MLB FanHouse

J.J. Hardy Traded for Carlos Gomez

Matt Snyder — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:25:00 EST

Filed under: Brewers, Twins, AL Central, NL Central, MLB Transactions

It was no secret J.J. Hardy was likely going to be traded this offseason, but most believed the Brewers would use him to acquire some desperately needed starting pitching help. Instead, they have opted to move him to Minnesota for a young center fielder -- Carlos Gomez.

Hardy, 27, fell out of favor with the Brewers this past season as he failed to meet his previously set offensive standards. He ended the season with an abysmal .659 OPS and the Brewers have uber-prospect Alcides Escobar waiting in the wings (he hit .304 in 38 big-league games last season). Thus, it made sense to move Hardy, who did hit 50 home runs in his previous two campaigns, for help elsewhere.

Hardy will slide into the starting shortstop role for the Twins, who are now almost certain to allow Orlando Cabrera to walk as a free agent.

With the emergence of Denard Span in center for Minnesota, Gomez -- who came over as part of the Johan Santana trade -- became expendable for the Twins. The 23-year-old speedster hit just .248 with a .293 on-base percentage in his two years for the Twins. He flashed some promise at times, racking up impressive stolen base totals and several triples, but he largely disappointed at the plate.

Still, he's only going to be 24 on Opening Day, 2010, and the Brewers can plug him into center field in place of most-likely-departing Mike Cameron. Gomez makes much more sense for the Brewers than Cameron anyway, considering his age and the fact that the Brewers already have enough power. They need table-setters. If Gomez can find a way to work his OBP up to the .350 (or more) range, he'll be a very valuable cog in the Milwaukee lineup.

Both teams have a bit more work to do, but the World Series just ended Wednesday. For now, this is a good, mutually-beneficial trade to kick off Hot Stove season for each.

J.J. Hardy Traded for Carlos Gomez originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Rays Trade Akinori Iwamura to Pittsburgh for Reliever Jesse Chavez

Pat Lackey — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:56:00 EST

Filed under: Pirates, Rays, AL East, NL Central

In a surprising piece of mid-World Series news, the Tampa Bay Rays and Pittsburgh Pirates have agreed to a trade this afternoon. Tampa will send second baseman Akinori Iwamura to the Pirates in return for relief pitcher Jesse Chavez. According to the same report by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (who broke news of the Pirates' involvement in the trade after the St. Petersburg Times first reported an Iwamura trade this afternoon), no cash or other players are involved.

Iwamura, 30, is due $4.25 million in 2010 and the emergence of Ben Zobrist makes that a price the Rays clearly weren't eager to pay for a player who'd likely be a utility man for them in '10. The Pirates, however, are looking to add payroll after cleaning house last year and have a gaping hole at second base, so Iwamura is a logical addition for them.

Chavez was one of the Pirates' most reliable relievers last year. That may sound like damning with faint praise, but he improved his control (he only walked 2.9 batters per nine innings, down from his 3.3 BB/9 average in the minors and his 5.4 BB/9 rate with the Pirates in 2008) and was very good early in the year before hitting a rough patch in July and August.

Tampa, though, can use relievers and Chavez is only 26 and under team control for five more seasons, so he's a solid option for them. So the Pirates get a second baseman that they need, the Rays clear out some payroll and get an extra arm. It seems like the trade works for both sides, except that it weakens an already bad bullpen in Pittsburgh. Given their 99 losses in 2009, though, the Pirates probably have other needs to address before worrying about the bullpen

Rays Trade Akinori Iwamura to Pittsburgh for Reliever Jesse Chavez originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:56:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

The Dugout: The Cubs Get Ricketts

B. Thompson Stroud — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 23:15:00 EST

Filed under: Cubs, NL Central, The Dugout

The Chicago Cubs have finally won. They've got a new owner who isn't afraid to go straight to the local media and announce that the Cubs are going to the World Series. Boastful words, considering that the Cubs haven't even made it to the playoffs since Abraham Lincoln was in office. But it's just this sort of powerful, positive thinking that can do wonders for a ballclub, and as far as baby steps go, this is a pretty freaking big baby.

The transcript of Tom Ricketts being prideful before another season full of "every Cubs season" is after the jump.

The Dugout

	Online Host Welcome to the Wrigley Field Chatroom!
	LuckyRickett: GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE MY NAME IS TOM RICKETTS AND MY FAMILY HAS JUST PURCHASED THE EFF STAR STAR STARRING CHICAGO CUBS
	LuckyRickett: OUR ONE YEAR GOAL: 1. ??? 2. WIN THE WORLD SERIES
	LuckyRickett: I WILL NOW FIELD QUESTIONS
	Reporter: Yes, hi, my first question: why are you yelling at us
	LuckyRickett: I'M NOT YELLING, THIS IS HOW WE TYPE LETTERS AT INCAPITAL LLC.
	LuckyRickett: WE DO SERIOUS, HIGH-LEVEL INVESTMENT BANKING FOR TOP SHELF CLIENTS, ALTHOUGH SOMETIMES WE WILL TAKE A LOWER CASE
	Reporter: Okay. My second question is-
	LuckyRickett: IS YOUR SECOND QUESTION ABOUT THE GOAT, BECAUSE I BET IT'S ABOUT THE GOAT
	Reporter: Yeah! There's this goat, and because of this goat, we can't win the World Series! What are you going to do about this goat!
	LuckyRickett: I UNDERSTAND THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS OF THE CUBS FAN. MY FAMILY, WE'RE ALL CUBS FANS. I MET MY WIFE IN THE WRIGLEY FIELD BLEACHERS.
	LuckyRickett: SHE KEPT YELLING "WOO" AT ME, AND WE'VE BEEN PITCHING IT EVER SINCE
	Reporter: but this goat
	LuckyRickett: I THINK THE GOAT WOULD BE LESS OF A PROBLEM IF ANYONE HERE THOUGHT POSITIVELY FOR MORE THAN TWO MONTHS AT A TIME
	Reporter: Hi, I've got a question. Are you aware that your last name is homonymous with a malnutrition bone disease?
	LuckyRickett: I AM AWARE OF THAT, YES
	Reporter: and are you aware that from 1994 to 2006, our President and CEO had the word "fail" in his last name?
	LuckyRickett: YES
	Reporter: and that the guy working the interim after him had "dunno" in his last name
	LuckyRickett: WHAT IS YOUR POINT
	Reporter: I was wondering if at any point in my lifetime the Cubs weren't going to be run by a guy who didn't immediately remind me of failure, confusion, or imminent death
	LuckyRickett: AS I'VE SAID, THE CUBS WILL BE RUN BY COMMITTEE, INCLUDING PETE, TOM, LAURA, AND TODD RICKETTS, SO EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK, YOU'RE GETTING RICKETTS
	LuckyRickett: AND IT'S NOT JUST THE FAMILY, I WILL BE HANGING ON THE EVERY WORD OF MY SPECIAL ASSISTANTS, SUCH AS ED LYNCH
	LuckyRickett: HE WILL BE JOINED BY SENIOR ADVISOR JOE FLOUNDER, BASEBALL INFORMANT EDUARDO LOS ONEHUNDREDGAMES, AND COOKIE! THE CLOWN WHO NEVER GOT TO LEAD THE GRAND MARCH ON THE BOZO SHOW
	Reporter: and you're SURE you're going to win the World Series this year
	LuckyRickett: YES, IT IS A 100% STATISTICAL CERTAINTY, UNLESS THE YANKEES OR THE PHILLIES OR SOMEONE ELSE WINS IT FIRST
	Reporter: I've got a question - earlier you mentioned positivity... how can we be positive after 101 years of disappointment?
	LuckyRickett: BY FOLLOWING MY THREE STEP PLAN FOR INSTANT POSITIVITY
	LuckyRickett: STEP ONE - KEEP OUR PARK NAMED "WRIGLEY FIELD." WE AREN'T CORPORATE SELL OUTS LIKE SOME TEAMS BECAUSE SERIOUSLY, WHO WANTS TO PLAY IN HUBBA BUBBA STADIUM OR THE GUSHERS DOME
	LuckyRickett: STEP TWO - KILL MILTON BRADLEY WITH A BATTLE AX AND BURN HIS REMAINS
	LuckyRickett: STEP THREE - I AM GOING TO STARE AT THIS GOAT UNTIL IT DIES
	LuckyRickett: OH AND STEP FOUR, WIN THE WORLD SERIES. IT IS A FOUR STEP PLAN
	Reporter: How do you expect to get these ideas across to your team?
	LuckyRickett: BY SURROUNDING MYSELF WITH PEOPLE WHO KNOW HOW TO COMMUNICATE
	PiniellaOnTheDonkey: GOD DAMMIT TOMMY I BEEN CUSSING THIS GOAT OUT FOR 45 MINUTES AND HE WON'T DIE
	LuckyRickett: NO YOU'RE JUST SUPPOSED TO STARE AT IT
	PiniellaOnTheDonkey: THANK CHRIST "STARE" AND "SCREAM" AT THE ONLY TWO SPEEDS I GO
	Online Host SteakGrowsOnDmitri has entered the chatroom.
	SteakGrowsOnDmitri: uhhh scu me
	LuckyRickett: YES, CAN I HELP YOU
	SteakGrowsOnDmitri: i google "gusher" an "dome" an it brung me to this chat room
	SteakGrowsOnDmitri: ay anybody gon eat this goat

