Bautista and Buchholz Named AL Players of the Month

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista and Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Clay Buchholz have been voted the American League Player and Pitcher of the Month, respectively, for August.

Bautista led the A.L. in home runs (12), RBI (24), slugging percentage (.724) and total bases (72), and tied for the lead in extra-base hits (18). The 2010 All-Star also finished tied for second with 23 runs and third with 23 walks. He concluded last month by reaching base safely in 13 consecutive games and in 18-of-19 dating back to August 12th. August marked Bautista’s third month of the season as the league leader in home runs, setting a Toronto franchise record. The Santo Domingo, D.R. native also tied Jose Cruz, Jr. (2001) and Carlos Delgado (1999) the franchise record for most home runs in August. Bautista became the only Blue Jays player to ever hit at least 10 home runs in three different months of a year. He connected for his 100th career home run on August 26th off Detroit’s Max Scherzer in a 7-1 loss in Toronto. On August 23rd, the 29-year-old blasted his 40th home run of the season, breaking an eighth-inning tie to give the host Blue Jays a 3-2 win over the Yankees. On August 31st in a 13-5 win at Tampa Bay, Bautista collected four RBI to end the month with 103 RBI this season, becoming the first Toronto player to reach the 100-RBI plateau prior to September since 2003 (Carlos Delgado, 122 and Vernon Wells, 103). This is the second career monthly award for Bautista, who shared last month’s honor with Minnesota’s Delmon Young. He is the second Blue Jays player to win this award in two months of a single season (John Olerud, April and June of 1993) and the first to ever claim it in back-to-back months. Before Bautista’s July honors, no Toronto player had won since Joe Carter in April of 1994.

Buchholz went 4-0 with a 1.03 earned run average and 28 strikeouts over six August starts. The right-hander finished the month second in the A.L. in ERA, tied for second in wins and tied for third in innings pitched (43.2). He is also the Major League-leader with a 2.21 ERA on the season and ranks among the A.L. leaders in wins (t-3rd, 15), winning percentage (4th, .750) and opponent batting average (4th, .222). Of Buchholz’ four wins in August, three came against A.L. East rivals (Toronto twice, New York). The 2010 All-Star tossed at least seven innings in five of his six starts on the month and allowed no more than one earned run in five of the six. In August, Buchholz pitched a career-high 26.2 consecutive scoreless innings. During that stretch, the 26-year-old made three consecutive starts without allowing an earned run (August 11th at Toronto, August 17th vs. Los Angeles, August 22nd vs. Toronto). This is the first career monthly award for Buchholz. Along with Jon Lester (May), it marks the sixth time two different Boston pitchers have earned the honor in the same season, and the first time since 2002 (Derek Lowe in April and Pedro Martinez in July).

The runner-up for the A.L. Player of the Month was Chicago White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko, who led the league in hitting at .382 with seven home runs and 23 RBI. Also receiving votes were Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton (.356, 8 HR, 22 RBI) and Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer (.380, 2 HR, 16 RBI). Finishing second to Buchholz in the A.L. Pitcher of the Month balloting was Seattle Mariners starter Felix Hernandez, who posted a 3-2 record with a 0.82 ERA and 51 strikeouts. Also receiving votes were Texas Rangers starter C.J. Wilson (4-0, 2.11 ERA, 40 SO); Kansas City Royals reliever Joakim Soria (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 8 SV); Chicago White Sox starter Edwin Jackson (3-0, 1.47 ERA, 45 SO); New York Yankees starter CC Sabathia (5-1, 3.12 ERA, 36 SO); and Tampa Bay Rays reliever Rafael Soriano (0-0, 0.84 ERA, 10 SV).

Pujols, Hudson Gain NL Honors

St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols and Atlanta Braves starter Tim Hudson have been voted the National League Player and Pitcher of the Month, respectively, for August.

