Team spokesman Josh Rawitch said Ng was interviewed Saturday. If hired to succeed Paul DePodesta, she would become major league baseball's first female GM.
Before joining the Dodgers, the 36-year-old Ng served as vice president and assistant general manager for the New York Yankees from 1998-2001.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Kim Ng, a vice president and assistant general manager for the Los Angeles Dodgers the past four years, became the first candidate to interview for the team's vacant GM job.

Team spokesman Josh Rawitch said Ng was interviewed Saturday. If hired to succeed Paul DePodesta, she would become major league baseball's first female GM.
Before joining the Dodgers, the 36-year-old Ng served as vice president and assistant general manager for the New York Yankees from 1998-2001.

Ng and Roy Smith, vice president of player development, are handling front-office duties for the Dodgers until a general manager is hired, and will represent the team at the GM meetings, which begin Tuesday in Palm Springs.

The Dodgers received permission last week to interview former Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers GM John Hart. Rawitch said he didn't know when that interview would take place.

Hart resigned as general manager of the Rangers on Oct. 4 and was succeeded by assistant GM Jon Daniels. Hart remains under contract with Texas as a consultant.

Among other possible candidates are former Boston Red Sox GM Theo Epstein, Washington Nationals GM Jim Bowden and Chicago White Sox special assistant Dennis Gilbert.

The Dodgers' job became vacant Oct. 29 when DePodesta was fired after less than two years on the job. DePodesta signed a five-year contract in February 2004, shortly after Frank McCourt purchased the team from News Corp.

The Dodgers are also without a manager. McCourt said at the time of DePodesta's firing that the search to replace Jim Tracy would be on hold until a GM is in place.

The Dodgers had a 71-91 record this year - their worst since 1992 and second-poorest since the franchise moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles in 1958.

Posted by admin at 03:19 PM | Comments (0)

October 04, 2005

Detroit Tigers fire manager Alan Trammell after disappointing season

DETROIT (AP) - Tigers manager Alan Trammell was fired Monday after three seasons in which he failed to turn around a franchise without a winning record since 1993.

Alan Trammell, in this 2004 file photo. (AP File/Duane Burleson)
The Tigers went 71-91 this season and were 186-300 in three seasons under Trammell, a former star shortstop for Detroit. He had one year left on his contract.

DETROIT (AP) - Tigers manager Alan Trammell was fired Monday after three seasons in which he failed to turn around a franchise without a winning record since 1993.

Alan Trammell, in this 2004 file photo. (AP File/Duane Burleson)
The Tigers went 71-91 this season and were 186-300 in three seasons under Trammell, a former star shortstop for Detroit. He had one year left on his contract.
Detroit lost an AL-record 119 games in his first season as manager, then improved to 72-90 last year, the biggest turnaround in the AL since Baltimore's 33-game improvement from 1988 to 1989.

With a lineup and bullpen that seemed upgraded, the Tigers thought they had a chance to have a winning season in 2005. The Tigers were 42-44 at the all-star break and 61-62 in late August before losing 29 of their last 39 games.

"You will not find a more dedicated, hardworking and respected individual that cares more about the Tigers and his coaching staff," Tigers president Dave Dombrowski said in a statement. "However, for the Tigers to reach the next level, I feel it is appropriate to make a change at this time."

The Tigers were set back by injuries this year, but Trammell refused to point to them as an excuse. Outfielder Magglio Ordonez missed about half of the season with a hernia, and closer Troy Percival appeared in just 26 games before an elbow injury ended his season in July. Both were hailed as prized free-agent signings before the season.

"Really, I'm OK," the 47-year-old Trammell said last week. "I'm a big boy. I've been through enough that I understand how things are."

Things were much different when Trammell was a player and he helped the Tigers post 11 consecutive winning seasons from 1978-88.

As a 20-year standout in the field and at the plate, he led Detroit to a World Series championship in 1984 and the American League East title in 1987, when he narrowly was beaten out by Toronto's George Bell for AL MVP.

Trammell was a six-time all-star, four-time Gold Glove and three-time Silver Slugger shortstop.

After he retired in 1996, he was a baseball operations assistant in Detroit for two seasons and was the Tigers' hitting coach in 1999. Then, he moved near his hometown and coached with the San Diego Padres for three seasons.

The Tigers knew Trammell was the popular choice to be their 35th manager on Oct. 9, 2002, and they insisted he was also the right choice. Trammell, Al Kaline and Ty Cobb are the only players to be with the team for at least 20 seasons.

"People don't come to your games to see your manager," Dombrowski said when Trammell was hired. "I can understand why some people will feel that this was based on Alan's popularity here. But really, we could not afford to make this decision based on that, because we need to right this ship."

Posted by admin at 04:12 PM | Comments (0)

September 27, 2005

Nothing beats baseball's final week

Pennant, individual races come to a head over next seven days
In the final week of the magical 1941 season, Ted Williams took a .39955 batting average into the last Sunday. He could have quit there and been credited with .400, but he insisted on playing that last doubleheader, and banged out six hits to finish at .406 -- the last person to hit above .400 in the Majors.

In the final week of the 2001 season, Barry Bonds parked the last of his 73 home runs for a single-season record. But good pitching was playing an even bigger role, as Arizona's twosome of Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling took command and the Diamondbacks eliminated the Giants on that final Friday.

In the final week of the magical 1941 season, Ted Williams took a .39955 batting average into the last Sunday. He could have quit there and been credited with .400, but he insisted on playing that last doubleheader, and banged out six hits to finish at .406 -- the last person to hit above .400 in the Majors.
In the final week of the 2001 season, Barry Bonds parked the last of his 73 home runs for a single-season record. But good pitching was playing an even bigger role, as Arizona's twosome of Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling took command and the Diamondbacks eliminated the Giants on that final Friday.

Think back to the final week of previous Major League seasons, and there seem like a million memories that connect baseball's past to its present. There were the moments that led up to Bobby Thomson's "Shot Heard 'Round The World" in 1951, and the Yankee comeback that led to Bucky Dent's bleepin' homer at Fenway in '78. Maybe you remember the tension that grew and grew in the last week of the 1985 season between Dick Howser's Royals and Gene Mauch's Angels, or you can go back to just last October and Steve Finley's walk-off grand slam at Dodger Stadium.

There is nothing like the final week of a season. And now it is here again, with team and individual races at a collective boiling point. MLB.com's exclusive "Down to the Wire Deal" is a good tool for fans wanting to follow it all, because for just $9.95 you can watch all remaining out-of-market games live through Sunday on MLB.TV or listen to all remaining regular-season games live with Gameday Audio.

The week begins with the American League East deadlocked between the Red Sox and Yanks; with the White Sox trying to hold off the Cleveland Comeback; and with the usual intense Wild Card races in both leagues. There are 12 teams either in a lead or within five games of one, and that includes the Atlanta Braves, who are holding onto a five-game lead over Philadelphia in a bid to win a 14th consecutive division title, a streak unmatched in pro sports.

"We just have to remember that this thing isn't over until that magic number is at zero," said Braves pitcher John Smoltz, a veteran of numerous last-week survival stories. "We have to keep our focus."

The final week of the 2004 season was simply mind-numbing. Remember how that final Sunday dawned? Before anyone knew even a single playoff matchup, or whether there would be tiebreakers, you had to wait to see whether the Astros could win again at home, and you had to wait until that afternoon's Cleveland-Minnesota doubleheader. Just like that final week, this will be the week when the most commonly asked question to people is: "What if?"

As a user's guide, MLB.com's Barry Bloom has compiled a helpful list of tiebreaker scenarios that will be updated throughout the week as each scenario falls by the wayside. The coins have been flipped in the Major League offices, the scenarios have been painted, and now all that remains are the games.

If there is one lesson from the last few years, it is that the final week of the regular season is just as important to a team with a big division lead as it is to the team battling to survive. It's no coincidence that a Wild Card winner has won the World Series each of the last three years -- the Angels in 2002, the Marlins in 2003 and the Red Sox in 2004. Or that five of the last 10 Fall Classic participants have been Wild Cards. It is clear from talking to many of the players involved that a survivor mentality and battle-tested persona builds up and is carried over into the postseason. Any team that is resting and just waiting for the postseason lights to be turned on is more vulnerable than ever.

If intense competition makes you better, then it should be another incredible October. Just look at what the Angels are doing. They enter the final week perhaps playing their best ball of the year. The A's are still within four games of them during a season in which Oakland was once 15 behind. Everyone is waiting to see if the Indians can complete their own comeback from 15 games behind to win the AL Central. Can the White Sox hold on? And more importantly, can they shed that whole "hold on" mindset and do what they were doing most of the season?

