Stephen Strasburg gets his last opportunity to prove he’s worthy of being an All Star.
The All-Star rosters will be announced Sunday, but a couple of NL starters will be on the mound today hoping to impress. In Colorado, Rockies ace Ubaldo Jimenez, the front-runner to start for the NL, can cement his status as he goes for win No. 15 against the Giants. In his only start against San Francisco this season, Jimenez threw a complete-game shutout. Meanwhile, Nationals rookie Stephen Strasburg will have one more chance to impress NL All-Star manager Charlie Manuel when he faces the Mets. Strasburg finally appeared human in his recent outing, allowing three earned runs on six hits and two walks in a loss in Atlanta.
Hittable Hanson
After a dominant rookie campaign in 2009, Braves righthander Tommy Hanson has hit the second rough patch of his sophomore season. In his past two outings (at White Sox, vs. Tigers), Hanson has failed to pitch four innings and has posted a 17.19 ERA. On May 20, Hanson was pounded for eight earned runs in 1 2/3 innings but responded by going 4-0 with a 2.03 ERA in his next five outings (prior to his current struggles). The first-place Braves hope Hanson can regroup and begin another impressive run when he faces the Marlins at Turner Field this afternoon.
Road Reds
Cincinnati’s season-long 11-game road trip—it won’t play at Great American Ball Park again until July 16—will continue this afternoon at Wrigley Field. The NL Central-leading Reds will turn to righthander Johnny Cueto, who has allowed one earned run in his past two starts (15 innings). However, for the second time this season, Cueto failed to record a strikeout in his most recent outing. This series is a homecoming for Reds skipper Dusty Baker, who managed the Cubs from 2003-06 and took the team to the NLCS in ’03.
Stephen Strasburg gets his last opportunity to prove he’s worthy of being an All Star.
The All-Star rosters will be announced Sunday, but a couple of NL starters will be on the mound today hoping to impress. In Colorado, Rockies ace Ubaldo Jimenez, the front-runner to start for the NL, can cement his status as he goes for win No. 15 against the Giants. In his only start against San Francisco this season, Jimenez threw a complete-game shutout. Meanwhile, Nationals rookie Stephen Strasburg will have one more chance to impress NL All-Star manager Charlie Manuel when he faces the Mets. Strasburg finally appeared human in his recent outing, allowing three earned runs on six hits and two walks in a loss in Atlanta.
Hittable Hanson
After a dominant rookie campaign in 2009, Braves righthander Tommy Hanson has hit the second rough patch of his sophomore season. In his past two outings (at White Sox, vs. Tigers), Hanson has failed to pitch four innings and has posted a 17.19 ERA. On May 20, Hanson was pounded for eight earned runs in 1 2/3 innings but responded by going 4-0 with a 2.03 ERA in his next five outings (prior to his current struggles). The first-place Braves hope Hanson can regroup and begin another impressive run when he faces the Marlins at Turner Field this afternoon.
Road Reds
Cincinnati’s season-long 11-game road trip—it won’t play at Great American Ball Park again until July 16—will continue this afternoon at Wrigley Field. The NL Central-leading Reds will turn to righthander Johnny Cueto, who has allowed one earned run in his past two starts (15 innings). However, for the second time this season, Cueto failed to record a strikeout in his most recent outing. This series is a homecoming for Reds skipper Dusty Baker, who managed the Cubs from 2003-06 and took the team to the NLCS in ’03.
Cubs righthander Carlos Zambrano will apologize to his Cubs teammates when he returns from the restricted list, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Cubs bullpen catcher Edgar Tovar, who has been in contact with Zambrano since his infamous blowup in the dugout on June 25, told the newspaper that the righthander is sorry. "He feels bad about everything," Tovar said. "He loves Chicago and he loves playing for the Cubs and wants to stay here."
Manager Lou Piniella expects Zambrano’s teammates to welcome him back, assuming he apologizes. "Time will heal wounds," Piniella said. "It was a very good idea to wait until after the All-Star break before he came in and addressed the team, and two weeks from now things will quiet down a heck of a lot."
Zambrano is expected to go on a minor league rehab assignment before rejoining the Cubs as a reliever.
Sporting New staff reports
Cubs righthander Carlos Zambrano will apologize to his Cubs teammates when he returns from the restricted list, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Cubs bullpen catcher Edgar Tovar, who has been in contact with Zambrano since his infamous blowup in the dugout on June 25, told the newspaper that the righthander is sorry. "He feels bad about everything," Tovar said. "He loves Chicago and he loves playing for the Cubs and wants to stay here."
Manager Lou Piniella expects Zambrano’s teammates to welcome him back, assuming he apologizes. "Time will heal wounds," Piniella said. "It was a very good idea to wait until after the All-Star break before he came in and addressed the team, and two weeks from now things will quiet down a heck of a lot."
Zambrano is expected to go on a minor league rehab assignment before rejoining the Cubs as a reliever.
PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks fired manager A.J. Hinch and general manager Josh Byrnes on Thursday night in a shakeup at the top of a team cemented in last place in the NL West for the second year in a row.
Diamondbacks bench coach and ex-major league slugger Kirk Gibson will take over as interim manager for a ballclub that was 31-48, 15 1/2 games back of San Diego entering Thursday’s games.