In 26 games last month, Pujols batted .379 (39-103) and led the N.L. with 11 home runs, a .777 slugging percentage and 29 runs scored while collecting 23 RBI. The three-time N.L. Most Valuable Player was among the league’s monthly leaders in hits (39), on-base percentage (.453) and doubles (8). On August 26th, Pujols clubbed his 400th career home run, his 34th of the season, in an 11-10 loss at Washington, becoming the first player to reach the 400- homer plateau in his first 10 Major League seasons. Pujols posted 12 multi-hit games during the month, including backto- back 3-for-5 performances on August 23rd and 24th at Pittsburgh. The nine-time N.L. All-Star is among league leaders this season in home runs (1st, 35), total bases (1st, 292), RBI (2nd, 95), runs (2nd, 92), on-base percentage (2nd, .407), slugging (3rd, .593) and batting average (5th, .313). His 12 stolen bases lead the Cardinals and are tied for first among Major League first basemen along with Joey Votto of the N.L. Central rival Cincinnati Reds. This is Albert’s fifth career monthly award, the most recent being earned in June 2009.

In six August starts, Hudson went 4-0 with a 1.71 ERA (42.0 IP, 8 ER) and struck out 35 while walking only nine. On August 28th, the 12-year Major League veteran notched his 1,500th career strikeout and his 600th as a Brave in a 12-3 victory over visiting Florida. A participant in his third career All-Star Game this year and his first in the N.L. dugout, Hudson fanned a career-high 13 across 7.0 innings to pick up his 15th win of the season. The Georgia native blanked opponents in back-to-back victories on August 7th (vs. SF) and August 13th (vs. LA), tossing 8.0 innings and fanning six in each outing. Hudson held opponents to a .220 batting average while allowing only one home run in the month. The N.L. East-leading Braves were 5-1 in Hudson’s August starts. The hard-throwing sinkerballer’s 2.24 ERA is currently tops in the National League, while his 15 wins rank fourth. This is Tim’s second career monthly award and his first since winning American League honors in September 2000 as a member of the Oakland Athletics.

Other players receiving votes were Colorado’s Carlos Gonzalez (.344, 8 HR, 23 RBI, 5 SB, 20 R, .774 SLG) and Votto (.333, 5 HR, 25 RBI, 17 R, 4 SB, .423 OBP). Pitchers who received support were Rockies reliever Rafael Betancourt (4-0, 0.90, 10.0 IP, 20 SO); San Diego’s Heath Bell (1.59, 8 SV, 15 SO) and Mat Latos (2-1, 1.69, 37 SO, 32.0 IP); Arizona’s Daniel Hudson (4-1, 1.85, 42 SO, 43.2 IP); Philadelphia’s Brad Lidge (0.73, 8 SV, 12 SO) and Roy Oswalt (3-0, 1.53, 31 SO, 35.1 IP); Ted Lilly (5-1, 3.29, 36 SO, 38.1 IP) of the Los Angeles Dodgers; and Houston’s Wandy Rodriguez (2-1, 1.34, 43 SO, 40.1 IP).

Soriano Closer of the Month

Rafael Soriano of the Tampa Bay Rays has been selected as the winner of the Major League Baseball Delivery Man of the Month Award for August, it was announced today. This Major League Baseball award recognizes the most outstanding relief pitcher during each month of the regular season as voted on by a panel from Major League Baseball.

Soriano recorded a 0.84 ERA and led the Majors with 10 saves during the month of August, successfully converting each of his save opportunities. In 10.2 innings pitched, Rafael allowed just four hits and two walks with 10 strikeouts while holding opposing batters to a .108 batting average. A first-time All-Star in 2010, Soriano made five consecutive appearances without allowing a base-runner from August 9th – 21st, collecting five saves with five strikeouts over 4.2 innings pitched. The 30-year-old right-hander closed out games in three consecutive days on August 21st – 22nd at Oakland, and on August 23rd at Angel Stadium, striking out the side on nine pitches in the ninth inning. Soriano became the first pitcher to strike out the side on nine pitches this season and the first to do so while converting a save since LaTroy Hawkins accomplished the feat for the Chicago Cubs in 2004. The San Jose, Dominican Republic native leads the Majors with 40 saves (two ahead of San Francisco’s Brian Wilson) and his 95.2% (40-for-42) save percentage also ranks best among Major Leaguers. Soriano, who is in his first season with the Rays, ranks third on the club’s single-season saves list behind Danys Baez (41 in 2005) and Roberto Hernandez (43 in 1999). Rafael, who also won the award in May and July, joins Trevor Hoffman (4 times) and Joe Nathan (3 times) as the only relievers with three career Delivery Man of the Month Awards. Prior to 2010, no pitcher had ever been honored multiple times in the same season dating back to the award’s inception in 2005.

