Director's cut ...
Here ya go: This week's column, on steroids:
The expectations are greater, sure, and so is the competition. But the Rays finally are starting to prove last year was far from a fluke.
After a sluggish start, which fairly can be blamed on injuries -- among those placed on the DL in May alone: Pat Burrell (neck), Scott Kazmir (quad), Troy Percival (shoulder), Jason Bartlett (ankle), Akinori Iwamura (ACL) and Brian Shouse (elbow) -- they've won nine of 11, are eight over .500 and five games behind the Red Sox in the American League East.
They've revived their season with equal parts speed and strength. They have 121 stolen bases -- the Angels, at 78, are second in the major leagues -- and 105 home runs, making them just the fifth team in major league history with 100 of each before the All-Star break.
That puts the Rays on pace for 245 stolen bases and 213 homers, which would make them the second member of the 200-200 club (1996 Rockies: 221 homers, 201 steals).
"It speaks to the athleticism," manager Joe Maddon told the St. Petersburg Times. "Great combination of speed and power. Everybody looks at us and always talks about how fast we are and how well we run and all that stuff. I never heard the credit for the power, and that's good, that's fine, because I know we have it."
Former Tiger Carlos Pena's 23 homers comfortably lead the AL, reigning rookie of the year Evan Longoria and Ben Zobrist -- who's exceeded everyone's expectations since taking over at second base after Iwamura was lost, potentially, for the season, a month ago -- have 16 each, and 12 other Rays have gone deep.
Meanwhile, on the basepaths, Carl Crawford's 40 stolen bases easily are tops in MLB, B.J. Upton has 29 and Bartlett 17. Crawford, in fact, with a little hot streak could get back on pace to flirt with 100 steals, something that's only been done 20 times in baseball history and not since Vince Coleman swiped 109 in 1987.
Pitt swaps
It's not just Pirates fans -- allegedly, they still exist -- who are struggling to understand the latest round of transactions. The players are stunned, too.
"There are certain guys that you think are going to get traded. It's the ones who you think are a part of the future, those are the ones that get you. Those are the worst," shortstop Jack Wilson, who often has been at the center of trade rumors in recent seasons, told MLB.com this week. "They are building something. Unfortunately, none of us here are kind of seeing that direction."
The Pirates on Tuesday shipped speedy outfielder Nyjer Morgan to the Nationals, just a few weeks after trading Gold Glove-winning center fielder Nate McLouth, a Muskegon native, to the Braves. This comes a year after they sent Jason Bay to the Red Sox, for whom he's now having an MVP-caliber season, and Xavier Nady to the Yankees. That's four talented outfielders -- all 20-somethings on Trading Day; McLouth is 27, Morgan turns 28 today and neither one is on the brink of free agency -- gone with relatively little in return.
Their latest acquisitions: outfielder Lastings Milledge, the No. 12 overall pick in 2003 who's been mostly a bust and a nuisance since debuting in '06, and right-handed reliever Joel Hanrahan, a second-round pick in 2000 whose 5.27 career ERA apparently made him marketable.
"Big risks, no question, but with big upside," general manager Neal Huntington told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "There are the kinds of things we have to do. We might miss."
What else is new? The Pirates, amazingly 36-42 and just six games back in the National League Central, are on the cusp of an major pro sports-record 17th consecutive losing season, which would break the tie with the 1933-48 Phillies, who had 16 straight.
Around the horn
* Speaking of those Pirates, there's been good news lately, too. Right-hander Ian Snell, willingly demoted after a rotten outing against the Indians on June 23, was absolutely dominating in his first minor league start. On Sunday in Indianapolis, he struck out 17 -- including an amazing 13 in a row -- and allowed just two hits in a 2-1, 10-inning victory over Toledo, the Tigers' Triple-A affiliate.
* Tuesday night's game in Baltimore was a historic one for both teams. The Orioles beat the Red Sox, 11-10, with the biggest comeback in franchise history -- they trailed 10-1 in the seventh inning; their previous best rally was from an eight-run deficit in (ironically) an 11-10 victory over the Red Sox on Sept. 2, 1956. The Red Sox, meanwhile, suffered their biggest meltdown since blowing a 10-run cushion in a 13-11 loss to the Blue Jays on June 4, 1989. (The Red Sox, by the way, returned the favor Wednesday by rallying from down four in the ninth.)
* Lost in all the commotion from that thriller -- "Oh boy, what a night," Orioles manager Dave Trembley told reporters Wednesday -- was a solid outing for John Smoltz, the Lansing native who allowed just one run on three hits but lasted just four innings because of a one-hour, 11-minute rain delay that interrupted his second major league start since last summer's shoulder surgery. "That's a big positive we can takeout of this game," Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia told the Boston Globe.
* This is neat: MLB will pay tribute to Lou Gehrig on Saturday, with all home teams recreating part of his "Luckiest Man" speech prior to first pitch. It's an effort to raise awareness and funds for ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), the disease that killed the Yankees Hall of Famer. A "4ALS" logo will appear on first base, Gehrig's position; the bases later will be auctioned off at MLB.com.
* With a first-inning single Tuesday night, Giants shortstop Edgar Renteria collected his 2,135th hit, 24th among Latino players. He passed Moises Alou. "Wow," he told the San Jose Mercury News. "But I want you to tell me ... how many Latinos have 3,000 hits?" The answer: Three (Rod Carew, Rafael Palmeiro and Roberto Clemente). At his career pace, Renteria, 33, a former Tiger, could actually reach the milestone in 2014.
* With a pair of home runs Tuesday night, Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols became -- according to research by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch -- the seventh player to reach 30 by the end of June and the first since annual steroid testing was implemented in 2004. Barry Bonds and Luis Gonzalez did it last, in 2001.
* With Adrian Beltre out at least six weeks after having left shoulder surgery, the Mariners must find a capable replacement at third base. One option, believe it or not, is ex-Tigers first baseman Chris Shelton, who is hitting .319 with 12 homers and 61 RBIs in Triple A. He's played just one major league game at third base, though.
* More fallout from Beltre's injury: There likely will be a new winner of the AL Gold Gove for third base, and the leader in the clubhouse is Detroit's Brandon Inge. Beltre won the Gold Glove in 2007 and '08, and Oakland's Eric Chavez took home the award the six years before that.
* Happy birthday to former Tiger and current MLB Network analyst Sean Casey (35), ex-Tigers knuckleballer Steve Sparks (44) and veteran umpire Mike Reilly, the Battle Creek resident who turns 60 today.
Staff injection
The Rockies finished 21-7 in June to cut six games off their deficit in the National League West. There's plenty of credit to go around, but it all starts with the starters -- the Colorado rotation won 19 games in June, tied for the most in a month by a National League team in the past 40 seasons. The Mets also won 19 in July 1985.
