Sunday, October 30, 2016

Cleveland Indians at Chicago Cubs - world series game 3 - 7th Inning


Story of the game:
No Out SAC-bunt in the 7th of world series game three - #8 hitter, Center Fielder, Tyler Naquin's advances PR Michael Martinez to 2nd base after a lead-off base hit by #7 hitter, catcher, Roberto Perez (winning rbi via PH by Coco Crisp, batting in the 1 spot).

Chicago - Friday, October 28, 2016

Chicago Cubs Cleveland Indians 28 10 16
Cleveland Indians Chicago Cubs 26 10 16 Top 7 - No Out SAC-bunt [mlb advanced media]
Indians 1 - Cubs 0

Series:
Cleveland wins: 2
Chicago wins: 1



mh

World Series - Cubs defence is better, barring further Cleveland perfection ...


Watching World Series Game 3  - shaping up as a series for the history books?

Unfortunately, I saw the final score earlier today.

Once again I'm watching the game a day late (in this case - several hours after Game 4 has ended!).

[Edit - 16/10/30]
Kris Bryant leaps high in the air at 3B on loop base hit to left by Naquin in the 5th - Cleveland Indians Chicago Cubs 28 10 16 - screen capture mlb advanced media

That doesn't take away from my approach to this writing assignment ... That this is shaping up as one of the best World Series in history.

A Pitching and Defence juggernaut has marked this season's postseason; a condition I believe that the history of baseball hasn't seen since the 1960's (Koufax, Gibson, Marichal ...).

The Cubs defence is better, barring continued perfection from Cleveland pitching ... .

Saturday Game.



mh

Saturday, October 15, 2016

Indians high after game one win


Indians line-up looked like they were very happy to win game one.

Perhaps they doth celebrate too much?

Gibbons summed up:



Gibbons summed up his feeling for the series in a way that reflected the way I felt he played the first game:
  • Keyword - 'Relaxed';
  • Save your bullets;
  • Rest the Staff - Let Estrada pitch the whole game;
  • Taking the pressure off - a streaking team:
  • Which had won 6 in a row;
  • Hasn't lost a game since the 3rd last game of the season, against Boston;
  • Now facing a 7 game series against a very good team - that is also streaking.

Gibbons starts with gimpy Devon Travis at 2B, Travis hops off the field in the 5th inning; enter excellent defensive replacement Ryan Goins, into what is already a pitcher's duel.


Also Gibbons did not review Pillar's line drive ground-out to 2B in the 8th with 1 On and 1 Out (see article: http://baseball---blog.blogspot.ca/2016/10/sometimes-rhythm-sets-in-when-two.html).

So the Indians were very happy to win their 7th in row. Perhaps they shouldn't party too much. With an easy late September schedule compared to the American League East, they beat Kansas City 6 times in 2 series including the last three games of the season, but apart from those tête-à-têtes, the Clevelands lost two series in a row ... . All that is - is often not always perceived.

It's a crap shoot ... But perhaps it's an ebb and flow crap shoot?

I think Gibbons played it right.



mh

Sometimes a rhythm sets in when two pitchers are dueling ...


More on Gibby saving bullets; letting loose while the letting loose is available?

The Jays left 8 on base tonight. Blue Jays batting with RISP: 0-5 (Martin 0-2, Bautista 0-1, Travis 0-2)

This was just one opportunity that failed to produce a run ...

Pillars line drive to right with 1 On and 1 Out in the 8th gets picked by Cleveland's Kipnis at 2nd Base ... but the throw might have been late!

No review was requested.



The video manager of the Jays did not think this worth reviewing - or perhaps Gibbons didn't ask for an opinion?

Sometimes a rhythm sets in when two pitchers are dueling; if nothing breaks that field threshold, the first run scored in the ball game can become the last run scored in the ball game - the winning run.

That's what happened tonight, one call this or that, sends ripples though the 'ether' of a game like this.

If this play had been reversed (and there was a good camera angle to over turn it) - the Jays might have broken that threshold.

Was Gibby saving bullets; not sweating the details in this away game, 1 of likely 7 in this series?


screenshot via - http://m.mlb.com/video/v1206372783/alcs-gm1-kipnis-makes-an-incredible-diving-stop/?game_pk=487617

The rhythm in This game was fashioned by the great start of Corey Kluber (6.1IP), and the shut-down magic of relief pitching of Andrew Miller (1.2IP - and a 0.00 ERA over 4 games this postseason).

