Catch Factor
In 2007, only 2 catchers hit 20 or more homeruns.
Jorge Posada has been injured and only has 3 HR, while Victor Martinez currently sits on the DL and has yet to go deep.
So how has the 2008 class of catchers improved?
There are 5 catchers that are likely to hit 20 or more homeruns, 4 guys that are on pace for 80+ RBI and 16 players batting .280 or better.
We have all seen a dominant pitcher get hot and virtually carrying a team into the postseason and even to a World Series title, but the other half of the battery may be even more important to a team’s success.
Let’s take a closer look at the top catchers (min. 200 AB) as we near the All-Star Break…
Brian McCann (Atlanta Braves)
McCann is turning in a wonderful season thus far. He’s batting .299 with 14 homeruns, tops among catchers. His 35 runs is ranks 4th and his 45 RBI put him 3rd. The Braves have disappointing with a 40-43 record, but sit just 4.5 games back in the division race.
Joe Mauer (Minnesota Twins)
Mauer is batting a remarkable .322 and shows discipline at the plate evidenced by his 41 walks. He has just 3 homeruns on the year, but power has never been his game. He has contributed 32 RBI and leads all catchers with 48 runs scored. Mauer and the Twins have won 10 of the last 11 games and have closed to within 1 game of the White Sox for first in the Central.
Russell Martin (LA Dodgers)
Martin is a big reason that the Dodgers are just 2 games out of first place in the division. He’s been called upon to pick up the slack for the injured Andruw Jones and that’s exactly what he’s done. Martin has been solid all around with a .310 batting average, 8 HR, 37 RBI, 41 runs, 7 stolen bases and 44 walks.
Geovany Soto (Chicago Cubs)
Soto ranks 2nd among catchers in HR and RBI, with 13 HR and 47 RBI. He’s batting .280 with 27 runs and 37 walks. Soto has helped the Cubs to a 49-32 record. Those 49 wins are 2nd only to the Boston Red Sox.
Bengie Molina (San Francisco Giants)
Molina has been one of the lone bright spots for a Giants team that was picked to finish dead last after the loss of Barry Bonds. Molina is batting .308 with 6 HR and 25 runs scored. He has 48 RBI, which leads all catchers. The Giants don’t have the best-looking record but they are in 3rd place and 5.5 games isn’t too much to overcome.
Take it Deep:
www.letsgodeep.com
www.passitdeep.com
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
The Power of "4"
The Power of “4”
When Alfonso Soriano hit 39 HR in 2002, he provided power numbers from a 2nd baseman, which hadn’t been seen in quite awhile. Soriano was eventually moved into the outfield, once again leaving a power void in the middle infield.
The resurgence of the power hitting 2nd baseman has begun and four players on pace for great years. Chase Utley, Dan Uggla, Brandon Phillips and Ian Kinsler are all on track to finish with 25+ HR and 90+ RBI, with Utley and Uggla aiming higher.
Brandon Phillips has 13 HR and 43 RBI. He has the lowest RBI total of the group, but finished out last year with 94 RBI to go along with 30 HR. His .271 average is also the lowest of the four players mentioned but he’s in a lineup with Griffey, Dunn, Votto and Bruce. Look for him to get hot after the break.
Ian Kinsler has the lowest HR total of the group with 12, but he boasts the highest batting average, hitting .305 with 47 RBI. It’s Kinsler’s run total that has been the most impressive. He’s rounded the bases 64 times, which is good for 2nd best in the league.
Chase Utley certainly isn’t a surprise anymore, but his power seems to be even better than previous seasons. He’s led the MLB in homeruns for the majority of the year and currently sits in 2nd with 22 bombs. He’s also 4th in the MLB in RBI with 63. His .291 average and 57 runs make him a very well rounded player.
Dan Uggla has become the blue print for a power hitting 2nd baseman this year. His hot streak of late has allowed him to surpass Utley and take the MLB lead in HR with 23. He’s 9th in the league with 57 RBI and has 57 runs to go with his .294 average.
The Reds and Rangers aren’t likely to be in contention when the playoffs roll around, but look for Utley and Uggla to battle it out for the NL East title. Both the Phillies and Marlins know that the added bonus of having a power hitting 2nd baseman could provide just the boost needed to make a postseason run.
Take it Deep:
www.letsgodeep.com
www.passitdeep.com
When Alfonso Soriano hit 39 HR in 2002, he provided power numbers from a 2nd baseman, which hadn’t been seen in quite awhile. Soriano was eventually moved into the outfield, once again leaving a power void in the middle infield.
The resurgence of the power hitting 2nd baseman has begun and four players on pace for great years. Chase Utley, Dan Uggla, Brandon Phillips and Ian Kinsler are all on track to finish with 25+ HR and 90+ RBI, with Utley and Uggla aiming higher.
Brandon Phillips has 13 HR and 43 RBI. He has the lowest RBI total of the group, but finished out last year with 94 RBI to go along with 30 HR. His .271 average is also the lowest of the four players mentioned but he’s in a lineup with Griffey, Dunn, Votto and Bruce. Look for him to get hot after the break.
Ian Kinsler has the lowest HR total of the group with 12, but he boasts the highest batting average, hitting .305 with 47 RBI. It’s Kinsler’s run total that has been the most impressive. He’s rounded the bases 64 times, which is good for 2nd best in the league.
Chase Utley certainly isn’t a surprise anymore, but his power seems to be even better than previous seasons. He’s led the MLB in homeruns for the majority of the year and currently sits in 2nd with 22 bombs. He’s also 4th in the MLB in RBI with 63. His .291 average and 57 runs make him a very well rounded player.
Dan Uggla has become the blue print for a power hitting 2nd baseman this year. His hot streak of late has allowed him to surpass Utley and take the MLB lead in HR with 23. He’s 9th in the league with 57 RBI and has 57 runs to go with his .294 average.
The Reds and Rangers aren’t likely to be in contention when the playoffs roll around, but look for Utley and Uggla to battle it out for the NL East title. Both the Phillies and Marlins know that the added bonus of having a power hitting 2nd baseman could provide just the boost needed to make a postseason run.
Take it Deep:
www.letsgodeep.com
www.passitdeep.com
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
White Sox Musings!
We all know that the Chicago White Sox were swept by their cross town rivals this past weekend! What most of you don't know (unless you're from Chicago) is that the "cry babies" on the south side couldn't go back to the Cell without having some crass parting words for the Chicago Cubs organization and their fans!
Listed below are some parting comments made by Ozzie Guillen & crew before they offically crawled their way back to "The Cell" with their Bibs, Rattlers & Diapers on!
Ozzie Guillen: "The rats at Wrigley Field have gotten bigger, they must be lifting weights".
A.J. Pierzynski: "Cubs Fans are all idiots".
John Danks: "Their Clubhouse smells like someone urinated in it"!
Too bad the rest of the organization didn't have a s much class as their GM Kenny Williams! Oh well, I guess they'll NEVER get used to being eternally known as "The Other" team that plays in Chicago.
Go Cubs!
http://www.letsgodeep.com/
http://www.passitdeep.com/
Listed below are some parting comments made by Ozzie Guillen & crew before they offically crawled their way back to "The Cell" with their Bibs, Rattlers & Diapers on!
Ozzie Guillen: "The rats at Wrigley Field have gotten bigger, they must be lifting weights".
A.J. Pierzynski: "Cubs Fans are all idiots".
John Danks: "Their Clubhouse smells like someone urinated in it"!
