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Monday, May 04, 2009

Primer Dugout 5-4-09

Your May 4th Primer Dugout.

Designated Sitter (GGC) Posted: May 04, 2009 at 11:28 AM | 37 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: dugout

Reader Comments and Retorts

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1. Bob Dernier Cri

Posted: May 04, 2009 at 01:16 PM (#3162837)

What, no Happy Birthday to Rene Lachemann?

Rene Lachemann's baseball card was my absolute favorite when I was a kid. IIRC, and I rarely do, it showed Lachemann, maskless but in a catcher's stance, with the front of his cap blacked out, evidently because he'd just been traded or something. (And whaddya know, I do RC. That green uniform is unearthly.) The back of the card announced portentously that Rene's brother Marcel was pitching in the A's organization, so there might be a Lachemann battery in the A's future. But Rene never did catch Marcel in the majors.

2. Crispix Attacks Posted: May 04, 2009 at 01:23 PM (#3162844)

Chris Davis update: in the last 4 games he has struck out only 4 times, and walked 3 times, vastly improving his ratio to 37 strikeouts and 7 walks, in 89 PAs.

He's started 22 of the Rangers' 24 games, so he's now on pace for 250 strikeouts and 48 walks, if my math is correct.

3. greenback

Posted: May 04, 2009 at 04:20 PM (#3163048)

Are there any benefits to being a team's union rep? I mean, aside from knowing you're doing a great service to humanity? Something subtle like an annual meeting in Hawaii would suffice.

4. RJ in TO Posted: May 04, 2009 at 04:23 PM (#3163054)

Are there any benefits to being a team's union rep? I mean, aside from knowing you're doing a great service to humanity? Something subtle like an annual meeting in Hawaii would suffice.

Less likely to get demoted? I seem to remember reading something years ago about how teams often gave the union rep position to a guy they liked who was at the end of the roster - utility guy, or middle reliever - as the position made it less likely that they would be sent down.

I don't know if that's generally the case, however, as it may have just been one team which did this.

5. Designated Sitter (GGC) Posted: May 04, 2009 at 04:26 PM (#3163058)

Are there any benefits to being a team's union rep? I mean, aside from knowing you're doing a great service to humanity? Something subtle like an annual meeting in Hawaii would suffice.

They vote in the guy who isn't in the room during the meeting.

6. Dewey, Steven Wright Wannabe and Soupuss Posted: May 04, 2009 at 04:29 PM (#3163066)

Last nights ESPN Sunday Night Baseball was excruciating, and not just because the White Sox played like dung (Nick Swisher would never have a place on that team, not at all!)

It was overproduced, they kept on cutting away from the action to show meaningless crap (do we really need to see Josh Hamilton's face while you're interviewing him instead of the game?), and they had Steve Phillips in the same booth with Joe Morgan for a cataclysm of dumb.

(Paraphrasing here) -

Steve Phillips - You need to have more weapons than the home run. Since 2000, only one team that led the league in home runs has made the playoffs - the 2003 Yankees.

Jon Miller - Wait a minute, the 2008 White Sox led the league in homers!

Steve Phillips - Yeah, you really need to have more weapons than the home run.

Couple that with Joe Morgan talking about how great DeWayne Wise and Wilson Betemit are, and it was just horrible to watch.

7. greenback

Posted: May 04, 2009 at 04:29 PM (#3163068)

I thought I had heard the opposite, that union reps had a tendency to get demoted just to make life hard for the MLBPA. OTOH I just learned today that Kyle McClellan is the Cardinals' rep, which would help explain why it was taken granted that he was on 25-man roster even though he was bad at the end of 2008 and struggled in spring training this year.

It just seems like a position that would have a lot of trouble finding a taker on some teams. The stars don't want to bother with that stuff and the leaders in the clubhouse don't want to be perceived as agitators. The money can't be good, relatively speaking, and I'm not sure that pay for that service is even legal.

8. RB in NYC (Now with New iPhone!) Posted: May 04, 2009 at 04:42 PM (#3163083)

Joe Morgan talking about how great DeWayne Wise and Wilson Betemit are, and it was just horrible to watch.

I can't speak to Wise, but Morgan likes Betemit? Even at his best Betemit's skill set--low average, high OBP, can play all over the infield but doesn't excel anywhere--seems like he wouldn't be Joe's type.

