Poking Zambrano

The fallout continues.

As the local newspapers continue to run Carlos Zambrano's beefy mug on the front page and ask "can this marriage be saved" [ie, Zambrano and the Cubs organization], the embattled pitcher has come out, saying that his meltdown last Friday was a "misunderstanding".

A misunderstanding. Sure...

Explain that to the Gatorade machine that had to be removed from the Cubs dugout after you obliterated it.

Speaking of a dugout, my favorite baseball chatroom has come out with their take on Zambrano losing his shit.

Read it and enjoy!

The Dugout: Angry Player Dog Park

Tamtam

Writers Wanted

More Hardball is looking to expand its staff, and by that we mean writers not anything kinky. Anyway, if you're interested in contributing a post a week about baseball then please contact us via email- morehardball@hotmail.com. Rules: posts must be about baseball- present, past, or future. Can be funny, offbeat, satirical, and/or serious. Oh, we like to keep it PG-13 around here, so no nudity or f-bombs please. Other than that, the format is wide open and you have liberty to pretty much do whatever your heart desires.

Picture of the Day

"A fan that's awestruck, a screaming Canuck, and a goofy friar Tuck can only mean it's.....Thirsty Thursday !"-Stan H, "Big League Stew"

Tamtam

Big Z Behaving Badly

This past Friday, during the second half of the annual Crosstown Classic, Cubs Vs. White Sox, Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano completely lost his shit at first baseman, Derrek Lee. The meltdown led to Big Z getting tossed, and later on in the dugout, Zambrano tossed a Gatorade cooler around before finally hitting the showers. Here's the link to the video on MLB.com


This isn't the first time Carlos Zambrano has blown a gasket while on the job. Last year, he famously destroyed a Gatorade dispenser in the dugout with a bat, and later on the season, got into a full-out bitchfight with then-catcher Michael Barret.

While Zambrano is known for being an emotional pitcher, these past few years have seen an uptick in the intensity of the outbursts. I know, I know, being a pitcher is no easy job. I understand if you fist-pump and jump around on the mound for joy after striking out a batter. However, there is a difference between good emotion and bad emotion. Bad emotion is what gets you kicked out of games and suspended indefinately.

Deep down inside, I'm thinkin' Zambrano wants out of Chicago. He's spent the past 10 years of his career with only one team, and he has yet to win a World Series ring. Well, given that he plays for the Cubs, it's gonna be a LONG time before that organ-I-zation wins a championship.

Hope you all had a nice weekend!
tamtam

Happy 21st, Baltimore!!!!!

Friday night's victory over the Nationals was a big win for Baltimore's anguished avians, when they finally broke into the "Over 20" crowd that currently includes the illustrious company of the Indians, Astros, Pirates, and Diamondbacks. They have won their 21st game of the season, and they did it before the halfway point! That is amazing! Now if only they can keep their winning streak alive and the Yankees, Rays, Sox, and Jays lose the next 25 games or so the Orioles are poised to be division leaders! Maybe now the team will have the confidence it needs to continue to crush their competitors since they have shaken the stigma of the teens. After a horrible start to the season, maybe they are finally on the road to recovery!

Hopefully, they are well enough to enjoy it.


Congratulations!

He Pitches, He Wins

Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington has a secret weapon, and no it's not the nose candy, rather it's relief pitcher Alexi Ogando. Never heard of him? Well, you're about to. The rookie has pitched in only 3 games, but he got the W in all 3 games. That's not unusual for a starting pitcher, but for a relief pitcher to win 3 straight appearances, let alone the first 3 appearances of their career, well, that's just uncanny. Uncanny because he's put in a leverage situation where he's allowed to pick up the win, and uncanny because about half of relief pitchers go an entire season without 3 wins.