Too bad the rest of the organization didn't have a s much class as their GM Kenny Williams! Oh well, I guess they'll NEVER get used to being eternally known as "The Other" team that plays in Chicago.
Go Cubs!
http://www.letsgodeep.com/
http://www.passitdeep.com/
Monday, June 23, 2008
MLB Injury Report: 6/22/2008
Take it Deep: www.letsgodeep.com
www.passitdeep.com
Injury Report 6-22-08
Chipper Jones
Jones will sit out his 3rd straight game due to his quad. He should return soon.
Eric Byrnes
Byrnes should be back with Arizona very soon and he’s had plenty of time on the DL to recover.
Hideki Matsui
Matsui had his knee drained recently, but isn’t expected to land on the DL.
Hank Blalock
Blalock has been on his rehab assignment for 3 days and should rejoin the big club early in the week.
Albert Pujols
Pujols seems to be recovering nicely and a return date is scheduled for Thursday.
Alfonso Soriano
Soriano should be back in the Cubs lineup by the end of this week to get ready for a big series against the White Sox. Get ready for some high scoring games and the Cubs are going to need Soriano's big back to stay in these games!
www.passitdeep.com
Injury Report 6-22-08
Chipper Jones
Jones will sit out his 3rd straight game due to his quad. He should return soon.
Eric Byrnes
Byrnes should be back with Arizona very soon and he’s had plenty of time on the DL to recover.
Hideki Matsui
Matsui had his knee drained recently, but isn’t expected to land on the DL.
Hank Blalock
Blalock has been on his rehab assignment for 3 days and should rejoin the big club early in the week.
Albert Pujols
Pujols seems to be recovering nicely and a return date is scheduled for Thursday.
Alfonso Soriano
Soriano should be back in the Cubs lineup by the end of this week to get ready for a big series against the White Sox. Get ready for some high scoring games and the Cubs are going to need Soriano's big back to stay in these games!
Week 12 Review of The All American Home Run Derby
Take it Deep: www.letsgodeep.com
www.passitdeep.com
Week 12 Review
Dilldocks is now starting to find some separation in the standings and leads the way with a total of 221 homeruns. AllorNothin is hanging tough with 216 HR. Mr. Papa Georgio remains in the mix with 214 HR. #1Philsfan is just one back of Mr. Papa G, while The Shockers rounds out the Top 5 well off the pace with 204 HR.
Our pool player breakdown is as follows…
1 player with 23 homeruns
1 player with 22 homeruns
3 players with 20 homeruns
2 players with 19 homeruns
2 players with 18 homeruns
2 players with 17 homeruns
5 players with 16 homeruns
5 players with 15 homeruns
4 players with 14 homeruns
5 players with 13 homeruns
4 players with 12 homeruns
9 players with 11 homeruns
6 players with 10 homeruns
6 players with 9 homeruns
9 players with 8 homeruns
7 players with 7 homeruns
5 players with 6 homeruns
3 players with 5 homeruns
4 players with 4 homeruns
3 players with 3 homeruns
2 players with 2 homeruns
3 players with 1 homerun
2 players have failed to go deep
Dan Uggla now leads the Majors with 23 homeruns and fellow 2nd baseman Chase Utley is just one shy of his mark. Ryan Braun, Lance Berkman and Adrian Gonzalez all have 20 HR.
Sixteen players have between 15 and 19 round trippers. Hanley Ramirez represents the middle infield with 16, while Ryan Howard(19) and Pat Burrell(18) give the Phillies 3 players in the Top 9.
The 10-14 HR group has 28 members. Miguel Cabrera(10) remains at a snails pace, but Corey Hart(11) has turned around a slow start. Joey Votto(12) and Brandon Phillips(13) show that Dunn and Griffey aren’t the only power hitters in Cincy and ARod(14) continues to climb the leaderboard.
Thirty players comprise the 5-9 HR crew. Eric Byrnes(6), Vernon Wells(7), Matt Holliday(8) and Brad Hawpe(9) are all looking to make up for time lost on the DL. Khalil Greene(7) is showing that last year’s HR total was just a fluke and Justin Upton(9) is out to prove that he’s the real deal.
The fifteen players with a total of 5 or less HR continue to disappoint. Not surprisingly, 10 of the guys have spent time in the minors or injured, but Kosuke Fukudome(5) and Delmon Young(1) can’t use that excuse.
The only players that have failed to go deep are Josh Field, who is still in the minors, and Victor Martinez, who is out until after the break. Barry Bonds will no longer be mentioned barring his return.
www.passitdeep.com
Week 12 Review
Dilldocks is now starting to find some separation in the standings and leads the way with a total of 221 homeruns. AllorNothin is hanging tough with 216 HR. Mr. Papa Georgio remains in the mix with 214 HR. #1Philsfan is just one back of Mr. Papa G, while The Shockers rounds out the Top 5 well off the pace with 204 HR.
Our pool player breakdown is as follows…
1 player with 23 homeruns
1 player with 22 homeruns
3 players with 20 homeruns
2 players with 19 homeruns
2 players with 18 homeruns
2 players with 17 homeruns
5 players with 16 homeruns
5 players with 15 homeruns
4 players with 14 homeruns
5 players with 13 homeruns
4 players with 12 homeruns
9 players with 11 homeruns
6 players with 10 homeruns
6 players with 9 homeruns
9 players with 8 homeruns
7 players with 7 homeruns
5 players with 6 homeruns
3 players with 5 homeruns
4 players with 4 homeruns
3 players with 3 homeruns
2 players with 2 homeruns
3 players with 1 homerun
2 players have failed to go deep
Dan Uggla now leads the Majors with 23 homeruns and fellow 2nd baseman Chase Utley is just one shy of his mark. Ryan Braun, Lance Berkman and Adrian Gonzalez all have 20 HR.
Sixteen players have between 15 and 19 round trippers. Hanley Ramirez represents the middle infield with 16, while Ryan Howard(19) and Pat Burrell(18) give the Phillies 3 players in the Top 9.
The 10-14 HR group has 28 members. Miguel Cabrera(10) remains at a snails pace, but Corey Hart(11) has turned around a slow start. Joey Votto(12) and Brandon Phillips(13) show that Dunn and Griffey aren’t the only power hitters in Cincy and ARod(14) continues to climb the leaderboard.
Thirty players comprise the 5-9 HR crew. Eric Byrnes(6), Vernon Wells(7), Matt Holliday(8) and Brad Hawpe(9) are all looking to make up for time lost on the DL. Khalil Greene(7) is showing that last year’s HR total was just a fluke and Justin Upton(9) is out to prove that he’s the real deal.
The fifteen players with a total of 5 or less HR continue to disappoint. Not surprisingly, 10 of the guys have spent time in the minors or injured, but Kosuke Fukudome(5) and Delmon Young(1) can’t use that excuse.
The only players that have failed to go deep are Josh Field, who is still in the minors, and Victor Martinez, who is out until after the break. Barry Bonds will no longer be mentioned barring his return.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Diamond Dames
Diamond Dames
It’s easy to point your web browser to www.letsgodeep.com and find out who is hitting homeruns on the field. It’s a little bit tougher to find out who the biggest slugger is off the field. Sometimes you’ll catch a glimpse of a new relationship on SportsCenter. Occasionally Yahoo will feature a new fling. The Consigliere is here to really break down, who is “The Man” when it comes to off day activities.
Russell Martin might still be making rookie mistakes, but he’s also been doing some of the same things as his older teammates. Once linked to Brad Penny, among others, Alyssa Milano can now be found cheering on the young Dodgers catcher. The good news for Martin is that she’s already had the tour of the clubhouse.
