Thursday bantering

Yesterday’s weather was grey and miserable, much like our offense was. I cant find much redeeming to say about our 4-1 loss than to say we are still one game better off than the Red Sux.

Justin Smoak does continues to roll. Yesterday he hit an RBI single and he has now reached base in 18 of his last 28 plate appearances.

In other more pleasing news:

The Vlad and Bo show!

Vladdy hit a massive home run, but sadly the Bisons fell to the PawSox, 11-8 after being 7-0 up in the first. There were a few standouts:

• Guerrero 2-4, RBI, BB
• Bichette 2-4, 3B, 3RBI
• Urena 3-5, 3B, 3RBI

This is what you came for though. Listen to that sound and look at the bat speed!

And this is a really nice piece on Patrick Murphy making good for Jays. How the No. 19 prospect overcame three surgeries to get 40-man spot.

At AA New Hampshire Santiago Espinal became the ninth Fisher Cat in team history to drive in six runs in a game, leading the ‘Cats to a 10-4 triumph over the Binghamton Rumble Ponies. The 6 RBI are the most since Vladmir Guerrero Jr. plated six on April 9 against Trenton last year.

MLB Bits

(Sorry Barraqudie!) Our old friend Marco Estrada has gone on the IL ,thanks to a lumbar strain. Marco is off to a tough start with the A’s, having given up 19 runs (18 earned) on 23 hits and eight walks with 11 strikeouts in 23 2/3 innings. In those innings he’s given up 7 homers.

More worryingly, is velocity is also on a downward trend; his fastball is averaging a career-low 87.4 mph that lags well behind last year’s average of 88.6 mph.

Pop Quiz! Can you name the longest tenured player on each MLB team? Some are not as easy as you think. I got a disappointing 14 from 30.

Yesterday there was a a bit of a White Sox-Royals brouhaha thanks to a batflip. Here is a full immersive (and not at all serious) commentary: CAUTION some naughty words.

Batflips...mutter..unwritten rules....grrrrr......not playing the game the right way.......good job pitchers don’t behave that way...

Should we exercise patience or panic about players in early season slumps? Here is each team’s worry examined in detail. Apparently our worry is Danny Jansen?! Clearly this was written pre Brito era.

Plays of the Day

Hang on- are we now on the Matrix reloaded?

JA Happ- great pitcher but he is no Big Sexy. Luke Voit confirms this.

And to end. Mother Nature with an electrifying display.