2011年6月15日 星期三

Big League Stew - MLB - Yahoo! Sports: Cubs players rally together, spring for funny goat T-shirts

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Cubs players rally together, spring for funny goat T-shirts
Jun 15th 2011, 15:13

Everybody knows why the Chicago Cubs haven't been to the World Series since 1945.

It's not because of mostly rotten teams, or the rotten luck they've had with an occasional good team. It's because a local Greek restauranteur, one day, brought his pet goat Murphy to Wrigley Field and was denied admission to the '45 Series because — well, he brought a billy goat to a baseball game — and so he therefore placed a curse on the franchise that lasts to this moment.

Duh.

Depending on its mood, the Cubs organization sometimes has been hostile to this theory (or fact). At other times, it has played along.

With the team 10 games out of first place in the NL Central and apparently not heading for what would be its first championship in 103 years, the players are embracing the goat.

Well, they're doing something with the goat, as Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune reported Tuesday night. Several players wore T-shirts that said "(Bleep) the goat!!!" on the back and showed a cartoon goat with the international "no" symbol on the front.

As seen above, Sullivan captured Carlos Zambrano buying in with a shirt of his own, which resembles other semi-licensed goat-related items that fans can buy from vendors outside Wrigley.

Will some take it the wrong way, with the Cubs bringing up the curse during a losing season?

"Why?" Koyie Hill said, "I think it's just kind of a loose, fun saying that came up, and it was funny as hell, and now we have T-shirts. Basically, that's all it was. It was an awesome joke. Everyone laughed. And now I have an extra large on."

Not only that, but the shirts obviously work as a curse-buster!

Wearing the goat shirts, the Cubs rallied for a 5-4 victory in 10 innings against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Right-hander Randy Wells appreciated the effect the shirts had. So did Mike Quade, the team's manager.

"Whatever it takes to get guys going," Wells said. "I personally love it. It has been a trial and error process for us, but it just takes a couple of good efforts and we'll turn the corner."

Wells wouldn't say who gave the "good" speech while the T-shirts were distributed.

"It's private," he said.

Quade also applauded the T-shirt ploy because he said the team needed to loosen up.

"Anything that draws them together, keeps them together, I'm all in," he said, before adding: "Well, not anything. But damn near anything."

Good. That means the team probably will stop short of taking the message on the shirt too literally.

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Big League Stew - MLB - Yahoo! Sports: David Einhorn could buy a majority of the Mets for just $1

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David Einhorn could buy a majority of the Mets for just $1
Jun 15th 2011, 14:09

Why is this man smiling?

It's probably because David Einhorn knows just how good of a deal he's getting as a result of the Wilpon family's desperate thirst for cold, hard cash.

Several business outlets are reporting this morning that the hedge fund manager's agreement to buy a minority slice (33 percent) of the New York Mets for $200 million is even better than previously thought.

In three years, Einhorn can buy a controlling interest in the team from the Wilpons — a reported 60 percent — for just one measly dollar.

The only way that doesn't happen is if Fred Wilpon returns the $200 million that Einhorn is laying out so the Mets can pay some of their bills. Under that scenario, Einhorn would keep a 16 percent stake in the team as a lender's fee.

Not bad.

No matter which way this deal goes, though, it's going to be interesting to watch. The Wilpons are basically making a huge wager that their financial standing will be a lot better in three years and that they'll be able to obtain a $200 million loan at more reasonable rates so they can pay Einhorn off. But with the team on pace to lose $70 million in 2011, it's hard to conceive how the Madoff-muddled Wilpons will be in such a position just three years from now. If the turnaround doesn't happen, Einhorn is going to get control of his favorite team — plus all of its assorted debt — for the price of a McDouble.

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Big League Stew - MLB - Yahoo! Sports: 3-in-1: Ryan Ludwick makes a trio of highlight reel grabs in one inning

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3-in-1: Ryan Ludwick makes a trio of highlight reel grabs in one inning
Jun 15th 2011, 13:39

He tied a record held by many.

That's the cliche uttered every time a position player is involved in all three outs in a single inning. And it's true, it is a record held by pretty much every player to wear a glove in the major leagues. But I doubt many have tied it as impressively as San Diego Padres outfielder Ryan Ludwick did in the first inning of their 6-3 loss to the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night.

