Category: MLB (Page 219 of 448)

      Big Unit wins No. 299

      May 28, 2009 /

      With the Giants’ 6-3 win over the Braves on Wednesday night, Randy Johnson earned career victory No. 299.

      Johnson breezed through the first five innings, retiring 15 of the first 16 batters he faced, striking out five and allowing just one run and three hits. But he ran out of gas in the sixth and had to be relieved by Brandon Medders, who got out of that inning but allowed Atlanta to score two unearned runs to cut into San Fran’s lead at 4-3.

      But the Giants managed to add two runs in their half of the seventh and gave the bullpen enough of a cushion to preserve the win for the Big Unit, who will now go for career win No. 300 next Wednesday on the road against the Nationals.

      If Johnson claims victory, he’ll join amazing company in Cy Young, Warren Spahn, Nolan Ryan, Don Sutton, Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine as other pitchers who have 300 career victories. It would have been nice for the home crowd in San Francisco if the Big Unit went for 300 at AT&T Park, although I think they’ve already seen a great moment or two in baseball history over the past couple years. (Even if a lot of baseball fans think that moment was tainted.)

      MLB

      Zambrano goes bananas in game against Pirates, likely to be suspended

      May 27, 2009 /

      Cubs’ starter Carlos Zambrano went ape crap in a game against the Pirates on Wednesday and was ejected after bumping into umpire Mark Carlson.

      Upset with a call Carlson made at home plate, Zambrano made a huge scene, mimicking ejecting Carlson from the game, throwing a ball into left field, throwing his glove against the dugout screen and taking a bat to a Gatorade fountain.

      The Arlington Daily Herald expects that Big Z will be suspended for his actions:

      After uncorking a wild pitch, Zambrano thought he had tagged Nyjer Morgan, who was racing down from third base. Umpire Mark Carlson called Morgan safe, and Zambrano went ballistic. He got into Carlson’s face and then bumped him with his shouder or forearm, earning the heave-ho. Then, Zambrano made a show of things. He signaled that he had thrown Carlson out of the game. He tossed the ball into left field and then flung his glove against the dugout screen. He finished by taking a bat to the Gatorade fountain in the dugout. (Putting the fountain there was inviting that kind of stuff; Ryan Dempster punched it out the other day.)

      Figure Zambrano to miss at least 1 start with a suspension. Lefty Ted Lilly may get something for jumping the dugout fence the other night to take on umpire Bob Davidson, getting himself tossed. Already, Milton Bradley has been suspended for two games (reduced to one) for an argument in April with ump Larry Vanover.

      Well, nobody can ever claim that Big Z doesn’t show emotion. Maybe the tirade will breathe a little life into the recently dreadful Cubs, who have won two straight, but who had previously lost eight straight before their win Tuesday against the Bucs.

      MLB

      Steroid dealer claims he sold to Nationals, Capitals players

      May 27, 2009 /

      A central Florida man who was charged Tuesday with several counts of possession of illegal steroids and firearms is claiming that he has sold performance-enhancing drugs to Washington Nationals and Capitals players.

      Richard Thomas boasted about selling steroids to professional baseball, hockey and football players, saying, “You name the sport, and I’ve sold steroids to athletes who play it,” the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said.

      Authorities said Thomas didn’t name specific players, and they have no evidence he sold to members of those teams.

      Investigators who searched Thomas’ house in Lakeland on Tuesday recovered thousands of anabolic steroid pills, injectable liquids and syringes with an estimated wholesale value of $100,000, said Carrie Eleazer, a spokeswoman with the sheriff’s office. They also found several weapons, including loaded semiautomatic handguns.

      Capitals players passed three rounds of drug tests during each of the past two seasons, and neither the team nor officials from the National Hockey League had reason to believe Thomas’s claims, the league and the team said in a joint release Wednesday.

      A spokesman for Major League Baseball, which also randomly tests for steroids, said the organization is looking into the matter. A message seeking comment wasn’t immediately returned by the Nationals.

      Thomas told detectives he imported steroids from all around the world, including Iran, Pakistan, Slovakia, Russia, China, Turkey, Spain, Mexico and Germany. The sheriff’s office said both Thomas and his wife were semiprofessional body builders, and that he claimed to be the largest steroids dealer in central Florida.

      “He was very boastful,” Eleazer said.

      Well this certainly sounds like a fine, upstanding and trustworthy individual. There’s no way he could have made all of this up just to get his name in the paper and possibly be a part of the massive drug scandal that continues to affect professional sports now could he?

      Maybe he did sell to Nats and Caps players, but as the article notes, there’s no evidence at this point that proves that he did and until there is, he’s just a poser looking for his name in the headlines. Well he won’t fool me………..crap, I’m writing about him aren’t I?

      MLB, NHL

      Papelbon goes nuts-o on photographer

      May 26, 2009 /

      After giving up a two-run home run to Mets’ backup catcher Omir Santos in New York’s 3-2 victory over Boston on Saturday night, Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon screamed and hurled a towel at a photographer trying to capture Papelbon’s utter failure.

      Papelbon screamed, “Don’t take my f- – -ing picture,” according to Causi, before throwing his towel at him.

      It should be noted: Papelbon missed Causi.

      “I guess he missed with two pitches that night,” Causi cracked.

      Papelbon then stormed off to a corner of the dugout, hiding from the lensmen working in the first-base photographers well.

      Causi contrasted Papelbon’s behavior with that of Yankee closer Mariano Rivera. The fotog recalled taking a picture of Rivera last month at Fenway Park just after the ace reliever blew a save against Boston.

      “He knew I was shooting him, and he didn’t say a word,” Causi said. “A true champion realizes you got to take the good with the bad.”

      Wow – Causi 1, Papelbon 0.

      I don’t know what’s worse, giving up a two-run home run to Omir freaking Santos or having a no-name photographer make you look like a massive chump in the newspaper.

      MLB

      Giants interested in Marlins’ Dan Uggla

      May 26, 2009 /

      Apparently the near-Jake Peavy deal between the Padres and White Sox woke up other general managers in baseball, because trade rumors are starting to kick up around the league.

      One of the bigger rumors is that the Giants are interested in Marlins’ second baseman Dan Uggla. According to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, the offense-needy Giants would have to give up a young starter to swing a deal for Uggla, and both Matt Cain and Jonathan Sanchez’s names were brought up in the report.

      Even though San Fran has one of the worst offenses in baseball (they currently rank dead last in the NL in runs scored, on base percentage and slugging percentage), Giants’ GM Brian Sabean should be kicked repeatedly in the stones if he trades Cain for Uggla straight up.

      Cain is pitching in his fourth year already and he’s only 24. His career record of 35-44 suggests he’s light years away from becoming a productive pitcher, but his career ERA of 3.63 paints a better picture. He’s a pitcher that has been cursed with poor run support over his career, but that has changed this season and he’s now finally getting the attention he deserves while posting a 5-1 record and 2.40 ERA so far in ’09.

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      MLB, Rumors & Gossip

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