Photos link to player info. (Photo Credit: Getty Images) WordUpThome.com

The Dugout: The Cubs Get Ricketts originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 23:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

The Dugout: Return Of the Mac

B. Thompson Stroud — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:45:00 EST

Filed under: Cardinals, NL Central, The Dugout

Whoever was just hired as the hitting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals, raise your hand. All right, you in the suit. Tell us how you got the job. What? You don't want to talk about it? Hey that seems pretty weird!

Yes, 2010 will see the return of shadowy figure Mark McGwire to Major League Baseball. He should use his influence to get the Cards to sign Sammy Sosa and Barry Bonds to coaching deals as well, and everyone in St. Louis can root for a ball club instructed by the Monstars.

Today's Dugout is after the jump.

The Dugout

	Online Host Welcome to the St. Louis Cardinals Batting Practice Chatroom!
	SonOfJorEl: so what do I do if I'm up against a fastball pitcher?
	TheGwire: What do you mean? Isn't he going to intentionally walk you? Just don't swing the bat. Then they let you walk to first.
	SonOfJorEl: I... I don't think so? I mean why would he-
	TheGwire: Okay, uh, if you don't want to do that, why don't you just try swinging as hard as you can at everything?
	SonOfJorEl: I'm sorry, Mr. McGwire, I'm trying to learn, honest I am, but not all of us are buit like a Tackleberry from Police Academy action figure
	SonOfJorEl: Do you have any actual advice about hitting?
	TheGwire: Here, turn around. I'm going to stick this in your butt.
	SonOfJorEl: ... ?
	TheGwire: /makes "turn around" gesture with syringe'd hand
	SonOfJorEl: I dunno Mr. McGwire, I don't think I should be -
	TheGwire: Oh stop whining, this is legal.
	SonOfJorEl: well all right /turns around
	TheGwire: and by "legal" I mean "legal right now," because Major League Baseball doesn't know about it. Say ahh! /jabs needle into butt
	SonOfJorEl: wait what were you saying about the AUGHHH
	Online Host SonOfJorEl has been injected with a substance, but you don't have any proof that he has been so unless your judge jury executionar why don't you just shut up
	TheGwire: There, that should do the trick.
	SonOfJorEl: What exactly did you stick me with, anyway?
	TheGwire: it's a product of my own design, we call it "Niceanhappodrine"
	SonOfJorEl: Oh, that sounds pleasant! /sniffs and it smells like Mistletoe Yankee Candle!
	TheGwire: Balsam and Cedar, actually. Yeah, me and Canseco discovered this during a deep sea fishing trip back in '87, we've been using it ever since.
	SonOfJorEl: you and who now
	TheGwire: Jose bet me that he could dive into the briney deep and crush a living fish to death with his spinal erectors
	TheGwire: I said that was total horsesh** so of course Jose gnashes a bowie knife between his teeth and dives into the sea in his boxer briefs to prove me wrong
	SonOfJorEl: why was he in his underwear
	TheGwire: bout fourteen minutes later Jose surfaces wearing the skin of a manatee and brandishing this gigantic f***ed up snapping turtle
	TheGwire: long story short, we siphoned the contents of that beast's lower abdomen into mason jars
	TheGwire: man, the eighties were a fun and exciting time
	SonOfJorEl: I was eight years old, please just tell me how to hit a baseball
	TheGwire: Oh, sorry. With this gunk in your bloodstream you should be able to bunt into the upper deck
	SonOfJorEl: why do you call it "niceanhappodrine"
	TheGwire: because if we called it "erodes your frenulum and turns you into the Cloverfield monster" nobody would let us stick them with it
	Online Host LaRussasOnFire has entered the chatroom.
	LaRussasOnFire: Hey Khalil, how's batting practice going?
	SonOfJorEl: /projectile vomits
	LaRussasOnFire: That's about what I expected. Mark! How's your first day on the job going so far?
	TheGwire: I'm not here to talk about the past.
	LaRussasOnFire: oh, sorry. How is your SECOND day on the job GOING to go?
	TheGwire: Great! I'm going to teach Albert Pujols about the benefits of taking off for 80 to 90 games per season
	LaRussasOnFire: Excellent. Hey, when you're doing with Khalil, would you mind helping out Nick Stavinoha? He's really awful.
	TheGwire: do you want me to inject him with something?
	LaRussasOnFire: No, not necessarily.
	TheGwire: do you want me to hug him after I hit a home run?
	LaRussasOnFire: No.
	TheGwire: do you want me to not talk about him?
	LaRussasOnFire: no
	TheGwire: sorry skip, those are the only things I know how to do. /shrugs shoulders, tears entire back in half

Photos link to player info. (Photo Credit: Getty Images) WordUpThome.com

The Dugout: Return Of the Mac originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Mark McGwire Cards' New Hitting Coach

Pat Lackey — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 16:18:00 EST

Filed under: Cardinals, NL Central

Mark McGwire will end his baseball exile and accept a position with the St. Louis Cardinals as their hitting coach, a Cardinals source confirmed to FanHouse's Ed Price Sunday afternoon. He'll replace Hal McRae, who's held the position for five years. The story initially appeared on Brian McRae's Twitter account, though it's since been deleted.

McGwire played 4 1/2 seasons with St. Louis, in which he hit 220 home runs and briefly set the single-season MLB record with his 70 homers in 1998. Of course, since then he's been surrounded by steroid rumors and has more or less dropped entirely off of the baseball radar after his Congressional testimony in 2005.

This news seems to make it pretty clear that Tony La Russa, who's been close with McGwire after managing him both in Oakland and St. Louis, should be back in 2010 as the Cardinals manager. There was initially some question about that, but a report by Joe Strauss Sunday morning pointed pretty strongly towards La Russa's return. It's hard to imagine any way McGwire accepts this job without La Russa in St. Louis.

What will be interesting is how the private McGwire handles his return to the baseball spotlight. He must know that by accepting this position, he's going to have to do some talking about the past, so to speak. Though, by announcing the hiring early, the Cardinals are probably hoping most of that dies down by the time the team is ready for spring training next February.

Mark McGwire Cards' New Hitting Coach originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 25 Oct 2009 16:18:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Indians Hire Manny Acta as Manager

Pat Lackey — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 15:56:00 EST

Filed under: Astros, Indians, AL Central, NL Central

The Cleveland Indians announced Sunday afternoon that they've hired Manny Acta as their manager. They also interviewed Bobby Valentine, Torey Lovullo, and Ron Roenicke, while Acta also interviewed for and reportedly rejected the Houston Astros managerial position.

