Archive for July, 2009
For all you fans out there, here’s some news about lowe -
“As a Batter’s Box Official Minor League Guy or something, that is an extremely un-PC thing to say. But Vegas, New Hampshire and Dunedin all won, while the rest of the affiliates lost. I’m allowed to be a fair-weather minor league updater, right? No? Okay, fine, here are all 6 recaps.
Las Vegas 8 at Portland 4
Holy RBI, Batman! Brian Dopirak had a huge game, going 2-4 with 2 HRs and seven (7!) RBIs. Yes, that means he hit both a grand slam and a three run jack. The game raised his post-promotion OPS from 734 to 866. Maybe there’s something to this kid! (and it should be noted this game was not played in Vegas) So, um, that accounted for most of the runs. Howie Clark got the other RBI, Travis Snider walked twice in 5 trips (and stole a base!), and J.P. Arencibia took an 0-fer.
On the mound, T.J. Beam was solid, allowing 4 runs on 7 hits and no walks in 6 innings, and Dirk Hayhurst responded to his demotion by striking out 5 of the 7 batters he faced (including one hit).
New Britain 4 at New Hampshire 5
The Fisher Cats got off to a fast start in this one, scoring twice in the second and then thrice more in the third. They would get shut down the rest of the way, but it was enough, as the pitching staff was able to hold on, despite New Britain scoring a run off closer Dan Farquhar in the ninth. Randy Boone allowed 3 runs (1 earned) in 6 innings to get the win, and most of the offense was provided by a 3 run blast courtesy of David Cooper. Brian Jeroloman went 2-3 with a triple.
After 8 innings, the score stood at 1-0 Jupiter. The D-Jays’ offense woke up just in time, scoring 4 in the 9th to make it a clean sweep in the upper half of the minors. The scoring went like this: Man-Rod walked, fly-out, Jaspe singled, Jesus Gonzalez double, Loewen 2-run single, Luis Sanchez HBP, double steal (with pinch-runner Raul Barron in for Sanchez), Brad McElroy RBI single. Man, it feels good to type it out.
Anyway, the Bobby Bell-as-starter experiment continued to yield positive results, as Bell allowed a run on 4 hits and a walk in 6 innings, striking out 7. In 4 starts, Bell has pitched 19 innings, allowed 14 hits and 5 walks, and struck out 23. This was his longest outing of the year. Tim Collins pitched 2 scoreless innings and struck out 3, getting the win and simultaneously his amazing 11th decision on the year (he’s 7-4).
None of the hitters really had great games - Man-Rod, Jaspe and Sanchez reached base twice.
Chase Lirette started for Lansing and only allowed 1s, 4s and 7s. He pitched 4.1 innings, allowed 4 runs on 7 hits and 1 walk, and struck out 7. Boy, I must be tired. Anyway, that obviously wasn’t a great performance, and try as they might, you can’t really expect the bullpen to pitch 4 2/3 scoreless innings, as they would have needed to to win this game.
A bunch of Nuts had good games at the plate: Chris Emanuele walked twice, Tyler Pastornicky singled twice and stole his 48th base, Brian Van Kirk singled, doubled, walked and drove in 3, Johermyn Chavez had 2 singles and 2 RBIs and the Great Balbino doubled twice and singled. Unfortunately, Lansing could only get 5 runs out of their 11 hits and 4 walks.
The bullpen was the highlight in this one - Matthew Morgal and Casey Beck combined for 4 scoreless innings. Other than that…. well, Dave Sever was okay in 5 innings, and Ryan Goins singled and doubled in 4 trips. That’s about all I want to say here.
GCL Blue Jays 4 at GCL Phillies 5
The G-Jays actually out-hit their Philly counterparts 11-7, but the G-Phils were able to convert their runners into runs a bit better. Interesting prospects: Gustavo Pierre went 2-5 with a steal, Ryan Schimpf tripled, walked and stole a base, and Carlos Perez pinch-hit and went 1-2.
Three Stars!
