July 2018 MLB Game Thread

[jon abbey]

New month, new thread...

The Orioles finished June 6-5 against NL teams and an amazing 0-15 against AL teams, the first team since interleague play began in 1997 not to win a game against their own league in a calendar month. Manny Machado must be counting the days until he can get out of there...

 

[Byrdbrain]

Happy Bobby Bonilla day, the Mets get to pay him $1.193M today. They only have to do that for another 17 years though so the end is near.

I was actually reminded of this from an Adam Schefter tweet.

 

[VORP Speed]

Snell 1 run, 10 K in 7.1 against HOU. Rays win 3-2 to take 3 of 4.

 

[Buzzkill Pauley]

Happy Bobby Bonilla day, the Mets get to pay him $1.193M today. They only have to do that for another 17 years though so the end is near.

But only 8 more years before Manny Ramirez comes off the Red Sox books!

 

[DeadlySplitter]

Snell 1 run, 10 K in 7.1 against HOU. Rays win 3-2 to take 3 of 4.

Altuve swinging at ball 4 with the bases loaded shocked me.

Meanwhile, the Twins pitching has collapsed at Wrigley, big time

 

[SemperFidelisSox]

Manny gets $2 million a year until 2024.

 

[terrynever]

Snell 1 run, 10 K in 7.1 against HOU. Rays win 3-2 to take 3 of 4.

Nice homestand! Swept three from Yanks, two from Nats, take three of four from Astros. Who are these guys?

 

[ledsox]

Nice homestand! Swept three from Yanks, two from Nats, take three of four from Astros. Who are these guys?

I saw on MLB network a few days ago that since they started using an opener (May 18) the Rays have the best ERA in baseball.

 

[Sad Sam Jones]

The Indians collected 11 doubles today against the A's, one short of the AL record because some conservative base-running left Tyler Naquin with a single off the center field wall. It was the most by any team in 15 years. Lindor, Ramirez, Alonso and Chisenhall each hit two. Their 13 extra-base hits are an MLB best this season. They also reached base 10 consecutive times in the 8th inning before the A's bullpen retired a batter.

*

 

[AB in DC]

I saw on MLB network a few days ago that since they started using an opener (May 18) the Rays have the best ERA in baseball.

Ryne Stanek is going to be breaking all kinds of records this year. So far he has only allowed two earned runs in his first nine major league starts. Those nine starts only cover 12 2/3 innings, but still...

 

[AB in DC]

Blake Snell had a 1.74 ERA in June (5 GS, 31 IP) and that was only the third-best ERA among Rays starters for the month: Stanek had a 0.00 ERA (7 GS, 9 2/3 IP) and Wilmer Font (5 GS, 21 IP) was at 1.71

(edit: And this was with Chris Archer on the shelf for most of the month.)

 

[VORP Speed]

Nice homestand! Swept three from Yanks, two from Nats, take three of four from Astros. Who are these guys?

They’re your 2020 AL East Champions!

Shorter term, though, if Seattle’s luck runs out at some point and they fall back to earth, the Rays could be right there for the 2nd wild card.

An 89 win Rays playing a 106 win BOS/NYY in the coin-flip game and coming out ahead 2-1 by using 11 pitchers would be the greatest moment (for me) in sports history.

 

[terrynever]

They’re your 2020 AL East Champions!

Shorter term, though, if Seattle’s luck runs out at some point and they fall back to earth, the Rays could be right there for the 2nd wild card.

An 89 win Rays playing a 106 win BOS/NYY in the coin-flip game and coming out ahead 2-1 by using 11 pitchers would be the greatest moment (for me) in sports history.

Nobody wants to play the Rays in a one-game playoff! Would Cash go with his ace lefty or drive the other team nuts with a bullpen game?

 

[jon abbey]

Charley Steiner goes through Joc Pederson's entire at bat and home run thinking he's Max Muncy, then the real Muncy homers right after, pretty funny:

 

[Hank Scorpio]

Houston 55-31 +170 Run Diff
Seattle 54-31 +22 Run Diff
Washington 42-42 +24 Run Diff

I wonder what’s the most games a team has been over .500 while being more games over .500 than their run differential...?

Or the biggest advantage a team has had in run differential, while being in second place (which could happen soon with HOU/SEA)

 

[jon abbey]

The second place team in the AL East last year had a +198, the first place team was +117. I'm sure that's not close to the record, but it seemed appropriate to mention.

