Baltimore Orioles Betting / News / Info

Orioles re-up with Delmarva, two others

2006-10-04T09:29:00.000-07:00

On Monday, the Baltimore Orioles agreed to retain the Class-A Delmarva Shorebirds, High-A Frederick Keys and Double-A Bowie Baysox as minor league affiliates for the next four years.

“We’re very excited,” Shorebirds general manager Steve Yaros said.

“The relationship has always been very, very good with the folks from baseball operations.

“I’m really impressed with the way (Orioles Assistant General Manager and Director of Minor League Operations) Dave (Stockstill) has run things for two years now. He basically has been keeping the squad together and allowing some of these players to mature here as opposed to very quickly moving them out.”

The Shorebirds have been an Orioles affiliate since 1997, Bowie since 1993 and Frederick since 1989.

“We are extremely pleased to continue to work with Bowie, Frederick and Delmarva,” Stockstill said in a press release. “Each has proven to be an outstanding affiliate for the Orioles. The facilities, the people and the locations are all excellent ingredients for the partnerships to continue to benefit the Orioles, Baysox, Keys and Shorebirds. We look forward to the future as we all work together in the Oriole family.”

The four-year deal is longer than the normal two-year deals struck by the Orioles and Shorebirds in the past.

“It definitely saves you a couple of hours of paperwork in a few years, which is nice,” Yaros said. “But I don’t think it ever would have been an issue (of the Orioles not wanting to remain affiliated). The fact that we’ve had this great relationship and the team’s proximity to Baltimore makes this an ideal location for the Orioles and an ideal situation for us.

“I like to think that out of the three clubs — Frederick, Bowie and Delmarva — we have the best of all worlds. We have die-hard Baltimore Orioles fans here on the Eastern Shore, where the other two teams, there’s other options.”

The deal comes just a week after the Orioles agreed to a partnership with the Norfolk Tides to become the club’s Triple-A affiliate, ending its relationship with Ottawa.

“I think it is a tremendous bonus for Delmarva,” Yaros said. “I think the synergy of having the Triple-A club, what, two and a half hours away from us, like a two-hour drive to Baltimore. Now the fans, because we have the die-hard fans here, I believe that in my heart, they would go to Bowie, they would go to Frederick, to watch these guys climb the ladder. But no one was driving to Canada, no one was driving to Ottawa. Now they have a chance to shoot down, when we don’t have a game, to watch the Triple-A stars.”

Gibbons activated by Orioles

2006-06-13T11:31:00.000-07:00

The Baltimore Orioles activated outfielder Jay Gibbons from the 15-day disabled list in time for Monday's 6-4 win at Toronto.

Jay Gibbons was injured May 26 when he smashed into the right-field wall. (Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
Gibbons, who had missed 15 games, was pencilled in as the designated hitter and went 2-for-5 at the plate with one run scored and three strikeouts.
Gibbons, 29, injured his back, left hip and right knee as he dove for a fly ball off the bat of Vladimir Guerrero and crashed into the right-field wall during the eighth inning of a 5-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on May 26.
Guerrero rounded the bases for an inside-the-park home run that scored Orlando Cabrera ahead of him.
Gibbons is averaging .271 with 10 home runs, 29 runs batted in and 22 runs scored in 47 games this season, his sixth with the Orioles.
Gibbons is a career .262 hitter with 112 HRs, 360 RBIs and 308 runs in 652 MLB games since debuting for Baltimore on April 6, 2001.

Baltimore Orioles Select Pitcher Jason Mills in MLB Draft

2006-06-09T10:21:00.000-07:00

Fairfax, Va (June 8, 2006)--George Mason pitcher Jason Mills is one of three Patriots drafted in the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft on June 6 and 7. The Baltimore Orioles selected the right-hander in the 48th round yesterday. The Washington Nationals selected Robby Jacobsen and J.J. Pannell in the 22nd and 50th round respectively during the two-day 50-round draft.
Mills was injured early in the season, appearing in only two games this season in relief. He earned one save and had a 9.00 ERA.
The Hatfield, Pa. native had a tremendous junior season, leading the Patriots with 23 appearances and six saves. He moved into second place on the school's career saves list with 10. The 6-foot-4 Mills was a perfect 4-0 with a 3.25 ERA. The Patriots recorded a 15-0 record when he entered with the game tied or Mason leading.
Mills sophomore season stood out as well, leading the team in appearances with 22 and saves with 4. He posted a 4-3 record, including 1-1 as a starter, with a 4.41 ERA.

