More Hardball

MLB 1 Finger Salutes

2012-01-29T09:32:00.004-05:00

Nyjer Morgan tells some fans they're #1.

Jay Bruce throws up some digits.

Pat Burrell sends a warm greeting to the opposing dugout.

Jose Canseco shows us his IQ.

Andre Ethier does NOT want to bunt.

Milton Bradley flips off the world, because the world is against him.

Kerry Wood tells the opposing Chicago bullpen to f*ck off.

Jason Giambi celebrates a homerun with class.

Best Minor League Contract Signing?

2012-01-25T11:19:00.001-05:00

Every offseason general managers rummage through the free agent market in hopes of striking it rich with a minor league contract signing. Last year Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon were integral members of the Yankees rotation. Ryan Vogelsong garnered Cy Young votes and was an All-Star with the Giants. Casey Kotchman manned 1st base, hitting .306 for the AL Wild Card Rays. Listed below are some of the more notable minor league contracts signings so far this offseason. Who do you think will turn out to be the biggest bargain?

Miguel Batista/Mets - he will be 41 years old by the time Spring Training begins, but over the past 3 years he's made 149 appearances with a 3.79 ERA and 1.45 WHIP over 214 innings. That type of durabilty is always useful in a bullpen.

Casey Blake/Rockies - he is now 38 years old and coming off an injury plagued 2011 season (63 games). However, his bat remains above average and his defense adequate. Moving his home games to Colorado should help too. He's likely the Rox starting third basemen in 2012.

Brad Hawpe/Rangers - he was a beast in Colorado (.280/.866 over 7 seasons), but a lamb in San Diego (.231/.645 last year). He's unlikely to post an OPS north of .850 again, but going to a stacked lineup in hitter friendly Arlington Park in Texas should help his bat recover from its slumber.

Rodrigo Lopez/Cubs - over the past two seasons he's amassed 297.2 innings with a 4.81 ERA and 1.44 WHIP (which are in line with his career averages). He's not flashy, but he's a cheap 5th/6th starter.

Kevin Millwood/Mariners - had success in a brief stint with the Rockies last season (4-3 with a 3.98 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in 9 starts). He's only had 1 good season out of his last 6 though, but remember Safeco Field is a pitcher's friend.

Peter Moylan/Braves - in 6 seasons with Atlanta he's made 287 appearances with a 2.60 ERA. Impressive. He's coming off a lost cause in 2011 due to injuries (13 G, 8.1 IP), and that's why he only got a minor league deal. If healthy, this guy is an absolute steal.

Vicente Padilla/Red Sox - okay, he's a bit of a headcase and hasn't been healthy since 2009, but reports have his fastball speed in the 95 mph range in winter ball. The BoSox need pitching and taking a flier on Padilla seems like a good idea (3.84 ERA, 1.14 WHIP in 33 games over past 3 seasons with the Dodgers).

Joel Pineiro/Phillies - a durable starting pitcher, who had a miserable 2011 season with the Cardinals (5.13 ERA, 1.51 WHIP). However, in the previous two seasons, he was a quality arm in the rotation (25-19, 3.64 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 366.1 IP, 5.2 WAR). Pineiro pitches to contact and is unlikely to crack the rotation in Philly, but he's an excellent insurance policy.

Brian Sanches/Phillies - over the past 3 years in the Marlins bullpen he has made 147 appearance with a 2.92 ERA and 1.29 WHIP (although his ERA balooned to 3.94 in 2011). Still, those are quality numbers for a reliever.

Minor League Melee

2012-01-23T09:12:00.003-05:00

Here's some minor league melee for your manic Monday morning.

FootBaseBall

2012-01-22T08:52:00.004-05:00

Today the country's focus turns to the National Football League, as the NFC and AFC's championship games are being played. The winners make their way onto the Super Bowl. Football and baseball are America's most popular sports. Deion Sanders and Bo Jackson have been two players that were successful in both. Cubs pitcher Jeff Samardzija didn't go the same route as Neon Deion or Bo Knows, instead he chose baseball over a likely 1st round choice as a wide receiver in the NFL draft. There have been numerous players over the history of each sport to dabble in each.

Baseball is Gross

2012-01-20T09:59:00.008-05:00

Baseball is not typically thought of as a gross sport, but the following players buck that mindset. Don Gross, Gabe Gross, Greg Gross, Kevin Gross, Kip Gross, Wayne Gross, Emil Gross, and Turkey Gross have all made baseball gross over the years. Emil started the trend way back in 1879. Next came Ewell, or as his friends called him "Turkey", in 1925. Then there was Don in the 50's, followed by Wayne and Greg in the 70's and 80's. Kevin, Greg's brother, took the Gross tradition into the 90's, where he overlapped with Kip. Lastly, Gabe carried the Gross torch until 2010. Currently there are no Gross players in the Majors, but maybe Gabe will make a comeback or Billy Gross, previously of the Orioles organization will attempt to revive is baseball career.

This is More Harball's 1000th post. Thanks to all who have contributed over the years (since 2006).

Plan for Mets to Draw Fans

2012-01-18T09:01:00.007-05:00

Lets be honest, the New York Mets are going to suck in 2012, likely finishing in a distant 5th/last place in the National League East division. The Phillies have the tremendous trio of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, and Cole Hamels. The Braves have Jair Jurrjens, Tommy Hanson, Brandon Beachy, and Tim Hundson. The Marlins just added Heath Bell, Jose Reyes, and Mark Buehrle. The Mets...David Wright and a highly questionable Johan Santana. Yep, times are tough in Queens. So how do the Mets plan on drawing fans to Citi Field? I propose hiring some of these hotties to be permanent fixtures in the stands.

Baseball Themed Vehicles

2012-01-15T08:06:00.005-05:00

Cubs fans actually do this? That's a sledgehammer to door waiting to happen...

What the hell happened to the doors?

For the Canadians...

The ultimate tailgating truck, and also my dream vehicle...

For the punch buggy fan...

Miami Marlins Reality TV

2012-01-07T08:33:00.002-05:00

What do you get when you put the flamboyant Jose Reyes, whiny bawl-baby pissy-pants Hanley Ramirez, the combustible and highly volatile Carlos Zambrano, Twitter-happy Logan Morrison, and fellow Tweeter and explicit mouthed Ozzie Guillen all in the same clubhouse? A humongous f'n disaster!!!

The new look Miami Marlins are likely to be competitive in 2012, but all these strong personalities on the same team is sure to lead to some reality tv worthy moments. This should prove to be interesting...

Cubs Hit With Another Whammy

2012-01-06T11:14:00.003-05:00

Just as Theo Epstein traded away one albatross (Carlos Zambrano) another one might be blooming. Chicago Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro has been accused of sexual assault. I hope that this matter turns out to be nothing, but it certainly is another black eye on the face of the Cubs organization.

WBBM News Radio in Chicago says an unidentified woman in her mid 20's was at a River North nightclub on September 29 last year when she met Castro. After 3 AM she went with a friend to his apartment, where she alleges the assault took place. The woman then went to a hospital the next evening. Police became involved, in the meantime Castro left for his offseason home in the Dominican Republic.

From Castro's attorney:
"We are aware of certain allegations that have been made against our client, Starlin Castro. We have thoroughly investigated this matter, and we are confident that these allegations are baseless. Given the sensitive nature of this matter, we cannot comment any further. We'll surely hear much more on this matter and will pass along updates as they come."

From the Cubs:
"We are aware that a police report was filed regarding an incident involving Starlin, but we have received limited information. While this is something we take very seriously, there is not enough information to make any further comment or take action at this time. We are hopeful when the facts are brought to light, Starlin will be cleared of any wrongdoing."

Check Out His Bat...

2012-01-05T09:58:00.002-05:00

Coming to the plate with two bats should be illegal.

New Year Doesn't Start Until April

2012-01-01T10:26:00.000-05:00

Baseball to the Face

2011-12-30T05:56:00.002-05:00

Is this a failed attempt to catch a ball or a dumbass applauding a homerun and then getting pegged squarely in the eye with it?

Hungry Kitty

2011-12-27T06:39:00.001-05:00

The Japanese fear Godzilla. Americans...a big ol' man eatin' pussy cat.

Happy Holidays from More Hardball

2011-12-24T05:09:00.000-05:00

Kubel vs. Para

2011-12-21T09:12:00.006-05:00

The Arizona Diamondbacks attempted to solidify their offensive attack in 2012 with the addition of LF Jason Kubel. With Justin Upton entrenched in RF and Chris Young possessing a nice speed/power combo in CF, that means Gerardo Parra is regulated to 4th outfielder duties.

Kubel is a left-handed batter that will be turning 30 years old in May and is coming off a year in which he hit .273/.766. The year before only .249/.750. He had one monster season with the Twins in 2009 batting .300/.905 with 28 HR and 103 RBI, but other than that hasn't be an offensive stud during his 7 MLB seasons. The Snakes signed him for 2 yr/$15M. His defense leaves much to be desired (-41.8 UZR over past 2.5 seasons). He's a nice role player that when healthy can provide some pop and run production, but did Arizona need him?

Parra is coming off a Gold Glove effort in 2011, and the 24 year old improved at the plate batting .292/.784. He does not possess the power that Kubel does, but his defense and speed are much better. He's not even arbitration eligible, so he's much cheaper than Kubel as well (he'll likely make around $500K in 2012). He's always hit for average in the minors (.314) too.

The Breakdown:
Kubel- power, run production, costly.

Parra- cheap, defense, speed, batting average.

Why did the Diamondbacks sign Kubel again?

That's It, I'm Moving To Toronto

2011-12-18T12:31:00.003-05:00

Apparently in Canada "BJ" only stands for Blue Jays. However, here in America it's something else quite different.

Of course this isn't the first time I've found lovely ladies from north of the border spreading love for the BJ.

From 1/18/11...

Be thankful your mom is not a Toronto Blue Jays fan. If she is a Jays fan, be thankful this is not your mom. If this is your mom...where do you live?

The Pittsburgh Pirates Rambo

2011-12-12T20:51:00.003-05:00

WTF?! No, seriously, what the f...?!

Mike Diaz is the crazy shirtless Rambo in the picture above. The Pittsburgh Pirates Mike Diaz of the 80's. Thing I don't understand, he was never a star, not even close. Why did he get such a ~~lame~~ cool promo pic? 4 seasons and only 293 games between the Cubs, Buccos, and White Sox. He played primarily outfield, but a little 1st base, and even caught some too. Slyvester Stallone thinks he's whack.

Santa Loves Baseball

2011-12-10T08:00:00.003-05:00

MLB Winter Meeting Predictions

2011-12-04T06:58:00.003-05:00

The annual MLB Winter Meetings begin tonight in Dallas, Texas. Here are my predictions...

Jimmy Rollins and the Phillies come to a 4 yr/$44M pact with a 5th year vesting option.

Matt Garza of the Cubs and Matt Thornton of the White Sox are dealt to the Yankees.

The Twins retain Matt Capps and Michael Cuddyer.

There is a reunion in Colorado with Jeff Francis and the Rockies.

The Rockies and Braves do some sort of Martin Prado for Seth Smith and prospects swap.

Jose Reyes and the Miami Marlins agree on a contract for 6 yr/$102M.

Blue Jays find their closer by inking Francisco Cordero for 2 yr/$15M.

The Pirates sign Derek Lee 1 yr/$6M with option for 2013.

Now lets see how much, if any of this, comes true...

Ryan Klesko Undercover

2011-11-28T08:25:00.002-05:00

While searching "baseball commercials" on YouTube I came across this late 90's Fox spot featuring Ryan Klesko as an undercover agent breaking up a stolen base ring. Thank goodness he got those criminals off the street.

Zambrano Has Sense Knocked Into Him

2011-11-20T07:29:00.002-05:00

Carlos Zambrano is widely regarded as one of the biggest douchebags in MLB. Friday night some Karmic retribution happened in Venezuela where the troubled Chicago Cubs starting pitcher was hurling the ball towards a batter when said ball was struck back towards him, nailing him in the face. The injury required 18 stitches to the side of his mouth and he has to sit out of games for at least a week until a doctor clears him to resume activity. Cubs fans are hoping this shot to the dome hopefully has knocked some sense into the hair-trigger tempered Zambrano.

*gif borrowed from SB Nation Chicago

Triple Hit Pitch

2011-11-13T09:23:00.002-05:00

Watch this pitch hit the batter, then the catcher, then the umpire. Pretty impressive stuff...

Eat. Sleep. Baseball.

2011-11-06T08:49:00.002-05:00

Yeah, it's like that.

Bitter

2011-10-29T08:27:00.005-04:00

I'm a Phillies fan. I'm bitter. I hate the Cardinals.

2011 Minor League Contract Team

2011-10-27T09:53:00.002-04:00

Every year GMs will scour the free agent bargain bin in hopes of scooping up a veteran or a never-was on a minor league deal that will serve a purpose the following season. Most times these never pan out, but sometimes they do and become a major contributor to your MLB franchise. The following is team (25-man) roster composed of players that were signed to minor league contracts prior to the 2011 season.

The offense lacks speed and power for the most part, but it would likely out-hit the Mariners, Padres, Giants, Twins and Pirates.

Starting 9:
C - Eliezer Alfonzo/COL .267/.624 in 25 games

1B - Casey Kotchman/TBR .306/.800, 44 R, 24 DBL, 2 TRPL, 10 HR, 48 RBI, 2 SB

2B - Willie Harris/NYM .246/.668, 36 R, 11 DBL, 2 HR, 23 RBI, 5 SB

3B - Jack Hannahan/CLE .250/.719, 38 R, 16 DBL, 2 TRPL, 8 HR, 40 RBI, 2 SB

SS - Aaron Miles/LAD .275/.660, 49 R, 17 DBL, 3 TRPL, 3 HR, 45 RBI, 4 SB

LF - Laynce Nix/WSH .250/.750, 38 R, 15 DBL, 1 TRPL, 16 HR, 44 RBI, 2 SB

CF - Reed Johnson/CHC .309/.816, 33 R, 22 DBL, 1 TRPL, 5 HR, 28 RBI, 2 SB

RF - Scott Hairston/NYM .235/.773, 20 R, 8 DBL, 1 TRPL, 7 HR, 24 RBI, 1 SB

DH- Jason Giambi/COL .260/.958, 20 R, 6 DBL, 13 HR, 32 RBI

Bench:
C - Chris Stewart/SFG .204/.592, 20 R, 8 DBL, 3 HR, 10 RBI

3B/1B/OF - Greg Dobbs/FLA .275/.701, 38 R, 23 DBL, 8 HR, 49 RBI.

