Saturday 10/30/2001: Martinez and Abbott receive Cy Young Award The 2001 American League Cy Young Award winner is from Cleveland this year. Pedro Martinez put together impressive numbers on the mound this season. This season Martinez compiled an ERA of 1.26, going 26-5 in 35 starts. He fanned 315 while giving up 222 hits in 285.2 innings. He has 14 complete games and 9 shutouts. He's 1st in the American League in ERA and 1st in wins! Martinez wins the award for the 6th time in his 8-year career. The 2001 National League Cy Young Award winner is from Atlanta this year. Jim Abbott put together impressive numbers on the mound this season as well. In 34 starts this year Jim struck out 196 batters in 230.1 innings of work. His ERA is 3.32, his record 24-4. He's 3rd in the National League in ERA and 1st in wins! |
Saturday 10/30/2001: Williams (TEX) and Mccarty (SDN) win MVP The MVP in the American League was handed to Texas' centerfielder Bernie Williams! His season numbers are: .311 AVG, 170 hits, 34 doubles, 10 triples and 51 taters, along with 142 RBI and 160 runs scored. He's 1st in the American League in RBIs and 1st in homeruns! Williams wins the award for the 4th time in his 9-year career. San Diego's rightfielder David Mccarty will never forget this day as well. A great season convinced the voters that he is the worthy National League MVP winner. His season features a batting average of .314 (181 hits in 576 AB), 44 doubles, 2 triples and 48 bombs. Mccarty collected 146 RBI and 125 runs as well. He's 2nd in the National League in RBIs and 2nd in homeruns! |
Saturday 10/30/2001: Baltimore's Chavez earns Rookie Of The Year The American League Rookie Of The Year winner was announced today, with Baltimore's third baseman Eric Chavez earning the trophy for putting up the best numbers among rookies in his league. Chavez has hit 29 bombs this year while batting .306. He adds 33 doubles, along with 109 runs scored. The 2001 National League Rookie Of The Year winner is from Philadelphia this season. J.d. Drew put together impressive numbers for a rookie en route to win the first major award of his career. Let's hope more will follow for this 25 year old ballplayer. His season features a batting average of .277 (130 hits in 469 AB), 24 doubles, 3 triples and 33 taters. Drew collected 88 RBI and 82 runs as well. |
Friday 10/15/2001: Pedro Martinez fires 2-hitter against Texas TEXAS - Cleveland's right-hander Pedro Martinez is a great pitcher. And he once again showed his stuff, blanking Texas on just 2 hits. It's his 9th shutout this season, and the 41st time he has done it in his career. Martinez (26-5) fanned 9 and walked none, throwing 103 pitches. 'Wow, what a nice day. I guess I had a good breakfast today.' Cleveland's centerfielder Kenny Lofton got 2 hits in 5 AB. That was enough to support the brilliant performance of Martinez. Cleveland scored 4 runs on 9 hits. |
Monday 10/4/2001: Johan Santana dominates Toronto, gives up just one hit TORONTO - Johan Santana had some fun again. Toronto hitters did not. Tampa Bay's lefty gave up just one hit in his 2nd shutout of the season. He now has 2 career shutouts in 73 games started. 'Things like that happen. You take the mound and everything works. My velocity was pretty good today and I guess it showed.' Santana (17-8) struck out 9 and walked 4, throwing 67 of 114 pitches for strikes. Tampa Bay's catcher Izzy Molina went 2 for 4, homering twice, scoring twice and collecting 2 RBI. That was enough to support the brilliant performance of Santana. Tampa Bay improved its record to 86-76, scoring 5 runs on 10 hits. |
Monday 10/4/2001: Cincinnati's Walker wins Player of the Week award Kansas City's pitcher Chad Ogea had some reason to celebrate, as the league named him the American League Player of the Week. He was in a zone all week, compiling an ERA of 1.15 while going 2-0. He hurled a shutout as well. The National League Player of the Week award goes to Todd Walker, Cincinnati's starting second baseman. Walker helped his team with an average of .615 and 14 RBI in 26 at bats. While compiling an on base percentage of .399, Todd hit .313 and slugged .517. He has collected 101 runs batted in this year. |
Sunday 10/3/2001: Jacob Cruz uncorks five hits against Colorado COLORADO - San Francisco's leftfielder Jacob Cruz once again displayed his tremendous ability to make contact with that little white ball. He tore up Colorado's pitching staff with a 5 hit performance on Sunday. A 445 foot drive to center field marked his 1st hit, a two-run homerun off Tim Hudson in the 2nd inning. In the 8th inning he unloaded a solo homerun off Bill Risley. He collected singles in the 4th inning (one RBI) , in the 7th inning and in the 9th (one RBI). Jacob did drive in 5 while scoring 3 runs on his own. He's having a very good season so far, batting .354. San Francisco scored 14 runs on 18 hits. |
Friday 10/1/2001: Pittsburgh's Koplove named Pitcher of the Month The best month of September in the American League certainly had Anaheim's right-hander Octavio Dotel, earning him the Pitcher of the Month award. He went 4-0 in September and finished the month with an ERA of 1.34. He struck out 46 in 40.1 innings. His ERA of 5.53 helped him to a 11-11 record this year. He struck out 186 and walked 85 in 180.2 innings. Winner of this months National League Pitcher of the Month award is Pittsburgh's Mike Koplove. He had an ERA of just 0.61 in 14.2 innings of work in which he struck out 9 hitters. His record in September is 0-0. This season Koplove compiled an ERA of 3.81, going 3-1 in 6 starts. He fanned 34 while giving up 52 hits in 52 innings. |
Friday 10/1/2001: Batter of the Month award winners announced The Batter of the Month award in the American League goes to Tampa Bay's Trot Nixon this time, as the rightfielder displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. Nixon helped his team with an average of .392 and 28 RBI in 97 at bats. While compiling an on base percentage of .410, Trot hit .303 and slugged .563. He has collected 118 runs batted in this year. He's 9th in the American League in RBIs and 8th in homeruns! Todd Walker of Cincinnati wins his 1st Batter of the Month award for putting up the best numbers in the National League. Todd was on fire, hitting .378 with 7 homeruns and 31 RBI. This year Walker drove in 96 and scored 93 runs while batting .309 with 19 homeruns. |
Monday 9/27/2001: Tampa Bay's Helton wins Player of the Week award It's the 4th time that the American League Player of the Week award goes to Tampa Bay's first baseman Todd Helton. Helton helped his team with an average of .391 and 11 RBI in 23 at bats. Todd is hitting .320 this year, with 124 hits in 388 at bats. He has driven in 64 runs, slugging .634. Carl Everett wins his 7th Player of the Week award. National League pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. Everett helped his team with an average of .417 and 11 RBI in 24 at bats. He now has homered in 4 consecutive games as well! |
Saturday 9/25/2001: Dmitri Young nabs five hits against San Diego CINCINNATI - Dmitri Young hits 'em where they ain't. San Diego certainly agrees as Cincinnati's leftfielder unloaded five hits, adding to his reputation of being one of the best pure hitters in the game. A pitch from Matt Morris in the 1st inning left his bat for a two-run homerun, landing 367 feet from home plate in left field. Number 2 in the 3rd inning accounted for a double. In the 5th inning he belted a RBI double off Mike Thurman. He collected singles in the 4th (one RBI) and in the 8th inning . Dmitri scored 6 runs, and he collected 4 RBI as well! His 5 hit performance increases his batting average to .276. Cincinnati scored 31 runs on 28 hits. |
