If this is John Van Benschoten's last chance to see if he can make it as a major-league pitcher, he certainly isn't making the most of that chance.
Van Benschoten, recalled Sunday when Matt Morris was released, made his first two appearances of the season the past two days against the Mets and looked unimpressive in both.
On Tuesday, he came into the game in the bottom of the 11th with the score tied at 4-4. A hit, a balk and two walks loaded the bases before David Wright's single won it. The only out he recorded was via sacrifice.
Wednesday wasn't much better. He was brought in this time in a blowout and gave up the only run the Pirates allowed all day, despite another walk-fest by Tom Gorzelanny. The only positive for Van Benschoten was that he struck out three in two innings.
Van Benschoten is out of minor-league options, meaning if he is sent down again he must clear waivers for the Pirates to keep him. As horrible as he's pitched in the majors, some team would likely pick up Van Benschoten to either pitch or turn him into a Rick Ankiel-type of player. After all, Van Benschoten was a tremendous power hitter at Kent State before the Pirates - in their infinite wisdom - made him a pitcher.
If he can't cut it this time, he's done. Pirates management, who have no real ties to Van Benschoten, should have made that crystal clear to him when he was recalled. If they did, he didn't get the message, at least so far.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
Pirates-Mets rained out
Monday's game between the Pirates and New York Mets has been postponed because of rain.
The game has been rescheduled for Monday, Aug. 11 at 1:10 p.m. That day was to be a scheduled off day for both teams. The Pirates play in Philadelphia on the 10th and start a homestand Aug. 12 against Cincinnati. The Mets are home on the 10th and travel to Washington to start a series on the 12th.
Just a reminder that Tuesday's game, which was originally scheduled to be televised on FSN Pittsburgh will not be televised locally.
The game has been rescheduled for Monday, Aug. 11 at 1:10 p.m. That day was to be a scheduled off day for both teams. The Pirates play in Philadelphia on the 10th and start a homestand Aug. 12 against Cincinnati. The Mets are home on the 10th and travel to Washington to start a series on the 12th.
Just a reminder that Tuesday's game, which was originally scheduled to be televised on FSN Pittsburgh will not be televised locally.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Now, that's baseball
Baseball fans used to pay attention to pitching matchups: Koufax vs. Marichal; Carlton vs. Seaver; Clemens vs. The Big Unit.
In today's game, it's tough to find pitchers who fare consistently well on much of any basis. Two of them squared off today in San Diego, and thanks to KTAR radio in Phoenix, I was able to listen to Brandon Webb of the Diamondbacks face Jake Peavy of the Padres in a battle between the National League's past two Cy Young Award winners.
Arizona catcher Chris Snyder's two-run homer in the second was all the D-Backs needed to allow Webb to improve to a sparkling 6-0, tying the record for most victories before May 1. Peavy pitched well, too, in the 2-1 loss.
As someone who always has respected good pitching (I couldn't hit a lick when I was a kid), I certainly enjoyed listening to a game that didn't seem like a bunch of guys taking batting practice. Of course, it was a National League contest, meaning no designated hitter.
Now, that's baseball!
Harry's trivia: Who will stand for all eternity as the last major-leaguer to pitch 300 innings in a season? (Hint: He's mentioned in this post.)
In today's game, it's tough to find pitchers who fare consistently well on much of any basis. Two of them squared off today in San Diego, and thanks to KTAR radio in Phoenix, I was able to listen to Brandon Webb of the Diamondbacks face Jake Peavy of the Padres in a battle between the National League's past two Cy Young Award winners.
Arizona catcher Chris Snyder's two-run homer in the second was all the D-Backs needed to allow Webb to improve to a sparkling 6-0, tying the record for most victories before May 1. Peavy pitched well, too, in the 2-1 loss.
As someone who always has respected good pitching (I couldn't hit a lick when I was a kid), I certainly enjoyed listening to a game that didn't seem like a bunch of guys taking batting practice. Of course, it was a National League contest, meaning no designated hitter.
Now, that's baseball!
Harry's trivia: Who will stand for all eternity as the last major-leaguer to pitch 300 innings in a season? (Hint: He's mentioned in this post.)
Pirates release Morris
The Pirates released starting pitcher Matt Morris Sunday morning, cutting ties with the 33-year-old despite his hefty contract.
