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Mariners have work to do in offseason

2006-10-05T14:39:00.000-07:00

They're sticking with general manager Bill Bavasi and manager Mike Hargrove, letting them continue into 2007 what they say was a step forward for the team in 2006.

The stakes will be high. Management's patience will be low.

A slow start to the season will cost jobs next spring that weren't lost this fall.

"I've been doing this now for 15 years and I've been pretty good at it," Hargrove said. "I will work as hard next year as I did this year. If it works, great, I'd love to stay here. If it doesn't, then I'll know that I've done my best. You don't take this job without realizing you're in the hot seat when you take it."

The seat will be hot all winter.

Despite the promise the Mariners showed in so many areas this year -- Yuniesky Betancourt and Jose Lopez as one of the American League's best young shortstop-second base combinations, catcher Kenji Johjima's solid bat, Raul Ibanez's consistency and Ichiro Suzuki's move to center field -- they have plenty of holes to fill if they hope to become competitive in 2007.

"My recommendation is to improve the pitching," Hargrove said. "I don't think I'm revealing any deep dark secret."

The likely departures of Joel Pineiro (arbitration eligible) and Gil Meche (free agent) will leave the Mariners needing to fill three openings in the starting rotation. The only starters under contract for 2007 are Jarrod Washburn and Felix Hernandez.

Meche's agent spent part of last week in Seattle and spoke with Mariners officials, but there was no indication of the team's interest. Hargrove, curiously, singled out Meche's contribution when looking back on the season after Sunday's final game.

"Gil Meche has kind of quietly had a solid season and shown the stuff consistently this year that we saw sporadically last season," Hargrove said.

Meche, who finished 11-8 with a 4.48 ERA, said Sunday he wants to pitch for a competitive team and that he believes the Mariners are on the upswing. But that doesn't mean he'll give any discounts to the Mariners, who drafted him in the first round in 1996.

"I'll just go home and let the process play itself out," Meche said.

Pineiro, pulled from the starting rotation just after midseason, seems as good as gone. The Mariners aren't expected to offer him arbitration.

Where do the Mariners turn for pitching?

Jamie Moyer's trade to Philadelphia in August opened opportunities for Jake Woods and Cha Seung Baek to start, and both performed well. Baek, especially, should be a serious candidate for the rotation when spring training begins.

While the free-agent list is thin on bona fide staff aces, several quality starters will be available, among them Jason Schmidt, Jeff Suppan, Jeff Weaver, Adam Eaton and Barry Zito.

There's also Japanese right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka, the star of Japan's World Baseball Classic team whose name has been connected with the Mariners, if for no other reason because of the team's Japanese ownership.

Matsuzaka throws a fastball in the mid-90 mph range and also flips splitters, changeups and sliders. He'll certainly draw interest among major league teams, and the Mariners must decide if he's worth the millions it will take to get him. Like Ichiro Suzuki six years ago, teams must bid on negotiating rights for Matsuzaka. The Mariners paid $13 for that right with Suzuki.

With Matsuzaka's value so uncertain, especially for a team that could use a No. 1 starter, the Mariners may be better served by spending their millions in other areas.

If the Mariners plan to talk trade, they might have more leverage now than in past years. The late-season rise of such talented pitchers as Mark Lowe, Ryan Feierabend, Eric O'Flaherty and Jon Huber gives them quality young arms that other teams would love to have.

Backup catcher Rene Rivera's time with the Mariners also could be running out as Jeff Clement, their first-round draft pick in 2005, develops. Clement missed a healthy chunk of last season because of knee and elbow surgery, and he could use at least another full year in the minor leagues.

There's also the question of first baseman Richie Sexson's value to the Mariners, especially in light of the $28 million they owe him the next two years. He finished with respectable numbers -- 34 home runs and 107 RBI -- that gave the team a needed power element.

However, Sexson's 154 strikeouts and his lack of speed on the bases make him an over-the-fence-or-nothing player, and that has never been a style that worked at Safeco Field.

If the Mariners could find a trade partner for Sexson, they'd be wise to consider it.

They could replace him at first base with Ben Broussard, who showed with the Indians that he can hit for a higher average and better on-base percentage than he did in a platoon role at DH in 56 games with the Mariners.

The Mariners avoided a huge offseason burden when Suzuki moved to center field and said he wanted to stay there next year. That opens the opportunity for the club to pursue a power-hitting corner outfielder or, if they leave Ibanez in left field, a quality designated hitter.

