Monday 9/26/2013: Quentin and Dawson win Player of the Week award
It's the 4th time that the AL Player of the Week award goes to Kansas City's rightfielder Carlos Quentin. Carlos went 11 for 25 (.440), while hitting 3 HR and collecting 9 RBI. His season features a batting average of .262 (140 hits in 535 AB), 51 doubles, 2 triples and 25 longballs. Quentin collected 95 RBI and 86 runs as well. Andre Dawson wins his 1st Player of the Week award. NL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. Andre was on fire, hitting .704 with 1 HR and 12 RBI. He got at least one hit each game this week and is on a 11 game hitting streak right now.
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Monday 9/19/2013: Mauer and Hamilton win Player of the Week award
Minnesota's catcher Joe Mauer had some reason to celebrate, as the league named him the AL Player of the Week. Joe was on fire, hitting .625 with 4 HR and 8 RBI. While compiling an on base percentage of .400, Joe hit .331 and slugged .621. He has collected 117 runs batted in this year. He's 3rd in the AL in batting, 5th in homeruns and 3rd in RBI! The NL Player of the Week award goes to Josh Hamilton, San Francisco's starting leftfielder. In 29 at bats he hit .483 with 6 HR and 10 RBI. Hamilton has hit 52 bombs this year while batting .295. He adds 27 doubles, along with 113 runs scored. He's 3rd in the NL in RBIs and 1st in homeruns!
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Sunday 9/18/2013: Seattle's Alexei Ramirez mashes five hits
DETROIT - On Sunday, Seattle's second baseman Alexei Ramirez displayed his sensational ability to handle the bat against Detroit, punishing their pitchers with five hits. A RBI double off Wayne Twitchell in the 1st inning accounted for his 1st hit. His 3rd hit was a double off Wayne Twitchell in the 6th inning. A pitch from Don Stanhouse in the 6th inning left his bat for a three-run homerun, landing 350 feet from home plate in left field. He collected singles in the 4th and in the 8th inning . Alexei did drive in 4 while scoring 2 runs on his own. His 5 hit performance increases his batting average to .281. Seattle improved its record to 78-72, scoring 14 runs on 13 hits.
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Friday 9/16/2013: Boston's Delmon Young hits for the cycle
BALTIMORE - Boston's leftfielder Delmon Young accomplished a difficult feat in a game against Baltimore, hitting for the cycle to improve his career batting average to .273! His 1st hit, a two-run homerun off Kevin Kobel in the 1st inning, landed an estimated 385 feet from home plate. A single in the 4th off Kevin Kobel accounted for his 2nd hit. His 3rd hit was a RBI double off Jose Garcia in the 6th inning. In the 8th inning he unloaded a triple off Jose Garcia. That drive completed the cycle, causing a smile on his face! Delmon did drive in 3 while scoring 4 runs on his own. He now has a total of 143 hits this season, accounting for a .268 batting average. 133 players in league history have so far hit for the cycle, including Delmon. On 5/28/2013, Ken Folsom was the last player to hit for the cycle.
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Thursday 9/15/2013: Max Scherzer fires 2-hitter against Philadelphia
CINCINNATI - Cincinnati's right-hander Max Scherzer is a great pitcher. And he once again showed his stuff, blanking Philadelphia on just 2 hits. It's his 3rd shutout this season, and the 4th time he has done it in his career. Scherzer (14-11) struck out 6 and walked 3, throwing 57 of 101 pitches for strikes. 'I had my stuff going. Everything I tried worked. What a day!' Lastings Milledge helped Scherzer at the plate, he stroked 1 hit in 4 AB, stroking a double. Cincinnati improved its record to 89-57, scoring 4 runs on 6 hits.
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Wednesday 9/14/2013: Johan Santana turns in great performance against St. Louis
ST. LOUIS - Johan Santana took the mound and never left. And St. Louis hitters couldn't touch him at all. Pittsburgh's southpaw gave up just 2 hits in his 1st shutout of the season. He now has 20 career shutouts in 384 games started. Santana (16-9) struck out 6 and issued 1 BB, throwing 58 of 93 pitches for strikes. 'Giving my team a chance to win is the most important thing for me. I was able to do it today.' Chase Headley provided Pittsburgh with the offense Santana needed as he stroked 2 hits in 4 AB. Pittsburgh scored 4 runs on 7 hits.
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Monday 9/12/2013: Seattle's Pearce wins Player of the Week award
Steven Pearce from Seattle wins his 3rd Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the AL. Steven was on fire, hitting .407 with 2 HR and 8 RBI. The NL's best player of the week was New York (N)'s Travis Buck, who wins the award for the 2nd time in his career. In 17 at bats he hit .529 with 2 HR and 7 RBI. Buck has hit for a .274 average this season. He has 42 extra base hits along with 181 total bases, resulting in a .450 slugging percentage.
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Friday 9/9/2013: St. Louis' Snyder severely injured, out for season
ST. LOUIS - St. Louis' catcher Chris Snyder will miss the rest of the season. He injured himself running the bases in the game between St. Louis and Colorado. The injury didn't seem to be serious the moment it happened. But suddenly Snyder collapsed in pain and had to be carried off the field. After being examined by several specialists the diagnosis is clear: Torn Posterior Cruciate Ligament. He has hit 9 homeruns while batting .321 this season. His 122 hits and 32 walks add up to a .369 on-base percentage.
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Thursday 9/8/2013: Rick Porcello pitches his 3rd shutout of the season
NEW YORK (A) - New York (A)'s right-hander Rick Porcello didn't look unexperienced at all. The 20 year old pitched a 2-hit shutout against Boston, recording his 3rd shutout of the season. 'That was one of the best games of my career. I had my stuff working very well today.' Porcello (12-10) struck out 6 and issued 3 BB, throwing 63 of 103 pitches for strikes. Nyjer Morgan provided New York (A) with the offense Porcello needed as he went 3 for 3, stroking a double, with 4 RBI. The final score of the game was 5-0.
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Monday 9/5/2013: Young and McCovey win Player of the Week award
The Player of the Week award in the AL goes to Boston's Delmon Young this time, as the rightfielder displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. Young helped his team with an average of .476 and 9 RBI in 21 at bats. He hit in every game this week and extended his hitting streak to 8 games. The NL Player of the Week award goes to Willie McCovey, San Diego's starting first baseman. Willie pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .520 with 1 HR and 8 RBI while slugging .920. Willie has gone 121 for 471 (.257) this season, hitting 36 longballs and driving in 105 runs. He has scored 96 runs on his own. He's 4th in the NL in RBIs and 3rd in homeruns!
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Sunday 9/4/2013: Kevin Slowey shuts out Toronto on 2 hits
TORONTO - Boston's right-hander Kevin Slowey is a great pitcher. And he once again showed his stuff, blanking Toronto on just 2 hits. It's his 2nd shutout this season, and the 8th time he has done it in his career. Slowey (15-10) was overpowering, fanning 11 while walking none, throwing 105 pitches. 'Today I just felt fine. I had a good feeling while warming up.' Boston's first baseman Kila Ka'aihue finished with 1 hit in 4 AB, homering once, and collecting 2 RBI. That was enough to support the brilliant performance of Slowey. Boston scored 4 runs on 8 hits.
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Thursday 9/1/2013: Haren (LAA) and Fingers (MIL) win monthly pitcher award
It's the 2nd time that the AL Pitcher of the Month award goes to Los Angeles (A)'s pitcher Danny Haren. His ERA of just 1.03 helped him to a 6-0 record in August. He worked 52.1 innings, striking out 30 hitters while walking 2. Danny has a record of 16-9 this season, with an ERA of 2.55. In 219 Innings he was able to strike out 137 batters. He has 14 complete games and 2 shutouts. He's 1st in the AL in ERA and 3rd in wins! Milwaukee's Rollie Fingers had a terrific August, and it earned him the NL Pitcher of the month award. He had an ERA of just 0.96 in 37.1 innings of work in which he struck out 34 hitters. His record in August is 4-1. In 17 starts this year Rollie struck out 93 batters in 94 innings of work. His ERA is 3.64, his record 7-7.
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Thursday 9/1/2013: Milwaukee's Pujols named Batter of the Month
Joe DiMaggio of Oakland wins his 3rd Batter of the Month award for putting up the best numbers in the AL. He had an on base percentage of .376 and hit .327, while driving in 22 runs. DiMaggio has hit for a .330 average this season. He has 78 extra base hits along with 303 total bases, resulting in a .654 slugging percentage. He's 3rd in the AL in batting, 3rd in homeruns and 3rd in RBI! Milwaukee's leftfielder Albert Pujols had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the NL Batter of the Month. He hit .602 with 24 RBI and slugged .894 in 113 at bats. He has hit 32 taters while batting .380 this season. His 186 hits and 54 walks add up to a .440 on-base percentage. He's 1st in the NL in batting, 8th in homeruns and 1st in RBI!