2009 Rockies
Jason Marquis -- 6 GS, 3-2, 3.76 ERA
Ubaldo Jimenez -- 6 GS, 3-1, 2.89 ERA
Aaron Cook -- 6 GS 5-1, 2.36 ERA
Jorge de la Rosa -- 5 GS, 4-1, 6.08 ERA
Jason Hammel -- 5 GS, 4-0, 3.41 ERA
1985 Mets
Dwight Gooden -- 6 GS, 5-0, 1.66 ERA
Ron Darling -- 6 GS, 4-2, 4.85 ERA
Ed Lynch -- 4 GS, 4-0, 2.48 ERA
Rick Aguilera -- 5 GS, 3-1, 0.89 ERA
Sid Fernandez -- 5 GS, 1-2, 2.73 ERA
Bill Latham -- 1 GS, 1-0, 3.68 ERA
Terry Leach -- 1 GS, 1-0, 2.38 ERA
Source: Elias Sports Bureau, Detroit News research
Central concerns
The Indians, at 31-48, are a season-worst 17 games below .500, but it's not because of the offense. Here's a breakdown of the American League Central offenses and pitching staffs (major league rank in parentheses):
Runs: CLE 405 (4), MIN 378 (11), DET 369 (12), CWS 349 (16), KCR 306 (28)
Home runs: CWS 92 (8), DET 90 (9), CLE 87 (11), MIN 83 (13), KCR 67 (23)
Average: MIN .269 (9), DET .260 (14), CLE .259 (15), CWS .259 (16), KCR .252 (25)
Staring pitchers' ERA: CWS 4.09 (7), KCR 4.16 (10), DET 4.22 (11), MIN 4.43 (17), CLE 5.55 (30)
Relief pitchers' ERA: MIN 3.82 (9), CWS 3.88 (11), DET 4.46 (23), KCR 4.62 (25), CLE 5.07 (28)
My AL All-Star ballot
Who will start, should start and the latest vote leaders:
First base: Justin Morneau, MIN (should); Kevin Youkilis, BOS (will); Youkilis by 40,047
Second base: Aaron Hill, TOR (should); Dustin Pedroia, BOS (will); Ian Kinsler, TEX, by 6,830
Shortstop: Jason Bartlett, TBR (should); Derek Jeter, NYY (will); Jeter by 1,627,314
Third base: Evan Longoria, TBR (should); Longoria (will); Longoria by 1,634,044
Catcher: Joe Mauer, MIN (should); Mauer (will); Mauer by 1,451,873
Outfield: Jason Bay, BOS (should); Bay (will); Bay by 1,119,113
Outfield: Ichiro Suzuki, SEA (should); Suzuki (will); Suzuki by 312,026
Outfield: Carl Crawford, TBR (should); Josh Hamilton, TEX (will); Hamilton by 144,981
Pitcher: Zack Greinke, KCR (should); Greinke (will); Manager selects starting pitcher
My NL All-Star ballot
Who will start, should start and the latest vote leaders:
First base: Albert Pujols, STL (should); Pujols (will); Pujols by 1,957,794
Second base: Chase Utley, PHI (should); Utley (will); Utley by 2,232,734
Shortstop: Hanley Ramirez, FLA (should); Ramirez (will); Ramirez by 254,257
Third base: David Wright, NYM (should); Wright (will); Wright by 698,032
Catcher: Brian McCann, ATL (should); Yadier Molina, STL (will); Molina by 387,720
Outfield: Raul Ibanez, PHI (should); Ibanez (will); Ibanez by 1,053,541
Outfield: Ryan Braun, MIL (should); Braun (will); Braun by 737,463
Outfield: Carlos Beltran, NYM (should); Alfonso Soriano, CHC (will); Beltran by 168,430
Pitcher: Matt Cain, SFG (should); Tim Lincecum, SFG (will); Manager selects starting pitcher
The All-Star Selection Show is at 1 p.m. Sunday on TBS
The All-Star Game is at 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 14, at Busch Stadium in St. Louis (FOX)
Diamond digits
5: Starting pitchers who have logged at least 90 innings without allowing a stolen base. Among them, right-handers Roy Oswalt (Houston) and Joel Pineiro (St. Louis) and left-handers Dallas Braden (Oakland), Mark Buehrle (White Sox) and Johan Santana (Mets). Nobody's even attempted to steal against Buehrle.
11.68: Angels left-hander Joe Saunders' career ERA -- with an 0-5 record -- in five starts in Arlington, Texas, where he was shellacked for eight earned runs on six hits (four home runs) in Tuesday's 9-5 loss to the Rangers. In Anaheim against Texas, Saunders is 3-0 with a 1.44 ERA.
77: Games the Padres have played without scoring in double-figures. According to Illinois-based STATS LLC., only two teams have gone deeper into the season without putting up at least a 10-spot in the last decade: The 2002 Tigers (97 games) and the 2003 Tigers (92 games).
137-114: The AL's record in interleague play, the sixth straight year the NL has been on the losing end. There's one more game to be played: The White Sox and Cubs have to play a makeup, set for 2:20 p.m. Sept. 3.
7/2/02: The Tigers and White Sox, the same teams who combined for an MLB-record 12 home runs in a game in 1995, matched the mark. Dmitri Young (two), Robert Fick, Damion Easley, George Lombard and Wendell Magee went deep for Detroit, a 17-9 loser in Chicago. Among the White Sox haul: A pair by future -- and soon-to-be-former? -- Tiger Magglio Ordonez.
He said it
“What else can go wrong? I’m beginning to think the baseball gods really do hate us.” -- Adam Dunn, Nationals outfielder, talking to the Washington Times after losing to the Marlins, 7-5, in a rain-shortened game Tuesday. The Nationals (22-54) led 5-1 in the sixth before the Marlins struck for six. Then came the heavy rain.
He said it II
"Manny Ramirez returns to baseball after his suspension for using female fertility drugs and becomes the first player in history to hit for the menstrual cycle." -- Andy Richter, during an "In the Year 3000" prediction skit on Friday night's "Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien." Ramirez's 50-game suspenion is up and he returns to the Dodgers lineup Friday night in San Diego.
He said it III
"I'm going to embarrass them into winning more games. They will see me get skinnier and skinnier, until maybe there's nothing left of me." -- Daniel Kamen, a Buffalo Grove, Ill., chiropractor and long-time Cubs fan, talking to the Chicago Sun-Times about the hunger strike he plans to go on until the struggling Cubs finally win five games in a row. Kamen said he plans to stick to 500 calories a day until the Cubs streak or the season ends, whichever comes first. As of this moment, the Cubs are on fire -- one in a row!
Power Rankings ...
On April 29, the Rays were 8-14 and in fifth place in the American League East. Now, they're back where they belong -- driving the division front-runners batty. Why the turnaround? Simple: Speed and strength.
Now, onto the Power Rankings, where the aforementioned Rays boast the greatest leap:
1. Dodgers (1): Monday's homer was his MLB-best fourth walk-off hit and seventh since the start of 2008.
2. Red Sox (2): Of Jonathan Papelbon's club-record 133 saves, 102 have been one inning, 24 one-plus.
3. Yankees (4): On Sunday, Mariano Rivera earned his 500th save and first career RBI (bases-loaded walk).
4. Rays (10): They have not lost a home series since April (8-0-2) and are an MLB-best 26-22 since April 29.
5. Angels (6): They ended interleague an MLB-best 14-4 and are 108-72 vs. the NL since 2000 (also No. 1).
6. Tigers (3): Since returning from his benching, Magglio Ordonez is batting just .167 with two RBIs.
7. Cardinals (5): Ryan Franklin, the club's third choice for closer in the spring, just picked up his 18th save.
8. Giants (12): Brian Wilson has recorded 21 saves, including one in each of Randy Johnson's eight wins.
9. Brewers (9): Ryan Braun could be the second Brewer to start consecutive All-Star games (Robin Yount).
10. Blue Jays (7): Scott Rolen is hitting .423 on his 19-game hitting streak, currently the longest in MLB.
11. Rangers (11): Ian Kinsler has five leadoff homers this season, most in MLB and one off the club record.
12. Phillies (8): In save situations this season, Brad Lidge is 0-3 with a 7.50 ERA -- and six blown saves.
13. Marlins (16): Hanley Ramirez's 10-game RBI streak is the longest in club history and by an NL shortstop.
14. Rockies (18): Jason Marquis became the NL's first 10-game winner with an 86-pitch complete game.
15. Twins (14): The Tigers better not trail late this weekend. Closer Joe Nathan is 27-for-27 against them.
16. Mets (13): Closer Francisco Rodriguez is limiting opponents to a .088 average with runners on base.
17. Mariners (15): Ken Griffey Jr. has homered off 399 different pitchers, second to Barry Bonds' 449.
18. White Sox (20): They've allowed an MLB-worst 43 unearned runs (17 errors in their last 14 games).
19. Braves (21): He belongs. Rookie of the year favorite Tommy Hanson was 4-0 with a 2.48 ERA in June.
20. Cubs (17): Carlos Marmol got his 17th hold Wednesday, tying Detroit's Bobby Seay for the MLB lead.
21. Reds (19): During the 21 games slugger Joey Votto was on the DL, they scored 1.19 runs a game less.
22. Astros (23): Center fielder Michael Bourn leads the NL in steals (25), triples (six) and infield hits (20).
23. Pirates (25): Their outfielders lead the majors with 24 assists; Brandon Moss has a team-leading eight.
24. Orioles (24): Ex-Wolverine Rich Hill's comeback has hit a snag, with a 10.42 ERA in his last five starts.
25. Padres (25): Jake Peavy needs a win to take second alone in club history and eight to match Eric Snow.
26. Royals (22): With a loss to the Twins on Wednesday, they dropped to 2-8 in rubber games of a series.
27. A's (26): Their pitchers struck out 31 Tigers (14 on Monday), while taking two of three in the series.
28. Indians (28): It just keeps getting worse. They've lost five straight, 14 of 17 and are 13 games back.
29. Diamondbacks (29): Dan Haren was 3-1 with a 1.64 ERA -- and his first career home run -- in June.
30. Nationals (30): Good news! In June, their starters had a 3.86 ERA and 13 quality starts in 26 games.
Power Rankings ...
