Category: MLB (Page 128 of 448)

      Five new playoff contenders for the 2010 MLB season

      April 2, 2010 /

      While some enthusiasts will argue otherwise, there’s usually not a lot of change from one year to the next in baseball. Most pundits expect the Yankees, Phillies, Red Sox, Angels, Cardinals, Twins, Dodgers and Rockies (all eight teams that made the playoffs in 2009) to be good again this year. MLB isn’t like the NFL where teams make unexpected playoff runs every year.

      That said, that doesn’t mean there aren’t a couple of sleepers to watch out for in 2010. Below are five clubs that didn’t make the postseason last year that have the best odds (in my estimation) of making the playoffs this season.

      1. Chicago White Sox
      If you read the 2010 MLB season preview, you’re not surprised to see the White Sox at the top of this list. As long as Jake Peavy stays healthy, Chicago arguably has the best starting rotation one through five in the American League. (Boston fans may argue otherwise, but Boston fans can also shove off…just kidding…although not really.) But the key to the Chi Sox’s success this season lies in their offense. Yes, I’m banking on veterans Carlos Quentin, Alex Rios, Mark Teahen, Paul Konerko and Mark Kotsay to have productive years and yes, that may be asking a lot. But Gordon Beckham looks like a star in the making and the addition of Juan Pierre gives the Sox a solid leadoff hitter. I’m well aware that Chicago could finish third in a three-team race in the AL Central, but their pitching is going to keep them competitive all season and I’m willing to bet that their offense won’t be as bad as many believe.

      2. Seattle Mariners
      The Mariners have all the pieces in place to not only compete for the AL Wild Card, but also unseat the Angels in the AL West. Along with Felix Hernandez, the acquisition of Cliff Lee now gives Seattle the best 1-2 punch in the American League outside of Boston’s Josh Beckett and John Lackey. The problem is that the lineup lacks major punch. Chone Figgins and Ichiro give the M’s quality bats at the top of the order, but can this team score enough runs on a nightly basis? The club has been built on pitching and defense but if they want to make the postseason, the Mariners will have to prove that they can overcome a powerless lineup.

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      With injuries to Blanton, Romero and Lidge, are the Phillies in trouble?

      April 1, 2010 /

      After the club acquired Roy Halladay from the Blue Jays over the offseason, there aren’t too many (if any) media publications that are predicting against the Phillies in the NL East this season.

      But with Joe Blanton, J.C. Romero and Brad Lidge set to start the season on the disabled list, should the Phillies be concerned?

      Blanton has never been an overpowering pitcher, but he’s been a rock in the middle of the Phillies’ starting rotation since he was acquired from the A’s a couple years ago. He’ll miss anywhere from 3-6 weeks after tweaking his oblique muscle during a recent throwing session and now Kyle Kendrick (who lost out to Jamie Moyer for the club’s fifth starter spot) will take his place.

      Romero underwent surgery to repair a torn flexor tendon in his elbow last October and isn’t ready to return, although he is progressing faster in his rehab than Lidge. Both pitchers aren’t expected to return until mid April at the earliest.

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      2010 MLB Season & Award Predictions

      April 1, 2010 /

      All 2010 MLB Preview Content | AL East Preview | AL Central Preview | AL West Preview | NL East | NL Central | NL West

      What’s a season preview without predictions? An incomplete one, that’s what.

      To go along with our 2010 MLB Season Preview, below are predictions for the upcoming baseball season. Not only did we pick division, league and championship winners, but we also made predictions for some of the top player awards as well.

      As always, feel free to bash our predictions but the rule is that if you’re going to criticize our picks, you have to make some of your own. Don’t be the guy that comes back a year later to chirp about how wrong we were. Nobody likes that guy. If you’re that guy, then let it be known that nobody likes you.

      Enjoy!

      AL East: Yankees.
      The Red Sox have the best pitching in the division and despite popular belief, they have more than enough offense to unseat the Yankees too. But they also have too many question marks: Can John Lackey stay healthy? Will David Ortiz resemble the second half or first half player from 2009? Will Adrian Beltre rebound? The Yankees have fewer questions to be answered and a more complete roster from top to bottom. The Rays could easily jump back into the postseason mix this season, but B.J. Upton is the key. If he can rebound, then Tampa will give New York and Boston all they can handle. If he doesn’t, then the Rays will likely fall to the middle of the pack in the AL. The Orioles are a team on the rise, but their pitching will probably hold them back and the Jays will crumble without Roy Halladay.

