Archive for the ‘baseball’ Category

Cubs get Cain’ed

Posted: May 21, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in baseball, post season, sports, Sports Time Radio
Tags: , , , ,
0

Game 2 in San Fran puts the 4 and 2, Jon Lester against the winless Matt Cain and the best in the west, Giants.  Dexter Fowler would lead off his third game with a single but would be thrown out trying to steal second base.  Kris Bryant would single also but Cain would get out of the inning.  Lester would put Denard Span on with a base on balls, but he would get out of the inning.  Cain would put two men on but neither would cross the plate.  Lester would get the first two batters in the bottom half of the second but would give up a single to Brandon Crawford.  Then he walks Gregor Blanco.  Two men on with the Cain at the plate.  With a 3-2 count, Matt sends a long fly ball just out of reach for Fowler sending both men across the plate giving Cain a double.  Span K’s to end the inning but the Giants are up by 2.  

With one out in the top of 3, Kris Bryant on a 3 and 2 count would send a long fly ball over Span’s head for his ninth homer of the year.  Zobrist would single and Soler would walk but with two outs Javier Baez would fly out.  Joe Panik would lead off the bottom half with a double to left field.  He would move to third on Kelby Tomlinson’s sac bunt that Bryant would pick up and throw to Rizzo.  Buster Posey who at the moment is 1 and 25 takes Lester deep to left center breaking his slump and getting his 5th home run of the year.  Matt Duffy sends a line grounder to Addison Russell that bounces off him to left field.  He would then steal second base.  Trevor Brown would double to left scoring Duffy.  Maddon challenges the tag and it’s overturned giving Brown an RBI single.  Crawford would walk prompting Maddon to visit the mound replacing Lester with Trevor Cahill who gets out of the inning.  Giants up 5 to 1.  Matt Cain would continue to hold the Cubs to 1 run through 6.  

Trevor Cahill would put two runners on in the fourth but would get through the fourth and the fifth.  Clayton Richard would come into the bottom of the sixth for a 1-2-3 inning. Hunter Strickland enters the top of the seventh getting the first two batters out but gives up a single to Fowler and walks Bryant.  Josh Osich would come into the game and strikes out Rizzo to end the inning.  Justin Grimm enters the bottom half and puts Tomlinson and Posey on but after a visit to the mound, gets out of the inning.  

Osich still in gets an out but gives up a double to Soler.  Bruce Bochy decides to go with Cory Gearrin, who gives up an RBI single to Baez.  Russell grounds out.  With two outs Tommy La Stella comes into the game pinch hitting for David Ross and reaches first on a walk.  Bochy makes another change bringing in Javier Lopez to face Tim Federowicz to end the inning. Cubs 2, Giants 5.  

Travis Wood comes into the game giving up a single to Crawford but gets out of the inning unscathed.  Dexter Fowler leads off the top of the ninth against Santiago Casilla sending his 5th home run of the season to right.  Casilla would thrn it around and get Bryant, Rizzo and Zobrist to go down in order to end the game, 5-3 Giants.  

The Podcast
@danzeeemman

How was your week?

Posted: May 21, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in baseball, hockey, horse racing, sports, Uncategorized
Tags: , , , ,
0

While it is just May as we like to say on the podcast May is coming to an end next week. When the calendar turns to June will you worry about your favorite baseball team then? I’m think if you’re a fan of the New York Mets you might want to get started a little early. The Mets are currently 23-18 and in 3rd place in the National League East just 2 1/2 games behind the division leading Washington Nationals.