Saturday 9/25/2001: Travis Fryman socks six hits for Cincinnati CINCINNATI - Travis Fryman led Cincinnati to a 31-4 win over San Diego by squeezing six hits out of his bat. A RBI double off Matt Morris in the 1st inning accounted for his 1st hit. A pitch from Marc Pisciotta in the 4th inning left his bat for a two-run double. His 5th hit was a three-run double off Jose Silva in the 7th inning. A pitch from Kyle Peterson in the 8th inning left his bat for a RBI double. He collected singles in the 5th (one RBI) and in the 7th inning . Travis scored 2 runs, and he collected 8 RBI as well! He is hitting .229 this season, with 20 HR and 87 RBI. |
Wednesday 9/22/2001: Ben Mcdonald pitches 2-hit shutout against St. Louis ARIZONA - Ben Mcdonald had an unexpectedly great performance against St. Louis on Wednesday, pitching a 2-hitter for his 1st shutout of the season. With two outs in the 7th inning Scott Spiezio singled to break up the no-hitter. 'They took some ugly cuts at my breaking stuff, so I kept throwing it. Fortunately they were not able to adjust in time.' Mcdonald (10-8) fanned 4 and walked none, throwing 84 pitches. Arizona's third baseman Robin Ventura collected 2 hits in 5 trips to the plate, homering once, stroking a double, and driving in 3 runs. That was enough to support the brilliant performance of Mcdonald. Arizona improved its record to 78-72, scoring 13 runs on 15 hits. |
Monday 9/20/2001: Texas' Bagwell wins Player of the Week award The American League's best player of the week was Texas' Jeff Bagwell, who wins the award for the 3rd time in his career. He had an on base percentage of .593 and hit .500, while driving in 12 runs. Manny Ramirez wins his 9th Player of the Week award. National League pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. He had an on base percentage of .571 and hit .500, while driving in 10 runs. Manny is hitting .310 this year, with 150 hits in 484 at bats. He has driven in 122 runs, slugging .636. He's 4th in the National League in RBIs and 5th in homeruns! |
Friday 9/17/2001: Henry Rodriguez uncorks five hits against Montreal HOUSTON - 'You know, in batting practice I didn't really feel that comfortable about my stroke today, but baseball is more than hitting. Then, when you're not trying to force a hit, you slug them in droves,' says Henry Rodriguez after his 5 hit game, which Houston won 18-2 against Montreal. A pitch from Vicente Padilla in the 1st inning left his bat for a three-run homerun, landing 355 feet from home plate in right field. His 4th hit, off Pedro Borbon in the 7th inning, was a solo homerun and cleared the fence in right-center. He had singles in the 3rd inning , in the 4th inning and in the 8th . Henry scored 3 runs, and he collected 4 RBI as well! His 5 hit performance increases his batting average to .299. |
Monday 9/13/2001: Kevin Brown (NYY) will miss 5 weeks NEW YORK (A) - When it rains, it pours. New York (A)'s ace Kevin Brown will not pitch for at least 5 weeks, handing the team a huge setback. He suffered a serious injury in a game against Anaheim where he left the field in the 7th inning. After being examined by several specialists the diagnosis is clear: Ruptured Tricep Tendon. Opposing players hit .252 against Kevin this season. While posting an ERA of 2.87 he went 21-6 in 31 starts, fanning 115 and walking 43 hitters. He has 7 complete games and 3 shutouts. He's 2nd in the American League in ERA and 3rd in wins! |
Monday 9/13/2001: Player of the Week honors go to Abbott and Lo duca Kurt Abbott wins his 1st Player of the Week award. American League pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. He hit .435 with 14 RBI and slugged 1.000 in 23 at bats. Abbott has walked 34 times this year and posts a .301 OBP. While batting .249, 112 for 449, he has driven in 74 runs. The National League's best player of the week was Arizona's Paul Lo duca, who wins the award for the 1st time in his career. Paul pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .526 with 3 HR and 11 RBI while slugging 1.263. His season numbers are: .308 AVG, 99 hits, 32 doubles, 2 triples and 12 taters, along with 67 RBI and 46 runs scored. |
Monday 9/6/2001: Dicky Gonzalez out for 6 weeks COLORADO - Colorado's right-hander Dicky Gonzalez suffered a severe injury on Monday and will be out for at least 6 weeks. In the 8th of the game against Chicago (N) he experienced pain in his throwing arm and had to leave the game. After x-rays were taken the diagnosis did not surprise many: Pulled Rotator Cuff Muscle. Surgery will be performed next week. Opposing players hit .272 against Dicky this season. While posting an ERA of 3.46 he went 10-8 in 18 starts, fanning 86 and walking 31 hitters. |
Monday 9/6/2001: San Diego's Giambi wins Player of the Week award It's the 1st time that the American League Player of the Week award goes to Tampa Bay's pitcher Johan Santana. Johan went 2-0 with an ERA of 0.54, while fanning 13 in 16.2 innings of work. He hurled a shutout as well. The National League's best player of the week was San Diego's Jason Giambi, who wins the award for the 3rd time in his career. Jason was on fire, hitting .500 with 4 HR and 12 RBI. |
Wednesday 9/1/2001: Chicago (A)'s Rupe earns Pitcher of the Month award Ryan Rupe pitched like a legend in August, and the American League named him Pitcher of the Month for his extraordinary performance. He started 6 games in August, going 5-1 and compiling an ERA of 2.36 in 45.2 innings. Ryan fanned 23 hitters. In 28 starts this year Ryan struck out 119 batters in 187 innings of work. His ERA is 4.28, his record 14-10. Ryan has pitched 2 shutouts and 2 complete games. He's 4th in the American League in wins! It's the 2nd time that the National League Pitcher of the Month award goes to San Diego's pitcher Juan Pena. He had an ERA of just 2.08 in 43.1 innings of work in which he struck out 49 hitters. His record in August is 6-0. Juan also fired a shutout. In 28 starts this year Juan struck out 179 batters in 190 innings of work. His ERA is 2.89, his record 16-7. Juan has pitched 5 shutouts and 6 complete games. He's 2nd in the National League in ERA and 2nd in wins! |
Wednesday 9/1/2001: Chicago (A)'s Lankford earns Batter of the Month award Ray Lankford of Chicago (A) wins his 1st Batter of the Month award for putting up the best numbers in the American League. Ray pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .400 with 6 and 28 RBI while slugging .737. Lankford has hit for a .322 average this season. He has 63 extra base hits along with 248 total bases, resulting in a .539 slugging percentage. He's 9th in the American League in batting! The National League Batter of the Month award goes to Jim Edmonds, St. Louis' starting centerfielder. In 99 at bats he hit .424 with 8 HR and 24 RBI. Jim is hitting .277 this year, with 132 hits in 477 at bats. He has driven in 75 runs, slugging .474. |
Monday 8/30/2001: Tommy Greene blanks Philadelphia with a 1-hitter PHILADELPHIA - With his best stuff going, Houston's Tommy Greene overmatched the opposing hitters all day long. Philadelphia had no chance, collecting just one hit against the right-hander. Greene (11-8) was overpowering, fanning 10 while walking 1, throwing 111 pitches. 'That was one of the best games of my career. I had my stuff working very well today.' Lee Stevens provided Houston with the offense Greene needed as he went 2 for 4, homering once, hitting a double, scoring twice and driving in 2 runs. The final score of the game was 6-0. |
Monday 8/30/2001: Player of the Week honors go to Furcal and Lovullo The American League Player of the Week award goes to Rafael Furcal, Cleveland's starting shortstop. Rafael went 10 for 26 (.385), while hitting 3 HR and collecting 10 RBI. His season features a batting average of .269 (112 hits in 417 AB), 33 doubles, 4 triples and 7 bombs. Furcal collected 64 RBI and 64 runs as well. Torey Lovullo from Montreal wins his 2nd Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the National League. He hit .517 with 16 RBI and slugged .862 in 29 at bats. |
