MLB FanHouse

Astros Hire Brad Mills as Manager

Andrew Johnson — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:15:00 EST

The Houston Astros are poised to announce the hiring of Red Sox bench coach Brad Mills as their new manager Tuesday, according to multiple reports, first from MLB.com, a move that comes two days after the club lost out on Manny Acta to the Indians.

Mills, who came to Boston with manager Terry Francona before the 2004 season and won two World Series with the team, also managed in the minors for 11 seasons and played four seasons with the Montreal Expos from 1980-83.

The Mills hiring continues a mini-exodus from Boston. This past week former Red Sox assistant general manager Jed Hoyer was hired away by the Padres to be that club's general manager, a sign of how well-respected Boston's management team has become in baseball circles.

Mills will have his hands full in Houston. He inherits a team that went 74-88 in 2009, hasn't finished higher than third in the NL Central since 2006 and features an aging core of Lance Berkman, 33, Carlos Lee, 33, and Roy Oswalt, 32. To make matters more difficult, the Astros' farm system is considered one of the thinnest in the game and owner Drayton McLane has shown little patience for a lengthy rebuilding effort in the past (though he did seem more open to one earlier this season).

That lack of patience has resulted in plenty of instability in positions of leadership. The Astros have had four different general managers (three permanent) since 2000 and Mills we be the team's sixth different manager (fifth permanent) over the same time span.

Houston passed over two other finalists for the job -- interim manager Dave Clark, who led the team over the final 13 games of the season after Cecil Cooper was fired and Phil Garner, who managed the club for parts of four seasons (2004-07).

Astros Hire Brad Mills as Manager originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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.

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Cleveland Wants to Interview Farrell, Houston to Interview Everybody Else

Tom Fornelli — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:36:00 EST

Filed under: Astros, Indians, MLB Rumors

While we await the winner of the last Division Series to be settled, a few teams that have already finished their season are in the process of trying to find new managers who can get them to the postseason next year. Two of those teams, the Cleveland Indians and Houston Astros, have interest in a couple of coaches from the recently eliminated Boston Red Sox.

The Indians contacted the Red Sox to see if they could interview pitching coach John Farrell as it seems Farrell is Mark Shapiro's top candidate to replace Eric Wedge. Well, Theo Epstein said that Cleveland can talk all they want with Farrell, but odds are he's going to be staying in Boston.

Boston GM Theo Epstein granted the Indians permission to talk Farrell on Monday, the day after the Red Sox were eliminated from the postseason in a three-game sweep by the Angels in the AL Division Series. The feeling, however, is that Farrell is committed to stay in Boston.

Boston GM Theo Epstein told The Associated Press that Farrell would be allowed to interview with the Indians if he wanted. Epstein added that Farrell said he would like to stay in Boston.

When Farrell was asked about the possibility of interviewing in Cleveland while at Fenway Park on Monday he said he hadn't even thought about it yet. So it looks like Shapiro is going to have to look elsewhere.

If he needs help finding some other candidates, he can just take a look at the list of people the Astros are interested in, as they apparently seem intent on interviewing everybody. Possibly even you. The Astros also received permission from the Red Sox to interview their coaches, Tim Bogar and Brad Mills, but those are only two of the many possibilities.

The Astros released the names of all 10 managerial candidates and the interview times on Monday afternoon. Interim manager Dave Clark and Astros Minor League field coordinator Al Pedrique will be the first two candidates to interview on Wednesday at Minute Maid Park.

[Ned} Yost and San Diego Padres hitting coach Randy Ready will interview Thursday, [Bob] Melvin and former Washington Nationals manager Manny Acta on Friday, [Phil] Garner on Saturday and Boston Red Sox bench coach Brad Mills and Red Sox first base coach Tim Bogar on Monday.

Houston has also contacted the Phillies about interviewing bench coach Pete Mackanin, and have gotten permission to do so, but they'll have to wait until the Phillies are done playing in the postseason before they're able to sit down with him.

Cleveland Wants to Interview Farrell, Houston to Interview Everybody Else originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:36:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Slumping Astros Fire Cecil Cooper

Pat Lackey — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 16:18:00 EST

Filed under: Astros, NL Central

The Houston Astros announced the firing of manager Cecil Cooper Monday afternoon.

The news comes on the heels of a seven-game losing streak, including a winless road trip to Cincinnati and Milwaukee, that officially eliminated the Astros from playoff contention in 2009. Dave Clark, previously the third-base coach, will act as interim manager for the remainder of the season.

In slightly more than two seasons on the job (he took over after Phil Garner's firing in 2007), Cooper's Astros were almost exactly .500, recording a 171-170 record, but he failed to take them to the playoffs in either of the two seasons which he opened with the job.

Looking at the roster handed to him by the front office, though, it's hard to imagine that Cooper's really to blame for Houston's 70-79 record this year. The Astros' biggest acquisitions this winter were Mike Hampton, Russ Ortiz, and Ivan Rodriguez. What exactly did GM Ed Wade expect from this club?

"Cecil Cooper has given his all to the Houston Astros," Wade said. "Decisions like this are never easy, but we believe that a change in direction on the field is in order. By making the move today, we will have the ability to evaluate other facets of our operation as we move into the offseason."

Cooper's last act as manager of the 'Stros was actually to congratulate Prince Fielder for breaking his 27-year old Brewers' RBI record on Sunday, as he agreed to take part in an on-field ceremony celebrating Fielder's accomplishments at the first baseman's request. Less than 24 hours later, he's now on the unemployment line.

I'm sort of at a loss trying to figure out what Wade and Astros' management hopes to accomplish with this move.

It's true that Houston's current record is a step back from its 86-75 2008 mark, and that it has been out of playoff contention for a while, but 70-79 is actually a bit better than I expected of them this season. The Astros' rotation behind Wandy Rodriguez and Roy Oswalt is terrible and Geoff Blum and Kazuo Matsui are two of the worst regulars at any position in the National League.