Hargrove promises, if nothing else, an honest effort to completing the Mariners' turnaround. Their 78 victories were nine more than last year but still not enough to avoid another last-place finish in the AL West.

"We've made progress," he said. "Maybe not the amount of progress that we would have liked. But after the '04 season, when this team lost 99 games, things are going the right direction.

"It hasn't happened nearly as fast as we want it to, but it is happening."

Mariners bats batter Angels

2006-06-13T13:20:00.000-07:00

ANAHEIM -- Bat on shoulder, Richie Sexson stood in the on-deck circle at Angel Stadium on Saturday as Raul Ibanez was intentionally walked to load the bases in the fifth inning.
Sexson didn't take the decision by Angels manager Mike Scioscia as a lack of respect. In fact, Sexson said he understood the move.
"A lefty up, base open, one out," Sexson said. "... you don't have to be a rocket scientist."
Sexson's 12th career grand slam came at a nice time for the Mariners, who used the long ball by their big first baseman to break open a tight game, as Seattle defeated the Angels, 12-6, before a sold-out crowd of 44,129.
Sexson's grand slam was part of a five-run inning that sent the Mariners (30-34) to their eighth victory in their last 10 games and their second victory in as many games against the Angels (27-34).
All three of Sexson's grand slams this season have been preceded by walks to Ibanez -- with two of them of the intentional variety.
"Honestly, it's been pure luck," Sexson said of his grand slams this season. "It doesn't get you upset. It's not a bad move."
Or a rare move, at that.
On April 12 in Cleveland, reliever Danny Graves walked Ibanez to load the bases and Sexson made the Indians pay for that decision by drilling a sinker that didn't sink over the wall in left field.
Then on May 22 against Baltimore, Orioles starter Erik Bedard was trailing, 4-2, when he left a changeup over the outer third of the plate that Sexson drove over the wall in right for a grand slam. That hit, too, was preceded by a walk to Ibanez.
There were plenty of hits to go around Saturday -- Seattle had 16 of them, including home runs by Ichiro Suzuki and Adrian Beltre -- but none were bigger than Sexson's blast.
The Mariners inflicted much of their damage on Angels starter John Lackey, who came into the game with an ERA of 3.06. Lackey (4-4) was coming off a start June 4 where he allowed two hits over seven shutout innings against Cleveland.
None of that mattered Saturday, as the Mariners piled up eight runs on nine hits during a blissful three-inning stretch to put the game away.
In the third inning, the Mariners got consecutive hits from Kenji Johjima, Jeremy Reed and Yuniesky Betancourt. Betancourt's double drove in a run to snap a 2-2 tie. Later in the inning, Jose Lopez drilled a two-run double to left field for a 5-2 advantage.
The damage was much greater in the fifth inning. Ichiro started the inning with a single and moved to third base one out later on a Lopez double. That brought up Ibanez with first base open.
Scioscia opted to walk Ibanez to get to Sexson, who entered the game hitting .211. As it turns out, Lackey might have been better off against Ibanez, as Sexson squared up a fastball and sent it over the wall in center field for his 10th home run of this season.
Seattle needed to go to its bullpen early because it took starter Gil Meche (6-4) all of 102 pitches to get through five innings, as his lack of command -- Meche walked four batters -- led to a high pitch count.
Meche allowed two runs on four hits and two walks in the second inning but allowed just two more hits over the next three innings.
"He was behind a lot of hitters," Seattle manager Mike Hargrove said. "He went out and he competed. He buckled down and pitched out of a jam [in the second inning]."
Meche was also hampered by a sore left side, just above his left hip, he said. Hargrove said that he suffered the slight injury during a bullpen session earlier in the week and it cropped up again Saturday.
Meche -- who doesn't expect to miss a start -- said his pain was eased some by Sexson's grand slam.
"After the fourth inning, I'm sitting here and it's 3-2. I'm thinking if Richie hits a grand slam, it would make me feel more comfortable," Meche said.
A four-run spot in the seventh inning certainly made Hargrove a little more comfortable, as Ichiro hit a three-run home run off reliever Kevin Gregg. Beltre followed suit with a long ball of his own.
Ichiro had three hits to raise his average to .367. He's hitting .558 this month with seven multihit games.
"I didn't see him in '04 when he broke the [single-season hits] record," Hargrove said. "But I imagine it was like this. He can flat hit."
So, too, can Sexson, especially when presented the right opportunity.

