2013 MLB Regular Season running thread

Go back to bed, Neil Diamond.

 

Has he been designated for assignment yet?

 

Why should he get off easy? Make him suffer with the rest of the Cubs. At the rate they're going, this will be small potatoes by the end of the season.

 

They'd already balked in a game-winning run in extra innings earlier this year. They've got an uncanny talent for losing, even by Cubs standards.

 

The Cubs, as usual, don't deserve the good green stuff.

 

Rendon is the real deal, and it's safe to say the Nats know what they're doing in terms of drafting/evaluating talent.

 

Rendon's biggest problem is that his ankles are made out of glass. He's even more brittle than Zimmerman, so they'd best enjoy him while he lasts.

 

Ooooo, I love your way of thinking...

 

That ranks right up there with Ronnie Cedeno getting caught stealing at second base on a base on balls.

 

I was bored this morning, and I was thinking; What are some of the biggest risks ever taken by managers?

A few that immediately come to mind: Mayo Smith playing Mickey Stanley at SS for the 1968 World Series; Connie Mack pitching Howard Emke for the '29 Series Opener; and Fred Clarke pitching rookie Babe Adams to open the 1909 Fall Classic.

1960 WS - Ditmar starts Game 1 of the WS for the Yanks, Ford doesn't start until Game 3 and can only start twice in the series. That decision got Stengel fired. Which was silly. The 1927 Yankees lost 4/7 games on seven different occasion that year. It happened to the 1998 Yankees 13x in the regular season. And the 1960 World Series was the 24th time it happened to the Yankees that season. The fact that it happened for the 24th time vs. a very good team in one arbitrary series did not make them a worse team or Stengel a worse manager.

Another risky move was forced on Eddie Sawyer in 1950 for World Series game #1. Phillies #2 starter Curt Simmons was called up for military service Sep 10 just 3 weeks before series begun and #1 starter Robin Roberts had to start 3 of the last 5 regular season games because of the tight pennnant race and Simmons not available. Sawyer was forced to start Jim Konstanty the league MVP and super reliever who did not start a game all year. It almost worked a he gave up only 1 run but the Yanks won 1-0.

In 1948 playoff game Joe McCarthy chose to start Denny Galehouse in the playoff game vs Cleveland to the surprise of everyone including Mel Parnell who thought he would get the ball. Bad choice.

Do you guys have any mind?

 

Leaving Pedro Martinez in for the eighth inning of Game Seven of the ALCS in 2003 pops into mind. Or is that just an obvious rock, not a risk?
I would also suggest pitching Koufax on two days rest in Game Seven of the Series in 1965. If pitching him could ever be considered a risk. But if a manager did that today, he'd be fired before he was able to take lineup card out to the umps.