This Week in Baseball 6/9 - 6/15

[Bored 0]

ESPN/FOX/TBS Games to Poison Our Youth

 

MONDAY

Indians (Cliff Lee) at Tigers (Dontrelle Willis), 7:00/4:00 PM, ESPN

 

WEDNESDAY

Braves (Jair Jurrjens) at Cubs (Ryan Dempster), 8:00/5:00 PM, ESPN

 

SATURDAY

Red Sox at Reds, 3:55/12:55 PM, FOX

Dodgers at Tigers, 3:55/12:55 PM, FOX

Phillies at Cardinals, 3:55/12:55 PM, FOX

 

SUNDAY

Red Sox at Reds, 1:00 PM/10:00 AM, TBS

Braves at Angels, 8:00/5:00 PM, ESPN

[Mik 0]

It's probably worth nothing that Ryan Tucker made his MLB debut yesterday for the Marlins. He was part of their 2005 draft class that included 5 first round pitchers. He was always thought of as a bullpen arm and kind of wild and also always overshadowed by Chris Volstad and Aaron Thompson.

 

Either way - he has been nearly unhittable in the minors this season and got the call yesterday. I couldn't catch the game but I heard he looked filthy when he was actually getting the ball over the plate. He ended up getting the win over the Reds. He's probably going to end up staying in the bigs, even if he moves to the pen.

 

Volstad is also almost ready for the show. With some of the Marlins prized arms actually making it to the big leagues the time could be soon for another legit run.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

Ahhh, interleague play...it's officially summer now.

[Guest Vitamin X]

It's probably worth nothing that Ryan Tucker made his MLB debut yesterday for the Marlins. He was part of their 2005 draft class that included 5 first round pitchers. He was always thought of as a bullpen arm and kind of wild and also always overshadowed by Chris Volstad and Aaron Thompson.

 

Either way - he has been nearly unhittable in the minors this season and got the call yesterday. I couldn't catch the game but I heard he looked filthy when he was actually getting the ball over the plate. He ended up getting the win over the Reds. He's probably going to end up staying in the bigs, even if he moves to the pen.

 

Volstad is also almost ready for the show. With some of the Marlins prized arms actually making it to the big leagues the time could be soon for another legit run.

And one of the best parts of it is that it seems that the Marlins are doing it the right way this time, with homegrown talent and a stadium plan in place. There aren't any huge stars on the team yet from what I've seen, but it does look like they've got their heads out of their asses and are competing in a suddenly very difficult NL East.

 

I won four tickets to a Portland Beavers (Padres' AAA affiliate) home game, and wouldn't ya know it, their next home game series is against the Colorado Springs Sky Sox (Rockies' AAA affiliate). I'm making plans to attend the June 29th game, and although Holliday is doing a rehab stint with them, I kind of hope he sticks with the Sky Sox until then just so I could see the guy play.

 

EDIT: Sorry, looks like it's actually Tucson that their next home game series is against, but the one right after is the Sky Sox. Small error.

[Dandy 0]

I watched the game, Mik, and he looked very good in his debut. He walked 5 in 5 innings, and as soon as he had enough innings for the win, they took him out (more on that in a sec). However, for his first start in the big leagues, he was pretty damned good. He might have gotten to stay in for another inning or so, but it was a good time to take him out. With the Marlins clinging to a 2-1 lead, he was set to lead off in the bottom of the 5th. He had already thrown 89 pitches, so they pinch hit for him. That paid off in spades as they padded their lead that inning and never looked back. I would guess that he could have gone 6 innings had he not been scheduled to bat that inning. Very solid pitcher, indeed!

[the max 0]

Ken Griffey's son hit #600.

[Annabelle 0]

no big deal, but the pitcher that the tigers traded half of their farm system and are paying over 10 million/year has been optioned to single A ball. it sounds fairly indefinate, too. go tigers.

[naiwf 0]

Is it time to see if Willis can possibly Ankiel his way back to the bigs? I can't imagine that he's shot at 26, but he's certainly looking like that's the direction he's heading in.

[jimmy no nose 0]

Oh how I hope Randy Johnson pitches in the Pirates-Diamondbacks series in August with Doug Mientkiewicz in the lineup. They're both fairly useless at this point, but it should set the stage for another comedy moment:

 

One day after going face-to-face with D-backs starter Randy Johnson, Pirates utility man Doug Mientkiewicz wasn't in the mood to hold anything back.

The two got into a verbal spat in the Pirates' 5-3 win over Arizona on Monday after Mientkiewicz stepped out of the batter's box, and then after stepping back in, called time again as Johnson was beginning his windup. Johnson took exception to Mientkiewicz's actions and immediately began barking at the Pirates' infielder.

 

When Johnson stepped off the mound and started toward home plate, Mientkiewicz went toward him, going face-to-face with the 6-foot-10 Johnson. Both benches emptied onto the field; however, no punches were thrown.

 

After the game, Johnson played off the incident, saying: "It didn't bother me at all. If it would've, [Mientkiewicz] would probably be on a stretcher, and I'd be out of the game."

 

On Monday, Mientkiewicz had a chance to respond to Johnson's comments.

 

"I've been on a stretcher before and, technically, he's been out of the game for three years in my mind," Mientkiewicz said, alluding to Johnson's seasons with the Yankees and his injury-plagued 2007 campaign. "That just shows me how mentally weak he is. That's why he got out of [New York]."

 

Johnson played in New York from 2005-06 before returning to the D-backs rotation in '07.

