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Todd Helton slid into second base and let out a sigh of relief. He finally had his 2,500th career hit.
Helton slapped the seventh pitch he saw -- in classic Helton style, he first fouled off three pitches -- against Reds reliever Curtis Partch just inside the third-base line and into the left-field corner for a double. The hit came in the seventh inning of a 7-4 win over the Reds at Coors Field on Sunday afternoon.
"Every at-bat felt like it was getting longer and longer," Helton said. "I was getting a little concerned because I definitely wanted to get 2,500 here at home in front of the home crowd. I was already in my mind thinking of who was pitching tomorrow. Fans were great, teammates were great. It was mostly relief, but I was excited."
After Helton slid into second, the crowd came together in an extended roar, Helton twice waving and tipping his helmet to the crowd. After Partch retired the side, the crowd once again rose to its feet at the end of the inning, teammates stepping from the dugout to congratulate Helton.
"Just congratulations, that's basically all you can say," said right fielder Michael Cuddyer, who compared the moment to when he watched Jim Thome hit his 600th home run. "As a baseball player, you know everything that he's gone through to get to this point and get to 2,500 hits, and you're excited for him."
It was fitting that the milestone came on a double for the player who leads all active players with 584 career doubles. This one pushed him past Hall of Famer Robin Yount for 17th in Major League history.
"It's a big number," Helton said." I'm very proud of it; I'm very proud of every one of them. Sitting here, 40 years old and going out and playing baseball for a living, I don't take that lightly. I'm very humble and appreciative for every day I get to go out there and put on the uniform."
The anticipation continued to build after Helton smashed two home runs and drove in a career-high-tying six runs in Friday's win over the Reds. Helton stepped to the plate in the eighth inning of that game with the chance to hit a third three-run homer for career hit No. 2,500, but he struck out.
He struck out three times in Saturday's loss and was 0-for-2 to start Sunday's game, intentionally walked in the fifth to the displeasure of the Coors Field crowd.
Helton, the face of the Rockies for most of their early existence, has spent all 17 seasons of his career with Colorado and owns franchise records for home runs, hits and games played.
Rockies manager Walt Weiss was Helton's teammate in 1997, when Helton played his first big league game. Sixteen years later, Weiss was again the observer, watching Helton inscribe his name in another place in the Major League record book.
"You knew he could hit right away; that was obvious," Weiss said. "But I always appreciated as a young kid, the way he would just put his head down and go. There wasn't a lot of lot of bells and whistles. He showed up, he worked hard, he went out and he competed hard. He's done that for a long time.
"I got to see Todd in his very first game, and to be here for his 2,500th hit, it's a great experience for me. But what a career, been a great career."
Helton joins Cardinals legend Stan Musial as the only players with 2,500 hits, 550 doubles, 350 home runs and a career batting average of at least .310.
Rockies' Todd Helton doubles vs. Reds for 2,500th career hit | MLB-com: News
Helton slapped the seventh pitch he saw -- in classic Helton style, he first fouled off three pitches -- against Reds reliever Curtis Partch just inside the third-base line and into the left-field corner for a double. The hit came in the seventh inning of a 7-4 win over the Reds at Coors Field on Sunday afternoon.
"Every at-bat felt like it was getting longer and longer," Helton said. "I was getting a little concerned because I definitely wanted to get 2,500 here at home in front of the home crowd. I was already in my mind thinking of who was pitching tomorrow. Fans were great, teammates were great. It was mostly relief, but I was excited."
After Helton slid into second, the crowd came together in an extended roar, Helton twice waving and tipping his helmet to the crowd. After Partch retired the side, the crowd once again rose to its feet at the end of the inning, teammates stepping from the dugout to congratulate Helton.
"Just congratulations, that's basically all you can say," said right fielder Michael Cuddyer, who compared the moment to when he watched Jim Thome hit his 600th home run. "As a baseball player, you know everything that he's gone through to get to this point and get to 2,500 hits, and you're excited for him."
It was fitting that the milestone came on a double for the player who leads all active players with 584 career doubles. This one pushed him past Hall of Famer Robin Yount for 17th in Major League history.
"It's a big number," Helton said." I'm very proud of it; I'm very proud of every one of them. Sitting here, 40 years old and going out and playing baseball for a living, I don't take that lightly. I'm very humble and appreciative for every day I get to go out there and put on the uniform."
The anticipation continued to build after Helton smashed two home runs and drove in a career-high-tying six runs in Friday's win over the Reds. Helton stepped to the plate in the eighth inning of that game with the chance to hit a third three-run homer for career hit No. 2,500, but he struck out.
He struck out three times in Saturday's loss and was 0-for-2 to start Sunday's game, intentionally walked in the fifth to the displeasure of the Coors Field crowd.
Helton, the face of the Rockies for most of their early existence, has spent all 17 seasons of his career with Colorado and owns franchise records for home runs, hits and games played.
Rockies manager Walt Weiss was Helton's teammate in 1997, when Helton played his first big league game. Sixteen years later, Weiss was again the observer, watching Helton inscribe his name in another place in the Major League record book.
"You knew he could hit right away; that was obvious," Weiss said. "But I always appreciated as a young kid, the way he would just put his head down and go. There wasn't a lot of lot of bells and whistles. He showed up, he worked hard, he went out and he competed hard. He's done that for a long time.
"I got to see Todd in his very first game, and to be here for his 2,500th hit, it's a great experience for me. But what a career, been a great career."
Helton joins Cardinals legend Stan Musial as the only players with 2,500 hits, 550 doubles, 350 home runs and a career batting average of at least .310.
Rockies' Todd Helton doubles vs. Reds for 2,500th career hit | MLB-com: News
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With just a month left in the regular baseball season, time is dwindling for teams to be playoff contenders. While some organizations, like the Atlanta Braves for instance, have comfortable division leads, the wild card competition is still wide open.
The dual wild card rule opens up the competition to teams that in previous years would have been unfairly edged out.
In 2013, the competition is particularly thrilling. In the National League, long shots like the Arizona Diamondbacks and Washington Nationals are just six and six-and-a-half games out, respectively. That margin is even less so in the American League for the Kansas City Royals.
Below is a list of each MLB wild card contender’s playoff chances, denoted by “buying” or “selling.”
Note: “Buying” and “selling” is not just based on second half success/non-success. Wild card picks are more contingent on rosters’ talent and the ability to carry winning forward through September.
Pictures: Buying or Selling Each MLB Wild Card Contender's Playoff Chances | Bleacher Report
The dual wild card rule opens up the competition to teams that in previous years would have been unfairly edged out.
In 2013, the competition is particularly thrilling. In the National League, long shots like the Arizona Diamondbacks and Washington Nationals are just six and six-and-a-half games out, respectively. That margin is even less so in the American League for the Kansas City Royals.
Below is a list of each MLB wild card contender’s playoff chances, denoted by “buying” or “selling.”
Note: “Buying” and “selling” is not just based on second half success/non-success. Wild card picks are more contingent on rosters’ talent and the ability to carry winning forward through September.
Pictures: Buying or Selling Each MLB Wild Card Contender's Playoff Chances | Bleacher Report
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Indians closer Chris Perez was found guilty of misdemeanor drug abuse in Rocky River Municipal Court on Tuesday.
Perez, who pleaded no contest after withdrawing his not guilty plea, was convicted and issued a $250 fine, according to The Associated Press. The right-hander was placed on probation for one year and was ordered to speak to students about drugs.
"You're highly regarded; kids look up to you," said Judge Brian Hagan, according to the AP. "But you made a big mistake. I hope that through your efforts you can deter someone else from making that same mistake."
Perez is participating in Major League Baseball's drug treatment program.
In early June, postal inspectors informed police of suspicious packages mailed to Perez's home in Rocky River, Ohio, which is on the west side of Cleveland. Perez's wife, Melanie, accepted two packages that were reported to contain about one-third of a pound of marijuana.
According to the AP, the criminal case against Melanie Perez is pending and, if she passes a drug test, she will face a $50 fine without needing to be placed on probation.
Chris Perez, 28, has posted a 3.15 ERA with 21 saves in 25 chances this season for Cleveland.
Cleveland Indians closer Chris Perez found guilty of misdemeanor drug abuse | MLB-com: News
Perez, who pleaded no contest after withdrawing his not guilty plea, was convicted and issued a $250 fine, according to The Associated Press. The right-hander was placed on probation for one year and was ordered to speak to students about drugs.
"You're highly regarded; kids look up to you," said Judge Brian Hagan, according to the AP. "But you made a big mistake. I hope that through your efforts you can deter someone else from making that same mistake."
Perez is participating in Major League Baseball's drug treatment program.
In early June, postal inspectors informed police of suspicious packages mailed to Perez's home in Rocky River, Ohio, which is on the west side of Cleveland. Perez's wife, Melanie, accepted two packages that were reported to contain about one-third of a pound of marijuana.
According to the AP, the criminal case against Melanie Perez is pending and, if she passes a drug test, she will face a $50 fine without needing to be placed on probation.
Chris Perez, 28, has posted a 3.15 ERA with 21 saves in 25 chances this season for Cleveland.
Cleveland Indians closer Chris Perez found guilty of misdemeanor drug abuse | MLB-com: News
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Hector Santiago's most recent home start for the White Sox was on Aug. 24 against Texas. He threw a quality start in that no-decision, but he got "yelled at" in the dugout.
These things can happen when you are arguably the most available autograph among all Major League Baseball starting pitchers -- and perhaps among all on-field personnel. He is an autograph hound himself, and he goes out of his way to sign for others.
"I stop everywhere. I don't mind it at all," the left-hander said during a visit Wednesday to the MLB Fan Cave. "I ask them what they want me to write, if they want me to write 'to, somebody,' or just sign it. [At] our [team] hotel, guys are always stopped in the front, and I know a lot of guys just zoom by. [Paul] Konerko, I know he's been getting hawked for like 15 years now, so he's kind of over it, and he probably feels the same people are trying to get him. I don't mind that at all. I try to go out on days I'm not starting down the third-base line and sign.
"I've been yelled at a couple of times. My last start at home, I stopped on the way up the [dugout] steps and said, 'I've still got a few more minutes,' and I signed a few. One of our guys said, 'Hey, you're pitching today.' I said, 'It's all right, it's not a big deal. It's only an autograph.'
"Of course, once you sign one, 20 come. You don't want to be that bad guy. It's impossible to sign all the autographs. But I try. This series at Yankee Stadium, I came out at six o'clock, and my uncle was there. And from 6:00 to 6:54, I signed autographs. Some of the [fans] were still mad at me. 'I was 54 minutes here!' I said back. I would take one guy's pen because I don't want to keep changing them. I like doing it."
To understand Santiago's insatiable hunger to sign autographs as well as asking baseball legends to sign for him, go back to his roots in nearby Newark, N.J., where he grew up loving the Mets and Yankees and was a 30th-round Draft pick of the White Sox in 2006. He embraces the chance to show inner-city kids what can happen if you focus on school and go after your dream with hard work and a coachable attitude.
Now he is in the process of building his own man cave, complete with a wall that will house at least 16 signed jerseys that he is having framed by a guy he talked down from $495 to $200 a pop. They aren't just any jerseys. Perhaps his pride and joy is an Orioles jersey he had signed last month by Cal Ripken Jr. The "Iron Man" added a special touch as he signed inside the number 8.
"Cal Ripken is a great baseball player and great person," Santiago said. "He signed it: 'To Hector, I love the way you compete.' Seeing something like that from a player like that, a guy who did amazing things in his career, that's awesome. I look at that all the time. When I saw him actually write that, I was like: 'Did he see me play?'
"That means the world. Something motivational, it shows that it doesn't matter who it is, there is always someone watching, whether it's Cal Ripken or a little kid from Newark, showing that you're out there competing and grinding through stuff. It can help anybody and everybody."
Santiago's next chance to compete has been pushed back to Saturday in Baltimore, as the White Sox juggled their rotation a bit on this trip. He was chased after 3 2/3 innings in his latest outing on Friday at Boston, but he has been solid in this second half, having started 20 games this year.
"Going seven days, it's just going out on the mound as much as you can," Santiago said. "I threw a bullpen two days ago, now I'm going to throw today, and then I'll have another soft one [Thursday], nice and easy, the first day in Baltimore. You just try to get on the mound as much as you can. You don't want to be too strong, so you try to get your arm to where it is when you're coming off four days' rest and start on day five."
Santiago (4-8, 3.43 ERA) began the year in the bullpen, got on a hot scoreless streak and was used in long relief when Gavin Floyd went down. Then he became a full-time starter, requiring an adjustment. He said "Wild Thing" is his entrance music because pitching coach Don Cooper always talks to him about his wildness on the mound, so the song seemed apropos.
"Being able to go out there every fifth day, being healthy, not having to miss any starts, that's my goal," Santiago said. "My last start, I tried and gave everything I had. I only went 3 2/3, but it was 101 pitches, and I threw 101 pitches with everything I had. It wasn't like I was just giving in. I didn't give in to anybody. I had a 3-1 walk, I wasn't trying to throw it down the middle and let them run into something. I walked him, and I was just like, 'All right, I got into a jam, but I'm not gonna give in.' I know walks are pretty much like giving in, but I'm battling through it. It was just one of those games where I was battling.
