Baseball

[O Really]

I wonder if the sports writer who wrote that this Series would be the "biggest mismatch" in decades has reconsidered his opinion yet.

[GoCubsGo]

I wonder if the sports writer who wrote that this Series would be the "biggest mismatch" in decades has reconsidered his opinion yet.

Not yet.
https://theweek.com/authors/david-faris

[GoCubsGo]

Well, that was different.

[Vrede too]

Well, that was different.

Crap. Back to Houston for at least 1 game.

[billy.pilgrim]

https://nypost.com/2022/11/01/philly-re ... re-game-3/

"Angelo’s Pizzeria in South Philadelphia, an institution in the city, refused to provide catering for the visitors.

''If you think I’d cook for the Astros, you’re out of your mind,” a man said in a video posted to the eatery’s Instagram account. “We said no to them.”'

[Vrede too]

https://nypost.com/2022/11/01/philly-re ... re-game-3/

"Angelo’s Pizzeria in South Philadelphia, an institution in the city, refused to provide catering for the visitors.

''If you think I’d cook for the Astros, you’re out of your mind,” a man said in a video posted to the eatery’s Instagram account. “We said no to them.”'

NO PIZZA FOR YOU!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLfmEZYdtrY

Well, that was different.

Historic.

Here's how the Astros' Cristian Javier just helped throw the second no-hitter in the history of the World Series

The baseball sitting on a concrete post in the bowels of Citizens Bank Park is heading to Cooperstown, along with a rosin bag and the scorebook kept by FOX broadcaster John Smoltz during Game 4 of the World Series. The scorebook shows that on Wednesday night in Philadelphia, the Phillies did not record a single hit as the Astros won 5-0. The baseball contains five signatures: Houston Astros catcher Christian Vázquez, relievers Bryan Abreu, Rafael Montero and Ryan Pressly, and the man who originally threw it: Cristian Javier, whose name is right under the World Series logo. Together, they threw the first combined no-hitter in postseason history — the second no-hitter ever in the World Series, third ever in the postseason.

When you put it like that, how could it be anything other than shocking? Practically a once-in-a-lifetime event. But insofar as these things ever do — and all no-hitters are a little bit fluky — it actually sorta makes sense. Or at least, the name on the front of the baseball does.

This season, as pitching dominated and putting the ball in play continued to disappear as an offensive strategy, one pitcher in particular excelled at preventing hits. His .169 batting average against in the regular season was the fourth lowest (minimum 140 innings) since 1920, just above Nolan Ryan’s .171 in 1972.

Wow.

... This postseason has highlighted that their strength is not just sheer ability but also in numbers — there are virtually no weak links on the Astros’ pitching staff....

Not counting Verlander's WS misery?

Cristian Javier signed out of the Dominican Republic in March 2015. He was a week away from his 18th birthday, which means all 30 teams spent almost two years opting not to sign him for the $10,000 pittance the Astros eventually offered him. He debuted during the 2020 pandemic season after Verlander went down with an injury just after opening day. Before this year, he had more appearances out of the bullpen than as part of the rotation and never started a game in the postseason. He started 2022 in the bullpen before graduating to a full-time starting role. He made one relief appearance in the division series and one start in the championship series.


Rafael Montero #47, Bryan Abreu #52, Cristian Javier #53, Christian Vazquez #9 and Ryan Pressly #55 of the Houston Astros pose for a photo after pitching for a combined no-hitter to defeat the Philadelphia Phillies 5-0 in Game Four of the 2022 World Series at Citizens Bank Park on November 02, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

But even as he’s flown under the radar, Javier has been the best in baseball at not giving up hits. It’s not just this year, with his league-leading .169 batting average against; since his debut in 2020, Javier has allowed the lowest batting average to opposite hitters (minimum 300 innings) — .177, with Corbin Burnes second at .194.

In June, Javier held the Yankees hitless for seven innings in what became a combined no-hitter. And on Wednesday in Philadelphia — in Game 4 of a World Series his team was trailing two games to one — Javier held a Phillies lineup that exploded for five home runs just one day earlier hitless for six innings....

Even, apparently, in what was effectively a must-win World Series game with added personal significance. In the stands at Citizens Bank Park were Javier’s parents: his mom, Trinidad Mieses, with whom he is close; and his dad, Cecilio Javier, who had arrived in the country yesterday to watch him pitch in person for the very first time.

“It was the best gift that I could have ever given them,” Javier said. “I know that they're really proud of me for what I was able to accomplish today.”

Cool.

With his performance in Game 4, Javier made history: the only pitcher other than Don Larsen to finish a World Series outing of at least six innings without allowing a hit; and the first pitcher to start two combined no-hitters in his career (and in one season).

In a testament to both his ability to roll with the punches and the Astros’ unrelenting phalanx of unhittable pitchers, Javier will now return to the bullpen. Baker admitted postgame that he had already started thinking about how much he could give them in a potential Game 7 — two, maybe three, innings on three days rest after authoring one of the greatest World Series starts of all time.