Jordan calls the shots on draft day for the Orioles

2006-06-05T07:47:00.000-07:00

The Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, which begins Tuesday, does not match the glitz of those held by the NFL and the NBA.
But the stakes are just as high.
“We spend a lot of time and money on this,” said Joe Jordan, the director of scouting for the Orioles. “We started working on the 2006 draft within a week of last year’s draft.”
What guidance or direction does owner Peter Angelos give to Jordan?
Jordan, from Oklahoma, said this is what Angelos told him after he was hired in November 2004: “You are the scouting director. Take who you want. I will support you.”
Added Jordan: “He gave me full reign. That’s the same thing we are working on now.”
The Kansas City Royals have the first overall pick when the draft begins at 1 p.m. Tuesday, via a conference call in New York. The draft concludes Wednesday.
The Orioles have the ninth-overall pick. Their next pick is at 32.
Jordan said he has met more than 100 prospects in person. One of them is Jeremy Jeffress, 18, a high school pitcher from South Boston, Va. Jeffress has a fastball that has been clocked around 100 mph this spring.
Will Jeffress, from rural southern Virginia, be available when the Orioles have the ninth overall pick?
“I think there is a chance he won’t be,” Jordan said.
When does Jeffress think he will get picked? “Hopefully the top 10. I am ready to get started,” said the 6-foot-1, 190-pounder, whose favorite pitcher is Dontrelle Willis of the Marlins.
Orioles director of minor league operations Dave Stockstill said he and Jordan are in constant contact with one another when it comes to the draft.
“We communicate daily,” Stockstill said. “I have seen some of the players who we are interested in drafting work out, but I don’t tell (Jordan) who to draft. My role is to let Joe know where our holes are within the system so we can draft accordingly.”

For the Orioles, There's Give and Take

2006-05-29T16:04:00.000-07:00

There is only thing to do when Vladimir Guerrero is up at the plate, Melvin Mora said several hours prior to the Baltimore Orioles' 7-6 win against the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday, and that is to walk him. It had seemed a silly argument from Mora at the time. He sat in a chair in front of his locker and playfully recounted how a line drive from Guerrero had almost taken off his head on Saturday, which had led him to this particular theory because, after all, he has six children and any time Guerrero comes up to bat, the third baseman wishes he could play somewhere in shallow left field.
And it was Mora who joined Ramon Hernandez, Miguel Tejada and Chris Ray on the mound when Guerrero came to the plate in the ninth inning with two men on base in a one-run game with only one out. There would be no visit from Manager Sam Perlozzo on this one. He had been ejected in the fifth inning after arguing a bunt play. Mora made a suggestion that everyone had agreed to.
"That guy can kill you," Mora said. "You don't let the best guy kill you."
The Orioles walked Guerrero to load the bases. That brought up Garret Anderson, who of course is also a dangerous hitter, the cleanup batter in Los Angeles's order, but he certainly isn't Guerrero.
"Sometimes you have to take chances," Hernandez said.
On the first pitch from Ray, Anderson sent a ground ball to second baseman Brian Roberts, who turned a double play to end the game. Ray recorded his first two-inning save, his 13th overall this season, and Mora had proved quite the sage.
"Don't let Vladdy beat you," Mora said. "Let the other guys try to beat you."
An eruption from Perlozzo had been coming. He had seemed more prickly this week than at any other point in the season. While in Seattle he yelled at several players who had been playing cards a day after he held a postgame meeting following a loss in which he thought the team lacked effort. Players seemed more aware of him than usual.
Perlozzo seemed combustible and he finally blew up in the fifth inning. With two runners on base and no outs, Angels center fielder Chone Figgins sent a bunt down the third base line. The ball crawled up the line with Mora, pitcher Kris Benson and catcher Hernandez converging, and on replays, it appeared to cross into foul territory. Benson appeared to have a clear view.
"That was foul," Benson said. "You could tell there was dirt between the ball and the line."
Hernandez tapped the ball with his glove and as soon as he did so, home plate umpire Tim Timmons ruled that the ball was in play and that Figgins was safe.
"I think it was foul," Hernandez said. "As soon as it left the line I hit it with my glove because it was looking like it was coming back in."

