The Swamp

1IP 6H 6R 3ER 1BB1K. There's hoops tonight anyway.

Kinda wish the Astros were in the AL Central, you guys.

Man, when it rains it pours for the Astros. They should have been out of the second inning after getting screwed on a bad/missed called strike on a 2-2 count to Peralta. He ends up walking. Followed by single, infield single and three-run HR and all of the sudden it's 4-1.

Jason Kipnis is good at baseball.

Nice win for the Astros today. Though Cabrera made it interesting. Down 7-5 in the bottom of the ninth with the bases loaded and two out and he hit a bomb to the center field wall. About three feet short of a walk off grand slam.

Woohoo, avoid the season sweep. #

I think this can be classified as a filthy slider.

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?c_id= ... 16_8019824" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

courtesy of the Times, a running tally of how much of teams' payroll is tied up on the DL

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013 ... bench.html

Sabo wrote:I think this can be classified as a filthy slider.

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?c_id= ... 16_8019824" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

True. Sure glad that isn't being unleashed from a starter. That would be crazy talk...

tennbengal wrote:

Sabo wrote:I think this can be classified as a filthy slider.

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?c_id= ... 16_8019824" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

True. Sure glad that isn't being unleashed from a starter. That would be crazy talk...

In this case, starting would be completely crazy. He is where he belongs right now. He has a blazing fastball, and can get an occasional slider over the plate. However, that is not nearly enough to be an effective starter. The second time through the order, the batters would have his pitches timed, and he would be gone.

tennbengal wrote:

Sabo wrote:I think this can be classified as a filthy slider.

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?c_id= ... 16_8019824" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

True. Sure glad that isn't being unleashed from a starter. That would be crazy talk...

If Chapman was on the Indians, or the Pirates, or some other team that needed help with starting pitching, then it would make sense to make him a starter. But he's fine in his role right now, especially with the Reds having Cingrani and Corcino waiting in the wings as replacements for Arroyo and Leake. Would you rather have Broxton closing?

Sabo wrote:I think this can be classified as a filthy slider.

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?c_id= ... 16_8019824" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That's disgusting.

That's as un-hittable as RA Dickey's rising knuckleball.

HDO45331 wrote:

tennbengal wrote:

Sabo wrote:I think this can be classified as a filthy slider.

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?c_id= ... 16_8019824" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

True. Sure glad that isn't being unleashed from a starter. That would be crazy talk...

In this case, starting would be completely crazy. He is where he belongs right now. He has a blazing fastball, and can get an occasional slider over the plate. However, that is not nearly enough to be an effective starter. The second time through the order, the batters would have his pitches timed, and he would be gone.

Agree to disagree. Firmly.

Sabo wrote:

tennbengal wrote:

Sabo wrote:I think this can be classified as a filthy slider.

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?c_id= ... 16_8019824" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

True. Sure glad that isn't being unleashed from a starter. That would be crazy talk...

If Chapman was on the Indians, or the Pirates, or some other team that needed help with starting pitching, then it would make sense to make him a starter. But he's fine in his role right now, especially with the Reds having Cingrani and Corcino waiting in the wings as replacements for Arroyo and Leake. Would you rather have Broxton closing?

Sure. Chapman's save % last year was right where coco's was over his tenure in Cincy. I remain in the camp that Chapman's full value is wasted in the role they have assigned him.

I'd rather have Chapman throwing 7 and Broxton throwing 1 than Chapman throwing 1 and Broxton still also throwing 1.

I just hate the damn save. MLB managers could generally be replaced with a computer program, written in FORTRAN. They make NFL coaches look like geniuses.

Icepenis wrote:I'd rather have Chapman throwing 7 and Broxton throwing 1 than Chapman throwing 1 and Broxton still also throwing 1.

Well, yup. Especially since the 1 inning that Broxton will throw may very well end up being much higher leverage than the 1 Chapman will throw, as Dusty will only use Chapman in the 9th (as most managers would). Nevermind that Broxton might face 3-4-5 in the line-up in the 8th, that's how it goes down.

tennbengal wrote:

Icepenis wrote:I'd rather have Chapman throwing 7 and Broxton throwing 1 than Chapman throwing 1 and Broxton still also throwing 1.

Well, yup. Especially since the 1 inning that Broxton will throw may very well end up being much higher leverage than the 1 Chapman will throw, as Dusty will only use Chapman in the 9th (as most managers would). Nevermind that Broxton might face 3-4-5 in the line-up in the 8th, that's how it goes down.

You don't get it. Even when Nick Punto comes up there in the 9th, there's so much more pressure!

Probably makes more sense to have Chapman start every game.

