MLB - NEWS & NOTES

Wednesday's Finals...

Twins 9, Royals 1: This was a two-run game until the seventh when Miguel Sano came up with three men on. He reached down and upper-cut a triple that went to the deepest part of the park, clearing the bases and breaking the game wide open. This came just after he ended the top of the sixth by snagging a rocket line drive off the bat of Sal Perez that had extra bases written all over it. I feel like this is going to be a big year for Sano.

Orioles 3, Blue Jays 1: Dylan Bundy allowed one run while striking out eight over seven innings while Adam Jones and Chris Davis went deep. It feels like we?ve been waiting for the O?s first round pick in 2011 to arrive for a long time ? and last year was a nice preliminary arrival ? but if Bundy is the effective starter everyone always hoped he?d be this year, it?ll provide a big boost for an O?s team with questions in the rotation.

Nationals 6, Marlins 4: Ryan Zimmerman homered while Bryce Harper and Matt Wieters each drove in two runs. Tanner Roark started a bit rough but settled down, eventually retiring 13 of the last 14 he faced. ?Archer: Dreamland? debuted last night. It too is starting a bit rough ? not a ton of laughs in the debut ? but I think I?m gonna dig it. It had some surprising depth for a show that usually leads with . . . something less than a lot of depth.

Red Sox 3, Pirates 0: Chris Sale made his Red Sox debut and he didn?t disappoint (7 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 7K, 0 ER). Jameson Taillon made his season debut and he was equally impressive (7 IP, 5 H, 3 BB, 6K, 0 ER). This would end up scoreless into the 12th inning when catcher Sandy Leon ended things with a three-run bomb off Antonio Bastardo. This was redemption for Leon, who got thrown out at the plate in the third inning after running through third base coach Brian Butterfield?s stop sign.

Braves 3, Mets 1: The Mets are ?sniffing around? for starting pitching help, eh? Too bad they don?t still have Bartolo Colon, who allowed one run over six innings in his Braves debut. Jacob deGrom held the Braves scoreless for six, but Hansel Robles blew the save in the seventh. On to the 12th here was well, where Matt Kemp doubled in two. After a bullpen meltdown on Opening Day, Braves relievers tossed six innings of three-hit, zero run ball.

Rays 4, Yankees 1: No 12-inning affair here, as the Yankees and Rays got all the scoring in the game over with by the bottom of the second inning. It was in that frame where Derek Norris singled in two runs and Corey Dickerson singled in a third. In the previous frame Dickerson homered. Alex Cobb and four relievers limited the Yankees to a second inning Jacoby Ellsbury homer.

Reds 2, Phillies 0:?Brandon Finnegan?allowed one hit and struck out nine over seven innings while Joey Votto homered and Zack Cozart singled in a run in the bottom of the seventh just in time to allow Finnegan to register the win. There was a 50 minute rain delay here but they made up for it by getting this one done in a mere two hours and twenty-five minutes.

Indians 9, Rangers 6: The Indians sweep the Rangers to begin the season and they did so with a ninth inning rally. Down 6-4 and facing Sam Dyson, the Tribe loaded the bases with two singles and a walk before Carlos Santana drew another walk to force in a run. Then up came Francisco Lindor, who took Dyson out of the park to right field for a grand slam. Just like Sandy Leon in Boston, Lindor?s heroics made up for a miscue. In the fifth inning?Lindor helped Texas take the lead when he was late to the bag on a force play at second that would?ve ended the frame and then threw the ball away in a seeming panic while trying to throw out the batter heading to first, allowing two runs to score. The slam is all he?ll remember.

Brewers 6, Rockies 1:?Eric Thames, Travis Shaw and Jonathan Villar each homered and Wily Peralta tossed five shutout innings. Thames was never a big success in the bigs but, as you probably know, he spent the past three years in Korea where he?hit 147 home runs and drove in 382 with the NC Dinos. While that may have merely been a function of a guy finding a home in a lesser, hitter-friendly league, I suspect it was really a matter of him figuring stuff out. He won?t average 45 homers a year in the majors the rest of his career, but he may prove to be one of the more intriguing signings of the past offseason.

Astros 5, Mariners 3: Another extra innings walkoff homer, this one from George Springer in the 13th inning down in Houston. This one was of the come-from-behind variety, as Seattle had gone ahead by one in the top of the inning. Springer drove in all five of the Astros? runs last night, having earlier doubled in two to tie things up in the seventh.

