This Week in Baseball 5/21 - 5/27

[Dobbs 3K 0]

Did anyone else see Prince Fielder's clothesline on Juan Pierre last night? That looked like it hurt, big time.

[Failed Bridge 0]

I'm surprised there's no talk of A-Rod's Luger-esque forarm shot on Pedroia last night. I just don't understand how somebody with that much talent can be such a dirty player.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

Didn't see that one, honestly.

 

The funny thing about last night was that Pierre was called out at first on runner interference, after being knocked down and having his helmet fly off.

[Brett Favre 0]

I'm surprised there's no talk of A-Rod's Luger-esque forarm shot on Pedroia last night. I just don't understand how somebody with that much talent can be such a dirty player.

 

He tried taking him out at second base. Oh the horror.

[Boon 0]

I'm surprised there's no talk of A-Rod's Luger-esque forarm shot on Pedroia last night. I just don't understand how somebody with that much talent can be such a dirty player.

 

He tried taking him out at second base. Oh the horror.

I didn't realize an elbow to the crotch was a clean way of taking a player out. Please. Indulge me. Was the Arroyo slap clean, too?

[Brett Favre 0]

It was way over blown out of proportion. He tried smacking the ball out of his hands, desperate to get on base. It wasn't meant to injure Arroyo.

 

And players do mad shit to break up a slide. His crotched just happened to be in the way of his forearm. It's not like Pedroia had his back turned and A-Rod flipped him around and hit him in the crotch.

 

Another thing, this is coming from the team that hits Derek Jeter every other at bat. Right.

[Boon 0]

Nobody said he was trying to injure Arroyo. And he popped up after his clean, hard slide to throw an elbow at Pedroia.

 

Hey- I'll take A-Rod on my team 7 days a week. He is a great player, arguably the best in the league. But he is also a dirty player.

 

And every Yankee fan I know wishes they'd throw at the Sox every once in a while. The Yankees don't throw at anybody- they don't even come inside, hence they get hammered more often. As for the Jeter argument? Ortiz and Jeter both hang out way over the plate. The difference is that the Yankees don't pitch inside to Ortiz, while everyone who pitches inside to Jeter will hit his elbow.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

I'm surprised there's no talk of A-Rod's Luger-esque forarm shot on Pedroia last night. I just don't understand how somebody with that much talent can be such a dirty player.

People were saying it was retaliation for the shot to Jeter. If that's so, it was still dirty but at least he was being a man and sticking up for a teammate. It's not quite the Slap v 2.0.

 

 

By the way, here's the play, in case you missed it (paste into your browser). Nice of ARod to pick on the 5'7" guy.

 

mms://a1503.v108692.c10869.g.vm.akamaistream.net/7/1503/10869/v0001/mlb.download.akamai.com/10869/2007/open/tp/archive05/052207_bosnya_rodriguez_elbow_tp_350.wmv?ct3=5090684&ct4=mlb&ct5=23-May-07

[sfaJack 0]

Elijah Dukes is headed for trouble again...

 

Ballplayer's wife: He threatened me, kids

Rays' Elijah Dukes is under a restraining order - again.

By EDUARDO ENCINA and ABBIE VANSICKLE

Published May 23, 2007

 

TAMPA - In late April, Tampa Bay Devil Rays outfielder Elijah Dukes barged into his wife's middle school classroom at lunchtime.

 

He was so irate that she ran to get the principal and a deputy, who banned Dukes from the property, records show.

 

His wife, who said she fears for her life, sought a restraining order and told the court it was the latest in a string of outbursts by the 22-year-old rookie player.

 

Dukes' wife, NiShea Gilbert, 26, a teacher at Beth Shields Middle School in Ruskin, told the court in another filing Thursday that her husband threatened to kill her and sent a photo of a handgun to her cell phone.

 

She played the St. Petersburg Times a voice mail message she said was from Dukes:

 

"You dead, dawg," says an angry voice. "I ain't even bulls-------. Your kids, too."

[MFer 0]

uh-oh

[geniusMoment 0]

I don't mind the A-Rod play as long as he understands the consequences. That means tonight he better be wearing a helmet that covers his entire head, as if I'm Schilling the very first pitch is a fastball right at his nose.

 

 

Also, if healthy there is a decent chance Griffey and Sosa will both break into the 600 club this season. They will both be forgotten in the Bonds hype, but it's still an accomplishment.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

I don't mind the A-Rod play as long as he understands the consequences. That means tonight he better be wearing a helmet that covers his entire head, as if I'm Schilling the very first pitch is a fastball right at his nose.

Nah, no need to give the slumping Yankees some sort of moment to rally around. Pitch him inside and have Tek make him think it's coming all night. Then wait a couple weeks and plunk him in Fenway.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

The slap was stupid, but the call was reversed and you won the game and the series. Stop bitching about it. It wasn't a Jeff Maier incident.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

The slap was stupid, but the call was reversed and you won the game and the series. Stop bitching about it. It wasn't a Jeff Maier incident.

Bitching about it? All I said was that the elbow last night wasn't as bad as the slap. Calm down.

[the max 0]

And every Yankee fan I know wishes they'd throw at the Sox every once in a while. The Yankees don't throw at anybody- they don't even come inside, hence they get hammered more often. As for the Jeter argument? Ortiz and Jeter both hang out way over the plate. The difference is that the Yankees don't pitch inside to Ortiz, while everyone who pitches inside to Jeter will hit his elbow.