On the opposite side, Marco Estrada provided the counterpoint, with a near perfect eight-inning complete game.

screenshot via - http://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=361014105


TOR 0 - 2 CLE



mh

Monday, October 10, 2016

Baseball Talk: Martin, Donaldson talk baseball with reporters


Donaldson, Martin discusses calculated gamble home; team coming together.

Martin, Donaldson on teamwork


MLB advance media - Oct 9 2106 | Martin, Donaldson on teamwork | http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/94814812/v1204837883



mh

Josh Donaldson - mad dash to home.


Josh Donaldson post game interview is excellent:

"Josh Donaldson with a mad dash to home."

..

Interview man (no accreditation) --- It's a sort series - but how was this team able to answer every time seemingly, and put numbers on the board?

Donaldson --- "If I had that answer we'd do it every day. We came out, I thought we executed pretty well. They took advantage of some of our mistakes; we took advantage of some of their mistakes - it was kinda a back-and-forth battle ... kind of what everybody expected, minus the fact that we were kind of able to get the last one; and that's baseball sometimes."

...
mlb advanced media - Oct 9 2016 | Donaldson on walk-off win | http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/94814812/v1204786183


Their pitching had a bit of a down-spout; our pitching played amoungst their best games of their years. Their middle of the order hit a bit of a slump in the first two games; our middle of the line-up batted about .400 over 28 innings.

Here's the Jays' team batting stats as of now:



5 game series; it's a crap shoot!

 :/

They're getting better as we go forward! 

If you click on the 'Postseason' tab at the top in the image above live at espn you can look at the Baltimore Wild Card game included.

The top four are the same top four - with the addition that the man in the middle has moved up from 10 to 8.


Bullpens were evenly matched I thought.

 ;)



mh

Either it's a double play or it's the winning run ... It's the Winning Run!!!


By the time all the long shots had ceased in the 4th, I told my friend beside me at @HitchLimited that this might be amoungst the best baseball games he'd ever seen (I thought it was going to be a pitching duel with a heart-stabbing ending).

I wasn't wrong.

I'll not waste words here writing it out for you how it moved forward from there ... the line score is definitive. The teams battled back and forth until they were tied after six:

espn boxscore - http://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=361009114

And then the 10th:

Donaldson scores the winning run


A topsy turvy game ... with the home team ascendant.

:-)

(that's how I predicted it) 

;)


Image: espn boxscore - http://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=361009114

Video via mlb advanced media - http://m.mlb.com/video/v1204787183/textor-gm3-donaldson-hustles-home-clinches-alds/?affiliateId=clubMEGAMENU



mh

Friday, October 7, 2016

It must be tough for the Toronto in their Black & White now ...


Oh Woe is me! ... the whole population of the City falling into a catharsis for 'The Team'.

For those who still separate those that love sports, and those that love art - for those who separate sport and art like there is an 'Us and Them' ...

It must be tough seeing all the folks of the City - whether they be militarist know-nothings, or reactionary homophones, or racist dip-shits about to do, perhaps, an Orlando in their dreams ...

Or those who see the Art in Baseball, those who see the community in the thing ...

For all of a sudden for all the things come together ...

Oh Woe is me!

How to understand?

There is Art in athletics - just as there is art in war.

And as there is this-in-that; we all owe our attention to all of it.

So while enjoying our greatness - also our foibles.


(all formulations that resulted in these articles are from notes taken during - on this night - the Jays' game, and the Sox' game)



mh

@davidortiz AB in the 5th - #MLB Oct 6, 2016

#MLB Oct 6, 2016
@davidortiz AB in the 5th
2 On, 2 Out
Boston 3 - 4 Cleveland




[Brooks Baseball not showing at this posting (4:38am est).]



mh

Despite what the Battery thinks


Russell Martin/Marco Estrada hug after the win.

I took it to say:

'I was in your corner my friend; I just didn't have a say.'

(at the end of the line of the blue jays coming off the field after the win; the difference between all the  flip this-and-that macho bullshit - is the pitcher and the catcher hugging).

Video (not available in the @MLB CASH postseason)




mh

Wednesday, October 5, 2016

Slam! WIN! See you Thursday!

Dummy on TBS: "Two bat flips in two years..."

One pitch, one swing.

Encarnacion!



