# MLB: May 2016 **URL:** \ **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:** 8
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2016, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688/141 "2016-05-16T00:44:40Z")
> [@kayT](#): > > Actually Fielder was the only person on either team who behaved perfectly; when hit by the pitch, he laughed. Cause really, is he going to feel anything from a HBP in the leg? Might as well try to hurt a tree. ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2016, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688/142 "2016-05-16T00:51:05Z")
> [@Rysto](#): > > Oh please. It’s Bautista’s last at-bat of the season against the Rangers, and they just happen to hit him with a fastball? A fastball thrown by an expendable rookie who touches 98 MPH? Ah, I understand the confusion now. A “beanball” is a pitch aimed at the head. I was unaware of this nuance, so apologies for using the incorrect terminology. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2016, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688/143 "2016-05-16T01:14:23Z")
At least Odor got his money’s worth, whatever he gets suspended for. Most Baseball/Basketball/Football punches are Jr high slap-fight level. That was a solid hard connect. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2016, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688/144 "2016-05-16T01:44:29Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > To hell with the beaning. I want to know how long Odor is gonna be suspended. What an insane reaction. Ehh… I dislike the Rangers anyways, and they definitely took a very cheap (technically legal) shot. Bautista had a right to be annoyed. Doesn’t Odor, too, though? That now-illegal slide carries a greater chance of inflicting DL injury. And Bats _meant_ it as a challenge; look how he jumped up afterward. ---
**Author:** ![BeeGee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5a626/32.png) [@BeeGee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeeGee)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2016, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688/145 "2016-05-16T01:45:48Z")
> [@Rysto](#): > > Ah, I understand the confusion now. A “beanball” is a pitch aimed at the head. I was unaware of this nuance, so apologies for using the incorrect terminology. Yeah, an intentional beaner is something I would never support from any player. I’m glad we got these seven games over with. I’m surprised nothing happened before. Feelings have been running high on both sides. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2016, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688/146 "2016-05-16T01:52:22Z")
Weak scheduling, by the way, that has all the games between two such teams done with by mid-May. Just in terms of preceding year’s contention, not specific history. ---
**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 16, 2016, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688/147 "2016-05-16T03:58:31Z")
John Gibbons was kicked out in the third inning for arguing balls and strikes, and Toronto first base coach Tim Leiper was also kicked out in the third inning for a different thing. But Gibbons came back onto the field for the brawl, so he’s going to be facing a long suspension. Josh Donaldson and Texas coach Steve Buechele were also kicked out for the brawl, and then Toronto reliever Jesse Chavez and Texas coach DeMarlo Hale were kicked out when Chavez hit Prince Fielder on the first pitch after the brawl. ---
**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 16, 2016, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688/148 "2016-05-16T12:31:38Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > Weak scheduling, by the way, that has all the games between two such teams done with by mid-May. Just in terms of preceding year’s contention, not specific history. Tentative scheduling for the next season is generally released before the playoffs begin. In the case of the 2016 season, the tentative schedule came out on September 8, 2015. [Cite](http://m.mlb.com/news/article/148055820/major-league-baseball-reveals-2016-schedule). ---
**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:** [May 16, 2016, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688/149 "2016-05-16T13:34:39Z")
Eh, Bautista got what was coming. He got up from his slide, chest all puffed out. He probably wasn’t expecting to get decked. ---
**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:** [May 16, 2016, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688/150 "2016-05-16T14:46:14Z")
MLB Network was analyzing the slide, and one of the analysts surmised that Odor deliberately threw sidearmed in an attempt to hit Bautista with the throw. I doubt that, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2016, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688/151 "2016-05-16T16:29:44Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > Tentative scheduling for the next season is generally released before the playoffs begin. In the case of the 2016 season, the tentative schedule came out on September 8, 2015. [Cite](http://m.mlb.com/news/article/148055820/major-league-baseball-reveals-2016-schedule). I know. The point there is not about how the 2015 postseason actually played out, just the generally contending status. A week before that schedule came out, the better end of the American League looked like this: Kansas City Royals, 80-51 Toronto Blue Jays, 75-57 New York Yankees, 73-58 Houston Astros, 73-60 Texas Rangers, 69-62 Minnesota Twins, 68-63 There are fifteen different regular-season team-vs.