"For the most part, I've had success and given my team a chance to win a game."
And he has signed countless autographs along the way, while looking for seemingly as many himself. This year, he figures he has gotten about 200 autographs. He got Hank Aaron's at the Civil Rights Game, and per his request, Mariano Rivera signed one with the inscription, "Last to wear 42." He said he will be posting many of them on his @hecsantiago53 Instagram account. What's next?
"I'm trying to get a Willie Mays now," Santiago said. "That one's tough."
Hector Santiago loves to sign and receive autographs | MLB-com: News
These things can happen when you are arguably the most available autograph among all Major League Baseball starting pitchers -- and perhaps among all on-field personnel. He is an autograph hound himself, and he goes out of his way to sign for others.
"I stop everywhere. I don't mind it at all," the left-hander said during a visit Wednesday to the MLB Fan Cave. "I ask them what they want me to write, if they want me to write 'to, somebody,' or just sign it. [At] our [team] hotel, guys are always stopped in the front, and I know a lot of guys just zoom by. [Paul] Konerko, I know he's been getting hawked for like 15 years now, so he's kind of over it, and he probably feels the same people are trying to get him. I don't mind that at all. I try to go out on days I'm not starting down the third-base line and sign.
"I've been yelled at a couple of times. My last start at home, I stopped on the way up the [dugout] steps and said, 'I've still got a few more minutes,' and I signed a few. One of our guys said, 'Hey, you're pitching today.' I said, 'It's all right, it's not a big deal. It's only an autograph.'
"Of course, once you sign one, 20 come. You don't want to be that bad guy. It's impossible to sign all the autographs. But I try. This series at Yankee Stadium, I came out at six o'clock, and my uncle was there. And from 6:00 to 6:54, I signed autographs. Some of the [fans] were still mad at me. 'I was 54 minutes here!' I said back. I would take one guy's pen because I don't want to keep changing them. I like doing it."
To understand Santiago's insatiable hunger to sign autographs as well as asking baseball legends to sign for him, go back to his roots in nearby Newark, N.J., where he grew up loving the Mets and Yankees and was a 30th-round Draft pick of the White Sox in 2006. He embraces the chance to show inner-city kids what can happen if you focus on school and go after your dream with hard work and a coachable attitude.
Now he is in the process of building his own man cave, complete with a wall that will house at least 16 signed jerseys that he is having framed by a guy he talked down from $495 to $200 a pop. They aren't just any jerseys. Perhaps his pride and joy is an Orioles jersey he had signed last month by Cal Ripken Jr. The "Iron Man" added a special touch as he signed inside the number 8.
"Cal Ripken is a great baseball player and great person," Santiago said. "He signed it: 'To Hector, I love the way you compete.' Seeing something like that from a player like that, a guy who did amazing things in his career, that's awesome. I look at that all the time. When I saw him actually write that, I was like: 'Did he see me play?'
"That means the world. Something motivational, it shows that it doesn't matter who it is, there is always someone watching, whether it's Cal Ripken or a little kid from Newark, showing that you're out there competing and grinding through stuff. It can help anybody and everybody."
Santiago's next chance to compete has been pushed back to Saturday in Baltimore, as the White Sox juggled their rotation a bit on this trip. He was chased after 3 2/3 innings in his latest outing on Friday at Boston, but he has been solid in this second half, having started 20 games this year.
"Going seven days, it's just going out on the mound as much as you can," Santiago said. "I threw a bullpen two days ago, now I'm going to throw today, and then I'll have another soft one [Thursday], nice and easy, the first day in Baltimore. You just try to get on the mound as much as you can. You don't want to be too strong, so you try to get your arm to where it is when you're coming off four days' rest and start on day five."
Santiago (4-8, 3.43 ERA) began the year in the bullpen, got on a hot scoreless streak and was used in long relief when Gavin Floyd went down. Then he became a full-time starter, requiring an adjustment. He said "Wild Thing" is his entrance music because pitching coach Don Cooper always talks to him about his wildness on the mound, so the song seemed apropos.
"Being able to go out there every fifth day, being healthy, not having to miss any starts, that's my goal," Santiago said. "My last start, I tried and gave everything I had. I only went 3 2/3, but it was 101 pitches, and I threw 101 pitches with everything I had. It wasn't like I was just giving in. I didn't give in to anybody. I had a 3-1 walk, I wasn't trying to throw it down the middle and let them run into something. I walked him, and I was just like, 'All right, I got into a jam, but I'm not gonna give in.' I know walks are pretty much like giving in, but I'm battling through it. It was just one of those games where I was battling.
"For the most part, I've had success and given my team a chance to win a game."
And he has signed countless autographs along the way, while looking for seemingly as many himself. This year, he figures he has gotten about 200 autographs. He got Hank Aaron's at the Civil Rights Game, and per his request, Mariano Rivera signed one with the inscription, "Last to wear 42." He said he will be posting many of them on his @hecsantiago53 Instagram account. What's next?
"I'm trying to get a Willie Mays now," Santiago said. "That one's tough."
Hector Santiago loves to sign and receive autographs | MLB-com: News
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The playoffs are approaching quicker than Mark Sanchez's demise, and as MLB teams prepare to make a final push for a spot, their stars will come out to shine.
Whether it's a team like the Los Angeles Dodgers looking to finish strong, the Boston Red Sox hoping to hold out on their division foes or the Texas Rangers and Oakland Athletics dueling it out for a first-place finish, each organization will call upon its star player(s) to close out the regular season.
For some players, a hot September can validate a questionable contract, while others may earn a lucrative new deal.
Let's take a look at 11 players who must make a positive impact in the final three weeks of play.
Pictures: 11 MLB Stars Who Need to Step Up Big in September | Bleacher Report
Whether it's a team like the Los Angeles Dodgers looking to finish strong, the Boston Red Sox hoping to hold out on their division foes or the Texas Rangers and Oakland Athletics dueling it out for a first-place finish, each organization will call upon its star player(s) to close out the regular season.
For some players, a hot September can validate a questionable contract, while others may earn a lucrative new deal.
Let's take a look at 11 players who must make a positive impact in the final three weeks of play.
Pictures: 11 MLB Stars Who Need to Step Up Big in September | Bleacher Report
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"Intense. Pretty intense," is how Beat the Streak leader Clement Uduk described his pursuit of the game's $5.6 million grand prize on Friday night.
The 25-year-old Portland, Ore., resident's assessment is hard to refute, as he's now 12 picks away from a mind-boggling amount of money. In case you were curious, no larger jackpot has ever been proffered in the history of fantasy sports.
On Friday, Uduk's remarkable run reached the 45-pick plateau behind the bat of the Cardinals' Matt Carpenter, who tripled in his second plate appearance of the evening.
Carpenter was a sound selection, for sure, entering the day with a .315 average on the year and a .391 mark in September. A deeper dive into the stats supports Uduk's decision even more, as the second baseman woke up Friday with a lifetime .400 average against Pittsburgh's A.J. Burnett, the starter tasked with the unenviable job of facing the Redbirds' formidable lineup multiple times.
"Matt Carpenter is just the epitome of what St. Louis does when developing players," Uduk told MLB-com on Aug. 31, when he successfully selected the second baseman to boost his BTS run by one.
"Throw out a cliché and Carpenter will probably lace it for a double."
Uduk has been a juggernaut in his own right, but he's been equally as patient, making just 12 picks since his streak sat at 33 on Aug. 1. Not feeling the BTS heat, the 25-year-old took a four-day hiatus just last week to embark on a trek down the Oregon trail.
Make no mistake: The recent break was not a first for Uduk, whose extreme prudence has yet to cause him harm. It's not entirely surprising, as one can't climb this far without some sort of strategy. And though he is looking ahead to a busy September schedule, Uduk is nonetheless enjoying his time in the BTS spotlight.
"Work started [Thursday] at the high school so I had no concept of anything but doing my job," said Uduk, who works as a student advocate.
"[But] it's a great feeling [to succeed in BTS]. I'm dancing after hits and just being a little kid again."
Uduk is a bicoastal baseball fan who cheers for both the Baltimore Orioles and the Giants. BTS is all business, however, and Uduk has leaned heavily on two of the game's greats -- Mike Trout and Miguel Cabrera -- during his remarkable run up the BTS ladder.
"Aside from those two specifically, I've been sticking to players that are on hitting streaks or that have solid splits against the starter they are facing," Uduk said. "Additionally, I've been focusing on the top third of the lineup on teams that put up healthy at-bats and move the line along."
With a permanent place in BTS lore coming closer by the day, Uduk has begun to dream of a world with a lot more money.
"The prize would definitely be used toward paying off student loans. That'd be first and foremost in my eyes," the University of Portland alumnus said.
"After that, it's up in the air: investment, travel, philanthropic endeavors ... and fueling my hunger for golfing -- cannot forget about that at all."
Even if Uduk were to fall short of his ultimate goal, he could still come away with the $10,000 consolation set aside for the Streaker who finishes 2013 atop the BTS standings. The top spot at this point belongs to William Bryan, a 30-year-old Atlanta resident who made 47 consecutive correct picks.
Closing in on Bryan is no small feat, as Uduk told MLB-com on Monday afternoon.
"[My BTS success] feels like a dream. … It definitely is not indescribable, yet to pin it to one feeling it is very tough to do," Uduk said.
"When Mr. Bryan made it to 47 behind the bats of his Braves during their lengthy win streak, all I said was, 'Go get it! Please be that guy that wins it.' To be the guy [closing in on the season leader] now is pretty cool."
In Beat the Streak, participants try to establish a virtual "hitting streak" by picking one or two big leaguers per day, with their runs continuing as long as their selections collect at least one hit. In 13-plus seasons of BTS play, no one has matched Joe DiMaggio's magic number of 56, set in 1941. To win the $5.6 million prize, one must top Joe D.'s run by one.
To join the fun, visit mlb-com/bts or download Beat the Streak, presented by Dunkin' Donuts, from the Apple app store or through Google Play. Participation is free.
Before we go: Let's take a moment to congratulate Streaker Jonathan Ip for a job well done. Ip, a 25-year-old billing specialist from Bellevue, Wash. -- saw his BTS run reach the 40-pick plateau before coming to an end on Friday night. Ip is the 10th player to enter Club 40 in 2013.
Beat the Streak leader extends run to 45 | MLB-com: News
The 25-year-old Portland, Ore., resident's assessment is hard to refute, as he's now 12 picks away from a mind-boggling amount of money. In case you were curious, no larger jackpot has ever been proffered in the history of fantasy sports.
On Friday, Uduk's remarkable run reached the 45-pick plateau behind the bat of the Cardinals' Matt Carpenter, who tripled in his second plate appearance of the evening.
Carpenter was a sound selection, for sure, entering the day with a .315 average on the year and a .391 mark in September. A deeper dive into the stats supports Uduk's decision even more, as the second baseman woke up Friday with a lifetime .400 average against Pittsburgh's A.J. Burnett, the starter tasked with the unenviable job of facing the Redbirds' formidable lineup multiple times.
"Matt Carpenter is just the epitome of what St. Louis does when developing players," Uduk told MLB-com on Aug. 31, when he successfully selected the second baseman to boost his BTS run by one.
"Throw out a cliché and Carpenter will probably lace it for a double."
Uduk has been a juggernaut in his own right, but he's been equally as patient, making just 12 picks since his streak sat at 33 on Aug. 1. Not feeling the BTS heat, the 25-year-old took a four-day hiatus just last week to embark on a trek down the Oregon trail.
Make no mistake: The recent break was not a first for Uduk, whose extreme prudence has yet to cause him harm. It's not entirely surprising, as one can't climb this far without some sort of strategy. And though he is looking ahead to a busy September schedule, Uduk is nonetheless enjoying his time in the BTS spotlight.
"Work started [Thursday] at the high school so I had no concept of anything but doing my job," said Uduk, who works as a student advocate.
"[But] it's a great feeling [to succeed in BTS]. I'm dancing after hits and just being a little kid again."
Uduk is a bicoastal baseball fan who cheers for both the Baltimore Orioles and the Giants. BTS is all business, however, and Uduk has leaned heavily on two of the game's greats -- Mike Trout and Miguel Cabrera -- during his remarkable run up the BTS ladder.
"Aside from those two specifically, I've been sticking to players that are on hitting streaks or that have solid splits against the starter they are facing," Uduk said. "Additionally, I've been focusing on the top third of the lineup on teams that put up healthy at-bats and move the line along."
With a permanent place in BTS lore coming closer by the day, Uduk has begun to dream of a world with a lot more money.
"The prize would definitely be used toward paying off student loans. That'd be first and foremost in my eyes," the University of Portland alumnus said.
"After that, it's up in the air: investment, travel, philanthropic endeavors ... and fueling my hunger for golfing -- cannot forget about that at all."
Even if Uduk were to fall short of his ultimate goal, he could still come away with the $10,000 consolation set aside for the Streaker who finishes 2013 atop the BTS standings. The top spot at this point belongs to William Bryan, a 30-year-old Atlanta resident who made 47 consecutive correct picks.
Closing in on Bryan is no small feat, as Uduk told MLB-com on Monday afternoon.
