Minor League/College Links
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Thursday, May 31
Let's Call Him "Lightning Rod"
by
Craig Brown
on Thu 31 May 2007 10:51 AM EDT
Seriously, what's the deal with Alex Rodriguez?
The situation:
Top of the ninth in Toronto where the Yankees have a 7-5 lead. Hideki Matsui is on second and Alex Rodriguez, who has just singled in a run, is on first with two outs. The next batter, Jorge Posada, lofts a high pop fly on the left side of the infield. With two outs, the runners are off and as Rodriguez rounds second, he says something to the Jays third baseman Howie Clark. Clark, thinking he was being called off the popup by shortstop John McDonald, backs off and the ball drops. Instead of that being the third out, Matsui scores and the Yankees tack on two more runs to push the total to 10-5.
(ANDREW WALLACE/TORONTO STAR)
What did Rodriguez say? Therein lies the controversy.
"I said 'Ha!' That's it," Rodriguez told the press after the game.
"I heard a 'Mine!' call, so I let it go," Clark countered.
"It's not like he said, 'I got it!'," Joe Torre defended.
"It was a [horsespit] play; I hope you use that," Matt Stairs said. "Ask his teammates about it and if they say, 'No comment,' that will tell you."
"No comment," Derek Jeter said.
Rodriguez maintains that sort of distraction is something he deals with several times a week. But he's talking about going over to the stands for a foul pop, and the fans yelling - not an opposing baserunner trying to distract him while he's in the field of play.
Of course, this isn't the first time Rodriguez has been in the middle of a controversial play while running the bases. Remember "The Slap" when he knocked the ball out of Bronson Arroyo's glove in the 2004 ALCS? He's developing a track record. It's unfortunate that one of the greatest players of his generation feels the need to pull these kind of stunts. It certainly tarnishes his reputation.
Much has been written about the "Book" and the right way to play the game. Maybe A Rod doesn't read.
May 30, 2007 "Short Stops" Around the League
by
Joe Hamrahi
on Thu 31 May 2007 01:13 AM EDT
- Kelly Johnson went 3-for-4 with a home run, 2 RBI, 2 runs, and a walk, and Edgar Renteria added 2 doubles and 4 hits as the Braves rallied to score 7 runs in the 8th inning to beat the Brewers, 9-3. Tim Hudson allowed 2 runs in 7 innings for Atlanta. Prince Fielder hit his National League leading 18th home run, and Dave Bush gave up just one run over 7 innings for Milwaukee.
- Torii Hunter went 2-for-4 with a double, 3 RBI, and a game winning walk-off walk as the Twins edged the White Sox, 7-6. Rob Mackowiak had 2 hits, a home run, 2 runs and 2 RBI for Chicago.
- Dan Haren was at it again, giving up just one run on 4 hits in 8 innings, and Dan Johnson tripled and drove in 3 runs as the A’s cruised past the Rangers, 6-1. Nick Swisher reached base 3 times and scored twice for Oakland.
- Randy Johnson allowed just one hit over 6 scoreless innings, and Eric Byrnes and Mark Reynolds each had 2 hits, a home run, and 2 RBI to lead the Diamondbacks over the Phillies, 4-3.
- Grady Sizemore doubled, homered, scored 3 runs, and drove in 2, and Travis Hafner had 3 hits, 2 doubles, and knocked in 2 as the Indians pounded out 18 hits en route to an 8-4 win over the Red Sox. Kelly Shoppach added 4 hits, a home run and 3 runs scored for Cleveland.
- Derek Lowe pitched 7 scoreless innings, and Russell Martin homered and drove in 2 as the Dodgers shut out the Nationals, 5-0.
- Chris Young allowed just 4 hits in 7 shutout innings, and Khalil Greene reached base 3 times, homered, and drove in 4 as the Padres blanked the Pirates, 9-0. Mike Cameron also had 3 hits and 3 RBI for San Diego.
- Robinson Cano went 4-for-4, and Jason Giambi drove in 3 runs as the Yankees doubled up the Blue Jays, 10-5. John McDonald, Alex Rios, and Matt Stairs each hit home runs for Toronto.
- James Shields pitched a 7-hitter, Elijah Dukes reached base 3 times, homered, and scored 2 runs, and Akinori Iwamura had 3 hits as the Devil Rays beat the Tigers, 5-3.
- Barry Zito shut down the New York offense, Rich Aurilia went 4-for-4, and Pedro Feliz drove in all 3 of his team’s runs as the Giants knocked off the Mets, 3-0.
- Aaron Harang threw a complete game 6-hitter, and Norris Hopper and Alex Gonzalez combined to go 6-for-9 with 3 runs, 2 RBI, and a walk as the Reds helped extend Houston’s losing streak to 10 with a 4-3 win over the Astros.