Team president Derrick Hall called the dismissals "a first and major step in the re-evaluation of our team."
The 35-year-old Hinch was promoted May 7, 2009. Despite having no managerial experience at any level, he was moved from the front office to manager following the firing of Bob Melvin. Hinch has two years remaining on his contract after this season.
Hinch is the fourth manager to lose his job this season. Florida’s Fredi Gonzalez, Baltimore’s Dave Trembley and Kansas City’s Trey Hillman have also been fired.
Byrnes, once considered a rising star among young baseball executives, has a whopping 5 1/2 years left on a deal that runs through 2015.
Former major league pitcher Jerry DiPoto, vice president for player development, will take over the GM duties on an interim basis.
In a statement issued Thursday night, Arizona managing partner Ken Kendrick called the firings "a significant decision, but one that we find necessary in order to achieve a direction of winning consistently on the field again."
The team scheduled a Friday news conference to discuss the move.
Gibson’s name is as recognizable as Hinch’s was obscure, as much as anything for one of baseball’s most dramatic home runs.
He hit .268 with 255 home runs, 870 RBIs and 284 stolen bases in 17 seasons as a major league outfielder with Detroit, the Los Angeles Dodgers, Kansas City and Pittsburgh.
He was the Dodgers’ team leader and NL MVP in the 1988 regular season, but injuries to both legs kept him on the bench when the World Series against Oakland began.
In Game 1, barely able to walk, Gibson came to the plate as a pinch hitter in the ninth and hit Dennis Eckersly’s 0-2 pitch into the right field seats of Dodger Stadium to give Los Angeles a 5-4 victory. He limped around the bases, pumping his fist in triumph, as broadcaster Joe Buck Sr. uttered his famous "I don’t believe what I just saw!"
Gibson was the Tigers’ bench coach from 555-5555 and joined Melvin’s staff in the same capacity in 2007.
Byrnes was in his fifth season as general manager after being lured from the Boston Red Sox, where he was assistant to GM Theo Epstein. After the young Diamondbacks finished with the NL’s best record and made it to the NLCS in 2007, Arizona gave him an eight-year extension.
Hinch, who has a degree from Stanford, was vice president for player personnel when he was moved to the manager’s role, even though he had never even been a coach before. At the time, Byrnes touted Hinch’s "organizational advocacy."
The team stumbled on to a last-place finish in the NL West (70-92), but Hinch confidently said "I like this team" coming out of spring training this year. Quickly, though, the Diamondbacks faded. At one time, they lost 10 in a row, including a franchise-worst 0-9 road trip. When the club returned from that awful journey, Hinch acknowledged, "This group hasn’t responded that well to me."
Hinch had an 89-123 record in not quite 14 months as Arizona’s fifth manager.
DiPoto had a 27-24 record with 49 saves and a 4.05 ERA in 390 major league appearances in eight seasons with Cleveland, the New York Mets and Colorado. He worked for the Red Sox scouting department for two years before becoming Colorado’s player personnel director in 2005. He joined the Diamondbacks when Byrnes became general manager in 2006 and was in his second season and vice president/player personnel.
The Diamondbacks open a 10-game home stand Friday night with the first of a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The team is on pace to shatter the major league record for strikeouts in the season and its bullpen statistically is one of the worst the game has known.
"We have a number of talented players, obviously see great room for improvement," Kendrick said. "This franchise has enjoyed tremendous success over the years and we want to get back to our winning ways. The loyal staff of this organization, as well as all of our fans, hopes for and deserves better results on the field."
Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Associated Press
PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks fired manager A.J. Hinch and general manager Josh Byrnes on Thursday night in a shakeup at the top of a team cemented in last place in the NL West for the second year in a row.
Diamondbacks bench coach and ex-major league slugger Kirk Gibson will take over as interim manager for a ballclub that was 31-48, 15 1/2 games back of San Diego entering Thursday’s games.
Team president Derrick Hall called the dismissals "a first and major step in the re-evaluation of our team."
The 35-year-old Hinch was promoted May 7, 2009. Despite having no managerial experience at any level, he was moved from the front office to manager following the firing of Bob Melvin. Hinch has two years remaining on his contract after this season.
Hinch is the fourth manager to lose his job this season. Florida’s Fredi Gonzalez, Baltimore’s Dave Trembley and Kansas City’s Trey Hillman have also been fired.
Byrnes, once considered a rising star among young baseball executives, has a whopping 5 1/2 years left on a deal that runs through 2015.
Former major league pitcher Jerry DiPoto, vice president for player development, will take over the GM duties on an interim basis.
In a statement issued Thursday night, Arizona managing partner Ken Kendrick called the firings "a significant decision, but one that we find necessary in order to achieve a direction of winning consistently on the field again."
The team scheduled a Friday news conference to discuss the move.
Gibson’s name is as recognizable as Hinch’s was obscure, as much as anything for one of baseball’s most dramatic home runs.
He hit .268 with 255 home runs, 870 RBIs and 284 stolen bases in 17 seasons as a major league outfielder with Detroit, the Los Angeles Dodgers, Kansas City and Pittsburgh.
He was the Dodgers’ team leader and NL MVP in the 1988 regular season, but injuries to both legs kept him on the bench when the World Series against Oakland began.
