MLB Predictions
Est. 1869
What’s lies ahead in the 2013 Major League Baseball season, well no one knows for sure but Opening Day is upon us and it’s time to roll out a few predictions. If you happened to listen to our live show this past week then you already heard those predictions.
Enjoy opening day, enjoy the season. I know I will.
American League East winner: Tampa Bay Rays
American League Central winner: Detroit Tigers
American League West winner: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
American League Wild-Card winner: Oakland Athletics
American League Wild-Card winner: Kansas City Royals
American League Pennant winner: Tampa Bay Rays
National League East winner: Washington Nationals
National League Central winner: Cincinnati Reds
National League West winner: San Francisco Giants
National League Wild-Card winner: Milwaukee Brewers
National League Wild-Card winner: Philadelphia Phillies
National League Pennant winner: Washington Nationals
American League Rookie of the Year: Wil Myers, Tampa Bay Rays
National League Rookie of the Year: Jedd Gyorko, San Diego Padres
American League Manger of the Year: John Farrell, Boston Red Sox
National League Manager of the Year: Bo Porter, Houston Astros
American League MVP: Yoenis Cespedas, Oakland Athletics
National League MVP: Ryan Howard, Philadelphia Phillies
American League Cy Young Award: Yu Darvish, Texas Rangers
National League Cy Young Award: Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals
Jimmy Rollins Benched For Not Hustling
Multiple Offender
Philadelphia Phillies Jimmy Rollins latest jog toward first earned him a spot on the bench. Rollins was benched after a pair of baserunning blunders Thursday in Philadelphia’s 3-2 win over the New York Mets. It was the second time in two weeks the 2007 NL MVP was scolded for not hustling on the basepaths.
Rollins was pulled for the start of the seventh inning after a pair of mistakes in the sixth. He failed to run hard on a dropped popup that could have put him on second base. He stole second base, then was caught in a rundown on a grounder and was tagged out.
Rollins drew the ire of Phillies fans earlier this month when he jogged down the line on a grounder in a game at Milwaukee. He met privately with manager Charlie Manuel the next day. Manuel refused to bench his All-Star shortstop then. He had no hesitation against the Mets.
Manuel said Rollins’ missing hustle was a poor reflection on the franchise.
“My frustration grows any time I see anybody not hustle,” Manuel said. “It grows if I see the other team not hustle.”
Philadelphia Phillies Fan Paints Her Face Red With Lipstick
Pretty sure the boyfriend of this Philadelphia Phillies fan probably already knows that she is psycho. This young woman sitting in the stands applied red lipstick all over her face during the Phillies and the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park.
WTF: Philadelphia Phillies Fan
Masterpiece
Next time you’re at the ballpark and wondering what should you do with all those empty Miller Lite cans you’ve been drinking just do as these Philadelphia Phillies fans did and stack them up on the drunk passed out guys head sitting next to you.
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.”
Carlos Gomez’s Home Run Turns Into Strikeout
Milwaukee Brewers Carlos Gomez isn’t exactly a power hitter, but the outfielder should be familiar enough with the longball to identify the proper time to run around the bases. That wasn’t the case Wednesday against the Philadelphia Phillies.
The embarrassed and possibly somewhat winded Gomez took the next pitch for strike three. Gomez went 2-for-6, drove in a run and scored twice in the 7-6 loss.
Ron Gardenhire Holds Jim Thome 607 Home Run Ball Hostage
Aww Shucks
Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Jim Thome has been collecting every home run ball he has hit since the magical number 500. Thome currently sits at 609 for his career but one is missing from his collection.
Number 607 is being held for ransom by Minnesota Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, his former manager.
“He’s got to do something to get this ball. I know that,” Gardenhire said. “He hurt our feelings. So if he wants the ball back, Jim, make my day. Thrill me. I’m not talking about on the field. I want to see something that helps one of our favorite charities.”
Thome played under Gardenhire in 2010 and 2011 before he was traded to the Cleveland Indians.
“Thome hasn’t come in here,” Gardenhire said. “He doesn’t know what we want yet, so he’s afraid.”
Thome laughed when he heard Gardenhire’s remarks and said, “I’m sure. I’m sure.”
The Twins went to great lengths to retrieve the ball. It landed in a flower pot that sits above the right-center field fence at Target Field, which he hit on June 14 while with the Philadelphia Phillies. He was traded to the Orioles on July 1.
