Prior to Saturday, you'd have to go back some 7,920 games to witness the last no-hitter tossed at Chicago's historic Wrigley Field when Cubs pitcher Milt Pappas twirled one on September 2, 1972. With the Philadelphia Phillies in town, sporting the worst record in all of baseball, the Fightin's threw their best pitcher on the mound in lefty ace Cole Hamels. Granted Hamels was seeking his first win since May 23 and the Cubbies had gone a span of 49 years without being no-hit, the odds of the Philadelphia southpaw delivering a no-no were incredibly stacked against him, as if they aren't to begin with for any pitcher on any given day. And with a nine-game win-less streak under his belt entering Saturday's game, the 3-time All-Star and former World Series MVP made sure that mark would fall short of reaching double-digits.
With trade rumors all we've heard of regarding the Phillies ace over the past few months and even dating back to last season's trade deadline, Hamels' name was finally mentioned in a positive light as he made history by tossing the 13th no-hitter in franchise history and first since a combined no-hitter last season, which coincidentally, Hamels started. But instead of throwing six hit-less innings like he did in last season's combined no-no before handing it off to relievers Jake Diekman, Ken Giles and Jonathan Papelbon to finish it off, Hamels was a one-man-show on Saturday. Hamels finished with 13 strikeouts on the afternoon and saw his only blemish come in the form of a pair of walks allowed in Philadelphia's 5-0 win. Though Hamels' gem was the third no-hitter thrown this season behind the Giants' Chris Heston and Washington's Max Scherzer, it's without a doubt the most impressive out of the bunch. For what it's worth, Hamels even out-hit the opposition on Saturday when he laced an 8th inning double, becoming just the fifth pitcher in Major League history with both a solo no-hitter and combined no-no on his resume.
Two individuals who are no stranger to witnessing the no-hitter is Cubs skipper Joe Maddon who has now been on the receiving end of five no-hitters while watching one of his own pitchers throw one, and Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz who has caught a few. For Ruiz, Saturday's feat was his fourth no-hitter while behind the plate (all with the Phillies) which sets a new National League record and ties Boston's Jason Varitek for the most no-hitters caught in Major League history. Before Hamels took to the mound on Saturday, the you'd have to turn the calendar all the way back to August 19, 1965 when the Cubbies were last held hit-less, a 49 year drought which is the longest in MLB history for any ball club. And with the MLB trade deadline looming and multiple teams looking to make a move to bolster their pitching staff, the question of whether or not we've seen Hamels' last outing in a Phillies uniform comes into play. If he is dealt, he would become just the third pitcher to ever be traded in the same season in which he notched a no-hitter, and what a farewell it would be to the city of Brotherly Love.
With the Rangers and Dodgers currently leading the pack in those looking to acquire Hamels' services, the Giants, Yankees and Cubs are also rumored to be in the Cole Hamels sweepstakes. Three years removed from signing what was the second-largest contract ever by a pitcher, $144 Million over six-years, a trade involving Hamels could be the start of a Philadelphia fire sale.
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As if the odds weren't already stacked against them in their respective divisions, the Texas Rangers and Philadelphia Phillies are two teams that could ill-afford the absence of a key cog in their pitching rotation. Unfortunately, Spring Training has been none too kind to either ball club as they prepare for the regular season without the services of two of the game's most premier pitchers.
After being shutdown for the last seven weeks of the 2014 season with mild inflammation in his right elbow, Rangers hurler Yu Darvish was expected to be good to go at the start of spring training this year. But after pitching only one inning in his spring debut on March 5, the 28-year old Japanese sensation was pulled from his outing when he experienced tightness in his triceps muscle. An MRI would spell even worse news, however, as damage to the ulnar collateral ligament in Darvish's right elbow was revealed, resulting in Tommy John surgery which would put an end to any chance of the 3-time All-Star pitching again in 2015. Already expected to be long shots fighting to stay afloat in the AL Western division with two American League powers in the Los Angeles Angels and Oakland Athletics as well as the much improved Seattle Mariners, the news of Darvish being on the shelf for the season is devastating for fans in Arlington. Texas finished with the worst record in the American League last year at 67-95 thanks in large part to the struggles and absence of first baseman Prince Fielder and though they should finish with a higher win total than they did a season ago, anywhere ahead of a fourth place finish in the division would be a surprise for a Rangers ball club that's only four seasons removed from back-to-back World Series appearances.
As for the Phillies, another ball club not expected to be contending for a title this year, the injury to left-handed pitcher Cliff Lee is as unfortunate as any. Not only because the 36-year old Lee is still among the best lefty's in the league when healthy, but because it ends any chances the Phils had of dealing the southpaw in return for a prospect or two to help speed up Philadelphia's rebuilding process. Since signing a 5-year, $120 Million deal with the Phillies in December of 2010 and taking less than he could have made elsewhere to return to play in Philadelphia where he helped lead the Phillies to their second consecutive World Series during in his first stint with the ball club after being acquired at the trade deadline in 2009, the franchise has been unable capture the success they achieved in Lee's first two seasons. For Lee, who last pitched on July 31 before being placed on the 60-day disabled-list after sustaining the same injury a season ago, it'll be the third attempt to rehab from a torn common flexor tendon in his left elbow while shaking off the idea of having surgery which would cause him to sit out the season.
With $37.5 Million remaining on his contract which includes a $12.5 Million club option to buyout in 2016, the former Cy Young winner hopes the third time will be a charm as his road to recovery figures to be a long one before we'll get to see if the 4-time All-Star can make a return to the mound in the city of Brotherly Love. Without Lee, the Phillies who finished last a season ago (73-89), will have their hands full in an NL Eastern division which homes a number of clubs that are expected to improve from last season as well as arguably the favorite to win it all this season in the Washington Nationals.
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Baseball saw its first no-hitter of the 2014 season on Sunday when Josh Beckett of the Los Angeles Dodgers worked his magic to blank the Philadelphia Phillies in their own home. With such pitching stars as Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke, both of whom who have hoisted Cy Young Awards during their careers as well as former All-Star Dan Haren and Korean sensation Hyun-Jin Ryu, it was the eldest of the bunch who did something neither of his teammates had accomplished before. Needing 128-pitches, 80 of which were for strikes, the 34-year old Beckett became the 24th Dodger in franchise history to toss a no-no (11th since the club moved to L.A.) and the first since Hideo Nomo no-hit the Colorado Rockies on September 17, 1996.
