Bullpen losses this season:
1. White Sox 35
2. Rangers 29
3. Mets 27
Pirates 27
Twins 27
6. Yankees 26

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) August 14, 2025

EastCoastAgNc said:

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Bullpen losses this season:
1. White Sox 35
2. Rangers 29
3. Mets 27
Pirates 27
Twins 27
6. Yankees 26

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) August 14, 2025

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Brother Phil did us a solid and blew a lead yesterday.

RED AG 98 said:

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Funny because it's true

The Astros at the end of this season after they win it all. pic.twitter.com/qcNWzrVeKu

— Michael Schwab (@michaelschwab13) August 14, 2025

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Wait, did we somehow acquire Roid boy Garcia?

EastCoastAgNc said:

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Bullpen losses this season:
1. White Sox 35
2. Rangers 29
3. Mets 27
Pirates 27
Twins 27
6. Yankees 26

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) August 14, 2025

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How many of those 27 Pirates losses were Skenes taking a 1-0 lead into the 9th only to have the "closer" blow it?

I was watching at a brewery last night so not the most attentive and no audio.

What happened w/ the HB balk/no balk, Cora ejection bs? They give any insight during the broadcast?

I looked up the rule and it seems that Brown did nothing wrong, but the way it's written is kind of vague. Way I read this is you only have to notify the ump, you also cannot switch during an at bat, if your windup motion has you standing similar to how you would if you were in the stretch. As that's the caveat at the beginning of the paragraph. HB in the windup doesn't have his feet parallel to the pitching rubber, so this wouldn't apply. At least that's my interpretation.

Quote:

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With a runner or runners on base, a pitcher will be presumed to be pitching from the Set Position if he stands with his pivot foot in contact with and parallel to the pitcher's plate, and his other foot in front of the pitcher's plate, unless he notifies the umpire that he will be pitching from the Windup Position under such circumstances prior to the beginning of an at-bat. A pitcher will be permitted to notify the umpire that he is pitching from the Windup Position within an at-bat only in the event of (i) a substitution by the offensive team; or (ii) immediately upon the advancement of one or more runners (i.e., after one or more base runners advance but before the delivery of the next pitch).

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EastCoastAgNc said:

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Bullpen losses this season:
1. White Sox 35
2. Rangers 29
3. Mets 27
Pirates 27
Twins 27
6. Yankees 26

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) August 14, 2025

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So one of the worst BPs and offenses in baseball and they went and shelled out for a starter at the deadline.

EastCoastAgNc said:

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Live look at Dana Brown on the phone with Ryan Pressly pic.twitter.com/7MiEwTMcNd

— SleeperAstros (@SleeperAstros) August 13, 2025

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Pressly ain't coming here,

He switched what he did from pitch 1 to pitch 2. The runner and 3B coach started pointing immediately. I think the crew didn't pay attention.

Wabs said:

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EastCoastAgNc said:

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Bullpen losses this season:
1. White Sox 35
2. Rangers 29
3. Mets 27
Pirates 27
Twins 27
6. Yankees 26

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) August 14, 2025

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Brother Phil did us a solid and blew a lead yesterday.

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I've still had no one explain to me where "Brother Phil" originated

Mathguy64 said:

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He switched what he did from pitch 1 to pitch 2. The runner and 3B coach started pointing immediately. I think the crew didn't pay attention.

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Right. I know he did and am not debating that. What I'm asking is if that's a balk?

The paragraph I quoted from the rule book is written in a way that I'd argue having a position of his "pivot foot in contact with and parallel to the pitcher's plate, and his other foot in front of the pitcher's plate" being a caveat for that entire paragraph. Which HB's windup does not so would not apply.

ETA: the way the paragraph is written also only mentions switching to the windup, not switching from the windup to the stretch.

dixichkn said:

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Wabs said:

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EastCoastAgNc said:

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Bullpen losses this season:
1. White Sox 35
2. Rangers 29
3. Mets 27
Pirates 27
Twins 27
6. Yankees 26

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) August 14, 2025

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Brother Phil did us a solid and blew a lead yesterday.