Jonathan Papelbon Writes $5,000 Check For Jim Thome’s Home Run
Show Me The Money
On Saturday Jim Thome’s 609th career home run was a memorable one. Not only did it give the Philadelphia Phillies a 7-6 win against the Tampa Bay Rays, but it also earned him an instant $5,000 payday, courtesy of teammate Jonathan Papelbon.
Papelbon, who took the mound in the top of ninth with a 6-4 lead, allowed RBI singles to the Rays Jeff Keppenger and Brooks Conrad and blew his first save in 18 chances.
The Phillies closer, upset with the blown save, made an announcement.
“I came in the clubhouse, and I said ‘Whoever walks this guy off, I’ll give ‘em five grand.”
Thome, in to pinch-hit, had all the incentive he needed and hit a ninth-inning, walk-off home run off the Rays Jake McGee.
Thome’s home run tied him with Sammy Sosa for seventh place on baseball’s all-time home run list. It was also his 13th walk-off home run, the most game-winning homers in major league history.
Papelbon said he wrote the check in the clubhouse after the game.
“That was a huge pickup by Jim Thome,” Papelbon said. “I couldn’t be happier for anybody in the clubhouse.”
Watching it on TV it was not hard to read Thome’s lips as Papelbon embraced him at home plate:
“I want that check!”
Colorado Rockies Go To 4 Man Rotation With 75 Pitch Limits
Writing On The Wall When He Beat Your Minor League System Out For Roster Spot
The Colorado Rockies starters don’t have to wait as long to pitch if they have a bad outing as Jim Tracy plans to go with an unconventional four-man rotation for the foreseeable future.
“They’re trying to give us a better chance to win and compete day in and day out,” pitcher Josh Outman said. “They’re trying to get the bullpen on a better schedule. This is what they think is going to work, so I mean I’m on board. It’s not like I’m losing starts or anything; I just have to go out and attack hitters.”
Outman (0-3) gave up four runs and five hits in 4 1-3 innings on Tuesday night against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Tracy made the decision to shorten the rotation after moving Jeremy Guthrie to the bullpen. Guthrie, the team’s opening day starter, is 3-6 with a 7.02 ERA in 11 starts. Starters will now be limited to 75 pitches.
“They’re taking steps to improve the team,” said Jeff Francis, who will pitch Thursday night. “We’re not doing our job well enough. We’ve got to pitch better and they’re trying to help us.”
The Rockies are 1-11 since June 4.
Jonathon Papelbon Thinks Umpire Sucked & Needs To Go Back To Triple A
Craps Pressure For Breakfast
The Philadelphia Phillies lost their third straight game yesterday after losing 4-3 to the Los Angeles Dodgers. And while Phillies players are undoubtedly frustrated with their play, Jonathon Papelbon was more frustrated with home umpire D.J. Reyburn.
Papelbon believed that he struck out Dee Gordon just one pitch before giving up a triple to Gordon that tied the game. Gordon then scored the go ahead run after a single by Elian Herrera. After finally getting out of the inning, Papelbon confronted Reyburn. But that confrontation alone wasn’t enough for Papelbon. He also unloaded on Reyburn after the game. And didn’t help matters that Papelbon also learned that Reyburn was a Triple A umpire filling in.
“Doesn’t surprise me,” Papelbon said after hearing that Reyburn was a Triple A umpire. “He probably needs to go back to Triple A.”
Papelbon said he thought Reyburn “sucked.” He added that Reyburn was “terrible” and his work affected the entire game. It’s likely that Papelbon’s comments will earn him a fine from MLB.
“You’re up in the big leagues to do a good job and when you don’t do a good job you should be demoted or fired,” Papelbon said. “It’s just like anybody’s job. If I don’t do my job, I go down to Triple A. There’s no room for that up here. It’s not a knock on the umpires. It’s the integrity of the game. You want to be able to go out there and play the game the way it should be played.”
Washington Nationals Mike Rizzo Fined For Cole Hamels Comments
Moral Of The Story: Zip It
Major League Baseball has fined Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo an undisclosed amount for his comments about Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels.
Rizzo made the comments Monday in reaction to Hamels admission that he purposely hit Nationals phenom Bryce Harper with a pitch in Sunday’s game.
