# MLB: April **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [March 30, 2013, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370 "2013-03-30T19:03:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![Iolanthe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7bcc69/32.png) [@Iolanthe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iolanthe)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/261 "2013-04-13T02:46:27Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > And the Nats blow it. Friggen Clippard. Oh that was a #%$$#%# team %##%#%#$%-up. Wasn’t just Clip. It was also Storen, and Zimmerman, with an assist from Espinosa. And Stammen, although after the Cincinnati game, we can’t yell at him too much. First base Ryan. FIRST BASE. You know when your throws are amazing? When you don’t have time to think about it. Like just then. First base. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/262 "2013-04-13T02:53:36Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Well, there goes Toronto’s season. They don’t have another shortstop. Watch for a big fire sale in July. That sucks. I hope they can pull it together. ---
**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:** [April 13, 2013, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/263 "2013-04-13T03:41:16Z")
> [@Rysto](#): > > [Four someones](http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/34753/quentin-should-be-suspended-for-brawl), as a matter of fact: Gee, imagine that. Seriously…how is this continued to be allowed by umpires? Are there ANY umpires that enforce the “dead ball strike” rule? Surely this guy Quentin has been hit so often that perhaps the umps needed a memo on this guy for not making any kind of effort to get out of the way of an inside pitch when he’s intentionally crowding the plate? ---
**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:** [April 13, 2013, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/264 "2013-04-13T03:49:54Z")
In NL Central news, the Reds, after storming out of the gate have faltered to .500 by losing to the lowly Pirates 6-5. I have deep concerns about the abilities of Bronson Arroyo and Mike Leake to hold down the bottom of the rotation this season. Fortunately there’s a couple arms worthy of note in AAA, most notably that of Tony Cingrani, should the Reds feel compelled to bring someone up due to an early season swoon. He’s pretty damn good. > **[MiLB Stats | MiLB Team Stats | MiLB Leaders](https://www.milb.com/stats?pos=P&sid=t416&t=p_pbp&pid=571561)** > > The official source for player and team stats, MiLB home run leaders, league, batting average, OPS and stat leaders ---
**Author:** ![pricciar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@pricciar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pricciar)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/265 "2013-04-13T04:17:21Z")
This year was the first time in about 10 years that I have participated fully in a fantasy baseball league. My team included Zack Grienke and Jose Reyes. I don’t know that I am going to do very well. That Nats game was wild! I don’t think Zimmerman could have gotten the runner at first. I think he probably should have juts held on to the ball holding the runner on at third. Give them another chance to get that final out with a one run lead. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/266 "2013-04-13T18:41:25Z")
Tough part of trading for Reyes is the guy is always getting hurt. I thought it especially dangerous with the artificial turf in Toronto. So of course it was a weird play in KC that got him this time and not the expected defensive play at home. I know the Jays can’t replace Reyes’ offense but they should be able to dig up a shortstop it fill in defensively and count on the big boppers to carry the offense without him. I don’t think this is really the end of the season for them. Meanwhile the Yanks for all their problems and stars on the IL, are in first tied with Boston. Anyone see the video of the [4-6-5-6-5-3-4 triple play t](http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/blog/eye-on-baseball/22059325/the-yankees-turned-a-4656534-triple-play)he Yanks turned yesterday? Not one I have seen before. ---
**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:** [April 13, 2013, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/267 "2013-04-13T18:51:38Z")
Speaking of hit-by-pitch, here’s how to handle it, from [last night’s Mariners-Rangers game](http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2013_04_12_texmlb_seamlb_1&mode=recap_home&c_id=sea): [[QUOTE=MLB.com](http://QUOTE=MLB.com)] [Yu] Darvish, who was one out shy of a perfect game in his 2013 debut against Houston, was far from perfect on this night. The 26-year-old right-hander hit [Jason] Bay in the back with a pitch as the second batter of the game and the Mariners then jumped on him for three runs, with Raul Ibanez’s RBI single preceding [Kyle] Seager’s two-run double. Darvish hit Bay again in the third. “Flesh wounds,” said Bay. “I’ve got a lot of padding in the butt.” [/QUOTE] It was probably already discussed last year, but I finally got curious enough about Yu Darvish’s decidedly un-Japanese last name to look him up on Wikipedia. His mother is Japanese, but his father is Iranian. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/268 "2013-04-13T19:38:56Z")
