While the AL Rookie of the Year race is fairly indistinguishable and generally bland, the NL race is really heating up and evolved into a 2 horse race, at least at this primitive stage. Ryan Braun is the late comer, catching up quickly on the leader Hunter Pence.
Both have had great seasons thus far and both have much to prove, but Ryan Braun is looking superior now.
Braun went 4 for 5 with 4 RBI and a homer tonight, while Pence’s team, the Astros were shut out yet again for the umpteenth time this year, proving further their offensive ineptitude.
Braun also has the advantage as the season wears on as he bats between the dynamic Prince Fielder and the ridiculous J.J. Hardy. Seriously, I’m running out of superlatives for this team, and that’s definitely a problem that the Astros offensive attack doesn’t have to deal with.
I still have plenty of disparaging remarks left for them.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Debuting
The Red Sox second most promising young player made his Major League debut on Saturday. Jacoby Ellsbury, a draft pick from 2005, came up and played center field, batting ninth and pulling in a single. Sort of an inauspicious beginning for someone so highly regarded but it will come.
Sadly, for Ellsbury, the potential All-Star game starter for the AL, Mr. Josh Beckett, couldn't hold the 4 run lead he was given, promptly coughing it up, allowing the Rangers and the red-hot Kenny Lofton to continue their winning ways.
Pretty low key way to start but this kid could be the real deal. Its pretty standard to compare him to Johnny Damon but that’s not fair. This kid’s got a better arm than Damon.
Keep your eyes peeled for Clay Buchholz in the near future if one of the Sox throwers go down. The guy has been tearing things up in double-A and should be up by the end of the year for sure.
Sadly, for Ellsbury, the potential All-Star game starter for the AL, Mr. Josh Beckett, couldn't hold the 4 run lead he was given, promptly coughing it up, allowing the Rangers and the red-hot Kenny Lofton to continue their winning ways.
Pretty low key way to start but this kid could be the real deal. Its pretty standard to compare him to Johnny Damon but that’s not fair. This kid’s got a better arm than Damon.
Keep your eyes peeled for Clay Buchholz in the near future if one of the Sox throwers go down. The guy has been tearing things up in double-A and should be up by the end of the year for sure.
Trade that should happen
Toronto sends Troy Glaus to Los Angeles NL and Adam Lind to Kansas City for Clayton Kershaw from Los Angeles NL and Mark Teahen from Kansas City , while Kansas City sends Brian Bannister to Los Angeles NL for Andy LaRoche to complete the trade.
Now, I know 3 way deals are highly unlikely but this would be an interesting one. Toronto would get some young pitching and a quality replacement for Glaus, who would give the Dodgers some immediate pop at 3rd. Bannister would give the Dodgers some more pitching depth, or perhaps an attractive piece they could use to broker another deal. Kansas City also benefits by adding the very talented Andy LaRoche and up and coming Adam Lind. A win-win-win kind of deal.
Now, I know 3 way deals are highly unlikely but this would be an interesting one. Toronto would get some young pitching and a quality replacement for Glaus, who would give the Dodgers some immediate pop at 3rd. Bannister would give the Dodgers some more pitching depth, or perhaps an attractive piece they could use to broker another deal. Kansas City also benefits by adding the very talented Andy LaRoche and up and coming Adam Lind. A win-win-win kind of deal.
1 Hitter
This just in; the return of the Rocket has not revitalized the New York Yankees, nor has any other individual’s presence on their roster. Heck, the likely AL MVP is on the team and they are still flailing.
The Oakland Athletics led by Chad Gaudin and Rich Harden shut them down on Saturday allowing only 1 hit for the entire game. The A’s, meanwhile, hammered Kei Igawa and the rest of the Yanks pitching staff for 7 runs, easily tying the series at one game a piece.
Chad Gaudin has been sensational all year, keeping up with the ERA leaders throughout the season and posting quality start after quality start. He has had some tougher outings as of late but against a tough lineup like the Yankees, this was encouraging for Gaudin, and at only $400,000 he’s quite the bargain. Speaking of encouraging, if Rich Harden can translate his current stuff into starting form for the second half, this A’s team could be deadly on the mound. Who knows, maybe he should stay at the back end of the bullpen?
And finally, in case you were unaware, Scott Proctor is terrible. Especially over the past week. In the past 4 games, Proctor has ponied up a 12.56 ERA since June 22 in 4 games going 0-2, allowing 10 hits and 3 walks, while giving up 6 runs and striking out no one. Now that, is a recipe for success.
The Oakland Athletics led by Chad Gaudin and Rich Harden shut them down on Saturday allowing only 1 hit for the entire game. The A’s, meanwhile, hammered Kei Igawa and the rest of the Yanks pitching staff for 7 runs, easily tying the series at one game a piece.
