# Baseball May 2009 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [May 1, 2009, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-may-2009/494963 "2009-05-01T13:41:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![HoboStew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f17d59/32.png) [@HoboStew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoboStew)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2009, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-may-2009/494963/21 "2009-05-03T04:39:42Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Maybe. I’m one who casts his votes for who I feel is the best player at the position whenever I can - not necessarily the one having the best first half. Except in fairly extreme cases, like Smith suddenly being way over the hill or Jones really breaking out into an MVP season, it’d be pretty strange for a player’s stats in the month of May to make me change my mind about my vote. > > To use Albert Pujols as the obvious example, if some other NL first basemen is outhitting Pujols on June 1, I’m still voting for Pujols, unless he’s injured and won’t make the game. This is interesting to me, because I always viewed the all-star vote as a vote for the person PLAYING the best, not who WAS the best. My rationale being - Pujols will be in the HoF, but for players not as good as him, the All Star Game might be their only shot at semi-immortality. So I liked it as a showcase of whoever has put up the best 2 months or so - let them have their fun. The true greats will get theirs over the years, reward the people who are flipping out for a sufficient lenght of time. ---
**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:** [May 4, 2009, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-may-2009/494963/22 "2009-05-04T06:15:58Z")
Holy crap, did anybody catch the [Mariners’ 15-inning win over Oakland](http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090503&content_id=4543906&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=sea)? I turned it off in the middle of the game with the M’s down 4-2 — not out of disgust, I already had plans to go see Wolverine with my sister. When I got back from the movie I checked the M’s Web site to see the score and discovered the game was still going. Great game all around for the M’s. These guys just don’t give up. And a tip of the cap to A’s pitcher Gio Gonzalez. You don’t see many relievers throwing 108 pitches. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-may-2009/494963/23 "2009-05-04T13:51:17Z")
Indians suck. But my AA Akron Aeros are playing \*\*.818 \*\*ball. ---
**Author:** ![HoboStew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f17d59/32.png) [@HoboStew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoboStew)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-may-2009/494963/24 "2009-05-04T16:50:33Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > Holy crap, did anybody catch the [Mariners’ 15-inning win over Oakland](http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090503&content_id=4543906&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=sea)? I caught it. I am still vomiting. 3 runs in the top of the 13th and we couldn’t close the deal. What a travesty. ---
**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:** [May 4, 2009, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-may-2009/494963/25 "2009-05-04T17:20:15Z")
> [@HoboStew](#): > > I caught it. I am still vomiting. 3 runs in the top of the 13th and we couldn’t close the deal. What a travesty. \ There, there. There, there. \ ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-may-2009/494963/26 "2009-05-04T18:16:17Z")
The Royals - not only pitching (Greinke!), but all of the sudden we’re scoring runs. Maybe they’ll not only not suck (which was the expectation) but potentially contend this year. Joe ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-may-2009/494963/27 "2009-05-04T22:17:41Z")
What does Boston do with Ortiz? We’re looking at an OPS of around .643 all with an OBP of under .300 and no homeruns what’s worse is he doesn’t play the field! If he was hitting massive foul balls and warning track fly outs to the power alley and center field I might be able to let things go, but he seems to have no power whatsoever. It’s almost as though he’s playing with the flu every single day. What do you do with him and how much time do you give him to turn this around? After declining numbers the last three years, I’m really beginning to wonder if he will… ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-may-2009/494963/28 "2009-05-04T22:31:57Z")
ESPN is being ESPN and giving us the Yankees/Red Sox again, but it looks like there is a good chance the game could get rained out. While I like the unbalanced schedule, I’m sure ESPN loves it since they can show even more Yankees/Red Sox games. The D-backs blew their game yesterday with some bad base running. Now, they have to go play the red hot Dodgers in LA. D-backs need to at least split this series and get back on track. Tonight’s best matchup is the Marlins and the Reds. Harang vs Josh Johnson. Greinke also pitches tonight. So, ESPN should have a couple of good choices if the Yanks are rained out. I’m sure ESPN will probably spend most of the broadcasts running scrollers across the bottom of the screen giving us minute by minute updates on Brett Favre, however. ---
**Author:** ![Hi\_Neighbor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hi_neighbor/32/494_2.png) [@Hi\_Neighbor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hi_Neighbor)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-may-2009/494963/29 "2009-05-05T12:31:26Z")
Greinke threw another shutout last night while fanning 10 (6 hits, no walks). I’m glad to see him living up to his potential. As a fantasy nut, I’ve been following him since he first came into the league. Once he got his social anxiety disorder put in check, he’s been a top-10 pitcher. Let’s hope this can last all season long. ---
**Author:** ![cards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecd19e/32.png) [@cards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cards)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-may-2009/494963/30 "2009-05-05T12:58:40Z")
If you saw the Cards/Phils last night (the home town kid hits a grand slam…for the WRONG TEAM), in the 8th Ankiel made good play and then tripped into the outfield fence and laid there not moving. They carted him out on a body board with a worried crowd (and my household) holding its collective breath. Forunately, tests revealed no spinal damage and the team doc says he has a case of whiplash. Whiplash! No word yet on how long he’ll be out. ---
