Toronto Blue Jays Baseball Bet Blog News and Info

Rios rallies Blue Jays over Yankees 6-5

2006-10-04T13:37:00.000-07:00

Eight days into his career as a major league first baseman, Gary Sheffield earned the job for the New York Yankees in the playoffs. Then he homered for the second straight day.

Alex Rodriguez and Sheffield hit consecutive home runs in the fourth inning of Saturday's 6-5 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays.

Alex Rios hit a go-ahead, two-run triple against T.J. Beam as Toronto rallied from a 4-1 deficit in a four-run seventh inning, getting three unearned runs after an error by backup first baseman Andy Phillips.

Preparing for Tuesday's playoffs opener against Minnesota or Detroit and assured of homefield advantage throughout the postseason, the Yankees treated it as a spring training game, resting some regulars and taking out others in the middle innings. The game meant little except for the two players with a chance to win the AL batting title.

Derek Jeter went 3-for-3 with a walk, raising his average to .345, and Robinson Cano was 1-for-4, lowering his to .341. Minnesota's Joe Mauer, who leads the AL at .346, didn't play Saturday.

With 2,148 hits, Jeter moved past Yogi Berra into seventh on the Yankees career list.

Rodriguez hit his 35th homer, a two-run drive into the center-field bleachers, and Sheffield followed with his sixth for a 3-0 lead in the fourth against Shaun Marcum. Miguel Cairo had an RBI double in the fifth that made it 4-1.

Before the game, Yankees manager Joe Torre said Sheffield will start at first in the postseason, leaving Jason Giambi at designated hitter.

Jeff Karstens retired his first 12 batters before Lyle Overbay homered leading off the fifth, then allowed Aaron Hill's sacrifice fly in the seventh. After Phillips failed to touch the first-base bag on Gregg Zaun's two-out grounder, pinch-hitter John McDonald had an RBI single off Mike Myers (1-2) and Hill tripled into the right-field corner.

Overbay added an RBI groundout against Jose Veras in the eighth, and Bobby Abreu hit a run-scoring single off Justin Speier in the bottom half.

Jason Frasor (3-2) got three outs for the win, and B.J. Ryan pitched the ninth for his 38th save in 42 chances. Toronto began the day tied for second with Boston in the AL East.

Karstens gave up four runs - two earned - and five hits in 6 2-3 innings.

Notes: Jeter has a career-high 33 steals this year and 248 in his career, tying Hal Chase for third on the Yankees' career list. ... Mariano Rivera pitched a one-hit ninth in his final postseason tuneup.

Blue Jays bullpen could use relief

2006-06-13T11:41:00.000-07:00

A group of seven men dressed in Blue Jays uniforms will be sitting near the left-centre-field fence at Rogers Centre on Tuesday night hoping Roy Halladay can deliver another complete game.

Blue Jays reliever Scott Schoeneweis looks on Monday night as Baltimore's Ramon Hernandez rounds the bases after hitting a home run. (Nathan Denette/Canadian Press)
Vinnie Chulk, Jason Frasor, Francisco Rosario, B.J. Ryan, Scott Schoeneweis, Justin Speier and Brian Tallet are members of a tired Toronto bullpen.
They entered Monday's action with 194 appearances this season — tops in the American League —and were called upon again for 5 2/3 innings of work in a 6-4 setback to the visiting Baltimore Orioles.
Jays rookie starter Casey Janssen was chased in the fourth inning after yielding five runs (all earned) on eight hits en route to his third loss in four starts against the Orioles this year.
Tallet, Schoeneweis and Speier followed and shut down Baltimore the rest of the way, permitting a single run and striking out five.
Halladay has the only two complete games thrown by Toronto hurlers this season, and will be asked to eat more innings as his team attempts to halt a three-game losing streak.
"If he pitches his usual game, we'll have the lead late," Gibbons told mlb.com. "There's no pressure for [Halladay]. He approaches every game the same way."
Halladay holds the fort
In his lone start versus Baltimore this season, the Blue Jays ace allowed three runs in six innings to earn a no-decision in a 7-5 defeat on June 8.
Toronto, third in the AL East division with a record of 34-29, has won 10 of 12 games when Halladay has started this year.
The right-hander, who is 11-4 with a 3.06 earned-run average in 20 career appearances against the Orioles, will be looking for his eighth win of 2006 against one loss.
Halladay will also be looking for better results from the Jays' offence. The third to sixth hitters — Vernon Wells, Troy Glaus, Lyle Overbay and Shea Hillenbrand — went a combined 1-for-15 against Orioles starter Kris Benson and three relievers on Monday.
"It comes down to all 25 guys," Wells told reporters. "If we're not hitting, the pitchers need to pick us up.
"If they're not pitching, we need to hit more.
"That's the bottom line and we've got to do what it takes to win games."
Jays face Canadian
For the second time in a week, Toronto will face Baltimore left-hander Adam Loewen, a 22-year-old native of Surrey, B.C.
The six-foot-five, 235-pounder has made two starts since replacing Bruce Chen in the rotation and is still searching for his first big-league victory.
Loewen's ERA rose to 7.80 after he gave up five runs on 11 hits in 5 1/3 innings against Toronto on June 8.
But Loewen hasn't been hit hard, with 18 of the 22 hits he has allowed in his four major-league starts going for singles.
Blue Jays infielder Russ Adams will go head to head with Loewen for the first time in his career. The shortstop-turned-second baseman went 0-for-4 on Monday in his first game for Toronto since being demoted to triple-A on May 25.
Orioles outfielder Jay Gibbons also returned to the lineup after sitting two weeks with a sprained ligament in his right knee.
He'll face Toronto spot starter Scott Downs (1-0) on Wednesday at 7:07 p.m. EDT. Righty Rodrigo Lopez (4-7) gets the call for Baltimore.

Orioles salvage series split with Jays

2006-06-09T11:32:00.000-07:00

BALTIMORE -- It's tempting to say Adam Loewen got off light Thursday night, even if he stuck with another one of the American League's heavyweights. Loewen made his second straight start against a former Cy Young Award winner and got his second straight no-decision, but the Orioles rallied late in a 7-5 win over the Blue Jays.
The win allowed Baltimore to salvage a series split with Toronto (33-26) and finish with a 5-5 record on its homestand, which included visits by Tampa Bay and New York. Loewen's only prior start came against five-time Cy Young Award winner Randy Johnson, and his second one came against Toronto's Roy Halladay, the league's best pitcher in 2003.
"I know that a lot of people thought it wasn't a great matchup, but I thought Adam rose to the occasion and pitched pretty well against a powerful right-handed offense," said Baltimore manager Sam Perlozzo. "That's kind of what we want all our starters to do. The youngster looks like he's getting a little better each time. You've got to give him credit.
"He's in there fighting and concentrating. ... Hopefully, we've got something."
He may be fighting and concentrating, but he was also scuffling. Loewen gave up 11 hits -- none for extra bases -- and allowed at least two baserunners in four of his five complete innings. Still, he carried a 3-2 lead into the sixth inning, an advantage that quickly evaporated. Loewen lasted four batters, getting one out and giving up three straight singles.
Baltimore (28-33) went to Todd Williams, who gave up run-scoring hits to pinch-hitter Frank Catalanotto and leadoff man Reed Johnson. Loewen's stat line absorbed all those runs, and Williams went on to walk Vernon Wells to force in one more. That gave the Jays a two-run lead and briefly made Loewen the pitcher of record -- on the wrong side of the ledger.
"That team finds holes, and that's why they're one of the best hitting teams in the league," he said. "I'm happy. I'm pleased with how I pitched. I gave us a chance to win and we pulled it out in the end, which was awesome."
"He pitched well. He got out of some jams," said Toronto manager John Gibbons. "We had some guys on base and he made some pitches to get out of some jams. Once he gets his command, he'll be awful tough."
Perlozzo was asked if Loewen would start again, and didn't hesitate in his response.
"I don't see how you can say, 'No,'" he said. "A ballclub like that and he pitched that well. I thought that was pretty good."
Perhaps the win had something to do with that, but Perlozzo had the right to look at the bright side. Loewen's ERA (7.80) says something entirely different, but a lot of that damage came in two relief appearances. The southpaw has a 6.97 mark as a starter and a 9.64 mark as a reliever, but Perlozzo said he has pitched better than his numbers.
Loewen, in his postgame comments, gave reason to believe he may be even better in the near future.
"I feel more comfortable out there. I feel like I can pitch the way I'm capable of," said the former first-round pick. "I had some ups-and-downs and my curveball was off tonight. I thought I did well without it. We came away with the win, which was the most important thing."
Halladay worked six innings and left with eight hits and four runs on his resume, handing the rest of the game over to his relief staff. Toronto handled things until the eighth, when Baltimore put together an odd game-changing rally. Justin Speier came in with one out and two men on in that inning, and he gave up a single to load the bases.
That's where the game got surreal. The Orioles forced in three runs without the benefit of another hit. Brandon Fahey got hit by a pitch to bring in the game-tying run, and one out later, leadoff hitter Brian Roberts had an eight-pitch at-bat. Roberts wound up walking to force in the go-ahead run, and Fahey scored on a wild pitch to provide the final margin.
"Any time you've got the bases loaded, certainly, the pressure's on the other guy," Roberts said. "You've got to try to make them throw strikes, and we did a pretty good job of that."
Baltimore reliever Kurt Birkins, who pitched a scoreless inning to lower his ERA to 0.51, earned his second big-league win. Closer Chris Ray worked the ninth inning and stayed perfect, converting his 15th save in 15 opportunities. The Orioles head on the road for an 11-day road trip, an excursion that will take them to Minnesota, Toronto and New York's Shea Stadium.
"Give these guys credit. They played their hearts out -- actually, the whole homestand," Perlozzo said. "I don't think the record shows the fight we've had this homestand. We shore up a couple areas, [and] it's kind of what we've been talking about -- this team can put something together."

