NEW YORK — Johan Santana and the Mets have been pitching well for weeks. Now, the big bats are beginning to come around. And all of a sudden, after a sluggish start, New York looks like a legitimate threat in the NL East again.
David Wright drove in four runs, Ike Davis added three RBIs and the streaking Mets won their sixth straight game, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 10-5 on Tuesday night for a doubleheader sweep.
"We’re playing with a lot of confidence right now," Jeff Francoeur said.
In the opener, Jason Bay hit his first home run for New York to back another stingy outing by Santana as the Mets marched to a 4-0 victory in a virtually empty stadium.
More fans showed for the originally scheduled nightcap and watched as 35-year-old rookie reliever Hisanori Takahashi (2-1) bailed out a Mets starter for the second time in five days. Wright hit a bases-loaded triple, Davis had a two-run double and New York (12-9) set a season high for runs while improving to 8-1 on its 10-game homestand.
The surge has coincided with the arrival of Davis, a rookie first baseman who was called up from the minors on April 19. He helped the Mets earn their first doubleheader sweep of the Dodgers since Aug. 28, 1971, at Shea Stadium.
"I knew once some of those middle-of-the-order guys hit, it could be a lot of fun," manager Jerry Manuel said.
In the nightcap, New York opened a 3-0 lead against knuckleballer Charlie Haeger (0-3) in the first inning on an RBI single by Jose Reyes, a run-scoring triple by Bay and Davis’ sacrifice fly.
Another walk-filled meltdown by winless left-hander Oliver Perez helped the Dodgers tie it in the fourth, but that’s when Manuel turned to Takahashi.
The left-hander from Japan forced home the tying run with a two-out walk to Reed Johnson, then struck out James Loney on a borderline 3-2 pitch, prompting a vehement argument from Loney that got him ejected by plate umpire Angel Campos.
"I think it was unnecessary. I think it was unfortunate on the umpire’s part, not James’ part," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said.
Takahashi hung around and tossed 3 1-3 strong innings, allowing one run and striking out five for his latest big effort in long relief.
A non-roster invite to spring training, he fanned seven in three impressive innings Friday night against Atlanta for his first major league win. Takahashi entered that game as a replacement for John Maine, who came out early with pain in his non-pitching arm.
"He’s making a strong case for himself to be a part of the rotation if we continue to have issues," Manuel said.
Wright, who began the day in a 7-for-42 slump (.167), punched an RBI single to right-center in the fifth for his 1,000th career hit, snapping a 3-all tie.
"I’m glad I could finally contribute to a win," he said.
Davis followed with a two-run double, and Wright made it 10-3 in the sixth with his triple off George Sherrill moments after a key throwing error by shortstop Jamey Carroll.
"You walk four guys in four-plus innings, you’re going to get hurt," Haeger said. "They grabbed the momentum there in the fifth inning when I walked two."
Wright finished 3 for 3 with a walk in the nightcap.
"Line drives up the middle," Manuel said. "He’s close to heating up."
Santana (3-1) worked his way around early traffic on the bases, tossing six innings of four-hit ball to extend a run of splendid performances by the Mets’ surprising rotation.
Luis Castillo hit a two-run single and New York pitched its second consecutive shutout, following Mike Pelfrey’s 1-0 win Sunday night over Atlanta in a game that was called in the sixth inning because of rain.
"Everybody feels very motivated, and it’s good to see," Santana said.
More wet weather Monday night led to Tuesday’s old-fashioned, single-admission, twinight doubleheader — but few fans made it to blustery Citi Field in time for the first pitch at 4:10 p.m.
There were still sections of empty seats down low by the time Wright dived headfirst to score on a second-inning wild pitch by Hiroki Kuroda (2-1).
More fans began filing in as the night wore on, but the sparse crowd never approached the announced attendance of 32,012.
"At some point it felt like we were down in Port St. Lucie playing a spring training game," Santana said between games. "But we knew it was a very meaningful game for us. And then as the game was going we got more into it."
Including a 1-0 loss Sunday at Washington, Los Angeles was blanked in consecutive games for the first time since June 2008 at San Diego and Detroit.
Missing injured slugger Manny Ramirez, the Dodgers have lost five of six.
"We have to pitch better. We have to play better. It’s as simple as that," Torre said. "We need to get better and we need to win three or four in a row to get that inner-confidence back."
NOTES: After the doubleheader, the Dodgers optioned reliever Jon Link to Triple-A Albuquerque and transferred C Brad Ausmus to the 60-day disabled list to make roster room for RHP John Ely, who was called up from Albuquerque to start Wednesday against the Mets. … It was New York’s first doubleheader sweep since June 2007 at Philadelphia. … Takahashi leads major league relievers with 21 strikeouts, in 14 1-3 innings.
NEW YORK — Johan Santana and the Mets have been pitching well for weeks. Now, the big bats are beginning to come around. And all of a sudden, after a sluggish start, New York looks like a legitimate threat in the NL East again.
David Wright drove in four runs, Ike Davis added three RBIs and the streaking Mets won their sixth straight game, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 10-5 on Tuesday night for a doubleheader sweep.
"We’re playing with a lot of confidence right now," Jeff Francoeur said.
In the opener, Jason Bay hit his first home run for New York to back another stingy outing by Santana as the Mets marched to a 4-0 victory in a virtually empty stadium.
More fans showed for the originally scheduled nightcap and watched as 35-year-old rookie reliever Hisanori Takahashi (2-1) bailed out a Mets starter for the second time in five days. Wright hit a bases-loaded triple, Davis had a two-run double and New York (12-9) set a season high for runs while improving to 8-1 on its 10-game homestand.
The surge has coincided with the arrival of Davis, a rookie first baseman who was called up from the minors on April 19. He helped the Mets earn their first doubleheader sweep of the Dodgers since Aug. 28, 1971, at Shea Stadium.
"I knew once some of those middle-of-the-order guys hit, it could be a lot of fun," manager Jerry Manuel said.
In the nightcap, New York opened a 3-0 lead against knuckleballer Charlie Haeger (0-3) in the first inning on an RBI single by Jose Reyes, a run-scoring triple by Bay and Davis’ sacrifice fly.
Another walk-filled meltdown by winless left-hander Oliver Perez helped the Dodgers tie it in the fourth, but that’s when Manuel turned to Takahashi.
The left-hander from Japan forced home the tying run with a two-out walk to Reed Johnson, then struck out James Loney on a borderline 3-2 pitch, prompting a vehement argument from Loney that got him ejected by plate umpire Angel Campos.
"I think it was unnecessary. I think it was unfortunate on the umpire’s part, not James’ part," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said.
Takahashi hung around and tossed 3 1-3 strong innings, allowing one run and striking out five for his latest big effort in long relief.
