July/August game thread

jon abbey

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A rain delay in the first game of this season is peak 2020.
It became even more 2020 when they left the tarp on for a while, then took it off, then almost immediately put it back on. Seriously.
 

trekfan55

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Just saw Mookie throw a laser and almost get the runner out at 2nd on a single to right. The runner on 1st hesitated a bit but still, I will miss that arm in RF
 

LogansDad

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I only watched about 5 games total last year, because I was incredibly busy getting ready for my AF retirement, and I don't think I realized how much I missed baseball until probably this morning. This is really nice to have back.
 

LogansDad

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Thank goodness the announcers hate the runner on 2nd in extras thing, too. I might lose my shit if that ends up here to stay.
 

Light-Tower-Power

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I hope they don’t turn off field mics because of things like that. Half the fun of sports this summer is being able to hear the players as they play.
 

InsideTheParker

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Jul 15, 2005
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Not crazy about seeing Chipper Jones chatting before the game on ESPN. At a time that players are showing sensitivity to racial injustice, not cool to hear from a racist.
 

staz

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The cradle of the game.
WTF with this ESPN broadcast? The game itself is literally an afterthought, with all the zoom interviews, vintage highlights and on-screen graphics.
 

InsideTheParker

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Jul 15, 2005
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@staz I just said the same thing to my husband. Talking about anything but the game is ESPN's M.O.
@YTF The Sox are really missing a bet by only pushing the pay $500. to have your likeness on the Green Monster. Cardboard cutouts need to be through out the stands.
Yay! Cespedes homer.
 

Brand Name

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Love the Cespedes homer but geez all the players with no masks or any kind of care about social distancing or contact in the dugout in celebration was actively discouraging. Ugh.
 

SemperFidelisSox

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Love the Cespedes homer but geez all the players with no masks or any kind of care about social distancing or contact in the dugout in celebration was actively discouraging. Ugh.
Yeah, I brought this up last night. Guys are hugging, high fives, dancing, fist bumps. All it takes is one infected player.
 

Sad Sam Jones

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The Tigers are going to regret not cashing in on Matthew Boyd's hot start to 2019 when contenders still wanted him last July. He's... not good.
 

johnmd20

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Whit Merrifield is the first KC player since George Brett to lead the league in hits in two consecutive seasons.

I would submit that about 20% of baseball fans have heard of Whit Merrifield. If you're in fantasy, you know who he is. But that's about it.
 

jon abbey

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Joe West squeezing Charlie Morton and costing him a couple runs, 3-0 Toronto.
 

Sad Sam Jones

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Shane Bieber needed 15 pitches or so to settle in tonight, but he's been filthy since... 6 K's through 3 scoreless innings.
 

jon abbey

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Shane Bieber needed 15 pitches or so to settle in tonight, but he's been filthy since... 6 K's through 3 scoreless innings.
To me the Indians are probably helped by the extra playoff round this year more than any other AL team, as they just have to fend off the White Sox for a top 2 AL Central spot.
 

Sad Sam Jones

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I think the Twins will need that advantage more than the Indians. Minnesota hugely overperformed last year and they still have a mediocre pitching staff. I'll enjoy watching baseball and following individual performances, but I just can't find a reason to really care about the outcome of this season. After a 72 year drought, I'd feel cheated if they finally ended it during this charade of a season. At the same time, this is the end of their current window -- there was little doubt at least two of Lindor, Santana and Hand were playing their last season in a Cleveland uniform, and with the revenue crash I'll be surprised if any of the three are around for 2021.

Bieber might be helped more than anyone by MLB's refusal to go to an automated strike zone. He's perfectly painting the outside corner a couple of times per at-bat and then getting the Maddux treatment: 12 K's through 5 innings... and his teammates just gave him a 2-0 lead.
 

Sad Sam Jones

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Thinking about this some more, I'd say the bigger advantages to Cleveland were:

(1) The delayed start means Clevinger and Carrasco have been healthy and pitching for a couple of months now.
(2) The larger roster allows them to carry a ridiculous number of outfielders, so they can basically go through them All-Star game style and always utilize platoon advantages and pinch-runners.
 

Leather

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The Twins Pythag was 97-65, which still would have won the Central by 4 games. I wouldn’t say they “hugely” over performed.
 

Sad Sam Jones

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I wasn't considering runs scored vs. runs against as the factor of them overperforming. It was the number of best-case scenario performances they had in their lineup and Odorizzi's career year or getting a 10-7 record out of Martin Perez when he only pitched well for 5-6 weeks of the season.

Anyway, there's a slugfest with Berrios and Giolito on the mound tonight, Twins and ChiSox locked up at 5-5 in the 4th inning.
 

SemperFidelisSox

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The Indians wore their road navy ‘Cleveland’ uniforms for their home opener instead of the white Indians ones. Don’t know if this will be a season long thing but the team is considering a name change and said tonight was about showing solidarity for minorities.
 

amRadio

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Feb 7, 2019
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Ohtani on second to start the 10th in Oakland. It feels as strange as I thought it would.