You know one of my favorite topics is the MLB appeal…..I don’t agree with the assumption that each “call” must be perfect….I mean…what else in life is perfect?….all the MLB pitchers make bad pitches… all the MLB batters swing & miss…why do we expect the umpires to be perfect? It’s called the human element. I don’t like managers making us wait while some computer guy is watching the replay. Meanwhile, the Manager is standing on the top step of the dugout holding up the …..already slow….game…if he’s so sure that it’s the wrong call… have him appeal it immediately….and aren’t the games long enough already with plethora of commercials choking off your interest? With those as my backdrop, I was very surprised to see while watching the Blues that when their appeal was denied..they were penalized due to the incorrect appeal….they put any man in the penalty box…well….why not use that same principle in baseball & football….make it simple…and make the team losing the appeal…pay a price for their “mistake”
…in baseball….if your instant appeal…no more pontificating on the top step…is wrong…the offensive team loses an out….if the appeal was the 3rd out…it’d be the 1st out in the next inning….if a defensive appeal is ruled incorrect…that runner is awarded a free base …for example…if the appeal pertained to a runner at 1b…that runner is awarded 2b…if @2b…then runner is advanced to 3b due to the incorrect appeal….other runners move up if forced to do so…. Some objections that I hear about awarding bases are that it may skew the ERA of the pitchers….well….since it’s an error…the Manager’s error….treat it like any other error with respect to earned runs.
…in football….if the appeal is wrong…the other team gets 10 yards…in other words….if the offensive team is incorrect in their appeal…the football is moved backwards 10 yards….if the defensive team is incorrect in the appeal…the ball is moved forward after the spot….simple…..
Around the MLB….in the…it’s too early to say….
….I can practically guarantee that none of the top 4 RBI leaders as of April 15th will be there on September 15th! All four of these players have 15 rbi’s—Mitch Haniger (Seattle), Gregory Polanco (Pirates), Jose Martinez (StL Cards), Hanley Ramirez (Boston)…sorry….I haven’t jumped on the Martinez band-wagon yet….he DOES look good….but…. he HAS played in the Home run derby field….Cincinnati …4 games already. Heck…I even saw little bitty Billy Hamilton hit a HR yesterday!
…Shohei Ohtani has displayed good “stuff” on the mound and has been a sharp hitter…. in 30 AB, batting average .367,3 HR , his OPS (on base + slugging %) 1.191, as a pitcher 2-0, 2.08 era, whip (walks +hits per innings pitched) 0.46 and the batting average against him as a pitcher is .093…He isn’t another Ichiro…who was an unbelievable “slap-hitter”
….apparently a rebirth for 32 year old Bud Norris has taken place….I remember him as being a soft-throwing guy who seemed like he could beat the Cards…but hardly anyone else  He gave himself a “re-make” last year… he moved to the bullpen … notched 19 saves last year for the Halos…. He did have an ERA of 4.21 last year while recording a good strikeout to inning ratio…74: 56…it’s just too early
….Dominic Leone’s early stats might suggest to space him out a bit….pitching on back-back days(1 time)….ugh….no outs, 2 hits (1 a HR), 2 runs..pitching with 1 days rest—3different times…3.2 inning, 3 hits, 4 runs…pitching with 2 days rest..1.1 innings, 1 hit no runs…..it’s too early to reach definitive conclusions….but I’d try holding him to pitching with 2+ days rest and looking for strong performances from him…..that shouldn’t be hard with the 8 man posse in the bullpen waiting for action….we’ll see
….maybe this one isn’t too early to tell…on opening night, the Miami Marlins drew 6150 people… meanwhile…on the same night, the AA affliliate minor league team in Jacksonville…the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp….I couldn’t make that name up drew 6960 fans…btw…Jacksonvile was playing the Mobile BayPears…luv those minor league names……currently Miami has drawn an average of 13,403 per game in 11 home dates….for some reason…Miami has hosted the most home games to this point..at that rate…Miami would draw just under 1.1m for the season….ugly….but deserving to management.. meanwhile….the Cards have drawn 234,316 in 6 home games…that averages to a bit over 39,000/game thus far in 2018….and…I’m hearing how attendance is down @ Busch…too early to tell…
….the Mets don’t seem too concerned about closer Jeury Familia….last year his season was shortened due to arm issues after 26 appearances….so….take it easy on him in 2018…..not so much… he’s pitched in 8 of the first 14 Met games…sure….he has 7 saves out of the 8 appearances….but what’s the over/under on him in games pitched this season….especially at this rate? 30? 40? 50?…..too early to tell…..but at this same rate…he’d pitch in 92 games this year…it’s not too early to say ….NO WAY.
…it maybe too early to tell but….there has been an increase in the number of batters being “hit by pitches”….it’s up by 17%…..is it because batters have controlled the attention in the last few years with the increase in home runs…or is it due to the many rivalries scheduled early in the season…or is it due to pitchers trying to pitch inside….or is it due to batters lunging into the pitch and not being able to get out of the way of he pitches…..whatever…..keep a watch on it
….speculation is hovering around the LA Dodgers clubhouse….although he has 2 years & $65m left on his contract, Clayton Kershaw also has the option to “opt out” after this year. Many are speculating that he’ll opt out….I’m not so sure…look how the 30 year old free agents fared this off season….and…would he want to leave the glamor, winning records, high profile of LA for another market…time will tell..
In our effort to find high school teams who may have been overlooked while enjoying outstanding seasons…..
….when experts claim that the LA/NY markets are special….many agree…to a point…but how about Aaron Judge being listed as a category in a Jeopardy show? I doubt that any Cardinal…Stan, Gibby, Albert, Yadi…any will ever have that claim  I guess…ya never know…
…the Union HS Girls Soccer team is 8-0 this year…the Wildcats have outscored their opponents 52-3 for the season!!! Emily Gaebe has scored 26 goals already in 2018. Keeper Lexi Garlock has all 8 wins with 5 shutouts recorded this year under Head Coach Matt Fennessey. Last year Union was 14-5 for the season so the 8-0 start is a real improvement for the squad.
….it’s good to see that Valley Park….a powerhouse baseball program in the 90’s in the Class 1 level under Head Coach Brent Gregston…VP went through some tough years…as all schools do in the cycle of sports…. but now has rebounded. The Hawks…still a small school but no longer a class 1 school ….are 6-3 for 2018 with losses to powerhouse Vianney and large school Hazelwood West. Jr Brandon Spawr leads the team in power production with 3 HR, 3 doubles, .469 average and a team leading 24 RBI’s. Sr Austin Schmitt holds the highest average on the team at .483 and his 12 steals are also #1 on the team. Soph Ethan Schmitt holds a 3-0 record on the mound for the Hawks.
Thanks for making it to the bottom…..YOUR comments are always invited…agree…disagree..little of each… doesn’t matter…put it right under this article….thx for reading..