Carlos Beltran has cleared waivers, but the Mets center fielder remains difficult to trade, FOXSports.com’s Jon Paul Morosi reports.
Beltran, 33, has a no-trade clause in his contact and is due to make $18.5 million next year in the final season of his deal. He also is coming off knee surgery which forced him to miss the first half of this season.
Earlier Tuesday, the New York Times reported the Mets appear willing to deal Beltran in the winter. The newspaper speculated Beltran might be amenable to waiving his no-trade protection if he has an opportunity to go to a city and team he likes.
Beltran’s stats reflect his struggles: He’s batting .195/.300/.312 in 90 plate appearances over 22 games, with one home run and seven RBIs. His outfield defense also has been subpar. Angel Pagan has played well this year and is a threat to to take over for Beltran in center.
Sporting News staff reports
Carlos Beltran has cleared waivers, but the Mets center fielder remains difficult to trade, FOXSports.com’s Jon Paul Morosi reports.
Beltran, 33, has a no-trade clause in his contact and is due to make $18.5 million next year in the final season of his deal. He also is coming off knee surgery which forced him to miss the first half of this season.
Earlier Tuesday, the New York Times reported the Mets appear willing to deal Beltran in the winter. The newspaper speculated Beltran might be amenable to waiving his no-trade protection if he has an opportunity to go to a city and team he likes.
Beltran’s stats reflect his struggles: He’s batting .195/.300/.312 in 90 plate appearances over 22 games, with one home run and seven RBIs. His outfield defense also has been subpar. Angel Pagan has played well this year and is a threat to to take over for Beltran in center.
His manager wished Brandon Phillips hadn’t called the Cardinals names, but the Reds second baseman wasn’t backing down Tuesday from his critical comments of the team a day earlier.
And the Cardinals weren’t shy about responding to Phillips’ rant. The resulting exchange touched off a first-inning brawl in Game 2 of the NL Central rivals’ series.
Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina made his feelings known when Phillips came to bat in the bottom of the first inning. Phillips tapped Molina’s shin guard with his bat, a ritual Phillips performs before every at-bat. Molina took offense.
"The comment he made yesterday that he’s got no friends over here — then why you touch me?" Molina told reporters after the Cardinals’ 8-4 victory. "You are not my friend, so don’t touch me. I mean, if we’re no good for you, you are not my friend."
Molina’s reaction sparked a heated exchange between the two at home plate. The benches and bullpens quickly emptied.
Reds manager Dusty Baker and Cardinals manager Tony La Russa got into a shouting match during the scrum. Both were ejected.
As Baker and La Russa were having their exchange, Cardinals pitcher Chris Carpenter yelled at Baker, who responded in kind. Judging from video footage, Reds third baseman Scott Rolen, a former Cardinal, came to Baker’s defense and tried to push Carpenter away. The ensuing pileup stopped at the backstop behind home plate.
"It was two teams defending their own people, and standing up for their own players and managers and coaches, so … that got ugly and obviously it was heated when it started," Rolen said.
Reds starting pitcher Johnny Cueto soon was pinned against the netting. He tried to kick way out, injuring Carpenter and Cardinals catcher Jason LaRue in the process.
"I was in the net, with somebody kicking me from behind. Where I was held down. I couldn’t do anything," Carpenter told reporters after the game, per the St. Louis Post Dispatch’s Bernie Miklasz. "I wasn’t throwing any punches. And we’ve got some guy kicking me and kicking my backup catcher in the face. He could have done some real damage. … Totally unprofessional. Unbelievable. I’ve never seen anything like that."
Baker had a slightly different take on Cueto’s situation: "They had him pinned up like a rat in a corner. It wasn’t pretty," Baker told reporters.
"I don’t know where Cueto learned how to fight," Carpenter said.
The Post-Dispatch reported LaRue might have a concussion and could be placed on the disabled list. LaRue did not discuss his condition with reporters after the game.
Phillips, who made the final out Tuesday, had little to say about the fight.
"We lost today, man. Regardless of what happened, we lost and that’s the only thing that really (stunk) today. … We’re just mad that we lost the game," he said.
Earlier Tuesday, Phillips stood by his comments of a day earlier.
"People (other than the Cardinals and their fans) respect me for what I said," Phillips told reporters before the second game of the teams’ series in Cincinnati. "Those were my comments, and a lot of people feel that way all throughout the league — many people feel that way. Regardless of what I say, we’ve got to go out there and take care of business."
Phillips told the Dayton Daily News’ Hal McCoy that he "hated" the Cardinals and that they were constant complainers.
La Russa expressed his anger over the comments following Monday night’s Cardinals victory, and Baker said he expressed his displeasure to Phillips on Tuesday.
"Brandon knows what he’s saying," Baker told reporters. "It doesn’t make it right, but he knows what he’s saying and that’s his opinion.
"I talked to him about it and put a little pressure on him to play better personally. The Cardinals have given him a pretty rough time historically." Phillips was 0-for-5 Monday night.
Baker’s scolding and La Russa’s reaction didn’t deter Phillips.
"To tell you the truth, I really don’t care what (La Russa) said. I play for the Cincinnati Reds; I don’t play for the Cardinals," Phillips told reporters. "I respect him for what he said, but we have to go out there and beat the Cardinals regardless (of what) he said or what I said."
Phillips scoffed at La Russa’s claim that Phillips unwittingly ripped some of his teammates who once played for the Cardinals.
"I said what I said. That’s all I can say. They can say what they want. I don’t give a (expletive) what they say," Phillips said.
Material from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Sporting News staff reports
His manager wished Brandon Phillips hadn’t called the Cardinals names, but the Reds second baseman wasn’t backing down Tuesday from his critical comments of the team a day earlier.
And the Cardinals weren’t shy about responding to Phillips’ rant. The resulting exchange touched off a first-inning brawl in Game 2 of the NL Central rivals’ series.
Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina made his feelings known when Phillips came to bat in the bottom of the first inning. Phillips tapped Molina’s shin guard with his bat, a ritual Phillips performs before every at-bat. Molina took offense.
"The comment he made yesterday that he’s got no friends over here — then why you touch me?" Molina told reporters after the Cardinals’ 8-4 victory. "You are not my friend, so don’t touch me. I mean, if we’re no good for you, you are not my friend."
Molina’s reaction sparked a heated exchange between the two at home plate. The benches and bullpens quickly emptied.
Reds manager Dusty Baker and Cardinals manager Tony La Russa got into a shouting match during the scrum. Both were ejected.
As Baker and La Russa were having their exchange, Cardinals pitcher Chris Carpenter yelled at Baker, who responded in kind. Judging from video footage, Reds third baseman Scott Rolen, a former Cardinal, came to Baker’s defense and tried to push Carpenter away. The ensuing pileup stopped at the backstop behind home plate.
"It was two teams defending their own people, and standing up for their own players and managers and coaches, so … that got ugly and obviously it was heated when it started," Rolen said.
Reds starting pitcher Johnny Cueto soon was pinned against the netting. He tried to kick way out, injuring Carpenter and Cardinals catcher Jason LaRue in the process.
"I was in the net, with somebody kicking me from behind. Where I was held down. I couldn’t do anything," Carpenter told reporters after the game, per the St. Louis Post Dispatch’s Bernie Miklasz. "I wasn’t throwing any punches. And we’ve got some guy kicking me and kicking my backup catcher in the face. He could have done some real damage. … Totally unprofessional. Unbelievable. I’ve never seen anything like that."
Baker had a slightly different take on Cueto’s situation: "They had him pinned up like a rat in a corner. It wasn’t pretty," Baker told reporters.
"I don’t know where Cueto learned how to fight," Carpenter said.
The Post-Dispatch reported LaRue might have a concussion and could be placed on the disabled list. LaRue did not discuss his condition with reporters after the game.
Phillips, who made the final out Tuesday, had little to say about the fight.
"We lost today, man. Regardless of what happened, we lost and that’s the only thing that really (stunk) today. … We’re just mad that we lost the game," he said.
Earlier Tuesday, Phillips stood by his comments of a day earlier.
"People (other than the Cardinals and their fans) respect me for what I said," Phillips told reporters before the second game of the teams’ series in Cincinnati. "Those were my comments, and a lot of people feel that way all throughout the league — many people feel that way. Regardless of what I say, we’ve got to go out there and take care of business."
Phillips told the Dayton Daily News’ Hal McCoy that he "hated" the Cardinals and that they were constant complainers.
La Russa expressed his anger over the comments following Monday night’s Cardinals victory, and Baker said he expressed his displeasure to Phillips on Tuesday.
"Brandon knows what he’s saying," Baker told reporters. "It doesn’t make it right, but he knows what he’s saying and that’s his opinion.
"I talked to him about it and put a little pressure on him to play better personally. The Cardinals have given him a pretty rough time historically." Phillips was 0-for-5 Monday night.
Baker’s scolding and La Russa’s reaction didn’t deter Phillips.
"To tell you the truth, I really don’t care what (La Russa) said. I play for the Cincinnati Reds; I don’t play for the Cardinals," Phillips told reporters. "I respect him for what he said, but we have to go out there and beat the Cardinals regardless (of what) he said or what I said."
Phillips scoffed at La Russa’s claim that Phillips unwittingly ripped some of his teammates who once played for the Cardinals.
"I said what I said. That’s all I can say. They can say what they want. I don’t give a (expletive) what they say," Phillips said.
Material from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Sporting News Audio is a weekly series of conversations with Sporting News experts during the MLB season. In this installment, Ryan Fagan discusses this week’s key series between the Rangers and Yankees, and Reds and Cardinals.
Sporting News
Sporting News Audio is a weekly series of conversations with Sporting News experts during the MLB season. In this installment, Ryan Fagan discusses this week’s key series between the Rangers and Yankees, and Reds and Cardinals.
The Cardinals-Reds series got a lot spicier Monday courtesy of Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips.
Phillips told the Dayton Daily News’ Hal McCoy that he "hates" the Cardinals because they complain too much, and added a few expletives for good measure.
"I’d play against these guys on one leg," said Phillips, who is nursing a sore shin. "We have to beat these guys. All they do is (complain) and moan about everything, all of them."
Phillips then called the Cardinals the technical term for female dogs, and he followed that up by saying:
"I really hate the Cardinals. Compared to the Cardinals, I love the Chicago Cubs. Let me make this clear: I hate the Cardinals."
McCoy speculated Phillips is upset over gamesmanship by Cardinals manager Tony La Russa and pitching coach Dave Duncan in previous series. The Cardinals said baseballs the used at Great American Ball Park were too slick because they weren’t rubbed up properly, and they also had umpires check pitcher Bronson Arroyo’s cap for illegal substances.
La Russa was still steaming over Phillips’ comments after St. Louis’ 7-3 victory at Great American Ball Park. He told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Joe Strauss: "We win the right way; we lose the right way. Over the years we’ve done both those things. If we get beat, we tip our caps. If we win, we don’t get arrogant and show anybody up."
La Russa also pointed out that several ex-Cardinals, including newly acquired center fielder Jim Edmonds, now play for Cincinnati.
"I don’t think that will go over well in his clubhouse," La Russa told the Post-Dispatch’s Bernie Miklasz. "Phillips is ripping his teammates. (Scott) Rolen, Edmonds, (Miguel) Cairo, (Russ) Springer, all of the ex-Cardinals over there. He isn’t talking about this year. He’s talking about the way we’ve always played. And those guys are old Cardinals. Tell him he’s ripping his own teammates, because they were all Cardinals."
