MLB FanHouse

All-Star Grievances: The NL Central

Pat Lackey — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 15:47:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago, Houston, Cubs, Reds, Astros, Pirates, NL Central, MLB All-Star Game, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh

Maybe the All-Star Game is a meaningless to the players and just an excuse for Bud Selig to admire himself for a week. That doesn't mean that the selections should be stupid. Today, the MLB 'Haus gives you All-Star Grievances.

Grievance: Nate McLouth over Jason Bay- It's not that McLouth isn't a deserving All-Star, because he is. The problem is that he's mired in a terrible slump, putting up a .209/.258/.355 line with two homers over the last month or so (prior to today's game). There's a decent chance that by the end of the year, McLouth will have faded completely. Still, he made the team over Jason Bay, who's already a two-time All-Star and is slugging along like he has every year of his career besides an injury-filled 2007. It should take more than a flash in the pan to make an All-Star team.

Grievance: Miguel Tejada? Really?- After a down year in Baltimore last year, Tejada got off to a decent start this year. That's all quickly gone to hell, as he's hitting .198 since May 30th. Tejada's not an All-Star, he's a guy in the twilight of his career that Ed Wade is going to regret trading for by the end of the season.

Grievance: Adam Dunn isn't even a snub- I get that Dunn's only hitting .228. Aren't we to the point of enlightened fanhood that people can look beyond that and realize that his .895 OPS makes him a snub?

Grievance: Alfonso Soriano and Kosuke Fukudome are starters- Fan voting is stupid and unreliable. We say that every year. This year, these two are the reason.

Other snubs: Carlos Lee (unless he wins the final vote but let's be honest, dude's got no chance against David Wright).

All-Star Grievances: The NL Central originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 06 Jul 2008 15:47:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There May Be a Revolutionary War Soldier Buried Under Great American Ballpark

Pat Lackey — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 20:11:00 EST

Filed under: Reds, NL Central, Cincinnati

When I'm at the ballpark, I generally have three things on my mind; baseball, beer, and food (and usually in that order). One thing I don't have in mind is whether or not there's a Revolutionary War soldier potentially buried under the field. This is, apparently, a miscalculation on my part because a man named Ken McCracken has managed to track down the burial site of his great-great-great-great-great uncle and it may be somewhere deep under the southwest corner of Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati.

The Cincinnati Enquirer article I've linked to is full of facts, but the most interesting one is that Capt. William McCracken Jr. may have been the last fatality of the Revolutionary War. Think about that for a second: the last soldier killed in the Revolutionary War is buried under Great American Ballpark. As if life wasn't full of enough little ironies, apparently death is, too.

Now, far be it from me to make light of a veteran on 4th of July weekend (that means a joke is coming), but I find this whole thing just a little bit creepy. OK, a lot bit creepy. And given the Reds' history at Great American (they're on their way to their sixth straight losing season there in six tries), maybe they should be looking into hiring Peter Venkman as manager when Dusty Baker wears out his welcome.

There May Be a Revolutionary War Soldier Buried Under Great American Ballpark originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 03 Jul 2008 20:11:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dusty Baker's Son May Be Running the Reds

Matt Watson — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Reds, NL Central, Cincinnati

Ken Griffey Jr. arrived to the park last night thinking he was going to play, and when he saw the lineup card without his name on it, he grilled Dusty Baker's nine-year-old son Darren why his dad wasn't playing him. One kidney shot to the ego later, Griffey probably wished he kept his mouth shut. From Hal McCoy of the Dayton Daily News:

"Why am I not playing tonight, Darren?" asked Griffey.

"Because you can't hit lefthanders," said Darren, son of manager Dusty Baker. "And you're old."

"How old am I?"

"Fifty."

Ouch. Technically Junior is 38, he just stays healthy like a 50 year old. But Darren was right about the lefties: Griffey is hitting just .200 (17-for-85) against them this year. Griffey did redeem himself by hitting a walk-off home run (ahem, off right-hander Matt Capps) after coming into the ninth as a defensive replacement, but Darren's quick wit before the game makes you wonder if Dusty is letting the youngster have some input on the lineup.

Of course, if a nine-year-old is making calls in the dugout, it might also explain why one of the team's biggest bats was trying to bunt with two runners on and no outs in the eighth inning.

From C. Trent Rosecrans (via the Frog)

Griffey's late-inning heroics glossed over some head-scratching moves by the elder Baker earlier in the game and the team's own inability to get runs in. The Reds left two men on in the first, sixth and eighth innings.

In the eighth inning, the first two batters got on base when Adam Dunn walked and Brandon Phillips singled off left-handed reliever Damaso Marte. Baker put Corey Patterson in to run for Dunn after his walk and then with the two on, asked Joey Votto -- whose only career sacrifice came in Class A Sarasota in 2005 -- to bunt. Votto couldn't get the bunt down and struck out.

Mind you, this is the same Joey Votto whose .831 OPS ranks second on the team to Dunn -- letting him swing the bat with runners in scoring position is exactly how the Reds should have won this game. Instead, Baker squandered the opportunity and needed Griffey to bail out the team one inning later.

