30 posts tagged “sunday baseball notes”
1) The USA got crushed in the WBC last night, losing 11-1 in seven innings. It was truly a dark day for the American squad, whose chances of advancing to the next round are fading. My favorite reaction? Gerry Fraley of foxsports.com said that, "All that was lacking was American parents behind the dugout, telling their sons that they had tried hard." Journalists, reporters, and experts have all agreed that "this shouldn't happen to the Americans," but I think that people need to start realizing that there is a wealth of baseball talent all across the world. And while the game will always be America's "national past-time," the fact is that there are other teams that are just better.
2) Yankees GM Brian Cashman angrily took issue Thursday with an anecdote about him and Jason Giambi that is contained in a new book about Roger Clemens. The book, The Rocket That Fell to Earth, by Jeff Pearlman, is to be released later this month. The book said that when Giambi went through a slump in the 2002 season, his first with the Yankees, Cashman was heard yelling, "Jason, whatever you were taking in Oakland," get back on it. Cashman's response? "That is completely false." I'm sure it is, Brian.
3) The Marlins finished 84-77 last season and received not one appearance on Fox's 2009 Saturday baseball schedule, which includes three regional games each week. The Braves (72-90) were given eight games. Even Oakland (75-86) and Seattle (61-101) got one apiece. How can this be? The Marlins' low payroll and lack of a national following are among the reasons why they are the only U.S.-based team with a winning 2008 record that did not get a 2009 game on Fox. Toronto (86-76) also got left off. And the Marlins were omitted from ESPN's first-half Sunday night schedule, too. It always seems the Marlins fly under the radar; no one expects them to do well, but come September, they are often fighting for the division.
4) Which team has the best rotation in the N.L. East? Is it the Phillies with Cole Hamels? The Mets with Johan Santana? Nope - I say it's the Braves. With Derek Lowe leading the way, Javier Vasquez taking the number-2 role, and Jair Jurrjens, Kenshin Kawakami, and Tom Glavine rounding out the rotation, the Braves are poised to make a move in 2009 (if they could get some offense). They also have a prospect named Tommy Hanson, who is said to be one of the best pitching prospects out there, second only to David Price.
5) Here are some leaders so far in Spring Training: Craig Monroe has six home runs, Ryan Howard and Joe Mather (St. Louis) each have 13 RBI's, Matt Tulasosopo (Seattle) has 17 hits, Eric Bruntlett, Adam Jones, and Juan Pierre each have six stolen bases, Fausto Carmona has three wins, and Micah Owings has pitched 14.2 innings and struck out 16. The fact that Matt Tulasosopo has the most hits of any player in Spring Training proves that these stats are essentially negligible.
Who's Hot: A.J. Burnett, Cody Ransom, Angel Berroa, Brett Gardner, Brett Tomko
Who's Not: CC Sabathia, Mark Melancon, Nick Swisher
Quote of the Week: "The wedding got over a little early, and I had a plane standing by and I wanted to be here. Maybe I should have stayed longer." -- Team USA manager Davey Johnson, who missed the first few innings of yesterday's game against Puerto Rico because he was attending his stepson's wedding.
Link of the Week: Click here
Every Sunday here at The Bronx Insider, I will list five stories around baseball that catch my eye. I also award a quote of the week, a link of the week, and a who's hot/who's not list. It's my way of recapping the week. They continue every Sunday throughout the regular season. Here is this week's:
1) Baseball commissioner Bud Selig continues to defend his role in the steroid scandal. Said Selig, "What I could do unilaterally, I did almost immediately. All I could do at the end of the last decade and the beginning of this century was to clean the sport up. And so I've done that." I don't think Selig is solely to blame for the "Steroid Era." Everyone -- the union, the owners, the media, the players, the front office -- is to blame. The most important thing is that the issue has (for the most part) been tamed, and steroids no longer play a significant role in the game.
2) The Dodgers recently signed Manny Ramirez to a two-year, $45 million deal. Manny will play an important role on the Dodgers, but their success is ultimately going to come down to how their young players perform. With the departure of Brad Penny, Chad Billingsley and Hideki Kuroda will need to anchor their rotation. James Loney, Blake DeWitt, Matt Kemp, Russell Martin, and Andre Ethier have formed a solid core for the Dodgers, and all need to repeat the success they had in 2008. Maybe it's because of their Brooklyn roots, but the Dodgers are one of a few National League teams that I root for; hopefully, they'll be playing in October once again.
