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Steinbrenner the owner every fan wants

 There are people out there who'll say that New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, who died this morning of a massive heart attack, was bad for baseball.  I say that he is the kind of owner every sports fan and athlete wishes to have.

 When Steinbrenner bought the Yankees in 1973, the team was in the middle of a period of futility, but with shrewd decisions and deep pockets, the Yankees returned to glory, winning the World Series in 1977 and 1978.

 Steinbrenner's teams would win five more World Series championships and 11 American League titles in his 38 years as owner.  

 His willingness to spend whatever it took to win is a business model that helped make the Yankees the second most valuable sports franchise in the world.

 Sure, you can argue that some of the Yankees' recent championships were "bought", what with the additions of Alex Rodriguez, CC Sabathia, Mark Texeira and countless others, but would you rather have an owner more concerned with making a profit?  I think not.

14K Gold

  The hype machine that has followed 21-year-old Stephen Strasburg finally reached the pitcher’s mound at a major league stadium last night.  Labeled by many experts as the “Greatest Pitching Prospect Ever”, it was impossible for him to live up to the hype, right?  Wrong.  Not only did he do the impossible, but outside of throwing a perfect game, he exceeded the absurd expectations people had for his debut.

Anything but smooth from Santana

  On Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN, New York Mets ace left-hander Johan Santana gave up 10 runs to the rival Philadelphia Phillies.  10 runs?  It was the worst outing of Santana’s career, but before Mets fans begin to throw dirt on the top of his career, let’s remember a couple of things.
  First, Santana had given up only seven runs all season before last night’s game in Philly.  He’s made five starts this season and has had one bad inning.  One.  Had he been like Javy Vasquez across town in the Bronx, who has been bombed each and every time this season, there might be cause for more concern.
  Second, the Phillies hit four home runs last night.  Santana has given up four homers in a game only three times in his entire career, with two of them having been against Philadelphia (the other against the Yankees in 2009).  This is not something that happens often when Johan pitches, so to begin worrying about the rest of the season and the rest of Santana’s career is not only way premature, it’s also a tad ridiculous.
  Third, he just didn’t have his command last night.  He walked 47-year-old pitcher Jamie Moyer with two outs and the bases loaded.  In the same situation 10 times, Santana would probably retire Moyer nine times.  Last night happened to be the one time out of 10 where he didn’t get the job done.
  The Mets managed to take one game out of three against the Phillies in Philadelphia on the first weekend of May.  The team has still won 8 of their last 10 and are sitting near the top of what is looking like a very week National League.  A division championship isn’t out of the question, and the wild card is well within reach.
  Let’s see what happens in the next 25-30 games before we begin to write off the Amazins’.

Royals @ Rays

Kansas City Royals @ Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Friday, July 31, 2009

First Inning
  It’s Hip-Hop night at the Trop, with a post-game concert by Flo Rida.  Haha! I don’t think I’ll be around for that.  As far as concert games go, this crowd has to be the smallest crowd yet.  Billy Butler lined a single to left with two outs  BJ Upton and Carl Crawford both singled up the middle.  Evan Longoria flies out to center, allowing Upton to tag and go to third.  Ben Zobrist strikes out looking for the second out.  Carlos Pena hits his 26th homer of the season off the left-field foul pole.  3-0 Rays

Second Inning
  Alberto Callaspo singles to lead off the inning.  After a strikeout, another single makes it first and third with one out.  A fielder’s choice scores a run, but the inning ends.  The Rays go in order off the Fat Aruban. 
3-1 Rays

Third Inning
 David Price gets three groundouts to Zobrist for a 1-2-3 inning.  Crawford triples (his sixth) off the wall in right-center with one out.  Longo walks, and then Zobrist hits a liner that deflects off Ponson’s shoulders, gets caught by 2B, who then tries to double-off Longo at first.  Meantime, CC ran home and gets doubled-off third.  Wow, that was interesting.  3-1 Rays

Fourth Inning
  Miguel Olivo doubled to the gap in left-center with two outs.  It could’ve been a triple, but he didn’t run very hard after rounding first.  Brayan Peña walks with two outs.  Pat Burrell triples, I repeat triples, off the wall in left-center.  The world must be coming to an end.  Jason Bartlett doubles down the line in left, driving in Burrell.  4-1 Rays