What an incredible final series there will be Friday through Sunday at The Jake in Cleveland. If the White Sox have not clinched by then, it should be memorable. The White Sox are 11-5 in 2005 against the Indians, and they swept the Tribe in Cleveland right after the All-Star break. And that bit of history is probably worth as much as a hot dog wrapper, because it's been a different world lately in the Central.

"We're going to find out what some people are made of here in the next week," said White Sox general manager Ken Williams, whose club seems to have regained a bit of a spark. "Maybe this is a good thing for us. It certainly isn't a good thing for me and my sleep and my stress level. . . . But what the heck, if it turns out to make us that much better prepared in the event we do get into the final four, then it was all worth going through."

Even if the Indians fall short in the division, keep in mind that no AL Central team ever has won the Wild Card since its inception in 1995. Cleveland is 38-13 since July 31, the best record in baseball since then. But the pressure grows more and more, because its Wild Card lead is now just a half-game over both Boston and New York.

Will the Yankees and Red Sox finish 1-2 in the AL East for an incredible eighth consecutive year? It didn't matter to Boston last year, of course. But this is more classic fodder for the best rivalry in baseball, and appropriately enough, those two teams will finish this season with three games at Fenway Park. If that division title comes down to the final day of the season, it will fall on the 27th anniversary of Dent's fabled homer that gave New York that year's title on the way to a world championship.

"Every day, every night, every pitch, everything is the most important situation that could come up," said Red Sox center fielder Johnny Damon. "It kind of feels like the World Series a little bit. We need to try and get through this. It's going to be amazing. I just hope we play well enough. I know we're going to lay it all on the line."

The Red Sox play the entire week at home, opening with four games against Toronto before the Yankees come to town. New York, which has won seven of its last eight road games, has to play four in Baltimore and will call on Randy Johnson for the first one. Could we be headed for a playoff tiebreaker in this division? Boston last won the AL East in 1995, the year the Yankees became the first AL Wild Card.

"We have to play Baltimore first, so we have to focus on them," said Yankees closer Mariano Rivera. "And when the time comes, then we'll focus on Boston."

MLB.com's comprehensive Octoberquest coverage includes a Day at the Races, which is the place to turn each day to see the remaining matchups. The Braves would seem to have a comfort zone in opening the week at home against Colorado, but Atlanta's younger players who are new to this say "on paper" means nothing. In fact, the Rockies took two of three from Atlanta at Coors Field in their only previous series this season.

"Our mentality is that we're going to play the same if it's the seventh game of the World Series or a game that doesn't mean anything," Brian McCann said. "I don't think the pressure is going to get to any of us."

The Phillies, who have won five consecutive series, still have hopes of catching the Braves, but their most realistic shot probably is the NL Wild Card. The Astros are holding onto a one-game lead over Philadelphia in that race. Houston has Monday off and then closes out with three at St. Louis and three at home against the Cubs. Meanwhile, this week, Philadelphia plays three at home against the Mets starting Monday night, and then, after an off-day on Thursday, three at Washington. The Phillies are a combined 14-17 against those two clubs.

"It doesn't matter what [the Astros] do," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "We have to take care of ourselves."

The Astros, of course, have other ideas.

"It's going to be a battle all the way until the end. We feel like we're strong," Houston lefty Andy Pettitte said, "We'll be able to pull through it and get this thing done. We still feel very confident in that."

In the NL West, the Padres would seem to have a commanding pass into the postseason, especially with a four-game lead on the Giants and with all of their games at home in this final week. But the final week usually comes with built-in scheduling drama that delays celebrations as long as possible. In this case, the Padres have four games against the Giants starting Monday, so it's another chance for what-if.

"Basically, we have to win out," said Giants pitcher Brett Tomko, who is scheduled to start Tuesday. "That's the mindset you have to have. You've got to win every game and sweep San Diego for sure."

They have been saying things like that at this time of year for as long as anyone can remember. It's the same thing the Phillies were saying when they were trying unsuccessfully to hold off the Cardinals in 1964. It's the same thing they were saying when Walter Johnson and the Washington Senators finished two games ahead of the Bronx Bombers in 1924. Now is when it really gets interesting.

It's the final week. You never know what happens next, but you have to watch.

Posted by admin at 03:17 PM | Comments (0)

September 11, 2005

John Lackey pitches seven shutout innings as Angels beat ChiSox 6-1

CHICAGO (AP) - Chone Figgins got the Los Angeles Angels off to a powerful start Sunday.

Figgins hit a leadoff homer off Orlando Hernandez, and Garret Anderson and Darin Erstad added solo shots in the first to give the Angels a quick three-run lead in a 6-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox.
"That's my job, to try and get on base," said Figgins, who hit his third career leadoff homer, all this season. "I'm not used to doing things like that."

Posted by admin at 03:13 PM | Comments (0)

September 01, 2005

Baseball roundup: a look at Thursday's games

(CP) - The Philadelphia Phillies arrived in New York with a two-game losing streak, but they're leaving the Big Apple with the lead in the National League wild-card race.

David Bell blooped a two-run single in the first following Tom Glavine's misplay of a potential inning-ending grounder, backing a strong outing by Jon Lieber and leading the Phillies over the New York Mets 3-1 Thursday. Ryan Howard boosted the Phillies' margin with a 430-foot homer in the ninth off Braden Looper. "Right now, we're very confident. We're not letting one loss turn into two," said Billy Wagner, who completed the four-hitter by converting his 23rd straight save chance since May 24.

(CP) - The Philadelphia Phillies arrived in New York with a two-game losing streak, but they're leaving the Big Apple with the lead in the National League wild-card race.

David Bell blooped a two-run single in the first following Tom Glavine's misplay of a potential inning-ending grounder, backing a strong outing by Jon Lieber and leading the Phillies over the New York Mets 3-1 Thursday. Ryan Howard boosted the Phillies' margin with a 430-foot homer in the ninth off Braden Looper. "Right now, we're very confident. We're not letting one loss turn into two," said Billy Wagner, who completed the four-hitter by converting his 23rd straight save chance since May 24.
Philadelphia, which began Thursday a half-game ahead in the wild-card race, won two straight after wasting a lead in the opener of the three-game series. The Phillies headed to Washington to complete their 12-game trip, then return to Philadelphia for a homestand against wild-card rivals Houston and Florida, and NL East-leading Atlanta.

"Everybody's playing each other right now," Howard said. "People are knocking heads, Two out of three will be good anywhere you go."

New York dropped 2 1/2 games behind the Phillies and left for a trip to Florida, Atlanta and St. Louis. The Mets were in position to take over the wild-card lead before Martinez failed to hold a 2-0 advantage against the Phillies in an 8-2 loss Wednesday night.

"I don't know what the heck I'm doing, but overall, everybody's just trying too hard," said Cliff Floyd, who hasn't homered since Aug. 16. "Hopefully, we can get it back because it would be a shame to waste what we've done so far.

Lieber (13-12) threw 68 of 98 pitches for strikes, allowing four hits, striking out six and walking none. He gave up his only run in the sixth when Jose Reyes led off with a triple and scored on Kaz Matsui's groundout.

Coming off losses in consecutive outings in which the Phillies were shut out, Lieber allowed two runs or fewer for the fifth time in his last six starts. He was 4-1 in April, lost nine of his next 14 decisions, then has gone 4-2 since Aug. 1.

"I think I tried to be a little too fine the months of May and June," he said.

Elsewhere in the National League on Thursday, it was: Atlanta 8, Washington 7 (10 innings); San Diego 6, Milwaukee 5; and Houston 3, Cincinnati 1.

At New York, Matsui's grounder started a string of nine straight outs for Lieber. Ugueth Urbina followed with a perfect eighth, and Wagner got three outs for his 32nd save in 34 chances.

With a runner on first and two outs in the ninth, David Wright took a called third strike on a pitch he thought was inside, and he threw his bat in disgust.

After winning the first four games of a road trip last week, the Mets have lost four of five.

"We're going to need to find it real quick if we're going to stay in this thing," Wright said.

Glavine (10-12) nearly matched Lieber, giving up three hits and four walks in seven innings. But he did himself in with his defence.

Jason Michaels doubled with one out in the first, Bobby Abreu walked and Pat Burrell hit a comebacker for what should have been an easy inning-ending double play. But the pitcher fumbled the ball twice and could only get the out at first.

"I was expecting a hop I didn't get, and when I started to turn, I didn't catch it," Glavine said. "My momentum was going toward second, and I reached for it and didn't get it cleanly again."

