MLB HISTORY 🤯
— MLB (@MLB) August 19, 2026
The Brewers' 22-0 win tied the largest shutout victory since the start of 1888! pic.twitter.com/frLpYbI4h0
But then there is the utter humiliation that a player brings upon himself:Sit back, relax and enjoy all 22 runs 🍿#ThisIsMyCrew x @MillerLite pic.twitter.com/fYjvllh1iZ
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) August 19, 2026
The Mariners were losing 19-0. Somehow the worst play of the game came after that with Julio Rodriguez simply not paying attention.
— Dusty Baker (@DustyBakerTV) August 19, 2026
Unreal. https://t.co/jVNfJOlGLJ #Mariners #TridentsUp pic.twitter.com/Vjg6QZuUrQ
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78 comments:
Seattle was 90-72 last year.
Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright;
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,
And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout....
…there is also a strategic reason in baseball as multiple game series are played against an opponent. It can force the loser to play players they intend to rest for games later in the series…
"There is no mercy, nothing that can be done about the humiliation."
There is no crying in baseball.
It belongs in the Rosie thread as much as it belongs here.
Zip it Doris!
Because MLB was invented and standardized by men, is coached and played by men and is immune to the feminizing forces afflicting the NFL and NBA. Baseball maintains its tradition conservatively. The other sports leagues went woke and became leftist workshops.
And today the Mariners could beat the Brewers 4-3 or 22-0. You see games like this once in a great while - in late 1975 the Pirates beat the Cubs at Wrigley 22-0 and I remember watching the end of it on WGN when I got home from school. Rennie Stennett of the Pirates went 7-7 in the game, which is still a record for a 9-inning game. Jack Brickhouse was glum.
There is no mercy, nothing that can be done about the humiliation.
Mercy makes ethical sense to me in the context of a brutal sport like boxing. (That famous Greco-Roman sculpture of the defeated and physically shattered boxer comes to mind.) But in baseball, this coup de grace notion of avoiding humiliation strikes me as inappropriate maternalism. The players are adult men, well-paid to engage in what could be regarded as frivolous play, and each is quite certain he's getting what he rightly deserves, win or lose. Concern for the Mariners' feelings about a record-setting shutout is a waste of one's emotional energy. Let them weep all the way to the bank.
Besides, it's the Mariners we're talking about. There's something repellant about a professional team of the Great American Pastime playing in a famously anti-American city ruled by a socialist elite. I see the hand of God in their humiliation.
[start virtual italics]The offensive players come up to the plate and must pursue the end of scoring runs. It is for the defensive team record outs, and it is only through the achievement of outs that the game can ever end. There is no mercy, nothing that can be done about the humiliation.[end virtual italics]
This feature is one of the aspects that I really like about baseball!
…we used to have a mercy rule in little league- up 10 runs in the 7th inning or something? …but we wren’t getting paid…
There was a time, in middle school, when I could recite "Casey at Bat" by heart.
Now, I couldn't do that to save my life.
***Sigh.***
I watched some of the run-shaming. It seemed odd to me - was this a slow-pitch game or something? All I saw was meatballs being served up. Not a single fastball, and they all looked like they were lobbed.
If baseball has a merciless character, it owns it to its parentage in cricket. Barely a year ago. England beat South Africa by 342 runs. No quarter asked or given.
Please watch that last clip. Be charitable in your interpretation of Rodriguez’s charitable actions.
Teams only score so many runs. Brewers will struggle for a while. Maybe not today, but soon.
"This feature is one of the aspects that I really like about baseball!"
The best thing about baseball is no game clock. You can always come back to win. You are never out of it.
It's hard to stay attentive when you're on the butt end of a 19-0 score. Still...that drives me nuts when a baseball player has no idea how many outs there are. But it was a perfect coda to that embarrassment of a game for the Mariners. Good thing for Seattle fans that football season is upon us.
"Aggie said...
I watched some of the run-shaming. It seemed odd to me - was this a slow-pitch game or something? All I saw was meatballs being served up. Not a single fastball, and they all looked like they were lobbed."
They weren't pitchers, they were position players. The guy in the last clip was an infielder. Teams do this in blow outs to save their bullpens.
