B.J. & Justin Upton Hit 100th Career Homers On Same Night
Pride Of Norfolk
Brothers Justin Upton and B.J. Upton both hit career homer No. 100 on Friday night, just about an hour apart and in different leagues.
Justin Upton connected for Arizona Diamondbacks in the second inning at Philadelphia off Phillies Kyle Kendrick. Then it was his older brother’s turn. B.J. Upton went deep in the fourth inning for Tampa Bay Rays against Baltimore’s Orioles Tommy Hunter.
“It was cool. I’m happy for him,” Justin Upton said after Arizona’s 4-2 win. “It’s a big night for the family.”
B.J. Upton joins Rickey Henderson, Barry Bonds, Bobby Bonds, Cesar Cedeno, Lloyd Moseby, Eric Davis and Hanley Ramirez as the only players to amass 100 homers and 200 steals before age 28. Upton turns 28 on Aug. 21.
“I was just texting him,” B.J. Upton said after the Rays beat Baltimore 2-0. “He said he got his before mine, but it’s all good. It was cool to do that on the same day.”
The Upton brothers also both hit their 99th homer in games on July 20.
“It was mentioned after the last game,” Justin Upton said. “I definitely wanted to beat him to it.”
Some Miami Marlins Players Happy That Hanley Ramirez Is Gone
Disastrous
Usually when a player is the face of a franchise for almost 7 years and then gets suddenly traded, you hear stories from the clubhouse about how former teammates are sad to see him go. Sure, a player won’t get along with everyone, but over a 7 year period, many friendships should be made. Unless you’re Hanley Ramirez apparently.
Most of his former Miami Marlins teammates aren’t sad to see Ramirez head to Los Angeles Dodgers. In fact, most of them are happy. And they took the time to reveal their happiness to Manny Navarro of the Miami Herald.
“One player who spoke on the condition of anonymity said, “There were a lot of smiles’’ in the Marlins clubhouse Wednesday morning, happiness because a player disliked by many in the organization but protected by the front office for years because he was producing was finally gone.”
“They created a monster from a very good baseball player gave him so much slack to do whatever the [expletive] he wanted because he was performing,’’ the player said.
“You can push some things aside when you’re hitting .340 with 40 home runs. You say ‘He’s a [jerk], but I can deal with it. … But when you’re not playing and you’re trying to be that same [jerk], it starts rubbing people the wrong way.’’
Asked if the trade was good or bad for the Marlins clubhouse, Logan Morrison said: “It would have been good to have Hanley Ramirez hitting .342 like he did in 2009.”
WTF: Hanley Ramirez
Come As You Are
The Miami Marlins are in New York to face the Mets and their new third baseman Hanley Ramirez spent his off day hanging out with rapper Jay-Z while sporting a white belt and Nirvana tee.
Jose Reyes & Hanley Ramirez Go Blonde
Disastrous
Miami Marlins Hanley Ramirez has already gone down this route with a bottle of peroxide, which we posted HERE, but now that the 2012 MLB season is about to kick off for his team he has talked new teammate and shortstop Jose Reyes to make the same mistake.
Hanley Ramirez Writes Twitter Critics Names On His Bat
Miami Marlins soon to be third baseman Hanley Ramirez is very aware of what his critics have been saying about him and his game this offseason, especially those on Twitter. Ramirez has taken notice and jotted down those names on his bat to do his bashing.
“To all of those who wrote to me criticizing me, sorry for not answering. I was busy with this bat and marker writing your names, the response is on the way.“
Motivation 101
Florida Marlins Teammate Calls Out Hanley Ramirez
Too Much Talent
After losing 19 of 20 in June and 11 in a row overall, Florida Marlins outfielder Logan Morrison ripped shortstop Hanley Ramirez on Monday for his excessive tardiness which even came about on interim managers Jack McKeon first day. Morrison reportedly addressed Ramirez for repeatedly arriving just minutes before the team stretch. He scolded the three-time All-Star and blamed the tardiness as the reason for Ramirez’s season-long slump.
According to reports, Ramirez waited for Morrison to leave before reacting and yelling at no one in particular. The incident occurred on the same day in which McKeon benched Ramirez in his first day on the job.
Jack McKeon Benches Hanley Ramirez
Trader Jack
On his first day on the job for the Florida Marlins 80 year old manager Jack McKeon had some business to handle before setting foot back on the diamond. McKeon benched all star shortstop Hanley Ramirez in last nights games against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim reportedly for showing up late to the ballpark missing the team meeting.
