MLB FanHouse

Footprints in the Snow: Braves

Knox Bardeen — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:00:00 EST

Footprints in the Snow is FanHouse's look at the paths to be forged by MLB teams this winter as they look ahead to 2010.

The Atlanta Braves were alive in the wild-card race late in the season due to a powerful pitching rotation that featured six viable starting candidates (at least there were six at the end of the season). The Braves ranked third in the National League in team ERA with a 3.57 mark and had two 15-game winners in Derek Lowe and Javier Vazquez. They also ranked fourth in team batting average and sixth in runs scored even without a true cleanup hitter in the lineup.

If you examine their bullpen you'll also find two relievers who were in the top five in strikeouts among relief pitchers -- Mike Gonzalez with 90 and Rafael Soriano with 102. These relievers shared the closing duties for most of the season and each had ERA's below three to finish the year.

More Footprints in the Snow

Who Might Leave

Garret Anderson, LF; Mike Gonzalez, LHP; Adam LaRoche, 1B; Greg Norton, INF/OF; Rafael Soriano, RHP; Jorge Campillo, RHP (released); Buddy Carlyle, RHP (released); Vladimir Nunez, RHP (released).

Shopping List

The biggest need in Atlanta heading into 2010 is a big bat to in the middle of the lineup. That person can play first base of one of the corner outfield spots as both are positional needs f the Braves right now.

The Braves have expressed interest in Josh Willingham, who hit 24 home runs for the Washington Nationals in 2009. Willingham would fit in nicely in the Atlanta outfield, but he's still not the true power hitter of which the Braves are in dire need. Also rumored to be on the radar for Atlanta are Jason Bay and Matt Holliday, but neither are likely candidates as they would require a huge outlay of money the Braves aren't willing to dish out.

Atlanta may also be searching for a closer, a first baseman and a setup man for the bullpen, but those moves are reactionary more than a glaring need. Both Gonzalez and Soriano are up for free agency, as is first baseman Adam LaRoche. The Braves would like to re-sign both relief pitchers, but the asking price may be too high for the pair, leaving the team to keep one of the two and then fill the role of the departed via free agency. Billy Wagner has been mentioned on multiple occasions.

LaRoche fits into the Braves clubhouse very well and he's also a viable place-holder at first base, but the Braves are unwilling to sign him to a long-term contract since they have a first base prospect Freddie Freeman almost ready for big-league action.

Money Matters

The Braves have already made big news by signing Tim Hudson to a new contract. This gives the Braves six starting pitchers and makes Derek Lowe or Javier Vazquez very viable trade candidates. Vazquez would surely bring a much better package back in return, but the Braves would love to shed Lowe's contract. He is still owed $45 million over the next three years.

Atlanta has close to $81 million in commitments prior to the arbitration hearings of Ryan Church, Matt Diaz, Kelly Johnson, Boone Logan and Peter Moylan. The Braves likely won't bring back Johnson or Logan, but the other three are looking at raises that the Braves may pay. Moylan, a very effective groundball specialist, appeared in 87 games for Atlanta last year, the most of any pitcher. Diaz had a career year for the Braves ,and if he truly has solved his inability to hit right-handed pitching, would surely be a valuable asset for the Braves bench.

Offseason Goals

The Braves have a lot to look forward to in 2010. Tommy Hanson only made 21 starts in Atlanta and finished third in Rookie of the Year voting. If he can provide 30-plus starts next year, the Braves will be a much better team. The same can be said for Hudson as he missed most of 2009 recovering from Tommy John surgery. Even with those two pitchers making the Braves better, if the lineup isn't enhanced with a power hitter or two, it's going to be very tough for them to wrestle control of the NL East away from the Phillies.

Footprints in the Snow: Braves originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Scouting Notes: Braves Shopping Pair of Arms, and Both Could Be Bargains

Frankie Piliere — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:58:00 EST

Filed under: Braves, Red Sox, Yankees, MLB Inside Scoop, Scout's Eye View

On the free-agent market, all the focus has been on John Lackey. On the trade market, the talk has been about Roy Halladay. The consolation prize for teams seeking a top-flight arm may come out of Atlanta.

The Braves have two of their top starters on the block, Derek Lowe and Javier Vazquez, and there's little doubt that at least one of those two pitchers will be moved, according to multiple major league sources. With strong resumes for both, there should be teams lined up for their services.

One source said that the Braves intend to move one of the two pitchers, and who goes will depend on the offers they receive.

Trading for Halladay could take a king's ransom, and Lackey will demand a huge financial commitment. With that in mind, and one of these pitchers clearly on the block, how might the market be impacted, what do each of these Braves hurlers bring to the table and what might it take to get them?

Lowe is more likely depart and would certainly come cheaper than Vazquez, but the Braves won't get nearly the same return for the former as they would the latter. Atlanta could use the contract relief that would come with dealing Lowe, who has three years and around $45 million left on his contract.

Count the Yankees and Mets as possible destinations for Lowe. Would the Yankees go down the Vazquez road again? It seems unlikely, and given his National League success, he might be best served to stay there. Either way, Vazquez' desirability is the reason Atlanta is more likely to try and hold onto him. After all, he's cheaper, younger, and had a fantastic 2009.

Any suitors for Lowe will have to be financially flexible, and that rules out quite a few teams. Not many clubs would give up players and also pay the $45 million left on his contract. For example, the Texas Rangers, who have also been linked to Vazquez and are looking for pitching help, will not be in on either of these two pitchers because of the money each is making. Other than the Yankees, who figure to lead the charge here, the Angels, who have money coming off the books, will likely explore both pitchers. Whether the Braves would trade within the division to the Mets remains to be seen, but they would be a logical destination otherwise.

Although it will take a financial commitment, Vazquez and Lowe are not going to command a haul of prospects that someone like Halladay would. If Halladay isn't moved, one could make the argument that either Vazquez or Lowe would be the best pitcher available this winter.

While his 4.67 ERA in 2009 doesn't look all the glamorous, Lowe was much better than that ERA would indicate and has been a model of consistency since 2003. Minus a few bad starts near the end of the season, Lowe was as good as ever this year. Don't expect teams to be any less impressed with Lowe than they were when he was free agent last offseason

And then there is Vazquez. He likely won't win the Cy Young Award, announced Thursday, but he was a legitimate contender for the hardware in 2009. He mixed his pitches better this season than he ever has in the past, and his walk numbers were way down from 2008. While some scouts may doubt that he can repeat his fantastic 2009 performance, he has been a consistent innings-eater with good strikeout numbers for many years now.

So what can we expect? Finding a home for Derek Lowe's big contract won't be easy, but it appears that he's the one in this pair that Atlanta would prefer to jettison. Vazquez, on the other hand, will draw much more widespread interest, with only a year remaining on his contract and his impressive performance this past season.

In the end, bet on Lowe getting dealt, with the destination being one of the big-market clubs that showed interest in him when he was a free agent. Expect the Yankees to be heavily involved, especially if money is more the issue at hand than the players that Atlanta gets in return.

Quick Hits

o. It's looking more and more like the Aroldis Chapman sweepstakes will be a two-team race. Mid-market teams do not expect to be involved in the bidding, according to sources with several different teams, leaving the Yankees and Red Sox poised to battle it out for the Cuban left-hander's services.

o. As the market takes shape, Rafael Soriano has been placed on the top of many wish lists. Few relievers warrant premium free-agent money, but most agree that Soriano is one of those guys. It looks like he'll hit the big money on the open market and Mike Gonzalez could be the one that remains in Atlanta. Soriano has, for many years now, drawn high praise from scouts for his outstanding pure stuff, and it looks like he'll get compensated like a closer with that type of stuff now.

