Friday, May 13, 2005
HUB NOTES:
BREAK IN THE LAW:
The Dolphins met with Ty Law on Wednesday with an interest in signing the former New England Patriots Pro Bowl cornerback. No contract offer yet. Law still is unable to move laterally after undergoing surgery this offseason to fix a broken foot. Law can run straight ahead but is approximately another month from being able to do the moves required of a cornerback. Law likely won't be signed until the second wave of free agency begins with the traditional June salary dumps.
CUZ I REALLY WANNA KNOW...WHO ARE YOU?
Since Curt Schilling and David Wells have been out, the Red Sox are 10-3 with a team ERA of 3.38 and an opponents' batting average of only .228. In those 13 games, the starters have averaged 6.1 innings and are 8-1, 3.07.
STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU:
Mike Timlin (1.08) hasn't allowed a run in his last 11 relief appearances, Matt Mantei has held right-handed hitters to a .107 average (3-for-28) and has allowed two earned runs in his last 14 appearances and lefties are hitting only .083 (1-for-12) off Mike Myers.
MONEYBALL:
Boston leads the American League in runs (189) and on-base percentage (.361); they are second in slugging (.444) and third in batting average (.277). ... Johnny Damon leads the league at .383 and is hitting .468 over his 17-game hitting streak. ... Trot Nixon has walked 20 times in 29 games and his .420 OBP is only a hair behind Damon (.421). M.V.P. candidate Jason Varitek is third on the team at .396.
PLANET MAN RAM:
Manny Ramirez is batting only .241 this season (and .143 (4-for-28) in May). More disturbing, he is batting just .257 (94-for-366) since last year's All-Star break. Surprisingly, the World Series M.V.P. has been impotent (6-for-38, .158) against lefties this season. The lack of hitting versus lefties points to his slump as likely a aberration rather than a decline; Manny, like the flukey New England weather, will suddenly heat up.
FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS:
Mark Bellhorn enters the weekend in Seattle with 38 K's in 97 at-bats. Only Brad Wilkerson of the Nats, with 40, has more whiffs. The difference between the two is that Wilkerson remains productive, batting .296 with a .366 OBP, while Bellhorn is batting .216 with a .321 OBP, well below the .264/.373 numbers he posted last season. At his current pace, Bellhorn will strike out 205 times, which would a) break his club-record 177 whiffs of last season; b) break the big-league record of 195 set by Adam Dunn last season; and c) make him the first player with 200 K's in a season.
LEADING MAN: Johnny Damon 's home run off Jason Marquis was the 17th to lead off a World Series game and the first since the Yankees' Derek Jeter homered at Shea Stadium in Game 4 of the 2000 World Series. The home run was Damon's third of the postseason.
PETER MAY NEED THE WHIZZENATOR: Barry Bonds (Giants) and Manny Ramirez (Red Sox) received the Hank Aaron Award as the most outstanding offensive performers in their respective leagues. Alex Rodriguez was the American League winner the previous three seasons; Bonds supplanted Pujols.
Peter Gammons finds it insulting to compare Ramirez to Pujols; I guess those that are actually Manny's peers see things a little differently. Complete ballplayer he is not; RBI machine: affirmative.
YANKEES REALLY DO SUCK!
The Yankees haven't been to the World Series two of the past three years. They have lost 18 of their past 34 postseason games; they don't even have a winning postseason record to show for their efforts since Game 3 of the 2001 World Series, which they lost to the Arizona Diamondbacks in seven games.
The Yankees started the season 11-19, the worst start to a season they have suffered through since 1991, back in the days of musical managers when Steinbrenner had Stump Merrill filling out lineup cards and the Yankees were en route to a 71-91 finish, 20 games out of first place.
POKEY CAN'T BEND LIKE GUMBY: Red Sox fan favorite-shortstop Pokey Reese, who has been out since the season began, is now on the 60 day D.L. and had surgery on his right shoulder. "They say he should be out four to eight weeks," Seattle manager Mike Hargrove said. "We expect him back (this season)."
John Rocker decided to try a comeback this year with Long Island (N.Y.) of the independent Atlantic League. He has said by mid-July he will be in the majors or be at home. The early returns point to a trip home. In his first appearance, Rocker walked four of six batters he faced, forcing in the winning run in the ninth inning. The next time out, he gave up two runs, two hits and two walks while getting out one batter in a 2-1 loss. During a game at Atlantic City, N.J., a fan was getting on Rocker; When the fan yelled at Rocker, "It's a long way from Atlanta," Rocker responded with, "I'm still a millionaire" and the two started to exchange expletives.
Now he has been sidelined because of "a tired arm" and will not be talking until he is pitching again.
Rocker is now comparing his harsh treatment of by the fans to the plights of Hammerin' Hank and Jackie Robinson, stating that he is sure that they didn't have to endure it for 6 years. Stick a fork in this idiot; Major league clubs won't touch this guy.
ENOUGH ABOUT ME...WHAT DO YOU THINK OF MY GOATEE??
"The Chemistry is still here because I'm Still here," Kevin Millar
Since 1976, 11-42, or 26% of teams with a winning % of 500-.549 on May 1st have made the playoffs, including your 2004 World Series Champion Boston Red Sox.
ONE THAT GOT AWAY:
Matt Murton, the outfielder sent to the Cubs with Nomar Garciaparra last July, is tearing up Double-A pitching and looks like a future star.
SHOPPACH YOUR BAGS:
The Red Sox are very encouraged by the maturity of catcher Kelly Shoppach (.413 OBP, seven home runs in April, threw out two runners attemtping to steal the night Miller pitched). They feel Shoppach is the best catcher in Triple-A, and if the Sox don't need to use him, Shoppach could be midseason trade bait when and if Boston tries to deal for a first baseman.
WE ARE FAMILY:
Tony Pena was astounded to get a phone call from Pedro Martinez, wanting to know if there was anything Pedro could do to help Tony and Pedro's cousin, Denny Bautista.
YOU CAN CALL ME AL:
When Johnny Damon agreed to do a book with Peter Golenbock, he should have proofread the photo galleries, because it is embarrassing to refer to bench coach (and current manager) Brad Mills as "Brian."
MILLAR MAY LEAVE IN A HUFF:
The Red Sox, Cubs, Nationals and several other teams are waiting on Tampa Bay to see if Aubrey Huff will become available.
WHERE THERE'S FOULKE THERE'S FIRE:
Red Sox closer Keith Foulke leads MLB relievers with 6 gopher balls allowed already this season.
A clause in Rocket Roger Clemens' contract adds $3 million to his $18-million salary if he gets traded. No way the Red Sox will not add a contract that has another $9 to $12 million coming. Not to mention the additional luxury tax that would kick in. -NF
( This report is a compilation of multiple print and web sources, including AP, ESPN, Boston Herald, Boston Globe, SI, and USA Today, and other blogs.)
