1. Big League Stew: The Arizona Diamondbacks are having a tough season. Once favorites to contend for the NL West crown, they now sit 17.5 games back from the first place Padres and are on their second manager of the season. So with dwindling ticket sales on the horizon, the PR and Marketing staff had to think of something to keep the fans interested. They decided to borrow an idea from Milwaukee, by having four mascots trot around for an in-between-inning escape from the disaster on the field. But instead of sausages they have legends. However, I'm guessing they are using the term "legends" loosely, after all Luis Gonzalez is included. The others are Mark Grace, Randy Johnson, and Matt Williams. I guess it's something, but it's a pretty stupid something.
2. ESPN: Giants traded Bengie Molina to the Rangers for much needed bullpen depth, but more importantly it allows the newest catcher phenom Buster Posey to move to his natural position and be an everyday starter. Molina was a clutch hitter in the past few years and also provided great leadership to the young pitching staff (Lincecum, Cain, Sanchez), but his production just wasn't the same this year and the call up of Posey and the production he has provided since meant Molina was expendable. This along with Sandoval's move to 1st base will allow for more flexibility in the lineup; allowing Uribe and Renteria to play at the same time, and puts Huff in the position to help out as relief moving between 1st and the logjam in the outfield with Burrell, Rowand, Torres, and Schierholtz.
3. Arizona Republic: Dontrelle Willis, all of 28 years-old and a few years removed from a terrific World Series, has been given his second DFA of the season. Making me wonder if he could be our generations Mark Fidrych?
4. Bleacher Report: Another year of MLB all-star selections, another year of huge snubs. Joey Votto only leads the NL in home runs and OPS, 5th in RBIs, and 5th in batting average. Teach will have to explain the Omar Infante selection.
5. L.A. Times: Bill Plaschke is the one sports writer who can get my blood boiling with no effort. His inability to use statistical proof or logic to back-up his simple-minded thoughts and his tidy one-sentence paragraphs are terribly irritating, though the vitriol he spews when defending these baseless ideas are what really make me want to avoid reading altogether. However, when he's right, he's right. Steven Strasburg should be an all-star.
6. ESPN: The resurgence of Josh Hamilton and Vladimir Guerrero has led to the best month of baseball by the Rangers in over 30 years and has vaulted them to 15 games over .500 and on top of the AL West.
7. Walkoff Walk: Dan McQuade breaks down MLB's newest advertisement for the all-star game, and is understandably horrified by the giant child hovering only Angel Stadium.
8. New York Times: Great article that describes the Negro Leagues Grave Marker Project. Anything that combines sports and history is right up my alley.
9. Above Photo: Tim Lincecum and a couple buddies get snapped while meeting up before heading out on the town. When asked how they knew the ace pitcher, his new found friends simultaneously screamed "PANIC."
2 comments:
this pic deserves notice as well...does Lincecum say before each appearance "that's what I like about baseball, I keep getting older but the hitters stay the same age"
July 9, 2010 at 11:31 AMNo but the first time Buster Posey caught him he asked if he had a joint. Unprepared for this type of question, Buster bumbled and slowly answered "No, not on me man." Tim then supposedly responded with a half-smile and the classic "It'd be a lot cooler if you did."
July 9, 2010 at 11:03 PMPost a Comment