# MLB: June 2019 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [June 3, 2019, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2019/834932 "2019-06-03T00:10:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**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:** [June 25, 2019, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2019/834932/121 "2019-06-25T21:12:52Z")
In the off season, Yankees fans were practically demanding Manny (2.1 WAR) Machado or Bryce (0.9 WAR) Harper, or even both. They wound up getting DJ (3.3 WAR) LeMahieu. He’s batting .331 with an OPS of .875 and plays great defense all over the infield. He might be playing over his head or having a career year, I don’t know, but whichever, he’s been a very pleasant surprise. ---
**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:** [June 25, 2019, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2019/834932/122 "2019-06-25T21:36:09Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > In the off season, Yankees fans were practically demanding Manny (2.1 WAR) Machado or Bryce (0.9 WAR) Harper, or even both. They wound up getting DJ (3.3 WAR) LeMahieu. He’s batting .331 with an OPS of .875 and plays great defense all over the infield. He might be playing over his head or having a career year, I don’t know, but whichever, he’s been a very pleasant surprise. Some Yankee fans were, most I know wanted neither of them. In fact, almost no one but a few idiot writers thought Harper made any sense. Yanks Outfield was loaded before all the injuries. I didn’t like the LeMahieu acquisition, I was wrong. He has been great for the Yanks thus far. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2019/834932/123 "2019-06-26T02:04:51Z")
My brother scored luxury box tickets to this past Sunday’s game at Busch. (Yes, I joined the standing ovations for Albert Pujols; he gave us a lot of fucking awesome baseball). So, anyway, I’m sitting there with my eight year old, pointing things out on him the field and scoreboard. As I was pointing to something, my little fella made a startled sound, and I looked over to him. Al “The Mad Hungarian” Hrabosky had leaned over the railing from the next box and tapped my son on the shoulder. Hungo handed him a signed baseball card. I was caught totally off guard. I stammered out, “Uh, thanks, Al!” It was pretty cool. Hrabosky does have a magnificent mustache. ---
**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:** [June 26, 2019, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2019/834932/124 "2019-06-26T05:09:12Z")
> [@Defensive\_Indifference](#): > > My brother scored luxury box tickets to this past Sunday’s game at Busch. (Yes, I joined the standing ovations for Albert Pujols; he gave us a lot of fucking awesome baseball). So, anyway, I’m sitting there with my eight year old, pointing things out on him the field and scoreboard. As I was pointing to something, my little fella made a startled sound, and I looked over to him. Al “The Mad Hungarian” Hrabosky had leaned over the railing from the next box and tapped my son on the shoulder. Hungo handed him a signed baseball card. I was caught totally off guard. I stammered out, “Uh, thanks, Al!” > > It was pretty cool. Hrabosky does have a magnificent mustache. Awesome story! ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2019/834932/125 "2019-06-26T06:06:50Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > The Rays should just suck it up and move to Havana or San Juan. Montreal is a piss-poor choice. Send em to Brooklyn. NY can support another team. ---
**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 26, 2019, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2019/834932/126 "2019-06-26T13:01:14Z")
I was just looking at division records and it seems nuts to me that the Dodgers are 13 games up on the Rockies at the midway point in the season. I was playing with projecting out their season and they could finish 40 games up on the Giants which also seems pretty crazy though it may not be the biggest difference with the Os looking at less than 50 wins. In order to keep my hopes in check, I started thinking about epic collapses like the Dodgers losing 16 of 17 a couple of years ago down the stretch or their crazy collapse in '51 from 13 games up in August. If the Dodgers some how didn’t win the division or even make the playoff it feels like it would be the greatest collapse of all time. Do you guys have any challengers I’m not thinking about? ---
**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:** [June 26, 2019, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2019/834932/127 "2019-06-26T13:38:28Z")
The 2011 Red Sox collapse was pretty epic. In early September they had a 9 game margin to at least get a wild card spot. They, of course, missed the playoffs, fired Terry Francona and suffered an abysmal 2012 season under Bobby Valentine. Then in 2013 they won the World Series, so it’s all water under the bridge. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2019/834932/128 "2019-06-26T13:57:57Z")
Speaking of whom, John Farrell’s lifelong dream wasn’t winning a World Series (although he did) - it’s what he’s doing now, [running a lobster boat.](https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/redsox/2019/06/25/john-farrell-goes-lobstering/smjgW6Pe3u6w0bvv2MF2fI/story.html) Okay, good luck with that, John. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2019/834932/129 "2019-06-26T14:18:52Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > The Rays should just suck it up and move to Havana or San Juan. Montreal is a piss-poor choice. Havan and San Juan are objectively ten times worse. I mean, I think it would be cool if they could support teams, but they can’t, so let’s get serious. Montreal would be a fine place if they built a real stadium. But that’s always the sticking point; it’s about the stadium and whether or not you can fleece the locals for the $500+ million it’ll cost. Austin would be great… if it had a stadium. San Antonio. Portland. Memphis. New York City or LA, actually, could both have a third team quite easily. Charlotte. Vancouver. But who’s building the stadium? ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2019/834932/130 "2019-06-26T16:40:08Z")