Beckett, a 3-time All-Star himself and a 2-time World Series champion, has had his fair share of ups and downs over the last few seasons but seems to have found his rhythm so far in 2014. Sporting a 2.43 ERA in 9 starts this year, Beckett saw his best outing yet on Sunday, striking out six and allowing three walks without yielding a single hit, which earned him NL Player of the Week honors. But the road Beckett has taken over the last year is almost as remarkable as the masterful performance he had on Memorial Day weekend. After struggling early in the season last year and eventually serving a stint on the disabled list where he began experiencing tingling in his fingers and numbing of his hands, it was learned that Beckett had been diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome. Fearing that he wouldn't be able to pitch again, Beckett underwent season-ending surgery in July and had a rib removed to relieve pressure on his nerves. Several outings into the new season and I think it's safe to say Beckett is healthy again.
Though the no-hitter was a first for Beckett who had made 320 starts prior to Sunday's 6-0 win over the Phillies, the man behind the dish who caught Beckett, had some experience however. Dodgers catcher Drew Butera added a second no-hitter to his resume on Sunday after catching one from Francisco Liriano back in 2011 while with the Minnesota Twins. Beckett's gem was nearly one-upped the following day when his fellow teammate Hyun-Jin Ryu took a perfect game into the 8th inning on Monday before Todd Frazier of the Reds hit a double to lead off the inning. The two combined for 17 straight no-hit innings, nearly becoming the first pair of teammates to toss no-hitters on back to back outings. L.A.'s streak of 17 hit-less innings is one that's only been matched one time in the last 30+ years when the Dodgers' cross-town rival Los Angeles Angels did it in May of 2012 which featured a no-hitter by Jared Weaver. The Dodgers (29-24), winners of their last three, are hoping Beckett's stellar pitching can continue as they look to gain some ground on the division-leading San Francisco Giants who hold a 4.5 game lead in the NL West.
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For over a decade now Roy Halladay has been one of the most dominant starting pitchers in all of baseball so it's come to the surprise of many that the 2-time Cy Young Award winner has struggled as of late. After logging four consecutive seasons with an ERA under 3.00 from 2008-2011, Doc saw his ERA climb up to 4.49 in 2012, his worst season in the Majors logging more than 15 starts. Hoping to put last season behind him, Halladay's struggles have followed him into 2013. After a difficult spring training Halladay was hit hard in each of his first two outings to start the new year as he had a hard time finding the strike zone and failed to go more than 4 innings while being tagged with an 'L' in both games. However, the biggest concern regarding the 36 year old hurler is his velocity which has seen a significant dip.
Halladay's decrease in velocity has been well documented over the last couple of seasons but he's still managed to produce a high rate of strikeouts including career-highs in consecutive seasons in 2010 and 2011 with 219 and 220 K's despite losing up to 4 mph on most of his pitches. While some are pointing towards simple mechanical issues as the reason behind the recent drop in velocity, others can point towards his lengthy track record. Since 2006, Halladay has logged the most innings in the Majors during the regular season with 1,571.0. Though he would finish 2012 with a record above .500 (11-8), it would be Halladay's worst year in the big leagues in many ways. Despite throwing fewer than 200 innings in a season for the first time since 2005, Halladay allowed more earned runs last year than he did in each of the past four years. He also walked nearly the same amount of batters as he did the previous year while throwing close to 80 innings fewer. Having been known for his ability to go the distance and throw a complete game quite often, 2012 was the first year in which Halladay failed to log a single complete game after recording at least seven in each of the last five seasons. The year would also see Doc serve a stint on the disabled-list for the first time since 2009.
The 8-time All-Star did manage to redeem himself a bit, however, with a strong performance on Saturday in his most recent outing. Facing the Miami Marlins, Doc tossed 8-innings allowing 1 run on 5 hits and 1 walk while punching out a pair to get his first win of the year. Though the match-up was by far the easiest he's seen yet granted the Marlins were without their best hitter in slugger Giancarlo Stanton, an outing like the one on Saturday was much needed for Halladay who nearly split his ERA in half from 14.73 in his first two starts to 7.63. The victory was also career win no. 200 for the right-handed Halladay who's main goal isn't to accomplish milestones but to win a World Series. Three years removed from a Cy Young campaign in which he hurled a perfect game and a postseason no-hitter in the same year, Halladay is one of the key players the Phillies will be counting on in order to help them keep pace in the division with the Atlanta Braves and Washington Nationals. How Halladay can adjust on the mound while trying to return to form pre-2012 will be one of the main stories worth keeping an eye on as the season unfolds. Do you think Halladay can find a solution that will help him return to his dominant self or will this year be 2012 all over again? (Leave your thoughts in the comment box below)
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In the midst of the groundbreaking news of the NFL labor dispute finally coming to an end, not to be overlooked is the MLB trade deadline which saw a number of short term adjustments being made to help those who are contending now and some long term adjustments to those who are rebuilding. With a World Series title on every team's wish list, those who are currently in contention made moves to help better their chances of hoisting the Commissioner's Trophy in 2011.
The San Francisco Giants' chances of becoming the first NL team to win back-to-back World Series titles since the Big Red Machine did so in 1975-76 got a whole lot better this week with the recent addition of New York Mets All-Star outfielder Carlos Beltran. Having been the subject of rumors that had Beltran Bay Area bound since early June, the Giants finally got their man days prior to the July 31 trade deadline. Though the addition of Beltran gives the Giants a significant impact in the lineup granted they've been starving of offensive production since losing their highly talented young catcher Buster Posey, the 34 year old slugger didn't come cheap as Giants general manager Brian Sabean had to part with his top pitching prospect in Zack Wheeler. When first getting wind of the deal, I wasn't thrilled Wheeler was involved considering I've never been big on trading away top prospects for rent-a-players, but given Beltran's track record, he just might be the shot in the arm the offense needs to thrive.If Beltran can do half of what he did for the Houston Astros back in 2004 for us in the Postseason, Sabean and co. will look like a couple of geniuses. However, if Beltran struggles as a Giant and Wheeler develops into an All-Star several years from now, the deal would be added to the list of trades Sabean has failed at. Despite producing numbers nowhere near his career bests this season, Beltran automatically becomes the team leader in hits (102), home runs (15), rbi's (66), walks (60) and almost every other major offensive statistical category imaginable. Also worth mentioning is that he leads the National League in doubles with 30.