Quarterly Report on Major League Divisional Races (NL WEST)

2006-05-24T14:32:00.000-07:00

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

2006-05-24T14:31:00.000-07:00

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.

Baltimore Orioles (20-24) At Seattle Mariners (20-25)

2006-05-22T13:45:00.000-07:00

Fresh off their first series sweep of the season, the Seattle Mariners look to extend their winning streak to a season-high four games when they welcome the Baltimore Orioles to Safeco Field tonight for the opener of a three-game series.
The Mariners kicked off their current six-game homestand in fine fashion, taking all three contests of an interleague set with the San Diego Padres over the weekend. Seattle completed the sweep with a 10-8 victory on Sunday.
Carl Everett went 3-for-5 with a home run and Raul Ibanez belted a three-run shot to lead the Mariners' offense. Ichiro Suzuki also finished 3-for-5 to extend his hitting streak to 15 games, while scoring twice and adding an RBI.
Felix Hernandez (3-5) got the win for Seattle despite allowing seven runs on seven hits in six innings of action. J.J. Putz earned his sixth save with a scoreless ninth.
Seattle will try to continue its winning form behind one-time Oriole Jamie Moyer, who has just one win this season despite a solid 3.72 earned run average. The 43-year-old has been a victim of poor run support, as the Mariners have scored just three runs in his four defeats.
His lone victory in 2006 came at the expense of the Orioles on April 30, when he surrendered three runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings of work in a 4-3 Seattle triumph.
Moyer, who pitched for Baltimore for three years from 1993-96, has owned his former club at Safeco Field. In 12 starts against the Orioles in Seattle, the veteran lefty is 9-0 with a 2.28 ERA. He has made 16 overall home starts versus Baltimore and is an amazing 11-0 with a 2.09 ERA in those games.
In 29 career appearances (27 starts) against the O's, Moyer owns a dominating 17-3 record with a 2.99 ERA.
He will try to rebound from his worst performance of the year, however. Wednesday in Oakland, Moyer was tagged for seven runs -- five earned -- and a season-high 11 hits over six innings in a 7-2 loss.
Baltimore counters with a tough lefty of its own in Erik Bedard, who moved to 5-2 after holding the Red Sox to a run and two hits over seven frames Wednesday in Camden Yards. The Canadian has struggled on the road this season, posting a 1-2 mark with a 6.14 ERA in three starts.
Bedard is 1-1 with a 3.09 ERA in two career starts against Seattle. He lost to the Mariners at Safeco Field last September despite giving up just two runs in five innings.
The Orioles come in off back-to-back defeats to the nearby Washington Nationals, including a 3-1 setback on Sunday. Corey Patterson went 2-for-4 and Miguel Tejada knocked in the lone run for Baltimore, which mustered just six hits on the afternoon.
Bruce Chen (0-5) continued his early-season struggles, yielding three runs on seven hits with two walks and four strikeouts through four innings to take the loss. He actually lowered his earned run average to 8.08.
The Mariners won two of three games at Camden Yards to end April, but Baltimore is 15-7 versus Seattle since the start of the 2004 campaign. The O's won seven of 10 meetings between the clubs last season.

