Random Collection of #MLB thoughts re: April 26 in the MLB

Toronto Blue Jay Brandon Morrow gave up no hits on Saturday versus the Boston Red Sox.  Morrow did however give up EIGHT walks in 2 and 2/3 innings.  To make matters worse, Blue Jay reliever Chad Jenkins (making his 1st appearance of 2014) gave up homeruns to the first two batters he faced.  At the end of the 3rd inning the Boston Red Sox line read 6 runs on 2 hits. EEP!


So did Ryan Braun take out Jean Segura OR did Segura aimlessly wander into his bat? http://m.mlb.com/video/v32407589/chcmil-segura-leaves-the-game-with-an-injury/?partnerId=as_mlb_20140427_22756654  OBVIOUSLY, if Braun always does his bat stretching at the top step of the dugout (as the announcer states in the clip), then it's on Segura for not paying attention.  Agree or disagree? 


Chicago White Sox Adam Dunn, the king of all or nothing at the plate, is batting .265 in 68 AB.  Dunn is 35 and is part of a three headed monster which features the future in Jose Abreu and the past in Paul Konerko.  Indulging in a game of wannabe GM, the only team that might even be remotely interested in an aging power hitter would be the Milwaukee Brewers who are platooning 37 year old Lyle Overbay and 33 year old Mark Reynolds (if ever there was an Adam Dunn clone it's Reynolds - - minus the height).  Wouldn't you love to see Dunn's bat in Miller Park?


The Minnesota Twins beat Detroit Tigers Saturday.  If the Twins win again on Sunday against the Tigers, that would put them in a tie for first place in the AL Central.  On March 27th if you would have told me on April 27th the Twins would be playing for a share of first place, I would have sent you to live these folks.


Continuing with my look at All Star balloting, here's the three separate submissions in respect to second baseman. 

1. American League - Howie Kendrick, Ben Zobrist, Robinson Cano
2. National League - - Anthony Rendon, Chase Utley, DJ LeMahieu

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 Bonanza Items for March 31

Interesting comparison after Day One of two players traded for each in one of the most controversial trades in recent memory.  Miami Marlins shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria 3-4, Blue Jays shortstop Jose Reyes 0-1, 15 Disabled List.


Only reason to smile on opening day if you are a Blue Jay fan, now Cub Emilio Bonifacio went 4-5 with a double and a stolen base and an outfield assist BUT  was picked off at first base during the top of the 10th inning.  Classic Emilio!


The Phillies and Rangers combined for 24 runs in their season opener.  The game featured a player who had a great summer that amidst all the offence went 0-4 in Shin-Soo Choo.  The game also featured a player who had arguably the rockiest of off-seasons smash a Grand Slam in the 2nd inning in Jimmy Rollins.


Detroit Tigers shortstop Alex Gonzalez 2-4.  Free Agent Stephen Drew...well...suppose it's better making no money than it is playing for "under market value".


Cincinnati Red fans hope that rookie Billy Hamilton learned a valuable lesson in today's opener.  You can't steal first base!  Hamilton struck out all four of his at-bats.


Pablo Sandoval started his "contract year" with a strikeout and a fielding error, he's doing it wrong!

Huge Contracts Overshadow Feel Good Stories

According to Wikipedia, Miguel Cabrera has just signed the largest pro sports contract in history.  Looking at the Top 25 top contracts, 23 belong to the MLB!!  A stunning 6 of those were signed going into this season!  The New York Yankees signed Jacoby Ellsbury and Masahiro Tanaka to the 23rd and 20th largest contracts in history and watched the Seattle Mariners sign former Yankee Robinson Cano to the 4th largest contract.  The Cincinnati Reds and the LA Dodgers placed contracts on the list at numbers 6 and 7 with Joey Votto and Clayton Kershaw respectively.


I randomly chose playoff predictions from Sports Illustrated and here's what I found in regards to the 5 teams listed above handing out history making deals.  From SI's panel of six experts, only 2 of them had the Yankees making the playoffs while none of them have the Mariners making the post season.  Only 2 of them have the Cinncinati Reds making the postseason in a very tough NL Central while the Dodgers and Tigers are both clean sweeps to make the playoffs.


Amidst all the pomp and circumstance around big money deals, there is a feel good story to mention.  The Boston Red Sox have announced that Grady Sizemore will be there opening day starting center fielder completing a road to recovery that spanned two years!


Staying with the Boston Red Sox and news that's good for the soul.  On April 21st, the Red Sox will wear home jersey's with the word "Boston" across the front instead of "Red Sox" to honour the city of Boston one year after the Boston Marathon bombings.