A non-roster invite to spring training, he fanned seven in three impressive innings Friday night against Atlanta for his first major league win. Takahashi entered that game as a replacement for John Maine, who came out early with pain in his non-pitching arm.
"He’s making a strong case for himself to be a part of the rotation if we continue to have issues," Manuel said.
Wright, who began the day in a 7-for-42 slump (.167), punched an RBI single to right-center in the fifth for his 1,000th career hit, snapping a 3-all tie.
"I’m glad I could finally contribute to a win," he said.
Davis followed with a two-run double, and Wright made it 10-3 in the sixth with his triple off George Sherrill moments after a key throwing error by shortstop Jamey Carroll.
"You walk four guys in four-plus innings, you’re going to get hurt," Haeger said. "They grabbed the momentum there in the fifth inning when I walked two."
Wright finished 3 for 3 with a walk in the nightcap.
"Line drives up the middle," Manuel said. "He’s close to heating up."
Santana (3-1) worked his way around early traffic on the bases, tossing six innings of four-hit ball to extend a run of splendid performances by the Mets’ surprising rotation.
Luis Castillo hit a two-run single and New York pitched its second consecutive shutout, following Mike Pelfrey’s 1-0 win Sunday night over Atlanta in a game that was called in the sixth inning because of rain.
"Everybody feels very motivated, and it’s good to see," Santana said.
More wet weather Monday night led to Tuesday’s old-fashioned, single-admission, twinight doubleheader — but few fans made it to blustery Citi Field in time for the first pitch at 4:10 p.m.
There were still sections of empty seats down low by the time Wright dived headfirst to score on a second-inning wild pitch by Hiroki Kuroda (2-1).
More fans began filing in as the night wore on, but the sparse crowd never approached the announced attendance of 32,012.
"At some point it felt like we were down in Port St. Lucie playing a spring training game," Santana said between games. "But we knew it was a very meaningful game for us. And then as the game was going we got more into it."
Including a 1-0 loss Sunday at Washington, Los Angeles was blanked in consecutive games for the first time since June 2008 at San Diego and Detroit.
Missing injured slugger Manny Ramirez, the Dodgers have lost five of six.
"We have to pitch better. We have to play better. It’s as simple as that," Torre said. "We need to get better and we need to win three or four in a row to get that inner-confidence back."
NOTES: After the doubleheader, the Dodgers optioned reliever Jon Link to Triple-A Albuquerque and transferred C Brad Ausmus to the 60-day disabled list to make roster room for RHP John Ely, who was called up from Albuquerque to start Wednesday against the Mets. … It was New York’s first doubleheader sweep since June 2007 at Philadelphia. … Takahashi leads major league relievers with 21 strikeouts, in 14 1-3 innings.
Chris Bahr, Sporting News
What to expect in the major leagues today:
Jake Peavy has been ice-cold for the White Sox.
Peavy problems
After four starts this season, White Sox righthander Jake Peavy is winless with a 7.66 ERA and as many walks (15) as strikeouts. He recently said that mechanics, and not injuries, were to blame. Tonight at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, Peavy will face a pitcher battling similar problems. Righthander Rich Harden is 0-1 with a 4.58 ERA and an 18/20 K/BB. Harden has pitched past the fifth inning only once this season.
Pirates on the plank
Pittsburgh already has seen enough of Milwaukee this season. Last week at PNC Park, the Brewers outscored the Pirates 36-1 in a three-game sweep. In the final game of that series, Milwaukee put a 20-0 beating on Pittsburgh, which fell below .500 with that loss and still hasn’t recovered. In the first game of the teams’ three-game series at Miller Park on Monday, the Brewers again pounded the Pirates, 17-3. Pittsburgh will give the ball to lefthander Paul Maholm in the series finale this afternoon and hope the lefthander can find a way to shut down Ryan Braun and Co. In five games against Pittsburgh this season, Braun has two homers and eight RBIs.
Surprise, surprise
While would-be contenders such as the Red Sox, Dodgers, Mariners, Braves, White Sox and Rangers continue to wallow below the .500 mark, the Marlins and Padres enter their series finale this afternoon with winning records. As expected, Adrian Gonzalez’s big bat has paced San Diego, but Dan Uggla’s early-season success for Florida is surprising. In the first four seasons of his major league career, Uggla hit only .236 in April. However, he leads the team’s regulars in batting average this season and is among the team leaders in homers, RBIs and on-base percentage. Today, Uggla will face Padres righthander Kevin Correia, whose 8.6 K/9 this season is the best of his career.
Chris Bahr is Sporting News’ baseball editor. E-mail him at cbahr@sportingnews.com.
Sponsored link: Pirate tickets available
Chris Bahr, Sporting News
What to expect in the major leagues today:
Jake Peavy has been ice-cold for the White Sox.
Peavy problems
After four starts this season, White Sox righthander Jake Peavy is winless with a 7.66 ERA and as many walks (15) as strikeouts. He recently said that mechanics, and not injuries, were to blame. Tonight at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, Peavy will face a pitcher battling similar problems. Righthander Rich Harden is 0-1 with a 4.58 ERA and an 18/20 K/BB. Harden has pitched past the fifth inning only once this season.
Pirates on the plank
Pittsburgh already has seen enough of Milwaukee this season. Last week at PNC Park, the Brewers outscored the Pirates 36-1 in a three-game sweep. In the final game of that series, Milwaukee put a 20-0 beating on Pittsburgh, which fell below .500 with that loss and still hasn’t recovered. In the first game of the teams’ three-game series at Miller Park on Monday, the Brewers again pounded the Pirates, 17-3. Pittsburgh will give the ball to lefthander Paul Maholm in the series finale this afternoon and hope the lefthander can find a way to shut down Ryan Braun and Co. In five games against Pittsburgh this season, Braun has two homers and eight RBIs.
Surprise, surprise
While would-be contenders such as the Red Sox, Dodgers, Mariners, Braves, White Sox and Rangers continue to wallow below the .500 mark, the Marlins and Padres enter their series finale this afternoon with winning records. As expected, Adrian Gonzalez’s big bat has paced San Diego, but Dan Uggla’s early-season success for Florida is surprising. In the first four seasons of his major league career, Uggla hit only .236 in April. However, he leads the team’s regulars in batting average this season and is among the team leaders in homers, RBIs and on-base percentage. Today, Uggla will face Padres righthander Kevin Correia, whose 8.6 K/9 this season is the best of his career.
Chris Bahr is Sporting News’ baseball editor. E-mail him at cbahr@sportingnews.com.
Sponsored link: Pirate tickets available
Sporting News staff reports
Ryan Howard’s five-year, $125 million contact extension with the Phillies "bodes well" for Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, John Boggs, Gonzalez’s agent, tells FanHouse.
Howard’s deal "validates the fact that [Gonzalez is] worth that kind of money or more," Boggs said.