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Monday 8/29/2013: Player of the Week honors go to Riddle and Pujols
It's the 1st time that the AL Player of the Week award goes to Boston's pitcher Elmer Riddle. He was in a zone all week, compiling an ERA of 0.53 while going 2-0. He hurled a shutout as well. This season Riddle compiled an ERA of 3.48, going 5-6 in 14 starts. He fanned 42 while giving up 105 hits in 95.2 innings. Elmer has pitched 2 shutouts and 4 complete games. It's the 18th time that the NL Player of the Week award goes to Milwaukee's leftfielder Albert Pujols. In 27 at bats he hit .519 with 2 HR and 5 RBI. Pujols has hit for a .378 average this season. He has 77 extra base hits along with 322 total bases, resulting in a .668 slugging percentage. He's 1st in the NL in batting, 7th in homeruns and 1st in RBI!
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Wednesday 8/24/2013: Atlanta's Grady Sizemore ropes five hits
ATLANTA - On Wednesday, Atlanta's centerfielder Grady Sizemore displayed his sensational ability to handle the bat against Pittsburgh, punishing their pitchers with five hits. Number 2 in the 5th inning accounted for a double. A double off Scott Olsen in the 7th inning accounted for his 3rd hit. His 4th hit was a triple off Scott Olsen in the 9th inning. A double off Jason Vargas in the 11th inning accounted for his 5th hit. He collected a single in the 1st. Grady scored one run. He didn't collect any RBIs, though. He's having a very good season so far, batting .332. Atlanta improved its record to 78-49, scoring 5 runs on 19 hits.
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Tuesday 8/23/2013: Chicago (A)'s Matsuzaka out for 5-6 weeks
CHICAGO (A) - Chicago (A)'s pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka was part of a scary incident that saw the right-hander being hit by a line drive in the 2nd inning of the game between Chicago (A) and Cleveland. Team trainers immediately rushed onto the field after the frightening scene. Matsuzaka will miss about 5-6 weeks. Broken Hand was the diagnosis after x-rays were taken in a nearby hospital. The message shocked teammates and team officials. In 28 starts this year Daisuke struck out 171 batters in 199.1 innings of work. His ERA is 3.52, his record 11-10.
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Tuesday 8/23/2013: Kansas City has no chance in a 2-hitter by Elizardo Ramirez
BOSTON - Elizardo Ramirez had some fun again. Kansas City hitters did not. Boston's right-hander gave up just 2 hits in his 1st shutout of the season. He now has 5 career shutouts in 255 games started. 'They took some ugly cuts at my breaking stuff, so I kept throwing it. Fortunately they were not able to adjust in time.' Ramirez (8-10) showed excellent control, walking nobody and fanning 2. The hitting star for Boston was third baseman Yulieski Gourriel, he finished with 3 hits in 3 AB, blasting a homerun, and driving in 4 runs. The final score of the game was 7-0.
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Tuesday 8/23/2013: Jason Kubel socks five hits for Baltimore
BALTIMORE - 'Wow, five hits in one game is something special, isn't it?' said Baltimore's rightfielder Jason Kubel after the 26-0 win over Texas. His 1st hit, a two-run homerun off Anthony Reyes in the 2nd inning, cleared the fence in right-center. Number 4 in the 5th inning, a shot estimated at 387 feet, cleared the wall in left field. Number 5 in the 6th inning accounted for a RBI double. He had singles in the 3rd and in the 4th inning . Jason scored 4 runs, and he collected 6 RBI as well! His 5 hit performance increases his batting average to .245.
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Monday 8/22/2013: McPherson (LAA) and Pujols (MIL) win P.O.W. award
Dallas McPherson from Los Angeles (A) wins his 3rd Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the AL. McPherson helped his team with an average of .444 and 10 RBI in 27 at bats. McPherson has hit 22 bombs this year while batting .278. He adds 26 doubles, along with 67 runs scored. The Player of the Week award in the NL goes to Milwaukee's Albert Pujols this time, as the leftfielder displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. He had an on base percentage of .680 and hit .667, while driving in 5 runs. He hit in every game this week and extended his hitting streak to 7 games.
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Tuesday 8/16/2013: Arizona's Sadaharu Oh slams five hits
MILWAUKEE - On Tuesday, Arizona's first baseman Sadaharu Oh displayed his sensational ability to handle the bat against Milwaukee, punishing their pitchers with five hits. Number 3 in the 6th inning accounted for a double. His 4th hit, a two-run homerun off Tim Lincecum in the 7th inning, cleared the fence in left field. In the 9th inning he belted a RBI double off Pat Neshek. He collected singles in the 2nd inning and in the 4th . Sadaharu scored 3 runs, and he collected 3 RBI as well! This season has been a good one for him so far, as he has 125 hits in 410 at bats, resulting in a .305 batting average. Arizona improved its record to 71-50, scoring 9 runs on 15 hits.
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Monday 8/15/2013: Longoria and Pujols win Player of the Week award
Evan Longoria wins his 9th Player of the Week award. AL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. Evan was on fire, hitting .708 with 3 HR and 5 RBI. He has hit 29 longballs while batting .283 this season. His 123 hits and 56 walks add up to a .369 on-base percentage. He's 6th in the AL in RBIs and 2nd in homeruns! Albert Pujols wins his 16th Player of the Week award. NL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. Albert pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .708 with 2 HR and 6 RBI while slugging 1.083.
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Sunday 8/14/2013: Joe DiMaggio punishes New York (A) with three dingers
NEW YORK (A) - Joe DiMaggio can hit'em a long way, and New York (A) pitchers couldn't smile about that today. Oakland's leftfielder unloaded three bombs, adding to his reputation of being one of the best power hitters in the game. His 1st shot, a two-run homerun off Mike Gosling in the 1st inning, cleared the fence in left field. His 2nd blast, a two-run homerun off Mike Gosling in the 4th inning, landed an estimated 372 feet from home plate. His 3rd shot, off Dewon Brazelton in the 5th inning, was a solo homerun and cleared the fence in left-center. Overall he went 3 for 5, scoring three runs and driving in 5 runs. His homerun total this year is 28, along with 91 RBI. Oakland scored 11 runs on 15 hits.
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Friday 8/12/2013: Chicago (A)'s Prince Fielder goes deep three times
DETROIT - Chicago (A)'s first baseman Prince Fielder flexed his muscles and displayed his tremendous power, homering three times in a 9-3 win over Detroit. A pitch from Wayne Twitchell in the 1st inning left his bat for a two-run homerun, landing 349 feet from home plate in right field. In the 3rd inning he unloaded a solo homerun off Wayne Twitchell. His 3rd shot, off Greg Thayer in the 5th inning, was a solo homerun and cleared the fence in right field. Prince finished with 3 hits in 4 AB, with three runs scored and driving in 4 runs. His homerun total this year is 43, along with 99 RBI. The final score of the game was 9-3.
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Thursday 8/11/2013: Mike Gonzalez (OAK) will miss 6-7 weeks
OAKLAND - Oakland is without its left-hander Mike Gonzalez for at least 6-7 weeks. He injured himself while throwing a pitch to Josh Barfield in a game against New York (A). His face showed signs of pain immediately after the ball left his hand. After being examined by several specialists the diagnosis is clear: Pulled Bicep Muscle. This season Gonzalez compiled an ERA of 6.82, going 4-4 in 0 starts. He fanned 31 while giving up 37 hits in 34.1 innings.
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Monday 8/8/2013: Soriano and Bruce win Player of the Week award
The AL's best player of the week was Toronto's Alfonso Soriano, who wins the award for the 7th time in his career. Alfonso pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .444 with 6 HR and 11 RBI while slugging 1.222. The Player of the Week award in the NL goes to Arizona's Jay Bruce this time, as the leftfielder displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. Jay pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .684 with 1 HR and 9 RBI while slugging 1.158.
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Saturday 8/6/2013: Alfonso Soriano homers three times against New York (A)
TORONTO - Alfonso Soriano was in a groove, and the results spoke for themselves. He powered Toronto to a 13-6 win over New York (A) by homering three times. In the 4th inning he unloaded a solo homerun off Dewon Brazelton. His 2nd shot, off Dewon Brazelton in the 5th inning, was a three-run homerun and cleared the fence in center field. His 3rd blast, a solo homerun off Jose Antonio Nunez in the 7th inning, landed an estimated 398 feet from home plate. Alfonso got 4 hits in 4 AB, stroking a double, with FOUR runs scored and driving in 6 runs.
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Friday 8/5/2013: Brad Wilkerson ropes 2000th career hit
TORONTO - Toronto's designated hitter Brad Wilkerson joined some elite company today, collecting his 2000th career hit! Along with his 2000 hits, Brad collected 196 homeruns and 1030 RBI in 11 seasons. 'My firends always told me that I will do it one day. I never believed it. Good that I was wrong!' He hit a single in the 6th off Rick Sutcliffe for number 2000.
