If ever a wevver a Wiz there was…

 

 

Old Detroit:  W, 5 – 2. (37 PA, .333, .351, .472;  13 ip, 8 er, 5.54 ERA).  I went into the June-July draft needing only one thing: a LHP.  I had three I wanted:  Kyle Muller, Bailey somebody, and the guy with the Scottish name pitching for Tampa Bay.  You all conspired to outbid my limited resources.  I announced my pain, and that I would have to settle for some “junk” lefty.  You denied me my “preferred” junk lefty, leaving me with Sam Clay of the Nationals.  Sam Clay of the Nationals pitched yesterday, an entire 1/3 of an inning, which is what I wanted.  He also nonuple chulked — 3 er.  Your plans worked to perfection!!

 

Luckily I had two other pitchers who performed adequately — Christ Paddack (7 ip, 3 er) and Logan Gilber (5.7 ip, 2 er), who could bring the runs allowed down (and almost eliminate the replacement innings from no pitchers on the first) so Wolverine hitters could produce a victory.  JP Crawford was the star: 3 for 5 with a double, critical in the Mariners’ latest come-from behind squeaker of a win. 

 

 

 

Peshastin:  L, 0 – 4.  (29 PA, .083, .207, .083;  12 ip, 7 er, 5.25 ERA).  The Pears ran four pitchers out there, limiting their penalty innings and erasing replacements, so their offense could also have a chance to produce a win.  Luis Patino didn’t shine — 5 er in 5.3 innings pitched — but Alex Wood and two relievers put together 6.7 fine innings (only 2 earned runs).  But Pear hitters only managed 2 hits  and four walks, so the Pesties stumbled, losing 0.8 games in the standings.  

 

 

 

DC: L, 3 – 5. (41 PA, .121, .275, .152; 1.4 ip, 3 er, 19.29 ERA).  Jose Alvarado quadruple chulked (2/3 ip, 3 er) to put DC’s limited pitching in a hole, and the Balky hitters couldn’t dig DC back out of it. Ryan McMahon had a fine day — 1 for 3 with a double and two walks – but that was 100% of DC’s extra bases (albeit only 29% of Balk walks).  The good news is the Balk are now only 0.1 games behind the Pears.  The bad news is they lost a half-game of ground to the Wolverines.

 

 

 

Kaline:  L, 5 – 8. (52 PA, .261, .327, .370; 8 ip, 6 er, 6.75 ERA).  JT Brubaker struggled (5 er in 6 ip) which, when early-month pitching penalties are taken into account, left the Drive with a huge hill to climb for a win.  They only got part-way up that hill. 

 

On the bright side, Willy Adames (the player in today’s featured photo) is so happy to be a Drive and a Brewer!  He went 3 for 3 yesterday, with a homer and a double.  What a contrast to his days as a Ray, knowing there was an apparent superstar about to take away his job.  Even the warmth of the Wizard of Whidbey, who trusts all his players so much he plays them all, piling up huge surplus at bats, wasn’t enough by itself to break up the clouds in Willy’s mind.  So the Wiz arranged a transfer to Milwaukee.  Brilliant!  In 21 games at Tropicana Field, Adames’ slash line was .156, .229, .329.  In 22 games at American Family Field (ie, Milwaukee), he’s gone .250, .345, .533.   From .557 OPS, sub-replacement, to .878 OPS … If ever a wever a Wiz there was the Wizard of Whid is one because, because, because, because, because, because, because of the wonderful way he builds a winning clubhouse. 

 

 

Flint Hill:  W, 3 – 3.  (59 PA, .246, .271, .298;  7.4 ip, 2 er, 2.43 ERA).  Good pitching kept the runs scored down, especially since Julio Urias arranged for two of his 3 runs allowed to come after an error.  Brad Miller’s pinch-hit double not only won a game for the Phillies, it was just enough to turn a “W” into an actual W but lifting the Tornados to 2.8 runs scored to match the 2.8 runs they allowed.  Anthony Rendon (3 for 5 with a double), Bo Bichette (2 for 4 with a walk),  and Mookie Betts (2 for 5 with a double) were the other three offensive stalwarts. 