- Dan Uggla hit 2 home runs and drove in 4 runs, and Josh Willingham and Miguel Cabrera added big flies as the Marlins rolled over the Cubs, 9-0.
- Albert Pujols had 2 hits, homered, scored twice, and drove in 3 runs, and Jim Edmonds had 3 hits and a home run to help the Cardinals defeat the Rockies, 8-4. Matt Holliday had 3 hits and a home run for Colorado in defeat.
- Erik Bedard pitched 8 scoreless innings, and Jay Payton and Nick Markakis drove in Baltimore’s 3 runs over the last 2 innings as the Orioles added to the night’s shutouts by beating the Royals, 3-0.
- Vladimir Guerrero had 3 hits, a home run, scored twice, and drove in 3 runs, and Orlando Cabrera went 3-for-4 with a double, a walk, and 2 runs scored as the Angels upended the Mariners, 8-6. Gary Matthews Jr. also homered and drove in 3 for Los Angeles/Anaheim.
There were so many great pitching performances today that it made it difficult to pick a “Player of the Day.” So, we’re going to give it to the guy who has been brilliant all year.
Today’s BDD Player of the Day award goes to Oakland’s Dan Haren.
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|
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
HR |
ERA |
|
Haren, Dan (W, 6-2) |
8.0 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
0 |
1.64 |
Max Scherzer Signs with the D-Backs!
by
Joe Hamrahi
on Thu 31 May 2007 01:02 AM EDT
According to the Arizona Republic, the Diamondbacks have agreed to terms with 2006 1st round pick, Max Scherzer.
The contract is believed to be a major-league deal worth at least $4 million. The negotiations went down to the wire, but nevertheless, Scherzer is going to Arizona.
This certainly impacts the way things may shake out next week.
Wednesday, May 30
Zito Revisited
by
Craig Brown
on Wed 30 May 2007 10:57 PM EDT
After writing about Barry Zito earlier this week, it makes sense to revisit this topic after he made his 11th start of the season on Wednesday night.
He was, in a word, dominant:
7 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 SO
He threw 122 pitches, 77 for strikes, in picking up his fifth win of the season. Remember all my discussion about his declining strikeout rate? (Entering his start Wednesday, he was striking out a career-low 4.7 batters per 9 IP.) The seven strikeouts were a season-high, and the most since he whiffed eight on August 30 of last year. What's makes his strikeout total even more impressive is it came against the Mets, one of the toughest teams in the NL to punch out this season. Five of his seven strikeouts were courtesy of his curve.
An excellent outing by Zito, easily his best of the season.
I guess that slow start is behind him.
May 29, 2007 "Short Stops" Around the League
by
Joe Hamrahi
on Wed 30 May 2007 07:01 AM EDT
Photo: Bill Richardson, Baseball Digest Daily
Juan Pierre led the offensive onslaught Tuesday in the Dodgers 10-0 win over the Nationals
- Orlando Hudson had 4 hits and 4 RBI, and Stephen Drew added 3 hits and 3 RBI as the Diamondbacks won their 6th in a row by defeating the Phillies, 11-5. Chase Utley went 4-for-5 with 2 RBI for Philadelphia.
- Josh Beckett allowed just 2 runs on 3 hits in 7 innings, and Kevin Youkilis doubled, homered, and drove in 2 runs as the Red Sox beat the Indians, 4-2. Jhonny Peralta reached base 3 times for Cleveland.
- Brad Penny threw 6 1/3 scoreless innings, Juan Pierre hit 3 doubles and a triple, and Nomar Garciaparra went 3-for-5 with 2 RBI and 2 runs scored to lead the Dodgers to a 10-0 shutout over the Nationals.
- Jason Bay doubled and homered, and Tom Gorzelanny pitched 7 strong innings as the Pirates knocked off the Padres, 4-1. Adam LaRoche also had 3 hits for Pittsburgh, and Josh Bard had 3 hits for San Diego.
- Shaun Marcum pitched 6 shutout innings, and Aaron Hill went 2-for-3 and stole home as the Blue Jays edged the Yankees, 3-2. Andy Pettitte was the tough-luck loser for New York allowing just one earned run in 7 1/3 innings.
- Gary Sheffield had 3 hits, hit 2 home runs, and drove in 5, and 7 Detroit hitters had 2 or more hits as the Tigers blew out the Devil Rays, 14-2. Ivan Rodriguez doubled, homered, had 3 hits, scored 2 runs and drove in 3, and Jeremy Bonderman cruised through 6 1/3 strong innings on the mound for Detroit.
- Carlos Delgado hit 2 home runs and drove in 3 including the game winner in the 12th inning as the Mets walked off with a 5-4 win over the Giants. Tim Lincecum and Oliver Perez each allowed 3 runs over 7 innings for the San Francisco and New York respectively.