In Game 1, barely able to walk, Gibson came to the plate as a pinch hitter in the ninth and hit Dennis Eckersly’s 0-2 pitch into the right field seats of Dodger Stadium to give Los Angeles a 5-4 victory. He limped around the bases, pumping his fist in triumph, as broadcaster Joe Buck Sr. uttered his famous "I don’t believe what I just saw!"
Gibson was the Tigers’ bench coach from 555-5555 and joined Melvin’s staff in the same capacity in 2007.
Byrnes was in his fifth season as general manager after being lured from the Boston Red Sox, where he was assistant to GM Theo Epstein. After the young Diamondbacks finished with the NL’s best record and made it to the NLCS in 2007, Arizona gave him an eight-year extension.
Hinch, who has a degree from Stanford, was vice president for player personnel when he was moved to the manager’s role, even though he had never even been a coach before. At the time, Byrnes touted Hinch’s "organizational advocacy."
The team stumbled on to a last-place finish in the NL West (70-92), but Hinch confidently said "I like this team" coming out of spring training this year. Quickly, though, the Diamondbacks faded. At one time, they lost 10 in a row, including a franchise-worst 0-9 road trip. When the club returned from that awful journey, Hinch acknowledged, "This group hasn’t responded that well to me."
Hinch had an 89-123 record in not quite 14 months as Arizona’s fifth manager.
DiPoto had a 27-24 record with 49 saves and a 4.05 ERA in 390 major league appearances in eight seasons with Cleveland, the New York Mets and Colorado. He worked for the Red Sox scouting department for two years before becoming Colorado’s player personnel director in 2005. He joined the Diamondbacks when Byrnes became general manager in 2006 and was in his second season and vice president/player personnel.
The Diamondbacks open a 10-game home stand Friday night with the first of a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The team is on pace to shatter the major league record for strikeouts in the season and its bullpen statistically is one of the worst the game has known.
"We have a number of talented players, obviously see great room for improvement," Kendrick said. "This franchise has enjoyed tremendous success over the years and we want to get back to our winning ways. The loyal staff of this organization, as well as all of our fans, hopes for and deserves better results on the field."
Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
There are three days until the 2010 All-Star rosters will be announced. You know what that means? Time to pick your team.
Guideline No. 1: It isn’t always about the most deserving players. Because every team must be represented, some deserving players will miss the chance to play in Anaheim on July 13.
Elvis Andrus’ glove should make him an All-Star at shortstop.
Other guidelines:
• Fan voting, which closes tonight on mlb.com, determines the AL’s starting nine and the NL’s starting eight (no DH on the NL ballot).
• Players vote for backups at each position, five starting pitchers and three relievers.
• Managers Joe Girardi and Charlie Manuel fill out the rosters, which are comprised of 21 position players and 13 pitchers (including at least three relievers).
• A new wrinkle: Any starting pitcher who works on the Sunday before the game will not be eligible to pitch in the game. He still will be on the team and a replacement will be added to the roster. Add these last-minute pitchers and injury replacements (there will be a bunch this year) and the 34-man rosters could swell closer to 40.
Even with two fewer teams, picking the AL squad is tougher than the NL. Maybe that is what happens when there are more worthy position players and not as many pitchers.
My 34-man AL roster:
First base (4): Justin Morneau went into the last week of fans’ voting needing to hold off Mark Teixeira for the start. Teixeira shouldn’t even make the team considering his numbers and the depth at this position. And nobody should start ahead of Miguel Cabrera, who is hitting .337 with 20 homers and 68 RBIs. Paul Konerko, Kevin Youkilis and Billy Butler all have put up worthy numbers, but Butler loses out because only one Royal makes my team.
Second base (2): Robinson Cano leads the majors in hitting and is a no-brainer to start. Being a Yankee hasn’t hurt him running away with the fans’ vote, either. With Dustin Pedroia (foot) out, there is an open spot. I’ll go with Ty Wigginton to fulfill the Oriole requirement even though he is no more deserving than Nick Markakis or Adam Jones.
Shortstop (2): Elvis Andrus’ offense might never catch up to his defense, but that is because his defense is that good. He has been better than the fans’ favorite, Derek Jeter, so Andrus warrants the start. But considering he is only 21, he should not mind stepping aside for his elder this time.
Third base (3): Evan Longoria has a huge lead in the fans’ voting and was my starter, too, until his June swoon. Adrian Beltre hasn’t slowed down and he steps into the starting spot on my team, with Michael Young right behind. Sorry, Alex Rodriguez. Your slow start cost you.
Catcher (2): Even in a subpar (for him) season, Joe Mauer makes this the easiest position to pick — just like he did last year and just like he will next year and the following year and … you get the point. Picking his backup is a bit more difficult with Victor Martinez (thumb) on the disabled list. Kurt Suzuki gets the nod over John Buck because Suzuki is as close as deserving as anyone on the A’s.
Outfield (7): Josh Hamilton figured to win a spot in the fans’ voting even if he hadn’t hit a major league-best .454 with nine homers and 31 RBIs in 26 June games. Now the only question is whether he hit third or fourth. Carl Crawford leads AL outfielders in runs and is hitting over .300, so he warrants the fans’ support he is receiving. It would be a very unusual season if Ichiro Suzuki wasn’t on pace for 200 hits — and starting in the All-Star Game.
