Baseball

[ZeroTolerance 584]

White Sox announce US Cellular Field is changing to Guaranteed Rate Field. This is the company logo:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cqpths_VUAAxQfL.png

 

I think they nailed it.

[Cruzer 1,996]

Come on Cruz, you can't say what I said, just using the Giants. This isn't going to work if you keep that up. Do better

But he's a good hitter.

[Hardcore troubadour 16,039]

But he's a good hitter.

Much better

[Cruzer 1,996]

Yu Darvish not only went yard last night - he blasted it 410 feet to deep center... Even crazier - he just decided to try and bat right handed a few days ago.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dWHBzde2_g

[posty 2,849]

That actually might be good for Nova to get out of the American League East...

I know it is only been four starts, but man 3-0, 3.20 ERA, 1.105 WHIP, 18 K/1 BB and one complete game since his trade to the Pirates...

[Cruzer 1,996]

Tiger fans are big Rangers fans this week - we did you a solid last night.

[cmh6476 1,154]

Tiger Royals fans are big Rangers fans this week - we did you a solid last night.

fixed

[Cruzer 1,996]

And welcome to the Rangers Carlos Gomez - 3 run jack 1st at bat.

[cmh6476 1,154]

 

 

<--- Rangers fan for a day or three

[Cruzer 1,996]

 

 

<--- Rangers fan for a day or three

Gonna be a tall order 2nite. Kluber is throwing - and he's been untouchable of late.

[the newb 23]

The dodgers trading Ellis for Ruiz is possibly the stupidest thing I ever seen them do in the 35 yrs I've been a fan of the team.

[the newb 23]

The dodgers trading Ellis for Ruiz is possibly the stupidest thing I ever seen them do in the 35 yrs I've been a fan of the team.

######

2 passed balls catching Jansen last night and they lose

 

####

[crackattack 520]

Better showing in Arlington last night, and thank God because focking KC is on fire and back in the hunt and Detroit is playing extremely well also. Going to be a fun September...........just not to fun hopefully.

[cmh6476 1,154]

And we still have 6 against the tribe and 6 against the Tiggers

[crackattack 520]

And we still have 6 against the tribe and 6 against the Tiggers

Gonna be fun

[nzoner 939]

And we still have 6 against the tribe and 6 against the Tiggers

And the bats have yet to heat up!

[Cruzer 1,996]

Kubler wasn't even that sharp - we just sucked at the plate, common pattern of late.

[ZeroTolerance 584]

Did A-Roid give Sanchez a gift when he retired? I mean, I know Yankee Stadium is practically a softball field in dimensions, but 11 HRs in 21 games (10 in AAA this season)? 10 HR in his last 12.

[shotsup 836]

Mets are finally hitting. And the're hitting too. Wow

[Cruzer 1,996]

The Tribe goes brain dead at the plate too sometimes - can't believe Griffin shut them down. He's usually good for 5 runs at least.

 

This win was huge - it gave us the season series win regardless of what happens 2moro. Could matter come post season time.

[Reality 3,134]

Mets are finally hitting. And the're hitting too. Wow

Healthy, the national league should be afraid.

[Cruzer 1,996]

Rangers take 3 of 4 against the Tribe. And more importantly - Holland looks fantastic, last two starts he's given up 1 run. And Colby Lewis returns in a week too if all goes well in his last rehab start.

[cmh6476 1,154]

Tyvm

[Cruzer 1,996]

Admittedly - we've never really had a Cy Young watch here in Texas... Hamles has jumped into the race with his 2.67 era.. But he's a few others ahead of him in wins and for sure WHIP.

 

What do they normally look at most - wins, whip, era? Is this Porcello's to lose? ......... If's and butt's, I get it - but had Darvish been healthy all year, this might not even be a contest.

[posty 2,849]

Admittedly - we've never really had a Cy Young watch here in Texas... Hamles has jumped into the race with his 2.67 era.. But he's a few others ahead of him in wins and for sure WHIP.

 

What do they normally look at most - wins, whip, era? Is this Porcello's to lose? ......... If's and butt's, I get it - but had Darvish been healthy all year, this might not even be a contest.

With no clear cut leader at the moment, Hamels would be in the talk, but wins and ERA are the biggest still... If Porcello wins 20 and is the only one, he will probably be the leader...

 

But with that said, with no clear cut leader, Zach Britton will get some serious consideration...

[Mungwater 601]

I was just about to post about Britton, it's hard for a reliever to win it, but the guy hasn't given up an earned run since April, that's insane.

[Cruzer 1,996]

I was just about to post about Britton, it's hard for a reliever to win it, but the guy hasn't given up an earned run since April, that's insane.

When you factor into account - he's doing it in that hitter's paradise of a park, that's double insane.

[Cruzer 1,996]

Rangers just delivered the death blow to the Mariners, they are done. Wow, what a crushing loss for them.

[patweisers44 872]

Jacoby Jones with a couple of hits in his MLB debut. I wonder if this call-up means the injuries to Maybin or Castellanos may be longer term than initially planned?

 

Going for the series sweep today @ 1:10 Sale vs Verlander....nice pitching matchup. This could be an afternoon delight, two hour and change, 2-1 sort of game.

