Andy Pettitte Is A Hall Of Fame Pitcher
Lefthander Andy Pettitte and the New York Yankees defeated the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 5-2 Sunday night in the Bronx to capture their 40th American League Pennant.
Pettitte, 37, a two-time All-Star selection who has accumulated the most victories of any MLB pitcher since 1995, allowed only seven hits and one earned run in 6 1/3 innings.
''He did what he has done his whole career,'' said Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter of the 2001 ALCS MVP.
The native of Texas is set to make his eighth appearance in the World Series when the Yankees host the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday evening.
Many onlookers have long considered Pettitte to be a serviceable pitcher who is not among baseball's elite hurlers.
Those skeptics are simply incorrect.
Andy Pettitte, who has a career record of 229-135 and owns a .629 winning percentage, is a spectacular talent and he should garner serious Hall of Fame consideration when he eventually retires.
With his victory Sunday, Pettitte passed John Smoltz for the most postseason wins in history and he also established the record for the most series-clinching victories with five.
Additionally, Pettitte, a four-time World Series champion, has twice been a 20-game winner and he has never endured a losing season in his entire professional career.
Last September, Pettitte started the last game for the Yankees at the old Yankee Stadium.
Don't be surprised if Pettitte is the pitcher that leads New York to their first World Series championship at the New Yankee Stadium.
Pettitte was once quoted as saying, ''Whatever I do, I love to win. I don't care if it's tennis or ping pong. I'll kill myself to win it.''
Thankfully for Pettitte, he wins much more than he loses.
(c) 2009 Bleacher Report, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Andy Pettitte Is A Hall Of Fame Pitcher
Lefthander Andy Pettitte and the New York Yankees defeated the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 5-2 Sunday night in the Bronx to capture their 40th American League Pennant.
Pettitte, 37, a two-time All-Star selection who has accumulated the most victories of any MLB pitcher since 1995, allowed only seven hits and one earned run in 6 1/3 innings.
''He did what he has done his whole career,'' said Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter of the 2001 ALCS MVP.
The native of Texas is set to make his eighth appearance in the World Series when the Yankees host the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday evening.
Many onlookers have long considered Pettitte to be a serviceable pitcher who is not among baseball's elite hurlers.
Those skeptics are simply incorrect.
Andy Pettitte, who has a career record of 229-135 and owns a .629 winning percentage, is a spectacular talent and he should garner serious Hall of Fame consideration when he eventually retires.
With his victory Sunday, Pettitte passed John Smoltz for the most postseason wins in history and he also established the record for the most series-clinching victories with five.
Additionally, Pettitte, a four-time World Series champion, has twice been a 20-game winner and he has never endured a losing season in his entire professional career.
Last September, Pettitte started the last game for the Yankees at the old Yankee Stadium.
Don't be surprised if Pettitte is the pitcher that leads New York to their first World Series championship at the New Yankee Stadium.
Pettitte was once quoted as saying, ''Whatever I do, I love to win. I don't care if it's tennis or ping pong. I'll kill myself to win it.''
Thankfully for Pettitte, he wins much more than he loses.
(c) 2009 Bleacher Report, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Manuel, Thome share 'Natural' bond
PHILADELPHIA -- Charlie Manuel had such a good feeling about Jimmy Rollins that he had to share it with somebody.
He spotted Jim Thome in the visitors' dugout at Citizens Bank Park as Rollins walked to the plate with Carlos Ruiz on first base and Eric Bruntlett on second base with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning Monday in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series. The Dodgers had a one-run lead with closer Jonathan Broxton on the mound. The Phillies had a shot, but the odds were against them.
But Manuel had a hunch, so when he caught Thome's eye he signaled toward right field that Rollins was going to get a hit.
"It wasn't like I was joking or kidding or nothing," Manuel said.
Manuel said Thome shook his head no, like, no that would not happen.
"I had a real good feeling," Manuel said.
Rollins delivered. He doubled to right-center field to score Bruntlett and Ruiz to win the game, 5-4, and give the Phillies a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. If the Phils beat the Dodgers in Game 5 on Wednesday night, they will secure their second consecutive trip to the Fall Classic as they try to become the first National League team to win consecutive World Series since the 1975-76 Reds.
