Interesting Baseball News Items That Do Not Warrant Their Own Thread

[SoCal Pinstriper]

FAMILAR FEAT: According to home-run historian David Vincent, the Tigers and Cubs combined for a feat Sunday that had been accomplished only once in major league history: They produced a game with at least 15 runs in which all the runs were driven in by homers.
The Tigers also were participants in the other game that set the record.
Vincent reports that in 1950, the Tigers beat the visiting Yankees, 10-9, and all 19 runs were driven in by homers. In both games, the Tigers and their opponent combined for 11 homers.

http://freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic...23/1048/SPORTS

[jonnyc39]

ESPN.COM listed the Mets as the #1 team in their Power Poll last week. Does anyone over there know baseball? No NL team should ever be listed in the top 5 this year, ever. The BEST team in the NL would likely finish 4th if they played in the AL Central, 3rd in a best case scenario and possibly even 5th.

That's just absurd. The Mets are a very good team.

[VerMonsteR]

That's just absurd. The Mets are a very good team.

Anyone know their record against the AL (and which teams) so far this year?

[hunter05]

The BEST team in the NL would likely finish 4th if they played in the AL Central, 3rd in a best case scenario and possibly even 5th.

Wow, how good do you think the Twins are right now?

[SecretChiSoxFan]

Wow, how good do you think the Twins are right now?

In a 5 game series I'd take Santana and the Twins over the Mets.

The AL is just that much better, it really is. The Royals just got a sweep vs the NL, the Royals are killing the NL Comedy-Central division. The Royals could contend for a division title in the NL. Not saying they'd win one, but they'd be in a race.

[adamf11]

Migeul Cabrera got the game winning single for the Marlins when he swung at an intentional walk pitch lol.

[NYDCYankee]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1151...eekend_journal

Steve Finley's house is for sale if anyone has some spare cash.

He Homers, Steals Bases, Lists House

Major League Baseball veteran Steve Finley, who recently became only the sixth Major League player to hit 300 home runs and steal more than 300 bases, has put his Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., estate on the market for $10 million.

The property, about 25 miles north of San Diego, sits on just over four acres with five bedroom suites and seven baths. (Mr. Finley played for the San Diego Padres from 1995 to 1998.) He and his wife, Amy, had the 10,000-square-foot home built in 2003 on land they bought in 2000 for about $2 million, records show. Mrs. Finley, who owns and runs a furniture and interior-design firm in nearby Del Mar, designed the home with the help of local architect Larry Case in what the listing broker describes as an authentic Tuscan Farmhouse style.

The two-story home includes antique terra-cotta floors and a one-bedroom detached guest house. The couple is building a new home nearby, according to their listing broker, Laura Barry, of Barry Estates Inc., in Rancho Santa Fe.

Outfielder Mr. Finley, 41 years old, won a World Series title with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2001. He's played for such teams as the Baltimore Orioles and Houston Astros. He now plays for the San Francisco Giants.

[SI Baseballman]

Anyone know their record against the AL (and which teams) so far this year?

3-3, but could easily have been 5-1 if Heilman and Wagner didn't cost them a game each.

[SecretChiSoxFan]

3-3, but could easily have been 5-1 if Heilman and Wagner didn't cost them a game each.

.500 ball against the AL, that's about right. Mets would be just slightly better than that for the long haul if they replaced the Royals in the AL Central.

[SecretChiSoxFan]

Jose Contreras is a monster. He just set an all time White Sox franchise record with his 16th straight win . The Tigers and White Sox are just destroying the National League, what a fun race in the AL Central.

P. Rogers on Contreras:
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/column...hil&id=2496571

[yankeebot]

Jose Contreras is a monster. He just set an all time White Sox franchise record with his 16th straight win . The Tigers and White Sox are just destroying the National League, what a fun race in the AL Central.

P. Rogers on Contreras:
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/column...hil&id=2496571

He is simply amazing right now. I wonder if he could actually win 30........naaah. Or could he?

