April MLB Game Thread

sean1562

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Ohtani has a 7.56 ERA after tonight's start against the Rangers, in which he gave up a grand slam to backup catcher Jonah Heim. On the offensive side, he's got a .143 batting average, no home runs.
2-4 with 2 HRs today! Brings his BA up to .212.
 

E5 Yaz

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Good ol' Joe ... blaming the players for not "responding" to his genius
 

Sad Sam Jones

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The Tigers are dropping like flies. Casey Mize had already sprained the MCL in his elbow, but at least they had Michael Pineda on standby in AAA for an opening. Now today Matt Manning leaves after two innings with shoulder discomfort. They were counting on a lot of development from Mize, Manning and Skubal this year.

Javy Baez also went on the IL with a thumb injury.
 

Ale Xander

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Dodgers are so stacked.
And now they even got journeyman Heaney to throw a 11 K 1 H gem. 9-1 over Reds
 

Ale Xander

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Looking forward to the Braves Dodgers tonight.

Jansen coming back to the Ravine
Kershaw starting
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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I don't know what the testing regimen is this year, but could this be related to having just been to Toronto? Like, are these guys showing symptoms and that's why they tested, did they test as close contacts with Piscotty, or were they tested as part of the travel in/out of Canada and have asymptomatic cases? The latter possibility adds another wrinkle to traveling to play the Jays, if it not only leaves teams without their unvaxxed players in those games but also the extra testing causes guys to be ruled out that might not otherwise be tested.
 

Wingack

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I don't know what the testing regimen is this year, but could this be related to having just been to Toronto? Like, are these guys showing symptoms and that's why they tested, did they test as close contacts with Piscotty, or were they tested as part of the travel in/out of Canada and have asymptomatic cases? The latter possibility adds another wrinkle to traveling to play the Jays, if it not only leaves teams without their unvaxxed players in those games but also the extra testing causes guys to be ruled out that might not otherwise be tested.
Didn't Puk not even travel to Toronto because he is unvaxxed?
 

staz

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The cradle of the game.
I don't know what the testing regimen is this year, but could this be related to having just been to Toronto? Like, are these guys showing symptoms and that's why they tested, did they test as close contacts with Piscotty, or were they tested as part of the travel in/out of Canada and have asymptomatic cases? The latter possibility adds another wrinkle to traveling to play the Jays, if it not only leaves teams without their unvaxxed players in those games but also the extra testing causes guys to be ruled out that might not otherwise be tested.
Teams will get in the habit of advising their players to self-test before getting on a plane to Toronto. Which of course will lead to much roster shenanigans.
 

LogansDad

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Diego Castillo hit his first Major League home run tonight.

Edit: The infielder for the Pirates, not the pitcher for the Mariners.
 

LogansDad

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Mets added a Sensory Nook, which seems pretty awesome.

A new “dugout” has arrived at Citi Field, the Sensory Nook, this one designed to help those with autism, ADHD and dyslexia escape from the overstimulation that can occur at major sporting events. While everyone enjoys the crack of the bat and excitement of a game at Citi Field, it can be overwhelming for some guests.
 

soxhop411

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I had to triple check this was not a parody account
View: https://twitter.com/ctrent/status/1516641783878356996
Pham said he knows a gym owner in San Diego and said he’s willing to fight Luke Voit
View: https://twitter.com/ctrent/status/1516643525575593988

Tommy Pham on Luke Voit's slide into Tyler Stephenson: " If Luke wants to settle it, I get down really well. Anything. Muay Thai, whatever. Like I said, I've got an owner here who will let me use his facility. So fuck 'em. I'm out."
 

InsideTheParker

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Wow, that’s amazing. Hopefully other teams will follow their lead.
The Springfield Thunderbirds did something similar earlier this month:
SPRINGFIELD – The Springfield Thunderbirds game against the Belleville Senators was a lot quieter than a normal matchup as part of a special matinee Sunday.

Working in conjunction with the Center for Human Development the game was played without the normal goal horn, noise makers and strobe lights.

The afternoon match was lit with consistent lighting and decreased music and microphone announcements.

The Sensory Friendly Sunday was created for anyone with sensitivity concerns. There were two “cool down stations” set up in the concourse and main entry level away from the audience.
https://www.masslive.com/thunderbirds/2022/04/springfield-thunderbirds-offer-sensory-friendly-game-photos.html
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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Here is the Voit slide in question. He hits him in the head, but the catcher's head is also blocking the plate.

View: https://twitter.com/JomboyMedia/status/1516624044275253255
I'm all for the no collusion rules. Bowling over the catcher was always a dumb and needless part of the game. That said, that is what got Tommy Pham all worked up and wanting to fight? I don't see the problem, other than unfortunately Stephenson got racked up. Voit was sliding into home as he's supposed to. He didn't initiate contact or go out of his way to make it. Two players going for the same spot at the same time collided. The way Pham wants to fight, I was expecting Pete Rose/Ray Fosse redux on that play.
 

