Rockies blunder their way through the heat in 4-1
loss against Gonzalez and Nationals

post from Purple Row on 07 July 2012 10:02:07 PM. © Purple Row

WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 07: Carlos Gonzalez #5 of the Colorado Rockies looks on from the dugout during the ninth inning of the Rockies 4-1 loss to the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on July 7, 2012 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

Gio Gonzalez mastered all but one of the Rockies hitters, and the pitching and fielding was bad enough on the other end of the game to send Colorado to a 4-1 loss against the Washington Nationals on Saturday. Dexter Fowler had half of the Rockies hits for the game, with three, while Michael Cuddyer had the only score after doubling in the fourth inning.

Jeff Francis pitched pretty decently for five innings, save a solo home run given up to Ian Desmond, but ran into trouble in a three run sixth when he allowed hits to the first two hitters. Josh Roenicke replaced Francis then, but couldn't get out of the jam. Roenicke allowed a run scoring single to Ryan Zimmerman then a wild pitch plus a Wilin Rosario throwing error compounded the inning and allowed the second run to score. Roenicke then botched a pick-off throw to bring in the third and final run. Those two errors and two more elsewhere in the game tied a season high for Colorado.

The game-time temperatures in Washington reached roughly as high as the Rockies season projected loss total: 101. The two teams play again tomorrow.

32 - 52

Games Back: 14.5

Streak: Lost 1

Games Left: 78

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Miami Marlins' Giancarlo Stanton Out 4-6 Weeks
Following Knee Surgery

post from Fish Stripes on 07 July 2012 10:02:05 PM. © Fish Stripes

This is the last time we will see Giancarlo Stanton for at least four weeks, as he will undergo knee surgery to remove "loose bodies" in his knee. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-US PRESSWIRE

The Miami Marlins wanted Giancarlo Stanton to get a chance at the All-Star Game festivities starting this Monday, but it hinged on Stanton feeling well after playing Saturday and Sunday. But Stanton was pulled in the third inning after a long fly out forced him to run a good distance and he singled and was on base in the second inning. Rather than risking further problems, Stanton and the team decided to have arthroscopic knee surgery to remove the "loose bodies" in his knee.

The procedure will be performed at 7 a.m. ET on Sunday by Marlins physician Dr. Lee Kaplan. Recovery is expected to be four to six weeks, but more will be known after the procedure.
"Stanton is going to have surgery tomorrow," manager Ozzie Guillen announced after the Marlins lost, 3-2, to the Cardinals. "Hopefully, he doesn't lose that many days. I don't know. It's up to how he comes out of the surgery. It might be a month, six weeks. Hopefully it's less."

This is a severe blow to any potential chances for a Marlins race to a playoff berth, as Stanton was far and away the team's best player and hitter and will now miss at least a month recovering from knee surgery. Stanton had accrued three Wins Above Replacement (WAR) via most WAR-type metrics, which was first on the team by a large margin. Without the Marlins' most valuable player, the dim glimmer of hope that the Fish had to make a run for the second Wild Card is fading quickly.

The Marlins do have options, which is surprising given the loss of the team's most important player. Emilio Bonifacio is scheduled to return to center field by the end of the All-Star Break, and Stanton's injury opens a spot for the red-hot Justin Ruggiano to stay in the lineup in right field. Prior to that, Ruggiano would have seen spot play behind outfielders Stanton, Bonifacio, and Logan Morrison. Now it is much more likely that Ruggiano will get a chance to prove that his .405/.477/.770 (.501 wOBA) is not entirely fluky.

Still, the likelihood of the Marlins performing well over the next month and a half or so without a critical cog is going to be difficult. Stanton is projected to add 2.8 wins to the team above a replacement level talent. Assuming Ruggiano is at least that good, if we lost 150 PA of Stanton's performance, that is a solid 1.4 wins lost due to this injury in a month and a half. It does not sound like much, but any wins lost without return could signal doom for the Marlins' chances at a Wild Card spot.

Could this push the team into "sell" mode with their free agents, particularly righty Anibal Sanchez? This is still unlikely given the ownership's desire to maintain a positive attitude throughout the season despite yet another setback to the team's goals. This is a tough short-term loss that could leave the team without much hope for a playoff berth, but the ownership group may still want to keep guys like Sanchez around just to save face instead of concerning about a rebuild. Unless the team is planning on re-signing Sanchez, Stanton's injury should have them at least considering a move for the right price.

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-6-weeks-following-knee-surgery

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Ive Got Tix!!!!

post from 30-Year Old Cardboard on 07 July 2012 09:01:44 PM. © 30-Year Old Cardboard

I’ve Got Tix!!!! It took me a lot longer than I wanted, but due to some prior plans, birthday parties, and a family vacation, I have been unable to make the trip to the new Marlins Park. Well, that all … Continue reading →

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Fish Cap: Marlins 2, Cardinals 3

post from Fish Stripes on 07 July 2012 08:02:47 PM. © Fish Stripes

While the Midwest heat beat down on Busch Stadium, the bats did not follow suit as the Marlins drop their second to last game before the All-Star festivities.

Source: FanGraphs

Attendance: 41,312

Hero of the Game: Justin Ruggiano (+.021): 2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI

Goat of the Game: Donovan Solano (-.018): 0-for-4

Play of the Game: Ruggiano's HR in the 2nd

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It just wasn't the Marlins day.

The weather was unbearable to play in. Yet, they did break a franchise record of playing the hottest game in the team's history. First pitch temperature: 106 degrees.

Even though the weather was scorching, the Marlins' offense was quiet and cold in a 3-2 loss.

Justin Ruggiano put the only dent to Kyle Lohse's outing in the second inning thanks to a two-run home run that sailed over the left center bullpen.

They had the lead for a short while until the Cardinals came out with their bats in the fourth inning to put up a three spot.

Skip Schumacher had an RBI single followed by a Tony Cruz triple that brought in the three runs. Schumacher and Cruz each hit beside each other seventh and eighth in the lineup on Saturday, respectively.

The Cardinals had a similar situation in the second inning—Carlos Zambrano got out of that jam unscathed.

Speaking of Big Z, his line Saturday was five innings, seven hits, three runs (all earned), two walks and four strikeouts.

Wade LeBlanc came in for the other three innings and allowed one hit while walking four Cardinals.

The Fish and Birds will close the first half of the season Sunday afternoon at 2:15.

Final - 7.7.2012 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E Miami Marlins 020000000261 St. Louis Cardinals 00030000X381WP: Kyle Lohse (9 - 2)
SV: Jason Motte (20)
LP: Carlos Zambrano (4 - 7)

Complete Coverage >

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Pete Rose 1987 Fleer Limited Edition

post from 30-Year Old Cardboard on 07 July 2012 07:30:49 PM. © 30-Year Old Cardboard

Pete Rose 1987 Fleer Limited Edition As a collector of baseball cards that prefers cards that feature players from my youth or generations prior, most of the ‘new’ cards that I find of these players comes from modern issues. But, … Continue reading →

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Michael Bourn Added To National League All-Star
Team

post from Talking Chop on 07 July 2012 07:02:59 PM. © Talking Chop

Congrats to Michael Bourn

Even though he did not win the National League "Final Vote" contest, Michael Bourn will still venture out to Kansas City next week as a part of the National League All-Star team.

It was announced this afternoon that Desmond of the Washington Nationals would be missing the game due to a left oblique strain. Bourn's addition to the team gives Atlanta four all-stars in Craig Kimbrel, Dan Uggla, and Chipper Jones.

This will be Bourn's second All-Star game appearance. His first came in 2010 as a member of the Houston Astros.

While this wasn't the most conventional way for him to get in, no one can argue that Bourn isn't a deserving selection. Bourn is having a career season in what is also a contract year, as he is hitting .305/.360/.448 with a career high seven home runs and 23 stolen bases.

So far, he's been worth 4.3 wins above replacement according to Fangraphs.

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Pictures of Andy Pettittes wife Laura Pettitte

post from Bronx Baseball Daily on 07 July 2012 06:00:13 PM. © Bronx Baseball Daily

[...]

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Milwaukee Brewers at Houston Astros, Jul 7, 2012
3:05 PM CDT

post from The Crawfish Boxes on 07 July 2012 05:03:19 PM. © The Crawfish Boxes

Current Series

Brewers lead the series 1-0

Fri 07/06 WP: Yovani Gallardo (7 - 6)
LP: J.A. Happ (6 - 9)
1 - 7 loss

Milwaukee Brewers Brew Crew Ball
@ Houston Astros The Crawfish Boxes

Saturday, Jul 7, 2012, 3:05 PM CDT
Minute Maid Park

Zack Greinke vs Wandy Rodriguez

Partly cloudy,rain. Winds blowing out to center field at 0-10 m.p.h. Game time temperature around 90.

Complete Coverage >

Sun 07/08 1:05 PM CDT

Wandy Rodriguez

#51 / Pitcher / Houston Astros

Height: 5-11

Weight: 195

Bats: B

Throws: L

Born: Jan 18, 1979

Zack Greinke

#13 / Pitcher / Milwaukee Brewers

Height: 6-2

Weight: 190

Bats: R

Throws: R

Born: Oct 21, 1983

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-jul-7-2012-3-05-pm-cdt

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Game 83 - Kansas City Royals (37-45) at Detroit
Tigers (42-42)

Bruce Chen remains the best the Royals have to offer. Trust the Process.

Thirteen of the fourteen teams in the American League have records over the last ten games between 6-4 and 4-6. Only the White Sox have a record outside those parameters with an 8-2 mark. The Royals, 4-6 over their last ten, once again take on the prohibitive divisional favorites who just managed to reach the .500 mark with last night's win over Kansas City.

The crafty one, Bruce Chen, takes the hill for Kansas City this afternoon. Chen is coming off a start that saw him tagged for six runs in 5.2 innings last time out. It was the third time in his last ten starts that Chen surrendered six runs. To be fair, Bruce has allowed three runs or less in the other seven of those ten starts. In 17 starts this year, Chen has a 4.83 earned run average and a 1.25 WHIP covering 95 innings of work.

The Tigers send the unfortunately named Doug Fister to the mound. The right-hander is 1-6 with a 4.61 ERA this season and has given up eight and six runs respectively in his last two starts; failing to make it out of the fifth in both. Prior to those two outings, Fister had gone six innings or more in six of his previous seven starts.

With a righty on the hill and Jeff Francoeur free falling to a .253/.290/.383 line with FOUR extra base hits since June 1st, it would seem like an ideal time to give The Leader a day off. Given the current Royals' roster, however, the alternative (an outfield that includes both Dyson and Bourgeois) might well be worse. Roster construction, boys and girls, it really is rocket science.

A couple of programming notes. The overflow thread might be delayed or non-existent today and the game summary will be a touch late. I know, I know, you all wait on pins and needles for our sage analysis. Have a stiff drink on me and dream of Wil Myers batting sixth while you wait.

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2012 Rockies Game #84: Jeff Francis vs. Gio
Gonzalez

DENVER, CO - JUNE 09: Starting pitcher Jeff Francis #26 of the Colorado Rockies looks on from the dugout after leaving the game against the Los Angeles Angels during Interleague Play at Coors Field on June 9, 2012 in Denver, Colorado. Francis collected the loss as the Angels defeated the Rockies 11-5. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)