Bud Selig wants tougher penalties for drug abuse. Despite the fact that the players have already conceeded to reopening the CBA, and that testing seems to be working, Selig appears to be bending to Congressional pressure. I thought baseball owners owned the politicians.
Selig is blowing a chance to extend the cooperation between players [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 10:02 pm | Commissioner | Permalink | 10 Comments
April 30, 2005
Air Byrnes
A fine defensive play by Eric Byrnes to end the top of the 5th. The ball was hit in foul territory near the third base bullpen. Byrnes lept horizontally, got good air time, and made the catch parallel to the ground. Quite impressive, but he looks like he hurt his face on [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 5:59 pm | Defense | Permalink | 2 Comments
April 30, 2005
Brewing a Win
The Milwaukee Brewers have loaded the bases in the 9th with 0 outs. It’s tough not to win in this situation. Russell, Branyan makes his first out of the day flying out to shallow right, failing to drive in Lee from third.
Update: Damian Miller drives the ball over the drawn in right fielder [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 5:21 pm | Games | Permalink | No Comments
April 30, 2005
Jorge Bonds
With men on 1st and 3rd and one out, the Blue Jays walk pinch hitter Jorge Posada to face Tony Womack. It’s an intersting move, in that it would have been easier to double Posada than Womack. And while you have a great chance to get Womack out, or cut down the runner [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 4:42 pm | Games | Permalink | No Comments
April 30, 2005
Flash in the Pan
Wang goes seven, leaves with the lead, and Gordon comes in and gives up a homer to Koskie to tie the game. The Jays now have runners on 1st and 2nd with one out. It’s Gordon’s second blown game of the year. Why take Wang out? He threw 81 pitches. [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 4:12 pm | Games | Permalink | 1 Comment
April 30, 2005
Griffey Goes Deep
Junior hits his first home run of the season to extend the Reds lead over the Brewers to 4-1. Griffey had two great Aprils in a row in 1997 and 1998 when he hit 13 and 11 home runs respecitvely. I believe the 13 set a record for April at that time.
Posted by David Pinto at 3:27 pm | Sluggers | Permalink | 1 Comment
April 30, 2005
Afraid of the K
Ken Singleton brought up something in regards to the Blue Jays facing Wang. Nobody wants to be the first batter to strike out against the pitcher. I don’t know why that matters so much, but the Jays have not struck out through five. They’re putting the ball in play fairly early, so [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 3:17 pm | Games | Permalink | 1 Comment
April 30, 2005
Pooka Pokes
Calvin Pickering didn’t make much of his chance in the majors this season, but Ken Harvey is starting out strong. His three for three today moves him to 6 for 12 since his callup, and he added a grand slam this afternoon. The Royals lead the Indians six to one.
Posted by David Pinto at 2:43 pm | Sluggers | Permalink | 2 Comments
April 30, 2005
Red Sox Tickets
I you live or near Longmeadow, MA, St. Mary’s School is raffling off Red Sox tickets. I believe it’s four box seats for the May 21st game vs. the Braves. Tickets are $1 each. They’re selling in front of the Big Y today and next Saturday.
Posted by David Pinto at 12:34 pm | Tickets | Permalink | No Comments
April 30, 2005
Games of the Day
Does it get any better than Bush vs. Wang? Look for some Chien music from the Taiwanese pitcher today as he makes his major league debut against the Toronto Blue Jays. Chien has excellent strikeout and home run numbers in his minor league career. He needs the Yankees offense to straighten up, [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 11:37 am | Matchups | Permalink | 3 Comments
April 30, 2005
Low Score Friday
Casey Abell laments in this post:
“Great pitching duels” are becoming tediously common. They’re playing baseball tonight like it’s 1968. Seven runs a game in the eleven completed games so far, with three shutouts. The four games in progress also look like low-run snoozers.
Baseball is still managing just over nine runs a game this season, thanks [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 8:56 am | Games | Permalink | 12 Comments
April 30, 2005
Daily Update
The Day by Day Database is up to date.
Posted by David Pinto at 8:38 am | Statistics | Permalink | No Comments
April 30, 2005
Empty Fenway
Soxblog remembers April 29, 1986, a day it was easy to get a ticket to Fenway Park. I was at Yankee Stadium that night, in town for a business trade show. It was real easy to get tickets to the Stadium then, too. The game was delayed by rain, then went on [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 8:15 am | History | Permalink | 1 Comment
April 29, 2005
Numb3rs
Sabermetrics and Moneyball get a mention on the show NUMB3RS tonight.
