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The English Premier League postponed this weekend’s slate of video games following the dying of Queen Elizabeth on Friday. A few of chances are you’ll not have identified that — soccer isn’t everybody’s cup of tea — however on the identical time, quite a lot of you probably did. For a lot of FanGraphs readers, pouring a cup of espresso and watching a Saturday or Sunday-morning match is a part of your routine. Most of the time, it’s as a supporter of a selected Premier League crew.
Brad Miller does precisely that. An ardent Manchester Metropolis fan, the Texas Rangers infielder “dove into European soccer” head-first whereas on the injured record a handful of years in the past. What began as a diversion has was a ardour. Miller not solely retains a eager eye on Premier League and Champions League matches, he assesses methods and follows switch rumors.
Type of play is a giant cause he adopted Man Metropolis.
“They’re clearly actually good, and I really feel sort of unhealthy admitting that,” Miller stated of his preliminary attraction. “However they’re additionally a well-oiled machine. There was a documentary on Amazon, ‘All or Nothing,’ the place they adopted the crew. That undoubtedly had me intrigued, simply watching the best way they play.
“I sort of evaluate them somewhat bit to the Dodgers,” continued Miller. “They’ve an ideal market, nice monetary backing, and in addition an ideal infrastructure — their player-development system, scouting, medical staffs, and all that. The haven’t poured cash into simply buying gamers, they’ve poured it right into a sustainable mannequin.”
The Dodgers have gamers like Mookie Betts. Man Metropolis has Erling Haaland, who joined the crew previous to this season and, at age 22, is without doubt one of the greatest gamers on the earth. Miller is enamored with the younger famous person.
“After I heard the rumors that he was doubtlessly going to Metropolis, I used to be like, ‘Nah, too good to be true,’” stated Miller, who thought Actual Madrid was a extra probably vacation spot for the Norwegian. “But it surely really got here collectively, and it’s precisely what I hoped and envisioning. With a Pep Guardiola crew, the assault is…I imply, they only transfer the ball so effectively. Haaland going to be an absolute pressure. I wish to see him get 30 objectives. He’s already bought 10 in six matches, so I can see it taking place.”
Haaland might or might not attain that quantity, however one factor is for certain: Miller will likely be following intently. Like quite a few different MLB gamers who help a Premier League crew — C.J. Cron (Chelsea) and Kyle Higashioka (Liverpool) are among the many die-hards — Miller, to the extent that his schedule permits, spends his weekend mornings watching soccer.
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RANDOM HITTER-PITCHER MATCHUPS
Queenie O’Rourke went 3 for 4 towards King Brady.
Wilbur Good went 5 for five towards King Lear.
Ty Cobb went 5 for 9 towards King Cole.
Chick King went 1 for five towards Sandy Koufax.
Bobby Thomson went 5 for 21 towards Mel Queen.
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Depend me among the many thousands and thousands who hate the brand new shift rule that MLB plans to implement subsequent 12 months. Not permitting groups to place their defenders (save for the pitcher and catcher) wherever they need on the sphere, which they’ve been free to do for upwards of 150 years, is just a horrible thought. Furthermore, it’s not simply penalizing groups for being good whereas lifting a center finger to custom. At a time the place a majority of followers wish to see extra balls put into play, hitters will now be additional incentivized to drive balls to the pull facet, with energy in thoughts.
MLB’s powers-that-be have made variety of questionable-at-best modifications lately. Together with the introduction of a Manfred-man in further innings, severely limiting shift may the worst of them.
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A quiz:
Mike Marshall’s 106 pitching appearances in 1974 is the single-season document. Which two pitchers are tied for second within the most-games-in-one-season class?
The reply could be discovered under.
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NEWS NOTES
The Chicago Cubs welcomed three new members to their Corridor of Fame yesterday. Honored have been broadcaster Pat Hughes, Seventies outfielder Jose Cardenal, and the legendary Buck O’Neill, who in 1962 was employed by the Cubs as MLB’s first Black coach.
Mark Littell, who pitched for the Kansas Metropolis Royals from 1973-1977, and for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1978-1982, died earlier this week at age 69. Littell’s greatest statistical season was 1976 when he went 8-4 with 16 saves and a 2.08 ERA over 104 innings.
Ken Frailing, a left-handed pitcher who appeared in 102 video games from 1972-1976, died late final month at age 74. The Madison, Wisconsin native spent his first two seasons with the Chicago White Sox, and his closing three seasons with the Chicago Cubs. Ron Santo and Steve Stone have been the notables within the five-player swap that despatched Frailing throughout city.
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The reply to the quiz is Kent Tekulve and Salomon Torres, with 94 appearances every. Tekulve reached that quantity in 1979, Torres in 2006.
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Texas Rangers catching coach Bobby Wilson was the visitor on Friday’s episode of FanGraphs Audio, and among the many many subjects he addressed was in-game data on the bench. To say that much more than eyeballs are getting used can be an understatement.
