# MLB: July 2018 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [July 1, 2018, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105 "2018-07-01T18:49:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![Cell\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@Cell\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cell_Guy)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105/201 "2018-07-25T01:28:09Z")
Austin Gomber made his first MLB start for the Cardinals tonight against the Reds and had a no-no going into the 7th. And then the fire alarms at Great American Ballpark went off. Seriously. After a seven minute delay the bottom of the inning finally started. Gomber got one out and then gave up a hit and a home run. That’s two impressive starts for young pitchers with the Cardinals. I don’t know what their feeding those players in Memphis (AAA affiliate) but they need to send some to St. Louis. ---
**Author:** ![Marine\_One](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marine_one/32/3461_2.png) [@Marine\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marine_One)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105/202 "2018-07-25T03:31:10Z")
Today is the 35th anniversary of the Pine Tar Game on July 24, 1983. Royals and Yankees and George Brett losing his mind. ---
**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 25, 2018, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105/203 "2018-07-25T15:18:00Z")
In case you were wondering what former Royal, Billy Butler aka “Country Breakfast,” is doing these days…well, it’s exactly what you’d expect. [He’s dominating a local rec slow pitch softball league.](https://sports.yahoo.com/former-royals-star-wrecking-local-softball-league-225636740.html) Reminds me of when Mo Vaughn retired and was seen around central Ohio. Guys in my amateur baseball league were supposedly asking him to play, but he never did. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105/204 "2018-07-25T22:45:43Z")
> [@Cell\_Guy](#): > > Austin Gomber made his first MLB start for the Cardinals tonight against the Reds and had a no-no going into the 7th. And then the fire alarms at Great American Ballpark went off. Seriously. After a seven minute delay the bottom of the inning finally started. Gomber got one out and then gave up a hit and a home run. > > That’s two impressive starts for young pitchers with the Cardinals. I don’t know what their feeding those players in Memphis (AAA affiliate) but they need to send some to St. Louis. Wow, did the fire alarm thing really happen? Never heard of that one before. As a Reds fan I can’t say I’m sorry we won, but that’s a pretty shitty break in rhythm and concentration for any pitcher, let alone one making his debut. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105/205 "2018-07-25T22:56:04Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > Wow, did the fire alarm thing really happen? Never heard of that one before. As a Reds fan I can’t say I’m sorry we won Actually, you didn’t win that one. The aforementioned home run tied the game, but the Cardinals went on to win it in the 11th. If it’s any consolation, your Reds won the other two games of that series. ---
**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 25, 2018, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105/206 "2018-07-25T23:18:38Z")
Texas was leading Oakland 10-2 last night. Oakland won 13-10 in extra innings. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105/207 "2018-07-25T23:52:58Z")
Dodgers dropping games and Machado mediocre. There must be a God. ---
**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 26, 2018, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105/208 "2018-07-26T03:03:03Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > Dodgers dropping games and Machado mediocre. There must be a God. Many thumbs up over this. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2018, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105/209 "2018-07-26T19:25:28Z")
The Blue Jays and Yankees have apparently agreed to move JA Happ to New York, and send Brandon Drury and Billy McKinney to Toronto. The move makes sense. New York picks up a good arm, which they really needed, and deals away two players who did not have room to play in the majors. Toronto only had Happ for the rest of this year and is out of it, and picks up a few young hitters. Drury can play many positions and McKinney is a B prospect. ---
**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 26, 2018, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105/210 "2018-07-26T19:41:34Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > The Blue Jays and Yankees have apparently agreed to move JA Happ to New York, and send Brandon Drury and Billy McKinney to Toronto. > > The move makes sense. New York picks up a good arm, which they really needed, and deals away two players who did not have room to play in the majors. Toronto only had Happ for the rest of this year and is out of it, and picks up a few young hitters. Drury can play many positions and McKinney is a B prospect. Seems like a good deal for both teams. Happ is not that solid #2 or 3 the Yanks really need, but I don’t think that pitcher was actually on the market. He is a lefty and that fits the Stadium really well. He is used to the AL East and that is reassuring. **The 3 splits I like to see for a trade like this:** Lifetime vs Red Sox: 7-4 2.98 ERA _This is good news of course_ At Fenway: 4-2 2.91 ERA _This is good news of course_ At Yankee Stadium: 4-1 3.94 ERA _This could be better but 4-1 looks good._ ---
**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 26, 2018, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105/211 "2018-07-26T20:12:31Z")
[I should have including a link to his splits](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/split.fcgi?id=happja01&year=Career&t=p#oppon_extra::none). Billy McKinney might turn out to be a solid player, he was never going to crack the Yankees as a starter though. If he wasn’t moved now, he would have been moved in the off season to clear space on the 40 man/avoid losing him to rule 5 draft. ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2018, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105/212 "2018-07-26T23:09:23Z")