3. Dirk Hayhurst - 2 IP, 1 H, 5 K
2. Bobby Bell - 6 IP, 4 H, 1 BB, 7 K
1. Brian Dopirak - 2 HRs, 7 RBIs
.:”
Post your thoughts below.
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morrow sure has been in the news a lot lately:
“In case you donât follow my Twitter feed, Iâve been skeptically taking notes of the game. Well, what can ya say? Contreras did a fair job. The Sox still got swept by the Twinkies, though.
More bad news. After TCQ- Oh, Iâm sorry. You may have forgotten who that is. That used to stand for THE Carlos Quentin, who was on track to be the AL MVP after leading the team in home runs. Where did that guy go? Well, he was on the DL for most of this season. Anyway, heâs back and he hit his first home run since April 29th today. Anyway, so after hitting his home run, he limped around the bases. He was back, but that canât be a good sign.
And speaking of limping away, Alexei twisted his ankle. He will have X-Rays tomorrow, but the diagnosis is a sprained ankle. That doesnât sound too bad, if Jayson Nix can keep doing what he did today. He was responsible for the other White Sox run with a homer of his own.
In conclusion, as we head into the series w the Yankees, I leave you with the best of my Twitter notes from today:
- I’m half-expecting Kenny to trade for Griffey!
- Randy Williams comes in and gets the last out. In the meanwhile, viewers at home get to see his overall terrible stats.
- Just had a flashback to, “Dye with the catch, Swisher with the worm, I can’t stand it!” The defense sure is trying!
- Gomez & Punto could win the “Most Hustle While Grounding Out” award. It’s nice that they bat back-to-back, so the jokes are close together.
- Hawk about Carlos Gomez: “Is he a hot dog? I don’t know.”
.:”
I wonder how this will effect the rest of the season.
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Johnson sure has been in the news a lot lately,
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The Cubs five-game win streak doesn’t make it to six and and the loss coupled with the Cardinals win over the Dodgers, drops the Cubs back to second place. Ryan Dempster returned from the disabled list and was nothing short of awful. 5 IP, 9 H, 3 K and 5 ER, 6 total and the error was his own. But at least he didn’t walk anyone! With the Cubs catching a huge break when Roy Oswalt left in the second inning with a back injury, the Cubs just needed some decent pitching to stay in this one and they sure didn’t get it from Dempster or the bullpen.
Armchair Managing: The Cubs first comeback started in the fourth when Wesley Wright just completely lost it and missed the strike zone on 10 straight pitches and quite a few more before and after as well. He walked the bases loaded on two occasions with a sacrifice fly in-between and with lefty Mike Fontenot in the original lineup with Oswalt starting, Lou went to the bench early and called on Reed Johnson to pinch-hit and he came through with a 2-out, 2-run single. Then a nicely executed double steal put runners on 2nd/3rd but also gave the Astros the opportunity to intentionally walk Koyie Hill and force Lou’s hand with Dempster due up. Lou didn’t take the bait and let Dempster hit and he naturally struck out. If you’re already going for the big inning by pinch-hitting for Fontenot, I think you have to do the same with Dempster there. And if Lou called for the double steal, he basically ended the Cubs inning if he wasn’t going to pinch-hit for Dempster, since you know Cooper would walk Hill there. This all leads me to believe that Lou is a terrible chess player. Dempster then rewarded Lou’s faith by giving up a 2-run HR in the top of the fifth that gave the Astros a 6-3 lead.
Ramirez’s three-run dinger int he bottom of the fifth neutralized the damage though and then the bullpen proceeded to flush the game and first place with it.
Half-Ass Parachat Recap:
- Miggy’s 3-run HR in the first
- well it looked like a HR, sac fly instead
- Debating Top 10 defensive plays of the decade
- Was Giambi safe?
- no
- Was Giambi safe?
- laughing at the Astros misfortune with Roy Oswalt
- Valverde with Fulchino is delicious
- Transmission’s date with his sister
- Following Buehrle’s quest for back-to-back perfectos and congratulations on the new record…now go die!
- “Ryan Dempster is NOT pitching a perfect game” - Ryno
- Finding Trans a date on craigslist
- We wouldn’t have to do this if you weren’t having dates with your sister.