While the Beltran deal has received the most acclaim, it wasn't San Francisco's first mid-season acquisition, nor was it their last. After learning that their opening day second baseman Freddy Sanchez will most likely miss the remainder of the season due to an injured shoulder that will require surgery, the Giants went out and traded for Astros infielder Jeff Keppinger. Following the Beltran deal, Giants skipper Bruce Bochy then addressed the left side of the infield which was struggling in large part due to a slumping Miguel Tejada, by acquiring veteran journeyman Orlando Cabrera from the Cleveland Indians in exchange for Minor League outfielder Thomas Neal.
Hoping to keep within pace of the Giants for first place in the NL Western division, the Arizona Diamondbacks who have surprised the baseball world thus far, added a few pieces to let the league know that they're not yet satisfied with their success. Reliever Brad Ziegler and starting pitcher Jason Marquis were added to the D-Backs' pitching staff, which stabilizes both ends and gives them an innings eater to help ease the burden on the bullpen.
In hopes of upping the ante of the defending World Champions were their Philadelphia counterparts who countered with a blockbuster deal of their own, acquiring 2-time All-Star Hunter Pence from the Astros. With an already potent offense in tact, the Phillies added to their plethora of sluggers that's seeking a trip to their fourth NLCS in as many years.
Philadelphia's division rival -- Atlanta Braves made a last minute move, acquiring Houston's other gem on offense to give them a legitimate lead-off man and base stealing threat in Michael Bourn. Though they aren't expected to catch up to the division-leading Phillies, adding a speedster to the line-up like Bourn looks like the missing piece to Atlanta's Wild Card puzzle considering his league-leading 40 stolen bases is more than the Braves have combined.
In Pittsburgh where we've somewhat grown accustomed to seeing the Bucco's turn into seller's around this time of year, the team instead found themselves to be buyers for the first time in over a decade by going out and acquiring Ryan Ludwick from the Padres along with a veteran bat in Derrek Lee from Baltimore. Looking to continue what's been one of the biggest success stories this season, the Pirates will need a jolt from their latest additions if they hope to surpass the Brewers and Cardinals who are battling it out for first place in the NL Central.
In Cleveland where the Indians started the season off as the hottest team in the league but have since then fallen off to the Detroit Tigers, Kosuke Fukudome and Ubaldo Jimenez are the newest members of the Tribe. While it appeared almost imminent for Jimenez to land in the Big Apple with the New York Yankees, the Indians surprised everyone, surfacing as the team to land Colorado's young ace.
Similar to their National League counterparts, the defending American League Champion Texas Rangers also improved their chances of claiming back-to-back pennants by landing two formidable arms to add to the bullpen in Koji Uehara from Baltimore and Mike Adams from San Diego. Two players in which bolster an already lethal relief corps.Other notable trades include: The Boston Red Sox dealing for pitcher Erik Bedard of the Mariners, Doug Fister and David Pauley to the Tigers, Rafael Furcal and Edwin Jackson to the Cardinals, Colby Rasmus to the Blue Jays and Jerry Hairston Jr. to the Nationals.
Some good news for Texas Rangers fans as one of the leagues most formidable tandems of Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz return to the lineup. The revamped offense will see the homecoming of their reigning American League MVP for the first time since April 12 when he was placed on the DL after sliding into home on a debatable play at the plate, being tagged out at home and breaking his arm in the process. Hamilton went public regarding the disputable call from the Rangers third base coach to send him, saying it was a bad decision. Since their blazing start to the season with Hamilton in the lineup, the Rangers have been six games under .500 without him (15-21).
Though he doesn't generate as much production as Hamilton, Cruz's return to the lineup will also be a welcomed one, as much of Texas' hot start had a lot to do with Cruz's consistent hitting to begin the season which saw him hit 7 home runs in 31 games before suffering a strained quad on May 3. Cruz also become only the third player in Major League history to ever homer in the first four games of the season. The timing of the return will be perfect given the Rangers have struggled to score runs lately, plating a combined 5 runs in their last four games. Not to mention the division is still up for grabs as a slim 2.5 games separates last place from first.
As for the Philadelphia Phillies who have been without arguably the best second baseman in the National League to start the season due to a knee injury, the team is hoping the addition of Chase Utley's bat in the lineup will help Philadelphia pull away with the division. Without their All-Star second baseman, the Phils offense has been struggling a bit, but their dominant starting rotation has kept them atop the standings as they currently own a 1.5 game lead over the second place Florida Marlins. With both the Rangers and Phillies projected favorites to not only win their divisions this season, but also contend for a title, who's return will make a bigger impact to their team, Utley's or Hamilton's?
Out of the blue, Philly emerges to land Lee - Just when he seemed on the fence of heading either Texas or New York bound, the Cliff Lee sweepstakes took a surprising twist. Ditching the glam of playing under the microscope that is the big apple, and the sweltering heat Texas has to offer, Lee decided to return to the team that traded him just a year ago. Though his destination might seem like somewhat of a surprise given Philly was under the radar in acquiring Lee, the biggest shocker is the amount of money he left on the table. According to sources, New York offered a 6-year, $138 Million dollar deal with a $16 Million dollar option for a seventh year. Meanwhile, Texas offered a similar contract worth $138 Million over 6-years, the only difference -- a seventh year option of $23 Million. Those same sources say if Texas was willing to guarantee a seventh year, Lee would have signed on the dotted line. Instead, he settles for 5-years, and $120 Million to pitch in the city of Brotherly Love. After winning a Cy Young Award with a mediocre Cleveland Indians ball club in '08, Lee was traded mid-season to the Phillies, pitching them to their second consecutive World Series appearance and single-handedly won the only two games in the series against the Yankees. With a year left on his contract, the Phils dealt Lee to the Mariners in fear of not being able to sign him to a long term deal, and later packaged a number of prospects to Toronto for Roy Halladay. The move was often criticized, but couldn't have worked out any better now that they have both Halladay who won the Cy Young this past season, and Lee, who was nothing short of magical during his brief stint with the club.