Morris, who was traded to the Pirates July 31 of last year for outfielder Rajai Davis and minor-league pitcher Stephen MacFarland, had been rocked all season. He had an 0-4 record with a 9.67 ERA. Morris lasted only 1 2/3 innings in his final start Saturday with the Pirates when he allowed six runs, three earned, and seven hits.
The Pirates are responsible for his $10,037,283 salary this season plus a $1 million buyout for 2009.
Morris was told of the news Sunday morning in a meeting with Pirates manager John Russell, general manager Neal Huntington and president Frank Coonelly. When he was asked to come to the meeting, Morris knew what news was coming.
"It's been difficult. I could feel it all coming to an end in a hurry," Morris said. "It's not what I planned. But it's best for the organization, best for the team. I've been a burden on the bullpen and it's been hard to deal with mentally.
"We sat down and came to a decision, I had some options, but felt this was the best decision."
Before coming to the Pirates Morris, an 11-year veteran, was a two-time National League All-Star with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2001 and 2002. He has a lifetime record of 121-92 and an ERA of 3.97.
Huntington called the decision a "difficult" one, but said it was best for everyone to cut Morris at this time.
"We only hope that a number of out pitchers have the success in their careers that Matt's had," Huntington said. "But as we talk about strategically going forward, the best thing for Matt, the best thing for the other 24 guys in this clubhouse, the best thing for this organization, we realized this decision was the best step forward."
John Van Benschoten was recalled from Class AAA Indianapolis to Morris' spot on the roster. He was 4-0 with a 1.88 ERA in five starts with the Indians.
Also, Phil Dumatrait, who had been the long reliever out of the bullpen, will take Morris' place in the rotation Thursday when the Pirates play in Washington.
Morris, who was traded to the Pirates July 31 of last year for outfielder Rajai Davis and minor-league pitcher Stephen MacFarland, had been rocked all season. He had an 0-4 record with a 9.67 ERA. Morris lasted only 1 2/3 innings in his final start Saturday with the Pirates when he allowed six runs, three earned, and seven hits.
The Pirates are responsible for his $10,037,283 salary this season plus a $1 million buyout for 2009.
Morris was told of the news Sunday morning in a meeting with Pirates manager John Russell, general manager Neal Huntington and president Frank Coonelly. When he was asked to come to the meeting, Morris knew what news was coming.
"It's been difficult. I could feel it all coming to an end in a hurry," Morris said. "It's not what I planned. But it's best for the organization, best for the team. I've been a burden on the bullpen and it's been hard to deal with mentally.
"We sat down and came to a decision, I had some options, but felt this was the best decision."
Before coming to the Pirates Morris, an 11-year veteran, was a two-time National League All-Star with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2001 and 2002. He has a lifetime record of 121-92 and an ERA of 3.97.
Huntington called the decision a "difficult" one, but said it was best for everyone to cut Morris at this time.
"We only hope that a number of out pitchers have the success in their careers that Matt's had," Huntington said. "But as we talk about strategically going forward, the best thing for Matt, the best thing for the other 24 guys in this clubhouse, the best thing for this organization, we realized this decision was the best step forward."
John Van Benschoten was recalled from Class AAA Indianapolis to Morris' spot on the roster. He was 4-0 with a 1.88 ERA in five starts with the Indians.
Also, Phil Dumatrait, who had been the long reliever out of the bullpen, will take Morris' place in the rotation Thursday when the Pirates play in Washington.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Freddy hates Freddy
Freddy Sanchez hates the person he’s become.
He’s unhappy. He’s frustrated. He’s irritable.
And it’s not just at work. His mood has affected him so much he’s taking his frustrations home with him instead of leaving them at the ballpark.
Sanchez knows things have to change. He’s hopeful that some day very soon they will change.
All he has to do is get a couple of more base hits.
“I don’t like the person I’ve become because I’m not playing well,” Sanchez said.
It may seem a bit trivial to the average person, to let something like a couple of base hits affect someone so much. But hitting is a big part of Sanchez’s job, and like anyone else sometimes work frustrations don’t just stay at work.