Phillips was 0-for-5 against the Cardinals on Monday.
Sporting News staff reports
The Cardinals-Reds series got a lot spicier Monday courtesy of Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips.
Phillips told the Dayton Daily News’ Hal McCoy that he "hates" the Cardinals because they complain too much, and added a few expletives for good measure.
"I’d play against these guys on one leg," said Phillips, who is nursing a sore shin. "We have to beat these guys. All they do is (complain) and moan about everything, all of them."
Phillips then called the Cardinals the technical term for female dogs, and he followed that up by saying:
"I really hate the Cardinals. Compared to the Cardinals, I love the Chicago Cubs. Let me make this clear: I hate the Cardinals."
McCoy speculated Phillips is upset over gamesmanship by Cardinals manager Tony La Russa and pitching coach Dave Duncan in previous series. The Cardinals said baseballs the used at Great American Ball Park were too slick because they weren’t rubbed up properly, and they also had umpires check pitcher Bronson Arroyo’s cap for illegal substances.
La Russa was still steaming over Phillips’ comments after St. Louis’ 7-3 victory at Great American Ball Park. He told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Joe Strauss: "We win the right way; we lose the right way. Over the years we’ve done both those things. If we get beat, we tip our caps. If we win, we don’t get arrogant and show anybody up."
La Russa also pointed out that several ex-Cardinals, including newly acquired center fielder Jim Edmonds, now play for Cincinnati.
"I don’t think that will go over well in his clubhouse," La Russa told the Post-Dispatch’s Bernie Miklasz. "Phillips is ripping his teammates. (Scott) Rolen, Edmonds, (Miguel) Cairo, (Russ) Springer, all of the ex-Cardinals over there. He isn’t talking about this year. He’s talking about the way we’ve always played. And those guys are old Cardinals. Tell him he’s ripping his own teammates, because they were all Cardinals."
Phillips was 0-for-5 against the Cardinals on Monday.
Cardinals right-hander Chris Carpenter confronted shortstop Brendan Ryan in the dugout on Monday for not being ready for the start of the game.
Carpenter had to wait for Ryan to take his position, then get the correct glove, before beginning the bottom of the first inning.
After the inning, Carpenter asked Ryan to join him in the tunnel adjacent to the St. Louis dugout. Television cameras showed Carpenter speaking sternly to Ryan, with Ryan staring back at Carpenter, then nodding at the end of the discussion.
Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said Ryan was working in the indoor batting cage inside the clubhouse. "All of a sudden, we made three quick outs in the first inning, then he scrambled out there, and he forgot where his glove was. So Carp said, ‘Hey, what’s going on?’
"I think that’s what you’re supposed to do. You’re supposed to let guys know, first inning, I don’t want to be out there waiting. He’s ready to pitch in the top of the first and the guy’s not there."
Carpenter told reporters there was a "miscommunication" or "misunderstanding" between he and Ryan. "We’re fine. Everything is good. We’re good," Carpenter said.
Carpenter appeared to again chide Ryan in the dugout after the seventh inning, presumably because Ryan failed to get to a ground ball that became a run-scoring single. Carpenter yelled in frustration on the mound after the hit, though not directly at Ryan.
He told reporters he was just upset about allowing runs on several soft hits.
"I didn’t want to give up any runs," Carpenter said. "I was throwing the ball well and my pitch count was low, and I just wanted to keep going. And unfortunately, I found a way to get my pitch count up and get myself out of the game."
MLB.com reported Ryan left the park without speaking to the media.
Cardinals right-hander Chris Carpenter confronted shortstop Brendan Ryan in the dugout on Monday for not being ready for the start of the game.
Carpenter had to wait for Ryan to take his position, then get the correct glove, before beginning the bottom of the first inning.
After the inning, Carpenter asked Ryan to join him in the tunnel adjacent to the St. Louis dugout. Television cameras showed Carpenter speaking sternly to Ryan, with Ryan staring back at Carpenter, then nodding at the end of the discussion.
Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said Ryan was working in the indoor batting cage inside the clubhouse. "All of a sudden, we made three quick outs in the first inning, then he scrambled out there, and he forgot where his glove was. So Carp said, ‘Hey, what’s going on?’
"I think that’s what you’re supposed to do. You’re supposed to let guys know, first inning, I don’t want to be out there waiting. He’s ready to pitch in the top of the first and the guy’s not there."
Carpenter told reporters there was a "miscommunication" or "misunderstanding" between he and Ryan. "We’re fine. Everything is good. We’re good," Carpenter said.
Carpenter appeared to again chide Ryan in the dugout after the seventh inning, presumably because Ryan failed to get to a ground ball that became a run-scoring single. Carpenter yelled in frustration on the mound after the hit, though not directly at Ryan.
He told reporters he was just upset about allowing runs on several soft hits.
"I didn’t want to give up any runs," Carpenter said. "I was throwing the ball well and my pitch count was low, and I just wanted to keep going. And unfortunately, I found a way to get my pitch count up and get myself out of the game."
MLB.com reported Ryan left the park without speaking to the media.
Their sub-.300 days didn’t intersect, but they weren’t far apart.
Hard to imagine that Joe Mauer, a career .327 hitter entering the season, and Albert Pujols, a career .334 hitter entering 2010, would find themselves hovering in the upper .200s at any point in July. And after watching their performances over the past week or so, it’s even harder to imagine. Mauer was sitting at .295 after a win in Baltimore on July 24. Since then, he’s had six multiple-hit games—including a five-hitter and one with four hits—and is batting .537 with 16 RBIs, 12 runs scored, a .604 on-base percentage and a 1.384 OPS.
Pujols was sitting at .295 after a win against Pittsburgh on July 30. Since then, he’s had multiple hits in six of his seven games and is batting .500 with five homers, 11 RBIs, 10 runs scored, a 1.031 slugging percentage, an otherworldly 1.531 OPS and only one strikeout.