Dusty Baker's Son May Be Running the Reds originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 01 Jul 2008 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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On Deck: The End of Interleague Is Nigh

Josh Alper — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago, Cleveland, Minnesota, White Sox, Indians, Twins, Cubs, Reds, Brewers, Cincinnati, Milwaukee

On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing matchups

Chicago Cubs (49-30) vs. Chicago White Sox (43-35) - 4:05 PM ET

The final weekend of interleague play for the season kicks off in the Bronx at 2 but the most meaningful game is in Chicago. The two Chicago clubs are in first, just as they were last week, but the White Sox can't afford another sweep at the hands of their crosstown rivals. The Twins are hard on their tail, a half-game back as play begins today, and there's that whole bragging rights thing to worry about too.

They'll need to do a better job against Ryan Dempster (9-2, 2.63) this time around. He held the Sox to one run in eight innings to win Sunday's finale at Wrigley Field. Dempster's won his last four decisions in what's turned out to be a very successful conversion from bullpen to rotation. They'll also need a better outing from their own starter. Jose Contreras (6-6, 3.96) got thrashed for 10 hits and nine runs in three and a third innings.

He'd do well to avoid Aramis Ramirez at all costs. Ramirez hit a three-run homer last Saturday and is 7-for-14 with four homers and 10 RBI in his career against the White Sox starter. That's good news for the short-handed Cubs who have more of a cushion than the White Sox but a similarly smoking second-place team behind them in Milwaukee.

Milwaukee Brewers (43-35) vs. Minnesota Twins (43-36) - 8:10 PM ET

Speaking of those second place teams, they'll be doing battle this weekend in the underrated battle for bragging rights across the upper Midwest. It helps that they are the two hottest teams in baseball. The Twins have reeled off nine straight wins, gaining six games in the standings, while the Brewers have taken eight of their last 10 to continue their surprising climb back into the NL Central race.

The Twins have been more than good of late, they've been dominant. Their starters are 8-0 with a 2.17 ERA and their offense has outscored the opposition 56-17 in the past nine. Nick Blackburn (6-4, 3.68) will try to keep things rolling on the mound and try to push the Twins closer to their franchise record of 11 straight wins. He'll be facing Seth McClung (5-3, 3.79) who, on June 15th, was the last pitcher to beat the Twins. He allowed four hits and two runs over six innings in that contest.

Cincinnati Reds (36-44) vs. Cleveland Indians (36-43) - 7:05 PM ET

This series may be the point of no return for the Tribe. Whatever slim hopes they have of getting back into the race could be extinguished with a poor performance in the Battle for Ohio. It's fitting, then, that C.C. Sabathia (5-8, 4.06) gets the ball in the opener. Word is that they are making one last try to sign the pending free agent but if that doesn't work, there could be another move in store.

If the Indians do decide to throw in the towel, the bidding for Sabathia will be fast, furious and, potentially, quite fruitful to Cleveland's future. Sabathia's struck out 10 in each of his last two starts and is showing no signs of his April struggles. Daryl Thompson will be starting for the Reds. He made his big league debut with five shutout innings after getting lost on his way to Yankee Stadium so he shouldn't be fazed by big bad C.C.

Everybody Else
Mets vs. Yankees - 2:05 PM ET
Yankees vs. Mets - Second Game
Rockies vs. Tigers - 7:05 PM ET
Rays vs. Pirates - 7:05 PM ET
Braves vs. Blue Jays - 7:07 PM ET
Diamondbacks vs. Marlins - 7:10 PM ET
Orioles vs. Nationals - 7:35 PM ET
Red Sox vs. Astros - 8:05 PM ET
Phillies vs. Rangers - 8:05 PM ET
Cardinals vs. Royals - 8:10 PM ET
Mariners vs. Padres - 10:05 PM ET
Giants vs. A's - 10:05 PM ET
Angels vs. Dodgers - 10:40 PM ET

On Deck: The End of Interleague Is Nigh originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 27 Jun 2008 09:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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J.P. Ricciardi Apologized To Someone, But Apparently Not Adam Dunn

Eamonn Brennan — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 23:02:00 EST

Filed under: Reds, NL Central, Cincinnati

Just when you thought the J.P. Ricciardi-Adam Dunn feud was dead -- after Dunn made his cruel comments about Canadians and Dunn ignored Ricciardi's apology, it should have been -- it just keeps getting better. Ricciardi said he was reached by Dunn and smoothed things over. Dunn says he never talked to the Jays' GM:

Found in the clubhouse tunnel on the visitor's side of the field, Dunn was emphatic that he never called Ricciardi and that the two haven't spoken. "What? Not true. One million percent," Dunn told MLB.com after being informed of Ricciardi's comments. When told of what Dunn said, Ricciardi was adamant that he spoke to the player on the phone. "All I know is the person I talked to said it was Adam Dunn," Ricciardi said. "That's quite a prank to pull."

