MLB FanHouse

Footprints in the Snow: Orioles

Andrew Johnson — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:00:00 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.

Thanks to an infusion of young talent, there are some good vibes floating around Camden Yards -- no small feat considering the fact that the local nine hasn't had a winning record since 1997.

Of course, an infusion of young talent won't be enough on its own in the enormously challenging AL East. The Orioles need immense improvements on the corners of their infield and especially in their pitching staff -- which ranked last in the American League in ERA in 2009. That can't all come from the maturation of a select group of youngsters groomed on the Baltimore farm, though, so there will be plenty on general manager Andy MacPhail's plate as he tries to take the next step in turning the O's into legitimate challengers.

More Footprints in the Snow

Who Might Leave

Melvin Mora, 3B; Mark Hendrickson, LHP; Chad Moeller, C; Rich Hill, LHP; Danys Baez, RHP

Shopping List

Though their pitching staff might need more long-term work, the Orioles' most pressing needs this winter are at first and third base. Ty Wigginton can be part of the solution at either position and Luke Scott and rookie Michael Aubrey could do the same at first, but none of the three seems like the full-time answer.

Mora had a rough final season in Baltimore, but his tenure with the club was very good overall, so finding an above-average performer at the hot corner would seem to be the top priority. Luckily, there's a decent crop of third basemen even beyond Chone Figgins, who will probably price himself out of the O's range, including Adrian Beltre and Mark DeRosa.

The first base market isn't quite as vibrant, but Baltimore will be able to find a veteran stopgap at minimum, perhaps by bringing back Aubrey Huff, who the club traded away in August.

The Orioles should be able to be more cautious in the ever-dangerous pitching market, instead opting to wait on developing youngsters Chris Tillman, Brian Matusz and Brad Bergesen and hoping for bounceback/breakout seasons from Jeremy Guthrie and Koji Uehara. Still, a veteran starter to anchor the staff would be welcome, as would a backup catcher to spell Matt Wieters and a high-ceiling arm or two for the bullpen.

Money Matters

Raises due to Brian Roberts and Nick Markakis, as a result of the long-term extensions they signed, and Guthrie, who is eligible for arbitration for the first time, will be more than offset by clearing Mora and Baez from the books, leaving MacPhail with considerable flexibility should he decide to wade into the free-agent market.

In fact, other than the recent extensions given to Roberts and Markakis and a four-year big-league deal to Matusz, a top draft pick in 2008, the Orioles aren't committed to anyone beyond 2010. Obviously with players like Wieters and Adam Jones on the roster, some of that financial windfall ought to be used (if it can be) on the elite talents already on the roster, but Baltimore is in a position financially to augment and surround its impressive core with pricier free agents.

That's a place that, frankly, the Orioles haven't been in awhile.

Offseason Goals

The O's still look like they're a year away from potentially challenging the big boys in the AL East, putting them in a tricky position. They need to keep gradually building toward contention, but because they're closer than they've been in awhile and appear to have some money to play with, they can make some decisions with an eye on the immediate future. Still, a major misstep could derail everything they have worked toward over the last few years. How do you get more aggressive and start to think about the short-term, while also recognizing and heeding your own limitations and the peculiar challenges you face in your division? The Rays might have an idea or two ...

Footprints in the Snow: Orioles originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Orioles Decline Melvin Mora's Option

Andrew Johnson — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:38:00 EST

Filed under: Orioles, MLB Transactions

Third baseman Melvin Mora's tenure in Baltimore is likely over after the Orioles declined his 2010 option Thursday. The option was valued at $8 million, according to the Baltimore Sun, making it a foregone conclusion that it wouldn't be picked up after Mora's rough 2009.

The 37-year-old, 11-year major league veteran hit .260 in 125 games this year, but, more troubling, slugged .358, the lowest mark of his career and 125 points below his 2008 mark. He also clashed with manager Dave Trembley in August when his playing time was cut.

It ends a 10-year run with the Orioles for the infielder, a rather productive one at that, his 2009 campaign notwithstanding. Mora played in 1,256 games for Baltimore and was an above-average performer in most them, averaging 171 hits per 162 games with a .793 OPS. That will probably offer little consolation going forward.

It could be an awfully uncertain winter for Mora. Veterans didn't exactly fare well on the open market last winter (just look at the contract someone like Bobby Abreu got, or the number of guys who couldn't find work at all), and Mora is coming off of a very tough year. He might be lucky to get anything more than a minor-league deal.

As for the Orioles, they have some nice building blocks offensively, but with Mora and first baseman Aubrey Huff both leaving town in the last few months, GM Andy MacPhail is looking at reconfiguring the infield around second baseman Brian Roberts this offseason.

And that's without even mentioning Baltimore's decade-long attempt to patch together a pitching staff that can weather six months in the AL East without completely collapsing.

Orioles Decline Melvin Mora's Option originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:38:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Orioles Pick Up Dave Trembley's Option Despite Awful Second Half

Pat Lackey — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 19:51:00 EST

Filed under: Orioles, AL East

In a surprising move, the Orioles announced this afternoon that they will pick up manager Dave Trembley's option for the 2010 season. The Orioles are currently in danger of losing 100 games with their 61-98 record and it's their 21-50 record since the All-Star break that made this news particularly unexpected.

It's true that much of the O's talent (particularly their pitching talent) is very young and that this year was going to be a difficult year for any manager. Team president Andy MacPhail acknowledged as much in his statement on the move, saying that record wasn't the only thing he used to evaluate his manager. Even with that knowledge, however, Trembley seemed to be a sure candidate for Monday's chopping block.

Even with this extension, he's likely to be on a short leash for 2010. The Orioles' record has gotten worse in each of Trembley's seasons at the helm, going from 40-53 after he took over from Sam Perlozzo in 2007, to 68-93 last year, and now staring 100 losses in the face in 2009. With Nick Markakis, Adam Jones, Matt Wieters, and Nolan Reimold all in Baltimore and producing at various levels and Brad Bergesen, Chris Tillman, and Brian Matusz all getting some big-league seasoning this year, the Orioles have to be expecting some improvement in 2010.