Saturday 8/28/2001: Montreal's Richard Hidalgo pounds five hits NEW YORK (N) - Montreal's centerfielder Richard Hidalgo accomplished a difficult feat in a 16-4 win over New York (N), drilling five hits to improve his career batting average to .286! Number 1 in the 1st inning, a shot estimated at 382 feet, cleared the wall in left field. In the 2nd inning he belted a three-run double off Troy Mattes. A pitch from Mike Holtz in the 6th inning left his bat for a solo homerun, landing 423 feet from home plate in center field. A two-run double off Mike Holtz in the 9th inning accounted for his 5th hit. He collected a single in the 4th. Richard did drive in 7 while scoring 4 runs on his own. He now has a total of 134 hits this season, accounting for a .276 batting average. Montreal improved its record to 59-70, scoring 16 runs on 17 hits. |
Monday 8/23/2001: Luis Castillo uncorks five hits against New York (N) ATLANTA - On Monday, Atlanta's second baseman Luis Castillo displayed his sensational ability to handle the bat against New York (N), punishing their pitchers with five hits. Number 1 in the 1st inning accounted for a double. Hit number 2 followed in the 2nd inning, a triple. In the 7th inning he unloaded a triple off Carl Schutz. He had singles in the 5th inning (two RBIs) and in the 8th (one RBI). Luis scored 5 runs, and he collected 3 RBI as well! This season has been a good one for him so far, as he has 160 hits in 485 at bats, resulting in a .330 batting average. Atlanta scored 18 runs on 20 hits. |
Monday 8/23/2001: St. Louis' Edmonds wins Player of the Week award The American League's best player of the week was Cleveland's Ivan Rodriguez, who wins the award for the 3rd time in his career. Ivan went 14 for 28 (.500), while hitting 5 HR and collecting 11 RBI. He got at least one hit each game this week and is on a 9 game hitting streak right now. St. Louis' centerfielder Jim Edmonds had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the National League Player of the Week. Jim was on fire, hitting .516 with 4 HR and 10 RBI. He has hit 19 longballs while batting .275 this season. His 125 hits and 82 walks add up to a .386 on-base percentage. |
Saturday 8/21/2001: Juan Encarnacion nabs six hits against Baltimore BALTIMORE - Juan Encarnacion punished Baltimore's pitching today, collecting six hits in 7 AB. That definitely helped Seattle, they won the game 19 to 11. A double off Cal Eldred in the 3rd inning accounted for his 2nd hit. A 397 foot drive to right-center marked his 5th hit, a solo homerun off Mike Bovee in the 9th inning. A pitch from Mike Stanton in the 9th inning left his bat for a RBI double. He had singles in the 1st inning , in the 5th inning and in the 7th inning . Juan scored 5 runs, and he collected 3 RBI as well! He is hitting .316 this season, with 12 HR and 64 RBI. |
Tuesday 8/17/2001: Chad Ogea shuts out Seattle on one hit SEATTLE - With his best stuff going, Kansas City's Chad Ogea overmatched the opposing hitters all day long. Seattle had no chance, collecting just one hit against the right-hander. 'I had a good grip on the ball today and I was able to put it where I wanted. That kept them out of balance.' Ogea (4-15) showed excellent control, walking nobody and fanning 8. Lyle Mouton provided Kansas City with the offense Ogea needed as he finished with 2 hits in 3 AB, hitting a homerun, with 3 RBI. Kansas City scored 4 runs on 6 hits. |
Tuesday 8/17/2001: Aaron Sele pitches his 1st shutout of the season TEXAS - Texas' right-hander Aaron Sele is a great pitcher. And he once again showed his stuff, blanking Anaheim on just 2 hits. It's his 1st shutout this season, and the 4th time he has done it in his career. 'I was able to keep´em off balance. That certainly helped.' Sele (18-3) fanned 9 and walked 1, throwing 103 pitches. The hitting star for Texas was third baseman Jose Oliva, he finished 1 for 3, hitting a homerun, and driving in 3 runs. The final score of the game was 8-0. |
Monday 8/16/2001: Cleveland's Rodriguez wins Player of the Week award The Player of the Week award in the American League goes to Cleveland's Ivan Rodriguez this time, as the catcher displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. Ivan pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .545 with 2 HR and 7 RBI while slugging .864. Rodriguez has walked 40 times this year and posts a .371 OBP. While batting .308, 124 for 403, he has driven in 72 runs. The National League Player of the Week award goes to Adam Dunn, Montreal's starting rightfielder. He had an on base percentage of .621 and hit .522, while driving in 9 runs. Adam managed to drive in at least one run in every game he played this week. He now has homered in 3 consecutive games as well! |
Monday 8/9/2001: Tony Clark on fire, hits for cycle CHICAGO (N) - Tony Clark is a pretty good hitter, but his 4 hit performance seemed to surprise even himself considering that the hits added up to the cycle, one of the most difficult things to accomplish in baseball. In the 1st inning he unloaded a two-run homerun off Paul Wilson. In the 2nd inning he belted a two-run double off Manuel Aybar. The game was tied, 7-7, after the blast. A single in the 4th off Rafael Roque accounted for his 3rd hit. His 4th hit was a triple off Jeff Zimmerman in the 8th inning. That drive completed the cycle, causing a smile on his face! Tony did drive in 5 while scoring 2 runs on his own. This season has been a good one for him so far, as he has 123 hits in 391 at bats, resulting in a .315 batting average. 74 players in league history have so far hit for the cycle, including Tony. On 7/21/2001, Shannon Stewart was the last player to hit for the cycle. |
Monday 8/9/2001: Minnesota's Jefferies wins Player of the Week award Gregg Jefferies wins his 5th Player of the Week award. American League pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. Gregg went 9 for 26 (.346), while hitting 5 HR and collecting 11 RBI. He now has homered in 4 consecutive games as well! Cincinnati's leftfielder Dmitri Young had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the National League Player of the Week. Dmitri pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .556 with 4 HR and 7 RBI while slugging 1.222. |
Wednesday 8/4/2001: Baltimore's Eric Chavez goes deep three times TEXAS - Eric Chavez was in a groove, and the results spoke for themselves. He powered Baltimore to a 9-5 win over Texas by homering three times. A 423 foot drive to right-center marked his 1st bomb, a solo homerun off Darryl Kile in the 3rd inning. The game was tied, 1-1, after the blast. His 2nd shot, off Darryl Kile in the 5th inning, was a solo homerun and cleared the fence in right field. A pitch from Darryl Kile in the 7th inning left his bat for a two-run homerun, landing 351 feet from home plate in right field. The game was tied, 4-4, after the blast. Eric finished with 3 hits in 4 AB, scoring three runs with 4 RBI. In 331 career at bats, he has hit 21 homeruns and collected 74 RBI. |
Monday 8/2/2001: Petrick (BOS) and Everett (ARI) win P.O.W. award It's the 1st time that the American League Player of the Week award goes to Boston's catcher Ben Petrick. Ben went 12 for 22 (.545), while hitting 2 HR and collecting 6 RBI. Petrick has hit for a .238 average this season. He has 46 extra base hits along with 170 total bases, resulting in a .499 slugging percentage. Carl Everett from Arizona wins his 6th Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the National League. Carl pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .375 with 5 HR and 12 RBI while slugging 1.125. Carl has gone 108 for 383 (.282) this season, hitting 30 longballs and driving in 95 runs. He has scored 69 runs on his own. He's 2nd in the National League in RBIs and 3rd in homeruns! |