It'll be interesting to see what Chicago baseball writers cook up Friday when they gather to discuss how they're going to handle upcoming Hall of Fame elections, which are likely to be more noteworthy for the folks who don't get in (Roger Clemens) than those who do (Craig Biggio).
Now onto the Power Rankings, where my love for the Tigers is (foolishly, perhaps) at a season high ...
1. Dodgers (1): On Friday night, they'll try to avoid their first three-game losing streak of '09.
2. Red Sox (2): John Smoltz's debut couldn't have been worse. He got roughed up by the Nationals!
3. Tigers (11): At 23-11, they're off to their best home start since the '84 club (remember them?)
4. Yankees (3): Mariano Rivera recently had his fourth four-K game since becoming a closer in '97.
5. Cardinals (8): Albert Pujols leads the NL with 26 homers, 70 RBIs and 23 intentional walks.
6. Angels (10): They've actually held the lead in 18 of their 32 losses. Blame the 'pen (.564 ERA).
7. Blue Jays (5): Scott Rolen is on a 14-game hitting streak, batting .433 (26-60) with 10 RBIs.
8. Phillies (4): Ryan Howard's consecutive games streak ended at 343 (flu), 2,289 shy of Cal Ripken.
9. Brewers (6): Mike Burns became their sixth starting pitcher in '09; only the Giants have used five.
10. Rays (9): On Wednesday vs. the Rays, Pat Burrell ended a career-long homer drought of 104 at-bats.
11. Rangers (7): Over his last four starts, Vicente Padilla -- seriously! -- is 3-0 with a 2.16 ERA.
12. Giants (13): Tim Lincecum just had his MLB-best 13th double-digit K outing since the start of '08.
13. Mets (13): The 51 RBIs from catchers is tops (Omir Santos 23, Brian Schneider 15, Ramon Castro 13).
14. Twins (14): This week, Joe Mauer made his second SI cover, three behind club leader Kirby Puckett.
15. Mariners (17): Ken Griffey hit the 5,000th homer in club history; he’s accounted for 8 percent.
16. Marlins (19): The youngsters are gold under pressure -- 14-8 in one-run games, including 8-3 in June.
17. Cubs (15): Derrek Lee’s hitting streak ended Thursday in Detroit at 21 games, the Cubs’ longest since '89.
18. Rockies (20): They’ve won seven of 10 series, a hot stretch that began by winning two of three in Detroit.
19. Reds (16): Jonny Gomes -- once an afterthought -- is batting .389 with seven RBIs in his last 14 games.
20. White Sox (21): Shades of ’05! Scott Podsednik is batting .305 with 13 multihit games in his last 29.
21. Braves (18): In recent SI, Bobby Cox (25%) was voted the manager major leaguers most want to play for.
22. Royals (23): By winning Tuesday, Zack Greinke (9-3, 1.90) lowered his ERA for the first time since May 4.
23. Astros (24): The Tigers have a test Friday: Wandy Rodriguez (2.15) has the NL’s sixth-best home ERA.
24. Orioles (28): Of the MLB-worst 92 home runs allowed, ex-Michigan Wolverine Rich Hill has allowed three.
25. Pirates (22): When the PNC Park crowds are over 20,000, the Pirates have made the fans smile (10-1).
26. A's (27): They’re in last place this late for the first time since '98, the last time they finished last.
27. Padres (25): Adrian Gonzalez has walked 28 times this month, six off the 32-year-old franchise record.
28. Indians (26): The Eric Wedge Watch is under way. They’ve lost eight of nine and are 14 under .500.
29. Diamondbacks (29): It looks very like Brandon Webb (shoulder) is done after just a single start in '09.
30. Nationals (30): Sluggers Adam Dunn (18 homers, 50 RBIs) and Nick Johnson (.310) are prime trade bait.
Director's cut ...
As usual, here's the extended version of this week's column:
In a game earlier this year, Ryan Zimmerman and Adam Dunn took the field wearing uniforms that read “Natinals.” Believe it or not, that might wind up in the club’s highlight bin by the time this season mercifully ends.
Look, nobody expected the moon and the stars or even a fourth-place finish from the District of Columbia’s baseball club, but this? Well, it’s been nothing shy of a stunning mess.
The Nationals entered Wednesday at 16-46, having lost eight of 10, 16 of 19, 28 of 34 and -- perhaps we’ve already mentioned this -- 46 of 62! I’ll skip all the obvious “bailout” jokes and cut right to the chase: They have the exact same record at this point in the season as the 2003 Tigers, who didn’t have the luxury of a Zimmerman or a Dunn but rather went to battle daily with a Munson, a Morris and a Monroe.
The nightmare that is the Nats reached its boiling point Saturday, when FOX reported manager Manny Acta was out and bench coach Jim Riggleman was in. No move has been made -- so perhaps the report was false -- but it’s clear the front office isn’t content with this whole innovate, win-twice-a-week gig Acta’s got going on.
Far and away the biggest trouble spot has been the bullpen, which entered Friday with a National League-worst 5.57 ERA and 13 blown saves. In save situations, they have an 8.87 ERA, .335 opponents’ batting average and almost as many losses (eight) as saves (11) Back in April, they did the unthinkable and were swept in a series in which they took a lead into the ninth inning in all three games.
The pitching’s been so bad -- the starters’ ERA is a desperate-for-Stephen-Strasburg-to-be-the-savior 4.98 -- they’ve been outscored by a major league-worst 81 runs despite an offense that’s middle of the road, at worst.
“I can confess to you how perplexed I am about this season, this team and the things that are going on,” club president Stan Kasten told MLB.com. “And our record is really troubling to me every single day. And we continue to search for solutions.”
It’s hard to imagine that map doesn’t eventually lead to the dismissal of Acta, 40, who’s 150-237 since taking over ahead of the 2007 season. The most-visible link to former general manager Jim Bowden’s tenure -- he resigned this spring amid an FBI probe into skimming bonuses for Latin America players (you stay classy, D.C.!) -- Acta is a good bet to be the season’s third managerial casualty.
The others hatchet jobs: Arizona’s Bob Melvin (shockingly replaced by A.J. Hinch, 17-21) and Colorado’s Clint Hurdle (Jim Tracy, 15-5 including 11 straight wins before Tuesday’s 12-4 loss to the Rays).
How high can he go?
It’s definitely a bit early to start the will-he-hit-.400 watch.
Still, it is worth noting, with the help of Elias Sports Bureau, that Twins catcher Joe Mauer -- at .429 after going 4-for-4 in Tuesday night’s 8-2 victory over the Pirates -- had the highest batting average through at least 150 at-bats since Yankees curmudgeon Paul O’Neill stood at .431 through 167 at-bats in 1994.
This is how good has he been: Mauer, 26, already a two-time batting champion, has more than three times as many multi-hit games (20) as no-hit games (six).
“Let’s talk about .500,” manager Ron Gardenhire joked to the St. Paul Pioneer Press. “I don’t know what to say about him. … He keeps hitting, keeps getting it done.”
Now at .425, Mauer isn't eligible for the batting title yet -- a player must average 3.1 plate appearances for each game his team has played, and Mauer, who missed the first month with a back injury, entered Friday 21 short -- but if he remains healthy, he’ll be comfortably past the minimum in short order.
O’Neill, by the way, hit .299 from June 9 on to finish the 1994 season at .359, tops in the AL, two one-thousandths a point better than Albert Belle of the Indians. At this point last season, Braves third baseman Chipper Jones had just dipped below .400. He finished at .364, beating Albert Pujols to win the NL crown.
Don't quit your day job
Some notes about American League pitchers-turned-“hitters”:
* Through Thursday, they were 15-for-127 (.118) with 57 strikeouts. That’s a strikeout in 44.9 percent of at-bats -- which, of course, still is better than Rangers first baseman Chris Davis (45.3).
* Fifty-eight pitchers have logged at least one at-bat. Thirteen have at least one hit, while only two -- Detroit’s Rick Porcello and Tampa Bay’s Andy Sonnanstine -- have two hits. Porcello is the only pitcher with two RBIs.
