Brewers - Cubs and Walk-off Walks posted by Eric Hatleback

This game typifies why the open base need not always be filled.  Particularly with the winning run on third base, you are asking quite a lot of your pitcher to confine him to the box created by bases loaded.  The Brewers should have gone after Soto--a player coming in cold off the bench--with runners on second and third and 2 outs.  Instead, they blatantly pitched around him for 3 pitches, then intentionally put him on with the fourth pitch to set the stage for the walk-off walk.

By pitching Soto tough, you may still walk him--but you also may get him out.  In fact, Soto makes an out approximately 75% of the time this season, so it seems to me that the odds were in favor of the Brewers if they simply pitched to him.  And the kicker is that this is true of every hitter: he makes an out more often than he gets a hit.  So walking the bases loaded with the winning run on third is inexcusable--unless there are fewer than 2 outs and the aim is to establish a double play opportunity. 

Chicago baseball is simply mediocre posted by richard Kagan

The Chicago Cubs are 35-36.  The Chicago White Sox are 36-38.  Both teams are flirting with the .500 mark as we get closer to the half-way mark of the season.  Unless these teams are can go into after-drive and put the pedal to the metal, it is likely that these team will finish near the .500 mark.  The Cubs had a thrilling homestand and won some games with pulsating finishes.  Then they go on the road and make the Detroit Tigers look like world-beaters.  In one game, the Cubs have a one run lead late, but  their closer gives up a 2 run homer in the last of 9th to win the game for Detroit.

Good closers don't give up game winning home runs to lose the game.  Unfortunately, Marmol is the set up man and putting him in is like watching a chopped tree tottering before it falls.  You never know how it's going to work out.  Some days he looks great striking out the side. Other days it could a hit batter, a wild pitch, a walk, a single, and game on the brink.  This is after the Cubs have scored 4 runs on 9 hits to tie a game.  Last season, the game would have been over.

What a difference a year makes. Safe to say Milton Bradley won't be back next season. He has the psychological make-up of a rook in Babe Ruth League.  This is the Majors Milt, wake up. 

The Sox are not any great shakes either. Decent starting pitching, no consistent hitting, a bullpen that blows up games one day, and locks down a game on another.  The Sox actually look like they can do something this season, because their starters can get you to the 6th or 7th inning with a lead.  That's where they can get into trouble. The set up pitchers have been shaky this season. Jenks, the closer is reliable.  The Sox are 6 game out of the division lead.  A margin that a good team could make up.  But the Pale Hose win two games and lose 3 and you can't win a pennant that way.

Baseball links posted by Erick Pacheco

http://sports.spinidea.com/2009/06/25/boston-red-sox-at-atlanta-braves-2/

http://sports.spinidea.com/2009/06/25/chicago-cubs-at-chicago-white-sox-2/ 

  http://watchlivebaseballonline.blogspot.com 

www.stream2watch.com 

  http://www.ustream.tv/channel/mundanetv cubs then giants Phillies/Jays  http://www.ustream.tv/channel/teddybear82pw- teddybear Cards/Twins  http://www.ustream.tv/channel/sticktv2pw-  sticktv.net  http://sports.spinidea.com/2009/06/25/boston-red-sox-...

The NBA Draft's Five Best Second Overall Picks Since 1984 & Sammy Sosa Is a Joke and He Does Not Deserve Induction into the HOF posted by Colin Linneweber

The NBA Draft's Five Best Second Overall Picks Since 1984

The Los Angeles Clippers are expected to pick former Oklahoma Sooners star Blake Griffin Thursday with the first overall selection in the 2009 NBA Draft at the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

However, there is not a consensus projection for the No. 2 pick and basketball analysts remain largely uncertain who the Memphis Grizzlies will choose tomorrow in Gotham.

In recognition of the NBA Draft, I have decided to rank the five most accomplished players selected second overall in the past quarter century.

1) Jason Kidd

Kidd, 36, attended the University of California and helped resurrect the Golden Bears dormant basketball program with his stellar play at the point guard position.

After being honored as a First Team All-American as a sophomore, Kidd declared for the NBA Draft and was selected 2nd overall by the Dallas Mavericks in 1994.

Unfortunately, the Bay Area native’s initial stint with the Mavericks didn’t materialize as most anticipated it would.

According to legend, singer Toni Braxton went to the Mavs team hotel to meet Kidd after a game.

However, instead of rendezvousing with Kidd, Braxton instead left with his Dallas teammate Jimmy Jackson and the two purportedly fornicated until the wee hours.

Subsequently, Kidd loathed Jackson and he demanded an escape from “Big D.”

Kidd, a 9-time All-Star and 6-time All-NBA nomination, was traded to the Phoenix Suns at the conclusion of the 1996 season and his career began to truly ascend in the desert.

posted by Colin Linneweber

The New York Times reported last week that former Chicago Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa was on a list of 103 players who tested positive for performance enhancing drugs in 2003.