And don’t feel bad for Brad Penny. Eliza Dushku is keeping him busy enough that he doesn’t have time to worry about his catcher and his leftovers.
Everyone knows that Alex Rodriguez is married, but since his wife looks like a disgruntled department store mannequin, let’s giving him some credit for his pre-marriage conquests. He may not have been the first one to hit a homerun in the ballpark, but I’m sure that ARod felt pretty comfortable at the plate with Jessica Canseco. The Yankee slugger has also been linked to Sofia Vergara. Her nickname is “Human Viagra”, so I think he did okay for himself.
We also have a few pool players that have managed to marry some pretty good-looking women.
David Ortiz can be seen here with his wife Tiffany. Fellow teammate Manny Ramirez landed a hot wife named Juliana. Red Sox rival Jason Giambi also has a pretty lady in his corner named Kristian.
Of course, we couldn’t forget about the man that’s always in the news. All-Time HR leader Barry Bonds has apparently met a new woman at the gym. It’s rare that they are seen together in public but we did manage to track down one picture of her.
All of the above-mentioned players have one very important thing in common.
They all wish that they were Derek Jeter.
When it comes to off the field milestones, Derek Jeter is a legend that will likely never be matched. His dating profile reads like a who’s who of the hottest women in America.
When Jeter was still a rookie is baseball, he was already a pro on the dating scene as he began a relationship with Mariah Carey. After he made his mark on the music world, he moved on to Miss Universe Lara Dutta. Pretty soon, it was time to try out the actress scene and he began dating Jordana Brewster, who co-starred in D.E.B.S with Meagan Good. Being careful not to stay in one relationship too long, Jeter moved on to Supermodel Adriana Lima. After things ended with Lima, he hooked up with small screen star Vanessa Minnillo. Why would he not stay with Minnillo for the rest of his life? Because he hit the jackpot and started dating Jessica Alba! While the Consigliere cannot condone this break-up, things did end with Alba and Jeter wasted little time before getting together with FHM star Vida Guerra. While Guerra may be hot, she can’t live up to the standards of Jeter’s next stop, Jessica Biel a.k.a. The Hottest Woman Alive!
Jeter is no longer with Biel either. Idiot. His latest relationship is Friday Night Lights cheerleader, Minka Kelly.
Now the next time you see the Yankees losing to the Red Sox and Jeter is sitting in the dugout grinning ear to ear, you’ll know why.
Alyssa Milano
http://s05.imagehost.org/0674/AD651-Alyssa_Milano.jpg
Eliza Dushku
http://www.humoronline.com/celebrity-pictures/eliza-dushku-6.jpg
Jessica Canseco
http://www.theminge.com/jessica/Jessica%20Canseco%20nude09.jpg
Sofia Vergara
http://www.hqclips.com/sofia_vergara/sofia_vergara_005.jpg
Tiffany Ortiz
http://i.a.cnn.net/si/multimedia/photo_gallery/2005/07/12/allstar.party/ortiz.jpg
Kristian Giambi
http://www.mlb.com/images/2005/02/10/vglQK8vC.jpg
Juliana Ramirez
http://www.wagrankings.com/images/wives/red_sox/manny_ramirez_juliana_ramirez_wife.jpg
“Her” (Bonds woman)
http://images.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/_photos/2006-02-28-inside-bonds.jpg
Mariah Carey
http://papers.same.ru/img_papers/music/Mariah%20Carey_800_1024.jpg
Lara Dutta
http://utopianvision.co.uk/images/lib/1071/medium/lara-dutta.jpg
Jordana Brewster
http://www.celebrific.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/jordana-brewster-engaged-12-8-2006.bmp
Meagan Good
http://s01.imagehost.org/0388/Meagan-Good_nw39.jpg
Adriana Lima
http://www.girlsector.com/gallery/Adriana_Lima/Adriana_Lima_047.jpg
Vanessa Minnillo
http://www.citybrat.com/FantasyGirls/VanessaMinnillo.jpg
Jessica Alba
http://mimi6cu.free.fr/street%20dancer%20honey/jessica-alba-wallpapers-3.jpg
Vida Guerra
http://www.abstracthiphop.com/hip-hop-honeys/vida_guerra_on_floor.jpg
Jessica Biel
http://www.toplesscelebs.net/Jessica_Biel/Jessica-Biel-topless-0.jpg
Minka Kelly
http://espn.go.com/photo/2006/1218/pg2_w_kelly_195.jpg
It’s easy to point your web browser to www.letsgodeep.com and find out who is hitting homeruns on the field. It’s a little bit tougher to find out who the biggest slugger is off the field. Sometimes you’ll catch a glimpse of a new relationship on SportsCenter. Occasionally Yahoo will feature a new fling. The Consigliere is here to really break down, who is “The Man” when it comes to off day activities.
Russell Martin might still be making rookie mistakes, but he’s also been doing some of the same things as his older teammates. Once linked to Brad Penny, among others, Alyssa Milano can now be found cheering on the young Dodgers catcher. The good news for Martin is that she’s already had the tour of the clubhouse.
And don’t feel bad for Brad Penny. Eliza Dushku is keeping him busy enough that he doesn’t have time to worry about his catcher and his leftovers.
Everyone knows that Alex Rodriguez is married, but since his wife looks like a disgruntled department store mannequin, let’s giving him some credit for his pre-marriage conquests. He may not have been the first one to hit a homerun in the ballpark, but I’m sure that ARod felt pretty comfortable at the plate with Jessica Canseco. The Yankee slugger has also been linked to Sofia Vergara. Her nickname is “Human Viagra”, so I think he did okay for himself.
We also have a few pool players that have managed to marry some pretty good-looking women.
David Ortiz can be seen here with his wife Tiffany. Fellow teammate Manny Ramirez landed a hot wife named Juliana. Red Sox rival Jason Giambi also has a pretty lady in his corner named Kristian.
Of course, we couldn’t forget about the man that’s always in the news. All-Time HR leader Barry Bonds has apparently met a new woman at the gym. It’s rare that they are seen together in public but we did manage to track down one picture of her.
All of the above-mentioned players have one very important thing in common.
They all wish that they were Derek Jeter.
When it comes to off the field milestones, Derek Jeter is a legend that will likely never be matched. His dating profile reads like a who’s who of the hottest women in America.
When Jeter was still a rookie is baseball, he was already a pro on the dating scene as he began a relationship with Mariah Carey. After he made his mark on the music world, he moved on to Miss Universe Lara Dutta. Pretty soon, it was time to try out the actress scene and he began dating Jordana Brewster, who co-starred in D.E.B.S with Meagan Good. Being careful not to stay in one relationship too long, Jeter moved on to Supermodel Adriana Lima. After things ended with Lima, he hooked up with small screen star Vanessa Minnillo. Why would he not stay with Minnillo for the rest of his life? Because he hit the jackpot and started dating Jessica Alba! While the Consigliere cannot condone this break-up, things did end with Alba and Jeter wasted little time before getting together with FHM star Vida Guerra. While Guerra may be hot, she can’t live up to the standards of Jeter’s next stop, Jessica Biel a.k.a. The Hottest Woman Alive!
Jeter is no longer with Biel either. Idiot. His latest relationship is Friday Night Lights cheerleader, Minka Kelly.
Now the next time you see the Yankees losing to the Red Sox and Jeter is sitting in the dugout grinning ear to ear, you’ll know why.