UTL - Adam Kennedy/SEA .234/.632, 36 R, 23 DBL, 1 TRPL, 7 HR, 38 RBI, 8 SB.

OF - Corey Patterson/TOR/STL .239/.632, 49 R, 20 DBL, 3 TRPL, 6 HR, 36 RBI, 13 SB

Lineup:
1. Reed Johnson
2. Aaron Miles
3. Casey Kotchman
4. Jason Giambi
5. Laynce Nix
6. Scott Hairston
7. Jack Hannahan
8. Willie Harris
9. Eliezer Alfonzo

The pitching is where the real diamonds in the rough were found. Only 1 pitcher on the staff had an ERA over 4.00 on the season, so this staff might out perform half of the teams in the Majors last year.

Rotation:
1. Ryan Vogelsong/SFG 13-7, 30 G, 28 GS, 179.2 IP, 139 K, 2.71/1.25

2. Freddy Garcia/NYY 12-8, 26 G, 25 GS, 146.2 IP, 96 K, 3.62/1.34

3. Bartolo Colon/NYY 8-10, 29 G, 26 GS, 164.1 IP, 135 K, 4.00/1.29

4. Rodrigo Lopez/CHC 6-6, 26 G, 16 GS, 97.2 IP, 54 K, 4.42/1.49

5. Kevin Millwood/COL 4-3, 9 GS, 54.1 IP, 36 K, 3.98/1.22

Bullpen:
1. Micah Owings/ARI 8-0, 33 G, 4 GS, 63 IP, 44 K, 3 HLD, 3.57/1.25

2. Mike MacDougal/LAD 3-1, 69 G, 57 IP, 41 K, 1 SV, 14 HLD, 2.05/1.46

3. Guillermo Mota/SFG 2-2, 52 G, 80.1 IP, 77 K, 1 SV, 4 HLD, 3.81/1.26

4. Juan Cruz/TBR 5-0, 56 G, 48.2 IP, 46 K, 6 HLD, 3.88/1.32

5. Tim Byrdak/NYM 2-1, 72 G, 37.2 IP, 47 K, 1 SV, 8 HLD, 3.82/1.41

6. Jamey Wright/SEA 2-3, 60 G, 68.1 IP, 48 K, 1 SV, 16 HLD, 3.16/1.33

7. Jose Veras/PIT 2-4, 79 G, 71 IP, 79 K, 1 SV, 27 HLD, 3.80/1.30

Honorable Mentions: Andrew Miller/BOS, Miguel Batista/STL/NYM, Chris Ray/SEA, Eric Chavez/NYY, Dontrelle Willis/CIN, Travis Buck/CLE, Alex Cora/WSH, Andy LaRoche/OAK, Jeff Gray/CWS, Jason Grilli/PIT, Dana Eveland/LAD, Alberto Castillo/ARI, and Josh Bard/SEA.

The Umpire Strikes Back

2011-10-25T09:29:00.000-04:00

Best Free Agents of 2012

2011-10-18T17:13:00.001-04:00

Hoping to improve your team with an impact player in 2012 via the free agent market is going to prove to be a difficult task. Aside from a handful of marquee cornerstones, the list is rather lackluster. Here's the best available free agent at each position (more will join once options are not exercised and arbitration eligible players non-tendered).

C - Ramon Hernandez (36)

1B - Albert Pujols (32)

2B - Aaron Hill (30)

3B - Aramis Ramirez (34)

SS - Jose Reyes (29)

LF - Josh Willingham (33)

CF - Coco Crisp (32)

RF - Carlos Beltran (35)

DH - David Ortiz (36)

UTL - Michael Cuddyer (33)

SP - CJ Wilson (31)

CL - Jonathan Papplebon (31)

LHP - Javier Lopez (34)

Other quality options are Prince Fielder/1B, Jimmy Rollins/SS, Jason Kubel/OF, Mark Buehrle/SP, Ryan Madson/CL, and Heath Bell/CL.

Predictions on Cards vs Brewers tomorrow at 8:05 pm

2011-10-15T23:33:00.004-04:00

This post is about your predictions on tomorrow postseason game it supposed to be a good ballgame so leave a comment below stating your predictions for safety reason please no cursing trust your predictions on the game. It will be interesting in tomorrow ballgame. Enjoy the post and game tomorrow.

Pomeranz is One Loud Mother...

2011-10-14T14:20:00.004-04:00

Highly hyped rookie left-handed pitcher of the Colorado Rockies, Drew Pomeranz, was arrested for disturbing the peace. The 5th overall pick in the 2010 draft by the Cleveland Indians was being raucous in Oxford, Mississippi and has since posted bail. Maybe the Ole Miss grad was partying at his old stomping grounds and got a bit out of control. No harm, no foul. Give the kid a break.

Phillies Fail

2011-10-08T09:10:00.000-04:00

The team built to win did not.

Best of the National League 2011

2011-10-05T05:29:00.001-04:00

C - Miguel Montero/ARI .282/.820, 65 R, 36 DBL, 1 TRPL, 18 HR, 86 RBI, 1 SB.

1B - Prince Fielder/MIL .299/.981, 95 R, 36 DBL, 1 TRPL, 38 HR, 120 RBI, 1 SB.

2B - Brandon Phillips/CIN .300/.810, 94 R, 38 DBL, 2 TRPL, 18 HR, 82 RBI, 14 SB.

3B - Aramis Ramirez/CHC .306/.871, 80 R, 35 DBL, 1 TRPL, 26 HR, 93 RBI, 1 SB.

SS - Troy Tulowitzki/COL .302/.916, 81 R, 36 DBL, 2 TRPL, 30 HR, 105 RBI, 9 SB.

LF - Ryan Braun/MIL .332/.994, 109 R, 38 DBL, 6 TRPL, 33 HR, 111 RBI, 33 SB.

CF - Matt Kemp/LAD .324/.986, 115 R, 33 DBL, 4 TRPL, 39 HR, 126 RBI, 40 SB.

RF - Lance Berkman/STL .301/.959, 90 R, 23 DB, 2 TRPL, 31 HR, 94 RBI, 2 SB.

SP - Clayton Kershaw/LAD 21-5, 33 GS, 233.1 IP, 248 K, 2.28 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 5 CG, 2 SHO.

SU - Tyler Clippard/WSH 3-0, 72 G, 88.1 IP, 104 K, 38 HLD, 1.83 ERA, 0.84 WHIP.

CL - John Axford/MIL 2-2, 74 G, 73.2 IP, 86 K, 46 SV, 1.95 ERA, 1.14 WHIP.

Best of the American League 2011

2011-10-04T08:23:00.003-04:00

Below you will find the best player at every position in the American League for 2011, including DH, starting pitcher, setup man, and closer.

C - Alex Avila/DET .295/.895, 63 R, 33 DBL, 4 TRPL, 19 HR, 82 RBI, 3 SB.

1B - Miguel Cabrera/DET .344/1.033, 111 R, 48 DBL, 30 HR, 105 RBI, 2 SB.

2B - Robinson Cano/NYY .302/.882, 104 R, 46 DBL, 7 TRPL, 28 HR, 118 RBI, 8 SB.

3B - Adrian Beltre/TEX .296/.892, 82 R, 33 DBL, 32 HR, 105 RBI.

SS - Jhonny Peralta/DET .299/.824, 68 R, 25 DBL, 3 TRPL, 21 HR, 86 RBI.

LF - Alex Gordon/KCR .303/.879, 101 R, 45 DBL, 4 TRPL, 23 HR, 87 RBI, 17 SB.

CF - Jacoby Ellsbury/BOS .321/.928, 119 R, 46 DBL, 5 TRPL, 32 HR, 105 RBI, 39 SB.

RF - Jose Bautista/TOR .302/1.056, 105 R, 24 DBL, 2 TRPL, 43 HR, 103 RBI, 9 SB.

DH - David Ortiz/BOS .309/.953, 84 R, 40 DBL, 1 TRPL, 29 HR, 96 RBI, 1 SB.

SP - Justin Verlander/DET 24-5, 34 GS, 251 IP, 250 K, 2.40 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 4 CG, 2 SHO.

SU - David Robertson/NYY 4-0, 70 G, 66.2 IP, 100 K, 1 SV, 34 HLD, 1.08 ERA, 1.13 WHIP.

CL - Jose Valverde/DET 2-4, 75 G, 72.1 IP, 69 K, 49 SV, 2.24 ERA, 1.19 WHIP.

National League Team MVP & Cy Young

2011-10-03T05:04:00.002-04:00

NL East
Atlanta Braves:
MVP - Brian McCann/C
CY - Craig Kimbrel

Florida Marlins:
MVP - Mike Stanton/RF
CY - Anibal Sanchez

New York Mets:
MVP - Jose Reyes/SS
CY - RA Dickey

Philadelphia Phillies:
MVP - Shane Victorino/CF
CY - Roy Halladay

Washington Nationals:
MVP - Michael Morse/LF/1B
CY - Tyler Clippard

NL Central
Chicago Cubs:
MVP - Aramis Ramirez/3B
CY - Matt Garza

Cincinnati Reds:
MVP - Joey Votto/1B
CY - Johnny Cueto

Houston Astros:
MVP - Carlos Lee/LF/1B
CY - Mark Melancon

Milwaukee Brewers:
MVP - Ryan Braun/LF
CY - Yovani Gallardo

Pittsburgh Pirates:
MVP - Andrew McCutchen/CF
CY - Joel Hanrahan

St. Louis Cardinals:
MVP - Lance Berkman/RF
CY - Chris Carpenter

NL West
Arizona Diamondbacks:
MVP - Justin Upton/RF
CY - Ian Kennedy

Colorado Rockies:
MVP - Troy Tulowitzki/SS
CY - Rafael Betancourt

Los Angeles Dodgers:
MVP - Matt Kemp/CF
CY - Clayton Kershaw

San Diego Padres:
MVP - Cameron Maybin/CF
CY - Heath Bell

San Francisco Giants:
MVP - Pablo Sandoval/3B
CY - Tim Lincecum

American League Team MVP & Cy Young

2011-10-02T07:57:00.000-04:00

AL East
Baltimore Orioles:
MVP - Adam Jones/CF
CY - Jim Johnson

Boston Red Sox:
MVP - Jacoby Ellsbury/CF
CY -Josh Beckett

New York Yankees:
MVP - Curtis Granderson/CF
CY - CC Sabathia

Tampa Bay Rays:
MVP - Ben Zobrist/UTL
CY - James Shields

Toronto Blue Jays:
MVP - Jose Bautista/3B/RF
CY - Ricky Romero

AL Central
Chicago White Sox:
MVP - Paul Konerko/1B
CY - Chris Sale

Cleveland Indians:
MVP - Asdrubal Cabrera/SS
CY - Justin Masterson

Detroit Tigers:
MVP - Miguel Cabrera/1B
CY - Justin Verlander

Kansas City Royals:
MVP - Alex Gordon/LF
CY - Greg Holland

Minnesota Twins:
MVP - Michael Cuddyer/UTL
CY - Glen Perkins

AL West
Los Angeles Angels:
MVP - Howard Kendrick/2B
CY - Jered Weaver

Oakland Athletics:
MVP - Josh Willingham/LF
CY - Gio Gonzalez

Seattle Mariners:
MVP - Mike Carp/1B
CY - Felix Hernandez

Texas Rangers:
MVP - Michael Young/UTL
CY - CJ Wilson

Crazy Stats from 2011 (Part 1)

2011-09-30T14:22:00.002-04:00

The Mets Jose Reyes and Shane Victorino of the Phillies had as many or more triples (16 apiece) than 3 teams: Orioles- 13, Braves & White Sox- 16.

The Braves Michael Bourn stole more bases (61) this year than the Cardinals (57) and the Tigers (49). Brett Gardner and Coco Crisp each stole 49 to at least match Detroit's total.

Shawn Kelley- The Power of Zero

2011-09-29T09:38:00.002-04:00

Congrats to the Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Shawn Kelley for being the only pitcher in baseball to finish the 2011 season with an ERA of 0.00 and have pitched 10+ innings.

Kelley's late season performance in 12.2 IP will surely help him secure a spot in the M's 2012 bullpen.

Coco Cordero's Strange 37th Save

2011-09-28T09:25:00.005-04:00

Cincinnati Reds' closer Francisco Cordero is no stranger to walking the tightrope of danger in the late innings of save situations (327 career saves). Last night he pulled off something astonishing though for this 37th save of the season. He walked 4 batters, threw only 6 strikes, and even balked, but pitched the entire 13th inning unscathed without surrendering a run.

How? Nick Evans was caught stealing and Justin Turner hit into a game ending double play.

Wow.

AL & NL Cy Young Races

2011-09-24T04:44:00.001-04:00

My Top 10 AL CY:
1. Justin Verlander/DET 24-5, 244 IP, 56:244 BB:K, 2.29/0.91, 4 CG, 2 SHO.