9. Dewey, Steven Wright Wannabe and Soupuss Posted: May 04, 2009 at 04:48 PM (#3163098)

Even at his best Betemit's skill set--low average, high OBP, can play all over the infield but doesn't excel anywhere--seems like he wouldn't be Joe's type.

I don't think that Wilson Betemit is who Joe Morgan thinks he is.

10. Gamingboy Posted: May 04, 2009 at 05:08 PM (#3163140)

Okay, this is chewing at my brain: Who holds the record for most HRs in a career without a grand slam? Is it still Glenn Davis?

11. Philippe Posted: May 04, 2009 at 05:11 PM (#3163144)

I was writing a biography of Bob Smith, a pitcher for the Boston Braves in the 1920s and 1930s, for the BR Bullpen yesterday and found something strange see here. In his minor league record, he is shown as playing about 40 games as a catcher in the International League in 1934, at the same time as he was pitching a full season in Boston. Now, he was a converted infielder, but otherwise never played catcher, and there is no other "Bob Smith" in the minor league database in that time frame. Since Bob Smith's name is basically ungoogleable, can anybody help me in figuring out who that mysterious catching line belongs to ?

12. Philippe Posted: May 04, 2009 at 05:12 PM (#3163146)

Gamingboy: still Glenn Davis. Ron Kittle is second.

13. Hack Wilson Posted: May 04, 2009 at 05:12 PM (#3163147)

Steve Phillips and Joe Morgan--I watched the game with no sound. I did enjoy watching Chris Davis do the splits, although it was also painful to watch.

And, yes, years ago union reps appeared to be traded often, at least ballplayers believed so.

14. What Zupcic? Posted: May 04, 2009 at 05:22 PM (#3163171)

Random question: What's to stop a manager playing his catcher in the field when there isn't anyone on base or two strikes? Seems like you'd have to be an extremely good bunter to take advantage and place a bunt to a place where only the catcher would be able to make a play. Obviously this would never happen because the ump would be hit in the groin after every strike, the pitcher would have to go retrieve his own pitches, and the constant position switches would cause wide spread riots by baseball fans and media, but is there an actual rule stopping some (REALLY) gutsy manager from pulling this move to get an extra field player against some hulking slugger with little bunting ability? (especially with a good fielding pitcher)

15. RJ in TO Posted: May 04, 2009 at 05:27 PM (#3163183)

Random question: What's to stop a manager playing his catcher in the field when there isn't anyone on base or two strikes?

A specific line in the baseball rulebook:

4.03
When the ball is put in play at the start of, or during a game, all fielders other than the catcher shall be on fair territory.
(a) The catcher shall station himself directly back of the plate. He may leave his position at any time to catch a pitch or make a play except that when the batter is being given an intentional base on balls, the catcher must stand with both feet within the lines of the catcher’s box until the ball leaves the pitcher’s hand.
PENALTY: Balk.
(b) The pitcher, while in the act of delivering the ball to the batter, shall take his legal position;
(c) Except the pitcher and the catcher, any fielder may station himself anywhere in fair territory;
(d) Except the batter, or a runner attempting to score, no offensive player shall cross the catcher’s lines when the ball is in play.

16. What Zupcic? Posted: May 04, 2009 at 05:32 PM (#3163187)

A specific line in the baseball rulebook:

That's no fun... Thanks though.

17. Mike Webber Posted: May 04, 2009 at 06:48 PM (#3163283)

I was writing a biography of Bob Smith, a pitcher for the Boston Braves in the 1920s and 1930s, for the BR Bullpen yesterday and found something strange see here. In his minor league record, he is shown as playing about 40 games as a catcher in the International League in 1934, at the same time as he was pitching a full season in Boston. Now, he was a converted infielder, but otherwise never played catcher, and there is no other "Bob Smith" in the minor league database in that time frame. Since Bob Smith's name is basically ungoogleable, can anybody help me in figuring out who that mysterious catching line belongs to ?

Catcher Robert Smith

Phillippe - just a guess, but the years and position fit, including the missing year in this guy's record.

18. Der Komminsk-sar Posted: May 04, 2009 at 06:56 PM (#3163287)

What's a balk with no one on?

19. Dewey, Steven Wright Wannabe and Soupuss Posted: May 04, 2009 at 06:58 PM (#3163290)

What's a balk with no one on?

Well, it's no pitch, so until the catcher gets behind the plate, nothing the pitcher does counts.

