Normar Garciaparra Retires
The Tank Is Empty
The former Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cub, Los Angeles Dodger and Oakland Athletic Nomar Garciaparra is retiring from Major League Baseball, putting an end to a 14-year career.
Garciaparra staarted his career in Boston and has now offically ended it there by signing a one-day contract with the Red Sox to retire with his former team.
The former shortstop is joining ESPN as a baseball analyst, where he will appear on “Baseball Tonight.”
The two-time batting champion and six-time All-Star was best known for his time with the Red Sox which started in 1996 and ended with an abrupt trade to the Chicago Cubs in 2004. Garciaparra also has the distinction of being the only MLB player to ever win the AL Rookie of the Year (1997) and the NL Comeback Player of the Year (2007).
Manny Ramirez Endorses Sum Poosie Energy Drink
There's So Many Flavors Of Sum Poosie
Manny being Manny. Manny Ramirez according to the Los Angeles Times is picking up checks wherever he can get them and is now endorsing Sum Poosie, an energy drink.
Manny’s not the first athlete to hop into bed with Sum Poosie. Santana Moss has also done some work for the energy drink in the past. But now they have an athlete that’s bigger in stature. Well at least in name that is.
Sum Poosie on their website even offers you the chance of becoming a distributor of theirs. That means you can have Sum Poosie whenever you want so that’s not a bad idea.
If your wondering what Sum Poosie taste likes, it’s just like strawberries.
MLB Banns Guns Weapons In Clubhouses & Ryan Franklin Isn’t Happy
Shave Your Face
Major League Baseball took a preemptive strike against weapons in clubhouses over the weekend and banned deadly weapons in the baseball clubhouses.
Signs have been placed in spring training locker rooms stating “individuals are prohibited from possessing deadly weapons while performing any services for MLB.” The rules apply to employees of the commissioner’s office, other central baseball businesses and to teams, including players.
MLB felt it need to react in with incidents like Plaxico Burress and Gilbert Arenas become a little more common. While baseball is doing the right thing here not all are pleased like St. Louis Cardinals closer Ryan Franklin. Franklin an avid outdoorsman, doesn’t like the ban on firearms in the clubhouse.
“If you grew up around it, being in the outdoors and stuff, I was taught as a young kid how to respect firearms,” Franklin said. “First of all, you don’t get stupid with it. Always treat a gun like it’s loaded. That’s what I taught my son and daughters. There’s a place for them.”
Franklin needs to stop worrying about bringing in his hunting rifle or bow into the clubhouse and instead worry about not blowing leads in game 2 of the National League Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Matt Kemp Orders Rihanna A Midget Stripper
Where's Was My Invitation?
Los Angeles Dodgers star Matt Kemp got his freak on with Rihanna behind closed doors and order her a midget stripper. When Rihanna was asked, recently what she planned on doing for her birthday, she responded with:
“I’m gonna do something really special which is chill in the house with all my very close friends. I didn’t want to do a big party or club because we usually do that and it’s kind of boring now, so I want it to be somewhere intimate where I don’t have to worry about cameras or anything, just me and my friends and have a good time. My party… I don’t want to remember it so we definitely are going to get wasted.”
Still can’t escape the cameras.
Dodger Fans Chase Barry Bonds Away From Roscoe’s House Of Chicken & Waffles
Roscoe's House Of Chicken & Waffles
[Via Vin Scully Is My Homeboy]
The Los Angeles Dodgers where holding their annual Dodgers Caravan,a fan appreciation event where fans eat and players come do a meet and greet, at Roscoe’s House of Chicken and Waffles in Los Angeles.
Such Dodgers as Ramon Troncoso, Ken Gurnick, Matt Kemp, Fernando Valenzuela plus many more where in attendance but arch-rival and home run king Barry Bonds also showed up to get his fingers a little greasy. Apparently Bonds had no idea the Dodgers where inside and stayed outside willing to signs some autographs and not take the attention away from the players inside
Fans came out and asked for his autograph and he was in a good mood until a fan gave him a ball and told him to sign
“In the sweet spot”
Bonds snapped saying “You don’t say that to me. I’m leaving, I got to go”
Bonds left without ever wrapping his fingers around some delicious Roscoe’s chicken.
I don’t care what the fan said, you never pass up some chicken especially Roscoe’s.
Tommy Lasorda Takes Picture Of Dodger Eyeball
"I used to be an L.A. Dodger, now I'm a Angel"
Dodger blue runs deep, so deep that when a war veteran who lost his eye had it replaced with a Los Angeles Dodgers eyeball.