No moral to the story or lesson to learn. Just two of the best getting back on track. Anyway, on to the poll.
Josh Hamilton is a leading MVP candidate.
1. Yankees (last week: 1). In the 46 at-bats between his 599th and 600th home run, Alex Rodriguez had only nine hits (a .196 average) but he still managed eight RBIs. It’s good to be part of that lineup, eh? For the year, he has 88 RBIs, which is second in the majors.
2. Rays (2). Yes, they’ve lost five games in a row entering the week, but there’s no reason to panic in Tampa Bay. The Rays are still only 2 1/2 behind the Yankees, and they’re still 4 1/2 games ahead of the Red Sox and Twins in the wild-card race. The sore shoulders for Jeff Neimann and Wade Davis? Rays fans can worry about those.
3. Rangers (5). With every game Miguel Cabrera and the Tigers lose, Josh Hamilton’s MVP candidacy takes a step forward, right? He’s hitting .355 with 24 homers and 77 RBIs for the most surprisingly dominant team in baseball. (Not "most surprising" … "most surprisingly dominant")
4. Braves (9). The two primary lefties in the Braves’ bullpen—veteran closer Billy Wagner and rookie Jonny Venters—have thrown a combined for 106 innings with a 1.36 ERA and 130 strikeouts. The other lefty in the pen, rookie Mike Dunn has contributed six scoreless innings after he was called up to replace Eric O’Flaherty, who had a 2.30 ERA in 41 games before he hit the disabled list. So, yeah, left-handed relief is a strength in Atlanta.
5. Reds (10). We’ve pointed this out before but it bears repeating … the Reds are 16 games over .500 (34-18) against their Central division rivals and exactly .500 (30-30) against everyone else. After their huge three-game series with the Cardinals that opens today, the Reds play their next 12 games out of the division.
6. Padres (3). Sure, it’s early, but trade acquisitions Ryan Ludwick and Miguel Tejada have hit a combined .200 (13-for-65) with five RBIs for the Padres. Maybe it’s the water.
7. Phillies (12). The Phillies sure looked like a team that was dead in the water a few weeks ago. Since losing to the Cardinals on July 21, though, the Phillies are 14-3 and have climbed back into contention for the NL East and the wild card. The primary offensive contributors: Raul Ibanez (.407, four homers, 16 RBIs), Jayson Werth (.406, three homers, eight RBIs) and Carlos Ruiz (.368, three homers, 11 RBIs).
Alexei Ramirez has been red hot in the second half.
8. White Sox (8). Second baseman Gordon Beckham has gotten most of the attention for his hot start to the second half (.372 since the All-Star break) but his double-play partner, Alexei Ramirez, hasn’t been too shabby with the stick, either. Ramirez is hitting .337 with an .849 OPS and 21 runs scored in the second half.
9. Twins (7). He’s not putting up Delmon Young or Joe Mauer numbers lately, but Jason Kubel has quietly and consistently rebounded from a slow start. In his past 54 games, Kubel is hitting .301 with nine homers and 37 RBIs.
10. Giants (4). Odd stat coincidence: Relievers Brian Wilson and Sergio Romo have both appeared in 46 games, and they both have a 2.23 ERA. Wilson has more strikeouts (67 to 46) but Santos has the better WHIP (1.015 to 1.283).
11. Red Sox (7). The nasty road trip that started with four games in Yankee Stadium continues this week with three in Toronto and three in Texas.
12. Cardinals (11). Here are the earned runs Adam Wainwright has allowed in each of his past eight games, starting with a June 29 contest against Arizona: 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 6, 1, 0.
13. Blue Jays (15). The Blue Jays are 11-1 against the AL East in the second half (6-0 vs. Baltimore, 3-0 vs. Tampa Bay and 2-1 vs. New York).
14. Rockies (13). OK, I’ll say it: Carlos Gonzalez belongs in the MVP conversation. CarGo has 25 homers, 77 RBIs and 18 stolen bases to go with his .327 average and .933 OPS. In his past 13 games, he has a .482 average, eight homers, 15 RBIs, and a 1.528 OPS.
15. Dodgers (14). Adjusting to life as a part-timer wasn’t easy for Garret Anderson. His average hadn’t been above .200 since April 17. He’d had 25 starts this year, and had multiple hits in just two of them. He was hitting .153 as a starter, .228 as a sub. For the year, he was hitting .181 with 12 RBIs in 155 at-bats before the Dodgers finally designated him for assignment.
16. A’s (19). With Ben Sheets out for the year, Dallas Braden is by far the oldest starter in the A’s rotation. He’ll be 27 on Friday.
17. Angels (18). With 60 RBIs, it looks like Bobby Abreu’s streak of seven consecutive 100-RBI seasons will end this year. That’s probably equal parts reflection on his age (36) and an Angels lineup that’s struggled this season (team .318 on-base percentage this year; was .350 in 2009).
18. Mets (17). Carlos Beltran is a borderline Hall of Fame guy (if he stays healthy) but he hasn’t exactly helped the Mets since his return to the lineup. He’s hitting .195 with seven RBIs, and the Mets are 7-16 since he came off the disabled list.
19. Marlins (16). With 25 homers and 67 RBIs through the Marlins’ first 110 games, Dan Uggla has a good shot at eclipsing his career highs of 32 homers and 92 RBIs. His current .882 also is a career-best.
20. Brewers (21). Somebody, please pay attention to Rickie Weeks. He’s hitting .272 with 23 homers and 71 RBIs—as the Brewers’ leadoff man. Those homer and RBI totals easily lead the majors among leadoff hitters, and his .364 on-base percentage is best for any player with more than 70 games as the leadoff man.
