Ryne Sandberg retools what a pitcher's 'job' is

by Justin Klugh

Published Apr. 24, 2014, 10:18 a.m. ET

- Cole Hamels made his debut, and everything was going fine. Which is to say that the Phillies were losing, but not by a lot. Then, at 86 pitches, six hits, and two earned runs, Ryne Sandberg pulled him for what was widely assumed to be a reason of some kind.

Cole Hamels said he did not know why he was removed after 86 pitches. "He did his job," Ryne Sandberg said.

Has Sandberg lowered the bar for a job as a Phillies pitcher to require only six innings? Why, when he has three veterans willing to go the distance? And why, when his bullpen gives up runs like it's their job; their job being the opposite?

The Phillies lost.

Yeah.

- Aww, I'm sure we all feel very bad for Marc-Andre Fleury's annual perfect storm of brain farts and screw-ups for the Penguins.

- If Michael Pineda had used even a tiny bit of subtlety, perhaps the pine tar smeered all over his neck wouldn't have gotten him ejected from last night's Yankees-Red Sox game.

- Normally, I'd lampoon the misguided alarmist culture in baseball, but since it's the Yankees, yes, I'd agree that this was an institutional failure.

Shouldn't some of the "How could Pineda be so dumb?" sentiment be redirected towards Girardi and Rothschild?

- Tim Tebow, 2012: Denver Broncos star young quarterback/playoff hero

Tim Tebow, 2014: Answer on Jeopardy.

- Welcome to the Big Leagues, Bobby Abreu.

- Chances are, the Bobcats' Josh McRoberts, you will probably hear from the league RE: elbowing LeBron James in the throat, considering he can be referred to by his first name and you probably need to have your team's name preceding your name so people know who you are.

- Great news, everyone. Jeremy Lin's Linsanity has been cured.

- Columbus, Ohio: At the forefront of playoff slogans since 2014.

I love the cheesiness of "We are the 5th line" in Columbus. It sort of feels like a "why didn't we think of that?" for teams

- The New York Times was kind enough to put together an interactive map of baseball fandom, and Zoo With Roy was kinder enough to put out a better one.