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Friday 8/5/2013: Brad Wilkerson has 2000th career hits
TORONTO - Toronto's Brad Wilkerson showed a smile on his face after he got his 2000th career hit against New York (A) on Friday. Along with his 2000 hits, Brad collected 196 homeruns and 1032 RBI in 11 seasons. 'I still remember my first hit. But the one today is something special. I'll definitely keep that ball!' With one out in the 8th inning, Brad drilled a single, causing a standing ovation from the crowd.
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Monday 8/1/2013: Oswalt (CHA) and Halladay (ARI) win monthly pitcher award
The best month of July in the AL certainly had Chicago (A)'s right-hander Roy Oswalt, earning him the Pitcher of the Month award. His record of 5-0 in 6 was among the leagues best this month. In 49.2 innings of work he allowed just 36 hits while striking out 27, compiling an ERA of just 1.27. Roy also fired a shutout. This season Oswalt compiled an ERA of 3.24, going 13-3 in 23 starts. He fanned 120 while giving up 154 hits in 152.2 innings. He has 3 complete games and one shutout. He's 4th in the AL in ERA and 4th in wins! The best month of July in the NL certainly had Arizona's right-hander Roy Halladay, earning him the Pitcher of the Month award. He started 5 games in July, going 4-0 and compiling an ERA of 1.27 in 35.1 innings. Roy fanned 30 hitters. This season Halladay compiled an ERA of 2.64, going 11-3 in 17 starts. He fanned 98 while giving up 98 hits in 116 innings. Roy has pitched one shutout and one complete game.
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Monday 8/1/2013: Chicago (A)'s Fielder earns Batter of the Month award
Chicago (A)'s first baseman Prince Fielder had some reason to celebrate, as the league named him the AL Batter of the Month. He hit .347 with 30 RBI and slugged .806 in 98 at bats. He has hit 37 longballs while batting .284 this season. His 105 hits and 60 walks add up to a .385 on-base percentage. He's 3rd in the AL in RBIs and 1st in homeruns! Arizona's first baseman Sadaharu Oh had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the NL Batter of the Month. He had an on base percentage of .440 and hit .337, while driving in 31 runs. Oh has walked 58 times this year and posts a .383 OBP. While batting .289, 104 for 360, he has driven in 76 runs.
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Monday 8/1/2013: Player of the Week honors go to Butler and Oh
It's the 2nd time that the AL Player of the Week award goes to Chicago (A)'s rightfielder Billy Butler. Billy was on fire, hitting .346 with 5 HR and 9 RBI. The NL's best player of the week was Arizona's Sadaharu Oh, who wins the award for the 3rd time in his career. Sadaharu pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .652 with 6 HR and 14 RBI while slugging 1.565.
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Sunday 7/31/2013: Toronto's Purcey severely injured
TORONTO - Toronto is without its left-hander David Purcey for at least 5-6 weeks. He injured himself while throwing a pitch to Joe DiMaggio in a game against Oakland. His face showed signs of pain immediately after the ball left his hand. Doctors examined him after the game and diagnosed a Ruptured Tricep Tendon which will require surgery.
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Sunday 7/31/2013: Billy Butler homers three times against Baltimore
BALTIMORE - Hitting homeruns is one of the most difficult things in sports. To hit three of them in one game is almost sensational. Chicago (A)'s rightfielder Billy Butler accomplished that feat in a 10-1 win over Baltimore. A 365 foot drive to left field marked his 1st bomb, a solo homerun off Jose Garcia in the 1st inning. His 2nd shot, off Jose Garcia in the 3rd inning, was a two-run homerun and cleared the fence in left-center. A pitch from Bryan Digby in the 7th inning left his bat for a solo homerun, landing 425 feet from home plate in left-center. Overall he got 3 hits in 5 AB, with three runs scored with 4 RBI. Chicago (A) scored 10 runs on 13 hits.
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Wednesday 7/27/2013: C.C. Sabathia fires 2-hitter against Colorado
ST. LOUIS - St. Louis' lefty C.C. Sabathia is a great pitcher. And he once again showed his stuff, blanking Colorado on just 2 hits. It's his 1st shutout this season, and the 12th time he has done it in his career. 'I really like to play baseball, and I love the way I was able to play it today.' Sabathia (10-6) struck out 6 and issued 1 BB, throwing 56 of 90 pitches for strikes. The hitting star for St. Louis was first baseman Joey Votto, he stroked 3 hits in 5 AB, hitting a homerun, and collecting 4 RBI. St. Louis scored 9 runs on 14 hits.
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Monday 7/25/2013: Kyle Kendrick pitches his 1st shutout of the season
BALTIMORE - All you need to win is a dominating pitching performance. And Baltimore's Kyle Kendrick did so today, in a 2-hit shutout against Oakland. Kendrick (6-8) struck out none and issued 1 BB, throwing 58 of 88 pitches for strikes. 'My catcher called a very good game. I have to give credit to him.' The hitting star for Baltimore was second baseman Bronson Sardinha, he finished with 3 hits in 4 AB, homering once. Baltimore scored 4 runs on 9 hits.
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Monday 7/25/2013: Sadaharu Oh pounds three dingers
CHICAGO (N) - Sadaharu Oh beat Chicago (N), but he did it without mercy, playing like a one man wrecking crew. Arizona's first baseman slugged three homeruns, once again proving that he is among the elite sluggers. His 1st blast, a three-run homerun off Garrett Olson in the 1st inning, landed an estimated 425 feet from home plate. His 2nd shot, off Garrett Olson in the 5th inning, was a solo homerun and cleared the fence in left field. Number 3 in the 7th inning, a shot estimated at 370 feet, cleared the wall in right field. Overall he collected 5 hits in 5 trips to the plate, scoring three runs and driving in 6 runs. In 1461 career at bats, he has hit 91 homeruns and collected 280 RBI. Arizona scored 10 runs on 15 hits.
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Monday 7/25/2013: Carew and Oh win Player of the Week award
Minnesota's first baseman Rod Carew had some reason to celebrate, as the league named him the AL Player of the Week. Rod went 17 for 26 (.654), while hitting 0 HR and collecting 7 RBI. The NL Player of the Week award goes to Sadaharu Oh, Arizona's starting first baseman. Sadaharu was on fire, hitting .524 with 6 HR and 16 RBI. Oh has walked 55 times this year and posts a .363 OBP. While batting .264, 89 for 337, he has driven in 62 runs.
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Sunday 7/24/2013: Chicago (N)'s Rios out for 4-5 weeks
CHICAGO (N) - Chicago (N)'s rightfielder Alexis Rios hurt himself in the 8th inning while diving for a batted ball. He got up slowly and had to leave the game. Alexis Rios will miss at least 4-5 weeks. Chicago (N) wasted no time and rushed him to an hospital. Team officials were informed later that Rios had suffered a Broken Ulna. Alexis has gone 73 for 331 (.221) this season, hitting 6 longballs and driving in 35 runs. He has scored 48 runs on his own.
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Tuesday 7/19/2013: Arizona's Denard Span pounds six hits
ARIZONA - Denard Span led Arizona to a 17-7 win over Philadelphia by squeezing six hits out of his bat. His 4th hit was a two-run double off Kris Medlen in the 5th inning. His 5th hit was a RBI double off Aaron Krawiec in the 7th inning. A 417 foot drive to left-center marked his 6th hit, a three-run homerun off Kenshin Kawakami in the 8th inning. He had singles in the 1st , in the 2nd inning and in the 4th . Denard scored one run, and he collected 6 RBI as well! He's having a very good season so far, batting .308.
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Monday 7/18/2013: Buck and Snider win Player of the Week award
Oakland's catcher John Buck had some reason to celebrate, as the league named him the AL Player of the Week. He had an on base percentage of .471 and hit .438, while driving in 5 runs. Duke Snider from San Francisco wins his 1st Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the NL. He hit .438 with 11 RBI and slugged 1.250 in 16 at bats. He now has homered in 3 consecutive games as well! His season numbers are: .305 AVG, 94 hits, 25 doubles, 5 triples and 21 bombs, along with 66 RBI and 66 runs scored.
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Sunday 7/17/2013: Toronto's Lance Berkman laces 2000th career hit
TORONTO - Toronto's Lance Berkman showed a smile on his face after he got his 2000th career hit against Boston on Sunday. His best year so far was 2001 where he hit .294 with 46 homeruns and 145 RBI. 'You dream about that as a kid, but when you reach such a milestone it's hard to believe. Fantastic.' His hit in the 1st inning was a two run homerun off Daryl Thompson.
