Monday 9/19/2020: Sandy Koufax pitches his 9th shutout of the season
TEXAS - Sandy Koufax had some fun again. Texas hitters did not. Seattle's left-hander gave up just 2 hits in his 9th shutout of the season. He now has 15 career shutouts in 304 games started. Koufax (27-1) struck out 7 and walked 1, throwing 76 of 117 pitches for strikes. 'Today I just felt fine. I had a good feeling while warming up.' Andre Dawson helped Koufax at the plate, he collected 2 hits in 4 trips to the plate, hitting a homerun, scoring two runs and driving in 4 runs. Seattle improved its record to 92-62, scoring 7 runs on 11 hits.
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Monday 9/19/2020: DiMaggio (OAK) and Oh (ARI) win P.O.W. award
It's the 12th time that the AL Player of the Week award goes to Oakland's centerfielder Joe DiMaggio. In 26 at bats he hit .615 with 1 HR and 4 RBI. He hit in every game this week and extended his hitting streak to 17 games. His season numbers are: .336 AVG, 205 hits, 59 doubles, 18 triples and 26 bombs, along with 121 RBI and 116 runs scored. He's 5th in the AL in batting and 3rd in RBI! Sadaharu Oh wins his 8th Player of the Week award. NL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. Sadaharu went 11 for 19 (.579), while hitting 3 HR and collecting 10 RBI. He has hit 29 bombs while batting .357 this season. His 188 hits and 75 walks add up to a .435 on-base percentage. He's 2nd in the NL in batting!
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Wednesday 9/14/2020: Baltimore's Stieb out for 4-5 weeks
BALTIMORE - Baltimore's right-hander Dave Stieb suffered a severe injury on Wednesday and will be out for at least 4-5 weeks. In the 3rd of the game against Toronto he experienced pain in his throwing arm and had to leave the game. Doctors examined him after the game and diagnosed a Strained Tricep Muscle which will require surgery. Opposing players hit .244 against Dave this season. While posting an ERA of 3.77 he went 19-4 in 30 starts, fanning 175 and walking 69 hitters. He has 2 complete games and one shutout. He's 3rd in the AL in wins!
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Tuesday 9/13/2020: New York (N)'s Melky Cabrera gets milestone hit
PITTSBURGH - New York (N)'s players had every reason to congratulate Melky Cabrera, who reached a milestone today, collecting his 2000th career hit! His hit in the 5th inning was a single off Adam Wainwright. Along with his 2000 hits, Melky collected 188 homeruns and 887 RBI in 15 seasons. 'I still remember my first hit. But the one today is something special. I'll definitely keep that ball!'
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Monday 9/12/2020: Kansas City's Longoria wins Player of the Week award
Kansas City's third baseman Evan Longoria had some reason to celebrate, as the league named him the AL Player of the Week. Evan pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .621 with 2 HR and 9 RBI while slugging .931. Hack Wilson wins his 4th Player of the Week award. NL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. Hack was on fire, hitting .379 with 3 HR and 13 RBI.
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Thursday 9/8/2020: Delmon Young collects 2000th hit against St. Louis
ST. LOUIS - Houston's players had every reason to congratulate Delmon Young, who reached a milestone today, collecting his 2000th career hit! His hit in the 4th inning was a single off Reggie Cleveland. In 12 years of big league action so far, Delmon has compiled a batting average of .274, along with 400 homeruns and 1257 RBI. 'My firends always told me that I will do it one day. I never believed it. Good that I was wrong!'
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Monday 9/5/2020: DiMaggio (OAK) and Aaron (PHI) win P.O.W. award
It's the 11th time that the AL Player of the Week award goes to Oakland's centerfielder Joe DiMaggio. Joe pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .538 with 1 HR and 6 RBI while slugging .885. Joe is hitting .310 this year, with 172 hits in 555 at bats. He has driven in 110 runs, slugging .595. Philadelphia's rightfielder Hank Aaron had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the NL Player of the Week. Hank was on fire, hitting .692 with 1 HR and 4 RBI. He has hit 39 homeruns while batting .295 this season. His 153 hits and 63 walks add up to a .372 on-base percentage. He's 10th in the NL in RBIs and 3rd in homeruns!
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Sunday 9/4/2020: Sandy Koufax quiets Baltimore bats with shutout
BALTIMORE - Seattle's southpaw Sandy Koufax is a great pitcher. And he once again showed his stuff, blanking Baltimore on just one hit. It's his 7th shutout this season, and the 13th time he has done it in his career. 'My catcher called a very good game. I have to give credit to him.' Koufax (25-1) struck out 7 and walked 1, throwing 63 of 95 pitches for strikes. The hitting star for Seattle was leftfielder Neil Robinson, he stroked 1 hit in 3 AB, homering once. The final score of the game was 4-0.
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Friday 9/2/2020: Colorado's Hernandez out for 5 weeks
COLORADO - Colorado's right-hander Felix Hernandez suffered a severe injury on Friday and will be out for at least 5 weeks. In the 3rd of the game against Los Angeles (N) he experienced pain in his throwing arm and had to leave the game. Colorado wasted no time and rushed him to an hospital. Team officials were informed later that Hernandez had suffered a Pulled Bicep Muscle. Felix has a record of 4-8 this season, with an ERA of 5.14. In 89.1 Innings he was able to strike out 74 batters.
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Thursday 9/1/2020: Koufax (SEA) and Guidry (WAS) win monthly pitcher award
Sandy Koufax couldn't have pitched much better than he did in August, and the AL thought so as well, naming the left-hander Pitcher of the Month. He struck out 53 hitters in his 6 starts, putting together a record of 6-0 while pitching 53 innings. His ERA in August was 0.68. Sandy pitched THREE complete game shutouts! This season Koufax compiled an ERA of 1.70, going 24-1 in 30 starts. He fanned 282 while giving up 154 hits in 259.1 innings. Sandy has pitched 6 shutouts and 18 complete games. He's 1st in the AL in ERA and 1st in wins! Winner of this months NL Pitcher of the Month award is Washington's Ron Guidry. He went 5-0 in August and finished the month with an ERA of 0.73. He struck out 33 in 49 innings. Ron pitched a shutout as well. This season Guidry compiled an ERA of 1.46, going 22-2 in 28 starts. He fanned 151 while giving up 160 hits in 222.2 innings. He has 12 complete games and 3 shutouts. He's 1st in the NL in ERA and 1st in wins!
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Thursday 9/1/2020: Batter of the Month award winners announced
The AL Batter of the Month award goes to Bob Sheldon, Detroit's starting second baseman. Sheldon helped his team with an average of .437 and 32 RBI in 103 at bats. Sheldon has hit for a .313 average this season. He has 64 extra base hits along with 258 total bases, resulting in a .554 slugging percentage. Sadaharu Oh of Arizona wins his 4th Batter of the Month award for putting up the best numbers in the NL. He had an on base percentage of .495 and hit .446, while driving in 24 runs. While compiling an on base percentage of .431, Sadaharu hit .352 and slugged .594. He has collected 96 runs batted in this year. He's 2nd in the NL in batting!
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Monday 8/29/2020: Kroner (BAL) and Jethroe (CIN) win P.O.W. award
The AL's best player of the week was Baltimore's John Kroner, who wins the award for the 3rd time in his career. In 22 at bats he hit .500 with 2 HR and 9 RBI. John managed to drive in at least one run in every game he played this week. Kroner has walked 65 times this year and posts a .402 OBP. While batting .327, 162 for 495, he has driven in 127 runs. He's 7th in the AL in batting, 9th in homeruns and 1st in RBI! The NL's best player of the week was Cincinnati's Sam Jethroe, who wins the award for the 1st time in his career. Sam pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .542 with 1 HR and 5 RBI while slugging .875.
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Thursday 8/25/2020: Sandy Koufax turns in great performance against Boston
BOSTON - Sandy Koufax took the mound and never left. And Boston hitters couldn't touch him at all. Seattle's southpaw gave up just 2 hits in his 6th shutout of the season. He now has 12 career shutouts in 299 games started. Carlos Santana spoiled the bid for a no-hitter when he singled with two outs in the 5th inning. Koufax (23-1) struck out 7 and issued 2 BB, throwing 60 of 98 pitches for strikes. 'I'll have to give a lot of credit to my catcher. He put all the right fingers down today.' The hitting star for Seattle was centerfielder Andre Dawson, he finished 2 for 4, hitting a homerun, and driving in 3 runs. The final score of the game was 3-0.
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Wednesday 8/24/2020: Chicago (A)'s Johnson severely injured
CHICAGO (A) - Chicago (A) is without its left-hander John Henry Johnson for at least 4 weeks. He injured himself while throwing a pitch to Ron Cey in a game against Baltimore. His face showed signs of pain immediately after the ball left his hand. Chicago (A) wasted no time and rushed him to an hospital. Team officials were informed later that Johnson had suffered a Herniated Disc Back. This season Johnson compiled an ERA of 6.81, going 3-14 in 28 starts. He fanned 118 while giving up 190 hits in 157.1 innings.
