Smoltz suggests that Strasburg should fake injuries

The Washington Nationals are sticking by their stance on the number of innings that pitcher Stephen Strasburg will pitch this season. Pennant race or not the Nationals are not going to let Strasburg overwork himself.

Now I necessarily don’t agree with that philosophy. I say go with your best and let the chips fall where they may. Maybe that’s why I only manage teams on video games. Former Atlanta Braves pitcher, John Smoltz, chipped in on what he would do to shave some innings and save himself for the September stretch.

“Honestly, I know this is gonna sound . . . well, I’m a little bit different anyways,” Smoltz began. “I’d create my own little gap. I’d have a blister one day, maybe a hangnail the next start. You know, I think there’s ways to do it. And I get it — their statement is every game counts. Well, it does, but it doesn’t count as much as in September.


Sounds like something he has first hand experience in doing. I don’t find anything wrong with it, it’s not like he’s going down with a fake knee injury or anything like that. It’s something that Strasburg might want to think about since he might miss some critical starts down the stretch due to his team’s insistence that he pitch a certain number of innings.  

Carlos Lee dealt to the Miami Marlins

Earlier this week Houston Astros first baseman/outfielder, Carlos Lee, nixed a deal to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Now according to reports Lee will be traded to the Miami Marlins.

Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle reported that Lee was removed from the Astros’ 6-4 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the seventh inning and his locker was cleared out.

Buster Olney of ESPN says that the deal is done and reports the Marlins are trading Matt Dominguez and pitcher Rob Rasmussen for Carlos Lee.

Dominguez, 22, was the Baseball America’s No. 4 prospect in the Miami organization entering the year. An excellent defensive third baseman who got a brief stint in the majors last year, he’s struggled with the bat for Triple-A New Orleans hitting .234 with a .647 OPS.


Rasmussen, 23, has a 3.90 ERA in 17 starts at high Class A and was rated No. 7 in the organization by Baseball America.


The Astros could potentially make out in the deal, but the downside is that they may have to pay a big chunk of Lee’s remaining salary. This probably won’t be the end of the Astros’ selling of assets before the trade deadline.

Reggie Jackson says there’s too much showboating in baseball

Once upon a time, Reggie Jackson told a reporter that he was the straw that stirs the drink, referring to his status in the New York Yankees hierarchy. At the time the comment was seen as controversial and self promoting. But he backed it up, as his three home runs in Game 6 against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1977 World Series proved.    

Now Jackson looks at the flamboyance and showboating of some players with disgust. Jackson says there’s too much strutting and showboating by players that aren’t any good.

“If you had talent,” Jackson told USA TODAY Sports, “you could have style. There’s nothing wrong with style. I had style when I hit (563) home runs. But you’ve got to build up some history.


“What I’m seeing these days, and some of the arrogance, I feel like walking up, and saying, ‘What’s wrong with you? You can’t play. That’s not style. It’s a goofy act.’


“I know it’s entertainment, but if you have style and can’t play, then you’re nothing more than a fool. I see a lot of fools out there.”


“If some of these guys were as concerned with getting base hits and winning games as they were Twitter, maybe they could perform better and earn some style,” Jackson said.


When I watch the game I do agree with Jackson although he sounds like a bitter old man. Not many of the players today could back up their bravado like Jackson could. The worse part is seeing lesser players always having their name in the news and it’s not for their on field accomplishments.

If you can’t play you shouldn’t be out there making a spectacle of yourself.

Pablo Sandoval investigated for possible sexual assault charges

San Francisco Giants fan favorite and third baseman, Pablo Sandoval is being investigated by the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Department and faces possible sexual assault charges that took place early Friday morning.

Sandoval is currently on a rehab assignment at the Giants’ Single A San Jose.

The incident allegedly took place at the Seascape Beach Resort in Santa Cruz County. Police were not called to the scene, but the woman in question later contacted authorities and said that she was was too intoxicated to give consent. She then provided a sexual assault forensic evidence kit at an area hospital. 


“On Friday, June 1, Pablo Sandoval voluntarily met with the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Department related to a consensual, personal relationship of a sexual nature that took place on that day,” attorney Eric Geffon told CSN Bay Area. “Pablo fully cooperated with the Sheriff’s Department out of respect for the process. We have no further comment at this time.”


Sandoval remained on schedule for his rehab assignment but did not report to AT&T Park because he was being questioned by authorities.

When will professional athletes and entertainers ever get it through their head that sex is not a given. Hire an escort or something. Move on to the next one. It’s not like they have trouble getting some action.

Jered Weaver out after 12 pitches

It’s been a terrible holiday weekend for elite pitchers in MLB. Philadelphia Phillies ace Roy Halladay went down early in an outing against St. Louis and now you can add the Los Angeles Angels’ Jered Weaver to the list.