The Mic Drop


Image is a screenshot of mlb advanced media | Encarnacion Walk Off Oct 4 2016 - http://m.mlb.com/video/v1202668883/al-wc-encarnacion-launches-walkoff-homer-in-11th/?game_pk=487595


The crew at @hitchlimited didn't get over it for an hour.



mh

Stroman great pick by Gibbons; plays 'up' in the play-offs; better idea than Francisco Liriano?

.. as it turns out - not my pick - but hey, I was wrong.

Marcus Stroman was brilliant.

Stroman's six solid innings 10/04/16 | 00:30

via - http://m.mlb.com/video/v1202648083/al-wc-stroman-fans-six-holds-os-to-two-runs/?game_pk=487595



mh

The game story: Carrera RBI ties the game


Key was Carrera AB in the 5th.

Carrera singled to center, Saunders scored, Pillar to third;

Carrera RBI ties the game.

No video embed available (thanks to mlb 'advance media').

http://m.mlb.com/video/v1202613483/?game_pk=487595




mh

Bandwagon includes smart artzy condo dwellers east of Spadina


Crowd shot after great hit by Devon Travis - a single to left field to start the Blue Jays' rally in the bottom of the 11th:

Screenshot from http://m.mlb.com/video/v1202669683/al-wc-travis-starts-rally-with-single-to-left/?game_pk=487595



mh

"Sub-optimal Route"

Sabermetrics gone wrong ...

Here's an excellent example of a sports journalist using Sabermetrics to try and sound smart:

Kevin Pillars' screamer down the right field line in the 5th is fielded by RF Michael Bourn excellently ... he scoops the 3-ricochet ball off the wall and fires it back to the long cut-off at 1B - stopping the runner on 2nd (Michael Saunders) from scoring ... By a long shot.

I couldn't believe the hit didn't score a run!

Video starts with Michael Saunders' double down the line in left.

Statcast: Blue Jays set up rally - 10/04/16 | 00:01:02 Statcast of the Day: Michael Saunders and Kevin Pillar hit a pair of unlikely doubles to spur a game-tying rally in the 5th

Via mlb advanced media - http://m.mlb.com/video/v1202682583/al-wc-statcast-measures-saunders-pillars-doubles/?game_pk=487595

So the metrician reports that Bourn's route was sub-optimal.

Well, if he's two inches further south it's pretty f*king optimal.



mh

Sunday, October 2, 2016

Congratulations you bunch of f*king depressing bandwagon jumpers.

Only Detroit can upset Toronto's post season desires.

If Toronto loses tomorrow, and Baltimore wins - and Detroit wins - Detroit will play a postponed game against the Cleveland Indians to decide who is the 2nd Wild Card in the AL.

The Indians are playing great - the Detroits are backing into a playoff spot like the Jays.

The Jays are in.



But to win, you are obviously playing to win this last game against Boston - because the Jays will play the Bostons to get to the World Series.

Congratulations you bunch of fucking depressing bandwagon jumpers.



mh

Osuna and Martin reach an understanding

Last out is a Pedroia grounded out to second.

Cheers all about the Jays diaspora - and if you're watching, catcher Martin arrives at the mound just as Osuna turns around and they negotiate a hug - Martin wins. ;) He says (with body language),

'See, I told you!'



mh

Boston tie Jays 3-3 on Mookie Betts excuse-me double down right field line in 8th

No video.

Because we suck at covering baseball.

leading off, Mookie Betts' stop swing ricochets the pitched ball over 1B and down the line where Carrera has trouble with it on a wet warning track.

The two-base hit scores to tie the game on Osuna's balk.

mh

Osuna Balk!

Wait a minute. Come to a stop, then step off. Is not a balk.



The rules as described here don't address the popular diaspora. As far as I understand (and I've never called a balk in real time), if a pitcher comes to a stop with his foot on the rubber, he either has to throw the ball to the plate or step off the rubber.

Roberto Osuna stepped off the rubber.

MLB.com / Glossary / Rules / Balk / http://m.mlb.com/glossary/rules/balk



mh

Saturday, October 1, 2016

Oh, Woe is me - Jays 'must win' becomes Jays "MUST WIN"


Here's the instance:

No embed available from mlb 'advanced media':

http://m.mlb.com/video/v1196989283/?game_pk=449267

Can the Jays' keep pace with the late, consistent losing in the American League?

Let's see:


Nope.



mh