Two more great careers reach the end of the line posted by David

Tom Glavine and Frank Thomas officially announced their retirements this week, ending speculation that either one would attempt a comeback in 2010 after not appearing in a big league game last season.  Glavine was a great finesse pitcher of his generation, and Thomas was a premiere slugger of the nineties.

The southpaw won 305 games, two Cy Young Awards, and four Silver Sluggers.  He was a 10-time All-Star, had five 20-win seasons, and was named the 1995 World Series MVP for leading the Braves to victory.  Glavine’s Fall Classic performance included eight innings of one-hit, shutout ball in a decisive Game 6 against the Cleveland Indians.  In addition to cleanup man Albert Belle, the Cleveland lineup featured the likes of Kenny Lofton, Jim Thome, Manny Ramirez, and then-future Hall of Famer Eddie Murray.  Meanwhile, Braves hitters were only able to put a single run on the board in the bottom of the sixth, leaving Glavine with no margin for error.  Among his lesser-known achievements, Glavine allowed just one grand slam in 682 games – all starts – over his 22-year major league career.  Finally, at the time of his retirement, he was second only to Omar Vizquel in sacrifice bunts among active players, with 216.  (The next-closest – pitcher or position player – is longtime teammate John Smoltz, with 136.)

Thomas hit 521 home runs, collected 2,468 hits, and finishes with an impressive line of .301/.419/.555.  He won back-to-back MVP awards, four Silver Sluggers, and one batting title.  Additionally, he had 11 seasons with 100+ RBI’s and was named to five consecutive All-Star teams (1993-1997) at a very competitive time for American League first basemen.  (Mark McGwire, John Olerud, Mo Vaughn, Tino Martinez, Cecil Fielder, Will Clark and Rafael Palmeiro were perennial contenders.)  The Big Hurt’s best year came in 1994, when he set career highs in batting average (.353), on-base-percentage (.487), and slugging percentage (.729), and despite being limited to 113 games by the players’ strike, hit 38 home runs and drove in 101 runs.  Thomas’s monstrous slugging percentage that season puts him in a club with guys named Ruth, Gehrig, Williams, Hornsby, and Foxx.

A vote for Alomar posted by David

Should Roberto Alomar be elected to the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility?  The spitting incident with umpire John Hirschbeck does not help his case, but it really has nothing to do with his success on the field.  Fans may also remember that Alomar’s career ended with a couple of mediocre seasons, but when you look at his statistics, it’s a no-brainer.

Alomar won 10 Gold Gloves, compiled a .300 lifetime batting average, stole 474 bases, and was a 12-time All-Star.  He represented four different teams over 12 consecutive years in the Midsummer Classic and was named All-Star Game MVP in 1998.  Alomar was also the 1992 ALCS MVP and had a monster World Series in 1993 (.480/.519/.640, six RBI and four stolen bases).  He would have been named MVP of the ’93 Fall Classic had it not been for teammate Paul Molitor, who was even better (.500/.571/1.000, two home runs, eight RBI and 10 runs scored).  Roberto Alomar was the best second baseman – both offensively and defensively – of the nineties, and should be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

How ‘bout that?

How about Albert Pujols’s dominance in the NL MVP balloting?  Not only did he win by a wide margin, but Pujols claimed the award by unanimous decision – 32 first-place votes.  His numbers speak for themselves: .327 batting average, 47 home runs, and 135 RBI’s, good for third, first, and third, respectively, in the National League.  As if he weren’t contributing enough with the bat, Pujols helped his team on the bases, stealing 16 while being caught just four times.  He led the majors in intentional walks (with 44) and had twice as many as the nearest competition, Adrian Gonzalez, who finished with 22.  Around the majors, Pujols is both feared and respected.

"Carney Lansford the Scape Goat for Giants' Offensive Struggles" posted by Michael McGauley

  Do we really blame Carney Lansford for a bunch of over-anxious, free-swinging hitters?  The stats certainly don't lie.  Only the Padres, Pirates, and Astros scored fewer runs than the Giants' 657 runs in 2009.  San Francisco's 122 home runs was second-to-last in the N.L., behind only the Mets, who stroked just 95 homers with a half-injured team in their brand-new, spacious Citi Field. Walks: 392 for the Giants was dead last in the league (the Rockies had 660 walks to lead the league). And that leads us to on-base percentage; where the Giants ranked last at .309!  That is just dismal, anemic, pitiful....any other good adjectives to throw in there?