**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:** [May 5, 2009, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-may-2009/494963/31 "2009-05-05T14:02:19Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Tonight’s best matchup is the Marlins and the Reds. Harang vs Josh Johnson. And prophetic you were, however the wrong team won! Reds lose in the 14th inning on an error to the tunafish, 3-2. Damn. Let’s hope we can get two out of three from these suckers. Reds pitchers have four or five shutouts already, so those that predicted that the Redleggers pitching staff was vastly improved…you were right! ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-may-2009/494963/32 "2009-05-05T15:39:33Z")
> [@cards](#): > > If you saw the Cards/Phils last night (the home town kid hits a grand slam…for the WRONG TEAM), in the 8th Ankiel made good play and then tripped into the outfield fence and laid there not moving. They carted him out on a body board with a worried crowd (and my household) holding its collective breath. Forunately, tests revealed no spinal damage and the team doc says he has a case of whiplash. Whiplash! > > No word yet on how long he’ll be out. Yeah, I was there - scary moment. And after being at the ballpark for the game where Encarnacion got hit in the face with a foul ball (ending his career) I’m beginning to think I’m cursed. Oh, and the game sucked too - running into the final out at home, stranding the bases loaded, just bad bad baseball from the hometown nine. They say a bad night at the ballpark is better than a good day anywhere else, and normally I agree with that, but last night was probably the exception. ---
**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:** [May 5, 2009, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-may-2009/494963/33 "2009-05-05T15:53:46Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > Yeah, I was there - scary moment. And after being at the ballpark for the game where Encarnacion got hit in the face with a foul ball (ending his career) I’m beginning to think I’m cursed. Oh, and the game sucked too - running into the final out at home, stranding the bases loaded, just bad bad baseball from the hometown nine. > > They say a bad night at the ballpark is better than a good day anywhere else, and normally I agree with that, but last night was probably the exception. I didn’t see the game, but I nearly wet myself when I opened [stltoday.com](http://stltoday.com) this morning and saw him on the backboard. Hopefully he’ll be OK. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-may-2009/494963/34 "2009-05-05T15:54:21Z")
> [@drm](#): > > What does Boston do with Ortiz? Be patient. Hitters decay gradually, unlike pitchers. His confidence is down, like it is for any batter in a slump. We’ve just not seen him slumping until his wrist injury last year. Maybe sitting him for a while will help. He’s been hitting a lot of doubles, at least, but with swings that used to send the ball over the fence. His swing is messed up and he needs to work with Magadan on it - no idea if that’s been going on, or if it hasn’t, why not. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-may-2009/494963/35 "2009-05-05T16:10:32Z")
Jon Lester has turned himself into a primo strikeout pitcher. 10 K’s in 7 yesterday, now has a 12:43 W:K ratio, in 37 innings. ERA is 5.11 but that is bound to go down if he keeps the former up. Papi hit two sharp liners to right yesterday. I’d say his first homer is imminent (of course I’ve been saying that for almost a month now). ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-may-2009/494963/36 "2009-05-05T21:40:59Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Be patient. Hitters decay gradually, unlike pitchers. His confidence is down, like it is for any batter in a slump. We’ve just not seen him slumping until his wrist injury last year. Maybe sitting him for a while will help. > > He’s been hitting a lot of doubles, at least, but with swings that used to send the ball over the fence. His swing is messed up and he needs to work with Magadan on it - no idea if that’s been going on, or if it hasn’t, why not. You’re probably right. Your second paragraph is the one that concerns me. If it were me, I’d put him on the 15 day DL with an “upper body injury” and have him work with a pitching coach 8 hours per day. It’s the complete lack of power that has me worried. It isn’t like the Red Sox are getting killed out there so I suppose I’ll remain patient for a while longer. It’s just annoying having a total black hole in the middle of the line up. ---
**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:** [May 5, 2009, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-may-2009/494963/37 "2009-05-05T22:26:59Z")
I was just scrolling through the standings…and saw the Dodgers are 11-0 at home so far this year, and 8-8 on the road. That’s pretty outstanding. The Reds, at 13-12, are 9-5 on the road and 4-7 at home. C’mon guys, lets get GABP to rock our home field advantage! ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-may-2009/494963/38 "2009-05-05T23:00:21Z")
Interesting game in Seattle today. Rangers have 11 hits and the Mariners only have one hit against Padilla, yet the score is 1-1. Rangers trying to rally in the top of the 9th. Seattle is probably hoping to not have another long extra inning game here. ---
**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:** [May 6, 2009, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-may-2009/494963/39 "2009-05-06T03:41:43Z")
Well, crap. The Cards just dropped their third in a row. They’re still in first in the NL Central, so I’m not going to start weeping. Yet. ---
**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:** [May 6, 2009, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-may-2009/494963/40 "2009-05-06T12:03:33Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > Well, crap. The Cards just dropped their third in a row. They’re still in first in the NL Central, so I’m not going to start weeping. Yet. Yes! And meanwhile, the Reds won, beating the Marlins 7-0 in Florida, with their **sixth** pitching shutout so far this year! Nipping at your heels, Redbirds…hellhounds on your trail!!! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-may-2009/494963.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-may-2009/494963.md?page=3)