# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/21 "2018-08-06T12:55:57Z")
Very satisfying weekend sweep of the Yankees. Well except for being subjected to ESPN on Sunday night. It was all talking about year long story lines, who is the MVP, How other teams are doing, not the actual game. Three color commentaries, no play-by-play. Plus the 8 PM start time… ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/22 "2018-08-06T13:27:05Z")
It’s like a contest - whoever talks the most wins. If that crew (David Ross, Rick Sutcliffe, some non-player yakker) ever bothered to prepare for a game, or even notice it, they might be watchable. But I’d rather follow the game on an app than put up with that. Never thought I’d see Chapman try to outsuck Heath Hembree, but it happened. Now, the Sox’ hamstring epidemic has to clear up before October. ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/23 "2018-08-06T14:00:12Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > It’s like a contest - whoever talks the most wins. If that crew (David Ross, Rick Sutcliffe, some non-player yakker) ever bothered to prepare for a game, or even notice it, they might be watchable. But I’d rather follow the game on an app than put up with that. > > Never thought I’d see Chapman try to outsuck Heath Hembree, but it happened. Now, the Sox’ hamstring epidemic has to clear up before October. It was worse. A-Rod, Matt Vasgersian, and Jessica Mendoza. They made Sut, Ross, and John Chiambi sound like Vin Scully. ---
**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 6, 2018, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/24 "2018-08-06T15:17:47Z")
When Sciambi and Sutcliffe do a game, I always get the sense that Sut does not care much for Sciambi. Sut, himself, seems like a kind of unlikeable guy to me. It must be hard to find good baseball commentators. ---
**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 6, 2018, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/25 "2018-08-06T15:20:17Z")
That was a tough weekend for us Yankees fans. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/26 "2018-08-06T16:13:04Z")
The big question is did ESPN include the mandatory mentions of Lebron James and Tiger Woods? ---
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/27 "2018-08-06T18:17:38Z")
> [@Paintcharge](#): > > It was worse. A-Rod, Matt Vasgersian, and Jessica Mendoza. They made Sut, Ross, and John Chiambi sound like Vin Scully. A lot of their time is spent on playing, “Name that next pitch.” Even wagering on it. It drives me bonkers. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/28 "2018-08-06T19:04:52Z")
By contrast, I enjoy games on MLB Network that are just national pickups of local broadcasts. You get to hear some different takes on the game, some different perspectives, and from guys who really know their own teams and keep close touch with all the personnel. Dewayne Staats and Brian Anderson with the Rays are \*really \*good, and I pity them for having to show enthusiasm for that shitshow. ---
**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 6, 2018, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/29 "2018-08-06T19:22:07Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > When Sciambi and Sutcliffe do a game, I always get the sense that Sut does not care much for Sciambi. Sut, himself, seems like a kind of unlikeable guy to me. It must be hard to find good baseball commentators. I hear Joe Morgan is available. ---
**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 6, 2018, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/30 "2018-08-06T19:22:43Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > I hear Joe Morgan is available. Now that is wrong, so wrong. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/31 "2018-08-06T20:00:00Z")
[Astros put Springer on the 10 day DL](https://www.chron.com/sports/astros/article/Astros-George-Springer-10-day-DL-sprained-thumb-13135452.php) ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/32 "2018-08-06T20:43:10Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > [Astros put Springer on the 10 day DL](https://www.chron.com/sports/astros/article/Astros-George-Springer-10-day-DL-sprained-thumb-13135452.php) As the Astros’s beat writer put it (here: [https://twitter.com/brianmctaggart/status/1026493093392965637](https://twitter.com/brianmctaggart/status/1026493093392965637)) > [@](#): > > Carlos Correa, George Springer, Jose Altuve, Lance McCullers Jr. and Chris Devenski are in Texas. > > The Astros are in San Francisco. That’s not ideal. Injury luck plays a big role in whether a team can make it all the way. It went their way for the most part last year, although Carlos Correia not being able to stay healthy for two years in a row is troubling, but it’s not going so well this year. Even with everyone healthy, the Astros still needed a bat at the deadline IMHO. Not that it looks like anyone’s catching Boston. ---
**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 6, 2018, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/33 "2018-08-06T22:09:11Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > That was a tough weekend for us Yankees fans. Saw a picture of the [Yankees team bus](https://imgur.com/gallery/T8yy8Lr) this morning. (stolen from reddit) ---
**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:** [August 6, 2018, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/34 "2018-08-06T23:41:38Z")
> [@Gray\_Ghost](#): > > As the Astros’s beat writer put it (here: [https://twitter.com/brianmctaggart/status/1026493093392965637](https://twitter.com/brianmctaggart/status/1026493093392965637)) > > Injury luck plays a big role in whether a team can make it all the way. It went their way for the most part last year, although Carlos Correia not being able to stay healthy for two years in a row is troubling, but it’s not going so well this year. Even with everyone healthy, the Astros still needed a bat at the deadline IMHO. > > Not that it looks like anyone’s catching Boston. Yeah, they’ve been very healthy this year, and none of the injuries look serious, but the season takes its toll. At this point, unless Boston plays like LA did late last year, or the Astros or Yankees play like Cleveland did, they won’t be caught. ---
**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:** [August 6, 2018, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/35 "2018-08-06T23:42:40Z")
In the meantime, the Oakland A’s have the fourth-best record in the major leagues. I guess it’s time to put those “Billy Beane has lost his mojo” takes back away. ---
**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 6, 2018, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/36 "2018-08-06T23:45:22Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > Saw a picture of the [Yankees team bus](https://imgur.com/gallery/T8yy8Lr) this morning. > > (stolen from reddit) The Ghost of George Steinbrenner is probably trying to fire Boone. Of course this is 70s-90s Boss, not that softer guy at the end. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/37 "2018-08-06T23:53:25Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > 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.” I agree fully. The Bucs’ position is so tenuous that after two straight losses to the Cards, all of the fans here are ready to fire Hurdle and everyone else. The front office is insane. We got rid of Cole and McCutcheon because this was a rebuilding year. But now that we are “only” 7.5 games back, behind three teams in the division race, and five in the Wild Card race, we give up two good prospects for Archer? I’m not seeing it. I hope I post here on October 1 telling everyone how terribly wrong I was. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2018, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/38 "2018-08-07T03:14:16Z")
Former White Sox pitcher Esteban Loaiza is likely to plea guilty to cocaine trafficking. How the mighty have fallen, this guy used to be a stud, now he’s looking at ten years minimum. > **[Ex-White Sox pitcher expected to plead guilty in U.S. cocaine case](https://abc7chicago.com/iteam-abc7-chicago-white-sox-cocaine/3895952/)** > > The ABC7 I-Team has learned that a former White Sox pitching star is expected to plead guilty this week in a cocaine distribution case. ---
**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:** [August 7, 2018, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/39 "2018-08-07T12:37:27Z")
Huh, Rick Ankiel is attempting a comeback as a relief pitcher. ---
**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 7, 2018, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/40 "2018-08-07T12:45:15Z")
Damn disgusting weekend for the Yanks. They looked pretty lifeless. Okay, let’s admit that Chapman simply isn’t reliable anymore. He can be lights out, or he can be worthless. It’s getting to be that you don’t want the game in his hands anymore. On the plus side, the August schedule is pretty favorable and they should be able to pick up a few games on the Bosox. Getting within 5 games by September has always seemed to me to be what separates having hope vs having no hope. It’s not like they have to overcome 14 games in August like was done in 1978 (the year of Bucky Fucking Dent). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950.md?page=3)