Category: Uncategorized

Just read in Bill James’ Historical Baseball Abstract that Babe Ruth was caught using a corked bat in 1923. That was new to me.

Doubt there was a big media sensation made about that when it happened. Nor do you hear about anyone casting doubt on Ruth’s records now because of it.

Nor should they in my opinion.

Bet the Babe grumbled a lot about it at the time, though.

Olerud update: First baseman John Olerud played in his first extended Spring Training game on Saturday and went 3-for-4. Because he’s been nursing a tweaked hamstring, Olerud was instructed not to run at full speed. Instead, he ran nine 40-yard sprints.

Tito Francona’s kid (Terry Francona, Red Sox manager) said the club has no specific timetable on when Olerud will be activated, or, for that matter, depart Fort Myers, Fla.

“When he leaves Florida, we want to make sure he’s ready to play and not limping, and not beat up,” Francona said. “They’re keeping a pretty close eye on him.”

John Olerud has never played in the minor leagues.

Is there any player presently in the major leagues who has never played in the minors? I can’t think of one. Any help?

Don’t know if you know this, but despite the fact I live on the Northside of Chicago I’m not really a Cub fan. But I do have a lineup suggestion for The Dusteroo when Todd Walker returns…

1) Hairston LF
2) Walker 2B
3) Lee 1B
4) Burnitz RF
5) Ramirez 3B
6) Patterson CF
7) Barrett C
8) Perez SS

It’s a very balanced lefty/righty batting order. And it has the players who walk most at the top of the lineup.

With a 3-2 lead one out in the top of the 7th J.J. Putz was brought in to blow Boston masher Manny Ramirez away with 98 MPH heaters.

Then it was Trot Nixon’s turn, Trot turned it up a notch, and then did as his name would indicate, trot around the bases. Nixon turned around a 98 MPH fastball and sent it far into the Seattle night deep over the rightfield wall. Not even Ichiro could’ve caught that one!

Proof to the old saying, “the faster they come in, the faster they go out”. The funny thing was the Seattle TV announcers were just marvelling how hard Putz was throwing and there was no way anybody was going to catch up with one.

Final score: Boston 6 Seattle 3.

Jason Isringhausen got his first save since getting off the DL. His return is a welcome one for the Cardinals, I’m sure, with the loss of Scott Rolen for 4-6 weeks.

Though as Baseball Musings points out, it hasn’t always been Rolen, Pujols or Walker carrying the Cardinals as of late. Sometimes the “light-hitting” guys have been contributing as well.

Today was no exception with Mark Grudzielanek with a homer and a rbi single and Abraham Nunez (Rolen’s replacement) with another homer.

Some Izzy Trivia: When Jason Isringhausen and Bill Van Landingham faced each other in the mid-90’s, it was the matchup with the longest last names by the starting pitchers in the history of MLB.

Texas starter Kenny Rogers extended his scoreless innings streak to 30 today after throwing a complete game shutout against the Twins. He’s now 4-2 for the year.

No spring chicken, the Gambler, at age 40, is one more example of a pitcher in advanced age who shows he still has it.

It was career win #180 for Rogers.

Carlos Zambrano has been lifted early because of forearm tightness.

Cubs are down 4-2..

Friday the 13th in LA was freaky for Adam LaRoche. LaRoche came up huge for the Atlanta Braves in the top of the eighth inning. He hit a two out grand slam off Jeff Weaver to turn a 2-0 deficit into a 4-2 lead.

But his mental mistake set up Milton Bradley’s heroics in the bottom of the frame. With one out and runners on 1st & 2nd J.D. Drew of the Dodgers hit a hard ground ball to first. LaRoche looked to 2nd in an effort to keep the potential tying run off secondbase, but then thought better and attempted to beat J.D. to the bag. All Adam had to do was feed reliever Chris Reitsma for the 2nd out, but he had a brain cramp. Drew was credited with a single, when it should have been ruled a failed fielder’s choice (as LaRoche could’ve gone straight to first rather than looking at second) or an error (as J.D. would have been out had Adam flipped the ball to Reitsma). Reitsma then got Jeff Kent to fly to left. That would have been the third out, but instead it set the stage for Milton Bradley.

Bradley a switch hitter batting lefthanded hooked a grand slam inside the rightfield foul pole to give the Dodgers a lead they wouldn’t cough up. Milton hit a homer batting righthanded earlier in the game off Horacio Ramirez. He became only the second player, joining Eddie Murray, in the history of the Dodgers to hit a homer from each side of the plate more than once in a game. As Bradley streaked around the bases he kept puffing out ‘Dodgers’ scripted across his chest as if to say, “this one’s for the team”. 53,689 fans went delirious as Milton came out for a curtain call.

GREATEST CATCH I’VE EVER SEEN!!! including Ken Berry Check this catch out (link in multimedia section) See it in higher video resolution if possible. AMAZING!!!

Followup: TB wanted me to include this link about Ken Berry for those young ‘uns who don’t recall the name. -TBZ

Rookie Pirate leftfielder Ray Sadler got his first major league hit yesterday, a homer off Noah Lowry. Now it looks like Ray will be sent down to make room for newly acquired Michael Restovich.