# MLB: August **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [August 1, 2014, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august/694563 "2014-08-01T09:09:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Kiros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/439d5e/32.png) [@Kiros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiros)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2014, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august/694563/21 "2014-08-02T02:20:13Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > If that’s true, it was almost entirely of the Astros’ own making. I don’t feel sorry for them at all. Oh, definitely. It’s more rubberneck-at-the-car-crash kind of catastrophe. But if I were an Astros fan I’d be _pissed_. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2014, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august/694563/22 "2014-08-02T02:59:40Z")
> [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#): > > Kazmir, Samardzija, Lester, Doolittle–who’s the other one? > (I assume you are talking about this year.) Gray ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2014, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august/694563/23 "2014-08-02T03:22:36Z")
CBS and ESPN don’t list him, even as an injured player replacement or an injured player himself. Sure about him? ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2014, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august/694563/24 "2014-08-02T04:20:36Z")
Sonny Gray, 12 wins, tied for most wins in the American League? THAT pitcher. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2014, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august/694563/25 "2014-08-02T04:23:40Z")
But was he an All-Star? You said he was, and I don’t find any evidence of it. Not saying he’s not good; of course he is, but that wasn’t what you said originally. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2014, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august/694563/26 "2014-08-02T04:26:42Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Sonny Gray, 12 wins, tied for most wins in the American League? THAT pitcher. Never been an All Star, though. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2014, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august/694563/27 "2014-08-02T04:28:25Z")
Dodgers finally get to play a sub-.500 team and what happens? By the middle of the 6th it is 8-1 Cubs, Gonzalez is out with an injury, Puig will likely miss a few games with a dental problem, Haren gets lit up like a pinball machine, and the whole team plays like Little Leaguers. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2014, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august/694563/28 "2014-08-02T15:27:19Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Dodgers finally get to play a sub-.500 team and what happens? By the middle of the 6th it is 8-1 Cubs, Gonzalez is out with an injury, Puig will likely miss a few games with a dental problem, **Haren gets lit up like a pinball machine** , and the whole team plays like Little Leaguers. And he got thrown out 9-3. Again. This season. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2014, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august/694563/29 "2014-08-02T16:28:12Z")
Pity the Yankees didn’t get Chase Utley to play with Chase Headley and Chase Whitley. OH well, maybe a waiver deal … ---
**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 2, 2014, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august/694563/30 "2014-08-02T16:44:35Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Pity the Yankees didn’t get Chase Utley to play with Chase Headley and Chase Whitley. OH well, maybe a waiver deal … That was a terrific catch by Betts, a player I never heard of until last night, and that’s the only positive thing I have to say about that game. Watching the Yankees “offense” these past few seasons has been a fairly miserable experience. ---
**Author:** ![Uncle\_Jocko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uncle_jocko/32/2932_2.png) [@Uncle\_Jocko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncle_Jocko)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2014, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august/694563/31 "2014-08-02T17:36:45Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > I want to continue my complaint from the previous thread about the rule for catchers on plays at the plate. … > > Yes, it’s clear that the catcher is standing in the base path when he catches the ball, but the rule is still a complete fucking mess. … > > As i said in the previous thread, i’m completely on board with the need to prevent bad collisions at the plate, but they need to think a lot about how they might improve this rule. > 😕 Youth-league umpire checking in. In general, calling obstruction/interference properly is one of the toughest things for an umpire to do. Add in the complications MLB is trying to use to cut down on plate collisions, and it’s a giant clusterfuck. Watching the linked video, the catcher set up to await the throw properly. His left foot was in front of the plate, and he was giving the baseline to the runner. As the throw came in, he had to move to his left to field the ball, stepping into the baseline. This is supposed to be permitted … my guess is the New York review umpires thought he could have moved up ahead of the plate to field the throw, rather than to his left into the baseline. Our umpire training focuses on the fielder allowing the runner a path to the base, unless they have the ball. Even so, what is the time frame for having the ball and blocking the plate? It’s not like Cozart had a prayer of beating the throw. Once the catcher has the ball, he is allowed to block the base path. Is it really illegal for him to block the plate as the throw comes in, if the runner is still 10 or 20 feet up the baseline? I say no, but I am not a MLB umpire. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2014, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august/694563/32 "2014-08-02T17:39:06Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > So between the Dodgers, A’s, Cardinals and Tigers, who do we project has the best rotation for the last two months of the season? The Tigers have, in their starting rotation, the last three Cy Young winners. I don’t know, but I suspect that’s never happened before. ETA: …and the league’s current ERA leader mmm ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2014, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august/694563/33 "2014-08-02T17:45:08Z")
(too late to edit) Make that the 2013 AL ERA leader. mmm ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2014, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august/694563/34 "2014-08-02T17:54:43Z")
Mustard: The Braves of the 90s achieved this too. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2014, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august/694563/35 "2014-08-02T17:57:35Z")
Mustard: The Braves pulled it off during the 90s. ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2014, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august/694563/36 "2014-08-02T18:19:08Z")
I’d say, since I bleed blue, that Kersh-Greinke-Ryu stack up against any other top 3. Dodger’s 4 and 5 have obviously become a trainwreck at this point. I feel bad for Beckett going out there trying to pitch through his hip injury. I don’t know what the hell is wrong with Haren, just wore out, I guess? (And last night is what I get for gloating, of course!) ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2014, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august/694563/37 "2014-08-02T20:21:59Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > The Tigers have, in their starting rotation, the last three Cy Young winners. > > I don’t know, but I suspect that’s never happened before. > > ETA: …and the league’s current ERA leader > mmm And they have the last 3 AL MVPs. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2014, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august/694563/38 "2014-08-02T23:35:57Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Never been an All Star, though. He was on the roster, but pitched on Sunday so he was replaced., ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2014, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august/694563/39 "2014-08-02T23:49:12Z")
Man, Jacob deGrom of the Mets has the best [mullet](http://cdn1.bloguin.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/105/2014/05/Jacob-deGrom-forlorn.jpg)I’ve seen in a long while. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2014, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august/694563/40 "2014-08-03T00:41:47Z")
Not a lot of offense in the Mets-Giants game tonight… Jacob DeGrom of the Mets has a no-hitter going through 6, having given up just a walk in the 5th. Jake Peavy of the Giants is doing him one better, working on a perfect game. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august/694563.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-august/694563.md?page=3)