So what did Thome think of Manuel calling Rollins' shot?
"I saw him messing around a little bit," Thome said during a workout Tuesday. "Been around him so long. He was saying he'd get a fastball down and he's going to whack it. I know what he's doing. I don't pay too much attention. That's his way of loosening himself up."
Thome and Manuel have known each other since Thome came up through the Indians' farm system and Manuel was managing in the Minors. Manuel famously helped Thome refine a swing that helped him hit 564 home runs, which could land him in the Hall of Fame.
The story goes that Manuel, while managing Cleveland's Triple-A team in Charlotte in 1993, saw a few players watching "The Natural" in the clubhouse in Scranton. Thome had been scuffling, and Manuel wanted to help.
"I had been working with Thome about loading up," Manuel said.
Manuel noticed Robert Redford, who played Roy Hobbs, held up his bat straight toward the pitcher before he brought it back into his hitting position. Manuel thought that would be a perfect way for Thome to load up before he got ready for the pitch.
"That's you," Manuel told Thome that day. "That's what you need."
Manuel said Thome hit a home run that night.
"From that day on, that's how he stood and that's how he loaded," Manuel said.
Thome didn't recall that conversation as vividly as Manuel, but he recalls the relationship the two had together in Cleveland and Philadelphia before the Phillies traded Thome to the White Sox after the 2005 season.
"The one thing we had that worked well is that I trusted him," Thome said. "Whatever he would say, I would try. It worked out. From that point on, I kind of kept doing it. It was good. It helped me relax and not get stiff. I think my preload, I didn't have a lot of rhythm. Charlie noticed that and said let's try this. And you know what? It worked.
"I probably wouldn't be here [without Manuel]. I've said this from Day 1. Charlie was a guy, not only for me, but he was a guy that personally backed up. When people didn't necessarily believe in our talents, he was a guy that took that extra mile to make sure that people supported us and rooted for us and gave us that opportunity.
"When we came up in Cleveland in the early '90s, we were young players and we needed to be taught how to play the game," Thome added. "And this guy was one of the guys that really, truly backed us."
Manuel still has Thome's back, but not Wednesday night. He wants to win and get back to the World Series, and Thome would like nothing more than to send the NLCS back to Los Angeles for Game 6 on Friday.
(c) 2001-2009 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. All rights reserved.
Hall of Fame wants Kouzmanoff's glove
Cooperstown is getting Kevin Kouzmanoff's glove. But it isn't getting the glove.
A day after the Padres' third baseman set a single-season record for National League third basemen with a .990 fielding percentage, the National Baseball Hall of Fame asked Kouzmanoff if he would donate a glove that he used at some point during the season.
To that, Kouzmanoff replied by telling the team, "I have to pick the glove. They aren't getting my gamer!"
Kouzmanoff committed only three errors in 311 total chances at third base this year, breaking the old fielding-percentage mark of .987, set by Rockies third baseman Vinny Castilla in 2004.
(c) 2001-2009 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. All rights reserved.
Glaus Makes Cardinals' Postseason Roster
Troy Glaus will be on the St. Louis Cardinals' roster for their first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Dodgers despite missing most of the season while rehabbing from shoulder surgery.
After a two-hour workout Monday that stressed fundamentals, manager Tony La Russa said Glaus showed him enough in the last few weeks to think he could be helpful off the bench. But the manager said Mark DeRosa will be his starting third baseman.
Pujols stuck on 47 homers since Sept. 9: With nearly a month to go in the regular season, Albert Pujols had enough home runs to win his first title. Just enough, as it turned out.
It's been 79 at-bats, the longest drought of his storied career, since the St. Louis Cardinals' star went deep for Nos. 46 and 47 at Milwaukee on Sept. 9. Pujols doesn't want to hear about it, and insists he's 100 percent.
"I feel good," Pujols said after going a quiet 1-for-5 Sunday. "I feel really good."
Rays fire hitting coach: The Tampa Bay Rays have fired hitting coach Steve Henderson following a season in which the Rays set team records for runs, home runs, on-base percentage and walks.