2. Jered Weaver/LAA 18-7, 227.1 IP, 56:190 BB:K, 2.41/1.02, 4 CG, 2 SHO.

3. James Shield/TBR 15-12, 240.2 IP, 62:221 BB:K, 2.84/1.04, 11 CG, 4 SHO.

4. Josh Beckett/BOS 13-6, 187 IP, 48:170 BB:K, 2.70/1.00, 1 CG, 1 SHO.

5. Jose Valverde/DET 2-4, 71 G, 68.1 IP, 33:63 BB:K, 47 SV, 2.37/1.21.

6. CJ Wilson/TEX 16-7, 221.1 IP, 72:206 BB:K, 2.97/1.18, 3 CG, 1 SHO.

7. CC Sabathia/NYY 19-8, 237.1 IP, 61:230 BB:K, 3.00/1.23, 3 CG, 1 SHO.

8. Ricky Romero/TOR 15-10, 217.1 IP, 78:173 BB:K, 2.98/1.14, 4 CG, 2 SHO.

9. Mariano Rivera/NYY 1-2, 62 G, 60 IP, 7:58 BB:K, 44 SV, 1.95/0.88.

10. Jeremy Hellickson/TBR 13-10, 183 IP, 67:116 BB:K, 2.90/1.13, 2 CG, 1 SHO.

My Top 10 NL CY:
1. Clayton Kershaw/LAD 20-5, 226 IP, 53:242 BB:K, 2.27/0.99, 5 CG, 2 SHO.

2. Roy Halladay/PHI 18-6, 227.2 IP, 34:217 BB:K, 2.41/1.05, 8 CG, 1 SHO.

3. Cliff Lee/PHI 16-8, 226.2 IP, 42:232 BB:K, 2.38/1.03, 6 CG, 6 SHO.

4. Ian Kennedy/ARI 20-4, 216 IP, 53:194 BB:K, 2.88/1.08, 1 CG, 1 SHO.

5. Cole Hamels/PHI 14-9, 206 IP, 41:186 BB:K, 2.80/0.98, 3 CG.

6. Tim Lincecum/SFG 13-13, 212 IP, 84:217 BB:K, 2.59/1.18, 1 CG, 1 SHO.

7. Johnny Cueto/CIN 9-5, 156 IP, 47:104 BB:K, 2.31/1.09, 3 CG, 1 SHO.

8. Craig Kimbrel/ATL 4-3, 77 G, 75.1 IP, 29:124 BB:K, 45 SV, 2.03/1.00.

9. Matt Cain/SFG 12-10, 214.2 IP, 60:173 BB:K, 2.86/1.08, 1 CG.

10. Tim Hudson/ATL 15-10, 203 IP, 55:150 BB:K, 3.19/1.13, 1 CG, 1 SHO.

Notes- I don't typically think closers should get too much consideration for the Cy Young, but Valverde has been perfect for Detroit, Kimbrel is amazing, and Rivera continues to defy age.

NL & AL MVP Races

2011-09-23T14:05:00.005-04:00

My AL Top 10 MVP:
1. Curtis Granderson/NYY .270/.943, 134 R, 26 DBL, 10 TRPL, 41 HR, 119 RBI, 24 SB.

2. Jacoby Ellsbury/Bos .319/.913, 114 R, 45 DBL, 5 TRPL, 28 HR, 98 RBI, 37 SB.

3. Jose Bautista/TOR .304/1.063, 104 R, 24 DBL, 2 TRPL, 42 HR, 101 RBI, 8 SB.

4. Miguel Cabrera/DET .333/1.002, 102 R, 46 DBL, 26 HR, 98 RBI.

5. Adrian Gonzalez/BOS .341/.967, 107 R, 45 DBL, 3 TRPL, 27 HR, 116 RBI.

6. Robinson Cano/NYY .305/.891, 101 R, 46 DBL, 7 TRPL, 27 HR, 116 RBI, 8 SB.

7. Michael Young/TEX .335/.851, 84 R, 40 DBL, 6 TRPL, 11 HR, 104 RBI, 6 SB.

8. Alex Avila/DET .297/.905, 62 R, 32 DBL, 4 TRPL, 19 HR, 77 RBI, 3 SB.

9. Alex Gordon/KCR .303/.879, 101 R, 45 DBL, 4 TRPL, 23 HR, 87 RBI, 17 SB.

10. David Ortiz/BOS .312/.969, 83 R, 39 DBL, 29 HR, 96 RBI.

My NL Top 10 MVP:
1. Ryan Braun/MIL .330/.977, 104 R, 36 DBL, 5 TRPL, 31 HR, 104 RBI, 31 SB.

2. Matt Kemp/LAD .326/.985, 109 R, 31 DBL, 4 TRPL, 36 HR, 118 RBI, 40 SB.

3. Prince Fielder/MIL .293/.951, 89 R, 34 DBL, 34 HR, 112 RBI.

4. Joey Votto/CIN .313/.959, 98 R, 37 DBL, 3 TRPL, 28 HR, 98 RBI, 8 SB.

5. Albert Pujols/STL .304/.927, 102 R, 27 DBL, 37 HR, 98 RBI, 8 SB.

6. Lance Berkman/STL .300/.963, 86 R, 21 DBL, 2 TRPL, 31 HR, 91 RBI.

7. Troy Tulowitzki/COL .302/.916, 81 R, 36 DBL, 2 TRPL, 30 HR, 105 RBI, 9 SB.

8. Justin Upton/ARI .292/.908, 103 R, 39 DBL, 5 TRPL, 31 HR, 88 RBI, 21 SB.

9. Carlos Beltran/NYM/SFG .303/.919, 77 R, 39 DBL, 2 TRPL, 21 HR, 83 RBI, 4 SB.

10. Michael Morse/WSH .304/.902, 69 R, 35 DBL, 28 HR, 89 RBI.

Notes: I don't think pitchers should be considered for the MVP award because they do not directly effect enough of the 162 game season. I give more credit to players of higher importance defensive positions (SS, 2B, C, CF). Having your team make the playoffs also gives bonus points.

*Stats through games played on September 22nd.

Night of Round # Milestones

2011-09-14T19:36:00.003-04:00

Congrats to Mariano Rivera, Johnny Damon, and Tim Wakefield for accomplishing some nice round number milestones.

The Sandman, Mo Rivera, put his 600th win to bed last night. He's now 1 save behind Trevor Hoffman for the all-time record, something he'll surely break and add plenty to. When he decides to hang the cleats up, the Hall of Fame assuredly awaits 5 years after that.

Johnny Damon swiped the 400th base of his career yesterday. He's getting old, but still flashes some power and speed at times and remains a useful player.

Knuckleballer Tim Wakefield finally won his 200th win. The 45 year old might not pitch next year, but he's had one helluva ride relying on one pitch.
_____________________________________________________________

Different Types of Pitching Machines

Going to the batting cages is a rite of passage for any aspiring pro, but baseball players don’t have just one generic, typical type of batting cage to go to. The pitching machines available at batting cages vary from place to place, and the machines themselves are often designed differently (and for different purposes). Knowing what to expect before you face down one of these machines will help you better prepare for your practice against it. In this article, we’ll attempt to break down some different pitching machine types, so that you’ll have a better idea of what you’ll be facing come first pitch.

One major area to focus on is automation. These days, it’s quite common to find many batting cages equipped with fully automated batting cages. Automatic feeding of the balls has quite a few advantages. First, the player doesn’t have to feed the balls in himself (which would be a time-wasting nightmare), nor does the player have to bring someone else along for the specific purpose of feeding balls to the machine. Also, the player will be better able to expect periodic timing between the machine’s pitches, so that he can practice his own timing at the plate while waiting to swing.

Hand-fed pitching machines don’t offer the luxury of automation, but they have their own advantages as well. While you’ll need to bring someone else along to operate the machine (unless you only want to hit one ball at a time), the other person can be helpful. For example, while an automated machine’s going to keep hurling balls at you for the designated period regardless of what you want, the other person can simply stop feeding balls to the machine if you want to work on your swings for a second, or need a breather for a moment. If you always have someone with you willing to train, you may want to consider a hand-fed machine for that reason alone.

Other differences affect the speed of the pitches. If you’re preparing for the big leagues, you’ll obviously want a machine set to fast-pitch settings at their maximum. For rookie players, lower settings on fast-pitch machines (and for the real novices, slow-pitch machines themselves) will probably work better for their need. If you’re practicing for softball (in which case you shouldn’t train on baseball pitching machines), there are even specific softball pitching machines available for use.

Drama Jorge

2011-09-11T00:28:00.009-04:00

Another older story that was too ripe for me to pass up was the semi-recent benching of the Yankees newest drama queen, Jorge Posada.

This season has not been kind to the seasoned vet. Posada started out the year fairly well-batting .273 in early April before his numbers plunged to a mind-numbing .138. Posada then got demoted to batting in the 9th-slot, and responded to the news by throwing a pissy fit that would have put even the brattiest toddler's meltdown to shame.

But the cantankerous catcher wasn't finished yet. By mid-season, Lil' Jorge's batting average went up and he was batting a solid .244 at one point. It was still bad, but it was a heluva lot better than what he was hitting in the early part of the season. For a moment, us baseball fans thought this man-child had seen the light, put his big boy pants on, and was ready to play like he meant it.

Unfortunately for Lil' Jorge, Joe Girardi had enough. On August 7, 2011, he was benched. Even though he's stuck in baseball time-out, Posada learned his lesson and kept his mouth shut. Though he told the public he was fine with being relegated to bench duty, I'm pretty sure that deep down, Lil' Jorge was pissed and is just waiting for that right moment which sparks another meltdown.

Now that the 2011 season is slowly winding down to a close, one must wonder what other adventures await New York's childish catcher. Will he finish the season as a fully matured man, or as an aging geezer still stuck in the glory days of his youth?

Maybe if Jorge started a new offseason diet or supplement regime he'd be ready to go in 2012. May I suggest he visit an online pharmacy.

Wait, and see.

tamtam

phillies talk

2011-09-10T17:38:00.001-04:00

this post is about the phillies it will include news, rumors, and much more other things so check it out.

The Underworld

2011-09-08T02:43:00.004-04:00

Though this is old news by now, Alex Rodriguez is under investigation for his involvement in a high-stakes illegal poker game. Included in this game were celebrities like Ben Affleck, as well as gratuitous amounts of drugs, violence, and alcohol, making the sordid event sound like just another night in a Hollywood club.
The kicker is that Rodriguez had been warned by baseball's very own Bud Selig that his participation in the sordid game would result in him being in trouble with the league, but apparently Rodriguez didn't listen.

If there's one sore spot for baseball in America, it is the issue of gambling. Scandals like the "Black Sox" of 1919, and more recently, Pete Rose all bring up painful memories for all involved parties because betting on teams by managers and players is tantamount to cheating. And we all know, nobody likes a cheater.

If Alex Rodriguez is convicted of misconduct (as far as I know, the case is still pending), all his prior accomplishments will be for naught. Look at what happened to the other guys who got caught gambling-the Black Sox were blacklisted from the sport and Pete Rose got sent to baseball purgatory, which is where Alex Rodriguez will likely end up if convicted.

One does not need to be a Catholic to imagine that it sucks to be in purgatory. Alex would not like it there, especially since now he has to keep Pete Rose and Shoeless Joe Jackson company. I imagine Pete Rose could use a fresh face to talk to, since he's heard it all by now from Shoeless Joe

(L-R: Alex Rodriguez, Pete Rose, Shoeless Joe)

tamtam

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: I just got a new scanner (it came with the printer), so until I figure out how to make my cartoons scan in at optimal resolution, my apologies if the images look unusually bad**

what was your reaction when Jim Thome hit his 600 HR?

2011-08-28T03:03:00.002-04:00

this post is for Jim Thome and baseball you tells us how you felt when Jim Thome crushed that 600 HR to put him in the record books. thank you and enjoy

which teams do you thing are going to be in the fall classic?

2011-08-28T02:46:00.003-04:00

this post lets put your options for the postseason this start argument and to see will be right at end postseason action. this will interesting seeing people opinions on this big event coming in october please leave a comment bellow thank you and enjoy.

offseason trades and rumors

2011-08-28T02:39:00.002-04:00

this post is for offseason trades and roumors so this post is used when the MLB postseason ends and everyone is free agents. this where new beginning happen MLB offseason trade and roumors so come and check it out towards the middle of november. please leave comment below for questions and opinions. thank you and enjoy.

who should be the AL MVP and who should be NL MVP?

2011-08-28T02:32:00.002-04:00

This post is tell your opinions about who should be AL MVP and who should NL MVP so leave comment and tell everyone who should be AL and NL MVP thank and enjoy

what should the cubs should do in 2012?

2011-08-28T02:11:00.003-04:00

this post is about your opinions on what the cubs need to do to secceed in 2012. so come and leave a comment but please use bad language and don't say thing that will hurt people. thank you and enjoy the post .

What the giants need do to win there division?

2011-08-26T00:19:00.001-04:00

The Prophecy

2011-08-24T00:13:00.004-04:00

Just because I haven't posted in a few weeks here on More Hardball (thank you, summer school, a short vacation, and the start of the new school year) doesn't mean that I haven't been following baseball.

Aside from Thome hitting 600 HRs, my local Diamondbacks going into a tailspin, and the possibility that Alex Rodriguez will join Pete Rose and Shoeless Joe in baseball purgatory for his involvement in an illegal poker game, Schlubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano's epic shitfit has managed to outshine them all.

Yep, Zambrano has become the new Sammy Sosa. Cubs fans who happen to read this blog will remember how Sosa's diva attitude eventually got him thrown outta Chicago. Well, Zambrano is following in his predecessor's footsteps. In his desperate attempt to get out of Chicago and win a championship, Big Z really stepped into the Big One. After a shitty performance in Atlanta, Zambrano cleaned out his locker and walked out on the team. He then announced an abrupt retirement, recanted that statement, and to my knowledge, he's still on the team's payroll.

Now, I'm not known for being psychic, but I swear to God-my (in)famous cartoon of Carlos Zambrano has turned out to be the most prophetic thing I've ever drawn! Originally drawn in 2010 after Zambrano had his first of many annual meltdowns in June only to go mea culpa on ESPN a few weeks later, I predicted that Zambrano would soon find himself permanently unemployed if he couldn't (or wouldn't) control himself.

