The Marlins tried to create a World Cup atmosphere on Saturday by handing out air horns that resemble the much-talked-about vuvuzelas.
MLB.com reports the first 15,000 people to come to Sun Life Stadium received the horns, and they haven’t been shy about using them. The noise prompted players and umpires to wear ear plugs.
"We … looked at the timing and knew this would be in the heart of the World Cup," said Sean Flynn, Marlins vice president of marketing. "We knew the vuvuzelas would be a big part of the World Cup in South Africa."
The horns were part of a club promotion that included a postgame concert.
Florida is playing in-state rival Tampa Bay, whose fans gained notoriety two years ago by introducing cowbells to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg.
Early reviews of the horns were mixed. A quick sample via Twitter:
The horns had time to grow on people, however: The Rays beat the Marlins, 9-8, in 11 innings and 4 hours, 36 minutes.
The Marlins tried to create a World Cup atmosphere on Saturday by handing out air horns that resemble the much-talked-about vuvuzelas.
MLB.com reports the first 15,000 people to come to Sun Life Stadium received the horns, and they haven’t been shy about using them. The noise prompted players and umpires to wear ear plugs.
"We … looked at the timing and knew this would be in the heart of the World Cup," said Sean Flynn, Marlins vice president of marketing. "We knew the vuvuzelas would be a big part of the World Cup in South Africa."
The horns were part of a club promotion that included a postgame concert.
Florida is playing in-state rival Tampa Bay, whose fans gained notoriety two years ago by introducing cowbells to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg.
Early reviews of the horns were mixed. A quick sample via Twitter:
If Roy Oswalt is indeed on the move this year, the Texas Rangers are hoping he may not move far. According to multiple news sources, the Rangers are interested in acquiring the Astros ace.
Oswalt, who has spent his entire 10 year career, with the Astros, recently asked management for a trade. And Rangers president Nolan Ryan is keeping a close eye on the situation.
"You know, we definitely are looking to improve our ballclub, and when you have an opportunity, or might have an opportunity, to acquire someone like that, you have to look at it and evaluate it and see if that’s a possibility and see if it’s doable," Ryan said.
The Rangers, however, are unlikely to be able to make a deal for Oswalt at the moment. The team’s ownership situation is in flux, and it will be difficult for the team to take on additional salary. With the Astros likely unwilling to pay part of Oswalt’s contract, the league would have to approve the additional spending, which is also unlikely. There is a chance, however, that the Rangers’ ownership issues could be solved before the July 31 trade deadline.
Sporting News staff reports
If Roy Oswalt is indeed on the move this year, the Texas Rangers are hoping he may not move far. According to multiple news sources, the Rangers are interested in acquiring the Astros ace.
Oswalt, who has spent his entire 10 year career, with the Astros, recently asked management for a trade. And Rangers president Nolan Ryan is keeping a close eye on the situation.
"You know, we definitely are looking to improve our ballclub, and when you have an opportunity, or might have an opportunity, to acquire someone like that, you have to look at it and evaluate it and see if that’s a possibility and see if it’s doable," Ryan said.
The Rangers, however, are unlikely to be able to make a deal for Oswalt at the moment. The team’s ownership situation is in flux, and it will be difficult for the team to take on additional salary. With the Astros likely unwilling to pay part of Oswalt’s contract, the league would have to approve the additional spending, which is also unlikely. There is a chance, however, that the Rangers’ ownership issues could be solved before the July 31 trade deadline.
With four-plus months until the World Series, the list of contenders remains lengthy. So many clubs have a legitimate chance that this weekend’s interleague schedule includes at least three potential Fall Classic matchups — each of which features one of the past three world champions.
Each comes with a story line that brings plenty of intrigue for June, much less October.
Will Manny Ramirez be booed at Fenway Park?
Dodgers at Red Sox
The Boston newspapers have been conducting surveys in anticipation of Manny Ramirez’s return to Fenway Park: Will he be booed or cheered? The results have been mixed enough that no one knows what to expect, including his former teammates. "I don’t know how this one is going to go," catcher Jason Varitek told The Boston Globe.
Ramirez was the Red Sox’s best — and most controversial — player for most of the previous decade. He was MVP of the World Series that ended the Boston’s 86-year championship drought. He hit .348 in the 2007 playoff run that resulted in a second World Series title. In his seven-plus seasons in Boston, he hit .312 and averaged more than 34 homers and 108 RBIs.
Of course, Ramirez also loafed his way out of town and ripped into the Red Sox upon his arrival on the West Coast. He became an instant hit in Hollywood before he tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs early in the 2009 season. Since returning from a 50-game suspension last July, he hasn’t been the same. In 125 games, he has hit .278 — 35 points below his career mark — with 20 homers, though he also has a team-best .388 OBP.
Don’t ask Manny what kind of reception he anticipates. He hasn’t done interviews this season, and Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton said Manny hasn’t said much to his teammates about his return to Boston. "But he knows it’ll be a big deal," Broxton says. "Oh yeah."
Twins at Phillies
One of the season’s biggest mysteries is Philadelphia’s offensive struggles. The Phillies have the most potent lineup in the National League but rank last in the majors in runs scored over the past four weeks (since May 22). They were shut out four times in a five-game stretch and have failed to score more than three runs in 11 other games. As a result, they have gone leading from the NL East by 3 1/2 games to third place.
Philadelphia’s problems could be fixed with the return of leadoff hitter Jimmy Rollins from the disabled list. Limited to 12 games this season because of a bad right calf, Rollins has spent the week in Florida on rehab assignment and could return Tuesday.
Rollins could return to face a Minnesota club that never has played in Citizens Bank Park. The last time the Twins played in Philadelphia was 2002 when Joe Mauer was in Class A, Johan Santana was the starting pitcher and Torii Hunter hit a pinch-hit home run. And the Phillies were in last place.
Phil Hughes faces the Mets Saturday.
Mets at Yankees
Now this is a rematch. Four weeks after the Mets took two of three against the Yankees at Citi Field, the clubs meet again at Yankee Stadium — with the identical pitching matchups.
After two of the season’s most successful young starters, Mike Pelfrey and Phil Hughes, square off Saturday for the second time, Santana and CC Sabathia will meet Sunday in a nationally televised game on TBS.
Since Santana outpitched Sabathia in the team’s last meeting, the Mets have turned around their season. They have gone an NL-best 17-5 to move from last place in the NL East to second, just a half-game behind the Braves.
"It’s the starting pitching," says TBS analyst Dennis Eckersley. Since that May 23 win against the Yankees, knuckleballer R.A. Dickey is 5-0 with a 2.78 ERA, Mike Pelfrey is 3-0 with a 1.50 ERA, Jonathon Niese is 3-0 with a 1.57 ERA and the ace, Santana, is a mere 2-1 with a 2.23 ERA.