 

[Sprowl]

Chris Young is looking... old.

 

[Bob Montgomerys Helmet Hat]

Anyone know who Max Muncy is?

 

[soxhop411]

Anyone know who Max Muncy is?

A player who the A’s cut bait on a little too soon

But the athletic has a very good story on him and his father
https://theathletic.com/407007/2018/06/25/its-surreal-max-muncys-family-is-enjoying-every-minute-of-his-resurgent-career/

 

[jon abbey]

Anyone know who Max Muncy is?

When the Dodgers picked him up in April 2017, even MLB Trade Rumors didn't know who he was.

"The Athletics outrighted Muncy last winter. He played a handful of games with them in Spring Training, but it appears they released him at some point. He has not yet appeared in the Majors or minors in the regular season."

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2017/04/dodgers-sign-max-muncy-to-minor-league-deal.html

 

[Bob Montgomerys Helmet Hat]

He had 3 career homers heading into this season. He has 20 so far this season and is OPSing over 1.000. It's insane.

 

[E5 Yaz]

You're really going to want to look at the 16th inning of the Rays-Marlins game

 

[edoug]

The second place team in the AL East last year had a +198, the first place team was +117. I'm sure that's not close to the record, but it seemed appropriate to mention.

That is really trivial. Whoops, I mean a nice piece of trivia.

 

[jon abbey]

You're really going to want to look at the 16th inning of the Rays-Marlins game

Vidal Nuno with two hits in the 15th and 16th and for some reason, Jesus Sucre trying to pitch the last inning when they still had at least one real pitcher available in Alvarado, who ended up finishing it.

"Nuno became the first American League reliever to record two or more hits and earn a victory in the same game since the designated hitter rule was adopted in 1973."

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

16 innings in a tidy 5:31. 9 inning Sox/Yankees games come close to that.

 

[VORP Speed]

That 16th inning was crazy. Rays got men on 1st and 2nd with no out and then Kiermaier hit into a 6-4-5 double play, which you don’t see every day. Then with Kiermaier on 1st and 2 outs, they go on to score 5 runs, including the hit by Nuno, where he pulled up lame with a hamstring sprain halfway to 1st. Eovaldi had to pinch run because they had no bench players left and immediately had go to first-home on a double, luckily managing not to hurt himself on the way.

Cash was going for Maddon style points bringing in Sucre. Way too cute with a real reliever warmed up and ready in the pen. Almost bit him.

This spectacle was witnessed by approx 17 fans.

 

[E5 Yaz]

Vidal Nuno with two hits in the 15th and 16th and for some reason, Jesus Sucre trying to pitch the last inning when they still had at least one real pitcher available in Alvarado, who ended up finishing it.

"Nuno became the first American League reliever to record two or more hits and earn a victory in the same game since the designated hitter rule was adopted in 1973."

That 16th inning was crazy. Rays got men on 1st and 2nd with no out and then Kiermaier hit into a 6-4-5 double play, which you don’t see every day. Then with Kiermaier on 1st and 2 outs, they go on to score 5 runs, including the hit by Nuno, where he pulled up lame with a hamstring sprain halfway to 1st. Eovaldi had to pinch run because they had no bench players left and immediately had go to first-home on a double, luckily managing not to hurt himself on the way.

Cash was going for Maddon style points bringing in Sucre. Way too cute with a real reliever warmed up and ready in the pen. Almost bit him.

This spectacle was witnessed by approx 17 fans.

The Jayson Stark Game of the Month

 

[VORP Speed]

Overpaid even at 2018 bargain free agent prices Gomez tries to deliver some value by putting on his own fireworks display

https://www.mlb.com/video/c-2231249083

 

[SirPsychoSquints]

Houston 55-31 +170 Run Diff
Seattle 54-31 +22 Run Diff
Washington 42-42 +24 Run Diff

I wonder what’s the most games a team has been over .500 while being more games over .500 than their run differential...?

Or the biggest advantage a team has had in run differential, while being in second place (which could happen soon with HOU/SEA)

I haven’t run a search, but the 1986 Mets, 2007 Diamondbacks and 1932 Pirates all were 18 games above .500 and had negative run differentials.

 

[Brand Name]

I wonder what’s the most games a team has been over .500 while being more games over .500 than their run differential...?