- Prince Fielder went 3-for-5 with a double, home run, and 2 RBI to lead the Brewers to a one run win over the Braves, 5-4.Willie Harris, Andruw Jones, and Jeff Francoeur each had 3 hits for Atlanta.
- Norris Hopper had 3 hits, and Scott Hatteberg reached base 3 times and hit a home run as the Reds nipped the Astros, 2-1. Houston has now lost 9 in a row. Matt Belisle allowed just one run on 4 hits while striking out 8 over 7 2/3 innings for Cincinnati. Jason Jennings pitched 5 scoreless innings for the Astros.
- Josh Willingham hit 2 doubles and drove in 3, and Jeremy Hermida had 2 hits, a home run, and 3 RBI as the Marlins swam past the Cubs, 9-4. Derrek Lee doubled, homered, and had 2 RBI for Chicago.
- Jeremy Guthrie gave up just 2 runs on 3 hits in 7 innings, and Ramon Hernandez reached base 3 times and drove in 2 runs as the Orioles sent the Royals to their 6th straight defeat, 6-2.
- Justin Morneau hit 2 doubles, a home run, and drove in 4, and Luis Castillo and Michael Cuddyer each had 3 hits as the Twins roughed up the White Sox, 9-2. Boof Bonser pitched 6 2/3 solid innings for Minnesota, and Jason Kubel also reached base 3 times, homered, scored twice and drove in 2 for the Twins.
- Yorvit Torrealba hit a grand slam, and Brad Hawpe reached base 3 times, hit a home run, and drove in 3 as the Rockies won their 7th game in a row by defeating the Cardinals, 8-3. Scott Rolen had 3 hits and a home run for St. Louis.
- Ervin Santana yielded just one run on 4 hits in 7 innings, and Shea Hillenbrand homered and drove in 2 runs to lead the Angels to a quick 4-1 win over the Mariners. The game lasted just 2 hours and 8 minutes. Orlando Cabrera had 3 hits, and Vladimir Guerrero walked 3 times for Los Angeles/Anaheim.
- Marlon Byrd had 3 hits, Sammy Sosa drove in 2 runs, and 4 Texas pitchers combined to scatter 9 hits as the Rangers shut out the A’s, 4-0.
BDD Player of the Day – Detroit’s Gary Sheffield
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|
AB |
R |
H |
RBI |
HR |
BB |
LOB |
AVG |
|
Sheffield, Gary DH |
6 |
2 |
3 |
5 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
.262 |
Tuesday, May 29
May 28, 2007 "Short Stops" Around the League
by
Joe Hamrahi
on Tue 29 May 2007 01:22 AM EDT
• Kyle Lohse pitched a complete game 6-hitter, and Edwin Encarnacion had 2 hits and 2 RBI as the Reds shut out the Pirates, 4-0. Ian Snell gave up 3 runs on 5 hits in 7 innings for Pittsburgh.
• Chuck James allowed just one run on 5 hits while striking out 8 over 6 innings, and Andruw Jones hit a solo home run as the Braves edged the Brewers, 2-1. Chris Capuano pitched a solid game for Milwaukee, allowing just 2 runs in 7 innings.
• Reggie Abercrombie reached base twice, homered, and scored 2 runs, and Miguel Cabrera doubled, walked, and had 3 hits as the Marlins downed the Cubs, 5-3. Byung-Hyun Kim pitched 6 scoreless innings for Florida. Cliff Floyd had 2 hits, 2 walks, and 2 RBI for Chicago.
• Jeff Francis allowed just 2 runs in 7 2/3 innings, and Brad Hawpe and Matt Holliday each homered and drove in 2 runs as the Rockies won their 6th game in a row, a 6-2 decision over the Cardinals. So Taguchi had 2 hits, a home run, and 2 RBI for St. Louis.
• Nick Punto, Torii Hunter, and Jason Tyner each had 3 hits, and Mike Redmond had a double and 3 RBI as the Twins jumped all over Jose Contreras and the White Sox, 10-4. Paul Konerko had 2 hits, a home run, and 3 RBI for Chicago.
• Conor Jackson went 3-for-4 with a double, home run, and 4 RBI, and Doug Davis allowed just one run in 8 innings as the Diamondbacks snuck past the Phillies, 5-4. Freddy Garcia allowed 3 runs on 7 hits while striking out 9 over 8 innings for Philadelphia.
• Steve Trachsel pitched a complete game 5-hitter, Ramon Hernandez hit a grand slam, and Kevin Millar reached base 4 times as the Orioles shut down the Royals, 9-1.
• Lyle Overbay doubled, homered, had 3 hits, drove in 2 runs, and scored twice, Aaron Hill had 2 hits and 3 RBI, and Dustin McGowan allowed just 2 runs on 5 hits in 7 2/3 innings as the Toronto pushed the Yankees skid to 4 by beating New York, 7-2.
