The Weekly MLB Rundown 08.15.08: Multitasking!
Posted by A.J. Stevens on 08.15.2008
Welcome to the Rundown, where I once again take a column idea and try to split it into nine coherent parts. Step inside and join us!
LEADING OFF
One reader's comment.
Reader f writes in: Plus Chad Bradford has that crazy pitching motion.
Yep -- knuckles-hitting-the-dirt crazy. So far, he's doing good for the Rays: 1 G, 2 IP, 2 BB (1 IBB), 3 H, 1 W. Incidentally, the game that he's appeared in (at press time) marked an interesting occurrence: Willie Bloomquist grounded into a fielder's choice in the bottom of the 10th inning, and was injured on the play. Since he was playing RF, the M's sent DH Ichiro out to field the position for the 11th inning. This caused the Mariners to lose the DH for the remainder of the game, which would have caused some interesting scenarios (for an AL team, anyway) should the game have gone past the 11th inning.
BATTING SECOND
Crawford, Longoria hit the DL.
And speaking of the Rays: LF Carl Crawford had (more-or-less) season-ending surgery on a torn tendon in his right middle finger. While doctors say he could be out six to eight weeks, the fact of the matter is there's only six to eight weeks left in the regular season. While the Rays are poised to make the postseason, losing the very productive Crawford (.319 OBP, 25 SB, 69 R) for any amount of time is going to hurt their chances. Sportsclubstats.com lists the Rays' playoff chances at a cool 93.8% today. Changes to that percentage are largely affected by the Rays' ability to win or lose games (as opposed to, say, the Red Sox or Yankees winning/losing). In other words: the Rays have their destiny in their own hands.
And as if that wasn't enough, 3B Evan Longoria is on the DL with a fractured right wrist, and is expected back in 3 weeks or so. OK, look. I understand that he's a professional athlete and all, but 3 weeks back from a break seems pretty optimistic, don't you think?
Let me share a personal story: when I was 11, I was involved in a horrific swingset accident that involved me breaking both of my wrists. I was in casts for four weeks, then in support braces off and on for another couple of weeks after that, and I could not participate in gym class for a month after I got the casts off. Three weeks seems short, especially to this writer.
UP THIRD
Gary Sheffield runs his mouth...again.
This is a non-story. Please, somebody, get this man off my baseball field and out of my sports page. Gary, you are no longer relevant. The Yankees knew this, the Tigers now know this, and every fan in America is starting to realize it. Please retire and go away.
HITTING CLEANUP
Adam Dunn to Diamondbacks.
.250/.400/.375 (3 K). Two games' worth of Adam Dunn so far, but the Diamondbacks finally, finally got themselves a left-handed power bat in the lineup. I know I've been after them for a couple of weeks now, and finally they've made a move. Let's see if they can be catalyzed (is that a word?) to the top of the division -- they're currently (3:00 PM EDT Thursday) tied for first with the Dodgers.
IN THE FIVE-SLOT
Five divisions, five races.
And now, a quick morsel to get you caught up (all standings current as of 3 PM EDT Thursday... hooray for deadlines!). Playoff Chances (PC) courtesy sportsclubstats.com, as usual.
AL East: Tampa Bay (0 GB, 93.8% PC), Boston (3 GB, 76.7% PC), Yankees (9 GB, 8.9% PC)
AL Central: White Sox (0 GB, 60.9% PC), Minnesota (.5 GB, 53.8% PC), Detroit (9.5 GB, 0.6% PC)
First off, Atlanta is only on the list out of fairness to them: they're 9 games back and have a slim-to-none chance of winning anything this year, but they're as far back as the Yankees and Tigers, who are included by virtue of being in third place in their respective divisions.
Next week, we'll start talking more about the Wild Card races
BATTING SIXTH
Six bullpen arms at Shea fail to get the job done.
Actually, it's closer to sixteen, according to the Mets' pitching stats page, but that number includes Pedro Martinez in this list, as someone who has not pitched enough innings to qualify for the ERA title. Not that anyone on the Mets with a name other than "Johan Santana" would qualify for this title: Out of the sixteen pitchers on the list, there are two pitchers with ERAs lower than 3.50: Scott Schoeneweis (3.09) and Billy Wagner (2.30). And Billy's blown 7 saves this season. I'm not really sure what the Mets are going to do to upgrade their bullpen in the next couple of weeks. Manager Jerry Manuel has half-jokingly suggested that he would have the relievers pitch the first three innings and then send the starter in to pitch the 4th-9th innings. Ladies and gentlemen, your 2008 New York Mets.
UP SEVENTH
CC Sabathia to 7-0 for the Brewers
His last start against San Diego wasn't the best one since coming to Milwaukee, but CC Sabathia is still doing what he was hired to do: keep his team in the playoff hunt. With the all-but-concession of the division title and wild card spots by the St. Louis Cardinals, at the very least, the Brewers are going to win the Wild Card this year. Sabathia is a big part of that.
IN THE EIGHT-HOLE
Rangers, Red Sox trade lead in record-setting game.
You want to know the best part of this game? Kevin Youkilis striking out twice in the first inning. Sure, the Sawx put up a 10-spot in the first inning, including two 3-run bombs by Big Papi. The Rangers came back to lead 16-14 at one point. 17 runs is the most runs allowed by the Sox in a win, and the most runs scored by the Rangers in a loss. Josh Hamilton didn't hit a home run, amazingly enough. Rookie callup Charlie Zink let 1/3 of the batters he faced touch home plate. If you faced David Aardsma, you either scored or got out (Hint: he only pitched 1/3 of an inning and gave up 4 runs). All sorts of interesting stuff.
But Youk made the majority of outs - personally - in the 1st inning. All is right with the world.
BATTING NINTH
Or, the pitcher.
Hey, pitchers! Want to improve your ERA? Come on down to Washington, D.C. where the Nationals have been shut out three times in the past week! After defeating the Colorado Rockies twice in the same day by identical scores of 6-3, the Nationals have lost 5-0, 6-0, 5-4, 7-1, 4-3, and 12-0.
The Nats' lineup is more offensive than offense-minded; they don't have a regular player hitting over .300, and their team leader in home runs has hit exactly 12. The Nationals surprised everyone in their inaugural season by contending for the majority of the season, however, they have returned to the cellar where everyone has expected them to dwell. Hopefully they are using these second-division finishes to stockpile draft picks for the future (like the Rays, not like the Pirates).
CLOSING IT OUT
That's it for this week. I got some good news last week -- I'll be able to attend a baseball game this season, right around my birthday. September 12 will find me in Phoenix, sitting in the stands at Chase Field, watching the Snakes pound the living daylights out of the Reds... I hope. Consider this a warning that in a few weeks, there will be a lot more Diamondbacks love in this column than usual.
If you've got some questions, comments, or just want to talk some baseball, by all means leave me a comment below or drop me a line at 411baseball@gmail.com. -AJS
I remember watching Sheffield in an interview about a year after he left the Yanks. He claimed Torre is a racist.
I never liked him, but after the ridiculous tirade that included comments about Jeter and Bernie not counting because they aren't really black and that Posada doesn't count because he's Hispanic....I truly hated Sheffield. The man is only relevant in his own mind.
Posted By: Remy (Guest) on August 17, 2008 at 07:31 PM
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