# 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:** 7
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/121 "2009-07-10T21:03:16Z")
I’ve actually won quite a few drinks betting people in bars what the third oldest National League ballpark is now. Coors field Nobody believes it, bet em, pull out the old internet phone, and free beer. ---
**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 10, 2009, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/122 "2009-07-10T21:34:13Z")
The **Reds** are proving that yes, there is indeed crying in baseball. ---
**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 10, 2009, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/123 "2009-07-10T22:11:16Z")
Another big game for Ryan Ludwick this afternoon – 3 for 3 with 4 RBI. The top of the order got all over the Cubs, and the Cards went on to win 8-3. Ludwick has been looking like his old self for the last couple of games. I hope that continues. Having the 2008 Ludwick hit behind Pujols, plus hopefully Mark DeRosa when he gets healthy, makes this team look pretty good. Pujols, by the way, added a triple, HR, 2 walks (including an intentional pass in the first inning), and 2 RBIs to his already staggering numbers. I know it’s early in the season, but he might have a real shot at the Triple Crown. He’s been edging his BA higher, and he’s just .016 behind Hanley Ramirez now. A week or so ago, I saw an article saying that if Pujols and everyone ahead of him in the BA category hit their career average for the rest of the season, Pujols would eke out the batting title. He could pull it off. ---
**Author:** ![ZebraShaSha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/eada6e/32.png) [@ZebraShaSha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZebraShaSha)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/124 "2009-07-10T22:30:30Z")
Well, it’s July, which means Pittsburgh has traded away any player that shows slight promise for a handful of barely MLB eligible no-goods. It also means they have given up even trying for .500, instead just doing whatever the hell they feel like at the time. At least we still got some other trophies to hold us over until football season! ---
**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 10, 2009, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/125 "2009-07-10T23:11:53Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > Another big game for Ryan Ludwick this afternoon – 3 for 3 with 4 RBI. The top of the order got all over the Cubs, and the Cards went on to win 8-3. Ludwick has been looking like his old self for the last couple of games. I hope that continues. Having the 2008 Ludwick hit behind Pujols, plus hopefully Mark DeRosa when he gets healthy, makes this team look pretty good. Pujols, by the way, added a triple, HR, 2 walks (including an intentional pass in the first inning), and 2 RBIs to his already staggering numbers. I know it’s early in the season, but he might have a real shot at the Triple Crown. He’s been edging his BA higher, and he’s just .016 behind Hanley Ramirez now. A week or so ago, I saw an article saying that if Pujols and everyone ahead of him in the BA category hit their career average for the rest of the season, Pujols would eke out the batting title. He could pull it off. Would you move to St Louis already? This town is already rife with Squeeler fans and gets inundated with Cubs and Cards fans when we play them. Can’t you let us lose in peace and go off quietly into the night, fer chrissakes? 🙂 ---
**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 11, 2009, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/126 "2009-07-11T00:04:32Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > Would you move to St Louis already? Hey, I’m working on it. I’m only here because of my wife’s job. I’d love to move back home. I will be moving to Missouri later this year, but to Columbia instead of St. Louis. That’s an improvement at least. When I’ve visited Columbia, I’ve seen a lot of Cardinal Red. ---
**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 11, 2009, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/127 "2009-07-11T01:33:48Z")
Has anyone seen [this story](http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/10/sports/baseball/10cameras.html?_r=3&hp) from the New York Times? > [@](#): > > A new camera and software system in its final testing phases will record the exact speed and location of the ball and every player on the field, allowing the most digitized of sports to be overrun anew by hundreds of innovative statistics that will rate players more accurately, almost certainly affect their compensation and perhaps alter how the game itself is played. > > Which shortstops reach the hard-hit grounders up the middle? Which base runners take the fastest path from first base to third? Which right fielders charge the ball quickest and then throw the ball hardest and most accurately? Although the game will continue to answer to forces like wind, glaring sun and the occasional gnat swarm, a good deal of time-honored guesswork will give way to more definite measurements — continuing the trend of baseball front offices trading some traditional game-watching scouts for video and statistical analysts. > > \ > > “It can be a big deal,” the Cleveland Indians’ general manager, Mark Shapiro, said. “We’ve gotten so much data for offense, but defensive objective analysis has been the most challenging area to get any meaningful handle on. This is information that’s not available anywhere. Fascinating stuff. This will, of course, ensure that the statistically-minded baseball follower will now spend even _more_ time in his parents’ basement poring over spreadsheets. Everyone knows that stats people don’t actually _like_ baseball, and they positively _hate_ watching real games. It’s far more interesting to fire up the computer and model pretend games using weird numbers and formulas, and this new software will have them masturbating away even more feverishly. This will, in turn, leave more seats at the game for the real fans, who appreciate hustle and heart and consistency and all the other intangibles that really separate the good from the great players. The X(stein) factor, if you will. ---