Other relievers receiving votes included Joakim Soria (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 8 SV, 13.0 IP, 2 BB, 13 SO) of the Kansas City Royals; Brandon Lyon (0-1, 2.45 ERA, 9 SV, 18.1 IP, 8 BB, 13 SO) of the Houston Astros; San Francisco’s Brian Wilson (1-1, 0.69 ERA, 7 SV, 13.0 IP, 5 BB, 13 SO); and Philadelphia’s Brad Lidge (0-0, 0.73 ERA, 8 SV, 12.1 IP, 1 BB, 12 SO).

You can blame Nyjer Morgan for many things. You can blame him for his style in which he initiates contact on plays. You can blame him for gaining a reputation as a somewhat dirty player. You can even blame him for taking out Marlins’ catcher Brett Hayes. Even his Manager blamed him for his behavior last week against the Cardinals. And, you can blame him for his behavior after last night’s brawl with the Marlins. The hand waving and gesturing to the crowd was not tough or manly; it was foolish and the act of a child.

But, you cannot blame Morgan for stealing second and third base after being hit by Chris Volstad. Many point to the fact that Morgan stole those bases with his team down by 11 runs. It is seen as a selfish act by a selfish player who is only looking to pad his stats. While it may be true, the only thing that Morgan was not guilty of last night was disrespecting the game.

The unwritten rules of Baseball are complicated and loaded with exceptions and corollaries that often don’t make sense. But, even the unwritten rules don’t have anything about stealing bases when your team is losing. In fact, teams should try to win even if they are down by 11.

Nyjer Morgan isn’t a great baseball player. He is batting just .257/.317/.319. His one discernable skill is his ability to steal bases. It is his only real offensive value. He scored a run in a blowout game that the Nationals actually made close.

Morgan can be called a lot of things for his poor actions. But, he cannot be chastised for stealing bases while his team is losing. In fact, it was about the only thing he did get right last night.

The San Diego Padres have been the most surprising and quite possibly best story of the 2010 season. The 2010 version, despite an offense consisting of Adrian Gonzalez and a group of misfit veterans and role players pushing 30 years old, have been in first place for the past 131 days, the longest stretch that any team has spent at the top of the division. The offense ranks just 13^th, 11^th, and 14^th in the slash mark categories with their .250/.322/.377 team batting line. They rank just 12^th in runs scored, last in doubles, and 12^th in homeruns. On the positive, they do rank 2^nd in the National League in stolen bases. They did add Ryan Ludwick and Miguel Tejada at the trade deadline to help bolster the stagnant offense. Despite the additions, the Padres are the very definition of a pitching team that gets just enough offense to get by.

That pitching has been nothing short of spectacular this season. The Padres hurlers rank first in ERA, runs allowed, hits allowed, while ranking second in saves and strikeouts. The Padres have one of the toughest rotations in the game, headlined by Mat Latos, the 22-year-old right-hander who has a record of 13-5 with a 2.25 ERA in 25 starts. In those 25 starts, Latos has thrown 155.2 innings, allowed just 109 hits, 43 walks, and 160 strikeouts. In his first full season, Latos has established himself as one of the best young pitchers in the game with the potential of becoming an ace. The rotation also boasts 26-year-old southpaw Clayton Richard, the key acquisition in last summer’s Jake Peavy deal. Richard has built upon his 2009 success with a 12-6 record with a 3.50 ERA in 27 starts. Jon Garland has been more than the Padres could’ve ever hoped for and the Padres have to be happy with the seasons that Wade LeBlanc and Kevin Correia have provided.