Not only is Adam Dunn hilarious (and insensitive to Canadians), he is now pulling prank phone calls. Or having Dusty Baker do it for him.

J.P. Ricciardi Apologized To Someone, But Apparently Not Adam Dunn originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 23:02:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Walt Jocketty on Adam Dunn: No Comment

Pat Lackey — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 17:46:00 EST

Filed under: Reds, NL Central, Cincinnati

With the whole J.P. Ricciardi/Adam Dunn incident (hopefully) behind us, one would assume that it's now time for the Reds to move on and focus on building a good team around their young core that has some impressive talent. So of course, someone asked GM Walt Jocketty what he thought of Dunn as a baseball player and Jocketty offered some rather bland praise for his player:

Asked Monday what he thought of Dunn as a player, Reds GM Walt Jocketty said: "I'd rather not comment. You look at his run production. But it's not my position to give a scouting report on him. I like him as a player. He's someone we're going to have to decide on. He's still young, so that's not a factor."

One would assume Jocketty would be praising the guy he's hoping to trade and maybe taking a shot at Riccardi for talking about players that aren't even on his team. Instead, we get a no comment followed by an "I like him" as an afterthought. The only decision Jocketty's making on Dunn is whether he should trade him at the deadline in July or offer him arbitration and pick up the draft picks when he signs somewhere else.

Walt Jocketty on Adam Dunn: No Comment originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 17:46:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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On Deck: Party Like It's 1976

Mullet — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Los Angeles, Minnesota, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Yankees, Twins, Angels, Phillies, Reds, Diamondbacks, Cincinnati

On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing baseball matchups.

Cincinnati Reds (35-41) at New York Yankees (40-35) - 1:05 PM ET

A friend of mine ... a Yankee fan no less ... said to me on Friday afternoon that he fully expected the Reds to win two out of three in this series in the Bronx against his Yankees. A pretty amazing statement from a fan of a team who had just won seven in a row. That's how impressed he was of the young pitching the Reds had. Although I think he expected the two wins to be against Edinson Vólquez on Friday, and Johnny Cueto today, and not against minor league call-up Daryl Thompson on Saturday. Instead, the Reds have a chance to sweep the Yankees in the Bronx (just like the Series in '76), ensuring that the Yankees last win over the Reds at Yankee Stadium will forever be Game 1 of the 1961 World Series, before The House That Ruth Built (and The House That Griffey Hates) comes down for good.

Arizona Diamondbacks (39-36) at Minnesota Twins (39-36) - 2:10 PM ET

Sometime in the last couple of days, Brandon Webb decided to put talks for a contract extension on hold. Although his contract doesn't come up until after 2010, he admitted that the situation "wore on him a little bit". Perhaps it had something to do with his last two starts being not so good, including a stinker of an outing against Oakland on Tuesday (seven runs and five walks in three and 1/3 innings in a 15-1 loss). Certainly not the numbers you would expect a recent Cy Young winner to put up. And now that he is of clear mind, the Twins might be in a pickle today.

L.A. Angels of Anaheim (40-35) at Philadelphia Phillies (42-34) - 1:35 PM ET

Speaking of clear mind, Chase Utley hopes to have a clear mind today after being given his first day off of the season by Charlie Manuel. Utley probably needed it after hitting .158 in his past 15 games and going 0 for his last 23. As Chase has gone, the Phillies have gone ... as they're 1-6 in their last seven games, and have only scored seven runs in their last four games. This from the team who made a regular occurrence of scoring at least seven in one game. They try to get well against Jered Weaver (6-7, 4.73) and avoid an Angels sweep as they send Cole Hamels (7-4, 3.23) to the hill.

Everyone else:

Mariners at Braves 1:35 ET
Rangers at Nationals 1:35 ET
Cardinals at Red Sox 1:35 ET
Blue Jays at Pirates 1:35 ET
Astros at Rays 1:40 ET
Orioles at Brewers 2:05 ET
Giants at Royals 2:05 ET
Mets at Rockies 3:05 ET
Marlins at Athletics 4:05 ET
Tigers at Padres 4:05 ET
Indians at Dodgers 4:10 ET
White Sox at Cubs 8:05 ET

On Deck: Party Like It's 1976 originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 22 Jun 2008 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Adam Dunn Wants None of J.P. Ricciardi's Lame Apology

Pat Lackey — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 17:52:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jays, Reds, AL East, NL Central, Cincinnati, Toronto

It's a slow Saturday afternoon and you know what that means: it's time for an update on everyone's favorite baseball soap opra: As the Dunn Turns. When we last left our characters, J.P. Ricciardi said he was very sorry for saying out loud that he thought Adam Dunn sucked. Adam Dunn, however, wanted nothing to do with Riccardi's apology.

"He apologized to me, the organization," Jocketty said. "He wanted to talk to Dunn. I don't think Dunn wanted to talk to him."
[...]
"I'll probably see him in Toronto (next week)," Dunn said. "Sorry doesn't fix it. He wasn't talking about baseball. Say I stink all you want. I'm OK with that. He was criticizing me as a person."