Is there possible an issue with the Mets starting rotation? The team is being built around it’s young pitching and those young pitchers did get the Mets into the World Series last season. There have been some cracks in that young pitching foundation that the Mets need to keep their eye on. Steven Matz made his 7th start last night after being skipped in the rotation because of elbow soreness. Even with 11 days off Matz pitched 7 innings giving up 3 hits, 2 earned runs and striking out 8 while picking up the win in the Mets 3-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. Matz made 9 starts for the Mets last season and 3 of those where in the post season. Matz is 6-1 this season with an ERA of 2.81 in his 7 starts, but at 241 years old will the Mets have to watch his innings as the season moves along. While there doesn’t seem to be any injury concerns with Jacob deGrom his velocity seems to be a little down in his last couple of starts; which where no decisions. deGrom did miss a couple of starts earlier this season as he left the team to attend to a medical issue with his newborn son. He’s made 3 starts since returning to the Mets and is 0-1 after winning his first 3 starts of the season. deGrom’s ERA is 2.50 on the season and you have to wonder if it’s just a case of him building up his arm strength again, but it is something the Mets have to watch. Then there’s Mat Harvey. Harvey started on Thursday night against the division leading Nationals. He lasted just 2 2/3rd of an inning, gave up 8 hits, 9 runs 6 of them earned while walking 2 and striking out 2. Harvey was boo’d off the field when Mets manager Terry Collins came out to remove him from the game. Harvey hasn’t last more than 6 innings in any of his 9 starts this season. Harvey is 3-6 and his ERA is 5.77 in his 9 starts this season. There have been no reports about any injuries, but if you remember just a few weeks back Harvey himself said he felt a little off was the term he used. Harvey had that terrible outing against the Nationals, but his start before that wasn’t much either. He pitched 5 2/3rd innings while giving up 5 earned runs on 11 hits, but struck out 6 against the Colorado Rockies. I don;t think that anyone noticed that start because it was in Coors Field and many pitchers have had trouble there. According to reports that came out on Friday Harvey will not be skipped in the rotation and is due t make his next start against the Nationals again on Tuesday, May 24th; this time the game is in Washington’s Nationals Park.Bartolo Colon and Noah Syndergaard are the other two pitchers holding down the Mets rotation. Colon has made 8 starts and is 3-3 with an ERA of 3.75, There’s nothing wrong with those numbers out of a 5th starter especially when you find out that pitcher is 42 years old. Is Syndergarrd the ace of this staff? He’s 4-2 in 8 starts, but has the lowest ERA among the starers at 2.19. 7 of his 8 starts have been quality starts and he’s struck out 65 batters while walking just 9 on the season. Syndergaard has a WHIP of 0.99 and his K/9 or strikeouts per 9 innings ratio is 10.97 this season. You’d think that talent like tis can easily get the Mets back into the playoffs and don;t forget that Zack Wheeler is due to return in a couple of weeks. Wheeler had Tommy John surgery last season and is finishing up his recovery. I am wondering if some of the struggles this young Mets staff has had reminded any long time fans of the team of the Jason Isringhausen, Paul Wilson, Bill Pulsipher pitching trio that the Mets where going to be built around in the late 90’s.

The Tampa Bay Lighting jumped out to a 4-0 lead last night and looked as though they’d easily even up there Eastern Conference Finals series with the Pittsburgh Penguins at 2 games apiece. While the Lighting did even up the series with the Penguins there was nothing easy about it. Tampa bay got goals from Ryan Callahan and Andrew Sustr in the 1st period t take a 2-0 lead. Callahan’s goal came 27 seconds into the game. Tampa Bay added 2 more goals in the 2nd period as Jonathan Drouin and Tyler Johnson put the puck in the net and effectively ended the night of Pittsburgh starting goaltender Matt Murray. With Marc-Andre Fleury back in goal the Penguins seem to get a little lift even down 4-0. Phil Kessel got the Penguins on the scoreboard at 1:18 of the 3rd period with a goal. Play settled down for about 10 minutes and then Evgeni Malkin scored the Penguins 2nd goal of the period. It’s still 4-2 Lighting; so there was no need for their fans to panic; yet. When Chris Kunitz scored just after the 13 minute mark of the period to make it a 1-goal game at 4-3 I’m sure Lighting fans where worried. Fleury was pulled for the extra skater with about 4 minutes left in the game, but Andrei Vasilevskiy held on in goal for Tampa Bay and they took Game 4.

Game 5 is Sunday night as the series heads back to Pittsburgh’s Consol Energy Center. Puck drop is scheduled for 8:00 p.m.

The second leg of horse racing Triple-Crown The Preakness Stakes is today. Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist is the favorite at 3 to 5. Can Nyquist win here? There is another horse that while not the betting favorite is close. Exaggerator is going off at 3 to 1. I believe I heard that these 2 horses have matched up 4 times and Nyquist has won all 4 of those races. Will today be the day Exaggerator finally beats Nyquist or will Nyquist move on to the Belmont Stakes with a chance t win the Triple-Crown. I know everyone is just waiting for my pick since I know so much about horse racing. I decided that I’m going with Cherry Wine at 20 to 1 to win the Preakness. That of course menas stay as far away from that horse as possible.

You can listen to The Podcast by clicking the link

You can find me on Twitter @Burketime

Jake versus Jake

Posted: May 21, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in baseball, fantasy, post season, sports, Sports Time Radio
Tags: , , ,
0

The Cubs head west to San Francisco for a three game series that starts with Jake Arreita taking on Jake Peavy.  Dexter Fowler would lead off with a line drive single to left.  Peavy would then walk Heyward. Two men on, Kris Bryant sends a ground ball to third allowing Matt Duffy to force out Dexter.  Rizzo and Zobrist would fly out to end the inning with no runs.  Denard Span would send a fly ball about to right that would be chased down by Heyward who would make an amazing catch diving into the wall but he wouldn’t get up.  When he finally gets to his feet, the baseball crowd that are Giants fans give him an ovation, we all hope everything’s ok.  The injury delay would take Arrieta a little off his game walking Joe Panik. Duffy would fly out and Posey would send a grounder back to The Great One ending the first.  

