2013 MLB Regular Season running thread

The Braves struck out 16 times last night ... and won 9-2.

 

The Astros struck out 43 times in the first 3 games of the season -- MLB record.

 

Way I read the AP story, 43 strikeouts by Texas is a record, but not necessarily 43 by Houston. The previous pitching staff record was Cleveland in 1966, and Retrosheet has them playing one against the Senators and two against the Red Sox.

Logic would suggest that it's a record both ways, though.

 

A Cleveland team that, incidentally, started 10-0 and 14-1 and finished 81-81.

 

MLB Network ran both stats in the ticker -- Rangers set record with 43 Ks in first 3 games, Astros set record by striking out 43 times in first 3 games.

 

Fair enough. Figures that AP would only get it half-right.

 

Perhaps, but Tarheel has a point. The Dodgers are 1-2 after opening the season with a 3-game series against the defending champs. It's not like they didn't have chances last night. One or two swings of the bat by Kemp or Gonzalez go differently and LA is 2-1.

 

AJ Ellis had a .373 OBP in 500 plate appearances last year. He should be hitting second in that lineup.

He's not the problem.

MARK Ellis, on the other hand, hasn't been any good since he left Oakland. He's all glove at this point.

I just finished SI's Baseball Preview Issue, and while I thought most of the "Modest Proposals" were reaches, the Dodgers' one actually made sense ... they should trade Andre Ethier to the Rangers for Ian Kinsler.

The contracts are about equal in length and cost, both teams fill a need, and also clear a spot for their top prospect (OF Yasiel Puig in LA, 2B/SS Jurickson Profar in Texas).

 

Stat about Ethier: He set Dodgers franchise record by starting in right field for the 6th straight season.

Dodgers don't keep right fielders for very long.

 

The article in the Times focused on the radio broadcast team.

I'd have to look, but I believe the radio broadcasters are direct employees of the team.

I believe the Astros are partners in their RSN with Comcast, but the broadcasters wouldn't be team employees.

 

I'm disappointed. I love me some late-night extra inning baseball on AM radio and I missed it.

 

Oh sure. If you wanna bring those sorts of pesky facts into the argument.