Washington Nationals manager Jim Riggleman spoke for a franchise when asked about the latest exam to be performed on Stephen Strasburg's valuable right arm. "I'm very anxious about that," Riggleman said. Thursday was a day of suspense at Nationals Park as the 22-year-old right-hander underwent his second MRI in less than a week. Read more..
With three straight wins in Milwaukee, the Los Angeles Dodgers pulled themselves back into the NL wild-card race. Casey Blake hit a two-run homer and six Dodgers pitchers combined on a two-hitter as Los Angeles beat the Brewers 7-1 Thursday for a three-game sweep. "We've been saying all along, first let's try to put something together and then we'll see where we are," Dodgers... Read more..
Padres right-hander Chris Young has thrown another simulated game as he works his way back from a shoulder injury with the goal of pitching again this season. The 6-foot-10 Young threw 55 pitches in three innings Thursday before the NL West leaders hosted the last-place Arizona Diamondbacks. Young says he felt better as the simulated game progressed. Read more..
Jordan Zimmermann has been recalled by the Washington Nationals to make his first major league start of the season against the St. Louis Cardinals. Zimmermann returned to the big leagues Thursday, just more than a year after having elbow ligament replacement surgery. He last pitched for the Nationals on July 18, 2009, and had the operation on Aug. Read more..
There's something about the Phillies that brings out the best in the Houston Astros. Wandy Rodriguez pitched seven sharp innings, Carlos Lee homered and the Astros beat the Phillies 5-1 Thursday to complete their first four-game sweep in Philadelphia in 11 years. "Houston has been a team that for years has given us problems," Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins said. Read more..
Time for the beautiful game to move back inside the lines, 'cos the boys of summer are back in town.
Hot oven, make way for hot smashes. Time to turn away from Christmas turkey, and to turn two. No more getting overly excited about batting practice. Here comes baseball with attitude!
The smell of freshly-mowed grass and of grilled hot dogs, the sounds of bellowing vendors and of cracks of the bat echoing off berms, the sights of managers sitting outside dugouts and pitchers running sprints on the track... baseball's senses are all about to flood back in.
A fresh prologue to the summer season gets under way on Sunday, under the glare of the new Auckland Premier League Summer Series sun.
The five Auckland league teams will all take the main stage on Sunday in the new Summer Series, which sees a double round robin format draw, followed by the final, all in seven weeks of action packed baseball in the lead up to the National Club Championships.
Fittingly, the Spring Shield and reigning National champion Wildcats have leadoff honors with a 10:00 a.m. game at McLeod Park against the Angels.
This will be an authentic dress rehearsal for the 2010 National Championships, which will launch on February 26th at Lloyd Elsmore baseball park in Pakuranga.
Wildcats' manager Ken Sommers summed up his three Summer Series priorities: "No. 1 is to get the club ready for the Nationals. No. 2 is try to play .500 so the fans don't panic, and No. 3 is look at as many kids as you can."
West City's Daniel Bradley spoke for all Premier Leaguers, and their fans, who have reached the point of regarding intrasquad games and back-field drills as a tired act.
"We've all been itching and raring to go this summmer ... It's a good feeling to get back into the swing of things, and after taking out the Spring Shield the boys are raring to go for the new Summer Series," Bradley said.
Indeed, America's pastime, which is quickly becoming Auckland's, is moving back into the present. Unwrap at will.
