the 2014 regular season is in LA against those Dodgers and could be for the division title.

Speaking of those Los Angeles Dodgers, they just dropped their second straight game to the Philadelphia Phillies.  If you take away the 7-1 record amassed versus the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Dodgers are 5-8 on the season.  I keep asking for the "real" Washington Nationals to stand up so we could learn whether they are "contenders" or "pretenders".  Maybe it's time I start asking that question to the Dodgers.

Speaking of those Washington Nationals, they go into Wednesday's game trying not to get swept by the Anaheim Angels.  Also on "sweep alert", the Oakland Athletics at the hands of the Texas Rangers and the Seattle Mariners at the hands of the Houston Astros.  The last time the Houston Astros swept a series - - September 9-11 against a Robinson Cano-less Seattle Mariner team.

Random Collection of Thoughts re April 18 in MLB

Houston Astros uber-prospect George Springer collected his first MLB RBI and stolen base.  Shame his Astros were already 8-0 by the time he stole his first base in the top of the 3rd.  Not that it's any consolation to Mr. Springer but Chicago White Sox Cuban sensation Jose Abreu & Philadelphia Phillies sophomore starting pitcher Jonathon Pettibone also found themselves down by more than 8 runs in their respective games.


A late season call up by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2012, relief pitcher Josh Wall is still struggling to find his groove in the MLB.  Mr. Wall never made it past last April with the Dodgers and Friday had his first appearance with the Anaheim Angels.  Mr. Wall never even got out of his inning.  Luckily he was "protecting" an 11-1 win.


The San Francisco Giants have played in 8 straight one run games with a .500 record of 4-4. Playoff wildcard runs by the 2013 Cleveland Indians (30-17) and the 2012 Baltimore Orioles (29-9) were in part fuelled by their record in one run games.  On the other side of the coin, the Boston Red Sox won their division and the 2013 World Series finishing .500 in one run games.  The Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers are currently tied for first place in the NL West.  The Giants have taken four of six meetings this young season against the Dodgers with a 2-1 record in one run games against them.


The Arizona Diamondbacks finally caught a lucky break!  A wild pitch on an INTENTIONAL WALK scored a runner from third base to give the D'Backs a 2-1 lead in the top of the 9th.  The curse that has been 2014 meant that naturally the bullpen would cough up the lead in the bottom of the ninth but the D'Backs would win the game in the 12th!


Remember ladies and gentleman, boys and girls of all ages, if you play baseball, don't use your face to stop the ball.  There has to be a less painful way to make it into the pages of Sports Illustrated.

Random Collection of Thoughts re April 14 in the MLB

After six innings of play, the Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates combined for TEN homeruns.  That is more homeruns than the Baltimore Orioles (9), San Diego Padres (7), Texas Rangers (5), and Kansas City Royals have hit the ENTIRE SEASON. 


When doing research for the above stat I stumbled upon the following - - 16 of 30 teams were hitting under .250 (1 of 4) going into the evening's slate of games.  Last season finished with 13 teams under a .250 team batting average, 12 in 2012, 11 in 2011, 9 in 2010.  Furthermore not since 2008 has the MLB has averaged more than 9 hits per game.  Moral of the stat story, with so much glamor given to the homerun, if nobody is on base, it's just one run. 




A nifty stat was posted by the Oakland Athletics gameday Twitter account: "(Yoenis) Cespedes is 8-for-24 (.333) with runners on compared to 3-for-23 (.130) with the bases empty"  They posted this in the 9th inning trailing the Anaheim Angels by one with a man on first.  Cespedes would fly out but pinch hitter John Jaso would hit a 2 run homerun to give the A's the lead and the win.  Sooner or later the problematic pairing of "sabremetrics" and "moneyball" will fail.  I keep choosing sooner and it keeps becoming later.




16 games, about 1/10 of the season is over for the Arizona Diamondbacks.  A 7-3 loss to the New York Mets keeps the D'Backs at 4 wins on the season.  I feel sorry for the anxiety that must be running through the Kirk Gibson family in regards to his job security and will stop writing about it out of respect for a man with the most memorable homerun trot of my life.


The Colorado Rockies found an improbable way to lose to the San Diego Padres Monday night.  After WALKING THE BASES LOADED, a wild pitch would score the game tying run and an errant throw back to the plate would score the game winning run.  Wow, just wow!

As a wrestling fan I feel obliged to share this link,

 Pirates adopt wrestling champ Daniel Bryan's 'YES!' chant

Random Collection of Thoughts re April 13 in the MLB

Sweeps and their ramifications will be the subject of the day.


