Three teams relying on their pitching got a boost Tuesday night from their starting pitchers.

Mark Mulder beat the Orioles on the road.

Miguel Batista and Jason Schmidt hooked up in an old fashioned National League pitching duel for nine innnigs.

It’s been a long time since I saw Mulder pitch a good game, I’m not as excited about his performance last night as everyone else seems to be.

Batista and Schmidt seem to be the real deal right now.

I’ll tell you why I’m still concerned about Mulder. [Read more →]

No one in baseball journalism has a better handle on the National Pastime than Paul White, editor of USA Today’s Baseball Weekly. Paul White will discuss his views on the pennant races and more Wednesday at 2:50 PM Pacific on Right Off The Bat, heard right here on LOTGP.com, The A’s web site, or 610 KFRC AM in Northern California. [Read more →]

Memorial Day has a special significance to the baseball season. It’s the first big holiday weekend. The weather back East is getting warmer, the pennant races are starting to take shape, and the baseball is getting more consistent.

America used to celebrate the holiday with doubleheaders throughout the majors.

Now, teams travel on Monday and aren’t even scheduled to play. Doubleheaders are a thing of the past.

Let’s check some baseball history for a little perspective on Memorial Day and the excitement it used to provide to the baseball fan.

Forty years ago today, the races were heating up.

Memorial Day in 1962 saw the return of the Dodgers to New York to face the expansion Mets for the first time since “The Bums” abandoned Brooklyn for the West Coast in 1958.

Over 55,000 fans saw the Dodgers sweep the Mets that day, despite the Mets pulling off a triple play in the second game.

Can you really tell anything about the eventual outcome of the pennant chase on May 30th (the day Memorial Day was traditionally observed before the creation of the three day weekend)?

Let’s look at the American League standings after the 1962 Memorial Day twin bills and see what happened during the games on May, 30th, 1962.

It’s interesting. [Read more →]

Lefthanded relievers are worth their weight in gold to a major league manager. The Orioles Buddy Groom is one of the best. Groom is Marty’s guest on Right Off The Bat Tuesday beginning at 2:50 PM Pacific right here on LOTGP.com, the A’s web site, or KFRC 610 AM in Northern California. [Read more →]

Charlie Maxwell played for Detroit in the 50’s. He was from Paw Paw, Michigan and he could hit homers for the Tigers.

He hit most of his homers on Sunday. He is the most famous Sunday hitter in major league history. I used to listen to his games on the radio when he played against the White Sox on Sunday.

See, I only got Sox games on the radio, when I lived in Miami in the late 50’s. Charlie was a legend with his Sunday power. I think that’s where I got hooked on the magic of Sunday baseball.

Today it’s Randy Johnson, Kevin Brown, Greg Maddux, Javier Vasquez, Barry Zito, Mike Mussina, Eric Milton, and Kevin Appier to name a few, the list is impressive.

They all pitch in key games for their teams this Sunday.

Why does it seem that more rides on Sunday games than any other games during the week.

Baseball fans exhale on Sunday, sit back, and can’t wait to figure out what the day’s results mean to their favorite team.

Sunday was Charlie Maxwell’s day. I’ll never forget him.

[Read more →]

Tampa Bay’s excellent second year lefthander Joe Kennedy opposes Barry Zito in the series finale Sunday. Kennedy is Marty’s guest on Right Off The Bat beginning at 11:50 AM Pacific right here on LOTGP.com, the A’s web site, or KFRC 610 AM in Northern California. [Read more →]

Even though it would take a lot of nerve to do it, the Reds should trade Ken Griffey, Jr. to the Athletics.

I know you will say, it can’t be done. Griffey is a hometown hero who is playing in front of his boyhood friends and family.

In addition, the Reds move into a new park next year. Junior is the center piece of the franchise.

You argue, the Reds need him, they are in contention this year.

Here’s why it could and should happen.
[Read more →]

The Rocket in Fenway Park pitching for the Yankees. It still doesn’t seem right.

Pedro Martinez got the Sox off to a great start with his 3-1 victory Thursday night against the Bronx Bombers.

Maybe Pedro is exorcising the Curse of the Bambino by challenging to drill The Babe in the butt if he faced him in a game.

Can Clemens get victory number 288 tonight?

Are the Yankees going to need more pitching help with David Wells and El Duque nursing back injuries?

Let’s see?

[Read more →]

GIANTS WILL HAVE A TOUGH TIME REPLACING THEIR POWERFUL #2 HITTER IN THEIR LINEUP.

RICH AURILIA: HE WILL BE MISSED

By Amaury Pi-González

[Read more →]

Jeremy Giambi scored 173 runs in his big league career including one in the playoffs. If he would have scored one more run in last year’s ALDS, he probably still would be an Oakland A today.

By not sliding in that rendezvous with fate in game three of the series against New York, Giambi sealed his eventual departure from the A’s.

It was just a matter of time.

Considering all the circumstances, was it a good deal, Jeremy Giambi for John Mabry? [Read more →]