Hendu for Kutch

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It seems pretty dirty to me. While paling in comparison to the collisions of old, Voit pretty clearly shoves the catcher's head after contact is initiated. He added a little extra something that wasn't at all needed and wasn't any part of trying to evade a tag.
 

jon abbey

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I think the main thing that has Pham pissed is that the Reds have lost eight in a row now.
 

Catcher Block

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Voit doesn't have a lot of options in the single stride he takes between Stephenson catching the ball and starting his slide.

The catcher is covering so much space laterally that Voit's choices are take out his legs (away from the plate), or try and go around his upper body to get to the top of the plate. Or not slide, which probably would have been worse for him.
 

OfTheCarmen

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I get that contact was going to happen, but are none of you seeing the 2-handed slam of the catchers head into the ground as Voit comes through? I'm sorry, I see this as both dirty and dangerous
 

Marciano490

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I get that contact was going to happen, but are none of you seeing the 2-handed slam of the catchers head into the ground as Voit comes through? I'm sorry, I see this as both dirty and dangerous
Yeah, it wasn’t the slide it was the arms directly into the catchers head and then the push. Dirtier than pig’s ass.
 

LogansDad

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I feel like that was more "the dumbest slide in the history of baseball slides" than Voit trying to do anything dirty, but I can absolutely see why Pham is pissed that his catcher got hurt because of an idiot in a bear costume accidentally body slamming him by the head.
 

splendid splinter

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I thought Voit was trying to get his hands to the plate because he thought he was sliding too far inside, in case Stephenson drops the ball. He clearly shoves Stephenson's head, but I'd say it was more "shoved it out of the way so he could touch the plate" than "slammed it to the ground", at least in terms of intent.
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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I thought Voit was trying to get his hands to the plate because he thought he was sliding too far inside, in case Stephenson drops the ball. He clearly shoves Stephenson's head, but I'd say it was more "shoved it out of the way so he could touch the plate" than "slammed it to the ground", at least in terms of intent.
I saw it as protecting himself as much as reaching for the plate. If he keeps his arms up as they were as he started the slide, he's liable to get Stephenson's mask to the mouth. I don't think there was intent to injury or even time enough for such a thought to cross anyone's mind.
 

Sad Sam Jones

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Jose Ramirez with his 2nd grand slam of the season. They're 10 games into the season and the Guardians have yet to play a game in which they score 3-6 runs. They've scored two runs or less in all their losses and 7+ in all their wins.
 

YTF

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I get that contact was going to happen, but are none of you seeing the 2-handed slam of the catchers head into the ground as Voit comes through? I'm sorry, I see this as both dirty and dangerous
I've no dog in this fight, but Voit is sliding to the infield side of the plate, the lane that he's been allowed by the catcher. As Stephenson reaches across the plate to tag him he moves into that lane. The tag is in Voit's midsection, below his arms. Voit's arms come down to push the catcher out of the way while he attempts to tag the plate. IMO that's the only way Voit has a chance to score because if he took a more direct route to the plate and attempted to slide foot first into the dish, one or both of those guys get carted off the field.
 

OfTheCarmen

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I've no dog in this fight, but Voit is sliding to the infield side of the plate, the lane that he's been allowed by the catcher. As Stephenson reaches across the plate to tag him he moves into that lane. The tag is in Voit's midsection, below his arms. Voit's arms come down to push the catcher out of the way while he attempts to tag the plate. IMO that's the only way Voit has a chance to score because if he took a more direct route to the plate and attempted to slide foot first into the dish, one or both of those guys get carted off the field.
I've got no dog either, I just see it differently. Voit didnt make much of an effort to slide and it seemed he came down and strongly followed through after making contact with the catcher's head.
 

Heating up in the bullpen

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I've no dog in this fight, but Voit is sliding to the infield side of the plate, the lane that he's been allowed by the catcher. As Stephenson reaches across the plate to tag him he moves into that lane. The tag is in Voit's midsection, below his arms. Voit's arms come down to push the catcher out of the way while he attempts to tag the plate. IMO that's the only way Voit has a chance to score because if he took a more direct route to the plate and attempted to slide foot first into the dish, one or both of those guys get carted off the field.
I’m with you and RHF — Voit angled to the infield side of home plate (coming from foul ground based on his turn at 3rd). Catcher lunged into his lane. Looks to me like Voit’s arms coming down are to protect himself, and the push is just incidental in the moment. Just a tough luck play for the catcher — and a good play by him to grab that throw and get the out.
 

Heating up in the bullpen

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The problem is really the throw. The SS takes the cut well inside the foul line. Catcher sets up to receive the throw inside the foul line. But the throw comes across the foul line behind the runner, forcing the catcher to come across the running lane. Then it’s a bang-bang play. I think Voit goes into his slide appropriately, it’s just that the catcher is there in his running lane. It looks to me like he saw the catcher move to the foul side and adjusted his route to the infield side. But the catcher left him no lane to the plate.
If Pham is going to be pissed at anybody, it should be his SS for making a crappy throw that put his catcher in jeopardy.