Wow, that was some trade deadline, huh? I have to say I’m pretty happy with how my Yankees handled things, as evidenced by the fact that I am happily tuning in to watch them play again. Which will hopefully remain the case for the rest of the year. Please? But anyway, teams have had a whole day to acclimate to their new rosters so let’s get down to the baseball:
A Special Ball
The Yankees are embroiled in an interleague series with the Marlins, which means it’s time for some of that famous NL strategy. Here it is on full display:
https://gfycat.com/rightnimblefunnelweaverspider
Paul O’Neil noted that this is the first pitchout he’s seen in a while during his time covering games and well, he’s not wrong. That was the Yankees’ first pitchout since 2018, which honestly is more recent than I would have expected. Either way, who would have thought that a simple fastball not that far off the plate would be so historic*?!
(*for certain very narrow definitions of historic please don’t @ me.)
Now On Deck: Danger
Staying in Miami, the on-deck circle was an interesting place to be in the middle of the game. First, for the Marlins, there was this cross-up/wild pitch in the fourth that ended up going straight from Domingo Germán’s hand to the umpire’s mask, and then catches Lewis Brinson on the carom:
https://gfycat.com/bronzeexhaustedleech
And not to be outdone, in the top of the fifth Gary Sánchez inadvertently helped Tyler Wade get a nice dose of adrenaline when he fouled an absolute bullet right past his head:
https://gfycat.com/waryreasonablebooby
I’ve been sitting down near the RF foul pole at Yankee Stadium when Gary hit a foul ball our way and I can tell you they come off his bat at ludicrous speed. I guess this makes the Brinson play more like a very low-speed chase, but still, you usually don’t see the guys warming up be that involved in anything. Not since the One True King Of On Deck Shenanigans, at least.
Shirts For Sale: Sleeves 100% Off
Chris Sale hasn’t pitched in the bigs this year, but rumor has it he’s murdering minor leaguers with 98mph fastballs in his rehab starts, which just seems mean. He’s also upgraded his wardrobe during his TJS recovery:
Had to ask Chris Sale "what is that shirt you're wearing??" He said that's Daddy Long Neck, the only guy in the country who makes him feel jacked. He wears it every game day and bullpen day. pic.twitter.com/YKowOTppPL
— Katie Morrison-O'Day (@KatieMo61) August 1, 2021
Maybe “upgraded” is the wrong word but this is a L?K for sure. Pitchers remain completely insane and that’s exactly how I like it.
There’s No Place Like Home
Joey Votto is capital-b Back, and he was chasing history last night as he went for eight consecutive games with a home run. And he came within inches of it:
Joey Votto was THISCLOSE to a homer in an 8th straight game, which would've tied the record
That's a HR in 10 ballparks — including Great American Ball Park pic.twitter.com/NAG0fTZTdH
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) August 1, 2021
Votto fell victim to the vagaries of scheduling, if only the home/away series with the Mets had been flipped…
Hit It For Mom
We’ve seen plenty of players have big moments when their parents are in the stands, and this isn’t LaMonte Wade Jr.’s debut or his first homer (far from it, as his .579 SLG has helped him to a 144 wRC+ this year for San Francisco!) but I can’t recall the last time I saw a player hit a home run directly over their mom’s head:
Moms Rock pic.twitter.com/vwBxRoF5PO
— Cut4 (@Cut4) July 31, 2021
That’s gotta be a pretty cool thing to watch, although I’m not sure how she’d feel about the two men appearing to get into a fight while swimming after the ball. It’s all good times inside the park in SF, but McCovey Cove can get pretty cutthroat, apparently.
In Summary
The Cleveland/White Sox game was a heck of a thing, as the visiting team points out below:
That was fun … until it wasn't … until it was … until it wasn't … until it was. pic.twitter.com/66CGp8j2oI
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) August 1, 2021
Not pictured is White Sox catcher Seby Zavala (80-grade name, by the way) getting his first three MLB homers, including a grand slam, but really it was Jason Benetti that summed it up best in the bottom of the eighth:
https://gfycat.com/easyquainthamster
It’s no secret that I love the White Sox booth so this Sunday, remember that sense of childlike wonder as you begin a new week, friends.
Featured image by Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns of Twitter)