Meanwhile, trade rumors continue to swirl around Gonzalez, with the Red Sox and Braves among the possible suitors, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Gonzalez, who turns 28 next month and is 2 1/2 years younger than Howard, can become a free agent in November 2011, FanHouse notes. He’s guaranteed $4.75 million this year under a four-year, $9.5-million deal he signed in 2007. The Padres hold a $5.7 million option on him for 2011.
The Cardinals’ Albert Pujols and the Brewers’ Prince Fielder are other potential free agent first basemen after the 2011 season.
MLB power poll: Padres shoot up to No. 4
Sporting News staff reports
Ryan Howard’s five-year, $125 million contact extension with the Phillies "bodes well" for Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, John Boggs, Gonzalez’s agent, tells FanHouse.
Howard’s deal "validates the fact that [Gonzalez is] worth that kind of money or more," Boggs said.
Meanwhile, trade rumors continue to swirl around Gonzalez, with the Red Sox and Braves among the possible suitors, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Gonzalez, who turns 28 next month and is 2 1/2 years younger than Howard, can become a free agent in November 2011, FanHouse notes. He’s guaranteed $4.75 million this year under a four-year, $9.5-million deal he signed in 2007. The Padres hold a $5.7 million option on him for 2011.
The Cardinals’ Albert Pujols and the Brewers’ Prince Fielder are other potential free agent first basemen after the 2011 season.
MLB power poll: Padres shoot up to No. 4
Chris Bahr, Sporting News
What to watch for in the major leagues today:
First of 19?
The Twins and Tigers are scheduled to meet 18 times this season, but that also was the case last season — when a 19th game was needed to decide the AL Central title. Minnesota’s 6-5, 12-inning win in that one-game playoff was the sixth matchup between the teams decided by one run and the fourth that went into extra innings.
Justin Morneau hopes to pick up where he left off against the Tigers.
Among the reasons the Twins were able to erase what was a 6 1/2-game division lead for the Tigers on Sept. 8: a 5-3 record vs. Detroit after Sept. 17. Making Minnesota’s late run even more impressive was that it did it without first baseman Justin Morneau, who didn’t play after Sept. 12 because of a back injury. In 11 games against Detroit last season, Morneau hit .340 with three homers and 10 RBIs.
Morneau and the Twins will open a three-game series at Comerica Park tonight.
Double-digit drive
Cardinals co-ace Chris Carpenter is coming off back-to-back outings with 10 strikeouts — the first time in his career he has accomplished that feat. He will try to make it a trifecta tonight when St. Louis continues a four-game series against Atlanta at Busch Stadium. Interestingly, Carpenter’s worst start last season came at home against the Braves, when he allowed seven earned runs in six innings.
AL East mismatch
The last-place Orioles set an all-time attendance low at Camden Yards earlier this season, but there should be plenty of fans in the seats tonight for the first of three against the world champion Yankees. Just don’t surprised if most of the additional fans are wearing pinstripes. And if 2009 is any indication, many of those fans will be cheering often for Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano. In 18 games against Baltimore last season, Cano hit .478 with six homers and 17 RBIs.
Chris Bahr is Sporting News’ baseball editor. E-mail him at cbahr@sportingnews.com.
Chris Bahr, Sporting News
What to watch for in the major leagues today:
First of 19?
The Twins and Tigers are scheduled to meet 18 times this season, but that also was the case last season — when a 19th game was needed to decide the AL Central title. Minnesota’s 6-5, 12-inning win in that one-game playoff was the sixth matchup between the teams decided by one run and the fourth that went into extra innings.
Justin Morneau hopes to pick up where he left off against the Tigers.
Among the reasons the Twins were able to erase what was a 6 1/2-game division lead for the Tigers on Sept. 8: a 5-3 record vs. Detroit after Sept. 17. Making Minnesota’s late run even more impressive was that it did it without first baseman Justin Morneau, who didn’t play after Sept. 12 because of a back injury. In 11 games against Detroit last season, Morneau hit .340 with three homers and 10 RBIs.
Morneau and the Twins will open a three-game series at Comerica Park tonight.
Double-digit drive
Cardinals co-ace Chris Carpenter is coming off back-to-back outings with 10 strikeouts — the first time in his career he has accomplished that feat. He will try to make it a trifecta tonight when St. Louis continues a four-game series against Atlanta at Busch Stadium. Interestingly, Carpenter’s worst start last season came at home against the Braves, when he allowed seven earned runs in six innings.
AL East mismatch
The last-place Orioles set an all-time attendance low at Camden Yards earlier this season, but there should be plenty of fans in the seats tonight for the first of three against the world champion Yankees. Just don’t surprised if most of the additional fans are wearing pinstripes. And if 2009 is any indication, many of those fans will be cheering often for Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano. In 18 games against Baltimore last season, Cano hit .478 with six homers and 17 RBIs.
Chris Bahr is Sporting News’ baseball editor. E-mail him at cbahr@sportingnews.com.
Adrian Gonzalez‘s days in San Diego are numbered.
We all know that, right? He’s a free agent after the 2011 season, and his trade value will never be higher than it is right now. The Padres, as a franchise, could really use the influx of talent that trading Gonzalez would certainly bring into the fold. Fans in places such as Boston are licking their chops at the thought of adding the sweet-swinging lefthanded slugger to their lineup.
Adrian Gonzalez and the Padres have been on a tear.
But here’s a question to consider: What if the Padres are actually in contention when the All-Star break rolls around this July? Would they trade Gonzalez to another contender? It’s not like he has a bank-breaking salary ($4.75 million this year, no-brainer option for 2011 for $5.5 million, according to Cot’s Baseball Contracts). Sure, they probably wouldn’t get as much for him in July 2011 as they would in July 2010, but wouldn’t a potential playoff push this August/September be worth that cost for a franchise that could use some good pub?
Maybe this won’t be a question in a few weeks. Maybe San Diego will slide back into afterthought status. But at the moment, the Padres are the top team in the NL West, and the conversation is at least worth having. Maybe, just maybe, the number for Gonzalez is higher than we thought.
Anyway, on to the poll.
1. Rays (last week 2). Last year, the Rays finished 17 games under .500 on the road. This year, they finished their first road trip of the season with a 9-1 mark that includes a four-game sweep in Fenway Park. Tampa Bay has outscored its opponents by 50 runs through 19 games so far this year.
2. Twins (4). The Twins are the only team in baseball that hasn’t lost a series yet this season. Lefty starter Francisco Liriano hasn’t allowed a run in his past two starts, covering 15 innings.
3. Yankees (1). Maybe this isn’t a fair question, but I’m not the first to ask it: How long will the Yankees keep Javier Vasquez in the rotation? He’s been awful—a 9.00 ERA and 1.800 WHIP through four starts—and his previous stint with the Yankees didn’t exactly buy him an extended grace period.