For now, though, Baker said, “he certainly put himself on the map.”

Astros suck, but good for Javier.

[GoCubsGo]

Part Duex.

[Vrede too]

Bottom 8th, ouch, there goes Verlander's W no matter how the game turns out. Now 0 for 9 starts with 6 losses.

Edit: Or not, maybe there has to be a lead switch to negate the W.

Edit: Crap. I wouldn't bet on Phillies sweeping in Houston. Verlander does get the win, 9 WS starts 1-6.

[GoCubsGo]

Well, trying to see a silver lining.

Dusty Baker finally gets to manage a World Series winner.

But he's still not forgiven for 2003 when after the Bartman incident he didn't make a mound trip to calm down his team and especially his young pitcher as well as the epic Cubs collapse in the last week of the season in 2004 .
https://fanbuzz.com/mlb/has-dusty-baker ... ld-series/


The Phillies had a terrific run.

[Vrede too]

... The Phillies had a terrific run.

[Vrede too]

'Mattress Mack' wins historic $75M payout off Astros' title

Bookmakers on Saturday forked over what's believed to be the largest payout in sports betting history -- approximately $75 million -- to a Texas furniture store owner who earlier this year plunked down $10 million in bets on the Houston Astros to win the World Series....

[GoCubsGo]

Ok, the people of Houston gets a little love.



https://www.yahoo.com/news/ted-cruz-bru ... 06418.html

[Vrede too]

Ok, the people of Houston gets a little love.


https://www.yahoo.com/news/ted-cruz-bru ... 06418.html

I assumed a plastic cup and splash, not a full can! I applaud the enthusiasm, but not the tactic with family aboard. Of course, asshole Teddy didn't even glance back to see if the deflection hit them.
I hope they grief him after seeing this video.

Cruz is a mystery of biology. How can he stand upright without having a spine?

[Vrede too]

Ok, the people of Houston gets a little love.


https://www.yahoo.com/news/ted-cruz-bru ... 06418.html

I assumed a plastic cup and splash, not a full can! I applaud the enthusiasm, but not the tactic with family aboard. Of course, asshole Teddy didn't even glance back to see if the deflection hit them.
I hope they grief him after seeing this video.

Cruz is a mystery of biology. How can he stand upright without having a spine?

The rest of the story:

The man who hit Ted Cruz with a can of White Claw implied he wanted the senator to catch the beverage and chug it

... On Thursday, Joey Arcidiacono's lawyer issued a statement explaining that Arcidiacono didn't intend to launch a political attack on Cruz.

"Instead, this was an Astros fan trying to toss drinks from his cooler to the Senator during a championship parade and not realizing how it would be perceived until he saw security's reaction," the statement said.

The statement said Astros athletes would often chug beers that their fans throw to them. "Fans throw cans to people in championship parades all the time. That is a widely known thing. To get them to chug," it read.

"That was stupid, good fun. This ended up not as fun," the statement also said....

Arcidiacono apologized to Cruz, his family, and his security detail, asking the senator "for grace" and to decline charges against him....

Sounds like a plausible explanation to me.

[Vrede too]

Baseball Fans Can't Believe Who Photobombed Them On 'The Tonight Show'

Spoiler:

Aaron Judge

The baseball fun begins at 7:50.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1gW2hMVLN0

[O Really]

Concussion protocol, circa 1924

July 5, 1924, was not a great day for Babe Ruth. During a game at Griffith Stadium in Washington between the Yankees and the Senator the Bambino ran into a concrete wall while attempting to make a catch and knocked himself unconscious for five stressful minutes. As he lied on the field surrounded by players on both sides, the team doctor doused his face in water in an attempt to revive him. After waking up Ruth got back in the game, which was just a thing you could do in 1924. Following his accident, he scored two more hits and played part of the second game of the double header.

[GoCubsGo]

Concussion protocol, circa 1924

July 5, 1924, was not a great day for Babe Ruth. During a game at Griffith Stadium in Washington between the Yankees and the Senator the Bambino ran into a concrete wall while attempting to make a catch and knocked himself unconscious for five stressful minutes. As he lied on the field surrounded by players on both sides, the team doctor doused his face in water in an attempt to revive him. After waking up Ruth got back in the game, which was just a thing you could do in 1924. Following his accident, he scored two more hits and played part of the second game of the double header.

But how was the wall?

[GoCubsGo]

A's predicted to have another stellar year (they've got their own category ).

Do I poke the bear?

[Vrede too]

A's predicted to have another stellar year (they've got their own category ).

Do I poke the bear?

https://mobile.twitter.com/TheGameDayML ... 1215075330

You could even quote last Spring's exchanges. Link us if you go for it, please.

[GoCubsGo]

He was a vanilla broadcaster, but likable.