* Speaking of Porcello, last Friday in Pittsburgh he became the first Tigers pitcher with an RBI since Chad Durbin had a sacrifice fly against the Braves on June 24, 2007, and the first Tigers pitcher with multiple RBIs in a game since Joe Coleman drove in three -- all on the same single! -- against the Red Sox on Sept. 21, 1972.
* When Chicago’s Mark Buehrle and Boston’s Josh Beckett hit home runs Sunday, it marked the first time multiple AL pitchers went deep on the same day since not just before interleague play but before the DH, per Elias. The last time it happened: Aug. 28, 1971 (Detroit’s Les Cain and Baltimore’s Dave McNally).
Around the horn
* Odds are, you’ve seen Ted Giannoulas. You just might not know it. He’s the San Diego native known in most circles as the “Famous Chicken,” the cooky, dancin’, fightin’ mascot -- I still remember that picture from the 1984 World Series of him gobbling up a beaming Sparky Anderson -- who’s been roaming ballparks for the past 35 summers. Well, in a recent interview with the Associated Press, Giannoulas, 55, the only person ever to wear the uniform, is considering retiring at season’s end.
“I can’t say for certain,” Giannoulas, who on his Web site claims to have appeared at more than 8,500 games, recently told the Associated Press. “I’ll just see how my body feels.”
* At Angel Stadium on Saturday night, Weaver brothers Jeff (Dodgers) and Jered (Angels) will be the opposing pitchers, marking the 21st time siblings have started against each other. The last time it happened was 2002, when Alan (Cubs) and Andy Benes (Cardinals) went head to head. One of the bro meetings involed a Tiger, Jim Perry, who squared off against his more-famous brother, Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry, on July 3, 1973, in Cleveland. Norm Cash had a pair of homers in the Tigers' 5-4 win; Gaylord took the loss, Jim got a no-decision.
* In the race to be the starting American League first baseman, we could be witnessing the closest vote in the history of the All-Star Game. In a voting update released Tuesday, Boston’s Kevin Youkilis led New York’s Mark Teixeira by a measly 1,315 votes. The narrowest margin ever was the National League second base race of 1982, when Philadelphia’s Manny Trillo edged Los Angeles’ Steve Sax by 1,625.
* When veteran right-hander Jose Contreras was willingly demoted to the minors early last month, he was 0-5 with an 8.19 ERA. In the two starts since his recall by the White Sox, he’s limited the Tigers and Brewers to three hits -- and no runs -- in earning the first AL player of the week award of his seven-year career. His 16-inning scoreless streak also is a career best. His next start is Friday night in Cincinnati.
In bad company
Through 62 games, the Nationals have the same record as the ’03 Tigers, who finished 43-119, setting the American League record for losses. Here’s a comparison of the two clubs at this point in their dismal seasons:
Record: '03 Tigers -- 16-46; '09 Nationals -- 16-46
Games out: '03 Tigers 19.5; '09 Nationals -- 20
Longest losing streak: '03 Tigers -- nine; '09 Nationals -- seven
Longest winning streak: '03 Tigers -- four; '09 Nationals -- three
Batting average: '03 Tigers -- .216; '09 Nationals -- .258
On-base percentage: '03 Tigers -- .283; '09 Nationals -- .343
Slugging percentage: '03 Tigers -- .324; '09 Nationals -- .409
Home runs: '03 Tigers -- 45; '09 Nationals -- 65
Runs: '03 Tigers -- 192; '09 Nationals -- 280
Strikeouts: '03 Tigers -- 428; '09 Nationals -- 495
ERA: '03 Tigers -- 4.31; '09 Nationals -- 5.33
WHIP: '03 Tigers -- 1.366; '09 Nationals -- 1.579
Prime position
When ex-Tiger/current Astro Pudge Rodriguez played against his old team, the Rangers, on Wednesday night, he broke Carlton Fisk’s record for games caught. Here’s a look at the career leaders at every position:
Catcher: Pudge Rodriguez, 2,227*
First base: Eddie Murray, 2,413
Second base: Eddie Collins, 2,650
Shortstop: Omar Vizquel, 2,670*
Third base: Brooks Robinson, 2,870
Outfield: Ty Cobb, 2,934
Outfield: Barry Bonds, 2,874
Outfield: Willie Mays, 2,842
Designated hitter: Harold Baines, 1,644
Pitcher (total): Jesse Orosco, 1,252
Pitcher (started): Cy Young, 815
* Active; Source: Baseball-Reference.com, Detroit News research
Diamond digits
4: Consecutive losses earlier this month for Nationals left-hander Ron Villone, making him the fourth pitcher in the last 10 years to lose in four straight relief outings, according to Elias Sports Bureau. The others: Brian Fuentes (Rockies, 2007), Fausto Carmona (Indians, ’06) and Rheal Cormier (Phillies, ’01). The Tigers, you'll recall, were responsible for one of Carmona’s -- on a Pudge Rodriguez ninth-inning homer.
52: Players selected in last week’s MLB Draft who are relatives -- sons, grandsons, nephews, brothers or cousins -- of men who have made their mark in the major leagues, either as a player or executive. Among the next generation were a handful of Tigers picks: Daniel Fields (sixth round, son of Bruce Fields), Andrew Allen (43rd round, son of Rod Allen) and Jake Porcello (48th round, brother of Rick Porcello).
6/18/77: In what became one of the most-watched baseball clips of all-time, Yankees star Reggie Jackson and manager Billy Martin had to be separated in the dugout after Martin removed his outfielder for loafing to a ball in the bottom of the sixth inning of what eventually was a 10-4 loss to the Red Sox at Fenway Park.
He said it
“That’s how I start my mornings off -- wrestling with bulldogs.” -- Kyle Farnsworth, Royals reliever, joking with MLB.com about the most recent addition to the Weird Athletic Ailments Almanac. The right-hander was forced to break up a scuffle between his two American bulldogs -- Strike and Rambo -- on Tuesday morning, and in the process was bitten on his left hand. The injury isn’t overly serious, nor was Farnsworth, a former Tiger, expected to miss any time. In fact, he pitched a scoreless inning Wednesday.
Power Rankings ...
Just how bad are the 2009 Washington Nationals? Let's just say it's getting awfully hard to ignore the comparisons to the 2003 Detroit Tigers. Entering Wednesday, the clubs had the exact same record.
As for the weekly Power Rankings, my apologies for the slight delay. I would have had them up sooner, but every time I went to post them I deemed it necessary to drop the claw-less Tigers yet another slot. Enjoy ...
1. Dodgers (1): Joe Torre's 2,194th victory tied him with Sparky Anderson for fifth all-time.
2. Red Sox (2): They became just the fourth pro sports team to sell out 500 consecutive games.
3. Yankees (3): Until Wednesday's loss, they were 23-0 when they allowed three or fewer runs.
4. Phillies (4): They have five losses when leading in the ninth inning or later (zero in '08).
5. Blue Jays (6): Vernon Wells now has gone a career-worst 153 at-bats without a home run.
6. Brewers (7): Each of Reliever Mitch Stetter's last 11 outs have been via the strikeout.
7. Rangers (9): Omar Vizquel's 2,677th hit matched Luis Aparicio for most by a Venezuelan.
8. Cardinals (8): Entering Thursday, Tony La Russa was 29-24 in games against BFF Jim Leyland.
9. Rays (11): They might be the second team with 200 homers and 200 stolen bases ('96 Rockies).
10. Angels (12): Matt Palmer is the first 30-something rookie to start a year with six wins.
11. Tigers (5): Newly benched Magglio Ordonez hasn't homered in 38 games, his longest drought.
12. Mets (10): Gary Sheffield is hitting .400 with four homers in interleague play this year.
13. Giants (15): Jeremy Affeldt, the winter's first signed free agent, has an NL-best 14 holds.
14. Twins (16): Justin Morneau is hitting .370 and Joe Mauer .358 against lefties this season.
15. CUbs (14): By winning Thursday, they climbed to 34-34 against the White Sox in interleague.
16. Reds (13): Ryan Hanigan leads NL rookies in batting (.313) and on-base percentage (.395).
17. Mariners (17): From the seventh inning on, the 2.84 ERA is best in the AL (Red Sox, 3.10).
18. Braves (18): They recently had no offensive strikeouts for the first time since July 2005.
19. Marlins (19): On Wednesday, they went 0-for-15 with RISP, a club record for futility.
20. Rockies (24): Aaron Cook just got his 58th win, tying Jason Jennings for the club record.
21. White Sox (20): Of the 25 players on their roster, 10 are former first-round draft picks.
22. Pirates (21): In 13 games since replacing Nate McLouth, rookie Andrew McCutchen has 20 hits.
23. Royals (25): Look who looks human. Zack Greinke is 0-2 with a 5.19 ERA his last four starts.
24. Astros (23): On his historic night, Pudge Rodriguez had just his sixth multi-error game.
25. Padres (22): Thursday's win snapped a major league-record 13-game interleague losing streak.
26. Indians (27): Over his last 12 starts, Cliff Lee has a dazzling 2.07 ERA but only is 4-4.
27. A's (26): What improved offense? They're hitting .189 with 31 runs over their last 10 games.
28. Orioles (28): They starting to show some patience, walking 30 times in the last five games.
29. Diamondbacks (29): They've already stolen 56 bases, which is two fewer than all of last year.
30. Nationals (30): Adam Dunn's 18 homers already are four more than last year's club co-leaders.
Director's cut ...
