MLB Weekly Review

Don’t look now but the defending National League Champions are well on their way to teaching the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Los Angeles Dodgers a very important lesson.The Colorado Rockies are blazing a trail to the top on the NL West and the Dodgers and Diamondbacks are kicking themselves for letting them hang around.The Rockies have won 9 of their last 10 games, including 5 in a row. Colorado is averaging 7.6 runs per game during that stretch and they scored 10 in their lone loss. In a 16-10 loss to the Dodgers, Kip Wells was tagged for 8 runs in one-third of an inning and the Rockies couldn’t overcome an 11 run deficit. Matt Holliday, Brad Hawpe and Troy Tulowitzki were all visitors to the DL this season and Tulowitzki just returned from his 2nd stint. He has provided the team with a spark since his return going 13 for 26.The Rockies aren’t the only streaking team, as the New York Yankees have also been playing inspired ball since the All-Star Break.New York was riding as 8-game winning streak before suffering a 9-2 setback on Sunday in the series finale at Boston.During the winning streak, the Yankees held their opponents to just 15 runs and used their defense to lead them to 2-1 and 1-0 victories. They now sit just 3 games back in the division.Players like Matt Holliday(.565 average), Jeff Baker(.579), Alex Rodriguez(.476) and Robinson Cano(.480) have contributed to their teams success recently, but they aren’t the hottest hitters of the past week.Alex Rios takes top honors as the best hitter of the week with his .344 average, 7 Runs, 4 HR, 8 RBI and 4 SB. Ryan Braun is a close 2nd with a .414 average, 4 Runs, 4 HR and 12 RBI.Andy Pettitte and Cliff Lee turned in the top pitching performances this week as they each collected 2 wins. Pettitte went 14 innings while scattering 9 hits, allowing 2 ER and striking out 16. He won a 10-3 blowout and a 2-1 pitchers duel.Lee pitched 17 innings while giving up 17 hits, 4 ER and struck out 14 batters.Rich Harden was also lights out this week, but has an 0-1 record to show for it because the Cubs provided just 2 runs of support in 2 games.Harden pitched 12 solid innings while giving up just 3 hits. Two of the 3 hits were solo homeruns and the only runs he allowed. He struck out 10 in each outing, giving him 30 in 3 games as a Cub.We haven’t seen any major deals since Harden joined the Cubs, but there were a couple trades of interest this week.The New York Yankees added Damaso Marte and Xavier Nady from the Pirates in exchange for prospects and Casey Blake was sent from Cleveland to the Dodgers.With only a few days remaining before the deadline, things could get interesting.Will the Rockies be buyers or sellers? Will the Yankees add Jared Washburn or Adam Dunn? Will Mark Teixeira remain in Atlanta? Will Manny keep being Manny in Boston?Some many questions and so little time remaining to answer them.

