TWiB Notes - August 19 thru 25

[Frayed Knot]

Braves 3B Austin Riley out 'six to eight weeks' with a broken hand from a HBP during Sunday's game in Anaheim.
So that's essentially the regular season (and more?) including a late September series vs the Mets which could be meaningful.
He's been down somewhat this year compared to his three straight Top-7 MVP seasons but still good on both sides of the ball.
So Riley now joins Albies and Acuna on the shelf.

[Edgy MD]

They finally get Michael Harris back, but lose Riley. Fate really wants to keep that door open for the Mets.

Diamondbacks' second-baseman Ketel Marte also hits the injured list with a sprained ankle.

[Frayed Knot]

Series to start off the week:

- Diamondbacks @ Miami
Currently 7-4 Snakes in the 7th

Then starting Tuesday night
- Phillies @ Braves
- Brewers at Cardinals
- Twins @ Padres
- White Sox @ Giants
- Mariners @ Dodgers

And over in that other league: Guardians @ Yanx (in a not as rare as it used to be NYM & NYY at home simultaneously)

[Frayed Knot]

In Red Sox @ Astros Monday night, Boston's Jarren Duran HR'd on the first pitch of the game.
Then, with one out in the 9th and the game tied at 4-4, Houston's Yainer Diaz HR'd for a walk-off win on the final pitch of the game.
That probably hasn't happened too often.



Gio Urshela, just released by the Tigers on Sunday, quickly signed a ML deal with the Braves Tuesday morning who needed a quick replacement for Austin Riley. Urshela is a good fielder but he's obviously not going to be the same bat even compared to a down-year Riley.

[Edgy MD]

Bet they want their Luis Guillorme back.

[Frayed Knot]

Yanx lost by the same 9-5 score as us on Wednesday, but that game was 3-3 after 9
Both teams failed to score in the 10th and in the 11th despite the funny runner.
Guardians then batted around and put up a six-spot in top 12 while the Yanx could only counter with two.
Judge (3) and Soto (1) drove in four of the five runs which is how things go most nights for them.

[Frayed Knot]

Joey Votto has retired.
He signed a minor league contract with his home country Blue Jays this spring but never got a call-up to the big club so, after a not-very
inspiring 14-for-104 (3 2Bs, 2 HRs) stint at several minor league levels, he's walking away effective immediately.

[Frayed Knot]

Scoreboard watching after a day game:

- Brave just went up 2-0 on Philly (2R HR Orlando Arcia off Nola). Phils hitting in the 5th

- Padres getting thumped by mini-soda, 10-1 after 5

- Marlins taking it to the DBacks but still time to go, 6-3 in the 6th

- Giants did lose to the ChiSox earlier


So today is shaping up to be as good as Tuesday was bad for NYM post-season chances.

[Frayed Knot]

Phils tie up the Braves ... although the big news from Atlanta is the 'The Freeze' lost his race tonight.
Film at 11

[Frayed Knot]

Yanx won this afternoon vs Cleveland. Cole and relievers combined for a one-hitter.

But the bigger news is that Judge HR'd again. That's four for the three game series. (Yanx took 2/3)
So he's now at 48 for the season and on pace for 61 (60.75 if you want to quibble).
He leads all the AL in WAR, OBA, SLG, OPS (duh!), Total Bases, HRs (by 11), RBIs (by 17) and extra base hits.
He's hitting .334, second (12 pts) behind Bobby Witt. Is also second in walks (3 behind Soto) and first in intentional walks (17).
He's also a pretty good outfielder and has six stolen bases without getting caught.

[smg58]

Jason Heyward got DFAd by the Dodgers. With the exception of his BABIP, his numbers aren't radically different from last year. I think we'd have to go down to seven relievers, but for a waiver claim he might be a flyer worth taking.

[MFS62]

Yanx won this afternoon vs Cleveland. Cole and relievers combined for a one-hitter.

But the bigger news is that Judge HR'd again. That's four for the three game series. (Yanx took 2/3)
So he's now at 48 for the season and on pace for 61 (60.75 if you want to quibble).
He leads all the AL in WAR, OBA, SLG, OPS (duh!), Total Bases, HRs (by 11), RBIs (by 17) and extra base hits.
He's hitting .334, second (12 pts) behind Bobby Witt. Is also second in walks (3 behind Soto) and first in intentional walks (17).
He's also a pretty good outfielder and has six stolen bases without getting caught.

YAbbutt he ignored the NY Little Leaguers.
https://apnews.com/article/yankees-aaro ... 68902874bd
And the MFYs are doing backflips to defend him.
Later

[Frayed Knot]

Mariners fire manager Scott Servais

44 - 31 on June 18
20 - 33 since ... or 17 - 33 (.340) vs non-NYM clubs since June 18

[Edgy MD]

Gosh. Odd time to quit.

Mariner Holla-Fame catcher Dan Wilson takes over, despite no managing experience at any level. A special-assignment scout the last few years.

Joey Votto, who should get a suite in Cooperstown, announces his retirement.

[Frayed Knot]

Sox entered bottom 9 down 4-0 to Arizona in Fenway.
Closer Paul Seawald gave up a single then RBI double in his first four pitches ... and that's where the comeback died.

I think that's the DBacks' 30th win in their last 20 games but I'm gong to have to check the record on that.

[Frayed Knot]

In the not quite 72 hours since I cited Judge's HR pace above he has added three more to that total*.
He now stands at 51 for the year (only Ohtani has as many as 40) and is on pace for 63



* two today, including the middle one of the NYY back-to-back-to-back (Soto, Judge, Stanton) in the 8th inning