“I believe we now have 10 iPads within the dugout,” Wilson defined on the podcast. “Each single iPad is occupied throughout each single inning, so these guys are getting on the spot suggestions. Every little thing you would presumably need is on the iPad. These guys are watching video, they’ve bought completely different angles, spin charge, vertical motion, horizontal motion. These guys are taking a look at each swing [the hitters] take — the launch, the exit [velocity] — so these guys are making changes. These guys are beginning to perceive how the numbers make pitches play… Again in my day, you simply used your eyes. Now these guys have goal data that claims, ‘This man’s bought 20 vert.’
“The iPads are good and unhealthy,” continued Wilson, who caught within the massive leagues from 2008-2019. “There are quite a lot of guys that spend extra time on iPads than watching the video games. However to get the data that these guys must be profitable is certainly a superb factor.”
Should you haven’t already checked it out, the complete episode is effectively well worth the hear. The quantity of perception Wilson offered, on quite a few topics, was spectacular.
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FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Kosuke Fukudome introduced this week that he will likely be retiring on the finish of the season. The 45-year-old Chunichi Dragons outfielder has 1,952 hits, together with 285 residence runs, to go together with a .286 batting common in his NPB profession. He had 498 hits, together with 42 residence runs, to go together with a .258 batting common over 5 MLB seasons.
Dietrich Enns is 10-6 with a 2.50 ERA in 119 innings with the Seibu Lions. The 31-year-old former Minnesota Twins and Tampa Bay Rays left-hander, and one time Central Michigan College Chippewa, is in his first NPB season.
Kyle Keller has logged 34 strikeouts and walked simply 4 batters in 23 innings with NPB’s Hanshin Tigers. The 29-year-old former Miami Marlins, Los Angeles Angels, and Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander has a 3.13 ERA and three saves over 24 reduction appearances.
Jung-hoo Lee and Jose Pirela lead the KBO batting race with similar .341 averages. Jung-hoo has 21 residence runs and a 169 wRC+. Pirela has 24 residence runs and a 168 wRC+.
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The Aaron Judge/Shohei Ohtani A.L. MVP debate has change into more and more heated of late, significantly on social media. With that in thoughts, I ran a Twitter ballot a number of days in the past, asking which is at the moment extra deserving. Decide got here out on prime, garnering 56.2% of the roughly 700 votes solid, whereas Ohtani obtained 42.3%. A 3rd choice, “Different,” polled at 1.4%.
Which of the 2 finally ends up capturing the next proportion within the official BBWAA balloting goes to be the most important story of this 12 months’s award season. Far much less of a narrative, however in some methods simply as intriguing, is which participant finishes in third place. Will it’s Xander Bogaerts? Jose Ramirez? Yordan Alvarez? Adley Rutschman? Any person else? As is the case for Decide and Ohtani, what occurs over the ultimate three-plus weeks of the season will probably have a significant impression on the balloting.
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Left on the cutting-room ground from Thursday’s interview with Chris Valaika have been his ideas on Cleveland’s All-Star third baseman. I requested the Guardians hitting coach if his method to working with Jose Ramirez was to remain out of his method and easily let him sq. up baseballs.
“There are some things,” responded Valaika. “Everyone goes by way of sure elements of the season the place they could get somewhat somewhat out of whack. However he’s so skilled. He is aware of what he must do, and he is aware of what he’s feeling. If there’s a 1% probability {that a} pitcher goes to throw a changeup, or a slider, he’s going to be the man to get it. So actually, it’s extra about holding him centered on his method and never feeling like he has to do all of it himself, that he has to place the crew on his again. He’s simply as invaluable when he’s taking the stroll or shifting runners.”
Ramirez has 26 residence runs and 109 RBIs, team-leading totals by a large margin, to go together with an additionally tops-on-the-team 143 wRC+. Andrés Giménez has a 142 wRC+, whereas Oscar Gonzalez (125) Josh Naylor (116) and Steven Kwan (115) additionally in triple digits.
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FARM NOTES
Hunter Goodman leads the minors with 34 residence runs. No. 30 in our Colorado Rockies prospect rankings, the 22-year-old catcher/first baseman is slashing .299/.359/.581 between Low-A Fresno, Excessive-A Spokane, and Double-A Hartford. Drafted within the fourth spherical final 12 months out of the College of Memphis, Goodman was promoted to Hartford earlier this week.
Mason Auer leads the minors with 12 triples. At the moment unranked within the Tampa Bay Rays system, the 21-year-old outfielder is slashing .294/.376/.492 between Low-A Charleston and Excessive-A Bowling Inexperienced, Drafted within the fifth spherical final 12 months out of San Jacinto School, Auer has 15 residence runs and 48 stolen bases in 55 makes an attempt.
David Hamilton stole his sixty fifth base yesterday, breaking the Double-A Portland Sea Canines franchise document for many thefts in a single season. The 24-year-old infielder was acquired by the Boston Crimson Sox final winter within the deal that despatched Hunter Renfroe to the Milwaukee Brewers.
