Was there any way to expect the Florida Marlins would have a better record than the Atlanta Braves at this juncture of the season? After another classic fire sale by the Marlins over the winter, the front office went with a boatload of rookies this spring, many of whom had little or no experience above the Double-A level. While the Braves are 5-21 in June, en route to the worst record in the majors for the month, the Marlins currently have the best June record among National League clubs at 17-7. Equally as remarkable is the staff's 2.76 ERA in June, the best in the majors. Starters Dontrelle Willis, Josh Johnson, Ricky Nolasco and Scott Olsen have three wins each this month, and as a group they are 12-5. The worst ERA among the foursome is Nolasco's 2.62 mark. Rookies Johnson, Nolasco and Olsen had just nine Triple-A starts between them heading into the season, yet each has a winning record and has pitched well under first-year manager Joe Girardi. Most of the rookie regulars are holding their own, led by Rule 5 pickup Dan Uggla. The 26-year-old second baseman, claimed from the Diamondbacks in December, is the team's home run leader and is batting .312 in his first taste of the majors. The Colorado Rockies took Florida's approach a year ago and lost 95 games, but they are 40-38 in the second year of their rebuilding. The 34-41 Marlins are threatening to flirt with the .500 mark this season. The big question is, how will Florida's young hitters and pitchers hold up over the grind of a full season? Marlins hitters and pitchers will have to make adjustments as other teams get to know them and react to their strengths and weaknesses. Young players can have extreme peaks and valleys, especially inexperienced pitchers, so it may be too soon to herald the success of Florida's kids.

Posted by Thom Henninger at 5:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This past week has been an eventful one for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Season 3 of The Ultimate Fighter ended with some great fights this past Saturday. Kendel Grove and Michael Bisping earned the title of "The Ultimate Fighter" and Ed Herman also landed a contract with the UFC. In the main event, Kenny Florian schooled Sam Stout with a rear naked choke. K-Flo's win sets him up for a potential match with Sean Sherk for the 155lbs belt.

Then just a few days later, the UFC was on free TV again, and in what many consider an upset Rashad Evans manhandled Chicago's Stephan Bonnar. He looked explosive and used slamming take downs to pull out the win. In the main event Chris Leben looked to welcome Anderson Silva to the US and the UFC, someone forgot to tell Silva though, because he used lazer accurate punching and a well placed knee to end Leben's night in under a minute. Watch out Rich Franklin. Silva has trained with the BEST in Brazil---Chute Boxe and Brazilian Top Team members and has be known outside the US as one of the top 5 middle weights in the world. He showed it last night!

July should be even better for MMA---stay tuned for BIG things in the US and internationally!

Posted by Jacob Nuesser at 3:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The Chicago White Sox have won 11 of 13 and the resurgent Minnesota Twins have claimed 14 of 16, but the surprising Detroit Tigers have stayed atop the American League Central with a 13-2 surge of their own. Despite owning the best record in the majors, the Tigers' three-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals still wasn't expected with Albert Pujols returning to an already-dangerous lineup. Detroit thumped Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter for seven runs Friday night -- the most he's given up in a game all season -- then posted dramatic, late-inning rallies to win on Saturday and Sunday. Five Tiger regulars are batting better than .290 and four -- Brandon Inge, Magglio Ordonez, Marcus Thames and Chris Shelton -- have at least 14 home runs this season. The Tigers rank fourth in the AL in runs and only the White Sox have more homers. Most surprising is a young pitching staff that continues to shine. While Mike Maroth has been lost indefinitely following surgery for bone chips in his left elbow, each of the other four mainstays of the rotation has won at least seven games with an ERA well below 4.00: the old man Kenny Rogers (10-3, 3.44), Jason Verlander (9-4, 3.39), Nate Robertson (7-3, 3.38) and Jeremy Bonderman (7-4, 3.65). Can these surprising Tigers be tamed? Perhaps the young rotation can continue its fine work, but the tougher part of the schedule awaits the Tigers. On the other hand, the Tigers are 26 games over .500 at 51-25, nearly as good as the upstart White Sox were through the same number of games a year ago (52-24). If the Tigers play .500 ball the rest of the way, they finish at 94-68. Holding off the White Sox in the AL Central with that record is no certainty, but a Tigers team that plays at a .550 clip the rest of the way wins 98 games. Could that be good enough to claim a wild-card berth if Detroit finishes second to Chicago? The wild card may not be going to an AL East team this fall.

