This Week in Baseball 5/5 - 5/11

[vivalaultra]

After doubling in the 2nd inning against the Dodgers a few minutes ago, Lance Berkman is 19 for his last 25, only the 2nd player to do that in the last 50 years (Albert Pujols did it in 2003). This BLT combination in the middle of the Astros' order is very fun to watch and, if healthy, could boost the Astros to respectability and contention.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe]

If Kei Igawa starts another game at the major league level for the Yankees I will be a very unhappy human being.

 

On the other hand, Rasner has put 2 quality outings back to back since getting the call. Hopefully, Ian P. Kennedy is on the way back and Rasner can stay in the rotation until Hughes returns.

 

But please.

 

Enough Igawa.

[Dandy]

Okay, put on your thinking caps before reading this one. Reds vs. Mets, Corey Patterson is supposed to lead off the 9th inning. David Ross goes to bat instead (both were late inning substitutions). Ross flies out to the warning track. Patterson then comes to the plate. Jerry Manuel alerts Willie Randolph that the two batters were mixed up and should have batted in the opposite order. The umps confer for 5 minutes, and rule that the out would be charged to Patterson, and Ross will now bat. The Mets defenders are holding up to fingers all around to state that there are two outs, yet the official scorer, the announcers, etc. maintain that there is only one out. Ross singles up the middle. Now, the umps have taken an additional 10 minutes to try to figure out if they got it right or not, and how many outs there are. They just now ruled that they had it correct, there is one out, and Ryan Freel is now batting.

 

What the Mets were claiming was Patterson should be automatically out for not coming to bat. Ross, batting in his normal spot in that line of thinking, then flew out. They were maintaining that Freel should have been up with two outs. Not sure if they will go over this on Baseball Tonight or anything, but the significance is that not only did a couple of Reds players get it wrong, so did the manager and coaches. Horrible, horrible job at managing a game.

 

Edit---In the post-game interview, Dusty said this is the second time this has happened to him. He isn't talking about the double switch fiasco in Chicago from a few years ago. He said when he was a player, the lineup card was different from what they told him and some others and he batted in place of Ron Cey and hit into a force out. Cey was ruled out as the batter of record, Dusty batted again and hit a three run homer.

[EVIL~! alkeiper]

The umpires were correct and the Mets incorrect. If an improper batter makes an out and the opposing team appeals, the proper batter (Patterson) is out. Play continues with the next batter in the order, in this case Ross. Rule 6.07 (b)

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/downloads/y2008/off..._the_batter.pdf

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe]

Yanks and Kittens are rained out.

 

Best news to come out of today: Kei Igawa's next turn in the rotation is being skipped!

[Bruiser Chong]

Glad to see the Cubs overcame Lou's fixation on using Chad Fox in critical spots. He shouldn't be on the major league roster, let alone involved in big spots. Sean Gallagher looked great, though, which makes me a bit happier that Brian Roberts deal never went through, since it would've been Gallagher, Cedeno and more going to Baltimore.

[Mik]

How does everyone feel about the Marlins having the best record in the NL 1/4 of the way through the season?

 

I feel pretty great about it.

[EVIL~! alkeiper]

How does everyone feel about the Marlins having the best record in the NL 1/4 of the way through the season?

 

I feel pretty great about it.

Considering I thought they'd be awful, it's a great start. I think the offense can hold up, but I doubt that pitching staff. Particularly with their infield defense. I'm more stoked that the Phillies haven't stunk early in the season.

[Guest College Party]

How does everyone feel about the Marlins having the best record in the NL 1/4 of the way through the season?

 

I feel pretty great about it.

They're playing very well, but I don't think they'll sustain it. The Phillies and Mets are going to wind up ahead of them by the halfway mark. Not gonna lie, I don't want to see the organization rewarded for dealing away their marquee players and strongarming a publicly-funded stadium out of the state in a dogshit economy as they sit back and collect revenue sharing money.