When he's finally outta Chicago, I won't feel bad for Zambrano. If he's not mature enough to see how corrosive his behavior is, then perhaps he'd be better off not playing baseball in the US. Maybe some baseball club in his native Venezuela or the Dominican Republic will offer Zambrano a job instead. Hey, the man's gotta feed his family somehow.

Tamtam

Unexpected Top 10 League Leaders- NL Edition

2011-08-20T06:03:00.000-04:00

With only a month and a half of the 2011 season remaining it's interesting to see some of the names that litter the Top 10 leader board of various stats in the National League. Take a look...

Average - Daniel Murphy/NYM, .320/4th, the man without a position. Is he a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd baseman? Wherever the Mets play him, he'll hit. Too bad his season is likely over though due to injury.

Average - Michael Morse/WAS, .319/5th (OPS- .928/8th), he's always hit in limited exposure, and now is proving he can hit with regular exposure. One of the breakout performers of 2011.

Hits - Starlin Castro/CHC, 162/1st (AVG- .309/10th), this young SS has a bright future, even if his immediate future is with the laughingstock that is the Cubs.

Homeruns - Lance Berkman/STL, 28/3rd (RBI- 77/7th, OPS- .984/1st), a couple years ago, Big Puma was a mainstay on the homerun leader board, but after last season nobody expected this level of success, especially playing mostly RF.

Stolen Bases - Cameron Maybin/SDP, 32/4th, only had 19 SB in 4 seasons heading into the year, but he's really blossomed in San Diego after falling out of favor in Florida.

OPS - Shane Victorino/PHI, .934/7th, heading into the season the Flyin' Hawaiian's career high in OPS was .803, so this truly has been a breakout for the mighty midget (only 5'9").

ERA - Ryan Vogelsong/SFG, 2.47/2nd, this is his 7th MLB season, but his first since 2006 with the Pirates. This is the biggest bargain bin signing of the offseason.

Wins - Kevin Correia/PIT, 12/7th, a big reason for the Buccos early season success.

Holds - Jose Veras/PIT, 22/6th, see above.

WHIP - Kyle Lohse/STL, 1.12/8th, last year he sported a 1.78 WHIP, so this season has be a nice rebound and surprise.

*Stats through all Thursday August, 18th.

Unexpected Top 10 League Leaders- AL Edition

2011-08-19T16:31:00.005-04:00

With only a month and a half of the 2011 season remaining it's interesting to see some of the names that litter the Top 10 leader board of various stats in the American League. Take a look...
Batting Average - Casey Kotchman/TBR, .332/3rd, his career appeared to be nearing an end after hitting a measly .217 with the Mariners last year. He didn't even start this season in the majors, Tampa called him up after the first week of the season.

Doubles - Alex Gordon/KCR, 37/2nd (hits- 145/6th, runs- 78/9th), the former 1st round pick was considered a dud until his breakout performance this season.

Hits - Melky Cabrera/KCR, 158/3rd (doubles- 33/6th), hit only .255 with 117 hits last year with the Braves and was only pick up by the Royals in the offseason out of necessity, not because he was actually sought after.

Triples - Jemile Weeks/OAK, 8/3rd, Rickie's little brother only has 61 games to his name, but that hasn't stopped him from flashing his brilliant speed.

Homeruns - Mark Trumbo/LAA, 23/9th, the rookie is playing because the Angels go-to 1st baseman, Kendrys Morales, never healed from his broken leg. Trumbo's big blasts have helped soothe the pain.

Walks - Ian Kinsler/TEX, 70/7th, he's already set a career high with bases on balls and he's even walked more than he's struck out this year.

OPS - Alex Avila/DET, .892/7th, Victor Martinez was supposed to be the stud bat for the Tigers at catcher, but Avila earned the All-Star nod and is having a tremendous season behind the plate and at the plate for Detroit.

ERA - Justin Masterson/CLE, 2.71/4th, after turning in a 4.70 ERA last year, this tall Jamaican seemed more like a #5 starter than a #1, but things have turned for the better.

Wins - Ivan Nova/NYY, Josh Tomlin/CLE (WHIP- 1.04/6th), and Alexi Ogando/TEX (WHIP- 1.13/10th) 12/4th. Ogando is a converted reliever, Tomlin only had 6 wins heading into the season, and Nova is always dealing with the Yankees crap of moving him to the minors or not.

Saves - Jordan Walden/LAA, 26/6th, Fernando Rodney was the closer to begin 2011, but Walden quickly stepped into the role when Rodney faltered and hasn't looked back since.

Saves - Sergio Santos/CHW, 25/7th, he was playing infield in the ChiSox minors just a couple seasons ago, but has taken to pitching quite nicely.

Saves - Kyle Farnsworth/TBR, 21/10th, is having the best season of his 13 year career.

Holds - Vinnie Pestano/CLE, 17/7th, is one of the main components in the Indians bullpen that is a major reason their still in contention.

WHIP - Michael Pineda/SEA, 1.11/8th, the rookie would have a better record than 9-7 if Seattle actually had an offense to support him.

Night of Milestones (Thome & Isringhausen)

2011-08-16T09:08:00.007-04:00

Last night Jim Thome and Jason Isringhausen reached impressive career milestones. Thome hit his 600th homerun of his career, while Izzy saves his 300th game.

The 40 year old Thome, currently in his 21st MLB season slugged both his 599th and milestone 600th last night against the Tigers. The former 3rd baseman, turned 1st baseman, and now DH should be a surefire Hall-of-Famer. Along with his elite homerun club member status, he's also driven in over 1650 RBI and scored more than 1550 runs.

38 year old Isringhausen will not be a member of the HoF, but he's been a solid closer during his time in the Majors. He made an unlikely comeback with the Mets this year, after missing nearly the entire 2009 season and all of last year (essentially came out of retirement).

Congrats to both, and hopefully they continue to add to their numbers.

Free 1-Day Fantasy Baseball League, Win $$$

2011-08-11T10:28:00.002-04:00

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Pirates in a Tailspin, Can't Get Outs

2011-08-05T11:02:00.003-04:00

Remember when the Pittsburgh Pirates were the feel good story Major League Baseball? Yeah, it was like a friggin' week ago. Well, things started going in the shitter quickly when that dumbass homeplate umpire made that horrible blown call in the 19th inning to give the Braves the win. Since then the Buccos are a ghastly 1-8, losing 7 straight, while going from 1st place to 3rd and now sit 2 games below .500 at 54-56.

Things have gotten so bad that manager Clint Hurdle had to turn to a 4th pitcher in the 8th inning last night against the lowly Cubs before an out was recorded. Relievers Daniel McCutchen, Jason Grilli, and Joe Beimel faced 5 batters and allowed 3 runs before Jose Veras came in and finished the inning. Shame of it all, Pirates were actually winning before all this happened. It was fun while it lasted...

I'm a Phillies fan through-and-through, but being for Pennsylvania, I root for the Pirates anytime they're not playing the Phils. Hopefully they can shrug off this recent string of crappiness and turns things around to finish off the season on a positive note and finish above .500 for the first time since the eldest Bush was president.

The East Dominates MLB

2011-08-03T08:17:00.003-04:00

The East Coast dominates Major League Baseball in both the National and American League. Aside from a woeful O's club and an improving Nats squad, every team in the NL and AL East are playing .500 ball or better. The 4 teams with the most wins in baseball are in the East (Phils, BoSox, Yanks, and Braves). All the AL East teams having a winning record against the AL Central and only the O's and Rays having a losing record when facing the AL West. It's much the same in the NL East, where every team has a winning record against the NL Central and only 1 team is below .500 against the NL West (Fish). Combined records of AL and NL East division teams when facing their counterparts in the Central and West divisions: 282-219 (.563%).

AL East:
1. Boston Red Sox 67-41
2. New York Yankees 66-42
3. Tampa Bay Rays 56-52
4. Toronto Blue Jays 56-53
5. Baltimore Orioles 43-63

NL East:
1. Philadelphia Phillies 70-39
2. Atlanta Braves 63-48
3t. New York Mets 55-55
3t. Florida Marlins 55-55
5. Washington Nationals 53-56

All Alfredo Aceves Does is Win

2011-08-01T10:17:00.003-04:00

Alfredo Aceves is a winner, because all he seems to do is win. The 28 year old right-hander relief pitcher is in his 4th MLB season and picked up his 7th win of the season yesterday, and now owns a 21-2 career record. He started off with the New York Yankees (2008-2010) and is now in his first season with the Boston Red Sox. With only 90 appearances under his belt, this ~~vulture~~ bullpen savior sure knows how to swoop in and grasp the W in his talons. Nicknamed "Ace", Aceves owns the best winning percentage in the history of the game out of pitchers with a minimum of 20 decisions (91.3%). Amazing!

Career #'s: 21-2, 90 G, 199.1 IP, 3 SV, 13 HLD, 57 BB:130 K, 3.21 ERA, and a 1.09 WHIP.

Hunter Pence Trade Reaction

2011-07-30T09:07:00.003-04:00

My reaction to Hunter Pence trade from a Phillies fan's perspective...

1. Hunter Pence helps this team now. The Phils stink against LHP, and he has a .290 career average against lefties with an .850+ OPS.

2. Jarred Cosart and Jonathan Singleton are in Single-A. Far from guaranteed commodities. They may become stars, or they may never pan out. Pence is good now, will be good through 2013 and both Cosart and Singleton still might not even be in the Majors by then.

3. Joshua Zeid isn't a big loss. Whatever.

4. The Player to be Named Later (aka- PTBNL) is still up in the air. Doubtful it's a big time prospect or any contributor to the current Phillies 25-man roster.

5. Hunter Pence is under team control through 2013. Amaro just got 2 seasons and 2 months of an All-Star outfielder for Single-A prospects. That's awesome.

6. Ed Wade threw $1M the Phils way to help offset Pence's salary and the luxury tax threshold.

7. People bashing Pence's offense should STFU! Pence 2011 OPS- .828. Ryan Howard's 2011 OPS- .796. Not saying Pence is better than Howard, but he's sure doing well right now.

8. The Phillies minor league system still has plenty of pitching prospects (Austin Hyatt, Trevor May, Jesse Biddle, Brody Colvin, Michael Schwimer, Justin DeFratus, and more).

9. This is likely bad news for Domonic Brown though. Manuel loves his veterans and Ibanez is making a crap-ton of money, so he probably remains the starting LF for the rest of this season, despite Brown already being the better player. Dom probably goes to Lehigh Valley until rosters expand in September.

10. I keep reading "the Phillies overpaid". Um, okay. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and my opinion is this was a very good trade by Ruben Amaro. Well done sir, well done.

Proposed lineup:
1. Rollins/SS
2. Victorino/CF
3. Utley/2B
4. Howard/1B
5. Pence/RF
6. Ibanez/LF
7. Polanco/3B
8. Ruiz/C

Octavio Dotel- Well Traveled Man

2011-07-29T08:55:00.002-04:00

Octavio Dotel is 37 years old and currently in his 13th MLB season. He started his journey back in 1999 with the New York Mets. From there he's gone on to the Houston Astros, Oakland Athletics, New York Yankees, Kansas City Royals, Atlanta Braves, Chicago White Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, Los Angeles Dodgers, Colorado Rockies, Toronto Blue Jays, and now as of a couple days ago the St. Louis Cardinals. 12 teams, 13 seasons. Wow! He's a good pitcher too. Career #'s: 51-44, 667 G, 864.2 IP, 1045 K, 106 SV, 111 HLD, 3.75 ERA, and 1.25 WHIP.

The Red Birds needed bullpen help, so he's likely to remain there for the rest of the season, but it'll be interesting to see where Dotel lands next year.

Alfredo Aceves- Pure Winner

2011-07-27T07:31:00.004-04:00

When thinking of winning pitchers in the game today, you likely go to Roy Halladay, CC Sabathia, Justin Verlander, etc. Far from that list is a relief pitcher named Alfredo Aceves, but truth be told, he's a pure winner.

Alfredo Aceves is a winner. The 28 year old right-hander is in his 4th MLB season and owns a 20-2 record. He started off with the New York Yankees (2008-2010) and is now in his first season with the Boston Red Sox. With only 88 appearances under his belt, this ~~vulture~~ relief pitcher sure knows how to swoop in and grasp the W in his talons. Nicknamed "Ace", Aceves owns the best winning percentage in the history of the game out of pitchers with a minimum of 20 decisions (91%). Amazing!

Career #'s: 20-2, 88 G, 9 GS, 197.1 IP, 56:128 BB:K, 3.24 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 3 SV, 13 HLD.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, he's the first pitcher to win 20 of his first 22 decisions since Howie Krist with the St. Louis Browns from 1937-42.

Woman at Work

2011-07-23T02:21:00.008-04:00

Since this week has been relatively quiet in the baseball world, I thought I'd take the opportunity to post some drawings that I've done recently.

Though I am stuck in summer school, I have a habit of arriving two hours prior to my first class starting. This is so I can do my homework, but I often finish quickly and this leaves me with plenty of time to draw. So, armed with my phone, an internet connection, a pen, and my drawing book, I go to work.

So let the drawing dump commence, complete with links to the original photos I based my drawings on.

Carlos Quentin

The hard-hitting outfielder for my hometown Chicago White Sox, I make it known that he is my favorite player on the team. I drew this sometime prior to the All-Star Game, which he and Paul Konerko played in. But rumor has it that the Braves are seeking the services of my favorite slugger, so this pen sketch may make an encore appearance sometime in the future, depending on the outcome of the trade season.

Nomar Garciaparra

When I was in my early to mid-teens, I idolized Nomar Garciaparra. Not only was he a good player, but I got such a kick out of watching him play with his gloves and re-velcro his uniform before going up to bat and between every pitch. When Garciaparra came to play for the Cubs, I was ecstatic and even bought a Cubs t-shirt with his name on the back. Unfortunately, Garciaparra's time in Chicago marked the beginning of the end of his career as a player, as his subsequent years in baseball were marred with injuries. Garciaparra finally retired in 2008, but life after baseball has been good to him cuz he's found a career as a decent color commentator for ESPN. I still get to see one of my favorite players on TV, only behind the mike this time and not on the field.