The bullpen has been even better as the unit ranks first in Major League Baseball with a 2.79 ERA and 439 strikeouts. Closer Heath Bell is flanked by the most complete bullpen in the League with Luke Gregerson, Mike Adams, Joe Thatcher, Edward Mujica, Ryan Webb and Tim Stauffer all compiling stellar seasons.

All of this has added up to a 76-56 record and a three game lead in the National League West division. Simply, the Padres have been one of the best teams in Baseball. But, underneath all of the positives and great pitching performances are some pitching related issues (not to mention the hard charging Rockies and Giants) that could derail their magical season. Yes, the team that has been the best pitching team in the game since the 2009 All-Star break may be at the point where that great pitching can’t carry the team anymore. Unfortunately, Ryan Ludwick and Miguel Tejada are not big enough additions to make up for a regression from the pitching staff.

The Padres are currently on a seven game losing streak, having lost four games to the Diamondbacks and three games to the Phillies. But, the seven game losing streak isn’t the problem. All teams, even World Series winning teams, go through losing streaks. It is not a case of overreacting to bring up some issues with the Padres. Considering their makeup, the Padres do face a very real problem that will force the organization to make a decision on winning in 2010 or hedging their bets for their future. It all starts with their ace.

With last night’s outing, Mat Latos is up to 155.2 innings. Last season, he pitched 72 Minor League innings and 50.2 Major League innings. Add that all up, and Latos is already over 33 innings over his career high. While he is pitching even better in the second half (3-1, 1.75 ERA in 8 starts), the Padres have already stated concerns about his innings. In an effort to win now, will the Padres allow Latos to pitch 75 additional innings than he did last season (plus post season)? Perhaps they will; they wouldn’t exactly be wrong for doing it, but there is a big risk associated with that type of innings increase. In addition to the innings increase, Latos is at a point in his career where he is an unknown. He has never pitched this many innings in a season. How he performs is a mystery. He likely does well, but it can be questioned.

Clayton Richard is also at a career high innings total. Although he is just six innings over his previous high in 2008 and just 14 over last season’s total, Richard is, like Latos, at an unobserved point. He could handle the workload well, but it is not a given. Wade LeBlanc is also in the same position. Kevin Correia did pitch 198 innings last season, but he is just 10-10 with a 5.52 ERA. The Padres don’t have to worry about his innings, “only” his performance. Jon Garland may be having a career year, but at least he has demonstrated this type of performance before. He may regress, but given his strong August after two poor months, this version of Jon Garland figures to be the reality.

While many will point to the strong bullpen as the answer to the rotation issues, the bullpen can’t be counted on to continue its performance. The Padres relievers have thrown 411 innings this season. That is the fourth most in the Major Leagues, trailing only the Nationals, Pirates, and Brewers—three terrible rotations. Bullpens, by their very nature, are unstable, even the very best ones. While the Padres’ bullpen is the best in the sport, it has given up 10 runs in the past seven games.

Again, seven game losing streaks happen; bad pitching performances happen. Bullpens go into slumps. The Padres could very well right themselves quickly. They better as they face the Rockies and Giants 10 times in their next 13 games. It is the wrong time to go into a slump. It is the wrong time to have to worry about starting pitcher innings limits or mediocre performances. It is all just coming at the wrong time. With the Rockies and Giants both fighting for the division and the wild card, the Padres need their pitching to return to form. Because their offense is below average, their pitching has to remain perfect, especially their bullpen. They don’t have an offense to fall back on like the Yankees, Rays, Reds, Phillies, Twins, Rangers, and even the Rockies do; the Padres have to pitch well to win. They need their bullpen to pitch big innings.

The San Diego Padres have done quite well to get this far. They have been in first place longer than any other team. They are a one-dimensional team unlike the other contenders. That one dimension has carried them so far and it needs to finish the job. However, there are quite a few questions to answer. They have answered them all season, but September is the month where the grind of 162 games begins to catch up with young pitchers. Mat Latos and Clayton Richard have to answer that grind for the first time. Perhaps, Chris Young can get back to help bolster the staff and ease the burden of the two youngsters. He would help, but in the end, the Padres have used their bullpen more than any other contender. That bullpen needs to defy bullpen logic and continue to dominate for a full season.