Acta was fired by the Washington Nationals just before this year's All-Star Game after a 26-61 start and a 158-252 record over 2 1/2 seasons in D.C. The interest shown by both the Astros and Indians seems to indicate pretty clearly that teams aren't holding his ugly record over that span against him, though, and he's quickly going to have a chance to rehabilitate his reputation now that he's got another job.

Acta has long been a favorite of the sabermetric crowd (dig out your copy of Baseball Prospectus 2008 or see here for a brief explanation of how his use of defensive shifts and matchups helped cover for his terrible pitching staff in his first season in Washington), and so it makes sense that he'd be a favorite of Mark Shapiro, who certainly has a reputation as a statistically-oriented GM.

It's hard to believe the choice will be popular in Cleveland, though, given Acta's recent history in Washington. Shapiro's public approval is pretty low after the Indians' failure to follow up on their ALCS appearance in 2007 and if Acta can't turn the ship around quickly, this hiring is probably going to be viewed in a negative light.

No pressure, Manny Acta. Just turn a 97-loss team into a contender or face the wrath of Cleveland.

Indians Hire Manny Acta as Manager originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 25 Oct 2009 15:56:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Brewers Hot in Pursuit of Rick Peterson

Matt Snyder — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:55:00 EST

Filed under: Brewers, NL Central, MLB Rumors

Only the Washington Nationals had a worse team ERA than the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL this past season. Brewers' starters were the worst in the entire major leagues, sporting a pathetic 5.37 ERA. Obviously, something needs to be done for a team with such a high-powered offense, in order to remain competitive.

Thus, the Brewers are reportedly making a strong push for respected pitching coach Rick Peterson. Peterson has worked with former A's and current Brewers manager Ken Macha in the past, as he was in Oakland from 1998-2003, where he oversaw the development of All-Stars Barry Zito, Tim Hudson and Mark Mulder. He then took a job with the Mets -- which didn't turn out near as well and concluded during the 2008 season.

The Brewers lost former pitching coach Mike Maddux to the Rangers prior to 2009, and the results for both the Rangers' and Brewers' respective pitching staffs was evident. Thus, the Brewers are reportedly strongly zeroing in on bringing in Peterson to help shore up the staff -- namely the starting rotation. They appear confident the signing will take place very soon.

Despite the tumultuous ending in New York, Peterson is still known to be a solid developer of mechanics in young hurlers, so his hiring would be a good one for Milwaukee. Yovani Gallardo, the 23-year-old ace of the Brewers, has the stuff to be an elite pitcher. Manny Parra, 26, endured an awful 2009 after a promising 2008. He's far too young and has far too much talent to not benefit from the presence of a pitching coach like Peterson. Even the veterans could use a hand, as Jeff Suppan, Dave Bush and Braden Looper (after leaving St. Louis and the tutelage of Dave Duncan) were all drastically worse in 2009 than they were in 2008.

Brewers Hot in Pursuit of Rick Peterson originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Huston Street and Ryan Howard Illustrate The Closer Fallacy

Pat Lackey — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:41:00 EST

Filed under: Phillies, Rockies, NL Central, NL West, National League Division Series

Let's start by looking at two stat lines. Some of you have probably already guessed where I'm going with this, but bear with me.

Player A: .319/.395/.691, 1 HR/11.56 plate appearances
Player B: .207/.298/.356, 1 HR/37 plate appearances

If you haven't already figured it out, both of those players are Ryan Howard. "Player A" is Howard against righties in 2009 and "Player B" is Howard against lefties in 2009. To simplify, Ryan Howard is Albert Pujols against righties and David Eckstein against lefties. So why does no one question Jim Tracy's decision to leave right-hander Huston Street in the game to face Howard with the Rockies' season on the line?

The answer, of course, is that Street is Colorado's "closer." The Rockies were winning 4-2, so Street had to be on the mound. It was Tracy that made the decision to not bring Joe Beimel (the only remaining lefty in the Rockies' bullpen) in to face Howard, but I'm willing to bet you could count on one hand (or maybe even no hands), the managers in baseball that would've made that move.

Watching the post-game coverage tonight, not one on-air analyst or reporter is questioning Tracy's decision to stick with Street. He probably won't take much heat for the move in the Denver papers tomorrow. That's all because sticking with your "closer" is what's done in baseball.

Now flip the situation around; imagine that Tracy had brought Beimel in to face Howard. Beimel's a decent but not great reliever with a slight platoon split. If he had given up the hit to Howard, everyone would be frothing at the mouth over Tracy's decision without even mentioning Howard's platoon split. In fact, people would probably be questioning the move even if Beimel had gotten Howard out, because that's how out of place the move would've seemed.

Maybe using Beimel against Howard isn't a slam dunk move given the history between the two (Howard is 3-for-10 with a double, a triple, and a homer), but Howard's platoon split is still about as big as it gets and if it's not an easy decision, it's one at least worth thinking about. It's telling that no one has even mentioned the thought of pulling Street for a lefty against Howard. It's not even part of the discussion.

Closers are an ingrained part of baseball, but the Rockies and Red Sox were eliminated by blown saves and the Twins and Cardinals both had their chances to win crippled by them. Why is it so crazy to rethink this model a little bit?

Huston Street and Ryan Howard Illustrate The Closer Fallacy originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:41:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

John Smoltz Wants to Remain a Cardinal, Should He Decide to Play in 2010

Matt Snyder — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 22:05:00 EST

Filed under: Cardinals, NL Central, MLB Rumors

John Smoltz completed his 21st major league season Saturday night when the Cardinals were swept out of the NLDS by the Los Angeles Dodgers. As of now, the 42-year-old hurler does not plan on it being his last.

Smoltz told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that he'll need some more time to fully evaluate whether or not he'll come back to pitch in 2010, but his initial thought is that he will.

"As of right now," he said. "I plan to."

He's holding off on making the final decision because he doesn't want to become one of "those guys" -- the ones who waffle back and forth on a retirement decision. Thus, Smoltz expects to sign late in the free-agency period, should be decide to pitch again in 2010. He'll turn 43 during the season.

He did express his desire to remain with the Cardinals, as long as the deal would be "mutually agreeable."

Smoltz has compiled a resume that will likely land him in Cooperstown five years after he decides to hang up the cleats for good. He's the only player in major league history to save more than 150 games and also collect more than 200 career wins. He's also surpassed the vaunted 3,000-strikeout barrier. He's been to the All-Star game eight times and won a Cy Young. Most of all, though, Smoltz has cemented his legacy as an all-timer in the playoffs. His career postseason record is 15-4 with a 2.67 ERA and 1.14 WHIP.

Smoltz struggled with Boston in 2009, but seemed to feel back at home in the National League when he was acquired by the Cardinals, piecing together a few solid outings. There is a little something left in the tank, but not a ton. If he does come, it's pretty likely it would be for one last hurrah.

John Smoltz Wants to Remain a Cardinal, Should He Decide to Play in 2010 originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 11 Oct 2009 22:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

2009 MLB Postseason Schedule

Pat Lackey — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 17:20:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Cardinals, Dodgers, Phillies, Red Sox, Rockies, Twins, Yankees, AL Central, AL East, AL West, NL Central, NL East, NL West, MLB Playoffs, American League Division Series, National League Division Series

With two series over, Major League Baseball has updated the schedule for the rest of the Division Series.

The Rockies and Phillies will play their Game 4 at 4 PM ET if the Yankees-Twins series is still going on. Should the Yankees finish off a sweep Sunday night, the NL Game would move to 6 PM ET.

Series-by-series times are after the jump (all times Eastern).