Two other reasons: The Mets are playing well at home and have taken advantage of a soft spot in their schedule.
"Maybe they have a different way of going about it offensively now that they’ve been there (for more than a year)," Eckersley says. "And they just won six in a row against Baltimore and Cleveland. Come on."
A weak opponent isn’t something the Mets will be dealing with in the Bronx. But who knows? If they continue their strong play, perhaps these teams will meet again — in four-plus months.
With four-plus months until the World Series, the list of contenders remains lengthy. So many clubs have a legitimate chance that this weekend’s interleague schedule includes at least three potential Fall Classic matchups — each of which features one of the past three world champions.
Each comes with a story line that brings plenty of intrigue for June, much less October.
Will Manny Ramirez be booed at Fenway Park?
Dodgers at Red Sox
The Boston newspapers have been conducting surveys in anticipation of Manny Ramirez’s return to Fenway Park: Will he be booed or cheered? The results have been mixed enough that no one knows what to expect, including his former teammates. "I don’t know how this one is going to go," catcher Jason Varitek told The Boston Globe.
Ramirez was the Red Sox’s best — and most controversial — player for most of the previous decade. He was MVP of the World Series that ended the Boston’s 86-year championship drought. He hit .348 in the 2007 playoff run that resulted in a second World Series title. In his seven-plus seasons in Boston, he hit .312 and averaged more than 34 homers and 108 RBIs.
Of course, Ramirez also loafed his way out of town and ripped into the Red Sox upon his arrival on the West Coast. He became an instant hit in Hollywood before he tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs early in the 2009 season. Since returning from a 50-game suspension last July, he hasn’t been the same. In 125 games, he has hit .278 — 35 points below his career mark — with 20 homers, though he also has a team-best .388 OBP.
Don’t ask Manny what kind of reception he anticipates. He hasn’t done interviews this season, and Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton said Manny hasn’t said much to his teammates about his return to Boston. "But he knows it’ll be a big deal," Broxton says. "Oh yeah."
Twins at Phillies
One of the season’s biggest mysteries is Philadelphia’s offensive struggles. The Phillies have the most potent lineup in the National League but rank last in the majors in runs scored over the past four weeks (since May 22). They were shut out four times in a five-game stretch and have failed to score more than three runs in 11 other games. As a result, they have gone leading from the NL East by 3 1/2 games to third place.
Philadelphia’s problems could be fixed with the return of leadoff hitter Jimmy Rollins from the disabled list. Limited to 12 games this season because of a bad right calf, Rollins has spent the week in Florida on rehab assignment and could return Tuesday.
Rollins could return to face a Minnesota club that never has played in Citizens Bank Park. The last time the Twins played in Philadelphia was 2002 when Joe Mauer was in Class A, Johan Santana was the starting pitcher and Torii Hunter hit a pinch-hit home run. And the Phillies were in last place.
Phil Hughes faces the Mets Saturday.
Mets at Yankees
Now this is a rematch. Four weeks after the Mets took two of three against the Yankees at Citi Field, the clubs meet again at Yankee Stadium — with the identical pitching matchups.
After two of the season’s most successful young starters, Mike Pelfrey and Phil Hughes, square off Saturday for the second time, Santana and CC Sabathia will meet Sunday in a nationally televised game on TBS.
Since Santana outpitched Sabathia in the team’s last meeting, the Mets have turned around their season. They have gone an NL-best 17-5 to move from last place in the NL East to second, just a half-game behind the Braves.
"It’s the starting pitching," says TBS analyst Dennis Eckersley. Since that May 23 win against the Yankees, knuckleballer R.A. Dickey is 5-0 with a 2.78 ERA, Mike Pelfrey is 3-0 with a 1.50 ERA, Jonathon Niese is 3-0 with a 1.57 ERA and the ace, Santana, is a mere 2-1 with a 2.23 ERA.
Two other reasons: The Mets are playing well at home and have taken advantage of a soft spot in their schedule.
"Maybe they have a different way of going about it offensively now that they’ve been there (for more than a year)," Eckersley says. "And they just won six in a row against Baltimore and Cleveland. Come on."
A weak opponent isn’t something the Mets will be dealing with in the Bronx. But who knows? If they continue their strong play, perhaps these teams will meet again — in four-plus months.
This afternoon’s series finale between the Rockies and Twins at Target Field will feature quite a pitching pairing. Colorado ace Ubaldo Jimenez, who is 12-1, will match up against Minnesota ace Francisco Liriano, who is 6-3 and hasn’t lost since May 20. Jimenez is coming off his worst start of the season, though rain was a factor in his three-run, five-walk outing against the Blue Jays this past Friday. In that win, his ERA "skyrocketed" from 0.93 to 1.16. Meanwhile, Liriano has delivered back-to-back, double-digit strikeout efforts against the A’s and Braves. The lefthander has a 2.00 ERA in five home starts, compared to a 3.63 ERA in seven road starts.
First-inning follies
Try as he might, Cubs righthander Randy Wells can’t shake his early-game jitters. In 13 starts this season, Wells has an 11.25 ERA in the first inning, despite allowing only one homer in that frame. He has lost his past five decisions overall and hasn’t won since April 30. This afternoon at Wrigley Field, Wells will be opposed by a pitcher who has been nearly as cold. Since throwing his perfect game on May 9, A’s righthander Dallas Braden is 0-4 with a 4.75 ERA in his past six starts. Braden hasn’t started since June 9 because of tennis elbow.
The future is here
Pirates fans have grown accustomed to the team dealing its veteran players prior to the July 31 nonwaiver deadline, but there aren’t many veterans left to part with at this point. In fact, the lineup now is dominated by highly touted young players, many of whom were called up recently. That group includes left fielder Jose Tabata, third baseman Pedro Alvarez and second baseman Neil Walker. The new-look Pirates will wrap up a three-game series with the White Sox at PNC Park tonight.
This afternoon’s series finale between the Rockies and Twins at Target Field will feature quite a pitching pairing. Colorado ace Ubaldo Jimenez, who is 12-1, will match up against Minnesota ace Francisco Liriano, who is 6-3 and hasn’t lost since May 20. Jimenez is coming off his worst start of the season, though rain was a factor in his three-run, five-walk outing against the Blue Jays this past Friday. In that win, his ERA "skyrocketed" from 0.93 to 1.16. Meanwhile, Liriano has delivered back-to-back, double-digit strikeout efforts against the A’s and Braves. The lefthander has a 2.00 ERA in five home starts, compared to a 3.63 ERA in seven road starts.
