Summer is here and the pennant races are far from settled. We probably can pick a couple of teams headed for the playoffs, but other than Atlanta and Seattle, and only if they don’t have siginificant injuries to about 6 players, the rest of the spots are still up for grabs.

How do the Cardinals stay in contention with all their pitching miseries? Simple. Albert Pujols, Edgar Renteria, Scott Rolen, and Jim “Do you have to slide on every catch” Edmonds, crush the ball every night. Now, add rookie secondbaseman Bo Hart, 7-12 in his first weekend and you can see why the Cardinals hang around with substandard pitching.

Randy Wolf and Pedro Martinez pitched excellent games Saturday.

When the two pitchers exited the game the score was 2-1 Boston. The game ended 6-5 Phillies in 13 innings, who says this isn’t a game of bullpens? Boston’s will stay a disaster until Byung Hyun Kim is moved to the ninth inning role.

The best hitter on the team is supposed to hit third. This explains the A’s hitting woes as Miguel Tejada is hitting .230.

Someone tell me why Pedro Feliz doesn’t see more playing time for the Giants? I don’t care if he is a free swinger, the guy can play the outfield, third, or first and does hit the ball hard as he did Saturday night off Tim Hudson.

Hudson did not throw his usual array of pitches down in the strike zone and Feliz made him pay, the first homer he hit was just smoked to centerfield.

Click below for more thoughts this summer morning.

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Marty; This may be a time to do somewhat more than just look at last night’s game. At least, mention it in the context of what has been going on since the start of the season. It is true that it ain’t over till it’s over, but the past frequently can foreshadow the the future.

Fans, Ed Stern a dedicated Giants fan gives us his thoughts this morning on the team and a look at its future in his article. Ed knows baseball and especially the Giants, click below for another perspective on the Bay Area’s other team.
Thanks,
Marty [Read more →]

Charlie Danrick, a frequent contributor to Loveofthegameproductions.com, had the largest collection of audio tapes of special baseball games in the world before partnering with MLB to distribute his fabulous game collection. Charlie wrote, in his won unique style, a perspective on Hall of Famer Larry Doby. I appreciate Charlie’s work, he is a true sportsman with a sense of humor that is pure East Coast. Check this story, you won’t be disappointed. Also, Charlie’s taped games can be found on MLB.com’s home page.

Click below for the story on a day in the life of Larry Doby, trust me it is different from the eulogies written over the past few days, it even includes another Hall of Famer, but I won’t ruin the surprise! [Read more →]

In our day to day lives we tend to focus on what is happening today rather than looking at the big picture.

In baseball, you have to keep in mind that what happens today does have a bearing on the game, but what happens over six months really tells the story of the season.

Teams slump for two weeks, then get hot. Pitchers lose three in a row, then turn it around, hitters go oh for fifteen, then hit .400.

You can’t lose faith until it is over, that’s what makes baseball different, among other things, from all the major sports.

With that in mind keep your eyes on the Arizona Diamondbacks who reached the magic .500 mark Friday night. One of these days, Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson will return, and if the young hitters on the team are still hitting, they can quickly get back into the race.

More baseball below! [Read more →]

Marty: Your prediction, that the Giants will be lucky to walk away with one win in the three game series about to start, may very well be omniscient. However, there is always a lurking danger in selling a team down the river too quickly, particularly one as baffling as the Giants. Since the season began there has been consistency in pointing out the team’s apparent weaknesses. Despite this, they are still in first place and the Dodgers, with the strongest pitching in the league have yet to dislodge them. The A’s, as I read today’s standings, are 6 losing games out of first place.

Ed, This series and your well thought out resonse to my prediction of the A’s winning at least two of three, demonstrates why baseball is such a great game, one series doesn’t make the season, but every day another compelling story is revealed. I’m looking forward to reading your analysis as the weekend progresses.

Fans click below for a view of this weekend’s A’s – Giants series. [Read more →]

There are many reasons not to like interleague play. For one, it is grossly unfair. League standings are skewed because teams don’t play the same number of games against their opponents, but are judged on the number of games won at the end of the season.

The one saving grace of the concept is the rivalry matchups which do bring more enthusiasm to the game.

I like the Mets and Yankees playing one another, the Giants and A’s also.

