MLB highlights 4-12-09

Mets Vs Marlins 4-12-09


Astros Vs Cardinals 4-12-09


Yankees Vs Royals 4-12-09


Pirates Vs Reds 4-12-09


Rangers Vs Tigers 4-12-09


Braves Vs Nationals 4-12-09


Twins Vs White Sox 4-12-09


Rays Vs Orioles 4-12-09


Blue Jays vs Indians 4-12-09


Red Sox Vs Angels 4-12-09


Los Angeles Dodgers Vs Diamondbacks 4-12-09


Giants Vs Padres 4-12-09


Cubs Vs Brewers 4-12-09

MLB Highlights 4-10-09

Here Are Your MLB Highlights from last night, April 10th!
Cubs vs Brewers 4-10-09


Diamondbacks Vs Dodgers 4-10-09


Mariners Vs Athletics 4-10-09


Giants vs Padres 4-10-09


Phillies Vs Rockies 4-10-09


Mets Vs Marlins 4-10-09


Nationals Vs Braves 4-10-09



Yankees Vs Royals 4-10-09


Blue Jays Vs Indians 4-10-09


Astros Vs Cardinals 4-10-09


Twins Vs White Sox 4-10-09


Rays Vs Orioles 4-10-09


Rangers Vs Tigers 4-10-09

MLB highlights 4-9-09

Here Are Your MLB Highlights from last night courtesy of ESPN Video!
Dodgers Vs Padres 4-9-09


Rays Vs Red Sox 4-9-09


New York Yankees Vs Orioles 4-9-09


Giants Vs Brewers 4-9-09


New York Mets Vs Reds 4-9-09


St. Louis Vs Pittsburgh 4-9-09


Cleveland Vs Texas 4-9-09


Royals vs White Sox 4-9-09


Mariners Vs Twins 4-9-09


Detroit vs Toronto

MLB Highlights 4/6/09

Here Are Your MLB highlights from last Night, April 6th, courtesy of ESPN Video!
A Word Of Note:
Two Teams did not play yesterday. The White Sox and Royals did not play due to snow in Chicago, they will try again today. The Rays and Red Sox did not play yesterday due to rain in Boston. They will try again today.

Mets Vs Reds 4-6-09


Rockies Vs Diamondbacks 4-6-09


Indians Vs Rangers 4-6-09


Yankees Vs Orioles 4-6-09


Pirates Vs Cardinals 4-6-09


Nationals Vs Marlins 4-6-09



Cubs Vs Astros 4-6-09


Dodgers Vs Padres 4-6-09


Tigers Vs Blue Jays 4-6-09


Mariners Vs Twins 4-6-09


Angels Vs Athletics 4-6-09

MLB Preview: AL East

Can The Red Sox Fountain Of Youth help them make another AL East Run?

The American League east is the best and most competetive division in Baseball. The AL East is also home to, by far, the best rivalry in Baseball,-Red Sox-Yankees. The rich history, starting back to when Harry Frazee sold Babe Ruth to the Yankees in 1919, has had many grat players for both teams. On The Yankee side: Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Reggie Jackson, Bucky Dent, Don Mattingly, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, and in the future, Phillip Hughes, Jose Tabata and Joba Chamberlain.


The Red Sox have also had some great players on their side: Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski, Wade Boggs, Bill Buckner, Johnny Damon, David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, and Curt Schilling, and in the future, Clay Buchholz and Jacoby Ellsbury.


In This MLB Preview, we will preview the AL East and see if Tampa Bay, Baltimore, or Toronto have a shot to leapfrog Boston or New York for first or second in the division?


BOSTON RED SOX
Boston won the division away from New York for the first time in Fourteen seasons. The Red Sox rolled through the postseason. They swept the Angels in the ALDS, went through turbulence but survived in Cleveland in the ALCS, and swept away the hottest team in Baseball, the Colorado Rockies in the World Series.