Kansas City Royals (14-40) At Seattle Mariners (25-33)

2006-06-05T13:02:00.000-07:00

The Kansas City Royals wrap up what actually hasn't been a bad 10-game road trip tonight, when the club plays the last of four games with the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field.
The Royals moved to 4-5 on their current road swing after Sunday's 9-4 triumph over the Mariners. Kansas City had been a dismal 2-20 on the road prior to the start of the trip.
John Buck belted a go-ahead homer in the top of the fourth inning and Reggie Sanders drove in three runs as the Royals snapped a nine-game losing streak at Safeco Field.
Sanders finished the day 2-for-4 for Kansas City, which snapped a three-game skid overall. Emil Brown also went 2-for-4 with a homer and two runs scored, while David DeJesus chipped in a pair of hits to the win.
Royals starter Mark Redman (1-4) hurled 5 2/3 innings and was solid if not spectacular en route to his first win of the season. The soft-tossing lefty surrendered four runs on eight hits with three walks and two strikeouts.
Adrian Beltre went 2-for-4 with a home run and two runs batted in for the Mariners, who lost for the first time in four outings. Mike Morse was 2-of-3 with an RBI.
Beltre now has a nine-game hitting streak and is batting .368 (14-for-38) during the run.
Jarrod Washburn (3-7) started and struggled for Seattle. The crafty lefty was tagged for seven runs on eight hits in just 4 1/3 innings of work.
Kansas City will try to even this series behind right-hander Mike Wood, who will be making only his second start of 2006. He enters the rotation in place of Denny Bautista, who was sent to the bullpen.
Wood's three victories this season are tied for the most among Royals' hurlers, but he has been hit hard in recent outings. Over his last four appearances, all in relief, he has surrendered 10 earned runs and 13 hits over 5 1/3 frames.
The 26-year-old is 0-1 with an 11.45 earned run average in five career games against Seattle, one of which has been a start.
The Mariners counter with Gil Meche, who will try to snap a personal two-game losing streak. The hard-throwing righty yielded season-highs in runs (six), walks (five) and hits (nine) in a 5 1/3-inning stint last Tuesday in Texas.
Prior to that outing, Meche struck out 10 Baltimore Orioles in seven innings and gave up just a pair of runs on four hits. However, he was on the short end of a 2-0 decision on May 25.
Meche, who is 3-2 with a 3.00 ERA in five starts at Safeco Field this season, owns a 2-3 record and a 5.40 ERA in six career games against Kansas City. In his lone start versus the Royals last season, Meche was rocked for seven runs -- five earned -- and seven hits and lasted just three innings in a loss at Kauffman Stadium last July.
The Mariners have won 13 of the last 16 meetings between the teams and are 11-3 at Safeco against KC since 2003.

Twins Beat Mariners on Ford's HR in 10th

2006-05-30T08:43:00.000-07:00

Lew Ford led off the 10th inning with a game-winning home run off former teammate Eddie Guardado, lifting the Minnesota Twins over the Seattle Mariners 4-3 Sunday. The homer, a 414-foot drive to right-center, was Ford's second of the season and first since April 21. It came on a 1-2 pitch from Guardado (0-3), who played for the Twins for 11 seasons before signing with the Mariners in 2003. Justin Morneau added a two-run homer for Minnesota, which completed a three-game sweep for its second sweep of the season. The other was April 11-13 against Oakland at the Metrodome. Jose Lopez hit a two-run homer but made a costly mistake for the Mariners, who have lost five straight games. Ichiro Suzuki went 4-for-5 for his second four-hit game of the season. Minnesota's Joe Nathan (3-0) got out of a jam in the 10th to earn the victory. The Mariners squandered several late-inning chances to go ahead. In the 10th, Nathan allowed back-to-back singles to Suzuki and Lopez to start the inning. Nathan was then helped by two outstanding plays in the outfield. Right fielder Michael Cuddyer made a nice catch on a drive by Raul Ibanez, and Suzuki failed to tag and advance to third because he was too far off second. Center fielder Torii Hunter then leaped against the center-field fence to snag a drive by Richie Sexson. Nathan retired Adrian Beltre on a fly to center to end the threat. The Mariners had another golden chance to grab the lead in the seventh. Suzuki hit a one-out triple to right-center. With Lopez at the plate, the Mariners tried a suicide squeeze. Suzuki broke toward home with the pitch, but Lopez popped it up to pitcher Johan Santana, who caught the ball and tossed it to third baseman Luis Rodriguez for a double play. The Twins tied it at 3 in the sixth. Joe Mauer, who went 3-for-4, led off the inning with a ground-rule double to right-center off starter Joel Pineiro. Mauer moved to third on Hunter's groundout and scored on Mike Redmond's sacrifice fly. Pineiro, who had a 10.93 ERA in losing his past three starts coming in, gave up three runs and nine hits in 6 2-3 innings. Santana, who had won four of his last five starts, allowed three runs and eight hits in seven innings. He had five strikeouts to improve his AL-leading total to 80. Ibanez's sacrifice fly in the fifth inning gave the Mariners a 3-2 lead.

