# MLB: July **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [July 1, 2013, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july/662317 "2013-07-01T04:47:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**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, 2013, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july/662317/201 "2013-07-26T15:00:56Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > I didn’t really expect the Dodgers to sweep the Reds, but I’m still hoping to win the series. I’ll be in the stands tonight, hoping Kershaw can show Bailey what a no-hitter looks like from the other side! (Too optimistic? A man can dream, can’t he?) > > And I think Chapman hit 102 on the Dodger Stadium gun three times last night. Serious freak of nature. That’s sweet that you’ll be there. I need to get myself out to a game this season. I haven’t been to the yard since last year. Kershaw is a really good pitcher so the Reds batters better not rest on their laurels after chasing Greinke. Bailey can be really good too but does struggle a little too often. And yeah, Chapman is a freak. His problem is control. He gets a little wild when he tries to rear back and throw 105-106 (which he can do, just not as accurately as when he keeps it in the 99-102 range). ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july/662317/202 "2013-07-26T16:41:47Z")
The Cubs traded Alfonso Soriano to the Yankees. The Cubs will pay most of his remaining salary and they got one Class A pitching prospect in return. ---
**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, 2013, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july/662317/203 "2013-07-26T20:16:23Z")
That’s a pretty good move for the Yanks, especially since Soriano is starting to heat up. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july/662317/204 "2013-07-26T20:46:36Z")
In other news Joe Mauer of the Minnesota Twins is the proud new father of … twins! As to Seattle manager Eric Wedge, the “dizzy spell” I mentioned the other day turns out to have been a mild stroke. So for now he’s resting up for the rest of the homestand, and won’t be traveling with the team on the next road trip. Bench Coach Robby Thompson will be running the team in his absence. ---
**Author:** ![MentalGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/439d5e/32.png) [@MentalGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MentalGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july/662317/205 "2013-07-26T23:52:08Z")
I read or heard somewhere today (I think it may have been ESPN this morning), that the pitch from Aroldis Chapman that Mark Ellis got a hit on last night, was the fastest recorded pitch ever to result in a base hit. From the[Redleg Nation](http://redlegnation.com/) blog’s preview of the Reds-Dodgers series: “Kershaw’s one career win and loss against the Reds came in 2010. If both Kershaw and Homer Bailey are pitching well, the match-up could be a classic. Dusty Baker will play it so tight he’ll order sacrifice bunts with no one on base.” ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2013, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july/662317/206 "2013-07-27T02:49:25Z")
I barely remembered Soriano was still in the majors. When was he last a good player? ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2013, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july/662317/207 "2013-07-27T03:01:31Z")
He’s actually not been a terrible player the last few years. He just hasn’t been nearly worth what the Cubs are paying him. In 2012 he was a 2.0 bWAR player, and is on pace for 1.5 wins or so this year. Fangraphs is even kinder, having him at 3.6 fWAR in 2012 and on pace for ~2 wins this year. Considering what the Yankees are trotting out there today, clearly an upgrade I think. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2013, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july/662317/208 "2013-07-27T03:46:13Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > Considering what the Yankees are trotting out there today, clearly an upgrade I think. Though not for his original position with the Yanks.😉 ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2013, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july/662317/209 "2013-07-27T04:08:33Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > I barely remembered Soriano was still in the majors. And I was stunned when I read he’s 37. ---
**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, 2013, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july/662317/210 "2013-07-27T04:47:40Z")
As is Corky Miller of the Reds, who made a heads-up play at the plate tonight to tag out Handley Ramirez. I love it when a former student does good. ---
**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 27, 2013, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july/662317/211 "2013-07-27T04:53:53Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > As is Corky Miller of the Reds, who made a heads-up play at the plate tonight to tag out Handley Ramirez. > > I love it when a former student does good. Yeah, Corky has been around the way for a long time…he’s certainly not a bad player, nor is he responsible for the loss today. And Bailey pitched well… ---
**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, 2013, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july/662317/212 "2013-07-27T04:55:14Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > Yeah, Corky has been around the way for a long time…he’s certainly not a bad player, nor is he responsible for the loss today. And Bailey pitched well… You called a pitching duel, and you got it. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2013, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july/662317/213 "2013-07-27T07:24:34Z")
In the last month Soriano has more HR than the ENTIRE Yankee roster. ---
**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 27, 2013, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july/662317/214 "2013-07-27T13:29:39Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > You called a pitching duel, and you got it. Yeah, Bailey pitched really well. Unfortunately Kershaw was even better. ---
**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 28, 2013, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july/662317/215 "2013-07-28T05:24:10Z")
Ah Reds. You should have taken Baraka against Ryu… Seriously cool play by Reds catcher Mesoroco covering first and nailing Puig overrunning first base, though. Dammit. And Choo’s snag in CF was pretty nice too. [http://wapc.mlb.com/cin/play/?content\_id=29204837&topic\_id=8877984&c\_id=cin](http://wapc.mlb.com/cin/play/?content_id=29204837&topic_id=8877984&c_id=cin) [http://wapc.mlb.com/cin/play/?content\_id=29205599&topic\_id=8877986&c\_id=cin](http://wapc.mlb.com/cin/play/?content_id=29205599&topic_id=8877986&c_id=cin) Here’s Corky Miller’s amazing play from last night too: [http://wapc.mlb.com/cin/play/?content\_id=29169577&topic\_id=8877984&c\_id=cin](http://wapc.mlb.com/cin/play/?content_id=29169577&topic_id=8877984&c_id=cin) Those are a couple of amazing plays by catchers that you don’t normally see! ---
**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, 2013, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july/662317/216 "2013-07-28T15:34:48Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > Ah Reds. You should have taken Baraka against Ryu… Today, you get the weakest link in the Dodgers rotation. I suspect [read: fear] that your offense is going to magically experience a resurgence. ---
**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 28, 2013, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july/662317/217 "2013-07-28T16:26:00Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > Today, you get the weakest link in the Dodgers rotation. I suspect [read: fear] that your offense is going to magically experience a resurgence. I hope so. With how stiff the competition is in the NLC this year the Reds have to keep pace. I will happily take a split series on the road against a good team. ---
**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, 2013, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july/662317/218 "2013-07-28T16:33:50Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > I hope so. With how stiff the competition is in the NLC this year the Reds have to keep pace. I will happily take a split series on the road against a good team. I said you’d score some runs; I didn’t say we weren’t planning on scoring, too. We concede nothing! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2013, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july/662317/219 "2013-07-28T17:08:32Z")
**silenus** , just a \ Hanley \. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2013, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july/662317/220 "2013-07-28T17:24:49Z")
And Jeter hits a home run on the first pitch he sees. Not bad. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july/662317.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july/662317.md?page=12)