-team matchups to be scheduled within that set for 2016. All of them, except Jays/Rangers, conclude June 26 or later. Two-thirds of them take place after the All-Star break–that’s really what should be aimed for. The stories spun out of great postseason series are about the best currency MLB has to cement fan interest, potentially for years to come. There’s no way to be sure, before one season has concluded, which matchups will be the juicy ones in the next season. But it _is_ possible to draw the schedule in such a way as to maximize the potential of seeing those games both early and late in the year. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2016, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688/152 "2016-05-16T16:46:18Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > MLB Network was analyzing the slide, and one of the analysts surmised that Odor deliberately threw sidearmed in an attempt to hit Bautista with the throw. I doubt that, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility. Torii Hunter thought that’s what he was doing. A middle infielder throwing low over a hard, late runner isn’t necessarily _trying_ to hit a guy, any more than a high inside pitch must be an attempted beaning. Both are aggressive, not without danger, but have a purpose. ---
**Author:** ![Marine\_One](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marine_one/32/3461_2.png) [@Marine\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marine_One)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2016, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688/153 "2016-05-16T17:36:26Z")
Someone needs to create a José Bautista bobblehead complete with flying sunglasses and helmet. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2016, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688/154 "2016-05-16T17:38:41Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > At least Odor got his money’s worth, whatever he gets suspended for… Agreed wolfman. I was hoping Rougned Odor would have put Bautista on his butt, but still he got in a fairly good punch [as seen here.](http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/15554767/texas-rangers-rougned-odor-lands-punch-face-toronto-blue-jays-jose-bautista-brawl) Bautista is a drag, a well known drag, and I wouldn’t be surprised if most MLB’ers thought he got what was coming to him. ---
**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 16, 2016, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688/155 "2016-05-16T17:42:19Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > I know. The point there is not about how the 2015 postseason actually played out, just the generally contending status. > > \ > > The stories spun out of great postseason series are about the best currency MLB has to cement fan interest, potentially for years to come. There’s no way to be sure, before one season has concluded, which matchups will be the juicy ones in the next season. But it _is_ possible to draw the schedule in such a way as to maximize the potential of seeing those games both early and late in the year. I understand you, now. Thanks. ---
**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 16, 2016, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688/156 "2016-05-16T17:44:29Z")
I was unaware that Bautista was a “well known drag” and widely disliked. I see him whenever the Yankees play Toronto and I’ve never noticed any bad behavior. What did he do to earn such enmity? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2016, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688/157 "2016-05-16T17:46:26Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > I was unaware that Bautista was a “well known drag” and widely disliked. I see him whenever the Yankees play Toronto and I’ve never noticed any bad behavior. What did he do to earn such enmity? The Game 5 bat flip last year after jacking one. ---
**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 16, 2016, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688/158 "2016-05-16T18:24:35Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > The Game 5 bat flip last year after jacking one. Just that? Emotions were running high in that game and there was already some bad blood between the teams. That only rates as a single, slightly obnoxious act. Hell, Big Papi routinely takes about three weeks to circle the bases after a home run and everyone loves him. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2016, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688/159 "2016-05-16T18:42:50Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > Just that? Emotions were running high in that game and there was already some bad blood between the teams. That only rates as a single, slightly obnoxious act. Hell, Big Papi routinely takes about three weeks to circle the bases after a home run and everyone loves him. I personally have no problem with the bat flip. I don’t follow the AL all that closely, but the bat flip (and its propriety or not) seemed to cause much consternation and bickering in my circles. The only other thing I know about him is he has a bit of a rep about bitching about balls and strikes, but I just assume this particular case is specifically tied to the bat flip. Perhaps some Toronto or Texas fans can further elucidate. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2016, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688/160 "2016-05-16T18:55:33Z")
I am neither a Toronto nor Texas fan, but I watched every game of that series. That was an _earned_ bat flip. I had no perception that it indicated a personal disdain or mocking of the opponent; it was all about the game situation. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-may-2016/753688.md?page=9)