Six-pack for Friday
-- Jamie Moyer has been big league teammates with six guys who are already in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
-- San Diego Padres have been around for 40 years; they've never had a pitcher throw a no-hitter, and no Padre batter has hit for the cycle.
-- Arizona led the Marlins 7-0 in 6th inning but lost by seven runs, as their bullpen got drilled for ten runs in 8th inning. Diamondbacks have been outscored 76-54 in the 8th inning this season.
-- Livan Hernandez is first pitcher in Mets' history to allow 3+ runs in the first inning of three consecutive starts.
-- There are 6,494 entrants in the Main Event at the World Series of Poker; first prize will be a hefty $8,546,485.
-- Nationals won 11-10 in completion of suspended game against the Astros, game that started 65 days ago. Game-winning eun was scored by Morgan, who wasn't on the Nationals 65 days ago. Winning pitcher was Hanrahan, who is a Pirate now, not a National. Weird stuff.
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Friday's List of 13: Our major league baseball List of 13.......
13) Brewers-- Had to be encouraged by way Parra pitched Thursday; it might be good thing for them All-Star break is coming, just like it was for Rays last summer. Braun's criticism of the pitchers wasn't a great idea.
12) Marlins-- When a team trails 7-0 in 6th inning, then wins that game by seven runs, thats a show of strength, especially when the best player on the team didn't play in the game, just pinch-hit. Fish are contending despite being 13th in league in runs allowed.
11) Cardinals-- Pujols is almost Bonds-like in his influence on the entire top of Cardinal order. Opposing pitchers are afraid to throw curveballs to Rasmus; if they walk him in front of Pujols, its a nightmare scenario.
10) Phillies-- Won six of last seven games, have Pirates coming to town this weekend, so it looks like they've withstood their extended slump.
9) Tigers-- Rodney has been perfect saving games-- Leyland's team has won 25 of 37 at home, is 17-10 vs lefty pitchers, only 29-28 vs righties. .
8) Phillies-- As bad a stretch as they just went through, they never gave up first place in a lame NL East. Signing Pedro Martinez will give their pitching a boost, something the Mets' GM has declined to do so far.
7) Angels-- Just when they got rolling a little, Guerrero messed up his knee, and now they'll have three middle infielders in lineup. Scrambling for starting pitching all season, they could use Santana to bounce back.
6) Rays-- At some point, they're going to look at standings, then think about the day they blew 6-run lead in ninth inning in Cleveland, and they will want to puke. Longoria has been slumping for a month or so.
5) Rangers-- How badly did the A's screw up naming Bob Geren as the manager when they had Ron Washington standing in 3rd base coaching box? Tough loss Thursday, with Gutierrez hitting 3-run tater off Wilson.
4) Giants-- Have best starting pitching in baseball, are 29-14 at home. Sandoval deserves to somehow be named to the NL All-Star team.
3) Bronx Bombers-- Red-hot right now; two pitchers they bought last winter are paying big dividends. Unheralded guys like Cervelli, Gardner have been sparkplugs throughout first half of season.
2) Red Sox-- They've killed Bronx Bombers head-to-head but teams are tied in standings, four games ahead of Angels, 4.5 ahead of Rays. Looks like both rivals will make the playoffs, unfortunately.
1) Dodgers--Orlando Hudson got banged up Thursday- they'll need him healthy in October. Still looks like they'll coast into playoffs. Came to NYC and made the Mets look bad- they have a lot of answers.
From: Armadillo
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