Vladimir Guerrero

Yeah, he's still playing. I was shocked to see that he still was active, given that he's older than dirt at this point. Sheer boredom produced this image, but I regard it as one of my better works cuz in this drawing, Vlad actually looks like he swung the bat.

Albert Pujols

I admit-I don't like Albert Pujols. I think he's overrated, plus he plays for the Cardinals-a team that I never cared much for. Plus, the team is currently tied for second with the lowly Shitsburgh Pirates. With regard to Pujols, you either love him or hate his guts. Since it's been established that I don't like Pujols, why did I draw him? Well, when you're bored, you'll draw anything (or anyone) to pass the time.

And thus ends the drawing dump for Tamtam. If they look amateurish now, they'll get better with more practice.

Enjoy your weekends, everyone!

Tamtam

1-Day Fantasy Baseball League, Win $$$

2011-07-21T13:14:00.003-04:00

Win cash prizes for a 1-day fantasy baseball event. Literally takes seconds to register and only 3-5 minutes to fill out your roster. It's fun, it's free, and it could be very rewarding. Offer ends around noon on Friday and all night games on July 22nd are open for scoring. Click Here To Play.

We're Going Streaking!

2011-07-20T08:17:00.004-04:00

The AL West has two teams going in complete opposite directions of one another. The division leading Texas Rangers are currently in the midst of a 12 game winning streak, while the Seattle Mariners are vying for the basement suffering through a 10 game losing streak.

Streak Facts:
*The Rangers have outscored the opponent 77-24 during this 12 game hot streak. Wow!

*The Mariners have been outscored by opponent 47-16. That's less than 2 runs per game. Yikes!

Don't forget to register for our free 1-day fantasy baseball event for a chance to win cash prizes. Register Here!!!

Win Money Playing Free Fantasy Baseball

2011-07-19T11:43:00.005-04:00

Baseball season has arrived and it’s time for fantasy baseball. But not the full-season, six month crap. I’m talking about a one-night showdown. We have teamed up with DraftStreet.com to offer an exclusive free contest to More Hardball readers. The freeroll will have $100 in cash prizes, the top 4 get paid, and it is totally free to sign up. How can you not get in on this?

Here’s how you play: Fill your roster (C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, 3 OF, 2 U, 2 SP, RP, P) while staying within the budget of $100k. Player salaries are set by DraftStreet based on fantasy production. So, if you want to put Roy Halladay on the mound it might cost you $16k, which means you’ll have to find somhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gife bargains to fill out the rest of your squad.

Sign up now for free. Build a team (you can adjust your roster up until the games start). Then check out the scoreboard when the games start and watch your team win you cash.

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*Games are for Friday July 22nd (Cubs/Astros game will not be included).

Alfredo Aceves- Winner

2011-07-18T06:47:00.001-04:00

Alfredo Aceves is a winner. The 28 year old right-hander is in his 4th MLB season and owns a 19-2 record. He started off with the New York Yankees (2008-2010) and is now in his first season with the Boston Red Sox. With only 85 appearances under his belt, this ~~vulture~~ relief pitcher sure knows how to swoop in and grasp the W in his talons. Nicknamed "Ace", Aceves owns the best winning percentage in the history of the game out of pitchers with a minimum of 20 decisions (90.5%). Amazing!

Career #'s: 19-2, 85 G, 9 GS, 189.1 IP, 55:123 BB:K, 3.18 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 3 SV, 13 HLD.

Tat Peeve

2011-07-16T04:09:00.010-04:00

After Derek Jeter FINALLY got his 3000th hit(and while we do congratulate him on the milestone accomplishment, quite frankly, we were sick of Jeter-mania all week), the OTHER main event in baseball this past week was the All-Star Game. This year, the game took place in my current state of Arizona, and while I did not go, it appeared to have been a blast.

One of the lucky players to be selected to the All-Star Game was none other than the youngest of the Catching Molina Bros., Yadier. But a few weeks prior to the game, I noticed something on Yadier that I had not noticed before.

Neck tattoos.

Though I do not recall exactly WHEN I saw the new tats, I initially mistook them for hair plastered by sweat against his head. A second look disproved that, but I didn't get a good look at them until the Cardinals came to Phoenix to play the Diamondbacks, approximately a week before the All-Star Game.

While I generally don't have a problem with body art (take a look at Ryan "Tatman" Roberts, outfielder for my local D-backs, and baseball's REAL human canvas), there are certain places that a tattoo should not go, as is inferred by the guide below:

That being said, Yadier Molina's decision of where to get inked typically tend to be associated with three types of individuals:

Prostitutes

Since he's gettin' older, I wouldn't be surprised if Yadier has taken to walking St. Louis' red-light district at nights for the extra cash. Maybe he's thinking ahead and planning for life after baseball. After all, he's got two brothers and many relatives to support and baseball may not be enough to provide a comfortable lifestyle for all of them.

Gangbangers

I think this is the most likely explanation for Yadier Molina getting his neck tattooed.

Douchebags

Jersey Shore, anyone?

Like I said before, I typically don't have a problem with players having body art. I may think it tasteless or questionable, but in general, I don't care. However, there is a line that should not be crossed. I do believe that it is a good idea to keep body art covered up cuz tattoos, like jewelry, can be distracting to pitchers and players alike. Also, baseball is a family sport, and it would reflect poorly on Bud Selig and the PR department if all the players looked like they played for the LA Lakers basketball team (literally, walking canvases).

Keep it classy, Yadier.

tamtam

The Most Dangerous Stadium in Baseball

2011-07-09T01:07:00.005-04:00

This week, a terrible tragedy occurred at AmeriQuest Field. A man, Shannon Stone, tried to catch a ball tossed into the stands by Josh Hamilton for his son, only to tumble over the railing separating the seats from the field, and fall 20 feet to his death behind the outfield wall.

The incident rattled Hamilton severely, as he claimed that he could hear Stone's son screaming as his father fell down behind the outfield wall. He says he's getting by with the help of his family and his faith, and intends to reach out to the family of the dead man in the near future. But if Hamilton thought his week couldn't get any worse, it did when he hit a foul ball into the stands and clonked a fan on the head. That fan required stitches.

Though you can argue that the saintly Josh Hamilton has turned into baseball's most dangerous player-literally, I say that AmeriQuest Park is baseball's most dangerous stadium. I don't remember where I heard this, but building inspectors who came to look at AmeriQuest Field said that the railing which Shannon Stone tumbled over was too short. Someone could easily fall over it in the future.

This is actually the second fatality to take place at an MLB stadium this year. The first was at Coors Field in Denver, CO, where a fan attempted to slide down the railing of some stairs in the stadium, fell, and died after hitting his head on the concrete floor. Admittedly, the fan was acting recklessly, but it raised the question of stadium safety.

Nolan Ryan and the Rangers better cough up the money to fix their stadium, or else this will be the fate that awaits them in the near future:

tamtam

I Like Baseball Cards

2011-07-08T12:49:00.000-04:00

You remember them, those cardboard pieces of gold from the 80's and 90's that you thought was going to pay for your children's college education. Who needs 401k when you have a vintage Rick Ankiel rookie card?

I never collected them for the money or gave much thought to what they were worth. I still to this day collect cards from my youth, but I use them to teach the game and the history to

my children more than I do to hopefully find something magical in that foil wrapper.

I tend to go to flea markets, card shops, yard sales, and anywhere else I can find a bargain. Got a box of 10,000 common cards that you have no idea what to do with and are tired of looking at? That's where I thrive. I'll drop minimal cash ($20-$30) for these pictures of my youth captured in thin cardboard and stained with a piece of gum that might have contained less nutritional value than the card itself.

It wasn't all that long ago that I did just this. I went by a local flea market with two of my boys in tow and purchased a flat of cards that the vendor was more than happy to see disappear from his stand. The seller figured he ju

st made $25 that he thought he would never see and I found a box of treasures to share with my kids.

That night, we sat at the kitchen table and started thumbing through them. I found cards of favorite players, specific memories, and of my favorite team (the St. Louis Cardinals). I shared various stories with them about the players, their interactions with the fans, and their careers. That is when I pulled out the card that made the whole lot worth the purchase.

I pulled out a Ron Hassey card and held it for the boys to see. I explained that this card featured my favorite player of my lifetime.

My oldest turned the card over to find statistics that he did not understand. You see, Hassey was a 14 year veteran of major league baseball, a catcher, and a journeyman. He never hit well, very seldom was the featured player on his team, had a career hi

gh 13 home runs in 1985, and was most likely forgotten by people that watched him play.

The look on his face was utter confusion. Why would this be my favorite player?

The answer to that question is as simple and as complex as my love of this game. In my mind, his career and his ability epitomized what I thought this game was all about.

His focus was on defense and managing his pitching staff. He threw out 31% of would be basestealers in his career. He carried a career catcher's ERA of 3.87. In 1991, his final season on an active roster, as a member of the Montreal Expos he was the oldest player in Major League Baseball. He spent time on six different rosters in the course of his career.

Still wonder why I liked him? Don't worry, so did my son.

It is Ron Hassey that suggests that maybe there is more to this game than the stats you can find online or on the back of a baseball card. There is more to the story of a player than what can be accessed quickly or summarized on three inches of cardboard. There is more to this wonderful game than numbers or pitches or even wins and losses.

On May 15, 1981, Hassey would take the field in Cleveland, Ohio. Hassey

would go one for four that day with a base hit in the bottom of the first inning that would be his team, the Indians, up 2-0. Obviously, Hassey wasn't the story as his battery mate, Len Barker, would take the mound and face exactly twenty seven Toronto Blue Jays, retiring them all in a perfect game.

If there was a theme to Hassey's career, it would probably be the trade. Hassey was involved in five trades in his career, but most remarkable would be what would happen between the end of the 1985 season and the trading deadline in 1986. During this time period, Hassey would be traded from the Yankees to the White Sox on December 12, 1985; from the White Sox to the Yankees on February 13, 1986; and finally from the Yankees to the White Sox on July 30, 1986. Moved in various package deals, three trades between two teams would involve the catcher.

It was 1991 when Hassey would make the mark on baseball that made me research him, collect his cards, and study his dedication to the game.

That year would be the final year of Hassey's career and he would go north of the border to Canada for one more year with the boys of summer. He would only play in 52 games that season, amassing a measly .227 batting average and scrapping out 14 runs batted in. It was the end of the line for the veteran, but the magic of the baseball gods would find him once again.

On July 28, 1991, Hassey would take the field with battery mate and MLB's first Nicaraguan-born player, Dennis Martinez. The Expos would take on the Dodgers that day in Los Angeles and Hassey would go one for three with a single. Hassey would reach on an error in the seventh inning scoring Larry Walker, though not getting credit for a run batted in due to the error. Walker had previously reached on an RBI triple scoring Martinez.

Those two runs would be all Martinez would need that day, as he would cruise through the Dodgers' lineup in perfect fashion. Twenty seven batters would come up and twenty seven would be retired, marking a perfect game for the Expos' right hander.

There it was, ten years apart from each other, but that was the moments that would define the catcher's career. Ron Hassey would go down in history as the only catcher in Major League history to be on the receiving end of two perfect games.

Moments like these remind so many of us about the poetry that is the game of baseball. It captures the mind, it produces the memories and the soundtracks that dominate our memories, and it draws the attention of young and old alike.

As my children and I dig through more baseball cards and I share more stories and memories with them, I look forward to sharing the moments with our readers and fans. After all you, you can never truly get enough, so we'll just keep dishing up More Hardball.

Bill Ivie runs i70baseball.com and drops some tweets on Twitter from time to time. He is a baseball historian and a self-proclaimed g33k.

Astros + 3 Rodriguez = Loss

2011-07-06T07:49:00.004-04:00

The Astros are back at it again. Losing and pitching only players with the last name Rodriguez. This marks the second time this season the Astros have sent 3 Rodriguez to the mound in the same game, and the last time they lost too. Once again Wandy Rodriguez started the game, followed by Fernando Rodriguez, then finished off by Aneury Rodriguez.

I guess this is Houston's idea of the 3 Amigos.

From June 24th:
The Houston Astros used 3 pitchers last night, all with the last name Rodriguez. Starting pitcher Wandy Rodriguez went 6 innings allowing 5 runs and picked up the loss. He was relieved by Fernando Rodriguez, who went 2 scoreless frames, and then Rule 5 pick Aneury Rodriguez finished off the game.

Not sure if this is the first time 3 Rodriguez's have pitched in the same game, but either way it's pretty damn amusing.

The Howard King: Mark Reynolds

2011-07-05T06:41:00.004-04:00

The Howard by definition- anytime a player strikes out, hits a homerun, and commits an error in the same game.

The Howard co-winner in both the 2009 and 2010 upped his lead in the exclusive category with his 5th of the season. Congratulations Mark Reynolds. The young slugging, strikeout prone, erratic fielder has 14 Howards to his name since the creation of the stat prior to the 2009 season. 9 Howards were committed with the Arizona Diamondbacks and the 5 most recent with the Baltimore Orioles. Mark Reynolds is truly The Howard King.

Mark Reynolds has clubbed 96 homeruns, whiffed 520 times, and got the ugly E on defense 62 times since the beginning of the 2009 season.

*The Howard is brought to you by the brilliant minds of We Should Be GMs.

Team MVP & Cy Young: NL West

2011-07-04T08:41:00.002-04:00

The halfway point of the 2011 MLB season is upon us and More Hardball has taken the task of appointing each team a MVP and Cy Young. Today's focus is on the National League West division.

