Three is a magic number...

Three was a magic number today in the big leagues, at least for a few teams:

Minnesota Twins-- CF Denard Span was a perfect 4-4 Tuesday, recording three triples against AL Central foe Detroit and taking back the division lead. Span is only the second Twin ever to hit three three-baggers in one game and the first major leaguer to accomplish the feat since 2002.

Seattle Mariners-- LHP Cliff Lee three tossed his third complete game victory Tuesday (he's 6-3 on the season, with five CG's), consecutively beating the Cincinnati Reds 1-0 (6/18), Chicago Cubs 8-1 (6/23), and New York Yankees 7-4 (6/29). The countdown continues as to when Lee will be traded, but who knows what Mariners managment is thinking... Trading top prospects to aquire Russell Branyan from the Indians is a bad move in my opionion.

Florida Marlins-- The boys from Miami have recorded three wins under interim manager Edwin Rodriguez (the first ever MLB major from Puerto Rico) who just recently found out he will fulfill his managerial duties through the end of the 2010 season.

Cincinnati Reds-- 2B Brandon Phillips started the game with a triple to right put the first run up on the board on an Orlando Cabrerra groundout, but the Reds could not muster up a big enough comeback. Down three runs with two outs and two on in the bottom of the ninth, 1B Joey Votto stepped to the plate parked a ball just under the "Hit it Here, Win a Tundra" sign on the smoke stacks in right center to knot the contest at 6-6 (someone could've won a new truck!). Unfortunately, RP Arthur Rhodes--facing the heart of the Phillies order--allowed three earned runs in the top of the tenth and the Reds lost 9-6. Rhodes was riding a 33-game, 30 consecutive scoreless innings pitched streak heading into tonight's ballgame. His ERA more than quadrupled, ballooning from .28 to a whopping 1.13... still not too shabby if you ask me. It was just the Reds third loss in nine extra-innings games this season.

I was at the game tonight and this was the line at the Main Ticket Office just 5 minutes before the first pitch! IT WAS PACKED. The crowd was great too, everyone seemed to be into the game and excited about Reds baseball. Leake gave up a 3-run HR to the Phillies catcher early, but the fans in right field immediately threw the gopher ball back! Attendance was announced as just a little over 26,600 people--pretty impressive for a Tuesday evening. Surprisingly, despite the Reds being down 6-1 at one point, I'd say a majority of the fans stuck around to witness the ninth inning rally. The electricity at GABP was palpable. There are times with this team where you can just feel that good things are going to happen, and tonight was one of those times. On the big screen before the start of the last inning a video played with highlights from multiple walk-off wins against the Phillies, and with inspiritaional music playing in the background the crowd urged the Cincy sluggers on. Votto's 411-foot bomb was a blast to watch even though the Reds came out on the wrong end of this one.

Some more Reds thoughts

--The Reds text poll question tonight was, "Which Reds 'legend' would you like to watch a game with? A. Pete Rose B. Tracy Jones C. Barry Larkin". I saw this and literally laughed out loud, don't think for a minute that the former Red and current 700 WLW talk show host didn't have a hand in this. The word legend in parantheses was a perfect touch! Sorry, I didn't see the results but I voted B.

--A questionable move by Dusty... actually just a downright stupid one (and I promise I'm not one of those Dusty Baker bashers): After a Ramon Hernandez 2RBI double in the bottom of the sixth to make the game 6-3, Dusty Baker allowed pitcher Mike Leake to swing the bat with two outs and a man on. Fair enough, you would just presume he'd let the rookie pitch the 7th despite having given up two 3 run HRs. You would also be wrong... Instead, Dusty let Leake hit and after flying out, put Daniel Ray Herrera in to pitch the top of the frame. WHY? He had Drew Stubbs, Lance Nix, Corky Miller and Scott Rolen available to pinch hit.

--Aaron Harang will face Phillies ace Roy Halladay tomorrow afternoon, but the starter for Thursday's game in Chicago is still "To Be Announced". Many are anticipating rookie southpaw Travis Wood to get his first major league start. The Reds need to find a replacement for the fifth starter spot in the rotation after demoting SP Sam LeCure.

--With the loss tonight and a Cards' win, the Reds are a half game out of first place behind St. Louis and will finish up the first half of the season with 12 games against the Phillies, Mets, and Cubs. The Cardinals have 11 games left before the All-Star Break and will face the Diamondbacks, Brewers, Rockies, and Astros. It'll be an uphill battle and a true test for the Reds, make sure you vote in the latest poll!

--If you haven't read this column by the Cincinnati Enquirer's Paul Daugherty, you need to. Printed in Sunday's edition, the column remembers the days of Marty and Joe in the broadcast booth from Brennaman's perspective and highlights the dedication of Marty & Joe Field in Fairfield, OH.

--Speaking of Hall-of-Famers, check out this special edition 12 pack released by Hudepohl. Hudy 14-K cans are outfitted with a Collector's Edition print including 2010 Reds Hall of Fame inductees Chris Sabo, Pedro Borbon, and Tony Mullane. Not to mention, I got a $2 rebate on this $7 12 pack (rebates good on up to two 12 packs, or the equivalent of $4)!