Dick Enberg was a busy man that inning as, Ludwick made three consecutive "Oh my" inducing grabs from his left field position, robbing Carlos Gonzalez, Chris Nelson and Todd Helton of at least basehits, and possibly extra bases on each play.

The second catch, which is highlighted here, was certainly the most impressive of the three. A full out diving back-handed grab moving towards left center on a quickly sinking flyball. But all three had an extra degree of difficulty thanks to a strong wind that was making reads off the bat virtually impossible for outfielders early in the game.

Ludwick attempted to downplay the unexpected circus routine afterwards, but in doing so brought across the effects the wind had on his reads.

From the San Diego Union:

"Kind of weird," said the self-effacing Ludwick. "Actually, the first one wasn't a dive. If I'm gonna be completely honest, I broke back on the ball and, when the wind knocked it down, I came back in I kinda got my feet crossed and tripped over myshoelace. So it was kind of a flop."

Flop or not, Ludwick received a hero's welcome upon his return to the dugout, especially from manager Bud Black and pitcher Wade LeBlanc.

Unfortunately, that's where the celebration ended for Ludwick. His night at the plate included three strikeouts and a popout with the bases loaded before he delivered an RBI single in the ninth.

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Big League Stew - MLB - Yahoo! Sports: The Juice: Rays beat Red Sox, Crawford, like it’s no big deal

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The Juice: Rays beat Red Sox, Crawford, like it’s no big deal
Jun 15th 2011, 11:49

Nine innings, nine items to get you going. Ladies and gentleman of the Stew, take a sip of morning Juice.

1. Meh — it's just C.C. and the Sawx: The Boston Red Sox came to Tampa Bay's Tropicana Field on Tuesday night, bringing a nine-game winning streak and former local superstar Carl Crawford with them. The Rays did not shrink from the challenge of facing the AL East leaders, or get overly sentimental about the return of the best player in franchise history, who signed with Boston for $142 million in the offseason.

(And they're not intimidated by your boss dance moves, either, Carl.)

Tampa Bay won 4-0 behind right-hander James Shields, who pitched his third shutout of the season, and Crawford went 0 for 3 while receiving a mostly polite greeting. Manager Joe Maddon, whose club closed to within 3 1/2 games of first place, said the Rays wished Crawford a good-bye a while ago:

"Honestly, I hate to disappoint, but it's really not that big of a deal to us. … I think more of what you're going to see is for the fans," Maddon said. "For us, we've moved on. We've got a bunch of guys that say 'Rays' on the front of their jerseys and that's the group I'm concerned with."

2. Justin time: Well, we're just going to have go on a no-hitter alert every time Justin Verlander pitches, I guess. He took a no-no into the eighth before Orlando Cabrera broke it up, and the Detroit Tigers beat Justin Masterson and the Cleveland Indians 4-0 to take sole possession of first place in the AL Central.

3. Invader Zim returns!: Ryan Zimmerman should come of the disabled list more often. After missing 58 games, he hit a key double in a six-run seventh inning for the Washington Nationals, who rallied against the Cardinals for an 8-6 victory. Team Fredbird has dropped four in a row.

4. Who needs the Captain?: With Derek Jeter simply cheering instead of playing, the New York Yankees thumped the Rangers 12-4. One thing is certain about the season Alexi Ogando is having: It would be even better if he didn't have to face the Yankees. He has allowed 11 runs in eight innings against them and 14 runs in 75 innings against everyone else.

5. Bud's got your back, coach: Bud Norris fact:

The Astros right-hander, it would seem, sides with deposed pitching coach Brad Arnsberg, who was fired before Houston fell 1-0 to the Pirates and righty Jeff Karstens. Also: A moment of silence for Hunter Pence's 23-game hitting streak.

6. Slim margins: The San Francisco Giants got to rookie Josh Collmenter for a big early lead, but needed to hang on after a rally for a 6-5 victory at Arizona. Miguel Montero's three-run homer made S.F. squirm — Panda was all like, "Matt Cain, you OK?" But Brian Wilson battled control issues to lock it down in the ninth. Giants lead the D-backs by 1 1/2 games, two in the loss column.

7. Cubs comeback: Yovani Gallardo seemed to have this one on lockdown through seven innings for the Brewers, but the Cubs stormed back against reliever Marco Estrada with three runs in the bottom of the eighth to tie, then won in the 10th — 5-4 — via an RBI single by Starlin Castro. Milwaukee had gone 35 games without back-to-back defeats, which seems like a lot.

