Dan Haren Blanks Yankees, 6-0; Anibel Sanchez Tosses One-Hitter; Wild Card Races Tighten

Players of the Day for Saturday, September 10, 2011

American League

The Angels are putting on quite a show in the AL West, clinging to post-season hopes based on catching the Rangers in the division or the Red Sox in the wild card race. With Saturday's 6-0 win over the Yankees, September is working out quite well for them.

Haren: 4-Hit Shutout

Dan Haren turned in another clutch pitching performance, improving his record to 15-8, with a complete game, 6-0, win over the AL East-leading Yankees, denying C.C. Sabathia of his 20th win and getting the Angels one game closer to their desired outcome.

Needing 113 pitches to complete the game, Haren threw 78 strikes, gave up just four hits while fanning seven. He did not walk a batter and at one point retired 18 in a row. Haren got into a little trouble in the 8th, when the Yankees collected a pair of singles with one out, but that threat was quickly quelled wen Edgardo Nunez grounded into an inning-ending double play. It was Haren's fourth complete game and third shutout of the season.

In connection with the Rangers dropping an 8-7 decision to the A's and Boston losing, 6-5, to Tampa Bay in 11 innings, the Angels inched to within 1 1/2 games of the Rangers and are five games behind the Red Sox in the wild card chase. Tampa Bay closed to within 4 1/2 of the Red Sox and are seven back of the Yankees in the AL East.

In the Central, Alex Rios clubbed a walk-off grand slam in the 10th inning for a 7-3 win over Cleveland, securing the White Sox hold on second place. Unfortunately for both the White Sox and Indians, the Tigers won again, topping Minnesota, 3-2, and have a 9 1/2 game edge over Chicago and lead Cleveland by 11 games. The magic number for the Tigers is nine.

National League

Neil Walker stroked a one-out single in the second inning, but that turned out to be the only hit the Pirates could get off Anibal Sanchez, as the Florida hurler tossed his second one-hitter of the season, beating the Pirates, 3-0, Saturday.

Sanchez: 1-Hitter

While both the Marlins and Pirates have no post-season aspirations, Sanchez, who won for just the second time in his last 16 starts, the win was important in terms of looking ahead to next year. Sanchez allowed the lone hit, walked three and struck out 11, tying his personal best for Ks in a game. He was around the plate all game long, throwing 86 of 119 pitches for strikes.

Meanwhile, the pennant races were taking some odd turns. The Phillies took their third straight from the Brewers, who have lost their last five games, with a 3-2, 10 inning victory in Milwaukee. The win, coupled with St. Louis' 4-3 win over the Braves, shrunk Milwaukee's Central division lead to just six games, while the Phillies' magic number for clinching the AL East dropped to just seven.

The Cardinals are closing fast, not only on the Brewers, but on Atlanta in the wild card race. With their second straight win over Atlanta, the Cards are just 4 1/2 games back.

In the West, Arizona won its 15th straight home game, getting back-to-back home runs from Chirs Young and Lyle Overbay to send the game into extra innings, beating the Padres, 6-5, in 10 innings. With the Giants losing, 3-0, to the Dodgers, the Diamondbacks have a commanding 9 1/2 game lead in the the division, with just 16 left to play.

Cabrera Powers Indians Past Red Sox; Stanton Bombs Mets with Slam in 10th

Players of the Day for Monday, August 1, 2011

American League

Cabrera: Two Homers

The Cleveland Indians opened a crucial four-game series with the Boston Red Sox on Monday at Fenway Park, coming away with a 9-6 victory which moved them 1/2 game closer to the Central-division-leading Tigers, who are now two games in front.

Asdrubal Cabrera continued his season of all-around excellence by picking up the Indians when needed most. In the 6th, with Boston clinging to a 3-2 lead, Cabrera socked a two-run homer to right, putting the Indians up by a run.

Coming to the plate again in the 8th inning with a man aboard and the game tied at 5-all, Cabrera knocked his second long ball of the evening, putting Cleveland ahead for good. The versatile shortstop finished the night 3-for-5, with 3 runs, four RBI and a pair of home runs, his 18th and 19th of the season. Cabrera is batting .293 with 65 RBI.

Boston's loss allowed the Yankees to creep to within one game in the AL East, with a weekend series with New York looming.

National League

Normally, it's Gaby Sanchez who does most of the damage whenever the Marlins and Mets get together, and the all star definitely did his part with a sac fly in the 1st inning and an RBI single in the third.

Grand Slam Stanton

The work of Sanchez would not be enough on this night, however, as the Mets rallied to tie the game in the 9th inning on Lucas Duda's two-run blast, sending the game to an extra frame.

That's when Mike Stanton made his presence felt, bombing reliever Jason Isringhausen with a grand slam in the top of the 10th for a 7-3 Florida triumph.

Stanton, who had singled earlier, ended up with a 2-for-5 night with a homer and four RBI. The second-year outfielder is having a sensational season, with 25 home runs and 67 RBI.

The Marlins closed to within one game of the third place Mets, though both squads are struggling to catch the second place Braves in the division, as Atlanta currently holds the keys to the wild card.

Florida is 54-55, and trails the Braves by 8 1/2 games. The Mets are one game better, at 55-54.

Weaver Gets Angels Closer with 10th Win; Hanley Ramirez Slams Rangers; Interleague Tied Up

Players of the Day for Saturday, July 2, 2011

American League

Weaver's 1.92 ERA
leads AL starters.

The LA Angels clawed to within one game of NL West-leading Texas on the back of another strong outing by their #1 starter, Jered Weaver, who prevailed over the Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw in a 7-1 Angels romp.

Weaver allowed just four hits, a pair of walks and the solitary earned run, improving to 10-4 on the year while retaining his league-leading ERA, which was lowered a notch to 1.92.

While Kershaw maintained the NL lead in strikeouts (138), fanning 10, Weaver set down eight batters on strikes and has 114, good for fifth in the AL.

The Angels and Dodgers conclude their annual cross-town, cross-league rivalry on Sunday night with the series tied at a game apiece.

National League

Hanley Ramirez

Don't look now, but there's been a Hanley Ramirez sighting, and it wasn't in one of those chic South Beach boutiques.

Ramirez exploded for a pair of home runs as the Florida Marlins came out on the winning end for a change with a 9-5 win at Texas.

