SportsNation Blog Archives
Tampa Bay Rays
So has anyone seen our divisional races in baseball? We seem to have misplaced them; we swear they here a minute ago. Aside from the AL Central, which is shaping up as less of a sprint and more of a stumble to the finish line, the new week begins with every division leader in possession of at least a 4.5 game cushion. A month ago, only two teams could claim that honor. And a year ago, two races were within a game on Aug. 17.
We can only assume it's the Tigers people have in mind when more than 70 percent of SportsNation predicts at least one current division leader will fall because the rest of the landscape looks about as eye-catching as a Kansas highway in the middle of an overcast night (in other words, dull). Thank goodness for the wild card.
At the outset of a three-game series between the Rangers and Red Sox in Texas, voters predicted the Red Sox would lead the wild-card race after the weekend. Oops. But never a body to be deterred, SportsNation still thinks the Red Sox will end up in the playoffs.
- Rockies lead NL wild-card race; SportsNation still prefers Giants.
- Vote: Add your take to the hot issues of the day in MLB.
- Groups: Top of the Chop | Texas Rangers | PHILADELPHIA SPORTS
“The Rangers are getting healthier, Kinsler's time off looked like a well needed rest. Hamilton's coming back around. Pitching looks good for them. And there's no way the Angels can keep up the pace they're on. Or can they? I love the fact that the Rangers are still relevant in mid August. Things look good for them.
” -- xlxcrowxlx
“the rockies whole team is overated, them playing at coors inflates all their stats tulowitzki cant clean hanleys shoes and helton is good cause hes in coors and there gonna fall apart in the end while we stay hot and by the way this was the worst officiated game in the history of baseball, the rocks stole this one from us
” -- jgoodman222
"Boy, that escalated quickly. I mean, that really got out of hand in a hurry." -- Ron Burgundy
Nobody on the Yankees killed a guy, or threw a trident, during a four-game weekend set against the Red Sox, but behind SportsNation's AL MVP pick the Bronx Bombers did their best in a sweep to extinguish whatever remaining life their rivals had left in the division.
After Thursday's loss, we looked at how SportsNation's faith in the Red Sox had faded over the past two months, but that was in the context of winning the AL East. But when the Mariners are closer to you in the playoff race than you are to the Yankees, it's time to start worrying about just making the playoffs.
- Only 52 percent of SportsNation predicts the Red Sox will make the postseason.
- Voters split as to whether Rangers or Rays are the main wild-card competition.
And the Dodgers, who once held a seemingly insurmountable lead in the NL West, head to San Francisco having lost three of four to the Braves and with their lead down to 5.5 games over the Giants and Rockies.
- A month into the season, only 22 percent of voters expected an NL West fight.
- Giants now slight favorite to earn the NL wild card over Cubs and Rockies.
- Vote: Weigh in with your take on the issues of the day in MLB.
- Chat: Buster Olney talks about all the pennant races at 1 p.m. ET.
- Groups: Florida Marlins Rock | National league | Dodgers Fan Club
“NL East is going to get tight. Both the hot Marlins and the even-hotter Braves (who just destroyed the NL's best team in a four-game set) are catching up quick. Marlins are only 4 back. Braves are 4.5 back. September's going to be awesome.
” -- aneternalenigma
“if the dodgers lost 3 of 4 to the pirates, i'd be a little more worried...the braves are always competitive, so there's no shame in losing this series...today's game could of been a little closer, but that happens...hell, the phillies lost by 9 today
” -- thomas9577
“As dominant as this 4 game sweep may seem by the media and some of the fans here, credit must be given to the Red Sox. They threw their struggling # 5 on Thursday. Friday was an epic adventure and an instant classic of a game. Saturday was a solid victory for the Yankees and CC Sabathia dominated. Last night was quite the duel that came down to the Sox pen (Bard in particular) not being able to settle down in a high pressure situation. What scares me even after this 4 game sweep is that the Yankees scored 1 run against Lester and Beckett in 14 innings, and only 3 total in 20 against Beckett, Lester and Buchholz.