21. Tigers (20). It’s a cryin’ shame that Miguel Cabrera’s season—he’s at .343 with 26 homers, 93 RBIs and a 1.066 OPS—will be wasted for a team that just couldn’t stay healthy enough to contend.
22. Nationals (22). Livan Hernandez has a 3.03 ERA for the Nationals this year. His previous career best? The 3.20 he posted for the Expos (yep, the Expos) back in 2003.
23. Royals (24). With Jose Guillen out of the picture, Billy Butler is the team leader with 10 home runs. Alex Gordon, who has four homers in his past nine games, has a real shot to catch and pass Butler before the end of the season.
24. Indians (26). With Jhonny Peralta and Austin Kearns out of the picture, Shin-Soo Choo is the only Cleveland player with more than seven homers, 33 RBIs or a .267 average.
25. Astros (23). The Astros can’t hit for average (next-to-last in the NL at .247) or for power (74 homers, .669 OPS are both last in the N.L.) and they can’t draw a walk (300, last in the N.L.) but one thing they don’t do is strike out. Every team in the N.L. has struck out more than the Astros; they’re at 671 for the season (the D-backs lead at 1,029 strikeouts).
26. Diamondbacks (27). If the Diamondbacks win tonight against Milwaukee, it will mark the first time all season they’ve had a 10-game stretch that didn’t include back-to-back losses.
Paul Maholm has been one of baseball’s most inconsistent starters.
27. Cubs (25). The Cubs have won just one of their past 11 games. The one win in that stretch? A 15-3 beatdown of the Brewers, two nights after the Brewers beat them 18-1.
28. Orioles (30). That 5-1 mark under new manager Buck Showalter was enough to lift the Orioles out of last place in the poll.
29. Mariners (28). Seattle’s winning percentages the past four seasons, starting with 2007: .543, .377, .525, .375. The dichotomy between those last two numbers most likely cost manager Don Wakamatsu his job on Monday.
30. Pirates (29). Paul Maholm’s past three starts: 14 innings, 11.57 ERA. The three before that: 22 innings, 2.45 ERA. The three before that: 12 innings, 9.75 ERA. The three before that: 19 innings, 3.32 ERA. Consistency hasn’t been his calling card this year.
Their sub-.300 days didn’t intersect, but they weren’t far apart.
Hard to imagine that Joe Mauer, a career .327 hitter entering the season, and Albert Pujols, a career .334 hitter entering 2010, would find themselves hovering in the upper .200s at any point in July. And after watching their performances over the past week or so, it’s even harder to imagine. Mauer was sitting at .295 after a win in Baltimore on July 24. Since then, he’s had six multiple-hit games—including a five-hitter and one with four hits—and is batting .537 with 16 RBIs, 12 runs scored, a .604 on-base percentage and a 1.384 OPS.
Pujols was sitting at .295 after a win against Pittsburgh on July 30. Since then, he’s had multiple hits in six of his seven games and is batting .500 with five homers, 11 RBIs, 10 runs scored, a 1.031 slugging percentage, an otherworldly 1.531 OPS and only one strikeout.
No moral to the story or lesson to learn. Just two of the best getting back on track. Anyway, on to the poll.
Josh Hamilton is a leading MVP candidate.
1. Yankees (last week: 1). In the 46 at-bats between his 599th and 600th home run, Alex Rodriguez had only nine hits (a .196 average) but he still managed eight RBIs. It’s good to be part of that lineup, eh? For the year, he has 88 RBIs, which is second in the majors.
2. Rays (2). Yes, they’ve lost five games in a row entering the week, but there’s no reason to panic in Tampa Bay. The Rays are still only 2 1/2 behind the Yankees, and they’re still 4 1/2 games ahead of the Red Sox and Twins in the wild-card race. The sore shoulders for Jeff Neimann and Wade Davis? Rays fans can worry about those.
3. Rangers (5). With every game Miguel Cabrera and the Tigers lose, Josh Hamilton’s MVP candidacy takes a step forward, right? He’s hitting .355 with 24 homers and 77 RBIs for the most surprisingly dominant team in baseball. (Not "most surprising" … "most surprisingly dominant")
4. Braves (9). The two primary lefties in the Braves’ bullpen—veteran closer Billy Wagner and rookie Jonny Venters—have thrown a combined for 106 innings with a 1.36 ERA and 130 strikeouts. The other lefty in the pen, rookie Mike Dunn has contributed six scoreless innings after he was called up to replace Eric O’Flaherty, who had a 2.30 ERA in 41 games before he hit the disabled list. So, yeah, left-handed relief is a strength in Atlanta.
5. Reds (10). We’ve pointed this out before but it bears repeating … the Reds are 16 games over .500 (34-18) against their Central division rivals and exactly .500 (30-30) against everyone else. After their huge three-game series with the Cardinals that opens today, the Reds play their next 12 games out of the division.
6. Padres (3). Sure, it’s early, but trade acquisitions Ryan Ludwick and Miguel Tejada have hit a combined .200 (13-for-65) with five RBIs for the Padres. Maybe it’s the water.
7. Phillies (12). The Phillies sure looked like a team that was dead in the water a few weeks ago. Since losing to the Cardinals on July 21, though, the Phillies are 14-3 and have climbed back into contention for the NL East and the wild card. The primary offensive contributors: Raul Ibanez (.407, four homers, 16 RBIs), Jayson Werth (.406, three homers, eight RBIs) and Carlos Ruiz (.368, three homers, 11 RBIs).
Alexei Ramirez has been red hot in the second half.
8. White Sox (8). Second baseman Gordon Beckham has gotten most of the attention for his hot start to the second half (.372 since the All-Star break) but his double-play partner, Alexei Ramirez, hasn’t been too shabby with the stick, either. Ramirez is hitting .337 with an .849 OPS and 21 runs scored in the second half.