3) I'm not a huge fan of the WBC, but I'll still be rooting for Team USA. The team came up big in yesterday's 6-5 win against Canada; home runs by Adam Dunn and Brian McCann were the difference. After the game, Jake Peavy said, "This is a playoff atmosphere. Everything is on the line." Well, maybe not everything, but I get your point Jake.
4) Joel Sherman of the Post believes the Yankees will be fine without A-Rod. He offers this stat: During the 1996 and 1998-2000 seasons, there were 152 instances of a player hitting more than 30 homers. None came from a Yankee, and yet they won the championship in all four of those seasons. Granted, Cody Ransom is no Scott Brosius, but I think he'll be able to fill the void aptly. He made a Shelley Duncan-esque debut last year, and hopefully he'll be able to hold down the fort in the month of April (unless the Yanks make a move and sign or trade for a third baseman).
5) Pitchers Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel are trying to blend in among the nearly 200 players at the Pirates minor league camp. What makes them so special? They are the first two players from India to come to a major league organization. They were scouted in India after winning an Indian reality television show. I first heard of this on Sportscenter, which did a great documentary on their journey from India to America. Hopefully they will master their skills and make the big club in the near future.
Who's Hot: Brett Gardner, Derek Jeter, Angel Berroa, Jorge Posada, Shelley Duncan
Who's Not: Alex Rodriguez, Joba Chamberlain, George Kontos, Alfredo Aceves
Quote of the Week: "To be honest, it's like drinking water from a fire hose." -- Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, on trying to deal with the news of the torn labrum in Alex Rodriguez's hip, which will require surgery either during or following the season.
This will be the final edition of the Sunday Baseball Notes for the 2008 season.
Here are my picks for the American League and National League Awards:
A.L. MVP: I would give this one to Justin Morneau of the Twins. As of today, he is hitting .303 with 23 homers and 129 RBI's. The Twins would be nowhere close to contention without Morneau. While Josh Hamilton has had more home runs and RBI's, he hasn't been nearly as valuable to the Rangers as Morneau has been to the Twins.
A.L. Cy Young: This is a no-brainer: Cliff Lee. He has amassed a stunning record of 22-3, and his 2.54 ERA leads the American League. The guy was sent down to the minors last year, and now he has emerged as the best pitcher in baseball. I don't know how he did it, but he did it.
A.L. Rookie of the Year: A lot of people went into this year thinking this would be a race between Joba Chamberlain and Jacoby Ellsbury. However, it is clear that Evan Longoria deserves to win this award. His 27 home runs and 85 RBI's is remarkable, considering he missed about a month with an injury. He has also played a key role in the Rays' ascension to first place.
A.L. Manager of the Year: Another no-brainer: Joe Maddon. He took his team from the depths of the American League East to first place in a matter of months, and his intelligent, keen style of managing has rubbed off on the younger players. I don't think there has ever been a more impressive worst-to-first turnaround in baseball history.
N.L. MVP: This is a tough one, because the Cubs and Dodgers haven't had any player with an amazing statistical season. I think the award should go to Albert Pujols of the Cardinals. They won't be in the postseason mix this year, but he has certainly kept the Cardinals afloat all season long. His numbers speak for themselves: .356 average, 37 homers, 115 RBI's.
N.L. Cy Young: This is another tough one. It will either be Brandon Webb (22-7, 3.30 ERA), Tim Lincecum (17-5, 2.66 ERA), or C.C. Sabathia (10-2, 1.78 ERA, 6 complete games with the Brewers). I would give the award to Lincecum, mostly because he not only had the second-best ERA in the league, but also because he had the most strikeouts in baseball (252). Webb has compiled more wins, but his ERA is almost a run higher.
N.L. Rookie of the Year: This should go to Geovany Soto of the Cubs. His average stands at .285, and he compiled 23 home runs and 86 RBI's. How many times do you see a team with a rookie catcher reach the postseason?