” -- zoukis05
The dog days of August are in their infancy, but it's shaping up as a big week on the baseball diamond for reasons other than tests taken in 2003.
As you may hear a word or two about between now and then, the Yankees and Red Sox renew acquaintances later this week in the Bronx. But that's hardly the only act worth watching. Before even getting to the Big Apple, the Red Sox have to visit the Rays. Most of SportsNation already feels it's a two-team race in the AL East, but the defending AL champions ranked No. 7 in SN's Power Rankings last week and aren't out of things.
Over in the National League, has anyone actually noticed that the NL West seems to control the wild-card race? The Giants just took three out of four from the Phillies, and SportsNation's disdain for the Rockies should either intensify or wither after a week that sees them square off against the Phillies in Philadelphia (now with more Cliff Lee!) and Cubs in Denver.
- At the All-Star break, voters liked the Giants much more than the Rockies.
- Two months ago, voters weren't buying the Rockies' turnaround under Jim Tracy.
- Chat: Buster Olney answers your MLB questions at 1 p.m. ET
- Groups: THE SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS GROUP | ROCKIES ROCK!! | Fans of the Rays
“good luck to the Philly fans. Murder the Rox for us please!! no hard feelings, I realize its tough to lose. I usually deal with it by locking myself in my room and crying with my head under the pillow. we all handle losses differently!
” -- comeoutandplaaay
“great homestand and great series for the giants, the only reason pittsburgh, i mean philadelphia beat us friday is because they got lee and he was pitching against our triple a pitcher, if not a sweep would have been. great job ZITO, VELEZ AND ROWAND AND WINN HAD A NICE GAMe. go giants now lets winn on the road.
” -- Adam Heavens
As befitting a profession in which one must hurl a ball at ludicrous speeds toward gentlemen who could potentially send it hurtling back at even more ludicrous speeds, pitchers in major league baseball can be a bit emotional.
Witness Roger Clemens throwing a bat at Mike Piazza, or Carlos Zambrano destroying a water cooler, or Francisco Rodriguez pointing to the sky after a big strikeout. Or, if you want a more recent example, consider that of Matt "Big Game" Garza. Garza has seen Evan Longoria's tower buzzed before, so when Joba Chamberlain threw at the talented third baseman, Garza felt he had to respond. Down went Mark Teixeira in the next inning, and both benches were warned. Significantly, Garza admitted to throwing at Teixeira on purpose, which is either refreshing or dumb, depending on your temperament and affiliation. Beanball wars aren't a new thing in baseball, but they're usually couched in some semblance of denial ("My hand slipped"/"It just got away from me"/"I was distracted by a wave of ennui"). Garza's straightforwardness may be bold or dumb, but one thing is for certain: it'll cost him some spending money.- The Yankees may have tied the beanball war, but they won the game, and SportsNation thinks they're the best team in baseball.
- User ninerfreak800 thinks the Rays are falling behind in the AL East and need a big bat.
- Groups: Rays Fan | 09 NEW YORK YANKEES | Fans of the Tampa Bay Rays
“Overall, I love the affect this has on the AL East. We need to see more blood boiling rivalry.
” -- jasonbye
“IT IS NOT COOL TO THROW AT SOMEONE'S DOME PIECE...
” -- rex_aau_coach
“What a baby. If you he was going to throw in retaliation, he had ample opportunity to hit Jeter at the top of the inning. That pitch barely grazed Teixeira. If that was retaliation, perhaps that is the reason that the Rays are floundering in third place and look hapless, much like last night.
” -- yankeejoe225
Jim Parque sure picked a good day to come out as a disgraced former White Sox pitcher.
A day that began in Chicago with the White Sox answering questions about a guy most of them never played with (and who said his use of performance-enhancing drugs came after leaving the team) ended with one of his few remaining former teammates forcing a much more pleasant revision to the game's record books. Mark Buehrle's perfect game was just the second of this century and No. 18 all time (counting Don Larsen's World Series gem).
