MLB 2021

[sj1]

That was a smart move by the Padres to get Adam Frazier. A lot of moves and still some possible interesting trade rumors. The Dodgers seem like a train wreck, blown saves, not hitting, and sloppy baseball. You have Betts on the 10 day IL, Kershaw I am not sure when he supposed to be back, and MLB has extended Trevor Bauer's administrative leave until Aug. 6th. Plus the Nationals- Phillies game postponed tonight with the Nationals having 12 test positive for covid. Also Strasburg done for this season to have neck surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome.

 

[gmase]

MLBTR reports Scherzer doesn't want to go to the Mets. He wants to head west.
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/07/max-scherzer-trade-rumors-nationals-10-and-5-rights.html

Frazier shouldl be happy heading west to play some meaningful baseball for the foreseeable future. I hate to see him leave Pittsburgh, but it will be a few years before they can start thinking about competing again.

Trevor Story is being connected to the Giants in the Rockies's efforts to suck worse than the D-backs. The Rox were hoping to settle into last place, but Arizona beat them to it - by a wide margin.

 

[gmase]

The rich got richer at the deadline. The Dodgers scored Max, the Giants got Bryant, and the Yanx got Rizzo. The Rockies held onto Trevor Story in order to reap that 40-ish draft pick for losing him. Good luck with that strategy.

How ironic is this: Glasnow will undergo Tommy John surgery and Chris Archer will take his spot in the rotation. Archer for Glasnow, a trade only the Pirates would make.

John Means seems to be back in form. He had a very good outing tonight which was almost marred by Tanner Scott. Sulser saved the day.

 

[sj1]

Some are calling this the Greatest First Pitch Of All Time.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1421558809257025539

Fans across the sport are deeming it the best first pitch ever.

“Her name is Demi Bagby, she’s a social media & fitness star. Her story is pretty cool. She broke her back in 2014 & was paralyzed for 3 months. She recovered & look at her now!” one fan tweeted.

“Can someone please tell me how her left knee doesn’t just blow out after jumping and landing on it while doing the splits?” another fan added.

“We should really rethink our definition of athleticism and our concept that men are better,” one fan added.
dia & fitness star. Her story is pretty cool.

“We should really rethink our definition of athleticism and our concept that men are better,” one fan added.

 

[gmase]

Some are calling this the Greatest First Pitch Of All Time.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CR_zbi5l_Of/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1421558809257025539

“Her name is Demi Bagby, she’s a social me

Fans across the sport are deeming it the best first pitch ever.

“Her name is Demi Bagby, she’s a social media & fitness star. Her story is pretty cool. She broke her back in 2004 & was paralyzed for 3 months. She recovered & look at her now!” one fan tweeted.

“Can someone please tell me how her left knee doesn’t just blow out after jumping and landing on it while doing the splits?” another fan added.

“We should really rethink our definition of athleticism and our concept that men are better,” one fan added.
dia & fitness star. Her story is pretty cool. She broke her back in 2004 & was paralyzed for 3 months. She recovered & look at her now!” one fan tweeted.

“Can someone please tell me how her left knee doesn’t just blow out after jumping and landing on it while doing the splits?” another fan added.

“We should really rethink our definition of athleticism and our concept that men are better,” one fan added.

---

Wow. Very athletic. https://www.instagram.com/demibagby/

 

[John_8581]

The Giants were losing 4-0 today to Merrill Kelly who struck out four through eight innings and gave up only three hits. Giants came back to tie it up with four runs in the ninth and they won it with one in the tenth against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Dodgers made news the other day with the signing of lefty Cole Hamels. The Dodgers owners, Guggenheim Partners, can continue to show their deep pockets and both the team and Dodger fans can talk all they want (with trading for Max Scherzer and now with the signing of Cole Hamels) ... But I don't think they're going to catch the Giants.

And you can take that to the bank!

Only three games left against the Giants this year in early September. And sorry Dodger fans ... these last three games are up in San Francisco.