**Author:** ![IAmNotSpartacus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@IAmNotSpartacus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IAmNotSpartacus)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2009, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/128 "2009-07-11T02:08:20Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > Nobody believes it, bet em, pull out the old internet phone, and free beer. Are they so drunk they can’t count? There are three ballparks older than Coors: Wrigley, Dodger Stadium, and [del]Joe Robbie[/del] LandShark Stadium ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2009, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/129 "2009-07-11T03:12:59Z")
So the game isn’t over yet technically, but I am going to say right now that the Brewers will lose. I know this because they are putting in Carlos Villaneueva to pitch…and he always always ALWAYS gives up at least one run. Edit: And there ya go. Edit 2: Yup, they’re gonna lose. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2009, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/130 "2009-07-11T03:35:22Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > Edit 2: Yup, they’re gonna lose. Have you seen Broxton pitch lately? This game ain’t over yet. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2009, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/131 "2009-07-11T03:44:11Z")
What an f’in catch by Matt Kemp to end the game! That’s gotta be highlight material! I love that man. ---
**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 11, 2009, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/132 "2009-07-11T03:54:47Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > What an f’in catch by Matt Kemp to end the game! That’s gotta be highlight material! I love that man. He’s an amazing centerfielder. He’s also on my fantasy team, so his Grand Slam tonight was lovely to see. Also: For the second night in a row, the Giants starting pitcher has held the Padres hitless over the first six innings. Last night Tony Gwynn broke up the no-hitter in the seventh; we’ll see if Sanchez can go further than Lincecum did. ---
**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 11, 2009, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/133 "2009-07-11T04:05:22Z")
Wow, it’s not just a no-hitter. Sanchez is now perfect through 7 innings. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2009, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/134 "2009-07-11T04:07:10Z")
Can the D-backs choke away an 8 run lead? ---
**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 11, 2009, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/135 "2009-07-11T04:21:51Z")
Sanchez’s perfect game was halted by a Juan Uribe fielding error, but he’s taking a no-hitter into the 9th. ---
**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 11, 2009, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/136 "2009-07-11T04:55:54Z")
And he did it. First no-hitter of 2009, and the first for a Giant since 1976. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2009, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/137 "2009-07-11T05:24:45Z")
Didn’t see this one coming - the [Mariners trade Yuniesky Betancourt to the Royals](http://mariners.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090710&content_id=5803052&vkey=news_sea&fext=.jsp&c_id=sea) for a couple young pitching prospects, including right-hander Danny Cortes, the Royals’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2008. I think it was time for Yuni to go. I’m definitely not the only M’s fan tired of his lack of plate discipline, aka his 1- and 2-pitch at-bats. There’s definitely a problem when the second fastest guy on the team only draws four walks in a season. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2009, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/138 "2009-07-11T05:28:56Z")
> [@IAmNotSpartacus](#): > > Are they so drunk they can’t count? There are three ballparks older than Coors: Wrigley, Dodger Stadium, and [del]Joe Robbie[/del] LandShark Stadium I said it was a bar bet not a PH.d dissertation 😉 Find any nice and easy source on the web that says the Marlins played in one stadium since Coors field was built and I guess you don’t have to pay for my next beer. Web sources seem to imply the Marlins have changed stadiums.(and to be honest The bar bet would be even easier technically with the Marlins Since they came in at the same time, most drunk bar guys think of both of em as falling of the turnip truck yesterday, but trying to get the money through all the shit isn’t worth it) ---
**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 11, 2009, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/139 "2009-07-11T05:43:32Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > There’s definitely a problem when the second fastest guy on the team only draws four walks in a season. True, although his speed doesn’t seem to help him very much on the bases. Over his career, he’s stolen 24 bases and been caught stealing 20 times. That’s a SB% of 0.545. With those sorts of numbers, he’s actually costing his team runs by trying to steal. ---
**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 11, 2009, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/140 "2009-07-11T10:52:49Z")
I hate West Coast games (no offense to West Coasterners, just a time zone thing…) Go to sleep with a lead, wake up with a loss. Joba pitched his usual 4.1 innings. He’s a bullpen killer. I said it last week and I’ll say it again. He doesn’t have the mental makeup to be a starter. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737.md?page=8)