There is a surplus of deserving backups, including two leading candidates for comeback player of the year: Vernon Wells and his former teammate Alex Rios. Torii Hunter gets a spot because he is the face of the host team. He also is hitting .290 and is on pace for 25 homers, 100-plus RBIs and another Gold Glove. David DeJesus edges Butler as my pick from the Royals because his numbers are a bit better. Apologies to rookie Brennan Boesch, Jose Bautista, Shin-Soo Chin and Brett Gardner.
DH (1): Vladimir Guerrero showed the Angels what they are missing when he beat them with a grand slam Wednesday night. He will get another chance to showcase his talent when he is announced as an All-Star starter in his old home stadium. I’d feel worse about leaving off David Ortiz if he hadn’t slumped in June.
Starting pitchers (10): No pitcher has been better than Cliff Lee over the past few weeks, and he deserves to start. If he doesn’t, let Andy Pettitte do so before he retires. He has shown he can pitch in big games. Only a few others are obvious: AL wins and ERA leader David Price, strikeouts leaders Jered Weaver and Jon Lester, who wouldn’t be such an easy selection if Clay Buchholz (hamstring) were healthy.
My second five: CC Sabathia, who seems to be getting stronger while Phil Hughes has faltered; Fausto Carmona, the lone Indian; AL innings leader Felix Hernandez; Ricky Romero, third in innings and seventh in ERA; and Jeff Niemann, because of his season-long consistency and 2.72 ERA.
Relief pitchers (3): Reserve a spot for Mariano Rivera every year until he retires (which should be, what, in another five years?). Jose Valverde is just as automatic this season with one more save and an even better ERA than Rivera (0.53 to 0.92). Rafael Soriano has been the third most effective AL closer and makes this team.
There are three days until the 2010 All-Star rosters will be announced. You know what that means? Time to pick your team.
Guideline No. 1: It isn’t always about the most deserving players. Because every team must be represented, some deserving players will miss the chance to play in Anaheim on July 13.
Elvis Andrus’ glove should make him an All-Star at shortstop.
Other guidelines:
• Fan voting, which closes tonight on mlb.com, determines the AL’s starting nine and the NL’s starting eight (no DH on the NL ballot).
• Players vote for backups at each position, five starting pitchers and three relievers.
• Managers Joe Girardi and Charlie Manuel fill out the rosters, which are comprised of 21 position players and 13 pitchers (including at least three relievers).
• A new wrinkle: Any starting pitcher who works on the Sunday before the game will not be eligible to pitch in the game. He still will be on the team and a replacement will be added to the roster. Add these last-minute pitchers and injury replacements (there will be a bunch this year) and the 34-man rosters could swell closer to 40.
Even with two fewer teams, picking the AL squad is tougher than the NL. Maybe that is what happens when there are more worthy position players and not as many pitchers.
My 34-man AL roster:
First base (4): Justin Morneau went into the last week of fans’ voting needing to hold off Mark Teixeira for the start. Teixeira shouldn’t even make the team considering his numbers and the depth at this position. And nobody should start ahead of Miguel Cabrera, who is hitting .337 with 20 homers and 68 RBIs. Paul Konerko, Kevin Youkilis and Billy Butler all have put up worthy numbers, but Butler loses out because only one Royal makes my team.
Second base (2): Robinson Cano leads the majors in hitting and is a no-brainer to start. Being a Yankee hasn’t hurt him running away with the fans’ vote, either. With Dustin Pedroia (foot) out, there is an open spot. I’ll go with Ty Wigginton to fulfill the Oriole requirement even though he is no more deserving than Nick Markakis or Adam Jones.
Shortstop (2): Elvis Andrus’ offense might never catch up to his defense, but that is because his defense is that good. He has been better than the fans’ favorite, Derek Jeter, so Andrus warrants the start. But considering he is only 21, he should not mind stepping aside for his elder this time.
Third base (3): Evan Longoria has a huge lead in the fans’ voting and was my starter, too, until his June swoon. Adrian Beltre hasn’t slowed down and he steps into the starting spot on my team, with Michael Young right behind. Sorry, Alex Rodriguez. Your slow start cost you.
Catcher (2): Even in a subpar (for him) season, Joe Mauer makes this the easiest position to pick — just like he did last year and just like he will next year and the following year and … you get the point. Picking his backup is a bit more difficult with Victor Martinez (thumb) on the disabled list. Kurt Suzuki gets the nod over John Buck because Suzuki is as close as deserving as anyone on the A’s.
Outfield (7): Josh Hamilton figured to win a spot in the fans’ voting even if he hadn’t hit a major league-best .454 with nine homers and 31 RBIs in 26 June games. Now the only question is whether he hit third or fourth. Carl Crawford leads AL outfielders in runs and is hitting over .300, so he warrants the fans’ support he is receiving. It would be a very unusual season if Ichiro Suzuki wasn’t on pace for 200 hits — and starting in the All-Star Game.
