- 10,371
- 653
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2011
I love Josh Hamilton trying to score on that foul out. Too bad he failed and got hurt.
2016 MLB thread. THE CUBS HAVE BROKEN THE CURSE! Chicago Cubs are your 2016 World Series champions
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by proshares,
- Start date
- Status
bkmac
Banned
- 11,540
- 13
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2006
Intentional Talk Live on MLB Network is
.
What are the odds of that? Jeremy Guthrie is on the program right now, and he's a sneakerhead
. He rides his bicycle to the ballpark, seems like a really chill guy.
What are the odds of that? Jeremy Guthrie is on the program right now, and he's a sneakerhead
bkmac
Banned
- 11,540
- 13
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2006
Intentional Talk Live on MLB Network is
.
What are the odds of that? Jeremy Guthrie is on the program right now, and he's a sneakerhead
. He rides his bicycle to the ballpark, seems like a really chill guy.
What are the odds of that? Jeremy Guthrie is on the program right now, and he's a sneakerhead
- 6,994
- 85
- Joined
- Aug 11, 2008
Josh Hamilton is out 6-8 weeks
- 6,994
- 85
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- Aug 11, 2008
Josh Hamilton is out 6-8 weeks
bkmac
Banned
- 11,540
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- Joined
- Jul 6, 2006
Yikes. 3rd Base coach must feel real bad.
bkmac
Banned
- 11,540
- 13
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2006
Yikes. 3rd Base coach must feel real bad.
- 9,908
- 839
- Joined
- Nov 15, 2007
Sucks for Josh, seems like he misses at least a month or two every season.
- 9,908
- 839
- Joined
- Nov 15, 2007
Sucks for Josh, seems like he misses at least a month or two every season.
dacomeup
Supporter
- 25,205
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- Jan 20, 2006
Straight threw the 3rd base coach under the bus, though.
Should've slid feet first.
dacomeup
Supporter
- 25,205
- 34,403
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2006
Straight threw the 3rd base coach under the bus, though.
Should've slid feet first.
Piece on Hamilton.
Rumors.
http://[h3]Rangers to sign Leonys Martin?[/h3]
10:56AM ET
[h5]Texas Rangers [/h5]
The Texas Rangers are expected to sign Cuban defector Leonys Martin Wednesday and give the Cuban defector a signing bonus in the neighborhood of $15 million, reports Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News.
The Rangers could use some immediate outfield help due to the injury to Josh Hamilton, but the 23-year-old would likely begin his career in Class-A Hickory or Double-A Frisco. Grant does say it "is not unrealistic" to think Martin could be in a major league uniform before the end of the season.
Martin defected from the Cuban national team last September and has plenty of experience in international competition. ESPN The Magazine's Jorge Arangure Jr. reported last month that Martin is considered an elite prospect.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]More playing time for LaRoche?[/h3]
10:37AM ET
[h5]Oakland Athletics [/h5]
Andy LaRoche could be getting a few more days at shortstop for the Oakland Athletics.
Manager Bob Geren has started LaRoche (.381 AVG) the last two games in order to jumpstart a struggling offense. The A's are also without shortstop Cliff Pennington due to an infected sweat gland under his left arm, reports Susan Slusser of the Chronicle.
Pennington, who had limited playing time during spring training while he recovered from shoulder surgery, is hitting just .160. The team is listing him as "day-to-day."
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Moving fourth with Drew[/h3]
10:16AM ET
[h5]Stephen Drew | Diamondbacks [/h5]
Stephen Drew has just 46 homers in 653 career games, but Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson thinks there is enough pop in the shortstop's bat to place him in the cleanup spot on a semi-regular basis.
Gibson had Drew batting fourth for the fourth straight game Tuesday against St. Louis, a move that allows him to split up his left-handed and right-handed starters. In 151 games last season, Drew hit in the cleanup spot just twice.
"I think Stephen is one of our best pure hitters. He hits in pressure situations very well, but I'll move our lineups around," Gibson tells the Arizona Republic.
Drew, who missed the first week of the season with an abdominal strain, is hitting .381 in six games.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Closing options in St. Louis[/h3]
9:58AM ET
[h5]Ryan Franklin | Cardinals [/h5]
Three blown saves in four chances has not cost Ryan Franklin his job as the St. Louis Cardinals' closer, at least for now.
Joe Strauss of the Post Dispatch wrote Monday that the decision to stay with Franklin is predicated on the belief that the reliever has been a victim of some bad luck and because the Cards' options are limited.
Jason Motte and Mitchell Boggs have been mentioned as closers in waiting should Franklin leave via free agency after the season. Manager Tony La Russa, however, says the young pitchers "aren't ready" to close this season.
Roger Hensley of the Post Dispatch collects some opinions on who is the best candidate should La Russa make a change. One overlooked option could be long reliever Miguel Batista, who had 31 saves for Toronto in 2005.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]A step forward for Webb[/h3]
9:43AM ET
[h5]Brandon Webb | Rangers [/h5]
The Texas Rangers' master plan for 2011 calls for significant contributions from free agent signee Brandon Webb, who has pitched in all of one game since 2009 due to shoulder problems.
Webb began the season on the disabled list and a speedy return seemed more unlikely after the right-hander did his best Nuke LaLoosh impersonation by plunking three hitters in a batting practice session last Monday in Arizona. Star Telegram.
At this stage, a return for Webb seems weeks away, but at least he is moving in the right direction.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]The latest on Torres[/h3]
9:24AM ET
[h5]Andres Torres | Giants [/h5]
UPDATE:Torres will take batting practice Wednesday, and manager Bruce Bochy says the outfielder could be back this weekend if he continues to show progress.
If Torres regresses, he could land up on the DL with the Giants likely calling up outfielder Darren Ford from Triple-A Fresno, reports Henry Schulman.
--
Andres Torres will likely miss the San Francisco Giants' upcoming series versus the division rival Los Angeles Dodgers with an Achilles tendon injury, but according to manager Bruce Bochy the club will not know how long Torres will be out until Wednesday.
Torres was on crutches Sunday, a sure sign that he won't play Monday, which likely means Aaron Rowand will step in and handle center field. As for who will lead off, reserve infielder Mike Fontenot led off Sunday but second baseman Freddy Sanchez may be the top candidate.
If Torres hits the disabled list, Thomas Neal may get the call from Triple-A, though veteran Cody Ross is nearing a return from the DL himself.
- Jason A. Churchill
http://[h3]Trading Places by the bay?[/h3]
9:10AM ET
[h5]San Francisco Giants [/h5]
Aubrey Huff has been having his troubles in right field for the San Francisco Giants. The club has tried to keep the mood light, with one teammate drawing a chalk outline of Huff's failed attempt at a diving catch at Dodger Stadium.
With the season almost two weeks old, it is no longer a laughing matter. Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle writes that first baseman Brandon Belt has been taking fly balls in the outfield and could be switching positions with Huff by this weekend.
Belt has played primarily at first base as a pro, but has the speed to make the transition to the outfield. The Giants have a series next week in Colorado, where Belt would be more suited for the wide spaces of Coors Field. Huff plays several positions, but is most comfortable at first base and made to move to right only to get Belt into the lineup.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Astros looking at Purcey?[/h3]
8:39AM ET
[h5]David Purcey | Blue Jays | Interested: Astros? [/h5]
David Purcey became the sacrificial lamb in the Toronto Blue Jays' bullpen, but the left-hander may not be out of work for long.
The Blue Jays designated Purcey for assignment on Tuesday, one day after he retired just one of the four batters he faced against the Mariners. The Jays staged an epic meltdown, failing to hold a seven-run lead in an 8-7 Seattle victory.
Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun tweets that the Astros are interested in Purcey, a first-round draft pick back in 2004. The Astros could be looking to add another left-hander to a bullpen that currently has just one southpaw in Fernando Abad.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Setback for Feliciano [/h3]
8:22AM ET
[h5]Pedro Feliciano | Yankees [/h5]
Pedro Feliciano was at the center of a controversy earlier this month when Yankees general manager Brian Cashman accused the Mets of "abusing" the workhorse reliever during his tenure in Queens.
That did not prevent Cashman from giving Feliciano, who pitched in 92 games last season, a two-year, $8 million contract over the winter, and the Yankees are still waiting for the southpaw to pay some dividends.
Andrew Marchand of ESPNNewYork.com reports that Feliciano suffered another setback in his efforts to return from his left rotator cuff strain, Feliciano will undergo a second MRI on Wednesday to try to figure out why he can't simply play catch without feeling pain.
Boone Logan has been the only lefthander in the Yankee bullpen and he has been ineffective in four appearances. With the Yankees unsure when Feliciano will return, they could recall Steve Garrison, who is at Double-A Trenton.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Second base platoon in Queens?[/h3]
8:05AM ET
[h5]New York Mets [/h5]
Spring training in New York Mets camp featured a spirited second base battle that was eventually won by Rule 5 draftee Brad Emaus. But less than two weeks into the season, there are hints that Terry Collins is at least considering some form of platoon, even if the manager won?t call it that.
Daniel Murphy was penciled into the lineup at second base for the second straight game Tuesday before the contest with Colorado was postponed by rain. Emaus has been struggling at the plate (.167 BA), and Collins said he wanted to ?create more offense.?
"I haven't even gone down that road, thinking about platooning anybody," Collins warned, but unless Emaus starts to hit, he will not be an everyday player. The Mets gave Murphy every chance to win the second base job in Florida, but questions remain whether he can handle the position defensively.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]The Bay Watch[/h3]
7:47AM ET
[h5]Jason Bay | Mets [/h5]
The Mets' http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=5496Jason Bay originally hoped to come off the disabled list last Saturday, the first day he was eligible to return from a strained left rib cage.
That date came and went, and now it looks like the outfielder will not be back until the end of the April at the earliest. GM Sandy Alderson said Tuesday the team is considering that date, the start of a three-game series in Washington, as the best-case scenario.
Left field has manned by Willie Harris and Scott Hairston in Bay's absence. Lucas Duda also was given a chance, but he was sent to the minors earlier this week in order to ad some bullpen help.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]More injury woes for Zimmerman[/h3]
7:29AM ET
[h5]Ryan Zimmerman | Nationals [/h5]
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=6389Ryan Zimmerman has played at least 142 games in four of the last five seasons, but is there reason to be concerned about the durability of the http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/wsh/washington-nationalsWashington Nationals' third baseman?
Zimmerman aggravated a strained abdominal muscle Saturday and landed on the disabled list Tuesday. Catcher Jesus Flores was called up from Triple-A to replace Zimmerman.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=3862Alex Cora and Jerry Hairston Jr. will likely share the duties at third base with Zimmerman on the shelf.
ESPN.com's Eric Karabell questions whether fantasy players should view Zimmerman in the same light as the injury-plagued Scott Rolen:
- Doug Mittler
[h5]Eric Karabell[/h5]
Zimmerman the next Rolen?
Spoiler [+]
Roberto Alomar had the greatest half-season of any player I've ever seen in 1996, after signing with the Baltimore Orioles as a free agent. He seemed to catch every grounder hit within two time zones, make every throw, collect big hits and steal bases when it was important in the game situation. On June 24, Alomar was hitting .377, with a .448 on-base percentage and a .569 slugging average.