It’s to the point now where Sanchez, who after a 7-for-40 slump has seen his average dip from .256 to .213 heading into Saturday’s game with Philadelphia, is wound so tight and so frustrated about his start that an explanation has left the 30-year-old second baseman virtually speechless.
“I’m just not seeing the ball well … I don’t know, I just don’t know,” Sanchez said. “I’ve tried different stances, different mentalities, I’ve tried … it’s just not clicking. For whatever reason it’s just not clicking.”
Throughout his career Sanchez, the 2006 National League batting champion who has batted .344 and .304 the last two seasons, has had his worst month statistically over his career in April. He is a career .272 in April, but the average skyrockets to .331 in May and .325 in June.
Pirates manager John Russell has no thoughts about dropping Sanchez in the order nor does he say that the shoulder injury Sanchez had in spring training is affecting his swing.
“Freddy’s pressing a little bit,” Russell said. “I know he wants to contribute. It’s eating at him a little bit that he’s not contributing right now. He’s going to be fine.”
Part of Sanchez’s problem, according to Russell, is also one of his strengths which is why this skid has been harder to get out of than others.
Sanchez isn’t the most patient hitter on the team, or in the league for that matter. His career high for walks in a season is 32, which came last year. Thing is, that was over almost 650 plate appearances, a low amount for anybody but particularly one who usually hits so high in the order.
He also swings at a lot of the balls out of the strike zone, but when Sanchez is going good he hits a lot of those balls, usually for base hits.
“He’s trying to be more selective,” Russell said. “Once he gets into that mentality where he feels comfortable, then he will hit some of the balls he’s missing now.
“He reminds me of Kirby Puckett, though Puckett obviously had more power,” Russell continued. “Puckett was a great bad-ball hitter. He was tough to pitch to because he could hit balls out of the zone and get hits and Freddy can do that.”
Sanchez admits the slow start and coinciding slump are more mental than anything else.
“I’ve tried too hard over the past few weeks to do too much and I’ve made more problems for myself,” Sanchez said. “I just have to change that. I just have to go up with the approach that whatever is going to happen is going to happen.”
The pressure to perform on the field can be enormous. Add to that a new multi-year contract worth as much as $18.5 million that Sanchez signed in the offseason and that puts even more pressure on him to perform.
This start and slump has been hard to deal with for Sanchez. It’s changed him as a person. Now that he realizes that, it’s time to make another change on, and off the field.
“No one’s more frustrated than me,” Sanchez said. “When you start taking it home with you and being the person that I’m not and that I don’t want to be, that’s when I know I’ve got to take a step back and realize what’s important.”
He’s unhappy. He’s frustrated. He’s irritable.
And it’s not just at work. His mood has affected him so much he’s taking his frustrations home with him instead of leaving them at the ballpark.
Sanchez knows things have to change. He’s hopeful that some day very soon they will change.
All he has to do is get a couple of more base hits.
“I don’t like the person I’ve become because I’m not playing well,” Sanchez said.
It may seem a bit trivial to the average person, to let something like a couple of base hits affect someone so much. But hitting is a big part of Sanchez’s job, and like anyone else sometimes work frustrations don’t just stay at work.
It’s to the point now where Sanchez, who after a 7-for-40 slump has seen his average dip from .256 to .213 heading into Saturday’s game with Philadelphia, is wound so tight and so frustrated about his start that an explanation has left the 30-year-old second baseman virtually speechless.
“I’m just not seeing the ball well … I don’t know, I just don’t know,” Sanchez said. “I’ve tried different stances, different mentalities, I’ve tried … it’s just not clicking. For whatever reason it’s just not clicking.”
Throughout his career Sanchez, the 2006 National League batting champion who has batted .344 and .304 the last two seasons, has had his worst month statistically over his career in April. He is a career .272 in April, but the average skyrockets to .331 in May and .325 in June.
Pirates manager John Russell has no thoughts about dropping Sanchez in the order nor does he say that the shoulder injury Sanchez had in spring training is affecting his swing.
“Freddy’s pressing a little bit,” Russell said. “I know he wants to contribute. It’s eating at him a little bit that he’s not contributing right now. He’s going to be fine.”
Part of Sanchez’s problem, according to Russell, is also one of his strengths which is why this skid has been harder to get out of than others.