Frankie Piliere spent the last three seasons working as a scout, most recently in the professional scouting department for the Texas Rangers in 2009. He now serves as the National Baseball Analyst here at FanHouse.

Scouting Notes: Braves Shopping Pair of Arms, and Both Could Be Bargains originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:58:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tim Hudson Inks Extension -- Pending MRI -- Gives Braves Hometown Discount

Knox Bardeen — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:36:00 EST

Filed under: Braves, NL East, MLB Transactions

You probably want to be spared the cheesy "home is where the heart is" stuff, but to Tim Hudson that sentiment apparently carries a lot of weight. Hudson, who grew up about 100 miles away from Atlanta in Phenix City, Ala. has once again given the Atlanta Braves a hometown discount. It all comes down to two parties wanting to continue a mutually beneficial relationship.

"I wanted to be back and they (Braves) wanted me back", Hudson told local sports-talk radio station 680 the Fan this morning. "Sometimes you have to tell your agent that I'm happy here and you work for me."

The three-year deal is said to be worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $27 million. Terms were finalized this week and Hudson passed his physical yesterday. The only roadblock still in place, according to Dave O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, is an MRI on Hudson's surgically repaired elbow.

With Hudson healthy and back in the Braves rotation, Atlanta has an extra starting pitcher and a glaring need for a power hitter in the middle of the lineup. To get that needed bat, the team is facing a decision on whether to deal someone from this impressive list of pitchers: Jair Jurrjens, Derek Lowe, Kenshin Kawakami, Javier Vazquez, or Tommy Hanson.

Jurrjens and Hanson are safely entrenched in Atlanta. They are excellent pitchers and cheap options as they are both young. And if the team really wants to bring back a middle-of-the-lineup type slugger, Kawakami isn't going to be valuable enough in trade. That leaves either Vazquez or Lowe to dangle in front of general mangers this winter.

Two reasons lead me to believe that Vazquez will be the pitcher given his walking papers. When it comes to return value, the Braves will get a better hitter in return for Vazquez, who is the stronger and younger pitcher. He's also got a much more favorable contract then Lowe, who is still owed $45 million over the next three years.

Tim Hudson Inks Extension -- Pending MRI -- Gives Braves Hometown Discount originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:36:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tim Hudson, Braves Close to Extension

Matt Snyder — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:41:00 EST

Filed under: Braves, NL East, MLB Rumors

According to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, the Atlanta Braves are near a deal that would extend the contract of 34-year-old Tim Hudson by another three years. Rosenthal cites major league sources, and one source told him it would be shocking if the extension wasn't complete within the next four days.

Hudson was once a Cy Young-type pitcher -- he finished in the top-6 three times in a four year span -- but those days are long gone. He can be a valuable part of a pitching staff, though, as he went 16-10 with a 3.33 ERA in his last full season (2007). Since then he's made just 29 starts in two seasons, due to having to undergo and come back from Tommy John surgery.

Despite the arm woes, Hudson was still productive, compiling a 3.61 ERA in 42 1/3 innings last season for the Braves.

The extension is most interesting from the standpoint of what it does to the Braves' starting rotation. We've discussed it before, but, with Hudson, the Braves would have six guys worth a spot in the rotation for 2010: Hudson, Derek Lowe, Javier Vazquez, Tommy Hanson, Jair Jurrjens and Kenshin Kawakami. I previously speculated the Braves would look to deal either Vazquez or Kawakami. Rosenthal, in his report, mentions the possibility of trading Lowe or Vazquez for a bat.

It will be interesting to see what the Braves end up doing, because they do have great pitching and are in need of a bit more offensive firepower. They finished third in the National League with a 3.57 ERA, but were held back by a lack of power. They ranked 10th in the NL in slugging percentage and home runs.

Tim Hudson, Braves Close to Extension originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:41:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Marcus Giles Arrested On Domestic Battery Charges

Tom Fornelli — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 11:49:00 EST

Filed under: Braves, Padres, MLB Police Blotter

Former Atlanta Braves and San Diego Padres second baseman Marcus Giles was arrested early Wednesday morning for domestic battery after his wife called the police. The details of the incident are somewhat sketchy, but the El Cajon police were called by the California Highway Patrol to the scene where the incident allegedly took place.

Police arrived on the scene to find the Giles' car parked on the shoulder of the highway, placed Giles under arrest and took him into custody.

El Cajon Police Acting Lt. Fenton Sue said officers were called to eastbound Interstate 8 at Greenfield Drive at 3:20 a.m. by the California Highway Patrol. The CHP officers were with Giles, 31, and his wife Tracy, 30, who were in a vehicle parked on the shoulder of the freeway , Sue said.

Giles' wife told officers she was making a citizen's arrest on her husband for battery, Sue said. The incident happened near the intersection of I-8 and state Route 67, Sue said.

Giles was taken into custody on suspicion of domestic battery on a spouse, Sue said.

Tracy Giles was unhurt and was taken to El Cajon police headquarters to be interviewed, Sue said.

The details on what happened have not been released by the police but the CHP did say that they had a "be on the lookout" call for Giles' vehicle.

While this is the first incident of this type involving Marcus Giles, it's not the first time a story like this has come out about his family. Marcus' brother Brian Giles had a lawsuit filed against him back in December of 2008 by an ex-girlfriend, Cheri Olvera, who claimed that Giles had physically and emotionally abused her throughout their relationship. Brian filed a countersuit claiming it was Olvera who had been abusing him.

Marcus Giles Arrested On Domestic Battery Charges originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 11:49:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting Five: No Match for Nolasco

Andrew Johnson — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Braves, Marlins, 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 Braves are all but done in the NL wild-card race, not that there was anything they could do about it. Atlanta, which had surged into contention over the last few weeks, ran into the Marlins' Ricky Nolasco Wednesday night.

He was on -- very on -- and now the Braves' playoff push is off.

Nolasco struck out 16, a Marlins record, including a stretch where he fanned nine in a row, one shy of the major league record of 10 straight held by Tom Seaver.

More Coverage: Scoreboard | Standings | Statistics

"I haven't had that feeling since high school, when you pretty much have a good idea what's going to happen," said Nolasco. "I would never think I would strike out this many hitters against this lineup."

Any Braves loss or Rockies win over the final four days of the regular season will mathematically eliminate Atlanta.

From the Trainer's Room ...
Stop us if you've heard this one before: A Met suffered an injury setback. All-Start shortstop Jose Reyes, out since May 20 with an assortment of nagging hamstring injuries including a torn tendon, further damaged the area, meaning he will almost certainly require surgery in the offseason. Reyes, who relies on his speed as much as any player in baseball, is now not a sure thing to be ready for spring training next year.

Numbers Game ...
Roy Halladay threw his ninth complete game of the season against a vastly depleted Red Sox lineup. It's the third time Halladay has gone the distance nine times in a season. Only five other pitchers have thrown that many completes game in a season this decade -- all of them once -- and only CC Sabathia last year exceeded that total. Doc has 47 complete games since 2000, 11 more than the next closest pitcher, Livan Hernandez.

"It's obviously a nice way to finish," Halladay said. "It's fun when you get runs like that. It takes a lot of the pressure off."

