Buffalo Wild Wings Blazin Player: Matt Garza
Matt Garza
Every Tuesday Sports Grind Entertainment presents you with the Buffalo Wild Wings Blazin Player of the Week. This week the recipient of this prestigious honor goes to Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Matt Garza for throwing a no-hitter and the first in the franchise history which simply is BLAZIN.
The Tampa Bay Rays Matt Garza threw the first no-hitter in franchise history and the fifth in the major leagues this season, beating the Detroit Tigers 5-0 Monday night. The Tigers were no-hit for the first time since Randy Johnson shut them down at Seattle on June 2, 1990.
The right-hander Garza (11-5) faced the minimum 27 batters in his 106th career start and only allowed only a second-inning walk to Tigers Brennan Boesch. The Rays have been on the other side of most no-hitters it seems as of late as they where involed in two just this season.
It’s only the third time in major league history that a team has been involved in three no-hitters during one season. The 1917 St. Louis Browns and Chicago White Sox were involved in three and all against each other. It’s also the first time in 37 years that two no-hitters have occurred in the same AL ballpark in one season.
Congratulations Matt Garza you are this weeks Buffalo Wild Wings Blazin Player.
Houston Astros Geoff Blum Injured Putting On His Clothes
Just Curious Was It Button Or Pull Over?
Collecting baseball cards and being a baseball fan go hand and hand at some point in life of a fan of the game. But just as baseball cards and crackerjacks are synonymous with baseball so are the oddities that come along in injuries.
Houston Astros Geoff Blum is latest player to throw his hat into the circle when he went on the disabled list with an elbow injury when he tried to put on his shirt after a game last week. Blum heard a pop as he put on his shirt and later doctors found loose bodies floating around in his elbow.
This could summarize up the Astros season but the unusualness of the injury pales in comparison to Detroit Tigers relief pitcher Joel Zumaya in 2006 missed three games during the playoffs cause he suffered from an inflammation of his throwing wrist and forearm from playing the video game, Guitar Hero.
Or who could forget back in 2005 when Colorado Rockies infielder Clint Barmes was carrying a package of deer meat up a flight of stairs and slipped directly on his shoulder, breaking his collarbone, missing almost three months of the season.
Lets not forget in 2002 Marty Cordova of the Baltimore Orioles burning himself in a tanning bed when he fell asleep, causing him to miss the next few games because they where day games. The injuries even effect first ballot Hall of Famers like former Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smothz who in 1990 tried to iron his shirt while still wearing it that created burns to his midsection.
Even shaking the hand of a major league pitcher can be a difficult task when back in 1986 Texas Rangers Charlie Hough shook hands with one of his teammates and locked his fingers in high-five that resulted in a broken finger for Hough.
The best probably belongs to Atlanta Braves outfielder Terry Harper who in 1981 was standing in the on-deck circle waving the runner in from third base and dislocated his shoulder.
The oddities of baseball injuries have not only effected those playing in stateside in Major League Baseball but even has reached Japan where Hanshin Tigers centerfielder Norihiro Akahoshi suffered a herniated neck disk in his sleep that would eventually end his career.
Once again baseball players need not only watch out for 95 mph fastballs coming towards their head or bodies but dreams, handshakes, kitchen knifes, irons, q-tips, and clothing.
Minnesota Twins Justin Morneau Pumps Iron With Bears
Damn 32 ounce drinks at McDonalds are just a $1.08, thank you Justin Morneau, now if the Minnesota Twins could just reclaim the American League Central Division first place spot from the Detriot Tigers I would be even happier.
Cooperstown Gets First Base From Perfect Game Blown Call
Forever Linked
The Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York has received the infamous first base from the Imperfect Perfect Game in which umpire Jim Joyce blew the call on Detriot Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga chance at history. The famous first base wasn’t the only thing that made it’s way to Cooperstown as Galarraga’s cleats, the ball from the final out also found a new home.
Galarraga’s career might not land him in Cooperstown but he is now forever part of baseball lore and a part of the museum’s collection.
Will Ferrell Yells At Kansas City Royals Bruce Chen
Comedians Paul Rudd, Rob Riggle, and Jason Sudeikis where in their hometown of Kansas City taking in a Royals game and to promote a charity poker event to support a local children hospital when fellow Hollywood star Will Ferrell made an appearance.
Ferrell took all of two seconds before he started in on Royals pitcher Bruce Chen and then basically stole the interview show from that moment on. Come on Chen!