Posted by Thom Henninger at 7:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

In a recent issue of the Chicago Tribune, baseball writer Phil Rogers noted that San Diego center fielder Mike Cameron missed a recent chance to hit for the cycle when he took a strike on a 3-0 count and then walked on the next pitch in his final at-bat. Cameron almost always takes on 3-0, and he did the same despite needing just a single in the seventh inning of the Padres' 9-1 romp over the Dodgers on June 13. Rogers pointed out that Cameron took a 3-0 pitch for a strike with a chance to hit five home runs in a game while with Seattle in May 2002. He then lined out with a 3-1 count in a 15-4 win over the White Sox. "There is a time and place for everything," Cameron told Rogers. "Swinging 3-0 for the cycle with an eight-run lead is not smart. Just like swinging 3-0 with four home runs and a 10-run lead wasn't smart. It's something you just don't do." Cameron's unwillingness to aggressively pursue a milestone in a lopsided victory is admirable. He abided by one of those unwritten rules between players, even though a single against the Dodgers reportedly would have made him only the fourth player in history -- joining Chuck Klein, Lou Gehrig and Gil Hodges -- with both a cycle and a four-homer game. But why not go for the single? It's just a base hit, arguably less innocuous than stealing an unnecessary base that moves the runner into scoring position. One could argue that no lead is safe in these times of bigger players and smaller ballparks. After all, just last week the Yankees coughed up a 9-2 lead in the latter half of a game and lost to Washington, 11-9. What Cameron did is honorable, but is this one of those unwritten rules that doesn't necessarily apply to today's game? Or is there still a significant difference between pursuing a milestone versus another run in a lopsided affair?

Posted by Thom Henninger at 12:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

After a weekend of interleague play punctuated by a number of sweeps, three teams that seemed to be fading fast from pennant contention a few weeks ago are enjoying lengthy winning streaks. The Minnesota Twins, who swept series from Boston and Pittsburgh last week to improve to .500, have won seven in a row. The Florida Marlins, who no one expected to go anywhere in 2006, have swept Atlanta and Toronto en route to an eight-game run. The longest winning streak belongs to the Oakland Athletics, who have won 10 straight by having their way with the Yankees, Seattle and the Dodgers. Rookies Mike Jacobs and Dan Uggla have been critical to Florida's offense this month, while rookie starters Josh Johnson, Scott Olsen and Ricky Nolasco have been pitching more like veterans. Still, the Marlins are eight games under .500 and far behind the leader in the National League East, the New York Mets. The Twins have been sparked by Brad Radke's turnaround, the one-two punch of lefties Johan Santana and Francisco Liriano and the offensive surge led by youngsters Justin Morneau, Jason Kubel and Joe Mauer. Are the Twins ready for a postseason return? Even with the emergence of key young players, the Twins look like long shots, as they are 11 games behind the front-running Tigers in the AL Central and seven AL clubs have better records. Keep in mind, though, the big second-half turnaround by Houston a year ago. The A's have been led offensively by rebounding first baseman Dan Johnson, now-sidelined DH Frank Thomas and outfielders Bobby Kielty and Jay Payton. But perhaps what gives the A's the best chance to make good on their recent surge is effective pitching by Barry Zito, Joe Blanton, Dan Haren, Brad Halsey and Esteban Loaiza. Could they really be thinking about dealing Zito? The A's currently are getting it done with little contribution from Eric Chavez and Rich Harden, which also suggests the A's may be the best bet among these three clubs to have a second half to remember. It doesn't hurt that Oakland competes in the less-than-stellar AL West. This writer says only the A's will stay in the fray. The Twins are only 3.5 games behind the A's, but they have little chance of making the playoffs by winning their division.

Posted by Thom Henninger at 1:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's time for another round of interleague play. The National League hosts 10 of the 14 interleague series that begin on Friday, but the American League will have the 10-4 home-field advantage next Friday for that weekend's round of games. Obviously this means that a number of AL designated hitters will be inactive when play begins this Friday. This interleague stuff would seem to be a significant disadvantage to AL clubs. The White Sox may have AL home run leader Jim Thome on the bench for more than one game against Cincinnati this weekend. Or they must sit Paul Konerko. Cleveland could be without Travis Hafner and Tampa Bay may be missing Jonny Gomes. Then again, not all NL clubs have a productive big league regular who suddenly gets more at-bats when they are on the road. Barry Bonds may play more when the Giants are in Seattle and San Diego's Mike Piazza may get some DH time this weekend. But NL teams often don't have a ninth bat that wil make a big difference. Does any of it make a difference? Well, the NL has a 22-20 record against the AL in this year's interleague play. The AL was 136-116 in 2005, but the NL has the all-time edge by a miniscule 1,126-1,116. Perhaps the DH issue doesn't matter, and the conventional wisdom that the AL is the better league may not stand up, as well. Or does the loss of the DH neutralize the talent difference between the two leagues?