4. Padres (17). Up from 17 to 4 and the Padres aren’t even the highest risers of the week. San Diego pitching was mighty impressive during that eight-game winning streak, which successive home sweeps of the Diamondbacks and Giants, and two wins in Cincinnati.
5. Cardinals (7). The Cardinals’ hitters enter the week second in the NL in home runs (24) but only 12th in runs scored per game (4.33). Their pitchers are first in team ERA (2.72) and have allowed the fewest home runs in the league (9).
6. Phillies (3). The most intriguing matchup this week is Wednesday’s showdown between the Phillies’ vaunted lineup and two-time Cy Young champion Tim Lincecum.
7. Athletics (5). The A’s own the lowest team ERA in the AL (2.93); Justin Duchscherer leads the starters with a 1.82 ERA and Andrew Bailey has yet to allow a run in six appearances.
8. Giants (6). After a solid start offensively to the season, the Giants’ hitters have managed just 11 runs in the past seven games. Of course, their pitchers have given up just 14 in that same stretch.
9. Rockies (13). Miguel Olivo gets the early nod for free-agent signing of the year. Despite splitting time behind the plate with Chris Ianetta, Olivo leads the Rockies with his five home runs. He’s also hitting .317 with a 1.056 OPS.
Rookie first baseman Ike Davis helped the Mets have a big week.
10. Mets (27). Meet the Mets, eh? The New Yorkers took three of four from the Cubs, then swept the Braves to complete a much-needed successful homestand. Rookie first baseman Ike Davis has contributed a .318 average in this seven games, his first in a major-league uniform.
11. Tigers (10). The Tigers are tied for 27th in the majors in home runs (11) but 12th in the bigs in runs scored (88). Finding a way to get it done.
12. Nationals (16). The 1-0 win against the Dodgers on Sunday was the first by that score for the Nationals since September 16, 2008.
13. Marlins (8). Closer Leo Nunez has give up just one hit in 8 1/3 innings this season. Most impressive.
14. Blue Jays (11). Despite a .223 team batting average an league-worst .297 team on-base percentage, the Blue Jays enter the week a game over .500.
15. Angels (19). The first couple weeks were up and down for the Angels; handing the Yankees their first series loss of the season is a good first step toward stability.
16. Dodgers (15). With 26 homers, 101 RBIs and an .842 OPS last year, Matt Kemp already is a star, but he’s on the verge of becoming a superstar. He leads the league (or is tied for the lead) in homers, RBIs, runs and total bases entering the week.
17. Mariners (18). The two Mariners most known for their gloves—center fielder Franklin Gutierrez and first basemen Casey Kotchman—are leading the team in RBIs and OPS.
18. Cubs (23). Carlos Silva has given up 10 hits in 19 innings for the Cubs this season. In his two years with the Mariners, he gave up 254 hits in 183 2/3 innings.
19. White Sox (28). In a less-surprising case of a new Chicago ace, John Danks has been dominating for the Southsiders. The lefty is 3-0 with a 1.55 ERA and 0.862 ERA through four starts for the White Sox.
20. Red Sox (26). The Red Sox are 4-2 when Darnell McDonald plays and 4-9 when he doesn’t. McDonald, a 31-year-old journeyman who has played in the bigs with the Orioles, Twins and Reds, is hitting .417 with a pair of home runs.
21. Astros (30). Houston roared out of last place in this poll by winning seven of eight, against the Cubs, Marlins and Pirates. Lance Berkman’s return to the lineup has helped.
22. Brewers (22). They scored 36 runs in a three-game road sweep in Pittsburgh, then managed just four runs while being swept at home in a three-game series against the Cubs.
23. Braves (9). Through 18 games, Braves leadoff hitters have just seven hits and seven walks—that’s an .091 batting average and .165 on-base percentage.
Chris Davis has been struggling for the Rangers.
24. Rangers (21). First baseman Chris Davis is, as they say, struggling. Through 15 games, he has a .188 average and one RBI.
25. Diamondbacks (24). All things considered, going 3-3 in a homestand against the Cardinals and Phillies—the frontrunners in the Central and East—isn’t too shabby.
26. Indians (14). As quickly as they jumped up in last week’s poll, the Indians fell this time around. That’s what happens when you’re shut out three times in a five-day span.
27. Royals (20). In five of their six series this season, the Royals have lost two of three.
28. Reds (25). Backup catcher Ryan Hanigan is batting .458 with seven RBIs in the seven games he’s started.
29. Pirates (12). Yep, that’s a dramatic drop. But they went 0-6 last week, and were outscored 36-1 at home by the Brewers. At least they were only outscored 19-8 while being swept in Houston to end the week.
30. Orioles (29). Are the Orioles the least-talented team in baseball? No. But every other team in baseball has at least seven wins; the Orioles have three. So here they sit, at No. 30 on this list.
Ryan Fagan is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at rfagan@sportingnews.com, and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ryan_fagan.
Sponsored link: Padre tickets available
Adrian Gonzalez‘s days in San Diego are numbered.
We all know that, right? He’s a free agent after the 2011 season, and his trade value will never be higher than it is right now. The Padres, as a franchise, could really use the influx of talent that trading Gonzalez would certainly bring into the fold. Fans in places such as Boston are licking their chops at the thought of adding the sweet-swinging lefthanded slugger to their lineup.
Adrian Gonzalez and the Padres have been on a tear.
But here’s a question to consider: What if the Padres are actually in contention when the All-Star break rolls around this July? Would they trade Gonzalez to another contender? It’s not like he has a bank-breaking salary ($4.75 million this year, no-brainer option for 2011 for $5.5 million, according to Cot’s Baseball Contracts). Sure, they probably wouldn’t get as much for him in July 2011 as they would in July 2010, but wouldn’t a potential playoff push this August/September be worth that cost for a franchise that could use some good pub?
Maybe this won’t be a question in a few weeks. Maybe San Diego will slide back into afterthought status. But at the moment, the Padres are the top team in the NL West, and the conversation is at least worth having. Maybe, just maybe, the number for Gonzalez is higher than we thought.
Anyway, on to the poll.
1. Rays (last week 2). Last year, the Rays finished 17 games under .500 on the road. This year, they finished their first road trip of the season with a 9-1 mark that includes a four-game sweep in Fenway Park. Tampa Bay has outscored its opponents by 50 runs through 19 games so far this year.
2. Twins (4). The Twins are the only team in baseball that hasn’t lost a series yet this season. Lefty starter Francisco Liriano hasn’t allowed a run in his past two starts, covering 15 innings.
3. Yankees (1). Maybe this isn’t a fair question, but I’m not the first to ask it: How long will the Yankees keep Javier Vasquez in the rotation? He’s been awful—a 9.00 ERA and 1.800 WHIP through four starts—and his previous stint with the Yankees didn’t exactly buy him an extended grace period.
