Batter's Box Interactive Magazine - This Day In Baseball: 21 July 2005

This Day In Baseball: 21 July 2005

There's only one cure for what's wrong with all of us pitchers, and that's to take a year off. Then, after you've gone a year without throwing, quit altogether.
--- Jim Palmer

Yesterday I was raving about how brilliantly Rich Harden has pitched over the last month (5-1, 1.34). Barry Zito, of course, has been even better (5-0, 1.22) over the same period. As it happens, they follow each other in the rotation, and the two of them now seem to be engaged in some kind of competition as to who can more completely shut down the other team.

Last week, of course, Harden and Zito both took no-hitters into the 8th inning against Texas. Two nights ago, Harden beat the division-leading Angels, allowing a single run. Last night it was Zito's turn, tossing 7 shutout innings as Oakland moved past Texas into second place. Anyone still think Billy Beane kept the wrong guy (the youngest one, with the highest strikeout rate) from the old Big Three?

The A's are now 6.5 back of the Angels, and they're suddenly just 2.5 games out of the Wild Card. Ozzie Guillen may already be having nightmares about his White Sox bumping into their nemesis (Oakland has won 7 of 9 from Chicago this year) in the first round of the post-season.

Oakland slipped by Texas because the Rangers were losing in Arlington to the Yankees and their improbable fifth starter du jour, Aaron Small. KingRyan documented Small's long and winding journey to last night's start: suffice it to say he's been claimed on waivers three times, and given his release five times. Last night, he earned his first major league win since September 2, 1998 - seven years ago.

As you can probably imagine, the gloating from Mick Doherty is reaching truly cosmic levels, especially after what the Rangers did to the Blue Jays staff just two weeks ago. Aaron Small? Mick speculated that today's NY Daily News headline would read "Yanks Play Small Ball," or some variation thereof. As always, the ingenuity at the NYDN has been underestimated: "Biggie Small."

The Orioles couldn't keep pace with the Red Sox and Yankees, losing again in Minnesota and again on a ninth inning hit (this one a walkoff homer) by Jaques Jones.

John Smoltz won his seventh in a row and the Braves closed again to .5 back of the Nationals. Jeff Francouer, just 21 years old, wasn't supposed to arrive in the majors until next year at the earliest, but here he is, hitting .409 with 3 HRs after his first 7 games.

Meanwhile, strange rumblings out of Washington, where the Nats lost despite the usual strong effort from Livan "The Cyborg" Hernandez. Afterwards Hernandez said he was 99.9 percent sure that his season was over, and that he would have knee surgery. His knee has been troubling him - he had it drained in May. It doesn't appear to be bothering his pitching, something Hernandez himself confirmed:

It's not the doctors. It's me. I'm the doctor. I don't need it, but I'm going to [have an operation.]

You're wondering why?

I'm tired of something. ... I'll tell you when the season's over. I'm mad... I'm not happy for three years. After the season, I'm going to tell you..

Frank Robinson says he has no idea what his ace is talking about.

Today's games! We have some matinees, and I myself will be at the RC to see Josh take on the Mariners. But the really interesting matchup is in US Cellular, where the two division leading Sox teams tangle for the first time this season (yes, the Red Sox have played the Cubs this year, but not the White Sox. Go figure.)

AL
Kansas City (Howell 1-3, 8.01) at Cleveland (Westbrook 6-12, 4.77) 12:05
Seattle (Pineiro 3-5, 5.61) at Toronto (Towers 6-8, 4.85) 12:37
Minnesota (Santana 8-5, 3.84) at Detroit (Johnson 6-7, 3.84) 7:05
Boston (Clement 10-3, 4.21) at Chicago (Buehrle 11-3, 2.58) 8:05
Oakland (Blanton 5-8, 4.64) at Texas (Rogers 11-4, 2.54) 8:05
New York (Johnson 10-6, 4.23) at Los Angeles (Colon 11-6, 3.64) 10:05

NL
San Diego (Peavy 8-3, 3.03) at New York (Ishii 2-8, 5.57) 12:10
Chicago (Maddux 8-7, 4.51) at Cincinnati (Milton 4-10, 6.93) 12:35
Los Angeles (Perez 4-5, 5.06) at Philadelphia (Lieber 9-8, 5.14) 1:05
Milwaukee (Capuano 10-6, 3.68) at St.Louis (Marquis 9-6, 3.78) 2:10
Houston (Oswalt 12-8, 2.54) at Washington (Loaiza 6-5, 3.62) 7:05
Colorado (Francis 8-6, 5.25) at Pittsburgh (Duke 2-0, 1.23) 7:05

Posted by Magpie on Thursday, July 21 2005 @ 11:55 AM EDT.

This Day In Baseball: 21 July 2005 | 13 comments | Create New Account

The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.

Named For Hank - Thursday, July 21 2005 @ 12:17 PM EDT (#123394) #

That's weird as hell about Livan. I wonder what he's talking about?

