# MLB: August 2010 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [August 1, 2010, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2010/548796 "2010-08-01T15:34:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**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:** [August 1, 2010, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2010/548796/1 "2010-08-01T15:34:02Z")
It’s the 1st of August, the Padres are still leading the NL West, the Dodgers are sinking rapidly, and the D-backs are playing AA ball at best. What’s the season look like so far for your team? Last month’s [thread.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=569242) ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2010, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2010/548796/2 "2010-08-01T15:55:54Z")
The Red Sox are surrendering. Only subtractions at the deadline, no additions, and they’re too far out to make it back unless the Rays self-destruct, which is not a good bet. Good for long-term competitiveness, perhaps, but they may be falling into the trap of always being very good but never quite good enough. But now they have Jarrod Saltalamacchia to compare jerseys in the minor-league clubhouses with Seth Schwindenhammer. ---
**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:** [August 1, 2010, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2010/548796/3 "2010-08-01T16:01:45Z")
The Reds and Redbirds are neck and neck in the NL Central. Reds need to take care of Atlanta today as the Cards have the stinky Pirates… ---
**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:** [August 1, 2010, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2010/548796/4 "2010-08-01T17:03:22Z")
Yanks are doing well. They would be doing great except the second best team is the Rays and they are breathing down our necks. Overall I like the trades made. I think Kerry Woods could help. I really like the idea of sending Joba down to the minors and turning him back into a starter. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2010, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2010/548796/5 "2010-08-01T17:29:34Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > I really like the idea of sending Joba down to the minors and turning him back into a starter. At this point any plan that involves putting Chamberlain in a specific role and having him prepare to execute that role would be an improvement over their bizarre handling of him so far. Starter, reliever, whatever. I haven’t a clue what they’ve been doing with the guy all this time; they’ve been treating him like a vial of nitroglycerine. ---
**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:** [August 1, 2010, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2010/548796/6 "2010-08-01T17:44:31Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > > [@What\_Exit](#): > > > > I really like the idea of sending Joba down to the minors and turning him back into a starter. > > At this point any plan that involves putting Chamberlain in a specific role and having him prepare to execute that role would be an improvement over their bizarre handling of him so far. Starter, reliever, whatever. I haven’t a clue what they’ve been doing with the guy all this time; they’ve been treating him like a vial of nitroglycerine. I’ve really hated the handling of him last year. I really think they blew it badly last year and I think it will be far easier to fix him down below and I am thinking Robertson and now Woods give the Yanks the luxury of trying to rebuild him down below. ---
**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:** [August 1, 2010, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2010/548796/7 "2010-08-01T18:10:34Z")
Well Berkman is playing 1st today with Teix DH’ing and Berkman missed a ball that Teix would have had with ease. Running scored. Not the best start but then Teix in theory could not play everyday. ---
**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:** [August 1, 2010, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2010/548796/8 "2010-08-01T18:11:15Z")
I don’t think he ever had the psyche to be a dominant late inning guy. He rattles. They may have permanently ruined him already. What a fiasco. I agree that his best chance is to be given the time to become a starter and then left alone. ---
**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:** [August 1, 2010, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2010/548796/9 "2010-08-01T19:00:15Z")
The Seattle Mariners match a franchise record for futility, finishing July with a 6-22 record for the month, something they hadn’t “accomplished” since August 1977, during the club’s inaugural season. And what the hell has gone wrong with Chone Figgins? ---
**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:** [August 1, 2010, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2010/548796/10 "2010-08-01T20:24:43Z")
Reds take two from the Braves to stay (in all likelihood) a half game back from the Cards whom are beating up on the lowly pirates. Great pitching game today. Both teams pitchers combine for only nine hits in the game as the Reds win a squeaker 2-1. Reds relievers only allowed one hit in four innings of work. Nice. ---