WTF: Jim Joyce
Within A Blink Of An Eye
Sure by now the name Jim Joyce is burned into your mind from all the ESPN cut ins and leading off their telecast to his name being a trending a topic on Twitter within 46 seconds after the blown call. From a OG baseball fan as myself the sad part of watching it play out over and over is that it wasn’t even a close call in MLB umpiring standards.
Joyce has admitted his wrong doing and even apologized to the Detroit Tigers and pitcher Armando Galarraga but will never live down his mistake. Quicker than a blink of an eye and Joyce’s family name has been forever altered even beyond his death.
Hell the Boston Red Sox have erased the Babe Ruth jinx with two World Series wins in recent years but somehow the name Bill Buckner still rings shame and carries a dark cloud over it with many Red Sox fans.
Audio Of Jim Joyce Admitting Blown Call
The name Jim Joyce is forever ingrained in baseball and sport fans heads from this date forward. His life will never be the same but there needs to be recognition of his admission of his mistake and not living in denial. Plus standing on the line taking all the bullets that have and will come his way. What else more can you ask or except from a human being.
The Detriot Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski said the team will not ask MLB to overturn the call.
Class
Mama Margies’s Major Meltdown: Jim Joyce
Jim Joyce
Every Thursday Sports Grind Entertainment will present you with the Mama Margie’s Major Meltdown. The recipient of this honor goes to first base umpire Jim Joyce of the Detriot Tigers and Cleveland Indians game. Joyce made the controversial safe call that robbed Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga of a perfect game on the 27th and final out of the ball game in which TV replays clearly showed Indians Jason Donald to be out.
Joyce has umpired in Major League Baseball for over 22 years and in a flash will forever be known for the call he got wrong. If Galarraga would have been rewarded the correct call it would have been the Tigers, who have been in existence since 1902, first ever perfect game and baseball third in one season a feat never accomplished in one season.
Joyce admitted he blew the call and cost Galarraga the perfect game after seeing the replay.
R.I.P. Jose Lima
R.I.P.
A sad day for baseball fans once again in 2010 as we learned just minutes ago that former Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Dodgers,and New York Mets pitcher Jose Lima died from a massive heart attack at the age of 37.
Lima a former All-Star and 21 game winner dazzled baseball fans by the way he celebrated strikeouts and victories over his competitors, which birth the saying ‘Lima Time’. Other times where not as celebrated as he did bounce from team to team and back to team while also leading the league in home runs giving up several times.Lima was 89-102 in 13 seasons and leaves behind a wife and five children.
Thank you entertaining baseball fans everywhere, its Lima Time.
Jay-Z & Eminem Make Announcement At Detroit Tigers Game
Here’s Jay-Z and Eminem in the booth during the New York Yankees vs. Detroit Tigers game to promote their upcoming concerts dubbed “The Home and Home Series” which will take place this fall. Eminem will be headlining with Jay-Z co-headlining on September 2nd at Comerica, while Jay will headline September 13th at Yankee Stadium with Eminem co-headlining. Rudy J has yet to decided which event he will attend but has until June 12th when tickets go on sale to make his final decision.
Renegade.
R.I.P. Ernie Harwell
"He took his cut, and now he takes his seat."
It’s no secret the state of Michigan has been hit extremely hard this year. Everything from the problems with the automakers, Detroit Lions going 0-16. When the state tried to rally behind the universities that bare it’s name, they saw the Michigan State basketball team get man-handled in its own backyard during the championship game and the University of Michigan football team lose to its three rivals as well as finishing the season 3-9.
But some really sad news came from Detroit as legendary Detroit Tigers broadcaster Ernie Harwell passed away at the age of 92 from a cancerous tumor in his bile duct. The Hall of Famer Harwell declined surgery or treatment saying he was ready for a new adventure. Harwell called baseball games for Tiger fans for 42 years, together they went hand in hand and it’s hard to listen to Tigers games today and not reminisce Harwell’s soft-spoken southern accent calling the game. Fans probably know Harwell best for his catchy home run call, “that one is looooooooong gone,” and his creativity in naming off random Michigan cities as hometowns for fans who grabbed foul balls.
“He stood there like the house by the side of the road,” he might say of a batter taking a called third strike.
To me, the list of great baseball announcers is a short one of Vin Scully, Ernie Harwell and the late Harry Kalas and Jack Buck. Thanks you the memories. I can’t help but admire how he conducted himself, even to the very end.