Mike Green - Thursday, July 21 2005 @ 12:19 PM EDT (#123395) #

Actually, there are a bunch of interesting pitching matchups. Aside from Clement-Buehrle, Unit-Colon (the medical match-up), Oswalt-Loaiza and Francis-Duke (perhaps they should joust instead) all have their appeal.

fozzy - Thursday, July 21 2005 @ 12:21 PM EDT (#123396) #

For three years? It sounds like (to me) Livan isn't happy with the management of the Expos/Nats, or perhaps with Frank Robinson. Could he want out? Where's Dionne Warwick when you need her?

James W - Thursday, July 21 2005 @ 12:33 PM EDT (#123397) #

Peavy and Santana on the mound as well. Quite the day to watch some pitching.

Jefftown - Thursday, July 21 2005 @ 01:48 PM EDT (#123402) #

The Tigers were the first AL Central team to win a series vs. the White Sox this year. Chris Shelton went 3 for 5 last night with a 2-run HR, and is now batting a cool .356/.394/.597 with 9 HR in 149 AB, many to center or right center.

For how little major-league experience he has, Shelton is one of the most incredibly disciplined hitters in the league. He reminds me of Albert Pujols. And his attitude at the plate:

'My dad used to ask me why I didn't pull the ball more," Shelton said. "It wasn't that I couldn't pull, it's just that I've always used the whole field -- even in high school. I was hitting homers to right-center and rightfield. If there's a pitch inside, I can do it. But it doesn't seem to work to my advantage if I do it a lot.'

Vernon Wells, are you taking notes?

Gitz - Thursday, July 21 2005 @ 02:08 PM EDT (#123406) #

Hmmmm. Chris Shelton and Albert Pujols? Pujols wasn't a Rule 5 guy, but nor was he a prospect who was hyped as much as, say, Sean Burroughs, and certainly not as much as Hank Blalock, what with all those George Brett comparisons.

Shelton doesn't walk much (only nine in 149 at-bats so far), so we'll see how he fares the second time around the league. But it's about time he got a shot to play every day. He's better than Robert Fick, that's for sure.

Mick Doherty - Thursday, July 21 2005 @ 02:28 PM EDT (#123408) #

the gloating from Mick Doherty

Mags, Mags, Mags. Yankee fans don't gloat. We simply speak from a long-standing sense of entitlement.

Gitz - Thursday, July 21 2005 @ 03:31 PM EDT (#123416) #

Anyone still think Billy Beane kept the wrong guy (the youngest one, with the highest strikeout rate) from the old Big Three?

Incidentally, yes, I do think he kept the wrong one. I'd still rather have Hudson, especially when you consider how crapstastic the return for him has been so far. Zito is my second-favourite Athletic (behind Tejada) during the Beane era, but Hudson is the more reliable pitcher.

Mike Green - Thursday, July 21 2005 @ 03:53 PM EDT (#123422) #

You'd have to be a doctor to know whether you're better off with Hudson or Zito. Zito has been healthy; Hudson's arm health has been in question. I'd describe the return for Hudson as uncertain- Dan Meyer has lost velocity and has been totally ineffective, but Juan Cruz is tearing up the PCL so far (45 strikeouts, 9 walks, 1 home run allowed and an ERA under 2 in 5 starts).

Mick Doherty - Thursday, July 21 2005 @ 04:43 PM EDT (#123426) #

From Jamey Newberg:

According to T.R. Sullivan of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the Rangers have acquired righthanders James Baldwin and Kevin Gryboski. Baldwin had been designated for assignment and placed on waivers by Baltimore, while Texas traded righthander Matt Lorenzo to Atlanta to acquire Gryboski.

Gryboski I understand, but didn't Baldwin retire in about 1993? (Around the time his brother Alec started to suck, too.)

Gitz - Thursday, July 21 2005 @ 04:55 PM EDT (#123429) #

You'll note, Mike, that I did, in fact, say "so far."

And while the AAA numbers look good so far, they had better: he's 27-years-old, what does he have left to prove down there? You should really give his major-league stats, because, after all, the A's did not acquire him to provide Sacramento folks with some relief from the unbearable summer heat in the central valley. They acquired him to help at the big-league level, and so far he hasn't. Until Cruz succeeds for a consistent length of time, away from Leo Mazzone, I'll remain skeptical. I don't know why this is so hard to accept: some people find their groove, harness their talent, and put it all together. Some don't. Personally, I think the A's have seen enough -- they know he's a head case -- and that they are aggressively shopping him behind the scenes.

Mike Green - Thursday, July 21 2005 @ 05:02 PM EDT (#123431) #

True enough, Gitz.

James Baldwin, the pitcher, has just turned 34. A pup. James Baldwin, the author, died 8 years before his namesake's first game. The truth is out there.

Magpie - Thursday, July 21 2005 @ 05:38 PM EDT (#123439) #

Zito, obviously, is one of my favourite players - but even I will admit that Hudson has been better than Zito every year they were together (except Barry's Cy Young year, I guess.)

But going forward - I still have to like the younger guy with the better track record for health and durability. (Not to mention the higher K rate!)

This Day In Baseball: 21 July 2005 | 13 comments | Create New Account

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