There is a surplus of deserving backups, including two leading candidates for comeback player of the year: Vernon Wells and his former teammate Alex Rios. Torii Hunter gets a spot because he is the face of the host team. He also is hitting .290 and is on pace for 25 homers, 100-plus RBIs and another Gold Glove. David DeJesus edges Butler as my pick from the Royals because his numbers are a bit better. Apologies to rookie Brennan Boesch, Jose Bautista, Shin-Soo Chin and Brett Gardner.
DH (1): Vladimir Guerrero showed the Angels what they are missing when he beat them with a grand slam Wednesday night. He will get another chance to showcase his talent when he is announced as an All-Star starter in his old home stadium. I’d feel worse about leaving off David Ortiz if he hadn’t slumped in June.
Starting pitchers (10): No pitcher has been better than Cliff Lee over the past few weeks, and he deserves to start. If he doesn’t, let Andy Pettitte do so before he retires. He has shown he can pitch in big games. Only a few others are obvious: AL wins and ERA leader David Price, strikeouts leaders Jered Weaver and Jon Lester, who wouldn’t be such an easy selection if Clay Buchholz (hamstring) were healthy.
My second five: CC Sabathia, who seems to be getting stronger while Phil Hughes has faltered; Fausto Carmona, the lone Indian; AL innings leader Felix Hernandez; Ricky Romero, third in innings and seventh in ERA; and Jeff Niemann, because of his season-long consistency and 2.72 ERA.
Relief pitchers (3): Reserve a spot for Mariano Rivera every year until he retires (which should be, what, in another five years?). Jose Valverde is just as automatic this season with one more save and an even better ERA than Rivera (0.53 to 0.92). Rafael Soriano has been the third most effective AL closer and makes this team.
Phillies second baseman Chase Utley will require surgery to repair his injured thumb, according to MLB Network’s Peter Gammons.
Philadelphia could be without Utley for 5-6 weeks.
Utley, the leading vote-getter at second base for this year’s N.L. All-Star team, is hitting .277 with 11 homers and 37 RBIs. He suffered the injury June 28, hasn’t played since and was placed on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday.
The Phillies also are awaiting an update on the condition of third baseman Placido Polanco (elbow). Polanco, the N.L.’s leading vote-getter at third base, is scheduled to visit a specialist today. He is hitting .318 with five homers and 27 RBIs and also was placed on the disabled list Wednesday.
Sporting News staff reports
Phillies second baseman Chase Utley will require surgery to repair his injured thumb, according to MLB Network’s Peter Gammons.
Philadelphia could be without Utley for 5-6 weeks.
Utley, the leading vote-getter at second base for this year’s N.L. All-Star team, is hitting .277 with 11 homers and 37 RBIs. He suffered the injury June 28, hasn’t played since and was placed on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday.
The Phillies also are awaiting an update on the condition of third baseman Placido Polanco (elbow). Polanco, the N.L.’s leading vote-getter at third base, is scheduled to visit a specialist today. He is hitting .318 with five homers and 27 RBIs and also was placed on the disabled list Wednesday.
There are three days until the 2010 All-Star rosters will be announced. You know what that means? Time to pick your team.
Guideline No. 1: It isn’t always about the most deserving players. Because every team must be represented, some deserving players will miss the chance to play in Anaheim on July 13.
Despite tough competition at first base, Joey Votto has earned a place on the All-Star team.
Other guidelines:
• Fan voting, which closes tonight on mlb.com, determines the AL’s starting nine and the NL’s starting eight (no DH on the NL ballot).
• Players vote for backups at each position, five starting pitchers and three relievers.
• Managers Joe Girardi and Charlie Manuel fill out the rosters, which are comprised of 21 position players and 13 pitchers (including at least three relievers).
• A new wrinkle: Any starting pitcher who works on the Sunday before the game will not be eligible to pitch in the game. He still will be on the team and a replacement will be added to the roster. Add these last-minute pitchers and injury replacements (there will be a bunch this year) and the 34-man rosters could swell closer to 40.
My 34-man NL roster:
First base (5): So many are having strong seasons at this position that Albert Pujols, the game’s best player, doesn’t deserve to start. He should be behind Adrian Gonzalez and Joey Votto. But with Pujols as the fans’ runaway choice, look for Votto to be the starting DH with the slick-fielding Gonzalez backing up Pujols. Having the DH also allows Braves MVP Troy Glaus and Phillies slugger Ryan Howard to make the team. Sorry, Adam Dunn, James Loney and Prince Fielder. There just isn’t room for eight first baseman/DH types.
Second base (2): With fans’ choice Chase Utley (thumb) injured, Manuel will be able to start the Braves’ Martin Prado, who leads the NL with a .333 average. Brandon Phillips makes the club, too, and Kelly Johnson could if Manuel chooses him as the Diamondbacks’ representative.
Third base (3): David Wright is having a season that will put him in the top five in MVP voting and deserves to be the fans’ choice, though he will need a last-gasp push to pass the injured Placido Polanco (elbow). Scott Rolen and Ryan Zimmerman are worthy backups.
Shortstop (2): Hanley Ramirez has the numbers (if not the hustle) to warrant being the fans’ choice. But Jose Reyes will have more to say about that next year. This year, Reyes at least deserves to be a backup. He ranks in the top 10 in the NL in runs, stolen bases and — this is great to see after last year — smiles. A broken wrist makes Troy Tulowitzki an unfortunate omission.