Now, Riccardi was clearly out of line here. And I've already said that I thought that his apology left a lot to be desired. The one thing that kind of sticks with me, though, is that stuff like this gets said about Adam Dunn all the time. Now maybe it happens because he's a huge guy that plays the outfield like a moose on rollerskates and only bats .240 or .250 every year, or maybe it happens because there's actually something to it. Honestly, I don' t know. It's just something that's worth noting.

Adam Dunn Wants None of J.P. Ricciardi's Lame Apology originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sat, 21 Jun 2008 17:52:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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JP Ricciardi Kind of Apologizes to Adam Dunn

Pat Lackey — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 17:07:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jays, Reds, AL East, NL Central, Cincinnati, Toronto

Perhaps with three managers and a GM getting the axe in one week, JP Ricciardi feels a little bit of heat. He probably should because barring a miraculous second half, he's probably going to be looking for a new job come October. Whatever the reason, he's rethought his stance on Adam Dunn just a bit and decided to apologize to the Reds' slugger today.

"It's my fault, I take full responsibility for it," Ricciardi told The Globe and Mail newspaper of Toronto on Thursday. "I tried to get Adam's phone number from the Reds ... and if he wants to talk to me, I'll talk to him and apologize personally. But I apologize to him and the Reds. I need to be better than that. I let my guard down".

I love that the apology is, "I need to be better than that," and not, "I was wrong." So, basically what JP is saying is, "I still think you suck, but I shouldn't have said it out loud." Now that Ricciardi's put all this behind him, he can help focus on what's really important: hiring retread managers and trading for awful relievers that were probably about to be released anyways.

JP Ricciardi Kind of Apologizes to Adam Dunn originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 20 Jun 2008 17:07:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Adam Dunn 'Not Converting Dollars To Loonies Just Yet'

Eamonn Brennan — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 14:11:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jays, Reds, Cincinnati, Toronto

It's OK to like Adam Dunn. Really. Not just because he's good at baseball, though he is. If you need another reason, like him because he's often unfairly maligned by old-media types for his low batting average despite all the inherent flaws in the stat. Dunn produces, but he doesn't get much of the credit. Like him anyway.

J.P. Ricciardi, as you might have heard, does not. Dunn was asked to respond to Ricciardi's needlessly harsh comments, and (via Big League Stew) Dunn was, well, you'll see:

I've said it all along, it doesn't bother me what people say or think, especially someone outside of the organization who has no idea of anything that goes on here. He's not even in our country. This guy's in another country talking ****. [...] He doesn't even know me. If he knew me, fine. Say what you want. But this guy doesn't know anything about me other than what he sees on whatever SportsCenter they have on up there. That's it. [...] I don't care about the perception people have of me, if anything happens, it looks like I ain't going to Toronto. I can eliminate one team. I'm not converting my dollars into looneys [sic] and twoneys just yet. They're really good, actually.

Canadaphobia ... check. Deriding someone for only watching SportsCenter* ... check. Reference to hilariously named Canadian currency ... yep. It's official. This is the perfect soundbite. Adam Dunn wins.

*Though, in Canada, isn't SportsCenter called something different? It's like Sports Night or something, right?

Adam Dunn 'Not Converting Dollars To Loonies Just Yet' originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 19 Jun 2008 14:11:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Note to Banquet Planners: Don't Sit J.P. Ricciardi and Adam Dunn at the Same Table

Josh Alper — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:55:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jays, Reds, AL East, Cincinnati, Toronto

The Toronto Blue Jays rank next to last in the American League in home runs and slugging percentage. J.P. Ricciardi knows this, so when he went on a Toronto sports talk radio show the GM of the Blue Jays had to expect questions about how he planned to rectify those numbers.

One caller asked about a potential trade for Adam Dunn, the Reds slugger who has been the subject of many trade rumors. Ricciardi said he hit for a low average and struck out too much, leaving homers as his only selling point. The caller pointed out the Jays don't actually hit any homers (not adding that they also hit for mediocre average and strike out too much) and Ricciardi went loco.

"Do you know the guy doesn't really like baseball that much? Do you know the guy doesn't have a passion to play the game that much? How much do you know about the player? There's a reason why you're attracted to some players and there's a reason why you're not attracted to some players. I don't think you'd be very happy if we brought Adam Dunn here ... We've done our homework on guys like Adam Dunn and there's a reason why we don't want Adam Dunn. I don't want to get into specifics."

How much do you enjoy your job, J.P.? It's getting clearer and clearer that you aren't that interested in doing it anymore and this rant is just the latest example.

Without touching the question of whether or not Dunn would be a good fit for Toronto, what is Ricciardi thinking by going off like this? Just say "I don't feel comfortable commenting on specific players" and then don't make a move for him. Going off like this is highly unprofessional and if being too effusive in praise is tampering, this has to be some kind of anti-tampering.