• Curt Schilling gave up just one run in 7 innings, and Manny Ramirez and Kevin Youkilis each went deep to lead the Red Sox past the Indians, 5-3. Dustin Pedroia went 3-for-3 with a double and a walk as well for Boston.
• Ty Wigginton and Akinori Iwamura each reached base 3 times, and Elijah Dukes drove in 2 runs as the Devil Rays scored one run in the 7th inning, one run in the 8th inning, and 2 runs in the 9th inning to expose the Detroit bullpen and beat the Tigers, 6-5. Gary Sheffield reached base 3 times, homered and scored twice for Detroit.
• Adrian Beltre went 4-for-5 with 2 doubles, 2 home runs, 3 RBI, and 3 runs scored, and Richie Sexson had 3 hits, a homer, and drove in 3 as the Mariners mashed the Angels, 12-5. Seattle has won 4 straight and is now only 3 ½ games out of first place. Vladimir Guerrero had 3 hits for the Angels.
• Chad Gaudin pitched 6 2/3 innings without allowing an earned run, and Eric Chavez doubled, homered, and drove in 3 runs as the A’s defeated the Rangers, 5-3. Michael Young had 3 hits for Texas.
BDD Player of the Day – Seattle’s Adrian Beltre
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|
AB |
R |
H |
RBI |
2B |
HR |
LOB |
AVG |
|
Beltre, Adrian 3B |
5 |
3 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
.275 |
Monday, May 28
Interview with Deric Ladnier, Kansas City Royals Senior Director of Scouting
by
Joe Hamrahi
on Mon 28 May 2007 11:14 PM EDT
 So I finally transcribed an interview!!!
I was fortunate to have a chance to speak with Deric Ladnier of the Royals this past week. With Kansas City selecting second in this year’s First Year Player Draft, Deric refrained from naming potential draftees. However, he did give us some insight into the preparation process and the talent level in this year’s draft. So without further ado, here’s BDD exclusive interview with Deric Ladnier: A Q & A Session with Deric Ladnier, Kansas City Royals Senior Director of Scouting
College Tournament Teams Selected!
by
Joe Hamrahi
on Mon 28 May 2007 01:07 PM EDT
(Printable brackets in Excel and HTML format attached!)
2007 NCAA DIVISION I BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP BRACKET ANNOUNCED
INDIANAPOLIS – The field of 64 teams competing for the 2007 NCAA Division I Baseball Championship was announced today by the NCAA. The national top eight seeds are Vanderbilt (51-11), Rice (49-12), North Carolina (48-12), Texas (44-15), Arizona St. (43-13), Florida St. (47-11), Arkansas (41-19), San Diego (43-16). Each of the 16 regionals features four teams, playing a double-elimination format. The regionals are scheduled to be conducted from Friday, June 1, to Monday, June 4. Selection of the eight super regional hosts will be announced on www.NCAASports.com, Monday, June 4 at approximately 11 p.m. (ET).
The 61st Men’s College World Series begins play Friday, June 15, at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Nebraska.
FIELD BY CONFERENCE (30)
Atlantic Coast 7 (Clemson, Florida St., Miami (Fla.), North Carolina, North Carolina St. Virginia, Wake Forest)
Big 12 6 (Baylor, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma St., Texas, Texas A&M)
Southeastern 5 (Arkansas, Mississippi St, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Vanderbilt)
Big West 4 (Cal St. Fullerton, Long Beach St., UC Irvine, UC Riverside)
Conference USA 4 (East Carolina, Memphis, Rice, Southern Miss)
Pacific 10 4 (Arizona St., Arizona, Oregon St., UCLA)
Big East 3 (Louisville, Rutgers, St. John’s (N.Y.)
Big 10 3 (Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio St.)
Sun Belt 3 (La.-Lafayette, New Orleans, Troy)
Atlantic Sun 2 (Jacksonville, Stetson)
Missouri Valley 2 (Creighton, Wichita St.)
Southern 2 (Western Carolina, Wofford)
West Coast 2 (Pepperdine, San Diego)
Atlantic East 1 (Albany (N.Y.)
Atlantic 10 1 (Charlotte)
Big South 1 (Coastal Carolina)
Colonial 1 (VCU)
Horizon 1 (Ill.-Chicago)
Ivy 1 (Brown)
Metro Atlantic 1 (Le Moyne)
Mid-American 1 (Kent St.)
Mid-Continent 1 (Oral Roberts)
Mid-Eastern 1 (Bethune-Cookman)
Mountain West 1 (TCU)
Northeast 1 (Monmouth)
Ohio Valley 1 (Austin Peay)
Patriot 1 (Lafayette)
Southland 1 (Sam Houston St.)
Southwestern 1 (Prairie View)
Western Athletic 1 (Fresno St.)
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