Fifth Inning
  An infield hit but nothing else doing for the Royals.  Longo walks with one out.  Zobrist triples down the line in right, scoring Longo.  Peña is hit by Ponson, putting runners on the corners with one out.  Burrell singles to score Zorilla and end the night for Ponson.  Gross knocks in ‘Los to make it 7-1 Rays, and there is still only one out.  Dioner Navarro lines into a double play to end the inning.  7-1 Rays

Sixth Inning
  Price works around a walk to retire the Royals in the sixth.  He has thrown 88 pitches, including 58 for strikes.  The Rays go down in order.  7-1 Rays

Seventh Inning
  Price cruises through the seventh, most likely ending his night, as the Rays had Dan Wheeler warming up during the half-inning.  Zobrist singles with one out, followed by a walk to Peña.  Gabe Gross strikes out looking to end the inning. 
7-1 Rays

Eighth Inning
  Lance Cormier is now pitching for the Rays.  Umpire Charlie Reliford was diagnosed with a torn right calf and will be out 4-to-6 weeks.  An error by Longo allows Willie Bloomquist to reach first, where he is erased on a fielder’s choice.  Navi hits his sixth homer of the season.  Navi has a walk and a homer and Burrell has a triple.  Am I dreaming?  It is Armageddon?  Crawford ropes a single up the box with two outs.  8-1 Rays

Ninth Inning
  Joe Nelson into pitch, and he immediately makes a two-base throwing error to start the ninth.  The Royals score their second run of the game on a sacrifice fly.  Game over.  8-2 Rays

W:  Price (4-4)
L:   Ponson (1-7)
S:   NONE
Attendance:  26,596

A's @ Rays- July 11, 2009

First Inning

 Adam Kennedy strikes out looking to lead off the inning.  Orlando Cabrera nearly decapitates Matt Garza with a liner up the middle.  Scott Hairston goes down looking for the second out.  Matt Holliday singles off Garza’s foot to put runners on the corners with two outs.  After a walk loaded the bases, Garza gets his third strikeout to end the inning.  BJ Upton pops to second to start the bottom of the frame for the Devil Rays.  After Carl Crawford walks, Evan Longoria and Carlos Pena are retired.  0-0

 

Second Inning

  Jason Giambi is hit to lead off the inning.  Garza retires the A’s though.  Ben Zobrist bunts for a hit and reaches second on an error by pitcher Dallas Braden.  Pat Burrell walks.  Gabe Kapler rips a single to left, scoring Zobrist.  Upton grounds out weakly to first to end the inning.  1-0 Rays

 

Third Inning

  Hairston singles to right with one out.  Garza strikes out his fourth batter, Jack Cust, to end the frame.  The D-Rays go down in order to end the third.  1-0 Rays

 

Fourth Inning

  Rajai Davis singles with two out, then gets throw out attempting to steal second.  Jason Bartlett bloops a single to left with two out. Kapler strikes out on a 65 mph anti-heater.  1-0 Rays

 

Fifth Inning

  Garza gets Mark Ellis swinging to lead off the inning, his sixth K tonight.  There was nothing doing for the Rays in the fifth.  So far, there have been only three hits tonight for D-Rays and four for Oakland.  1-0 Rays

 

Sixth Inning

 Garza in control as he gets the A’s in order.  Longo leads off with a double that was misplayed in center.  Zorilla laces a base hit to right to drive in Longo.  2-0 Rays

 

Seventh Inning

  Davis ties the game with a two-run shot to left.  Ellis singles, and that’ll be all for Garza.  Former Ray Adam Kennedy hit a two-run homer to right off Randy Choate (on the first pitch, and Choate’s only pitch).  Chad Bradford is in and he puts two guys on before getting Holliday swinging.  Grant Balfour is coming in to face Cust with two outs and runners on the corners.  Smashmouth, who is performing after the game, has been in the press box waiting to sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” since the start of this inning.  Dioner Navarro was drilled on the mask by a foul tip and leaves the game.  Gabe Gross, pinch hitting for the other Gabe, hits a ground-rule double to the gap in left-center.  Michel Hernandez and Upton both strike out.  Crawford strikes out as well, stranding Gross at second.  4-2 A’s

 

Eighth Inning

  Kurt Suzuki singles and advances to second on a sacrifice bunt.  He goes to third on a passed ball.  After a walk, Dan Wheeler replaces Balfour.  Oakland has runners on the corners with one out.  Ellis hits an RBI sac fly, giving the A’s a three-run lead.  After a wild pitch, it’s second and third with two outs.  Cabrera hits a two-run double just fair down the line at third.  Rays don’t mount much coming out in the eighth.  7-2 A’s