Toronto Blue Jays (31-23) At Tampa Bay Devil Rays (22-34)

2006-06-05T08:06:00.000-07:00

In an effort to make sure the rest of the American League East does not overlook the league's lone Canadian representative, the Toronto Blue Jays shoot for their fifth win in the last six outings this afternoon as they close out a three-game set with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at Tropicana Field.
Toronto has been one of the hottest teams in the division over the last couple of weeks, posting a record of 8-3 since May 22 and is now just two games out of first in the AL East as a result.
On Saturday former Cy Young award winner Roy Halladay threw eight strong innings in picking up his sixth straight decision in a 6-2 triumph on the road.
Halladay surrendered five hits and two runs, striking out a batter without issuing a walk. He's unbeaten in his last nine outings, with his only loss this season coming on April 9 at home to these same Devil Rays.
Alex Rios went 3-for-5 and drove in two runs, while Frank Catalanotto doubled twice and had two RBI for the Blue Jays, now an even 12-12 on the road. Shea Hillenbrand homered for Toronto.
Mark Hendrickson was tagged with the defeat as the left-hander allowed eight hits and three runs in 6 1/3 innings to drop his third consecutive start.
Ty Wigginton connected on a solo homer for the Devil Rays, who have lost eight of their last nine games, are just 12-13 at home and are now 12 games out of contention in the standings.
Left-hander Gustavo Chacin gets the call to the hill for the Blue Jays this afternoon as he tries to keep his unblemished career mark (3-0) against Tampa Bay intact.
Chacin last took the mound on Tuesday when he allowed two earned runs on four hits and four walks, while striking out just one over five innings. While his control may not have been there, Chacin still managed to pick up the victory and move to 6-1 on the campaign.
The victory over Boston was a triumphant return to action for Chacin, who had been on the disabled list with a strained elbow and forearm since May 10.
As for the Devil Rays, they have Doug Waechter slated to start today, the right-hander still in search of his first victory of the season.
Now in his fourth year in the majors, Waechter was saddled with his second straight loss on Tuesday when he gave up five runs on five hits, over the same number of innings against Baltimore on the road.
Waechter has struggled with his control thus far, issuing 18 bases-on-balls, against just 19 strikeouts, which has contributed mightily to his 6.70 ERA this season.
Waechter, who failed to earn a decision in his first appearance this year against Toronto, is 2-3 with a 6.12 ERA all-time versus the visitors.
Wigginton is hitting .320 over his last six games and has five RBI and three runs scored to show for his efforts for the Devil Rays. Carl Crawford, who missed Saturday's game with a knee strain and is questionable for today's meeting, has six RBI in his last four games.
Over the last week the Blue Jays have been one of the hottest hitting teams in the league, batting .332 with a slugging percentage of .599 thanks to 14 home runs. Vernon Wells, who is battling back from a shoulder injury, has four of those home runs, while Troy Glaus and Lyle Overbay check in with three apiece.
The Devil Rays are still 35-34 all-time against Toronto at Tropicana Field. The Jays are now 7-4 versus Tampa Bay this season, winning six of the last seven contests.

Toronto Blue Jays (31-23) At Tampa Bay Devil Rays (22-34)

2006-06-05T07:55:00.000-07:00

Blue Jays bring up Alfonzo

2006-05-29T16:31:00.000-07:00

Veteran infielder Edgardo Alfonzo was called up Monday by the Toronto Blue Jays to replace injured John McDonald suffered a groin injury running to first base during Saturday's 3-2, 11th inning victory over the Chicago White Sox.
Alfonzo, 32, accepted a minor-league contract from Toronto last Thursday and reported to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats of the double-A Eastern League.
He will likely play second base for the Blue Jays, with sophomore Aaron Hill switching to shortstop.
"That's no problem," Hill said. "I'm confident I can do it and they're confident I can do it, otherwise they wouldn't have made the move."
To make room for Alfonzo on the 40-man roster, the Blue Jays moved pitcher A.J. Burnett to the 60-day disabled list.
Alfonzo played 18 games for the Los Angeles Angels before being released May 20, hitting .100 (5-50) with a run batted in and a run scored.
Los Angeles acquired him from the San Francisco Giants for Steve Finley on Dec. 21, 2005.
The former all-star averaged .277 with two home runs, 43 RBIs and 36 runs in 109 games for the Giants last season.
"He has got as good instincts as anyone I've ever seen," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "If he gets to it, you're out."
Alfonzo is a career .285 hitter with 146 HRs, 740 RBIs and 773 runs in 1,494 games over 12 MLB seasons for the New York Mets, Giants and Angels.
He also represented Venezuela at the World Baseball Classic in March.
"He's had some big years in the big leagues," Gibbons said of Alfonzo.
"He's tailed off, but that's mother nature. This gives us and him a boost."

Quarterly Report on Major League Divisional Races (NL WEST)

2006-05-24T14:37:00.001-07:00

By Jonathan Wachs
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

Now that most teams have played around forty games, let’s look on in the Divisional Races:

NL WEST

Here’s a division where all the teams are in the hunt for the title. Not much has been determined in the first quarter of the season except that the division is not nearly as bad as many thought it would be. All four teams currently have winning records and they are only separated by 2.5 games.

Arizona has been led by Brandon Webb (7-0), who is probably the early leader in the NL CY Young race. Unfortunately, the rest of their pitching staff has about a 6.00 ERA. Jose Valverde (13 saves), Luis Vizcaino (3.38 ERA) and Brandon Lyon have led a bullpen that is improved over last year’s version. After a miserable start, Shawn Green has been on a torrid pace and Chad Tracy was recently rewarded with a $13 million plus contract extension for his fine work. The offense has been a moneyball fan’s dream: Craig Counsell (.387 OBP), Conor Jackson (.372) and Luis Gonzalez (.387) have certainly managed to get on base. Most analysts of the minor leagues rank Arizona near the top of the list and they are going to need to dip into their system to get some rotation help if they are to win the division or compete for the wildcard.

Colorado has been one of this year’s early surprises. One of the best bets in recent years was against the Rockies on the road, but they have dramatically improved this year. The skepticism usually associated with their gaudy numbers are not valid this year as guys like Brad Hawpe who is hitting .340 overall is hitting .383 on the road. Matt Holliday has added 11 dingers and Garrett Atkins has filled out what has been a very productive, albeit no name, middle of the order. In Jeff Francis and Aaron Cook, the Rockies have developed two nice young starters. Brian Fuentes (10 saves, 1.45 ERA) is having his second straight good year. The Rockies appear to finally have a sound plan in place. In a division that will beat up on each other, you can’t count the Rockies out.

The Dodgers have gone the high risk/high reward strategy the last couple of years. Nomar Garciaparra is the perfect example. He has hit .369, but injuries have limited him. J.D. Drew has 8 homers and 33 RBI so far, but don’t you wish wagerweb.com let you bet on whether or not he would make it through the season? Kenny Lofton (.350 OBP) keeps chugging along, but the Dodgers are waiting for Furcal (.244) to get going. Brad Penny has been pitching well (4-1, 2.53), but also has a dicey injury history. Will Eric Gagne be healthy and effective for the second half of the year? Like Arizona, the Dodgers have a strong farm system. Unlike Arizona, they may be willing to trade a few to fill holes.

Most of the attention surrounding the Giants has been around Barry Bonds. The fact that Bonds is hitting close to .250 and still has an OBP close to .500 speaks volumes about the Giants offense, especially without Moises Alou. The starting rotation led by a resurgent Jason Schmidt (3.07 ERA), the recently returned to action Noah Lowry (3.38 ERA) and Jamey Wright (3.38 ERA) have pitched well enough to keep them in contention, but it would seem another bat is needed for them to stay in the race.

The San Diego Padres recently won 15 out of 18, but still appear to be the weakest team in the division. Mike Piazza has hit 6 homers and has hit better of late, but 15 RBI for a cleanup hitter is just not going to cut it. The challenges of Petco aside, this team has a definite power outage. Only Khali Green has joined Piazza in hitting over 5 homeruns to this point. As usual, Brian Giles continues to get on base with an OBP over .400 and Trevor Hoffman (7 saves, 1.20 ERA) and Scott Linebrink (3.27 ERA) lead a strong bullpen.

So it will come down to Arizona’s farm system, Colorado’s youngsters, The Dodger’s health, The Giants pitching and San Diego’s ability to keep doing it with mirrors. Stay tuned.

Quarterly Report on Divisional Races --- NL CENTRAL

2006-05-24T14:37:00.000-07:00

By Jonathan Wachs
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

After a few weeks and with some surprises, the NL Central has begun to look a lot more as expected, particularly at the very top.