Henderson had been with the Rays organization for 12 seasons, including five as hitting coach. The team also said Monday that the position of quality assurance coach held by former big leaguer Todd Greene has been eliminated.
Strasburg makes professional debut: Stephen Strasburg didn't put a lot of expectations on himself for his first time out as a professional pitcher.
He just wanted to get out there and throw again.
"It's something I love to do," the 21-year-old said Monday after making his first outing for the Nationals in an Instructional League game against Detroit. "It's been a little tough."
The No. 1 draft pick allowed one run and three hits in two innings, striking out two.
Hall of Fame comes calling for Kouzmanoff's glove: Kevin Kouzmanoff of the San Diego Padres is willing to accommodate the Hall of Fame, to a point.
A day after Kouzmanoff set a single-season record for NL third basemen with a .990 fielding percentage, the Hall of Fame asked if he'd donate a glove that he used during the season.
"I have to pick the glove," Kouzmanoff said. "They aren't getting my gamer!"
Mets shake up coaching staff: After a miserable season full of baserunning blunders and fielding miscues, the New York Mets made several changes to their coaching staff Monday.
First base coach Luis Alicea was fired and third base coach Razor Shines will have a different role next season. Bench coach Sandy Alomar also lost his job, but will be offered another position in the organization.
Source says Hoffman, Brewers agree to deal: All-time saves leader Trevor Hoffman agreed Monday to a one-year, $8 million contract to return to the Brewers next season.
A person with direct knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press that it includes a mutual option for 2011 that could be worth up to an additional $8.5 million. The person requested anonymity because the contract had not been formally announced.
That announcement will be made Wednesday. ESPN.com previously reported an agreement had been reached. Foxsports.com reported the contract terms.
Originally published by Associated Press.
(c) 2009 Tulsa World. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.
Fall Classic remains elusive dream for some
Many must wait 'til next year for first shot at World Series .
As sand seeps through the September hourglass, October on the horizon signifies different things to different baseball nobility.
For players on playoff-bound teams, it is another shot at validation.
But for veterans whose long Major League journeys have strayed off the yellow-brick road, it is the sound of another door being slammed in their faces.
Another season gone. Another prayer unanswered. Another chilly offseason, wondering whether they'll get to look down from atop the mountain.
Passing through a baseball life as a champion player without a World Series championship -- which has a certain ring to it -- is a helpless paradox. No batter has the power, or finesse pitcher the command, to make it happen.
All Ken Griffey Jr., the current icon of missing out, will say about it is, "It takes more than one person to get a ring."
Junior has played 21 seasons and more than 2,600 games without even a shot at that ring, which makes him the Ernie Banks of his generation.
Banks' sentence with the 1953-71 Cubs is legend. A Hall of Fame career of 19 seasons and 2,528 games and no World Series. Griffey's denial has now exceeded that.
Maybe Banks was just born too soon. Under modern rules, he and the 1969 Cubs would have made the postseason as the NL Wild Card while finishing eight games behind the Mets in the East in the first season of division play.
But, for the most part, Banks kept some bad company; his Cubs were a cumulative 258 games below .500. Ditto for Griffey, who began this week minus-141 with his teams (Mariners, Reds, White Sox).
In his hunger, Griffey is hardly alone.
For every Cole Hamels, who was King Cole of the 2008 World Series at 24, there are many pitchers who have toed the rubber hundreds of times without being sized for the ring. For every Evan Longoria celebrating his 23rd birthday in the '08 Fall Classic, many players became classics without at least getting to take a swing in the World Series spotlight.
For some, possible redemption: Alex Rodriguez, the most productive and highest profile player to never appear in a World Series, or Darren Oliver, a 38-year-old left-hander who delivered his first big league pitch at 22.
For others hopelessly behind the postseason's velvet rope, only that familiar empty feeling.
"All the individual stuff is already taken care of," said Lance Berkman, the first baseman swept out of the 2005 World Series with the rest of the Astros. "You're an established Major League veteran. The only thing left is the World Series and winning a ring."
At least Berkman, 11 seasons and 1,500 games in, has been there.