Sanchez isn’t the most patient hitter on the team, or in the league for that matter. His career high for walks in a season is 32, which came last year. Thing is, that was over almost 650 plate appearances, a low amount for anybody but particularly one who usually hits so high in the order.
He also swings at a lot of the balls out of the strike zone, but when Sanchez is going good he hits a lot of those balls, usually for base hits.
“He’s trying to be more selective,” Russell said. “Once he gets into that mentality where he feels comfortable, then he will hit some of the balls he’s missing now.
“He reminds me of Kirby Puckett, though Puckett obviously had more power,” Russell continued. “Puckett was a great bad-ball hitter. He was tough to pitch to because he could hit balls out of the zone and get hits and Freddy can do that.”
Sanchez admits the slow start and coinciding slump are more mental than anything else.
“I’ve tried too hard over the past few weeks to do too much and I’ve made more problems for myself,” Sanchez said. “I just have to change that. I just have to go up with the approach that whatever is going to happen is going to happen.”
The pressure to perform on the field can be enormous. Add to that a new multi-year contract worth as much as $18.5 million that Sanchez signed in the offseason and that puts even more pressure on him to perform.
This start and slump has been hard to deal with for Sanchez. It’s changed him as a person. Now that he realizes that, it’s time to make another change on, and off the field.
“No one’s more frustrated than me,” Sanchez said. “When you start taking it home with you and being the person that I’m not and that I don’t want to be, that’s when I know I’ve got to take a step back and realize what’s important.”
Friday, April 25, 2008
Will Utley be the best ever?
Since Philadelphia's Chase Utley is in town this weekend, this would be a good time to bring up a discussion about good offensive second baseman. It was recently suggested by ESPN's Joe Morgan, an outstanding all-around second baseman in his own right, that Utley had the chance to be the best offensive second baseman of all time.
There is some merit to that proclamation. Utley has had some incredible stats for any position, not just second baseman, since he came into the league in 2003. Before Friday's game, Utley has 107 career home runs, including 10 already this season, and 429 RBI. Over the last three seasons, Utley has averaged more than 27 home runs and 103 RBI and batted .310 over that time.
If the 29-year-old can keep up this pace then yes, he has a chance to be ONE OF the best offensive second baseman of all time, but it will be very hard to become the best.
That claim still has to go to Rogers Hornsby. Now, very few people alive today ever saw Hornsby play, after all he retired in 1937. But there is little doubt in my mind that Hornsby wasn’t the best offensive second baseman ever.
Hornsby won seven batting championships. He hit 301 home runs during a time when the ballparks were a lot bigger than they are today. He also had 1,584 runs batted in and a .358 career batting average which included four seasons of .400 or better.
Hornsby also had one of the best offensive seasons for any player at any position. In 1922, Hornsby batted .401 with 250 hits. He had 46 doubles, 14 triples, 42 home runs, 152 RBI, 141 runs scored, 17 stolen bases and, for all of you Sabermetric statheads out there, an OPS of 1.188. He did all of that in 154 games.
There can be cases made for a number of other great offensive second basemen as well. Morgan, for example, won two Most Valuable Player awards with the Big Red Machine in the 1970’s and hit 268 home runs.
Nap Lajoie, a contemporary of Hornsby’s, won three batting titles and was the sixth player ever to be elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame.
Some of the players I grew up watching included Ryne Sandberg, who had 282 home runs, including 40 in 1990, and 1,061 RBI. Roberto Alomar was an outstanding offensive second baseman during his career, and current player Jeff Kent has the most home runs ever for a second baseman with 368.
Utley is good, very good actually. But he has a lot more work ahead of him to be the best offensive second baseman ever.
There is some merit to that proclamation. Utley has had some incredible stats for any position, not just second baseman, since he came into the league in 2003. Before Friday's game, Utley has 107 career home runs, including 10 already this season, and 429 RBI. Over the last three seasons, Utley has averaged more than 27 home runs and 103 RBI and batted .310 over that time.
If the 29-year-old can keep up this pace then yes, he has a chance to be ONE OF the best offensive second baseman of all time, but it will be very hard to become the best.
That claim still has to go to Rogers Hornsby. Now, very few people alive today ever saw Hornsby play, after all he retired in 1937. But there is little doubt in my mind that Hornsby wasn’t the best offensive second baseman ever.