Getty ImagesHamilton can share the blame, but he also made a common mistake.
But in the middle of that season Alomar dove into first base trying to get a hit and mashed his fingers -- an injury that would bother him for the rest of the summer. Davey Johnson, the Orioles' manager at the time, was never one to mince words, and he said flatly that he thought that going into a base headfirst was a bad idea.
Alomar -- who had a brilliant baseball mind -- rejected Johnson's admonition outright, saying this was the way he had always played and this was going to be the way he would continue to play going forward.
I have never quite understood the perspective of Alomar and others who feel this is something they must always do, because clearly, a player going into a base with his hands and arms extended is at much greater risk for injury from outside forces that he does not control: a leaping infielder; or a catcher who is wearing shin guards dropping a knee; or a sliding surface that is thickened by rain, making it more likely that he will stop abruptly -- like a car hitting a guardrail.
Most outfielders learn to avoid head-on pursuit of the fences on deep flies and foul balls, taking a big-picture view that it's better to stay healthy over the long-term than dive into an immovable object while trying to register one out. Adrian Gonzalez, a spectacular first baseman, has stopped diving headlong for ground balls to his right after injuring his shoulder last year (he had shoulder surgery last fall) because his managers -- Bud Black in San Diego and now Terry Francona in Boston -- would prefer that he stay in the lineup. Pitching coaches and managers strongly discourage pitchers from reaching with a bare hand for a line drive, because while it might help a pitcher get one out, in one inning, the risk for a busted finger is enormous.
But for some reason, baserunners who grow up diving into bases for hits or runs struggle to change this habit, and time after time after time, the result is injury -- and Josh Hamilton is only the latest example, breaking his arm on a headlong dive into home plate. Last night, a lot of folks on Twitter sent along many other recent examples of players who have gotten hurt while going into a base headfirst, from Rafael Furcal to Chase Utley to Derek Jeter.
Competitiveness and habit come into play in a situation when a runner is trying to get a hit or score a run; I remember a couple of instances when Cal Ripken, who was the living definition of old-school in the way he played, dove into first base in a desperate effort to reach safely. But somehow, some way, teams and managers must help players learn to stop doing this kind of thing -- just as pitchers learn, through repetition, to fight the instinct to intercept a line drive or punch a wall with their pitching hand.
Somewhere along the way, the art of hook-sliding -- an alternative way for a runner to go into a base low and fast, feet first -- has been lost for a lot of players; maybe there should be a greater effort in spring training to hone this skill, to reinforce this until it becomes habit. Perhaps the managers should make sliding headfirst a fineable offense, not so much to penalize the player as to remind them. There's too much at stake, as the Rangers can testify while going without the presence of the AL Most Valuable Player in their lineup for the next couple of months.
The decision of Rangers third-base coach Dave Anderson to send Hamilton home in an attempt to score is debatable, as are a lot of the choices of third-base coaches; it's Hamilton's right to disagree. The instinct of Hamilton, however, to go into the base headfirst -- which is really what put him at risk -- is his and his alone. If Hamilton had gone into home plate with a hook slide, the result of the play may have been the same, but he almost certainly would have been able to get up and walk away without a broken arm.
Hamilton will miss a couple of months. He was the most valuable player in baseball last year, according to WAR (source: fangraphs.com):
Josh Hamilton: 8.0
Joey Votto: 7.4
Albert Pujols: 7.3
Ryan Zimmerman: 7.2
Adrian Beltre: 7.1
[h4]Josh Hamilton vs. David Murphy[/h4]
Their numbers in 2010 vs. lefty pitching:
[table][tr][th=""][/th][/tr][tr][td]Stat[/td][td]Hamilton[/td][td]Murphy[/td][/tr][tr][td]OBP[/td][td].331[/td][td].328[/td][/tr][tr][td]Slug Pct[/td][td].458[/td][td].368[/td][/tr][tr][td]AB per HR[/td][td]20.8[/td][td]114.0[/td][/tr][/table]
• With the likelihood that David Murphy will get the bulk of the playing time in the absence of Josh Hamilton, what aspects of Hamilton's performance will the Rangers miss most? One is performance versus lefties. Hamilton has been really good throughout his career versus right-handed pitching, and Murphy is no slouch, with a .490 career slugging percentage them. But Murphy doesn't have a great history against lefties. He had one homer in 114 at-bats against lefties last season. Hamilton had eight in 166.
[h4]His Year[/h4]
Josh Hamilton's 2010 ranks in other hitting categories:
[table][tr][th=""]Category[/th][th=""]BA[/th][th=""]Rank[/th][/tr][tr][td]vs fastballs[/td][td].402[/td][td]1st[/td][/tr][tr][td]vs off-speed[/td][td].317[/td][td]1st[/td][/tr][tr][td]vs sliders[/td][td].329[/td][td]4th[/td][/tr][tr][td]vs RHP[/td][td].401[/td][td]1st[/td][/tr][tr][td]Out-of-zone pitches[/td][td].281[/td][td]2nd[/td][/tr][tr][td]Two-strike counts[/td][td].270[/td][td]4th[/td][/tr][tr][td]Trailing in count[/td][td].288[/td][td]2nd[/td][/tr][tr][td]with RISP[/td][td].369[/td][td]2nd[/td][/tr][tr][td]2 outs and RISP[/td][td].357[/td][td]6th[/td][/tr][tr][td]7th inning onward[/td][td].357[/td][td]1st[/td][/tr][/table]
• Weighted On-Base Average is a metric that has a very basic reasoning behind it: Not all ways of reaching base have the same value. It is similar to on-base percentage, but it factors in the fact that a double is better than a single, a triple is better than a double, etc. Hamilton's was the highest in baseball last season:
Josh Hamilton: .447
Joey Votto: .439
Albert Pujols: .420
Ryan Zimmerman: .389>
• Not only did Hamilton win the overall batting title last year, but he also led qualified players in the other categories of hitting against fastballs (.402) and hitting against off-speed pitches (.317). Among a lot of other next-level categories.
[h3]Notables[/h3]
• Aubrey Huff has struggled in right field, so the Giants may flip-flop Huff and first baseman Brandon Belt this weekend.
• On a scale of one to 10, I'd put the Panic Meter at a 4.5 for the Red Sox; the hole they are digging is getting deeper. Boston is seven games under .500, after losing to Tampa Bay; the Red Sox have the worst record in baseball. The Red Sox are just not good enough, writes Michael Silverman.
• Fausto Carmona was good but the other guy was just a little better, and the Indians' winning streak came to an end. So far, the Cleveland rotation has performed better than that of the Phillies, writes Paul Hoynes.
• Michael Pineda was dazzling again, as Geoff Baker writes.
[h3]Dings and dents[/h3]
1. Brandon Webb had a good bullpen session.
2. Mariners catcher Adam Moore could be out for the season.
3. The Cardinals have lost a couple of pitchers to injuries, writes Derrick Goold.
4. Cliff Pennington is dealing with an infection.
5. The Nationals are not going to rush back Ryan Zimmerman.
6. Corey Hart will be back within a couple of weeks, as Tom Haudricourt writes.
7. Pedro Feliciano has suffered a setback, as Brian Costello writes.
8. Jason Bay will be out until the end of April.
[h3]Moves, deals and decisions[/h3]
1. The Rangers signed assistant GM Thad Levine to an extension.
2. Mitchell Boggs may be the best internal option if the Cardinals make a change at closer.
3. The Jays moved to cut ties with David Purcey.
4. Kirk Gibson has installed Stephen Drew in the cleanup spot in his lineup.
5. Brad Mills was unhappy about being suspended.
6. The White Sox will replace Jerry Krause from within.
7. Bobby Parnell may lose his job.
[h3]Tuesday's games[/h3]
1. David Price was The Man, and the Tampa Bay bullpen got the job done at the end, as Marc Topkin writes.
2. You can't stop the Reds, you can only hope to contain them, writes John Fay.
3. Dan Haren has been spectacular this season, and he dominated the Indians. From Daniel Braunstein of ESPN Stats & Information, how Haren won:
A. Haren threw many more curveballs and sliders than usual against an Indians team that struggles to hit those pitches. In 2010, the Indians ranked 29th in batting average against curveballs and sliders, worse than their overall batting average rank of 23rd. Haren threw 66 curveballs and sliders out of 125 total pitches (52.8 percent), above his 2010 season average of 39.5 percent. The Indians' one hit did not come on one of these pitches (it was against a splitter).
B. When Haren fell behind in the count, he turned almost exclusively to his off-speed pitches. Twenty-one of his 25 pitches when behind in the count were off-speed (84.0 percent), well above his 2010 season average of 52.3 percent. Eighteen of his 21 off-speed pitches when behind in the count went for strikes, helping him to get back in the count.
From Elias: Dan Haren is the first pitcher to throw a one-hit shutout against a team on a win streak of eight-plus games since the Dodgers' Don Sutton did it in 1969. Sutton accomplished the feat on May 1, 1969, against the San Francisco Giants, who were riding a nine-game win streak.
4. Watched some of the Braves' win over the Marlins, and Tommy Hanson had tremendous command of his fastball in picking up his first victory. The crowd at Turner Field, however, was the smallest in the history of the park. How Hanson won:
A. He recorded 13 ground balls to only five fly balls, his best ground-ball percentage in any game since being called up in June 2009.
B. Good off-speed offerings: The Marlins were 0-for-10 when at-bats ended on an off-speed pitch, and 0-for-9 on pitches down in the zone.
C. He limited damage: Florida was 0-for-10 with runners on base, including 0-for-6 with RISP.
5. Chris Carpenter was blistered.
6. The Phillies got pounded by an old teammate. From Bob Brookover's story:
8. The Giants got the old Brian Wilson back in a nice win over the Dodgers. This was Misfits II, writes Carl Steward.
9. The Jays were unable to bounce back after blowing a big lead Monday, as Mike Rutsey writes.
10. Trevor Cahill had a bad night.
11. Some role-shuffling may happen in the aftermath of the Royals' latest loss, writes Bob Dutton.
12. The Marlins had the band back together, but they struggled to get the big hit.
13. Kirk Gibson was ejected, but he got his money's worth, as the Diamondbacks won.
14. Miguel Cabrera worked his magic. Jim Leyland gambled, and it paid off.
15. The Astros broke out in a big way, writes Steve Campbell.
16. The Dodgers blew a lead.
17. The Padres unraveled in the late innings.
18. Danny Valencia made up for a mistake.
19. Alexei Ramirez got to frolic.
20. A Cubs starter got pounded, writes Phil Rogers.
Getty ImagesHamilton can share the blame, but he also made a common mistake.
But in the middle of that season Alomar dove into first base trying to get a hit and mashed his fingers -- an injury that would bother him for the rest of the summer. Davey Johnson, the Orioles' manager at the time, was never one to mince words, and he said flatly that he thought that going into a base headfirst was a bad idea.
Alomar -- who had a brilliant baseball mind -- rejected Johnson's admonition outright, saying this was the way he had always played and this was going to be the way he would continue to play going forward.