Here you go: This week's column on steroids.
It's become clear the Indians are about to get a far better return on their minimal investment than the Yankees logged for 27 times that price tag.
Gee, you think the Steinbrenners are noticing what Carl Pavano is doing?
Pavano, the 33-year-old right-hander whose time in the Bronx was marred by rotator cuff, elbow, rib and hip injuries -- not to mention dirty looks from teammates -- has found a home with Cleveland, for whom he was 6-1 with a 3.00 ERA in his eight starts prior to Wednesday night. Among them: Last Friday’s three-hit shutout of the White Sox.
It was his first shutout since May 17, 2005, the first -- and, by far, the most productive -- of his four years in pinstripes. For $39.95 million, all the Yankees got from Pavano was 26 starts (9-8, 5.00) and a whole host of medical insurance claims.
He signed this offseason with the Indians, who were offering a $1.5 million base and an additional $3.8 million in incentives that start kicking in after his 18th start. No. 18 didn’t come until Year 3 in New York, but Pavano -- 6-4 with a 4.62 ERA before this week's shellacking by the Royals -- is on track to get there in early July, perhaps during a series at Comerica Park.
Not that Pavano, last night’s starter against the Royals, is looking that far ahead.
“Any time you can take the ball in a big league ballgame is great,” he told MLB.com.
Any time you can do it against your former team? Yeah, that’s even better. Two of his several impressive starts this season have been against the Yankees -- one in New York, the other in Cleveland -- and he’s 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA in the reunion.
Pavano was a 13th-round draft pick by the Red Sox in 1994 and was traded to the Expos for Pedro Martinez in ’97. After four-plus years in Montreal, he was dealt to Florida in a deal that included Cliff Floyd going north. Pavano won a World Series in 2003, then went 18-8 in 2004 to set up his big payday.
The Tigers, you’ll remember actually were in on those negotiations, too, but he ultimately opted for the bright spotlight of the Big Apple -- a bright spotlight that ultimately wilted him.
“Real strong and real consistent,” Indians manager Eric Wedge told MLB.com, describing the Pavano he’s come to know. “He doesn’t try to do much.”
And it won’t take much to eclipse what he accomplished in New York.
Bronx breeze? Nope
About that popular theory that the wind and jet stream are to blame for new Yankee Stadium being MLB’s newest launching pad … turns out that’s just a bunch of hot air.
Rather, the curvature and shorter walls in the outfield are the culprits, according to an in-depth study by AccuWeather, which said Tuesday that 20 of the 105 homers hit in the Bronx this season wouldn’t have been homers at the old ballpark. That’s despite the club’s stubborn “exact same dimensions” mantra.
“The gentle curve from right field to center field seen in original Yankee Stadium has largely been eliminated in the new stadium,” AccuWeather said in announcing its findings, according to the AP. “This is due in large part to the presence of a manual scoreboard embedded within the wall. Losing this curvature has resulted in a right field that is shorter by four to five feet on average, but up to nine feet in spots.”
Meanwhile, the right field wall apparently is only eight feet tall, down from 10 -- and 60 percent of the park’s homers have been hit to right or right-center, the Associated Press reported.
After Monday night’s 5-3 victory over the Rays -- the park’s 10th five-plus homer game this season (out of just 29 games) -- new Yankee Stadium is on pace for 293 homers, which would fall 10 shy of the record set in 1999 at, of course, Coors Field. In contrast, there were only 160 homers hit in the final year of old Yankee Stadium.
What a relief!
It won’t go down as a no-hitter, but it’s intriguing all the same. After tying the game with a five-run, ninth-inning rally Sunday, the Padres didn’t get another hit in losing to the Diamondbacks, 9-6, in 18 innings.
Four Arizona relievers -- Jon Rauch (one inning), Esmerling Vasquez (two), Clay Zavada (2.2) and Leo Rosales (3.1) -- combined on the gem, The Padres managed just three walks, all off Zavada, from innings 10 to 18.
“I don’t know how to describe that game,” Diamondbacks manager A.J. Hinch told MLB.com. (Adding to the bizarre script was David Eckstein’s two-out, three-run homer -- his first homer since Sept. 17, a drought of 212 at-bats -- sending the game into extra innings, as well as Arizona finally winning it after San Diego infielder Josh Wilson took the mound.) “It was an exhausting game, but a happy ending for us.”
According to Elias Sports Bureau, it was the first time a bullpen strung together nine no-hit innings since the Royals’ 5-4, 16-inning win over the Tigers on July 29, 1995. Gregg Olson, Jeff Montgomery, Billy Brewer and Hipolito Pichardo did the honors that day.
No BS for F-Rod?
Many of you are wondering why Brandon Lyon, not Fernando Rodney, got charged with Tuesday’s blown save when it was Rodney who put on base the runner who eventually scored the tying run in a game the Tigers eventually won, 7-6.
MLB doesn’t clarify this -- the blown save isn’t an officially recognized statistic -- but BaseballReference.com puts it this way: “A blown save is charged to a pitcher who enters the game in a save situation but allows the tying run to score.” By that definition, Lyon is on the hook because it was his bases-loaded walk, followed by the double he allowed to Paul Konerko, that tied it at 6 in the bottom of the ninth inning.
I don’t agree with how the blown save is distributed -- the tying run was charged to Rodney, yes? -- though it just adds to the statistic’s misleading ways. For instance, middle relievers will get charged with one if they cough up a lead, even though they’re typically never going to be in position to actually earn the save.
Bottom line, though: Rodney remains a perfect 11-for-11 in save chances.
Around the horn
* Add the MLB Network (279 on Comcast, 213 DirecTV) to those stricken with the reality-TV bug. Airing each Sunday night for six weeks will be “The Pen,” a behind-the-scenes look at the Phillies bullpen (which includes ex-Tiger Chad Durbin). The first episode is this weekend at 8; next week’s is at 9, and the final four are at 8:30.
* Happy 42nd to John Doherty, who until Rick Porcello did it this year (and then Justin Verlander) could say he was the last Tigers pitcher to win five games in May. The right-hander went 5-1 in May 1994, and then didn’t win again all season. Doherty was 32-31 with a 4.87 ERA during his four-year career in Detroit (’92-95).
* Interleague play gets cookin’ again this weekend. The American League won first go-around, though at 22-20 it was a lot less lopsided than in recent years. The AL leads, 598-452, since the start of 2005.
No. 1? No sure thing!
