@Cardinals 2, Nationals 0 — Michael Wacha was achingly close to a no-hitter. One out away, in just his 9th big-league start, the fastball he threw for his career-high 112th pitch had Ryan Zimmerman beaten, and all he could do was chop it back towards the mound. Wacha stands 6′ 6″ …
This post is for voting and discussion in the 31st round of balloting for the Circle of Greats. This round begins to add those players born in 1943. Rules and lists are after the jump. Continue reading
In a balloting round heavy with famous pitchers, voters considered Tom Seaver the crème de la crème, and chose him as the 30th inductee into the High Heat Stats Circle of Greats (COG). More on Tom Terrific and the voting after the jump. Continue reading
Didn’t have time to sand and polish, but maybe it can be a utility hook to hang some chat on.
Reds 11, @Pirates 3 — Cincinnati sucked the air out of the Pirates’ final scheduled home game, grabbing a 5-0 lead before the Buccos came to bat and going on to seize a tie for for 2nd place in the NL Central. About the only thing Jeff Locke did right in his brief outing was to keep Billy Hamilton off base.
@Rays 5, Orioles 1 — Alex Cobb had the tired Orioles eating from his hand, with 12 Ks over 8 innings, and Desmond Jennings broke up a double-shutout in the 5th with his first-ever 3-run homer.
@Red Sox 6, Blue Jays 3 — Jon Lester’s 9th straight quality start settled both ends of the AL East. The BoSox clinched the division, while the Jays, picked for first by some preseason polls, finished last, where Boston ended last year. Koji Uehara came on to face the tying run in the 8th and notched a 5-out save.
After the historical emergence of two stellar rookies in 2012, the surprising Mike Trout and the much-anticipated Bryce Harper, it would be normal to expect 2013, in comparison, to be something of a letdown in terms of rookie stars. Happily, that hasn’t been the case.
This season has produced 6 rookies, 3 pitchers and 3 position players, each achieving more than 3 WAR. That’s about a normal number for recent years. What’s notable, though, is that 4 of those 6 rookies (and one other) have made the top 3 for their franchise’s best rookie WAR.
More on this year’s rookie crop and each franchise’s best all-time rookies after the jump.
Dodgers 7, @D-backs 6 — L.A. overcame the Snakes’ 6-run 3rd inning and celebrated their NL West clincher, the first of the races to be formally settled. Hanley Ramirez drove in 4 with two HRs, tying the game in the 7th on a 2-strike hanger from Chaz Roe, and A.J. Ellis clocked the first pitch of the 8th for the deciding run.
On nights like this, it’s great to be a baseball fan with nothing at risk — even if I can’t keep up with everything.
@Rays 4, Rangers 3 (12 inn.) — In the fourth straight stanza of high drama, Jose Lobaton singled to start the home 12th, pinch-runner Sam Fuld moved up on a bunt, and he dashed home on Desmond Jennings’s line single into right, stealing a win that the Rangers had seemed sure to book.
Indians 5, @Royals 3 — Or, the night the lights went out on K.C.’s playoff hopes. Cleveland pulled even in the 7th with 2 runs, keyed on Michael Bourn’s triple after a hit batsman by Kelvin Herrera, and pulled ahead in the 8th when Asdrubal Cabrera doubled after Carlos Santana drew a leadoff walk from Wade Davis. Bourn tacked on a HR on the 9th, the first run off Luke Hochevar in 11 games, and the Tribe held on to stay a half-game off the wild-card pace, knocking the Royals 3.5 games back. Kansas City left 10 men on base.