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Thursday 7/14/2013: David Price fires 1-hitter against Washington
NEW YORK (N) - David Price took the mound and never left. And Washington hitters couldn't touch him at all. New York (N)'s lefty gave up just one hit in his 4th shutout of the season. He now has 8 career shutouts in 183 games started. With no outs in the 5th inning Alex Rodriguez doubled to break up the no-hitter. Price (12-6) fanned 6 and walked 2, throwing 104 pitches. 'That was one of the best games of my career. I had my stuff working very well today.' Justin Upton provided New York (N) with the offense Price needed as he finished with 2 hits in 4 AB, blasting a homerun, and driving in 2 runs. The final score of the game was 4-0.
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Monday 7/11/2013: Milwaukee's Hermida wins Player of the Week award
The AL's best player of the week was Los Angeles (A)'s Mark Teixeira, who wins the award for the 7th time in his career. Mark was on fire, hitting .464 with 4 HR and 11 RBI. The NL's best player of the week was Milwaukee's Jeremy Hermida, who wins the award for the 2nd time in his career. Jeremy pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .429 with 5 HR and 10 RBI while slugging 1.286. His season features a batting average of .248 (76 hits in 306 AB), 23 doubles, 3 triples and 18 homeruns. Hermida collected 51 RBI and 65 runs as well.
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Sunday 7/10/2013: Seattle's Belisario out for 6 weeks
SEATTLE - Seattle's pitcher Ronald Belisario was part of a scary incident that saw the right-hander being hit by a line drive in the 8th inning of the game between Seattle and Chicago (A). Team trainers immediately rushed onto the field after the frightening scene. Belisario will miss about 6 weeks. Belisario was rushed to an hospital near the ballpark, where doctors took x-rays. Those revealed the serious injury, Fractured Hand. In 0 starts this year Ronald struck out 18 batters in 21 innings of work. His ERA is 2.57, his record 0-0.
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Sunday 7/10/2013: Seattle's Weaver severely injured, out for season
SEATTLE - Seattle's ace Jered Weaver will not pitch again this year, suffering a serious injury in the game against Chicago (A) on Sunday. Weaver was rushed to an hospital near the ballpark, where doctors took x-rays. Those revealed the serious injury, Torn Ligament Elbow. This season Weaver compiled an ERA of 3.74, going 9-7 in 20 starts. He fanned 143 while giving up 140 hits in 149.1 innings.
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Sunday 7/10/2013: Matt Cain pitches his 1st shutout of the season
OAKLAND - Oakland's right-hander Matt Cain is a great pitcher. And he once again showed his stuff, blanking Toronto on just one hit. It's his 1st shutout this season, and the 7th time he has done it in his career. Cain (10-4) struck out 8 and issued 1 BB, throwing 63 of 101 pitches for strikes. 'My catcher called a very good game. I have to give credit to him.' Oakland's second baseman Rafael Furcal finished 3 for 4, doubling once, scoring two runs with 2 RBI. That was enough to support the brilliant performance of Cain. The final score of the game was 9-0.
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Saturday 7/9/2013: Bobby Sismondo fires 2-hitter against Chicago (N)
WASHINGTON - It was a great day for Washington's right-hander Bobby Sismondo. The 33-year old recorded his first career shutout, a 2-hitter, against Chicago (N) on Saturday. Sismondo (3-11) fanned 3 and walked 1, throwing 99 pitches. 'I had a good grip on the ball today and I was able to put it where I wanted. That kept them out of balance.' The hitting star for Washington was leftfielder Reggie Jackson, he stroked 2 hits in 4 AB, homering twice, scoring 2 runs and driving in 6 runs. Washington improved its record to 22-66, scoring 13 runs on 14 hits.
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Thursday 7/7/2013: Homer Bailey pitches 2-hit shutout against Atlanta
ATLANTA - New York (N)'s right-hander Homer Bailey is a great pitcher. And he once again showed his stuff, blanking Atlanta on just 2 hits. It's his 2nd shutout this season, and the 3rd time he has done it in his career. 'Hey, that's my job! Everytime I take the mound I give the best I can. And my best stuff was too much for them today.' Bailey (5-7) struck out 8 and issued 2 BB, throwing 62 of 104 pitches for strikes. The hitting star for New York (N) was shortstop Rance Mulliniks, he collected 1 hit in 4 trips to the plate, with 2 RBI. The final score of the game was 5-0.
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Wednesday 7/6/2013: Jack Cust clubs three rockets
HOUSTON - Jack Cust was in a groove, and the results spoke for themselves. He powered Florida to a 12-9 win over Houston by homering three times. A pitch from Cha-Seung Baek in the 2nd inning left his bat for a solo homerun, landing 403 feet from home plate in left-center. His 2nd shot, a three-run homerun off Kris Tetz in the 8th inning, cleared the fence in center field. His 3rd blast, a solo homerun off John Ambrose in the 9th inning, landed an estimated 413 feet from home plate. Jack finished with 3 hits in 5 AB, with three runs scored with 5 RBI. In 5666 career at bats, he has hit 394 homeruns and collected 1099 RBI. The induction into the Hall of Fame is almost a sure thing for him now! Joe Mauer was the last player to hit 3 homeruns in a game, doing it 7/1/2013.
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Monday 7/4/2013: Murphy (TOR) and Sizemore (ATL) win P.O.W. award
The AL Player of the Week award goes to Donnie Murphy, Toronto's starting second baseman. In 24 at bats he hit .458 with 4 HR and 14 RBI. He hit in every game this week and extended his hitting streak to 7 games. He now has homered in 3 consecutive games as well! Murphy has walked 22 times this year and posts a .355 OBP. While batting .312, 104 for 333, he has driven in 75 runs. He's 1st in the AL in RBIs and 5th in homeruns! The Player of the Week award in the NL goes to Atlanta's Grady Sizemore this time, as the centerfielder displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. Grady was on fire, hitting .481 with 4 HR and 10 RBI. Grady has gone 97 for 310 (.313) this season, hitting 11 homeruns and driving in 50 runs. He has scored 61 runs on his own.
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Saturday 7/2/2013: Brandon Wood out for 5-6 weeks
LOS ANGELES (A) - Los Angeles (A)'s third baseman Brandon Wood will miss at least 5-6 weeks after he got hurt seriously while running hard toward second base. He began limping and then fell down, causing a scary moment for his teammates. He had to be carried off the field. After x-rays were taken the diagnosis did not surprise many: Strained Posterior Cruciate Ligament. Surgery will be performed next week. Brandon is hitting .219 this year, with 70 hits in 319 at bats. He has driven in 52 runs, slugging .392.
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Friday 7/1/2013: Atlanta's Grady Sizemore slams six hits
ST. LOUIS - Grady Sizemore led Atlanta to a 12-6 win over St. Louis by squeezing six hits out of his bat. A pitch from Jair Jurrjens in the 1st inning left his bat for a triple. His 2nd hit, off Jair Jurrjens in the 2nd inning, was a two-run homerun and cleared the fence in right field. Number 3 in the 4th inning, a shot estimated at 369 feet, cleared the wall in right field. He had singles in the 5th (two RBIs) , in the 7th inning and in the 9th . Grady did drive in 6 while scoring 4 runs on his own. He is hitting .316 this season, with 11 HR and 49 RBI.
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Friday 7/1/2013: Joe Mauer on fire, crushes three
MINNESOTA - Hitting a homerun is fine, but hitting three of them in one game is something special. Minnesota's catcher Joe Mauer accomplished that feat in a 12-5 win over New York (A). Number 1 in the 2nd inning, a shot estimated at 405 feet, cleared the wall in right-center. A pitch from Dewon Brazelton in the 4th inning left his bat for a two-run homerun, landing 429 feet from home plate in center field. His 3rd shot, off Dewon Brazelton in the 6th inning, was a solo homerun and cleared the fence in right field. Joe got 4 hits in 4 AB, doubling once, scoring FOUR runs and collecting 4 RBI. Delmon Young was the last player to hit 3 homeruns in a game, doing it 5/4/2013.
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Friday 7/1/2013: Seattle's Shields earns Pitcher of the Month award
It's the 1st time that the AL Pitcher of the Month award goes to Seattle's pitcher James Shields. He had an ERA of just 1.69 in 42.2 innings of work in which he struck out 30 hitters. His record in June is 5-1. James pitched a shutout as well. In 12 starts this year James struck out 51 batters in 78.2 innings of work. His ERA is 3.66, his record 8-3. He has one complete game and one shutout. The best month of June in the NL certainly had Pittsburgh's right-hander Walter Beall, earning him the Pitcher of the Month award. He started 6 games in June, going 4-0 and compiling an ERA of 1.34 in 40.1 innings. Walter fanned 38 hitters. In 13 starts this year Walter struck out 73 batters in 85.2 innings of work. His ERA is 4.41, his record 6-2.
