Rattler Radio (Free subscription) | 10/17/2009
This was the Q&A with JJ Cooper after he released the Top 10 prospects in Independent Baseball for the 2009 season at Baseball America.com . An ex-Rattler was discussed: Magic Mike (New York, NY): Thanks for taking my question. It is a three part question. How come Bryan Sabatella can make the list as the #3 prospect in 2008, not get signed, and play in the Independent leagues again this year,...
McCovey Chronicles (Free subscription) | 09/22/2009
More photos » by Gene J. Puskar - AP He plays hard. He's earned respect. But there's a reason some fans are losing patience. Also of note: I think he killed/decapitated Brandon Moss on this play. Browse more photos » At the risk of repeating myself, one of the most important things that fans and players alike can remember is this: When fans boo players or curse them out, it is almost always...
The LoHud Yankees Blog (Free subscription) | 09/19/2009
Take it from somebody who once covered a team that had Armando Benitez closing, Mariano Rivera is the best friend a beat writer ever had. He comes in, the game is over. You can send your story back to the newspaper before he’s done pitching 99 times out of 100. Tonight was that one time. With two outs [...] Click on the headline for the rest of this blog post ...
Mets Walk-Offs And Other Minutiae (Free subscription) | 08/26/2009
* A belated happy birthday to Choo Choo Coleman, who celebrated on Tuesday. Coleman has the distinction of having the second-lowest batting average for any Met to hit a walk-off home run. Coleman's .205 batting average trails only Jim Tatum's .180 for worst by a Mets walk-off home run hitter. * Johan Santana's 13 wins, not the record for most by a Mets pitcher making 25 or fewer starts in a season....
Can't Stop the Bleeding (Free subscription) | 08/25/2009
Sunday evening I took a little time out from panhandling and attended my first ballgame in a few weeks, as I witnessed Memphis defeat Round Rock, 6-1. Though rehab appearances by St. Louis’ Troy Glaus and Houston’s Aaron Boone piqued my curiosity, the real draw for your humble editor was the Pacific Coast [...]
Faith and Fear in Flushing (Free subscription) | 08/25/2009
Just to catch you up on New York Mets pitcher depletion matters: • Johan Santana, out for the season as you might have suspected once he was scratched from tonight's start. He's going in for "minor" arthroscopic elbow surgery to remove bone chips. I know... shudder , but they fixed his knee OK, proving perhaps that every Met who goes out with an injury maybe someday comes back. Nick...
Sports Chatter (Free subscription) | 08/23/2009
MLB Transactions Angels optioned RHP Sean O’Sullivan to Triple-A Salt Lake. Angels recalled RHP Rafael Rodriguez from Triple-A Salt Lake Diamondbacks recalled 1B Brandon Allen from Triple-A Reno. Diamondbacks optioned 1B Josh Whitesell to Triple-A Reno Red Sox optioned RHP Michael Bowden to Triple-A Pawtucket. Red Sox recalled RHP Enrique Gonzalez from Triple-A Pawtucket. Astros signed RHP Armando...
ESPN (Free subscription) | 08/23/2009
Former big league closer Armando Benitez and the Houston Astros have agreed to a minor league contract.
Seattle Times (Free subscription) | 08/23/2009
Former big league closer Armando Benitez and the Houston Astros have agreed to a minor league contract.
MLB Trade Rumors (Free subscription) | 08/22/2009
3:24pm: MLB.com's Alyson Footer confirms it is indeed a minor league deal. Benitez will head directly to Triple-A Round Rock. 3:02pm: According to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com, the Astros have signed 36-year-old reliever Armando Benitez. It's safe to assume the agreement is a minor league deal. Benitez hasn't appeared in the major leagues since 2008, when he allowed four earned runs in 6 1/3 innings...
The Crawfish Boxes (Free subscription) | 08/22/2009
Astros sign Armando Benitez Per Brian McTaggart, via Twitter. Alyson Footer tweets that he'll report to AAA.
Mets Fever (Free subscription) | 08/21/2009
As Hell's Bells blasted on the PA and the small crowd, for the first time all night had something to cheer about, Billy Wagner ran across the field to take the mound for the first time in over a year. There were goose bumps on my arms, and I rooted for Billy like it was game seven of the World Series. He threw a 96mph fastball that had a nasty bite and froze the hitter for a called strike two and I...
Sports In-Depth: Baseball Edition (Free subscription) | 08/15/2009
The following has been done 15 times (by 12 pitchers) since 1900: 65+ IP, less than 5 Hits allowed per 9 innings . 2009 Hopefuls Jonathan Broxton (Dodgers): 4.88 H/9, 51.2 IP Carlos Marmol (Cubs): 4.94, 54.2 1995-2008 11 2003 Eric Gagne (Dodgers): 4.04 (82.1 IP) 2008 Carlos Marmol (Cubs): 4.12 (87.1 IP) 2001 Jeff Nelson (Mariners): 4.13 1999 Billy Wagner (Astros): 4.22 1995 Troy Percival (Angels):...
MLB Trade Rumors (Free subscription) | 06/24/2009
On this day in MLBTR histroy, the Padres hadn't decided whether to be buyers or sellers. A lot's changed since last year, but many teams face a similar dilemma now. Here are some links for the morning... Coco Crisp will miss the rest of the season with a torn labrum, according to Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star. Andy McCullough of the Star-Ledger reports that former MLB closer Armando Benitez is...
Amazin' Avenue (Free subscription) | 06/18/2009
On the event of Matt Wieters' first major league home run , here is a little known fact about Wieters : his eyesight is so good that he CAN see Russia from his house. Meet the Mets Johan Santana had a good bullpen session yesterday and is all set to make his next scheduled start . Ramon Castro trade bait Lance Broadway had his first good outing in the Met farm system , allowing only 3 hits over 6+...
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