# 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:** 21
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2013, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/401 "2013-04-27T06:08:47Z")
This happened a few weeks ago but, the Red Sox are further over .500 now than at ANY point in 2012! ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2013, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/402 "2013-04-27T13:03:49Z")
I’m starting to believe, too. The pitching staff snapped right back into shape when competent coaches returned, and the hitting has been solid despite what looked like a bunch of nothing signings over the winter. Daniel Nava has been a poster child for how a player whose development is only slightly delayed can be overlooked, and all it takes is to be noticed again by somebody new. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2013, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/403 "2013-04-27T16:55:19Z")
I’m watching the Cubs/Marlins game from last night. That’s just pathetic that the few fans at the ballpark are all wearing Cubs shirts, jerseys, or caps. ---
**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 27, 2013, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/404 "2013-04-27T22:33:46Z")
Goddammit Reds. Can’t score… ---
**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:** [April 28, 2013, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/405 "2013-04-28T01:19:36Z")
The Dodgers, thanks to their numerous injuries, are currently featuring their 9th starting pitcher in their 23rd game of the season. Matt McGill (whom I’d never heard of before a few minutes ago) was called up today to replace Stephen Fife, who had been called up last week to replace Chad Billingsley. On top of that, Adrian Gonzalez apparently has some sort of weird leg infection and is out tonight, as is Mark Ellis, who pulled up lame early in last night’s game running out a grounder. Is it too soon to be discussing the curse of Frank McCourt? By the way, if you haven’t already, please drop by [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=689324) and support your team. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2013, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/406 "2013-04-28T06:41:55Z")
Face Intentionally Left Blank: > [@](#): > > I’m looking for him, his 11+ ERA and his $1.4 million contract to get their walking papers tomorrow. I just don’t get how he got a major league contract at all this year, given how bad he was last year for the Royals and Rockies. I realize the Pirates aren’t exactly a model team, but surely there were better options. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2013, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/407 "2013-04-28T16:17:01Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > Face Intentionally Left Blank: > > I just don’t get how he got a major league contract at all this year, given how bad he was last year for the Royals and Rockies. I realize the Pirates aren’t exactly a model team, but surely there were better options. As a Giants fan, I’ve seen Sanchez pitch many times. For the right price, he’s worth taking a flier on. He’s got a lot of talent, and no fucking head. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2013, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/408 "2013-04-29T00:16:10Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > That’s what I thought but I wasn’t sure. I didn’t know that you were a Nats fan. I thought maybe you were a fan of say…the Mets or something. > > 😃 > > By the way, how do you like them apples? > > 😉 > [@madmonk28](#): > > I’ll let you know April 28th. I prefer Washington Apples. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2013, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/409 "2013-04-29T00:34:01Z")
Anyone know what the Toronto Blue Jays record against the Yankees has been over the last ten years or so? I’m betting it’s similar to how the old Kansas City As used to do against the Yanks. For whatever reason, Toronto plays like half-assed vampires freaking out at the sight of garlic whenever they have to face New York. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2013, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/410 "2013-04-29T01:24:40Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > Face Intentionally Left Blank: > I just don’t get how he got a major league contract at all this year, given how bad he was last year for the Royals and Rockies. I realize the Pirates aren’t exactly a model team, but surely there were better options. When players perform as Sanchez did Friday it does make one wonder what the hell they were thinking in signing him, but **Yorikke** pretty much nailed it. They took a flyer on a guy who has done well in the past, and might pull it together. If it works out, great! Cheap, effective pitcher. The Bucs have done that quite a bit over the past few years, though they’re not nearly as successful at it as I would like. Looks like Sanchez’ll be sticking around for a little longer, and Hurdle says he might get some innings as a reliever. He is also appealing a six-game suspension for that hit batsman. The umps rule against the Pirates on all hit batsman situations, regular as clockwork. Other teams get away with it like crazy, but there might as well be a trapdoor on the mound if a Pirates pitcher goes inside. [You’d think they were running Dock Ellis out there every gameday](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dock_Ellis#1974). On Sunday, the “lowly Pirates” returned the whipping St. Louis game them Friday night with a 9-0 shutout. Russell Martin, who is greatly outperforming what most fans had expected from him, hit two HR in the win. Outfielder-for-the-day Garrett Jones hit another, and Jose Tabata hit his first of the year. Andrew McCutchen, in a huge freakin’ slump, had the day off. Let us also take this opportunity to acknowledge that the “lowly Pirates” have, with this win, taken sole possession of the NL Central lead. I shall savor that for however long it lasts. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2013, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/411 "2013-04-29T01:27:57Z")
