That tour sounds cool, in-laws oughta really like that, then to the south side of town for ChiSox, great times⚾️ 

but yeah there’s some doozies alright - Indians DH Franmil, out 6-8 weeks w/“internal oblique strain” ??

Mike Trout, out 2 mos, “Grade 2 calf strain”

Corey Kluber, 2 mos., “subscalpular muscle strain right shoulder”

& a whole litany of hamstring/groin/oblique/tommyjohns coming & going - King Wimp Luke Voit, entire season so far, “Grade 2 right oblique strain” 

”they’re good players but they don’t care about being in shape - we never had these injuries in my day”

that’s what Jim “Mudcat” Grant would’ve said, & RIP Mudcat Grant, 85, a great pitcher - he duelled Koufax win for win in the 1965 WS

White Sux win today. Just by percentage points, but the best record in baseball. Pretty impressive given all the injuries they've sustained. 

Tygiz also won & just like that, 1.5 GB KC, which has completely collapsed & we gotta keep Royals flushed this wknd

also collapsed, Bucs, the NL team I’ve always rooted for….if Cincy can do it so can Bucs, let’s go Pirates, coolest unis then, best new-era stadium now….🏴‍☠️ 

Yep ChiSox are doing this year what NY did in 2019, going great despite hammies & pulls, groins & obliques, labrums & hip flexors…..now the sticky stuff debacle, dear oh dear…..

🥱let’s go Sox, We Gotta stay 1 GB TB

this wknd, I root for Tribe over Bucs

Interesting comments from Tyler Glasnow. Pete Alonso of the Mets said something along these lines earlier this week. He said he'd rather pitchers put stuff on the ball so they can control it than lose control of a 100 MPH fastball at his head. 

Not sure I understand Glasnow saying that's why he got hurt though.

https://sports.yahoo.com/tampa-bay-rays-tyler-glasnow-suffered-partial-ucl-tear-will-try-avoid-tommy-john-surgery-injured-192809527.html

Me neither (Glasnow injury)

the penthouse & outhouse, SF & AZ, another beatdown today & AZ, L14, ugly - while top %age points goes back to Gmen, then TB if they win at Seattle tonite

early for sure but fun stuff going on - Sox must prevail, there’s no choice & no excuses this wknd vs a struggling squad

Clayton K (8-6) has figured in 14 of his 15 starts - is that as amazing a stat as it seems? He faces fellow Cy winner Blake Snell in his next start, & Blake, 2-3, 5.79….w/that record contract…….

fellow lanky lefty Chris Sale may return for the stretch run, but we won’t be in it by losing to the cellar dwellers, so let’s go boys, starting at 4:05 today

A. Mondesi, Raul’s son, returned earlier this week for KC returning from an oblique injury (or something like that)

Remember this? After all these years I still laugh at it.

https://www.mlb.com/news/the-racing-sausage-and-randall-simon?t=offbeat

He’s back, & a most interesting (?😮) 5-6 IP mini matchup underway between fabulously wealthy Ps McCullers Jr ($85M extension) & former Hou teammate Dallas Keuchel (3 yrs, $55M)

- latter having good year, but again - Sox-KC also underway &, 1/3rd into season, why does it already feel like a pennant race - every game seems crucial 

speaking of Jrs., that shoulder is bad news for Fernando Tatis & SD - a chronically bad shoulder on a $340M contract - he’s put up solid #s

…both Sox lost today…..now tied in the standings, & slipping in them

ChiSox were demolished 27-8 over the wknd by Houston (W7), which has streaked into the league lead w/Oakland - by %age points it’s Hou .606, Oak .603,  & both Sox .597

same in NL, it’s Giants-Dodgiz, they’re 1-2 overall, watta rivalry, Gmen 20 games over .500

three this week at TB (an unexpected L6), we gotta start winning-not-losing these series, Esp This One

Just read that a freshman pitcher on the Geo. Mason University baseball team died as a result of Tommy John surgery, or its after effects - 

