By now we all know that Chris Davis has made history in recording 49 consecutive at-bats without a hit breaking the mark of Eugenio Velez at 46 followed by Craig Counsell and Dave Campbell at 45. During that streak, Davis has recorded 29 strike outs, 7 fly outs, 6 lineouts, and 6 groundouts, with just 1 fielders choice. His last hit came on September the 14th, a double off James Shields. During his streak, pitchers have recorded 75 hits. Christian Yelich and Anthony Rendon has recorded 36 hits each, and Martin Prado has gone 21 at bats without a single strike out. But don’t feel too bad for Davis. He’s made 3.5 million during this streak alone. So at least at the end of the day, he can go home knowing that he’s providing for his kids and their kids.
Mariners 13, Royals 5 – Scouts: So does anyone think the Mariners are for real? Or are they just a flash in the pan on fire at the moment? It’s a long season and there’s usually a team that fades away after a month or two and becomes an after thought. Is that this team for 2019, or will they stick around?
Brewers 2, Angels 5 – Scouts: This game was defined by Mike Trout and Christian Yelich, both making spectacular plays in the field, and both recognizing each other’s respect and talent. It’s one of those moments you want to put on a loop at every middle and high school across America.
Rays 5, White Sox 1 – Prof: Blake Snell struck out 11 in six innings. Wow. The reigning AL Cy Young winner is now 2-1 on the year, while the Rays are 8-3 featuring players that only the most rabid baseball fans (or Tampa residents) have heard of.
Pirates 1, Cubs 10 – Prof: The Cubs have had it pretty doggone bad these last few games, but give them a little home cooking and they can maybe turn the ship around. At least they did last night, with a walloping of their NL Central counterparts on Wrigley Field opening day. Chicago absolutely destroyed Jameson Taillon, causing him to only appear for two innings. The Cubs had six runs in the second inning alone; even Jon Lester got in on the action with an RBI double. Speaking of Lester, he left the game early with tightness in his hammy, leading to a mostly bullpen game. However, unlike earlier bullpen appearances, this one led to victory. Fly the W.
Yankees 3, Astros 4 – Scouts: In what could be a very early preview of the playoffs, the banged up Yankees were just barely unable to hold onto a two run lead in Houston. The winning run traveled just 22 feet off Carlos Correa’s bat as he was able to just beat out the infield hit.
Athletics 4, Orioles 12 – Prof: I was at this game with my steady date and we got to see Chris Davis’ continued hitless streak to become the all time worst position player (batter) in major league history. The crowd cheered for him, though, at every at-bat. The first two trips to the plate, Davis was really giving it his best effort. He put balls into motion but unfortunately they were usually fly outs. It wasn’t until around his third trip to home plate that the frustration really started to come out. This is a broken man. His body language is honestly the saddest I’ve ever seen on a baseball field. But last night the rest of his teammates came to his (and Andrew Cashner’s) rescue, especially Jonathan Villar, Cedric Mullins, Richie Martin, and Trey Mancini. Mancini went 3-3, including a solo dinger in the first and was walked twice; Mullins went 2-2, Villar went yard with a two run shot, and Martin hit his first MLB triple. It might have been raining in the Charm City but the Birds were on fire!
Nationals 3, Phillies 4 – Scouts: Rhys Hoskins is for real for real. Hoskins went deep twice, once in the 6th and once more in the 8th and was the difference maker in the ball game. Washington attempted a comeback in the 9th, after a leadoff homer by Brian Dozier and a double by Anthony Rendon, but Pat Neshek was able to get Juan Soto to line out, Ryan Zimmerman to ground out, and Kurt Suzuki to fly out.
Dodgers 3, Cardinals 4 – Prof: Poor old Joe Kelly. He left the east coast for the west coast and suddenly it feels like he forgot how to pitch. It didn’t help that he lost against his former squad, and in such a terrible fashion. It was a wild pitch by Kelly in the sixth inning that allowed Paul Goldschmidt to score the winning run. It’s all right, you googly eyed, skinny weirdo. I still like you even if all of Los Angeles is cursing your name.