With a lineup containing the best player on the planet, the Cardinals have recently started to pull away and
seem well on their way to their third straight division title. Pujols’ numbers are mind-boggling (22 homers and 54 RBI). Barring an injury or a stunning slump, he’s practically locked up the MVP Award in May. Underrated David Eckstein has an OBP of .390 and provides the kind of spark few leadoff hitters can match. While injuries and age have slowed Jim Edmonds and Scott Rolen to some degree, they are both still dangerous hitters. Juan Encarcion and Yadier Molina have been disappointments, but the rest of the lineup has picked them up so far. Chris Carpenter has continued to pitch like an ace and starters Mark Mulder, Jeff Suppan, and Jason Marquis form a solid rotation that always keeps the Cardinals in the game. After a slow start, closer Jason Isringhausen has rounded into form. Only injuries will keep the Cards from playing in October.

Losers of 10 of their last 15, the “Big Red Mirage” are starting to play like their talent level indicates they should. Bronson Arroyo has been an outstanding acquisition and is obviously thrilled not to have to face those tough NL lineups, but you simply can’t send out such a mediocre starting rotation and expect to stay in the race. I told you a few weeks back to bet against them and those who listened are a bit richer today.

The Astros got off to a hot start before their starting pitching went through a horrid stretch. Roy Oswalt remains one of the league’s top pitchers and Wayne Rodriguez has been a nice surprise, but Andy Pettitte has struggled, Brandon Backe is out for the year, and the rest of the rotation has been inconsistent. Brad Lidge has struggled (mostly with his control), but expect him to turn things around. Morgan Ensberg hit home runs in six straight games early in the year and Lance Berkman would be an MVP candidate in a league without Pujols. Also, very quietly, Brad Ausmus has put together a very good year (.418 OBP). The Astros could stay in the wildcard race and may soon get the kind of help that could rocket them to the finish line.

The Brewers are fun to watch. They lead the majors in home runs, and youngsters Prince Fielder, Rickie Weeks, and Bill Hall mix nicely with veterans Geoff Jenkins, Carlos Lee, and Corey Koskie. The only thing is they may be too dependent on getting home runs and they strike out too much. A bit of small ball might help them at times. Getting Ben Sheets healthy would help a rotation that has one underrated star (Chris Capuano) and mostly back-of-the-rotation types. Derrick Turnbow is showing he’s no fluke, but the bullpen lacks depth. This year’s trendy sleeper pick will stay around a while, but ultimately doesn’t have enough for the playoffs.

First the Red Sox, then the White Sox, now the Cu … stop right there. Derrek Lee’s injury has revealed just how impotent the rest of the Cubs lineup is. Juan Pierre has an OBP of .271. Aramis Ramirez is hitting only .231. It’s ugly on the North Side. Greg Maddux’s May has been very different than his April and still no sign of Mark Prior. Dusty Baker must be on edge. No playoffs here, folks.

The Pirates were expected to be an improved team this year, but their starting pitching has failed them. Zach Duke has hit a bit of a tougher time facing teams the second time around, and whatever happened to Oliver Perez, who was thought to be a fast rising star? Not much hope in the Steel City either.

So early on, it looks like it’s the Cards division to lose and the Astros waiting for Roger Clemens to make them serious wildcard contenders.

Blue Jays return home to host Devil Rays

2006-05-22T14:19:00.000-07:00

Eventually Casey Janssen is going to have to prove he can beat a team other than the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
The rookie righthander looks to build upon his latest impressive outing Monday when the Toronto Blue Jays host the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the opener of a three-game series.
Janssen (2-3, 3.06 ERA) has won both of his starts against the Angels, yielding only three hits in 15 1/3 scoreless innings. He held them to only two hits over eight frames Wednesday in a 3-0 triumph.
In his other three starts, however, the 24-year-old is 0-3 with a 5.82 ERA. One of those outings came against the Devil Rays on May 12, when he allowed four runs in seven innings of a 4-1 defeat.
Tampa Bay will counter with Seth McClung (2-4, 5.44), who opposed Janssen in that contest and allowed one run in seven innings. The righthander has yielded two runs or fewer in five straight starts, including Wednesday's 5-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox in which he surrendered two runs in seven frames.
The Devil Rays enter with a season-high four-game winning streak following a three-game sweep of Florida. Scott Kazmir was the star of Sunday's 3-0 win, permitting just four hits in eight innings and striking out 11 against only one walk.
On the other hand, Toronto was swept by Colorado as the team managed just seven runs in the three games. Alex Rios blasted a three-run homer and Gregg Zaun added three hits for the Blue Jays, who had won eight of 11 entering the series.

“Ain’t no sucker like Jim Duquette”

2006-05-15T11:23:00.000-07:00

By Jonathan Wachs
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

A baseball trade is basically a wager by two general managers that the player each acquires will be better than the one he gives up. It may or may not work out well. That’s gambling.

Now that Scott Kazmir is off to a great start at 5-2 with a 2.94 ERA and Victor Zambrano has just undergone season-ending surgery, it might be a good time to review how Jim Duquette, the Mets GM at the time, broke every single rule of gambling.

NEVER BET MORE THAN YOU CAN AFFORD
When the Mets traded Scott Kazmir, their farm system was almost completely bare. The only true blue-chip pitching prospects at the time were Phil Humber, who has since undergone Tommy John surgery, and Alay Soler, a Cuban defector who just made it to the U.S. this season and is currently pitching at AA. This year the Mets are throwing out such retreads as Jose Lima and Jeremi Gonzalez as they wait for Mike Pelfrey and the next wave of prospects to be ready. Do you think they would rather have sent out Jose Lima – or Scott Kazmir, to try and sweep their arch-rival Braves last week?

NEVER BET WHILE INTOXICATED
Right around the time of the trade in 2004, the Mets had just swept their cross-town rivals, the New York Yankees, in an exciting three-game series. The Mets, who had been dead in this town since 2000, finally had some juice. They were close to first place and back on the back page. Of course, they still had a .500 record and not much talent. But Duquette, drunk on the city’s enthusiasm, wanted to “win now” no matter what the future cost.

DO YOUR HOMEWORK
You wouldn’t bet on a Falcons game without checking if Michael Vick was hurt, would you? Yet Mr. Duquette failed to adequately check into Victor Zambrano’s injury before the trade. Zambrano admitted he has been hurt the entire time he has been a member of the New York Mets. The week the trade was made, Zambrano skipped a start because of arm stiffness. Shouldn’t some alarms have gone off? Duquette blamed Tampa doctors for downplaying the injury, but you don’t need to be able to read medical charts to know something might be amiss.

LOOK FOR VALUE
Barbaro, who was such a good bet on Derby Day, might not be such a great bet for the Preakness. You won’t get enough in return. A lefty who throws 97 MPH has more value than a barely over .500 pitcher with control problems. Had Mr. Duquette waited until the off-season, he might have received Tim Hudson or Mark Mulder in return.

KNOW WHEN TO WALK AWAY
This is the one Mr. Duquette clearly missed. Tampa officials were said to be laughing to themselves when they realized what they were getting. Mr. Duquette should clearly have just walked away. Next time you’re in Baltimore and you’re looking for someone to round out your poker game, look up Mr. Jim Duquette because there ain’t no sucker like the one who doesn’t know the rules.

“It’s Not Rocket Science”

2006-05-11T10:32:00.000-07:00

By Jonathan WachsWagerWeb.com Contributing Writer Wagerweb.com has posted odds offering bettors the chance to predict which Major League Baseball team Roger Clemens will return to. Clemens is clearly enjoying the attention he is garnering from his four suitors. Let’s take a look at how Clemens has played this situation thus far, and how it will play out at the end. THE EASY MARK:Roger Clemens enjoyed opening day in Arlington Stadium, sitting next to owner Tom Hicks. When Clemens was introduced and shown on the scoreboard, the fans went crazy. Do the Rangers, who have gone all these years searching for pitching, really have a shot at Roger Clemens? Well, the Rangers are an improved team, with Kevin Millwood leading some young up-and-coming pitchers. And it would do wonders for Clemens’ legend to ride into Arlington on his horse and lead them to their first World Series Championship. Is it going to happen? No. Why would Clemens pitch in a hitter’s park for a team which, despite their improvements, is not a serious World Series contender? More likely, Roger was paying attention when Tom Hicks bid against himself to sign Alex Rodriguez to his franchise-crippling $250 million dollar contract. This is exactly the type of guy you want to draw into the bidding. Wagerweb.com has the odds on Clemens going to the Rangers at 6-1. Trust me, it’s far longer than that. AN OFFER HE CAN’T REFUSE:Roger Clemens still keeps in touch with buddies Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada, and there were reports that Jeter had his ear during the World Baseball Classic. And if Clemens is looking for a sure bet to get to the playoffs, it’s been a while since the Yanks sat out October. Can Clemens return to the Yankees? Probably not. Roger Clemens already got a Hummer as a retirement gift, and you have to figure, after feasting on weaker National League number eight hitters, and pitchers’ feeble attempts to catch up to his fastball, he might not be dying to face more formidable American League lineups. If Randy Johnson keeps looking his age, can George Steinbrenner make Roger Clemens an offer he can’t refuse? Could happen, but George will never let Clemens skip road trips in fear that all of his stable of superstars will demand the same special treatment. At 1:2, this is not a good bet. FINISH WHERE HE STARTEDImagine the nostalgic feeling of coming back where you began your career, and leading that team to a World Series. What a perfect symmetry to a career. Almost like a movie script. Only the impact of leading the Red Sox to a World Series is not nearly what it was two years ago. The Red Sox already have had a hero who started in their organization come back and lead them to the Promised Land. And that hero wore a bloody Red Sock. How can Clemens possibly top that? Besides, if the Red Sox really get close, Mr. Steinbrenner may very well make him an offer he can’t refuse. At 1:1, I just can’t see this as a good bet. FINISH WHAT HE STARTEDThe first year, Clemens led the Astros to the playoffs. His second year, he helped them to their first World Series. Why not finish what he started? The Astros are off to a great start. Besides, the Mets, Cardinals and, possibly the Phillies, who can you remotely predict can stop them from at least getting there? His best friend Andy Pettitte has mentioned the possibility of retirement after this year (Don’t bet on that, though). Houston offers him a chance to stay close to home and it lets him skip those pesky road trips. They have already made him a generous contract offer. The odds are 2:1. After all that analysis, it must come down to this: If you could work closer to home, travel less, and not have to work as hard, for similar money, what would you do? Come on, this may be Roger Clemens, but it is not rocket science. Bet the 2:1 on him returning to the Astros. It may be the best bet available on the entire website.