First-inning follies
Try as he might, Cubs righthander Randy Wells can’t shake his early-game jitters. In 13 starts this season, Wells has an 11.25 ERA in the first inning, despite allowing only one homer in that frame. He has lost his past five decisions overall and hasn’t won since April 30. This afternoon at Wrigley Field, Wells will be opposed by a pitcher who has been nearly as cold. Since throwing his perfect game on May 9, A’s righthander Dallas Braden is 0-4 with a 4.75 ERA in his past six starts. Braden hasn’t started since June 9 because of tennis elbow.
The future is here
Pirates fans have grown accustomed to the team dealing its veteran players prior to the July 31 nonwaiver deadline, but there aren’t many veterans left to part with at this point. In fact, the lineup now is dominated by highly touted young players, many of whom were called up recently. That group includes left fielder Jose Tabata, third baseman Pedro Alvarez and second baseman Neil Walker. The new-look Pirates will wrap up a three-game series with the White Sox at PNC Park tonight.
The Baltimore Orioles have contacted Buck Showalter about becoming their next manager, ESPN.com’s Tim Kurkjian is reporting.
Rumors have swirled about Showalter, who has also managed the Yankees, Diamondbacks and Rangers, ever since the Orioles’ position came open. The team fired Dave Trembley on June 4 and Juan Samuel has been running the team as interim manager since.
Showalter is the third name the team’s front office has considering, along with former Indians manager Eric Wedge and former Mets manager Bobby Valentine. According to MLB.com, president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail said he would be "very surprised" if the team made a decision before the All-Star break.
Sporting News staff reports
The Baltimore Orioles have contacted Buck Showalter about becoming their next manager, ESPN.com’s Tim Kurkjian is reporting.
Rumors have swirled about Showalter, who has also managed the Yankees, Diamondbacks and Rangers, ever since the Orioles’ position came open. The team fired Dave Trembley on June 4 and Juan Samuel has been running the team as interim manager since.
Showalter is the third name the team’s front office has considering, along with former Indians manager Eric Wedge and former Mets manager Bobby Valentine. According to MLB.com, president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail said he would be "very surprised" if the team made a decision before the All-Star break.
Baseball’s trade season is upon us. That means weeks of speculation (six-plus weeks to be exact), a ton of rumors (some that even make sense) and a bunch of deals that won’t make a difference in the standings (see: Conor Jackson for Sam Demel).
Well, here are five trades to root for because of the impact they would have on the pennant races. Although they merely are speculation now, stay tuned.
1. Cliff Lee to the Dodgers What it would mean: Lee will be the biggest difference-maker available before July 31. He has pitched into the seventh inning in all nine of his starts and has a 2.88 ERA, and his 4-3 record would be much better if the Mariners had not totaled five runs in his losses. "Cliff’s been outstanding," Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu says. "It’s just a shame the offense hasn’t stepped up for him."
Put such a proven No. 1 on the Dodgers and they become favorites to beat the Phillies in the NLCS — should the teams meet in that round for the third consecutive season. L.A.’s lineup is just about as potent as Philly’s, and that’s when Philly is at full strength. The Dodgers’ bullpen is better because it has Jonathan Broxton and the Phillies have Brad Lidge. Now check the potential rotation matchups: Lee-Roy Halladay, Clayton Kershaw-Cole Hamels, Vicente Padilla-J.A. Happ and Chad Billingsley-Joe Blanton.
Why it could happen: It’s time for the Dodgers’ ownership to do something that doesn’t embarrass the club, and Lee already has said he will test the free-agent market after the season. Because he will be owed "only" about $4.5 million for the second half, trading Lee should net the Mariners a far superior package to the compensation picks he would bring if they lost him as a free agent.
Why it might not: The Dodgers figure to have plenty of competition for Lee’s services. He also could transform the hopes of the Mets, Twins and Rangers, to name a few.
Paul Konerko has worked with Mike Scioscia before and might be a good fit for the Angels now.
2. Paul Konerko to the Angels What it would mean: The void at first base created by Kendry Morales’ broken leg wouldn’t have to be filled by a catcher and utility players. Konerko has been one of the game’s top sluggers for the past seven seasons, and his 17 homers and 46 RBIs would lead the Angels this season. Los Angeles is 12-5 since Morales’ injury, but the fill-ins at first base don’t deserve much of the credit. The quartet of Mike Napoli, Robb Quinlan, Michael Ryan and Kevin Frandsen has supplied six RBIs, no homers and a .254 average (17-for-67) while sharing first in Morales’ absence.
Why it could happen: The third-place White Sox are five games under .500, trail the division-leading Twins by 7 1/2 games and have provided little evidence to suggest a turnaround is coming. Why not save what is left on Konerko’s $12 million salary for this season and get a decent prospect in return? After all, the White Sox could try to bring back Konerko when he becomes a free agent in the fall.
Why it might not: Trading Konerko wouldn’t be good for ticket sales because it would signal that the club is giving up on the season. Konerko must approve any trade, but that probably wouldn’t be much of a stumbling block with the Angels. Konerko knows manager Mike Scioscia from their time together with the Dodgers. Besides, who wouldn’t want to play for a contender in Southern California?
3. Roy Oswalt to the Mets What it would mean: Put Oswalt (or Dan Haren, for that matter) with Johan Santana and Mike Pelfrey and the Mets’ rotation would have as strong a top three as any in the majors. Combine such a top-heavy rotation with a lineup that has been one of the NL’s highest scoring for the past month and the Mets might not finish ahead of the Phillies, but they would move to the forefront of the wild-card chase.
Why it could happen: Oswalt’s desire to be traded only will get stronger as the Astros continue to fade, and the Mets are one of the few clubs that could take on Oswalt’s contract. He is due $15 million this season, $16 million in 2011 and has a $16 million club option for 2012.
Why it might not: The Astros, reluctant to trade their stars, likely would expect a return similar to what Lee will bring. That won’t happen unless Houston agrees to pay a chunk of Oswalt’s contract — and good luck with that. Also, Oswalt has full no-trade protection and might not consider the Mets a serious enough contender to warrant relocating to the big city.
4. Corey Hart to the Padres What it would mean: The surprising Padres need a bat and Hart has been wielding a big one. He leads the NL with 17 homers. Put him in right field and beside Adrian Gonzalez in the batting order and the Padres’ pop-gun attack would become a lot more formidable.
Why it could happen: The Brewers need pitching and the Padres have plenty. And even the Padres could afford what would be left on Hart’s $4.8 million contract.
