# MLB: July 2017 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [July 2, 2017, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373 "2017-07-02T17:32:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2017, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/221 "2017-07-26T15:51:46Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > I admit to being a little puzzled as to why the transition can’t simply be “Rafael plays third base now.” Is he ready for MLB or not? It isn’t like flipping a switch. Getting ready is a process. Exposing him to the majors without putting too much weight on his shoulders at once seems like a good way - it worked for Bogaerts, who did the same thing at the same age. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2017, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/222 "2017-07-26T16:22:21Z")
> [@Casey1505](#): > > Because the last time the Sox got a 3B from SF, it worked out so well. Just don’t give Nunez the key to the team refrigerator. ---
**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:** [July 26, 2017, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/223 "2017-07-26T16:35:42Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > An obvious candidate. > > Not exactly obviously true though. LAD, first in road attendance, shares their division with: > > SF: 3rd > COL: 8th > SD: 19th > ARZ: 22nd > > The Cubs are second. In their division: > > STL: 2nd > MIL: 15th > PIT: 24th > CIN: 25th > > Boston is third: > > TOR: 4th > NYY: 5th > BAL: 18th > **TB: 30th (by a frightening margin)** > > Maybe, I dunno. Every division has some dogs. I haven’t done a lot of math tho. Tampa averages 13,000 more attendees on the road than they do at home. That’s just…sad. Of course, that kind of differential holds true until you get up to Detroit at #16. ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2017, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/224 "2017-07-26T16:37:58Z")
Royal’s win 7 in a row, but Cleveland wins their last 5, so not as much ground made up as one would hope. ---
**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:** [July 26, 2017, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/225 "2017-07-26T17:09:17Z")
> [@Folacin](#): > > Royal’s win 7 in a row, but Cleveland wins their last 5, so not as much ground made up as one would hope. More ground made up than _some_ would hope. The Indians got out to a 7-0 lead in the second inning yesterday, but ended up letting the Angels tie the game up due to some over-cautious pitching and some poor defense. I wound up turning the game off in frustration around the 6th. Unfortunately, I missed the walk-off grand slam in extra innings, but I’ll take the W. To your point, though, the Indians announcers remarked several times how they need to be playing better since the Royals won’t stop winning, and are improved by virtue of the recent trade. ---
**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:** [July 26, 2017, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/226 "2017-07-26T18:34:35Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > I admit to being a little puzzled as to why the transition can’t simply be “Rafael plays third base now.” Is he ready for MLB or not? > > If he’s not - and he’s not even 21, so that would be very understandable - then why bring him up? Let him beat up guys at Pawtucket so he’s hitting every day and give him a taste in September. I said the other day I think the Sox brought up Devers before they \*really \*wanted to. Your suggestion to keep him in Pawtucket until September would have been the preferred path. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2017, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/227 "2017-07-26T20:33:33Z")
Now, this is interesting. A representative of the Chicago media has reached out to me and wants to talk to me about my perspective of being a baseball fan who loves the idea of day game while faced with the reality of night games. I think I’ll agree to the interview. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2017, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/228 "2017-07-26T21:23:28Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > R.A.Dickey’s knuckler nears 80. I’ve seen curves thrown in the high 60s to low 70s. I should have known some one would take my statement literally. :rolleyes: ---
**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:** [July 26, 2017, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/229 "2017-07-26T23:23:32Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > An obvious candidate. > > Not exactly obviously true though. LAD, first in road attendance, shares their division with: > > SF: 3rd > COL: 8th > SD: 19th > ARZ: 22nd > > The Cubs are second. In their division: > > STL: 2nd > MIL: 15th > PIT: 24th > CIN: 25th > > Boston is third: > > TOR: 4th > NYY: 5th > BAL: 18th > TB: 30th (by a frightening margin) > > Maybe, I dunno. Every division has some dogs. I haven’t done a lot of math tho. Looking at the numbers again, the thing that jumps out at me is that the National League just has better attendance; bottom 11 teams are all AL and ten of the top 12 are NL (road attendance). Boston and the Yankees probably actually are a draw on the road since those are the two teams (along with maybe the Cubs) that your super casual fan has heard of and who will jump off the schedule if someone says “huh let’s go see a baseball game” and looks at the schedule to see who’s playing that week. ---
**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:** [July 27, 2017, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/230 "2017-07-27T01:13:55Z")
See? We **told** you the DH was stupid! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2017, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/231 "2017-07-27T03:31:31Z")