  Bottom line, this has been a consistent problem for the Giants for several years now. They never really replaced Bonds and Kent - the last time they had a legitimate three-four combination in the batting order.  Yes, they've built up the pitching big time. Yes, Pablo Sandoval can rake. But that's not enough -- we need two or three more hitters like Pablo. Hey, you've got to give up something to get something, and the time is now to part with a starting pitcher, and acquire a bat. It's not the most desirable scenario, but consider the lack of available sticks in free agency. In addition, they will have to invest some money to keep the young guys happy (Tim Lincecum and Brian Wilson are due for BIG raises, and I say, give them whatever they want!).

  Back to Lansford, I don't blame him. He won a batting title (1981 with Boston), and knows how to hit. That doesn't always translate into being able to teach others how to do the same however. Just to use a brief basketball analogy -- how good of a coach was Magic Johnson with the Lakers? Same idea, but on a smaller scale. Lansford is bright and knowledgeable, but without a couple of big thumpers, this line-up loaded with number two and number six hitters (besides Sandoval) is not going to get the job done. We all know this. The Giants know this. But for some reason, they felt like they had to make a statement with this firing. The rest of the staff was retained by the way, when it was officially announced that Bruce Bochy would be returning for two more years with a club option for a third year. Same goes for GM Brian Sabean.

"The Giants Get it Done in Houston" posted by Michael McGauley

  How cool is this Eli Whiteside story?  The Giants' rookie back-up catcher, who plays sparingly behind Bengie Molina, has had some big moments in recent weeks.  After catching the Jonathan Sanchez no-hitter last month, Whiteside launched a grand slam today -- his first career home run -- helping the Giants to a 10-6 victory over the Astros.  San Francisco improves to 60-and-48, taking two of three games ON THE ROAD, and now return home to open a weekend set against Dusty Baker's Cincinnati Reds.  Thursday's off-day, by the way, is the first for the team since the all-star break in mid-July.

  The offense, which was non-existent in Monday's loss, bounced back with 18 runs Tuesday and Wednesday combined.  Wednesday's 13-hit attack featured three hits apiece for Pablo Sandoval and Freddy Sanchez, and two more hits for Ryan Garko, who appears to be finding his comfort level in the National League.   

  The other story-line from Wednesday's win was rookie Joe Martinez, who returned to the mound for the first time since early April, after suffering a fractured skull from a line drive off the bat of Milwaukee's Mike Cameron.  Martinez improved to 2-0 after working five solid innings, allowing three runs on seven hits, with four strike outs and zero walks.  Martinez pitched well enough to keep his team in the game, and considering the extraordinary circumstances, how much more can one really ask from this kid?

  The pitching rotation turns over Friday night, and you know what that means - LIN-CE-CUM! 

"Same Old Story for the Giants on the Road" posted by Michael McGauley

  Following a rock-solid home stand with only one loss in seven tries, the Giants got off on the wrong foot (once again) away from A.T.& T. Park.  San Francisco began a mini three game road trip in Houston with a 4-3 loss to Mike Hampton and the Astros.  The Giants, who fall to 21-and-32 on the road had to be feeling good after taking three of four from the Phillies, improving their home record to 37-and-16.  All-Star Matt Cain was on the mound tonight, but it didn't materialize thanks to a lack of timely offense.   Cain worked 8-innings, allowed 8 hits, 4 earned runs, no walks, and 5 strike outs, falling to 12-and-3 on the season.  He did make a couple of mistakes, allowing home runs to Geoff Blum and Kaz Matsui - the latter home run hitting the right field foul pole.  Cain also gave up some really hard-hit balls:  a couple of triples by Hunter Pence and Michael Bourn, and three hits off the bat of Carlos Lee.   San Francisco managed to bang out eleven hits, but left TEN men on base.  They were able to scratch out a couple of hits and a late run of Houston closer Jose Valverde, who held on to record the save.  Astros' starter Mike Hampton struck out six Giants over six innings, and lowered his ERA to 5.14 and his WHIP to 1.53 in recording his seventh win of the season.  It's just another example of soft tosser like Hampton using his change up and curve ball to set up a below-average fastball and keep the Giants completely off balance.    Eleven hits is great, but yContinue reading ""Same Old Story for the Giants on the Road""