Blue Jays 3, Angels 1 - MLB

2006-05-08T16:28:00.000-07:00

Casey Janssen grew up an Angels fan, so beating them for his first major league win was extra special.
Janssen dominated in his third career start and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Los Angeles Angels 3-1 on Sunday.
Janssen grew up 10 minutes from Angel Stadium.
“You got to root for your hometown team, but now I'm rooting for the Jays,” Janssen said. “It was cool. It was televised back home. All my friends and family were watching. It was special to share it with them.”
Janssen (1-2) allowed one hit in 7 1-3 innings, Chone Figgins' sharp single to center with one out in the sixth. The 24-year-old right-hander, who replaced injured A.J. Burnett in the rotation, struck out three and walked one.
After Howie Kendrick reached on shortstop Russ Adams' error in the eighth, Janssen left to a standing ovation.
Teammate Vernon Wells got him with a shaving cream pie to the face after the game. He got the ball and said he was going to call his parents.

Baseball’s First-Month Awards

2006-05-05T08:11:00.000-07:00

By Jonathan Wachs
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

The calendar has turned on the first month of the 2006 baseball season. While there is plenty of season left, it’s a good time to evaluate who has the early lead on baseball’s top awards.

American League MVP:
1) Jim Thome – While he has slowed somewhat since his sizzling start, Jim Thome has been the best acquisition any American League team has made. Many questioned what he had left, but he put any doubts to rest immediately by homering in his first 2 games and 6 times in his first 10 games. His 10 homeruns and 24 RBIs are tops on the American League’s most talented team.
2) Jason Giambi – His .542 OBP is fantastic as Giambi continues to expand on last year’s comeback- player-of-the-year performance. While he leads the AL in walks with 27, Giambi is not just being passive, as he also leads the AL in RBIs with 27. Only his statuesque defense and stubbornness about embracing the DH role make him second choice.
3) Vernon Wells – The Blue Jays went on baseball’s biggest shopping spree, this off-season, but one of their incumbent players has turned in his best effort so far. With 9 homers, 25 RBIs and a .374 batting average, Wells is carrying a heavy load as Toronto tries to prove that they can keep pace with the Red Sox and The Yankees.

National League MVP:
1) Albert Pujols – Provided he stays healthy, it appears as though this award will be his to lose for many years to come. His record-breaking 14 homeruns in April and 32 RBIs have led the Cardinals to another great start.
2) Lance Berkman – The reason for the Astros’ slow start, last April, was likely because they missed Berkman’s bat. Berkman has had a fast start, this year (10 homeruns, 31 RBIs and .240 BA), and so have the Astros.
3) Carlos Delgado – The best acquisition any National League team made, this off-season, Delgado has really carried the load (10 homeruns and 21 RBIs) while Beltran was injured and Cliff Floyd slumped.

American League Cy Young:
1) Jose Contreras – His 4-0 record and league-leading 1.45 ERA still leads a pitching staff that makes the White Sox the best bet to win the AL Pennant at the sports book.
2) Curt Schilling – Baseball’s biggest loudmouth is once again able to “walk the walk.” His 4-1 record, 2.88 ERA and durability (40.2 IP) have led the Red Sox to an early tenuous hold on first place in the AL East.
3) Kenny Rogers – The ace on a staff of promising young guns, veteran Rogers has done everything you can ask for the Tigers (4-2, 2.59 ERA and a great 0.98 WHIP).

National League Cy Young:
1) Greg Maddux – Talk about giving a club a lift. Once again frustrated by injuries to Mark Prior and Kerry Wood, the cursed Cubbies are thrilled by Maddux’s early renaissance (5-0, 1.35 ERA).
2) Pedro Martinez – The daily updates by a panicked New York press corps on Pedro’s toe during spring training are long forgotten as Pedro has been fantastic (5-0, 0.89 WHIP). He already has beaten the hated Braves twice.
3) Bronson Arroyo – Wow, after the AL East, this is sure easy. Arroyo (5-0, 2.06 ERA) has led the way for baseball’s biggest early season surprise.

Rookies of the Year:

American League:
Jonathan Papelbon – Thrown into the Boston pressure-cooker, Papelbon leads the AL in saves (10) and has yet to allow a run in over 15 innings.

National League:
Prince Fielder – Unlike his father, Cecil, Prince didn’t need to serve some time in the Japanese League to find his stroke. Fielder’s .343 average leads all rookies.

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Blue Jays are legit

2006-05-03T13:20:00.000-07:00

Lost in the excitement of the Stanley Cup playoffs, very few sports fans, myself included, have taken notice of the good start the Toronto Blue Jays are off to in Major League Baseball’s ultra-competitive American League East. My interest in the baseball season doesn’t usually start until some time around the all-star break. It’s not that I don’t enjoy the game, it’s just that with hockey and basketball both into their playoffs, coupled with the length of baseball’s regular season, I don’t see the need to invest a lot of time watching games in April. What’s the point? A stellar month of April very rarely ensures a trip to the post-season. So imagine my surprise when I found myself glued to the television Friday night for an early-season game between the Blue Jays and N.Y. Yankees. My plan for the evening had been to watch the Montreal Canadiens play the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 4 of their first-round series. I tuned in to watch the puck drop and was enjoying the game as it went to the first commercial break. It was then that I began channel surfing and came across the Jays-Yankees game. I had tuned in just in time to see Frank Catalanotto hit a two-run homer off of Yankees starter Jaret Wright in the top of the first inning—fantastic (I can’t stand the Yankees). The Yankees represent everything that is wrong in professional sports. They overspend to acquire top talent, thereby pricing the smaller teams out of the market and ruining the competitive balance in the league. They defended first baseman Jason Giambi after it was revealed he admitted using steroids during a grand jury hearing. And their owner is a jerk who requires all his players to be clean shaven. Worst of all, the Yankees win. Year after year for the better part of a decade, the Yankees have found themselves in the playoff picture. And as a result, their fans are insufferable. Just try and have a reasonable baseball discussion with a Yankee fan. It’s impossible. They have come to believe the division title is theirs by right. In short, I was happy to see the Jays leading. Wright settled down and got the next three batters to get out of the inning but not before I got my first look at the Jays’ top offensive acquisition of the off-season: Troy Glaus. It’s rare that someone looks big on television but Glaus is intimidating standing in the batter’s box towering over the catcher and umpire. During his at-bat, he fouled a few pitches off that still would be flying if the stadium hadn’t gotten in the way. As the game went to commercial break following the Jays’ half of the inning, the announcer mentioned Roy Halladay was starting and so I decided to stick around for a little longer. Halladay is a treat to watch if you’re a casual fan but he’s absolutely amazing if you appreciate the finer points of pitching. Fastballs, off-speed pitches, movement, and location, Halladay does it all. It is no coincidence that whatever slim chances the Jays had of making the playoffs last year evaporated the minute Halladay suffered a broken leg when he was hit by a line drive. The half-inning I had planned to spend watching the game quickly turned into six full innings. Halladay plowed his way through one of the most offensively-gifted lineups in baseball not giving up a single run. I couldn’t change the channel. Two runs was a pretty good lead against most teams, but the Yankees can score runs in the blink of an eye. In the top of the seventh, the Jays got the insurance runs they were looking for in the form of a Shea Hillenbrand three-run homer. I was loving it. The Yankees responded with two runs in their half of the inning—just to make me nervous about a comeback. But Hillenbrand homered again in the top of the ninth before Benjie Molina scored on an Aaron Hill sacrifice fly. It took about three pitches from new closer B.J. Ryan, who had trotted in from the bullpen in the bottom of the eighth, for me to realize finishing games wasn’t going to be a problem for the Jays this season. April is awfully early in the season to get excited about a baseball team but after the game, I found myself pulling up the Jays’ schedule online to see when they’d be on television next. This team has the look of a contender—and I don’t want to miss the action.

