A’s get 3 runs in the 1st, but a LeMahieu single & Aaron Judge HR (#29) to LF (429 feet) gets the Yankees back in the game.

According to YES, the Yankees set a record by giving up the fewest runs through 75 games in the DH era.

We finished our Brewers, WS and Cubs trip last night, watching Reds vs Cubs. My big takeaway is that Joey Votto looks like whatever stage is beyond toast. Chased a horrible pitch to K in the ninth and all the ones he hit were very soft. It’s always sad to see the once greats in their baseball dotage.

Stanton’s 3-run HR (#19) to RF (391 feet) gives the Yankees a 5-3 lead after 3 innings.

Joey Votto looks like whatever stage is beyond toast

He's definitely had his peaks and valleys this year.

To begin the season, he hit a horrifyingly ugly .122/.278/.135 over his first 22 games before getting COVID, with just one extra-base hit in 90 PA.

In the three weeks after coming off the COVID IL, he was on fire, hitting .313/.432/.702 with 15 Xbh, including 5 homers, and 13 walks over 81 PA.

In the two weeks since then, he's hitting .196/.268/.255 over 56 PA, with just 3 Xbh (all doubles) and 4 walks.

Catching up on Brewer game and holy #### what a catch by Jonathan Davis on a ball hit over his head in centerfield. Caught it at full spend laying out and his head banged into the wall as he landed. Just crazy good

Think Votto's pattern reflects a body that needs regular sustained rest to function. Maybe Reds should think about playing him only 2 or 3 times a week?

To begin the season, he hit a horrifyingly ugly .122/.278/.135 over his first 22 games before getting COVID, with just one extra-base hit in 90 PA. In the three weeks after coming off the COVID IL, he was on fire, hitting .313/.432/.702 with 15 Xbh, including 5 homers, and 13 walks over 81 PA. In the two weeks since then, he's hitting .196/.268/.255 over 56 PA, with just 3 Xbh (all doubles) and 4 walks.

Luckily for Votto, you can get Covid more than once.

I saw the HP ump in the Mil-TB game get nailed on the mask by a Luis Urias foul ball about 15 min ago, and leave the field.... and the game has not resumed.

What is going on?

According to GameDay:

Game advisory:
Injury delay.

Umpire Substitution:
Umpire change: 1B umpire replaces HP Umpire Ryan Willis.

Umpire Substitution:
Umpire change: Ryan Willis replaces umpire David Rackley.

Umpire Substitution:
Umpire Sean Barber moving to 1B.

Umpire Substitution:
Umpire change: 2B Umpire replaces 1B Umpire Sean Barber.

Wait a minute: Is Bryan Reynolds good again?

Jeremy Pena and Yordan Alvarez collide at some speed. Seemed fairly minor but both went down for some time, Alvarez for quite a bit of time and coming out of the game on the cart. Pena still caught the ball but his forearm caught Alvarez in the face. I thought maybe it was a broken nose but now I'm guessing he was concussed. Now they're taking Pena out too it looks like.

... and the game has not resumed.

It can take awhile for another umpire to get all the home plate gear on. Maybe he can’t find his cup? Or is taking his time hydrating, or checking on the concussed ump?

Ender Inciarte in LF for the Mets?

Ramirez from Tampa just struck out on a pitch that may have been eye level and inside. I think he decided to swing before Williams even delivered his pitch. No other explanation on why a guy would swing at an unhittable pitch.

Hitting is hard

Williams threw two pitches on black and new ump says no, not strikes. Ouch

So Williams says #### it and walks Choi. Next guy he strikes out with the last pitch being a 75 mph change that maybe was a foot near the plate when the guy swung. That's a big maybe because I spit up my drink watching the dude take his hack at the airbender and lost track of the pitch

Ouch! Met's reliever Drew Smith enters a 0-0 game in the 9th and with 2 outs, allows a go-ahead homer to Jason Castro, who entered the game hitting .095 with 1 rbi in 2022 (84 PA).

