Tag: Detroit Tigers

Categories
Cleveland Indians

You stay classy, Toledo


Last week, during a game between the Indians Triple-A affiliate Buffalo and the hometown Toledo Mud Hens, Buffalo outfielder Shin-Soo Choo was roundly booed. For his performance? Nope, he was booed and heckled because his name kinda sorta looks like Seung-Hui Cho, the Va Tech student who went on a rampage on April 16.

Choo declined to repeat what the fans were yelling but did say:


Some fans said bad things. It’s pretty close to my name. My name is spelled Choo, and his name is Cho. It upset me when a couple of fans talked like that.

We haven’t really thought about Toledo since… well, never. So we decided to do a little research and came up with this rant by a guy who moved out of Toledo:


The people who reside in Toledo are the most intolerant, inconsiderate, ignorant human beings I’ve ever come aross. They are above and beyond anything I’ve ever experienced, and quite frankly, I don’t know how that’s possible. I have encountered a good deal of slack-jawed bumpkins in my day, but nothing compares to these simpletons. They are the crème de la crème of the idiotic.

Listen up, Toledoans, perhaps it’s not fair for us to paint an entire town of 300,000 based on one man’s account of his experience or because of a bunch of ignorant baseball fans… oh yeah, you xenophobic idiots (go ahead… we’ll wait while you look that up) just booed a man for having something resembling the last name of a mass murderer. Toledo Mud Hens fans, you get the big FU of the week.

Links:
[Sports By Brooks]: MUD HENS FANS NEED TO DROP A VOWEL ONCE IN AWHILE

[Cleveland Plain Dealer]: Choo hears boos for wrong reason

Categories
MLB General

The Full Count: Return of the Big Unit not as good as hoped



Dude, those CANNOT be real

1. Bad Debut for the Unit: Randy Johnson going to Arizona was one of the biggest stories this offseason. But, in his first start of the season due to a back injury, Johnson was not himself. He went 5 innings, allowing 6 runs and an uncharacteristic 4 walks. Johnson did strike out 7, but he ended up losing his matchup with fellow 43-year-old David Wells. Wells allowed just one run less than Johnson, but the bullpen behind him surrendered nothing. The Padres’ offense was the real star in this game. Adrian Gonzalez went 3-3 with 3 runs and 3 RBIs, and hit a rare lefty homer off the southpaw Johnson. Khalil Greene‘s 4-5, 4-RBI performance further helped the Padres in their 10-5 win, which sent their record to 12-8. The slumping D-Backs, meanwhile, have lost five in a row.

2. From Awful to Dominant: As any Braves fan would tell you, the main reason their 14-year division title streak ended last year was their bullpen. Their relievers blew the most saves in baseball last year. But this year, Atlanta’s bullpen is probably one of the best in the National League. That was proven on Tuesday, when they made up for another bad start by Mark Redman with six shutout innings. Redman, whose 3-inning, 6-run start gave him a 10.12 ERA this season, could and should be demoted from the Braves’ rotation. But the bullpen only allowed three baserunners, and Bob Wickman continued his 0.00 ERA season. The Braves’ offense is heating up as well; seven different players had an RBI as they beat the Marlins 11-6. at 13-7, they are a half-game back from the Mets for division supremacy.

3. Underperformers: The Tigers and Angels are two teams with World Series potential this year, but neither is looking good right now. They played each other on Tuesday to end their two-game set, and the performance by both teams was sloppy. There were 5 combined errors, including one by Tigers closer Todd Jones that led to an Angels victory in the 10th inning. But the Angels shouldn’t be pleased with their play either; they gave up a 7-run lead with an unusually poor effort by their bullpen. Both teams are lucky to be within a game of their division leader, as the Tigers are 11-9 while the Angels are just 10-10. Expect those records to get a lot better as the year goes on.

Player of the Day: Vernon Wells, Blue Jays: 4-5, HR (4), 3 RBIs, 4 runs.

Stat of the Day: When David Wells and Randy Johnson faced each other, it was the first time in MLB history that opposing pitchers were each 43 years or older.

Categories
College Football

Odds and Ends: Florida Gators boosters are doing a poor job


You’d think that a national football and college basketball championship would have the Florida boosters in fine form. But this story about a robbery is an excellent example of how they are just dropping the ball:


On Saturday, a UF student was taking kegs out of his truck when [five] men approached him. One 6-foot-4, 280-pound man attempted to steal his keg, cutting his neck in the process, according to the report. The cut was 5 to 6 inches long, the report states, and it appeared to be the result of a fingernail or ring.

