# MLB: June 2016 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [June 1, 2016, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2016/756239 "2016-06-01T15:45:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2016, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2016/756239/181 "2016-06-30T02:52:48Z")
Did you see De Aza’s [great at-bat](http://m.mlb.com/video/v857636683/nymatl-johnson-turns-double-play-on-de-azas-bunt/?game_pk=447982) against the Braves on Saturday? Top of the 10th, game tied 0-0. Man on first with nobody out, and De Aza is asked to move the runner up to second base with a bunt.[ol] [li]Pops the bunt in the air back in the direction of the pitcher.[/li][li]Is so busy slamming his bat on the ground in frustration that he forgets to run to first, allowing pitcher Jim Johnson to let the ball drop and turn a double play.[/li][li]Slides into first headfirst on his belly.[/ol][/li]I’m not sure how many more mistakes you can make in a single play, as a hitter. ---
**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:** [June 30, 2016, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2016/756239/182 "2016-06-30T02:57:06Z")
My Nats swept the Mets in a three-game series at home; nice! ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2016, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2016/756239/183 "2016-06-30T03:23:51Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Did you see De Aza’s [great at-bat](http://m.mlb.com/video/v857636683/nymatl-johnson-turns-double-play-on-de-azas-bunt/?game_pk=447982) against the Braves on Saturday? > > Top of the 10th, game tied 0-0. > > Man on first with nobody out, and De Aza is asked to move the runner up to second base with a bunt.[ol] > [li]Pops the bunt in the air back in the direction of the pitcher.[/li][li]Is so busy slamming his bat on the ground in frustration that he forgets to run to first, allowing pitcher Jim Johnson to let the ball drop and turn a double play.[/li][li]Slides into first headfirst on his belly.[/ol][/li]I’m not sure how many more mistakes you can make in a single play, as a hitter. I DID see that! Yes, it has been a year to remember thus far for Mr. De Aza. ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2016, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2016/756239/184 "2016-06-30T03:25:23Z")
So apparently this week someone slipped into the dodger locked room and just started beating players with a crowbar. Kershaw has a tight back that caused him to walk two in his last start and he’ll probably miss at least his next start, Keke got sent to the DL, Joc with probably join him after trying to put his shoulder through the brewers fence, Puig hurt his leg again and I think there is one more everyday play that got hurt this week. Serioisly in the 8th tonight we had one player left on our bench. We started a pitcher tonight who started the year off in single A ball. Urias was going to get sent down/ to the bullpen but now without Kershaw he gets to stay a starter at least until the All-Star break. We’ve started three pitchers this week who are rookies and it looks like we’ll have two more as position players through the break. Stupid even year. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2016, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2016/756239/185 "2016-06-30T03:29:01Z")
In response to a lawsuit seeking to improve the incomes of minor league baseball players, many of whom start their careers at $1,100 per month, and most of whom earn less than $3,000 per month, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (D-IL) has, along with Brett Guthrie (R-KY), introduced a bill that, if passed, will affirm and reinforce that minor league players are exempt from federal wage and overtime requirements. Here’s [part of her rationale](http://bustos.house.gov/press-and-media/press-releases/congresswoman-bustos-and-congressman-guthrie-introduce-bill-to): > [@](#): > > H.R. 5580 exempts Minor League players from certain federal wage and overtime requirements, putting them on equal footing with workers in a dozen other unique industries. Some professional sports leagues rely on unpaid alternatives to develop future players, but baseball offers a paid path to the Major Leagues. If the law is not clarified, the costs to support local teams would likely increase dramatically and usher in significant cuts across the league, threatening the primary pathway to the Majors and putting teams at risk. The impact on teams could also have a significant, negative economic impact on businesses and workers that rely on Minor League baseball. H.R. 5580 will prevent this uncertainty for communities, businesses and players, whose work environment includes extensive travel, practice, training, and conditioning above and beyond time actually worked on the field. This bill, H.R. 5580, has been titled the Save America’s Pastime Act. Unbelievable. ---
**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:** [June 30, 2016, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2016/756239/186 "2016-06-30T03:36:00Z")
Jake Peavey needs to shut his mouth and pitch. He wouldn’t scream at his catcher like that if it was Posey behind the plate. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2016, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2016/756239/187 "2016-06-30T03:36:16Z")
It sounds like they think the player payroll of affiliated minor teams is borne by local franchises. ---
**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:** [June 30, 2016, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2016/756239/188 "2016-06-30T03:36:26Z")
So the Astros’ month-by-month record: April 7-17 May 17-12 June 18-8 That’s a trend I can live with. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2016, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2016/756239/189 "2016-06-30T04:35:04Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > It sounds like they think the player payroll of affiliated minor teams is borne by local franchises. Actually, the woman who wrote that law knows very well that it’s not. From [this article](http://www.atlredline.com/daughter-of-first-mlb-lobbyist-introduces-bill-to-make-1782852040): > [@](#): > > It turns out that Rep. Bustos is the daughter of Major League Baseball’s first chief lobbyist Gene Callahan — a leader in preserving MLB’s antitrust exemption. I suspect she knows very well that her bill is basically just another legislative gift to the owners of Major League Baseball clubs. ---