Minnesota Twins vs. New York Yankees:

Game 1- Twins at Yankees, 10/7, 6:07 PM, TBS
Game 2- Twins at Yankees, 10/9, 6:07 PM, TBS
Game 3- Yankees at Twins, 10/11, 7:07 PM, TBS
Game 4- Yankees at Twins, 10/12, 7:37 PM, if necessary, TBS
Game 5- Twins at Yankees, 10/14, 8:07 PM, if necessary, TBS

Boston Red Sox vs. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Game 1- Red Sox at Angels, 10/8, 9:37 PM, TBS
Game 2- Red Sox at Angels, 10/9, 9:37 PM, TBS
Game 3- Angels at Red Sox, 10/11, 12:07 PM, TBS

St. Louis Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

Game 1- Cardinals at Dodgers, 10/7, 9:37 PM, TBS
Game 2- Cardinals at Dodgers, 10/8, 6:07 PM, TBS
Game 3- Dodgers at Cardinals, 10/10, 6:07 PM,TBS

Colorado Rockies vs. Philadelphia Phillies

Game 1- Rockies at Phillies, 10/7, 2:37 PM, TBS
Game 2- Rockies at Phillies, 10/8, 2:37 PM, TBS
Game 3- Phillies at Rockies, 10/11, 10:07 PM,TBS
Game 4- Phillies at Rockies, 10/12, 6:07 PM (7:37 PM if AL still going), TBS
Game 5- Rockies at Phillies, 10/13, 8:07 PM, if necessary TBS

AL Championship Series

Game 1-Angels at Yankees or Twins at Angels, 10/16, Fox
Game 2-Angels at Yankees or Twins at Angels, 10/17, Fox
Game 3-Yankees at Angels or Angels at Twins, 10/19, Fox
Game 4-Yankees at Angels or Angels at Twins, 10/20, Fox
Game 5-Yankees at Angels or Angels at Twins, 10/22, if necessary, Fox
Game 6-Angels at Yankees or Twins at Angels, 10/24, if necessary, Fox
Game 7-Angels at Yankees or Twins at Angels, 10/25, if necessary, Fox

NL Championship Series

Game 1-Rockies or Phillies at Dodgers, 10/15, TBS
Game 2-Rockies or Phillies at Dodgers, 10/16, TBS
Game 3-Dodgers at Rockies or Philliies, 10/18, TBS
Game 4-Dodgers at Rockies or Philliies, 10/19, TBS
Game 5-Dodgers at Rockies or Philliies, 10/21, if necessary, TBS
Game 6-Rockies or Phillies at Dodgers, 10/23, if necessary, TBS
Game 7-Rockies or Phillies at Dodgers, 10/24, if necessary, TBS

2009 MLB Postseason Schedule originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 11 Oct 2009 17:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Could Rays, Pat Burrell Be Avenue for Cubs to Trade Milton Bradley?

Matt Snyder — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 20:50:00 EST

Filed under: Cubs, Rays, AL East, NL Central, MLB Rumors

While we're far from trading season -- the Red Sox and Angels haven't even started their ALDS -- winds are swirling in the Windy City because of the presence of resident albatross Milton Bradley. Bradley signed a three-year contract worth $30 million this past offseason with the Cubs and did everything he could during the regular season to make general manager Jim Hendry realize the signing was the biggest mistake of his tenure. Thus, the Cubs aren't exactly being secretive about their desire to trade him as soon as is humanly possible.

Might they look to another outfielder who has quickly fallen out of favor with his team after signing a lucrative deal? The Tampa Bay Rays have shown interest in Bradley in the past, and they could look to deal Pat Burrell after his disastrous 2009 season.

Of course, this situation is far too ideal for the Cubs for it to be a straight up deal. Burrell only has one more year on his contract and he makes less money, on average, per year than Bradley. The Rays aren't exactly the Yankees, so they'd have to be pretty convinced the trade would work to take on the excess salary. Plus, Burrell -- while so laid-back it comes off as apathy at times -- isn't exactly the clubhouse cancer Bradley is. Annoying teammates with a seeming lack of effort or desire is a lot different than outwardly antagonizing teammates, managers, executives, local media and fans.

So, don't expect the deal to be a straight up player-for-player swap.

Bradley had one of the worst seasons of his mercurial career, hitting .257 with 12 home runs and 40 RBI in 124 games. The .775 OPS was his worst since 2002. His defense was suspect as well, but the majority of the problems had to do with his attitude. He was suspended for the remainder of the season with 15 games left due to his constant sideshows.

Burrell also had one of his worst seasons. He set or tied career lows with 16 doubles, 14 home runs, 64 RBI, a .367 SLG and a .682 OPS. His batting average and on-base percentage were also well below his career marks. Late in the season he was involved in a locker room scuffle with team captain Carl Crawford. No details surfaced, but it should be pretty easy to connect the dots. Crawford is the most respected and longest tenured Ray, a stand-up guy who plays the game hard every single day and has no attitude issues. And now the Rays want Burrell gone.

There are multiple outlets reporting the Rays have a strong interest in Bradley and the Cubs are desperate to get Bradley out the door as soon as possible. Thus, the two sides will probably try to compromise in order to get the deal complete. Look for the Cubs to grease the wheels by eating a portion of Bradley's salary and possibly sending a prospect or two the Rays way. They might even take back a contract which the Rays wish to rid themselves as well.

The bottom line is that the Rays don't want Burrell (but like Bradley) and the Cubs don't want Bradley (and don't care how they get rid of him). It's pretty likely they find a way to make it work for both sides.

Where there's a will, there's a way.

Could Rays, Pat Burrell Be Avenue for Cubs to Trade Milton Bradley? originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 20:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Trevor Hoffman Re-Signs With Brewers

Matt Snyder — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:48:00 EST

Filed under: Brewers, NL Central, MLB Transactions

The ageless closer has at least one more year in him -- and maybe even two. Multiple outlets are reporting that Trevor Hoffman has signed a new contract to remain with the Milwaukee Brewers.

According to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, the deal will pay Hoffman $8 million in 2010 and has a mutual option for 2011. The option contains escalators involving Hoffman's 2010 stats and could pay him up to $8.5 million in 2011. There is also a $500,000 buyout -- which grows to $1 million if Hoffman reaches 40 saves in 2010 -- should the Brewers decide not to retain Hoffman's services for 2011.

Hoffman saved 37 games in 2009 after beginning the season on the disabled list. He put up a 1.93 ERA and 0.91 WHIP, which were his lowest figures since 1998. He also qualified for his seventh All-Star game. There definitely appears to be some gas left in the tank of the 41-year-old.

Trevor Hoffman Re-Signs With Brewers originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:48:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Cubs Fire Hitting Coach Von Joshua

Tom Fornelli — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 08:15:00 EST

Filed under: Cubs, NL Central

Earlier this season the Chicago Cubs offense was struggling and Milton Bradley was not getting along with hitting coach Gerald Perry. So after considering that Bradley was making a significantly larger chunk of cash than Perry was, the team decided to relieve Perry of his duties and called up Von Joshua from their Triple-A affiliate in Iowa to replace him.

Now Joshua didn't do much to salvage Bradley's season in Chicago, but after taking over the job the Cubs did improve from 14th in batting average to sixth in the Majors, and also went from 15th to sixth in runs scored. So as a way of thanking Joshua for the improvements the team announced on Monday they won't be bringing him back next season.

Von Joshua was fired as Cubs hitting coach after Sunday's game and was offered his old job as hitting coach at Triple-A Iowa.

"I told him it wasn't anything that I was upset with him," general manager Jim Hendry said. "He didn't do anything wrong. But when you come up from the system in the middle of the year, if things don't make significant differences in improvement, then in my opinion we need to do something."

Yes, except the Cubs did improve, so it's obvious that there are other reasons for the team making this move.

One of which is that considering the team will do everything to rid itself of Milton Bradley's presence in 2010, maybe they want to get rid of Joshua too so he doesn't serve as a reminder. The more likely reason is that it's because they plan on replacing Joshua with Ryne Sandberg.

