Incident in Houston highlights questions around protocols and punishments

Incident in Houston highlights questions around protocols and punishments
As baseball tries to settle down and reschedule games lost to the Marlins' coronavirus outbreak, the shortened season has been hit with a debate over the Astros' sign-stealing shenanigans from the 2017 season: Major League Baseball suspended Dodgers relief pitcher Joe Kelly for eight games - 13 percent of the season - for throwing at the Astros' Alex Bregman and taunting Carlos Correa Tuesday night in a 5-2 victory in Houston. Was it a fair punishment? The Astros beat the Dodgers in the...

Nats' ability to not panic early pays dividends later

Nats' ability to not panic early pays dividends later
In Game 5 of the National League Division Series, the Nationals had two hits and two walks in the first five innings against Dodgers starter Walker Buehler. They had struck out four times. Then in the sixth, they finally pieced together back-to-back hits. Anthony Rendon doubled and Juan Soto singled to plate a run. Even with the difficulties in mounting early rallies, the Nats did make Buehler work. He ended up having to throw 117 pitches. Buehler had been even more lethal in Game 1. The...

Wrapping up a controversial pitch and a 6-2 loss

Wrapping up a controversial pitch and a 6-2 loss
The Orioles lost a game today, but kept their third baseman in one piece. A 6-2 loss to the Red Sox before an announced crowd of 35,522 at Camden Yards was overshadowed by a pitch from reliever Matt Barnes in the eighth inning that sailed behind Manny Machado's head. The pitch, clocked at 90 mph, appeared to hit Machado until replays showed that it actually ricocheted off his bat. Plate umpire Andy Fletcher ejected Barnes, Red Sox manager John Farrell argued and Machado was sent back to the...