August 2017 MLB Game Thread
- Thread starter DanoooME
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The funniest part of the fight was watching Chapman run in and do nothing. Of course, there was no women on the other team...
Just caught the brawl on MLB.tv. Both Yankee catchers punching guys who are being pinned to the ground by somebody else. Do they do cheap-shot drills in training camp in Tampa? Go over scouting reports on opponents' ribs before every series?
It was pretty dumb of Sanchez to throw those punches, given that now both catchers on the 25-man will likely face fairly long suspensions, and they only have one more on the 40 man.
They will probably try to manipulate the appeal process to get around it, but there are plausible scenarios where someone might have to get DL'd or DFA'd to add one of their organizational high minors catchers to the 40-man for like two games.
I'll be surprised if Romine is suspended, really not sure what people wanted him to do. Miggy got the first two shots in, is he supposed to run away? Come on.
Sanchez will, though, and the third catcher on the 40 man, Kyle Higashioka, is actually back on the DL with back issues in AAA. They have an organizational hole below that because the Padres unexpectedly picked Luis Torrens in last year's rule 5 even though he hadn't played above low A and they have kept him on the team all year. NY's two AAA guys with Higashioka out are Wilkin Castillo and Eddy Rodriguez, rocking .480 and .517 OPSs in AAA respectively. Not a lot of good options.
They do have an open spot on the 40 man so they won't have to lose someone, although that might keep Bird on the 60 day DL until it is resolved or roster expansion on 9/1.
Sanchez will, though, and the third catcher on the 40 man, Kyle Higashioka, is actually back on the DL with back issues in AAA. They have an organizational hole below that because the Padres unexpectedly picked Luis Torrens in last year's rule 5 even though he hadn't played above low A and they have kept him on the team all year. NY's two AAA guys with Higashioka out are Wilkin Castillo and Eddy Rodriguez, rocking .480 and .517 OPSs in AAA respectively. Not a lot of good options.
They do have an open spot on the 40 man so they won't have to lose someone, although that might keep Bird on the 60 day DL until it is resolved or roster expansion on 9/1.
Also we all know that suspension decisions often bear little relation to reality, but almost all of what happened today was because the umpires could not have done a worse job at every stage. Three weeks ago these teams played in NY and there were three HBPs combined in a game that Fulmer also started, so you'd think that when a guy who had 4 HRs so far in the series got plunked on the first pitch of his next AB, umps would issue warnings. They inexplicably chose not to, and everything else followed from that. If they do issue warnings there, Kahnle maybe still throws at Miggy but then it would have been done, presumably.
Jeff Passan points out that Betances has only ever hit one righty batter previously in his career, that does not help Betances' case.
https://sports.yahoo.com/ugly-evidence-may-signal-intent-yankees-tigers-brawl-062504585.html
https://sports.yahoo.com/ugly-evidence-may-signal-intent-yankees-tigers-brawl-062504585.html
I'm glad Joe Torre's calm and even demeanor will oversee this travesty.
He'll probably give Betts 4-games, and much to the delight of some on this board suspend Farrell, indefinitely.
He'll probably give Betts 4-games, and much to the delight of some on this board suspend Farrell, indefinitely.
This is an extremely charitable spin on Romine's actions in the brawl. To be sure, Miggy started it and it would be unreasonable to expect Romine to not defend himself. Had Romine simply wrestled Miggy down - basically what he did the first few seconds of the fight - I would agree with you. However, Romine was throwing haymakers at Miggy while Miggy had multiple people on top of him restraining him. Romine was on Miggy's back tossing punches. He had every opportunity to retreat and Miggy was no longer a physical threat to him. Romine continued pursuing the restrained Miggy and was punching a defenseless person. He absolutely deserves suspension.
The last thing I want to do is argue about this, but that's not what I saw at all. Anyway, whatever will be, will be.
The main thing is how the Yankees respond to this fight and whether they can survive suspensions to Betances and Sanchez, both of whom could have avoided suspensions with better control. Fights can pull a contending team together, which may be the case for the Yankees, and fights can destroy a losing team like Detroit, as we saw with the Verlander-VMart shouting match.
Man, I knew you had to have incredible self-control to do what you do here, but the restraint not to post Doris Day there takes it to another level.
Cabrera gets 7 games, Sanchez 4.
Edit:
Tweet reads: Cabrera 7 games, Alex Wilson 4, Sanchez 4, Romine 2, Ausmus 1, Fulmer 0.
Edit:
Tweet reads: Cabrera 7 games, Alex Wilson 4, Sanchez 4, Romine 2, Ausmus 1, Fulmer 0.
So nothing for Bettances, which would lead one to think the league didn't see his pitch as intentional.
Curious to see if one of the catchers doesn't appeal to ensure that both Sanchez and Romine are not missing the same games. Still might necessitate making a move to get a back-up on the roster, but they *might* try to get away with not doing so.
Curious to see if one of the catchers doesn't appeal to ensure that both Sanchez and Romine are not missing the same games. Still might necessitate making a move to get a back-up on the roster, but they *might* try to get away with not doing so.
Yeah, Girardi already said they'd do this before the suspensions came down. Unless they are willing to risk having Ronald Torreyes as the emergency backup, they will still need to bring up someone like Eddy Rodriguez, which may delay Bird's activation because of 40 man concerns (Bird is on the 60 day DL).
Anyone who watched Betances walk around 20 batters in his last 30 innings can appreciate he often has no idea where the ball is going. I would say that about a lot of pitchers in today's max-effort, every reliever throws 98, world.
Don't think Fulmer was intentional at all. He had an arm issue that was being instantly dealt with. He's not "acting". Betances? Probably not intentional either. No one throws at a guys head. Just bad timing. Surprised that Sanchez only got four games. He was pretty much the worst guy in the whole mess.