Cooper really didn't have a whole lot to work with, but he kept Houston in contention until around the end of July before the wheels finally fell off. I'm not so sure that performance warrants a firing, but then the decision's already been made.

Slumping Astros Fire Cecil Cooper originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 21 Sep 2009 16:18:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Roy Oswalt Shut Down for Season

Andrew Johnson — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:07:00 EST

Filed under: Astros, MLB Injuries

Roy Oswalt has pitched for the last time in 2009.

The Astros have decided to shut down their ace, who has been dealing with a degenerative disc in his back, for the season.

"It just ain't going away," Oswalt said. "I've pitched with it for (four) starts, and it's just not getting any better. It's just kind of lingering more and more. If we were in contention fighting for the playoffs I would probably get up and just try to block it and ride it as long as I could. But I don't want it to linger on for next year."

That is, of course, the prudent decision. Houston has long since been left for dead in the playoff race, 12 games behind Colorado in the wild-card race -- pending the result of the Rockies' game in San Francisco Wednesday night -- and five losses, or Rockie wins, away from mathematical elimination.

This year has to mark the worst season of a quietly very impressive career cobbled together by Oswalt. He's never recorded fewer wins (eight), only once recorded fewer strikeouts (138) and never had a higher ERA (4.12) than he has in 2009.

And yet even in the worst campaign of his career, Oswalt still managed to make 30 starts and have an ERA ever so slightly better than league average.

In other words, though he's rarely been mentioned as one of the very best pitchers in the game, that's exactly what he has been almost since the moment he arrived on the scene in 2001.

Oswalt is not considering a surgical procedure on his ailing disc, instead opting to strengthen the area in the offseason. Back problems aren't exactly the death sentence that a torn labrum or rotator cuff is for pitchers, but it's certainly worrisome, especially for a pitcher who turned 32 at the end of last month and still has $33 million guaranteed remaining on his contract.

With an aging core, the Astros absolutely need Oswalt to regain the form he's shown on the mound in every season but this past one.

Roy Oswalt Shut Down for Season originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:07:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mike Hampton Out for All of 2010 With Shoulder Injury

Pat Lackey — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 19:59:00 EST

Filed under: Astros, NL Central, MLB Injuries

Mike Hampton made 21 starts for the Astros in 2009. That's not a whole lot, but it's only four fewer than he made for the Braves between 2005 and 2008 so it's probably as much as the Astros could've reasonably expected from the veteran when they signed him in the offseason.

No one should be expecting any starts from Hampton in 2010, though, because when Hampton had surgery to repair a shoulder problem today, doctors found a completely torn rotator cuff and a partially torn labrum. Neither of those things are good on their own, and together they mean that Hampton will probably miss all of next year. Given his health history, it seems possible that it means his big-league career is over.

In those 21 starts he did make for the Astros this year, Hampton went 7-10 with a 5.30 ERA. Things weren't all bad, though. His strikeout rate (5.9 per nine innings) was his best since his 2000 season with the Mets and given how sparingly he's pitched in the four years before this one, he at least seemed to be on the right track. On the other hand, four of his seven wins came in starts against the Pirates. In those four starts, he recorded 19 of his 74 strikeouts (about a quarter of his season total) and only allowed three earned runs in 27 innings. Which is to say he was much worse against just about everyone else.

It's obviously too early to know how Hampton's rehab will go or what he'll choose to do when or if he gets healthy, but it's hard to imagine him trying to come back at the age of 38 from a serious shoulder injury. He didn't pitch at all in 2006 or 2007 and he's struggled both this year and last year on the few occasions he has pitched.

In any case, Hampton's a free agent after this season ends, so at the very least the Astros don't lose anything beside a handful of starts in a lost season. And Hampton adds another injury to his illustrious list of them, ensuring that his legacy won't be anything that he did on the field, but rather how much time he spent off of it.

Mike Hampton Out for All of 2010 With Shoulder Injury originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 15 Sep 2009 19:59:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting Five: Time to Count Marlins Out?

Andrew Johnson — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Astros, Angels, Athletics, Marlins, Rangers, Rays, Red Sox, Starting Five

Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action with a quick nod to what is ahead.

You Oughta Know ...
That you can add the Marlins to the list of fringe contenders fading away with three weeks to go in the season.

Florida wasted an opportunity to gain on wild-card leading Colorado, which lost in San Francisco, in an 11-6 loss to the Cardinals. The Marlins fell behind 4-0 in the first, but managed to take a 6-4 lead by the fourth inning, only to squander that lead in large part due to Ricky Nolasco's five-inning, seven-run outing.

Poor starting pitching has been a big reason why Florida hasn't been able to make a run.

More Coverage: Scoreboard | Standings | Statistics

From the Palm Beach Post's Joe Capozzi:

The Marlins haven't had a starter pitch at least seven innings since Aug. 18, when Nolasco threw a complete game.

"For us to get back into this thing and go forward and get into the playoffs, we need to improve it right now, as soon as possible," [Marlins manager Fredi] Gonzalez said.

Florida is 5 1/2 games behind the Rockies with 18 left to play.

From the Trainer's Room ...
A severe fever forced the Astros to quarantine closer Jose Valverde in the team's clubhouse Sunday and also kept him from joining the club on the first day of its road trip in Cincinnati. Valverde had a temperature of 101 degrees over the weekend.

"They're treating him, and he has some type of virus," [Houston GM Ed] Wade said. "Hopefully it will run its course and he will be able to get here [Tuesday]."

Numbers Game ...
Believe it or not, Oakland's Brett Tomko is a 100-game winner. The journeyman, who has played for nine different teams, reached the milestone by throwing a five-hit shutout against the Rangers, dealing another blow to Texas' rapidly shrinking playoff hopes.

"We want to put ourselves in as good a position as possible and we haven't done that the last two days," [Rangers losing pitcher Scott] Feldman said. "Regardless, we're still in this thing. We just need to show the character we've shown all year and move on."