Sunday 8/1/2001: Ugueth Urbina out for 6 weeks PITTSBURGH - Pittsburgh's right-hander Ugueth Urbina suffered a severe injury on Sunday and will be out for at least 6 weeks. In the 4th of the game against Houston he experienced pain in his throwing arm and had to leave the game. After being taken to a local hospital, Urbina was examined by specialists. The diagnosis revealed the sad truth, a Spasms Back. Opposing players hit .221 against Ugueth this season. While posting an ERA of 3.61 he went 13-4 in 24 starts, fanning 145 and walking 38 hitters. He's 10th in the National League in ERA and 2nd in wins! |
Sunday 8/1/2001: Martinez and Rivera receive Pitcher of the Month award The best month of July in the American League certainly had Cleveland's right-hander Pedro Martinez, earning him the Pitcher of the Month award. He had an ERA of just 0.65 in 41.2 innings of work in which he struck out 50 hitters. His record in July is 4-1. Pedro pitched a shutout as well. This season Martinez compiled an ERA of 0.81, going 20-2 in 24 starts. He fanned 234 while giving up 141 hits in 200 innings. He has 13 complete games and 9 shutouts. He's 1st in the American League in ERA and 1st in wins! Mariano Rivera couldn't have pitched much better than he did in July, and the National League thought so as well, naming the right-hander Pitcher of the Month. He went 4-1 in July and finished the month with an ERA of 2.06. He struck out 36 in 35 innings. In 24 starts this year Mariano struck out 134 batters in 144.2 innings of work. His ERA is 2.49, his record 10-6. |
Sunday 8/1/2001: Toronto's Konerko earns Batter of the Month award Paul Konerko of Toronto wins his 1st Batter of the Month award for putting up the best numbers in the American League. He hit .411 with 31 RBI and slugged .889 in 90 at bats. His season numbers are: .312 AVG, 122 hits, 41 doubles, 3 triples and 26 bombs, along with 94 RBI and 67 runs scored. He's 1st in the American League in RBIs and 5th in homeruns! Chipper Jones of Chicago (N) wins his 1st Batter of the Month award for putting up the best numbers in the National League. He hit .512 with 20 RBI and slugged .762 in 80 at bats. While compiling an on base percentage of .438, Chipper hit .354 and slugged .535. He has collected 64 runs batted in this year. He's 4th in the National League in batting! |
Friday 7/30/2001: Arizona's Ventura out for 5 weeks ARIZONA - Atlanta's Rick Ankiel drilled Arizona's third baseman Robin Ventura in the 1st inning. He was slow getting up and had to leave the game. Robin Ventura will miss at least 5 weeks. Ventura was rushed to an hospital near the ballpark, where doctors took x-rays. Those revealed the serious injury, Broken Finger. While compiling an on base percentage of .413, Robin hit .293 and slugged .552. He has collected 66 runs batted in this year. |
Monday 7/26/2001: Toronto's Konerko wins Player of the Week award Toronto's first baseman Paul Konerko had some reason to celebrate, as the league named him the American League Player of the Week. Paul pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .455 with 3 HR and 14 RBI while slugging 1.000. Paul managed to drive in at least one run in every game he played this week. He has hit 24 longballs while batting .309 this season. His 114 hits and 45 walks add up to a .379 on-base percentage. He's 2nd in the American League in RBIs and 6th in homeruns! It's the 3rd time that the National League Player of the Week award goes to Los Angeles' leftfielder Juan Gonzalez. In 29 at bats he hit .483 with 3 HR and 10 RBI. Juan managed to drive in at least one run in every game he played this week. |
Wednesday 7/21/2001: Boston's Shannon Stewart gets the cycle BOSTON - Boston's leftfielder Shannon Stewart accomplished a difficult feat in a game against Texas, hitting for the cycle to improve his career batting average to .282! His 1st hit, a two-run homerun off Kevin Appier in the 2nd inning, cleared the fence in right field. A double off Carl Pavano in the 3rd inning accounted for his 2nd hit. A single in the 5th off Carl Pavano accounted for his 3rd hit. A triple off Todd Rizzo in the 9th inning, accounted for his 4th hit. That drive completed the cycle, causing a smile on his face! Shannon scored 3 runs, and he collected 3 RBI as well! He now has a total of 94 hits this season, accounting for a .269 batting average. He's now the 73rd player in league history to hit for the cycle! Toby Hall was the last player to hit for the cycle, doing it 6/27/2001. |
Monday 7/19/2001: St. Louis' Alomar jr. wins Player of the Week award The American League Player of the Week award goes to Alex Rodriguez, Baltimore's starting shortstop. In 24 at bats he hit .500 with 6 HR and 10 RBI. He has hit 27 homeruns while batting .294 this season. His 93 hits and 41 walks add up to a .385 on-base percentage. He's 10th in the American League in RBIs and 2nd in homeruns! The National League Player of the Week award goes to Sandy Alomar jr., St. Louis' starting catcher. In 20 at bats he hit .500 with 2 HR and 10 RBI. Alomar jr. has hit for a .225 average this season. He has 17 extra base hits along with 74 total bases, resulting in a .354 slugging percentage. |
Thursday 7/15/2001: Colorado's Hudson severely injured COLORADO - When it rains, it pours. Colorado's right-hander Tim Hudson will not pitch for at least 5 weeks, handing the team a huge setback. He suffered a serious injury in a game against Chicago (N) where he left the field in the 2nd inning. After being examined by several specialists the diagnosis is clear: Pulled Tricep Muscle. This season Hudson compiled an ERA of 3.43, going 12-5 in 21 starts. He fanned 82 while giving up 136 hits in 133.2 innings. He's 10th in the National League in ERA and 2nd in wins! |
Tuesday 7/13/2001: Arizona's Schilling severely injured ARIZONA - Arizona is without its ace Curt Schilling for at least 6 weeks. He injured himself while throwing a pitch to Reggie Jefferson in a game against St. Louis. His face showed signs of pain immediately after the ball left his hand. After x-rays were taken the diagnosis did not surprise many: Inflamed Rotator Cuff Muscle. Surgery will be performed next week. Curt has a record of 4-5 this season, with an ERA of 5.09. In 63.2 Innings he was able to strike out 56 batters. |
Monday 7/12/2001: John Olerud collects five hits against San Francisco SAN FRANCISCO - John Olerud punished San Francisco's pitching today, collecting five hits in 5 AB. That definitely helped Cincinnati, they won the game 10 to 7. Number 2 in the 2nd inning, a shot estimated at 376 feet, cleared the wall in left field. A pitch from Brad Clontz in the 7th inning left his bat for a solo homerun, landing 346 feet from home plate in right field. He had singles in the 1st inning (one RBI) , in the 5th and in the 9th inning . John did drive in 6 while scoring 2 runs on his own. His 5 hit performance increases his batting average to .247. |
Monday 7/12/2001: Belle and Ventura win Player of the Week award The American League's best player of the week was In 16 at bats he hit .375 with 1 HR and 8 RBI. It's the 1st time that the American League Player of the Week award goes to In 17 at bats he hit .353 with 2 HR and 7 RBI. |
Monday 7/5/2001: Castilla (TB) and Brown (PHI) win P.O.W. award The American League Player of the Week award goes to Vinny Castilla, Tampa Bay's starting third baseman. Castilla helped his team with an average of .318 and 9 RBI in 22 at bats. He got at least one hit each game this week and is on a 7 game hitting streak right now. He has hit 22 bombs while batting .298 this season. His 95 hits and 24 walks add up to a .348 on-base percentage. He's 8th in the American League in RBIs and 4th in homeruns! Philadelphia's leftfielder Brant Brown had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the National League Player of the Week. Brown helped his team with an average of .579 and 8 RBI in 19 at bats. Brown has hit for a .355 average this season. He has 36 extra base hits along with 177 total bases, resulting in a .610 slugging percentage. He's 3rd in the National League in batting! |