The same Sandberg who has spent the last few seasons managing in the Cubs minor-league system and has openly lobbied to take over for Lou Piniella when he decides to leave the Cubs. If the Cubs do give the job to Sandberg he'd be able to spend a season with the team before taking over.

Piniella has said he plans on leaving after his contract expires next season.

Cubs Fire Hitting Coach Von Joshua originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 08:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

National League Division Series: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. St. Louis Cardinals

Pat Lackey — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 04:30:00 EST

Filed under: Cardinals, Dodgers, NL Central, NL West, National League Division Series

At first glance, this series pits Manny Ramirez against Albert Pujols; two of the best right-handed hitters of this generation. But it runs much deeper than that.

Both teams have secondary weapons on offense. Matt Holliday has raked in his short time in St. Louis. Andre Ethier mixed in a career high 31 home runs with his six walk-off hits this year. On the other side of the ball, the Cardinals could have the top two finishers in the NL Cy Young race in Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright, while the Dodgers finished tied with the Giants for the fewest runs allowed in the National League.

These are two good baseball teams. They've both spent most of the season in first place in their respective divisions and the fight between them for home-field advantage in the National League went down to the wire. In a five-game series, almost anything can happen. In a series between two teams this evenly matched, all bets are off.

Latest News

Fletcher: Padilla Proves Plenty in Pitching Dodgers to NLCS
Game 3: Dodgers 5, Cardinals 1 | Box Score
Piliere's Scouting Notebook: Read Latest

Series Schedule

G1	Oct. 7	Dodgers 5, Cardinals 2 \| Box \| Jeff Fletcher	9:30 PM ET
G2	Oct. 8	Dodgers 3, Cardinals 2 \| Box \| Jeff Fletcher	6 PM ET
G3	Oct. 10	Dodgers 5, Cardinals 1 \| Box \| Jeff Fletcher	6 PM ET

No.	Dodgers	Pos	Cardinals	Pos.
Lineup
1	R. Furcal	SS	Schumaker	2B
2	A. Ethier	RF	C. Rasmus	CF
3	M. Ramirez	LF	A. Pujols	1B
4	M. Kemp	CF	M. Holliday	LF
5	J. Loney	1B	R. Ludwick	RF
6	C. Blake	3B	M. DeRosa	3B
7	R. Belliard	2B	Y. Molina	C
8	R. Martin	C	B. Ryan	SS
9	Pitcher	P	Pitcher	P
Rotation
1	R. Wolf	L	C. Carpenter	R
2	C. Kershaw	L	A. Wainwright	R
3	J. Garland	R	J. Pineiro	R
4	C. Billingsley	R	K. Lohse	R
CP	J. Broxton	R	R. Franklin	R
SU	G. Sherrill	L	K. McClellan	R
SU	R. Belisario	R	J. Motte	R
Scout's Eye View
"The Dodgers are paced by their youthful stars, but if you can turn that against them and force youthful mistakes, then you can stop them." Dodgers Scouting Report "Let's not sugarcoat it -- Carpenter and Wainwright are who they are for a reason, and beating them will take a patient, intelligent approach." Cardinals Scouting Report

Why the Dodgers Will Win

The Dodgers had some trouble clinching the National League West. After taking first place on April 19, they immediately opened up a huge lead on the NL West and looked to be running away with the division for the better part of the season, holding a six-game lead just over a week ago. Their subsequent five-game losing streak nearly cost them the division and has cast some doubt on their playoff aspirations.

It shouldn't. In 2006, the Cardinals ended August 71-61 with a five-game lead in the NL Central. They went 12-16 in September, including nine losses in their last 12 games, but bounced back to win the World Series. Their opponent in the Fall Classic that year was the Detroit Tigers, who blew a 10-game lead in the AL Central and ended up with the wild card. In 2005, the Chicago White Sox went from a 13-game lead on Aug. 7 to a 1 1/2 game lead on Sept. 24. They won their division and the World Series.

The point is, it doesn't matter how a team finishes the season. The Dodgers were the best team in the National League this year for a reason. Their lineup, with Ramirez, Matt Kemp, and Andre Ethier in the outfield, is as imposing as any group in the National League. Between their three main starters (Randy Wolf, Chad Billingsley, and Clayton Kershaw) and their top relievers (Jonathan Broxton, Ramon Troncoso, Ronald Belisario, Guillermo Mota, and James McDonald), not one has an ERA below league average.

That's what makes this Dodger team so dangerous -- they don't really have a weakness. Their worst hitters in 2009 were Russell Martin and Rafael Furcal, two players that have shown they can really hit in the past.. They have Jim Thome as a pinch-hitter. They can use Blake DeWitt and Juan Pierre as defensive subs late in the game. While the Cardinals have questions in their rotation after Carpenter and Wainwright and in their bullpen in general, the Dodgers have overwhelming depth, and that's why they'll win this series.

Why the Cardinals Will Win

They'll win because they have the best player in baseball and two of the best starting pitchers. Obviously, those three players alone wouldn't be enough to beat the Dodgers, but they go a long way.

In Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright, the Cardinals will get three -- and maybe even four, depending upon how much rest they need -- starts from two of the top three candidates for the NL Cy Young. Carpenter's redemption season was as sparkling as any the former Cy winner has ever had; he went 17-4 with a 2.24 ERA and 1.01 WHIP. Wainwright went 19-8 with a 2.63 ERA and 212 strikeouts. The Cards' third starter isn't too shabby either, as Joel Pineiro checks in with a 3.44 ERA.

Offensively, Albert Pujols -- easily the best hitter I've ever seen, which isn't even mentioning his sparkling defense and cerebral base-running -- is the anchor. He'll win the NL MVP again this year, and deservedly so. His presence in the lineup makes everyone around him better, like midseason acquisition Matt Holliday, who has been crushing the baseball since arriving in St. Louis. They mix in some power (Ryan Ludwick, Mark DeRosa) with some good on-base guys, and, thus, will definitely be capable of scoring the few runs they need to support Carpenter, Wainwright and Pineiro.

One portion of the team which appeared to be a grave concern early in September was the back-end of the bullpen. Ryan Franklin had been stellar for most of the season, but he hit a major speed bump in the final month. From Sept. 1-12, Franklin appeared in four games. He allowed six earned runs and five walks in just 2 2/3 innings. In fact, going down to Sept. 19, he blew three consecutive save chances. He closed out the season with three straight scoreless outings, though, so he's set to go in October (for the first time in his 10-year career).

The Cardinals are taking this series and the NLCS en route to their 18th World Series trip -- the third under Tony La Russa.

-- Matt Snyder

National League Division Series: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. St. Louis Cardinals originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 04:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Brewers Bring Macha Back, Close to Extending Hoffman

Pat Lackey — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 19:59:00 EST

Filed under: Brewers, NL Central

Despite a disappointing 2009 season, the Brewers confirmed Sunday that they will bring manager Ken Macha back in 2010 with a team option for 2011. In fact, most of Macha's staff will be back, with only interim pitching coach Chris Bosio and bullpen coach Stan Kyles not being offered contracts.

That's not the only news out of Milwaukee on the last day of the season. The Brewers are also apparently close to re-signing closer Trevor Hoffman, who pitched exceptionally well in his first season in Milwaukee, saving 37 games with a 1.70 ERA and a 4.27 K/BB ratio. He's 41, but the all-time saves leader certainly didn't pitch his age this year.

Bringing Macha back isn't surprising, even if he did find a way to work Corey Patterson into 10 games at the end of the season. The Brewers did fade in the second half, but there wasn't much for a manager to do with that pitching staff. And extending any player at Hoffman's age is going to be a risk, but the Brewers don't have a whole lot of choice, especially given how good Hoffman was for them late in games this year.

This is an incredibly important offseason for GM Doug Melvin because, as Ryan Braun pointed out, the window of opportunity for this group of players in Milwaukee is only so big. Melvin may be forced to trade Prince Fielder after 2010 due to salary concerns, and even with huge attendance numbers, Milwaukee's payroll can only grow so large. Bringing back Hoffman is a good start, but Melvin has much, much more work to do this winter.