What You May Have Missed From MLB Games Down Under & More

It's the MLB season opener, top of the 9th, Dodgers up 3 to 1.  They announce Guerrero as a pinch hitter, the Diamondbacks change pitchers, the Dodgers change pinch hitters.  It's game one of 162 and we get ourselves a double switch on a pinch hitter.  It's easy to forget how much one measly game means in such a long season.  Thanks Don Mattingly for reminding us that every game matters.


Going into Game 2, Scott Van Slyke went from game one super sub (2-3, double, homerun & walk) to game two defensive replacement in the bottom of the 9th.  Baseball, so unfaithful.


In what had to be a missed hit and run sign in the 5th inning, Adrian Gonzalez STOLE a base as Andre Ethier took a pitch.  Gonzalez, noted as one of the slower runners in the league, advanced to third base on a poor throw that kept rolling away from Aaron Hill.


Onto other news, the Detroit Tigers have recently traded for Alex Gonzalez, Andrew Romine and even contemplated offering 46 year old Omar Vizquel a shot at the glaring hole at shortstop.  Meanwhile, Stephen Drew has reportedly reached out to the Tigers and reduced his demands to an Ervin Santana-like one year Band-Aid deal.  Good on the Tigers for not caving,  I for one will be cheering loudly for Mr. Gonzalez & Mr. Romine.


Poor Vance Worley, from 2011 third place in the NL Rookie of the Year and named one of five starting pitchers of "Baseball America" All Rookie Team to not being able to make the 2014 Minnesota Twins.  Even after elbow problems ruined his 2012, the Minnesota Twins handed him the ball in their 2013 opener.  Unfortunately, Worley never found his command and his MLB career is on hold.

Today's Check-in of the Fun Side of the MLB

Thanks to the website "Bleacher Report" for the following two great finds:

1) Ian Kinsler Hopes the Texas Rangers Go 0-162

Title says it all and the words have been added to the "Words to Live By" Column on the front page.

2)Justin Verlander Dares Torii Hunter to Kiss an Alligator

Click the link to see the hilarious photo!


Moving over to the "MLB Fancave":

1) they posted video of Brian Wilson,

known for many things except throwing a knuckle ball,

throwing a freakin knuckle ball

2) Wondering whether or not Cincinnati Reds speed demon Billy Hamilton

can break the single game record for stolen bases.  NO, conversation over! 

The better discussion to have about the shiniest new toy in the stolen base ranks is whether Mr. Hamilton can break 70 stolen bases in season, a feat only accomplished 3 times in the new millennium!!  In case you are curious:  Scott Podsednik 70 in 2004, Jacoby Ellsbury 70 in 2009 and Jose Reyes 78 in 2007.


You won't remember this but the other day, I wrote about Mr Hamilton's Cincinnati Reds and their owner complaining about ticket sales growth not being where he wanted it to be.  MEANWHILE, in Cleveland, the Indians home opener sold out in 15 minutes!!


Lastly, with rumours getting stronger that Joe Saunders is signing with the Texas Rangers, I get to dust off the bobblehead I have of him.

Len being Len about Baseball

This morning Toronto Blue Jay Jose Bautista tweets "...fans are the most important part of baseball..." which got me to thinking - - aside from the typical "fan clubs" and "promotion nights" (which fans have been lucky enough to become almost become bored of) what are some of the niftier things baseball clubs are doing to reach out to their fans. 




The following is my top four finds:




1) Milwaukee Brewers Create a Commercial Contest
Contest closes on February 28th and is exactly what it sounds like, you get to make a freakin commercial to be aired during their games.




2) Baltimore Orioles - Orioles Magic Moments
A monthly contest where you send in videos of some of the "magic moments" of Oriole History.  This month it's Cal Ripken Jr setting the "iron man streak".




3) Detroit Tigers - Kids Opening Day Contest
"How do you and your child pledge to live a healthy lifestyle this summer?"  Parents write an essay on behalf of their kids and 21 winners will have the chance to a part of the production of the game. Example, Announce the Starting Line-Ups on the Comerica Park Public Address (two children)




4) Kansas City Royals/Texas Rangers/Los Angeles Dodgers
All three baseball clubs run "Rewards Play and Win" program where by registering to play, the fan collects points by visiting specified sections of their respective teams website and social media.



Blog Update:




a) I have added a "Sweet Tweets" side column to keep together some of the better finds throughout the season.  Today I added a tweet from the Medicine Hat Mavericks, a team in the WMBL




b) I have also added a "Words to Live By" side column to keep together some of the better quotes throughout the season.  Today I added a quote from Toronto Blue Jay GM Alex Anthopoulos