Random Collection of MLB Thoughts re April 27 in the MLB

The Toronto Blue Jays avoided a sweep Sunday night defeating the former manager John Farrell and his World Series Champion Boston Red Sox 7-1.  Most impressive factoid about the win?  For the first time this season, the Blue Jays pitching staff did not issue a walk!  Apparently the group as a whole felt Brandon Morrow had given up enough on Saturday (8 in 2 2/3 IP).


Answer: Saturday April 12th, top of the 6th inning versus the Chicago Cubs.
Question: When was the last time St. Louis Cardinal starting pitcher Adam Wainwright gave up a run?  Wainwright and the Cards would blank the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-0 on Sunday.


The weekend in baseball featured two sweeps.  An internet high five to the NL East leading Atlanta Braves (17-7) sweeping the Cincinnati Reds (11-14) AND the NL West leading San Francisco Giants sweeping the Cleveland Indians (11-14).


Chicago White Sox rookie phenom Jose Abreu is crushing the baseball with 10 HR's in 26 games.  Here's a video showing you how much force it would take to flatten a baseball. 


The continued look at All Star balloting brings us today to third base.  My votes for the American League went to Evan Longoria, Adrian Beltre, and Trevor Plouffe.  My votes for the National League went to Juan Uribe, Nolan Arenado, and Aramis Ramirez.

Random Collection of Thoughts re: MLB action April 24

The surprising New York Mets took three out of four from the St. Louis Cardinals.  The nifty factoid to take from Thursday's 4-1 loss is the difference in average age in terms of the pitchers used in the game.  The Mets used Bartolo Colon, Carlos Torres, Scott Rice and the returning Daisuke Matsuzaka for an average age of 35.  The Cardinals used Lance Lynn, Kevin Siegrist, Carlos Martinez and Eric Fornataro for an average of 25.25. 


Toward the end of the exhibition season, Erik Bedard let it be known that if he was not in the starting lineup he would consider retirement over coming of the bullpen.  In Bedard's first start on April 18th, he never made it out of the 3rd inning while giving up 4 runs on 6 hits.  Bedard's second start came Thursday night giving up 4 runs on 5 hits while issuing 5 walks while struggling to make it through 4 innings.  Proving to the Tampa Bays Rays you belong, you're doing it wrong Mr. Bedard!!


How do you comeback from a sweep at the hands of a divisional rival?  If you are the Oakland A's, you throttle another divisional opponent 10-1.  Beating down divisional opponents was a theme in the AL East


The Baltimore Orioles defeating the Toronto Blue Jays by a touchdown, 11-4.  The New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox so badly, the Sox sent outfielder Mike Carp to pitch the 9th inning.  FIVE WALKS later that misery was over.


Scanned all the infielders stats using the stat column "at bats" to sort each position.  Safe to assume the players making the Top 10 in the "at bats" category are everyday starters.  Here is a look at the slowest starts by players in the top 10 of their respective positions using their batting average as a gage so far this season.

1. C - Sal Perez .213, Buster Posey .229, Juan Castro .217
2. 1B - Nick Swisher .205, Edwin Encarnacion .233
3. 2B - Aaron Hill .232, Brian Dozier .224
4. 3B - Marcus Semien .235, Martin Prado .234, Pedro Alvarez .176, Brett Lawrie .157
5. SS - Ian Desmond .200, Brad Miller .221, Asdrubal Cabrera .238

Random Collection of Thoughts re April 23 in MLB

The first 9 outs St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Michael Wacha recorded on Wednesday were strikeouts.  As impressive as that is any and every time I read his name here's what instantly goes through my mind "waka, waka, waka"


Dictionary.com defines the word "Pinata" as " a gaily decorated crock or papier-mâché figure filled with toys, candy, etc., and suspended from above...so that children, who are blindfolded, may break it or knock it down with sticks and release the contents." New York Yankees starting pitcher Michael Pineda deserves his own Pinata, so many baseball purists would love to knock the pine tar out of him. 