9. Twins (7). He’s not putting up Delmon Young or Joe Mauer numbers lately, but Jason Kubel has quietly and consistently rebounded from a slow start. In his past 54 games, Kubel is hitting .301 with nine homers and 37 RBIs.
10. Giants (4). Odd stat coincidence: Relievers Brian Wilson and Sergio Romo have both appeared in 46 games, and they both have a 2.23 ERA. Wilson has more strikeouts (67 to 46) but Santos has the better WHIP (1.015 to 1.283).
11. Red Sox (7). The nasty road trip that started with four games in Yankee Stadium continues this week with three in Toronto and three in Texas.
12. Cardinals (11). Here are the earned runs Adam Wainwright has allowed in each of his past eight games, starting with a June 29 contest against Arizona: 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 6, 1, 0.
13. Blue Jays (15). The Blue Jays are 11-1 against the AL East in the second half (6-0 vs. Baltimore, 3-0 vs. Tampa Bay and 2-1 vs. New York).
14. Rockies (13). OK, I’ll say it: Carlos Gonzalez belongs in the MVP conversation. CarGo has 25 homers, 77 RBIs and 18 stolen bases to go with his .327 average and .933 OPS. In his past 13 games, he has a .482 average, eight homers, 15 RBIs, and a 1.528 OPS.
15. Dodgers (14). Adjusting to life as a part-timer wasn’t easy for Garret Anderson. His average hadn’t been above .200 since April 17. He’d had 25 starts this year, and had multiple hits in just two of them. He was hitting .153 as a starter, .228 as a sub. For the year, he was hitting .181 with 12 RBIs in 155 at-bats before the Dodgers finally designated him for assignment.
16. A’s (19). With Ben Sheets out for the year, Dallas Braden is by far the oldest starter in the A’s rotation. He’ll be 27 on Friday.
17. Angels (18). With 60 RBIs, it looks like Bobby Abreu’s streak of seven consecutive 100-RBI seasons will end this year. That’s probably equal parts reflection on his age (36) and an Angels lineup that’s struggled this season (team .318 on-base percentage this year; was .350 in 2009).
18. Mets (17). Carlos Beltran is a borderline Hall of Fame guy (if he stays healthy) but he hasn’t exactly helped the Mets since his return to the lineup. He’s hitting .195 with seven RBIs, and the Mets are 7-16 since he came off the disabled list.
19. Marlins (16). With 25 homers and 67 RBIs through the Marlins’ first 110 games, Dan Uggla has a good shot at eclipsing his career highs of 32 homers and 92 RBIs. His current .882 also is a career-best.
20. Brewers (21). Somebody, please pay attention to Rickie Weeks. He’s hitting .272 with 23 homers and 71 RBIs—as the Brewers’ leadoff man. Those homer and RBI totals easily lead the majors among leadoff hitters, and his .364 on-base percentage is best for any player with more than 70 games as the leadoff man.
21. Tigers (20). It’s a cryin’ shame that Miguel Cabrera’s season—he’s at .343 with 26 homers, 93 RBIs and a 1.066 OPS—will be wasted for a team that just couldn’t stay healthy enough to contend.
22. Nationals (22). Livan Hernandez has a 3.03 ERA for the Nationals this year. His previous career best? The 3.20 he posted for the Expos (yep, the Expos) back in 2003.
23. Royals (24). With Jose Guillen out of the picture, Billy Butler is the team leader with 10 home runs. Alex Gordon, who has four homers in his past nine games, has a real shot to catch and pass Butler before the end of the season.
24. Indians (26). With Jhonny Peralta and Austin Kearns out of the picture, Shin-Soo Choo is the only Cleveland player with more than seven homers, 33 RBIs or a .267 average.
25. Astros (23). The Astros can’t hit for average (next-to-last in the NL at .247) or for power (74 homers, .669 OPS are both last in the N.L.) and they can’t draw a walk (300, last in the N.L.) but one thing they don’t do is strike out. Every team in the N.L. has struck out more than the Astros; they’re at 671 for the season (the D-backs lead at 1,029 strikeouts).
26. Diamondbacks (27). If the Diamondbacks win tonight against Milwaukee, it will mark the first time all season they’ve had a 10-game stretch that didn’t include back-to-back losses.
Paul Maholm has been one of baseball’s most inconsistent starters.
27. Cubs (25). The Cubs have won just one of their past 11 games. The one win in that stretch? A 15-3 beatdown of the Brewers, two nights after the Brewers beat them 18-1.
28. Orioles (30). That 5-1 mark under new manager Buck Showalter was enough to lift the Orioles out of last place in the poll.
29. Mariners (28). Seattle’s winning percentages the past four seasons, starting with 2007: .543, .377, .525, .375. The dichotomy between those last two numbers most likely cost manager Don Wakamatsu his job on Monday.
30. Pirates (29). Paul Maholm’s past three starts: 14 innings, 11.57 ERA. The three before that: 22 innings, 2.45 ERA. The three before that: 12 innings, 9.75 ERA. The three before that: 19 innings, 3.32 ERA. Consistency hasn’t been his calling card this year.
SEATTLE — The last-place Seattle Mariners fired manager Don Wakamatsu on Monday, more than halfway through a season that began with a boosted roster and hopes of making the playoffs for the first time since 2001.
The Mariners started the day at 42-70, the second-worst record in the American League.
Daren Brown, the manager of Triple-A Tacoma for the last three-plus seasons, took over on an interim basis hours before a game against Oakland.
Seattle also fired bench coach Ty Van Burkleo and pitching coach Rick Adair. The team also released performance coach Steve Hecht.
"I have concluded that these changes needed to be made now and that they are in the best interest of the Mariners as we move forward," Seattle general manager Jack Zduriencik said. "Don, Ty and Rick are all good baseball men and they have done their very best. But we are where we are. I no longer have confidence that Don, Ty and Rick are the right long-term fit for our organization. New leadership is needed and it is needed now."