Braves 8, Nationals 7 (10 innings)

At Atlanta, Andruw Jones belted his league-leading 44th home run of the season in the bottom of the 10th as the Braves edged Washington.

Chipper Jones and rookie Jeff Francoeur also homered for Atlanta, which blew a 7-1 lead but rallied to earn a split of its four-game series with the Nationals.

Vinny Castilla had four RBI's while Jose Guillen scored three times for Washington.

Padres 6, Brewers 5

At Milwaukee, Khalil Greene hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth inning and San Diego held on to beat the Brewers.

Ben Johnson added a two-run homer in the ninth for the Padres, who climbed above .500 for the first time since Aug. 12.

J.J. Hardy and Geoff Jenkins had two-run shots for Milwaukee.

Astros 3, Reds 1

At Houston, Roy Oswalt struck out 11 batters in 5 2-3 innings, earning his 16th win as the Astros downed Cincinnati.

Oswalt (16-11) allowed just one run on five hits, while Houston's bullpen provided 3 1-3 innings of one-hit relief.

Sean Casey had two hits and drove in the only run for the Reds.

-

Jose Contreras is determined to help the Chicago White Sox forget about their awful August.

Contreras continued his strong second half and A.J. Pierzynski went 3-for-3 with a homer and three RBIs to lead Chicago over the Detroit Tigers 12-3 Thursday night.

Jermaine Dye and Carl Everett also homered for the White Sox, who broke the game open with six runs in the eighth inning. Every batter had a hit and the team finished with 18 overall, nine for extra bases.

In contrast, Chicago averaged only 3.5 runs in August and scored just 12 in their previous five home games.

"The way we've been all year, I have a sense we can score 10 runs at any time," Paul Konerko said. "You hope for the best and we know it's in us."

Contreras (10-7) was perfect until the fifth, when former White Sox all-star Magglio Ordonez led off with a single. The Cuban right-hander allowed only one hit until the seventh, when the Tigers got three straight hits, including a two-run homer by Brandon Inge.

Craig Monroe added a solo shot in the eighth to end Contreras' night. Contreras gave up three runs and five hits in seven-plus innings. He struck out five and is 6-2 since the All-Star break.

"That has been the difference in the last three starts, he hasn't walked anybody," translator and third base coach Joey Cora said. "Like any other pitcher, when he doesn't walk anybody, he has a better chance to pitch well."

Elsewhere in the American League on Thursday, it was: Baltimore 5, Toronto 3; Seattle 5, New York Yankees 1; Boston 7, Tampa Bay 4; Texas 5, Kansas City 4; and L.A. Angels 3, Oakland 0.

At Chicago, Contreras provided the perfect remedy for his team's recent struggles. The White Sox just finished their first losing month at 12-16, and they had dropped four of five and 12 of 18. Contreras has been the team's most consistent starter lately, going 3-1 with a 2.14 ERA in August.

"He has one of the best arms, maybe is the best arm in my rotation, and he's showing right now what kind of pitcher he is," Guillen said. "He's showing right now what we expect from him and what he can do."

Cliff Politte worked a perfect eighth, preserving a 6-3 lead.

Pinch-hitter Tadahito Iguchi, a late scratch from the starting lineup for personal reasons, hit a two-run single in the bottom half. Scott Podsednik and Pablo Ozuna followed with RBI doubles, and Everett capped the outburst with a two-run homer.

Chicago had six straight hits in the eighth off three relievers. The Tigers have lost six of eight.

"I know some of them were good hitting, but I'd say there have been way too many pitches in the middle of the plate," Tigers manager Alan Trammell said.

Chicago led 1-0 before getting four straight hits off Jason Johnson (7-11) in the fourth. Aaron Rowand and Dye singled, and Pierzynski drove in Rowand with a ground-rule double. Juan Uribe added a two-run double to the right-field corner.

With one out in the sixth, Dye hit his 26th homer and Pierzynski followed with his 18th. Johnson left after Uribe followed with a single. Johnson gave up six runs and 11 hits in 5 1-3 innings.

Pierzynski also had an RBI double in the second to score Konerko.

Orioles 5, Blue Jays 3

At Toronto, Jay Gibbons and B.J. Surhoff homered in a three-run sixth inning as Baltimore rallied to beat the Blue Jays.

Orioles righthander Hayden Penn (3-2) allowed three runs - two earned - on seven hits in five-plus innings after being recalled from double-A Bowie earlier in the day.

Corey Koskie drove in a pair of runs for Toronto, which has lost 10 of 13 to drop below .500 for the first time since July 19.

Mariners 5, Yankees 1

At Seattle, Yankees starter Jaret Wright was knocked out of the game by Raul Ibanez's sixth-inning line drive, and Miguel Ojeda's first home run with the Mariners sent them to a 3-1 victory.

Wright left after being hit on the right collarbone and the right side of his neck.

Jose Lopez added a two-run homer - his first of the season - for the Mariners.

Alex Rodriguez singled to centre for his 106th R-B-I to provide New York's only offence.

Red Sox 7, Devil Rays 4

At Boston, John Olerud homered twice and drove in six runs as the Red Sox rallied for the third straight night to beat Tampa Bay.

Bronson Arroyo (11-9) allowed four runs in seven innings for Boston, which rallied from a 5-0 deficit on Tuesday, came back from 5-1 down on Wednesday and trailed 2-0 and 4-2 on Thursday.

Jonny Gomes and Travis Lee each had two-run homers for the Devil Rays.

Rangers 5, Royals 4

At Kansas City, Mo., Kenny Rogers earned his first victory in over six weeks and Rod Barajas hit two homers as Texas got past the Royals.

The second round-tripper gave Barajas a career-high 16, making the Rangers the first team in major-league history to have nine players hit at least 15 homers.

Rogers (12-7) allowed three runs while scattering 11 hits over seven innings for his first win since July 16.

J.P. Howell (1-5) allowed four runs on six hits in six innings for Kansas City.

Angels 3, Athletics 0

At Anaheim, Calif., rookie Ervin Santana pitched into the ninth inning and Robb Quinlan homered Thursday night in the Los Angeles Angels' 3-0 victory over the Oakland Athletics.

Making his 17th major league start, Santana (8-6) gave up a double to Mark Ellis leading off the first inning, a single by Ellis in the third, then retired 12 straight until Jay Payton's single in the seventh.

Chone Figgins went 3-for-3 for the Angels, scored the first run and stole two bases.

Posted by admin at 03:03 PM | Comments (0)

August 20, 2005

Braves score five times in eighth in 6-2 victory over Padres

ATLANTA (AP) - After struggling to a 6-6 record against NL West teams on their longest homestand of the season, the Atlanta Braves should realize the rest of the season is going to be just as tough, according to Chipper Jones.
"Maybe some people in here thought we were going to glide into the playoffs, but it ain't going to happen," Jones said after the Braves, helped by three San Diego errors, rallied past the Padres 6-2 Sunday night. Two of the Padres' errors came in the eighth inning, when the Braves scored five runs to salvage a win in the three-game series. Three of the runs were unearned.

ATLANTA (AP) - After struggling to a 6-6 record against NL West teams on their longest homestand of the season, the Atlanta Braves should realize the rest of the season is going to be just as tough, according to Chipper Jones.

"Maybe some people in here thought we were going to glide into the playoffs, but it ain't going to happen," Jones said after the Braves, helped by three San Diego errors, rallied past the Padres 6-2 Sunday night. Two of the Padres' errors came in the eighth inning, when the Braves scored five runs to salvage a win in the three-game series. Three of the runs were unearned.

"There are too many good teams in the league," Jones said. "We let an opportunity slide in this homestand."

The Padres led 2-1 after scoring two runs off John Smoltz in the seventh.

Marcus Giles led off the eighth with a single off reliever Akinori Otsuka (1-5) and moved to third on Jones' double to centre. Damian Jackson then bobbled Andruw Jones' grounder for an error, allowing Giles to score to tie the game as Jones beat the late throw at first.

Both runners advanced on Adam LaRoche's deep fly to left field. Otsuka issued an intentional walk to Jeff Francoeur to load the bases - giving the rookie his first walk after 127 at-bats. Ryan Langerhans followed with a grounder to Mark Sweeney at first - ruled an infield hit that drove in Chipper Jones. Sweeney threw wildly to home for the second error of the inning, allowing Andruw Jones to follow Chipper Jones across the plate.

Brian McCann drove in Francoeur with a sacrifice fly to centre, and pinch-hitter Julio Franco drove in Langerhans with a single to right.

