Cup of Coffee: August 24, 2020

Good morning, all! And I do mean all, as today’s Cup of Coffee is available to the public, not just subscribers. I’ll be doing that once a week for the foreseeable future as I think it’s a good way to show people what they’ll be getting for their roughly 27 cents a day if they subscribe.

So, non-subscribers, enjoy! And if you like what you see, I’d ask you to consider joining the rapidly growing number of subscribers who get a Cup of Coffee like this one at least five days a week:

And if you know someone else who would like a daily one-stop baseball shop, please consider sharing it:

Now, on with the show . . .

And That Happened

Here are the scores. Here are the highlights:

Nationals 9, Marlins 3: Aníbal Sánchez allowed one run over seven and Trea Turner tripled in two and singled in one. That brought the series to 2-2, with a fifth game scheduled for today. A five-game series: because 2020 is nothing if not a constant state of confusion.

Rays 5, Blue Jays 4: Josh Fleming, making his big league debut, got the start for Tampa Bay and he did a pretty swell job of things (5 IP, 4 H, 2 ER). Fleming is the 11th different starter the Rays have used in 29 games. Jays’ starter Trent Thornton left after a single scoreless inning due to right elbow inflammation. Earlier yesterday Jays starter Matt Shoemaker went on the IL due to right shoulder inflammation. Eleven starters for one team, two more to sick bay for the other: because 2020 is nothing if not a perpetual meat-grinder for pitchers’ arms.

From the Associated Press game notes:

Given who his wife is maybe he should take a page out of her book and simply tell the Rays that, actually, he threw a perfect game on Friday and argue that it’s a slap in the face to our troops (or whatever) for him to be DFA’d. That he’s just the latest victim of “cancel culture” and that the Rays are intolerant of his production. Rather than clearing waivers and being sent to the Rays’ alternate site, he’d probably get a speaker’s slot at this week’s Republican National Convention followed by a sweet gig with Fox News.

Orioles 5, Red Sox 4: Rio Ruiz singled in two and doubled in two for a four-RBI day. The hero, though, was Tom Eshelman. Sure, his name sounds more like that of a regional sales manager for, I wanna say . . . home healthcare products than that of a pitcher, but he tossed four and a third innings of shutout relief after having to enter the game in the first inning when starter Wade LeBlanc left due to elbow discomfort. Way to save the day, Tom. Both here and with that strong fourth quarter 2018 that got the whole company up to quota and saved our bonuses. No one moves handbrake rolling walkers like Tom “The Bomb” Eshelman! He’s a machine!

Tigers 7, Cleveland 4: A mid-innings homer fest by the Tigers — Niko Goodrum, Jorge Bonafacio, and Grayson Greiner went deep — turned a close game into a not-so-close game. Miguel Cabrera knocked in a couple of too. Given how he’s going this year (not great) it was likely a product of muscle memory.

Indeed, it put me in mind of the ending of “Dragons of Autumn Twilight” when the ancient, half-blind, and senile red dragon Matafleur — known to humans as Flamestrike — summoned a power and fury she had not known since the Third Dragon War and burst out of her lair and killed the younger, stronger red dragon Ember, who threatened the refugees of Pax Tharkas, whom Matafleur had mistakenly come to think of as her “children” as opposed to her prisoners. In this attack, in which Matafleur sadly martyred herself , she proved that even a dragon deep into her decline can be a force to be reckoned with.

Oh my God. I . . .I said that all out loud, didn’t I? Welp, there goes all of my street cred as a cool and completely non-dorky guy. Now, let us discuss the often overlooked and quite underrated “Elven Nations” trilogy . . .

Giants 6, Diamondbacks 1: Trevor Cahill was solid into the sixth against his old team, allowing one run on only one hit, and was backed by homers from Mike Yastrzemski and Alex Dickerson. It was Yastrzemski’s 30th birthday. Not a bad way to spend it. On my 30th birthday I’m pretty sure I argued with opposing counsel about some discovery requests, , lied to a partner who asked me if I had a draft of a brief done, and then ate dinner at an overpriced restaurant where I ordered wine that was more expensive than I needed — and drank the whole bottle myself because my wife was pregnant at the time — but which I did to remind myself that I could afford it and, dammit, that has to make all of the day’s dreariness worth it, right? RIGHT?!