I say thank you for the memories
SGE Fantasy Baseball Preview: Outfield
Sleeper Pick
Can you believe it’s less than a week away from the opening of the 2010 baseball season. Just 5 days away from Opening Day and its time to leap into the outfield position for those still to have their fantasy baseball draft this weekend. In the outfield is where you will find players who will gather the most points for you through out the season in five categories. Those categories being hitting for average/home runs/RBI’s/scoring runs and stealing bases. Guys like Milwaukee Brewers Ryan Braun, Los Angeles Dodgers Matt Kemp and Tampa Bay Rays Carl Crawford are the best at this and will be sure to be taken early so lets go deeper.
Breakout Player: Jay Bruce Cincinnati Reds
- Bruce hit .207 with 18 homers through July 11 but suffered a wrist injury that day and didn’t return until September 14. After Bruce returned to the Reds lineup he hit .326 with four home runs in 18 games. Look for Bruce who’s coming into his third big league season to settle into a 500 at bat season to go along with a 35 home run season.
Sleeper Player: Shin-Soo Choo, Cleveland Indians
- Choo exceeded all of the 2009 projections of his skill and surely will be on quite a few radars in 2010. Choo had 20 steals and it turned him into a legitimate five category player and proved to be a huge bonus. Choo is only 27 and is reaching the age when most hitters mature so it’s likely to carry his 2009 season into a breakout with 20 plus home runs and a 95 RBI season. I expect him to stay around the same in the steal department with an increase of two or three.
Risky Player: Carlos Beltran, New York Mets
- When healthy Beltran has been one of the games overall best players. However the healthy part is what hurt the Mets and his production last year with him only able to play in 81 games and 308 at bats. His health is already worrisome when him to miss at least the first month of the season recovering from knee surgery. Even with a return expected around mid May doesn’t come with guarantee that he will be that of old form. Try to avoid Beltran till very end of the draft or possibly look to acquire him on the waiver wire after draft day.
Slipping Player: Johnny Damon, Detroit Tigers
- Damon did have an excellent year by his standards and most but remember he was backed by a favorable right field porch in Yankee Stadium and a deadly Yankee batting lineup. Now Damon finds himself in spacious Comerica Park and and the Tigers will hope he relies on stealing the 29 bases he did in 2008 or a number close to it, not the 12 he had in 2009. His 24 home runs from 2009 will also be a thing of the past now playing a pitcher friendly park. New expectations in far different park than he’s been used too and this all comes at the age of 36.
Be sure to come back for a bonus preview of outfield position.
SGE Fantasy Baseball Preview: First Base
Sleeper Pick
Ironic that this post is about first basemen and before I jump into breaking down that position, I need to first apologize for lying to about having this post up and ready for yesterday. Rudy J and myself got into a heated debate that lead to a texting war filled with stats about the breakout year in the catcher position. I couldn’t argue with his pick of Oakland Athletics Kurt Suzuki’s ability to steal a base or eight or that he possibly could be go for under double digits in the money department. He made some very valid points on Suzuki but I still have to ride with Mike Napoli and the his potential to drive in more RBI’s. But enough about our bickering and let’s get to previewing the first base position since we are now only 18 days away from Opening Day.
The first base position has an abundance of talent here that will help you even if your playing just a National League or American League fantasy league. Home runs, RBI’s, average, on base percentage, even strikeouts can be found here with the only thing not found is stolen bases.
Although numerous talent can be found at this position, I wouldn’t advise on letting to many of the premier players come off the draft boards. Now if you end up with New York Yankees Nick Johnson or Philadelphia Phillies Ross Gload as your starting first basemen, then I don’t think fantasy baseball is for you.
Moving into the rankings your roster will never go wrong with National League MVP Albert Pujols, Phillies Ryan Howard, Milwaukee Brewers Prince Fielder or Yankees Mark Teixeira but lets go deeper. If you happen to be the lucky one to posses the very first pick overall there’s really no going wrong selecting any of these four, I would go in the order listed though.
Breakout Player: Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers
- I can already hear people saying how can Cabrera be the breakout player but stay with me. Major League Baseball fans and fantasy owners already know Cabrera is one of the most consistent players in the game. With his admission that he quit drinking which effected him last season and losing 15 pounds all the while coming into that prime baseball age of 26-years-old, I see him making the jump into the elite. I’m talking about his first season in the 40 home run department, 130-140 RBI season, while still collecting 200 hits and a .330 average. He’s ready for Tiger fans to stop whispering about how much money they are giving him and start rejoicing. Cabrera might cost a pretty penny but in 2010 he wont let you down.
