We’re getting close to the end of the vile hockey and basketball seasons. Normally, I find both of these sports to be roughly as interesting as a night watching the WB. But I was in a bad mood, having just been blown out in a softball game where no matter what we did, an irritating…
I had a chance to see Toronto outfielder Shannon Stewart in person recently, when the Jays came to Oakland. What I picked up, among other things, is that he is very fast. He also happens to be a good baseball player, so we aren’t talking Vince Coleman here. In the game I attended, Stewart belted…
ANAHEIM ANGELS Placed RF Tim Salmon on the 15-day DL, retroactive to 4/23 (foot); purchased the contract of LHP Greg Cadaret from Vancouver. [5/1] Recalled RHP Pep Harris from Vancouver; optioned LHP Rich Robertson to Vancouver. [5/4] As long as Omar Olivares in the rotation, and as long as Terry Collins is pretending that nothing…
HITTING … "Tonight we were making up for the first month. Even when we were up by 10, you still wanted to beat the ball up." — Bobby Higginson, Tigers outfielder "Hitters have got to be hitters first — homers will take care of themselves. I’m a line-drive hitter with home-run pop. I’m not a…
ANAHEIM ANGELS Sold 1B Troy Neel‘s contract to the Orix Blue Wave (Japanese Leagues). [4/28] Placed RHP Jack McDowell on the 15-day DL, retroactive to 4/27 (inflamed right elbow); activated INF Craig Shipley from the DL. [4/30] In Black Jack’s absence, Omar Olivares will step into the rotation, and Shigetoshi Hasegawa may finally get some…
BALTIMORE ORIOLES Placed RHP Scott Kamieniecki on the 15-day DL, retroactive to April 25 (groin strain & inflamed elbow); recalled RHP Nerio Rodriguez from Rochester. [4/26] It’s easy to take potshots at the Orioles and say that Billy Gardner is no Davey Johnson or that Doug Johns is a waste of time, but matters aren’t…
Henry Schulman is the Giants beat writer for the San Francisco Chronicle. He has been a sportswriter for 10 years and a professional reporter for 18. He started covering the Giants for the Oakland Tribune in 1988 and moved on to an afternoon paper, the San Francisco Examiner (1993-98), before starting at the Chronicle this…
UMPIRES "I think if you’d just call the strike zone from what it is in the rule book that you would see pitching improve." — Nolan Ryan, former player "They can fine me all they want. What they need to do is start watching film on [umpires] and get rid of the guys who aren’t…
In the wake of Randy Johnson‘s three-game suspension for throwing at Kenny Lofton‘s head (and did anyone else think of Crocodile Dundee? “That’s not wild, mate. That’s wild.”), the other professional sports have announced they will follow the AL President Gene Budig‘s example of sitting players down for similiarly significant lengths of time. Today, the…
ATLANTA BRAVES Optioned RHP Paul Byrd to Richmond, and recalled OF Damon Hollins from Richmond. [4/23] When you’re the Braves, I guess you feel you can afford to waste a roster spot for five days to get two mopup innings of relief, because that’s all they got out of Byrd; considering that their bullpen had…
ANAHEIM ANGELS Placed INF Craig Shipley on the 15-day DL (irritated nerve – right hand); activated 1B Chris Pritchett from 15-day DL and optioned him to Vancouver; recalled LHP Rich Robertson from Vancouver. [4/16] Activated RHP Pep Harris from the DL and optioned him to Lake Elsinore (A). [4/18] Losing Shipley may make the pickup…
CATCHERS "I would have to think that if you put a risk-factor on a position, pitchers would be the highest risk and catchers would be the next highest risk." — Bob Melvin, Rangers GM "I think Peter Gammons said one knee was bone on bone. That’s the most ridiculous statement I’ve ever heard." — Mike…
ATLANTA BRAVES Placed Lucky Charm Rafael Belliard on the 60-day DL (torn left quad); purchased the contract of INF Ray Holbert from Richmond. [4/10] Is there any potential downside with replacing arguably the worst major league player with a living, breathing utility infielder? Only in the sense that Cox may feel less comfortable with his…
I spent the last few days looking at tapes. Primarily boring tapes. Tapes of people playing defense. I really believe that the average baseball fan can get a lot more enjoyment out of watching the game if they understand the actual ‘fundamentals’ that we’ve all been told since the age of 5 (for me at…
UPS … "This is going to be a good club, but I don’t know to what extent yet. It will be an exciting year. We’ve got a pretty good ballclub. We’ve still got to see how things go, see how things fall into place." — Tony Gwynn, Padres outfielder "The crowd reaction today was great…
CHICAGO CUBS If any Cub prospect has an impact in the majors this year, it’ll be Kerry Wood, the wunderkind pitching prospect with the blazing fastball and nonexistent control. Cub fans are already clamoring for his immediate promotion, but that’s a bad idea for two reasons: he won’t pitch well in the majors, and he…