As the 2023 regular season continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world:
1. Make-up games after air quality postponements:
MLB postponed the Yankees’ home game against the White Sox and the Phillies’ home game against the Tigers yesterday due to air quality concerns stemming from wildfires burning across Canada, the smoke from which has begun to pollute the air all across the northeastern United States recently. The teams figure to make up the games today. The game in Philadelphia will begin at 5:05pm CT, replacing what was expected to be a scheduled off-day for both teams. Meanwhile, the Yankees and White Sox will play a single-admission double-header this afternoon, with the first game beginning at 3:05pm CT. Tickets for yesterday’s postponed game will be honored today in Philadelphia, while the doubleheader in New York today is single-admission. Tickets for yesterday’s game can be exchanged for another 2023 regular season game at Yankee Stadium.
2. Alonso to undergo testing:
According to Tim Healey of Newsday, Mets first baseman Pete Alonso is expected to undergo a CT scan today on his left wrist after exiting yesterday’s game against the Braves with a wrist contusion. Manager Buck Showalter said the club will evaluate Alonso’s status today, noting that the initial x-rays were promising but they need to “make sure we know what we’re dealing with.”
Alonso has played each of the club’s 61 games to this point, slashing .231/.323/.546 with an MLB-leading 22 home runs. Should Alonso miss time, youngster Mark Vientos seems likely to take over at first base for the time being. He’s struggled to a .188/.206/.281 slash line so far, albeit in just 12 games and with inconsistent playing time since being called up a bit over three weeks ago.
3. Adell to make season debut:
Former top prospect Jo Adell is expected to make his 2023 debut for the Angels today against Cubs left-hander Drew Smyly, according to MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger. Once a consensus top-5 prospect in the game, the former tenth overall pick has struggled to a .215/.256/.359 slash line in 557 career plate appearances since debuting during the shortened 2020 campaign, good for a wRC+ of just 68.
Of course, Adell is immensely talented, still just 24 years old, and posting a solid 115 wRC+ in Triple-A this season even after a 10-game slump that preceded this call-up to the majors. In his first 45 games at Triple-A, Adell had dominated with a .300/.394/.665 slash line with a whopping 17 home runs in just 199 plate appearances. He’s still striking out too often (29.3% on the year), but if he can sustain anywhere near this level of power production that’ll be a fair trade-off.
Hope Adell has a productive summer. Cut down the K’s and he will stay for good.
The air is no better today than yesterday.. Have fun guys, go get’em! Play ball!!
Are your eyes all amist from the smoke from a distant fire? ~ Sanford-Townsend Band
Reading the weather advisories, the air quality is probably worse on the East Coast today than it was yesterday. File under “performative pearl clutching”. They have no real answers…
Who knows towards game time but on Long Island right now, it’s much better than yesterday at 4 pm.
So sorry to hear. Take care friends. Some of these events we had on the west coast left me with lung issues long after the smoke cleared.
Heed the warnings
> Some of these events we had on
> the west coast left me with lung
> issues long after the smoke cleared.
If you don’t mind me asking, during those wildfires, how long did you spend outside each day? Did you ever wear a N95 mask?
I can’t speak for M.C. but yesterday needed a mask and the issue probably is even if it appears better, the air quality is likely still dangerous.
Thanks. I am interested to hear from people who have been through this, especially those unfortunate enough to have health issues because of it. I want to see if there is anything that I can learn from them.
Sorry for the late response, at work. I really avoid going outside when the smoke is that heavy. I did wear n95 mask for quite a bit of time and even went to a P95 which has the carbon filtration embedded in the dust mask.
From the pictures I’ve seen it’s as bad or Worse there than anything I experienced here.
I do get pulmonary illnesses quite easily, so I’m probably on the sensitive side. I do work in a clean room and wear a mask 8 to 16 hours a day. The worst was when we planned a one week trip to Mammoth, California in the Sierra Nevada mountain range and unfortunately this vacation happened right in the middle of one of these huge forest fires you guys probably see on the news. The smoke was actually visible indoors during this trip. Another event we had was while I was at work. On that occasion it was more than just smoke, it was 60+ mph winds with embers hitting our building at work forcing smoke in before they finally told us to go home. And I’m in the middle of an urban area very close to the Orange County airport.
My symptoms were shortness of breath in the short term and horrible wheezing with congestion in the long term 3-4 months after with feeling of exhaustion. Just not feeling right for months after those two events I described above.
Look for piles of Ash building up in Wind protected areas. if you see that, then you know you’re in for some breathing problems no matter how healthy you are
I live on the West Coast and have asthma. So when the sky is ugly from forest fires here I wear a mask and try to limit my activities (walking, biking, hiking) until the air quality is better.