"The ball got a little hot in that inning," Braves manager Bobby Cox said. "We did hit the ball well in that inning also, but we finally caught a break. . . . We needed to beat them once, anyway."

Jorge Sosa (8-2) earned the win in relief.

With the comeback, the Braves snapped a three-game losing streak and protected their 3 1/2-game lead over second-place Philadelphia in the NL East.

The Padres (61-62) fell back below .500, but still lead the NL West by four games.

"We broke down in the eighth inning," Padres manager Bruce Bochy said. "That opened up the floodgates. . . . We were playing flawless ball until the eighth."

According to Braves records, the Padres could have become the first National League team to sweep a season series from the Braves since they moved to Atlanta in 1966.

"I didn't know that; I'm glad you didn't tell me before the game," Chipper Jones said. "I'm glad we could avoid that from being a hot topic in the morning."

The Padres swept three games from the Braves in San Diego from May 16-18 before taking the first two games of this weekend's series.

The Braves now play the Padres only six times each year. Until the schedule format changed recently, the teams met 18 times each season.

The Padres took a 2-1 lead on Sweeney's pinch-hit two-run single off Smoltz in the seventh inning. Sweeney, hitting for pitcher Brian Lawrence, drove in Xavier Nady, who doubled, and Jackson, who walked, with a single to centre.

Smoltz drove in McCann from first with a fifth-inning triple to give the Braves a 1-0 lead.

"Bobby told me to drive the runner in," Smoltz said. "It was awesome McCann was able to score on that."

Smoltz gave up eight hits and two runs in seven innings. He walked two and struck out five.

"I've been busting it," Smoltz said. "This is as much as I've battled for a long time. It was a playoff game for me."

Smoltz has made 12 starts after Braves losses. He is 8-1 and the team is 10-2 in those games.

Lawrence gave up five hits and one run in six innings. He walked three and struck out four and escaped a fourth-inning bases-loaded jam without allowing a run.

"We fought hard for pretty much the whole game, and then it slipped away," Lawrence said.

The Braves did not have a hit off Lawrence until the fourth inning, when they loaded the bases with no outs on a leadoff double by Rafael Furcal, a bunt single by Marcus Giles and a walk to Chipper Jones. Lawrence struck out Andruw Jones and then ended the inning with a double-play grounder to short from LaRoche.

Notes: The triple for Smoltz was the second of his career. His first triple came on April 6, 1989, at Houston. The 1989 season was his first full season in the majors. ... The Padres completed a 4-2 road trip.

Posted by admin at 03:24 PM | Comments (0)

August 08, 2005

Longtime manager Gene Mauch dies at age 79 after lengthy battle with cancer

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Gene Mauch, "the little general" who managed the California Angels, Philadelphia Phillies, and Montreal Expos to 1,901 wins, died Monday. He was 79.
Mauch, the first manager in Expos history, died at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, Calif., the Los Angeles Angels said, after a long battle with cancer. He had lived in the desert resort area since retiring.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Gene Mauch, "the little general" who managed the California Angels, Philadelphia Phillies, and Montreal Expos to 1,901 wins, died Monday. He was 79.
Mauch, the first manager in Expos history, died at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, Calif., the Los Angeles Angels said, after a long battle with cancer. He had lived in the desert resort area since retiring.
A big league skipper for 26 years, Mauch was named National League manager of the year three times. He ranks sixth in baseball history with 3,938 games managed, and is 11th on the career victories list.

But Mauch was perhaps most famous for his teams' collapses. He was manager of the Phillies in 1964 when they led the NL by 6 1/2 games with 12 games remaining, but lost 10 in a row - and the pennant - to the St. Louis Cardinals.

He managed the Angels in 1986 when they were within one out of advancing to the World Series before blowing a three-run lead to Boston in Game 5 of the ALCS. The Red Sox won that game and two more to win the series.

Mauch also managed the 1982 Angels, who won the first two games in the best-of-five ALCS against Milwaukee before losing the final three.

"I don't think history will be as fair to him as it should be," said Tim Mead, the Angels' vice president of communications and a member of the organization since 1979. "He was brilliant. Gene Mauch could put together a game just by looking at the box score."

Rod Carew, who played for Mauch in both Minnesota and Anaheim, called the manager, "My favourite man."

"He's always been a special guy to me. He's the best I've ever played for, well ahead of anyone else," the Hall of Famer said.

Mauch was considered a master strategist with a deep understanding of the rules, who was constantly trying to find new ways to gain an advantage.

"He knew the game, he was half a step ahead of everyone else during a game," Carew said. "He was always prepared."

Other baseball people respected Mauch just as much.

"I have been around a lot of different personalities - Walter Alston, Leo Durocher, Tommy Lasorda. I'd put Gene ahead of everybody in terms of knowing the game," said Preston Gomez, Mauch's third-base coach with the Angels for two seasons in the early 1980s.

"People only remember Gene because he never won," Gomez said. "He's one of the finest baseball minds I've ever been around. When you talk to anyone who played for him, managed against him, they're going to tell you what a great baseball mind he has. You could spend 24 hours talking baseball with him."

Mauch, a native of Salina, Kan., began his major league career in 1944 with the Brooklyn Dodgers. He played for nine seasons on six teams - the Dodgers, the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Chicago Cubs, the Milwaukee Braves, the Cardinals and the Boston Red Sox.

He was a mediocre player, with a career average of .239 and five home runs while playing mostly as a utility infielder. Mauch never had a regular starting role.

His most productive year as a big leaguer was his last in 1957, when he hit .270 in 222 at-bats for the Red Sox.

Mauch then found his niche as a manager.

His first job was with the Phillies in 1960. They went 58-94, but within two years Mauch would be named NL manager of the year after leading them to an 81-80 record in 1962.

He won the award again in 1964, the year of the Phillies' great disappointment. Mauch guided Philadelphia to a record of 92-70, his best as a manager until 1982 when his Angels went 93-69.

He left Philadelphia 54 games into the 1968 season.

In 1969 he was hired as the manager of the expansion Expos. Mauch stayed in Montreal for seven seasons and won his third and final manager of the year award in 1973 as he helped lift the lowly Expos to a 79-83 record and a fourth-place finish in the NL East.

Mauch joined the Minnesota Twins in 1976 and would spend the rest of his career in the AL. He was with the Twins until 1980, followed by two stints with the Angels, the first in 1981 and 1982 and the second from 1985-87.

One of Mauch's greatest collapses came at the end of his career, with the Angels' so-called "Donnie Moore" game.

With a 3-1 lead in games over the Boston Red Sox in the best-of-seven AL Championship series, the Angels held a 5-2 advantage going into the ninth inning of Game 5. Security guards lined the field, waiting for the crazed crowd that would flood the field when the inevitable Angels victory came.

After Mike Witt retired the first two batters, the Red Sox got a runner on before Don Baylor homered to make it 5-4.

Mauch pulled Witt and brought in left-hander Gary Lucas to face the left-handed hitting Rich Gedman, who was 4-for-4 against Witt in the game. Lucas hit Gedman with a pitch - his first hit batter in four years - and Mauch brought in Moore, his closer.

Henderson hit a two-run homer to put the Red Sox ahead 6-5.

The managerial moves, though they made sense, still were questioned years later.

The Angels tied the game again in the ninth but lost in 11 innings and then dropped the series when the Red Sox won two straight in Boston.

Moore never recovered from the game. He was soon out of baseball, and committed suicide in 1989.

Yankees manager Joe Torre was a television analyst for the Angels when they lost that series.

"I felt so badly in '86, I think we all did, not only for Gene Autry but for Gene Mauch, who has gone through a long career," Torre said. "I could still see it now, Reggie (Jackson) standing next to Mauch in the dugout waiting for the last out to be recorded. It wasn't to be.

"I don't think there's any manager who ever knew any more baseball than Gene Mauch."

Asked in recent years how often he thought about that 1986 disappointment, Mauch replied: "Only when guys have the temerity to ask about it."

Mauch was still following baseball closely when the Angels won the World Series in 2002, softening many of the team's ugly memories.

"I get so keyed up during these games," Mauch said during the Angels' playoff series against the Minnesota Twins in 2002. "All I did for 50 years was study the game day and night. And I will forever, for however long 'forever' is."

Mauch is survived by his wife, Jodie, and a daughter, Leeanne. Funeral services were pending.

