04/18/24
August 10, 2011
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle:
A place to discuss the sports stories that aren't making news, share links that aren't quite front-page material, and diagram plays on your hand. Remember to count to five Mississippi before commenting in anger.
No doubt someone has already dubbed it getting hit with an Uggla stick.
posted by beaverboard at 10:11 AM on August 10, 2011
More Blue Jay sign stealing accusations.
posted by yerfatma at 11:31 AM on August 10, 2011
Every hitting streak includes nights where the hitter doinked a meaningless hit or two.
posted by rcade at 11:41 AM on August 10, 2011
They call them "road beef" now, I think.
posted by yerfatma at 11:57 AM on August 10, 2011
Wasn't every single one of DiMaggio's 56 hits a series-clinching home run?
posted by DrJohnEvans at 12:44 PM on August 10, 2011
Players have left Toronto in the past two years (like Vernon Wells, Corey Patterson). You'd think one of them might mention it to their current teammates.
Yet, not one former player has admitted that it happens in Toronto (on or off the record).
posted by grum@work at 12:58 PM on August 10, 2011
I just watched that ESPN video on the sign stealing and thought it was hilarious that the first at-bat they showed, the hitter (Aaron Hill, I think) was clearly fooled by an off-speed pitch.
I also find it pretty telling that the Yankees and Red Sox are willing to bitch, but no one has made a formal complaint. I'd think if they really had a solid case against the Jays, maybe they might call the commissioner's office?
Finally, in the case of NY, just call it even for ATool yelling in Howie Clark's ear.
posted by wfrazerjr at 01:21 PM on August 10, 2011
Wasn't every single one of DiMaggio's 56 hits a series-clinching home run?
Yes! But they were credited to that bastard Mickey Mantle.
posted by NoMich at 01:28 PM on August 10, 2011
Re: sign stealing. I particularly enjoyed today's Today in Morons over at DJF.
But yeah, I'm a little put off by the lack of evidence/corroboration. Not only is this incredibly speculative, but the splits she she cites don't carry into 2011 at all.
posted by DrJohnEvans at 01:28 PM on August 10, 2011
And perhaps it's telling that no other new outlets have picked this up—as though the story doesn't have enough sources to count as real news. (That may change with AA's presser at 3:45.)
posted by DrJohnEvans at 02:59 PM on August 10, 2011
Dan Carcillo, signed by the Blackhawks, is asked about the rivalry with the Canucks.
He then proceeds to call out three Canucks he's gunning for this year.
Except that the three players he calls out aren't playing for the Canucks:
[Ian] Laperriere has never been with the Canucks (and was actually on Carcillo's former team, the Flyers).
[Tanner] Glass is with the Jets.
[Raffi] Torres is with the Coyotes.
posted by grum@work at 03:02 PM on August 10, 2011
I think I've been misusing the word doink all these years.
posted by rcade at 03:48 PM on August 10, 2011
Tango Tiger isn't feeling the sign stealing either. For the record, I don't have an opinion one way or the other (beyond assuming ESPN is completely wrong) and feel like sign stealing is ok if you can get away with it -- what else can a Pats' fan say?
In my mind's eye, the Man in White is Frank Nitty and Kevin Costner and Shoeless Joe push him out of a skybox, but I might be conflating things here.
posted by yerfatma at 03:59 PM on August 10, 2011
I think I've been misusing the word doink all these years.
I know what you mean.
I feel the same way every time I hear that someone has hit a dribbler back to the mound.
posted by beaverboard at 04:45 PM on August 10, 2011
Update: at the Jays game tonight, there is a gaggle of fans in right centre field wearing white. Can't see if their arms are raised though.
Also at least one "Peter Keating stole my sign" sign.
posted by DrJohnEvans at 08:19 PM on August 10, 2011
I think I've been misusing the word doink all these years.
"You can't let the little bastards generation-gap you." What's wrong with boink?
posted by lil_brown_bat at 10:06 PM on August 10, 2011
The K.C. Royals have released Kyle Davies.
If that's the end of the run for him, he'll go down in history as one of the longest surviving worst pitchers in major league history.
He has the worst ERA of any pitcher with 100 decisions. He has the worst ERA of any pitcher with at least 750 innings (of which 2/3rds are starts). He's only a few points away from having the worst ERA+ of any pitcher with 750 innings (starting/relieving/whatever).
Measuring long term futility, there are only a few other pitchers (Kevin Jarvis, Claude Willoughby, Todd Van Poppel) that can compare with Kyle Davies.
posted by grum@work at 11:09 PM on August 10, 2011
Dan Uggla is now at 30 straight games in the most embarrassing hitting streak ever. He went 1-for-6 and left five guys on base last night. But hey, that hitting streak continues!