 

Ninth Inning

  Lance Cormier now pitching for the Rays.  Maddon has almost used his entire bullpen tonight.  Holliday leads off with a double to left, then advances on a “catcher’s balk”, which brings Maddon out of the dugout for his second ejection of the season.  Bartlett strikes out to lead off the ninth.  Gross reaches second when Holliday misses a fly ball.  Game over.  7-2 A’s

 

 

W: Braden (7-7)

L:  Garza (6-7)

S:  NONE

Attendance:  33, 273

 

Athletics @ Rays

First Inning

  Jeff Niemann worked around a single and a walk to retire the A’s.  Carlos Pena made a lunging stop down the line at first for the third out.  BJ Upton leads off with a double, and then moves to third as a pickoff throw goes into centerfield.  Carl Crawford drives in Upton with a groundout to second.  1-0 Rays   

 

Second Inning

  Niemann gets the A’s 1-2-3.  Ben Zobrist leads off with a single to right-center.  Zorilla is stranded as the inning ends.  1-0 Rays

 

Third Inning

Another 1-2-3 for Niemann, as he has settled in nicely tonight.  Crawford singles to right with two outs, but is stranded at first.  1-0 Rays 

 

Fourth Inning

  Scott Hairston leads off with a single to left.  Niemann gets out of the inning.  Pena leads off the inning with his 24^th homer of the season.  Pat Burrell hits a ground-rule double to right-center with one out.  2-0 Rays

 

Fifth Inning

  Niemann got another 1-2-3 inning.  He has pitched very well tonight.  Dioner Navarro leads off with a single to left.  That raised his average to .225 on the season, just behind the .227 of Burrell.  Upton singles up the middle, giving the Rays two runners on for the first time tonight.  Longoria advances the runners on a dribbler to the pitcher.  He appeared safe on replays.  Pena gets walked intentionally for Zorilla, who has a couple grand slams already this season.  Zorilla walks, forcing in a run.  Burrell pops to second to end the inning. 

3-0 Rays

 

Sixth Inning

  Orlando Cabrera leads off with a single to left.  The A’s get two runners on, but Niemann worked out of the jam.  Navarro gets hit by a pitch, and then moves to third on a double to the leftfield corner by Upton.  A wild pitch that bounced into the crowd scores Navarro.  Crawford walks, putting runners on the corners with two outs.  Upton gets caught stealing (1-4-2) after Crawford was caught in a rundown.  4-0 Rays

 

Seventh Inning

Niemann gets an inning-ending double play to get him through seven.  Evan Longoria leads off with his 17^th homer, his first since June 17 (18 games).  Zobrist walks for the second time tonight.  Burrell doubles down the line in left, his second double of the game.  6-0 Rays

 

Eighth Inning

  Big Jeff still out there in the eighth.  He retires the side in order.  Does Joe let him complete the game, especially with the All-Star Break upcoming?  The Rays go weakly to end the eighth.  6-0 Rays

Ninth Inning

  Niemann back on the hill to close out the game.  One pitch, one out.  Two outs.  Kurt Suzuki singles up the middle with two outs.  Jason Giambi is now up.  Giambi walks, but Maddon is sticking with Niemann, who already has a complete game shutout this season (June 3 vs. Kansas City).  Ryan Sweeney reaches on a fielder’s choice (apparently).  Leave him in, Joe!  Bases loaded now for Mark Ellis.  A force-out ends the game. 

6-0 Rays

 

W:  Niemann (8-4)

L:   Mazzaro (2-5)

S:  NONE

Attendance:  20, 358

 

Manny, you've got some 'splainin' to do

Yesterday, Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Manny Ramirez became the latest in the long line of baseball superstars to fall under the dark cloud of steroids.

Ramirez was suspended by Major League Baseball for 50 games due to a positive test for performance-enhancing drugs.  The drug, according to sources, is commonly used as a women's fertility drug, but it is well-known that that same drug is used by steroid users to restart their testosterone production after coming off a steroid cycle,

My first question is, if that if it's true, and Manny has been using, I'd ask how long he's been using, because this certainly isn't something he'd have just started doing.  Secondly, I'd ask why he felt the need to use, and if he regretted the using or the getting caught.

My real question, though, is does it even matter?  As each day passes, it becomes more clear that the majority of players in the last decade or so have either used or are still using performance-enhancing drugs.  So if everybody is doing it, then techinally there shouldn't be anything wrong with it. 