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Monday 8/22/2020: St. Louis' Trammell wins Player of the Week award
Harmon Killebrew from Texas wins his 1st Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the AL. Harmon went 10 for 27 (.370), while hitting 6 HR and collecting 15 RBI. He got at least one hit each game this week and is on a 12 game hitting streak right now. Harmon is hitting .236 this year, with 102 hits in 432 at bats. He has driven in 73 runs, slugging .461. The NL's best player of the week was St. Louis' Alan Trammell, who wins the award for the 2nd time in his career. Alan pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .481 with 5 HR and 15 RBI while slugging 1.148.
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Saturday 8/20/2020: Jim Kaat (CLE) will miss 8 weeks
CLEVELAND - Cleveland is without its ace Jim Kaat for at least 8 weeks. He injured himself while throwing a pitch to Jason Castro in a game against Toronto. His face showed signs of pain immediately after the ball left his hand. After x-rays were taken the diagnosis did not surprise many: Bone Chips Shoulder. Surgery will be performed next week. In 26 starts this year Jim struck out 109 batters in 194 innings of work. His ERA is 3.29, his record 15-6.
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Thursday 8/18/2020: Ricky Romero out for 7 weeks
BALTIMORE - Baltimore's left-hander Ricky Romero suffered a severe injury on Thursday and will be out for at least 7 weeks. In the 2nd of the game against Chicago (A) he experienced pain in his throwing arm and had to leave the game. After being examined by several specialists the diagnosis is clear: Pulled Bicep Muscle. His ERA of 5.11 helped him to a 10-6 record this year. He struck out 129 and walked 41 in 163.2 innings.
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Wednesday 8/17/2020: Troy Tulowitzki ropes 2000th career hit
CINCINNATI - Houston's shortstop Troy Tulowitzki already had some highlights in his career, and today he added another one, getting his 2000th career hit. He hit a single in the 2nd off Dazzy Vance for number 2000. His best year so far was 2017 where he hit .286 with 36 homeruns and 111 RBI. 'Good things happen when you put the bat on the ball.'
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Monday 8/15/2020: St. Louis' Raschi severely injured
ST. LOUIS - St. Louis' ace Vic Raschi suffered a severe injury on Monday and will be out for at least 7 weeks. In the 6th of the game against Pittsburgh he experienced pain in his throwing arm and had to leave the game. After being examined by several specialists the diagnosis is clear: Bone Chips Elbow. Vic has a record of 10-14 this season, with an ERA of 4.31. In 171.1 Innings he was able to strike out 174 batters. Vic has pitched one shutout and 3 complete games.
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Monday 8/15/2020: Desmond and Maranville win Player of the Week award
Ian Desmond wins his 1st Player of the Week award. AL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. He hit .640 with 4 RBI and slugged .920 in 25 at bats. He hit in every game this week and extended his hitting streak to 9 games. His season features a batting average of .335 (151 hits in 451 AB), 32 doubles, 10 triples and 8 homeruns. Desmond collected 61 RBI and 82 runs as well. He's 7th in the AL in batting! The NL Player of the Week award goes to Rabbit Maranville, Arizona's starting shortstop. Maranville helped his team with an average of .684 and 6 RBI in 19 at bats.
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Monday 8/8/2020: Pittsburgh's Easter wins Player of the Week award
John Kroner wins his 2nd Player of the Week award. AL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. In 22 at bats he hit .500 with 3 HR and 11 RBI. John is hitting .328 this year, with 141 hits in 430 at bats. He has driven in 109 runs, slugging .605. He's 9th in the AL in batting and 1st in RBI! Luke Easter from Pittsburgh wins his 1st Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the NL. He hit .609 with 11 RBI and slugged 1.478 in 23 at bats. Luke managed to drive in at least one run in every game he played this week. He now has homered in 3 consecutive games as well!
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Friday 8/5/2020: Sandy Koufax fires 2-hitter against Chicago (A)
CHICAGO (A) - Sandy Koufax had some fun again. Chicago (A) hitters did not. Seattle's left-hander gave up just 2 hits in his 4th shutout of the season. He now has 10 career shutouts in 295 games started. 'I really like to play baseball, and I love the way I was able to play it today.' Koufax (19-1) fanned 9 and walked 3, throwing 118 pitches. The hitting star for Seattle was leftfielder Neil Robinson, he went 4 for 5, hitting a homerun, doubling once, with three runs scored and driving in 3 runs. Seattle scored 11 runs on 18 hits.
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Monday 8/1/2020: Spahn (TB) and Strasburg (MIA) win monthly pitcher award
Warren Spahn pitched like a legend in July, and the AL named him Pitcher of the Month for his extraordinary performance. He struck out 17 hitters in his 5 starts, putting together a record of 4-0 while pitching 17 innings. His ERA in July was 1.60. Warren got two complete game shutouts as well! His ERA of 3.44 helped him to a 11-6 record this year. He struck out 89 and walked 57 in 162 innings. He has 8 complete games and 3 shutouts. Stephen Strasburg pitched like a legend in July, and the NL named him Pitcher of the Month for his extraordinary performance. He struck out 46 hitters in his 5 starts, putting together a record of 3-0 while pitching 46 innings. His ERA in July was 1.35. In 24 starts this year Stephen struck out 175 batters in 153 innings of work. His ERA is 2.53, his record 11-8.
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Monday 8/1/2020: McCutchen (SEA) and Heyward (ATL) win monthly award
The AL Batter of the Month award goes to Andrew McCutchen, Seattle's starting rightfielder. Andrew pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .433 with 4 and 26 RBI while slugging .740. McCutchen has hit 16 homeruns this year while batting .333. He adds 38 doubles, along with 87 runs scored. He's 6th in the AL in batting! Jason Heyward of Atlanta wins his 1st Batter of the Month award for putting up the best numbers in the NL. In 95 at bats he hit .379 with 7 HR and 34 RBI. Jason is hitting .319 this year, with 123 hits in 386 at bats. He has driven in 86 runs, slugging .578.
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Monday 8/1/2020: McCutchen (SEA) and Navarro (STL) win P.O.W. award
It's the 2nd time that the AL Player of the Week award goes to Seattle's rightfielder Andrew McCutchen. Andrew went 14 for 27 (.519), while hitting 2 HR and collecting 11 RBI. St. Louis' second baseman Yamaico Navarro had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the NL Player of the Week. Yamaico was on fire, hitting .379 with 3 HR and 10 RBI. This year Navarro drove in 57 and scored 57 runs while batting .284 with 10 homeruns.
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Friday 7/29/2020: Chicago (A)'s Logan Morrison hits for the cycle
TEXAS - Chicago (A)'s leftfielder Logan Morrison once again displayed his tremendous ability to make contact with that little white ball. He tore up Texas' pitching staff with a 5 hit performance on Friday. Number 1 in the 3rd inning, a shot estimated at 403 feet, cleared the wall in right-center. A single in the 4th off Dave Ferriss accounted for his 2nd hit. A single in the 6th off Dave Ferriss accounted for his 3rd hit. A RBI double off Jack Banta in the 7th inning accounted for his 4th hit. In the 9th inning he unloaded a triple off Jack Banta. That drive completed the cycle, causing a smile on his face! Logan did drive in 2 while scoring 4 runs on his own. He now has a total of 64 hits this season, accounting for a .269 batting average. 173 players in league history have so far hit for the cycle, including Logan. Matt Kemp was the last player to hit for the cycle, doing it 7/25/2020.
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Thursday 7/28/2020: Seattle's Andrew McCutchen slams six hits
SEATTLE - Andrew McCutchen punished Los Angeles (A)'s pitching today, collecting six hits in 6 AB. That definitely helped Seattle, they won the game 3 to 2. His 1st hit was a double off Jerry Koosman in the 1st inning. A pitch from Jerry Koosman in the 4th inning left his bat for a RBI double. That one tied it at 1 runs apiece. In the 8th inning he belted a double off Jerry Koosman. He collected singles in the 6th inning , in the 10th inning and in the 12th inning (one RBI). Andrew didn't scor, but he drove in 2. This season has been a good one for him so far, as he has 138 hits in 409 at bats, resulting in a .337 batting average.
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Wednesday 7/27/2020: Texas' Carty out for the season
TEXAS - Texas' leftfielder Rico Carty will miss the rest of the season. He injured himself running the bases in the game between Texas and Oakland. The injury didn't seem to be serious the moment it happened. But suddenly Carty collapsed in pain and had to be carried off the field. After x-rays were taken the diagnosis did not surprise many: Torn Back Muscle. Surgery will be performed next week. This year Carty drove in 46 and scored 49 runs while batting .274 with 15 homeruns.
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Wednesday 7/27/2020: Jered Weaver pitches 2-hit shutout against Los Angeles (A)
SEATTLE - Seattle's right-hander Jered Weaver is clearly one of the best pitchers in the game. Los Angeles (A) found out the hard way, getting just 2 hits. Weaver 2nd shutout this season was a masterpiece, as he was almost untouchable. He has now hurled 39th shutouts in his career. Weaver (13-4) struck out 7 and issued 4 BB, throwing 65 of 109 pitches for strikes. 'Giving my team a chance to win is the most important thing for me. I was able to do it today.' Bobby Adams provided Seattle with the offense Weaver needed as he went 4 for 5, stroking a double, with 3 RBI. The final score of the game was 9-0.
