Cleveland Sports Forum

Chris Archer is holding up fairly well against the Nats in his major league debut. He trails 3-2 in the fifth. He gave up 3 runs in the first but has settled in. Only one extra basehit. He's giving a total of 3 hits, struckout 6 and has walked only 1 batter.

Archer is going head to head against Strasburg. Other than those three runs in the first, one of them unearned, Archer has put up five shutout innings. Strasburg 5 hits, Archer 3 hits. Strasburg 8 strikeouts, Archer 7. Strasburg 2 walks, Archer 1 walk. Strasburg has surrendered 1 home run, Archer has given up 1 double. Through 6 Strasburg has thrown 100 pitchers, Archer 82. Very nice debut for Archer.

Archer's night is over. New pitcher in the 7th. The Nats and Strasburg lead 3-2. Archer's stands to be the hard luck loser in his debut.

Phillips comes off as selfish in his appeal, which was denied today. The Reds lost, but he is concerned about his stats?

BRANDON PHILLIPS TO GO FOR AN APPEAL FOR INSIDE-THE-PARK HOMER –MLB NEWS

Posted By: Steve Aaron
Category:
Baseball News

Brandon Phillips to go for an appeal for inside-the-park homer –MLB News

The Monday game between The Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Indians may well be over, the controversy is not. The sensational encounter which ended with the Cleveland Indians’ 10-9 victory had its share of exhilaration, and – to a greater extent, controversy too.

It was Brandon Phillips who now says he will appeal to the Major League Baseball to review a decision wherein his hit was considered RBI double, but which – in Phillips’ view, was an inside-the-park homer.

It was in the fifth inning that Phillips had hit the ball to left-field line, enabling him to circle the bases as the Cleveland Indians’ Johnny Damon stumbled to pick up the ball. With Damon struggling to take the ball and throw, Phillips made his way to the home plate after a big headfirst slide.

But his effort, and the hope that it would be an inside-the-park home run, does not seem to have borne fruit until and unless the Major League Baseball comes up with the final decision.

For Phillips, it was a home run, but to make it possible, he has to earn it. He said it would have been declared a homer if he was in Cincinnati.

"I saw the replay last night. Everybody said I should [appeal]," Phillips said on Tuesday. "Maybe they can turn it around. I thought it was a home run, especially how [the Cubs'] Tony Campana had a similar play. Hopefully they can change it. If we were in Cincinnati, it would be a home run. But we're in Cleveland. You know how that is. They won't give me [anything] at all. I've got to earn it here."

Phillips went on and tried to explain it further. "Once you try to make that effort, crazy things happen," Phillips said. "Outfielders take a gamble when they dive for a ball coming in.”

If the MLB reverses the decision and calls it an inside-the-park homer, it will be definitely quite interesting to see what happens to the result of the game which – for now, has the Cleveland Indians as the victor in the eagerly watched and followed encounter.

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That last paragraph makes no sense. He circled the bases anyway, so whether it is called a homer or an error won't change the final score.

I don't hold anything against Brandon Phillips for that. Stats are important in baseball, for money of course, and for posterity.

If Phillips thinks he really had an inside the park home run, something that is more rare than a no-hitter in MLB these days, it didn't cost anyone much of anything to get a 2nd opinion.

Anyone remember the days when managers often declared during the game they were "playing under protest?" Baseball has always asked for 2nd opinions, though little ever changes.

On a similar note, the great racing horse Secretariat TODAY was officially declared as having the fastest Preakness winning time in history, 39 years after the fact.

His Preakness was stuff of racing fan lore. He had/has the fastest Kentucky Derby of all time, and had/has the fast Belmont Stakes of all times. All the seasoned guys from the Daily Racing Form clocked Secretariat at 1:53 and 2/5 that day, while the guy who activated the electronic timer for Pimlico for the race ended up showing 1:55.

Secretariat's connections have lobbied for re-evaluation for years.

Today, after reviewing all the data with new technology, the Maryland State Racing Commission evaluated that Secretariat actually won his 1973 Preakness in 1:53 flat.

Now Secretariat owns the fastest times ever.....that have stood for 39 years.......for all three Triple Crown races.

Did Secretariet not win the Preakness by 39 lengths?

eocmcdoc wrote:Did Secretariet not win the Preakness by 39 lengths?

Close.....Secretariat won The Belmont by 31 lengths. What history has forgotten is that many that day thought that Sham would beat Secretariat at a mile and a half. Sham was sent off at the relatively low odds of 5-1 against the of course favored Secretariat that Belmont Day.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cS4f6wiQJh4

Above is a replay of Secretariat's Belmont. Many horse racing enthusiasts count this race call as one of the best of all time. I never tire of watching this thing....