> [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](#): > > Let us also take this opportunity to acknowledge that the “lowly Pirates” have, with this win, taken sole possession of the NL Central lead. I shall savor that for however long it lasts. As you should. I still think the Reds and Cards are better, but neither of them seem to be able to get consistent performances yet. ---
**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:** [April 29, 2013, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/412 "2013-04-29T01:50:57Z")
Somehow the Yankees swept 4 from the Jays. Smoke and mirrors. I’ll take it. ---
**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 29, 2013, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/413 "2013-04-29T01:55:34Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > As you should. I still think the Reds and Cards are better, but neither of them seem to be able to get consistent performances yet. Is it an omen that **Face** posted that sentence in red? ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2013, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/414 "2013-04-29T02:16:04Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Is it an omen that **Face** posted that sentence in red? Is it an omen that you think it’s an omen? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2013, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/415 "2013-04-29T03:56:28Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > Somehow the Yankees swept 4 from the Jays. Smoke and mirrors. I’ll take it. Jays can’t hit. Nothing mysterious about it; they can’t tell a ball from a strike. Nobody understands what the hell is going on. ---
**Author:** ![Carmady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f04885/32.png) [@Carmady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carmady)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2013, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/416 "2013-04-29T04:47:48Z")
The Giants offer a welcome reprieve to their fans, as they lose by 2 in 9 innings. That wouldn’t normally count as a reprieve, but the first 4 games of their 5-game losing streak contained 3 excruciating extra innings losses and 1-run loss. ---
**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 29, 2013, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/417 "2013-04-29T11:27:44Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > I prefer Washington Apples. Ha! 🙂 I am sure our two clubs will meet again. ---
**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 30, 2013, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/418 "2013-04-30T02:19:51Z")
w00t! Mariners outfielder Michael Saunders just came off the DL, and led off tonight’s game vs. the Orioles by hitting a HR with the first swing of his bat 😃 ---
**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:** [April 30, 2013, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/419 "2013-04-30T02:48:21Z")
Astros are weird. 8 wins on the season, 6 of them by 5 or more runs. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2013, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370/420 "2013-04-30T06:57:35Z")
The “lowly Pirates” put up their usual Miller Park performance and lost 10-4. No matter where they are on their seasonal roller-coaster of ups and downs, Miller Park is a low. On the upside, the Bucs didn’t get pelted with 20 hit-by-pitches, and no Pirates pitcher got tossed for going inside a bit. Also, I HAVE to think the Jonathan Sanchez experiment, which is now bordering on sadomasochism, will be over soon. Wandy turned in a poor performance, which doesn’t surprise me. His stellar performance to date was the surprising thing. OK, well, this performance was a LITTLE surprising - I never thought he was five-runs-in-the-first bad. He just didn’t have it tonight. Might as well point out the one good thing I have to say - Russell Martin won NL player of the week. [From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:](http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/pirates/pirates-catcher-martin-named-nl-player-of-the-week-685535/) > [@](#): > > Martin went .375 with four home runs and six RBIs to lead the Pirates to a 5-2 record in that stretch. He had more home runs than strikeouts (three) It’s been a long time since Pittsburgh’s seen a catcher perform well at all aspects of his position. You’d have to go back to the days of Don Slaught & Mike LaValliere - even Jason Kendell was bad with allowing stolen bases. Martin has over-performed this week and usually isn’t this good, but I’ll enjoy it while it lasts. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370.md?page=20) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/654370.md?page=22)