MLB Weekly Review

What a week for baseball as the Home Run Derby and the All-Star Game kicked off early in the week and gave fans plenty to cheer about.There are 2 robberies to report from Monday Night as Josh Hamilton stole the stage in the first round and then Justin Morneau stole the trophy from Hamilton despite hitting 13 less homeruns on the night.Josh Hamilton wrote another chapter in his amazing comeback story as he won over the fans in New York by stepping to the plate against his 71-year-old pitcher and crushing pitch after pitch deep into the New York night. When the first round had come to a close, Hamilton had set a new record with 28 homeruns in one round including 3 shots over 500 feet. The fatigue of 38 swings in the first round was too much for Hamilton as Justin Morneau defeated him in the Finals, 5-3. It was a proud moment for Canada and the Minnesota Twins as Morneau won his first Home Run Derby title.The All-Star Game proved to be just as exciting on Tuesday as the teams battled for 15 innings before Justin Morneau found himself in the spotlight again as he was able to slide in just ahead of the throw on a Michael Young sacrifice fly and the America League continued their run of dominance with a 4-3 win. We were all left to wonder what would have happened if Morneau were called out and the game went to a 16th inning. Every position and pitcher was used during the marathon and it’s possible that Bud Selig would have faced another nightmare. Business was back on schedule on Thursday when the 2nd half of the MLB season officially kicked off.The Mets were able to run their win streak to 10 games before losing a pair, but they remain baseball’s hottest team with a record of 8-2 over the last 10 games. They find themselves in a deadlock with the Philadelphia Philles for the division lead. The Florida Marlins are right on their heels, but also face a tough start to the 2nd half and could find themselves fading out of contention.As we turn out attention to the NL West, we find an embarrassment to baseball. The Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers are tied for the lead with 48-50 records. Each team is 5-5 over the last 10. The Rockies are playing well as of late, but also sport a 5-5 mark over the last 10. They have won 4 in a row after a 1-5 stretch. The 2 worst teams in baseball are holding down the bottom of the division. The San Francisco Giants have lost 9 of the last 10 and the San Diego Padres have come up short in 8 of the last 10, including 6 straight.Speaking of teams that have lost 8 of the last 10, Tampa Bay leads the American League East. The Rays are lucky to be in that position after Boston was swept by the Angels. Don’t look now, but the Yankees appear to be getting hot and should be adding their annual big name via trade any day now. This division should be fun to watch down the stretch.In the AL Central, the White Sox and Twins are tied with 55 wins, but Minnesota is one back in the loss column. The Twins came out of the break on fire as they racked up 20 runs on Texas in 2 games, before suffering a 1-0 loss despite Scott Baker having a perfect game through 5.2 innings. Minnesota pitching has been hot and things could get better if Francisco Liriano has anything to say about it. Liriano is 8-0 with an ERA of just over 2 in his last 10 starts at the Triple-A level. He would provide a huge boost to an already solid rotation if he could maintain those pre-injury numbers with the big club.Plenty to watch for this week as there will be quite a few clubs making the decision to make a move because they are out of contention or stay put because the guys are starting to catch fire.

D-Day Rumor Mill

Written by Consigliere
It’s that time of year again when we hear “buyer” and “seller” in every other baseball story. July 31st marks the non-waiver trading deadline and teams begin to analyze each plate appearance, each pitch thrown and each contract on the books. Some teams are in the hunt and must decide if they are willing to dump prospects for a rental player that could help them reach the postseason. Other teams are hoping that they can find a trading partner willing to take a huge contract off their hands while giving up some young prospects.The rumors come and go so fast that it’s often tough to keep up with who might be going where, but here are some of the current talks between the movers and shakers.One of the biggest names circulating is Rockies outfielder Matt Holliday. Two possible destinations for him are Oakland and St. Louis. Holliday is signed through 2009 so the price will be steep. Oakland may not be able to afford the price and unless the Cards were to send pitching the other way, their OF is plenty stocked right now.Xavier Nady is more likely to be on the move and two teams that have been showing interest are Tampa Bay and Atlanta. Tampa Bay seems to have better options in house, but Atlanta could be a good fit. Jeff Francoeur hasn’t been hitting well and they could use some offensive help. If Atlanta starts to slip out of the picture, not only would the deal be off, but they could also begin shopping slugger Mark Teixeira. Teixeira will be a free agent after this year and the Braves probably can’t afford him, but if they hang onto him for the rest of the season, they could get draft picks as compensation if he leaves.Adam Dunn and Ken Griffey Jr. seem to be prime candidates to relocate, but it appears Griffey to Tampa Bay wasn’t true and there just doesn’t seem to be a market for the high-priced Dunn. American League teams don’t want a DH that bats .240 and National League teams are scared off by his defense.There are several players that may or may not become available depending upon how the next couple of weeks shake out.Ivan Rodriguez seemed to be playing his last games in Motown, but the Tigers are suddenly in the hunt and Brandon Inge going down, leaves Detroit needing Pudge in the lineup.The Rangers could be looking to move Frank Catalanotto or Hank Blalock if they hit a losing streak this month.The Angels may be interested in Brian Giles. The Padres might be mathematically eliminated already and Giles could contribute in Anaheim, but the Angels usually aren’t deadline dealers.Brian Roberts could also be moved if the Orioles find themselves on the outside of the playoff race. Roberts would be their biggest piece of trade bait, but closer George Sherrill has also been rumored to be heading to the Red Sox as a setup man for Jonathan Papelbon. The Red Sox rumors don’t stop there though.Boston may also be looking at Joe Borowski, Chad Bradford, Rich Harden, Roy Oswalt, Brian Fuentes and C.C. Sabathia. Fuentes and Sabathia are in the middle of most trade rumors right now.Fuentes could find himself out of the closer role and out of Colorado with the list of new teams growing daily. Along with the Red Sox, the Yankees, Rays, Cubs and Cards are also reportedly interested.C.C. Sabathia would be the biggest deal to go down, if the Indians end up moving him. They apparently would like to resign the reigning Cy Young winner, but as they fall double digits back in the division race, things could change. The Phillies, Rays, Cubs and Brewers have been mentioned the most as possible trading partners.Other arms that are rumored to be available are Joe Blanton, Huston Street, A.J. Burnett, Erik Bedard, Bronson Arroyo and Greg Maddux.

