then coronavirus happened, 2020 baseball

you have just described cricket.

one 'inning' = getting every opposing batter out.

and the batter keeps batting until you get him out. you'll have dudes knock in like 30 runs before they get sat down. (the balance between offense and defense is.... a bit fucked)

johan oviedo starts game 2 of the cards/cubs double-header, making his debut. he will be the 11th cardinal player to make their debut since they started playing again

Longtime Cincinnati Reds announcer Thom Brennaman was caught on a hot mic saying “one of the fag capitals of the world.” He is currently announcing the second game of the Reds’ doubleheader against Kansas City. pic.twitter.com/Uwz07eRIKv

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 20, 2020

eww, wtf

that's a strike against the production crew, too. there are a bunch of people who can hear them when they talk between innings (the director, the producer, the audio team, etc). they must all be cool with it, or at least not be willing to say anything.

Schott Award 2020

He was referring to Kansas City?

What a shitheel, insane that it's all unfolding live on air. He apologized and handed his headset over to another broadcaster.

"I pride myself and think of myself as a man of faith. I don't know if I'm going to be putting on this headset again. I am very, very sorry. I beg for your forgiveness."

not actually smarter than marty, then

there's a particular vitriol in his voice when he says it, in the clip, that is really ugly

"I am very, very sorry [to have been caught]."

even hawk never did that, and this guy's been doing national tv for 30 years

ive been to KC, and no, he mustve been talkin bout Akron

“man of faith”, fuck you

not you, morbs, brennaman

him calling a home run while in the middle of his apology was amazing.

Karl: maybe the production guys hate his guts and did this intentionally. i'm sure there's not a lot you can do beyond that when you're some lowly sound board operator vs a well known tv personality.

My first reaction was, well, Brennaman is 150 years old. Then I realized i was thinking of Marty.

xp -- yeah, A Face in the Crowd and "who's playing Patricia Neal in this story?" is the first thing I thought of.

Kyle Tucker's last 5 ABs*: Triple, Triple, Single, HR, Triple

*in Denver, but still...

One player and one staff member of the New York Mets have tested positive for COVID-19, a source tells ESPN..

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 20, 2020

:(

get the fuck out of here thom

I find this...implausible in the extreme...https://t.co/vFZbgPuOsG pic.twitter.com/aR7kzfz3oI

— Michael Baumann (@MichaelBaumann) August 20, 2020

wow, that is a bold lie

I always figured Thom would be a jerk. Marty might be smart enough to leave this one like and seethe in private, but then again... WLW radio (Reds homebase) and Cincy always seems to have a streak of angry, cynical and mean politics wound in it. That whole culture seems to be all about finger pointing and talk sxxt once someones back is turned.

Got to wonder if someone on the staff had gotten sick of some of Thom's BS and left a mike open so it could get picked up.

Scary moment in last night’s A’s game. You never want to see a fan get hurt and I really hope he’s ok 🙏 pic.twitter.com/KFbmwbSKau

— Josh Billinson (@jbillinson) August 21, 2020

entire NYM-NYY series postponed

that’s ok we’re out of players anyway

Cleveland looks downright scary in a short series... currently 20-1 odds to win WS.

In Milwaukee, 45 minutes from Kenosha, Brewers pitcher Devin Williams @DTrainn_23 just scratched BLM into the pitcher's mound and then struck out the Reds in order. Powerful stuff. @Jomboy_ pic.twitter.com/khsHqutwbM

— Tony Imbimbo (@CTonyI) August 25, 2020

well here we are at the halfway mark and haha it feels like the season just started amirite!

fangraphs has seven AL teams at over 95% to make the playoffs; toronto is the eighth at 62%. poor mike trout

NL is more wide open, with dodgers/cubs/padres/braves over 90%. everyone else except the pirates has at least a 23% shot

Clevinger will start tomorrow

maybe the most heads up play I've ever seen

meant to paste this lol

Did...did Kole Calhoun just intentionally use his head to block a throw??? pic.twitter.com/H0bWoafUUF

— Danny Vietti (@DannyVietti) August 25, 2020

socrates brito's brother has died from covid

stunned and gratified that the brewers (and reds) struck tonight, but i'm kinda worried about what comes next. i mean, police brutality and racism aren't likely to be any better tomorrow night

mariners vs padres postponed as well

There are serious issues in this country. For me, and for many of my teammates, the injustices, violence, death and systemic racism is deeply personal. This is impacting not only my community, but very directly my family and friends. Our team voted unanimously not to play tonight

— Dee Gordon (@FlashGJr) August 26, 2020

taijuan walker to the blue jays for a ptbnl

This answer from Rob Manfred kind of tells you everything.

(I too watch baseball all year eagerly waiting for that look of glee on the face of a lucky owner.) https://t.co/e9jAB091hG pic.twitter.com/3BlgJNJ5n8

— eric nusbaum (@ericnus) August 27, 2020

jesus christ

Here's video of Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen discussing a plan in which he says MLB wanted the Mets to take the field, leave it and return an hour later. Van Wagenen is critical of the idea and commissioner Rob Manfred, saying: "He just doesn’t get it." (Video via @NickCocco18) pic.twitter.com/46Z9neVkJt

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 27, 2020

what a fucking creep!

*manfred, to be clear

Milwaukee should’ve called off today’s game too

they should strike til manfred resigns

At this point, I just don't care anymore. They should shut it all down and try again next year.

At this point Manfred is about to the point they are making people long for Bud Selig.

i would kill to have bud back at this point

Both father and son misspelling their general manager’s first name is just cold. https://t.co/6x6Us8QkKo

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 28, 2020