Bonds’ alleged cheating scandal hurting baseball history

2006-05-03T10:12:00.000-07:00

By Bill Kugelberg

WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

Having just finished reading Game of Shadows – the alleged tell-all book in which the authors claim to have records detailing Barry Bonds’, as well as other athletes’, use of performance-enhancing drugs – it has become crystal clear that Bonds cheated, continues to cheat, and could not care less about it.Bonds just about says this when he claims in his grand jury testimony that he hasn’t played in a baseball game since college when he attended Arizona State University. Basically, what he’s saying, and what he continues to say, is that he is an entertainer and not a competitor. He conveniently forgets how his alleged cheating has impacted the other players in the game, both past and present. And how, every night, in every stadium he plays in, he is the only person who is in on this little secret.When I go to a game, I’m not there to be entertained. I’m there to see the team I support try to win. And when I make a wager on a team, I’m not doing it for the entertainment; I’m doing it to win.

If I go to Vegas and play blackjack or craps, I consider that to be entertainment. While I would like to win, and I don’t believe the outcome has been predetermined, I still understand the odds are against me coming away a winner.But Bonds apparently doesn’t see playing baseball as a competition. It sounds as though he views it as our opportunity to watch an “entertainer” stand up there and be walked two or three times a game and, maybe, just maybe, see him grace our presence with a home run. Get over yourself, Barry. Not only are you coming off like a pompous ass, you are also making an impact on the game that the record books will reflect forever.For example, since 1999, when his steroid use is alleged to have begun, the San Francisco Giants have won or finished second in the NL West every year, except for last year when he spent just about all of the season on the disabled list, and they finished third. Take away Bonds’ production, or fill in the production that most players would contribute, and the Giants find themselves in a different position. Also, as he approached 40 years old, his numbers would naturally decline, not go up. With that factored in, the Giants truly would be hurting for production from Bonds.Just ask Albert Pujols, who has finished second to Bonds in National League MVP voting twice, how Bonds’ steroid use has impacted his post-season award possibilities.

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Unfortunately, the players who have truly been impacted by Bonds’ steroid use are the players who finished playing the game years ago. Bonds, along with Mark McGwire, has succeeded at setting the bar so high that no one will be able to approach their records. In doing so, they have made the average fan believe that 40 home runs a season is nice, but not Hall of Fame-worthy. One player who has been affected by this is Andrew Dawson. Dawson hit 438 home runs and drove in 1,591 RBIs. He also played baseball for 21 years and has 2,774 hits with 8 Gold Gloves and 314 stolen bases.

With close to 10 knee surgeries, Dawson should have been the one allowed to take performance-enhancing drugs, not Bonds.One thing I love about Bonds is that he refuses to even admit that Game of Shadows exists. The book has been out for about three months now and I have yet to hear of a lawsuit filed on Bonds’ behalf that contests the contents of the book. And yet everyone just casually goes about their sports day, without a care that Bonds continues to cheat because, as an entertainer, he feels he can.As the book explains, Bonds has never had to stand before anyone and explain his actions – not even when he was a kid. He was always the best player on the team, received the benefits that comes with that title, and he continues to expect that to be the case. Regardless of how it impacts his body, the other players in the game, the kids growing up who are learning the game, or the record books – Bonds is concerned with one thing – reaping the financial advantages that being an “entertainer” in baseball provides.And regardless of who has to pay to make that happen, Bonds is only too happy to stand there and take the paychecks and accolades that come with it. I’ve often wondered how he sleeps at night, knowing that he has an advantage that many other players don’t have – that he has cheated to get to where he is. And the only answer I can come up with is that when you are on the stage and being an entertainer, it’s just acting. It’s not who you really are – so you can get away with more. The question I have for Bonds is, when the show is over and you walk off the stage – who are you then?

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The Next World Series Champion

2006-05-02T14:08:00.000-07:00

By Brad Halfond

WagerWeb.com

Contributing WriterJust like clockwork, every spring brings the same hopes to major league baseball teams all over the country. Some fans of teams like the Pittsburgh Pirates, Kansas City Royals and the Detroit Tigers are just hoping to stay in the pennant race after the first few weeks of the season, while other fans have higher aspirations.Take the rabid fans of Boston Red Sox nation or the equally intense fanatics who root for the New York Yankees. Not only do these fans demand that their teams be in the playoffs or World Series every season, they also demand that the two clubs beat each other.Boston and New York are separated by about four hours in a car, but their baseball fans and ideas are separated by much more space than almost anyone can imagine.The best word, although not too politically correct, is “hate.” It is not a stretch of any imagination to say that the fans of these clubs hate each other. Every year, fights break out in the stands or in sports bars across America, and they are all involving Yankee or Red Sox fans. Ever seen or heard about a Cardinals and Braves fan fight?Both Boston and New York have fans who are living in various cities away from their hometown, and this has spread the rivalry across many time zones. Trust me from first-hand experience, you can find New Englanders and New Yorkers almost anywhere in the USA.The rivalry and bad blood runs fairly deep for me, and I would not be able to write with such certainty on the topic had I not been so directly involved through many years.Being born and raised in New York, you have a choice between teams. Once you select the Yankees (in my case, passed down by dear ol’ Dad), the next step is to immediately work up a hatred for Red Sox fans, Red Sox management, New England Clam Chowder and even anybody foolish enough to be wearing actual red socks.

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If you’re a Yankees fan, that is your first given in life – hate thy Red Sox fan. With their annoying accents, general lack of knowledge toward the game, their laughable track record of winning over the years and barrelful of excuses for losing, it is fairly easy to work up a good lather against them.Another year is upon us, and 2006 will see these two teams meeting 19 times. The first pair of these games takes place on May 1-2 in Beantown. If you’re a baseball fan and you’re not watching these games, you either better be getting married or mourning a death in the family. If you’re a Yankee or Red Sox fan, there is no excuse not to be watching—just keep the volume low on your mini TV and nobody at the funeral should get too upset.But emotions and people getting upset are actually the hallmark of this rivalry. It’s easy to go back and cite all the times on the field that these two teams have mixed it up, which in turn usually carries over to the stands or the bars.More recently, we had Alex Rodriquez taking on Jason Veritek, and Don Zimmer battling it out with Pedro Martinez. Granted, the names and faces change, but the intensity between the two teams and their fans is legendary.I can personally attest to one infamous episode during Game 7 of the 2003 American League Championship series. It was the game where New York recovered from a 5-3 deficit to defeat Boston with a home-run from Aaron Boone that sent the Yankees to the World Series.Drinking a beer amidst hoards of Red Sox fans at the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas, I was resigned to watching the Sox advance to the World Series. Soon, the Yankees mounted their comeback, and my bravado had started taking the best of me. Although very conservative in my early remarks, I saved the best for last: When Boone’s shot landed in upper reaches of Yankee Stadium, my outburst lasted for several minutes—which most likely felt like hours for Red Sox fans.Now this incident took place before Boston finally won a World Series title, so Red Sox fans were more surly than usual.With my yelling ringing in their ears and their sorrow turning to desperation, two New England tourists started hurling insults my way, and we exchanged profane remarks for several minutes before your classic dimwitted Red Sox fan charged at me, telling me to keep quiet.Now, telling a Yankee fan to keep quiet is like telling Pam Anderson not to show any cleavage, so it quickly turned ugly. In the end, Red Sox fan lost the fight but had some red blood to show for it on his nose, and his wife was also the recipient of some collateral damage.If you’re curious, all charges were dropped.I would expect nothing else from the loyal, overzealous fans of either team. In the end, being a Yankee or Red Sox fan is like defending your country. If attacked and provoked—or just not a fan of a particular nation—let them know you’re serious and that they best not challenge you again.Winning a World Series title hasn’t made Red Sox fans any smarter or relevant, it just gave them a one-year sense that everything was fine—but pinstripes will always be the real color of choice.

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Next week on TV (5-1/5-7)

2006-05-02T08:28:00.000-07:00

By Daniel Kline
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

Both the NBA and the NHL close out the first round of their playoffs. In baseball, you’ve got the Orioles and the Blue Jays, matching up in what has to be one of the biggest questions of the baseball season. One of these teams might hang on to challenge the Yankees and Red Sox, but probably not both, making this early season tilt a little more interesting.

*All times Eastern.

Monday, May 1
NFL Europe, Berlin at Rhein (3 p.m., NFL Network)
Stop arguing about who your team drafted and check in on the sport’s minor league with this mid-afternoon match-up. Though NFL Europe might not get the attention of its big brother, the league offers a good chance to figure out which back-up players might break through come the fall.

Tuesday, May 2
Yankees at Red Sox (7:05 p.m., DirecTV, regional)
Every Yankees versus Red Sox match-up gets covered like a playoff game in Boston and New York, so expect tempers to flare in this tilt. The Sox have had the early season advantage, but that’s nothing new, as the Sox always have a division lead in the Summer – the question is whether they can hold it in the Fall.

Wednesday, May 3
Boxing (9 p.m. ESPN2)
Sharmba Mitchell takes on Jose Luis Cruz in a 10-round welterweight tilt. Cruz plays the role of the fighter on the way up, taking on former two-time champion Mitchell, who wants one more shot at the gold. Mitchell was knocked out in the sixth round in his last fight, but that was against Floyd Mayweather – one of the best in the division – so he’s aiming to prove that was a fluke and knock Cruz off the ladder of contention.