Keep in mind that when Secretariat won his Triple Crown he was the first Triple Crown winner since Citation, in 1948. Twenty five years between them.

Kevin Youkilis traded to White Sox after teary Fenway finale


By Paul White, USA TODAY

Updated 4m ago


Kevin Youkilis' nine-year career with the Boston Red Sox concluded on Sunday in emotional fashion, when the third baseman bid a teary-eyed farewell to the Fenway Park crowd before his trade to the Chicago White Sox was finalized.

Youkilis was traded to the White Sox in exchange for pitching prospect Zach Stewart and utility player Brent Lillibridge, according to a White Sox official familiar with the deal. The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity because the trade has not been announced.

Stewart, who was recently promoted to Class AAA, was pulled from his Sunday start.

The White Sox's game with the Brewers was in a scoreless tie as the Red Sox's game concluded.

At Fenway Park on Sunday, Uoukilis tipped his cap, blew kisses and shed a few tears to a crowd that was giving him a standing ovation after he was removed for pinch runner Nick Punto in the seventh inning of Sunday's 9-4 win over Atlanta. He was mobbed by teammates and even pushed out of the dugout for a curtain call by Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine.

Amid rampant trade rumors and the undercurrent that Valentine might be pushing the longtime Fenway Park favorite all the way out of Boston, Youkilis got the full farewell treatment when he exited the game after tripling in his last at-bat as a Red Sox.

Valentine said after the game that he was told by general manager Ben Cherington just before Youkilis' final at-bat to take Youkilis out of the game. Valentine said he couldn't offer any more specifics.

When reporters entered the clubhouse after the game, the nameplate was gone from Youkilis' locker had been cleaned out.

Playing third base, his primary position over his career, Youkilis had a single and a triple today, giving him 961 hits in nine seasons for the Red Sox, the only major league team he has played for. That raised his batting average for the season to .233, by far a career low for the 33-year-old.

The Youkilis trade rumors have reached beyond Boston. Chicago White Sox pitcher Jake Peavy addressed rumors his team could be involved in a deal.

Earlier in the day, Youkilis' brother took a (parting?) shot at the Red Sox and Valentine, who created a mini-furor in April when he said he didn't think Youkilis was playing up to his previous standards. Since then, rookie Will Middlebrooks has received increased playing time at third base and is batting .331. Scott Youkilis, who owns a San Francisco restaurant, tweeted "Bobby V is a joke" and "Chicago is a better town anyway."

Contributing: Bob Nightengale

Kemp says he won't pick Harper for Derby

By Adam Berry / MLB.com | 06/27/12 12:25 PM ET

Don't expect to see Bryce Harper going deep in the State Farm Home Run Derby. Not this year, at least.

Dodgers center fielder Matt Kemp, the National League team's captain, told USA Today that he likes the Nationals' 19-year-old phenom, but he won't be adding him to the roster of sluggers for the July 9 Home Run Derby in Kansas City.

"It's not because he's a rookie. It's just that there are other guys out there that are capable," Kemp told USA Today. "I'm not saying he wouldn't do a good job in the Home Run Derby. He's going to have plenty of time to participate in many Home Run Derbies. Just not this year. Nothing against him. I love watching him play."

Harper has hit seven homers in 52 games this season, the third most among Washington players behind Adam LaRoche and Ian Desmond. Harper has also recorded 11 doubles and four triples, giving him a .480 slugging percentage to go along with his .278 average and .357 on-base percentage.

Harper's power became almost legendary when he was gaining fame as a young teenager. When he was 16 years old, he clobbered a 502-foot blast at Tropicana Field -- the longest in the stadium's history.

With the risk of putting yet another whammy on another player, Chris Sale is having an all-star type first half of the season. He picked up his 9th win today, finally getting some needed run support.

Darvish becomes a 10 game winner. He's gone over the 100 strikeout mark. All-star worthy?

Source: Dodgers agree to sign Cuban Puig

By Jesse Sanchez / MLB.com | 06/28/12 9:45 AM ET

The Dodgers have been open about their willingness to spend money to make the team better and candid about their desire to strengthen their presence on an international market that they once dominated.

It appears the club has made progress on both fronts in one fell swoop.

According to an industry source, the Dodgers have agreed to a seven-year deal worth $42 million with 21-year-old international prospect Yasiel Puig, a 6-foot-3, 210-pound outfielder from Cuba.

The Dodgers haven't commented on or confirmed the signing.

Puig (pronounced Pweeg) was declared a free agent Wednesday, not long after establishing temporary residency in Mexico, and was eventually cleared by the U.S. Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

In order to avoid being subject to new CBA guidelines that will limit spending on international prospects to $2.9 million per team without penalty, Puig must sign the record-setting deal, have the contract approved by Major League Baseball and pass a physical before Monday.