8. About a week back: Cole Hamels shut down the Marlins, and rookie Domonic Brown hit a pair of homers leading the Phillies to a 9-1 victory. Hamels had to leave the game in the eighth inning because of a stiff back, so there's your nightly angst material for Phillies fans.

9. Reds menace: Johnny Cueto and the Cincinnati Reds had to go and spoil Don Newcombe's 85th with a 3-2 victory at Los Angeles. Cueto outperformed Clayton Kershaw for his first career victory against the Dodgers in five starts.

Extra inning: The White Sox were rained out at Minnesota, prompting manager Ozzie Guillen to say jokingly:

"Where's the Metrodome when you need it?"

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2011年6月14日 星期二

Big League Stew - MLB - Yahoo! Sports: Cubs minor league team mocks LeBron with ring giveaway

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Cubs minor league team mocks LeBron with ring giveaway
Jun 14th 2011, 22:40

LeBron James was right: The people who run the Peoria Chiefs really did wake up on Monday morning with their usual host of personal problems.

Chief, uh, among them: How were they supposed to bring widespread publicity to their Single-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs without spending a lot of money —or any money at all, really?

Luckily, the defeated but smug Miami Heat star provided them with enough inspiration to make this an easy work week. And so the Chiefs will be holding "LeBron James 2011 NBA Championship Replica Ring Giveaway" night for Thursday night's game.

The catch being that the ring, like the one James didn't earn against the Dallas Mavericks, is non-existent so fans will really just be receiving a handful of air. The joke "giveaway" is being tacked on to an already scheduled promotion celebrating Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls' run of six NBA titles over eight years during the 1990s.

From the Peoria Chiefs press release:

In addition to the LeBron replica ring, the Chiefs are looking into whether or not the game can skip the fourth inning to honor King James who took off the fourth quarter of every finals game.

"We aren't sure if the league will allow it," said team President Rocky Vonachen. "But if LeBron doesn't need to show up for the fourth, maybe we won't either."

One lucky fan will win a replica of James' 2011 Finals MVP Award which he earned with his clutch fourth quarter play. Fans will also have the opportunity to learn how to perform the Heimlich to prevent themselves or their colleagues from choking in a big situation.

"Really this is just us getting back to the real world and waking up today and trying to solve our own personal problems," said Vice President of Ticket Sales Eric Obalil.

I'm usually not a big fan of minor league teams jumping on the latest sports news for a cheap headline or promotion, especially if it doesn't involve the sport they play.

But I have to hand it to the chiefs of the Chiefs. It sure takes a lot of guts to schedule a giveaway mocking LeBron's lack of rings when you're feeding a big league baseball franchise that hasn't won one since 1908. Especially when the Cubs are currently a heck of a lot farther away from winning a championship than James and the Heat.

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Big League Stew - MLB - Yahoo! Sports: Can the Twins really make a run at the AL Central title?

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Can the Twins really make a run at the AL Central title?
Jun 14th 2011, 20:52

That's the line being loudly whispered among Minnesota Twins fans as Ron Gardenhire's crew has cut their AL Central deficit from 16.5 games on June 1 to just nine heading into tonight's series opener against the Chicago White Sox at Target Field.

And lest you believe I'm inventing a straw man for this post, let it be known that ESPN 1500's Phil Mackey has been leading the charge on his Twitter account. BLS pal@bennyc50 has been doing the same with some funny apocalypse-themed billboards on That's Twins Baseball (seriously, go check the rest of them out).

Anyway, these appear to be pretty heady times for a fanbase that has seen the Twins win nine of their last 11, yet still sport an ugly record of 26-39, bad enough for worst in the entire American League.

So what's the deal? Did these optimistic TC Bears get into some bad berries?

The roots of their optimism are starting to show. Over the next week or so, they're scheduled to get back almost every Twins players you've ever heard of. So the return of Joe Mauer, Jim Thome, Denard Span and others means no more Triple-A lineups or big worries if Justin Morneau has to sit longer to heal a troublesome wrist. Other factors putting a spring into a Twins' fans step today are a lot of games against the underwhelming collection of teams in the AL Central as well as the inspiration of the left-for-dead squads of '06 and '09, when Minnesota successfully chased down the Detroit Tigers by the end of the season for the division title.