I have never quite understood the perspective of Alomar and others who feel this is something they must always do, because clearly, a player going into a base with his hands and arms extended is at much greater risk for injury from outside forces that he does not control: a leaping infielder; or a catcher who is wearing shin guards dropping a knee; or a sliding surface that is thickened by rain, making it more likely that he will stop abruptly -- like a car hitting a guardrail.
Most outfielders learn to avoid head-on pursuit of the fences on deep flies and foul balls, taking a big-picture view that it's better to stay healthy over the long-term than dive into an immovable object while trying to register one out. Adrian Gonzalez, a spectacular first baseman, has stopped diving headlong for ground balls to his right after injuring his shoulder last year (he had shoulder surgery last fall) because his managers -- Bud Black in San Diego and now Terry Francona in Boston -- would prefer that he stay in the lineup. Pitching coaches and managers strongly discourage pitchers from reaching with a bare hand for a line drive, because while it might help a pitcher get one out, in one inning, the risk for a busted finger is enormous.
But for some reason, baserunners who grow up diving into bases for hits or runs struggle to change this habit, and time after time after time, the result is injury -- and Josh Hamilton is only the latest example, breaking his arm on a headlong dive into home plate. Last night, a lot of folks on Twitter sent along many other recent examples of players who have gotten hurt while going into a base headfirst, from Rafael Furcal to Chase Utley to Derek Jeter.
Competitiveness and habit come into play in a situation when a runner is trying to get a hit or score a run; I remember a couple of instances when Cal Ripken, who was the living definition of old-school in the way he played, dove into first base in a desperate effort to reach safely. But somehow, some way, teams and managers must help players learn to stop doing this kind of thing -- just as pitchers learn, through repetition, to fight the instinct to intercept a line drive or punch a wall with their pitching hand.
Somewhere along the way, the art of hook-sliding -- an alternative way for a runner to go into a base low and fast, feet first -- has been lost for a lot of players; maybe there should be a greater effort in spring training to hone this skill, to reinforce this until it becomes habit. Perhaps the managers should make sliding headfirst a fineable offense, not so much to penalize the player as to remind them. There's too much at stake, as the Rangers can testify while going without the presence of the AL Most Valuable Player in their lineup for the next couple of months.
The decision of Rangers third-base coach Dave Anderson to send Hamilton home in an attempt to score is debatable, as are a lot of the choices of third-base coaches; it's Hamilton's right to disagree. The instinct of Hamilton, however, to go into the base headfirst -- which is really what put him at risk -- is his and his alone. If Hamilton had gone into home plate with a hook slide, the result of the play may have been the same, but he almost certainly would have been able to get up and walk away without a broken arm.
Hamilton will miss a couple of months. He was the most valuable player in baseball last year, according to WAR (source: fangraphs.com):
Josh Hamilton: 8.0
Joey Votto: 7.4
Albert Pujols: 7.3
Ryan Zimmerman: 7.2
Adrian Beltre: 7.1
[h4]Josh Hamilton vs. David Murphy[/h4]
Their numbers in 2010 vs. lefty pitching:
[table][tr][th=""][/th][/tr][tr][td]Stat[/td][td]Hamilton[/td][td]Murphy[/td][/tr][tr][td]OBP[/td][td].331[/td][td].328[/td][/tr][tr][td]Slug Pct[/td][td].458[/td][td].368[/td][/tr][tr][td]AB per HR[/td][td]20.8[/td][td]114.0[/td][/tr][/table]
• With the likelihood that David Murphy will get the bulk of the playing time in the absence of Josh Hamilton, what aspects of Hamilton's performance will the Rangers miss most? One is performance versus lefties. Hamilton has been really good throughout his career versus right-handed pitching, and Murphy is no slouch, with a .490 career slugging percentage them. But Murphy doesn't have a great history against lefties. He had one homer in 114 at-bats against lefties last season. Hamilton had eight in 166.
[h4]His Year[/h4]
Josh Hamilton's 2010 ranks in other hitting categories:
[table][tr][th=""]Category[/th][th=""]BA[/th][th=""]Rank[/th][/tr][tr][td]vs fastballs[/td][td].402[/td][td]1st[/td][/tr][tr][td]vs off-speed[/td][td].317[/td][td]1st[/td][/tr][tr][td]vs sliders[/td][td].329[/td][td]4th[/td][/tr][tr][td]vs RHP[/td][td].401[/td][td]1st[/td][/tr][tr][td]Out-of-zone pitches[/td][td].281[/td][td]2nd[/td][/tr][tr][td]Two-strike counts[/td][td].270[/td][td]4th[/td][/tr][tr][td]Trailing in count[/td][td].288[/td][td]2nd[/td][/tr][tr][td]with RISP[/td][td].369[/td][td]2nd[/td][/tr][tr][td]2 outs and RISP[/td][td].357[/td][td]6th[/td][/tr][tr][td]7th inning onward[/td][td].357[/td][td]1st[/td][/tr][/table]
• Weighted On-Base Average is a metric that has a very basic reasoning behind it: Not all ways of reaching base have the same value. It is similar to on-base percentage, but it factors in the fact that a double is better than a single, a triple is better than a double, etc. Hamilton's was the highest in baseball last season:
Josh Hamilton: .447
Joey Votto: .439
Albert Pujols: .420
Ryan Zimmerman: .389>
• Not only did Hamilton win the overall batting title last year, but he also led qualified players in the other categories of hitting against fastballs (.402) and hitting against off-speed pitches (.317). Among a lot of other next-level categories.
[h3]Notables[/h3]
• Aubrey Huff has struggled in right field, so the Giants may flip-flop Huff and first baseman Brandon Belt this weekend.
• On a scale of one to 10, I'd put the Panic Meter at a 4.5 for the Red Sox; the hole they are digging is getting deeper. Boston is seven games under .500, after losing to Tampa Bay; the Red Sox have the worst record in baseball. The Red Sox are just not good enough, writes Michael Silverman.
• Fausto Carmona was good but the other guy was just a little better, and the Indians' winning streak came to an end. So far, the Cleveland rotation has performed better than that of the Phillies, writes Paul Hoynes.
• Michael Pineda was dazzling again, as Geoff Baker writes.
[h3]Dings and dents[/h3]
1. Brandon Webb had a good bullpen session.
2. Mariners catcher Adam Moore could be out for the season.
3. The Cardinals have lost a couple of pitchers to injuries, writes Derrick Goold.
4. Cliff Pennington is dealing with an infection.
5. The Nationals are not going to rush back Ryan Zimmerman.
6. Corey Hart will be back within a couple of weeks, as Tom Haudricourt writes.
7. Pedro Feliciano has suffered a setback, as Brian Costello writes.
8. Jason Bay will be out until the end of April.
[h3]Moves, deals and decisions[/h3]
1. The Rangers signed assistant GM Thad Levine to an extension.
2. Mitchell Boggs may be the best internal option if the Cardinals make a change at closer.
3. The Jays moved to cut ties with David Purcey.
4. Kirk Gibson has installed Stephen Drew in the cleanup spot in his lineup.
5. Brad Mills was unhappy about being suspended.
6. The White Sox will replace Jerry Krause from within.
7. Bobby Parnell may lose his job.
[h3]Tuesday's games[/h3]
1. David Price was The Man, and the Tampa Bay bullpen got the job done at the end, as Marc Topkin writes.
2. You can't stop the Reds, you can only hope to contain them, writes John Fay.
3. Dan Haren has been spectacular this season, and he dominated the Indians. From Daniel Braunstein of ESPN Stats & Information, how Haren won:
A. Haren threw many more curveballs and sliders than usual against an Indians team that struggles to hit those pitches. In 2010, the Indians ranked 29th in batting average against curveballs and sliders, worse than their overall batting average rank of 23rd. Haren threw 66 curveballs and sliders out of 125 total pitches (52.8 percent), above his 2010 season average of 39.5 percent. The Indians' one hit did not come on one of these pitches (it was against a splitter).
B. When Haren fell behind in the count, he turned almost exclusively to his off-speed pitches. Twenty-one of his 25 pitches when behind in the count were off-speed (84.0 percent), well above his 2010 season average of 52.3 percent. Eighteen of his 21 off-speed pitches when behind in the count went for strikes, helping him to get back in the count.
From Elias: Dan Haren is the first pitcher to throw a one-hit shutout against a team on a win streak of eight-plus games since the Dodgers' Don Sutton did it in 1969. Sutton accomplished the feat on May 1, 1969, against the San Francisco Giants, who were riding a nine-game win streak.
4. Watched some of the Braves' win over the Marlins, and Tommy Hanson had tremendous command of his fastball in picking up his first victory. The crowd at Turner Field, however, was the smallest in the history of the park. How Hanson won:
A. He recorded 13 ground balls to only five fly balls, his best ground-ball percentage in any game since being called up in June 2009.
B. Good off-speed offerings: The Marlins were 0-for-10 when at-bats ended on an off-speed pitch, and 0-for-9 on pitches down in the zone.
C. He limited damage: Florida was 0-for-10 with runners on base, including 0-for-6 with RISP.
5. Chris Carpenter was blistered.
6. The Phillies got pounded by an old teammate. From Bob Brookover's story:
- When the news broke that Jayson Werth had signed a seven-year, $126 million contract with the Washington Nationals, Ruben Amaro Jr. had a cocksure response.
"We'll get him out -- a lot," the Phillies general manager said that evening from the winter meetings in Florida. "Oh, I believe that we will."
It was a surprising answer that elicited an obvious follow-up question: Do you know the secret to getting Werth out?
"I believe that we do," Amaro said.
He would not reveal the secret that December night, and apparently it is still locked away in a hermetically sealed envelope.
Or perhaps Joe Blanton was left out of the team meeting when Amaro's secret was revealed, because Werth had the best game of his brief Nationals career in his first meeting with the Phillies on Tuesday night at Nationals Park.
8. The Giants got the old Brian Wilson back in a nice win over the Dodgers. This was Misfits II, writes Carl Steward.
9. The Jays were unable to bounce back after blowing a big lead Monday, as Mike Rutsey writes.
10. Trevor Cahill had a bad night.
11. Some role-shuffling may happen in the aftermath of the Royals' latest loss, writes Bob Dutton.
12. The Marlins had the band back together, but they struggled to get the big hit.
13. Kirk Gibson was ejected, but he got his money's worth, as the Diamondbacks won.
14. Miguel Cabrera worked his magic. Jim Leyland gambled, and it paid off.
15. The Astros broke out in a big way, writes Steve Campbell.
16. The Dodgers blew a lead.
17. The Padres unraveled in the late innings.
18. Danny Valencia made up for a mistake.
19. Alexei Ramirez got to frolic.
20. A Cubs starter got pounded, writes Phil Rogers.
Rumors.
Spoiler [+]
http://[h3]Swingman role for Karstens[/h3]
11:10AM ET
[h5]Jeff Karstens | Pirates [/h5]
The http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/pit/pittsburgh-piratesPittsburgh Pirates seem to have found the perfect role for right-hander http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=28552Jeff Karstens, and it is one that requires some flexibility.
Karstens pitched 3 1/3 innings in relief last weekend, but will move into the rotation this weekend against Cincinnati after Ross Ohlendorf landed on the disabled list. Karstens has handled the swingman role well and manager Clint Hurdle plans to keep him there. "He doesn't have an agenda," Hurdle tells Colin Dunlap of the Post-Gazette.