Top two is lead off with a single by Soler then another by Montero.  Baez would try a suprise bunt to get on but is caught on a close play would be challenged but would be upheld as a sac bunt.  Arreita would help his own cause with a line drive to Center scoring Soler.  Peavy would walk Fowler to load the bases.  Tommy La Stella sends a line drive off the wall directly back to Hunter Pence, Montero would score but Jake would get caught up and tagged out at third for the second out with Fowler on third.  But that’s okay because Kris Bryant would send a 3 run homer to left!  Rizzo would single with the shift on and that would be all for Peavy.  Derrick Law replaces him to end the inning and hold the Cubs in the third.  Cubs up by 5. 

Jake the Great would have an easy 2cd but would give up a lead off single to Angel Pagan to lead off the third who then steals second and scores the Giants first run on Joe Panik’s single to right.  Matt Duffy would do the same pushing Panik to third. Buster Posey would send a long fly to left but just low enough for Soler to catch it on the wall to end the inning. 

Albert Suarez would come into the fourth, he’d put Fowler on by hitting him but that would be all the action.  The Great One would breeze through the bottom half. Suarez would do the same in the top half of the fifth and sixth. 

In the bottom of the 5th with one out, Pagan would reach on a single to third and steal second base again but Jake gets out of the inning.  Then grabs a 1-2-3 inning in the 6th.  Illinois native, from the Palos area, George Kontos comes into the 7th for a 1-2-3 inning for the books.  Jake would put a runner on but get out of the 7th.  

Kontos remains in the eighth gets the first batter out but gives up a monster home run to Ben Zobrist into McCovey Cove.  Then Soler would send one to left, back to back home runs in the eighth.  But would get out of the inning.  Cubs up 7-1.  

Travis Wood in for the bottom of the eighth gives up a double but no runs to the opposition.  Cory Gearrin enters the top of the ninth against Addison Russell striking he and the next batter out but David Ross comes into the doubling off the wall in right. Bryant hits a chopper up the middle scoring Ross.  Gearrin would exit for number 49 Javier Lopez, who would end the inning but the Cubs add one more to make it 8-1.   Clayton Richard comes in the bottom half of the ninth to bring an end to the Giants 8 game win streak.  Go Cubs Go!!!

@danzeeeman

#ItsJustMay

Posted: May 19, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in baseball, fantasy, post season, sports, Sports Time Radio
Tags: , , ,
0

In the last game of the series in Milwaukee the Cubs Jason Hammell takes on Junior Guerra in his 4th start of the season.  Dexter Fowler leads the game off with his 4th Home Run of the season to right field.  A walk to Rizzo would be all the action for the Cubs but they’re up 1-0.  Hammel has a perfect in the bottom half. 

Guerra starts off the second against Jorge Soler and gives up a double.  Russell K’s but Montero sends a line drive to left scoring Soler!  Hammel strikes out to end the inning.  Hammel would return the favor, striking out Chris Carter to leadoff the bottom half.  Kirk Nieuwenhuis would single and move over to second when Hernan Perez walks.  Montero would try to pick off Kirk but a throwing error would send him to third. He would then score on a wild pitch by Hammel. 2-1 Cubs.  

Both men would make it through the third with just one base runner.  Guerra would have a perfect top of 4 but Hammel on a 1 and 1 count would toss one up for Chris Carter who ties the game with a line drive to center field.  After 4 it’s a tie game.  

Both men would have a solid fifth inning with Jason Hammel getting the only hit of the inning.  Guerra would walk Zobrist in the sixth.  Scooter Gennett would single on a line drive to Soler but Carter would go down swinging.  With one man on Kirk would take Hammel deep to center for his second home run of the season.  After 6, it’s the Brewers 4, Cubs 2. 

With one out, Miguel Montero would send one to center field but not for a home run but it’s a three bagger.  With two outs Fowler would step in looking to drive in Montero but he wouldn’t need to do much because Guerra would throw a wild pitch, Miguel would score and Fowler would end the inning with a fly out to left.  Cubs get within one, 3-4. 

Justin Grimm comes into the bottom half of 7, gets two batters out, gives up a single and is replaced by Clayton Richard, who gets the last out.  Michael Blazek comes in for the Brew Crew gets the first two outs but then walks Rizzo who moves to third on Ben Zobrist’s double.  Niether would score as Soler strikes out to end the inning. 

