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Ryan Zimmerman’s hitting streak reaches 29 games

May 12, 2009 / Anthony Stalter

There isn’t much positive news coming out of Washington these days when it comes to the Nationals…outside of Ryan Zimmerman’s now 29-game hit streak, that is.

Zimmerman went 4 for 5 with two homers for the Nationals, including a solo shot in the sixth off Johnson and a three-run shot in the ninth. He wasted no time extending the longest hitting streak in the Nationals’ brief history and the longest by a third baseman in a quarter-century when he slapped a first-inning single.
“He’s a big man. I’ve got legs and arms and everything coming at me,” Zimmerman said of Johnson. “His slider looks pretty good, just like it does on TV. I can see why he’s been so good.”
With his ninth-inning shot off the tin covering on the right-field arcade, Zimmerman improved to 48 for 126 (.381) since the streak began.

What’s rather impressive about Zimmerman is that he stands away from the plate, which leaves the outside corner exposed (or one would think). But Zimmerman is anticipating pitchers trying to work the outside corner and he’s just going with the pitch. He’s not trying to do too much with the pitch and he’s not trying to pull the ball like so many batters (on all levels) do. He’s seeing the ball incredibly well right now and the 3-run dinger he hit last night at AT&T Park was impressive given how high the ball must travel over the wall at that stadium.

He’s got a long way to go to catch Joe DiMaggio’s 56 games, but it’ll be fun to watch Zimmerman try to extend his streak on a nightly basis.

Fantasy Baseball, MLB

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Marlins option Cameron Maybin Triple A

May 11, 2009 / Anthony Stalter

The Marlins optioned potential five-tool outfielder Cameron Maybin to Triple-A New Orleans.

Maybin, the Opening Day center fielder, was out of the starting lineup for the third straight day on Sunday. He came in during the ninth inning as a pinch-runner and got caught in a rundown, punctuating a difficult start to the season. His .202 average is the primary reason he’s going to the Minors.
“I’ve got some things I’ve got to go work on,” Maybin said, “and I’m going to try to get back as fast as possible.”
Maybin has said he doesn’t feel any pressure to perform because of who the Marlins traded away to get him in a six-player deal in December 2007 — franchise cornerstones Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis.
Instead, he noted another Tigers player, center fielder Curtis Granderson, who led the American League in strikeouts during his first full season in 2006.
“Look at what he’s doing now,” Maybin said.

Hopefully Maybin can build his confidence in the minors, because he has the potential to be the next Granderson (maybe even better) if he can work out the kinks. The Marlins have no need to rush him, although chances are he’ll be back up at some point this season.

MLB

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2009 NBA Playoff Power Rankings v4.0

May 11, 2009 / John Paulsen

Now that we’re knee-deep in the conference semifinals, let’s take another look at how the playoff teams stack up.

R.I.P.

Click on the team name to read a short offseason blueprint.

16. Pistons
15. Sixers
14. Heat
13. Hornets
12. Bulls
11. Jazz
10. Blazers
9. Spurs

ON LIFE SUPPORT

8. Hawks
7. Mavericks
The NBA released a statement that the officials blew the intentional foul call at the end of regulation (which allowed for Carmelo Anthony’s game-winner), but I blame the Mavs for not forewarning the officials that they were going to try to foul immediately. (Mind you, I have no proof that they failed to warn the refs, but if they did, the call would have no doubt been made.) Regardless, the Mavs and the Hawks are down 3-0 and we all know what happens to teams that are down 3-0. (They go home for the summer.)

NBA, NBA Finals

2009 NBA Playoffs NBA Playoffs

Vikings’ president says team is still interested in Favre

May 11, 2009 / Anthony Stalter

Team president Mark Wilf reiterated that Minnesota is still interested in signing Brett Favre, although he won’t confirm if any meeting has been established between the Vikings and the grizzled vet.

“Certainly a player of Brett Favre’s (credentials), a Hall of Fame quarterback, with the competitive he has, that is a player that we would have interest as we would have other players,” Wilf said. “But, again, its process of evaluation and a variety of factors that go into it and that has to play itself out and I defer to our coach and our personnel people to really evaluate those issues.”
Wilf said he and the ownership group entrusted such decisions to head coach Brad Childress and player personnel vice president Rick Spielman and their respective staffs.
Asked directly if anyone from the organization has met with Favre in the last week, Wilf said, “I’m not aware of any meeting.
“But, the fact is, like I say, any football personnel matters, medical matters ,those types of issues, are really issues that we don’t typically discuss publicly,” Wilf said. “. And I hope the fans and the media can appreciate that. Because that’s the right way, we feel, to get the best product on the field and get our ultimate goal of a Super Bowl championship.”
Since ESPN reported last Tuesday that Childress was planning to meet with Favre, the Vikings have been mum on the matter, which has become the central NFL story in a usually quiet period of the offseason.

The Vikings don’t need to rush into any decision regarding Favre because they seem to be the only team competing for his services. By all accounts, Favre only wants to play for the Vikings, which means the team can take its time analyzing his health and whether or not pursuing him is the right move for the 2009 season. (Any consideration past 2009 wouldn’t be worth discussing since Favre changes his mind more than a 16-year old girl in possession of her father’s credit card while at the mall.)

NFL

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