Category: MLB (Page 71 of 448)

      Matt Cain, Babe Ross help Giants take lead in NLCS

      October 19, 2010 /
      Aug. 12, 2010 - San Francisco, California, United States of America - 12 August, 2010: San Francisco Giants MATT CAIN.

      I’m not a pitching coach and my hectic sports blogging schedule prevents me from ever becoming one, but if I may offer up some advice to the Phillies’ starting staff: Figure out a way – someway – to get Cody Ross out. Because dude is killing you.

      Once again, Ross donned a red cape and an “S” on his chest for the Giants, as he singled home Edgar Renteria in the fourth inning to give his club a 1-0 lead. Aubrey Huff followed through with another single off starter Cole Hamels later in the inning and the Giants went on to beat the Phillies 3-0 to take a 2-1 lead in the 2010 NLCS.

      Ross, who has to be the most unlikely postseason hero for the Giants (outside of Eugenio Velez – now that would be something), is now hitting .348 in the playoffs, with four home runs, seven RBI, eight hits, three runs scored and three walks. It’s amazing to think that he probably wouldn’t even be playing right now if it weren’t for Jose Guillen’s back injury.

      Of course, if not for Matt Cain’s dazzling pitching performance, Ross’ latest heroics may not have mattered.

      I’m running out of adjectives to describe the pitching that we’ve seen so far in the NCLS. Cain limited the Phillies to just two hits while pitching seven scoreless innings to pick up the first postseason win of his young career. He threw 119 pitches and while he walked three and hit two batters, he also struck out five and got in and out of jams all afternoon. It was also his first career win against the Phillies, who were shutout in the postseason for the first time since the 1983 World Series.

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      External Sports, MLB

      Cliff Lee, one of the postseason’s best ever, puts the Yankees in deep hole

      October 19, 2010 /
      Cliff Lee of the Texas Rangers pitches to the New York Yankee in the first inning during game three of the ALCS at Yankee Stadium on October 18, 2010 in New York. UPI/Monika Graff Photo via Newscom

      I wonder what was going through Cliff Lee’s mind on Monday night when Josh Hamilton reached out and poked a two-run homer off Andy Pettitte out of Yankee Stadium to give the Rangers a 2-0 lead in the first inning of Game 3 of the ALCS.

      “Thanks offense – that’ll do.”

      Coming into Game 3, Lee owned a postseason record of 6-0 with a 1.52 ERA. Believe it or not, he actually lowered his ERA last night in yet another magnificent outing, throwing eight scoreless innings and striking out 13 in Texas’ 8-0 win over the Bombers. He overwhelmed Yankee hitters the entire night and even when the Rangers broke out for six runs in the top of the ninth, you already had the sense that the game was over because Lee was set to come out in the bottom half of the inning.

      Lefty Gomez is the only other pitcher to have a perfect win-loss percentage in the postseason and he pitched 14 less innings than Lee. Mariano Rivera has the best ERA in the postseason, is third for win-loss percentage at .889, is first in saves and third in WHIP. Because he’s done it over 92 games and 137.2 innings, you can make an argument that the Yankee closer is the greatest postseason pitcher of all-time. But if Lee continues to do what he’s doing, then Rivera will have some company soon enough.

      Speaking of Rivera’s club, they’ve got some work ahead of them now. Lee has put them in a 2-1 hole and while they’re still two losses away from elimination, they’ll start a shaky A.J. Burnett tonight in essentially a must-win situation (it’s not “must-win” in that they don’t have to win to stave off elimination, but no team wants to go down 3-1 and have to win out).

      If ever there was a time when Burnett wanted to silence his critics, it’s now. A win won’t only tie the series, but will also shift the momentum back in the Yankees’ favor.

      A loss and the Bombers may be watching Texas play in the World Series in two weeks.

      External Sports, MLB

      Tony La Russa officially set to return to the Cardinals in 2011

      October 18, 2010 /
      St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa speaks to reporters before a game against the Chicago Cubs at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on August 13, 2010. La Russa who was given a two game suspension for his part in a bench clearing brawl during a game against the Cincinnati Reds in Cincinnati last week, will not manage the next two games. UPI/Bill Greenblatt Photo via Newscom

      FOXSports.com is reporting that the Cardinals have officially announced the return of manager Tony La Russa for the 2011 season. It’ll be his 16th as St. Louis’ skipper.

      NBC Sports has the details:

      Despite his taking some time to make an official decision La Russa’s return has been assumed for a while now and with an excellent core of Albert Pujols, Chris Carpenter, Adam Wainwright, Matt Holliday, Jaime Garcia, and Colby Rasmus the Cardinals are sure to be contenders in 2011 after disappointingly going 86-76 this season.

      However, it remains to be seen if Rasmus will be around in 2011 after reportedly feuding with La Russa for much of the season. He’s one of the best young all-around players in baseball, hitting .276/.361/.498 with 23 homers in 144 games as a 23-year-old center fielder, but it’ll be interesting to see if the Cardinals think he can co-exist with the 66-year-old La Russa for another season (or maybe even two).

