Bleacher Bums Forum

That was a good win, avoid getting swept.  Still holding a 2-game lead on Phillies.  I think it would be really desirable to hand onto seed #4, the Phillies have some talented pitching and obviously have some HR-hitters.  So they could be a tough wildcard matchup, especially if Boyd or Shota or Gausman are getting used, all of whom are HR-galore.  Would way rather face them in Wrigley.

I thought Counsell had a really smart game.  Final score 19-2 makes it look like an easy win.  But when down 2-0, then down 2-1 with two-on-no-outs, that didn't look like an easy win.  Usually managers just let their starters go until they either get bombed or get to pitch count.  That was really smart to get Shota out of there before he gave up the 3-run homer and turned a winnable game into a blowout.  Smart to recognize that Shota didn't have much, and that getting him out while you were still in the game was the way.  Well done, I thought. 

In Japan they deliver even on Sundays.

This umpire is having a really bad night.

Yeah, that's why you trade for Gausman. No stress, no drama, no damage against a pretty good offense on the road. He's a very KISS sort of pitcher.

Just saw Conforto's home run, that was seriously crushed. 110.9 MPH, 431'.

AZ starters tonight and tomorrow have 7-1 and 13-4 records, combined 20-5.  Pretty good.  3.39 and 2.61 ERA's.  Would be nice to find a way to split those two games.  30 games left, 20 games over right now.  Won't be easy, but playing .500 down the stretch would get to 91 wins.  My pre-season prediction was 93, still within possible reach. 

Deeg, do the metrics for June through August show the same thing?  I don't know, just asking.  Just thinking that composite season peripherals include April and May, when he was good by traditional measures as well.  But often pitchers aren't the same when the innings have piled up.  Perhaps especially a guy who pitched deep and hard and pitched more innings than anybody in baseball last season.