The Cubs and White Sox also expressed interest in Puig.

A top prospect in the island's premier league, the Cuban National Series (Serie Nacional), Puig hit .276 with five home runs during his first campaign with Cienfuegos in 2008-09 and had a breakout year the next season, hitting .330 with 17 home runs and 78 RBIs. He did not play for Cienfuegos during the 2011-12 seasons because he was being disciplined for attempting to defect.

Puig, a member of the country's national team, is the latest high-profile Cuban player to sign with a Major League club. Outfielders Yoenis Cespedes signed a four-year $36 million deal with the A's in mid-February, and Jorge Soler signed a nine-year, $30 million deal with the Cubs earlier this month. Left-handed pitcher Omar Luis Rodriguez signed a Minor League deal worth $4 million with the Yankees last week, and fellow lefty Gerardo Concepcion signed a five-year, $6 million deal with the Cubs in early February.

Back in January 2010, Aroldis Chapman signed a six-year $30.25 million deal with the Reds, and infielder Adeiny Hechavarria signed a four-year, $10 million deal with the Blue Jays three months later. Pitcher Yunesky Maya signed a four-year, $8 million deal with the Nationals that July.

Before the start of the 2009 season, Dayan Viciedo signed a four-year, $10 million deal with the White Sox, and shortstop Jose Iglesias signed a four-year, $8.25 million contract with the Red Sox near the end of the season.

In May 2011, the Rangers signed outfielder Leonys Martin to a five-year, $15.5 million deal, which included a $5 million signing bonus.

More Cuban prospects could be on the way. Pitcher Armando Rivero, along with outfielder Henry Urrutia, were also declared free agents this month and are seeking deals.

Armando Rivero, a 24-year-old right-handed pitcher, and Henry Urrutia, 25-year-old corner outfielder played on the Cuban national team, the highest level a player can reach in the country.

Rivero throws his fastball between 94 and 96 miles per hour and could project as either a starter or reliever. The team that signs him will need to give him more time to develop in the minors if they want to make a starter compared to relieving. In his Cuban career, Urrutia has consistently hit for a high average and gap-to-gap power.

It's not like these Cubans broke any banks! If this team can't afford top prospects that signed with other teams for 9 million a year for 4 years (Cespedes-A's), 6 million a year for seven year (Puig-Dodgers), and 3.5 million a year for 9 years (Soler-Cubs), Dolan and company shouldn't be in this business.

Joe: Here's a column questioning the Puig deal from Baseball America;

The Dodgers appear to have made a statement with an expensive Cuban signing, but the message they sent across baseball has mostly elicited the same response:

What are the Dodgers thinking?

A source confirmed that the Dodgers have signed Cuban outfielder Yasiel Puig, and according to multiple stories, first reported by ESPN Deportes, they gave him a seven-year, $42 million major league contract.

The question around baseball is how the Dodgers could justify awarding such a lavish contract to a player who scouts considered more of a solid than a spectacular prospect. Puig hasn't played in a year, and aside from a light series of workouts last weekend that were more notable for a circus atmosphere than anything else, he hasn't been seen (legally) by American scouts since June 2011.

The 21-year-old Puig is a corner outfielder with a thick frame around 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds when he's been in game shape, but more recent reports from scouts in Mexico—where his agent, Jaime Torres, said last week that he has obtained permanent residency—are that he looked heavier and was out of baseball condition.

That's understandable given Puig's history. The righthanded hitter had been one of the better performers in Cuba's top league Serie Nacional during his brief time on the field, but due to disciplinary action (some say it was due to Cuba's assertion that he was attempting to defect; others say it was for different reasons), it has been nearly a year since he's seen high-level competitive action.

One executive called the deal "crazy." Several others were floored by the reported contract terms.

"I don't know," said one international director, echoing several of his colleagues. "I don't know what's going on in Dodger land. They must have seen something."

Those who have seen Puig seem lukewarm on his talent. He has good bat speed and generates plus raw power, but scouts have expressed concerns about his hitting approach. Some scouts say they have gotten some good running times on him before and he's shown more athleticism in the past, but others haven't seen him run well. He projects as a corner outfielder and has drawn question marks from scouts about his defensive instincts. He is an interesting prospect with raw talent, but for several teams, he wouldn't have even been a first-round pick if he were in the draft.

Due to disciplinary action, Puig did not play in Serie Nacional this past season. However, in his final season in Cuba playing for Cienfuegos in 2010-11, he hit .330/.430/.581 with 17 home runs, six triples and 19 doubles in 327 at-bats in a league with a supercharged offensive environment. He drew more walks (49) than strikeouts (39) and stole five bases in nine attempts. He ranked 31st in on-base percentage and 22nd in slugging in the league.

