Reds' Nix Kicks Cards; Rays' Niemann Blanks Royals

Players of the Day for Wednesday, June 3, 2009 American League The defending AL champs, Tampa Bay, hasn't come back in 2008 looking very much like the team to beat. Though they are just 5 games behind the Yankees and Red Sox in the AL East, they have yet to get past the Blue Jays, who are themselves still 3 games in front of the Rays. In Wednesday's 9-0 win over the Royals there may be signs that the Rays are going to begin coming around, especially if starter Jeff Niemann can replicate his complete game, 2-hit, 9 K performance - his first career complete game shutout - against future opponents. At 5-4, Niemann has had an up-and-down season thus far, but, for a rookie, his 3.77 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 39 strikeouts in 59 2/3 innings is a respectable beginning. If he can remain in good form, the young Tampa staff may yet have something to say about the outcomes in the division and the league. National League The Cincinnati Reds continue as contenders in the wide open NL Central, just 2 1/2 behind division leading Milwaukee, and, after last night's 9-3 thumping of St. Louis, just 1 1/2 back of the second place Cardinals. The Reds got started early on the Cards, as Laynce Nix opened the scoring with a solo homer in the second, and the Reds piled on additional runs in the 3rd, 4th, 8th and 9th, including Nix's second homer of the night, a 3-run blast in the 8th inning which put the game out of reach. Nix, who has bounced between Milwaukee and Texas for most of his 7 seasons in the majors, is getting more playing time with the Reds and has responded well, with 6 homers and 17 RBI in 101 at-bats. The Reds are 4-2 against the Cardinals in 2008, and have taken two of three in their current series, which wraps up Thursday in St. Louis. NOTES: Randy Johnson's first attempt at his 300th career win was rained out Wednesday in Washington, but the Big Unit is slated to be on the mound at 4:35 pm in Washington for the first game of a double-header between the Giants and Nationals.

Ibanez Tears Up Padres; Posada's Bat is Back

Players of the Day for Tuesday, June 2, 2009 American League Jorge Posada, recently returned to activity after missing 22 games with a strained right hamstring, had an up-and-down experience in the Yankees' 12-3 romp over the Texas Rangers. In the top of the 4th, Posada ended the Yanks' MLB-record streak of errorless games at 18 when he overthrew second base trying to catch stealing Elvis Andrus. In the bottom of the inning, however, Posada began to make amends for his errant throw with an RBI single, scoring later on Hideki Matsui's 3-run blast during a 7-run Yankee uprising. A few innings later, in the 6th, Posada circled the bases with a 3-run homer, completing the Yankees' scoring. He also singled in the second inning, but was thrown out trying to go first-to-third on Matsui's single. In just 28 games this season, Posada is carrying a .312 batting average with 7 homers and 25 RBI. The Yankees are happy to have his potent bat back in the lineup. New York leads Boston by one game in the AL East. National League When the Phillies picked up Raul Ibanez during the off-season to replace departing Pat Burrell, they figured he'd supply a productive bat, but they didn't know he'd challenge not only for the team lead in home runs and RBI, but the league lead. In Tuesday's 10-5 mashing of the Padres, Ibanez went 3-for-5, with 5 RBI and 3 runs on an RBI double and score in the 1st and a pair of two-run homers, in the 3rd and 7th innings. Ibanez, who came over from the Mariners after a solid 2008 campaign (.293, 23, 110), is having an MVP season thus far with the Phillies, who have streaked (5 straight wins) to a 2 1/2 game lead over the Mets in the NL East. He is batting .340, with 19 homers and 51 RBI, ranking him 5th, 2nd and 1st in those respective categories.

Brothers LaRoche Dump Mets; Thome Notches #550

Players of the Day for Monday, June 1, 2009 American League With the score tied, 2-2 and two runners on with one out in the 8th inning, Jim Thome stepped to the plate in a pressure situation and delivered home run #550, busting the game open as the White Sox dumped the A's, 6-2, their 4th straight win, putting the Sox 3 1/2 games behind the Tigers, in second place in the AL Central. For Thome, the drama has become routine over the years, as he has established himself as one of the pre-eminent (and non-steroid using) home run hitters of the era. Monday's shot was his ninth on the year, the 3 RBI giving him 32. In his 19th major league season, Thome, 38, still seems to have plenty of pop in his swing. Over the past three seasons, he's averaged 37 home runs and 98 home runs. Having just passed Mike Schmidt (248) for 13th place on the career HR list, dead ahead are Alex Rodriguez (560), whom he probably won't catch, Reggie Jackson (563), Rafael Palmeiro (569), Harmon Killebrew (573), Mark McGwire (583), Frank Robinson (586). With A-Rod pacing him, Thome is likely to reach #10 this season and enter the elite 600-club next year. National League Opening a four-game series hosting the NY Mets, the Pirates fell behind, 5-0, after just three innings, but that was before the brothers LaRoche, Andy (left) and Adam (right), went to work. Adam, the elder of the two, was batting 4th, with Andy, in the six hole. In the 4th inning, Adam stroked a one-out double to right, and scored, after a walk to Eric Hinske, when Andy tripled both of them home. Andy scored on a ground out to make the score 5-3, Mets. In the 8th, still trailing 5-3, Adam led off with his second double of the night and scored on Andy's single. Andy later scored to tie the game, but the Pirates continued the assault against reliever J.J. Putz, eventually scoring 5 times for the final score of 8-5. Adam finished 3-for-5 with two doubles and two runs, while Andy went 2-for-4, with a triple, 3 RBI and two runs. The Pirates remain mired near the bottom of the NL Central, while the Mets have dropped 1 1/2 games behind NL East-leader Philadelphia, winners of 4 straight.

Peralta Stun Yankees; Jones Powers Braves Over D-Backs

Players of the Day for Sunday, May 31, 2009 American League Jhonny Peralta came to the plate in key spots - early and late - and delivered, as the Indians topped the Yankees, 5-4. Peralta singled three times in the Cleveland win, driving in two runs with a bases-loaded hit in the 3rd for Cleveland's first two runs of the game, and, after Mark Teixeira homered and doubled in four runs for the Yanks, tying the score at 4-4, the pesky infielder singled home the game-winner in the bottom of the ninth. He also singled in the seventh, to no avail. A mainstay at short since breaking in with Cleveland in 2003, Peralta set up shop at the hot corner Sunday, as manager Eric Wedge was forced to shuffle his lineup to accommodate for injured center fielder Grady Sizemore, who was placed on the 15-day DL prior to the game. National League Chipper Jones did all of his damage in the first four innings, propelling the Braves to a 9-3 thumping of Arizona. Jones singled in a run in the first inning, stroked a two-run homer in the 3rd, drove in another run and scored in the 4th, helping the Braves build an early 8-0 lead, which became 9-0 an inning later. In his 16th season - all with the Braves - Jones is still one of the most reliable hitters in the game, with a .310 lifetime batting average. So far this season, he's batting .316, with 5 home runs and 21 RBI.