Fulmer was in the middle of a similar situation against NY three weeks ago, Sanchez had hit 4 HRs in the previous 2 1/2 games including one the inning before against Fulmer, and the first pitch went right at him. As for his imaginary arm issue, he somehow managed to stay in after that and pitched two more innings into the seventh. Pedro was on MLBN last night and he showed how Fulmer's stance was different on that pitch from other ones, his feet were pointing at Sanchez before the pitch.
That being said, that umpiring crew should get suspended without pay for a week, they couldn't have done a worse job from start to finish (sorry for repeating myself).
Still the batting helmet on a guy 6 feet tall is a really long way from any part of the strike zone, or where you're "supposed" to hit him (his ass, his hip, etc.). Not that you never see a guy get hit on the helmet with zero intention, but with all that had preceded, you'd think Betances would also be kind of careful to not get one anyway near his head.
Joe Torre just saved the Yankee season. Unreal. Betances getting zero is a complete joke. If Jim Rice had that job and gave Matt Barnes zero games for hitting Machado just imagine the reaction from the rest of the league.
If Betances is so wild that every pitch could potentially kill a hitter he should not be pitching, so sorry if that excuse doesn't fly.
If Betances is so wild that every pitch could potentially kill a hitter he should not be pitching, so sorry if that excuse doesn't fly.
Yeah, these suspensions are both an abomination and completely expected at the same time.
Tore is a shill. Sanchez' suspension will probably be reduced on appeal, too.
Tore is a shill. Sanchez' suspension will probably be reduced on appeal, too.
What is the difference between what Alex Wilson did and Betances? They both hit a guy after warnings were issued, they were both ejected. One gets 4 games, the other nothing.
This is complete horseshit.
Do I think he was trying to hit him in he head? No. But he was a absolutely, unquestionably throwing at him. And if you throw at a batter and "miss" your target but get him in the head, it's hard to believe that you should get less than Barnes did for not hitting a batter in the head.
Honestly he looked like he was aiming at his shoulder and McCann ducked into it (just explaining what I think happened, again I think it's crazy that he and Fulmer weren't suspended).
Makes you wonder if the Ausmus & Trainer visiting the mound after that HBP saved Fulmer? If it was a smokescreen it was well played.
Miggy started the whole thing with a shove and was the first to throw punches. He earned his games.
I touched on it earlier in the thread, but Romine was at first defending himself, but morphed into throwing haymakers at a defenseless guy being held down. He definitely deserved games, and I think 2 is on the light side, but probably because the league took into consideration that he initially had to defend himself.
Sanchez needed more. He escalated the situation and was throwing loaded cheap shot punches at a defenseless guy. Sanchez wasn't involved and wasn't defending himself.
I literally read the article three times and did a search for Betances' name, as I just assumed I skipped over the line in the article stating his suspension. I can't even begin to reconcile how Wilson was suspended and Betances was not. Hell, Kahnle was fined and didn't even hit Cabrera, and his pitch was before the warning. Betances wasn't even fined.
Wilson with 4 games and Betances none is hilarious. Torre has been particularly shitty at this job.
Who is the hottest hitter in baseball right now? Gary Sanchez? Nope. Giancarlo Stanton? Possibly.
Or it could be Philly rookie Rhys Hoskins, who just hit his 10th bomb, in his 18th game. Real deal.
Or it could be Philly rookie Rhys Hoskins, who just hit his 10th bomb, in his 18th game. Real deal.
The only game in the last 8 that Rhys has not homered was the second game of a doubleheader on Tuesday (He had homered in the first game).
I was actually wrong. It's 10 homers in 17 games. Along with 23 Rbi's, to this point. He's still got a few more at bats tonight to add to it too.
Pretty safe to assume that the Astros Rangers series starting in 2 days getting moved to Arlington huh? Is there a MLB precedent for this? Good thing is Houston is in the rarest of positions this year to not complain about 84 road games.
Indians up on the Royals 12-0... before KC could record 5 outs or avoid going to the bullpen. Eric Skoglund charged with the first 7 runs. Cleveland hitters went 5-for-5 with a walk, a 3-run homer and grand slam against reliever Onelki Garcia before he recorded an out. The weekend sweep will put the Royals under .500, with 3-5 teams ahead of them for the last playoff spot, depending on how the other teams do today. Oh yeah, and the Royals haven't scored a run yet this weekend. Kansas City's decision to keep all their impending free agents and give up future assets instead of collecting them at the trade deadline was completely foolish... especially when it would be an even bigger mistake to make qualifying offers to either Jason Vargas or Alcides Escobar (granted they were in a no win situation with Escobar since every team that was buying has a better shortstop).
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Stanton at it again. 3/3 with a double and home run #50, and 3rbi's. He now has 17 home runs and 35 rbi's, in August. Absurdity. He's now on pace to hit 63 and knock in 136 runs, but every time he hits one, that pace increases.
In 2008, the Astros "hosted" two games against the Cubs at Miller Park in Milwaukee when a hurricane forced them to relocate. Carlos Zambrano no-hit the Astros in one of those games.
In 2004, the Marlins had to play "home" games in Chicago due to hurricanes. They had a home series against the Cubs postponed due to one hurricane, one game of which they added to a later series played at Wrigley. Then while the Marlins were in Chicago for that series, another hurricane hit so MLB kept the Marlins in Chicago and they hosted the first two games of their scheduled series with the Expos at US Cellular Field before going back to Miami to finish it.
In 2007, the Indians' "home" opening series ended up being played at Miller Park. They had already had an entire series hosting the Mariners postponed because a Cleveland storm had dumped a foot of snow on Jacobs Field. Funny how Bud Selig managed to make money for Milwaukee in two of the three incidents mentioned.
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