To compliment their dynamic duo of Cy Young Award winners, the Philadelphia pitching staff also includes Roy Oswalt, who has finished atop the Cy Young voting for a number of years, and 2008 World Series MVP Cole Hamels. With Lee back in the mix, the Phillies now have three of the eight best winning percentages in all of baseball among starters (Halladay and Oswalt), and is being regarded as the best starting pitching staff in all of baseball. However, the reigning World Series Champion San Francisco Giants beg to differ. What the deal means for teams like the Rangers and Yankees that are still in need of an All-Star pitcher, only puts fire under those desperate to make a trade for Kansas City's Zach Greinke. Or perhaps Joe Blaton, who the Phillies are shopping in hopes of cutting payroll.Although he could have made a bit more cash having signed with either Texas or New York, the $120 Million dollar deal still makes it the fourth richest free agent contract issued to a starting pitcher in Major League history, only behind former Indians teammate C.C. Sabathia's $161 Million with the Yankees, Barry Zito's $126 Million with the Giants, and Mike Hampton's absurd $121 Million dollar contract he signed with the Rockies. Does the acquisition of Cliff Lee now surpass Boston as the clear cut favorites to win it all heading into next season?
Nats Break The Bank - With baseball now entering its hot stove stages of the offseason, a chess match breaks out as teams begin shifting their pieces in hopes of a title run. Coming into this year's Winter Meetings held in Orlando, Florida, pitcher Cliff Lee and outfielder Carl Crawford were among the bigger names available via free agency. But with the ridiculously large amount of cash the Washington Nationals dished out to outfielder Jayson Werth, one would think otherwise. Filling the void of the All-Star slugging Adam Dunn who agreed to terms with the Chicago White Sox, Werth inked a 7-year deal worth $126 Million dollars, joining Barry Zito and Alfonso Soriano as one of the biggest over payed contracts in recent years.Although neither Soriano(8-years, $136M), or Zito(7-years, $126M) have lived up to their lucrative contracts thus far, at least both players had seasons somewhat worth the money they were given, prior to signing their deals. This is in no way, shape, or form a bash on Jayson Werth, but rather the Nationals organization for spending an absurd amount of money on a player simply not worthy of it. After all, Werth just signed on the dotted line as I'm sure anyone would. Being named to the All-Star team for the first time in his career in 2010, Werth benefited from playing in a hitters ballpark and hitting alongside offensive juggernauts such as Chase Utley, and Ryan Howard among others.
To his defense, Werth, who had arguably his best season in the Majors, did tend to shine brightest this past season when Philadelphia endured a handful of injures which included former MVP Jimmy Rollins, and the aforementioned duo of Utley and Howard who is also a former MVP. But at age 31, it would be hard to argue Werth hasn't already peaked. However, Nats general manager Mike Rizzo and skipper Jim Riggleman would argue that his better days are yet to come. Then again that's obvious, given how much money they've invested in him. Whether or not that's true, the Nationals will have their man locked up for many years to come until the 2018 season.Although Werth will experience a decrease in talent, leaving a team that has won four consecutive NL East pennants for a ball club that has placed last in three straight seasons, the Nationals do have a star in third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, and have yet to see what last year's first overall pick and phenom -- Bryce Harper is capable of at the big league level. Not to be forgotten is the first overall pick of 2009's Draft, Stephen Strasburg who will miss all of next season due to Tommy John surgery. With all that taken into account, the future looks very bright for the Nationals organization.What the deal does for the rest of remaining 2011 free agents yet to sign, only adds dollar signs to their wallet. With all due respect, if Werth can make Zito-like money, I'm convinced Crawford can make Soriano-like money. But above all, it sets up Albert Pujols who's seeking an extension from the St. Louis Cardinals, that I'm guessing will range somewhere near A-Rod territory (10-year, $275 Million).
In a do or die Game 6 at Home for the Phillies, Roy Oswalt was called upon as the fate of Philadelphia's Postseason hung by a thread. But with the proud owner of the highest career win percentage after August 1st in the MLB since 1920 on the mound, the odds were in Philly's favor. And with the opposing pitcher Jonathan Sanchez digging a hole for himself in the first inning, the Philadelphia faithful looked like they were in store for a decisive Game 7. Chase Utley managed to drive in his first run of the series with an RBI double before scoring on a sac-fly from fellow teammate Jayson Werth, as Philly took an early 2-0 lead.Though, the Giants would strike back in the third thanks to a lead-off single from the pitcher Sanchez. With Andres Torres at the dish and hitting a ball deep to the warning track, Shane Victorino looked to have made a basket-like catch reminiscent of Willlie Mays' famous grab in the 1954 World Series. Instead, the ball bounced out of Victorino's glove and hit the wall before falling to the ground. Sanchez who was unsure about the hit, was only able to make it to second on the play. After a Freddy Sanchez bunt to move the runners over, Aubrey Huff hit one up the middle to score a run. Torres also tried to score on the play, but was tagged out at home by a throw from Victorino. Buster Posey would tie things up after a softly hit ball fielded by the catcher Ruiz was thrown off the line, with Posey reaching the base safely.
After exchanging runs in the top half of the inning, both teams exchanged words and came close to exchanging blows as the benches cleared in the bottom of the third, started with an 87 MPH pitch that plunked Chase Utley in the back. Upon trotting to first, the ball bounced in front of Utley and into his hands before being tossed back towards Sanchez who stood on the mound. Sanchez didn't take the toss very likely and began staring the All-Star second baseman down before the two jawed back and forth, ensuing the fracas. As the players walked back to their respected positions, dugouts, and bullpens, no ejections were issued. Instead, Giants skipper Bruce Bochy decided to pull the plug on Sanchez and make an early call to the bullpen.With the starting pitcher out and only two innings to show for, the relief corps would be asked to take on a heavy workload. However, Jeremy Affeldt, Madison Bumgarner, Javier Lopez, and Tim Lincecum would all combine to hurl seven scoreless innings before handing the ball over to their closer. With 1-out in the 8th, Juan Uribe broke a 2-2 tie with an opposite-field homer. What appeared to be an innocent fly ball to right-field, ended up drifting deeper and deeper as Jayson Werth ran out of room while the ball barely made it over the fence, landing into the first row of seats. Brian Wilson would then be called upon to protect a 1-run lead and slam the door on a Philly team eying a third straight World Series appearance. With the hard hitting Ryan Howard up to bat with two men on and 2-outs, Wilson made it as nerve-racking as possible, pushing the at-bat to a full-count before striking out the former MVP looking on a slider that caught the outside corner and sending the Giants to the World Series for the first time in eight years, where they will face the AL Champion Texas Rangers.