A couple of weeks ago, the Padres had a large lead. It is down to three games. They can still win if they can snap their funk in the next 13 games. This is the time when they can finish off the season. Jed Hoyer and the Padres’ management team will have to balance winning now and the long-term health of their best assets. They can have both, especially if Young can get back, but it will take some creativity. The talent is there, but the questions are there too. The competition is getting closer; they need to find the answers now.

The Chicago White Sox have decided to rent Manny Ramirez for the final 34 days of the 2010 baseball season. On Monday, the White Sox claimed Ramirez on waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers and will pay the $3.8 million remaining on his current contract for this season. It is the ultimate low-risk, high-reward move, and if nothing else will make for an interesting final month or so in the American League Central race.

The White Sox are currently four games behind the Minnesota Twins in the Central, with virtually no chance of landing the Wild Card spot in the AL.  If the Sox were in the Twins’ position, going after Manny Ramirez might not be the wisest move. There is something to be said for chemistry on a baseball team, and if a team is four games up in its division with about 30 games to go, there is no reason to tinker with that.

But Chicago doesn’t have that luxury.  Sure, it is quite possible it could overtake the Twins without adding Manny Ramirez, but right now the White Sox are stagnating. They made their huge push from late June through the beginning of August, but have only won one of their last seven series. A major move was called for. And while this is not he Manny of old—he wouldn’t have essentially been given away if that were the case—he still can hit and might just have a little bit of late-season magic left in his bat. He’s still a presence, whether the monster power is there or not. Indirectly, Manny being in the lineup will benefit middle-of-the-order guys like Paul Konerko and Carlos Quentin. Andruw Jones and his .214 average (before Tuesday’s game) can spend more time on the bench. Mark Teahen and his mediocre numbers can be put in reserve.  If Manny is motivated enough, he’ll easily put up numbers that’ll make White Sox fans forget about those players.

Motivation is always going to be questioned with Manny. But if recent history is any guide, he’ll be raring to go as soon as he puts on the black and white. After the Dodgers acquired him at the trade deadline in 2008 he went off for 17 home runs in 53 games, drove in 53 runs, batted .396, and was a major reason why the Dodgers advanced to the NLCS.

Unfortunately what followed the 2008 season was a mixed bag of lower production (though still above average for most players) and a 50 game suspension for violating Major League Baseball’s Performance Enhancing Drug policy.  It culminated with Ramirez being ejected from his final game as a Dodger, arguing a strike call after the first and only pitch he saw against the Colorado Rockies on Saturday.

For the White Sox, however, there does not figure to be any long-term prediction needed when it comes to Ramirez’s tenure in Chicago. Presumably the dreadlocked one will be out of the White Sox’ hair after 2010.  While $3.8 million sounds like a lot to throw at any player for one month, it’s small potatoes compared to the White Sox’ $108 million Opening Day payroll. This isn’t the Royals we’re talking about; this is money the Sox can part with.

The potential negatives are obvious. Manny Ramirez is a polarizing figure. For all the players that enjoy playing with him and are entertained by his antics, there are players who would rather not have this circus brought to their town. Again, it’s only a month. It’s comparable to knowing you have an annoying houseguest on the way, but realizing it’s only for one night rather than for the entire week. Even if Manny shows up late, makes boneheaded base running decisions, heads to the showers with a game on the line, and the White Sox finish the season 10 games out of first, at least it will all be over with in the blink of an eye.

Chances are the White Sox aren’t getting the Manny Ramirez who will do all those things anyway. For one thing, he’ll be the designated hitter, which cuts his chances for blundering in half.  More importantly, because he’s back in a pennant race and he feels wanted, he’ll be motivated from day one. A motivated Manny doesn’t necessarily look like a motivated Albert Pujols or Derek Jeter in terms of body language or facial expressions. But the timely hits, the long battling at-bats that result in walks, and the numbers on the stat sheet will tell fans all they need to know about how motivated Manny is.

