Issue #609
The goal with The Baseball Buffet series is to provide the best daily dose of relevant baseball info in a smart-brevity format (mostly short bullets, getting to the point, with quick analysis/insights.) Think of it like what baseball fans of a certain age would look forward to in their morning newspaper’s sports section each day!
⚾ Welcome! ⚾
[Note: The below are some appetizers from today’s full Baseball Buffet newsletter. Paid subscribers receive the full edition. Upgrade now at 30% off the annual rate!]
Yesterday had a full slate of Tuesday games (15). Here are the results (link to all game box scores):
NYM 1, LAD 2 - Francisco Lindor led off the game with a HR, his first of the season. Nonetheless, this game was billed as a potential pitcher's duel, and both starters did quite well: NYM SP Nolan McLean (7 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K) and LAD SP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (7.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K). With the score tied 1-1 through seven, Kyle Tucker hit a single in the bottom of the eighth that drove in Miguel Rojas from second. Dodgers reliever Alex Vesia then struck out three in the top of the ninth, earning his second save on the year.
KCR 1, DET 2 - This was a good pitcher’s duel, though both starters only managed one strikeout each: KCR SP Cole Ragans (6 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 1 K) and DET SP Framber Valdez (7 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K). Down 1-0 after seven innings, the Tigers scored two in the bottom of the eighth, and then Kenley Jansen pitched a scoreless ninth for his third save. He is also now third all-time in saves, having moved past Hall of Famer Lee Smith.
TOR 9, MIL 7 (10) - This one lined up as a potential pitcher’s duel, and neither team scored for the first three innings. But then both starters gave up some runs: TOR SP Kevin Gausman (5 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 5 K) and MIL SP Jacob Misiorowski (5.1 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K). Each team had two homers: Andrés Giménez and Daulton Varsho for the Blue Jays, and Jake Bauers and Gary Sánchez for the Brewers. The game was tied 6-6 after nine, and the Blue Jays scored three in the top of the tenth, powered by doubles from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Myles Straw. The Brewers scored one in the bottom of the frame, but Louis Varland was able to close it out.
CLE 5, STL 6 (10) - José Ramirez hit a HR in the top of the first inning, but Ivan Herrera did the same in the bottom of the inning. Additional solo homers soon followed by Daniel Schneemann for the Guardians, and JJ Wetherholt for the Cardinals. The game was still 2-2 through seven, when Cleveland scored three in the top of the eighth, powered by doubles from George Valera and Angel Martínez. St. Louis came back with Wetherholt connecting again for a 2-run HR in the eighth, and then Yohel Pozo hitting a double that drove in Masyn Winn in the ninth to force extras. Riley O'Brien kept the Guardians from scoring in the top of the tenth. In the bottom of the frame, Tim Herrin threw a wild pitch which advanced Thomas Saggese, who was on second as the freebie Manfred Man, to third base. With no outs, Nathan Church did what he needed to do by hitting a sacrifice fly for the win.
TBR 8, CWS 5
ARI 4, BAL 3
WSH 5, PIT 4
SFG 1, CIN 2
CHC 10, PHI 4
LAA 7, NYY 1
MIA 5, ATL 6
BOS 0, MIN 6
COL 6, HOU 7
SEA 1, SDP 4
TEX 1, ATH 2
Today’s Trivia Question
One of today's Birthday Boys (see below) is Jeremy Burnitz. In 1998 he had 125 RBI for the Brewers, a figure equaled by Richie Sexson in 2001. Which two Brewers players had more than 125 RBI in a single season?
(Trivia answers are provided for paid All-Star subscribers of the Baseball Buffet.)
🎂 Today’s Birthday Boys 🎉
Willie Davis, Ed Bailey, Jeremy Burnitz
Currently active players who were born on April 15 include MIA Eury Pérez, TEX Danny Jansen, CIN Tony Santillan, PHI Michael Mercado, SFG Reiver Sanmartín, and Dauri Moreta (free agent).
Today’s Matchups
Another full slate of games (15) today, including the following interesting matchups (see also full list):
CHC Shota Imanaga vs. PHI Jesús Luzardo - Imanaga has done well in his last two starts, while Luzardo has struggled in two of his three so far this year
NYM Clay Holmes vs. LAD Shohei Ohtani - game three of this series between big payroll clubs, with the always must-see Ohtani on the mound
SEA Emerson Hancock vs. Randy Vásquez - two pitchers who are doing well so far this year, with the Padres trying to keep pace with the Dodgers and the Mariners trying to get back to .500
Other starters of note include ARI Eduardo Rodriguez, BOS Connelly Early, KCR Seth Lugo, and TOR Dylan Cease
Baseball Quote of the Day
Two days ago it was Pete Rose's birthday, so here are some quotes from baseball's all-time hits leader:
"I'd walk through hell in a gasoline suit to play baseball."
"Doctors tell me I have the body of a thirty year old. I know I have the brain of a fifteen year old. If you've got both, you can play baseball."
"I haven't missed a game in two-and-a-half years. I go to the park as sick as a dog and, when I see my uniform hanging there, I get well right now. Then I see some of you guys (media) and I get sick again."
"I'm just like everybody else. I have two arms, two legs and four-thousand hits."
"Pressure? Well it ain't hitting in forty-four straight games, because I done that and it was fun. The playoffs are pressure."
"Somebody's gotta win and somebody's gotta lose and I believe in letting the other guy lose."
"People say I don't have great tools. They say that I can't throw like Ellis Valentine or run like Tim Raines or hit with power like Mike Schmidt. Who can? I make up for it in other ways, by putting out a little bit more. That's my theory, to go through life hustling. In the big leagues, hustle usually means being in the right place at the right time. It means backing up a base. It means backing up your teammate. It means taking that headfirst slide. It means doing everything you can do to win a baseball game."
⚾ Enjoy the games today!⚾
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The above was just some highlights from today’s full Baseball Buffet. Paid All Star subscribers receive all of the following, every day:
Game summaries for every game
Current MLB standings
Notable player transactions… injuries, call-ups, free agent signings, trades, etc.
Rotating statistical leader lists
Current hitting streaks of seven or more games
On this day in baseball history…
Career summaries for each of The Birthday Boys
Daily Hitter Watch and Pitcher Watch lists - who has historically done well or poorly against their matchup today?
Good Reads… my favorite recent baseball articles from other writers
… and the answers to the daily trivia questions!
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Did you know? I wrote a 600+ page book with the same title as this newsletter/blog? Now Taking the Field: Baseball’s All-Time Dream Teams for All 30 Franchises was published in early 2019, by ACTA Sports. It is available at Amazon and most other major booksellers.
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