MLB Season 23

[Dixie Flatline]

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Love to see it. Liam Hendriks is back.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Link to a longer video of the standing ovation Hendriks received from the White Sox fans.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Tremendous story from Jeff Passan about Liam Hendriks. Well worth the read. I might be somewhat biased, since Hendriks is an Aussie who once pitched for the A's, but I'm so happy that he's beaten cancer.

'Beating everything is my goal': Inside Liam Hendriks' journey back to MLB

Two months after announcing he is cancer free, the White Sox closer returned to the majors.

www.espn.com

 

[Upstart Swan]

I just don't understand if that the case, why only build a 30k seat stadium.

Well, we can't know how the minds of the A's ownership geniuses work, but here's some possibilities:
a) Because they don't want the eyesore of permanent tarps the entire season
b) Because they're going to sneak a clause in the lease they makes the State of Nevada responsible for all renovation and refurbishment costs, including an eventual stadium expansion (see the Stan Kroenke/St Louis Rams playbook)
c) Because their (second-choice) Vegas site is kind of tiny. It's 9 acres of land, and considering the average field takes up 4.5 acres that doesn't leave a lot of space for stands and bleachers, concession areas, walkways, parking, and so on.
c) Because 30,000 is the figure Dave Kaval scribbled on the back of an envelope on the flight to Vegas
d) Because 30,000 is plenty big enough. Remember they are going to have sellouts for every game (even the Tuesday afternoon ones against the Miami Marlins) to meet their projected 2.5 million annual attendances. I mean, it's not Dodgers attendance numbers, but would put them just outside the Top Ten drawing teams. Sure, they could draw even more with a bigger stadium, but John Fisher's not greedy!

 

[DEVO]

This may be the lowest point in the 150-year history of the Braves, a series defeat at the hands of the one of worst MLB teams ever, the Oakland Athletics.

 

[Upstart Swan]

This may be the lowest point in the 150-year history of the Braves, a series defeat at the hands of the one of worst MLB teams ever, the Oakland Athletics.

Let's all laugh at the A's. This thread is becoming like Bay 13.

 

[RPCB]

Series win over the Rays, 1-0 and 2-1 wins. The only thing that made sense in that series is the Cubs are a s**t offensive side.

 

[Upstart Swan]

Texas suddenly the best team in baseball at the moment. Also the best offense.

Bruce Bochy doing a great job, and I'd be happy to see Marcus Semien have some success.

 

[CrowdedHouse]

Bally Sports San Diego doesn't pay the Padres on time per their contract, so going forward MLB producing all Padres games for TV.

 

[Upstart Swan]

Bally Sports San Diego doesn't pay the Padres on time per their contract, so going forward MLB producing all Padres games for TV.

Texas Rangers are in a similar situation with their Bally Sports partner missing payments. I imagine a few other teams as well.

 

[MatthewB]

 

[Upstart Swan]

 

[largebus]

Reports that Stephen Strasburg has nerve damage and will probably never pitch again.

Thanks for the flag Stras but it's time to say goodbye.

A shame considering this season, when I've watched, hasn't been too bad all things considered.

 

[hotchilli]

 

[Jatz]

I'm going to hell for laughing at this but * me it's funny.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Astros @ Blue Jays on ESPN this morning. The Astros put 6 on Alek Manoah in the first inning and he was knocked out of the game after giving up a grand slam to Corey Julks on the first pitch he tossed at Julks. Manoah is the living definition of chocolates to boiled lollies. Was struggling even before today's outing and pitching 0.1 or 0.2 innings (I can't remember if he got one or two outs) and giving up six runs isn't going to help much.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Jeff Passan's early trade deadline article is an interesting read:

Passan's early MLB trade deadline preview -- who are the names to know?

From Ohtani to Bieber to Soler, here are all of the names who will shape this summer's trade season.

www.espn.com

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The Rangers reinstated RHP Spencer Howard from the 60-day injured list, taking the active roster spot of RHP Jonathan Hernandez, who has been optioned to Triple-A Round Rock. To open a spot on the 40-man roster, the Rangers put RHP Jacob deGrom on the 60-day injured list. DeGrom has already been on the injured list since 29 April thanks to inflammation in his throwing elbow and had yet to begin a rehab assignment. The transfer to the 60-day injured list means he could be reinstated as soon as 28 June 2023, but it is now unclear whether he has had a setback in his rehab. He is set to undergo a follow-up MRI this week.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The Milwaukee Brewers have announced that they have reinstated INF Luis Urias from the 60-day injured list, optioning fellow INF Mike Brosseau to open a spot on the active roster, while first baseman Darin Ruf was put on the 60-day IL to open a spot on the 40-man roster. Urias has missed all but the first game of the season with a left hamstring strain.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The Blue Jays are giving away a replica cricket jersey for attendees at the Rogers Centre. Looks pretty good, actually. Wouldn't mind acquiring a copy for myself, but I don't think it'll ever be officially sold online.

In the meantime, the Astros tacked on two more home runs to make it an 8-1 ball-game after the top of the fourth inning.

Speaking of the Astros, they have promoted infielder Grae Kessinger to the major league roster, optioning Cesar Salazar to open a spot on the active roster and putting Luis Garcia (recovering from Tommy John surgery) onto the 60-day injured list. The promotion of Kessinger is to give the Astros some cover after Jose Altuve has missed a couple of games with an oblique strain, although the Astros have used Bregman at third, Pena at short stop, Dubon at second base and Abreu at first base.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The Atlanta Braves announced that they have claimed INF Luke Williams

Luke Williams

Age

44

Ht

185cm

Wt

82kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.7

2star

K

5.1

2star

HB

4.5

3star

M

2.8

3star

T

1.5

3star

No current season stats available

D

3.4

1star

K

1.6

1star

HB

1.8

2star

M

1.4

2star

T

0.2

3star

off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers and have sent him to Triple-A Gwinnett. The Braves have put LHP Max Fried on the 60-day injured list (retroactive to 6 May) to open a spot on the 40-man roster for Williams. RHP Michael Soroka was optioned to Gwinnett.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The Washington Nationals have designed RHP Andres Machado for assignment, and are recalling RHP Jordan Weems from Triple-A to fill the spot on the major league roster. Weems was already on the 40-man roster, so the Nationals will have an open spot on their 40-man roster for a while. It will be the second time that Weems has appeared in the season for the Nationals, having pitched 2 1/3 innings for the Nationals without giving up a run earlier in the season.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/06/05/nats-could-really-use-lefty-reliever-one-could-be-coming-soon/

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The Tampa Bay Rays have announced that they have put INF Brandon Lowe on the 10-day injured list due to inflammation in his lower back, retroactive to 4 June. Vidal Brujan has been recalled from Triple-A Durham to take the spot on the roster.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Another two-run bomb for Houston makes it 10-1 Astros in the top of the fifth. Ouch, Blue Jays. Almost within sight of seeing a position player pitching for Toronto.