moonslav59

You gotta figure we will need to get a grip on home games to have a decent chance at joining the dance. I hope we can get back at HOU, when we go to H-Town, next week. (I'll be at one game.) Going to BAL, this weekend is not going to be easy.

MLB has really become the parity league. The top 5 teams (BAL, CLE, LAD, PHI & NYY) are all within a half game of each other. The next 4 teams (MIL, MIN, ARI & SDP) are within a game of each other and just 2-3 games behind the first group. The bubble group of 6 teams (KCR, HOU, BOS, SEA, ATL & NYM) are all 3.5 games apart and between 1.5 and 5 games from a playoff slot. Even teams like STL, SFG and TBR are hanging around- just one win streak from being in the next group up. 20 teams are within 5.5 games of a WC slot or division lead.

We are back to tied with KCR in the loss column. BAL & NYY are 70-50 (one should be a WC team) 67-52 MIN (is playing well.) 65-55 KCR 64-55 HOU (ALW leader) 63-55 BOS -1.0 63-57 SEA -2.0 59-60 TBR -5.5 Let's hope our rotation is on the path to some sort of rebound. While April sure looks like a fluke, now, I don't think it is as bad as it has looked over the last month, too. The rotation is likely somewhere in between, and let's hope they do closer to April's form than July's. We play TEX, tomorrow, while KCR plays MIN, again. We go to BAL THU, FRI, SAT, SUN, while KCR has THU off. MIN goes to TEX THU-SUN. KCR goes to CIN FRI-SUN. (Cincy is still in the NL WC race.)

They were "false signs" in 2021, and who here knew the difference in foresight? Of course, they were NOT "false signs" in 2023, but I will say this, there was pretty close to the exact same excitement on Sale in the winter after 2021 as the winter after 2023. That's my point. I'm not trying to say we didn't swing and miss, badly. We obviously did, but how were the "signs" in 2023 noticeably different? Oh, and BTW, ATL did force Brez to pay a big chunk of his contract, so it's not like they had complete faith in the "signs." Again, the trade sucked. ATL did a great job on the timing and the choice they made. That is clear.

Before tonight: Catcher OPS Leaders (300+ PAs) .865 Wilson Contreras .816 William Contreras .814 Salvador Perez .778 Connor Wong .776 Yainer Diaz .771 T Stephenson When playing catcher only: .839 Wong .797 Wm Contreras .785 Stephenson

Topsy turvy league.

very nice win

We better score some more crooked numbers!

Sims comes through!

This is absurd.

No, it is relevant, as some claim his "sowing signs" in 2023 meant something, yet the "signs" in 2021 were false hope signs. Somehow, we were supposed to know the 2023 ones were for real. Look, I get the idea that trading away any pitching, last winter was asking for this. Not replacing Sale, or Gio, once we knew he was hurt was a major mistake. I'm not sure anyone felt good about the totality of the pitching additions vs subtractions, last winter. My point was only about Sale showing signs, several times after 2018, and never once did the hopes come anywhere near what he gave ATL in 2024. We guessed wrong. We stuck with him for a very long time, and just about every poster got sick of waiting and waiting. We also got sick of Bloom signing other pitchers with injury histories and waiting for them to come off the IL, year after year. Brez tried to end that, and he failed, miserably. He traded our most injury prone pitcher and signed one that was known mostly for his durability- not his skill level. It back-fired, badly. I wish we still had Sale. I wish Gio never got hurt. Neither happened, and we are struggling mightily because of that. Had we traded him after 2021, and he went on to have a year like this in 2023, we'd have heard the same beefs.

If you truly don't want me to ever respond to another post of yours, you might try not responding to mine.

After his first start in 2021 (AUG 14,) Sale pitched 8 nice games at 3.11 and 3.49 FIP. Hopes were high for 2022. Then, poof. Had we traded him that winter, we'd have heard cricketts all 2023. Hindsight can be fun. It can be a bitch, too.

Of course. Agreed. Hindsight can be fun.

I know this will surprise many and bum out many more, but Paxton is expected to miss the rest of the season with a partially torn calf muscle. In other news... Pivetta is expected to start on Thursday (Arm fatigue.) Criswell looks close to be activated (COVID) Slaten threw off the mound for the first time since July 9th. O'Neill's leg infection has shown "slow progress." He has not resumed any baseball activities, so the AUG 14th eligible date will not be his return date. Casas is rehabbing with Woo and playing tonight. Hendriks will throw his 3rd live batting practice and may start a rehab assignment soon.

Why no big stink over letting Martin Perez walk? We shoulda known he was on the cusp of a rebound. 176 IP w BOS 4.65 ERA/ 4.84 FIP (2020-2021) 338 IP w TEX 3.54 ERA/ 3.99 FIP (2022-2023) (Of course, he turned back into a pumpkin half way through '23 and afterwards.

Me, too.

He was demoted for his defense, but had an even better streak from June 1st to his last game before his demotion: .973 in 26 games and 83 PAs, including 4 HRs and 15 rbi! I think he can be a fine MLB hitter, especially against RHP, but this team is loaded with LHBs, and his best position looks like DH. I think he gets traded, this winter, unless we find a taker for Yoshida.

Joseph Heller might be even better, but there is a "Catch."

EValdez has a .927 OPS in his last 95 PAs in MLB. (May 1st>>>)

I'd rather we sign Helen Keller.

Mayer at SS and Meidroth at 3B would be even better.

He does have some big hits, this year. No doubt.

He has earned the ABs vs RHPs, despite out heavy LHB tilt. I agree, though, he should be platoon only, but will get a few ABs vs RHPs, like tonight. He's been a big plus for this team, and his numbers vs LHPs are no fluke. Most of our "rookie's" do not do well vs LHPs.

KCR lost to MIN, tonight.