This surgery has hurt not helped most Ps - shortened not lengthened their careers - dozens and dozens of MLB pitchers have had it, been sidelined 18 months as a result (give or take) & almost invariably, not the same when they finally return

they really need to take a look at what happened w/this young man

Uh oh

we’ve wandered into TB just in time for the debut of “MLB’s top prospect,” so they say, Wander Franco

MLB always has firsts for first names - like Yacksel, one of our Ps

two others too, Framber & Franmil, unsure of teams/last names (Franmil is w/Indians)

may Franco will Wander up to the plate & find Yonder catching (don’t recall last name or team)

@stephen 

Yeah apparently the kid put up amazing numbers in the minors. I guess he is only 20. The Rays have lost six straight so I guess they need a boost. From from what I heard, even given his young age he wasn't rushed. First player born in I think it was 2001 (might be 2000) to make it to The Show.

Going to Wrigley tonight. It's gonna be interesting too see how these "exams" will be administered. Ian Anderson of the Braves will be the first guy tested since they play a late afternoon game.

Cool, good interleaguer w/Tribe, have fun - yeah it’s crazy, relievers will be inspected b4 they leave the bullpen -

who are the inspectors? What do they inspect with - how long will inspections take - What Kind Of Uniforms Do Inspectors Wear??😮 - would love to see em in real official looking security type apparel, watta howl 

what if they bust someone, how long does it hold the game up for

envision a Brett type meltdown if a P closes out a game, only to have it negated after postgame onfield inspection….

Actually there’s precedence, Gaylord Perry was inspected, & sometime busted, for the original sticky stuff, his spitball

but by the umpires, not a separate team/league entity

Indeed, are these contraband inspectors team or league employees

….inspector Clouseau would have a field day, not to mention Inspctr. Henderson…

Lee, have you seen the espn story on the Savannah Bananas - they were mentioned when the topic was crazy team names - the Bananas are a big hit in Savannah, cool stuff

also, am I wrong or does one have to go back to Babe Ruth to find as good a hitting pitcher as Shohei Osuna - no injury yet this year & he’s proving the doubters like me wrong - he too is great for the game

Posted by: @stephen

Actually there’s precedence, Gaylord Perry was inspected, & sometime busted, for the original sticky stuff, his spitball

but by the umpires, not a separate team/league entity

Indeed, are these contraband inspectors team or league employees

….inspector Clouseau would have a field day, not to mention Inspctr. Henderson…

Pretty sure it's just the umps, not some other MLB employees or anything like that.

Yeah, Gaylord Perry didn't seem to really hide it and everyone knew he was doing it.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1535154.Me_And_The_Spitter_

I remember toward the end of Joe Niekro's career (I think he was with the Twins) he was accused to scuffing the ball. The umps went out to the mound to confront him and he casually tries to toss a small emery board (those things women use to file their fingernails) behind him. One of the umps catches him out of the corner of his eye. He was tossed and I think suspended. 😀 

Posted by: @stephen

Lee, have you seen the espn story on the Savannah Bananas - they were mentioned when the topic was crazy team names - the Bananas are a big hit in Savannah, cool stuff

also, am I wrong or does one have to go back to Babe Ruth to find as good a hitting pitcher as Shohei Osuna - no injury yet this year & he’s proving the doubters like me wrong - he too is great for the game

Nope, not familiar with them. There are a ton of goofy names. 

There have been some what I would call acceptable pitchers. There were some guys in the 50s and 60s that prided themselves on hitting but I would think nothing like Ruth. 

Ewell Blackwell, Reds hurler & watta hurler - no hitter 6/18/47, then in his next start June 22 vs Bklyn, Takes A No Hitter Into The 9th Inning In A Bid To Be The 1st Since Johnny Vander Meer To Throw Consecutive No-No’s 

Johnny is a teammate now, & w/he & the Crosley Field crowd going nuts urging him on - Ewell loses it w/one out & settles for a 4-0 two hitter

Eddie Stanky broke it up - Eddie “The Brat” Stanky - great baseball lifer, but he had stanky feet for brains that time when as ChiSox manager he said Yaz was an all star “from the neck down” -

he said this in 1967, when Carl was merely burning down the league - yes fans gave Eddie the Full Reminder of that comment when he visited Fenway after that

fast-forward a decade to Eddie Pt 2 - leaves his college job to manage Texas Rangers - debuts 6/22/77 beating Seattle - then resigns next day & goes back to college job

Indians game was fun, even though the Flubs' offense does not exist.  It was so nice to see a full stadium. The first time Flubs pitcher Alzolay came off the mound to go to the dugout the umps went to him for his inspection. Our seats were right over the Flubs dugout so I was watching it. The umps all came over, checked his cap, glove and belt. Took all of 15 seconds and didn't delay the game at all. I think the Indians were already on the field. 