Managers on the move, plus more MLB news

Marlins manager Freddy Gonzalez was fired today along with hitting coach Jim Presley and bench coach Carlos Tosca. Promoted to interim manager is Edwin Rodriguez of Florida's triple-A affiliate in New Orleans, but I wouldn't expect Rodriguez to remain manager for long. Marlins President David Samson contacted former MLB manager Bobby Valentine this morning about the opening and Valentine has since withdrawn his name from consideration for the open Baltimore Orioles manager position. "The Marlins last switched managers in midseason in 2003, when Jack McKeon was named to replace Jeff Torborg in May. The club went on to win the World Series, beating the Yankees in six games."

Bobby Valentine, former Mets manager, disguised in dugout after being tossed.

Gonzalez had previously been the Braves' third base coach. The Atlanta native had signed a contract extension through 2011 in '09, but he is now expected to replace Bobby Cox after he retires at the end of the season.

Stephen Strasburg keeps breaking strikeout records today against KC, and gets his first hit.

Jerry Seinfeld and Keith Hernandez reunite! Seinfeld will be in the booth with Hernandez tonight for the Mets/Tigers game. No Magic Loogies here, but Jerry did voice his distaste with Lady Gaga stealing his Citi Field private box on New York's WFAN.

And also this, thanks to Brett...

MLB All-Star Game leading vote-getters

MLB.com just released the latest vote totals for NL and AL All-Star Game rosters. Click the links for a complete listing. Voting ends July 1. Here's what the starting lineups would look like if voting ended today:

National League, 6/22
1B Albert Pujols, STL (2,622,123 votes)
2B Chase Utley, PHI (2,409,027)
3B Placido Polanco, PHI (1,157,196)
SS Hanley Ramirez, FLA (1,501,056)
C Yadier Molina, STL (1,322,095)
OF Ryan Braun, MIL (1,816,052)
OF Jason Heyward, ATL (1,786,786)
OF Andre Ethier, LAD (1,723,266)

American League, 6/21
1B Justin Morneau, MIN (1,752,276)
2B Robinson Cano, NYY (2,330,278)
3B Evan Longoria, TB (2,534,967)
SS Derek Jeter, NYY (2,692,418)
C Joe Mauer, MIN (3,280,565)
DH Vladimir Guerrero, TEX (2,316,229)
OF Ichiro Suzuki, SEA (1,567,788)
OF Carl Crawford, TB (1,445,615)
OF Josh Hamilton, TEX (1,431,013)

Fransavesco Blowdero

Title too harsh? Eh, maybe... How about UhOh Cordero, because that's how I feel when the Reds' right-handed closer enters ballgames in the ninth now. Uh oh. Francisco blew the 2-1 lead taken by the Reds in the top of the ninth on a two out Drew Stubbs walk, stolen base, and subsequent Jay Bruce single to right field. According to John Fay, it was his fifth blown save in 22 appearances this season. In 2009 Coco blew four in 43 tries. It seems Dusty is oblivious to the bullpen problems... After Cordero blew the save in the ninth by giving up a solo home run on his first pitch to the first batter he faced, he was given the chance to redeem himself in the tenth only to walk the first two batters of the inning. Enter Daniel Ray Herrera, who gave another not-so-stellar Daniel Ray Herrera-type relief appearance (Ever notice the triple A's in Herrera's name... hmmm). Recently called up from AA, Jordan Smith recorded his first save, striking out one batter and allowing one run. Cordero got the win. It was the second time in 2010 he recorded a W after blowing a save.

On the bright side, Cordero's struggles seemed to spark the Reds' offense. Hernandez, Votto, and Rolen all hit no doubters in the top of the last frame to secure the lead, and pinch-hitting Lance Nix hit a would-be triple (had it not been ruled an error). It was the Reds' 13th victory in their last at-bat, good for second in the Majors behind only Atlanta (who, in tragic or triumphant fashion, had their own walk-off victory at Turner Field earlier this season). Hopefully this is the west coast catalyst that Cincinnati's offense desperately needs. Bronson Arroyo and Johnny Cueto are scheduled to finish out the road trip in Oakland.

1990 World Series Champions

Here is the dealer's sample--recently sold at auction--of the Reds 1990 World Series ring. I got to see/hold this today and even though it wasn't real 14k gold or diamond studded, I still got goosebumps... It was awesome, I tried to get photos of the side but my camera wouldn't cooperate. On the side with the player's name and number is an engraving of the Commissioner's Trophy, opposite that is Riverfront Stadium engraved with the word SWEEP and banners that read "wire-to-wire". Thanks Adam.

Reds Game, June 16 vs LA Dodgers

Reds Live before the game.

Great American Ballpark

First pitch, Mike Leake.

The Big Colorful Mural

I asked my girlfriend to get a picture of the standings just in case that wishbone C isn't on top anymore, good decision. This and the following photos are all from her, thanks Andie.

Giant scoreboard, Manny Being Manny style.

Dusty didn't like the call, got tossed!

Under the lights.