“Ain’t no sucker like Jim Duquette”

2006-05-15T11:03:00.000-07:00

By Jonathan Wachs
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

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

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

NEVER BET MORE THAN YOU CAN AFFORD

When the Mets traded Scott Kazmir, their farm system was almost completely bare. The only true blue-chip pitching prospects at the time were Phil Humber, who has since undergone Tommy John surgery, and Alay Soler, a Cuban defector who just made it to the U.S. this season and is currently pitching at AA. This year the Mets are throwing out such retreads as Jose Lima and Jeremi Gonzalez as they wait for Mike Pelfrey and the next wave of prospects to be ready. Do you think they would rather have sent out Jose Lima – or Scott Kazmir, to try and sweep their arch-rival Braves last week?

NEVER BET WHILE INTOXICATED

Right around the time of the trade in 2004, the Mets had just swept their cross-town rivals, the New York Yankees, in an exciting three-game series. The Mets, who had been dead in this town since 2000, finally had some juice. They were close to first place and back on the back page. Of course, they still had a .500 record and not much talent. But Duquette, drunk on the city’s enthusiasm, wanted to “win now” no matter what the future cost.

DO YOUR HOMEWORK

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

LOOK FOR VALUE

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

KNOW WHEN TO WALK AWAY

This is the one Mr. Duquette clearly missed. Tampa officials were said to be laughing to themselves when they realized what they were getting. Mr. Duquette should clearly have just walked away.

Next time you’re in Baltimore and you’re looking for someone to round out your poker game, look up Mr. Jim Duquette because there ain’t no sucker like the one who doesn’t know the rules.

“It’s Not Rocket Science”

2006-05-11T10:04:00.000-07:00

By Jonathan Wachs
WagerWeb.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 STARTED
Imagine 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 STARTED
The 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.

Varitek slams Benson, Orioles

2006-05-08T15:51:00.000-07:00

Jason Varitek hit a first-inning grand slam off Kris Benson (4-3) that powered the host Boston Red Sox to a 10-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles for the 11th consecutive time.
Lenny DiNardo (1-1) gave up two runs — one earned — and two hits in five innings for first major league victory. He struck out five and walked five.
Benson allowed nine runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings. Baltimore, which finished an 0-5 trip, has lost 12 of 15.

Baseball’s First-Month Awards

2006-05-05T07:46:00.000-07:00

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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Orioles Add Birkin, Manon to Bullpen

2006-05-03T12:55:00.000-07:00

Desperate to improve the worst bullpen in the American League, the Baltimore Orioles recalled left-hander Kurt Birkins and right-hander Julio Manon from Triple-A Ottawa on Tuesday.
They will replace Jim Brower and Eddy Rodriguez. Brower, who had a 13.86 ERA, was designated for assignment and Rodriguez (5.40 ERA) was optioned to Ottawa.

The moves come after Brower and two other Orioles relievers yielded seven runs in three innings Monday night in a 9-7 loss to Toronto. Baltimore's bullpen had an AL-high 6.47 ERA through Monday.
"We were ready to make a move," manager Sam Perlozzo said. "We need some help."
Birkins, 25, was picked by the Orioles in the 33rd round of the 2000 amateur draft. He was 1-3 with a 3.20 ERA in five starts for Ottawa.
"Birkins will be a situational left-hander. We'll try to shoot him in there when they're not going to pinch-hit a righty _ see if he can't get a lefty out for us," Perlozzo said. "He can go long too. Birkins is a starter. If we get in trouble tonight, he's the long guy."
The 32-year-old Manon was 0-0 with eight saves and a 0.75 with the Lynx. He appeared in 23 games for Montreal in 2003, his only previous big league experience in a pro career that began in 1992.
In recent years he's played in Taiwan, Korea and Japan.
"It's big. It's huge for me," Manon said. "I've been away a little bit of time from the states and coming back, making it back so soon, it's big."
Manon will pitch in the late innings for the Orioles. Perlozzo is looking for someone to share the setup role with LaTroy Hawkins and Todd Williams, and Manon could ultimately fill that role.
"Manon was a closer, so I can see him pitching in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings," Perlozzo said. "We'll see how he does."
To make room on the 40-man roster, the Orioles designated Ottawa catcher Eli Whiteside for assignment.

