Thursday Night Open Thread

by 68 Comments

Marchand: Teams have inquired about Robinson Cano
Update: A-Rod homers in rehab game, will be activated Monday

It is actually Thursday, right? Right. Had a little mix-up in yesterday’s open thread. I’ve been off one day all week for some reason, I think because of the Futures Game on Sunday. That felt like a Monday. Anyway, someone sent me that first half highlight video today and I think we’re all going through baseball withdrawals, so I figured it would make a fine open thread video. Hope you enjoy.

Here is your open thread for this baseball-less evening. It’s a good night to chip away at the DVR/Netflix queues. The All-Star break ends tomorrow, thankfully. Talk about whatever you like here. Have at it.

Marchand: Teams have inquired about Robinson Cano
Update: A-Rod homers in rehab game, will be activated Monday
  • dkidd

    what happens if the yankees start the second half 2-10? can this organization ever go into “sell mode”?

    paging ned colletti…

  • Need Pitching & Hitting (but mostly hitting)

    Prediction: Michael Pineda’s first start for the NY Yankees will be on July 28.

    • jjyank

      Ah come on, let’s make it the 26th. That’s my birthday :) Pineda coming back and throwing a good game would make a nice present.

    • Gonzo

      Is that when his FA clock is pushed back a year?

      • Need Pitching & Hitting (but mostly hitting)

        I think so, if I counted correctly.
        And it lines up well with him pitching today, and with whoever pitches the 5th game for the Yankees after the AS break (Hughes would make sense, if they intend to trade him, and maybe even if they don’t intend to trade him)

  • cooolbreez

    is it just me or this is the first 4 day all star break? CBA fine print maybe?

    I thought there was a game tonight.

    • trr

      If memory serves (and it doesn’t always), this may be the first year where EVERY team has all 4 days off

      • forensic

        Yeah, in the past some have had 3 and others have had 4 days off. Last year was the first time all teams had 4 days off.

  • Alkaline2.0

    Local station has the AAA game on. “Pinny” has 7 Ks through 4 and looks good. Not sure what A-rod has done yet. The announcers are..interesting..to say the least. I’m not sure how to feel about the term V-lo being used in a broadcast..

  • Alkaline2.0

    Local station is playing the AAA game. “Pinny” has 7 Ks through 4 innings. I turned it on to watch the end of the 4th; I’ll watch from here on out to update about A-rod or anything.

    And I would give anything to hear these two announcers announce a yankees game. Aside from the 1 guy using “V-lo” it would be entertaining….to say the least. :D

    • Alkaline2.0

      Bleh. Double ish post. First one said it didn’t go through. Disregard…

  • Alkaline2.0

    Arod homered.

    • I’m One

      The Yankees could use that. And 7 K’s in 4 innings from Pineda.

      • Mac

        They could also use to be playing AAA teams…

    • Pat D

      God dammit. I told my dad we should have gone to this game.

      • Alkaline2.0

        I was planning on it; something came up and I couldn’t :(

    • Andy

      If you don’t mind answering, what kind of pitch was it on? Which direction? How far?

      • Alkaline2.0

        Ack. I actually missed it. I’m chillin playing some games with it on the background currently.

      • Need Pitching & Hitting (but mostly hitting)
        • Andy

          Thank you very much good sir.

        • Alkaline2.0

          So right center, huh? That’s a good sign.

  • Bill

    Hey just a question for you guys 61 or 73, which is the record In Your Opinion?

    • I’m One

      Reluctantly, 73.

    • Pat D

      Last time I checked 73 was greater than 61, so…

      • Bill

        That was almost clever

        • Pat D

          And your question was almost important.

    • John S.

      73. Whether people like it or not, that actually happened. I’m not somebody who likes to rewrite history or play hypotheticals. It happened and people should just accept it.

      • Rolling Doughnut

        So how about Lance Armstrong’s titles?

        • I’m One

          Similar situation. Armstrong wasn’t the only one doping.

          • Rolling Doughnut

            And they took his titles away.

            • I’m One

              But he still won the events. And MLB hasn’t taken any titles away nor placed asterisks next to his name. At least not yet.

            • Cool Lester Smooth

              And that was stupid as shit, because the guys they gave the titles to were also doping.

            • Robinson Tilapia

              They can’t take away my yellow rubber bracelets.

    • Robinson Tilapia

      I’m going with 73. Arguing otherwise would make anyone’s head spin. I just hope the day comes when there’s no argument about the guy who tops it, if it ever happens.

