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Re: The MLB Thread
Josh Hamilton's week of Holy Moly was Hall-worthy
by John Henry / Star-Telegram
ARLINGTON -- Josh Hamilton's historic week will soon become part of Cooperstown.
Texas Rangers officials will oblige the Baseball Hall of Fame's request for the bat Hamilton used -- as well as the hat and jersey he wore -- when he became the 16th player to hit four home runs in a game on Tuesday night in Baltimore.
That night was only part of a seven-game stretch in which Hamilton blistered the baseball for nine home runs and 18 runs batted in.
That's no ordinary week. It's more like Holy Moly Week, which has put him in select company and has baseball enthusiasts struck with wonder.
"Honestly, I don't think about it all until I see somebody and they remind me of [the pace]," said Hamilton, who, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, joined Frank Howard and Shawn Green as the only major-league players to record at least nine home runs and 15 RBIs over a six-game span.
To Hamilton, it sounds as if the four-homer game is a thing of the past. "The only approach I have each day is do my work and try to have a good game."
A two-run double in the fourth inning of the Rangers' victory Sunday against the Los Angeles Angels and a run-scoring single gave him a major league-leading 44 RBI and extended his hitting streak to 13 consecutive games.
He also leads all major-leaguers in home runs (18) and the American League in batting average at .389.
With his 18th home run on Saturday, the Rangers' star outfielder became only the second player since 1918 to hit that many in his team's first 34 games, joining Cy Williams of the Phillies in 1923.
Hitting better than .400 over an entire season, much less achieving Hamilton's projections of more than 80 home runs and close to 200 RBIs is unheard of. To even partially maintain this pace he'll need to stay healthy and be a little lucky.
Manager Ron Washington is trying to keep his outfielder healthy by continually urging him to quit sliding into first while trying to beat out infield hits, as he did twice on Friday.
"When a guy smells a hit, he just reacts," Washington said. "I just hope he doesn't get hurt. When you're competing, you do what you have to do."
Hamilton said he's not caught up in the frenzy and he's not consumed with hitting home runs or for extra-base hits, another category in which he leads the majors.
"I'm not up there trying to hit home runs," Hamilton said. "I'm trying to hit the ball hard on the barrel."
Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/05/13 … rylink=cpy
Re: The MLB Thread
Random thoughts:
Derek Lowe is 6-1 with a 2.0 era. This guy was pretty horrible last year for the Braves. Still he's pitching to contact (had a shutout with O ks) and he should regress to the mean in the later months.
Angels still suck on offense. They've been shutout 8 times. The A's, Pirates and a couple of other teams are second with 4 shutouts. Speaking of the As, I think it is remarkable that they have a winning record despite being last in the AL in avg, 2nd to last in OBP and last in SLG, and last in OPS.
Nats have injury problems, specifically at catcher. Their 1st string guy Wilson Ramos (acquired from the Twins for Matt Capps a few years ago) blew out an ACL. The second stringer Sandy Leon suffered an ankle injury and got placed on the sixty day dl. They are down to their third stringer and are in the market for a catcher. The Cubs should be shopping Soto hard to the Nats in the upcoming weeks or months.
I'm not sure the Orioles as much as people think. I was pretty shocked that the Orioles were tied with the Yankees for HR's hit. I think their hitting might keep them in this longer than I would expect.
Red Sox are playing a lot better now. With the 2nd WC, they actually aren't as far out as they appear to be. Beckett and Lester pitched well the last 2 games. But those were against the Mariners.
Anyone kinda surprised that the NL East is one of the most competitive divisions? I still expect the Mets to fall off. I think the Braves stay in it. The Marlins and Phils are the wild cards. Marlins are playing well they've won something like 11 of their last 14 games. Nats have been winning with pitching only. Their offense is pretty suspect. Same with the Phils. One of these 3 teams will fall off. I just can't figure out which one. Nats probably have the best minor league system so they can make trades if needed. Philly is counting on Howard and Utley returing at some point during the year. I personally think Utley is done with at all the knee problems he has had.