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Monday 7/25/2020: Petie Behan quiets Pittsburgh bats with shutout
CHICAGO (N) - Chicago (N)'s right-hander Petie Behan will never forget this day. The 34-year old recorded his first career shutout, a 1-hitter, against Pittsburgh on Monday. 'I had my stuff going. Everything I tried worked. What a day!' Behan (6-8) fanned 6 and walked 1, throwing 88 pitches. The hitting star for Chicago (N) was third baseman Bobby Murcer, he collected 2 hits in 4 trips to the plate, doubling once. The final score of the game was 6-0.
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Monday 7/25/2020: Matt Kemp ropes four hits, completes cycle
OAKLAND - Matt Kemp led Oakland to a 11-10 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! Number 1 in the 1st inning accounted for a double. A single in the 3rd off Billy O'Dell accounted for his 2nd hit. Hit number 3 followed in the 5th inning, a triple. A 381 foot drive to left-center marked his 4th hit, a two-run homerun off Fred Fussell in the 6th inning. That drive completed the cycle, causing a smile on his face! Matt did drive in 2 while scoring one run on his own. He now has a total of 92 hits this season, accounting for a .230 batting average. He's now the 172nd player in league history to hit for the cycle! Lou Brock was the last player to hit for the cycle, doing it 6/27/2020.
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Monday 7/25/2020: New York (A)'s Hardy wins Player of the Week award
J.J. Hardy from New York (A) wins his 1st Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the AL. He had an on base percentage of .600 and hit .586, while driving in 1 runs. He got at least one hit each game this week and is on a 7 game hitting streak right now. J.J. has gone 85 for 395 (.215) this season, hitting 6 bombs and driving in 27 runs. He has scored 33 runs on his own. Babe Herman wins his 4th 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 .515 and hit .484, while driving in 12 runs. He hit in every game this week and extended his hitting streak to 8 games.
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Saturday 7/23/2020: Whitey Lockman punishes Tampa Bay with three dingers
TAMPA BAY - Whitey Lockman powered Kansas City to a 11-6 win over Tampa Bay. He did it in style by homering three times. In the 1st inning he unloaded a two-run homerun off Blake Wood. A pitch from Blake Wood in the 4th inning left his bat for a solo homerun, landing 407 feet from home plate in right-center. His 3rd shot, a two-run homerun off Sparky Lyle in the 9th inning, cleared the fence in center field. Whitey collected 3 hits in 4 trips to the plate, scoring three times and collecting 5 RBI. Earl Averill was the last player to hit 3 homeruns in a game, doing it 6/28/2020.
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Thursday 7/21/2020: Huge blow for Seattle's Grimsley, career over
SEATTLE - It was one of baseball saddest days. Seattle's southpaw Ross Grimsley fell victim to a career ending injury in a game against Detroit on Thursday. He complained about pain after throwing a pitch to John Mayberry, then suddenly collapsed. Seattle wasted no time and rushed him to an hospital. Team officials were informed later that Grimsley had suffered a Bone Chips Shoulder. Ross has a record of 2-1 this season, with an ERA of 4.26. In 25.1 Innings he was able to strike out 14 batters. His career featured a record of 2-1 with an ERA of 4.26. Baseball will certainly miss this great player.
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Tuesday 7/19/2020: Arizona's Sadaharu Oh mashes five hits
ARIZONA - 'Wow, five hits in one game is something special, isn't it?' said Arizona's first baseman Sadaharu Oh after the 25-3 win over San Francisco. Number 1 in the 1st inning accounted for a double. His 2nd hit, a GRAND SLAM off Brandon Morrow in the 4th inning, cleared the fence in center field. In the 5th inning he unloaded a two-run homerun off Francisco Rodriguez. In the 7th inning he belted a RBI double off Dave LaRoche. Number 5 in the 8th inning accounted for a double. Sadaharu scored 5 runs, and he collected 7 RBI as well! His 5 hit performance increases his batting average to .330.
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Monday 7/18/2020: San Francisco's Snider wins Player of the Week award
Carlos Gonzalez from Baltimore wins his 5th Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the AL. He had an on base percentage of .579 and hit .500, while driving in 4 runs. The NL's best player of the week was San Francisco's Duke Snider, who wins the award for the 2nd time in his career. Duke went 7 for 16 (.438), while hitting 3 HR and collecting 7 RBI. Snider has walked 59 times this year and posts a .389 OBP. While batting .283, 93 for 329, he has driven in 46 runs.
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Wednesday 7/13/2020: Atlanta's Carl Yastrzemski pounds five hits
MILWAUKEE - On Wednesday, Atlanta's leftfielder Carl Yastrzemski displayed his sensational ability to handle the bat against Milwaukee, punishing their pitchers with five hits. Number 1 in the 1st inning accounted for a double. His 2nd hit, a two-run homerun off Scott Kazmir in the 3rd inning, cleared the fence in right field. In the 9th inning he belted a double off Buster Ross. He collected singles in the 4th (one RBI) and in the 7th inning (one RBI). Carl did drive in 4 while scoring 2 runs on his own. His 5 hit performance increases his batting average to .284. Atlanta improved its record to 57-38, scoring 10 runs on 16 hits.
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Monday 7/11/2020: Longoria and Bruce win Player of the Week award
It's the 17th time that the AL Player of the Week award goes to Kansas City's third baseman Evan Longoria. He hit .500 with 12 RBI and slugged 1.077 in 26 at bats. The NL's best player of the week was Arizona's Jay Bruce, who wins the award for the 7th time in his career. He hit .458 with 8 RBI and slugged .917 in 24 at bats.
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Friday 7/8/2020: Hunter Pence stars with 2000th career hit
MINNESOTA - Minnesota's rightfielder Hunter Pence joined some elite company today, collecting his 2000th career hit! With two outs in the 11th inning, Hunter drilled a single, causing a standing ovation from the crowd. In 13 years of big league action so far, Hunter has compiled a batting average of .297, along with 265 homeruns and 1227 RBI. 'I'm out of words. I'll probably realize it tomorrow, but for now I'm done.'
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Wednesday 7/6/2020: Warren Spahn fires 2-hitter against New York (A)
NEW YORK (A) - Warren Spahn had some fun again. New York (A) hitters did not. Tampa Bay's left-hander gave up just 2 hits in his 2nd shutout of the season. He now has 3 career shutouts in 42 games started. 'I was hitting my spots. Now I'll start concentrating on my next start, and hopefully it will work again.' Spahn (8-6) fanned 7 and walked 5, throwing 122 pitches. Wilkin Ramirez provided Tampa Bay with the offense Spahn needed as he finished with 2 hits in 4 AB. Tampa Bay scored 6 runs on 11 hits.
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Monday 7/4/2020: Clayton Kershaw turns in great performance against Texas
TEXAS - Clayton Kershaw had some fun again. Texas hitters did not. Oakland's lefty gave up just 2 hits in his 1st shutout of the season. He now has 11 career shutouts in 405 games started. The bid for a no-hitter was broken up when Wally Moses singled with one out in the 8th inning. Kershaw (13-3) showed excellent control, walking nobody and fanning 9. 'I had my stuff going. Everything I tried worked. What a day!' The hitting star for Oakland was second baseman Jackie Brandt, he finished 1 for 4. Oakland improved its record to 53-32, scoring 2 runs on 5 hits.
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Monday 7/4/2020: Oakland's Matt Kemp gets milestone hit
TEXAS - Oakland's players had every reason to congratulate Matt Kemp, who reached a milestone today, collecting his 2000th career hit! With two outs in the 3rd inning, Matt drilled a single, causing a standing ovation from the crowd. His best year so far was 2011 where he hit .311 with 39 homeruns and 122 RBI. 'I'm out of words. I'll probably realize it tomorrow, but for now I'm done.'
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Monday 7/4/2020: Matt Kemp collects 2000th hit against Texas
TEXAS - Oakland's leftfielder Matt Kemp already had some highlights in his career, and today he added another one, getting his 2000th career hit. Along with his 2000 hits, Matt collected 356 homeruns and 1308 RBI in 13 seasons. 'I still remember my first hit. But the one today is something special. I'll definitely keep that ball!' His hit in the 1st inning was a single off Doug Fister.
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Monday 7/4/2020: Oakland's Matt Kemp gets milestone hit
TEXAS - Oakland's Matt Kemp showed a smile on his face after he got his 2000th career hit against Texas on Monday. Along with his 2000 hits, Matt collected 356 homeruns and 1308 RBI in 13 seasons. 'This day is special, I'll probably remember it my whole life. Thank god I'm blessed with the talent to play this game.' His hit in the 2nd inning was a single off Doug Fister.