The suspect was a Gator football player who had to be restrained from attacking the victim a few times by four of his teammates. Look at the travesty here. Why does a Florida Gator football player feel the need to rob a man of his keg? Shouldn’t the football players have unlimited access to the local beer distributor? After all, they are champions! For shame, Gator boosters, for shame. (Hat tip: Loserwith socks)

In other news…

[Fish stripes]: Dontrelle Willis pitches as his wife prepares to give birth

[Deseret News]: Andrei Kirilenko and Jerry Sloan just lost in translation

[Ben Maller]: Tigers Sean Casey comes home from a road trip to find his car on cinder blocks at the airport

[The Offside]: A book sheds more light (eccchhhh) on Wayne Rooney nailing a 48 year old grandmother/prostitute

[Can’t Stop the Bleeding]: Toriiiiii Hunter almost suspended three years for giving champagne

[Lopez@Large]: Yao Ming needs a strong postseason to define his legacy

[WBRS Sports]: The Orioles to offer groupies free mustache ride

And finally, if the Kansas City Royals adopted the My Name is Earl scratch and sniff episode promotion, would it just smell like garbage?

Categories
MLB General

The Full Count: Dice-K can’t catch a break


1. Bad Roll of the Dice: Daisuke Matsuzaka is perhaps the unluckiest pitcher in baseball this season. He has lost two starts in a row despite pitching a quality start in both games. Dice-K was simply outpitched by Felix Hernandez a week ago and Gustavo Chacin on Tuesday. Chacin improved to 2-0 for the Blue Jays after allowing one run into the seventh inning. Matsuzaka, meanwhile, allowed three runs and struck out 10 but didn’t get any support from the offense. With the win the Blue Jays passed the Sox for first place in the AL East, and there are still two games left in this series.

2. Powerhouses: Everyone knows Alex Rodriguez is great. He is having an April like Albert Pujols did last year, as he leads the majors in homers (8) and RBIs (21). Last night A-Rod was part of a Yankees offensive rampage that led to eight runs in the firs two innings and a 10-3 rout of the Indians. While it shouldn’t surprise too many people that Rodriguez is having this type of season, what is surprising is the second-most-powerful player in baseball–Ian Kinsler of the Rangers. Kinsler, a fantasy breakout pick by many this year, has provided a monstrous 7 homers and 13 RBIs, including 1 and 3 in the Rangers’ 8-1 romp over the White Sox. Also in that game, Sammy Sosa hit his third homer of the year, a three-run blast that gave him 10 RBIs. While nobody should expect Sammy to hit above .250, he could have a 30-homer season if healthy.

3. Beasts of the East: The Braves and Mets have been exchanging wins recently as they crush their divisional competition. The Braves beat the Nationals on Tuesday, led by Chipper Jones’ 4th homerun and four hits by leadoff man Kelly Johnson. The Mets, meanwhile, manhandled the Phillies 8-1. Moises Alou of all people had 2 homers and 3 RBIs for New York. The Braves and Mets are a half-game separated in the divisional race, with their next series against each other this weekend.

Player of the Day: Carlos Lee, Astros: 3-4, HR (5), 4 RBIs (16), and 2 runs in a 6-1 win over Florida. If there had been a Full Count on Saturday, Lee would have won this as well with a 3-homer, 6-RBI performance.

Walk Off: The Detroit Tigers are showing this year that their 2006 run was no fluke. They are 9-5 and are standing out in the crowded AL Central race. While their strength of schedule hasn’t been too impressive–they’ve played the Blue Jays twice, Orioles, and Royals twice–they are beating the teams they should beat while going 3-3 against the potent Blue Jays. The Tigers have crushed Kansas City a combined 19-11 the past two nights, showing that they have more ways to win than a pitchers duel. And the top half of their rotation–Verlander, Robertson, and Bonderman–have been fantastic. Detroit was my preseason pick to win the division, and they haven’t showed anything that would make me change my mind.

Categories
MLB General

The Full Count: Devil Rays do their best Bad News Bears

Crawford tagged out

1. This is Tampa Bay baseball: If you ever wanted to see an example of why the Devil Rays have always sucked, go back to their game last night. They get a good start from Casey Fossum of all people, they have a rally going and are tied 2-2 with the Twins, and then some stupid mistake occurs. This one was actually by their best player, Carl Crawford, who hit it to the outfield and motored toward third. However, his teammate got held up at third, and was then tagged out. But Crawford compounded his mistake by then heading back to second base, where he was tagged out for a double play. Tampa’s rally was killed, and then they lost in the ninth on a Justin Morneau solo homer. Is anyone actually surprised by this? But tune in Friday anyway for a fantastic pitching matchup: Santana vs. Kazmir.