 

 

Haviland:  L, 2 – 7.  (52 PA, .170, .250, .340;  2 ip, 1 er, 4.50 ERA).   Replacement and penalty innings dragged the Dragons down yesterday, and the fire did not burn anywhere near hot enough among the hitters to overcome the weight.  Seven of 12 Dragons got hits, but only Alex Kirilloff got 2.  Homers by Harrison Bader and Jose Iglesias were the only highlights.  Bader’s homer was a grand slam for the Cardinals, but he only drove himself in for the Dragons. 

 

 

Canberra:  W, 6 – 3. (29 PA, .269, .345, .500;  4 ip, 2 er, 4.50 ERA).  I’m struck by the uninspired pitching we all seem to have gotten yesterday.  Here was have the case of Casey Mize:  only 3 ip, with 2 earned runs.  For the offense it was boom and bust.  That man Nate Lowe went 2 for 5, and Vlad Guerrero and Jackie Bradley each got two hits including home runs.  But Baez, Margot,  and Rortveldt went hitless.   Super-prospect Wander Franco was in the middle: a single single in 4 trips. 

 

But somehow it was enough.  The Kangaroos only allowed 3.4 runs, giving them the third-best win of the day. 

 

 

 

Cottage:  W 2, L (-1); 11 – 2.  (34 PA, .276, .382, .690;  7 ip, 0 er, 0.00 ERA).  This is how it’s done, gentlemen.  You send Alek Manoah out there and get him to dominate for 7 innings (3 hits, 1 walk, 10 Ks) –now you have your inspired pitching!  And then you set your hitting afire by having Shohei Ohtani on your team to blast 2 homers , walk, and steal a base.  Watch Marcus Semien catch the vibe and homer, and even Francisco Mejia double twice. And there you are — on your way to a double win that erases a loss, and vaults your team 0.4 games closer to first.  

 

 

 

Pittsburgh:  W, 7 – 5. (31 PA, .296, .387, .481;  13.7 ip, 7 er, 4.60 ERA).  No, no, weren’t you watching just now?  You have no Shohei Ohtani on your team — only Andrew Vaughn with his piddly little one home run and a double.  You have no Alek Manoah, just the earnest Sonny Gray (5 ip, 1 er) and Frankie Montas (5.7 ip, 2 er).  Sure you got a win, but it was only a normal, one-win-at-a-time sort of win, the kind that leaves you 0.2 games further out of first place. 

 

 

 

Bellingham:  L, 3 – 6.  (25 PA, .238, .304, .429;  2 ip, 0 er, 0.00 ERA).  Here’s an interesting note: AJ Minter faced one batter, surrendered one hit, and completed 1/3 of an inning.  I don’t have time this morning to look this up… did he pick someone off again?  

 

Anyway:  not enough pitching is too bad when what there was was this good.  Also, Hanser Alberto, despite his virtues and his homer-and-a-double day, is not Shohei Ohtani, either.  When one guy has 40% of the team’s hits, he needs to have more like 4 or 5 hits or his team is in trouble.  When that same guy has 100% of the team’s extra bases… well, you can see for yourself what happens.  Especially when that one guy is not Shohei Ohtani. 

 

 

 

Portland:  L, 4 – 5. (33 PA, .233, .303, .367;  6 ip,. 2 er, 3.00 ERA).   Pretty good pitching there, with Matt Peacock (4 ip, 2 er) getting real, effective relief from Daniel Norris and Jimmy Nelson (each giving a scoreless inning).  But no quite enough hitting to make it into a win.   

 

As you probably have guessed, I pay attention to Luis Urias’ stats.  I am still uneasy about trading him away.  I got a whole lot uneasier on June 30 when he closed out the month going 4 for 5 with two homers, a double, a single and a hbp.  Baseball Reference deemed that the third best hitting performance of the day, behind only Trea Turner’s birthday cycle and Ozzie Albies almost unnoticed 5 for 6 with two homers.   

 

Well, yesterday Urias went 0 for 5 with three strikeouts.  Baseball Reference slotted that one in as the 305th best day by an MLB hitter.  Out of 305.  You will be happy to know I am less troubled today than I was a couple of days ago about Luis Urias.  Now my chronic seller’s remorse centers on Nate Lowe.