The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Baseball ratings are down across the board, as compared to this time last year. The article says: Seven months after recording the lowest-rated World Series in history, Major League Baseball’s national broadcast business is still waiting for a recovery. Lousy weather, delayed games and a lackluster matchup hurt [...]
Old Hag dvd Scranton’s game against Syracuse was postponed Trenton batters New Britain, 11-0 Zach McAllister put together another strong start, giving up just 4 hits and 2 walks in 7 shutout innings, while striking out 5. This type of outing has been Zach’s MO over the past 2 years: not striking out tons of [...]
For someone who keeps track of the minors as much as I do, the draft represents one of the most interesting events to watch. It is probably the most important way for major league teams to restock their farm systems. For those who don’t think the draft is important to a big-market team like the [...]
As we reported yesterday, Brian Bruney is headed back to the DL, as his pain never subsided from his original injury and he neglected to inform the club. As this quote from the Post shows, the manager was not pleased: “The biggest thing is that you have to let us know how you feel,” Girardi [...]
Scenario: The starting pitcher is cruising in total control, 101 pitches thru 8 innings, allowing just three hits and one walk while striking out 6. But because this pitcher is “just” 23 years old, the manager gives him the hook despite a 11-0 lead.
Believe me, I am all for watching the pitch count and innings count for the younger pitchers, but when any pitcher is on cruise control, and the innings/pitches are not high leverage, high stress sort of pitches, it’s gotta be OK for the kid to go for the CGSO. What’s another 15 or so pitches when he’s just throwing fastballs, pitching to contact to get the last 3 outs?
And the best part: Hughes was PISSED to get the hook:
Phil Hughes wanted no part of the handshake that would end his afternoon, not three outs shy of a shutout. But by that time, there also wasn’t a whole lot left to prove.
[...]
“He didn’t want to shake my hand — he wanted to go back out,” Girardi said. “I said, ‘You know what, you’re going to have plenty of time to get complete games.’ I understood he was disappointed, because he wants a complete game. But we’re looking at him long-term, not just this start.”
Attaboy. Just wish Girardi let him go back out there. If he struggled, yank him. But give him the chance.
While many are trying practice revisionist history, Kevin Sherrington of the Dallas Morning News tries to remember that ARod wasn’t the only thing going wrong in Texas earlier this decade: Was it his fault that Hicks once tried to make like George Steinbrenner, then had second thoughts? Was it his fault that Rangers pitching always stunk? Was it A-Rod’s fault that the Rangers took so long to get their priorities straight? 
You don’t have to like him, but was it really A-Rod’s fault that the Rangers never won when he was their shortstop?
[...]
Was it his fault that the Rangers traded him to the Yankees for Alfonso Soriano and Joaquin Arias, and that Jon Daniels traded Soriano to the Nationals for Brad Wilkerson, Terrmel Sledge and Armando Galarraga, only to watch Wilkerson strike out at a world-record pace while Galarraga escaped to Detroit?
Though I think the new defensive statistics are very cool to play with, the skeptic in me can’t help being… well… skeptical about how accurate they really are. How important is defense, really? Fangraphs’ UZR/150′s have a guy like Jason Bay consistently costing his team between 11 and 18 runs every year. That’s a LOT [...]
I understand the proceeds from anyone gullible or lame enough to want a red Yankees hat will go to charity, but could any team look more out of place than the Yanks wearing a bright red cap?
DUMB. AND UGLY.
UPDATED WITH VIDEO
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUfgJZ-_VvU&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1]
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