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Friday 7/1/2013: Kaline (OAK) and Aaron (PHI) win monthly award
It's the 1st time that the AL Batter of the Month award goes to Oakland's rightfielder Al Kaline. Al pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .333 with 7 and 28 RBI while slugging .645. Al has gone 84 for 294 (.286) this season, hitting 12 homeruns and driving in 61 runs. He has scored 55 runs on his own. It's the 2nd time that the NL Batter of the Month award goes to Philadelphia's rightfielder Hank Aaron. Hank went 30 for 67 (.448), while hitting 10 HR and collecting 23 RBI. Aaron has hit for a .355 average this season. He has 41 extra base hits along with 165 total bases, resulting in a .630 slugging percentage. He's 3rd in the NL in batting!
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Monday 6/27/2013: Player of the Week honors go to Kaline and Aaron
Al Kaline wins his 1st Player of the Week award. AL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. Al pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .550 with 3 HR and 12 RBI while slugging 1.100. This year Kaline drove in 58 and scored 53 runs while batting .275 with 12 homeruns. The NL Player of the Week award goes to Hank Aaron, Philadelphia's starting rightfielder. Aaron helped his team with an average of .625 and 10 RBI in 16 at bats.
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Wednesday 6/22/2013: Manny Parra (LAA) will miss 5 weeks
LOS ANGELES (A) - Los Angeles (A) is without its lefty Manny Parra for at least 5 weeks. He injured himself while throwing a pitch to Steven Pearce in a game against Seattle. His face showed signs of pain immediately after the ball left his hand. Parra was rushed to an hospital near the ballpark, where doctors took x-rays. Those revealed the serious injury, Pulled Tricep Muscle. In 15 starts this year Manny struck out 83 batters in 96.1 innings of work. His ERA is 4.58, his record 5-5.
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Wednesday 6/22/2013: Oakland's Al Kaline pounds five hits
TEXAS - 'Wow, five hits in one game is something special, isn't it?' said Oakland's rightfielder Al Kaline after the 17-3 win over Texas. His 2nd hit, off Bud Norris in the 2nd inning, was a two-run homerun and cleared the fence in left-center. In the 5th inning he unloaded a three-run homerun off Jae Weong Seo. He collected singles in the 1st , in the 3rd inning (one RBI) and in the 7th inning (one RBI). Al did drive in 7 while scoring 2 runs on his own. His 5 hit performance increases his batting average to .269.
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Wednesday 6/22/2013: Detroit's Chamberlain out for 5 weeks
DETROIT - Detroit's ace Joba Chamberlain suffered a severe injury on Wednesday and will be out for at least 5 weeks. In the 6th of the game against Kansas City he experienced pain in his throwing arm and had to leave the game. Doctors examined him after the game and diagnosed a Pulled Rotator Cuff Muscle which will require surgery. Joba has a record of 3-3 this season, with an ERA of 3.66. In 51.2 Innings he was able to strike out 45 batters. He has one complete game and one shutout.
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Tuesday 6/21/2013: Dexter Fowler (BOS) will miss 5 weeks
BOSTON - Boston's season has taken a hit after one of their best players, centerfielder Dexter Fowler, injured himself while rounding a base. He is likely to miss 5 weeks. After being examined by several specialists the diagnosis is clear: Pulled Anterior Cruciate Ligament. His season features a batting average of .228 (59 hits in 259 AB), 17 doubles, 4 triples and 4 taters. Fowler collected 36 RBI and 35 runs as well.
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Monday 6/20/2013: Duncan and Bostock win Player of the Week award
Chris Duncan from Toronto wins his 1st Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the AL. Duncan helped his team with an average of .480 and 11 RBI in 25 at bats. The Player of the Week award in the NL goes to Atlanta's Lyman Bostock this time, as the leftfielder displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. He hit .591 with 7 RBI and slugged 1.182 in 22 at bats. Bostock has walked 18 times this year and posts a .393 OBP. While batting .355, 83 for 234, he has driven in 60 runs. He's 3rd in the NL in batting and 4th in RBI!
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Friday 6/17/2013: Chris Snyder on fire, laces five hits
NEW YORK (A) - Chris Snyder led St. Louis to a 7-6 win over New York (A) by squeezing five hits out of his bat. In the 2nd inning he unloaded a two-run homerun off Rick Porcello. His 2nd hit was a double off Rick Porcello in the 4th inning. A pitch from Rick Porcello in the 7th inning left his bat for a double. His 5th hit, a solo homerun off David Mead in the 10th inning, landed an estimated 445 feet from home plate. He had a single in the 9th. Chris did drive in 3 while scoring 3 runs on his own. His 5 hit performance increases his batting average to .326.
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Thursday 6/16/2013: Florida has no chance in a 2-hitter by Danny Haren
LOS ANGELES (A) - Los Angeles (A)'s right-hander Danny Haren is clearly one of the best pitchers in the game. Florida found out the hard way, getting just 2 hits. Haren 1st shutout this season was a masterpiece, as he was almost untouchable. He has now hurled 14th shutouts in his career. 'I had a good grip on the ball today and I was able to put it where I wanted. That kept them out of balance.' Haren (6-6) struck out 5 and issued 1 BB, throwing 61 of 104 pitches for strikes. Los Angeles (A)'s centerfielder Vada Pinson went 1 for 3, doubling once. That was enough to support the brilliant performance of Haren. Los Angeles (A) scored 2 runs on 6 hits.
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Wednesday 6/15/2013: Mark Fidrych (ARI) will miss 5 weeks
ARIZONA - Arizona is without its right-hander Mark Fidrych for at least 5 weeks. He injured himself while throwing a pitch to Yurendell DeCaster in a game against Chicago (A). His face showed signs of pain immediately after the ball left his hand. After being taken to a local hospital, Fidrych was examined by specialists. The diagnosis revealed the sad truth, a Pulled Rotator Cuff Muscle. In 14 starts this year Mark struck out 65 batters in 87.2 innings of work. His ERA is 4.62, his record 3-7. He has 2 complete games and one shutout.
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Tuesday 6/14/2013: Huge blow for Boston's Masterson, career over
BOSTON - It was one of baseball saddest days. Boston's right-hander Justin Masterson fell victim to a career ending injury in a game against Chicago (N) on Tuesday. He complained about pain after throwing a pitch to Kelly Shoppach, then suddenly collapsed. Doctors examined him after the game and diagnosed a Torn Back Muscle which will require surgery. In 14 starts this year Justin struck out 68 batters in 100.2 innings of work. His ERA is 3.40, his record 8-2. He has 2 complete games and one shutout. He's 6th in the AL in ERA and 5th in wins! His career featured a record of 55-31 with an ERA of 3.58. Baseball will certainly miss this great player.
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Monday 6/13/2013: Pittsburgh's Cano wins Player of the Week award
It's the 1st time that the AL Player of the Week award goes to Kansas City's shortstop Khalil Greene. In 24 at bats he hit .500 with 2 HR and 9 RBI. The NL's best player of the week was Pittsburgh's Robinson Cano, who wins the award for the 4th time in his career. He hit .458 with 9 RBI and slugged 1.042 in 24 at bats.
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Sunday 6/12/2013: Oakland's Pie severely injured
OAKLAND - Oakland's season has taken a hit after one of their best players, centerfielder Felix Pie, injured himself while rounding a base. He is likely to miss 5 weeks. Doctors examined him after the game and diagnosed a Torn Abdominal Muscle which will require surgery. Pie has hit for a .302 average this season. He has 28 extra base hits along with 103 total bases, resulting in a .479 slugging percentage.
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Saturday 6/11/2013: Arizona's Seay out for 7 weeks
ARIZONA - Arizona's left-hander Bobby Seay suffered a severe injury on Saturday and will be out for at least 7 weeks. In the 7th of the game against Tampa Bay he experienced pain in his throwing arm and had to leave the game. After being examined by several specialists the diagnosis is clear: Pulled Rotator Cuff Muscle. His ERA of 4.11 helped him to a 0-0 record this year. He struck out 7 and walked 7 in 15.1 innings.
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Saturday 6/11/2013: Rick Porcello turns in great performance against Milwaukee
MILWAUKEE - New York (A)'s right-hander Rick Porcello didn't look unexperienced at all. The 20 year old pitched a 1-hit shutout against Milwaukee, recording his 1st shutout of the season. 'Giving my team a chance to win is the most important thing for me. I was able to do it today.' Porcello (6-5) fanned 8 and walked 1, throwing 96 pitches. Jordan Schafer helped Porcello at the plate, he stroked 3 hits in 4 AB, stroking two 2B's. New York (A) improved its record to 25-35, scoring 3 runs on 10 hits.
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Friday 6/10/2013: Mark Fidrych turns in great performance against Tampa Bay
ARIZONA - Great days are rare. But not for Arizona's right-hander Mark Fidrych. Tampa Bay found out the hard way that he is among the leagues top pitchers, getting just 2 hits. It's his 1st shutout this season, and the 6th time he has done it in his career. Fidrych (3-7) fanned 7 and walked 1, throwing 107 pitches. 'I had my stuff going. Everything I tried worked. What a day!' Sadaharu Oh provided Arizona with the offense Fidrych needed as he collected 2 hits in 4 trips to the plate, hitting a homerun, scoring twice. Arizona scored 3 runs on 10 hits.