Former Dodger manager and baseball ambassador Tommy Lasorda met a this man at a disabled vets event, took his picture and posted it on Twitter for the whole world to see.
The craziest part of this story has got to be finding out that Lasorda uses Twitter and he knows how to use a camera.
UPDATE: Jose Offerman BANNED FOR LIFE
Jose Offerman has been banned for life by the Dominican winter league for throwing a punch at an umpire during an argument on the baseball field.
The former All-Star, manager of the Licey Tigers, appeared to hit first base umpire Daniel Rayburn in the face or neck with a fist during Saturday’s playoff game against the Cibao Giants. Rayburn fell to the ground.
The Dominican league’s president, Leonardo Matos Berrido, announced the ban Monday. He said the decision against Offerman was made shortly after the attack.
Fernando Ravelo, the general manager of the Tigers, said the club will try to appeal the ban against Offerman, who had a contract with the club for next season.
Offerman last played in the big leagues in 2005 with the New York Mets. He played 15 seasons in the majors, also spending time with Kansas City, Seattle, Minnesota and Philadelphia.
Jose Offerman Punches Umpire In Santo Domingo
Former Los Angeles Dodger and Boston Red Sox all-star second baseman Jose Offerman is doing what he does best and that’s striking people. You might recall back in august of 2007, he was batting for the Long Island Ducks against the Bridgeport Bluefish in an independent minor league game when pitcher Matt Beech hit him with a fastball. Offerman charged the mound with his bat and swung at least twice, striking Beech and Bluefish catcher John Nathans.
This time the scene was in Santo Domingo, he is the manager of the Licey Tigers, where he threw a punch at the first base umpire during an argument in a Dominican winter league game Saturday night.
The Giants were winning 6-0 in the third inning of the final game of the winter league semifinal playoff series when plate umpire Jason Bradley ejected catcher Ronny Paulino for arguing balls and strikes.
Offerman came onto the field to talk to Bradley, but ended up arguing and punching Daniel Rayburn. Offerman was detained by stadium security and taken to a police station to wait until the end of the game to see if Rayburn would press charges.
I can always use a refresher in my Spanish but I swear my English ears hear the announcers say motherf*cking at the :38 mark of the video. How about you?
WTF: LaDainian Tomlinson
The thing I despise most in sports is when an athlete picks up a microphone and thinks he can rap/sing and LaDainian Tomlinson does just that. Why LT, just why?
Couldn’t his publicist shown him some past athletes fails like the Los Angeles Dodgers “Baseball Boogie”, or Los Angeles Rams “Ram It” and told him that the ‘Electric Glide” will forever be linked to him, I guess it must be for the money.
Matt Holliday Re-Signs With St. Louis For $120 Milli
Matt Holliday is still taking balls off his nuts just at a hefty cost now to the St. Louis Cardinals as they have agreed on a contract of 7 years worth $120 milli that includes a full no trade clause.
When the Cardinals traded for Holliday it seemed as if I was the only one voicing displeasure about it and today is no different. The cost to obtain and keep a guy that has been an All-Star but nothing more is ludicrous. The Cardinals gave up prize prospect third baseman Brett Wallace to acquire and now have strapped themselves in those future negotiations for the likes of outfielder Ryan Ludwick, starting pitchers Adam Wainwright, Chris Carpenter and that doesn’t include finally acquiring a bat in front of Albert Pujols. That’s the key, for if no one gets on base in front of Pujols, why pitch to him? Just take the best bat in all of Major League Baseball out of the lineup.
So Holliday today you’ll hear all the cheers about your signing but not from me because you and your agent Scott Boras backed St. Louis into a corner and screwed us again, just like you did in Game 2 of the National League Divisonal Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Los Angeles Dodgers Matt Kemp & Rihanna Hook Up
Right now Rihanna’s name is hot and in more ways than one, she is obviously in the top 5 of females in the music game and then of course you have the camera phone pictures, you can view them here just NSFW, which that takes her to another level of hotness. Well recently Los Angeles Dodgers centerfielder Matt Kemp has been seen out in public with her, and now pictures surface of him getting a little closer to her. Can I just say I super jealous of Kemp right now, not only is he playing Major League Baseball for a living but his got his hands all over Rihanna’s rump shaker.
Chan Ho Park Sues Former Teammate For Failing To Repay Loan
Chan Ho KICK
Former Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Chad Kreuter has been messing with former teammate Chan Ho Park money and Park is taking Kreuter to court over it, accusing him of failing to fully pay off a $460,000 loan..
Back in 2005 Park loaned backup catcher Krueter some cash and he assured him he would have no difficulty paying it back, but Krueter had already been out of Major League Baseball since April 27, 2003. Krueter signed a promissory note for the debt and made only one payment of $290,000.