This 2021 San Francisco Giants team has the makings of something great. The Giants have never had a team like this. I started paying attention to them in 1975. Watching them in 1976. And rooting for them in 1977, after the Mets traded away Tom Seaver to the Reds.

This 2021 squad is a clutch team who can score late in games regardless of what the score is that they are trailing by ... in Oracle Park, a pitcher's ball park no less.

... Scoring multiple runs to tie and take the lead after the seventh inning ...

Not during the playoff years of 1987 or 1989, or 1997 or 2000, 2002, 2003, or 2016. Not during the championship years of 2010, 2012, and 2014. ...

This Giants team reminds me a lot of the 2002 Anaheim Angels in being clutch. But with the 2002 Angels, that team was relentless. That Mike Scioscia managed Angels lineup kept turning over. They'd score runs in bunches. Many times with two outs in an inning. Thus the Rally Monkey was born.

=====

Now the reason why I came in here .... Sad really.

J.R. Richard, the ace of the Houston Astros, has passed away. He was 71. He was never the same after having that stroke at the height of his pitching career in 1980.

Rest-In-Peace

 

[gmase]

Only losing by 3 was the closest in 8 games:
https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports...0210821-ypaajvd3ajbcxf4eied7ew6wli-story.html

Manager Brandon Hyde setting the expectations bar low for a MLB team: "Disappointing, but I’m encouraged. I felt like we played a major league baseball game tonight.”

When? https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports...0210821-gcumwqs5obhh5ihlthxvydaw7u-story.html

Camden Yards still looks nice though. Too many Ravens fans passing through though when we walked around last Saturday.

 

[sj1]

I thought the police would have a drawn a chalk outline around it by now. It is beyond words how bad it is and they can talk all they want about prospects but until they get to the show it does not mean much. Need a lot of help and I do not think they have enough yet. One win so far in August as of just before 7PM EST. Sixteen straight loses and numerous records being broken for how bad the play is. 38-83 still have 2 with the Braves, the Angels come in for 3, the Rays come in for 3, then go to Toronto for 3, @ Yankees for 3. If someone likes horror movies or thrillers they could put together a masterpiece with these Orioles. We must be "The Field Of Nightmares".

 

[mikexmoran]

Painful to watch the Mets. deGrom on 60 dl.

Keith Hernandez was honored in the St Louis hall of fame. Was mildly amusing to see him struggle to fit into the red jacket. He belongs in Cooperstown.

 

[gmase]

I thought the police would have a drawn a chalk outline around it by now.

There was police tape nearby, but I don't think it was because of the O's. Or the random Steeler fan who made it through safely.

The Orioles are improving. They only lost by 1 last night.

 

[sj1]

For real I hope you all were safe.

 

[John_8581]

Painful to watch the Mets. deGrom on 60 dl.

Keith Hernandez was honored in the St Louis hall of fame. Was mildly amusing to see him struggle to fit into the red jacket. He belongs in Cooperstown.

They had to do it. I'm glad they did. Jacob deGrom is their top asset. Look at post # 91 this thread, when I discussed Matt Cain. Though Cain never had Tommy John surgery, deGrom has had it already.

Hey what? Marcus Stroman and the Mets actually beat the Dodgers. But the Braves have gotten hot at the wrong time. Mets are seven games back. Phillies are five games back.

The Giants with two come from behind pinch hit homers, Ward Jr. and Solano, late in the games, took the weekend series from the A's. First time that's ever happened in MLB history in back to back games. Lead is now back up to 2.5 on the LAD. The Friars have fallen off. Thirteen behind. Now we travel to New York and Atlanta for six games and back home to play the Brewers for four and the Dodgers for three next weekend. Then to Colorado after those games. Rockies are always tough at home. Giants still have ten left with the Padres. Plenty of baseball left.

 

[gmase]

The streak ends at 19. A 5-run 8th turned the tide. The O’s will not make history.

