# 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:** 3
**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 8, 2017, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/41 "2017-07-08T14:34:12Z")
I could mention Jose Ramirez’s tremendous hot hitting streak for the Indians… _“Over his last 22 games, Ramirez is hitting .448 with eight home runs, 14 doubles, three triples, 27 runs scored and 18 RBI. Additionally, during that stretch, Ramirez has 14 multi-hit games and eight three-hit performances.”_ …but I can’t, because, y’know, Aaron Judge. :dubious: And Jose only had two hits and one RBI last night. Ramirez does need [to lay off the caffeine](http://www.wkyc.com/sports/mlb/indians/cleveland-indians-jose-ramirez-attributes-erratic-base-running-to-coffee/454961942) though. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2017, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/42 "2017-07-08T15:17:27Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Ramirez does need [to lay off the caffeine](http://www.wkyc.com/sports/mlb/indians/cleveland-indians-jose-ramirez-attributes-erratic-base-running-to-coffee/454961942) though. Two of the times he was thrown out were at home. On both occasions he was sent by the third base coach, so you can’t really lay those on him. ---
**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 8, 2017, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/43 "2017-07-08T16:25:01Z")
So if Judge ends up with the best numbers, but the Yankees fall all the way out of the wild card, does he still get MVP or was last year a special Mike Trout exception? ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2017, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/44 "2017-07-08T16:39:58Z")
Last night, my Nationals went into the bottom of the 9th against the Braves, down 4-1. We scored three runs to tie the game, and won in the 10th, 5-4, with three consecutive singles. The first of those singles was the first career MLB hit by Adrian Sanchez; he was the one who crossed the plate when Daniel Murphy got his hit. That was fun to watch. ---
**Author:** ![Club\_33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@Club\_33](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Club_33)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2017, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/45 "2017-07-08T17:13:59Z")
Been a long time since I saw a Dodgers team firing on all cylinders like this. I keep thinking that Scully missed it by one year. It would have been so amazing for him to have narrated this season, but it wasn’t meant to be. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2017, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/46 "2017-07-08T19:15:12Z")
> [@Tom\_Scud](#): > > So if Judge ends up with the best numbers, but the Yankees fall all the way out of the wild card, does he still get MVP or was last year a special Mike Trout exception? Is does usually go to someone in the playoffs, but Trout was certainly not unique. Ernie Banks won the MVP in 1958 and 1959 when the Cubs finished 5th (in 8 team league) both years. ---
**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 8, 2017, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/47 "2017-07-08T20:21:23Z")
> [@OldGuy](#): > > Is does usually go to someone in the playoffs, but Trout was certainly not unique. Ernie Banks won the MVP in 1958 and 1959 when the Cubs finished 5th (in 8 team league) both years. And Alex Rodriguez famously (or infamously) won the AL MVP playing for the last place Texas Rangers in 2003. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2017, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/48 "2017-07-08T20:34:49Z")
> [@Tom\_Scud](#): > > So if Judge ends up with the best numbers, but the Yankees fall all the way out of the wild card, does he still get MVP or was last year a special Mike Trout exception? He probably would not get it. ---
**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:** [July 9, 2017, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/49 "2017-07-09T02:37:59Z")
36-year-old Chris Smith is starting for the A’s tonight in his first major league start. He’s the oldest pitcher to be making his major league start in A’s history. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2017, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/50 "2017-07-09T03:58:59Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > And Alex Rodriguez famously (or infamously) won the AL MVP playing for the last place Texas Rangers in 2003. Cal Ripken in 1991 and Andre Dawson in 1987 were on bad teams. I’m pretty sure they, A-Rod and Trout complete the list. Banks was not a great choice; he was not clearly better than Willie Mays in 1958 or Hank Aaron in 1959. Dawson was one of the worst MVPs ever. Ripken was much, much better than anyone else and kind of hard not to vote for; the best player on either playoff team was probably Devon White. A-Rod and Trout were clearly dominant against very spread fields. ---