Sleeper Player: Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds
- I know some of you will look at this pick and say that’s who you would have chosen as your breakout player. Remember though your going to be in a draft with some people that just look at numbers and don’t remember or didn’t see that his number took a hit because the man struggled with depression in May and June. Not to mention he missed some time in August with blurred vision. So it’s safe to safe Votto had an up-and-down season on and off the field. Take a look at his September run when he bounced back with a .385 average, 5 home runs in just 30 games. Votto is just as much of a key part of that Reds young core as Jay Bruce.
Risky Player: James Loney, Los Angeles Dodgers
- I speak from experience with Loney, he will make contact and surprise you with his 150 plus hits but that’s all he can do. Every year I look for a young player or two to take on as a project, leaving him on the bench however keeping an eye on him everyday and it’s resulted in some of the most fun I’ve had is with my project players. I’ve had Loney three years now and this will not be a fourth. The first year came out of necessity and he showed me a lot of promise for me to draft him the following year in the 25th round. That was the year I noticed he could hit however there was no power behind it. Thinking it was just the progression a player goes through and it would change in year three, I came to be sadly mistaken as I watched him display the same skill all over again in 158 games. Compound that with Loney having the strange problem in 2009 of hitting .251, 1 home run and 36 RBI’s in 79 games at home but hit .309, 12 home runs and 54 RBI’s on the road in the same amount of games.
Slipping Player: Lyle Overbay, Toronto Blue Jays
- Over the last two seasons, Overbay has developed a serious problem hitting against lefties. Through 2007, he had a career mark of .283 against right-handed pitchers and .285 against left-handed pitchers. Since then though Overbay has hit .287 against righties and .206 against lefties that has him now only starting against right handed starters. The trend doesn’t look to turn around as he is 33-years-old and plays in the American League East a division with some top notch left-handed pitching.
Be sure to come back tomorrow for the preview of second base, no lie this time it will be up.
Brandon Lyon Signs With The Houston Astros
$15 Overpaid Milli Man
The Houston Astros have signed reliever Brandon Lyon a three-year contract worth $15 million. Lyon will get $4.25 million next year, $5.25 million in 2011 and $5.5 million in 2012.
He was 6-5 with three saves and a 2.86 ERA last season for Detroit. Overall, he is 27-34 with a 54 saves and a 4.20 ERA in eight major league seasons. Lyon had a career-best 26 saves for Arizona in 2008 and has continued to disappoint me ever since.
Yankees, Tigers, Diamondbacks Complete Three-Way Trade
Winners All Around
I gotta admit I have been neglecting my responsibilities when it comes to offering Sports Grind Entertainment feelings about all the moves happening at the Winter Meetings in Indianapolis. Instead I’ve just been siting on my fat ass and watching as fan and enjoying that Christmas always comes early for this O.G. baseball fan. So I’ll start off by tossing the ball around the diamond with the blockbuster trade that going the hot stove burning.
The three team deal had the New York Yankees receiving All-Star center fielder Curtis Granderson. The Arizona Diamondbacks received right-hander Edwin Jackson and right-hander Ian Kennedy. The Detroit Tigers acquired the most players in getting lefty reliever Phil Coke and prospect Austin Jackson and right-hander Max Scherzer and left-hander Daniel Schlereth.
I’ll go by win-loss record in breaking down each team involvement, so first up is the World Series champion Yankees (103-59) who acquired Grandson. He’s a web gem in the outfield who’s only 28 and adds another left handed bat to an already dangerous lineup. Granderson hit .249 with 30 home runs, 71 RBIs and 20 steals. But to acquire Grandson the Yankees gave up Kennedy who has been hit with the injury bug but is fairly young and has only pitched 59 innings in big leagues. Coke is also another young arm sent packing, he was the Yankees primary left-handed reliever for 2009. The Yankees dug into their farm system and sent their best prospect rated by Baseball America Austin Jackson away.
My prospective is that this move signals that they are unlikely to re-sign both Johnny Damon and World Series MVP Hideki Matsui and might have bailed on too much youth but these are the Yankees so you can almost guarantee they will always be movers and shakers if they see an area of weakness in the future.
