Anthony hit his first homer of the year today. It was a laser shot off the facing of the upper deck and actually hit his name. He got a haircut and looks much better (at least to an old guy like me)

The Nationals are such a scary team...this might be the year they finally take off (contract year for Bryce as well...he will likely get a $400MM+ contract after this year).

https://www.mlb.com/gameday/mets-vs-nati...ame=529526

Rendon got tossed today after getting called out on strikes on a terrible call. And then the ump decides to show him up after Rendon tosses his bat in disgust. He didn't say a word to the ump either - just flipped his bat in front of an ump with a way-too-big ego.

(04-07-2018 05:11 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  https://www.mlb.com/gameday/mets-vs-nati...ame=529526

Rendon got tossed today after getting called out on strikes on a terrible call. And then the ump decides to show him up after Rendon tosses his bat in disgust. He didn't say a word to the ump either - just flipped his bat in front of an ump with a way-too-big ego.

Crazy. I was watching the game here in the NYC area and even the Mets broadcast team (who are terrific) were appalled at the whole thing.

USATODAY "...ridiculous..."


https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ml...496185002/

Rendon just laid down a great first-pitch bunt in extras. Better than textbook

(04-08-2018 10:32 PM)westsidewolf1989 Wrote:  Rendon just laid down a great first-pitch bunt in extras. Better than textbook

To set up Bryce Harper to drive in the game-winning run ... and Harper promptly bounced into an inning-ending groundout.

After the Mets too the lead in extras, Rendon was on-deck when the final out was made ... with a Nat left on 2nd.

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(04-08-2018 11:33 PM)Almadenmike Wrote:  

(04-08-2018 10:32 PM)westsidewolf1989 Wrote:  Rendon just laid down a great first-pitch bunt in extras. Better than textbook

To set up Bryce Harper to drive in the game-winning run ... and Harper promptly bounced into an inning-ending groundout.

After the Mets too the lead in extras, Rendon was on-deck when the final out was made ... with a Nat left on 2nd.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using CSNbbs mobile app

Overall, not a great clutch night for Rendon. Flew out to end the 4th with the bases loaded, grounded out to end the 6th with a runner at 3rd, and picked off 1st (run down) to end the 8th. Plus, the Nationals loaded the bases with 1 out in the 9th and failed to score, and Turner overran 3rd base in the 5th (despite the 3rd base coach having a stop sign up and pointing at the bag) and was tagged out.

The Nationals had base runners in 10 of the 12 innings and just didn't do enough with it.

I saw a stat yesterday that said the Nats had the longest active streak of days at or above the .500 mark but that ended yesterday as they are now 4-5 on the young season. The Astros now have the longest active streak - something like 2 years and counting (and I don't see any reason why it won't be broken any time this season).

Still as good as the Astros appear to be again in 2019, the most amazing story of the young MLB season has to be the Angels DH/SP Shohei Ohtani. By just about any standard, he's the most impressive 2 way player in baseball since Babe Ruth a century ago, or Joe Savery if you want to include the college ranks.

(04-08-2018 12:47 PM)Viejobuho Wrote:  USATODAY "...ridiculous..."


https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ml...496185002/

As the article explains (and as is usually ignored), there is more to the story than the clickbait headline

(04-07-2018 05:11 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  https://www.mlb.com/gameday/mets-vs-nati...ame=529526

Rendon got tossed today after getting called out on strikes on a terrible call.

Why do you say the called third strike was a terrible call? In the video, it looks like the ball probably passes through some part of the strike zone (which is all it needs to do). And one certainly cannot say definitively that it did NOT pass through ANY part of the strike zone -- which is what one seemingly should discern before labeling the call "terrible".

https://twitter.com/AnthonyDiComo/status...2477792256

There are the two pitches Rendon was unhappy with. Both look like plausible strikes. Still, the Ump looks like a little b and his explanation of why he tossed him wasn't any better (basically he didn't like Rendon's attitude when he stepped out of the batters box on the prior pitch...I guess the bat flip was against the unwritten rules).

(04-09-2018 09:48 AM)flash3200 Wrote:  https://twitter.com/AnthonyDiComo/status...2477792256

There are the two pitches Rendon was unhappy with. Both look like plausible strikes.

That site links to this site, which is interesting: https://twitter.com/NationalsUmp

(04-09-2018 09:48 AM)flash3200 Wrote:  https://twitter.com/AnthonyDiComo/status...2477792256

There are the two pitches Rendon was unhappy with. Both look like plausible strikes. Still, the Ump looks like a little b and his explanation of why he tossed him wasn't any better (basically he didn't like Rendon's attitude when he stepped out of the batters box on the prior pitch...I guess the bat flip was against the unwritten rules).

Those are the two pitches he was called out on strikes for - where was the one that he supposedly walked around the batters box on? I think a lot of balls and strikes depends on what the umpire has established. If he establishes a specific strike zone and is consistent with it, there is less of a gray area to complain about. They don't look like strikes to me but they're close.

But at the same time, umps have to give players some leeway in their beefs. Umpires have a much longer career in the majors than players - I don't think a minor complaint warrants an immediate ejection.

(04-09-2018 09:13 AM)georgewebb Wrote:  

(04-08-2018 12:47 PM)Viejobuho Wrote:  USATODAY "...ridiculous..."


https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ml...496185002/

As the article explains (and as is usually ignored), there is more to the story than the clickbait headline

I'm not sure that's true. Here's what the umpire crew chief Joe West said:

Quote:You have to do something or he loses all respect from the players.

That sounds like a load of crap to me. He walked out of the hitters circle on the previous pitch, then he dropped his bat (disrespectfully?). Brooks Baseball shows the pitch low and inside, but that's not really the point. Relatively quiet (and some not so quiet) demonstrations like Rendon's happen all the time, without ejection. The ump was out of line.

Hell, many strikeouts that end an inning usually ends with the batter flipping the bat towards his own dugout for the batboy to get, so he can then take off the batting gloves and helmet. (Can't do that easily while holding a bat.) There was nothing unusual about that flip at all, except the umpire's reaction to it.

My main problem with his ejection was that he didn't turn around and say anything to the ump. For all the umpire knows he could have flipped his bat like that because he was mad that he froze on a pitch. The ump must have assumed that the call was questionable (which it was) and therefore was expecting some protest. Also I know umps can be disciplined as well, has anyone seen anything on this?

(04-09-2018 12:18 PM)Brookes Owl Wrote:  

(04-09-2018 09:13 AM)georgewebb Wrote:  

(04-08-2018 12:47 PM)Viejobuho Wrote:  USATODAY "...ridiculous..."


https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ml...496185002/

As the article explains (and as is usually ignored), there is more to the story than the clickbait headline

I'm not sure that's true. Here's what the umpire crew chief Joe West said:

Quote:You have to do something or he loses all respect from the players.

That sounds like a load of crap to me. He walked out of the hitters circle on the previous pitch, then he dropped his bat (disrespectfully?). Brooks Baseball shows the pitch low and inside, but that's not really the point. Relatively quiet (and some not so quiet) demonstrations like Rendon's happen all the time, without ejection. The ump was out of line.

Well Joe West isn’t exactly the most respected either.