"[My BTS success] feels like a dream. … It definitely is not indescribable, yet to pin it to one feeling it is very tough to do," Uduk said.
"When Mr. Bryan made it to 47 behind the bats of his Braves during their lengthy win streak, all I said was, 'Go get it! Please be that guy that wins it.' To be the guy [closing in on the season leader] now is pretty cool."
In Beat the Streak, participants try to establish a virtual "hitting streak" by picking one or two big leaguers per day, with their runs continuing as long as their selections collect at least one hit. In 13-plus seasons of BTS play, no one has matched Joe DiMaggio's magic number of 56, set in 1941. To win the $5.6 million prize, one must top Joe D.'s run by one.
To join the fun, visit mlb-com/bts or download Beat the Streak, presented by Dunkin' Donuts, from the Apple app store or through Google Play. Participation is free.
Before we go: Let's take a moment to congratulate Streaker Jonathan Ip for a job well done. Ip, a 25-year-old billing specialist from Bellevue, Wash. -- saw his BTS run reach the 40-pick plateau before coming to an end on Friday night. Ip is the 10th player to enter Club 40 in 2013.
Beat the Streak leader extends run to 45 | MLB-com: News
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When the soaring blast left his bat, Xander Bogaerts couldn't immediately soak in the joy of his first Major League home run.
"After I hit it, I kind of cramped up a little bit. I wasn't even paying attention to where the ball was, actually," said Bogaerts, who is the Sox's No. 1 prospect. "Once I got to first base, I started looking to see where it was going. I really didn't think about it. I was worried more about my cramp." The cramp in his left leg subsided and Bogaerts enjoyed the rest of the trot around the bases after a shot that landed over Boston's bullpen and into the bleachers in center field. Anyone who is familiar with the dimensions of Yankee Stadium knows that to hit the ball where Bogaerts did, it was a certified rocket.
The Red Sox, who beat the Yankees, 13-9, collected the ball from a fan, and Bogaerts had it by the end of the game.
"Good to get it out of the way as quick as possible, just like the first Major League hit," Bogaerts said. "It's good to always get those as quickly as possible."
Considering that Bogaerts has been used on a part-time basis since his recall from Triple-A Pawtucket, the Red Sox have become impressed that he always seems to produce when he plays.
"Just an easy swing by Xander," said manager John Farrell. "Today, what's impressive more than anything is without regular at-bats, and to step in, a double in his first at-bat, a home run later on, he made plays very easily defensively. Today was a glimpse of why people are so high on him as a player, even at this very early stage of his career. He's just very comfortable at this level."
Bogaerts, who hadn't started in six days, felt a little rusty going into Saturday's game. But he quickly shook it off.
"You know, until today, I wasn't sharp at all," said Bogaerts. "I was bad at BP. I just went back to my leg kick. I always had my leg kick. I went back to it. And I got some new bats, I tried them out and it worked out good. It's a credit to the bat. When I got that opportunity to play today, I made it special."
Though the home run drew most of the buzz, Bogaerts also made a highlight-reel play on defense, making a barehanded play to take a hit away from Robinson Cano in the bottom of the fifth.
"That was a sick play," said Red Sox right-hander John Lackey.
The Red Sox are enjoying watching their promising young player take his first Major League steps.
"I remember my first home run and how I felt. It's a special moment in his career, and we're all excited for him," said Mike Napoli. "He's got a lot of talent, and it was just something good to see."
Red Sox prospect Xander Bogaerts notches first big league home run | MLB-com: News
"After I hit it, I kind of cramped up a little bit. I wasn't even paying attention to where the ball was, actually," said Bogaerts, who is the Sox's No. 1 prospect. "Once I got to first base, I started looking to see where it was going. I really didn't think about it. I was worried more about my cramp." The cramp in his left leg subsided and Bogaerts enjoyed the rest of the trot around the bases after a shot that landed over Boston's bullpen and into the bleachers in center field. Anyone who is familiar with the dimensions of Yankee Stadium knows that to hit the ball where Bogaerts did, it was a certified rocket.
The Red Sox, who beat the Yankees, 13-9, collected the ball from a fan, and Bogaerts had it by the end of the game.
"Good to get it out of the way as quick as possible, just like the first Major League hit," Bogaerts said. "It's good to always get those as quickly as possible."
Considering that Bogaerts has been used on a part-time basis since his recall from Triple-A Pawtucket, the Red Sox have become impressed that he always seems to produce when he plays.
"Just an easy swing by Xander," said manager John Farrell. "Today, what's impressive more than anything is without regular at-bats, and to step in, a double in his first at-bat, a home run later on, he made plays very easily defensively. Today was a glimpse of why people are so high on him as a player, even at this very early stage of his career. He's just very comfortable at this level."
Bogaerts, who hadn't started in six days, felt a little rusty going into Saturday's game. But he quickly shook it off.
"You know, until today, I wasn't sharp at all," said Bogaerts. "I was bad at BP. I just went back to my leg kick. I always had my leg kick. I went back to it. And I got some new bats, I tried them out and it worked out good. It's a credit to the bat. When I got that opportunity to play today, I made it special."
Though the home run drew most of the buzz, Bogaerts also made a highlight-reel play on defense, making a barehanded play to take a hit away from Robinson Cano in the bottom of the fifth.
"That was a sick play," said Red Sox right-hander John Lackey.
The Red Sox are enjoying watching their promising young player take his first Major League steps.
"I remember my first home run and how I felt. It's a special moment in his career, and we're all excited for him," said Mike Napoli. "He's got a lot of talent, and it was just something good to see."
Red Sox prospect Xander Bogaerts notches first big league home run | MLB-com: News
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Former Kentucky southpaw James Paxton fired a quality start in his MLB debut for the Seattle Mariners, earning the win in a 6-2 result over the Tampa Bay Rays, on Saturday night at Safeco Field in Seattle.
Paxton, who pitched for the Wildcats from 2007-09, worked six strong innings in his MLB debut for the Mariners, allowing just four hits and one earned run, walking one and striking out three.
A native of Ladner, British Columbia, Paxton is the sixth former Wildcat in MLB in 2013 and the fourth former UK left-handed pitcher in the big leagues. Former UK lefties Andrew Albers (Twins), Scott Downs (Braves) and Chris Rusin (Cubs), join former UK right-hander Joe Blanton (Angels) and former All-America outfielder Collin Cowgill (Angels) as former Wildcats in MLB.
The 6-foot-4, 220-pounder is just the third pitcher in Mariners history to throw at least six innings, with just one earned run allowed, in his MLB debut, joining Blake Beavan (2011) and Erik Hanson (1988).
“Early on I was a little amped up, but I felt I got in a groove and was able to narrow my focus,” Paxton said postgame to MLB-com’s Greg Johns. “It was just another baseball game, just a nicer stadium.”
While at Kentucky, Paxton won 11 games in his three seasons, where he was a first-round draft pick in 2009 by the Toronto Blue Jays. His best season came as a sophomore, owning a 4-2 record and a 2.92 ERA in 17 games, including a complete-game shutout vs. Ole Miss in the regular-season finale series. As a junior, Paxton was a key part of the weekend rotation, making 13 starts with a 5-3 record and a 5.86 ERA.
Over his minor league career, Paxton has a 23-18 mark with a 3.45 ERA in 66 games and 64 starts. He earned a 4.45 ERA in his first 28 games in the hitter friendly triple-A Pacific Coast League, ranking among the league leaders in innings pitched (145.2) and strikeouts (131).
Paxton Wins with Quality Start in MLB Debut - Kentucky Wildcats Official Athletic Site
Paxton, who pitched for the Wildcats from 2007-09, worked six strong innings in his MLB debut for the Mariners, allowing just four hits and one earned run, walking one and striking out three.
A native of Ladner, British Columbia, Paxton is the sixth former Wildcat in MLB in 2013 and the fourth former UK left-handed pitcher in the big leagues. Former UK lefties Andrew Albers (Twins), Scott Downs (Braves) and Chris Rusin (Cubs), join former UK right-hander Joe Blanton (Angels) and former All-America outfielder Collin Cowgill (Angels) as former Wildcats in MLB.
The 6-foot-4, 220-pounder is just the third pitcher in Mariners history to throw at least six innings, with just one earned run allowed, in his MLB debut, joining Blake Beavan (2011) and Erik Hanson (1988).
“Early on I was a little amped up, but I felt I got in a groove and was able to narrow my focus,” Paxton said postgame to MLB-com’s Greg Johns. “It was just another baseball game, just a nicer stadium.”
While at Kentucky, Paxton won 11 games in his three seasons, where he was a first-round draft pick in 2009 by the Toronto Blue Jays. His best season came as a sophomore, owning a 4-2 record and a 2.92 ERA in 17 games, including a complete-game shutout vs. Ole Miss in the regular-season finale series. As a junior, Paxton was a key part of the weekend rotation, making 13 starts with a 5-3 record and a 5.86 ERA.
Over his minor league career, Paxton has a 23-18 mark with a 3.45 ERA in 66 games and 64 starts. He earned a 4.45 ERA in his first 28 games in the hitter friendly triple-A Pacific Coast League, ranking among the league leaders in innings pitched (145.2) and strikeouts (131).
Paxton Wins with Quality Start in MLB Debut - Kentucky Wildcats Official Athletic Site
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Clement Uduk woke up Monday as the current Beat the Streak leader with 46 straight successful selections, 11 away from the game's $5.6 million grand prize.
His remarkable run came to a close before evening's end, though, the result of an 0-for-4 performance from the Yankees' Robinson Cano.
"Awesome and incredible," Uduk said of his time in the BTS spotlight.
"It has also been a blast to share and revel in the experience with my friends who loved every moment as much as I did."
Uduk's impressive streak fell one correct pick shy of the season's overall lead, which is held by Braves fan William Bryan, a 30-year-old police officer, husband and father.
As it stands, Bryan is in line to win the $10,000 consolation prize set aside for the Streaker who ends the year atop the BTS standings.
"When Mr. Bryan made it to 47 behind the bats of his Braves during their lengthy win streak, all I said was, 'Go get it! Please be that guy that wins it.' To be the guy [closing in] now is pretty cool," Uduk said last week.
Monday's result notwithstanding, Uduk had good reason to pick Cano, a second baseman who entered the evening with a .310 average and a .360 mark since the start of August.
Uduk's choice was also supported by Monday night's batter-pitcher splits, which showed Cano with a lifetime .500 average (11-for-22) against the Orioles' Chris Tillman, who was on his game in the first of a four-game series with playoff-push implications.
"…Cano had a great lifetime against Tillman. Add to the fact he also has been killing it recently, I assumed he would continue the hot ways," Uduk said.
"But maybe [picking] against the O's was a silly mistake, especially since Tillman is pitching [very] well this season."
Although Uduk fell short of the game's jackpot -- the biggest of its kind in fantasy sports history -- he should be lauded for compiling one of the longest streak's in the history of BTS play.
"It feels great to know that I was able to be that fortunate in making selections and also extremely lucky to make it to this point," Uduk said.
"Congrats to everyone that makes it to double digits and beyond -- it is a commendable effort."
In Beat the Streak, participants try to establish a virtual "hitting streak" by picking one or two big leaguers per day, with their runs continuing as long as their selections collect at least one hit. In 13-plus seasons of BTS play, no one has matched Joe DiMaggio's magic number of 56, set in 1941. To win the $5.6 million prize, one must top Joe D.'s run by one.
To join the fun, visit mlb-com/bts or download Beat the Streak, presented by Dunkin' Donuts, from the Apple app store or through Google Play. Participation is free.
Beat the Streak leader's run halted at 46 successful picks | MLB-com: News
His remarkable run came to a close before evening's end, though, the result of an 0-for-4 performance from the Yankees' Robinson Cano.
"Awesome and incredible," Uduk said of his time in the BTS spotlight.
"It has also been a blast to share and revel in the experience with my friends who loved every moment as much as I did."
Uduk's impressive streak fell one correct pick shy of the season's overall lead, which is held by Braves fan William Bryan, a 30-year-old police officer, husband and father.
As it stands, Bryan is in line to win the $10,000 consolation prize set aside for the Streaker who ends the year atop the BTS standings.
"When Mr. Bryan made it to 47 behind the bats of his Braves during their lengthy win streak, all I said was, 'Go get it! Please be that guy that wins it.' To be the guy [closing in] now is pretty cool," Uduk said last week.
Monday's result notwithstanding, Uduk had good reason to pick Cano, a second baseman who entered the evening with a .310 average and a .360 mark since the start of August.
Uduk's choice was also supported by Monday night's batter-pitcher splits, which showed Cano with a lifetime .500 average (11-for-22) against the Orioles' Chris Tillman, who was on his game in the first of a four-game series with playoff-push implications.
"…Cano had a great lifetime against Tillman. Add to the fact he also has been killing it recently, I assumed he would continue the hot ways," Uduk said.
"But maybe [picking] against the O's was a silly mistake, especially since Tillman is pitching [very] well this season."
Although Uduk fell short of the game's jackpot -- the biggest of its kind in fantasy sports history -- he should be lauded for compiling one of the longest streak's in the history of BTS play.
"It feels great to know that I was able to be that fortunate in making selections and also extremely lucky to make it to this point," Uduk said.