Outfield (7): This isn’t exactly a position of strength for the NL. Ryan Braun has cooled off since April, and Andre Ethier hasn’t regained his power since returning from a broken pinkie. But if the fans want them, I’ll take them, too. Jason Heyward, second in the fans’ voting, should start a bunch of All-Star Games, but he has had his share of rookie moments (five strikeouts in a game) and his numbers have tailed. Besides, he has said he will go to Anaheim but won’t play because of his thumb injury. Good for him for putting his team first.
Corey Hart, top two in the NL in homers and RBIs, should replace Heyward in the starting lineup. Andrew McCutchen is having a breakout season and is the obvious — and deserving — choice from the Pirates. Marlon Byrd has been a rare bright spot for the Cubs and gets the nod over Carlos Silva and Carlos Marmol as his team’s lone rep. Michael Bourn is the most deserving Astro, which isn’t saying that much (no matter how overrated wins are, it still is difficult to consider a pitcher with a 5-10 record as having an All-Star season. So, sorry, Roy Oswalt).
Choosing a worthy Diamondback is another tough task, but I’ll take Chris Young over Justin Upton in a coin flip. Cases also can be made for Jayson Werth, Matt Kemp and Carlos Gonzalez, but they lose out because of the "every team is represented" rule.
Catcher (2): Yadier Molina had a comfortable lead in the latest fans’ voting and while he isn’t hitting as well as a year ago, his defense has been even better. He is the starter on my team, too. Because of the catcher’s re-entry rule, only one backup makes my squad: Miguel Olivo over Rod Barajas, barely.
Starting pitchers (9): Ubaldo Jimenez, Josh Johnson, Roy Halladay, Adam Wainwright, Chris Carpenter, Mike Pelfrey and Tim Hudson are easy. Matt Cain has a better ERA than teammate Tim Lincecum, but Cain’s hard luck continues and he loses out to Lincecum because of the name factor. You probably haven’t heard much about the Padres’ 22-year-old Mat Latos, but he has been the best starter on the NL’s best pitching staff.
No Stephen Strasburg for me. If he had dominated in his last start, maybe. But if there isn’t room for N.L. strikeout leader Yovani Gallardo, there isn’t a spot for Strasburg. If he dominates in his next two starts, however, and is named as a replacement starter, there will be no griping from me. Having him in the game definitely would boost the buzz factor.
Relief pitchers (4): The Padres deserve more than one reliever, but they are so balanced that there is no obvious second choice. I’ll take Luke Gregerson over closer Heath Bell because of Gregerson’s 51-to-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 1.60 ERA. Arthur Rhodes went more than two months without allowing a run and has been key in the Reds’ climb to first place. Because this is Billy Wagner’s last season, he is an easy pick for sentimental reasons. Being 16-for-18 in save chances with a .167 batting average allowed and 1.15 ERA makes the choice even easier.
Despite his Sunday night implosion against the Yankees, Jonathan Broxton has established himself as an elite closer and makes my team ahead of his teammate, Hong-Chih Kuo, and fellow closers Brian Wilson, Francisco Cordero and Ryan Franklin.
There are three days until the 2010 All-Star rosters will be announced. You know what that means? Time to pick your team.
Guideline No. 1: It isn’t always about the most deserving players. Because every team must be represented, some deserving players will miss the chance to play in Anaheim on July 13.
Despite tough competition at first base, Joey Votto has earned a place on the All-Star team.
Other guidelines:
• Fan voting, which closes tonight on mlb.com, determines the AL’s starting nine and the NL’s starting eight (no DH on the NL ballot).
• Players vote for backups at each position, five starting pitchers and three relievers.
• Managers Joe Girardi and Charlie Manuel fill out the rosters, which are comprised of 21 position players and 13 pitchers (including at least three relievers).
• A new wrinkle: Any starting pitcher who works on the Sunday before the game will not be eligible to pitch in the game. He still will be on the team and a replacement will be added to the roster. Add these last-minute pitchers and injury replacements (there will be a bunch this year) and the 34-man rosters could swell closer to 40.
My 34-man NL roster:
First base (5): So many are having strong seasons at this position that Albert Pujols, the game’s best player, doesn’t deserve to start. He should be behind Adrian Gonzalez and Joey Votto. But with Pujols as the fans’ runaway choice, look for Votto to be the starting DH with the slick-fielding Gonzalez backing up Pujols. Having the DH also allows Braves MVP Troy Glaus and Phillies slugger Ryan Howard to make the team. Sorry, Adam Dunn, James Loney and Prince Fielder. There just isn’t room for eight first baseman/DH types.
Second base (2): With fans’ choice Chase Utley (thumb) injured, Manuel will be able to start the Braves’ Martin Prado, who leads the NL with a .333 average. Brandon Phillips makes the club, too, and Kelly Johnson could if Manuel chooses him as the Diamondbacks’ representative.
Third base (3): David Wright is having a season that will put him in the top five in MVP voting and deserves to be the fans’ choice, though he will need a last-gasp push to pass the injured Placido Polanco (elbow). Scott Rolen and Ryan Zimmerman are worthy backups.