In Their Own Words ...
"I'm sure he had pine tar on his cap. He didn't have any problem getting a grip. Balls like that can generate a lot more movement than a slick ball that hasn't been rubbed up." -- Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan on Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo. Duncan insinuated that Arroyo had pine tar on his cap during St. Louis' 6-1 loss and complained to the umpiring crew that the baseballs being used at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati weren't rubbed up properly. Apparently clinching a playoff spot did little to take the Cardinals off edge.

Advance Scouting ...
Weren't the Rockies just clinging to the wild-card lead over the Braves? All of sudden Colorado's magic number is one and it'll take its first crack at clinching a playoff spot in a Thursday matinee against the Brewers. Aaron Cook will start for the Rockies against Milwaukee's Manny Parra (3:10 PM ET). If Cook can deliver, Colorado will head to Los Angeles for the final three games of the season with a real chance to pass the NL West-leading Dodgers, who are 2 1/2 games ahead in the standings.

Starting Five: No Match for Nolasco originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting Five: Rockies Overcome Big Blow, Widen Lead

Jeff Fletcher — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Braves, Cardinals, Cubs, Dodgers, Rockies, 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 a couple of game tying three-run homers threatened to make the NL wild-card chase really wild, but the teams that hit them both lost, leaving the Rockies three games up on the Braves with five games to go.

The excitement began in Atlanta, where the Braves' Matt Diaz hit a sixth-inning shot to erase a 4-1 lead. Unfortunately for Atlanta, the Marlins responded with Jorge Cantu's tie-breaking single a half inning later, and Florida held on to snap the Braves' seven-game winning streak.

A few hours later, Rockies closer Huston Street was looking to convert his 27th consecutive save opportunity when he gave up a game-tying homer to the normally powerless Jason Kendall of the Brewers in the ninth. Like the Marlins, the Rockies overcame it, winning in the 11th on Chris Iannetta's two-run homer.

More Coverage: Scoreboard | Standings | Statistics

From The Trainer's Room ...
Red Sox right-hander Josh Beckett said he is fine to make his final regular season start on Saturday. Beckett had his last start scratched because of mild back spasms. The Red Sox, who clinched the wild card because Texas lost late Tuesday night, also got good news on Mike Lowell. Lowell, who had two injections for pain in his hip, is expected to be back in the lineup on Thursday. Lefty Hideki Okajima was OK on Tuesday after missing four games because of a sore right side.

Numbers Game ...
The Cubs accomplished a goal that would seem rather modest, but not for them. By winning their 82nd game on Tuesday, they clinched a third consecutive winning season. It's only the second time in the past 70 years the Cubs have had three consecutive winning seasons. The other stretch (of six straight) was from 1967 to 1972.

In Their Own Words ...
"You want to compete the best you can. You don't want to turn anything off. You can't turn it off and turn it on. Nobody is that good." -- Cardinals manager Tony La Russa, expressing concern that his team has lost some of its edge toward the end of the regular season. The Cardinals have lost four of their past five games, with the only victory in that span being the one that clinched the NL Central.

Advance Scouting ...
The Dodgers had a small celebration upon clinching a playoff spot, holding off on the big one until they clinched the division. That was three days ago. Los Angeles will try to snap a three-game losing streak when they play the Padres (10:05 PM ET) in San Diego. Any Dodgers win or Rockies loss will lock up the division for L.A. Needless to say, they'd like to have it over before the Rockies come to town on Friday.

Starting Five: Rockies Overcome Big Blow, Widen Lead originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting Five: Jurrjens, Braves Roll On

Ed Price — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Braves, Mets, Orioles, Red Sox, Tigers, Twins, 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 ...
This Jurrjens kid is pretty good.

Jair Jurrjens threw seven scoreless innings on Monday as the Braves downed the Marlins 4-0 and climbed within two games of the Rockies for the wild-card lead.

Atlanta has two more games with Florida and then four against Washington. Colorado hosts Milwaukee for three before finishing with three games at the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"Right now we feel like we're in control," [Chipper] Jones said. "We're dictating at-bats whether it be on the mound or whether we're hitting. And a lot of good things are happening."

More Coverage: Scoreboard | Standings | Statistics

Jurrjens, 23, is 14-10 with a 2.61 ERA -- fourth-best in the National League -- and has allowed two or fewer earned runs in 25 of his 33 starts. Since Aug. 14, he is 5-2 with a 1.70 ERA.

"I can make my dad's dream come true right now if I get to the playoffs," said Jurrjens who grew up a Braves fan in his native Curacao. "My mom said he's put the travel bag out already."

Florida fell 5 1/2 games out in the wild-card race and will be eliminated with one more loss or one Colorado win.

From the Trainer's Room ...
Boston lefty Jon Lester, hit near the right knee by a liner last Friday, threw a bullpen session Monday and is scheduled to start Thursday against Cleveland.

"I felt fine," said Lester. "No problems. Just the normal long tossing and everything. Right around 55 pitches. Everything was good. I felt good this morning when I woke up and walking around and everything. But there's that question in your mind, 'OK, when I get on the mound, is it going to bug me?' And it didn't. Everything was good. I'm sure Thursday is fine."

Meanwhile, third baseman Mike Lowell, who was hampered last postseason by a sore hip that eventually required surgery, received injections Monday in the hip.

"Heading into the postseason, I'd rather have more mobility than less. The docs said this would be a way to alleviate things," he said. "This would be a good time to take two, three days off to really get my hip feeling a lot better."

Numbers Game ...
The Orioles have been out-scored 77-35 in losing 11 straight, their longest skid since a 12-game losing streak in Sept. 2004. They have blown a lead in seven of the 11 losses.

Also -- cue the Boomtown Rats -- Baltimore is 5-14 on Mondays, with losses on 12 straight Monday games since a win on June 1.

In Their Own Words ...
"This is like Groundhog's Day -- I just want to wake up from it. It just keeps happening and keeps happening. It's just frustrating ... because no one likes to lose, and I'm definitely not someone who's going to sit there and say, 'Well at least I put forth a good effort.' I'm tired of losing. I hate losing." -- Mets right-hander Nelson Figueroa, who fell to 2-8 as he lost to the Nationals

Advance Scouting ...
Thanks to rain Monday, the Tigers and Twins start their AL Central showdown with a day/night doubleheader at Comerica Park (12:05 PM and 7:05 PM ET). Detroit goes into the series with a two-game lead and a magic number of six. After Tuesday, the lead will be zero, two or four games with five to play. Nick Blackburn and Rick Porcello are scheduled to start the day game, with Brian Duensing and Justin Verlander in the nightcap.

Starting Five: Jurrjens, Braves Roll On originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting Five: Thome Finally Arrives, Helps Dodgers Clinch

Jeff Fletcher — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Athletics, Braves, Cardinals, Dodgers, Nationals, 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 Jim Thome picked a good time to finally make his first significant contribution since the Dodgers got him to be their star pinch-hitter. Thome's two-run pinch-hit single keyed a four-run inning in a come-from-behind 8-4 victory over the Pirates that locked up a playoff spot for Los Angeles.

Thome had been 2-for-11 pinch-hitting for the Dodgers, with no RBI. He came up just after the Dodgers had taken a 5-4 lead and delivered a two-run single. Just a day earlier, Thome had an injection in a sore foot that has hampered him for a couple weeks.

After the Dodgers won, they had a subdued champagne toast -- no dumping or spraying -- to celebrate the team's third postseason appearance in the past four years. They are holding off on the big party until they close out the Rockies. Their magic number to win the NL West is two. They could do it as soon as Sunday.