Bonds’ alleged cheating scandal hurting baseball history

2006-05-03T09:56:00.000-07:00

By Bill Kugelberg
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

Having just finished reading Game of Shadows – the alleged tell-all book in which the authors claim to have records detailing Barry Bonds’, as well as other athletes’, use of performance-enhancing drugs – it has become crystal clear that Bonds cheated, continues to cheat, and could not care less about it.

Bonds just about says this when he claims in his grand jury testimony that he hasn’t played in a baseball game since college when he attended Arizona State University. Basically, what he’s saying, and what he continues to say, is that he is an entertainer and not a competitor. He conveniently forgets how his alleged cheating has impacted the other players in the game, both past and present. And how, every night, in every stadium he plays in, he is the only person who is in on this little secret.

When I go to a game, I’m not there to be entertained. I’m there to see the team I support try to win. And when I make a wager on a team, I’m not doing it for the entertainment; I’m doing it to win. If I go to Vegas and play blackjack or craps, I consider that to be entertainment. While I would like to win, and I don’t believe the outcome has been predetermined, I still understand the odds are against me coming away a winner.

But Bonds apparently doesn’t see playing baseball as a competition. It sounds as though he views it as our opportunity to watch an “entertainer” stand up there and be walked two or three times a game and, maybe, just maybe, see him grace our presence with a home run. Get over yourself, Barry. Not only are you coming off like a pompous ass, you are also making an impact on the game that the record books will reflect forever.

For example, since 1999, when his steroid use is alleged to have begun, the San Francisco Giants have won or finished second in the NL West every year, except for last year when he spent just about all of the season on the disabled list, and they finished third. Take away Bonds’ production, or fill in the production that most players would contribute, and the Giants find themselves in a different position. Also, as he approached 40 years old, his numbers would naturally decline, not go up. With that factored in, the Giants truly would be hurting for production from Bonds.

Just ask Albert Pujols, who has finished second to Bonds in National League MVP voting twice, how Bonds’ steroid use has impacted his post-season award possibilities.

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Unfortunately, the players who have truly been impacted by Bonds’ steroid use are the players who finished playing the game years ago. Bonds, along with Mark McGwire, has succeeded at setting the bar so high that no one will be able to approach their records. In doing so, they have made the average fan believe that 40 home runs a season is nice, but not Hall of Fame-worthy. One player who has been affected by this is Andrew Dawson. Dawson hit 438 home runs and drove in 1,591 RBIs. He also played baseball for 21 years and has 2,774 hits with 8 Gold Gloves and 314 stolen bases. With close to 10 knee surgeries, Dawson should have been the one allowed to take performance-enhancing drugs, not Bonds.

One thing I love about Bonds is that he refuses to even admit that Game of Shadows exists. The book has been out for about three months now and I have yet to hear of a lawsuit filed on Bonds’ behalf that contests the contents of the book. And yet everyone just casually goes about their sports day, without a care that Bonds continues to cheat because, as an entertainer, he feels he can.

As the book explains, Bonds has never had to stand before anyone and explain his actions – not even when he was a kid. He was always the best player on the team, received the benefits that comes with that title, and he continues to expect that to be the case. Regardless of how it impacts his body, the other players in the game, the kids growing up who are learning the game, or the record books – Bonds is concerned with one thing – reaping the financial advantages that being an “entertainer” in baseball provides.

And regardless of who has to pay to make that happen, Bonds is only too happy to stand there and take the paychecks and accolades that come with it. I’ve often wondered how he sleeps at night, knowing that he has an advantage that many other players don’t have – that he has cheated to get to where he is. And the only answer I can come up with is that when you are on the stage and being an entertainer, it’s just acting. It’s not who you really are – so you can get away with more. The question I have for Bonds is, when the show is over and you walk off the stage – who are you then?

