"Tim Lincecum Captures Second Cy Young" posted by Michael McGauley

 Just sheer domination that didn't necessarily show up in the win column! Fifteen victories equals a Cy Young?  Let's look at ALL of the numbers to really appreciate how great Tim Lincecum has been through his first two-full seasons with the Giants (he did throw 146-plus innings in 24 starts in 2007). Back-to-back Cy Young Awards do not come around very often (see: N.L. stand-outs RJ and Maddux, each with four straight, and Sandy Koufax with three of four; Clemens, Palmer, McClain, and Pedro each went back-to-back in the A.L. ([Clemens did it twice; ten years apart]). The difference? Lincecum has done it twice in two full years by the age of 25! So how do you follow up a CY YOUNG AWARD WINNING SEASON??? You work even harder to improve (by perfecting a third pitch), and that's exactly what Lincecum did after winning his first CY in 2008 with an 18-and-5 record, and 265 strikeouts in 227 innings. Lincecum worked 225 and one-third innings this year, and went 15-and-7 with 261 strikeouts. No, that doesn't sound any better until we delve deeper. Check this out - in roughly the same number of innings pitched, Lincecum allowed fourteen fewer hits (182 down to 168); sixteen fewer walks (84 to 68); four fewer earned runs (66 to 62), and an opponent's batting average of .206, down from .221 in '08. He also doubled his complete games (up to four); doubled his shutouts (two); lowered his ERA (2.48 from 2.62), and his WHIP (1.05 from 1.17). That is thirty fewer base runners which is certainly reflected in his walks- and hits-to-innings-pitched. Among his many double-digit strikeout performances this season, I was fortunate enough to see Lincecum dust 15 Pirates in a complete game victory on a Monday night in late July. Just unbelievable, even if it Continue reading ""Tim Lincecum Captures Second Cy Young""

Angels' Scioscia, Rockies' Tracy win Manager of the Year awards posted by Joe Gunderson

Hey all,

Managers Mike Scioscia of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Jim Tracy of the Colorado Rockies were named the Managers of the Year in the American and National Leagues respectively today.  Ron Gardenhire of the Twins and Tony La Russa of the St. Louis Cardinals finished second in the voting in the respective leagues.

Of course I wish Gardy would have won the award in the AL but I don't have a huge problem with this.  Mike Scioscia is a great manager and his team plays much like the Twins are supposed to play, not a lot of stars, just a bunch of good players with low to no egos who do things the right way and win most of the time.  Also remember that his team went through a really tough situation earlier this year when rookie Nick Adenhart was killed by a drunk driver after his firt major league win this year.  To guide a team, after an event such as that, to the ALCS can't be an easy thing.  

If you're wondering how close the voting was you can check that out here: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4667499

If you are wondering why Gardenhire did not win the award and what he needs to do to potentially do so soon, I would suggest reading a fellow blogger's blog which you can find here: http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/sinker/2009/11/18/i-like-gardy-bu

I must get going back to my real job here in a second but I did want to also put out there that there are reports that former Seattle, Anaheim and Detroit lefty Jarrod Washburn is drawing interest from the Twins as well as a few other clubs.  I feel that if this were to happen that it would be a solid signing for the Twins.  They are in need of some veteran leadership in their rotation and all the better that he's a lefty.  He's not a great pitcher but he's solid and would be able to win us a few ball games that other pitchers on the staff currently, I don't believe, can.  Here were Washburn's stats last season:

Andy Pettitte is a Hall of Fame Pitcher posted by Colin Linneweber

Lefthander Andy Pettitte and the New York Yankees defeated the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 5-2 Sunday night in the Bronx to capture their 40th American League Pennant.

Pettitte, 37, a two-time All-Star selection who has accumulated the most victories of any MLB pitcher since 1995, allowed only seven hits and one earned run in 6 1/3 innings.

“He did what he has done his whole career,” said Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter of the 2001 ALCS MVP.

The native of Texas is set to make his eighth appearance in the World Series when the Yankees host the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday evening.

Many onlookers have long considered Pettitte to be a serviceable pitcher who is not among baseball’s elite hurlers.

Those skeptics are simply incorrect.

Andy Pettitte, who has a career record of 228-133 and owns a .629 winning percentage, is a spectacular talent and he should garner serious Hall of Fame consideration when he eventually retires.

With his victory Sunday, Pettitte passed John Smoltz for the most postseason wins in history and he also established the record for the most series-clinching victories with five.

Additionally, Pettitte, a four-time World Series champion, has twice been a 20-game winner and he has never endured a losing season in his entire professional career.

Last September, Pettitte started the last game for the Yankees at the old Yankee Stadium.