"Congrats to everyone that makes it to double digits and beyond -- it is a commendable effort."
In Beat the Streak, participants try to establish a virtual "hitting streak" by picking one or two big leaguers per day, with their runs continuing as long as their selections collect at least one hit. In 13-plus seasons of BTS play, no one has matched Joe DiMaggio's magic number of 56, set in 1941. To win the $5.6 million prize, one must top Joe D.'s run by one.
To join the fun, visit mlb-com/bts or download Beat the Streak, presented by Dunkin' Donuts, from the Apple app store or through Google Play. Participation is free.
Beat the Streak leader's run halted at 46 successful picks | MLB-com: News
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It is normally bad form to look beyond the next pitch, next inning and next game, but you can throw all that out the window when it comes to next year's schedule.
The ultimate day of looking ahead has arrived -- for Major League Baseball families, fans, hospitality staff, media and all associated with the national pastime. MLB on Tuesday released a tentative 2014 master schedule that starts in one continent's fall and ends in another's.
As unveiled in June, the season opens with the historic March 22-23 Opening Series between the Dodgers and host D-backs in Sydney, Australia. MLB has opened seasons in Monterrey, Mexico (1999); Tokyo, Japan (2000, '04, '08, '12); and San Juan, Puerto Rico ('01).
One week after the completion of that series, the 25th season of ESPN's "Sunday Night Baseball" will begin the rest of the schedule on March 30. That Opening Night matchup will be announced later.
There are 14 Opening Day games on Monday, March 31. Ten of them are divisional matchups, including the traditional opener in Cincinnati, where the Reds start their season with an immediate challenge from the National League Central-rival Cardinals.
The other four games that day include: an Interleague contest between the host Rangers and the Phillies; the Atlanta Braves visiting Milwaukee, the city where they were located from 1953-65, to play the Brewers; a matchup between 1993 expansion clubs Colorado and Miami, almost guaranteed to be Jose Fernandez's next regular-season start after Wednesday; and a game in Oakland between the Indians and A's, both of whom are battling for postseason berths now.
Nine games are scheduled for Tuesday, April 1, including the season debuts for the Astros and Yankees at Minute Maid Park. So begins a new post-Mariano Rivera era, meaning no player will wear No. 42 again starting with that game. The number was retired in 1997 throughout MLB to honor Jackie Robinson, and Rivera was wearing it before that declaration was made.
The final scheduled day of the 2014 regular season will be Sunday, Sept. 28, and will feature 12 divisional games. It follows this season's format, permitting a World Series end in October.
Other important dates next season include Jackie Robinson Day on April 15, the first day of the 2014 MLB Draft on June 5 and the 85th All-Star Game at Target Field in Minneapolis on July 15.
For the first time since Toronto's Rogers Centre (originally Skydome) was built in 1989, MLB is on course to go a second straight season without the opening of a new ballpark -- only further demonstrating what has been an unparalleled era of new architecture. One legacy of Commissioner Bud Selig's long tenure has been an almost constant rollout of new stadiums, never less often than every other year, with Marlins Park in 2012 the last opening. Starting with Camden Yards in 1992, the year he became acting Commissioner, 21 new ballparks have opened.
Interleague Play will once again take place throughout the season following MLB's decision to put Houston in the American League for a 2013 balanced schedule with six five-team divisions. For full Interleague series, teams rotate divisions on a yearly basis, and in 2014 it will be the NL East vs. AL West, NL West vs. AL Central and NL Central vs. AL East.
The home-and-home rivalry series format returns for a second year, with such examples as Reds vs. Indians on Aug. 4-5 at Cleveland and Aug. 6-7 at Cincinnati; the Windy City Series May 5-6 at Wrigley Field and May 7-8 at U.S. Cellular Field; Mets-Yankees May 12-13 in the Bronx and May 14-15 in Queens; and the Bay Bridge Series June 7-8 in Oakland and June 9-10 at AT&T Park.
There will be familiar sights. How about a rematch of the 2012 World Series? The Giants play Sept. 5-7 at Detroit -- site of last year's Game 4 clincher. How about a 50th anniversary of the Cardinals' seven-game World Series triumph over the Yankees? New York makes its first trip to Busch Stadium II on May 26-28, and that history will be front and center.
There will be rare sights. Pittsburgh's June 23-25 visit to Tropicana Field will mark its first there since 2003. That's the same year Tampa Bay last visited Wrigley Field, but Joe Maddon and his Rays will be there on Aug. 8-10. And it's the last year the Padres played the White Sox in Chicago, a run that will end May 30-June 1.
The Red Sox will celebrate the 10th-anniversary of the season that reversed the curse, and Milwaukee will be Boston's home-opener foe for the first time since 1975 -- when Hank Aaron played his first game in a Brewers' uniform. The Dodgers made their only previous visit to Kansas City in 2005 and were swept in three games, and they are scheduled to return with ex-Royal Zack Greinke on June 23-25. The Yankees make an unprecedented two-team Chicago visit, facing the Cubs on May 20-21 and then the White Sox on May 22-25.
Keep a close eye on Toronto, which has not won a series in Tampa since April 2007 and has a 16-44 record over that span of 19 road trips. The Blue Jays open the season with a four-game series there, perhaps a harbinger for a club that failed to meet expectations in 2013.
The announced 2014 schedule and start times are tentative and subject to change. The official schedule, with complete home and road start times, will be released in January.
From Sydney and on: Exciting games slated for 2014 regular season | MLB-com: News
The ultimate day of looking ahead has arrived -- for Major League Baseball families, fans, hospitality staff, media and all associated with the national pastime. MLB on Tuesday released a tentative 2014 master schedule that starts in one continent's fall and ends in another's.
As unveiled in June, the season opens with the historic March 22-23 Opening Series between the Dodgers and host D-backs in Sydney, Australia. MLB has opened seasons in Monterrey, Mexico (1999); Tokyo, Japan (2000, '04, '08, '12); and San Juan, Puerto Rico ('01).
One week after the completion of that series, the 25th season of ESPN's "Sunday Night Baseball" will begin the rest of the schedule on March 30. That Opening Night matchup will be announced later.
There are 14 Opening Day games on Monday, March 31. Ten of them are divisional matchups, including the traditional opener in Cincinnati, where the Reds start their season with an immediate challenge from the National League Central-rival Cardinals.
The other four games that day include: an Interleague contest between the host Rangers and the Phillies; the Atlanta Braves visiting Milwaukee, the city where they were located from 1953-65, to play the Brewers; a matchup between 1993 expansion clubs Colorado and Miami, almost guaranteed to be Jose Fernandez's next regular-season start after Wednesday; and a game in Oakland between the Indians and A's, both of whom are battling for postseason berths now.
Nine games are scheduled for Tuesday, April 1, including the season debuts for the Astros and Yankees at Minute Maid Park. So begins a new post-Mariano Rivera era, meaning no player will wear No. 42 again starting with that game. The number was retired in 1997 throughout MLB to honor Jackie Robinson, and Rivera was wearing it before that declaration was made.
The final scheduled day of the 2014 regular season will be Sunday, Sept. 28, and will feature 12 divisional games. It follows this season's format, permitting a World Series end in October.
Other important dates next season include Jackie Robinson Day on April 15, the first day of the 2014 MLB Draft on June 5 and the 85th All-Star Game at Target Field in Minneapolis on July 15.
For the first time since Toronto's Rogers Centre (originally Skydome) was built in 1989, MLB is on course to go a second straight season without the opening of a new ballpark -- only further demonstrating what has been an unparalleled era of new architecture. One legacy of Commissioner Bud Selig's long tenure has been an almost constant rollout of new stadiums, never less often than every other year, with Marlins Park in 2012 the last opening. Starting with Camden Yards in 1992, the year he became acting Commissioner, 21 new ballparks have opened.
Interleague Play will once again take place throughout the season following MLB's decision to put Houston in the American League for a 2013 balanced schedule with six five-team divisions. For full Interleague series, teams rotate divisions on a yearly basis, and in 2014 it will be the NL East vs. AL West, NL West vs. AL Central and NL Central vs. AL East.
The home-and-home rivalry series format returns for a second year, with such examples as Reds vs. Indians on Aug. 4-5 at Cleveland and Aug. 6-7 at Cincinnati; the Windy City Series May 5-6 at Wrigley Field and May 7-8 at U.S. Cellular Field; Mets-Yankees May 12-13 in the Bronx and May 14-15 in Queens; and the Bay Bridge Series June 7-8 in Oakland and June 9-10 at AT&T Park.
There will be familiar sights. How about a rematch of the 2012 World Series? The Giants play Sept. 5-7 at Detroit -- site of last year's Game 4 clincher. How about a 50th anniversary of the Cardinals' seven-game World Series triumph over the Yankees? New York makes its first trip to Busch Stadium II on May 26-28, and that history will be front and center.
There will be rare sights. Pittsburgh's June 23-25 visit to Tropicana Field will mark its first there since 2003. That's the same year Tampa Bay last visited Wrigley Field, but Joe Maddon and his Rays will be there on Aug. 8-10. And it's the last year the Padres played the White Sox in Chicago, a run that will end May 30-June 1.
The Red Sox will celebrate the 10th-anniversary of the season that reversed the curse, and Milwaukee will be Boston's home-opener foe for the first time since 1975 -- when Hank Aaron played his first game in a Brewers' uniform. The Dodgers made their only previous visit to Kansas City in 2005 and were swept in three games, and they are scheduled to return with ex-Royal Zack Greinke on June 23-25. The Yankees make an unprecedented two-team Chicago visit, facing the Cubs on May 20-21 and then the White Sox on May 22-25.
Keep a close eye on Toronto, which has not won a series in Tampa since April 2007 and has a 16-44 record over that span of 19 road trips. The Blue Jays open the season with a four-game series there, perhaps a harbinger for a club that failed to meet expectations in 2013.
The announced 2014 schedule and start times are tentative and subject to change. The official schedule, with complete home and road start times, will be released in January.
From Sydney and on: Exciting games slated for 2014 regular season | MLB-com: News
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Texas Rangers third base coach Gary Pettis still has vivid memories of that day 12 years ago, when two hijacked jets were flown into the World Trade Center towers.
Back then, Pettis was a coach for the Chicago White Sox, who had arrived in town only a few hours earlier for a scheduled game that night against the New York Yankees.
"You could smell the smoke. It wasn't a good feeling that day," Pettis said Wednesday before a home game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. "It's so sad that so many people lost their lives, and it's ruined other peoples' lives. ... It's like it was a movie, it's like that wasn't something that actually happened. I still can't believe it."
What he does believe is the importance for Major League Baseball — and all Americans — to take a moment to remember Sept. 11.
Players, coaches and umpires wore American flag patches embroidered on the side of their caps in commemoration of the tragedy. Special lineup cards were used, and patriotic on-field tributes were planned for the day's 15 games, involving all 30 teams. Flags were half-staff, and there were moments of silence across baseball.
There were impromptu remembrances, too.
In New York, art students made a chalk drawing in blue and orange on the sidewalk outside Citi Field, showing the Twin Towers, the Mets logo and the words "Never Forget."
New York Mets manager Terry Collins wore an NYPD hat and his players wore caps representing other first responders during batting practice before hosting Washington.
"You'll always remember how you felt on 9/11," Collins said.
With so many tributes planned at the stadium, a memo was written on a board in the Nationals' clubhouse — "Note: Everyone on the field @ 6:55."
Both dugouts were filled with applauding players, managers and coaches as members of rescue and security organizations marched onto the field. The Mets and Nationals then lined up along the baselines for a moment of silence and the national anthem.
At Rangers Ballpark in Texas, the 531st U.S. Air Force Quintet performed the national anthem instrumentally. The honorary first pitch was thrown out by former prisoner of war Jessica Lynch, who was 19 when she was captured along with five other soldiers after the U.S. Army's 507th Maintenance Company took a wrong turn and came under attack in Iraq in 2003. She was held for nine days before being rescued. The Cleveland Police Department presented the colors at Progressive Field before the national anthem at the Indians' game against Kansas City.
Cleveland's Jason Giambi was with Oakland when the Athletics were in the 2001 playoffs against the Yankees. He recalled the atmosphere at Yankee Stadium being "unbelievable," even more electric than usual for the postseason.
"It will always be a time I'll remember, going out there playing against the Yankees during that time," Giambi said. "It kind of healed the nation, especially the city of New York, which was hit so hard. There they were, the Yankees playing in the playoffs, going all the way to the World Series."
Giambi signed with the Yankees after that, and spent seven seasons in New York.
"Playing there all those years, the kids, the firefighters, the people who lost their lives saving the other lives, I'll always remember that, very much so," Giambi said.
At Cincinnati's Great American Ball Park, where the Reds hosted the Chicago Cubs, a steel beam from the World Trade Center was on display courtesy of the Cincinnati Fire Museum.
Before San Francisco hosted Colorado at AT&T Park, first pitches were thrown out by two San Francisco firefighters who went to New York in the days after Sept. 11 to provide help and support. Dean Crispen, captain of Station 28, and Derek O'Leary, driver of rescue squad one from Station 1, flew on the first commercial flight allowed to land in New York.
Pettis and the White Sox had arrived in New York 12 years ago around 2-3 a.m., and he was awoken by a phone call from a friend checking to make sure he was OK.