That seems to indicate Karstens, who has 50 career starts on his resume, is headed back to the bullpen once Ohlendorf returns.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Getting by without Hamilton[/h3]
11:10AM ET
[h5]Josh Hamilton | Rangers [/h5]
The fabulous start for the Texas Rangers hit a serious bump in the road Tuesday when an ill-advised head-first slide by Josh Hamilton resulted in a broken right arm that will sideline the star outfielder for six to eight weeks.
Hamilton was placed on the disabled list and the Rangers called up Chris Davis, who was unable to make the major league roster despite a solid spring training.
Murphy is likely to get most of the time in left field in Hamilton's absence, but Mitch Moreland could be another option for manager Ron Washington.
While losing the reigning Most Valuable Player is a serious blow to any team, it is far from a knockout blow to the Rangers, writes Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas.com. Durrett notes that Murphy was a huge offensive producer when Hamilton missed last September, batting .355 with three homers and 17 RBIs in that final month of the season.
It is another opportunity for Davis, who will get some time at first base as Moreland becomes the fourth outfielder.
What will the Rangers miss the most without Hamilton? Our Buster Olney gives his take in Wednesday's blog:
- Doug Mittler
[h5]Buster Olney[/h5]
Hamilton leans to the left
11:10AM ET
[h5]Jeff Karstens | Pirates [/h5]
The http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/pit/pittsburgh-piratesPittsburgh Pirates seem to have found the perfect role for right-hander http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=28552Jeff Karstens, and it is one that requires some flexibility.
Karstens pitched 3 1/3 innings in relief last weekend, but will move into the rotation this weekend against Cincinnati after Ross Ohlendorf landed on the disabled list. Karstens has handled the swingman role well and manager Clint Hurdle plans to keep him there. "He doesn't have an agenda," Hurdle tells Colin Dunlap of the Post-Gazette.
That seems to indicate Karstens, who has 50 career starts on his resume, is headed back to the bullpen once Ohlendorf returns.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Getting by without Hamilton[/h3]
11:10AM ET
[h5]Josh Hamilton | Rangers [/h5]
The fabulous start for the Texas Rangers hit a serious bump in the road Tuesday when an ill-advised head-first slide by Josh Hamilton resulted in a broken right arm that will sideline the star outfielder for six to eight weeks.
Hamilton was placed on the disabled list and the Rangers called up Chris Davis, who was unable to make the major league roster despite a solid spring training.
Murphy is likely to get most of the time in left field in Hamilton's absence, but Mitch Moreland could be another option for manager Ron Washington.
While losing the reigning Most Valuable Player is a serious blow to any team, it is far from a knockout blow to the Rangers, writes Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas.com. Durrett notes that Murphy was a huge offensive producer when Hamilton missed last September, batting .355 with three homers and 17 RBIs in that final month of the season.
It is another opportunity for Davis, who will get some time at first base as Moreland becomes the fourth outfielder.
What will the Rangers miss the most without Hamilton? Our Buster Olney gives his take in Wednesday's blog:
- Doug Mittler
Hamilton leans to the left
10:56AM ET
[h5]Texas Rangers [/h5]
The Texas Rangers are expected to sign Cuban defector Leonys Martin Wednesday and give the Cuban defector a signing bonus in the neighborhood of $15 million, reports Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News.
The Rangers could use some immediate outfield help due to the injury to Josh Hamilton, but the 23-year-old would likely begin his career in Class-A Hickory or Double-A Frisco. Grant does say it "is not unrealistic" to think Martin could be in a major league uniform before the end of the season.
Martin defected from the Cuban national team last September and has plenty of experience in international competition. ESPN The Magazine's Jorge Arangure Jr. reported last month that Martin is considered an elite prospect.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]More playing time for LaRoche?[/h3]
10:37AM ET
[h5]Oakland Athletics [/h5]
Andy LaRoche could be getting a few more days at shortstop for the Oakland Athletics.
Manager Bob Geren has started LaRoche (.381 AVG) the last two games in order to jumpstart a struggling offense. The A's are also without shortstop Cliff Pennington due to an infected sweat gland under his left arm, reports Susan Slusser of the Chronicle.
Pennington, who had limited playing time during spring training while he recovered from shoulder surgery, is hitting just .160. The team is listing him as "day-to-day."
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Moving fourth with Drew[/h3]
10:16AM ET
[h5]Stephen Drew | Diamondbacks [/h5]
Stephen Drew has just 46 homers in 653 career games, but Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson thinks there is enough pop in the shortstop's bat to place him in the cleanup spot on a semi-regular basis.
Gibson had Drew batting fourth for the fourth straight game Tuesday against St. Louis, a move that allows him to split up his left-handed and right-handed starters. In 151 games last season, Drew hit in the cleanup spot just twice.
"I think Stephen is one of our best pure hitters. He hits in pressure situations very well, but I'll move our lineups around," Gibson tells the Arizona Republic.
Drew, who missed the first week of the season with an abdominal strain, is hitting .381 in six games.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Closing options in St. Louis[/h3]
9:58AM ET
[h5]Ryan Franklin | Cardinals [/h5]
Three blown saves in four chances has not cost Ryan Franklin his job as the St. Louis Cardinals' closer, at least for now.
Joe Strauss of the Post Dispatch wrote Monday that the decision to stay with Franklin is predicated on the belief that the reliever has been a victim of some bad luck and because the Cards' options are limited.
Jason Motte and Mitchell Boggs have been mentioned as closers in waiting should Franklin leave via free agency after the season. Manager Tony La Russa, however, says the young pitchers "aren't ready" to close this season.
Roger Hensley of the Post Dispatch collects some opinions on who is the best candidate should La Russa make a change. One overlooked option could be long reliever Miguel Batista, who had 31 saves for Toronto in 2005.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]A step forward for Webb[/h3]
9:43AM ET
[h5]Brandon Webb | Rangers [/h5]
The Texas Rangers' master plan for 2011 calls for significant contributions from free agent signee Brandon Webb, who has pitched in all of one game since 2009 due to shoulder problems.
Webb began the season on the disabled list and a speedy return seemed more unlikely after the right-hander did his best Nuke LaLoosh impersonation by plunking three hitters in a batting practice session last Monday in Arizona. Star Telegram.
At this stage, a return for Webb seems weeks away, but at least he is moving in the right direction.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]The latest on Torres[/h3]
9:24AM ET
[h5]Andres Torres | Giants [/h5]
UPDATE:Torres will take batting practice Wednesday, and manager Bruce Bochy says the outfielder could be back this weekend if he continues to show progress.
If Torres regresses, he could land up on the DL with the Giants likely calling up outfielder Darren Ford from Triple-A Fresno, reports Henry Schulman.
--
Andres Torres will likely miss the San Francisco Giants' upcoming series versus the division rival Los Angeles Dodgers with an Achilles tendon injury, but according to manager Bruce Bochy the club will not know how long Torres will be out until Wednesday.
Torres was on crutches Sunday, a sure sign that he won't play Monday, which likely means Aaron Rowand will step in and handle center field. As for who will lead off, reserve infielder Mike Fontenot led off Sunday but second baseman Freddy Sanchez may be the top candidate.
If Torres hits the disabled list, Thomas Neal may get the call from Triple-A, though veteran Cody Ross is nearing a return from the DL himself.
- Jason A. Churchill
http://[h3]Trading Places by the bay?[/h3]
9:10AM ET
[h5]San Francisco Giants [/h5]
Aubrey Huff has been having his troubles in right field for the San Francisco Giants. The club has tried to keep the mood light, with one teammate drawing a chalk outline of Huff's failed attempt at a diving catch at Dodger Stadium.
With the season almost two weeks old, it is no longer a laughing matter. Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle writes that first baseman Brandon Belt has been taking fly balls in the outfield and could be switching positions with Huff by this weekend.
Belt has played primarily at first base as a pro, but has the speed to make the transition to the outfield. The Giants have a series next week in Colorado, where Belt would be more suited for the wide spaces of Coors Field. Huff plays several positions, but is most comfortable at first base and made to move to right only to get Belt into the lineup.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Astros looking at Purcey?[/h3]
8:39AM ET
[h5]David Purcey | Blue Jays | Interested: Astros? [/h5]
David Purcey became the sacrificial lamb in the Toronto Blue Jays' bullpen, but the left-hander may not be out of work for long.
The Blue Jays designated Purcey for assignment on Tuesday, one day after he retired just one of the four batters he faced against the Mariners. The Jays staged an epic meltdown, failing to hold a seven-run lead in an 8-7 Seattle victory.
Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun tweets that the Astros are interested in Purcey, a first-round draft pick back in 2004. The Astros could be looking to add another left-hander to a bullpen that currently has just one southpaw in Fernando Abad.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Setback for Feliciano [/h3]
8:22AM ET
[h5]Pedro Feliciano | Yankees [/h5]
Pedro Feliciano was at the center of a controversy earlier this month when Yankees general manager Brian Cashman accused the Mets of "abusing" the workhorse reliever during his tenure in Queens.
That did not prevent Cashman from giving Feliciano, who pitched in 92 games last season, a two-year, $8 million contract over the winter, and the Yankees are still waiting for the southpaw to pay some dividends.
Andrew Marchand of ESPNNewYork.com reports that Feliciano suffered another setback in his efforts to return from his left rotator cuff strain, Feliciano will undergo a second MRI on Wednesday to try to figure out why he can't simply play catch without feeling pain.
Boone Logan has been the only lefthander in the Yankee bullpen and he has been ineffective in four appearances. With the Yankees unsure when Feliciano will return, they could recall Steve Garrison, who is at Double-A Trenton.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Second base platoon in Queens?[/h3]
8:05AM ET
[h5]New York Mets [/h5]
Spring training in New York Mets camp featured a spirited second base battle that was eventually won by Rule 5 draftee Brad Emaus. But less than two weeks into the season, there are hints that Terry Collins is at least considering some form of platoon, even if the manager won?t call it that.
Daniel Murphy was penciled into the lineup at second base for the second straight game Tuesday before the contest with Colorado was postponed by rain. Emaus has been struggling at the plate (.167 BA), and Collins said he wanted to ?create more offense.?
"I haven't even gone down that road, thinking about platooning anybody," Collins warned, but unless Emaus starts to hit, he will not be an everyday player. The Mets gave Murphy every chance to win the second base job in Florida, but questions remain whether he can handle the position defensively.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]The Bay Watch[/h3]
7:47AM ET
[h5]Jason Bay | Mets [/h5]
The Mets' http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=5496Jason Bay originally hoped to come off the disabled list last Saturday, the first day he was eligible to return from a strained left rib cage.
That date came and went, and now it looks like the outfielder will not be back until the end of the April at the earliest. GM Sandy Alderson said Tuesday the team is considering that date, the start of a three-game series in Washington, as the best-case scenario.