Getting the Marlins off to a flying start, Ramirez hammered a grand slam over right field in the first inning, and, after making outs in his next two at-bats, followed up with a solo shot to left-center in the 7th inning. He also singled in the 9th, to complete a 3-for-5 day at the dish.

As the Marlins have stumbled this season, so too their superstar. Ramirez is batting just .230 with seven home runs and 29 RBI in 65 games.

While the Florida win did little to ease the team's pain (they're in last place, 15 1/2 games out, in the NL East), the loss by Texas reduced their lead over the Angels to one game.

STREAKS: The Yankees have won seven straight. Ryan Braun of the Brewers extended his hitting streak to 22 games with a 1-for-4 effort on Saturday.

INTERLEAGUE TALLY: With just one more day of interleague play remaining, the two league have proven nothing against each other, as each has come up with the very same number of wins and losses, 119 each, after the NL won eight games and the AL, six, on Saturday.

Crawford Stays Hot, Red Sox Win 14-1; Marlins Sweep Giants on Sanchez Shutout

Players of the Day for Thursday, May 26, 2011

American League

Carl Crawford

Mother Nature imposed her own form of the Mercy Rule, stopping the Boston onslaught after eight full innings, granting the Red Sox a 14-1 victory at Detroit.

Just a day pounding out 20 hits in a 14-2 win over the Indians, the Red Sox punched out 16 more hits against another AL Central squad and once again, it was Carl Crawford leading the charge.

Crawford, 4-for-4 on Wednesday, went 4-for-5 on Thursday with a pair of triples, two singles, three RBI and two runs. In the past two games, Crawford's batting average has gone from .212 to .244.

Better yet, by winning 11 of their last 13 games, the Red Sox have run down the Yankees and are tied with them for first place in the AL East. The Yankees were idle on Thursday.

For Detroit, it was another setback in the quest to catch the runaway White Sox. Prior to Thursday's outing, they had drawn to within five games of Chicago, but fell back to six out as the White Sox defeated Toronto, 3-1.

National League

Anibal Sanchez

Pennant races in both the NL East and NL West just got a whole lot more interesting as Anibal Sanchez and the Florida Marlins stopped the Giants 1-0, completing a sweep of their three-game series.

The Giants were without catcher Buster Posey, who is likely out for the season after suffering multiple injuries in a home plate collision on Wednesday. Without him in the lineup, the Giants could muster just five hits off Sanchez, who walked two but struck out eight for his second complete game and first shutout of the season. Ryan Vogelsong allowed eight hits over eight innings for the Giants, the Marlins breaking through for the only run of the game in the 6th inning.

The Phillies beat Cincinnati, 10-4, to maintain their slim, one-game edge over the Marlins in the East, while Arizona won for the 9th time in their last 10 games, topping the Rockies, 6-3, and have drawn to within 1 1/2 of the suddenly-vulnerable Giants in the West.

Sanchez Flirts with No-Hitter Again, Wins; Jeter Not Yet Over the Hill

Players of the Day for Sunday, May 8, 2011

American League

Derek Jeter

The hysteria over the health and welfare of Derek Jeter was always a little bit absurd. After all, the guy's a proven champion, a certain Hall of Famer and, at age 36, may not have the range at short he used to, but can still pick it with the best in the business.

It wasn't so much his fielding that concerned the Yankee worriers, but the low batting average and lack of power. Until Sunday, Jeter hadn't hit a home run since August 24 of last season.

By the time the Yankees had finished polishing off the Rangers, 12-5, on Sunday, Jeter had put all of the questions to rest, going 4-for-6 with a pair of home runs, three RBI, two runs and a stolen base. He also extended his hitting streak to six straight game, raising the batting average to a very respectable .276.

Over the hill? Not yet. In the meantime, the usual Yankee hand-wringers better keep an eye on the Tampa Bay Rays, because they've won four straight and are tied with the Yanks for first place in the AL East.

National League

Anibal Sanchez

A couple of weeks ago, Anibal Sanchez, flirted with a no=hitter, coming up just short with a one-hit complete game shutout over the Rockies.

Three starts later, he was at it again, this time taking a no-no into the 7th inning against the Washington Nationals. An error in the first and a hit batsman in the 3rd were all that separated Sanchez from perfection. However, Lance Nix singled to lead off the 7th inning, and Michael Morse also singled with one out, so the drama ended there, but Sanchez got through the inning without surrendering a run, ringing up 11 Ks and no walks.

Getting just his second win of the season against one loss, Sanchez and the Marlins won the game, 8-0, and shaved a game off Philadelphia's lead in the NL East, as the Braves took down the Phillies, 5-2. Florida, as hot as any team in either league of late, is two games off the pace.

GS Means Grand Slam for Gaby Sanchez; Paul Konerko Powers White Sox over Orioles

Players of the Day for Monday, May 2, 2011

American League

Off to one of their worst starts in memory, the Chicago White Sox went through a sorry weekend, losing three straight to the Baltimore Orioles before finally breaking the slide with a win on Monday.

Paul Konerko

While the Sox don't exactly have a wrecking crew of a lineup, they are fortunate enough to have a wrecking man in the person of one Paul Konerko, who has quietly become one of the most fearsome power hitters in baseball.

Monday's 6-2 win was more about Konerko's power stroke than anything else - the Sox were actually outhit, 11-9 - as the cleanup hitter accounted for four of the White Sox runs.

Konerko made the score 2-0 in the 4th inning with a solo homer, tacked on another run in the 6th with a sac fly RBI and made it 6-0 with his second homer of the game, a two-run shot in the 8th inning.

With most of the starters struggling - Alex Rios and Adam Dunn are both batting below .200 - Konerko's .304 batting average is a standout on a team that has underachieved. His 8 homers and 24 RBI are good for 2nd in the AL in the respective categories. With the win, the White Sox moved 1/2 game out of last place, ahead of the Twins in the AL Central.

National League

The Philadelphia Phillies had the day off Monday, and maybe some of them made time to watch the Florida Marlins take one in St. Louis, a come-from-behind, 6-5 victory that tied them with Philadelphia in the NL East.

Gaby Sanchez

We can only imagine the Phillies' players looking over their shoulders - like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid - as they are being chased down, wondering, "who are those guys?"

While "those guys" - the Marlins - may not be household names, they are playing at a high level. At 18-9, they are tied with Philly with the best record in the National League.

