the official mlb thread

[cbiesra]

So Victor is the only Indian to make the team? That sucks but I guess it makes sense.

If Asdurbal Cabrera never got injured he probably could've made the team as the back up SS with the pace he was going. But I think Cliff Lee has pitched good enough for an all-star spot. He gets terrible run support and has been on the losing end of a few games where he's only given up 2 or 3 runs. (One game where he gave up 1 run...) He's definatly not getting the respect he deserves this season.

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Mark Reynolds should be the last guy in the NL to make it. To me, he's has a better year than Wright.

 

[Lord Scalgon]

I should've posted this earlier today, but I forgot, but I never thought that the first no-hitter of the '09 season would be none other than the Giants' Jonathan Sanchez. First time in 33 years that a Giants pitcher has pitched a no-hitter. It could've been a perfect game, actually, had it not been for Juan Uribe's costly error. 9th inning was a close call for Sanchez as he could've lost his no-hit bid. Luckily, Aaron Rowand took an epic leap at the center-field wall to rob Padres' Edgar Gonzalez, which recorded the second out of that inning.

Again, I'm not a Giants fan (but an A's fan), but I do pay attention to the Giants because they're one of the local teams from the area I'm at. Still, it would be a night to remember for the Giants for years to come.

 

[BCVM22]

Jonathan Sanchez is the 4th best pitcher on that staff, at best, and certainly not the guy one would expect to throw a no-no.

Also everyone point and laugh at Juan Uribe for single-handedly keeping him from a perfect game. Schmuck.

18 HOURS LATER...

You got your wish, woot. Zach Duke was added to the NL All-Star roster to replace Matt Cain.

 

[PsychicPsycho]

It could've been a perfect game, actually, had it not been for Juan Uribe's costly error.

I didn't get that. Why does another player's error keep the pitcher from a perfect game?

 

[Lord Scalgon]

I didn't get that. Why does another player's error keep the pitcher from a perfect game?

Juan Uribe's error allowed a batter to reach first base safely. A perfect game is where a pitcher does not allow any batters from the opposing team to reach base by whatever means possible. This means no walks as well. Also, all 27 at-bats from the opposing team must be either struck out or retired in order to settle a perfect game. Oh, and a hit is not counted when a batter reaches a base through an error.

In Jonathan Sanchez's no-hitter game, he retired 27 out of 28 batters, which is very close to a perfect game.

Sometimes, the rule tend to be a little confusing at some points, but anyway...

Oh, and speaking of the All-Star game, if the AL wins this All-Star game, I wonder what's wrong with the NL all-stars all these years...? The NL hasn't won since 1996...13-year drought, if you ask me...

(I'm really surprised Matt Cain isn't pitching...that reminds me when Tim Lincecum didn't attend the All-Star game last year due to illness...)

 

[PokemonHero]

Good news. Obama didn't bounce the first pitch.

I'm happy about the All-Star rosters this year, but I feel like Luke Scott for the O's got robbed a bit. I mean, .305 batting average, 18 home runs, and 51 RBIs. I think the only problem was that he was hurt and is a DH sometimes.

 

[BCVM22]

The NL hasn't won since 1996...13-year drought, if you ask me...

I dunno, saying "13 year drought" when they haven't won in 13 years seems more like your opinion than a fact. It's kind of subjective. If you ask me, it's only been 11 years.

I'm really surprised Matt Cain isn't pitching...

Why? He's got a wicked forearm burger after taking a liner off his arm. The Giants aren't going to send their #2 to pitch in a glorified exhibition game and risk injuring himself further.

I think the only problem was that he was hurt and is a DH sometimes.

He's played the field in 18 games this year. No place for a DH in an NL park.

 

[Lord Scalgon]

I dunno, saying "13 year drought" when they haven't won in 13 years seems more like your opinion than a fact. It's kind of subjective. If you ask me, it's only been 11 years.

Well, according to this Yahoo! article, the NL hasn't won an All-Star game since 1996, so it's pretty much 13 years...unless I'm missing something.

Why? He's got a wicked forearm burger after taking a liner off his arm. The Giants aren't going to send their #2 to pitch in a glorified exhibition game and risk injuring himself further.

Hm, well...if it's for the greater good, I can't really stop that fact, then. Also speaking of Roy Halladay, if he were to be traded by the end of this month, he would fit perfectly for the Giants (I'd rather not say the A's...there's too many reasons for that). With him, Cain, and Lincecum, the Giants would establish a dynamic trio.

As of now, the NL is leading 3-2. Can they keep it up? We'll find out sooner or later...

 

[PokemonHero]

He's played the field in 18 games this year. No place for a DH in an NL park.

Well, considering that David Ortiz was voted in as a starter at first base at least once, even though he played DH, seems to indicate that it could happen.

 

[Lord Scalgon]

And so the AL dominates the NL once more. 4-3 the final score, even though the NL had a 1-run lead at one point, but in the end, it doesn't make that much of a difference. Oh well.