> [@Tom\_Scud](#): > > Looking at the numbers again, the thing that jumps out at me is that the National League just has better attendance; bottom 11 teams are all AL and ten of the top 12 are NL (road attendance). Doing this by road attendance is weird when that can include interleague games. By HOME attendance, 5 of the top 10 are AL, 5 of the bottom 10 are. The NL is better per game, but not dramatically so. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2017, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/232 "2017-07-27T05:43:37Z")
Hurrah! Down 5 - 0 the Dodgers come back and win. This year is just amazing. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2017, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/233 "2017-07-27T12:05:17Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > Hurrah! Down 5 - 0 the Dodgers come back and win. This year is just amazing. On pace for 112 wins.🆒 Officially better than the 2013 team now I think. Best Dodgers team of the century? Feels like it to me. Pre 2000 I didn’t follow baseball enough to have an opinion. But it’s the most amazing Dodgers team I can remember. ---
**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:** [July 27, 2017, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/234 "2017-07-27T12:43:31Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > On pace for 112 wins.🆒 > > Officially better than the 2013 team now I think. > > Best Dodgers team of the century? Feels like it to me. Pre 2000 I didn’t follow baseball enough to have an opinion. But it’s the most amazing Dodgers team I can remember. I’ve been following them since 1985, and I don’t remember ever watching a season like this. I certainly don’t remember them ever being 40 games over .500. Obviously still no guarantee for the playoffs, but May through July has been an awfully fun time. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2017, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/235 "2017-07-27T12:45:36Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > The Indians got out to a 7-0 lead in the second inning yesterday, but ended up letting the Angels tie the game up due to some over-cautious pitching and some poor defense. I was listening to a couple early innings on the radio, and Tom Hamilton was gushing over Clevinger “trusting his stuff” and “pounding the zone” rather than “nibbling at the corners”. This parade of cliches was a cue for the Angels hitters to start hitting rockets to the outfield (Clevinger got out of the inning without allowing a run, but evidently his luck ran out later on). At least the top of the Indians’ batting order is now hitting and they’re putting up enough offense to make up for occasional pitching lapses. ---
**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:** [July 27, 2017, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/236 "2017-07-27T13:21:03Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > I was listening to a couple early innings on the radio, and Tom Hamilton was gushing over Clevinger “trusting his stuff” and “pounding the zone” rather than “nibbling at the corners”. This parade of cliches was a cue for the Angels hitters to start hitting rockets to the outfield (Clevinger got out of the inning without allowing a run, but evidently his luck ran out later on). > > At least the top of the Indians’ batting order is now hitting and they’re putting up enough offense to make up for occasional pitching lapses. In August, they’ve got two series apiece against the Red Sox, Yankees and Royals, as well as a short series against the Rockies. It’s kind of a now-or-never time for them to get themselves together if they want to take the division (and beyond). ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2017, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/237 "2017-07-27T14:33:33Z")
Just make the playoffs. That’s all the regular season is for. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2017, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/238 "2017-07-27T15:24:35Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > On pace for 112 wins.🆒 > > Officially better than the 2013 team now I think. > > Best Dodgers team of the century? Feels like it to me. Pre 2000 I didn’t follow baseball enough to have an opinion. But it’s the most amazing Dodgers team I can remember. Well, it’s not hard to be the best team out of 17 years. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2017, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/239 "2017-07-27T15:49:30Z")
I don’t think many teams ever go 71-31 to start a year. It’s not the first time it’s happened, by any means, but it’s a rare accomplishment. I don’t know how to look it up. I know the 1975 Big Red Machine started 70-30. The Dodgers are the best team in baseball right now. The team has no weaknesses; I guess we’ll see if they can translate it into 11 postseason wins. ---
**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:** [July 27, 2017, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/240 "2017-07-27T16:08:30Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > I don’t think many teams ever go 71-31 to start a year. It’s not the first time it’s happened, by any means, but it’s a rare accomplishment. I don’t know how to look it up. I know the 1975 Big Red Machine started 70-30. > > The Dodgers are the best team in baseball right now. The team has no weaknesses; I guess we’ll see if they can translate it into 11 postseason wins. The 1975 Reds had 38 losses by the time they got win 70. Since the Dodgers are at 102 games, let’s look at the 114 win 1998 Yankees and the 116 win 2001 Mariners. 1998 Yankees: 75-27 2001 Mariners: 73-29 Not too shabby. They need to go 46-14 the rest of the way for the record. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373.md?page=13)