Clayton Richard stays is only to be pulled after giving up a hit to Scooter. Trevor Cahill would come in to get the next two batters out. Two outs man on second, Hernan singles to center scoring Scooter to put the Crew up by two. The next two batters are walked one intentionally.  Now we have Jonathan Lucroy pinch hitting for the pitcher with two outs but Cahill calms down and gets him out on strikes to end the inning.  

Tyler Thornberg comes in for the save opportunity giving much hope to the boys in blue walking both Russell and Montero.  After a visit to the mound, Tyler calms down and gets Javier Baez to strike out.  Fowler flys out on a deep fly ball to right and Heyward goes down swinging to end the game.  The Brewers take two out of three. Call it what you may but the high scoring bats have come down to earth but in the end #ItsJustMay

@danzeeeman
The Podcast

A pitchers Brewal

Posted: May 19, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in baseball, fantasy, sports, Sports Time Radio
Tags: , , ,
0

The Cubs would like to redeem themselves after last nights loss.  John Lackey would take on Milwaukees 26 year old right handed Jimmy Nelson.  He would start the game with a perfect 1st inning but would load the bases in the 2cd with two outs.  Zobrist singled, La Stella doubled and they intentionally walked Ross but Lackey would strikeout to end the inning.  Lackey would walk the first batter of the game but would get the next three batters and it would be smooth sailing until the 4th.  With one out Jonathan Lucroy would double to right. Chris Carter would strikeout and with the next batter in the box, David Ross would pick off Lucroy to end the inning. 

Lackey would run into trouble in the bottom of the 5th with a leadoff double to Kirk Nieuwenhuis and then a single to Domingo Santana.  Alex Presley would ground into a force out scoring Kirk. Lackey would get out of the inning.  In the bottom of the sixth he would give up a hit to Scooter Gennett.  With two outs Scooter would take to large of a lead putting him in a rundown to be caught stealing by David Ross.  

Through 7 innings the Cubs would get some baserunners but no one would cross the plate.  After 7 it would be Cubs 0, Brewers 1.  Lackey would come out for the bottom of the seventh, Adam Warren takes his place puts a runner on but gets out of the inning pretty easily.  

Nelson would stay in the game for the 8th getting the first man out but breathes life into the Cubs fans in Miller Park with a double to Jorge Soler. With Fowler at the plate and a wild pitch sends Soler to third.  Fowler would walk and that results in a pitching change.  Tyler Thornburg comes in and shuts down any chance the Cubs had at taking the league.  

Justin Grimm comes into the bottom of the 8th, getting the first two batters to watch strike three.  Jonathan Villar would walk and again with Scooter up at bat David Ross would triple out another runner to end the inning.  Still a 1-0 game.  

Jeremy Jeffress would come into close out the game starting with the man he ended last nights game, hits Anthony Rizzo.  Baez would come into pinch run with Zobrist at the plate.  Zobrist knocks one to right, making this game interesting.   La Stella would ground out to second moving the batters up.  Addison Russell would ground out also to second but scoring Baez.  The Brewers walk Montero to bring up Tim Federowicz to end the inning with a strikeout.  The game is tied at 1!

Pedro Strop comes into the bottom half to get a 1-2-3 inning.  Michael Blazek comes into the 10th striking out Fowler, giving up a single to Heyward and walking Bryant.  Baez would get the force out and Zobrist would ground out to end the inning.  

We go into extra innings.  The Cubs would strike hot in the 10th with two base runners but no runs.  Pedro Strop would make it just as exciting with a walk and single but gets Ramon Flores out on a called third strike.  In the 11th, Russell would double but again no runs.  

Pedro Strop entered in the bottom of the 11th having a solid 1-2-3 inning.  Fowler would lead off the 12th with a single but would be forced out on Heyward’s single to short stop.  He would be caught stealing 2nd base, Maddon would challenge but it’s upheld.  Bryant flies out to end the inning.  Hector Rondon comes into the bottom half putting Chris Carter on first due to an error, then walks the next batter prompting a pitcher change.  Travis Wood loads the bases with another walk but puts it all together to stop anyone from crossing the plate.  

The top of 13, with one out Zobrist grabs a single off Carlos Torres who beans Tommy La Stella.  He strikes out Russell for out number 2.  They intentionally walk Montero to get to pitcher Travis Wood. This completely backfires as he scores an RBI walk. Fowler lines out but Cubs up 2-1. Wood stays in giving up s double to Villar but gets Scooter to ground out. Maddon goes to the pen bringing in Neil Ramirez who makes it exciting.  A wild pitch moves Villar to third then a walk to Lucroy but after the big K to Carter, Maddon relieves him from duty.  Clayton Richard comes in for the save and gets Kirk Nieuwenhuis to ground out to end the game.  

Now the bullpen did make the game exciting at times but held it together when the Cubs bats were silenced.  Whether it’s by 10 or 1 run, a wins a win. 

