Just because I'll not be be able to say something this late in the season for a while: Cubs are 5 and a half out of a wild card spot.

Anthony Rizzo leading all NL 1Bs in OPS is also kinda cool.

Manny Machado is crazy.

 

Discuss.

He also hit Norris in the head with his backswing twice causing him to leave the game.  That seems less likely to be on purpose, but when you look at it, he hits the guy in the head and doesn't even turn around like "ooops, didn't mean to do that."  It actually looks pretty bad. 

 

Even accidentally, though, the same guy clocking the catcher twice is pretty fucking stupid.

 

None of this seems like "Play the game the right way" bullshit.  But just one thin-skinned guy who lost his mind over a push/tag that he took personally.

He also hit Norris in the head with his backswing twice causing him to leave the game.  That seems less likely to be on purpose, but when you look at it, he hits the guy in the head and doesn't even turn around like "ooops, didn't mean to do that."  It actually looks pretty bad. 

 

Even accidentally, though, the same guy clocking the catcher twice is pretty fucking stupid.

 

None of this seems like "Play the game the right way" bullshit.  But just one thin-skinned guy who lost his mind over a push/tag that he took personally.

 

 

Supposedly part of his issue with Donaldson was the tag caused him to make a sudden move to try and dodge the tag -- which risked aggravating the knee injury that caused him to miss so much time.

 

Which of course makes him look really bad when he is so reckless and unrepentant about hitting the catcher in the head with his bat and apparently causing an actual injury that forced Norris to leave the game.

 

And Baltimore had already responded to Donaldson's tag later in that same game.

 

Then he tries to throw his bat at Third Base A] When Donaldson is no longer even in the game B] and came close to hitting Angel Hernandez

BONUS POINTS:  John Jaso of the A's just used the phrase ^© Veteran Presence.

The Tigers still haven't learned - closers need to throw hard. Joba throwing slider after slider to Ortiz, after Ortiz showed he couldn't hit Joba's fastball is just unreal.

The Tigers have an ERA of something like 7.50 in the ninth inning this year. That's really, really, REALLY hard to do.

To be fair, Joba *has* been their best reliever this year...which is really depressing when you think about it.

BONUS POINTS:  John Jaso of the A's just used the phrase ^© Veteran Presence.

 

I approve

Here's some more ammunition for Phillies fans who hate the GM . . .      http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/report--phillies-accidentally-traded-prospect-domingo-santana-to-astros-in-2011-195843392.html

To be fair, Joba *has* been their best reliever this year...which is really depressing when you think about it.

Yeah, it's really depressing.

 

Tigers fans on Facebook are raving over how "great" Phil Coke was last night - no joke.  He gave up a single and hit a guy in 1-1/3 innings.  2 runners in 1-1/3 innings and people raved about him.  That shows how low the bar has been set.

 

Is it a coincidence that the last time the Tigers had a truly elite closer was 1984?  I suppose 1988 when Henneman was crazy good could maybe count, too, but that doesn't fit my narrative near as well

 

To show you how different things are now: in 1984, Willie Hernandez finished 68 games - and got just 32 saves.  Contrast that with Mariano Rivera, who's never had a season as a closer where he had saves in less than half his GFs.

I messaged an Orioles' friend of mine "Manny Machado is a toolbag." He sends back, "Nobody in Baltimore that I've sdeen disagrees with that sentiment. I think the overall impression is 'Dude...what the hell?'"

 

Tim Brown@TBrownYahoo · 9m

Source: MLB will suspend Machado for five games. Machado plans to appeal.

 

Bob Welch passed away. He died of a heart attack. He was 57.

Bob Welch passed away. He died of a heart attack. He was 57.

 

God Dammit that sucks

 

Bob Welch passed away. He died of a heart attack. He was 57.

 

God Dammit that sucks

 

 

A's radio broadcast team just mentioned he was planning on attending tonight's game in Anaheim and saying hello to a bunch of old friends on the coaching staff (Bob Melvin, Curt Young) and a bunch of the young pitchers on the A's who he'd been helping as a roving minor league instructors.

 

Really stunning and sad news.

So, this is the real-life equivalent of holding down Mega Man's blaster til it's at full strength.

 

 

Also, NOTHING beats the little kid in the seats behind home celebrating the big hit only to come the horrific realization of what Cespedes has just done. 

So, this is the real-life equivalent of holding down Mega Man's blaster til it's at full strength.

 

 

Also, NOTHING beats the little kid in the seats behind home celebrating the big hit only to come the horrific realization of what Cespedes has just done. 

So THAT's what Willie Mays looked like. . . .

Who knew Willie Mays was Cuban?

Who knew Willie Mays was Cuban?

Well arm strength and all that, though Willie's would have been from center field. . . 

Yeah, I got it, just teasing as I tend to do. Willie's probably would have sent the catcher careening into the first row.

Yeah, I got it, just teasing as I tend to do. Willie's probably would have sent the catcher careening into the first row.

Willie also wouldn't have misplayed the ball before making the throw.

That was a helluva throw by Cespedes but I'll take Bo Jackson's best or Ichiro's best over that one.  Too much arc on Cespedes' throw to be at the very, very top of the elite throws,

Someone did the math on it. If Jackson's throw was off by a degree in either direction, it would have missed the mark by six feet and Kendrick would have been safe. That's wild.