Brewers Bring Macha Back, Close to Extending Hoffman originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 04 Oct 2009 19:59:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Ryne Sandberg Could Be Next Chicago Cubs Manager

Matt Snyder — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Cubs, NL Central, Minor Leagues

Ryne Sandberg, known affectionately as "Ryno" in Wrigleyville, played 15 seasons for the Chicago Cubs in his Hall of Fame career. He went to 10 All-Star games, won nine gold gloves and brought home an MVP. At present, Sandberg manages the Tennesse Smokies -- the Cubs' Double-A affiliate. He previously managed for the Cubs in Single-A as well, so it appears the Cubs are moving him along in hopes he could one day manage the big-league club.

Current Cubs manager Lou Piniella, whose contract expires at the end of 2010 -- at which point he'll likely retire from managing -- believes Ryno will be considered for the 2011 job opening.

"Ryne had a Hall of Fame career here as a player," Piniella said. "I'm not the one who's going to be hiring the next manager here, but certainly, he'll be in the mix."

Of course, Piniella won't be the one deciding upon his replacement, so it may appear this talk is conjecture, but it's likely he's been involved in internal discussions about the minor-league managing situation. Thus, he's just making an estimate based upon the feelings general manager Jim Hendry has about Sandberg's ability to manage a baseball team.

For 2010, expect Sandberg to remain in Tennessee to further evolve as a quality skipper while Piniella takes care of the Cubs, hoping to rebound from an incredibly disappointing campaign.

Ryne Sandberg Could Be Next Chicago Cubs Manager originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 04 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

From the Windup: And the 'Winner' Is ...

Matt Snyder — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:45:00 EST

Filed under: AL Central, AL East, AL West, NL Central, NL East, NL West

From the Windup is Matt Snyder's weekly look at some aspect of America's pastime.

Instead of handing our hardware to Joe Girardi, Joe Torre, Albert Pujols, Joe Mauer, Zack Greinke and Chris Carpenter (yes, those would be my votes), I thought we'd mix it up a bit. Plus, being a Cubs fan, I'm plenty filled with negativity at this time of the year -- which, really, is normal. So these are the Bizarro World Awards. The Suck Awards, if you will. The envelopes, please ...

NL LVP (Least Valuable Player): Well, let's see ... you sign a multi-year deal, proclaim your love for your new team and promise health. Instead, you end up getting hurt several times, suspended a few more, alienating your manager, general manager, teammates and fan base and, on top of that, post an OPS 224 points lower than last season. Mix in some bone-headed plays and constant sparring in the media, and you have a recipe for destroying a team that won 97 games last season. This is a no-brainer. Milton Bradley in an absolute landslide. I'm embarrassed I ever tried to defend him.

AL LVP: With apologies to Alex Rios and B.J. Upton, our winner here is another player who switched leagues after signing a free-agent contract. Pat Burrell inked a two-year deal to bolster the lineup of the defending American League champs. They got whatever the opposite of a career year is from Burrell. He sported the lowest OPS of his life, a career-low in home runs and has a shot at a career-low in RBI. Talk about a lack of run production from a supposed run producer. Plus, he had a spat with team captain and most respected Ray, Carl Crawford. You think CC grew tired of Burrell's apparent indifference and lack of hustle? That's conjecture, but it certainly wouldn't surprise me. When you play well, being laid-back is OK. When you suck, it comes off as apathy.

NL Anthony Young (Opposite of Cy Young): Brad Lidge was one of the reasons the Phillies were great last year. This year, he's prevented them from being the bar-none best team in the NL. If Lidge threw this year the way he did last, the Phils would have around 100 wins. Instead, they are headed to the playoffs with a huge question mark at the back end of the bullpen. His 7.34 ERA, eight losses and 11 blown saves sound fake. They aren't; just ask Phillies fans.

AL Anthony Young: Fausto Carmona was supposed to join Cliff Lee to form one of the more menacing 1-2 punches in the league. Instead, the Tribe traded Lee and watched Carmona sandwich three different minor-league stops (including one all the way down in Single-A) between a 5-12 record and 6.32 ERA. In 125 1/3 major league innings, he's walked 70 guys and allowed 16 home runs. And 151 hits.

NL Mismanager of the Year: Lou Piniella went with Kevin Gregg as his closer instead of Carlos Marmol. Then he stuck with him too long. Speaking of which, he kept an albatross (Alfonso Soriano) atop the order for far too long. He continued to run Aaron Heilman out in big spots. His fire from the past few years turned into what appeared to be the equivalent of throwing his hands in the air and saying, "I'm not the one on the field." There's more, but we don't have enough time -- or inclination, frankly -- to cover all his snafus. An awful year for Sweet Lou.

AL Mismanager of the Year: Yes, I realize the Orioles have a huge uphill battle in their division, but they are 20-50 since the All-Star break. They've lost 13 games in a row, including a three-game sweep at the hands of the hapless Indians. Dave Trembley needs to find a way to develop his youth a bit better than this. If they plan on contending with this group, and this is the rate they are developing, 2013 seems more realistic than 2011.

NL Most Disappointing Team: Cubs Pretty simple. You take a 97-win team who entered the season with World Series aspirations and instead end up by losing the division by close to double-digits. Can't get more disappointing than that.

AL Most Disappointing Team: Rays Not to be outdone by the Cubs, last year's World Series loser is going to finish more than 20 games out of first.

NL Executive Failure: Jim Hendry: (noticing a theme?) changed the landscape of the NL's best regular season team based upon a three-game sample (last year's NLDS) against a white-hot Dodgers team. Where he could have made tweaks (leadoff spot in the order, promoting Marmol to closer; to name two), he didn't. Hendry also signed Milton Bradley. I've heard the argument that Piniella made Hendry attempt to balance the batting order. If that's the case, it makes Hendry look even worse. The general manager is the boss. You don't take orders from underlings. Oh, and by the way, the Cubs were second in the National League in OPS against righties in 2008. This year? Fifth. Good thing that batting order got balanced.

AL Executive Failure: I'm gonna go with Mark Shapiro here. It's tough to try and mix and match veterans with still-developing youth. In the past two seasons, Cleveland has traded CC Sabathia, Victor Martinez, Cliff Lee and Mark DeRosa while also signing Kerry Wood and trading for DeRosa. They are playing with Travis Hafner and Grady Sizemore while trying to develop young players like Matt LaPorta. It's possible for the combination plan to work (see the Dodgers' Ethier/Kemp/Loney/Martin/Billingsley mix with Jeff Kent, Derek Lowe et al in 2007 and 2008), but if it doesn't, the team will need to blow it up and start over. That's where the Indians are now. It's hindsight, but Shapiro has to take some heat for this season.

NL Fall-Flat (Opposite of Comeback Player): We're gonna give a group award here to the New York Mets. Can a hamstring pull end your season? A bruised knee keep you out for half the year? It can on the Mets! It's amazing how afflicted nearly an entire team can be for one season. But, hey, they are the "Amazins." It's going to be interesting to see their direction this offseason under embattled executive Omar Minaya.

AL Fall-Flat: Josh Hamilton's team took a huge step forward this season. If he had shown up for the party, they might have made the playoffs for the first time since 1999 under the late Johnny Oates. The anchor of one of the best offenses in baseball in 2008, Hamilton had a .901 OPS with 32 home runs and 130 RBI in 2008. This year, he suffered from injuries in a big way and failed to really help the offense when in the lineup. His OPS (.741) is below average and he's only hit 10 home runs.

From the Windup: And the 'Winner' Is ... originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

La Russa Accuses Reds of 'Shenanigans'

Pat Lackey — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:01:00 EST

Filed under: Cardinals, Reds, NL Central

Wednesday night, while John Smoltz was in the middle of his worst start with the Cardinals, he could be seen constantly trading balls with the home plate umpire, clearly unhappy with something. After the game ended, he said it was because he felt the balls were improperly rubbed down, causing them to be more slippery than normal and preventing him from getting a proper grip.