The Tigers (86-77) are next up to bat and keep in mind that this ball club forced a one game playoff with the Minnesota Twins. Detroit received a young left-handed Coke to help out an already strong pitching staff and Austin Jackson to eventually take over for Grandson. They reeled in a strikeout machine in Scherzer who is a number two starter on most clubs but could be pushed as far down as fourth with the Tigers, he struck out 174 batters in 170 1/3 innings. Detroit also received Schlereth, the son of former NFL lineman Mark Schlereth, who has a mid-90s fastball and could be the Tigers future closer or slot in to be the setup man.
The Tigers did give up a web gem outfielder in Grandson but where able to shed his $23 million contract over the next three years and the arbitration-eligible Edwin Jackson. In return received a plethora of young talent on the mound and a possible replacement for the center field spot.
Coming in last in this trade as well as the National League West is the Diamondbacks (70-92). Arizona received All-Star Edwin Jackson who is World Series tested and fails to the number three starter behind aces Dan Haren, Brandon Webb. and replacing the young arm of Scherzer with Kennedy. Edwin Jackson finished the season with a record of 13-9 with a 3.62 ERA and 191 strikeouts in 214 innings, his best ever in MLB.
The Diamondbacks might have given up two young arms but a huge reason why the team fail to the lows they did last year was the season ending injury to Webb after one start and the lack of run production. While the bats haven’t been address yet, the pitching staff didn’t take a nosedive.
Yankees: Winners/Tigers: Winners/Diamondbacks: Winners
Minnesota Twins Joe Mauer Wins American League Most Valuable Player Award
MVP
Joe Mauer catcher of the Minnesota Twins has been named the American League Most Valuable Player in a near unanimous vote,receiving 27 of the 28 first-place votes to easily beat out the Yankees’ duo of Mark Teixeira and Derek Jeter, conducted by the Baseball Writers Association of America. Mauer also joined an elite group of players when he won his third American League batting title this season.
The 26-year-old Mauer finished with 327 points, well ahead of Teixeira, who had 225, and Jeter, who had 193. Detroit first baseman Miguel Cabrera, who received the only other first-place vote, was fourth with 171 points.
Mauer became the fifth player in Twins history to win the MVP Award. He joined teammate Justin Morneau, who took home the honor in 2006, as well as Zoilo Versalles (1965) Harmon Killebrew (1969) and Rod Carew (1977).
He also became just the second catcher in the past 33 years to be named MVP. Texas Rangers Ivan Rodriguez (1999) is the only backstop besides Mauer to take home the honor since Yankees catcher Thurman Munson won it in 1976. The last catcher to win National League MVP honors was Cincinnati’s Johnny Bench in 1972.
Mauer put together the best season of his already impressive young career in 2009. He batted .365 to earn his second straight AL batting title. It was his third batting title in four seasons, making the 26-year-old the only catcher in Major League history to accomplish the feat. He is the 10th player in AL history with three or more batting titles.
In addition to leading the league in batting average, Mauer also was the leader in on-base percentage (.444) and slugging percentage (.587), giving him what some stat gurus have deemed the modern Triple Crown. The last AL player to lead in all three of those categories was George Brett of the Royals in 1980. Mauer set career highs in home runs (28) and RBIs (96). And it was that unexpected power surge that was the biggest change for Mauer in 2009, as he more than doubled his previous high in homers (13 in 2006).
This award season had already been kind to Mauer. He was named the AL’s Outstanding Player in the Player’s Choice Awards as well as being named the top player in the AL by the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. He also earned his third Silver Slugger Award and his second straight Gold Glove.
Check back to read about Albert Pujols’ NL MVP award, which will be announced Tuesday.
Los Angeles Angels Of Anaheim Mike Scioscia Wins American League Manager Of The Year
34 Would Be Proud
Mike Scioscia of the Los Angeles Angels of Anhiem had to endure the most emotionally season of his 10 seasons as leader of the Angels and that culminated in him selected as the 2009 American League Manager of the Year by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.
It was Scioscia’s second Manager of the Year award. He was named by the BBWAA in 2002, when the Angels claimed their first World Series title under his direction after entering the postseason as a Wild Card. Scioscia, who is the first manager in Major League history to pilot six postseason teams in his first 10 seasons, received 15 of a possible 28 first-place votes for 106 points.
The Twins’ Ron Gardenhire finished second with six first-place votes and 72 points. Joe Girardi of the Yankees (four first-place votes) was third, followed by the Mariners’ Don Wakamatsu (two), the Rangers’ Ron Washington (one) and the Tigers’ Jim Leyland.