Howard Schultz And Seattle Sonics Experiencing

2006-05-29T14:30:00.000-07:00

It seems Howard Schultz and the rest of the owners of the Seattle Seahawks, the audacity of this plan has spurred some pushback. From Rick Anderson’s summary of the Seattle situation, Schultz and the other owners proposed: to contribute all of $18.3 million toward a new arena. The most specific arena plan (see “The Sonics’ Venue Envy,” Feb. 1) is a $271.5 million package that includes existing debt on KeyArena; with interest, the bottom line to taxpayers would be more than $400 million.
These scumbags haven’t even paid off the debt on their powderpuff loans from the last corporate welfare deal and they want more money!

Quarterly Report on Major League Divisional Races (NL WEST)

2006-05-24T15:32:00.000-07:00

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

2006-05-24T15:31:00.000-07:00

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.

Fantasy Tip of the Week

2006-05-24T11:04:00.000-07:00

By Chris Goudey
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

We are about 1/3 of the way through the 2006 MLB season, and whether you are doing well or are struggling, this is a crucial time. You know what categories you need to improve on and one of the best ways to improve your standing is to pick up guys who have started off slowly but are due to break out. Here is a list of players to target who have had a bad spring but should soon get as hot as the weather: Batters:

Marcus Giles, 2B, Atlanta –He is historically a .300 hitter who is currently hitting .235. He’s a perfect buy-low candidate.

Manny Ramirez, OF, Boston – Usually good for 40 HRs and 130 RBIs, he is currently in single-digits in HRs and very low in RBIs. He is the ONE player who is due to go crazy in the month of June.

Juan Pierre, OF, and Aramis Ramirez, 3B, Chicago Cubs – Both players have seen their value decrease with the injury to Derrek Lee. Pierre isn’t scoring or hitting as well as normal, and Ramirez’s numbers are all down. When Lee returns, watch these numbers start to rise.

Ken Griffey Jr., OF, Cincinnati – IF he can stay healthy, a power surge is coming. Todd Helton, 1B, Colorado – Now over his mysterious stomach ailment, he should be sending many homers into the Mile-High air shortly.

Reggie Sanders, OF, Kansas City – Should be good for at least 15 homers and 15 steals in the upcoming months.

Garret Anderson, OF, LA Angels – The Angels’ offense has been horrible so far, so look for Anderson to have more RBI opportunities as they begin to heat up. Jeff Kent, 2B, LA Dodgers – Kent is always good for 25 HRs and 100 RBIs, so take advantage now and reap the rewards later.

Cliff Floyd, OF, NY Mets – Floyd has really struggled so far, barely batting over .200. That won’t continue. Alex Rodriguez, 3B, NY Yankees – Along with Manny Ramirez, he is the highest-profile player on this list. Look for A-Rod to really explode soon. He is too good a player not to.

Jimmy Rollins, SS, and Bobby Abreu, OF, Philadelphia – It’s amazing the Phillies have done as well as they have with two of their biggest players slumping. Abreu is about to bust out, so snag him quickly. Rollins is the best SS in the NL, but you wouldn’t know it judging from his numbers so far. He will hit over .300 and get you at least 20 steals the rest of the way, so grab him now!

Jason Bay, OF, Pittsburgh – He’s already started to break out, but if you can find an owner who isn’t paying attention, go get those 20-25 HRs and 75-80 RBIs that are coming.

Richie Sexson, 1B, and Adrian Beltre, 3B, Seattle – These two were supposed to be the Mariners’ power duo of the future, but it just hasn’t happened….yet. Look for both of these guys to get it together soon and help Ichiro out.

Jim Edmonds, OF, St. Louis – With only 5 HRs so far, Edmonds is a very good candidate to bust out. He’s normally good for 35, so look for him to get at least 25 more for the year…IF he can stay healthy, which is always his biggest issue.

Carl Crawford, OF, Julio Lugo, SS, and Aubrey Huff, 3B, Tampa Bay – All 3 of these guys have had slow starts due to injury (Lugo/Huff) or just a sub-par performance (Crawford). All 3 should start to pick it up together.