Another Reason Why MLB Needs Team Pitching Statistics posted by Eric Hatleback

Here'e another quirky entry into the "Win" category:  http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4318608.  If we used Team pitching statistics, that win would simply go to the Nationals pitching staff, which clearly it should have.

Also, I wonder what the rules are concerning rosters resuming suspended games.  What if the whole team was replaced in the interim?  That team would have a distinct advantage in bench players and pitchers available over the other team.  And what if Hanrahan had been traded to the Astros?  Could he have come into the game in the bottom half, given up the winning run, and earned both the win and the loss?  This one deserves some thought. 

Yankees backup infielder Cody Ransom: A-Rod's Understudy? posted by Cesar Valverde

A NY Daily News reporter has penned Cody Ransom as A-Rod's understudy. This player is no stranger to injuries. I checked out his bio on MLB.com. He survived a car crash that killed 2 of his teammates while in college. He is a family man with a 5 year old daughter. He been spending the last 7 seasons going up and down from the Majors to the Minors with the San Francisco Giants, Houston Astros, and New York Yankees. Just what exactly is an understudy? Random House dictionary defines it as "a performer who learns the role of another in order to serve as a replacement if necessary." Scary, isn't it? To be the understudy to a player with a tainted history. Some might say, "Uh-oh! A-Rod's gonna teach him how to use steroids." Others might say, "Uh-oh, he's hanging out with Alex and his celebrity friends." I say, "Get out of here!" As long as Cody picks up things from A-Rod on the field and not off the field, he's going to be fine. I see 3 things  that Ransom can learn from Alex: his work ethic, how to hit for power, and how to handle the media.The first thing Cody can learn from A-Rod is his work ethic. Yankee fans, you've seen Yankeeography: Alex Rodriguez. You've seen the extensive amount of exercise he does to keep himself in playing shape. He keeps himself in great shape. Ransom should be motivated by this. He should also be inspired by how hard A-Rod worked in rehab after hip surgery. He is no stranger to rehab. Imagine what it took to come back after that car accident he was in. What Cody should not do is take chances and plContinue reading "Yankees backup infielder Cody Ransom: ..."

Rosenthal’s Picks to Improve Yankees Bullpen before the trade deadline posted by Cesar Valverde

Hazel Mae interviewed Ken Rosenthal from Fox Sports the other night on MLB Network’s show Quick Pitch. Mae brought out the point that the Yankees needed to improve their bullpen. Ken mentioned that the Yankees are all set with Brian Bruney and that they expect improvement in their bullpen upon his return. He also brought out some possibilities considering that Brian has been on the DL twice this season. Here are his picks along with my personal reaction to each pick:

Jose Valverde (Houston Astros) – Valverde is the closer for the ‘Stros. Last year he had over 40 saves for them for the 2nd year in a row. Last I read, he’s only got 3 saves this year so far. He’s been hampered by an injured calf and an injured foot from a comebacker hitting off his leg against the Dodgers earlier this year. He tried his best to work through it but ended up on the disabled list and ex-Yankee LaTroy Hawkins filled in for him. Do you think Houston will give him up if they fall out of contention? At first I thought, “He is their man. He is their closer. He’s their version of Mariano Rivera. He’s had 40+ saves the previous 2 seasons. They’re keeping him.” Then I looked at their place in the standings and found that they were in the cellar 6 games behind the 1st place Cardinals in the NL Central. If they fall out of contention by the trade deadline, I believe they might trade him to a team looking for a reliever.