Pithing Wise, Boston is set for 2008, even without Curt Schilling. Schilling will be replaced by Clay Buchholz.Buchholz, in his second Major League Start, threw a no hitter against their division rival Baltimore Orioles. One Season has passed, and we now know that Daisuke Mastuzaka is not lights out. But we know that Hideki Okajima is. Okajima should be in the running for the 2008 Relief Man Award. Josh Beckett was lights out in the 2007 Postseason and should have won the 2007 American League Cy Young Award. Expect him to be back with a vengenance in 2008.

Offensively, Thunder & Lightning will return to the Red Sox in 2008. David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez will hit a lot of homeruns at Fenway Park.

Boston also has a "Fountain Of Youth" on offense as well. Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedoria helped propel the veterans to the World Series Pennant. Ellsbury will take over in Center Field, forcing the Red Sox to trade Coco Crisp.

NEW YORK YANKEES
2008 is the Final Season Baseball will be played at "The House That Ruth Built." The Yankees will be moving into New Yankee Stadium, "The House That Jeter Bulit" Next Season.

Joe Girardi goes from Broadcasting the Yankees to Managing The Yankees. Girardi replaces four time World Series Winning Manager Joe Torre, who is now managing down in Chavez Ravine. Alex Rodriguez and Mariano Rivera are back with the team, and both will be wearing Pinstripes in the New Yankee Stadium. This past season was the first time in twelve seasons New York did not win the division.

The Yankees have their own Fountain Of Youth. Joba Chamberlain and Phillip Hughes will both be Starters for the Yankees this season. Expect to see Jose Tabata, The Yankees Future Great Outfielder, get his Golden Ticket to The Show This Season. Melky Cabrera will play Center Field, moving Johnny Damon to Designated Hitter.

The Yankees were in the running for Johan Santana. They didn't get him. Their Crosstown Rivals, The Mets, did get Santana, and as a Result, The Mets are getting picked to the World Series, and not The Yankees.

TORONTO BLUE JAYS
Many People Are Picking Toronto To Be A Sleeper Team this season. They signed 2006 World Series MVP David Eckstein and traded Third Baseman Troy Glaus to the St Louis Cardinals for Scott Rolen. Frank Thomas, if he has a big season, can Pass Harmon Killebrew on the all time Homerun list this season. Pitching wise, A.J. Burnett will have to stay healthy.

Toronto could be a sleeper, but I don't think they have enough to overtake New York or Boston.

BALTIMORE ORIOLES
The Orioles are getting ready to get competitive in the future. Adam Jones will join Nick Markakis in the outfield. The Trade for Eric Bedard was a trade that had to be made, as Bedard was going to become a Free Agent Anyway. The Orioles will bring back their version of "Old faithful" Steve Trachsel.

TAMPA BAY RAYS
Tampa Took The Devil Out Of Their Name. Literally. This team made more news for the change of their name and the trading away of players than who they signed. Tampa Bay Traded Away Outfielder Delmon Young, but got Shortshop Brendan Harris and Pitcher Matt Garza.

Tampa signed Cliff Floyd and Pitcher Troy Percival, but they key to the Devil Rays will be how fast will Evan Longoria (no relation to Eva Longoria) and David Price (First Pick in the 2007 MLB Draft) come up and play well.

Tampa Bay will build a winning team around their new Stadium, Evan Longoria and David Price.

MY PROJECTED ORDER:
BOSTON
NEW YORK
TORONTO
BALTIMORE
TAMPA BAY


In Our Next MLB Preview, we will look at the American League West. Can Seattle Win The Division? Will Torri Hunter help the Angels? Is There a Catcher Controversy In Texas? Can Oakland compete after the dumping of their high priced talent? Find Out In The Next MLB Preview.

Did Miguel Lie? Congress Wants To Know

Bud Selig and Donald Fehr, the commissioner and union leader often at loggerheads, sat side-by-side Tuesday as Congress pressed them yet again with questions about baseball's doping problem.

At a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing in the same, wood-paneled room where Selig, Fehr, Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmeiro and others testified three years ago, congressmen mixed criticism of baseball and its players with praise for progress on steroids.
That 2005 hearing was referenced right away when panel chairman Henry Waxman opened the proceedings by calling on the Justice Department to look into whether former AL MVP Miguel Tejada lied to committee staffers when questioned in connection to Palmeiro's perjury case.