In Monday's win, the bullpen held St. Louis scoreless after the third inning, allowing for the comeback on Mike Stanton's solo homer in the 5th and Greg Dobbs' sac fly in the 8th, plating Stanton with the game-winner.

The comeback was made possible, however, by a third inning grand slam off the bat of Gaby Sanchez that gave the Marlins a short-lived, 4-2, lead and made Matt Holliday's three-run homer in the bottom frame a little less damaging.

Sanchez powered a blast to the left field stands off Kyle Lohse after the St. Louis starter had loaded the bases on a single and a pair of walks. Sanchez also singled in the 9th to go 2-for-5 on the night.

STREAKING: Andre Ethier's hitting streak hit 28 straight games as the Dodgers beat the Cubs, 5-2, on Monday. Ethier went 1-for-4 with a 5th inning RBI single. He's batting .378 and is now half way to Joe DiMaggio's MLB record 56-game streak.

Anibal Sanchez 1-Hits Rockies; Michael Young Raking for Rangers

Players of the Day for Friday, April 22, 2011

American League

Michael Young

Michael Young is one of the best pure hitters in the game and proof of that has been his red-hot start to the 2011 season. He's batting .359, good for third in the AL and he's helped the Texas Rangers to first place in the AL West.

After losing six of their last eight and briefly giving up the division lead, Young and his Ranger teammates were happy to see the Royals visiting for a three-game series on Friday, and welcomed them to the Lone Star state with a five home run, 15 hit, 11-6 beating.

Young was not one of the five Rangers who homered, but he did get things started by singling in Ian Kinsler in the first and tripling him home in the second and scoring as the Rangers built a 5-0 lead.

Another single put Young at 3-for-5 for the night and gave him 28 hits, two behind league leader Alex Gordon, who went 2-for-4 in the same game. Meanwhile, the Angles lost to Boston, 4-3, and the Rangers assumed a 1/2 game lead.

Young won the AL batting championship in 2005 and also led the league in hits that season with 221.

National League

The Florida Marlins won their 4th straight game and kept pressure on the Phillies in the NL East, remaining 1/2 game behind the division leader.

Anibal Sanchez

Anibal Sanchez took a no-hitter into the ninth inning, spoiled on the first pitch to Dexter Fowler, who snapped a single into right field. Fowler had also walked to lead off the game, took second on a passed ball, moved to third on a ground out and scored when Gaby Sanchez threw errantly on Troy Tulowitzki's grounder.

The run was unearned, but gave the Rockies a short-lived 1-0 lead. Little did anyone know that it would be all they would get.

Sanchez cruised through the Rockies' lineup, at one point getting 12 straight outs, including four consecutive strikeouts. He finished allowing only Fowler's ninth inning single and three walks while fanning nine in the 4-1 Florida win.

Sanchez tossed a no-hitter last season, and flirted with another Friday. He is 1-1 with a 3.55 ERA in four starts this season.

Jered Weaver Goes to 5-0, Angels Lead AL West; Nolasco Solid in 6-0 Marlins Win

Players of the Day for Wednesday, April 20, 2011

American League

Jered Weaver

There's a new leader in the AL West, but it's a familiar face, that of the LA Angels, who took the final two games of their three-game series with the Texas Rangers on Wednesday.

As ace hurler Jered Weaver improved his record to 5-0, the Angels left Texas with a one-game lead in the division and the Texas team out of first place for the first time this season.

Weaver was far from perfect, but managed a complete game, 4-1, win, allowing just six hits while punching out 8 batters on strikes. The only Ranger run came in the 6th inning, when Michael Young doubled home Elvis Andrus.

That was it, however, as Weaver set down ten of the next 11 men to finish the game. He did not walk a batter.

A model of consistency has been Weaver's trademark this season. In 36 2/3 innings, he's allowed just five earned runs, resulting in an ERA of 1.23 and a 0.76 WHIP. His 39 strikeouts are tops in the American League.

National League

Ricky Nolasco

Keeping the pressure on the Phillies in the NL East, the Florida Marlins remained 1/2 game back of the division leaders with a 6-0 win over Pittsburgh.

Starter Ricky Nolasco delivered seven scoreless innings to go to 2-0 on the season, his teammates giving him an early working margin after scoring four times in the second and twice more in the third inning.

Nolasco set down nine straight in the middle innings, including fanning five in a row - setting the side down in the 4th and the first two batters in the 5th on strikes. He finished with eight Ks and one walk before heading to the bench after seven innings.

It was the second straight 6-0 win for Florida over Pittsburgh. Josh Johnson shut down the Pirates on Tuesday and Florida can cmplete the sweep when the teams take the field Thursday night in Miami.

DIAMOND NOTES: It has to be a little disconcerting for the players, but the LA Dodgers are soon going to be operated by MLB, according to statements made Wednesday afternoon by the Office of commissioner Bud Selig.

It appears to be the first step in fixing the franchise's finances, which have run afoul of late. Revealed during divorce negotiations with his wife Jamie, owner Frank McCourt appears to have put the Dodgers under a $400 million debt burden. MLB will investigate the owner and likely will seek a sale of the team and restructuring of its finances.

Ichiro Heats Up in Win over Tigers; Josh Johnson Leads Marlins to 6-0 Victory

Players of the Day for Tuesday, April 19, 2011


American League

Ichiro

People who are recognizable by just one name - like Madonna, Gaga, Prince or Michael - are that way because they are unique. Baseball has it's own, a player known to most simply as "Ichiro."

That's the first name of Mariners' outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, the Japanese import who's won two batting titles, led the AL in hits seven times and has had over 200 hits every season - 10 of them - that he's played.

Ichiro got off to something of a slow start this season. Entering last night's game with Detroit, the batting average was just .250, far below his career .331 mark, so Ichiro spent little time correcting that, going 4-for-5 (all singles) in Seattle's 13-3 victory.

The hitting isn't Ichiro's whole game, though. He also averages 38 steals per season. He swiped two in the Seattle win, scored three times and drove in two runs. Not a bad night for him; a good week for lesser players.

National League

Josh Johnson

Being way down at the tip of the Florida panhandle, people forget that Miami is home to the Florida Marlins. The games are sparsely attended, but the Marlins put a solid product out on the field year in, year out.

On Tuesday, they rode the arm of Josh Johnson to a 6-0 win over Pittsburgh, clawing to within 1/2 game of the Phillies in the NL East.