On base Jace with a dinger. And now Yelich with another hit. Since moving to leadoff his average keeps moving north which is very cool

Wait a minute: Is Bryan Reynolds good again?

I wrote that after Reynolds homered for the second time today.

He just homered again (No. 15), a 3-run shot in the 7th, that puts the Pirates up 8-6 over the Nats in a see-saw game.

16--You really have to admire guys like Castro. 35 years old. Had more than 500 appearances once in the major leagues. But he's put in 12 years, he made an All Star team which is kind of nuts, I checked and he has made 50 million playing ball and in his career he's on the plus side both offense and defense.

That is so cool

Not a fan of Reynolds getting hot as the Brewers head to Pittsburgh tomorrow.

and there is the Mets' first three-game losing streak in 2022

Cool, cool, cool. Crew takes both from Rays.

This 9-game stretch against the Mets and Yankees has gone very well for the Astros so far. 6-2 with a 1-game series against the Yanks tomorrow in Houston.
And anytime Jason Castro homers to provide the winning margin things are really going well. Scary collision today in the 8th as Walt mentions above.

He just homered again

Reynolds will get one more AB this game, and a chance at No. 4.

Reynolds will get one more AB this game, and a chance at No. 4.

Reynolds fanned on a 3-2 pitch leading off the 9th.

I don't know if anyone else heard about it, but there was an opportunity for a "4th out" to be recorded today, and the Nationals missed it (and a run counted).

The video.

Runners on 2nd and 3rd, with one out.

Batter hits a sinking line drive at the 1B, who reaches right to the grass level and snags it. The runners, for whatever reason, were moving on contact and ran towards 3B and home.

The first baseman pauses for a second or two and then throws it to the third baseman, who is standing off the base.

The runner from 3B crosses home plate before the 3B catches the ball.

The third baseman catches it, tags the runner from 2nd who is now standing on 3B. The third baseman also then puts his foot on 3B after the tag.

The umpires signal out on the catch (after some confusion) and out at 3B (for the tagged runner).

The fielders leave the field of play, and then the batting team manager comes out and talks to them.

After a huddle, the home plate umpire points at home and tells the scorer to count the run.

If the third baseman had touched 3B first and then tagged the runner, the run would not have scored (as the runner from 3B would be out for not tagging up).

Because the runner from second was tagged first (for the 3rd out), the fielder touching 3B has to be an appeal play to the umpire for the 4th out. They did NOT make an appeal to the umpire for that fourth out, and could not return to the field of play after leaving it to make an official 4th out appeal.

The ruling is 5.09(c)(4):

Any appeal under this rule must be made before the next pitch, or any play or attempted play. If the violation occurs during a play which ends a half-inning, the appeal must be made before the defensive team leaves the field.

An appeal is not to be interpreted as a play or an attempted play.

just checking in for a minute to let all primates know that if you get the nytimes via home delivery you get a free sub to THE ATHLETIC.

it's now part of the nytimes company, as is wordle, which i am addicted to.

that is all ...

Blue Jays pitcher Alek Manoah just threw his glove at a bunt against the shift that was making its way past him toward the vacated 3rd base position. Luckily for him, he missed or it would have been 3 bases by rule. Don’t think I’ve seen that done at the MLB level.

no. 26: the one thing I dont understand is what does it mean "the defensive team leaves the field?" What if 5 men have left and 4 remain out there? What if 8 have gone off?

you have to really listen to the announcers (WAS?) on that. its complete dogsheet.

Even after ten minutes they never fully grasped what happened. At the two minute mark the one guy seems to get it because he starts saying "its not a force..." The other guy doesnt get it at all. Even though the first guy asks him if he understands "what Im saying." ANd second guy says "yes I do." But no, he doesnt get it at all.

First guy starts to figure it has something to do with tagging the runner vs stepping on the bag. he says "my question is, and I dont know the answer, is does it matter if he tags him vs step on the bag..." Then they announce the 5.09 rule and mention the fourth out, and neither announcer has any idea what the implications of that are or the implications that the team left the field. The first guy starts insisting its a double play, second guy agrees and thinks he understands but he doesnt. THey apparently think there's an issue that they inn. is not over. Finally they realize that its a double play. They still dont understand why the run scored.