@DanZeeeMan
The Podcast

Not much Brewing for the Cubs 

Posted: May 17, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in baseball, fantasy, post season, sports, Sports Time Radio
Tags: , , , ,
0

The Cubs head to Wrigley Field North or as The Brewers would call it, Miller Park.  It actually is a great park to visit.  Carlos Zambrabo threw his no-hitter there against the Astros. 

The Cubs would be shut down perfectly through 4 by Brewers pitcher Chase Anderson.  Kyle Hendricks on the other hand, would have a perfect 1st, but walks leadoff Jonathan Lucroy to start off the second but gets the next three out.  He gets Braun to ground out to lead off the fourth but gives up a monster home run to Lucroy putting the Brew Crew up by 1.  

The Cubs would continue to be shut down until afte the first batter in the top of the sixth, when  Miguel Montero walks and steals second but that would be all the action. In the bottom half Kyle would set up Ryan Braun with two men on he smacks a single to right field adding another run to the Brewers scoreboard.  He would get Lucroy to pop out to Montero but Chris Carter would send a line drive to right center for a double driving both men in.  This would prompt Maddon to bring in Trevor Cahill to strike out the last two batters to end the inning.  He would come back for a perfect seventh.  

Chase Anderson would give up his first hit of the game a double to leadoff man Ben Zobrist but he’d shut them down again.  Cahill comes back for the bottom half and it’s perfect again.  Anderson would come back out to finish the game he started getting the first two outs.  Jason Heyward on an 0-2 count gets a hold of one sending it to right center for his first home run of the season. On a 1-0 count Kris Bryant would get a hold of one and send it to left field for his 7th homer of the season.  Jeremy Jeffres would come into the game with a save opportunity with two outs Rizzo comes to the plate looking to make it 3 home runs in a row but he goes down swinging. Cubs lose 4-2.  

I know it’s another loss but Anderson was on tonight and there was absolutely nothing to be done about it.  The silver lining of course was Cahill’s performance.  Entering the game in the bottom half of the sixth pitching lights out baseball for 2 2/3 innings could have asked for more.  Let’s get them tomorrow!

@DanZeeeMan
The Podcast

Let’s call it Wednesday!

Posted: May 17, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in baseball, basketball, hockey, sports, Uncategorized
Tags: , , , ,
0

The Cleveland Cavaliers didn’t show any rust coming off their 9 day lay off as they easily handled the Toronto Raptors in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals 115-84. The Cavaliers put up 33 points in the 1st quarter to take a 5-point lead 33-28. They followed that up with a 33 point 2nd quarter to really extend the lead going into halftime to 66-44. Still pressing in the 3rd quarter the Cavaliers added 6 points to the lead by outscoring the Raptors 29-23 in the 3rd. With a 95-67 heading into the 4th quarter the Cavaliers still outscored the Raptors in the quarter 20-17 to get the game to the 115-84 final and a 1-0 lead in the series.

Kyrie Irving led the Cavaliers with 27 points and handed out a team high 5 assists. LeBron James shot 11 for 13 from the field on his way to a 24 point night. Kevin Love was the only other Cleveland player to score in double figures with 14 points. Richard Jefferson came off the Cavaliers bench to lead the team in rebounding with 11. The Cavaliers went 41 of 74 (55.4%) from inside the 3-point line in the victory.

Toronto was led by DeMar DeRozan with 18 points. DeRozan also tied for the team lead in assists with Kyle Lowry at 5 apiece.  Bismack Biyombo made every shot he took as he went 5 for 5 from the field and made both his free throw attempts for 12 points. Biyombo also tied for the team lead in rebounds with Lowry and James Johnson at 4. Johnson also came off the Raptors bench to add 10 points. In comparison to  Cleveland’s 55.4% the Raptors shot just 42.1% from inside the 3-point line going 32 for 76.

Game 2 will be tomorrow (Thursday) night in Cleveland. Do the Raptors have a chance to even the series? or will the Cavaliers make it 10 straight playoff victories this season?

If you listened to the Sports Time radio podcast yesterday (Tuesday) I was convinced that the Los Angeles Lakers would move up in the NBA Draft Lottery and get the #1 overall pick. I was wrong; not only didn’t the Lakers move up no one did. The Philadelphia 76ers had the best chance to get the #1 pick and they did. The Lakers stayed at 2 with the Boston Celtics at #3 on a pick they acquired from the Brooklyn Nets. The Phoenix Suns have two lottery picks and the first one is at #4. The Minnesota Timberwolves are at #5 with the New Orleans Pelicans at #6. The Denver Nuggets will pick 6th as they picked up this pick in a deal with the New York Knicks. The Sacramento Kings will pick 8th while the Raptors have the well traveled 9th pick as it was originally owned by Denver, but was sent to the Knicks and then to Toronto. The Milwaukee Bucks are at #10 with Orlando Magic at #11 and Utah Jazz at #12. The Suns show up again at #13 with a pick they acquired from the Washington Wizards. The Chicago Bulls round out the lottery with the 14th pick. The draft will be held in Brooklyn at Barclays Center on Thursday, June 23, 2016.

