2012 MLB General Info thread

riverplate · Mar 28, 2012

The 2012 season has officially begun!

Ichiro Suzuki Has 4 Hits as Mariners Beat Athletics in MLB Opener - MLB

TOKYO (AP) — Dustin Ackley drove in the go-ahead run in the top of the 11th inning and Ichiro Suzuki went 4 for 5 as the Seattle Mariners beat the Oakland Athletics 3-1 Wednesday in baseball's season-opener in Tokyo.

Brendan Ryan doubled to lead off the 11th, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Chone Figgins and scored on Ackley's single to center. Suzuki then gave Seattle an insurance run with a single to center off Oakland reliever Jerry Blevins that scored Ackley from second.

The capacity crowd of 44,227 at Tokyo Dome was a sea of flashbulbs every time Suzuki came to bat. He got a standing ovation when he took his position in right field in the final inning.
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riverplate · Mar 29, 2012

Split of the series in Japan.

A's Top Mariners 4-1 Behind Cespedes HR - MLB

TOKYO (AP) — Cuban defector Yoenis Cespedes hit his first major league home run to power the Athletics to a 4-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Thursday that earned Oakland a split in the teams' 2-game season-opening series at Tokyo Dome.

Cespedes connected for a 2-run homer off Seattle reliever Shawn Kelley to give Oakland a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the seventh. Josh Reddick followed with a solo shot off George Sherrill to give the A's a 2-run cushion. Jonny Gomes completed the scoring in the eighth with a solo homer off reliever Steve Delabar. Seattle scored its lone run on a solo homer by Justin Smoak in the seventh.

Ichiro Suzuki, who was 4-for-5 in Seattle's 3-1 win over Oakland on Wednesday, was hitless in four at-bats Thursday. Suzuki was quiet at the plate but excited the crowd of 43,279 in the fifth inning with a fine leaping catch up against the wall in right to take away a base hit from Kurt Suzuki.

Oakland starter Bartolo Colon picked up the win after striking out six and holding the Mariners to one run on three hits over eight innings. Grant Balfour pitched a scoreless ninth for the save.
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The regular season will continue on Wed., Apr. 4, with the Cardinals against the Marlins in Miami.

Chacal · Mar 30, 2012

Nice win for the A's, but it's all downhill from here, as they have to return to the worst park in MLB and play in front of an empty stadium. Oh well, maybe this Cespedes guy will turn into a player.

riverplate · Apr 5, 2012

Season got started on the domestic front Wednesday night...

Kyle Lohse Flirts with No-Hitter as Cardinals Win Opener - ESPN

MIAMI (AP) — The sellout crowd in the Miami Marlins' new ballpark cheered the introduction of their starters, who were accompanied by women dressed as Latin showgirls. There was another roar for Muhammad Ali, who delivered the first pitch.

Then Kyle Lohse and the World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals went to work, and the place grew quiet. Lohse held Miami hitless until the seventh inning and pitched into the eighth to help the Cardinals win the first game in Marlins Park, 4-1, on Wednesday night...

The crowd of 36,601 included newly retired Cardinals manager Tony La Russa, who quietly rooted for his former team from the press box.
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Matt in the Hat · Apr 5, 2012

Bringing Ali out to throw out the 1st pitch was depressing. Nice job Marlins

RLennon · Apr 5, 2012

Marlins are going to be better this year, but I still have to think that my beloved Phillies (although banged up) will take home another NL East crown

Rob Lennon
www.diggindeepsports.com

Val1 · Apr 5, 2012

Once again, I will hope that the Pirates can break their longest-in-American-sports streak of 19 consecutive losing seasons. We flirted with .510 up until August and a disastrous 19th inning decision vs Atlanta, but there is some hope. Not as much as the Nationals have this year, but still some hope....

Real Corona · Apr 7, 2012

Matt in the Hat said: ↑

Bringing Ali out to throw out the 1st pitch was depressing. Nice job Marlins
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That was odd.

If anything it was just a warning of what head injuries can do.

stanger · Apr 7, 2012

Val1 said: ↑

Once again, I will hope that the Pirates can break their longest-in-American-sports streak of 19 consecutive losing seasons. We flirted with .510 up until August and a disastrous 19th inning decision vs Atlanta, but there is some hope. Not as much as the Nationals have this year, but still some hope....
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Good luck with that. I haven't seen anything that makes the Pirates any better than they were last year. You may have a little benefit from the weakening of the division with the loss of Pujols and LaRussa from the Cards and the Fat One from the Brewers, but with what Cincy has been doing, the Pirates will in all likelihood keep their position as the bottom of the division.