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Wednesday 6/8/2013: Washington has no chance in a 2-hitter by Doug Fister
WASHINGTON - It was a great day for Texas' right-hander Doug Fister. The 25-year old recorded his first career shutout, a 2-hitter, against Washington on Wednesday. 'They took some ugly cuts at my breaking stuff, so I kept throwing it. Fortunately they were not able to adjust in time.' Fister (3-8) struck out 5 and walked 1, throwing 58 of 97 pitches for strikes. Miguel Cabrera provided Texas with the offense Fister needed as he went 2 for 4, hitting a homerun, stroking a double, scoring 2 runs and collecting 2 RBI. Texas scored 4 runs on 10 hits.
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Tuesday 6/7/2013: Sandy Koufax fires NO-NO against Detroit
MILWAUKEE - It was an unbelievable day for Milwaukee's southpaw Sandy Koufax. The 20-year old pitched a no-hitter against Detroit on Tuesday, showing that he may have a great career in front of him. Justin Knoedler spoiled the bid for a perfect game when he walked with 1 away in the 6th inning. Koufax (3-5) struck out 3 and walked 2, throwing 56 of 98 pitches for strikes. 'Well, the ball went where I wanted it. I was able to hit the corners with all of my pitches. I'm so happy that it was enough to pitch such a great game.' Milwaukee's rightfielder Jeremy Hermida finished with 2 hits in 3 AB, stroking a double. That was enough to support the brilliant performance of Koufax. The final score of the game was 1-0.
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Monday 6/6/2013: Teahen ( ) and Upton (NYM) win P.O.W. award
The AL's best player of the week was Mark was on fire, hitting .556 with 1 HR and 6 RBI. He has hit 2 taters while batting .246 this season. His 32 hits and 16 walks add up to a .331 on-base percentage. The NL's best player of the week was New York (N)'s Justin Upton, who wins the award for the 4th time in his career. He had an on base percentage of .565 and hit .565, while driving in 5 runs. He got at least one hit each game this week and is on a 14 game hitting streak right now.
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Friday 6/3/2013: Philadelphia's Mungo out for 7 weeks
PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia's right-hander Van Mungo suffered a severe injury on Friday and will be out for at least 7 weeks. In the 6th of the game against Atlanta he experienced pain in his throwing arm and had to leave the game. After x-rays were taken the diagnosis did not surprise many: Ruptured Bicep Tendon. Surgery will be performed next week. Opposing players hit .203 against Van this season. While posting an ERA of 3.75 he went 3-3 in 9 starts, fanning 52 and walking 36 hitters.
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Thursday 6/2/2013: St. Louis' Pence severely injured
ST. LOUIS - St. Louis' rightfielder Hunter Pence will miss at least 7-8 weeks after he got hurt seriously while running hard toward second base. He began limping and then fell down, causing a scary moment for his teammates. He had to be carried off the field. Doctors examined him after the game and diagnosed a Pulled Anterior Cruciate Ligament which will require surgery. Hunter is hitting .293 this year, with 61 hits in 208 at bats. He has driven in 42 runs, slugging .553.
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Wednesday 6/1/2013: David Ortiz ropes 2000th career hit
CLEVELAND - Cleveland's David Ortiz showed a smile on his face after he got his 2000th career hit against Kansas City on Wednesday. His hit in the 3rd inning was a single off Wade Miller. In 14 years of big league action so far, David has compiled a batting average of .274, along with 434 homeruns and 1398 RBI. 'I still remember my first hit. But the one today is something special. I'll definitely keep that ball!'
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Wednesday 6/1/2013: Hamels (KC) and Price (NYM) win monthly pitcher award
Cole Hamels couldn't have pitched much better than he did in May, and the AL thought so as well, naming the lefty Pitcher of the Month. His record of 5-0 in 6 was among the leagues best this month. In 45.1 innings of work he allowed just 40 hits while striking out 42, compiling an ERA of just 2.78. Cole pitched a shutout as well. Opposing players hit .248 against Cole this season. While posting an ERA of 3.07 he went 7-3 in 12 starts, fanning 91 and walking 14 hitters. Cole has pitched one shutout and 2 complete games. He's 5th in the AL in ERA and 3rd in wins! New York (N)'s pitcher David Price is the NL winner of the Pitcher of the Month award in May. He started 6 games in May, going 5-1 and compiling an ERA of 1.58 in 45.2 innings. David fanned 44 hitters. David also fired a shutout. David has a record of 8-4 this season, with an ERA of 3.12. In 86.2 Innings he was able to strike out 87 batters. David has pitched 2 shutouts and 3 complete games. He's 1st in the NL in wins!
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Wednesday 6/1/2013: San Diego's McCovey named Batter of the Month
Joe DiMaggio of Oakland wins his 2nd Batter of the Month award for putting up the best numbers in the AL. He had an on base percentage of .488 and hit .443, while driving in 32 runs. DiMaggio has walked 10 times this year and posts a .356 OBP. While batting .321, 54 for 168, he has driven in 43 runs. He's 4th in the AL in RBIs and 2nd in homeruns! The Batter of the Month award in the NL goes to San Diego's Willie McCovey this time, as the first baseman displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. McCovey helped his team with an average of .324 and 35 RBI in 102 at bats. He has hit 17 homeruns while batting .266 this season. His 49 hits and 35 walks add up to a .386 on-base percentage. He's 2nd in the NL in RBIs and 2nd in homeruns!
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Tuesday 5/31/2013: Detroit's Flores severely injured
DETROIT - Detroit's season has taken a hit after one of their best players, catcher Jesus Flores, injured himself while rounding a base. He is likely to miss 6 weeks. After being taken to a local hospital, Flores was examined by specialists. The diagnosis revealed the sad truth, a Inflamed Posterior Cruciate Ligament. Jesus is hitting .299 this year, with 50 hits in 167 at bats. He has driven in 25 runs, slugging .527.
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Monday 5/30/2013: Florida's Rollins wins Player of the Week award
The Player of the Week award in the AL goes to Chicago (A)'s Pablo Sandoval this time, as the catcher displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. Sandoval helped his team with an average of .364 and 12 RBI in 22 at bats. He now has homered in 3 consecutive games as well! The Player of the Week award in the NL goes to Florida's Jimmy Rollins this time, as the second baseman displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. Jimmy pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .483 with 5 HR and 10 RBI while slugging 1.069.
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Saturday 5/28/2013: Brandon Webb blanks St. Louis with a 1-hitter
ST. LOUIS - Brandon Webb took the mound and never left. And St. Louis hitters couldn't touch him at all. Los Angeles (N)'s right-hander gave up just one hit in his 1st shutout of the season. He now has 7 career shutouts in 264 games started. 'I had a good grip on the ball today and I was able to put it where I wanted. That kept them out of balance.' Webb (3-5) was overpowering, fanning 10 while walking 3, throwing 109 pitches. Jason Bay helped Webb at the plate, he went 2 for 4, hitting two dingers, scoring twice and driving in 2 runs. Los Angeles (N) scored 6 runs on 6 hits.
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Saturday 5/28/2013: Tampa Bay's Ken Folsom gets the cycle
TEXAS - Ken Folsom led Tampa Bay to a 9-8 win over Texas by squeezing four hits out of his bat. That's not the best part, though. He hit for the cycle as well! A double off Doug Fister in the 1st inning accounted for his 1st hit. A pitch from Doug Fister in the 2nd inning left his bat for a GRAND SLAM, landing 419 feet from home plate in right-center. A single in the 7th off Andrew Bailey accounted for his 3rd hit. His 4th hit was a triple off Jorge Depaula in the 9th inning. That drive completed the cycle, causing a smile on his face! Ken scored 3 runs, and he collected 5 RBI as well! His 4 hit performance increases his batting average to .275. He becomes the 132nd player in league history collect at least a single, double, triple and a homerun in a single game. On 5/14/2013, Joe DiMaggio was the last player to hit for the cycle.
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Saturday 5/28/2013: Joba Chamberlain turns in great performance against New York (A)
NEW YORK (A) - Detroit's right-hander Joba Chamberlain is a great pitcher. And he once again showed his stuff, blanking New York (A) on just 2 hits. It's his 1st shutout this season, and the 4th time he has done it in his career. Chamberlain (2-2) was overpowering, fanning 10 while walking 2, throwing 103 pitches. 'I hit the corners with all of my pitches. That helped a lot!' Jesus Flores helped Chamberlain at the plate, he finished with 4 hits in 5 AB, hitting a homerun, and driving in 3 runs. Detroit scored 9 runs on 12 hits.