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The Next World Series Champion

2006-05-02T13:47:00.000-07:00

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

2006-05-02T08:22:00.000-07:00

By Daniel Kline
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

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

*All times Eastern.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Fantasy Baseball Breakdown

2006-04-27T07:13:00.000-07:00

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.

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Michael Brody

Writer/Editor
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

Mike has been writing and reporting on sports for 14 years.

He started his career as a sports writer and radio broadcaster at Cal State Northridge. Mike has written for the Los Angeles Daily News and has been a writer/editor for KNBC in Los Angeles, where he worked on the nightly sportscast with Fred Roggin. He also wrote and edited material for NBC network specials and has more than 10 years of online journalism experience.

Although he lives in Southern California, Mike was born and raised in the Boston area and is a diehard fan of all the Boston professional teams.

Waiting for Take-Off

2006-04-21T10:03:00.000-07:00

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

2006-04-20T14:56:00.000-07:00

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?

Cabrera goes for O's in series finale

2006-04-17T09:12:00.000-07:00

The Orioles fell behind early and never caught up on Sunday, falling in a 9-3 loss against the Angels. Baltimore still sits one game above the break-even mark and will play the Angels one more time before switching opponents.
"It was a weird game. Everything was kind of going their way," said Kris Benson, who started for Baltimore on Sunday. "It was a little strange, but we had things going our way the first two days. Unfortunately, it didn't work out today."
The series finale features two pitchers who have gotten off to a rough start this baseball season. Daniel Cabrera will be matched up against Jeff Weaver in an interesting collision of live arms. Cabrera is 1-1 with a career 8.10 ERA against Los Angeles, and Weaver has a 3-3 record and a 4.36 ERA in eight appearances against Baltimore.
The O's have hit 19 homers and allowed an equal number this season. They've scored 71 runs and allowed 69, with a blowout win and a blowout loss on their record. Baltimore has turned 16 double plays and hit into 13. The Orioles have won five of their last seven games, but their starting pitchers are just 5-5 this season.
The Orioles have lost this season series in four of the last six years, racking up a 27-30 record since the start of the 2000 season. Overall, Baltimore is 319-249 against the Angels. In the last six-plus seasons, the O's are 15-15 against the Angels at Camden Yards.

Ray right at home

2006-04-12T10:55:00.000-07:00

ST. PETERSBURG -- Chris Ray has had a whirlwind start to the season. Between his first Major League Spring Training camp, trying to make the Orioles roster and the pressure of filling B.J. Ryan's shoes, there have been new experiences around every corner.
Until Friday, that is, when things began looking a little familiar.
Ray grew up in Tampa, Fla., where the Orioles are in the midst of a four-game stand against the Devil Rays, and said although baseball is baseball anywhere he goes, he welcomes the comfortable surroundings.
"It's always nice having my family and friends here," said Ray, who left about 19 tickets for them. "And they like to see me play, so it's good for them."
It seems the trip home is paying off on the field for Ray as well. The right-hander collected his second save on Monday after fanning three Rays and allowing one hit. Both of the closer's saves this season have come against Tampa Bay.
Ray is filling the spot vacated by Ryan, who last year had 36 saves for Baltimore before moving on to Toronto as a free agent. For the 24-year-old Ray, this challenge is no different than any other presented to him so far, and he boils it down to a simple plan of attack: Just throw strikes and get hitters out.
So far, Ray's blueprint seems to be working. He is averaging a little better than a strikeout per inning (46 in 43 2/3), with a 1-3 record and 2.47 ERA through 44 career games.
"He hasn't seemed fazed by it so far," Baltimore manager Sam Perlozzo said of Ray stepping into Ryan's role. "He's had two opportunities that were three-run leads, but that's good. I think if we can write a script out, we'd say, 'Let's give us about four or five four-run saves, and then three or four three-run saves and build up some confidence.' He's going to get tested all through the year, and we'll see how it turns it out. But if he throws the ball like he's thrown it these past few times, he's going to get through it."