Johnson, who holds a lifetime ERA of 3.02, lowered it a bit with seven shutout innings, allowing just two hits and a walk, fanning nine batters along the way. The pitcher drove in the first two runs of the game with a single in the second; his teammates added four more in the 4th and the bullpen mopped up with two hitless innings in relief.

The win improved the Marlins' record to 9-6 and Johnson's to 3-0 on the season. A Cy young candidate the past two seasons, this could be the one for the 6'7" righty. He won 15 games in 2009, but dropped to 11-6 in 2010, despite a ridiculous 2.30 ERA.

So far this season, he's allowed just 10 hits in 27 innings, holding opposing batters to a .112 batting average. The WHIP is 0.59 and his ERA is an even 1.00. Johnson has rung up 27 strikeouts.

Luke Scott Homers Twice, Drives in Seven; Ricky Nolasco on the Cusp

Players of the Day for Monday, March 28, 2011

American League

Luke Scott

Luke Scott entered the exhibition game with Detroit carrying a .185 batting average, two home runs and six RBIs. By the time the Orioles had finished their 18-hit barrage in a 14-9 win, Scott had gotten the batting average up to .207, doubled his home run total and added seven RBI.

Amazing what a grand slam in the first inning and a three-run shot in the second will do for your stats.

It's not that Scott doesn't produce solid numbers. He's averaged 25 home runs and 72 RBI over the last three years. He's also a lifetime .268 hitter, so he just needed some extra time - and maybe a few choice pitches - to get into his groove.

Looks like he found it.

National League

Ricky Nolasco

It took four starts for Ricky Nolasco to notch his first exhibition win, but he was on his game in Florida's 4-1 win over St. Louis on Monday.

Nolasco worked the first six innings, blanking the Cardinals on two hits. He didn't walk a batter and struck out three, appearing ready to roll into the regular season.

For the Marlins to have any success, they'll likely need Nolasco to go deep into games and notch double digits in wins, something he's done each of the last three seasons.

In 2008, Nolasco went 15-8 and followed that up with marks of 13-9 and 14-9 in 2009 and 2010, respectively. The righty is right on the cusp of true greatness, but hasn't been able to put together more than a few months of solid pitching at any given stretch. Now in his sixth season, he could have another so-so year or evolve into one of the leagues dominators.

Anibal Sanchez 1-Hits Giants, Ends Posey Streak; Carlos Pena Stars as Rays Win 6th Straight

Players of the Day for Thursday, June 29, 2010 American League When the Detroit Tigers traveled to play the Tampa Bay Rays in a four-game series, it was supposed to have been a showdown between two of the top AL contenders. By the time it was all over, some fans were wondering why only one team showed up as the Rays swept the slumping Tigers, finishing them off with a 4-2 win Thursday night. After taking the first three games handily, by scores of 5-0, 3-2 and 7-4, game four was all Carlos Pena, the slugging first baseman who's struggled to keep his batting average over .200 all year. Pena drove in all four runs for the Rays, going 3-for-4, with a solo homer in the 2nd inning, a singled that plated a pair of run in the 3rd and another RBI single in the 8th. Despite the low batting average (.216), Pena is among the league leaders in home runs (23) and RBI (68). The four straight home wins by the Rays bettered the Yankees' output in Cleveland, where they won three of four, keeping the AL East race a tight, 2-game lead for New York. The Tigers, meanwhile, have all but fallen out of contention in the AL Central, dropping four straight and 12 of 15 since the all star break, dropping six games off the pace of the Chicago White Sox, winners of four straight. Minnesota remains comfortably in second place, 1 1/2 games out, having won their last five. National League San Francisco catcher Buster Posey was looking to tie Willie McCovey's franchise mark for rookies of 22 straight games with a hit when he and his Giant teammates ran into Anibal Sanchez and the Florida Marlins. Sanchez (8-6) had all of the Giants' would-be hitters off-balance as he twirled a one-hit shutout, his first complete game of the season, retiring the first 13 in order before Jose Uribe reached with one out in the 5th on an error by first baseman Jorge Cantu and Pablo Sandoval followed that up with a bloop single to center. Sanchez got out of the inning without suffering further damage and didn't allow another hit the rest of the way, finishing with 8 strikeouts and one walk in Florida's 5-0 win. Posey had just three cracks at Sanchez, but he struck out in his first two plate appearances and grounded into a double play after Aubrey Huff had walked to lead off the 7th inning. His piece of immortality will have to wait, though it seems certain to come at some point. Posey is batting .358 and is the leading candidate for NL rookie of the year. For Sanchez, his first shutout and complete game since his rookie season of 2006 has him believing in himself again and adding to the Marlins' hopes of running down the Braves in the NL East. The win put Florida at .500 (51-51), 7 1/2 games behind Atlanta, in 4th place. The Phillies are 2 1/2 back, the Mets trail the Braves by 6 1/2. The Giants lost a game to the Padres, 3-2 winners over LA, but are still alone in second place, 3 1/2 games out.

Matt Garza No-Hits Tigers; Joe Mauer Goes 5-for-5 with 7 RBI; Dan Uggla Leads Surging Marlins

Players of the Day for Monday, July 26, 2010 American League Tampa Bay has been relentless in their pursuit of the NY Yankees since being overtaken by them prior to the all star break. The Rays remained three games behind New York in the AL East on Monday thanks to the first no-hitter in Tampa franchise history, twirled by their ace Matt Garza in a 5-0 win over Detroit. While the Yankees were wrapping up a 3-2 win at Cleveland, down in Tampa, Garza was putting the finishing touches on a splendid pitching performance in which - thanks to a 5-4-3 double play that erased the only Tiger baserunner of the night, Brennan Boesch, who walked with one out in the second inning. After that Garza was the picture of perfection, setting down the next 21 straight batters for the fifth no-hitter in the major leagues this season. Garza (11-5) threw 120 pitches, of which 80 went for strikes. Striking out six, the only flaw was that 2nd inning free pass. In Kansas City, the Royals and Twins were playing an entirely different kind of game as the Twins sought to keep the pressure on front-running Chicago in the AL Central. Minnesota amassed 20 hits - including 7 doubles, 2 triples and 2 homers - in a 19-1 rout. A double and a three-run homer were part of the package Joe Mauer brought to the plate, going 5-for-5 with seven RBI and three runs, raising his batting average to somewhat pedestrian - for him, a three-time AL batting champ - .305. The Twins remained one game behind the White Sox, 6-1 victors over Seattle. National League The Florida Marlins hit a mid-season soft patch, but are putting together a nice second half run, winning their second straight and 8th of their last 11 since the all star break with a 4-3 win at San Francisco. The victory pulled the Marlins above the .500 mark - at 50-49 - and tied them with the Mets for 3rd place in the NL East, 7 1/2 games behind the Braves. Dan Uggla was instrumental in the win, banging his 19th home run of the season in the 4th inning and scoring on a sac fly in the 6th. Uggla went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs. The Marlins used six different pitchers to fend off the Giants in the first of a fur game series.