Yes, there have been more Arena Bowls in our sporting history than perfect games.
Of course, as rarely as perfect games come along, they're New York City cabs compared to catches that top Willie Mays' over-the-shoulder grab in the 1954 World Series. Dewayne Wise gave it his best shot Thursday, leaping high and extending an arm over the fence to preserve Buehrle's perfection in the ninth inning. but SportsNation rules it wasn't good enough to unseat the Say Hey Kid.
- Some token of perfection will head to Cooperstown, but voters unsure if Buehrle follows
- White Sox fan illiniking07 blogs his appreciation for Buehrle, an "easy guy to root for and admire" and a steal of a late-round pick more than a decade ago. It's true; Buehrle seems like a likable guy -- and not just in comparison to Ozzie Guillen.
- Giving Skip Bayless a run for his contrarian money, windsormountain uses Buehrle's perfect game as an opportunity to announce his divorce from baseball. We hear you and award you half of the Washington Nationals.
- Friday's chat: Get Jerry Crasnick's take on perfection at 12 p.m. ET
- Groups: The SOX Fan's CUBS will CHOKE Group | American League Central
“If this kid can, hopefully, avoid significant injury and gets to the 300 win mark with, at least, one no hitter, perfect game, and WS championship on his resume, he'll be a first ballot Hall of Famer. For sure.
” -- IlliniDave68
“Alright, I'll admit it. When I saw Mark Buehrle get the last out of the game, I actually got on my feet and started cheering. I may not have been happy that it was against my team, but he pitched one Hell of a game. And for that, I tip my hat to him for giving me a moment in history that I might be able to share with my kids someday.
” -- UPS Wyatt
“Don't forget that Buehrle's NO NO in 07' was one fifth inning walk away from being a perfect game. He walked Sammy Sosa, but later picked him off. He faced the minimum 27 batters in that game as well. Unreal. This guy is Legit! And to do it against the defending AL champs...WOW.
” -- greateromaha
“I'm still trying to think of a way that catch could have been any more amazing... maybe if he'd grabbed some fan's beer with his teeth, drank it using no hands, and belched "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" as he made the play. That's about all I can come up with
” -- GoWIndyCity
So is born the legend of Sergio Mitre. A simple man born in a distant land (all right, Los Angeles), Mitre arrived in the biggest city in the kingdom accompanied by whispers of miracles performed in the hinterlands (or more accurately, a 2.40 ERA at Triple-A Scranton). And with him came sunshine and bountiful harvests. Or at least first place in the American League East.
The Yankees' new fifth starter, and a veteran of a 50-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs and 53 unremarkable starts in the majors, Mitre actually didn't have nearly as much to do with the Yankees claiming sole possession of first place as Robinson Cano or Alex Rodriguez, right, who drove in two and walked twice. And considering this is the latest in the season the Yankees have been alone in first since 2006, it's kind of a big deal.
As recently as two weeks ago, SportsNation voters were still sold on the Red Sox winning the division, but that support appears to be disappearing, albeit not as quickly as balls hit off John Smoltz.
- Will the Yankees hold their newfound lead? Vote on the AL East.
- Chat: Frustrated Jays fan? Ask Baseball America's Jim Callis about prospects at 2 ET
- Groups: New York Yankees Fan Club | Fans of the Tampa Bay Rays | BOSTON RED SOX
“The Sox need a bat they have lacked offense all season. Lets see if Theo makes a move, I doubt he does though. Shorstop has to be top priority, Nick Green was a good story for a few months but let be real here.....Lowrie and Green dont scare anyone and neither of them are gold glove shortstops either...Tejada can be had for a reasonable trade and can still hit, something needs to be done.
” -- BoSox1045K
“Who cares. I hate first place until the end of September anyway. It is what it is. 2+ months to go. I wish we were hitting better but it is what it is. Go Yanks. NOT.