2. Hammerin’ Hafner: The Indians’ Travis Hafner had a slow start to the season. However, it took him one game to regain his 2006 form. The Tribe was down 2-1 in the eighth inning when Hafner launched a deep three-run homerun, his first of the year. The homer came off the usually reliable Scot Shields of the Angels, who gave up his first runs of the year. 24-year-old starter Jeremy Sowers for the Indians had his second straight quality start, and Joe Borowski came on for his third save. Cleveland won their “home” series in Milwaukee and are 4-2 this season.

3. Three-way tie: I’ve already covered two wins by teams at the top of the AL Central. Why not go for a third? The Tigers won their third straight game yesterday in a pretty even contest with the Blue Jays. Detroit won with their usual formula: solid starting pitching (Mike Maroth had a quality start), overachieving hitting (Brandon Inge had 3 RBIs), and a great bullpen (Joel Zumaya had two shutout innings to close the game). The Tigers are now 6-3, tied with Minnesota and Cleveland for the AL Central lead. This team will be even better once Gary Sheffield actually does something. He snapped an 0-16 hitless streak yesterday and is just .125 on the year.

Player of the Day: Jason Bergmann, Nationals: 6 innings, one hit, no runs, 8 strikeouts in a surprising 2-0 win over Atlanta.

Stat of the Day: The starting pitchers in the Phillies-Mets game, Jamie Moyer (44) and Tom Glavine (41), are a combined 85 years of age. They are the oldest combined lefthanders ever to have faced each other and the second-oldest overall.

Categories
Fantasy Baseball

Odds and Ends: Geddy Lee kicks fantasy baseball ass



Nice kimono, Neil

Last week, we wondered why Geddy Lee made a random appearance in the ESPN Fantasy Baseball commercial. Well, this pretty much explains everything. Not only is Geddy a huge baseball fan, he has been doing fantasy baseball since the 80s, which was before they invented the telephone and myspace. And if you think your league is hard, he plays in a total points keeper league with 40-man rosters.


I like the league because the rules are complex, yet they replicate much of a player’s real-life skills. If you draft a middle infielder, you not only want him to be a great hitter, you want points for double plays turned. It’s like building a real team. If you have a good combination of a strong catcher, center fielder and middle infielders, you will have a good team.

On top of that, they draft minor leaguers too. Jesus, we care barely decide whether a good pitcher on a bad team is worth a high draft pick. The most underrated lead singer of all time is a fantasy baseball junkie. Who knew? Hey Geddy, wanna join a 45-man roster Fantasy Football league?

In other news…

[Sporting News]: Lynn University student get credit for Final Four field trip

[Sports Law Blog]: Rethinking Contact Between NBA Executives and Parents of College Players

[NBC30]: Maradona enters rehab for drinking and eating too much. We are shocked.

[The Big Lead]: Curtis Granderson talks to the Big Lead

[The Wizard of Odds]: Something about Tim Tebow or something… but picture goodness

And finally, a video about the effects of drugs on spiders. No seriously.

Categories
Chicago White Sox

What exactly is Ozzie Guillen’s problem?


We don’t ever remember hearing about Jim Leyland saying anything bad about anybody. And even though he manages the Detroit Tigers, what has he ever done to Ozzie Guillen except beat him out for a playoff spot last year? So it’s quite puzzling that Ozzie Guillen would launch an unprovoked attack on the Tigers manager. (Not surprising that Ozzie would talk out of his ass, suprising that it was directed towards Leyland.)


To me, Sparky Anderson was the greatest. He managed my favorite team, the Cincinnati Reds. But Sparky Anderson lose 100 (games) with the Tigers. (Anderson lost 100 games only once, in 1989 when the Tigers were 59-103.)

But everybody remember Sparky Anderson with the Big Red Machine. Jim Leyland. Jim Leyland quit with the Colorado Rockies. Can’t handle it no more. `I’m gone.’ Having money on the table. He said, `I don’t need the money. My health is more important than baseball.’ Is he a great baseball man? Awesome. Is he a great manager? Hell, no.

Ozzie is amusing sometimes because he gives sportswriters and bloggers something to write about. But we wish someone would open a can of STFU for him already. Actually, what would be better would be a Tigers-White Sox brawl and have 63 year old Leyland kick his ass.

Links:

[The Detroit News]: Chicago’s Guillen fires a salvo at Leyland

Categories
Boston Red Sox

Jan 5 in Sports History: Ruth sold to the Yankees


In 1920 This was the day that the Boston Red Sox and their fans were given an 86-year excuse for losing pennants and World Series’ in unbelievable fashion. Red Sox owner Harry Frazee sold George Herman Ruth to the New York Yankees for $125,000 in cash. Some believe it was so Frazee could finance a Broadway play called “No No Nanette,” others believe it was because The Babe had become absolutely insufferable as a superstar for the Red Sox, and the huge amount of money at that time was too good to pass up (Frazee had intended to buy other players with the money, not finance the play, but was entangled with legal problems with the American League). Either way, the fortunes of two franchises completely reversed. Boston, which had won four titles in eight years, did not win for another 86, The Yankees, meanwhile, won 26 during that time.