"I said, 'Yeah, I'm OK, I'm asleep.' He said, "you don't know, do you?" Pettis recalled. "I turn on the TV and I see that the building — smoke's coming out of the building — and they said there had been a plane crash."
Like so many others, Pettis thought maybe it was just a tragic accident before the second plane hit the other tower.
The White Sox were staying in a hotel at Grand Central Station, a little more than three miles from the World Trade Center site. Pettis and the rest of the staff worked to locate everybody with the team, and to get out of the building, with concerns about more potential attacks.
"We were going down the stairs and you hear this rumble, and we're going what the heck is that?" Pettis said. "We just kind of take off running out the doors, and now we see people running out of the train station, and we had no idea what they were running from."
Pettis can't believe it's been 12 years. Before going to the ballpark on Wednesday morning, he turned on his TV knowing what he was going to see.
"It took me a minute to get up and get my day going because I started watching some of the stories and listening to some of the people talk about being there, and then seeing some of the messages that were left for families," he said.
Pirates infielder Clint Barmes remembers exactly where he was and what he was doing 12 years ago. He was only 22 years old in his second season of pro ball, and on the way home after winning the championship with high-A Salem the night before.
"I didn't get a chance to see anything on TV until I got home later that evening. ... Had my car already packed ready to go," Barmes said. "I woke up, jumped in my car and started driving home before I realized exactly what happened.
"There's a lot of things that goes through your mind when something like that happens. It was a scary moment for sure."
To veteran Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon, it was a day to remember the terrible image
Back then, Pettis was a coach for the Chicago White Sox, who had arrived in town only a few hours earlier for a scheduled game that night against the New York Yankees.
"You could smell the smoke. It wasn't a good feeling that day," Pettis said Wednesday before a home game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. "It's so sad that so many people lost their lives, and it's ruined other peoples' lives. ... It's like it was a movie, it's like that wasn't something that actually happened. I still can't believe it."
What he does believe is the importance for Major League Baseball — and all Americans — to take a moment to remember Sept. 11.
Players, coaches and umpires wore American flag patches embroidered on the side of their caps in commemoration of the tragedy. Special lineup cards were used, and patriotic on-field tributes were planned for the day's 15 games, involving all 30 teams. Flags were half-staff, and there were moments of silence across baseball.
There were impromptu remembrances, too.
In New York, art students made a chalk drawing in blue and orange on the sidewalk outside Citi Field, showing the Twin Towers, the Mets logo and the words "Never Forget."
New York Mets manager Terry Collins wore an NYPD hat and his players wore caps representing other first responders during batting practice before hosting Washington.
"You'll always remember how you felt on 9/11," Collins said.
With so many tributes planned at the stadium, a memo was written on a board in the Nationals' clubhouse — "Note: Everyone on the field @ 6:55."
Both dugouts were filled with applauding players, managers and coaches as members of rescue and security organizations marched onto the field. The Mets and Nationals then lined up along the baselines for a moment of silence and the national anthem.
At Rangers Ballpark in Texas, the 531st U.S. Air Force Quintet performed the national anthem instrumentally. The honorary first pitch was thrown out by former prisoner of war Jessica Lynch, who was 19 when she was captured along with five other soldiers after the U.S. Army's 507th Maintenance Company took a wrong turn and came under attack in Iraq in 2003. She was held for nine days before being rescued. The Cleveland Police Department presented the colors at Progressive Field before the national anthem at the Indians' game against Kansas City.
Cleveland's Jason Giambi was with Oakland when the Athletics were in the 2001 playoffs against the Yankees. He recalled the atmosphere at Yankee Stadium being "unbelievable," even more electric than usual for the postseason.
"It will always be a time I'll remember, going out there playing against the Yankees during that time," Giambi said. "It kind of healed the nation, especially the city of New York, which was hit so hard. There they were, the Yankees playing in the playoffs, going all the way to the World Series."
Giambi signed with the Yankees after that, and spent seven seasons in New York.
"Playing there all those years, the kids, the firefighters, the people who lost their lives saving the other lives, I'll always remember that, very much so," Giambi said.
At Cincinnati's Great American Ball Park, where the Reds hosted the Chicago Cubs, a steel beam from the World Trade Center was on display courtesy of the Cincinnati Fire Museum.
Before San Francisco hosted Colorado at AT&T Park, first pitches were thrown out by two San Francisco firefighters who went to New York in the days after Sept. 11 to provide help and support. Dean Crispen, captain of Station 28, and Derek O'Leary, driver of rescue squad one from Station 1, flew on the first commercial flight allowed to land in New York.
Pettis and the White Sox had arrived in New York 12 years ago around 2-3 a.m., and he was awoken by a phone call from a friend checking to make sure he was OK.
"I said, 'Yeah, I'm OK, I'm asleep.' He said, "you don't know, do you?" Pettis recalled. "I turn on the TV and I see that the building — smoke's coming out of the building — and they said there had been a plane crash."
Like so many others, Pettis thought maybe it was just a tragic accident before the second plane hit the other tower.
The White Sox were staying in a hotel at Grand Central Station, a little more than three miles from the World Trade Center site. Pettis and the rest of the staff worked to locate everybody with the team, and to get out of the building, with concerns about more potential attacks.
"We were going down the stairs and you hear this rumble, and we're going what the heck is that?" Pettis said. "We just kind of take off running out the doors, and now we see people running out of the train station, and we had no idea what they were running from."
Pettis can't believe it's been 12 years. Before going to the ballpark on Wednesday morning, he turned on his TV knowing what he was going to see.
"It took me a minute to get up and get my day going because I started watching some of the stories and listening to some of the people talk about being there, and then seeing some of the messages that were left for families," he said.
Pirates infielder Clint Barmes remembers exactly where he was and what he was doing 12 years ago. He was only 22 years old in his second season of pro ball, and on the way home after winning the championship with high-A Salem the night before.
"I didn't get a chance to see anything on TV until I got home later that evening. ... Had my car already packed ready to go," Barmes said. "I woke up, jumped in my car and started driving home before I realized exactly what happened.
"There's a lot of things that goes through your mind when something like that happens. It was a scary moment for sure."
To veteran Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon, it was a day to remember the terrible image
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Buster Posey heard the New York Yankees' Austin Romine was the latest catcher to go down with a concussion, and he wanted more details. When did it happen? How?
No one in baseball is more vulnerable to concussions than catchers, and this year their ranks seem to have taken a bigger beating than usual.
Teams have put players on the disabled list due to concussions or head injuries 18 times this year, five more than all of last season and seven more than in 2011, when the seven-day concussion DL was implemented. In 10 of those 18 instances, the players were catchers, including the Boston Red Sox's David Ross twice.
The injuries are having an effect on playoff races, sidelining Detroit Tigers catcher Alex Avila for two weeks in August and Kansas City Royals All-Star Salvador Perez for a week early that month.
John Jaso, who ranked first in on-base percentage among the AL West-leading Oakland Athletics before sustaining a concussion July 24, has not shaken off symptoms and is likely out for the year.
Romine's concussion was deemed mild, but he had to leave Tuesday's game at Baltimore. The Yankees hope he plays this weekend. He's not certain.
"With these things, you never know,'' said Romine, who had a severe concussion that sidelined him more than a month in 2011. "There's a lot of bad stuff that could come.'' Indeed. Players like Mike Matheny and Corey Koskie had their careers cut short, and former AL MVP Justin Morneau battled the aftereffects of a July 2011 concussion for more than a year.
"I guarantee you there are some guys playing with concussions now because they feel like it's not serious and they can just keep playing," said Chicago Cubs catcher Dioner Navarro, who considers himself fortunate to have had just two in his career. "The one thing we know now is concussions are serious injuries and you can't mess around with them."
Much remains unknown about the injury, which usually heals within a week but sometimes lingers for months.
Barry Jordan, director of the Brain Injury Program at Burke Rehabilitation Hospital in White Plains, N.Y., said no two concussions are identical simply because some people are more predisposed to sustain them than others.
"There are different variables that will influence recovery,'' he said. "And if you have a concussion and you continue to play and you keep aggravating it, it may cause a concussion to last longer.''
Romine incurred his 2011 concussion from a collision at the plate, but his latest and the large majority come as a result of foul tips off the mask. That was the case in nine of the 10 head-injury-related trips to the DL among catchers this season.
Other than the occasional umpire, only catchers know first-hand the impact a foul tip can have on even a protected head.
"You have to be back there to know what it feels like. I really don't know how to describe it,'' said Posey, the San Francisco Giants' All-Star catcher and reigning NL MVP. "The ones that seem to ring your bell are the ones that hit you square on, because the masks are built so well where if there's any angle when it hits you, it will turn, which helps alleviate that force.''
Gary Green, MLB's medical director, keeps track of injuries at the major and minor-league levels and said the number of concussions in baseball is not any higher this year. What has increased, he said, is the vigilance about these injuries, which in the past sometimes went undiagnosed. The NFL's well-publicized issues with concussions has raised awareness among ballplayers, he said.
"Doctors and trainers are really dependent on the athletes to report symptoms,'' said Green, pointing out they are not as obvious with concussions as with other injuries. "The NFL (case) has created an awareness of what's going on, and that's been helpful in educating players.''
Head injuries, concussions in MLB on the rise
No one in baseball is more vulnerable to concussions than catchers, and this year their ranks seem to have taken a bigger beating than usual.
Teams have put players on the disabled list due to concussions or head injuries 18 times this year, five more than all of last season and seven more than in 2011, when the seven-day concussion DL was implemented. In 10 of those 18 instances, the players were catchers, including the Boston Red Sox's David Ross twice.
The injuries are having an effect on playoff races, sidelining Detroit Tigers catcher Alex Avila for two weeks in August and Kansas City Royals All-Star Salvador Perez for a week early that month.
John Jaso, who ranked first in on-base percentage among the AL West-leading Oakland Athletics before sustaining a concussion July 24, has not shaken off symptoms and is likely out for the year.
Romine's concussion was deemed mild, but he had to leave Tuesday's game at Baltimore. The Yankees hope he plays this weekend. He's not certain.
"With these things, you never know,'' said Romine, who had a severe concussion that sidelined him more than a month in 2011. "There's a lot of bad stuff that could come.'' Indeed. Players like Mike Matheny and Corey Koskie had their careers cut short, and former AL MVP Justin Morneau battled the aftereffects of a July 2011 concussion for more than a year.
"I guarantee you there are some guys playing with concussions now because they feel like it's not serious and they can just keep playing," said Chicago Cubs catcher Dioner Navarro, who considers himself fortunate to have had just two in his career. "The one thing we know now is concussions are serious injuries and you can't mess around with them."
Much remains unknown about the injury, which usually heals within a week but sometimes lingers for months.
Barry Jordan, director of the Brain Injury Program at Burke Rehabilitation Hospital in White Plains, N.Y., said no two concussions are identical simply because some people are more predisposed to sustain them than others.
"There are different variables that will influence recovery,'' he said. "And if you have a concussion and you continue to play and you keep aggravating it, it may cause a concussion to last longer.''
Romine incurred his 2011 concussion from a collision at the plate, but his latest and the large majority come as a result of foul tips off the mask. That was the case in nine of the 10 head-injury-related trips to the DL among catchers this season.
Other than the occasional umpire, only catchers know first-hand the impact a foul tip can have on even a protected head.
"You have to be back there to know what it feels like. I really don't know how to describe it,'' said Posey, the San Francisco Giants' All-Star catcher and reigning NL MVP. "The ones that seem to ring your bell are the ones that hit you square on, because the masks are built so well where if there's any angle when it hits you, it will turn, which helps alleviate that force.''
Gary Green, MLB's medical director, keeps track of injuries at the major and minor-league levels and said the number of concussions in baseball is not any higher this year. What has increased, he said, is the vigilance about these injuries, which in the past sometimes went undiagnosed. The NFL's well-publicized issues with concussions has raised awareness among ballplayers, he said.
"Doctors and trainers are really dependent on the athletes to report symptoms,'' said Green, pointing out they are not as obvious with concussions as with other injuries. "The NFL (case) has created an awareness of what's going on, and that's been helpful in educating players.''
Head injuries, concussions in MLB on the rise
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2006/12/07
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The high-flying Red Sox jetted out of Florida on Thursday night and headed for Fenway Park, where they're playing the Evil Empire in a "ho-hum" weekend series.
When was the last time the Yankees and Red Sox battled and it wasn't really a crucial series with the American League East title at stake for one or the other?
The Red Sox, the AL's best team, are on cruise control.
The Yankees, on the other hand, are trying to overtake the Rays for the league's second Wild Card berth.
So, I guess this latest session of the Hatfields vs. McCoys is more meaningful than it appears to Red Sox fans. Yet there's nothing that excites Red Sox Nation more than beating the Yankees.
Red Sox CEO Larry Lucchino nicknamed the Yankees the Evil Empire when they were outspending and outplaying just about every other team in the big leagues.
That's no so this year. Oh, they still have an enormous payroll, but it's not been a typical year for the world's most famous sports franchise. With the problems and injuries the Yankees have had this year, it's amazing they still have a solid chance to once again perform in the postseason, even if it is Major League Baseball's version of Russian Roulette. That's the one-game elimination between the two AL Wild Card teams.
