Curt Schilling Sells His First Video Game
Jerk
Former Boston Red Sox pitcher and current jerk Curt Schilling sold his first video game from his 38 Studios, to EA Studios. His first game is “Project Mercury” a Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game like World of Warcraft is a single-player epic role playing game.
It will have the creation an enormous world, with heroes and villains and a rich back story from the brilliant minds of R. A Salvatore and Todd McFarlane, the creator of Spawn, and be available for PlayStation3, Xbox 360, and the PC.
“Project Mercury” is the first game to be published for 38 Studios which is the creative enterprise of the World Series MVP and avid gamer Schilling. It will be developed at Big Huge Games, a wholly-owned subsidiary of 38 Studios, under the leadership of Ken Rolston, former lead designer of the critically acclaimed hits, Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivionare.
Such disgusting news for me to receive on the same day that Final Fantasy XII dropped.
San Antonio Spurs Top 9 Worst Injuries Of All Time
1996-97: The Gift & The Curse
The latest injury to San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker, a broken the fourth metacarpal in his shooting hand, has cost him the rest of the regular season in a year that has already plagued him with plantar fasciitis, spraining both ankles, a strained hip flexor and food poisoning.
With the Spurs currently hanging onto the Western Conference seventh seed that already has many questioning their chances in the playoffs and with this latest injury it will sure cast a greater shadow of doubt. While injuries are part of the game, what have been the 9 most damaging to the Spurs franchise? Why 9? In honor of Tony.
- 9. Tony Parker 2009-10 season
Parker an NBA Finals MVP season looked shaky from the start when he suffered his first injury in a year that was filled with many. While playing overseas in the off-season for France against Hungary in Eurobasketball Parker turned his ankle. The bug was cast before the season even started but stayed with him until March 6 in Memphis, where his regular season came to end. Parker sat out numerous games in the year to a variety of injuries: plantar fasciitis, a strained hip flexor, spraining both ankles and food poisoning.
- 8. James Silas 1976-76 season
Possibly one of the best Spurs of all-time that the NBA never had a chance to see at his peak. In the last season ABA before the merger Captain Late broke his ankle by landing on the foot of New Jersey Nets guard Brian Taylor in the ABA Finals. Recovered and ready for the Spurs first season in the NBA he suffered a cartilage tear in his knee restricting him to play in only 22 games for a Spurs team that was poised to contend. Silas played only 37 games the following season and was out of the league in four years.
- 7. Manu Ginobili 2008-09 season
One of the greatest to put on a Spurs jersey was injured in the semi-finals of the Beijing Olympics. The injury carried through to the NBA season and limited him to appear only in 44 regular season games and missed the entire playoffs. San Antonio went in as the third seed with a 54–28 record but was eliminated by the Dallas Mavericks in the first round 4–1 the earliest exit since 2000.
- 6. Johnny Dawkins 1988-89 season
Originally drafted with the 10th overall pick in the 1986 NBA Draft the former Duke all time leading scorer and Naismith College Player of the Year was suppose to be the point guard of the future for the Spurs and coach Larry Brown. Durring the 88-89 season he started to suffer from a nerve injury in his left leg and foot that allowed him to only see action in 32 games. The nerve injury in his leg would eventually force him to retire from the game.
- 5. Terry Cummings 1992-93 season
In a season in which the Spurs improved on its record and advanced out of the first round they did so with limited minutes from one of their best scorers in Cummings. In the off-season Cummings tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee during a pickup game that forced him to miss the first 74 regular season games. Upon his return, he could no longer put up All-Star numbers he was accustomed and from then on was used in a role much like a reserve.
- 4. Derek Anderson 2000-01 season
Anderson was a vital part in the Spurs plans of providing outside help to Tim Duncan and David Robinson averaging 15 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists per game on the wing. The Spurs looked to be on their way to earining a second NBA championship in 3 years as the stars where lining up until Dallas Mavericks Juwan Howard drew a flagrant foul on Anderson. He separated his right shoulder when he drove for the basket and Howard swung his arm into Anderson’s side that caused him to land on his shoulder. He missed the rest of the Mavericks series and returned in the conference finals against the in limited minutes against the Los Angeles Lakers. Anderson and the Spurs where caught in a no win situation since it wasn’t adequate enough time for him to heal.
