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Showing posts with label David Ortiz. Show all posts
Showing posts with label David Ortiz. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Home run derby teams set

National League:
- Prince Fielder (captain) - Brewers - 22 home runs
- Rickie Weeks - Brewers - 15 home runs
- Matt Kemp - Dodgers - 22 home runs
- Matt Holliday - Cardinals - 12 home runs

American League:
- David Ortiz (captain) - Red Sox - 17 home runs
- Adrian Gonzalez - Red Sox - 16 home runs
- Jose Bautista - Blue Jays - 28 home runs
- Robinson Cano - Yankees - 14 home runs

This year is the first time the NL and AL will hit against each other. Two captains got to pick three players from their respected leagues. Both Fielder and Ortiz chose a teammate, the rest are hard hitting All-Stars. The National League players have a total of 71 home runs thus far this season and the American League players have 75.

The teams are not just playing for pride, but are competing for a charity of their choice. The winning captain will get $150,000 for the charity that he selects. In addition to that, he will be able to donate $100,000 in his name to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

Most managers get nervous around this time of year because they do not want their big hitters losing that natural swing. Brewers skipper Ron Roenicke is fine with both Fielder and Weeks competing, as long as they do not alter their swing.

As of right now Fielder will use Brewers Triple-A hitting coach Sandy Guerrero as his pitcher in the derby. Guerrero is the same person Fielder used when he won the home run derby in 2009. Weeks said he will either use Guerrero or Brewers hitting coach Dale Sveum. My guess is he will use Sveum because I am sure Fielder does not want Guerrero to get too tired in case he makes it to the final round.

This should be an exciting contest, not only considering the players involved, but because what is at stake. Pride and charity, it has a nice ring to it.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Marcum lasts one inning, Brewers fall

Red Sox 10, Brewers 4 
W: Lackey (5-5) L: Estrada (1-4)

Shaun Marcum was done after just one inning in the series opener against the Boston Red Sox. He ended up leaving with a left hip flexor strain after 44 pitches and two earned runs. 

"I didn't want to come out after an inning, but we wanted to be smart about it, not do anything stupid," Marcum said. "I didn't want to take a chance of hurting it worse or actually doing something where I'm missing more time."

Things were looking good in the first inning for the Brewers. After Nyjer Morgan hit a single and Prince Fielder hit a ground rule double, heating up third baseman Casey McGehee crushed a two-out line drive into center field plating two runs. Unfortunately in the bottom of the first, Marcum's disastrous inning consisted of giving up a solo shot to Jacoby Ellsbury and an RBI double to David Ortiz to tie the game.

"They did a good job of working me, working the count, getting pitches, and when they got pitches, they hit them," said Marcum. "Ellsbury did a good job staying back hitting that ball, and we threw everything we could to Ortiz and he finally got a pitch. They put some good at-bats together. You have to give those guys credit."

The Brewers came back swinging in the third. After leading off with four straight singles, bases were loaded with one run already in. Casey McGehee hit a hard driven shot in between first and second base where Dustin Pedroia made an outstanding diving stop to turn a double play. It was McGehee's third RBI of the game for another two-run lead, but the rally was done and so were the Brewers.

Marco Estrada pitched four innings allowing only an Adrian Gonzalez home-run. He was relieved in the sixth by Daniel Ray Herrera, who lasted one inning after he allowed three earned runs. Pitching for the second consecutive day after being called up, Herrera has a 21.60 ERA in 1.2 innings pitched.

Once again the Brewers can not catch a break on the road. If Marcum does not get injured and Pedroia does not make that play in the third inning, we are looking at an entirely different game. Unfortunately, this is baseball and none of that matters. It is what it is and now it's time to move on to the next one.