Week 11

Hey All,

The Commissioner is back after a week of Disneyland and baseball to show everyone how their squads are doing.  Please let me know if I've missed something here in these current totals.


Roster Moves
6/17/12: The Sierra Vista Coachwhips Dropped Mark Texiera (NYY), Added Josh Hamilton (TEX) and Dropped Tim Lincecum (SF) and added Stephen Strasburg (WAS)

6/20/12: The Oxford Otters, AnaDods, Scorpions,Second Semester Seniors, and Alpha Dogs all dropped CJ Wilson (LAA) and ReAdded Jered Weaver (LAA)

This week's Three Trivial Things:

1. Matt Cain's Perfect Game was the first in the 130 year history of the Giants. I found that fact hard to believe when I heard it.  Seriously, when I think of all the great Giant hurlers from Christy Mathewson to Carl Hubbell to Juan Marichal, I still find it hard to believe that Cain threw their first perfecto.

2. The 10-0 final score marks the most runs ever in support of a perfect game pitcher.

3. Cain threw 125 pitches.  The most ever thrown by a perfect game pitcher.  By contrast, Don Larsen threw only 97 pitches in his perfect World Series game back in 1956.


Baseball Card of the Week: Well, how about two weeks ago?  That's when Matt Cain threw his perfect game against the Houston Astros. In honor of his perfection, here's a look atCain's 2012 Topps Opening Day card #125.

Until next weeks folks, remember there have only been 22 perfect games ever thrown in MLB history.

-The Commissioner

Week 9

Hey All,

Interleague play s upon us again and the AL seems to be having their way with the NL as usual. Meanwhile, in the Longball League it looks like the wildcard race will be fun to watch all season.

Who's Hot: Hitters
M. Trumbo (LAA), J. Bautista (TOR)

Who's Hot: Pitchers
J. Verlander (DET), C. Kershaw (LAD)


Who's Not: Hitters
J. Votto (CIN)

Who's Not: Pitchers
T. Lincecum (SF)

Roster Moves

6/4/2012
San Pedro Sea Monkeys
Dropped J. Weaver (LAA), F. Hernandez SEA/ Picked up G. Gonzalez (WAS)/ M. Cain (SF) - Injury Moves

Oxford Otters, Anadods, Scorpions, 2nd Semester Seniors, and Alpha Dogs Dropped J. Weaver (LAA)/ Picked Up C.J. Wilson (LAA) - Injury Moves

Alpha Dogs Dropped D. Jeter (NYY)/ Picked Up M. Trumbo (LAA)

Anadods Dropped K. Morales (LAA)/ Picked Up M. Trumbo (LAA)

This Week's Three Trivial Things

1. So, a six pitcher combined no-hitter took place over the weekend.  The Seattle Mariners no-hit the Los Angeles Dodgers up at Safeco Field.  Kevin Millwood pitched the first six innings of no-hit ball then left the game with a groin strain afar throwing one warmup pitch before the top of the 7th inning.  Charlie Furbush, Stephen Pryor, Lucas Lutege, Brandon League, and Tom Wilhelmsen finished it off.  six is the most pitchers ever used in a combined no-hitter.

2. There have already been four no-hitters tossed this season, making 2012 the first time since 1917 that four clean slates were tossed before June 10th.  Five were tossed that season. One of them was hurled by future Black Sox member, Eddie Cicotte.

3. The Angels beat the Rockies saturday, 11-5 and survived having their pitching staff give up five home runs.  Not many teams win when they give up five dingers.


Until next week folks, remember that bunting is a big part of the game.
-The Commissioner

Week 8

Hey All,

A lot of divisional races tightened up in the bigs this week and we had another no-hitter thrown.  Let's see how it affected the Longball League

Who's Hot: Hitters
C. Gonzalez (COL)

Who's Hot: Pitchers
 C.C. Sabathia (NYY)

Who's Not: Hitters
M. Kemp (LAA) -Can't catch a break with the injury bug.

Who's Not: Pitchers
T. Lincecum (SF), R. Halladay (PHI)

Roster Moves
5/2912, 6/1/12
Tax Dodgers
Picked M. Kemp (LAA) back up off the DL, then dropped him again two days later when he went back on the DL.  Then Picked up G. Stanton (MIA).

Rubber Band Men
Picked M. Kemp (LAA) back up off DL, then dropped him again two days later when he went back on the DL.  Then reacquired J. Hamilton (TEX).

This Week's Three Trivial Things

1. Finally, a No-No for the Mets.   On June 1, pitcher Johan Santana threw a clean slate at the Cardinals, coming away with an 8-0 win and the 1st no-hitter in Mets history. That leaves just the San Diego Padres as the only team in baseball that has never had one of their pitchers toss a no-hitter.

2. 1-Unassisted.  This infield out occurred in the Angels-Rangers tussle last Friday night when late in the game, The Halos' Albert Pujols grounded out weakly to Texas reliever Koji Uehara who came over and made the tag on the barely jogging batter.  That play is one of the rarest seen in a the course of a game.  This play actually occurs less than 1% of the time for an entire season.  It's about as rare as catcher's interference.

3. Today, June 4th happens to be the 161st anniversary of Tim Murnane's birth.  Who was Tim Murnane?
As a player, Murnane played from 1872-1884 in the old National Association and the National League as an Outfielder, First Baseman, and Second Baseman.  His real fame came as a baseball's first great scribe.  By 1903, his column on baseball for the Boston Globe was considered essential reading for the fans.  His ideas about the game were far ahead of their time.  For example, Murnane wrote in 1903, "The idea of giving the pitcher the option of sending up a substitute batter is well worth consideration. The sight of a tired pitcher strolling to the plate to go through his usual strike out act is not an attractive feature o the game."  Yeah, he suggested baseball use a designated hitter way back in 1903. His coverage of the first World Series later that year is a treat to read.  Murnane died in 1917, at age 65.

Baseball Card of the Week

Hey, could it go to anybody but Johan Sanata?  Nope.  A No-No gets him this spot.  Here's a look at Johan's 2012 Topps Heritage Card.

        
Until next week folks, remember you still have to compete the play on defense even though you think there's been runner interference.

-The Commissioner