# MLB: April **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [March 31, 2014, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/684986 "2014-03-31T14:13:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 13
**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 25, 2014, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/684986/241 "2014-04-25T22:15:48Z")
The Reds have climbed back to .500 after being 3-8 eleven games ago and are now 11-11. They get to take on Santana and the Braves at Turner Field for a best of three…should be an interesting series. I would love to take them down a peg as they are leading their division but the Reds never play well there, so we’ll see. Homer Bailey is pitching for the Reds tonight so I’ll be holding my breath. ---
**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 26, 2014, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/684986/242 "2014-04-26T00:49:46Z")
> [@MOIDALIZE](#): > > Indians are in San Fran tonight, and this will be the Giants’ first game outside of their division this season. Pretty weird. It is a rare game outside of Dodger rivalries where I have love for one team and true hatred for the other. This should be a fun weekend. Followed by the Tribe in Anaheim next week (which I’m going to in person), where my feelings are basically identical. Good times! ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/684986/243 "2014-04-26T04:22:53Z")
Walk-off grand slam for Jose Abreu–9 home runs and 27 RBI for a rookie in April. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/684986/244 "2014-04-26T06:30:08Z")
Oakland won, San Francisco won, Dodgers lost, Rangers lost. If only the Angels could have lost, tonight would have been perfect, but they did beat the Yankees, so all is not lost. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/684986/245 "2014-04-26T17:19:02Z")
Going to see Abreu tonight in person, can not wait! ---
**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:** [April 27, 2014, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/684986/246 "2014-04-27T06:27:20Z")
The AL East is tight. There’s a 3-run spread between all five teams in terms of runs scored, and a 12-run spread in runs conceded. The only team with a positive run differential is Tampa Bay, and they’re in fourth. No team in the majors has scored more runs than the Chicago White Sox. And no team has conceded more runs either. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/684986/247 "2014-04-27T15:23:18Z")
> [@MOIDALIZE](#): > > Indians are in San Fran tonight, and this will be the Giants’ first game outside of their division this season. Pretty weird. I’m going to see Cleveland - SF today, and I’ve never met an Indians fan before. Who do ya got? Who’s good – who should I know about? ETA: Maybe I should have addressed that to Asimovian. Whatever – any Tribe fan is welcome to respond ---
**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 27, 2014, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/684986/248 "2014-04-27T15:40:27Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > I’m going to see Cleveland - SF today, and I’ve never met an Indians fan before. Who do ya got? Who’s good – who should I know about? > > ETA: Maybe I should have addressed that to Asimovian. Whatever – any Tribe fan is welcome to respond Funny, another Giants’ fan friend (I know - oxymoron, right?) of mine is going to the game today. Today, you’re facing Danny Salazar, a young guy who throws really hard and had a great half season at the end of last year, but who’s been struggling so far in 2014. I guess I think of Jason Kipnis (2B) and Michael Brantley (OF) as being the highlight of the Indians offense so far this season, with flashes of brilliance from David Murphy and Yan Gomes, but I honestly haven’t been able to get fully immersed in the team yet this season. Carlos Santana is the star catcher-turned-third baseman who has been handling the position well so far defensively. He carries a big bat, but had been having problems behind the plate. He was originally playing 3rd in the minors (before being converted by the Dodgers), and seems to be happy back there again. Have a good time today, but not TOO good a time. The Tribe needs a win this weekend! ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/684986/249 "2014-04-27T16:09:22Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > I’m going to see Cleveland - SF today, and I’ve never met an Indians fan before. Who do ya got? Who’s good – who should I know about? > > ETA: Maybe I should have addressed that to Asimovian. Whatever – any Tribe fan is welcome to respond > [@Asimovian](#): > > Funny, another Giants’ fan friend (I know - oxymoron, right?) of mine is going to the game today. Today, you’re facing Danny Salazar, a young guy who throws really hard and had a great half season at the end of last year, but who’s been struggling so far in 2014. > > I guess I think of Jason Kipnis (2B) and Michael Brantley (OF) as being the highlight of the Indians offense so far this season, with flashes of brilliance from David Murphy and Yan Gomes, but I honestly haven’t been able to get fully immersed in the team yet this season. Carlos Santana is the star catcher-turned-third baseman who has been handling the position well so far defensively. He carries a big bat, but had been having problems behind the plate. He was originally playing 3rd in the minors (before being converted by the Dodgers), and seems to be happy back there again. > > Have a good time today, but not TOO good a time. The Tribe needs a win this weekend! Brantley has become one of my favorite players. He’s as cool as a cucumber. Santana is off to a bad start. He’s drawing a lot of walks, but I think he needs to be more aggressive. He’s been taking too many fastballs on hitter’s counts. They’re last in the division at the moment, but only 2.5 games out, so no biggie. But the top of the order needs to start producing and carrying the team a bit. I think they’re going to be a stronger 2nd half team because I expect the starting pitching to improve as the season progresses, and they replace Carrasco with Bauer. ---
**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 28, 2014, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/684986/250 "2014-04-28T03:13:47Z")
> [@Tom\_Scud](#): > > Emergency call-up Colin McHugh, 26 years old with a career ERA of 8.94 in 48 innings, goes 6 2/3 innings for the Astros vs. the Mariners, strikes out 12, allows 3 hits and 0 runs. (And as I was composing that the bullpen gave up 2 runs in 2 batters; still pretty impressive even if they blow the lead.) And he did it again - 8 2/3 innings, 1 run vs. Oakland. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2014, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/684986/251 "2014-04-30T16:18:13Z")
We’re almost 200 games into the New Look Blue Jays as designed going into 2013 and, really, it’s time to start firing people. This is a $140 million pack of .450 ballplayers. They stink, and they’re not going to stop stinking. I would not give them a 100-to-1 shot at making the playoffs. Look, I am not a genius, but the Jays have made a series of personnel decisions that not only did not work but that **everyone knew would not work**. There was never any chance JP Arencibia would be a good hitter. They got rid of him, thankfully, but then gave the second base job to Ryan Goins, who is a nice kid and a good fielder but obviously isn’t a major league hitter. The decision to put Dustin McGowan in the rotation was obviously not going to work; I don’t think any educated observer would have bet ten bucks on him winning ten games. Brandon Morrow is obviously never going to be very good. RA Dickey was obviously going to be old. Adam Lind will never be totally healthy. There are no good hitters in the minor leagues and nobody believes otherwise. None of what is happening is at all surprising. It’s a sub-.500 team and everyone knew it would be. It has to be blown up. Start over. I hate to wait longer but I’d rather watch a .380 team that could win in four years than watch year after year after year of .450 baseball, without end. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/684986.md?page=12)