Why it might not: Milwaukee might decide it needs to hang on to Hart in case it can’t afford to keep Prince Fielder long term.
5. Mike Lowell to the Twins What it would mean: Lowell would be an ideal fit for the Twins because he is the kind of proven postseason performer who could help them (finally) hang with the Yankees. He also would fill the biggest need in their lineup — third base — and the club is deep enough to keep him fresh. Even though he has been limited to 79 at-bats, Lowell’s two homers equal the output of Twins’ third basemen in 211 at-bats.
Why it could happen: Sooner or later, the Red Sox will give in to Lowell’s wishes and move him to a place where he won’t be stuck to the bench. Because Lowell will become a free agent after the season, the Twins would not be on the hook for another long-term deal.
Why it might not: Boston now seems reluctant to eat most of Lowell’s salary, as it planned to do when it tried to trade him to the Rangers prior to the season. Because he has not been able to get on the field enough to prove he is healthy, teams will be reluctant to pay much for Lowell.
Baseball’s trade season is upon us. That means weeks of speculation (six-plus weeks to be exact), a ton of rumors (some that even make sense) and a bunch of deals that won’t make a difference in the standings (see: Conor Jackson for Sam Demel).
Well, here are five trades to root for because of the impact they would have on the pennant races. Although they merely are speculation now, stay tuned.
1. Cliff Lee to the Dodgers What it would mean: Lee will be the biggest difference-maker available before July 31. He has pitched into the seventh inning in all nine of his starts and has a 2.88 ERA, and his 4-3 record would be much better if the Mariners had not totaled five runs in his losses. "Cliff’s been outstanding," Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu says. "It’s just a shame the offense hasn’t stepped up for him."
Put such a proven No. 1 on the Dodgers and they become favorites to beat the Phillies in the NLCS — should the teams meet in that round for the third consecutive season. L.A.’s lineup is just about as potent as Philly’s, and that’s when Philly is at full strength. The Dodgers’ bullpen is better because it has Jonathan Broxton and the Phillies have Brad Lidge. Now check the potential rotation matchups: Lee-Roy Halladay, Clayton Kershaw-Cole Hamels, Vicente Padilla-J.A. Happ and Chad Billingsley-Joe Blanton.
Why it could happen: It’s time for the Dodgers’ ownership to do something that doesn’t embarrass the club, and Lee already has said he will test the free-agent market after the season. Because he will be owed "only" about $4.5 million for the second half, trading Lee should net the Mariners a far superior package to the compensation picks he would bring if they lost him as a free agent.
Why it might not: The Dodgers figure to have plenty of competition for Lee’s services. He also could transform the hopes of the Mets, Twins and Rangers, to name a few.
Paul Konerko has worked with Mike Scioscia before and might be a good fit for the Angels now.
2. Paul Konerko to the Angels What it would mean: The void at first base created by Kendry Morales’ broken leg wouldn’t have to be filled by a catcher and utility players. Konerko has been one of the game’s top sluggers for the past seven seasons, and his 17 homers and 46 RBIs would lead the Angels this season. Los Angeles is 12-5 since Morales’ injury, but the fill-ins at first base don’t deserve much of the credit. The quartet of Mike Napoli, Robb Quinlan, Michael Ryan and Kevin Frandsen has supplied six RBIs, no homers and a .254 average (17-for-67) while sharing first in Morales’ absence.
Why it could happen: The third-place White Sox are five games under .500, trail the division-leading Twins by 7 1/2 games and have provided little evidence to suggest a turnaround is coming. Why not save what is left on Konerko’s $12 million salary for this season and get a decent prospect in return? After all, the White Sox could try to bring back Konerko when he becomes a free agent in the fall.
Why it might not: Trading Konerko wouldn’t be good for ticket sales because it would signal that the club is giving up on the season. Konerko must approve any trade, but that probably wouldn’t be much of a stumbling block with the Angels. Konerko knows manager Mike Scioscia from their time together with the Dodgers. Besides, who wouldn’t want to play for a contender in Southern California?
3. Roy Oswalt to the Mets What it would mean: Put Oswalt (or Dan Haren, for that matter) with Johan Santana and Mike Pelfrey and the Mets’ rotation would have as strong a top three as any in the majors. Combine such a top-heavy rotation with a lineup that has been one of the NL’s highest scoring for the past month and the Mets might not finish ahead of the Phillies, but they would move to the forefront of the wild-card chase.
Why it could happen: Oswalt’s desire to be traded only will get stronger as the Astros continue to fade, and the Mets are one of the few clubs that could take on Oswalt’s contract. He is due $15 million this season, $16 million in 2011 and has a $16 million club option for 2012.
Why it might not: The Astros, reluctant to trade their stars, likely would expect a return similar to what Lee will bring. That won’t happen unless Houston agrees to pay a chunk of Oswalt’s contract — and good luck with that. Also, Oswalt has full no-trade protection and might not consider the Mets a serious enough contender to warrant relocating to the big city.
4. Corey Hart to the Padres What it would mean: The surprising Padres need a bat and Hart has been wielding a big one. He leads the NL with 17 homers. Put him in right field and beside Adrian Gonzalez in the batting order and the Padres’ pop-gun attack would become a lot more formidable.
Why it could happen: The Brewers need pitching and the Padres have plenty. And even the Padres could afford what would be left on Hart’s $4.8 million contract.
Why it might not: Milwaukee might decide it needs to hang on to Hart in case it can’t afford to keep Prince Fielder long term.
5. Mike Lowell to the Twins What it would mean: Lowell would be an ideal fit for the Twins because he is the kind of proven postseason performer who could help them (finally) hang with the Yankees. He also would fill the biggest need in their lineup — third base — and the club is deep enough to keep him fresh. Even though he has been limited to 79 at-bats, Lowell’s two homers equal the output of Twins’ third basemen in 211 at-bats.
Why it could happen: Sooner or later, the Red Sox will give in to Lowell’s wishes and move him to a place where he won’t be stuck to the bench. Because Lowell will become a free agent after the season, the Twins would not be on the hook for another long-term deal.
Why it might not: Boston now seems reluctant to eat most of Lowell’s salary, as it planned to do when it tried to trade him to the Rangers prior to the season. Because he has not been able to get on the field enough to prove he is healthy, teams will be reluctant to pay much for Lowell.
Sporting News Audio is a weekly series of conversations with Sporting News experts during the MLB season. In this installment, Tom Gatto talks about which players are most likely to be on the move as contending teams start looking to add pieces for a playoff run.
Sporting News
Sporting News Audio is a weekly series of conversations with Sporting News experts during the MLB season. In this installment, Tom Gatto talks about which players are most likely to be on the move as contending teams start looking to add pieces for a playoff run.