As for Dunn's like of baseball, his lack of passion led him to miss all of 15 games over the last four seasons. He hit 166 home runs over that span so whatever his issues with average and whiffs, he's productive. Whatever his feelings about the game, I'd rather have a player who produces like Dunn and is indifferent toward baseball than Shannon Stewart, say, who may love the game but isn't very good at it.

(H/T BBTF)

Note to Banquet Planners: Don't Sit J.P. Ricciardi and Adam Dunn at the Same Table originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Agent: No Truth to Griffey-to-Rays Rumor

Matt Watson — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Reds, NL Central, MLB Rumors, Cincinnati

Over the weekend, Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated reported that Ken Griffey Jr. was "monitoring the surprising Tampa Bay Rays as a possible destination" should the Reds try to trade him. The rumor spread quickly among other news outlets ... but there's just one problem: it's apparently not true. Not only does Walt Jocketty claim he's not willing to start trading, but Griffey's agent completely has completly refuted the report. From MLB.com:

Griffey's agent, Brian Goldberg, told MLB.com on Sunday that he didn't know where the story came from.

"Nobody has mentioned anything to Junior or I," Goldberg said. "It's got to be a media member thinking out loud."

Goldberg added that no trade proposals have been brought to Griffey, who has 10-5 no-trade rights since he has at least 10 years of Major League service, including the past five with one team.

So is this rumor dead in the water? Maybe, maybe not. There's almost no chance that the Reds would exercise their $16.5 million option to bring Griffey back next year, so it'd be in their best interest to get something in return rather than letting him walk (and still be on the hook for a $4 million buyout). If the Reds haven't brought a trade proposal to Griffey just yet, they will at some point this summer.

Heck, even his teammates seem to think Griffey will be dealt -- check out Brandon Phillips' candid answers to Ken Rosenthal about how he's willing to assume Griffey's leadership position in the clubhouse should Griffey be traded.

The real question, though, is who would want him? He ranks 62nd in the NL among qualified batters with a .758 OPS -- as Rosenthal points out in the sidebar of the interview linked above, that trails the likes Cristian Guzman and Skip Schumaker. Is it really worth it to give up players and pay a prorated share of his $12.5 million salary this year for that kind of production?

Agent: No Truth to Griffey-to-Rays Rumor originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 16 Jun 2008 19:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Walt Jocketty Not Ready to Clean House

Matt Watson — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 16:59:00 EST

Filed under: Reds, NL Central, MLB Rumors, Cincinnati

Joel Sherman of the New York Post ran this blind item about the Reds in his Sunday column:

New Reds GM Walt Jocketty has told counterparts he wants to clean house, notably of free-agent-to-be outfielders Ken Griffey Jr. and Adam Dunn, plus Ryan Freel and - in the right deal -starter Bronson Arroyo.

Not surprisingly, Jocketty did his best to shoot down that rumor today:

"I don't where that came from," he said. "First of all, I'd would have never said clean house. It's not necessary. There's a strong possibility we'll have everyone till the end of the year. Dusty (Baker) and I are haven't been here that long. We're still evaluating the team. We haven't had the luxury of seeing everyone over a long period of time."

Sherman didn't cite any sources nor did he elaborate, so it's hard to judge the veracity of his claim. But even if Jocketty is telling the truth, his rationale doesn't hold water. We're supposed to believe that he's still "evaluating" Griffey, Dunn, Freel and Arroyo? Those four have a combined 40 years of experience, another few months of watching them up close won't tell Jocketty anything he doesn't already know, especially considering how much he's seen them play over the years from his days presiding over the division-rival Cardinals. He's walking a fine line between playing coy and being ridiculous.

Previously on FanHouse:
Junior Has His Eyes on Tampa

Walt Jocketty Not Ready to Clean House originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 16 Jun 2008 16:59:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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On Deck: Cream of the Crop

Mullet — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Boston, Dallas, New York, Philadelphia, Red Sox, Rangers, Mets, Phillies, Reds, Cardinals, Cincinnati, St. Louis

On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing baseball matchups.

Philadelphia Phillies (41-29) at St. Louis Cardinals (41-29) - 2:15 PM ET

Sometimes the best matchup of the day is so obvious that it smacks you in the face. The Phils and Cards are that matchup. Sure, it helps when it's at the top of the scoreboard because it's the only N.L. game of the bunch. But with both teams being 41-29 (the Phillies are four games in first place yet the Cardinals are three and a half behind first if you can believe that), and with the series going the way it is (the Phillies winning 20-2 the first game while the Cardinals come back to win a pitcher's duel one day later), this is definitely the game of the day. It's the game of the day even if today's starter Brett Myers has stunk up the joint this season.

Texas Rangers (34-35) at New York Mets (32-34) - 1:10 PM ET Doubleheader

Two games are always better than one, so this twinbill makes the cut. And it will be interesting to see how tired some of the Rangers will be after using the tarp as a slip n' slide during Saturday night's rainout. But the big question continues to be the day-to-day job status of Willie Randolph. If the Mets somehow get swept by the Rangers in today's DH, will Randolph even make the roadtrip to Anaheim and Colorado? As ridiculous as a day to day re-evaluation of someone's job seems, that's life in the big city.