Mark Teixeira, 1B-DH, Texas – With only 4 HRs so far, Big Tex is my bet to hit the most homers in the AL from here on out. He is simply too good a player not to have a huge hot streak and in the 100-degree Texas heat, the ball simply flies out of the stadium.

Jose Guillen, OF, Washington – This is a talented player if he can keep his head on straight. He was projected to have 30 HRs and 100 RBIs, so pick him up now and hope he stays on the straight and narrow. The numbers will come if he can.

Obviously not all of these players will break out and start to hit immediately, but they have done much better historically than this year. Next week, I’ll take a look at some pitchers to acquire that fall under the same classification.

Mariners sweep Padres

2006-05-22T16:50:00.000-07:00

Along with the baseballs that were flying all over Safeco Field, so was Felix Hernandez.
The Seattle Mariners' 20-year-old right-hander went to the mound Sunday hoping for a steady performance after his most wobbly game of the year last week in Oakland, where he gave up 10 runs in four innings.
What he produced in a 10-8 victory over the San Diego Padres was far from steady. But it was a victory, giving the Mariners their first series sweep this season.
Hernandez displayed everything from a 100 mph fastball to Brian Giles in the fifth inning to an awkward Flying Wallenda leap off the mound and a little white lie that kept him in the game.
"What's encouraging is the fact that we won the game," pitching coach Rafael Chaves said. "He didn't have his best stuff but the club picked him up and we still won the game."
Hernandez gave up seven hits and seven runs in six innings.
The Mariners' eight-run second inning against Padres starter Chan Ho Park gave Hernandez an 8-1 safety net to work with and he still nearly hit the floor, literally in the third inning.
Early control problems continued with a leadoff walk to Brian Roberts in the third and, on a 1-2 pitch to Giles, Hernandez tried to muscle up.
Instead, he spun himself off the mound in a clumsy delivery that brought Chaves and trainer Tom Newberg out of the dugout. Hernandez waved them off, saying he was fine.
He wasn't. He sprained his left ankle on the pitch.
"He wasn't too honest with us. He said, 'I just slipped,'" Chaves said. "I wish he was a little more honest."
"I had to keep fighting and keep pitching the way I always have, with pain or without pain," Hernandez said.
Hernandez gave up two hits and two runs in that inning, when it appeared he was headed for another short outing.
Instead, he retired nine straight before another misstep - a third-strike passed ball by catcher Kenji Johjima - led to a four-run Padres rally in the sixth that pulled them within a run at 8-7.
"He was pitching well until the third strike got away from Johjima," manager Mike Hargrove said. "He scuffled, but he battled. He, and we, were fortunate we scored eight runs in the second inning. It gave him a chance to scuffle and fight his way through it."
The Mariners' eight-run second was their best inning since Aug. 30, 2003 when they scored 10 in the fifth inning against Baltimore. Raul Ibanez hit a three-run homer, Carl Everett a solo homer and Yuniesky Betancourt dropped a squeeze bunt.
In the sixth, needing another burst of offense to spread their one-run lead, the Mariners got it when Richie Sexson drew a bases-loaded walk and Everett hit an RBI single.
That made it 10-7 before the Padres scored their final run on Josh Bard's leadoff home run in the eighth off Rafael Soriano.
By then, Hernandez had come clean. He was in the clubhouse icing not only his right arm but his left ankle.
The Mariners said he should be OK for his next start, scheduled for Friday at Minnesota.
"It's a good sign to me because he didn't want to come out of the ballgame," Chaves said. "He wanted to stay in and pitch as many innings as he could.
Hernandez gave them six and, with Soriano and J.J. Putz finishing up, the Mariners won their third straight game after three losses in their previous series at Oakland. It pulled them within three games of first place in the AL West Division.
"It's a three-game sweep, but at the same time it's just three games," Ibanez said.

“Ain’t no sucker like Jim Duquette”

2006-05-15T12:10:00.000-07:00

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”

2006-05-11T11:41:00.000-07:00

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.

Mariners 6, Devil Rays 3

2006-05-09T12:24:00.000-07:00

Jose Lopez's growth was defined in one at-bat Monday night as he continued to shed his past temptations.
The Seattle second baseman is no longer just a pull hitter. Instead, he's quickly becoming the Mariners' best clutch hitter.
Lopez had two hits and drove in three runs, rallying the Mariners to a 6-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays before the smallest crowd in Safeco Field history.
Lopez, hitting .429 with runners in scoring position, pulled Seattle even at 3-3 in the seventh with a two-run single to center. He also singled home Ichiro Suzuki with Seattle's first run in the third.
"I would have tried to hit a home run last year," Lopez said of the seventh-inning single off Tampa Bay reliever Chad Orvella. "This year my job batting second is to hit the ball the other way."
Lopez has settled in nicely batting behind Suzuki. Hitting there has brought a change in attitude and approach for the 22-year-old, who leads Seattle with 25 RBIs.