    • Need Pitching & Hitting (but mostly hitting)

      60*

    • Laz

      There is no way to know whether a lot of baseball’s records were achieved without any cheating. Let the records stand and lets move on, implement sufficient testing and start a fresh slate.

      • Scott

        Ruth did benefit from one kind of cheating, we know: a conspiracy to keep all black and (almost) all Latino players out of the league. All records before about the early 50s should come with an asterisk for that reason, arguably.

    • Andy

      Why not 60? It was done in a shorter season…

      • I’m One

        As was 61. But 73 is way past those, even considering the additional games.

      • forensic

        Then why not 27? It was done in a shorter season before Ruth had the advantage of a longer season…

        • Robinson Tilapia

          Forensic wins.

    • jim p

      Absolute value, or adjusted for inflation?

    • Rolling Doughnut

      It’s 60 in 154 games, 73* in 162 and 61 in 162. That was easy.

      *PED era.

    • jjyank

      73, easily. To be honest, I don’t give a shit that Bonds cheated. Ruth and Maris didn’t have the same level of competition against them, but they don’t get asterisks. I’m not a Bonds apologist by any means, but he did break the record. Deal with it. Besides, how many pitchers were doing steroids that he hit home runs off of? We’ll never know how level the playing field really was, so if you want to dispute his record, you’re really just going off pure speculation. So yes, it’s 73.

      • Bob Buttons

        Not really in the mood to argue over cheating or records, but how in the world would you know that “Ruth and Maris didn’t have the same level of competition against them”?

        To name a few sluggers between 1920 to 1960
        Foxx, Mantle, Gehrig, Killebrew, Willie Mays, Duke Snider, etc.

        To name a few pitchers between 1920 to 1960
        Koufax, Spahn, Feller, Newhouser, Gibson

        Pretty sure those guys can kick the asses of most, if not all players of today easily.

        • Pat D

          Less integration, higher pitching mound, expansion, creation of the DH, different ballparks…lots of differences between the eras which makes it pretty well impossible for direct comparisons to be made.

    • forensic

      Certainly 73 for me.

  • Bo Knows

    I don’t know if anyone heard, but apparently there is going to be a new Godzilla movie. Godzilla was one of my favorite things growing up, I’ve watched every movie marathon, every Cartoon, I even own the original 1954 film on VHS (I’m only 22, not old enough to have seen it released lol)

    It has legit promise too, Bryan Cranston is going to be in it, so is Ken Watanabe, on top of that it looks like they are going to make the King of Monsters the legit force of nature like the original films, and not some punkass iguana.

  • jim p

    Today marks the 8th consecutive game in which Don Mattingly hit a HR (10 over the streak).

    1987. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=1786653

    • Robinson Tilapia

      So awesome that was.

      • Pat D

        So Yoda-esque your comment was.

        • Robinson Tilapia

          Clever almost that was.

          • Pat D

            I find your lack of faith disturbing.

  • Alkaline2.0

    A rod had a dribbler down 1st base line. I had flashbacks towards him hitting the ball out of the glove. Alas, no such effort tonight.

    • Pa Poo

      TWSS

      • Cool Lester Smooth

        I really don’t want to know what situation she would say that in.

  • Alkaline2.0

    Betances on the mound.

  • Alkaline2.0

    2 K’s so far. Second one on three pitches. Inside curve, low inside fastball, low outside fastball.

  • ThatstheMelkyMesaWaysa

    I want either Justin Morneau, Giancarlo Stanton, or MikeYasielAndrew TroutPuigMcCutchen. I fear Big Member is the only one who could make this happen.

    • Mac

      One of those things seems completely unlike the others. I don’t know what he’ll do from here out, but Morneau is virtually tied with Overbay so far with a 0.6 fWAR and 102 vs. 101 wRC+.

    • Cool Lester Smooth

      Screw Puig, give me Bryce Harper.

  • http:/www.twitter.com/_swarlesbarkley Mark Teixeira – Ghostbuster (formerly Drew)

    Does any remember the card game MLB Showdown? I was just cleaning out my closet in my parents house and found a huge box of those cards. Brought me back.

  • Jigga

    Would anybody else prefer having Nova start over Pettitte tomorrow? Pettitte has been their least effective starter lately and Nova has been hot. Give him a chance and see what happens

    • Robinson Tilapia

      I feel like I’ve seen this movie before.

  • Pat D