4. Padres (17). Up from 17 to 4 and the Padres aren’t even the highest risers of the week. San Diego pitching was mighty impressive during that eight-game winning streak, which successive home sweeps of the Diamondbacks and Giants, and two wins in Cincinnati.
5. Cardinals (7). The Cardinals’ hitters enter the week second in the NL in home runs (24) but only 12th in runs scored per game (4.33). Their pitchers are first in team ERA (2.72) and have allowed the fewest home runs in the league (9).
6. Phillies (3). The most intriguing matchup this week is Wednesday’s showdown between the Phillies’ vaunted lineup and two-time Cy Young champion Tim Lincecum.
7. Athletics (5). The A’s own the lowest team ERA in the AL (2.93); Justin Duchscherer leads the starters with a 1.82 ERA and Andrew Bailey has yet to allow a run in six appearances.
8. Giants (6). After a solid start offensively to the season, the Giants’ hitters have managed just 11 runs in the past seven games. Of course, their pitchers have given up just 14 in that same stretch.
9. Rockies (13). Miguel Olivo gets the early nod for free-agent signing of the year. Despite splitting time behind the plate with Chris Ianetta, Olivo leads the Rockies with his five home runs. He’s also hitting .317 with a 1.056 OPS.
Rookie first baseman Ike Davis helped the Mets have a big week.
10. Mets (27). Meet the Mets, eh? The New Yorkers took three of four from the Cubs, then swept the Braves to complete a much-needed successful homestand. Rookie first baseman Ike Davis has contributed a .318 average in this seven games, his first in a major-league uniform.
11. Tigers (10). The Tigers are tied for 27th in the majors in home runs (11) but 12th in the bigs in runs scored (88). Finding a way to get it done.
12. Nationals (16). The 1-0 win against the Dodgers on Sunday was the first by that score for the Nationals since September 16, 2008.
13. Marlins (8). Closer Leo Nunez has give up just one hit in 8 1/3 innings this season. Most impressive.
14. Blue Jays (11). Despite a .223 team batting average an league-worst .297 team on-base percentage, the Blue Jays enter the week a game over .500.
15. Angels (19). The first couple weeks were up and down for the Angels; handing the Yankees their first series loss of the season is a good first step toward stability.
16. Dodgers (15). With 26 homers, 101 RBIs and an .842 OPS last year, Matt Kemp already is a star, but he’s on the verge of becoming a superstar. He leads the league (or is tied for the lead) in homers, RBIs, runs and total bases entering the week.
17. Mariners (18). The two Mariners most known for their gloves—center fielder Franklin Gutierrez and first basemen Casey Kotchman—are leading the team in RBIs and OPS.
18. Cubs (23). Carlos Silva has given up 10 hits in 19 innings for the Cubs this season. In his two years with the Mariners, he gave up 254 hits in 183 2/3 innings.
19. White Sox (28). In a less-surprising case of a new Chicago ace, John Danks has been dominating for the Southsiders. The lefty is 3-0 with a 1.55 ERA and 0.862 ERA through four starts for the White Sox.
20. Red Sox (26). The Red Sox are 4-2 when Darnell McDonald plays and 4-9 when he doesn’t. McDonald, a 31-year-old journeyman who has played in the bigs with the Orioles, Twins and Reds, is hitting .417 with a pair of home runs.
21. Astros (30). Houston roared out of last place in this poll by winning seven of eight, against the Cubs, Marlins and Pirates. Lance Berkman’s return to the lineup has helped.
22. Brewers (22). They scored 36 runs in a three-game road sweep in Pittsburgh, then managed just four runs while being swept at home in a three-game series against the Cubs.
23. Braves (9). Through 18 games, Braves leadoff hitters have just seven hits and seven walks—that’s an .091 batting average and .165 on-base percentage.
Chris Davis has been struggling for the Rangers.
24. Rangers (21). First baseman Chris Davis is, as they say, struggling. Through 15 games, he has a .188 average and one RBI.
25. Diamondbacks (24). All things considered, going 3-3 in a homestand against the Cardinals and Phillies—the frontrunners in the Central and East—isn’t too shabby.
26. Indians (14). As quickly as they jumped up in last week’s poll, the Indians fell this time around. That’s what happens when you’re shut out three times in a five-day span.
27. Royals (20). In five of their six series this season, the Royals have lost two of three.
28. Reds (25). Backup catcher Ryan Hanigan is batting .458 with seven RBIs in the seven games he’s started.
29. Pirates (12). Yep, that’s a dramatic drop. But they went 0-6 last week, and were outscored 36-1 at home by the Brewers. At least they were only outscored 19-8 while being swept in Houston to end the week.
30. Orioles (29). Are the Orioles the least-talented team in baseball? No. But every other team in baseball has at least seven wins; the Orioles have three. So here they sit, at No. 30 on this list.
Ryan Fagan is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at rfagan@sportingnews.com, and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ryan_fagan.
Sponsored link: Padre tickets available
SAN FRANCISCO — Ryan Howard took a good-natured jab at those fickle fans in baseball-crazy Philadelphia.
"Hopefully there’s no riots taking place back in Philly," he joked of his new megadeal.
Ryan Howard (left) and Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. discuss Howard’s contract extension before Monday’s game in San Francisco.
Get used to it, City of Brotherly Love. This guy’s going to be around for a while.
The slugging first baseman agreed to a $125 million, five-year contract extension Monday that could keep him with the Phillies until 2017.
Howard preferred securing his future in Philadelphia to testing free agency in two years — and boy, is he getting his payday. He also felt loyal to the franchise that gave him his chance to reach the big leagues, saying, "That wasn’t a very hard decision."
"I tell you what, it’s a great feeling to have that security and know where you’re going to be," Howard said. "I feel what I’ve been doing over the last couple of years, I feel pretty confident that down the road, I’ll be right where I want to be and still doing the same things."
Howard’s teammates wasted no time hitting him up for favors, either.
"Where we going to eat, Ryan?" Ben Francisco asked.
Howard just chuckled.
"He’s going to take all your money," quipped Shane Victorino.
Even general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. got into the fun.
"As part of this deal, he has agreed to buy a second home for me," Amaro joked during a news conference at AT&T Park, where the Phillies opened a three-game series with the Giants.
But in all seriousness, Amaro pulled off a deal that keeps the centerpiece of the Phillies’ offense in place for the long haul.
"We just felt it was good timing for us," Amaro said. "We felt No. 1, he’s one of the elite offensive players in the game. We could have waited another year and a half or so and dealt with it later on, but the fact of the matter is we decided he is that important to our organization and to our club and to our future."
