Home Run Derby

The Presidents bum rushed the Padre in the Mascot Battle between Church and State … so it’s time for another Mascot Bracket Showdown.

We’re headed back to the aviary (the Feather Division) for a second round showdown between two feathered NL Central mascots who like biting female fans (and who doesn’t?)

#1 - Pirate Parrot (Pittsburgh Pirates) vs #5 Fredbird (St. Louis Cardinals)

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Apparently, Boston ain’t big anough for two hot, blonde sideline reporters.
Specifically, ESPN’s Erin Andrews and NESN’s Heidi Watney.

Here’s a screenshot from a recent Red Sox game at Fenway with the two sideline temptresses du jour in the same picture.

Whoa. That sure looks like Erin Andrews is checking out NESN reporter Heidi Watney’s behind.
And Andrews doesn’t look happy about it. She’s got that same “pissed off look” she gave Joba Chamberlain a few months back.

Watney seems to know something is up, too. Probably because her ass is burning up from the eye-lasers Andrews is firing at it.

Does ESPN’s Alpha Hottie sense some competition? Could this turn ugly when both of them go to interview/grab the bicep of Jason Varitek at an upcoming Sawx game?

Who ya got?

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hat tip: Barstool Sports

So during the opening pomp and circumstance before last night’s All-Star Game, the Living Hall of Famers at each position were in Yankee Stadium to greet the starting 2008 All-Stars as they were introduced to the crowd.

It was a great moment to see living legends from the Hall of Fame out there on the same field with the 2008 All-Stars. 

But there was one glaring omission. 
And it was at second base. 

As Chase Utley and Dustin Pedroia came out during the introductions, they got to meet Hall of Fame Second Basemen Rod Carew, Bill Mazeroski, and Ryne Sandberg. 

But not Joe Morgan. 

Did Morgan develop another flareup of the dreaded disese Ryne-itis (also known as Sandberg Syndrome) wherein those afflicted can’t be anywhere near the man who broke Morgan’s HR record for Second Basemen?  As you’ll recall, Joe Morgan was conspiculously absent at Sandberg’s Hall of Fame induction in 2005. 

It’s not like Joe didn’t know how to get to Yankee Stadium … he was in the building the night before when he announced the 2008 Home Run Derby. 

No, I think this is just another case of Joe Morgan not wanting to share ANY stage with Ryne Sandberg. 

It’s a shame when the Vice-Chairman of the Baseball Hall of Fame doesn’t show up for events like this if Sandberg is there. 

It perpetuates the belief that Morgan’s putting himself before the game for personal reasons … even if that’s not the reason.

Update:  We have learned Joe Morgan was a participant in the All-Star Parade before the Game, so it’s not as if he left New York after the Home Run Derby. 

Parade Hat Tip - the not awful Awful Announcing, who agrees with HRD that Joe Morgan is ducking Sandberg.

Only one week left in the First Half of the 2008 Home Run Derby Contest.

And suddenly … the top of the standings are very interesting.  Last week, I said that the 1st Half crown was out of reach for anyone besides Belichoke.   Go figure that another one of my predictions falls flat.

Belichoke (268 HR) still leads all, but his lead (which was recently 11 Home Runs) is down to a deuce over The Joba Rules (266). 

Third Place changes just about every week, so it should be no surprise that a fresh face is there again.  Herby’s Heroes (258 HR) jumped up to grab a shot at glory …. but willl have to fight off three teams who have been near the leaderboard all season long - Suck It, Sultans of Swat, and Gluck Fu! as well as a surging Team MiniVan

Best week this week went to Team Minivan with 27 HR.  Minivan is hot and cold - they led the Derby three weeks ago with 26 HR and then barely scored 28 combined HR the follwing two weeks.

Standings are updated.

For the third straight week, Joba Rules the Derby.  Joba was the first to cross the century mark and with 112 HR, he has a comfortable lead as we approach the season’s quarter-pole.

Following Joba is a second place tie (105 HR) between Oaktags and Herby’s Heroes.  Belichoke trails them by a single HR.

