# 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:** 5
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2018, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/81 "2018-08-11T19:18:42Z")
The Orioles are mathematically eliminated, the earliest that has happened to a team since the start of divisional play. And on a night they scored 12 on the Red Sox, too. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2018, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/82 "2018-08-11T19:42:20Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > The Orioles are mathematically eliminated, the earliest that has happened to a team since the start of divisional play. And on a night they scored 12 on the Red Sox, too. Take heart Orioles fans. They’ve only been eliminated from first place in the East. They can still get a wild card slot – even the top one. One more loss though, and they’ve locked in a sub .500 season. The Royals are two losses away from that. ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2018, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/83 "2018-08-11T21:07:49Z")
The O’s have picked up that 82nd loss. ---
**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 12, 2018, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/84 "2018-08-12T15:18:27Z")
If you haven’t seen [this throw](https://www.mlb.com/news/ramon-laureano-makes-incredible-throw-for-as/c-289951726) yet, have a gander. Reminiscent of the Cespedes throw to home from a few years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Panther\_Modern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac8455/32.png) [@Panther\_Modern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Panther_Modern)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2018, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/85 "2018-08-12T15:24:43Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > If you haven’t seen [this throw](https://www.mlb.com/news/ramon-laureano-makes-incredible-throw-for-as/c-289951726) yet, have a gander. Reminiscent of the Cespedes throw to home from a few years ago. Holy crap! What a throw! ---
**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 12, 2018, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/86 "2018-08-12T16:50:43Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > If you haven’t seen [this throw](https://www.mlb.com/news/ramon-laureano-makes-incredible-throw-for-as/c-289951726) yet, have a gander. Reminiscent of the Cespedes throw to home from a few years ago. The best part is the accuracy. The first baseman didn’t move. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2018, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/87 "2018-08-12T20:46:20Z")
Holy crap. That’s one of the two or three best throws I’ve ever seen in my life. ---
**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 13, 2018, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/88 "2018-08-13T02:37:25Z")
Check out [this play by Didi Gregorius](https://mediadownloads.mlb.com/mlbam/mp4/2018/08/12/2377028283/1534099049061/asset_1800K.mp4) today. Look at his feet! DeShields is so fast he didn’t even have time to set them. That’s pretty much perfection for one play. ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/89 "2018-08-13T04:37:04Z")
Nats at Cubs ended in a fun way tonight. Bottom nine. Nats up 3-0. Zobrist ground out. Heyward infield single. Borderline error by 2b. Almora hit by pitch. Schwarber pop out foul. Contreras hit by pitch. Enter David Bote. He’s in his fifth call up of the year from triple A Iowa and his car is still parked in his Des Moines apartment complex parking lot. Then this happened… David Bote off RHP Ryan Madson - 110.0 mph, 24 degrees (442 ft Home Run) 95.2 mph Four-Seamer. Cubs win 3-4! ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/90 "2018-08-13T11:00:58Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > If you haven’t seen [this throw](https://www.mlb.com/news/ramon-laureano-makes-incredible-throw-for-as/c-289951726) yet, have a gander. Reminiscent of the Cespedes throw to home from a few years ago. My jaw literally dropped. Amazing! I agree with RickJay, that could be among the best throws I’ve ever seen… I’ve been keeping a loose eye on Laureano since the story of his call-up came out. He’s certainly making the most of the opportunity, ain’t he? ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/91 "2018-08-13T18:33:23Z")
> [@Lance\_Turbo](#): > > Nats at Cubs ended in a fun way tonight. > > Bottom nine. Nats up 3-0. > > Zobrist ground out. > Heyward infield single. Borderline error by 2b. > Almora hit by pitch. > Schwarber pop out foul. > Contreras hit by pitch. > > Enter David Bote. He’s in his fifth call up of the year from triple A Iowa and his car is still parked in his Des Moines apartment complex parking lot. Then this happened… > > David Bote off RHP Ryan Madson - 110.0 mph, 24 degrees (442 ft Home Run) > 95.2 mph Four-Seamer. > > Cubs win 3-4! First time that a Grand Slam walkoff from three behind with two out, two strikes has happened for over 20 years. First time EVER it’s been done when behind 3-0, two out, as near as anyone can tell (pitch-by-pitch stats don’t go back all that far, sadly). That’s pretty electric. :eek: ---
**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 13, 2018, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/92 "2018-08-13T22:14:05Z")
Painful from a Nats fan’s standpoint. Madson is saying today that he had pains shooting down his legs while pitching. The implosion of their bullpen is now complete. Madson, Herrera and Doolittle hurt, and they gave away two serviceable relievers (Kintzler and Kelley) simply because they didn’t like “the cut of their jib.” ---
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/93 "2018-08-13T22:30:52Z")
> [@Lance\_Turbo](#): > > Nats at Cubs ended in a fun way tonight. > > Bottom nine. Nats up 3-0. > > Zobrist ground out. > Heyward infield single. Borderline error by 2b. > Almora hit by pitch. > Schwarber pop out foul. > Contreras hit by pitch. > > Enter David Bote. He’s in his fifth call up of the year from triple A Iowa and his car is still parked in his Des Moines apartment complex parking lot. Then this happened… > > David Bote off RHP Ryan Madson - 110.0 mph, 24 degrees (442 ft Home Run) > 95.2 mph Four-Seamer. > > Cubs win 3-4! Thank you for mentioning this. I was able to watch the archive. Incredible! ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/94 "2018-08-13T23:26:31Z")