The Los Angeles Dodgers swept the Arizona Diamondbacks making it a 5-0 regular season start against the NL West Kirk Gibson led foe.  The D'Backs currently sit at 4-11 two days away from Jackie Robinson Day on Tuesday April 15th.  I mentioned in an earlier post that if going into Jackie Robinson Day the Diamondbacks were still counting wins with only one hand that Manager Kirk Gibson likely does not make it through the month of May with his job.  A 3 game series with the New York Mets may just be what the doctor ordered.  Then again, it may be the iceberg that sank the Titanic.


Speaking of baseball managers doubling as crew members of the Titanic, Kansas City manager Ned Yost must be feeling sea sick after being outscored 21-6 whilst being swept by the Minnesota Twins.  The Royals now have lowest scoring offense in the American League 0.02 less runs per game than the Houston Astros.  The Astros happen to be their next opponent before an opportunity for redemption when the Twins visit Kauffman Stadium next weekend.  For a trendy pick to win the division, the Royals are doing it wrong!!


Speaking of trendy picks to win the division, the Washington Nationals just got swept by the Atlanta Braves, the team they would have to overcome to win the NL East.  The Braves scored 23 runs during the series doubling their season long production at the plate.  Another Nats sweep of the Miami Marlins would likely keep them neck and neck with the Braves for 1st place but an abysmal showing in their 4 game set with the St. Louis Cardinals next weekend will help solidify their "pretender not contender" status.


Speaking of the Miami Marlins, anybody remember when they were 5-1?  After being swept by the Philadelphia Phillies, the Marlins now sit at 5-8.  I never thought they would keep pace with the Nationals and Braves but third place in the NL East is feasible.  The Marlins will have to win these games back from the Phillies when they visit Miami May 20-22.


I ran out of "speaking of" tie-ins.  The Milwaukee Brewers extended their winning streak to 9 games by sweeping the Pittsburgh Pirates.  Now the real fun begins as they host the St. Louis Cardinals then fly to Pittsburgh for a three game re-match.  The Cardinals were the gold standard last season beating the Brewers in the pennant race by 23 games.  Can a full year of Ryan Braun and tweaked starting rotation really close that gap?

Random Collection of Thoughts re: April 10 in MLB

Does anybody play ESPN's Streak for Cash?  Were you like me and swearing up a storm when the Pittsburgh Pirates fell behind 4-0 to the Chicago Cubs?  The Bucs can't possibly lose back to back games to the Cubs could they?  The "luvable loser" Cubs sent four pitchers to the mound in the 7th inning, two of them would give up homeruns to the first batter they faced and my streak extends to 7.


Whenever one of my favorite teams opens up a 3 game series, the hope is that they take two of three.  The thought of finishing a season with a winning percentage is .667 is absurd but it helps break up the marathon that is the MLB season.  As (most) teams head into their fourth series this weekend, only 2 AL teams and 4 NL teams are producing at that clip. 


Sweeping a series is always the fans desire.  Brewers fans are full of desire as their Milwaukee Brewers just swept their second straight series ON THE ROAD. The Oakland A's also just completed a road sweep of the Minnesota Twins.  I predicted the Washington Nationals would sweep the upstart Marlins, and they did just that with another chance to do so next week on the road in Miami.


Arizona Diamondbacks Paul Goldschmidt extended his hitting streak to 31.  Goldy is 25 shy of tying Joe DiMaggio's record.  I have to be honest, since the Undertaker lost his streak at Wrestlemania last Sunday, I need something to get behind and believe in.  For the next week, I will chose Goldy as my MLB Beat the Streak batter.  If he loses his streak, blame Brock Lesnar!

Random Collections of Thoughts re: April 4th in MLB

My last entry highlighted the New York Yankees, Anaheim Angels, Miami Marlins and Colorado Rockies as the teams to watch going into this weekend.  Friday night the four teams won by the average margin of a touchdown!


Masahiro Tanaka gave himself two innings to figure out the MLB then threw five solid innings to guide the Yankees to victory.  All nine starters for the Anaheim Angels collected at least a hit ensuring they did not need to rely on pitching for their victory.  The Miami Marlins have apparently all become hitting machines and led by Charlie Blackmon's 6 for 6 evening the Colorado Rockies dismantled the Arizona Diamondbacks.  I linked Blackmon to his career stats so you wouldn't have to Google him.