I think baseball turned it's head in the 90s when steroid use became prevelant, because balls were flying out of the ballpark and fans were packing each stadium.  The clubs were making millions upon millions of dollars, and ownership and the league turned a blind eye as they watched the money pour in.

Coming this afternoon!

Hope you'll join me. 

Red Sox defeat Rays behind Green, Youkilis

 

ST. PETERSBURG---  Both Kevin Youkilis and Nick Green had three RBI, and the bullpen allowed one run in four innings, leading the Boston Red Sox to a 10-6 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Here is my inning-by-inning report, compiled live from the press box at Tropicana Field.

FIRST INNING
 Rays starter Jeff Neimann walks Dustin Pedroia with one out.  There is a much bigger crowd at the Trop tonight.  David Ortiz pops high to shallow left for the second out.  The first pitch hits Kevin Youkilis, and Neimann is in trouble in the first.  JD Drew doubles off the wall in the right-corner, scoring two runs.  The inning ends with the Red Sox 2-0.  Evan Longoria doubles the opposite way to right with two outs.  Carlos Pena singles in Longo on a ball to right-center.  2-1 Red Sox

SECOND INNING
  Mike Lowell singles to center to start the inning, followed by a double from George Kottaras.  Former Ray Nick Green singles up the middle to score two.  This has the makings of a long game.  Green caught stealing as he falls down halfway to second.  That was funny!  Jacoby Ellsbury reaches on an error by Akinori Iwamura, who promptly steals his 11th base.  Pedroia singles to right, then takes second on Gabe Kapler’s throwing error.  This is not a good inning for the Rays.  Ortiz walks, getting action in the Rays bullpen.  Youkilis grounds into a 5-3 DP, ending the inning.  Tim Wakefield and his knuckler get the Rays in order.  5-1 Red Sox

THIRD INNING
  Jason Bay reaches on an infield single with one out, then steals second.  He moves to third on a wild pitch with two outs.  Green singles after a walk and that scores Bay.  There are runners on the corners with two outs.  There is action again in the Rays bullpen.  Ellsbury strikes out to end the inning.  Carl Crawford singles to right with two outs, then steals his 11th base.  6-1 Red Sox

FOURTH INNING
Lance Cormier is the new pitcher for the Rays.  Pedroia hits a ground-rule double to lead off the inning.  Ortiz flies out to right, but Pedroia tags up.  He gets injured as he slides into third.  He’s okay, and Drew strikes out.  Pena connects for his 11th home run of the season.  The inning ends with the Rays trailing 6-2. 

FIFTH INNING
Cormier gets the Sox in order to start the fifth.  Navarro gets hit with one out.  Upton walks, putting two runners on with only one out.  The runners move into scoring position on a passed ball.  Longoria does it again, this time ripping a two-run single to left.  Pena walks on four pitches, bringing up the struggling Pat Burrell.  He doubles down the third-base line, scoring Longo.  Ben Zobrist strikes out to end the inning.  6-5 Sox 

SIXTH INNING
Grant Balfour is the new pitcher for the Rays.  Ellsbury reaches on an infield single, and then steals his 12th base of the season and second tonight.  He then steals third for his 13th of the year.  Pedroia walks to put runners on the corners with one out for Big Papi.  Papi walks to load the bases, and Brian Shouse will face Youkilis.  This is a big spot with only one out.  Youkilis hits a two-run double down the line at third.  Drew strikes out.  The inning ends with two runs scored by the Sox.  Iwamura leads off with a single to right.  Hideki Okajima is now in for the Sox.   Kapler rips a single to left with no outs.  The tying run is at the plate; too bad it’s Navarro. He sacrifices the runners for Upton.  Upton fouls out to first for the second out.  Crawford strikes out to end the inning.  8-5 Sox
SEVENTH INNING
  Lowell leads off with a crushed ball to deep left for a home run.  Green doubles down the line at first with one out.  He is having a great game tonight.  The Rays walked Pedroia intentionally to face Ortiz.  When is the last time that happened?  That just tells you how much Papi is struggling.  Ortiz gets hit to load the bases for Youkilis.  Youkilis walks, scoring a run and bringing in Joe Nelson from the Rays pen.  He gets the out to end the inning.  Pena walks, but Burrell follows with a strikeout.  Zobrist reaches with two outs, so there are now runners at the corners.  Aki strikes out to end the inning.  10-5 Red Sox 

EIGHTH INNING
  The Sox went quietly in the top of the inning, and so do the Rays.  10-5 Sox

NINTH INNING
  The great Troy Percival is now pitching for the Rays.  Miraculously, the Red Sox don’t score, and now Makashi Saito is in to close it out for the Sox.  Crawford rips a single after fighting off numerous pitches.  Longo goes down on strikes.  Burrell singles to right to score Crawford.  The game is over and the Red Sox have won.