So it Krueter the deadbeat for failing to makes payments or is Park terrible at evaluating who he should lend out cash to? I mean Krueter was already out of baseball going on two years so his income would never be anywhere close to what he was making in the big leagues talent and second he was a lifetime .237 hitter, who gonna pay for that autograph?
Juan Pierre Traded To White Sox
Diamond Stud
The Chicago White Sox traded for outfielder Juan Pierre and cash from the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for two Minor Leaguers, starter John Ely and reliever Jon Link.
By adding Pierre, the South Siders found their leadoff hitter and basically severed ties with Scott Podsednik. Pierre, 32, hit .308 with 30 stolen bases, 57 runs scored and a .365 on-base percentage in 145 games with the Dodgers in 2009. He ranked fifth in the National League in stolen bases, despite starting just 76 games. The left-handed-hitting Pierre started in left field in each of the Dodgers’ 50 games from May 7-July 1 while Manny Ramirez was on the suspended list, batting .318 with 21 stolen bases and a .381 on-base percentage during that time frame.
The White Sox reportedly are only on the hook for just a total of $8 million of Pierre’s remaining two-year contract, leaving the Dodgers to pick up a remaining $10.5 million. The deal marks Pierre’s first full-time foray into the American League, as he previously played for Colorado, Florida, the Cubs and Dodgers. The career .301 hitter has collected 200-plus hits four times and has stolen 30 or more bases in nine consecutive seasons.
In 2003, Pierre formed a perfect one-two punch with Luis Castillo at the top of the Marlins’ order on a team that became World Series champions. Pierre has great familiarity with White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, who was the third-base coach on that Florida team.
White Sox: Winners/Dodgers: Losers
Randy Wolf Signs With The Milwaukee Brewers
$27 Milli
The Milwaukee Brewers went after the much needed pitching the so needed in 2009 by signing left-hander Randy Wolf to a three-year $29.75 million deal with a club option for a fourth year. He was 11-7 and had 3.23 ERA with a 2.76 K/BB ratio for the Los Angles Dodgers.
Wolf immediately upgrades a shaky rotation behind Yovani Gallardo that saw the Brewers allowed runs total jump from 689 in 2008 to 818 in 2009. Wolf has battle back from injuries that plagued him from 2004 through 2007 to pitch 404 innings.
Outside of Gallardo the Brewers staff is a little suspect with Jeff Suppan, Dave Bush and Manny Parra but the addition of a solid mid-rotation pitcher in Wolf sure does helps. Suppan’s stuff has declined to where he’s no longer getting by on deception, Parra has serious control issues, and Bush is just sucks.
UPDATE: Also signing with the Brewers is set-up man LaTroy Hawkins for a two-year deal worth $7.5 million. Hawkins lends stability to a bullpen that had trouble finding a set-up man in front of Trevor Hoffman; he gave the Houston Astros 67 1/3 innings with a 2.14 ERA in 2009 in what was his best since leaving the Minnesota Twins in 2003
Both moves are not going to pencil them into the World Series but will be a step up from last years dreadful pitching squad.
Placido Polanco Signs With The Philadelphia Phillies
Back At Home
The Philadelphia Phillies and Placido Polanco have reached a three year deal worth 18 million dollars, and holds an option for a fourth season.
The Phillies can now move the “Flyin Hawaiian” Shane Victorino down in the lineup to more of a run producing spot by moving Polanco into the top of the order as well as providing a solid defensive glove at third base after declining to keep Pedro Feliz.
Polanco is a .303 career hitter and hit .285 with 31 doubles, 10 homers and 72 RBIs last season in a spacious ballpark in Detriot which is a far cry from the hitters Citizens Bank. He spent about 3 seasons in Philadelphia in the trade that sent Scott Rolen to St. Louis in 2002. He hit .297 with 38 homers and 160 RBIs in parts of four seasons in Philadelphia. Once Chase Utley become the regular second baseman, Polanco’s role was reduced. He was traded to Detroit in June 2005 for reliever Ugueth Urbina and infielder Ramon Martinez.
Polanco gets a $500,00 signing bonus, $5 million next season, $5.25 million in 2011 and $6.25 million in 2012. The deal includes a $5.5 million mutual option for 2013 with a $1 million buyout.
The NL champions also agreed to a $750,000, one-year contract with infielder Juan Castro, who hit .277 with one home run and nine RBIs in 57 games for the Los Angeles Dodgers last season. The 37-year-old Castro replaces utilityman Eric Bruntlett, who became a free agent.