Sorry.

riverplate · Apr 10, 2012

Ozzie Guillen Suspended 5 Games - MLB

MIAMI — A contrite Ozzie Guillen, suspended for five games by the Marlins, met with the media and members of the community in Miami and apologized Tuesday morning for his comments about Cuba's Fidel Castro. "I hurt a lot of people's feelings, a lot of victims," Guillen said during a news conference at Marlins Park. "I've apologized twice and I meant it"...

Guillen was quoted in a Time magazine article that appeared online Friday as saying he loved Castro. "I respect Fidel Castro," Guillen said in the article. "You know why? A lot of people have wanted to kill Fidel Castro for the last 60 years, but that [expletive] is still here."

Major League Baseball was reviewing the possibility of disciplining Guillen, an MLB spokesman said, but that was before the Marlins' action. Guillen offered an apology on Saturday as well.

Bench coach Joey Cora will manage the Marlins in Guillen's absence. The team is now in Philadelphia for a series against the Phillies. Barring any rainouts, Guillen will rejoin the team next Tuesday at home in Miami against the Cubs.
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riverplate · Apr 18, 2012

Jamie Moyer Becomes Oldest Pitcher to Win Game in Majors - ESPN

DENVER — Jamie Moyer showed there remains a place for a vintage lefty in a young man's game as the 49-year-old became the oldest pitcher to ever win a major league contest. He threw 7 strong innings and Dexter Fowler hit a 2-run homer to help the Colorado Rockies beat the San Diego Padres 5-3 on Tuesday night. Moyer was sharp all evening as he picked up his 268th career win, tying him with Hall of Famer Jim Palmer for 34th on the career list.

Moyer (1-2) earned the elusive win for the ages in his third start of the season. His age is 49 years, 150 days old. That's important to note since before Moyer's effort, the oldest pitcher to win a game in the majors was Jack Quinn of the Brooklyn Dodgers, who beat the St. Louis Cardinals at Ebbetts Field on Sept. 13, 1932, when he was 49 years, 70 days old...

It was Moyer's first win since June 27, 2010. On July 20, Moyer suffered an elbow injury that required surgery and kept him out through all of the 2011 season. He signed with the Rockies this year on a Minor League contract and made the team in Spring Training.
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Box Score - Rockies 5, Padres 3

riverplate · Apr 19, 2012

Ivan Rodriguez to Retire - ESPN

DALLAS — Former Texas Rangers catcher Ivan Rodriguez will retire on Monday in Arlington as a member of the team he spent the majority of his career with, a baseball source told ESPN. The Rangers declined comment. Rodriguez, who won the 1999 American League MVP and went to 10 straight All-Star Games with the Rangers, was not able to find a job this spring...

Rodriguez becomes the third longtime catcher to retire since last season ended, joining Jorge Posada and Jason Varitek. Rodriguez finishes with a .296 batting average, 2,884 hits, 311 home runs and 1,332 RBIs. He broke the record of 10 Gold Gloves at catcher that had been held by Johnny Bench and hit .300 or better 10 times...

Rodriguez played for the Rangers, Marlins, Tigers, Yankees, Astros and Nationals in a 21-season career from 1991 to 2011.

In the minds of some, Rodriguez was tainted by the cloud of baseball's steroids scandal. Former Texas teammate Jose Canseco alleged he injected steroids into Rodriguez. Asked whether he was on the list of players who allegedly tested positive for steroids during baseball's 2003 survey, Rodriguez said in 2009: "Only God knows."
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Ivan Rodriguez Stats - Baseball Reference

riverplate · Apr 21, 2012

Philip Humber Throws Perfect Game - ESPN

SEATTLE (AP) — Philip Humber, who underwent Tommy John surgery 7 years ago, threw the first perfect game in the majors in almost 2 years, leading the Chicago White Sox to a 4-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Saturday. The right-hander struck out 9 and threw just 96 pitches in his 1st career complete game. He went to a 3-ball count only three times...

It was baseball's 21st perfect game and 1st since Philadelphia's Roy Halladay threw one against the Florida Marlins on May 29, 2010. It was the third in White Sox's history, joining Mark Buehrle against Tampa Bay on July 23, 2009, and Charles Robertson against Detroit on April 30, 1922.

It was the 3rd no-hitter thrown against Seattle. Mark Langston and Mike Witt of the Angels combined on one on April 11, 1990, and Dwight Gooden of the Yankees threw one on May 14, 1996.
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Box Score - White Sox 4, Mariners 0

Real Corona · Apr 21, 2012

I could throw a perfect game against Seattle's AA offense.

