Archives › 2012 › September › 07
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Brandon McCarthy is showing signs of improvement two days after undergoing surgery to relieve pressure on his brain from being struck by a line drive during a start against the Angels on Wednesday, but Athletics trainer Nick Paparesta said tonight that he’s still in a “life-threatening” situation. “Absolutely he is. It’s brain surgery,” Paparesta said.…
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For all of their success in the first half, the Pirates may yet turn in a 20th consecutive sub-500 season this year. The Pirates became the first team since 2004 to commit seven errors in a game and lost 12-2 to the Cubs on Friday night. Second baseman Brock Holt and left fielder Starling Marte…
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Roger Clemens tosses four-plus scoreless innings for Sugar Land Skeeters
Sep 7, 2012, 10:23 PM EDT
UPDATE: Per Brian McTaggart of MLB.com, Clemens told ESPN after his outing that he “would listen” if Astros owner Jim Crane calls, but doesn’t think he’s close to pitching in an MLB game. 10:01 PM: With his son Koby behind the plate, Roger Clemens tossed 4 2/3 scoreless innings tonight against the Long Island Ducks…
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We haven’t heard much about David Ortiz lately and there’s a pretty good reason for that, as there just isn’t much to report. According to Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald, Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine said this afternoon that Ortiz has made progress since receiving a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection for his strained right…
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Stephen Strasburg chased from final home start of season after three innings
Sep 7, 2012, 8:39 PM EDT
Stephen Strasburg‘s final start at Nationals Park this season ended up being a brief one, as he was chased after giving up five runs over just three innings tonight against the Marlins. Strasburg wasn’t fooling anyone, giving up six hits and three walks while striking out two. He threw just 37 out of 67 pitches…
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Chipper Jones has received various items from opposing teams during his farewell tour around MLB. A cowboy hat here, a surfboard there. You know the deal. However, given his history of tormenting the Mets, many wondered what he would receive from the club upon arriving to Citi Field today. Perhaps something traditional like a gold…
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Bill Bray, Cincinnati’s talented but often injured left-handed reliever, is being shut down and sent home for the rest of the season. “He’s still on the DL,” pitching coach Bryan Price told the Cincinnati Enquirer’s John Fay. “He’s not going to be activated. He wasn’t going to pitch for us in September. He battled with…
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30-year-old slugger Luis Jimenez gets his first major league start
Sep 7, 2012, 6:18 PM EDT
I first became aware of Luis Antonio Jimenez in 2002, when, as a 2o-year-old Orioles farmhand, he tore up the Appy League to the tune of a .375 average, eight homers and 42 RBI in 211 at-bats. The especially curious thing about it was that the A’s had released him the year before. Although Jimenez…
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The Cubs have seen enough from Jeff Samardzija to judge his 2012 a successful season, and manager Dale Sveum announced Friday that Samardzija’s 28th start Saturday against the Pirates would be his final outing of the year. It is a precautionary move. Samardzija is currently at 165 2/3 innings this season after throwing 88 while…
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It’s been hours since we posted something about Bobby Valentine. Was getting the shakes. Thank goodness for Patrick Mooney at CSNChicago.com, who reminds us that the guy managing the Cubs could have very easily been managing the Red Sox: Sveum got a second interview with the Red Sox and appeared to be a favorite before…
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Uh oh. Tampa Bay just announced that David Price will not make his scheduled start tomorrow due to “general soreness” in his shoulder. Chris Archer, the International League strikeout leader who was just called up from Triple-A, will take his place against the Rangers. According to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times both Price…
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From WEEI: So, he’s back in regular season games already? Wow, that was fast. Don’t forget to tip your waitresses … try the veal …
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Brandon McCarthy remains in the hospital after being hit in the head by a line drive Wednesday and the A’s have recalled right-hander Dan Straily from Triple-A to presumably take his spot in the rotation. Straily made his big-league debut back on August 3 and pitched well in three starts, throwing 17 innings with a…
