THE HOT CORNER: June 2009

(AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Umm. He's not a Machine ok.. He's just Albert.
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Face the facts, How can we honestly keep up with this game? How do you expect to be consistent at 'your job' everyday? Do you expect players like Albert Pujols to hit homers everyday? So how can you expect me to be on time with my blog. lol.
NO Excuses Jerry!
These past couple of weeks. Have been hectic.
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Headlines
The Yankees still can't beat Boston.
Sammy Sosa's positive test.
Halladay's injured.
AL/NL Cy Young Leaders Johan Santana/Zack Greinke off the mark.
Nationals 4 in a row? 20 wins? More wins than Adam Dunn's has homers? No way
D-Train(Dontrelle Wills) Derailed.
A-Rod benched?
The Chicago Cubs fire their hitting coach... later enjoy a 'Walk-Off Week'.
C.C. Sabathia Injured?
Colorado Rockies fire manager 'Clint Hurdle'.... later win 16 of 17.
And of course...Manny... Soon back to being Manny
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The averaged amount of games played so far in this season is around 69. So that means that every team has about 1,100+ innings left in the year. (not counting, extra-inning drama or 1-game wild card playoff games).

With the All-Star break coming up in about 3 weeks, there is plenty of time for teams to make a mini statement run.... to gain some momentum going into the trade-deadline and, of course, the famous 81-game sprint to October.
Let's Get to it!

"My Hot 5"
Albert Pujols(STL/1B) 8 home runs, 17 rbi's in 13 days. Come on. I need a drink after that stat. As if it couldn't get worse.....oh sorry, better. A healthy Pujols is as equal to McGwire + Bonds put together. He's my lock down pick to win the National League MVP Award. If they continue to pitch to him.
Through 69 games, he's posted a .329 batting average w/26 home runs and 68 rbi's. He's averaging a rbi a game.
On this pace, according to the 'mothership', 'The Machine' is projected to hit 61 home runs and drive-in 159 rbi's. Ridiculous, If you ask me. Honestly, I think he will hit 40 home runs by the All-Star break.

Prince Fielder(MIL/1B) The reason why I put Pujols, Fielder. 1 and 2 respectively. Because they are reason why their team is 1/2 in the NL Central. If these guys slump or get injured, the Cubs and Reds would be sniffin' first place. -Prince has a ton of power. A baseball bat to him is like a toothpick. Seriously. But this week. it's has been all about being productive. These past couple of weeks...he has drove in 13 runs....but has only hit 2 homers...Making the 'big fella' useful. Franchise em', 7 million ain't enough. 2009 stats: 17 hr's, 67 rbi's...and knockin' on the door of a .300 average.
PAY THE MAN
Mark Reynolds- This 2nd year stud's stock is on the rise. He's been nothing but promising these past couple of weeks. Since Jun 7th, 6 home runs and 16 rbi's 2009 stats: 19 hr's 49 rbi's....He's making $422,000. Look for a huge contract extension kid. You heard it from me first.

site maintenance....sorry. Check him him out on next week's blog

You can't ask for a better week in baseball. I don't know about you, but I was grinding my teeth and biting my nails all week. And it wasn't because of my Fantasy Baseball team... It was because you had.. Ichiro's hitting Streak, Randy Johnson's 300th win, the Yankees errorless streak, and of lot of extra-inning drama (i.e) A bullpen throwing a 9-inning no-hitter 'IN EXTRA INNINGS'..ridiculous.

This week was memorable because it was all about "Defying the Odds" and I know you're wondering.....what that means..... Here is a strange list about what i'm talking about:

Will there be another 300 game winner? Possibly... C.C Sabathia (NYY)?
Will there be a 56 game hitting streak, ever again? Ichiro Suzuki (Sea)...Maybe?
Will you see anyone steal 100 bases? Chone Figgins(LAA), Carl Crawford(TB), Jacoby Ellsbury(Bos)?
That's a taste..

With the media now-a-days in your face and in your ear, (worse now than ever)...How do you defy the odds? How can you compose yourself to perform, to the utmost potential, at 'your job' for 162 games?
Do you pull an A-Rod...do you even consult A-Rod(lol)? What happens when milestones come around? Sports Therapy is the Answer.

"My Hot 5"
Ichiro Suzuki(Sea/RF) Arguably, The Greatest Hitter of All-Time in Major League Baseball. Internationally, The Greatest Hitter of All-Time. Ichiro's resume, at his age, 'defies' not only baseball, but the laws of being human....therefore being a 'Robot'(5).
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-The youngest player to have amassed 3,000 hits at age 34(2008). (Japan+US)
-The fastest player to reach 1,800 hits. In 1,277 games.
-By the end of this year, and hopefully he doesn't get injured, He will have 2000 hits+ in 9 seasons in Major League Baseball.
-In each of those 9 seasons, and i'm guaranteeing this year, he has averaged 200+hits, 100+ runs, and batting above .300.