UPDATE: Chipper Jones says he will make an announcement concerning his retirement sometime during Atlanta’s six-game home stand.
ATLANTA — Struggling through another disappointing season, Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper Jones told The Associated Press he would meet with team officials Tuesday to discuss his future and acknowledged that he’s considering retirement.
Jones declined to comment directly on whether he’ll retire at the end of the season, but it seemed clear that he’s made up his mind and merely needed to work out a settlement with the team over the $28 million in guaranteed money he’s owed for the 2011 and 2012 seasons.
"It’s obvious that it’s something I’ve been thinking about," Jones told the AP after arriving at Turner Field in his blue pickup truck about 2:15 p.m. "I need to go through the proper channels. Once those have all been taken care of, everybody’s questions will be answered."
The 38-year-old Jones, who won the NL MVP award in 1998 and led the league in hitting just two years ago, said he planned to meet with general manager Frank Wren and manager Bobby Cox to discuss some "red tape issues." Asked if those involved a resolution of his contract, Jones replied, "That would be fair to say."
He struggled last season and indicated that another difficult year would likely lead him to consider retirement, even if it meant walking away from a huge amount of money.
This season has been even tougher for Jones, though the Braves are leading the NL East. He’s battled injuries and was hitting just .228 with three homers and 22 RBIs heading into the opener of a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Braves have gotten more production at third base out of utility infielders Omar Infante (.314, one homer, 16 RBIs) and Brooks Conrad (.280, three homers, 12 RBIs), which has made Jones’ troubles stand out even more.
"Well, anytime you’ve struggled at the plate and you’re having trouble producing, it’s frustrating," Jones told the AP, standing outside the Braves clubhouse. "I’m used to being in the middle of everything, but it hasn’t been happening. Hopefully I’ll have a better second half and really help contribute to this team staying in first place."
The team later put out a statement saying Jones would not be available to the media. He was in the lineup Tuesday, batting in his usual third spot. Manager Bobby Cox said he had nothing report and was more focused on getting Jones back to his usual standards.
Jones has long been the face of the Braves’ offense, helping Atlanta wins its lone World Series title as a rookie in 1995 and significantly contributing to an unprecedented run of 14 straight division titles. His best year was 1999, when he led the Braves to the NL championship and was named MVP after hitting .319 with 45 homers and 110 RBIs.
Then came the injuries, which started in 2004 and led to a stretch of five straight seasons in which he missed at least 25 games. He continued to produce when healthy, putting up 29 homers and 102 RBIs in 2007, followed by a .364 average the next season that gave him his first NL batting championship.
Jones’ numbers dipped dramatically in 2009. He batted only .264 – the second-lowest average of his 16-year career – with 18 homers and 71 RBIs.
This season, Jones has contributed little to help the team’s run to first place, ceding the spotlight to rookie sensation Jason Heyward, leadoff man Martin Prado and new first baseman Troy Glaus.
Still, Jones remains a prominent figure in the clubhouse.
"He’s a guy I watched when I was coming up," Conrad said. "He’s a huge presence. He’s a great guy to have on the team. He keeps it in line. He keeps the players loose. He talks to everybody about hitting."
Despite his lackluster numbers, Jones still has an impact on the field as well, his teammate said.
"He still makes the pitchers work. He brings a lot to the table," Conrad said. "As a team, we’re better when we have him out there. It would be a sad day if he’s leaving."
If Jones does retire, two longtime Braves figures will be leaving together at the end of the season. Bobby Cox has already announced this is last season as manager.
Jones chuckled when asked if he wanted to go out with Cox.
"No comment," he said, stepping into the clubhouse.
Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Associated Press
UPDATE: Chipper Jones says he will make an announcement concerning his retirement sometime during Atlanta’s six-game home stand.
ATLANTA — Struggling through another disappointing season, Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper Jones told The Associated Press he would meet with team officials Tuesday to discuss his future and acknowledged that he’s considering retirement.
Jones declined to comment directly on whether he’ll retire at the end of the season, but it seemed clear that he’s made up his mind and merely needed to work out a settlement with the team over the $28 million in guaranteed money he’s owed for the 2011 and 2012 seasons.
"It’s obvious that it’s something I’ve been thinking about," Jones told the AP after arriving at Turner Field in his blue pickup truck about 2:15 p.m. "I need to go through the proper channels. Once those have all been taken care of, everybody’s questions will be answered."
The 38-year-old Jones, who won the NL MVP award in 1998 and led the league in hitting just two years ago, said he planned to meet with general manager Frank Wren and manager Bobby Cox to discuss some "red tape issues." Asked if those involved a resolution of his contract, Jones replied, "That would be fair to say."
He struggled last season and indicated that another difficult year would likely lead him to consider retirement, even if it meant walking away from a huge amount of money.
This season has been even tougher for Jones, though the Braves are leading the NL East. He’s battled injuries and was hitting just .228 with three homers and 22 RBIs heading into the opener of a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Braves have gotten more production at third base out of utility infielders Omar Infante (.314, one homer, 16 RBIs) and Brooks Conrad (.280, three homers, 12 RBIs), which has made Jones’ troubles stand out even more.
"Well, anytime you’ve struggled at the plate and you’re having trouble producing, it’s frustrating," Jones told the AP, standing outside the Braves clubhouse. "I’m used to being in the middle of everything, but it hasn’t been happening. Hopefully I’ll have a better second half and really help contribute to this team staying in first place."
The team later put out a statement saying Jones would not be available to the media. He was in the lineup Tuesday, batting in his usual third spot. Manager Bobby Cox said he had nothing report and was more focused on getting Jones back to his usual standards.
Jones has long been the face of the Braves’ offense, helping Atlanta wins its lone World Series title as a rookie in 1995 and significantly contributing to an unprecedented run of 14 straight division titles. His best year was 1999, when he led the Braves to the NL championship and was named MVP after hitting .319 with 45 homers and 110 RBIs.
Then came the injuries, which started in 2004 and led to a stretch of five straight seasons in which he missed at least 25 games. He continued to produce when healthy, putting up 29 homers and 102 RBIs in 2007, followed by a .364 average the next season that gave him his first NL batting championship.
Jones’ numbers dipped dramatically in 2009. He batted only .264 – the second-lowest average of his 16-year career – with 18 homers and 71 RBIs.
This season, Jones has contributed little to help the team’s run to first place, ceding the spotlight to rookie sensation Jason Heyward, leadoff man Martin Prado and new first baseman Troy Glaus.
Still, Jones remains a prominent figure in the clubhouse.