[SoCal Pinstriper]

MUELLER UPDATE
Six weeks after surgery on his right knee, Bill Mueller is coming to grips with the possibility that his chronic knee problems could end his career.
Mueller's recovery from his third surgery on that knee has been slow. He recently visited knee specialist Dr. William Steadman in Colorado. Mueller thought microfracture surgery to stimulate cartilage growth might be a possibility, but Steadman told him he was "not a good candidate" for the procedure and offered little else in the way of hope.
"It was heartbreaking that he didn't have an answer at this point," Mueller said.
Mueller was told to continue the rehabilitation and physical therapy program.

http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister...le_1192265.php

[SoCal Pinstriper]

One day after beating Roger Clemens in one of the most celebrated games of the season, Twins rookie phenom Francisco Liriano sat in the tunnel behind the Twins' dugout holding his stomach and looking queasy.
The left-handed pitcher said he has had problems with an upset stomach since a bout with what was thought was food poisoning in Seattle early this month. Now he's not so sure and plans to see a doctor for tests Monday, the day before his next scheduled start.
The symptoms could point to an ulcer or some other stress-related ailment, according to the Twins' medical staff. It's also possible that a particularly bad case of food poisoning could have lingering effects. Liriano has kept quiet about the symptoms until now.
"It's not all the time," said Liriano (7-1) who said he has not been affected on the mound for any of his three starts since Seattle. He's 3-0 with a 1.64 earned-run average and 24 strikeouts in 22 innings over those starts.

http://www.twincities.com/mld/pionee...s/14890768.htm

[In Mo I Trust]

Tim Hudson is 90-4 in his career when his team scores 4 or more runs for him. Pretty amazing.

[SoCal Pinstriper]

ROAD WARRIORS: With their chartered plane and crew delayed indefinitely getting to St. Petersburg-Clearwater airport due to weather Sunday night, the Rays players voted to waive a players association rule and take buses to south Florida.
Or at least some of them.
About a dozen players rode on the two buses, but the rest chose alternate methods of transportation. Carl Crawford, Damon Hollins and Scott Kazmir took a Southwest Airlines flight from Tampa; Rocco Baldelli, Hall and Jonny Gomes jumped into Gomes' car and headed down; Greg Norton and Josh Paul drove together Monday morning; and other players drove with their families.

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/06/27/Ra..._for_you.shtml

[SoCal Pinstriper]

MIAMI - The Devil Rays were close to completing a trade with the Dodgers Monday night that would send catcher Toby Hall and left-handed pitcher Mark Hendrickson to Los Angeles.
A deal could be finalized as soon as today.
The Rays have been interested in 22-year-old catcher Dioner Navarro since this past offseason, when the teams orchestrated a deal that sent closer Danys Baez and reliever Lance Carter to the Dodgers for pitchers Edwin Jackson and Chuck Tiffany.
Both Hall and Hendrickson signed one-year deals this offseason.

http://www.tbo.com/sports/rays/MGBN1HURXOE.html

The NL West, and Dodger Stadium could be a very good change for Hendrickson.

[SoCal Pinstriper]

Despite throwing seven strong innings and leaving with a 9-2 lead, Astros ace Roy Oswalt was too professional to complain late Sunday night after he settled for a no-decision in the 10-9, 13-inning victory over the Chicago White Sox.
If he was angry, he didn't show it after his bullpen continued its struggles behind him. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Oswalt (6-3, 3.26 ERA) has seen his relievers combine for a 9.00 ERA in his starts this year. No pitcher in the majors with more than five starts this year has seen his bullpen have a higher ERA than Oswalt behind him.

http://chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/4004792.html

[hunter05]

In a 5 game series I'd take Santana and the Twins over the Mets. The AL is just that much better, it really is. The Royals just got a sweep vs the NL, wow!!!!

If Pedro matches up with Santana, I'll take the Mets.

[buckyjacobson]

What's up with this Phils catcher Coste? Showed off a cannon last night, gunning down Crisp from his knees when Crisp was trying to steal 2nd. I guess he's 3-3 this year at CS, and 2 of the 3 have been from his knees -- other was Jose Reyes, who is 34-42 this year and was 60-75 last year.