Shortstop (2): Hanley Ramirez has the numbers (if not the hustle) to warrant being the fans’ choice. But Jose Reyes will have more to say about that next year. This year, Reyes at least deserves to be a backup. He ranks in the top 10 in the NL in runs, stolen bases and — this is great to see after last year — smiles. A broken wrist makes Troy Tulowitzki an unfortunate omission.
Outfield (7): This isn’t exactly a position of strength for the NL. Ryan Braun has cooled off since April, and Andre Ethier hasn’t regained his power since returning from a broken pinkie. But if the fans want them, I’ll take them, too. Jason Heyward, second in the fans’ voting, should start a bunch of All-Star Games, but he has had his share of rookie moments (five strikeouts in a game) and his numbers have tailed. Besides, he has said he will go to Anaheim but won’t play because of his thumb injury. Good for him for putting his team first.
Corey Hart, top two in the NL in homers and RBIs, should replace Heyward in the starting lineup. Andrew McCutchen is having a breakout season and is the obvious — and deserving — choice from the Pirates. Marlon Byrd has been a rare bright spot for the Cubs and gets the nod over Carlos Silva and Carlos Marmol as his team’s lone rep. Michael Bourn is the most deserving Astro, which isn’t saying that much (no matter how overrated wins are, it still is difficult to consider a pitcher with a 5-10 record as having an All-Star season. So, sorry, Roy Oswalt).
Choosing a worthy Diamondback is another tough task, but I’ll take Chris Young over Justin Upton in a coin flip. Cases also can be made for Jayson Werth, Matt Kemp and Carlos Gonzalez, but they lose out because of the "every team is represented" rule.
Catcher (2): Yadier Molina had a comfortable lead in the latest fans’ voting and while he isn’t hitting as well as a year ago, his defense has been even better. He is the starter on my team, too. Because of the catcher’s re-entry rule, only one backup makes my squad: Miguel Olivo over Rod Barajas, barely.
Starting pitchers (9): Ubaldo Jimenez, Josh Johnson, Roy Halladay, Adam Wainwright, Chris Carpenter, Mike Pelfrey and Tim Hudson are easy. Matt Cain has a better ERA than teammate Tim Lincecum, but Cain’s hard luck continues and he loses out to Lincecum because of the name factor. You probably haven’t heard much about the Padres’ 22-year-old Mat Latos, but he has been the best starter on the NL’s best pitching staff.
No Stephen Strasburg for me. If he had dominated in his last start, maybe. But if there isn’t room for N.L. strikeout leader Yovani Gallardo, there isn’t a spot for Strasburg. If he dominates in his next two starts, however, and is named as a replacement starter, there will be no griping from me. Having him in the game definitely would boost the buzz factor.
Relief pitchers (4): The Padres deserve more than one reliever, but they are so balanced that there is no obvious second choice. I’ll take Luke Gregerson over closer Heath Bell because of Gregerson’s 51-to-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 1.60 ERA. Arthur Rhodes went more than two months without allowing a run and has been key in the Reds’ climb to first place. Because this is Billy Wagner’s last season, he is an easy pick for sentimental reasons. Being 16-for-18 in save chances with a .167 batting average allowed and 1.15 ERA makes the choice even easier.
Despite his Sunday night implosion against the Yankees, Jonathan Broxton has established himself as an elite closer and makes my team ahead of his teammate, Hong-Chih Kuo, and fellow closers Brian Wilson, Francisco Cordero and Ryan Franklin.
Stan Musial is on the short list of the best players ever to wear a major league uniform, a Hall of Famer who was as quick with his bat as he was with a smile for the fans at Busch Stadium during the 22 seasons he wore a Cardinals uniform.
The Cardinals are leading a movement to have President Obama award Musial the Presidential Medal of Freedom—the highest civilian honor a president can bestow. He’s certainly a deserving recipient for his contributions to the country on and off the field. Click here for information on the"Stand for Stan" campaign.
And now, Sporting News readers have an opportunity to ask Stan Musial a question. Anything you’ve ever wanted to know about his career, his teammates, his thoughts on baseball’s evolution, the special bond he shares with current Cardinals legend Albert Pujols or anything else you’d like to know. This baseball legend—our baseball legend—will be featured on the 5 Questions page of an upcoming issue of Sporting News magazine.
As you know, only five questions will make the cut. So be insightful, be nuanced and be thought-provoking with your inquiries. Send your questions to Ryan Fagan (rfagan@sportingnews.com) or Ken Bradley (kbradley@sportingews.com).
Sporting News staff reports
He’s known simply as The Man.
Stan Musial is on the short list of the best players ever to wear a major league uniform, a Hall of Famer who was as quick with his bat as he was with a smile for the fans at Busch Stadium during the 22 seasons he wore a Cardinals uniform.
The Cardinals are leading a movement to have President Obama award Musial the Presidential Medal of Freedom—the highest civilian honor a president can bestow. He’s certainly a deserving recipient for his contributions to the country on and off the field. Click here for information on the"Stand for Stan" campaign.
And now, Sporting News readers have an opportunity to ask Stan Musial a question. Anything you’ve ever wanted to know about his career, his teammates, his thoughts on baseball’s evolution, the special bond he shares with current Cardinals legend Albert Pujols or anything else you’d like to know. This baseball legend—our baseball legend—will be featured on the 5 Questions page of an upcoming issue of Sporting News magazine.
