Category: MLB (Page 99 of 448)

      No reason Stephen Strasburg should have been left off the NL All-Star roster

      July 5, 2010 /

      Washington Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg delivers to a New york Mets batter in the first inning of their National League MLB baseball game in Washington, July 3, 2010. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASEBALL)

      I’m fully aware that he has only been pitching for about a month. I’m also aware that there are other pitchers in the National League who have been equally as impressive (the Cardinals’ Jamie Garcia being one of them).

      But there’s still no excuse why Stephen Strasburg was left off the NL All-Star Game roster. In fact, there’s only one reason why he should be getting ready to pitch in L.A. two weeks from now and it has nothing to do with the number of starts he’s made or batters he has struck out so far in his young career.

      Ever since Bud Selig decided to make the All-Star Game relevant in 2003 by awarding the winner home field advantage in the World Series, the pastime has taken on a ton of importance. And seeing as how the game means so much for the league that wins, isn’t it vital for both teams to field the best players?

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      External Sports, MLB

      Joey Votto: The ultimate All-Star Game snub

      July 5, 2010 /

      How does Joey Votto not make the 2010 MLB All-Star Game? Well, I know how he didn’t make it: he plays in the same league as Albert Pujols, Ryan Howard and Adrian Gonzalez. But I mean, how can baseball allow this to happen?

      This isn’t as much about Howard or Gonzo (two worthy All-Stars) as it as about Votto, who leads the Reds and ranks among NL leaders in hitting (.312), home runs (19), RBI (57), total bases (163) and on-base percentage (.414). Oh-and-by-the-way, he also leads all NL first basemen (including Pujols, mind you) with a .988 OPS.

      Last time I checked, baseball is the king of numbers and stats. Yet even though Votto was statistically the best at his position in the first half, he didn’t make the final cut. It would be shocking if it weren’t so predictable given that Pujols, Howard and Gonzalez were locks to make the NL squad before voting even began.

      Forget numbers for a second and let me throw this question out there: Would the Reds be 11 games over .500 and in first place in the NL Central right now without Votto? No flipping way. Cincinnati is on its way to having its first winning season since The Oregon Trail was the top selling video game in America and he deserves to be recognized for it.

      The good news is that with injuries to guys like Jason Heyward and Troy Tulowitzki, there may be a roster spot open for Votto when it’s all said and done. And there better be, seeing as how nobody is more deserving of an All-Star roster spot than him. It would be a freaking baseball travesty if he didn’t get to travel to L.A. this year to take part in the well-deserved honor.

      To check out the official, Joey Votto-less AL and NL All-Star Game rosters, click here.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      External Sports, MLB

      Is Ozzie Gullen the Marlins’ top choice?

      July 4, 2010 /

      Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen comes out of the dugout to argue a call against the Chicago Cubs during the second inning at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago on June 27, 2010. UPI/Brian Kersey Photo via Newscom

      According to the Chicago Tribune, White Sox skipper Ozzie Guillen is the Marlins’ top choice to replace Fredi Gonzalez as manager if he were to become available after the season.

      The Marlins’ decision to keep Edwin Rodriguez as manager through the end of the year came about because ownership wants to see which managers are available after the season. Ozzie Guillen would be at the top of the Marlins’ list if he were available. …

      It’s a little odd that the Tribune would have that sort of information hidden in an article and not provide more details as to why the Marlins want Ozzie. But maybe they don’t have any more information outside of that.

      Guillen was a coach with the Marlins in 2003 when they won the World Series, so he has ties to Florida. There’s no doubt he could provide a spark for the Marlins young roster and he’s already proved that he can win. It wouldn’t be a bad fit.

      One thing’s for sure, I would want front row seats to the first Ozzie-Hanley argument if Guillen does wind up in South Florida. What a fireworks display that would be.

      External Sports, MLB

      Report: Cliff Lee not on the trading block yet

      July 4, 2010 /

      May 11, 2010: Cliff Lee for the Seattle Mariners pitches during a game against the hometown Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland. The Mariners beat the Orioles 5 - 1.

      Despite rumors stating that several teams are interested in the ace, the Mariners have yet to put Cliff Lee on the trading block according to the New York Daily News.

      “It is the same thing with (Seattle GM Jack Zduriencik) as it has been all along,” the source said. “He knows to contact teams when he’s ready to deal. He hasn’t done that yet, but that could change any minute.”

      According to people familiar with the Mets’ thinking, Lee remains the team’s top choice of all potentially available starters. Therefore, the Mets’ pursuit of pitching help will accelerate along with the lefty’s availability. Despite losses by R.A. Dickey and Hisanori Takahashi this week, the Mets remain content – for the moment – with the middle of their rotation, and are not interested in Kevin Millwood, Jake Westbrook or any of the other mid-level starters available.

      According to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, the Phillies are also interested in acquiring Lee (or re-acquiring Lee I should say), although GM Ruben Amaro Jr. “will not cut off his nose to spite his face.” In other words, Amaro remains open to the idea of trading for Lee but he’s not going to give up a small fortunate of players for him, which might be exactly what it will take to pry him from Seattle.

      He might not be on the trading block now, but I don’t think there’s any chance that the M’s hang onto Lee all season. When they acquired him from the Phillies last offseason, they thought they’d be contenders in 2010. But they haven’t been, and now they need to get something for him before he hits free agency in 2011. It wouldn’t make sense for the Mariners to hang onto him, continue to lose, and not recoup some of the prospects they lost when they made the deal for Lee last winter. (Not the actual prospects that they lost of course, but some prospects.)

      External Sports, MLB

      Mikey’s MLB power rankings

      July 3, 2010 /

      Amazingly, we’re only 10 days away from the All-Star break. That means teams will re-charge and start to make a serious run at a playoff spot from mid-July on. And the power rankings haven’t changed much, other than most of the California teams dropping off the list. So without further adieu…..

      1. New York Yankees (48-31)—The Bombers continue to ride their stars to victory, and survived a recent team hitting slump. There’s no reason to believe they won’t win the division again and contend for the title.

      2. Texas Rangers (47-32)—Seriously, how scary has this team become? This past week Vlad gave his former team a taste of what they might be missing this year

      3. Boston Red Sox (48-32)—Barely hanging on to second place in the tough AL East, but only two games separate the Yanks, Sox and Rays.

      4. San Diego Padres (47-33)—Sure, the Rangers are a big surprise. But no team has been as surprising as the Padres, who just keep winning. And here’s a frightening thing for other National League teams—the Pads are now believing in themselves too.

      5. Tampa Bay Rays (46-33)—Thankfully the Rays got off to a hot start, because everyone knows how much talent resides in the AL East. And has Carlos Pena become Dave Kingman? Yikes….he’s batting .196 with 16 homers and 50 RBI.

      6. Atlanta Braves (47-33)—The Braves are a major league best 29-9 at home this year (.763 winning percentage). Too bad no one goes to their home games.

      7. New York Mets (45-35)—With two more games against the suddenly slumping Nationals, the Mets still have a chance to close the gap with Atlanta this weekend.

      8. Cincinnati Reds (46-35)—I’m getting closer to believing, and so are the Reds.

      9. Minnesota Twins (44-36)—They haven’t been playing great baseball, which has allowed the mediocre Tigers and White Sox back into the AL Central race. But there is too much talent in Minnesota to keep the Twins out of the postseason hunt.

      10. St. Louis Cardinals (44-36)—I’m now ready to put the Reds above the Cardinals, and Tony LaRussa’s boys had better start playing better away from home (18-22) if they want to keep pace.

      External Sports, MLB

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