The 30-year-old Howard will make $20 million each in 2012 and 2013 and $25 million annually from 2014-16. The Phillies have a $23 million club option for 2017 with a $10 million buyout. Howard also receives a limited no-trade provision: He can select nine teams each year he can be traded to with his consent.
"This is a very good contract for him," Howard’s agent Casey Close said. "The reason he felt the time was right was he loves his teammates, he loves the city. He wanted to be a part of something special for a long time to come."
Howard flied to deep center in the first inning Monday, with Andres Torres going to the wall to make the tough catch. Howard, a two-time All-Star, led the Phillies to two straight trips to the World Series, winning a championship in 2008.
The $25 million guaranteed average salary in the extension will be baseball’s second-highest behind Alex Rodriguez’s $27.5 million average under a 10-year contract with the Yankees running through 2017.
Howard was happy to land a new deal now and avoid the craziness that would have come once he was eligible for free agency after the 2011 season, when he will be 32.
All-Star right fielder Jayson Werth was thrilled for Howard, but uncertain how this might affect his chances of staying put in Philly beyond this season. He has had preliminary discussions with the team about an extension, but said, "I think they’ve been busy with Ryan."
Werth is making $7 million this year, the final season of his $10 million, two-year contract.
"This is all so fresh. I haven’t given it much thought yet," Werth said. "I think it’s awesome. He definitely deserves it. Look at the type of seasons he’s put together and the player he is. He’s one of the premier players in the game. At the end of the day, I’ve got to go out there and hit. I’m happy for Ryan and the organization. It’s a good thing, a step in the right direction."
Amaro said Howard’s contract is structured to give the club flexibility to keep players like Werth and shortstop Jimmy Rollins. Rollins’ $8.5 million club option for 2011 was exercised in December. The 2007 NL MVP is making $7.5 million this year, the final season originally guaranteed under the $40 million, five-year extension he signed in June 2005.
"Actually we’d like to keep all those guys," Amaro said. "Hopefully we can keep this group together."
After being briefly stuck in the minors while Jim Thome manned first for the Phillies, Howard was the 2005 Rookie of the Year at 25, the same age A-Rod signed his first free-agent deal — $252 million with Texas in 2001.
Howard, the 2006 NL MVP, is earning $19 million this season as part of a $54 million, three-year deal that pays him $20 million in 2011.
He signed that deal in February 2009, avoiding a potentially contentious arbitration hearing.
"This is absolutely great," manager Charlie Manuel said. "We signed Ryan Howard quite a few years ago and that means we’re keeping him. He’s one of our guys, he is a Phillie. It’s big for our team. That’s what you set out for. He’s very worthy of it. He is a great player and he is going to continue to be a great player for a while. Everything about it’s good."
Howard hit .279 with 45 homers and 141 RBIs last season and entered Monday’s game with three homers and 16 RBIs in 80 at-bats this April.
While he has put up monster numbers, averaging 49.5 homers and 143 RBIs over the past four years, he has averaged 191 strikeouts over that span.
In addition, he has committed himself to a rigorous fitness and training routine in recent years. He even reached out to Barry Bonds this winter and ended up working for about a week in Florida with the home run king — "one of my idols growing up."
"Ryan has clearly dedicated himself to being a very complete player," Amaro said. "He’s worked on his defense. He’s worked on his body. He has a special attribute with his power and his run production that not many in the history of this game have been able to accomplish. … The numbers don’t lie. He’s also one of the most durable players we have. Ryan’s basically ready to play 162 games. I think that means a lot."
Howard’s deal could influence Derek Jeter’s next deal with the Yankees and Albert Pujols’ next contract with the Cardinals.
Jeter, who also is represented by Close, is in the final season of a $189 million, 10-year contract.
Pujols is making $16 million this year, and St. Louis has a $16 million option for 2011 with a $5 million buyout. Of the 2011 salary, $4 million would be deferred without interest.
Howard isn’t worried that he could be one-upped by those guys down the road.
"Whatever the other guys get, hey, that’s great, that’s fine, that’s dandy," Howard said. "You don’t play this game for money. You play this game to come out here and win championships. Yeah, we get paid a lot of money to do what we do."
Twins MVP catcher Joe Mauer signed a $184 million, eight-year extension this spring.
"It allowed us to see how the market was shaping up," Close said of 28-year-old Mauer’s deal.
Said Amaro: "He kind of set the market for himself by his performance. It’s something that he deserves."
Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
SAN FRANCISCO — Ryan Howard took a good-natured jab at those fickle fans in baseball-crazy Philadelphia.
"Hopefully there’s no riots taking place back in Philly," he joked of his new megadeal.
Ryan Howard (left) and Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. discuss Howard’s contract extension before Monday’s game in San Francisco.
Get used to it, City of Brotherly Love. This guy’s going to be around for a while.
The slugging first baseman agreed to a $125 million, five-year contract extension Monday that could keep him with the Phillies until 2017.
Howard preferred securing his future in Philadelphia to testing free agency in two years — and boy, is he getting his payday. He also felt loyal to the franchise that gave him his chance to reach the big leagues, saying, "That wasn’t a very hard decision."
"I tell you what, it’s a great feeling to have that security and know where you’re going to be," Howard said. "I feel what I’ve been doing over the last couple of years, I feel pretty confident that down the road, I’ll be right where I want to be and still doing the same things."
Howard’s teammates wasted no time hitting him up for favors, either.
"Where we going to eat, Ryan?" Ben Francisco asked.
Howard just chuckled.
"He’s going to take all your money," quipped Shane Victorino.
Even general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. got into the fun.
"As part of this deal, he has agreed to buy a second home for me," Amaro joked during a news conference at AT&T Park, where the Phillies opened a three-game series with the Giants.
But in all seriousness, Amaro pulled off a deal that keeps the centerpiece of the Phillies’ offense in place for the long haul.
"We just felt it was good timing for us," Amaro said. "We felt No. 1, he’s one of the elite offensive players in the game. We could have waited another year and a half or so and dealt with it later on, but the fact of the matter is we decided he is that important to our organization and to our club and to our future."
The 30-year-old Howard will make $20 million each in 2012 and 2013 and $25 million annually from 2014-16. The Phillies have a $23 million club option for 2017 with a $10 million buyout. Howard also receives a limited no-trade provision: He can select nine teams each year he can be traded to with his consent.
"This is a very good contract for him," Howard’s agent Casey Close said. "The reason he felt the time was right was he loves his teammates, he loves the city. He wanted to be a part of something special for a long time to come."
Howard flied to deep center in the first inning Monday, with Andres Torres going to the wall to make the tough catch. Howard, a two-time All-Star, led the Phillies to two straight trips to the World Series, winning a championship in 2008.
The $25 million guaranteed average salary in the extension will be baseball’s second-highest behind Alex Rodriguez’s $27.5 million average under a 10-year contract with the Yankees running through 2017.