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Monday 7/4/2020: Texas' Schmidt wins Player of the Week award
The Player of the Week award in the AL goes to Texas' Mike Schmidt this time, as the third baseman displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. In 29 at bats he hit .655 with 3 HR and 6 RBI. He got at least one hit each game this week and is on a 11 game hitting streak right now. It's the 1st time that the NL Player of the Week award goes to New York (N)'s catcher Bruce Edwards. He hit .552 with 10 RBI and slugged .793 in 29 at bats. He got at least one hit each game this week and is on a 8 game hitting streak right now. Edwards has hit for a .297 average this season. He has 13 extra base hits along with 60 total bases, resulting in a .541 slugging percentage.
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Friday 7/1/2020: Jason Jaramillo out for 7 weeks
LOS ANGELES (N) - Los Angeles (N)'s season has taken a hit after one of their best players, catcher Jason Jaramillo, injured himself while rounding a base. He is likely to miss 7 weeks. After being examined by several specialists the diagnosis is clear: Torn Calf Muscle. He has hit 5 taters while batting .337 this season. His 66 hits and 23 walks add up to a .418 on-base percentage.
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Friday 7/1/2020: Kansas City's Jackson earns Pitcher of the Month award
Kansas City's Darrell Jackson had a terrific June, and it earned him the AL Pitcher of the month award. He struck out 33 hitters in his 6 starts, putting together a record of 4-1 while pitching 33 innings. His ERA in June was 1.15. Opposing players hit .211 against Darrell this season. While posting an ERA of 2.35 he went 10-3 in 17 starts, fanning 83 and walking 25 hitters. He has one complete game and one shutout. He's 2nd in the AL in ERA and 10th in wins! Winner of this months NL Pitcher of the Month award is Miami's Kyle Drabek. His record of 4-1 in 5 was among the leagues best this month. In 36 innings of work he allowed just 24 hits while striking out 25, compiling an ERA of just 1.50. Kyle has a record of 10-4 this season, with an ERA of 2.99. In 105.1 Innings he was able to strike out 67 batters. He has 2 complete games and one shutout.
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Friday 7/1/2020: Red hot Schmidt and Gibson win Batter of the Month award
The Batter of the Month award in the AL goes to Texas' Mike Schmidt this time, as the third baseman displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. Schmidt helped his team with an average of .382 and 24 RBI in 102 at bats. Mike is hitting .284 this year, with 84 hits in 296 at bats. He has driven in 54 runs, slugging .571. Josh Gibson of Washington wins his 1st Batter of the Month award for putting up the best numbers in the NL. Josh was on fire, hitting .313 with 12 homeruns and 30 RBI. Gibson has hit for a .273 average this season. He has 51 extra base hits along with 190 total bases, resulting in a .596 slugging percentage. He's 3rd in the NL in RBIs and 2nd in homeruns!
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Tuesday 6/28/2020: David Price (TB) will miss 8-9 weeks
TAMPA BAY - Tampa Bay is without its southpaw David Price for at least 8-9 weeks. He injured himself while throwing a pitch to James Bell in a game against Washington. His face showed signs of pain immediately after the ball left his hand. Price was rushed to an hospital near the ballpark, where doctors took x-rays. Those revealed the serious injury, Herniated Disc Back. His ERA of 5.51 helped him to a 4-7 record this year. He struck out 62 and walked 38 in 83.1 innings.
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Tuesday 6/28/2020: Boston's Earl Averill has great day, hits three longballs
BOSTON - Hitting homeruns is one of the most difficult things in sports. To hit three of them in one game is almost sensational. Boston's rightfielder Earl Averill accomplished that feat in a 13-4 win over Miami. A 402 foot drive to left-center marked his 1st bomb, a solo homerun off Bob Lemon in the 4th inning. A pitch from Daryl Thompson in the 5th inning left his bat for a solo homerun, landing 434 feet from home plate in center field. His 3rd shot, off Steve Cishek in the 6th inning, was a two-run homerun and cleared the fence in right field. Earl finished with 3 hits in 4 AB, scoring FOUR runs with 4 RBI. In 5152 career at bats, he has hit 205 homeruns and collected 890 RBI. Boston scored 13 runs on 16 hits.
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Monday 6/27/2020: Lou Brock stars with cycle against Los Angeles (A)
HOUSTON - Houston's rightfielder Lou Brock accomplished a difficult feat in a game against Los Angeles (A), hitting for the cycle to improve his career batting average to .306! A single in the 3rd off Casey Coleman accounted for his 1st hit. A 344 foot drive to left field marked his 2nd hit, a solo homerun off Casey Coleman in the 5th inning. His 3rd hit was a RBI triple off Tyson Ross in the 7th inning. A RBI double off Tyson Ross in the 8th inning accounted for his 4th hit. That drive completed the cycle, causing a smile on his face! Lou scored 4 runs, and he collected 3 RBI as well! He's having a very good season so far, batting .318. He becomes the 171st player in league history collect at least a single, double, triple and a homerun in a single game. Bobby Richardson was the last player to hit for the cycle, doing it 6/13/2020.
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Monday 6/27/2020: Washington's Gibson wins Player of the Week award
The AL's best player of the week was Seattle's Mike de la Hoz, who wins the award for the 1st time in his career. Mike went 12 for 23 (.522), while hitting 2 HR and collecting 6 RBI. He got at least one hit each game this week and is on a 9 game hitting streak right now. The NL Player of the Week award goes to Josh Gibson, Washington's starting catcher. Josh pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .455 with 5 HR and 11 RBI while slugging 1.227. He hit in every game this week and extended his hitting streak to 8 games.
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Saturday 6/25/2020: San Diego's Robinson out for the season
SAN DIEGO - San Diego's rightfielder Floyd Robinson will miss the rest of the season. He injured himself running the bases in the game between San Diego and Arizona. The injury didn't seem to be serious the moment it happened. But suddenly Robinson collapsed in pain and had to be carried off the field. Broken Foot was the diagnosis after x-rays were taken in a nearby hospital. The message shocked teammates and team officials. Robinson has walked 34 times this year and posts a .393 OBP. While batting .315, 91 for 289, he has driven in 35 runs.
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Saturday 6/25/2020: Mat Latos turns in great performance against Los Angeles (A)
LOS ANGELES (A) - Mat Latos had some fun again. Los Angeles (A) hitters did not. Texas' right-hander gave up just one hit in his 1st shutout of the season. He now has 8 career shutouts in 203 games started. 'That was one of the best games of my career. I had my stuff working very well today.' Latos (5-7) was overpowering, fanning 10 while walking 2, throwing 91 pitches. Mike Schmidt provided Texas with the offense Latos needed as he finished with 2 hits in 3 AB, hitting a homerun, stroking a double, scoring 2 runs with 2 RBI. Texas scored 8 runs on 14 hits.
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Wednesday 6/22/2020: Toronto's Houtteman out for 5-6 weeks
TORONTO - When it rains, it pours. Toronto's right-hander Art Houtteman will not pitch for at least 5-6 weeks, handing the team a huge setback. He suffered a serious injury in a game against Philadelphia where he left the field in the 1st inning. Doctors examined him after the game and diagnosed a Herniated Disc Back which will require surgery. In 16 starts this year Art struck out 71 batters in 111.2 innings of work. His ERA is 3.39, his record 2-7.
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Tuesday 6/21/2020: Los Angeles (A)'s Jaster out for 9 weeks
LOS ANGELES (A) - When it rains, it pours. Los Angeles (A)'s left-hander Larry Jaster will not pitch for at least 9 weeks, handing the team a huge setback. He suffered a serious injury in a game against Houston where he left the field in the 6th inning. Torn Tricep Muscle was the diagnosis after x-rays were taken in a nearby hospital. The message shocked teammates and team officials. In 14 starts this year Larry struck out 69 batters in 90.2 innings of work. His ERA is 5.96, his record 1-9.
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Monday 6/20/2020: Player of the Week honors go to Carew and Gibson
The AL's best player of the week was Minnesota's Rod Carew, who wins the award for the 6th time in his career. Rod went 14 for 24 (.583), while hitting 1 HR and collecting 4 RBI. His season numbers are: .422 AVG, 113 hits, 23 doubles, 5 triples and 10 longballs, along with 56 RBI and 63 runs scored. He's 1st in the AL in batting and 8th in RBI! Josh Gibson wins his 2nd Player of the Week award. NL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. Josh pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .346 with 6 HR and 11 RBI while slugging 1.077.
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Saturday 6/18/2020: Jim Bunning blanks New York (N) with a 2-hitter
NEW YORK (N) - Atlanta's right-hander Jim Bunning is clearly one of the best pitchers in the game. New York (N) found out the hard way, getting just 2 hits. Bunning 1st shutout this season was a masterpiece, as he was almost untouchable. He has now hurled 5th shutouts in his career. Bunning (8-3) fanned 4 and walked 5, throwing 122 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.' Pete Rose provided Atlanta with the offense Bunning needed as he collected 3 hits in 5 trips to the plate, doubling once, scoring 2 runs with 5 RBI. Atlanta scored 13 runs on 15 hits.