Texas is now 4 1/2 games back of Boston in the AL wild-card race. The shutout was just the second of Tomko's career and his first since 2004.

In Their Own Words ...
"Sleep is more tranquil, food tastes better and I like my dog a whole lot more." -- Rays manager Joe Maddon after his team avoided becoming the first team to lose 12 straight games the year after appearing in the World Series by beating the Orioles 8-4.

Advance Scouting ...
In a potential ALDS preview, the Angels head to Fenway Park for a meeting with the Red Sox (7:10 PM ET). Los Angeles' starter, John Lackey, has thrown back-to-back complete games and appears to be rounding into form, but his struggles in Boston -- he has a 6.34 career ERA there -- are well known. Lackey will take a backseat in the intrigue department to Red Sox starter Daisuke Matsuzaka, though. The enigmatic Matsuzaka has an 8.23 ERA this season and hasn't appeared in a Boston uniform since June, but with a strong finish to the year, it could still be possible for him to work his way into the Red Sox playoff rotation.

Starting Five: Time to Count Marlins Out? originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 15 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting Five: Texas in Trouble

Andrew Johnson — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Astros, Mariners, Pirates, Rangers, Red Sox, Twins, MLB Milestones, MLB Playoffs, Starting Five

Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action with a quick nod to what is ahead.

You Oughta Know ...
That in a little over 24 hours the Rangers went from in the hunt for the AL wild card to hanging on by a thread. Texas split a doubleheader with the Mariners Sunday and dropped two of three to Seattle over the weekend.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox -- the team the Rangers are chasing -- swept the reeling Rays, who have now lost 11 straight, including taking both games of a day-night doubleheader at Fenway Park.

Boston doubled its lead in the race -- from two games to four -- with 20 games remaining for each team.

More Coverage: Scoreboard | Standings | Statistics

The Sox were an 88 percent favorite to take the wild card entering play Sunday, according to Baseball Prospectus' Postseason Odds Report, an edge that should get even larger with two more games completed by each team and Boston's growing lead.

Things won't be getting any easier for Texas. The Rangers will play 13 of their final 20 games against teams currently above .500, including six against the Angels. The Red Sox only have six games against similar competition -- three against the Angels and three against the Yankees -- sandwiched around series with Baltimore, Kansas City, Toronto and Cleveland.

From the Trainer's Room ...
Justin Morneau has an appointment with the doctor. The 2006 American League MVP has a strained back in addition to a sore wrist, injuries which may explain his recent slump.

Morneau, who also has been playing with a sore wrist, is batting .100 (7-for-70) with two homers and six RBI in his past 20 games.

Though Morneau hasn't blamed injuries, Gardenhire said, "He's really been fighting through it with everything."

Numbers Game ...
The milestones keep coming for Ichiro Suzuki. The one-of-a-kind Mariners star notched his ninth consecutive 200-hit season, a major league record, in the second game of Seattle's doubleheader against the Rangers.

After he reached 200 hits for the ninth straight season during the second game of a doubleheader, Ken Griffey Jr. picked up his slight teammate, slung him over his shoulder and carried him to the showers, where teammates awaited with a beer bath.

"To get to enjoy this with these teammates I have, and especially that guy over there makes me very joyful," Ichiro said.

In Their Own Words ...
"Just compete. You don't need to do any of that stuff. Those two have a thing going out there. I'm set, and he's not even looking at me. That tells me all I need to know." -- Pirates closer Matt Capps, who got into a shouting match with Astros shortstop Miguel Tejada and first base coach Jose Cruz because he believed they were conspiring to steal signs. Tejada later denied any shenanigans.

Advance Scouting ...
The Angels and Yankees are mostly jockeying for playoff position at this point, but don't underestimate the significance of Monday's makeup game (7:05 PM ET) between the two AL powers. Not only are both teams vying for home-field advantage throughout the postseason, but New York is probably hoping for a little peace of mind. The Yankees have been eliminated from the playoffs by the Angels twice since 2002 and are 12-23 against Los Angeles since 2006. Joba Chamberlain will go for New York against Jered Weaver.

Starting Five: Texas in Trouble originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 14 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting Five: These Rocks Are Rolling Uphill Out West

Ed Price — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Astros, Braves, Dodgers, Giants, Reds, Rockies, Twins, NL West, Starting Five

Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action, with a quick nod to what is ahead.

You Oughta Know ...
That the NL West is up for grabs.

With their seventh straight win, the Rockies closed within two games of the idle Dodgers for the division lead on Thursday.

Colorado downed Cincinnati 5-1 with a five-run third inning and six scoreless innings from its bullpen after starter Jose Contreras suffered a strained quadriceps running to first base.

More Coverage: Scoreboard | Standings | Statistics

By sweeping four games from the Reds, the Rockies wrapped up a 9-1 homestand -- one of their best in franchise history. Next, Colorado embarks on a nine-game road trip that includes three in San Francisco.

"We are playing great baseball," Jason Giambi said. "I'm excited that we are doing the little things, moving runners, getting big hits when we need it and getting great pitching. That's what you want to do down the stretch."

Colorado has picked up four games in 11 days to make things interesting in the NL West.

If the Rockies can pass the Dodgers (they finish the season against each other, Oct. 2-4), then it seems likely Colorado would open the playoffs against Philadelphia and Los Angeles would lose home-field advantage and have to go to St. Louis.

From the Trainer's Room ...
Colorado ace Ubaldo Jimenez will not start again until Tuesday. Jimenez -- 13-10 with a 3.32 ERA and 10-4 with a 2.85 ERA since June 2 -- suffered a strained left hamstring last Monday while running the bases.

[Manager Jim] Tracy said he simply did not want to risk losing Jimenez for the season on a "quick-twitch" play such as a fielding play.

"Could he pitch on Saturday? Yeah, he could," Tracy said. "Would we be taking a little bit of a chance? Yes, I think so."

