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Showing posts with label baseball. Show all posts
Showing posts with label baseball. Show all posts
Wednesday, 31 July 2013
Brewers' Ryan Braun - drugs cheat
Mixed emotions on Ryan Braun's drug suspension - obviously disappointed in someone that I admired - but delighted to see some action being taken by the sport. He got off 2 years ago (in his MVP season) on what was assumed to be a technicality - no doubt making the authorities more determined to catch him.
However the suspension is a bit of a joke - he'll miss the rest of the season - 65 games in a 162 game season. Brewers bottom of their division, already out of contention, no real impact.
Interesting reaction from the Brewers' owner - e-mail to all fans:
http://brewers.mlblogs.com/2013/07/30/a-letter-to-brewers-fans-from-chairman-and-principal-owner-mark-attanasio/
Even more interesting is that he's PAYING FANS TO TURN UP:
http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/brewersfansfirstvoucher.html
Desperate times......
Wednesday, 24 October 2012
Game On
Tonight is game 1 of the World Series and already proving to be one of the most fascinating post seasons in recent years. San Francisco came from 2-0 down to beat the hot favourite Cincinnati Reds in 5, then found themselves 3-1 down in a best of 7 against the reigning champions Cardinals before taking the series 4-3. That's 6 elimination games in a row they have won.
Tigers on the other hand took the Yankees 4-0 after making hard work of overcoming the A's (they were 2-0 up before winning 3-2). So, they're well rested and are starting game 1 with their top pitcher and some of the best hitters in baseball in Cabera and Fielder.
Giants on the other hand, are taking a necessary gamble on an inconsistent Zito on the mound and very erratic scoring. Should be a fascinating matchup, everything points to a Tigers win, but Giants just don't know when they are beaten.
Wednesday, 12 May 2010
Perfect game ni-ni-ni 19, ni-19, 19
Dallas Braden threw the 19th perfect game in major league history on Sunday 9th May at Oakland Coliseum, with the A's beating the hottest team in baseball, Tampa Bay.
Story MLB.com
Tuesday, 27 October 2009
Yankees look unstoppable
Andy Pettitte
The Yankees won the last of their 26 World series with a trepeat victory in 2000 under Joe Torre. Yankees owner, George Steinbrenner, let Tore go in 2007, going stingy on the contract package, disgraceful but typical Steinbrenner behaviour, dissing Torre's 4 world series, 10 division titles and .606 winning percentage with the Yankees over 12 seasons. Torre now manages the Dodgers and took them to this year's National league championship where they were beaten 4-1 by the current Champions, the Philadelphia Phillies, denying him a match up with the Yankees at the big show. Since the Yankees last won there have been 7 different world series winners, including incredibly both sox and the Florida Marlins.
The Yankees pitching won them the American league Championship series over the LA Angels, with A-Rod steeping up as well, batting .438 with five homers and 12 RBIs, to win his first trip to the big show. Andy Pettitte pitched into the 7th inning to clinch the league and now has the most postseason wins in the history of Major League Baseball with his 16-9 record - during the period from 1995–2009, no major league pitcher has accumulated more victories. Closer, Mariano Rivera, added to his legendary status with two saves in the series, increasing his postseason-record to 37 overall. Starting pitcher CC Sabathia, who won the Cy Young with Cleveland Indians in 2007, won the MVP with two victories. Sabathia, who has a career batting average of .300, wants to hit against former teammate, 2008 Cy Young winner Cliff Lee, in the world series.
The Yankees, who won 103 games this season (.636), have home advantage for the world series which begins on Wednesday, Oct 28. Looking through the lineup, they may just have the best team off all-time.
Sunday, 18 October 2009
October means one thing
Baseball playoffs.
I was hooked when I saw Cecil Fielder (Big. Very big. Positively Fat. Past it. But still well able to hit the ball) hit a home run for the Yankees in the '96 playoffs on the way to taking the World Series under Joe Torre. Now Torre is managing the LA Dogers in the National League Conference finals against the current champions, Philadelphia Phillies.
More so than any team sport, this is a series of man to man confrontations where there is nowhere to hide. This is when true winners stand up and are counted and average players with good regular season stats are found out.
Yankees game 2 against LA Angels started at 1am last night in a cold, wet and windy Yankee Stadium. Great pitching duel was tied 2-2 after 9 innings to send the game into extra innings. Angels get a run in the top of the 11th - then Alex Rodriguez hits the tying run on a 0-2 count in the bottom of the 11th. No scores in the 12th, Angels fail to score in top of 13th.
Bottom of the 13th, Yankees 1 out with runners on 1st and 2nd. Easy hit to the second baseman Izturis should ensure that the both runners advance and batter will be out. However, in a moment of madness, he throws wildly to second base in hope of getting two outs - flies over the shortstop at second and Yankess bring one home. Cue massive celebrations after a marathon 5 hour 10 minute game.
Just one of the fantastic finishes we have seen in the American and National League Championships. Unpredictable, nerve-racking with key games decided both on moments of genius and schoolboy errors. Only pity is the timing of the games - I just tell myself that I'm practicing for the imminent arrival of the baby!