I haven’t run a search, but the 1986 Mets, 2007 Diamondbacks and 1932 Pirates all were 18 games above .500 and had negative run differentials.

1997 Giants were 90-72 as well despite a -9, RD, infamous 1987 Twins, at 85-77 with a -20 to win the WS, 1984 Royals went 84-78 at -13. These three, plus the 07 Diamondbacks team you mentioned, are the only negative run differential squads to make the postseason.

Edit: 1986 Mets?? 783-578 in RS-RA.

 

[Ale Xander]

Keon Broxton, Milwaukee Brewers:
https://mediadownloads.mlb.com/mlbam/mp4/2018/07/04/2232104683/1530744224812/asset_1800K.mp4

 

[SirPsychoSquints]

1997 Giants were 90-72 as well despite a -9, RD, infamous 1987 Twins, at 85-77 with a -20 to win the WS, 1984 Royals went 84-78 at -13. These three, plus the 07 Diamondbacks team you mentioned, are the only negative run differential squads to make the postseason.

Edit: 1986 Mets?? 783-578 in RS-RA.

Typo - 1984 Mets

 

[Sad Sam Jones]

It took the Marlins all of 3 innings to blow a 9-0 lead. Nationals now leading 10-9 at the 7th inning stretch. Trea Turner has 2 home runs, including a grand slam.

*

 

[cromulence]

14-12 now. If they hold on, the stories about this being a "turning point" will write themselves after the players-only meeting last night.

 

[Oppo]

Ronald Acuña just prentended he got hit in the hand

Replay showed it clearly hit the knob of the bat

Replay official says HBP

It wasn't 50/50 or even 99/1. You could not have gotten a more clear cut replay and NY f@cks it up

 

[soxhop411]

Panda homers. Now 7 bombs on the season

 

[ledsox]

Angels walk off the Dodgers. Jansen walks Ohtani with 2 outs and a 2-1 lead. Four pitches a stolen base, two hits and two errors later Angels celebrate . Jansen fails to back up home on a throw from Puig that skipped past the catcher. Winning run scores from first.

 

[ngruz25]

The Pirates have surrendered 17 runs twice in the last week.

On 7/2 they lost to the Dodgers 17-1.

On 7/6 they lost to the Phillies 17-5.

Fun fact: all 34 runs were scored against different pitchers. So it was a true team success.

 

[SirPsychoSquints]

The Pirates have surrendered 17 runs twice in the last week.

On 7/2 they lost to the Dodgers 17-1.

On 7/6 they lost to the Phillies 17-5.

Fun fact: all 34 runs were scored against different pitchers. So it was a true team success.

I don’t understand what the last sentence means. No pitcher allowed runs in both games? Because several pitchers allowed multiple runs in an individual game, obviously.

 

[E5 Yaz]

Fun fact: all 34 runs were scored against different pitchers. So it was a true team success.

They used 34 pitchers?

 

[Oppo]

They used 34 pitchers?

Surely there were a couple clean IP, must have used 45 pitchers

 

[jon abbey]

I think he just means there were no overlapping pitchers between the two games, but maybe you guys know that.

 

[soxhop411]

The O’s should really fire showalter.

 

[ngruz25]

I think he just means there were no overlapping pitchers between the two games, but maybe you guys know that.

Yes.

 

[Cesar Crespo]

Mark Reynolds is currently 4/4 with a double, 2 HRs and 8 rbi.

 

[grimshaw]

Now 5 for 5 with 10 RBI.

 

[jon abbey]

Wil Myers is the first person ever to homer three times in a game his team lost by double figures, ARI over SD 20-5.

 

[ledsox]

Wil Myers is the first person ever to homer three times in a game his team lost by double figures, ARI over SD 20-5.

Yesterday it took just one Myers HR in the 16th inning to down the D-backs, 4-3.

 

[jon abbey]

Yesterday it took just one Myers HR in the 16th inning to down the D-backs, 4-3.

Well, it also took 11 scoreless innings from the Padres bullpen (!) and ARI to run out of pitchers so that Myers HR' came off catcher Jeff Mathis.

 

[jon abbey]

Trevor Bauer with another masterful 8 shutout innings today, he left leading 4-0 over the Reds. Cody Allen came in, then Dan Otero, and between them they allowed 7 runs in the 9th.