His relationship with his new manager will be a fascinating one. On the one hand, Ozzie Guillen will not stand for anything but 100 percent effort, which may clash with “Manny being Manny.” Then again, Guillen and Ramirez can be seen as kindred spirits; both eccentric characters who might be misunderstood at times.  Perhaps Ramirez will find that bond with his new field boss, giving him even more incentive to impress Guillen with his play from the get-go.  If this marriage of enigmas is a complete failure, the divorce will become official on October 3^rd, Manny will have to move out of the house, and both sides will move on.

From a neutral baseball-fan standpoint, the American League has gotten a whole lot more interesting. With the Yankees and Rays both assured of playoff spots in the East, the Rangers coasting to the West title, and the Twins keeping the White Sox at bay in the Central, there wasn’t much juice in the AL heading into September. If nothing else, Ramirez will make White Sox games must-see TV for as long as they are in the Central race.  The fact that Ramirez will face off against his former Red Sox teammates seven times in September only adds to the intrigue.

The White Sox played this perfectly. They landed a productive player for the stretch run, only having to dole out a few million dollars and not having to give up any prospects.  By no means should anyone be handing Chicago the division title, but it’s hard to argue that the White Sox had a better shot at making the playoffs two days ago than they do today.

FLUSHING, N.Y. — The New York Mets today announced they traded outfielder Jeff Francoeur to the Texas Rangers in exchange for infielder Joaquin Arias.

Francouer, 26, has batted .237 with 11 home runs and 54 RBI in 124 games with New York-NL this season. Against left-handed pitchers in 2010, the right-handed hitting Francouer has a .280 (28-100) average this season with 3 home runs and 13 RBI. He owns a career .296 average against left-handed pitchers. He has 118 games/109 starts in right field for the Mets this season.

Francouer is a career .267 hitter over 830 big league games with Atlanta (2005-09) and New York-NL (2009-10) with 99 home runs. He finished third in National League Rookie of the Year voting with Atlanta in 2005 and won a Gold Glove with the Braves in 2007.

Arias, 25, hit .276 (27-for-98) with five doubles, one triple, no home runs, 18 runs scored and nine RBIs in 50 games for Texas this season. The 6-1, 165-pound right-handed-hitting infielder made starts at second base (16), first base (five) and shortstop (one) this season for the Rangers, making two errors in 121 total chances (.983 fielding percentage). He landed on the 15-day disabled list twice with a lower back strain, first from April 30 to May 16 and then again from July 31 to Aug. 16. He was designated for assignment on Aug. 24.

A career .286 hitter, Arias originally signed a non-drafted free-agent contract with the New York Yankees on July 12, 2001. The Rangers acquired him on March 23, 2004, as the player to be named later in the deal that sent Alex Rodriguez to the Yankees. Arias, a native of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, made his Major League debut on Sept. 13, 2006, at Detroit, playing in 91 games for the Rangers over parts of four seasons.

DENVER – The Colorado Rockies announced today that the club has acquired right-handed pitcher Manny Delcarmen along with cash considerations from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for Minor League right-handed pitcher Chris Balcom-Miller.

Delcarmen, 28, went 3-2 with a 4.70 ERA (44.0 IP, 23 ER), 28 walks and 32 strikeouts in 48 games for the Red Sox this season. Opponents are batting just .204 (33-for-162) against the right-hander this season. He has held left-handed batters to a .165 (13-for-79) average against, and right-handers to a .241 (20-for-83) average against. Delcarmen is currently in his sixth Major League season, all with Boston, and is 11-6 with a 3.89 ERA (284.1 IP, 123 ER) in 289 career games. His 57 holds out of the Boston bullpen since 2006 are the 2nd most among Red Sox pitchers behind only Hideki Okajima’s 83 holds. Delcarmen has appeared in 32 Interleague games during his career, and he is 2-1 with a 3.30 ERA (30.0 IP, 11 ER), 10 walks and 30 strikeouts in his career vs. the National League. A Boston native, Delcarmen was originally selected by the Red Sox in the second round of the 2000 First-Year Player Draft.