Castro’s contract includes a $700,000 salary next year, and the deal has a $750,000 club option for 2011 with a $50,000 buyout.
They both join a potent lineup that features five All-Stars: Utley, Victorino, Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez and former MVP Jimmy Rollins.
Andruw Jones Signs With Chicago White Sox
Still Can Play Just Not Everday
Last off season in Major League Baseball the Texas Rangers pulled off the best free agent signing in all of baseball by acquiring outfielder Andruw Jones. The former Gold Glover signed for a little over $100 K while losing 25 pounds and it showed in his performance hitting 17 homers and putting up a .782 OPS in 82 games despite his .214 batting average. That’s not a great line, but it’s a huge improvement over his .158/.256/.249 disaster with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2008.
If Jones is asked to take on a platooning role then this is a very good signing by the White Sox but if Kenny Williams hopes that Jones will provide a regular outfield spot at a cheaper cost than Jermaine Dye then the decision goes a whole different direction.
Colorado Rockies Jim Tracy Wins National League Manager Of The Year
David Letterman
Jim Tracy of the Colorado Rockies was rewarded for his success on Wednesday not only did he win the National League Manager of the Year Award as voted on by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America but he also was took home a new three year contract to run through 2012.
Tracy who took over the last place Rockies on May 29th was the overwhelming choice of the voters. He received 29 of a possible 32 first-place votes for 151 points. Tony La Russa of the Cardinals received two first-place votes and 55 points. The Dodgers’ Joe Torre received one first-place vote and finished third with 33 points.
When Tracy moved from bench coach to skipper, replacing Clint Hurdle 18-28, the Rockies went 74-42 under Tracy 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. The Phillies eliminated the Rockies, three games to one, in the NL Division Series.
Tracy became the second Rockies manager to win the award. Don Baylor, who rejoined the Rockies as hitting coach last off-season,earned the honor in 1995.
Vin Scully Will Tickle Your Ears Once Again In 2010
TOP 5 ALL TIME
Vin Scully who is one of baseballs greatest announcers of all time has decided to stick around the broadcast booth in 2010 and do what he does best, announce Los Angeles Dodgers games.
Scully who turns 82 later this month, has seen his share of amazing moments through his 60 years as a play-by-play guy. There was Don Larsen’s perfect game in the 1956 World Series…
“Got him! The greatest game ever pitched in baseball history, by Don Larsen! A no-hitter, a perfect game in a World Series. Never in the history of the game has it ever happened in a World Series. And so our hats off to Don Larsen — no runs, no hits, no errors, no walks, no baserunners. The final score: The Yankees: two runs, five hits and no errors. The Dodgers: No runs, no hits, no errors… in fact, nothing at all.”
And another ace for Sandy Koufax in 1965…
“And Sandy Koufax, whose name will always remind you of strikeouts, did it with a flourish: he struck out the last six consecutive batters—so when he wrote his name in capital letters in the record books, that K stands out even more than the O-U-F-A-X.”
Game 6 of the 1986 World Series which Boston Red Sox fan will never forget…
“Little roller up along first… behind the bag! It gets through Buckner!! Here comes Knight and the Mets win it!”
Scully was there for Fernando Valenzuela’s 1990 perfect game as well…
“If you have a sombrero, throw it to the sky!”
But quite possibly the most important call for Scully came on April 8, 1974 when Hank Aaron nailed his 715th career home run…
“What a marvelous moment for baseball. What a marvelous moment for Atlanta and the state of Georgia. What a marvelous moment for the country and the world. A black man is getting a standing ovation in the Deep South for breaking a record of an all-time baseball idol. And it is a great moment for all of us, and particularly Hank Aaron.”
If you’ve never heard Vin Scully call a game then your only doing yourself the injustice, his words are like strokes of a paintbrush and it will be hard to replace greatness once he is gone but at least we won’t have to worry about that in the 2010 season.
Manny Ramirez Exercises $20 Milli Option & Will Return To Dodgers
I'm Back
Manny Ramirez has canceled all the off season drama this year after a down year in production and one that was marred by steroid use has exercised his $20 million contract option for 2010 and will return to the Dodgers. His agent Scott Boras informed Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti of the decision.
Ramirez hit .290 with 19 home runs and 63 RBIs in 104 regular season games. He missed 50 games while suspended for violating baseball’s drug policy. In the NL division series against St. Louis, Ramirez batted .308 with no homers and two RBI. Against Philadelphia in the NL championship series, he hit .263 with one homer and two RBI.
Even if Ramirez gets back to his 2008 numbers, I personally don’t see the Dodgers or another National League team offering the $20 million range for a guy that plays a shotty left field and will be 39 years old that season.