Re: The MLB Thread
Mets will without a doubt will fall off, if not finish below .500 before the year is over. The Phils will pick up, but probably will miss the playoffs this year. They MIGHT compete for the 2nd wild card. Nats will stay in it as a "spoiler" much like the Marlins of yesteryear. Nats will stablelize, and if they make a run for it can get the pieces there to make it happen. Not only do they have the trade bait, they are sitting on a WEALTH of cash. They can make ANYTHING happen if they WANT to.
Right now they are watching the division and see where it goes. If they can stay in it up through the All-Star break, they will go full bore in trying to get the pieces that will bury the Phils & Braves. If Soriano hadn't had the slow start, he'd of already been back in the area, whether back with the Nats or a DH on the O's.
Marlins aren't there yet. They may be hot now, but they had an incredibly slow start to the season, and it wouldn't take anything for a hellacious losing streak. The offense has big holes, and the pitching has been erratic. So far Heath Bell's been a bust, on Pujols-levels.
As for Soto to Washingtreal, problem is Soto's trade value is literally WORTHLESS right now. The Cubs don't want to just give away a former Rookie of the Year, when they aren't THAT deep catching-wise either. Personally I think I-Rod retired a bit too early. I bet if he hadn't retired, the Nats would've already thrown him a minor league contract to come back.
Soto's bat is his only upside, because defensively he's average on his BEST day. Soto's bat at Sal Fasano-levels these days, and I don't see Washington as that desperate, unless the Cubs throw in a package deal to get something else from the Nats, and the Cubs give Wellington Castillo a full-year shot and see what the kid's got. Chicago ain't doing anything this year... on either side of town.
Last I heard the Nats had far bigger interest in A.J. Pierzynski, and the White Sox had talked about it, but at 35 years old, most see A.J.'s future as staying in the AL and becoming a DH, and spot-start C/1B.
Re: The MLB Thread
Kerry Wood retires after 13+ seasons; goes out on one final strikeout
by Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
CHICAGO -- Kid K has retired.
Kerry Wood, who burst onto the scene in 1998 with the Cubs, pitching a 20-strikeout game in his fifth Major League start, threw three pitches on Friday for career strikeout No. 1,582, which was his last. He announced his retirement after the Cubs' 3-2 loss to the White Sox.
"It's time -- it was time," Wood said. "We saw how things were going this year, and not being able to recover and bounce back and do my job, essentially, and do what I was supposed to do day in and day out. The grind of getting ready every day and go through hours to get ready for 15 pitches and not be successful, it was just time. It's time to give somebody else a chance."
There was no pregame announcement about Wood's future. Instead, Cubs manager Dale Sveum said the right-hander was available out of the bullpen.
"It's one of those things where you know," Sveum said. "It's the most difficult thing you ever have to deal with. Everybody has to do it. It's a time in your life where you make that decision."
Wood and his son, Justin, enjoyed the day. The two chased balls during batting practice, and even climbed into the center-field scoreboard prior to the Cubs' Interleague game against the White Sox. Wood took out the lineup card, and when he went to the bullpen, he hugged and high-fived his teammates. Then he took his seat.
Wood had talked to Sveum about retiring in the last couple weeks, but he made it clear on Thursday this was it.
"Yesterday, I knew it was a lot different than the first day he talked to me about it," Sveum said. "We talked for a long time about a lot of things. I don't think talking him out of it yesterday was right for me to do. ... There comes a time. It's unfortunate, because you'll never get it back. You'll miss the adrenaline."
Wood had plenty pumping through him when he took the mound in the eighth, replacing Jeff Samardzija and the Cubs trailing.
"I said, 'You better throw it at 80 percent, because you'll be throwing it out of your [backside]," Cubs reliever James Russell said.
Wood fired a 96-mph fastball at Dayan Viciedo, who fouled it off. Viciedo fouled off the next pitch, a curveball, and then swung and missed at a 78-mph curve. It's been a long time and 16 stints on the disabled list since Wood struck out Mark Grudzielanek, the first batter he faced in his Major League debut on April 12, 1998, in the first inning, but he felt the same rush.
