Issue #727
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! ⚾
Yesterday we had a typical full slate of Tuesday games (15). Here are the results (link to all game box scores):
TBR 12, ATH 4 - The Rays scored six runs early off ATH SP Mason Barnett (4 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 0 K), and then scored another six runs late off three different Athletics relievers. This included six HRs, as Junior Caminero went 1-3 with a HR, a walk, 2 runs, and 2 RBI; Taylor Walls was 2-4 with 2 HR and 3 RBI; Yandy Díaz hit a HR and scored 3 runs; Victor Mesa Jr. went 2-5 with a 2-run HR; and Carson Williams hit a 3-run HR. All of that scoring came in support of TBR SP Nick Martinez who pitched a complete game (9 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 0 BB, 5 K), giving up a 2-run HR to Lawrence Butler in the fourth, and two more inconsequential runs in the ninth.
KCR 4, LAD 5 (10) - Mookie Betts hit a solo HR in the second and the Dodgers scored two more in the seventh off KCR SP Michael Wacha (6.2 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 5 K). LAD SP Blake Snell was outstanding in his first start since coming off the IL, and only his second start of the year, striking out 10 over 6 innings of work (3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB). The Royals, however, scored three in the top of the eighth to take a one-run lead, with the Dodgers then tying the game with a run in the bottom of the inning. Neither team scored in the ninth, so it went into extras. The Dodgers brought in Seth Halvorsen, and he kept Kansas City from scoring in the top of the tenth. Lucas Erceg came in for the Royals, but after getting one out while loading the bases from intentional walks, he gave up a walk-off single to Max Muncy.
CHC 8, WSH 6 - CHC SP Shota Imanaga was once again victimized by the long ball (4.2 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 0 BB, 5 K), giving up a 2-run HR to CJ Abrams in the first inning, a solo HR to Jacob Young in the second, and a solo HR to Dylan Crews in the fifth. The Cubs didn't score in the first inning, but they scored in each of the next five innings, including getting five off WSH SP Jake Irvin (3.1 IP, 4 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 4 K). Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a HR in the third inning; Alex Bregman went 2-4 with a HR, a walk, and 3 runs; Seiya Suzuki was 2-5 with a HR, a double, and 2 RBI; and Nico Hoerner was 2-3 with a double. The Nationals scored two in the eighth to cut their deficit to two, but then Jacob Webb pitched a scoreless ninth for his 8th save. Brady House went 3-4 with a walk and 2 runs in the Nationals' loss.
PIT 0, MIA 2
CLE 4, DET 6
NYM 0, ATL 4
BOS 3, TOR 5
SEA 1, NYY 4
BAL 5, MIN 2
CIN 5, CWS 4 (10)
PHI 0, STL 2
TEX 2, LAA 3
COL 3, ARI 2
MIL 2, SDP 11
HOU 1, SFG 4
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What you see in this issue of The Baseball Buffet is an abridged version. All-Star subscribers receive the following, every day of the week:
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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Today’s Trivia Question
Bo Bichette of the Mets recently had a 5-hit game. That was the fifth time in his career that he's had 5 hits in a game, which is tied for the most among active players—which two players is he tied with?
(Trivia answers are provided for paid All-Star subscribers of the Baseball Buffet.)
🎂 Today’s Birthday Boys 🎉
Christy Mathewson, Ray Schalk, Harlond Clift, Ian Happ
In addition to Ian Happ, another currently active player who was born on August 12 is MIL Kyle Harrison.
Today’s Matchups
Today we have a typical full slate of Wednesday games (15), including the following interesting matchups (and here is a link to the full schedule):
PHI Zack Wheeler vs STL Kyle Leahy - After a tough 2-0 loss in St. Louis yesterday, the Phillies look to bounce back with their ace Wheeler on the mound today. They are in a battle with Diamondbacks and Padres for the last two NL Wild Card spots, with several other teams, including the Cardinals, also within shouting distance.
MIL Dustin May vs. SDP Robbie Ray - The Padres have won four in a row, and as I just noted are battling with the Diamondbacks and Phillies for the last two NL Wild Card spots.
CLE Foster Griffin vs. DET Framber Valdez - This is another important game between two AL Central teams that are each below .500 but still fighting for a playoff spot. Griffin didn't do well in his first game for Cleveland, while Valdez has been inconsistent all year.
Additional starting pitchers who will be throwing today include TBR Drew Rasmussen, SEA Bryce Miller, and BOS Ranger Suarez.
Baseball Quote of the Day
One of today's Birthday Boys (see above) is Hall of Famer Christy Mathewson, so here are a few quotes from him (curated from the collection at The Baseball Almanac):
"A boy cannot begin playing ball too early. I might almost say that while he is still creeping on all fours he should have a bouncing rubber ball."
"Anybody's best pitch is the one the batters ain't hitting that day."
"A young ballplayer looks on his first spring training trip as a stage struck young woman regards the theater."
"...But the saddest words of all to a pitcher are three: 'Take him out,'"
"If you've ever been around a group of actors, you've noticed, no doubt, that they can talk of nothing else under the sun but acting. It's exactly the same way with baseball players. Your heart must be in your work."
"You can learn little from victory. You can learn everything from defeat."
"Many baseball fans look upon an umpire as a sort of necessary evil to the luxury of baseball, like the odor that follows an automobile."
⚾ Enjoy the games today! ⚾
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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