Esmil Rogers will make his big-league debut Saturday against San Diego in Jimenez's place. Rogers, a 24-year-old right-hander, was 11-7 with a 4.41 ERA between Double-A and Triple-A.

Numbers Game ...
Roy Oswalt still has yet to get a win against the Braves in the regular season (seven starts). Atlanta hammered the Houston ace for six runs on 10 hits in two innings, dropping Oswalt to 8-6 with a 4.03 ERA. Before this season, Oswalt had never had an ERA worse than 3.54 or a record worse than five games over .500.

In Their Own Words ...
"It's a game we needed to win, and we didn't do it. That's why we're a .500 team.'' -- Minnesota's Justin Morneau after a 3-2 loss at Toronto.

Advance Scouting ...
The Giants, trying to climb back into the wild-card race, open a three-game series against the Dodgers in San Francisco (10:15 PM ET). Matt Cain is scheduled to start for the Giants, who are 5-7 against Los Angeles this year. The Dodgers plan to go with Hiroki Kuroda, in his second outing after a line drive off his head put him on the disabled list.

Starting Five: These Rocks Are Rolling Uphill Out West originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 11 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jose Valverde Gets a Year Older

Pat Lackey — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 19:33:00 EST

Filed under: Astros, NL Central

The Astros announced that they had taken steps to correct a "discrepancy" in the paperwork with closer Jose Valverde's age. Apparently, some sources had Valverde's birthday listed as March 24, 1979 while others listed it as March 24, 1978. Unsurprisingly, the earlier date is the right one, so Valverde is actually a year older than most people think.

This news comes at a very bad time for Valverde because he's going to be a free agent in November. A 31-year-old closer will always be more valuable than a 32-year old closer and suddenly, Valverde's been moved from one class to the other. I can't imagine he's terribly happy about the timing of this, even if he's presumably known how old he is the whole time.

In fact, the timing of this is interesting. GM Ed Wade says that it's not of any consequence to him, but given that Valverde is a very good closer that's a pending free agent, adding a year to his age is of consequence to the Astros. It might make Valverde less appealing to other teams that want to sign him and bring his value down or change the contract terms being offered him on the open market, which could be very good for the Astros.

I'm not at all suggesting that the Astros did this on purpose. I'll take Wade at his word that they simply corrected an error as soon as they found it. Still, this sort of thing probably will affect Valverde's free agency in some way, and it could potentially be in a way that benefits Houston.

Jose Valverde Gets a Year Older originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 19:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting Five: Hudson, Boone Complete Long Road Back to Majors

Jeff Fletcher — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Astros, Braves, Dodgers, Giants, Orioles, Red Sox, Yankees, Starting Five

Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action with a quick nod to what is ahead.

You Oughta Know ...
That Tuesday marked the day for roster expansion, which usually means opportunities for young players, but two veterans made emotional returns to the big leagues: Atlanta's Tim Hudson and Houston's Aaron Boone.

Hudson, who had been out for 13 months after undergoing Tommy John surgery, picked up a victory over the Marlins in his return. Pitching on the same mound where Hudson was hurt last year, he gave up two runs in the first but then nothing else through 5 1/3 innings.

More Coverage: Scoreboard | Standings | Statistics

Boone returned to the active roster for the first time after undergoing open-heart surgery in spring training. Boone did not get into the game, but was happy to be back nonetheless.

"It's good to be in this position and back here after all that has gone through in my life this year. I'm excited about it," he said.

From The Trainer's Room ...
Orioles outfielder Adam Jones sprained his ankle rounding first base. X-rays were negative, but Baltimore manager Dave Trembley said it was a "pretty good sprain."

Numbers Game ...
Yankees outfielder Nick Swisher hit his 13th homer at Camden Yards, by far his most at any ballpark as a visitor. Swisher has hit eight homers as a visitor in Seattle, Tampa and Texas. His 13 homers in Baltimore have come in just 85 at-bats. He has at least 100 at-bats in all the ballparks where he's hit eight homers.

In Their Own Words ...
"He got out of it with no runs, which is kind of hard to do. He felt good enough to go back out and have a crisp ninth. So, it worked out about as well as it could." -- Red Sox manager Terry Francona, on bringing in Jonathan Papelbon with the bases loaded and no outs in the eighth. It was the first time in nearly two years that Papelbon had entered in a save situation with no outs in the eighth. The last time, in September 2007, he blew the game. Papelbon got out of the jam in the eighth and pitched a perfect ninth for his first two-inning save in the regular season since 2006.

Advance Scouting ...
Brad Penny will make his Giants debut at Philadelphia (7:05 PM ET). The Giants will be eager to see if Penny can fare better in the National League than he did in the AL. Penny's most eagerly-anticipated start will be in a couple weeks when he faces the Dodgers. When asked by a reporter what it will be like to pitch in a stadium full of 42,000-Dodger haters, he interrupted: "42,001."

Starting Five: Hudson, Boone Complete Long Road Back to Majors originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 02 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Dugout: Digging For Fire

Jon Bois — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 19:10:00 EST

Filed under: Astros, The Dugout

The Astros' Roy Oswalt is frustrated by the lack of fire in his team's clubhouse, and who can blame him? Obviously, they're not going to be able to overcome a team OPS+ of 93, a team ERA+ of 94, and a 9.5-game deficit in the wild card standings, but you know what? With a little get-up-and go, they could conceive of, design, and build a rocket ship so that they could search the universe and join an alien baseball league full of teams that aren't as good.

This evening's Dugout is after the jump.

