TWiB Notes - July 1 thru 7

[Frayed Knot]

Marlins DFA Tim Anderson. That's been quite a fall.

2019: leads league in hitting (.335). 865 OPS/128OPS+
2020: 7th MVP, Silver Slugger. 886/140
2021: 806/118, All-Star.
2022: 734/109, All-Star. Falling, but not yet bad.
2023: 582/61 (524 PAs)
2024: .214/.237/.226, That's a result of going 50 for 234; 47 singles/3 doubles. 7 Walks/68 Ks

He just turned 31 last week.
Hard to fathom.

[The Hot Corner]

In a different era, I would have thought steroids. However, his career is after the clamp down on steroid usage. Rather mystifying.

[MFS62]

I never saw him much, but does the new rule about staying in the batter's box have something to do with it?
A guy who likes to step out between pitches could really have his timing wrecked by that.
Just guessing. If there is nothing medical (e.g.- his eyes are going bad) it could be something like that.

Later

[Edgy MD]

Anderson sure looked like his old self when the Marlins came to New York three weeks ago.

As for what happened to him, maybe we'll find out more, but it was fascinating how seemingly the whole league took José Ramirez' side when the two of them got in that punchup.

[smg58]

In a different era, I would have thought steroids. However, his career is after the clamp down on steroid usage. Rather mystifying.

He was never that much of a power hitter. If anything, Anderson is like Jeff McNeil. I'm inclined to think they both started with a physical issue that affected their swing, and then it morphed into something psychological and now they're both kind of lost.

[Frayed Knot]

June Player of Month awards:

AL - Aaron Judge
NL - Bryce Harper

AL Pitcher - Garrett Crochet (CWS)
NL Pitcher - Christopher Sanchez (PHI)

AL Rookie - Wyatt Langford - (TEX) ... always nice to sew up the award by hitting for the cycle on national TV on the final day of the month
NL Rookie - Jackson Merrill (SDP)

AL Reliever - Carlos Estévez (LAA)
NL Reliever - Ryan Helsley (StL) ... Huh, not a NYM!

[Edgy MD]

Dedniel Nuñez in June threw 14 1/3 innings in relief to the tune of a 1.88 ERA.

Adrian Houser in June threw 16 2/3 innings in relief to the tune of a 1.08 ERA.

Ryan Helsey in June threw 13 innings in relief to the tune of a 2.77 ERA.

There are, of course, further nuances that suggest Helsey is still the guy to vote for (12 saves!), but let's not tar everybody with the brush meant for the likes of Festa and Jay.

[Frayed Knot]

Well at least Diaz is having a good week in relief ... that of course would be baby brother Alexis Diaz of Cincy.
Two nights, two innings, two one-run saves vs the Yanx on a total of six batters faced (one BB, one GiDP).
Tues: 5-4 Reds
Wed: 3-2 Reds
Tonight he got Juan Soto to pop out to end the game.



Braves beat Giants.

[Frayed Knot]

Reds wrapped up the 3-game sweep of the Yanx on Thursday with an 8-4 win following two one-run games.
Yanx are 5-13 over the last three weeks.

The NL has now completely erased their early deficit in IL games and actually leads the 'series' 188-187



Braves v Phillies this weekend so, if we can manage to take care of business against Pitt's top pitchers, we'll at least gain ground on someone.

[Frayed Knot]

Hey check it out, ESPN chose to make the Yanx & Sawx the Sunday Night game!! Whoda thunk it?!?

2-0 Sox in the 8th on two solo HRs
The Sawx, after a 15-10 month of June and 4-1 so far in July, are 8 games over .500 coming into tonight after just treading .500 water thru May 31


And yet Sox starter Cutter Crawford, 7 innings, 0 R, 3 H, and just 68 pitches thru 7 innings is pulled for a reliever to start the 8th.
He had a 3.24 ERA (coming into tonight) thru 18 starts this year.

[Frayed Knot]

3-0 Sawx is your final. All Sox runs on solo HRs, two by Rafael Devers.

[Edgy MD]

Cubs pitcher Colton Brewer punching the dugout wall on Saturday, following a tough outing in which he threw just two thirds of an inning, allowing three runs, one earned, on two hits and two walks. He also commited a throwing error and hit a batter.



The wall, sadly remains undefeated, and the next thing Brewer got to hit was the injured List on Sunday with a fractured hand. On such brief moments of poor judgment do seasons frequently turn.