More Coverage: Scoreboard | Standings | Statistics

From The Trainer's Room ...
Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina was hit just above his left knee by a foul tip, suffering a bruise that forced him out of the game. Losing their All-Star backstop could have been disastrous, but Molina said after the game -- while doused in champagne from the division-clinching win -- that he was OK, and might just miss "a couple days." Molina probably would have sat out Sunday under any circumstances, and the Cardinals are off on Monday.

Numbers Game ...
The Angels became the last team in baseball to suffer a four-game losing streak, and they did it in particularly ugly fashion. They blew a seven-run lead in a 15-10 loss to the A's. The stunning victory for the A's came against Angels starter John Lackey, who had been 16-4 with a 2.54 ERA against Oakland. The Angels' magic number to win the AL West is still four. They open a series with second-place Texas on Monday.

In Their Own Words ...
"If it could go wrong, it went wrong. Freakish things are happening." -- Nationals manager Jim Riggleman, after his team made three errors in a loss to the Braves. The Nationals lost their 102nd game, allowing the Braves to win for the 13th time in 15 games as they pulled within 2 1/2 games of Colorado in the wild-card race.

Advance Scouting ...
The Yankees have a chance to clinch their first AL East title since 2006 -- can you believe it's been that long? -- if they beat the Red Sox Sunday (1:05 PM ET). Andy Pettitte starts for the Yankees against Boston's Paul Byrd. The Red Sox still have a magic number of three to clinch the wild card.

Starting Five: Thome Finally Arrives, Helps Dodgers Clinch originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 27 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting Five: Vazquez Dealing, Braves Streaking Into Contention

Jeff Fletcher — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jays, Braves, Cardinals, Cubs, Dodgers, Reds, 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 when we told you a few weeks ago that the Braves were just about dead, we might have been a bit premature. Led by Javier Vazquez's third complete game of the season, the Braves beat the Nationals, 4-1, winning their fourth game in a row and 12th out of the past 14.

The Braves are still 3 1/2 behind the Rockies in the wild-card race (and mathematically alive in the NL East, believe it or not), but they do have at least one thing in their favor. They play the Nationals six more times in their final nine games, with the other three against Florida.

In Friday's game, Vazquez added another line to his under-appreciated resume. He is 10-2 since July 7. He has 15 victories this season. The only pitcher to win at least 10 games every year since 2000, Vazquez is second only to Randy Johnson in strikeouts in the decade.

More Coverage: Scoreboard | Standings | Statistics

From The Trainer's Room ...
Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee couldn't play on Friday night because of a neck spasms. The injury was aggravated by teammates whacking him too hard on the head after he scored ahead of Jeff Baker's ninth-inning two-run homer on Thursday night. Pitcher Angel Guzman was identified as the player who hit Lee. Manager Lou Piniella didn't blame Guzman, though.

"All Guzman was trying to do was congratulate him for the stolen base and getting on base and scoring a run. It's something that just happened. I'm not faulting anybody."

Numbers Game ...
The Reds pounded out a 10-1 victory over the Astros, the 22nd win in their past 32 games. They have the best record in the majors since Aug. 22.

In Their Own Words ...
"Regardless of what happens this winter, it means a lot to me." -- Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay, who was greeted by fans chanting "Thank You Roy" after his final home game of the season. Halladay is signed through next year, but the Blue Jays may opt to trade him over the winter, considering they shopped him at the trading deadline.

Advance Scouting ...
The Dodgers and Cardinals will both try again to lock up playoff spots. Each failed on Friday. The Dodgers, who play the Pirates (7:05 PM ET) need a win or a Braves loss to clinch a playoff spot. The Cardinals, who play the Rockies (8:10 PM ET), need a win or a Cubs loss to clinch the NL Central.

Starting Five: Vazquez Dealing, Braves Streaking Into Contention originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sat, 26 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bobby Cox Is Peerless

Terence Moore — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 23:10:00 EST

Filed under: Braves

ATLANTA -- The best manager ever?

It's Bobby Cox, no doubt about it, which is why his farewell tour next season away from the Atlanta Braves dugout for the first time in two decades will feature lots of hugs and plenty more tears from those who know.

What they know is -- with apologies to Connie Mack, Leo Durocher, Billy Martin and all of the rest -- Cox's managerial career is incomparable. Such becomes apparent when you study everything involved with his distinction of leading Braves teams to a record 14 consecutive division titles. And since we're on the subject, consider this: if you include his last season with the Toronto Blue Jays, he won 15 consecutive division titles during one stretch of his full seasons as a manager.

Now let that sink in.

"It's the little things," Braves third baseman Chipper Jones once told me when trying to explain the success of the now 68-year-old, cigar-smoking baseball lifer who has won with extremely old teams and extremely young ones. He also has won with power teams and punchless teams. Not only that, he has won with and without a bullpen, with and without a full complement of Cy Maddux, Cy Glavine and Cy Smoltz, and he has won with aching teams, too.

Speaking of which, nothing surpasses Cox's 2001 miracle, when the Braves had injures ranging from John Smoltz's elbow to Kevin Millwood's arm, from Rafael Furcal's shoulder to Brian Jordan's shoulders, and from Keith Lockhart's ankle to John Rocker's brain.

If that wasn't enough, the Braves alternated between two third basemen, watched another player retire out of nowhere to become a high school football coach, and had to survive the free-agent departure of Andres Galarraga, their only true slugger at the time and undisputed leader among Latin players.

They won the division, anyway.

Added Jones, who will join Cox in Cooperstown someday, "You might see him making a pitching change, a double switch or calling a pitchout on a squeeze play. He always seems to pull the right strings. They go unnoticed by everybody but those inside this clubhouse."

Consider, too, that, Cox kept pushing his teams into the postseason during this era of overwhelming parity. They won it all in 1995. They've missed the playoffs after each of the past three seasons, and despite a wonderful push down the stretch this year for a wild-card "It's the little things ... He always seems to pull the right strings. They go unnoticed by everybody but those inside this clubhouse."
-Chipper Jones berth, they'll stay home again in October. Still, Cox continues to flash the ability to operate and prosper with a rotating core of key players.

In contrast, John McGraw, Casey Stengel, Walter Alston and all the rest prospered with mostly the same Hall of Famers year after year. There was no free agency back then, because they had legalized slavery called the reserve clause, which required players to stay put forever -- unless they were traded. So it was enough to create those New York Yankees dynasties that ranged from those of Miller Huggins during the 1920s through the ones of Ralph Houk.

It also was enough to make it difficult to determine the true greatness of any Yankees manager (or any manager) with sustained winning during those times.

What about Tony La Russa, you say? Yes, he joins Cox in managing during this era of overwhelming parity. And, yes, while Cox ranks fourth on the all-time victory list of managers, La Russa is third behind Mack and McGraw. It's just that La Russa resembles most managers not named Cox in this regard: He has been loved and hated simultaneously inside his own clubhouse. Take St. Louis Cardinals legend Ozzie Smith, for instance, who says he'll never do anything involving his old franchise until La Russa leaves the premises. Then you have former Cardinals player Ron Gant, who even claimed La Russa was despised by black players.

Well, that's the clean version from Gant.

Elsewhere, Gary Sheffield was among several players who couldn't care less about Joe Torre's march as manager to an unprecedented 80 postseason victories. In fact, Sheffield became the Gant of the Yankees. That's because Sheffield insinuated in a book that his old manager wasn't exactly into Martin Luther King Jr.