Aggie, when a game gets out of hand, teams will insert a non-pitcher as a pitcher to avoid burning up its bullpen. That's why the Mariner non-regular picher was lobbing them in there.
I wonder if the Mariner organization fined that center fielder or if they left it up to the clubhouse kangaroo court to do it.
The most memorable Cubs game I ever watched was the 23-22 loss to the Phillies, May 17, 1979. Yes, the wind was blowing out. The Cubs came back from a 5th inning 21-9 deficit to tie the game in the 9th inning, then lost in the 10th to (what else) a Mike Schmidt HR. The full game is on YouTube.
If that was a cricket score in the first over, nobody would bat an eye, so to speak. Wouldn’t want to see an eye batted at a baseball game.
There's no point in sending in a good pitcher once the game is lost. Save the pitchers for future games.
"You are never out of it."
So your team has one more inning to play. No matter how far behind you are, you can, theoretically, win. In this case, the Mariners knew as they came up to bat in the top of the 9th that if they had 5 grand slam home runs, they'd still lose by 2. But they weren't out of it yet.
I vaguely remember a story about a football coach who was criticized for going for a touchdown when they were already up by 21 with 5 minutes to play. The claim was poor sportsmanship. The coach responded, "If they promise in writing that they will not score more than 20 points, then sure, I'll stop trying to score."
So your team has one more inning to play. No matter how far behind you are, you can, theoretically, win.
This is true, as you say, theoretically. Baseball has no clock to end a game. But as Bill James has pointed out, in the first 40 years of the last century baseball did have a clock. It was called the sun. Games regularly started at 3 or 4pm or later and were almost always finished in 2 hours or less. One of the major duties of the umpires was to speed the game and the players along, to make sure the game wasn't suspended for darkness.
A few years ago MLB finally realized the evolved 4 hour snoozefests were driving the fans away. Kudos to them for taking steps to fix it.
"So your team has one more inning to play. No matter how far behind you are, you can, theoretically, win."
One more strike.
Even better when you add in the tornado warning….
I turned it off in the 7th thinking they would win, but missed the best part after all. And yes, it is not over until it is over. I always told my kids and grandkids when playing any sport. Good advice for any thing in life.
It's not as though the offensive team can help end the game. No one would go up to the plate and intentionally strike out. In fact, what an opportunity to pad your statistics. In that 8th inning where the Brewers scored 9 runs, the pitcher wasn't even a pitcher. But what could they do other than their best.
"Even better when you add in the tornado warning…."
Maybe the Mariners were spooked by the potential tornado. Presumably, the Brewers knew their famous retractable roof was tornado-proof.
Baseball has the only 3-strikes rule that has survived the Soros-DSA-DA era.
“vaguely remember a story about a football coach who was criticized for going for a touchdown”
…maybe not what you’re referencing but there were Belichick coached Patriots teams who were regularly hazed form winning fames by less than ten points while the Chiefs and others who were winning by three touchdowns were ‘obviously’ superior. So after that year’s fine games Belichick began running high powered offense schemes that ran up the score on most opponents. The lowly Baltimore Ravens that season were torched and the Ravens players took to the media to rant about the lack of respect from the Patriots. Belichick responded only by pointing out the games were four quarters long and it was up to the teams on the field to determine the outcome…
…yah but the offensive team can send up batters and have them swing away at stuff. We all like to go to bed…
The Brewers should enjoy their hard-earned success...because they're going to learn all about "humiliation" (again) when they run into the Dodgers in the playoffs.
One beauty of baseball is that it is the only sport in which the defence controls the ball. There is an arguable case for cricket as well.
"Presumably, the Brewers knew their famous retractable roof was tornado-proof."
It's not even leak proof.
"nothing that can be done about the humiliation."
I doubt that the Mariners are humiliated. Blow outs happen, every team has experienced them. Players say they are much easier to accept and move on from than close or blown games.
Two touch downs, two extra points, two field goals and a safety.
"I vaguely remember a story about a football coach who was criticized for going for a touchdown when they were already up by 21 with 5 minutes to play. The claim was poor sportsmanship. The coach responded, "If they promise in writing that they will not score more than 20 points, then sure, I'll stop trying to score."