Notes: Mora contract talks stalled

2006-04-04T08:43:00.000-07:00

BALTIMORE -- The window appears to have slammed shut on Melvin Mora's proposed contract extension. The third baseman's self-imposed deadline came and went on Sunday, but the two sides didn't move any closer to a resolution.
"If they come with something, of course, we're going to talk. But I don't want to go out this baseball season thinking about that," said Mora. "I just want to let the fans know that my price went down before they answered to us. We're not supposed to do that, but we did because we want to make the deal done. They haven't come up at all."
Despite constant contact between the two sides, Mora said that the Orioles haven't made a formal offer since late February. That proposal, believed to be for three years and $24 million, was around $6 million less than Mora's initial request. The veteran said his agent offered to split the difference, but Baltimore wouldn't budge.
"That's the problem. We haven't heard [anything] from them," he said. "They've stayed where they've been since Feb. 21. We've come down before they answered. Like I told my agent, we're not supposed to do that after not hearing an answer from them. But we came down because we want to make the deal done."
Jim Duquette, the team's vice president of baseball operations, addressed the subject but refused to go into specifics.
"Nothing's really changed since yesterday," he said after Baltimore's Sunday workout. "We're not going to talk about it every day or give daily updates on the thing. We'll continue to have dialogue, and that's all we're going to [say] about it."
The team may take that stance, but Mora has had plenty to say. The two-time All-Star has consistently said that he'll test the market if he doesn't have a deal in place by Opening Day. He's also said that he doesn't want the negotiations hanging over his head during the season. He just wants to concentrate on baseball, and both sides understand that perspective.
"He's been clear since Day 1. When Opening Day's here, he doesn't want to have to think about it," said Duquette. "That's the way to go about it. The dialogue should be between us and the agent anyway. That's why it's set up the way it is."
That may be the case, but Mora's adamant about his deadline. He said he still has to talk to his agent, but as far as he's concerned, the issue has already been decided.
"If they came back with us and tell us something by today, we'll sit down and talk about it," he said. "The season starts tomorrow."
"He's a professional, and however the negotiations finish, I think he's going to play the season and I think he's going to have a great year," said Duquette. "I don't think it will affect him at all."
Batter up: Baltimore manager Sam Perlozzo named his Opening Day lineup on Sunday, but there weren't many surprises involved.
The front five -- Brian Roberts, Luis Matos, Mora, Miguel Tejada and Jay Gibbons -- are all holdovers from last year's team. The roster gets a little different after that, with Kevin Millar, Jeff Conine, Javy Lopez and Ramon Hernandez rounding out the bottom of batting order.
"The one thing we've been able to do with our lineup is put professional hitters all the way through our lineup," said Perlozzo. "I don't see an easy out in that lineup. In that respect, I feel good about the fact that we have a chance to get a hit every time someone steps to the plate."
Lopez has only batted eighth for one at-bat with the Orioles, but he's had some historical success in that slot. In 64 games out of the eight-hole, Lopez is a .276 hitter (40-for-145) with 10 home runs and 34 RBIs.
"It doesn't matter. It's something that I know for a fact is going to change," said Lopez, speaking of the batting order. "I'm not worried about that, to be honest. All I have to worry about is staying healthy and trying to get my timing back."
Conine, Matos and Gibbons are Perlozzo's starting outfielders, an arrangement that leaves Nick Markakis, Corey Patterson and David Newhan on the bench. The manager said it should be difficult to juggle that group all season, but he also said that everyone will get a chance to state their case for more playing time.
"It's not going to be an easy task. I'm hoping it's going to be a very difficult task, actually," he said. "I'll welcome that challenge. We'll do the best we can for a while. If we have a problem, maybe we'll have to do something."

BASEBALL ODDS!!!

Mailbag: Recovery year for Roberts?

2006-03-27T13:12:00.000-08:00

Do you think all the reconstruction and repairing of Brian Roberts' left elbow will affect his rhythm at the plate? Will this be a recovery year?-- Marcus K., Annapolis, Md.

