Around Baseball 2015

[jaysfan2014]

Jason Grilli torn his achilles, done for the season and likely his career at his age.

 

He was a reliever target for the Jays.

 

First Kazmir, now Grilli...

 

Kazmir might still be available.

[HERPDERP]

https://vine.co/v/evndJaj2iLT

[flafson]

Imagine if we traded for Grilli yesterday...

[leaffie]

Sorry if this is posted somewhere else, but any idea why Bautista withdrew from all star game?

[43211234]

Sorry if this is posted somewhere else, but any idea why Bautista withdrew from all star game?

 

Shoulder injury.

[leaffie]

Thx

[TwistedLogic]

McCutchen doing a Kurkjian impression:

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=13246823

[MagicMike]

Top 10 Impressive Single Game Baseball Feats

 

In honor of Mark Bruehle’s perfect game for the White Sox in July, and Eric Bruntlett’s unassisted triple play in August, we present the Top Ten Impressive Single Game Baseball Feats. In roughly 750,000 major league baseball games some odd things have happened. Players have hit more than one grand slam in the same inning, pitchers have been taken out without recording an out, giving them an ERA of infinity, and others have been credited with a win without throwing a pitch, fielders have committed three errors in the same play and men have literally run through walls in order to track down fly balls. These are the ten feats occurring through pitching, hitting, defense, and base running that will make you stop and think about what you just saw. If you witness any of these automatic highlight reel moments, take a moment to consider the historical importance of what you just saw. After all, baseball is nothing without its tradition.

 

10- Stealing Home

Stealing home plate is one of the most exciting plays in baseball. It occurs when a particularly daring base runner on third decides not to wait for the hitter, and instead attempts to score on the steal. It is extremely difficult to pull off successfully and since you are already on third base, most opt to get batted in. The risk is huge and thus attempts are very rare. Jayson Werth of the Phillies stole home in May of 2009 and is the most recent person to do it. Jackie Robinson is most famous for the play, which he used in the 1955 World Series. Ty Cobb holds the career record for steals of home with 54. This statistic is staggering, considering most players today would be hard-pressed to even try it once.

 

9- Inside-the-Park Homerun

In case a player doesn’t have the power to hit a ball over the wall, he could instead hit a homerun by tagging all the bases in one play and showcasing their impressive speed. As the game has evolved, inside-the-park homeruns have become less common, averaging about 1 for every 158 home runs over the last 50 years. Tom McCreery holds the record of three in one game, done in 1897. There have been nine inside-the-park home runs in World Series history, and Roberto Clemente is the only person in history to hit a walk-off inside-the-park grand slam. Ichiro Suzuki is the only player to hit one in the All-Star Game.

 

8- 6 Hits in a game

Freddy-Sanchez-Of-The-PiratesMost players would be pleased going 3 for 6 in a game, but some men have gone above and beyond. 96 times, players have accomplished the feat. Only two men, Rennie Stennett and Wilbert Robinson have managed 7 hits in a single game. Freddy Sanchez is the most recent inductee in the 6 hit club, going 6 for 6 in May 2009. Cal McVey managed, in 1876, to do it twice in a period of four days.

 

7- The Ultimate Grand Slam

Stadium Chris HoilesNo, not a Denny’s breakfast, but the seemingly cliché situation of being down by three runs, with the bases loaded, bottom of the ninth or an extra inning, when the batter steps to the plate, sees the pitch, and knocks the ball over the wall to clear the bases and win the game by one run. Many kids have done this in their mind while running through imaginary situations in their backyards, but only 22 men have done it in the big leagues. 13 of these came with two outs, and only one, Chris Hoiles of the Orioles, hit his with a full count.

 

6- Golden Sombrero

The Golden Sombrero is a game in which a single player strikes out four times. It is a dubious honor, used mostly in jest. Hopefully for all, the player wearing it has a sense of humor. The term derived from hockey’s “hat-trick” meaning 3 goals in a game, so adding another one, makes it a bigger hat. Mike Schmidt, arguably the greatest third baseman of all-time, claims to have had the lamest performance in the history of Major League Baseball. Not only did he strike out four times, but he did so on twelve pitches.

 

5- No-hitter

A no-hitter is a game thrown by a pitcher (or combination of pitchers) where the opposing team does not get any hits. There have been only 263 “no-no’s” thrown in baseball history. A perfect game, is also a no-hitter, the difference being that in a no-hitter the team can reach base via a walk, hit-by-pitch, or error. Because of this, a player can throw a no-hitter and still lose a game, although it is rare, occurring only once. Every major league team has had a no-hitter game thrown against them, but four have not have any pitched four by them, the Rays, Rockies, Padres, and most famously the Mets. Nolan Ryan holds the record of throwing seven no-hitters in his career, although interestingly, none of them were perfect games.

