[April 24: Athletics vs Orioles vs Mother Nature]

2 minutes ago, eddie83 said:

I hate wasting money but I’m glad I stayed home. I did miss out on the bag....

Even with the rain, it's a great temperature for the players.

Not so great a temp if you are a damp fan glued to your seat.

[April 24: Athletics vs Orioles vs Mother Nature]

6 minutes ago, eddie83 said:

Exactly. Which is why it was foul. 

I said, "cap tip..."

[April 24: Athletics vs Orioles vs Mother Nature]

Just now, TINSTAAPP said:

Every time I watch Tate pitch, it seems like he has no idea where the ball is going half the time. 

It's sort of the fun of it.

[April 24: Athletics vs Orioles vs Mother Nature]

11 minutes ago, OFFNY said:

oI believe that that may be a ground-rule double. I think that the ball needs to go over the fence in fair territory in order for it to be ruled a home run, like when the ball went off of Jose Canseco's head and over the fence in 1992.o

What a nice memory!

[April 24: Athletics vs Orioles vs Mother Nature]

Also, I am watching the Oakland feed and I don't know whether it is different from the MASN feed. I was/still am not entirely sure that the popup was fair or foul when it knocked off the glove.

[April 24: Athletics vs Orioles vs Mother Nature]

2 minutes ago, eddie83 said:

On the season?

cap tip:

If the ball touches a fielder in-flight, the judgment is made at where the ball was when it was touched, NOT from where it may land after a miss, or drop of the ball, by a fielder. 

...and that ball looked to be over foul territory when Chapman missed it.

[April 24: Athletics vs Orioles vs Mother Nature]

The DJ Stewart Experience!

It's trippy.

[April 24: Athletics vs Orioles vs Mother Nature]

Just now, Pushmonkey said:

It’s pouring down 

Play ball!

[April 24: Athletics vs Orioles vs Mother Nature]

1 minute ago, eddie83 said:

Ok. Show me evidence I am wrong.  Ill gladly admit it. 
 

The ball matters not where the defenders feet are. Imagine a left handed LF, leaps for a HR ball it touches his glove just wide of pole in foul territory, fair or foul?

Fielder is in fair territory and knocks it over the fence in foul territory: Home Run

[April 24: Athletics vs Orioles vs Mother Nature]

5 minutes ago, eddie83 said:

Wrong. 

By your peculiar interpretation, a fielder could camp under a ball in foul territory, intentionally knock it into fair ground to another fielder and turn a double play if there were a runner on first. The rule just doesn't work the way you think it does.

[April 24: Athletics vs Orioles vs Mother Nature]

2 minutes ago, eddie83 said:

So when a 1B grabs a ground ball over the bag ruled foul and his body is in fair territory is it fair? 
 

https://www.mlb.com/glossary/rules/foul-ball

 

That's for a ground ball that hits the ground before the bag. That pop up does not get judged by groundball rule. Wrong application of rules.

[April 24: Athletics vs Orioles vs Mother Nature]

Just now, spiritof66 said:

It doesn't matter where the ball was if Chapman touched it while he was in fair territory. Palmer said he did. I think that's right, but very hard to tell.

There is no room for the umpire to speculate where it might have landed it it had not been touched by the fielder. 

[April 24: Athletics vs Orioles vs Mother Nature]

3 minutes ago, eddie83 said:

Irrelevant. Ball was in foul territory 

Wrong. You can't base the ruling on where it might have landed had it not hit the glove., Since it hit the glove while the player was in fair territory, the ball is a fair ball.

[April 24: Athletics vs Orioles vs Mother Nature]

Just now, Beef Supreme said:

That's a triple.

That ball hit Chapman's glove while his body was in fair territory. Triple, or at least a double. Who is in charge of challenges?

[April 24: Athletics vs Orioles vs Mother Nature]

That's a triple.

[O’s 17th in payroll but 29th in wins since 2007]

23 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

If that 2015 team had lost one more game so many folks would have to change their arguments.

Who, at the time, would have thought that "meaningless" five game winning streak to end the season would end up so important?

Folks act like the 2015 team was good, they weren't.

They were good. They were less than very good.

Amazing how much better the same guys were with Nelson Cruz in the lineup over Travis Snider/Gerardo Parra (not to belabor the "they should have signed Cruz" point).

[O’s 17th in payroll but 29th in wins since 2007]

31 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I don’t want to denigrate that 2012 team. They had a huge amount of luck, but by the time they added Manny and McLouth they were a damned good team. And 93 wins is nothing to sneeze at.  
Math tells you that most fan bases should enjoy a stretch of five years that includes three playoff appearances, a division title and no sub-.500 seasons. But it shouldn’t stand out as the only oasis in a 23-year stretch.   

Not sure that "math" tells us anything like that. Maybe talent does. But between injuries and free agency, even talent doesn't guarantee that a good 5-year stretch can't include sub-.500 seasons. Ask the Red Sox fan base:

2016Boston Red Sox .574 1st of 5--Lost ALDS
2015Boston Red Sox .481 5th of 5
2014Boston Red Sox.438 5th of 5
2013Boston Red Sox .599 1st of 5--Won WS 
2012Boston Red Sox .426 5th of 5 

Results like these are about as wildly uncommon as they get. But everyone of us would love that rollercoaster ride!