Earl Weaver had his snipers from the shadows, with star pitcher Jim Palmer leading the attacks with his tongue. Sparky Anderson was accused of favoritism among the little cogs of his Big Red Machine. Tommy Lasorda's players thought their Hollywood skipper was more into Frank Sinatra and Don Rickles than balls and strikes.

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Atlanta Braves pitcher Javier Vazquez, left, hugs teammate Chipper Jones after the Braves defeated the Washington Nationals 4-1 during a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 25, 2009, in Washington. Braves' Adam LaRoche, right, looks on. (AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez)

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New York Mets' Bobby Parnell delivers a pitch during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Florida Marlins, Friday, Sept. 25, 2009, in Miami. Parnell pitched a perfect eighth for the win as the Mets defeated the Marlins 6-5. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Baseball fans and teammates in the dugout cheer as Texas Rangers' Marlon Byrd (22) Ian Kinsler (5) and Craig Gentry (68) walk to the dugout following Kinsler's three run home run off of Tampa Bay Rays' Grant Balfour that scored Gentry and Byrd in the eighth inning of a baseball game, Friday Sept. 25, 2009, in Arlington, Texas. With the home run, Kinsler became the third second baseman in major league history with 30 homers and 30 stolen bases in a season. The Rangers won 8-3. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

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St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Trever Miller leaves the field after being pulled during the ninth inning of a baseball game on Friday, Sept. 25, 2009, in Denver. The Colorado Rockies beat the St. Louis Cardinals 2-1. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Boston Red Sox runner Rocco Baldelli is out at second as New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, right, relays the ball to complete the double play on Red Sox batter Casey Kotchman during the ninth inning to end the baseball game Friday, Sept. 25, 2009 at Yankee Stadium in New York. The Yankees won 9-5. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

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The Minnesota Twins' Delmon Young (21) is congratulated by teammate Michael Cuddyer (5) at the dugout steps after hitting a solo home run in the ninth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, Friday, September 25, 2009. (John Sleezer/Kansas City Star/MCT)

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The Texas Rangers' Ian Kinsler, left, celebrates with teammate Marlon Byrd, after Kinsler hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays. The home run gave Kinsler 30 for the season. The Rangers defeated the Rays, 8-3, at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, Texas, Friday, September 25, 2009. (Ron Jenkins/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/MCT)

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As for Cox, nothing. Not a negative word. Not a hint of dissent from any of his former or current players (including Sheffield) during his 28 years of managing in the major leagues.

Courtesy of Cox, the Braves lead the majors in having the most players on other teams wishing they could wear their uniform. Former Cincinnati Reds shortstop Barry Larkin told me during his playing days, "I've had some friends who've come through Atlanta , and I've heard different takes on the Braves experience. The one thing that is consistent is that it is very professional, and I'm sure Bobby Cox has a lot to do with that. He's the type of manager that everybody wants to play for."

He's a player's manager, but he is a deceptively tough manager. He is loved by players, because he saves his screams for behind closed doors.

Only twice has Cox punished a player in public: Years ago, he removed Andruw Jones and his Gold Glove during the middle of a game for not hustling in center field (a move that Cox later regretted). Then, earlier this year, Cox benched Yunel Escobar for displaying something less than his considerable talent at shortstop (a move that Cox didn't regret since Escobar mostly has sparkled since then).

Even in those cases, Cox's anger was fleeting. He has no doghouse, which is why umpire Ed Rapuano told the Associated Press about the manager who has been tossed more times than anybody in history, "You could toss him, but the next day all was forgotten."

That's because all really was forgotten.

I wouldn't know. During the years I've dealt with Cox -- including his first managerial stint with the Braves from 1978 to 1982 and his stint as general manager during the late 1980s -- he has been a bunch of delightful things to me.

Friendly. Knowledgeable. Comical.

And, if he trusts you, revealing. He is as intelligent as they come as a manager, but you wouldn't expect anything less from the best there ever was.

Bobby Cox Is Peerless originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 23:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting Five: Washington Won't Be Only Century City

Ed Price — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Braves, Indians, Mariners, Nationals, Orioles, Pirates, Red Sox, Rockies, Royals, 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 ...
One team has 100 defeats, two more could follow -- and there could even be a record-tying four 100-loss teams.

The Nationals on Thursday fell to 52-100 with their 7-6 loss to the Dodgers. And the Pirates are 56-95 after a 4-1 defeat at the hands of the Reds.

Anyone want to bet Pittsburgh -- 3-23 since Aug. 28 -- goes better than 6-5 in its final three series against Los Angeles, Chicago and Cincinnati?

More Coverage: Scoreboard | Standings | Statistics

The other two candidates to hit the century mark are Baltimore (60-92) and Cleveland (61-91). The Orioles have lost seven straight while the Indians have dropped 11 in a row, one off the team-record skid set in 1931.

We'd bet on both teams to reach 100 losses but for one small detail: They play each other this weekend.

Which means someone's losing streak ends tonight. And the only way for both teams to lose 100 is if Baltimore wins two of three this weekend and both teams then drop their final seven games.

Which, considering how these teams are going, isn't out of the realm of possibility.

The only time four teams lost 100 games in the same season was 2002 -- Detroit, Milwaukee, Tampa Bay and Kansas City. There have been seven other seasons with three 100-loss teams, but only once (1985) since it happened four times in five years after the 1961 expansion.

From the Trainer's Room ...
Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez -- who has hit .297 with a .601 slugging percentage since Aug. 7 -- has missed two straight games with a tight left hamstring.

"We are backing off," [manager Jim] Tracy said. "He will be available to hit. But I wouldn't put him out there where he has to run. The injury is near the bottom of the hamstring so we have to be very careful."

Numbers Game ...
Boston's Clay Buchholz allowed fewer than two runs for the fourth straight start, pitching 6 2/3 scoreless innings in a win at Kansas City. Since Sept. 8, Buchholz is 3-0 with a 0.70 ERA, 18 hits allowed (one homer) and 19 strikeouts in 25 2/3 innings.

In Their Own Words ...
"I'd vote for Greinke, he's doing a great job. He's tough, he's nasty." -- Seattle ace Felix Hernandez (who improved to 17-5 Thursday with a win in Toronto) on the debate over whether he or Kansas City's Zack Greinke should win the AL Cy Young Award

Advance Scouting ...
If the Braves are going to make a dramatic charge to the playoffs, this is the weekend to gain major ground. Atlanta -- 3 1/2 games behind Colorado -- opens a three-game series in Washington Friday night (7:05 PM ET), while the Rockies host the NL Central-leading Cardinals for three (8:10 PM ET). The Braves passed the Giants, who stayed four back of the Rockies with Thursday's loss to the Cubs.

Starting Five: Washington Won't Be Only Century City originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bobby Cox Signs Contract Extension, Will Retire After 2010

Matt Snyder — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:40:00 EST

Filed under: Braves, NL East

Bobby Cox has managed the Atlanta Braves for 24 years, including the past 19. His contract was previously up at the end of the season, but, Wednesday afternoon, the Braves announced that Cox will return for a 20th consecutive season as their skipper.

This bit of good news didn't come without a black cloud, though, as Cox also announced the 2010 season will be his last in the dugout. Following the season, he will retire from managing. As part of the contract extension, Cox will stay with the Braves as an advisor and consultant in all areas of baseball operations from 2011-2015.

"I share with all of our great Braves fans the excitement over the good news of Bobby's signing a 2010 contract extension," said Braves president John Schuerholz. "It has been my good fortune to share a personal relationship and professional partnership with Bobby since 1991.

