SUNDAY NOTES
Nick Pivetta leads the NL with nine wins (9-2). He’s never had more than 10 wins in a season and just six last season for Boston….The Reds are the only team that has not been swept in a series this season….Clayton Kershaw needs 2713 more strikeouts to tie Nolan Ryan for the most all-time….John Smoltz, with 213, has the fewest wins of the 20 members of the 3000 K club. Clayton Kershaw, Curt Schilling, and Max Scherzer all have 216 wins…. Amongst players with at least 200 PA, Gleyber Torres, Luis Arraez, Kyle Tucker, Juan Soto, and Geraldo Perdomo all have more walks than strikeouts….Heading into action on June 28, Mets pitchers had not allowed three homers in a game; they are now up to three…. According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, baseball stadiums sell about 20 million hot dogs per year. Los Angeles leads the U.S. in annual hot dog consumption. The top 10 hot-dog-eating cities all have pro baseball teams…. Cal Raleigh hit two homers this weekend as the Mariners' DH. He has five homers as the DH and 30 homers as their catcher. He now has one DH multi-homer game and six as a catcher. Among catchers, Raleigh is tied in multi-homer games for second with Mike Piazza (1995). Javy Lopez had 8 in 2003….In the Astros’ 18-1 win over the Dodgers on July 4, Houston reliever Jason Alexander earned a save, by George. He threw 3.0 scoreless innings….Speaking of relievers, on June 1, Luke Weaver had a 1.05 ERA and a 0.70 WHIP, and was 1-1, going 8-for-9 in save chances before his injury. He had allowed two homers in 25.2 IP. Since he returned from the IL on June 20, he is 0-2 with one blown save, and has a 13.50 ERA, 1.88 WHIP, and has allowed four homers in 5.2 IP….I’ve been asked to remind you what a “deGrom” is. A "deGrom” is a very well-pitched game that results in either a loss or a no-decision. For example, Paul Skenes has made 10 starts since May 12. In those games, he has thrown 62.1 IP and allowed 10 earned runs, 11 altogether. He has walked 18 and struck out 68. He has a .174 BAA and permitted one homer to the 239 batters he’s faced. His record? 1-3. He is deGrom….The Yankees have allowed 5+ runs in eight straight games. It’s the second-longest streak in the majors this season. The A’s had a streak of nine straight at the end of May into June….Pete Alonso now has 20 homers on the season and 246 in his Mets career. Darryl Strawberry holds the franchise record with 252 raised apples….With another one yesterday, the Red Sox lead the majors with four innings this season with at least seven runs scored….Eugenio Suarez and Brandon Nimmo now lead the majors with three grand slams this season. Nimmo has hit two slams in four days. Derek Jeter had 308 PA with the bases loaded in his career and hit one slam. Pete Rose had 240 PA with the bases loaded in his career and hit one slam. George Brett had 194 PA with the bases loaded in his career and hit two slams….Josh Hader has now saved 25 in a row….Francisco Lindor stole the 199th base of his career yesterday. It was his 100th as a Met, topping the 99 he stole in Cleveland…. Brandon Lowe has a 20-game hitting streak, tying Yandy Diaz’s Rays record set last season. Lowe is hitting .367 in the streak, AND today is his birthday.
NEW TEAM SLOGAN:
THE RED SOX ARE THE BEST DAMN .500 TEAM IN BASEBALL
After finishing 81-81 last season, the Red Sox are 5-5 in their last 10 games and 9-9 in their 18 games. In addition, the Red Sox this season have been:
1) 1-1
2) 4-4
3) 6-6
4) 7-7
5) 10-10
6) 14-14
7) 18-18
8) 19-19
9) 20-20
10) 22-22
11) 25-25
12) 26-26
13) 27-27
14) 36-36
15) 40-40
16) 45-45 - today’s record
SINCE FRIDAY THE 13TH OF JUNE
The Yankees are 6-16 and are experiencing their second six-game losing streak. The Guardians are 5-15 and have a nine-game losing streak. Tarik Skubal is scheduled to close out the Guardians today.
Adding injury to insult, Anthony Volpe beaned Aaron Judge with an end-of-inning throw.
R.I.P. DIEGO SEGUI
Diego Segui recently passed away at the age of 87. The father of David Segui, pitched in the majors for 15 seasons, primarily for the A’s in both Kansas City and Oakland. He led the AL in ERA in 1970. But Segui holds a unique place in Seattle baseball history. In the first game the Seattle Pilots ever played on April 4, 1969, Segui threw 3.0 IP, giving up a run to the Angels. On April 6, 1977, he pitched in the first game for the Seattle Mariners, going 3.2 IP and taking the loss, again facing the Angels. He is the only player to have ever played for both Seattle teams. Rest in Pitch, Diego.
One more thing - Diego Segui pitched for the Red Sox in 1974 and 1975. David Segui was a utility player for the 1991 Orioles. Dwight Evans was the teammate of each of them in those seasons.
BILLY-BALL RECOMMENDS
The Last of His Kind: Clayton Kershaw and the Burden of Greatness by Andy McCullough
I read it this past off-season, and it was a great read. This is the perfect time to give it a read.
SUNDAY FUNNIES
There was a time when sports sections had cartoonists. There was a time when sports sections had box scores. Sigh. I was thinking of the Daily News sports cartoonist Bill Gallo the other day when my grandkids got their first fish, a betta that they named Bertha. Gallo created a recurring character named “Basement Bertha.”
I believe that the current series between the Rockies and the White Sox should be called “The Basement Bertha Memorial Series.” The White Sox have won the first two games of the three-game set, and as a result, Colorado has now lost 17 consecutive series at home dating back to 2024. That ties the 1916/1917 Philadelphia Athletics. In 1916, the A’s rotation featured Elmer Myers (14-23), Bullet Joe Bush (15-24), and Jack Nabors, who went 1-20.
YOUR SUNDAY SONG
As always, I wish my buddy Charley Steiner a continued recovery and good health in the days ahead.
And as always, I thank my wife, Maxie, for all her love and Billy-Ball support.