- I get bored doing the Parachat recap…
- stupid blackout rules, bring Trans back to us
And congratulations to the Angel Fan Wife on being married to me for 8 years…I imagine it’s been just as insufferable as being a Cub fan sometime over the last 100. Lots of expectations, but neither of us deliver….
.:”
Any tThoughts?
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I wonder how lowe’s serious fans feel -
Matt Brady was the basketball coach at Marist from 2004 to 2008, when he left for JMU. Four of his prep prospects - one signed, two orally comitted, one had not announced a decision - followed. In the world of college hoops, that’s pretty standard. What’s not standard is the contract Brady had signed with Marist. It included a provision preventing him from continuing to recruit players he had contact with at Marist. So the school is suing Brady, JMU, and the entire Commonwealth of Virginia. From a legal standpoint, the contract’s standing is iffy. Specifically, it affects third parties who were not party to the contract at all: the players. You can’t bar an 18-year-old from attending a specific college because of a contract he had nothing to do with. I don’t know how something like that could hold up. If a coach leaves and a young man says, âCoach, I want to go where you’re going,’ a university doesn’t have that power,” Hofstra coach Tom Pecora said. “If they don’t have anything signed, how in the world could a university dictate their recruitment? As much as we want to say recruits sign with a university, there is a relationship there.” Pretty much everyone agrees this lawsuit will have larger implications, if not an immediate impact. The wording of contract clauses could get a lot more specific and effective in reining in coaches planning to jump ship. Will John Calipari ever agree to a contract again? Marist Clause Unusual? Daily News-Record
Forget the fact that it’s James Madison University vs. Marist. A dispute over a departed coach bringing previously recruited players to his new school has led to one of the oddest lawsuits in college sports.
what do you think?How do you think this news will affect the rest of the team this season?
Take a look at a vid of lowe trying his best work:
How to Pitch a Baseball : Low Phase in Baseball Pitching
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Johnson sure has been in the news a lot lately:
Favre passes? First Jim Johnson, now this? O cruel football gods! Wait, it’s just a terrible headline? And Brett’s alive, but definitely still retired? Thank you, football gods! H/T reader Seth
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Any responses to Some Wishful Thinking At The Dotcom Tonight Brett Favre?
Here’s a video of Johnson:
Babe Ruth vs Walter Johnson - 1942 Benefit Game Newsreel
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I wonder how morrow’s serious fans feel:
I’m in the middle of moving right now, so I can’t promise tomorrow’s wrap will be on time. Iowa Cubs The Iowa Cubs submitted to the majesty of the Omaha Royals, 5-4. Starter Casey Fossum got knocked around tonight for five runs on five hits, including two home runs, over five innings. He walked three and struck out three. B.J. Ryan pitched the seventh inning and faced three batters. He got a fly out, walked the next batter and got the third batter to ground into a double play. Left fielder John-Ford Griffin hit his eighth home run tonight in a 1 for 4 effort. It was an eighth inning solo shot. DH Jason Dubois went 2 for 4 with a double. Center fielder Sam Fuld had a triple in a 2 for 5 game. He scored twice. Tennessee Smokies It never rains in California but girl, let me warn ya. It pours in Alabama. Daytona Cubs The Daytona Cubs fell to the Sarasota Reds, 3-2. Starter Craig Muschko threw six shutout innings. He allowed only three hits, didn’t walk anyone and struck out five. Luke Sommer got the loss when he gave up an unearned run in the bottom of the ninth. Sommer pitched 1.2 innings and gave up three hits. He didn’t walk anyone and struck out three. Catcher Luis Flores was 2 for 4 with a double. Peoria Chiefs The Chiefs scored two runs in the first inning and two runs in the ninth inning to slay the Dayton Dragons, 4-3. Starter Justin Bristow gave up two runs on six hits over five innings. Bristow walked one and struck out four. Ryan Buchter struck out all three batters he faced to get the win. Chris Huseby pitched a scoreless ninth for his 13th save. He gave up no hits but walked one. Huseby struck out one. Shortstop Ryan Flaherty went 2 for 5 and scored a run. First baseman Rebel Ridling tripled in a 2 for 4 effort. Ridling scored once and had one RBI. Right fielder Kyler Burke went 2 for 4 with his tenth stolen base. Second baseman DJ LeMahieu was 1 for 4 with an RBI in his Peoria debut. AZL Cubs
what do you think?This might be shocking news for morrow fans, but some of you who will say that you saw it coming. I’m pretty surprised. morrow is sweet, I hope this doesn’t affect the rest of the team.