2010 Ogando MLB Stats- 3 g, 3 w, 6.1 ip, 6 k, 0.00 ERA, 0.79 WHIP.

The 26 year old slender righty (6'4" 185 lb) has been a stud in the minors over 4 seasons. 11-3, 59 g, 111.2 ip, 156 k, 1.37 ERA, 0.93 WHIP. So the success isn't completely unexpected, but then again it sorta is.

LeBron To Make Less Money Than Me

The price of NBA free agent superstar LeBron James? $1600 per month. Wait, WTF?!

The minor league Lake Erie Crushers have offered LeBron a contract for said amount in hopes of keeping him in Cleveland. With the contract comes a host family and a luxury suite at the park, which will be named for one game only as- LeBron James Field (aka All Pro Freight Stadium). The Crushers will also be wearing #6 with Cavaliers-themed jersey in honor of James. The night is being tabbed as "Keep LBJ in the C-L-E Night" on June 30th.

Added bonus, if you happen to live in the area and your name is LeBron head to the game for a free ticket.

No word yet on if LeBron plans on going sport-hopping Jordan-style yet. Something tells me LeBron is scared of a slider, although he might be good robbing homeruns in centerfield.

The Dugout: The Day the Horrible Music Died

Summer's here, and that means aside from baseball, the other sport considered most boring by many Americans, known as soccer, is in full swing with the World Cup.

I don't know how many of the games you've been watching (I've managed to catch a few here and there, but my brother's the one who's keeping the stats on this one), but early on in the tournament, crews, coaches, and TV audiences complained of a horrible noise being emitted from the TV. It was a perpetual buzzing sound and it sounded as if the cameras were parked next to a swarming South African killer beehive.

This annoying sound was not bees, but rather a souvenir plastic horn with a provocative-sounding name: "vuvuzela".

Though the loud, familiar plastic ones were invented by a South African man as a rival to the infamous "thundersticks" here in the US, vuvuzelas were allowed to stay and be blown during the games because apparently, REAL vuvuzelas are a part of African culture and since South Africa is, well, in Africa, it seems only right that they should be allowed to stay.

So how the hell does a loud plastic horn with a name that's sure to raise eyebrows in translation tie in with this baseball site?

Well, some crafty Americans managed to purchase a few back here in the US and decided to let them loose at Yankee Stadium.

Needless to say, Hal Steinbrenner was not amused.

The Dugout: The Day the Horrible Music Died

Bye everyone! Go Team USA!

tamtam

Ga-ga-ga Gone! (Not really)

New York has enjoyed having their native daughter, Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, return to her roots and visit a couple of baseball games. Germanotta, better known to the world as the sultry siren diva of dance Lady Gaga, has made her presence known at a Mets game where she, like so many of us want to do, flipped off the Mets, and more recently on Friday where she smooth talked her way past security and into the Yankees clubhouse after their loss to the Mets. The latest incident earned her a ban from the team's clubhouse from owner Hal Steinbrenner. This however, turns out not to be the case, and she, like everyone else, is just not allowed in the clubhouse after a loss.
According to the New York Post, Gaga and two friends entered the clubhouse and met with several players including Alex Rodriguez and Robinson Cano. Gaga was drinking whiskey and running her hands seductively over her chest. She was scantily clad in a Yankees jersey, a black bra, fishnet tights, and a black bikini bottom - which Steinbrenner also found inappropriate. I don't know, I've never thought the Yankees jerseys looked any better.

Happy Father's Day!

Here's to great grandfathers, grandfathers, and fathers! Happy Father's Day everyone!

Cabrera's Concrete Cojones

Taking a hard hit ball to the crotch is enough to make half of the people on this planet extraordinarially ill. After the initial shock comes the throbbing ache that begins in the nuts and mercilessly radiates to the stomach. Most guys would fall over in a puddle of their own sick. But not Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera, who suffered a smack to the sack yesterday after a grounder popped up and caught him where the sun don't shine. It was manager Jim Leyland who decided to pull Cabrera after he said he felt a bit dizzy. Cabrera, who currently leads the MLB in homeruns - 19, rbi -59, and SLG - .645, is scheduled to start in today's game against the Diamondbacks.