Cubs Bote and Rizzo go back to back in the bottom of the 9th to go from down two to up one. Rizzo’s walk off was an absolute bomb that went 453 feet. The Cubs are the first NL team to sixty wins. Strangely the Cubs are 8-2 in Tyler Chatwood’s last 10 starts. He averages less than 5 IP over this span with an ERA over 6. The Cubs are buyers at the trade deadline and looking for a starting pitcher. Chatter indicates they are close to closing a deal for Cole Hamels. I’m not sure how I feel about that. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2018, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105/213 "2018-07-26T23:48:47Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Actually, you didn’t win that one. The aforementioned home run tied the game, but the Cardinals went on to win it in the 11th. > > If it’s any consolation, your Reds won the other two games of that series. Oops. I knew we took two of three, just forgot which ones! ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2018, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105/214 "2018-07-27T00:12:33Z")
There’s some chatter on Twitter about Hamels might have been one of the guys upset about the demotion of Delino DeShields Jr earlier this week. The demotion did seem like a dumb move, just doing something for the sake of shaking things up. > > > Joel Sherman @Joelsherman1 ---
**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 27, 2018, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105/215 "2018-07-27T01:11:49Z")
> [@Lance\_Turbo](#): > > Cubs Bote and Rizzo go back to back in the bottom of the 9th to go from down two to up one. Rizzo’s walk off was an absolute bomb that went 453 feet. The Cubs are the first NL team to sixty wins. > > Strangely the Cubs are 8-2 in Tyler Chatwood’s last 10 starts. He averages less than 5 IP over this span with an ERA over 6. > > The Cubs are buyers at the trade deadline and looking for a starting pitcher. Chatter indicates they are close to closing a deal for Cole Hamels. I’m not sure how I feel about that. MLB Network is reporting it’s a done deal, pending physicals. No word on which prospects are heading to Texas. ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2018, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105/216 "2018-07-27T01:29:28Z")
[Sources: Cubs acquire lefty Cole Hamels in trade with Rangers](http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/24203873/chicago-cubs-acquire-lefty-cole-hamels-trade-texas-rangers) Thanks **Superdude**. ESPN also confirms. How happy should I be? His ERA+ is 99. Almost exactly average. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2018, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105/217 "2018-07-27T12:12:34Z")
Judge out for a few weeks with broken wrist. I suspect even when he comes back there will be a bit less pop in the bat. Now Stanton plays RF full time, I presume. Perhaps playing full time in the field helps him batting. And with Sanchez on the DL, I think the Yankees are a better team. Though his arm isn’t as good, Romine is better defensively. August is a much easier schedule for the Yankees, now is the time to make the run at Boston. ---
**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 27, 2018, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105/218 "2018-07-27T13:32:18Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Judge out for a few weeks with broken wrist. I suspect even when he comes back there will be a bit less pop in the bat. Now Stanton plays RF full time, I presume. Perhaps playing full time in the field helps him batting. And with Sanchez on the DL, I think the Yankees are a better team. Though his arm isn’t as good, Romine is better defensively. August is a much easier schedule for the Yankees, now is the time to make the run at Boston. Injuries have really tested Yankees’ depth this year. Though I can’t complain much as my Mets friends are putting up with a lot worse. ---
**Author:** ![MegaNazz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/858c86/32.png) [@MegaNazz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MegaNazz)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2018, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105/219 "2018-07-27T23:09:23Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > Man, Reds hit ANOTHER grand salami in back to back games against Milwaukee to bring it to 8-0 over the Brew Crew. This Reds team is getting fun to watch. The offense is there and now the pitching is shoring up too. Who would have thought that Matt Harvey would resurrect himself here? > > So almost half way through the season and the Reds: > > Lead all of MLB in grand slams this season with 9 > Have the NL’s leading RBI generator in Suarez (60 RBI) > Have the NL’s batting average leader in Gennett (.332) > Have 9th most RBI’s as a team in baseball (367 RBI) > 2nd highest on base percentage in the MLB with .336 > 6th best team batting average in MLB with .257 > Have the best record in baseball since June 10th > …and meanwhile they have the 25th ranked team ERA but that number is shrinking… Where are these stats coming from? ---
**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 28, 2018, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105/220 "2018-07-28T00:59:57Z")
I don’t believe it for a second, but it would make the trade deadline a little more buzzy: [Dodgers have inquired about Bryce Harper](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2788235-bryce-harper-trade-rumors-dodgers-have-called-about-nationals-star) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2018/817105.md?page=12)