Boston Red Sox (43-28) at Cincinnati Reds (33-37) - 1:15 PM ET

Other than the pitching duel between Josh Beckett and Homer Bailey, I want to see if any players demand that any home run balls that Ken Griffey Jr. may hit today be returned to Griffey for free. Most likely, nobody will care about these baseballs, but some are suggesting the guy who caught Griffey's 600th "do the right thing" and give the ball to Griffey, including Marlins outfielder Luis Gonzalez. Because heaven forbid anybody else besides players and owners make money off baseball. Tell you what: when a player listens to a fan who asks him to fore go extra millions to stay in the city he's been playing in instead of going to a new town as a free agent, then I'll expect fans to give away milestone home run balls to the players who hit them. Until then ...

Everyone else:

Dodgers at Tigers 1:05 ET
Padres at Indians 1:05 ET
Cubs at Blue Jays 1:07 ET
Pirates at Orioles 1:35 ET
Marlins at Rays 1:40 ET
Twins at Brewers 2:05 ET
Yankees at Astros 2:05 ET
Rockies at White Sox 2:05 ET
Athletics at Giants 4:05 ET
Royals at Diamondbacks 4:10 ET
Nationals at Mariners 4:10 ET
Braves at Angels 8:05 ET

On Deck: Cream of the Crop originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 15 Jun 2008 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Junior Has His Eyes on Tampa

Tom Fornelli — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 15:52:00 EST

Filed under: Rays, Reds, MLB Rumors, Cincinnati, Tampa Bay

Now that Ken Griffey Jr. has surpassed the 600 home run milestone, and the Reds are sitting in last place in the NL Central (though they're only three games under), if there's ever going to be a time when Cincinnati would trade Junior, this is it. Griffey has already gone on record as saying that he expects to be traded this season, but since he has a no-trade clause, he's going to have a say in where he's going.

One of those places Junior would consider? According to SI's Jon Heyman, Tampa is looking nice this time of year.

Now Griffey, a longtime resident of the Orlando, Fla., area, is telling friends he's monitoring the surprising Tampa Bay Rays as a possible destination for him, should the Reds decide to deal him.

Griffey, 39, has a no-trade clause but has told intimates that if the Rays stay in the race, he'd consider waiving his veto power to go home. Or close to home, anyway. Tampa is much nearer his Orlando-area residence than any other big-league city. Griffey's tony Isleworth community is about an hour from St. Petersburg, where the Rays play.

Tampa would be a good place for Junior since they are in the race, and they are located near Junior's home in Orlando, so he can be close with his family. It would also work for the Reds because they need pitching, and the Rays are an organization with a lot of young pitching they can move in such a deal.

As for the Rays, while I could understand their motive in bringing Junior to Florida, I'm not sure he'll be enough to help the team overcome Boston in the AL East this season. By making this deal the Rays may just end up giving up the young arms that can help them overcome Boston in the future for a three month rental at DH that's not going to be enough.

Junior Has His Eyes on Tampa originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sat, 14 Jun 2008 15:52:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MLB Essentials: JoePo on Junior

Matt Watson — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 16:15:00 EST

Filed under: Reds, MLB Fans, Cincinnati

MLB Essentials ranks our six favorite stories of the day.

1. Joe Posnanski: There have been a lot of articles written about Ken Griffey today; Joe's is the best.

2. Big League Stew: Catching up with the Mitchell Report All-Stars.

3. New York Times: Grading the best ballpark cuisine from coast to coast. (Bonus: Endless Simmer lists the best grub the NYT overlooked.)

4. Dugout Central: Does Bill James deserve a spot in the Hall of Fame?

5. Gem Mint Ten: Don't let anyone say you don't have the body of a professional athlete.

6. Surviving Grady: Sean Casey & Ric Flair = BFF. You just know Jonathan Papelbon has to be jealous.

MLB Essentials: JoePo on Junior originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 10 Jun 2008 16:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Litigious Fans Upset About Who Caught Junior's 600th Home Run Ball

Will Brinson — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Marlins, Reds, NL Central, MLB Fans, Cincinnati, MLB Biz, MLB Milestones

When a baseball record is broken, whatever items used in the breaking of said record usually become pretty valuable. In the case of home run balls, they are caught by fans and usually bartered back to the player, or occasionally sold on EBay or in private auctions.

Ken Griffey, Jr., hit his 600th home run last night and not only will the fan in possession of the ball not meet with Griffey, but there is also a dispute over who actually caught the ball.

25-year-old Justin Kimball, who lives in Miami, said he initially caught the ball, held on to it for at least two seconds and then had it snatched from his hands before he could drop to the floor and cradle it.

"It corroborates it on video evidence that I caught the ball, and I have a bunch of people here saying I caught the ball," said Kimball, pointing to scratches on his leg and arm. "I reached, I caught it, I brought it back and the guy just ripped it out of my hands."