Posted by admin at 04:41 PM | Comments (0)

August 05, 2005

Raffy Busted!!! Palmeiro docked 10 days for steroids

Rafael Palmeiro was suspended 10 days for violating Major League Baseball's steroids policy Monday, nearly five months after the Baltimore Orioles first baseman told Congress that "I have never used steroids. Period."

In remarks prepared for a conference call Monday, Palmeiro -- the highest-profile player to fail a test -- said he never intentionally took steroids and could not explain how the drugs got into his body. He also apologized and said would accept his punishment.

"I have never intentionally used steroids. Never. Ever. Period," he said. "Ultimately, although I never intentionally put a banned substance into my body, the independent arbitrator ruled that I had to be suspended under the terms of the program."

The 40-year-old is the seventh player to test positive for steroids under the policy adopted earlier this year. Palmeiro doubled on July 15 to join Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Eddie Murray as the only players with 3,000 hits and 500 homers.

Palmeiro addressed his standing in the game and the appearance his suspension gives to fans.

"I hope the fans understand I have worked very hard over a long 20-year career." Palmeiro said to reporters in a conference call. "… I made a mistake and I'm facing it.

"I hope people learn from my mistake, and that they forgive me."

Palmeiro said the arbitrator "did not find that I used a banned substance intentionally -- in fact, he said he found my testimony to be compelling," but still ruled that he needed to serve the suspension.

A grievance filed by the players' union against the suspension was denied by arbitrator Shyam Das.

Appearing with Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa and other baseball stars before a congressional committee on March 17, Palmeiro made an opening statement in which he said: "Let me start by telling you this: I have never used steroids. Period. I don't know how to say it any more clearly than that. Never."

Palmeiro was so emphatic in his denial of steroid use that he pointed his index finger at the panel, and expressed indignation over accusations made by former slugger Jose Canseco, who cited Palmeiro as a steroid user in his tell-all book. In an interview on the CBS television show "60 Minutes," Canseco -- who also testified before Congress -- said he had injected Palmeiro with steroids.

Government Reform Committee chairman Tom Davis, R-Va., who led the steroids inquiry, was traveling out of the country on Monday and couldn't be reached for comment, spokesman Rob White said.

"If true, this is disheartening news for those of us who believed Mr. Palmeiro was a key ally in our effort to rid sports of performance enhancing drugs," White said.

"I want to apologize to MLB, the Baltimore Orioles organization, my teammates, and most of all, my fans," Palmeiro said. "Given my role with the No Tolerance Committee and my relationships with Congress, I feel the need to communicate a serious message to my fellow players and to kids everywhere."

Palmeiro played against the White Sox on Sunday night, but began serving his suspension immediately and was not in the lineup for the start of Monday's home game against Chicago. He stands to lose $163,934.42 of his $3 million salary during the suspension.

Orioles owner Peter Angelos expressed support for Palmeiro in Monday's conference call.

"I am truly saddened by today's events," Angelos said. "I have known Rafael Palmeiro for many years. … I know from personal experience that his accomplishments are due to hard work and his dedication to the game."

Posted by admin at 07:50 PM | Comments (0)

August 01, 2005

Baltimore Orioles' Palmeiro suspended 10 days for violating steroids policy

NEW YORK (AP) - Rafael Palmeiro was suspended 10 days for violating Major League Baseball's steroids policy Monday, nearly five months after the Baltimore Orioles first baseman emphatically told Congress that "I have never used steroids. Period."

NEW YORK (AP) - Rafael Palmeiro was suspended 10 days for violating Major League Baseball's steroids policy Monday, nearly five months after the Baltimore Orioles first baseman emphatically told Congress that "I have never used steroids. Period."
Palmeiro became the highest-profile player among the seven who have failed a test under the toughened major league policy that took effect in March, rules criticized by Congress as not being stringent enough.
In a conference call Monday, Palmeiro said he never intentionally took steroids and could not explain how the drugs got into his body. He also apologized and said would accept his punishment.
"I have never intentionally used steroids. Never. Ever. Period," he said. "Ultimately, although I never intentionally put a banned substance into my body, the independent arbitrator ruled that I had to be suspended under the terms of the program."

The 40-year-old is the seventh player to test positive for steroids under the policy adopted earlier this year. Palmeiro doubled on July 15 to join Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Eddie Murray as the only players with 3,000 hits and 500 homers.

Palmeiro said the arbitrator "did not find that I used a banned substance intentionally - in fact, he said he found my testimony to be compelling," but still ruled that he needed to serve the suspension. Palmeiro wouldn't go into the specifics but left the impression that the banned substance was contained in a supplement that was not prescribed.

A grievance filed by the players' union against the suspension was denied by arbitrator Shyam Das.

Appearing with Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa and other baseball stars before a congressional committee on March 17, Palmeiro made an opening statement in which he said: "Let me start by telling you this: I have never used steroids. Period. I don't know how to say it any more clearly than that. Never."

Palmeiro was so emphatic in his denial of steroid use that he pointed his index finger at the panel, and expressed indignation over accusations made by former slugger Jose Canseco, who cited Palmeiro as a steroid user in his tell-all book.

In an interview, Canseco - who also testified before Congress - said he had injected Palmeiro with steroids.

Government Reform Committee chairman Tom Davis, (R-Va.), who led the steroids inquiry, was travelling out of the country on Monday and couldn't be reached for comment, spokesman Rob White said.

"If true, this is disheartening news for those of us who believed Mr. Palmeiro was a key ally in our effort to rid sports of performance enhancing drugs," White said.

White House spokesman Scott McClellan said President Bush considers Palmeiro "a friend and he believes him" when he says he never intentionally took steroids.

On July 7, Palmeiro took part via conference call in a round-table discussion about how to rid sports of steroids with Davis and representatives from the NFL, NBA, NHL and Major League Baseball.

Palmeiro seemed contrite on the conference call, saying he hoped there was something to be gained from his suspension by educating players to be more careful about what they put in their bodies.

"I want to apologize to MLB, the Baltimore Orioles organization, my teammates, and most of all, my fans," Palmeiro said. "Given my role with the No Tolerance Committee and my relationships with Congress, I feel the need to communicate a serious message to my fellow players and to kids everywhere."

Palmeiro played against the White Sox on Sunday night, but began serving his suspension immediately and was not in the lineup for the start of Monday's home game against Chicago. He stands to lose $163,934.42 of his $3-million salary during the suspension.

Orioles owner Peter Angelos expressed support for Palmeiro in Monday's conference call.

"I am truly saddened by today's events," Angelos said. "I have known Rafael Palmeiro for many years. ... I know from personal experience that his accomplishments are due to hard work and his dedication to the game."

-

Associated Press writers David Ginsburg in Baltimore and Howard Fendrich in Washington contributed to this story.

Posted by admin at 07:44 PM | Comments (0)

July 15, 2005

Omar Vizquel's three-run homer helps Giants beat Dodgers 4-3

LOS ANGELES (AP) - When San Francisco's Omar Vizquel hits a home run, he's always surprised. It happened for just the 68th time in his 2,222nd career game Thursday night.

Vizquel's three-run homer in the seventh drove in the go-ahead runs, and the San Francisco Giants took advantage of the early ejection of Los Angeles starter Brad Penny to beat the Dodgers 4-3 for the 10,000th victory in franchise history. Meanwhile, Giants slugger Barry Bonds told MLB.com that he doesn't know if he's going to play this season.
Bonds, who hasn't played this year because of knee problems, wasn't with the team. He returned to his Beverly Hills home in late June to continue rehabilitation.

Bonds, who has 703 lifetime homers to rank third on baseball's all-time list, spoke with MLB.com by telephone.

"He's progressing, but there's not a lot to report," assistant general manager Ned Colletti said before the game. "He's showing signs of progress, but there's no timetable for baseball work to start and there's no timetable for a return. He's just slowly getting better."

Vizquel hit an 0-2 pitch from D.J. Houlton (4-3) off the screen attached to the right-field pole for his second homer of the season, giving the Giants a 4-1 lead.

"I felt pretty sluggish today, really slow," Vizquel said. "It was kind of like playing in slow motion. That at-bat, I said, 'Wake up, do something.' I got a pitch to hit, and there it goes.

"Every time I hit a home run is by mistake."

Penny was ejected in the third inning by plate umpire Rob Drake after tossing his helmet in protest of a call at first base.

"He was throwing pretty hard, the fastball was jumping out of his hand," Vizquel said. "It obviously made an impact on their team."

Jason Schmidt (7-5) pitched six solid innings to snap a two-game losing streak. Tyler Walker, the fourth Giants pitcher, worked the ninth for his 14th save in 16 chances.