That's one thing that the Orioles' terrible second half has obscured; there is some good young talent in Baltimore and this team isn't necessarily doomed to be the AL East doormat forever. Dave Trembley will apparently get one more year to prove that he's the guy that can help that talent succeed at the big-league level.

Orioles Pick Up Dave Trembley's Option Despite Awful Second Half originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 02 Oct 2009 19:51:00 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: 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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Baseball Brunch: Meet the Rarest Breed

Ed Price — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Athletics, Cardinals, Cubs, Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Marlins, Mets, Nationals, Orioles, Rays, Royals, Tigers, Twins, Yankees, MLB Awards, MLB Biz, MLB Inside Scoop, Baseball Brunch

Every Sunday, MLB FanHouse empties out its notebook in Baseball Brunch.

Cody Ross blames his mom.

"My dad was a really good athlete (Kenny Ross, who played safety at New Mexico in the late 1960s)," said Ross, the Marlins' right fielder. "My dad was all right[-handed]. My mom's a lefty, so maybe I got that gene from her."

Ross and St. Louis' Ryan Ludwick are the only two active position players who throw left and bat right. Just 14 such players in baseball history have gotten as many as 1,000 at-bats -- and that list now includes a Hall of Famer, Rickey Henderson.

"He kind of put us on the map," Ross said.

Some of the other names are recognizable -- early 20th-century Yankees star Hal Chase, Mets outfielder Cleon Jones, and more recent players Mark Carreon, Brian Hunter and David McCarty.

Some aren't -- Rube Bressler, Johnny Cooney, Al Nixon and Delos Drake.

"I think it's something that's kind of cool, something to be proud of," Ludwick said. "It's kind of an honor to be able to be in such little company."

Why so rare? There have certainly been plenty of players who throw right and bat left (582 with 1,000 or more at-bats), so it can't be that it's hard to be opposite-handed for hitting and throwing.

The simplest explanation is that a left-handed thrower can really play only four of the eight positions -- outfield and first base -- and is even less valuable if he bats right-handed, since lefties are less common and have the advantage against right-handed pitching.

"I think being a left-handed hitter is viewed as having an advantage," Ludwick said, "so you see a lot more people who throw right and are taught to hit left because it's an advantage."

Nether Ross nor Ludwick could explain how they ended up batting right and throwing left.

"It just happened," said Ludwick, who last year joined Henderson and Jones as the only bat-right/throw-left players to make an All-Star Game. "Natural."

Said Ross: "I have no reason why I do it. Nobody ever taught me to do it."

Both tried switch-hitting as kids -- "for a minute," Ludwick said, "but I was so much better right-handed."

Said Ross, "My dad tried to get me to switch-hit when I was younger. I did for a little while. But I realized really quickly that I had a lot more power from the right side and I didn't want to waste an at-bat [left-handed]."

It's not like Ross and Ludwick can't play. Ross, 28, is third on the Marlins with 22 homers and 83 RBI. Ludwick, 31, has 20 home runs and has driven in 87 runs, both second on the Cardinals.

"I feel like you see a lot of left-handed hitters that are right-handed throwers that have a lot of pop because they're right-hand-dominant, so they can really pull that bat through the zone," Ludwick said. "So I feel like being left-hand-dominant, I can [do the same]."

The bottom hand provides the power in a swing, and some recent boppers who throw right and bat left include Jim Thome, Prince Fielder, Larry Walker, Tino Martinez, Carlos Delgado, Adam Dunn, Jason Giambi and Mo Vaughn.

But those guys who throw left and bat right -- they don't get the love.

Ludwick was a second-round draft pick out of UNLV in 1999, so he never felt a bias because of his bat/throw combination. But Ross, a fourth-rounder in the same draft out of high school in New Mexico, said it worked against him. (Louie Medina, who played 51 games in the majors while throwing left and batting right, scouted both players for that '99 draft. Medina, now a special assistant to the GM in Kansas City, was then a scout for Arizona.)

"You have scouts come to watch you," Ross said, "and I was already challenged because of my height and I wasn't your prototypical baseball player, pushing 5-10. And also throwing left and hitting right, that's a lot against you going into pro ball. Or even college. So I think it affected me a little bit when it came to drafting and stuff like that.

"It's one of those things I knew I had to overcome, and I just did. A little bump in the road."

Both Ludwick and Ross didn't get a chance to become regulars in the majors until they had gone through multiple organizations. Ludwick was traded from Oakland to Texas to Cleveland and then had to sign on with Detroit and St. Louis as a minor-league free agent.

Ross was traded from the Tigers to the Dodgers to the Reds to the Marlins, including being traded twice in 33 days in 2006.

But he didn't blame that bouncing around on throwing left-handed and batting right-handed.

"I think once I got into pro ball, I think all of that kind of goes out the window," he said. "If you can play, you can play, and they'll find a spot for you."

Overheard and Understood

-- If you think Derek Jeter's pursuit of the Yankees' franchise hits record was overblown, wait until next spring training. Because the Yankees seem intent on letting Jeter go into 2010 without a contract beyond this year, and it will be a season-long storyline next year: Is this the Captain's last year in pinstripes?

Chart of the Week
Tampa Bay's Evan Longoria became the ninth player to have 40 doubles, 30 homers and 100 RBI in a season before the age of 24:
Player	Year
Hal Trosky	1934/36
Ted Williams	1939
Alex Rodriguez	1996
Scott Rolen	1998
Eric Chavez	2001
Aramis Ramirez	2001
Albert Pujols	2001-03
Miguel Cabrera	2005
Evan Longoria	2009
Source: Rays

While it might seem good public relations and, emotionally, a no-brainer to try to lock up Jeter long-term this winter, that wouldn't be good business for the Yankees. Not that they don't want him, but Jeter will be coming off his best season in at least three years, maybe 10. So in any contract negotiations this winter, Jeter would have the upper hand. The Yankees couldn't tell Jeter they have an alternative in mind, since both sides know he'll be the team's shortstop in 2010.

And it's not like the Yankees have ever gotten any kind of hometown discount from Jeter; the sides went to arbitration in 1999, avoided arbitration in 2000 with a $10 million salary and then worked out his current 10-year, $189 million deal in February 2001. Considering what he means to the franchise -- and its fans -- Jeter now could have every right to ask for more than Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira and CC Sabathia.