Thursday 7/1/2001: Los Angeles' Mulder named Pitcher of the Month It's the 17th time that the American League Pitcher of the Month award goes to Cleveland's pitcher Pedro Martinez. He struck out 53 hitters in his 6 starts, putting together a record of 6-0 while pitching 53 innings. His ERA in June was 1.24. Pedro pitched THREE complete game shutouts! Pedro has a record of 16-1 this season, with an ERA of 0.85. In 158.1 Innings he was able to strike out 184 batters. He has 10 complete games and 8 shutouts. He's 1st in the American League in ERA and 1st in wins! Mark Mulder pitched like a legend in June, and the National League named him Pitcher of the Month for his extraordinary performance. He had an ERA of just 2.11 in 42.2 innings of work in which he struck out 26 hitters. His record in June is 5-0. Mark pitched a shutout as well. His ERA of 3.77 helped him to a 7-2 record this year. He struck out 47 and walked 33 in 86 innings. Mark has pitched one shutout and 2 complete games. |
Thursday 7/1/2001: Houston's Tarasco named Batter of the Month The American League's best player of the month was Texas' Bernie Williams, who wins the award for the 6th time in his career. Williams helped his team with an average of .340 and 23 RBI in 100 at bats. Bernie is hitting .301 this year, with 84 hits in 279 at bats. He has driven in 60 runs, slugging .649. He's 8th in the American League in RBIs and 2nd in homeruns! Tony Tarasco of Houston wins his 1st Batter of the Month award for putting up the best numbers in the National League. He hit .427 with 24 RBI and slugged .719 in 89 at bats. This year Tarasco drove in 53 and scored 65 runs while batting .374 with 13 taters. He's 1st in the National League in batting! |
Monday 6/28/2001: St. Louis' Griffey jr. wins Player of the Week award New York (A)'s shortstop Gary Sheffield had some reason to celebrate, as the league named him the American League Player of the Week. Sheffield helped his team with an average of .375 and 12 RBI in 24 at bats. The National League's best player of the week was St. Louis' Ken Griffey jr., who wins the award for the 5th time in his career. He had an on base percentage of .538 and hit .455, while driving in 12 runs. |
Sunday 6/27/2001: Toby Hall uncorks cycle hits against Pittsburgh MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee's catcher Toby Hall once again displayed his tremendous ability to make contact with that little white ball. He tore up Pittsburgh's pitching staff with a 4 hit performance on Sunday. A double off Ugueth Urbina in the 3rd inning accounted for his 1st hit. A pitch from Ugueth Urbina in the 5th inning left his bat for a two-run homerun, landing 410 feet from home plate in right-center. A pitch from Chad Fox in the 7th inning left his bat for a triple. A single in the 8th off Juan Rincon accounted for his 4th hit. That drive completed the cycle, causing a smile on his face! Toby scored 2 runs, and he collected 3 RBI as well! He is hitting .274 this season, with 2 HR and 13 RBI. 72 players in league history have so far hit for the cycle, including Toby. On 6/4/2001, Brant Brown was the last player to hit for the cycle. |
Monday 6/21/2001: Chicago (N)'s Nieves wins Player of the Week award Cleveland's rightfielder Raul Ibanez had some reason to celebrate, as the league named him the American League Player of the Week. Raul went 14 for 27 (.519), while hitting 3 HR and collecting 9 RBI. Raul is hitting .341 this year, with 71 hits in 208 at bats. He has driven in 37 runs, slugging .534. He's 5th in the American League in batting! It's the 1st time that the National League Player of the Week award goes to Chicago (N)'s third baseman Melvin Nieves. Melvin pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .417 with 5 HR and 13 RBI while slugging 1.208. This year Nieves drove in 59 and scored 50 runs while batting .318 with 18 homeruns. He's 3rd in the National League in RBIs and 7th in homeruns! |
Saturday 6/19/2001: Richie Barker (CIN) will miss 5 weeks CINCINNATI - Cincinnati's right-hander Richie Barker suffered a severe injury on Saturday and will be out for at least 5 weeks. In the 7th of the game against Atlanta he experienced pain in his throwing arm and had to leave the game. After being examined by several specialists the diagnosis is clear: Spasms Back. His ERA of 3.06 helped him to a 0-1 record this year. He struck out 9 and walked 5 in 17.2 innings. |
Friday 6/18/2001: John Smoltz (SDN) will miss 10 weeks SAN DIEGO - San Diego's ace John Smoltz suffered a severe injury on Friday and will be out for at least 10 weeks. In the 3rd of the game against Milwaukee he experienced pain in his throwing arm and had to leave the game. Smoltz was rushed to an hospital near the ballpark, where doctors took x-rays. Those revealed the serious injury, Ruptured Bicep Tendon. John has a record of 7-4 this season, with an ERA of 3.71. In 85 Innings he was able to strike out 61 batters. |
Tuesday 6/15/2001: Mike Lansing out for 7 weeks OAKLAND - Being hit with a pitch is no fun at all. Especially when you get injured. Oakland's third baseman Mike Lansing will miss about 7 weeks after being hit by Brad Holman in the 4th inning of the game between Oakland and Toronto. After being taken to a local hospital, Lansing was examined by specialists. The diagnosis revealed the sad truth, a Fractured Wrist. Mike is hitting .370 this year, with 87 hits in 235 at bats. He has driven in 28 runs, slugging .540. He's 2nd in the American League in batting! |
Monday 6/14/2001: Nixon (TB) and Stevens (HOU) win P.O.W. award Trot Nixon wins his 1st Player of the Week award. American League pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. In 18 at bats he hit .611 with 4 HR and 7 RBI. Trot is hitting .298 this year, with 65 hits in 218 at bats. He has driven in 40 runs, slugging .518. The Player of the Week award in the National League goes to Houston's Lee Stevens this time, as the first baseman displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. Lee went 11 for 21 (.524), while hitting 3 HR and collecting 10 RBI. He got at least one hit each game this week and is on a 7 game hitting streak right now. |
Saturday 6/12/2001: San Diego's David Mccarty slams three taters HOUSTON - David Mccarty can hit'em a long way, and Houston pitchers couldn't smile about that today. San Diego's leftfielder unloaded three bombs, adding to his reputation of being one of the best power hitters in the game. His 1st blast, a two-run homerun off Brian Lawrence in the 3rd inning, landed an estimated 444 feet from home plate. Number 2 in the 5th inning, a shot estimated at 336 feet, cleared the wall in right field. A 381 foot drive to right-center marked his 3rd bomb, a two-run homerun off Steve Foster in the 7th inning. Overall he finished 4 for 5, stroking a double, scoring FOUR runs and collecting 6 RBI. Joe Oliver was the last player to hit 3 homeruns in a game, doing it 6/10/2001. San Diego scored 11 runs on 16 hits. |
Saturday 6/12/2001: Scott Chiamparino out for 6-7 weeks PITTSBURGH - When it rains, it pours. Pittsburgh's right-hander Scott Chiamparino will not pitch for at least 6-7 weeks, handing the team a huge setback. He suffered a serious injury in a game against Florida where he left the field in the 3rd inning. Chiamparino was rushed to an hospital near the ballpark, where doctors took x-rays. Those revealed the serious injury, Strained Bicep Muscle. Scott has a record of 3-2 this season, with an ERA of 4.64. In 54.1 Innings he was able to strike out 25 batters. |
Thursday 6/10/2001: Anaheim's Joe Oliver has great day, hits three longballs ANAHEIM - Hitting a homerun is fine, but hitting three of them in one game is something special. Anaheim's catcher Joe Oliver accomplished that feat in a 12-1 win over Texas. A 389 foot drive to right-center marked his 1st bomb, a three-run homerun off Darryl Kile in the 1st inning. Number 2 in the 3rd inning, a shot estimated at 378 feet, cleared the wall in left field. In the 5th inning he unloaded a two-run homerun off Jason Grimsley. Joe finished with 3 hits in 3 AB, with three runs scored with 6 RBI. So far this season he is batting .266 with 13 homers and 43 RBI. |