Big Mistake Bud!

According to MLB.com, Bud Selig is expected to confirm a rumor today, first reported in November 2009 by The Sporting News, and announce that Kansas City's Kauffman Stadium will play host to the 2012 All-Star Game.

"Fans holding tickets for Wednesday night's Royals-Astros game have been invited to hear Commissioner Bud Selig's special announcement at 5 p.m. CT on the Kauffman Stadium field.
It is expected that Selig will announce that the 2012 All-Star Game will be awarded to Kansas City.

Gates to the stadium will open at 4:30 p.m. CT.

Royals players will be on the field for the announcement, which will be followed by batting practice at 5:30 p.m. CT."

Kauffman Stadium, formerly Royals Stadium, is the sixth oldest ballpark in the majors.

-1912 Fenway Park
-1914 Wrigley Field
-1962 Dodger Stadium
-1966 Angel Stadium of Anaheim
-1966 Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
-1973 Kauffman Stadium

There has been one All-Star game played there in the stadium's 37-year history and a $250 million renovation was just completed in July 2009... Did I mention it's in Kansas City, Missouri...

Currently, there are ten ballparks that have yet to host an All-Star game: Citizens Bank Park in Philly, PETCO Park in SD, Nationals Park in WAS, Citi Field in NY, Target Field in MIN, GABP in CIN, Chase Field in ARI, Tropicana Field in TB, Sun Life Stadium in FLA, and New Yankee Stadium.

You're telling me that those beautiful brand new parks in Washington, Minnesota, and New York wouldn't be better venues than the sixth oldest baseball stadium in America?

Nats' rocket-armed rook and another 'quake in the park

I hate to hype the already ultra-hyped Stephen Strasburg, but the kid is deserving of praise. So much so, he was named the NL Player of the Week after improving to 2-0 against the Indians in Cleveland Sunday. Stras struck out eight (22 K's in his first two starts, good for second best all-time behind Brooklyn Dodger Karl Spooner) over 5 1/3 innings and brought the second largest crowd of the season to Progressive Field in the process. "Ticket sales were up by 15,000." I've been able to watch him throw in both starts--once on MLB Network and once on TBS--and I was impressed each time (if you haven't watched him yet, set your DVR for Friday when he'll start against the White Sox @ 6:05 p.m. on MLB Network). He is like a hybrid pitcher, mixing Nolan Ryan-like velocity with Greg Maddux-like accuracy. He's given up two HRs but each were flukes, in my opinion. Both to lefties, the first was a good change-up away and the second came on a low inside fastball that would have been a fly ball out to left had he not gassed it up over 100 mph; the faster it comes in, the faster it's gonna go out. Oddly enough, Adam Dunn has a homer in each of Strasburg's starts, and to go with his 2.19 ERA he's got a pretty good sense of humor too...
TOP TEN LITTLE KNOWN FACTS ABOUT STEPHEN STRASBURG

A's starter Dallas Braden made an appearance on the show earlier this season.

--In the bottom of the eighth inning of Monday night's contest between the Blue Jays and Padres at Petco Park in San Diego a 5.7 magnitude earthquake shook both fans and players, although some had different reactions.
*Toronto 2B Aaron Hill didn't feel it.
*Fans "howled in delight."
*Batter and Padres 3B Chase Headley had to step out of the box. "I don't like it. Not being from around here... it's kind of freaky".
*Jays catcher John Buck was confused, "I didn't even get to feel it."
*OF Vernon Wells thought a plane flew over. "I didn't know what everybody was fired up about."
*It was pitcher Shaun Marcum's first earthquake. He was in the clubhouse and watched TVs rattle.
This was the second earthquake to hit Petco Park, the first came a day before the regular season opener on Easter, a 7.2 on the Richter scale that shook the foul pole.

Reminiscent of the 1989 Fall Classic and Game Three's Earthquake in San Fran.

Also from Yahoo! MLB blog Big League Stew:
--After taking a survey of 100 players, ESPN reported 53 percent of those asked said Jim Joyce was one of the best in the biz. C.B. Bucknor and Joe West (pictured below) were among the worst.

-- MUST SEE!! Cleveland rookie catcher Carlos Santana gets jacked up at the plate by Adam Dunn. Dunn played college football at the University of Texas, ableit as a QB. Dude is huge, 6'6" and flirting with 300 lbs.

