And now the Nationals are destroying the Pirates, 13-0 and it hasn’t been that close. The Pirates look like the Bad News Bears.
The Pirates also lost hard against the Cubs on Sunday, in front of a billion Little League kids. It’s very strange seeing this version of the Cubs, after a lifetime of them being considered a joke.
Pretty seriously awesome HR streak by Aristides Aquino, whom now is the holder of the MLB record for most home runs hit in the fewest number of games by a rookie.
Very well-edited video summary (YouTube): Reds’ Aristides Aquino becomes fastest to 9 career homers - YouTube
League seems to be starting to catch up with him now.
Well, inasmuch as three games without a homer is “catching up.” 
Obviously it’s just a huge fluke.
I know it’s not like no one is talking about Cody Bellinger, but I don’t feel like he is getting quite the proper amount of credit. I was bouncing around reading some baseball stats this morning and saw that Bellinger, according to how Baseball reference calculates things, has essentially been as good as Mike Trout this season, and if you calculate it like Fangraphs does, he’s not quite Trout but hes darn close. Closer than anyone else by a lot.
This is a pretty remarkable thing, also, in other non news, Mike Trout is really good at baseball shame hes wasted on the Angels.
I agree about Trout. I was bummed when he signed his extension he deserves to be on a team that is at least the most popular team in his town if not a perennial playoff contender.
As far as Bellinger I think the most fun thing about his season is that a lot of his WAR (almost 2) is coming from his defense.
I can remember watching his DAD, Clay Bellinger, on the Yankees when I was a freshman in high school. Gah! Where does the time go!?!?!
Clay was a solid 25th man. Could play most positions. Could hit a little. Could pinch run. His jacks seem to all help win games. But his talent level was far below Cody’s of course.
Vladdy update: after not having the greatest start to the season, since July 5th he’s 3rd in MLB in avg. (.387), 2nd in OBP% (.449), 5th in SLG% (.689), T-7 in RBI (29), and 1st in Sandovalics (67 inches), and doing it without putting up any crazy hot streaks, which is comforting to see (consistency). I’m sure pitchers will eventually figure out him and Bichette, but it’s enjoyable to see in the meantime.
I’m not so sure it’s a fluke. He’s already been nicknamed “The Punisher” because he absolutely crushes the ball. I think he has superstar written all over him.
Just to keep playing devil’s advocate, the last 21 games are basically the only thing in Aquino’s professional career that say “Superstar.” His minor league numbers suggest a good major league home run hitter, but not a superstar; if he was a superstar in wating he wouldn’t have had to wait until he was 25 to be an MLB regular. I think he’s going to be a solid hitter but he is very, very unlikely to be a perennial MVP candidate. Weirder things have happened but offhand I cannot think of very many great players (among hitters) who didn’t make it as regular players until they were 25. Ryan Howard and Jose Bautista jump to mind, but I can’t think of any others. I am sure there must be, but they’re very rare.
I am not a diehard fan by any stretch but from what I have heard and read, Aquino was a free-swinging project that took a lot of time to get him to respond to hitting coaches. Somehow they’ve got something figured out in his swing that he’s doing now that he wasn’t before, while he’s also been able to keep his unorthodox stance and his knack for reaching out of the zone to slap homers that he could have let go.
Edgar Martinez is the one who came to mind for me. Wade Boggs was 24. David Ortiz kinda sorta. Sammy Sosa also kinda sorta (his first really good hitting season was at 25).
Did anyone watch the Mets/Braves last night go to 14 innings? That was nuts. 1-1 almost all the way until the end, with the Mets’ only run being a first-pitch homer hit by DEGROM of all people. Crazy crazy craziness.
These all-white uniforms keep making me think it’s like watching cricket.
Makes me think I’m watching Star Wars, especially the white batting helmets.
Has Boston changed the team’s name in a last-ditch effort to make the postseason?
Sounds like something an early 1950s congressional committee would have investigated. 
:eek:
The Cubs were 44-19 at home til the Nats came in and swept their weekend series.
Whoever in the MLB office that insists on mandating that teams wear silly special uniforms at various times throughout the year needs to leave his job and go work designing clothes for Barbie dolls. It the teams want to dress like rejects from Don Cherry’s closet, let it be their choice. These mandated uniforms this week are a joke.
Why should the NFL be the only league with color rush games?