Thursday 6/10/2001: Brent Gates clubs five hits in a game MINNESOTA - Brent Gates punished Minnesota's pitching today, collecting five hits in 7 AB. That definitely helped Tampa Bay, they won the game 25 to 6. A pitch from Kevin Olsen in the 4th inning left his bat for a solo homerun, landing 353 feet from home plate in right field. Number 2 in the 5th inning accounted for a two-run double. Number 4 in the 7th inning accounted for a two-run double. His 5th hit, off Eddie Guardado in the 8th inning, was a three-run homerun and cleared the fence in left field. He had a single in the 6th, driving in one run. Brent did drive in 10 while scoring 3 runs on his own. He now has a total of 69 hits this season, accounting for a .300 batting average. |
Monday 6/7/2001: Minnesota's Naehring wins Player of the Week award Tim Naehring from Minnesota wins his 3rd Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the American League. Naehring helped his team with an average of .625 and 4 RBI in 24 at bats. He hit in every game this week and extended his hitting streak to 7 games. Tim has gone 64 for 211 (.303) this season, hitting 9 bombs and driving in 29 runs. He has scored 42 runs on his own. It's the 2nd time that the National League Player of the Week award goes to Philadelphia's leftfielder Brant Brown. Brant was on fire, hitting .414 with 4 HR and 9 RBI. His season features a batting average of .344 (72 hits in 209 AB), 8 doubles, 3 triples and 12 longballs. Brown collected 38 RBI and 35 runs as well. He's 6th in the National League in batting! |
Sunday 6/6/2001: Jimmy Rollins pounds three dingers ANAHEIM - Jimmy Rollins was in a groove, and the results spoke for themselves. He powered Detroit to a 6-3 win over Anaheim by homering three times. A pitch from Octavio Dotel in the 1st inning left his bat for a solo homerun, landing 348 feet from home plate in right field. A 411 foot drive to center field marked his 2nd bomb, a solo homerun off Octavio Dotel in the 4th inning. His 3rd blast, a solo homerun off Roger Pavlik in the 9th inning, landed an estimated 389 feet from home plate. Overall he finished 4 for 5, scoring three times with 3 RBI. So far this season he is batting .310 with 7 homers and 23 RBI. |
Friday 6/4/2001: Houston's Rhodes severely injured HOUSTON - When it rains, it pours. Houston's ace Arthur Rhodes will not pitch for at least 6 weeks, handing the team a huge setback. He suffered a serious injury in a game against Chicago (N) where he left the field in the 6th inning. Inflamed Rotator Cuff Muscle was the diagnosis after x-rays were taken in a nearby hospital. The message shocked teammates and team officials. This season Rhodes compiled an ERA of 3.77, going 6-3 in 13 starts. He fanned 58 while giving up 61 hits in 76.1 innings. |
Friday 6/4/2001: Brant Brown punishes Atlanta with four hits, cycle PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia's leftfielder Brant Brown once again displayed his tremendous ability to make contact with that little white ball. He tore up Atlanta's pitching staff with a 4 hit performance on Friday. His 1st hit was a triple off Willie Adams in the 1st inning. A single in the 3rd off Willie Adams accounted for his 2nd hit. A 447 foot drive to center field marked his 3rd hit, a solo homerun off Lariel Gonzalez in the 5th inning. That one tied it at 6 runs apiece. A pitch from John Flaherty in the 9th inning left his bat for a RBI double. His final hit of the game capped his performance as it won the game, setting the crowd on fire! That drive completed the cycle, causing a smile on his face! Brant did drive in 3 while scoring 3 runs on his own. This season has been a good one for him so far, as he has 71 hits in 203 at bats, resulting in a .350 batting average. He becomes the 71st player in league history collect at least a single, double, triple and a homerun in a single game. On 4/13/2001, Quinton Mccracken was the last player to hit for the cycle. |
Tuesday 6/1/2001: New York (N)'s Geoff Jenkins pounds five hits SAN FRANCISCO - 'You know, in batting practice I didn't really feel that comfortable about my stroke today, but baseball is more than hitting. Then, when you're not trying to force a hit, you slug them in droves,' says Geoff Jenkins after his 5 hit game, which New York (N) won 17-9 against San Francisco. In the 5th inning he unloaded a two-run homerun off Tim Redding. Number 3 in the 7th inning accounted for a double. In the 8th inning he belted a double off Paul Quantrill. Number 5 in the 9th inning, a shot estimated at 425 feet, cleared the wall in left-center. He collected a single in the 3rd, driving in one run. Geoff did drive in 5 while scoring 5 runs on his own. This season has been a good one for him so far, as he has 75 hits in 204 at bats, resulting in a .368 batting average. |
Tuesday 6/1/2001: Martinez and Pena receive Pitcher of the Month award Cleveland's Pedro Martinez had a terrific May, and it earned him the American League Pitcher of the month award. He went 6-0 in May and finished the month with an ERA of 0.79. He struck out 75 in 57 innings. Pedro pitched THREE complete game shutouts! Pedro has a record of 10-1 this season, with an ERA of 0.67. In 107.2 Innings he was able to strike out 131 batters. He has 6 complete games and 5 shutouts. He's 1st in the American League in ERA and 1st in wins! The best month of May in the National League certainly had San Diego's right-hander Juan Pena, earning him the Pitcher of the Month award. He went 5-0 in May and finished the month with an ERA of 1.07. He struck out 45 in 50.1 innings. Juan pitched THREE complete game shutouts! Juan has a record of 6-3 this season, with an ERA of 2.92. In 74 Innings he was able to strike out 66 batters. Juan has pitched 3 shutouts and 4 complete games. He's 4th in the National League in ERA and 7th in wins! |
Tuesday 6/1/2001: Kansas City's Martinez earns Batter of the Month award Kansas City's first baseman Tino Martinez had some reason to celebrate, as the league named him the American League Batter of the Month. Tino was on fire, hitting .402 with 9 homeruns and 29 RBI. This year Martinez drove in 38 and scored 32 runs while batting .313 with 13 longballs. San Diego's rightfielder David Mccarty had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the National League Batter of the Month. He had an on base percentage of .407 and hit .309, while driving in 32 runs. While compiling an on base percentage of .416, David hit .330 and slugged .731. He has collected 54 runs batted in this year. He's 1st in the National League in RBIs and 1st in homeruns! |
Monday 5/31/2001: Arizona's Everett wins Player of the Week award The Player of the Week award in the American League goes to Anaheim's Darin Erstad this time, as the centerfielder displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. He hit .571 with 10 RBI and slugged .929 in 28 at bats. The National League's best player of the week was Arizona's Carl Everett, who wins the award for the 5th time in his career. Carl pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .455 with 4 HR and 11 RBI while slugging 1.091. |
Thursday 5/27/2001: Jason Giambi blisters three bombs ST. LOUIS - Hitting homeruns is one of the most difficult things in sports. To hit three of them in one game is almost sensational. San Diego's first baseman Jason Giambi accomplished that feat in a 13-12 win over St. Louis. A pitch from Britt Reames in the 1st inning left his bat for a three-run homerun, landing 387 feet from home plate in right-center. Number 2 in the 5th inning, a shot estimated at 400 feet, cleared the wall in right-center. In the 7th inning he unloaded a solo homerun off Damaso Marte. Jason finished 3 for 5, scoring three runs with 6 RBI. So far this season he is batting .203 with 7 homers and 30 RBI. Tony Clark was the last player to hit 3 homeruns in a game, doing it 9/15/2000. San Diego improved its record to 27-22, scoring 13 runs on 17 hits. |