Kimball's lawyer, Ariel Saban, made it to the game and said his client indeed caught the ball first. He had no comment on whether they would take any legal action.

And the guy that has the ball now is named "Joe" (for security reasons) and he has "plans" for the ball. Which do not include turning it over to Griffey immediately. I have several problems with how all of this is shaking out.

First, what is this guy's lawyer doing at the game? I know there are tons of Marlins fans out there, but he just happened to be there to make a statement for the guy who claims to have the ball but really doesn't? Come on.

Secondly, if you don't come down with the ball, you don't own the ball. Filing that lawsuit would be frivolous and embarrassing and really only prove that you do not have the strength to hold onto a baseball. Welcome to America, Justin.

And finally, Joe, just give the ball to Junior. If this were Barry Bonds, I say extort him for all he's worth (or as much as he'll be willing to pay you, which will be a sandbagged number). But this is Ken Griffey, Jr. By all accounts the nicest guy you could meet and certainly our generation's smiling epitome of what makes the game great. Just give it up, man. Get a signed bat or jersey in return and let's all move on.

Via FanIQ

Litigious Fans Upset About Who Caught Junior's 600th Home Run Ball originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 10 Jun 2008 12:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What if Ken Griffey Jr. Never Got Hurt?

Pat Lackey — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 01:15:00 EST

Filed under: Reds, NL Central, Cincinnati, The Word

Tonight, Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 600th career home run. That's a great accomplishment, but it's not as great as it could be. That got me thinking a little bit. What would be happening right now if Junior stayed healthy?

September 19th, 2000- Nursing his first hamstring injury, Griffey hits a pinch-hit home run in the ninth inning off of Livan Hernandez. On his way out of the park that night, he spies a penny lying face down in the parking lot. He thinks, "See a penny, pick it up, and all day you'll have good luck." As he bends down, Pokey Reese kicks it out of his way and screams, "DAMMIT, JUNIOR! Face down pennies are bad luck! Are you an idiot?" Pokey's shove causes Griffey to further injure his already ailing hamstring As a result, Griffey doesn't try to play on it to end the year and fully rehabs it over the winter.

2001- Griffey cruises into 2001 refreshed and at full-strength. He smashes 11 homers in April and never looks back. He can't keep pace with Barry Bonds, but he does improve in his second year in the NL and he hits 44 home runs and his career total sits at 482. As for the Reds? They win 71 games.

2002- A healthy Griff smacks 42 homers, becoming the youngest player to 500 in history, and the Reds finish second in the NL Central, though well behind Bonds' Giants for the wild card. He sits at 524 homers months before his 33rd birthday.

2003- This is where things get crazy. Great American Ballpark opens and Junior bashes 30 home runs in seventy games, setting the league abuzz with a potential run at Bonds's record of 73. Desperate to save his job, Jim Bowden trades Griffey to the Cubs for Corey Patterson, Bobby Hill, and Matt Clement. Griffey continues to flourish in Chicago, ending the season with 64 home runs (588 total). Unfortunately, the trade of Clement leaves Shawn Estes pitching big playoff innings. The Cubs win the National League pennant, but lose to the Red Sox in a six game Armageddon World Series. They played the Red Sox because the Yankees acquired Aramis Ramirez from a Pirate team desperate to dump payroll to replace a struggling Aaron Boone at third at the trade deadline (another effect: A-Rod never leaves Texas). In Game 7 of the ALCS, Ramirez whiffed mightily on a Tim Wakefield knuckle ball and the Red Sox won the game in the fourteenth inning.

2004- Griffey belts 52 homers, cruising past the 600 barrier on May 2nd, 2004 at the relatively young age of 34. He joins only Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, and Barry Bonds in the 600 club. The Cubs edge the Astros for the Wild Card, but lose to the juggernaut Cardinals' in the NLCS. Griffey finishes the season up with 640 bombs.

2005- Griffey's age slowly starts to catch up to him, just as the Cubs' pitching falls apart. Junior belts only 39 home runs (for a total of 679) as the Cubs finish below .500. Whispers out of Wrigley indicate that he's looking for a trade to a contender, as the Cubs future looks bleak unless they plan on dropping $300 million or so on free agents in the near future.

2006- The Cubs plummet into the depths of the NL Central, but Griffey gets off to a great start, hitting 23 home runs before the All-Star Break. His 21st, on June 20th, makes him the third member of the 700 Club. During the break, Hendry trades him to the Dodgers for Andy LaRoche, Matt Kemp, and two fringe prospects. The strange teaming means that Griffey's first appearance in Dodger Blue is actually at the All-Star Game. The deal sets the Cubs for a World Series title in 2011. Griffey, meanwhile, puts the Dodgers over top, despite seeing a serious drop in power due to the move to Chavez Ravine. He only hits 14 home runs after the break, but he helps the Dodgers to 92 wins and the NL West title. In the first round, they easily handle the struggling Cardinals, then shock the Mets in seven games in the NLCS and beat the Tigers in the World Series in five games when their pitching staff forgets how to throw the ball to first base. The night after his World Series win, the front window of Griffey's house is broken with a brick. The culprit is never caught, though the words, "I hate you. BB25" are scrawled on the rock in orange and black letters. Bill Plaschke's head explodes while writing a gleeful column excoriating Paul DePodesta and praising Ned Colletti for acquiring Junior.