Enough about the Yankees.
This is about the Red Sox and the amazing job AL Manager of the Year-to-be John Farrell has done lifting this team from 2012's last-place finish to the lofty perch they've enjoyed most of this amazing summer. They were picked by many to once again finish last.
With fewer than three weeks -- just 14 games -- left, the Red Sox are poised to go very deep in the postseason. They are certainly capable of returning to the World Series for the first time since 2007. I'll be surprised if they don't.
If the postseason were to open today, the Rays and Rangers would be playing the Wild Card Game, with the winner facing the Red Sox in the best-of-five AL Division Series.
The postseason is all about pitching and rested players.
Because Boston has opened such a huge lead (8 1/2 games) in the AL East heading into Friday, Farrell has the luxury of picking and choosing how he rests his players.
He showed that in Thursday night's 4-3 loss to the Rays, even though the Red Sox were trying to sweep the three-game series at Tropicana Field.
Farrell rested the productive Shane Victorino, and in a 3-3 game, he did not use his reliable relievers, including lights-out closer Koji Uehara. Instead, the manager sent the likes of Drake Britton, Rubby De La Rosa and Matt Thornton to the mound. Thornton gave up eighth-inning doubles to Evan Longoria and Wil Myers that produced Tampa Bay's fourth run and the victory.
When Clay Buchholz made his first start since June 8 and pitched so well against the Rays on Tuesday night, he improved his record to 10-0 and lowered his ERA to 1.61.
Buchholz, who'd been out so long because of a neck strain, is the first Red Sox pitcher to begin a season 10-0 since Roger Clemens did it in 1986. More important to Farrell is he now knows Buchholz will be an integral part of the formidable postseason rotation that includes John Lackey, Ryan Dempster and Jon Lester. Felix Doubront has been taken out of the rotation, but he's expected to get a start or two before the season ends.
"It's really good to see Clay back on the mound for us. I think that gave everybody a boost in confidence," said Farrell. "A healthy Clay Buchholz is going to be a great addition."
Resting veterans such as Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz and Mike Napoli is a must.
The fact the Red Sox will not play until Oct. 4, when the AL Division Series begins, will also give Farrell some days to freshen his starters. Boston's season ends on Sunday, Sept. 29, in Baltimore.
Center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury has a compression fracture of the navicular bone in his right foot. It's likely he won't be back until the postseason, but this plays into the luxury the Red Sox have with their magic number down to eight to clinch the division title.
A week ago, the Red Sox won three out of four against the Yankees in New York. They scored 37 runs, and they lead the Major Leagues with 769 runs.
The Red Sox have already won 20 more games than last year (69-93), the team's largest increase in wins since 1967, and when they took two of three from the Rays, they won their 31st series -- best in the Majors.
When they took the field against the Yankees on Friday night, they'd won 16 of their past 22 games.
"We're trying to win every series," said catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia. "That's our No. 1 goal from here on out. It's all about Game 1 against the Yankees, and we'll go series by series. It would be nice to win the East as soon as possible, and we'd rather do it sooner than later."
Said Jonny Gomes: "We're in a situation where we don't look outside this clubhouse. We don't scoreboard watch. We don't worry about who's pitching. We beat everyone already, you know. We've beat team's aces. We've scored a lot. We've won close games. We've set ourselves up where, if we play our game, we win the division."
Farrell put it this way: "We thought coming into Spring Training this was a good group. It was a group, however, that needed to blend together because of the number of new players added. And it did.
"But this is a group that loves to play the game. That's been evident by the way we've come back late in some games, the way we've finished out certain games. There's a continuing growing confidence within our team."
I mentioned to Farrell how comforting it must be to have so much breathing room with only 14 games to go.
"There's a difference in the standings, but I don't know if it's necessarily breathing room," he said. "The beauty about our club is they don't pay too much attention to the external things. They're focused on what we need to do to win. That characteristic is what has allowed us to avoid any lengthy downturn.
When was the last time the Yankees and Red Sox battled and it wasn't really a crucial series with the American League East title at stake for one or the other?
The Red Sox, the AL's best team, are on cruise control.
The Yankees, on the other hand, are trying to overtake the Rays for the league's second Wild Card berth.
So, I guess this latest session of the Hatfields vs. McCoys is more meaningful than it appears to Red Sox fans. Yet there's nothing that excites Red Sox Nation more than beating the Yankees.
Red Sox CEO Larry Lucchino nicknamed the Yankees the Evil Empire when they were outspending and outplaying just about every other team in the big leagues.
That's no so this year. Oh, they still have an enormous payroll, but it's not been a typical year for the world's most famous sports franchise. With the problems and injuries the Yankees have had this year, it's amazing they still have a solid chance to once again perform in the postseason, even if it is Major League Baseball's version of Russian Roulette. That's the one-game elimination between the two AL Wild Card teams.
Enough about the Yankees.
This is about the Red Sox and the amazing job AL Manager of the Year-to-be John Farrell has done lifting this team from 2012's last-place finish to the lofty perch they've enjoyed most of this amazing summer. They were picked by many to once again finish last.
With fewer than three weeks -- just 14 games -- left, the Red Sox are poised to go very deep in the postseason. They are certainly capable of returning to the World Series for the first time since 2007. I'll be surprised if they don't.
If the postseason were to open today, the Rays and Rangers would be playing the Wild Card Game, with the winner facing the Red Sox in the best-of-five AL Division Series.
The postseason is all about pitching and rested players.
Because Boston has opened such a huge lead (8 1/2 games) in the AL East heading into Friday, Farrell has the luxury of picking and choosing how he rests his players.
He showed that in Thursday night's 4-3 loss to the Rays, even though the Red Sox were trying to sweep the three-game series at Tropicana Field.
Farrell rested the productive Shane Victorino, and in a 3-3 game, he did not use his reliable relievers, including lights-out closer Koji Uehara. Instead, the manager sent the likes of Drake Britton, Rubby De La Rosa and Matt Thornton to the mound. Thornton gave up eighth-inning doubles to Evan Longoria and Wil Myers that produced Tampa Bay's fourth run and the victory.
When Clay Buchholz made his first start since June 8 and pitched so well against the Rays on Tuesday night, he improved his record to 10-0 and lowered his ERA to 1.61.
Buchholz, who'd been out so long because of a neck strain, is the first Red Sox pitcher to begin a season 10-0 since Roger Clemens did it in 1986. More important to Farrell is he now knows Buchholz will be an integral part of the formidable postseason rotation that includes John Lackey, Ryan Dempster and Jon Lester. Felix Doubront has been taken out of the rotation, but he's expected to get a start or two before the season ends.
"It's really good to see Clay back on the mound for us. I think that gave everybody a boost in confidence," said Farrell. "A healthy Clay Buchholz is going to be a great addition."
Resting veterans such as Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz and Mike Napoli is a must.
The fact the Red Sox will not play until Oct. 4, when the AL Division Series begins, will also give Farrell some days to freshen his starters. Boston's season ends on Sunday, Sept. 29, in Baltimore.
Center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury has a compression fracture of the navicular bone in his right foot. It's likely he won't be back until the postseason, but this plays into the luxury the Red Sox have with their magic number down to eight to clinch the division title.
A week ago, the Red Sox won three out of four against the Yankees in New York. They scored 37 runs, and they lead the Major Leagues with 769 runs.
The Red Sox have already won 20 more games than last year (69-93), the team's largest increase in wins since 1967, and when they took two of three from the Rays, they won their 31st series -- best in the Majors.
When they took the field against the Yankees on Friday night, they'd won 16 of their past 22 games.
"We're trying to win every series," said catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia. "That's our No. 1 goal from here on out. It's all about Game 1 against the Yankees, and we'll go series by series. It would be nice to win the East as soon as possible, and we'd rather do it sooner than later."
Said Jonny Gomes: "We're in a situation where we don't look outside this clubhouse. We don't scoreboard watch. We don't worry about who's pitching. We beat everyone already, you know. We've beat team's aces. We've scored a lot. We've won close games. We've set ourselves up where, if we play our game, we win the division."
Farrell put it this way: "We thought coming into Spring Training this was a good group. It was a group, however, that needed to blend together because of the number of new players added. And it did.
"But this is a group that loves to play the game. That's been evident by the way we've come back late in some games, the way we've finished out certain games. There's a continuing growing confidence within our team."
I mentioned to Farrell how comforting it must be to have so much breathing room with only 14 games to go.
"There's a difference in the standings, but I don't know if it's necessarily breathing room," he said. "The beauty about our club is they don't pay too much attention to the external things. They're focused on what we need to do to win. That characteristic is what has allowed us to avoid any lengthy downturn.
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2006/12/07
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First baseman Todd Helton, the longest-tenured and arguably greatest player in Colorado Rockies history, announced he will retire at season's end. Helton, who turned 40 on Aug. 20, is in the final year of his contract, and his retirement has been expected all along. However, he declined to make the announcement before now, saying he would be uncomfortable with the inevitable curtain calls, gifts and recognition that come with final visits to various cities.
Finally, Helton announced his retirement to The Denver Post in a story that ran late Saturday night. The decision was typical of a player who wanted to go out in low-key fashion. He did it while the Rockies were on the road, before a Sunday when Denver sports fans were waking up excited about the Broncos' game against the Giants and Peyton Manning's brother, Eli.
Even though he put off the official announcement, he knows the next phase of his life will be difficult. "I am sure it will be hard," he told the Post. "A lot of guys say it's the camaraderie and sitting in the clubhouse that they miss. I can go to hunting camp and sit around talking to the guys. I will miss the competition. I love the game. I enjoy it more than people might think. I enjoy preparing, getting myself ready, and going out and battling. I don't know how I am going to replace that."
Helton, a star quarterback in his younger days who played alongside Peyton Manning at Tennessee, was with the Rockies for 17 of their first 21 years of existence, often as the star of a struggling franchise. So he won't be able to hide from the thank yous. Rockies fans will have a chance to honor him properly starting Monday, when Helton begins his final homestand at Coors Field -- nine games against the Cardinals, D-backs and Red Sox. The fans will say goodbye on Todd Helton Bobblehead Day on Sept. 25. His final game will be at Dodger Stadium on Sept. 29.
The Rockies released a statement immediately after the Post's story went public.
"For seventeen years, number '17' has been the icon of Colorado Rockies baseball," Rockies owner, chairman and chief executive officer Dick Monfort said in the statement. "Todd will be missed and our hope is he will be a part of our Colorado baseball family for many more years to come. Thanks Todd!"
Larry Walker won the only National League Most Valuable Player Award in Rockies history, tops several all-time lists and is in the discussion of Hall of Fame inclusion. But Helton was Colorado's first-round Draft pick (eighth overall) in 1995 and has played every one of his 2,235 games in Rockies purple, black and silver. Only 21 players have played more games with just one team. Among active players, only Derek Jeter's 2,602 games in Yankee pinstripes top Helton's tenure with the Rockies.
He will retire as the organization's all-time statistical leader in an abundance of categories, including games, hits, doubles, home runs, RBIs, runs and walks.
Baseball's all-time lists show Helton accomplished much with the Rockies. Entering his final playing days, Helton is 16th all-time with 586 doubles and 75th with 367 home runs. The bulk of his production came from 1998, his first full season, through 2004. During that period, he averaged 157 games per season and batted .340 with 246 home runs, 326 doubles, a .434 on-base percentage, plus all three of his Gold Glove Awards, all four of his Silver Slugger Awards, and all five of his All-Star Game appearances.
His 2000 season was one for the ages.
Helton hit .372 to win the only National League batting title of his career -- in 2003, he came up for his final plate appearance .0022 points behind the Cardinals' Albert Pujols, only to be intentionally walked. Additionally in '00, he led the NL in RBIs (147), slugging (.698), on-base percentage (.463), OPS (1.162), hits (216), doubles (59), and total bases (405). And he delivered one of his two 40-homer seasons, finishing with 42.
One of the highlights of that year came on Aug. 21, when he singled in the sixth inning to bring his average to .400 -- the latest a player's mark had been that high since the Royals' George Brett on Sept. 4, 1980. Also, in the final game of the season, his three-run, ninth-inning homer off the Braves' John Rocker was not only his 49th of the season, but part of a seven-run ninth inning to come back for a 10-5 win.
It appeared Helton was headed for Hall of Fame status. Injuries, however, slowed him. He continued to be a productive player, hitting .320 in 2007 and .325 in '09. Of course, both were playoff years.
Helton was instrumental in the greatest year in Rockies' history.
The Rockies were competitive in 2007, but seemed destined to fall short in the race for the playoffs. During a 13-0 victory against the Marlins on Sept. 16, Helton hit his 300th career homer and received a curtain call from the fans at Coors -- the first of his career. No one knew the highlights would grow greater.
The game began a club-record 11-game win streak. The third game of the streak, on Sept. 18, was the nightcap of a doubleheader with the Dodgers. Helton stepped up in the bottom of the ninth with the Rockies trailing by a run and got down to one strike, then launched a two-run, game-winning homer off pitcher Takashi Saito to set off a wild celebration. The Rockies won 21 of 22 games from the start of the streak through the National League Championship Series, before being swept by the Red Sox in the World Series.
