# MLB: August 2018 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [August 1, 2018, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950 "2018-08-01T22:42:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2018, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/1 "2018-08-01T22:42:18Z")
Bring on the dog days of Summer. I am sure August will narrow the post-season contenders down a notch. Play ball! ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2018, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/2 "2018-08-01T23:07:46Z")
Ah, but the dog days really begin July 3rd and end on August 11th, as Sirius, the dog star, rises and sets with the sun. The Yankees begin a four game set in Boston tomorrow and it could well put an end to any pennant race this year. I’m not feeling confident with the current state of affairs. ---
**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:** [August 2, 2018, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/3 "2018-08-02T12:31:10Z")
At least the worst hitting and worst defensive Yankee catcher is on the DL, so there’s that. I predict Didi will carry the team somehow this weekend and Torres gets back to form. Yanks to sweep and get right back in it. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2018, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/4 "2018-08-02T13:55:44Z")
Oakland destroyed Toronto in a four game set and has tied Seattle for the final wild card. (Well, in games; techncially Seattle is ahead by .001 percentage points.) Seattle’s record was widely thought to be luck and that appears to be catching up with them. In the NL I am quite intrigued at Pittsburgh’s trade for Chris Archer, just because… well, man, they’re optimistic, huh? They’re four games out, yes, but behind five teams. They have to pass four teams to make it. That’s a very, very tall order. Granted, they have Archer for several years more, so this isn’t just a 2018 move. Of course we are, what, six months removed from them trading Gerrit Cole? If they still had Cole, they might be in the first place now, and trading for Archer might make them NL pennant favourites. It’s a weird sequence of events, but I’ll give them credit for realizing the situation had unexpectedly changed and deciding “well, we didn’t see this coming, but let’s make a go at it.” ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2018, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/5 "2018-08-02T14:27:30Z")
Always thought Chris Archer was a bit overrated. I like his energy and he seems like a good teammate, but a pretty average pitcher. He’s especially not been great this year, but I hope he can turn it around for Pittsburgh. ---
**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, 2018, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/6 "2018-08-02T17:30:00Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > Always thought Chris Archer was a bit overrated. I like his energy and he seems like a good teammate, but a pretty average pitcher. He’s especially not been great this year, but I hope he can turn it around for Pittsburgh. He’s definitely been trending downward. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2018, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/7 "2018-08-02T18:30:05Z")
Archer’s numbers look superficially bad this year, but he’s better than you think. He just plays without a lot of support behind him. His fundamental stats are all solid. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2018, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/8 "2018-08-04T18:32:33Z")
Archer did not do well last night. 4 runs in 4 1/3 innings. Couldn’t even qualify for the win. Pitched his way out of a lot of jams. He has a wonderful attitude, though, and the fans love him. I’m still not sure he was worth two prospects, though. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2018, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/9 "2018-08-04T20:11:51Z")
…Annnnnnnnnnnd Ian Kinsler heads to the DL. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2018, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/10 "2018-08-05T14:23:26Z")
Mike Scioscia expected to step down from Angels at the end of the season. > **[Scioscia calls report he'll step down 'poppycock'](https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/24287880/mike-scioscia-los-angeles-angels-manager-expected-step-end-season)** > > Angels manager Mike Scioscia on Sunday dismissed a report by The Athletic that he would step down at the end of the season. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2018, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/11 "2018-08-05T18:03:43Z")
Scioscia is denying the story in full. Of course, he could always be fired. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2018, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/12 "2018-08-05T18:13:41Z")
‘There goes the no hitter and there goes the shutout…’ Lines uttered by the Nationals broadcast team in the bottom of the second after Matt Wieters hits a homerun. As if I was on pins and needles in the bottom of the second! ---
**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 5, 2018, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/13 "2018-08-05T18:57:33Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > ‘There goes the no hitter and there goes the shutout…’ Lines uttered by the Nationals broadcast team in the bottom of the second after Matt Wieters hits a homerun. > > As if I was on pins and needles in the bottom of the second! If that was F.P. Santangelo, he does that basically every game. I find him to be one of the more enjoyable and amusing color TV guys in the sport. ---
**Author:** ![Fleetwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fleetwood/32/271_2.png) [@Fleetwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fleetwood)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2018, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/14 "2018-08-05T19:16:39Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > At least the worst hitting and worst defensive Yankee catcher is on the DL, so there’s that. I predict Didi will carry the team somehow this weekend and Torres gets back to form. Yanks to sweep and get right back in it. Or not. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2018, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/15 "2018-08-05T21:46:17Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Scioscia is denying the story in full. Of course, he could always be fired. He could always work at the Springfield Nuclear Plant. ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2018, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/16 "2018-08-05T21:47:17Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > ‘There goes the no hitter and there goes the shutout…’ Lines uttered by the Nationals broadcast team in the bottom of the second after Matt Wieters hits a homerun. > > As if I was on pins and needles in the bottom of the second! When Wieters homers (or even just gets a hit), it’s front page news. ---
**Author:** ![zoog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7ea924/32.png) [@zoog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoog)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2018, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/17 "2018-08-05T22:29:14Z")
Oliver Drake pitched an inning for the Twins yesterday. That’s notable because it makes him the first player in MLB history to play for five different teams in the same season. That’s just nuts. ---
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2018, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/18 "2018-08-05T23:45:37Z")
Yanks are 0-3 this series with Boston. Final game tonight. Maybe it is their demise. There is no spark without Judge and Sanchez. I hope they can turn it around. I like the style of Boone. Plus the Boston vs Yankees games are fun to watch. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/19 "2018-08-06T03:13:49Z")
> [@harmonicamoon](#): > > Yanks are 0-3 this series with Boston. Final game tonight. > > Maybe it is their demise. It isn’t, no. They’re a Wild Card team. ---
**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:** [August 6, 2018, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/20 "2018-08-06T03:19:24Z")
> [@zoog](#): > > Oliver Drake pitched an inning for the Twins yesterday. That’s notable because it makes him the first player in MLB history to play for five different teams in the same season. That’s just nuts. Interesting . . . it looks like he’s bad enough that he keeps getting designated for assignment, but good enough that someone claims him on waivers every time he does. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950.md?page=2)