- 3. Tim Duncan 1999-2000 season
In the Spurs first chance at trying to repeat as champions after winning their first NBA championship, they entered the playoffs without Duncan. He was averaging 23 points, 12 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game in a season that he had earned co-MVP with Shaquille O’Neal during the All-Star Game. However Duncan injured his meniscus shortly before the end of the regular season against the Sacramento Kings. The injury forced him to miss the playoffs and the Spurs saw them lose to the Phoenix Suns 3–1 in the first round. Without Duncan the Spurs relied on Malik Rose and Jerome Kersey to play alongside David Robinson but in the series they saw them go down as well with injuries.
- 2. Johnny Moore 1986-87 season
An assist man, who lead the league in that category in 1981-82, a steal man, an all around NBA player in his first five season with the Spurs. Moore often found the open man and wasn’t afraid to make the extra pass as he is one of only three players in teams history to record 20 assists during a game was hospitalized December 26,1986 with the devastating disease, Desert Fever. Doctors warned him that the disease could be fatal. Desert Fever luckily did not cost his life but ended up costing his basketball career as Moore lost three years of playing. He finally was able to return to the court to play in 53 games during 1989-90 season, which would be his last.
- 1. David Robinson 1996-97 season
The year that will be known as the gift and curse for the Spurs franchise. That season saw Robinson hurt his back in the preseason, an injury that would plagued him the rest of his career, limited him to 6 games before breaking a bone in his foot. He wound up missing the entire season and the Spurs finished 20-62. The curse is it cost the Spurs their best player in franchise history and their season but the gift came in the form of ping pong balls and the drafting of Tim Duncan out of Wake Forest University with the number one overall pick.
Is there a Spurs injury you believe that was missed to be of greater significant than these 9? Feel free to leave your feedback.
LeBron James Files Paperwork For Number Change
Where's Bill Russell's Respect?
Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James is good to his word on changing his number out of respect for Michael Jordan. James has filed the paperwork on the same day the Cavaliers played the New York Knicks and ahead of Wednesday’s league deadline to switch numbers for next season to the No. 6. The number he sported as a member of the U.S. basketball team at the 2008 China and the day his first son was born.
Player do not directly benefit from merchandise sales, however. It goes into a league-wide pool that is distributed to teams and then players based on seniority.
Last fall, James said he wanted to surrender No. 23 out of respect to his hero, the number Jordan wore for nearly his entire Chicago Bulls career excluding the brief period he donned the No. 45.
But as James is changing his name out of respect for Jordan believing the number should be retired across the league I ask what about showing respect to the NBA’s greatest champion and Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell. This is the touchy subject you get into when you start to proclaim one athlete better than another from different eras and stating Jordan’s number should be league wide retired.
Russell donned the No. 6 through 11 championships in 13 years with the Celtics and on his way to lead him right to the Basketball Hall of Fame after being a 12 time All-Star and a 5 time NBA MVP. Let’s not forget our history.
The number change won’t make much a difference if James lands in a new city this off season.
Steve Nash Most Ridiculous Man In The World
No the two time league MVP Steve Nash isn’t as funny as a Will Ferrell or Aziz Ansari but he sure can hold his own. Hilarious.
Hair Wars: Tracy Porter
New Orleans Saints defensive back could have stolen some Super Bowl MVP votes away from Drew Brees last night when it stepped in front of a fourth quarter Peyton Manning pass and took it 74 yards for a score. Porter defiantly did take home the MVP award for best hair with his ode to the Super Bowl.
(Good Look)
Black History Month: February 5th
Hall Of Famer
On this day Hank Aaron, one of baseballs elite on and off, was born. The man they called “Hammerin’ Hank” career spanned the from the years 1954 through 1976, played for the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves in the National League, and his last two years (1975–76) with the Milwaukee Brewers in the American League.
His most notable achievement was setting the MLB record for most career home runs with 755, which he held for 33 years until being surpassed by San Francisco Giants outfielder Barry Bonds on August 7, 2007.