"It has been an honor and pleasure to work side by side with Bobby Cox. We are thrilled with his return as manager in 2010 and with his continued association with us for many years to follow."

Cox, 68, is the all-time winningest manager in franchise history, currently sporting a 2,053-1,632 record for the Braves. Under Cox, the Braves won their division 14 consecutive times, five National League pennants and one World Series championship. His 66 postseason victories are second in history to only Joe Torre. Cox has won four Manager of the Year awards, and his six 100-win seasons tie him with Joe McCarthy for the most in major league history.

"I am very excited and honored to be making plans for next year," said Cox. "While I have decided that 2010 will be my last season in the dugout, I want to make it clear that we will all be working as hard as ever to win another world championship for the city of Atlanta and our great Braves fans. I really can't express how proud I am of our team, and how thankful I am that Frank [Wren, Braves GM] and John have given me the opportunity to retire with the organization that I've been with for almost 30 seasons."

Technically speaking, Cox's Braves still have an outside shot at the playoffs for this current season as well. They have won nine of their last 11 games and moved into a tie with the Giants for second in the wild-card standings. They trail the Colorado Rockies by five games with 11 left to play.

Bobby Cox Signs Contract Extension, Will Retire After 2010 originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting Five: Bucs Are Bottoming Out

Andrew Johnson — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Braves, Cardinals, Diamondbacks, Tigers, 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 Pittsburgh Pirates keep finding new lows.

Apparently a North American professional sports record 17th straight losing season wasn't enough of an indignity, so the 2009 Bucs went out and put together the second-worst 24-game stretch in the franchise's 123-year history.

The Pirates lost for the 21st time in their last 24 games Tuesday night, a 10-4 defeat suffered at the hands of the Reds.

"It's no fun, that's for sure," Pirates manager John Russell said. "It bothers every player in that clubhouse and everyone on our coaching staff. All we can do, though, is come back tomorrow and prepare ourselves to come back out and try to win a game."

More Coverage: Scoreboard | Standings | Statistics

"It's wearing," losing pitcher Zach Duke said. "We need a win and a well-played game right now. We need one desperately."

The last time the Pirates played this poorly over a similar stretch, Benjamin Harrison was president. The year was 1890.

From the Trainer's Room ...
All-Star catcher Brian McCann is day-to-day after taking a foul ball off of his left wrist in the Braves' 3-1 win over the Mets. McCann came out of the game in the fourth inning after suffering the injury in the bottom of the third. X-rays were negative.

Numbers Game ...
Mark Reynolds struck out three times in Arizona's 10-8 win over San Francisco, helping break his own single-season record for strikeouts. Before Tuesday night it was 204. Now, it's 206 ... and climbing. The question, of course, is does anyone care beyond the general numerical fascination with baseball and records?

People tend to abhor strikeouts -- maybe because it seems like the ultimate failure not even being able to put the ball in play -- but really we have an abundance of evidence that shows they aren't really worse than any other kind of out. Enter Reynolds who, other than all the whiffs, is having a great season, with 43 home runs, 100 RBI and a .919 OPS. Maybe we're all just ready to move on. The Diamondbacks sure seem to be.

"So what?" Reynolds said when asked about the strikeouts. "So what?"
...
"Deep down inside, I'm sure it bothers him more than he likes to portray," manager A.J. Hinch said. "At the end of the day, he is 40-plus home runs and 100 RBIs. That's a productive season, for anyone to really focus on the strikeout record being reset. When that production is coming with the strikeouts, it's almost a moot point. We all want him to be a more productive player and strike out less, but when the production follows, it is hard to knock him."

In Their Own Words ...
"Edwin was just what the doctor ordered. We needed a big outing from him and we got it." -- Tigers manager Jim Leyland on Edwin Jackson, who pitched seven shutout innings, all with the score either tied 0-0 or 1-0 in Detroit's favor, to preserve his club's 2 1/2-game lead over the Twins in the AL Central. Jackson had posted a 6.03 ERA over his previous five starts, a rough stretch pitching coach Rick Knapp believes may have been caused by him tipping his pitches. Jackson and Knapp worked on the apparent problem this week, and it appears Detroit's No. 2 starter in the playoffs is rounding back into form.

Of course, the Tigers have to get there first, and Minnesota isn't making things easy on them. The Twins stayed right on their heels in the division with an 8-6 win against the White Sox.

Advance Scouting ...
The Yankees were the first team to clinch a playoff spot, but the Cardinals could become the first to clinch their division Wednesday night. St. Louis, which has a magic number of two, will send John Smoltz to the mound in Houston (8:05 PM ET), needing a victory and a Cubs loss to officially lock up the NL Central. Chicago is going for a three-game sweep of the Brewers in Milwaukee (8:05 PM ET) with spot starter Jeff Samardzija on the hill.

Starting Five: Bucs Are Bottoming Out originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Healthy Tim Hudson Presents Dilemma For Braves' 2010 Rotation

Matt Snyder — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:15:00 EST

Filed under: Braves, NL East

As Tim Hudson continues to build up toward his pre-injury strength, the Braves can look to the offseason with a dilemma: Which of their six starting pitchers should be playing elsewhere in 2010. Hudson has a $12 million option, and in order for the Braves to afford to pay that, they'd likely have to trade one of the other starters. Tommy Hanson and Jair Jurrjens aren't going anywhere, and it's doubtful the Braves could convince someone to take on Derek Lowe's massive contract.

Thus, the likely candidates -- should the Braves decide they need to shed salary and keep Hudson -- would be Kenshin Kawakami and Javier Vazquez.

Hudson is a solid pitcher who is known as a great clubhouse guy. He worked incredibly hard to get his arm back into shape and he's now made three starts since coming back from Tommy John surgery. He's 1-0 with a 3.63 ERA. He's struck out 12 and walked 5 in 17 1/3 innings. If the Braves decided to let Hudson walk, they'd have to pay a $1 million buyout and receive nothing in return.

Kawakami is set to make just over $13 million over the next two seasons. As a starter, he went 7-10 with a 3.97 ERA this season in his American debut. He actually overcame a rough start to put together a 3.34 ERA in his last 18 starts before being moved to the bullpen to make room for Hudson. There would likely be a handful of teams ready to cough up some prospects to put Kawakami at the end of their rotation.

Vazquez would be in Cy Young contention if he had gotten better run support this season. He's got a 3.01 ERA in 197 1/3 innings with two complete games, 216 strikeouts, 40 walks and a 1.05 WHIP. Of course, he's only 13-9 due to some pretty bad fortune. He's set to make $11.5 million next season. You don't want to dump a player who has pitched this well, but he'd land a much bigger return than Kawakami.

For the record, Hudson would consider a discount to stay in Atlanta.

"I would be glad if they picked up the option," Hudson said. "But it's one of those things if they want to discuss not picking it up and maybe going a few years out at some kind of whatever hometown discount, that's something I'd obviously be willing to discuss with them."

Still, if he stayed, there would be a logjam in the rotation unless someone was traded. Carrying six starting pitchers is a waste of resources, especially when a trade could help shore up an average offense. They still also have talented youngster Kris Medlen, should someone fall injured.

