Page: 2 of 3 View All
Paul Hagen: Young MLB players seem to lean toward secure deals
Paul Hagen: Young MLB players seem to lean toward secure deals
JEERS: Atlanta Braves fans. At least those who reportedly sucker-punched 52-year-old Bobby Collins as he was leaving a game at Turner Field earlier this season, apparently for no other reason than the fact that he was wearing a Pirates hat.
Collins' had teeth knocked out and suffered a broken jaw among other injuries, and still has his jaw wired shut, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "Bobby didn't say squat to those guys. He didn't deserve what he got," a friend, Andy Coggins, who was also at the game, told the paper.
Gee, can you imagine the national reaction if that had happened in Philadelphia?
BY THE NUMBERS:
6: One-run wins for the Orioles in April going into last night; they had 13 all last season.
50: >Wins for Yanks righthander Chien-Ming Wang's first 85 career starts. The last pitcher to reach 50 wins that quickly: Dwight Gooden in '86.
507: Career starts for veteran righthander Mike Mussina, more than the rest of the Yankees rotation combined.
10,000: Wins for the Cubs, after beating the Rockies Wednesday. The lovable losers actually become just the second franchise, after the Giants, to reach five digits in their history. "It was a tough first 10,000 wins. I hope the next 10,000 are easier," joked shortstop Ryan Theriot.
UP NEXT: Greg Maddux had a chance for his milestone 350th career win on Wednesday night. He pitched seven shutout innings and would have picked up the victory if closer Trevor Hoffman hadn't blown the save by giving up a solo homer to Giants catcher Bengie Molina.
Bad news for Maddux, good news for Phillies fans. The future Hall of Famer's next scheduled start is Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park.
Weeklings
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: Padres righthander Jake Peavy, on allowing a pair of cheap home runs: "I gave up two 316-foot monster homers. When two balls are hit Williamsport distance and they're both home runs ... sure, when that happens there's going to be frustration."
Peavy, by the way, was talking about Houston's Minute Maid Park, not Citizens Bandbox Park.
MILESTONE OF THE WEEK: Braves righthander John Smoltz became just the 16th pitcher in history to strike out 3,000 batters in his career on Tuesday night.
That's impressive. What's even more impressive is that Smoltz did it despite four elbow surgeries and spending three full seasons as Atlanta's closer.
INSIGHT OF THE WEEK: Sometimes players don't seem to take their lifestyle for granted. Cubs infielder Mark DeRosa isn't one of them, especially after watching a documentary on the team's history.
"Every once in a while teams should be forced to watch stuff like that and realize how much it means to the city and to the ex-players who have been here and how lucky we are to get a chance to put on a uniform and play in front of these people," he told the Chicago Tribune. "Sometimes during the course of the year you hit the dog days and lose sight of the overall goal of what you're playing for. Every once in a while, to pop in a tape like that would fire you up."
T-SHIRT OF THE WEEK: Available at Wrigley Field is a shirt honoring the team's new Japanese star, outfielder Kosuke Fukudome. It says "Fukudome Is My Homie" on the front with the player's name, in Japanese characters, and No. 1 on the back.
Finally
Hank Steinbrenner got most of the attention this week for saying that anyone who didn't think Joba Chamberlain should be in the rotation was an "idiot" (a category that seemed to include his manager and general manager) and that Mike Mussina should try to pitch more like Jamie Moyer ("I don't have a lefty glove," the veteran righthander noted tartly).