"Leslie Anderson's numbers were good in Cuba—where's he at?" said one Latin American director. "It means nothing. You don't want their numbers to be bad, but just because they're good doesn't mean anything."

Unlike Athletics outfielder Yoenis Cespedes or even younger Cubans like Rangers outfielder Leonys Martin or Reds lefthander Aroldis Chapman, Puig never played for the top Cuban national team. However, Puig did play for the Cuban national B team at the World Port Tournament in Rotterdam in June 2011, when he hit .333/.419/.481 with a homer, a double, three walks and five strikeouts in 31 trips to the plate as Cuba's left fielder. Several teams couldn't believe Puig could command a bigger contract than Cespedes, a well-known star in Cuba.

"You had many chances to see Cespedes play," said a second Latin American director. "This guy's kind of an unknown. I don't know. That's their flavor."

When Cespedes left Cuba, the reaction was fairly widespread excitement from teams who viewed him as a potential all-star with immediate major league impact. Given Puig's age and experience level, he could report to one of the Class A levels.

"Cespedes is a much better athlete, more of a complete package," said a third Latin American director. "He's a center fielder, good arm. (Puig has) got power and he runs OK, the bat stays through the zone quite a bit. He's strong, not quite as strong as (Dayan) Viciedo, but he's currently got plus power. I don't know if they even had anyone close to beating them."

Puig did play at the World Junior Championship in 2008 in Edmonton, where he was teammates with Red Sox shortstop Jose Iglesias and Royals lefthander Noel Arguelles before they defected at the tournament. Puig made the tournament all-star team, as did Toronto's Brett Lawrie at catcher for Canada and Nationals lefthander Matt Purke for Team USA.

However, since June 2011, major league scouts have not had the ability to evaluate Puig in person or even on video since he missed the most recent season in Serie Nacional. And unlike even Jorge Soler, who signed a huge major league contract with almost zero experience in Cuba's top league, Puig hasn't had the time to work out for for teams outside of Cuba.

"For me, you have to have history in order to make that kind of investment," said the third Latin American director, "and we certainly didn't have that kind of history."

When Dodgers president Stan Kasten held the same title in Washington, the Nationals proudly trumpeted their presence on the international market in 2006 by signing a 16-year-old Dominican shortstop named Esmailyn Gonzalez for $1.4 million. That deal embarrassed the Nationals and sent them back for years internationally when it was later revealed that Gonzalez was really 20-year-old Carlos Alvarez.

Puig is a much better prospect than Gonzalez/Alvarez, and there aren't questions about his identity, but there is plenty of skepticism in the baseball world about the deal. Only this time, the money is exponentially higher.

Jim Thome finds new home in Baltimore

By Mark Townsend | Big League Stew – 3 hours ago

(US Presswire)
With an offense ranking towards the bottom of the American League in several key categories (runs scored, average and .OPS among them), that's having a particularly difficult time handling right-handed pitching, the Baltimore Orioles went out and acquired some Hall of Fame thump from the left side on Saturday.

As first reported by Jim Salisbury of Comcast Sports Net Philadelphia and later confirmed to be a done deal by Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal, the Philadelphia Phillies shipped 41-year-old Jim Thome — and his 609 career home runs — to Baltimore in exchange for 19-year-old catcher Gabriel Lino and 21-year-old right-hander Kyle Simon — the 11th and 20th ranked prospects respectively in the Baltimore organization — who are both at the Class A level.

In 71 plate appearances this season, Thome has posted a .242/.338/.516 line, which isn't exactly overwhelming or necessarily an improvement over the current Orioles designated hitters (.258/.349/.439) but he's been productive with the limited at-bats connecting for five homers and knocking in 15 runs. That's the type of instant offense Orioles general manager Dan Duquette is looking for, along with the experience and other intangibles Thome brings to the table.

"Jim Thome is a real pro," said Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette. "And he specializes in hitting home runs and getting on base. He has done that consistently. Beyond that he is a terrific teammate, a steady presence and he is a veteran. He has been around the league and he has been in a pennant race and in the playoffs. I like all those things that he brings to our team. I think he gives us a little more depth to our lineup with the injuries to our left-handed hitters."

Thome should immediately take over primary designed hitter duties against right-hitters in wake of Nick Johnson's latest injury. Baltimore has also been weakened from the left side by injuries to Nick Markakis and Endy Chavez, so Thome's bat obviously holds a great deal of value to them as we get ready to turn the page to July.

As for the Phillies, holding on to Thome made little sense at this point. He's not a good fit with a National League team, where bench players with versatility hold more value, and a roster spot was eventually going to be needed to be opened up for the rehabbing Ryan Howard. Though at this time no concrete timetable for Howard's return has been established, Ruben Amaro was quick to jump on a deal that lands them a couple fringe prospects.