MLB 2014 season thread

Jose Abreu is the first rookie since Pujols to log 30 home runs and 30 doubles in one season. He's being paid $7 million each of the next two years.

 

Giants reliever Yusmeiro Petit set a major league record today by retiring his 46th consecutive batter. Next guy up doubled to break the streak. The old record was 45, set by Mark Buehrle when he pitched his perfect game and then took another into the seventh inning in his next start.
Petit's streak spanned eight outings since July 22.

http://www.csnbayarea.com/giants/anatomy-mlb-record-how-petit-made-history

 

Another strange play and baffling umpire call in Anaheim.
Bottom of the ninth, 3-3.
Leadoff batter Aybar hits a high bouncer up the first base line. Pitcher Otero and 1B Moss converge on the ball as Aybar runs up the line. Otero grabs the ball and, almost simultaneously, Aybar runs into him, tumbling to the ground.
Plate ump Greg Gibson runs up the line and starts pointing toward first. He calls "defensive interference" and allows Aybar to stay on first.
It looked to me as though Otero simply caught the ball and tagged out Aybar.
Melvin comes out for an explanation, isn't happy and protests the game.
Next batter is John McDonald, who drops a sacrifice up first. Maybe because of the previous play, Otero and Moss both back off from the ball. McDonald is safe.
Navarro sacrifices the runners up. Beckham is walked intentionally.
Calhoun pops up for the second out.
Trout grounds to third, so Angels don't score.
So, we move into the 10th. If the Angels win, I believe the protest will be upheld. Strangeness.

((additional info))

Now, the announcers are saying the since the Angels didn't score in that inning, the protest is moot.

((another add))

Angels win in the 10th. Postgame announcers are unsure about the protest. Seems to me that call did change the game, because it allowed the Angels to roll their batting order and have their sluggers up in the 10th.

 

If what the umpires told Melvin is that the obstruction was on Otero, I can see the reason for the protest. But I'd venture there's also a case for calling it on Moss, since by being where he is, he forces Aybar inside the line and into the tag. Result notwithstanding, that protest doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell.

 

A's protest still on: http://www.insidebayarea.com/athletics/ci_26430528/angels-beat-take-two-game-lead-l-west

 

Call could get trickier. Postgame comments said they called obstruction on Moss. But the rule says that fielders have the right to field the ball. Both Otero and Moss were going for it. And I also thought that if the baserunner interfered on the play, he had to be in the running lane. Aybar was well inside the baseline.
I know that on-field protests never go through, but this one might.

 

Braves reliever Jonny Venters facing a third Tommy John surgery (he had one in the minors and one just last year).

Jason Isringhausen and Jose Rijo are the only pitchers known to have pitched in the majors after three TJs, and neither of them was all that good by the time they got back (and Rijo sat out five full seasons before his return).

It's easy to forget how good Venters was when he first came up. The Braves actually went into 2011 spring training with him and Craig Kimbrel neck and neck for the closer job.

 

Good stuff from the Northwest: Former Yankee and current Mariner minor leaguer Jesus Montero — who made offseason news by putting on 40 pounds — mixes it up with a scout after the latter berated him for not jogging off the field, then sent him an ice cream sandwich in the dugout:

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/11430581/seattle-mariners-jesus-montero-gets-altercation-scout

Montero apparently left the dugout with a baseball bat and went after the guy in the stands.

That's one way to burn calories.

 

That story was a scream. Best part is he angrily threw the ice cream sandwich back at the dude.

 

Appears A's will not file protest.

 

Seattle Times' Geoff Baker tracked down the Mariners scout, who denied everything but then gave Baker just enough rope to hang him with:

http://seattletimes.com/html/mariners/2024418207_montero30xml.html