      Assuming there is a problem between La Russa and Rasmus, the Cardinals have an interesting dilemma on their hands. If La Russa will only be around for another year, it would behoove St. Louis to keep one of their key young players. If he’s going to be a part of their future for the next two or three years, then maybe the Cards should deal Rasmus and get a piece that will help them win next year. (Or deal Rasmus for a minor leaguer that can help them down the road.)

      That said, the best thing would be for La Russa and Rasmus to settle their differences so the front office isn’t forced into doing something it doesn’t want to (i.e. trading the young outfielder). The Cards are built to win now and it won’t be long before their window starts closing fast. Rasmus an help them next year.

      External Sports, MLB

      The Rangers could have a huge advantage if they can win Game 3

      October 18, 2010 /
      Texas Rangers starting pitcher Cliff Lee pitches against the Baltimore Orioles in the first inning of their MLB American League baseball game in Arlington, Texas July 10, 2010. REUTERS/Mike Stone (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASEBALL)

      The Yankees may have accomplished their goal of stealing a game in Texas, but their work has just begun.

      Game 3 is Monday night in the Bronx and the Rangers will throw Cliff Lee, who is 6-0 with a 1.52 ERA in the postseason. And if you think he gets freaked out pitching at Yankee Stadium – think again. His lone playoff start in New York came in Game 1 of the 2009 World Series when he threw a complete game, yielding just one run on six hits while striking out 10 and walking none.

      If the Rangers can win tonight, their opponent in Game 4 is A.J. Burnett, who gets the nod because manager Joe Girardi doesn’t want to use CC Sabathia and then pitch youngster Phil Hughes on short rest. To say that Burnett has struggled this season is like saying that Brett Favre struggled getting a date with Jenn Sterger in New York. (What? You mean you got my text-o-junk and you still don’t want to go out with me? Your loss, lady.)

      Girardi is sticking by the struggling Burnett and even went as far as to say, “We believe in A.J.” But the starter went 10-15 with a 5.26 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP over 33 outings during the regular season this year and has shown no signs of turning things around.

      With a win in Game 3, the Rangers could be setting themselves up to take the series. One day at a time, though – tonight is pivotal.

      External Sports, MLB

      Roy Oswalt, Jimmy Rollins help Phillies even up NLCS

      October 17, 2010 /
      Philadelphia Phillies all-star pitcher Roy Oswalt delivers a pitch during first inning San Francisco Giants-Philadelphia Phillies NLCS Championship game two at Citizens Bank Park October 17, 2010. . UPI/John Anderson Photo via Newscom

      And that’s why you pony up for a veteran starter like Roy Oswalt when he’s available via trade.

      Oswalt was brilliant in Game 2 of the NLCS on Sunday night, striking out nine batters over 8 innings while allowing just one run on three hits in the Phillies’ 6-1 win over the Giants. His only blemish came in the 5th inning when Cody Ross took him deep to tie the game at, 1-1. But Oswalt has nothing to be ashamed of there, because Ross has proved this postseason that he’s the greatest baseball player ever to have walked the face of the earth. (The home run off Oswalt was his fourth in the playoffs and his third in back-to-back nights in Philadelphia.)

      It was also a great night for shortstop Jimmy Rollins, who has struggled mightily at the plate of late. In the seventh inning, he drove in three runs on a double to deep right off Giants’ reliever Sergio Castillo, who was trying to mop up the mess left by starter Jonathan Sanchez (who allowed Oswalt to reach on a base hit) and Ramon Ramirez (who gave up a single to Placido Polanco, which scored Oswalt to give Philly a 3-1 lead). Rollins’ double scored Chase Utley (who had been intentionally walked), Polanco and Jayson Werth (also intentionally walked) to essentially put the game out of reach at, 6-1.

      For everyone but Ross, it was a night to forget for the Giants, who seemed rather content with taking Game 1 of the series and heading back to San Francisco after earning a split. Granted, that’s what road teams are supposed to do in a seven-game series and the loss certainly doesn’t diminish what the Giants did on Saturday. But they had a huge opportunity to put the Phillies in a hole and instead they came out rather flat. Even Ross’ home run was short lived as Sanchez gave up a run in the bottom half of the inning.

      It’ll be interesting to see if Bruce Bochy makes any changes to his lineup for Game 3. Pablo Sandoval drew a walk in the top of the 8th after coming in to replace Mike Fontenot in a double switch in the bottom of the 7th. Maybe it’s time to give Sandoval a start to see if he can’t shake out of his season-long funk and provide the Giants’ offense with a spark. Andres Torres is a huge reason why San Fran is still playing right now, but he looks completely overmatched at the plate and the Giants don’t lose anything with Aaron Rowand in the outfield. Rowand has been brutal at the plate this year, but he has postseason experience (he won a World Series with the White Sox earlier this decade) and would be motivated to beat his former team. (The only problem is that if you bench Torres, the Giants don’t have a true leadoff hitter.)

      Now isn’t the time to panic, but the Giants need more offense. Matt Cain will oppose Cole Hamels in Game 3 on Tuesday afternoon.

      External Sports, MLB

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