Ironically, before that season, the Rockies and Red Sox came close to a trade that would have seen Helton leave the only team he knew. Reports at the time said the Red Sox's refusal to include reliever Manny Delcarmen in the deal was a key factor in it not happening. Delcarmen was dealt to Colorado in 2010.
Helton's ability to fight through his various injuries will be remembered.
Back issues arose in 2002, when Helton considered, but ultimately declined, to have surgery to remove a lipoma -- a benign
Finally, Helton announced his retirement to The Denver Post in a story that ran late Saturday night. The decision was typical of a player who wanted to go out in low-key fashion. He did it while the Rockies were on the road, before a Sunday when Denver sports fans were waking up excited about the Broncos' game against the Giants and Peyton Manning's brother, Eli.
Even though he put off the official announcement, he knows the next phase of his life will be difficult. "I am sure it will be hard," he told the Post. "A lot of guys say it's the camaraderie and sitting in the clubhouse that they miss. I can go to hunting camp and sit around talking to the guys. I will miss the competition. I love the game. I enjoy it more than people might think. I enjoy preparing, getting myself ready, and going out and battling. I don't know how I am going to replace that."
Helton, a star quarterback in his younger days who played alongside Peyton Manning at Tennessee, was with the Rockies for 17 of their first 21 years of existence, often as the star of a struggling franchise. So he won't be able to hide from the thank yous. Rockies fans will have a chance to honor him properly starting Monday, when Helton begins his final homestand at Coors Field -- nine games against the Cardinals, D-backs and Red Sox. The fans will say goodbye on Todd Helton Bobblehead Day on Sept. 25. His final game will be at Dodger Stadium on Sept. 29.
The Rockies released a statement immediately after the Post's story went public.
"For seventeen years, number '17' has been the icon of Colorado Rockies baseball," Rockies owner, chairman and chief executive officer Dick Monfort said in the statement. "Todd will be missed and our hope is he will be a part of our Colorado baseball family for many more years to come. Thanks Todd!"
Larry Walker won the only National League Most Valuable Player Award in Rockies history, tops several all-time lists and is in the discussion of Hall of Fame inclusion. But Helton was Colorado's first-round Draft pick (eighth overall) in 1995 and has played every one of his 2,235 games in Rockies purple, black and silver. Only 21 players have played more games with just one team. Among active players, only Derek Jeter's 2,602 games in Yankee pinstripes top Helton's tenure with the Rockies.
He will retire as the organization's all-time statistical leader in an abundance of categories, including games, hits, doubles, home runs, RBIs, runs and walks.
Baseball's all-time lists show Helton accomplished much with the Rockies. Entering his final playing days, Helton is 16th all-time with 586 doubles and 75th with 367 home runs. The bulk of his production came from 1998, his first full season, through 2004. During that period, he averaged 157 games per season and batted .340 with 246 home runs, 326 doubles, a .434 on-base percentage, plus all three of his Gold Glove Awards, all four of his Silver Slugger Awards, and all five of his All-Star Game appearances.
His 2000 season was one for the ages.
Helton hit .372 to win the only National League batting title of his career -- in 2003, he came up for his final plate appearance .0022 points behind the Cardinals' Albert Pujols, only to be intentionally walked. Additionally in '00, he led the NL in RBIs (147), slugging (.698), on-base percentage (.463), OPS (1.162), hits (216), doubles (59), and total bases (405). And he delivered one of his two 40-homer seasons, finishing with 42.
One of the highlights of that year came on Aug. 21, when he singled in the sixth inning to bring his average to .400 -- the latest a player's mark had been that high since the Royals' George Brett on Sept. 4, 1980. Also, in the final game of the season, his three-run, ninth-inning homer off the Braves' John Rocker was not only his 49th of the season, but part of a seven-run ninth inning to come back for a 10-5 win.
It appeared Helton was headed for Hall of Fame status. Injuries, however, slowed him. He continued to be a productive player, hitting .320 in 2007 and .325 in '09. Of course, both were playoff years.
Helton was instrumental in the greatest year in Rockies' history.
The Rockies were competitive in 2007, but seemed destined to fall short in the race for the playoffs. During a 13-0 victory against the Marlins on Sept. 16, Helton hit his 300th career homer and received a curtain call from the fans at Coors -- the first of his career. No one knew the highlights would grow greater.
The game began a club-record 11-game win streak. The third game of the streak, on Sept. 18, was the nightcap of a doubleheader with the Dodgers. Helton stepped up in the bottom of the ninth with the Rockies trailing by a run and got down to one strike, then launched a two-run, game-winning homer off pitcher Takashi Saito to set off a wild celebration. The Rockies won 21 of 22 games from the start of the streak through the National League Championship Series, before being swept by the Red Sox in the World Series.
Ironically, before that season, the Rockies and Red Sox came close to a trade that would have seen Helton leave the only team he knew. Reports at the time said the Red Sox's refusal to include reliever Manny Delcarmen in the deal was a key factor in it not happening. Delcarmen was dealt to Colorado in 2010.
Helton's ability to fight through his various injuries will be remembered.
Back issues arose in 2002, when Helton considered, but ultimately declined, to have surgery to remove a lipoma -- a benign
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Clay Buchholz pitched six innings of two-hit ball to improve to 11-0 and Daniel Nava had four hits, leading the Boston Red Sox to a 9-2 victory over New York on Sunday night and eliminating the Yankees from the AL East race.
Boston leads second-place Tampa Bay by 9½ games with a magic number of four to clinch its second division title since 1995. The Yankees trail the Rays and Texas Rangers by three in the wild-card standings, with Cleveland and Baltimore also ahead of them in the race.
The Yankees had won the last two division titles and 13 of the last 17.
In his second start since coming off the disabled list, Buchholz walked four and struck out three and allowed only one unearned run. Shortly after a pre-game ceremony to honour Yankees closer Mariano Rivera in his last scheduled trip to Fenway Park, Mike Napoli hit a two-run homer off Ivan Nova (8-5) to make it 3-1 in the first inning.
The Red Sox scored another in the fourth on a double steal and chased Nova in the fifth, making it 5-1 when he hit Mike Carp with the bases loaded and nobody out. In all, Nova allowed five runs — four earned — on six hits and four walks and a hit batter, striking out two in four-plus innings.
Boston added two more in the sixth and two in the seventh to win for the 10th time in 12 games and 17 of their last 21. They have beaten the rival Yankees six times in seven games over 11 days.
Buchholz gave up four walks and an unearned run while striking out three. Since coming off the DL, where he spent more than three months with a strained neck, he has allowed five hits and zero earned runs in 11 innings to lower his ERA to 1.51.
He is the first Red Sox pitcher to win his first 11 decisions since Roger Clemens started 14-0 in 1986.
MLB: Red Sox knock Yankees out of AL East race | Toronto Star
Boston leads second-place Tampa Bay by 9½ games with a magic number of four to clinch its second division title since 1995. The Yankees trail the Rays and Texas Rangers by three in the wild-card standings, with Cleveland and Baltimore also ahead of them in the race.
The Yankees had won the last two division titles and 13 of the last 17.
In his second start since coming off the disabled list, Buchholz walked four and struck out three and allowed only one unearned run. Shortly after a pre-game ceremony to honour Yankees closer Mariano Rivera in his last scheduled trip to Fenway Park, Mike Napoli hit a two-run homer off Ivan Nova (8-5) to make it 3-1 in the first inning.
The Red Sox scored another in the fourth on a double steal and chased Nova in the fifth, making it 5-1 when he hit Mike Carp with the bases loaded and nobody out. In all, Nova allowed five runs — four earned — on six hits and four walks and a hit batter, striking out two in four-plus innings.
Boston added two more in the sixth and two in the seventh to win for the 10th time in 12 games and 17 of their last 21. They have beaten the rival Yankees six times in seven games over 11 days.
Buchholz gave up four walks and an unearned run while striking out three. Since coming off the DL, where he spent more than three months with a strained neck, he has allowed five hits and zero earned runs in 11 innings to lower his ERA to 1.51.
He is the first Red Sox pitcher to win his first 11 decisions since Roger Clemens started 14-0 in 1986.
MLB: Red Sox knock Yankees out of AL East race | Toronto Star
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In light of the Monday morning shootings at the Naval Sea Systems Command headquarters, which is a few blocks away from Nationals Park, the Nationals postponed their game against the Braves.
The two clubs will play a day-night doubleheader Tuesday. The first game will start at 1:05 p.m. ET, with Dan Haren taking the mound for the Nationals, while right-hander Tanner Roark will pitch the nightcap for Washington. Game time is 7:05.
All gates for the originally scheduled 7:05 game will open 1 1/2 hours after the last out of the 1:05 game or at 6, whichever is later. The two games against the Braves will require separate admission.
Fans with game tickets to Monday's postponed contest may use their original tickets for the 1:05 makeup game. Those unable to attend the 1:05 game can exchange their tickets for any remaining home game during the 2013 regular season or any Value Game during the 2014 regular season.
Both the Nationals and Major League Baseball decided to postpone the Monday night game.
"There are a lot of [logistics] that go into cancelling a game for these reasons. We have to be in contact with federal authorities and the state D.C. authorities to have a coordinated effort," Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said. "And then whenever you cancel a game, MLB is involved and we have to go through the correct procedures for that."
As of the latest announcement, police said at least 13 people are dead and others wounded after a shooter opened fire at the facility on Monday morning.
"All of us here in the Nationals organization were deeply saddened to learn of the tragic events that occurred this morning only a few blocks from Nationals Park," the team said in a statement. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families.
"The safety of our fans is our utmost priority. As we have throughout the day, the Nationals security personnel will continue to work closely with all levels of law enforcement to reinforce the already high level of security in place at Nationals Park."
The tragedy at the Navy Yard took place at around 8:20 a.m., according to reports. As of 12:30 p.m., according to Nationals manager Davey Johnson, he and the players were "cleared to go to Nationals Park," but that didn't mean the game was on. After receiving the message, Johnson said he was going to "wait a while" before heading to the park. At 3:12, the Nationals announced that the game was postponed.
Haren was already at Nationals Park when the announcement was made to postpone the game.
"A lot of the older guys were texting back and forth after we heard about the tragedy," Haren said. "We were just trying to figure out the best thing to do and it was obvious to all of us -- that was to cancel the game in respect to all of the victims and their families. Two, it's really not a safe place to be tonight, with the situation on how it's moving. It really hasn't come to an end yet. It's unsafe for fans, it's unsafe for us and it's disrespectful to what is going on.
"I know we are waiting basically for 16 hours to play the game. We are doing the best we can. As inconsequential as the game may seem on a day like today, we have to play baseball at some point, and that will be tomorrow.
"If the investigation is ongoing and the higher-ups don't see that area as being safe for people to come, then we'll move forward accordingly. The No. 1 thing is the safety of all the fans, all the workers, obviously the players and everyone involved and everyone that is around that lives around the area."
According to CNN, several schools near the Navy Yard were on lock down. Workers at the Navy Yard could find their families near the parking lot B at Nationals Park.
"Nobody is thinking about baseball. Baseball is a game," Braves pitcher Scott Downs said. "You look at the real-life perspective when things go on. That's the last thing I want to do or any team wants to do, especially when something is going on five minutes down the road.
"You've got to tell your families how much you love them. They come to work and a tragedy like this happens. It's hard to put into words. You just kind of got to go about your day and have their thoughts and prayers in your mind."
Nationals-Braves postponed Monday after Washington DC shootings | MLB-com: News
The two clubs will play a day-night doubleheader Tuesday. The first game will start at 1:05 p.m. ET, with Dan Haren taking the mound for the Nationals, while right-hander Tanner Roark will pitch the nightcap for Washington. Game time is 7:05.
All gates for the originally scheduled 7:05 game will open 1 1/2 hours after the last out of the 1:05 game or at 6, whichever is later. The two games against the Braves will require separate admission.
Fans with game tickets to Monday's postponed contest may use their original tickets for the 1:05 makeup game. Those unable to attend the 1:05 game can exchange their tickets for any remaining home game during the 2013 regular season or any Value Game during the 2014 regular season.
Both the Nationals and Major League Baseball decided to postpone the Monday night game.
"There are a lot of [logistics] that go into cancelling a game for these reasons. We have to be in contact with federal authorities and the state D.C. authorities to have a coordinated effort," Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said. "And then whenever you cancel a game, MLB is involved and we have to go through the correct procedures for that."
As of the latest announcement, police said at least 13 people are dead and others wounded after a shooter opened fire at the facility on Monday morning.
"All of us here in the Nationals organization were deeply saddened to learn of the tragic events that occurred this morning only a few blocks from Nationals Park," the team said in a statement. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families.
"The safety of our fans is our utmost priority. As we have throughout the day, the Nationals security personnel will continue to work closely with all levels of law enforcement to reinforce the already high level of security in place at Nationals Park."
The tragedy at the Navy Yard took place at around 8:20 a.m., according to reports. As of 12:30 p.m., according to Nationals manager Davey Johnson, he and the players were "cleared to go to Nationals Park," but that didn't mean the game was on. After receiving the message, Johnson said he was going to "wait a while" before heading to the park. At 3:12, the Nationals announced that the game was postponed.