 

[PokemonHero]

Yeah, wow. The American League has just been able to keep the streak going. And best of all: Adam Jones got the go-ahead RBI (still, Granderson desires most of the credit for getting the triple).

 

[BCVM22]

Well, according to this Yahoo! article, the NL hasn't won an All-Star game since 1996, so it's pretty much 13 years...unless I'm missing something.

I was making light of

13-year drought, if you ask me...

as if the answer would be different if someone else were asked.

Well, considering that David Ortiz was voted in as a starter at first base at least once, even though he played DH, seems to indicate that it could happen.

Who the fans [so often incorrectly] vote in and who gets selected on the player ballot are very different things. Fans of big-market teams can often generate concerted efforts to vote in players who don't necessarily deserve it; see full-time designated hitters starting at first base, as you mentioned. Luke Scott is not David Ortiz and Baltimore is not Boston. It's really not that complicated, so I'm not going to bother explaining it further.

 

[PsychicPsycho]

A perfect game is where a pitcher does not allow any batters from the opposing team to reach base by whatever means possible....

That's what I thought. Since it was an error by an infielder and not the fault of the pitcher, it'd seem to be more the fault of the infielder then the pitcher. Although I suppose there are number of times when fielders make great plays to keep a no-hitter or perfect game going when the pitcher makes a mistake (like that catch in the late innings out on the warning track). I guess in the end it just sucks for him.

 

[woot21]

Yeah, wow. The American League has just been able to keep the streak going. And best of all: Adam Jones got the go-ahead RBI (still, Granderson desires most of the credit for getting the triple).

IMO it was Justin Upton, and is inability to play the fly ball, that deserves most of the credit for the AL winning. Also, how about Albert Pujols, 0-3 and an error. Way to perform for the hometown crowd Albert.

woot21 out dawgs

 

[cbiesra]

Upton never played LF in a major league park before, so I have to give him some leeway for it.

But St. Louis still got to see one of their hometown boys do something. Yadier drove in a run to get the NL on the board. ... Didn't mean much in the end. But still.

 

[Lord Scalgon]

That's what I thought. Since it was an error by an infielder and not the fault of the pitcher, it'd seem to be more the fault of the infielder then the pitcher. Although I suppose there are number of times when fielders make great plays to keep a no-hitter or perfect game going when the pitcher makes a mistake (like that catch in the late innings out on the warning track). I guess in the end it just sucks for him.

Well, as you may or may not have already known, not only does the pitcher have to play perfect, but the infielders and the outfielders as well. Even the slightest mistake can cost a perfect game.

Also speaking of perfect games, well, one's officially in the history books now. Chicago White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle pitches the first perfect game since five years (last time, Randy Johnson pitched a perfect game in 2004 when he was with the Diamondbacks). Though I never watched the highlights, 9th inning was a close call, unlike Jonathan Sanchez's no-hitter 13 days ago. All the White Sox players that participated in this match on this very day performed excellently, so I really don't have any feedbacks.

Mark Buehrle, I give you props for making history...

 

[cbiesra]

And what a surprise, he got a call from Obama himself to congratulate him on the game.

But wow.. did anybody see Wise's catch? Amazing.

 

[PsychicPsycho]

But wow.. did anybody see Wise's catch? Amazing.

Yeah, it was definately a great catch.

Didn't that guy that pitched the no-hitter a few days ago have somebody jump up and snag a near home run in the ninth inning as well?

I'm no baseball historian (surprise) but I was surprised that there only been 18 perfect games ever thown. I figured it would be somewhat more, but I guess it makes sense. The last one was two weeks ago oops, error, I meant 5 years ago, and baseball's been going on for about 100 years (I think) so that means there'd be about 20.

Here's a question I've been meaning to ask: At what point is a hit considered as breaking up a no-hitter? I mean if a guy gets the first hit in the first inning the announcers don't say 'well the no-hitter is broken up'. Or is there even a hard-and-fast rule for it?

 

[SkinnySweatyMan]

Buehrle should take Wise out for at least a few dinners. Buehrle got 26 outs and Wise got 1. What a Wise move to put DeWayne in as a defensive replacement, eh?

PsychicPsycho, a no hitter is broken up when the first hit is recorded. However, if it's on the first pitch of the game, I guess the pitcher never had a no hitter going, but he did as long as there wasn't a hit on his first pitch of the game.

 

[BCVM22]

Here's a question I've been meaning to ask: At what point is a hit considered as breaking up a no-hitter? I mean if a guy gets the first hit in the first inning the announcers don't say 'well the no-hitter is broken up'. Or is there even a hard-and-fast rule for it?

The general colloquial definition is that the game has to have passed the minimum official length - that's five innings - to consider a no-hitter as having been "broken up."

What a Wise move to put DeWayne in as a defensive replacement, eh?

Stay up all night thinking of that one, did you?