Both the Eastern and Western Conference finals in the NHL are tied at 1-1. The Pittsburgh Penguins used a quick goal by Sidney Crosby in overtime of Game 2 on Monday to tie up the series with the Tampa Bay Lighting. The series now shifts to Tampa Bay’s Amalie Arena for tonight’s Game 3 and Friday nights Game 4.

Tommy Wingels put the San Jose Sharks up 1-0 in the 1st period of last nights game against the St. Louis Blues. Brent Burns had a power play goal in the 2nd period to make it 2-0 Sharks. Burns added another power play goal at the start of the 3rd period and then a Dainius Zubrus empty net goal made it 4-0 as the Sharks evened the series with the Blues. The series will head out west to San Jose’s SAP Center for Game 3 on Thursday and then Game 4 on Saturday night.

The suspensions where handed down by Major League Baseball (MLB) for the bench clearing brawl in Sunday’s Texas Rangers/Toronto Blue Jays game. To no one’s surprise Roughned Odor got the longest suspension of anyone at 8 games. I was quite surprised to hear that Jose Bautista received just a 1 game suspension. I really thought that Bautista would end up getting something in the 3 to 5 game area, but it turned out to be just 1. Blue Jays manager John Gibbons got a 3 game suspension. Remember Gibbons had been ejected earlier in the game and came back out on the field during the fight. Blue Jays 1st base coach Tim Leiper also got a 1 game suspension as he was also ejected, but came back out onto the field when the fight broke out. The other suspension I was a little surprised by was the 3 game one Jesse Chavez got. While Chavez did hit Prince Fielder in retaliation I thought 3 games was a little high for that. Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus was the other player to receive a suspension; he got 1 game. While Toronto’s Josh Donaldson and Rangers bench coach Steve Buechele where both ejected during the brawl they weren’t suspended, but where fined. It appears as Odor will be accessed the largest fine at a reported $5000. There where four other players who where just fined for the parts in the brawl. Rangers pitchers San Dyson, A.J. Griffin and Matt Bush; who hit Bautista along with catcher Robinson Chirinos where all fined as was Toronto outfielder Kevin Pillar.

The Rangers series clinching victory Sunday was the final regular season meeting between the two clubs. A feud had been simmering between the teams since Bautista’s bat flip in last year’s American League Division Series.

Fredi Gonzalez became the first manager to get fired this season as the 9-28 Atlanta Braves made the move before their game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night. Brian Snitker, manager of Atlanta’s Triple-A Gwinnett farm team, will replace Gonzalez as the Braves’ interim manager through the end of the season. Snitker was Atlanta’s third-base coach from 2006 to 2013. Snitker also had two stints with Atlanta as the bullpen coach in 1985 and from 1988 to 1990. Gonzalez learned he was likely to be fired about an hour after Monday night’s loss, when he received an automated email from an airline notifying him that he was scheduled to be on a flight from Pittsburgh to Atlanta on Tuesday, even though the Braves are playing the Pirates through Thursday. Braves general manager John Coppolella and president of baseball operations John Hart had planned to inform him Tuesday morning. Gonzalez, 52, managed the Marlins from 2007 to 2010 and was named manager in Atlanta in 2011 after Hall of Famer Bobby Cox retired. He coached third base for the Braves for four years before landing the Marlins job. Gonzalez wasn’t the only one fired. Braves bench coach Carlos Tosca, an assistant under Gonzalez in Atlanta and Miami, was also let go. First-base coach Terry Pendleton, a former Braves great, will become bench coach, with bullpen coach Eddie Perez moving to first. Gwinnett pitching coach Marty Reed will take Perez’s spot.

Former Braves All-Star Chipper Jones is said to not interested in managing the Braves this season,

You can listen to The Podcast by clicking the link

You can find me on Twitter @Burketime

It’s just one loss

Posted: May 15, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in baseball, fantasy, sports, Sports Time Radio
Tags: , , , ,
0

The Cubs wrap up the weekend series against the Pirates with John Lester facing Garett Cole who’s seeking his 4th win of the season like Lester.  Today’s match up would be another pitchers duel.  I know that everyone loves high scoring, home run smashing games but my favorite to watch are these battles.  I usually keep my opinion out of this but win or lose I love these games.   