Among other things, Rizzo told The Washington Post: “I’ve never seen a more classless, gutless chicken(bleep) act in my 30 years in baseball. It was a gutless chicken [bleep] [bleeping] act. That was a fake-tough act. No one has ever accused Cole Hamels of being old school.”
“Cole Hamels says he’s old school? He’s the polar opposite of old school. He’s fake tough. He thinks he’s going to intimidate us after hitting our 19-year rookie who’s eight games into the big leagues? He doesn’t know who he’s dealing with.”
Hamels earned a five-game suspension from MLB for intentionally throwing at Harper and was also was fined.
Rally Squirrel Part Of St. Louis Cardinals World Series Ring
Happy Flight
The rally squirrel has moved on from T-shirts and stuffed animals to World Series rings. The World Series championship rings the St. Louis Cardinals received over the weekend pay homage to the squirrel that served as a good luck charm last fall.
A tiny squirrel appears below the Cardinals logo and just above the player’s number inside a home plate with bats crossed.
The Cardinals won two straight to upset the Philadelphia Phillies in the division series after a squirrel scampered across home plate as Skip Schumaker batted against Roy Oswalt.
Read more: http://aol.sportingnews.com/mlb/story/2012-04-15/rally-squirrel-part-of-championship-ring-design#ixzz1sBx3SRRc
MLB Predictions
Est. 1869
What’s lies ahead in the 2012 Major League Baseball season, well no one knows for sure but Opening Day is upon us and it’s time to roll out a few predictions. If you happened to listen to our live show this past week then you already heard six segments of in depth breakdown in each division of each league but here is a cheat sheet to those predictions.
Should be an interesting year with another added Wild Card team to the postseason mix and one can only hope this season has a magical finish like last year. Enjoy opening day, enjoy the season. I know I will.
American League East winner: New York Yankees
American League Central winner: Detroit Tigers
American League West winner: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
American League Wild-Card winner: Tampa Bay Rays
American League Wild-Card winner: Kansas City Royals
American League Pennant winner: Tampa Bay Rays
National League East winner: Washington Nationals
National League Central winner: Cincinnati Reds
National League West winner: Los Angeles Dodgers
National League Wild-Card winner: Miami Marlins
National League Wild-Card winner: San Francisco Giants
National League Pennant winner: Los Angeles Dodgers
American League Rookie of the Year: Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
National League Rookie of the Year: Drew Pomeranz, Colorado Rockies
American League Manger of the Year: Buck Showalter, Baltimore Orioles
National League Manager of the Year: Davey Johnson, Washington Nationals
American League MVP: Albert Pujols, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
National League MVP: Justin Upton, Arizona Diamondbacks
American League Cy Young Award: James Shields, Tampa Bay Rays
National League Cy Young Award: Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies
New Adam Eaton Gets Old Adam Eaton’s $120K Checks
Vice Versa
The new Adam Eaton is a 23-year-old outfielder prospect for the Diamondbacks. The old Adam Eaton is a 34-year-old former big-league pitcher, last playing for the Philadelphia Phillies.
Somehow the new Eaton was confused with the old one and began to receive his gamed day checks. Arizona’s Eaton was sitting in the clubhouse earlier this spring when he was handed six checks from the union’s licensing program worth at least $20,000 apiece.
Eaton couldn’t believe his eyes. The checks were from MLB’s licensing department, but what had he done, he wondered, to deserve this kind of cash? A 19th-round pick in the 2010 draft, Eaton hasn’t played above Double-A. And as a minor leaguer, he isn’t even a part of the players’ association.
Teammate Cody Ransom happened to see Eaton flipping through the checks and realized what had happened.”Cody’s like, ‘Those aren’t yours,’” Eaton recalled. “I’m like, ‘What do you mean they aren’t mine? They’re in my name.’ He goes, ‘That’s the other Adam Eaton. Do you live there?’ It had the address on the front. ‘No.’ I go, ‘Do I have to give them back?’ He’s like, ‘Yeah. You have to give them back.’ I thought it over and I’m like, ‘Yeah, I’ve got to give them back.’”
Arizona’s Eaton said he was “on top of the world for a good 30 seconds.” Old Eaton is relieved to get $120,000 returned to him “it was like finding a twenty dollar bill in your jeans you thought you spent.”