Left field has manned by Willie Harris and Scott Hairston in Bay's absence. Lucas Duda also was given a chance, but he was sent to the minors earlier this week in order to ad some bullpen help.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]More injury woes for Zimmerman[/h3]
7:29AM ET
[h5]Ryan Zimmerman | Nationals [/h5]
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=6389Ryan Zimmerman has played at least 142 games in four of the last five seasons, but is there reason to be concerned about the durability of the http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/wsh/washington-nationalsWashington Nationals' third baseman?
Zimmerman aggravated a strained abdominal muscle Saturday and landed on the disabled list Tuesday. Catcher Jesus Flores was called up from Triple-A to replace Zimmerman.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=3862Alex Cora and Jerry Hairston Jr. will likely share the duties at third base with Zimmerman on the shelf.
ESPN.com's Eric Karabell questions whether fantasy players should view Zimmerman in the same light as the injury-plagued Scott Rolen:
- Doug Mittler
Zimmerman the next Rolen?
Piece on Hamilton.
Rumors.
http://[h3]Rangers to sign Leonys Martin?[/h3]
10:56AM ET
[h5]Texas Rangers [/h5]
The Texas Rangers are expected to sign Cuban defector Leonys Martin Wednesday and give the Cuban defector a signing bonus in the neighborhood of $15 million, reports Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News.
The Rangers could use some immediate outfield help due to the injury to Josh Hamilton, but the 23-year-old would likely begin his career in Class-A Hickory or Double-A Frisco. Grant does say it "is not unrealistic" to think Martin could be in a major league uniform before the end of the season.
Martin defected from the Cuban national team last September and has plenty of experience in international competition. ESPN The Magazine's Jorge Arangure Jr. reported last month that Martin is considered an elite prospect.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]More playing time for LaRoche?[/h3]
10:37AM ET
[h5]Oakland Athletics [/h5]
Andy LaRoche could be getting a few more days at shortstop for the Oakland Athletics.
Manager Bob Geren has started LaRoche (.381 AVG) the last two games in order to jumpstart a struggling offense. The A's are also without shortstop Cliff Pennington due to an infected sweat gland under his left arm, reports Susan Slusser of the Chronicle.
Pennington, who had limited playing time during spring training while he recovered from shoulder surgery, is hitting just .160. The team is listing him as "day-to-day."
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Moving fourth with Drew[/h3]
10:16AM ET
[h5]Stephen Drew | Diamondbacks [/h5]
Stephen Drew has just 46 homers in 653 career games, but Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson thinks there is enough pop in the shortstop's bat to place him in the cleanup spot on a semi-regular basis.
Gibson had Drew batting fourth for the fourth straight game Tuesday against St. Louis, a move that allows him to split up his left-handed and right-handed starters. In 151 games last season, Drew hit in the cleanup spot just twice.
"I think Stephen is one of our best pure hitters. He hits in pressure situations very well, but I'll move our lineups around," Gibson tells the Arizona Republic.
Drew, who missed the first week of the season with an abdominal strain, is hitting .381 in six games.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Closing options in St. Louis[/h3]
9:58AM ET
[h5]Ryan Franklin | Cardinals [/h5]
Three blown saves in four chances has not cost Ryan Franklin his job as the St. Louis Cardinals' closer, at least for now.
Joe Strauss of the Post Dispatch wrote Monday that the decision to stay with Franklin is predicated on the belief that the reliever has been a victim of some bad luck and because the Cards' options are limited.
Jason Motte and Mitchell Boggs have been mentioned as closers in waiting should Franklin leave via free agency after the season. Manager Tony La Russa, however, says the young pitchers "aren't ready" to close this season.
Roger Hensley of the Post Dispatch collects some opinions on who is the best candidate should La Russa make a change. One overlooked option could be long reliever Miguel Batista, who had 31 saves for Toronto in 2005.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]A step forward for Webb[/h3]
9:43AM ET
[h5]Brandon Webb | Rangers [/h5]
The Texas Rangers' master plan for 2011 calls for significant contributions from free agent signee Brandon Webb, who has pitched in all of one game since 2009 due to shoulder problems.
Webb began the season on the disabled list and a speedy return seemed more unlikely after the right-hander did his best Nuke LaLoosh impersonation by plunking three hitters in a batting practice session last Monday in Arizona. Star Telegram.
At this stage, a return for Webb seems weeks away, but at least he is moving in the right direction.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]The latest on Torres[/h3]
9:24AM ET
[h5]Andres Torres | Giants [/h5]
UPDATE:Torres will take batting practice Wednesday, and manager Bruce Bochy says the outfielder could be back this weekend if he continues to show progress.
If Torres regresses, he could land up on the DL with the Giants likely calling up outfielder Darren Ford from Triple-A Fresno, reports Henry Schulman.
--
Andres Torres will likely miss the San Francisco Giants' upcoming series versus the division rival Los Angeles Dodgers with an Achilles tendon injury, but according to manager Bruce Bochy the club will not know how long Torres will be out until Wednesday.
Torres was on crutches Sunday, a sure sign that he won't play Monday, which likely means Aaron Rowand will step in and handle center field. As for who will lead off, reserve infielder Mike Fontenot led off Sunday but second baseman Freddy Sanchez may be the top candidate.
If Torres hits the disabled list, Thomas Neal may get the call from Triple-A, though veteran Cody Ross is nearing a return from the DL himself.
- Jason A. Churchill
http://[h3]Trading Places by the bay?[/h3]
9:10AM ET
[h5]San Francisco Giants [/h5]
Aubrey Huff has been having his troubles in right field for the San Francisco Giants. The club has tried to keep the mood light, with one teammate drawing a chalk outline of Huff's failed attempt at a diving catch at Dodger Stadium.
With the season almost two weeks old, it is no longer a laughing matter. Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle writes that first baseman Brandon Belt has been taking fly balls in the outfield and could be switching positions with Huff by this weekend.
Belt has played primarily at first base as a pro, but has the speed to make the transition to the outfield. The Giants have a series next week in Colorado, where Belt would be more suited for the wide spaces of Coors Field. Huff plays several positions, but is most comfortable at first base and made to move to right only to get Belt into the lineup.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Astros looking at Purcey?[/h3]
8:39AM ET
[h5]David Purcey | Blue Jays | Interested: Astros? [/h5]
David Purcey became the sacrificial lamb in the Toronto Blue Jays' bullpen, but the left-hander may not be out of work for long.
The Blue Jays designated Purcey for assignment on Tuesday, one day after he retired just one of the four batters he faced against the Mariners. The Jays staged an epic meltdown, failing to hold a seven-run lead in an 8-7 Seattle victory.
Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun tweets that the Astros are interested in Purcey, a first-round draft pick back in 2004. The Astros could be looking to add another left-hander to a bullpen that currently has just one southpaw in Fernando Abad.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Setback for Feliciano [/h3]
8:22AM ET
[h5]Pedro Feliciano | Yankees [/h5]
Pedro Feliciano was at the center of a controversy earlier this month when Yankees general manager Brian Cashman accused the Mets of "abusing" the workhorse reliever during his tenure in Queens.
That did not prevent Cashman from giving Feliciano, who pitched in 92 games last season, a two-year, $8 million contract over the winter, and the Yankees are still waiting for the southpaw to pay some dividends.
Andrew Marchand of ESPNNewYork.com reports that Feliciano suffered another setback in his efforts to return from his left rotator cuff strain, Feliciano will undergo a second MRI on Wednesday to try to figure out why he can't simply play catch without feeling pain.
Boone Logan has been the only lefthander in the Yankee bullpen and he has been ineffective in four appearances. With the Yankees unsure when Feliciano will return, they could recall Steve Garrison, who is at Double-A Trenton.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Second base platoon in Queens?[/h3]
8:05AM ET
[h5]New York Mets [/h5]
Spring training in New York Mets camp featured a spirited second base battle that was eventually won by Rule 5 draftee Brad Emaus. But less than two weeks into the season, there are hints that Terry Collins is at least considering some form of platoon, even if the manager won?t call it that.
Daniel Murphy was penciled into the lineup at second base for the second straight game Tuesday before the contest with Colorado was postponed by rain. Emaus has been struggling at the plate (.167 BA), and Collins said he wanted to ?create more offense.?
"I haven't even gone down that road, thinking about platooning anybody," Collins warned, but unless Emaus starts to hit, he will not be an everyday player. The Mets gave Murphy every chance to win the second base job in Florida, but questions remain whether he can handle the position defensively.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]The Bay Watch[/h3]
7:47AM ET
[h5]Jason Bay | Mets [/h5]
The Mets' http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=5496Jason Bay originally hoped to come off the disabled list last Saturday, the first day he was eligible to return from a strained left rib cage.
That date came and went, and now it looks like the outfielder will not be back until the end of the April at the earliest. GM Sandy Alderson said Tuesday the team is considering that date, the start of a three-game series in Washington, as the best-case scenario.
Left field has manned by Willie Harris and Scott Hairston in Bay's absence. Lucas Duda also was given a chance, but he was sent to the minors earlier this week in order to ad some bullpen help.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]More injury woes for Zimmerman[/h3]
7:29AM ET
[h5]Ryan Zimmerman | Nationals [/h5]
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=6389Ryan Zimmerman has played at least 142 games in four of the last five seasons, but is there reason to be concerned about the durability of the http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/wsh/washington-nationalsWashington Nationals' third baseman?
Zimmerman aggravated a strained abdominal muscle Saturday and landed on the disabled list Tuesday. Catcher Jesus Flores was called up from Triple-A to replace Zimmerman.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=3862Alex Cora and Jerry Hairston Jr. will likely share the duties at third base with Zimmerman on the shelf.
ESPN.com's Eric Karabell questions whether fantasy players should view Zimmerman in the same light as the injury-plagued Scott Rolen:
- Doug Mittler
[h5]Eric Karabell[/h5]
Zimmerman the next Rolen?
Spoiler [+]
Roberto Alomar had the greatest half-season of any player I've ever seen in 1996, after signing with the Baltimore Orioles as a free agent. He seemed to catch every grounder hit within two time zones, make every throw, collect big hits and steal bases when it was important in the game situation. On June 24, Alomar was hitting .377, with a .448 on-base percentage and a .569 slugging average.
Getty ImagesHamilton can share the blame, but he also made a common mistake.
But in the middle of that season Alomar dove into first base trying to get a hit and mashed his fingers -- an injury that would bother him for the rest of the summer. Davey Johnson, the Orioles' manager at the time, was never one to mince words, and he said flatly that he thought that going into a base headfirst was a bad idea.
Alomar -- who had a brilliant baseball mind -- rejected Johnson's admonition outright, saying this was the way he had always played and this was going to be the way he would continue to play going forward.
I have never quite understood the perspective of Alomar and others who feel this is something they must always do, because clearly, a player going into a base with his hands and arms extended is at much greater risk for injury from outside forces that he does not control: a leaping infielder; or a catcher who is wearing shin guards dropping a knee; or a sliding surface that is thickened by rain, making it more likely that he will stop abruptly -- like a car hitting a guardrail.
Most outfielders learn to avoid head-on pursuit of the fences on deep flies and foul balls, taking a big-picture view that it's better to stay healthy over the long-term than dive into an immovable object while trying to register one out. Adrian Gonzalez, a spectacular first baseman, has stopped diving headlong for ground balls to his right after injuring his shoulder last year (he had shoulder surgery last fall) because his managers -- Bud Black in San Diego and now Terry Francona in Boston -- would prefer that he stay in the lineup. Pitching coaches and managers strongly discourage pitchers from reaching with a bare hand for a line drive, because while it might help a pitcher get one out, in one inning, the risk for a busted finger is enormous.