Chicago Mess

Chicago White Sox 30-34, 3rd place in AL Central.

Chicago Cubs 30-36, 3rd place in NL Central.

Third place and losing records won't get you into the playoffs and each teams' hope fade with every disappointing outing by Carlos Zambrano or Jake Peavy. The teams just aren't getting it done and dismantling likely isn't far around the bend.

The Howard

Ryan Howard is an imposing figure on the baseball field, towering over most of the competition with biceps that send frail-bodied pitchers running for their mommies. He has prodigious power, a Swiss cheese swing, and faulty fielding. The brilliant minds over at We Should Be GMs (me being one of them) created The Howard before the 2009 season in honor of the Phillies slugging, strikeout prone, error-ridden 1st baseman. The Howard- anytime a player hits a homerun, strikes out, and commits and error in the same game. This stat was tracked for the entire season, but its namesake never was credited with a Howard. Instead, Mark Reynolds and Adam Dunn paced the Majors with 4 apiece. However, this year has been a different story, as Howard is tied for the MLB lead in Howards with 2. Interested in seeing who all Howarded this season? Then visit WSBGMs and search the list located at the top of the right sidebar.

Burrell Made for NL?

Pat Burrell can't field. Pat Burrell isn't fast. Pat Burrell should be in the American League and a DH right? Uh, no. The Tampa Bay Rays thought the prior and signed him to a 2 year $16M deal an offseason ago, and it went horribly wrong. In a season+ there, Burrell's OPS was in the .600's and was eventually given his walking papers. From the waiver wire the San Francisco Giants scooped up "The Bat" and gave him a week of minor league tuning up and before plugging him into the lineup where he's been mashing ever since. In 10 games Burrell has posted some impressive stats: .407/1.193, 5 r, 3 2b, 2 hr, 5 rbi. Yes, it's a small sample size, but maybe Burrell is just a better batter when he also plays the field. Previous to his disastrous stay in Tampa, he had reeled off a nice string of seasons with the Phillies and became a fan favorite. Time will tell how long this success with last in San Fran, but for now they've caught some cheap lightening in a bottle.

Bang for the Buck- Jonny Gomes

.307/.919, 28 r, 12 2b, 2 3b, 9 hr, 47 rbi in 56 games. That's all star worthy, that's MVP consideration worthy, that's big contract worthy. That line belongs to Jonny Gomes, the man who remained a free agent long into the offseason and seemed unwanted by most. Sure these numbers exceed his career line, but let's remember he's only 29 and is doing better because of his ability to hit right-handed pitching this season which affords manager Dusty Baker to insert him into the lineup on a regular basis.

2010
Against LHP- .339/1.092
Against RHP- .283/.766

Career
Against LHP- .280/.905
Against RHP- .230/.767

The OPS is the same, but the batting average is much higher, and although extra base hits are great, sometimes a single is the all that is needed. Gomes is certainly giving the Reds a bang for their buck, as his 2010 salary is a measly $800k. The best part though, a $1.75 club option for 2011. Don't be surprised if Cincinnati shows good faith and picks that option up soon.

Added bonus- I picked Gomes up off the free agent stack in fantasy about 3 weeks ago.

The Scutaro Song

Marco Scutaro, shortstop for the Boston Red Sox.

Only one year ago, he made More Hardball famous after Carson and Burton featured his now-infamous "scooting sack" photo, shown here.



















Well, some local Boston songwriters used the man in a Red Sox-themed parody song of Phil Collins' "Sussudio". They call it "Scu-Scu-Scutaro". I don't care much for the melody or the poorly-contrasted photos, but since we're on the topic of photos, we may have an addition to the stack of potentially embarrassing Scutaro photos that are ripe for poking at! In the video, the aforementioned picture can be viewed at 1:48.



Come on, Marco. Make us famous!