He is the only player to hit 30 or more home runs in a season at least fifteen times. He is also one of only four players to have at least seventeen seasons with 150 or more hits. Aaron made the All-Star team every year from 1955 until 1975 and won three Gold Glove Awards. Aaron holds the MLB records for the most career runs batted in (2,297), the most career extra base hits (1,477), and the most career total bases (6,856). Aaron is also in the top five for career hits with 3,771 (third) and runs with 2,174, which is tied for fourth with Babe Ruth).
In 1957, he won the National League Most Valuable Player Award and helped the Milwaukee franchise to a World Series victory.
Kurt Warner Retires From National Football League
Never Giving Up
Kurt Warner has called an end to one of the great storybook careers in NFL history. The 38-year-old quarterback announced his retirement from the game after a dozen years in a league that at first rejected him, then revered him as he came from nowhere to lead the lowly St. Louis Rams to two Super Bowls, winning the first of them. Written off as a has-been, he rose again to lead the long-suffering Arizona Cardinals to the Super Bowl a year ago.
Warner walked away with a year left on a two-year, $23 million contract, knowing he still had the skills to play at the highest level.He had one of the greatest postseason performances ever in Arizona’s 51-45 overtime wild card victory over Green Bay Packers on Jan. 10, but sustained a brutal hit in the Cardinals 45-14 divisional round loss to the New Orleans Saints six days later.
Warner leaves the game with a legacy that could land him in the Hall of Fame even though he didn’t start his first game until he was 28. In a comparison with the 14 quarterbacks to make the Hall of Fame in the last 25 years, Warner has a better career completion percentage, yards per pass attempt and yards per game. Only Dan Marino had more career 300-yard passing games.
In 124 regular-season games, Warner completed 65.5 percent of his passes for 32,344 yards and 208 touchdowns. He and Fran Tarkenton are the only NFL quarterbacks to throw for 100 touchdowns and 14,000 yards for two teams.
He was also the fastest player in NFL history to 10,000 yards passing and tied Dan Marino as fastest to reach 30,000. He has the top three passing performances in Super Bowl history. His 1,156 yards passing in the 2008 playoffs broke the NFL record of 1,063 he set with St. Louis in 1999.
He played three seasons in the Arena Football League and one in NFL Europe, mixed in with a sting stocking grocery shelves back in Iowa. Warner made the Rams as a backup in 1998, then was thrust into the starting role in 1999 when Trent Green was injured.
What followed was a masterful and wholly unexpected season, when he led the Rams to a 13-3 regular-season record, then a Super Bowl triumph over Tennessee Titans. He was named the league and Super Bowl MVP. St. Louis was upset in the first round of the playoffs the following season, but Warner had them back in the big game in 2001, where “The Greatest Show on Turf” lost a squeaker to New England Patriots. The season earned him a second NFL MVP award.
But after an injury-plagued 2002 season, he was sacked six times and suffered a concussion in a 2003 season-opening loss to the New York Giants. He never started for St. Louis again. He signed a free agent contract with the Giants for 2004, but was replaced by rookie Eli Manning after nine games. Warner came to the Cardinals in 2005 and was an off-and-on starter before replacing the injured Matt Leinart part way through the 2007 season.
Warner had to beat out Leinart the following spring, then led the Cardinals to the NFC West crown and playoff victories over Atlanta, Carolina and Philadelphia before the narrow loss to Pittsburgh Steelers in last year’s Super Bowl, where he threw for 377 yards.
Warner’s departure leaves Leinart the presumed replacement. The former Heisman Trophy winner has started 17 games for Arizona but only one in the last two years.
Oakland A’s Prospect Leaving Team To Become Priest
2009 Arizona Fall League MVP
Oakland Athletics Grant Desme, who was the A’s second round pick in 2008, is retiring from baseball to enter the priesthood. Desme was recently selected the 2009 Arizona Fall League MVP and was considered the top prospect in Oakland’s system.