**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:** [August 1, 2010, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2010/548796/11 "2010-08-01T23:37:41Z")
After dropping a couple in a row, the Padres took the final game of the series from the Marlins today. Now i hope the Dodgers can play some half-decent baseball and keep the Giants from closing the gap on San Diego. Although the Dodgers have been pretty woeful of late, so i’m not too optimistic. ---
**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:** [August 2, 2010, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2010/548796/12 "2010-08-02T00:19:59Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > After dropping a couple in a row, the Padres took the final game of the series from the Marlins today. I see Ryan Ludwick had a hand in that. Like many Cardinals fans, I was shocked and saddened to see that Luddy was being traded. ---
**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:** [August 2, 2010, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2010/548796/13 "2010-08-02T12:28:21Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > After dropping a couple in a row, the Padres took the final game of the series from the Marlins today. Now i hope the Dodgers can play some half-decent baseball and keep the Giants from closing the gap on San Diego. Although the Dodgers have been pretty woeful of late, so i’m not too optimistic. I’m real nervous about this road trip out west for the Reds. They traditionally just don’t play well out there and we really need to, as the Cardinals are going to enjoy the easier part of their schedule in August, while the Reds won’t get to their creampuffs until September. We’ve got to keep pace! ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2010/548796/14 "2010-08-02T13:30:09Z")
Rangers lost the series to the Angels and that was with Cliff Lee pitching. Hopefully next outing, we’ll actually give him some run support. Fortunately though, we’re still up 8 games in the AL West. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2010/548796/15 "2010-08-02T16:30:03Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > > [@RickJay](#): > > > > At this point any plan that involves putting Chamberlain in a specific role and having him prepare to execute that role would be an improvement over their bizarre handling of him so far. Starter, reliever, whatever. I haven’t a clue what they’ve been doing with the guy all this time; they’ve been treating him like a vial of nitroglycerine. > > I’ve really hated the handling of him last year. I really think they blew it badly last year and I think it will be far easier to fix him down below and I am thinking Robertson and now Woods give the Yanks the luxury of trying to rebuild him down below. Joba needs either to have some kind of structure with his role, something constant, or to be traded out from New York. What a mess. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2010/548796/16 "2010-08-02T16:38:29Z")
The Nats show up and beat good teams sometimes. I have an urge to be encouraged, but I’m keeping it in check, for now. ---
**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:** [August 3, 2010, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2010/548796/17 "2010-08-03T04:32:32Z")
What’s happened to the Dodgers lately? After the Padres finish thumping them tonight, they’ll be 5-13 since the All-Star Break, and on a losing streak of 6 straight games. And what about the Cubs’ pitching? They’ve lost 6 in a row, and have given up 63 runs over those 6 games! ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2010/548796/18 "2010-08-03T05:20:39Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > What’s happened to the Dodgers lately? After the Padres finish thumping them tonight, they’ll be 5-13 since the All-Star Break, and on a losing streak of 6 straight games. We have an allergy to scoring runs. I just saw a stat on twitter, the last time the Dodgers had this many hits and still lost was in 1999. That’s freakin’ insane. In the pregame show one of the commentators said something along the lines of “if you get 10 hits in a game, you pretty much win”. Dodgers have, what, 15 tonight, still gonna lose 10-5. I don’t understand why Torre pulled Kuroda so soon. He wasn’t really having that bad a start and we don’t have any depth in our relievers. ---
**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:** [August 3, 2010, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2010/548796/19 "2010-08-03T06:02:40Z")
Doesn’t make any difference. The Dodgers are snake-bit and there isn’t a damn thing anybody can do about it. I’ll be happy if we finish with a better record than Arizona! But what really hurts is the Giants are winning. This is not acceptable. ---
**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:** [August 4, 2010, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2010/548796/20 "2010-08-04T03:11:52Z")
Oh my. The Astros are **spanking** the Cardinals. I was laughing earlier about the Cubs’ 18-1 loss yesterday, about which [The Hardball Times](http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/blog_article/and-that-happened080310/)’ writer said [QUOTE=Craig Calcaterra] I accidentally closed out of the page with the box score so I can’t be 100% certain, but I’m pretty sure this one ended with the mercy rule being applied in the fourth inning and Lou Piniella talking his players out for ice cream afterwards, telling them that the point of the game is to simply try your best. [/QUOTE] I’m not laughing any more. I’m just hoping the Pirates manage to finish off the Reds. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2010/548796.md?page=2)