Healthy Tim Hudson Presents Dilemma For Braves' 2010 Rotation originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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From the Windup: Individuals of Interest This Coming October

Matt Snyder — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 17:35:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Braves, Dodgers, Giants, Marlins, Phillies, Rangers, Red Sox, Tigers, Yankees, AL Central, AL East, AL West, NL Central, NL East, NL West, MLB Playoffs

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

As I look ahead to the MLB playoffs, I'm faced with the fact that my beloved Cubbies aren't going to be competing. Being a devout baseball fan, though, there's no way I'm not watching the postseason. Without a horse in the race, I'm forced to focus instead on individuals, and there are always plenty of reasons to watch certain players. Thus, I'm going to list 10 players I'm looking forward to watching and five players I wish I could come October.

Five Players I Can't Wait to Watch

Alex Rodriguez: The three-time regular season MVP was possibly the most polarizing figure in baseball before he was revealed to have used PEDs. Now most people just hate him. The stigma A-Rod carries is that he's a lion when there is no pressure, but a lamb when there is. He's actually been a pretty clutch regular season player the past few seasons, but he's been brutal in the playoffs since the Yankees ran up a 3-0 lead in the 2004 ALCS against the Red Sox. Will the presence of Mark Teixeira in the middle of the lineup help A-Rod come shed his "unclutch" image in October?

CC Sabathia: The big man is going to be leaned upon heavily in the playoffs, as the Yankees are thinking about using just a three-man rotation in the first round. I'd be pretty confident in Sabathia holding up his end of the bargain if I couldn't see that career 7.92 postseason ERA in five starts. The worst part? His command seems to disappear -- which is something that could be attributed to either nerves or fatigue. His BB/9 over the course of his career in the regular season has been 2.8. In the playoffs, it's 7.9. That's such a drastic leap it doesn't even sound realistic.

Kendry Morales: The 26-year-old first baseman has emerged as a star in taking over for the departed Teixeira, serving as one of the anchors to the Angels' mighty offense. He's 3-for-13 in the postseason, but he's never been a regular starter before and he's a different player. We'll see if he can step-up under the spotlight of the playoffs.

Josh Beckett: Beckett has always been known as a money pitcher when the pressure is on. His career 7-2 record and 2.90 ERA in the postseason illustrates as much. The thing is, he was pretty bad last season. His career playoff ERA was actually 1.91 before his three October 2008 starts -- when he allowed 22 hits and 14 earned runs in 14 1/3 innings. If the Red Sox hold onto their tenuous wild-card lead, Beckett's going to have to show last year was a fluke and he's still got the magic.

Mark DeRosa: It's no secret I'm a die-hard Cubs fan. Thus, I'm required to hate the Cardinals (and I do). Still, DeRosa was easily my favorite player from the past two Cubs' playoff teams and I'll enjoy watching him get to play in October once again. No real storyline here, just some love for Mr. DeRosa -- a true guy's guy who doesn't seem to take for granted how lucky he is to play baseball for a living.

Five Exciting "Debuts"

As you'll see, these aren't all necessarily debuts in the traditional sense, but, hey, it's my list.

Cliff Lee: Last year's AL Cy Young award winner came over to the Phillies in a trade deadline deal and took the National League by force initially. His ERA in his past three outings is 9.60, though, and he's never appeared in the playoffs. Can he get things turned around and handle the heat in October?

Ryan Franklin: The 36-year-old closer has appeared in 445 games over the course of his 10-season career. He has appeared in exactly zero playoff games to this point. Franklin's taken the closer job by force this season with ice-water in his veins, saving 37 games and sporting a 1.96 ERA. The postseason is totally different than the regular season, though, so can he keep it going?

Clayton Kershaw: Kershaw saw brief relief action in two playoff games last year. This time around, though, he'll be a starter and taking the ball in the first inning of a playoff game is a different animal than coming in as a reliever. Teaming his 8-8 record with his 2.89 ERA shows he can be quite inconsistent. When the 21-year-old lefty is on, there's almost no one better. Which Clayton shows up in the playoffs?

Edwin Jackson: Yes, Jackson has also pitched in the postseason before -- three short relief appearances. After a change of scenery, though, he's been a different pitcher and, again, it's much different to start a game in October. In Jackson's two seasons as a member of the Rays' rotation, he had a 5.04 ERA and a losing record. He was left out of the postseason rotation. This year, he's having his breakout campaign with the Tigers, going 12-6 with a 3.22 ERA. Will it continue on the big stage?

The Young Rockies: Again, I'm cheating here ... this time by including more than one player. Between Carlos Gonzalez, Dexter Fowler, Chris Iannetta and Ian Stewart, there's plenty of new blood. Plus, Franklin Morales and Ubaldo Jimenez are different players than the bright-eyed youngsters they were in 2007.

Five Players I Wish I Could Watch

The Rangers trail the Red Sox by just two games, so it's possible they make a run and take the AL wild card. In the National League, the Giants are 4 1/2 games behind the Rockies. It's an uphill battle, especially considering how well the Rockies are rolling, but still possible. The Marlins and Braves appear left for dead. If things stay the way they are, the following five players are guys I'll be saddened to not see in the playoffs.

Tim Lincecum: It's a shame it appears the Giants will come up short, because Lincecum in the playoffs would be an absolute pleasure to baseball fans who love a good pitcher's duel. Imagine this: If the Giants do snatch the wild card away from the Rockies, their first-round opponent would likely be the Cardinals. How does a Chris Carpenter vs. Lincecum matchup sound? Hell, throw in Adam Wainwright vs. Matt Cain in Game 2. The games will last less time than a typical movie. (Of course, I also want to see the Rockies in the playoffs. Any chance both can pass the Dodgers?)

Pablo Sandoval: Hmm ... let's see: His nickname is "Kung Fu Panda." He's 5-foot-11 and weighs 245 pounds, but he's still stolen four bases. He's only 22, but he's got an OPS of .918. He's a switch-hitter with great gap power (an NL-leading 40 doubles). What's not to love?

Michael Young: 10 seasons, 1,345 games, six All-Star games, a career .302 batting average, and zero career playoff games. You think anyone on the Rangers wants to make up those four games more than Young?

Tommy Hanson: Young fireballers can steal the stage in October (remember Jaret Wright for the Indians?). The 22-year-old Hanson has a 9-3 record with a 2.83 ERA as a rookie. He's struck out 85 hitters in 101 2/3 innings this year, but he's picking up the pace lately, having punched out 39 hitters in his last 34 2/3 innings.

Hanley Ramirez: He's been one of the best and most exciting players in the majors for the past three seasons. He does everything well -- .358 average, .998 OPS, 23 bombs, 24 steals, good fielding range -- but we've never gotten to see him in the playoffs. That's a shame, but he's only 25, so there's plenty of time.

From the Windup: Individuals of Interest This Coming October originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 13 Sep 2009 17:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chipper Is Frustrated With His Mediocrity

Pat Lackey — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:10:00 EST

Filed under: Braves, NL East

Chipper Jones is currently hitting .268/.390/.437 with 16 home runs and 64 RBI in 124 games. That seems pretty decent for a guy that turned 37 in April. His OPS+ is still 119 (placing him well above average) and though his defense is slipping, FanGraphs puts his WAR at 2.1, seventh-best in the National League among qualified third baseman. Decent apparently isn't good enough for Chipper, though, because he told the Atlanta-Journal Constitution that if 2010 doesn't go better than 2009 for him, he'll consider hanging up his spikes up for good.

Jones also had a down year in 2004, but then posted four straight years with an OPS of .968 or better, though he missed time with injuries in all three. Really, his batted ball numbers for 2009 match up pretty closely with his numbers from 2007 and 2006, and his strikeout rate and walk rate aren't changing much, so it seems possible that Chipper's just seeing some bad luck this year that's driving his average down and leaving him frustrated. If that's the case and he gets back on line next year, he'll likely play out his contract (which runs through 2012) out before retiring.

