This Week in Baseball 7/6 - 7/12

[Smues]

Awesome. I also liked "New York Mets - Acquired OF Delta Airlines ® Presents Jeff Francoeur" from that article.

 

[alkeiper]

Regardless of how this might work out in the long run, I am assuming all the Mets fans are shitting a collective brick over this. Is there a Met's message board somewhere where I could go watch the fun?

The Mets fans at Baseball Think Factory are pretty fun.

We had a go-around on the board a few months ago regarding Francoeur's value. Ryan Church is irrelevant to this trade. A team that gives Francoeur a spot in the starting lineup has no business making a serious postseason run.

Chris Coste was picked up on waivers by the Houston Astros. Sad to see him go, but I'm glad he will still get to play in the majors.

 

[KingPK]

If it makes the Met fans feel any better, Tobi Stoner pitched a gem tonight for Buffalo. Of course, that may be because the Pawtucket offense is completely inept.

 

[jimmy no nose]

The Astros are currently ahead of the Cubs in the NL Central standings. Remember how much of a lock they were to win the division before the season started?

 

[Cheech]

Nothing going on in San Francisco.

 

[Cheech]

Jonathon Sanchez just threw a no-hitter.

 

[jimmy no nose]

Way to go, Juan Uribe. You only ruined everything.

 

[Smartly Pretty]

I just want to say that the no-hitter occurred while the board was down and no one was here to jinx anything. Not, you know, implying anything, just, you know, stating the facts, or whatever.

 

[jimmy no nose]

Do the Giants still try to deal Sanchez for a bat to try to set up their playoff run? I think it was very close to happening if he doesn't pitch the no hitter today, does one start change anything?

 

[alkeiper]

http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200907115526417&c_id=sf

Every out of the no-hitter.

 

[alkeiper]

The SF Giants are a particularly intriguing team. Currently they are 48-38, leading the wild card chase by two over the Rockies and four games better than the Brewers/Marlins. They are first in runs allowed, but 13th in runs scored out of 16 teams.

Lincecum and Cain are outstanding of course. Barry Zito is a hair below average though, Randy Johnson is hurt, and Jon Sanchez looked like the new Daniel Cabrera before last night. The Giants' bullpen is lights out this year. The big problem with the club is their complete black holes in the lineup. It surprised me to hear them talked in the Halladay rumors because they need a bat far, far more than they need pitching.

 

[strummer]

God damn looks like Jay Bruce just shattered his wrist at Citi Field diving for a David Wright liner.

Ouch

 

[Smartly Pretty]

Frenchie's first at bat for the Mets is a single to shallow right that scores two.

Hm.

EDIT: Second at bat is predictably a strike out.

 

[Mattdotcom]

I'm sad they broke up Francouer and McCann, the Booster Gold and Blue Beetle of MLB.

 

[strummer]

Jay Bruce has a fractured wrist.

 

[geniusMoment]

It's gonna be tough replacing that .208 average and .284 OBP, but I guess the Reds must carry on.

 

[Vitamin X]

So does this give Laynce Nix a decent opportunity to step up as a regular starter while Bruce is out? How has he done?

 

[Dandy]

Nix has shown a lot of power, but has slumped a couple of times so far. Personally, I think it's the platooning that caused the slumps. It's harder to produce when your opportunities are fewer. I hate that Bruce has struggled with the averages, as you can see he has the tools to be an above average player.

 

[alkeiper]

No comments about the Phillies' five run ninth? Matt Capps got absolutely lit up, allowing eight of nine batters toreach base safely. The one out he got, Victorino, hit the ball 400' for a fly ball out. The Phillies all of the sudden have a four game lead on the Marlins.

 

[jimmy no nose]

How was Matt Capps still in that game after all that time. He gave up a homer, a walk, a 400 foot fly out, a single, a homer, a 400 foot double, intentional walk, single, and then finally another single to end it. Probably 4 balls traveled over 400 feet.

Matt Cain is out of the All Star Game and Zach Duke is in.

 

[jimmy no nose]

And now Broxton out Trevor Hoffman in, Pedroia out, Carlos Pena in.

 

[treble]

How can they put Pena in instead of another 2B like Kinsler? The 2 AL replacements (Hunter with Cruz and this one) don't make much sense to me, other than the 2 new guys seem to be willing to be in the derby.

 

[Bored]

Maddon obviously wanted to add another one his own players. If you were going to pick a first baseman to add to the roster, Miguel Cabrera would have been the obvious choice.

During the Braves/Rockies game last night they mentioneed Brad Hawpe would be taking Beltran's spot in the starting line up. Hawpe has never played center field in his career. That is going to be one brutal defensive outfield for the N.L.

 

[jimmy no nose]

Futures Game on ESPN2 right now for those interested.

EDIT--For all of a half inning before it rained. This raises a question. What happens if it rains all over the "This time it counts" All Star Game? It's not like they can make it up later. They just randomly award home field advantage?

 

[oldskool]

Mets get 2 HRs in an inning after going nearly 8 games without one, and then the apple doesn't rise on HR #2.

Mets fans are displeased and:
-spend ~5 minutes booing the lack of apple,
-start an "Apple" chant,
-follow with a stadium-wide "We want apple *clap clap clapclapclap*" chant,
-then give a standing ovation when the apple finally rises at the end of the inning.

 

[alkeiper]

Coming into the last homestand the Phillies' home record stood at 13-22. They reeled off nine wins in their last ten and now the home record is a respectable 22-23. The lead is 4.5 games, if the Marlins lose today it will mark the Phillies' largest division lead in nine years.

 

[Smues]

I like Hoffman and am not complaining about his all-star inclusion. But because I'm a homer I need to point this out:

Hoffman: 26 1/3 IP, 2.05 ERA, 20 SV, 20 K, 1.06 WHIP
Soriano: 42 2/3 IP, 1.48 ERA, 12 SV, 58K, .89 WHIP

Again I have no complaints about Hoffman, just felt the need to point out that (until this jinxes it and he gets rocked today) Soriano is having a great year and worthy of an all-star spot.

 

[Bored]

Futures Game on ESPN2 right now for those interested.

EDIT--For all of a half inning before it rained. This raises a question. What happens if it rains all over the "This time it counts" All Star Game? It's not like they can make it up later. They just randomly award home field advantage?

Best answer I found was that the league that was hosting the All-Star game that season would be awarded home field.

 

[Smues]

Futures Game on ESPN2 right now for those interested.

EDIT--For all of a half inning before it rained. This raises a question. What happens if it rains all over the "This time it counts" All Star Game? It's not like they can make it up later. They just randomly award home field advantage?

So rain could net the NL it's first home field advantage in a World Series since 2001? I guess the rain would be the all-star game MVP in that case.

Best answer I found was that the league that was hosting the All-Star game that season would be awarded home field.

 

[the max]

Something I've never seen before today.

Jason Bay's afternoon:

BB (4 pitches)
BB (4 pitches)
BB (4 pitches)
HBP (1 pitch)
HBP (7 pitches)

No official AB today, he saw 20 pitches. Two fouls and a swinging strike everything else was a ball.