Really interesting thing, if ESPN is correct, is that he's 33 and this is his 1st year in the majors.

Anybody know anything about the guy?

[Mr. Mxylsplk]

What's up with this Phils catcher Coste?
Anybody know anything about the guy?

http://albethke.blogspot.com/2004_02...23169951293481
Sounds like journeyman who came to the game late, and just never got a shot despite being pretty decent in the minors.

[AustinTXHorn]

If you're watching Sportscenter, check how the Rangers got just robbed out of a victory.

Amazing how an umpire can miss it.

In case you can't see it, the Rangers had the bases loaded with two outs in the top of the ninth, down 5-3. Teixeira hits a ball down the right field line that is obviously going to be a bases clearing double. It's also obviously fair, landing on the left side of the foul line, kicking up a good bit of chalk.

Of course, the umpire calls it foul. Teixeira gets tossed (Mike Young and Showalter were tossed earlier in the game because of bad calls. Barajas almost got thrown out in a separate incident as well.) and Laird has to come up. He eventually flies out and the game ends.

It's not often that I get this mad about a game. But I guess that's because I hate seeing umpires decide outcomes.

Edited for video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZGxxmNGIbc

[somejerk]

If you're watching Sportscenter, check how the Rangers got just robbed out of a victory.

Amazing how an umpire can miss it.

In case you can't see it, the Rangers had the bases loaded with two outs in the top of the ninth, down 5-3. Teixeira hits a ball down the right field line that is obviously going to be a bases clearing double. It's also obviously fair, landing on the left side of the foul line, kicking up a good bit of chalk.

Of course, the umpire calls it foul. Teixeira gets tossed (Mike Young and Showalter were tossed earlier in the game because of bad calls. Barajas almost got thrown out in a separate incident as well.) and Laird has to come up. He eventually flies out and the game ends.

It's not often that I get this mad about a game. But I guess that's because I hate seeing umpires decide outcomes.

Edited for video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZGxxmNGIbc

I was watching it last night at a bar, and there were a few Giants fans that were mighty pissed at the call also. Very poorly officiated game, it wasn't the dye on the baseball that was flying up.

Laird had a pretty good at bat too. It's not easy pinch hitting down 0-2 and working the count full.

[SoCal Pinstriper]

The White Sox have sold more than 2.68 million tickets in 2006, surpassing 1992 to become the second-highest ticket sales season in team history. The club attendance record of 2,934,154 was set in 1991, the first year of the new ballpark. From 1991 through 2003, the ballpark had an additional 6,600 seats.

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune....s-home-utility

[SoCal Pinstriper]

If you're watching Sportscenter, check how the Rangers got just robbed out of a victory.

Amazing how an umpire can miss it.

In case you can't see it, the Rangers had the bases loaded with two outs in the top of the ninth, down 5-3. Teixeira hits a ball down the right field line that is obviously going to be a bases clearing double. It's also obviously fair, landing on the left side of the foul line, kicking up a good bit of chalk.

Of course, the umpire calls it foul. Teixeira gets tossed (Mike Young and Showalter were tossed earlier in the game because of bad calls. Barajas almost got thrown out in a separate incident as well.) and Laird has to come up. He eventually flies out and the game ends.

It's not often that I get this mad about a game. But I guess that's because I hate seeing umpires decide outcomes.