Hornsby won seven batting championships. He hit 301 home runs during a time when the ballparks were a lot bigger than they are today. He also had 1,584 runs batted in and a .358 career batting average which included four seasons of .400 or better.
Hornsby also had one of the best offensive seasons for any player at any position. In 1922, Hornsby batted .401 with 250 hits. He had 46 doubles, 14 triples, 42 home runs, 152 RBI, 141 runs scored, 17 stolen bases and, for all of you Sabermetric statheads out there, an OPS of 1.188. He did all of that in 154 games.
There can be cases made for a number of other great offensive second basemen as well. Morgan, for example, won two Most Valuable Player awards with the Big Red Machine in the 1970’s and hit 268 home runs.
Nap Lajoie, a contemporary of Hornsby’s, won three batting titles and was the sixth player ever to be elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame.
Some of the players I grew up watching included Ryne Sandberg, who had 282 home runs, including 40 in 1990, and 1,061 RBI. Roberto Alomar was an outstanding offensive second baseman during his career, and current player Jeff Kent has the most home runs ever for a second baseman with 368.
Utley is good, very good actually. But he has a lot more work ahead of him to be the best offensive second baseman ever.
Good start, bad start
A guy named Cliff Lee who pitches up in Cleveland is putting up ridiculous numbers. They'd have been ridiculous in the Dead Ball Era.
Lee is off to a 4-0 start this season. He has given up 11 hits, walked only two batters and surrendered a lone earned run, making his ERA a beyond-minuscule 0.28.
If you haven't heard of Cliff Lee, he's not exactly a household name, even after the Indians' playoff run last year. Following a 14-win season in 2006, he spent much of '07 in the minors, and his future in Cleveland was in doubt entering this spring.
The Indians as a whole are off to a disappointing start, especially reigning AL Cy Young Award winner C.C. Sabathia. He did put in a six-inning, 11-strikeout, no-earned-run performance against Kansas City on Tuesday for his first win of the year. That stellar outing dropped his season ERA to 10.12; he'd given up nine earned runs in each of his previous two starts.
The two Cleveland pitchers might have similar numbers by the end of the year. But for now, they're at opposite ends of the spectrum.
Another good start, and Sabathia will have a better earned-run average than Pittsburgh's Matt Morris. The team's highest-paid pitcher is up to 9.15, which, of course, represents more than one earned run per inning. And almost one earned run per million dollars he earns.
Bruce Brown's trivia: The answer to yesterday's question is Doug DeCinces, whom Pirates fans may remember as playing for the Orioles against Pittsburgh in the '79 World Series.
Today, Bruce asks: What future Rookie of the Year winner was released by the Dodgers in 1978 after having spinal fusion surgery? (Hint: He was the first manager of the Schaumburg Flyers.)
Lee is off to a 4-0 start this season. He has given up 11 hits, walked only two batters and surrendered a lone earned run, making his ERA a beyond-minuscule 0.28.
If you haven't heard of Cliff Lee, he's not exactly a household name, even after the Indians' playoff run last year. Following a 14-win season in 2006, he spent much of '07 in the minors, and his future in Cleveland was in doubt entering this spring.
The Indians as a whole are off to a disappointing start, especially reigning AL Cy Young Award winner C.C. Sabathia. He did put in a six-inning, 11-strikeout, no-earned-run performance against Kansas City on Tuesday for his first win of the year. That stellar outing dropped his season ERA to 10.12; he'd given up nine earned runs in each of his previous two starts.
The two Cleveland pitchers might have similar numbers by the end of the year. But for now, they're at opposite ends of the spectrum.
Another good start, and Sabathia will have a better earned-run average than Pittsburgh's Matt Morris. The team's highest-paid pitcher is up to 9.15, which, of course, represents more than one earned run per inning. And almost one earned run per million dollars he earns.
Bruce Brown's trivia: The answer to yesterday's question is Doug DeCinces, whom Pirates fans may remember as playing for the Orioles against Pittsburgh in the '79 World Series.
Today, Bruce asks: What future Rookie of the Year winner was released by the Dodgers in 1978 after having spinal fusion surgery? (Hint: He was the first manager of the Schaumburg Flyers.)
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