Rios, Pierzynski Key White Sox Win; Sanchez Drives in 6 for Marlins

Players of the Day for Friday, June 11, 2010 American League Maybe playing against National Leaguers will wake up the White Sox. In their first of fifteen straight interleague games, the Sox showed some sock, as Alex Rios (left) and A.J. Pierzynski (right) led a 16-hit White Sox attack against their crosstown rivals, the Cubs. The pair accounted for half of all the team's hits. Rios singeld three times, smacked a two-run homer, stole a base and scored three times, going 4-for-4, raising his batting average to .322. Rios is having possibly the best all-around season of any major leaguer with 13 homers, 31 RBI, 42 runs, 19 stolen bases and a .967 OPS. Pierzynski had a pair of singles, a double, a solo home run and three RBI for the White Sox, who beat the Cubs at Wrigley Field, 10-5, for their third straight win. The Sox trail the Twins by 8 1/2 games in the AL Central, and are four games behind second-place Detroit. National League The Florida Marlins may be just 1/2 game out of last place in the NL East, but they're also only 4 1/2 games out of first. With the Phillies suffering from a severe power shortage over the past three weeks, the door to the post-season has been left wide open in the division. Currently led by the Braves, all five teams in the division have aims on the top slot. The last-place Nationals and Marlins are the only teams in the division sub-.500, though just barely. At 30-31, Florida won their second straight, putting on a power display against their in-state foes at Tampa Bay, pounding out a season-high 14 runs in their first of three at Tampa, 14-9. Driving in six of those 14 runs was rookie first baseman Gaby Sanchez, with two singles, two homers and a sac fly in five at-bats. Sanchez accounted for his 6th and 7th long balls of the season, a three-run poke in the 4th inning and a two-run bomb in the 7th. Sanchez is batting .282, with 7 homers and 28 RBI. Teammate Chris Coghlan, who batted in the leadoff spot, just ahead of Sanchez, went 4-for-4, with two singles and two doubles. He crossed the plate 4 times on the day.

Suzuki Sends A's to 10th-Inning Win; Josh Johnson Rolls on for Marlins

Players of the Day for Tuesday, May 18, 2010 American League After losing a season-high 5 straight games, the Oakland A's needed something to shake them out of the doldrums. A brief visit from Northern rival Seattle provided the perfect tonic to get them back on track. Seattle, in Oakland for a two-game series prior to inter-league play, dropped the first game on Monday, 8-4, but battled to a 4-3 lead in the 7th. In the bottom of the frame, however, A's catcher Kurt Suzuki - who had already singled in a run in the first and doubled and scored in the third inning - reached base by being hit by a pitch, advanced to third on Kevin Kouzmanoff's single that scored Ryan Sweeney, and trotted home with the leading run on an Eric Chavez sac fly. The lead didn't hold up, as the Mariners re-tied the game in the 8th. It stayed that way until the bottom of the 10th, when Cliff Pennington walked, took second on a long floy out and advanced to third on a wild pitch. After an intentional walk to Ryan Sweeney, with the winning run 90 feet away, Suzuki delivered again, poking a single up the middle to plate Pennington for the 6-5, 10th-inning win. Suzuki has only played in 20 games this season, but his steady leadership should help the A's through the long summer months. Oakland has managed to hold onto second place in the AL West, trailing the Rangers by 2 games. The A's retuned to .500 ball. They are 20-20. National League Florida's Josh Johnson wasn't about to let the circus atmosphere affect him after the benching of star shortstop Hanley Ramirez has incited clubhouse squabbles and fan irritation. Instead, he focused himself on the task at hand, producing seven innings of shutout ball on just 2 hits for an 8-0 Marlins win over the visiting Diamondbacks. Johnson gave up the two hits and also walked a pair and hit a batter over the first five innings, but induced a double play to end the fifth and finished strong, setting down the next six in a row. With the game's result no longer in doubt after the marlins scored five times in the 6th, Johnson was lifted after completing seven innings and 104 pitches. Working over the Arizona lineup, Johnson recorded 9 strikeouts, including Kelly Johnson twice and slugger Mark Reynolds three times. His seasonal total of 63 is second only to San Fran's Tim Lincecum in the National League. Johnson's been phenomenal this season, going 4-1 with a 2.68 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP in 9 starts. His performances have helped the Marlins to second place in the NL East, 4 games behind the Phillies. As for the feud between Hanley Ramirez - who was benched after not hustling after a ball he had kicked down the left field line - and manager Fredi Gonzalez, that situation has to be simmered, and quickly. After all, it's early in the season and the Marlins are playing well. Anybody who's seen Ramirez play this season has to sense an attitude of nonchalance about him, even though his play has been nothing special (.293, 7 HR, 20 RBI). He deserved to be benched for not just that play, but other times in which he has appeared to not be giving it his all. Sniping back at the manager isn't exactly going to win him any awards for tactfulness, and he needs to man up and apologize to Gonzalez, his teammates and the fans, who deserve better. Ramirez is the highest-paid player on the roster, and he should consider that status an honor, act like a team leader and maybe just grow up a bit. QUICK HITS: The LA Dodgers won their 9th straight on Tuesday, topping the visiting Astros by a 7-3 score. Their re-emergence has significantly tightened the NL West race. The stubborn Padres are still on top, though their lead is only 1/2 game over San Francisco with the Dodgers another 1/2 game behind them. LA will have a chance to take first place away from San Diego when the Padres visit on Wednesday and Thursday prior to both teams heading into inter-league play on Friday.