They have the #1 farm system and are well positioned to add another top pick next summer.

https://www.mlb.com/news/pipeline-farm-system-rankings?t=mlb-pipeline-coverage

 

[gmase]

Break up the Orioles. Back-to-back wins. Keegan Akin finally looked like a MLB pitcher.

In more expected news, the Dodgers, Giants, Yankees, and Rays are all keeping up the pace.

 

[John_8581]

Not a good day for Giants fans. The Giants have not been playing well recently. They swept the Mets in New York, lost the series in Atlanta. Came home and lost the first three to the Brewers. They could be swept today by the Brewers with the Dodgers coming into Oracle Park over the weekend. The Dodgers meanwhile swept the Padres in San Diego. Came home. Lost the series to the Rockies and swept the Braves. The five game lead the Giants had has evaporated. The Dodgers moved into sole procession of first place in the NL West, now with a half game lead on the Giants. If the Giants win today, they will be tied for first. If the Giants lose today, the Giants will be a game back with the weekend series looming.

 

[gmase]

But the Giants are up 13.5 in the wildcard. Worst case they play in the Wild Card game. I am interested to see how the final month shakes out with the second WC. Who gets to play the game against either LAD or SFG?

Speaking of the Mets.

https://www.nypost.com/2021/09/01/mets-gm-zack-scott-busted-for-drunk-driving-in-white-plains/amp/

White Plains is a great place to visit.

@John_8581 hope you are dry.

 

[John_8581]

But the Giants are up 13.5 in the wildcard. Worst case they play in the Wild Card game. I am interested to see how the final month shakes out with the second WC. Who gets to play the game against either LAD or SFG?

@John_8581 hope you are dry.

The Giants won 5-1 over the Brewers. Both the Giants and Dodgers are tied for first in the NL West. Heading into this weekend series at Oracle Park.

Not that it means anything, but whoever wins that play-in game in the NL wild card game will go up against the NL West title holder right in the first round. This year's NL best team will either be the LAD or the SFG. The Brewers right now have a real good shot too and let's not count them out. Provided that the Brewers stay hot and both the Dodgers and Giants fall off. But let's keep the focus on the Giants and the Dodgers. Three games out of the five in the NLDS will be in the NL West leader's city.

It's not like the good old days, where MLB delayed two teams from the same division from having to face each other in the early rounds of the playoffs. Let's take the 1999 season for example, where the Wild Card winning Red Sox went to play the Yankees in the ALCS after playing and winning against the Cleveland Indians and squeaking by with a 3-2 series win. Of course, the Yankees beat the Red Sox 4-1 and then swept the Braves 4-0 to win their 25th World Series title.

Yes instead it will more like the 2015 playoffs, where the the 97 win Cubs traveled to Pittsburgh (the Pirates won 98 games), then went to play St. Louis to face a Cardinal team that won 100 games. For Cardinal fans, that series was a big letdown. The Cubs ultimately lost to the Mets, who won 90 games in the regular season. So that was a letdown for Cubs fans. The Mets lost to the Kansas City Royals in the World Series. A big letdown for Mets fans.

@gmase - I survived Ida. Wind and heavy rain was crazy. The aftermath. Walking around yesterday, no property damage, just branches from the neighbor's trees on the property.

 

[gmase]

The Giants won 5-1 over the Brewers. Both the Giants and Dodgers are tied for first in the NL West. Heading into this weekend series at Oracle Park.

Not that it means anything, but whoever wins that play-in game in the NL wild card game will go up against the NL West title holder right in the first round. This year's NL best team will either be the LAD or the SFG. The Brewers right now have a real good shot too and let's not count them out. Provided that the Brewers stay hot and both the Dodgers and Giants fall off. But let's keep the focus on the Giants and the Dodgers. Three games out of the five in the NLDS will be in the NL West leader's city.