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I was on a radio show today and I was asked if I think Bobby Valentine would be the Red Sox manager on Opening Day 2013. I said I didn’t think he’d be the manager on October 3, 2012. But if he’s gone, who’s next? Bob Nightengale says, as we’ve heard elsewhere, that John Farrell…
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Philadelphia activated Carlos Ruiz from the disabled list after the All-Star catcher missed the past five weeks with plantar fasciitis in his left foot, which is a surprise considering there was some recent talk about the Phillies simply shutting him down the season. Not as surprising is the Phillies putting Placido Polanco on the disabled list,…
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Chaos! There is the potential for a scheduling nightmare in October
Sep 7, 2012, 2:01 PM EDT
Extra wild card teams! One game playoffs! Optimized TV schedules! These are all so, so awesome! Except for if it, you know, rains or something. Jayson Stark breaks down the potential chaos: So let’s just say the Cardinals and Dodgers do indeed finish tied for that second wild-card spot. And let’s just say the Cardinals…
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Toronto’s playoff hopes are long gone, but at least the Blue Jays will have third baseman Brett Lawrie and catcher J.P. Arencibia down the stretch. Both players were activated from the disabled list today, Lawrie after missing the past five weeks with an oblique strain and Arencibia after missing the past seven weeks with a…
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I spoke with Ted Berg of SNY.tv about Chipper’s last waltz in New York. Ted really, really hates Chipper Jones. So naturally I wore my Chipper Jones BP jersey to taunt him. The best part is that Ted polled his readers about what gift the Mets should give Chipper upon his retirement. And I can’t…
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Time for your “how does Bryce Harper compare to the best 19-year-olds ever?” update
Sep 7, 2012, 12:50 PM EDT
Bryce Harper has recovered from the first extended slump of his career by going 14-for-35 (.400) with five homers in his last nine games, so it seems like a good time to check back in on how he compares to the best 19-year-olds in baseball history. First up, OPS: YEAR OPS Mel Ott 1928 .921…
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Mark Zuckerman of CSNWashington.com has a column up about the impending end of Stephen Strasburg‘s season: Having been informed by team management last week he will be shut down following next Wednesday’s start in New York, Strasburg finally has a clear view of the finish line on what will be remembered both as an equally…
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Here’s the top 50 of a rather weak free agent class. Again, I didn’t include Robinson Cano, R.A. Dickey and some others whose options are sure to be picked up. Also absent is Mark Reynolds. He is not eligible for free agency, though there’s a good chance he’ll be non-tendered this winter. All ages are…
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Chris Archer made two starts filling in for an injured Jeremy Hellickson earlier this season and the 23-year-old right-hander is back with the Rays for the stretch run. Archer, who ranked among Baseball America‘s top 100 prospects for both 2011 and 2012, led the Triple-A International League in strikeouts this season with 139 in 128…
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Cardinals minor leaguer suspended 50 games for “drug of abuse”
Sep 7, 2012, 11:19 AM EDT
Alan Ahmady, a first base prospect and former 11th-round draft pick in the Cardinals’ farm system, was suspended for 50 games after a second positive test for a “drug of abuse.” Because the minor-league season is over Ahmady will serve his punishment next year, essentially missing one-third of the 2013 campaign that he’ll probably spend…
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Marlins first baseman of the future Logan Morrison had knee surgery on Wednesday, and it was — shockingly — a success. And based on his Twitter feed, he’s back to feeling himself, for better or for worse. Mostly for worse: The best curve on a woman is her smile …No I’m just kidding, it’s her…
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Last night’s benches-clearing scuffle between the Nationals and Cubs got all the headlines, but before things got ugly when Bryce Harper was nearly hit by a pitch in the sixth inning the 19-year-old rookie showed once again that he’s perhaps MLB’s most aggressive baserunner. Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post did a great job describing…
