tOfficial 2014 MLB Ongoing Thread

[steveringo]

The sad tale of Daniel Bard.

Once the premier set-up man in all of baseball.... just releasd by TX after a few, uh... well, not-so-great appearances in A ball.

Over four appearances, he got two (2) outs. He walked nine batter. He hit another seven. He gave up thirteen runs. (but no one got a hit!)...

Yep. That is good for a 175.50 ERA, 13.500 WHIP, 121.5 BB/9.

 

[Sportsguy9695]

MLB admits to wrong interpretation of Rule in Pirates Reds game

Major League Baseball has acknowledged that it incorrectly interpreted the new home-plate collision rules when it overturned an "out" call at the plate on a controversial play in Pittsburgh on Wednesday.

The play took place in the third inning of the Pirates' 11-4 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. The Reds had the bases loaded with one out. Umpires on the field originally ruled that Pittsburgh pitcher Stolmy Pimentel's throw to catcher Russell Martin was in time to force out Cincinnati's Devin Mesoraco at home.

However, that call was overturned after the play was reviewed by officials in the replay command center in New York, and Mesoraco was ruled safe because Martin was deemed to have illegally blocked the plate with his foot.

After the game, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle phoned MLB's executive vice president of baseball operations Joe Torre to discuss the play. And on Thursday, Torre issued a statement saying replay officials hadn't properly applied the rule to the circumstances that govern a force play at the plate.

Torre said the play "was one of the most difficult calls that our umpires have faced this season, given that the positioning of the catcher at home plate was necessary to record the force out. After evaluating the play and the details of the review, we recognize that this play was not the type that should have resulted in a violation of Rule 7.13."

Source: ESPN

 

[navamind]

Future Games rosters announced

2014 Futures Game rosters announced | HardballTalk

 

[Fountain City Blues]

A New Tweak to the Collision Rule- Fixes Force Play Issue

MLB adjusts rule on home plate collisions after controversy - ESPN

Major League Baseball took a formal step Tuesday to clarify a portion of the new rule governing unnecessary collisions between baserunners and catchers at home plate.
In a statement sent to the baseball operations departments for all 30 teams, MLB said umpires have been instructed not to apply Rule 7.13 to force plays at home plate. The directive came several days after Joe Torre, MLB's executive vice president of baseball operations, said the rules were interpreted incorrectly to overturn an apparent force play in a game between Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.

[+] Enlarge Joe Sargent/Getty ImagesControversy following this play at the plate involving Russell Martin, left, and Devin Mesoraco forced MLB to adjust its rule on collisions at home.



"A number of questions recently have arisen about the application of Official Playing Rule 7.13 to force plays at home plate,'' the MLB statement said. "Rule 7.13 was adopted in order to prevent unnecessary collisions at home plate between a runner attempting to score and a catcher attempting to make a tag play on the runner. The Rule as intended has no function or purpose in the context of a force play (i.e., a runner attempting to score from third with the bases loaded). As a result, effective immediately, Umpires will be instructed not to apply Rule 7.13 to force plays at home plate.''
An overturned call led to controversy in the third inning of Cincinnati's 11-4 victory over the Pirates on June 18. Umpires initially ruled that Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco was out on a force play at home plate, then changed the call to safe because officials at MLB's replay command center in New York determined that Pirates catcher Russell Martin had illegally blocked home plate with his foot.
Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle was ejected for arguing the call, and Torre issued a statement saying replay officials had been incorrect in their application of Rule 7.13 -- which Torre said was designed solely "to prevent egregious home plate collisions.''
Rule 7.13 prohibits catchers from blocking home plate without possession of the ball and decrees that baserunners with an open route to home plate cannot diverge from a direct path to initiate contact with a catcher or other player covering home.
"Last night's play at home plate was one of the most difficult calls that our umpires have faced this season, given that the positioning of the catcher at home plate was necessary to record the force out,'' Torre said in a statement after the call in Pittsburgh. "After evaluating the play and the details of the review, we recognize that this play was not the type that should have resulted in a violation of Rule 7.13.''
In its statement to clubs Tuesday, MLB also said that contact between a runner and a catcher standing on home plate is still permissible within the limits of rules governing interference.
"But, while force plays at the plate will continue to be reviewable by video replay, a determination of whether interference or obstruction occurred during such plays shall not be reviewable,'' the statement said.

 

[Sportsguy9695]

Yoenis Cespedes and Yasiel Puig could face off in Home Run Derby

One-hit wonder? Not Yoenis Cespedes -- at least not if he has anything to say about it.