Thank you for the detailed reply, M.C.Homer. It is much appreciated.
Thank you, lamars
Not sure where MC lives, in OC we spent as little time as possible outside and definitely wore a mask, albeit not always an N95. Our Governor was not handing them out for free like Hochul is. i bought a box of 1000 because my workers don’t have a choice but to be outside much of the workweek.
All the particulates in the smoke can and will seriously FFFF up your lungs in a hurry. More people die of smoke inhalation than anything else in fires. Be careful.
If you have health issues, make sure you have a quality air filter indoors and change the filter in it. We went through 3 sets of filters on the Coway Airmega filters we use at our home and my office in a little over a week during the last fire that dumped smoke into our little stretch of paradise. . You don’t realize how much crud is in the air even inside your house and offices until you look at the filters that are cleaning that air.
You are welcome. Take care of yourself and family Hem. I hope things improve for you and everyone affected.
Along with the, what, 11 atmospheric rivers California was hit by, I feel sorry for what most Californians have gone through.
Left, I live in Cypress and work in Irvine. When the Santa Ana winds are coming out of the East during these fires, we typically get buried in Ash pretty well in Cypress, had the same thing when growing up in Long Beach
Thanks. I hope that things improve for you, too.
Well. Those rivers produced quite a bit of plant growth here. And the burn area from years past..wow, so green, what an explosion of tree and plant growth. But it won’t stay green unless we get tropical storms like predicted. Regardless..I worry for us in the fall.
I just hope that the weather continues to stay cool, we’ve hardly seen the sun in the last 2 months. Just awesome.
Also, I spoke of Mammoth California earlier, there is still so much snow in those mountains it’s unreal. The Spaniards didn’t call them the Sierra Nevada for nothing, translated it literally means the snowy mountains.
Here we are almost mid June and there is still up to 20 ft of snow in the higher elevations, the Mammoth ski area looks skiable still from top to bottom and will continue operations through 4th of July weekend.
The point is, I hope this keeps the fires at Bay or you guys will be breathing our smoke come fall.
I live in Monrovia, CA. The fires we had in the hills above us were brutal. There was ash everywhere, and the air was so filled with smoke, even taping up the doors and windows, and running two air purifiers – one in the living room and one in the bedroom – didnt help much. I’m honestly surprised my wife didn’t develop worse lung issues.
M.C.: I’m glad to hear that something – in this case the vegetation – is doing so well following all of the rain. It’s apparently just what they needed after such a long drought. I hope the tropical storms continue as well in part to refill Lake Mead and the others that virtually disappeared. As for the wildfires that plague the west every year, it made me think of those that are occuring in eastern Canada. I was wondering why firefighters from this country weren’t helping to put out the 433+ fires up there. Turns out they are. Very happy to hear that.
Yeah, I live in Long Beach and it’s pretty bad when the Santa Ana winds kick up during a fire.
Incorrect
If they couldn’t play a single game yesterday, what makes MLB think the can play two today with worse conditions? Cancel the games and reschedule a doubleheader later in the season.
Absolutely. The player’s health is more important than the games. Postpone them. This will pass in a few days.
They probably will end up rescheduling. I was confused as to why they were moved to Thurs when every experience I’ve had here in CA has had at least a of h*l after a big fire.
And to stay outside for a double header!!!
What’s the difference really?
Play it in the Garden, where there’ll be more room than the short porch. We all know Knicks don’t need it right now. lol
@Run
Well, whatever works
@ lefty
Its harder to see the smoke during the day. That’s the difference. Optics.
@Stymeed
Well, there is smoke everywhere
I lived with my father for 45 years, the last 20 in my house. He eventually was up to smoking four packs a day. I was breathing in secondhand smoke for more than four decades. I didn’t have any after-effects, but it put my mother in the hospital and killed my father. Smoke is smoke. It’s hard.ful no matter where it comes from.
The conditions are forcasted to improve throughout the day. Air quality is worse this morning than at yesterdays scheduled game time. I doubt they get todays game in philly.
Not sure everyone’s talking about the same locations. I think the air quality today is better than yesterday in NYC but worse than yesterday in Philadelphia and DC.
We’ll see how it plays out, but the reports I read last night said that things should improve until around 1pm, then go back to the conditions of yesterday as it heads into the evening.
Hope everyone stays safe.
@ I do
Actually, things are improving in Pa, I went out for my walk for lunch and it was okay actually
I heard on the news this morning that NY’s air quality had been upgraded to “unhealthy”, the third worst level. So That seems promising?
Nonsense like going to a bbq! Play ball!
Manager: “Hiya Ump, it’s kind of smoky out here. Do you think we should”
Ump: “LET’S PLAY TWO!”