Thursday, May 4
Wachovia Open (4 p.m., USA)
A Tiger-less field should leave this one pretty wide open. Vijay Singh attempts to repeat as champion, a title he took last year in a three-way playoff with Sergio Garcia and Jim Furyk.

Friday, May 5
College Volleyball (Midnight, ESPN2)
Catch the men’s semifinal of the NCAA men’s volleyball tournament. This might be your last chance to see some of your favorite players before they turn pro and head out on the lucrative men’s volleyball tour.

Saturday, May 6
Kentucky Derby (6 p.m., NBC)
Horse racing only matters three times a year to the average fan, but the Kentucky captures the best of the sport. Because it’s the first Triple Crown race, every Derby winner stands the chance of being the first horse to bring home racing’s most elusive prize since Affirmed in 1978.

Sunday, May 7
Premier League Soccer (5 p.m., FOXESP)
Two of the big powers in the Premiership face off as Newcastle battles Chelsea in an attempt to cut into Chelsea’s overall lead in the standings. Chelsea did just fall in the FA Cup semifinal, but their big lead in the regular season standings makes clinching the title almost inevitable.

Daniel Kline’s book “50 Things Every Guy Should Know How To Do” is available in bookstores nationwide. He can be reached at dan@notastep.com.

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Fantasy Baseball Breakdown

2006-04-27T07:47:00.000-07:00

By Mike Brody
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer
The Six-Month Grind
We’re three weeks into the 2006 baseball season, and if your fantasy team looks anything like mine, you’re ready to unload half of your roster. I know it’s hard, but be patient. The worse thing you could do right now is panic and make a bad trade or drop a good player.
Baseball, more than any other sport, is driven by statistics. It’s a long season with a lot of ups and downs for most players. In the end, the numbers usually even out. If you stick with your guys long enough, they should come around and start producing like you expected them to.
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Off to a Hot Start
While it’s very difficult to watch your team stumble out of the gate (as I’m writing this, my offense is a collective 0-15 today and I’m about ready to have a fire sale), there was a reason why you drafted these guys. If you were lucky enough – or smart enough, depending on how you look at it – to draft Chris Shelton, Jonny Gomes or Nick Swisher, you’re probably at the top of your league, right now. But are these guys really going to lead the league in home runs?
Manny Ramirez hit his first two home runs of the season, last weekend. Mark Teixeira and Richie Sexson have three and two homers, respectively, through the first three weeks. These guys are all perennial 40-home-run-hitters, and barring injury, you can be sure that they will get their numbers by the season’s end.

Waiting for the Right Time
Everyone’s heard the cliché “buy low, sell high.” It’s sound advice. Knowing the right time to deal that guy who’s off to a hot start is the key to making this happen. There’s no way Shelton, Gomes and Swisher are going to keep up the pace they’ve set so far – Shelton’s already started to slow down – but how can you not ride their hot streaks a little longer? Just don’t wait too long if you’re planning on dealing them.
Knowing players’ trends is another key in making the right deal at the right time. Some players are traditionally slow starters, like Ramirez and Jim Edmonds, and trading for them at the end of their slow start could mean big stats for you the rest of the way. A lot of hitters heat up when the weather does too, so they could be busting out of these slumps any day now.
On the Rise
Targeting players who are showing signs of breaking out is another key to making the right roster adjustments. Here are a few players who might be available and could definitely help some teams:
Josh Barfield – The rookie second baseman has excelled since being moved to the No. 2 spot in the Padres lineup. He’s got his average over .300 and has 2 HRs and 6 steals. Grab him if he’s still available.
Ty Wigginton – Playing for his third team in four years, the journeyman third baseman seems to have found a home in Tampa Bay. He’s taken advantage of Aubrey Huff’s knee injury and already has 8 home runs and 20 RBI. Playing in hitter-friendly Tropicana Field should help, too. Ride him while he’s hot. Brad Hawpe – The Colorado Rockies outfielder has established himself as the everyday right fielder and is firmly entrenched in the heart of the Rockies lineup. He’s batting over .340 and already has slugged 5 HRs. The 2000 College World Series MVP is well on his way to a .300-30-100 season. You never can go wrong having a Rockie in your lineup.
The Pitching Hole
While there is plenty of time to make up ground on offense, falling behind in the pitching categories – especially ERA and WHIP – can be a killer. Avoiding those complete disasters in the early season is a key to remaining competitive on the mound.
With pitchers, it’s all about the matchups. Don’t be afraid to bench one of your better pitchers for a riskier play if the matchup is right. Throwing a marginal starter against Kansas City or Pittsburgh is always better than having just about any starter face the Yankees or pitch at Colorado.
Whether you find yourself at the top of your league or at the bottom of the pack after these first three weeks, don’t stop looking to make your team better. Stocking your bench with productive players who could be used as trade bait is always a good idea. The inevitable injuries will come, and having players to step in during those times will help you avoid having to make a desperate deal. Bet MLB Baseball Player and Game Propositions @ WagerWeb.com Sportsbook

Michael Brody
Writer/EditorWagerWeb.com Contributing Writer
Mike has been writing and reporting on sports for 14 years.
He started his career as a sports writer and radio broadcaster at Cal State Northridge. Mike has written for the Los Angeles Daily News and has been a writer/editor for KNBC in Los Angeles, where he worked on the nightly sportscast with Fred Roggin. He also wrote and edited material for NBC network specials and has more than 10 years of online journalism experience. Although he lives in Southern California, Mike was born and raised in the Boston area and is a diehard fan of all the Boston professional teams.

Waiting for Take-Off

2006-04-21T10:45:00.000-07:00

By J.D. Jackson
Wagerweb.com Contributing Writer

You would not know it by their 10-4 record through the first two-and-a-half weeks of play, but the Houston Astros need Roger Clemens pitching for them.

It’s not too often that you read about a team needing a 43-year-old pitcher to have a legitimate shot at the playoffs, but Clemens is not a pitcher who comes along that often. At 42, he put together one of his more stunning seasons in his illustrious 22-year career by going 13-8 with a 1.87 ERA, striking out 185 batters and walking just 62 in 211.3 innings. While Chris Carpenter won the Cy Young for the National League, last season (Clemens finished third behind Carpenter and Dontrelle Willis), his 2005 was one of his three or four best seasons over the course of his career (better than his 2004, in which he did win the Cy Young Award). His 1.008 WHIP was the second-best in his career (bested only in 1986), his 1.87 ERA was the best in his career, and his 44 earned runs allowed was also the best in his career with a minimum of 100 innings pitched. And he was 42.

Clemens tired down the stretch. He labored his way through the playoffs, going 4-3 while helping guide the Astros to the World Series. It was clear that Clemens had worn down, and an injured Clemens posted a 13.50 ERA in his lone outing as the Astros were swept by the Chicago White Sox. Had Clemens not been injured and tired, the history books might remember the 2005 season a little differently.

Without Clemens, this season, Houston is winning games by mashing the ball, which is not something that the ’Stros are accustomed to. They are second in the National League in team average, fourth in home runs, tied for second in runs scored, and second in OPS. This is largely the same team that finished near the bottom in all of those categories in 2005. Though Roy Oswalt continues to prove that he is an ace pitcher, and Brandon Backe has surprised early on, Andy Pettitte has struggled to a 1-2, 6.35 ERA start. Wandy Rodriguez has started off well, but he is a guy who would come out of the bullpen, ideally. Ezequiel Astacio, the Astros’ emergency starter in the 2005 playoffs, has been downright pathetic in his two appearances, this season. The presence of Clemens allows everyone to shift down a spot in the rotation: Oswalt becomes the #2, Pettitte becomes the #3, Backe becomes a #4, and then the Astros can choose between Rodriguez, Astacio, or Taylor Buchholz for the fifth spot. The rotation goes from being second-best in its own division (behind the Cardinals’ deep rotation) to becoming the best rotation in the game, simply by adding Clemens. Assuming that the Cardinals turn it on like they are able to do, assuming the Mets continue to play spectacular baseball while the Braves play their normal brand of solid ball…the Astros without Clemens will have a hard time winning even the Wild Card. The offense just is not good enough, and the pitching just is not deep enough.

The possibility still exists, of course, that Clemens will rejoin the Astros in May. That period exists because the Astros did not offer Clemens arbitration. There are other teams, though less realistic, in the mix. The Red Sox have spoken to Clemens, but here’s to doubting that you will ever see Clemens back in a Red Sox uniform. It is awfully hard to cross a river when you have burned just about every single bridge that leads back to the other side. The Texas Rangers are also interested and seem more than willing to pay any amount of money required to get Clemens to pitch in Arlington. It is just not evident that Clemens reciprocates those feelings, though pitching for the Rangers would satisfy his requirement of staying close to home. The Yankees have called, as well, but Clemens left the Yankees to return home; it is unlikely that Clemens would leave home to return to the Yankees.
Besides that, Clemens’ leaving the Astros for any of those teams would leave a bad taste in a lot of people’s mouths. Clemens went to Houston to pitch specifically for the Astros. He wanted to be close to his home, close to his family, and able to spend more time away from the game while still competing. In other words, while he was getting paid the highest salary of his career ($18 million in 2005), Clemens was not doing it for the money. The man has made $121 million over the course of his career in salary alone. If he became the latest Yankee hired gun, it would be a disgusting act to many, many people.
No, the only place where Clemens truly fits is in Houston. And though there was some tension about the Astros’ not waiting on Clemens’ decision about retirement and not offering him arbitration, it is apparent that Clemens would return to Houston in May after taking the first month of the season off. It would allow Clemens to continue resting, the entire month of April, essentially adding a month onto his stamina and effectiveness in 2006, assuming that he is healed completely (and after a 1-1, 2.08 ERA, 0.81 WHIP in two starts during March’s World Baseball Classic, it is safe to assume that he is the same old Rocket). For Houston, the equation is simple: Clemens equals another trip deep into the playoffs, while no Clemens might mean no playoffs at all for 2005’s National League Champions.
Even at 43, Clemens still makes all the difference in the world.