Icepenis wrote:

tennbengal wrote:

Icepenis wrote:I'd rather have Chapman throwing 7 and Broxton throwing 1 than Chapman throwing 1 and Broxton still also throwing 1.

Well, yup. Especially since the 1 inning that Broxton will throw may very well end up being much higher leverage than the 1 Chapman will throw, as Dusty will only use Chapman in the 9th (as most managers would). Nevermind that Broxton might face 3-4-5 in the line-up in the 8th, that's how it goes down.

You don't get it. Even when Nick Punto comes up there in the 9th, there's so much more pressure!

Probably makes more sense to have Chapman start every game.

Fuck yes on Punto in the 9th. A senseless fucking terror. Nick Punto in innings 1-8, no worries, but in the 9th? so. much. goddamn. pressure.

Jason Kipnis with a walk-off three-run homer in the 10th inning. He's been on fire of late, as have the Indians, who have gone 15-4 in their last 19 games.

#Windians

Not that he usually needs any help but Miguel Cabrera was just gifted a HR off Michael Bourn's glove. After two rain delays only about 500 Clevelanders were there to see it.

Suck it Jeff Smrdzijaaja. Nice try though, fucker.

NL Central has been on fire for a couple of weeks.

The Bucs won their 28th game of the season, in 46 games. In 2010, it took them 79 FUCKING GAMES to win 28.

AB_skin_test wrote:NL Central has been on fire for a couple of weeks.

Me: Hey, I don't remember writing that.
Me: Hmm. That date is today.
Me: Hey, I didn't put a dick on Drunk Mr. Met
Me: GODDAMMIT AB!

rass wrote:Astros vendor poops next to his sno-cones!

There's a metaphor for their entire season right there.

Hey this team is currently only two games behind the pace of the 2005 team that went to the World Series!

Cubs gave the Pirates Marmol, and the Pirates did not make Marmolade. INEXCUSABLE!

And Cabrera ended up winning the Triple Crown last year. Jeebus, this must be what it was like to watch Mantle or Williams in their prime.

DC47 wrote:The Royals are playing good baseball. Their fondest dreams are coming true with the new starting rotation. And they're not even getting the slugging that they expected at the infield corners. If that comes, and the rotation is not an illusion, then the Tigers are in for a real race despite their much larger payroll.

Pretty sweet jinx there, DC. Now try it with the Indians.

Mike Trout hit a Bo Jackson bomb at KC yesterday:

One last Cabrera note. FanGraphs did this awesome GIF to show his plate coverage. These are all HRs.

If anyone wants to see me on TV, I have front row, right field tickets for the Indians-Reds game next Thursday. Of course, this means it will be a pitchers duel with 20+ combined strikeouts.

Does anyone else have serious problems with the MLB app? And by that I mean the sort of frustration that makes you want to take an aluminium bat to a Honda Accord? Every single time I try to listen to a ball game I have to enter my email and password (which I shouldn't have to do) and then get a "this sucks" error and have to go to the MLB site to change my log-in/pw every single bloody time. And even then I typically get a "you don't exist" error.

Yes, I know that murder is still illegal. Well, at least it is until Howard and I take over. Really, though, anyone else inflicted with this or did I just get lucky?

And the tech support in Bangladesh just doesn't cut it.

"Do you have a telephone?"
"Well, yeah, I'm calling you from one."
"How can I help you today?"
"Well, you can't. But if you can tell me what the Punjabi word for irony is, this won't be a complete loss."

I've had zero problems. I'm even able to watch local games and saturday morning games.

Yeah, I haven't had any issues either. Though I do have to log back in every week or two on the desktop. Not sure if they're just expiring their cookies in a lame way or what. Never have to re-login on the phone though.

Scottie wrote:Does anyone else have serious problems with the MLB app? And by that I mean the sort of frustration that makes you want to take an aluminium bat to a Honda Accord? Every single time I try to listen to a ball game I have to enter my email and password (which I shouldn't have to do) and then get a "this sucks" error and have to go to the MLB site to change my log-in/pw every single bloody time. And even then I typically get a "you don't exist" error.

Yes, I know that murder is still illegal. Well, at least it is until Howard and I take over. Really, though, anyone else inflicted with this or did I just get lucky?

And the tech support in Bangladesh just doesn't cut it.

"Do you have a telephone?"
"Well, yeah, I'm calling you from one."
"How can I help you today?"
"Well, you can't. But if you can tell me what the Punjabi word for irony is, this won't be a complete loss."

I had the repeated request to log-in error for a short period of time two weeks ago, but it seems to have worked itself out. It's been smooth sailing since.