The video cuts out at ten min at which pt. the announcers conclude that it matters if he tagged the runner or the stepped on the bag. Hilarious.

looks like 30-year-old former No. 1 overall draft pick Mark Appel is about to make his MLB debut on MLB Network for the Phillies, who trail 4-1 in the 8th.

"what does it mean "the defensive team leaves the field?""

reminds me of a bizarre call that was needed for the Giants to win one of the Eli Super Bowls. late in a regular-season game, Giants player (possibly Victor Cruz) for some reason leaves the ball on the ground without being tackled. the other team recovered, but the refs eventually ruled that the NYG player had "surrendered" - or something.

don't recall if it was like the "tuck rule" - a stupid rule that was properly called and helped the Patriots win one of their titles - or just a stupid ruling. but it was pretty strange.

#30: In fairness, their other option was spending the next 5 days trying to explain 5.09(c)(4) to the average baseball fan and failing even if they did a good job of it.

Cubs romping 5-0 in the 5th. Another good start for Justin Steele which is confusing but we aren't complaining. He got rocked in his last one but this is his 4th good start of June and he's had an ERA under 4 since April. Contreras with a 2-run HR. Hunter Greene not so successful today.

Honestly the transcript of that video link is the funniest thing since Abbot and Costello,

ten minute of comedy gold folks:

1. Now did it make any difference, Craig if he tagged the runner first?

2. Uh no because the previous runner had...

1 Yeah.

2. That's his bag.. No they're gonna challenge something..

1: "That's not his bag. See what I'm saying?

2 Its Sowenski's. [Sluwenski]

1. Right you see what I'm saying?

2 yeah.

2. "wait they're gonna give the Pirates a run?

1. "Yeah cause he tagged the runner first that's what I said (not really what he said but OK)

2. If he tagged up you mean?

1. No. The guy coming in had his foot on the bag and got tagged, he's out.

2. Im saying the ball is in the air [wtf?] If the runner at third goes isnt that a double play? So right there he's out.

1 But its not a force out.

2 No, but unless..

1 He's out. Right now.

2 See I dont think the runner at third tags here. [no sh1t] So he doesn't.

1. NO! No no no no no. That' what Im saying. But normally when your foots on the bag you're safe right? [he's lost now] BUt not in this instance. You're not safe.

2. ...he's out.

1. So he's out.

2. Of course. I mean its a double play.

1. Right.

2. I dont know what they're talking about.

1 Because it wasn't a doubl-p..Now if he throws to second base... [LOL, No]

2 [repeats what the stadium announcer said: they didnt appeal]: 'so sluwinski scores but they didnt appeal that."

1. No that. That's Wrong! [its totally correct] They dont have to appeal that. Timeout was never called. There was no appeal to be made. The hang up has to be that he didnt touch the base. [getting warm]

2. but he did he stepped on the base.

1. See when they tagged the runner. The inn. is over but the run scored. Know what I mean Greg?

2. Yeah.

1. And so that's why..... There's a problem there. [See a balk is when..]

2 [reads 5.09 invoking the fourth out rule]

1 What are they appealing? Why isn't the inning over.

2. I dont know.

[plays the replay of the tagging of the trailing runner at 3b]

1. See right there! He's out. Boom!

2 You're right.

1. So why isnt the inning over? [ are you OK announcer 1? the inn. is over]. OK the run scores but why are they on the field? Do you see what Im trying to say?

2. I do. [he doesnt, nobody does]

1 my question is does it make a difference if he tags him?

2 YES! [indeed YES!]

1. Ok so the play is: run scores they got a double play. Thats what happened [ha ha, yeah thats what happened]

2. Yeah because the tag is not the force.

1 That was my original question.

2 Now Wegner is telling Nats to get off the field.

1. Its a double play [cap'n obvious] They got a double play one way or the other.

2 But the run scores.

1. The run scoring is what is going on here [and a balk is when you...]

Let me add this. Hold on. Lets say the runner when he was tagged

Yeah when he tagged him, he was off the base. The runner had scored.