Before Nationals fans anoint No. 1 overall pick Stephen Strasburg the savior of the downtrodden franchise, consider this: Of the 13 pitchers who been the top pick in the June draft -- an annual affair since 1964 -- there have been just a pair of All-Star Game appearances, no 20-game winners and not a single player who led the majors in strikeouts for a single season. Here’s a look at the hits and (mostly) misses:
2007: LH David Price, Rays -- 9 games, 1-0, 2.37 ERA (In Rays rotation)
2006: RH Luke Hochevar, Royals -- 30 games, 7-15, 5.51 ERA (In Royals rotation)
2002: RH Bryan Bullington, Pirates -- 13 games, 0-5, 5.08 ERA (In Triple A, Blue Jays)
1997: RH Matt Anderson, Tigers -- 257 games, 15-7, 5.19 (Out of baseball)
1996: RH Kris Benson, Pirates -- 203 games, 69-74, 4.41 ERA (In Triple A, Rangers)
1994: RH Paul Wilson, Mets -- 170 games, 40-58, 4.86 ERA (Out of baseball)
1991: LH Brien Taylor, Yankees -- 0 games, 0-0, 0.00 ERA (Out of baseball)
1989: RH Ben McDonald, Orioles -- 211 games, 78-70, 3.91 ERA (Retired in 1998)
1988: RH Andy Benes, Padres -- 403 games, 155-139, 3.97 ERA (Retired in 2002)
1983: RH Tim Belcher, Twins -- 394 games, 146-140, 4.16 ERA (Retired in 2001)
1981: RH Mike Moore, Mariners -- 450 games, 161-176, 4.39 ERA (Retired in 1995)
1976: LH Floyd Bannister, Astros -- 431 games, 134-143, 4.06 ERA (Retired in 1992)
1973: LH David Clyde, Rangers -- 84 games, 18-33, 4.63 ERA (Retired in 1981)
Speaking of first-pick flameouts ...
Matt Anderson, 32, the flame-throwing reliever whom the Tigers drafted out of Rice, last was seen chucking octopi, errr, baseballs just last year for the Charlotte Knights, the Triple-A affiliate of the White Sox. After sitting out 2007, he signed a minor league deal last spring training but didn’t make the big club. For Charlotte, he had a 5.60 ERA in 15 games and -- showing he still has a bit of heat -- had 15 strikeouts in 17.2 innings.
Anderson, who once saved 22 games for the Tigers, pitched for Detroit from 1998-2003, spent all of 2004 in Triple-A Toledo and logged a year each with the Colorado (’05) and San Francisco (’06) organizations.
Never say never
With a 5-1 victory over the Nationals last Thursday, Randy Johnson became the 24th member of the 300-win club. But will he be the last, as many experts believe? Not sure about that, but he’ll definitely be the last for a while. Here’s a look at eight pitchers with a shot and how long it would take at 15 wins per year.
Jamie Moyer, Phillies, 46 -- 250 wins (3.3 more seasons)
Andy Pettitte, Yankees, 36 -- 221 wins (5.3 more seasons)
Roy Halladay, Blue Jays, 32 -- 141 wins (10.6 more seasons)
Roy Oswalt, Astros, 31 -- 131 wins (11.3 more seasons)
Mark Buehrle, White Sox, 30 -- 128 wins (11.5 more seasons)
CC Sabathia, Yankees, 28 -- 122 wins (11.9 more seasons)
Johan Santana, Mets, 30 -- 117 wins (12.2 more seasons)
Carlos Zambrano, Cubs, 28 -- 100 wins (13.3 more seasons)
Josh Beckett, Red Sox, 29 -- 96 wins (13.6 more seasons)
Jake Peavy, Padres, 28 -- 92 wins (13.9 more seasons)
Diamond digits
29-31: The Rays record through Tuesday, marking, according to Elias Sports Bureau, the fourth consecutive year a previous season’s division champion was below .500 at the 60-game mark. The others were the 2008 Rockies (22-38), ’07 Cardinals (27-33) and ’06 Astros (29-31).
1,209: Votes that separate first-place Mark Teixeira (833,960) of the Yankees and second-place Kevin Youkilis (832,751) of the Red Sox in the heated race to be the starting first baseman for the American League in the July 14 All-Star Game in St. Louis.
6/11/61: Norm Cash becomes the first Tiger to clear the Tiger Stadium roof with a home run, sending Senators right-hander Joe McClain’s offering out to right. Cash would accomplish the feat three more times (all in 1962) before another Tiger, Jim Northrup, took a bow in 1969. In all, 12 Tigers homered over the roof, including Kirk Gibson three times, and Jason Thompson, Mickey Tettleton and Tony Clark twice.
He said it
“For 300, me? No I’ll be out of here in five years. No, believe, me. After this contract I’m done. … I’m serious. Because I don’t want to play anymore.” -- Carlos Zambrano, Cubs ace, talking to the Chicago Sun-Times after earning his 100th career victory last Friday night, 2-1 over the Reds. The right-hander -- known for being a bit overly emotional -- cited his desire to spend more time with family for his allegedly serious decision to walk away from the game when his $91.5 million contract expires after 2012. He’ll be just 32.
Power Rankings ...
In a blatant case of bad timing, this week's column takes a look at the resurgent Carl Pavano -- a column clearly written and filed before the right-hander's shellacking at the hands of the Royals on Wednesday night. That stinker aside, though, you must admit Pavano's season has been impressive. Right, Yankees fans?
Now onto the latest Power Rankings ...
1. Dodgers (1): Andre Ethier’s four multi-homer games leads MLB (Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder, three).
2. Red Sox (3): They’re 6-2 in their last eight games, all against teams that began the series in first place.
3. Yankees (2): They were just shut out for the first time in 101 games. In ’08, they were blanked eight times.
4. Phillies (4): They don’t just bop at home. They’re tops in homers on the road, where they’re also 22-9.
5. Tigers (7): They've posted quality starts in 20 of their last 27 games; starters are 12-9 with a 3.65 ERA.
6. Blue Jays (10): Marco Scutaro has reached base safely 115 times, tops in MLB (Albert Pujols, 111).
7. Brewers (5): How about Trevor Hoffman? He’s allowed just eight runners and no runs (17 innings).
8. Cardinals (6): Tony La Russa is seven wins from 2,500. He'll join Connie Mack and John McGraw.
9. Rangers (8): They’ve gone three games without a homer, their longest home drought since September.
10. Mets (9): That retooled bullpen has an NL-best 2.88 ERA (Red Sox, 2.77). J.J. Putz’s absence will hurt.
11. Rays (13): Tropicana Field and Yankee Stadium (29 games) have seen at least one homer every game.
12. Angels (12): Small ball, baby. Base runners have gone first to third on singles an MLB-best 45 times.
13. Reds (11): Their rotation has thrown seven straight quality starts, the club’s longest stretch since '05.
14. Cubs (14): With RISP, foes are hitting .082 against reliever Angel Guzman, .091 vs. closer Kevin Gregg.
15. Giants (19): Since April 17, their 29-20 record is fifth-best in MLB. Problem? The Dodgers (33-18).
16. Twins (16): Jason Kubel’s three pinch-hit homers the past two years is second-best (Matt Stairs, five).
17. Mariners (20): While his hit streak ended, Ichiro Suzuki has reached in a career-best 40 straight games.
18. Braves (15): Nate McLouth brings needed pop and speed; he’s perfect on his last 30 stolen-base tries.
19. Marlins (18): Brutal scheduling. In an eight-game stretch, they’ll have faced five former Cy Young winners.
20. White Sox (17): How bizarre. They’re batting .219 at their cozy home park, compared to .282 on the road.
21. Pirates (23): Delwyn Young’s homer Thursday was the club’s first since June 2, a seven-game drought.
22. Padres (21): A Tony Gwynn hitting .345 in a Padres uniform? Shocking. Junior is 9-for-his last 20.
23. Astros (25): They’re getting it together, winning four straight series for the first time since last summer.
24. Rockies (29): Under Jim Tracy, they’ve won seven straight for the first time since that ’07 finish.
25. Royals (24): Their loss Tuesday dropped them into last place for the first time since mid-September.
26. A’s (26): Ex-Tigers property Jack Hannahan’s 71-game errorless streak at third base is an Oakland record.
27. Indians (27): They’ve already used 40 different players and 22 pitchers; both marks are tops in MLB.
28. Orioles (22): Why'd they ditch Jamie Walker? Lefties were hitting .458 with four homers against him.
29. Diamondbacks (28): Hyped reliever Daniel Schlereth (0-2, 9.64 ERA) already has been demoted.
30. Nationals (30): Umm, they’re on pace to flirt with the 2003 Tigers. At this rate, they’ll finish 43-119.
Do you feel a draft ...
Just how hot is the hype surrounding Stephen Strasburg?
Consider this: He's already owned in 22 percent of CBSSports.com's fantasy baseball leagues -- and that's an amazing statistic because, well, he hasn't even been drafted yet.
That all changes tomorrow night, when the hard-throwing right-hander from San Diego State becomes the No. 1 pick in the 2009 MLB Draft (6, MLB Network).