A-Rod Passes Frank Robinson with Grand Slam; Uggla Gets Marlins to .500

Players of the Day for Friday, May 14, 2010 American League Here's an idea for American League managers. You should avoid pitching to Alex Rodriguez with either the game on the line or the bases loaded. If faced with a situation in which both conditions exist, walking him might be your best course of action. Praying for a sudden thunderstorm might also apply. A-Rod sent his own form of instant message to all managers last night as the Yankees downed the Twins, 8-4, extending New York's dominance over the Central division leaders. The Twins scored a pair of runs in the top of the 7th inning to forge a 4-3 lead, but in the bottom frame, the Yankees mounted a rally on a single by Francisco Cervelli and a Derek Jeter double. After getting Brett Gardner to fly out, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire made a manager's decision, to intentionally walk Mark Teixeira and pitch to A-Rod with the bases chucked. Bad move. Gardenhire must not have checked his stats, because he brought in righty Matt Guerrier to pitch to Rodriguez, who had lifetime stats of 4-for-6 with 3 homers against him. Rodriguez launched his 4th home run of the season and 587th of his career - moving him past Frank Robinson and into 7th place, all time - over the left field wall, putting the Yanks up, 7-4, and eventually extending their home win streak against the Twinkies to 9 straight and 24 of the last 27. Ouch! The slam was the 19th of Rodriguez' career, tying him with Eddie Murray and trailing only Manny Ramirez (21) and Lou Gehrig (23). Checking A-Rod's numbers, he's averaged 41 homers and 1.36 grand slams over 14 full seasons. Turning 35 this August, he's probably got at least 4 more good years left in that magnificent body, so he'll probably pass the 600 mark and catch Sammy Sosa (609) this year, slide past Ken Griffery Jr. (630) in 2011 and then launch an assault on 700 and the rarified air of Ruth, Aaron and the steroid-induced 762 of the delusional Barry Bonds, who, fittingly, eventually will end up in second place, many hope. He'll pass Gehrig for carrer slams somewhere along the line, especially if managers keep walking people to get to him. National League There hasn't been a lot of noise coming from South Florida this season, but everybody knows that it's just a matter of time before the Florida Marlins make their presence known in the NL East race. On Friday, the Marlins took a big step forward, tying the Mets at 18-18 for third place in the division, four games behind the Phillies, with the surprising Nationals holding second, 1 1/2 back. The Marlins took their second straight home game from the Mets, 7-2, having already won the 4-game series opener by a 2-1 score on Thursday. Florida did their damage early, scoring four runs in the 2nd inning and 3 more in the 3rd. Dan Uggla keyed both rallies, starting the scoring with a 3-run homer in the 3rd, and finishing it with a solo shot in the 4th. Uggla's homers were his 7th and 8th of the season. The 4 RBI gave him 23 on the year. Uggla's averaged 30 homers and 90 RBI in his 4 seasons in the majors, all with the Marlins. He's on pace for nearly 40 and 100 this time around and if the Marlins make their usual mid-season surge, he's sure to be right in the middle of the action.

Cantu, Willingham, Rosales Power Wins

Players of the Day for Sunday, April 11, 2010 American League Leading 3-1 through 6 innings, Joe Saunders and his LA Angel teammates were cruising along, seeking a win over the upstart Oakland A's, who have taken the AL West lead hostage in the opening week of the season. The Angels have won the division three years running, and were eager to resume their rightful place atop the standings. This was the third game of the series, and

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But then came the 7th inning and a little-known utility infielder named Adam Rosales, who had already made his mark, hitting a solo homer in his first at-bat of the game - and the season - in the 2nd inning. By the time Rosales came to the plate in the 7th, Saunders would be headed for the showers, allowing three straight hits without getting an out. Kevin Jepsen relieved the starter and got one out before Rosales came up and singled home two more runs, putting the A's ahead, 4-3. From there, the A's would tack on 5 more runs, including a walk to Rosales that forced in one run. For his first appearance this season, Rosales made the most of it, going 2-for-3 with a home run and 4 RBI, one which stemmed from the bonus base on balls. With the 9-4 win, the A's remained in first place with a 5-2 record. The Angels dropped to last, along with the Mariners, at 2-5.

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National League Normally, choosing a Player of the Day isn't a very complicated matter... and then there are days like Sunday. Albert Pujols shows off on national TV with a pair of homers and a single, 4 RBI in 5 at-bats, but, the Cardinals lose to Milwaukee, 8-7. Earlier in the day, Roy Halladay pitches his first complete game win as a National Leaguer, allowing 7 hits while fanning 8 as the Phillies slip by Roy Oswalt and the winless Astros, 2-1. The only run of the game is unearned, and it's Halladay's errant throw to first which causes it. Uh-uh. Out in Arizona, the Diamondbacks score 13 runs in the 4th inning en route to a 15-6 win over the Pirates. Catcher Chris Snyder hits a two-run homer and a bases-loaded double, drives in 5, scores twice, but, it was, after all, a rout over one of the worst teams in the league. Pablo Sandoval goes 3-for-4 with a triple and a homer, drives in 2 runs, scores three as the Giants improve to 5-1 with a 6-3 win over Atlanta. Now, we're getting somewhere. In the end, it turned out to be a tie. Florida's Jorge Cantu (left), who belted a 3-run homer in the 4th inning, and capped off his night with a 7th inning two-run double which turned a 5-4 Dodger lead into a 6-5 Marlins win. Cantu was 2-for-4 with 5 RBI, including the game-winner. We also tip our cap to Washington's Josh Willingham (right), who drove in all five runs in the Nationals' 5-2 win over the Mets. Willingham launched a grand slam in the 1st inning and doubled home another run in the 4th. Washington's pitching staff made his runs hold up. The Nationals - and this may be the last time this season this statement is valid - are one of 5 NL teams with winning road records.