Posted by Thom Henninger at 4:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Arizona right-hander Brandon Webb is one of just five pitchers in the last 45 years to start 6-0 in consecutive seasons. He opened 6-0 in 2005, en route to a 14-12 finish for a Diamondbacks team that lost 85 games. With his devastating sinker at its best, plus improved secondary pitches and a better defensive squad on the field, Webb started 8-0 with a 2.14 ERA through his first 13 starts this spring. The 27-year-old veteran was done in by three unearned runs in the first inning Saturday, and he took his first loss of the year -- a 5-0 defeat at the hands of the New York Mets and rookie Alay Soler, who tossed a two-hitter for his first career shutout. Among those five pitchers with consecutive 6-0 starts, nine of those seasons were worked by starters. Seven of them produced at least 20 wins. With better stuff and a better team in his fourth big league season, Webb probably will post his first 20-win campaign despite Saturday's setback.

Posted by Thom Henninger at 1:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

After losing 95 games in 2005 with a large crop of rookies playing regularly, the Colorado Rockies are 31-32 this season. That's good enough to be within four games of first place in the suspect National League West. Keep in mind that the 2005 Rockies were much like the 2006 Marlins, playing first-year players all over the diamond as well as on the mound. What can be said of the team's turnaround? The young trio of Matt Holliday, Brad Hawpe and Garrett Atkins has built on its 2005 success. What is even more remarkable is a young Rockies pitching staff that has posted a 4.41 ERA so far in 2006. That's more than a half-run better than any full-season team ERA in the franchise's history. Equally impressive is the 4.64 staff ERA posted at Coors Field. The Rockies have never posted a team ERA below 5.00 over a full season in Denver, but this year's staff has a chance to improve upon the 5.07 mark that is a franchise record set by the 2003 club. The stars of the rotation have been 25-year-old left-hander Jeff Francis (5-5, 3.76 ERA) and 27-year-old right-hander Aaron Cook (5-6, 3.75 ERA). The bullpen has been solid with closer Brian Fuentes (14 saves and 2.36 ERA), rookie right-hander Ramon Ramirez (2.28 ERA) and veterans Jose Mesa (2.67 ERA) and Ray King (2.76 ERA) leading the way. A year ago, the Rockies looked light years away from being a .500 team. This spring they provide hope for a faster turnaround than expected for the rebuilding Marlins.

Posted by Thom Henninger at 1:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Stepping away from subject matter centered around baseball statistics and the game played on the field, what do you think about ballparks and arenas being named after corporate entities? Does it bother you that facilities have been used to promote businesses such as Enron, or utility companies that don't need to advertise in the first place? How about a park changing names overnight because of a corporate merger? It's impossible for a sportswriter to remember the building names anymore without keeping media guides around, as the names have no connection to the team the way Comiskey Park or the Montreal Forum did years ago. Tom Powers, a columnist with the St. Paul Pioneer Press, has put in his two cents by saying the new park in Minnesota should be named for Kirby Puckett. As he notes in Friday's paper, that's not going to happen because the naming-rights revenue is too important to teams -- especially ones such as the small-market Twins. Powers humorously discusses the subject, expressing his concern that the new facility could get stuck with a name like Viagra Field or Warts B'Gone Stadium. Perhaps Preparation H Park would be a good name for any team that perennially stinks. What about this trend? There never used to be advertisements on the walls or close to the field in major league parks. Now they are everywhere. Is it possible to watch a baseball game without a scrolling device or TV technology promoting a product on the wall behind the batter? What's next? Will uniforms become walking billboards for products and corporations? It's already happened in Europe, and small ads can be seen on Arena Football jerseys. It seems inevitable that someday the classic pinstripes of the New York Yankees will be sabotaged by an advertisement for Leapin' Larry's Appliance Store.

Posted by Thom Henninger at 12:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

In June 2001, the forever-frugal Minnesota Twins had the first overall pick in the amateur draft. The pick came down to USC right-hander Mark Prior, viewed by some as the best college pitcher ever, and high school catcher Joe Mauer, a native of St. Paul with immense potential. As talented as Mauer was, one could argue there was more risk in the high school player. The Twins, of course, went the less-expensive route that had a local angle and Prior was drafted by the Cubs second overall. Prior debuted less than a year later, posting a 3.32 ERA with just 98 hits and 38 walks allowed and 147 strikeouts in 116.2 innings. A year later in 2003, at age 22, Prior went 18-6 with a 2.43 ERA in 30 starts and the Cubs reached the postseason as the National League Central champs. When the postseason ended with Florida upsetting the Yankees in the World Series, only four hurlers had thrown more 2003 pitches than Prior. Teammate Kerry Wood was one of them, but no one in the top 40 was as young as Prior. Though it's impossible to point to the heavy workload of 2003 as the cause or even a contributing factor, both Wood and Prior have suffered an assortment of injuries since then. Prior has won just 17 games since winning 18 in 2003, and he's been out with injuries to his right Achilles, right elbow and right shoulder. Mauer didn't reach the majors until 2004, and he missed most of that season following knee surgery that might have threatened his career behind the plate. In 2006, however, Mauer is batting a major league-best .371 and showing more power at age 23. He also leads all big leaguers with a .402 average on the road. Just as it was too soon to say the Cubs came out better with Prior after the 2003 campaign, it's probably too early to say the Twins have won the battle of first-rounders. After all, Prior is just 25 years old. But does his injury history suggest a compromised career? Does Mauer's first two months in 2006 mean he's a batting title waiting to happen? Which organization might win or is better positioned to win the battle of Prior vs. Mauer?