--ESPN Power Rankings June 14
TOP FIVE:
1. NYY
2. TB
3. BOS
4. MIN
5. ATL

REDS RANT
From blog The Real McCoy, DDN:
--The Reds' bullpen may be bolstered by rookie RHP Jordan Smith. Converted this year from starter to reliever and drafted with Drew Stubbs in 2006, Smith is on the 40-man roster after being called up from AA Carolina Mudcats.
--Homer Bailey on the World Cup:
"There are nearly a dozen flat screen HD TVs in the palatial confines of the Cincinnati Reds clubhouse and they all seemed to be tuned in to World Cup soccer early Sunday morning.
Homer Bailey sat at his locker staring at at a TV, the only one NOT displaying soccer. Bailey was watching a show on bow hunting.
'I knew you wouldn’t be watching soccer,' I said. Bailey smiled and said, 'No way. Soccer is a communist sport. And I don’t care if you use that.'"
-Hal McCoy

--Since 2008, the Reds are 3-12 3-13 4-14 against the Dodgers.
--Reds will travel to the west coast this weekend to face Seattle and Oakland for three games a piece. Over the last two seasons, the Reds are 12-20 when facing west coast opponents away from GABP (all were NL teams).
--After throwing three scoreless innings in his first rehab start, Edinson Volquez will pitch again Thursday for single A Lynchburg.
--Ryan Hanigan's thumb is only a problem when he catches.
-!-I'm looking forward to tomorrow's match-up: Leake (5-0, 2.68 ERA) vs. Kershaw (6-3, 3.13 ERA), both the ripe old age of 22.

Marlins to have aquariums as backstop

"Each aquarium will be constructed using a durable fiberglass structure, and white crystal-clear acrylic panels 1.5 inches thick will be used for the viewing windows. To safeguard it from impact, Lexan — the material used for bulletproof windows — will be installed in front and in back of the acrylic panels."

The MLB Draft and some Reds thoughts

2010 MLB First Year Player Draft. Here's how the first round turned out, click for complete draft results:

First Round
· 1. WAS--Bryce Harper, C/OF College of Southern Nevada, Fr.
· 2. PIT--Jameson Taillon, RHP The Woodlands HS (Texas), Sr.
· 3. BAL--Manny Machado, SS Brito Miami Private School (Fla.), Sr.
· 4. KC--Christian Colon, SS Cal State - Fullerton, Jr.
· 5. CLE--Drew Pomeranz, LHP Ole Miss, Jr.
· 6. ARI--Barret Loux, RHP Texas A&M, Jr.
· 7. NYM-- Matt Harvey, RHP North Carolina, Jr.
· 8. HOU--Delino DeShields, CF Woodward Academy (Ga.), Sr.
· 9. SD--Karsten Whitson, RHP Chipley HS (Fla.), Sr.
· 10. OAK--Michael Choice, CF University of Texas - Arlington, Sr.
· 11. TOR--Deck McGuire, RHP Georgia Tech, Jr.
· 12. CIN--Yasmani Grandal, C Miami, Jr.
· 13. CWS--Chris Sale, LHP Florida Gulf Coast University, Jr.
· 14. MIL--Dylan Covey, RHP Marantha HS (Calif.), Sr.
· 15. TEX--Jake Skole, CF Blessed Trinity HS (Ga.), Sr.
· 16. CHC--Hayden Simpson, RHP Southern Arkansas University, Jr.
· 17. TB--Josh Sale, RF Bishop Blanchet HS (Wash.), Sr.
· 18. LAA--Kaleb Cowart, RHP Cook HS (Ga.), Sr.
· 19. HOU--Mike Foltynewicz, RHP Minooka Community HS (Ill.), Sr.
· 20. BOS--Kolbrin Vitek, 2B Ball St., Jr.
· 21. MIN--Alex Wimmers, RHP Ohio St., Jr.
· 22. TEX--Kellin Deglan, C R.E. Mountain SS, Sr.
· 23. FLA--Christian Yelich, 1B Westlake HS (Calif.) Sr.
· 24. SF--Gary Brown, CF Cal State - Fullerton, Jr.
· 25. STL--Zack Cox, 3B Arkansas, Jr.
· 26. COL--Kyle Parker, RF Clemson, Jr.
· 27. PHI--Jesse Biddle, LHP Germantown Friends School (Pa.), Sr.
· 28. LAD--Zach Lee, RHP McKinney HS (Texas), Sr.
· 29. LAA--Cam Bedrosian, RHP East Coweta HS (Ga.), Sr.
· 30. LAA--Chevy Clarke, CF Marietta HS (Ga.), Sr.
· 31. TB--Justin O'Conner, C Cowan HS (Ind.), Sr.
· 32. NYY--Cito Culver, SS Irondequoit HS (N.Y.), Sr.

CONGRATULATIONS STEVE MATRE! SELECTED BY THE LA DODGERS!!
SR RHP College of Mount St. Joseph, Purcell Marian H.S., Cincinnati, OH


--Here are some more local MLB draftees.

Reds last 5 First Round Picks:
2006 #8 Drew Stubbs CF University of Texas, Cincinnati Reds
2007 #15 Devin Mesoraco C Punxsutawney Area High School, AA Carolina Mudcats
2008 #7 Yonder Alonso 1B University of Miami, AAA Louisville Bats
2009 #8 Mike Leake RHP Arizona State University, Cincinnati Reds
2010 #12 Yasmani Grandal C University of Miami

REDS RANT
Reds split the series with the Giants, there was some good and some bad:
The GOOD
--"The Reds lead the majors with 12 wins in their final at-bat. They’ve got 21 comeback wins—out of 35 victories overall—which also is the best around."
--Brandon Phillips extended his hitting streak to 13 consecutive games, the longest by any Reds player this season.
--The Reds rank first in the NL in almost every offensive category including runs scored, hits, homers, RBI, batting avg, and slugging %. The 35-year-old third basemen Scott Rolen ranks second in the NL is slugging %, T-4 in HRs, and 4 in RBI.
--The Dodgers swept the Cards, allowing the Reds to take the lead in the NL Central by 1.5 games.
--SP Aaron Harang is 5-2, 3.93 ERA over his last nine starts
--Right-handed batters are only hitting .102 vs. RP Arthur Rhodes, and lefties a mere .133. He's recording a .36 ERA in 25.1 IP, allowing only one home run over that span.