Waxman then turned the focus to former Senate majority leader George Mitchell's report on baseball's steroids era.

"The illegal use of steroids and performance-enhancing drugs was pervasive for more than a decade, Major League Baseball was slow and ineffective in responding to the scandal, and the use of human growth hormone has been rising," said committee chairman Henry Waxman, a California Democrat.

"The Mitchell Report also makes it clear that everyone in baseball is responsible: the owners, the commissioner, the union and the players."

After Mitchell's two-hour appearance, Selig and Fehr went before the panel. Maryland Democrat Elijah Cummings said to Selig and Fehr: "This scandal happened under your watch. I want that to sink in. It did. Do you accept responsibility for this scandal or do you think there was nothing you could do to prevent it?"

Fehr paused for several seconds.

"Did we or did I appreciate the depth of the problem? ... The answer is 'No,"' Fehr replied. "It's a failure that we didn't and it's a failure that I didn't."

Selig then followed, starting by saying he's agonized over the question.

"Do I wish we could have reacted quicker? Should we have? One could make the case," the commissioner said. "All of us have to take responsibility, starting with me."

In his opening statement, Selig vowed to develop a program "to require top prospects for the major league draft to submit to drug testing before the (amateur) draft." He also reiterated his willingness to support use of a test for human growth hormone "when a valid, commercially available and practical test for HGH becomes reality, regardless of whether the test is based on blood or urine."

Fehr, in turn, said the union has agreed to "allow players to be suspended for HGH use based on evidence other than a positive test, a so-called 'non-analytical' finding."

He and Selig said they met in December to discuss the Mitchell Report's investigations and plan to meet again.

"I hope we have all of this completed before spring training," Selig said.

One representative questioned all three witnesses about a potential loophole in baseball's drug policy, which was toughened in the aftermath of the 2005 congressional hearing. Penalties were increased and amphetamines were banned.

Massachusetts Democrat John Tierney said baseball gave over 100 therapeutic-use exemptions to players for attention deficit disorder last year, up from 28 in 2006. The exemptions enabled players to use stimulants such as Ritalin and Adderall.

Earlier, the mood was captured succinctly by Connecticut Republican Christopher Shays, who began his questioning time by noting, "This is almost surreal to me."

It took more than 1 1/2 hours for the first mention of Roger Clemens, the star pitcher who figures prominently in the Mitchell Report and is scheduled to testify before the committee on Feb. 13, along with his former trainer, Brian McNamee. It was McNamee who told Mitchell that he injected Clemens with steroids and human growth hormone, charges Clemens repeatedly has denied.

"You continue to feel comfortable with Mr. McNamee's credibility?" Waxman asked.

"We believe that the statements provided to us were truthful," Mitchell said.

Mitchell was asked why he did not address amphetamine use in his report ("They were outside the mandate of our investigation"); what level of help he received from the union ("As I said in my report, the players' association was largely uncooperative"); and why he did not agree to a request by The Associated Press to turn over evidence he gathered ("The responsibility for the disclosure of those documents rests with those who are the possessors and owners of the documents.") Mitchell said there were 115,000 pages.

Miguel Tejada Has Found A New Home

Miguel Tejada was traded to the Houston Astros.


Miguel Tejada shows that patience pays off.

Two years after first requesting a trade, Tejada was traded from the Baltimore Orioles to the Houston Astros for five players on Wednesday, giving the former AL MVP a fresh start on a team looking to boost its lineup.

The Orioles got outfielder Luke Scott, pitchers Matt Albers, Troy Patton and Dennis Sarfate, and third baseman Michael Costanzo for the four-time All-Star shortstop.

Two winters ago, Tejada caused a stir in Baltimore when he said was unhappy with the Orioles' direction and wanted to be traded. He later backed off that stance.

At 31, the Orioles were worried about his range at shortstop. He had resisted their efforts to move him over to third base.