Alyssa Milano
http://s05.imagehost.org/0674/AD651-Alyssa_Milano.jpg
Eliza Dushku
http://www.humoronline.com/celebrity-pictures/eliza-dushku-6.jpg
Jessica Canseco
http://www.theminge.com/jessica/Jessica%20Canseco%20nude09.jpg
Sofia Vergara
http://www.hqclips.com/sofia_vergara/sofia_vergara_005.jpg
Tiffany Ortiz
http://i.a.cnn.net/si/multimedia/photo_gallery/2005/07/12/allstar.party/ortiz.jpg
Kristian Giambi
http://www.mlb.com/images/2005/02/10/vglQK8vC.jpg
Juliana Ramirez
http://www.wagrankings.com/images/wives/red_sox/manny_ramirez_juliana_ramirez_wife.jpg
“Her” (Bonds woman)
http://images.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/_photos/2006-02-28-inside-bonds.jpg
Mariah Carey
http://papers.same.ru/img_papers/music/Mariah%20Carey_800_1024.jpg
Lara Dutta
http://utopianvision.co.uk/images/lib/1071/medium/lara-dutta.jpg
Jordana Brewster
http://www.celebrific.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/jordana-brewster-engaged-12-8-2006.bmp
Meagan Good
http://s01.imagehost.org/0388/Meagan-Good_nw39.jpg
Adriana Lima
http://www.girlsector.com/gallery/Adriana_Lima/Adriana_Lima_047.jpg
Vanessa Minnillo
http://www.citybrat.com/FantasyGirls/VanessaMinnillo.jpg
Jessica Alba
http://mimi6cu.free.fr/street%20dancer%20honey/jessica-alba-wallpapers-3.jpg
Vida Guerra
http://www.abstracthiphop.com/hip-hop-honeys/vida_guerra_on_floor.jpg
Jessica Biel
http://www.toplesscelebs.net/Jessica_Biel/Jessica-Biel-topless-0.jpg
Minka Kelly
http://espn.go.com/photo/2006/1218/pg2_w_kelly_195.jpg
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Sunday Surprise...A tribute to fathers day!
Written by Consigliere
No, this Sunday isn’t the Super Bowl, but for many people the day means just as much.Father’s Day is a special time of the year when you can let your dad know exactly how much he’s meant to you over the years. When you think back to some of the memorable times that you’ve spent with your dad, there’s a pretty good chance that baseball played a part. Whether it was your first trip to an MLB ballpark, a ride to Little League practice or just playing catch in the front yard, baseball has always been present in the father-son relationship.As Sunday draws closer and you start to recall some of those times, it’s interesting to note that there have been some pretty memorable on field moments in the history of Father’s Day.The date in history has provided us with a little bit of everything. In 1925, Philadelphia scored 13 runs in the 9th inning to erase a 14-2 Cleveland lead, en route to a 17-15 win. In 1938, Reds pitcher Johnny Vander Meer pitched his 2nd consecutive no-hitter. In 1982, Jeff Reardon recorded his 342 career save and passed Rollie Fingers on the All-Time list. In 1996, Juan Castor, Delino Deshields and Eric Karros turned a triple play. In 1999, Brewers pitcher, Jim Abbot recorded his first career hit and Orioles first baseman Will Clark recorded his 2000th career hit.Not everything was something to remember though, if you’re a Cubs fan. In 1964, the Cubs traded Lou Brock to the Cardinals for Ernie Broglio. Of course, Brock went on to amass 3000 hits and over 900 stolen bases while Broglio went on to record just 7 more career wins. If you’re planning on getting together with your dad this Sunday, here are a few games that have a chance to be memorable…Dodgers at Tigers: Super prospect Clayton Kershaw is the scheduled starter for LA.San Diego at Cleveland: Reigning Cy Young winner CC Sabathia takes the mound against 4-time Cy Young winner Greg Maddux.Boston at Cincinnati: This could be the matchup of the day as 2007 World Series Champions take on a surging group of youngsters. Rookie Homer Bailey will square off with veteran Josh Beckett, but if pitching isn’t your thing, the game also features 8 HR Derby pool players. Mike Lowell and Manny Ramirez will have to make up for the injured David Ortiz, while the Reds will field Ken Griffey Jr, Adam Dunn, Brandon Phillips, Joey Votto and Jay Bruce.From all of us here at the All-American Homerun Derby, we want to wish a Happy Father’s Day to all of the dads out there. We hope that Sunday is a special day for you.
No, this Sunday isn’t the Super Bowl, but for many people the day means just as much.Father’s Day is a special time of the year when you can let your dad know exactly how much he’s meant to you over the years. When you think back to some of the memorable times that you’ve spent with your dad, there’s a pretty good chance that baseball played a part. Whether it was your first trip to an MLB ballpark, a ride to Little League practice or just playing catch in the front yard, baseball has always been present in the father-son relationship.As Sunday draws closer and you start to recall some of those times, it’s interesting to note that there have been some pretty memorable on field moments in the history of Father’s Day.The date in history has provided us with a little bit of everything. In 1925, Philadelphia scored 13 runs in the 9th inning to erase a 14-2 Cleveland lead, en route to a 17-15 win. In 1938, Reds pitcher Johnny Vander Meer pitched his 2nd consecutive no-hitter. In 1982, Jeff Reardon recorded his 342 career save and passed Rollie Fingers on the All-Time list. In 1996, Juan Castor, Delino Deshields and Eric Karros turned a triple play. In 1999, Brewers pitcher, Jim Abbot recorded his first career hit and Orioles first baseman Will Clark recorded his 2000th career hit.Not everything was something to remember though, if you’re a Cubs fan. In 1964, the Cubs traded Lou Brock to the Cardinals for Ernie Broglio. Of course, Brock went on to amass 3000 hits and over 900 stolen bases while Broglio went on to record just 7 more career wins. If you’re planning on getting together with your dad this Sunday, here are a few games that have a chance to be memorable…Dodgers at Tigers: Super prospect Clayton Kershaw is the scheduled starter for LA.San Diego at Cleveland: Reigning Cy Young winner CC Sabathia takes the mound against 4-time Cy Young winner Greg Maddux.Boston at Cincinnati: This could be the matchup of the day as 2007 World Series Champions take on a surging group of youngsters. Rookie Homer Bailey will square off with veteran Josh Beckett, but if pitching isn’t your thing, the game also features 8 HR Derby pool players. Mike Lowell and Manny Ramirez will have to make up for the injured David Ortiz, while the Reds will field Ken Griffey Jr, Adam Dunn, Brandon Phillips, Joey Votto and Jay Bruce.From all of us here at the All-American Homerun Derby, we want to wish a Happy Father’s Day to all of the dads out there. We hope that Sunday is a special day for you.
Griffey finally does it!