The story could've ended there, but apparently Tony La Russa and Dave Duncan have been reading a little bit too much Raymond Chandler lately, because they got their Phillip Marlowe on and after some investigating, are charging the Reds with a larger conspiracy.

Apparently, La Russa actually kept some of the slippery balls from the game and showed them to the Reds' clubhouse attendant tasked with rubbing the game balls down with mud to remove the sheen and create a better grip for pitchers. The attendant denied any wrongdoing, saying the balls "weren't like that" when he finished with them.

Meanwhile, La Russa and pitching coach Dave Duncan have both charged the Reds' starter from last night, Bronson Arroyo, with keeping pine tar under the brim of his cap, allowing him to get a better grip on the slippery balls and giving him a distinct advantage over Smoltz on the mound.

Arroyo, for his part, has denied doctoring the ball, and I've got to say that while the Cardinals may think they have some circumstantial evidence, I'm really failing to see a motive for this crime here.

The Cardinals have clinched the NL Central. The Reds are in fourth place and could potentially jump to third, but that's not really something worth cheating over. And Smoltz was quite literally the only pitcher to struggle with the balls last night. The Cardinals' relievers only walked one hitter in the five innings after Smoltz departed and the Reds pitchers only walked two in nine innings.

Unless Dusty Baker and Dick Pole have a noted anti-Smoltz agenda, I'm just not sure I understand why the Reds would be doing this now.

La Russa Accuses Reds of 'Shenanigans' originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

MLB Power Rankings: Some Daylight

Matt Snyder — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:15:00 EST

Filed under: AL Central, AL East, AL West, NL Central, NL East, NL West, MLB Power Rankings

Finally, the regular season is almost over. Most baseball seasons -- especially since realignment and the addition of the wild card -- have at least three heated races down the stretch. While the Braves, Rangers and Giants have tried to make things interesting at different points in time, there is really only one race that's been in total doubt for the entire month: the AL Central. As the Twins and Tigers get set to play the only interesting game of the day, we're left sorting out what has been a relatively boring final month. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, though. A week from Wednesday, the playoffs begin.