Tim McCarver was talking a bit ago about how articulate and smart Paul Konerko was when he said that if getting hit by a pitch is part of the game, why, getting your collarbone broken by someone charging the mound is part of the game. Gosh, I can’t see _any_ difference between being hit by pitch and being charged by the batter. They are both completely equal. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/269 "2013-04-13T20:43:10Z")
> [@TheBoltEater](#): > > The point is that Quentin certainly _believes_ it was intentional I’ve lost track of why we care what Quentin thinks. The guy gets hit constantly and was hit by a pitch that didn’t look intentional in a situation where an intentional HBP was unlikely. > [@](#): > > Greinke pretending to be entirely blameless here is a joke - he threw the pitch, he said something clearly inflammatory, then he threw his glove to the ground and squared up for a fight. I don’t think the pitch was supposed to hit Quentin, and he threw down his glove and said something after Quentin started walking toward the mound. I can’t assign him much blame here, and it goes without saying that he paid a much higher price. I think a suspension of 10 or 15 games would’ve been more appropriate, but I can’t complain too much about eight. And am surprised Kemp wasn’t suspended. Hairston was suspended one game. > [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > Alex Rodriguez continues to be stupid, and possibly [criminal](http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/i-team/sources-a-rod-bought-biogenesis-documents-article-1.1315322). He’s become the Richard Nixon of baseball players. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/270 "2013-04-13T20:50:52Z")
A-Rod, George’s final legacy of shame for the Yanks. I expect Pujols contract to haunt the Angels in the future but I hope for the sake of baseball it is just a financial disaster and never comes close to the constant embarrassment that is the A-Rod saga. ---
**Author:** ![MentalGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/439d5e/32.png) [@MentalGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MentalGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/271 "2013-04-13T21:17:21Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > In NL Central news, the Reds, after storming out of the gate have faltered to .500 by losing to the lowly Pirates 6-5. I have deep concerns about the abilities of Bronson Arroyo and Mike Leake to hold down the bottom of the rotation this season. Fortunately there’s a couple arms worthy of note in AAA, most notably that of Tony Cingrani, should the Reds feel compelled to bring someone up due to an early season swoon. He’s pretty damn good. > > [http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?pos=P&sid=t416&t=p\_pbp&pid=571561](http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?pos=P&sid=t416&t=p_pbp&pid=571561) And Aroldis Chapman has not been in a game since last Sunday since he is too valuable as a closer to have him starting instead of Leake. And coming in to face McCutcheon in the 7th inning of a tie game is not closing.:rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/272 "2013-04-13T21:41:19Z")
> [@Rysto](#): > > You know that you’re in trouble when you’re praying for an ankle sprain. [Hey, good news, it’s only an ankle sprain](http://www.tsn.ca/mlb/story/?id=420668). Oh, wait: > [@](#): > > Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Jose Reyes will be out for three months, according to Blue Jays’ general manager Alex Anthopoulos. Ugh. Apparently I needed to be more specific about the the _type_ of ankle sprain. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2013, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/273 "2013-04-14T04:18:28Z")
Ankle sprains can be extremely nasty. In truth, the Blue Jays cannot say for sure how long he’ll be out. It could be six weeks, and it could be all year; I would not be shocked to see him back in June, and I wouldn’t be shocked if he’s not back until April 2014. Three months is a wild ass guess; hell, they’re MRIing the ankle again later this week, so they don’t even know for sure. The Blue Jays want to win this year, but they also own his contract for five expensive years after this year, and will not risk his long term health. His replacement, Munenori Kawasaki, played well today, so that was relieving. Kawasaki is an all-glove, no-hit guy, so we’ll see how that works out. The alternative plan would have been to bring up Jim Negrych, who can hit but is a second