The only way an extension would get done before Jeter's contract is up (or close to up) is if ownership -- the Steinbrenner brothers -- steps in. They did in the fall of 2007, after the Joe Torre fiasco, to bring back Rodriguez (after his ugly opt-out), and with Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera on above-market deals. But the Steinbrenners may realize now they overpaid then and hold firm on Jeter.

Which will make for a fascinating winter of 2010-11, because the next negotiations will determine how much Jeter makes compared to A-Rod, whether he will be signed for the same length of time (through 2017!) and -- as part of the whole equation -- whether he ever moves from shortstop, and when, and where.

-- With a new ballpark opening next year, the Twins plan to spend more this winter than in any recent offseason. They "won't be picking up the scraps" of free agency, as one person put it.

-- Washington (including its Montreal years) is the only franchise never to have had two teammates with 100 RBI in the same season, but that could be corrected this year as Adam Dunn has 99 RBI and Ryan Zimmerman has 94. Tampa Bay got its first 100-RBI duo this year, with Evan Longoria and Carlos Pena.

-- The Angels could be the first team since the 2005 Cardinals to make it through the season without a four-game losing streak.

-- Figure this: Seven of the Dodgers' final 18 games are against the Pirates. Three others are against the Nationals.

-- Arizona's Chris Young last Sunday became the first player to go into a game batting less than .200 and then hit three homers.

-- The Cubs did not gain ground on the Cardinals in any day from Aug. 3 through Thursday.

-- If the A's, who have 85 errors, can finish with fewer than 100, they will set an all-time record by doing that for the sixth straight year. The Phillies had double-digit errors from 2001 to 2005.

-- Attendance at the Mets' new Citi Field on Thursday, for a game against the Marlins, was 37,620. But the Mets estimated 20,000 no-shows and about 17,000 in the stands.

-- The Rays are promoting right-hander Jeff Niemann (12-5, 3.57 ERA) for AL Rookie of the Year. They cite that he is in the top 10 all-time for winning percentage by an AL rookie starter; the first rookie to beat Roy Halladay twice; the first rookie in 55 years to lead the defending AL champs in wins and ERA; and that he could have three more wins but for two blown two-run leads and a blown three-run lead by his bullpen.

-- Since the start of last year, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, just two AL teams have swept four series from the same opponent (three or more games). It figures that the Yankees swept the Orioles five times, but not that the Royals have swept the Tigers four times.

-- Detroit's Brent Dlugach, called up Sept. 1, is the first big-leaguer ever whose name begins with "DL." Unless you count Mike Hampton.

Baseball Brunch: Meet the Rarest Breed originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 13 Sep 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Arrests Made in Ripken Statue Theft

Pat Lackey — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 11:41:00 EST

Filed under: Orioles, AL East

Four men stole a statue of Cal Ripken's No. 8 outside of Camden Yards Tuesday night and were arrested shortly after committing the crime. That's because they left the "8" in the bed of a pickup truck. An open pickup truck. While the police were being called because of an entirely unrelated incident in which the four men were being "disorderly."

Look, I'm not here to judge anybody's intelligence, I'm just curious about the thought process behind this whole thing. I don't have a whole lot of inside information, but I'm fairly certain that the entire crime was inspired by alcohol and an episode of the Simpsons. Usually getting drunk and making Simpsons references is the sign of a good night, but here it's apparently gone tragically wrong.

Just for fun, I've compiled what appears to be the sequence of events from the Sun article.

-- Four men steal statue from in front of Camden Yards while a security camera records everything.

-- Police respond to call about the theft and see the pickup truck on the camera. They begin searching Baltimore for the truck.

-- Less than an hour later, police receive a call about disorderly conduct in another part of the city.

-- Police respond to this call and find the pickup truck from the video with the "8" sitting unconcealed in the truck bed.

-- The world's four most brilliant criminals are arrested.

Presumably, if they weren't discovered by the cops last night, the statue would've been found in front of one of the burglars' houses or apartments with one of those arrows made of lightbulbs and a sign that said, "WE STOLE THIS FROM CAMDEN YARDS LAST NIGHT."

Arrests Made in Ripken Statue Theft originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 11:41:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting Five: Not a Clean Sweep, but a Sweep The Rangers Will Take

Ed Price — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jays, Cubs, Indians, Orioles, Pirates, Rangers, Red Sox, Rockies, Twins, 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 it took a lot of work for the Rangers to climb within two games of the Red Sox in the American League wild-card race.

Texas swept a doubleheader at Cleveland, 11-9 and 10-5, and the games took a combined five hours, 59 minutes.

"It's pretty good to get back on track and win some ballgames," manager Ron Washington said. "We'll come back tomorrow, get greedy and see if we can get a [series] sweep."

Texas has played three regular (i.e., not day-night) doubleheaders this year, most in the majors, and has swept all three.

More Coverage: Scoreboard | Standings | Statistics

In Game 1, Texas led 4-0, fell into a 5-5 tie, went up 8-5, had that cut to 8-7, made it 11-7 and held on 11-9.

In Game 2, a 7-0 lead became 7-5 before getting extended to 10-5.

The pitching wasn't great, but no one had to work both ends of the doubleheader, and the batters pounded out 31 hits after coming into the game with a 15-inning scoreless streak.

From the Trainer's Room ...
Troy Tulowitzki, the Rockies' star shortstop, sat out Tuesday after leaving Monday's game with back stiffness.

"Tulo has to be right to have him out there," [manager Jim] Tracy said. "He has to be able to bend over, dive for a ball, run from first to third, score from second to home on a single. Right now he can't do those things."

Team trainers have told Tracy that once Tulowitzki's muscle spasms are gone and his back unclenches, he will be on the road to recovery. But Tulowitzki is not there yet.

Numbers Game ...
By losing 10-0 at Boston -- and allowing six homers -- Baltimore fell to 5-33 in its past 38 road division games. Since the start of last season, the Orioles have won just two of 20 road series against AL East teams, with the last series win July 28-30, 2008 in New York. (By the way, the last time the Red Sox hit six home runs in a home game was June 29, 2003 -- and four of them came off Brad Penny, then with the Marlins.)