Braves 8, Rockies 6 – Scouts: Ronald Acuna entered the game batting .129, but was putting some pretty good wood on the ball. It was only a matter of time before the young star would break out, and last night was that night. Acuna went 2-3 with a homer and two RBI’s to help lift the Braves to their 6th win on the year.
Padres 6, Giants 5 – Scouts: After giving up 5 runs int he 4th, you’d think the Padres would have been sunk, but not these Padres. San Diego improved to 7-4 after clawing their way back with 2 in the 5th, 1 in the 6th, and 3 more in the 7th. Wil Myers, Fernando Tatis, and Franmil Reyes all went deep in the comeback.
Fan Interference 
Davis has been brutal. He’s getting paid $23M a season, which, if he were to play 150 games this season (highly unlikely unless he somehow learns to hit), works out to $153,333 per game. For last night’s 0-for-5 night, David was paid over THIRTY THOUSAND DOLLARS per out.
Scouts, you need to contact the O’s front office and offer your services as a DH. Tell them you will provide the same production as Davis for one one-hundredth of the cost — a mere $300 per out. Win-win!!
Here is a sad-but-true tweet that sums up this situation:
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
On the Jays’ front, my boys didn’t lose last night. Of course, they didn’t play, but that is just picking nits…
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Well, the Nats’ bullpen wasn’t a complete dumpster fire last night; only gave up one run on the second Hoskins home run, but it was in the 8th, and proved to be the difference in a game where all seven runs scored on homers.
Fun moment occurred for me early in the game, when SomeWifeInVA looked at me and said, “Do the Nats have a superstar now?”
She knows about Scherzer, but he only pitches every fifth day, so not sure starting pitchers qualify.
Rendon could be, if he ever got any recognition from the common rabble for how good he is.
Turner could be, if he could stay healthy.
Soto might be someday, if he can replicate or improve on last year’s results on a consistent basis.
Robles might be someday, if the hype is real.
But no, I don’t guess the Nats do have a superstar this year.
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And with Craig Kimbrel still sitting home by the phone, word comes that the Nats are in serious discussions with Bud Norris on a minor league deal.
A team trying to build its next core around two Latino outfielders talking about signing Bud Norris.
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Man, remember what Kevin Costner taught in Bull Durham? “I’m just happy to be here. I just want to help the club.” etc.
Let ballplayers go of script and you find some real airheads.
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The situation with Davis is going too far at a human level. If he’s a halfway normal human being this is got to be humiliatingly crushing for him, and yes he’s making millions but money doesn’t buy self respect (with one narcissistic exception). He should be allowed to try and work things out at a lower level. The Orioles and Davis could let the other teams know that if any of them pick him up after he’s DFA’d, because why not take a flyer for the league min, that he’d respond by retiring. Perhaps him and the Orioles could alter his contract so that he’d get some going away money if that happened.
Sad thing is, is I think the Orioles plan is to keep playing him most every day hoping the humiliation will overwhelm him enough to make him abandon his contract.
He will probably break another record today. The record for plate appearances without a hit is 57. Davis is at 56.
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They wouldn’t even need to do all that. If he would sign off on it, they could send him down to the minors to work on things. Thing is the union would NEVER allow it, so here he stays. There really are no good options. It’s just a waiting game for either the team to cut him or him to retire.
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I’m with whoever wrote the opener! To the max, as the kids say! When the Angels started so poorly, I focused on Davis (defensive mechanism). Then as he approached the record, I began to feel sorry for the guy. Found an SI story from late last season relating his crying in frustration (I’m a sucker for tears). Then I was reminded of the contract. Nine figures! I’ll never get near nine figures! I might work fifty more years. The USA could suffer a hyperinflation decade and I’ll never get close. Crap, I could count the zeros to the right of the decimal and still fall behind.
So I’m laughing Chris to the bank.
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That was me. Sorry I usually try to put my name on it, but forgot this time.
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So Joey Votto gets hit by a pitch (but not in the balls, Historio). He strides toward the mound, bat in hand, and …picks up the ball and tosses it to pitcher Chen, who is so disconcerted by the non-attack he promptly gives up three homers in a 14-0 Reds win. Ya think Yasiel Puig can learn anything from his teammate?
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