Houston Astros

While it should come as no surprise that a professional baseball player holds the state of Georgia's high school home run record, it may come as a shock that the record-holder is not a slugging outfielder like Jason Heyward, Mike Cameron, Jeff Francoeur, Nick Markakis, or J.D. Drew.  It isn’t a catcher with pop like Buster Posey or Brian McCann.  It isn’t even “The Big Hurt” Frank Thomas or “The Georgia Peach” himself, Hall of Famer Ty Cobb.  In fact, the record-holder isn’t a position player at all: it’s Diamondbacks pitcher Micah Owings.

Continue reading "Who ever said pitchers can’t hit?"

ggers, Rookie of the Year (1991), and MVP and a Gold Glove in the same year (1994).  He is the Houston Astros’ career leader in Home Runs, RBIs (1,529), Walks (1,401), Sacrifice Flies (102) and Intentional Walks (155).  Additionally, he is second in franchise history behind former teammate Craig Biggio in Games, At-Bats and Plate Appearances, Runs Scored, Hits, Doubles, Extra-Base Hits, and Total Bases.

Continue reading "Bagwell has one more stop in baseball career"

Reds rookie Mike Leake went from Arizona State to the majors without throwing a pitch in the minor leagues.  Stephen Strasburg spent two months split between Double-A and Triple-A before making his big league debut in front of the entire baseball world.  The rise to the top does not come so easily – or at all – for others who share the dream of playing in The Show.  Two such players are John Lindsey, who was drafted way back in 1995, and Max St-Pierre, who had played 978 games in the minors – nearly all of them as a catcher – before getting called up this month to the Dodgers and Tigers, respectively.  Lindsey had played for five different organizations and even tried independent ball in 2005.  St-Pierre had spent 14 seasons in the minors, including 13 in the Tigers organization, and was one of the Toledo Mud Hens' backstops in 2010.  He probably did not expect the promotion after starting the year at Double-A.  It’s always exciting for any minor leaguer to find out he's going up to the big leagues, but for a 33-year-old first baseman and a 30-year-old catcher going up for the first time, it has got to be the greatest feeling in the world.

Continue reading "Hard work pays off for career minor leaguers"

Albert Pujols and Joey Votto have been battling each other all year, but Carlos Gonzalez has leap-frogged the front-runners in the Triple Crown race.  Gonzalez leads the National League in hitting (.337), is tied with Votto for the league lead with 100 Runs Batted In, and with 32 home runs is just five back of Pujols, two behind Adam Dunn, and tied with Votto and Mark Reynolds.  While he may have the best shot at the Triple Crown, I suspect Gonzalez’s home-road splits (.387/.435/.783 at Coors Field, .288/.310/.450 on the road) will keep the voters from naming him the NL MVP.

Continue reading "Another Triple Crown candidate storms to the top"

As if Ubaldo Jimenez’s no-hitter was not enough excitement for one day, the Mets and Cardinals took part in a marathon contest, playing a 20-inning game Saturday in St. Louis.  If that does not…, the most remarkable part of the monumental occasion was that the two teams went scoreless through the first 18 frames!  That’s like back-to-back shutouts being thrown by both teams!  In a game that took nearly seven hours and featured an astounding 18 pitchers (two of whom were actually position players that Cardinals manager Tony La Russa sent to the hill), three Met hitters – Jose Reyes, Jason Bay, and Jeff Francoeur – went a combined 0 for 21.  That is an ugly line in the box score for three of the team’s four best offensive players.

Continue reading "Oh, what a night!"

When the Atlanta Braves announced during the last week of spring training that Jason Heyward had made the big league roster, it made headlines in part because both Stephen Strasburg and Aroldis Chapman were being assigned to the minors.  However, after winning the starting right fielder’s job in Atlanta, the 20-year-old phenom wasted no time before impressing the baseball world by launching a three-run home run in his very first major league at-bat.  Batting seventh in the lineup behind Chipper Jones, Brian McCann, and others has limited the pressure on the 14th overall pick in the 2007 draft, but before long, you can expect to see Heyward taking his hacks in the cleanup spot.

Continue reading "Jason Heyward: Instant Hit"

Tom Glavine and Frank Thomas officially announced their retirements this week, ending speculation that either one would attempt a comeback in 2010 after not appearing in a big league game last season.  Glavine was a great finesse pitcher of his generation, and Thomas was a premiere slugger of the nineties.

Continue reading "Two more great careers reach the end of the line"

Should Roberto Alomar be elected to the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility?  The spitting incident with umpire John Hirschbeck does not help his case, but it really has nothing to do with his success on the field.  Fans may also remember that Alomar’s career ended with a couple of mediocre seasons, but when you look at his statistics, it’s a no-brainer.

Continue reading "A vote for Alomar"

The Orioles still have a huge hole at shortstop, but that doesn’t mean it was a bad idea to trade their highest-paid player last offseason.  Miguel Tejada’s offensive numbers in his first season with the Astros were sub-par and certainly not worthy of the money he is making.  In hitter-friendly Minute Maid Park, a .283/.314/.415 line from one of Houston’s heavy hitters is not going to cut it.  Believe it or not, Miggy’s numbers actually declined from 2007 (.296/.357/.442), when he battled injuries and underachievement in what turned out to be his last season in Baltimore.

Continue reading "Looking back on the Tejada trade ..."

With the MLB playoffs set to begin, there is a subtle difference in the air compared to start of any other postseason. In the NHL, fans can potentially look forward to a great Canadians/Bruins series that is not only exciting, but has a historical kick to it. Likewise basketball fans always have the chance to see if the Suns can finally get past the Spurs and football fans love seeing the rivalry of the Eagles Vs the City of Philadelphia when the Eagles so much as get tackled for a loss.