Arizona Diamondbacks:
MVP - Justin Upton/CF .298/.889, 49 R, 22 DBL, 3 TRPL, 13 HR, 43 RBI, 14 SB.
Runner Up - Miguel Montero/C

CY - Ian Kennedy 8-3, 18 GS, 122.1 IP, 32:103 BB:K, 3.38 ERA, 1.14 WHIP.
Runner Up - Daniel Hudson

Colorado Rockies:
MVP - Carlos Gonzalez/CF .296/.860, 55 R, 18 DBL, 3 TRPL, 13 HR, 51 RBI, 14 SB.
Runner Up - Todd Helton/1B

CY - Jhoulys Chacin 8-5, 16 GS, 104.2 IP, 43:92 BB:K, 3.10 ERA, 1.15 WHIP.
Runner Up - Matt Lindstrom

Los Angeles Dodgers:
MVP - Matt Kemp/CF .322/1.014, 52 R, 17 DBL, 2 TRPL, 22 HR, 64 RBI, 22 SB.
Runner Up - Andre Ethier/RF

CY - Clayton Kershaw 8-4, 18 GS, 122.2 IP, 33:138 BB:K, 3.23 ERA, 1.06 WHIP.
Runner Up - Hiroki Kuroda

San Diego Padres:
MVP - Ryan Ludwick/LF .252/.712, 35 R, 13 DBL, 10 HR, 51 RBI.
Runner Up - Chase Headley/3B

CY - Mike Adams 3-1, 37 G, 37.1 IP, 1 SV, 16 HLD, 5:41 BB:K, 1.21 ERA, 0.64 WHIP.
Runner Up - Heath Bell

San Francisco Giants:
MVP - Cody Ross/LF .269/.777, 27 R, 16 DBL, 6 HR, 25 RBI, 4 SB.
Runner Up - Pablo Sandoval/3B

CY - Ryan Vogelsong 6-1, 15 G, 13 GS, 84.1 IP, 27:68 BB:K, 2.13 ERA, 1.15 WHIP.
Runner Up - Matt Cain

*Stats through games played on July 3rd

The Social Element of Playing Bingo Online

2011-07-04T07:16:00.002-04:00

It has been previously reported how the social aspect of online bingo games make this favorable pastime more of a social interaction rather than a gambling one, so it’s not surprising to see many sites that offer bingo online activities adding even more social elements to their existing ones. Members at internet bingo sites have come to expect great bingo games from their respective sites, but at the same time, they know they can hit the chat rooms and speak to all their bingo buddies from around the world.

One of the newest bingo rooms to fully utilize such social elements is the internet site of Wonder Bingo, which enables their members to accumulate experience points when they exchange gifts with their roomies, make new bingo buddies or simply when they play online bingo games. Wonder Bingo also features some Wonder Levels which can unlock new virtual gifts every time their members reach a new level. It all starts with the Rookies and it goes all the way up to Megastars.

One of the best ways for bingo players to find which bingo site offers such social elements to their online bingo games, is by looking around at the various bingo reviews that are available on numerous bingo portals. It will come in handy as it gives them all the information they need before they sign up at a site and start to enjoy their favourite pastime. Online bingo is indeed for the masses.

Team MVP & Cy Young: NL Central

2011-07-03T10:03:00.000-04:00

The halfway point of the 2011 MLB season is upon us and More Hardball has taken the task of appointing each team a MVP and Cy Young. Today's focus is on the National League Central division.

Chicago Cubs:
MVP - Starlin Castro/SS .309/.767, 45 R, 21 DBL, 7 TRPL, 2 HR, 37 RBI, 10 SB.
Runner Up - Aramis Ramirez/3B

CY - Sean Marshall 4-2, 38 G, 38.1 IP, 1 SV, 13 HLD, 9:39 BB:K, 2.11 ERA, 1.15 WHIP.
Runner Up - Carlos Marmol

Cincinnati Reds:
MVP - Joey Votto/1B .316/.941, 55 R, 18 DBL, 2 TRPL, 12 HR, 51 RBI, 6 SB.
Runner Up - Jay Bruce/RF

CY - Francisco Cordero 3-1, 34 G, 35.1 IP, 16 SV, 11:26 BB:K, 1.53 ERA, 0.85 WHIP.
Runner Up- Bill Bray

Houston Astros:
MVP - Hunter Pence/RF .323/.864, 38 R, 23 DBL, 2 TRPL, 10 HR, 57 RBI, 4 SB.
Runner Up - Michael Bourn/CF

CY - Mark Melancon 5-1, 39 G, 38 IP, 6 SV, 3 HLD, 13:33 BB:K, 3.08 ERA, 1.34 WHIP.
Runner Up - Wandy Rodriguez

Milwaukee Brewers:
MVP - Prince Fielder/1B .299/1.004, 49 R, 20 DBL, 21 HR, 69 RBI.
Runner Up - Ryan Braun/RF

CY - Shaun Marcum 7-3, 17 GS, 99.2 IP, 28:92 BB:K, 3.16 ERA, 1.08 WHIP.
Runner Up - John Axford

Pittsburgh Pirates:
MVP - Andrew McCutchen/CF .289/.884, 48 R, 20 DBL, 3 TRPL, 12 HR, 43 RBI, 15 SB.
Runner Up - Neil Walker/2B

CY - Joel Hanrahan 38 G, 38.1 IP, 24 SV, 8:33 BB:K, 1.41 ERA, 0.97 WHIP.
Runner Up - Jeff Karstens

St. Louis Cardinals:
MVP - Lance Berkman/RF .297/1.010, 50 R, 12 DBL, 21 HR, 59 RBI.
Runner Up - Matt Holliday/LF

CY - Kyle Lohse 8-4, 16 GS, 110 IP, 20:58 BB:K, 2.78 ERA, 1.03 WHIP.
Runner Up - Fernando Salas

*Stats through games played on July 2nd

Bad Apples

2011-07-02T20:41:00.005-04:00

It's no secret that the Mets have been wracked with injuries. Today, the injury bug claimed its latest victim, the speedy yet nasty Jose Reyes.

The victim list reads like a whose-who of starters, including David Wright, Johan Santana, and K-Rod.

Guess the big apple is getting more than its fair share of bruises and dings.

tamtam

Team MVP & Cy Young: NL East

2011-07-01T08:23:00.000-04:00

The halfway point of the 2011 MLB season is upon us and More Hardball has taken the task of appointing each team a MVP and Cy Young. Today's focus is on the National League East division.

Atlanta Braves:
MVP - Brian McCann/C .314/.914, 29 R, 14 DBL, 14 HR, 47 RBI.
Runner Up - Freddie Freeman/1B

CY - Jair Jurrjens 10-3, 14 GS, 95.2 IP, 22:55 BB:K, 2.07 ERA, 1.14 WHIP.
Runner Up - Jonny Venters

Florida Marlins:
MVP - Gaby Sanchez/1B .294/.850, 39 R, 18 DBL, 13 HR, 45 RBI.
Runner Up - Logan Morrison/LF

CY - Anibal Sanchez 6-1, 16 GS, 105.1 IP, 29:107 BB:K, 2.82 ERA, 1.13 WHIP.
Runner Up - Josh Johnson

New York Mets:
MVP - Jose Reyes/SS .352/.926, 65 R, 22 DBL, 15 TRPL, 3 HR, 32 RBI, 30 SB.
Runner Up - Carlos Beltran/RF

CY - Dillon Gee 8-1, 15 G, 12 GS, 76 IP, 30:51 BB:K, 3.32 ERA, 1.18 WHIP.
Runner Up - Jason Isringhausen

Philadelphia Phillies:
MVP - Shane Victorino/CF .289/.863, 50 R, 12 DBL, 8 TRPL, 9 HR, 31 RBI, 13 SB.
Runner Up - Ryan Howard/1B

CY - Roy Halladay 10-3, 17 GS, 127.1 IP, 16:123 BB:K, 2.40 ERA, 1.03 WHIP.
Runner Up - Cole Hamels

Washington Nationals:
MVP - Michael Morse/1B .300/.900, 34 R, 15 DBL, 15 HR, 46 RBI.
Runner Up - Danny Espinosa/2B

CY - Tyler Clippard 1-0, 36 G, 45 IP, 21 HLD, 15:57 BB:K, 2.00 ERA, 0.89 WHIP.
Runner Up - Jordan Zimmermann

*Stats through games played on June 30th

Team MVP & Cy Young: American League

2011-06-30T14:43:00.000-04:00

The midpoint of the 2011 season is upon us and More Hardball is assigning each team a MVP and Cy Young for the first half. Here are the winners for each of the American League teams.

AL East:

Baltimore Orioles:
MVP - Adam Jones/CF .294/.823, 38 R, 14 DBL, 13 HR, 45 RBI, 5 SB.
Runner Up - JJ Hardy/SS

CY - Koji Uehara 1-1, 9 HLD, 33 G, 36 IP, 7:46 BB:K, 2.25 ERA, 0.78 WHIP.
Runner Up - Jim Johnson

Boston Red Sox:
MVP - Adrian Gonzalez/1B .361/1.147, 56 R, 25 DBL, 3 TRPL, 16 HR, 71 RBI.
Runner Up - David Ortiz/DH

CY - Josh Beckett 6-2, 14 GS, 92 IP, 30:79 BB:K, 1.86 ERA, 0.92 WHIP.
Runner Up - Daniel Bard

New York Yankees:
MVP - Curtis Granderson/CF .276/.933, 68 R, 11 DBL, 6 TRPL, 21 HR, 55 RBI, 12 SB.
Runner Up - Mark Teixeira/1B

CY - Mariano Rivera 1-1, 20 SV, 32 G, 30.1 IP, 4:26 BB:K, 1.78 ERA, 0.99 WHIP.
Runner Up - David Robertson

Tampa Bay Rays:
MVP - Matt Joyce/RF .313/.916, 41 R, 19 DBL, 2 TRPL, 10 HR, 38 RBI, 4 SB.
Runner Up - Casey Kotchman/1B

CY - James Shields 8-4, 16 GS, 121.2 IP, 28:117 BB:K, 2.29 ERA, 0.96 WHIP.
Runner Up - Kyle Farnsworth

Toronto Blue Jays:
MVP - Jose Bautista/RF .328/1.125, 60 R, 12 DBL, 23 HR, 49 RBI, 5 SB.
Runner Up - Adam Lind/1B

CY - Ricky Romero 7-7, 16 GS, 111.2 IP, 38:96 BB:K, 2.74 ERA, 1.16 WHIP.
Runner Up - Jason Frasor

*Stats through games played on 6/27

AL Central:

Chicago White Sox:
MVP - Paul Konerko/1B .318/.966, 39 R, 12 DBL, 21 HR, 60 RBI.
Runner Up - Carlos Quentin/RF

CY - Philip Humber 7-4, 16 G, 14 GS, 96.2 IP, 23:59 BB:K, 2.89 ERA, 0.89 WHIP.
Runner Up - Jesse Crain

Cleveland Indians:
MVP - Asdrubal Cabrera/SS .292/.837, 52 R, 20 DBL, 3 TRPL, 13 HR, 46 RBI, 12 SB.
Runner Up - Michael Brantley/CF

CY - Vinnie Pestano 1-0, 31 G, 28.2 IP, 11:39 BB:K, 10 HLD, 1.57 ERA, 0.91 WHIP.
Runner Up - Tony Sipp

Detroit Tigers:
MVP - Miguel Cabrera/1B .333/1.024, 58 R, 20 DBL, 15 HR, 52 RBI.
Runner Up - Alex Avila/C

CY - Justin Verlander 10-3, 17 GS, 128.2 IP, 27:124 BB:K, 2.38 ERA, 0.84 WHIP.
Runner Up - Al Alburquerque

Kansas City Royals:
MVP - Alex Gordon/LF .291/.838, 45 R, 23 DBL, 4 TRPL, 9 HR, 44 RBI, 5 SB.
Runner Up - Billy Butler/DH

CY - Aaron Crow 2-1, 32 G, 38.2 IP, 17:39 BB:K, 8 HLD, 1.40 ERA, 1.09 WHIP.
Runner Up - Blake Wood

Minnesota Twins:
MVP - Michael Cuddyer/RF .286/.805, 33 R, 16 DBL, 10 HR, 30 RBI, 7 SB.
Runner Up - Denard Span/CF

CY - Scott Baker 5-5, 15 GS, 98.1 IP, 28:92 BB:K, 3.39 ERA, 1.21 WHIP.
Runner Up - Nick Blackburn

*Stats through games played on June 28th

AL West:

Los Angeles Angels:
MVP - Howie Kendrick/2B .305/.840, 40 R, 18 DBL, 2 TRPL, 8 HR, 26 RBI, 8 SB.
Runner Up - Bobby Abreu/DH

CY - Jered Weaver 9-4, 17 GS, 123.1 IP, 28:106 BB:K, 1.97 ERA, 0.93 WHIP.
Runner Up - Dan Haren

Oakland Athletics:
MVP - Coco Crisp/CF .268/.690, 37 R, 17 DBL, 5 TRPL, 2 HR, 25 RBI, 24 SB.
Runner Up - Josh Willingham/LF

CY - Gio Gonzalez 7-5, 16 GS, 102 IP, 46:99 BB:K, 2.38 ERA, 1.24 WHIP.
Runner Up - Grant Balfour

Seattle Mariners:
MVP - Justin Smoak/1B .243/.794, 22 R, 18 DBL, 12 HR, 40 RBI.
Runner Up - Adam Kennedy/2B

CY - Michael Pineda 7-5, 16 GS, 102 IP, 32:99 BB:K, 2.65 ERA, 1.03 WHIP.
Runner Up - David Pauley

Texas Rangers:
MVP - Michael Young/DH .318/.824, 34 R, 22 DBL, 3 TRPL, 7 HR, 53 RBI, 4 SB.
Runner Up - Mitch Moreland/RF

CY - Alexi Ogando 7-3, 15 GS, 91 IP, 20:65 BB:K, 2.87 ERA, 1.03 WHIP.
Runner Up - CJ Wilson

*Stats through games played on June 29th

Team MVP & Cy Young: AL West

2011-06-30T07:57:00.001-04:00

The midpoint of the 2011 season is upon us and More Hardball is assigning each team a MVP and Cy Young for the first half. Today we feature the American League West division.