San Francisco's three seventh-inning runs were unearned thanks to the second error of the game by Jeff Kent, normally a second baseman but playing first to take pressure off his sore left hamstring.

Jason Ellison reached base with one out when Kent couldn't handle a throw from Houlton, and pinch-hitter Adam Shabala followed with a single. Houlton retired Michael Tucker before Vizquel came through.

The loss was the fifth straight and 12th in 17 games for the Dodgers, who fell a season-worst nine games below .500 (40-49).

The Dodgers scored twice off Scott Munter in their half on a run-scoring infield out by Mike Edwards and a two-out, RBI double by Jason Phillips. LaTroy Hawkins, who allowed the hit by Phillips, walked Antonio Perez intentionally to load the bases before striking out Jayson Werth to end the inning.

The Dodgers scored in the fourth when Perez hit a two-out single, stole second, took third on a wild pitch and scored on a single by Jason Grabowski.

The Giants tied it in the sixth on two-out singles by J.T. Snow, Moises Alou and Ray Durham.

Penny tried to sacrifice with a runner at first and nobody out in the third. Schmidt tried for the force at second, but the throw was wide and Jason Repko was called safe. Penny beat shortstop Vizquel's low relay to first, but was called out by umpire Alfonso Marquez for turning toward second.

Penny protested before returning to the dugout, and tossed his helmet as he approached the third-base line, prompting Drake to immediately eject him. Penny then had to be held back by third base coach Jim Lett and bench coach Glenn Hoffman before leaving the field.

Penny allowed one hit in three scoreless innings.

"I guess you can't have a conversation with an umpire anymore. Him, you can't talk to," Penny said regarding Drake. "Other umpires, you can.

"He said he didn't throw me out because of the helmet, but that's the only thing it could have been. He said it wasn't because of what I said, but I didn't say anything derogatory towards anybody. I shouldn't get tossed in that situation."

Schmidt was lifted for a pinch hitter after allowing four hits and one run. He walked four, struck out seven and threw 112 pitches.

Notes: The Giants, who began play as the New York Gothams in 1889, have a 10,000-8,511 record. They became the first major league team to reach 10,000 wins. ... Perez had three hits and two stolen bases. ... The Dodgers recalled RHP Steve Schmoll from triple-A Las Vegas before the game. Schmoll retired the Giants in order in the eighth. ... Shabala was recalled from triple-A Fresno before the game. ... Dodgers manager Jim Tracy said that All-Star SS Cesar Izturis, sidelined since June 30 because of a strained right hamstring, will be activated Friday. ... Dodgers OF Milton Bradley, sidelined since May 30 because of a torn ligament in his right ring finger, begins a rehab assignment Friday night in Las Vegas.

Posted by admin at 04:17 PM | Comments (0)

July 03, 2005

Shawn Green homers, drives in three runs as D'backs beat Dodgers 10-3

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Shawn Green again tormented the Los Angeles Dodgers, who could use a few healthy outfielders.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Shawn Green again tormented the Los Angeles Dodgers, who could use a few healthy outfielders.

Green homered and drove in three runs, Chris Snyder also had three RBIs and Chad Tracy hit a two-run homer, leading the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 10-3 victory Sunday night. The injury-riddled Dodgers, already missing centre fielder Milton Bradley with a torn ligament in his right ring finger and left fielder Ricky Ledee with a strained left hamstring, received more bad news when J.D. Drew was hit by a pitch from Arizona rookie Brad Halsey and broke his left wrist.
"It was a fastball that hit me right on the wrist," said Drew, who homered three times in the previous two games. "I went out there to test it and it started to swell on me. I came in and got a clean X-ray, and it showed a clean break.

"It's going to be hard to pick up where I left off when I get back. It's out of my control. I was being aggressive at the plate and one just got away from him."

Adding to Los Angeles' woes, Green hit his 14th homer of the season and fifth against the Dodgers - who are still paying $10 million of his 2005 salary after trading the two-time all-star to the Diamondbacks in January for four minor leaguers.

"It's always gratifying to hit home runs here and have good games here - but to do it under those circumstances, it's definitely an added bonus," said Green, who set a Dodgers franchise record with 49 home runs in 2001. "I enjoy playing here. But we still play them six more times. I don't want to get too carried away."

Jason Phillips hit a two-run homer for the Dodgers, who completed the first half of their schedule with a 38-43 record - six games worse than last year at this stage. The defending NL West champions are 6 1/2 games behind division-leading San Diego, and two behind the Diamondbacks.

"It's just amazing, how many people have gone down," rookie outfielder Jason Repko said. "And J.D. is a key player, so we'll have to see how it works out. But we're going to find a way to do it."

That will be up to general manager Paul DePodesta. When asked if the club could survive this latest bombshell, he took a stoic attitude.

"We don't have a choice. We have to at this point," DePodesta said. "This has been pretty remarkable. I don't think you could find anyone in this room who's ever seen anything like this, but those are the cards we've been dealt, so we've got to do something with it. We have an awful lot of prospects who I feel would be good trade chips, so we'll see."

Drew, batting .286 with 15 homers and 36 RBIs, was just starting to feel good about his ailing left knee when this latest mishap occurred. He is scheduled to see a hand specialist on Tuesday, but one Dodger said that Drew told some teammates, "I'll see you in about 6-8 weeks."

Halsey (5-7) won for the first time since May 31, after losing all five of his starts in June with a 7.86 ERA for the month. He allowed three runs and seven hits in 5 1-3 innings, striking out three, walking two and hitting three batters.

After giving up half of a 6-0 lead, the left-hander had to hold his breath in the fourth as Antonio Perez's bid for a game-tying three-run homer was caught by Green only a few feet from the right-field fence.

D.J. Houlton (4-2) lasted only two innings in front of an unhappy sellout crowd of 55,868 that stayed for the entire game for fireworks show afterwards. The rookie right-hander faced 14 batters, giving up six runs, six hits and two walks.

The Diamondbacks, who have outscored their opponents 68-26 in the first inning, provided Halsey with a 5-0 cushion before he threw a pitch.

Green opened the scoring with a two-out homer to right after a leadoff double by Craig Counsell. Royce Clayton had an RBI single and Snyder added a two-run double.

Arizona third baseman Troy Glaus, hitless in his last 15 at-bats, got the night off. He aggravated a strained tendon behind his left knee while sliding to break up a double play in the eighth inning of Saturday's 7-5 win. The three-time all-star, who already has received two cortisone shots this season, is expected to get another one before the all-star break.

Notes: Dodger Stadium organist Nancy Bea Hefley was invited by the Chicago Cubs' triple-A Iowa club to perform during a four-game engagement July 18-21. ... Halsey, who helped pitch Texas to a College World Series title in 2002, was making his second start since the Longhorns duplicated the feat on June 26. ... Dodgers SS Cesar Izturis, who was named to the NL all-star team as a reserve, sat out his third straight game with tightness in his right hamstring. ... Arizona is 7-5 against the Dodgers, who won 16 of the 19 meetings last season. Four of those victories were by RHP Jose Lima, who is 1-7 with a 7.58 ERA in 17 starts this year with Kansas City.

Posted by admin at 02:39 PM | Comments (0)

May 30, 2005

David Wells impresses against former team as BoSox beat Yankees 7-2

NEW YORK (AP) - David Wells had a different number on his broad back and new life in his left arm.
Wells emerged from an ugly slump by pitching into the ninth inning against his former team, and David Ortiz hit two long home runs to lead the Boston Red Sox over the New York Yankees 7-2 Sunday night. "Not bad for an old man," Wells said. Edgar Renteria also homered and got four more hits for the Red Sox, who took two of three at Yankee Stadium to leapfrog New York into second place in the AL East behind Baltimore. Boston hosts the Orioles beginning Monday night.

NEW YORK (AP) - David Wells had a different number on his broad back and new life in his left arm.
Wells emerged from an ugly slump by pitching into the ninth inning against his former team, and David Ortiz hit two long home runs to lead the Boston Red Sox over the New York Yankees 7-2 Sunday night. "Not bad for an old man," Wells said. Edgar Renteria also homered and got four more hits for the Red Sox, who took two of three at Yankee Stadium to leapfrog New York into second place in the AL East behind Baltimore. Boston hosts the Orioles beginning Monday night.
The Yankees had won six straight series since dropping three of four at Tampa Bay from May 2-5.

After the Red Sox got 27 hits in a 17-1 rout Saturday - their biggest blowout ever against their longtime rivals - they came out swinging again, piling up 14 hits against Mike Mussina (5-3) and three relievers.

Boston outscored the Yankees 27-9 in the series and outhit them 52-21.

