# 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:** 9
**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 19, 2017, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/161 "2017-07-19T19:12:39Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > What I find a little weird is that if I’m reading the stats right, Moncada’s been playing SECOND base in AAA. Why? Wasn’t the plan always for him to be a third baseman? His “natural” position is 2B. The Red Sox put him at 2B when he first started A ball, but may have had thought he’d have a quicker route to the show if he played 3B, what with Pedroia locked in at 2nd. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/162 "2017-07-19T19:24:22Z")
And Sandoval not. Bogaerts also played 3B initially to make way for Stephen Drew. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/163 "2017-07-19T19:28:27Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Fuck! Kris Bryant looks like he injured his hand sliding headfirst into third. That’s NOT what the Cubs need now that they are starting to heat up. Sorry if it was said earlier but the Astros’ Correa is also out until September it would seem. Injuries always factor into the mix, especially once late July and August roll around. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/164 "2017-07-19T20:08:45Z")
If Correa is back and healthy in September it’ll rob him of an outside shot at an MVP Award but will have basically no impact on anything else; the Astros are two and a half weeks ahead. They’re going to win the division and Correa will be up to speed when the playoff start. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/165 "2017-07-19T20:13:32Z")
When a team says a guy might be back for the end of the season, I always think they’re just trying to give him some encouragement going into a long rehab, not that they really expect it. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/166 "2017-07-20T14:57:36Z")
The Cubs have just finished sweeping Atlanta, after sweeping Baltimore, both sweeps on the road. Watched the first game in Atlanta in person (btw, that’s a great new stadium Atlanta has!), and we tried to give it away at the end, but hung on for the W. So, are the Cubs finally shaking off the lethargy of being champs and getting down to business??? I was shocked at the game Monday to note that not a single player in the lineup was hitting over .275, and there were a few who’s average was in the lower .200s. Atlanta, by comparison, had three hitters with averages in the .300s. Both teams were at about .500 in the standings at the time. That didn’t sound like the Cubs of last year! ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/167 "2017-07-20T16:10:24Z")
The Cubs have had one Hell of a World Series hangover. The schedule turns in their favor over the next month, with a lot of home games and the shortest possible road trips with the intercity White Sox matchups and a trip to Milwaukee. ---
**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 21, 2017, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/168 "2017-07-21T14:28:50Z")
Well, the streak had to end sometime. Frakking Braves. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2017, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/169 "2017-07-21T14:44:18Z")
Just wonderful, now Kris Bryant isn’t going to stop sliding headfirst. > **[Why twice-injured MVP Kris Bryant won't stop sliding headfirst](https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/why-twice-injured-mvp-kris-bryant-wont-stop-sliding-head-first/)** > > Bryant suffered a sprain between the ring and pinkie fingers of his left hand Wednesday when he slid headfirst into third base against the Braves. 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 21, 2017, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/170 "2017-07-21T15:07:22Z")
So is Sonny Gray really much of a prize in a trade? He is having a good season and is a good pitcher, but benefits from pitching in Oakland. His road record is significiantly worse this year. But lifetime it is not so bad. He has bad lifetime numbers vs the Red Sox, Os and Yanks. I’m sure Oakland is looking for an oversized package of prospects. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2017, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/171 "2017-07-21T15:14:22Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > The Cubs have had one Hell of a World Series hangover. It _was_ 108 years in the making. ---
**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:** [July 21, 2017, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/172 "2017-07-21T18:24:32Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > So is Sonny Gray really much of a prize in a trade? > > He is having a good season and is a good pitcher, but benefits from pitching in Oakland. His road record is significiantly worse this year. But lifetime it is not so bad. He has bad lifetime numbers vs the Red Sox, Os and Yanks. I’m sure Oakland is looking for an oversized package of prospects. His road record this year is comprised of all of 5 games for under 30 IP - highlighted by getting clobbered in one early May game. What meaningful information do you see 30 IP giving you to project out a half season of performance? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2017, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/173 "2017-07-21T20:12:16Z")
What a player is “worth” in trade at the deadline depends on who’s the most desperate for something that looks like pitching help. Gray only has to look like he’s going to be better than somebody currently in your rotation, and he’ll be “worth” a couple of A-ball “prospects” and some cash. Is Gray better than the Yankees’ (or almost anyone’s) current #5 starter, Good Ol’ Whatsisface, based on any criteria you like? Then he’s “worth” trading for. Baseball has a silly season like any sport, and this is it. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2017, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/174 "2017-07-21T21:09:44Z")
The Cubs have choked away a 3-2 lead and are now losing 11-3 in the top of the 8th. The announcer was just wondering if a team has ever gone from a lead at the start of an inning to considering having a position player coming in to pitch. It’s hot as fuck in Chicago this weekend and the Cubs have yet another day game tomorrow followed by the Sunday night game on Sunday. I’d punt this game and bring in a position player to pitch, might need the bullpen if there’s extra innings tomorrow or Sunday night. ---
**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 21, 2017, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/175 "2017-07-21T23:28:06Z")
So Aaron Judge has gone almost 2 weeks without a home run (and with hardly any hits) and re-opened the MVP race that it looked like he was running away with. ESPN’s version of WAR now actually has Altuve slightly ahead with Mookie Betts not far behind. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2017, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/176 "2017-07-22T06:20:18Z")
> [@Tom\_Scud](#): > > So Aaron Judge has gone almost 2 weeks without a home run (and with hardly any hits) and re-opened the MVP race that it looked like he was running away with. ESPN’s version of WAR now actually has Altuve slightly ahead with Mookie Betts not far behind. Uh, I think Mr. Judge has just put questions about his ability to dominate the long ball to bed. Breaking Statcast is pretty amazing. 😃 ---
**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 22, 2017, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/177 "2017-07-22T10:16:02Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > What a player is “worth” in trade at the deadline depends on who’s the most desperate for something that looks like pitching help. Gray only has to look like he’s going to be better than somebody currently in your rotation, and he’ll be “worth” a couple of A-ball “prospects” and some cash. > > Is Gray better than the Yankees’ (or almost anyone’s) current #5 starter, Good Ol’ Whatsisface, based on any criteria you like? Then he’s “worth” trading for. Baseball has a silly season like any sport, and this is it. If it was just a couple of A-ball prospects, I think the Yanks would do it in a heartbeat. But to get Gray, they would have to give up either Clint Frazier or Gleyber Torres, and a couple more to boot. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2017, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/178 "2017-07-22T14:29:27Z")
Gray has two more years on his contract. For a rental-only, it looks like Yu Darvish is going to be available. ---
**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 22, 2017, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/179 "2017-07-22T15:36:02Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > Uh, I think Mr. Judge has just put questions about his ability to dominate the long ball to bed. Breaking Statcast is pretty amazing. 😃 Yeah, I knew that as soon as I posted that he’d hit another. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2017, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373/180 "2017-07-22T18:56:39Z")
Well I don’t think anyone believed he would never hit another home run. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2017/790373.md?page=10)