Howard was happy to land a new deal now and avoid the craziness that would have come once he was eligible for free agency after the 2011 season, when he will be 32.
All-Star right fielder Jayson Werth was thrilled for Howard, but uncertain how this might affect his chances of staying put in Philly beyond this season. He has had preliminary discussions with the team about an extension, but said, "I think they’ve been busy with Ryan."
Werth is making $7 million this year, the final season of his $10 million, two-year contract.
"This is all so fresh. I haven’t given it much thought yet," Werth said. "I think it’s awesome. He definitely deserves it. Look at the type of seasons he’s put together and the player he is. He’s one of the premier players in the game. At the end of the day, I’ve got to go out there and hit. I’m happy for Ryan and the organization. It’s a good thing, a step in the right direction."
Amaro said Howard’s contract is structured to give the club flexibility to keep players like Werth and shortstop Jimmy Rollins. Rollins’ $8.5 million club option for 2011 was exercised in December. The 2007 NL MVP is making $7.5 million this year, the final season originally guaranteed under the $40 million, five-year extension he signed in June 2005.
"Actually we’d like to keep all those guys," Amaro said. "Hopefully we can keep this group together."
After being briefly stuck in the minors while Jim Thome manned first for the Phillies, Howard was the 2005 Rookie of the Year at 25, the same age A-Rod signed his first free-agent deal — $252 million with Texas in 2001.
Howard, the 2006 NL MVP, is earning $19 million this season as part of a $54 million, three-year deal that pays him $20 million in 2011.
He signed that deal in February 2009, avoiding a potentially contentious arbitration hearing.
"This is absolutely great," manager Charlie Manuel said. "We signed Ryan Howard quite a few years ago and that means we’re keeping him. He’s one of our guys, he is a Phillie. It’s big for our team. That’s what you set out for. He’s very worthy of it. He is a great player and he is going to continue to be a great player for a while. Everything about it’s good."
Howard hit .279 with 45 homers and 141 RBIs last season and entered Monday’s game with three homers and 16 RBIs in 80 at-bats this April.
While he has put up monster numbers, averaging 49.5 homers and 143 RBIs over the past four years, he has averaged 191 strikeouts over that span.
In addition, he has committed himself to a rigorous fitness and training routine in recent years. He even reached out to Barry Bonds this winter and ended up working for about a week in Florida with the home run king — "one of my idols growing up."
"Ryan has clearly dedicated himself to being a very complete player," Amaro said. "He’s worked on his defense. He’s worked on his body. He has a special attribute with his power and his run production that not many in the history of this game have been able to accomplish. … The numbers don’t lie. He’s also one of the most durable players we have. Ryan’s basically ready to play 162 games. I think that means a lot."
Howard’s deal could influence Derek Jeter’s next deal with the Yankees and Albert Pujols’ next contract with the Cardinals.
Jeter, who also is represented by Close, is in the final season of a $189 million, 10-year contract.
Pujols is making $16 million this year, and St. Louis has a $16 million option for 2011 with a $5 million buyout. Of the 2011 salary, $4 million would be deferred without interest.
Howard isn’t worried that he could be one-upped by those guys down the road.
"Whatever the other guys get, hey, that’s great, that’s fine, that’s dandy," Howard said. "You don’t play this game for money. You play this game to come out here and win championships. Yeah, we get paid a lot of money to do what we do."
Twins MVP catcher Joe Mauer signed a $184 million, eight-year extension this spring.
"It allowed us to see how the market was shaping up," Close said of 28-year-old Mauer’s deal.
Said Amaro: "He kind of set the market for himself by his performance. It’s something that he deserves."
Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
You know it’s been an eventful season when there’s a no-hitter, a 20-inning marathon, a 20-0 blowout and an Albert Pujols’ slump before there’s a single rainout.
So what’s next? Well, the end of that Pujols’ skid, no surprise. The Cardinals slugger went 3-for-4 with a homer Sunday in the finale of a trip that he started 3 for 20. Slumping or not, Pujols always is worth watching.
Three others to keep a close eye on this week:
Jose Reyes has made an immediate impact since rejoining the Mets lineup.
Rookie Ike Davis is getting the hype and pitching is reason No. 1 the Mets had won seven of 10 before Sunday night (they allowed two or fewer runs in every win). But the return of Reyes has been big, too.
His numbers have been slow to come but look for them to climb as his at-bats mount. "Physically, I’m good," he said last week, "but this is spring training for me."
Reyes reached base in seven games last week and scored in six. He had two triples and three stolen bases without getting caught and Jerry Manuel deemed him ready for the three-hole. Not coincidentally, the Mets reached .500 for the first time since July as they head into a big week with series against the Dodgers and at first-place Philadelphia.
What Reyes would like next is a return to his normal diet. He has been ordered to stay away from his preferred seafood until doctors deem his thyroid levels at a healthy enough level.
"I have to eat a lot of chicken and pasta, and I don’t like pasta," said Reyes, who is examined by doctors weekly. He can’t wait for the visit when he’s told he stop eating something besides poultry.
"Chicken is not bad but when you eat it every day, you get tired of it," he said. Don’t tell him how many ways it can be prepared, either. "Chicken is chicken no matter what way you cook it," he said.
A look at AL ERA leaders is full of surprises. Of the seven with sub-2.00 ERAs, five are lefties. One of the leaders, Andy Pettitte (1.29), wasn’t sure he wanted to pitch this season. Two others, Francisco Liriano (1.29) and the Mariners’ Doug Fister (1.67), had to secure their jobs during spring training.
At least they were assured of having an opportunity. Rangers lefty C.J. Wilson, the club’s most consistent reliever a year ago, practically had to beg for his shot and didn’t find out he would be given one until he reported to Arizona.
"When I showed up, I spoke with our GM (Jon Daniels) and assistant GM (Thad Levine) and they told me I had to pitch really well to get the spot," Wilson replied in an e-mail. "I took that as my official ‘don’t make any mistakes’ chance."
He hasn’t made many, during camp or since. He was the Rangers’ best pitcher in spring and in two of his three regular-season starts, he hasn’t allowed a run. That included a 6 2/3-inning outing at Fenway Park that stopped Texas’ six-game losing streak. His next start comes Tuesday against another lefty, Mark Buehrle, in Arlington.
The A’s second-year closer takes a major league-best streak of 23 consecutive save conversions into Tampa Bay. That could be trouble for a couple of reasons. One: Across the majors, getting the final three outs has been tougher than usual this season. Only 10 closers have been perfect in all of their save chances, compared with 16 at this time last season.
Second: The Rays are the game’s current comeback kings. They already have won three times this season with rallies after the seventh inning and they lead the majors with nine such comebacks since last year’s All-Star Game.
