Random MLB News & Discussion 2014

[Baldkin]

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/mlb/as-will-not-protest-thursdays-loss-to-angels?ymd=20140829&content_id=92067546&vkey=news_mlb

 

Ok Brewerfan rulemeisters, what's the correct call here? I'm not totally up on the obstruction call (even though I have to take a test on it every year for coaching) but I think they actually got this one right. Moss was in Aybar's path without the ball. The reason he ran into the player with the ball was because he was trying to avoid Moss.

 

I don't understand how he's not out there. He's in fair territory and HE RUNS INTO THE GUY WITH THE BALL. He's out. Now, if he runs into foul territory (where he's supposed to be) and runs into the 1B, there may be something there.

 

I mean, that's like calling obstruction on a 1B who fields a bunt then tags the runner.

[jerichoholicninja]

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/mlb/as-will-not-protest-thursdays-loss-to-angels?ymd=20140829&content_id=92067546&vkey=news_mlb

 

Ok Brewerfan rulemeisters, what's the correct call here? I'm not totally up on the obstruction call (even though I have to take a test on it every year for coaching) but I think they actually got this one right. Moss was in Aybar's path without the ball. The reason he ran into the player with the ball was because he was trying to avoid Moss.

 

I don't understand how he's not out there. He's in fair territory and HE RUNS INTO THE GUY WITH THE BALL. He's out. Now, if he runs into foul territory (where he's supposed to be) and runs into the 1B, there may be something there.

 

I mean, that's like calling obstruction on a 1B who fields a bunt then tags the runner.

 

I would agree with this except that Moss is standing in the runners way without the ball. Aybar very well could have ran in to the pitcher on purpose but Moss was still in his way. I know if I was the umpire on the field I would have called him out but after reading explanations of the rule I think they got it right.

[young guns]

What are the explanations of the rule, would have been nice if they put the rule in question in the article. My feeling is that he should be out. I dont doubt for one second he intentionally ran into the pitcher. Also, it looked to me the umpire initially ruled the obstruction on the pitcher when he was an pointing at him and then later, when he realized the pitcher was the one with ball, changed it to the first baseman.

[RightFieldCoder]

I thought the defense had the right to try to make the play on a batted ball. The 1B (and the P) were both trying to make a play on the ball. In my opinion it should have been interference on the runner and he's automatically out.

[yfinn6]

Bo Porter was fired by the Astros. Curious as to why now -- must have been a clubhouse issue.

[jerichoholicninja]

Bo Porter was fired by the Astros. Curious as to why now -- must have been a clubhouse issue.

 

He didn't get along with the front office.

[trwi7]

There are 4 teams in the majors with run differentials of +100 or better. The Nationals and the top 3 teams in the AL West.

[reillymcshane]

Bo Porter was fired by the Astros. Curious as to why now -- must have been a clubhouse issue.

 

He didn't get along with the front office.

I've read he was questioning a lot of the front office strategies - lots of shifts, how pitchers in the minors were being handled, etc. Some people felt he was going to get canned last off season because of the same issues.

 

It's hard supporting ideas you don't believe in - but he knew what Ludlow and the front office had in mind. If he didn't like it, he could have passed on the gig (although I realize that is tough to do).

[jerichoholicninja]

Door County native Erik Cordier finally made his MLB debut.

 

https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/after-10-years--erik-cordier-arrives-in-the-big-leagues-throwing-101-mph-heat-175352846.html

 

I'd been following his career since I played against him in high school.

[reillymcshane]

Door County native Erik Cordier finally made his MLB debut.

 

https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/after-10-years--erik-cordier-arrives-in-the-big-leagues-throwing-101-mph-heat-175352846.html

 

I'd been following his career since I played against him in high school.

I love stories like this. I've said it before, no matter what happens to this guy, he can always say he played in the big leagues. Not a lot of people can do that.

 

It was nice seeing Clark and Rogers make their debuts the other day (both even have hits now). Before the season, I don't think either was a lock to make it to the majors.

[dlk9s]

Couldn't really figure out where to report this, so this thread is as good as any:

 

My 5-year old has an "Alphabet Parade" at school this week. He was assigned the letter B and is dressing up as a baseball player. We don't have much of any Brewers gear that fits anymore and since we live in Atlanta, it's a pain in the butt to get any - I really don't feel like ordering kids clothes online that a) might not fit, b) will likely cost too much, and c) they will grow out of in a week.

 

I found a Braves hat I won at a game a decade ago and tightened it to fit him. He was wearing it around the house yesterday and at one point called me over to tell me something. He said, "I don't want to wear this hat too much because I don't want people to think I don't like the Brewers."

 

http://i.imgur.com/BiWi5.gif

[WV Brew]

Interesting story in the Atlantic, of all places, on baseball becoming too boring due to the influence of camera technology on umpires:

 

http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2014/09/baseball-is-boring-and-this-camera/379443/

 

Blaming low scoring on a lowered strike zone.

