Elsewhere 100 years ago, the slow-motion trainwreck that is the United States League continues its tragicomic implosion.

[New York] Evening World:

The New York club...has forfeited its franchise in the United States League for not playing against Chicago on Monday. It was reported that the Windy City boys were the ones that failed to come across the diamond when time came for the game. It is said that the promoters of the local club have been losing so much money that they thought it best to give up the ship while the sea was smooth.

Pittsburgh Press:

It was in the original schedule for the Pittsburg team to play two games in Washington tomorrow, but when the Washington team disbanded, it was feared at first that the locals would have to remain idle on the holiday.

The owners hustled around, tried to find a club to come here, and finally agreed on Chicago, but for a time it looked as if this plan would not work, as the Chicago players were reported to have struck because, it was said, they had not been paid.

Toledo News-Bee:

It was also denied that the players of the Chicago team had deserted the club and were stranded in New York. William Niessen, owner of the Chicago team, said that Chicago would continue in the league and would play in Pittsburg in a four-game series. The Washington team, which recently quit, has decided to come back into the league, and will play at Richmond Thursday, it is stated.

Toledo News-Bee:

United States league -- Bang!

An utterly unremarkable Birthday Team, though I must say that the fact that Eric Davis turns 50 today makes me feel OLD.

C: Marty Honan
1B: George McQuinn
2B: Dave Fultz
3B: Charlie Hayes
SS: John Kennedy
LF: Jerry Hairston Jr.
CF: Eric Davis
RF: Vance Dinges

SP: Blue Moon Odom
SP: Willard Schmidt
SP: Art Reinhart
SP: Cha-Seung Baek
SP: Fred Holdsworth
RP: Dyar Miller
RP: Trever Miller

Owner: Bob Hope
Commissioner: Fay Vincent
Former Pirates Farmhand: Henry Henry

the fact that Eric Davis turns 50 today makes me feel OLD.

And the fact that the other John Kennedy would have turned 95 today makes EVERYBODY feel old.

THT article notes that today is the 25th anniversary of a team getting 11 men on base but ending the game with zero LOB. It's not a record, but it hasn't been done since.

It's also the 41st anniversary of the first of two horrible trades the Giants made in 1971 involving Frank Duffy. Pretty impressive that one player could find himself in the middle of two disastrously bad trades for the franchise. Can you figure out what either trade was? To find out, click on the link above and scroll to the 1971 item, which lists both of the trades.

An utterly unremarkable Birthday Team, though I must say that the fact that Eric Davis turns 50 today makes me feel OLD.

No team with Eric Davis on it can be described as "unremarkable."

Why did the Rockies and Astros play a double header yesterday instead of playing a game today? They have games tomorrow and Thursday to finish out their series too, so it's not like that was the only day they were in town.

1981 It’s a bizarre 2-5-3-1 triple play. The batter strikes out on an attempted doubled steal by Bobby Murcer and Graig Nettles. Murcer oddly turns back to second and then later tries for third in the front end of the steal attempt.

OK, had to look this one up (it's 1982 BTW):

"Triple Play: Strikeout, Nettles Caught Stealing 2B (C-3B-1B), Murcer Caught Stealing 3B (1B-P)"

So, after the strikeout, both runners retreat, with Nettles thrown out at first, and on the throw, Murcer tries to take third, and is thrown out with the pitcher covering.

Looks like Albert Pujols is Albert Pujols again. Last two weeks: .271/.333/.688 and 6 HR despite a crazy-unlucky .194 BABIP.

Speaking of luck and BABIP, I was looking at Jairo Asencio, trying to figure out how it was that a guy with his rate stats (7.4 K/9, 2.8 BB/9, 1.4 HR/9, 9.5 H/9) could have an ERA+ of 65. The HR rate's a tad high, but even if you take away a two-run HR to get his rate back down to near average, his ERA's still around 5.3 despite good K and BB rates and an average-ish BABIP.

As it turns out, nearly 50% of the hits against Asencio have been XBH. 27 hits allowed, 13 extra-base hits.

What does DIPS theory say about extra-base hit rates? Is this an indication that Asencio is doing something to give up a ton of crushed fly balls, or is it just dumb luck that those fly balls have been gappers instead of routine outs?

Why did the Rockies and Astros play a double header yesterday instead of playing a game today?

The Rockies asked the league to move what would have been today's game to yesterday, since Memorial Day was the only holiday they were home for this year. So they had a nice afternoon holiday crowd, plus a fireworks game in the evening. They ended up getting 35,000 for each game, which is certainly more than a Tuesday night game against the Astros would have drawn.

Why did the Rockies and Astros play a double header yesterday instead of playing a game today?

It was a holiday! Sundays and/or holidays are always doubleheader days-and you guys feel old.

How is this not a home run?

How is this not a home run?

Ground rules because of the low wall there?

How is this not a home run?