Still, in an era where seemingly every great player hangs on far past his prime, it's sort of admirable to see someone spit out words "average" and "mediocre" like they're almost unspeakably dirty. Chipper's message is clear; prior to 2009, he's received MVP votes in every season of his career except for two, he's made six All-Star teams and won two Silver Sluggers. He's not average and he can't even abide by the thought.

Whatever Jones ends up doing, whether he retires in 2010 or further down the line, his legacy as one of the greatest switch-hitters of all time is secure. He's earned the right to go out on his own terms, whatever those end up being.

Chipper Is Frustrated With His Mediocrity originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:10:00 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.

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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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Starting Five: Rays' Season Slips Away

Andrew Johnson — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Braves, Brewers, Marlins, Rangers, Rays, 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 Rays left their magic in 2008.

Fading Tampa Bay wasted a dazzling major league debut by Wade Davis, who allowed one run and struck out nine over seven innings, in a crushing 5-3 loss to the Tigers.

Davis' pitching helped the Rays carry a 3-1 lead into the ninth inning, but then the bullpen came unraveled. Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon used five relievers in the ninth, three of whom -- Grant Balfour, J.P. Howell and Russ Springer -- failed to record an out in succession.

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Springer surrendered a grand slam to Detroit's Brandon Inge that turned a two-run lead into a two-run deficit.

"It's difficult, because if you lose games late like that, that's more difficult to take," Maddon said.

The Rays now sit a full seven games behind wild-card-leading Boston in the standings with 26 games to play, making them an extreme longshot to return to the postseason.

From the Trainer's Room ...
Bad news for two teams desperately trying to hang on in the playoff race. Chipper Jones missed Atlanta's 4-2 loss to the Reds Sunday with a sore abdomen. He's hoping to return to the lineup on Tuesday, but with Jones' injury history, you can never be sure.

Meanwhile, the Rangers will be without Josh Hamilton indefinitely. The Texas slugger missed the entirety of this weekend's series in Baltimore with a pinched nerve in his back and is expected to have a cortisone injection in the area in the coming days.

Numbers Game ...
Hanley Ramirez hit his 100th career home run Sunday, becoming the fourth-fastest shortstop to reach that threshold in major league history by hitting it in his 595th game. Only Alex Rodriguez, Nomar Garciaparra and Ernie Banks reached the century mark faster.

"I didn't even know it was my 100th home run,'' Ramirez said, not in the mood to dwell on his accomplishment after Florida's 5-4 loss. "After the game, they gave me the ball and told me it was my 100th home run.''

In Their Own Words ...
"That was fun. Especially the way our season is going now, it's always good to have some fun." -- Prince Fielder, whose 37th home run of the season gave the Brewers a walk-off 2-1 win over the Giants in 12 innings. Milwaukee also turned a 5-4-3 triple play in the game.

Advance Scouting ...
Two of the hottest team in baseball hook up for a Labor Day matinee, and one of them has plenty on the line. The Rockies -- winners of five of their last six and leaders in the NL wild-card race -- host the Reds (3:10 PM ET), who have won 12 of 14. Per FanHouse's Jeff Fletcher, this is Cincinnati's best 14-game stretch since 1998, when it won 13 of 14.

Starting Five: Rays' Season Slips Away originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 07 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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With Tim Hudson's Return, Braves Face Enviable Problem

Knox Bardeen — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 10:45:00 EST

Filed under: Braves, NL East

The Atlanta Braves have too many good starting pitchers.

It's a problem that every major league team wishes they had. The Washington Nationals just signed the most hyped college baseball player in decades because their rotation is a laughingstock. Heck, the Los Angeles Dodgers have the best team ERA in baseball and they don't even have a clue who their fifth starter should be.

Tim Hudson, surgically repaired right elbow and all, has returned to the Braves rotation. On Tuesday he made his first appearance in over a year, and his five-strikeout performance was good enough to earn him the win and force serious questions on Bobby Cox about his starting rotation. Everyone wants to know what the Braves will do now that they have six quality starting pitchers.

While it seems there are many options to ponder, using a six-man rotation might win out over sending an established starter to the bullpen.

Last night, when asked about Hudson's addition to the rotation, Cox said: "It gives us six good ones. It gives us a lot of options."

Hudson is crashing a party of five guys who are more then holding their own on the mound. Jair Jurrjens is 10-9 with a 2.89 ERA. Javier Vazquez and Tommy Hanson both have similar, excellent ERAs (3.18 and 3.15 respectively) and with Jurrjens make up a triumvirate of starting pitchers who shouldn't be doing anything but heading out to the mound every fifth day.

Kenshin Kawakami, the only Braves starter with a losing record, has a season-long sub-4.00 ERA and since the All-Star break sports a 3.50 ERA. His record should be better then the 7-10 mark where it currently resides.

The final rotation spot is held by one of the more consistent pitchers in baseball. This season marked the eighth time in a row that Derek Lowe won at least 12 games in a season. The Braves signed him to an almost $60 million contract in the offseason for just that kind of consistency. Lowe is in danger of finishing the year with an ERA above four for the first time since 2004, but at 4.38, he's not killing the team.

As nice as it may be to have six guys who deserve to start, Cox needs to figure out how to send one to the bullpen. By running with a six-man rotation for the rest of the year he'll be taking away start(s) from Hanson, Jurrjens and Vazquez who are throwing too well right now.

By adding another day of rest the Braves also run the risk of messing up the rhythm of these starters who are used to marching out to the mound every fifth day. The pitching arm is a unique and mysterious weapon. The effects of tinkering with the rotation schedule aren't as easily predicted as say moving a player to a new position or switching a batting lineup. And if you aren't sure how these starting pitchers will react to an extra little bit of rest, why risk it? The Braves have made an incredible run since the break and have one of the best records in baseball as of late. Is there a reason to switch things up now?

I see two options here as I don't think Cox can send Lowe to the bullpen. It's true that Lowe is at the bottom of the pile if you look solely at his earned run average. But, he's got a very valuable tool that these other pitchers could benefit from greatly. Lowe has stretch-run and playoff experience. That alone should force Cox to keep him in the rotation.

That being said, the Braves can either send Kawakami or Hudson to the bullpen or they can skip his or Hudson's start each week for the remainder of the season. The second option isn't fair to either pitcher, but the Braves shouldn't consider whether it's fair or not. They aren't trying to make everyone happy, they're trying to make it to the post-season. That means whatever is best for the ball club should happen.

What's best for the ball club might be sending Kawakami to the bullpen. And it's not because he's the weakest link among the six starting pitchers. Between he and Hudson, Kawakami has the lower WHIP, a ratio comparing how many walks and hits a pitcher gives up per inning. Hudson, as he's polishes up his pitching repertoire, will give up an extra hit or walk every now and again. Kawakami shows that he's not going to let as many people on base. And that's a great tool for a relief pitcher. Kawakami also has greatly reduced the number of walks he's allowed lately. In August he only walked seven batters in six starts.

Kawakami wouldn't be just a cast-off from the rotation, he would actually be beneficial to the bullpen. And as the Braves fight for a spot in the post-season, bolstering the bullpen might be just as valuable as having too many good starting pitchers.

With Tim Hudson's Return, Braves Face Enviable Problem originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 03 Sep 2009 10:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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