Diamondbacks 8, Giants 6: San Francisco led 4-1 heading into the bottom of the fifth but the Snakes added three runs that inning and two more in both the six and seventh.?A.J. Pollock went 3-for-5 with an RBI and Yasmany Tomas had two hits and an RBI. Chris Owings got two hits, walked twice and stole two bags.

Angels 5, Athletics 0: Garrett Richards made his return but had to leave early due to tightness in his biceps. Not a great sign ? that can often be caused by overcompensating for a sore elbow ? but Richards and the Angels said it was no big deal after the game. We?ll see. As it was, he pitched shutout ball before leaving in the fifth. The Angels spoiled Jharel Cotton?s season debut with RBI singles from Mike Trout, Albert Pujols and Danny Espinosa and an RBI double from Andrelton Simmons.

Dodgers 3, Padres 1: Rich Hill allowed one run over five somewhat rocky innings ? he walked three and gave up a homer ? but the Padres couldn?t make more hay out of it and relievers Sergio Romo, Alex Wood and Kenley Jansen?shut them down over the final four frames. Yasiel Puig hit a homer.

 

there was about 700 people at the reds-phils game due to the rain and the storms that were in cincy.

 

Yep... not good.

I watched the White Sox home opener against the Tigers... the place was half empty. Very sad for a home opener.

 

just miserable weather this time of year. another rain fest in cincy today too. i don't blame the fans for not coming out in that crap. im at work and i hate it.

 

NEW YORK -- Ryan Howard will have a chance to extend his career courtesy of the Minor League deal he has signed with the Braves.

Howard will report to extended spring camp at the Braves' Lake Buena Vista, Fla., complex and then likely join Triple-A Gwinnett. The former National League Most Valuable Player Award winner had remained unsigned since completing his 13-season tenure with the Phillies last year.

Looking for ways to improve their bench, the Braves were willing to take this low-risk chance on the 37-year-old Howard, who hit .196 with 25 homers and a .710 OPS in 362 plate appearances last year. The three-time All-Star first baseman had a .749 OPS in 327 plate appearances against right-handed pitchers and a .355 OPS in 35 plate appearances against left-handers. Along with still have the potential to be successful against right-handed pitching, Howard also ended the 2016 season in encouraging fashion, slashing .262/.324/.608 with 13 homers in 142 plate appearances after the All-Star break.

Howard recently moved to the Atlanta area, so he'll still be close to home during the time he spends at the Triple-A level with Gwinnett.

 

Opener for Pitt today, unless it' gets cancelled after getting cancelled yesterday. This is the main reason why I won't buy tickets for a game in advance. Right now, it's actually snowing here. Completely ridiculous if your going to sit out in the snow, freeze your ass off, and watch a baseball game, which aren't exactly exciting as NFL games. You are going to pay for parking=to which the rates are raised. Pay $15 for a beer and a cold hot dog, fight traffic, which shouldn't be much in this kind of weather.......and if they lose, was a waste of time anyways? And they want to start the season earlier? Seems to be going in the wrong direction? The season should be starting later......

 

seeing any event in freezing cold is dumb. i nearly had frostbite in my toes for the winter classic being 4 hrs long in philly due to a problem with the ice and every stoppage trying to fix it. never again.

 

C'mon guy's, its a home opener. Dress appropriately and enjoy the baseball game.

Ive sat through Double Headers in 30 degree temps with a stiff cold wind... so, love the game and don't let the weather get you down.

Good luck to the Pirates! (there, they are jinxed now, lol)

 

So the Red Sox have played 30 innings so far...they have two 5 run innings, a 3 run inning, and 27 scoreless innings. Weird.

 

Report: Melvin Upton Jr. to sign with Giants...

Melvin Upton Jr. is the second outfielder the Giants have signed this week after a rough start to the season.

 

unless it was the world series and i had awesome seats, i wouldn't sit in cold weather to watch them live. no dice. i saw through game 1 of the divisional series in 30 mpw winds with no bleed seats watching cliff lee pitch. cold as balls. no thanks.

 

Police confirm Otis Nixon has been located and is safe...

 

Still ugly as F!, though

 

his face is all mangled. he needs a do over.

 

When I first heard he was missing I thought "Damn, dude looked ancient when he played for the Sox in the mid-90's...are we sure he didn't just dry up and blow away?"

Mean-spirited douchbaggery on my part aside, I'm glad to hear he's OK.

 

what happened to him? how was he lost?

 

Yeah I never heard any follow-up on that, either...passed out in a crack house, just pissed at his wife, wandering amnesia? Inquiring minds want to know!

 

Posey placed on 7-day concussion DL...

 

UGH-So much for my fantasy team with weekly lineups. a big fat 0 for him.