The Oakland A's outfielder, last year's Home Run Derby winner, told the San Francisco Chronicle on Wednesday that he is planning to defend his title in this year's derby on July 14 at Target Field in Minneapolis.

"I want to," he told the newspaper. "It's my choice."

A's general manager Billy Beane had expressed reservations before the season about Cespedes participating again in the derby, citing the risk of injury. Cespedes missed time with a wrist injury after last year's derby.

Manager Bob Melvin concurred on Wednesday, telling the Chronicle "there's always some trepidation whenever a team has a player doing that." Still, he said, "It's his decision, we understand that."

Cespedes might have a chance to compete against fellow Cuban, Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig. The American League side is captained this year by Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista and the National League by Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki. The captains will select their league's other four derby participants.

Source: ESPN

 

[HammerDown]

 

[BobGnarly]

He's on fire

 

[navamind]

Arrieta's been nasty this year. He's putting up some pretty ridiculous K/BB numbers too (10.30 K/9 and 2.23 BB/9). He does have a very low HR/FB rate, but even then, his FIP and xFIP numbers are ridiculously good.

I think his breakout's for real.

 

[HammerDown]

As a Yankees, Rays, Sox and Cards hater, this is best-case-scenario for me.

 

[HammerDown]

Arrieta's been nasty this year. He's putting up some pretty ridiculous K/BB numbers too (10.30 K/9 and 2.23 BB/9). He does have a very low HR/FB rate, but even then, his FIP and xFIP numbers are ridiculously good.

I think his breakout's for real.

If he faces the Padres this season, he WILL be getting a no hitter.

 

[Toucanbird]

[MEDIA=twitter]484008336061661184[/MEDIA]

As a Yankees, Rays, Sox and Cards hater, this is best-case-scenario for me.

It's nice to see the Blue Jays so resurgent.

Oh, and of course, I love seeing the Brewers up there as well. I felt like they were getting the shaft in almost everyone's pre-season rankings and they're proving they got a really volatile lineup.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

It's nice to see the Blue Jays so resurgent.

Oh, and of course, I love seeing the Brewers up there as well. I felt like they were getting the shaft in almost everyone's pre-season rankings and they're proving they got a really volatile lineup.

They shared a division for a long while, but I agree. Can't help but think the wheels are falling off somewhat, though. BP and INF are shallow at best.

 

[navamind]

They shared a division for a long while, but I agree. Can't help but think the wheels are falling off somewhat, though. BP and INF are shallow at best.

2B and C are pretty big holes for them right now. Doesn't help they traded Aviles and Yan Gomes for Esmil Rogers.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

2B and C are pretty big holes for them right now. Doesn't help they traded Aviles and Yan Gomes for Esmil Rogers.

I don't mind Navarro; anything is better than Arencibia was. Oof.

But I can do without the Gomes/Aviles reminders...

 

[navamind]

I don't mind Navarro; anything is better than Arencibia was. Oof.

But I can do without the Gomes/Aviles reminders...

Could be worse.

Red Sox traded Jeff Bagwell for 22 innings of Larry Andersen.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Could be worse.

Red Sox traded Jeff Bagwell for 22 innings of Larry Andersen.

Jays let Carpenter walk for nothing. He went on to win a Cy and 2 WS.

But I get what you're saying. Also, walkoff HR's are pretty cool. We're not exactly used to such joy up here.

 

[navamind]

Jays let Carpenter walk for nothing. He went on to win a Cy and 2 WS.

But I get what you're saying. Also, walkoff HR's are pretty cool. We're not exactly used to such joy up here.

If I had to root for anyone else to win the East (which the Sox are making more likely), it would be the Jays.

 

[Goldy]

I was expecting to see Cueto carve up the Padres. 3-0 SD in the 1st. Dammit, I hate baseball.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

If I had to root for anyone else to win the East (which the Sox are making more likely), it would be the Jays.

Looks like there will only be one playoff team from the East this year with the West looking like a 3 team powerhouse. I still think Baltimore has the trade assets necessary to do something big and snatch it from the Jays' grasp, especially if the Jays decide to grab a starter over infield help. I don't know how many more no-namers they can trot out there to play second.

 

[navamind]

I was expecting to see Cueto carve up the Padres. 3-0 SD in the 1st. Dammit, I hate baseball.

Don't worry, just about everyone was expecting Pedro Martinez to blow the Marlins away back in '99... didn't quite pan out