[jerichoholicninja]

For as much as the Brewers are collapsing, the Athletics are doing their best to match it.

 

On July 1 the Brewers were 51-34 with a 6.5 game lead and Oakland was 51-32 with a 3.5 game lead.

Since, the Brewers are 24-37 and have fallen to 5 games back of first and 1.5 of a wild card. Oakland has gone 30-32 and fallen to 9 games out of first and barely clings on to a wild card spot.

[reillymcshane]

Interesting story in the Atlantic, of all places, on baseball becoming too boring due to the influence of camera technology on umpires:

 

http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2014/09/baseball-is-boring-and-this-camera/379443/

 

Blaming low scoring on a lowered strike zone.

Thanks for sharing. That was really interesting.

[jerichoholicninja]

Baltimore's Chris Davis suspended 25 games. Out until the World Series at the soonest.

[AZBrewCrew]

Baltimore's Chris Davis suspended 25 games. Out until the World Series at the soonest.

Whats interesting is he was suspended for taking Adderall, but he supposedly had an exemption for it last year but not this year.

[Dead Simmons]

Baltimore's Chris Davis suspended 25 games. Out until the World Series at the soonest.

Whats interesting is he was suspended for taking Adderall, but he supposedly had an exemption for it last year but not this year.

Apparently he forgot to renew the thing. With the way he's performing this year, that 25 game ban seems ludicrous.

 

There were an alarming 14 HBP yesterday, Trout with 2 of them.

[Fear The Chorizo]

exerpts from an article about Adderall, at the time focusing on the increased presence in the NFL (especially the Seahawks secondary):

 

"It masks fatigue, masks pain, increases arousal — like being in The Zone," begins Wadler, currently an associate professor of medicine at Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine, in a phone interview.

 

"It increases alertness, aggressiveness, attention and concentration. It improves reaction time, especially when fatigued. Some think it enhances hand-eye coordination. Some believe it increases the mental aspects of performance."

 

That's not to mention possible increases in acceleration, speed, strength and power that accrue to Adderall users. It's no wonder that Wadler calls Adderall "one of the quintessential performance-enhancing drugs. There's no question it's a performance-enhancing drug."

 

Adderall has been banned by virtually every sports organization, from the NCAA to MLB to the NFL. But the NFL, like other sports, allows players who have a medical need for the drug to use it without penalty, after they have applied for and been granted a Therapeutic Use Exemption.

 

The NFL doesn't disclose the number of therapeutic exemptions issued, but MLB in 2011 granted 105. Such numbers were an eye-opener to Wadler.

 

"I'm an internist, and I see lots of patients," he said. "I can count on one hand the number I've seen over the years who had (ADHD) to such a degree that they required medicine."

 

He says that ADHD has become "the diagnosis du jour in our society."

 

...In short, Adderall has benefits for legit cases of ADHD, but when such a high percentage of professional athletes are getting exemptions in order to take a banned substance to likely enhance performance moreso than pay attention, it's yet another stain on the concept of having "clean" games and even playing fields. It would be interesting to find out if Davis didn't get that exemption until last season, when he went off with historic offensive production. That of all things should prove just how performance-enhancing Adderall can be - he had a Brady Anderson-type outlier year for him last season.

[jerichoholicninja]

If Adderall can add .300 to your OPS and is only a 25 game suspension, I'm handing it out to everyone in my clubhouse.

[RightFieldCoder]

There were an alarming 14 HBP yesterday, Trout with 2 of them.

September means more minor league pitching in the majors.

[3and2Fastball]

If Adderall can add .300 to your OPS and is only a 25 game suspension, I'm handing it out to everyone in my clubhouse.

 

Well, just have the players say they are having a very difficult time paying attention, and then you can get a doctor's note and not even risk suspension

[gregmag]

That "diagnosis du jour / count on one hand" line from the doctor above reflects a strong opinion that a great many people would dispute. I'm just an ordinary guy, and I know more than a few people who have gotten medication for ADHD. The implication of that story that prescribing ADHD drugs is junk medicine reflects a serious bias. Maybe it's ultimately correct, but don't take it at face value.

[igor67]

I don't think the implication was that it was junk science, rather that it is unnecessary in many cases. Based on the kids I see on a daily basis I put the number that need medication at about 1/20. I took the statements to mean that there are a much larger group of people that would 'benefit', and I see those kids too. However while I might 'benefit' from some HGH (5'6") that doesn't mean I should be on it.

[trwi7]

Good old Yosty.

[pitchleague]

From MLB Trade Rumors today . . . .

 

"Steve Adams profiled Josh Harrison as a possible extension candidate and sees three years and $15-16MM as the parameters for a deal between the Pirates and the 27-year-old utilityman."

 

Please tell me that somebody else in BF.net-Land is smelling the same thing they smelled when Bill Hall got a nice juicy extension? The Pirates should stay far away in my opinion.