But for some reason, baserunners who grow up diving into bases for hits or runs struggle to change this habit, and time after time after time, the result is injury -- and Josh Hamilton is only the latest example, breaking his arm on a headlong dive into home plate. Last night, a lot of folks on Twitter sent along many other recent examples of players who have gotten hurt while going into a base headfirst, from Rafael Furcal to Chase Utley to Derek Jeter.
Competitiveness and habit come into play in a situation when a runner is trying to get a hit or score a run; I remember a couple of instances when Cal Ripken, who was the living definition of old-school in the way he played, dove into first base in a desperate effort to reach safely. But somehow, some way, teams and managers must help players learn to stop doing this kind of thing -- just as pitchers learn, through repetition, to fight the instinct to intercept a line drive or punch a wall with their pitching hand.
Somewhere along the way, the art of hook-sliding -- an alternative way for a runner to go into a base low and fast, feet first -- has been lost for a lot of players; maybe there should be a greater effort in spring training to hone this skill, to reinforce this until it becomes habit. Perhaps the managers should make sliding headfirst a fineable offense, not so much to penalize the player as to remind them. There's too much at stake, as the Rangers can testify while going without the presence of the AL Most Valuable Player in their lineup for the next couple of months.
The decision of Rangers third-base coach Dave Anderson to send Hamilton home in an attempt to score is debatable, as are a lot of the choices of third-base coaches; it's Hamilton's right to disagree. The instinct of Hamilton, however, to go into the base headfirst -- which is really what put him at risk -- is his and his alone. If Hamilton had gone into home plate with a hook slide, the result of the play may have been the same, but he almost certainly would have been able to get up and walk away without a broken arm.
Hamilton will miss a couple of months. He was the most valuable player in baseball last year, according to WAR (source: fangraphs.com):
Josh Hamilton: 8.0
Joey Votto: 7.4
Albert Pujols: 7.3
Ryan Zimmerman: 7.2
Adrian Beltre: 7.1
[h4]Josh Hamilton vs. David Murphy[/h4]
Their numbers in 2010 vs. lefty pitching:
[table][tr][th=""][/th][/tr][tr][td]Stat[/td][td]Hamilton[/td][td]Murphy[/td][/tr][tr][td]OBP[/td][td].331[/td][td].328[/td][/tr][tr][td]Slug Pct[/td][td].458[/td][td].368[/td][/tr][tr][td]AB per HR[/td][td]20.8[/td][td]114.0[/td][/tr][/table]
• With the likelihood that David Murphy will get the bulk of the playing time in the absence of Josh Hamilton, what aspects of Hamilton's performance will the Rangers miss most? One is performance versus lefties. Hamilton has been really good throughout his career versus right-handed pitching, and Murphy is no slouch, with a .490 career slugging percentage them. But Murphy doesn't have a great history against lefties. He had one homer in 114 at-bats against lefties last season. Hamilton had eight in 166.
[h4]His Year[/h4]
Josh Hamilton's 2010 ranks in other hitting categories:
[table][tr][th=""]Category[/th][th=""]BA[/th][th=""]Rank[/th][/tr][tr][td]vs fastballs[/td][td].402[/td][td]1st[/td][/tr][tr][td]vs off-speed[/td][td].317[/td][td]1st[/td][/tr][tr][td]vs sliders[/td][td].329[/td][td]4th[/td][/tr][tr][td]vs RHP[/td][td].401[/td][td]1st[/td][/tr][tr][td]Out-of-zone pitches[/td][td].281[/td][td]2nd[/td][/tr][tr][td]Two-strike counts[/td][td].270[/td][td]4th[/td][/tr][tr][td]Trailing in count[/td][td].288[/td][td]2nd[/td][/tr][tr][td]with RISP[/td][td].369[/td][td]2nd[/td][/tr][tr][td]2 outs and RISP[/td][td].357[/td][td]6th[/td][/tr][tr][td]7th inning onward[/td][td].357[/td][td]1st[/td][/tr][/table]
• Weighted On-Base Average is a metric that has a very basic reasoning behind it: Not all ways of reaching base have the same value. It is similar to on-base percentage, but it factors in the fact that a double is better than a single, a triple is better than a double, etc. Hamilton's was the highest in baseball last season:
Josh Hamilton: .447
Joey Votto: .439
Albert Pujols: .420
Ryan Zimmerman: .389>
• Not only did Hamilton win the overall batting title last year, but he also led qualified players in the other categories of hitting against fastballs (.402) and hitting against off-speed pitches (.317). Among a lot of other next-level categories.
[h3]Notables[/h3]
• Aubrey Huff has struggled in right field, so the Giants may flip-flop Huff and first baseman Brandon Belt this weekend.
• On a scale of one to 10, I'd put the Panic Meter at a 4.5 for the Red Sox; the hole they are digging is getting deeper. Boston is seven games under .500, after losing to Tampa Bay; the Red Sox have the worst record in baseball. The Red Sox are just not good enough, writes Michael Silverman.
• Fausto Carmona was good but the other guy was just a little better, and the Indians' winning streak came to an end. So far, the Cleveland rotation has performed better than that of the Phillies, writes Paul Hoynes.
• Michael Pineda was dazzling again, as Geoff Baker writes.
[h3]Dings and dents[/h3]
1. Brandon Webb had a good bullpen session.
2. Mariners catcher Adam Moore could be out for the season.
3. The Cardinals have lost a couple of pitchers to injuries, writes Derrick Goold.
4. Cliff Pennington is dealing with an infection.
5. The Nationals are not going to rush back Ryan Zimmerman.
6. Corey Hart will be back within a couple of weeks, as Tom Haudricourt writes.
7. Pedro Feliciano has suffered a setback, as Brian Costello writes.
8. Jason Bay will be out until the end of April.
[h3]Moves, deals and decisions[/h3]
1. The Rangers signed assistant GM Thad Levine to an extension.
2. Mitchell Boggs may be the best internal option if the Cardinals make a change at closer.
3. The Jays moved to cut ties with David Purcey.
4. Kirk Gibson has installed Stephen Drew in the cleanup spot in his lineup.
5. Brad Mills was unhappy about being suspended.
6. The White Sox will replace Jerry Krause from within.
7. Bobby Parnell may lose his job.
[h3]Tuesday's games[/h3]
1. David Price was The Man, and the Tampa Bay bullpen got the job done at the end, as Marc Topkin writes.
2. You can't stop the Reds, you can only hope to contain them, writes John Fay.
3. Dan Haren has been spectacular this season, and he dominated the Indians. From Daniel Braunstein of ESPN Stats & Information, how Haren won:
A. Haren threw many more curveballs and sliders than usual against an Indians team that struggles to hit those pitches. In 2010, the Indians ranked 29th in batting average against curveballs and sliders, worse than their overall batting average rank of 23rd. Haren threw 66 curveballs and sliders out of 125 total pitches (52.8 percent), above his 2010 season average of 39.5 percent. The Indians' one hit did not come on one of these pitches (it was against a splitter).
B. When Haren fell behind in the count, he turned almost exclusively to his off-speed pitches. Twenty-one of his 25 pitches when behind in the count were off-speed (84.0 percent), well above his 2010 season average of 52.3 percent. Eighteen of his 21 off-speed pitches when behind in the count went for strikes, helping him to get back in the count.
From Elias: Dan Haren is the first pitcher to throw a one-hit shutout against a team on a win streak of eight-plus games since the Dodgers' Don Sutton did it in 1969. Sutton accomplished the feat on May 1, 1969, against the San Francisco Giants, who were riding a nine-game win streak.
4. Watched some of the Braves' win over the Marlins, and Tommy Hanson had tremendous command of his fastball in picking up his first victory. The crowd at Turner Field, however, was the smallest in the history of the park. How Hanson won:
A. He recorded 13 ground balls to only five fly balls, his best ground-ball percentage in any game since being called up in June 2009.
B. Good off-speed offerings: The Marlins were 0-for-10 when at-bats ended on an off-speed pitch, and 0-for-9 on pitches down in the zone.
C. He limited damage: Florida was 0-for-10 with runners on base, including 0-for-6 with RISP.
5. Chris Carpenter was blistered.
6. The Phillies got pounded by an old teammate. From Bob Brookover's story:
8. The Giants got the old Brian Wilson back in a nice win over the Dodgers. This was Misfits II, writes Carl Steward.
9. The Jays were unable to bounce back after blowing a big lead Monday, as Mike Rutsey writes.
10. Trevor Cahill had a bad night.
11. Some role-shuffling may happen in the aftermath of the Royals' latest loss, writes Bob Dutton.
12. The Marlins had the band back together, but they struggled to get the big hit.
13. Kirk Gibson was ejected, but he got his money's worth, as the Diamondbacks won.
14. Miguel Cabrera worked his magic. Jim Leyland gambled, and it paid off.
15. The Astros broke out in a big way, writes Steve Campbell.
16. The Dodgers blew a lead.
17. The Padres unraveled in the late innings.
18. Danny Valencia made up for a mistake.
19. Alexei Ramirez got to frolic.
20. A Cubs starter got pounded, writes Phil Rogers.
Getty ImagesHamilton can share the blame, but he also made a common mistake.
But in the middle of that season Alomar dove into first base trying to get a hit and mashed his fingers -- an injury that would bother him for the rest of the summer. Davey Johnson, the Orioles' manager at the time, was never one to mince words, and he said flatly that he thought that going into a base headfirst was a bad idea.
Alomar -- who had a brilliant baseball mind -- rejected Johnson's admonition outright, saying this was the way he had always played and this was going to be the way he would continue to play going forward.
I have never quite understood the perspective of Alomar and others who feel this is something they must always do, because clearly, a player going into a base with his hands and arms extended is at much greater risk for injury from outside forces that he does not control: a leaping infielder; or a catcher who is wearing shin guards dropping a knee; or a sliding surface that is thickened by rain, making it more likely that he will stop abruptly -- like a car hitting a guardrail.
Most outfielders learn to avoid head-on pursuit of the fences on deep flies and foul balls, taking a big-picture view that it's better to stay healthy over the long-term than dive into an immovable object while trying to register one out. Adrian Gonzalez, a spectacular first baseman, has stopped diving headlong for ground balls to his right after injuring his shoulder last year (he had shoulder surgery last fall) because his managers -- Bud Black in San Diego and now Terry Francona in Boston -- would prefer that he stay in the lineup. Pitching coaches and managers strongly discourage pitchers from reaching with a bare hand for a line drive, because while it might help a pitcher get one out, in one inning, the risk for a busted finger is enormous.
But for some reason, baserunners who grow up diving into bases for hits or runs struggle to change this habit, and time after time after time, the result is injury -- and Josh Hamilton is only the latest example, breaking his arm on a headlong dive into home plate. Last night, a lot of folks on Twitter sent along many other recent examples of players who have gotten hurt while going into a base headfirst, from Rafael Furcal to Chase Utley to Derek Jeter.