Coping with the death of young pitcher Nick Adenhart in a car wreck on April 9, Scioscia and the Angels emerged from early struggles — they were 29-29 on June 11 — to take flight en route to a third consecutive AL West title, their fifth in six seasons.
In the AL Division Series, the Angels swept their October nemesis, Boston, in three games before falling in six games in the AL Championship Series to the Yankees, who went on to subdue the Phillies in the World Series.
With 97 wins, the Angels continued a run of excellence under Scioscia, whose teams have won 900 regular-season games in 10 seasons. His 567 victories over the past six seasons represent a Major League best — one more than Joe Torre has achieved with the Yankees and Dodgers and two more than Terry Francona with the Red Sox.
Kansas City Royals Zack Grienke Wins American League Cy Young Award
Diamond Stud
Zack Greinke is the definition of a Diamond Stud and he proved it again by winning the American League Cy Young Award and he did it in a landslide.
The Royals’ right-hander received a rousing 25 of 28 first-place votes and had 134 total points in the Baseball Writers’ Association of America voting. Runner-up Felix Hernandez of the Mariners had 80 points, with two first-place votes.
Greinke emerged from the shadow of a social anxiety disorder that took him away from the game for two months in 2006. He worked his way back to the Royals with a tour in the Minors that year and spent most of 2007 laboring in the KC bullpen. Back full force in 2008, he made 32 starts with a 13-10, 3.47 season that set the stage for this thunderous year.
But the 2009 season on the mound belong to Greinke, who posted a 16-8 record which was modest total for a Cy Young winner but no one could match his Major League-best ERA of 2.16. He was one of the most dominating pitchers of 2009 in either league especially being on a team that hardly backed him with run support and a bullpen that blew four of his leads.
Greinke becomes the third Cy Young winner in club history. Bret Saberhagen won in 1985 and 1989; David Cone won in 1994. Cone was the only other starter to win the AL award with as few as 16 wins, and he did it in a strike-shortened season. Brandon Webb (2006) was the last starter to win the National League award with so few.
Among other accomplishments, Greinke struck out 15 batters and threw a one-hitter in back-to-back outings in August as he headed toward a strong finish. He was 6-1 with a 1.75 ERA in his final 11 starts.
Greinke’s has three devastating pitches in a changeup (which was the best in 2009), a sizzling fastball and killer slider. Greinke’s 242 strikeouts, second in the AL to Jason Verlander’s 269, included the club-record 15 on Aug. 25 against the Indians. Then, in his next start at Seattle, came a one-hitter flawed only by a second-inning single. Greinke mowed down the last 22 Mariners he faced. That made him just the fourth pitcher in history to follow a 15-strikeout game with a one-hitter, matching Pedro Martinez (1999), Randy Johnson (1998) and Vida Blue (1971).
His ability to command his pitches, moving the ball in and out, up and down with pinpoint accuracy, and to vary his speeds is phenomenal.
Twins Game Means More Than The Tonight Show
Forget about your jobs, it’s postseason baseball
MLB Can Only Draw 73,418,529 Fans In Recession
Est. 1869
The book can now be completely closed on Major League Baseball 2009 regular season attendance. Baseball completed the season with a total attendance of 73,418,529, down 6.58 percent from a total of 78,591,116 in 2008. The total attendance figure will rank as the fifth highest in MLB history. In another measure of attendance, ballparks saw an average of 30,338 down 6.77 percent from the 32,543 in average attendance last season.
Game 163 at the Metrodome between the Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins was the largest attended game in the facility’s history with 54,088 in attendance.
The Los Angeles Dodgers led the Major Leagues in attendance with 3,761,669 for an average of 46,440. The reigning World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies and the Boston Red Sox, set all-time club records, drawing 3,600,693 and 3,062,699, respectively. For the first time since 2004 the Yankees will have attendance below 4 million.
Nine clubs drew more than three million fans (Dodgers, Yankees, Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, Red Sox and Milwaukee Brewers) and last year, nine clubs drew more than three million, with two (the Yankees and Mets) drawing over 4 million. The two New York franchises accounted for nearly 30 percent of the total decline in attendance this year.
Twins Win Reminds Us All What Is Great About Baseball
Go-Go-Gomez
Did you witness last night’s 12 inning heart attack inducing game 163 between the Twins and the Tigers? If you missed it, are you really a sports fan? After playing through 162 games of July heat, April showers, Seattle to New York, New York to Florida, Florida to Detroit, double headers, day games, night games, it was the ultimate win or go home game.