When asked if there was a particular reason the star shortstop was not in the lineup, McKeon reportedly said, “Yeah, because I didn’t put him in there.”
Team sources said McKeon made the move after Ramirez arrived late for a 3:30pm team meeting which came just hours after the team officially introduced him as the interim replacement for Edwin Rodriguez who resigned Sunday.
The rocky road between manager and player is nothing new for Ramirez as he had previous run ins with former and now current Atlanta Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez but interesting it would start on day one.
Mama Margie’s Major Meltdown: Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
Every Thursday Sports Grind Entertainment will present you with the Mama Margie’s Major Meltdown. The recipient of this honor goes to the Florida Marlins who have now gone 1-14 since starting the month of June. The Marlins finished May only two games behind the first place Philadelphia Phillies in the National League East Division to now a full 10.5 games behind and have lost six straight. In the midst of this June losing streak the Marlins went ahead and fired hitting coach John Mallee after languishing in most of the key offensive categories and replaced him with ESPN studio analyst Eduardo Perez. The team as a whole though is 24th in the majors with a .235 batting average with runners in scoring position.
Some of the reasons for the slump is that ace pitcher Josh Johnson went on the disabled list May 17 with an inflamed shoulder but was recently moved to the 60 day disabled list and won’t return until after the All-Star break. Chris Volstad (6.07 ERA) and Javier Vazquez (7.09) have been very hittable and All-Star shortstop Hanley Ramirez is only hitting .206 with four homers.
Atlanta Braves Chipper Jones Ejected From Game While On Disabled List
Who's this Chipper guy?
Atlanta Braves third baseman Larry Jones hasn’t officially retired or even gotten a head start on the off-season down at his Double Dime Ranch since suffering a season ending ACL injury. Instead Larry is arguing balls and strikes with major league umpires from the dugout. Larry is on the disabled list and out for the season was ejected from Saturday’s game against the Florida Marlins. Home plate umpire Doug Eddings ejected Larry as he protested a pitch to Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez that Eddings called a ball.
The strangest part of it all is that Eddings has ejected a player once before from the disabled list in 2005, Mike Hampton, and he too was a Brave in a game that was also against the Marlins down in Florida.
Hair Wars: Hanley Ramirez
What Color Is That Supposed To Be?
Its been awhile since trotting out a Hair Wars post because of laziness and just haven’t been paying all that close attention to athletes domes outside of NFL rookie hazing. But what better way than to revisit an old segment than with Florida Marlins all-star stud shortstop Hanley Ramirez getting beat down by a bottle of peroxide.Time to find the clippers.
(Diss It)
Buffalo Wild Wings Blazin Player: Josh Johnson
Josh johnson
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 Florida Marlins right handed pitcher Josh Johnson for his two starts this past week which simply is BLAZIN.
Johnson won both of his starts which came against the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Chicago White Sox. Johnson did so without giving up a single earned run and only allowed 8 hits in the combined starts. He struck-out 9 and lowered his ERA to a National League top 10 best 2.43. His most dominating performance came against the Diamondbacks by blanketing them 8-0 while his team faced the adversity of playing without All-Star shortstop Hanley Ramirez, who was out of the lineup for disciplinary reasons. Johnson buckled down to throw only a 104 pitches and 23 where the most he threw in one inning which came in the third.
Congratulations Josh Johnson you are this weeks Buffalo Wild Wings Blazin Player.
Florida Marlins Hanley Ramirez Gets Bling From Owner
"everytime I come around yo city Bling Bling"
Last year during spring training Florida Marlins and ALL-SGE-MLB Team member superstar Hanley Ramirez was upset about the team’s new regulations banning jewelry and long hair, initially telling reporters he wanted to be traded, Hanley eventually settled down and got over it. This past weekend, team owner Jeffrey Loria appeared outside the clubhouse with a rather pricey peace offering.
“We don’t wear jewelry on the field but I know Hanley likes it off the field,” Loria said after privately giving Hanley a special-made diamond pendant with .342 on it — Hanley’s National League leading average last season.
The necklace features 394 diamonds on it and Loria hopes that serves as a new challenge for his diamond stud. Telling him if he hit .394 this year, he’d do something else.