Have a good weekend everyone!
Tamtam

The Peculiar Season of Carlos Pena

The Tampa Bay Rays currently own baseball's best record at 39-21, but it could be better. How? If Carlos Pena decided to hit. His .186 batting average has been deviling the team all season long, so much so that manager Joe Madden was forced to drop him in the order. Pena is in a contract year, and many thought he'd be playing himself into big money. 30+ homeruns and 100+ rbi (his current pace) will get you a nice chunk of change, but hovering around the Mendoza Line will not.

Low batting averages are nothing new to the 32 year old slugging first baseman. After reaching a career high in 2007 (.282) he's seen a steady drop thereafter- .247, .227, and now .186. Real baseball fans know getting hits isn't everything though, as extra base knocks and getting on base play a vital role in a player's value. Once again, Pena has a career best OPS in 2007 (1.038) and has declined since- .871, .893, .718. What does this mean for his payday when he hits the free agent market this upcoming offseason? Well, he was probably in line for a 3 year deal worth $30-40 million, but now he'll be lucky to get a 1 year deal worth $5 million. Homeruns and rbi are great, but teams want a guy that can get some singles mixed in there too...Dave Kingman types aren't a hot commodity.

The strangest thing about Pena's seasons is that he has more rbi than hits (41:38). If this continued he'd be one of the only players in the history of the game to have more rbi than hits with a minimum of 100 apiece.

Birdie in the Sky

Name these two players. The first one is the guy in the tie.

That's My Son!

The MLB draft is wrapping up and there have been some interesting picks thus far. No, not Bryce Harper to the Nationals, that was a no-brainer. Rather, a choice few of selections by the Tigers, Rockies, White Sox, and Giants. Each team took their manager's son...awww, how nice?!

*Detroit Tigers took Jim Leyand's son Patrick Leyland in the 8th round.
*San Francisco Giants took Bruce Bochy's son Brett Bocy in the 20th round.
*Colorado Rockies took Jim Tracy's son Mark Tracy and the Chicago White Sox took Ozzie Guillen's son Ozney Guillen in the 22nd round.

Picture of the Day

Check out Kurt Suzuki!
Looks like George Brett has competition in the epic shart department.

Tamtam

Dud or Stud?

Tonight Stephen Strasburg makes his major league debut with the Washington Nationals. Tonight is the night that he shows the entire league why he is the #1 pick last year and why he may be the future of not only the Nationals but also the face of the next young generation about to embark on the major leagues. But is tonight really a true test or is it rather a showcase of his abilities against a mediocre team that has minor league stats. The Pirates are tied for 29th in hits, runs, batting average and OBP. The team leader in homeruns only has eight and the highest batting average for the team is a shad over .300. They are starting Karstens tonight that has an era over 4.00 and has not shown quality starts in his last two outings. The other thing to examine in all this hype is whether he is truly a remarkable pitcher or just a soon to be dud. I witnessed him pitching in Harrisburg on one occasion and his velocity is remarkable and he hits his spots with strides. He carries himself very maturely on the mound and doesn't buy into all the hype surrounding him. He is very focused and talented for a 21 year old.....but is he going to be the next Ben McDonald, Mark Prior or Roger Clemens?
McDonald joined the Orioles' starting rotation in 1990, and in his first major league start on July 21, he threw a complete game shutout against the Chicago White Sox. At the end of the season, he finished eighth in Rookie of the Year voting, with the award going to catcher Sandy Alomar, Jr. McDonald would go on to spend seven seasons with the Orioles, before leaving as a free agent in 1996 to join the Milwaukee Brewers. He never led his league in a major category, but ranked among the top 10 at various times in categories such as complete games, wins, ERA, WHIP, and strikeouts. Overall record: 78-70. Never made the postseason. Conclusion:Dud.
Mark Prior was part of an elite 2001 draft class. Prior was highly regarded as a #1 but didn't want to play in Minnesota, so the twins drafted some guy named Joe Mauer and the Cubs drafted Prior #2 while the Texas Rangers drafted Mark Teixeira #3. It took Prior two years make his way up to the majors and when he did he recorded an 18-6 season and finished third in the CY Young Award voting. After that season, Prior went downhill. His career consisted of:

