Who needs football? Full day of baseball today

[notyourbuddy]

Nathan going to implode, again? :scratchchinhmm:

[Can_of_corn]

Nathan going to implode, again? :scratchchinhmm:

Have to love proven closers.

[notyourbuddy]

Tigers win. Bummer.

[JR Oriole]

Yankees getting closer....as usual.

[Can_of_corn]

Yankees getting closer....as usual.

Fangraphs has them at .3%

BP at .1%

Probably before today's action but come on now.

They are Elvis.

[malkusm]

So...how do we match up with the Tigers?

I might not watch this A's game but I feel pretty confident we won't play them at this point

[malkusm]

By the way....Joe Nathan 2014 is Exhibit A in the argument against paying guys for saves (in arbitration or free agency)

How does that guy have 40 saves this year???

[Can_of_corn]

By the way....Joe Nathan 2014 is Exhibit A in the argument against paying guys for saves (in arbitration or free agency)

How does that guy have 40 saves this year???

How did Johnson have 50 last season?

Lots of opportunities.

[malkusm]

Ned Yost's bunt decisions have been terrible...I will elaborate later but geez

If you're going to bunt with guys on 2B early in the game with Aoki at the plate and Willingham behind him, why wouldn't you bunt with Dyson up and a man on 1B with a 3 for 3 Escobar behind him? Makes zero sense

OK back home now - so....

1st inning: Escobar smacks a double to lead off the inning. Up comes Nori Aoki with a man on 2B and 0 out. In his last 12 games he is hitting .457/.528/.522. Seems like the Royals are going to jump out to an early lead.....

.....But Aoki bunts and turns the situation into 1 out, man on 3B with the struggling Josh Willingham at the plate. There are several things wrong with this:

1. Your run expectation is higher in a 0 out / runner on 2B situation than it is in a 1 out / runner on 3B situation, no matter who is hitting

2. You have one of the hottest hitters in the league at the plate, and you told him to make an out on purpose

3. Aoki is left-handed, so any ground ball he pulls will advance the runner anyway

4. Josh Willingham is the guy you are counting on to deliver a sac fly - he's hitting .204/.341/.383 this year against RHP and in the last month he is hitting .188/.350/.219 overall

Predictably, Willingham strikes out and the Royals do not score.

3rd inning - Jarrod Dyson leads off the inning from the #9 spot in the lineup with a single, followed by another single by Escobar, to put 1st and 2nd with 0 out.

The Royals AGAIN instruct Aoki to bunt, which he does....and AGAIN, the Royals fail to score a run.

Honestly after watching the game tonight I think the Royals are not far off from the O's, with some notable exceptions (they don't hit HR nearly as often, but balance that with a higher OBP / much higher team speed). But the management decisions are baffling.

[Can_of_corn]

OK back home now - so....

1st inning: Escobar smacks a double to lead off the inning. Up comes Nori Aoki with a man on 2B and 0 out. In his last 12 games he is hitting .457/.528/.522. Seems like the Royals are going to jump out to an early lead.....

.....But Aoki bunts and turns the situation into 1 out, man on 3B with the struggling Josh Willingham at the plate. There are several things wrong with this:

1. Your run expectation is higher in a 0 out / runner on 2B situation than it is in a 1 out / runner on 3B situation, no matter who is hitting

2. You have one of the hottest hitters in the league at the plate, and you told him to make an out on purpose

3. Aoki is left-handed, so any ground ball he pulls will advance the runner anyway

4. Josh Willingham is the guy you are counting on to deliver a sac fly - he's hitting .204/.341/.383 this year against RHP and in the last month he is hitting .188/.350/.219

Predictably, Willingham strikes out and the Royals do not score.

3rd inning - Jarrod Dyson leads off the inning from the #9 spot in the lineup with a single, followed by another single by Escobar, to put 1st and 2nd with 0 out.

The Royals AGAIN instruct Aoki to bunt, which he does....and AGAIN, the Royals fail to score a run.

Honestly after watching the game tonight I think the Royals are not far off from the O's, with some notable exceptions (they don't hit HR nearly as often, but balance that with a higher OBP / much higher team speed). But the management decisions are baffling.

You should see him try and manage the bullpen.

There was a lot of analysis about his faulty logic in one game earlier this week.

[malkusm]

A's fall at home to the Phillies 3-0. Managed just 4 hits (all singles) and 2 walks.

Mariners have a chance to pull into a tie with the A's tonight with a win over the Astros. Royals remain 1/2 GB of the A's.

[OFFNY]

Yankees getting closer....as usual.

Closer to mathematical elimination.

BLUE JAYS - 6

YANKEES - 3

[PaulFolk]

Honestly after watching the game tonight I think the Royals are not far off from the O's, with some notable exceptions (they don't hit HR nearly as often, but balance that with a higher OBP / much higher team speed). But the management decisions are baffling.

As of today, the Royals have exactly the same OBP as the Orioles (.312). The Royals' offense is last in the AL in walks, Orioles are third-to-last.