In Their Own Words ...
"I've never really seen anything like that, but it happened. It was just one of those things where we couldn't stop it. You can't explain it. It was just bad luck or good hitting, I don't know what it is." -- Pirates manager John Russell after the Cubs tied a major league record by starting the game with eight straight hits, all off Pittsburgh's Zach Duke. No NL team had begun a game with eight consecutive hits since the 1975 Pirates.

Advance Scouting ...
Roy Halladay tries to keep intact his perfect record against the Twins as Toronto hosts Minnesota tonight (7:07 PM ET). Halladay is 8-0 in 12 career outings against the Twins, with a 2.77 ERA. He has been especially hard on Jason Kubel (1-for-12), Joe Mauer (1-for-10) and Alexi Casilla (0-for-7, four strikeouts).

Starting Five: Not a Clean Sweep, but a Sweep The Rangers Will Take originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 06:00:00 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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Baseball Brunch: Time for Draft Reform?

Ed Price — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Braves, Cardinals, Cubs, Dodgers, Giants, Mariners, Orioles, Rangers, Rays, Rockies, MLB Biz, MLB Draft, Prospects, FanHouse Exclusive, MLB Inside Scoop, Baseball Brunch

Every Sunday, MLB FanHouse empties out its notebook in Baseball Brunch.

As the No. 1 overall pick in 1990, Chipper Jones signed with the Braves for $275,000.

Even in today's dollars, that's about $450,000 -- or about 3 percent of Stephen Strasburg was guaranteed as this year's No. 1 pick.

And Jones agreed to his deal the night before the draft, while Strasburg came within two minutes of missing last Monday's deadline to sign.

"I think the only way that you're going to get kids signed and get them into the various camps is to put some kind of cap on it," Jones said. "I was always of the belief that you make your money at the big-league level."

That's how the teams want it too. When the current collective bargaining agreement is up in two years, Major League Baseball may pursue an NBA-style slotting system -- with signing bonuses locked in depending on how high a player is picked, as opposed to the current non-binding slot recommendations.

Commissioner Bud Selig last week told The Washington Post, "There's no question in my mind, in 2011, certainly a [hard] slotting system and a worldwide draft are things we will be very aggressive in talking about."

Which would lead to an interesting tug-of-war between owners, the players' union and agents.

With the alliances not as clear as it might seem.

"I think it's something we can seriously talk about," Mets right fielder Jeff Francoeur told FanHouse. "I don't think the guys mind [slotting] very much.

"A guy like Strasburg, he deserves it. But something to stop it [escalating bonuses], I agree."

MLB might feel that it can get the players on its side as they see the signing bonuses explode -- especially this year, just a few months after the free-agent market went soft.

As Francoeur, who signed for $2.2 million as the 23rd overall pick in 2002, said, "Now, it's crazy. Guys are wanting $7-8 million and have never stepped on the [big-league] field."

But resistance to strict slotting could come from agents (who stand to lose their commissions) and union leadership (on principle).

"I think it goes against what we've fought for in the past, the free market," said Milwaukee infielder Craig Counsell, a member of the union's executive board.

"I know it sounds like something ownership is going to want. They've wanted it before. All you can go by is the past, and in the past it hasn't happened. ... I know in the past we've decided we're not going to restrict what players are going to make."

Through a spokesman, incoming union head Michael Weiner declined comment.

Another person with ties to the union pointed out that if teams save money on signing bonuses, they may not necessarily use it on payroll instead -- so why should current players go for the strict slotting system?

"I don't want to get into what may or may not be proposals," said Rob Manfred, MLB's executive vice president for labor relations and human resources. "It's early, but this whole player talent-acquisition area -- by that I mean the draft, international signings, acquiring professional players from other countries -- that whole group of issues, clubs are talking about.

"The draft system is less than optimal from the perspective of the 30 clubs."

It isn't just Strasburg. According to Baseball America, this year's draft set records for highest bonus to a high school player (San Diego's Donovan Tate), biggest bonus to a high school pitcher (Detroit's Jacob Turner) as well as Strasburg's overall marks for biggest bonus and largest guarantee.

"I think the amount of money we spend at the top end of the draft is now too much for what I like to label unproven talent," said Logan White, the Dodgers' assistant general manager for scouting.

"When you draft a player and sign a player -- that's supposed to be when they're a bargain."

Chart of the Week
When San Diego's Kyle Blanks -- listed at 6-foot-6 and 285 pounds -- hit an inside-the-park home run last Tuesday, he tied for the tallest player ever to do so. Players 6-foot-6 to hit inside-the-park homers:
Player	Vs.	Year
Corey Hart (MIL)	ARI	2008
Darryl Strawberry (NYM)	CIN	1989
Darryl Strawberry (NYM)	STL	1984
Dave Kingman (NYM)	STL	1982
Dave Winfield (NYY)	CHW	1981
Source: David Vincent, SABR

White said about 150 big-leaguers, 35 of whom become regulars, come out of each draft, with the numbers fairly consistent.

"No matter how much money you throw into the draft," he said, "that's not going to make it [produce] 300 major-leaguers and 75 every-day players."

And while the Aug. 15 deadline to sign (Aug. 17 this year because Aug. 15 fell on a weekend) is an improvement on the old deadline of when a player first attended college classes -- imagine a scout trying to intercept a freshman on campus with one final offer before his first class -- there is a whole other set of headaches.

Along with the recommended bonuses, MLB pressures teams that intend to go over slot to hold off on announcing deals so as not to drive up the price for other draft picks. And some agents wait to see what everyone else gets. Which leads to the last-minute deals -- or, last year, two that went past the deadline but were still approved.

Also, teams that ignore the slot recommendations can be rewarded over teams that obey. The classic case in point is Detroit's Rick Porcello, who wanted a $7 million deal out of high school. He should have been a top-10 pick in 2007 but fell to 27th before the Tigers were willing to bust slot.

And their decision paid off. Porcello is a winning pitcher in the majors at age 20 -- exactly what many of the teams that drafted 1-26 could have used.