Competitiveness and habit come into play in a situation when a runner is trying to get a hit or score a run; I remember a couple of instances when Cal Ripken, who was the living definition of old-school in the way he played, dove into first base in a desperate effort to reach safely. But somehow, some way, teams and managers must help players learn to stop doing this kind of thing -- just as pitchers learn, through repetition, to fight the instinct to intercept a line drive or punch a wall with their pitching hand.
Somewhere along the way, the art of hook-sliding -- an alternative way for a runner to go into a base low and fast, feet first -- has been lost for a lot of players; maybe there should be a greater effort in spring training to hone this skill, to reinforce this until it becomes habit. Perhaps the managers should make sliding headfirst a fineable offense, not so much to penalize the player as to remind them. There's too much at stake, as the Rangers can testify while going without the presence of the AL Most Valuable Player in their lineup for the next couple of months.
The decision of Rangers third-base coach Dave Anderson to send Hamilton home in an attempt to score is debatable, as are a lot of the choices of third-base coaches; it's Hamilton's right to disagree. The instinct of Hamilton, however, to go into the base headfirst -- which is really what put him at risk -- is his and his alone. If Hamilton had gone into home plate with a hook slide, the result of the play may have been the same, but he almost certainly would have been able to get up and walk away without a broken arm.
Hamilton will miss a couple of months. He was the most valuable player in baseball last year, according to WAR (source: fangraphs.com):
Josh Hamilton: 8.0
Joey Votto: 7.4
Albert Pujols: 7.3
Ryan Zimmerman: 7.2
Adrian Beltre: 7.1
[h4]Josh Hamilton vs. David Murphy[/h4]
Their numbers in 2010 vs. lefty pitching:
[table][tr][th=""][/th][/tr][tr][td]Stat[/td][td]Hamilton[/td][td]Murphy[/td][/tr][tr][td]OBP[/td][td].331[/td][td].328[/td][/tr][tr][td]Slug Pct[/td][td].458[/td][td].368[/td][/tr][tr][td]AB per HR[/td][td]20.8[/td][td]114.0[/td][/tr][/table]
• With the likelihood that David Murphy will get the bulk of the playing time in the absence of Josh Hamilton, what aspects of Hamilton's performance will the Rangers miss most? One is performance versus lefties. Hamilton has been really good throughout his career versus right-handed pitching, and Murphy is no slouch, with a .490 career slugging percentage them. But Murphy doesn't have a great history against lefties. He had one homer in 114 at-bats against lefties last season. Hamilton had eight in 166.
[h4]His Year[/h4]
Josh Hamilton's 2010 ranks in other hitting categories:
[table][tr][th=""]Category[/th][th=""]BA[/th][th=""]Rank[/th][/tr][tr][td]vs fastballs[/td][td].402[/td][td]1st[/td][/tr][tr][td]vs off-speed[/td][td].317[/td][td]1st[/td][/tr][tr][td]vs sliders[/td][td].329[/td][td]4th[/td][/tr][tr][td]vs RHP[/td][td].401[/td][td]1st[/td][/tr][tr][td]Out-of-zone pitches[/td][td].281[/td][td]2nd[/td][/tr][tr][td]Two-strike counts[/td][td].270[/td][td]4th[/td][/tr][tr][td]Trailing in count[/td][td].288[/td][td]2nd[/td][/tr][tr][td]with RISP[/td][td].369[/td][td]2nd[/td][/tr][tr][td]2 outs and RISP[/td][td].357[/td][td]6th[/td][/tr][tr][td]7th inning onward[/td][td].357[/td][td]1st[/td][/tr][/table]
• Weighted On-Base Average is a metric that has a very basic reasoning behind it: Not all ways of reaching base have the same value. It is similar to on-base percentage, but it factors in the fact that a double is better than a single, a triple is better than a double, etc. Hamilton's was the highest in baseball last season:
Josh Hamilton: .447
Joey Votto: .439
Albert Pujols: .420
Ryan Zimmerman: .389>
• Not only did Hamilton win the overall batting title last year, but he also led qualified players in the other categories of hitting against fastballs (.402) and hitting against off-speed pitches (.317). Among a lot of other next-level categories.
[h3]Notables[/h3]
• Aubrey Huff has struggled in right field, so the Giants may flip-flop Huff and first baseman Brandon Belt this weekend.
• On a scale of one to 10, I'd put the Panic Meter at a 4.5 for the Red Sox; the hole they are digging is getting deeper. Boston is seven games under .500, after losing to Tampa Bay; the Red Sox have the worst record in baseball. The Red Sox are just not good enough, writes Michael Silverman.
• Fausto Carmona was good but the other guy was just a little better, and the Indians' winning streak came to an end. So far, the Cleveland rotation has performed better than that of the Phillies, writes Paul Hoynes.
• Michael Pineda was dazzling again, as Geoff Baker writes.
[h3]Dings and dents[/h3]
1. Brandon Webb had a good bullpen session.
2. Mariners catcher Adam Moore could be out for the season.
3. The Cardinals have lost a couple of pitchers to injuries, writes Derrick Goold.
4. Cliff Pennington is dealing with an infection.
5. The Nationals are not going to rush back Ryan Zimmerman.
6. Corey Hart will be back within a couple of weeks, as Tom Haudricourt writes.
7. Pedro Feliciano has suffered a setback, as Brian Costello writes.
8. Jason Bay will be out until the end of April.
[h3]Moves, deals and decisions[/h3]
1. The Rangers signed assistant GM Thad Levine to an extension.
2. Mitchell Boggs may be the best internal option if the Cardinals make a change at closer.
3. The Jays moved to cut ties with David Purcey.
4. Kirk Gibson has installed Stephen Drew in the cleanup spot in his lineup.
5. Brad Mills was unhappy about being suspended.
6. The White Sox will replace Jerry Krause from within.
7. Bobby Parnell may lose his job.
[h3]Tuesday's games[/h3]
1. David Price was The Man, and the Tampa Bay bullpen got the job done at the end, as Marc Topkin writes.
2. You can't stop the Reds, you can only hope to contain them, writes John Fay.
3. Dan Haren has been spectacular this season, and he dominated the Indians. From Daniel Braunstein of ESPN Stats & Information, how Haren won:
A. Haren threw many more curveballs and sliders than usual against an Indians team that struggles to hit those pitches. In 2010, the Indians ranked 29th in batting average against curveballs and sliders, worse than their overall batting average rank of 23rd. Haren threw 66 curveballs and sliders out of 125 total pitches (52.8 percent), above his 2010 season average of 39.5 percent. The Indians' one hit did not come on one of these pitches (it was against a splitter).
B. When Haren fell behind in the count, he turned almost exclusively to his off-speed pitches. Twenty-one of his 25 pitches when behind in the count were off-speed (84.0 percent), well above his 2010 season average of 52.3 percent. Eighteen of his 21 off-speed pitches when behind in the count went for strikes, helping him to get back in the count.
From Elias: Dan Haren is the first pitcher to throw a one-hit shutout against a team on a win streak of eight-plus games since the Dodgers' Don Sutton did it in 1969. Sutton accomplished the feat on May 1, 1969, against the San Francisco Giants, who were riding a nine-game win streak.
4. Watched some of the Braves' win over the Marlins, and Tommy Hanson had tremendous command of his fastball in picking up his first victory. The crowd at Turner Field, however, was the smallest in the history of the park. How Hanson won:
A. He recorded 13 ground balls to only five fly balls, his best ground-ball percentage in any game since being called up in June 2009.
B. Good off-speed offerings: The Marlins were 0-for-10 when at-bats ended on an off-speed pitch, and 0-for-9 on pitches down in the zone.
C. He limited damage: Florida was 0-for-10 with runners on base, including 0-for-6 with RISP.
5. Chris Carpenter was blistered.
6. The Phillies got pounded by an old teammate. From Bob Brookover's story:
- When the news broke that Jayson Werth had signed a seven-year, $126 million contract with the Washington Nationals, Ruben Amaro Jr. had a cocksure response.
"We'll get him out -- a lot," the Phillies general manager said that evening from the winter meetings in Florida. "Oh, I believe that we will."
It was a surprising answer that elicited an obvious follow-up question: Do you know the secret to getting Werth out?
"I believe that we do," Amaro said.
He would not reveal the secret that December night, and apparently it is still locked away in a hermetically sealed envelope.
Or perhaps Joe Blanton was left out of the team meeting when Amaro's secret was revealed, because Werth had the best game of his brief Nationals career in his first meeting with the Phillies on Tuesday night at Nationals Park.
8. The Giants got the old Brian Wilson back in a nice win over the Dodgers. This was Misfits II, writes Carl Steward.
9. The Jays were unable to bounce back after blowing a big lead Monday, as Mike Rutsey writes.
10. Trevor Cahill had a bad night.
11. Some role-shuffling may happen in the aftermath of the Royals' latest loss, writes Bob Dutton.
12. The Marlins had the band back together, but they struggled to get the big hit.
13. Kirk Gibson was ejected, but he got his money's worth, as the Diamondbacks won.
14. Miguel Cabrera worked his magic. Jim Leyland gambled, and it paid off.
15. The Astros broke out in a big way, writes Steve Campbell.
16. The Dodgers blew a lead.
17. The Padres unraveled in the late innings.
18. Danny Valencia made up for a mistake.
19. Alexei Ramirez got to frolic.
20. A Cubs starter got pounded, writes Phil Rogers.
Rumors.
Spoiler [+]
http://[h3]Swingman role for Karstens[/h3]
11:10AM ET
[h5]Jeff Karstens | Pirates [/h5]
The http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/pit/pittsburgh-piratesPittsburgh Pirates seem to have found the perfect role for right-hander http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=28552Jeff Karstens, and it is one that requires some flexibility.
Karstens pitched 3 1/3 innings in relief last weekend, but will move into the rotation this weekend against Cincinnati after Ross Ohlendorf landed on the disabled list. Karstens has handled the swingman role well and manager Clint Hurdle plans to keep him there. "He doesn't have an agenda," Hurdle tells Colin Dunlap of the Post-Gazette.
That seems to indicate Karstens, who has 50 career starts on his resume, is headed back to the bullpen once Ohlendorf returns.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Getting by without Hamilton[/h3]
11:10AM ET
[h5]Josh Hamilton | Rangers [/h5]
The fabulous start for the Texas Rangers hit a serious bump in the road Tuesday when an ill-advised head-first slide by Josh Hamilton resulted in a broken right arm that will sideline the star outfielder for six to eight weeks.
Hamilton was placed on the disabled list and the Rangers called up Chris Davis, who was unable to make the major league roster despite a solid spring training.
Murphy is likely to get most of the time in left field in Hamilton's absence, but Mitch Moreland could be another option for manager Ron Washington.
While losing the reigning Most Valuable Player is a serious blow to any team, it is far from a knockout blow to the Rangers, writes Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas.com. Durrett notes that Murphy was a huge offensive producer when Hamilton missed last September, batting .355 with three homers and 17 RBIs in that final month of the season.
It is another opportunity for Davis, who will get some time at first base as Moreland becomes the fourth outfielder.