Chad Gaudin has been sensational all year, keeping up with the ERA leaders throughout the season and posting quality start after quality start. He has had some tougher outings as of late but against a tough lineup like the Yankees, this was encouraging for Gaudin, and at only $400,000 he’s quite the bargain. Speaking of encouraging, if Rich Harden can translate his current stuff into starting form for the second half, this A’s team could be deadly on the mound. Who knows, maybe he should stay at the back end of the bullpen?
And finally, in case you were unaware, Scott Proctor is terrible. Especially over the past week. In the past 4 games, Proctor has ponied up a 12.56 ERA since June 22 in 4 games going 0-2, allowing 10 hits and 3 walks, while giving up 6 runs and striking out no one. Now that, is a recipe for success.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Old-Timer
A little love for Kenny Lofton. The 40 year old journeyman currently with Texas, has been absolutely on fire lately. He was hitting .261 to start the month, and as the month nears a conclusion, he’s now up to .301 after a 4 for 4 showing on Friday against the Red Sox.
In the month of June Lofton has gone a ridiculous 31 for 81 for an average of .432, while in the past 7 games its gotten even more outlandish. He has destroyed opponents pitching hitting 14 for 27 for a .519 number. Not too bad for a guy that had very little expected of him coming into 2007. Add on top of all that, that he took four bases on Friday, putting his total on the year at 20, and you have yourself one heck of a leadoff batter.
Lofton has been a pleasant surprise for Texas this year, joining Sammy Sosa as pleasant surprise of the year type candidates. Not to mention, prime trade targets for teams looking to add a veteran outfielder at the deadline.
In the month of June Lofton has gone a ridiculous 31 for 81 for an average of .432, while in the past 7 games its gotten even more outlandish. He has destroyed opponents pitching hitting 14 for 27 for a .519 number. Not too bad for a guy that had very little expected of him coming into 2007. Add on top of all that, that he took four bases on Friday, putting his total on the year at 20, and you have yourself one heck of a leadoff batter.
Lofton has been a pleasant surprise for Texas this year, joining Sammy Sosa as pleasant surprise of the year type candidates. Not to mention, prime trade targets for teams looking to add a veteran outfielder at the deadline.
Crapshoot
Joe Mauer hit his 1st career grand slam and after that it was essentially academic. The Twins rolled, scoring 11 to Detroit’s one, and put a sound beating on Justin Verlander, giving me reason #356,098 why I’m not a gambler. Verlander had been the hottest pitcher in the Major’s coming into this game, having only allowed four runs this entire month for an obscenely low ERA of 1.24 in June.
He started terribly in the 1st, allowing 2 runs on sheer wildness before pitching coach Chuck Hernandez came out to calm his nerves. He then promptly retired 11 straight (as did opposing pitcher Johan Santana during the same timeframe) before giving up the aforementioned slam to Mauer.
The Tigers bullpen compounded the issues, allowing 5 runs on their own to give the Twins the easy win. Johan Santana pitched well, but not awe-inspiring.
The Biggest news for the Twins was the return of Justin Morneau after missing 5 games with a bruised lung. Morneau added 2 RBI on 3 hits to help salt away the game.
The Twins have to be taken seriously with a rotation that is led by Johan Santana, and a bullpen featuring Pat Neshek, Matt Guerrier and Joe Nathan. The offense is so-so but the pitching is pure quality. Add to that the fact that they just called up Matt Garza (highly regarded prospect 1) and may soon call up Nick Blackburn (highly regarded prospect 2) from Rochester, this team looks poised to push hard in the second half.
The loss by the Tigers, combined with a 2-1 victory by the Indians over the Devil Rays, allowed the Indians to take a .5 game lead in the Central for at least one night. This one could go to the wire.
He started terribly in the 1st, allowing 2 runs on sheer wildness before pitching coach Chuck Hernandez came out to calm his nerves. He then promptly retired 11 straight (as did opposing pitcher Johan Santana during the same timeframe) before giving up the aforementioned slam to Mauer.
The Tigers bullpen compounded the issues, allowing 5 runs on their own to give the Twins the easy win. Johan Santana pitched well, but not awe-inspiring.
The Biggest news for the Twins was the return of Justin Morneau after missing 5 games with a bruised lung. Morneau added 2 RBI on 3 hits to help salt away the game.
The Twins have to be taken seriously with a rotation that is led by Johan Santana, and a bullpen featuring Pat Neshek, Matt Guerrier and Joe Nathan. The offense is so-so but the pitching is pure quality. Add to that the fact that they just called up Matt Garza (highly regarded prospect 1) and may soon call up Nick Blackburn (highly regarded prospect 2) from Rochester, this team looks poised to push hard in the second half.