Loria and Ramirez enjoy a jocular relationship and when Hanley kidded his employer about getting a gift for his accomplishment Loria responded, “Yea, what’s your shirt size?” When Hanley came outside to meet Loria on Saturday his boss was standing there with a box big enough to fit a shirt in. Of course, inside was the diamond pendant instead.
“I’m gonna save it in my safe,” said Ramirez, who wore the necklace out of the ballpark. “Once in a while I’m going to wear it. Every time I see that I’m going to remember Jeffrey.”
Hanley isn’t the only recipient of Loria’s largess, the first 5,000 fans at the Marlins’ home opener will get their own replicas, presumably without all the diamonds although that’d be a good way to get more fans through the gates.
SGE Fantasy Baseball Preview: Shortstops
Sleeper Pick
I can feel it like the the sun burning up your neck on a hot August day, only 16 more days until Opening Day. Today’s rankings is the shortstop position where you will find a bulk of guys that will help in the stolen base and runs scored department. It’s often said that speed kills, this position has an abundance of it and guys that do it well. The best of the best at shortstop is hands down Florida Marlins Hanley Ramirez, Colorado Rockies Troy Tulowitzki and Philadelphia Phillies Jimmy Rollins buts lets go deeper.
Breakout Player: Elvis Andrus, Texas Rangers
- Andrus finished second among American League rookie of the year voting so don’t expect to wait around on him. His overall talents will have him on plenty of peoples radars but since he’s a great source for stolen bases and runs he might be on radars of the least expected. His on-base skills are very advance for a player who is just 21 years old. He had 125 stolen bases in just 407 minor league games, so even if he struggles at the plate, he will always have his speed. If the Rangers continue to have the offensive year they had last year expect Andrus do be crossing home plate sooner and often.
Sleeper Player: J.J. Hardy, Minnesota Twins
- This pick came down to Hardy and the guy who replace him back in Milwaukee, Alcides Escobar. I believe Escobar should have a good year along the baseballs but still a little leery on his chances of getting there, however its Hardy who I’m rolling with. He hit .156 in April with the Brewers and never recovered but Minnesota got a deal on Hardy when they traded for him after his terrible season. Plus he’s only 27 years old compared to last seasons Twins playoff run shortstop, Orlando Cabrera who is 35. Hardy is not your shortstop that will steal the bases instead he will hit for power and I look for him to get back to his track record of hitting 26 home runs in 2007 and 24 in 2008. He’ll come at a big discount because it will still be fresh on peoples minds that the Brewers optioned him to Class AAA at one point. Playing with a new team, in a new state, in a new stadium is all the things Hardy needs for that fresh start.
Risky Player: Jose Reyes, New York Mets
- Do I believe Reyes to be a great player? Yes. Is there more risk attached to him than ever before? Yes. I would rather watch him prove me wrong on someone else roster than ruining mine if things turned for the worse. The health of Reyes right hamstring is to troubling to ignore. He played in only 36 games last season and was set back again in October when he tore the same right hamstring that had him on the DL since May. I’m just siding with caution on this one.
Slipping Player: Marco Scutaro, Boston Red Sox
- I know Scutaro had his best season as a pro last year with the Toronto Blue Jays, setting career highs in every fantasy category but it came at the age of 33 and in Toronto. The pressure of playing in Boston will sure wear on someone who is more likely to revert back to his normal self and his usual run of 7 home runs and 40 RBI’s. His first five years of career are a better indication of his skills and his .260 average. He’s 34 and I don’t see him having a career like Casey Blake in getting a late start to it and staying consistent.
Be sure to come back for the preview of third base position.
Florida Marlins Chris Coghlan Wins National League Rookie Of The Year
Diamond Stud
Florida Marlins outfielder Chris Coghlan won the 2009 National League Rookie of the Year award. J.A. Happ pitcher of the Phildelphia Phillies finished second in the voting, which was carried out by selected members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.
Coghlan’s victory continues the Marlins’ streak of three: three winners in club history, with each coming in three-year spans. It started with Dontrelle Willis winning the Rookie of the Year Award in 2003, continued with Hanley Ramirez, the best shortstop in the Major Leagues, claiming the honor in ’06, and now the torch has been passed to Coghlan.
Coghlan finished his first pro season batting .321 with nine homers, 47 RBIs and eight stolen bases in 128 games. Indirectly because another one of the Marlins’ highly touted young players, Cameron Maybin, wasn’t producing consistently in the Major Leagues, Coghlan was called up from Triple-A New Orleans on May 8 and never really gave the team a chance to take him out of the lineup.
