The Cubs are now back on my radar screen after Mark Prior and Kerry Wood won back to back games against the San Diego Padres. With 50 games to go for Chicago, they trail Houston by 2 1/2.

Pitching with a solid four man group of Wood. Prior, Matt Clement, Carlos Zambrano, and even an occasional acceptable start from Juan Cruz or Shawn Estes, gives the Cubs a real shot of making it through August still in contention.

Funny, but in 1969, the Mets did exactly that to the Cubs, trailing the Cubs by 8 in August, the Mets rotation of Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, Gary Gentry, Don Cardwell, and Jim McAndrew finally clicked at the same time, and the Mets won the division by 8 games, picking up 16 games on Chicago in two months.

Joe Borowski is still closing for the Cubs, but lately he has gotten some help from Kyle Farnsworth, Dave Veres, and Antonio Alfonseca.

Cubs-Red Sox, it’s not impossible.

Bizland has had trouble with its server, so the Dish is abbreviated today. Let’s hope for better computer luck tomorrow. [Read more →]

Jeff Nelson said it, the Mariners obviously listened. The veteran reliever was publically upset with “Stand Pat” Gillick when the Seattle GM didn’t make any deals at the trading deadline last Thursday.

Gillick took care of that on Wednesday when he dealt Nelson to the Yankees for reliever Armando Benitez.

It was obvious that the Yankees had no confidence in Benitez, not using him during the weekend series in Oakland, instead choosing to over work closer Mariano Rivera.

So, tell me what you think of the deal, will it help Seattle down the stretch, will it take the heat off the Seattle bullpen, will the Yankees be stronger in the eighth inning, will they bring Mike Stanton back next as the lefty set up man?

I’m interested in your thoughts. Never a dull moment in baseball.

More tomorrow on the over worked White Sox bull pen as they get Thursday off, in prepartion for the A’s this weekend. [Read more →]

They don’t have much pitching, they don’t have a lot of power, but the KC Royals do hit the ball all over the ball park.

Sound Familiar? Ever hear of the 2002 Anaheim Angels?

The Royals are holding their own in the AL
Central. Starting August 11th, they play the Yankees, Twins, Rangers, and Angels exclusively for one month.

Without much starting pitching, I don’t consider an oft injured Runelvys Hernandez, Kyle Snyder, blister plagued Jeremy Affeldt, Kris Wilson, banged up Jose Lima, minor league graduate Darrell May, or rookie Jimmy Gobble a pennant winning group, the Royals should get their lunch in August.

But they have two things going for them. One, they simply have destroyed the competition head to head in the central, and two, they do have an uncanny way of scoring runs just when you think they are out of the game and the pitchers I listed above somehow keep them in the game.

Seemingly down and out last night they put up a seven spot in the sixth inning against the White Sox bull pen and voila, a neat 13-9 win to extend their lead to three games.

Who knows how it will all turn out, these are the stories that make baseball the game it is.

Click below for more! [Read more →]

August brings the dog days of baseball, it effects not only the players, but everyone connected to the game. I’m tired too.

One of the two days off the A’s will enjoy in August, comes on Monday, it is well appreciated by all.

The A’s and the Yankees finished one of the best series of the year Sunday with the A’s pulling out a 2-1 win on Miguel Tejada’s double to win the game in the ninth off of Mariano Rivera.

Click below for more thoughts on the weeknd. [Read more →]

The Yankees can hit mediocre pitching. Barry Zito on Saturday was a mediocre pitcher. Ken Macha has got to recognize when Zito doesn’t have it and get him out of the game. Of course, the move is not made if the prospective reliever is not perceived to be able to do a better job than the pitcher removed from the game. I guess that is what Macha thought when he looked down the left field line and saw John Halama warming up.

What is up with Zito? As I said earlier when this tailspin started, he can’t locate his pitches and he doesn’t have the fastball to get by when his curve is on vacation either playing the guitar or on the David Letterman Show.

Today, classic lefty battle between two pitchers who will be looked upon as the two best lefties of their eras in the AL, when their careers are judged in 20 years: Mark Mulder versus Andy Pettitte.

Click below for more [Read more →]

The Athletics pitchers have the Yankees number. The A’s have beaten the Yankees five of seven times this season, and the Yankees have yet to bust loose against Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder, or Barry Zito.

Last night, Hudson threw seven excellent innings, continuing the A’s starters streak of contributing outstanding pitching to this team.

The game turned on the arm of Yankee set up man Armando Benitez. His two out walk to Scott Hatteberg following a clutch single by unheralded Mark Ellis, allowed Miguel Tejada to reach the plate in the eighth inning. Benitez broke Tejada’s bat, unfortunately the A’s shortstop hit a tricky grounder to Alfonso Soriano who did everything but treat the ball like a hand grenade, kicking the ball for an error while Ellis scooted home from second base with the tying run.

With the score now tied at 2-2 the A’s turned the ball over to closer Keith Foulke who shut the Yankees down, matching Mariano Rivera pitch for pitch.

Tenth inning, enter Antonio Osuna for NY, who we affectionately call “The soona they bring him in, the soona we go home”. Two outs, Tejada has a beautiful at bat culminated by a home run to win the game 3-2.

Just another A’s Yankee game in Oakland.

Click below for more [Read more →]

With the trading deadline old news it is time to get back to the games on the field.