Wade said while Tejada may not cover quite as much ground as he once did, the Astros are confident he'll be solid in that spot. Adam Everett, Houston's shortstop this season, will become an unrestricted free agent by Thursday, Wade said.

In 2005, Tejada came under scrutiny after teammate Rafael Palmeiro tested positive for steroids. Palmeiro said Tejada gave him vitamin B-12 that might have been tainted with performance-enhancing drugs.

Tejada denied any steroid use and his name has not been linked to any wrongdoing.

The National League Central will not be the weakest division in Baseball next season. The Brewers have shored up their bullpen with David Riske, Eric Gagne, and Solomon Torres. The Astros have improved their offense with Miguel Tejada. The Cubs have improved their outfield, as it was announced today they signed Free Agent Japanese Outfielder Koskue Fukudome to a four year, $48 Million dollar contract.

The Three Horse Race for the National League Central has begun.

Clay Bucholz becomes first Red Sox Rookie to throw a No Hitter

Hours After Getting Called up to The Show, Clay Bucholz showed Fenway Park a Magical Night.

Clay Buchholz threw a no-hitter in his second major league start, just hours after being called up by the Boston Red Sox.

The lanky Texan baffled Baltimore with an assortment of curves, changeups and fastballs in the Red Sox's 10-0 victory Saturday night. He struck out nine, walked three and hit one batter before the 371st straight sellout crowd at Fenway Park.
The crowd stood through the entire ninth inning, cheering every pitch and taking pictures of the young righty in his windup and as he paced around the mound between pitches. A groan rose from the stands when Corey Patterson hit a line drive to center with one out, but Coco Crisp easily moved over to catch it.

Buchholz started Nick Markakis with a ball, then went ahead 2-1 when the batter fouled one off with a check swing. The crowd grew even louder, the flashes were constant, and Buchholz threw a 77 mph curveball that Markakis watched go by.

Home plate umpire Joe West hesitated, but catcher Jason Varitek rose from his crouch to run to the mound. The rest of the Red Sox soon joined him there.

No one stopped cheering until Buchholz appeared on the centerfield scoreboard for a television interview, and the fans hushed to try to hear him. But when "Clay Buchholz, No-hitter" appeared on the message board, the ballpark erupted anew.

Buchholz, who turned 23 on Aug. 14, pitched the third no-hitter of the season - following Mark Buehrle of the Chicago White Sox against Texas on April 18 and Justin Verlander of Detroit against Milwaukee on June 12.

Buchholz became the 17th rookie to throw a no-hitter. The last one to do it was Florida's Anibal Sanchez against Arizona last Sept. 6.

The Boston newcomer became the third pitcher since 1900 to throw a no-hitter in his first or second major league start, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Bobo Hollomon did it in his first start on May 6, 1953, for the St. Louis Browns at home against the Philadelphia A's, and Wilson Alvarez did it in his second start on Aug. 11, 1991, for the Chicago White Sox at Baltimore.

Buchholtz nailed down his no-hitter a night after Scott Baker of the Twins came within three outs of a perfect game and two outs of a no-hitter against Kansas City.

I watched the final out of the No Hitter on ESPN. They had cut out of College Football to show the final out, and that backdoor curveball was the pitch that sealed the no hitter for Clay Bucholz. Simply a sensational job by the kid in his second Major League Start. Joe Castiglione on Red Sox Television said "He has been changing his pitches all day long. That's why he been unhittable." What a thrill for Clay Bucholz. This is a night he will remember for the rest of his life.

Cubs Bring Back Steve Trachsel in Trade With Orioles

Steve Trachsel helped the Cubs in the middle of a division chase in 1998 when the Cubs won the National League Wild Card. Here in 2007, Trachsel is in position to do the same thing again, only this time, the Cubs are in First Place.


Trachsel was acquired by the Cubs today for reliever Rocky Cherry and Minor League Third Baseman Scott Moore. Trachsel will give the Cubs the much needed extra arm in the stretch run of the season, Late August, Early September.

