Category: MLB (Page 32 of 448)

      Ryan Theriot taking some heat for poking fun at Cardinal fans

      May 11, 2011 /
      St. Louis Cardinals Ryan Theriot swings for a RBI single in the eighth inning against the San Diego Padres at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on April 3, 2011. St. Louis defeated San Diego 2-0. UPI/Bill Greenblatt

      Former Cub and current Cardinal Ryan Theriot appeared on ESPN 1000’s the “Waddle & Silvy Show” to talk about his return to Wrigley Field this week and now he’s taking a little heat for some comments he made at the start of the segment.

      This is exactly how the conversation played out between Theriot and the two radio hosts:

      Hosts: “Do you feel dirty walking around the city of Chicago, your former home, now as a Cardinal?”

      Theriot: (Laughs) “No, should I?”

      Hosts: “Did you pack your tank top and jean shorts to mesh right in with the Cardinal fans?”

      Theriot: (Laughs) “You guys are funny.”

      Hosts: “How many people file into [Busch Stadium] with that uniform on – the tank top and the jean shorts, come on?”

      Theriot: “Tank top, jean shorts and some Timberland boots.” (Laughs)

      Hosts: (Laughs) “There you go!”

      And this is from STLSportsMinute.com in reaction to Theriot’s comments:

      Whoa, Mr. Theriot. Sure you say some nice things about your teammates and about manager Tony La Russa, but what are you thinking bashing Cardinals fans? Why are you trying to make Cardinals fans upset?

      I realize that your return to Chicago is nerve racking and you are trying to make as many friends as possible after your remarks last winter.

      But do not go bashing Cardinals fans. These are the same fans that have supported you despite your defensive inefficiencies.

      Sure some are unhappy with your inability to make routine plays and with the fact that you have committed eight errors this season. We do our best to try and not point out that your eight errors are tied for the most by any shortstop in baseball. We don’t bash you for using a frying pan as a glove.

      So what’s up? Why the cheap shot?

      Ryan Franklin bashed Cardinals fans earlier this season for booing some of his pathetic performances early in the season. Do you really want to put yourself in the same position as Ryan Franklin?

      Come on, really? First and foremost, the radio hosts led Theriot into that comment and the entire opening to that segment was meant to be fun. Theriot used to play for the Cubs and obviously the Chicago radio hosts were trying to engage him in some playful banter, which Theriot obliged. It’s not like the shortstop said anything hurtful.

      I liked the way the STLSportsMinute came back poking fun at how Theriot has been prone to making errors this year. Hey, if you’re going to engage in some playful banter, then they have the right to fire back. But the site made it sound like Theriot came out and facilitated the conversation about Cardinal fans and the way they dress. And that wasn’t the case. It’s not like Theriot came on and immediately said, “Man, thank God I’m talking to you guys. Those tank top-wearing, jean short-sporting weirdos down in the Lou with their Timberland boots really freak me out.” Again, he was led into the comment and I don’t think he would have bit if the conversation didn’t have a humorous tone to it.

      Let’s everyone lighten up. The weather is getting nicer around the country, baseball is back in full swing and the smell of another barbecue is right around the corner. So let’s all change into some tank tops, jean shorts and Timberland boots and have some f*%king fun already.

      External Sports, MLB

      MLB GM on whether or not Bradley will find a job: “(Blank) no.”

      May 10, 2011 /
      Seattle Mariners’ batter Milton Bradley reacts after swinging and missing on a pitch from Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Justin Duchscherer during the second inning of their MLB American League Opening Day baseball game in Seattle, Washington, April 12, 2010. REUTERS/Robert Sorbo (UNITED STATES – Tags: SPORT BASEBALL)

      SI.com’s Jon Heyman recently asked four general managers whether or not Milton Bradley (who was released by the Mariners on Monday) would find another job and apparently three of them said no.

      The other? According to Heyman via Twitter, the fourth GM said: “(Expletive deleted) no. He was one moody (expletive deleted expletive deleted).”