2007- An aging Junior hits 30 home runs, bringing his career total to 746. The Dodgers just miss the playoffs, finishing a game behind the Rockies and Padres for the Wild Card.

June 9, 2008- With his tenth home run of the year, Ken Griffey Jr. hits his 756th home run to pass Hank Aaron and move into second place on the all-time list. He is a mere seven home runs away from tying Barry Bonds' all-time record of 762. Barry Bonds sues Major League Baseball for collusion, alleging that no team will sign him because the league wants his record broken. The Supreme Court throws out Bonds' lawsuit with Chief Justice Roberts citing the little-known "America Hates Jerks" clause that he says is the underlying basis of the Constitution. This is crap, but no one seems to mind.

What if Ken Griffey Jr. Never Got Hurt? originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 10 Jun 2008 01:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ken Griffey Jr. Hits Home Run Number 600

Pat Lackey — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 21:46:00 EST

Filed under: Reds, NL Central, MLB Video, Cincinnati, MLB Milestones

It's been ten days since Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 599th home run. In the interim, it seems like most of the focus has been on how he didn't hit number six hundred right away, how the public seems to be ignoring the feat because of the cheapening of the number by steroids, and how he would've been here years ago if not for his injuries. All those things are true, and they're all unfair.

Tonight, Ken Griffey Jr. launched his 600th home run into the stands on a pitch from Florida's Mark Hendrickson. Maybe 600 has been a long time coming for Junior, but it's still an awesome feat for a guy with the most iconic swing of this generation. If you're between the ages of 20 and 30, you're lying if you say you never tried to mimic Junior's swing in your backyard (I did, and I'm right-handed).

It's time to give credit where credit is due. Despite years of injuries and lots of home runs in recent years, Ken Griffey Jr. is one of the greatest home run hitters of all-time. This milestone took longer than anyone expected, but he's at 600 with Bonds, Aaron, Ruth, Mays, and Sosa. It's an exclusive club, and it's one Junior belongs to. Follow along after the jump to see the video of Griffey's historic blast (video via FanIQ).

Ken Griffey Jr. Hits Home Run Number 600 originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 09 Jun 2008 21:46:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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On Deck: Friar Luck

Mullet — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Miami, New York, Yankees, Royals, Marlins, Mets, Reds, Padres, Cincinnati, San Diego

On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing baseball matchups.

New York Mets (30-31) at San Diego Padres (27-37) - 4:05 PM ET

The Padres did something over the last four games that nobody in the majors had ever done before. They won four straight games by the score of 2-1. Even for a team that can't score, that's an amazing stat considering the Padres have lost more of these games than they've won, and more amazing that not one of those games went 25 innings. Scott Hairston has been a big help over the last couple ... making a huge diving catch with the bases loaded on Friday, and hitting the walk-off home run on Saturday.

The Mets meanwhile have to live with the sting of losing three straight to a team that was 13 games under .500 coming into this series. How long before the turk starts knocking on Willie Randolph's door again?

Kansas City Royals (24-38) at New York Yankees (31-31) - 1:05 PM ET

Speaking of things you don't often see, Saturday's Royals/Yankees game featured some oddities ... like Mariano Rivera giving up a bomb on his first pitch ... or Johnny Damon going 6-for-6 including the walk off hit in the Yankees' 12-11 victory. Today, it's Joba Chamberlain's second start as a Yankee. It'll be interesting ... and not in the "this is the most significant event in the history of baseball" kinda way, but in the "if he gets pulled in the third inning how long will it be before he goes back to the bullpen" kinda way.

Cincinnati Reds (30-33) at Florida Marlins (33-28) - 1:10 PM ET

You mean Ken Griffey Jr. still hasn't hit HR number 600? You know, I'm not a conspiracy theorist, and I know that Griff, albeit sparingly, has played since hitting HR number 599. But after all of the hubbub about Barry Bonds and his wanting to hit milestone HR's at home to the point where there were whispers of him taking "time off" to make sure he got some rest before a homestand, I'm wondering that Junior, now that he's close, is even going to play today or tomorrow before they go back to Cincinnati to play the Cardinals.

Everyone else:

Indians at Tigers 1:05 ET
Orioles at Blue Jays 1:07 ET
Phillies at Braves 1:35 ET
Mariners at Red Sox 1:35 ET
Diamondbacks at Pirates 1:35 ET
Giants at Nationals 1:35 ET
Cardinals at Astros 2:05 ET
Twins at White Sox 2:05 ET
Brewers at Rockies 3:05 ET
Angels at Athletics 4:05 ET
Rays at Rangers 5:10 ET
Cubs at Dodgers 8:05 ET

On Deck: Friar Luck originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 08 Jun 2008 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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