"We do have [a situation] whereby economics ... undermines the purpose of the draft," Manfred said.

Manfred said such scenarios are on the decline.

"We have really worked with the clubs and, I think, convinced them letting players slip is bad for everybody," he said.

Agent Scott Boras, who represents Strasburg and Porcello, agreed.

"In prior drafts the No. 1 draft pick was not always the best player," Boras said. "Now, because of revenue-sharing, in the draft the best player is No. 1. For maybe 15 years, the best players in the draft were rarely No. 1 because of signability issues."

White said he thinks the current slotting system works in "90 percent of the cases, probably.

"... it's usually fair for whenever we pick the player."

According to Manfred, 75 percent of the drafted players signed, and 75 percent of those signed for within 5 percent of the slot recommendation.

Still ...

"We spend nearly $200 million on players, a very, very small percentage of whom make it to the major leagues," Manfred said.

But from the union point of view, that the teams are willing to make such investments proves they shouldn't cry poverty.

As Counsell put it, "It's easy to say when you see a kid sign for $16 million that's never played a day in the big leagues, 'Oh, that's not fair. There's some guys that have 10-year careers that don't make that much.' But there's market for his services, that's why he's getting that much."

When a new CBA is negotiated, as one high-ranking union person said, "It always comes down to tradeoffs." If the players want something else more, they may give in on a slot system.

One team official theorized that the top agents, such as Boras, would go for a strict slotting system, because it would result in fewer high school players passing up college scholarships to turn pro, and it's easier for the agents to identify and pursue potential clients once they're in college.

But the general perception is that Major League Baseball's pursuit of drastic signing-bonus reform would be determined by whether players or the agents call the shots.

"I would be open to listening to something," Jones said, "but the fact of the matter is, there were people here before me that allowed me to do the things that I've done. Who am I to say that there needs to be a cap or some kind of different system that regulates what kids make out of college or high school?"

Overheard and Understood

o. Before next Saturday's game in Seattle, Jim Bouton will throw out the ceremonial first pitch to catcher Gerry McNertney to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the 1969 Seattle Pilots, an expansion team that lasted one season before moving to Milwaukee and becoming the Brewers.

o. Matt Holliday is batting .404 since the All-Star break. According to STATS LLC, since expansion in 1961, only five players have batted .400 or better after the break (200 or more plate appearances): Ichiro Suzuki in 2004, George Brett in 1980, Barry Bonds in 2002, Larry Walker in 1998 and Tony Gwynn in 1993.

o. Pick your poison in the Cubs bullpen -- if you're manager Lou Piniella, that is. Kevin Gregg is second among NL relievers for most home runs allowed per nine innings, while Carlos Marmol has given up the fourth-fewest. But Marmol has averaged the most bases on balls per nine innings (8.2), while Gregg averages 3.6. So you want the guy who gives up walks or the one who surrenders home runs?

o. Kenshin Kawakami opened the season as the Braves' No. 4 starter, but he has faced a Cy Young Award winner five times (Barry Zito, Roy Halladay, Randy Johnson and Johan Santana twice); Opening-Day starters John Lannan and Brett Myers; aces Cole Hamels and Jonathan Johnson; and Clayton Kershaw, eighth in the NL in ERA. No wonder Kawakami is 6-9.

o. San Francisco's Jeremy Affeldt has induced 16 groundball double plays, most among big-league relievers, and has a chance to be the first reliever since Doug Sisk in 1988 to get 21 DP balls.

o. Since opening the season by winning their first 13 home games, the Dodgers are 27-24 at Chavez Ravine.

o. Baltimore's Brian Roberts (46) and Nick Markakis (39) have combined for 85 doubles and could threaten the teammate record of 116, set by George Burns and Tris Speaker of the 1926 Indians.

o. When Ivan Rodriguez rejoined the Rangers, it meant three teams had their all-time franchise hits leader on the current roster, along with Colorado's Todd Helton and Tampa Bay's Carl Crawford.

o. Rockies manager Jim Tracy also ranks fifth all-time in managerial wins against Colorado, with 60.

o. In the Little League World Series 15 years ago, Maracaibo, Venezuela, defeated Northridge, Calif., in the championship game. Current Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel played for Northridge, while Maracaibo featured Diamondbacks pitcher Yusmeiro Petit and Mariners catcher Guillermo Quiroz.

Baseball Brunch: Time for Draft Reform? originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 23 Aug 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aubrey Huff Acquired by Detroit Tigers

Matt Snyder — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 16:40:00 EST

Filed under: Orioles, Tigers, AL Central, AL East, MLB Transactions

In a post-deadline trade -- meaning players can still be traded, but have to clear waivers first -- the AL Central-leading Detroit Tigers have bolstered their bench by acquiring the versatile Aubrey Huff. In return the Orioles received Brett Jacobson, a right-handed reliever currently pitching in advanced Single-A ball.

"Huff is a quality major league hitter, who adds a left-handed bat to our lineup and brings versatility to our club with his ability to play numerous positions," Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski said in a press release.

Huff is a 32-year-old who can play any corner on the field (first base, third base, left field or right field). He's having a disappointing season when viewed through the lens of what he did last year. In 2008, Huff hit .304 with 32 home runs, 108 RBI and a .912 OPS. This season he's hitting just .253 with a well-below-average .725 OPS. He has 13 home runs and 72 RBI.

On the Tigers, he looks to provide depth and left-handed pop in several different areas. They could give Brandon Inge the occasional day off at third, use Miguel Cabrera or Magglio Ordonez at DH while plugging Huff in their respective fielding spots. He could play left instead of Marcus Thames or Ryan Raburn, or Huff could simply DH himself. This appears to be the role Carlos Guillen is filling right now, but having extra options never hurts.

As for the Orioles, they will likely be using Ty Wigginton (1B), Melvin Mora (3B) and Luke Scott (DH) every day until the end of the 2009 season. Looking to the future, the O's could stand an upgrade at each corner infield spot to go with their young and talented outfielders, catcher and starting pitchers. They are stockpiling young talent and appear poised for a breakout season -- as soon as 2010, possibly. Jacobson is currently 1-3 with a 3.74 ERA this season, so he's a long-term project.