The way the Rays have been playing, Bailey will be fortunate to get a save opportunity. The Rays have outscored the opposition 113-63 in running out to a 14-5 record.
Oakland also is off to a strong start, sitting atop the A.L. West behind the league’s stingiest pitching staff. Bailey has yet to allow a run in six outings, though only two have been in save situations and he has allowed three of four inherited runners to score.
After Bailey, Angels right-hander Fernando Rodney owns the longest active consecutive-saves streak, at 21, including five with his new team. At 18 straight are Jonathan Papelbon and Houston’s Matt Lindstrom, who saved four games last week.
Astros GM Ed Wade was criticized for spending so much to redo his bullpen but Houston relievers have been huge in helping the club turn around after an 0-8 start. They retired 22 consecutive hitters in one stretch and had allowed only one run in their past 14 innings.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
You know it’s been an eventful season when there’s a no-hitter, a 20-inning marathon, a 20-0 blowout and an Albert Pujols’ slump before there’s a single rainout.
So what’s next? Well, the end of that Pujols’ skid, no surprise. The Cardinals slugger went 3-for-4 with a homer Sunday in the finale of a trip that he started 3 for 20. Slumping or not, Pujols always is worth watching.
Three others to keep a close eye on this week:
Jose Reyes has made an immediate impact since rejoining the Mets lineup.
Rookie Ike Davis is getting the hype and pitching is reason No. 1 the Mets had won seven of 10 before Sunday night (they allowed two or fewer runs in every win). But the return of Reyes has been big, too.
His numbers have been slow to come but look for them to climb as his at-bats mount. "Physically, I’m good," he said last week, "but this is spring training for me."
Reyes reached base in seven games last week and scored in six. He had two triples and three stolen bases without getting caught and Jerry Manuel deemed him ready for the three-hole. Not coincidentally, the Mets reached .500 for the first time since July as they head into a big week with series against the Dodgers and at first-place Philadelphia.
What Reyes would like next is a return to his normal diet. He has been ordered to stay away from his preferred seafood until doctors deem his thyroid levels at a healthy enough level.
"I have to eat a lot of chicken and pasta, and I don’t like pasta," said Reyes, who is examined by doctors weekly. He can’t wait for the visit when he’s told he stop eating something besides poultry.
"Chicken is not bad but when you eat it every day, you get tired of it," he said. Don’t tell him how many ways it can be prepared, either. "Chicken is chicken no matter what way you cook it," he said.
A look at AL ERA leaders is full of surprises. Of the seven with sub-2.00 ERAs, five are lefties. One of the leaders, Andy Pettitte (1.29), wasn’t sure he wanted to pitch this season. Two others, Francisco Liriano (1.29) and the Mariners’ Doug Fister (1.67), had to secure their jobs during spring training.
At least they were assured of having an opportunity. Rangers lefty C.J. Wilson, the club’s most consistent reliever a year ago, practically had to beg for his shot and didn’t find out he would be given one until he reported to Arizona.
"When I showed up, I spoke with our GM (Jon Daniels) and assistant GM (Thad Levine) and they told me I had to pitch really well to get the spot," Wilson replied in an e-mail. "I took that as my official ‘don’t make any mistakes’ chance."
He hasn’t made many, during camp or since. He was the Rangers’ best pitcher in spring and in two of his three regular-season starts, he hasn’t allowed a run. That included a 6 2/3-inning outing at Fenway Park that stopped Texas’ six-game losing streak. His next start comes Tuesday against another lefty, Mark Buehrle, in Arlington.
The A’s second-year closer takes a major league-best streak of 23 consecutive save conversions into Tampa Bay. That could be trouble for a couple of reasons. One: Across the majors, getting the final three outs has been tougher than usual this season. Only 10 closers have been perfect in all of their save chances, compared with 16 at this time last season.
Second: The Rays are the game’s current comeback kings. They already have won three times this season with rallies after the seventh inning and they lead the majors with nine such comebacks since last year’s All-Star Game.
The way the Rays have been playing, Bailey will be fortunate to get a save opportunity. The Rays have outscored the opposition 113-63 in running out to a 14-5 record.
Oakland also is off to a strong start, sitting atop the A.L. West behind the league’s stingiest pitching staff. Bailey has yet to allow a run in six outings, though only two have been in save situations and he has allowed three of four inherited runners to score.
After Bailey, Angels right-hander Fernando Rodney owns the longest active consecutive-saves streak, at 21, including five with his new team. At 18 straight are Jonathan Papelbon and Houston’s Matt Lindstrom, who saved four games last week.
Astros GM Ed Wade was criticized for spending so much to redo his bullpen but Houston relievers have been huge in helping the club turn around after an 0-8 start. They retired 22 consecutive hitters in one stretch and had allowed only one run in their past 14 innings.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
CHICAGO — Northwestern’s Nov. 20 date with Illinois at Wrigley Field will bring a college football festival to Chicago. But Wildcats officials hope the excitement and the financial benefits continue for more than one afternoon.
"We’re trying to increase our season tickets, absolutely, to leverage our season tickets," athletic director Jim Phillips said Friday.
Fans will need to buy Northwestern season tickets for five games at Ryan Field to get the tickets to the Wrigley game. Northwestern has a 31,000-seat allotment for the Illinois matchup, Wrigley’s first football contest since a Bears-Packers game in 1970. The field’s capacity for football should be around 40,000 fans, Cubs president Crane Kenney said.
As for logistics, the 100-yard playing area will stretch from the third-base line toward right field, and the area will be completely grass, Kenney said. Teams will share a sideline that will cover left and centerfields. Players will dress in locker rooms, though Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald said some of his players might dress on campus in Evanston. The Wildcats also might take an elevated train to the game instead of a chartered bus.
Dave Curtis is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at dcurtis@sportingnews.com.
CHICAGO — Northwestern’s Nov. 20 date with Illinois at Wrigley Field will bring a college football festival to Chicago. But Wildcats officials hope the excitement and the financial benefits continue for more than one afternoon.
"We’re trying to increase our season tickets, absolutely, to leverage our season tickets," athletic director Jim Phillips said Friday.
Fans will need to buy Northwestern season tickets for five games at Ryan Field to get the tickets to the Wrigley game. Northwestern has a 31,000-seat allotment for the Illinois matchup, Wrigley’s first football contest since a Bears-Packers game in 1970. The field’s capacity for football should be around 40,000 fans, Cubs president Crane Kenney said.
As for logistics, the 100-yard playing area will stretch from the third-base line toward right field, and the area will be completely grass, Kenney said. Teams will share a sideline that will cover left and centerfields. Players will dress in locker rooms, though Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald said some of his players might dress on campus in Evanston. The Wildcats also might take an elevated train to the game instead of a chartered bus.
Dave Curtis is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at dcurtis@sportingnews.com.