2. Yeah that's it. Your right. [LOL] I hate to say its that simple. that's the rule.

1. yeah that's what I said in the beginning does it matter if he tagged the base or the runner? And yes it did matter.

2 Sure.

Appel a scoreless IP. second out was a K, and he he tried to look "cool" on the mound but was unable to suppress a smile.

was out of baseball in 2018-20 and has discussed his battle with clinical depression. was the 8th overall pick the year before he was the 1st overall pick - and I think they said he was a 15th-round pick out of HS as well.

Avisail Garcia blasts a two run HR with two outs to likely win the game for Miami.

Conner Capel, Roger Clemens godson, gets his first MLB hit in STL

So the Red Sox reliever who should've pitched and saved the game last night, Strahm, comes in the 9th of this 3-3 game and leaves still with the game tied and moving on to the 10th.

I know "godfather' is pretty much a strictly ceremonial thing these days but ... Roger Clemens?

Capel's father Mike was college teammates with Roger Clemens at Texas and pitched three seasons in the majors, ending his career with the Astros in 1991.

Sox work a run in the 10th on 2 BB and a HPB. 1 in, bases loaded, no outs.

Xander GDP, but Verdugo doubles with 2 on, Sox up 6-3

Willie Mays is considered the most successful of the MLB godfathers, I suspect.

That's a good quiz. Most successful godfathers

The Sox are so confident in Robles closing the game that they've left Strahm in for the 10th....

Capel's father Mike was college teammates with Roger Clemens at Texas

So he should be even more cognizant that Clemens is not exactly godfather material.

Are these the Angels' "city connect" uniforms? These may be worse than the Cubs and Dodgers.

Granted, a challenge to connect to Los Angeles of Anaheim

The Sox are so confident in Robles closing the game that they've left Strahm in for the 10th....

Hugh kind of left us hanging there. I hope the excitement wasn’t too much for the poor chap. Strahm came through, only allowing 2 runs in the 10th, with the final out coming with 2 runners in scoring position, so he gets the Win.

Hey, I LIKE those City Connect jerseys. I think the overwhelming sentiment from Angels fans is that they're pretty cool.

Ohtani done on the mound after 5.2 scoreless, 108 pitches, 11 Ks. In his last four games, 26.2 IP, 1 run, 6 walks, 36 Ks.

And maybe he did something to his back after a swing-and-miss.

But they're jjust regular Angels uniforms really. They say Angels on the front just like, y'know, a regular Angels jersey does. The color scheme is red and white just like a regular Angels jersey. The sleeve patch doesn't have any city landmarks on it or anything, it says "Los Angeles Angels" with the logo in the middle.

I mean if they had announced prior to 2022 that these were the regular, normal new home uni design I'd say "that's an improvement." But that's not the point of the (dumbass) city connect ... project? How do these connect to LA, Anaheim or even California?

The Dodger ones are just their regular home uni with the Dodgers script shifted slightly to the right and adding the "Los" script from their road uniforms. This "connects" to the Spanish-speaking population of LA because, I guess, they call them "Los Dodgers" cuz what else can you call em in Spanish?

The Angels couldn't even be bothered to do that much.

Hugh kind of left us hanging there. I hope the excitement wasn’t too much for the poor chap. Strahm came through, only allowing 2 runs in the 10th, with the final out coming with 2 runners in scoring position, so he gets the Win.

Nah, not too much. It's working hours here in Sydney, I get distracted by the pesky staff and clients. Sox are hanging in there after a dismal start to the season, so I'm reasonably happy with where they are as a team and in the standings.

Am I the only person who is bothered that only one of the sleeves on the Angels City Connect uniform has a stripe (ring?)? I know the other one has a patch on it, but the lack of symmetry is jarring to me.