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 Rameriz, 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.
Quiznos Toasty Topic: Florida Marlins & Hanley Ramirez Saga
Florida Marlins & Hanley Ramirez Saga
Every Wednesday Sports Grind Entertainment presents you with the Quiznos Toasty Topic. Today the toasty topic to be discussed is the Florida Marlins having a crisis on their hands with a showdown between Hanley Ramirez and manager Fredi Gonzalez.
On Monday night, Ramirez trouble started in the first inning Monday night after he grounded into a double play and did not run full speed down the line. Later in the second inning he kicked a ball and then lightly jogged after it, allowing two runs to score.
Ramirez was pulled from the game for not hustling in his managers eyes and then the shortstop defended his play and took shots at his manager and teammates. The manager has indicated that the shortstop needs to apologize to his teammates before getting back on the field.
“It’s his team. He can do whatever,” Ramirez said. “There’s nothing I can do about it. We got a lot of people dogging it after ground balls. They don’t apologize. That’s OK. He doesn’t understand that. He never played in the big leagues.”
Responded Gonzalez: “He’s right, but I know how to play the game. I played six years in the minor leagues and I know what it takes to play this game and I know the effort it takes to play this game.”
“It’s our team. I’m just the guy that makes the lineup,” Gonzalez said. “I can’t control everybody going 4 for 4, but you can control the effort.”
There have been occasions in which some speculated Ramirez didn’t always hustle. Last September in a game against the Atlanta Braves, two-time All-Star second baseman Dan Uggla and Ramirez got into a heated discussion after the star shortstop left a game early with a strained hamstring.
Veteran infielder Wes Helms hopes Ramirez apologizes to his teammates.
“I can’t overlook it,” Helms said. “I know people say that’s just the way he is, but you know what? That’s not the way it is. That’s not the way the game’s supposed to be played.”
“And that’s what we want from Hanley. We want him to be that guy that goes out there every day … and busts his butt and does anything he can for his this team. That right there will earn the respect of not only his teammates, but everybody in the league.”
Cameron Maybin, who hit a three-run homer Tuesday, also sided with Gonzalez.
“I think if it happened to anybody else in here, I think other teammates would feel the same way about it,” Maybin said. “As long as you are playing hard nobody can really say anything bad about you. We definitely support Fredi’s decision and we thought it was the right decision.”
Ramirez is hitting .293 with seven homers and 20 RBIs this year. He is the Marlins’ highest-paid player after signing a $70 million, six-year contract in 2008, and has become the face of a franchise that moves into a new ballpark in 2012.
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 Rameriz, Florida Marlins: Rameriz is quickly becoming one of of the best players in all of MLB. Rameriz 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.