      A simple “no” would have been just fine, but all right…

      Even though Bradley currently has a batting line of .218/.313/.356, most observers believe that someone will take a shot on him. But Heyman’s tweets are pretty alarming. It’s not like he talked to the guys who sweep the stadium stands after games for their take on Bradley: He spoke with the people who make decisions on whether or not to sign players.

      Granted, Heyman only spoke with four general managers out of the 30 that are currently serving in MLB offices across this fine country. But why would anyone take on this headache when he’s not playing well? There used to be a time when teams were willing to put up with Bradley’s shenanigans because he gave their offense a jolt. But it’s been three years since he hit .321 with the Rangers in 2008 and he hasn’t resembled anything close to a professional hitter since. When you factor in his age (33) and his temperament, I don’t blame any GM for saying “fudge no” when asked whether or not he’ll ever find another job in Major League Baseball.

      The Cubs were foolish to give him such an outlandish contract in 2009, but it’s not like he was coming off a bad year (again, he hit .321 with 22 home runs in ’08). And I don’t blame the Mariners for swapping one albatross contract in Carlos Silva for another in Bradley last year.

      But I think the end is near: Milton Bradley’s time in Major League Baseball is finally up.

      External Sports, MLB

      Jose Reyes to remain a Met…for now.

      May 5, 2011 /
      New York Mets batter Jose Reyes slides into third base with a triple against the Philadelphia Phillies in the fourth inning of their MLB National League baseball game in New York August 14, 2010. REUTERS/Ray Stubblebine (UNITED STATES – Tags: SPORT BASEBALL IMAGES OF THE DAY)

      Giants fans had to be excited when they woke up on Wednesday to a report from Mychael Urban of CSN Bay Area that said their club was interested in acquiring Mets’ shortstop Jose Reyes. But they’ll have to temper that excitement for now.

      GM Brian Sabean told Adam Rubin of ESPN New York.com that he hasn’t spoken with his Mets’ counterpart Sandy Alderson since January. So as Rubin notes, Reyes may be a fit for San Francisco but a deal won’t be happening anytime soon.

      When Juan Uribe surprised the Giants’ brass last winter by signing with the rival Dodgers, Sabean became desperate to fill the hole at shortstop. So he overpaid (a habit he seems to enjoy) for Miguel Tejada, who signed a one-year, $6.5 million contract in November. It’s only been 30 games but the fans in San Francisco have already grown restless with Tejada’s shoddy play. He’s hitting just .204 with one home run and possesses a dismal .243 on base percentage. What’s worse is that his play in the infield has been just as bad. (His error at third base a few nights ago ruined what had been a great outing from youngster Madison Bumgarner.)

      But while fans may want Reyes in a Giants’ uniform today, the club isn’t going to give up on a $6.5 million offseason investment after only one month. Granted, it’s not the fans or the rest of the team’s fault that Sabean seemingly screwed the pooch by not only signing Tejada, but also overpaying for him as well. But those are the breaks.

      There are other factors to consider as well when it comes to trading for a guy like Reyes, which I outlined in this post yesterday. The bottom line is that Reyes isn’t going anywhere today, next week, or even a month from now. He’s probably going to be in New York until the trade deadline approaches in July. So for now, Giant fans will just have to hope that someone like Mark DeRosa (who has spent more time on the disabled list than on the field since Sabean signed him to a two-year deal last year) can save them from their Tejada misery.

      External Sports, MLB

      Charlie Sheen donates money to Giants’ fan that was beaten in L.A.

      May 4, 2011 /
      Actor Charlie Sheen gestures towards fans as he arrives for a sentencing hearing at the Pitkin County Courthouse in Aspen, Colorado in this August 2, 2010 file photo. After hearing chants of “Refund! Refund!” and being booed, even Sheen knew his “Violent Torpedo of Truth” had bombed on its debut in Detroit on April 2, 2011. The comedy revue with rapper Dirt Nasty and comedian Kirk Fox, among others, brought catcalls from the audience and not even Sheen’s girlfriend “goddesses” could win fans. The Detroit performance was opening night of 22 shows in 20 U.S. and Canadian cities. REUTERS/Rick Wilking (UNITED STATES – Tags: ENTERTAINMENT)

      Charlie Sheen has received plenty of negative, wild and downright zany (do people still use the word “zany?” Ah, to hell with it – I’m using it anyway…) headlines over the past couple of months. So it’s only fair that when he gives something back to society, the media reports on those storylines as well.