[Ryan Mountcastle no longer a prospect]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

Struck out on a pitch in the LH batters box tonight.   

And nearly homered on the 1st.

He might be pressing.

As awful as his results have been in his first 73 PAs of this season, I worry less about him than any other offensive player on the team. He's going to hit in the majors

[Orioles defense so far by Statcast]

8 hours ago, OrioleDog said:

Griffey, Trout...hmmm, maybe just two.

Mays

[4-23 A’s visit. Give them an F!]

18 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Hope they ask at least one good question.

Maybe Palmer will be allowed to ask a question. Garceau is not capable of asking a good question.

[What a start!]

5 hours ago, survivedc said:

Last year Pitchers threw 1/3rd of the innings they will throw this year. It’s about protecting them, same as the extra innings rule. 
There have been 10 doubleheader’s already this year, most years it seems to be around 30 doubleheader’s. I’m a fan of doubleheader’s and two 7 inning games is more manageable to fit into your day, so I’m a fan and I don’t think messes with any integrity.

Did MLB say that the reason they are shortening games is to "protect" pitchers? Or are you tossing out your opinion not based on fact? I think the latter is the case. At no time did MLB release a statement that supports your opinion. I do remember MLB claiming the change would alleviate part of the burden of potentially rescheduling games that were postponed because of COVID-19 during the condensed 2020 season. Now that the schedule is back to normal, that justification has expired.

Also, when did MLB say that putting a runner on 2B in extra innings was implemented to "protect" pitchers? Hint: they never did. And, that doesn't make any sense. Managers continue in extras to remove pitchers judiciously until they end up with a position player on the mound. According to Jon Heyman last June, "Also this year the MLB plan is to use the Minor League rule with the runner on second to expedite extra-inning games ending, since the spring will be short, the schedule will be tight and there’s a desire to avoid 15-inning games and longer."

Would you agree that five inning games also would not "mess with the integrity of the game?" How about two outs per inning? That would "protect" pitchers too. Or two strikes for a strikeout. There are so many structural changes MLB could implement that would aid pitchers. And destroy the game as we have known it.

Finally, most doubleheaders are split gate; unless you have bought tickets to both games, the claim that shortened games are "more manageable to fit into your day" holds no water. Have you left doubleheaders early in the past? If so, you are likely to leave doubleheaders now, too. 

MLB's excuses for fundamentally changing the structure of the game last year are invalid this year. Football fans would be shitting bricks if the NFL shortened the fourth quarter to five minutes -- and rightfully so. 7-innning games are just a bastardization of a game that has been tremendously popular for 150 years. Baseball fans should be equally angry with MLB's disfigurement of the game for no good reason other than they have tricked themselves into thinking shorter games will bring in more fans. They won't.

 

 

[What a start!]

50 minutes ago, Frobby said:

While I would not want to see MLB reduce all games from 9 to 7 innings, the doubleheader rule has not bothered me.   As a spectator, 18 innings is a lot to sit through.   And, it is tough to manage a bullpen through 18 innings in one day the way that starters are used now.    So, I’m not going to say I’m a fierce advocate for the 7 inning doubleheader games, but I’m certainly not offended by it.  

Some people are going to leave early regardless of how long games last. I doubt that shortening doubleheader games keeps more than an additional 1% of attendees from leaving prematurely, which is a negligible number. I certainly don't remember MLB saying this is the reason for the change.

Teams are allowed to bring up an additional pitcher so I can't find the argument "the way that starters are used now" to be a valid defense for the change. The difference between how starters are used in 2021 versus 2019 is insignificant. Managers can adjust to handling a pitching staff for a double header. Always have. I don't believe this has anything at all to do with MLB's decision. And MLB has not said it does.

Wasn't MLB's reason for 7-inning games Covid-related? Players had an interrupted ST and a short period to get ready for the 60-game season? That's not an excuse this year so there is no justification for continuing this travesty based on last year's uncommon events. MLB needs to explain why they are continuing to screw with the integrity of the game today. To continue with rule changes based on the events of last year is not reasonable nor justifiable.

[Orioles defense so far by Statcast]

6 hours ago, ArtVanDelay said:

You made me laugh out loud! Really! I laughed loudly and continuously for way over 30 seconds, followed by continual smiling and occasional chuckling afterwards.

[What a start!]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

Works for me.    I always thought golf would be better if it was 14 holes, too.   

Carrol Park, near OPACY, used to host a 12-hole course. Way back, you could "replay" the 12 holes at $2.00 for the back 12 to tally 24 holes overall. They have reverted to a 9-hole course. Fabulous urban course that is walkable for everyone. A few teeboxes are currently out of order, making the course easier because of the shorter lengths.

12 holes is the almost the best number of hole splayed for having a fun! It's a  quick shoot-about. Focus on hitting good shots over scoring as low as possible on the 18-hole scorecard -- that's often more fun : marking some great holes without the scorecard guilt. Twilight golf is really enjoyable! 

But MLB baseball games should never be scheduled for fewer than nine innings. The symmetry of a minimum of three times though the order - 27 outs - is critical to the integrity of the highest level of competitive baseball.

[The bunt today]

I didn't want them to sign Franco either. (Though for $800k, it doesn't much matter who they chose to play 3B.)

But that play was not at all his fault. He did exactly what he is trained to do in that situation. So if this thread is really about the bunt, it's not the place to thrash Franco.