"He’s a guy I watched when I was coming up," Conrad said. "He’s a huge presence. He’s a great guy to have on the team. He keeps it in line. He keeps the players loose. He talks to everybody about hitting."
Despite his lackluster numbers, Jones still has an impact on the field as well, his teammate said.
"He still makes the pitchers work. He brings a lot to the table," Conrad said. "As a team, we’re better when we have him out there. It would be a sad day if he’s leaving."
If Jones does retire, two longtime Braves figures will be leaving together at the end of the season. Bobby Cox has already announced this is last season as manager.
Jones chuckled when asked if he wanted to go out with Cox.
"No comment," he said, stepping into the clubhouse.
Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Adrian Gonzalez is the Padres’ only reliable bat, but they keep winning.
The American League East has three teams—the Rays, Yankees and Red Sox—in the top 10 of this week’s power poll. That’s not even the least bit surprising.
That the National League West can make the same claim, though, is at least a little bit surprising. The Padres, despite their lack of a legitimate offensive threat other than Adrian Gonzalez, are 11 games over .500 and leading the division. The Dodgers, despite their offseason of inactivity because of the tumultuous situation regarding the owners, are a game back. The Giants, despite another inconsistent offensive lineup (though, better than last year), are a game-and-a-half behind the Padres. Anyway, on to the poll.
1. Rays (last week: 1). After watching his batting average plunge to a season-low .169 on June 5, Carlos Pena has seven homers, 10 RBIs and a .345 average (1.456 OPS) in his past in seven games. The Rays, though, are just 4-3 in that span and have been caught atop the AL East by the Yankees.
2. Yankees (2). Last week, we said not to read too much into Jorge Posada’s poor performance so far this year with runners on base because of the small sample size. So what does Posada do this weekend? Grand slams in back-to-back games. Patience is a virtue (when analyzing stats, not when your BCS conference affiliation is on the line).
3. Padres (3). Before the Dodgers took first place last Tuesday, the Padres had been in first place (alone or tied) since April 19. After taking two of three against the Mariners this weekend, they’re back atop the division entering the week.
4. Braves (4). Kenshin Kawakami has an 0-8 record this season despite a relatively respectable 4.48 ERA. To add further evidence to the wins-aren’t-a-reliable-stat argument, 33 pitchers entered the week with at least four wins and an ERA of 4.48 or higher. Derek Lowe, Kawakami’s teammate, is 8-5 despite his 4.81 ERA.
5. Mets (15). David Wright leads the Mets with 12 homers. Which is, y’know, the season-ending total team-leader Daniel Murphy had for the 2009 Mets. Wright is hitting .394 with 11 RBIs and three of those bombs during the Mets’ current stretch of eight wins in nine games.
What happened to Joe Mauer’s power?
6. Twins (8). So, at what point do people start to talk about Joe Mauer’s lack of power this season? He had 28 homers last season in 138 games; this year he has two in 55 contests.
7. Dodgers (6). After reeling off six consecutive starts in which he allowed two runs or fewer, rookie John Ely has been touched for eight runs in his past two starts. Still, though, his 3.38 ERA through nine outings has far exceeded expectations.
8. Red Sox (10). Dustin Pedroia and Marco Scutaro enter the week with exactly 298 plate appearances each. Pedroia has more doubles, homers, RBIs and stolen bases and has a better OPS; Scutaro leads his middle-infield mate in runs, hits, average and on-base percentage.
9. Giants (14). Juan Uribe is getting love on the West Coast for his offensive production this season, but I wonder how many folks east of Yosemite know he’s hitting .290 with 10 homers and a team-high 41 RBIs.
10. Reds (7). Yes, the Reds are in first place in the NL Central, but they drop a few spots after dropping two of three at home to the Royals this weekend.
11. Rangers (12). After a rough start to his life in the majors, Justin Smoak is starting to heat up for the Rangers. The rookie first baseman is batting .317 with a pair of homers and 12 RBIs in his first 13 June games. This, after hitting .175 in his first 35 games.
12. Angels (13). Erick Aybar has seven multihit games in his past 14 contests; he’s hitting .424 in that span, with five stolen bases, six RBIs, seven extra-base hits and 13 runs scored.
13. Tigers (17). The Tigers’ sweep of the Pirates this weekend was the first time they’ve won three in a row since a five-game streak that ended on May 2.
14. Cardinals (5). The Cardinals haven’t done much right in losing seven of their past eight games. The bright side is they’re only a game-and-a-half behind the Reds in the NL Central to start the week.
15. Blue Jays (9). Seven Blue Jays have at least eight home runs on the season, and Toronto’s team total of 99 leads the majors, 15 ahead of the Red Sox. Which is why it’s a bit surprising that the Blue Jays have failed to score more than three runs in any of their past eight games.
16. Phillies (11). Starting May 22, the Phillies are just 6-14. They’re averaging 1.43 runs per game in those losses and 4.67 runs per game in the wins.
17. Rockies (16). No chance of Carlos Gonzalez being voted in as a starter for the National League All-Star team, but the Rockies’ center fielder belongs in the game. He’s hitting .302 and leads the Rockies in homers (10), RBIs (41) and stolen bases (eight).
18. A’s (18). Trevor Cahill has allowed more than one earned run just once in his past five starts. He’s 4-0 with a 1.91 ERA in that stretch.
Josh Johnson has dominated.
19. Marlins (19). This is getting ridiculous. Ace Josh Johnson has allowed just one earned run in his past five starts, covering 35 innings. That’s a tidy 0.26 ERA.
20. Nationals (20). Josh Johnson’s dominance is impressive but not necessarily unexpected. What is unexpected is Livan Hernandez and his 2.28 ERA. He’s allowed more than two earned runs just twice in 12 start; this, despite having just 33 strikeouts against 25 walks.
21. White Sox (23). At least the White Sox took two of three from the Cubs this weekend, eh?
22. Cubs (21). As if this season wasn’t enough of a disappointment, the Cubs lost two of three at home to the cross-town Sox.
23. Royals (22). The Royals did their in-state neighbors, the Cardinals, a favor when they went into Cincinnati and took two of three from the Reds.
24. Diamondbacks (28). Ian Kennedy has been the Diamondbacks’ best starter since the beginning of May. In those eight starts, he’s fashioned a 2.42 ERA, though personally he’s just 2-2 in that stretch.
25. Brewers (24). The Milwaukee pitching staff is third in the majors in strikeouts, but 28th in ERA, 29th in hits allowed, 30th in walks allowed and (not shockingly) 30th in WHIP.
26. Astros (27). The Houston offense is last in the majors in batting average (.236), on-base percentage (.287) and slugging percentage (.339).