The Dugout

	OnlineHost Welcome to Houston Astros Chat!
	BerkmansWorld: gragggg
	ICrappedMyHunterPence: gug og guggg
	ICrappedMyHunterPence: /feasts upon wild fruit
	PattonOswalt: Guys, I'm sick of it. I don't like the direction we're headed.
	PattonOswalt: This team has no fire. We need fire.
	ICrappedMyHunterPence: rarg?
	BerkmansWorld: /chases, kills antelope
	OnlineHost Welcome to Houston Astros Chat!
	BerkmansWorld: /pokes at open flame with stick
	ICrappedMyHunterPence: /inadvertently sets hair on fire
	PattonOswalt: This is no good, guys. Our team has zero communication ability. We need to develop a language.
	BerkmansWorld: /throws antelope into fire GRAAAAAAAAAA
	OnlineHost Welcome to Houston Astros Chat!
	ICrappedMyHunterPence: ME WANT TO TALK ABOUT ME
	BerkmansWorld: F*** THAT ME WANT TO TALK ABOUT ME
	PattonOswalt: Ugh. You know what this team needs? We need to evolve into a group of guys who possess a sense of altruism.
	ICrappedMyHunterPence: CAN ME BORROW YOUR ANTELOPE CORPSE
	BerkmansWorld: NO
	OnlineHost Welcome to Houston Astros Chat!
	ICrappedMyHunterPence: what do you want to talk about
	BerkmansWorld: i don't know, what do you want to talk about
	ICrappedMyHunterPence: i'm hungry
	BerkmansWorld: sorry man, i kind of killed and ate a lot of antelopes there is no more fauna in this geographical location, we have to wander elsewhere
	PattonOswalt: Come on, guys. We are never going to make the playoffs without sustainable agriculture.
	OnlineHost Welcome to Houston Astros Chat!
	ICrappedMyHunterPence: /toils in field
	BerkmansWorld: /builds shelter out of antelope bones
	ICrappedMyHunterPence: grrr i hate this stupid tool, i can only till the fields a few feet at a time
	PattonOswalt: Guys, guys, guys. This team needs to discover the wheel.
	OnlineHost Welcome to Houston Astros Chat!
	ICrappedMyHunterPence: /tills field with ox-driven wheeled plow
	BerkmansWorld: /runs over antelope with chariot
	BerkmansWorld: man, today i was out conquering a neighboring city-state but my wooden sword fell apart!
	PattonOswalt: I'm sick of it. You know what this team needs? This team needs to harness the technology of metal smelting.
	OnlineHost Welcome to Houston Astros Chat!
	ICrappedMyHunterPence: /fastens together house with hammer and nails
	BerkmansWorld: /slaughters antelope with scythe
	ICrappedMyHunterPence: i'm bored
	PattonOswalt: This team is not winning the NL Central without an appreciation for art.
	OnlineHost Welcome to Houston Astros Chat!
	ICrappedMyHunterPence: /does wood carving of a duck flying over a pond
	BerkmansWorld: /paints image of antelope falling off a cliff
	BerkmansWorld: wheeee!
	ICrappedMyHunterPence: I want to do this stuff all day. Work sucks! I don't want to ever work again!
	PattonOswalt: I've said it before, and I'll say it again. This team has no chance in the wild card race until we learn how to build some sort of steam-powered apparatus.
	OnlineHost Welcome to Houston Astros Chat!
	ICrappedMyHunterPence: /warms hands on blast furnace
	BerkmansWorld: /decapitates antelope via locomotive
	BerkmansWorld: This is awesome! The Industrial Revolution f***ing rules! I want to tell everyone about this!
	PattonOswalt: Guys! What this team needs is a massive communications infrastructure that affords us the opportunity to develop services such as telephones, television, and the Internet.
	OnlineHost Welcome to Houston Astros Chat!
	ICrappedMyHunterPence: WHOA WHOA I'M IN A CHAT ROOM
	PattonOswalt: but you were already nevermind
	BerkmansWorld: /blogs about killing antelope
	BerkmansWorld: Wow. Things are just about perfect right now.
	BerkmansWorld: I'm bored again.
	ICrappedMyHunterPence: Let's test the safety of our fragile existences and stumble into a series of foolhardy technological advances!
	OnlineHost Welcome to Houston Astros Chat!
	ICrappedMyHunterPence: /turns on light bulb that is powered by emotions
	BerkmansWorld: /kills antelope with mind
	PattonOswalt: Guys.
	PattonOswalt: Our team is never going to win unless we have better players.
	ICrappedMyHunterPence: hahaha no s***

Photos link to player info. WordUpThome.com Photo Credit: Getty, Creative Commons

The Dugout: Digging For Fire originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 19:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Roy Oswalt Thinks the Astros Are Insufficiently Fiery

Josh Alper — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 14:35:00 EST

Filed under: Astros, NL Central

If you caught the Starting Five on Thursday morning, you saw that Joel Piniero continued his hot streak by shutting down the Astros on Wednesday night. The hard luck loser in the 3-2 game was Astros pitcher Roy Oswalt. Oswalt was peeved, either by losing a quality start or by the Astros' 14th loss in their last 18 road games, and decided to channel Joe Morgan to let his team know it.

"The team atmosphere is dead. There's no fire. When you get on a streak, you come to the field expecting to win. When you're dead, you come to the field just hoping to get by. That's what it feels like around the clubhouse -- just a dead feeling."

Oswalt's heart is in the right place, but fire isn't what's missing in Houston. Talent is the thing in short supply, which is illustrated by the fact that the team has outperformed their expected record by seven games through this point in the season.

The team may have believed otherwise after going 31-23 record over June and July. They were a game below .500 and within sniffing range of the Cardinals and Cubs in the Central division. But they'd been outscored by 12 runs over those two months, which was a much truer way of assessing their chances at singing a happy tune when all is said and done.

Fire can't make up for throwing Brian Moehler, Mike Hampton and the unsightly trio of Russ Ortiz, Felipe Paulino and Bud Norris on three of five days. It can't make up for Pudge Rodriguez and Kaz Matsui getting regular spots in the lineup and it can't make up for the fact that there are several clearly superior teams in the National League.

If anything, this season, and the performance of those five players in particular, should have taught the Astros that an over-reliance on grit, experience or whatever you call playing overly ripe veterans isn't a good strategy. After all, if fire was all it took to change things around, Oswalt could have shown more of it himself and won the game against Piniero on Wednesday night.