But going from worst to first this year, of course, would be the toughest task for the Twins to date. Their lowest water mark in the '06 and '09 seasons was 25-33 on June 7, 2006. So despite their recent surge, the Twins are still well behind the pace of the recent comebacks that have established their reputation as a team you can't turn your back on.

Also, if we're operating under a possibly big assumption that a meager 86 wins take the AL Central title, the Twins would have to go 60-37 the rest of the way to get there. No team in baseball — not even the Red Sox nor the Phillies — has played at a .618 clip to this point of the season.

So do we pat the Twins fans on the head, say "aww, that's cute" and "nice Photoshops" before sending them on their way?  That would seem to be the smart and logical case.

But given their history, can we ever feel totally comfortable while doing so?

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Big League Stew - MLB - Yahoo! Sports: Logic! The Cubs are losing, so it’s time to call Wrigley Field a dump

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Logic! The Cubs are losing, so it’s time to call Wrigley Field a dump
Jun 14th 2011, 19:33

The Chicago Cubs are 26-39, would be in last place if the Houston Astros were transferred to the the AL West midseason and feature a GM/manager combo at the top of every hot seat list.

So, naturally, it's time for everyone to talk about how much Wrigley Field sucks. Peter Gammons fired the first salvo owner, calling it "a dump" that's tying the hands of ownership. Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, the preeminent Wrigley critic, chuckled in agreement with Gammo's assessment and now Sun-Times columnist Rick Morrissey is doing his best over-the-top-rope clothesline on the topic:

The best thing about Wrigley is the ivy on the outfield walls and the hand-operated scoreboard towering over center field. You can have the rest of it. It's a great park when you're looking at the field from your seat. It's not so great on the way to and from your seat.

Newsflash to everyone in the line for the wrecking ball: Wrigley Field hasn't been that great on the way to and from your seat for a long time now. Fenway Park, despite all of the nice renovations that Chicagoans drool over and demand, still isn't. Both parks were built nearly a century ago for a fanbase that was significantly slimmer and just a tad less accustomed to things like flat-screen televisions and overstuffed sofas.

But both continue to endure because, like beach cruiser bicycles and wooden roller coasters, we're willing to sacrifice comfort for the thrills of nostalgia. They also both still stand, in part, because both teams were successful on the field and at the gate during a time when the ballpark boom was in full swing. (Would either locale have been able to resist the siren call of a new park if Pedro Martinez and Sammy Sosa hadn't come along? If Harry Caray hadn't made Wrigley a tourist destination or Ted Williams wasn't there to remind New Englanders that Fenway was worth renovating, not rebuilding?)

So as thousands of athletes with nothing else to say have said: It is what it is.

But that's not to say recognize the need for big changes around Wrigley Field — currently a pipedream with taxpayers currently unwilling to foot any of the bill — or question its long-term viability as a big revenue stream. I'm just saying  it's completely asinine to point out the park's flaws now that the team's record has turned the lights on and started to cut in on the beer buzz. Does anyone really think we wouldn't still be hearing the usual poetic odes to the corner of Clark and Addison if the team's record read 39-26?

Thing is, it's going to get better before it gets worse because this is the Ricketts family's big chance. With enough people looking around and questioning the accommodations — which, again, need a freshener just like they did during the 97-win season in 2008 and during the 2003 and '04 campaigns — there is a big opportunity for ownership to divert the public's gaze from other things in need of urgent repair. Namely a front office that can't evaluate or sign talent, a large-market payroll that plays like it belongs in Des Moines and a debt service incurred when the Ricketts overpaid for a team and a ballpark they apparently neglected to have a home inspector/accountant check out.

The Cubs aren't in first place, which is why we're talking about Wrigley's age in the first place.

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Big League Stew - MLB - Yahoo! Sports: Brandon Crawford’s nickname comes straight from street ball

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Brandon Crawford’s nickname comes straight from street ball
Jun 14th 2011, 15:59

You might know rookie shortstop Brandon Crawford as the fella who hit a grand slam in his major league debut last month. But his San Francisco Giants teammates and his previous minor league mates know him as "The Professor."

