As for the Tigers they've greatly improved their defense with Iglesias at short. The big weakness is still the bullpen. Benoit is doing a good job at closing but there's not much consistent pitching at the set up spot. If Cabrera is walked every time he comes to the plate, I don't know where the production will come from. He's actually having a better year than last when he won the Triple Crown. It looks like Davis is standing in his way of a repeat.
Looks like it will turn out to be a classic Dodger/Cardinal match up either in the Divisional Series or the Championship Series.
Meanwhile up north where JO'Co's favorite team resides.... They enter the week a half-game behind the Padres for fourth/last place. The only other defending World Series champ to finish last was the 1998 Marlins. -
re: Rookie of the Year If I had a vote, I'd vote for Fernandez. He's 21 and he throws industrial strength gas that was clocked @ 99-101mph on every fastball last night. He has command of three pitches and he was sawing off corners with sliders clocked in the low 90's... http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/08/20/3573564/stealing-the-show.html Meanwhile, Mr. Puig went 0-5 in that game, and completely melted down in the dugout. He was ranting against the home plate umpire, who also happened to be the crew chief with a 30 year track record. He also went club hopping in Miami with Matt Kemp, Carl Crawford and LeBron James. They reportedly spent more than $20,000 on Champaign alone. Then he arrived late for work today and was benched for today's game... Then he pinch hit in the 8th inning and won the game with a HR... I don't know if he's Babe Ruth, Jimmy Piersall or the Cuban Johnny Effin Football. Whatever he is......he's the biggest, craziest, new superstar in baseball in a long, long time. But I would still vote for Fernandez.
:idea: Dick Allen did well here. What I'm afraid of is another Manny Ramirez or Darrel Strawberry. I can't stand players who don't respect the game... He's a great player, no doubt. When he joined the team, the Dodgers had one of the three or four worst records in MLB. Since then, Puig has started 71 games and the team is 51-20. But his act is already wearing thin and it's only half way through his rookie year. He needs to begin by respecting his veteran teammates, like Juan Uribe, who're trying to help him. If he doesn't do that, Dodger Dogs will turn on him in a heart beat...
Dick Allen bats clean up on the all wasted talent team. One of the biggesy dogs ever to wear a uniform. When he was with the Phillies, he would play 1B and in between pitches he would draw obscenities in the in the infield dirt with his cleats. Frequently would make the 90 degree turn halfway to first on ground balls. One game that I saw him play at Crosley, he booted a ground ball from Pete Rose and walked after it, refusing to throw it when he finally got to it. Rose was all the way to 3rd base when another Phillie finanlly wrestled the ball away from him. Big, well built, really good speed and enormous power. Hit for average too. An absolute dog of a player.
re: Ritchie Allen I've heard all the horror stories, but we never saw that here. He was on his best behavior. We did hear him say that he preferred horse racing to baseball, but we were used to players like that. Johnny Podres would sometimes forget to take the Racing Form out of his back pocket before he got to the mound...
:idea: Dodgers vs. Red Sox in a pitching classic tonight. Ricky Nolasco tossed a two-hitter for the team's second shutout in a row. John Lackey tossed a three-hitter, but hung a curve to Hanley Ramirez who hit it out for a 2-0 win. Puig was on his best behavior as the Dodgers extended their lead in the NL West to 10.5 games; their biggest lead since 1977... BTW- former NL All-Star Brian Wilson looked great in relief and was clocked @ 94mph in his comeback from Tommy John surgery. The Dodgers bullpen now includes: Kenley Jansen, Paco Rodriquez, Ronald Belisario, J.P. Howell, Chris Withrow and Brian Wilson... I'll have spies at tomorrow night's game for the Lester vs. Ryu matchup...
A razor blade company has offered Brian Wilson $1 million to shave his beard. Brian's reply: Wouldn't it be nice?
Puig pushing the envelope with the team and the Mgr. Mattingly yanked him from the game with the Cubs, and in Miami he was disciplined as well. The ESPN article says Dodger Veterans are tiring of his act.
:roll: As we get closer to the playoffs, Puig's margin for error grows smaller. He will grow up fast or ride the pine until the end of time. This very good Dodger team doesn't need him for anything and Matt Kemp is close to returning from his sprained ankle...
Puig is a 5.5 inning guy right now. When Kemp is back, you're still going to need what Puig brings athletically in Sept, but you can't have that **** on the field once you get to the bullpen.