1. Yankees | Record: 102-56 | Previous Week: 1
New York has 102 wins and counting with four games to play. The Yankees already have more wins in a season than any team since the 2004 Cardinals, who won 105. Though they won't be trying to with home-field advantage sewn up, if the Bronx Bombers win out, they will have the second-highest single-season win total this decade behind the 2001 Mariners. - Andrew Johnson
2. Angels | Record: 93-64 | Previous Week: 3
Yeah, it was quite an emotional scene when all the Angels went out to center field after clinching the division to pay their respects to the Nick Adenhart display on the fence. It probably wasn't so cool that they celebrated in the clubhouse by dumping beer and champagne on his empty jersey, considering that he was killed by a drunk driver. - Jeff Fletcher
3. Dodgers | Record: 93-65 | Previous Week: 4
Matt Kemp is finishing off a great season, perhaps the first Dodger in five years to go .300-25-100 or better, but he's got this strange split. He's hitting .356 batting seventh or eighth, and .242 batting fourth or fifth. - Jeff Fletcher
4. Phillies | Record: 91-66 | Previous Week: 5
Yes, the bullpen is a major question mark heading into the postseason, but all the playoff teams have a few of those when October hit. There is talent in Charlie Manuel's relief corps -- no matter how far astray it has gone this year -- and this Phillies team is one win from equaling last year's World Series champion. That team also had question marks -- Jamie Moyer, he of the 4.99 ERA this year -- was Philly's No. 3 starter. - Andrew Johnson
5. Cardinals | Record: 90-67 | Previous Week: 6
Who really wants to play a team that can toss Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright in a best-of-five series? The two Cy Young candidates can pitch at least three and maybe four games in a short series, which could give the Cardinals a real advantage, even if they draw the NL-best Dodgers in the Division Series. - Pat Lackey
6. Red Sox | Record: 91-66 | Previous Week: 2
For a team tied for the fourth-best record in baseball, Boston is awfully tough to figure out. The Red Sox have lost five straight, and, more troubling, have reason to worry about their top three starters going into the playoffs. Jon Lester is recovering from an ugly line drive off his leg, Josh Beckett missed his start Monday with "mild" back spasms and Clay Buchholz was bombed for five home runs by the Blue Jays on Tuesday. A week ago, that trio looked like it could form the most formidable rotation among the four AL playoff teams. Of course, it still could. - Andrew Johnson
7. Rockies | Record: 89-68 | Previous Week: 7
Catcher Chris Iannetta had a rare big moment on Tuesday night, but most of the second half has been about Yorvit Torrealba being the clutch producer at catcher. Torrealba took over the everyday job Aug. 9 and is hitting .325 since. - Jeff Fletcher
8. Braves | Record: 86-71 | Previous Week: 10
It's hard to use enough superlatives to describe how good the Atlanta rotation has been this year. Three starters -- Javier Vazquez, Jair Jurrjens and Derek Lowe -- have won at least 14 games, and three -- Vazquez, Jurrjens and Tommy Hanson -- have ERAs under 3.00. It could take the Braves to 90 wins, but a loss Tuesday makes it unlikely it will also take them to the postseason. - Andrew Johnson
9. Tigers | Record: 84-73 | Previous Week: 9
Of the few games each day worth watching, the Tigers and Twins provided two of them Tuesday. The Tigers get the nod for now, based upon Justin Verlander stepping up and getting the job done when his team most needed him.
10. Twins | Record: 82-75 | Previous Week: 8
When I was ranking the teams Tuesday night -- before the Tigers-Twins game ended -- I actually put the Tigers and Twins tied, ready to put the winner of the nightcap on top of the other. Still, this could change any day, as these two teams are so equally matched at this point. At least there is one great race left for the last few days of the regular season.
11. Cubs | Record: 82-74 | Previous Week: 15
Despite their 11-17 record in August, the Cubs are still 39-31 since the All-Star break (17-10 in September), an improvement on their 43-43 mark prior. Over a full season, that pace would probably have them in the thick of the NL Central and wild-card races. I'm not saying the Cubs don't need to make some changes this winter, because they do, but the situation probably isn't as dire as it seems. - Pat Lackey
12. Marlins | Record: 84-74 | Previous Week: 14
Cameron Maybin, one of the key chips Florida received in the Miguel Cabrera trade, couldn't take hold of the Marlins' center field job in 2009, but a promising stint as a September callup makes it seem like it will be his next year. Maybin has a .791 OPS in 23 games this month. - Andrew Johnson
13. Giants | Record: 84-73 | Previous Week: 11
Brian Wilson is one of only four relievers to have at least 35 saves each of the past two seasons. The others are Mariano Rivera, Joe Nathan and Jonathan Papelbon. Pretty good company. - Jeff Fletcher
14. Rangers | Record: 85-72 | Previous Week: 12
The Red Sox tried to leave the door open for the up-and-coming Rangers by losing five straight games. Instead, the Rangers let them off the hook by eliminating themselves. Still, the team, front office and fans alike have reason for optimism heading into 2010. There is a good foundation in place for the first time since the Ivan Rodriguez-Juan Gonzalez days.
15. Rays | Record: 81-76 | Previous Week: 16
With one more win, the Rays will clinch their second winning season in a dozen years of existence. Funny enough, given the talent on the 2009 version of this club and the levels the 2008 team reached, this year will still be seen as a bit of a disappointment, especially because Tampa Bay wasn't at least able to push Boston and New York in September. What a difference a year makes ... - Andrew Johnson
16. Mariners | Record: 81-76 | Previous Week: 13
Improving the defense was a point of emphasis last winter, and it seems to have worked. Last year the Mariners ranked 26th in the majors in defensive efficiency, which measures the percentage of balls in play converted outs. This year they are second. - Jeff Fletcher
17. Blue Jays | Record: 74-84 | Previous Week: 20
So Toronto GM J.P. Ricciardi says "The division," meaning the AL East "isn't going to change." At face value, he has a point. The economic realities of squaring off head-to-head with the Red Sox and Yankees every year surely makes it difficult for the other three teams to compete. Only the Rays proved it is possible to do so, possible even to take down both teams and win the division outright. Couple their success with Ricciardi's assorted missteps in charge of the Jays and his words suddenly sound more like sour grapes from a man whose days in Toronto are numbered. - Andrew Johnson
18. A's | Record: 75-82 | Previous Week: 17
Despite what seemed like a horrible year, the A's are just one victory from exceeding last year's total (75). That's the good news. The bad news is they will have their fourth consecutive losing season. - Jeff Fletcher
19. Brewers | Record: 77-80 | Previous Week: 18
The Brewers demoted struggling veteran J.J. Hardy to Triple-A for two weeks in August for the morally gray purpose of setting his arbitration clock back a year and increasing his trade value. Since returning, Hardy's hit worse than he did before his demotion, hitting .220/.304/.244 in 11 games. Which is to say that the Brewers better not be planning on using Hardy to restock their rotation. If they're serious about doing that this winter, it's going to have to be through free agency. - Pat Lackey
20. White Sox | Record: 76-81 | Previous Week: 19
A bright spot that can be taken from this disappointing season? Gordon Beckham is a superstar in the making. He's hitting .272 with 14 home runs, 63 RBI, 27 doubles, seven stolen bases and an .816 OPS in 99 games of his rookie campaign. He's also plays solid defense, always hustles and is a positive clubhouse presence. And he just turned 23 two weeks ago.
21. Reds | Record: 75-82 | Previous Week: 21
Since his return from a wrist injury, Jay Bruce has hit .375/.459/.813 and has hit four homers in his last four games. This season looked to be kind of a lost one for Bruce, who had just a .283 OBP before going on the DL in mid-July, but his tear in September coupled with the Reds very good play (they're 17-9 this month) gives Cincy fans something to look forward to in 2010. - Pat Lackey
22. Padres | Record: 73-85 | Previous Week: 22
Bud Black probably deserves some second- or third-place votes on Manager of the Year ballots. Any manager whose team plays over .500 in the second half, after falling hopelessly out of contention, deserves some credit. - Jeff Fletcher
23. Astros | Record: 73-84 | Previous Week: 23
There is one bright spot for the Astros this year: Wandy Rodriguez has finally broken out for a full season after threatening to do so in each of the past three. His 2.97 ERA is matched by 8.6 K/9 and a 2.97 K:BB ratio. It's just too bad that the Astros don't have much of anything besides him, Lance Berkman, Hunter Pence, and Roy Oswalt. Unless they seriously upgrade this roster, 2010 won't look much different than 2009. - Pat Lackey
24. Diamondbacks | Record: 68-89 | Previous Week: 24
It's been a lousy year on just about every level, but manager A.J. Hinch said they have a shot at getting back to contention next year if they can change the attitude. "We can be a competitive team soon, as soon as next year," he said. "We have to rekindle our competitive juices. Just coming back and wiping the slate clean and starting 0-0 isn't going to be enough." - Jeff Fletcher
25. Mets | Record: 67-91 | Previous Week: 25
Jeff Francoeur would like a multi-year deal with New York, and on the surface, it might seem like a good idea. Frenchy has hit .308 since arriving in the Big Apple this July, after all. But he'll turn 26 this January and he doesn't seem to have grown fundamentally as a player. The older he gets, the less hope there is that his raw tools will help him blossom into a superstar, and this Francoeur probably doesn't deserve a big extension, not for a team with first-division aspirations like the Mets. - Andrew Johnson
26. Royals | Record: 64-94 | Previous Week: 26
Zack Greinke (I know we mentioned him last week, but he's really the only thing worth continuing to watch on the 2009 Royals at this point) has one more start: Saturday against the Twins. Considering the Twins could still really need a win, Greinke has a shot to garner his 17th win and cement more Cy Young votes. Plus, if he really deals, he could lower his ERA below 2.00.
27. Indians | Record: 64-92 | Previous Week: 28
They have fired Eric Wedge. He may have been part of the problem, but he wasn't the problem these last few years. We'll see if they come through in the offseason with an actual plan, not just a patchwork roster mixed with still-developing youngsters and aging veterans.
28. Orioles | Record: 60-97 | Previous Week: 27
Baltimore is building toward something in 2010 or 2011, but that doesn't mean it won't be a turbulent offseason in the Charm City. The Orioles may need to find a new manager if Andy MacPhail is non-plussed by the job Dave Trembley did -- a possibility that seems increasingly likely with another September Swoon almost in the books. Oh yes, the O's will need a third baseman, a first baseman and a pitcher or two even if Chris Tillman and Brian Matusz can avoid major growing pains to challenge the big boys in the East. - Andrew Johnson
29. Pirates | Record: 59-97 | Previous Week: 29
They took three of four from the Dodgers over the weekend, but they're still trucking towards the club's second 100-loss season this decade, needing to go 4-2 the rest of the way out to avoid it. That's an awfully tall task with all six games on the road, as the Pirates are a mind-bogglingly bad 19-56 away from PNC Park this season. - Pat Lackey
30. Nationals | Record: 54-103 | Previous Week: 30
Lost amid all the champagne celebrations this week in Anaheim, the Bronx and Boston was Washington's clinch. The Nationals will finish with the worst record, meaning they will be first in line next June to select phenom Bryce Harper. All joking about the Nats' sorry state aside, drafting Stephen Strasburg and Harper in back-to-back seasons could go a long way toward turning this moribund franchise around. - Andrew Johnson

MLB Power Rankings: Some Daylight originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Brewers Owner Unsure What to Do With Prince Fielder

Tom Fornelli — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 11:42:00 EST

Filed under: Brewers, NL Central, MLB Rumors

A year ago at this time the Milwaukee Brewers were wrapping up their first postseason berth in 25 years, and even though they were knocked out of the Division Series by the Phillies, expectations were raised in Milwaukee. Those expectations weren't met this season as the Brew Crew is battling just to finish .500.

So it's no surprise that the team's owner, Mark Attanasio, is disappointed with this year's results, but he's focused on the future of his club and how it can get back to the postseason. Obviously changes will need to be made in Milwaukee if the Brewers are going to contend in the NL Central next season, and that means there are some tough decisions to be made.

There's a particularly big decision to be made with first baseman Prince Fielder. Fielder has one year remaining on his two-year, $18 million deal and is eligible for one more year of arbitration in 2011. Considering that he's hit 43 home runs and driven in 137 runs this year while putting up an OPS of 1.002, he isn't going to come cheaply. So the biggest question on Attanasio's mind is that even though the Brewers have control of Prince for two more seasons, is it better to trade him now while his value is at its highest, or continue building around him.

"I don't like thinking about the Milwaukee Brewers without Prince Fielder, I'll tell you that," Attanasio said. "It's a challenge, because on the other side, if you concentrate too much on one player. . . . It's not like basketball. If LeBron James or Michael Jordan is on your team, you can dominate. Prince could not have been more of a dominant player and we're scuffling to get to .500 with the challenges we've had with starting pitching. What do you do?

"If you play that player too much you have to surround him with good enough players to win. On the other hand, players like Ryan Braun and Prince, they come along only every 10 years or so. Believe me, I think [GM Doug Melvin] thinks about that every day."

While Brewers fans may not like the idea, it really does make more sense for the Brewers to move Fielder this winter than to bring him back.

He's a big presence in the middle of their lineup, but the team has a lot more holes to fill if they want to get back to the playoffs -- holes that could be filled by trading Fielder while his value will be at it's highest.

Brewers Owner Unsure What to Do With Prince Fielder originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 11:42:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments