Home add your blog Archives Search Forum Contact RSS FEED

This site is an rss/xml news reader containing our favorite feeds. All articles are the copyrighted material of the blogs that wrote them.

Carlos Zambrano back for Cubs against Cards (AP)

post from MLB News Blog on 04 July 2008 06:44:58 PM. © MLB News Blog

The Chicago Cubs activated pitcher Carlos Zambrano from the 15-day disabled list in time to start Friday night against the St. Louis Cardinals. The right-handed pitcher left his start on June 18 against Tampa Bay because of pain in his right shoulder. Tests showed a minor strain. Zambrano took the loss in that game, allowing [...]

Read The Full Article:
http://mlbnewsblog.com/2008/07/04/carlos-zambrano-back-for-cubs-against-cards-ap/

Digg this

Who will be the next .250 hitter to come through

post from Jays Nest on 04 July 2008 06:41:46 PM. © Jays Nest

Which .250 hitter will be next to undo the Toronto Blue Jays?Utilityman Miguel Cairo turned the trick on Wednesday night against Toronto, smashing two doubles and driving in three to give the Seattle Mariners a 4-2 win as the Jays dropped two of three to[...]

Read The Full Article:
http://mvn.com/mlb-bluejays/2008/07/04/who-will-be-the-next-250-hitter-to-come-th
rough/

Digg this

Griffey homer gives Reds 3-0 win over Washington
(AP)

post from MLB News Blog on 04 July 2008 06:34:57 PM. © MLB News Blog

Ken Griffey Jr. hit a two-run drive for career homer No. 604 and Bronson Arroyo worked six innings, leading the Cincinnati Reds over the Washington Nationals 3-0 on Friday. Griffey followed Jay Bruce’s one-out double in the first with a 344-foot line drive that bounced off an advertising sign over the bench in the visitor’s [...]

Read The Full Article:
http://mlbnewsblog.com/2008/07/04/griffey-homer-gives-reds-3-0-win-over-washingto
n-ap/

Digg this

Cubs activate RHP Zambrano (PA SportsTicker)

post from MLB News Blog on 04 July 2008 06:33:44 PM. © MLB News Blog

The suddenly struggling Chicago Cubs are in need of a boost. They hope their ace can provide one.Read the full story.

Read The Full Article:
http://mlbnewsblog.com/2008/07/04/cubs-activate-rhp-zambrano-pa-sportsticker/

Digg this

Mr. E's Ballroom: Dodgers 10, Giants 7

post from 6-4-2 — an Angels/Dodgers double play blog on 04 July 2008 06:23:00 PM. © 6-4-2 — an Angels/Dodgers double play blog

The Dodgers picked up their fourth straight win, so SOSG's crack about the Dodgers being undefeated in June is no longer quite as funny and actually has the sense of being, maybe, a little streak now. In fact, the Dodgers are tied with Tampa Bay for the longest active win streak in the majors; it's that time of the year, or maybe one of those months.

But certainly, playing the Giants should have helped, right? Well, not so fast; I watched yesterday as San Francisco spanked the Cubs bullpen. Sweet Lou Piniella's favorite middle reliever, Carlos Marmol, had been tasked with keeping a one-run deficit intact, but instead he surrendered a solo homer to aging shortstop Rich Aurilia — who'd had six all season before that. It was two days running that Marmol had utterly lost his command, and in that span, he left a couple up that ended up in the seats with game-changing consequences for Sweet Lou Piniella's team. (The Giants went on to win Thursday's match 8-3.) That is to say, if the Cubs' bullpen was making mistakes, the Giants were on them. If the Giants are bad, at least it may still be said they're a major league team, and not in the sense that contraction has yet to hit.

So I still had some sense that these were two fairly evenly-matched teams, especially once the expected news hit the wires that Andruw Jones and Nomar Garciaparra had been activated, with Jason Repko and Mike Sweeney respectively optioned back to Las Vegas and disabled with a right hamstring injury. Sweeney, of course, made the fatal mistake of confessing that the injury wasn't hurting his swing:

"It probably looks it but haven't felt it hitting," the 38-year-old Sweeney said. "I'm running on it, but I've got to do some more stuff on it and get some more strength and go from there. It's one of those nagging injuries you have to protect. I've been riding the bike two or three times during the game. ... I'm a person who never wants to go on the DL. If it's the best-case scenario for me to get healthy, I'll do it."

Oh, so now there's no excuse whatsoever for his sucktitude. You hear that Ned? Ah, probably not.

So the game went pretty slowly at first, as I missed the first couple of innings, in and out of the house running errands, but that which I did see of Derek Lowe didn't inspire me with a lot of confidence. San Francisco was hitting balls hard in the air and getting line drives off him, which is usually a sure sign he doesn't have it on any particular day. A third inning double steal of second and home was especially embarrassing, and the way Lowe was pitching, he should have been in the dugout counting his lucky stars that he wasn't further in the hole, considering the long ground rule double he gave up to Aaron Rowand.

But Jonathan Sanchez didn't pitch well almost from the start, getting men into scoring position in the first and second innings, but wriggling out both times. Finally in the third he cracked, walking in two runs. Now, the fact that Andruw Jones struck out swinging with a ferocious cut says as much about Sanchez as it probably does about Jones — and maybe more about Jones, because he fanned four times in all, making for yet another embarrassing day for himself. He should count his lucky stars he did that in enemy territory, where he wouldn't have to face the pitchforks of angry fans.

After the Giants returned fire in the bottom of the frame to make it 4-2, the Dodgers meekly went down in order in the fourth, with Fred Lewis — who seemed to be the central focus of this game, as we shall presently see — doubled home Omar Vizquel, another line drive signaling something amiss with Lowe. Finally, Andre Ethier led off the fifth with a solo homer, and the sixth got even better. Lewis badly misplayed a routine Nomar flyball, allowing him to reach and setting the stage for a monster Dodger comeback. The first RBI came on Delwyn Young's pinch-hit single, but that was mere preface to three straight two-out doubles by Andre Ethier, Russell Martin, and Jeff Kent, bringing the tally to 8-5, giving the Dodgers a lead they wouldn't surrender. Lewis also botched another catch that ended up going 7-8 as the ball rolled out of Lewis' glove and into the bare hand of center fielder Aaron Rowand.

Jonathan Broxton had another weak outing, but he and the win survived it. Luis Maza at second technically screwed up a 2-4 caught stealing play that ended up with Russell Martin's throw going to centerfield, but why was Martin throwing with nobody there? Regardless, the Giants managed to get themselves into a bases-loaded, nobody-out scenario, but only cashed in one when Broxton got Rich Aurilia to hit into a double play.

Andy LaRoche had a leadoff homer in the eighth to give Takashi Saito a little more breathing room; Saito retired the side in order for a clean save. And thanks to a 5-1 Padres win over Arizona, the Dodgers are now a half game back of the 43-44 Diamondbacks. Eww.

Yahoo box • MLB.com recap

Read The Full Article:
http://6-4-2.blogspot.com/2008/07/mr-es-ballroom-dodgers-10-giants-7.html

Digg this

Yankees LF Damon injures shoulder (PA
SportsTicker)

post from MLB News Blog on 04 July 2008 06:21:43 PM. © MLB News Blog

New York Yankees left fielder Johnny Damon suffered a contusion and sprain of his left shoulder during Friday’s game against the Boston Red Sox.Read the full story.

Read The Full Article:
http://mlbnewsblog.com/2008/07/04/yankees-lf-damon-injures-shoulder-pa-sportstick
er/

Digg this

Photo Gallery: Texas Rangers vs. Baltimore
Orioles; July 4th, 2008

post from Oriole Post - Baltimore Orioles Analysis & News; The World of Baseball and Beyond on 04 July 2008 06:21:00 PM. © Oriole Post - Baltimore Orioles Analysis & News; The World of Baseball and Beyond

Texas Rangers vs. Baltimore Orioles; July 4th, 2008

Bet on Baseball at BetUS.com - America's favorite sports betting destination for all sports fans; adding more excitement and bonuses than any other sportsbook; on the web. Bet on your favorite horses like Big Brown at Belmont Stakes.

Read The Full Article:
http://oriolepost.blogspot.com/2008/07/photo-gallery-texas-rangers-vs.html

Digg this

Hardy, Hall homer to lift Brewers over Pirates
(AP)

J.J. Hardy and Bill Hall each hit a two-run homer, Ben Sheets worked out of several jams to earn his 10th win and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 9-1 on Friday. Sheets (10-2) stranded eight runners in the first five innings, allowing one run and eight hits before departing with two outs in [...]

Read The Full Article:
http://mlbnewsblog.com/2008/07/04/hardy-hall-homer-to-lift-brewers-over-pirates-a
p/

Digg this

Game 86: Tribe vs. Twins Independence Day

Byrd v. Livan Both starting pitchers today have managed to limit their walks allowed quite well, while at the same time being overall crappy pitchers. But some offensive fireworks would be rather appropriate for Independence Day, don't you think?

Read The Full Article:
http://stickandballguy.com/blog/2008/07/04/game-86-tribe-vs-twins-independence-da
y/

Digg this

Tribe Designate Joe Borowski

Wow.. Color me shocked that the Indians have outright designated Jumpin Joe.

I still think we might be able to reach a trade for Joe Borowski, even if it's just for a player to be named later. I mean someone out there will still want some sort of bullpen help.

Obviously Rick Bauer isn't going to get you much, someone will eventually pick him up and send him to the minor leagues. He will not be sent back to Buffalo if he clears waivers.

I'd expect the Indians to be able to trade Joe. I'm really shocked that they didn't just demote him and pitch him as a occasional arm and get his value up as a middle reliever.

Brian Slocum and Jensen Lewis will both be called up.. I'm going to assume sooner or later Jeff Stevens will find his way up here as well. They might want him to get a few more saves under his belt after he struggled lately.