Edited for video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZGxxmNGIbc

It looked like chalk, but:

Mark Teixeira's liner down the right-field line in the ninth inning Tuesday night might have kicked up baby powder, or garlic salt, or maybe someone's well-camouflaged drug stash, but it did not kick up chalk. The foul lines in the outfield at China Basin are not drawn in chalk. They are painted.
So, umpire Tom Hallion still might have missed the call, which cost Texas a chance to take a lead, or he might have gotten it right, but he cannot be faulted for ignoring the basic tenet that anytime a ball hits chalk, it is fair. The Giants won the game 5-3.
A stadium official said the lines are painted around noon each day. At 3 p.m. Wednesday, a Chronicle reporter rubbed his hand on the left-field foul line, and his hand remained clean: no chalk, no paint, no anything. There were flecks of white dirt and rocks around the line that appeared to catch some stray paint. They were spotted in fair and foul territory.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cg...PGO4JLF7F1.DTL

[Bill_theBluejayfan]

http://www.tsn.ca/mlb/news_story/?ID=170042&hubname=

I really hope this is not bad

[yanksphan]

http://www.tsn.ca/mlb/news_story/?ID=170042&hubname=

I really hope this is not bad

Oh man that blows. He's having some kind of season too. Hope he gets past this.

[SoCal Pinstriper]

IN GOOD COMPANY -- C.C. Sabathia won his 75th game in the big leagues earlier in the week against the Cardinals, making him the youngest pitcher to reach that plateau since Greg Maddux, who did it on Oct. 6, 1991, when he was 25 years, 175 days old.
Sabathia's precise age the day he beat the Cardinals was 25 years, 341 days old.
The only left-handers in Tribe history with more wins than Sabathia are Sam McDowell (122) and Joe Shaute (78).

http://www.ohio.com/mld/beaconjourna...s/14937197.htm

I always forget how young CC really is.

[SoCal Pinstriper]

Select company
First baseman Ryan Howard, who took a major-league-high 27 home runs into last night after hitting two Wednesday, reached the 25-homer mark in the Phillies' 71st game to set a major-league record by a player in his sophomore season, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
In major-league history, only three other sophomores reached 25 homers before their respective teams played 80 games: Bob Johnson with the 1934 Philadelphia Athletics (75 games), Joe DiMaggio with the 1937 Yankees (78 games), and Eddie Mathews with the 1953 Milwaukee Braves (78 games).

http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/sports/14934182.htm

[SoCal Pinstriper]

Not all that long ago, Oliver Perez's arsenal was being compared to that of Randy Johnson, his potential to that of Sandy Koufax.
Tomorrow night, he will take the mound against the Toledo Mud Hens.


The Pirates yesterday optioned Perez to Class AAA Indianapolis and recalled Tom Gorzelanny to take his place in the rotation tomorrow against the Detroit Tigers. The team plans to have Perez make "a series" of starts for Indianapolis, manager Jim Tracy said, beginning with tomorrow in Toledo

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06181/702368-63.stm

[fredgmuggs]

Great news.... MLB has finally figured out how to reach into your pocket after you're dead....

NOVI, MI--(MARKET WIRE)--Jun 23, 2006 -- Baseball fans, some of the most devoted in all of sport, will soon be able to proclaim their loyalties in a whole new way. Eternal Image, Inc. (Other OTC:ETIM.PK - News), a public company engaged in the design, manufacturing, and marketing of customized designer caskets and urns, today announced it has signed a licensing agreement with Major League Baseball (MLB).

http://biz.yahoo.com/iw/060623/0138530.html

[TheMick@ND]

I just saw that Troy Glaus was playing SS. I guess I haven't been paying much attention. Has this been a regular occurance? Can he play there?

[buckyjacobson]

I just saw that Troy Glaus was playing SS. I guess I haven't been paying much attention. Has this been a regular occurance? Can he play there?

I haven't been following it, but I know he's been playing there, at least part time, as of a week or so ago. Apparently some of the starts, if not all, were due to interleague play.

He played SS earlier in his career -- maybe at USC? not sure when he made the switch, though.

[Bill_theBluejayfan]

He has played SS a couple of times this year during interleague and every time he has, we have been absolutely terrified he will get killed during dp's. Oh well, we won anyways.

