They're 21 games over .500 but only plus 63 in runs scored. Washington is plus 99, and Chicago is an incredible plus 149.

Jim Palmer was being interviewed at si.com, and the interviewer happened to mention that he and Tom Seaver were tied in career ERA, 2.86.

http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/p...

I seem to be announcer-impaired anyway. I think Joe Buck is fine, but nobody else in the country seems able to stand. him. I think his main sin is not being the hometown announcer they're used to.

Of course, with my hometown announcer growing up being Ernie Harwell, I know there are no other really good announcers around. But I do try to be broadminded. It's not their fault.

However, there is one thing up with I will not put. Battler hits long fly ball down the line, and it strikes the pole sticking up in the stands.

"Hone Run!", says Play-By-Play Guy. "It hit the Foul Pole!"

Color Analyst chimes in with typically profound remark. "You know, they should call that the Fair Pole, since a ball that hits it is fair."

"You're right, Color Analyst!" responds PBP Guy. And the spend the rest of the game referring to the Fair Pole at every opportunity, chortling over their brilliance and originality.

Hehe, I can tell. The Jays' bullpen hasn't been great this year either.

< I seem to be announcer-impaired anyway. I think Joe Buck is fine, but nobody else in the country seems able to stand. him. I think his main sin is not being the hometown announcer they're used to. >

I thought I was the only one. Me, I haven't watched much baseball live recently, but I don't really have too high expectations on the commentators. Just a decent sounding voice, being able to relay play-by-play, and demonstrating your general knowledge and awareness of baseball is good enough for me. In other words, nothing really annoys me.

Shades of 1957 as far as I'm concerned.

Let's look at shortstop:

Addison Russell, Cubs, starter: .242, 11 HRs, 75 runs/RBIs.

Corey Seager, Dodgers, sub: .303, 16 HRs, 100 runs/RBIs.

Trevor Story, Rockies, not an All-Star: .265, 21 HRs, 105 runs/RBIs.

Brandon Crawford, Giants, not an All-Star: .275, 8 HRs, 90 runs/RBIs.

Defense is important for a shortstop, I know, but Russell would have to be the next Ozzie Smith to be better than Seager or Story, and a lot better defensively than Crawford, who is considered to be an outstanding fielder.

Background: All Star Game's managers are from the two teams that played in previous year's World Series.

Question: Two managers switched team after leading their team to the World Series. Who are they?

There are only 2 that fits this description, and it happened 30 years apart.

Clue 2: <saffuna> should be DQ'd from answering this question.

Clue 3: First 'name' of the two managers share the same initial. Note, name is quoted.

Second one, with what you posted, I'm not so sure about that one, either! =))

Looking through retrosheet, I peeked at Eddie Stanky's anemic 1967 White Sox. That team, and Stanky, got all sorts of publicity aboout how they stayed in the race without any power (team highsof 18 homers and 62 RBIs).

Turns out it was a lights out pitching staff that did it, 2.45 team ERA. Haven't seen many better than that. The three year-long starters (Gary Peters, Joe Horlen, Tommy John) all were under 2.50. John had a 2.47 ERA and went 10-13.