The BAD
--The rest of the bullpen. It doesn't seem like there's much more hope outside of a trade, "Right-hander Jared Burton has got roughed up in his last three outings at Triple-A Lousville. He’s allowed five runs over four innings. He’s allowed three home runs in those games." Bill Bray has had three decent outings for Single-A Lynchburg. There was even talk of bringing back David "Stormy" Weathers.
--Aroldis Chapman got blown up in a Louisville 7-2 loss.

Looking ahead
--Edinson Volquez will make a rehab start Saturday in Lynchburg. He might be back with the club as soon as the end of July!
--Reds wrap up the 10-game homestand with the lowly KC Royals but then must face the red hot LA Dodgers before heading to the west coast--where they historically perform poorly--to face Seattle and Oakland.

Wiffle ball, the HR and the Trot, plus Pete a Cheat?

This post is long overdue, I apologize. It’s been an extremely busy week. Wrapped up school, moved out of Athens, started work, interviewed for a part-time job, been catching a few bullpens for a friend who’s rehabbing an elbow injury, and generally haven’t been able to sit down and gather my thoughts. I’ll try to recap an exciting week in baseball and hopefully highlight some interesting stuff.

I was listening to the game Monday evening while driving back to Cincinnati and heard Marty Brennaman call this Jay Bruce home run, a 400+ foot round tripper. Marty gave the distance of the blast very shortly after Bruce hit it and I wondered—as I’ve wondered many times—how do they calculate just how far a gopher ball flies? Here’s what I could find: Apparently, the two most common methods involve some cameras, a whole lotta math, and that pesky element that’s always popping up in baseball; the human element. According to the article, a company called SportVision, “the premier global provider of enhancements for sports television,” manufactures the measurement system used by ESPN. SportVision, also the creator of K-Zone, installed a boatload of cameras in every single Major League ballpark and uses them in a variety of ways (the MLB even uses its data for umpire evaluations when calling balls and strikes). “The system uses two specialized cameras to track the location of the baseball as it flies through the air. The cameras, after being calibrated with known points on the field, can produce a virtual 3-D grid and calculate where the ball is in relation to that grid.”

The second system, called “The Tale of the Tape,” was introduced in 1988 and produced by IBM (the program’s name is probably an allusion to a HR hit by Mickey Mantle in Washington’s Griffith Stadium, a 656-foot shot responsible for coining the phrase “tape measure job” according to Carl Benjamin’s article. Click to read more about some of the longest home runs ever hit!). Using a map of the park, a human spotter, and the equation horizontal distance + (elevation * cotangent value) = total distance, an official distance is determined.

If you think that stuff is cool, check out this website, HitTrackerOnline.com. This website calculates home run distance using everything from atmospheric information, initial speed and angle of the ball off the bat, and trajectory to give the truest mesaurement possible. Data from every home run hit since 2005 (including playoff home runs) is available at your fingertips. Search by season, hitter, pitcher, or ballpark, follow the path of the ball on a map of the stadium, and click to watch a video of each. I could spend hours on this website. HR’s are categorized into three categories, “No Doubts,” “Just Enoughs,” and “Lucky Homers”. This year, Jay Bruce and Mark Reynolds are tied for the NL lead in No Doubters with six a piece while American League teammates Vernon Wells and Jose Bautista share the distinction with six each also.


Just as each round-tripper is a little different than the last, so is each players’ trot around the bases. Some guys enjoy lapping up the glory in the limelight while others prefer to get back to home plate in less time than is necessary to score on an inside-the-park HR. Tater Trot Tracker records the time it takes players to round the bases “from the moment the bat touches the ball to the moment the foot touches the plate” and displays both the fastest and slowest times of the season. Here’s how 2010’s trots stack up:

SLOWEST
1. David Ortiz – May 24 30.59 seconds
2. David Ortiz – May 17, 29.81
3. David Ortiz – May 14, 29.42
4. Alex Gonzalez – April 21, 29.28
5. David Ortiz – May 14, 29.07
6. David Ortiz – May 1, 28.95
7. David Ortiz – May 26, 28.94
8. Orlando Cabrera – May 5, 28.90
9. Jose Guillen – April 11, 28.36
10. Bengie Molina – April 12, 27.95
FASTEST
1. Adam Rosales – April 11, 15.86
2. Adan Rosales –April 28, 15.87
3. Adam Rosales –May 26, 16.48
4. Chris Heisey –May 19, 17.11
5. Chris Heisey –May 26, 17.15
6. Jason Heyward –April 20, 17.18
7. Brendan Ryan –May 27, 17.20*
8. Tyler Colvin –May 28, 17.28
9. Joey Votto –May 4, 17.45
10. Michael Saunders –May 9, 17.53
INSIDE-THE-PARK
1. Angel Pagan – May 19, 14.48
2. Cameron Maybin – May 31, 14.75
3. David DeJesus –April 23, 15.71**
4. Stephen Drew – April 5, 15.84
5. Adam Jones – May 22, 16.04
6. Aubrey Huff – April 14, 16.45