Written by Consigliere
With the emergence of Joey Votto and the Cinderella run of Jay Bruce, it was easy to forget the real story for the Cincinnati Reds coming into the 2008 MLB Season.When will Ken Griffey Jr make history? How long until he joins a select few of baseball’s greatest hitters? What day will he hit #600?Griffey seemed to be stuck on #599 for far longer than he had hoped, but on Monday, the wait was over. Junior joined Sammy Sosa, Babe Ruth, Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron and Willie Mays as only the 6th player in MLB history to hit 600 HR.With 10 more homeruns, he’ll pass Sammy Sosa for 5th place on the All Time HR list, but that’s probably about as far as “The Kid” will make it.He needs 61 more to pass Willie Mays and over 100 to catch Ruth, Aaron and Bonds.What if Griffey had been able to stay healthy for his entire career? For the young man that dominated the 90’s, it only seemed like a matter of time until he was crowned as the greatest homerun hitter of all time. In Seattle, Griffey will always be known as a Gold Glove centerfielder with the most beautiful swing that’s ever made contact with a ball.In Cincinnati, he’ll always be known as the former Gold Glove centerfielder that couldn’t seem to round the bases without reaching for his hamstring.From 2001-2006, Griffey missed 418 games. Those 418 games may be the difference between being one of 6 players to hit 600 HR and being the best homerun hitter ever.If you compare his games played to Barry Bonds, Junior comes up 547 games short. Considering that he’s hit a homerun every 4 games over the course of his career, we’re talking about 137 HR lost. That would put his current total at 737 and counting. The 137 HR total is probably actually selling him short based on the fact that the 5 seasons prior to 2001, Griffey hit an average of 49.8 HR per year. While it’s easy to see how Ken Griffey Jr could have been the best ever, just sit back and enjoy the fact that you have been able to witness a true legend of the game for nearly 2 decades.
With the emergence of Joey Votto and the Cinderella run of Jay Bruce, it was easy to forget the real story for the Cincinnati Reds coming into the 2008 MLB Season.When will Ken Griffey Jr make history? How long until he joins a select few of baseball’s greatest hitters? What day will he hit #600?Griffey seemed to be stuck on #599 for far longer than he had hoped, but on Monday, the wait was over. Junior joined Sammy Sosa, Babe Ruth, Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron and Willie Mays as only the 6th player in MLB history to hit 600 HR.With 10 more homeruns, he’ll pass Sammy Sosa for 5th place on the All Time HR list, but that’s probably about as far as “The Kid” will make it.He needs 61 more to pass Willie Mays and over 100 to catch Ruth, Aaron and Bonds.What if Griffey had been able to stay healthy for his entire career? For the young man that dominated the 90’s, it only seemed like a matter of time until he was crowned as the greatest homerun hitter of all time. In Seattle, Griffey will always be known as a Gold Glove centerfielder with the most beautiful swing that’s ever made contact with a ball.In Cincinnati, he’ll always be known as the former Gold Glove centerfielder that couldn’t seem to round the bases without reaching for his hamstring.From 2001-2006, Griffey missed 418 games. Those 418 games may be the difference between being one of 6 players to hit 600 HR and being the best homerun hitter ever.If you compare his games played to Barry Bonds, Junior comes up 547 games short. Considering that he’s hit a homerun every 4 games over the course of his career, we’re talking about 137 HR lost. That would put his current total at 737 and counting. The 137 HR total is probably actually selling him short based on the fact that the 5 seasons prior to 2001, Griffey hit an average of 49.8 HR per year. While it’s easy to see how Ken Griffey Jr could have been the best ever, just sit back and enjoy the fact that you have been able to witness a true legend of the game for nearly 2 decades.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Week 10 Review from The All American Home RUn Derby
Take it Deep: www.letsgodeep.com
Week 10 Review
The battle atop the leaderboard rages on!
Mr. Papa Georgio is in a dead heat with #1Philsfan with each team having a total of 176 HR. AllorNothin sits in 3rd place, just one HR off the pace. Dilldocks remains in the hunt with 173 HR and Adragon’s Bash Bros holds down the 5th spot with 169 HR.
Let’s look at our pool player breakdown…
1 player with 21 homeruns
1 player with 18 homeruns
3 players with 17 homeruns
2 players with 16 homeruns
5 players with 15 homeruns
3 players with 14 homeruns
4 players with 13 homeruns
5 players with 12 homeruns
4 players with 11 homeruns
6 players with 10 homeruns
4 players with 9 homeruns
13 players with 8 homeruns
9 players with 7 homeruns
8 players with 6 homeruns
7 players with 5 homeruns
6 players with 4 homeruns
5 players with 3 homeruns
1 player with 2 homeruns
3 players with 1 homerun
4 players have failed to go deep
Chase Utley maintains his league-leading total yet again this week. His 21 HR are good enough for a 3 HR cushion over Dan Uggla. Josh Hamilton, Lance Berkman and Adrian Gonzalez are all 4 HR back, while Ryan Braun and Adam Dunn are 5 HR off the lead.
We have 12 players with a HR total between 13 and 15 HR. Jason Giambi(13) and Joe Crede(14) have had nice weeks, but Chipper Jones(15) and David Ortiz(13) are currently on the sidelines.
There are 15 players in the 10-12 HR pool. Jack Cust(11) added to his total this week and Hanley Ramirez(12) has been showing power since returning to the leadoff spot.
Our biggest group is the 7-9 HR class with 26 players. Alex Rodriguez(9) continues his climb towards the upper echelon, Ian Kinsler(8) is turning things around after a slow start and Corey Hart(7) hopes that he’s found his HR swing.
The 4-6 HR group is where we start to find the injured and underachieving. Vladimir Guerrero(6) isn’t where you would expect and Eric Byrnes(6) is just hoping to get back on the field. Vernon Wells(5) has returned from the DL and hit a HR in his 2nd game back.
The 1-3 HR group can be summed up with just 2 words: DELMON YOUNG(1)!!!!!
With Delmon and Eric Chavez homering this week, we have just 4 players in the Goose Egg Club. Andy LaRoche is in the process of being called up. Josh Fields is in the minors. Barry Bonds is in court. Victor Martinez owners are in trouble.
Week 10 Review
The battle atop the leaderboard rages on!
Mr. Papa Georgio is in a dead heat with #1Philsfan with each team having a total of 176 HR. AllorNothin sits in 3rd place, just one HR off the pace. Dilldocks remains in the hunt with 173 HR and Adragon’s Bash Bros holds down the 5th spot with 169 HR.
Let’s look at our pool player breakdown…
1 player with 21 homeruns
1 player with 18 homeruns
3 players with 17 homeruns
2 players with 16 homeruns
5 players with 15 homeruns
3 players with 14 homeruns
4 players with 13 homeruns
5 players with 12 homeruns
4 players with 11 homeruns
6 players with 10 homeruns
4 players with 9 homeruns
13 players with 8 homeruns
9 players with 7 homeruns
8 players with 6 homeruns
7 players with 5 homeruns
6 players with 4 homeruns
5 players with 3 homeruns
1 player with 2 homeruns
3 players with 1 homerun
4 players have failed to go deep
Chase Utley maintains his league-leading total yet again this week. His 21 HR are good enough for a 3 HR cushion over Dan Uggla. Josh Hamilton, Lance Berkman and Adrian Gonzalez are all 4 HR back, while Ryan Braun and Adam Dunn are 5 HR off the lead.
We have 12 players with a HR total between 13 and 15 HR. Jason Giambi(13) and Joe Crede(14) have had nice weeks, but Chipper Jones(15) and David Ortiz(13) are currently on the sidelines.
There are 15 players in the 10-12 HR pool. Jack Cust(11) added to his total this week and Hanley Ramirez(12) has been showing power since returning to the leadoff spot.
Our biggest group is the 7-9 HR class with 26 players. Alex Rodriguez(9) continues his climb towards the upper echelon, Ian Kinsler(8) is turning things around after a slow start and Corey Hart(7) hopes that he’s found his HR swing.
The 4-6 HR group is where we start to find the injured and underachieving. Vladimir Guerrero(6) isn’t where you would expect and Eric Byrnes(6) is just hoping to get back on the field. Vernon Wells(5) has returned from the DL and hit a HR in his 2nd game back.
The 1-3 HR group can be summed up with just 2 words: DELMON YOUNG(1)!!!!!