Official prediction, if the Arizona Diamondbacks can count their season total of wins on one hand come Jackie Robinson Day, Tuesday April 15, Kirk Gibson will be the first manager fired in 2014.  The D'Backs are currently 1-6.


Pittsburgh 12 St Louis 2.  Six months ago to the day, the Pirates beat the Cards 7-1 in Game 2 of the NLDS.  We all know how that ended.


I have heard all spring that the Los Angeles Dodgers outfield is over-crowded.  I remember reading comments from Matt Kemp saying "he is no fourth outfielder".  Why not trade Yasiel Puig?  Seriously, an upgrade at second base and someone to inherit third base from Juan Uribe is not a ridiculous trade demand for a 24 year old causing more trouble than a wolf in a chicken coop.

What You May Have Missed From MLB Games Down Under & More

It's the MLB season opener, top of the 9th, Dodgers up 3 to 1.  They announce Guerrero as a pinch hitter, the Diamondbacks change pitchers, the Dodgers change pinch hitters.  It's game one of 162 and we get ourselves a double switch on a pinch hitter.  It's easy to forget how much one measly game means in such a long season.  Thanks Don Mattingly for reminding us that every game matters.


Going into Game 2, Scott Van Slyke went from game one super sub (2-3, double, homerun & walk) to game two defensive replacement in the bottom of the 9th.  Baseball, so unfaithful.


In what had to be a missed hit and run sign in the 5th inning, Adrian Gonzalez STOLE a base as Andre Ethier took a pitch.  Gonzalez, noted as one of the slower runners in the league, advanced to third base on a poor throw that kept rolling away from Aaron Hill.


Onto other news, the Detroit Tigers have recently traded for Alex Gonzalez, Andrew Romine and even contemplated offering 46 year old Omar Vizquel a shot at the glaring hole at shortstop.  Meanwhile, Stephen Drew has reportedly reached out to the Tigers and reduced his demands to an Ervin Santana-like one year Band-Aid deal.  Good on the Tigers for not caving,  I for one will be cheering loudly for Mr. Gonzalez & Mr. Romine.


Poor Vance Worley, from 2011 third place in the NL Rookie of the Year and named one of five starting pitchers of "Baseball America" All Rookie Team to not being able to make the 2014 Minnesota Twins.  Even after elbow problems ruined his 2012, the Minnesota Twins handed him the ball in their 2013 opener.  Unfortunately, Worley never found his command and his MLB career is on hold.

A Couple MLB Hobbies and Dreams

John Axford successfully closed 19 of 26 ballgames last year for a 73% close rate.  Mr. Axford went 18 of 18, a perfect 100%, with his Oscar predictions.  I guess everybody needs a hobby.


Speaking of hobbies, I'm thinking Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson is taking a shine to Twitter.  He used Twitter to announce that Patrick Corbin and Trevor Cahill will be his starting pitchers for the 2 game series in Australia.


Kristie Reiken of the Associated Press got the following quote from twice suspended prospect Jon Singleton of the Houston Astros:

I know that I enjoy smoking weed, I enjoy being high and I can't block that out of my mind that I enjoy that," he said. "So I have to work against that
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/phillies/20140303_ap_46c2dd6f8c9040d7b9462a184c6cb1da.html#JekfI9V0rmSsXHzK.99

"At this point it’s pretty evident to me that I’m a drug addict.  I don’t openly tell everyone that, but it’s pretty apparent to myself.  I know that I enjoy smoking weed, I enjoy being high and I can’t block that out of my mind that I enjoy that.  So I have to work against that"

Good luck Mr. Singleton in staying clean and sober and realizing your MLB dreams.



I know that I enjoy smoking weed, I enjoy being high and I can't block that out of my mind that I enjoy that," he said. "So I have to work against that
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/phillies/20140303_ap_46c2dd6f8c9040d7b9462a184c6cb1da.html#JekfI9V0rmSsXHzK.99

I know that I enjoy smoking weed, I enjoy being high and I can't block that out of my mind that I enjoy that," he said. "So I have to work against that
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/phillies/20140303_ap_46c2dd6f8c9040d7b9462a184c6cb1da.html#JekfI9V0rmSsXHzK.99

Staying with the theme of realizing MLB dreams: I have twice mentioned Grady Sizemore and his attempt to return from dual microfracture knee surgeries.  Also attempting the feat is Seattle Mariner Corey Hart.  If his steal of home base is a sign, I think he is going to be okay! 


Mandatory clip to Corey Hart music video here