Thursday 5/27/2001: Alex Pacheco out for 5 weeks CINCINNATI - Cincinnati's right-hander Alex Pacheco suffered a severe injury on Thursday and will be out for at least 5 weeks. In the 9th of the game against Colorado he experienced pain in his throwing arm and had to leave the game. After being examined by several specialists the diagnosis is clear: Herniated Disc Back. This season Pacheco compiled an ERA of 3.18, going 1-1 in 0 starts. He fanned 20 while giving up 30 hits in 34 innings. |
Tuesday 5/25/2001: Todd Helton (TB) will miss 7 weeks TAMPA BAY - Tampa Bay's season has taken a hit after one of their best players, first baseman Todd Helton, injured himself while rounding a base. He is likely to miss 7 weeks. Helton was rushed to an hospital near the ballpark, where doctors took x-rays. Those revealed the serious injury, Torn Abdominal Muscle. While compiling an on base percentage of .445, Todd hit .310 and slugged .575. He has collected 22 runs batted in this year. |
Monday 5/24/2001: Kendall and Boone win Player of the Week award The American League Player of the Week award goes to Jason Kendall, Chicago (A)'s starting catcher. Jason was on fire, hitting .550 with 2 HR and 10 RBI. He got at least one hit each game this week and is on a 8 game hitting streak right now. Pittsburgh's second baseman Bret Boone had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the National League Player of the Week. In 22 at bats he hit .409 with 5 HR and 12 RBI. |
Thursday 5/20/2001: Kenny Rogers blanks San Diego with a 1-hitter PHILADELPHIA - Kenny Rogers, usually uneffective, had a great performance against San Diego on Thursday, pitching a 1-hitter for his 1st shutout of the season. 'I didn't feel that I had good stuff while warming up. But it got better the more I threw the ball. I guess I was lucky.' Rogers (3-3) struck out 4 and issued 4 BB, throwing 62 of 103 pitches for strikes. Damian Jackson provided Philadelphia with the offense Rogers needed as he finished 2 for 3, blasting a homerun, scoring 2 runs. The final score of the game was 4-0. |
Wednesday 5/19/2001: Juan Pena shuts out Philadelphia on one hit PHILADELPHIA - San Diego's right-hander Juan Pena is clearly one of the best pitchers in the game. Philadelphia found out the hard way, getting just one hit. Pena 2nd shutout this season was a masterpiece, as he was almost untouchable. He has now hurled 2nd shutouts in his career. 'I was able to keep´em off balance. That certainly helped.' Pena (4-3) struck out 8 and walked 2, throwing 68 of 117 pitches for strikes. David Mccarty helped Pena at the plate, he finished 3 for 4, hitting a double, scoring three times with 3 RBI. The final score of the game was 9-0. |
Monday 5/17/2001: Oakland's Beltran wins Player of the Week award The American League's best player of the week was Oakland's Carlos Beltran, who wins the award for the 2nd time in his career. He had an on base percentage of .484 and hit .464, while driving in 13 runs. Carlos managed to drive in at least one run in every game he played this week. Colorado's rightfielder Manny Ramirez had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the National League Player of the Week. In 25 at bats he hit .440 with 3 HR and 9 RBI. His season features a batting average of .273 (36 hits in 132 AB), 9 doubles, 3 triples and 5 taters. Ramirez collected 28 RBI and 30 runs as well. |
Wednesday 5/12/2001: Robin Ventura nabs five hits against Colorado COLORADO - 'You know, in batting practice I didn't really feel that comfortable about my stroke today, but baseball is more than hitting. Then, when you're not trying to force a hit, you slug them in droves,' says Robin Ventura after his 5 hit game, which Montreal won 9-2 against Colorado. His 1st hit, off Dave Mlicki in the 2nd inning, was a solo homerun and cleared the fence in right field. The game was tied, 1-1, after the blast. A pitch from Bill Risley in the 9th inning left his bat for a two-run homerun, landing 345 feet from home plate in right field. He had singles in the 4th , in the 5th (one RBI) and in the 7th . Robin scored 2 runs, and he collected 4 RBI as well! He's having a very good season so far, batting .339. |
Tuesday 5/11/2001: St. Louis' Oswalt out for 5-6 weeks ST. LOUIS - St. Louis is without its right-hander Roy Oswalt for at least 5-6 weeks. He injured himself while throwing a pitch to Fernando Tatis in a game against Philadelphia. His face showed signs of pain immediately after the ball left his hand. After being taken to a local hospital, Oswalt was examined by specialists. The diagnosis revealed the sad truth, a Ruptured Tricep Tendon. Opposing players hit .267 against Roy this season. While posting an ERA of 4.14 he went 3-2 in 7 starts, fanning 25 and walking 18 hitters. |
Tuesday 5/11/2001: Matt Morris (MIL) will miss 7 weeks MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee is without its ace Matt Morris for at least 7 weeks. He injured himself while throwing a pitch to Danny Bautista in a game against Arizona. His face showed signs of pain immediately after the ball left his hand. After being examined by several specialists the diagnosis is clear: Ruptured Elbow Ligament. Opposing players hit .292 against Matt this season. While posting an ERA of 5.15 he went 1-5 in 8 starts, fanning 37 and walking 19 hitters. |
Monday 5/10/2001: Pittsburgh's Higginson wins Player of the Week award Tony Batista wins his 2nd Player of the Week award. American League pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. Tony pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .409 with 4 HR and 10 RBI while slugging 1.091. Bobby Higginson wins his 4th Player of the Week award. National League pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. Bobby pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .524 with 5 HR and 10 RBI while slugging 1.286. He now has homered in 4 consecutive games as well! |
Saturday 5/8/2001: Kent Mercker dominates New York (N), throws NO-HITTER ST. LOUIS - With his best stuff going, St. Louis' Kent Mercker overmatched the opposing hitters all day long. New York (N) had no chance, getting NO hits against the left-hander. 'Giving my team a chance to win is the most important thing for me. I was able to do it today, and it's especially nice to do it in such fashion.' Mercker (3-1) struck out 7 and issued 4 BB, throwing 68 of 114 pitches for strikes. Jack Voigt provided St. Louis with the offense Mercker needed as he collected 2 hits in 4 trips to the plate, hitting two dingers, scoring two runs with 4 RBI. St. Louis scored 6 runs on 7 hits. |
Saturday 5/8/2001: Mike Kelly (CLE) will miss 5 weeks CLEVELAND - Cleveland's Mike Kelly suffered a serious injury Saturday in a game against Chicago (A). Kelly fell down while running the bases and couldn't get up without help. He will miss probably 5 weeks. Strained Posterior Cruciate Ligament was the diagnosis after x-rays were taken in a nearby hospital. The message shocked teammates and team officials. Kelly has hit for a .372 average this season. He has 14 extra base hits along with 68 total bases, resulting in a .562 slugging percentage. He's 4th in the American League in batting! |
Wednesday 5/5/2001: Pittsburgh's Rincon out for 6-7 weeks PITTSBURGH - Pittsburgh is without its right-hander Juan Rincon for at least 6-7 weeks. He injured himself while throwing a pitch to Desi Relaford in a game against Atlanta. His face showed signs of pain immediately after the ball left his hand. After being taken to a local hospital, Rincon was examined by specialists. The diagnosis revealed the sad truth, a Strained Bicep Muscle. In 0 starts this year Juan struck out 19 batters in 15 innings of work. His ERA is 1.80, his record 1-0. He's 1st in the National League in saves! |