Aubrey Huff Acquired by Detroit Tigers originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 17 Aug 2009 16:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting Five: Josh Johnson's Gem Leads Sizzling Fish

Jeff Fletcher — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Cubs, Giants, Marlins, Mets, Orioles, Rays, NL East, 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 lot has gone right for the surging Marlins lately, but they hadn't seen a performance like Josh Johnson's all season. The Marlins ace carried a no-hitter into the seventh before allowing a homer to the Rockies' Garret Atkins.

Johnson ended up allowing only that hit, striking out 11, in 7 1/3 innings. The Rockies scored four runs off the Marlins bullpen in the ninth to make it interesting, but Florida won, 6-5. The Marlins' seventh win in their past eight games pulled them within two games of Colorado in the wild-card race.

More Coverage: Scoreboard | Standings | Statistics

Catcher John Baker said he thought Johnson actually had the stuff to pitch a no-no.

"Press A and he throws a fastball, 97 miles per hour on the corner, down and away," Baker said. "We press B and he throws a back-foot slider and strikes the guy out. They [Colorado hitters] didn't really say anything. They were all frustrated."

From The Trainers' Room...
Rays outfielder Pat Burrell is out again with the same neck problem that caused him to miss a month earlier this season. Burrell struck out twice against Toronto's Roy Halladay on Friday and then he came out of the game. He is to be re-evaluated on Saturday.

By The Numbers...
Felix Pie joined a club that doesn't seem so exclusive this year. The Orioles outfielder became the seventh player to hit for the cycle this season. That's the most players to hit for the cycle in a single season since 1933, when a record eight players did it. There is still a month and a half to go this season, though.

In Their Own Words...
"It was cool to watch, but it's hard to hit when you're expecting some bomber to fly over your head. It was a little distracting." -- Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee, who managed seven RBIs despite jets buzzing overhead in preparation for Chicago's Air and Water Show.

Advance Scouting...
Two of the majors' best starters will match-up at Citi Field (4:10 PM ET), where the Giants' Matt Cain will pitch against the Mets' Johan Santana. The late-afternoon start and the pitcher-friendly ballpark figure to also make this a tough day for scoring runs. That said, it'll probably be 10-9.

Starting Five: Josh Johnson's Gem Leads Sizzling Fish originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sat, 15 Aug 2009 06:00:00 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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Baseball Brunch: Under-the-Radar Jackson Deal Pays Huge Dividends

Ed Price — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Athletics, Diamondbacks, Indians, Marlins, Mets, Orioles, Phillies, Rangers, Rays, Rockies, Royals, Tigers, AL Central, MLB Media Watch, MLB Milestones, MLB Inside Scoop, Baseball Brunch

Every Sunday, MLB FanHouse empties out its notebook in Baseball Brunch.

The most significant trade of last winter barely caused a ripple at the time.

The same day the Mets signed Francisco Rodriguez and traded for J.J. Putz, and the day after the Yankees came to terms with C.C. Sabathia, the Tigers sent outfielder Matt Joyce to the Rays for right-hander Edwin Jackson.

Or don't you remember?

Eight months later, Jackson is second in the AL with a 2.62 ERA and leads the league with a .217 opponents' average. Ignore his 8-5 record; Detroit has scored three runs or fewer in 10 of his 22 starts, and more than five runs just twice.

"We liked him," Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski told FanHouse. "We thought he'd be one of our starters. But to say we thought we'd be trading for an All-Star starter, I would not ever have projected that."

While it may seem that Jackson is one of those pitchers who had plodded along forever, doing nothing special, and has put together a fluke year, it should be noted that he is just 25.

Jackson's unusual career is the result of getting to the big leagues too soon. He made his debut with the Dodgers on Sept. 9, 2003 -- his 20th birthday -- winning against 40-year-old Randy Johnson.

But Jackson then bounced back and forth between the minors and majors, understandable since he was still in his early 20s. He was traded to the Rays in January 2006 and by 2007 he was out of minor-league options despite being only 23. He went into that season with an 11-19 career record and a 5.64 ERA.

In other words, much of his development took place in the majors.

"When I did struggle it was in the limelight," Jackson said. "It wasn't like I was in the minor leagues and had a chance to struggle under the radar.

"I think it all just worked out to make me a stronger person at the end."

And Detroit caught him on the upswing.

"He's been tremendous for us," Dombrowski said. "I don't think anybody could anticipate he'd be good to this extent. I think everybody in the game has been aware of his ability. That goes back for a long time. He's always had great stuff. It was just one of those things where sometimes you get a guy at the right time."

It's not like Dombrowski set out to steal Jackson from Tampa Bay.

Jackson went into last winter eligible for arbitration, meaning he was in line for a big raise from his $412,700 salary (it wound up being $2.2 million this year). With top prospect David Price and others, the low-payroll Rays had some pitching depth, so trading Jackson was a way to save some money that could be spent elsewhere.

It was Tampa Bay that approached Detroit first, Dombrowski said.

"They liked Matt Joyce a lot," Dombrowski said. "And we liked Matt Joyce a lot. I still think Matt Joyce is going to be a good player."

And Jackson didn't take it personally.

"A trade is a trade," he said. "That's the business aspect of it. ... As long as a team wants me, I don't have a problem.

"Without the opportunity [the Rays] gave me, I wouldn't be [an All-Star]. But at the end of the day you can only do so much with a player. You have to kind of let them go out and find themselves. That's what I went through when I had my struggles."

Jackson has thrown more strikes, going from 4.9 walks per nine innings in 2007 to 3.8 last year to 2.9 this year, and success has followed.

"I was just trying to continue to do the same thing I did last year," he said. "I just wanted cut down on my walks, attack the strike zone more. You make the hitters put the ball in play, good things happen for you."

Another reason Jackson took time, as former Rays teammate Carl Crawford noted, is that when the Dodgers signed Jackson out of Columbus, Ga., he was a pitcher and outfielder.

"So he's still learning," Crawford said. "He's not gonna do nothing but get better. He's going to be a dangerous guy for a long time."

