# 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:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/684986/141 "2014-04-10T03:10:28Z")
Major leaguers slide into first all the time. They shouldn’t because it’s stupid, but that little rant seems kind of misplaced. ---
**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 10, 2014, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/684986/142 "2014-04-10T03:13:52Z")
Yasiel Puig hurt himself a few days ago, also while doing the headfirst slide into first. It _is_ frustrating because of its pointlessness. ---
**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 10, 2014, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/684986/143 "2014-04-10T11:52:56Z")
Really fun Nats game last night, won with a Jason Werth grand slam in the 8th. ---
**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 10, 2014, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/684986/144 "2014-04-10T14:24:12Z")
I thought it was pretty funny that the Braves managed to [set the American flag on fire](http://deadspin.com/the-braves-set-the-american-flag-on-fire-at-their-home-1561423700) during their home opener on Monday. ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/684986/145 "2014-04-11T01:25:38Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > Really fun Nats game last night, won with a Jason Werth grand slam in the 8th. We went today. Another game, another grand slam. Also, Strasburg pitched like Strasburg. ---
**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 11, 2014, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/684986/146 "2014-04-11T02:16:18Z")
I listened to it on the radio, Werth HR, Desi Grand Slam and Stras has 12 strikeouts. Plus Braves are losing right now. ---
**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 11, 2014, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/684986/147 "2014-04-11T03:13:54Z")
A minor oddity in the White Sox series last weekend–backup catcher Adrian Nieto collected his first major league hit, four days after the fact. His fly ball was ruled an error on Saturday, then changed to a hit, after an appeal, on Wednesday. ---
**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 11, 2014, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/684986/148 "2014-04-11T13:35:42Z")
I wonder if they still had the ball to give him ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/684986/149 "2014-04-11T15:01:28Z")
Danny Salazar of the Indians made history [last night](http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/04/10/danny-salazar-makes-history-in-loss-to-white-sox/). He’s the first pitcher of the modern era to reach 10 strikeouts in a start under 4 innings. ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/684986/150 "2014-04-11T16:26:08Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Danny Salazar of the Indians made history [last night](http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/04/10/danny-salazar-makes-history-in-loss-to-white-sox/). He’s the first pitcher of the modern era to reach 10 strikeouts in a start under 4 innings. That was such a weird start by him. His first 6 outs were all strikeouts. But he kept hanging his off-speed stuff, and the White Sox kept hammering them. Given their reliance on young pitching, I really think the Indians are going to be tough in the second half of the season. They just need their bats to keep them lurking in the first half. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2014, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/684986/151 "2014-04-12T01:44:56Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Major leaguers slide into first all the time. They shouldn’t because it’s stupid, but that little rant seems kind of misplaced. Hamilton hurt himself back in 2011 with another dumb ass base running injury. He’s older now and has a huge contract he’s supposed to live up. Biggest idiot in baseball. Puig is going to challenge him for the crown. ---
**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 12, 2014, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/684986/152 "2014-04-12T20:37:01Z")
The Reds have some of the best starting pitching in baseball. The also seem to have the worst offense. Last night, lost 2-1. Today, lost 1-0. Jeebus this team cannot score. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2014, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/684986/153 "2014-04-12T21:30:40Z")
The Cubs have replaced Veras as their closer. Good move, they wasted too much time last year with Marmol. Unfortunately, no one on the Cubs’ staff is a bona fide closer. They’re generating some offense, today’s debacle aside, but the bullpen might be the worst in MLB. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2014, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/684986/154 "2014-04-13T00:03:54Z")
What is up with all the defensive shifting this year? It’s almost odd to see the shortstop on the left side of second at the same time the second baseman is to the right side of second. IMHO, they are going WAY overboard with this shifting. ---
**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 13, 2014, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/684986/155 "2014-04-13T00:36:23Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Josh Hamilton is the biggest idiot in Major League Baseball. 8 year olds know you don’t try to slide into 1st base. Now he’s out for probably 2 months. Million dollar body , ten cent brain fried by all the drugs and Jesus worship. > [@Marley23](#): > > Major leaguers slide into first all the time. They shouldn’t because it’s stupid, but that little rant seems kind of misplaced. > [@dalej42](#): > > Hamilton hurt himself back in 2011 with another dumb ass base running injury. He’s older now and has a huge contract he’s supposed to live up. Biggest idiot in baseball. When reached for comment, Jesus said “Verily, I never advised him to slide into first.” ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2014, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/684986/156 "2014-04-13T03:55:34Z")
Does Brandon League have photos of Mattingly with a goat or what? I see no reason he should still be on the Dodgers payroll. None whatsoever. ---
**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 14, 2014, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/684986/157 "2014-04-14T01:35:15Z")
Farrell gets ejected arguing a replay call. It’s an automatic ejection, isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2014, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/684986/158 "2014-04-14T03:44:59Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > Farrell gets ejected arguing a replay call. It’s an automatic ejection, isn’t it? Yes, it is. Not sure why he would’ve done that. ---
**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 14, 2014, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/684986/159 "2014-04-14T04:58:19Z")
It’s very odd that the Dodgers’ big weakness so far this season has been their bullpen. Thankfully, five of the 13 games they’ve played to this point have been against Arizona, who has been kind enough to spot LA plenty of runs to work with. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2014, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/684986/160 "2014-04-14T15:38:43Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > What is up with all the defensive shifting this year? It’s almost odd to see the shortstop on the left side of second at the same time the second baseman is to the right side of second. IMHO, they are going WAY overboard with this shifting. No they aren’t. It **works.** Until hitters start adjusting to it they’re gonna keep doing it, and hitters rarely seem to try to adjust to it (in fairness, tapping the ball the other way is easier said than done.) I’ve seen Big Papi slap it the other way a few times, but most hitters just go with their strength and hope to hit it through anyway, and time and again the shift gets them. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/684986.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-april/684986.md?page=9)