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Saturday 6/18/2020: New York (N)'s Posey out for 7 weeks
NEW YORK (N) - New York (N)'s season took a blow when Buster Posey suffered a serious injury in the game against Atlanta. He was hurt when ge got bowled over in a scary collision at home plate. Posey will probaby miss 7 weeks. Doctors examined him after the game and diagnosed a Fractured Hip which will require surgery. Buster has gone 63 for 222 (.284) this season, hitting 9 longballs and driving in 32 runs. He has scored 37 runs on his own.
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Friday 6/17/2020: Jon Matlack out for 4-5 weeks
ST. LOUIS - St. Louis' southpaw Jon Matlack suffered a severe injury on Friday and will be out for at least 4-5 weeks. In the 2nd of the game against Chicago (N) he experienced pain in his throwing arm and had to leave the game. Matlack was rushed to an hospital near the ballpark, where doctors took x-rays. Those revealed the serious injury, Spasms Back. Opposing players hit .262 against Jon this season. While posting an ERA of 5.47 he went 4-6 in 13 starts, fanning 79 and walking 27 hitters. Jon has pitched one shutout and one complete game.
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Thursday 6/16/2020: Season ending injury strikes Boston's Merritt
BOSTON - Boston's ace Jim Merritt experienced probably the worst case scenario for a pitcher, a season ending injury. After pitching in the 8th inning of the game against Kansas City, Merritt complained about serious pain in his throwing arm. He had to leave the game. After being taken to a local hospital, Merritt was examined by specialists. The diagnosis revealed the sad truth, a Torn Back Muscle. This season Merritt compiled an ERA of 5.08, going 7-6 in 18 starts. He fanned 112 while giving up 135 hits in 118.2 innings.
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Tuesday 6/14/2020: Season ending injury strikes Philadelphia's Detwiler
PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia's left-hander Ross Detwiler experienced probably the worst case scenario for a pitcher, a season ending injury. After pitching in the 4th inning of the game against Oakland, Detwiler complained about serious pain in his throwing arm. He had to leave the game. Detwiler was rushed to an hospital near the ballpark, where doctors took x-rays. Those revealed the serious injury, Torn Back Muscle. His ERA of 4.52 helped him to a 8-4 record this year. He struck out 53 and walked 39 in 83.2 innings.
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Monday 6/13/2020: Bobby Richardson hits for the cycle against Texas
TEXAS - Washington's second baseman Bobby Richardson once again displayed his tremendous ability to make contact with that little white ball. He tore up Texas' pitching staff with a 6 hit performance on Monday. A single in the 1st off Mat Latos accounted for his 1st hit. A pitch from Antonio Bastardo in the 2nd inning left his bat for a three-run homerun, landing 415 feet from home plate in left-center. Hit number 3 followed in the 4th inning, a RBI triple. In the 6th inning he belted a double off Jay Sborz. That drive completed the cycle, causing a smile on his face! A single in the 7th off Jack Banta accounted for his 5th hit. A single in the 8th off Jack Banta accounted for his 6th hit. Bobby scored 6 runs, and he collected 5 RBI as well! He's having a very good season so far, batting .314. 170 players in league history have so far hit for the cycle, including Bobby. Bobby Doerr was the last player to hit for the cycle, doing it 5/24/2020.
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Monday 6/13/2020: Detroit's Grantham wins Player of the Week award
George Grantham from Detroit wins his 1st Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the AL. George went 15 for 28 (.536), while hitting 3 HR and collecting 12 RBI. He hit in every game this week and extended his hitting streak to 8 games. While compiling an on base percentage of .325, George hit .253 and slugged .380. He has collected 34 runs batted in this year. Washington's leftfielder James Bell had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the NL Player of the Week. He hit .583 with 5 RBI and slugged .792 in 24 at bats.
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Saturday 6/11/2020: Oscar Charleston slams 3 HR
SEATTLE - Oscar Charleston was in a groove, and the results spoke for themselves. He powered Washington to a 11-8 win over Seattle by homering three times. A pitch from Jack Russell in the 2nd inning left his bat for a solo homerun, landing 455 feet from home plate in left field. In the 5th inning he unloaded a solo homerun off Chi Chi Olivo. His 3rd shot, off Jack Sanford in the 7th inning, was a solo homerun and cleared the fence in left field. Oscar stroked 3 hits in 4 AB, with three runs scored and collecting 3 RBI.
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Friday 6/10/2020: Texas' Matusz severely injured, out for season
TEXAS - Texas' ace Brian Matusz will not pitch again this year, suffering a serious injury in the game against Atlanta on Friday. Matusz was rushed to an hospital near the ballpark, where doctors took x-rays. Those revealed the serious injury, Torn Ligament Elbow. This season Matusz compiled an ERA of 5.33, going 5-4 in 14 starts. He fanned 80 while giving up 75 hits in 74.1 innings.
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Thursday 6/9/2020: Cameron Maybin ropes 2000th career hit
OAKLAND - Oakland's players had every reason to congratulate Cameron Maybin, who reached a milestone today, collecting his 2000th career hit! He hit a single in the 4th off Joe Coleman for number 2000. Along with his 2000 hits, Cameron collected 162 homeruns and 836 RBI in 12 seasons. 'My firends always told me that I will do it one day. I never believed it. Good that I was wrong!'
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Monday 6/6/2020: Blake Hawksworth out for 7 weeks
BOSTON - When it rains, it pours. Boston's right-hander Blake Hawksworth will not pitch for at least 7 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 9th inning. Boston wasted no time and rushed him to an hospital. Team officials were informed later that Hawksworth had suffered a Strained Bicep Muscle. Opposing players hit .256 against Blake this season. While posting an ERA of 1.95 he went 1-0 in 0 starts, fanning 18 and walking 6 hitters.
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Monday 6/6/2020: Duensing (KC) and Johnson (WAS) win P.O.W. award
The AL Player of the Week award goes to Brian Duensing, one of Kansas City's best starting pitchers. Duensing was overpowering all week long, going 2-0 with an ERA of 1.84. Along the way he struck out 9 in 14.2 innings. He hurled a shutout as well. In 12 starts this year Brian struck out 44 batters in 82 innings of work. His ERA is 3.95, his record 6-3. Brian has pitched 2 shutouts and 2 complete games. Grant Johnson from Washington wins his 3rd Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the NL. Grant pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .550 with 2 HR and 9 RBI while slugging 1.050. Grant has gone 69 for 202 (.342) this season, hitting 12 taters and driving in 48 runs. He has scored 42 runs on his own. He's 6th in the NL in batting and 5th in RBI!
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Sunday 6/5/2020: Boston's Earl Averill unloads three times
PITTSBURGH - Earl Averill was in a groove, and the results spoke for themselves. He powered Boston to a 7-5 win over Pittsburgh by homering three times. His 1st shot, a solo homerun off Don Gullett in the 4th inning, cleared the fence in center field. A pitch from Don Gullett in the 6th inning left his bat for a solo homerun, landing 353 feet from home plate in right field. His 3rd blast, a two-run homerun off Mike McClendon in the 10th inning, landed an estimated 442 feet from home plate. Overall he got 4 hits in 5 AB, scoring three times with 5 RBI. On 4/22/2020, Joe Hauser was the last player to hit 3 dingers in a single game.
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Friday 6/3/2020: Bert Blyleven fires 2-hitter against Minnesota
COLORADO - Bert Blyleven took the mound and never left. And Minnesota hitters couldn't touch him at all. Colorado's right-hander gave up just 2 hits in his 2nd shutout of the season. He now has 16 career shutouts in 255 games started. 'Today I just felt fine. I had a good feeling while warming up.' Blyleven (6-6) was overpowering, fanning 10 while walking 2, throwing 115 pitches. Joe Mauer helped Blyleven at the plate, he collected 2 hits in 4 trips to the plate. Colorado improved its record to 36-23, scoring 2 runs on 10 hits.
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Wednesday 6/1/2020: It's NO-NO time for Don Gullett against Chicago (N)
CHICAGO (N) - It was an unbelievable day for Pittsburgh's left-hander Don Gullett. The 20-year old pitched a no-hitter against Chicago (N) on Wednesday, showing that he may have a great career in front of him. Everth Cabrera spoiled the bid for a perfect game when he walked with no outs in the 7th inning. Gullett (4-6) struck out 4 and issued 3 BB, throwing 58 of 99 pitches for strikes. 'Today I just felt great. I had a good feeling while warming up, and I knew something special was about to happen.' Chris Carter helped Gullett at the plate, he stroked 1 hit in 4 AB, homering once, with 2 RBI. The final score of the game was 5-0.
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Wednesday 6/1/2020: Austin Jackson (LAA) will miss 5-6 weeks
LOS ANGELES (A) - Los Angeles (A)'s centerfielder Austin Jackson will miss about 5-6 weeks after he hurt himself badly in the 3rd inning of the game between Los Angeles (A) and New York (A). He dove for a drive off the bat of Roman Mejias, and immediately signaled that he's not OK after hitting the ground. Doctors examined him after the game and diagnosed a Broken Hand which will require surgery. Jackson has hit 3 longballs this year while batting .347. He adds 16 doubles, along with 35 runs scored. He's 8th in the AL in batting!