But Jackson said he won't mind if, like when he was traded to Detroit, not too many people notice.

"It's not a bad thing to fly under the radar," he said. "It makes life a little easier."

Overheard and Understood

o. Arizona manager A.J. Hinch said ace Dan Haren excels at, as Hinch put it, breaking a game down into 110 one-pitch games -- i.e., focusing on one pitch at a time. But Hinch is also monitoring the mental and physical strain from putting so much effort into every delivery. Including Saturday at Washington, Haren has failed to get into the seventh inning in four of his past seven starts. "He executes that one pitch at a time," Hinch said, "and he exhausts about every bit of energy that he has on every one of his pitches."

o. The Twins' best chance to win the AL Central lies in their schedule. Of their 52 remaining games, 35 are within the division -- including 12 against Kansas City, nine against Cleveland and eight against Detroit (which is 3-7 against Minnesota).

o. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Orioles are the first team in 121 years to have five pitchers (Brian Matusz, David Hernandez, Jason Berken, Brad Bergesen, Koji Uehara) start and win in their major league debut. The only other team to accomplish that was the 1888 Chicago White Stockings.

Chart of the Week
The Mariners are 27-14 in one-run games, putting them on pace for 40 one-run victories this season. That would rank tied for fourth all-time and the most since 1978:
Team	Record
1978 Giants	42-26
1969 Mets	41-23
1940 Reds	41-17
1974 Orioles	40-21
1970 Orioles	40-15
1979 Astros	39-27
1985 Reds	39-18
Source: Mariners, baseball-reference.com

o. The trade of Carl Pavano to Minnesota left Cleveland with just 11 players on its 25-man roster who were on the Opening Day roster or disabled list. Only four players have made it all season on the Indians' active roster: Kerry Wood, Kelly Shoppach, Jhonny Peralta and Shin-Soo Choo.

o. Colorado's Todd Helton reached 500 doubles in 1,749 career games -- third fastest all-time after Joe Medwick and Nap Lajoie.

o. Since Luis Castillo's game-losing dropped popup against the Yankees on June 12, Rodriguez has a 7.71 ERA, four blown saves in 12 chances, and 17 walks and four homers allowed in 18 2/3 innings.

o. Because Dallas Braden is out with a foot infection, Oakland has started a rookie in eight straight games, with Brett Anderson scheduled to make it nine Sunday. The last team to use a rookie starter in nine straight games was the 1997 Cardinals, who used rookies Manny Aybar, Rigo Beltran, Matt Morris, Sean Lowe, Mike Busby and Brady Raggio over their final 19 games.

o. Darren O'Day retired 18 straight batters before walking the first man he faced Friday and has a 1.91 ERA for the Rangers. The Mets took him in last winter's Rule 5 draft but, shortsightedly, opted to cut him in April when they called up Nelson Figueroa for a spot start.

o. Bruce Chen's win Thursday for Kansas City was his first since Oct. 2, 2005, for Baltimore against Tampa Bay. In between Chen's wins, Roy Halladay and C.C. Sabathia each won 63 games.

o. Florida's Dan Uggla joined Joe Gordon as the only second basemen ever to begin their careers with four 20-homer seasons.

o. The Phillies broadcasters have created a sports-broadcasting scholarship for Philadelphia-area college students, called the Kalas Award, in memory of their late colleague Harry Kalas. Scholarship applications and the eligibility requirements are available at www.phillybroadcasters.org.

Baseball Brunch: Under-the-Radar Jackson Deal Pays Huge Dividends originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 09 Aug 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting Five: Gorzelanny's Cubs Debut Another Slap to the Bucs

Jeff Fletcher — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Cardinals, Cubs, Giants, Mets, Orioles, Pirates, 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 every day Pirates fans seem to suffer another indignity. If it's not seeing their whole team get traded, it's seeing Yusmeiro Petit nearly pitch a no-hitter against the guys who are left, or seeing cast-off Tom Gorzelanny pitch his best game in two years.

Gorzelanny, a once promising lefty, had fallen so far out of favor in Pittsburgh that he spent most of the season in the minors. He hadn't started for the Pirates since last year. The Cubs got him last week, and on Tuesday night he made his debut for his new team. Gorzelanny gave up three hits and one run in 7 1/3 innings.

Of course, it was only against the Reds. Cincinnati, losers of 14 of its past 15, is perhaps the only team going worse than the Pirates these days.

More Coverage: Scoreboard | Standings | Statistics

From the Trainer's Room ...
Mets shortstop Jose Reyes, who has been out since May 26 with a right leg injury, had a setback and returned to New York. Although Mets officials would not comment on Reyes' status until he's re-evaluated, it seems the chances are getting dimmer of him returning to the field at all this season.

Numbers Game ...
Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols hit his fifth grand slam of the year, pulling within one of the major league record, held by Travis Hafner and Don Mattingly. Pujols hit two homers in the game against the Mets, including the 10th-inning slam, to emphatically snap out of his slump. He had hit .207 with no homers in his previous 15 games.

In Their Own Words ...
"He is the real thing. This is one that everybody should take a great deal of pride in for a long time. The night belongs to Matusz in some respects, but it belongs to everybody with the Orioles because certainly a lot of people helped to make this happen tonight." -- Orioles manager Dave Trembley, after touted prospect Brian Matusz won in his big-league debut, just over a year after he was drafted. The left-hander allowed one run in five innings. The Orioles became the first team in modern major league history to have five pitchers win in their debut in the same season.

Advance Scouting ...
Giants right-hander Joe Martinez will make his return to the big leagues, starting against the Astros in Houston (2:05 PM ET). Martinez began his big-league career by making the Opening Day roster, but his second game, on April 9, ended with a frightening incident. He was hit in the head by a Mike Cameron line drive, causing a concussion. He has not pitched in the majors since.

Starting Five: Gorzelanny's Cubs Debut Another Slap to the Bucs originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 05 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."

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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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Brian Matusz Latest Promising Oriole Arm Set to Make Baltimore Debut

Andrew Johnson — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 16:41:00 EST

Filed under: Orioles, MLB Transactions, Prospects

Less than a week after Chris Tillman made his major league debut, another highly-touted prospect will make his first start in an Orioles uniform. Baltimore is set to call up left-hander Brian Matusz Tuesday night to face the Tigers.