N.L. Manager of the Year: I would give this to Joe Torre. Even though his Dodgers play in the worst division in baseball, he has brought a new culture to their organization, and managed to keep them afloat when the Diamondbacks started off 28-16.
Who's Hot (entire season): Johnny Damon, Bobby Abreu, Mariano Rivera, Mike Mussina
Who's Not (entire season): Robinson Cano, Andy Pettitte, Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy
Quote of the Year: "What do you think? You think it's fun watching that crap?" -- Joe Girardi, back in August. It basically sums up the entire 2008 season for the Yankees.
Link of the Year: Click here
Standings:
Tampa Bay 96-65
Boston 94-66
Yankees 88-72
Toronto 85-76
Baltimore 68-92
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The Sunday Baseball Notes will return next Spring Training.
This week, the Sunday Baseball Notes looks back at some Yankee Stadium records (since the 1976 season):
Yankees statistics compiled since the 1976 season when they returned to a renovated Yankee Stadium | |
Most games played at Yankee Stadium | |
| Bernie Williams | 1039 |
| Derek Jeter | 1002 |
| Don Mattingly | 877 |
| Willie Randolph | 877 |
| Jorge Posada | 717 |
Most hits | |
| Derek Jeter | 1274 |
| Bernie Williams | 1123 |
| Don Mattingly | 1053 |
| Willie Randolph | 878 |
| Paul O'Neill | 706 |
Most home runs | |
| Bernie Williams | 143 |
| Don Mattingly | 131 |
| Alex Rodriguez | 124 |
| Jorge Posada | 116 |
| Derek Jeter | 106 |
| Graig Nettles | 106 |
Most runs batted in | |
| Bernie Williams | 597 |
| Don Mattingly | 574 |
| Derek Jeter | 495 |
| Jorge Posada | 435 |
| Paul O'Neill | 423 |
Most games started | |
| Andy Pettitte | 166 |
| Ron Guidry | 164 |
| Mike Mussina | 135 |
| Roger Clemens | 110 |
| Tommy John | 103 |
Best ERA | |
| Goose Gossage | 2.26 |
| Tom Gordon | 2.28 |
| Sparky Lyle | 2.50 |
| Mike Caldwell | 2.54 |
| Mariano Rivera | 2.62 |
Most innings pitched | |
| Ron Guidry | 1256 2/3 |
| Andy Pettitte | 1115 |
| Mike Mussina | 863 1/3 |
| Roger Clemens | 729 1/3 |
| Tommy John | 725 2/3 |
Most wins | |
| Ron Guidry | 99 |
| Andy Pettitte | 94 |
| Mike Mussina | 72 |
| Roger Clemens | 57 |
| Mariano Rivera | 48 |
Most strikeouts | |
| Ron Guidry | 969 |
| Andy Pettitte | 813 |
| Roger Clemens | 710 |
| Mike Mussina | 701 |
| Dave Righetti | 530 |
Most saves | |
| Mariano Rivera | 230 |
| Dave Righetti | 111 |
| Goose Gossage | 70 |
| Steve Farr | 45 |
| John Wetteland | 37 |
This week, the Sunday Baseball Notes looks back on the top five regular season collapses in major-league history:
5) 1978 Red Sox lose pennant to the Yankees: The Red Sox led the Yankees by nine games heading into late August, but the Yankees -- highlighted by a four-game sweep in Fenway Park -- came roaring back. In their epic one-game playoff, Bucky Dent and Ron Guidry put the team on their shoulders and gave Red Sox fans another year of despair.
4) 2007 Padres miss the playoffs: The Padres played reasonably well in September (15-13), but the Rockies ended up winning 14 of 15 games en route to the National League Wild Card.
3) 2007 Mets miss the playoffs: The Mets held a 7-game lead with 16 to play. Mathematically, they had a 0.2% chance of missing the playoffs. But poor performances by Tom Glavine and others led the Mets into a downward spiral.
2) 1995 Angels miss the playoffs: On August 20th, the Angels held a 9.5 game lead in the division and a 12-game lead in the Wild Card. However, they finished out the season 12-26, while the Yankees and Rangers each went 26-13 to secure playoff spots.
