To be fair, Jake Peavy has trouble seeing much of anything at all.
What a brutal series of 24 straight games for the Cubs. The All Star break couldn’t come soon enough. Hopefully, they’ll get Fowler back soon enough , although he suffered a setback in a rehab assignment. Soler should be able to start a rehab assignment soon as well which will allow Almora to be sent back to the minors. I think Contreras stays up, he’s shown he’s the real deal.
Jason Hammel needs to be kept an eye on, he left his last start with a cramp in his hand, and this is the second time he’s left with a cramp, although the previous cramp was in his hamstring. A conditioning issue or just a fluke?
The first week of the schedule after the ASG is brutal, with the Rangers and Mets, but then the next couple of weeks should be much easier. No need to panic, but that cushion the Cubs built up in early in the year is a real nice thing to have right now.
Not just is the All-Star Break very welcome right now, it’s extremely fortuitous because the Cubs don’t play until Friday, so they get an extra day of rest.
No teams play until Friday, MLB changed that a couple of years ago, eliminating the few games played on the Thursday after the ASG.
The Indians have a 6.5 game lead in their division, and the Dodgers are leading the wild card race, with the potential for a much more solid rotation to start the second half. I’m going to say I’m fairly content with how things are at the break.
And I might actually get to watch the All-Star Game, for once.
I dunno why I didn’t know that. I was listening to Len Kasper while streaming the game yesterday, and he mentioned Friday like it was unusual.
Weird story in the Tigers organization. Anthony Gose was demoted to AAA and has now got into a dispute with his manager there, banished from the dugout, and cleaned out his locker. He no-showed a game Sunday. I had this guy as a fantasy sleeper last year which blew up in my face.
Anybody watching the HR derby tonight? Me either. I do plan to watch the ASG, though.
I gotta give Dave Dombrowski credit for getting a decent solution in the bullpen before it was even announced that Craig Kimbrell will have knee surgery. Apparently he’ll only miss 3-6 weeks, so it could have been a lot worse. And the guy Boston got, Brad Ziegler, is one of those “how does he do it” pitchers where his stuff is just Ok, his K/9 and WHIP are nothing spectacular, but damned if he doesn’t get the job done.
Still waiting for the other shoe to drop, though. Porcello, Price and Wright have been fine lately, but the back end of the rotation is patch work at best. I’d say they’re lucky to be only 2 games behind Baltimore.
Won’t be watching the HR Derby, not even to whine about Chris Berman. It’s ridiculous that I got a bracket challenge email for the HR derby.
I am going to watch the ASG, it’s been a few years since I’ve been able to see a whole game, I’ve either been working or had plans the past few ASGs
I won’t. I don’t think I’ve ever watched the whole game, and I haven’t bothered with even a part of it in a long time. No purpose. With MLBTV, interleague play and ESPN/SportsCenter/Dodgers.net I can see any player/team I want any time I want. The ASG is an even more meaningless joke than it ever was. The days off are nice, though.
If there’s a lucky team in the division, it’s not Boston. It’s Baltimore.
Fearless prediction; the Orioles will finish third.
You’re probably right with the Jays coming on strong now. I guess I should say the Sox are lucky that *someone *hasn’t run away from them at the top of the East. If they trade for Julio Teheran today, does he switch dugouts tonight? Has an All Star ever been traded during the break but the before the ASG?
Anyone else think the All-Star game is getting way over the top?
Just a reminder: Ichiro is 10 hits away from 3000. Need a little love for our Mariner icon. Gambatte, Ichiro-san !
Ugh, looks like politics got involved in the Canadian National Anthem with the performers altering the lyrics at the ASG
Can’t we have 3 hours without hot button political issues?
How is the AL the “home” team if the game is in San Diego? Did they change a rule recently?
This is the fourth straight National League park to host the ASG. So they threw the AL a bone. The next two are in National League parks, too.
Yes. Because there are four consecutive ASGs in NL parks, the home slot is alternating. The AL will bat last in Washington in 2018, as well.
Because the NL was home team last year when they played in Cincinnati. They decided they’d alternate home team, but not necessarily parks.
Somehow it just looks wrong to have the AL at home in San Diego. If they’re going to allow that, they may as well just let the side of the defending MLB champ be the home team the following ASG. Or even the winner of the prior ASG, as defending champ.