Jonathan Papelbon Says Phillies Fans Know Game Better Than Red Sox Fans
Craps Pressure For Breakfast
Jonathan Papelbon, who left the Boston Red Sox for the Philadelphia Phillies during the offseason, told a Philadelphia radio station that Phillies fans “ tend to know the game a little better” than fans in Boston.
Papelbon also added in an interview with 94WIP that Boston fans were “a little bit more hysterical when it comes to the game of baseball.”
In November, Papelbon signed a four-year, $50 million contract—the richest contract ever given to a reliever—with the Phillies. Before that, Papelbon spent seven seasons with the Red Sox, including six as the team’s closer.
“It’s a religion (in Boston). It’s a way of life,” Papelbon said. “(Fans) come to the field and they expect certain things out of players. …It’s an environment where you put up or shut up. I enjoyed that. That’s what got my motor running every day. … I’ve had a guy take off his prosthetic leg and throw it in the bullpen in Boston and want me to sign it.”
Papelbon attributed Philly fans knowing the game better, to “being in the National League, you know, the way the game is played.”
Papelbon also addressed how his decision to sign with Philadelphia played out.
“It was a situation where the Red Sox didn’t really come at me the way I was expecting them to come at me in the offseason. And I told my agent that the first team that shows me interest and shows me loyalty, I’m going to show that right back to them, and that was Philadelphia,” Papelbon said.
For years, Papelbon used the Dropkick Murphys’ “Shipping Up To Boston” as his entrance theme at Fenway Park. However, earlier this week, Dropkick Murphys front man Ken Casey said Papelbon couldn’t come out of the Phillies bullpen to that song.
Dropkick Murphys Don’t Want Jonathan Papelbon Using Their Song In Philadelphia
Craps Pressure For Breakfast
Boston Red Sox fan can pretty much recite the lyrics to the Dropkick Murphys hit songs “Shipping Up To Boston” and “Tessie“, if they can’t not sure they are much of a fan since they have been used as anthem for the Red Sox Nations since the World Series run of 2004.
Now that closer Jonathan Papelbon signed with the Philadelphia Phillies this offseason, things will look a little different at the end of Red Sox games now.Dropkick Murphys lead singer/bassist Ken Casey has also said that Papelbon is not privileged to use ‘Shipping Up To Boston‘ anymore and he needs to find new entrance music.
“That’s a Boston song. One of the Philadelphia radio guys suggested ‘Johnny I Hardly Knew Ya.‘”The lead singer says that he’s planning to reach out to new Red Sox closer Andrew Bailey in the hopes that he will continue using “Shipping Up To Boston” himself.
Create-A-Caption: Roy Halladay
c-a-c
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Roy Halladay showed up to Spring Training in style.
Skip Schumaker’s Baseball Card Features Rally Squirrel & No Skip
Rodent Famous
Cant take the the 2,383 MLB plate appearances from St. louis Skip Schumaker but baseball card company Topps can take away from him appearing in their 2012 edition of cards. Schumaker was fine with the Rally Squirrel stealing his thunder during Game 4 of the Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies in October. That was then and this is now.
“It’s pretty ridiculous,” Schumaker told FOXSportsMidwest.com. “I have a shoe on my baseball card. And a squirrel. It’s pretty ridiculous.”
As part of a “Going Golden” promotion in the new 2012 Topps Series 1 set, the Rally Squirrel will be featured on special gold cards that will be inserted randomly into packs. The card says Schumaker’s name in the bottom left corner but shows only the bottom of his right leg and cleat. Prominently featured instead is the Rally Squirrel darting in front of home plate.
“It’s not disappointing, it’s just ridiculous,” Schumaker said. “I don’t know how else to explain it other than that. You expect to have some sort of action shot or something but it’s like a mascot card to me. ”I’m not frustrated, I just think people are going to look at it and laugh and that’s ridiculous. I don’t care about what I look like or anything but it’s literally just a squirrel that has nothing to do with me.”
“The Rally Squirrel was fun during the series and it worked, so people had fun with it,” Schumaker said. “I had fun with it and everybody thought it was a good thing for the fans. Torty was funny, but is Allen Craig going to have a tortoise on his card? I just think it’s pretty ridiculous. ”That’s really the question. Are they just going to have animals on cards now?”
