April 21, 2022
1. Shohei Ohtani pitched a wonder game last night
Perfect through five-plus innings. Dominant, unhittable stuff on the mound. Twelve strikeouts, tying his career high.
And before he threw a single pitch, he reached base twice in the first inning (the Angels batted around and took a 6–0 lead), including a two-RBI double off the wall in left.
And then in the middle innings, in the thick of a perfect game attempt — he lays down a surprise bunt for an infield single. The man is unreal.
2. Miguel Cabrera now has 2,999 hits
Tigers fans have known for a little while now, that this might be the week. Maybe in the next few days, maybe on the weekend — sometime soon, it’ll happen.
All of a sudden, it almost happened in one fell swoop. Miggy started the game 3-for-3, gets right up to the brink of 3,000 just like that, and he comes back up in the eighth inning for a chance at history. Falling just short, for now.
Which, in a way, might be better. Fans who had no idea it was happening, tomorrow will know it’s on. Kids who were in bed, tomorrow will be up. Local radio and news will yank on the hype lever all day. The ballpark will be a lot more packed than last night. And so tonight, we wait and see.
3. The Rangers turned a triple play
Maybe the easiest one you’ll ever see — and why did he not go for it unassisted!!?
4. Tommy Pham wants to schedule a fight with Luke Voit
The context, an aggressive slide into home the other day that the Reds took issue with:
And so now, the known-to-be-bellicose Tommy Pham dishes out literal fightin’ words: “I’ve got an owner here who will let me use his facility.”
5. The Rockies might be good
They’re 8–4. Kris Bryant looks great. They have Blackmon, Cron, Grichuk and McMahon as complements. Pitching? Unclear.
But even after losing yesterday afternoon, they’re right behind the Dodgers.
Have a look at the current NL West standings — this year, we might just have a contender with the AL East for the best, most dramatic, most well-fought in baseball.
6. The White Sox had a complete meltdown in the second inning
Even before the worst of it, the bottom of the first began with back-to-back throwing errors before an out was recorded.
And then, that second inning came around.
Here was how Tim Anderson felt.
8. With a grand slam that inning, Jose Ramirez leads the league in RBI
Not even two full weeks into the season, and he already has twenty.
He’s four ahead of the next guy, and he also leads the majors in batting average (.429), second in OPS, second in slugging, fourth in hits.
9. Joey Votto is now an American citizen
“O, Canada!” no more.
10. The sign of the apocalypse: Dodger Stadium might sell its naming rights
These teams make more than enough money to survive, to profit greatly, to compete. Whether it’s MLB or NBA or whichever league in the world — why do they have to be so consumed by wanting more?
Profit isn’t wrong. But greed absolutely is.
11. This is the Anthony Rizzo shift
We’ve seen him bunt against successfully before, he’s clever enough to pull it off — why not go for it every time?
12. The Oakland A’s attendance problem worsens
Tuesday night was the smallest crowd at the Coliseum sine 1984 or so, it was reported, and now last night it’s dropped even further (and I don’t blame the fans at all, they’ve been given an awful situation).
13. The quote of the night: Miguel Cabrera
14. And lastly, the tweet of the night: Joey Votto
A great message, on what might be the eve of Miggy’s milestone.