Don’t be surprised if Pettitte is the pitcher that leads New York to their first World Series championship at the New Yankee Stadium.

Boston Red Sox to MISS Playoffs in '09 posted by Joe Burgmeier

Sunday August 16, 2009 following their 4-3 loss at Texas, is the first time since April 21st that the Red Sox do not have a share of the wild-card or AL East lead.  Does this mean that Red Sox nation should give up hope for the playoffs or a world series birth this year?  Probably not.  However, they should.  Sorry Red Sox fans and band wagoners, your team simply is not going to make the playoffs this year with the emergence of the Rangers pitching staff and the dominance of the Yankees offense.

Now I assume most of the Boston fans are screaming and their faces are steaming with team colors and pride.  But we have to look at match ups in the remaining schedule.  The Red Sox have a tougher remaining schedule than the Wild Card leader Texas Rangers and the only other team with an outside chance in Tampa Bay, has a tougher remaining season schedule than either and it would be one of the more amazing stretch runs if they make it.  The Red Sox have 20 games left against teams that are trying to make the playoffs, this of course comes with 6 games against all of Boston's beloved Johnny Damon and the New York Yankees, 6 games against newly acquired division rival Tampa Bay, who play tough at home, and 3 games with the Angels.  Out of the 20 playoff type team games left, there are 8 interesting games between the White Sox and Red Sox.  I'm not going to predict any winners from these games {insert 2005 playoff flashback here} but will be some of the most intriguing match ups of the season as Chicago has bolstered their hitting and pitching with the addition of Alexei Rios and SP Jake Peavy.  Peavy has been rumored for a late August return or early September return and could be a factor.  The White Sox are doing everything they can to try to win the Central this season.

The Los Angeles Dodgers numbers are Misleading!!! posted by Robert Karpeles

Baseball is a game of numbers.

When it comes to the Los Angeles Dodgers this season, their impressive numbers seem to indicate why they have the best record in baseball thus far. But when looked upon closer inspection, my instincts tell me that the Dodgers impressive numbers fail to tell the whole truth.  

Additionally, some of the unorthodox numbers, the numbers that are usually swatted away like a fly, reveal that the Blue Crew may be in a bit of trouble come October.  

In terms of hitting, the Dodgers numbers are solid. They have some of the most talented young hitters in the league. With players like James Looney, Russell Martin, Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp, the young guns have a 279 batting average, good enough for second in the league. Add in Manny Ramirez to the mix and the Dodgers are also seventh in the majors in runs and sixth in RBI’s.

However, my instincts tell me their youth may be their biggest question mark.

Outside of Manny Ramirez, can guys like Loney, Kemp, Martin, Blake and Ethier really be relied upon to produce in the postseason? Outside of Ramirez none of those names hit well against the Phillies last October.

While their batting average may be top notch the number rarely nobody ever discusses is that fact that the Dodgers have only have two players, Kemp and Ramirez, in their everyday lineup batting over 300.

The Dodgers hitting also lacks power. There 25th in the league in homeruns and 15th in slugging percentage.  Note: The last five World Series teams were 2nd, 18th, 12th, 5th and 5th in home runs and 6th, 6th, 15th, 9th and 1st in slugging percentage during their championship seasons.

Your Worst Face-to-Face Experience With a Sports Celebrity? posted by Greg Archuleta

LeBron James' alleged confiscation of a tape in which Xavier sophomore basketball player Jordan Crawford executed a two-hand dunk on him took on a larger life of its own than it would have had the tape been made public.

The story of James getting dunked on during a pickup game at the LeBron James Skills Academy by now has made the rounds several times over -- not to mention piqued the interest of basketball fans of what that scene might've looked liked.

Hmm. ... My first thought that comes to mind is Michael Jordan reversing course baseline against Patrick Ewing and throwing down in a classic Bulls-Knicks confrontation. My second thought is of Nate Robinson using Dwight Howard as a prop and jumping over him in the NBA Slam Dunk competition in February.

In any case, I began to wonder what the cameramen recording the event must have thought of The Chosen Brat after he reportedly dispatched a Nike official to take possession of the tapes.

Which got me to thinking about my worst encounter with a famous athlete: Baseball Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson. Do these cameramen now see James the way I remember the Orioles' great?

At this point, please allow me the privilege of doing some name-dropping -- it's pertinent to this blog. I promise. And it's not like I have an extensive list.