Baseball’s First-Month Awards

2006-05-05T10:39:00.000-07:00

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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Outfielder Joe Borchard claimed by Florida

2006-05-04T08:39:00.000-07:00

Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Bill Bavasi announced today that the Florida Marlins have claimed outfielder Joe Borchard off waivers. The Mariners had designated Borchard for assignment on Sunday, April 23. Borchard, 27, appeared in six games with Seattle this season, including making two starts in center field. He hit .222 (2x9) in limited action. Borchard spent most of the 2005 season with Triple-A Charlotte, where he tied for second in the International League with 29 home runs. Borchard was acquired from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for left-handed pitcher Matt Thornton on March 20, 2006.

Bonds’ alleged cheating scandal hurting baseball history

2006-05-03T11:05:00.000-07:00

By Bill KugelbergWagerWeb.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

2006-05-02T14:32:00.000-07:00

By Brad Halfond
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

Just 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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Chicago White Sox vs. Seattle Mariners

2006-05-02T13:36:00.000-07:00

The defending Champions the Chicago White Sox are starting to find the rhythm they had last season. Last week against the Mariners they turned Safeco Field into a hitting cage; in a game they won 13-3. Jermaine Dye hit two home runs and Tadahito Iguchi had a career-high four RBI as the defending World Series champions hit five homers. It was Chicago’s 14th win in the last 16 games giving them the best record in the league tied with the Astros 14-6.

"I was pretty impressed," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "The balls don't carry here much.

Also Javier Vazquez (2-1) allowed two runs and four hits in six-plus innings in his second consecutive strong start. It also showed Chicago has power beyond Jim Thome, who has already become the fastest White Sox player to reach nine home runs in a season. This week they continue to play against the Mariners, this time at home, and the fans are hoping their team to continue with the winning roll that can help them get to the championship this year.

Lineup
1. Scott Podsednik, LF. 2. Tadahito Iguchi, 2nd B. 3. Jim Thome, DH. 4. Paul Konerko, 1st B. 5. Jermaine Dye, RF. 6. A.J. Pierzynski, C. 7. Joe Crede, 3rd B. 8. Juan Uribe, SS. 9. Brian Anderson, CF.

The Seattle Mariners with an 8-14 record are struggling at this point of the season they need to achieve more victories now if they want to have a chance to make it to the post-season. Even though last week they beat the White Sox in the first game of the series; they got a good beat in game two, "You've got to have your best stuff working against any lineup, but you've got to be especially careful against people like this," said Mariners right-hander Joel Pineiro, who gave up six hits, including two homers, in four innings and fell to 2-2. "Somehow you've got to find a way to keep the team close, and today was not one of those days."

After last week MLB match-ups the Mariners are on the road to Chicago and they need to grab some wins. Although it will be very difficult it’s not impossible for the Mariners to win at Chicago and improve the record.

If you’re a Sports Betting fan don’t miss the chance to gamble in this series and give some extra excitement to the game. It will be a good match-up; the Mariners needs to win and the White Sox will want to win to keep the good record to make it to the Championship this year.

Lineup
1. RF Ichiro Suzuki. 2. SS Yuniesky Betancourt. 3. LF Raul Ibanez. 4. 1st B Richie Sexson. 5. 3rd B Adrian Beltre. 6. DH Carl Everett. 7. C Kenji Johjima. 8. CF Jeremy Reed. 9. 2nd B Jose Lopez

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

2006-05-02T09:13:00.000-07:00

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

2006-04-27T08:33:00.000-07:00

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

2006-04-21T11:22:00.000-07:00

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

2006-04-21T09:36:00.000-07:00

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?