"I told [Russell] before I went out, 'I feel like I'm getting ready to go pitch my first inning,'" Wood said. "The adrenaline was the same, the nerves were the same."
Viciedo had no chance. As Wood left the field, he was surprised at the top of the dugout steps by Justin, who gave him a hug. Wood tipped his cap to the fans, then hugged his teammates in the dugout. He made one more curtain call.
Wood, 34, wanted to leave on his own terms. He finishes with an 86-75 career record and a 3.67 ERA in 446 games, including 178 starts. A two-time All-Star, he ranks third with the Cubs in strikeouts behind Hall of Famer Fergie Jenkins and Carlos Zambrano, and he's the only one to reach the postseason with the team four times (1998, 2003, '07 and '08). He was the fastest pitcher to reach 1,000 strikeouts in both games (134) and innings pitched (853).
How long have the Cubs had to prepare for this?
"Probably 24 hours, I guess," Sveum said. "How do you prepare for it? You don't prepare for anything like this."
It's been rough for the Cubs' bullpen, which has the worst record in the National League. Wood already had missed time on the disabled list with right shoulder fatigue.
"[My arm] wasn't bouncing back this year," Wood said. "I felt I was putting guys in the 'pen in situations that they didn't need to be put in, putting Dale in situations where his hands were tied using me. I didn't want to go out with my last inning being me throwing my glove in the seats. I wanted to put up a zero and at least get one guy out."
On May 8 against the Braves, he entered in the eighth with the game tied at 1, and walked two batters and gave up two hits, including a game-winning two-run single by Dan Uggla. As he left the field, Wood threw his glove and cap into the stands in frustration.
The emotions were different on Friday.
"These fans have seen me and started reading about me when I was 17 and got drafted," Wood said. "Half of my life to this point has been in this uniform. I've been blessed, and the fans have supported me through all the injuries."
Wood was the Cubs' No. 1 Draft pick in 1995 and was a starter until arm injuries forced him to switch to relief. He was the Cubs' closer in 2008, totaling 34 saves. He finishes with 1,582 strikeouts, including 20 on May 6, 1998, in his fifth big league start. In that game, Wood gave up one hit and went the distance in a 2-0 win over the Astros.
"To come on the scene and set the expectations and the bar where he did and to play 15 years after that and to battle through some really tough times and things like that, it's pretty impressive what he's been able to do," teammate Ryan Dempster said. "It's going to be tough not seeing him pitching."
Wood has spent all but two years with the Cubs, pitching for the Indians in 2009 and then the Tribe and Yankees in '10. He returned to Chicago in '11 when he gave the Cubs a hometown discount, signing for $1.5 million. Last January, he signed a one-year, $3 million deal to stay in Chicago.
What will he do next?
"I've played baseball for 30 years and done it professionally for 19 seasons," Wood said. "It's the one thing I know how to do, and now it's over. We'll find something."
The aches and pains were just too much for him to overcome.
"He'll definitely be missed," Dempster said. "The city of Chicago and Cubs fans loved him and rightfully so. When they feel that way about somebody, it's for the right reasons. He was a great teammate, a great friend and a great human."
Not many players get to chose when to leave the game.
"I had fun, I had a blast," Wood said. "I wouldn't trade anything in."
Re: The MLB Thread
I was absolutely HEARTBROKEN when I heard the news when I tuned into the White Sox/Cubs crosstown kickoff this afternoon.
It's truely the end of an era, not just for Kerry, who should've have been THE Nolan Ryan of his generation, but Kerry Wood is the final player left from my childhood with the Cubs to bid adieu. They're all gone now. He was the last piece.
I was just happy that Kerry went out on his terms. Few men get to say that. It was beyond classy that it happened on a day of all Chicago, Sox/Cubs, when the Sox were giving Kerry standing ovations, as were all the fans. His son rushing out to great him at the dugout, the curtain call... all truely a touching moment.
Just like delivering one final Stone Cold stunner, and taking the beer bash. Steve Stone (now with the Sox) was there for the first pitch, the first strike, the first strikeout and now the last.