It would seem to depend on how you see what happened. If you think the guy caught it and the ball was carried out of play, the official rule is thus:

7.04 Each runner, other than the batter, may without liability to be put out, advance one
base when—

(c) A fielder, after catching a fly ball, falls into a bench or stand, or falls across ropes
into a crowd when spectators are on the field;

Rule 7.04(c) Comment: If a fielder, after having made a legal catch, should fall into a stand or
among spectators or into the dugout or any other out-of-play area while in possession of the ball after
making a legal catch, or fall while in the dugout after making a legal catch, the ball is dead and each
runner shall advance one base, without liability to be put out, from his last legally touched base at the
time the fielder fell into, or in, such out-of-play area.

I assume that because that was the third out, there's no advance. On the other hand, if you claim he was over the fence by the time he caught the ball--which is what I think--I would say the rule that applies is this:

6.09 The batter becomes a runner when—

(h) Any fair fly ball is deflected by the fielder into the stands, or over the fence into foul
territory, in which case the batter shall be entitled to advance to second base; but if
deflected into the stands or over the fence in fair territory, the batter shall be entitled
to a home run. However, should such a fair fly be deflected at a point less than 250
feet from home plate, the batter shall be entitled to two bases only.

So it should be a HR. Crazy play, in any case.

How is this not a home run?

It's not a home run anywhere, I think. Rule 2.0 provides that "A fielder may reach over a fence, railing, rope or other line of demarcation to make a catch," and then 6.05(a) says "Ball is in play, unless the fielder, after making a legal catch, falls into a dugout or other out-of-play area, in which case the ball is dead" – which seems to imply that a fielder falling completely over a fence has still made a legal catch. I think the more general principle is that a ball can be caught for an out virtually anywhere, 360 degrees around. The dugout is an exception, unless your momentum carries you into it.

I don't know if it's rule or convention but what I've read (can't find it now) is that if the player leaves his feet in the field of play and makes the catch then lands out of play it's a catch. What the player could not do in that situation is leap over the fence, set himself and make the catch, that would be a home run.

The last place your feet are determine where you "are" when you make the catch.

I think Rule 2.0:

"A catch is legal if the ball is finally held by any fielder, even though
juggled, or held by another fielder before it touches the ground. Runners may leave their bases the
instant the first fielder touches the ball. A fielder may reach over a fence, railing, rope or other line of
demarcation to make a catch. He may jump on top of a railing, or canvas that may be in foul ground. No
interference should be allowed when a fielder reaches over a fence, railing, rope or into a stand to catch a
ball. He does so at his own risk."

weighs in favor of ruling it a home run, though I admit it's a closer call than I had originally tought. "A fielder may reach over a fence", coupled with "a fielder may jump on top of a railing" I think implies that a fielder may not jump *over* a fence, and then make the catch. In this case alomst his entire body, from the ankles up, is over the fence when he catches the ball, so I don't think rule 6.05 applies.

I thought Sam Rice already answered this to everyone's satisfaction.

Game of the day (yesterday): Rockies 7, Astros 6 (10). Houston stranded runners on the corners in the first against Alex White; Colorado did the same against Jordan Lyles, but picked up a leadoff homer from Dexter Fowler first. The Astros scored in the third on a single by Lyles, a sac bunt by leadoff man Jordan Schafer (probably a bad sign if your leadoff hitter is sacrificing in the third inning, really), and a two-run homer by Brian Bogusevic; the Rockies re-tied the score in the bottom of the inning on a single + 2-base error from Fowler and an RBI groundout. Houston wasted very little time in recapturing the lead on a one-out homer from Chris Snyder, then stretched it on a bunt single + error by Marwin Gonzalez and a two-out RBI from Schafer. The Rockies struck back in the bottom of the inning, loading the bases with nobody out on two singles and a catcher's interference call; after a force at home and a strikeout, Fowler (there's that man again) drew a run-scoring walk, and Marco Scutaro doubled in three runs to put the home team ahead 6-4.

The Astros scratched their way closer with two outs in the top of the fifth, with a walk, a hit batter, and an RBI single from Snyder; in the sixth, Lyles was lifted for pinch hitter Justin Maxwell, who homered to knot the score at 6. Colorado left runners on the corners in the sixth; in the seventh, after having one runner thrown out at home, they stranded a pair on first and third again. In the eighth, they left runners on first and third yet again, this time accompanied by one on second. (This inning included a weird sequence in which Xavier Cedeno entered the game to face Carlos Gonzalez, intentionally walked him, and was pulled; it's separated from the LaRussian antics of last year's World Series by the fact that there was a stolen base during the plate appearance in question that presumably changed the tactical situation.) Both teams went pretty quietly in the ninth. In the tenth, Houston got singles from Jed Lowrie and Marwin Gonzalez before Josh Roenicke coaxed a GDP out of Chris Johnson; in the bottom of the inning, Brett Myers yielded a one-out single to Michael Cuddyer, followed by a walkoff triple to, you guessed it, Dexter Fowler. That's 4/4 with a walk, a triple, a homer, and a sac bunt for Fowler, a total of .711 WPA on the day.