Ortiz, the 2004 AL championship series MVP against New York, drove in four runs and matched a career high with four hits.

"It's nothing new. We've watched that for a couple of years. He's a very tough hitter," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "Obviously, he has a lot of confidence in this ballpark. You look up there and he's hitting .280. I don't know who's getting him out - somebody is."

Renteria went 10-for-12 in the series with two homers, six RBIs and five runs scored. Manny Ramirez added three hits, giving him seven in two days.

All that offence made things easier for Wells (3-4), who swapped uniform numbers with Renteria this week. Wells, who had been wearing No. 3 in tribute to Babe Ruth, had No. 16 on his back Sunday night.

Renteria, who wore No. 3 before he joined the Red Sox, said the idea came from both players. He said he and Wells had been talking about the switch for a while, and Wells finally agreed about three or four days ago. Renteria wouldn't say how much he had to pay to get his favourite number back, but it was "a lot," he said.

"He wanted to do a swap. I wrote down a number, and that was it," Wells said. "I took a number I had years ago."

Wells was 0-2 with a 13.89 ERA in his previous three starts. After his last outing in Toronto, he said he didn't expect Boston to keep him around much longer if he didn't improve quickly.

Pitching nine days after his 42nd birthday, the left-hander gave up homers to Derek Jeter and Gary Sheffield in the first inning before settling down for his first win since April 20 in Baltimore - he missed three weeks with a sprained right foot.

Wells allowed six hits, walked none and struck out two in 8 1-3 innings before manager Terry Francona came out to take the ball from him.

"I didn't know if he was going to give it to me," Francona said.

It was a much better performance than opening night at Yankee Stadium, when Wells lost 9-2 to Randy Johnson.

Though he was a fan favorite during two stints with New York, the boisterous Wells again was booed by the crowd of 55,235.

"It's not good, I'll tell you that," he said. "I understand. It's nice to shut them up, that's for sure."

He did just that, improving to 45-19 at Yankee Stadium.

"The greats, man, they're shining down. If you don't want to pitch here, there's something wrong with you," Wells said.

Renteria singled in the first inning and Ortiz sent a 3-2 pitch into the right-field upper deck, but Boston's first lead didn't last long.

Jeter led off the bottom half with his fifth homer, and Sheffield lined a shot to nearly the same spot in the left-field stands, tying the game 2-2.

The Red Sox opened the third with four straight solid hits. Renteria hit his second homer in two days, and Ortiz drove the next pitch into the black batter's eye in centre for his 12th home run.

That sent about six or seven fans scurrying out of the bleachers after the ball, and police soon arrived to clear the area.

Ramirez then singled and scored on Trot Nixon's ringing double to left-centre, making it 5-2.

Mussina was lifted after throwing 83 pitches in three innings, his shortest start not cut short by injury since going 2 1-3 innings against Baltimore on July 1, 2003. He had won four decisions in a row and pitched 16 scoreless innings in his last two starts at home.

"The couple of good pitches I did make, they'd foul them off and then work until I made a mistake," Mussina said.

Chien-Ming Wang came on for his first major league relief appearance and gave up Ramirez's two-out RBI single in the fourth. That pushed the lead to 6-2 and gave Ramirez singles in seven consecutive plate appearances the past two days. It also made the 2-3-4 batters in Boston's lineup 9-for-9 in the game. They finished 11-for-15.

Ortiz added an RBI single off Mike Stanton in the eighth.

Notes: Mussina had allowed only four homers in 64 innings this season. . . . It was Ortiz's 13th career two-homer game, his second this season. The other was April 23 at Tampa Bay. . . . Ortiz entered 4-for-34 without a homer against Mussina in the regular season before connecting in consecutive at-bats.

Posted by admin at 03:03 PM | Comments (0)

Wade scores 36 as Heat beat Pistons 113-104 to take 2-1 series lead

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) - The final score showed that the Heat defeated the Pistons. The story of the game, however, was how the Pistons beat themselves.
On a night when Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal were better in the first half than they were in the final two quarters, the Heat didn't need either of them to be the key factor in their 113-104 victory over Detroit on Sunday night for a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference finals. Instead, Detroit got upset with the officiating and lost its cool, and Miami was more than happy to watch the Pistons self-destruct.

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) - The final score showed that the Heat defeated the Pistons. The story of the game, however, was how the Pistons beat themselves.
On a night when Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal were better in the first half than they were in the final two quarters, the Heat didn't need either of them to be the key factor in their 113-104 victory over Detroit on Sunday night for a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference finals. Instead, Detroit got upset with the officiating and lost its cool, and Miami was more than happy to watch the Pistons self-destruct.
"We're too good of a team to have a meltdown like we had tonight," Detroit's Richard Hamilton said. "This late in the season, the Eastern Conference finals, we can't afford to have those types of letdowns. We let little ticky-tack stuff bother us, and we can't do that."
The Heat scored 11 points from the foul line during a 13-4 run that put them ahead for good midway through the fourth quarter, and the Pistons lost control to such a degree that Rasheed Wallace and Chauncey Billups drew technical fouls in the fourth quarter for screaming in disgust at the officials.
Pistons coach Larry Brown got in on the act, too, venting his displeasure with sarcastic shouts after the game had slipped away from his team.

Billups eventually fouled out, and Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess all finished with five fouls apiece.

"It wasn't the Heat. They played well, but they aren't what got under our skin," Billups said.

The statistics did not show too much of a disparity in the calls - Detroit was whistled for 33 fouls to Miami's 29, and the Pistons went to the line 54 times to the Heat's 43.

But there was several moments that infuriated the Pistons and their fans, including a pair of very late whistles that sent Wade to the line in the first half, and numerous non-calls on the inside - one of which Billups emerged from with a bloody nose.

"We kind of lost our poise," Brown said, "and as a result of that we dug ourselves a hole with a chance to win."

Miami attempted 29 free throws in the fourth quarter alone, making 22. Jones was 6-for-6 in the period, and Wade was 6-for-8.

Wade scored 21 of his 36 points in the first half, getting limited in the final 24 minutes by Lindsey Hunter's defense and some foul trouble of his own.

But Wade was able to hit a jumper over Tayshaun Prince with 2:46 left, shortly after checking back in for the final time, to give Miami a 102-93 lead that made the crowd begin scurrying for the exits.

O'Neal finished with 24 points and Eddie Jones had 19. O'Neal made his first six foul shots of the fourth quarter and finished 8-for-12 from the line.

"I'm just getting better and better," O'Neal said. "It's just like a bunch of worker bees protecting the king bee, because I'm not a queen bee. I'm a king bee."

Hamilton led Detroit with 33, while Billups struggled from the field by shooting 6-for-19. The Pistons missed 15 of their 43 free throws.

"I told him before the game we really needed him," Wade said of O'Neal, who was slowed by a bruised thigh and was not a huge offensive factor for Miami in Games 1 and 2. "He knew we needed him and this is where we needed him the most - on the road in a hostile environment. And he stepped up big for us. He hit big free throws down the stretch.

"That's the kind of player he is, and it was a great win for us."

Game 4 is Tuesday night.

O'Neal hit his first four shots over the first 8 1/2 minutes of the first quarter, and he was visibly angry - waving his hand dismissively at coach Stan Van Gundy and yelling "No!" before relenting and going to the bench - when he was subbed out for the first time with the score 17-17.

O'Neal's first two fouls came in rapid succession midway through the second quarter, but the Heat lost nothing - thanks to Wade - when their big man went to the bench.

Wade knocked down two jumpers on Miami's first two possessions after O'Neal left, and the gasps from the crowd kept getting louder as Wade kept doing whatever he pleased on offence - whether by driving through traffic and scoring underneath, or pulling up from the outside for jumpers. He was 7-for-7 in the period before finally missed a shot with 8 seconds left before halftime.

Miami led 53-51 at the break behind 21 points from Wade and 14 from O'Neal on 7-for-8 shooting.When O'Neal fed Udonis Haslem for a jumper that gave Miami its largest lead to that point, 73-63, O'Neal had five assists - more than anyone on either team.

Detroit pulled to 78-75 by the end of the third quarter, and Billups hit a free throw after a technical foul against Alonzo Mourning to produce a 79-79 tie with 10:56 left. The run in the quarter reached 9-0 and gave Detroit an 84-79 lead, but Miami responded by scoring 10 of the next 14 points.

"We kept our poise, man. We didn't lose it," said Jones, who was Miami's leading scorer in the fourth quarter with 11 points.

"We got some techs, too," Wade said, "but we just didn't get them at the end."