Monday 5/3/2001: New York (A)'s Mack wins Player of the Week award New York (A)'s leftfielder Shane Mack had some reason to celebrate, as the league named him the American League Player of the Week. In 28 at bats he hit .464 with 3 HR and 11 RBI. Mack has walked 7 times this year and posts a .470 OBP. While batting .433, 45 for 104, he has driven in 33 runs. He's 1st in the American League in batting, 6th in homeruns and 1st in RBI! It's the 8th time that the National League Player of the Week award goes to San Diego's rightfielder David Mccarty. David went 14 for 27 (.519), while hitting 7 HR and collecting 15 RBI. His season features a batting average of .359 (33 hits in 92 AB), 8 doubles, no triples and 11 homeruns. Mccarty collected 27 RBI and 25 runs as well. He's 2nd in the National League in RBIs and 2nd in homeruns! |
Saturday 5/1/2001: Martinez (CLE) and Mahomes (CIN) win monthly pitcher award Cleveland's pitcher Pedro Martinez is the American League winner of the Pitcher of the Month award in April. His ERA of just 0.53 helped him to a 4-1 record in April. He worked 50.2 innings, striking out 56 hitters while walking 10. Pedro got two complete game shutouts as well! Cincinnati's Pat Mahomes had a terrific April, and it earned him the National League Pitcher of the month award. His ERA of just 1.20 helped him to a 2-2 record in April. He worked 30 innings, striking out 15 hitters while walking 10. |
Saturday 5/1/2001: Batter of the Month award winners announced Shane Mack of New York (A) wins his 5th Batter of the Month award for putting up the best numbers in the American League. Mack helped his team with an average of .415 and 30 RBI in 94 at bats. It's the 3rd time that the National League Batter of the Month award goes to Houston's first baseman Lee Stevens. Lee was on fire, hitting .391 with 9 homeruns and 24 RBI. |
Friday 4/30/2001: Bronson Arroyo fires 2-hitter against Detroit SEATTLE - Seattle's right-hander Bronson Arroyo will never forget this day. The 24-year old recorded his first career shutout, a 2-hitter, against Detroit on Friday. Arroyo (2-1) struck out 5 and issued 3 BB, throwing 68 of 123 pitches for strikes. 'Wow, what a nice day. I guess I had a good breakfast today.' The hitting star for Seattle was first baseman Troy Neel, he finished 2 for 4, homering once, with 4 RBI. The final score of the game was 11-0. |
Thursday 4/29/2001: Jeff Frye out for 5 weeks PITTSBURGH - Pittsburgh's shortstop Jeff Frye will miss at least 5 weeks after he got hurt seriously while running hard toward second base. He began limping and then fell down, causing a scary moment for his teammates. He had to be carried off the field. Torn Abdominal Muscle was the diagnosis after x-rays were taken in a nearby hospital. The message shocked teammates and team officials. His season features a batting average of .383 (31 hits in 81 AB), 8 doubles, no triples and no longballs. Frye collected 8 RBI and 14 runs as well. He's 7th in the National League in batting! |
Thursday 4/29/2001: Anaheim's Jeter severely injured ANAHEIM - Anaheim's season has taken a hit after one of their best players, shortstop Derek Jeter, injured himself while rounding a base. He is likely to miss 4-5 weeks. Jeter was rushed to an hospital near the ballpark, where doctors took x-rays. Those revealed the serious injury, Torn Abdominal Muscle. Jeter has walked 13 times this year and posts a .427 OBP. While batting .337, 30 for 89, he has driven in 19 runs. |
Monday 4/26/2001: Toronto's Sirotka wins Player of the Week award The American League's best player of the week was Toronto's Mike Sirotka, who wins the award for the 1st time in his career. Sirotka was overpowering all week long, going 2-0 with an ERA of 0.53. Along the way he struck out 8 in 17 innings. He hurled a shutout as well. The National League's best player of the week was Atlanta's Lance Berkman, who wins the award for the 1st time in his career. He had an on base percentage of .643 and hit .545, while driving in 10 runs. He got at least one hit each game this week and is on a 7 game hitting streak right now. |
Saturday 4/24/2001: Atlanta's Barry Larkin slams five hits CHICAGO (N) - 'Wow, five hits in one game is something special, isn't it?' said Atlanta's shortstop Barry Larkin after the 11-4 win over Chicago (N). In the 2nd inning he unloaded a solo homerun off Steve Avery. A pitch from Kyle Farnsworth in the 7th inning left his bat for a double. In the 9th inning he belted a double off Kyle Farnsworth. He had singles in the 4th and in the 5th . Barry scored 2 runs, and he collected one RBI as well! He now has a total of 16 hits this season, accounting for a .225 batting average. |
Monday 4/19/2001: Ordonez (DET) and Clark (CHC) win P.O.W. award Detroit's rightfielder Magglio Ordonez had some reason to celebrate, as the league named him the American League Player of the Week. Ordonez helped his team with an average of .522 and 6 RBI in 23 at bats. Magglio is hitting .354 this year, with 17 hits in 48 at bats. He has driven in 7 runs, slugging .583. The National League Player of the Week award goes to Tony Clark, Chicago (N)'s starting first baseman. Tony pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .462 with 3 HR and 9 RBI while slugging .923. |
Friday 4/16/2001: Melvin Nieves drills 5 hits CHICAGO (N) - On Friday, Chicago (N)'s third baseman Melvin Nieves displayed his sensational ability to handle the bat against Houston, punishing their pitchers with five hits. In the 1st inning he belted a RBI double off Gabe White. A pitch from Troy Percival in the 4th inning left his bat for a two-run homerun, landing 387 feet from home plate in left field. A pitch from Keith Glauber in the 5th inning left his bat for a double. His 5th hit, off Gregg Olson in the 8th inning, was a solo homerun and cleared the fence in left field. He had a single in the 2nd, driving in one run. Melvin did drive in 5 while scoring 3 runs on his own. He's having a very good season so far, batting .317. Chicago (N) scored 13 runs on 15 hits. |
Tuesday 4/13/2001: Quinton Mccracken uncorks cycle hits against Boston BOSTON - Quinton Mccracken led Toronto to a 7-5 win over Boston by squeezing four hits out of his bat. That's not the best part, though. He hit for the cycle as well! A single in the 3rd off Javier Vazquez accounted for his 2nd hit. His 3rd hit, a solo homerun off Javier Vazquez in the 5th inning, landed an estimated 365 feet from home plate. A pitch from Javier Vazquez in the 7th inning left his bat for a double. That drive completed the cycle, causing a smile on his face! Quinton did drive in one while scoring 2 runs on his own. He's having a very good season so far, batting .355. 70 players in league history have so far hit for the cycle, including Quinton. On 9/15/2000, Melvin Nieves was the last player to hit for the cycle. |
Monday 4/12/2001: Cruz jr. and Sosa win Player of the Week award The Player of the Week award in the American League goes to Anaheim's Jose Cruz jr. this time, as the centerfielder displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. Jose went 12 for 24 (.500), while hitting 4 HR and collecting 10 RBI. Sammy Sosa from Colorado wins his 5th Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the National League. Sammy pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .375 with 5 HR and 10 RBI while slugging 1.042. |
Sunday 4/11/2001: Philadelphia's Hernandez out for 7 weeks PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia's ace Livan Hernandez suffered a severe injury on Sunday and will be out for at least 7 weeks. In the 5th of the game against Florida he experienced pain in his throwing arm and had to leave the game. Hernandez was rushed to an hospital near the ballpark, where doctors took x-rays. Those revealed the serious injury, Bone Chips Elbow. |