Question: was that sadder and more pathetic than the Dragonlance bit? I could go either way with that.

Padres 5, Astros 3: Houston jumped out to a 3-0 lead thanks to a two-run blast from Kyle Tucker, but a fourth inning rally tied things up. It remained that way until the eighth when Manny Machado hit a two-run dinger of his own. The Padres got seven and a third shutout innings from their bullpen. They also got some serious leather from Fernando Tatís Jr., who ranged to mid-left field and made a leaping catch at one point. Sadly, no grand slams for Slam Diego, who had someone hit one again on Saturday night to extend their consecutive games with a slam record to five. They’ll take the slamless win, though. They’ve now won seven straight, all against teams from Texas.

Dodgers 11, Rockies 3: Mookie Betts hit two homers, Kiké Hernández hit a three-run shot, and the Dodgers smacked seven dingers in all in this blowout. The Dodgers have played 11 series this year. They have not lost one yet. They have won 11 of their last 12 games. Can you say juggernaut?

Pirates 5, Brewers 4: Gregory Polanco hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning to bring the Buccos from behind and to help them complete a three-game series sweep. The Brewers are 11-15 and would be outside of even 2020’s insanely expanded playoffs if the season ended today. I suppose bummers are all relative in a year like this one, but it’s definitely a bummer of a season for the Brew Crew so far.

Twins 5, Royals 4: Nelson Cruz hit a 453-foot solo homer in the top of the ninth that, at the time, was just a bit more insurance, but which proved to provide the winning margin after the Royals rallied but fell short in the bottom half. The Twins are not quite at the Dodgers’ level, but they’ve won eight of their nine series so far.

Cardinals 6, Reds 2: Yadier Molina had four hits, drove in a couple, and scored a run on a Dylan Carlson two-run shot. He now has five RBI in his four games since coming back from the COVID-19 Phantom Zone. Harrison Bader also went deep. The Reds got two in the first on a Eugenio Suárez homer but that was all they’d get the rest of the way.

Cubs 2, White Sox 1: José Abreu homered early in this one, giving him six home runs in the three-game series and four straight at-bats with a four-bagger. He was held at bay the rest of the way, however, as were the rest of the Chisox thanks to a ten-strikeout, one-run performance from Yu Darvish. It was Darvish’s fifth consecutive victory — a career high — and a win that ended the South Siders’ seven-game winning streak.

Mariners 4, Rangers 1: Rookie Justin “Git ‘er” Dunn tossed six shutout innings and rookies Sam Haggerty and Kyle Lewis homered to give the Mariners the sweep and to hand the Rangers their eighth straight loss. I’m guessing Dunn wouldn’t care for that nickname I just tried to give him. Hell, he’s only 24. He was like five years-old when Larry The Cable Guy was at the height of his fame, such as it was. I had to look that up, by the way, because I couldn’t remember, exactly, when the height of Larry The Cable Guy’s fame was. I’m glad I did it, though, because I learned via his Wikipedia Page that “[Larry The Cable Guy] is also an avid REO Speedwagon fan.” Which, really, is the most relatable thing about the guy. Take it on the run, baby.

Athletics 5, Angels 4: Oakland blew a 2-0 lead and then the Angels blew a 4-2 lead to force extras. The A’s won it in the bottom of the tenth on a Mark Canha sac fly that was set up by Matt Chapman singling the runner on second, Franklin Barreto, over to third. The A’s are likely pretty big fans of the runner-on-second rule given that they’re now 5-0 in extra inning games.

Phillies 5, Atlanta 4: Philly jumped out to a 4-0 lead thanks to Alec Bohm’s first career homer and longballs from Rhys Hoskins and Didi Gregorius, but the Atlanta rallied for three runs in the third to make it close for most of the rest of the game. An insurance run made it 5-3, but when Atlanta plated one in the ninth every Philly fan at home likely said “great, here we go again,” but this time the Phillies pen held the lead. It required the would-be tying run to be tagged at the plate to end the game, but the save was concerned. What a concept.