He was playing a position he’s never played before – left field – while hitting out of a lineup spot he wasn’t used to – leadoff – but he performed at each like a seasoned pro.
Coghlan posted back-to-back 47-hit months becoming the first NL player with 94 hits in a two-month span since 1978, finishing sixth in the NL in batting average and led senior-circuit rookies in runs (84), hits (162), total bases (232), doubles (31) and on-base percentage (.390).
His batting average was the highest by a Marlins rookie, easily topping the .292 clips Ramirez and Jeff Conine hit at.
From the All-Star Game until the end of the regular season, Coghlan helped keep the low-payroll Marlins in contention with a Major League-leading 113 hits – 11 more than Yankees captain Derek Jeter – and added a .372 batting average – 14 points higher than eventual American League batting champion Joe Mauer. Coghlan’s hits total in the second half matched Juan Pierre in ’04 for the franchise record and is the most in the Majors since 1965.
In what turned out to be a great year for the rookies you couldn’t go wrong with any of the top 5 vote getter. There were so many rookies who had great years.
2009 ALL-SGE-MLB Team
Est. 2009
The 2009 regular season of Major League Baseball has ended and Sports Grind Entertainment is handing out it’s first ever All-SGE-MLB Team. The 2009 All-SGE-MLB Team takes in account not only what a player does with the bat but as well in the field, weak players with the glove are easily removed from consideration.
2009 ALL-SGE-MLB Team:
First Base – Albert Pujols (Allah), St. Louis Cardinals: Pujols probably will walk away with the 2009 National League MVP and his numbers of 47 home runs 135 RBIs and .327 batting average are just a peek into his overall value.
Second Base – Aaron Hill, Toronto Blue Jays: Hill is generally thought of as a great double play combination but the year of 2009 everything happened to fall into place for him with the bat, 36 home runs 108 RBIs and 195 hits for a .286 batting average.
Shortstop – Hanley Ramirez, Florida Marlins: Ramirez is quickly becoming one of of the best players in all of MLB. Ramirez didn’t hit for power in 2009 but instead for a National League high .342 and hit to all parts of the field collecting 195.
Third Base – Ryan Zimmerman, Washington Nationals: Zimmerman might not be know outside of Washington or to drive by fan but he has Gold Glove type of fingers at third and saw his numbers jump to 33 home runs 106 RBIs and a .292 average.
Catcher – Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins: Just as Pujols should walk away with the National League MVP the same could be said of Mauer. The 2009 American League Batting League champion should also see his 2009 awards include a Gold Glove and the AL MVP. It’s outstanding when you consider Mauer is a catcher and hitting .365 average and 28 home runs.
Outfield – Adam Jones, Baltimore Orioles: If the name Ryan Zimmerman is foreign to the drive by MLB fan then Jones name is from outer space. Jones was an excellent outfielder in 2009 and should be in line to win his first Gold Glove award. Despite playing in only a 119 games due to a neck injury he still posted 19 home runs and 70 RBIs with a .277 average.
Outfield – Matt Kemp, Los Angeles Dodgers: Kemp was all over the outfield for the Dodgers and his bat help supply for many of Los Angeles come from behind victories in 2009. Kemp had 26 home runs 101 RBIs and a .297 average to go along with 34 stolen bases.
Outfield – Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle Mariners: Ichiro was once again Ichiro in 2009. As usual another dominate defensive performance to go with yet another 200 season, 225 hits and a .352 average.
Starting Left Handed Pitcher – CC Sabathia, New York Yankees: Sabathia was the best left handed starting pitcher in 2009 with a 19-8 record and 3.37 ERA and struck out 197 batters in 230 innings.
Starting Right Handed Pitcher – Chris Carpenter, St. Louis Cardinals: Carpenter should win the 2009 National League Cy Young Award with his 17-4 record and 2.24 ERA in striking out 144 batters while completing three games.
Closer – Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees: Rivera continues to be the best closer of this generation, it’s not the number that are impressive it’s the times and situations that he continues to be effective. The 2009 saw Rivera save 44 games out of 46 opportunities with a 1.76 ERA in 66.1 innings pitched while striking out 72 batters.
Manager – Jim Tracy, Colorado Rockies: Tracy who took over the last place Rockies on May 29th, 18-28, the Rockies then went 74-42 and won the National League Wild Card. In the end, the Rockies were 92-70, and set a club record for wins in a season while making the playoffs for the second time in three seasons.