1) 1951 Dodgers lose the pennant to the Giants: On August 12th, the Dodgers had a 12.5 game lead over the Giants. The final, tie-breaking game of the season resulted in Bobby Thompson's memorable walk-off home run off Ralph Branca that propelled the Giants to the pennant.
Who's Hot: Derek Jeter, Bobby Abreu, Phil Coke, Alfredo Aceves, Mariano Rivera
Who's Not: Darrell Rasner, Jose Veras, Andy Pettitte, Robinson Cano
Quote of the Week: "There's probably 800 players in the big leagues, and the odds of me being involved were probably 2-to-1. It's funny. Somehow I find myself in those situations all the time." -- Alex Rodriguez, on his uncanny ability to find the spotlight, this time as the first player involved in an instant replay ruling with baseball's new system. Rodriguez's call was upheld.
Link of the Week: Click here
Standings
Tampa Bay 85-56
Boston 84-58
Toronto 76-66
Yankees 76-67
Orioles 63-78
This week, the Sunday Baseball Notes counts down the top five relievers (non-closers) in 2008:
5) Taylor Buchholz: Buchholz began his career as a starter, but has emerged as one of the top relievers in baseball with the Colorado Rockies. He has a 6-3 record, a 1.67 ERA, and stunning 0.88 WHIP. He has virtually come out of nowhere to dominate the Rockies' pen.
4) Scott Downs: Downs also began his career as a starter, and of late, he has settled nicely into the Blue Jays bullpen. His record is just 0-2, but his 1.38 ERA and 1.09 WHIP are eye-opening.
3) Carlos Marmol: Marmol was the only regular non-starter or closer to be named to the All Star team this year. In 70 innings, he has struck out 92 men and posted a 2.83 ERA and a 0.93 WHIP. Probably the most impressive stat is that he has given up just 31 hits in 70 innings- hitters are hitting just .131 against him. In his career, hitters are hitting .187 against him.
2) Jose Arredondo: Arredondo is just a rookie, but people are already hailing him as their heir to the closers' role in Anaheim, assuming K-Rod doesn't resign with the team. He sports a 5-1 record, a 1.27 ERA, and a 1.08 WHIP. Batters are hitting below .200 against him.
1) Grant Balfour: It is somewhat ironic that the top middle reliever in baseball has a last name sounding like "Ball Four," but Grant Balfour has truly come out of his shell in 2008. The Rays acquired him from the Brewers last year, and he is already paying dividends. He has struck out 62 men in 42 innings, while posting a 1.50 ERA and a 0.90 WHIP. Even more impressive is that batters are hitting .130 against him. And here's an eye-opener: Balfour has given up a leadoff hit once.
Who's Hot: Bobby Abreu, Xavier Nady, Derek Jeter, Carl Pavano, Brian Bruney
Who's Not: Ivan Rodriguez, Darrell Rasner, Damaso Marte, Sidney Ponson
Quote of the Week: "Wow! I grew a beard there in that game." -- Twins manager Ron Gardenhire after watching his club outlast the Marniers, 11-8, last Sunday.
Link of the Week: Click here
Standings
Tampa Bay 79-49
Boston 75-55
Yankees 69-60
Toronto 67-63
Baltimore 61-67
This week, the Sunday Baseball Notes lists some stats on the Yankees that are sure to open some eyes:
- The Yankees are closer to last place than they are to first place.
- With runners in scoring position, they are only hitting .259 as a team; Alex Rodriguez is hitting all of .236 in those situations.
- With runners in scoring position and two outs, the team is hitting .266, with A-Rod and Jason Giambi each pounding out a .208 batting average when it counts.
- The team is hitting only .258 with the bases loaded, and that's a situation that requires the opposing pitcher to throw strikes.
- The Yankees went 17-for-80 with runners in scoring position on this most recent road trip.
- Yankee catchers have combined for a .242 average and five home runs. Last season, Jorge Posada hit .338 with 20 home runs.
- Mike Mussina and Mariano Rivera are the only two pitchers who have remained on the roster for the entire year.
- Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy, and Darrell Rasner are a combined 5-17.
- In Andy Pettitte's nine losses, his ERA is 8.23.
- The Yankees have stolen 80 bases, compared to 123 last year.