It's not like the good old days, where MLB delayed two teams from the same division from having to face each other in the early rounds of the playoffs. Let's take the 1999 season for example, where the Wild Card winning Red Sox went to play the Yankees in the ALCS after playing and winning against the Cleveland Indians and squeaking by with a 3-2 series win. Of course, the Yankees beat the Red Sox 4-1 and then swept the Braves 4-0 to win their 25th World Series title.

Yes instead it will more like the 2015 playoffs, where the the 97 win Cubs traveled to Pittsburgh (the Pirates won 98 games), then went to play St. Louis to face a Cardinal team that won 100 games. For Cardinal fans, that series was a big letdown. The Cubs ultimately lost to the Mets, who won 90 games in the regular season. So that was a letdown for Cubs fans. The Mets lost to the Kansas City Royals in the World Series. A big letdown for Mets fans.

No need to remind me of 2015. It is exactly what I was thinking. That was almost a great season. It had a good plot, but the ending sucked.

The Bucs will lose 100 this year. Oddly enough, a feat they have only achieved twice since 2000.

@gmase - I survived Ida. Wind and heavy rain was crazy. The aftermath. Walking around yesterday, no property damage, just branches from the neighbor's trees on the property.

Good to hear.

 

[John_8581]

Well game 1 was good. Dodgers-Giants. What a game!

Bottom of the third inning, Anthony DeSclafani walks. Darin Ruf walks. Brandon Belt singles to center field. Bases loaded. Kris Bryant strikes out. Austin Slater singles to left field. DeSclafani scores. Giants up 1-0. Buster Posey grounds into a force out, Belt at third. Slater at second. Posey at first. Brandon Crawford lines out to Cody Bellinger in center field.

Top of the ninth, Jake McGee pitching. Mookie Betts grounds out. Justin Turner singles to left field. Corey Seager doubles to left field. Men on second and third. One out. Will Smith grounds to second baseman Thairo Estrada who throws home to Buster Posey. Posey runs Turner back to third base. Corey Seager is also at third base. Buster tags both runners, Seager is called out. Turner is standing on the third base bag. There is some confusion as the third base umpire doesn't say who is out. Posey chases after Seager then the umpire says that Seager is the one who was out. Turner comes off the bag. Posey tags at Turner again. Turner gets back to the bag safely. Chris Taylor singles into shallow left field just beyond Brandon Crawford's glove. Turner scores. Dodgers and Giants are tied up at 1-1.

After they both exchange runs in the tenth inning, it's now 2-2.

Top of the eleventh, Jarlin Garcia pitching, Justin Turner starts off at second base. Corey Seager singles to center field. Turner to third base. Giants are in at third and first. The infield is back at shortstop and at second base. Will Smith grounds to Brandon Crawford. Turner breaks for home. Crawford throws to Buster Posey. Posey tags out Turner at home plate. Charlie Taylor strikes out. Evan Phillips, the pitcher, strikes out. The Dodgers have nobody left in the bullpen so Phillips had to hit. Score remains 2-2.

Bases loaded, a tie game 2-2, two outs bottom of the 11th inning. Evan Phillips still pitching for the Dodgers. Brandon Belt on third. Buster Posey up. He hits a ground ball to Trea Turner (paying second base) in right center field. Turner's throw pulls Will Smith off the bag. Posey is called safe at first. Belt scores. Dave Roberts wants a replay review. Umpires gather. They review the play. The play on the field is upheld. Giants win 3-2.

Giants are back in first place in the NL West. Dodgers are a game back.

 

[John_8581]

Giants got smoked tonight, 6-1. That's all I'll say about it. And it doesn't look too promising tomorrow either. Walker Buehler takes the mound for the Dodgers in the rubber game of the series. Giants haven't beaten him ever. He's 7-0 with a 0.81 WHIP with 63 strikeouts in his career against the SFG. This year, he's 3-0 with two no decisions. His WHIP is 0.823 in those five games with 32 strikeouts.

The two no decisions were losses for the Dodgers. The Giants got to the LAD bullpen in those games so we do have an outside shot at this. A long shot but one none the less.