2013 MLB Regular Season running thread

I thought it would be interesting to check on MVP candidate Nick Punto's 2013 stats compared to his career stats.

Career .248 avg OBP of .325.

This year, .255 and OBP of .330. Who would ever have predicted that he would regress to his career averages.

 

Vote could go either way if the Indians finish this late surge and land a wild card. As an Indians fan, I would love to see Francona get a well-deserved MOY, but I would have no problem Farrell getting it after taking over that mess and (most likely) leading them to 95-98 wins. Girardi's chances are slipping away, as are the Yankees'.

 

Ten years ago, Ortiz would've shaken Rivera's hand, paused for a second, then given him a shit-eating grin as one of the other Red Sox players grabbed the picture and smashed it over Rivera's head. Jim Ross, of course, would've been the ceremony's MC.

 

Or not. 57 and counting.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/9677029/wladimir-balentien-belts-56th-homer-japan-surpass-sadaharu-oh

 

Far out of pennant contention, pending free agent Hunter Pence is putting together one hell of a salary drive. In his last six games he has six HRs and 19 RBIs. At .295/25/92, he even has a bit of a chance at .300/30/100.

 

Braves at Nationals tonight postponed due to Navy Yard shooting. Will be made up as a day-night doubleheader Tuesday (1 p.m. & 7 p.m. Eastern).

 

Last year's Ranger collapse was baby shit.

Since sweeping Seattle on Aug. 28 to go 23 games over .500, they have lost 12 of 15 and just went 0-6 at home for the first time in franchise history (and we're talking years and years of bad Ranger teams). They went from 3.5 up on Aug. 23 to 6.5 back now — a 10-game swing in just over three weeks. They also went from a safe 6-game edge in the wild card to tied with Tampa Bay and 1/2 game ahead of Cleveland.

If the Rangers don't make the wild card, someone's head will roll — probably the hitting coach, Dave Magadan. I think Ron Washington is safe, but the back-to-back September swoons definitely call into question how he is using his lineups.

I just think it's a mentally weak team that still can't get over Game 6. I don't know how one can root that out of the system. Nelson Cruz and David Murphy will simply walk, but Beltre and Kinsler have untradeable contracts.

 

I stumbled across this video of the Babe being hit by a pitch in the 1932 World Series and his humorous response.

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-baseball/23681980

 

Never will happen like that these days. Players will be too busy taking off their body armor.

 

HAHA!

A bit more information about what happened if some of you care.

The game after the called shot game, the two meet again. The game before Bush was Babe's chief tormentor from the Cub bench. So far away from the dugout hurling insults at Babe, the ump orders him, get back to the dugout.

Next game and it's Bush on the mound. Bush hits Babe and Babe acting as though, it didn't hurt at all, but it did.

Making flicking motions as though to brush away a pesky insect. What is he yelling as he trots to first base. Some where I have the article, can not locate it at this time, what he yelled to Bush.

According to Gehrig on deck, Babe's words, "hey lop ears, was that your fastball." Bush was knocked out in the first inning.

 

Padres' Andrew Cashner faces 27 in nine innings against Pirates. Tabata led off seventh with a single and was erased on a double play.

Game must not have been on in Pittsburgh.

 

The Rangers have not had a lead at any point in their seven-game losing streak, which is hard to do.