Category: MLB (Page 421 of 448)

I never thought I’d say this, but I feel sorry for Alex Rodriguez. His stat line is sitting at .284-106-34-116-14, and everyone in New York thinks he’s a bum. Sure, he won the MVP last year, but that was last year. What has he done for the Bronx faithful lately? He’s knocked in only 116 runs. Lousy bum.

And where do all bums go to play? The north side of Chicago.

The Yankees should trade Alex Rodriguez to the Cubs. Here’s what I’m thinking: Send the Yankees Felix Pie, the highly touted outfield prospect (Damon, Sheff and Godzilla aren’t going to play forever), third base prospect Scotty Moore (currently batting .318 with an OPS of 1.082), and former golden boy Mark Prior, and we’ll take A-Rod and stabilize that tense Yankee clubhouse. Of course, Georgie boy will have to send over about $10 million for each year left on A-Rod’s contract. The Tribune Co. may be filthy rich, but they haven’t lost sight of the value of a dollar. Ask any Cub fan, they’ll tell you.

Tell me the Yankees wouldn’t love to have Mark Prior. He’s not injury-prone (though he is admittedly that) so much as snakebitten, suffering from accidents as much as injuries. Get him in the hands of a pitching coach that knows what he’s doing – and more importantly, get him off the Cubs, where he will never live up to his unreasonably high promise – and the sky’s the limit. Even better, the Cubs can put A-Rod back at shortstop, a position at which he’s far more comfortable. Re-sign Juan Pierre, and you have a lineup like this:

1) Juan Pierre CF
2) Ryan Theriot 2B (have you seen this kid? Wow)
3) Derrek Lee 1B
4) Alex Rodriguez SS
5) Aramis Ramirez 3B
6) Michael Barrett C
7) Jacque Jones RF
8) Matt Murton LF

That lineup is going to score a boatload of runs, which is good, because the Cubs aren’t going to have a single 100-run hitter for the year, and that, sirs, is pathetic.

Yes, I know this is all a big, big pipe dream. The Yankees, postseason struggles be damned, would be fools to get rid of Alex Rodriguez. But if there is one thing that all Cubs fans have in abundance, it’s hope. And I hope to see A-Rod wearing Cubbie blue next season.

They have been the feel good story of year in Major League Baseball – the team with a decade of misery rebounds to have one of the best seasons since 1987.

From 2000 to 2005, the Detroit Tigers had a combined record of 386-585 (including losing 119 games in 2003). For you math majors out there, that’s a winning percentage of .398.

Things are different now in Motown right?

The ’06 Tigers swept their opening series against Kansas City and have been atop the NL Central ever since. Detroit’s success has been accomplished with a mixture of veteran and young players that have overachieved all season.

Rookie pitcher Justin Verlander, 23, has 16 wins and leads the team in ERA with a 3.42 mark. Another rookie, Joel Zumaya, 21, is a flamethrower and has the team lead in holds with 26. Shortstop Carlos Guillen leads the team in batting average, runs scored, stolen bases and on base percentage.

With an 11-3 loss to the Rangers last night (Verlander took the loss), however, the Tigers once promising lead in the Central Division is now dwindling fast. The Minnesota Twins haven’t lost sight of the Tigers all season and are now only a game and a half behind Detroit.

No problem right? Even if the Tigers lose the division, they still have the Wild Card secured.

Not so fast, because the Chicago White Sox are right behind the Twins and could seemingly pass the Tigers if the free fall continues. Lets not forget that the White Sox were one of the best second half teams in all of baseball last season.

With the loss last night, Detroit is now 11-24 since the start of August, which is the second worst record in all of Major League Baseball (the Cubs are worse if you can believe it). The Tigers haven’t won back-to-back series in 20 games and the once promising 76-36 start is fading fast.

It’s so bad in Detroit that local radio hosts are having callers suggest ways to turn around the slump.

Here are some of the suggestions that were aired just this morning:

– The team and fans can start wearing WWCWD? (What Would Charlie Weis Do?) bracelets in hopes that Weis’ relationship with Notre Dame and God will bring good luck to the Tigers – because hey, who can deny the winning power of God?

– Sticking with the Notre Dame theme: steal the “Play Like Champions Today” sign so the Tigers players can touch it before going out on the field every day. The reference was made in relation to the Detroit’s inconsistent play since the start of August.

– Sacrifice a live chicken ala Pedro Sorano in the movie Major League.

– Have whoever the starting pitcher is for the Tigers that day bean “Paws” the mascot in hopes of rejuvenating the batting lineup. Despite making young children cry, everybody seemed to be highest on this idea.

Michael Rosenberg of the Detroit Free Press suggests the problem with the Tigers hitting woes is lack of patience at the plate.

It would be nice if the Tigers could wait for their pitch and smack it. It would also be nice if opponents would let them know what pitch is coming. The reality is that the Tigers will never lead the league in patience.

Only the Cubs and the Mariners have drawn fewer walks than the Tigers. And in case you haven’t noticed, neither the Cubs nor Mariners are selling playoff tickets.

Jon Heyman of SI.com also has a few suggestions on why the Tigers have struggled lately in his Daily Scoops column.

Whatever the issue is, if the Tigers can’t hang on to the lead that was once over 10 games in the Central, the city of Detroit may never trust this team again. And everybody involved will remember the 2006 season as one of the biggest collapses in the history of the franchise.