” -- paulc1955
“Yankee fans need to chill out a bit. It's July 21st. There is a lot of baseball to be played, so don't get ahead of yourselves celebrating the Yanks being in 1st and the Sox in a bit of a funk. I have confidence in the Yanks, but at the same time I'm not getting all crazy over their current streak.
” -- BryanV21
We should be careful what we wish for. Running through National League reviews and predictions, we lamented the lack of sports on the day after the All-Star Game. But how could we be so foolish as to think Brett Favre wouldn't sniff out the opportunity and announce that he is definitely, positively, beyond a shadow of a doubt ... going to tell the Vikings whether or not he's coming back ... at some point between now and the start of the team's training camp. Whew, glad we've got that on the record.
Games not involving Favre's mind resume on baseball diamonds Thursday, but we're taking a look back at the American League before we get there. And compared to the projected runaways in the NL, the division races on this side of the ledger look like they could keep us entertained well into the fall.
American League Team MVP
Red Sox: Jason Bay
Yankees: Mark Teixeira
Angels: Torii Hunter
Tigers: Miguel Cabrera
Rangers: Ian Kinsler
Rays: Evan Longoria
Mariners: Ichiro
White Sox: Jermaine Dye
Twins: Joe Mauer
Blue Jays: Roy Halladay
Orioles: Adam Jones
Athletics: Matt Holliday
Royals: Mark Teahan (Offensive MVP)
Indians: Grady Sizemore (Least Valuable Player)
SportsNation is clear on two things when it comes to tonight's All-Star Game in St. Louis. First, the American League is going to win. And second, a good chunk of the 'Nation isn't happy about it.
Just like political elections (only with much younger combatants, except in the cases of Jamie Moyer and Tim Wakefield), the All-Star Game brings out the regional divisisions in all of us. From sea to shining sea, there are distinct bands of support for the American League and National League. And just like the elections, there are some familiar swing states.
Florida: With both the Marlins and Rays, the state is up for grabs. But barring a recount, the AL holds a 53-47 edge, perhaps thanks to AL East retirees.
California: The A's and Angels never stood a chance against the longstanding order of the Dodgers, Giants and Padres (sound familiar in the Golden State?). The National League holds a commanding 65-35 lead for the hearts and minds of Californians.
Ohio: What should be a battlegrouind between the Reds in the south and the Indians in the north is surprisingly one-sided, 62-38, in favor the American League.
Wisconsin: It hasn't taken Wisconsin long to adapt to life in the National League. In fact, at 82 percent support, it's the NL's biggest stronghold in the country.
Next week in chat: James Carville and Mary Matalin on the wild-card races! (not really).
- Have you switched league alleigances in your life? Vote on All-Star Game issues.
- Voters don't think the All-Star Game should decide home-field advantage.
- 'Nation agrees with Roy Halladay over Zack Greinke for American League.
- Chat: Ask Joe Morgan about the National League's golden years at 1 p.m. ET.
“Thanks Bud Selig for making baseball to make no sense whatsover compared to other sports. If you win 105 games in the regular season , then your team should be rewarded for having home field advantage in the World Series. What a Joke!!!! You did a good job in dividing up the leagues and having a wild card, but you can change this crap.
” -- bondsbay
“I'm glad that Maddon decided against Greinke, considering Greinke has about as good of a chance at mattering in the postseason as I do. Halladay is going to win Home Field for the American League, then get traded to the Phils . . .clutch
” -- nslynch713
As the saying goes, the more things change, the more the Cubs struggle to find .500. At least, that's how we learned it. And by "we," we mean anyone born since 1909.
With the baseball season pausing for its official midpoint at the All-Star Game and its less official one in the firing of the Nationals manager, consider how SportsNation sized up the field after the first week of the season.
1. Florida Marlins
2. St. Louis Cardinals
3. Chicago Cubs
4. Atlanta Braves
5. Toronto Blue Jays
At least the Nationals were properly slotted at No. 30. Congrats on getting that gig, Jim Riggleman. Now the Cubs, Marlins and Braves are fighting for wild-card relevancy, hoping a division leader stumbles, and the Blue Jays are listening to offers for Roy Halladay.
