# MLB: May 2016
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688
**Category:** The Game Room
**Created:** [May 2, 2016, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688 "2016-05-02T17:33:27Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [May 2, 2016, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688/1 "2016-05-02T17:33:27Z")
One month down, and the Dodgers have managed to fail their way into a tie for first place in the NL West. Thank Og the Giants suck just as bad so far this year! The White Sox and the Nationals look untouchable this year, and the Cubs are looking like they mean it.
[April’s thread.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=789001)
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### Author:  [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)
#### Post date: [May 2, 2016, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688/2 "2016-05-02T18:08:24Z")
> [@silenus](#):
>
> The White Sox and the Nationals look untouchable this year
The Nationals were nine games over .500 in late May of 2015, but played mostly .500 ball the rest of the way until their late decline.
So it may be a bit soon to pronounce them (and the White Sox) “untouchable”. 🙂
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### Author:  [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)
#### Post date: [May 2, 2016, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688/3 "2016-05-02T18:14:08Z")
Nats look untouchable? They are only 1.5 games above the Mets and their winning percentage is actually less than the Cubs (who are the ones who look more ‘untouchable’ in the NL).
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### Author:  [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [May 2, 2016, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688/4 "2016-05-02T18:28:23Z")
The Nats will run away with it, mark my words. It’s an election year, and them being the powerhouse going into the stretch of the election…well, the headlines just write themselves. Sometimes you just have to bow to The Narrative. 😃
Nothing is serious until the middle of July, except maybe the continuing disaster that is the Padres. What’s it going to take to make them a serious threat again?
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### Author:  [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)
#### Post date: [May 2, 2016, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688/5 "2016-05-02T18:44:44Z")
The narrative of the Cubs (from Clinton’s home state) and the Mets (from Trump’s home state) running away with their respective divisions result in a far more interesting narrative.
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### Author:  [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)
#### Post date: [May 2, 2016, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688/6 "2016-05-02T19:29:36Z")
One month down, and the Giants have managed to fail their way into a tie for first place in the NL West. Thank Og the Dodgers suck just as bad so far this year!
The Rockies and Diamondbacks are threatening…but I’m confident that both will fade as the summer rolls along…
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### Author:  [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [May 2, 2016, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688/7 "2016-05-02T19:33:05Z")
It’s gonna be a long summer, ain’t it? 😃
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### Author:  [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)
#### Post date: [May 2, 2016, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688/8 "2016-05-02T19:58:19Z")
The Red Sox are starting to heat up mostly thanks to solid pitching. Gotta love any time they sweep the Yankees. I’m mildly surprised to see them in 1st place, but the AL East ain’t what it used to be.
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### Author:  [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)
#### Post date: [May 2, 2016, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688/9 "2016-05-02T23:27:15Z")
The Astros have been flat terrible, easily the biggest disappointment in the league relative to preseason hype, mainly because their pitching staff went from best in the AL last year to worst this April with nearly the same personnel. (Losing McCullers hurts but it’s mainly the returnees doing much much worse overall).
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### Author:  [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)
#### Post date: [May 3, 2016, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688/10 "2016-05-03T13:42:50Z")
Indeed, the Astros are a turd. Their preseason over/under win total was 85.5, which many thought was low considering last season’s success. Now it looks unreachably high. I guess Vegas knew something.
The White Sox, on the other hand, had a preseason over/under win total of 80. I did not expect them to come out of the gate so strong. This could be a great year for baseball in Chicago.
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### Author:  [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)
#### Post date: [May 3, 2016, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688/11 "2016-05-03T13:45:24Z")
After two years of success, the Royals look to finally be playing to expectations. Hopefully their bats will warm up soon.
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### Author:  [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)
#### Post date: [May 3, 2016, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688/12 "2016-05-03T15:02:22Z")
> [@silenus](#):
>
> The White Sox and the Nationals look untouchable this year…
Those teams are, respectively, 3 and 1.5 games ahead. That is less “untouchable” and more “one bad week from second place.”
I’ll tell you this though; right now Jake Arrieta is as great a pitcher as I have ever seen. He is as great as Clemens, Halladay, Pedro, Rivera, or Carlton were at their best. Maybe he can do it all year, maybe five years, maybe five more weeks, but for about a season now he has been the best pitcher I’ve ever seen. The numbers, obviously, are the stuff of video game performance, but watching him I’m just in awe. He throws unhittable stuff with incredible control, confidence and planning. I don’t know what made him into this but he’s something to watch.
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### Author:  [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)
#### Post date: [May 4, 2016, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688/13 "2016-05-04T03:40:07Z")
> [@silenus](#):
>
> One month down, and the Dodgers have managed to fail their way into a tie for first place in the NL West. Thank Og the Giants suck just as bad so far this year! The White Sox and the Nationals look untouchable this year, and the Cubs are looking like they mean it.