**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:** [June 30, 2016, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2016/756239/190 "2016-06-30T04:54:00Z")
> [@](#): > > This bill, H.R. 5580, has been titled the Save America’s Pastime Act. The SAP act? ---
**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:** [June 30, 2016, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2016/756239/191 "2016-06-30T12:11:02Z")
I’m not sure what happened to all the Indians’ fans who used to post in these threads, but I guess I’ll pick up the baton. The Tribe are 21-6 this month and are currently riding a 12-game winning streak following sweeps of the White Sox, Rays, Tigers and Braves. Granted, this month has been filled with games against teams that are either mediocre or just plain bad, but those are the ones you’re supposed to win, right? The starting rotation has been every bit as good as it should be, and better at times. I get nervous when I hear analysts talking about the Indians bringing home a second championship to Cleveland this year. But they’re looking like a legitimate playoff-caliber team right now. Off to Toronto to see if we can beat someone with a winning record. Carasco v. Dickey tonight! On the Dodgers’ front, if Kershaw has anything beyond a one-start injury, I’m just going to go ahead and write the season off now. ---
**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:** [June 30, 2016, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2016/756239/192 "2016-06-30T13:48:42Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > I get nervous when I hear analysts talking about the Indians bringing home a second championship to Cleveland this year. But they’re looking like a legitimate playoff-caliber team right now. As a Cub fan, I feel that same way when people talk about Chicago breaking the 100+ year curse ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2016, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2016/756239/193 "2016-06-30T13:59:43Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Actually, the woman who wrote that law knows very well that it’s not. From [this article](http://www.atlredline.com/daughter-of-first-mlb-lobbyist-introduces-bill-to-make-1782852040):I suspect she knows very well that her bill is basically just another legislative gift to the owners of Major League Baseball clubs. I met Rep. Bustos a couple years back at a social-slash-political gathering and talked to her for a while. She impressed me as sharp, thoughtful, and knowledgeable. I would be shocked if she didn’t know EXACTLY what she was doing. It’s one of those things that is just so damn petty…let’s see, Boston can give Pablo Sandoval $95 million to suck; the Angels can give Josh Hamilton some ungodly sum of money to a) sit on the bench and b) play for Texas; there’s no shortage of other examples running around…and they can’t afford to pay their minor leaguers a living wage? I mean, huh? Bill James, I think, once suggested that individual teams ought to try paying their minor leaguers better–not only because it was the right thing to do, but under the assumption that it might pay off in the future in terms of greater loyalty to the team that took care of them when it didn’t have to. Guess we’ll never know. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2016, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2016/756239/194 "2016-06-30T14:26:13Z")
Giants won’t use the DH tonight against Oakland, they’ll let Madison Bumgarner bat for himself. ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2016, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2016/756239/195 "2016-06-30T14:57:26Z")
> [@ekedolphin](#): > > My Nats swept the Mets in a three-game series at home; nice! First time they’ve swept the Mets at home since 2009. They’ve done it a jillion times in NY, though. I’m a bit nervous about the series with the Reds coming up. Seems like they’ve had our number the past year or so. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2016, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2016/756239/196 "2016-06-30T15:17:26Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > I have no idea. No way in hell would I trade him if I’m Miami. But I keep hearing his name floated out there. Hearing the Sox have possibly already inquired about him. I think there is a propensity in large markets to sometimes just assume that everyone wants to come there or trade their best players to there, whether or not it makes sense, and the wish starts to become a rumor. ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2016, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2016/756239/197 "2016-06-30T16:21:09Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Giants won’t use the DH tonight against Oakland, they’ll let Madison Bumgarner bat for himself. I can’t believe I’m saying this but I hope the Giants win and the Mad Bum has a hell of a game. It would be awesome to be able to push back against the DHs expansion. ---
**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:** [June 30, 2016, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2016/756239/198 "2016-06-30T17:21:23Z")
> [@Oredigger77](#): > > I can’t believe I’m saying this but I hope the Giants win and the Mad Bum has a hell of a game. It would be awesome to be able to push back against the DHs expansion. This is being noted on your permanent record. ---
**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:** [June 30, 2016, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2016/756239/199 "2016-06-30T17:27:05Z")
Welp, that does it. Season’s over. When does hockey begin? [Clayton Kershaw placed on DL.](http://www.dodgersnation.com/clayton-kershaw-placed-dl-lower-back-examination/2016/06/30/) ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2016, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2016/756239/200 "2016-06-30T17:32:31Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > Welp, that does it. Season’s over. When does hockey begin? > > [Clayton Kershaw placed on DL.](http://www.dodgersnation.com/clayton-kershaw-placed-dl-lower-back-examination/2016/06/30/) That sucks. As a Giants fan, I was looking forward to a great race through summer. Given the last few Giants games, it probably will still be a good battle, but it would have been sweeter to beat the Dodgers with Kershaw pitching. I hope he’s back after the break. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2016/756239.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2016/756239.md?page=11)