Roy Oswalt Thinks the Astros Are Insufficiently Fiery originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 27 Aug 2009 14:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ivan Rodriguez Is Headed Back to the Rangers for Matt Nevarez

Pat Lackey — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 14:53:00 EST

Filed under: Astros, Rangers, AL West, NL Central, MLB Transactions

The Astros dealt Ivan Rodriguez back to the Rangers Tuesday afternoon in exchange for minor league reliever Matt Nevarez and a player to be named later, a major league source has confirmed to FanHouse.

Pudge, who spent the best 12 years of his career with the Rangers between 1991 and 2002, is only hitting .251/.280/.382 but he's expected to provide depth behind Taylor Teagarden, with starter Jarrod Saltalamacchia on the disabled list. Neither player has hit much better than Rodriguez this season.

In return, the Astros are getting the 22-year-old Nevarez. He's been excellent In relief with Singe-A Hickory this year, striking out 12.9 batters per nine innings with an ERA of 2.83. He's still a bit old for the level and he's progressed slowly through the Rangers' system, but he's a nice return for a veteran catcher who simply wasn't doing much to help the Astros down the road in what's become a lost season for them.

For the Rangers, this might not be more than a lateral move. Teagarden's .637 OPS is terrible and so is Salty's .662 (especially in Arlington), but Pudge hit only .219/.257/.323 after a trade to the Yankees last season. He's at .662 this year, but a move to the American League likely won't help his stats. He also hasn't been with the Rangers in almost seven years, so he's not at all familiar with any of their young pitching staff. He might help them out a bit down the stretch in the wild-card race, but isn't likely to provide a significant boost.

Of course, Nevarez is a project (he missed all of 2007 with an arm injury) and so they're really not giving up much to get Pudge back into the organization. He's a nice addition for the Astros, but in the end Pudge is a cheap potential upgrade at this time of season, and in the tight AL wild-card race, every little bit will help.

Ivan Rodriguez Is Headed Back to the Rangers for Matt Nevarez originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 18 Aug 2009 14:53:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There's Still Interest in John Smoltz

Pat Lackey — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:03:00 EST

Filed under: Astros, Cardinals, Dodgers, Marlins, Rangers, Red Sox, AL East, AL West, NL Central, NL East, NL West, MLB Rumors

After John Smoltz's debacle in Yankee Stadium last week and his subsequent designation for assignment by the Red Sox, it really seemed like his career was over. It's not just that he's been bad with Boston this year; he's 42 years old and dealing with shoulder problems that could derail the career of a pitcher half his age. There just doesn't seem to be any reason for him to keep going at this point.

If he does want to keep pitching, though, he's got plenty of options. The Florida Sun-Sentinel reports the Marlins are interested in Smoltz for their playoff run, Tony La Russa says the Cardinals would like to see him in the bullpen, Ken Rosenthal is reporting that the Dodgers are interested, Buster Olney links the Rangers to the vet, and Jayson Stark drops the Astros into the running, as well.

With at least five teams interested, Smoltz can pretty much pick what he deems to be the best situation for him. He told Boston that he wouldn't pitch out of the bullpen, but it's hard to imagine him finding success anywhere but the 'pen at this stage in his career. He's been very tough on righties in 2009 (they're hitting .232/.259/.390 against him) and he's been very effective with his first 25 pitches this year before running out of gas later into games.

It could be that he's simply looking for a team that needs a righty to pitch in high-leverage situations. Boston doesn't need that with Jonathan Papelbon and Daniel Bard already in its 'pen, but I'm sure the Cardinals would love to see him setting saves up for Ryan Franklin. If Smoltz wants to start, there's probably room for him in the Marlins', Astros', or Rangers' rotations, but that seems like he'd be setting himself up for more disappointment.

Since Smoltz refused an assignment to Pawtucket last week, Boston has until Sunday to trade or release him. With so many teams interested in his services, I suppose a trade is possible, but with the large amount of money involved it seems much more likely that teams will wait for Boston to release him and for Smoltz to hit free agency, with Boston being forced to assume the remainder of his $5.5 million contract.

There's Still Interest in John Smoltz originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:03:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting Five: Daring Tulo Makes History As Rockies Roll Into Wild-Card Lead

Ed Price — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Astros, Angels, Athletics, Marlins, Orioles, Rockies, MLB Injuries, MLB Milestones, Starting Five

Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action, with a quick nod to what is ahead.

You Oughta Know ...
That Colorado has cycled back to the top of the NL wild-card standings.

Troy Tulowitzki hit for the cycle Tuesday as the Rockies bashed the Cubs, 11-5. By taking three of four in the series, Colorado moved a game ahead of San Francisco.

According to STATS LLC, Tulowitzki joined John Valentin as the only players ever to hit for the cycle and turn an unassisted triple play.

Tulowitzki ended up 5-for-5 with a career-best seven RBI, and he nearly had a two-homer cycle but replay upheld a foul ball ruling.

More Coverage: Scoreboard | Standings | Statistics

He homered in the first inning, had a potential grand slam in the second ruled foul upon review before settling for a two-run single and then doubled in the fourth.

So he came up in the plate needing a triple. And he got it.

"We were sitting on the bench together and [teammate Brad Hawpe] was telling me, 'If you get anywhere close to getting a triple you better go,' " Tulowitzki said. "I honestly think if it weren't for him I would have stopped at second."

... "I don't know if I'll ever have a game like this ever in my career," he said. "Not too many people can say they had a cycle in the big leagues."

Tulowitzki also singled in the eighth inning.

It was the sixth cycle in the majors this year, the fifth cycle in Colorado's 17 seasons and the eighth all-time at extra-base friendly Coors Field.