With Delmon and Eric Chavez homering this week, we have just 4 players in the Goose Egg Club. Andy LaRoche is in the process of being called up. Josh Fields is in the minors. Barry Bonds is in court. Victor Martinez owners are in trouble.
MLB INjury Report from Letsgodeep.com: 6/8/08
Injury Report 6-8-08 Matt Holliday
Holliday is wrapping up a successful rehab stint and should rejoin the big club on Tuesday.Josh Hamilton
Hamilton missed Sunday’s game due to illness. He’s day-to-day.Vernon Wells
Wells was expected to be out 6-8 weeks, but missed just one month before returning to the Blue Jays lineup.Andy LaRoche
Look for the Dodgers to bring LaRoche up as soon as Monday morning.Chipper Jones
Jones is bothered by a quad strain once again and will miss at least a few games.Rick Ankiel
Ankiel has an infection is his knee that has kept him out of the lineup for a while. He could return on Tuesday.David Ortiz
Ortiz will be out at least 2-3 weeks with a wrist injury. If it doesn’t get any better by then, he could miss the rest of the season.
Holliday is wrapping up a successful rehab stint and should rejoin the big club on Tuesday.Josh Hamilton
Hamilton missed Sunday’s game due to illness. He’s day-to-day.Vernon Wells
Wells was expected to be out 6-8 weeks, but missed just one month before returning to the Blue Jays lineup.Andy LaRoche
Look for the Dodgers to bring LaRoche up as soon as Monday morning.Chipper Jones
Jones is bothered by a quad strain once again and will miss at least a few games.Rick Ankiel
Ankiel has an infection is his knee that has kept him out of the lineup for a while. He could return on Tuesday.David Ortiz
Ortiz will be out at least 2-3 weeks with a wrist injury. If it doesn’t get any better by then, he could miss the rest of the season.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
No Power Signal from U.S. Cellular Field?
It’s no secret that Jermaine Dye, Nick Swisher, Paul Konerko, Joe Crede and Jim Thome aren’t getting it done.Jermaine Dye has a respectable batting average at .286, but he has just 23 RBI and nearly 3 strikeouts to every walk.Joe Crede has the most RBI of the quintet with 29, but 22 of those came during his red-hot April.Jim Thome has at least managed double-digit homeruns with 10, but his .212 average and team-high 56 strikeouts leave something to be desired.Paul Konerko is hitting .205 with just 6 HR.Nick Swisher is the most consistent of the group. He’s consistently terrible in every category, batting .201 with 4 HR and 14 RBI. Now what most people don’t realize is that the White Sox played 20 games on the road in May, but they return to their hitter friendly confines for 17 games in June. They will host Kansas City, Minnesota, Colorado, Pittsburgh and their cross-town rivals from Wrigley.They’ll not only be in one of the most hitter friendly parks in baseball, but they’ll also be facing tougher pitching in batting practice than they will in most of the games.Kansas City’s best hope was Zach Grienke and the Sox tagged him for 8 run in 6 innings in their first home tilt of the month. The next two scheduled starters for KC are Luke Hochevar and Gil Meche. Each pitcher has an ERA close to 5 or worse.Minnesota will bring a very suspect pitching staff to town. The Twins haven’t been able to recover since losing Johan Santana via trade and Francisco Liriano to injury. Livan Hernandez(4.81 ERA) and Boof Bonser(5.97 ERA) will likely get starts.The Rockies staff isn’t going to scare anyone either. Aaron Cook has been solid this year, but the rest of the guys with 2 or more starts range from a 5.37 to an 8.44 ERA.When the Pirates come to town, they’ll start the likes of Zach Duke(4.41 ERA), Paul Maholm(4.97 ERA), Ian Snell(5.94 ERA) and Tom Gorzelanny(7.22 ERA).The only real test will be from the Cubs, but if they don’t happen to face Carlos Zambrano or Ryan Dempster, they’ll see Jason Marquis(4.98 ERA) or Ted Lilly(5.54 ERA).There’s no place like home and by the end of June, the Chicago White Sox will have shown everyone exactly why that is true.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
The Baseball Consigliere's Monthly Report
Take it Deep: www.letsgodeep.com
Consigliere’s Monthly Report (May)
Each month, I’ll break down which of our pool players get the credit for their team leading the division and which players get the blame for their team being in the basement.
AL East
First Place: Tamp Bay Rays
Carlos Pena has regressed from last year, but with 10 HR, 32 RBI and 26 runs, he’s still been solid. BJ Upton only has 3 HR to his credit, but he’s been great in every other area. He has a .305 average, 34 RBI, 32 runs and 17 SB.
Last Place: Baltimore Orioles
All of the blame can’t fall squarely on Nick Markakis, but most of it can. He’s hit 9 HR which puts him on pace to set a career high, but he’s batting just .263 with nearly a strikeout per game. At this rate, he’ll end up about 40 RBI shy of last year’s total.
AL Central
First Place: Chicago White Sox
Nick Swisher, Paul Konerko and Jim Thome have all been average at best. Joe Crede’s .264 average is amazing compared to the other 3 and his 9 HR and 29 RBI look decent, until you realize that he had 2 HR and 7 RBI for the month of May. It’s clear that our pool players aren’t the reason for the Sox success.
Last Place: Kansas City Royals
Alex Gordon improved a bit in May and carries a .280 average with 5 HR, 25 RBI and 32 runs. Those are nice numbers for a contributor, but Gordon has to play like a superstar if the Royals are ever going to win.
AL West
First Place: Los Angeles Angels
Vlad Guererro, Torii Hunter and Gary Matthews Jr all have very similar numbers. They average about 6 HR, 27 RBI and 27 runs each. Hunter has the best average at .275, but this team is fortunate to be in first with Vlad not hitting like we’ve all come to expect.
Last Place: Seattle Mariners
Adrian Beltre has nothing to brag about with a .244 average, but it’s great compared to the .204 of Richie Sexson. Sexson, who spends most of his time lately riding the pine, only has 18 runs on the year. Even more concerning is the fact that 9 of those 18 have come off his homeruns.
NL East
First Place: Florida Marlins
Last month, I said, “When you look at the Marlins, you don’t have to look any further than superstar shortstop Hanley Ramirez.” While this still holds true, it’s now a 2-man show in Florida. Ramirez is batting .292 with 9 HR, 23 RBI, 44 runs and 13 SB. Dan Uggla has emerged as the star of May though. Uggla is batting .297 with 16 HR, 38 RBI and 43 runs.
Last Place: Washington Nationals
Zimmerman’s May was slightly better than his April, but now he’s been out for the last 8 games with a shoulder injury. The Nats are in trouble.
NL Central
First Place: Chicago Cubs
Last month at this time, Alfonso Soriano was on the DL and Aramis Ramirez and Derrek Lee were picking up the slack. It’s now a 3-headed monster, as they have combined for 35 HR, 112 RBI and 111 runs!
Last Place: Pittsburgh Pirates
Adam LaRoche(April)- 1 HR, 5 RBI, 6 Runs
Adam LaRoche(May)- 5 HR, 19 RBI, 14 Runs
As you can see, LaRoche has rebounded and Jason Bay is batting .296 with 13 HR, 29 RBI and 43 runs. As a team, the Pirates just aren’t good.
NL West
First Place: Arizona Diamondbacks
Chris Young has now topped Justin Upton is every category but average. Young has 4 more HR, 4 more RBI, 10 more runs and 3 more SB. If the D-Backs want to stay in first, they need “The Franchise” to step it up a notch.