W: Wakefield (3-1)
L:  Neimann (2-3)
S:  None
ATTENDANCE: 34,910

Longoria's slams leads Rays past Red Sox

ST. PETERSBURG--- Evan Longoria hit a grand slam in the fifth inning, and Andy Sonnanstine allowed only two runs in 5 2/3 innings, leading the Rays to a 6-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox.

Here is my inning-by-inning report, compiled from the press box during tonight's game.

FIRST INNING
 Red Sox Nation is heard early as Dustin Pedroia singles with one out.  The crowd looks similar to the 20,341 from last night, which would be disappointing for Red Sox/Rays on a Friday night.  David Ortiz walks, and Rays pitcher Andy Sonnanstine is already in trouble.  Pedroia makes a huge blunder and is thrown out at third on a ball that bounced like five feet to the left of the plate.  Youkilis fouls out to right to end the inning.  BJ Upton leads off with a single to left.  Upton steals second as Carl Crawford strikes out, and then Upton is thrown out trying to steal third. 

SECOND INNING
  Jason Bay walks and reaches second on a single to center by Mike Lowell.  Jason Varitek, the Sox’ captain and catcher, is at the dish.  He flies out to right for the second out.  Julio Lugo flies out to deep left to end the threat.  Masterson gets out of a two-on jam by retiring Dioner Navarro on a comebacker to end the inning

THIRD INNING
  Pedroia singled to right with one out, followed by an Ortiz fly out to center.  Youkilis, to the delight of the Sox fans, rips a double to the corner in left, putting runners on second and third with two outs.  Rays pitching coach Jim Hickey is visiting the mound.  JD Drew walks to load the bases.  Jason Bay walks on four pitches.  Nice conference, Hickey.  Lowell grounds out to end the inning, and Sonny and the Rays are lucky they only allowed one run.  The Rays go quietly in order to end the third inning.  1-0 Red Sox

FOURTH INNING
Lugo singles to left with one out, then gets doubled-off first on a liner caught by Carlos Pena that ends the inning.  The Rays get nothing in the inning and still have only one hit.  1-0 Red Sox

FIFTH INNING
Youkilis hits a ground-rule double, then scores on Drew’s single, both with two outs.  At one point that inning, Sonnanstine’s ERA was 6.66.  A single and a walk to start the inning, followed by a perfect sac bunt gives the Rays runners at first and third with only one out.  Bartlett gets hit to load the bases for Upton.  This would be a perfect time to hit his first homer of the season.  Upton hits a sac fly to deep center, and all the runners move up in a good piece of base running.  Crawford walks to load the bases.  Longo hits a grand salami to deep left, giving the Rays the 5-2 lead.  Pena crushes his 10th homer of the season, and the Rays have gone back-to-back off Masterson.  Longo and Pena have done that twice this season (first time coming against Baltimore on April 12).  6-2 Rays

SIXTH INNING
After getting two outs and allowing a base runner, Rays manager Joe Maddon summons lefty JP Howell from the bullpen to face Jacoby Ellsbury, who strikes out swinging.  Gabe Gross singles and reaches on an infield single by Aki.  Gross then is thrown out trying to steal third for the first out.  The inning ends without any damage.  6-2 Rays

SEVENTH INNING
Ortiz continues to struggle, hitting into a rare 6-5-3 double play.  Dan Wheeler replaces JP Howell, who allowed two runners after getting Ortiz.  Bay strikes out looking to end the threat.  Crawford lines a single to center with one out.  CC steals second, his 10th steal of the season.  Longo walks and then Pena strikes out for the second out.  Burrell flies out to right to end the inning.  6-2 Rays

EIGHTH INNING
Wheeler strikes out Lugo to end the top of the eighth.  This game is working on being as long as last night, which featured 13 runs by the Rays and like 100 hits.  The Rays go in order.  6-2 Rays

NINTH INNING
Joe Nelson, who’ll try and get the Red Sox to give the Rays their second-straight win, replaces Wheeler.  A one-two-three inning ends the ballgame.

W: Andy Sonnanstine (1-3)
L:  Justin Masterson (2-1)
S:  None
ATTENDANCE:  27,045