From the Trainer's Room ...
In his first game action since March 27 open-heart surgery, Aaron Boone played five innings at third base for Double-A Corpus Christi (Texas). Boone, who is working toward a September return with Houston, went 0-for-2 with a foul out and a popup and handled two chances in the field.

Numbers Game ...
The Angels' Kendry Morales had his third two-homer game in two weeks as Los Angeles outlasted Tampa Bay, 8-7. Morales has 10 homers since the All-Star break, most in the AL, and 25 on the season. The Angels record for homers by a switch-hitter is 28, by Chili Davis in 1996. Vladimir Guerrero also homered twice Monday, giving him 400 for his career; his .322 career average is the highest for a 400-homer player since Stan Musial.

In Their Own Words ...
"I was sitting in the tunnel the whole time, trying to get away from that heat. It was like fighting fireballs. I was throwing water on my face, ammonia towels, trying to cool down a little bit.'' -- Oakland's Gio Gonzalez, who pitched six scoreless innings for a win at Baltimore, where it was 93 degrees at game time

Advance Scouting ...
The Marlins, just three games out in the NL wild-card race, will try tonight for their fifth straight win, at home against the Astros (7:10 PM ET). A victory would give Florida its first 14-6 stretch since May 2008. For Houston, the game marks the return of ace Roy Oswalt, who has not pitched since July 28 because of a sore back. Over his past seven starts, Oswalt is 3-0 with a 1.93 ERA and .180 average allowed.

Starting Five: Daring Tulo Makes History As Rockies Roll Into Wild-Card Lead originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 11 Aug 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting Five: Tough Tigers Roar Back Against Orioles

Ed Price — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Astros, Athletics, Nationals, Orioles, Pirates, Rangers, Rays, Red Sox, Tigers, MLB Injuries, MLB Milestones, Starting Five

Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action, with a quick nod to what is ahead.

You Oughta Know ...
That Justin Verlander and the Tigers are pretty tough.

They spotted the Orioles five runs Monday in the top of the first inning but somehow came back to win, 6-5, on Clete Thomas' ninth-inning home run.

"I've never hit a walk-off homer before - not at any level," he said. "When I was rounding first and realized it had gone out, I didn't know how to react. It feels better than you even think it will -- and that's something you always dream of doing."

More Coverage: Scoreboard | Standings | Statistics

Verlander gave up hits to the first four batters he faced in the game and seven of the first 10. But he followed the first with seven scoreless innings to give Detroit a chance.

"I think we [ticked] him off after the first inning," [Aubrey] Huff said. "Certainly, you get five in the first against Verlander, you hope to win the game, but it didn't happen."

From the Trainer's Room ...
Roy Oswalt is still not recovered from a sore back, and his next start won't be until Saturday -- if he doesn't end up on the disabled list.

Oswalt left his start last Tuesday and threw a bullpen session Monday.

Oswalt said he would meet with doctors on Tuesday and throw another bullpen session on Wednesday.

"I'm not 100 percent," Oswalt said. "I just don't feel good."

Numbers Game ...
Neftali Feliz -- yet another player Texas got from Atlanta in the 2007 Mark Teixeira deal -- became the first pitcher since 1962 to strike out the first four batters he faced in his big-league career. (Pete Richert of the Dodgers struck out the first six Reds he faced on April 12, 1962: Vada Pinson, Frank Robinson, Gordy Coleman, Wally Post, Johnny Edwards and Tommy Harper). Making his debut at Oakland, Feliz pitched two perfect innings and hit 101 mph on the radar gun.

In Their Own Words ...
"I was kind of sitting on a pitch, and I got totally the opposite of what I was sitting on. I have no idea how I hit it out. I just was late; that's why it went over there. By no means was it a good piece of hitting; it was very good pitching. If I'm not sitting on changeup and I'm sitting on fastball there, I probably pull it into a double play." -- Washington's Adam Dunn on his three-run homer off Pittsburgh's Charlie Morton

Advance Scouting ...
It's almost must-win time for the Rays. Tampa Bay trails Boston by five games in the AL wild-card chase, and the Red Sox open a two-game series at Tropicana Field tonight (7:08 PM ET). Tampa starter Matt Garza is 5-1 with a 2.98 ERA in 10 career starts against Boston, not even including two wins in last year's ALCS. Red Sox lefty Jon Lester this year is 0-2 against the Rays, with a 12.54 ERA.

Starting Five: Tough Tigers Roar Back Against Orioles originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 04 Aug 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting Five: Tale of Two Pitchers

Jeff Fletcher — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Astros, Cubs, Giants, Orioles, Phillies, Starting Five

Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action with a quick nod to what is ahead.

You Oughta Know ...
Kevin Hart got a win and Russ Ortiz got a loss, but that was the least eventful thing that happened to the starters from Thursday's Cubs-Astros game. Not long after the Cubs finished their 12-3 victory over the Astros, Hart was traded to the Pirates. And Ortiz, the losing pitcher for the Astros, was released.

Hart said it was a "little weird" to be sitting in an empty clubhouse after his former teammates had departed for Miami. He had won his third consecutive start, allowing three runs in six innings.

More Coverage: Scoreboard | Standings | Statistics

Ortiz was blasted for nine runs in 2 1/3 innings. As he tried to rebound from an injury that cost him a season and a half, Ortiz had a few decent outings earlier in the year, but he was not consistent enough to keep his job. Now, the 35-year-old's career may be over.

"It just wasn't there, I guess lately. I shouldn't say 'I guess.' It wasn't there lately," Ortiz said. "So, they had to make moves that going to help. This team has a very good chance to make the playoffs. So, they had to make a move that was going to help that, not hurt it."

From the Trainers' Room...
Orioles right-hander Brad Bergeson picked up a painful victory. Kansas City's Billy Butler hit a line drive off Bergeson's leg in the seventh inning, knocking him to the ground. Catcher Matt Wieters retrieved the ball and got an out, but Bergeson was done for the game. He went for X-rays, which were negative.