Who's Hot: Mike Mussina, Brett Gardner, Sidney Ponson, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez
Who's Not: Ivan Rodriguez, Mariano Rivera, Wilson Betemit
Quote of the Week: "I'm not writing off this season. They're trying hard to win. There's only so much you can do. They're not supermen. I think it's very simply, we've been devastated by injuries. No team I've ever seen in baseball has been decimated like this. It would kill any team...It's not making excuses. It's reality. That's part of the game. That's clearly our problem. We're going to win it next year. If we need to add a top veteran pitcher, we'll do that. We'll do whatever we need to do. Next year we'll be extremely dangerous."
Link of the Week: Click here
Standings
Tampa Bay 74-48
Boston 71-53
Yankees 66-58
Toronto 64-60
Baltimore 60-63
This week, the Sunday Baseball notes features five separate top-ten lists. Some are opinion, others are gathered from websites.
The Top 10 MLB Ballparks
10) Safeco Field
9) Coors Field
8) Busch Stadium
7) Citizens Bank Park
6) PNC Park
5) Dodger Stadium
4) Camden Yards
3) Fenway Park
2) Wrigley Field
1) Yankee Stadium
The Top 10 Fill-Ins For The 2008 MLB Season
10) Jose Molina, Yankees
9) Sidney Ponson, Yankees
8) Joe Inglett, Blue Jays
7) Ramon Vaquez, Rangers
6) Kelly Shoppach, Indians
5) Fernando Tatis, Mets
4) Matt Joyce, Tigers
3) Chris Davis, Rangers
2) Jed Lowrie, Red Sox
1) Denard Span, Twins
Top 10 Overrated Players
10) Jeff Suppan
9) Bob Wickman
8) Richie Sexson
7) Alfonso Soriano
6) Brian Giles
5) Bobby Abreu
4) Juan Pierre
3) Andruw Jones
2) J.D. Drew
1) Barry Zito
Top 10 Underrated Players
10) Jose Lopez
9) Pat Burrell
8) Roy Halladay
7) Justin Duchscherer
6) Garrett Atkins
5) James Shields
4) Nick Markakis
3) Michael Young
2) Robinson Cano
1) Jermaine Dye
Top 10 Friendliest Players
10) Raul Ibanez
9) Tony Clark
8) Luis Gonzalez
7) Kevin Millar
6) Johnny Damon
5) David Ortiz
4) Dave Roberts
3) Mike Sweeney
2) Jim Thome
1) Sean Casey
Who's Hot: Xavier Nady, Johnny Damon, Mike Mussina, Sidney Ponson
Who's Not: Edwar Ramirez, Jose Veras, Damaso Marte, David Robertson, Melky Cabrera
Quote of the Week: "What do you think? You think it's fun watching that crap?" -- Joe Girardi, on the Yankees' eighth inning on Saturday.
Link of the Week: Click here
Standings
Tampa Bay 71-46
Boston 67-51
Yankees 63-55
Toronto 59-59
Baltimore 56-60
This week, the Sunday Baseball Notes looks back on the moves at the trade deadline:
Yankees: A-
They improved on 3 of their 4 holes, adding Nady, Marte, and Pudge while giving up only Farnsworth and assorted prospects. It should help them down the stretch run.
Cubs: B+
They added two solid pitchers in Rich Harden and Chad Gaudin, helping solidify their starting rotation.
Brewers: B-
Even though they acquired CC Sabathia down the stretch run, their trade of Matt LaPorta may work out better for the Indians. LaPorta is one of the most touted prospects in the minors, and he may prove to be a long-term payoff for the Indians.
Pirates: F
Pittsburgh gave away their top stars in Nady, Marte, and Bay. Usually with trades, a GM has either the present or the future in mind, but Pittsburgh had neither. Their trade with the Yankees was one of the worst in franchise history, and it will probably give them an abundance of losing seasons down the road.
Red Sox: C
It was clear that the Red Sox had had enough of Manny Ramirez, but it will certainly be tough for Jason Bay to fill in. Talent-wise, the Sox decrease, but as far as team chemistry goes, they increase.
Dodgers: A
The Dodgers gave up practically nothing to acquire Manny Ramirez, and it now gives them a very potent offense down the stretch run. Plus, the Dodgers don't have to pay Manny a dime.