Jason Kendall, the still-ironman catcher of the Brewers at 35, has not, after 14 seasons and nearly 2,000 games.
Does he think about that?
"Every day," said Kendall, whose postseason forays with the 2006-07 A's and '08 Brewers all dead-ended in the Division Series. "Please ... that's what you play the game for.
"Getting to the playoffs is everything you think it's going to be, and more," added Kendall, "and obviously winning the ring is the ultimate. That's what you dream about when you're a kid and you go in the backyard to play Whiffle Ball. That's what it's all about. Hopefully, it [still] happens for me."
Kendall had lost his rank as the Majors' senior player without a postseason appearance when he got there in 2006; it came after 1,545 big league games.
Using that as a benchmark for position players (pitchers falling into another category), of the 11 actives who have played more games without reaching a World Series, six in addition to Griffey and Kendall won't be there this time either (games played through Sept. 28):
• Carlos Delgado (2,035)
• Miguel Tejada (1,865)
• Mike Cameron (1,823)
• Adrian Beltre (1,675)
• Carlos Lee (1,635)
• Carlos Beltran (1,558)
Of the seven others with comparable experience without rings, all are on playoff-bound teams with the exception of the only such veteran without as much as a postseason moment, Randy Winn (1,598) of the Giants.
Guys like Winn don't get blessed people like Jason Marquis, who has pitched for playoff teams every season since his 2000 debut -- the '00-'03 Braves, '04-'06 Cardinals and '07-'08 Cubs -- and is on track to maintaining that record of perfect attendance with the Rockies.
"I don't take it for granted, and I've enjoyed every moment of it," Marquis said. "I love to win. Every spring, I'm excited by the possibility of winning.
"It's been the blessing of being put in the right position -- I've been on teams where talented people feed off each other's energy and pull in the same direction -- and a lot of hard work. It's been fun to be a part of, and I hope it doesn't end soon."
Marquis' patron saint could be Kenny Lofton, the ultimate human talisman. The lithe outfielder appeared in 11 postseasons in the 13-year period from 1995 through 2007, in whatever uniform he happened to be wearing, which were plentiful. He ended those 13 seasons with 10 different teams and beamed each into October save for the 2005 Phillies -- who missed out on the NL Wild Card by one game to the Astros.
So close to postseason perfection.
The ring is elusive.
Omar Vizquel, a two-time World Series runner-up with the Indians (1995, '97) gave it a good ride with Texas, but when the Rangers faded down the stretch, he was left without the jewelry 2,740 games into a career he hopes has at least one more season in it
No active pitcher has appeared in more games than Trevor Hoffman (979) without winning the ultimate game.
Does he think about that?
"All the time," said Hoffman, who along with the other San Diego Padres made a cameo in the 1998 Classic -- they were swept out by the Yankees. "You want to at least check off, 'Going to the World Series.' Not that many people get the opportunity to win it. A runner-up ring isn't the same as a world championship ring, but it's something."
At 38, Brian Giles can relate. He played in the 1997 World Series with the Indians, losers to Florida, at 26. Twelve years and 1,660 games later, the current Padres' veteran hasn't been back.
"Once you get there, especially as a young player, you expect to get back there every year," Giles reflected. "Once you get a little older, you realize how difficult that is to do. That's why I think it's so hard to win even one. You win one, and I bet you can really appreciate it a lot. It takes 25 guys to make that happen."
The postseason, not so elusive. Not anymore, with triple-tiered playoffs, which are far more lenient than the pre-1969 World Series-or-bust landscape.
Joe Torre, a postseason managerial mainstay for the 14th consecutive season with the Yankees and the Dodgers, never got there during an accomplished playing career of 18 years and 2,209 games. So Banks' misery was not private.
Getting there, however, often merely exposes modern players to the vagaries of the postseason, the "anything-can-happen-in-a-short-series" dictum. In 2006, the Cardinals won 83 games, then won the World Series. In 2008, the Angels won 100 then were one-and-done.
"Getting to the World Series is not something you can plan," Tejada said. "I'm going to play this game to get to the playoffs and the World Series, but if I don't get there it's not a disappointment because many guys don't get to the World Series."