[SoCal Pinstriper]

White Sox general manager Ken Williams went on the offensive Sunday to stop them in their tracks. Internet reports out of Los Angeles said the Sox were interested in acquiring Angels infielder/outfielder Chone Figgins, while nationally, Atlanta Braves center fielder Andruw Jones' name has been thrown around.
"I'm not out shopping for a center fielder,'' Williams insisted. "That ought to say something.''
What it said is that Williams and the rest of the organization have full confidence in Brian Anderson, despite his .176 batting average.

http://www.suntimes.com/output/sox/cst-spt-sox03.html

[SoCal Pinstriper]

DECISION TIME: Right-hander Wade Miller's velocity never got above 85 mph Monday night in three-plus innings for Class A Peoria. That raises the possibility that he might not pitch for the Cubs this year. There had been hopes in spring training that he would be ready by June.
"He's not going to be successful in the big leagues at 84, 85,'' Hendry said Tuesday. "It wasn't a huge financial risk, and it may still pay off.''
The Cubs gave Miller $1 million this year to see if he could overcome right shoulder surgery. He pitched only 16 games last year for the Boston Red Sox.

http://www.suntimes.com/output/cubs/...t-cubnt05.html

[SoCal Pinstriper]

The body of evidence is in, accumulated day by painful day during the team's 111-143 unraveling since the next-to-last weekend of the 2004 season, and time has run out on Baker. He has been just another manager without Barry Bonds (or even Sammy Sosa) in the dugout, and there are only two questions now: Will he last through this weekend's series in Milwaukee? And, more importantly, who replaces him?

You're going to be hearing all the familiar names in the next week, with most of the talk about Lou Piniella, the happily retired Tom Kelly and TV color analyst Bob Brenly (unless he takes his name out of consideration). Jimy Williams, one of the worst managers in history, would love another chance. Ditto Jim Fregosi, Lloyd McClendon and Tony Pena.

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune....home-headlines

[SubwayFanatic]

Sosa says he may come back next year.


http://www.suntimes.com/output/baseb...spt-hot04.html

[SoCal Pinstriper]

This doesn't sound right to me, but:

• Nomar Garciaparra, who ranked second in the National League with a .360 batting average, can become the first player in 104 years to win a batting title in both leagues. Ed Delahanty, with the Phillies in 1889 and the Senators in 1902, was the last man to do it.

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepu...notes0706.html

Angels SS Orlando Cabrera extended his streak of reaching base to 62 consecutive games. The streak is the sixth-longest in major league history, according to Herm Krabbenhoft of the Society for American Baseball Research. Ted Williams had three of the top five streaks — the record 84 in 1949, 69 in 1941 and 65 in 1948. Joe DiMaggio reached base in 71 consecutive games in 1941 and Bill Joyce 64 in 1891, for the Boston Reds of the American Association.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/printe...ines-pe-sports

To the best of my knowlege, Edgar Rentaria is not closing in on any marks of historical significance.

[Tifoso]

This doesn't sound right to me, but:
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepu...notes0706.html

http://www.latimes.com/sports/printe...ines-pe-sports

To the best of my knowlege, Edgar Rentaria is not closing in on any marks of historical significance.

Wow.

56--the record that will never be broken

[Tifoso]

Wow.

56--the record that will never be broken

Although 73 may never be again, either....by a "normal" player

[SoCal Pinstriper]

LF Carl Crawford's fourth-inning stolen base was his second of three on the night and marked his 200th career steal. Crawford became the eighth player to steal 200 bases before the age of 25, joining Rickey Henderson, Ty Cobb, Tim Raines, Cesar Cedeno, Sherry Magee, Vince Coleman and Eddie Collins.

http://www.tbo.com/sports/rays/MGBXMZ3KAPE.html

The Pirates are the first team in baseball history to lose 25 one-run games by the Fourth of July, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The previous high was 24 by the 1971 Houston Astros.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06187/703786-63.stm

[VanHalen5150]

http://www.nypost.com/sports/life_is...vin_kernan.htm

Mike Piazza to become a father

[SoCal Pinstriper]