In a nice profile written by the Mercury News' Andrew Baggarly today, it's revealed that Crawford's nickname is borrowed directly from And1 streetball star Grayson "The Professor" Boucher. Crawford earned the moniker after routinely performing field tricks at short to entertain his teammates and pass the mind-numbing down time in the minor leagues. "He just schools everyone in how to play shortstop," teammate Brandon Belt explains to Baggarly.

Baggarly describes Crawford's repertoire as "part Harlem Globetrotter, part skateboard legend Tony Hawk, part Omar Vizquel." And while the big league greenhorn says he won't be overstepping his bounds as a rook and performing the tricks at AT&T Park anytime soon — unless Bruce Bochy asks him personally, that is — there's YouTube evidence of his minor league time for all of us to view. Enjoy. 

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Big League Stew - MLB - Yahoo! Sports: Sore shoulder sends Johan Santana’s rehab backward

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Sore shoulder sends Johan Santana’s rehab backward
Jun 14th 2011, 14:38

Remain calm! All is well!

That's what Johan Santana insisted in mid-March, despite rumblings that the New York Mets were ready to shut down his rehab. Everything was going according to schedule. Following shoulder surgery in September, that schedule projected Santana to be ready to rejoin the Mets' starting rotation by late June or early July.

But much like Kevin Bacon was trampled by a stampede of panicked parade goers when he tried to ease fears at the end of "Animal House," so has Santana's rehab schedule apparently been flattened.

Mets general manager Sandy Alderson told reporters on Monday that Santana was feeling soreness in his left shoulder after increasing the intensity of his workouts and had stopped throwing from a mound 10 days ago. (That left some New York media to wonder why it took Alderson that long to say anything.) But since that rest, Santana is now long-tossing on flat ground and is expected to begin throwing from the mound again this week.

So where exactly is Santana's rehab schedule now? The shoulder soreness appears to have put the process in a time machine:

"We are now trying to get him to the point at which he would be beginning his spring training. The thought process now is [that] we need to get him to the point where he would have been on the 14th of February. From that point he will proceed with his spring training, which could last as long as spring training typically does."

This would be great if the Mets were training in Port St. Lucie right now. But they lost in Pittsburgh on Monday, June 13, with 96 games left on their major league season schedule.

And though the Mets are probably out of the NL East race, in fourth place with a 32-34 record, they still have a chance to put together a pretty nice season. Considering most of the team's headlines have centered around a billion-dollar lawsuit, Fred Wilpon looking for someone to buy a minority share of the franchise and ripping several of his players in print, that wouldn't be an insignifcant achievement.

Santana's health (even if he wasn't at full strength) could be a major factor in the team's fortunes. Or maybe not, if you listen to Alderson.

"The nice thing is, as we speak today, our starting rotation is doing nicely," Alderson said. "In that sense the pressure to get him back earlier doesn't exist. Tomorrow, that could change completely. But, I think the other thing is, we're looking at Johan long term here, not short term. So he's got to be right."

Well, Dillon Gee is 7-0. Remain calm. All is well. Take all the time you need, Johan.

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Big League Stew - MLB - Yahoo! Sports: The Juice: Indians salvage 1-0 win at New York; Jeter hurt

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The Juice: Indians salvage 1-0 win at New York; Jeter hurt
Jun 14th 2011, 13:10

Nine innings, nine items to get you going. (Unless there are only seven items because of a truncated schedule.) Ladies and gentleman of the Stew, take a sip of morning Juice.

1. It's finally over?: The series between the New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians took approximately six months to complete (actually it was only four games). And the Tribe finally came away with something Monday night, a 1-0 victory in the Bronx behind a strong effort from right-hander Carlos Carrasco. The Yankees outscored them 24-9 in taking three of four. Oddity: Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer points out that the Indians have two wins in the past 11 games and both were 1-0 decisions for Carrasco.

Derek Jeter managed a single for his 2,994th career hit, but he limped off the field with a mild calf strain later in the game.

2. All of that happened? A game-ending RBI double by Ramon Santiago on which Victor Martinez scores from first base for a 2-1 Detroit Tigers victory? Inconceivable! As was this call by the home plate umpire that cost the Tampa Bay Rays a run.

3. Let it slide — this time!: Cubs rookie Darwin Barney made a nifty slide to score the game's only run in a 1-0 victory against the Brewers.

4. Some the richer: Hunter Pence is on a roll — he's got a 23-game hitting streak — and it's even affecting the pennant race, helping the Houston Astros to an 8-3 victory against the Atlanta Braves.