27. Mariners (26). Sixty-three games into the season and not one Mariner has more than 15 extra-base hits on the season. They have 138 as a team, which is last in the AL; the Red Sox and Blue Jays are tied for the league lead with 254.
28. Indians (29). Prize prospect Carlos Santana got the call-up last week. In his first three games, he delivered a homer and three RBIs to go with a .273 batting average. He was hitting .316 with 13 homers and a 1.044 OPS for Class AAA Columbus.
29. Pirates (25). Tough times for the Pirates. They’ve lost eight in a row.
30. Orioles (30). The Orioles’ winning percentage is .270 (17-46). Only two teams since 1935—the 1962 Mets and 2003 Tigers—have finished with worse marks.
Adrian Gonzalez is the Padres’ only reliable bat, but they keep winning.
The American League East has three teams—the Rays, Yankees and Red Sox—in the top 10 of this week’s power poll. That’s not even the least bit surprising.
That the National League West can make the same claim, though, is at least a little bit surprising. The Padres, despite their lack of a legitimate offensive threat other than Adrian Gonzalez, are 11 games over .500 and leading the division. The Dodgers, despite their offseason of inactivity because of the tumultuous situation regarding the owners, are a game back. The Giants, despite another inconsistent offensive lineup (though, better than last year), are a game-and-a-half behind the Padres. Anyway, on to the poll.
1. Rays (last week: 1). After watching his batting average plunge to a season-low .169 on June 5, Carlos Pena has seven homers, 10 RBIs and a .345 average (1.456 OPS) in his past in seven games. The Rays, though, are just 4-3 in that span and have been caught atop the AL East by the Yankees.
2. Yankees (2). Last week, we said not to read too much into Jorge Posada’s poor performance so far this year with runners on base because of the small sample size. So what does Posada do this weekend? Grand slams in back-to-back games. Patience is a virtue (when analyzing stats, not when your BCS conference affiliation is on the line).
3. Padres (3). Before the Dodgers took first place last Tuesday, the Padres had been in first place (alone or tied) since April 19. After taking two of three against the Mariners this weekend, they’re back atop the division entering the week.
4. Braves (4). Kenshin Kawakami has an 0-8 record this season despite a relatively respectable 4.48 ERA. To add further evidence to the wins-aren’t-a-reliable-stat argument, 33 pitchers entered the week with at least four wins and an ERA of 4.48 or higher. Derek Lowe, Kawakami’s teammate, is 8-5 despite his 4.81 ERA.
5. Mets (15). David Wright leads the Mets with 12 homers. Which is, y’know, the season-ending total team-leader Daniel Murphy had for the 2009 Mets. Wright is hitting .394 with 11 RBIs and three of those bombs during the Mets’ current stretch of eight wins in nine games.
What happened to Joe Mauer’s power?
6. Twins (8). So, at what point do people start to talk about Joe Mauer’s lack of power this season? He had 28 homers last season in 138 games; this year he has two in 55 contests.
7. Dodgers (6). After reeling off six consecutive starts in which he allowed two runs or fewer, rookie John Ely has been touched for eight runs in his past two starts. Still, though, his 3.38 ERA through nine outings has far exceeded expectations.
8. Red Sox (10). Dustin Pedroia and Marco Scutaro enter the week with exactly 298 plate appearances each. Pedroia has more doubles, homers, RBIs and stolen bases and has a better OPS; Scutaro leads his middle-infield mate in runs, hits, average and on-base percentage.
9. Giants (14). Juan Uribe is getting love on the West Coast for his offensive production this season, but I wonder how many folks east of Yosemite know he’s hitting .290 with 10 homers and a team-high 41 RBIs.
10. Reds (7). Yes, the Reds are in first place in the NL Central, but they drop a few spots after dropping two of three at home to the Royals this weekend.
11. Rangers (12). After a rough start to his life in the majors, Justin Smoak is starting to heat up for the Rangers. The rookie first baseman is batting .317 with a pair of homers and 12 RBIs in his first 13 June games. This, after hitting .175 in his first 35 games.
12. Angels (13). Erick Aybar has seven multihit games in his past 14 contests; he’s hitting .424 in that span, with five stolen bases, six RBIs, seven extra-base hits and 13 runs scored.
13. Tigers (17). The Tigers’ sweep of the Pirates this weekend was the first time they’ve won three in a row since a five-game streak that ended on May 2.
14. Cardinals (5). The Cardinals haven’t done much right in losing seven of their past eight games. The bright side is they’re only a game-and-a-half behind the Reds in the NL Central to start the week.
15. Blue Jays (9). Seven Blue Jays have at least eight home runs on the season, and Toronto’s team total of 99 leads the majors, 15 ahead of the Red Sox. Which is why it’s a bit surprising that the Blue Jays have failed to score more than three runs in any of their past eight games.
16. Phillies (11). Starting May 22, the Phillies are just 6-14. They’re averaging 1.43 runs per game in those losses and 4.67 runs per game in the wins.
17. Rockies (16). No chance of Carlos Gonzalez being voted in as a starter for the National League All-Star team, but the Rockies’ center fielder belongs in the game. He’s hitting .302 and leads the Rockies in homers (10), RBIs (41) and stolen bases (eight).
18. A’s (18). Trevor Cahill has allowed more than one earned run just once in his past five starts. He’s 4-0 with a 1.91 ERA in that stretch.
Josh Johnson has dominated.
19. Marlins (19). This is getting ridiculous. Ace Josh Johnson has allowed just one earned run in his past five starts, covering 35 innings. That’s a tidy 0.26 ERA.
20. Nationals (20). Josh Johnson’s dominance is impressive but not necessarily unexpected. What is unexpected is Livan Hernandez and his 2.28 ERA. He’s allowed more than two earned runs just twice in 12 start; this, despite having just 33 strikeouts against 25 walks.
21. White Sox (23). At least the White Sox took two of three from the Cubs this weekend, eh?
22. Cubs (21). As if this season wasn’t enough of a disappointment, the Cubs lost two of three at home to the cross-town Sox.
23. Royals (22). The Royals did their in-state neighbors, the Cardinals, a favor when they went into Cincinnati and took two of three from the Reds.
24. Diamondbacks (28). Ian Kennedy has been the Diamondbacks’ best starter since the beginning of May. In those eight starts, he’s fashioned a 2.42 ERA, though personally he’s just 2-2 in that stretch.
25. Brewers (24). The Milwaukee pitching staff is third in the majors in strikeouts, but 28th in ERA, 29th in hits allowed, 30th in walks allowed and (not shockingly) 30th in WHIP.
26. Astros (27). The Houston offense is last in the majors in batting average (.236), on-base percentage (.287) and slugging percentage (.339).