Internet high five to the Texas Rangers for their sweep three game sweep of the Oakland Athletics.  The A's had not lost back to back games all year and now travel to Houston for a 4 game set.  The A's had just swept the Astros before being whitewashed by the Rangers.  Meanwhile the Rangers head to Seattle for a weekend series, trying to match their season high five game win streak.  During their first five game win streak, three of those wins were against the Mariners.


Speaking of the Seattle Mariners, they are one of three teams that avoided sweeps in their respective series by winning Wednesday night.  Kyle Seager may have earned himself a bobblehead night with a two homerun game with the second one being of the walk-off variety.


The San Francisco Giants, after being outpitched the first two games of the series, decided to try to beat the Colorado Rockies with the long ball.  The Giants hit 6 homeruns with the 6th being a grand slam in the 11th.  Sigh, I stand by my prediction if the Rockies pitching can become mediocre, they will make the playoffs. 


Lastly, the Washington Nationals avoided the sweep to the Los Angeles Angels thanks to 9th inning meltdown in the Angels bullpen.  On paper, the rosters of the Nationals and Angels coulda/shoulda/woulda be World Series bound.  I won't hold my breathe.

Random Collection of Thoughts re April 13 in the MLB

Sweeps and their ramifications will be the subject of the day.


The Los Angeles Dodgers swept the Arizona Diamondbacks making it a 5-0 regular season start against the NL West Kirk Gibson led foe.  The D'Backs currently sit at 4-11 two days away from Jackie Robinson Day on Tuesday April 15th.  I mentioned in an earlier post that if going into Jackie Robinson Day the Diamondbacks were still counting wins with only one hand that Manager Kirk Gibson likely does not make it through the month of May with his job.  A 3 game series with the New York Mets may just be what the doctor ordered.  Then again, it may be the iceberg that sank the Titanic.


Speaking of baseball managers doubling as crew members of the Titanic, Kansas City manager Ned Yost must be feeling sea sick after being outscored 21-6 whilst being swept by the Minnesota Twins.  The Royals now have lowest scoring offense in the American League 0.02 less runs per game than the Houston Astros.  The Astros happen to be their next opponent before an opportunity for redemption when the Twins visit Kauffman Stadium next weekend.  For a trendy pick to win the division, the Royals are doing it wrong!!


Speaking of trendy picks to win the division, the Washington Nationals just got swept by the Atlanta Braves, the team they would have to overcome to win the NL East.  The Braves scored 23 runs during the series doubling their season long production at the plate.  Another Nats sweep of the Miami Marlins would likely keep them neck and neck with the Braves for 1st place but an abysmal showing in their 4 game set with the St. Louis Cardinals next weekend will help solidify their "pretender not contender" status.


Speaking of the Miami Marlins, anybody remember when they were 5-1?  After being swept by the Philadelphia Phillies, the Marlins now sit at 5-8.  I never thought they would keep pace with the Nationals and Braves but third place in the NL East is feasible.  The Marlins will have to win these games back from the Phillies when they visit Miami May 20-22.


I ran out of "speaking of" tie-ins.  The Milwaukee Brewers extended their winning streak to 9 games by sweeping the Pittsburgh Pirates.  Now the real fun begins as they host the St. Louis Cardinals then fly to Pittsburgh for a three game re-match.  The Cardinals were the gold standard last season beating the Brewers in the pennant race by 23 games.  Can a full year of Ryan Braun and tweaked starting rotation really close that gap?

Random Collection of Thoughts re April 11 in MLB

First off, an apology to Mr. Paul Goldschmidt.  I tried to latch onto him for MLB Beat the Streak contest.  A logical choice because he was on a 31 game on base streak, and now it's over.  I'm sorry I was your Brock Lesnar to your streak.

By gawd, did the baseball lords not read the script going into Friday nights games? 

The Minnesota Twins annihilated the Kansas City Royals - - script says the Royals are suppose to challenge the Tigers for the Division Title.  Those Detroit Tigers got shut out by the San Diego Padres!  The Padres scored 6 runs which translates into 1/3 of the offense they had put up the entire season! 


