Tag Archives: MLB
I don’t usually write two Friday Notes posts in one month, but I was dog-sitting my funny little “nephew” Bentley for a week, and every time I don’t post for a while it’s hard to get back into blogging mode. In fact, it’s harder each time. I increasingly find social media less and less interesting or rewarding.
Some of that is on me, but more of it is disappointment and disgust with social media and technology companies in general. A bit more on that below.
Mostly, though, I wanted to — at long last — post the last two notes that have been lingering on my Apple Notes app for years (in one case, since 2018).
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17 Comments | tags: Bentley, Donnie Yen, entropy, gravity, Ip Man, Major League baseball, MLB | posted in Friday Notes, Movies
My first thought was to call this “Baseball Blues”, but that title didn’t fit, because I’m not particularly blue about it — whether that means depressed, naughty, or playing the. Nor did I intend any reference to an old, often pejoratively used, slang term for baseball umpires. As in, “Hey, Blue! Ya blind?! That pitch was way outside!”
What I am feeling about baseball, though, is decidedly blah, which is weird because after years of being very awful, my Minnesota Twins have had some good seasons and at long last become contenders. After some of the worst seasons in franchise history, that’s rewarding to see.
So why is it that I just don’t care?
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39 Comments | tags: baseball season, Minnesota Twins, MLB | posted in Baseball
Well, that turned out to be some World Series! The Washington Nationals go from Wildcard to winning it all — their first World Series win as a team!
So, congrats to the Nats!
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2 Comments | tags: Major League baseball, MLB, Washington Nationals, World Series, World Series 2019 | posted in Baseball
There has been a lot of talk in the baseball world about the abundance of both home runs and strikeouts. The former seems to come from the “juiced” ball this year as well as increasing effort by players to focus on “hitting it outta the park.”
That effort also appears responsible for the increase in strikeouts — which obviously can’t be blamed on the ball. Some think the increased focus on high-tech stats, the ability to record “launch angle” and “exit velocity” (not to mention distance), is responsible. Players are chasing the “long ball.”
So I thought I’d make some charts and see for myself.
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8 Comments | tags: home run, Minnesota Twins, MLB, strike out, Twins 2019 | posted in Baseball
Talk about mixed feelings! It was both very exhilarating — and slightly painful — to watch my Minnesota Twins rout the Seattle Mariners over the last three nights. The Mariners get a chance to get back some of their own this afternoon, and I almost hope they win. Being swept this badly is awful.
How awful? Well, so far: 25 more runs (36 total), 22 more hits (45 total), and 7 more home runs (11 total). The Twins pounded the Mariners’ starters, who only averaged three innings of work each (giving up 20 ER and 9 HR in 10.1 innings), while our own starters averaged six innings (and gave up only 8 ER and 3 HR in 18.1 innings).
Suffice to say the Twins are off to an awesome start this year!
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2 Comments | tags: baseball season, Major League baseball, Minnesota Twins, MLB, Seattle Mariners, Twins 2019, Win Twins | posted in Baseball
I haven’t written about my Minnesota Twins in a while. Blame it on 2016, the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad year. On top of a stunning turn in politics, the Twins had their worst year ever as a Minnesota team. (They were the Washington Senators until 1960.)
They did okay in 2017 with a winning season (.525 win record) and the second American League Wildcard. Of course, they lost to — guess who — the damn Yankees. The year also capped a weird three-year over-under-over pattern in terms of their expected performance.
In 2018, the stats look closer to expectations, which is to say sad, but it’s possible 2019 will be much happier.
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1 Comment | tags: 2018, baseball season, Major League baseball, Mariano Rivera, Minnesota Twins, MLB, Paul Molitor, Twins 2016, Twins 2018 | posted in Baseball
Well, whadda ya know, the Chicago Cubs won the World Series after being down 1-3 and pulling off a come-from-behind victory that took us all the way to extra innings in game #7 (after a weirdly brief rain delay between the ninth and tenth).
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10 Comments | tags: baseball post-season, Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Indians, Major League baseball, MLB, World Series, World Series 2016 | posted in Baseball
Tracking the inglorious ending. [click for big’n]
I’ve been putting off writing this post for two reasons: Firstly, my Minnesota Twins had such an awful year (worst ever) that it’s just too depressing to even think about (let alone write about). Secondly, this insane election season has been distracting, disgusting, and depressing, so it’s been a pretty shitty summer, and I’m feeling very out of gas and unhappy.
But as the MLB World Series begins today, and I’m pretty thrilled about both the long-suffering Cleveland Indians and the long-suffering Chicago Cubs being there (and hugely conflicted about who to root for), today seems the day to finally get this done.
I just wish it didn’t feel so much like an obituary.
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7 Comments | tags: baseball post-season, baseball season, Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Indians, Major League baseball, Minnesota Twins, MLB, Paul Molitor, Twins 2016, World Series | posted in Baseball
And on the Field of Dreams a new pitcher steps to the mound…
Miami Marlins ace pitcher, José Fernández, was killed in a boating accident early Sunday morning in Miami Beach. He was 24 and had been pitching for the Marlins since 2013, his entire Major League career.
And heaven certainly gained an ace starter. During his brief career, his ERA was never above (or even reached) 3.00.
But it’s obviously a devastating loss for his family, his friends and teammates, and for baseball in general. A sad day for all baseball fans.
Rest in pitching, dude!
1 Comment | tags: Jose Fernandez, Major League baseball, Miami Marlins, MLB, peace, pitchers | posted in Baseball
Speaking of big strike outs, my Minnesota Twins continue to slog along at the bottom of the pack. Things actually got a bit exciting just before the All-Star Game break, but the last week or so suggests the Twins are reverting to the hapless form from the first few months.
The Twins played their 108th game of the season back on August 4th. That’s two-thirds of a season. As of their first third, things were looking uglier than ever in their history. Fortunately, the second third here was significantly better, and July was even kinda awesome.
The batting has definitely improved, but the pitching is just killing us.
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3 Comments | tags: American League, Atlanta Braves, baseball season, Major League baseball, Minnesota Twins, MLB, Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Rangers, Twins 2016 | posted in Baseball
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