Back to the Future!

It’s time to head down to the clock tower, fire up the flux capacitor and drive the DeLorean all the way back to March 10th, 2008.I know what you’re thinking. That wasn’t that long ago, but in baseball terms it was about a month before the season started. That’s when yours truly, The Consigliere, sat down and calculated the homerun projections for our pool players.It’s almost 4 months later and about midway through the season, so it’s time to look back and point out my spot on mathematics or take the blame for the minor miscalculations.For the purposes of this article, we’re going to ignore anyone who missed several games and concentrate on the guys who have been able to stay on the field.Right down the middleAlbert PujolsPrediction: If his elbow will allow him, Pujols will return to the 40 HR club.2008 Total: 17 HR. Despite his minor calf setback, he should finish right around 40 HR.Ryan HowardPrediction: Expect Howard to flirt with 50 this year.2008 Total: 20 HR. Howard started off in a huge slump and has found his groove as of late. He’ll clear 40 and aim for 50.Adam DunnPrediction: No reason to believe that Dunn can’t top 40 this year.2008 Total: 20 HR. He’s right on pace.Jim ThomePrediction: Thome should hit about 30.2008 Total: 16 HR. Bullseye.Magglio OrdonezPrediction: Maggs should contribute with a HR total in the mid 20s.2008 Total: 12 HR. Hopefully the injury doesn’t wreck my projection.Lance BerkmanPrediction: He should easily clear 30, with an outside shot at 40.2008 Total: 22 HR. Good call here.Ryan BraunPrediction: Braun should get 40 this year.2008 Total: 20 HR. Another one for The Consigliere.Manny RamirezPrediction: Should see 30 HR again.2008 Total: 16 HR. On pace to hit 30+.Carlos LeePrediction: If you want 30 HR, Lee is your guy.2008 Total: 18 HR. Headed for at least 30.David WrightPrediction: Hit 30 HR last year. Look for him to top that this year.2008 Total: 16 HR. Just where he needs to be right now.Adrian GonzalezPrediction: 40 HR potential.2008 Total: 21 HR. He’s found his potential.Derrek LeePrediction: Has a good shot at 30 this year.2008 Total: 15 HR. The Cubs slugger has returned.Jermaine DyePrediction: He’s a safe bet to top 30 this year.2008 Total: 18 HR. 30 looks to be a lock.Chipper JonesPrediction: Injuries are the only thing stopping Jones from hitting 30 each year.2008 Total: 16 HR. He’s looking for 30, but will the quad let it happen?Nick MarkakisPrediction: Expect more than last year’s 23 HR.2008 Total: 12 HR. Right on target at the midway point.Rick AnkielPrediction: Expect 25+ HR.2008 Total: 16 HR. The power is there and he’s improving this year.Brandon PhillipsPrediction: Expect around 25 this year.2008 Total: 14 HR. He may end up right on 25.J.J. HardyPrediction: Hardy will be lucky to hit 20 HR.2008 Total: 8 HR. Should finish short of 20.Corey HartPrediction: Hart could reach 30 HR.2008 Total: 14 HR. He’s a little off the pace, but coming on after a rough start.Aaron RowandPrediction: Hope for 20 HR.2008 Total: 8 HR. Another guy that will not make 20.Gary Matthews Jr.Prediction: He’ll hit 15.2008 Total: 7 HR. I might get this one dead on.Alex GordonPrediction: Expect 20.2008 Total: 11 HR. Right on pace.Joey VottoPrediction: Look for 20-25 HR.2008 Total: 12 HR. The rookie is aiming for dead center on this projection.High and insideJustin MorneauPrediction: 30-35 HR.2008 Total: 12 HR. Need a big 2nd half if I’m going to get this one.Carlos BeltranPrediction: 33 HR.2008 Total: 12 HR. I need the postseason Astros Beltran to show up.Miguel CabreraPrediction: Expect 35-40 HR.2008 Total: 11 HR. What the hell is his problem?Chase UtleyPrediction: He’ll hit close to 30…by the All-Star Break.2008 Total: 23 HR. Ok, so I made the last part up.Ken Griffey Jr.Prediction: Still a threat for 30.2008 Total: 9 HR. The threat is fading.B.J. UptonPrediction: He hits 20 HR.2008 Total: 6 HR. Rays need him if they want to remain contenders, so I still got a shot.Dan UgglaPrediction: Could dip from last year’s 31 HR.2008 Total: 23 HR. He still “could”, but not likely.Hanley RamirezPrediction: Look for a season of 20-25 HR.2008 Total: 20 HR. I love Han Ram, but who knew?Victor MartinezPrediction: Expect about 20.2008 Total: 0 HR. Ugh!Jason GiambiPrediction: I don’t like his chances for 20 HR.2008 Total: 17 HR. Come on 2nd half slump.Justin UptonPrediction: Expect about 12 this year.2008 Total: 9 HR. It seems to be a K or a HR, but he should still beat my mark.Evan LongoriaPrediction: 15-20 HR.2008 Total: 15 HR. All Hail Evan Almighty!Delmon YoungPrediction: Look for an upside of 20 HR.2008 Total: 2 HR. He’s got the skills, but something isn’t clicking

