# MLB: July 2023 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** baseball-mlb\ **Created:** [July 2, 2023, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2023/986430 "2023-07-02T01:00:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2023/986430/21 "2023-07-07T16:58:04Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > His return to the majors should be interesting. This is being done far too quickly and can only be logically seen as a panic movie by a disappointing team that doesn’t really have much else it CAN do. It’s a terrible, terrible idea. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2023/986430/22 "2023-07-07T17:17:24Z")
Orioles up “two touchdowns,” Yankees pitcher Wandy Peralta hits Baltimore’s Jordan Westburg with a pitch, ump warns both teams, then Orioles manager Brandon Hyde gets ejected for going out to ask why Peralta wasn’t ejected. [https://www.si.com/extra-mustard/2023/07/07/orioles-yankees-brandon-hyde-weirdest-ejection-of-mlb-season](https://www.si.com/extra-mustard/2023/07/07/orioles-yankees-brandon-hyde-weirdest-ejection-of-mlb-season) ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2023, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2023/986430/23 "2023-07-09T00:10:50Z")
Elly De La Cruz is one amazing player. Stole 2nd, 3rd and home. First time for the Reds since the deadball 1919 era. > **[Elly De La Cruz steals every base against Brewers](https://theathletic.com/4676485/2023/07/08/elly-de-la-cruz-steal-reds/?source=user_shared_article)** > > In 29 games played this season, De La Cruz has 40 hits, four home runs and 16 stolen bases. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2023, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2023/986430/24 "2023-07-10T02:22:04Z")
Yankees fire their hitting coach. Not really sure if that’s the problem, but obviously they’re underperforming. > **[Yankees fire hitting coach Dillon Lawson after dismal offensive first half:...](https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/yankees-fire-hitting-coach-dillon-lawson-after-dismal-offensive-first-half-a-change-was-needed/)** > > The Yankees rank 29th in batting average, 27th in on-base percentage, and 14th in slugging percentage ---
**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 10, 2023, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2023/986430/25 "2023-07-10T03:29:26Z")
They _did_ just lose 2/3 against the Cubs, so someone had to be sacrificed. ---
**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 10, 2023, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2023/986430/26 "2023-07-10T03:38:18Z")
So, at the All-Star break: NL Dodgers, Braves and Reds atop the divisions. Atlanta is the only one with a comfortable lead (+8.5). AL Rays, Guardians and Rangers. All close. Boston and Baltimore are riding 5 game winning streaks. The Angels are on a 5 game losing streak. Kansas City, Washington and Oakland…better luck next year, guys. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2023, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2023/986430/27 "2023-07-10T03:57:57Z")
Rays once huge AL East lead down to just 2 games. Fortunately for them they get to start the 2nd half in Kansas City, but then get Texas and Baltimore. Baltimore OTOH gets Miami and the Dodgers before heading to Tampa. Going to be a tight race. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2023, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2023/986430/28 "2023-07-10T04:05:17Z")
The Brewers took two of three from the Reds over the weekend, and are now only a game out of first in the NL Central. But, their record makes them look better than they really have been: they’re five games above their Pythagorean W-L, so they’ve been getting somewhat lucky, as they are pretty lousy with the bat. They have only two batters (Christian Yelich and William Contreras) who have an oWAR over 1.0, and they have the worst batting average (.232) in the NL, as well as being at the bottom in OBP and slugging. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2023, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2023/986430/29 "2023-07-10T11:03:04Z")
It’s weird the MLB draft has gotten so much coverage lately (“so much” = any at all). I don’t remember anyone caring about this thing at all for basically my entire life, for lots of good reasons. It’s not like the other leagues; none of these guys are going to see the majors for years, if at all, some of them might not even sign with the teams that drafted them, some of them might even appear in the draft again in the future. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2023, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2023/986430/30 "2023-07-10T11:51:04Z")
Yeah, I’ve never really cared about the MLB draft for the same reason. Hard to get excited about players you’ve never really followed or even heard of as they won’t be a big league factor for years. To be honest, I don’t even really follow minor league ball. I know the MLB package now includes it, but most likely I’m going to chose to watch something completely different if there’s nothing of interest in MLB ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2023, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2023/986430/31 "2023-07-10T12:15:48Z")