 

"New York beat him down, let's put it that way," said Mientkiewicz, in no mood to apologize for his outspokenness. "He doesn't have intimidating stuff anymore, so I'm not going to stand for it."

 

Once play resumed following that third-inning fracas, Johnson threw two straight balls, which handed Mientkiewicz a five-pitch walk. Johnson committed a throwing error on the following play before a five-pitch, bases-loaded walk later in the inning that forced in Pittsburgh's first run of the game.

 

Johnson said afterward that his unraveling had nothing to do with his exchange of words with Mientkiewicz. Again, however, Mienkiewicz adamantly held a different opinion.

 

"It affected him completely," Mientkiewicz said. "I know how mentally weak he is. I tried to take the high road, [but] not anymore."

 

The Pirates and D-backs will face each other one more time this season in an Aug. 4-6 series in Arizona.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I caught a bit of Rays/Angels on the way home. Christ Rex Hudler is awful. There's nothing worse than a "play the game right" style of color commentator.

[strummer 0]

I don't care about injuries, Willie Randolph giving all these at bats to Endy Chavez is asinine and is hurting the team. This must stop. Just play the kids

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I don't care about injuries, Willie Randolph giving all these at bats to Endy Chavez is asinine and is hurting the team. This must stop. Just play the kids

Welcome to the pain of my 2005.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

Does Doug Mientkiewicz remember that he was not a very good Yankee in his own right? And most of his season was spent on the DL also? He sucked for both New York baseball franchises. Perhaps he has post-concussion sydrome. At least Big Bird was worth 17 wins in both 2005 and 2006.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

F'n Jorge Cantu.

[Guest Epic Narcissism]

Cannot! Cantu!

 

Soriano's out with a broken hand. You didn't think the Pujols injury was going to knock the wheels off the Cardinals Express, did you/

[Bruiser Chong 0]

This is what happens when there's all this talk about how great the Cubs are.

[treble 0]

They'll win at least 2 out of 3 this weekend, don't worry.

[Guest Epic Narcissism]

Didn't the Cubs go on a tear last time Soriano was hurt? Granted, this time he's probably out for the season, but hey, there's decent depth to this team, and I'm sure we'll soon reach the point where awful teams have parts to sell off.

[jwest27 0]

So I guess Albert is going to miss at least 3 weeks. God damn it.

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

Yo, Jayson Werth, what the hell was that?

[Guest Epic Narcissism]

So I guess Albert is going to miss at least 3 weeks. God damn it.

Oh, dry your eyes. It's the St. Louis Cardinals, where journeymen either flourish or die under mysterious circumstances. Look for major RBI production from Cesar Izturis and Brendan Ryan, while Dave Duncan teaches another wheelbarrow of horseshit to throw a sinker and subsequently hold opponents to 2 on 5 over 7.

[devo 0]

It's never easy, is it?

[naiwf 0]

Billy Wagner is the king of clutch.

 

I'm sure Al will continue to tell us he's a surefire first ballot HOF'er, but this is yet another reason why I think he's worthless. Way to kill the team twice this week you trash talking piece of shit.

[NYU 0]

Oh Christ, Billy Wagner did it again.

 

I don't care what his ERA is. This guy has never come through when the Mets have needed him. Two blown saves in the past three games. Unbelievable.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Billy Wagner is the king of clutch.

 

I'm sure Al will continue to tell us he's a surefire first ballot HOF'er, but this is yet another reason why I think he's worthless. Way to kill the team twice this week you trash talking piece of shit.

I eagerly await your list of pitchers who never blew saves.

[the max 0]

Billy Wagner is the king of clutch.

 

I'm sure Al will continue to tell us he's a surefire first ballot HOF'er, but this is yet another reason why I think he's worthless. Way to kill the team twice this week you trash talking piece of shit.

I eagerly await your list of pitchers who never blew saves.

 

1- Sidd Finch.

[naiwf 0]

I eagerly await your list of pitchers who calls out his team on a nearly daily basis and then gives up two soul crushing homers in the midst of what could be a losing streak that ends their season in June. All those hitless innings he compiled early on really don't mean much when you can't close TWO games that the team desperately needs. If he'd keep his mouth shut people wouldn't pile on, but when he walks around like he's the only one who can handle his business and then buries the team in critical situations year after year he deserves all the trashing he gets.

 

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

And since I've seen the breakdown now, Wagner was one out away from winning when Mark Reynolds cracked a home run. You throw 97 mph, sometimes a guy will catch up to it.

 

You might note that Tom Gordon gave up four runs just now. Oh well, he's still a good pitcher. See how easy that is?

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I eagerly await your list of pitchers who calls out his team on a nearly daily basis and then gives up two soul crushing homers in the midst of what could be a losing streak that ends their season in June. All those hitless innings he compiled early on really don't mean much when you can't close TWO games that the team desperately needs. If he'd keep his mouth shut people wouldn't pile on, but when he walks around like he's the only one who can handle his business and then buries the team in critical situations year after year he deserves all the trashing he gets.

Team scores three runs in three days, must be the closer's fault they suck, right? He made a couple of mistakes. Big deal. If the Mets could score runs properly, they wouldn't be in that position in the first place.

 

Real good attitude Met fans have about their team.

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

Well, that sucked. Phillies tie it up in the ninth, but Werth puts on his stupid helmet on tries to bunt w/ the bases loaded & 2 outs, then Tom Gordon blows it in the bottom of the 9th.