Earlier in the season, ESPN’s Baseball Tonight celebrated the tenth anniversary of its Web Gems segment. Producer Judd Burch came up with this gem of an idea for his show in part because he was a huge Phillies fan at a time when they weren’t much to talk about. “‘In 2000, the Phillies were a bad team, and Scott Rolen was my favorite player,’ Burch said. ‘Some nights, the Phillies weren't even getting in the show. One of the inspirations for Web Gems was getting Scott Rolen in the show, he's the best defensive third baseman in Phillies history. If there had been no Scott Rolen, there would have been no Web Gems.’” After ten years of dazzling plays, the invention of the Internet, and the fantasy baseball boom, I believe the next great application of this little baseball highlight Hoedown is upon us (even better than the Buehrle-Meter!). A friend of mine, and fellow fantasy team owner, pitched this idea to me; what if a Web Gem category was added, perhaps to the pitching statistics. If a player on your team has a play featured on the segment, you get one point towards your total points for that week. This way—even though it’s a bit subjective—defense plays a role in the game, possibly changing how owners draft or how they determine what players to keep/pick up. Personally, I think it’s an excellent idea. I’ve always wanted fantasy to incorporate a defensive position player stat and I think this is probably the best and most fair way. Make sure to voice your opinion on the poll this week or leave your comments below. This also got me thinking about fantasy stats and I wondered why your National League pitchers don’t get credit for their offense. I understand that it is probably better that pitcher’s ABs aren’t part of any offensive categories, but what if pitchers were only rewarded for hits, runs, home runs, RBI’s and stolen bases. This way your AVG category won't take a hit and you still get credit for having guys like Carlos Zambrano and Micah Owings who have been known to swing the bat well. Just a thought, I haven't really fleshed this out fully.

Pete Rose cheated to break the all-time hits record. At least that is according to Deadspin.com, which reported Tuesday that a bat, scientifically proved to have been used by the Reds’ great when he hit 4,192, was corked. A collector who owned the bat had it X-rayed, the results are pictured below.


Was it a shock to hear that Rose corked his bat? Not really. I feel like Pete probably subscribed to the philosophy, “If ya ain’t cheatin’, ya ain’t tryin’.” While definitely considered dubious in all baseball realms, I’m not sure if corking your bat actually has any substantial effect on your hitting (this despite a high school science project I did in which I showed that corking a wood bat did increase the speed balls fly off the bat, however my testing methods were suspect, at best). Ballplayers have tried to get an advantage over their competitors for as long as the game’s been played. From pitchers spitting tobacco juice on the ball to make it less visible and change its flight path to players shooting up steroids in the clubhouse, guys have tried to gain an edge in every era. Do I still think Peter Edward Rose is the hit king? Yes. There is no doubt in my mind. Does this affect his chances of getting into the Hall of Fame? Hell no. Sadly, I know Rose will never be enshrined in Cooperstown and that’s just the way it is.

Wiffle Ball: The Ultimate Guide by Michael Hermann released April 10, 2010 and I've heard nothing but great things about this book. I can't wait to read it this summer. I plan to compile a baseball summer reading list later this month, be looking out for some great titles I reccommend picking up.

Here's a funny story about a dad at a Mets game accidentally stealing a ball from a kid. David Wright tossed the ball into the stands, very classy guy, good story.

This is cool. Take fan voting to the next level by campaigning for your favorite players!

Weekend Ramblings

Had an excellent weekend and it was nice to cap it off with a Reds W this afternoon. I was watching the game and wanted to get food, but decided to wait until the game was over to leave the couch. It's funny how when your team is competitive they tend to have an influence over your schedule, especially when and where you eat your meals. Anyway, I was happy I ignored my stomach and stuck it out because I got to see the Reds rally back to tie the game with one out in the ninth off Nat's closer Matt Capps (who leads the NL in saves with 18). Stubbs doubled over the right-fielder's head, then back-to-back pinch hitters in Gomes and Rolen did the rest (BTW, excellent move Dusty! The Reds' skipper gets criticized for every decision that doesn't work out, but rarely gets credit for moves like these). Hot-hitting Johnny Gomes ripped an RBI double down the line in left to tie the game, then the Reds' veteran third basemen put a hanging curveball 15 rows deep in the left-field bleachers! Awesome, right? WRONG. Both closers managed to blow saves as Coco Cordero allowed Washington to tie the game on an RBI double after walking the lead-off man. And that was when I decided to leave for Subway... Fortunately, I got to hear the Cowboy on the car ride home call the Drew Stubbs RBI single in the 10th which ended up being the game-winner as Nick Masset shut the door in the bottom half of the inning, picking up his first NL save (he previously had only one save for the Chicago White Sox before being traded).