Colorado Rockies Sign 49 Year Old Jamie Moyer
Father Time Can't Catch Him
Jamie Moyer has agreed to terms on a minor league contract with an invite to the Colorado Rockies spring training, pending a physical.The 49-year-old lefty didn’t play last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his throwing elbow.
Moyer has played 24 major league seasons, starting with the Chicago Cubs in 1986. He went 9-9 with a 4.84 ERA for Philadelphia Phillies in 2010.
Moyer is 267-204 with a 4.24 career ERA.
Buffalo Wild Wings Blazin Player: St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
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 the St. Louis Cardinals won a remarkable World Series they weren’t even supposed to reach, beating the Texas Rangers 6-2 in Game 7 with another key hit by hometown star David Freese and six gutty innings from Chris Carpenter. This allowed the Cardinals to capture their 11th World Series crown. Texas had not lost consecutive games since August but the two defeats at Busch Stadium cost manager Ron Washington and the Rangers a chance to win their first title in the franchise’s 51-year history. Instead, Texas became the first team to lose the Series two straight years since Atlanta Braves in 1991-92.
This marked the ninth straight time the home team had won Game 7 in the World Series. The Cardinals won their first championship since 2006, and gave Tony La Russa his third World Series title. They got there by beating Philadelphia Phillies in the first round of the NL playoffs, capped by Carpenter outdueling Roy Halladay 1-0 in the deciding Game 5, and then topping Milwaukee Brewers in the NL championship series.
Congratulations St. Louis Cardinals you are this weeks Buffalo Wild Wings Blazin Player.
Mama Margie’s Major Meltdown: Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
Every Thursday Sports Grind Entertainment will present you with the Mama Margie’s Major Meltdown. The recipient of this honor goes to the Philadelphia Phillies who were heavily favored to reach the World Series after winning a Major League Baseball best 102 games and having perhaps the best pitching staff in all of the bigs, which the St. Louis Cardinals beat three of them. The Cardinals needed a monumental collapse by Atlanta Braves in the final month and received major help from the 102-win Phillies to reach the playoffs when they defeated the Braves in a three game sweep in the final series of the season. The Phillies exit from the postseason meant that the two teams with the top two records and payrolls in the majors – were gone in the first round, even while holding home-field advantage.
Buffalo Wild Wings Blazin Player: Chris Carpenter
Chris Carpenter
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 St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Chris Carpenter for the three-hitter he pitched against his old pal Roy Halladay and the Philadelphia Phillies in a deciding Game 5 of the NLDS. The Cardinals won 1-0 to become just the sixth pitcher over the last 30 seasons to throw a shutout in a deciding game and the first ever to do it in an NLDS Game 5. Carpenter walked none and struck out three in the matchup of Cy Young Award winners and a team that won a baseball best 102 games on the season.
Congratulations Chris Carpenter you are this weeks Buffalo Wild Wings Blazin Player.
Squirrel Interrupts Phillies/Cardinals Game
During the fifth inning of NLDS Game 4 between the Philadelphia Phillies and St. Louis Cardinals, a squirrel squirted acorss home plate as Roy Oswalt was on the mound and delivered a pitch to Skip Schumaker. Oswalt acted as if he was distracted by @buschsquirrel that emerged from the first-base dugout. Home plate umpire called the pitch a ball, which seemed to further perturb Oswalt.
MLB’s Rookie Hazing
It’s that time of year where the MLB has come to a close and team veterans make the 2011 rookies show up to the ballpark in outlandish costumes. Earlier this week we posted the Colorado Rockies dressing up as characters from Star Wars and now now have a few others to bring you. Thanks to the Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Washington Nationals, Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays and the Toronto Blue Jays for participating. And shame on those teams that haven’t yet exposed their rookie costume hazing photos.
If your wondering who the one player is singled out is, that’s Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim outfielder Mike Trout, who makes for one pretty nasty looking Lady Gaga.
Whoever decided that Astros second baseman Jose Altuve should be a jockey, that is just brilliant.
Houston Astros
Los Angeles Dodgers
New York Mets
Philadelphia Phillies
St. Louis Cardinals
Minnesota Twins
New York Yankees
Tampa Bay Rays
Toronto Blue Jays
Lady Gaga aka Mike Trout
Washington Nationals
