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Slow Start? What Slow Start?
OK, time to stop the MLB nonsense about whether the Indians are for real.
They’re as real as Justin Masterson’s sinker, Shin-Soo Choo’s right arm, Carlos Santana’s batting eye, Orlando Cabrera’s experience and Asdrubal Cabrera’s talent.
Try this for real: The Indians own a majors-best 66 run differential and an MLB best 18-4 home record. They’ve scored the second-most runs in the A.L. and have the fourth-best ERA. They’re 7-2 against the A.L. East with the revived Red Sox returning to Cleveland looking for revenge after that three-game sweep they absorbed in the season’s first week.
Ron Washington knows they’re for real. Asked if he knew the Indians would be in first place when in spring training he asked Manny Acta to be an MLB All-Star coach, the Rangers managed replied, “I knew the Indians would be tough. They have some talent.”
Washington might have been one of the few to believe that two months ago. But he’s no longer alone. The Indians sit atop the MLB Power Poll for the fourth consecutive week. The Poll is convinced.
1. Indians (1). You can ask the Reds if the Tribe is for real. The Indians’ weekend sweep was first over Reds since 2004.
2. Cardinals (14). When talking about N.L. MVP candidates, Matt Holliday would be the place to start. Unless you started with Lance Berkman.
3. Red Sox (13). About that 2-10 start, perhaps the Red Sox just wanted to play fair and give the rest of the league a head start.
Adrian Gonzalez has provided the offensive punch the Red Sox were hoping for when they traded for him this offseason. (AP Photo)
4. Giants (6). Latest wrist injury to Mark DeRosa could be the end, making his the saddest in a season that has seen more than its share of injuries.
5. Phillies (4). Chase Utley is back in time for rematch of last year’s divisional series against the Reds. Time for the rest of the Phillies’ offense to return, too.
6. Yankees (15). What a debut: Right-hander Hector Noesi gives Yankees four scoreless innings to win 15-inning marathon in Baltimore, providing the difference between a so-so and a good week for the club.
Houston Astros Having A Great Spring
For the Astros’ offense, there was this in 2010: They struck out less than any MLB team in the National League.
Now, many would consider that a fairly meaningless stat in today’s baseball. Look at the Rockies, they would say. Colorado struck out third-most in the league but scored the third-most runs. Regardless, not striking out was about it for the highlights of Houston’s offense.
The Astros were next to last in runs, last in homers, last in on-base percentage and last in walks. They seemed to have a real problem with walks. Lance Berkman led the club in walks, with 60, and he played barely half the season for the Astros before being traded to the Yankees.
So to say the Astros needed to beef up their offense in the off-season was as obvious as saying that Roy Oswalt wanted out last year. Oswalt got his wish. The Astros, however, did not exactly add the next Berkman to their offense.
Their two big offseason acquisitions were Bill Hall and Clint Barmes, who hit .247 and .235, respectively, for their previous teams. Hall managed 18 homers in a utility role with the Red Sox; Barmes played 133 games for the Rockies, scored 43 runs and drove in 50 with eight homers. Their additions do not figure to move the dial in the NL Central.
But they do make sense for the Astros. Really. Here’s how:
Their outfield already is set. Hunter Pence and Michael Bourn are entering their prime. Carlos Lee is anchored in left because of a contract that will pay him $18.5 million in 2011 and 2012.
At the infield corners are a pair of youngsters the Astros hope will become franchise cornerstones, first baseman Brett Wallace and third baseman Chris Johnson. The Astros acquired Wallace, 24, from the Blue Jays last July with the plan that he would be a middle-of-the-order hitter for a long time. Johnson, 26, was Houston’s leading hitter last year, a .308 average to go with 11 homers in 341 at-bats.
The Astros were planning to go young at catcher, too, with 23-year-old Jason Castro until he suffered a season-ending knee injury on the second day of exhibition games.
That left second and shortstop as the only spots for shopping.
Roy Oswalt St. Louis Cardinals Sights Thrown For a Loop
In 1969 when the Rolling Stones said, “You can’t always get what you want, and if you try sometime you might find you get what you need”, Roy Oswalt wasn’t even born but the timely lyrics are speaking directly to him today.
With only eight days remaining before the trade deadline, it’s looking more likely that this next week could be the last one Roy Oswalt spends pitching in a Houston Astros uniform. The Phillies have engaged in talks with the Astros about trading for the pitcher, and Oswalt would be willing to waive his no-trade clause to move north to Philadelphia.
Though it seems the Phillies aren’t his preferred destination. Oswalt has a definite preference, and that it appears to be the St. Louis Cardinals. Read More >>
Tempers Flare Causing MLB VP to Take Action Against Umpire
Tempers flared between Astros ace, Roy Oswalt and MLB umpire, Bill Hohn at Monday night’s game.
During the third inning of the 14-2 loss the Nationals Left Fielder, Josh Willingham’s 2-2 pitch, was called a ball. Pitcher Oswalt yelled something as he was looking in the direction of the first base line.
The umpire, Hohn, took this as a disrespect towards his call, thus taking his mask off and began yelling at Oswalt. After Hohn was finished yelling at him, Oswalt responded, “I ain’t talking to you.” Hohn then had him ejected. Read More >>
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