Sosa, 40, a 7-time All-Star selection and 6-time Silver Slugger Award winner, helped revitalize the game of baseball in 1998 when he and fellow juicehead Mark McGwire pursued Roger Maris’ home run record.

“Slamming Sammy,” who won the 1998 NL MVP and ultimately broke Maris’ mark when he finished that season with 66 home runs, has long been rumored to have abused anabolic steroids during his playing career.

The native of the Dominican Republic is simply the latest name in a growing list of Major League Baseball superstars to be publicly exposed as a charlatan.

In July of 2002, Sports Illustrated columnist Rick Reilly confronted Sosa about his alleged steroid abuse at his Wrigley Field locker and he asked the onetime “Windy City” icon to take a drug test to prove that his feats on the diamond were legitimate.

“You’ve said if baseball tests for steroids, you want to be first in line, right?” Reilly asked an unprepared Sosa.

“Yes,” replied the man who tallied 609 career home runs from 1989-2007.

“Well, why wait?” Reilly said.

According to Reilly, at this point he wrote down the name and phone number of a local LabCorp and he handed the information to Sosa.

Reilly then informed the 2000 Home Run Derby winner that the test could be conducted with either a blood or urine sample and the results of the examination would be returned within 10 days.
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Jose Canseco to bring full circus to court, plans to sue MLB and MLBPA posted by Matthew McCabe

Disgraced former MLB slugger Jose Canseco apparently has one more trick left up his sleeve to help keep himself in the limelight, well beyond his 15 minutes of fame. Canseco wants to get together with fellow disgraced steroid users Sammy Sosa and Rafael Palmeiro to file a lawsuit against Major League Baseball and the Players Association to seek compensation for loss of wages and defamation of character.

Canseco stated in a telephone interview that:

"Because I used steroids and I came out with a book, I was kicked out of the game, but I have not been inducted into the Hall of Fame. A lot of these players have not been inducted into the Hall of Fame: Mark McGwire and so forth. They're losing salaries, because obviously when you're inducted into the Hall of Fame, you get asked to do certain, you know, appearances and shows and so forth, which incorporates income. So there is a major income loss. Not even that, baseball blackballs you from their family, meaning you can't have a future proper reference from them, a job, no managerial jobs, no coaching jobs, nothing. They completely sever you."

Clearly Canseco is grasping at straws in his life. It is hard to know where to begin in criticizing Canseco, so in the interest of time we'll keep it brief. Canseco had a bright career when he broke into baseball, but his career was cut short by diminishing skills after roughly 10 seasons. His numbers went downhill and few people wanted him. In 2005 he wrote a tell all book, mostly in an attempt to make money, about the use of steroids in baseball in which he claimed as many as 85% of MLB players used steroids.

Maybe New Cubs Can Do It posted by richard Kagan

The Chicago Cubs beat Cleveland 6-2 to sweep the Tribe, and more importantly, win their 4th game in a row.  Dont blink too fast, but this is a modest winning streak.  A few weeks ago, the Cubs look moribound, and I wrote it so, basically writing them off.

But, impatient Cubs fan as I am, it's a long season and the Cubs have too much talent (don't need you Kerry).  Wood pitched before the hometown crowd and blew two games, which last year seemed an impossibility. He messed up a few games but saved many more than be blew.  But to see him uncork a wild pitch and having the winning run dash from third, was, well, there may be a Santa after all.

The good news is that Derrick Lee rediscovered his touch, Soriano makes big plays and scores big runs, and Milton Bradley has a hitting streak.  Keep hitting Milton.  Geovanny Soto hit a couple of big home runs on the homestand.  Fukudome even went 4 for 5 yesterday.  When that happens, good things are more than likely to happen. 

You know the Cubs recently fired their hitting coach and hired Von Joshua from Iowa.  The change seems to be helping the Cubs.  If things go south, there's always Billy Williams, now there was a hitter. 

The Cubs got a good start from Randy Wells, a rookie who looks like he has talent. The team scored enough runs for him to get his first ML win.  With this fresh talent mixed in with veterans, who have been underperforming, The Cubs may have a shot to contend. 

Another "hero" falls, Slammin' Sammy busted posted by Matthew McCabe

The country was captivated in the summer of 1998 by the home-run chase as Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs and Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals simultaneously chased Roger Maris' single season home-run record. As the season neared a close the two managed to keep the pressure on each other night in and night out to go yard. America was hooked on baseball, tuning in each night to see these two sluggers battle it out to see who would be the new long ball champion.

Fast forward a decade and the fog of greatness is slowly disappearing around many of baseball's former greats as the steroid scandal that has gripped MLB over the past few years is showing no prejudice in who it tears down. In 2005 when interest in steroid use shot up, McGwire, Sosa, and Rafael Palmeiro went in front of Congress to declare their innocence and deny knowledge of other "juicing". All three players sat in front of Congress and swore under oath they had never used steroids, ever. By this time many had begun wondering if McGwire and Sosa's chase in 1998 was steroid propelled. After all, both men had rather large physiques and were big time hitters.