 

Teams pitch inside to Ortiz on occasion. The problem is that if they bust him in too much, he'll turn on one and go long. Ortiz is a better hitter than people give him credit for.

 

Plus, why take the chance of hitting Ortiz when Ramirez is right behind him?

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Jeremy Brown, of Moneyball fame, was DFA'd by the Oakland Athletics to open a spot on the 40-man roster. I can't wait to hear the anit-sabermetric guys come out of the woodwork to slam Beane now.

 

I think I heard that ESPNews is carrying the Clemens/Buchholz game tonight. To me that's far more interesting than anything the $28 million man will do the rest of the season.

[Guest George's Box]

Ortiz is a better hitter than people give him credit for.

This was sarcasm, right? Who doubts the hitting prowess of David Ortiz?

[Boon 0]

And every Yankee fan I know wishes they'd throw at the Sox every once in a while. The Yankees don't throw at anybody- they don't even come inside, hence they get hammered more often. As for the Jeter argument? Ortiz and Jeter both hang out way over the plate. The difference is that the Yankees don't pitch inside to Ortiz, while everyone who pitches inside to Jeter will hit his elbow.

 

Teams pitch inside to Ortiz on occasion. The problem is that if they bust him in too much, he'll turn on one and go long. Ortiz is a better hitter than people give him credit for.

 

Plus, why take the chance of hitting Ortiz when Ramirez is right behind him?

The Yanks don't really pitch inside to Ortiz. They're stuck on the Ortiz/Myers matchup. The Yankees don't pitch inside much at all, to anyone. And at this point in the season, I'd take my chances pitching to Ramirez over Ortiz. Granted that won't last forever, but as the Sox broadcasters pointed out, he can't string good at bats together right now.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Jeremy Brown, of Moneyball fame, was DFA'd by the Oakland Athletics to open a spot on the 40-man roster. I can't wait to hear the anit-sabermetric guys come out of the woodwork to slam Beane now.

 

It'd be silly to criticize Beane. Eleven players were taken in the supplemental first round in 2002. Three players (Dan Meyer, Mark Teahen, Jeremy Brown) have reached the majors. Greg Miller was ranked the 17th best prospect in the Dodgers' organization before the season, and he's walked 36 batters in 26.2 innings in AAA. The other seven are non-prospects. The second round produced some hits and some misses. Beane took a shot and missed. No different from what 29 other GMs do every year.

[MFer 0]

Ortiz is a better hitter than people give him credit for.

This was sarcasm, right? Who doubts the hitting prowess of David Ortiz?

I think he means that people sometimes overlook his ability to hit for average.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Jeremy Brown, of Moneyball fame, was DFA'd by the Oakland Athletics to open a spot on the 40-man roster. I can't wait to hear the anit-sabermetric guys come out of the woodwork to slam Beane now.

 

It'd be silly to criticize Beane. Eleven players were taken in the supplemental first round in 2002. Three players (Dan Meyer, Mark Teahen, Jeremy Brown) have reached the majors. Greg Miller was ranked the 17th best prospect in the Dodgers' organization before the season, and he's walked 36 batters in 26.2 innings in AAA. The other seven are non-prospects. The second round produced some hits and some misses. Beane took a shot and missed. No different from what 29 other GMs do every year.

It'd be silly, but Mike Celizic, Murray Chass and Bill Plaschke would love to have the honor.

[Brett Favre 0]

Even though Bonds is seemingly an asshole, I think Aaron saying that he'd never watch Bonds hit 756 is making him look like an ass. Is there any reason why he's doing this?

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Even though Bonds is seemingly an asshole, I think Aaron saying that he'd never watch Bonds hit 756 is making him look like an ass. Is there any reason why he's doing this?

 

He said he hates travelling, but obviously he's just upset someone is breaking his record. I don't even think it's because Bonds is suspected of steroids. He's just hiding behind that as an excuse. In my opinion, anyways.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Even though Bonds is seemingly an asshole, I think Aaron saying that he'd never watch Bonds hit 756 is making him look like an ass. Is there any reason why he's doing this?

Is there any reason he should, really? Nothing's more patronizing then sitting there and cheering. "Yay! You're better than me!" I respect Aaron's decision, I'd rather reporters not make it a story anymore. They're just repeating it at this point.

[the max 0]

Ortiz is a better hitter than people give him credit for.

This was sarcasm, right? Who doubts the hitting prowess of David Ortiz?

 

I meant that he can hit with power to the opposite field and not have to pull everything. I think people get too caught up in the "DAVID ORTIZ!!! CLUTCH HOMAH~!" stuff to realize that he's more than just a homer guy. He's a good, patient hitter and that's why he's dangerous. Not just because of the power.

[Vern Gagne 0]

Many of the old players are bitter.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

If it was someone who had acted classy throughout his career, like say, Ken Griffey Jr. or Alex Rodriguez breaking the record, I bet Aaron would be there. Barry Bonds doesn't deserve Hank Aaron's validation, though.

[Vern Gagne 0]

If it was someone who had acted classy throughout his career, like say, Ken Griffey Jr. or Alex Rodriguez breaking the record, I bet Aaron would be there. Barry Bonds doesn't deserve Hank Aaron's validation, though.

 

I don't understand the big deal about Aaron or Selig being at the game.

[Vern Gagne 0]

Luis Castillo for Lasting Milledge trade rumor if the Twins are out of contention by the trade deadline.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Luis Castillo for Lasting Milledge trade rumor if the Twins are out of contention by the trade deadline.

If so, Omar Minaya is much dumber than I thought.