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Wednesday 6/1/2020: Pitcher of the Month award winners announced
The best month of May in the AL certainly had Cleveland's lefty Jim Kaat, earning him the Pitcher of the Month award. He started 6 games in May, going 5-0 and compiling an ERA of 1.58 in 51.1 innings. Jim fanned 25 hitters. Opposing players hit .248 against Jim this season. While posting an ERA of 2.83 he went 5-4 in 12 starts, fanning 45 and walking 22 hitters. Ron Guidry pitched like a legend in May, and the NL named him Pitcher of the Month for his extraordinary performance. His record of 6-0 in 6 was among the leagues best this month. In 50 innings of work he allowed just 38 hits while striking out 43, compiling an ERA of just 1.08. Ron also fired a shutout. This season Guidry compiled an ERA of 1.44, going 10-1 in 11 starts. He fanned 68 while giving up 65 hits in 87.2 innings. Ron has pitched one shutout and 5 complete games. He's 1st in the NL in ERA and 1st in wins!
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Wednesday 6/1/2020: Colorado's Baker named Batter of the Month
Baltimore's second baseman John Kroner had some reason to celebrate, as the league named him the AL Batter of the Month. He hit .430 with 30 RBI and slugged .804 in 107 at bats. John has gone 75 for 215 (.349) this season, hitting 11 homeruns and driving in 49 runs. He has scored 41 runs on his own. He's 7th in the AL in batting and 3rd in RBI! The NL's best player of the month was Colorado's Dusty Baker, who wins the award for the 2nd time in his career. Dusty was on fire, hitting .367 with 9 homeruns and 20 RBI. Baker has hit for a .357 average this season. He has 41 extra base hits along with 155 total bases, resulting in a .791 slugging percentage. He's 2nd in the NL in batting, 1st in homeruns and 3rd in RBI!
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Monday 5/30/2020: Baltimore's Kroner wins Player of the Week award
Baltimore's second baseman John Kroner had some reason to celebrate, as the league named him the AL Player of the Week. John pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .750 with 2 HR and 10 RBI while slugging 1.250. Sadaharu Oh from Arizona wins his 7th Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the NL. In 23 at bats he hit .565 with 1 HR and 6 RBI. Oh has hit 11 taters this year while batting .332. He adds 10 doubles, along with 32 runs scored. He's 9th in the NL in batting and 9th in RBI!
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Friday 5/27/2020: Washington's Ryan out for 6 weeks
WASHINGTON - When it rains, it pours. Washington's right-hander Nolan Ryan will not pitch for at least 6 weeks, handing the team a huge setback. He suffered a serious injury in a game against Miami where he left the field in the 8th inning. Ryan was rushed to an hospital near the ballpark, where doctors took x-rays. Those revealed the serious injury, Spasms Back. His ERA of 2.93 helped him to a 6-4 record this year. He struck out 117 and walked 37 in 86 innings. Nolan has pitched 4 shutouts and 6 complete games. He's 7th in the NL in ERA and 8th in wins!
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Friday 5/27/2020: Tampa Bay's Meyer out for 7-8 weeks
TAMPA BAY - When it rains, it pours. Tampa Bay's right-hander Jack Meyer will not pitch for at least 7-8 weeks, handing the team a huge setback. He suffered a serious injury in a game against Kansas City where he left the field in the 3rd inning. Pulled Rotator Cuff Muscle was the diagnosis after x-rays were taken in a nearby hospital. The message shocked teammates and team officials. In 11 starts this year Jack struck out 37 batters in 57 innings of work. His ERA is 6.79, his record 1-3.
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Wednesday 5/25/2020: Phillip Cockrell turns in great performance against Oakland
OAKLAND - It was a great day for Baltimore's left-hander Phillip Cockrell. The 35-year old recorded his first career shutout, a 2-hitter, against Oakland on Wednesday. 'Giving my team a chance to win is the most important thing for me. I was able to do it today.' Cockrell (4-1) struck out 5 and walked none, throwing 63 of 95 pitches for strikes. John Kroner provided Baltimore with the offense Cockrell needed as he stroked 4 hits in 4 AB, doubling once, and driving in 2 runs. Baltimore improved its record to 32-18, scoring 5 runs on 13 hits.
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Wednesday 5/25/2020: Bob Knepper pitches his 1st shutout of the season
KANSAS CITY - Bob Knepper took the mound and never left. And Kansas City hitters couldn't touch him at all. Minnesota's left-hander gave up just 2 hits in his 1st shutout of the season. He now has 13 career shutouts in 282 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.' Knepper (7-2) fanned 5 and walked 4, throwing 117 pitches. The hitting star for Minnesota was first baseman George Scott, he finished with 2 hits in 5 AB, homering once, scoring twice with 4 RBI. Minnesota improved its record to 30-19, scoring 8 runs on 16 hits.
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Wednesday 5/25/2020: Logan Morrison out for 5-6 weeks
CHICAGO (A) - Chicago (A)'s players were scared when they had to watch Logan Morrison suffer a serious injury when he dove for a ball in the game against Boston. He collapsed in pain and was helped off the field. Morrison will probaby miss 5-6 weeks. After being examined by several specialists the diagnosis is clear: Broken Hand. He has hit 5 taters while batting .258 this season. His 49 hits and 27 walks add up to a .345 on-base percentage.
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Tuesday 5/24/2020: Bobby Doerr stars with cycle against Boston
BOSTON - Bobby Doerr is a pretty good hitter, but his 5 hit performance seemed to surprise even himself considering that the hits added up to the cycle, one of the most difficult things to accomplish in baseball. His 1st hit was a double off Jim Merritt in the 1st inning. A pitch from Jim Merritt in the 2nd inning left his bat for a triple. Number 3 in the 3rd inning accounted for a two-run double. A single in the 5th off Blake Hawksworth accounted for his 4th hit. In the 7th inning he unloaded a two-run homerun off George Culver. That drive completed the cycle, causing a smile on his face! Bobby scored 3 runs, and he collected 4 RBI as well! He's having a very good season so far, batting .314. 169 players in league history have so far hit for the cycle, including Bobby. Don Buford was the last player to hit for the cycle, doing it 5/11/2020.
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Monday 5/23/2020: Carlos Gomez punishes Pittsburgh with five hits
PITTSBURGH - Chicago (N)'s centerfielder Carlos Gomez once again displayed his tremendous ability to make contact with that little white ball. He tore up Pittsburgh's pitching staff with a 5 hit performance on Monday. His 1st hit was a double off Frank Baumann in the 1st inning. His 2nd hit was a double off Frank Baumann in the 2nd inning. A double off Adam Ottavino in the 7th inning accounted for his 4th hit. Number 5 in the 9th inning, a shot estimated at 349 feet, cleared the wall in right field. He collected a single in the 4th, driving in one run. Carlos did drive in 3 while scoring one run on his own. He is hitting .255 this season, with 1 HR and 11 RBI. Chicago (N) improved its record to 22-27, scoring 10 runs on 10 hits.
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Monday 5/23/2020: Phil Hughes pitches his 1st shutout of the season
KANSAS CITY - Phil Hughes had his best stuff going, and Minnesota hitters had nothing to cheer about. Kansas City's right-hander pitched a 2-hitter, his 1st shutout of the season. Hughes (3-5) fanned 4 and walked 2, throwing 96 pitches. 'Today I just felt fine. I had a good feeling while warming up.' Kansas City's rightfielder Whitey Lockman went 1 for 3, hitting a homerun. That was enough to support the brilliant performance of Hughes. Kansas City scored 1 run on 5 hits.
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Monday 5/23/2020: Player of the Week honors go to Longoria and Tuiasosopo
Evan Longoria wins his 16th Player of the Week award. AL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. Evan went 16 for 28 (.571), while hitting 0 HR and collecting 7 RBI. He got at least one hit each game this week and is on a 10 game hitting streak right now. He has hit 2 homeruns while batting .348 this season. His 48 hits and 23 walks add up to a .442 on-base percentage. He's 8th in the AL in batting! It's the 2nd time that the NL Player of the Week award goes to San Francisco's third baseman Matt Tuiasosopo. He had an on base percentage of .520 and hit .500, while driving in 11 runs. Tuiasosopo has hit for a .301 average this season. He has 9 extra base hits along with 52 total bases, resulting in a .505 slugging percentage.
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Saturday 5/21/2020: John Henry Johnson out for 7 weeks
CHICAGO (A) - Chicago (A) is without its left-hander John Henry Johnson for at least 7 weeks. He injured himself while throwing a pitch to Paul Blair in a game against Minnesota. His face showed signs of pain immediately after the ball left his hand. After being taken to a local hospital, Johnson was examined by specialists. The diagnosis revealed the sad truth, a Strained Tricep Muscle. This season Johnson compiled an ERA of 6.94, going 1-5 in 11 starts. He fanned 41 while giving up 76 hits in 59.2 innings.