Matusz, the fourth overall pick in last year's draft, has been a professional for less than a year, and only made his minor-league debut this season, but his rapid ascent to the major leagues highlights just how talented and polished he is.

The southpaw is 11-2 with a stingy 1.91 ERA across two minor-league levels this year. He has 121 strikeouts and just 32 walks in 113 innings to back up those gaudy numbers.

Though the Orioles are in an all too familiar position this year -- dead last in the American League East -- this is an exciting time to be a fan of the team.

The club has unveiled a number of promising rookies in 2009 to surround the offensive core of Brian Roberts, Nick Markakis and Adam Jones.

Left fielder Nolan Reimold and catcher Matt Wieters have been joined by Tillman and now Matusz recently, with the latter three being ranked first, 22nd and 25th, respectively, on Baseball America's Top 100 prospects list before the season.

Competing with the Red Sox and Yankees every year is never going to be easy, but the Rays have proved it is possible with smarts and a strong player-development machine. The Orioles may have the young talent on hand to follow the path blazed by Tampa Bay over the last few seasons -- a possibility that will make the AL East that much tougher heading into the next decade.

Brian Matusz Latest Promising Oriole Arm Set to Make Baltimore Debut originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 03 Aug 2009 16:41:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting Five: Furious Fish Stun Cubs

Andrew Johnson — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Diamondbacks, Marlins, Orioles, Rays, Royals, 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 if the Marlins make a serious playoff push, they might look back at the second day of August as the spark. Florida, which is five games behind the Phillies in the NL East and three back of the Rockies and Giants in the NL wild-card race, was one out away from a second straight loss to wild card rival Chicago.

Then Cubs closer (and former Marlin) Kevin Gregg made two bad pitches.

Dan Uggla took a 3-1 offering from Gregg way out of Landshark Stadium. Cody Ross followed with a home run of his own to turn a 2-1 Florida loss into a 3-2 victory.

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"We've got one thing in mind," said Ross. "I think everyone knows what that is."

That would be the playoffs, just in case you couldn't figure out what Ross was getting at. Since losing three straight to the Phillies right after the All-Star break, Florida has won eight of 11, a run that makes postseason play seem like a real possibility.

From the Trainer's Room ...
Brandon Webb's season is over. The former Cy Young winner hasn't pitched since Opening Day because of stiffness and soreness in his shoulder, an injury for which he will have surgery on Monday. Webb told reporters that doctors do not believe anything is wrong with his labrum and that the procedure will be a "general cleanup." A healthy labrum could be the difference between the Diamondbacks picking up their $8.5 million 2010 option on Webb and making him a free agent.

Numbers Game ...
Melky Cabrera became the first Yankee to hit for the cycle in 14 years and the 15th in team history as he stole the show from a CC Sabathia-Mark Buehrle pitching duel that never materialized. The outfielder fell out of favor in New York last year, even spending a brief stint in the minor leaguers, but he appears to be back in favor now.

"We have lots of confidence in Melky," Johnny Damon said. "He plays the game right. He's capable of being a five-tool presence. He's real close. If he adds a little more power in his game, we can put him in that category."

In Their Own Words ...
"I think I deserve more respect than what I'm getting here. Don't give me excuses that I can't beat [John] Smoltz or I can't beat [Josh] Beckett or I can't beat [Jon] Lester. I've been here nine years. All these guys in the East know me. I've made the All-Star team. I deserve respect." -- Orioles third baseman Melvin Mora, who has played only once in Baltimore's last four games. Mora is hitting .256 this year, and the man who replaced him in the linuep Sunday, Ty Wigginton, went 3-for-5 with a home run. That's probably not going to help his case with manager Dave Trembley much.

Advance Scouting ...
What could possibly be better than a high noon showdown between two aces? Zack Greinke and Scott Kazmir go head to head Monday (12:08 PM ET) at Tropicana Field in the finale of a four-game series between the Royals and Rays. Tampa Bay has taken two of the first three games and will be looking for the series victory.

Starting Five: Furious Fish Stun Cubs originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 03 Aug 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Detroit Tigers Get Jarrod Washburn From Seattle Mariners

Ed Price — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 11:41:00 EST

Filed under: Mariners, Orioles, Tigers, MLB Trade Deadline

The Tigers' biggest need seemed to be a bat, what with their offense ranking 10th in the American League in runs scored. Instead, they traded Friday for lefty Jarrod Washburn, who had been third in the AL in ERA for the Mariners.

A team source said Detroit is still seeking offensive help, although there has yet to be a match with Baltimore for Luke Scott. But there aren't as many impact bats available at the trade deadline, so the front office began exploring bolstering its rotation instead. Justin Verlander, Edwin Jackson and Rick Porcello have been very good, but Armando Galarraga had struggled and Luke French was filling the fifth spot.

There were middle- to back-of-the-rotation pitchers available, and Washburn fit the bill. The Tigers gave up French and Single-A lefty Mauricio Robles.

Washburn is scheduled to start for Detroit on Tuesday night against Baltimore. He was 8-6 with a 2.64 ERA for Seattle, ranking second in the league with a .223 batting average against.

Detroit now has three of the AL's top seven pitchers in ERA, with Jackson second (2.59) and Verlander seventh (3.16).

French appeared in seven games (five starts) for the Tigers this season, going 1-2 with a 3.38 ERA. Robles was 8-6 record with a 4.24 ERA in 18 starts for two Class A teams.

Seattle had seemed to be a buyer with its acquisition of shortstop Jack Wilson from Seattle. But this trade signals the Mariners are giving up on the wild-card chase, in which they are fourth, 6 1/2 games behind the Red Sox.

"We had an opportunity to acquire two starting left-handed pitchers under the age of 23, including one with major-league experience," M's general manager Jack Zduriencik said in a prepared statement. "As we continue to build the Mariners organization, it is crucial that we acquire depth and quality. This deal is another step in that process."

Detroit Tigers Get Jarrod Washburn From Seattle Mariners originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 31 Jul 2009 11:41:00 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.

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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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