The Washington Nationals are going to be wearing Montreal Expos throwback uniforms on July 6. Very interesting. They picked Independence Day weekend to wear Canadian uniforms in the USA Capitol? I assume it’s some sort of preemptive strike against Tampa Bay and the use of the Expos name. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2019/834932/131 "2019-06-26T16:55:36Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > The Washington Nationals are going to be wearing Montreal Expos throwback uniforms on July 6. Very interesting. They picked Independence Day weekend to wear Canadian uniforms in the USA Capitol? I assume it’s some sort of preemptive strike against Tampa Bay and the use of the Expos name. I can’t wait to see POTUS’s tweet on this. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2019/834932/132 "2019-06-26T16:56:21Z")
Canada Day is July 1. Wouldn’t that have been a better choice? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2019/834932/133 "2019-06-26T17:31:00Z")
They have Canada Day off. July 6 is the closest weekend home game. Kind of odd, though; do the Nats lay much claim to their Montreal roots? I hadn’t thought so, but maybe I wasn’t paying much attention. Washington actually had three numbers retired for Expos greats; 8 for Gary Carter, 10 for Rusty Staub and Andre Dawson, and 30 for Tim Raines. But they were all retired before the Expos moved. ---
**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:** [June 26, 2019, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2019/834932/134 "2019-06-26T21:48:48Z")
Stanton back on the IL. Tauchmann takes his place on the roster. Yanks won plenty without him this year. Call me crazy, but I think Stanton’s best years are behind him. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2019/834932/135 "2019-06-26T23:01:56Z")
Given that 2017 is extremely likely to be the best year he will ever have, that isn’t really a crazy idea at all. It’s the odds on bet. He has good years left in him, it’s just not usually the case a guy hits 59 dingers. ---
**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:** [June 27, 2019, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2019/834932/136 "2019-06-27T12:32:18Z")
I don’t know, I’m starting to think Stanton may never see 30 HRs a year or play more than 100 games in a season. I think the Yankees bought high and will have to sell low. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2019, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2019/834932/137 "2019-06-27T13:32:10Z")
> [@chizzuk](#): > > I don’t see the comparison between Dunn and Davis beyond both having high strikeout rates. Dunn had one really terrible year in 2011; that was a total outlier in about 14 other good-to-great offensive seasons. For Davis, the good seasons are the outliers. He’s got only four seasons out of 11 where he played in at least 100 games and had an OPS+ over 100. Everything else has been below average to completely execrable. Adam Dunn never had a “Great” offensive season, really. I g uess it depends what you define as being great, but his best year was probably 2004. He was really good, but in a relatively high offense year. Dunn was a useful hitter. As to his career WAR, Baseball Reference says that one year his defensive WAR was -5.2. I am just going to come out and say it, but that is just impossible. No one is that bad. You would have to literally play without a glove to be that bad. ---
**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:** [June 27, 2019, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2019/834932/138 "2019-06-27T13:45:10Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I don’t know, I’m starting to think Stanton may never see 30 HRs a year or play more than 100 games in a season. I think the Yankees bought high and will have to sell low. I wouldn’t give up on Stanton just yet. He’s not quite 30. His 2018 season was solid. This latest injury sounds pretty minor, the 10 day IL is probably just a good reason to not take him to London. ---
**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 27, 2019, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2019/834932/139 "2019-06-27T18:51:47Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Adam Dunn never had a “Great” offensive season, really. I g uess it depends what you define as being great, but his best year was probably 2004. He was really good, but in a relatively high offense year. Dunn was a useful hitter. > > As to his career WAR, Baseball Reference says that one year his defensive WAR was -5.2. I am just going to come out and say it, but that is just impossible. No one is that bad. You would have to literally play without a glove to be that bad. Dunn was consistently in 40 home run, 100 RBI territory during his time with the Nationals. I remember him hitting a ball so far against the Giants that the Giants CF just stared at the bleachers, as if he couldn’t believe someone just hit a ball that far. However, it was painful to watch him play OF. He wasn’t too horrible at first, but we had to watch him lumber around the outfield way too much. ---
**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 27, 2019, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2019/834932/140 "2019-06-27T21:23:56Z")
Craig Kembral’s Cubs debut: 1 IP, 1 k, 1 hit, 1 BB. Gets the save while Cubs win 9-7 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2019/834932.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2019/834932.md?page=8)