Tagged: adrian gonzalez

July 1, 2009

Early NL MVP Candidates: Edition 2

(Yes, I know I did not do an edition one, but we’ll just pretend I did)

1. Albert Pujols, 1B, Cardinals

Who Else? Pujols has already one a pair of Cy Young, he has 349 homeruns at age 29, he’s the greatest hitter ever etc. I’ll go ahead and outline Pujols accomplishments for 2009 anyway. As we approach the all-star break, Pujols leads the NL in, homeruns (30), runs (61), rbi’s (77), on-base percentage (.453), slugging percentage (.743), total bases (197), and on-base+slugging percentage (1.197). Pujols is not far behind David Wright in batting average. MVP in pocket? Triple Crown?

2. Raul Ibanez, LF, Phillies

The Phillies were ridiculed for signing Ibanez to replace Pat Burrell, creating a L-L-L, 3-4-5 part of their lineup. Don’t look now, but Ibanez is third to Pujols in HR’s (22), second in .SLG (.656), third in .OPS (1.027), and total bases (164), fourth in RBI (59), and sixth in runs (15). Ibanez has never come close to winning an MVP award, and won’t this year because of Pujols, but he is one of the top three hitters in the NL.

3. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B, Padres

The only good offensive player in the San Diego lineup, Gonzalez is second in homeruns (24), leads in walks (63), is fifth in OPS (1.002), ninth in total bases (154), and ranks in top ten in many other categories. If only A-Gone had some offensive help, (like people getting on base in front of him), he’d rack up extraordinary numbers.

Joke Of The Day: Jeff Francoeur’s ultimate sandwich!

It starts with French bread, because he’s frenchy, then swiss cheese because its full of holes, just like his swing, don;t forget the bacon, sausage, ham, because somehow, he’s the meat of the Braves’ order. No vegetables, because if he ate his, he wouldn’t be flirting with the Mendoza line.

Welcome to the Golden Sombrero Club Jason Bay

0-5 5 strikeouts

June 2, 2009

On Pace, Who’s Gonna Keep It Going

1. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B, Padres, is on pace for 67 Homeruns

Will he keep it up? No. No one is allowed to hit more homeruns than Sammy Sosa!!!!!!!

2. Chris Davis, 1B, Rangers, is on pace for 250 Strikeouts

Ouch! Will he keep it up? Probably not, but I can see him challenging the strikeout record, 204, set last year by Mark Reynolds.

3. Evan Longoria, 3B, Rays, is on pace for 168 RBI

Will he keep it up? Slim chance, Manny Ramirez had 165 in 1999, and Alex Rodriguez had 156 in 2007, but I don’t consider Longoria that talented a player, yet…

Pitching coming later…

This Day In Baseball History

1891-Charles Garder Radbourn wins his 300th game beating the Beaneaters at South End Grounds in Boston, 10-8. ‘Old Hoss’, who will finish 484 of the 497 games he starts, will end his 11-year career this season with 309 victories.

1918-Facing only 28 batters, Dutch Leonard tosses his second career no-hitter as he holds the Tigers hitless in the Red Sox 5-0 victory at Navin Field. ‘Hub’ had also pitched a no-no against the Browns two seasons ago at Fenway Park.

1935-Babe Ruth announces his retirement from baseball.

1951-Due to the poor lighting during a Alabama-Florida League contest at Peanut Stadium in Headland, Alabama, Ottis Johnson of the Dothan Browns fails to get out of the way of a fastball thrown by Jack Clifton. The 24-year-old Class D minor League outfielder undergoes surgery and spends eight days in the hospital before dying on June 10 as a result of being hit by Dixie Runners hurler’s pitch.

R.I.P.

1987-Using their the number one pick overall in the draft, the Seattle Mariners select Ken Griffey, Jr. The signing of ‘Junior’, son a major leaguer Ken Griffey, will play a major role in Seattle’s success in the mid-1990’s.

1990-Randy Johnson becomes the first Mariner to pitch a no-hitter as the ‘Big Unit’ shuts out the Tigers, 2-0. The southpaw strikes out eight while walking six in the first no-hitter ever thrown in the 14-year history of the Kingdome.

1999-In the first-year player’s draft, the Devil Rays select North Carolina prep star Josh Hamilton as the top pick. It is the first time since 1993, when Alex Rodriguez was selected, that a high school player has been chosen first.

2000-With the Tigers visiting Wrigley Field for the first time since the 1945 World Series, Cubs’ reliever Rick Aguilera pitches a perfect ninth inning for his 300th save to nail down a 2-0 Chicago victory.