White Sox: B-
In acquiring Ken Griffey Jr., the White Sox replace the struggling Nick Swisher in centerfield. However, Griffey is no longer the Griffey of old, and he will be forced to play centerfield, a position he has not played since 2006.
Angels: B+
The trade of Casey Kotchman for Mark Teixeira gives the Angels one of the best hitters in the game today behind Vladimir Guerrero. Throw in their stellar pitching staff, and they are looking at a damn good team.
Tigers: C-
Kyle Farnsworth won't necessarily be a savior for the Detroit pitching; he has already allowed thirteen home runs. Meanwhile, they traded one of the best catchers of all time in Pudge Rodriguez.
Who's Hot: Bobby Abreu, Alex Rodriguez, Xavier Nady, Sidney Ponson, Mike Mussina
Who's Not: Darrell Rasner, Robinson Cano, Jason Giambi
Quote of the Week: "Every time someone comes up here who can run, everyone says, 'Damn, he's exciting.' Well, this kid's steady, has good at bats, kind of looks like Bill Mueller. I'm not sure that's not exciting." -- Red Sox manager Terry Francona on rookie Jed Lowrie.
Link of the Week: Click here
Standings
Tampa Bay 66-44
Boston 64-48
Yankees 61-50
Toronto 55-55
Baltimore 53-57
1) This weekend, Goose is finally getting his due. The disappointments no longer hang over him, as he will be receiving the respect he deserves in his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame. "It was like being hit in the head with a brick," Gossage said of his election. "My head just went numb...it was crushing." Gossage also added, "I don't think any player ever said, 'Hey, I'm going to be a Hall of Famer.' All you want to do is be a big leaguer. That's all I ever wanted to do, put on a big-league uniform one time, and that one time turned into 22 years. I still have to pinch myself that I had that kind of career and now to be elected to the Hall of Fame, it's just off the charts."
2) As the Braves continue to struggle, many fans are blaming the failure on manager Bobby Cox. After leading the team to 14 consecutive division titles, he is now being held accountable for the team's lack of success. His players, however, are on his side. "He's not any different than he's ever been," Chipper Jones said of Kox. "He's just not dealign with the same deck of cards that we had coming out of spring training." After years of success, there seems to be a hefty amount of turmoil in Atlanta.
3) With this weekend being 'Hall of Fame Weekend,' many baseball experts are debating the case of Mike Mussina. His strong 2008 campaign and 263 career wins are certainly impressive, and his .637 career winning percentage is one of the highest of all time. Also, he has seventeen straight double-digit win seasons, which should negate the fact that he has no 20-win seasons. Whether or not he gets into the Hall, Moose has been a reliable and dominating starter throughout his whole career, whether with the Orioles or Yankees.
4) Since July 2nd, a study has found that there have been 257 broken bats in 260 games -- which is about one per game. The broken bats are being collected by the authenticators who work for MLB and who usually focus on validating instant memorabilia from that day's games. Videotapes of broken bats are also being logged by MLB.com. In addition, Dr. Carl Morris, a statistician at Harvard, has been hired to assist baseball's safety and health advisory committee in an effort to reduce possible resulting injuries from the bats.
5) Wednesday is Mug Root Beer Float Day at McAfee Coliseum, featuring $2 floats served by celebrity scoopers, including players Rajai Davis, Lenny DiNardo, Dana Eveland, Carlos Gonzalez, Huston Street, and Ryan Sweeney. In addition, mugs with unlimited refills will be $15 and a limited supply of mugs autographed by Mark Ellis will be $25. Now, why don't the Yankees do something like this?
Who's Hot: Mike Mussina, Joba Chamberlain, Mariano Rivera, Jose Veras, Robinson Cano
Who's Not: LaTroy Hawkins, Brett Gardner, Chad Moeller
Quote of the Week: "For no apparent reason." -- Why, according to the Indians media notes, the homestanding Mariners asked both teams to wear 1989-styled uniforms for their game last Saturday.
Link of the Week: Click here
Standings
Tampa Bay 61-42
Boston 60-45
Yankees 58-45
Toronto 53-52
Baltimore 49-55