Yes play ball
Play ball not found in D.C.
espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/37819832/belmont-calls-rac…
Not even close. Nothing like BBQ, weed or tobacco smoke. Helluva lot more toxic and irritating Sir
I think he was joking and not really comparing it to a BBQ. I like the analogy— people go to a barbecue and stand around and look stupid. MLB expects its fans to just go to these games with the horrible air.
“Great atmosphere! Fun for the whole family! You can even bring the kids!”
And a little treat that I wrote up, to the famous take me out to the ball game song:
==========================
Take me out to the smoke game
Take me out to the crowd
Buy me a face mask and respirator
I don’t care if breathe normal later
Because it’s cough weeze gasp
From the outdoors
If I can’t speak it’s a shame
Because it’s cough choke gag
Stroke you’re out
At the old smoke game
I truly hope Alonso is alright. That pitch just ran in on him and got him flush on the wrist. Wasn’t intentional, Morton hits people quite a bit, but it was a bad look after the previous game. Feel better Pete.
I do not advocate for hitting batters, but pitchers need to claim the inside half of the plate and most do not. Morton sought out Alonso after the game to say it wasn’t intentional, which I think is a classy veteran move. I hope for the best for Alonso, but I also hope Vientos can get some steady at bats. And the Mets have held down Mauricio too long this year for he has nothing left to prove there at bat, and held onto the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man Vogelbach way too long.
And Mauricio had hit safely in 24 of his last 26 games there at Syracuse, prior to his injury Sunday June 4. No news on how bad his ankle was after getting slid into at second, But he walked off the field under his own power.
Not sure what Buck is afraid of, but he needs to give the young guys a real chance. If he doesn’t see the lifelessness in his team then the wildfire smoke clouded his eyes way before it descended on his city.
EasternLeagueVeteran;
You’re assuming Buck makes out the line-up by himself.
Samuel, if you believe that Buck doesn’t make the lineup himself, and that it is influenced by analytic number crunchers, then all of baseball needs to start to trust their eyes again, and not some BS stats.
EasternLeagueVeteran;
Line-ups each day are gone over by multiple people in almost all teams if not all teams.
A game plan is devised. Teams know which of their bullpen guys can pitch that day, as well as which bullpen guys the opposition will throw…depending. Situations and matchup’s are discussed.
This has been going on for the better part of at least a decade.
EasternLeagueVeteran: Exactly what I think, word-for-word. The stats we knew before analytics tells me all I need to know about a player. All-time HR king Hank Aaron was one of the greatest hitters of all time. All you needed to do was watch him – and Mays and Gibson and modern players like Trout and Ohtani – to know they’re great players. Some day a pitcher will throw a no-hitter but analytics will prove that he didn’t.
Alfonzo pops off and gets drilled. I bet it was intentional. But I bet it was not nefarious.
Pitchers pitch inside to send messages, it doesn’t mean they are trying to put a player on the I.L.
Too much of a coincidence to think it was random.
It was a coincidence after Alonso’s viral “throw it again” moment from the previous night, when they eventually lost. No reason to hit him the next day, when Morton has been consistently erratic including walking 4 in less than 5 IP. To think it was on purpose would mean Morton would have hit his target…and we all know that’s impossible for ole Charlie to do right now. But be sure to pickup that $20M option ($0 buyout), Alex.
“Alfonzo pops off and gets drilled. I bet it was intentional”
I doubt it. If you watch that pitch by Morton it had a ton of movement to it. It wasn’t a straight fastball which is typical when hitters get hit intentionally. Also Morton’s body language seemed quite the opposite of someone hitting a batter on purpose
Scroll up til you find the post saying that Morton later apologized to Alonso and Alonso said he knew it wasn’t intentional.
Funny that Alonzo wasn’t yelling to ” throw that pitch again” after the plunking.
Because he didn’t play after he got hit.
It would be a shame if he’s out for any significant time. I had him pegged as the NL HR champ, maybe even break the NL record. Maybe even the major league single season record. If not this year, maybe in the near future.
We made it a week deep into June before the first Jo Adell call-up. Naturally we all hope the best for him.
Yep and we can go ahead and cue up the Adell trade rumors…
He’s going to get three to five PAs, then right back to the PCL. No way he sticks around unless someone gets hurt.
Yeah, makes perfect sense to recall Adell during a 10 game slump.
He cut his KRate in those ten games. I thought that’s what you people wanted. Anyway, this promotion has to do with Renfro, not Adell.
He cut his K-rate at the expense of HRs, with only 1 HR in the ten games. I don’t think he has learned anything. He has a few more walks, but is still > 200Ks/600 ABs. That’s too high in AAA.
