Player of the Week
Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies
Recommended Stories
Wild card-leading Colorado has had a spectacular resurgence in the past two months due in part to solid pitching as well as the hitting of Tulowitzki. Since June 3, he has 13 home runs, 45 RBI and a batting average of .319. He capped off a series win against the Chicago Cubs with one of the best performances of his young career. The Colorado shortstop hit for the cycle on Monday at Coors Field, ultimately having a 5-for-5 night at the plate with his 22nd home run and driving in seven runs. Tulowitzki had two more hits on Wednesday evening to help lead the Rockies to an 8-0 victory over visiting Pittsburgh.
Quote
“[The beer thrower is] probably at home laughing right now, I just think he should be held accountable, that’s it, nothing more than that.”
— Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Shane Victorino after a fan threw a cup of beer at him while trying to catch a flyball on Wednesday at Wrigley Field.
Story Lines
1. Costly moves » The clock is ticking toward the Monday deadline to sign this year’s draft picks. And as of Wednesday, 18 out of the 32 first round selections have yet to ink a deal. The most notable — and possibly dubious — of them all is the Nationals and pitcher Stephen Strasburg. Uber-agent Scott Boras is asking for the mother load of deals and it’s unknown whether the Nats will bite. Boras has many clients in this mix of unsigned commodities. They include second pick Dustin Ackley (selected by the Mariners), No. 3 selection Donovan Tate (Padres) and ninth pick Jacob Turner (Tigers). Logic suggests most, if not all, of these will sign by Monday. However, there isn’t much Boras does that has much logic.
2. Call of the wild » Texas can gain ground on wild card-leader Boston when the play them at home this weekend. However, the Rangers have a legitimate chance to catch the AL West-leading Angels — a team they have fared well against this year. Tampa Bay is in third place and hasn’t made much progress since coming alive in June. The three-headed monster in the AL Wild Card tussle can’t compare with the roomful of contenders in the NL. As of Wednesday afternoon, Colorado, San Francisco, Florida, Atlanta and Chicago were all within four games. The Rockies have the major’s best record in the last two months, while the Marlins and Braves have been sizzling over the past two weeks.
3. Not so fast » For the first time in nearly a year, Pedro Martinez took the mound in a Major League contest. Against the Cubs at Wrigley Field on Wednesday, the newest Philadelphia starting pitcher went five innings, giving up three runs and getting plenty of run support in a 12-5 Phillies win. It had to be pretty much what the team expected. Martinez didn’t last more than six innings. His fastest pitches were in the clocking in the low 90s, though most were in the high 80s. Pedro isn’t necessary for the Phillies to win the NL East. But his effectiveness at the end of the rotation could be vital in helping them to another World Series.
Series to Watch
Red Sox at Rangers (Friday – Sunday)
The Red Sox have retreated in the AL East standings lately. That was especially so when the New York Yankees completed a four-game sweep in the Bronx. You could see the negative reaction from Boston fans coming a mile away. But it wasn’t really justified. Nevertheless, the Sox can dispel any notion of a downfall when they face the team closest to them in the wild card race. Texas boasts the third best team ERA in the AL and its offense gets a break by not having to face 14-game winner Josh Beckett.