Ohio State was playing arch-rival Michigan and scored a TD with a minute left to go up 50-14. Instead of kicking the PAT, Buckeye coach Woody Hayes had them go for two. After the game the press asked why they went for two? Hayes responded "Because you can't go for three."
The rules in the rule book are different from the unwritten rules. True in sports as in life. In grand tour cycling, for instance, there are unwritten norms of respecting the Yellow Jersey: if he has a flat tire or something, the other riders wait for him rather than take the advantage. Nothing in the written rules about it.
So we could have a norm where a team that’s way ahead just takes every pitch or swings wildly at everything, to speed up the strikes and outs and get the tragedy over with. As others have pointed out, they could always turn the gas back on in later innings if there is a danger of the other team catching up.
But we have no such norm. That says something about our culture. Dunno if it’s good (the rules are the rules; we are a fair people) or bad (the rules are the rules and the number one rule is fuck you, that’s what). CC, JSM
"rehajm said...
…yah but the offensive team can send up batters and have them swing away at stuff."
And they do. The Dodgers were blowing out the Cubs a few years ago and they put their first baseman Anthony Rizzo in to pitch. He struck out Dodger first baseman Freddie Freeman on 61MPH pitch. Both were laughing during the at bat. Watch it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paaFLpJg79o&t
"There is no mercy, nothing that can be done about the humiliation."
Play some defense? Have actual pitching?
Bret (Dough Boy) Belima went for 2 when he was up by some ridiculous amount against the Gophers near the end of the game. His excuse? "I have this sheet and it tells me when to go for 2."
"john mosby said...
So we could have a norm where a team that’s way ahead just takes every pitch or swings wildly at everything, to speed up the strikes and outs and get the tragedy over with. As others have pointed out, they could always turn the gas back on in later innings if there is a danger of the other team catching up.
But we have no such norm. That says something about our culture."
While teams don't really intentionally make outs, they do take their foot off the gas. No stealing, no bunting, no aggressive base running, no walks.
As far as our culture, what culture are you talking about? MLB in a truly international sport.
You've not felt the true thrill of your team winning 22-0 until you've done against the Yankees at Yankee stadium.
the game CAN be stopped, at ANY POINT, all a team has to do;
is concede
a team can quit playing when ever they want to stop losing.
This game kept going, because Seattle wanted to kep playing
The use of a position player to pitch in a blowout has gotten a bit out of hand. The position players don't try to throw hard (most of them can hit 90+ mph if they try) to avoid injuring their arms. Surely Seattle could have used someone from its bullpen to avoid prolonging the agony. This just makes a joke of the game.
There are a few position players who can actually pitch reasonably well. And others get lucky throwing 60 mph lobs. But it's painful to watch.
We went to a World Baseball Classic game in March. They do have run rules in those games.
"Leland said...
We went to a World Baseball Classic game in March. They do have run rules in those games."
Just the early games, not in the semis or Championship games.
I vaguely recall the Badgers running up the score against some other team (maybe it was the Gophers mentioned above, but I was thinking Indiana) like 70-10. People were criticising them for it, but the opposing coach didn't. He was like "They only kept scoring because we couldn't stop them."
"In baseball, there's no such thing as running up the score."
There is always another game where hurt feelings could be avenged? (if that's not a hurtful word).
Are baseball players not men?
"You've not felt the true thrill of your team winning 22-0 until you've done against the Yankees at Yankee stadium."
Thanks for that link. It forced me to reread and reinterpret that MLB tweet. I now understand that 22-0 wasn't the biggest shutout since 1888 but was merely one of a number of 22-0 shutouts that *tied* the original record.
Grok: "Since 1888 (and certainly in the modern era from 1900/1901 onward), no shutout has exceeded 22 runs. The only prior 22-0 shutouts were the 1975 Pirates and 2004 Indians games; several 21-0 shutouts also exist (e.g., 1901 Tigers, 1939 Yankees, and more recent ones)."
Too bad we didn't eke out one more and get the all-time record. Maybe tonight.
I was at the Diamondbacks game in 2002 where we were getting blown out 18-0 by the Dodgers, and the manager decided to give the bullpen a break by bringing in first baseman Mark Grace to pitch the 9th inning. He gave up only one dinger, which gave him a better ERA for the game than the starter and at least one of the relievers.
There have been larger margins of victory.