The Chicago Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals in extra innings.  The Cards needed a job losing effort from now former Cubs closer Jose Veras just to send it into extra innings.  The script clearly reads that the Cards are the class of the NL Central while the Cubs are there to bring up the rear.


With a loss last night, the Cincinnati Reds fell into sole possession of last place in the NL Central while with a win, the Milwaukee Brewers sit alone atop of the NL Central.  Anybody who tells you they saw this coming likely has a pet unicorn and has people read the script to them!


The San Francisco Giants beat the Colorado Rockies.  That's fine and dandy.  The win was based in large part to a grand slam BY THE PITCHER!! Some people say baseball is boring, but you can't make this stuff up folks!

Let's see if normalcy returns to the MLB on Saturday.

One Series From Every Division to Look Forward to This Weekend

AL EAST - - Red Sox vs Yankees


The Yankees took the 1st game of the four game series on Thursday.  If the Red Sox were not World Series champs, the nod for AL East series of the weekend would have went to the Blue Jays vs Orioles.  I can't imagine the Red Sox not making the playoffs in 2014 but this weekend could start rubbing the sticks together to start that fire.


AL CENTRAL - - Indians vs White Sox


Remember to the 2012 Baltimore's Orioles and their improbable playoff berth?  That's exactly how I feek about the Cleveland's run to the playoffs last season.  Much like the O's failed to make consecutive post season appearances, the same fate awaits the Tribe. My bold prediction is that the White Sox that will challenge them for 3rd place in the division.  The series began Thursday night with the Sox breaking a 14 game losing streak against the Tribe...a sign of things to come!


AL WEST - - A's vs Mariners


"To the man, you've gotta beat the man" Ric Flair The Mariners lost 2 of 3 in Oakland to the A's and (pardon the exaggerated tone in April) can ill-afford to do the same during this weekend's series at Safeco Field.


NL EAST - - Nationals vs Braves


The sexy pick last season to win the AL East was the Nationals.  The sexy pick to possibly knock the Braves out of first place in 2014 is again the Nationals.  The Nats lost 2 of 3 against the Braves in Washington.  Sure it's their only two losses of the season but feasting on teams like the Miami Marlins and New York Mets only makes you pretenders not contenders.


NL CENTRAL - - Cubs vs Cardinals


The argument here is simple, the Cubs hold the power in the NL Central to decide who wins the division.  The Cardinals play their first three of 19 games versus the Cubbies after seeing the Pittsburgh Pirates took 4 of 6 from Chicago.  If Chicago finds a way to take two games this weekend...who am I kidding!


NL WEST - - Tigers vs Padres


This may not be an inter-divisional game but this series has me wondering, how do the Tigers not sweep the Padres?  Porcello, Verlander, Scherzer pitching in the cavernous Petco Park against a team that has scored only 20 runs in 9 games this season.  If the Padres find a way to take 2 of 3, Royals fans should cry if they don't take 2 of 3 from Twins and make up a game on the Tigers "the easy way".

Random Collection of Thoughts re: April 5th in MLB

Pennants are not won in April, they are lost.  Cincinnati Reds I'm looking at you!  Starting out the season having the St. Louis Cardinals taking two of three from you at home is forgivable. Going into New York and having the Mets take the first two games from you almost inexcusable.  I will assume the Reds can avoid the sweep at the hands of the Mets but going into St. Louis for the next series, the feeling has to be that one out of three won't be enough.




In the dogfight that the NL Central will be for playoff seeding, the Pittsburgh Pirates were gifted two series with the Chicago Cubs with the St Louis Cardinals sandwiched in the middle.  Anything less than 6-3 for the Pirates should be considered a failure to start the season.  I would have waited until then before I extended the contracts of General manager Neal Huntington and manager Clint Hurdle.


Tonight's pitching lines from the Mariners Felix Hernandez (8.1 IP 6 hits 1 run 8 K's) and the Marlins Jose Fernandez (6.2 IP 3 hits 0 runs 8 K's) make me really hope the two pitchers face off against each other when their respective teams play a three game series April 18 through 20th.