Nolasco 1-Hits Astros; Martinez' 4 Hits Lift Boston

Players of the Day for Sunday, March 28, 2010 American League When Victor Martinez was traded from Cleveland to Boston last year, he cried over the thought of leaving the team that brought him to the major league, but the tears haven't stopped him from being one of the best hitters in the league. All he did for Boston last season was hit .336 with 8 home runs and 41 RBI in 56 games, helping the Red Sox win the wild card by a wide margin. He's picking it right up down in the warm Florida sun, and apparently finding his best stroke with opening day just a week away. On Sunday, Martinez raised his batting average from .262 to .319, with a 4-for-5 effort, 3 RBI and 4 runs, as the Red Sox banged out 16 hits in an 11-5 win over Minnesota. Though only one of the hits went for extra bases - a double - they came in run-producing situations, which is where Martinez should be, batting 3rd or 4th in the Boston lineup in 2010. Martinez isn't crying any more about where he lives or plays, though opposing pitchers are. It looks like he's found a long-term residence in the Red Sox lineup. National League Last season, Florida pitcher Ricky Nolasco started out with a 1-6 record, but finished in awesome fashion, going 12-3 from June 18 to his final start of the year, a 5-4 win over Atlanta in which he struck out 16 in 7 2/3 innings. Though Nolasco's 2009 season was a success by most standards, his 5.09 ERA bothered many, though he lowered it from a ridiculous 8.17 after that sixth loss. This Spring, the Florida righty set out to disprove his skeptics, and, by all accounts, he's done so, as his fifth and final start was a memorable 1-hit performance spanning 7 1/3 innings in a 4-0 win over the Astros. Nolasco put down the first 16 batters before allowing a Jason Castro single to right with one out in the 6th. By the end of the stint, Nolasco's numbers are appealing: 25 1/3 innings, 17 hits, 5 runs, but, get this, 21 Ks and just 1 walk, to go with a 1.71 ERA. MLB Preview: St. Louis Cardinals Having Albert Pujols, arguably the best player in the major leagues in the lineup every day, the St. Louis Cardinals are going to be a post-season threat for many years. Since 2004, the Cardinals have won the NL Central four times, missing the playoffs in the two years they didn't take the division - 2007 and 2008 - and they're looking to grab the top spot for the second straight season. If Pujols is the meat of this team, the pitching staff is the potatoes. With Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter at the top of the rotation, the Cards have one of the best 1-2 combos in the majors. Wainwright went 19-8 with a 2.63 ERA and 212 Ks, while Carpenter rebounded off two injury-plagued seasons to go 17-4 with a 2.24 ERA in 2009. To fill out the rotation, the Cardinals plucked Brad Penny from the Giants via free agency, kept Kyle Loshe after a disappointing season, and are hoping rookie Jamie Garcia can fill the void at #5. Garcia has been impressive this Spring, allowing just 5 hits and 2 earned runs in 12 1/3 innings, though his 4 outings have been limited to 4 innings or less. The bullpen has a nice mix, including Dennys Reyes, Kyle McClellan and Trever Miller, set up men to get to closer Ryan Franklin, the surprise of the 2009 season, who notched 38 saves with a 1.91 ERA. Around the horn from Pujols at 1st are Felipe Lopez and Julio Lugo up the middle and rookie David Freese at third. Freese projects as a solid bat with some pop, who could end up batting anywhere from second through sixth in the lineup. Capable Yadier Molina handles behind-the-plate chores. Outfielders Matt Holliday, Colby Rasmus and Ryan Ludwick combined for 51 dingers and 204 ribbies in 2009, but Holliday, the best hitter of the bunch, only played in 63 games. They will be productive in 2010. The Cardinals are going to be competitive in a division which appears to be a wide-open, four-team scramble. If St. Louis intends to win back-to-back division crowns, they'll have to defeat Houston, Milwaukee and a revamped Cubs squad to do so. After 6-1 Philly, the Cardinals came in a 8-1 to take home all the glory according to the Vegas future book, a dicey proposition considering the competition within the division.

Carroll Leads Marlins Past Astros; Sizemore Slugs Slam

Players of the Day for Wednesday, March 10, 2010 American League Grady Sizemore cranked a grand slam as part of a 9-run 4th inning as the Indians scalped the Padres, 10-4. Sizemore's first homer of the Spring came after he had already singled and scored in the opening frame. In a departure from his normal spot atop the Cleveland batting order, Sizemore has been hitting in the #2 spot, seen as a move to make more use of his bat and power rather than his speed. In his five full seasons as an Indian, Sizemore has averaged 25 home runs a year, so the move is a logical one and one which the Indians hope to employ throughout the 2010 campaign, shifting shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera into the leadoff role. National League Florida's Brett Carroll is making the most of his opportunity this Spring to land a job with the Marlins. An outfielder by trade, Carroll displayed his versatility by playing center and left field, then finishing with a stint behind the plate. While standing next to the plate, Carroll made an even bigger impression, especially towards Astros pitchers, who allowed him a pair of doubles and home run in 4 at-bats, saw him drive in two runs and score four times. In 2008, Carroll suffered a separated shoulder which sidelined him most of that season and into early 2009, but he apparently is fully recovered and could find himself in a good spot on a Marlins squad which seems to surprise with good players every year. Florida hammered the Astros, 16-4, banging out 17 hits. MLB Preview: Chicago White Sox Finishing third in the AL Central with a 79-83 record in 2009, the White Sox have the make-up of a team that can return to the top of the division. Offensively, they boast both speed and power in their lineup, a dangerous combination. Although 32 years old, Juan Pierre, acquired in a trade with the LA Dodgers in December, still has the wheels for 30 or more steals and will bat in the leadoff spot and play left field. Alex Rios will flank Pierre in center, and bat either fifth or second in the order. Rios was plucked from the Blue Jays during their August fire sale last season, but didn't really pan out for the Sox, who are hoping for better from the multi-talented outfielder. Rios swiped 32 bases in 2008 and 24 more in 2009. He's the second part of the speed formula. Toss in Alexei Ramirez's 14 steals and the Sox may cause other teams problems with men on base. If they're not running, Chicago has the bats to drive them in. Paul Konerko, Carlos Quentin and newcomer Mark Teahen (KC, 3rd base) can crush in any ball park. Second beaseman Gordon Beckham, catcher A.J. Pierzynski and DH Mark Kotsay round out a very solid starting lineup. The pitching has had its ups and downs, but when the Sox picked up Jake Peavy from San Diego it really solidified. Mark Buehrle, Freddy Garcia, Gavin Floyd and John Danks are as talented a group of 2-5 starters anywhere in the majors. Bobby Jenks will handle the closing duties, with Scott Linebrink and Matt Thornton as set-up men. Along with the Twins and Tigers, the Sox have plenty of sock with which to compete in the AL Central. The White Sox are 12-1 to win the World Series in the future book.