As you know, only five questions will make the cut. So be insightful, be nuanced and be thought-provoking with your inquiries. Send your questions to Ryan Fagan (rfagan@sportingnews.com) or Ken Bradley (kbradley@sportingews.com).
Sporting News Audio is a weekly series of conversations with Sporting News experts during the MLB season. In this installment, Chris Bahr talks about the MLB All-Star Game and which players he expects to get the call this year.
Sporting News
Sporting News Audio is a weekly series of conversations with Sporting News experts during the MLB season. In this installment, Chris Bahr talks about the MLB All-Star Game and which players he expects to get the call this year.
The Rangers have acquired catcher Bengie Molina and cash from the Giants for reliever Chris Ray and a player to be named, according to multiple media reports.
The deal is subject to approval by the commissioner’s office, which is assisting the for-sale Rangers financially. The San Jose Mercury News reports San Francisco will pay the Rangers $2 million to offset the difference in Molina’s and Ray’s prorated salaries. Molina is due to make about $2.5 million the rest of this season.
Molina was notified of the trade Wednesday night after the Giants arrived in Denver for a series with the Rockies, but he will remain with San Francisco until the deal becomes official. The Rangers will be in Anaheim, Calif., on Thursday to play the Angels.
"The commissioner has to approve something on the deal. So they, (manager Bruce) Bochy, told me, be aware, and if I don’t hear anything by the time of (today’s) game, go to the field," Molina told the Mercury News.
Rangers general manager Jon Daniels would not confirm the trade Wednesday night, telling reporters he had "nothing to report at this time."
Texas has been seeking an upgrade at catcher for some time. They reportedly tried to obtain A.J. Pierzynski from the White Sox last month. The Giants, meanwhile, have rookie Buster Posey ready to succeed Molina behind the plate.
FoxSports.com’s Jon Paul Morosi was first to report that a deal was close. USA Today was first to report the deal had been completed.
Sporting News staff reports
The Rangers have acquired catcher Bengie Molina and cash from the Giants for reliever Chris Ray and a player to be named, according to multiple media reports.
The deal is subject to approval by the commissioner’s office, which is assisting the for-sale Rangers financially. The San Jose Mercury News reports San Francisco will pay the Rangers $2 million to offset the difference in Molina’s and Ray’s prorated salaries. Molina is due to make about $2.5 million the rest of this season.
Molina was notified of the trade Wednesday night after the Giants arrived in Denver for a series with the Rockies, but he will remain with San Francisco until the deal becomes official. The Rangers will be in Anaheim, Calif., on Thursday to play the Angels.
"The commissioner has to approve something on the deal. So they, (manager Bruce) Bochy, told me, be aware, and if I don’t hear anything by the time of (today’s) game, go to the field," Molina told the Mercury News.
Rangers general manager Jon Daniels would not confirm the trade Wednesday night, telling reporters he had "nothing to report at this time."
Texas has been seeking an upgrade at catcher for some time. They reportedly tried to obtain A.J. Pierzynski from the White Sox last month. The Giants, meanwhile, have rookie Buster Posey ready to succeed Molina behind the plate.
FoxSports.com’s Jon Paul Morosi was first to report that a deal was close. USA Today was first to report the deal had been completed.
Diamondbacks right-hander Dan Haren tells the St. Louis Post-Dispatch he wouldn’t mind returning to the Cardinals in a trade, but he adds he isn’t asking out of Arizona.
"I’ve always said I’d like to play here again," Haren tells the P-D’s Rick Hummel. "It’s not a situation where I’m asking to be traded. … I’m sure it will get crazy come July 31." The Diamondbacks completed a three-game series in St. Louis on Wednesday. Haren pitched eight innings in the middle game Tuesday.
St. Louis traded Haren to the A’s in 2004 as part of the Mark Mulder deal, and Oakland flipped him to Arizona three years later. Now Haren is a valuable trade chip for the Diamondbacks, and the Redbirds are among the teams reportedly expressing interest.
A deal likely would be costly in terms of prospects, and certainly expensive in terms of salary. Haren is making $8.5 million this season and is due $25.5 million over the next two years. His contract also includes a $15.5 million club option for 2013. The pact does not include a no-trade clause.
Sporting News staff reports
Diamondbacks right-hander Dan Haren tells the St. Louis Post-Dispatch he wouldn’t mind returning to the Cardinals in a trade, but he adds he isn’t asking out of Arizona.
"I’ve always said I’d like to play here again," Haren tells the P-D’s Rick Hummel. "It’s not a situation where I’m asking to be traded. … I’m sure it will get crazy come July 31." The Diamondbacks completed a three-game series in St. Louis on Wednesday. Haren pitched eight innings in the middle game Tuesday.
St. Louis traded Haren to the A’s in 2004 as part of the Mark Mulder deal, and Oakland flipped him to Arizona three years later. Now Haren is a valuable trade chip for the Diamondbacks, and the Redbirds are among the teams reportedly expressing interest.
A deal likely would be costly in terms of prospects, and certainly expensive in terms of salary. Haren is making $8.5 million this season and is due $25.5 million over the next two years. His contract also includes a $15.5 million club option for 2013. The pact does not include a no-trade clause.