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Monday 5/16/2020: Leflore (NYY) and Aaron (PHI) win P.O.W. award
The Player of the Week award in the AL goes to New York (A)'s Ron Leflore this time, as the leftfielder displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. Ron pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .458 with 2 HR and 5 RBI while slugging .917. Leflore has hit for a .384 average this season. He has 16 extra base hits along with 93 total bases, resulting in a .567 slugging percentage. He's 3rd in the AL in batting! Philadelphia's rightfielder Hank Aaron had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the NL Player of the Week. Hank was on fire, hitting .406 with 6 HR and 15 RBI. He hit in every game this week and extended his hitting streak to 9 games. He now has homered in 3 consecutive games as well! This year Aaron drove in 33 and scored 32 runs while batting .280 with 13 homeruns. He's 9th in the NL in RBIs and 3rd in homeruns!
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Sunday 5/15/2020: Texas' Rasmus out for the season
TEXAS - Texas' centerfielder Colby Rasmus suffered a season ending injury when he hurt himself diving for a ball. He collapsed in pain and was helped off the field. Torn Rib Cage Muscle was the diagnosis after x-rays were taken in a nearby hospital. The message shocked teammates and team officials. Rasmus has hit 3 longballs this year while batting .211. He adds 6 doubles, along with 20 runs scored.
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Saturday 5/14/2020: Colorado's Hernandez severely injured
COLORADO - Colorado is without its right-hander Felix Hernandez for at least 6-7 weeks. He injured himself while throwing a pitch to Miguel Cabrera in a game against Miami. His face showed signs of pain immediately after the ball left his hand. After being taken to a local hospital, Hernandez was examined by specialists. The diagnosis revealed the sad truth, a Ruptured Bicep Tendon. Felix has a record of 4-3 this season, with an ERA of 4.60. In 47 Innings he was able to strike out 42 batters.
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Friday 5/13/2020: Walter Beall turns in great performance against Washington
ARIZONA - It was a great day for Arizona's right-hander Walter Beall. The 33-year old recorded his first career shutout, a 2-hitter, against Washington on Friday. Oscar Charleston spoiled the bid for a no-hitter when he singled with one out in the 8th inning. Beall (4-3) showed excellent control, walking nobody and fanning 7. 'Today I just felt fine. I had a good feeling while warming up.' Jose Reyes helped Beall at the plate, he finished 1 for 4, hitting a homerun, and collecting 2 RBI. Arizona scored 5 runs on 8 hits.
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Wednesday 5/11/2020: Don Buford uncorks cycle hits against Texas
TEXAS - Don Buford is a pretty good hitter, but his 4 hit performance seemed to surprise even himself considering that the hits added up to the cycle, one of the most difficult things to accomplish in baseball. In the 1st inning he belted a double off Billy O'Dell. His 2nd hit, a solo homerun off Billy O'Dell in the 3rd inning, cleared the fence in left-center. It tied the ballgame at 1. A single in the 5th off Billy O'Dell accounted for his 3rd hit. His 4th hit was a triple off Billy O'Dell in the 7th inning. That drive completed the cycle, causing a smile on his face! Don did drive in one while scoring 2 runs on his own. He's having a very good season so far, batting .341. 168 players in league history have so far hit for the cycle, including Don. Tom Hutton was the last player to hit for the cycle, doing it 8/28/2019.
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Monday 5/9/2020: Washington's Charleston wins Player of the Week award
The AL's best player of the week was Kansas City's Matty Alou, who wins the award for the 1st time in his career. Matty pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .519 with 2 HR and 8 RBI while slugging .815. He got at least one hit each game this week and is on a 13 game hitting streak right now. He has hit 5 homeruns while batting .417 this season. His 58 hits and 8 walks add up to a .449 on-base percentage. He's 1st in the AL in batting! The Player of the Week award in the NL goes to Washington's Oscar Charleston this time, as the centerfielder displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. In 24 at bats he hit .583 with 4 HR and 6 RBI.
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Saturday 5/7/2020: Roger Connor out for 10 weeks
SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco's season took a blow when Roger Connor suffered a serious injury in the game against Atlanta. He hurt his arm throwing a strike to first base. Connor will probaby miss 10 weeks. After being taken to a local hospital, Connor was examined by specialists. The diagnosis revealed the sad truth, a Ruptured Tricep Tendon. Roger is hitting .312 this year, with 34 hits in 109 at bats. He has driven in 13 runs, slugging .514.
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Thursday 5/5/2020: Len Barker shuts out Chicago (N) on one hit
CINCINNATI - Len Barker had some fun again. Chicago (N) hitters did not. Cincinnati's right-hander gave up just one hit in his 1st shutout of the season. He now has 2 career shutouts in 79 games started. 'I felt early that I was on top of my game. Fortunately I was able to keep that feeling the entire game.' Barker (4-2) struck out 4 and issued 1 BB, throwing 54 of 88 pitches for strikes. Riggs Stephenson provided Cincinnati with the offense Barker needed as he finished 2 for 4, and driving in 2 runs. Cincinnati scored 6 runs on 13 hits.
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Tuesday 5/3/2020: Stu Martin (SF) will miss 8-9 weeks
SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco's second baseman Stu Martin will miss about 8-9 weeks after he hurt himself badly in the 7th inning of the game between San Francisco and Milwaukee. He fielded a ball off the bat of Dale Mitchell, threw a bullet to first and immediately signaled that he's not OK. Doctors examined him after the game and diagnosed a Strained Elbow Ligament which will require surgery. Martin has hit for a .239 average this season. He has 13 extra base hits along with 45 total bases, resulting in a .413 slugging percentage.
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Monday 5/2/2020: Boston's Santana severely injured
BOSTON - Boston's catcher Carlos Santana will miss at least 4-5 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 Calf Muscle which will require surgery. Santana has hit 4 homeruns this year while batting .273. He adds 5 doubles, along with 14 runs scored.
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Monday 5/2/2020: Miami's Castro wins Player of the Week award
The AL Player of the Week award goes to Chuck Klein, Tampa Bay's starting rightfielder. In 21 at bats he hit .571 with 1 HR and 9 RBI. The NL Player of the Week award goes to Starlin Castro, Miami's starting second baseman. Starlin pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .536 with 4 HR and 7 RBI while slugging 1.143. He now has homered in 4 consecutive games as well!
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Sunday 5/1/2020: San Francisco has no chance in a 2-hitter by Dazzy Vance
SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco's bats were sleeping, and Cincinnati's Dazzy Vance gave them no chance to wake up. He gave up just 2 hits in recording his 1st shutout of the season. 'Today I just felt fine. I had a good feeling while warming up.' Vance (2-3) struck out 5 and walked 4, throwing 71 of 114 pitches for strikes. Rev Cannady helped Vance at the plate, he collected 2 hits in 5 trips to the plate, homering once, scoring twice with 4 RBI. Cincinnati scored 10 runs on 14 hits.
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Sunday 5/1/2020: Atlanta's Hellickson named Pitcher of the Month
It's the 3rd time that the AL Pitcher of the Month award goes to Seattle's pitcher Sandy Koufax. His record of 4-0 in 6 was among the leagues best this month. In 50.2 innings of work he allowed just 29 hits while striking out 62, compiling an ERA of just 1.42. Sandy got two complete game shutouts as well! It's the 1st time that the NL Pitcher of the Month award goes to Atlanta's pitcher Jeremy Hellickson. He started 7 games in April, going 5-1 and compiling an ERA of 1.24 in 51 innings. Jeremy fanned 41 hitters.
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Sunday 5/1/2020: Batter of the Month award winners announced
The AL's best player of the month was Oakland's Joe DiMaggio, who wins the award for the 6th time in his career. He had an on base percentage of .459 and hit .402, while driving in 20 runs. Dusty Baker of Colorado wins his 1st Batter of the Month award for putting up the best numbers in the NL. In 98 at bats he hit .347 with 11 HR and 28 RBI.
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Friday 4/29/2020: Mike Schmidt punishes Kansas City with five hits
KANSAS CITY - Mike Schmidt punished Kansas City's pitching today, collecting five hits in 6 AB. That definitely helped Texas, they won the game 19 to 3. His 1st hit, a two-run homerun off Darrell Jackson in the 2nd inning, cleared the fence in center field. A pitch from Don Songer in the 4th inning left his bat for a double. In the 6th inning he belted a RBI double off Don Songer. A 372 foot drive to right field marked his 4th hit, a three-run homerun off Matt Garza in the 7th inning. In the 9th inning he belted a double off Tommie Sisk. Mike scored 5 runs, and he collected 6 RBI as well! His 5 hit performance increases his batting average to .220.
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Wednesday 4/27/2020: Aaron Poreda out for 5-6 weeks
PITTSBURGH - Pittsburgh is without its left-hander Aaron Poreda for at least 5-6 weeks. He injured himself while throwing a pitch to Dane Iorg in a game against San Diego. His face showed signs of pain immediately after the ball left his hand. Doctors examined him after the game and diagnosed a Pulled Bicep Muscle which will require surgery. Opposing players hit .223 against Aaron this season. While posting an ERA of 4.97 he went 2-2 in 6 starts, fanning 36 and walking 26 hitters.
