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The Strasburger
Posted by: | CommentsStephen Strasburg, you know you have arrived. According to FOX Sports, a Washington D.C. restaurant The Burger Joint has created a new burger called the Strasburger, after the Washington Nationals newest pitching phenom. The burger has a hot dog on top and it is covered in aged Vermont cheese.
Both of these ingredients have meaning behind them. The hot dog symbolizes Strasburg’s debut with the Phoenix Desert Dogs in 2009, and the Vermont cheddar cheese is orange, signaling Strasburg’s promotion to Triple-A Syracuse. The burger sells for $10.99 through the end of June.
I have an added suggestion for an extra ingredient; jalapeno peppers. Simply because of the heat, and the fact Strasburg has some heat of his own hitting 100 mph on the radar gun.
Ken Griffey Jr. was the greatest Mariner ever
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Maybe I am biased since I grew up watching Ken Griffey Jr. but I still think he is the greatest Mariner of all-time. He began his MLB debut in 1989, a year after I was born. I watched sports at age 2. Maybe I don’t remember picture perfectly, but I have memories of Ken Griffey. leaping at the wall at the Kingdome in Seattle, robbing opponents of certain home runs on a daily basis. I grew up watching that smooth swing of his, thinking that it looked almost effortless, and yet the ball would just keep carrying as the Mariners announcer Dave Niehaus would cry, “Fly away! Home run Ken Griffey Jr.!”
Griffey had his best season in 1997 where he hit 56 home runs driving in 147 RBIs and hit .304. The next season he almost carbon copied those numbers hitting 56 home runs again and driving in 146 RBIs, although his batting average dipped to .284.
Griffey is not just a player to Seattle fans, he is a hero, a role model, an icon. He retires as fifth on the all-time home run list, and the thing that makes Mariners fans proudest is that, to everyone’s knowledge, Griffey did it all clean of any banned substance.
I won’t remember the Ken Griffey Jr. that hit zero home runs, had 7 RBIs and hit .184 in 33 games in 2010. I will remember the 90’s Griffey who made Seattle Mariners baseball exciting to watch. I hope everyone else does the same.
Did anyone predict the Reds and Padres leading their divisions?
Posted by: | CommentsI venture to guess that a lot of people are surprised with the National League standings; I know I am. The Cincinnati Reds are leading the NL Central for the first time since 2004, and the San Diego Padres are leading the NL West. The Reds have done it with solid pitching from Bronson Arroyo and Johnny Cueto. The Reds pitching staff ranks ninth in the majors in strikeouts with 287 K’s.
The Padres have the same formula for success as their pitching staff is the best in the league in ERA with an excellent 2.60 ERA. They also lead the league in shutouts with 8.
It’s hard to see either of these teams holding onto their divisional leads late into the season, but the Padres especially struggle offensively. The Padres rank 26th in the league in total offense batting only .236 as a team.
Blue Jays second baseman Aaron Hill on 15 day DL
Posted by: | CommentsPrior to Monday’s home opener against the White Sox, the Blue Jays placed injured infielder Aaron Hill on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to Thursday. The second baseman has been hampered by his right hamstring.
Hill injured his hamstring making a diving play in the ninth inning of the Blue Jays’ season opener in Texas on April 5. He noticeably landed wrong and came up in pain. Hill played through some discomfort Wednesday and was then scratched from the lineup for a game against the Rangers on Thursday.
In 158 games last season, Hill hit .286 with 36 home runs and 108 RBIs to lead all MLB second baseman in both categories.
Some information used in this article from Jordan Bastian / MLB.com.
Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee leaves game with injury
Posted by: | CommentsChicago Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee left Monday’s game because of pain and inflammation in his right thumb. Lee grimaced after he singled in the third inning, and again after he singled in the fourth, and Xavier Nady was called on to replace Lee at first.
The first baseman has been bothered by the thumb since he jammed it sliding into second base and is being considered day-to-day at this point.
Lee is hitting .316 over the Cubs first six games with 1 HR and 3 RBIs. You can see Lee’s statistics here.
Information used in this article from Carrie Muskat of MLB.com
Athletics outfielder Coco Crisp to start season on DL
Posted by: | CommentsFriday night A’s outfielder and leadoff hitter Coco Crisp suffered a left pinkie fracture when he was tagged by Juan Uribe while sliding into second base in the third inning of the A’s 2-1 loss to the Giants.
As a result, Crisp will start the season on the disabled list, the A’s confirmed. The earliest he could possibly return to the lineup is April 17.
Fortunately, the A’s have suitable outfield options while Crisp recovers, including Gabe Gross, Eric Patterson, Jake Fox and Jack Cust.
Information from Jane Lee / MLB.com was used in this article.
Oakland Athletics re-assign Jason Jennings to minors
Posted by: | CommentsThe Oakland Athletics downsized their bullpen by one Tuesday by reassigning right-handed pitcher, and former Rookie of the Year, Jason Jennings to the Minors.
Jennings, 31, posted a 10.45 ERA in his two starts for the Athletics after signing a Minor League contract Feb. 28. He allowed 18 hits in 10 1/3 innings.
Minnesota Twins to use closer-by-committee tactic
Posted by: | CommentsAccording to the Associated Press Manager Ron Gardenhire said on Sunday that, barring a trade this week, the Twins will start the regular season with a closer-by-committee approach.
Relievers Matt Guerrier, Jon Rauch, Jesse Crain and Jose Mijares will all get a shot in the ninth inning towards the beginning of the season.
For a bit, Francisco Liriano was an option at closer, but the Twins and Liriano both like him in the starting rotation too much to try that just yet. However, desperation could change that, if none of the other relievers prove to be reliable and consistent.
Indians first baseman Russell Branyan out with herniated disc
Posted by: | CommentsIndians first baseman Russell Branyan will miss Opening Day with a herniated disc, making Matt LaPorta the starter at first base when the Indians play the White Sox, April 5, in Chicago. Branyan had a career year last year in Seattle, hitting .251, his second-best batting average of his career when he has logged over 200 at bats. Branyan also crushed 31 home runs and drove in 76 RBIs.
Is that a sign of a breakout year for Branyan? Many doubt he will be able to produce for the Indians, and discard his 31 homers last year as a fluke. Branyan looks to prove the doubters wrong this year, but will have to let his herniated disc heal first before he gets the chance to pick up where he left off last season.
Milton Bradley to hit cleanup for Mariners
Posted by: | CommentsThe Seattle Mariners are set to begin the season with Milton Bradley in the cleanup role. Bradley hit a dismal .257 last season with the Cubs and hit just 12 home runs driving in 40 RBIs. The Mariners are hoping Bradley will return to his 2008 season form. Bradley hit .321 for the Rangers in 2008 and blasted 22 home runs and knocked in 77 RBIs. The Mariners are a team that is built on solid pitching and excellent defense so they desperately need Bradley’s bat to come alive and drive in runs if they want to make a run for the AL West division title this year. He will have plenty of opportunities to rack up RBIs with fantastic hitters that get on base in front of him; Ichiro Suzuki and the newly acquired Chone Figgins. It will be Bradley’s responsibility to drive them in and put runs on the scoreboard for Seattle.