These games matter in the standings and have determined division races. For instance last year the Giants barely lost out to Arizona in the West, losing four of six to the A’s didn’t help the Giants in late September.

This year the six games may have more of an impact on the final standings because both teams are locked in tight races for the playoffs.

So, what to look for this weekend?

Click below and let’s see. [Read more →]

The A’s are the type of team best described as “grinders”, that is they work very hard to win a game, not the spectacular way, but by putting themselves in a position to win numerous times during a game, and then finally executing properly, and chalking up the “W”.

Wednesday night against Texas was a good example. With Miguel Tejada, Eric Chavez, and Jermaine Dye all in a deep freeze at the plate, the A’s had to turn to some very tough at bats late in the game to pull out the victory.

They constantly worked the count in their favor, the relievers wiggled out of jams, and when the game was on the line, Scott Hatteberg came through with a bloop hit, also in a hitters count.

What preceded the hit was typical A’s baseball. Billy McMillon, terrific off the bench singled, Adam Melhuse looked horrible trying to get a bunt down, so Ken Macha let him hit away and wouldn’t you know it, double play, rally over.

Not so fast. Mark Ellis stroked a single, Eric Byrnes, who pitchers are starting to work hard on the inside part of the plate, walked. Hatteberg gets the hit, and the A’s win.

Oakland tied the game in the ninth in similar fashion with Hernandez singling, McMillon getting a key walk preceding Ellis’ sac bunt, then Hatteberg drove in the tying run with a sac fly.

No homers, no extra base hits, just a lot of heart pumping, tough at bats which resulted in a win.

That is how a “grinder” wins a game.

Click below for more. [Read more →]

I know the numbers don’t bear me out on this one, but I’ve watched Alex Rodriguez play in Oakland over the past eight years and countless times on television, and you know what, I’ll take Miguel Tejada on my team over A Rod as my shortstop.

Rodriguez plays with little passion. A quality I don’t like to see in any player, let alone the straw that stirs the drink on a team.

Ever since Roger Clemens blew Rodriguez away in the playoffs, he has been a timid player. He took the money and moved to Texas, leaving any heart he had behind in Seattle.

The A’s routinely handled Rodriguez last night in key situations. Maybe if Texas ever gets it together, Rodriguez will become interested in his game, but until then he goes through the motions and rarely does anything to beat a good team, one in pennant contention.

I’d rather have a maximum effort guy like Nomar or Tejada in my lineup. At least they play like they care and are clutch baseball players.

Click below for more on baseball.

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Marty, One should always welcome sage advise and, since you are among the wisest, I will wrestle with the questions you ask.

Fans I posed questions in Tuesday’s Daily Dish about what to look for in analyzing the strngth of your team as we get ready for the long summer months ahead.

Ed Stern answers my questions and tells you why or why not the Giants meet the test.
Click below for more! [Read more →]

The Minnesota Twins rallied from an eight run deficit to tie the game against Kansas City, only to lose the game in the bottom of the ninth inning 9-8.

The big news is not the comeback, but that the Twins were down by eight with their best pitcher Kyle Lohse starting the game.

All teams go through slumps, both pitching and hitting. Minnesota can afford this lull because both the Royals and White Sox are very flawed teams and are not likely to outplay the Minnesotans over the course of 162 games.

However, one must wonder how strong this Twins team will be in August if their bullpen is used every night for three to four innings. Tony Fiore used over 50 pitches in two innings last night as an example of what has happened to the relievers.

The Royals lose virtually everytime they see a lefty starter. Tonight, lefty Kenny Rogers will test that theory against Jeremy Affeldt, who has blister issues once again further clouding his season.

The Red Sox brought Ryan Rupe in the game in the sixth after Pedro Martinez ran out of gas in the fifth, leaving with a 2-1 lead over the White Sox.

Rupe got two outs, then the trouble started. He left a fastball up and over the plate to Joe Crede with two on, and the rest is history as they say.

Tonight the pitcher the Red Sox really want on their team, Bartolo Colon, goes against John Burkett.

With Colon being a free agent next season it is likely Chicago will trade him before the year is out. Boston is a very logical destination.

The only complicating factor is Minnesota’s poor play. Is that enough to keep the Sox in the race and force them to hold on to Colon for the season?

All of New England hopes not.

I think he moves on no matter what the Sox are doing on July 31st.

Click below for more baseball. [Read more →]