Posted by Thom Henninger at 9:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

The good news is, the Royals bypassed their seldom-successful tendency to draft a high school pitcher with the first overall pick in the amateur draft Tuesday. High school pitchers always are a risky proposition The bad news? Baseball America and other sources tended to rank North Carolina left-hander Andrew Miller as the best college pitching prospect in the draft. Neither MIller nor any other college hurler is rated far above the rest, but the Royals went out on a limb by drafting right-hander Luke Hochevar. While Hochevar, coming out of Tennessee a year ago, is ranked among the best pitching prospects, this Scott Boras client will be no easy sign. Signability issues dropped him to the 40th overall pick last June, and the Dodgers didn't come up with enough money to get his name on a contract before this year's draft. Yes, he has ace potential, but the Royals need to get him under contract and not have his professional development delayed by lengthy negotiations after missing a chance to go to a major league camp last summer. And it will take big money to get this first overall pick signed. If the Dodgers couldn't get his name on a contract as the 40th pick, it certainly won't be an easy task for the Royals.

Posted by Thom Henninger at 10:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Ryan Bennett (1970-2006) was a loving husband and father who tragically passed away in a car accident. He was also the founder of mmaweekly.com and did the live radio show every day with former fighter Frank Trigg. He brought class to the growing sport of Mixed Martial Arts, and he passed too soon. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and he will be missed.

You can donate to the Ryan Bennett family fund here.

Posted by Jacob Nuesser at 11:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Mavs and Heat
Both teams are making their first appearance in the NBA finals and there is very little finals experience on either side. Pat Riley and Shaq have both been there before. Wade is scoring over 26 points a game. Will that be enough to push past the Mavs, who have the BEST owner in professional sports, Mark Cuban, and Dirk Nowitzki, who is averaging more than 28 points per game?

What do you think?

Posted by Jacob Nuesser at 11:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

After the Yankees signed Johnny Damon over the winter, New York had five of the game's top 20 run scorers from 2005: Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Damon, Hideki Matsui and Gary Sheffield. The potent 2006 lineup also features four of the top 30 on-base percentages from a year ago, and the sixth-best 2005 mark on this year's team was Damon's, a respectable .366. Only the Red Sox outscored the Yankees in 2005, and Damon's defection suggested no one might outscore the Bronx Bombers this year. At this point, that's true: the Yankees have put up more runs than all major league clubs. But can they keep it up with Matsui (broken wrist) out until at least September and Sheffield (wrist-ligament tear) possibly sidelined for a month or two? The loss of run production will put more pressure on an aging and injury-plagued rotation. None of New York's starters had a stellar year in 2005, and only Mike Mussina has been on top of his game this spring. The bullpen has been better, but currently Mariano Rivera is battling back problems. The Yankees probably would have focused on getting a starter or two before the trade deadline. Now their needs may be numerous with a starting outfield that often features unproven prospect Melky Cabrera and less-than-productive veterans Bernie Williams and Terrence Long. The Yankees have a 4.52 team ERA that ranks ninth in the American League. Will that be good enough if they can't keep scoring at the pace they've set so far?

Posted by Thom Henninger at 6:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Signing Reggie Sanders, Mark Grudzielanek, Doug Mientkiewicz and Joe Mays hasn't made a difference, and firing general manager Allard Baird isn't likely to keep the Royals from threatening the Mets' modern-day record for futility. The expansion Mets went 40-120 in 1962 while the 13-38 Royals are on course to finish 41-121 this season. So much has gone wrong in KC. Prospects Mark Quinn, Carlos Febles, Angel Berroa, Dee Brown, Ken Harvey and a host of young pitchers haven't panned out. The Royals have drafted a boatload of highly touted high school hurlers in recent years, a practice that comes with a great deal of risk and hasn't paid off. Kansas City had the worst team ERA in the American League in 2004 and the worst in the majors a year ago. It's well on its way to duplicating that feat with a 6.24 mark that would be hard to catch by other struggling staffs. Building a lineup around injury-prone Mike Sweeney doesn't help, nor do the personal issues that have plagued the Royals' best pitching prospect, Zach Greinke. Is there any hope the Royals can avoid a historic chase with the '62 Mets? Firing Baird may be necessary, but it's an odd move coming just days before the 2006 amateur draft.

Posted by Thom Henninger at 1:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)