- A Mariners fan, blogger Dawgman0387 gets a little excited about the team's winning record at the break and starts throwing out terms like "World Series run." But hey, with a top three like Felix Hernandez, Erik Bedard and Jarrod Washburn, maybe he's on to something.
- Things aren't quite as rosy for the Reds. SportsNation blogger xubugg pleads for more "patients" at the plate. We're guessing that's supposed to be "patience," but when it comes to Dusty Baker's lineup experiments, you never know.
- We're all a little worse off having an All-Star Game without "Kung Fu Panda," but a Giants blogger upset that the so-nicknamed Pablo Sandoval won't be in St. Louis takes out his frutrations on the frauds that he feels are the Philadelphia Phillies.
“Love the Mariners, Wakamatsu, Fedex, Ichiro, Branyan, Griffey Jr., Aardsma, Branyan, "Gutierez", and everyone who has helped turn this year's team into an entertaining winning club.
” -- J.Bertelli
“[Jim Tracy] took the Rockies from double-digit games under .500 to Wild Card contenders. Not to mention the fact that the Rockies have the best record in baseball over the span that Tracy has been manager. Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, expected the Rockies to be in the position they are now. Thus, Tracy definitely deserves to be National League Manager Of The Year, so far, and it's not really that close.
” -- JTRMS45
In Tim Wakefield's first season in the big leagues, the Red Sox and Yankees both finished with losing records (soak that in for a few blissful seconds). And the Brewers finished a close second in the American League East, four games behind the Blue Jays.
Yeah, Wakefield's not young. He wasn't then, debuting with the Pirates in 1992 at 25 years old, and he's not now. But he is going to the All-Star Game for the first time, weeks after passing Roger Clemens for the most starts in Red Sox history.
Before he beat the A's on Wednesday for win No. 11 this season, SportsNation wasn't entirely sure he belonged in St. Louis. And despite some well-placed lobbying (listen to Tim Kurkjian on "Mike and Mike," left) voters aren't buying him as the American League starter.
But despite becoming one of the oldest pitchers to win 11 games this early, he has at least two more good seasons, as the 'Nation sees it.
- Toronto's quick start had voters wavering on which team would win (May 18), but ...
- A month later the Red Sox had full control of the 'Nation's vote (June 11)
- More midseason reviews: AL Central | AL West | NL West | NL Central | NL East
- Groups: BOSTON RED SOX | The New York Yankees Fan Club | Oriole Nation
“Chris Tillman pitched 6 shutout innings [Wednesday]. He has pitches 13 consecutive shutout innings now. We are going to see this guy very soon. I can feel it. Tillman is going to get the call up and Matusz will be promoted to AAA. Patience O's fans. They are coming.
” -- nebula25r
“major league pitchers dont just stumble by accident on 11 wins at this point in the season. I watched Wakefield pitch against the Tigers in Detroit last season, sat near behind the plate and watching this guys pitches come toward the batter was just silly, the ball did look weak and lifeless but it moved so oddly that its gotta throw off big league hitters timing, obviously to the point of 11 wins at that!
” -- KaneBowman
“Since Matsui has gotten on track, things are backed up again but, as I've been saying all along, I would like to see Cervelli/Molina doing the MAJORITY of the catching... Posada is weak defensively AND he seems to have gotten worse at calling games... He's already just a DH that they keep telling to play catcher...
” -- KapteinStoertebeker
“Considering the way we've been playing we're lucky to be 5.5 games back. So, lets's get some home cooking W's this week and close that gap a little before the AllStar break. Go Rays!
” -- 23witness
“The Jays are on the verge of becoming less relevant than the Montreal Expos in Canada if don't they start showing a, and with apologies to Al Davis, "commitment to excellence" and not a "commitment to mediocrity".
” -- RapsJaysBucs
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