# MLB: August 2011 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [August 1, 2011, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2011/591049 "2011-08-01T15:17:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2011, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2011/591049/81 "2011-08-22T15:33:41Z")
Tigers swept the Indians. The hole gets deeper. White Sox are at .500. ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2011/591049/82 "2011-08-23T05:01:50Z")
[Matt Holliday leaves game with live moth stuck in ear](http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-cardinals-holliday-moth) > [@](#): > > In a bizarre episode, a moth got stuck deep in Holliday’s right ear, forcing the St. Louis Cardinals star to walk off the field while the Los Angeles Dodgers batted in the eighth inning Monday night. > > With two outs, Holliday called time in left field and started toward the dugout holding his ear. Cardinals trainer Barry Weinberg met Holliday and tried to help. > > “He had a moth fly into his ear, deep into his ear. I don’t even know what happened to it,” St. Louis manager Tony La Russa said moments after his team’s 2-1 loss. > > Team spokesman Brian Bartow said Holliday was taken into a dark room and trainers put a light by his ear, trying to lure the insect out. That didn’t work, so they used a utensil to get the moth, which was still alive, out of Holliday’s ear. ---
**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 23, 2011, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2011/591049/83 "2011-08-23T05:26:27Z")
Baltimore beat the Twins today, helped by a few clueless Minnesota fans. With two outs in the top of the fifth, J.J. Hardy popped up in foul territory near first base. The ball floated back to the fence, but was easily catchable for Joe Mauer. A bunch of Twins fans, however, stuck their hands up to go after the ball, robbing Mauer of the catch. A few pitches later, Hardy smashed one over the left-field fence for a home run. The fans were, of course, completely entitled to go after the ball. It was just over the fence, giving them every right to try and catch it. But if you’re a home fan sitting in the front row, you really need to know when you should and should not go after the ball. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2011/591049/84 "2011-08-23T11:13:35Z")
> [@Tom\_Scud](#): > > Bautista for AL MVP is obvious. Not to everyone. Granderson and Ellsbury are pretty damn plausible, too. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2011/591049/85 "2011-08-23T17:55:32Z")
Verlander should be in the conversation too. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2011/591049/86 "2011-08-23T18:56:45Z")
If the season ended today I’m quite certain Bautista would not win, although he deserves to. I suspect Granderson would win, since he leads the AL in RBI. It would be a really split up vote though; there might be no player with ten first place votes. So who knows. Personally I’d go 1. Bautista 2. Verlander 3. Ellsbury 4. Granderson 5. Adrian Gonzalez For the Cy, I think it’s Verlander, then Weaver, then a bunch of guys. ---
**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 23, 2011, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2011/591049/87 "2011-08-23T19:08:29Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > If the season ended today I’m quite certain Bautista would not win, although he deserves to. I agree, on both counts. The fact that the Jays aren’t going to make the playoffs effectively eliminates him in the minds of some voters, and stats like RBI still weight far too heavily among some voters as well. It will be interesting to see what sort of votes Verlander gets. If Detroit wins their division, which looks reasonably likely right now, he will be helped by the fact that he has carried the Tigers on his back for the whole season. The gap between Verlander and the rest of his team’s starting rotation is probably greater than in any other team. Verlander’s ERA is almost a full 2 runs better then the second-best starter, and his WHIP is 0.45 better. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2011/591049/88 "2011-08-23T21:02:09Z")
Toronto trades Aaron Hill and John McDonald to Arizona for Kelly Johnson. I am not really sure what this accomplishes for the Blue Jays. Johnson is a free agent after this season, as was Hill, and is a 29-year-old second baseman, like Hill, and is struggling to stay above the Mendoza Line, like Hill. He’s got more homers but do you really care when the guy’s hitting .209? Plus they had to give up the Minister of Defense in the deal. ---
**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 25, 2011, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2011/591049/89 "2011-08-25T22:53:21Z")
Crazy game in the Bronx today. The Yankees were losing early (Hughes looked bad.) But then they proceeded to set a record by hitting 3 grand slams (Martin, Cano and Granderson) and they currently lead 21 - 8. Somewhat surprised 3 grandies in a game is the record. It wasn’t tied either, never been done before according to the announcers. ---