Matt in the Hat · Apr 21, 2012

Swell. Another former Met

riverplate · Apr 27, 2012

A Ballpark That May Be Louder Than the Fans - Architecture Review, N.Y. Times

MIAMI — After 20 years of retro-style ballparks, since the opening of Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, nearly all decked out with brick facades and calculated quirks that came to seem as predictable and interchangeable as the old doughnut-shaped arenas, Major League Baseball has its first unapologetically 21st-century stadium.

Lumbering and dizzyingly white in the Florida sun, the new Marlins Park is an elliptical concrete, steel and glass boulder looming above the low-rise houses and empty lots of Little Havana. With retail on the outside and a public plaza in front, it’s designed partly to gin up some street life...

At the same time, the ballpark is unlikely to satisfy aficionados of the latest trends in architecture, but it is nonetheless a modern building, with genuine panache, as opposed to another pastiche. Give the team’s owner, Jeffrey Loria, credit. An art dealer, he cared more than most about aesthetics and took a gamble — part old-school civic improvement plan, part marketing strategy — that Miamians will recognize themselves in the stylishness of the place. He has festooned concourses and stairwells with art, photographs and sculpture...

He said the inspiration for the stadium’s electric color scheme, with its fluorescent-green outfield wall, was the palette of the Spanish painter Joan Miró. Public art and native plantings are meant to lend his building’s exterior what might be called an aspirational gravitas. Inside, Mr. Loria has also installed giant reproductions of paintings by blue-chip modernists like Roy Lichtenstein on or near the main concourse, called the Promenade, amid a souk of food stalls hawking $12 mahi-mahi tacos and $14 Cuban sandwiches.
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Lithium858 · Apr 28, 2012

As a Padre fan I'm excited/skeptical about this...

Peter O’Malley, whose family owned the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1950 through 1998, is apparently trying to buy the Padres.

A source late last night partially confirmed a Fox Sports story that the O’Malleys have expressed interest in the Padres after being rejected in their attempts to regain ownership of the Dodgers.

According to Fox, O'Malley, his son Kevin and nephew Tom Seidler are aggressively pursuing the ownership of the Padres and would like to close a deal by the All-Star break.

Officially, the Padres will have no comment on the Fox report.
During his conference call earlier this month to announce he was again selling the Padres, majority owner John Moores said the Padres wouldn’t respond to questions regarding the sale.

The Fox story by national baseball writer Ken Rosenthal said the O'Malley group has signed documents permitting it access the Padres financial information.

The O’Malley’s failed in their efforts to buy the Dodgers when Guggenheim Baseball, with basketball great Magic Johnson serving as the front man, purchased the team for a record $2.15 billion.

It was never announced what the O’Malleys were willing to pay for the Dodgers.

Moores in 2009 entered an agreement to sell the Padres for $500 million on a lay-away plan to group led by former player agent Jeff Moorad. But when Moorad tried to complete the purchase in January, Major League Baseball balked at accepting his group as the owners.

Moorad has since resigned as CEO and Moores remains the majority owner at 51 percent with Moorad’s group still holding a 49 percent share. Tom Garfinkel has replaced Moorad as the Padres interim CEO.

The Padres market value has likely jumped given the amount of the Dodgers sale and the Padres new 20-year, $1 billion television contract with Fox. The Padres also own 20 percent of the television company carrying Padres broadcasts.

Peter O’Malley’s father Walter bought the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1950 and is best remembered for moving the Dodgers to Los Angeles following the 1957 season. Walter O’Malley turned over the control of the Dodgers to Peter in 1970, although he retained the titles of owner and chairman of the Dodgers until his death in 1979.

The Dodgers went to Peter and his sister Therese O’Malley Seidler after Walter O’Malley’s death and remained in the family until it was sold to News Corp. in 1998.
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http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/apr/27/omalley-group-reportedly-seeks-own-padres/

riverplate · May 1, 2012

Cards Announce They'll Retire La Russa's No. 10 - ESPN

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals are wasting no time honoring Tony La Russa, announcing they will retire their former manager's No. 10 later this month. La Russa retired last fall after leading the franchise to a 2nd World Series title in his 16 seasons. He left the game ranked 3rd all-time in managerial victories, trailing Connie Mack and John McGraw.