Pineiro uses a little hocus-pocus

2006-04-17T11:16:00.000-07:00

BOSTON -- Bases loaded, nobody out is a tough enough situation to deal with.
And when you've just watched a backup catcher with the uniform number 77 work a walk after a 12-pitch at-bat to put you in that situation, it's even more arduous.
Add in the fact that you're laboring and a sellout Fenway Park crowd has sprung to its feet, and it doesn't seem like it can get much worse.
Joel Pineiro found himself in that perilous position in Saturday's second inning, but he rose above it, pitching out of the jam and propelling the Mariners to a 3-0 victory over the Red Sox before 36,047.
"I think Joel was just trying to be a little too fine, a little too cute, instead of just going after guys and letting his stuff work for him," Mariners manager Mike Hargrove said. "He settled in and changed into Harry Houdini."
That little bit of escapist magic was not lost on the rest of the Mariners, who evened their record at 6-6 for the baseball season and handed the Red Sox their first shutout of the year in the process.
And while a lot of the postgame praise was heaped on Pineiro, relievers J.J. Putz and Eddie Guardado got their share of props for closing it out with 2 2/3 scoreless frames.
Still, the clubhouse consensus was that if Pineiro didn't turn into Houdini in the second, it would have been a much different ballgame.
Pineiro slogged through the first inning, giving up singles to David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez, but he bore down to get Kevin Youkilis to ground out to third to get out of that inning.
In the second, Pineiro walked J.T. Snow, gave up a ground-rule double to Wily Mo Pena and then embarked on the long day's journey into night otherwise known as Josh Bard's at-bat.
Bard, known more for being Boston starter Tim Wakefield's new personal catcher now that Doug Mirabelli was traded in the offseason, brought a .143 average into the game but looked like a seasoned pro fending off Pineiro's pitches.
Pineiro got him to an 0-and-2 count and then Bard started fighting, fouling off pitch after pitch -- six in all after there were two strikes. By the time he drew the walk to jam the bases, Fenway was frenzied and Pineiro was beyond frustrated.
"I was going to ask him, 'What do you want?'" Pineiro said. "I threw him changeups, curveballs, everything. It was a great battle and he won."
In the midst of the hysteria, pitching coach Rafael Chaves went to the mound to talk to Pineiro, and he said his message was more mental than mechanical.
"I didn't talk about pitching approach," Chaves said. "I talked about the belief that until the runners score, they haven't scored. There is a way out, so you try to minimize the damage."
Whatever Chaves said, he should have recorded it for future use.
Pineiro got the first out by freezing Alex Gonzalez on a low, inside fastball, which Hargrove described as the turning point in the game.
"That was the big out of the inning," Hargrove said. "You get one out in that situation and there's a few things you can do."
Pineiro capitalized on the momentum, striking out Adam Stern on three straight curveballs for out No. 2, and with the crowd quieted down a tad, he got Alex Cora to ground out to second base.
After that, he was in control for the rest of his 6 1/3 innings, with his 111-pitch total the only thing that kept him from continuing.
"He certainly started attacking the strike zone," Boston manager Terry Francona said. "I think we were at 50 pitches after two innings and looking like we were going to at least get him out of there early and make them go to the bullpen.
"He really got a lot more efficient. He used his offspeed pitches really well after that."
And the Mariners did what they could against the all-offspeed arsenal of veteran knuckleballer Wakefield, with all the offense they'd need coming in the third inning.
Yuniesky Betancourt led off with a double and moved to third when Ichiro Suzuki struck out but reached first base on a dropped third strike by Bard. Another passed ball allowed Betancourt to score, Raul Ibanez doubled in a run and Richie Sexson singled in another to make it 3-0.
"I left a ball up to Ibanez that got over [right fielder] Wily Mo's head and a ball to Sexson that I thought was a pretty good pitch, but then I looked at it on tape and it was kind of belt high on the inside corner, which is his hot zone.," said Wakefield.
"Pineiro pitched out of a bases-loaded jam and the opportunities were few and far between from that point in the game."
Part of the reason for that was an excellent job by Seattle relievers Putz and Guardado. Putz came in for Pineiro in the seventh inning with runners on first and second and got two quick outs, one via strikeout. Then he struck out the side in the eighth, blowing a 95-mph fastball by Ortiz and an 88-mph split-fingered fastball by Ramirez.
Guardado bent, walking Mark Loretta, but he got three straight outs after that to close it out for his second save of the season.
"Putz, today, came in and did an outstanding job, and Eddie closed it out," Hargrove said.
"Everybody's doing what we're asking them to do, and when they do that, it pays off."