MLB early season observations

2006-04-21T07:12:00.000-07:00

By Brad Halfond
Wagerweb.com Contributing Writer

Is there a more dominant threat to opposing pitchers in the National League than Albert Pujols?

The monster slugger has lit up scoreboards early in the season and sent several managers home wondering why they ever challenged the 26-year-old future Hall of Famer.

Pujols’ nine dingers lead the league and this guy must be now considered, along with Alex Rodriquez, one of the best players in baseball. Pujols clearly leads the list of standout individual performances as the 2006 baseball season gets underway.

Other players making an early impact in the senior circuit include David Wright, the steady third baseman on the resurgent New York Mets, and Ryan Langerhans of the Atlanta Braves. Both of those teams should stay in the hunt for the NL East title as the Mets will try to break the stranglehold on the division that Bobby Cox and Atlanta have maintained for more than eleven years.

But back to Pujols. We kind of had a hint that this would be his year from the way he ended the 2005 season with that massive blast that gave the Redbirds a victory over Houston in game five of last year’s NLCS.

Now Pujols has a new stadium to play in, fans who love and adore him, and the serious potential to reach 60 home runs this season. The only thing that Pujols needs is for his Cardinals to reach the heights that the White Sox did last year and win their first World Series title since 1982.

A few hundred miles to the north is the sleeping giant known as the Milwaukee Brewers. This is a team that has already surprised some with its ability to come back; if they can get their bats heated up with the weather, they could challenge for a wild card berth.

Overall, the early theme of the 2006 season might be parity. The Cardinals lost pitching and won’t be as dominant this year, while the NL West should continue to be mired in mediocrity. Unless the New York Mets can keep up their hot start and add an arm or two in mid-season, this league is definitely up for grabs.

It’s still too early to tell what will happen in the American League, but the usual contenders are starting to emerge. The Red Sox have their energetic new pitcher, Josh Beckett, and Curt Schilling appears to be at full strength, while the Yankees are going to rely on the older arms of Mussina and Johnson. Boston has more speed in 2006, while New York’s bullpen is practically brand new.

If you’re looking for early season surprises in the American League, that honor goes to Chris Shelton of the Detroit Tigers. This kid might revitalize the entire city of Detroit and bring baseball back to a somewhat competitive level. It is very uncommon for an unknown player like Shelton to be hitting with such power. Shelton had hit only 19 home runs in his previous 434 at-bats and now he is leading the league in long balls. Shelton is doing all this from the sixth position, but expect him to move up to the cleanup spot eventually.

The team to watch in the AL is Oakland, with its fearsome trio of Chavez, Thomas, and Bradley. If those guys stay hot and the young arms produce, Oakland will have a great chance to top Anaheim and win the West. The White Sox also have a good chance of repeating, but for the sake of our sanity, I would rather listen to Metallica than Ozzie Guillen any day.

What would the early season be without a mention of Barry Bonds? The Giants slugger has been getting more publicity off the field lately and maybe that is why his hitting and home runs (none yet) are starting to suffer. The other explanation is that Barry is just getting old and all of his various injuries have added up to Bonds becoming not quite the player he used to be. In the end, I’m going to say Barry hits about 25–30 home runs and retires after the season but before he has a chance to pass Hank Aaron for the all-time lead. Would that make Commissioner Selig happy?

Here are some of my observations on the opening weeks of the season around baseball.

New Busch Stadium – I can see the Arch more clearly, but did they even try to make it look different than old Busch stadium?

Giants’ outfield – Pass the Geritol. If these guys last the entire season then McCovey Cove will freeze over.

Pedro – The guy has nerves of steel and will continue to be successful unless a manager steps up and throws a ball near his head. He takes way too many liberties with players, with fewer consequences than any other pitcher I've ever seen.

Soriano – Shhhh …. They don’t want you to play 2B because they have an all-star there already and somebody in management must have watched a film of you bobbling balls in the Bronx for two seasons.

Marlins – and this hasn’t moved yet because….

Upcoming Devil Rays’ name change suggestion – Flounders

Beckett – Okay, we get it, you’re excited and happy that you struck somebody out. Bring that act to the Bronx and see what kind of reaction you will get.

Jeter – How come this guy doesn’t have a bubble gum endorsement contract yet? Hubba Bubba, are you listening?

Burnett comes up short in Jays debut

2006-04-17T09:31:00.000-07:00

CHICAGO -- The wait is over. There A.J. Burnett stood, out on the mound for the first time this season -- back from the disabled list and over his elbow injury. It was supposed to be his stage, where he would give an opening glimpse at why Toronto coveted his powerful arm.
But Burnett made two mistakes. And Paul Konerko and the White Sox stole the show.
Burnett struggled some with his command, but found his way through six decent innings. The problem was that he made a pair of costly pitches to Konerko, who hit two home runs, and Chicago starter Mark Buehrle tamed Toronto's offense. Those two factors led to a 4-2 loss for the Blue Jays on Saturday at U.S. Cellular Field.
"It was pretty much the Konerko show," Toronto manager John Gibbons said. "The two bombs were the difference."
The first home run that Burnett allowed came with two outs in the first inning. The right-hander walked Chicago's Jim Thome -- after just missing strike three with a breaking ball that slipped underneath the strike zone -- and then misfired on a fastball that Konerko exploited for a two-run blast to deep left field and tied the game, 2-2.
The second homer was also a two-run shot to left -- this time coming against a curveball on the inner half of the plate during the fifth inning.
"Both of those balls leaked over the middle right toward him and that's what he's supposed to do," said Burnett, who signed a five-year, $55 million deal with the Jays in December. "When a fastball away leaks over the middle, you expect him to hit that ball out. Then give him a curveball that leaked inside, you expect him to hit that ball out. Two pitches."
Maybe Burnett expected Konerko to take advantage of the miscues, but Chicago's first baseman didn't expect to see many missed pitches from the right-hander -- even if Burnett was on short rest and coming off an arm injury.
"I got a couple of good mistakes to hit, and I didn't miss them," Konerko said. "That's what you have to do against a guy like that. He's got real good stuff."
Burnett (0-1) was the first to admit that he didn't have real good stuff against the White Sox (6-5), though. In the first two innings, he threw 57 pitches. That wasn't a good sign for Toronto's bullpen, which was stretched thin during Friday's win over Chicago.
He recovered and threw 38 pitches across his final four frames, but Burnett said his command wasn't where he expected it to be and he worked into a lot of deep counts as a result. The positive side to his outing was that there weren't any lingering issues from the scar tissue that broke away in his right elbow on March 18.
"The first start of the year, there's a lot of focus on him," Gibbons said. "He wasn't hitting with his breaking ball. His command was off. That was all. He was in and out. He'd move the pitches and then he'd lose it. But he was OK."
In between both of Konerko's blasts, Burnett held his ground -- scattering four hits to 17 batters. He finished with 95 pitches and didn't appear to have any issues with throwing on short rest, having pitched in a rehab game with Class A Dunedin on Tuesday. He finished with the four runs allowed on seven hits with five strikeouts and one walk for Toronto (6-5).
"At times he was [struggling]. But it's normal for a guy that's coming off the DL," Toronto catcher Bengie Molina said. "He's excited. He wants to pitch. It's normal. I think he settled down really good. He pitched a great game."
Buehrle (2-0) pitched a much better game. The left-hander quieted Toronto's bats after a minor misstep in the first inning. After giving up a lead-off single to Reed Johnson, Buehrle yielded a two-run homer to Alex Rios, his fourth blast of the year.
After that, though, Buehrle limited Toronto to just three more hits, which put an end to three consecutive days of double-digit hit totals for the Jays. Following Vernon Wells' single in the first inning, Buehrle gave up just two hits to the next 26 batters he faced. Buehrle finished with two runs allowed on five hits in eight innings and he struck out four.
"Like he always is: Tough to hit. Myself, I was horrible today at the plate so I have to give him credit," Molina said. "I think with him you have to battle all day. He's the kind of guy that's going to work quick and try to get you out quick."
He did work fast, too. In typical Buehrle fashion, the game lasted just two hours and 10 minutes -- barely enough time for Burnett to soak up the atmosphere surrounding his much-hyped debut.
Despite the loss, though, Burnett was able to enjoy his return to the mound.
"I felt good, man. All the excitement, all the adrenaline going through my body while I was trying to make a pitch," Burnett said. "It was definitely fun, even if the results weren't there."