The Consigliere's Monthly Report

Consigliere’s Monthly Report (June)

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 spent a lot of time sitting out and only has 1 HR, 5 RBI and 2 Runs to show for the whole month. That means that our pool player that gets the credit for keeping the Rays at the top is B.J. Upton. He has 6 HR, 41 RBI, 52 Runs and 23 SB.

Last Place: Toronto Blue Jays

Vernon Wells came back early in June and hasn’t gotten back to his usual form yet, but Alex Rios hasn’t been there to pick up the slack either. Rios had just 1 HR and 7 RBI in June.

AL Central

First Place: Chicago White Sox

Last week in this very spot, I called out Nick Swisher, Paul Konerko, Jim Thome and Joe Crede for their lack of production. They responded in June. Konerko went on the DL, but the other 3 combined for 19 HR and 55 RBI, while raising their averages.

Last Place: Cleveland Indians

Grady Sizemore and Ryan Garko combined for 10 HR and 35 RBI in June, but Travis Hafner missed the entire month.

AL West

First Place: Los Angeles Angels

Vladimir Guerrero put up 6 HR and 16 RBI last month, while Torii Hunter and Gary Matthews Jr only combined for 3 HR and 16 RBI.

Last Place: Seattle Mariners

Riche Sexson in June: 22 games, 6 runs, 0 HR, 5 RBI, 21 K. You have a guy that is 6-8, 240lbs and he has 1 extra base hit all month! He failed to record an RBI in 20 of 22 games! I’m getting an idea of why the Mariners are the worst team in baseball.

NL East

First Place: Philadelphia Phillies

Chase Utley and Pat Burrell have taken turns carrying the team. Ryan Howard handled that task in June. He hit 5 HR and knocked in 26 runs.

Last Place: Washington Nationals

Ryan Zimmerman hasn’t played since the last time I wrote this column. The Nationals are going nowhere fast.