You gotta feel for Bronson Arroyo, who threw a solid eight innings giving up only two earned runs but got the no decision. The Reds' starters continue to throw well and both the young and old bats have come up huge in big spots i.e. Stubbs, Gomes, Rolen, etc. The Reds leave Washington winning the series and avoid facing first-round pick Steven Strasburg, but the real right-handed rookie phenom is Mike Leake, who improved to 5-0 with a 2.22 ERA in the nation's capital. P.S. don't look now, but he's hitting .417! Chris Welsh mentioned this on the air during today's game, but I don't have ESPN Insider; I hear it's an excellent piece by Buster Olney. My buddy text me last night about Leake, "Rookie of the year for sure.... Can u imagine him not in our startin rotation? Thank the lord for him" > Seconded. Another buddy directed me to some Lance McAlister tweets, "Leake: 11 starts now..73 innings. His career high in innings is 142, last year at Arizona St. If he averages 6 innings, over his next 12 starts, he would hit 142 innings around August 17...." (I love Lance, great blog! Check out Mo Egger's blog too) Also loved watching BP play so hard on the field, I don't care what the Nationals say, that's how you play the game.

If you can watch This Week in Baseball, do (sorry I couldn't find the actual video. If you can, send it to me and I'll post it). There is some great stuff about the gold glove combination up the middle in Phillips and Orlando Cabrera plus some really funny clips of Bronson and Leake's BROmance off the field, apparently Bronson took the rook under his wing.

I was wearing my Reds cap and two different random people asked me what the score was/did they win, not to mention the deep convo I had with some random bro outside the men's room at the bar last night. Can you believe the buzz the boys from Cincy are making this year in the MLB? They're 5-1 in extra-innings, No. 4 in the power rankings! Finally a winning product on the field and its obvious the fans appreciate it.

The first annual Ohio University Club Baseball Alumni game was this weekend and I had a blast. The old men were winning around the third inning when we got hit with some serious showers, but I think the current Bobcats would have pulled out a victory. Sorry grads, I'm not giving you a pass. It was great to get such a good turn out, catch up, and party with my former teammates.

--Congrats to FIU's Garrett Wittels, who has hit safely in 56 straight NCAA games--two short of the record.
--The consensus best amateur player in America and likely No. 1 draft pick Bryce Harper got tossed in the JuCo World Series. Ya can't argue balls and strikes kid.
--Yanks won, Girardi got tossed, and A-Rod got hurt. Fantasy heads-up, but he's expected to be back in the lineup Tuesday. Orlando Hudson will also be out for a bit.
--Speaking of fantasy, I'm having a very frustrating week. Teixeira has been killing me, A's pitcher Brett Anderson went back on the DL, and Roy Oswalt got blown up yesterday by the Cubs. What's worse is I'm playing the team with the worst record in my league, and even though he's got Pujols and Javier Vazquez (who had a huge week on the hill), Jerry Hairston Jr. starts on his team in the utility spot... gimme a break! I guess he knows something I don't ;) It looks like I'll end up losing the head-to-head 6-4. BLAH. Oh, and I had Matt Capps in and Scott Rolen out since he didn't start. As previously mentioned, Capps blew a save and Rolen had a pinch-hit big fly; that pretty much sums up the week for me.
--Ubaldo Jiminez's 33 scoreless inning-streak was snapped by the D-backs Conor Jackson. Rockies still got the win, Jiminez is 11-1 with an 0.93 ERA. Ridiculous.

You've probably seen this, but how cool is that! I still can't figure out how to do it, but give it a try--you'll bruise a lot more than just your ego, I promise.


This is a bit older too, but remember those MLB 2K10 commercials about pitching a perfect game for a million bucks. No Jim Joyce moments here, that actually happened. The game is good, but God, why can't The Show be sold for XBOX? :P

Here's some good stuff to check out when you're bored:
--Saw this on Lance's blog, see every MLB contract and find out how much Chedda' your favorite player makes.
--Thanks to Andy for sending me links to these blogs:
http://chris-sabos-goggles.com/
http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/
http://www.daytondailynews.com/o/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/cincinnatireds/
http://www.redreporter.com/
http://marksheldon.mlblogs.com/

*Sorry this post is so heavy-handed on the Redlegs stuff, I promise it won't always be that way, but hey they're winning so it's justified!
**Also, watch for me on Twitter. I've finally been convinced to Tweet, so I'll be going over to the dark side sometime this week. I'll keep you posted.

Some Ken Griffey Jr. reminiscing...