The Nationals start a 4 game series against the Cardinals. According to [MLB.com](http://MLB.com) this is their batting order: Eaton Turner Harper Rendon Soto Zimmerman Murphy Wieters Milone (pitcher) Harper needs to be moved out of third to fifth. I’d put Soto at 3rd in the lineup and keep Rendon at cleanup. I might also shake things up and let Turner lead off with Eaton coming up second. And yes, I want the Nats to sweep the series and watch the Cards lose! ---
**Author:** ![Panther\_Modern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac8455/32.png) [@Panther\_Modern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Panther_Modern)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/95 "2018-08-14T00:46:48Z")
> [@Lance\_Turbo](#): > > Nats at Cubs ended in a fun way tonight. > > Bottom nine. Nats up 3-0. > > Zobrist ground out. > Heyward infield single. Borderline error by 2b. > Almora hit by pitch. > Schwarber pop out foul. > Contreras hit by pitch. > > Enter David Bote. He’s in his fifth call up of the year from triple A Iowa and his car is still parked in his Des Moines apartment complex parking lot. Then this happened… > > David Bote off RHP Ryan Madson - 110.0 mph, 24 degrees (442 ft Home Run) > 95.2 mph Four-Seamer. > > Cubs win 3-4! This was just depressing. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/96 "2018-08-14T20:03:02Z")
Incredibly, David Bote was pressured into apologizing for his little bat flip. No wonder attendance is flatlined. Here’s a minor leaguer trying to stick in the bigs and he comes up on the fifth shuttle service from Des Moines and he hits a goddamn come-from-three-runs-behind walk off grand slam in Wrigley Field for a first place team and 40,000 people are going berzerk. Daaaaaaamn straight he should flip his bat. As far as I’m concerned, he should in fact have attached the bat to a big RC drone and flown it around the stadium, and then he should have been allowed to exchange his helmet for a big top hat and held sparklers in both hands while walking around the bases being flanked by a troupe of circus acrobats doing handsprings and cartwheels. You hit a walk off grand slam, you choose the celebration, and if the other team doesn’t like it, they should pitch better. ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/97 "2018-08-14T20:19:20Z")
There’s much being said about his bat flip and his “apology” but I think it’s being overblown. He was asked about the bat flip and here’s what he said… > [@](#): > > It just kind of happened. I didn’t even realize I did it until I saw it on the replay. I thought, ‘Oh man, I did bat flip it.’ Obviously, I meant no disrespect by any means. It was just the heat of the moment, I got it good and I was wishing it out. ---
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/98 "2018-08-14T20:32:00Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Incredibly, David Bote was pressured into apologizing for his little bat flip. > > No wonder attendance is flatlined. Here’s a minor leaguer trying to stick in the bigs and he comes up on the fifth shuttle service from Des Moines and he hits a goddamn come-from-three-runs-behind walk off grand slam in Wrigley Field for a first place team and 40,000 people are going berzerk. Daaaaaaamn straight he should flip his bat. As far as I’m concerned, he should in fact have attached the bat to a big RC drone and flown it around the stadium, and then he should have been allowed to exchange his helmet for a big top hat and held sparklers in both hands while walking around the bases being flanked by a troupe of circus acrobats doing handsprings and cartwheels. You hit a walk off grand slam, you choose the celebration, and if the other team doesn’t like it, they should pitch better. Very nicely stated **RJ**. As far as bat flips go, I thought Bote’s was very gentle, and artful. Like a ballerina. It was beautiful. ---
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/99 "2018-08-14T20:47:15Z")
> [@storyteller0910](#): > > So I’m 40 years old, which means I’ve been a Mets fan for… wow, my god, it’s been 30 years. So I’ve seen some shit, is what I’m saying, and most of it has sucked. But I was thinking to myself today - is this season, this one right now, the most depressing moment of those 30 years? Consider: The Mets are in fourth place and are one of the worst teams in baseball. They are absolutely **burning the primes** of _two_ genuinely special pitchers; the odds of either of them still being both Mets and good by the time this roster can compete again are limited. They mismanaged a third special pitcher into the ground before his 30th birthday and sent him to Cincinnati. They opened the season with not one but two players on their roster previously suspended for domestic abuse. One of the two is still on the team as of August 7, soaking up at bats every day as the worst position player in the major league. Their two top prospects right now are a 19-year-old infielder with no power and a pitcher with an ERA over 6 in high A. The three teams Mets fans hate the most - the Phillies, Braves, and Yankees - are all riding high. > > And the Mets are, of course, Still Paying Bobby Bonilla. I can feel your pain storyteller. Obviously you have given a lot of thought in your missive. I am a solution seeker type of person. So, do you have a solution for the Mets? Are you saying they should peddle deGrom? (Bolding mine.) ---
**Author:** ![Cell\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@Cell\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cell_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2018, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/100 "2018-08-15T00:05:24Z")
The Cardinals are on a tear. After firing Matheny they’re 4.5 games back in the NL Central and 2 games back in the wild card. They haven’t lost a series since the All Star break. They have the second best August record (behind the Red Sox). Matt Carpenter has turned his season around and is being mentioned in the MVP race. I don’t credit this just to Matheny’s firing—after the All Star break they called up a bunch of kids from Memphis and traded/released some dead weight. And I don’t expect them to make the playoffs this year. But they’ve been damn exciting to watch lately! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950.md?page=6)