Roger Hansen, who had been the Mariners’ minor league catching coordinator, takes over as the bench coach. Carl Willis, who was the Mariners’ minor league pitching coordinator, takes on the responsibility of big league pitching coach.
Wakamatsu, the majors’ first Japanese-American manager, is the fifth manager in the big leagues to be fired this season. Baltimore’s Dave Trembley, Kansas City’s Trey Hillman, Arizona’s A.J. Hinch and Florida’s Fredi Gonzalez also were dismissed.
The Mariners added pitcher Cliff Lee, infielder Chone Figgins and outfielder Milton Bradley in the offseason. Wakamatsu had guided Seattle to an 85-77 record in his first season after taking over a team that went 61-101 in 2008.
But a poorly constructed roster has produced the worst offense in baseball and doomed them to 22 1/2 games behind first-place Texas in the AL West.
Wakamatsu was asked last week by The Associated Press how he was doing amid rampant speculation that he would become Seattle’s fall guy.
"I’ll be all right," the 47-year-old Wakamatsu said. "I’ve been in this game a long time, and I have a lot of people pulling for me – most of all my family."
He went 127-147 since getting Seattle’s job in November 2008.
Wakamatsu watched slugger Ken Griffey Jr. slump this season to the point the manager finally benched the franchise icon, before Griffey drove home in early June to retirement in Florida in a huff without saying goodbye to most in Seattle. The manager sent an irate Bradley home from a game in May, and the next day Bradley asked him and the GM for help dealing with emotional issues.
Wakamatsu has also had multiple public spats with Figgins, whom Zduriencik signed to a $36 million free-agent contract before the season. The most recent incident was an in-game fracas inside the home team’s dugout between Wakamatsu, Figgins and other coaches and players in full view of half the stadium and a national television audience.
The only support Wakamatsu received publicly was a limited one that came days after he led the Mariners through the worst July in team history – 6-22. On Aug. 3, Zduriencik said: "Don is our manager. Don and I, and his son went out to dinner last night. We had a very nice evening, spent like three or four hours together and talked about a lot of things. We talked where we’re headed with the club, about Don and Don is our manager."
But when asked if Wakamatsu will return for a third season as Mariners manager in 2011, Zduriencik was evasive and noncommittal.
"Everybody is evaluated at all times," he said. "As we go forward, you have to realize there is always an evaluation process going on at all times. You take a week at a time, a month at a time, a season at a time with everyone."
Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Associated Press
SEATTLE — The last-place Seattle Mariners fired manager Don Wakamatsu on Monday, more than halfway through a season that began with a boosted roster and hopes of making the playoffs for the first time since 2001.
The Mariners started the day at 42-70, the second-worst record in the American League.
Daren Brown, the manager of Triple-A Tacoma for the last three-plus seasons, took over on an interim basis hours before a game against Oakland.
Seattle also fired bench coach Ty Van Burkleo and pitching coach Rick Adair. The team also released performance coach Steve Hecht.
"I have concluded that these changes needed to be made now and that they are in the best interest of the Mariners as we move forward," Seattle general manager Jack Zduriencik said. "Don, Ty and Rick are all good baseball men and they have done their very best. But we are where we are. I no longer have confidence that Don, Ty and Rick are the right long-term fit for our organization. New leadership is needed and it is needed now."
Roger Hansen, who had been the Mariners’ minor league catching coordinator, takes over as the bench coach. Carl Willis, who was the Mariners’ minor league pitching coordinator, takes on the responsibility of big league pitching coach.
Wakamatsu, the majors’ first Japanese-American manager, is the fifth manager in the big leagues to be fired this season. Baltimore’s Dave Trembley, Kansas City’s Trey Hillman, Arizona’s A.J. Hinch and Florida’s Fredi Gonzalez also were dismissed.
The Mariners added pitcher Cliff Lee, infielder Chone Figgins and outfielder Milton Bradley in the offseason. Wakamatsu had guided Seattle to an 85-77 record in his first season after taking over a team that went 61-101 in 2008.
But a poorly constructed roster has produced the worst offense in baseball and doomed them to 22 1/2 games behind first-place Texas in the AL West.
Wakamatsu was asked last week by The Associated Press how he was doing amid rampant speculation that he would become Seattle’s fall guy.
"I’ll be all right," the 47-year-old Wakamatsu said. "I’ve been in this game a long time, and I have a lot of people pulling for me – most of all my family."
He went 127-147 since getting Seattle’s job in November 2008.
Wakamatsu watched slugger Ken Griffey Jr. slump this season to the point the manager finally benched the franchise icon, before Griffey drove home in early June to retirement in Florida in a huff without saying goodbye to most in Seattle. The manager sent an irate Bradley home from a game in May, and the next day Bradley asked him and the GM for help dealing with emotional issues.
Wakamatsu has also had multiple public spats with Figgins, whom Zduriencik signed to a $36 million free-agent contract before the season. The most recent incident was an in-game fracas inside the home team’s dugout between Wakamatsu, Figgins and other coaches and players in full view of half the stadium and a national television audience.
The only support Wakamatsu received publicly was a limited one that came days after he led the Mariners through the worst July in team history – 6-22. On Aug. 3, Zduriencik said: "Don is our manager. Don and I, and his son went out to dinner last night. We had a very nice evening, spent like three or four hours together and talked about a lot of things. We talked where we’re headed with the club, about Don and Don is our manager."
But when asked if Wakamatsu will return for a third season as Mariners manager in 2011, Zduriencik was evasive and noncommittal.
"Everybody is evaluated at all times," he said. "As we go forward, you have to realize there is always an evaluation process going on at all times. You take a week at a time, a month at a time, a season at a time with everyone."
Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
If the regular season ended today, only one team that reached the playoffs last year—the Yankees—would be returning.