September 2002
Strained hamstring while running the bases
Rest of season
Midseason 2003
Shoulder after on-field collision with former Atlanta Braves second baseman Marcus Giles.
Preseason 2004
Achilles tendon injury
Preseason 2005
Elbow strain
Throwing elbow - comeback line drive off the bat of Brad Hawpe
Preseason 2006
Strained shoulder
Strained left oblique in batting practice
August 14, 2006
Shoulder tendinitis
Spring Training 2007
Shoulder surgery
Shoulder surgery recovery
A tear in the capsule of his pitching shoulder; shoulder surgery
Conclusion: Dud

Clemens was drafted 19th overall by the Boston Red Sox in 1983 and quickly rose through the minor league system, making his major league debut on May 15, 1984. In 1986, his 24 wins helped guide the Sox to a World Series berth and earned Clemens the American League MVP award for the regular season. He also won the first of his seven Cy Young Awards. Conclusion: Stud
I personally think that Strasburg came to the majors too early and that it will hurt his self esteem in the long run. My prediction is that he will win seven games this season and win twelve next season and then insist on being traded to a high caliber team like the A's or Sox's and this will platoon his career remarkably. Also he could blow out his arm during his first season too. Only time will tell.
*information from past players came from wikipedia.com

Draughts for the Draft

Sports writers can't spill enough ink over the precocious prodigy Bryce Harper, his future with the Nationals, and whether or not his attitude is age-appropriate. There's no drama with the draft's number one pick this season, so while the eyes of baseball's most ardent aficionados aggressively appraise acquisitions, you can sit back, relax, and revel in something Harper can't legally do for another 3 years: DRINK BEER! In keeping with More Hardball's grand tradition of acquainting our readers with micro-breweries who are producing exceptional libations, I give you Thirsty Dog Brewing Company.

Established in 1997 in Akron, Ohio, this brewery is perhaps best known for their Hoppus Maximus and Old Leghumper flavors. The former has been awarded with silvers at the 2001 Great American Beer Festival, and the 2004 World Beer Cup. Hoppus Maximus contains a blend of American hops, and amber caramel malts. Critics complain that it is not hoppy enough, and it has a weak nose, but the hops have a hint of pine and citrus, and the finish is smooth. At 5.9% ABV, one can while away an evening downing a few. Overall, a beer that is definitely worth a taste.

Like any porter, Old Leghumper is dark and malty. What sets it aside are the sweet hints of chocolate and roasted coffee beans. I personally enjoyed this beer several times last week, when I drank the entire 6 pack while celebrating the arrival of my birthday. It is not as heavy as most porters, but as it is fairly light, one can enjoy a few at a time. A good way to describe this beer is that it is a silky porter - light, but rich, and very smooth. ABV - 6.7%

Thirsty Dog also releases seasonal beers, as well as keeping other standards on rotation. To see a list of what beers they currently offer visit Thirsty Dog Brewery here, or go to their Grille Brewhouse. Thirsty Dog distributes to the north-central and Mid-Atlantic areas, as well as Maine, Virginia and North Carolina. If you live in these areas, find a place that serves or sells Thirsty Dog beers and enjoy their many unique flavors.