You will truely be missed, and for you and me both (what the organ player played as Kerry walked off the field), this one is for you Woody.
Re: The MLB Thread
Yeah that was his boy. His son was there with him all day and they pretty much played catch all morning, and just hung out all day at Wrigley, soaking it in. I think Dale Sveum said Wood approached him with it like 2 weeks ago. It was only a shock to everyone today, but they were waiting for the right time, and today was the day.
As for Wood's start, according to Kerry I doubt he could've rebounded, because Kerry said he was not rebounding from the injuries, which pretty much would've buried him by the All-Star break.
Kerry had already had shoulder surgery which ended his season last year early, and like Austin before him and others, it was just one of those "you just kinda knew this was it".
Kerry wasn't healing, he could feel it, and all season I watched him and he was WAY OFF. The fastballs didn't have the velocity, the breaking pitches didn't break, and the new Cutter that he was working on in Spring Training that was so effective, was all but gone by the regular season
If Kerry had stayed on and finished out the year, more than likely within a month he would've been back on the DL, with another "season ending" injury... and he knew it. He could feel it in his body, and after the experience with all the DL visits, he pretty much had became an expert on knowing his body and what he could and couldn't do.
He also didn't want to be one of those guys that eroded away into AAA oblivion (Tom Glavine), because they just wouldn't leave. Wood also already felt horrible that he was putting pressure on an already shaky bullpen, by putting guys on and giving up runs with each outing this season.
He was done.
Normally, with his age (remember Sandberg retired pre-maturely to save his marriage), I would say Wood actually would stand a good chance of coming back to baseball after taking some time off. But with all of his injuries, that's not happening. Like I said the "three pitch, one hitter, final strikeout" thing was his final stunner moment, and tipping the cap to the fans and going out with some pride fairly quickly, rather wait too long and he's too injured and just fades away into obscurity and Page 12 news.
The better question now is, because he's so young... where does he go now? Will he be forced into taking some time off? Will the Cubs immediately keep him in the fold?
I could easily see Wood getting an Assistant to the GM job and working alongside Epstein & Hoyer. He and his family live in Chicago year round, and Wood has pretty much because the next generation Ron Santo for Cub fans. He's an icon to the organization, even if alot of his legacy outside of Wrigley will be written in "failed matererlization".
I personally will NEVER forget that 20-strikeout game. I remember getting home from school and watching it live, and just being on the edge of my seat. We all thought Kerry would be the next Fergie Jenkins. We thought it was history in the making. I've never, ever seen in one-off regular season game that enthralling since.
Which also brings up that post-2003 team. I've never seen a Cub team look as good on paper as that 2004 Cubs team. A Cubs rotation look as good as that 2004 Cubs rotation, that was so good that Greg Maddux was an "old man" in the 5th slot. We thought the 1-2-3 punch of Wood, Prior, Zambrano would be the next Maddux/Glavine/Smoltz. And frankly, it should have been.
Re: The MLB Thread
I could easily see Wood getting an Assistant to the GM job and working alongside Epstein & Hoyer. He and his family live in Chicago year round, and Wood has pretty much because the next generation Ron Santo for Cub fans. He's an icon to the organization, even if alot of his legacy outside of Wrigley will be written in "failed matererlization".
Is he even interested in being a front office guy at all? I know he does some charity work in Chicago.
Wood was just not blessed with health on his side. Whether it was his mechanics or early (I read he threw a LOT of pitches in HS) and later workload issues, his arm just could handle the workload on a consistent basis. He's got nothing to be ashamed of though his career was probably better than most major leaguers.
Anyway, I'll most remember Kerry Wood for clinching the NLDS in 2003 with the Game 5 win on the road vs the Braves.
As for the 2004 Cubs, Dusty Baker and pitch counts and pitcher workload will always be an issue wherever he manages. That and they basically just choked the last week of the season.
I can't really blame all of Wood's problems on Baker, but on Prior Dusty Baker deserves a whole shitload of that for torpedoing his career. Prior is still hanging on I think and is pitcher in the Red Sox minor leagues somewhere.