Of course, the season doesn’t end for another 55 days, leaving ample time to sort contenders from pretenders. Some serious sorting can be done this week when the upstarts face other contenders.
Cardinals at Reds
The Reds haven’t been to the playoffs since 1995 but they’re right where they want to be. In first place, a season-best 16 games over .500 and at home for this three-game showdown.
The Cardinals have lost four of their last five series away from Busch Stadium but don’t tell them they’re not good visitors. "We’re capable of playing well on the road," manager Tony La Russa said, pointing to some early-season success.
La Russa reworked his rotation for Cincinnati to use his three best starters, beginning with Chris Carpenter tonight against rookie Mike Leake.
Yankees at Rangers
With a 7 1/2-game division lead, you have to like the Rangers’ odds of making the playoffs for the first time since 1999.
But do they have what it takes for October? Two games against the Yankees, followed by three against Boston, should provide some insight. Texas was swept early in New York but much has changed, including:
Cliff Lee is on the Rangers now. The Yankees know all about him from the 2009 World Series.
C.J. Wilson has become a dependable starter. He leads Texas with 10 wins with a 3.30 ERA but is coming off his worst outing. He starts Tuesday, with Lee on Wednesday.
The Yankees still have a series to finish against Boston before thinking about the Texas heat.
Padres at Giants
After winning 10-1 at Arizona on Sunday, the Padres still have only one losing streak as long as three games. "With that kind of pitching, you’re able to avoid losing streaks," says an NL scout, talking up the Padres’ chances of winning the NL West.
But is a lack of offense catching up to San Diego? The club has been held to one or fewer runs three times in eight games since the trade deadline.
Two silver linings for San Diego:
— Before the Padres visit San Francisco this weekend, they get three at home against Pittsburgh.
— The Giants haven’t been hitting, either. They topped three runs only once last week.
If the regular season ended today, only one team that reached the playoffs last year—the Yankees—would be returning.
Of course, the season doesn’t end for another 55 days, leaving ample time to sort contenders from pretenders. Some serious sorting can be done this week when the upstarts face other contenders.
Cardinals at Reds
The Reds haven’t been to the playoffs since 1995 but they’re right where they want to be. In first place, a season-best 16 games over .500 and at home for this three-game showdown.
The Cardinals have lost four of their last five series away from Busch Stadium but don’t tell them they’re not good visitors. "We’re capable of playing well on the road," manager Tony La Russa said, pointing to some early-season success.
La Russa reworked his rotation for Cincinnati to use his three best starters, beginning with Chris Carpenter tonight against rookie Mike Leake.
Yankees at Rangers
With a 7 1/2-game division lead, you have to like the Rangers’ odds of making the playoffs for the first time since 1999.
But do they have what it takes for October? Two games against the Yankees, followed by three against Boston, should provide some insight. Texas was swept early in New York but much has changed, including:
Cliff Lee is on the Rangers now. The Yankees know all about him from the 2009 World Series.
C.J. Wilson has become a dependable starter. He leads Texas with 10 wins with a 3.30 ERA but is coming off his worst outing. He starts Tuesday, with Lee on Wednesday.
The Yankees still have a series to finish against Boston before thinking about the Texas heat.
Padres at Giants
After winning 10-1 at Arizona on Sunday, the Padres still have only one losing streak as long as three games. "With that kind of pitching, you’re able to avoid losing streaks," says an NL scout, talking up the Padres’ chances of winning the NL West.
Oakland Athletics infielder Eric Chavez tells the San Francisco Chronicle he has "pondered" retirement because of multiple injuries but hasn’t made up his mind.
Chavez says in an e-mail to Chronicle beat writer Susan Slusser that he wants to return to action this season. He is on the disabled list because of bulging disks in his neck. Chavez played in 33 games, mostly as a DH, before going on the DL.
"It would mean the world to me to be in uniform when the season ends," Chavez says. "Either way, I’ll be in Oakland one way or the other, to come back and play, or to say goodbye."
The A’s are not expected to exercise their $12.5 million option on Chavez for 2011, so Chavez may need to continue his career elsewhere — health permitting.
"I still would love to play this game, whether or not I can and whether or not my body can go through any more is yet to be determined," he says.
Sporting News staff reports
Oakland Athletics infielder Eric Chavez tells the San Francisco Chronicle he has "pondered" retirement because of multiple injuries but hasn’t made up his mind.
Chavez says in an e-mail to Chronicle beat writer Susan Slusser that he wants to return to action this season. He is on the disabled list because of bulging disks in his neck. Chavez played in 33 games, mostly as a DH, before going on the DL.
"It would mean the world to me to be in uniform when the season ends," Chavez says. "Either way, I’ll be in Oakland one way or the other, to come back and play, or to say goodbye."
The A’s are not expected to exercise their $12.5 million option on Chavez for 2011, so Chavez may need to continue his career elsewhere — health permitting.
"I still would love to play this game, whether or not I can and whether or not my body can go through any more is yet to be determined," he says.
"(This season) is very disappointing," the newspaper quoted Ilitch as saying, "(but) I’m staying with Dave and I’m staying with our manager. I feel that we’re going to move forward."
Detroit entered its game Saturday with a 53-56 record and third in the AL Central, nine games behind the first-place Twins.
Leyland and Dombrowski will be entering the final year of their contracts.
Ilitch also told the Free Press he will continue to spend big money to improve the team, though he said he’ll be "a little bit more caerful" with his signings.
"(This season) is very disappointing," the newspaper quoted Ilitch as saying, "(but) I’m staying with Dave and I’m staying with our manager. I feel that we’re going to move forward."
Detroit entered its game Saturday with a 53-56 record and third in the AL Central, nine games behind the first-place Twins.
Leyland and Dombrowski will be entering the final year of their contracts.
Ilitch also told the Free Press he will continue to spend big money to improve the team, though he said he’ll be "a little bit more caerful" with his signings.