The first 6 innings would see Lester shutting down the third place Bucs aside from a walk to David Freese in the first and a walk in the second to Framcisco Cervelli. The Cubs would start off with a leadoff double by Dexter Fowler for his 14th of the year.  That would be all until Addison Reed singles in the second and again until Ben Zobrist’s double in the fourth.  The fifth and sixth innings would be 1-2-3 innings for Cole.  Just three hits through 6 with no runs is today, not at all common place for the Cubs.  

Lester would continue his battle in the 7th making it exciting with a one out single to Starling Marte but would strike out Cervelli.  With two outs Jung Ho Kang would send a fly ball to Heyward that would turn into an RBI double prompting Maddon to pull Lester after 109 pitches through 6 2/3.   Adam Warren would come into close the inning out but would start with a walk.  Maddon would decide to have Warren intentional walk Gregory Polanco to get to Gerrit Cole.  He would ground into a force out to end the inning but would come into the bottom half and shut the Cubs down once again.  

Pedro Strop would come into the 8th giving up a single to Jody Mercer but would get the next three batters out, no problem.   Cole would stay in for the bottom half and all attempts by the Cubs to come back would be shut down.  

Hector Rondon would come into the ninth and immediately strikes out Cervelli.  The only run of the game was driven in by Jung Ho Kang, with one out he would send a fly ball to left center for his 4th home run of the season.  Josh Harrison would single and Polanco would walk again. Travis Wood replaces Rondon as Matt Joyce pinch hits for Cole. Wood gets the out but Maddon pulls him for Justin Grimm who walks Mercer but strikes out McCutchen.  Cubs down 2-0.  

Pirates closer Mark Melancon comes in for the save opportunity but walks Fowler and gives up a single to Heyward.  Bryant would fly out for the first out.  Rizzo would send a fly ball to right that’s scored as a sac fly scoring Fowler.  Zobrist comes to the plate for an opportunity to tie the game or get a walk off homer.  Heyward would steal second to prevent a force.  Zobrist with two outs would hit a ground ball to second ending the game.  

Now I know it’s a loss in the books but I still think it was a great outing for Jon Lester and the versatility of the bullpen.  Joel Maddon has 162 games to figure out how the bullpen works for the playoffs.  With the way they are playing, I feel there is no doubt that they will be in the playoffs and he needs to figure out this bullpen.  Again, I know it’s a loss but Cubs fans, take it easy, #ItsJustMay

@danzeeeman
The Podcast

A Little More Rope

Posted: May 15, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in baseball, fantasy, post season, sports, Sports Time Radio
Tags: , , ,
0

If you are a San Francisco Giants fan, you will remember the off-season comments being tossed around concerning the acquisition of Jeff Samardzija, also known as The Shark.

“His 4.96 ERA last season [2015] was the worst of his career.”
“Look at that 6.86 K/9 ratio; what’s up with that besides walks?”

“He reached career highs in hits allowed (228), earned runs (118) and home runs (29), while posting an 11-13 record in 32 starts.”

“He plunked a dozen batters in 2015…” 

Samardzija himself said, “I was tipping my pitches.”

During one fatal stretch leading up to his two final starts of the 2015 season, he went 1-8 with a 9.24 ERA, giving up a career-high ten earned runs to Oakland on September 15th, in a 17-6 loss.

To many fans it seemed as though the Giants were somewhat bottom-fishing, especially after losing the prize, Zack Greinke, who signed with Arizona. Granted, Johnny Cueto is a star[fish], which is why The Shark’s signing paled in comparison.
On this date in 2015, Samardzija was 2-2, with a 4.88 ERA, almost exactly what it would turn out to be for the season (4.96). Today, he is 5-2 and his ERA is a svelte 2.88, while his WHIP is a minuscule 1.12.
Whereas we are only approaching the one-quarter mark, Samardzija seems to get better each time he takes the mound. Friday night’s eight-inning effort saw him yield six singles, a Jake Lamb double, and the first career triple by starting pitcher Shelby Miller.
In all Friday, at Chase Field in Arizona, he surrendered one earned run, walked none and struck out three. Earlier in the season he pitched eight full innings of two-run ball in Colorado. Those who said he “would have to post decent numbers, pitching in AT&T Park,” are correct to a certain extent. 
They just ought not to have shortchanged him. 

So why the difference and more importantly, how were the Giants able to figure out-over the winter-that they could expect this kind of production from The Shark in 2016?
According to Nick Doran, who wrote a piece over the offseason for the Dynasty Guru, it includes several small negatives, which combined to create the bigger discrepancies. Doran listed the move from the National League to the American League as one reason, because Samardzija had to face a designated hitter each game, instead of the pitcher a couple of times per game.
Next Doran mentioned the shift from Wrigley Field to U.S. Cellular, which he called “a tougher place for pitchers.” He then went on to talk about the White Sox having the 28th Defensive Efficiency Ratio, which when compared to the defense of San Francisco, cannot be glossed over.