The 23-year-old outfielder batted .288 with 31 homers, 89 RBIs and 40 stolen bases in 131 games at Class-A Kane County and Stockton last season. He then hit .315 with a league-leading 11 home runs and 27 RBIs in 27 games in the fall league.
Not every day your something like this.
Indianapolis Colts Peyton Manning Wins NFL Most Valuable Player Award
MVP
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning won his fourth NFL MVP award recieving 39 1/2 votes to New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees 7 1/2 out of the 50 sports writers and broadcaster who cover the league. Manning became the first player to win the award four times, winning in 2003, 2004 and 2008, breaking a tie with Brett Favre at three MVPs.
Manning threw for 4,500 and 33 touchdowns this season and led the Colts to a 14-2 record with numerous comeback victories this season. Manning lost his longtime favorite receiver, Harrison, this season and his replacement Anthony Gonzalez, went down with a right knee injury in the opener. Manning turned to his latest fave, Reggie Wayne, who had 100 catches for 1,264 yards and 10 touchdowns and to Dallas Clark who was one of two tight ends with 100 receptions in a season and 1,106 yards with 10 scores.
Plus Austin Collie tied for the rookie lead in receptions with 60 and scored seven times while . Pierre Garcon developed into a deep threat and averaged 16.3 yards on 47 catches, with four TDs.
Only four players, all quarterbacks, earned votes as the other two were Philip Rivers of San Diego (2) and Brett Favre of Minnesota (1).
Manning joined the truly elite of team sports: Wayne Gretzky (9), Barry Bonds (7) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (6), the leaders for MVP awards in their sports.
Andre Dawson Elected To The Hall Of Fame
The Hawk
First let me say that I’ve seen some of the ballots and being a person that subscribes to the religion of baseball it makes me absolutely sick on how some of these writers who get admission into the Baseball Writers Association of America actually voted or in some chases choose not to file one single vote. Absolutely disgusting.
Back on November 29, I posted a detailed run down of who I thought deserved admission into the Baseball Hall of Fame as well as those I would not vote for, if I was lucky enough to have a vote, and today the results from the Baseball Writers Association of America told us the 2010 Baseball Hall of Fame class would only have the inclusion of outfielder Andre “The Hawk” Dawson.
Dawson a five tool player was a 8-time All-Star and 8-time Gold Glove outfielder, was also the 1977 NL Rookie of the Year and the 1987 NL MVP. In 21 season he finished with 2,774 hits and 438 home runs as well as 1,591 RBI’s among many more baseball accomplishment’s. Dawson played for the Montreal Expos, Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox and Florida Marlins. The Hawk on his ninth try received 420 out of 539 votes for 77.9%, 2.9% more than the 75% needed to be inducted.
Dawson, whose fielding prowess earned him the nickname “The Hawk,” will be honored along with manager Whitey Herzog and umpire Doug Harvey, who were elected by the Veterans Committee, will be inducted into the Hall July 25 at the Clark Sports Center in Cooperstown, New York.
I hate to take away from Hall of Famer Andre Dawson moment but when you see that the BBWAA had 5 blank ballots, in what I am going to assume was pure laziness,just infuriates me considering guys like Bert Blyleven missed by 0.8% or that Roberto Alomar missed by 1.3%. While my blood is still boiling I would like to dot trademarks around the writers eyes that used their votes to tell me that Kevin Appier, Pat Hentgen, David Segui and Ellis Burk need to have a plaque of enshrinement next to Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, Bob Gibson, Mickey Mantle, Ozzie Smith, Sandy Koufax and Willie Mays just to name a few.
Players may remain on the ballot for up to 15 years provided they receive five percent of the vote in any year. There were 11 candidates who failed to make the cut this year, all among the 15 players who were on the ballot for the first time. The first-year candidates who received sufficient support to remain other than Alomar were shortstop Barry Larkin with 278 (51.6%), designated hitter-third baseman Edgar Martinez with 195 (36.2%) and first baseman Fred McGriff with 116 (21.5%). Other holdovers who will remain on the ballot are pitchers Jack Morris and Lee Smith, first basemen Don Mattingly and Mark McGwire, shortstop Alan Trammell, outfielder-DH Harold Baines and outfielders Tim Raines, Dave Parker and Dale Murphy.