      AL Central: White Sox.
      Twins and Tiger fans have reason to argue this pick but the bottom line is that this division is a crapshoot every year. The White Sox have plenty of question marks, but if Jake Peavy stays healthy then they have the best pitching in the division and while their offense is a serious concern, I’m banking on veterans Carlos Quentin and Alex Rios bouncing back and for youngsters like Gordon Beckham to make a major contribution. The Twins will no doubt be in contention throughout the year with their two MVPs Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau, but their starting pitching is still a question mark and can Jon Rauch (or whomever) replace Joe Nathan? The Tigers have enough talent to be dangerous, but is the front office committed to winning? After trading Curtis Granderson in the offseason in an obvious cost-cutting move, that’s debatable. As for the Royals and Indians, well let’s just say this is a three-team race and neither club was invited to the party. Although Zack Greinke is reason enough to go to Kauffman Stadium every fifth day.

      AL West: Angels.
      The Mariners and Rangers should scare the Angels, who lost their leadoff hitter (Chone Figgins), their main power source (Vlad Guerrero) and their ace (John Lackey) all in one offseason. But the Halos retool as well as any team in the league and they still have the best overall talent in the division. Of course, they’ll need Scott Kazmir to pitch a full season and for free agent pickup Hideki Matsui to supply power in the middle of the lineup, but the Angels should once again wear the AL West crown at the end of the season. The Mariners have the best pitching in the division after acquiring Cliff Lee, but their lineup lacks major punch. The Rangers have the opposite problem, as their offense should score plenty of runs but their pitching is once again a question mark (although youngster Neftali Feliz is my pick to win the AL Rookie of the Year award). The A’s have a couple of young pieces, but they’ll have a tough time competing this season with a lineup that is headlined by Coco Crisp and Jack Cust.

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      Denard Span hits own mother with line drive

      March 31, 2010 /

      Twins’ outfielder Denard Span better get his mom a decent Mother’s Day gift this year after this incident (from ESPN.com):

      Minnesota Twins outfielder Denard Span hit a foul ball that struck his mother in the chest in the first inning of Wednesday’s spring training game against the New York Yankees.

      Wanda Wilson was wearing a Span jersey and sitting with about 20 family members and friends near the third-base dugout. Span, batting leadoff, took a defensive swing against Yankees starter Phil Hughes in the first inning and hit a liner right at her in the box seats.

      A stunned Span sprinted from the batters’ box to the stands and stayed with his mother while paramedics treated her. The split-squad game was delayed for a few minutes as she was taken to first aid, and the Twins said she was sore but OK.

      Span returned to the plate with the count 3-2 and struck out looking on the next pitch. The Twins originally said Span would leave the game, but his mother was sitting in a different seat by the bottom of the first inning and he went to center field.

      She was treated by paramedics and back in the stands minutes later, but eventually went to a hospital after being convinced by medical personnel at the stadium.

      What are the freaking odds?

      Hopefully Denard’s mother is okay and has a full recovery.

      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      MLB

      McCready spills the beans about the Rocket in upcoming sex tape

      March 31, 2010 /

      Mindy McCready, Rogers Clemens’ one-time mistress, talks about the Rocket’s sexual prowess in an upcoming sex tape says RadarOnline.com.

      Fox’s PopTarts reports that the tape features McCready and a former boyfriend named “Peter” engaging in explicit sex acts, but that in the video, McCready also kisses and tells about other partners, saying that Clemens was a “good” lover, although he often struggled to get an erection. She said that another celebrity she slept with, Superman actor Dean Cain, was better endowed than Clemens.

      McCready also says in the video, she wishes her and Clemens’ wife Debbie “had spoken, because I realize now that the stories I was being told from Roger weren’t exactly the truth,” according to PopTarts.

      Ya think? The dude was cheating on his wife – did you actually believe he was telling you the truth about anything?

      None of this surprises me. Superman should have bigger junk than Roger Clemens – he’s a superhero for God’s sake. And isn’t one of the side effects of taking steroids the inability to, uh, launch your rocket?


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

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