Noteworthy - As if anyone else on the team put up a worthy enough fight for the award, Cody Ross was named NLCS MVP, hitting .350, with 3 HR's, 3 2B's and 5 RBI's. With yet another save in Game 6, Wilson became the first pitcher with 3 Saves and a Win in a Postseason series.
Before both teams took the field for Game 5 in San Francisco, the champagne was cold and ready to pop in front of the home crowd hoping to see their Giants celebrate a National League pennant. The Philadelphia Phillies on the other hand, had other plans. And with Doc Halliday on the mound seeking redemption for his Game 1 loss against Tim Lincecum in Philly, the Giants offense would have their work cut out for them. Though that didn't appear to be the case in the first inning. The Giants would draw first blood in the opening inning, thanks to one of Game 4's heroes -- Buster Posey hitting into a force out, scoring Andres Torres who led the game off with a walk and advanced to third on a hit from Freddy Sanchez.
Philly would then take the lead in the third, after two costly errors by Pablo Sandoval and Aubrey Huff, allowing men on second and third. Placido Polanco would cap off the wild three-run inning by lining one into left field and over the head of the shortstop, giving Philly a 3-1 lead. An inning later, Cody Ross would continue his brilliance with an RBI double, bringing the Giants within one. Despite threatening Philly's one run lead a number of times, the Giants offense was unable to do any further damage, as Halladay escaped jams in both the 5th and 6th inning. With the game still locked at 3-2, Jayson Werth added an insurance run in the 9th, leading off the inning with a home run. The 2-run cushion would be all the Phillies bullpen needed as Jose Contreras, J.C. Romero, Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge all combined to hurl three scoreless-innings, putting a damper on any chance of the Giants celebrating at home and forcing a Game 6.Game 6 Preview - While both teams get set for another go-around in Philly, Jonathan Sanchez will once again face off against Roy Oswalt. With a win in Oswalt's last start in Game 2, the Phillies are hoping he'll be the one to get them right back in the thick of things and even the series at three-games a piece, stretching the series to a Game 7. Find out if that's the case on Saturday with a scheduled first-pitch @ 4:30 p.m.
NLCS Game 4 - Heading into Game 4, a lot was on the line for both teams. For the Phillies, it meant keeping their hopes of playing another game at home alive. As for the Giants, Game 4 meant a chance to end the series at home instead of having to fly back to Philly for a game 6. That of coarse being if they were to win Game 5 in San Francisco as well. On the bump aiming to fulfill those dreams of inching the Giants closer to the 2010 Fall Classic, was the 21 year old southpaw Madison Bumgarner. In only his rookie year, Bumgarner became the youngest Giants pitcher to ever start and win a Postseason game, less than a week ago when he held the Braves offense to only 2-runs in 6 innings pitched, punching SF's ticket to the NLCS.Sharing the mound with Bumgarner was Phillies pitcher Joe Blaton. Pitching for the first time since September 29th, Blanton was erratic to open the game surrendering a single to Freddy Sanchez who moved over to third on two wild pitches. Those early miscues would cost Blanton, as Buster Posey who had a phenomenal night, laced a 2-out RBI single, putting the Giants up with an early 1-0 lead. For what it's worth, Blanton's two wild pitches in the first inning, matched his regular season total of two wild pitches. With back-to-back 2-out hits by Aubrey Huff and Buster Posey who combined to hit 7-for-10 on the night, the Giants would take a 2-0 lead. As the game wore on, Bumgarner would run into a few jams, including one he would get out of in the 4th, with two on and two outs.
However, an inning later, he wouldn't be so lucky. With one out and runners on second and third, Shane Victorino connected for an RBI single up the middle, scoring Utley. Thanks to a tremendous effort by the Giants defense, a second run would fail to score, as a throw home from Aaron Rowand beat the sliding Carlos Ruiz to the plate. Posey would also get kudos on the play for executing an excellent tag, all while holding onto the ball. Although the run was prevented, the inning would continue, as Bochy decided to hook his rookie pitcher in favor of Santiago Casilla. A decision that would take a turn for the worst, as Bumgarner soon found himself in line for a loss after being credited with two more runs. Placido Polanco did most of the damage, hitting one into the gap, good enough for a double and giving Philly their first lead of the night. The nightmare would continue, as Casilla walked Howard and hit Werth in consecutive at-bats to load the bases. Then came a wild pitch, scoring Polanco and putting Philly on top 4-2.The inning that saw 9-hitters come up to bat and combine to scratch four runs across the board would last 25 minutes and would prove to be too long of a rest for Blanton who waited patiently in the dugout. After walking Torres to lead off the inning, Huff would bring him home with another clutch 2-out RBI single. And before you knew it, the game would turn into a battle of the bullpens, as the Phils pen began to have its own struggles in the sixth. Philadelphia reliever Chad Durbin would then do his best Casilla impersonation. Making his first start of the series, Pablo Sandoval would come through with a big 2-out double, as San Francisco stole back the lead. Once again, Philly would fight back two innings later to tie it, capped off by a lead off double from Ryan Howard. With both teams locked up 5-5 heading into the 9th, Posey would continue to shine, moving Huff over to third on a double, giving Juan Uribe a chance for some late game heroics.
Uribe would do just that, hitting a sac fly to left field, as Huff trotted to home as the winning run, 6-5. Uribe connected for only the 8th walk-off via the sacrifice fly in Postseason history. As for the Phillies, the walk-off loss was their first since the '93 World Series in which they lost to the Toronto Blue Jays. Speaking of firsts, Posey became only the second rookie catcher in Postseason history to compile 4-hits.Game 5 Preview - With a Game 1 rematch of Roy Halladay and Tim Lincecum, the Giants have only one thing on mind, winning a trip to the World Series. Philly on the other hand hopes to survive to live another day. All making this match-up one for the ages.