I’m the biggest baseball fan I have ever known, and I agree with this 100 percent. The MLB draft just isn’t the same as the other drafts. Players who can instantly make an impact are just so rare. The Blue Jays drafted someone named Arjun Nimmala. He is, apparently, the highest drafted South Asian American ever. That is literally all I know about the kid, and I just read it one minute ago. He’s a shortstop and scouts love him, but he has absolutely zero chance of being a major leaguer for at least 3-4 years and that would be fast. As talented as he is, what are his chances? Not great. I know they’re not great because aside from the rare superpicks like Bryce Harper, no one knows. Let’s go back ten years to the 2013 draft. How many first rounders became significant MLB players? There were 33 first round picks, counting the compensation picks. Of them, these all became impact MLB players: 1. Kris Bryant 2. JP Crawford 3. Tim Anderson 4. Aaron Judge And that’s it. Two MVPs, two solid shortstops, and a lot of scrubs, most of whom never sniffed the majors. It’s a total crapshoot. EDITED TO ADD: I picked 2013 at random but I just found out it was a bad year. The 2012 draft had nine impact players in the first round: Carlos Correa Bryon Buxton Mike zunino (Yes, a career .199 hitter, but he’s been around a long time) Kevin Gausman Tyler Naquin Lucas Giolito Corey Seager Michael Wacha Marcus Stroman ---
**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 10, 2023, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2023/986430/32 "2023-07-10T16:34:49Z")
The first time in Cashman’s 25 year tenure as GM that a coach has been fired in-season. You can smell the desperation. If the Yankees didn’t spend like drunken sailors, the results would be acceptable. But they do and it ain’t working. They need to clean house, top to bottom. ---
**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 10, 2023, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2023/986430/33 "2023-07-10T22:25:43Z")
…and the Yankees have hired former MLB player [Sean Casey](https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/37990346/reports-yankees-hiring-sean-casey-new-hitting-coach) as their new hitting coach. ---
**Author:** ![Jaycat.again](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat.again/32/11525_2.png) [@Jaycat.again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaycat.again)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2023, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2023/986430/34 "2023-07-11T00:26:21Z")
This home run derby has gotta be the most boring thing I’ve ever seen. I think a bunting derby would be more exciting. Or a stolen base derby. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2023, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2023/986430/35 "2023-07-11T01:20:41Z")
Try listening to it on radio. “There’s a long one. . .” “There’s another long one. . .” “He hit that one a long way. . .” ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2023, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2023/986430/36 "2023-07-11T02:15:38Z")
Rutschman hit from both sides, that was different, at least. Much like how there’s only so many ways to dunk a basketball in the NBA’s marquee All-Star event, there’s just not that many different and interesting ways to hit a home run. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2023, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2023/986430/37 "2023-07-11T13:36:25Z")
> [@Jaycat.again](#): > > This home run derby has gotta be the most boring thing I’ve ever seen. I think a bunting derby would be more exciting. Or a stolen base derby. It just goes on for so long. I don’t understand why you have to give them two or three minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2023, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2023/986430/38 "2023-07-11T15:25:41Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > I don’t understand why you have to give them two or three minutes. It was interesting that most hit a slump for part of their three minutes and then were in the groove for other parts. You would get different results if you just scaled it down by a third. We were there last night for the derby. It was fun, but I don’t need to go to another one. > [@DCnDC](#): > > Rutschman hit from both sides, that was different, at least. The crowd went wild for that. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2023, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2023/986430/39 "2023-07-11T16:33:01Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Elly De La Cruz is one amazing player. Stole 2nd, 3rd and home. Does the batter get an RBI when someone steals home? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2023, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2023/986430/40 "2023-07-11T16:33:51Z")
No, it’s just a stolen base. De La Cruz has only played 30 games. He’s hitting .325, has hit four homers, and has 16 steals while being caught only twice. When he made his MLB debut the Reds were 27-33. Since then they have gone 23-8. So, yeah, he’s pretty good. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2023/986430.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2023/986430.md?page=3)