In my years as a writer as well as a sports fan, I've talked to such luminaries as legendary college basketball coaches John Wooden UCLA), Bobby Knight (at both Indiana and Texas Tech), Don Haskins of Texas-El Paso (or the more famous Texas Western that was the subject of a major motion picture); tennis star Andre Agassi, former NBA player Charles Barkley, former NFL great Tony Dorsett, current NFLers Steve Smith (Carolina Panthers) and Steven Jackson (St. Louis Rams). I have a minor relationship with Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher and am fairly confident he'd know my name if he saw me at any random event.

Yankee Link and others posted by Erick Pacheco

http://www.p2p4u.net/live/pl3.php

Belisario arrested on DUI suspicion posted by Erick Pacheco

Ronald Belisario was arrested early Saturday morning on suspicion of possible DUI. I guess this guy hasnt learned that drinking and driving do not mix everyone knows how a human is put on jeoperdy when someone who is drunk steps into a car. Just this April we lost an Angel player due to a drunk driver. This guy lost my respect, hopefully he understands and does not allow this to happen again. 

Okay Lets talk about other teams posted by Erick Pacheco

Since I have a bunch of dodger haters requesting news on other teams i am going to give a rundown of todays activity

Yankees: Xavier Nady is done for the season he will need Tommy John Surgery maybe the yankees should trade for Mark Derosa.

Cardinals: Are making strong efforts in acquiring outfielder Matt Holliday from the A's expect a trade by the deadline. 

Angels: Are beating on the Rockies despite their wild pitches the other day. Maybe they should consider Pedro Martinez.

Boston: David Ortiz seems to be getting his grove on fantasy owners it wouldnt be a bad idea if you pick him up. John Smoltz should consider retirement give up old man. Your a hall a famer.  

The Yankees need to get it together against the Bosox posted by Cesar Valverde

The losing streak against the Red Sox continues. Yankee management needs to set up their rotation so that they have their best against against Boston. They need to come up with some kind of plan to keep the Boston offense in check every game. This losing is PATHETIC! Are the Yankees going to bow down to Boston all season, slide into the playoff picture via the Wild Card without beating them and spanking the other teams? It's been done before. During their World Series years (96, 98-2000), they were getting spanked by the Angels and they still won the World Series those years. Back to pitching, how can you set up a rotation where 2 opposing pitchers face off against each other back to back?  Every time A.J. Burnett takes on Boston this year so far, it's been against Josh Beckett. Are they going to do this again in their series against Boston in August and September? I hope not, Beckett seems to have A.J.'s number this year. How about putting in C.C. Sabathia against him? The Milwaukee Brewers worked him like a Hebrew slave in the time of Moses last year, pitching him on 3 days rest to win key games during the season. How come the Yankees can't do that? Unfortunately, Girardi's strategy is to keep the pitch count down on the rotation because he doesn't want to tire them out. Starting pitching needs to improve against the Red Sox. Mark Teixiera tried to get something going last night going 3 for 4, but the offense as usual fizzled out leading to a 5-4 Yankee lost. Oh well! Tonight, it's C.C. Sabathia against Brad Penny. Can even C.C. hold the Red Sox down in the early innings? Can Texieira, A-Rod, and the boys jump on Brad Penny's flamethrowing fastball? We'll find out tonight.

Orioles hire Buck Showalter as manager (The Canadian Press)

[read full article]

From Yahoo! Sports

Red Sox sweep Angels on Marco Scutaro's slam (The Canadian Press)

ANAHEIM, Calif. - Marco Scutaro hit a tiebreaking grand slam in the eighth inning, and the Boston Red Sox wrapped up a 10-game West Coast road trip with a 7-3 victory over the slumping Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday, sweeping the three-game series. [read full article]

From Yahoo! Sports

Red Sox sweep Angels on Scutaro's 8th-inning slam (AP)

Marco Scutaro hit a tiebreaking grand slam in the eighth inning as the Boston Red Sox wrapped up a 10-game West Coast road trip with a 7-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday, sweeping the three-game series. Kevin Youkilis tied it with a seventh-inning homer, while Adrian Beltre and Bill Hall hit early inning solo shots as the Red Sox improved to 7-0 this season against the Angels. [read full article]

From Yahoo! Sports

Derrek Lee to stay in Chicago

Chicago Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee has rejected a trade tothe Los Angeles Angels, saying he prefers to finish the season withhis team. [read full article]

From FOXSports.com News for MLB

Red Sox scratch J.D. Drew with hamstring tightness (AP)

The Boston Red Sox have scratched outfielder J.D. Drew with tightness in his left hamstring. Boston made the move Tuesday night just a few minutes before the Red Sox faced the Los Angeles Angels in the second game of their series. Drew hit a two-run double in the ninth inning of Boston's 6-3 victory over the Angels on Monday night. [read full article]

From Yahoo! Sports