Roberts has looked solid during the last week, and he's actually played four games in a four-day span. His timing hasn't been great at the plate, but he's fielded his position well and shown the ability to hit the baseball on a line. The switch-hitter has only been playing meaningful games for a short period, though, so he may treat April like an extended Spring Training.

And that's not necessarily a bad thing. Roberts started off so hot last season and may not have been realistically able to match that this year -- even without the injuries. Now, the expecations and pressure are off. The All-Star just has to get healthy and prove he can hold up on an everyday basis, and nobody will say a bad word if he's not immediately at his best.

It's fair to dub this a recovery year for Roberts. He wouldn't phrase it that way, and neither would anybody within the organization. But it often takes at least a year to recover from severe injuries -- not just physically, but to rebuild your confidence to where it was. Roberts is still young and has a bright future, but right now, he's a hard player to peg.

As of right now, who's the Opening Day starter in Baltimore? Is it the emerging Daniel Cabrera, the new guy Kris Benson or old hand Rodrigo Lopez?-- Shawn S., Milton, Del.

Lopez was chosen for Opening Day honors, marking his third time in the last four years. The right-hander has proven to be a pretty consistent pitcher for Baltimore, winning at least 14 games in three of his last four seasons, while notching a winning record in each of those campaigns. His lone stumbling point was a 7-10 record and a 5.82 ERA in 2003.

There doesn't seem to have been much of a debate regarding the top slot in the rotation. Orioles manager Sam Perlozzo favored Lopez all the way and didn't see any reason to change his mind during the spring. The rest of the rotation seemed to agree -- Perlozzo said the other four starters gave Lopez a rousing ovation when the decision was announced.

The rest of the staff shakes out in predictable order. Southpaw Erik Bedard will pitch second, breaking up the top-heavy right-handed rotation. Benson and Cabrera will pitch third and fourth, followed by Bruce Chen in the fifth slot. That arrangement ensures that Baltimore will pitch two righties and one lefty in each of the first three series.

Lopez joins some pretty exclusive company in Baltimore's record books. Just four other Orioles -- Steve Barber, Dave McNally, Jim Palmer and Mike Mussina -- have pitched as many as three Opening Day games. Palmer and Mussina tied for the most with six each, and McNally worked five openers as Baltimore's ace.

Why are the Orioles not considering Nick Markakis for the No. 2 spot in the lineup? With his knowledge of the strike zone, patience and great on-base percentage, it seems like a perfect fit. I know he is a rookie, but the kid is very talented.-- Kirk, Glen Burnie, Md.

Well, for one, Markakis isn't even a sure thing to start the season with the parent club. I believe he will, and so do several of the other writers covering the club, but the Orioles have been extremely guarded about their decision-making process in the outfield. Markakis may be ready, but he may also cause a logjam at left field and designated hitter.

Markakis does seem like a perfect option for the two hole, which is currently filled by Melvin Mora. The youngster's blend of patience and power would allow Mora and Miguel Tejada to hit in the lineup's power slots, which would be an ideal usage of their talents. Perlozzo prefers to bring Markakis along slowly, though.

In other words, if he makes the team, he'll likely start out at the bottom of the batting order. Over time, he'll move up -- perhaps eventually to a run-producing slot in the middle of the lineup, but before that, a get-on-base role between Roberts and Mora.

We followed Val Majewski closely a couple of years back when we lived in Maryland. He lost a year with the injury. What are his prospects of making the team and getting significant playing time this year?-- Steve T., Natick, Md.

Majewski's hopes for big-league playing time are likely tied to the performance of Markakis and the existing regulars. Majewski wasn't impressive in camp and likely needs some upper-level seasoning to make up for lost time. He's completely over his injury, but he may take some time to get back into the swing of things.

The Orioles tried Majewski at first base this spring and want him to try playing there on a part-time basis during the Minor League season. The flexibility will give him more of a shot to make the big-league roster -- when he proves his bat is ready. Majewski will likely get another September callup, but he may not be up for good until 2007.