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Saturday 5/28/2013: Florida's Jimmy Rollins pounds five hits
WASHINGTON - 'You know, in batting practice I didn't really feel that comfortable about my stroke today, but baseball is more than hitting. Then, when you're not trying to force a hit, you slug them in droves,' says Jimmy Rollins after his 5 hit game, which Florida won 13-3 against Washington. A two-run double off Mark Mulder in the 4th inning accounted for his 3rd hit. Number 4 in the 6th inning accounted for a double. A pitch from Royce Ring in the 8th inning left his bat for a two-run homerun, landing 325 feet from home plate in right field. He had singles in the 1st and in the 2nd inning (one RBI). Jimmy did drive in 5 while scoring 3 runs on his own. This season has been a good one for him so far, as he has 66 hits in 215 at bats, resulting in a .307 batting average.
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Monday 5/23/2013: San Francisco's Hamilton wins Player of the Week award
It's the 2nd time that the AL Player of the Week award goes to Chicago (A)'s shortstop Yurendell DeCaster. Yurendell pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .577 with 1 HR and 5 RBI while slugging .885. He hit in every game this week and extended his hitting streak to 10 games. Josh Hamilton wins his 9th Player of the Week award. NL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. He had an on base percentage of .552 and hit .519, while driving in 10 runs.
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Wednesday 5/18/2013: Cole Hamels (KC) will miss 7 weeks
KANSAS CITY - Kansas City's ace Cole Hamels suffered a severe injury on Wednesday and will be out for at least 7 weeks. In the 7th of the game against Texas he experienced pain in his throwing arm and had to leave the game. Kansas City wasted no time and rushed him to an hospital. Team officials were informed later that Hamels had suffered a Pulled Tricep Muscle. In 10 starts this year Cole struck out 80 batters in 78.1 innings of work. His ERA is 2.53, his record 5-3. He has 2 complete games and one shutout.
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Monday 5/16/2013: Oakland's DiMaggio wins Player of the Week award
The AL's best player of the week was Oakland's Joe DiMaggio, who wins the award for the 2nd time in his career. Joe went 11 for 23 (.478), while hitting 4 HR and collecting 14 RBI. He now has homered in 3 consecutive games as well! San Diego's second baseman Ian Stewart had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the NL Player of the Week. Ian went 9 for 18 (.500), while hitting 2 HR and collecting 9 RBI.
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Saturday 5/14/2013: Pittsburgh's Sanchez out for 7 weeks
PITTSBURGH - Pittsburgh is without its left-hander Anibal Sanchez for at least 7 weeks. He injured himself while throwing a pitch to J.J. Hardy in a game against Florida. His face showed signs of pain immediately after the ball left his hand. Sanchez was rushed to an hospital near the ballpark, where doctors took x-rays. Those revealed the serious injury, Strained Bicep Muscle. This season Sanchez compiled an ERA of 2.75, going 4-2 in 9 starts. He fanned 34 while giving up 54 hits in 52.1 innings.
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Saturday 5/14/2013: Oakland's Joe DiMaggio gets the cycle
CLEVELAND - Joe DiMaggio led Oakland to a 14-8 win over Cleveland by squeezing five hits out of his bat. That's not the best part, though. He hit for the cycle as well! A single in the 1st off Carlos Carrasco accounted for his 1st hit. His 2nd hit was a RBI double off Carlos Carrasco in the 2nd inning. A single in the 5th off Carlos Carrasco accounted for his 3rd hit. In the 8th inning he unloaded a solo homerun off Sam Narron. A pitch from Carlos Villaneuva in the 9th inning left his bat for a three-run triple. That drive completed the cycle, causing a smile on his face! Joe scored 4 runs, and he collected 5 RBI as well! He now has a total of 28 hits this season, accounting for a .259 batting average. He becomes the 131st player in league history collect at least a single, double, triple and a homerun in a single game. On 4/16/2013, Lyman Bostock was the last player to hit for the cycle.
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Friday 5/13/2013: Clay Buchholz (KC) will miss 5-6 weeks
KANSAS CITY - When it rains, it pours. Kansas City's right-hander Clay Buchholz will not pitch for at least 5-6 weeks, handing the team a huge setback. He suffered a serious injury in a game against Toronto where he left the field in the 4th inning. Ruptured Elbow Ligament was the diagnosis after x-rays were taken in a nearby hospital. The message shocked teammates and team officials. This season Buchholz compiled an ERA of 4.46, going 0-1 in 6 starts. He fanned 30 while giving up 35 hits in 38.1 innings.
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Wednesday 5/11/2013: Nick Adenhart dominates Minnesota, gives up just 2 hits
OAKLAND - It was a great day for Oakland's right-hander Nick Adenhart. The 26-year old recorded his first career shutout, a 2-hitter, against Minnesota on Wednesday. 'My catcher called a very good game. I have to give credit to him.' Adenhart (1-0) struck out 6 and walked none, throwing 65 of 92 pitches for strikes. Garry Templeton provided Oakland with the offense Adenhart needed as he finished 1 for 3, hitting a homerun. Oakland improved its record to 19-16, scoring 1 run on 2 hits.
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Monday 5/9/2013: Mauer and McCovey win Player of the Week award
It's the 4th time that the AL Player of the Week award goes to Minnesota's catcher Joe Mauer. He had an on base percentage of .529 and hit .500, while driving in 19 runs. He now has homered in 4 consecutive games as well! Mauer has walked 14 times this year and posts a .421 OBP. While batting .355, 39 for 110, he has driven in 33 runs. He's 8th in the AL in batting and 2nd in RBI! The Player of the Week award in the NL goes to San Diego's Willie McCovey this time, as the first baseman displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. Willie pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .462 with 5 HR and 15 RBI while slugging 1.231. Willie managed to drive in at least one run in every game he played this week.
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Friday 5/6/2013: Ervin Santana (ATL) will miss 9 weeks
ATLANTA - Atlanta is without its right-hander Ervin Santana for at least 9 weeks. He injured himself while throwing a pitch to Casey Janssen in a game against Colorado. His face showed signs of pain immediately after the ball left his hand. After being taken to a local hospital, Santana was examined by specialists. The diagnosis revealed the sad truth, a Herniated Disc Back. In 6 starts this year Ervin struck out 27 batters in 30.1 innings of work. His ERA is 5.04, his record 1-2.
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Friday 5/6/2013: Derek Jeter nabs seven hits against Texas
TEXAS - On Friday, Minnesota's shortstop Derek Jeter displayed his sensational ability to handle the bat against Texas, punishing their pitchers with seven hits. Hit number 2 followed in the 2nd inning, a RBI triple. He collected singles in the 1st , in the 4th inning (one RBI) , in the 5th inning (one RBI) , in the 7th inning , in the 8th inning and in the 9th inning (two RBIs). Derek scored 4 runs, and he collected 5 RBI as well! He is hitting .240 this season, with 1 HR and 15 RBI. Minnesota improved its record to 15-16, scoring 18 runs on 24 hits.
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Wednesday 5/4/2013: Boston's Delmon Young unloads three times
BOSTON - Boston's rightfielder Delmon Young showed the world why he is one of the most amazing sluggers in a 18-2 win over New York (A). He almost knockes the cover off the ball, resulting in three homeruns. A pitch from Jeremy Bonderman in the 3rd inning left his bat for a solo homerun, landing 386 feet from home plate in left-center. A 346 foot drive to right field marked his 2nd bomb, a two-run homerun off Jorge Vasquez in the 4th inning. His 3rd shot, off Michael Dunn in the 6th inning, was a solo homerun and cleared the fence in left field. Delmon finished 3 for 5, scoring three times with 4 RBI. Grady Sizemore was the last player to hit 3 homeruns in a game, doing it 9/25/2012. Boston improved its record to 20-9, scoring 18 runs on 17 hits.
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Monday 5/2/2013: Tampa Bay's Smith wins Player of the Week award
The AL Player of the Week award goes to Seth Smith, Tampa Bay's starting leftfielder. Smith helped his team with an average of .455 and 9 RBI in 22 at bats. Justin Morneau from Milwaukee wins his 6th Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the NL. Justin pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .435 with 2 HR and 8 RBI while slugging .826. His season numbers are: .319 AVG, 29 hits, 7 doubles, one triple and 8 bombs, along with 28 RBI and 18 runs scored. He's 1st in the NL in RBIs and 4th in homeruns!
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Sunday 5/1/2013: Kazmir and Lee receive Pitcher of the Month award
The best month of April in the AL certainly had Boston's left-hander Scott Kazmir, earning him the Pitcher of the Month award. His record of 4-1 in 5 was among the leagues best this month. In 38.1 innings of work he allowed just 21 hits while striking out 38, compiling an ERA of just 2.11. It's the 1st time that the NL Pitcher of the Month award goes to Florida's pitcher Cliff Lee. He struck out 37 hitters in his 6 starts, putting together a record of 3-1 while pitching 37 innings. His ERA in April was 1.15. Cliff also fired a shutout.
