# Baseball July 2009 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** baseball-mlb\ **Created:** [July 2, 2009, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737 "2009-07-02T20:43:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 20
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/381 "2009-07-29T20:46:46Z")
Embarrassing game for the Astros today. They’re losing 11-0 to the Cubs. If they lose Oswalt for any length of time, I doubt they’re going to make a run for the division. Still, supposedly this kid Bud Norris they called up is decent. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/382 "2009-07-29T22:01:25Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > The Phillies have apparently gotten Cliff Lee from the Indians. Huge bonus for them. Meaning no disrespect to the Dodgers, I think the Phillies are clearly the best team in the NL. I know Cleveland is pretty much out of it, but why would you trade a reigning Cy Young winner for unproven prospects? Good prospects, but still, _prospects._ Yeah, he’ll be a free agent next year. So what? He’s your guy. Sign him to an extension. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/383 "2009-07-29T22:56:32Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > I know Cleveland is pretty much out of it, but why would you trade a reigning Cy Young winner for unproven prospects? Good prospects, but still, _prospects._ Yeah, he’ll be a free agent next year. So what? He’s your guy. Sign him to an extension. Not all teams can just sign whatever pitcher they want whatever the price. In any event, Lee will be 32 when his next contract starts. As the old saying goes, better to trade someone a year too early than a year too late. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/384 "2009-07-29T22:56:39Z")
That’s either small-market budgeting, or they’re just cheap bastards. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/385 "2009-07-29T22:57:30Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Not all teams can just sign whatever pitcher they want whatever the price. > > In any event, Lee will be 32 when his next contract starts. As the old saying goes, better to trade someone a year too early than a year too late. Yes they can. They choose not to. ETA: Let me amend that. Every team may not be able to sign every player they want, but any team can sign A player they want. It’s their prerogative of course, and if they want to go gamble on young players it’s their money, but I’d be pissed if I was an Indians fan. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/386 "2009-07-29T23:01:12Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > from the probing eye of the discerning Pittsburgh baseball fan base Ha ha! ---
**Author:** ![MTRG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71c47a/32.png) [@MTRG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTRG)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/387 "2009-07-30T02:11:38Z")
[pittsburgh pirates opening day lineup](http://pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com/news/wrap.jsp?ymd=20090406&content_id=4140898&vkey=wrapup2005&fext=.jsp&team=away&c_id=pit) 5 of 9 are gone ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/388 "2009-07-30T05:09:23Z")
The Cards just beat the Dodgers in the bottom of the 15th. Albert batted in the winning run with a two-out line-drive over the head of the center fielder. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/389 "2009-07-30T10:25:03Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > So the Yankees took the 3rd straight from the Jays. They had to come back from 8 - 4 to do it, but they are hitting the ball pretty well these days. Acevedes pitched an excellent 4 innings in relief. On the other hand, Wang is back on the DL, and I really don’t have any confidence in Chamberlain. He has the stuff, but every time I watch him I think, more and more, that he doesn’t have the mental toughness. Maybe he’ll mature, but I just don’t see the ability to bear down. He rarely last past 5 innings, so he’s a bullpen killer. I’m not giving up yet, but I’m not on the Joba bandwagon. > [@RickJay](#): > > 23-year-olds have a long way to mature. > > I don’t know Joba Chamberlain personally, but maturity does come with experience. Stuff, generally, does not. I know this; when Roy Halladay was 23 he had the worst season in the history of baseball for any pitcher who pitched at least 50 innings. Within a few years he won the Cy Young Award. So you never know. In his last 3 starts, Chamberlain is 3-0 with a .083 ERA and has averaged 7 innings. Maybe **RickJay** is on to something… Of course, they are still talking about capping his season at 160 innings so he may wind up back in the pen at the end of the year. I think that’ll mess with his head more than protect his arm, but I’m no expert. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/390 "2009-07-30T12:35:46Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > The Cards just beat the Dodgers in the bottom of the 15th. Albert batted in the winning run with a two-out line-drive over the head of the center fielder. I just read the recap of that game. I wish I could have seen it – it sounded like a great game, with a lot of drama. Manny steals a HR, fooling everyone in the stadium except the 3rd base umpire. Ludwick costs the team a run with poor defense, then makes up for it by driving in the tying run in the bottom of the same inning. Rasmus, who’s looked lost in his last 30 at bats, gets a clutch hit with 2 out and 2 strikes in the bottom of the 9th. That’s a game! ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/391 "2009-07-30T13:23:58Z")