I was hooked when I saw Cecil Fielder (Big. Very big. Positively Fat. Past it. But still well able to hit the ball) hit a home run for the Yankees in the '96 playoffs on the way to taking the World Series under Joe Torre. Now Torre is managing the LA Dogers in the National League Conference finals against the current champions, Philadelphia Phillies.
More so than any team sport, this is a series of man to man confrontations where there is nowhere to hide. This is when true winners stand up and are counted and average players with good regular season stats are found out.
Yankees game 2 against LA Angels started at 1am last night in a cold, wet and windy Yankee Stadium. Great pitching duel was tied 2-2 after 9 innings to send the game into extra innings. Angels get a run in the top of the 11th - then Alex Rodriguez hits the tying run on a 0-2 count in the bottom of the 11th. No scores in the 12th, Angels fail to score in top of 13th.
Bottom of the 13th, Yankees 1 out with runners on 1st and 2nd. Easy hit to the second baseman Izturis should ensure that the both runners advance and batter will be out. However, in a moment of madness, he throws wildly to second base in hope of getting two outs - flies over the shortstop at second and Yankess bring one home. Cue massive celebrations after a marathon 5 hour 10 minute game.
Just one of the fantastic finishes we have seen in the American and National League Championships. Unpredictable, nerve-racking with key games decided both on moments of genius and schoolboy errors. Only pity is the timing of the games - I just tell myself that I'm practicing for the imminent arrival of the baby!
Wednesday, 29 July 2009
Perfect game
A perfect game is when a pitcher allows no player to reach base, so they can't can't allow any hits, walks, or hit batsmen. So, by definition, a perfect game must be both a no-hitter and a shutout. 27 up, 27 down.
The feat has been achieved only 18 times in the history of major league baseball, 7 of which have happened in the 20 years I've been following the beautiful game.
On July 23, 2009, Chicago White Sox leftie pitcher Mark Buehrle pitched the 18th perfect game in major league history (his 2nd no-hitter). Amazingly it was the very first game he had worked with the catcher. He was assisted by a wall-climbing catch to record the first out in the 9th inning and rob a home run which would have ruined the perfect game.
On July 28, Buehrle followed up with another 5 2/3 innings of perfection to set the major league record for consecutive batters retired at 45.
The feat has been achieved only 18 times in the history of major league baseball, 7 of which have happened in the 20 years I've been following the beautiful game.
On July 23, 2009, Chicago White Sox leftie pitcher Mark Buehrle pitched the 18th perfect game in major league history (his 2nd no-hitter). Amazingly it was the very first game he had worked with the catcher. He was assisted by a wall-climbing catch to record the first out in the 9th inning and rob a home run which would have ruined the perfect game.
On July 28, Buehrle followed up with another 5 2/3 innings of perfection to set the major league record for consecutive batters retired at 45.
Thursday, 18 October 2007
Rockies october classic
21 of 22 - what an incredible run, clinching the wild card spot by one game, it beats the run of the Broncos in Elway's 97/98 went they went 18-1. Now before the Rockies clinched their first pennant in their 15th season with their 7th consecutive playoff win, 21st in LoDo was named Rockies Road.
When I was going to see the Rockies when Coors field opened, it was the Blake Street bombers - Andres Galarraga (the cat), Larry Walker, Vinny Castilla and Dante Bichete, the later nearly winning a triple crown in 95. Now, in a so called hitters ballpark, Coors Canaveral even, the Rockies have a team ERA of 1.77, that's one of the lowest in MLB history for a postseason. In reality since the introduction 5 years ago of a humidor for baseball storage, it's relatively average in terms of long ball hitting. Even before that though, pitchers could do well - I was there when the LA dodgers visited on 17 Sep 1996 and Hideo Nomeo threw a no-hitter. We were all on our feet for that, back then you could buy a ticket on the day for a $1 to get into the Rockpile (centre field bleachers).
Todd Helton is the only survivor from when I last saw the Rockies in 98. After blowing big wads of cash on 2 pitchers who got injured in the early naughties the Rockies started building from within, and now the majority of the roster are homegrown, In game 4 against the diamondbacks they were 1-0 down when Seth Smith, a 1 month major league veteran, stepped up for a pinch hit and doubled a fastball for 2 runs. But it's been pitching & defence that has brought the pennant, Willy Taveras diving full length catch in the NCLS games 2 was a prime example.
I fancy the red sox nation to take the indians to 7 sunday night but regardless on who goes to the series they will be meeting one of the hottest teams in baseball postseason history, who hopefully will not have gone cold with the eight day layoff. After the Broncos and the Avalanche it could be a 3rd major sports championship for Denver in 10 years. What other cities have managed that?