The Giants picked up a pitcher with an excellent arm. Sidney Ponson, knighted in his native Arruba, can throw the ball. His career took a large step forward this season with the Orioles. The scouts told me that along with Kelvim Escobar, he was the premier free agent pitcher to be out in the market.

The Yankees come to Oakland tonight with a new third baseman Aaron Boone. The last time New York was in town the A’s pitching staff continued to do what they have done to NY in the past, that is reduce the Yankees scoring opportunities to one or two per game.

In baseball, good teams have four or sometimes five real chances to score during a game. The A’s give you two, sometimes three and that is it.

New York will have to show me that they can hit the ball with authority against Tim Hudson, Barry Zito, and Mark Mulder before I believe that they are the powerhouse team of the late 90’s.

Jason Giambi is hittng a solid .265, but .265 isn’t .330. Hideki Matsui was a Punch and Judy hitter last time through. The A’s shut Alfonso Soriano down, Derek Jeter was out, and Bernie Williams was hurting when NY was in Oakland last. Now Boone is here and Todd Zeile is on his way out, that is an upgrade.

Mike Mussina gives the A’s trouble, for that matter every pitcher in the game is giving the A’s fits.

That my friends will be the story of the game. Hudson will throw a beauty and the A’s will claw to get him enough to grab the lead, and then hope Keith Foulke doesn’t spit the bit as the real pennant race kicks in tonight, August first.

Click below for more!

[Read more →]

Today is one of the more interesting days of the baseball season. Today is the day that the poker players have to reveal their hands. Today is the day that Toronto, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and Los Angeles will share their pitching wealth with the rest of the league. Today is the trade deadline, after today you will need to pass a player by your opponents before moving him to another club and that won’t be easy.

So, the White Sox will be buyers, the Braves will add somebody, and the Yankees won’t be able to resist adding another reliever. The A’s should add a reliever and another outfielder if they can find a willing partner.

It will be interesting watching the sports news this morning.

Jason Schmidt allayed the Giants fears Wednesday with a gem in Wrigley Field. Schmidt is my leader in the clubhouse for the NL’s Cy Young Award this season. He should finish around 18-6, and even if Russ Ortiz wins 20, Schmidt is the best pitcher in the league.

The A’s will add Jose Guillen to their lineup in time for this afternoon’s game against Jake Westbrook and the Indians. Too bad for Westbrook. Guillen should hit third, Durazo fourth, Tejada fifth, and Chavez sixth. Guillen hardly walks, swings like he means it and is hitting .337 this season. His enthusiasm at the plate will undoubtedly rub off on the other three who have been looking for someone to take the heat since day one of this season.

Click below for more! [Read more →]

The Diamondbacks picked up Raul Mondesi hoping that the former big time slugger can recapture his finer big league moments in the Arizona heat.

Mondesi has not been a high average hitter, either in his last years with Tornoto or in New York. The Yankees gave him every opportunity to play, but he never quite lived up to their expectations.

He’s not Richie Sexson and that is who the Diamondbacks need.

Meanwhile today you will see two of the premier matchups in the NL this season. Dontrelle Willis pitches against Randy Johnson in Miami (perhaps more than 10,000 will show up), and Jason Schmidt goes against Kerry Wood in Chicago.

I told Ken Macha back in November when we talked over an iced tea in Oakland that as long as he could write the names Mulder, Hudson, and Zito on his lineup card he would have no trouble this season.

I didn’t realize how prophetic those words would be. The big three are carrying this ball club along with Keith Foulke.

The rotation is set up for the weekend against NY (the A’s pitchers handle the Yankees), Ted Lilly, another lefty today against the Indians, plus Rich Harden on Thursday should make for some happy times around the Coliseum until the A’s head back on the road next week.

How about Bill Mueller? How about Marcus Giles?

Who says the pitchers aren’t getting tired? Mueller, three homers with two grand slams against the Rangers, Giles with nine straight hits going into today’s contest with the Astros.

Click below and let’s talk trades.

[Read more →]

The battle for the AL Central takes place in Kansas City tonight. The White Sox throw Mark Buehrle against the Royals Darrell May.

Both teams have hit lefthanders very well lately, both will employ lefties in this game.

Buehrle has been a big part of the Chicago resurgence. May has been a godsend to this team. He has pitched a team high 121 innings and generally gives a superior effort every time out. KC bolstered its bull pen last night by picking up lefty Graeme Lloyd from the Mets. I have always liked Lloyd and he will definitely help the Royals.

KC started the season by sweeping the Sox , May didn’t make his first start of the year until April 13th, the Royals were well on their opening season roll by then and he stepped right into the rotation which at that time included Miguel Asencio (whatever happened to his minor elbow problem).

The Sox trail the Royals by 4 and have Esteban Loiaza ready to go in this series too.

The A’s got great pitching from Barry Zito but little else losing to Anaheim 2-1. The good news is that they have only 28 road games to go as opposed to 29 home games where they are vastly superior.

By the way, Chad Bradford is known around the club as a terrible fielder, he often gets in the way, he got in the way last night trying to catch a ball that Mark Ellis would have easily gotten to, Bradford deflected the ball, the Angels scored and that’s all she wrote.

Good last at bat by Erubiel Durazo who took Troy Percival’s 97 MPH heater deep to right center for a homer in the ninth.

The A’s face Brian Anderson tonight who unbelievably took a no hitter into the seventh inning against them his last time facing Oakland in Cleveland on May 18th before the A’s rallied to win 8-5.

Click below for more!

[Read more →]