Notes: Brown would not comment on a report out of Cleveland that he must decide by Monday whether to accept the position of Cavaliers team president. The Cavs received permission earlier this month to speak to Brown's representatives, but Brown had said he'll wait until 2-3 days after Detroit's season ends to decide whether he'll return as coach of the Pistons. . . . Van Gundy acknowledged "it probably wasn't" the best idea to call Pistons fans (along with Knicks fans) "the absolute nastiest people. They're not just loud. These people will say and do anything."

Posted by admin at 02:49 PM | Comments (0)

April 12, 2005

Rockies' Piedra Suspended on Drug Policy

Colorado Rockies outfielder Jorge Piedra was suspended 10 days Monday for violating baseball's new policy on performance-enhancing drugs. The suspension begins with the Rockies game at Arizona on Monday night, the commissioner's office said. [yahoo]

Posted by admin at 02:47 PM | Comments (0)

March 14, 2005

Strahan Restrained

New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan has been served with a temporary restraining order telling him to keep away from his wife. The order was issued Thursday at the request of Strahan's wife, Jean, said Ernie Landante, who works for a public relations agency the five-time Pro Bowler veteran hired Monday. The New York Post reported in Monday's newspapers that the order was issued after Strahan and his wife had a verbal argument and she accused him of harassment. Landante said Strahan turned himself in to Montclair police on Thursday and was released on his own recognizance.

Posted by admin at 09:52 PM | Comments (0)

February 04, 2005

Mexico remains unbeaten

Hometown squad rolls over Dominican Republic
MAZATLAN, Mexico -- If ever there was a sign that Mexico was meant to continue its march to a Caribbean Series title and the Dominican Republic was destined to continue its slide to a disappointing finish, it came in the bottom of the sixth inning of Thursday night's game between the two teams, an important 7-1 victory for the Mazatlan Venados.

The Dominican's Aguilas had runners on first and second with no one out, trying to climb back into the game. Mexico's starter Pablo Ortega uncorked a wild pitch that appeared to scoot all the way to the backstop. But when Padres catcher Miguel Ojeda turned to retrieve the ball, it was nowhere to be found. The Dominican runners were thus allowed just one base and Ortega was able to eventually get out of the inning unscathed.

Aside from this new wrinkle on the hidden ball trick, Mexico used three hits from second baseman Miguel Flores, some shoddy defense from the Dominican Republic and Ortega's remarkable ability to pitch out of trouble to improve to a perfect 3-0.

"The goal here is to win a championship," Flores said. "Things are going our way right now. We have a veteran team, but the other three teams are very powerful. Somebody has to win. I'm glad it's been us."
The win put the Venados one game ahead of Venezuela, with the two teams set to battle on Friday night. The Dominican Republic, thought by many to be the favorites heading into the Caribbean Series, are now 0-2.
Mexico scored three times in its first time at-bat behind just one hit and some sloppy play by the Dominicans. Trenidad Hubbard got plunked by Julian Tavarez, the Cardinal reliever who's been starting this winter, to lead off the game. Miguel Flores doubled Hubbard home for the first run of the game. Flores came home after Dominican third baseman Ronnie Belliard fielded the Nationals' Vinny Castilla's grounder and promptly threw it over the first baseman's head.

After Tavarez picked up a couple of strikeouts, his defense let him down again. Miguel Ojeda's grounder went right under the Braves' Rafael Furcal's glove to allow Castilla to score and give Mexico a 3-0 lead.
The Aguilas did answer back in the bottom of the first, when Furcal tried to make amends my leading off with a triple and scoring on Luis Polonia's groundout. But the vaunted lineup couldn't get much else going against Mexican League veteran Pablo Ortega. And when they did, he showed tremendous skill as an escape artist. Ortega pitched out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the third inning and duplicated the feat three innings later.

Ortega seemed to be on his last legs in the bottom of the sixth, allowing a hit and two walks to fill the bases. But the right-hander got the Nationals' Matt Cepicky to hit a comebacker that turned into a 1-2-3 double play, then enticed a grounder to short from the Giants' Pedro Feliz to escape once again. Ortega went eight innings, scattering six hits and walking three before giving way to reliever Jose Luis Garcia in the ninth. Ortega recorded 15 ground-ball outs on the night.

Mexico gave Ortega more run support in the fifth. After Hubbard walked and moved to second on a balk, Flores doubled again to score Hubbard. Castilla went the other way for an RBI single to give the Venados a 4-1 lead. That ended Tavarez's night.

Furcal gave Mexico some more help in the sixth. With two outs, Flores singled for his third hit of the game. Castilla was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second. Then the A's Erubiel Durazo hit what should have been an inning-ending grounder to second, but it went under Furcal's glove again to allow Castilla to score Mexico's sixth run.

Jonny Gomes hit his second monstrous homer in as many nights to add insult to injury, giving Mexico a 7-1 lead.

"I'm very happy and proud to be part of a team that doesn't depend only on one person," Mazatlan manager Juan Jose Pacho said. "They all contribute and they all produce. This is a team and the team deserves the credit."

Things have not gone well for the Dominican Republic so far in this Series, beginning with its delayed arrival, followed by two rather flat performances. The Aguilas will try to begin the arduous task of climbing out of their hole when they meet Puerto Rico in a battle of winless teams.

"There's a lot of baseball left, but we have to play better than we have to have a chance," Aguilas manager Felix Fermin said. "I think you'll see the team that got us here."

Posted by admin at 02:32 PM | Comments (0)

October 28, 2004

The Red Sox have won the World Series

The 86-year drought ends as the 2004 Red Sox won the World Series with a four-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Despite 105 regular-season wins and a power-packed voyage to the NL pennant, the Cardinals couldn't come up with answers against the Red Sox, falling in four games in the Fall Classic.

The Red Sox's fan's are going ballistic after this historic comeback. MLB is even sell from cursed to first official T-Shirts here!

Posted by admin at 02:34 PM | Comments (0)

October 26, 2004

Cards hope it's better at Busch

Game 3 of the world series, and it's definitly a decisive one for the Cards. The Cardinals are 6-0 at home in the 2004 postseason. Unfortunately for their current circumstances, they are 1-6 on the road, the last two road losses leaving them 0-2 in the World Series.

If they loose game 3 it would be very unlickely that they would be able to come back 0-3... but then again it did happend... once!

Posted by admin at 06:43 PM | Comments (0)

October 25, 2004

Red Sox lead 2-0 in the World Series

With the Red Sox leading 2-0 in the world series, is St-Louis gonna go down like a house of Cards? Well that what Boston Red Sox fans think! But like the Sox proved us in their series with the Yankees : In aint over until the fat lady sings! Do the Cards have what it takes to come back from 0-2 or will the Cards falls to Curt's Strength and Honor? Bet on it!

Posted by admin at 05:12 PM | Comments (0)

October 21, 2004

The "other" MLB series

While everyone is currently trying to get over the fact that the Red Sox actually won the series, please note that over in "the other series" the Cardinals and the Astros meet in Game 7 of the NLCS tonight (8 PM ET, FOX) in St. Louis.

Clemens steps into another Game 7 spotlight. For the third time in four seasons, Clemens will be on the mound for a decisive Game 7.

If Clemens can get the Astros past the Cardinals, he'll have a chance to go up against his former team, the Boston Red Sox, in the World Series, which begins Saturday Fenway Park.

Astros or Cards? Bet on it!

Posted by admin at 09:43 PM | Comments (0)

Historic win for the red sox

After trailing by 0-3 the Red Sox did the unthinkable : they won 4 matches in a row to defeat the world's best paid baseball team the New York Yankees.

Lets bet Mark Bellhorn, and Derek Lowe are likely still celebrating today with the rest of the Red Sox.

Posted by admin at 09:40 PM | Comments (0)

October 20, 2004

The classic to end all classics Red Sox VS Yankees Game 7

While it took BLOOD AND GUTS to get them there, Curt Schilling certainly pitched a heck of a game on game 6 with is ankle sutured skin stitched between tendons "His heart is so big... he competed and he pitched his ass off." Terry Francona "20 years from now they'll be saying Willis Reed pulled a Curt Schilling." Theo Epstein Read more about this here

Tonight the Red Sox have a chance to further re-write the record books. These are unprecedented moments in Red Sox history and there is alot of pressure on both teams.

First on the Red Sox for coming back after trailing 0-3 in the series, but also on the Yankees who would become the first team in the World Series to loose after a 3-0 lead. Definitly not a good entry in the record books!

Posted by admin at 07:35 PM | Comments (0)