The Nationals are a lock to select him first and then, almost immediately, start intense negotiations with Strasburg's camp. Some analysts believe Scott Boras, the kid's "adviser," is floating the idea of a major league deal worth about $50 million, not to mention a hefty signing bonus that is almost certain to best the record $10.5 million the Cubs gave No. 2 overall pick Mark Prior in 2001.
Strasburg, 20, is such the rage and in demand these days that his college even has created a separate Web page entirely devoted to him. It's there you'll learn all the essentials: He finished his well-publicized junior season 13-1 with a nation-best 1.32 ERA and 195 strikeouts (in 109 innings).
With a nasty breaking ball and a fastball that reportedly can reach 103 mph, Strasburg struck out 10 or more in 13 of his 15 starts this season -- including 17 in a no-hitter against Air Force on May 8, and 15 in a regional game against Virginia on May 29, when he took his only loss in what likely was his final collegiate start.
How did Virginia do it? Some serious preparation, that's how.
"We kept the pitching machines pretty much on the same speed but physically moved closer to it to get some reaction time," said Virginia freshman third baseman Steven Proscia, who had three of the hits, including a home run, and two RBIs. "The machine gets around 80-90 miles per hour, but as we moved closer we got to his speed. We were around 30 to 40 feet. It was pretty close."
Strasburg, a San Diego native, was 8-3 with a 1.57 ERA during his sophomore season, then hit the road to play for the United States bronze medal-winning Olympic team in Beijing. In two appearances, he was 1-1 with a 2.45 ERA, including a win in his start against the Netherlands (one hit in seven innings, 11 strikeouts).
Now, it's on to his next chapter. Or it is?
Tomorrow, it becomes a signability game. The Nationals, whose 5.51 ERA is the worst in the major leagues, are desperate for a high-octane arm they can put on the fast track to the major leagues. But how much are they willing to pay? Strasburg, after all, has Boras' favorite chip -- an extra year of college eligibility -- in his back pocket, so if the cash isn't there, the threat of walking away from the bargaining table certainly is.
The Nationals got burned in that regard last year when they took Missouri right-hander Aaron Crow with the ninth overall pick. After plenty of back and forth, he said no thanks to a reported $3.5 million signing bonus -- even though his college eligibility already was spent! He's killed time pitching for the independent Fort Worth Cats, and is back in this year's draft as a likely top-five pick (the Tigers should be thrilled if he falls to No. 9). Meanwhile, the Nationals got an extra pick this year -- No. 10 overall -- because of Crow's actions in 2008.
That, of course, is a Catch-22. An extra pick? Cool. But an additional early first-round pick? Well, that's expensive, perhaps making even more dicey the already-stressful Strasburg negotiations.
Odds are, though, the Nationals ultimately get these deals done. They're on pace to go 44-118 and are drawing a mere 21,487 fans a game -- fourth-worst in the major leagues -- despite opening state-of-the-art Nationals Park just one year ago. Quite simply, they can't afford another P.R. hit.
Which means, they'll do everything possible to afford Strasburg and Co.
Here's your MLB Draft facts ...
When: Tuesday-Thursday
TV: First round on MLB Network, starting at 6 p.m. Tuesday
Schedule: Tuesday -- first round, compensation round A, second round, third round and compensation round B at MLB Network studios in Secaucus, N.J.; Wednesday -- rounds 4-30 via a conference call in New York; June 11 -- rounds 31-50 via a conference call in New York
Draft order: 1. Nationals, 2. Mariners, 3. Padres, 4. Pirates, 5. Orioles, 6. Giants, 7. Braves, 8. Reds, 9. Tigers, 10. Nationals (for unsigned 2008 No. 9 pick Aaron Crow)
If you were to start a team from scratch ...
... Which current or future major leaguers would you trust to build your ballcub around? That's what Sports Illustrated recently asked a brainy panel of executives and scouts, and the results are intriguing.
At No. 1, to nobody's surprise, is Albert Pujols, the game's last clean (at least, until we find out he isn't) slugger, followed by Evan Longoria, Zack Greinke, Joe Mauer and Hanley Ramirez, last year's winner in the survey.
It's tough to argue with that top five -- the poll participants were asked to pick their top five -- nor the next five, which includes Johan Santana, Roy Halladay, Alex Rodriguez, Jonathan Papelbon and Tim Lincecum.
It gets a bit murkier at No. 11, where the inexplicable lovefest for Indians pin-up Grady Sizemore continues. He checks in just outside the top 10, and this comes after a heavily debated Sporting News poll last month in which a collection of Hall of Famers, major award winners and a host of other baseball personalities ranked him No. 12 among the top players in today's game -- yet somehow weren't able to sneak fellow center fielder (and our Tiger) Curtis Granderson into the top 50.
Anyway, back to the SI list. One Tiger actually managed to receive a vote -- actually, he received two. Any guesses? Granderson? Miguel Cabrera? Justin Verlander? No, no, no. It's young Ricky Porcello who drew a pair of nods, the same as Francisco Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira, and one more than Manny Ramirez, Ryan Howard, Adam Jones, David Wright, Josh Hamilton, Dan Haren and the yet-to-be-drafted Stephen Strasburg.
Interesting, right? So I'll throw it to the Tiger Talkers: Your team, starting from scratch. Pick five. Here's mine:
1. Roy Halladay, SP, Blue Jays: This afternoon, he improved to 10-1 with his 43rd complete game.
2. Albert Pujols, 1B, Cardinals: Did you see he had the ridiculously rare two-run sac fly today?
3. Joe Mauer, C, Twins: Especially now that he's showing the consistent pop we've long been waiting for.
4. Evan Longoria, 3B, Rays: By the time he's done, he might go down as the greatest at his position ever.
5. Hanley Ramirez, SS, Marlins: I'd take Derek Jeter in his prime, because nobody plays the game better.
And if you were so kind as to give me a sixth, I'd eagerly take Phillies 2B Chase Utley to round out my infield.
Now, the debate is yours.
Speaking of this week's issue of Sports Illustrated, Tom Verducci (one of my favorite baseball writers, right up there with Ken Rosenthal and Joe Posnanski) had a killer profile on 16-year-old Vegas high school prospect Bryce Harper. Apparently, this kid's so good, he's trying to earn his GED so he can enter the Major League Baseball draft ASAP. If eligible, some scouts say he'd go No. 2 on Tuesday!
Here's an excerpt, told to Verducci by mom:
It was after one of those player-for-hire trips that Sheri began to understand that her son was really special. Bryce, then 12, was playing in a tournament in Alabama on a field with 250-foot fences. It was a trip Sheri could not attend. When Bryce phoned home, Sheri asked him how he'd done. "I did all right," he replied.
Later one of the coaches called Sheri. "Did he say anything to you?" the coach asked.
"No, not really," Sheri said.
"He went 12 for 12. Eleven home runs and a double."
"That," Sheri says, "is when I knew."
Director's cut ...
Here's the bulked-up version of this week's column:
Chris Davis is what you'd call a can-miss prospect.
The Rangers first baseman didn't arrive in Arlington until last June but still went on to hit .285 with 17 homers and 55 RBIs, giving a club known for electric bats yet another spark. But 2009 hasn’t been nearly as kind.
While his 12 homers are tied for 10th in the American League and his 26 RBIs are better than average, Davis, 23, is striking out so frequently, somewhere Rob Deer is looking at the morning paper (assuming any newspapers still run boxscores) and wondering if he’s stumbled upon a missing branch to the family tree.
Consider that through Tuesday, an impressive one-K performance:
* Davis is fanning every 2.2 at-bats (80 for 177), 45.2 percent of the time.
* There’ve been only seven games (out of 51) in which he hasn’t whiffed, and three of those he entered the game in the seventh inning or later.
* At one point, he struck out at least once in 21 consecutive games.
* Davis hasn’t gone more than one game without fanning.
The boiling point came during the May 19-21 debcale in Detroit, where Davis was 0-for-9 with seven K's.
“That’s when I said, ‘I don’t even know what to think right now,’” Davis, a left-handed hitter, told the Dallas Morning News. “I said, ‘I’m just going to blow it off, not worry about it and stop beating myself up.’”
That attitude worked the following series against the Astros, in which he did have a three-strikeout game but sandwiched between two no-K games -- progress, indeed! -- but then fanned 13 times in the next five games.