Yankees vs. Mets — POSTPONED:

🎶There is no pain you are recedingA distant ship smoke on the horizonYou are only coming through in wavesYour lips move but I can't hear what you're sayingWhen I was a child I had a feverMy hands felt just like two balloonsNow I've got that feeling once againI can't explain you would not understandThis is not how I amI have become comfortably numb🎶

The Daily Briefing

Mets get some good news on the COVID front

The Mets had their Thursday game in Miami and their entire weekend series against the Yankees postponed after two members of their traveling party tested positive for COVID-19. Those two stayed in Miami while the rest of the team went back to New York to isolate.

Late Saturday night it was reported that all members of the traveling party who returned from Miami have tested negative for COVID-19. The two who were positive remain in Miami, but their close contacts who have been tested also came back negative. That at least gives the club some hope that they are not dealing with a wider Marlins/Cardinals-style outbreak. The Mets next scheduled game is tomorrow at home against Miami.

For those keeping score at home, there have been 36 total postponed games due to COVID-19 this season.

Paxton, Britton blame injuries on short summer camp

The Yankees have a rash of injuries at the moment. Gleyber Torres has a strained hamstring and quadriceps and is expected to miss two to three weeks. The Bombers are also down Luis Avilán Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and DJ LeMahieu, Zack Britton and Tommy Kahnle and Kyle Higashioka.

Also on the injured list is starter James Paxton, who has been shut down with a strained left forearm. For his part, Paxton blames everyone’s injuries on baseball’s stopped spring training followed by a long layoff and then a short summer camp before play began:

Zack Britton echoed his statements:

That all makes a lot of sense. And it’s a fact that, pitchers especially, have been injured at unusually high rates around the league this year.

Still, the Yankees have been hit way harder overall, just as they were in the normal 2019 season. It has Yankees fans I know wondering if there isn’t something unique about their club’s training/medical processes that it causing them trouble. Knowing the truth about that is way above my pay grade and way beyond my expertise, but it’s worth noting that the Yankees totally overhauled their training and medical staff last winter.

Bad training? Bad luck? Who knows?

Strasburg has carpal tunnel, season over

Nats’ ace Stephen Strasburg was diagnosed, officially, with carpal tunnel syndrome in his pitching hand over the weekend. On Saturday he and the team decided that he will undergo surgery to fix the issue. He’ll be out for the remainder of the year.

Strasburg, the reigning World Series MVP, agreed to a seven-year, $245 million deal with the Nationals last December. He only pitched in two games this year, allowing six runs in five innings. So, year one of that deal: not so good.

Phillies-Red Sox trade

In Friday’s recaps I said that the Phillies’ bullpen is an adventure. Over the weekend they decided to choose a different adventure via a couple of trades.

First they acquired right-handed reliever David Hale from the New York Yankees, sending back righty relief prospect Addison Russ. Later on Friday they got righty relievers Heath Hembree and Brandon Workman and $815,000 in exchange for right-handers Nick Pivetta and Connor Seabold.

Phillies relievers began play on Friday with a combined 8.07 ERA, which is the worst in the majors by almost two runs. They had a 10.93 ERA in the ninth inning. None of the guys in this trade are going to be major impact players for Philly this year, but at some point you gotta rearrange the furniture.

Immediate returns? Not good! On Saturday night Workman entered the Phillies-Braves game with the bases loaded and one out in the eighth, promptly surrendered a two-run double to Matt Adams, which gave the Braves the lead. Then, after the Phillies tied it up in the top of the ninth, he came back in the ninth, loaded the bases and then gave up a walkoff single to Adam Duvall and took the loss. So, welp.

Entering play Sunday, Philly lost five straight, and had a lead in every single one of those losses at one point. The pen held a lead and got the win last night, but this is all still a work in progress.

Giants DFA Hunter Pence

The Giants have designated Hunter Pence for assignment. They did it to make room for Daniel Robertson, who they acquired in a trade with the Rays. That’s not an easy cut given how important a role he played on two World Series championship teams, but he’s also hitting .096/.161/.250 in 17 games. Given that he was far below average in 2017 and 2018 as well, his half-season surprise All-Star year in 2019 for the Rangers was pretty clearly an aberration. He’s 37, so he has no place on a rebuilding team. And, really, it’d be surprising if he latched on anywhere else.