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Sunday 5/1/2013: Kemp (CHA) and Reyes (FLA) win monthly award
The AL's best player of the month was Chicago (A)'s Matt Kemp, who wins the award for the 1st time in his career. Matt went 36 for 91 (.396), while hitting 6 HR and collecting 25 RBI. The NL Batter of the Month award goes to Jose Reyes, Florida's starting shortstop. In 95 at bats he hit .526 with 3 HR and 23 RBI.
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Saturday 4/30/2013: Baltimore's Duran severely injured, out for season
BALTIMORE - Baltimore's second baseman German Duran will miss the rest of the season. He injured himself running the bases in the game between Baltimore and Boston. The injury didn't seem to be serious the moment it happened. But suddenly Duran collapsed in pain and had to be carried off the field. Doctors examined him after the game and diagnosed a Torn Groin Muscle which will require surgery. He has hit 5 taters while batting .279 this season. His 24 hits and 9 walks add up to a .354 on-base percentage.
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Tuesday 4/26/2013: San Francisco has no chance in a 2-hitter by Josh Johnson
SAN FRANCISCO - Arizona's right-hander Josh Johnson is a great pitcher. And he once again showed his stuff, blanking San Francisco on just 2 hits. It's his 1st shutout this season, and the 4th time he has done it in his career. Johnson (4-1) fanned 5 and walked none, throwing 97 pitches. 'Giving my team a chance to win is the most important thing for me. I was able to do it today.' Enrique Cruz helped Johnson at the plate, he stroked 2 hits in 4 AB, homering once, doubling once, and driving in 2 runs. Arizona scored 2 runs on 7 hits.
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Monday 4/25/2013: Player of the Week honors go to Uggla and Drew
Dan Uggla wins his 1st Player of the Week award. AL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. He hit .433 with 13 RBI and slugged 1.000 in 30 at bats. Dan has gone 29 for 80 (.362) this season, hitting 6 bombs and driving in 23 runs. He has scored 13 runs on his own. He's 1st in the AL in RBIs and 3rd in homeruns! Stephen Drew wins his 3rd Player of the Week award. NL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. He hit .536 with 10 RBI and slugged 1.143 in 28 at bats. Drew has walked 4 times this year and posts a .417 OBP. While batting .382, 26 for 68, he has driven in 16 runs. He's 4th in the NL in batting!
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Sunday 4/24/2013: David Price blanks Atlanta with a 2-hitter
NEW YORK (N) - New York (N)'s left-hander David Price is a great pitcher. And he once again showed his stuff, blanking Atlanta on just 2 hits. It's his 1st shutout this season, and the 5th time he has done it in his career. Price (2-3) struck out 6 and walked 3, throwing 67 of 118 pitches for strikes. 'I really like to play baseball, and I love the way I was able to play it today.' Justin Upton helped Price at the plate, he finished with 5 hits in 5 AB, doubling once, scoring three times and collecting 2 RBI. The final score of the game was 11-0.
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Saturday 4/23/2013: Brent Clevlen out for 8 weeks
SEATTLE - Seattle's centerfielder Brent Clevlen hurt himself in the 7th inning while diving for a batted ball. He got up slowly and had to leave the game. Brent Clevlen will miss at least 8 weeks. After x-rays were taken the diagnosis did not surprise many: Broken Wrist. Surgery will be performed next week. Clevlen has hit for a .292 average this season. He has 7 extra base hits along with 30 total bases, resulting in a .462 slugging percentage.
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Monday 4/18/2013: Phillips (LAA) and Reyes (FLA) win P.O.W. award
The AL Player of the Week award goes to Brandon Phillips, Los Angeles (A)'s starting second baseman. He had an on base percentage of .536 and hit .480, while driving in 7 runs. His season numbers are: .354 AVG, 17 hits, 5 doubles, no triples and 5 homeruns, along with 9 RBI and 14 runs scored. Florida's shortstop Jose Reyes had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the NL Player of the Week. He had an on base percentage of .724 and hit .692, while driving in 10 runs. He got at least one hit each game this week and is on a 15 game hitting streak right now. Reyes has hit one homerun this year while batting .577. He adds 7 doubles, along with 9 runs scored. He's 1st in the NL in batting and 2nd in RBI!
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Sunday 4/17/2013: Ryan Anderson shuts out Washington on 2 hits
FLORIDA - Florida's southpaw Ryan Anderson will never forget this day. The 33-year old recorded his first career shutout, a 2-hitter, against Washington on Sunday. Anderson (2-0) fanned 9 and walked 3, throwing 99 pitches. 'Hey, that's my job! Everytime I take the mound I give the best I can. And my best stuff was too much for them today.' Florida's shortstop Jose Reyes stroked 3 hits in 3 AB, doubling twice, with 3 RBI. That was enough to support the brilliant performance of Anderson. Florida scored 6 runs on 11 hits.
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Saturday 4/16/2013: Atlanta's Lyman Bostock gets the cycle
ATLANTA - Atlanta's leftfielder Lyman Bostock once again displayed his tremendous ability to make contact with that little white ball. He tore up Arizona's pitching staff with a 4 hit performance on Saturday. A double off Josh Johnson in the 1st inning accounted for his 1st hit. His 2nd hit was a triple off Josh Johnson in the 3rd inning. A single in the 5th off Josh Johnson accounted for his 3rd hit. His 4th hit, a solo homerun off Kyuji Fujikawa in the 9th inning, cleared the fence in left-center. That drive completed the cycle, causing a smile on his face! Lyman scored 2 runs, and he collected one RBI as well! He's having a very good season so far, batting .326. He's now the 130th player in league history to hit for the cycle! Chris Young was the last player to hit for the cycle, doing it 9/26/2012.
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Friday 4/15/2013: Boston's Bell severely injured
BOSTON - Boston's right-hander Heath Bell suffered a severe injury on Friday and will be out for at least 5 weeks. In the 9th of the game against Detroit he experienced pain in his throwing arm and had to leave the game. After x-rays were taken the diagnosis did not surprise many: Strained Bicep Muscle. Surgery will be performed next week.
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Wednesday 4/13/2013: Collin Balester out for 6 weeks
ST. LOUIS - St. Louis' right-hander Collin Balester suffered a severe injury on Wednesday and will be out for at least 6 weeks. In the 11th of the game against San Diego he experienced pain in his throwing arm and had to leave the game. After being taken to a local hospital, Balester was examined by specialists. The diagnosis revealed the sad truth, a Ruptured Tricep Tendon.
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Wednesday 4/13/2013: San Diego's Standridge out for 5 weeks
SAN DIEGO - When it rains, it pours. San Diego's right-hander Jason Standridge will not pitch for at least 5 weeks, handing the team a huge setback. He suffered a serious injury in a game against St. Louis where he left the field in the 7th inning. After being taken to a local hospital, Standridge was examined by specialists. The diagnosis revealed the sad truth, a Strained Bicep Muscle.
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Monday 4/11/2013: Player of the Week honors go to Butler and Napoli
Chicago (A)'s rightfielder Billy Butler had some reason to celebrate, as the league named him the AL Player of the Week. Billy went 11 for 22 (.500), while hitting 3 HR and collecting 6 RBI. The NL's best player of the week was Los Angeles (N)'s Mike Napoli, who wins the award for the 1st time in his career. Mike went 8 for 22 (.364), while hitting 5 HR and collecting 8 RBI. He now has homered in 3 consecutive games as well!
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Friday 4/8/2013: Albert Pujols unloads, hits number 500
MILWAUKEE - Albert Pujols got a standing ovation from 33739 fans in Milwaukee, who witnessed his historic 500th career homerun. Along with his 500 homeruns, Albert collected 2398 hits and 1494 RBI in 12 seasons. Albert hit 30+ homeruns in a season 12 times, hitting 40 bombs 6 times. 'Baseball is a great game, and adding something to it's history is smething I've always wanted. What a great day!' His monumental drive, a two-run homerun off Ryan Anderson in the 3rd inning, cleared the fence in left-center. The Hall of Fame already has reserved a place for this great player.
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Thursday 4/7/2013: Cliff Lee dominates Atlanta, throws NO-HITTER
FLORIDA - Great things can happen when you throw strikes. And Cliff Lee did so today, in a no-hit shutout against Atlanta. Lee (1-0) struck out 7 and issued 2 BB, throwing 64 of 96 pitches for strikes. 'I was able to keep´em off balance. That certainly helped. What a day!' Scott Thorman provided Florida with the offense Lee needed as he collected 1 hit in 1 trips to the plate. Florida scored 1 run on 5 hits.
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Monday 4/4/2013: Jake Peavy (LAA) will miss 6 weeks
LOS ANGELES (A) - Los Angeles (A) is without its ace Jake Peavy for at least 6 weeks. He injured himself while throwing a pitch to Ty Wigginton in a game against Cleveland. His face showed signs of pain immediately after the ball left his hand. Los Angeles (A) wasted no time and rushed him to an hospital. Team officials were informed later that Peavy had suffered a Strained Elbow Ligament.
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