Doran elected to disregard the speculation about pitch-tipping, because he felt that it was impossible for all of the other clubs to be aware of it, without the Sox also having that information. It’s just too hard to keep something like that under a team’s radar because bad news travels faster than an Aroldis Chapman fastball.

What he thought more likely to have contributed to 2015’s shaky season, was the fact that Samardzija doubled the use of his cutter, while simultaneously reducing the number of times he used his sinker. The results played havoc with his career stats and the Giants were astute enough to be able to make that observation and draw their own conclusions.

With one of the best pitching coaches in baseball, in Dave Righetti, the Giants felt certain that they could get Samardzija back on the winning track. One-fourth of the season does not a full year make, but at least the issues that plagued The Shark last season, have not reared their ugly heads so far and bitten him in the backside.

In fact the combined stellar starts of all three of the rotation’s top pitchers, including Madison Bumgarner (4-2, 2.72 ERA) and Johnny Cueto (5-1, 2.97 ERA) have given manager Bruce Bochy a little more rope, when it comes to not hanging himself on the decision to stick with Jake Peavy and Matt Cain.

Both pitchers are gaining confidence and throwing better than they have at any time so far this season. Peavy’s effort Saturday night in Arizona, was his best start of the season, and that followed Cain’s last start against the Toronto Blue Jays, also his best effort, even if it was in a losing effort.
Better to encounter technical difficulties early in the season, while there is still plenty of time to correct them, than to find out too late that the ship has sprung a leak.

By then it may turn out necessary to spend so much time bailing out water, that it results in abandoning ship, which means missing the playoffs.

The Giants cannot afford to do that because they have an engagement with the Chicago Cubs, one which will determine the National League Pennant winner.

As it is, Peavy and Cain will get the opportunity to face the Cubs in the upcoming series beginning this coming Friday, at AT&T Park. I like the fact that San Francisco will first confront the Cubs with the fourth and fifth members of their rotation, because if they can succeed with the lower end, imagine how well they could be expected to do with the upper end.

And if the Giants cannot compete, then they can consider going back to the drawing board.
Until then, keep that drawing board locked up and throw away the key, because the key is pitching and both Cain and Peavy have been infused with a coating of graphite.
Hopefully, they’ll use it to unlock the mysteries of how to stop the Cubs’ offense.
@bellspringsmark

Lucky 7 

Posted: May 14, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in baseball, sports, Sports Time Radio
Tags: , , , ,
0

Game 2 of 3 with The Great One on the mound vs Pirates Jeff Locke. Both men would practically mirror each other for the first three innings.  They would each start with a 1-2-3 inning.  Then put one man on in the second and have another 1-2-3 inning in the third.  The Pirates would strike first in the top half of the fourth.  With Polanco on second and McCutchen on third Francisco Cervelli would rip a double to center scoring both men.  Jake would get out of the inning but the Cuns would be down by 2.  

Jason Heyward would leadoff with a single. Kris Bryant would walk.  Two men on for Rizzo and he sends a fly ball to center for his 11th home run of the season. Just like that the Cubs are up 3-2.  

Arrieta would have a solid top of the fifth but not before walking Locke.  Locke himself would mirror the top half but with giving up another single to Heyward. Jakes top half of the sixth would be perfect.  Ben Zobrist would leadoff the bottom half with a single but Soler would pop out.  Addison Russell would get his first hit of the day with a two run home run putting the Cubs up by 3.  The very next batter Miguel Montero would be hit but this would prompt the home plate umpire Brian Knight to issue warnings to both sides.  Both sides seem confused but it may stem from his earlier ejection of Pitates pitching coach Ray Searage.  This would also bring in a new pitcher Jared Hughes who would walk The Great One.  With two men on, Dexter Fowler would send a soft line drive to left scoring Montero.  Hughes would walk Heyward but would get out of the inning. 

Arrieta would come back out for the seventh with ease.  AJ Schugel would come into the bottom of the seventh give up a walk but get out of the inning.  Jake would come back out for the bottom of the eighth with two K’s and a ground out.  Tommy LaStella would pinch hit for Jake but go down swinging. Fowler, Heyward and Bryant would all single.  Fowler would score on Bryant’s single, Heyward to third but Bryant would be tagged trying to make it a double.  Rizzo would single scoring Heyward and now the Cubs are up 8-2. 

Justin Grimm would come in to finish the game off and he would just that with a 1-2-3 inning.   Arrieta would have another solid quality start with 11 strikeouts in 8 innings.  He would only give up two runs on three hits and walk two batters.   Another one in the books for the Cubs.  They now are a league leading 27 and 8.  Go Cubs Go!   

@DanZeeeMan
The Podcast

Older Entries
Newer Entries