[Cruzer 1,996]

Ha, so much for the Cy Young watch here... Hamels sucked ass last night - and even though his team bailed him out, he's pretty much out of the race now.

[Mungwater 601]

Ha, so much for the Cy Young watch here... Hamels sucked ass last night - and even though his team bailed him out, he's pretty much out of the race now.

Yeah he's out of the race.

 

Kyle Hendricks is getting some love for the cy young, can't remember any team where the number five starter in the spring gets thoughts of a cy young, just hope the Cubs don't peak In August

[Cruzer 1,996]

I predicted an ass whooping today, but I figured it the other way around... Perez has sucked of late and we're facing King Felix. We're lighting his ass up like a Xmas tree. Carlos Gomez just took him deep for a grand salami.

[ZeroTolerance 584]

Jacoby Jones with a couple of hits in his MLB debut. I wonder if this call-up means the injuries to Maybin or Castellanos may be longer term than initially planned?

 

Followed by scoring the game winning run after leading off the bottom of the 9th with a double today.

[Hardcore troubadour 16,039]

Look out for the baby bombers. Just took 2 out of 3 from the world champs in their place. Last year when the Yankees played the royals they didn't belong on the field with them.

[cmh6476 1,154]

Look out for the baby bombers. Just took 2 out of 3 from the world champs in their place. Last year when the Yankees played the royals they didn't belong on the field with them.

we also had Johnny cueto, Ben Zobrist, Mike moustakas, and wade Davis

[Hardcore troubadour 16,039]

we also had Johnny cueto, Ben Zobrist, Mike moustakas, and wade Davis

And last year the Yankees had Andrew Miller, a good A-Rod and Beltran.

[Cruzer 1,996]

...and Beltran.

Beltran has fit right in like a brand new snug glove. I swear he's had about 10 hits that he absolutely blistered that somehow got caught too.. He seems to be a fantastic clubhouse guy on top of that.. Mitch Moreland is gone after this year - I sure would not mind throwing a little $$ at Beltran to try and get him to resign for 1 more year.

[Hardcore troubadour 16,039]

Beltran has fit right in like a brand new snug glove. I swear he's had about 10 hits that he absolutely blistered that somehow got caught too.. He seems to be a fantastic clubhouse guy on top of that.. Mitch Moreland is gone after this year - I sure would not mind throwing a little $$ at Beltran to try and get him to resign for 1 more year.

Well liked in NY. Woukd have been a Yankee years ago but Bernie was still there. Sad to see him go but I wouldn't mind seeing him get a ring.

[vuduchile 1,947]

Cubs still rolling.

 

Anything can happen in the playoffs, but this team is just playing lights out.

 

Using the Defensive Runs Saved metric from Baseball Info Solutions, we see a blowout in favor of the Cubs. Through Tuesday, the Cubs' defense had saved 82 runs more than the average NL team. Second was the Giants at 60 before it dropped all the way down to the Dodgers at 39.

We can do better than that, though. How about defensive efficiency? Sure, the name will scare off the closed-minded, but it's the the percentage of balls put into play that are converted into outs. That seems the mark of a good defense, no? Think of it at the most basic, Little League level. The ball is put in play by the offense, and the team that converts the highest percentage of those balls into outs has to be pretty good, collectively, at defense. It's common sense.

Sure, in a small sample, that can be fluky. Over the course of more than 125 games, though? C'mon. That's a wholly legitimate pattern.

The Cubs entered Wednesday at a .745 clip, which ranks in the top 50 in baseball history. Of course, we know the climate is different nowadays, so it's worth mention this is the highest total since 1982 (Padres). Oh, and when Baseball Prospectus puts in a park-adjustment factor -- as we know, the variation in defensive conditions through baseball history is vast -- the Cubs are ...

The best in baseball history.

[patweisers44 872]

Cubs still rolling.

 

Anything can happen in the playoffs, but this team is just playing lights out.

 

Using the Defensive Runs Saved metric from Baseball Info Solutions, we see a blowout in favor of the Cubs. Through Tuesday, the Cubs' defense had saved 82 runs more than the average NL team. Second was the Giants at 60 before it dropped all the way down to the Dodgers at 39.

We can do better than that, though. How about defensive efficiency? Sure, the name will scare off the closed-minded, but it's the the percentage of balls put into play that are converted into outs. That seems the mark of a good defense, no? Think of it at the most basic, Little League level. The ball is put in play by the offense, and the team that converts the highest percentage of those balls into outs has to be pretty good, collectively, at defense. It's common sense.

Sure, in a small sample, that can be fluky. Over the course of more than 125 games, though? C'mon. That's a wholly legitimate pattern.

The Cubs entered Wednesday at a .745 clip, which ranks in the top 50 in baseball history. Of course, we know the climate is different nowadays, so it's worth mention this is the highest total since 1982 (Padres). Oh, and when Baseball Prospectus puts in a park-adjustment factor -- as we know, the variation in defensive conditions through baseball history is vast -- the Cubs are ...

The best in baseball history.

All of which will make this years' playoff flop even that much more of a bigger deal. I think that's the only thing missing from the recent history of the Century of Futility......a year where they are overwhelming favorite going into the playoffs only to fizzle out in the NLCS or something.