The jersey will be retired May 11 prior to the Cardinals' game against the Atlanta Braves. La Russa's uniform No. 10 will become the 12th retired by the Cardinals.
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riverplate · May 4, 2012

Angels' Jered Weaver Tosses 2nd No-Hitter of Season - ESPN

ANAHEIM (AP) — Jared Weaver pitched the 2nd no-hitter in the majors in less than two weeks, completely overmatching Minnesota and leading the Los Angeles Angels to a 9-0 win over the Twins on Wednesday night. Weaver struck out 9 and walked 1. The Twins never came close to getting a hit against the All-Star right-hander.

This was the 2nd Angels no-hitter in less than a year -- Ervin Santana pitched one July 27 at Cleveland -- and the 10th for the Angels franchise, including 4 by Nolan Ryan.
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Box Score - Angels 9, Twins 0

riverplate · May 8, 2012

Josh Hamilton Rips 4 2-Run Homers - ESPN

BALTIMORE (AP) — Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton's torrid 2012 season now includes his first career 4-home-run game, all of them 2-run shots in a 10-3 win over the Baltimore Orioles.

Hamilton homered off Josh Arrieta in the 1st and 3rd innings, added another off Zach Phillips in the 7th and topped it off with a one-for-the-books shot against Darren O'Day in the 8th. During the last at-bat, Hamilton took a mighty hack and missed, lined a foul into right-field seats and then sent an 0-2 pitch over the center-field wall. He also doubled in the 5th inning.

It marked the 16th four-home-run game in major league history. Hamilton also hit a 2-run home run in his final at-bat on Monday's win over Baltimore, giving him 5 such homers in his last 6 at-bats.

Hamilton leads the AL with 14 homers and 36 RBIs, and his 5-for-5 effort raised his batting average to .406.
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Box Score - Rangers 10, Orioles 3

Chacal · May 13, 2012

Josh Hamilton is just amazing, and that Texas offense looks unstoppable right now.

riverplate · May 16, 2012

Mets to Host 2013 All-Star Game at Citi Field - MLB

NEW YORK -- From the Polo Grounds to old Yankee Stadium, Ebbets Field and Shea Stadium, New York has hosted more MLB All-Star Games than any other city. The Big Apple will do it again, next year at Citi Field.

With Commissioner Bud Selig and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg in attendance, it was announced Wednesday that the Mets will host the 2013 All-Star Game on July 16, 2013, marking the city's 9th All-Star Game, but the first in Queens since 1964. New York last hosted the game in 2008 at old Yankee Stadium.

Now, one of the National League's newest jewels will have its chance. Citi Field opened in 2009 after more than a decade of planning and construction; its completion coincided with the demolition of Shea Stadium, which the Mets called home for 45 seasons. Further details on the events surrounding next year's All-Star Game will be revealed at a later date, but the All-Star FanFest is expected to be held at the Jacob Javits Center in Manhattan, as it was in 2008.

This summer's game is scheduled for July 10 in Kansas City, and the 2014 game is expected to be played at Minneapolis' Target Field.
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stanger · May 16, 2012

riverplate said: ↑

Mets to Host 2013 All-Star Game at Citi Field - MLB
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Another undeserved award for a sh*tty franchise.

riverplate · May 17, 2012

TBS to Televise Wild Card Playoff Games - MLB

NEW YORK -- TBS will broadcast the one-game Wild Card playoffs this year and next, Commissioner Bud Selig announced on Thursday at the conclusion of two days of quarterly owners meetings.

This year's Wild Card playoff games will be played on Friday, Oct. 5, two days after the end of the regular season. Any tie-breaker games will be played on Thursday, Oct. 4, and as has been the case since 2007, also will be aired on TBS.

This is the first year there will be two Wild Card berths in each league, giving MLB 10 postseason teams. The postseason expansion, the first since 1994, was negotiated last year in the new labor agreement reached between the owners and Players Association.
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riverplate · May 17, 2012

Selig: Oakland Move Might Be Considered - ESPN

NEW YORK (AP) -- Baseball commissioner Bud Selig says it's up to Oakland owner Lew Wolff to decide whether to consider additional sites for a new ballpark for the Athletics, leaving open the possibility of a move outside the Bay Area.

Speaking Thursday after a quarterly owners' meeting, Selig said there's no timetable for resolving Oakland's dispute with the San Francisco Giants. The Giants are preventing the A's from building a ballpark in San Jose, which is part of the Giants' territory.

Baseball has been reluctant to approve relocations. When the Montreal Expos became the Washington nationals after the 2004 season, it was the first shift since the expansion Washington Senators transformed into the Texas Rangers in 1972. Asked whether the A's would consider other relocation possibilities, Selig responded: "You'd have to ask Lew Wolff. That's really his decision to make."
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