Continue reading "The Ups and Downs of the MLB Playoffs"

There's two reasons for making a deal at the deadline, or around it:

1. You're in contention, and you need to add a player.

2. You're out of contention, and you need to add prospects.

The reasoning is simple: Are you looking for short-term or long-term gain? That is, do you need one more piece to put together a contending team (and hence are willing to sacrifice the future to get it), or are you looking to build for the future? You might take a few chances on some marginal guys if you're in contention, the way the Yanks did on signing Sidney Ponson or Richie Sexson. Otherwise you either stand pat or collect prospects from the guys who are itching for that last piece.

Continue reading "What is Ed Wade Thinking?"

It’s the annual midpoint of the baseball season, and for the brief span that is the All-Star break, all eyes are upon the Bronx. As everyone is well aware of, this campaign is the last go around for the world’s most famous, largest, and most prominent ballpark, Yankee Stadium. It seems hard to believe, and even more sacrilegious that this living legend’s days are numbered. Built in 1923 and christened by the greatest ballplayer to ever live, Babe Ruth, the cathedral of baseball will never truly be replaced. Although the Bombers will move a block to Yankee Stadium’s heir, the Mecca of America’s Pastime will still live on in our hearts. Whether you’re a diehard Yankee fan, or Yankee-hater, you still can respect the history and awe that the stadium brings. So when the All-Stars take the field Tuesday night, sit back on your couch, crack open a cold one and soak up the history of Yankee Stadium, as its final chapter is unveiled to all of us.

Continue reading "National League Looks to End Rut"

One of the All-Star Break traditions: Reassessing our predictions from the first half of the season. Some of mine have changed, some have stayed the same—and some were just damn wrong. Living in the West, I will take the contrarian position and roll from west to east in my choices.

Continue reading "Second Half Predictions"

0 HR, 25 RBI, .330 AVG., despite missing over 30 games.  

Lance Berkman 1B – Houston Astros

The National League Central is by far the best division for first basemen, with the likes of Albert Pujols, Derrek Lee, Prince Fielder, and Lance Berkman. The All-Star starter seems to rotate amongst the quartet, and this year is definitely the year of Berkman.  His numbers are out of this world, and provide an ample amount of evidence that everything is bigger in Texas. The ‘Big Puma’ is leading the league in slugging, OPS, runs, and extra base hits. Also he is the runner up in several categories from homers to batting average to hits and doubles. Without a doubt, Berkman deserves to be anchoring the National League infield at first.

Continue reading "Mic's National League All-Star Team"

Shawn Chacon has been indefinitely suspended from the Astros and will likely be released or traded as soon as possible--that is, if any team is willing to take him on. This all comes after a clubhouse incident where Chacon knocked down his GM ED Wade, jumped on top of him and began choking him.

Continue reading "The Houston Strangler"

Facing the second batter in last night's game against the Giants, Randy Johnson tied Roger Clemens at #2 on the all-time strikeouts list. With the third batter, he gained sole possession of the second spot, a place he should hold for a very, very long time.

Continue reading "The Big Unit Climbs Over Clemens"

 HOUSTON DEFEATS CUBS 5-3 ON A CARLOS LEE HOME RUN AS HOUSTON TAKES SERIES

After the Cubs went 8-2 on their latest home stand which made their record at home 19-8, it seems as if they forgot how to play anywhere else.  After losing to the Astros 5-3 and losing the series, the Cubs find themselves 9-11 away from the friendly Confines.  If a team wants to find themselves in the post-season, they need to win the big games on the road.  In a series that had playoff atmosphere, both teams were out to make statements.  The Astros were louder than the Cubs according to Shawn Chaccon, who got the decision in the victory.  "One message the Cubs might get out of it is, 'We're here. We're here to compete. We're going to battle,'" Chacon said. "'It's not the team it was last year. Basically, it's going to be a tough team to beat the whole year.'"

Continue reading "After winning at home, Cubs continue ..."

For many baseball fans, last night wasn't a great night to watch baseball, as blowouts predominated early on. But, because of the beautiful game that is baseball, only three of them continued in their lopsided fashion, with the best of them highlighted by a homer from Micah Owings, the best-hitting pitcher in baseball, whom teammate Conor Jackson said had the "best pop" of anyone on the team. And all of them showed something about the winning and losing teams, proving that any baseball game is worth watching, even when it doesn't seem exciting.

Continue reading "The Night of the Blowouts"

ballgames, which is a real possibility outside of Harang and Arroyo, the Reds will be in trouble.

Houston Astros

Can Miguel Tejada return to form?

After posting 150 RBI in a monster 2004 season for the Orioles, Tejada has not had more than 100 RBI in a season and his home run total has dropped each year. Additionally, his range at the shortstop position has decreased dramatically, so much so that teams interested in trading for him in the past inquired about moving him to third base. Tejada, whose dropoff in production coincides with Major League Baseball’s stricter steroid testing policy, is also a central figure in the Mitchell Report and under federal investigation for perjury. A fresh start in Houston seems to be just what he needs.

Continue reading "MLB 2008 Season Preview: NL Central"

ns was at top of his game.  It was his first year in the National League while playing for the Houston Astros.  He ended up going 18-4 and eventually went on to win the National League Cy Young Award.  How quickly can things can fall from grace.  In December 13, 2007, Clemens name was listed in the Mitchell Report, which alleged that he had used steroids and HGH during the 1998-2001 seasons.  Ever since those allegations, Clemens has been saying he was falsely accused with his lawyer Rusty Hardin backing him up.  Even under oath in front of federal investigators and the Supreme Court, he kept to his story that he never did take HGH or steroids.  What a horrible decision that would later be for him.

Continue reading "Legend of the Fall"