So if you missed the tiebreaker game, are you really a sports fan or do you false advertise?
If you where a witness, you didn’t see a crime, you saw that Metrodome magic. It took 163 games to finally decided an American League Central Champion. This was the second year in a row that the Twins have had to force the tiebreaker 163 game to decide the division, playing and losing to the Chicago White Sox 1-0 in 2008, and they weren’t going down without a fight this time. The Minnesota Twins, who were seven games back in early September, battled until the very end, going 17-4 down the stretch to take down the Tigers 6-5 in the tie-breaker game.
The game was filled with back and forth drama, until finally in the 12th, Alexi Casilla got a base hit that allowed Carlos “Go-Go” Gomez to slide across home with the game winning run. This ensures that the Metrodome will still be hosting baseball past the ‘Final Game’.
“That is as good a baseball game as I’ve ever been involved as far as courage from both teams,” Twins manager Ron Gardenhire. “We came through at the end. But after 10 innings I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’ve never seen anything like this.’ It was just back and forth, neither team giving up.”
“This game is going to live forever,” Gardenhire said. “People are going to talk about it forever. I know it was just Game 163, but people are going to talk about this game. There was a lot of stuff that happened in it.”
Joe Mauer finished last night as the American League batting champion, this marks the 3rd time in his career to achieve the accomplishment (unheard of from the catcher position), first in on base percentage, slugging. As previously stated Mauer is your AL MVP.
Well played champs. Well played.
162 Games Was Just Not Enough, Tigers To Get Metro Doomed
Twins Win
One year after losing a 1-0 heart-breaker to the Chicago White Sox in a one-game playoff, the Minnesota Twins will host the Detroit Tigers Tuesday in a tiebreaker for the American League Central title. The winner will head to the playoffs.
This marks the second year in a row that the Twins have needed a 163rd game to end their season, a first for baseball.
Just a month ago, the Twins were seven games behind the Tigers in the division race. A week ago, they were three down with four to play. And after winning 16 of their last 20, over 50,000 Metrodome seats sold out within minutes of going on sale Sunday for the tiebreaker.
Meanwhile, the Tigers, who will look to rookie Rick Porcello (14-9, 3.50 ERA), lost 15 of their last 26 games to let Minnesota’s foot back in the door.
The Twins will put righty Scott Baker (15-9, 3.32 ERA) on the hill, two days after using almost their entire rotation to complete the sweep of the Kansas City Royals.
The game is being played in Minnesota because the Twins won the season series 11-7, including seven wins in nine games at the Metrodome.
Between Sunday evening and Monday after noon there was 320,000 ticket request for this tiebreaker game. If it’s anything like the 1987 World Series the Tigers will be making doctor appointments for the ears on Wednesday.
Postseason Baseball is here and I couldn’t be happier.
PICK: Minnesota Twins
SGE Baseball Awards
The Best In 09
Oh it’s postseason time in baseball and that means it’s time to hand out some awards on the baseball diamond here at Sports Grind Entertainment.
Starting off with the senior circuit, the National League MVP couldn’t have been any easier. Don’t get it twisted that since Albert Pujols plays for the only professional sports origination in all of sports that I truly care about, that this vote wasn’t hands down his. Yes, if the race was close and I went with Pujols I could understand your concern but the 2009 season produce no one within a mile.
- NL MVP Award: The Cardinals first baseman leads his league in on-base percentage and slugging percentage plus homers, runs scored, total bases, grand slams and extra-base hits. He’s second in batting average with men in scoring position. Third overall in batting average and in RBI’s. Crazy as it sounds Pujols lead the Cardinals in stolen bases. Pujols also has an NL-record 184 assists from first base.
- NL Cy Young Award: There was a three-way choice between San Francisco’s Tim Lincecum and St. Louis teammates Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright. They’re 1-2-3 in ERA and 1-2-4 in wins.
- Carpenter has been the most brilliant and dominant, but he’s not in the top 10 in the NL in innings pitched because of early-season health issues. Lincecum has the lowest OPS allowed, but he plays in a great pitcher’s park. Wainwright leads the league the league in wins.
- Carpenter still took the ball against the other team aces so he gets it by a hair over Wainwright.
- NL Rookie of the Year: Was loaded with fresh new propest that made a mark in the 2009 season, with Philadelphia’s J.A. Happ, Atlanta’s Tommy Hanson, Randy Wells of the Cubs, Milwaukee’s Casey McGehee, Florida’s Chris Coghlan, Colorado’s Dexter Fowler and Pittsburgh’s Garrett Jones and Andrew McCutchen.
