The last twenty comments in true blog fasion, with the links to their authors and the player commented upon.
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Always dangerous to comment mid-game.
Perfect through four.
Hot tip from the Monkey:
September 20, 2020
Chicago Cubs – The Cubs bullpen suffered a big blow as Rowan Wick has been placed on the IL. Wick has been the most versatile member of the Cubs’ bullpen this season. Jason Adam, who hasn’t allowed an earned run yet in September, should see more time at the back-end of the Cubs’ bullpen.
Hierarchy remains: Jeffress | Kimbrel | Adam.
The Red Sox radio announcer in the second inning today: "I don't recall ever seeing a pitcher this small on a major league mound."
I'm not sure who he is but he's obviously young. Joe Castiglione, sitting next to him (where? probably not in Fenway), remembers Bobby Shantz.
A few pitches later, Chavis launches one over the Green Monster with a runner on.
Is the Yankees' ten-game winning streak in jeopardy? It could be with Houck on the mound.
The Monkey:
September 20, 2020
Tampa Bay Rays — The Rays have already clinched a playoff spot so maybe now they are trying to see if they can get each one of their relievers a save? It was Ryan Thompson’s turn on Saturday as he got the last two outs for the save. Thompson became the 12th Rays’ reliever to pick up a save this season. Aaron Loup and Sean Gilmartin are the only active relievers who haven’t recorded a save yet this season, but there is a week left to change that.
Hierarchy remains: *Anderson | Castillo | Drake.
* = closer-by-committee
D'Arnaud and Syndergaard for Dickey. Who says the Mets only make terrible transactions?*
They did release D'Arnaud several years later.
A catcher could win the batting title. This catcher.
The batting race in the NL comes down to Freddie Freeman (.359) and late-arriving Juan Soto (.349). Trea Turner (.338), Michael Conforto (.337), Travis d'Arnaud (.336) all have a shot as they round the final turn.
Freddy and Juan are also neck-and-neck in the OPS race (1.129, 1.172), but I would argue, even for young studs like these, the batting crown has more luster. Still.
With a week to go, there's a great battle between LeMahieu (.367) and defending champ Tim Anderson (.365) for the batting crown.
But I had no idea, until I sorted by AL qualifiers, who was third.
For future reference: Verdugo is batting .328 with a .390 BABIP.
I panicked when I saw he got hurt, but. I'm one save behind and several saves up. The guy in front of me has Rogers, Pressly, and Castillo. I have Hendricks, Dolis, and Pena (pulled from a save op after a clean 11 pitch 8th inning).....was I going to catch him anyway?
Likely not.
I don't want to be mean but his swing was just as ugly when he was 12.
New York Mets — Trade deadline acquisition and World Series-winning reliever Todd Frazier came through, again, with a spotless ninth inning for the Mets Friday night, including this filthy strikeout of Adam Duvall.
Hierarchy remains: Diaz | Wilson | Familia.
The trouble with this particular prediction by the Monkey is the Red Sox have to beat the Yankees.
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today:
1. Rowan Wick/Craig Kimbrel — Jeremy Jeffress has pitched in three out of four (64 total pitches).
2. Phillips Valdez — Ryan Brasier and Matt Barnes have each gone in four of six.
3. Hector Rondon/Travis Bergen — Stefan Crichton and Junior Guerra haven’t thrown a lot of pitches, but they’ve each appeared in three of four. The choice between Rondon and Bergen will likely hinge on whether righties or lefties are due up.
4, Zack Britton — Aroldis Chapman won’t pitch in three straight.
5. Brandon Workman — Hector Neris has appeared in four of five games.
6. Diego Castillo — Nick Anderson has pitched in three of four.
The Monkey one-ups me:
Tampa Bay Rays — If you somehow started Ryan Sherriff on your fantasy team yesterday — perhaps because your league makes you start four lefty relievers and also counts pitcher strikeouts against you — you’re a winner in Rays Save Roulette! The lefty Sherriff had the platoon advantage over two hitters, both of whom were pinch-hit for.
Hierarchy remains: *Anderson | Castillo | Drake.
* = closer-by-committee
Ryan's rhapsodic this morning!
From the Monkey:
St. Louis Cardinals — With John Gant continuing to battle a groin injury, it was Alex Reyes and Ryan Helsley called on to finish game one of Friday’s doubleheader. Helsley loaded the bases on two walks and an error, but managed to escape with his first career save.
Updated hierarchy: *Miller | Reyes | Helsley.
* = closer-by-committee
One more week of closer chaos.
The Monkey this morning:
September 19, 2020
Toronto Blue Jays — Rafael Dolis was pulled from Friday night’s game after stepping awkwardly on first base and injuring his knee. Whether or not Dolis misses an extended amount of time — which wasn’t yet clear postgame — this likely gives Anthony Bass the inside track at saves for now. This Sportsnet article takes a deep dive into Toronto’s other late-innings options, including Ryan Borucki.
Updated hierarchy: Bass | Cole | Borucki.
Beautiful split finger on full count against Rosario with the two out in the ninth and runners on first and second in a 1-0 game.
No one was more grateful than Kyle Hendricks, who pitched the first eight.
Without the wind blowing in in the 9th, he blows the save facing the first batter. But the wind is blowing in and the Rays win another close one. Sherriff walks off the field with a faint smile on his face. Nothing to it.
Great name for a closer.
I suspect two of the pitchers are available in the final waivers.
Yesterday's Top Performers Batters: Jose Ramirez* (CLE): 4-5, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 3 R Lourdes Gurriel Jr.* (TOR): 4-4, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 3 R Byron Buxton* (MIN): 3-4, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R Bryce Harper (PHI): 2-3, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R Brandon Nimmo (NYM): 3-4, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 R Giancarlo Stanton (NYY): 4-5, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 R Corey Seager (LAD): 3-5, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R Dominic Smith (NYM): 3-5, 2 RBI, 2 R Rafael Devers (BOS): 2-4, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 2 R Gregory Polanco (PIT): 2-4, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 R View All of Yesterday's Batters at Baseball-Reference.com Pitchers: Steven Brault* (PIT): 9.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 8 K, 85 GmSc Framber Valdez* (HOU): 6.1 IP, 1 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 11 K, 71 GmSc Nathan Eovaldi (BOS): 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 7 K, 70 GmSc Shane Bieber (CLE): 7.2 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 10 K, 67 GmSc Jordan Lyles (TEX): 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 2 K, 64 GmSc View All of Yesterday's Pitchers at Baseball-Reference.com * - pictured above |
Baseball America...
Boston Red Sox
—It has long been apparent that Bobby Dalbec’s prodigious power would come with plenty of swing and miss. He already has six home runs, but with four more strikeouts on Thursday night has now whiffed 30 times in his first 54 at-bats.
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