Those stats are incredible, but it's even more incredible that he's doing this at the age of 35.
I hope and I pray that he stays productive for the next 5 years, because I would love for this guy to have 3,000 hits. But to do it at age 40, with only 14 years of Major League Baseball experience. Insane.... I mean do you call it quits?... There is nothing that you have to prove . OR.. do you pursue ROSE? If you look at this amazing player.... I think he has enough 'energy' to get close, but you have to think that he has play at least 10 more seasons...putting his age to actually break Pete Rose's record of 4,256 hits at 45. I don't think it's possible, but it sure will be fun to watch when he hangs it up. --- Oh I forgot... why is this guy at the top spot on my blog? He just came off a 27 game hitting streak. He's batting .356(AL leader)

2. Ryan Howard(Phi/1B)- Big Howard-This guy's power is a thing of beauty. It's one of the reasons why he's making 15 million dollars and he's only in his 6th year. It's a shame that i'm saying this, but this guy will be a Hall-of-Famer. He's projected to hit 800 homer runs by 2021-2025. He already has 200 in 5 1/2 years,...also a Rookie of the Year & MVP Award. To top it off he got a World Series ring last season. If it was me... I would retire. This week: 5 home runs 13 rbi's (One Week!) 2009 stats: 17 hr's, 47 rbi's, .259 ba.

3. Adrian Gonzalez(SD/1B)- I know it's just June, but this year, when you think about the NL MVP Award... You can't leave out this guy. There's no question that the first names you think of are Ryan Howard and Albert Pujols(STL/1B)...but now you obviously now have to add Raul Ibanez(Phi/LF) and this guy. It's funny because he's in his 5th year too, but he's no Howard... His game is progressing week-to-week, now he's upgraded to opposite field home runs(ofhr). He leads the category in hr's and ofhr's. I over heard him in a 'call-in' appearance on Baseball Tonight(on ESPN) and he said, "Honestly, I don't think about it... I just want my team to win...if I see a good pitch to hit...I try to take advantage of it." And that is exactly what he has done. Productivity is the 2nd key to winning a championship...and there's no doubt that the Padres wouldn't be breathing if he wasn't in this lineup. This week: 4 hr's, 9 rbi's and 14 walks. Unreal! 2009 stats: 22 hr's, 43 rbi's, with a .278 ba.

4 & 5(respectively/l-r). Mark Teixeira(NYY/1B) Jason Bay(Bos/LF). It's funny how these two have been creeping up the ladder these past 3 weeks. From-Brewing-to Boiling-to Scorching. I expect these two to battle it out for the outright AL MVP title. Teixeira has the home run advantage(17), but Jason Bay is more productive (55 rbi's),... and they're batting averages are so close to each other.. It's hilarious how great these two are. I don't think they know it, but they are 'baseball step brothers'. The only difference is, Teixeira has more power and Bay is quicker.

Brewing

Nelson Cruz(Tex/RF)- Umm.. where did this guy come from? I'm too busy hyping up Jason Bay and Mark Teixeira that I'm forgetting that Texas has the hardest hitters in the league. And Mr. Cruz is putting dents in ballparks. 4 home runs and 7 rbi's this week. He is tied for the Major League lead with 17 home runs. He also has 42 rbi's and a .292 batting average. Funny stat: Nelson makes $408,070 while Bay/Tex make a combine amount of $28,425,000.

Pitcher Of The Week

The 'art' of winning 300 games..... To be honest is there an 'art'? If you really think about the life of a pitcher:
-You're going to have ups and downs. Hitters are going to remember you...hunt you down and eventually own you... right?
-The 'evolution' of hitters is going to progress. And you're eventually going to break down and give up...Right?
Who really knows...! But for some reason... some genius thought that there is a pitchers plateau. An apex...or a finish line that labels you officially... 'Dominant'.

Something…. that can't be taken away from you. Something…. that ever hitter who has ever played the game will respect. For some, it's unthinkable...for some, it's a mere dream. ...But for few, it's destiny. Some might say..... Divine right.

Randy Johnson's career has been nothing but awesome. There have been a lot of bumps in the road to his 300th win, but through them all he has maintained consistency. Through 21 years, 18 of them. he has finished with 10+ wins, 5 of them he had 'below .500 seasons', 5 seasons he had 300+ strikeouts, more than 1/10 of his wins are shoutouts, and exactly 1/3 of them have been complete games.

Other Notables

-Pitched a no-hitter for Seattle on 06-02-1990 against Detroit
-10-time All-Star (1990, 1993–95, 1997, 1999, 2000–02, 2004)
-Led the league in ERA four times (1995, 1999, 2001, 2002)
-Led the league in strikeouts nine times (1992–95, 1999, 2000–02, 2004)
-World Series co-MVP (2001)
-5 time Cy Young Award winner (1995, 1999–2002)
-Pitched a perfect game against the Atlanta Braves (May 18, 2004)- oldest pitcher to do so in -Major League history.

Who's Hot?
(Al/NL)

New York Yankees- Besides the fact that they have the best road record and the second best home record in the American League....Please factor in that this team is just hitting the ball well. They are second in the AL in runs scored(321) and batting average(.278). and 1st in the league in slugging(.480), on base-percentage(.357), and on base percentage + slugging(ops) (.837). Plus they have won 7 of their past 10.

Philadelphia Phillies- If I told you that they have the 2nd worst earned run average in the league...Then you would have asked me, why they are considered 'hot'. I would've told you to read the blog more often. The reason why this team will make the playoffs again...is because of hitting. Ibanez, Utley, Howard and company have the 2nd most runs in the league. They also lead the league in slugging(.463) and ops(809).

VOTE FOR THE 2009 ALL-STAR GAME HERE