20. Philippe Posted: May 04, 2009 at 07:43 PM (#3163340)

Mike

Bingo !

Thanks for the assistance

21. Philippe Posted: May 04, 2009 at 07:53 PM (#3163356)

A balk or an illegal pitch with no runner on is a ball:

8.01 (d) If the pitcher makes an illegal pitch with the bases unoccupied, it shall be called a ball unless the batter reaches first base on a hit, an error, a base on balls, a hit batter or otherwise.

22. Designated Sitter (GGC) Posted: May 04, 2009 at 08:07 PM (#3163375)

I recall reading about a HS game around here when I was a kid. Someone tried to steal home. The catcher got out of his box and balked.

23. Scott Kazmir's breaking balls Posted: May 04, 2009 at 11:22 PM (#3163640)

Joba Chamberlain's mom busted for selling meth.....and she looks down right scary in her line-up photo!

24. bunyon Posted: May 04, 2009 at 11:30 PM (#3163647)

Am I missing something? Aside from the catcher's balk, with two strikes and no catcher wouldn't even strike three result in a runner on and runners advancing?

25. CraigK Posted: May 04, 2009 at 11:30 PM (#3163648)

Can't find it anywhere, but does anyone know where I could find a list of MLBPA representatives by team?

26. Bill McNeal Posted: May 05, 2009 at 12:51 AM (#3163789)

Anyone know the answer, or how I can find, how many times a pitcher/team has not thrown a perfect game but still faced the minimum 27 batters?

27. Misirlou's got a busy day, he's wearing a vest Posted: May 05, 2009 at 12:54 AM (#3163796)

Anyone know the answer, or how I can find, how many times a pitcher/team has not thrown a perfect game but still faced the minimum 27 batters?

I don't think it's ever been does except for the Babe Ruth/Ernie Shore game.

28. Misirlou's got a busy day, he's wearing a vest Posted: May 05, 2009 at 12:56 AM (#3163801)

OK, never mind. I guess Buehrle did it in his no-no. He picked off the only batter he walked.

Apparently Eric Bedard did to.

I guess it's way more common than I thought.

29. Sean Forman Posted: May 05, 2009 at 01:10 AM (#3163842)

Didn't Josh Fogg do this at the SABR game in Seattle? Allowed three baserunners all erased on DP's. Also this is a job for the play index.

36 times since 1954.
http://www.bb-ref.com/play-index/shareit/bq8d

Bob Milacki in 1989 allowed 5 baserunners, which is the most in the db.

30. SoSHially Unacceptable Posted: May 05, 2009 at 01:12 AM (#3163847)

Along those lines, has there ever been an error in a perfect game? I'd guess no.

31. Misirlou's got a busy day, he's wearing a vest Posted: May 05, 2009 at 01:16 AM (#3163860)

Along those lines, has there ever been an error in a perfect game? I'd guess no

Is that even <strike>legal</strike> possible? What about a dropped pop foul after which the batter is retired?

32. Bill McNeal Posted: May 05, 2009 at 01:17 AM (#3163864)

Thanks everyone, greatly appreciated!

33. Daryn Posted: May 05, 2009 at 01:26 AM (#3163884)

A perfect game is a team concept -- errors of any kind ruin it.

34. SoSHially Unacceptable Posted: May 05, 2009 at 01:32 AM (#3163903)

A perfect game is a team concept -- errors of any kind ruin it.

I suppose it depends on the definition of a perfect game. I think of it as one where no runners reach base - 27 up and 27 down. In that scenario, a dropped foul pop up, followed by the batter being successfully retired, would not risk it. But those types of plays happen so infrequently, I doubt it's ever been an issue.

35. Tom Nawrocki Posted: May 05, 2009 at 02:00 AM (#3163969)

OK, never mind. I guess Buehrle did it in his no-no. He picked off the only batter he walked.

Buehrle's done it twice, according to the list Sean posted.

The great thing about that Josh Fogg game was it was so quick - less than two hours. So even though it was a night game, when the game ended, it was still light out.

36. Dewey, Steven Wright Wannabe and Soupuss Posted: May 05, 2009 at 02:25 AM (#3164067)

Zack Greinke is ridiculous. It's like he's just playing with hitters.

37. Bill McNeal Posted: May 05, 2009 at 02:58 AM (#3164191)

His ERA+ was 941 heading into tonight's game. I'm guessing a complete game shutout win doesn't hurt that?

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