The Boston Red Sox page on MLB.com only allows me to go back to 2000.  This is the first time in the new millennium that the Red Sox have lost their 1st two home games of a season.


The last undefeated team in the MLB is the Detroit Tigers.  That in and of itself is not that shocking.  The fact they are only 4-0 and are the last perfect team is the surprising part.

MLB Nuggets - - PED Penalty Question, World Series Nifty Realization, Tigers Find, Twins Lost, Harper Mad,

The following is the reported new penalties being worked on for players using performance enhancing drugs (PED's).  A first time offense would be 100 games instead of 50 unless it was "unintentional".  A second time offense would be 162 games instead of 100, again unless it was "unintentional".  Third time is a lifetime ban which is also the current penalty. 


Here's what I find interesting, the MLB (much like the NFL) gives itself the power to be judge, jury & executioner.  Therefore they decide if the players use of PED's was "unintentional" or not.  So if a star player gets caught with a PED in their system but no major firm or pharmacy or scandal is linked to the sale of steroids to said star player, does it automatically just become "unintentional"?


Did you know that since the turn of the 2000's the New York Yankees and St Louis Cardinals are tied with 4 World Series appearances while the Boston Red Sox and San Francisco Giants are tied with 3 World Series appearances.  Here's a nifty realization, the 2005 World Series featured the two teams who finished as the bottom two teams in the American League last season, the Chicago White Sox and the Houston Astros.


A sneaky good signing was recently made by the Detroit Tigers.  The Tigers signed JD Martinez, cast away by the Houston Astros, to a minor league deal.  Martinez big league career started strong midway 2011 but like many hitters, pitchers learn their faults therefore learning how to get them out.  A fresh start in the Tigers organization should bring him back to the .274 batting average that had fans projecting so much good fortune for Mr. Martinez.


Have to feel sorry for the Minnesota Twins.  The Twins entered training camp with arguably the first and second overall prospects in baseball in tow.  Neither Byron Buxton nor Miguel Sano were expected to get much Major League play in 2014 but to have one suffer a wrist injury threatening the start of his season AND the other one to undergo Tommy John surgery ended his season, that's just terrible luck.


Need a friendly reminder that these exhibition games are not completely meaningless?  Bryce Harper got himself worked up enough that he got ejected from a spring training game.

Umpire Safety, Slips From Grace and Clown Blood in the MLB

As a kid, I remember riding around in my Dad's car with no seatbelt on EVER.  As a teenager, I remember riding a bicycle NEVER wearing a helmet.  As an adult, I watch baseball and wonder why umpires play the field in baseball caps and not batting helmets.  In an era where everything is about safety, why do umpires who cover first and third base not wear protective head wear?  It's not like they have baseball gloves on to protect themselves if a ball does come at them!  Sadly, it will likely take a serious head injury to an umpire before any level of baseball ushers in protective headwear for the most defenseless people on the field.


Seeing that the Astros released former Cardinals 1st round pick Brett Wallace and the Mariners have demoted uber-prospect Jesus Montero, made me wonder how Philip Humber was doing in Oakland.  You know, the guy who throw a perfect game ONLY two years ago.  Even with the A's missing Jarrod Parker AND A.J. Griffin due to injury, Mr. Perfect Game is still not on the Major League roster.  When you go to work tomorrow, hug your boss!


How much longer before St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Matheny sets up a meeting between relief pitcher Jason Motte (actively attacking his rehab from injury) and uber-prospect Oscar Taveras (shying away from his rehab).


Kenny Lofton thinks making the shiny new "one and done" wildcard playoff game and losing the game doesn't count as making the playoffs.  The former Cleveland Indian is now being given the cold shoulder by current Cleveland Indian players because a lack of respect deserves a lack of respect back.  I fully support the 2014 edition of the Indians.


Jimmy Rollins is 60 hits shy of overtaking Mike Schmidt as the Phillies’ all-time leader. IF that's his main motivation to stay a Phillie, I hope he gets his selfish ass stapled to the bench!