Huston Street (Colorado Rockies) – The 2005 AL Rookie of the Year with the Oakland A’s, Street is now the closer for the Rox. He recently got his 100th career save. In the series against the Tampa Bay Rays that MLB.com called the battle of the 2 hottest teams in baseball, Street was lights out against the Rays. He was called in to close those last 2 games and did not disappoint: 2 games, 2 saves. I believe that if the Rockies continue to win and move up the standings, Street will be the key to close out their ball games. They may not be able to catch up to the Dodgers in the NL West. L.A.’s running away with that division this year. But they may be able to catch up to the Brewers in the Wild Card and Street will be key in those close games.

Round Rock Express vs Albuquerque Isotopes: Battle for 1st posted by Keith trussell

      Albuquerque Isotopes at Round Rock Express  June 12 2009

     So the battle for the Pacific Coast League American South Division is on.  After last night’s rainout, the series finally got underway, with both teams tied for first in the division at 28-32.  Albuquerque had been in a bit of a slump, going 3-7 in their last ten games, while Round Rock went 6-4.  Oddly, the teams had identical home and road records going into the series.  Offensively, the Isotopes overall stats looked better; they completely eclipsed the Express in home runs, RBIs, total bases, walks drawn and whiffed on fewer strike outs.  They also were way ahead in stolen bases and OPS (my new favorite stat).  Pitching-wise, Round Rock held a slight (and I mean VERY slight) edge.  For the most part the pitching was evenly matched concerning overall stats, but the Express were facing Charlie Haeger, who was 7-3 with an ERA just over 4, one of the better ones in the PCL.  And to give credit where credit is due, Haeger pitched a helluva game, good by any standards: he went seven innings, gave up four hits and one run, and only walked two.  Usually that’s more than enough for a win against Round Rock’s pitching, but Mark McLemore is improving very fast.  In his third start since returning from extended spring training, he only gave up three hits (all singles) in six innings, allowing no runs and getting four strikeouts while only issuing two walks.  After him, Casey Daigle and Brendan Donnelly got the hold and the save.  In three innings of relief, they combined to allow one hit and no runs while notching three strikeouts and doling no walks (Round Rock only gave up two walks the whole game, quite remarkable for team who throws more BBs than a shotgun).

5 Trades that Need to Happen in Major League Baseball posted by Daniel Doyle

These 5 deals need to be done by July 31st.

With the Nate McLouth trade still fresh on our minds, what other deals appear to be necessary, if not imminent? Atlanta was able to fill perhaps the single biggest hole of any team, in its lack of outfield production. Here are the five trades that need to be made sooner than later.

5.) Nick Johnson traded to the Boston Red Sox.

This doesn't seem like a blockbuster of a deal, but the Red Sox do not need any kind of overhaul, just a slight tinkering to really rev their engine. Ortiz appears to be in a funk that he may not get out of. At least not this year. In the American League you must get production out of your DH spot. Johnson would be a nice upgrade and could spell Kevin Youkilis occasionally at first base.

4.) Jose Valverde traded to the Toronto Blue Jays.

Scott Downs has filled in admirably as the Jays closer so far this season. However, if Toronto wants to make a serious run at a playoff birth this year, they need a dominant ninth inning option to rival Mariano Rivera and Jonathan Papelbon in the AL East. Scott Downs would be a much better option in the eighth and take even less pressure off of B.J. Ryan. In return, the Jays have a few nice, young bats in their farm system that Houston might consider.

3.) Miguel Tejada traded to the St. Louis Cardinals.

I realize that the Astros and Cardinals are in the same division, which makes them unlikely trade partners. But the Astros must see the writing on the wall. They have been very bad this year and have great trade chips in Valverde and Tejada that they must cash in. Troy Glaus could miss the rest of the year and Khalil Greene just landed on the DL a few days ago, leaving a weakened left side of the infield. Tejada has actually been a bright spot for Houston this year, hitting .355 while driving in 33, and could play either SS or 3B for the Red Birds.

Astros beat W-Rod; Mathis, Burnett have hearings (AP)

Pitcher Wandy Rodriguez lost to the Houston Astros in salary arbitration on Thursday, and Los Angeles Angels catcher Jeff Mathis and Washington reliever Sean Burnett had their hearings. Rodriguez will be paid $5 million this year instead of the $7 million he sought. Arbitrators Richard Bloch, Elizabeth Neumeier and Fredric Horowitz made their decision a day after hearing the case. [read full article]

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