 

4- Unassisted Triple Play

AsdrubalA triple play is a unique, game-changing play. It is only topped by the unassisted triple play. They have only occurred a total of fifteen times in history. It is not as impressive as some of the other feats on the list, because while athleticism is a factor, a lot of luck is also needed. The conditions must be perfect. For starters, there must be no outs in the inning, and two men must be on base, the runners must be employing a hit-and-run strategy, that is leaving the bases immediately after the batter makes contact, instead of waiting for the ball to fall in for a hit. The ball must be hit hard at an infielder, typically the second baseman or shortstop. The infielder catches the line drive for the first out, then steps on the base for the second out, and finally tags the advancing runner for the third out. Eric Bruntlett, a backup 2nd baseman for the Phillies turned an unassisted triple play in August 2009, in the ninth inning, after already committing an error in the same inning.

 

3- The Natural Cycle

27 Lazzeri Portrait 2Hitting for the cycle is when a single player hits a single, double, triple, and home run in a single game. The natural cycle is defined as all these done in that specific order. It takes such a rare combination of power and speed that only fourteen men have done it. The most recent natural cycle was hit by Gary Matthews Jr. in 2006. Tony Lazzeri is the only player to cap his off with a grand slam in 1932.

 

2- 4 Homeruns in a Game

P1 DelgadoAs they say, chicks dig the long ball. Well they must really dig four in one game. It’s the power hitter’s dream day, 4 homeruns in one game. Sixteen men have accomplished this. Most recently, Carlos Delgado did it in 2003. Shawn Green and Mike Cameron had their games only 21 days apart, in May of 2002. Amazingly, Lou Gehrig’s 4 homerun day was the same day as Tony Lazzeri hit for the natural cycle in 1932.

 

1- A Perfect Game

Mark-Buehrle-Perfect-Game27 batters faced, 27 batters retired, the pinnacle of any pitchers career. In the history of major league baseball, only eighteen men have thrown a perfect game. For reference, more men have orbited the moon then have thrown a perfect game in the major leagues. Mark Buehrle of the White Sox became the eighteenth in July 2009. Nine different men have taken it to the edge, retiring 26 in a row, but not been able to get the final out. No pitcher has ever thrown more than one perfecto, and Don Larson is the only pitcher to ever hurl one in the post-season, during the 1956 World Series. The Yankees own three of the perfect games, including two only 14 months apart. When Babe Ruth was originally a pitcher, he was kicked out of the game by an umpire after walking the first batter and then arguing the call. The pitcher who came in to replace him, Ernie Shore, caught the base runner stealing, and then proceeded to retire the next 26 batters, but this does not count as a perfect game.

[jaysfan2014]

Reds make Jay Bruce available. How about it? I wouldn't mind it.. especially if they package a pitcher like Leake in there.

 

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/writer/jon-heyman/25240350/sources-reds-right-fielder-jay-bruce-is-available-in-trade

[Jimcanuck]

Reds make Jay Bruce available. How about it? I wouldn't mind it.. especially if they package a pitcher like Leake in there.

 

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/writer/jon-heyman/25240350/sources-reds-right-fielder-jay-bruce-is-available-in-trade

 

All for it if it doesn't involve any of the top 10 prospects. 2 or 3 top 11-20 prospects for Bruce and Leake would be fine by me. Bruce and the RC would be a good fit.

[flafson]

Looks like you took that from here: http://listverse.com/2009/08/31/top-10-impressive-single-game-baseball-feats/

 

I'd probably go:

 

1. 20 strikeouts

2. Four home runs

3. Perfect game

4. 1.0 Win Probability Added

5. 10 steaks

6. No-hitter

7. Four strikeouts in one inning

8. 10 innings pitched

9. Intentional walk drawn with bases loaded

10. Five stolen bases

11. Immaculate inning

12. The natural cycle

 

Has there ever been an intentional walk with the bases loaded?

Obviously ever is a big word but i have never seen that.

[vdubmvp]

Has there ever been an intentional walk with the bases loaded?

Obviously ever is a big word but i have never seen that.

 

These are the two I remember:

 

Josh Hamilton (2008) http://m.mlb.com/video/v3328194/hamilton-is-intentionally-walked-with-bases-loaded

Barry Bonds (1998) http://m.mlb.com/cutfour/2015/05/28/127075262/barry-bonds-is-intentionally-walked-with-bases-loaded

[LTR]

5 HR in a game, still waiting

 

- 1.0 Win Probability Added <--- this doesn't seem difficult considering Reyes does the inverse all the time

[SaskJaysFan_2]

These are the two I remember:

 

Josh Hamilton (2008) http://m.mlb.com/video/v3328194/hamilton-is-intentionally-walked-with-bases-loaded

Barry Bonds (1998) http://m.mlb.com/cutfour/2015/05/28/127075262/barry-bonds-is-intentionally-walked-with-bases-loaded

 

If those guys are hot I consider it, depending on the pitcher's ind record against those guys.