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My vote for MVP this year goes to white,
The Chicago White Sox have more than 60 games to catch up to the Detroit Tigers and defend their AL Central title. White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, though, doesn’t want to wait. Paul Konerko hit a two-run homer in Chicago’s four-run first, Gordon Beckham added a solo home run the next inning and the White Sox coasted to a 5-1 win Sunday night over the Detroit Tigers and avoided a sweep.
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I wonder how this is going to effect the rest of the team!
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I wonder how white’s serious fans feel,
DETROIT - The demise of Clayton Richard as a starter to the bullpen may have been highly exaggerated.
Following the left-hander’s second consecutive dominant performance on Sunday night, manager Ozzie Guillen admitted that they will now have something to discuss as far as what to do with the southpaw.
Clayton was expected to be heading to the bullpen, joining Matt Thornton as the two lefties down there, but Guillen was now planning to have a discussion with general manager Ken Williams about an alternate plan with Clayton - possibly giving him one more start.
“Last two outings this kid has been great,” Guillen said after Sunday’s win over Detroit. “I’ve got to sit down with Kenny on the plane ride to Minnesota] and talk about it. See if we have better ideas. What we have to do to keep him in the role, give him another shot. The way he pitched the last couple games he’s been great.”
Guillen was then asked if Richard had changed his mind about putting him back in the bullpen.
“To me, yeah. To me,” he replied. “I’m the boss of the team, the manager, but this team runs by coaches, manager and general manager. We do all things together. Today we should have a better idea.
“Right now it seems like we have a six-man rotation, but I don’t want to do that. In the meanwhile, this kid is pitching so great, we have to sit down and talk. See what the matchups are going to be and what we need.”
The emergence of Richard could be win-win for the Sox in another way.
If there is a front-line pitcher out there to be had, Richard’s stock is through the ceiling right now and he could be part of a package for the Sox to land a No. 1 or 2.
Arizona is rumored to have told Williams no twice in the attempts to land ace Dan Haren, but the growth of Richard could help pry Haren loose at this point.
As far as Richard is concerned, the big difference in what he’s doing now has to do with him just loosening up.
“There’s some factors that go into it,” Richard said. “I just realized that baseball is a fun game and why not have fun when I’m playing it?”
With Bartolo Colon back in the mix, and Freddy Garcia throwing three scoreless innings for Class A Kannapolis Sunday night, all of a sudden the Sox have multiple options for the starting rotation.
When’s the last time they could brag about that?
what do you think?This might be shocking news for white fans, but there are those of you who will say that you saw it coming. I can’t say I’m all that surprised. white is great, I hope this doesn’t affect the season.
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A lot of fans love this guy. I think White is lousy -
There are people who care about reforming the Bowl Championship Series, and there are people who go homeless to reform the Bowl Championship Series. Guess which category Brandon Kennedy, author of “The Kennedy Proposal,” belongs to.
Here are Kennedy’s vitals, per this quirky Washington Post profile:
⢠He’s homeless, living on the streets of Georgetown, but he’s not a bum, thank you very much.
⢠Like every other college athlete, he wrote a paper about the BCS for English class and became hooked by the topic, so much so that he went all John Nash and scribbled his proposal all over his apartment’s walls.
⢠His parents cut him out of their cellphone plan, and he now considers himself the Kennedy’s “black sheep.” He turned to grandma, of course, and she bought him a cell phone. If he doesn’t have the money to pay for the bill by month’s end, he’ll beg for it.