Hallady's 4th Shutout Downs Boston; Phillies Are In; Nolasco Fans 16 in Marlins Win

Players of the Day for Wednesday, September 30, 2009 American League The game may not have mattered to the Red Sox, but Roy Halladay wanted to end his 2009 season on a positive note. With many of the Boston regulars taking seats on the bench after clinching the wild card spot a day ago, Halladay knifed through the depleted lineup like he was pitching to minor leaguers, which, in fact, he was. Cruising to his 17th win against 10 losses, Halladay shut down the Red Sox on 3 hits and two walks, striking out 6 in a 12-0 Toronto triumph. It was his 4th shutout of the season - a career high - and 9th complete game, tying his career best, set in 2003 and again in 2009. While the Yankees' C.C. Sabathia is the current favorite to win the Cy Young award, Halladay's numbers are right there with the best in the league and should be given strong consideration. He leads the league with 239 innings pitched, is tied for 4th in wins, and his 2.79 ERA is third best among starters. Nobody except Kansas City's Zack Greinke is close to him in complete games or shutouts. Greinke has 6 and 3, respectively. Separating himself from the pack even further, Halladay's 208 Ks to 35 BBs is the best ratio in the league. Again, only Greinke comes close (237-49). National League The Florida Marlins have been eliminated from post-season contention, but Ricky Nolasco made sure that the Atlanta Braves would be playing golf instead of baseball in October, fanning a career-best 16 batters in a 5-4 Marlins' win. At one point, Nolasco struck out 9 batters in a row, one short of the major league record set by Tom Seaver. The 16 Ks also set a new standard for the franchise, and ended Nolasco's remarkable season with a flourish. The 4-year pro will finish 2009 with a 13-9 record after having been sent to the minors earlier in the year. Nolasco allowed just 4 hits and 2 walks in 7 2/3 innings. Neither of the two runs scored on him were earned. The Braves lost their second straight to the Marlins and trail the Rockies by 4 games in the wild card race. The best the Braves can do is tie, but the Rockies would have to lose all four of their remaining games. The Braves could conceivably win their last four, as they host the Washington Nationals to close out the season. The Nats are the worst team in the majors, with a 55-103 record. NOTES: San Diego got 7 shutout innings (on one hit) from Clayton Richard and kept the LA Dodgers from clinching the NL West. With their magic number stuck at 1, the Dodgers dropped the 5-0 decision, their 4th straight loss. That leaves the Rockies just 2 1/2 back, with Colorado visiting LA for the final three games. The Phillies smashed the Astros, 10-3, clinching their third straight NL East crown. Philadelphia is just 1/2 game behind the Dodgers for the best record in the league, which would give them home field throughout the playoffs. The Phils are 92-66, while the Dodgers are 93-66, and have just 3 games left. The Phillies play all of their games at home, with one against the Astros on Thursday, and three over the weekend with the Marlins.

Holland's Shutout Boosts Rangers; Ramirez, Marlins Complete Phillies Sweep

Players of the Day for Sunday, August 9, 2009 American League After losing the middle game of their critical 3-game series with the Angels, 3-2, Saturday, the Texas Rangers were looking to at least leave Southern California with a 2-1 split in the series. To do so, however, would mean winning the matchup between veteran starter John Lackey and the Rangers' rookie hurler, Derek Holland. What they got was an impressive 3-hit shutout by the rookie, a 7-0 win and a reduction in LA's lead in the AL West to 3 1/2 games. Holland, who entered the game with a 4-7 record, completely baffled the tough Angels' batters, fanning 8 - including getting Vlad Geurrero twice on strikes - while walking just one. The 22-year-old lefty threw just 96 pitches in the complete game win, placing an incredible 73 for strikes. By contrast, Lackey, who lasted only 6 2/3 innings, threw 131 pitches, with only 83 going for strikes. Looking ahead, the Rangers head to Cleveland to complete their 10-game road trip, but then face a very tough stretch in which they play the Red Sox and Twins at home, then take to the road again, traveling to Tampa, New York and Minnesota for three-game sereis in each of those locales. The Angels get a huge break in the schedule after a three game series hosting the Rays. They travel to Baltimore for 4 games, then Cleveland for 3 and Toronto for 3 more before returning home to face the Tigers and A's. If the Angels are to win the division, this could be the time to open some space between themselves and the second place Rangers. National League As the weekend approached, the Phillies were feeling pretty good about themselves, sporting a 7 game lead in the division after taking two straight from the Rockies. That was Thursday. By Sunday, the Phillies weren't exactly beaming with confidence after dropping three straight at home to the Florida Marlins and watching their lead drop to 4 games and 4 1/2 in front of the third place Braves, who were busy taking three of four from the Dodgers in LA. Sunday's 12-3 splattering at the hands of Florida was a tour de force for the mystifying Marlins, who, before the Philadelphia series, had just dropped three straight to the last-place Nationals. Josh Johnson, perhaps the most overlooked pitcher in the majors, improved his record to 11-2 (30-13 lifetime), limiting the Phillies to 4 hits and one earned run over 6 solid innings. Meanwhile, the Marlins regulars were taking extended batting practice against Jamie Moyer (11 hits) and five relievers, mashing out 19 hits overall. As expected, shortstop Hanley Ramirez was leading the hit parade, going 4-for-6 with 3 RBI and 3 runs on a double and three singles, raising his batting average to a league-best .348. Ramirez has 137 hits in 103 games, and is on pace to challenge his career high of 212 hits in 2007. NOTES: The New York Yankees certainly made the most of their 4-game home series with second place Boston, sweeping the Red Sox and upping their lead in the AL East from 2 1/2 to 6 1/2 games. The third-place Rays could not take advantage, remaining 8 back after stumbling against the Mariners, dropping two of three in Seattle. Both the Rays and Red Sox have to be seriously looking at the wild card, in which the Sox are now tied with the Rangers, with Tampa 1 1/2 back. Dark horses, Chicago and Minnesota continue to chase the Tigers, who have a 3 game lead in the Central. Over in the National League, the Cardinals finally got some separation from the Cubs, as they won and the Cubs lost. St. Louis leads the Central by 2 games. Colorado and San Fran are tied for the wild card lead, but both trail the Dodgers by 5 1/2 with intentions of running down the division leader. The Giants host the Dodgers for three games beginning Monday night. The Cubs are two back in the wild card and the Marlins three behind.