Luis Palacios has fanned 115 batters and issued simply 12 walks in 121-and-two-thirds innings between Low-A Jupiter and Excessive-A Beloit. No. 39 in our Miami Marlins prospect rankings, the 22-year-old southpaw out of Cagua, Venezuela has a 4.29 ERA and has surrendered 131 hits.
Jonathan Salazar has 14 HBPs and 23 wild pitches in 31 innings with the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Dominican Summer season League affiliate. The 18-year-old right-hander from Santa Teresa, Venezuela has issued 16 walks and fanned 34 batters.
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Leaping again to polls, I ran one on Friday asking which of Roberto Clemente and Al Kaline was higher. Not many individuals bothered to vote — it was barely over 100 — however the outcomes are nonetheless price sharing. The Corridor of Famer with the lesser numbers gained in a landslide, capturing a hefty 84.2% of the vote.
Let’s take a look at a number of the numbers.
Clemente had 3,000 hits, 240 residence runs, 4,492 complete bases, 83 steals, a 129 wRC+, and was awarded 12 Gold Gloves. He had 80.6 WAR.
Kaline had 3,007 hits, 399 residence runs, 4,852 complete bases, 137 steals, a 134 wRC+, and was awarded 10 Gold Gloves. He had 88.9 WAR.
Was Clemente really the higher of the 2? Statistically talking, it’s a tenuous argument.
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LINKS YOU’LL LIKE
At Bally Sports activities, Gordon Edes expressed how MLBPA help marks a seismic shift within the combat for minor leaguers’ rights.
The Texas Rangers took Jordan Romano in 2018’s Rule 5 draft, solely to return him to the Toronto Blue Jays the next spring. Shi Davidi looked back on the Jays’ luck for SportsNet Canada.
The Cleveland Plain Vendor’s Joe Noga wrote about how Guardians pitching coach Carl Willis has mastered the artwork of the mound go to.
Former big-league infielder Scott Spiezio battled habit for years — he was in rehab a dozen occasions — however at age 49 he’s now sober and placing his life again collectively. Sam Blum has the story at The Athletic (subscription required).
Twenty years after trying suicide, J.P. Lengthy is prospering as Director of Baseball Communications & Media Relations for the Boston Crimson Sox. Lengthy shared his story on the Sleepwalking at Fenway weblog.
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RANDOM FACTS AND STATS
Seattle Mariners rookie right-hander George Kirby has made 21 begins and hasn’t walked a couple of batter in any of them. On the season, Kirby has 114 strikeouts and 14 walks in 111-and-two-thirds innings.
Yadier Molina (56.0, 10) and Adam Wainwright (47.9, 3) have mixed for 103.9 WAR and 13 All-Star berths. Bill Freehan (44.8, 11) and Mickey Lolich (64.6, 3) mixed for 109.4 WAR and 14 All-Star berths.
Hank Greenberg had 200 hits, 103 extra-base hits, 102 walks, and 101 strikeouts in 1937. Greenberg had 100 hits and 104 walks in 1947.
Frank Robinson had 122 runs scored and 122 RBIs in his 1966 MVP season.
Don Drysdale made six begins in August 1958 and went 5-1 with a 2.16 ERA. On the plate, he went 8-for-19 with a double and 5 residence runs.
Earl Wilson had 35 residence runs, six triples, and 12 doubles in a profession that spanned the1959-1970 seasons. A pitcher who performed primarily with the Boston Crimson Sox and Detroit Tigers, Wilson had seven residence runs, two triples, and no doubles in 1966. A 12 months earlier, all six of Wilson’s extra-base hits have been residence runs.
On at the moment’s date in 1961, Gordie Windhorn hit the primary of his two profession residence runs within the backside of the eleventh inning to offer the Los Angeles Dodgers a 6-5 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. Windhorn’s different residence run got here the next day in a 19-10 loss to the Phillies. Don Demeter went deep 3 times within the September 12 contest, with the primary of his blasts coming off Sandy Koufax.
Mort Cooper ran his document to 20-7 on at the moment’s date in 1942 because the St. Louis Cardinals climbed to inside one recreation of first place with a 3-0 win over the Brooklyn Dodgers. Cooper’s Cardinals went on to seize the Nationwide League pennant with a document of 106-48. whereas the Dodgers completed two video games again at 104-50.
Gamers born on at the moment’s date embrace Quinn Mack, an outfielder whose big-league profession comprised 5 video games for the Seattle Mariners in 1994. The youthful brother of Shane Mack, Quinn doubled in his first plate look on his method to a 3-for-5 MLB debut. He completed his profession with 5 hits, together with three two-baggers, in 21 at bats.
Additionally born on at the moment’s date was Ernie Koob, a left-handed pitcher who appeared in 125 video games for the St. Louis Browns from 1915-1919. Notable in Koob’s profession are a no-hitter towards the Chicago White Sox, and a 1916 season the place he went hitless in 57 appearances, but walked 15 occasions.
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