7/4/09: Nothing Minor About This Streak - On Friday night, James McOwen of the High Desert Mavericks lined a ninth-inning single up the middle during a 6-4 loss to the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, extending his California League record hit streak to 40 straight games. The Mariners’ farm hand, a sixth round draft pick in 2007, became just the second minor leaguer to hit safely in 40 or more consecutive games since 1961, when Orlando Moreno hit safely in 43 straight for Louisville. Brandon Watson, who hit safely in 43 straight in 2007, was the other. McOwen is just the 15th player in minor league history to record a hit in 40 straight games. ~ RVZ

7/3/09: The 100-Minus Club - Through 78 games, Adrian Gonzalez has hit 24 home runs but driven in only 48. It's hard to completely fault Adrian for this, as he is leading the league in walks due to the lack of hitters behind him and not receiving many RBI opportunities because of the lack of table-setters in front of him. On the other hand, Gonzalez is batting just .192 with men on base and .189 with runners in scoring position. This makes him a candidate to become just the third player ever to hit at least 45 homers in a season and drive in fewer than 100 runs, joining leadoff hitter Alfonso Soriano (2006 - 46/95) and fellow unprotected slugger Barry Bonds (2003 - 45/90).   --KG

7/1/09: Time to Shift Geers - Might Josh Geer be the worst homerun pitcher in baseball? Despite pitching for the San Diego Padres, who play in the biggest homerun suppressing ballpark in baseball, Geer has allowed 18 homeruns (third in baseball) in a remarkable 77.2 innings pitched. He is in the rare air of Jamie Moyer and Brett Myers in terms of pitchers who allow over 2 homeruns per nine innings, and they both pitch in a launching pad. So, naturally, the question is: what are his home/road homerun splits? Actually, they are just about even – 8 at home, 10 on the road. Yikes. Here’s the perspective – the Padres as a team have allowed 33 homeruns at home this season, and almost 25% of them have been allowed by Geer. More perspective – only 64 homeruns have been hit at Petco Park in total this season (Padres and opponents combined) and an eighth of them have been allowed by Geer. Simply shocking.  --ABC

Earlier this season, when Ichiro Suzuki extended his latest hitting streak to twenty straight games, Richard commented on it here, noting how he had now done so six times in his career, leaving him one behind Pete Rose for the all-time mark. That streak ended after reaching 27 consecutive games on June 5th.

Yet MLB.com reported at the time that Ichiro had recorded his seventh career streak of 20+ consecutive games with a hit, one more than Richard had bargained for. What's the deal with that phantom hit streak? Richard unravels the discrepancy and reveals much more about hitting streak history upon further review.

06/28/09: Top Four Thoughts When K-Rod Walked the 39-year old Mariano Rivera with the Bases Loaded in Mo's third career plate appearance -

4. Players like Miguel Olivo who cannot/will not draw walks are pathetic
3. What is more embarrassing, allowing Mo a bloop single there or walking him?
2. What is more memorable for Rivera, RBI #1 or Save #500?
1. What are you, an idiot, K-Rod?


Top Three Thoughts When A-Rod Charged A Sac Bunt and Threw to Second To Get the Lead Runner on Sunday Night Baseball with Derek Jeter Picking the Low Throw Out of the Dirt -

3. Risky play, A-Rod!
2. Wasn't Rodriguez supposed to be the worst third baseman at fielding bunts all-time according to The Fielding Bible II?
1. Derek Jeter would make a great first baseman
--KG

06/28/09 - Is the Schumaker Experiment Over? - The 29-year old Skip Schumaker hadn't played a professional game at second base until this year. Not surprisingly, he has been awful at his new position (making only six outs out of his zone and starting only eight double plays in 452 defensive innings, according to THT).

Enter Mark DeRosa, acquired today from Cleveland. Surely, DeRosa' versatility spells the end for Schumaker's stint at second, right? Well, apparently not. Schumaker started at second in DeRosa's first game with the club, with DeRosa instead manning left field and natural shortstop Khalil Greene playing at third. Greene and Schumaker combined to make three errors which led to two unearned runs in a 6-2 loss against the Twins. Manager Tony LaRussa's stubborn adherence to playing his guys out of position could easily cost the Cardinals a playoff spot in a tight NL Central race. --KG

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