What will the Rangers miss the most without Hamilton? Our Buster Olney gives his take in Wednesday's blog:
- Doug Mittler
[h5]Buster Olney[/h5]
Hamilton leans to the left
11:10AM ET
[h5]Jeff Karstens | Pirates [/h5]
The http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/pit/pittsburgh-piratesPittsburgh Pirates seem to have found the perfect role for right-hander http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=28552Jeff Karstens, and it is one that requires some flexibility.
Karstens pitched 3 1/3 innings in relief last weekend, but will move into the rotation this weekend against Cincinnati after Ross Ohlendorf landed on the disabled list. Karstens has handled the swingman role well and manager Clint Hurdle plans to keep him there. "He doesn't have an agenda," Hurdle tells Colin Dunlap of the Post-Gazette.
That seems to indicate Karstens, who has 50 career starts on his resume, is headed back to the bullpen once Ohlendorf returns.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Getting by without Hamilton[/h3]
11:10AM ET
[h5]Josh Hamilton | Rangers [/h5]
The fabulous start for the Texas Rangers hit a serious bump in the road Tuesday when an ill-advised head-first slide by Josh Hamilton resulted in a broken right arm that will sideline the star outfielder for six to eight weeks.
Hamilton was placed on the disabled list and the Rangers called up Chris Davis, who was unable to make the major league roster despite a solid spring training.
Murphy is likely to get most of the time in left field in Hamilton's absence, but Mitch Moreland could be another option for manager Ron Washington.
While losing the reigning Most Valuable Player is a serious blow to any team, it is far from a knockout blow to the Rangers, writes Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas.com. Durrett notes that Murphy was a huge offensive producer when Hamilton missed last September, batting .355 with three homers and 17 RBIs in that final month of the season.
It is another opportunity for Davis, who will get some time at first base as Moreland becomes the fourth outfielder.
What will the Rangers miss the most without Hamilton? Our Buster Olney gives his take in Wednesday's blog:
- Doug Mittler
Hamilton leans to the left
10:56AM ET
[h5]Texas Rangers [/h5]
The Texas Rangers are expected to sign Cuban defector Leonys Martin Wednesday and give the Cuban defector a signing bonus in the neighborhood of $15 million, reports Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News.
The Rangers could use some immediate outfield help due to the injury to Josh Hamilton, but the 23-year-old would likely begin his career in Class-A Hickory or Double-A Frisco. Grant does say it "is not unrealistic" to think Martin could be in a major league uniform before the end of the season.
Martin defected from the Cuban national team last September and has plenty of experience in international competition. ESPN The Magazine's Jorge Arangure Jr. reported last month that Martin is considered an elite prospect.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]More playing time for LaRoche?[/h3]
10:37AM ET
[h5]Oakland Athletics [/h5]
Andy LaRoche could be getting a few more days at shortstop for the Oakland Athletics.
Manager Bob Geren has started LaRoche (.381 AVG) the last two games in order to jumpstart a struggling offense. The A's are also without shortstop Cliff Pennington due to an infected sweat gland under his left arm, reports Susan Slusser of the Chronicle.
Pennington, who had limited playing time during spring training while he recovered from shoulder surgery, is hitting just .160. The team is listing him as "day-to-day."
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Moving fourth with Drew[/h3]
10:16AM ET
[h5]Stephen Drew | Diamondbacks [/h5]
Stephen Drew has just 46 homers in 653 career games, but Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson thinks there is enough pop in the shortstop's bat to place him in the cleanup spot on a semi-regular basis.
Gibson had Drew batting fourth for the fourth straight game Tuesday against St. Louis, a move that allows him to split up his left-handed and right-handed starters. In 151 games last season, Drew hit in the cleanup spot just twice.
"I think Stephen is one of our best pure hitters. He hits in pressure situations very well, but I'll move our lineups around," Gibson tells the Arizona Republic.
Drew, who missed the first week of the season with an abdominal strain, is hitting .381 in six games.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Closing options in St. Louis[/h3]
9:58AM ET
[h5]Ryan Franklin | Cardinals [/h5]
Three blown saves in four chances has not cost Ryan Franklin his job as the St. Louis Cardinals' closer, at least for now.
Joe Strauss of the Post Dispatch wrote Monday that the decision to stay with Franklin is predicated on the belief that the reliever has been a victim of some bad luck and because the Cards' options are limited.
Jason Motte and Mitchell Boggs have been mentioned as closers in waiting should Franklin leave via free agency after the season. Manager Tony La Russa, however, says the young pitchers "aren't ready" to close this season.
Roger Hensley of the Post Dispatch collects some opinions on who is the best candidate should La Russa make a change. One overlooked option could be long reliever Miguel Batista, who had 31 saves for Toronto in 2005.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]A step forward for Webb[/h3]
9:43AM ET
[h5]Brandon Webb | Rangers [/h5]
The Texas Rangers' master plan for 2011 calls for significant contributions from free agent signee Brandon Webb, who has pitched in all of one game since 2009 due to shoulder problems.
Webb began the season on the disabled list and a speedy return seemed more unlikely after the right-hander did his best Nuke LaLoosh impersonation by plunking three hitters in a batting practice session last Monday in Arizona. Star Telegram.
At this stage, a return for Webb seems weeks away, but at least he is moving in the right direction.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]The latest on Torres[/h3]
9:24AM ET
[h5]Andres Torres | Giants [/h5]
UPDATE:Torres will take batting practice Wednesday, and manager Bruce Bochy says the outfielder could be back this weekend if he continues to show progress.
If Torres regresses, he could land up on the DL with the Giants likely calling up outfielder Darren Ford from Triple-A Fresno, reports Henry Schulman.
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Andres Torres will likely miss the San Francisco Giants' upcoming series versus the division rival Los Angeles Dodgers with an Achilles tendon injury, but according to manager Bruce Bochy the club will not know how long Torres will be out until Wednesday.
Torres was on crutches Sunday, a sure sign that he won't play Monday, which likely means Aaron Rowand will step in and handle center field. As for who will lead off, reserve infielder Mike Fontenot led off Sunday but second baseman Freddy Sanchez may be the top candidate.
If Torres hits the disabled list, Thomas Neal may get the call from Triple-A, though veteran Cody Ross is nearing a return from the DL himself.
- Jason A. Churchill
http://[h3]Trading Places by the bay?[/h3]
9:10AM ET
[h5]San Francisco Giants [/h5]
Aubrey Huff has been having his troubles in right field for the San Francisco Giants. The club has tried to keep the mood light, with one teammate drawing a chalk outline of Huff's failed attempt at a diving catch at Dodger Stadium.
With the season almost two weeks old, it is no longer a laughing matter. Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle writes that first baseman Brandon Belt has been taking fly balls in the outfield and could be switching positions with Huff by this weekend.
Belt has played primarily at first base as a pro, but has the speed to make the transition to the outfield. The Giants have a series next week in Colorado, where Belt would be more suited for the wide spaces of Coors Field. Huff plays several positions, but is most comfortable at first base and made to move to right only to get Belt into the lineup.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Astros looking at Purcey?[/h3]
8:39AM ET
[h5]David Purcey | Blue Jays | Interested: Astros? [/h5]
David Purcey became the sacrificial lamb in the Toronto Blue Jays' bullpen, but the left-hander may not be out of work for long.
The Blue Jays designated Purcey for assignment on Tuesday, one day after he retired just one of the four batters he faced against the Mariners. The Jays staged an epic meltdown, failing to hold a seven-run lead in an 8-7 Seattle victory.
Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun tweets that the Astros are interested in Purcey, a first-round draft pick back in 2004. The Astros could be looking to add another left-hander to a bullpen that currently has just one southpaw in Fernando Abad.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Setback for Feliciano [/h3]
8:22AM ET
[h5]Pedro Feliciano | Yankees [/h5]
Pedro Feliciano was at the center of a controversy earlier this month when Yankees general manager Brian Cashman accused the Mets of "abusing" the workhorse reliever during his tenure in Queens.
That did not prevent Cashman from giving Feliciano, who pitched in 92 games last season, a two-year, $8 million contract over the winter, and the Yankees are still waiting for the southpaw to pay some dividends.
Andrew Marchand of ESPNNewYork.com reports that Feliciano suffered another setback in his efforts to return from his left rotator cuff strain, Feliciano will undergo a second MRI on Wednesday to try to figure out why he can't simply play catch without feeling pain.
Boone Logan has been the only lefthander in the Yankee bullpen and he has been ineffective in four appearances. With the Yankees unsure when Feliciano will return, they could recall Steve Garrison, who is at Double-A Trenton.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Second base platoon in Queens?[/h3]
8:05AM ET
[h5]New York Mets [/h5]
Spring training in New York Mets camp featured a spirited second base battle that was eventually won by Rule 5 draftee Brad Emaus. But less than two weeks into the season, there are hints that Terry Collins is at least considering some form of platoon, even if the manager won?t call it that.
Daniel Murphy was penciled into the lineup at second base for the second straight game Tuesday before the contest with Colorado was postponed by rain. Emaus has been struggling at the plate (.167 BA), and Collins said he wanted to ?create more offense.?
"I haven't even gone down that road, thinking about platooning anybody," Collins warned, but unless Emaus starts to hit, he will not be an everyday player. The Mets gave Murphy every chance to win the second base job in Florida, but questions remain whether he can handle the position defensively.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]The Bay Watch[/h3]
7:47AM ET
[h5]Jason Bay | Mets [/h5]
The Mets' http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=5496Jason Bay originally hoped to come off the disabled list last Saturday, the first day he was eligible to return from a strained left rib cage.
That date came and went, and now it looks like the outfielder will not be back until the end of the April at the earliest. GM Sandy Alderson said Tuesday the team is considering that date, the start of a three-game series in Washington, as the best-case scenario.
Left field has manned by Willie Harris and Scott Hairston in Bay's absence. Lucas Duda also was given a chance, but he was sent to the minors earlier this week in order to ad some bullpen help.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]More injury woes for Zimmerman[/h3]
7:29AM ET
[h5]Ryan Zimmerman | Nationals [/h5]
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=6389Ryan Zimmerman has played at least 142 games in four of the last five seasons, but is there reason to be concerned about the durability of the http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/wsh/washington-nationalsWashington Nationals' third baseman?
Zimmerman aggravated a strained abdominal muscle Saturday and landed on the disabled list Tuesday. Catcher Jesus Flores was called up from Triple-A to replace Zimmerman.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=3862Alex Cora and Jerry Hairston Jr. will likely share the duties at third base with Zimmerman on the shelf.
ESPN.com's Eric Karabell questions whether fantasy players should view Zimmerman in the same light as the injury-plagued Scott Rolen:
- Doug Mittler
Zimmerman the next Rolen?
- 15,437
- 182
- Joined
- Dec 29, 2007
I hope this move of swapping Belt and Huff works because our defense is awful. No range from our shortstop and left fielder and you always hold your breath when there's a flyball to right field.
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- Joined
- Dec 29, 2007
I hope this move of swapping Belt and Huff works because our defense is awful. No range from our shortstop and left fielder and you always hold your breath when there's a flyball to right field.
- 28,043
- 10,465
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2004
Is it too soon to give up on Liriano?
- 28,043
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- Joined
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Is it too soon to give up on Liriano?
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