Cleveland Sports Forum

Tigers score in the bottom of the 9th to beat KC 4-3. Replacement of the replacement of the replacement SS, Alex Gonzalaz, with the game-winning hit.

Grady brings out the lumber goes 2-4 scoring Boston's only run on a home run. Cruz's homer wins it 2-1 for the O's.

Jose Abreu with a couple of scorched base hits gets his first mlb hit as well as his first major league run and rbi. Abreu is my choice for American League rookie of the year.

Hamilton fanned 4 times in 4 at bats for the Reds. Can't steal'm if you can't get on base.

Cubs set new Cactus League attendance mark

The Cubs' first season at their new Spring Training ballpark, Cubs Park, in Mesa, Ariz., set the all-time Cactus League single-season attendance record, drawing 213,815 fans. The total broke the previous record of 203,105, which the Cubs set in 2009 at HoHoKam Stadium.

ST. PETERSBURG --

The Rays and right-hander Chris Archer agreed Wednesday on a six-year contract that will run through 2019 and includes club options for 2020 and 2021.

The Rays said that the deal guarantees Archer $25.5 million over the six years, and has the potential to reach a maximum value of $43.75 million.

"When we make a long-term commitment to a player, we look not only at his talent but also his intangibles," executive vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said. "There's no question Chris has the talent to develop into a top-of-the-rotation starter, and he has the drive and character to realize that potential. We are very pleased to solidify his place as one of our core players for years to come."

Archer, 25, was acquired by the Rays prior to the 2011 season in a deal that sent right-hander Matt Garza to the Cubs. That deal also included outfielders Brandon Guyer and Sam Fuld, shortstop Hak-Ju Lee and catcher Robinson Chirinos.

The right-hander first pitched with the Rays in 2012, going 1-3 with a 4.60 ERA in six appearances, four of which were starts. He saw his first extended Major League action in 2013, when he went 9-7 with a 3.22 ERA in 23 starts.

Despite not joining the Rays from Triple-A Durham until June 1, when the team played its 55th game, Archer led American League rookies who pitched at least 100 innings in ERA, opponents' batting average (.226), complete games (two), shutouts (two) and WHIP (1.13).

He won both the AL Pitcher of the Month and AL Rookie of the Month Awards in July after going 4-0 with a 0.73 ERA in five starts that month. He finished third in the voting for AL Rookie of the Year, the award that was claimed by teammate Wil Myers.

The Indians selected Archer in the fifth round of the 2006 First-Year Player Draft out of Clayton High School in Clayton, N.C., and subsequently traded him in 2008 to the Cubs, along with two other players, in a deal for infielder Mark DeRosa.

The Sox look good. They could be the Indians of 2014. Abreu and Garcia will be big factors in the sox revamped lineup.

Nelson Cruz with his second homer in as many games. I was hoping we would sign Cruz.

Gosh! I wonder if we ever put a bid in on Jose Abreu.

Just took a peek and he's doubled in a run then tripled in three runs, both balls off the centerfield wall. The double missed being a homer by inches. Hitting over .400 now.

After watching him on Cuban TV for the past few years, I think the fans in Chicago are in for a treat. I mentioned to a couple of my friends at work how much I thought he looked like Frank Thomas only with some speed to go along with his power numbers and his ability to hit for a high average.

21 up, 21 K'd -- Long Island high school hurler brings new meaning to 'perfect game'

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Throwing a perfect game is an amazing accomplishment for any pitcher, but such a feat usually requires the fielders behind him to play flawlessly as well. (Just ask Mark Buehrle or Matt Cain.) Not so for Mike Delio of Carle Place (NY) High School on Tuesday.

Making his first start with the Carle Place Frogs varsity squad, Delio struck out all 21 Hempstead High School batters he faced in a seven-inning game. His teammates could literally have been asleep and nothing would have changed.

Twenty-three MLB pitchers have thrown perfect games and the record for most strikeouts in one is 14 (shared by Sandy Koufax and Cain). In other words, 14/27 (51.9 percent) is the maximum number of batters any big leaguer has been able to retire in a perfecto without the defense's participation.

"Every time he takes the mound there is always the chance that he can do something special," Carle Place coach Brian Krummenacker told Newsday. "Today was the day."

Yu Darvish comes off DL, becomes fastest to 500 K in MLB history

A stiff neck sent Rangers ace Yu Darvish to the DL to start the season, but he was activated on Sunday. In the very first inning, he made some history by striking out reigning AL Rookie of the Year Wil Myers. At that moment, Darvish's career strikeout rate was 11.20 strikeouts per nine innings pitched. A handful of relievers do that every year, but that is a ridiculous number for a starting pitcher. And because I know you're wondering, Kerry Wood was the previous record holder. He did it in 404 2/3 innings. Darvish had him beat by three full innings.

Sabathia tops Jiminez in the battle of the ex-Tribesman in Yankee home opener.

A classic outing by the Big U: 109 pitches in 4 2/3 innings; walked 5 fanned 4 allowed 8 hits and 4 runs.
He was more efficient but not that much better his first time out: 6-5-4-4-3-6 96 pitches; 2 homers

Anybody else have MLB Extra innings on cable? Why aren't they showing the Reds-Cards game tonight? They are using a lot of the channels for hockey!

Edit: I just checked DirecTV and they aren't showing it either! It's not on ESPN or MLB channel or TBS, or Fox...
What gives?

Edit 2: It's on "Fox Sports 1" Didn't know about this!

They ARE showing/showed it on Fox Sports 1 I believe. At least on Direct TV.

Channel 219 on Direct TV

I found it on my cable. But this is a new channel, I think?

Billy Hamilton today:



Billy Hamilton Tags Up And Scores On Pop Fly, Remains Ridiculous



Billy Hamilton, who is just so damn fast, somehow turned a lazy pop fly into short right field into a scoring play during today's game against the Cardinals.

I mean, damn. How is this play even possible? Jon Jay was not at all unprepared for Hamilton to run, and his throw to home was a perfect strike. And Hamilton, who doesn't even look like he's running at full speed, beats the throw with time to spare. "Fast" isn't really a good enough descriptor for Hamilton. Lots of guys are fast, but Hamilton seems to have the ability to literally shrink the base paths.

And how did Hamilton get to third in order to make this play happen? He singled to lead off the inning, stole second—on Yadier Molina!—without inducing a throw, and then advanced to third on a fly out to right.

Please, Billy Hamilton, find a way to get on base consistently. All we want is to able to watch you do things like this for a whole season.

Kevin Kouzmanoff returns to the majors after several years away. Texas brought him up.

Former Tribe minor leaguer Neil Wagner also promoted, low-draft-round hard throwing RH reliever