Towers left feeling down after loss

2006-04-12T11:08:00.000-07:00

BOSTON -- It's not how you start, it's how you finish. At least that's Toronto's response to it's rocky start to this season.
As far as the Blue Jays' 5-3 loss to the Red Sox on Tuesday, though, Toronto starter Josh Towers might disagree with that mentality. For him, it wasn't how he finished, but how he started. And he wasn't happy with how he started.
Towers struggled to keep the ball down in the second inning and gave up four runs as a result. That cushion was more than enough for Red Sox starter Josh Beckett to work with. In his first appearance at Fenway Park, Beckett turned in seven innings and limited Toronto (3-4) to just one run on three hits in Boston's home opener.
All four runs off Towers came on run-scoring doubles by Mike Lowell, Adam Stern and Kevin Youkilis. After Youkilis' hit, Towers settled down and scattered three hits to the next 18 batters he faced, but the damage had already been done.
"After the second inning, I think I turned it around and figured out a little something about what I was doing wrong," Towers said. "I was rushing and I definitely was leaving the ball up a little bit. If the ball's up, if I'm throwing on the corners, it doesn't matter -- elevated balls are easier to hit. I think that's what happened."
It was the same problem that Towers (0-2) cited after his loss to Minnesota in his first start of the season on April 5. In that outing, the righty only lasted 4 2/3 innings, as he was unable to correct the issue.
That was the difference between the two outings, and Towers is hoping that he can carry over the success of his final four frames against Boston over into his next start.
"As long as I'm able to add it and apply it to my next start in Chicago," Towers said, "then I think I got something out of it."
Towers wasn't originally slated to pitch in the upcoming series against the World Series champion White Sox, but staff ace Roy Halladay is going to miss his scheduled start due to a stiff right forearm. With Halladay temporarily out of the rotation, Towers will move up a turn and pitch in the series finale against Chicago on Sunday.
Towers was in a similar spot last season when Halladay and Ted Lilly missed time in the second half. He went on to have his most productive year in the Majors. If Towers can carry over the positives from his outing against Boston, it could give the Blue Jays a boost, considering A.J. Burnett, Scott Downs and Lilly have all battled minor injuries recently.
Even with all those factors, Towers doesn't feel any added pressure on how he performs.
"We have our own jobs. We're not Roy Halladay or A.J. Burnett," said Towers, referring to himself and the other starters. "We're who we are and we're slotted in our positions for a reason. There's no point in trying to take ourselves out of our game to be somebody we're not."
For most of the game against Boston (6-1), Towers was on his game. He finished with four strikeouts and gave up eight hits in six innings. The problem was that Toronto's hitters never could get anything going against Beckett (2-0).
The only success the Jays managed against Beckett came in the first inning, when the pitcher struggled with his control -- walking Toronto first baseman Lyle Overbay with the bases loaded to force in a run. Beckett recovered from that costly mistake and forced an inning-ending double play.
"He's one of those guys that, when he's on, he can shut you down," Toronto manager John Gibbons said. "And the good ones, when they get in jams, they get out of them. A lot of times, that's where games are won and lost, but the good ones rise to the occasion."
Toronto wouldn't receive a better scoring chance against Beckett, who cruised through 15 straight batters without allowing a hit at one point.
"In a situation like that, we need to get as many runs as possible," Toronto center fielder Vernon Wells said. "Obviously, one run is not going to be enough."
"He just needed to settle down and start hitting his spots a little bit," Boston manager Terry Francona said. "With a lot of good pitchers, if you don't get him early, maybe you miss your opportunity."
When Beckett exited the game, the Jays did receive an opportunity, though.
Toronto mounted a near comeback in the eighth inning after trailing, 5-1 -- thanks to a solo home run that Boston's David Ortiz hit off reliever Vinnie Chulk in the seventh. After Russ Adams singled off Boston reliever Keith Foulke, Frank Catalanotto followed with a two-run homer to right field that bounced off outfielder Wily Mo Pena's glove and into the Jays' bullpen.
That was as far as the rally would go, though. Now, Toronto will have to try and come back from two straight losses in the midst of a stretch where it plays 20 out of 25 games against teams that made the playoffs last season.
It's still early, though. The Blue Jays have plenty of time to make up the difference.

Rogers Centre upgrades abound

2006-04-04T09:22:00.000-07:00

TORONTO -- The roster wasn't the only thing that received a drastic makeover during the offseason. The Blue Jays also took on a significant renovation project for the Rogers Centre that stretches from the field to four levels above.
In February 2005, Blue Jays owner Ted Rogers committed $210 million to increasing the team's payroll. Over the last two years, though, the organization has also been able to use around $20 million to upgrade the stadium, which was built in 1989.
"You thought we were busy on the field, but from our point of view, the business side was busy off the field throughout the year," said Blue Jays president and CEO Paul Godfrey, as he led a group of media on a tour of the changes around the Rogers Centre. "This is an attempt to make this building a more customer-friendly and a fan-friendly building."
Before fans even enter the ballpark, the first major change is quite noticeable. A new Rogers Plus store, featuring a wide range of Rogers products, has been constructed on the south side of the Rogers Centre at Gate 8. Hanging above the new store are 50-foot posters of center fielder Vernon Wells, starter Roy Halladay, and new third baseman Troy Glaus.
Godfrey said the new store can serve as a "front door" to the stadium, where fans can meet before a game. This was an aspect that has been missing since the stadium was first built.
Once inside the stadium, fans will immediately be able to see the sweeping alterations to the main 100 level concourse. Nearly 1,800 seats, which were located under an overhang, have been removed in order to widen the walking space. The lighting has been changed to make the area brighter and high-definition flat-screen TVs are spread throughout the concourse so fans don't miss any of the game action.

The main concourse also has new concession stands that feature new equipment and improved food options. Many of the stands have names such as, "The Beaches," "Front Street Treats," or "Hogtown," playing off various neighborhoods around Toronto.
"For several years, we've been cooking on what we say was 'old McDonald's equipment,'" Godfrey said. "Now, you'll see the food cooked on a grill right in front of you."
One level up, in the Club 200 VIP section, which is located directly above home plate on the 200 level, there have been significant upgrades to serve upscale season-ticket holders. There is a concierge who will greet fans, and a new gourmet restaurant, along with a wine lounge and a new bar.
The Club VIP seating area now consists of eight seats in each row, which will allow for better in-seat service. Fans won't have to leave their seats unless they want to.
"This was always meant to be one of the exclusive places in the building, but we never met our committment to the public," Godfrey said. "The level of service wasn't what it should have been."
Also located on the 200 level is a new "Kids Zone," where parents can take their children for a variety of activities and still not miss any of the Blue Jays game because of the TVs all around. The colorful area is fitted with a jungle gym, a Playstation area that has the latest video games, and virtual reality booths that allow kids to try and hit a home run like Vernon Wells or throw a fastball like A.J. Burnett.
There is also a concession stand called "Grand Slam Food Land," which caters to children. It serves juice boxes, milk, cotton candy, and grilled cheese sandwiches, among other kid-friendly items, and the counter is lower so children can see all their choices.
On the 400 level, the Blue Jays have knocked out nine suites and created one large luxury suite for businesses to rent for meetings. The suite is complete with a boardroom table that can hold around 30 people, and that can be removed in favor of multiple round tables for around 70 people. The suite has plenty of seats to watch the baseball game and there are sound-proof, garage-style doors that can block out the noise below, but not the view, if a meeting is still taking place.
Altogether, the suite can hold up to around 350 people and can be rented for $14,000 each game. The suite can be divided into thirds and the smaller sections can be rented for $6,500. It can also be rented for $150 per hour, for a minimum of two hours.
Four levels below, on the field, are the "In the Action" seats, which are located down the first- and third-base lines. There are currently 24 seats on the field, and the club plans on trying to add around 20 more. In the same section, there are four large cushioned chairs in the "Comfort Zone," which is a new aspect offered to customers of TD Canada Trust, one of the team's new sponsors.
While baseball fans are watching the new group of players Toronto has put on the field, it'll be hard to miss the changes that have been made elsewhere at the Rogers Centre.

Rios stays hot as Jays fall

2006-03-27T14:27:00.000-08:00

TWINS 3, BLUE JAYS 2 at Fort Myers, Fla. Monday, March 27
Blue Jays at the plate: Alex Rios continued his dominant spring, as he went 2-for-4. Rios tripled in the first inning to drive home Toronto's first run, and he scored Toronto's second run after doubling to left and stealing third. Reed Johnson added a single and Kevin Barker walked twice on the day.
Twins at the plate: Catcher Mike Redmond drove home two runs as part of a three-run second inning for the Twins. Redmond hit a single to right that scored Rondell White and Justin Morneau. Torii Hunter finished the game 1-for-3 with a double, and Tony Batista added a single.
Blue Jays on the mound: Gustavo Chacin made his second start of the spring, and the Twins batted around against him in the second inning. Chacin pitched four innings, allowing three runs on four hits while walking two.
Twins on the mound: Starter Kyle Lohse struggled a bit in the early going, including a 14-pitch at-bat in the first inning. Lohse pitched four innings, allowing one run on three hits while walking two and striking out two. Dennys Reyes made his longest outing of the spring, pitching two innings and giving up one run on three hits. The left-hander also struck out two.

BASEBALL BETTING ODDS!!!