**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 25, 2011, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2011/591049/90 "2011-08-25T23:08:34Z")
Wow, just wow. 3 Grand Slams. Granderson took back the RBI lead with the record breaking 3rd of the day. Fun seeing Jorge play second. I think the first time since he was in AA. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2011, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2011/591049/91 "2011-08-26T03:32:59Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > Crazy game in the Bronx today. The Yankees were losing early (Hughes looked bad.) But then they proceeded to set a record by hitting 3 grand slams (Martin, Cano and Granderson) and they currently lead 21 - 8. Somewhat surprised 3 grandies in a game is the record. It wasn’t tied either, never been done before according to the announcers. Many of the Yankees fans left early and didn’t see it. Don’t want to stick around because your team is down by six in the third? Weak, I say. ---
**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 26, 2011, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2011/591049/92 "2011-08-26T16:53:50Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > Many of the Yankees fans left early and didn’t see it. Don’t want to stick around because your team is down by six in the third? Weak, I say. Which team do you root for, out of curiosity? I’m dying to here about your sterling fan base that sticks out a game through the rain and a big deficit on a Thursday night. Surely your team must lead the league in attendance. ---
**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 26, 2011, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2011/591049/93 "2011-08-26T17:02:55Z")
Well, i can’t speak for **Peremensoe** , but i’m happy to rag on any fan, from any team, who leaves a game in the third inning. I’m not paying for a ticket, only to leave after an hour. While i like to see my own side win, of course, i’m also a fan of baseball, and even in a blowout there is still baseball being played. I have only ever left one game before the final out, and that was a game that had suffered through a rain delay of almost two hours in the fifth inning. Even then, i stuck out the delay, and left in the eighth inning with one side up by about 4 or 5 runs. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2011, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2011/591049/94 "2011-08-26T17:03:53Z")
I’m going to non-sneak brag right now and tell everyone that on Monday, me and 3 friends are going to go hang out with Mike Hargrove in his suite at Progressive Field and watch the game. I am so excited I could burst. I’ve never met a baseball player before, let alone an Indian, let alone a manager. WAHOO!! ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2011, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2011/591049/95 "2011-08-26T17:06:46Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > Which team do you root for, out of curiosity? I’m dying to here about your sterling fan base that sticks out a game through the rain and a big deficit on a Thursday night. Surely your team must lead the league in attendance. I’ve never left Fenway Park before the final out has been recorded. I’ve sat through rain delays, awful losses, and blowout wins. That’s just what you do. 🙂 ---
**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 26, 2011, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2011/591049/96 "2011-08-26T17:49:52Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > I’ve never left Fenway Park before the final out has been recorded. I’ve sat through rain delays, awful losses, and blowout wins. That’s just what you do. 🙂 Well we all know Red Sox fans don’t have lives… 😛 I keed.. I keed… ---
**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:** [August 26, 2011, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2011/591049/97 "2011-08-26T19:12:32Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > I’m going to non-sneak brag right now and tell everyone that on Monday, me and 3 friends are going to go hang out with Mike Hargrove in his suite at Progressive Field and watch the game. > > I am so excited I could burst. I’ve never met a baseball player before, let alone an Indian, let alone a manager. > > WAHOO!! The hell? Details! Will you touch the Human Rain Delay? ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2011, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2011/591049/98 "2011-08-27T00:22:01Z")
Touch him? I’m totally going to hug him! ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2011, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2011/591049/99 "2011-08-27T02:38:07Z")
Jose Bautista just completely lost his shit after a strikeout and was ejected, and started throwing stuff out of the dugout. A suspension, perhaps? ---
**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 27, 2011, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2011/591049/100 "2011-08-27T02:54:12Z")
Orioles spanked AJ and the Yankees today, including a second inning which featured six hits in a row—four doubles, bookended by two home runs. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2011/591049.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2011/591049.md?page=6)