      According to the New York Post, “Wild Thing” Vaughn donated $20,000 to the foundation for Bryan Stow, the Giants fan who was beaten by a couple of thugs in Los Angeles during the opening weekend of the MLB season. Apparently Stow is not responding to stimulation as much as the doctors would like now that he is out of a medically induced coma. Doctors took Stow off the medication that was keeping him in a coma last Tuesday but while he was able to come off it without suffering any seizures, he is still not responding.

      Meanwhile, the two animals that carried out the act are still at large.

      Sheen is the latest to contribute to Stow’s fund. On Sunday, the Giants’ minor league teams in San Jose and Fresno gave $43,362 to Stow’s young children in order to help with the loss of wages, family travel and any medical costs that Stow’s insurance doesn’t pick up. People have been very gracious to the Stow family, who must be touched in what can only be described as a difficult time.

      Sheen is a huge fan of not only baseball, but Giants’ closer Brian Wilson as well. It’s not surprising that Stow’s situation encouraged him to donate and I think it was an extremely nice gesture. (Especially when you consider what else Sheen could have spent the money on…yikes.)

      External Sports, MLB

      Should the Giants acquire Jose Reyes?

      May 4, 2011 /
      New York Mets’ Jose Reyes signs an autograph before their MLB spring training baseball game against the Atlanta Braves at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Florida March 12, 2011. REUTERS/Scott Audette (UNITED STATES – Tags: SPORT BASEBALL)

      For those who have had the misfortune of watching Miguel Tejada play on a nightly basis, the answer to the question in the title should roll off the tongue: “Yes. Yes the Giants should acquire Jose Reyes. Please God, in all your holiness, allow the Giants to acquire Jose Reyes so that I don’t have to continue to endure Miguel Tejada.”

      But the question becomes a little more convoluted when you consider the many factors that would go into trading for Reyes. For starters, the Giants would have to accommodate his $11 million salary this year. That may not be a big deal in the short term, but there are rumors that the 27-year-old will be looking to match Carl Crawford’s seven-year, $142 million deal when he hits free agency this winter. Would the Giants be willing to give up a top prospect in order to acquire a rent-a-player for a couple of months? Furthermore, should they?

      The Mets will probably ask but it’s doubtful that the Giants would part with either Madison Bumgarner or Brandon Belt. Either of those players would be too much to give up to acquire a player that New York is looking to dump anyway. The Giants could pitch (pun definitely intended) Jonathan Sanchez in a deal, although that would leave a gapping hole in their pristine rotation. They could probably get by with a starting five of Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Bumgarner, Barry Zito and Ryan Volgelsong, but why weaken the pitching staff when the point of acquiring Reyes is to win now?

      The more likely scenario for the Giants is to center a deal around former first rounder Zack Wheeler, who was taken sixth overall in 2009. He is one of the top 55 best prospects in the game and while it would deplete the Giants’ already thin farm system, they could stomach that blow much easier than they could if they dealt someone like Sanchez.

      But again, it all comes back to whether or not the Giants should make a deal like this. Yes, Reyes would be a massive upgrade over Tejada and once Pablo Sandoval returns in 4-6 weeks, their struggling offense would like rather potent. Assuming Reyes stays healthy and continues to hit as well as he has over the first month of the season, he could lift the Giants back into World Series contention. That said, does a team like San Fran make a move like this for a potential rent-a-player? It’s a tough call, although a few more weeks of watching Tejada flail at pitches and try to play ground balls to his side could force the Giants’ hand.

      External Sports, MLB

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