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I've still had no one explain to me where "Brother Phil" originated

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htxag09 said:

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Mathguy64 said:

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He switched what he did from pitch 1 to pitch 2. The runner and 3B coach started pointing immediately. I think the crew didn't pay attention.

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Right. I know he did and am not debating that. What I'm asking is if that's a balk?

The paragraph I quoted from the rule book is written in a way that I'd argue having a position of his "pivot foot in contact with and parallel to the pitcher's plate, and his other foot in front of the pitcher's plate" being a caveat for that entire paragraph. Which HB's windup does not so would not apply.

ETA: the way the paragraph is written also only mentions switching to the windup, not switching from the windup to the stretch.

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Imo, the balk they called earlier in the inning was incorrect and should have been a timer violation on the batter, so it washes out.

The rule only applies if the pitcher uses a hybrid windup, therefore it wasn't a balk and the no-call was correct.

Also agree with that. But I'm truly curious on the rule for the non balk call when the runner as on 3rd.

texasaggie2015 said:

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The rule only applies if the pitcher uses a hybrid windup, therefore it wasn't a balk and the no-call was correct.

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Thank you. This is what I thought reading the rule but wasn't sure.

Holy **** I just saw LAD are in 2nd in the NL West

AgSportsFan89 said:

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htxag09 said:

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Mathguy64 said:

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He switched what he did from pitch 1 to pitch 2. The runner and 3B coach started pointing immediately. I think the crew didn't pay attention.

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Right. I know he did and am not debating that. What I'm asking is if that's a balk?

The paragraph I quoted from the rule book is written in a way that I'd argue having a position of his "pivot foot in contact with and parallel to the pitcher's plate, and his other foot in front of the pitcher's plate" being a caveat for that entire paragraph. Which HB's windup does not so would not apply.

ETA: the way the paragraph is written also only mentions switching to the windup, not switching from the windup to the stretch.

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Imo, the balk they called earlier in the inning was incorrect and should have been a timer violation on the batter, so it washes out.

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Yeah. But that was Junior Valentine back there calling it and he just makes stuff up. Dude calls more balks on us than probably everyone else combined.

Mr.Bond said:

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Holy **** I just saw LAD are in 2nd in the NL West

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12-21 in their last 33 games. The Padres were 9 games back on July 4th

dixichkn said:

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Wabs said:

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EastCoastAgNc said:

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Bullpen losses this season:
1. White Sox 35
2. Rangers 29
3. Mets 27
Pirates 27
Twins 27
6. Yankees 26

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) August 14, 2025

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Brother Phil did us a solid and blew a lead yesterday.

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I've still had no one explain to me where "Brother Phil" originated

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My memory (and its fickle at times) is that it came after as an Astro he pitched against his brother in a game and his brother got the best of the matchup so Phil is now "the brother"

https://www.mlb.com/amp/news/nick-maton-base-hit-off-older-brother-phil-maton.html

What the hell am I supposed to do tonight?

Quo Vadis? said:

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What the hell am I supposed to do tonight?

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root on the twins

Quo Vadis? said:

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What the hell am I supposed to do tonight?

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I welcome the break. This final stretch to the end will be stressful. lol.

Quo Vadis? said:

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What the hell am I supposed to do tonight?

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Go Orioles!

Noon game

texasaggie2015 said:

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The rule only applies if the pitcher uses a hybrid windup, therefore it wasn't a balk and the no-call was correct.

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Cora also said after the game that the calls were made correctly and he was tossed while trying to "educate myself"

Quote:

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"First of all, they got it right," Cora said. "They got the call right. The only thing for me is like we've seen that situation before: that guys have a regular windup and they (the umpires) ask the guys (the pitchers) to declare. You don't have to declare if you have a regular windup. It's only if you have a hybrid windup. That's when you have to declare because that way you're not deceiving the runner. But throughout the last two years, we've seen situations that it's a regular windup and they have asked the pitcher to declare. That was the only thing."