>
> [April’s thread.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=789001)
While I appreciate being cautious as a Cubs fan, I’m not sure how the Nationals rank as untouchable over the Cubs here. The current Cubs run differential is just _sick._ They are +89. The second closest team, the Nationals, are a full 50 runs behind at +39. (Wait, strike that, the Cards are next highest at +40). Those numbers are just stupid. As of today, the Cubs lead in most runs scored and fewest runs allowed. Now, like I said, it is the Cubs so exercise due caution, but if there’s one team that looks untouchable right now (especially if Arrieta is pitching), it’s the Cubs.
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### Author:  [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)
#### Post date: [May 4, 2016, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688/14 "2016-05-04T04:19:01Z")
> [@RickJay](#):
>
> Those teams are, respectively, 3 and 1.5 games ahead. That is less “untouchable” and more “one bad week from second place.”
>
> I’ll tell you this though; right now Jake Arrieta is as great a pitcher as I have ever seen. He is as great as Clemens, Halladay, Pedro, Rivera, or Carlton were at their best. Maybe he can do it all year, maybe five years, maybe five more weeks, but for about a season now he has been the best pitcher I’ve ever seen. The numbers, obviously, are the stuff of video game performance, but watching him I’m just in awe. He throws unhittable stuff with incredible control, confidence and planning. I don’t know what made him into this but he’s something to watch.
Steven A. Smith has suggested it’s [PEDs](http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/15388965/jake-arrieta-chicago-cubs-says-flattered-accusations-ped-use).
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### Author:  [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)
#### Post date: [May 4, 2016, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688/15 "2016-05-04T04:20:33Z")
So apparently Russel Martin managed to strike out in 9 consecutive plate appearances. That’s mind-boggling. Given how good Toronto’s lineup has been historically at avoiding strikeouts, I just don’t understand what’s gone wrong so far.
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### Author:  [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)
#### Post date: [May 4, 2016, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688/16 "2016-05-04T04:44:41Z")
> [@pulykamell](#):
>
> While I appreciate being cautious as a Cubs fan, I’m not sure how the Nationals rank as untouchable over the Cubs here. The current Cubs run differential is just _sick._ They are +89. The second closest team, the Nationals, are a full 50 runs behind at +39. (Wait, strike that, the Cards are next highest at +40). Those numbers are just stupid. As of today, the Cubs lead in most runs scored and fewest runs allowed. Now, like I said, it is the Cubs so exercise due caution, but if there’s one team that looks untouchable right now (especially if Arrieta is pitching), it’s the Cubs.
I said it before in a thread some months ago, but Ricketts really needs to get Theo Epstein’s contract extended, sooner rather than later. The Red Sox had a hell of a bad time of it with him on those, two out of three attempts. Maybe it was the Larry Lucchino factor, but for some reason contract discussions have never gone smoothly with him. If I were the Cubs, I would not put it off until the last minute because he has shown ample willingness in the past to jump ship if he’s not happy. And as he goes, so go a lot of other key figures.
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### Author:  [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)
#### Post date: [May 4, 2016, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688/17 "2016-05-04T04:55:19Z")
Well, the Mariners have been rather surprising so far …
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### Author:  [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)
#### Post date: [May 4, 2016, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688/18 "2016-05-04T11:48:29Z")
> [@Superdude](#):
>
> Steven A. Smith has suggested it’s [PEDs](http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/15388965/jake-arrieta-chicago-cubs-says-flattered-accusations-ped-use).
Steven A. Smith is an insufferable asshole who just throws shit out out there. PEDs don’t help you with pitch location
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### Author:  [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)
#### Post date: [May 4, 2016, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688/19 "2016-05-04T12:29:37Z")
I agree, **dale**. I’m a Cub fan. I know it’s not PEDs.
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### Author:  [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)
#### Post date: [May 4, 2016, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688/20 "2016-05-04T12:33:05Z")
> [@Rysto](#):
>
> So apparently Russel Martin managed to strike out in 9 consecutive plate appearances. That’s mind-boggling. Given how good Toronto’s lineup has been historically at avoiding strikeouts, I just don’t understand what’s gone wrong so far.
There is something physically wrong with Martin.
Players go into slumps. It just happens, it’s part of life, and for Martin a slump can be very deep indeed because over the last five years he’s like a .240 hitter. He makes up for it with walks and home runs.
This year, though
1. His strikeout rate, which was always high, is through the roof.
2. He’s not walking.
3. When he makes contact he is not striking the ball with power.
4. His swing is all messed up.
I don’t know what it is that makes him do it, but he is visibly struggling to swing. He’s starting his motion late and flailing with an all-arm approach. If he wasn’t wearing #55 and didn’t have MARTIN printed on the back of his jersey I’d swear it was a different player. His pitcher-like batting numbers are to be expected because, to be really frank, he hits like a pitcher. All arms, reaching with his upper body, no use of his legs.
The entire team is having a strikeout problem - almost everyone is above career norms in striking out - but Martin’s numbers are well beyond “slump” and into “physical problem.”
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