5. Offensive guy, defensive position:

Miguel Montero is a catcher who can hit: He had three of them, along with four RBIs, in Arizona's 12-9 victory at Florida. The Fish have dropped under .500. Time to bring back Fredi Gonzalez. Oh, it's too late!

6. Three is the new four: Somebody tell Dodgers owner Frank McCourt to stop fiddling with the numbers! No matter how the scoreboard in L.A. might get stuff wrong, the Joey Votto and the Reds still won 6-4.

7. Totally worth the money now: Vernon Wells is heatin' up! Two home runs for the Tom Morello look-a-like in a 6-3 Angels win at Seattle.

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Big League Stew - MLB - Yahoo! Sports: Derek Jeter’s milestone moment delayed after straining calf

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Derek Jeter’s milestone moment delayed after straining calf
Jun 14th 2011, 12:26

All of the concern — real or manufactured — over where Derek Jeter's milestone 3,000th will happen now becomes concern over his short-term availability after the New York Yankees captain strained his right calf in their 1-0 loss to the Cleveland Indians Monday night.

Jeter had already collected hit No. 2,994 on a first inning single off Carlos Carrasco when he stepped in to lead off the fifth. On the first pitch, he hit a routine flyball to right field. As he took a couple steps out of the batter's box, something pulled causing an immediately noticeable hitch in his step.

Moments later, a clearly frustrated Jeter was shown tossing his helmet before heading down the tunnel to the Yankees clubhouse.

Watch the play here

As manager Joe Girardi mentioned in his postgame press conference, the potential seriousness of the situation didn't take long to settle in after witnessing Jeter's body language.

From the New York Times:

"Obviously, we're worried about it."

"He just walked off the field and you could tell he was done," Girardi said. "You don't see him come out of games."

A late night MRI revealed what is being classified as a Grade 1 strain of the calf. That's the least severe strain on a scale of 1 to 3, but given his age is still likely to keep him sidelined at least a few days, if not longer. Which means when Jeter's next major league at-bat will take place becomes a much bigger concern to the Yankees — and hopefully their fans — than when or where hit No. 3,000 is coming.

We might know more about Jeter's timetable when he's reevaluated at some point on Tuesday. In the meantime, the conspiracy theorists out there are already hard at work formulating their thesis that will prove the Yankees and Jeter are maneuvering to make sure the feat is accomplished at home. In fact, some of them didn't even wait for the MRI results. (Logic aside, these folks will not be denied of their opinions.)

As if this storyline needed another layer or a surprise twist, we certainly have one now. Be prepared for a full-fledged Calfgate.

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Big League Stew - MLB - Yahoo! Sports: Umpire’s call costs Rays, Maddon repeats plea for replay help

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Umpire’s call costs Rays, Maddon repeats plea for replay help
Jun 14th 2011, 12:18

Bad calls happen. Umpires make mistakes. It's the "human element," often cited whenever anyone talks about eventually living in a world where flawless, emotionless robots officiate the strike zone and basepaths.

While such miscues are a part of baseball, that sort of acceptance comes with the hope that a bad call doesn't end up affecting the outcome of a game.

Uh-oh, John Tumpane.

Monday night's home plate umpire at Comerica Park made a call that cost the Tampa Bay Rays a run, and possibly a victory as well, in a 2-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers.

The play in question happened in the seventh inning with the Tigers nursing a 1-0 lead. Casey Kotchman hit a shallow pop-up to right field caught by Magglio Ordoñez. Justin Ruggiano tagged up from third to score the tying run, and Ordoñez made a strong throw home.

To virtually everyone watching the play, whether in person or on TV, it looked like Ruggiano's left foot crossed home plate before catcher Alex Avila could apply a tag. Not to the man closest to the play, however. Tumpane called Ruggiano out, prompting immediate helmet-stripping outrage and disbelief from the baserunner. Equally incensed was manager Joe Maddon, who bolted from the dugout to protest the call.

Plays like this also are converting Maddon into a replay believer.

Watch it here

Did Tumpane blow the call?

It sure looked like it on replay. Even Tigers TV play-by-play man Mario Impemba couldn't defend it, simply saying "Eww," before going to commercial. That actually captured the sentiment perfectly, because no one felt good about the call after video presented such strong evidence to the contrary.