Who gets 600 ABs at AAA?
Renfroe is on paternity leave and Adell is only up by virtue of being a RHH OF to fill in for a couple games
Adell is going to love his K rate doubling in the show.
Can they just trade him to CLE or TB and see him ascend already? Not that Moniak is outta Philly, Adell is the change of scenery stud.
1. Oh, bunch of babies, can’t play through a bit of smoke in the air. Oh, no! I need perfect conditions to play a kids game! Maybe move the team to a dome field to Tampa and they can play all their games indoors.
2. That’s what you call Karma. Guy chirps the pitcher to throw the same pitch he hit a bomb on and now he’s on the IL. LOL!
3. Guy’s washed up. DFA him and move on. He can go play in Japan or Korea. Maybe he’ll have a chance to mash against Bauer.
Any sane person would not want their kids breathing that for four hours.
Players will be fine, but it’s not always about the players.
@Halo11Fan
Then don’t take your kid there. Why would a sane person take their kid to a baseball game in the first place?
I wouldn’t.
old york needs a nap
@lloyd_christmas
Why?
old york needs a snickers.
Old York;
I’d guess the postponement of the games due to the smoke in the air had more to do with concerns for the fans that would be attending than the players.
The games will be rescheduled and both the players and fans with tickets will be there.
@Samuel
Then say the reason for the postponement is because they want money from fans not because of the smoke. Stop making excuses for the real reason.
I don’t understand what you’re implying. Needing to postpone a game where they still credit previously purchased tickets generates more money how?
@El Duderino
If no fans are there, all you’re getting in profit is the tickets not the extra things sold.
Right, so wouldn’t that be less profit then?
Less profit, yes. Possibly a loss if they are paying employees to serve people who aren’t there because local officials told people to stay inside and especially if they do the right thing and give all ticket holders a chance to attend a comparable game for free, as sometimes happens when a game is played with many long rain delays.
Old York;
You’re lost and go on mute.
Most tickets purchased today are bought in advance.
You keep attributing things to people and entities that are simply not true.
Sounds like it’s a pretty easy game to play. I think you should try out for your team. Bet you’ll mash with a .475 avg, 81 home runs, 200 rbis, even get on the mound and pitch with a perfect record.
@brewsingblue82
I wouldn’t want to embarrass the MLB players. I’m just too good for that minor league level.
You wouldn’t want to embarass the players but sure don’t have a problem doing it to yourself. I will say players today are soft with all the injuries but this is about breathing harmful air. That is not a good thing for anyone including players. I’m from Oregon and smoky air is really rough on breathing. It’s the right call by MLB.
Old York: Did you even read the article before commenting? Hopefully that’s the reason for your Alonso comment and not that your reading comprehension is that horrible.
@Ella B
Alonso’s a clown for his antics. No wonder he’s on the IL now. What a joke.
You really don’t think those types of comments come out of every major league dugout throughout every game? It’s part of the game whether we like it or not..
Some Angels fans, Adell strikes out too much. Same fans, the Angels should get Joey Gallo, who strikes out at a higher rate. Moniak who has more than twice as many strikeouts in his career than hits, but hey he deserves an opportunity. But Adell doesn’t, that makes no sense
Just imho, Adell shouldn’t get a chance because he could still be good. I think that the Angels have settled on Moniak as a #4/CF, and there is value in that. If they think Adell could be Renfroe’s replacement, then imo, they are better off keeping in in AAA.
Angelsfan-
Neither Adell nor Moniak could hold Gallo’s jock strap. At least Gallo has power to go along with his strikeouts.
Adell’s career numbers
522 ab’s .215 avg .259 OBO .356 SLG .616 OPS
Moniak career numbers
209 ab’s .196 avg .250 OBO .368 SLG .618OPS
The Angels have given Adell several chances and he failed miserably, now they are giving Moniak a chance.
It’s not over till the fat lady sings. Nows your chance Adell: sing, Jo sing. Roll out the depp!
In today’s game, there’s no such thing as striking out too much. It’s excused, justified, and even expected.
???
Expect the imaginary.
MLB should postpone the rest of the week for health and safety reasons for the Yankees season. Without Judge, the Yankees are facing a potentially disastrous homestand.
I too hope Pete is ok. Posted on the Mets subreddit same statement. If there were fans out there cheering that he got hit and is possibly injured it shows no class. Arcia got hit and was out and our Defense at SS struggled.
The Canadians have been launching these air attacks on the Pacific Northwest for several years, and now they have expanded their operations to a new ‘theatre’. Also one of them backed into my car last week.
How long are we going to put up with these passive aggressive tactics from our ‘friendly neighbours’?
Are they blaming us for Gordon Lightfoot’s passing?