NLCS Game 3 - With games 1 and 2 being played in Philadelphia and featuring a good set of pitching match-ups, San Francisco would also get to see an appealing pitching match-up in Game 3 between Cole Hamels and Matt Cain. Stepping away from pitching for a moment, the main story offensively for the Giants has been Cody Ross. Having propelled the Giants offense for the first two games via the home run, it would be interesting to see if Ross could utilize his power at San Francisco's AT&T Park, an unfriendly yard to those who seek home runs. Opposed to Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Ballpark where Ross has seen a lot of action as a member of the Marlins, having hit 8 HR's in 20 games there, Ross has only hit a fraction of that while playing at home in a Giants uniform.In his second at-bat with a runner in scoring position, Ross would bring in a run on a single instead of a home run, scoring Edgar Renteria who led the inning off with a single. Aubrey Huff would follow on an RBI single of his own. A third and final run would come around to score in the fifth when Aaron Rowand led off the inning with a double and scored on a 2-out RBI single by Freddy Sanchez that was first ruled an error after taking a tricky hop and corralling off the arm of Chase Utley. One of the bigger pick-ups for the Giants at the trade deadline, was that of left-handed reliever Javier Lopez. Relieving for Cain in the eighth, Lopez retired the side, including a big strikeout of Ryan Howard to end it. Closer Brian Wilson would then showcase his beard in the ninth, by inducing a double play ball off the bat of Raul Ibanez to end it. 
Tossing 7 scoreless innings of 2-hit ball, Matt Cain and the Giants bullpen combined to do something that hasn't been done against Philadelphia in the Postseason since Game 5 of the 1993 World Series (a span of 49 Playoff games), and that's shutout the Phillies offense. Meanwhile for the Giants, the shutout was their second of this Postseason, and 5th since 1958. Game 4 Preview - Game 4 will take a much different approach as the young rookie southpaw Madison Bumgarner will take on Phillies' Joe Blaton who hasn't started since September 29th. Whether or not that it will show, we will soon find out.
NLCS Game 2 - Heading into Game 2, both offenses would have their hands full, as both Roy Oswalt and Jonathan Sanchez came into the game on fire. In his last 8 starts, Sanchez owns a record of 4-1, finishing with an ERA of 1.06 in that span. Meanwhile, Oswalt boasts a record of 4-0 in 8 career Postseason starts and is 10-0 all-time at Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Ballpark. As if that wasn't enough bad news for the Giants, their offense would be without one of its power threats, as utility infielder Juan Uribe sat out with a contusion in his wrist, an injury he suffered late in game 1 when sliding into second base. With Uribe sidelined, Edgar Renteria filled the void.
Unlike game 1, Philly would draw first blood in the first inning, making the Giants pay early for two walks and an error. Sanchez dug a hole of his own by giving up a bases loaded walk to Jimmy Rollins, capping off a 35-pitch inning and giving Philly a 1-0 lead. The early trouble Sanchez ran into caused the Giants bullpen to move around after only the first inning. Though Sanchez would eventually settle down.
Continuing his candidacy to become this year's Mr. October, Cody Ross hit yet another home run, tying the game in the fifth, 1-1. For Ross, the homer was his third this series and fourth in his last three games. With the trio of dingers this series, Ross has already matched the three HR's he hit during the regular season as a member of the Giants. Phillies speed demon Shane Victorino led off the bottom half of the inning with a double, and scored after being moved over on two consecutive sacrifice fly's. Jonathan Sanchez would be pulled in the seventh after surrendering a single to the opposing pitcher -- Oswalt on the 100th pitch of the night. With the bullpen making an appearance, Oswalt would run threw a stop sign put up by the Phillies third base coach and came around to score on an RBI single by Placido Polanco, keeping the inning alive before loading the bases. Those bases would eventually clear on a double hit by J-Roll.
With a final score of 6-1, the Giants starting pitching staff was out dueled for the first time this Postseason, as Oswalt hurled 8 solid innings of 3-hit ball, walking 3 and striking out 9. The only two hitters in the Giants line-up able to solve the 3-time All-Star Oswalt, were Cody Ross who homered and Freddy Sanchez who finished the game with two singles. Jonathan Sanchez on the other hand, surrendered 3 runs (2 earned) on 5 hits, walking 3 and striking out 7 in 6 innings. In spite of the loss, Sanchez still managed to have a decent outing.Game 3 Preview - Next on tap for Game 3 of the NLCS, Cole Hamels and Matt Cain look to battle it out in the first game of the series in San Francisco. First pitch at 1:30 p.m., Go Giants!
NLCS Game 1 - If the Giants wanted to take an early 1-game lead on the road against a Philadelphia team that has become quite familiar with the Postseason, having reached the NLCS for a third consecutive year, they'd have to face a pitcher coming off of one of the best Postseason outings in Major League history -- Roy Halladay. Philly wouldn't have it easy either, as San Francisco countered with their ace and 2-time defending NL Cy Young award winner -- Tim Lincecum, who also had an impressive outing in his first ever Postseason start. Although the battle between the two Goliath's would be a match-up of epic proportions and the headline coming into the game, there offense would get its time to shine as well.During the regular season in late August, the Giants acquired Marlins outfielder Cody Ross on waivers primarily to prevent the division rival San Diego Padres from acquiring him down the stretch in the heat of their pennant race. His offensive production thus far in the Postseason however, would make one think he was picked up purposely as an everyday outfielder. Although that's not the case, Ross has fit in just well. Proving that on Saturday, Ross put an end to Halladay's hopes of throwing another no-hitter by hitting a solo home run in the third inning. Trailing by a run, Philly answered back with a solo shot of their own, off the bat of Carlos Ruiz just an inning later to tie the game at 1-run a piece.