When I was going to see the Rockies when Coors field opened, it was the Blake Street bombers - Andres Galarraga (the cat), Larry Walker, Vinny Castilla and Dante Bichete, the later nearly winning a triple crown in 95. Now, in a so called hitters ballpark, Coors Canaveral even, the Rockies have a team ERA of 1.77, that's one of the lowest in MLB history for a postseason. In reality since the introduction 5 years ago of a humidor for baseball storage, it's relatively average in terms of long ball hitting. Even before that though, pitchers could do well - I was there when the LA dodgers visited on 17 Sep 1996 and Hideo Nomeo threw a no-hitter. We were all on our feet for that, back then you could buy a ticket on the day for a $1 to get into the Rockpile (centre field bleachers).
Todd Helton is the only survivor from when I last saw the Rockies in 98. After blowing big wads of cash on 2 pitchers who got injured in the early naughties the Rockies started building from within, and now the majority of the roster are homegrown, In game 4 against the diamondbacks they were 1-0 down when Seth Smith, a 1 month major league veteran, stepped up for a pinch hit and doubled a fastball for 2 runs. But it's been pitching & defence that has brought the pennant, Willy Taveras diving full length catch in the NCLS games 2 was a prime example.
I fancy the red sox nation to take the indians to 7 sunday night but regardless on who goes to the series they will be meeting one of the hottest teams in baseball postseason history, who hopefully will not have gone cold with the eight day layoff. After the Broncos and the Avalanche it could be a 3rd major sports championship for Denver in 10 years. What other cities have managed that?
Tuesday, 16 October 2007
What about them Rockies!
I was just going to start writing baseball before I got side tracked by
George Monbiot's excellent investigative journalism on Gary Player
building golf course in Burma. And then I get a text from Blaker, just
now, how about them Rockies! The cat's out of the bag!
This October has been a project of some weeks. Moving into a house in
Andover which had channel 5 but not digitally, meaning I could not record
on the PVR and therefore not watch in it's entirety (can't do
3/4 am's with this job). A fiend told me about joost - where you can
actually watch al the playoffs games live and highlights over the web -
it's awesome, an easy download and works great. But I fancied the bigger screen.
The land ladies big tv is an 80s model and it took a post on the uk.tech.digital-tv newsgroup to find somewhere I could buy an adaptor to convert from it's 7pin din to scart so I could connect the PVR. Then I had to talk our 60 year old land lady into splashing out 200 quid (she's getting enough short term lease money from us in fairness) to upgrade her aerial to digital. This happened last Friday - 3 weeks before we are out of the house!
So it was with much satisfaction and anticipation I finally sat down at 11
last night with a port and ice to watch baseball - Channel 5's Sunday night
show recorded. Got a good summary of what's been going on so far - wow,
another early exit for the Yankees, Hall of famer to be, Joe Torre, is in
trouble with Steinbrenner's sons taking over.
And then it was game 3 of the Rockies! Crazy stuff. 12 years ago I scalped
into the Rockies only 2 previous playoff games (before this season) in
Coors field with Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux pitching. Now here they were
with a home grown team - the only players I know are Helton & Matsui.
Watched the first 3 innings fully focused but then had to do other stuff
like booking ferry...a wee bit busy getting the loose ends tied up...but
before I crashed it was still 1-1 in the 5th. I'll still watch more
tonight even though the result is now known! Thanks Gav :-) I fancied the
Rockies anyway, 2 up coming back to Coors, no way for the diamondbacks.
My favourite time of the year!!
George Monbiot's excellent investigative journalism on Gary Player
building golf course in Burma. And then I get a text from Blaker, just
now, how about them Rockies! The cat's out of the bag!
This October has been a project of some weeks. Moving into a house in
Andover which had channel 5 but not digitally, meaning I could not record
on the PVR and therefore not watch in it's entirety (can't do
3/4 am's with this job). A fiend told me about joost - where you can
actually watch al the playoffs games live and highlights over the web -
it's awesome, an easy download and works great. But I fancied the bigger screen.
The land ladies big tv is an 80s model and it took a post on the uk.tech.digital-tv newsgroup to find somewhere I could buy an adaptor to convert from it's 7pin din to scart so I could connect the PVR. Then I had to talk our 60 year old land lady into splashing out 200 quid (she's getting enough short term lease money from us in fairness) to upgrade her aerial to digital. This happened last Friday - 3 weeks before we are out of the house!
So it was with much satisfaction and anticipation I finally sat down at 11
last night with a port and ice to watch baseball - Channel 5's Sunday night
show recorded. Got a good summary of what's been going on so far - wow,
another early exit for the Yankees, Hall of famer to be, Joe Torre, is in
trouble with Steinbrenner's sons taking over.
And then it was game 3 of the Rockies! Crazy stuff. 12 years ago I scalped
into the Rockies only 2 previous playoff games (before this season) in
Coors field with Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux pitching. Now here they were
with a home grown team - the only players I know are Helton & Matsui.
Watched the first 3 innings fully focused but then had to do other stuff
like booking ferry...a wee bit busy getting the loose ends tied up...but
before I crashed it was still 1-1 in the 5th. I'll still watch more
tonight even though the result is now known! Thanks Gav :-) I fancied the
Rockies anyway, 2 up coming back to Coors, no way for the diamondbacks.
My favourite time of the year!!