**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 9, 2017, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/51 "2017-07-09T14:30:49Z")
Dodgers win #60 with 4 walks in a row in the 10th inning and head into the All-Star break with a +160 run differential, the best in Major League history at this point in the season. ---
**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 9, 2017, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/52 "2017-07-09T17:42:27Z")
Holy crap. Anybody watching this Cubs game? Jon Lester has thrown 51 pitches in the FIRST INNING, and the Cubs are now down 9-0 before they even come to bat. ETA: Jesus. Make it 10-0. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2017, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/53 "2017-07-09T20:20:11Z")
I watched a few minutes of the Cubs game, just ugh. Then I turned on [mlb.tv](http://mlb.tv) to see the Houston 18 Toronto 0 game! Sunday games are insane. ---
**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 9, 2017, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/54 "2017-07-09T23:00:48Z")
So close. Kyle Freeland lost a no-no in the ninth, but the Rockies still smeared the White Sox 10-0. In the meantime, Justin Turner’s 3 RBIs on 2 HR gave Kershaw the complete game win in a sweep of KC. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2017, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/55 "2017-07-09T23:09:34Z")
And my Yanks stagger into the All Star Break. Haven’t won a series in weeks. what time is the Home Run Derby? ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2017, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/56 "2017-07-09T23:29:48Z")
I hope that was sarcasm. I can’t believe the amount of home run derby coverage that has been on espn this weekend. I guess they’ve bleed every NBA story dry and Tiger Woods hasn’t been doing anything. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2017, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/57 "2017-07-09T23:39:52Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > I hope that was sarcasm. I can’t believe the amount of home run derby coverage that has been on espn this weekend. I guess they’ve bleed every NBA story dry and Tiger Woods hasn’t been doing anything. > Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Well not quite sarcasm, but as I stopped watching ESPN for the most part, I would actually have to look up the start time for the Derby. But if the silly ass Derby is going to be the highlight of my baseball month, it is a pretty poor month. [[QUOTE=bleacherreport.com](http://QUOTE=bleacherreport.com)] The 32nd Major League Baseball Home Run Derby will begin at 8 p.m. ET on Monday at Marlins Park in Miami. ESPN will provide coverage, … The contest should last until at least 10 p.m. ET. [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![from\_a\_to\_z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5fc32e/32.png) [@from\_a\_to\_z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/from_a_to_z)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2017, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/58 "2017-07-10T00:31:37Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > 36-year-old Chris Smith is starting for the A’s tonight in his first major league start. He’s the oldest pitcher to be making his major league start in A’s history. Interesting, thank you, and it reminds me of another related trivia fact about an older A’s starter, on Saturday, September 25, 1965. He also had a no decision.He made his 26th ML start.He’s in the ML Hall of Fame.Yes, [Satchel](http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/paigesa01.shtml) [Paige](http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/c33afddd), 59 years old. The box score is [here](http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/KC1/KC1196509250.shtml). Other notable oldests are described [here](https://prestonjg.wordpress.com/2013/09/15/the-oldest-players-to-make-their-debut-in-the-major-leagues-satchel-paige-and-the-rest/). ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2017, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/59 "2017-07-10T01:42:26Z")
My gym tvs are usually tuned to ESPN as well as my usual sports bar. July is their worst month. ESPN doesn’t have the Tour de France nor any major soccer tournaments. It is odd that they would have a Sunday night baseball game, especially one featuring two eastern time zone teams. Guess they get a shortened all star break. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2017, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/60 "2017-07-10T03:06:10Z")
Do you think Fox really cares that two teams get a shortened break? Their contract allows them to pick the game subject to some limitations I think. As the Yankees were not playing the Red Sox, they had to do a bit of thinking. The Indians are a first-place team, but I suspect they mostly wanted to show Kluber pitch. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373.md?page=4)