# 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:** 9
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2018, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/161 "2018-08-22T15:02:53Z")
Gotta say that the Nats sure are glad they fired the guy who led them to two straight division titles. Such an improvement this year! šŸ˜ƒ Cubs need to get something going. ā˜¹ ---
**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 22, 2018, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/162 "2018-08-22T17:06:29Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > The Tribe have won the first **two** games in the series, and kept the Sox offense in check in both. Thatā€™s not a good sign. Eh, Sox were bound to stumble at some point between now and October. Dropping 2 games to Cleveland doesnā€™t get me too excited. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2018, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/163 "2018-08-22T17:58:08Z")
Theyā€™re likely to meet in the playoffs, and confidence does matter then. All that the Indians have seen of the Red Sox this year is a team they can handle, and all the Red Sox have seen of the Indians is a pitching staff they canā€™t hit. Yes, the last 2 games might be different, but at best this is a split series. ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2018, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/164 "2018-08-22T18:14:41Z")
> [@](#): > > Murphy hit .329 in three seasons with Nats. Who the fuck trades away a .329 hitter? A team that has given up on the post season this year, and is starting to rebuild. If there were an award for not performing up to potential, the Nats would be in the Hall of Fame. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2018, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/165 "2018-08-22T20:34:42Z")
McCutchen sitting today, and Twitter is full of trade rumors. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2018, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/166 "2018-08-22T21:02:51Z")
Addison Russell to the DL, so perhaps Murphy makes more sense now, plus thereā€™s no need to rush Kris Bryant back. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2018, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/167 "2018-08-23T00:38:31Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Addison Russell to the DL, so perhaps Murphy makes more sense now, plus thereā€™s no need to rush Kris Bryant back. Indeed, tonightā€™s starting lineup is exactly as I stated. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2018, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/168 "2018-08-23T03:43:48Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Theyā€™re likely to meet in the playoffs, and confidence does matter then. All that the Indians have seen of the Red Sox this year is a team they can handle, and all the Red Sox have seen of the Indians is a pitching staff they canā€™t hit. Yes, the last 2 games might be different, but at best this is a split series. And look, Boston destroyed Cleveland tonight. So do they believe in themselves again? But how could they have won if they didnā€™t already? Professional baseball players are not going to have their confidence damaged by a couple of games in August. ---
**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 23, 2018, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/169 "2018-08-23T12:00:29Z")
> [@Cell\_Guy](#): > > The Cardinals are on a tear. After firing Matheny theyā€™re 4.5 games back in the NL Central and 2 games back in the wild card. They havenā€™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 donā€™t credit this just to Mathenyā€™s firingā€”after the All Star break they called up a bunch of kids from Memphis and traded/released some dead weight. And I donā€™t expect them to make the playoffs this year. But theyā€™ve been damn exciting to watch lately! Is it reasonable to expect them to make the playoffs yet? Theyā€™ve been playing some good baseball lately. Only four losses in August, all of which were close (by one run, and IIRC they managed to get a man on in the 9th). ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2018, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/170 "2018-08-23T12:41:51Z")
The playoffs arenā€™t a coin flip, **RickJay**. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2018, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/171 "2018-08-23T21:24:56Z")
I donā€™t usually watch replays of regular season games, but Iā€™ve got to see the Nola vs Scherzer game from this afternoon. Iā€™m thinking Nola has the NL Cy Young locked up ---
**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 23, 2018, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/172 "2018-08-23T22:03:47Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > I donā€™t usually watch replays of regular season games, but Iā€™ve got to see the Nola vs Scherzer game from this afternoon. > > Iā€™m thinking Nola has the NL Cy Young locked up [Hereā€™s](http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/24446502/aaron-nola-max-scherzer-numbers) the tale of the tape, going into todayā€™s game. Itā€™s a close call. Max does have 74 more Kā€™s but if the Phils can win the division, Nola might get the nod. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2018, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/173 "2018-08-24T02:12:10Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > The Tribe have won the first **two** games in the series, and kept the Sox offense in check in both. Thatā€™s not a good sign. Boston [didnā€™t appear too worried](https://www.mlb.com/gameday/indians-vs-red-sox/2018/08/23/531321#game_state=final,lock_state=final,game_tab=box,game=531321) today. ---
**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 24, 2018, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/174 "2018-08-24T03:59:13Z")
Yeah, itā€™s amazing how after their spirits were totally crushed and they might possibly not win another game this season, they went on to win the next two games. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2018, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/175 "2018-08-24T17:56:17Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > The playoffs arenā€™t a coin flip, **RickJay**. What are you talking about? Who said they were? ---
**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 24, 2018, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/176 "2018-08-24T18:28:40Z")
Itā€™s just in case you happen to think they are sometime in the future. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2018, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/177 "2018-08-24T19:40:18Z")
You think MLB might want us to buy some playerā€™s weekend jerseys? Over the past 24 hours, Iā€™ve gotten at least 7 alerts from the MLB app. I think it is stupid, itā€™s just a too obvious money grab. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2018, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/178 "2018-08-24T22:12:50Z")
Rookie David Bote hit another major home run today for the Cubs, winning the game 3-2 in 10 innings with a solo homer. In the last month, heā€™s hit a 9th-inning game-tying homer against Arizona, a 9th-inning grand slam with his team down 3-0 against Washington, and now todayā€™s homer against Cincinnati. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2018, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/179 "2018-08-24T22:18:31Z")
Bote would be a regular on Toronto. Heā€™d be at worst their third best hitter. Too bad heā€™s buried in Chicago. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2018, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950/180 "2018-08-24T22:21:42Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Bote would be a regular on Toronto. Heā€™d be at worst their third best hitter. Too bad heā€™s buried in Chicago. Heā€™s been a regular part of the starting line-up since arriving there. I wouldnā€™t call that ā€œburied.ā€ :eek: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august-2018/818950.md?page=10)