Davis, a fifth-round pick in 2006, is on pace to strike out a staggering 245 times, which would obliterate the major league’s single-season record that’s been broken each of the previous two seasons -- Philadelphia’s Ryan Howard (199) in 2007, followed by Arizona’s Mark Reynolds (204) a year ago.
The only way he seems likely to stave off history is if he has an amazing epiphany or is benched, and the club has said recently the latter isn’t under consideration. The Rangers seem content with Hank Blalock as the DH and equally resurgent Andruw Jones as a platoon option at DH and in the outfield, and 2008 first-round pick Justin Smoak -- despite hitting .325 with 25 RBIs in 41 games at Double-A Frisco -- could use more seasoning, considering he’s only a year removed from playing in the SEC.
“There will be growing pains,” Rangers general manager Jon Daniels told MLB.com, in discussing Davis, who’s hitting .198. “But he’s nowhere near where he needs to be or can be offensively. He hasn’t made the adjustments he needs to make. We’re going to be patient, but he understands what he needs to do.”
In other words, he can’t miss like he’s been missing.
Around the horn
* White Sox second baseman Chris Getz (Grosse Pointe South) better be looking over his shoulder, because the organization’s top infield prospect -- Gordon Beckham, the No. 8 overall pick last June -- has been fast-tracked to the majors. Beckham, 22, hit .299 with 22 RBIs in 38 games before being promoted from Double A to Triple A, where he batted .458 with four doubles in six games.
That was enough for White Sox brass, who called him up and started him Thursday, when he went 0-for-3 with a strikeout in a 7-0 loss to the A's. He played third base instead of Josh Fields (.244). Beckham also plays second and shortstop, where Getz (.248) and Alexei Ramirez (.249) are scuffling terribly. Getz, 25, hit .340 in April, followed by an abysmal .200 in May -- and a sprained right ankle has sidelined him all of June so far.
* Former Michigan left-hander Rich Hill got through seven innings for the first time since September 2007, allowing no runs on two hits in the Orioles’ 1-0 victory over the Mariners on Monday. “I don’t know if we’re going to see a better pitched game all year than that one,” manager Dave Trembley told the Baltimore Sun. Hill, 29, walked two and fanned seven in edging Jarrod Washburn and improved to 2-0 in four starts for Baltimore after being traded dumped onto the Cubs for a whopping player to be named.
* Anyone notice right-hander Guillermo Moscoso made his MLB debut for the Rangers on Saturday and tossed a scoreless inning of relief in a 14-1 victory over the A’s? Moscoso, 25, was acquired in the offseason trade that sent catcher Gerald Laird to Detroit. He was 3-1 with a 4.46 ERA in nine games (seven starts) and held foes to a .246 average at Double A before his promotion. He's now back in the minors, at Triple A, having been demoted once Rangers starting pitcher Vicento Padilla (shoulder) came off the disabled list Wednesday.
2009 MLB Draft
When: Tuesday-June 11
TV: First round on MLB Network, starting at 6 p.m. Tuesday
Schedule: Tuesday -- first round, compensation round A, second round, third round and compensation round B at MLB Network studios in Secaucus, N.J.; Wednesday -- rounds 4-30 via a conference call in New York; June 11 -- rounds 31-50 via a conference call in New York
Draft order: 1. Nationals, 2. Mariners, 3. Padres, 4. Pirates, 5. Orioles, 6. Giants, 7. Braves, 8. Reds, 9. Tigers, 10. Nationals (for unsigned 2008 No. 9 pick Aaron Crow)
Outlook: The consensus first overall pick is San Diego State right-hander Stephen Strasburg, a Scott Boras client who was 13-1 with a 1.32 ERA and a nation-best 195 strikeouts in his just-completed junior season. His fastball loiters in the high-90s and reportedly has been clocked as high as 103 mph. As for the Tigers at No. 9, analysis from MLB.com and ESPN.com draft experts has them considering another power prep arm with their first-round pick: Westminster Christian Academy (Mo.) right-hander Jacob Turner. Like Rick Porcello when he signed with the Tigers out of high school in 2007, Turner is committed to North Carolina and advised by Boras.
Diamond digits
4: Rookie pitchers the A’s will started in a four-game span when left-hander Brett Anderson took the mound against the White Sox on Thursday, something the club has done just two other seasons in its Oakland history and not since 1996. The '09 rooks, by the way, went 3-0 with a 1.40 ERA in the four games.
190: At-bats between home runs for Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who went deep in his first at-bat of the season and then not again till Sunday in Toronto.
662: Consecutive chances handled flawlessly by the Yankees, who played a major league-record 18 games in a row without committing a single error -- the streak began May 14 and ended Tuesday night on catcher Jorge Posada’s wayward throw. The feat has prompted many media outlets to proclaim them the N_w York Yank__s.
6/4/86: Playing in his seventh major league game, 20-year-old Pirates rookie Barry Bonds hits his first career home run. In a 12-3 victory over the Braves, Bonds, who 21 years later would become the undisputed * king, went 4-for-5 with four RBIs as Jim Leyland's Bucs improved to 21-26.
He said it
“I don’t want to say this is a big deal here in Baltimore, but I saw a guy in the parking lot selling frankincense and myrrh.” -- John Keating, FSN’s “Tigers Live” pregame show host, before Friday night’s Tigers game, during which Orioles catching prospect Matt Wieters was to make his highly-anticipated major league debut. Wieters, 23, went 0-for-4 with a strikeout in that first game, then had a double and triple the following night.
He said it II
“I was more nervous doing that than standing in the batters’ box.” -- Conor Jackson, Diamondbacks outfielder, talking to the Arizona Republic about a recent episode of “General Hospital” in which he plays a physical therapist. ESPN helped set up Conor’s cameo for a story on placing athletes in a field they’ve studied; Conor majored in theater at California. Acting isn’t foreign to the Jackson family -- his father Jack’s credits include 176 episodes of “JAG” and a role in “A Few Good Men.”
He said it III
“I don’t care. If I pitched in the National League, I would think twice about coming to the American League because now you’d find out how to really pitch.” -- Ozzie Guillen, White Sox manager to the Chicago Sun-Times, reacting to the news that Astros ace Roy Oswalt would veto any trade to the White Sox. This revelation comes just days after Jake Peavy turned down a proposed deal from the Padres.
Father-son games
When Diamondbacks left-hander Daniel Schlereth, 23, made his major league debut with a scoreless inning of relief in Friday night's 10-6 loss to the Braves, born was the sixth father-son duo in which one played in the National Football League and the other in Major League Baseball.
Father: Yogi Berra, MLB catcher; 1946-63, '65
Son: Tim Berra, NFL wide receiver; 1974
-----------------------------------
Father: Lou Brock, MLB left fielder; 1961-79
Son: Lou Brock, NFL defensive back*; 1987-88
-----------------------------------
Father: Jack Snow, NFL wide receiver; 1965-75
Son: J.T. Snow, MLB first baseman; 1992-2006, '08
-----------------------------------
Father: Lee Gross, NFL center; 1975-77, '79
Son: Gabe Gross, MLB outfielder; 2004-present
-----------------------------------
Father: Don Patterson, NFL defensive back*; 1979-80
Son: Corey Patterson, MLB center fielder; 2000-08
-----------------------------------
Father: Mark Schlereth, NFL guard/center; 1989-2000
Son: Daniel Schlereth, MLB relief pitcher; 2009-present
* Played with Lions (Patterson ’79, Brock ’88)
Source: Elias Sports Bureau, News research
Good-fortune 500
With seven strikeouts in Tuesday’s 10-6 loss to the Nationals, Giants right-hander Tim Lincecum reached 500 K’s for his career -- in just his 69th game. Since 1900, only five pitchers have hit that milestone in fewer games. Here’s a look at Lincecum’s company and how their careers progressed:
61 games: Dwight Gooden, Mets; 2,293 total K's (44th all-time)
66 games: Hideo Nomo, Dodgers; 1,918 (77)
66 games: Kerry Wood, Cubs; 1,428 (188)*
67 games: Mark Prior, Cubs; 757 (704)
68 games: Herb Score, Indians; 837 (604)**
* active; ** never was the same after being struck in the face by a line drive in 1957, his third season in MLB
Source: Elias Sports Bureau, Detroit News research