Hey Cubs fans, if the Name Steve Trachsel sounds familiar to you, consider this: Trachsel was on the mound in 1998 when "Big Mac", the now disgraced Mark McGwire hit his (at the time) record breaking 62nd homerun. The record has been broken since then, but Steve will always be known as the guy who gave up Number 62 to Mark McGwire.

Pitching used to be the Cubs weak point. Now they have plenty of it, but will it be enough to hold off the Cardinals and the Brewers for the Division? I think so.

Rangers Beat Down Orioles In 30-3 Slugfest

Five runs in the fourth inning.

Nine runs in the sixth.
Ten in the eighth.

Six more in the ninth.

The Texas Rangers rounded the bases at a dizzying pace and became the first team in 110 years to score 30 runs in a game, setting an American League record Wednesday in a 30-3 rout of the Baltimore Orioles.

Trailing 3-0 in the opener of a doubleheader, Texas couldn't be stopped. Finally, the last-place Rangers did something right.

Texas kept right on hitting in the second game, too, although at a decidedly tamer pace. Travis Metcalf drove in four runs and the Rangers used a three-run eighth for a 9-7 victory and a sweep.

Texas set an AL record for runs in a doubleheader, surpassing the 36 scored by Detroit in 1937.

The Rangers had 11 hits in the second game, including three by Michael Young. The nightcap, however, will forever be regarded as a postscript to the incredible opener.

It was the ninth time a major league team scored 30 runs, the first since the Chicago Colts set the major league mark in a 36-7 rout of Louisville in a National League game on June 28, 1897, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Hours after announcing manager Dave Trembley would return for the 2008 season, the Orioles absorbed the most lopsided loss in franchise history and set a team record for hits allowed in a game, with 29.

The Rangers had totaled 28 runs in their previous nine games, including two runs on seven hits in their last two.

The Rangers set a team record for runs scored in a doubleheader - before the second game even started.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Ramon Vazquez, the bottom two batters in Texas' lineup, each homered twice and finished with seven RBIs. The last time two teammates had as many as seven RBIs in a game was 1962, when Elston Howard had eight and Mickey Mantle added seven for the New York Yankees against the Kansas City Athletics.

David Murphy had five of the Rangers' 29 hits, the most by a major league team since Milwaukee had 31 in a 22-2 victory over Toronto on Aug. 28, 1992, according to Elias.
Texas' 30 RBIs set a major league record. The Rangers had 57 at-bats, tying the AL mark for a nine-inning game set by Milwaukee in its 1992 rout of Toronto.

The Rangers added five points to their team batting average, raising it to .258. They finished with more runs than outs made (27).

Baltimore's ERA went from 4.39 to 4.60.

Kason Gabbard (6-1) allowed three runs and seven hits over six innings. He is 2-1 in six starts since Texas acquired him from Boston on July 31.

Even with the one-sided score, there was a save. Wes Littleton earned his second career save and first this season by pitching three scoreless innings.

Texas erased a 3-0 deficit by batting around in a five-run fourth. Saltalamacchia hit a two-run single and, after a visit from pitching coach Leo Mazzone, Daniel Cabrera (9-13) gave up a three-run homer to Vazquez.

Texas got 10 hits - matching a club record for one inning - in the sixth and went up 14-3.

Cabrera left after serving up a home run to Saltalamacchia. Brian Burres yielded two singles and a walk before Byrd hit his third career slam. Saltalamacchia, Vazquez, Frank Catalanotto and Ian Kinsler added RBI singles.

Texas got seven hits in the eighth. Metcalf hit his first career slam and Saltalamacchia added a three-run shot.

Vazquez's second homer highlighted a six-run ninth.

It is Simply Unbelievable how hot one team can get for one single game! I remember watching the game when it was 15-3, I didn't watch because the game was over. I turn the television back on a little later and the Score is 30-3! Wow! And when you consdider that Texas actually trailed 3-0 in the ballgame, it becomes even more unbelievable. My head is spinning thinking about all of the statistics about this game! Simply Unbelievable!