⢠The Kennedy Proposal: six champions from the BCS conferences and four at-large teams compete in a playoff bracket. The two left standing play for the national championship; the eight losers play in BCS bowls.
It’s more complicated than that — it must be, since it’s gone through 160 pages in drafts, and Kennedy uses the Georgetown library to remain up-to-date with the latest developments — but 15,000 e-mails later, he’s still having trouble getting the ear of college presidents and D.C. politicos. (They’re busy bemoaning the state of the BCS in a more public setting.)
Kennedy’s thinking about leaving the Beltway soon, but before he bolts, he’d be wise to go straight to the top. Rumor has it, there’s a guy in the White House who happens to share similar views on the BCS and knows something about hope and change.
Maybe Shaq can hook him up.
Playoff Advocate Goes Homeless Against The BCS Washington Post
Leveling The Playing Field Sports Illustrated
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I bet nobody saw that coming!
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Rich Harden’s day/night splits this year are well known, but just so you don’t have to look them up again:
Day games: nine starts, 1-5, 7.38, 11 HR in 42.2 innings
Night games: seven starts, 5-1, 2.23, 6 HR in 44.1 innings
So what the Cubs should do is: turn the lights on today, even though it’s supposed to be sunny most of the afternoon, give Harden sunglasses so it looks darker, wear the blue alternate jerseys (the Cubs’ record while Harden pitches and the team wears pinstripes is 1-3; it’s 7-5 with the alt jerseys), and reset all the clocks in the clubhouse so that it will seem to Harden as if the starting time is 7:05.
Yes, I know. It shouldn’t make any difference, but for some reason, this year it does. And for his career, Harden’s day/night splits aren’t nearly as extreme (career day-game ERA: 3.83; career night-game ERA: 3.13). Still, splits that extreme over the course of 16 starts have to mean something.
The Tribune’s real estate section today tells us that Ryan Dempster is becoming a North Side real estate mogul:
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Ryan Dempster, who currently is on the disabled list, has paid $480,000 to buy a two-bedroom condominium on the North Side, giving him a third piece of residential real estate on the Cubs’ side of town.
Dempster’s newly-built unit has Brazilian cherry hardwood floors throughout, recessed lighting, high ceilings, crown moldings, walk-in closets in both bedrooms, and a kitchen with an island, granite counters and stainless steel appliances, according to listing information. Other features include a large private deck and a master bath with a Jacuzzi, a double vanity and a steam shower with jets. The unit had been listed for $499,900.
Dempster is scheduled to be activated from the DL and start Tuesday night vs. the Astros. Hope he’s used that Jacuzzi to help heal that broken toe.
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The last time the Cubs saw Micah Owings in Chicago, he was facing Rich Harden on April 21, one of Harden’s better outings at home this year. That game resulted in the first-ever homer by a Micah (Hoffpauir) off a Micah (Owings). Owings pitched a little better against the Cubs in Cincinnati on June 5, but the Cubs won that game anyway. Owings has allowed 16 HR this year, but Hoffpauir is the only player on the active Cubs roster who has homered off him… time to change that today. It may be more important to watch out for Owings’ bat: he is a .294 lifetime hitter and has hit three homers this year. (His games played total above, 32, includes 14 pinch-hitting appearances, in which he’s gone 3-for-14 with two doubles and a HR.)
As noted above, the April 21 game — a night game — was one of Harden’s few good outings at Wrigley Field this season. He is 3-0, 2.95 lifetime vs. the Reds and even the dreaded Joey Votto, who is becoming a Cub-killer (10 of his 42 career HR have been against the Cubs), is 0-for-5 vs. Harden.
The Cubs are on WGN today, also on FSN Ohio for those of you who have EI. For other games today see the MLB.com Mediacenter.
Baseball-reference.com game preview
Please visit our SB Nation Reds site Red Reporter.
Overflow comment threads will post today at 2:15 pm, 3:15 pm and 4 pm CDT.
Discuss amongst yourselves.
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I have always been a fan of white, I have to say, seeing stuff like this gives me mixed feelings.How do you think this news will affect the rest of the team this season?
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