NL Central

First Place: Chicago Cubs

Soriano is hurt, then he’s not, now he is… Aramis Ramirez and Derrek Lee have remained solid, but Kosuke Fukudome has picked up the slack for Soriano. He had 3 HR, 13 RBI and 19 Runs for the month of June.

Last Place: Pittsburgh Pirates

Adam LaRoche and Jason Bay haven’t set the world on fire, but they’ve been solid. The Pirates simply have no pitching.

NL West

First Place: Arizona Diamondbacks

Justin Upton in June: 23 games, 7 runs, 8 hits, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 0 SB, 25 K, while he fell from a .275 to a .236 average. Chris Young has been slightly better. They deserve no credit for the Arizona’s success and hardly deserve a spot on the club right now.

Last Place: Colorado Rockies

The big 3 have returned from the DL and Hawpe and Holliday have been playing very well. Look for the Rockies to climb out of the cellar.

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Bombs Bursting in Air!

Bombs Bursting in Air


Most people should be able to tell you that Francis Scott Key is responsible for the National Anthem that we hear before each baseball game, but not many know the journey of the song.

Francis Scott Key was actually a poet who wrote a poem called “Defence of Fort McHenry” after witnessing Royal Navy ships attack Fort McHenry during the War of 1812. After being circulated, renamed and set to the tune of a British drinking song called “To Anacreon in Heaven”, Francis Scott Key’s poem became “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

Although the debut of “The Star-Spangled Banner” in baseball typically gets linked to its rendition during the 7th inning stretch of the 1918 World Series, some historians will tell you that it was played as far back as 1897.

No matter what year the tradition began, it will certainly be heard at every ballpark this 4th of July, as a full slate of games entertains us while we celebrate our freedom.

Let’s take a look at some of the day’s key matchups…


Mets @ Phillies
Besides the possibility of fireworks in the hitter friendly park, it’s Johan Santana vs. Cole Hamels in a heavyweight pitching battle.

Athletics @ White Sox
Nick Swisher welcomes his ex-teammates to The Cell. You can also tune in to see if Jack Cust has 4 strikeouts or if he hits one into the parking lot. He reminds me a lot of Joaquin Phoenix’s character in Signs. “Felt wrong not to swing.”

Nationals @ Reds
Ok, so the matchup doesn’t look very exciting, but I had to include the Washington Nationals playing in The Great American Ballpark on the 4th of July!

Cubs @ Cardinals
Another installment of this classic rivalry. The Cubs will send Carlos Zambrano to the mound, while the Cardinals trot out undefeated Mitchell Boggs.

Red Sox @ Yankees
Enough said.



The pool players that are most likely to send bombs bursting into the air are…

Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder vs. Tom Gorzelanny and his 6.18 ERA