Once again congratulations to you Hall of Famer Andre “The Hawk” Dawson.
Randy Johnson Retires From Major League Baseball
No, THANK YOU
Am I a Randy Johnson stan? Yes. Is Randy Johnson a Hall of Famer? Yes. Will Randy Johnson be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on his first ballot? Yes. Again Am I a Randy Johnson stan? Yes.
Now that those questions are out of the way, it’s time to say goodbye to an extraordinary 22 year Major League Baseball career. The Big Unit finished with 303 wins on his career, good enough for 22nd all-time, 5 Cy Young Awards with another 3 in which he finished 2nd place and 1 3rd place finish, he struckout 4,875 batters to put him second all-time behind Nolan Ryan and first among left-handers, 10 time All-Star, 2 time 20 game winner, a World Series champion, and to not to be forgotten is that he pitched a no-hitter and a perfect game.
You can call those the major accomplishments but here’s just a few more to add to the resume a 2001 World Series co-MVP, earning four ERA crowns, nine strikeout titles, and the ability to boast having beaten every single big league team at least once.
Johnson’s career began in Montreal with the Expos and included stops in Seattle, Houston (where he was the CC Sabitha before there was a CC Sabaitha going 10-1 after being traded down the strecth to push the Astros into the playoffs), Arizona, New York and finally San Francisco. Johnson overcame wildness early in his career to become a dominant starter that included a 10-year stretch between 1993 and 2002. During that span, he struck out 2,928 batters in 2,188 innings to go with a 2.73 ERA and 175 wins.
Thank you Randy Johnson for the memories and allowing me to say I witnessed perhaps the most dominant left handed pitcher of all time.
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
Pudge Rodriguez Signs With The Washington Nationals
Best I've Ever Seen
The Washington Nationals came to terms with free agent Ivan Rodriguez on a two year deal worth 6 million dollars. Rodriguez will be a leader in the clubhouse and mentor to the leagues youngest pitching staff.
The potential Hall of Famer also will serve every-day duties for the first month or two of the season, until Jesus Flores is fully recovered from shoulder surgery, and then will mentor Flores.
Rodriguez, 38, last year passed Carlton Fisk for the career record in games caught. He has won 13 Gold Gloves, been to 14 All-Star Games and is a career .299 hitter. Rodriguez, the 1999 AL MVP, is also the all-time leader in games started at catcher and total chances and putouts at the position and is tied with Gary Carter for sixth all-time in home runs as a catcher with 298.
Rodriguez served as a backup for the Rangers after being acquired from the Astros in August. He played in a combined 121 games and hit .249 with 10 home runs and 47 RBIs.
Washington catchers last year hit .250 with a .310 on-base percentage and 121 strikeouts.
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.
St. Louis Cardinals Albert Pujols Wins National League Most Valuable Player Award
MVP
Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals has been named the National League Most Valuable Player in an unanimous decision, receiving all 32 first-place votes, conducted by the Baseball Writers Association of America. Long since established as one of baseball’s great players, Pujols emerged as the game’s dominant figure in 2009.
It’s the second straight year that Pujols has won the award, and the third time overall. He is the 10th player in history to win three MVPs, and the fifth to win it three times in the National League. He is the 12th player to win back-to-back MVP awards. The last was Barry Bonds, who won it four straight years from 2001-04. Most remarkable may be that Pujols still hasn’t turned 30.
By some measures 2009 was Pujols’ best year at the plate. He batted .327 with a .443 on-base percentage, a .658 slugging percentage, 47 home runs and 135 RBIs. Moreover, he did it for a division champion.
Pujols led the NL in on-base, slugging, homers and runs (124). He ranked second with 45 doubles, third with a career-high 115 walks, third with 135 RBIs and sixth with 186 hits. He won his fifth Silver Slugger Award.
The on-base percentage was the second-best of his career, and the slugging was his third-best mark. Pujols won his first NL home run title, he came two RBIs short of a personal best and equaled his own high of 16 stolen bases.
There was only one person to be the face of baseball in 2009 and that was ALLAH.
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.
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.