Last Place: Colorado Rockies
Troy Tulowitzki – Currently on the DL
Matt Holliday – Currently on the DL
Brad Hawpe - Currently on the DL
Consigliere’s Monthly Report (May)
Each month, I’ll break down which of our pool players get the credit for their team leading the division and which players get the blame for their team being in the basement.
AL East
First Place: Tamp Bay Rays
Carlos Pena has regressed from last year, but with 10 HR, 32 RBI and 26 runs, he’s still been solid. BJ Upton only has 3 HR to his credit, but he’s been great in every other area. He has a .305 average, 34 RBI, 32 runs and 17 SB.
Last Place: Baltimore Orioles
All of the blame can’t fall squarely on Nick Markakis, but most of it can. He’s hit 9 HR which puts him on pace to set a career high, but he’s batting just .263 with nearly a strikeout per game. At this rate, he’ll end up about 40 RBI shy of last year’s total.
AL Central
First Place: Chicago White Sox
Nick Swisher, Paul Konerko and Jim Thome have all been average at best. Joe Crede’s .264 average is amazing compared to the other 3 and his 9 HR and 29 RBI look decent, until you realize that he had 2 HR and 7 RBI for the month of May. It’s clear that our pool players aren’t the reason for the Sox success.
Last Place: Kansas City Royals
Alex Gordon improved a bit in May and carries a .280 average with 5 HR, 25 RBI and 32 runs. Those are nice numbers for a contributor, but Gordon has to play like a superstar if the Royals are ever going to win.
AL West
First Place: Los Angeles Angels
Vlad Guererro, Torii Hunter and Gary Matthews Jr all have very similar numbers. They average about 6 HR, 27 RBI and 27 runs each. Hunter has the best average at .275, but this team is fortunate to be in first with Vlad not hitting like we’ve all come to expect.
Last Place: Seattle Mariners
Adrian Beltre has nothing to brag about with a .244 average, but it’s great compared to the .204 of Richie Sexson. Sexson, who spends most of his time lately riding the pine, only has 18 runs on the year. Even more concerning is the fact that 9 of those 18 have come off his homeruns.
NL East
First Place: Florida Marlins
Last month, I said, “When you look at the Marlins, you don’t have to look any further than superstar shortstop Hanley Ramirez.” While this still holds true, it’s now a 2-man show in Florida. Ramirez is batting .292 with 9 HR, 23 RBI, 44 runs and 13 SB. Dan Uggla has emerged as the star of May though. Uggla is batting .297 with 16 HR, 38 RBI and 43 runs.
Last Place: Washington Nationals
Zimmerman’s May was slightly better than his April, but now he’s been out for the last 8 games with a shoulder injury. The Nats are in trouble.
NL Central
First Place: Chicago Cubs
Last month at this time, Alfonso Soriano was on the DL and Aramis Ramirez and Derrek Lee were picking up the slack. It’s now a 3-headed monster, as they have combined for 35 HR, 112 RBI and 111 runs!
Last Place: Pittsburgh Pirates
Adam LaRoche(April)- 1 HR, 5 RBI, 6 Runs
Adam LaRoche(May)- 5 HR, 19 RBI, 14 Runs
As you can see, LaRoche has rebounded and Jason Bay is batting .296 with 13 HR, 29 RBI and 43 runs. As a team, the Pirates just aren’t good.
NL West
First Place: Arizona Diamondbacks
Chris Young has now topped Justin Upton is every category but average. Young has 4 more HR, 4 more RBI, 10 more runs and 3 more SB. If the D-Backs want to stay in first, they need “The Franchise” to step it up a notch.
Last Place: Colorado Rockies
Troy Tulowitzki – Currently on the DL
Matt Holliday – Currently on the DL
Brad Hawpe - Currently on the DL
Monday, June 2, 2008
He's not Bruce Almighty...He's Bruce "Lee Roy"
Take IT Deep: http://www.letsgodeep.com/
Ever since ESPN has tabbed Jay Bruce as Bruce almighty; this nickname has spread across the networks, newspapers & internet like wildfire! Has everyone forgotten about another Bruce that was one of the biggest bad asses on the silver screen in the 1980's?If you've seen the cult classic The Last Dragon by Barry Gordy, you know what I'm talking about! He's the baddest Bruce I've ever known (Yes, even badder than Bruce Lee) because he was the coolest karate chopping Mo Fo I've ever known! How many dudes do you know that could use their aurora & Afro to completely dominate & strike fear into their opponent? Maybe Bruce Lee Roy has shown Jay Bruce the ways of the dragon & how to connect with his inner Chi to funnel that energy into his big bat these day ;)Anyways, rent the movie if you haven't seen it & I hope you enjoy this story not about Bruce Almighty, but.......The New Bruce "Lee Roy"The Reds didn't seem to be headed in the right direction when they traded away Josh Hamilton and signed Corey Patterson. Why wouldn't you just bring up Jay Bruce to play CF? Probably for the same reason that Joey Votto had to wait patiently while Scott Hatteberg wasted plate appearances. Dusty Baker loves his vets. If you're a rookie and want to get your chance, you have to make it impossible for you to stay in the minors. Jay Bruce did exactly that. Through 49 games at Louisville, Bruce was batting .364 with 34 runs, 9 doubles, 3 triples, 10 HR and 8 SB. The one knock on Bruce has always been his high strikeout rate, which showed in Louisville(12 BB/ 45 K) and that's exactly the reason that the Reds kept using as a reason to leave him in Triple-A. When rumors started to heat up that Ken Griffey Jr would be traded back to Seattle and that Adam Dunn might be on the market, it seemed that Bruce's time was coming. After Bruce had a 10 game stretch where he batted .611, including 3 HR in his last 17 at bats; the Reds couldn't ignore him anymore. Cincinnati officially made the call up on May 27th when they designated Hatteberg for assignment and Bruce has been something out of **** tale ever since. He made his debut against the Pittsburgh Pirates and collected 3 hits, 2 walks, 2 runs, 2 RBI and 1 SB. In the 6 games since his call up, he's batting .591 with 2 HR, 6 RBI, 10 runs and 2 SB. He also notched his first career walk-off HR in a win over Atlanta. Oh, and as for his one flaw... he has 6 walks and just 1 strikeout so far.
Take It Deep: www.letsgodeep.com
Ever since ESPN has tabbed Jay Bruce as Bruce almighty; this nickname has spread across the networks, newspapers & internet like wildfire! Has everyone forgotten about another Bruce that was one of the biggest bad asses on the silver screen in the 1980's?If you've seen the cult classic The Last Dragon by Barry Gordy, you know what I'm talking about! He's the baddest Bruce I've ever known (Yes, even badder than Bruce Lee) because he was the coolest karate chopping Mo Fo I've ever known! How many dudes do you know that could use their aurora & Afro to completely dominate & strike fear into their opponent? Maybe Bruce Lee Roy has shown Jay Bruce the ways of the dragon & how to connect with his inner Chi to funnel that energy into his big bat these day ;)Anyways, rent the movie if you haven't seen it & I hope you enjoy this story not about Bruce Almighty, but.......The New Bruce "Lee Roy"The Reds didn't seem to be headed in the right direction when they traded away Josh Hamilton and signed Corey Patterson. Why wouldn't you just bring up Jay Bruce to play CF? Probably for the same reason that Joey Votto had to wait patiently while Scott Hatteberg wasted plate appearances. Dusty Baker loves his vets. If you're a rookie and want to get your chance, you have to make it impossible for you to stay in the minors. Jay Bruce did exactly that. Through 49 games at Louisville, Bruce was batting .364 with 34 runs, 9 doubles, 3 triples, 10 HR and 8 SB. The one knock on Bruce has always been his high strikeout rate, which showed in Louisville(12 BB/ 45 K) and that's exactly the reason that the Reds kept using as a reason to leave him in Triple-A. When rumors started to heat up that Ken Griffey Jr would be traded back to Seattle and that Adam Dunn might be on the market, it seemed that Bruce's time was coming. After Bruce had a 10 game stretch where he batted .611, including 3 HR in his last 17 at bats; the Reds couldn't ignore him anymore. Cincinnati officially made the call up on May 27th when they designated Hatteberg for assignment and Bruce has been something out of **** tale ever since. He made his debut against the Pittsburgh Pirates and collected 3 hits, 2 walks, 2 runs, 2 RBI and 1 SB. In the 6 games since his call up, he's batting .591 with 2 HR, 6 RBI, 10 runs and 2 SB. He also notched his first career walk-off HR in a win over Atlanta. Oh, and as for his one flaw... he has 6 walks and just 1 strikeout so far.