-12 Dogs Of Christmas Ale
-Airship Light
-Barktoberfest
-Belgian Siberian Night Imperial Stout Aged On Cherries
-Cerberus 10 Dog Ale
-Hoppus Maximus
-Irish Setter Red
-Labrador Lager
-Lunar Lager
-Maibark
-Old Leghumper
-Orthus Belgian Dubbel
-Orthus Belgian Dubbel Aged On Cherries
-Raspberry Ale
-Raspberry Leghumper
-Siberian Night Imperial Stout
-Spiced Pumpkin Ale
-Stud Service Stout
-Toil And Trouble Imperial Dubbel
-Twisted Kilt Scotch Ale
-Whippet Wheat


Tour the Thirsty Dog Facility

Still Winless

With the season 1/3 of the way complete there are still two starting pitchers that have taken their regular turn every 5th day and have yet to register a win. Losers Kenshin Kawakami and Kevin Millwood, both high-paid, have been big disappointments thus far. However, neither is getting sufficient run support, and their respective teams have won some the games in which they started. Ryan Rowland-Smith and Ian Snell of the hapless Seattle Mariners are saved from this distinction because they haven't started 10 games, as they've spent some time in relief. Same goes for the Mets wildly ineffective Oliver Perez and his 36 walks to 33 strikeouts. The Royals Gil Meche was DL'd in time to also not make this list. Justin Masterson and Felipe Paulino just notched their first wins of the year last night or they'd hold this dubious honor as well.

Kenshin Kawakami/ATL- 11 starts, 8 losses, 4.91 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 3.18 run support.

Kevin Millwood/BAL- 12 starts, 6 losses, 4.29 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 2.75 run support.

Who will snap the win drought first?
______________________________________________


Burn After Reading:
*No Guts, No Glory has video of a minor league melee due to one cocky s.o.b.'s celebratory stroll around the bases following a long drive.

*Bootlegger Sports tells of Lakers coach Phil Jackson and his $50 payout to his players that balls-up and take a charge.

*Sportress of Blogitude not only has one of the coolest headers for a blog, they also dedicated a post to the passing of the world's ugliest dog...f'ugly-ass bitch!

*Thanks to Mike over at River Avenue Blues, a Yankees blog, for continually hooking More Hardball up with links on MLB Trade Rumors.

*We Should Be GMs are not amused by the Phils woeful offense, so they decided to amuse themselves and do some Phillies-themed remixes to some classic songs: Sublime- What I Got, Billy Joel- Piano Man, Afroman- Because I Got High, and Johnny Cash- Folsom Prison Blues.

*Sharapova's Thigh thinks Ozzie Guillen speaks his own Twitter language and that language is borderline retard.

The Blind Ump

For the ump who blew Andres Galarraga's perfect game:























Looks like Bud Selig should invest in this original, handy, More Hardball exclusive gadget: the Bag Tag

Or, until this device is actually invented, instant replay should be just fine.

Have a good weekend!
Tamtam

Complete This Sentence

"Thank you so much Mr. _______ for signing my baseball."

Is that Mike Schmidt?

That's an old school Phillies maroon home jersey with the #20 on it, but that my friends does not appear to be the Greatest Thirdbaseman of All-Time Michael Jack Schmidt.

These are still my favorite Phils jerseys...

You Be The Judge

Was he safe or was he out???

Goodbye Ken

On Wednesday Ken Griffey Jr. annouced that he was retiring. Griffey, 40, debuted with the Mariners in 1989 as a 19-year-old. He played his first 11 seasons in Seattle before signing with the Cincinnati Reds. He spent the second half of the 2008 season with the Chicago White Sox. He returned to the Mariners before the 2009 season. He played 22 seasons in the major leagues and hit 630 home runs – fifth all-time behind Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth and Willie Mays. Griffey is at or near the top of nearly every offensive category in Mariners history. He is first in home runs (417); second in slugging percentage (.553), RBIs (1,216), doubles (341), total bases (3,495), runs (1,113), games (1,685) and at-bats (6,317); and third in hits (1,843). He was the American League Most Valuable Player in 1997.
His swing is memorable along with his integrity to play the game the right way. He was an excellent outfielder and was liked by many people. His time was long past due to hang up his jersey and cleats. Now he can get all the rest he needs and spend his days on the golf course.