Cody Ross would strike again in the fifth inning with another home run off Halladay, regaining the lead 2-1. Veteran outfielder Pat Burrell who played 8-years with the Phillies from 2000-2008, came up to bat in the sixth inning, hitting a ball to deep left field, coming a few feet short of a homer. As the ball bounced off the glove of Phillies left fielder Raul Ibanez, catcher Buster Posey came in to score. Giants manager Bruce Bochy then decided to yank Burrell in place of a pinch-runner. A move that proved to be costly for the Giants in Game 2 of the ALDS. The pinch-running Nate Schierholtz would eventually come in to score on a single up the middle from Juan Uribe.Trailing by a score of 4-1 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, the Phillies would manage to scratch across a few more runs off Lincecum, thanks to a 2-run shot by Jason Werth, bringing Philly within a run. Lincecum would be lights out from there on out, finishing the game with 8 strikeout's and 3 walks, while surrendering 3-runs on 8-hits in 7-innings. The ball was then given to the bullpen who managed to shut the Phillies down for the final two innings, with closer Brian Wilson striking out Shane Victorino with a man left on base to end it. While Lincecum improves to 2-0 this Postseason, Halladay falls to 1-1. The Giants and Phillies may only be prepping for Game 2 of this series, but the momentum has to be on San Francisco's side, as they put an end to Philadelphia's Postseason streak of 7-straight wins during Game 1's. The win for the Giants also inches them 3-wins closer to their first World Series since 2002.Game 2 Preview - Hoping to bring the Giants a game closer to the Fall Classic, is Jonathan Sanchez who looks to face Philly's Roy Oswalt who remains unbeaten on home turf. Game time scheduled at 4:30 p.m., Go Giants!
Doctober - In spite of being arguably the best pitcher in all of baseball for several years now, Roy Halladay has never made a single Postseason appearance in his illustrious career, due to being stuck in the powerhouse that is the AL East. Although the Toronto Blue Jays put together a few decent teams, none were ever able to surpass the Yankees and Red Sox in the standings during Halladay's tenure. So when it came time, Halladay burst onto the Playoff scene like the future Hall of Famer that he is. Leading up to the fourth straight division tittle for the Philadelphia Phillies, Halladay made his transition to the National League in a huge way by throwing a perfect game against the Florida Marlins in late May. The rest of Halladay's 2010 campaign would be nothing short of magical as he went on to set career highs in wins (21), strikeouts (219), and tied carer highs in complete games (9), and shutouts (4). 
However, none of the following would be the highlight of Doc's outstanding season. What would be though, is what Halladay put together in his first ever Postseason outing. With every baseball enthusiast expecting a slight bit of Postseason jitters even from one of the games greats, the 7-time All-Star and former AL Cy Young Award winner proved there would be none of that. The moment he had been awaiting some 12 years in the making, Halladay went on to throw only the second no-hitter in Postseason history. The first of coarse would come some 54 years earlier when New York Yankees pitcher Don Larsen threw a perfect game in the 1956 World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers. Not only does Halladay's gem stick out because it was his first ever Postseason outing, but also because it was thrown against the best hitting team in the entire National League. Halladay's only fault during the 4-0 victory, would come with 2-outs in the fifth inning, when he surrendered a walk to the potential NL MVP -- Joey Votto.
When being asked in the clubhouse about Hallday's dominant outing, Votto gave the Doc his props by saying, "It was like swinging at nothing." Votto's teammate and Reds shortstop Orlando Cabrera on the other hand, showed some bitterness and believes Halladay benefited from a generous strike-zone and said, "Another umpire and Halladay wouldn't have thrown a game like that." Whether or not the ump played a role in helping Doc make history, Halladay pounded the strike-zone all night long as some 85% of his pitches were for strikes. Game 2, which takes place at Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park on Friday, will feature another Roy, as Roy Oswalt is slated to take the mound with Cincy aiming to counter with Bronson Arroyo in what looks to be a battle of righties.
And unless someone throws a perfect-game this Postseason, I think it's clear Doc's no-no will be the talk of the season. Now, the only thing missing on Halladay's track record is a World Series ring. And as much as I'd like to see him hoist one before his career is over, I just hope it won't be in a Phillies uniform.
Florida's Get Rich Quick Scheme - Just 20 days after Oakland's Dallas Braden threw his magical Mother's Day masterpiece, one of the game's best put his name in the hat to become a potential future Hall of Famer. On the road against the Florida Marlins in Miami, Roy Halladay pitched the 20th perfect game in Major League history by taking a much different approach than that of Braden. While the Oakland A's southpaw earned his perfecto by mainly getting batters to pop up or fly out, Halladay owned the strike zone by compiling a total of 11 K's compared to Braden's 6. The former 2003 AL Cy Young Award winner for the Toronto Blue Jays added to his already lengthy resume which includes 6-All-Star appearances and 49-complete games. The only thing missing? A World Series ring.With only half of the seats in Florida's Land Shark Stadium filled with fans to witness the remarkable feat, the Marlins are hoping to make money off of the fans that weren't in attendance. How so? Through the stadium's box office and website, the team will be reselling tickets to the game that featured Doc Halladay's no-hit performance which took place on Saturday May 29th. The cost? Tickets will be sold at face value from the cheap seats -- $12, to the field-level -- $25 and of coarse, those much closer to the action and behind home plate -- $300. As an amenity, they'll even count you in the game's official attendance. What better way to brag to all your buddies than lie to them and not only tell them you seen Roy Halladay's perfect game in person, but also have the proof of a ticket stub. Talk about the ultimate souvenir.Keep in mind the Marlins are doing this despite their 1-0 loss and their own team being blanked. If it was a Marlins pitcher who threw the gem and not the opposing team's pitcher, it would be a little bit more understandable. If you asked me, I'd say it's sort of a cheesy strategy to profit money and would usually oppose the whole idea. But given it's the Florida Marlins, the team who's currently at the bottom of the NL in attendance and always seem to be struggling to fill seats regardless of how well or poorly they're playing, I can't knock their hustle. In fact, I encourage them to take similar action in the future. This isn't the first time this has been done however. After Chicago White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle pitched his perfect game last July, the team sold the remainder of the tickets as souvenirs. With two perfect games and one no-hitter already in the books this early on in the season, could this be proof of the post-steroid era?
The Perfecto Bandito - Considering there's never been a time in the modern era of Major League Baseball where two pitchers threw perfect games in a single season prior to Halladay's gem, how crazy would it be if there three in a single season? And if that's not crazy enough, how about all three of those perfect games taking place within a single month? Although the third never happened, it should have.Bad calls have become somewhat symbolic in all of sports, but none as bad as those made or not made in baseball. One call in particular that will forever be remembered above all others is the one that took place most recently. Last Wednesday in a game against the visiting Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga was just one out away from making the history books. That was until Indians rookie Jason Donald hit a ground ball to first baseman Miguel Cabrera who underhanded the ball to the covering Galarraga in what looked to be the 27th out of the ball game. However, first base umpire Jim Joyce called the runner safe in what would go down in the history of bad calls. This wasn't just any other wrong call, instead it cost the right-handed Venezuelan born pitcher a perfect game.