Nick Swisher at home vs. ex-teammate Joe Blanton and his 4.97 ERA

Alex Rodriguez because it’s a big game and that’s when the stars come out

Hanley Ramirez at Coors Field vs. Greg Reynolds and his 5.75 ERA

Chase Utley and Ryan Howard because they are too powerful for Citizens Bank Park

Written By: The Baseball Consigliere
Website: www.letsgodeep.com

Week 13 Review of The All American Home Run Derby

Written by Consigliere
We’re 2 weeks away from our next prize giveaway and the standings couldn’t be tighter.AllorNothin and #1Philsfan are currently tied with 233 homeruns apiece. The breathing room is very minimal for our co-leaders as Dilldocks is just one HR off the pace. Mr. Papa Georgio sits in 4th place with 224 homeruns and whoppers is holding down the 5th slot with 219 HR.Let’s take a look at our pool player breakdown…2 players with 23 homeruns2 players with 21 homeruns2 players with 20 homeruns3 players with 19 homeruns3 players with 18 homeruns2 players with 17 homeruns5 players with 16 homeruns8 players with 15 homeruns4 players with 14 homeruns6 players with 13 homeruns7 players with 12 homeruns3 players with 11 homeruns7 players with 10 homeruns7 players with 9 homeruns7 players with 8 homeruns5 players with 7 homeruns5 players with 6 homeruns3 players with 5 homeruns4 players with 4 homeruns1 player with 3 homeruns2 players with 2 homeruns3 players with 1 homerun2 players have failed to go deepDan Uggla and Chase Utley lead the MLB with 23 homeruns each. Adrian Gonzalez and Lance Berkman are just 2 off the pace, while Ryan Howard and Ryan Braun are just 3 off the lead.Adam Dunn, Josh Hamilton and Pat Burrell all have 19 HR. Jermaine Dye, Grady Sizemore and Carlos Lee have 18 homeruns apiece, while Hanley Ramirez and Jason Giambi each have 17.There are 17 players with 14-16 HR. Chipper Jones is struggling to get onto the field, but has 16 homeruns. Evan Longoria and David Wright are both coming off big weeks and have 15 homeruns each.Twenty-three players make up the 10-13 HR group. Vladimir Guerrero hasn’t been able to find a groove, but has still managed 13 homeruns. Rookie Joey Votto continues to turn in a fine season with 12 HR, but Miguel Cabrera remains in a power slump with just 11 homeruns.The 6-9 HR class has 24 members. Raul Ibanez is still stuck on 9 HR after a blazing start and Khalil Greene can’t seem to match last year’s power and has just 8 HR. Kosuke Fukudome is starting to come around though and now has 6 homeruns.The disappointment really begins with the 1-5 HR group, which is 13 players strong. Gary Sheffield has returned from the DL and looks to improve on his 5 HR, while Chris Duncan has been back for awhile, but can’t seems to add to his 4 homeruns. Hank Blalock is the only player with 3 and hopes to hit #4 sometime after the All-Star Break. Eric Chavez and Andruw Jones both have 2 and both guys are hurt. I’d like to recognize Delmon Young and his 1 homerun again just because it took him so long to hit it.Victor Martinez and Josh Fields remain the only players without a single homerun.

MLB Weekly Review

Written by Consigliere
The theme over the past week is that the American League is superior to the National League.The hottest team as of late has been none other than the Minnesota Twins, who just had their 10 game winning streak snapped by the Milwaukee Brewers. The Twins now sit at 9-1 over the last 10 games, while fellow division mates Kansas City and Detroit are 8-2 during that span. The Tigers are now 16-4 over their last 20 games and have reached .500 for the first time all season.In total, there are 10 AL teams with winning records over the last 10 games, while only the Dodgers and Brewers boast winning records in the National League.A few players deserve to be in the spotlight for their play over the past week.Mark Teixeira and Evan Longoria have been red hot at the plate and a major factor in their teams’ success.Teixeira is batting .450 with 8 runs, 6 homeruns and 11 RBI. He has also hit 2 doubles, been walked 4 times and sports a 1.992 OPS.Evan Almighty trails Teixeira slightly with a .448 batting average and 4 homeruns, but has one more RBI for a total of 12. Longoria also has 8 runs, 5 extra base hits, 1 walk and a 1.486 OPS.The 2 most notable pitching performances over the last week were turned in by a couple of the usual suspects.C.C. Sabathia led the Indians to a win by going 8 innings while allowing only 4 hits and 2 walks. He didn’t allow a run while striking out 11 batters.Tim Lincecum was equally as impressive going 7 innings and giving up 5 hits and 3 walks. He shutout Oakland and struck out 11.All of this was overshadowed last night when the Dodgers defeated the Angels 1-0.The reason that this wasn’t just another 1 run game was because the Dodgers didn’t record a single hit. Matt Kemp reached base on an error and while stealing 2nd base, he was able to advance to 3rd on yet another error. He would score the games only run on a sacrifice fly. That run was enough for the Dodgers and Takashi Saito pitched out of a minor jam in the 9th inning to preserve the win.Jered Weaver and Jose Arredondo combined to pitch 8 inning of hitless ball, but no-hitters aren’t officially recognized unless they go 9 innings.This game marked only the 5th time in MLB history that a team has lost while not allowing a hit.

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!
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MLB Injury Report: 6/22/2008

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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

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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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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?