baseman, and let Bonifacio or Izturis play short. I personally prefer that plan and they might do it if Kawasaki’s bat absolutely forces them to, but as long as Brett Lawrie is out you really can’t afford THAT much defensive weakness in one infield, especially when your pitchers seem to need all the help they can get, so for the time being it makes sense to have Kawasaki to hold down the left side of the infield next to whomever is playing third base badly. Currently they’re playing Bautista back at third, but that is a flat out emergency move. If Lawrie returns and Kawasaki is batting .130, don’t be surprised to see them swap Kawasaki for Negrych and so with an infield of Lawrie-Izturis-Negrych-Encarnacion/Lind. Of course, this assumes they don’t trade for someone, but they’re already said that while they’re open to the possibility, they aren’t giving up much to trade for someone who will only have the job for a few months. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2013, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/274 "2013-04-14T15:01:39Z")
The Red Sox have more shortstop talent than they know what to do with, but one thing they _won’t_ do is trade one in the division, sorry. Iggy’s getting traded, sure, but probably to St. Louis. But if losing one guy in April is enough to trash the season, the Jays really weren’t that good anyway. ---
**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:** [April 14, 2013, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/275 "2013-04-14T16:13:03Z")
> [@MentalGuy](#): > > And Aroldis Chapman has not been in a game since last Sunday since he is too valuable as a closer to have him starting instead of Leake. And coming in to face McCutcheon in the 7th inning of a tie game is not closing.:rolleyes: And of course Johnny Cueto injuries the tricep or lat muscle in his throwing arm in yet another loss to the stinking Pirates. Alfredo Simon pitched well in relief but damn the Reds offense is feast or famine. In their first seven games the Reds scored 51 runs (granted in two of them they scored videogame numbers at 15 and 13 runs) for an average of almost 7.3 runs per game. In their last four games, all losses, they have scored 7 total runs for an average of 1.75 runs per game. And two of those four games are against the Pirates! Yikes. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2013, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/276 "2013-04-14T17:08:36Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Tim McCarver was talking a bit ago about how articulate and smart Paul Konerko was when he said that if getting hit by a pitch is part of the game, why, getting your collarbone broken by someone charging the mound is part of the game. > > Gosh, I can’t see _any_ difference between being hit by pitch and being charged by the batter. They are both completely equal. McCarver was also involved in this sequence, in yesterday’s Giants-Cubs game: Long meandering discussion of Bob Gibson, including unveiling a statue of him in Omaha, NE. Cut back to the game, where the Giants hit into an inning-ending double-play. McCarver: “And as in Omaha, all’s well that ends well.” WTF? As a friend of mine said, McCarver’s taken too many foul balls off the mask. ---
**Author:** ![Fred\_Garvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c67d28/32.png) [@Fred\_Garvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fred_Garvin)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2013, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/277 "2013-04-14T17:58:09Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Iggy’s getting traded, sure, but probably to St. Louis. Iggy’s getting traded? Drew’s only has a one year deal. You think the Sox would be comfortable with Ciriaco then Bogaerts at SS? ---
**Author:** ![storyteller0910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2013, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/278 "2013-04-14T18:10:33Z")
So what’s up with Joey Votto? He doesn’t seem like he can drive the ball even a little bit. Is he hurt, or did the other aliens confiscate the hitting ability, or what? ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2013, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/279 "2013-04-14T18:29:09Z")
So Cardinals pitchers haven’t given up a run in 33 innings… that will probably jinx it, and the Brewers don’t really have a MLB-quality lineup right now, but it’s still pretty impressive. ---
**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:** [April 14, 2013, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/280 "2013-04-14T19:19:18Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > So Cardinals pitchers haven’t given up a run in 33 innings… That includes Adam Wainwright’s complete game shutout yesterday, in which he also had 3 hits. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370.md?page=13) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370.md?page=15)