Dukies in Pro Baseball, 2014 edition

[Duvall]

Nate Freiman kills baseball.

[Jim3k]

Nate Freiman kills baseball.

Nate hit a second homer later in the game.

[Olympic Fan]

Chris Capuano finally caught a break with the Yankees.

Since joining NY, he had pitched fairly well -- not great, but decent. Six of his seven starts have gone at least six innings. He's had five games where he's allowed two earned runs or less. The big note is that in five of his seven starts he left with the lead or a tie game.

Yet, until Friday night, he had not been able to win. Friday, he allowed one run in six innings against the Blue Jays. But he was down 1-0 before the Yankees scored five times in the top of the seventh. The bullpen held up ... the Yankees took a 6-3 win and Capuano got his first win with the Yankees.

[Jim3k]

On Thursday in Anaheim, Dan Otero was involved in a weird play. In the bottom of the eighth, tied 3-3, the first batter, Erick Aybar hits a high bouncer up the first baseline. Playable by both Otero and 1B Brandon Moss. The ball is fair and coming down in fair territory. Both Moss and Otero end up side by side, Otero wholly on the grass and Moss with one foot on the inside running lane line; otherwise the running lane is clear. Aybar chooses fairly early to veer way outside the baseline onto the infield grass and to collide with Otero who has made the grab. In the collision, Otero tags Aybar and hangs on to the ball. Aybar out, right?

Not according to the homeplate umpire Geg Gibson who ruled Moss had obstructed Aybar and awarded him first base. Moss and Aybar never touched each other. Long discussion ensued. Eventually the A's persuaded the umps to huddle. They did, but ruled it was a discretionary call by Gibson. After that, the A's formally played under protest, since it is not a play which is reviewable in New York. But...as is common...the play did not determine the game's outcome. (Angels loaded the bases, but did not score.) So the next morning the A's withdrew the protest. (Angels had won it in the tenth on a sac fly.)

I'd like to get a ruling, but it's never going to happen. Otero did exactly what he should have. Indeed, both Moss and Otero are trying to make a play on the ball. That gives Aybar some room off the line, because he can't interfere with a fielder. But Moss never came close to blocking him and he went out of his way to try to knock the ball loose from Otero. Since Aybar initiated the contact with Otero, how can the call go against Moss?

[Jim3k]

This may not be of general interest but it does relate to the A's protest which they withdrew. John Hickey of the SJMN and the CCTimes explains what the A's mental process was. In the story he also points out the reasoning behind the umpires' decision.

I'm still unpersuaded given Aybar's refusal to run the baseline and to charge into Otero. The clip shows what happened (despite these announcers' confusion over who fielded the ball).

[roywhite]

Okay, not a serious pro baseball post, but maybe there are some potential diamond stars on Coach K's basketball team:

Duke Basketball: Wiffle Ball Showdown

[wilson]

Scary moment for Marcus Stroman today. Close encounter between a screaming ball and his face.
http://mweb.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on...-face?v=1&vc=4

[roywhite]

Scary moment for Marcus Stroman today. Close encounter between a screaming ball and his face.
http://mweb.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on...-face?v=1&vc=4

Well, it turns out to be 6 months later, but some actual bad news for Marcus Stroman

Marcus Stroman has torn left ACL

...torn ACL and will miss the 2015 season, the team announced Tuesday...

The 23-year-old righty went 11-6 with a 3.65 ERA last season as a rookie and figured prominently in the team's hopes to reach the postseason for the first time in 22 years.

General manager Alex Anthopoulos said Stroman was participating in bunting practice when he was called off by third baseman Josh Donaldson. Stroman planted his feet to stop then felt a pop in his left knee. An MRI confirmed the tear.