What exactly did Tumpane see? Even if he thought Ruggiano's left foot first missed the plate when sliding in, he hooked it back to touch the plate before Avila could tag him.

The only possible defense is that Tumpane thought Avila tagged Ruggiano's back foot a split-second before he slid by home plate. Granted, he had a closer view of the play than the TV cameras could provide, so perhaps that's a plausible explanation. However, Tumpane didn't help matters waiting to make a call until Avila had applied a second tag (after which Ruggiano's left foot had touched the plate).

As you can imagine, the Rays weren't buying any of that in their clubhouse after the game.

"The replay speaks for itself. MLB really has to review all that stuff, because it is a play that comes up quite often," Maddon said. "I was a little annoyed that sometimes, it seems to go against us on the heavy side. I had my say, but that's not up to me to rectify."

Ruggiano said he never felt a tag from Avila. (Even Avila wasn't sure he got the tag down.) Furthermore, Ruggiano said he regretted not running into the Tigers' catcher instead. This play could certainly encourage future baserunners to channel their inner Scott Cousins and leave nothing to chance.

Besides adding yet another argument for broader use of instant replay, this also calls into question why umpires aren't required to answer for themselves after ballgames. It would've been nice if Tumpane spoke to the media afterwards and explained his call. Hey, if Jim Joyce can do it, why can't everyone else?

Follow Ian on Twitter — @iancass — and engage The Stew on Facebook

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2011年6月13日 星期一

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Big League Stew - MLB - Yahoo! Sports: Interesting fact: World won’t end if Jeter’s 3,000th comes on road

Big League Stew - MLB - Yahoo! Sports
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Interesting fact: World won’t end if Jeter’s 3,000th comes on road
Jun 13th 2011, 22:13

Now that our collective LeBronenfreude has nothing else to do but fizzle (I think), this country's main sports stage belongs to Derek Jeter and his pursuit to become the first New York Yankees player to reach 3,000 career hits.

Quite frankly, in a season that has only seen the Buster Posey-Scott Cousins collision reach critical mass as a big baseball story, it's something we've all been waiting for. For the next week or so, all eyes will be on everyone's favorite Yankee as he goes about picking up the seven hits he needs for that nice, round number. There will be live cut-ins, above-the-fold mentions, maybe even a special section or two. Even if you hate all things pinstripe, you will likely applaud the moment because Jeter has been good for baseball and he's hitting a figure that earns an ovation no matter which uniform the player is wearing — Wade Boggs as a Devil Ray, anyone? — at the time.

Here's my one beef with the storyline, though: As the Yankees finish their series against Cleveland on Monday night and then head into a three-game midweek series with Texas, the Captain's chase has taken on a certain urgency. If he picks up seven hits over the next four games — an improbability, but not an impossibility — Jeter will achieve the feat at Yankee Stadium in front of his adoring hometown fans. If he doesn't? Well, the implied giddyup! tells me that no one's quite sure that the collective disappointment won't lead to some sort of apocalyptic event.

(Seriously, if this were an early episode of "Lost," Jeter would currently be receiving instructions to hurriedly enter random numbers into a computer lest some unsaid misfortune fall upon Yankee Universe if he failed.)

It occurs to me that perhaps some are advancing this deadline as a way to inject some additional drama into an otherwise inevitable moment, but then I read articles like this one or entire blog posts inventing excuses for Joe Girardi so he can sit Jeter for an entire road trip and I'm back to believing the hysteria is really approaching.

And for what exactly? Is that section of the Bronx really that starved for memorable moments? Have a World Series title, A-Rod's 600th and Rob Iracane's dad catching a Mark Teixeira home run not been enough for the still-young new Stadium?

What's more, how do you postpone a pennant race with the Boston Red Sox just so you can define the parameters for your postcard? What would have happened had the Yankees asked Jeter to wait until they got back to New York before making the flip to get Jeremy Giambi out in Oakland? The totality of a player's greatness — and the memories he creates for us — comes in what he does both at home and on the road.

Not to mention that we have no control on where our milestones happen or that Yankees fans don't have a birthright to see these things happen in New York. As a big Chicago Blackhawks fan, I always dreamed of being able to see the Cup presented to my team on home ice. It didn't exactly happen that way last June — heck, neither did the overtime game-winner — but it didn't make the experience any less sweeter.