Another concussion for Cervelli

Marlins catcher Francisco Cervelli was placed on the seven-day injured list after he suffered a concussion on Saturday. It happened during a plate appearance in the second game of a doubleheader against the Nationals. It is Cervelli’s seventh documented concussion in the major leagues. SEVENTH. For the love of God, I hope someone close to him tells him to give up baseball and get on with the rest of his life. He’s likely already done lasting damage to his brain. Hopefully he’s fallen short of that damage being serious, but there is no need to tempt fate.

Terry Francona still ailing

Cleveland manager Terry Francona underwent a surgical procedure for a gastrointestinal issue last week. It’s the second time he’s had that done — whatever it is — this season, and it’s keeping him laid up longer than first expected. Indeed, he missed the entire weekend series against the Tigers and it’s still not certain when he’ll come back.

Francona, who is under contract in Cleveland through the 2022 season, had missed 14 games this year before the weekend, with first base coach Sandy Alomar Jr. taking over. The team has done well without Tito in the dugout, but obviously they want their skipper back. Here’s hoping for a speedy recovery.

Nats employee fired after hot coffee assault

ESPN reported that the Washington Nationals fired Jazhiel Morel, the administrator of their training academy in the Dominican Republican, after he was caught on video throwing two cups of hot coffee in the face of a woman who worked at a convenience store. There is video of the assault. It’s not directly graphic, but it is disturbing.

Nats GM Mike Rizzo said, “The Washington Nationals learned of this horrific incident earlier today and immediately terminated the employee. We do not tolerate this type of behavior in our organization.”

What in the hell is wrong with people?

Mike Trout card sells for nearly $4 million

A Mike Trout baseball card set a record on Saturday night as the highest-priced sports card of all time, selling for $3,936,000. It was a signed 2009 Bowman Chrome Draft Prospects Superfractor. They only made five of them and this one was in perfect condition. It broke the record held by one of the handful of T206 Honus Wagner tobacco cards, which was $3.12 million.

My brother and I used to be pretty serious card collectors when we were kids. Like, adult-level serious. We had some valuable stuff and hundreds of thousands of cards overall. I still have something like 50,000 cards laying around but it’s been decades since I’ve paid any real attention to the collectibles world and I’m super out of touch with what’s happening now. Definitely out of touch enough to be utterly gobsmacked that anything less than 100 years old is selling for seven figures. In my mind everything since the late 80s is like a Kal Daniels “Rated Rookie” card. Guess not!

Cool Cam

The Mariners and their broadcast partner, Root Sports, have a new camera. It’s called the FlyCam, and it’s pretty boss:

If every team doesn’t mock up something like that by Opening Day next year, what are they even doing?

Other Stuff

• Over the weekend I read John Hodgman’s book, “Medallion Status.” It inspired a bit of writing of my own over at my personal website. It starts out as a book review and goes on to talk about the very self-centered and petty things that have rattled around in my head since getting kicked to the curb by NBC. This is the kind of stuff I think about when the kids are at their mom’s house and I don’t have any cleaning to do.

• I occasionally mention that my wife has a horse. This is what she does with him:It scares the living hell out of me to watch her do it, but I’m proud as hell of her for her bravery, drive and determination in doing it. She got a third, fourth, and seventh place in events she did this past weekend. I farted around and took selfies with the horse when I wasn’t fetching her water or throwing hay in his stall. She has skills and grace. I am dumb labor.

• It’s coincidental, I guess, but a big chunk of the most important people in my life live in California. My brother and many of my best friends from college and post-college all live in California now. Many in the Bay Area. Some in L.A. My brother in San Diego. My wife grew up in Orange County and has many friends of her own out there. We talk often about maybe moving there when my kids leave home. California, however, as you no have doubt seen, is on fire right now. It’s just the latest — and apparently worst — of many years of massive wildfires. That’s not coincidental either. Climate change is a factor, yes, but so too is a cascade of policy failures, real estate speculation, and personal and corporate greed . This thread from the writer Daniel Boguslaw gives a glimpse of how that has all happened and how bad things are. This article from last year details what got California to where it is. All tragedies have multiple causes, but not all of them are acts of God, bad luck, or random chance. We humans are often the authors of our own destruction.

• It’s not a giant Earth-killer and it’s going to miss us by a lot, but at the point I put nothing past 2020:

• Maybe an asteroid hit is the best way to go. I say that as a cat owner who just read about how, yeah, my cats probably will eat my corpse if I drop dead.

Happy Monday, everyone!