Aaaaaaaand the Reds lose to the mighty Padres 7-1. The Reds are a trainwreck. Now they are 10 games under .500 and nine games out of the division lead. Game (and season) over. I know that some teams have to implode during the course of the season so other teams can rise to the top, but why are the Reds now in their 10th year straight where they are out of the pennant discussion by the end of July? Jesus it’s getting old. DO SOMETHING Castellini! ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/392 "2009-07-30T13:46:48Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > I know Cleveland is pretty much out of it, but why would you trade a reigning Cy Young winner for unproven prospects? Good prospects, but still, _prospects._ Yeah, he’ll be a free agent next year. So what? He’s your guy. Sign him to an extension. They’d trade Cy Young if they still had him. Fuck. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/393 "2009-07-30T16:04:46Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > I just read the recap of that game. I wish I could have seen it – it sounded like a great game, with a lot of drama. Indeed it was, from what I could tell listening to it on the radio. > [@](#): > > Manny steals a HR, fooling everyone in the stadium except the 3rd base umpire. A guy (Brendan Ryan) who isn’t a power hitter (but has been playing great shortstop) gets a HR stolen by a guy who isn’t known for his defense. > [@](#): > > Ludwick costs the team a run with poor defense, then makes up for it by driving in the tying run in the bottom of the same inning. Rasmus, who’s looked lost in his last 30 at bats, gets a clutch hit with 2 out and 2 strikes in the bottom of the 9th. That’s a game! And there were other interesting moments, like when Manny was tagged out at home to prevent a game-winning run; and when Joe Thurston hit a “double” except that he neglected to touch first base. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/394 "2009-07-30T16:45:58Z")
[Papi and Manny have been outed.](http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/sports/baseball/31doping.html?_r=1) Not really a surprise, for top sluggers in the Juice Era, but disappointing anyway. And there are still close to 100 more names on the list … time to just open it up and get it over with, I say. ---
**Author:** ![HoboStew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f17d59/32.png) [@HoboStew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoboStew)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/395 "2009-07-30T17:00:35Z")
No surprise with the Manny/Papi revelations. At this point if you hit more than 15 home runs this decade we can assume you were juicing. In other news, even though the A’s season is lost, it is always satisfying to beat the Red Sox! ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/396 "2009-07-30T17:43:15Z")
So, like, 2004 didn’t happen, right? ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/397 "2009-07-30T17:45:12Z")
Speaking of Brad Penny… > **[Brad Penny Will Beat You Every Time](http://survivinggrady.com/2009/07/brad-penny-will-beat-you-every-time.html)** > > Reporter: Considering the struggles this team has had scoring runs of late, did you feel that you put your teammates in a difficult position by ... (What, we weren’t talking about Brad Penny?) ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/398 "2009-07-30T19:50:10Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > So, like, 2004 didn’t happen, right? Well, it did, but it seems to add fuel to the accusation that the Red Sox had taken steroid cheating to an organizational level. The fact is most players DIDN’T cheat, and those who did deserve all the contempt that can be heaped on them. I guess we know why Big Papi suddenly became such a good hitter; he was shooting up some Boston Blue. Since Big Papi has advocated season-long bans for steroid use, I wonder if he’ll sit out the rest of 2009. Guessing not. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/399 "2009-07-30T20:09:50Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > So, like, 2004 didn’t happen, right? I think it means they forfeit the WS to the Cards. I mean, no one on the Cards was using… What? Really? Him too, huh?.. Oh, never mind, then. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/400 "2009-07-30T20:15:17Z")
Apparently, no baseball was played from 1993-2007 or so. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737.md?page=19) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737.md?page=21)