2016 MLB Regular-Season Thread

I understand the frustration, but I don't think Girardi is the problem. He's just the easiest target.

 

I don't think he's the problem with this team in general - the shit-ass roster they're running out there is the problem - but watching the game, it just seemed so obvious to lift Sabathia after he hit Choo with two right-handers coming up. And this wasn't second guessing. I said to my wife when he hit Choo, "Nice game by Sabathia." She looked up from her work and said, "Who?"

I've said on this board that I think Girardi is a pretty good manager - probably top five or six in the game right now - but he definitely makes some decisions that are baffling. He didn't use Betances or Miller last night, so I don't really get why he didn't use Betances after the Choo at-bat to keep the deficit to two.

 

Maddon really moving them around tonight as game with Reds goes into 14th, including pitchers in the OF.

 

As a point of clarification, he did use both Betances and Miller on Monday, and if either had pitched on Tuesday, it would have been three of the last four days and four in the last five and five of the last seven for both, having Thursday and Sunday off since last Wednesday. They also don't have any off days until the All-Star Break.

 

Great thru 4 then run out in the 5th.

 

You're right, it was Sunday that they did not pitch. I still think it was dumb to let Sabathia face consecutive right-handed batters and the heart of the Rangers' lineup after hitting the leadoff batter in the eighth inning of a two-run game. Desmond, Beltre and Fielder had a combined five hits (including a homer by Beltre) in nine at-bats against Sabathia before they faced him in the eighth. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

 

Jeff Mathis strikes again.

Tigers batter whiffs at strike three. Mathis gets up and starts walking to the dugout. He's at the on-deck circle before he's told that there's only two outs. Luckily for him, there was nobody on base, although the Marlins are getting killed, 8-2.

 

Mark Appel, the No. 1 pick of the 2013 draft, will have surgery to remove a bone spur from his elbow and is out for the season.

Phillies prospect Mark Appel out for season after elbow surgery

The Astros took him but gave up after last season, and he sucked in the Phillies' system this year. At 24 years old and facing rehab, and after Matt Bush found a spot with the Rangers, Appel is making rapid progress toward being the first No. 1 pick not to make the majors since Brien Taylor in 1991.

 

Bullington made it?

EDIT: Yeah, I guess he did. A series of cups of coffee.

 

Yeah that's the one I had to look up. Total bust, but he did get there.

 

It was strongly rumored even at the time that the Cubs had Appel at number one on their board, too, and thought he might fall to them. A shame they had to settle for Kris Bryant.