I wanna know who had the crystal ball when making this deal last year?
It’s L.A. Law
Off the Richter Scale
There’s a shakeup going down in Los Angeles and it has nothing to do with an earthquake. You’re about to witness the beginnings of a complete implosion of one of baseball’s most storied franchises. The collapse unfolding is of the Los Angeles Dodgers and it comes down to a case of two powerful individuals whose marriage is heading for divorce court and it will be a nasty one.
Frank and Jamie McCourt made their separation public on the eve of the Dodgers beginning the National League Championship Series. There’s been tension been in the Dodgers front office long before and has been described by one front office employee as “walking on eggshells.”
The separation of the McCourts could lead to the sale of the Dodgers, as was the case of the forced sale of the San Diego Padres when then owner John Moores divorced his wife of 45 years, Becky. The two owned 90 percent of the Padres, but based upon community property laws in the state of California, Becky shared 50 percent of the assets with John.
A lawyer for Jamie McCourt announced that she had been fired from Dodgers on Thursday by estranged husband, Frank who in March had been promoted to CEO of the organization, making her the highest-ranking woman executive in Major League Baseball.
“Jamie is disappointed and saddened by her termination,” Wasser said. “As co-owner of the Dodgers, she will address this and all other issues in the courtroom. We are confident that if the ownership issue must be adjudicated, the Dodgers will be determined to be community property owned 50 percent by each of the McCourts.”
This will handcuff the Dodgers, as it did the Padres, and team personal know it such as Dr. Charles Steinberg, chief of marketing for the Dodgers, who is headed to the Red Sox.
How long before others decided to fly the coop? Will 90090 go up for sale? What is known is Dodgertown life will be that of uncertainty.
They’re Baaaack
Subway Beast
The Philadelphia Phillies are back to defend their World Series title and the “Take A Shower” Dodgers must be praying they never have to face the Phightin Phils after the last two years.
It’ was Jayson Werth night as he powered the Phightin Phils past the Dodgers by hitting two home runs in a 10-4 victory but overall it was the starting pitching staff and Ryan “Subway Beast” Howard’s series. The Phillies offense shined in the National League Championship Series, racking up 35 runs in five games.
Phillies fan have lived through all the misfortunes of the Whiz Kids in 1950, the Wheeze Kids in 1983 and Macho Row in 1993 wondering if a parade would ever come. But these new Phillies have a chance to take Philadelphia to a place few baseball teams and cities have ever been. They have a chance to win consecutive World Series. They can be the first team in baseball to accomplish the feat since the 1998-2000 Yankees, and the first National League team to accomplish the feat since the 1975-76 Reds.
Only two other National League teams have ever won back-to-back World Series — the 1907-08 Cubs and the 1921-22 Giants.
They are the first National League club to play in back-to-back World Series since the 1995-96 Braves. The Braves beat the Indians in the ‘95 World Series, but lost to the Yankees in the ‘96 World Series.
One World Series is nice. Two World Series brings a measure of immortality. That opportunity begins Wednesday in Game 1 of the World Series.
Ng Interviews For Padres Job, Hoping To Be First Female GM
Kiss The Ring B
Kim Ng might not be a name the drive-by baseball fan is aware of but for baseball O.G.’s, Ng is known and wanted name. Ng has a chance to be the first female general manager in major league history after she interviewed recently for the San Diego Padres vacant general manager’s job.
Ng currently is in here eighth season as the Los Angeles Dodgers’ assistant general manager and vice president. Ng is one of only two women executives in major league baseball to hold such a position in baseball operations. Before coming to the Dodgers, Ng was a top adviser to New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman.
The interviewing process for the position is nothing new to Ng as she became the first woman to interview for a GM’s position when she did so with the Dodgers in 2005. The job went to Ned Colletti and she also interviewed last fall for the Seattle Mariners’ GM job that eventually went to Jack Zduriencik.Cracking the boys club has become hard
The Padres are looking for a replacement for Kevin Towers, who was dismissed after 14 seasons with the National League West franchise. The Padres have tried to be tight lipped about the process but Ng did interview with Padres CEO and vice chairman Jeff Moorad. Cracking the boys club still maybe a job or two away as Jed Hoyer, assistant general manager of the Boston Red Sox, is believed to be the leading candidate.
Her pedigree matches up with any up an comer GM in today’s MLB.
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.
THE MATT HOLLIDAY APPRECIATION SONG
It’s October 15 and I still hate you Matt Holliday. Dodger fan could’ve used a little help staying on key but hey I’m not going to rain on his parade because when you get beat you got to take the heat.
Matt HOLLIDAY