Ichiro slow out of the gate

2006-04-12T14:06:00.000-07:00

CLEVELAND -- The Mariners offense is a source of concern, but there's one thing manager Mike Hargrove isn't worried about.
There are few guarantees in life, but it's a safe bet that Ichiro Suzuki soon will be hitting higher than the .200 average (6-for-30) he carried into Tuesday night's game with the Indians.
"Taxes and Ichiro getting base hits are two pretty good bets," said Hargrove.
History, of course, is on Hargrove's side. Ichiro is a career .332 hitter and batted .353 in nine seasons in Japan before signing with the Mariners in 2001. "If I remember, he had a start like this in 2004 and ended up with about 260 hits [262 to be precise]," said Hargrove.
Ichiro led the American League in hits and batting average (.372) that baseball season. He was hitless in his last three games going into Tuesday.
Early-season numbers can often be misleading or, in some cases, an outright fraud. Hitters with a .250 career average can be batting 150 points over that. A player with little power can have five home runs in the first week. Over the course of a long season, a player's track record usually comes to the surface.
"You have to remember it's early," said Hargrove. "A lot of guys hitting .400 now, come September won't be anywhere near that."

Mariners set Opening Day roster

2006-04-04T11:29:00.000-07:00

SEATTLE -- The Mariners finalized their Opening Day roster Saturday, and in the process, they provided a few surprises, a few no-brainers and a few tough decisions with which they'll be faced in the coming weeks.
As expected, slugging first baseman Roberto Petagine has made the team as the last bench player.
He came into camp late as a 35-year-old slugger with a long shot of a chance of making the team as a non-roster invitee, but he mashed the ball all spring, adding a home run in the exhibition game in Tacoma on Saturday for good measure. He'll provide a left-handed bat with pop, probably mostly for pinch-hit duties.
Meanwhile, in an unexpected, late-developing move, Rene Rivera, the favorite for the backup catching spot out of Spring Training, was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma.
Rivera, who figures to become the everyday catcher in Tacoma, was demoted when the Mariners claimed catcher Guillermo Quiroz, who is out of options, off waivers two days ago.
Another surprise was a potentially positive one.
Outfielder Chris Snelling was not put on the 60-day disabled list, which means Snelling might be recovering quicker from his September 2005 knee surgery than the club expected.
In other moves, the Mariners had two bullpen openings and they were filled by left-hander Jake Woods, who was on the 40-man roster, and non-roster invitee Jeff Harris, a right-hander who impressed the team with his moxie and versatility while relieving and spot-starting last year.
As expected, the club optioned right-hander Emiliano Fruto to Tacoma, where the young, hard-throwing and raw 21-year-old will work on his command, possibly as the Rainiers' closer.
To make the team, Petagine and Harris, both non-roster players, had to be added to the team's 40-man roster. One spot was made possible when reliever Marcos Carvajal was designated for assignment.
Harris will be added to the roster Sunday when reserve outfielder Matt Lawton begins a league-enforced 10-day suspension resulting from a positive steroid test in 2005.
Lawton will be eligible to return to the Mariners on April 13, when the team plays the Indians in Cleveland, forcing the team to make another move quickly.

Mariners propelled by six-run first

2006-03-29T06:45:00.000-08:00

Mariners at the plate: Roberto Petagine had a two-run double to cap the Mariners' six-run first inning. He also had a double in the sixth inning that scored Corky Miller from first base. Just as significant was Petagine dashing to third base on the relay throw to the plate. Manager Mike Hargrove has been emphasizing more aggressive baserunning in Spring Training.
Rangers at the plate: The Rangers hit four home runs. Laynce Nix hit a grand slam in the first inning and a solo home run in the sixth. David Dellucci hit a home run in the fifth, and Kevin Mench hit his seventh home run of the Spring. Nix just missed a third home run with a double off the top of the wall in the eighth and finished with eight RBIs.
Mariners on the mound: Mariners starter Gil Meche gave up five runs on four hits and three walks in five innings of work. Two of the hits were home runs. Julio Mateo, in his second outing since missing 11 days because of a death in the family, pitched one inning, gave up two home runs and satisfied the odds that were on his favor.
Rangers on the mound: Rookie Edinson Volquez had a chance to enhance his bid to win the fifth starter spot, but had a strange outing. He gave up seven hits to the first eight batters and fell behind, 6-0, in the first inning. Then he retired eight of the next ten hitters, allowing just two walks.
Cactus League records: Mariners 10-15, Rangers 10-13.
Up next: Juan Dominguez and R.A. Dickey are scheduled to pitch for the Rangers against the Oakland Athletics at 1:05 p.m. MT on Tuesday at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. Joe Blanton starts for the Athletics. The Mariners host the Cubs at 1:05 p.m. MT in Peoria. Felix Hernandez was supposed to pitch, but was scratched because of shin splits. Rookie left-hander Thomas Oldham starts instead.

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