In August of 2005, a mere five months later, Palmeiro was busted for steroid use even after stating under oath that he "never, ever took any steroids". That summer Palmeiro picked up his 3,000th career hit and many believed a spot in the hall of fame, but an asterisk was also put next to his career because he was busted for steroid use. In the time since, other big names have been taken down a peg. Barry Bonds remains in a seemingly endless fight with the government to prove his innocence despite evidence to the contrary. Jason Giambi, Alex Rodriguez, Andy Pettite, Roger Clemens, and Manny Ramirez have all been busted for steroid use. Now, just this week we learned of Sammy Sosa's steroid use, forever tainting one of America's darlings from 1998.

Sammy May Have To Wait A Long Time posted by richard Kagan

The former Chicago Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa, put out a statement recently that he was expecting to "calmly wait" till he was voted in baseball's Hall of Fame.  Then about a week later, news came out that he was one of the 104 players on a list from 2003 that said certain players had tested positive for "performance enhancing drugs."

How this list got documented, who has a copy of it, remains disuputed. But, if Sammy is on this list, that does not bode well for him to be voted in the HOF.

Sosa and Mark McGuire captivated the nation in 1998 when they went toe to toe in slugging home runs.

Sammy was loved by Chicago Cubs' fans and it seemed he owned the town.  Now, he is the object to scorn on sports cable shows.  Reporters are going on record saying they won't vote for him.  This is not good.  Now, if Sammy did not tell the truth or did not knowingly take a substance then he should talk to the press.  He admitted to congress a few years back that he did not take any steroids in a statement read by an attorney.

Sammy tell us the truth.  What did you take?  When?  He became a great home run hitter in mid-career.  How did this happen?  His HR totals shot up and he hit more than 60 HR's 3 times.  It was bordering on Ruthian.  I hope it was your talent.  Not drugs.

Cubs Season May Be Over posted by richard Kagan

The Chicago Cubs are still in the running for the divisional crown. They are only 2.5 games out of first place and one game back in the loss column.  You can look at it, and say, "Hey, the Cubs are right there."  I'm not looking at it that way.

The Cubs wasted a good night from pitcher Carlosl Zambrano who pitched 7 solid innings and lost the game when the bullpen allowed Geoff Blum to beat them with a 9th inning game winning hit. Blum, who played on the 2005 World Series Champs White Sox and hit a home run in a key game, now plays for Houston and he beat the Cubs.  That's the game of baseball.

If the Cubs can't right their bullpen soon, this season will go up in smoke. The Cubs let Kerry Wood go to Cleveland and cleared out some money so they could sign Milton Bradley, who is so not on fire, he might as well be playing for the Rockford Rocks.  If he runs the bases and doesn't get hurt stepping on 2nd base, that would be a surprise. Every other day, he is nicked up, and can't play.  When can he play?  The hope is when the weather warms up in Chicago, his legs will feel better, and he can concentrate on hitting the ball, which is why the Cubs payed him millons of dollars.

Want to know how good Aramis Ramirez is?  He's on the DL until July and the lineup has no power punch.  Ramirez is a great hitter.  He was good for 30 HR's and over 100 RBI's a season.  The Cubs miss him dearly.  I hope he is on the mend, because with him back in the lineup, it's a different team.

But the Bullpen may do the Cubs in before Ramirez returns. Carlos Marmol, the righty who stuck out nearly every batter he faced last season, is lost.  He doesn't have his confidence and Piniella is giving him a rest.  He is such a talent, I hope he can straighten himself out.  He has to change his approach to pitching and learn how to be a pitcher, not his version of Kerry Wood.  No one in the bullpen gives me confidence. If it is a close game in late innings, the Cubs will lose. That's not being optimistic. But it is being realistic.  They don't have a guy who can throw strikes and get people out.

Piniella, Bradley bury hatchet

Milton Bradley was in the Chicago Cubs' lineup Saturday, a day after he was sent home by manager Lou Piniella following an angry outburst in the dugout."I apologized for the last comment I made, told him he knows in the context I meant it," Piniella said. "But I also told him that just can't continue, to have shenanigans that we've put up with. I told him he's going to hurt somebody, he's going to hurt himself. [read full article]

From FOXSports.com News for MLB

Cubs fire hitting coach Perry

The Chicago Cubs have fired hitting coach Gerald Perry after 2 1/2 seasons in an attempt to spark a sputtering offense that ranks among the National League's worst.He was replaced by Von Joshua from Triple-A Iowa.General manager Jim Hendry made the announcement before Sunday's game against Minnesota.The Cubs had high expectations after winning back-to-back NL Central titles, but with a 29-30 record and a .246 team batting average, Hendry decided to make a change. [read full article]

From FOXSports.com News for MLB