Ken Griffey Jr. officially retired June 2, 2010 ending his 22-year-career with the Seattle Mariners, the team that drafted him with the number one overall pick in 1987, but for me and most baseball fans his legacy will continue to live on in our hearts; if not, his highlights and homers will surely run for generations. In an era when every single sports moment is video-documented, played and replayed on Sportscenter, and posted to YouTube for the world to watch at the click of a mouse, ESPN baseball analyst Tim Kirkjian made an excellent point, “For most of us, he is the best player we’ve ever seen play the game.” I was fortunate enough to be able to go to the ballpark and watch him play on a regular—or maybe not so regular—basis with the Reds from 2000-2008 and my memories of The Kid will always stay with me. Here’s just a few:

· Growing up and playing baseball in “The Griffey Era,” everyone wanted to be just like Griff. Wear your hat backwards, stand on the left side of the plate and give your best impression of that iconic batting stance (everyone had one), mimic the most beautiful swing in baseball, and admire your moon shot just like he did as the ball soared out of the Kingdome. At little league practices, I would fly around the outfield, diving for balls in the dandelions and daydream about robbing home runs.

· I can remember how you had to have a Mariners ball cap, or t-shirt, or something in honor of the hometown hero from Moeller High School (Griff’s alma mater came up short in the state semifinals against conference rival Elder). Every single year I bought the newest pair of Ken Griffey’s cleats, along with the rest of my team, and I owned two different pairs of his Nike cross trainters —my generation’s PF Flyers.

· I remember going to a friend’s house to play Ken Griffey Jr.’s Slugfest for Nintendo 64 and fighting over who got to play with the team from Seattle. (Reminds me of a funny story; two friends of mine got to go to a game in Seattle when they were younger and were trying to get their Mariners cap signed. Someone in a Mariners jersey came over, signed the bill of the cap, then turned around and walked off. My buddies were so excited to get an autograph, but when they looked up they saw “BB” in place of a number on the back of the guy’s jersey. It was the bat boy!)

· I remember the Cincinnati Reds acquiring Junior and just how ecstatic our town was—taking less money to come back home and play in the Queen City. The photos of Griffey holding up a Reds jersey at the press conference still seem surreal to me. I can remember the giant signs in center at Great American Ballpark counting The Kid’s homers on his way to 500. On TV, I watched him hit his 500th career home run on Father’s Day in St. Louis and his emotional embrace with his dad after.

· I remember #24, #30, #3, #17 and all the jerseys that followed. I remember Griffey tossing an XXL-sized jockstrap to a heckler in the stands and making a fan out of a foe. I remember finding out about the trade to the Chicago White Sox in a text—I just happened to be staying at a friend’s house in a suburb outside the Windy City at the time. I remember Griffey returning to Seattle to play in Safeco Field for the first time as a Mariner, watching the crowd go crazy, and seeing classic Junior put one into the bleachers. And I remember hearing Griffey would be returning to the team he saved in the ‘90s and thinking, “That’s how it ought to be.”

Here are some memories from former teammates Jay Buhner and Edgar Martinez, and a couple different takes on Griffey’s career and retirement. What are your feelings? Share your memories of Ken Griffey Jr. below or email them to me, drew.reeder@gmail.com

Jim Joyce, Armando Galarraga, and the almost perfect game

June 3, 2010

Maybe Tom Hanks got it wrong. Jimmy Dugan, his character in the 1992 movie A League of Their Own, famously remarks, “There’s no crying in baseball!” Thursday afternoon, just one day after umpire Jim Joyce mistakenly called Cleveland baserunner Jason Donaldson safe at first with two outs in the ninth—tragically taking away a perfect game from Detroit pitcher Armando Galarraga at Comerica Park—Joyce had the job of calling balls and strikes behind the plate in the last of a three game series between the AL Central opponents. Joyce walked on to the field before the game, hanging his head a bit as tears streamed down his cheeks. Red-eyed and weeping, he shook Galarraga’s hand, took the Tigers’ lineup card from the 28-year-old righty, and gave him a pat on the shoulder. The emotional reunion was better than perfect; it was beautiful.

For almost all of us who love, cherish, and appreciate baseball, throwing a perfect game is tops. The phenomenon of not allowing a single player to reach base has happened just 20 times in 141 years of Major League Baseball. The men on the mound who achieve perfection are guaranteed instant sanctification. But what happened Wednesday, while simultaneously showcasing and embodying all that the sport has come to symbolize, absolutely transcends the confines of a ballpark or a record book. It represents all that makes America and its citizens great. It was perfect in its imperfection. It was inherently human. It encapsulated the spirit and character of the people who lay claim to the land of the free and the home of the brave. It was regretful, remorseful, real life with the possibility for redemption. It was failure and success, scorn and forgiveness, sad and joyful, right and wrong, all mixed into one moment.

It is the example fathers and mothers playing catch with sons and daughters in the backyards of our nation ought to encourage their young ballplayers to aspire to; do your best, admit when you’re wrong, and live your life with the same class and dignity Armando Galarraga and Jim Joyce showed on the diamond. The incident in Detroit and its aftermath has inspired me, renewed my faith in the innate goodness of people, helped me accept and understand our intrinsic flaws, and strengthened my love for what I consider to be the greatest game on earth. America’s game.

So maybe, along with our peanuts and Cracker Jacks, our Charlie Hustle’s and Dizzy Dean’s, our double plays and double switches, our infield singles and walk-off home runs, there is room for a tear or two at home plate—after all, it’s only human.