REPEAT PERFORMANCE? Carl Crawford's rare steal of home Wednesday is not likely to be duplicated any time soon, Maddon said, because the element of surprise will no longer be in Crawford's favor.
"I think the odds have gone down significantly," Maddon said. "You never know. I mean some pitchers are just adamantly opposed to pitching out of the stretch. They think their stuff is so much better out of the windup. … Obviously they'll be much more cognizant so he'll have less chance of doing it."
Another unlikely repeat will be Crawford stealing second, third and home in the same game. Before Wednesday it hadn't been done since Tom Goodwin with the Rockies in 2000. The last American League player to do it was former Devil Ray Gerald Williams, with the Yankees in 1996.

http://www.tbo.com/sports/rays/MGB3FUI0CPE.html

[SoCal Pinstriper]

NEW YORK -- The Pirates have been criticized for employing veterans at starting positions rather than youngsters across the board, but that case cannot be made when it comes to the rotation.
Including Tom Gorzelanny's outing last night against the New York Mets, 80 percent of the team's starts have been made by pitchers 24 or younger. Ian Snell, Paul Maholm and Oliver Perez are 24, Zach Duke 23. The sole exceptions have been the starts by Kip Wells and Victor Santos, each 29.


No team in Major League Baseball has a rotation as young as the Pirates, with an average age of 24.6, and no other team has gone all season without a single start by someone 30 or older.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06188/704041-63.stm

[buckyjacobson]

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_yl...yhoo&type=lgns

[backstop20]

http://tampabay.devilrays.mlb.com/NA...t=.jsp&c_id=tb

ST. PETERSBURG -- Dioner Navarro and his wife, Sherley, were just going to the Wal-Mart to pick up some baby food for their son, Dioner Jr., who was born Sept. 13, sometime around 10 on Tuesday night when the Rays' new catcher's SUV was hit from behind.

Navarro lost control and hit the curb before the vehicle turned over twice and came to a stop upside down.

"We're fine, thank God," Navarro said. "She has some bruises on the back of her hand. I got some bruises. Other than that, we're fine."

[backstop20]

http://www.tsn.ca/mlb/news_story/?ID=170042&hubname=

I really hope this is not bad

http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/NASA...=.jsp&c_id=tor

July 4, 2006

Rios update: In a passing remark prior to Monday's game against the Rangers, Toronto manager John Gibbons revealed a little more about Alex Rios' left leg injury.
"Those staph infections can be pretty dangerous," Gibbons said.

Up until that point, the ailment had simply been referred to as an infection, but George Poulis, Toronto's head trainer, confirmed on Tuesday that it was in fact a staph infection. While that specific type of infection can become serious, Poulis said Rios' good health and physcial condition works in his favor.

Poulis added that Rios was still receiving antibiotics to fight the infection at Mt. Sinai Hospital in Toronto, and the outfielder may or may not be released within the next week. Rios, who has been in the hospital since Thursday, has been doing light physical therapy -- mainly range-of-motion activities with his legs. He isn't able to do any stronger workouts because that would heighten the risk of spreading the infection to other parts of his body.
"He isn't out of the woods yet," Poulis said.

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Con...l=970081600908

July 5, 2006

The Jays yesterday confirmed right fielder Alex Rios is suffering from a staph infection and will remain in a Toronto hospital.

That could last a day or two, or several more days. Rios has been in hospital since last Thursday.

He is not expected to return to baseball until after the all-star break at the earliest. From there, he will likely spend a few days in the minor leagues to get his form back.

[VanHalen5150]

Jose Reyes could possibly miss the all-star game with a cut on his finger

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/allsta...ory?id=2512993

[Big Stein's Calzones]

John Lackey gave up a leadoff double to Mark Kotsay to begin tonight's game, then promptly set down the next 27 guys in order. 9 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 10 K. Halos win 3-0.

[Steph19]

John Lackey gave up a leadoff double to Mark Kotsay to begin tonight's game, then promptly set down the next 27 guys in order. 9 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 10 K. Halos win 3-0.

Oh my goodness. I get mad when that happens to me in MVP Baseball - even almost trying to give up another hit so that it's not just that one.

Can't imagine what Lackey feels like.

Great game, nonetheless, but wow.