27. Mariners (26). Sixty-three games into the season and not one Mariner has more than 15 extra-base hits on the season. They have 138 as a team, which is last in the AL; the Red Sox and Blue Jays are tied for the league lead with 254.
28. Indians (29). Prize prospect Carlos Santana got the call-up last week. In his first three games, he delivered a homer and three RBIs to go with a .273 batting average. He was hitting .316 with 13 homers and a 1.044 OPS for Class AAA Columbus.
29. Pirates (25). Tough times for the Pirates. They’ve lost eight in a row.
30. Orioles (30). The Orioles’ winning percentage is .270 (17-46). Only two teams since 1935—the 1962 Mets and 2003 Tigers—have finished with worse marks.
Right now, Washington Nationals fans are being treated to a stretch of dominant pitching by rookie phenom Stephen Strasburg. However, Strasburg isn’t the only one in the Nationals’ system on the fast track to stardom. In this year’s amateur draft, they selected Bryce Harper, a 17-year-old slugger who destroyed junior college pitching this season for the College of Southern Nevada.
Harper and his CSN manager, Tim Chambers, joined Seat Williams on ESPN Radio Las Vegas to discuss who Harper is as a person and what’s in store for him in the pro ranks. To listen to the interview, go to Sports Radio Interviews. Responses have been edited for clarity and brevity.
Bryce Harper was the number one overall pick in the 2010 MLB first year amateur player draft.
How would Coach Chambers characterize Harper?
Chambers: I get asked that question a lot. To me, he’s just Bryce. I don’t believe that I treat him any differently than I do the other kids, other than he gets to eat dinner with me every once in a while, and he’s going to go to my three year old’s birthday party today. He’s just Bryce when he’s with us.
But, certainly, we understand what he is going through. It’s been a whirlwind year for him. He got a lot of criticism for leaving early. One of the sayings in our video is that, "We play to prove them right, not to prove them wrong." Bryce played to prove some people right and he certainly proved a lot of people wrong…
For the naysayers, I would say you don’t know him. His teammates and his coaches, who were around him every day for a year, and some of us since he was a chubby little guy hitting in his football pads at the cages at CSN, know him. They don’t know him. Certainly, if you are going to make a negative comment, you’d better know the person you are making it about, would be my opinion. We don’t really pay attention to those guys. We pay attention to the positives around here.
How did Harper celebrate with Scott Boras when he was drafted first overall in the MLB draft?
Harper: He just gave me a handshake and hugged me. He teared up a little bit. He’s great people. They have great people at Boras Corp. They’re all for the baseball guys. They’re just trying to get what they can do to help you out. They’re great people down there.
What was the process behind the decision to shift from catcher to outfield?
Harper: I had no idea what they were going to do with me. It’s whatever they want me to do. If they think it’s best for me to play right field, then that’s where I am going to play.
What does Harper think about Stephen Strasburg?
Harper: He has the talent to be one of the best pitchers ever to play the game. I’d like to watch the thing playing in right field. It might be a little boring because he is so good and he might strike a lot of guys out.
CSN plays in a wood bat league. Did that affect Harper’s draft stock?
Chambers: There’s no question the wood bat helps the scouts. There have been a whole lot of guys, especially at the college level, who hit for a lot of power with the aluminum, and they got a wood bat in their hands and it made things a lot more difficult.
As a pro, will Harper try to wear eye black down his cheeks like he did at CSN?
Harper: I’m not going to wear it [in the minors]. It’s a different level. It’s a different stage of baseball. I didn’t wear it with Team USA. I’m not going to take it to the big leagues or anything like that, or in the minors. That’s in the past. I was fortunate Coach Chambers let me wear it and be myself.
Right now, Washington Nationals fans are being treated to a stretch of dominant pitching by rookie phenom Stephen Strasburg. However, Strasburg isn’t the only one in the Nationals’ system on the fast track to stardom. In this year’s amateur draft, they selected Bryce Harper, a 17-year-old slugger who destroyed junior college pitching this season for the College of Southern Nevada.
Harper and his CSN manager, Tim Chambers, joined Seat Williams on ESPN Radio Las Vegas to discuss who Harper is as a person and what’s in store for him in the pro ranks. To listen to the interview, go to Sports Radio Interviews. Responses have been edited for clarity and brevity.
Bryce Harper was the number one overall pick in the 2010 MLB first year amateur player draft.
How would Coach Chambers characterize Harper?
Chambers: I get asked that question a lot. To me, he’s just Bryce. I don’t believe that I treat him any differently than I do the other kids, other than he gets to eat dinner with me every once in a while, and he’s going to go to my three year old’s birthday party today. He’s just Bryce when he’s with us.
But, certainly, we understand what he is going through. It’s been a whirlwind year for him. He got a lot of criticism for leaving early. One of the sayings in our video is that, "We play to prove them right, not to prove them wrong." Bryce played to prove some people right and he certainly proved a lot of people wrong…
For the naysayers, I would say you don’t know him. His teammates and his coaches, who were around him every day for a year, and some of us since he was a chubby little guy hitting in his football pads at the cages at CSN, know him. They don’t know him. Certainly, if you are going to make a negative comment, you’d better know the person you are making it about, would be my opinion. We don’t really pay attention to those guys. We pay attention to the positives around here.
How did Harper celebrate with Scott Boras when he was drafted first overall in the MLB draft?
Harper: He just gave me a handshake and hugged me. He teared up a little bit. He’s great people. They have great people at Boras Corp. They’re all for the baseball guys. They’re just trying to get what they can do to help you out. They’re great people down there.
What was the process behind the decision to shift from catcher to outfield?
Harper: I had no idea what they were going to do with me. It’s whatever they want me to do. If they think it’s best for me to play right field, then that’s where I am going to play.
What does Harper think about Stephen Strasburg?
Harper: He has the talent to be one of the best pitchers ever to play the game. I’d like to watch the thing playing in right field. It might be a little boring because he is so good and he might strike a lot of guys out.
CSN plays in a wood bat league. Did that affect Harper’s draft stock?
Chambers: There’s no question the wood bat helps the scouts. There have been a whole lot of guys, especially at the college level, who hit for a lot of power with the aluminum, and they got a wood bat in their hands and it made things a lot more difficult.
As a pro, will Harper try to wear eye black down his cheeks like he did at CSN?
Harper: I’m not going to wear it [in the minors]. It’s a different level. It’s a different stage of baseball. I didn’t wear it with Team USA. I’m not going to take it to the big leagues or anything like that, or in the minors. That’s in the past. I was fortunate Coach Chambers let me wear it and be myself.