(Sporting News).See "Where Brewers' 22-0 rout of Mariners ranks among biggest blowouts in MLB history"
Largest margin of victory was 27 runs— Rangers/Orioles, Aug. 22, 2007.
In football you can put your subs in, but you can't (realistically) tell them not to try.
I recall a. Sports llustrated article, published on last page, circa late 1960s, recounting a real game where the home team, losing 12-1 at the bottom of the 9th, won in 9 innings.
"Ann Althouse said...
Largest margin of victory was 27 runs— Rangers/Orioles, Aug. 22, 2007."
Modern era record
"Are baseball players not men?"
KJB was not available for comment.
Brewers peaking too soon.
The last two nights the Cubs played their crosstown rival White Sox. Both are in a pennant race. Cubs came from behind late and won with walk-offs. I promise you that those losses were much more painful to the Sox than this drubbing was to the Mariners.
"Ampersand said...
Brewers peaking too soon."
They're 4-6 in their last 10.
22 hits, 22 runs.
Everybody made it home?
How unusual is that?
“ Largest margin of victory was 27 runs— Rangers/Orioles, Aug. 22, 2007.”
But the Brewers were tied for the largest in a shutout. If only they’d tried a little harder they could have had the record. But they let it slip away.
As for the Mariners, they were just channeling Hilary:
"What difference, at this point, does it make?"
Original Mike said...
"22 hits, 22 runs.
Everybody made it home?
How unusual is that?"
The Brewers left 6 runners on base. Seattle walked several Brewers and also committed a few errors.
Ah, thanks.
IRC, in our little league games if the one team scored 4-5 runs in one inning, they just stopped them, and let the other team bat.
The Brewers must have been happy as hell. Talk about padding your stats.
Notable historical high scoring games:
June 8, 1950: *Boston over St. Louis 29-4
June 29, 1950: Boston over *Philadelphia 22-14
Apr. 23, 1955: Chicago over *Kansas City 29-6
The 1950 Boston team had Walt Dropo (Rookie of the Year), Ted Williams, and Dom Dimaggio. Dropo is a sad story, he fractured his wrist in 1951, and never regained his stardom.
Interestingly enough, the Chicago team in 1955 had... Walt Dropo on it.
"the game CAN be stopped, at ANY POINT, all a team has to do;
is concede"
Sort of. But they have to violate the rules in order to do so. From AI overview:
Technically, an MLB team can lose a game by forfeiture under official rules, but a manager cannot simply choose to concede a blowout game to save their pitching staff.
Rules on Forfeiture
According to Major League Rule 4.15 (Official Baseball Rule 7.03), an umpire can declare a game forfeited to the opposing team under specific disciplinary or operational circumstances:
-Refusal to play: A team refuses to start play or continue a game they are required to play.
-Failure to appear: A team fails to show up on the field or field enough players.
-Delaying tactics: A team uses intentional tactics to delay or shorten the game.
-Unresolved disruptions: Fan behavior or safety issues get completely out of hand and are not corrected.
*The other sports leagues went woke and became leftist workshops.*
Really? You don't remember the kneeling? You don't remember when they shit Black Lives Matter on every pitcher's mound?
I sure do, and it's why - after 46 years of watching - I haven't watched a single pitch since.
And it still pisses me off. The left couldn't keep their fucking politics out of a game I loved since I found out Ron Cey was from my home town.
"The left couldn't keep their fucking politics out of a game I loved..."
People on the right have lives, people on the left have politics.
And I'm not picking on you, Mike (MJB Wolf), but I also remember them moving the All-Star game out of Atlanta (to protest Georgia's voting laws) to a state where they voting laws were MORE strict.
Not to mention every franchise - sans one (the Rangers) has their stupid Pride Nights, as well.
The players, in general, are more conservative than the NFL and/or the NBA, but Rob Manfred has ruined MLB with his leftist fuckery.
(don't even get me started on ghost runners and the universal DH)
"Not to mention every franchise - sans one (the Rangers) has their stupid Pride Nights, as well."
That doesn't seem fair- what about nights for greed, envy, gluttony, wrath, lust, or sloth?
Now just imagine if this were to happen to a Japanese team. What would they do with the shame?
What we don’t know is how many runs would have scored if he had thrown it to the infield.
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