Just how bad was the call you ask? After viewing the replay from the clubhouse, Joyce admitted his wrongdoing soon after. As for the man who was robbed of a spot in the record books, Galarraga was a class act about the whole thing and didn't complain or throw a fit like I know most pitchers would do nowadays. Although umpire Jim Joyce missed the call, commissioner Bud Selig had all the power in the world to overturn the mistake and decided not to. But I bet if it was a Brewer who pitched the gem, Selig would've thought otherwise considering he's a Milwaukee native and was once upon a time the owner of the Brew Crew. A day after the mess, Joyce was scheduled to serve as the home plate umpire where he received boo's from the Detroit crowd when being introduced over the stadium speakers. Tigers skipper Jim Leyland who argued the call that cost his pitcher a place in Cooperstown, had Galarraga hand Joyce the game's starting line-up. Joyce was then seen with tears running down his face as the two patted one another on the back and shook hands.Even though he was robbed of becoming the 21st pitcher in Major League history to throw a perfecto, Galarraga didn't come out empty handed. Given Detroit is the Motor City, GMC honored the 28 year old pitcher and donated a 2010 Corvette. Days after discussion and reviewing the film, Commissioner Selig continued to stick to his guns and said he was pleased with how his decision to not honor Galarraga with a perfect game worked out. He went on to say expanded instant replay is unlikely this year if at all. The decision to not expand instant replay is something I actually agree with that has come from the brain of Bud Selig. As for the unlucky Jim Joyce, he's fortunate enough to keep his job in my opinion. He's also probably the most hated man in the Motor City now, dethroning the spot of Ron Artest who took place in the infamous 'Malice in the Palace'. Galarraga later forgave Joyce and called him a nice man. But although he's forgiven, I think someone better keep an eye on Mr. Joyce, he's definitely on suicide watch.
As we all know, actions speak louder than words. & While Jimmy Rollins did all the talking by predicting the Phillies to beat the Yankees in this season's Fall Classic, the Yankees were the ones who came out victorious. Prior to the 2009 World Series, Philadelphia Phillies short stop Jimmy Rollins said on national television that his team would beat the New York Yankees in 5 games and 6 if they were nice. They must of been extra nice if they let the Yankees beat them in 6 games, handing the evil empire their 27th World Series tittle. Since then, J-Roll hasn't said much, other than answering "No" after being asked if he thought the Yankees fed off of his wild prediction. But Rollins' coach and teammates still think they're the better team. Why?, I don't know. The 2008 defending champion Phillies were unable to become back-to-back world series champions, leaving only two National League ball clubs to ever reach the feat. The 1921-1922 New York Giants and most recently the Big Red Machine who won back-to-back world series tittles in 1975-1976.
There's no denying the Phillies were a strong team, but with the Yankees' offseason additions of Mark Texeira, C.C. Sabathia and A.J. Burnett, the New York Yankees were the better team and are once again world series champions. Philadelphia will once again hope to push their world series hopes next season as they bring back ace Cliff Lee.
This one's a little late, but like the saying goes "better late than never." & What better time to shine some light on Pedro Martinez than right now. In a press conference early Wednesday morning before game 1 of the 2009 World Series took place, Pedro went on to say he just might be the most influential player to ever step foot in Yankee stadium. Whether or not that's true, he'll be playing a big role in the fall classic by starting game 2. For once I agree with ESPN's John Kruk who said he wasn't too sure what Pedro meant by that.Martinez was a huge factor in game 2 of the NLCS against the Los Angeles Dodgers, as he started the game not having pitched in 17 days. Despite not being on the mound in over 2 weeks, he went on to pitch 7 scoreless innings by striking out 3 and surrendering only 2 hits to a powerful young Dodger line-up. The now 37 year old veteran looked more like he did when he was 27 with the Boston Red Sox. However his outing resulted in a no decision, as the bullpen later served up both the lead and game in a 2-1 loss. On to the main stage, the Phillies turn to Pedro in game 2 of the World Series and hope to see the same kind of success Martinez had in game 2 of the NLCS. Not only will he be trying to give his team a 2-0 lead heading back to Philly, but he'll also try helping his team become the first National League champions to win back-to-back World Series tittles since the 1975-1976 Cincinnati Reds aka "The Big Red Machine". He and the rest of the Phillies ball club will also be trying to disrupt the New York Yankees' quest in winning their 27th World Series tittle to add to their already crowded trophy case. Which now leads to my predictions. Last season I underestimated the Phillies and was expecting the Rays to win it all, so I'll be sure not to make that same mistake this time around. I'm saying Philly in 6. With that being said, Go Phils!
After what's been an emotional first week of Baseball due to the Adenhart tragedy, more sorrow was felt throughout the Baseball world this weekend. This time with the death of 2 of Baseball's most interesting and one of a kind characters. Harry Kalas was most famous for calling Phillies games for 39 long years, and was also known as "The Voice of Philadelphia." On April 13, 2009, prior to the Washington Nationals' home opener against the Phillies, Kalas collapsed in the press box, and was discovered around 12:30 PM. Doctors later confirmed that Kalas suffered a massive heart attack due to heart disease. Many said he went out the best way he could, at the ballpark. After the devastating news was heard throughout the rest of Philly, one broadcaster went on to say, "Philadelphia has lost its voice." Kalas was 73 years old.
Also to leave us was former Detroit Tiger Mark "The Bird" Fidrych. Fidrych was found dead on April 13, 2009, according to the Worcester District Attorney's office. The D.A.'s office said Fidrych was found by a family friend beneath his 10 Wheeler dump truck at his Northborough home around 2:30 p.m. He appeared to have been working on the truck at the time of the accident. Fidrych (A 2-Time All-Star & Former Rookie of the Year) was a fan favorite and better known on the Baseball Diamond for his weird on the field antics. He would do such oddity's as crouch down on the pitcher's mound and fix cleat marks, what became known as "manicuring the mound", and would talk to the ball. He was given the nickname "The Bird" due to his resemblance of The Sesame Street character "Big Bird." No pitcher showed the type of emotion Fidrych had while playing the game. Fidrych was only 54 years old.