Cincinnati Red Trevor Bell, a 27-year-old reliever trying to make the team, is the grandson of Bob Bell, who played Bozo the Clown on WGN in Chicago from 1960 to 1984.  THAT'S AWESOME!  Great find by John DeMarzo of the New York Post.

The Grand Scheme of Life in Relation to Baseball

Frank Jobe, the doctor who "invented" Tommy John surgery,

has passed way.  Rest In Peace Mr. Jobe.

You enabled the ability to extend more MLB careers than steroids ever has or will.

Like being in caught up in the majesty that is Disneyland and catching yourself chatting away to one of the suited characters, sometimes fans forget that baseball is just a game.  I give you four very different examples of "real life" interfering with "the game".


1) Rich Hill signed this past off-season with the Boston Red Sox in large part due to a desire to be closer to his family.  His infant son, barely two months old recently passed away. 


He was recently quoted on CBS Sports website ""Excited to be here, to be playing baseball again and get back into the normalcy of my profession and to be around a great group of guys and to just take that next step,""


I sincerely hope he makes the Red Sox major league squad to help work through the pain.


2) Oscar Taveras of the St Louis Cardinals is a "can't miss" prospect.  The banana peel on the roadway to stardom?  Oscar Taveras had ankle surgery last season to end his AAA season and is, rightfully,  a little leery about going full boar to test his surgically repaired ankle.


"Physically, there is technically nothing wrong with Taveras. But he’s reluctant to let loose and go full speed. If there’s pain, it’s in his head. He’s apparently fearful of derailing his career by re-injuring the joint, and has favored the right leg while running the bases." Credit Bernie Miklasz for the observation.


At what point in Taveras recovery do the Cards appear as if they are "playing God" with the livelihood of a 22 year old?


3)  "Despite 103 RBIs, it is tough to ignore Brandon Phillips' eroding skill set as his days as an elite offensive second baseman may be numbered"  The caption underneath Anthony Castrovince MLB.com report about the Cincinnati Reds "star".


Phillips, who was nearly traded to the New York Yankees during the off-season, does not feel the love and respect he feels is owed.  I do not sense a Derek Jeter-like farewell tour for Mr. Phillips in the future.


4)  Coincidence?  Dodgers starting pitcher Zack Greinke mentions he has little interest in going to Australia and now his calf injury will keep him from going? 


I'm not implying the injury is not legit but sometimes when you park at a meter and there's enough time left on it for you not to pay a toll...I hope he along with Chase Headley and Josh Hamilton are all ready for March 31/April 1.

Nifty MLB Finds

Example of dedication from the Pittsburgh Tribune Review: Pirates 2B Neil Walker is attacking the problems he had against left handed pitchers last season by going to minor league camp.  With a lack of left handed pitchers in the upcoming MLB pre-season schedule, Walker will pick up some games with Double-A Trenton Thunder when they play against lefties.


On the day Blue Jays Jose Bautista was in the final four of the "Face of the MLB" contest on Twitter, he hit a homerun and a double.  On the day after he signed his 1 million dollar arbitration contract,  Angels Mike Trout hit a grand slam.  In the wake of the news that he is a porn addict, Cardinals pitcher Carlos Martinez had a solid outing trying to lock down a spot in the starting rotation.


From the San Francisco Tribune: "He's worked as a volunteer fireman, has appeared in a popular TV show, is a wine connoisseur and does an immense amount of community work, much of it with no fanfare." Oakland A's fans, that's your new closer Jim Johnson.


One of the oldest rivalries in the MLB is the Red Sox versus the Yankees.  With Jacoby Ellsbury switching sides this past summer, it was nice to read the Red Sox blog article from "Brownie Points" showing that it was done civilly. Give it a click!


Check the "Sweet Tweets" for an addition from MLB Fancave care of Joba Chamberlain and his "happy face" tattoo PLUS check the "Words to live by" for an addition from Torii Hunter.