# MLB: May 2015 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [May 1, 2015, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2015/719020 "2015-05-01T17:18:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2015/719020/181 "2015-05-22T20:34:29Z")
“They’re Unlucky” actually is a link to another Fangraphs article from earlier this year (somewhat, but not exactly related to one-run games - ie, it’s a different point, not an explanatory one): > **[The Remarkably Unclutch Oakland A’s](https://blogs.fangraphs.com/the-remarkably-unclutch-oakland-as/)** > > At the very bottom of the 2015 standings, you'll find two unsurprising teams tied for the worst record in baseball: the Phillies and the Brewers. The Brewers have been a disaster… ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2015/719020/182 "2015-05-22T21:21:12Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > In 1-run games? How would you describe it? Sucking. It’s evidence, beyond statistical noise, that they are short of either clutch hitting or clutch pitching and defense. You could call 6-7, or 5-8, unlucky. But 2-13? > [@](#): > > I’d go one further and describe them lucky in the opposite direction Uh, no. ---
**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:** [May 23, 2015, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2015/719020/183 "2015-05-23T03:06:46Z")
The Dodgers have just tied a club record, having completed 35 consecutive innings without scoring a run. I was actually at the game the last time they scored, which was Sunday afternoon. ---
**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:** [May 23, 2015, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2015/719020/184 "2015-05-23T03:22:05Z")
They’re going for the elusive reverse Hershiser. ---
**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:** [May 23, 2015, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2015/719020/185 "2015-05-23T03:26:20Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > They’re going for the elusive reverse Hershiser. Hah! But thankfully, the drought is over! ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2015, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2015/719020/186 "2015-05-23T12:28:17Z")
Chris Hatcher, a relief pitcher for the Dodgers, got his first career win in last night’s game. He only threw one pitch. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2015, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2015/719020/187 "2015-05-23T20:28:13Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Sucking. It’s evidence, beyond statistical noise, that they are short of either clutch hitting or clutch pitching and defense. > > You could call 6-7, or 5-8, unlucky. But 2-13? Hilarious. I’m so happy you stick around these threads - we need comedy like this. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2015, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2015/719020/188 "2015-05-23T21:33:32Z")
Interesting story pointing to maybe very bad morale on the Marlins. Not a single player showed up for their charity event. Now, the Marlins have been in an awful slump and I can understand players wanting the day off as a day off. But Stanton can’t show up after signing that contract? Not even bench players or relief pitchers? > **[MLB Major League Baseball News, Expert Analysis, Rumors, Live Updates, &...](https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news/)** > > Sports News, Scores, Fantasy Games ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2015, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2015/719020/189 "2015-05-23T22:07:48Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Hilarious. I’m so happy you stick around these threads - we need comedy like this. Speaking of comedy: You can’t call a guy brilliant when things go fairly well, but merely “unlucky” when they don’t. 😉 FTR, 2-13 is several standard deviations away from the mean of a 50-50 distribution. I leave it to your superior statistical skills to determine how many that is, and the probability of it being random. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2015, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2015/719020/190 "2015-05-23T22:09:52Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Interesting story pointing to maybe very bad morale on the Marlins. Not a single player showed up for their charity event. Could be the team simply failed to communicate it to them. The Red Sox forgot to tell them all about Johnny Pesky’s funeral, for instance. \*Some \*dropout would be just one of those things, but \*all \*of them? No team is that unanimous. ---
**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:** [May 23, 2015, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2015/719020/191 "2015-05-23T22:40:43Z")
You didn’t read the story, did you? ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2015, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2015/719020/192 "2015-05-23T22:50:02Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Speaking of comedy: You can’t call a guy brilliant when things go fairly well, but merely “unlucky” when they don’t. 😉 It took me a while, but I managed to figure out this was probably referring to Billy Beane, since you apparently have a giant hard-on for him, and seem to think everyone here reveres him. Um…okay? > [@](#): > > FTR, 2-13 is several standard deviations away from the mean of a 50-50 distribution. I leave it to your superior statistical skills to determine how many that is, and the probability of it being random. This is pretty unrelated, but if you ever consider a username change on the board, please throw “Statistical Noise” into the mix. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2015, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2015/719020/193 "2015-05-23T22:56:42Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > you apparently have a giant hard-on for him Says the guy who’s desperately trying to dismiss 2-13 as “unlucky”. 😉 > [@](#): > > This is pretty unrelated, but if you ever consider a username change on the board, please throw “Statistical Noise” into the mix. You didn’t understand a word I said, did you? It’s all concepts you’d learn in the first week of a college-level, or even AP, stats course. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2015, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2015/719020/194 "2015-05-23T23:00:07Z")
> [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#): > > You didn’t read the story, did you? Sure. Nothing in there says the team actually told the players about it, or asked for their participation, other than their own statement that “several had already committed but failed to show up”. “Several” Wow. That was the _best_-case scenario. Unless you’re referring to “Some have even speculated it was a unified effort.” That sure convinces _me_. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2015, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2015/719020/195 "2015-05-23T23:18:19Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Says the guy who’s desperately trying to dismiss 2-13 as “unlucky”. 😉 I am? Odd. > [@](#): > > You didn’t understand a word I said, did you? It’s all concepts you’d learn in the first week of a college-level, or even AP, stats course. Look who doesn’t understand the word “unrelated”. (It’s you. You don’t understand the word “unrelated”.) ---
**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:** [May 24, 2015, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2015/719020/196 "2015-05-24T01:55:19Z")
Texas has scored 25 runs against the Yankees in two games. ---
**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:** [May 24, 2015, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2015/719020/197 "2015-05-24T04:25:08Z")
And the Dodgers get another absolute gem from their ace…Mike Bolsinger? 8 innings pitched. Gave up a base hit to the first batter of the game. Then proceeded to retire the next 24 batters he faced. The Dodgers are still struggling mightily to score runs, but wow, that was fun to watch. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2015, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2015/719020/198 "2015-05-24T12:55:40Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > I thought the umps rubbed the balls with a special mud to take the shine off. That’s not done anymore? > [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > I think an equipment manager or attendant does the actual mud rubbing, but yes they do that to dozens of baseballs before every game. The famous Blue Mud! One of my favorite traditions in the Game. It make me sad that the Ump doesn’t do it anymore (although he remains responsible and has to do it if nobody else does), but with the modern game I kinda understand that they’ve got other shit to do. I did talk to an MLB ump one time and he mentioned doing it for his crew chief when he was new to the job. He said it was pretty boring since you have to do a crap-load of them, but that for him it was a way to connect to the history of the game. They’d all sit around while he prepped the game balls, discuss the game (personalities and such - “if so-and-so mouths off at me one time tonight, I’m runnin’ his ass!”), and the older umps would tell war stories. There was great article about the family that “makes” the Blue Mud a few years back (maybe SI?), but my google-fu is failing me. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2015, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2015/719020/199 "2015-05-24T13:19:40Z")
> [@Zakalwe](#): > > There was great article about the family that “makes” the Blue Mud a few years back (maybe SI?), but my google-fu is failing me. Maybe [this article from CNN](http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/10/28/baseball.mud/index.html?iref=24hours)? No mention of “Blue”, though. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2015, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2015/719020/200 "2015-05-24T15:02:14Z")
[Lena Blackburne’s Baseball Rubbing Mud](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baseball_Rubbing_Mud) comes from South Jersey. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2015/719020.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2015/719020.md?page=11)