Posted by David Pinto at 10:14 pm | Broadcasts | Permalink | 2 Comments
April 29, 2005
Young Giant
Jason Ellison continues to impress. He went three for five and scored the first run of the game. He’s made the most of his first 30 AB, accumulating 14 hits, two walks and has stolen four bases in four attempts. We’ll see if he can displace one of the geriatric Giants down [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 9:53 pm | Players | Permalink | No Comments
April 29, 2005
Happy Halladay
A great pitching duel in New York as Roy Halladay outpitched Randy Johnson to win a close one 2-0. Roy outpitched the Big Unit, allowing only three hits and one walk as he pitched the complete game shutout. Johnson allowed 10 base runners, but it was a walk followed by a Hinske homer [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 9:28 pm | Games | Permalink | 4 Comments
April 29, 2005
Still Hitting
The homers have slowed, but Brian Roberts is still belting out the hits. He’s only hit 1 home run since the 19th, but including his 2 for 2 so far tonight, he has 10 hits in his last five games, and he’s hitting .382 with a .461 OBA.
Posted by David Pinto at 8:48 pm | Players | Permalink | 2 Comments
April 29, 2005
Miguel Mashes
Miguel Cabrera hit his first home since April 12th tonight. He’s been hitting well since then with his average well above .300. But tonight he’s added the power, and he’s raised his slugging percentage for the year to .582. The Marlins lead the Phillies 5-1 in the sixth.
Posted by David Pinto at 8:38 pm | Sluggers | Permalink | No Comments
April 29, 2005
LH HR
Livan Hernandez hits the Nationals third solo home run of the night to give Washington a 3-1 lead over the Mets in the bottom of the fifth. It’s his 6th career homer.
Posted by David Pinto at 8:28 pm | Pitchers | Permalink | No Comments
April 29, 2005
Sabathia’s Success
C.C. Sabathia is off to a great start since coming off the DL. Through five innings tonight, he’s struck out 15 in 17 2/3 innings. He’s averaged 7.0 throughout his career; the K increase has helped him to a 1.02 ERA so far this season.
Posted by David Pinto at 8:18 pm | Pitchers | Permalink | No Comments
April 29, 2005
Blogging from the Studio
It looks like Baseball Tonight has its own blog! Not only is something like the whole cast writing, but they’re getting guests like your Jim Thomes and George Wills. This should be fun.
Posted by David Pinto at 3:55 pm | Blogs | Permalink | 8 Comments
April 29, 2005
Dust Covered Players
Bleed Cubbie Blue links to an article on Dusty Baker’s lack of use of young players.
When Dusty Baker took over as manager of the Cubs, he protested the ?bad rap? he got in San Francisco for not ?liking? young players.
Baker even said he wished he had a whole team of young players.
The Cubs don?t have [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 2:06 pm | Management | Permalink | 1 Comment
April 29, 2005
In the Swing
Some insight at Athletics Nation on how Eric Chavez fixed his swing.
Posted by David Pinto at 1:57 pm | Sluggers | Permalink | No Comments
April 29, 2005
A Fine Mess
Six players and both manager were either fined or suspended today for the Red Sox/Devil Rays brawl of last week. The suspensions are supposed to start tonight, but I assume they’ll be appealed until the teams are ready to lose a start from their pitchers.
Posted by David Pinto at 1:52 pm | Discipline | Permalink | 1 Comment
April 29, 2005
Games of the Day
It’s going to be a good night to watch baseball in Atlanta. First, Cox and La Russa become the first 2000 win managers to face each other since 1950. Second, old friends and teammates Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson battle against each other for the first time.
Mulder is coming off an impressive 10 [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 11:37 am | Matchups | Permalink | 4 Comments
April 29, 2005
Hatfields and McCoys
Omar Vizquel is worried that Jose Mesa’s feud with him isn’t over:
“I am going to wear some extra padding because I’m not going to take any chances,” Vizquel said. “If he hits me, I’ll be ready. He still throws hard.”
The feud developed between the once close friends when Omar showed up Mesa in an [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 11:24 am | Baseball Jerks | Permalink | 2 Comments
April 29, 2005
Cheating Hearts
In the mail today was Larceny and Old Leather by Eldon Ham. It looks at the mischievous legacy of major league baseball. I’ll be reviewing this book soon.
Posted by David Pinto at 11:20 am | Books | Permalink | No Comments
April 29, 2005
Bobble Ankle
Here’s a clever idea. A Curt Schilling “Bobble Ankle” figure is for sale with, you guessed it, an ankle that bobbles up and down. When you buy the doll, you’re also making a donation to ALS and the Shade Foundantion. It’s a great way for Schilling and Sox fans to remember the [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 10:48 am | Collectibles | Permalink | No Comments
April 29, 2005
Angry Gwynn
Tony Gwynn has been suspended for criticizing the Mountain West Conference. The former Padres great and current coach of the Aztecs had this to say:
After a three-game series at the Colorado academy on March 24-26 was postponed by snow, the two teams were scheduled to play three straight doubleheaders at San Diego last weekend. [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 10:41 am | Colleges | Permalink | 4 Comments
April 29, 2005
Wading In
Wade Miller had a positive rehab start last night in Pawtucket.
Miller made his third rehab start, the first against Triple-A hitters, when he took the mound for the PawSox against Scranton/Wilkes Barre. He threw five scoreless innings in the PawSox’ 1-0 win, allowing five hits (two infield bleeders) and two walks while striking out three.
The [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 9:45 am | Pitchers | Permalink | No Comments
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