[L54]

All for it if it doesn't involve any of the top 10 prospects. 2 or 3 top 11-20 prospects for Bruce and Leake would be fine by me. Bruce and the RC would be a good fit.

 

Would not give up BA's #10 Jay's prospect, but would give up 11, 12 and 13.

 

Do you see the logic fail here?

[CrackerJack]

Donaldson is going to play in the HR Derby today even though he was sick with the flu and couldn't even play yesterday? Sounds about right.

 

well with the stupid campaign to vote him in, he probably feels he can't disappoint all his supporters.

[Spanky99]

These are the two I remember:

 

Josh Hamilton (2008) http://m.mlb.com/video/v3328194/hamilton-is-intentionally-walked-with-bases-loaded

Barry Bonds (1998) http://m.mlb.com/cutfour/2015/05/28/127075262/barry-bonds-is-intentionally-walked-with-bases-loaded

 

I believe it's happened on multiple occasions, with Bonds.

[Spanky99]

Man Prince had the same injury as me, he's healthy in less then a quarter of the time, and I have to hit the knife again. I feel like Andy Dirks man.

 

P.S. Good for him man.

[RealAccountant]

Man Prince had the same injury as me, he's healthy in less then a quarter of the time, and I have to hit the knife again. I feel like Andy Dirks man.

 

P.S. Good for him man.

 

Good luck man. I hope you recover fast and well

[GD]

Man Prince had the same injury as me, he's healthy in less then a quarter of the time, and I have to hit the knife again. I feel like Andy Dirks man.

 

P.S. Good for him man.

 

If it gives you any optimism I had the same injury as Dustin McGowan and was throwing a baseball about a year before he was. Granted, a few MPH slower, but...

[Spanky99]

If it gives you any optimism I had the same injury as Dustin McGowan and was throwing a baseball about a year before he was. Granted, a few MPH slower, but...

 

Lets not talk about injuries, I'm old, man.

 

Your pops age.

[jaysfan2014]

Astros want Johnny Cueto..

 

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/writer/jon-heyman/25240652/astros-needing-a-top-starter-expected-to-target-reds-johnny-cueto

 

Zero chance of them getting him.. Dodgers and Yankees will likely outbid Houston in every way, plus the Astros are not a sure thing for the postseason, and should be more focused on sustainability than trying to win now.. with Springer out, they should be more focused on getting controllable pitchers who will help in future years instead of trying to win this year.. the Angels are going to run away with the division, and the Astros just aren't ready yet.. more a 2016-2017 threat than this year.

[Boxcar]

I believe it's happened on multiple occasions, with Bonds.

 

If by multiple, you mean once. I like that the article painted that as a stroke of genius by showalter since the next batter lined out to end it.

[Spanky99]

If by multiple, you mean once. I like that the article painted that as a stroke of genius by showalter since the next batter lined out to end it.

 

I assumed it happened more than once with Bonds, nbd.

[LTR]

Where's the All Star Game GDT? Not that it matters really but:

 

American League All Stars

Dallas Keuchel (L)

 

1. Mike Trout ® CF

2. Josh Donaldson ® 3B

3. Albert Pujols ® 1B

4. Nelson Cruz ® DH

5. Lorenzo Cain ® RF

6. Adam Jones ® LF

7. Salvador Perez ® C

8. Jose Altuve ® 2B

9. Alcides Escobar ® SS

 

National League All Stars

Zack Greinke ®

 

1. Andrew McCutchen ® CF

2. Todd Frazier ® 3B

3. Bryce Harper (L) RF

4. Paul Goldschmidt ® 1B

5. Buster Posey ® C

6. Anthony Rizzo (L) DH

7. Jhonny Peralta ® SS

8. Joc Pederson (L) LF

9. DJ LeMahieu ® 2B

[LTR]

Strange line-up, Yost giving the vets a lot of respect Pujols 3, Cruz 4

[GD]

Strange line-up, Yost giving the vets a lot of respect Pujols 3, Cruz 4

 

Ned Yost with a strange lineup? well I'll be damned. I bet if Alex Gordon was in the ASG he'd hit him 6

[GD]

lol holy s*** the NL's lineup could crush the AL's

[BlueBirdBro]

Should I know who the NL 2nd baseman is? Lol. Did he win the vote? I admittedly focus a lot more on the AL and genuinely have no idea who won the NL 2B vote.

[RealAccountant]

How did Mike Trout get so good at baseball.