All that said, I'd personally like to see Jeter pick up these last seven hits over the next four games and become the 28th player to reach 3,000. I get that he's a special case here and that it would make for the best theater and that each Yankee fan would be able to claim that they were there for the hit (even if they weren't).

Really, though, let's not act as if Jeter poking out H3K at Wrigley Field or Great American Ballpark will grind the Earth to a halt before either place has the chance to become an answer to a Derek Jeter trivia question (and give him a very nice ovation as well).

Quite simply, it will happen where it happens.

And we will cheer and remember the moment because of the who, not the when or the where.

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Big League Stew - MLB - Yahoo! Sports: Redbird a-chirping: Wainwright declares Cardinals best in NL

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Redbird a-chirping: Wainwright declares Cardinals best in NL
Jun 13th 2011, 14:31

An elbow injury prevents Adam Wainwright from pitching, so he finds other ways to stay involved with the St. Louis Cardinals.

About 3-1/2 months removed from from Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery, Wainwright still comes to Busch Stadium to rehab his injury and to go over scouting reports with teammate Kyle McClellan.

And he definitely has his teammates' collective back when it comes to cheerleading. During a thoroughly enjoyable radio interview with Rob and B.J. Rains on 1380-AM The Sports Zone on Friday, Wainwright was asked if he was surprised at how well the Cardinals have played this season, given all of their catastrophic and nagging injuries.

Waino referred to statements he made earlier in the season touting the Cardinals as the best team in the National League and, half-jokingly, how "smart" his teammates have made him look as an analyst.

With the Cards tied for third in the majors with 38 victories (despite getting swept at Milwaukee over the weekend), Wainwright was still chirping his tune about the Cards being the best team around:

"I can tell you that honestly," Wainwright said. "I'm not being biased here — I'm out for the season. We're better than the Reds. We're better than the Cubs. We're better than the Brewers. We're better than the Phillies. I mean, there's nobody that can play with us. [...]

"We're the best team in the big leagues right now."

Waino is bueno! This kind of boasting, like something out of a prizefight weigh-in, is rare in baseball anymore. Guys might think their team is the best, or say it amongst themselves, but to come out and do a roll-call of teams who aren't as good as your own, well, I like the bravado. (Whether he's "not biased" is another matter.)

Perhaps above all else, the interview (listen to more of it here) shows Wainwright's still in a competitive frame of mind despite being sacked with what must be a depressing injury.  Wainwright admitted that his injury has prompted him to fall even deeper in love with baseball.

"I hang on every pitch. I feel like a fan again. If I miss part of a game on TV, I'll go back and rewind the DVR. I love baseball. I really, really love it. Being away from something you love that much, it makes you yearn to want to play it more."

[Related: If you like Wainwright's take on coming back from an injury, you'll appreciate the series Marlins catcher John Baker has been writing for BLS.]

Wainwright actually did cite several reasons for the Cards being the best team, such as having three perpetual MVP-types — Albert Pujols, Matt Holliday and a rejuvenated Lance Berkman — along with the best depth he can remember the Cardinals having. He's not wrong. After a disappointing 2010 season, the job GM John Mozeliak has done finding manager Tony La Russa the right pieces to move around should be lauded.

One of the reasons Waino is so gung-ho about the Cardinals is the one-in-a-million chance that he could pitch for them if they're still playing in October.

"I asked the orthopedic surgeon in theory if there's any chance I could pitch in October. And he counts on his fingers and goes, 'In theory? Yes. In reality...'

"I said, 'Nope. Stop there. I'll take the 'In theory' part."

Wainwright said he's about three weeks from picking up a baseball, and plans to start throwing from a mound in September. After losing an "unbelievable" amount of muscle mass, he's regaining strength, and is able to bench-press 200 pounds after — not long ago — needing to hold water glasses with both hands to keep them from slipping out.

Wainwright later said he knows "almost certainly" that he won't pitch this season, but didn't lament it too much. His injury gave McClellan a shot at starting and that's gone OK. Wainwright has been able to spend precious time with his own growing family and is grateful for that. And he got injured at just the "right" time, in a sense. Even if pitching in 2011 is a pipe dream, Wainwright is perfectly on schedule to reclaim a spot in the rotation in 2012.

And he's obviously shown an ability to contribute to the 2011 Cardinals.

Follow Dave on Twitter — @AnswerDave — and engage the Stew on Facebook

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