Take It Deep: www.letsgodeep.com
Week 9 Review in The All American Home Run Derby
Take it Deep: www.letsgodeep.com
Week 9 Review
Teams continue to jockey for position at the top of our standings.
This week’s leader is #1Philsfan with 163 HR and he’s building up a lead over Mr. Papa Georgio(158 HR). Dilldocks falls into a 3rd place tie with AllorNothin. Each team has 156 HR. Adragon’s Bash Bros and bulldogs are tied for 5th with 153 HR each.
Let’s take a look at our pool player breakdown…
1players with 20 homeruns
1 player with 17 homeruns
2 players with 16 homeruns
4 players with 15 homeruns
6 players with 13 homeruns
4 players with 12 homeruns
5 players with 11 homeruns
4 players with 10 homeruns
8 players with 9 homeruns
11 players with 8 homeruns
8 players with 7 homeruns
12 players with 6 homeruns
4 players with 5 homeruns
6 players with 4 homeruns
7 players with 3 homeruns
4 players with 2 homeruns
1 player with 1 homerun
6 players have failed to go deep
Chase Utley is hot again and jumps out to a 3 HR lead over the rest of the league with 20 HR. Lance Berkman is 3 back of Utley, while Adrian Gonzalez and Dan Uggla currently sit 4 back.
Josh Hamilton, Ryan Braun, Ryan Howard and Adam Dunn are all tied with 15 HR. Six players have 13 HR, including Albert Pujols.
We have 13 players in the 10-12 HR range. The Reds are represented with Joey Votto(10) and Brandon Phillips(11).
The 7-9 HR group is packed with 27 players. Among the notables are Alex Rodriguez(7), Evan Longoria(7), Prince Fielder(8) and Hanley Ramirez(9).
Our 4-6 HR crew is made up of 22 sluggers. Travis Hafner(4), Vernon Wells(5) and Eric Byrnes(6) are all currently on the DL and won’t be leaving this group anytime soon.
Twelve underachievers make up our 1-3 HR class. Jimmy Rollins still hasn’t found his power stroke and sits on 3 HR. On a positive note, Jay Bruce has been called up and has shown that he’s here to stay with 2 HR this week.
Our Goose Egg Club lost a member this week, when Bruce was called up from the minors. Andy LaRoche could be following him shortly, but Josh Fields will probably stay put for a while. Wouldn’t you think that Victor Martinez and Delmon Young would have hit a HR on accident by now?
Week 9 Review
Teams continue to jockey for position at the top of our standings.
This week’s leader is #1Philsfan with 163 HR and he’s building up a lead over Mr. Papa Georgio(158 HR). Dilldocks falls into a 3rd place tie with AllorNothin. Each team has 156 HR. Adragon’s Bash Bros and bulldogs are tied for 5th with 153 HR each.
Let’s take a look at our pool player breakdown…
1players with 20 homeruns
1 player with 17 homeruns
2 players with 16 homeruns
4 players with 15 homeruns
6 players with 13 homeruns
4 players with 12 homeruns
5 players with 11 homeruns
4 players with 10 homeruns
8 players with 9 homeruns
11 players with 8 homeruns
8 players with 7 homeruns
12 players with 6 homeruns
4 players with 5 homeruns
6 players with 4 homeruns
7 players with 3 homeruns
4 players with 2 homeruns
1 player with 1 homerun
6 players have failed to go deep
Chase Utley is hot again and jumps out to a 3 HR lead over the rest of the league with 20 HR. Lance Berkman is 3 back of Utley, while Adrian Gonzalez and Dan Uggla currently sit 4 back.
Josh Hamilton, Ryan Braun, Ryan Howard and Adam Dunn are all tied with 15 HR. Six players have 13 HR, including Albert Pujols.
We have 13 players in the 10-12 HR range. The Reds are represented with Joey Votto(10) and Brandon Phillips(11).
The 7-9 HR group is packed with 27 players. Among the notables are Alex Rodriguez(7), Evan Longoria(7), Prince Fielder(8) and Hanley Ramirez(9).
Our 4-6 HR crew is made up of 22 sluggers. Travis Hafner(4), Vernon Wells(5) and Eric Byrnes(6) are all currently on the DL and won’t be leaving this group anytime soon.
Twelve underachievers make up our 1-3 HR class. Jimmy Rollins still hasn’t found his power stroke and sits on 3 HR. On a positive note, Jay Bruce has been called up and has shown that he’s here to stay with 2 HR this week.
Our Goose Egg Club lost a member this week, when Bruce was called up from the minors. Andy LaRoche could be following him shortly, but Josh Fields will probably stay put for a while. Wouldn’t you think that Victor Martinez and Delmon Young would have hit a HR on accident by now?
MLB Injury Report 6/1/2008
Injury Report 6-1-08
Hank Blalock
Blalock’s latest injury(wrist) required surgery and he’ll be out 2-4 weeks.
David Ortiz
Ortiz is out of the lineup with a wrist strain. He’s currently day-to-day.
Matt Holliday
Holliday is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment on Thursday and return from the DL on June 10.
Eric Byrnes
Byrnes is on the DL with micro tears in both hamstrings and he’ll probably be out at least another 2 weeks.
Ryan Zimmerman
Zimmerman is out of the lineup with a shoulder problem. He’ll likely receive an MRI early in the week.
Brad Hawpe
If rehab goes well, Hawpe will return from the DL late this week.
Frank Thomas
An MRI revealed quad inflammation and the A’s have placed The Big Hurt on the DL.
Travis Hafner
Hafner’s shoulder injury has landed him on the DL.
Hank Blalock
Blalock’s latest injury(wrist) required surgery and he’ll be out 2-4 weeks.
David Ortiz
Ortiz is out of the lineup with a wrist strain. He’s currently day-to-day.
Matt Holliday
Holliday is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment on Thursday and return from the DL on June 10.
Eric Byrnes
Byrnes is on the DL with micro tears in both hamstrings and he’ll probably be out at least another 2 weeks.
Ryan Zimmerman
Zimmerman is out of the lineup with a shoulder problem. He’ll likely receive an MRI early in the week.
Brad Hawpe
If rehab goes well, Hawpe will return from the DL late this week.
Frank Thomas
An MRI revealed quad inflammation and the A’s have placed The Big Hurt on the DL.
Travis Hafner
Hafner’s shoulder injury has landed him on the DL.
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