For the first time this season, no Derby team tallied 20 Home Runs for the week.  But two teams came real close as the Husband/Wife duo of Homersaurus Rex and Annimals each tallied 19 HR to make a move on the leaderboard.

Worst week went to Go Yanks! with a pathetic 4-HR showing.  Believe it or not - that showing is not a record bad in HRD.  Last season, the aforementioned Annimals posted a 3-spot … twice.  Mind you … Go Yanks! running two-week total of only 10 HR is a HRD record for two-week futility.  Any guesses who’s in last place … by 12 HR?

Stud of the Week

Kevin Youkilis

Yooouk belted Five Home Runs last week after only hitting three in the prior six weeks (includes the trip to Japan). 

Too bad only two derby teams (JoBu and Russellmania) had Youk … and they’re both a ways behind the leaders.

Who’s Hot

• Dan Uggla (4 HR) - That’s the second straight week that Uggla has put up a 4-spot for six Derby players.  During Uggla’s short career, only 17 players have hit as many Home Runs (69 or more).
• Chris Young (3 HR) -
• Jermaine Dye (3 HR) - Nice to see Dye back on track for a while.  If you’re keeping track, yes, that’s three straight Group C Players on the Hot ist.  No one had all three players.
• Joey Votto (3 HR) - We already talked about Votto.  Outside of that 3-HR game, he only batted .125 last week.  Only one team has Votto in the Derby.

Who’s Cold

• Victor Martinez - Has a big HR Donut on the season and he hasnb’t been hurt.
• Andruw Jones - Moving to Chavez Ravine was a BAD idea.
• Ken Griffey Jr. - Stalled at 597

On Monday Night, Torii Hunter hit a ninth inning Grand Slam to extend the Angels’ streak of winning 162 straight games while leading after the 8th inning.

Last night, the Cleveland Indians’ Travis Hafner broke that streak with a 2-Run Shot to beat the Angels.

Good God.  No Doubt about it.  Pronk annihilated that pitch.

In the bottom of the ninth, the Rally Monkey was AWOL.

HRD Contest Standings will not be updated today.

I strongly dislike White Sox catcher AJ Pierzynski. However - he plays heads up baseball with passion and intelligence and always seems to succeed, so I’d probably like (not love) him on my team.

On Friday, during AJP’s regular stint on Mike North’s morning show on WSCR AM670, Pierzynski was asked if he was disappointed about not starting the opener of weekend tilt against their crosstown rival Chicago Cubs after having sat the day before …

“Of course, I’m disappointed. You’re kidding, right? … How come no one asks me if I need a rest?”

I like that. I like a player who wants to play every day. Even if he’s a catcher and his knees are at risk.

But don’t challenge Ozzie Guillen - the most thin-skinned Senor Machismo that MLB has ever known. Ozzie decided to call in to North’s show about it to complain about North questioning his lineup decisions … and immediately started dropping F-Bombs on live radio. Take a listen yourself.

This makes for Great Radio, but is Ozzie Guillen really that sensitive towards someone wondering why the starting catcher wouldn’t play in one of the bigger rivalry games of the season? This wasn’t a known Sox hater like Jay Mariotti asking the questions either. It was Mike North - a known White Sox cheerleader on the Sox’ radio flagship.

Of course, Pierzynski played on Saturday and Sunday and capped off the weekend by hitting a Grand Slam on Sunday. Which is why AJP should have been playing on Friday.

As a Mothers Day Gift to my wife, Home Run Derby is going to be real quiet this weekend. She’s ecstatic.

Check back on Monday to see how many Home Runs were hit on Mothers Day and consequently, how much scratch Home Run Derby will be donating to the Susan G Komen Foundation ($10 for each Home Run).

The Derby Standings have been updated. Last update till Monday.

Have a great weekend!

Joe Saunders, pitcher for the California Angels (and the only Virginia Tech Alum in Major League Baseball) pauses before Friday night’s game in honor and remembrance of the victims of Monday’s tragedy at his Alma Mater.

He was granted special permission by MLB to wear his college cap during the game.