In 1927: Public hearings began on the most forgotten scandal in sports history. Baseball hall of famers Ty Cobb and Tris Speaker, two of the greatest players of all time, were implicated in an alleged fixing of a game in 1919. Former Tigers’ pitcher Dutch Leonard made accusations that Speaker and Cobb, along with “Smokey” Joe Wood (another hall of fame pitcher), wrote letters to him that Cobb and Speaker planned to throw a Tigers-Athletics game at the end of the 1919 season. At first, Cobb and Wood admitted to the letters (Speaker denied everything) but claimed it was a horse racing bet and that Leonard was angry that Cobb (who was also a manager by then) had sent him to the minor leagues. Cobb and Speaker were to privately resign their managerial posts and accept a lifetime ban. In the end, however, Commissioner Kennesaw Mountain Landis cleared all players because Leonard was unable to convince him (or the public) that the players actually threw the game.

Categories
MLB General

No one is watching the World Series


The numbers are in and they are not good. The opening game of the World Series was the lowest rated in history. The Saturday night opener got a 8.0 rating and a 15 share. To put that in perspective, that wouldn’t even have made it into the Top 20. Game 2 fared a little better with a 11.5 share. Overall though the two games still average the 5% lower than the lowest in history.

Now, the folks at Fox will declare the Series a success because both game still won their time slots but this is the World Series folks. Shouldn’t more people be watching it than, say, Two and a Half Men? St. Louis vs Detroit? Nobody on the coasts really cares about that matchup. Meanwhile, NY vs Oakland and all of the sudden you have your east coast/west coast rivalry and tons of people tuning in to root against the Mets. When the only controversy is whether Kenny Rogers had a smudge of dog crap on his hand, you’ve got problems. Either they need to drum up some controversey or rig the playoffs somehow for a better matchup. Bud Selig, David Stern is awaiting your call.

Links:
[AZCentral]: World Series ratings down once again

Categories
MLB General

The Full Count: Only the Loney can play



9 RBI day

1. The “Lone” Leader: The Los Angeles Dodgers, simply put, are on a roll. With another win yesterday, they increased their Wild Card lead to two games over the Phillies. With just three games left to go in the season, that is huge. Thursday’s win over the Rockies was, well, unique. LA won 19-11 in the highest scoring game the majors has seen this season. Their win was prompted by a previously unheard-of name: James Loney. Loney drove in a team-record 9 RBIs, more than anyone in a single game this season. He broke the NL rookie record for single game RBIs. Loney hit two homeruns, a grand slam and a two-run shot, as well as a two-run double. His efforts gave the Dodgers their 15th win in 19 games against the Rockies this season. Taking away those games, this team is only .500.

2. Twin Leaders: The Minnesota Twins, who have been so good the second half of the season, have done what once seemed impossible. They tied the Detroit Tigers for the AL Central division lead. The Tigers, once easily the best team in baseball, have fallen off while the Twins have won game after game. Two months ago on this day the Twins were 10.5 games back while the Tigers were in command. But since that date Detroit has gone 25-31 while the Twins have posted a 36-21 record. Yesterday the Tigers fell 8-6 to the Blue Jays as Kenny Rogers had his worst start in a month. But the Twins, fueled by a ninth-inning homerun by Joe Mauer to tie it up, won in extras against the Royals. That handed Kansas City its 100th loss of the season. The Devil Rays are the only other team that mathematically can reach that mark.

3. It’s getting closer: The St. Louis Cardinals need a wake-up call. The team has virtually wrapped up the division title by mid-September, but with a bevy of losses lately they’ve forfeited this lead. They lost again yesterday, and they only have a half-game lead over the Astros, who have won nine games in a row. They lost 9-4 to the pitiful Brewers yesterday, with Jason Marquis’ ERA increasing to over 6.00. This team needs to win their next three games, all against Milwaukee, or they’ll be in big trouble.

4. SD keeps their lead: The Padres needed a win to avoid a tie at the top of their division, and they got it. San Diego beat Arizona 12-4, keeping their one-game lead. Their offense got three homers and Jake Peavy struck out 7.

5. Pedro out for the year: First it was the toe, then it was the hip, then it was the right calf. And now, finally the left calf is the injury that will keep Pedro Martinez out of the postseason. He has a torn tendon in his left calf that does not require surgery but will keep him out of the lineup for the playoffs.