Wasn't a big deal.

Good to hear a 1st hand account, I read more into it than what it is, guess Scherzer thought they went overboard  w/it last night tho….

but now that they know they’re being watched, guessing Ps won’t bother taking the chance of getting busted

That one guy dropped his drawers when he was getting checked. The ump laughing at him was funny.

It’s Fenway & the Bay Area this wknd, obviously

Sawx-Yankees, nuf said

but suddenly, Hou W10 & A’s tied for 3rd overall w/both Sox & LAD

its Johnny Cueto (5-3) vs Sean Manea (6-3) tmrw nite - Johnny 132.1 IP over last 3 seasons going into this season - Manea 83 IP over last 2 seasons going into 2021 - but they’ve held up so far & their teams are going good

Let’s go Sox

Posted by: @stephen

 

Sawx-Yankees, nuf said

 

I was surprised they aren't on the Sunday night game. I get that the Flubs & Dodgers are iconic franchises but ESPN has a hard on for Yanks/Red Sux.

Actually, it is funny because some local broadcasters and writers here complain that The White SUX are never on Sunday Night Baseball but the Flubs are. True. But it's really simple. Even though the White Sux are in first place most of the country would rather see the Flubs.

I don't think MLB can flex a series like the NFL does if a game(s) means something at the end of the year.

Nice game by the Flubs last night. A four pitcher no hitter. I dunno how I would feel is I were Zach Davies. I went to bed and didn't see the finale but to throw six no hit innings and get pulled has to be somewhat bittersweet. And for a no hitter being thrown the celebration was somewhat muted. 

But they got a win. 😀 

Sawx had the same thing in mind after taking out Pivetta - but settled for a two hitter & a scoreless tie after 9 - only, the guy fanned for the 3rd out - on a WP - w/a runner on 3rd😖

Trying not to get too excited but the Yankees offense finally looks like it is coming to life. Should be a great series with the Red Sox this weekend.

@bill_graham 

Saw this "combine" thing on ESPN yesterday where these kids are showing off their talent and Andy Pettite's kid was on it. He's also a pitcher. 

 

SAWX, taking a wknd series in the Brawnx’d be a cool breeze on a hot day - & it’s hot🌞 - 

😮Nothing has changed - it’s Hot out & will be for another couple of days

& the cool breeze came along alright - not so much outdoors but YABABY - 2 straight sweeps & it goes further than that w/NYY 

watta team - thought Sox may not have it this year - but still can’t say I’m shocked necessarily either - long way to go

 

Tygiz also won & just like that, 1.5 GB KC, which has completely collapsed & we gotta keep Royals flushed this wknd

 

Again, it’s a repeat - the bowl clogged when we tried to flush Royals last wknd

this is a quick-turnaround chance to make up for that &, not that I’m getting greedy but even 2 of 3 wins would be a slight downer - KC has slid further back since last wknd, now tied w/Tygiz & Twins

It’s Us, TB & A’s At 47 Wins Each Trailing Hou - Let’s Go Sawx🧹 🧹 🧹 

Posted by: @lee

Posted by: @stephen

Posted by: @porkchopbob

Brewers just got Yelich back and seem to have found their bats again. 

Yep the Crew has caught fire & even Cincy has snuck into the race 

 

 

Yeah the Brewers are on quite the roll. Cincy too as you said. 

Yep if Cubs lose tonite Brewiz (W5) will have opened up a 3 game lead - they’re playing well & their 3 games w/Cubs this week, pivotal 

but Jackie - bummed to see the .156 BA - a complete mystery what the bug is at the plate for this otherwise great ballplayer