The loss by the Tigers, combined with a 2-1 victory by the Indians over the Devil Rays, allowed the Indians to take a .5 game lead in the Central for at least one night. This one could go to the wire.
Best Series of the Weekend
The Cubs – Brewers series kicked off on Friday afternoon, and in climactic and very dramatic fashion, the hometown Cubbies pulled it out, storming back from a 1st inning 5 run deficit.
Three hours or so earlier, I would have had a hard time believing that such a comeback could happen. The Brewers had Yovani Gallardo on the mound and the kid was hurling a gem, while his opponent, Rich Hill, had been touched up for 5 runs, including a 3 run jack by Kevin Mench, was strangely wild, and had thrown 73 pitches through 2 innings. By the time Hill had left, at the end of the 3rd, the score was still 5-0, and the Brewers were still firmly in control.
Then in came the much maligned Cubs bullpen. Led by Billy Petrick, for 2 innings Michael Wuertz for 2 innings, Carlos Marmol (who is the best reliever they have right now, check the stats) for 1 and finally, Bob Howry for 1. All tolled, the bullpen went 6 gave up 3 hits, 2 walks, 0 earned runs and 7 k’s. That is the kind of production a guy like Rich Hill, who has been great all year, deserves from his bullpen.
The comeback started slowly though as it took an RBI groundout, and a wild pitch by Gallardo to make it 5-2 in the 4th, followed than by an RBI single by Mike Fontenot in the 7th off Carlos Villanueva to make it 5-3. Than in the bottom of the 9th, in came Francisco Cordero, the MLB saves leader with 27, but a guy who has definitely cooled off noticeably since his hot start.
Cordero got a pop out right away but then Soriano and Fontenot (I told you this guy was good stuff) had back to back singles to put runners at the corners for Derrek Lee. Lee was able to get a sac fly to make it 5-4, leaving it up to Aramis Ramirez. So with 2 down, and the tying run on, Ramirez went yard. Big time. Huge game-winning walk-off home run to left field, taking some serious momentum for the rest of the series against the division leader, and closing the gap to only 6.5 games.
Pre-game, I had figured the Brewers would take 2 of 3 at least and possibly sweep based solely on the pitching matchups, but the bullpen I had thought to be the stronger of the two bombed, while the previously fallible Cubs bullpen looked impenetrable. Great win for the Cubs to start a huge weekend series.
Tomorrow’s affair should be just as good as Ben Sheets takes on Sean Marshall. 12:55 on FOX. Check it out.
Three hours or so earlier, I would have had a hard time believing that such a comeback could happen. The Brewers had Yovani Gallardo on the mound and the kid was hurling a gem, while his opponent, Rich Hill, had been touched up for 5 runs, including a 3 run jack by Kevin Mench, was strangely wild, and had thrown 73 pitches through 2 innings. By the time Hill had left, at the end of the 3rd, the score was still 5-0, and the Brewers were still firmly in control.
Then in came the much maligned Cubs bullpen. Led by Billy Petrick, for 2 innings Michael Wuertz for 2 innings, Carlos Marmol (who is the best reliever they have right now, check the stats) for 1 and finally, Bob Howry for 1. All tolled, the bullpen went 6 gave up 3 hits, 2 walks, 0 earned runs and 7 k’s. That is the kind of production a guy like Rich Hill, who has been great all year, deserves from his bullpen.
The comeback started slowly though as it took an RBI groundout, and a wild pitch by Gallardo to make it 5-2 in the 4th, followed than by an RBI single by Mike Fontenot in the 7th off Carlos Villanueva to make it 5-3. Than in the bottom of the 9th, in came Francisco Cordero, the MLB saves leader with 27, but a guy who has definitely cooled off noticeably since his hot start.
Cordero got a pop out right away but then Soriano and Fontenot (I told you this guy was good stuff) had back to back singles to put runners at the corners for Derrek Lee. Lee was able to get a sac fly to make it 5-4, leaving it up to Aramis Ramirez. So with 2 down, and the tying run on, Ramirez went yard. Big time. Huge game-winning walk-off home run to left field, taking some serious momentum for the rest of the series against the division leader, and closing the gap to only 6.5 games.
Pre-game, I had figured the Brewers would take 2 of 3 at least and possibly sweep based solely on the pitching matchups, but the bullpen I had thought to be the stronger of the two bombed, while the previously fallible Cubs bullpen looked impenetrable. Great win for the Cubs to start a huge weekend series.
Tomorrow’s affair should be just as good as Ben Sheets takes on Sean Marshall. 12:55 on FOX. Check it out.
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