Los Angeles Angels:
MVP - Howie Kendrick/2B .305/.840, 40 R, 18 DBL, 2 TRPL, 8 HR, 26 RBI, 8 SB.
Runner Up - Bobby Abreu/DH

CY - Jered Weaver 9-4, 17 GS, 123.1 IP, 28:106 BB:K, 1.97 ERA, 0.93 WHIP.
Runner Up - Dan Haren

Oakland Athletics:
MVP - Coco Crisp/CF .268/.690, 37 R, 17 DBL, 5 TRPL, 2 HR, 25 RBI, 24 SB.
Runner Up - Josh Willingham/LF

CY - Gio Gonzalez 7-5, 16 GS, 102 IP, 46:99 BB:K, 2.38 ERA, 1.24 WHIP.
Runner Up - Grant Balfour

Seattle Mariners:
MVP - Justin Smoak/1B .243/.794, 22 R, 18 DBL, 12 HR, 40 RBI.
Runner Up - Adam Kennedy/2B

CY - Michael Pineda 7-5, 16 GS, 102 IP, 32:99 BB:K, 2.65 ERA, 1.03 WHIP.
Runner Up - David Pauley

Texas Rangers:
MVP - Michael Young/DH .318/.824, 34 R, 22 DBL, 3 TRPL, 7 HR, 53 RBI, 4 SB.
Runner Up - Mitch Moreland/RF

CY - Alexi Ogando 7-3, 15 GS, 91 IP, 20:65 BB:K, 2.87 ERA, 1.03 WHIP.
Runner Up - CJ Wilson

*Stats through games played on June 29th

Team MVP & Cy Young: AL Central

2011-06-29T09:17:00.001-04:00

With the midpoint of the 2011 season nearing More Hardball has taken the opportunity to name each team's MVP and Cy Young through the first half. Today we feature the American League Central division.

Chicago White Sox:
MVP - Paul Konerko/1B .318/.966, 39 R, 12 DBL, 21 HR, 60 RBI.
Runner Up - Carlos Quentin/RF

CY - Philip Humber 7-4, 16 G, 14 GS, 96.2 IP, 23:59 BB:K, 2.89 ERA, 0.89 WHIP.
Runner Up - Jesse Crain

Cleveland Indians:
MVP - Asdrubal Cabrera/SS .292/.837, 52 R, 20 DBL, 3 TRPL, 13 HR, 46 RBI, 12 SB.
Runner Up - Michael Brantley/CF

CY - Vinnie Pestano 1-0, 31 G, 28.2 IP, 11:39 BB:K, 10 HLD, 1.57 ERA, 0.91 WHIP.
Runner Up - Tony Sipp

Detroit Tigers:
MVP - Miguel Cabrera/1B .333/1.024, 58 R, 20 DBL, 15 HR, 52 RBI.
Runner Up - Alex Avila/C

CY - Justin Verlander 10-3, 17 GS, 128.2 IP, 27:124 BB:K, 2.38 ERA, 0.84 WHIP.
Runner Up - Al Alburquerque

Kansas City Royals:
MVP - Alex Gordon/LF .291/.838, 45 R, 23 DBL, 4 TRPL, 9 HR, 44 RBI, 5 SB.
Runner Up - Billy Butler/DH

CY - Aaron Crow 2-1, 32 G, 38.2 IP, 17:39 BB:K, 8 HLD, 1.40 ERA, 1.09 WHIP.
Runner Up - Blake Wood

Minnesota Twins:
MVP - Michael Cuddyer/RF .286/.805, 33 R, 16 DBL, 10 HR, 30 RBI, 7 SB.
Runner Up - Denard Span/CF

CY - Scott Baker 5-5, 15 GS, 98.1 IP, 28:92 BB:K, 3.39 ERA, 1.21 WHIP.
Runner Up - Nick Blackburn

*Stats through games played on June 28th

Team MVP & Cy Young: AL East

2011-06-28T09:26:00.002-04:00

With the midpoint of the 2011 season nearing More Hardball has taken the opportunity to name each team's MVP and Cy Young through the first half. Today we feature the American League East division.

Baltimore Orioles:
MVP - Adam Jones/CF .294/.823, 38 R, 14 DBL, 13 HR, 45 RBI, 5 SB.
Runner Up - JJ Hardy/SS

CY - Koji Uehara 1-1, 9 HLD, 33 G, 36 IP, 7:46 BB:K, 2.25 ERA, 0.78 WHIP.
Runner Up - Jim Johnson

Boston Red Sox:
MVP - Adrian Gonzalez/1B .361/1.147, 56 R, 25 DBL, 3 TRPL, 16 HR, 71 RBI.
Runner Up - David Ortiz/DH

CY - Josh Beckett 6-2, 14 GS, 92 IP, 30:79 BB:K, 1.86 ERA, 0.92 WHIP.
Runner Up - Daniel Bard

New York Yankees:
MVP - Curtis Granderson/CF .276/.933, 68 R, 11 DBL, 6 TRPL, 21 HR, 55 RBI, 12 SB.
Runner Up - Mark Teixeira/1B

CY - Mariano Rivera 1-1, 20 SV, 32 G, 30.1 IP, 4:26 BB:K, 1.78 ERA, 0.99 WHIP.
Runner Up - David Robertson

Tampa Bay Rays:
MVP - Matt Joyce/RF .313/.916, 41 R, 19 DBL, 2 TRPL, 10 HR, 38 RBI, 4 SB.
Runner Up - Casey Kotchman/1B

CY - James Shields 8-4, 16 GS, 121.2 IP, 28:117 BB:K, 2.29 ERA, 0.96 WHIP.
Runner Up - Kyle Farnsworth

Toronto Blue Jays:
MVP - Jose Bautista/RF .328/1.125, 60 R, 12 DBL, 23 HR, 49 RBI, 5 SB.
Runner Up - Adam Lind/1B

CY - Ricky Romero 7-7, 16 GS, 111.2 IP, 38:96 BB:K, 2.74 ERA, 1.16 WHIP.
Runner Up - Jason Frasor

*Stats through games played on 6/27

Posada Not Dead Yet

2011-06-26T14:22:00.000-04:00

Remember when Jorge Posada was washed-up, sucked, and thought to be dead? It wasn't too long ago. In just a few weeks (since June 4th), Posada has taken his AVG/OPS from .169/.623 to .232/.717. Still not All-Star numbers, but also not dead or on the brink of being released.

Posada openly sulked about batting 9th and removed himself from the lineup earlier this season. Rumors were abound that the Yankees might release him after Derek Jeter collected his 3000th hit. However, Jeter his the DL 6 hits short of the milestone and Jorge decided he still had something left to offer.

Managment Mess

2011-06-25T19:18:00.008-04:00

This past week has seen the managerial makeup of several teams shaken up. Jim Riggleman bails on his boob of a team, the Nationals, and left the job to Davey Johnson, someone who, until Riggleman stepped down, I'd never heard of (most of our readers, and the staff might as he played during their lifetimes/memories).

But while Riggleman's walkout was perhaps the most shocking managerial story of the week, it wasn't the first. That came from Florida where Jeff Loria, the GM of the Marlins, somehow managed to dig up Jack McKeon from whatever grave he was in and gave him the reins for that mess of a club in South Florida. McKeon, as you all remember, was the manager who coached the Florida Marlins to a World Series victory against the Yankees in 2003, and had retired in 2006.

McKeon's reinstatement raised the eyebrows of fans and bloggers alike. Are the Marlins so desperate that they had to dig up poor old Jack McKeon to finish a job that their previous manager was originally hired to do? Or did we balk cuz of the fact that Jack McKeon is still alive and kickin', and nobody expected it?

The saga of the Marlins got me thinking, whose coach is next on the chopping block? The Mets aren't doing too well either. Will the management convince Mike Piazza to come out of retirement to coach the Mets?

If you think the Mets' organization is already in a downward spiral, for sure it will crash and burn if Piazza comes to coach the team. Though Piazza had a Hall-of-Fame career as a player, his career as a manager will not be so spectacular. But with the Mets being the butt of all baseball jokes, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to give it a shot.

tamtam

The Nationals Don't Quit Like Their Manager

2011-06-25T07:26:00.003-04:00

Jim Riggleman may have quit on the Nationals, but the Nationals themselves refuse to do so. Despite 3 blown saves in the same game, the Nats still won in 14 innings last night. It was their first game since Riggleman unexpectedly resigned from managing Washington. They've won 12 out of the last 13 contests and now sit 2 games above .500 (39-37).

They join the likes of the Seattle Mariners (38-38), Cleveland Indians (40-34), Pittsburgh Pirates (38-37), and Arizona Diamondbacks (43-34) as surprise teams of 2011 that are actually still in contention for the postseason.

Astros Will Only Pitch Rodriguez

2011-06-25T07:08:00.005-04:00

The Houston Astros used 3 pitchers last night (June 24th), all with the last name Rodriguez. Starting pitcher Wandy Rodriguez went 6 innings allowing 5 runs and picked up the loss. He was relieved by Fernando Rodriguez, who went 2 scoreless frames, and then Rule 5 pick Aneury Rodriguez finished off the game.

Not sure if this is the first time 3 Rodriguez's have pitched in the same game, but either way it's pretty damn amusing.

Jim Riggleman is a Dumbass

2011-06-24T15:42:00.003-04:00

Remember when the Washington Nationals sucked? Yeah, just about 2 weeks ago. Since the Montreal Expos came to America they've been a joke. However, things are starting to turn around in our nation's capital and manager Jim Riggleman has lead them to a 35-34 record this season. Pretty impressive. He should be proud and happy. He should resign? Wait, what? Yep, Riggleman was pissed that his 2012 option had yet to be picked up by the club, so following Thursday's victory that put the Nats over the .500 mark, he resigned and never got on the team bus. This has to be a shock to the Nationals front office, fans, and more importantly the players. Wonder how the rest of their season will shake out now. He desired so desperately to have his future secured in 2012 as a manager, yet he walked away from his job, and now has probably screwed himself as far as ever managing in the Majors again. One thing is for certain though- Jim Riggleman is a dumbass!

Love Marines, But Not This One

2011-06-23T07:36:00.004-04:00

Here at More Hardball we support, appreciate, and salute America's armed forces, but we do not condone the following...

It is Marine week in St. Louis and during Tuesday's telecast of the Phillies and Cardinals game Fox Sports Midwest invited Colonel T. Shane Tomko into the booth to talk about the week's festivities. What ensued is a shame.

Col. Tomko: I'll tell you what, with that M1A1 Abrams we got across the street, if Halladay keeps on pitching well, we can fix that with one round pretty quickly.
Announcer: (awkward laugh) I'm sure you could. I don't know if we should say that, but you just did.
Col. Tomko: I can say whatever I want because I'm a war fighter, and this is the Cardinals Nation the last time I checked.

Roy Halladay has long been one of my favorite players, dating back prior to his days with my beloved Phils. This Marine's "joke" is uncalled for and sheds a negative light on what otherwise is an upstanding organization that deserves nothing but the utmost respect. Colonel Tomko later tried to explain away what he said, but bottom line is he should have never said it to begin with. He was presented with the opportunity to spread goodwill, give positive reflections on his time with the Marines, and be an enlightening source of information. This he did not do.

Life and Art

2011-06-18T19:45:00.004-04:00

Rumor has it that the infamous Carlos Zambrano has waived his no-trade cause. Looks like he's on the verge of being traded! Rumor also has it that the Yankees are interested in acquiring the feisty pitcher.

Life imitating art? Or was I reading Carlos Zambrano's mind...?

tamtam

Stinky Sox

2011-06-18T00:38:00.004-04:00

This week's cartoon pretty much sums up the entire season of my hometown team, as of tonight.

Since I've been out here, I haven't had much of a chance to watch the Sox games. After all, WGN has to share airtime with the Shlubs too. But tonight was the first time in several weeks (maybe a month?) that I had last seen a White Sox game. However, I've been keeping up with the team via their fansites and blogs. From what I've been reading, things are improving, but my team is still in the crapper. Tonight, my hometown team only managed one run against their ex-pitcher Daniel Hudson. He was throwing Ks left and right. Remind me again, Kenny, how exactly are we in third place in the AL Central...?

And that is the story behind this week's cartoon.

Tamtam

You Think You Know Chris Carpenter, Guess Again

2011-06-15T08:03:00.006-04:00

Question - How many Chris Carpenter's have pitched in the Major Leagues?

Answer - 3.

1st Carpenter - Chris was spelled "Cris" without the h. He began his career back in 1988 with the St. Louis Cardinals and later pitched for the Florida Marlins and Texas Rangers, before ending his career in Milwaukee with the Brewers in 1996. In 8 seasons, the relief pitcher had a 27-22 record with a 3.91 ERA in 291 appearance. Nothing spectacular and wouldn't even be getting blog coverage if not for the 2nd Carpenter.

2nd Carpenter - Chris began his career with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1997, 1 season after the 1st Carpenter retired. He went onto fame with the St. Louis Cardinals, becoming an All-Star and Cy Young award winner. He's still with the Red Birds and owns a career record of 134-89 with a 3.83 ERA in over 2000 MLB innings.

3rd Carpenter - Chris just made his debut with the Chicago Cubs yesterday striking out 1 batter in two-thirds of an inning.

Now shit gets weird...
2nd and 3rd Carpenter have the same exact name of Christopher John Carpenter. The 1st and 2nd Carpenter were each drafted in the 1st round (Cris- 14th overall, Chris- 15th overall). All 3 were right-handed pitchers.