Weaver left tonight’s outing against the New York Yankees after 12 pitches. The Angels say Weaver suffered a lower back injury.

Weaver didn’t record an out and appeared to hurt himself on his second pitch to the Yankees’ Robinson Cano. On a 1-1 pitch, Weaver landed gingerly. He tried to throw one warm-up pitch after the injury and immediately headed to the dugout.


This happened right as it looked like the Angels were starting to put it together.

Brewers’ Lucroy injures hand in suitcase accident

In one of the more bizarre injuries of the Major League Baseball season, Milwaukee Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy was injured via suitcase.

Lucroy told Adam McCalvy of MLB.com that he was “reaching under his hotel bed Sunday night for a lost sock when his wife shifted a suitcase, which fell on Lucroy’s hand.”

Lucroy tried to make a go of it but couldn’t do it and had to pull himself from the lineup.

“I didn’t want to say anything because I don’t like not playing,” he said. “I want to play. But I went down and took some swings and it didn’t feel good, so I had to spill it.” 

Phil Mickelson to get involved with potential Padres ownership group

Phil Mickelson is trying to get into the ownership game. Mickelson is reportedly putting up some of his own money to get involved with a group trying to buy the San Diego Padres. The Padres are Mickelson’s hometown team.

Mickelson has joined the group headed by Kevin and Brian O’Malley and their cousins Peter and Tom Seidler, whose Top of the Third, Inc., owns the Single-A Visalia Rawhide, are one of five parties known to be exploring the purchase of John Moores’ controlling interest in the Padres. Their efforts are being guided by Peter O’Malley, the former Dodgers owner, but the senior O’Malley does not anticipate being actively involved in the Padres operation, preferring to leave that to “the next generation.”

“This was a unique opportunity with families that had done this before and know how to do it right and want to get involved in the community,” Mickelson told the newspaper. 


Padres legend Tony Gwynn has backed a different ownership group but if the O’Malley team gets the deal Mr. Padre won’t be shut out of the franchise completely.

“If we were able to get control, (Gwynn) would be the first person we’d want to get involved,” Mickelson said. “He’s such an icon with the team. Hopefully, it won’t be combative.” 


The franchise is twisting in the wind right now regarding their ownership status and they need someone to take full ownership of the team soon.

More violence at Dodger Stadium

A little more than a year after San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow was left with brain damage after being beaten, violence erupted once again at Dodger Stadium.

A minor fender bender turned into a man being beaten by four men. A man in his 20s was involved in an accident with another driver and three other men pinned him down and beat him in the Dodger Stadium parking lot.

The four men have been arrested for investigation of assault with a deadly weapon.

The other driver kicked and hit the victim in the head and face while he was on the ground, police Sgt. David Armas said.


“It was just a minor fender bender that just got totally out of hand,” he said.


The victims injuries were not life threatening and was treated for scrapes and cuts. Luckily he escaped the incident relatively unharmed .

Torii Hunter on restricted list due to son’s arrest

Torii Hunter won’t be in the Los Angeles Angels’ lineup for an undisclosed amount of time because his son has been arrested in connection with to a sexual assault in Prosper,Texas. Hunter has been placed on the restricted list by the Angels.  

Hunter’s son,  Darius McClinton-Hunter, was arrested along with four other students at Prosper High School on charges related to sexual assault.

The investigation into the alleged sexual assault was reported about a month ago “and culminated with the arrest of these five individuals today,” said Prosper Assistant Police Chief Gary McHone.


“There’s a lot of information we’re receiving to date in terms of the actual alleged offenses,” he said. “That’s still part of our ongoing investigation.”


McClinton-Hunter’s attorney, Todd Shapiro says the family is upset and devastated.


“Everybody is devastated,” he said. “They’re very upset. He’s a 17-year-old kid. He has a very bright future; he still does. He’s a very good student. He’s a good athlete. He has a lot going for him.”


I feel bad for Hunter, but I feel worse for the victim who’ll have to relive this through a trial and have to fight through the mental torture for the rest of their life.

Marlins’ Brett Hayes gets a scare

When you’re enjoying some time off or running errands having a gunman literally cross your path isn’t on the list of things to do.

Miami Marlins catcher Brett Hayes had the scare of a lifetime when a gunman walked by his car while he was stuck in traffic in South Florida. Hayes had no idea that the gunman had shot two police officers and had officers chasing him down.  

“The guy was walking by our car, and I made eye contact with him,” Hayes said Friday. “I looked away nonchalantly and told my wife, `Don’t look at him,’ because it looked like he was obviously up to no good. Later I found out he had already shot two police officers.”

“The creepy thing about it was that the guy looked like he was walking down the street to go to the supermarket,” Hayes said. “He was very nonchalant.

You look back and you’re like, `I can’t believe that just happened.”‘

Hayes did the right thing by ignoring the gunman. Luckily for him he didn’t get intertwined with the whole incident.