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Quote:

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"And then I went out there (in the seventh) just to educate myself to be honest with you," Cora said. "That's what I told him. I want to learn, I want to know. I don't know if he took it that I was being sarcastic. I wasn't. And then I was walking back and he threw me out."

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https://www.masslive.com/redsox/2025/08/red-sox-manager-alex-cora-ejected-for-fifth-time-this-season.html

August update: 2025 top 10 prospect rankings for all 30 MLB teams - ESPN

Quote:

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1 Brice Matthews
2 Jacob Melton
3 Xavier Neyens
4 Walker Janek
5 Kevin Alvarez
6 Caden Powell
7 Anderson Brito
8 Ryan Forcucci
9 Jase Mitchell
10 Ethan Frey

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Pretty wild that UIlola didn't get ranked. Some of the things I've had said to me about him have left me wondering how it's even possible that he's still flying under the radar. If I had to rank the top 10 players that ESPN mentions based off the things I've heard:

1. Alvarez
2. Matthews
3. Neyens
4. Melton
5. Forcucci
6. Brito
7. Powell
8. Janek
9. Frey
10. Mitchell

If I could include Ullola, I would put him at 2. I would also slide Kenni Gomez into that 7-8 range - I'm still optimistic about him.

What's the word on Janek? Is he expected to be in the bigs in 2026 or 27? Is the concern his bat?

I started to think that this was the year that Pedro Leon put it all together, but then the knee injury.

Wabs said:

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What's the word on Janek? Is he expected to be in the bigs in 2026 or 27? Is the concern his bat?

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2015 said his bat isn't close to where they want it which is concerning for a college guy

Yeah. I think he'll break into the big leagues but I have concerns with his bat when he starts seeing higher level pitching. Not super high on him but I hope I'm wrong.

texasaggie2015 said:

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Yeah. I think he'll break into the big leagues but I have concerns with his bat when he starts seeing higher level pitching. Not super high on him but I hope I'm wrong.

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Man, Janek has some power

texasaggie2015: Off of a guy who'll be bagging groceries in 2 weeks.

Feeder Road said:

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texasaggie2015 said:

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The rule only applies if the pitcher uses a hybrid windup, therefore it wasn't a balk and the no-call was correct.

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Cora also said after the game that the calls were made correctly and he was tossed while trying to "educate myself"

Quote:

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"First of all, they got it right," Cora said. "They got the call right. The only thing for me is like we've seen that situation before: that guys have a regular windup and they (the umpires) ask the guys (the pitchers) to declare. You don't have to declare if you have a regular windup. It's only if you have a hybrid windup. That's when you have to declare because that way you're not deceiving the runner. But throughout the last two years, we've seen situations that it's a regular windup and they have asked the pitcher to declare. That was the only thing."

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Quote:

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"And then I went out there (in the seventh) just to educate myself to be honest with you," Cora said. "That's what I told him. I want to learn, I want to know. I don't know if he took it that I was being sarcastic. I wasn't. And then I was walking back and he threw me out."

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https://www.masslive.com/redsox/2025/08/red-sox-manager-alex-cora-ejected-for-fifth-time-this-season.html

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Good for him to acknowledge they got it right. But he's full of *****

Don't have close up video of what he was saying when he was ejected as it was between innings. But pretty obvious that he's yelling back at the umpire "That's bull****" when he originally argued. Don't really think that portrays wanting to educate yourself.

So guys, I'm going to put it out there.

O/U on how many more at bats Yordan Alvarez has the season: 0.5

What are you taking?

Quo Vadis? said:

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So guys, I'm going to put it out there.

O/U on how many more at bats Yordan Alvarez has the season: 0.5

What are you taking?

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Under. That way if he does by some miracle make it back I can eat crow but be happy about it.