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Monday 4/25/2020: Madlock and Whitaker win Player of the Week award
Minnesota's third baseman Bill Madlock had some reason to celebrate, as the league named him the AL Player of the Week. Madlock helped his team with an average of .560 and 10 RBI in 25 at bats. Bill is hitting .397 this year, with 23 hits in 58 at bats. He has driven in 13 runs, slugging .517. It's the 4th time that the NL Player of the Week award goes to Pittsburgh's centerfielder Steve Whitaker. He hit .500 with 8 RBI and slugged .833 in 24 at bats. Steve is hitting .391 this year, with 27 hits in 69 at bats. He has driven in 12 runs, slugging .623. He's 3rd in the NL in batting!
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Sunday 4/24/2020: Pittsburgh's Ryan Zimmerman gets milestone hit
PITTSBURGH - Pittsburgh's first baseman Ryan Zimmerman joined some elite company today, collecting his 2000th career hit! With no outs in the 2nd inning, Ryan drilled a two run homerun, causing a standing ovation from the crowd. His best year so far was 2011 where he hit .263 with 50 homeruns and 109 RBI. 'It's hard to believe that I did it. I want to thank my family, my friends and my teammates!'
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Friday 4/22/2020: Philadelphia's Gordon severely injured
PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia's season took a blow when Joe Gordon suffered a serious injury in the game against Houston. He hurt his arm throwing a strike to first base. Gordon will probaby miss 8 weeks. After being taken to a local hospital, Gordon was examined by specialists. The diagnosis revealed the sad truth, a Strained Tricep Muscle. He has hit 3 taters while batting .213 this season. His 16 hits and 9 walks add up to a .298 on-base percentage.
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Friday 4/22/2020: Joe Hauser pounds three dingers
LOS ANGELES (A) - Joe Hauser was in a groove, and the results spoke for themselves. He powered Boston to a 18-2 win over Los Angeles (A) by homering three times. A 395 foot drive to right-center marked his 1st bomb, a solo homerun off Doyle Alexander in the 1st inning. His 2nd blast, a three-run homerun off Doyle Alexander in the 6th inning, landed an estimated 341 feet from home plate. In the 9th inning he unloaded a two-run homerun off Bill Monbouquette. Overall he went 3 for 5, with FOUR runs scored and collecting 6 RBI. So far this season he is batting .231 with 9 homers and 24 RBI.
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Wednesday 4/20/2020: Carl Yastrzemski blisters three bombs
ATLANTA - Carl Yastrzemski was in a groove, and the results spoke for themselves. He powered Atlanta to a 11-3 win over New York (N) by homering three times. Number 1 in the 1st inning, a shot estimated at 413 feet, cleared the wall in left-center. His 2nd shot, a solo homerun off Steve Rogers in the 5th inning, cleared the fence in right-center. A 341 foot drive to right field marked his 3rd bomb, a two-run homerun off Harvey Haddix in the 7th inning. Carl finished with 3 hits in 3 AB, scoring three runs and driving in 6 runs.
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Monday 4/18/2020: Nolan Ryan quiets Cincinnati bats with shutout
WASHINGTON - Washington's right-hander Nolan Ryan is a great pitcher. And he once again showed his stuff, blanking Cincinnati on just 2 hits. It's his 1st shutout this season, and the 5th time he has done it in his career. 'I had my stuff going. Everything I tried worked. What a day!' Ryan (2-2) struck out 9 and walked 5, throwing 73 of 130 pitches for strikes. The hitting star for Washington was centerfielder Oscar Charleston, he finished with 2 hits in 2 AB, and collecting 2 RBI. The final score of the game was 2-0.
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Monday 4/18/2020: Oakland's Maybin wins Player of the Week award
Cameron Maybin wins his 3rd Player of the Week award. AL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. Cameron went 13 for 27 (.481), while hitting 2 HR and collecting 10 RBI. Bill White wins his 1st Player of the Week award. NL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. Bill pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .462 with 3 HR and 13 RBI while slugging .885. Bill managed to drive in at least one run in every game he played this week. His season features a batting average of .342 (13 hits in 38 AB), 2 doubles, no triples and 4 taters. White collected 15 RBI and 9 runs as well.
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Thursday 4/14/2020: Waite Hoyt out for 8-9 weeks
CHICAGO (A) - Chicago (A)'s right-hander Waite Hoyt suffered a severe injury on Thursday and will be out for at least 8-9 weeks. In the 8th of the game against Cleveland he experienced pain in his throwing arm and had to leave the game. After x-rays were taken the diagnosis did not surprise many: Pulled Tricep Muscle. Surgery will be performed next week. This season Hoyt compiled an ERA of 2.59, going 2-0 in 3 starts. He fanned 11 while giving up 24 hits in 24.1 innings.
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Monday 4/11/2020: Lockman (KC) and Jackson (WAS) win P.O.W. award
The AL Player of the Week award goes to Whitey Lockman, Kansas City's starting first baseman. Whitey pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .478 with 3 HR and 9 RBI while slugging .913. His season numbers are: .452 AVG, 14 hits, one double, no triples and 3 longballs, along with 10 RBI and 6 runs scored. He's 3rd in the AL in batting, 2nd in homeruns and 5th in RBI! The NL Player of the Week award goes to Reggie Jackson, Washington's starting rightfielder. Reggie pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .480 with 5 HR and 14 RBI while slugging 1.200. This year Jackson drove in 14 and scored 8 runs while batting .441 with 5 taters. He's 2nd in the NL in batting, 1st in homeruns and 1st in RBI!
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Saturday 4/9/2020: Joe DiMaggio (OAK) will miss 5 weeks
OAKLAND - Oakland's Joe DiMaggio suffered a serious injury Saturday in a game against Seattle. DiMaggio fell down while running the bases and couldn't get up without help. He will miss probably 5 weeks. Doctors examined him after the game and diagnosed a Torn Calf Muscle which will require surgery.
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Saturday 4/9/2020: Washington's Reggie Jackson laces five hits
MILWAUKEE - On Saturday, Washington's leftfielder Reggie Jackson displayed his sensational ability to handle the bat against Milwaukee, punishing their pitchers with five hits. In the 4th inning he unloaded a three-run homerun off Lucas French. His 4th hit, off George Barnicle in the 8th inning, was a two-run homerun and cleared the fence in right field. His 5th hit was a RBI double off George Barnicle in the 9th inning. He collected singles in the 3rd and in the 5th (two RBIs). Reggie scored 4 runs, and he collected 8 RBI as well! He's having a very good season so far, batting .483. The final score of the game was 19-2.
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Wednesday 4/6/2020: Kansas City's Longoria severely injured
KANSAS CITY - Kansas City's third baseman Evan Longoria will miss about 4-5 weeks after he hurt himself badly in the 9th inning of the game between Kansas City and Minnesota. He fielded a ball off the bat of George Sisler, threw a bullet to first and immediately signaled that he's not OK. Longoria was rushed to an hospital near the ballpark, where doctors took x-rays. Those revealed the serious injury, Pulled Tricep Muscle.
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Monday 4/4/2020: Camilo Pascual (SEA) will miss 4 weeks
SEATTLE - Seattle's right-hander Camilo Pascual suffered a severe injury on Monday and will be out for at least 4 weeks. In the 8th of the game against Los Angeles (A) he experienced pain in his throwing arm and had to leave the game. Doctors examined him after the game and diagnosed a Inflamed Bicep Tendon which will require surgery.
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Monday 4/4/2020: Player of the Week honors go to Hauser and Upton
The Player of the Week award in the AL goes to Boston's Joe Hauser this time, as the first baseman displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. Joe was on fire, hitting .333 with 5 HR and 10 RBI. The Player of the Week award in the NL goes to San Diego's B.J. Upton this time, as the third baseman displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. He hit .353 with 3 RBI and slugged .647 in 17 at bats.
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Sunday 4/3/2020: Jordan Zimmermann out for 5 weeks
NEW YORK (A) - New York (A)'s right-hander Jordan Zimmermann suffered a severe injury on Sunday and will be out for at least 5 weeks. In the 7th of the game against Chicago (A) he experienced pain in his throwing arm and had to leave the game. New York (A) wasted no time and rushed him to an hospital. Team officials were informed later that Zimmermann had suffered a Pulled Rotator Cuff Muscle.
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Friday 4/1/2020: Boston's Joe Hauser clears fence three times
BALTIMORE - Boston's first baseman Joe Hauser showed the world why he is one of the most amazing sluggers in a 13-2 win over Baltimore. He almost knockes the cover off the ball, resulting in three homeruns. A 462 foot drive to left field marked his 1st bomb, a two-run homerun off Brett Anderson in the 2nd inning. His 2nd blast, a solo homerun off Russ Kemmerer in the 7th inning, landed an estimated 362 feet from home plate. In the 8th inning he unloaded a two-run homerun off Darren O'Day. Overall he got 4 hits in 4 AB, scoring FOUR times and collecting 5 RBI. In 3251 career at bats, he has hit 136 homeruns and collected 539 RBI. The final score of the game was 13-2.
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