Name to Know- Steven Cishek

2011-06-14T08:51:00.004-04:00

Standing 6 foot 5 inches the Florida Marlins rookie reliever Steven Cishek is a big man looming on the mound over the competition. The 5th round pick in 2007 has worked his was through the Fish's system and is working his way into a prominent role in their bullpen. Cishek got the customary September call-up last year when rosters expanded and made 3 scoreless appearances. This season he started in Triple-A, but was called up in May and has been doing brilliantly ever since. Cishek has worked 10.1 innings in 7 games with nary a run surrendered. For his career- 10 G, 14.2 IP, 10 K, 0.00 ERA, and 0.68 WHIP. Just last week he picked up his first career save, and while Leo Nunez is the closer for the time being, expect Cishek to get some holds.

Helping Hands

2011-06-11T02:20:00.004-04:00

By now, I'm sure you've all heard that Derek Jeter is closing in on 3000 hits. While this is an impressive feat all in itself, Jeter stands out in particular because in spite of all the Yankee greats, such as Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Mickey Mantle, not a single Yankee has had 3000 hits with the team during their careers.

With this in mind, I created this week's cartoon. Though Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Mickey Mantle were never able to reach this career milestone, I'm sure they're willing to lend a helping hand from above in order to aid a member of their team.

And maybe Mick is right-when Jeter finally gets his 3000 hits, maybe even a notorious Yankee-hater like myself can finally learn to respect him for something.

tamtam

Mark DisGraceFul

2011-06-09T09:13:00.002-04:00

Mark Grace may not be a current MLB player, but we're going to add him to the infamous list of douchebags to be arrested for a DUI this year anyway (mugshot seen to the right). The 46 year old former firstbase star of the Chicago Cubs and current Arizona Diamondbacks announcer was pulled over during the Memorial Day weekend and didn't pass the field tests. Stupid, stupid man. Mark Grace is disgraceful.

Other idiots from earlier this year...

Since the turn of the calendar year from 2010 to 2011, 6 MLB players have been arrested for DUI. That's bullshit! The Mariners Adam Kennedy, Miguel Cabrera of the Tigers, Austin Kearns of the Indians, the Oakland Athletics Coco Crisp, Derek Lowe of the Braves, and now Shin-Soo Choo of the Indians. C'mon fellas, seriously?!?!?!?!

Baseball-Reference.com lists their career earnings as follows: Kennedy- $19,427,500, Cabrera- $54,410,623, Kearns- $20,780,000, Crisp- $23,434,299, Lowe- $80,417,000, Choo- $1,271,800 (but got paid handsomely at $3.975M for this season). They have the money to do what the want, and one of those things should be hiring a f'n chauffeur, calling for a cab, or text a teammate to pick you up. Something, anything, but drive yourself while under the influence. I'm not pissed off that they drank to the point of inebriation, because that would be hypocritical of me. Nope, I'm pissed that they're stupid and selfish enough to put themselves and others in danger by operating a motor vehicle when it's simply not a necessity. Have we learned nothing from Nick Adenhart's tragic death or the saga of Jim Leyritz?

The Power of Zero- Revised Part 1

2011-06-08T08:11:00.003-04:00

The Power of Zero lives on in the form of the following relievers that have yet to surrender an earned this season.

0.00 ERA:
Greg Holland/KCR 7 G, 10 IP, 13 K, 1 W, 2 HLD, 1.00 WHIP
Lance Pendleton/NYY 7 G, 9.1 IP, 0.86 WHIP
Daniel Moskos/PIT 10 G, 9 IP, 1 W, 0.89 WHIP
Rich Hill/BOS 9 G, 8 IP, 12 K, 3 HLD, 0.75 WHIP
Scott Elbert/LAD 11 G, 7.2 IP, 8 K, 3 HLD, 0.89 WHIP
Steve Cishek/FLA 4 G, 6.2 IP, 0.75 WHIP

*Rich Hill is currently on the DL.

*Steve Cishek hasn't allowed an earned run in the Majors yet over 2 season with the Marlins. Career- 7 G, 11 IP, 0.64 WHIP.

Brian McCann is the Predator?

2011-06-07T04:44:00.011-04:00

Brian McCann vs. Predator. Or Brian McCann as Predator?

You be the judge...

*Hat tip to Brian Green, who proposed this via email.

Surprising Pitching Performances of 2011

2011-06-06T08:53:00.009-04:00

The following is a list of surprising pitching performances thus far in the 2011 MLB season. They've either bounced back from injury, signed minor league deals, were selected off waivers, or just flat-out turned their careers around.

*#/# = ERA/WHIP, #:# = BB:K

Bartolo Colon/NYY 4-3, 3.39/1.13, 12 G, 9 GS, 71.2 IP, 17:66. Signed as a minor league free agent this offseason for $900K after rehabbing his way back from an experimental surgery involving stem cells. The Yankees are glad they have this 38 year old former Cy Young winner buoying their rotation.

Ryan Vogelsong/SFG 4-1, 1.68/1.04, 10 G, 8 GS, 53.2 IP, 14:42. Originally drafted by the Giants in the 5th round back in 1998, Vogelsong has come full circle returning to the team that gave him his first shot in the Majors. He was signed to a minor league contract in January and has been paying dividends for San Francisco ever since.

Charlie Morton/PIT 6-2, 2.52/1.35, 11 GS, 75 IP, 31:42. On the heels of a dismal 2-12 campaign in 2010 with a ghastly 7.57 ERA, this season was make-or-break for Morton. How did he turn things around? By emulating the best pitcher on the planet, Roy Halladay, of course. He studied Doc's wind-up extensively this offseason and put it into practice this year with outstanding results. He arrived in Pittsburgh back in the summer of 2009 in the trade that sent Nate McLouth to Atlanta.

Alexi Ogando/TEX 6-0, 2.20/0.80, 11 GS, 73.2 IP, 16:53. He had an impressive rookie season for the World Series bound Rangers in 2010, sporting a 1.30 ERA in 44 games. Nobody expected his transition to the rotation to go this smoothly though. He remains unbeaten this year and is an early front-runner for the AL Cy Young. He arrived in Texas via the minor league portion of the Rule 5 draft back in 2005 out of the Oakland farm system.

Kyle Lohse/STL 7-2, 2.41/0.99, 12 GS, 86 IP, 15:52. Lohse is the biggest money maker on this list, but his performance thus far is astonishing considering he was returning from an arm injury that ended in 2010 season in which he had a 4-8 record with a 6.55 ERA. Kyle signed a 4 year pact with the Cardinals back in 2008, and is now making good on that.

Dustin Moseley/SDP 2-6, 3.00/1.26, 12 GS, 72 IP, 21:36. This former 1st round pick of the Reds has scuffled through the Majors until seemingly settling in this year in San Diego. After being granted free agency by the Yankees, the Padres snatched him up on a cost-effective $900K 1 year contract. The losing record isn't his fault, the Friars just don't score enough runs.

Phillip Humber/CHW 4-3, 3.06/0.98, 12 G, 10 GS, 67.2 IP, 14:38. The ChiSox are using an unconventional 6-man rotation largely because the early season success of Humber. Selected off waivers from the Athletics early this year, Humber has finally begun to pitch like the guy the Twins traded Johan Santana to the Mets for.

*Stats current through June 5th games

St. Louis Cardinals- Best Outfield in MLB

2011-06-05T08:43:00.007-04:00

Matt Holliday might be on the DL, but that doesn't prevent the St. Louis Cardinals from continuing to boast the best outfield in MLB.

*Stats current through June 4th

Matt Holliday/LF .342/.975, 31 R, 13 DBL, 6 HR, 31 RBI in 44 games.

Colby Rasmus/CF .271/.819, 38 R, 10 DBL, 6 TRPL, 5 HR, 26 RBI, 5 SB in 56 games.

Lance Berkman/RF .329/1.043, 35 R, 9 DBL, 12 HR, 40 RBI in 51 games.

Jon Jay/OF .331/.861, 15 R, 6 DBL, 4 HR, 14 RBI, 5 SB in 56 games.

Allen Craig/OF/2B .343/.953, 16 R, 8 DBL, 4 HR, 22 RBI, 4 SB in 38 games.

Wow!

Who the hell took over Endy Chavez's body?

2011-06-04T15:33:00.000-04:00

What is going on with the Texas Rangers Endy Chavez?

Endy Chavez 2011: .435/1.165, 11 R, 20 H, 4 DBL, 1 TRPL, 2 HR, 6 RBI, and 3 SB in only 12 games.

Endy Chavez 2001-2009: .270/.670 in 827 games.

The 10 year MLB vet has raised his career batting average 4 points and his OPS 19 points in 12 games, now at .274/.689. That's amazing!

The man has always played superior defense, but what if he actually figured out how to hit at the age of 33? Ah, not likely.

*Stats are current through June 3rd.

Double Trouble

2011-06-04T02:52:00.008-04:00

Have I a treat for you today, faithful readers!

Today, I have two cartoons to present to you.

My first cartoon deals with none other than my local team, the Arizona Diamondbacks. Just three weeks ago, they were the laughingstock of the NL West. In fact, one of my most recent cartoons lampooned how bad the team was playing. Now, as of today, my local team is sitting in first place, a half-game up on the San Francisco Giants. This turnaround leaves one nothing short of stunned...with joy, that is. Likewise, with this early-season resurrection, the Diamondbacks may prove to be a serious contender for the postseason this year, which is especially sweet as no one saw them coming. Like a phoenix rising out of the flames and ashes in a glorious rebirth, the Arizona Diamondbacks have turned their season around and are here to do some well-deserved ass-kicking.

My second cartoon pokes at none other than my second-favorite catcher, Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez (my first-favorite catcher is AJ Pierzynski). While I've been a fan of Pudge since my teenage years, tonight I was shocked to find that he was still playing and had not retired two years ago, as was my first thought. Albeit, Pudge's current team is the NationLOLs, so he may as well be semi-retired, but it was still a shock to see that the man who I watched lead the Florida Marlins to a World Series victory in 2003 still actively playing the game.

Now one of the immediate quirks I noticed about Pudge after seeing him play that magical year was his religiosity. Personally, I have no problem with players praying to God before going out on the field or crossing themselves before going up to bat. In fact, I respect players who do have the guts to show their faith on the field. But in the case of Pudge, his show of faith seemed to be a bit...excessive. It's one thing for a player to cross himself before going up to bat and then again after he gets the hit, but between every pitch, after every hit, and between every inning (if tonight's game was any indication) just seems a bit too much. While I love Pudge for the player that he is, his frequent shows of faith have made him too ripe of a target to pass up the opportunity to poke at, even though I respect him for having the guts to do it in the first place.

Pudge, if you should find your way to this blog somehow, know that I'm not mocking you because I don't like you. I'm mocking you because I find your rituals a bit over-the-top. That said, if you are as religious in life as you are on the field, ask God to give you five more years of playing time. Darren Sutton, Mark Grace's broadcast buddy, said that's how long you've said you want to keep playing, and I want to hold you both to your respective words. Also, I want you to keep playing as long as possible cuz in spite of your rituals, I enjoy watching you play.

Have a good weekend everyone!

tamtam

PS-In Pudge's cartoon, he's reciting the beginning of the Lord's Prayer in Spanish.

Grady Sizemore- Extra Bases

2011-06-03T07:13:00.003-04:00

.262 batting average - average.

.876 OPS - pretty damn good.

30 K in 24 G - bad.

20 of your 27 hits for extra bases - amazing.

Grady Sizemore of the Cleveland Indians has hit 14 doubles and 6 homeruns this season, which account for 74% of his hits. He's averaging nearly 1 extra base hit per game (20 XBH:24 G). Just imagine what his numbers could be if he didn't start the season on the DL and get DL'd in between too.

The Power of Zero (Revised)

2011-06-01T14:17:00.002-04:00

I'm obsessed with pitchers who rock a zero earned run average. Not sure why, just am. All the guys that I was tracking to start the season have fallen off course, but there are some new 0.00 ERA pitchers to keep an eye on. The following is a list of active pitchers with 6 or more innings pitched and nary a run surrendered.

0.00 ERA:
*Jose Contreras/PHI 11 G, 10.2 IP
*Lance Pendleton/NYY 7 G, 9.1 IP
*Charlie Furbush/DET 3 G, 9 IP
*Rich Hill/BOS 8 G, 8 IP
*Zach Duke/ARI 1 GS, 7 IP
*Juan Nicasio/COL 1 GS, 7 IP
*Greg Holland/KCR 5 G, 6.2 IP
*Joey Devine/OAK 6 G, 6 IP

All stats are current through May 31st

May MLB Surprises

2011-06-01T11:18:00.003-04:00

The New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies leading the American and National League East divisions at the end of May is no surprise.

The Cleveland Indians and Arizona Diambondbacks leading their divisions is a surprise though. The Indians are 5 games up on the Detroit Tigers and the Dbacks have a slim half game margin over the San Francisco Giants.

On the opposite end of the spectrum is the Minnesota Twins with a MLB-worst 17-36 record. They have allowed 91 more runs then they've scored this season. Many predicted them to win the AL Central. Ouch!

Other Surprises:
*Matt Joyce leads all of baseball with a .370 batting average.

*Jose Bautista has actually improved upon his breakout performance last season and is currently batting .36./1.290 with 20 HR. He's no fluke ladies and gentlemen.

*Lance Berkman is having a bounce back campaign and then some to the tune of a .338 average and 1.069 OPS. He's not dead!

*Curtis Granderson has smoked 17 homeruns.

*Kyle Lohse and Kevin Correia are tied for the MLB lead in wins with 7.

*Jair Jurrjens (1.51) and Josh Beckett (1.80) lead their leagues in ERA.

*Sluggers Dan Uggla (.178/.568) and Adam Dunn (.185/.665) are struggling to make an impact with their new teams.

*John Danks already has 8 losses with the White Sox after only suffering 11 all last season over 32 starts.

*Brian Fuentes has 7 losses and he's a freakin' relief pitcher.

*Closer extraordinaire Joakim Soria has removed himself from that role because he's ashamed of his 5 blown saves.