1/3 Season MLB All-Star Team

With some clubs playing their 54th game of the season that signifies that the 2010 campaign is 1/3 complete. With that in mind I decided to sculpt a 25-man roster of the MLB elite from this year thus far. Many positions led to tough choices, but I tried to go with overall stats: power/speed combo and OPS on offensive, and ERA/WHIP in the pitching department, with wins, saves, and holds of course.

Starting 9:
*AVG/OPS
C/Joe Mauer/MIN-
.321/.851, 25 r, 17 xbh, 24 rbi
1B/Justin Morneau/MIN-
.374/1.176, 36 r, 12 hr, 37 rbi
2B/Robinson Cano/NYY-
.366/1.021, 37 r, 11 hr, 40 rbi
SS/Hanely Ramirez/FLA-
.296/.856, 30 r, 8 hr, 27 rbi, 7 sb
3B/Evan Longoria/TBR-
.318/.961, 36 r, 10 hr, 42 rbi, 10 sb
LF/Ryan Braun/MIL-
.320/.920, 39 r, 8 hr, 33 rbi, 11 sb
CF/Alex Rios/CHW-
.315/.954, 32 r, 11 hr, 27 rbi, 16 sb
RF/Jayson Heyward/ATL-
.287/.977, 29 r, 10 hr, 38 rbi, 4 sb
DH/Vladimir Guerrero/TEX-
.335/.925, 30 r, 12 hr, 44 rbi, 4 sb

Bench:
C/Miguel Olivo/COL-
.313/.947, 23 r, 8 hr, 25 rbi, 4 sb
1B/Miguel Cabrera/DET-
.347/1.078, 34 r, 14 hr, 48 rbi
OF/Vernon Wells/TOR-
.307/.962, 34 r, 13 hr, 37 rbi
UTL/Kevin Youkilis/BOS-
.303/1.020, 47 r, 10 hr, 30 rbi

Starting Pitching:
*ERA/WHIP
Ubaldo Jimenez/COL-
10 w, 0.78/0.90, 80.1 ip, 70 k
Roy Halladay/PHI-
7 w, 1.99/0.99, 86 ip, 70 k
Mike Pelfrey/NYM-
8 w, 2.39/1.24, 71.2 ip, 52 k
Adam Wainwright/STL-
7 w, 2.28/1.01, 79 ip, 77 k
Jaime Garcia/STL-
5 w, 1.32/1.19, 61.1 ip, 51 k

Bullpen:
Rafael Soriano/TBR-
2 w, 15 sv, 1.27/0.84, 21.1 ip, 17 k
Jonathan Broxton/LAD-
3 w, 13 sv, 1.16/0.90, 23.1 ip, 35 k
Carlos Marmol/CHC-
1 w, 11 sv, 1.44/1.12, 25 ip, 50 k
Jose Valverde/DET-
1 w, 11 sv, 0.44/0.92, 20.2 ip, 16 k
Tyler Clippard/WAS-
7 w, 11 hld, 1.82/1.07, 34.2 ip, 40 k
Arthur Rhodes/CIN-
1 w, 13 hld, 0.42/0.69, 21.2 ip, 21 k
Luke Gregerson/SDP-
1 w, 13 hld, 1.63/0.43, 27.2 ip, 32 k

*Stats through games played June 1, 2010.


Honorable Mentions:
C- Ivan Rodriguez, Ronny Paulino, Carlos Ruiz
1B- Joey Votto, Albert Pujols, Billy Butler
2B- Martin Prado, Ty Wigginton, Chase Utley
SS- Elvis Andrus, Troy Tulowitzki
3B- Scott Rolen, Ryan Zimmerman, Adrian Beltre
OF- Jayson Werth, Carl Crawford, Ichiro Suzuki, Austin Jackson, Nick Swisher
P- Livan Hernandez, Jon Garland, Josh Johnson, Tim Hudson, Andy Pettitte, Phil Hughes, Matt Capps, Francisco Cordero