"I'd love to win a World Series," said Berkman. "We'd all love to do that, and that's why we play. But if it doesn't happen ... ."
In retirement, he wouldn't be endlessly haunted by that.
"I'm not going to feel like my career is a bust. If my career wound end today, I'd be perfectly happy with everything that's happened," Berkman said.
Pride indeed cometh before the Fall Classic.
"[The commitment to play] is such an investment, that you can't say, 'I'm only in it to win the ring.' There's much more that goes into it than that," Hoffman said. "I play because I like the game, not necessarily just to stay in it to win a ring."
"It's not a lost season," Kendall said. "You go out and play to the end because you're a professional, and see what happens."
Mike Sweeney, a five-time All-Star and near-.300 lifetime hitter, has played 15 years and 1,400 games without tasting, feeling or hearing the postseason. Still, it is hard for him to think it has all been for naught.
"I have played the game hard for my entire career and have tried to play with integrity my entire career," Sweeney said. "So if it's not in the cards for me to win a ring then I won't be a defeated person.
"It is definitely something I would miss, but every time I would look in a mirror there would be a lot of satisfaction knowing I did it the right way. If my career ended today, I would be a very proud and happy man with or without a ring."
(c) 2001-2009 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. All rights reserved.
MLB whispers: Nolan Ryan could leave Texas Rangers
Rather than a four-year contract, Nolan Ryan now admits he received only a handshake deal from the financially challenged Tom Hicks to be president of the Rangers. He says he will walk away if a new owner doesn't want to keep him. ...
The Indians are taking heat for insisting on getting 19-year-old Jason Knapp from the Phillies in the Cliff Lee deal. Knapp was on the disabled list at the time, but no one anticipated he would need shoulder surgery, which he had last week. ...
The Yankees find themselves with a difficult decision to make on re-signing left fielder Hideki Matsui (right), who is making a classic salary drive. Twelve of his first 25 home runs were lefty-lefty deliveries, giving him the most on the team off left-handed pitchers. ...
After dropping two of three at Fenway Park last week, the Angels have to be dreading a likely first-round series against the Red Sox. The Red Sox eliminated them in the first round in 2004, '07 and '08, with the Angels going 1-9 in those series. ...
Frank Thomas lost a distinction when David Ortiz passed him as the all-time home run leader at designated hitter. With 521 career homers, Thomas shouldn't need it for election into the Hall of Fame's Class of 2015. ...
The Nationals are loving what they're seeing from shortstop Ian Desmond, who looks like a long-term fit. ...
One plank on Joe Mauer's MVP platform: He's hitting .381 with runners in scoring position, compared with a .270 average for Mark Teixeira. Miguel Cabrera, the likely No. 3 in this vote, is hitting .295 with RISP, compared with .332 overall. ...
Joe McEwing's Class A Kannapolis team was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, but Baseball America ranked the White Sox hire as the top managerial prospect in the South Atlantic League. ...
Jarrod Washburn's problems in Detroit stem from a bad left knee, which has knocked him out of the rotation for the foreseeable future. Washburn had been the AL Pitcher of the Month for the Mariners in July. ...
The Rockies' Jorge De La Rosa was 0-6 in April and May but has run his record to 15-9 as his team has won 16 of his last 19 starts. His eight shutout innings Wednesday against the Giants marked him as a guy capable of continuing his roll in the postseason, as Jose Contreras did for the White Sox in 2005. ...
The Rays' Wade Davis threw 124 pitches in only his third start. Eight teams haven't had any 120-pitch starts this season (Orioles, White Sox, A's, Mariners, Diamondbacks, Marlins, Padres and Nationals). The A's, Mariners and Nationals haven't had a 120-pitch start in either of the last two years. ...
The Cardinals aren't expected to talk contract with potential free agents Matt Holliday, Mark DeRosa and Joel Pineiro until their season is over. Holliday could be the Teixeira of the next free-agent period, in too much demand for the Cardinals to keep him. ...
The Rays are sold on outfielder Desmond Jennings, which means they will look to trade B.J. Upton or Carl Crawford.
(c) Chicago Tribune.
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