Baseball Update: News & Notes

The Majors' Hardest Team to Strikeout is The Royals?: According to the stats wizards over at Beyond the Boxscore the Kansas City Royals are the hardest team in the majors to strikeout. The Royals don't strike out because they make contact and avoid striking out. So why are the Royals 9 1/2 games back of the Twins for 1st place in the AL Central? Because the Royals don't score with runners in scoring position. Lesson learned: Baseball is a goofy sport that still requires teams to outscore the opposing team to win.

Why The Hell Are The Mariners Trading For Players?: The Mariners are currently 15 games out of first place in the AL West. When the Mariners should be trading their dead weight, they're adding players. On Sunday afternoon the Mariners reacquired aging slugger Russell Branyan. So why would the Mariners bring back Branyan? Here's Mariners GM Jeff Zduriencik explanation:

"If you look at our team, as we move forward, just about every player who is here now will be here again next year," he said. "We're committed to the development of our players and that goal, that objective, has never changed for us. But part of that development process is also winning games. We want our players to be able to experience winning games this year. And we're trying to do what we can to give them what they need to get there."

Makes sense right? Oh okay it makes no sense at all. Zduriencik traded away two prospects for an aging veteran to help improve his team for next season. So how does an aging veteran help out the Mariners for next season? I know it doesn't make sense. Zduriencik must come from the Brian Sabean school of General Managing.

The Tigers Can't Catch a Break From the Umpires: The poor Detroit Tigers can't catch a single break from the umpires this season. First Jim Joyce blew a call at first base that cost pitcher Armando Galarraga a perfect game. Jim Joyce apologized for blowing the call and everyone was cool. Well it happened again. Another umpire blew a call in favor of the Tigers opponent and once again the umpire apologized for the call.

On Saturday home plate ump Gary Cederstrom blew a called strike 3 call against Johnny Damon. It would have been fine if it didn't happen in the top of the ninth inning with two out, the bases loaded, and the Tigers trailing by one run. Cederstrom admitted to blowing the call to Tigers manager Jim Leyland.

"Well I kicked it," admitted Cederstrom. "I knew it right away," Cederstrom added. "But it was brutal on TV."


I'm a fan of instant replay in baseball, but not for balls and strikes. After looking at the photo above though, it might be time to use instant replay for all instances in baseball. Especially in situations like the Tigers were in on Saturday. Or at least when the Tigers are playing.