"The pain was bad. I wanted to throw up, but I took the X-ray and there was no break on there and hopefully there isn't," Bergesen said. "They say worst-case scenario, sometimes a hairline fracture doesn't show up until a couple of days because of the swelling. But I'm going to be really optimistic about it right now."

By The Numbers...
Derek Holland became the first Rangers left-hander since 1999 to have at least 10 strikeouts in a game. Holland retired 24 of the first 25 batters in a victory over Seattle. Holland has made enough of an impression on the Rangers that he's been deemed untouchable in a Roy Halladay trade.

In Their Own Words...
"They're not a good club. They're beating us like this. This is pitiful." -- Reds manager Dusty Baker, after his team lost for the fifth time in six games to the Padres.

Advance Scouting...
Cliff Lee will make his Phillies debut, starting against the Giants in San Francisco (10:15 PM ET). Lee has pitched at AT&T Park just one other time, with the Indians in 2005. He gave up three runs in seven innings and won that day. Lee will miss facing the reigning NL Cy Young winner by one day. Tim Lincecum pitches for the Giants on Saturday. Instead the Giants will send Ryan Sadowski to the mound.

Starting Five: Tale of Two Pitchers originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 31 Jul 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting Five: Tremors of Trouble in LA?

Ed Price — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Astros, Athletics, Blue Jays, Braves, Brewers, Cardinals, Dodgers, Mariners, Marlins, Red Sox, NL West, MLB Injuries, Starting Five

Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action, with a quick nod to what is ahead.

You Oughta Know ...
That the Dodgers have finally lost three in a row, falling 10-0 Tuesday to the Cardinals.

L.A. is the last team in the majors to have a losing streak longer than two, and by not doing so until games 98-100, it set a franchise record.

And while the Dodgers' lead in the NL West is still eight games, there are causes for concern. In two losses at St. Louis, Los Angeles has had 20 hits -- but scored just one run. The Dodgers went 2-for-16 with runners in scoring position in those games and had only three extra-base hits, all doubles.

More Coverage: Scoreboard | Standings | Statistics

"We've won a lot of close games, but to go this long only losing two in a row is pretty unusual," manager Joe Torre said. "But we have to get ourselves righted right now."

Someone who doesn't have to get righted is Cardinals third baseman Mark DeRosa, who homered for the sixth time in eight games.

From the Trainer's Room ...
Two NL Central Opening Day starters are on the shelf. Houston ace Roy Oswalt left his start at Wrigley Field in the second inning with a lower left back strain. He will likely miss at least one turn in the rotation. In Milwaukee, Jeff Suppan underwent an MRI that showed a strained left oblique. Although no decision has been made on his status, the already-thin Brewers rotation cannot afford much more damage.

Numbers Game ...
Oakland became just the second team in more than 25 years to get 21 hits at Fenway Park -- and no homers. The A's rallied from a four-run deficit to force extra innings and they beat the Red Sox 9-8 in 11 innings. Adam Kennedy had five of the hits, a career high and one fewer than he had in his previous six games total. In June 2006, Texas had 22 hits and no homers at Boston, and before that it had not happened since the Brewers did it in 1983.

In Their Own Words ...
"I was watching one of the monitors in the hallway in the bowels of the stadium. I came running back in here and started high-fiving guys." -- Florida manager Fredi Gonzalez, who was suspended for Tuesday's game, which the Marlins won on Ross Gload's two-run walk-off homer to get to four games over .500 for the first time since they were 14-10.

Advance Scouting ...
Is this it? Roy Halladay is scheduled to start for Toronto at Seattle Wednesday (4:40 PM ET), and it could be his last outing in a Blue Jays uniform. Halladay is the biggest catch on the trade market, but he may not be dealt. With 142 wins, Halladay is second in franchise history to Dave Stieb (175).

Starting Five: Tremors of Trouble in LA? originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 29 Jul 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LaTroy Hawkins Accuses Umps of Favoring Cubs

Pat Lackey — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 13:38:00 EST

Filed under: Astros, Cubs, NL Central

It's understandable that LaTroy Hawkins would be upset after the Astros' loss last night to the Cubs. The 'Stros began the night two games behind division-leading Chicago and with their tough 13-inning loss, which ended on a grand slam by Alfonso Soriano, they lost another game in the standings.

Hawkins, meanwhile, was ejected in the eighth inning for arguing balls and strikes and in his frustration after the game accused home plate umpire Mike Everitt of favoring the Cubs with his calls.

The incident came with Aramis Ramirez at the plate, right after Hawkins issued a walk to Derrek Lee. Hawkins was apparently upset with an 0-1 pitch called a ball by Everitt. It seems that Hawkins started things by questioning the call and was tossed when he ignored Everitt's warning to stop. After the game he actually accused him of favoring the Cubs.

From the Houston Chronicle (same link as above), here are Hawkins' words:

"I thought it was a strike," Hawkins said. "And I told (Everitt), 'Come on, I need that pitch.' He don't need any help.' He said, 'Knock it off.' I waved him off, and he threw me out of the game. Maybe he was having a bad day. I thought he had determined who he wanted to win the game anyway."

Hawkins will likely apologize for the accusation in the near future, saying that he was wrapped up in the emotion of the tough loss and didn't mean to actually accuse Everitt of favoring the Cubs. That said, accusing an umpire of "determin[ing] who he wanted to win the game," is pretty serious and it isn't exactly a charge that can just be brushed off.

Hawkins probably should've kept that little rant to himself after the game, but he probably did have reason to be arguing Everitt's strike zone. Looking at the GameDay from the game last night, it seems like two of the balls thrown to Lee, plus the ball called on Ramirez that ended up promting the ejection, were all in the strike zone. I don't think there's any chance that Everitt was actually favoring the Cubs, and Hawkins certainly was wrong to accuse him of such, but his strike zone wasn't doing Hawkins any favors.

LaTroy Hawkins Accuses Umps of Favoring Cubs originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 28 Jul 2009 13:38:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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