- As far as position player Coghlan (229 total bases, 82 runs scored and .319 average) is as good of a choice as any but it came down to the two pitchers that came to show earlier and never fell off all season. Happ (12-4, 2.85 ERA) vs. Hanson (11-4, 2.89 ERA).
- While Hanson is a terrific prospect, Happ threw 164 innings and the Phillies would have been in big trouble without him.
- NL Manager of the Year: There are a few good candidates. Fredi Gonzalez kept the Marlins in contention for 25 weeks. Tony La Russa had little in his lineup other than Pujols for the first three months. Charlie Manuel got the Phillies back on top, as did Joe Torre with the Dodgers.
- But this award is a no brainier for Colorado Jim Tracy, they have gone 74-41 since he took over for Clint Hurdle. That’s the equivalent of a 104-win season.
- AL Cy Young Award: When the Cy Young is discussed many see a losing team and figure there is no way a pitcher from such team would win the award over someone on a contending team, but that’s not what the Cy Young is about. On any squad the best pitcher is not responsible on how well or bad the team plays on his days off.
- And that makes Kansas City’s Zack Greinke is the best pitcher in the AL. Period. He lead the league with a 2.16 ERA on a bad defensive team. He had 6 complete games, 3 shutouts and was second in strikeouts with 242. Greinke had a 15 strikout performance and on his next outing threw a one hitter. He was the best pitcher in both leagues. Period.
- Felix Hernandez, Justin Verlander and CC Sabathia are great. And if Greinke wasn’t around, it would be a three-way debate. But this year, that debate is about second place.
- AL MVP Award: Joe Mauer leads the American League in batting, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. And he’s a catcher. Mauer leads the AL in batting average at home, on the road, against right-handers and in night games. He is second in average with runners in scoring position, third in average in day games and fourth in average vs. lefties.
- If Mauer was playing in New York, he’d be everywhere. He would be on every billboard, every magazine cover.
- Derek Jeter, Mark Teixeira, Kendry Morales had very nice years. Very nice.
- Considering the lack of protection in his lineup as compared to the others in the debate, it Mauer as the choice. Also since the only protection he had in teamamte and former MVP Justin Morneau is sidelined for the year. That forced Mauer to put the team on his back as they got back into contention of the AL Central Divison to force a one game playoff with the Detriot Tigers.
- AL Rookie of the Year: What a great season for rookie talent, in both leagues. The White Sox third baseman Gordon Beckham, who has hit well. Baltimore outfielder Nolan Reimold who leads Beckham in on-base percentage, slugging percentage and homers. Texas’ Elvis Andrus, meanwhile, has played all season excelling at shortstop with acceptable production at the plate for a 20-year-old.
- Comparing position players against pitchers is comparing apples to oranges. Oakland’s Andrew Bailey with his .168 opponents’ average, Detroit’s Rick Porcello, Toronto’s Ricky Romero.
- Tough call, but Porcello is 20, and he made 30 starts while pitching in a pennant race to the finish and he went 14-9 with a 4.04 ERA.
- AL Manager of the Year: Great job by Ron Washington to help make the Rangers relevant. But Mike Scioscia didn’t just guide the Angels to another division title. He kept the team from falling apart through a rough first few months, not only because of a rash of pitching injuries but also because of the death of Nick Adenhart. Managing a team is about managing people, and Scioscia did a great job this year. Joe Girardi managed his team to 103 wins and probably wont get a sniff at the award is tough but that how things play out sometimes.
San Antonio’s Jeff Manship Earns 1st Big League Win
Congratulations
I’ve been eagerly waiting to write this post since September 1st when it was announced that San Antonio’s own Jeff Manship, a Reagan High School graduate, would get his first Major League Baseball start for the Minnesota Twins. The wait was well worth it as the win came at a well timed moment for the Twins as they closed the gab between the American League Central leading Detroit Tigers to one game, with two games remaining for both clubs.
Delmon Young helped Manship out in the Twins 10-7 victory over the Kansas City Royals with a grand slam and 5 RBIs. Manship (1-1) was tagged with four runs in 5 1/3 innings, but like four of his last six starts he’s pitched better than the box score reflects. Manship never gave up any huge hits, mostly singles that moved runners around in the newly named Mall of America Field at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. The announced crowd of 40,223 in attendence saw Manship strike out four.
Congragulations 49.