Modification of the existing universe: Take this game, and add three scoreless innings at the beginning. If you do that, the lead changes are coming in the sixth and seventh innings, the Astros rally to tie in the ninth, the Rockies leave the winning run at third three innings in a row, and the game goes 13. That game would do incredibly well. The one we got is still good enough to make the top 20 on the year so far.

Yesterday was a good day of baseball overall - first, it had an extra game, thanks to the doubleheader (and this one was the extra, so that's nice); second, 6 of the 16 games played were in the upper quartile, and 3 were in the top 9%.

Game of the day (last year): Blue Jays 9, White Sox 8 (14). Chicago put two runners on in the first with a hit and a walk, and stranded both of them. Toronto put two runners on in the first with a walk and a hit, and then Jose Bautista hit a home run. So this game started nicely for the Canadians. That lead was pretty short lived; all of them would be.

In the second, Alexis Rios led off with a double for the Sox, moved up on a wild pitch, and scored ahead of Brent Lillibridge's 2-run homer. Chicago wasn't done yet, as Brent Morel singled, moved to second on a bunt (not scored as a sacrifice, which is good because if you're sacrificing with a position player with one out, he deserves to have the at bat count against him), and scored the tying run on a hit by Alexei Ramirez. The next two half-innings went 1-2-3; that ended when Corey Patterson and Bautista singled back-to-back to start the Toronto third, and both of them scored on Aaron Hill's one-out double.

Now down 5-3, the White Sox bided their time until the fifth. Juan Pierre reached on an error to lead off, moved to second on a grounder and scored on a hit by Adam Dunn (I know, I'm as shocked as you are). Paul Konerko doubled, moving Dunn to third, and the two of them scored the tying and go-ahead runs on another double by AJ Pierzynski. The Jays got a hit from their leadoff man in the fifth, but erased him on a double play one out later (this was actually the second straight inning in which that happened). In fact, despite having allowed 5 runs in the game, Chicago started Edwin Jackson gave off the appearance of settling in, having faced the minimum 9 batters in innings 4-6. He allowed another leadoff hit in the seventh, but recorded two outs before giving way to Matt Thornton, who was brought in to face Patterson; Corey was DHing for Toronto today, which would be pretty funny if he hadn't gone 3/3 against Jackson. Thornton was unable to interrupt the perfect day, as Patterson singled for the fourth time, moving Jose Molina to third (so you know it was a solid single). Bautista walked to load the bases, and cleanup hitter Juan Rivera cleaned up, doubling home all three runners for an 8-6 Toronto lead.

Octavio Dotel quickly recorded the first two outs in the eighth; he just as quickly gave up a triple to Lillibridge, then threw a pitch that became a passed ball that allowed the Sox baserunner to score. After a 1-2-3 bottom of the inning from Chris Sale, Chicago came up down a run in the ninth. Toronto closer Frank Francisco allowed a one-out double to Ramirez, but struck out Dunn, bringing Konerko to the plate as the potential game-ending hitter. On a 2-0 count, Konerko hit what appears from the play description to be a popup into the Bermuda triangle up the right field line; he ended up on second, and more importantly, Ramirez ended up scoring to tie the game. Sale's second inning of work was more eventful than his first, highlighted by a Bautista double that put the winning run at third, but he escaped and the game went to extras. Jason Frasor and Sale traded hitless tenth innings (Sale allowed a walk); Frasor allowed a ground-rule double to Morel to start the eleventh, but worked around it, in part thanks to the fact that Konerko had earlier been removed for a pinch runner. The Sox put the go-ahead runner on third for the second straight inning in the twelfth, and the Jays picked up a leadoff walk, but neither team scored. Finally, in the fourteenth, after Luis Perez pitched his third scoreless inning, the Jays came to the plate against Gavin Floyd (who is, of course, a starting pitcher.) And who else but Corey Patterson would lead off with his fifth hit of the day, this one clearing the wall and ending the game.

This game had a tennis-like amount of back-and-forth, and lasted 14 innings, so of course it does well, scoring as the 6th-best game of the year to date. 5/28/11 also had two more games in the top 40, both of which lasted 12 innings; contrariwise, it featured 3 games in the bottom 20 for the year to date. Quite the standard deviation that day had.

That's 4/4 with a walk, a triple, a homer, and a sac bunt for Fowler, a total of .711 WPA on the day.

Actually, "the day," as you note, also included an earlier game, in which Fowler was 3 for 5 and also reached on an error. So he was on base nine times in a single day.

Actually, "the day," as you note, also included an earlier game, in which Fowler was 3 for 5 and also reached on an error. So he was on base nine times in a single day.

Nice. His OPS appears to have climbed by 94 points over the two games, most of that in the second.

Tonight's Dodgers lineup had four second-generation players (de Jesus, Gordon, Gwynn, and Hairston). Is that a record?

four second-generation players (de Jesus, Gordon, Gwynn, and Hairston)

So much for bloodlines.