Haren was already at Nationals Park when the announcement was made to postpone the game.
"A lot of the older guys were texting back and forth after we heard about the tragedy," Haren said. "We were just trying to figure out the best thing to do and it was obvious to all of us -- that was to cancel the game in respect to all of the victims and their families. Two, it's really not a safe place to be tonight, with the situation on how it's moving. It really hasn't come to an end yet. It's unsafe for fans, it's unsafe for us and it's disrespectful to what is going on.
"I know we are waiting basically for 16 hours to play the game. We are doing the best we can. As inconsequential as the game may seem on a day like today, we have to play baseball at some point, and that will be tomorrow.
"If the investigation is ongoing and the higher-ups don't see that area as being safe for people to come, then we'll move forward accordingly. The No. 1 thing is the safety of all the fans, all the workers, obviously the players and everyone involved and everyone that is around that lives around the area."
According to CNN, several schools near the Navy Yard were on lock down. Workers at the Navy Yard could find their families near the parking lot B at Nationals Park.
"Nobody is thinking about baseball. Baseball is a game," Braves pitcher Scott Downs said. "You look at the real-life perspective when things go on. That's the last thing I want to do or any team wants to do, especially when something is going on five minutes down the road.
"You've got to tell your families how much you love them. They come to work and a tragedy like this happens. It's hard to put into words. You just kind of got to go about your day and have their thoughts and prayers in your mind."
Nationals-Braves postponed Monday after Washington DC shootings | MLB-com: News
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The 51st started the same way so many others did: The pitch appeared to be outside the strike zone and Chris Davis barely reached it with his long swing.
And then it ended the way so many others did: Out of the ballpark.
Davis set a new Orioles franchise record in the sixth inning of Tuesday's 3-2 win over the Red Sox when he belted his 51st home run, a deep shot to center field off Boston starter Ryan Dempster. The home run broke the previous single season record of 50, set by Brady Anderson in 1996.
Anderson, the vice president of operations for the Orioles, was at Fenway Park to see it. He gave Davis a big hug and told him he was proud of the new record holder.
"To be honest, I took a deep breath when I hit 50," Davis said. "To be tied with him, in the same conversation -- the biggest thing for me is to go out and have quality at-bats and help the team win."
Davis also tied Anderson's club record for extra-base hits in a season with 92, which leads the Majors.
The record-breaking homer was a thing of beauty. The pitch from Dempster was low. Davis went back and watched the tape afterward and said it was a good pitch. But Davis has been hitting good pitches out of the park all season.
"He's strong, man," Dempster marveled. "He just lifted that ball and got it up in the air -- way, way, way up in the air. It just kept carrying."
Dempster said he's noticed the progression as Davis has turned into the third player in Major League history to hit 50 homers and 40 doubles, joining Babe Ruth (1921) and Albert Belle ('95).
"Strike zone recognition," Dempster said. "Learning your swing a little bit I'm sure. He's made adjustments. When you do that at the big league level, the more adjustments you make, the quicker you make them, the more successful you're going to be."
Davis said he never thought he got enough of the pitch to hit it high enough to clear the 420-foot sign in deep center field. But he cleared it easily.
"No it's funny, the last couple of balls I've hit to center here, I've hit them really high," Davis said. "I felt like every time I see a ball up out there, [Shane] Victorino is running underneath it. I didn't know it was gone when I hit it. I hit it hard, but I didn't know if it was going to be caught or not."
Fifty-one homers later, Davis has put together the most impressive offensive season in Orioles history.
Chris Davis sets new Orioles record with 51st home run | MLB-com: News
And then it ended the way so many others did: Out of the ballpark.
Davis set a new Orioles franchise record in the sixth inning of Tuesday's 3-2 win over the Red Sox when he belted his 51st home run, a deep shot to center field off Boston starter Ryan Dempster. The home run broke the previous single season record of 50, set by Brady Anderson in 1996.
Anderson, the vice president of operations for the Orioles, was at Fenway Park to see it. He gave Davis a big hug and told him he was proud of the new record holder.
"To be honest, I took a deep breath when I hit 50," Davis said. "To be tied with him, in the same conversation -- the biggest thing for me is to go out and have quality at-bats and help the team win."
Davis also tied Anderson's club record for extra-base hits in a season with 92, which leads the Majors.
The record-breaking homer was a thing of beauty. The pitch from Dempster was low. Davis went back and watched the tape afterward and said it was a good pitch. But Davis has been hitting good pitches out of the park all season.
"He's strong, man," Dempster marveled. "He just lifted that ball and got it up in the air -- way, way, way up in the air. It just kept carrying."
Dempster said he's noticed the progression as Davis has turned into the third player in Major League history to hit 50 homers and 40 doubles, joining Babe Ruth (1921) and Albert Belle ('95).
"Strike zone recognition," Dempster said. "Learning your swing a little bit I'm sure. He's made adjustments. When you do that at the big league level, the more adjustments you make, the quicker you make them, the more successful you're going to be."
Davis said he never thought he got enough of the pitch to hit it high enough to clear the 420-foot sign in deep center field. But he cleared it easily.
"No it's funny, the last couple of balls I've hit to center here, I've hit them really high," Davis said. "I felt like every time I see a ball up out there, [Shane] Victorino is running underneath it. I didn't know it was gone when I hit it. I hit it hard, but I didn't know if it was going to be caught or not."
Fifty-one homers later, Davis has put together the most impressive offensive season in Orioles history.
Chris Davis sets new Orioles record with 51st home run | MLB-com: News
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The Dodgers had one runner thrown out at the plate and one on second base thrown out of the game on the same bizarre play in the sixth inning of Wednesday night's 9-4 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Michael Young, who had singled with the Dodgers trailing, 4-2, and one out in the inning, was called out at the plate trying to score on Adrian Gonzalez's double, first-base umpire Jim Joyce making the call after solid throws from left fielder Adam Eaton and shortstop Chris Owings.
The replay, however, supported the complaints of Young and manager Don Mattingly that Young's hand hit the plate before he was tagged by catcher Miguel Montero.
Meanwhile, standing at second base, Gonzalez said something to second-base umpire Andy Fletcher and was ejected for the third time in his career.
The Dodgers can clinch the National League West title with a victory in Thursday's series finale.
Los Angeles Dodgers' Adrian Gonzalez tossed after disputed call in Arizona | MLB-com: News
Michael Young, who had singled with the Dodgers trailing, 4-2, and one out in the inning, was called out at the plate trying to score on Adrian Gonzalez's double, first-base umpire Jim Joyce making the call after solid throws from left fielder Adam Eaton and shortstop Chris Owings.
The replay, however, supported the complaints of Young and manager Don Mattingly that Young's hand hit the plate before he was tagged by catcher Miguel Montero.
Meanwhile, standing at second base, Gonzalez said something to second-base umpire Andy Fletcher and was ejected for the third time in his career.
The Dodgers can clinch the National League West title with a victory in Thursday's series finale.
Los Angeles Dodgers' Adrian Gonzalez tossed after disputed call in Arizona | MLB-com: News
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Two teams have achieved the October dream all 30 shared entering the season. Eight more spots remain now that the first pair of tickets have been punched to the 2013 postseason.
The Dodgers clinched the National League West with a 7-6 victory at Arizona on Thursday afternoon, becoming the first team to enter the tournament, the first to taste the champagne that comes with reaching October, the first thirsting for more bubbly baths.
Then the Red Sox followed suit, entering the October tournament by clinching a postseason spot with a 3-1 win at Fenway Park over the Orioles, leaving them on the cusp of the AL East title, too.
As the Pulse of the Postseason pounded onward Thursday, the AL Wild Card remains a jumble with a bow on top again, Texas and Tampa Bay tied with four other teams within 3 1/2 games. It was a day when hearts were lifted from Pittsburgh to Detroit, and from Cleveland to Washington.
But no contenders could be more content than the Dodgers and the Red Sox on this night.
L.A. wrapped up its first NL West title since going back-to-back in 2008 and '09, besting the D-backs on a solo homer by A.J. Ellis in the eighth inning and a perfect ninth inning for Kenley Jansen.
Pulse: Dodgers, Red Sox first to celebrate | MLB-com: News
The Dodgers clinched the National League West with a 7-6 victory at Arizona on Thursday afternoon, becoming the first team to enter the tournament, the first to taste the champagne that comes with reaching October, the first thirsting for more bubbly baths.
Then the Red Sox followed suit, entering the October tournament by clinching a postseason spot with a 3-1 win at Fenway Park over the Orioles, leaving them on the cusp of the AL East title, too.
As the Pulse of the Postseason pounded onward Thursday, the AL Wild Card remains a jumble with a bow on top again, Texas and Tampa Bay tied with four other teams within 3 1/2 games. It was a day when hearts were lifted from Pittsburgh to Detroit, and from Cleveland to Washington.
But no contenders could be more content than the Dodgers and the Red Sox on this night.
L.A. wrapped up its first NL West title since going back-to-back in 2008 and '09, besting the D-backs on a solo homer by A.J. Ellis in the eighth inning and a perfect ninth inning for Kenley Jansen.
Pulse: Dodgers, Red Sox first to celebrate | MLB-com: News
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In his second roster-altering trade in four days, Huntington acquired the first baseman from Minnesota in exchange for outfielder Alex Presley, and either a player to be named later or cash. According to MLB-com sources, the second player will be pitcher Duke Welker.
"We're excited. Justin is excited about the opportunity," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said shortly before the Pirates and Cardinals started their game at PNC Park in a flat-footed tie for the National League Central lead.
Morneau, in Arlington, Texas, with the rest of the Twins when the deal was announced, made it to Pittsburgh at about 7:50 p.m. ET, came out of the Fort Pitt Tunnel as the game was heading into the fifth inning and was in uniform in the dugout by the seventh of a game in which his new mates had a big lead.
First impressions were scintillating.
"To look up and see the stands full, and the boys up big ... it was pretty special," Morneau said in a media conference following the Bucs' 7-1 win over the Cardinals. "It's something I'll probably never forget.
"A first-place team, you're always excited to become a part of that. I've been paying attention from the other league, and they play the game hard and play it right. Hopefully it'll be a long run and fun run, and I've stepped into something that's enjoyable."
To make Morneau eligible for postseason play, the Pirates cleared roster space for him by optioning Andrew Lambo to Double-A Altoona. Also optioned to the Curve was right-hander Jared Hughes, with his place on the 25-man roster being taken by righty Stolmy Pimentel.
"We felt this move gives us a better chance to not only play in October, but play deeper. Justin complements us going forward -- especially getting him in front of the Clemente Wall," Huntington said of Morneau, who arrives as a hot hitter with nine August home runs.
The deal endows the Bucs with the 2006 American League MVP after 11 years in Minnesota. Morneau, 32, had a .259/.315./426 slash line, with 17 home runs and 74 RBIs in 127 games this season. However, nine of the homers and 21 of the RBIs have come this month.
"There's a lot of emotion and adrenaline I hadn't had in a while," said Morneau, a lifelong Twins player who had to waive a no-trade clause to join up. "I'm excited by this opportunity, of doing something every day to help this team win, to do whatever it takes to get in the playoffs."
"We saw tangible reasons why he hit nine homers this month," Huntington said. "He gives us a deeper, more talented team, gives Clint a lot of options. We've upgraded our everyday lineup, and also our bench, to make Clint's job easier. He's got a lot of weapons to help us win a game."
Those weapons include outfielder Marlon Byrd and catcher John Buck, acquired in a Tuesday deal from the Mets.
Between them, Byrd and Morneau seriously impact Garrett Jones, who plays their positions and paced Friday night's series-opening 5-0 win over St. Louis by driving in four runs on three hits.
Seeing history repeat is Jones, who was signed in 2008 by the Pirates as a Minor League free agent in the Twins system whose path was blocked by Morneau.
"For me, it's all about winning right now," Jones said. "It's baseball. He's definitely an upgrade for us, and he'll help. We've been friends for a long time. It'll be fun to watch him play again, and hopefully I can still get in there and help the team when I get a chance."
"We'll look at the versatility of Jones. Byrd can play all over the outfield, so maybe [Jones will] find some time back in right," said Hurdle. "We have less than 30 games to play; some of these moves have been made based on opportunities that have been given for five months. We looked at how we could best strengthen ourselves for the last 28 games of the season, and into the postseason."
Morneau has one month remaining on a six-year, $80 million deal he'd signed with the Twins. The Pirates are covering the $2.265 million remaining on the contract, to "Bob Nutting's credit," Huntington said.
"He allowed us to go significantly over budget," the GM said of the club's chairman. "We appreciate Bob for the financial flexibility to do something like this."
The deal reunited Morneau with World Baseball Classic Team Canada teammate Russell Martin -- and with Francisco Liriano, the ace of the Bucs' staff who had similar status with the 2005-12 Twins.
"He's a great guy, and a greater player. I played with him for five years," Liriano said. "It's great to see him back in the same uniform."
"I've seen him since he was a rookie," Morneau said of the pitcher, "and he can be as good as anybody in baseball. You always pay attention to former teammates, and he's got the stuff to put together and be one of the best pitchers in the game."
Justin Morneau energized by joining first-place Pirates | MLB-com: News