2012 MLB Regular Season Running Thread

When this season started, I never dreamed that, come July, the Angels' biggest worry would be the starting rotation. Weaver has been his usually great self, and C.J. Wilson has done a really good job, but Haren is struggling big time (he's now blaming it on a sore back and could go on the DL) and Santana has gone from merely erratic to downright horrible -- he got lit up for eight runs in one and a third innings today against the Indians.

 

That is a patented Jetes inside-out liner to right center. Manks you watching?

 

The following says all you need to know about Seattle's anemic offense, especially at Safeco Field. From the AP gamer:

OK, I added that last graph ... but it's probably true.

The Mariners are now hitting .194 at their home park.

 

You may be making a bit too much of his Bowie visit. Tillman's a good young prospect.

It's not as if they trotted out an average AA pitcher. Threw a no-hitter in AAA in 2010 ... took a no-hitter into the seventh against Tampa Bay last year.

 

Oh, I know he's a legit prospect. In fact, if memory serves, both he and Adam Jones were part of what the Mariners gave up for Erik Bedard.

At least Seattle fans finally got to see him pitch well ...

 

It's more the bullpen than anything. The starters, especially Burnett, were really good early in the season when they had to . . . pirates couldn't hit . . . but now that the starters are pitching average baseball, the bats are coming alive in a big way.

 

They will go as far as Jones and Alvarez take them.

The pitching should be good to very good for the rest of the year, but they are not going to be able to score runs without some danger of home runs behind Cutch. \

Jones and Alvarez keep hitting bombs, and the Pirates will stay in the race. BTW, they end the season with three against the Reds.

 

The young pitching has been amazingly good, and remains a prime reason for where they are.

 

I think McDonald's been a little better than average.

 

He has been as has Burnett. Outside of the start where Burnett allowed 12 over 2 innings, he has been very much above average. McDonald sometimes falls into trouble with his command but has been a very pleasant suprise done they got him a few years back. I am starting to worry about guys some of their veteran pitchers, who seem to be getting into trouble a lot lately. Karstens has shown steady improvement since he returned from the dl. I think they can make a push but I keep talking myself down from the ledge every time I start thinking it. It's been my training over the last 20 years.

 

The softer-tossing White Sox lefty, Quintana, is matching Matt Harrison pitch for pitch so far.

 

The Cell is the only place where they play snippets of Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden songs on the stadium organ.