Balcom-Miller, 21, is 6-7 with a 3.31 ERA (40 ER/108.2 IP), 117 strikeouts and 19 walks in 19 starts for the Rockies Single-A Asheville affiliate this season. He ranks seventh in the South Atlantic League in ERA and ranks among the circuit’s starters in strikeouts per nine innings (1st, 9.69), opponent batting average (2nd, .214), fewest walks per nine innings (2nd, 1.57) and fewest base runners per nine innings (2nd, 9.77). In 2009 Balcom-Miller was named Pioneer League Pitcher of the Year after posting a 4-0 record with a 1.58 ERA (10 ER/57.0 IP) and 60 strikeouts in 11 starts for Short-A Casper. Selected by Colorado in the sixth round of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft, he is 10-7 with a 2.72 ERA (50 ER/165.2 IP) and 177 strikeouts compared to 29 walks in 30 career starts in the Rockies system.

Carlos Gonzalez Named NL Player of the Week

Colorado Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez has been named Bank of America Presents the National League Player of the Week for the period of August 23-29, 2010. Bank of America, the Official Bank of Major League Baseball, is the presenting sponsor of the National League and American League Player of the Week Awards, which reflect Bank of America’s long-standing tradition of promoting and recognizing higher standards of accomplishment.

Gonzalez led the Major Leagues with 11 RBI last week and his .545 (12-22) batting average in six games ranked third in the National League. The 24-year-old led the N.L. with a 1.364 slugging percentage and was tied for first in the league with four home runs. His .593 on-base percentage and 30 total bases were second best among National Leaguers, while his four doubles and eight runs scored were tied for second and fourth, respectively. “CarGo” recorded at least one extra-base hit and a run scored in each of the six games he played last week while collecting at least one RBI in five games, including four multi-RBI efforts. On Sunday, August 29th, the Maracaibo, Venezuela native went 3-for-4 with two homers and four RBI as the Rockies took the rubber game of a three-game set, 10-5, over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field. The multi-home run performance was the second of his career (previously 8/4/10 vs. SF) and helped cap a 5-1 week for the resurgent Rockies, who are currently in fourth place in the N.L. Wild Card standings, 4.5 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies. His .326 batting average is currently tops in the N.L. this season, and he is ranked among league leaders in home runs (T-4th, 29), RBI (3rd, 90) and total bases (2nd, 279). With his 20th stolen base of the season on August 23rd, he became the sixth different “20-20″ player in Rockies history. Carlos leads all N.L. hitters with a .386 home batting average, and his 23 home runs and 60 RBI at Coors Field also top all N.L. batters. This is his second career weekly award, both of which have been earned after this season’s All-Star Game (previous: 7/26-8/1/10). Other nominees this past week included Cincinnati’s Jay Bruce (.412, 4 HR, 6 RBI, 4 R), Joey Votto (.360, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 5 R) and Johnny Cueto (1-0, 1.13, 8 SO, 8.0 IP); Arizona’s Stephen Drew (.500, 4 HR, 9 RBI, 14 H, 1.179 SLG); Houston’s Carlos Lee (.321, 3 HR, 9 RBI) and Brett Myers (2-0, 1.29, 15 SO, 14.0 IP); Albert Pujols (.379, 3 HR, 6 RBI, .828 SLG) of the Cardinals; Florida’s Hanley Ramirez (.560, 14 H, 2 HR, 4 SB); San Francisco’s Freddy Sanchez (.625, 15 H, .917 SLG, .640 OBP), Pablo Sandoval (.481, 2 HR, 9 RBI, .815 SLG) and Andres Torres (.346, 9 R, 10 RBI); and Philadelphia’s Cole Hamels (1-0, 1.20, 14 SO, 15.0 IP).

Jays’ Bautista Named AL Player of the Week

Toronto Blue Jays All-Star outfielder Jose Bautista has been named the Bank of America Presents the American League Player of the Week for the period ending August 29th. Bank of America, the Official Bank of Major League Baseball, is the presenting sponsor of the American League and National League Player of the Week Awards, which reflect Bank of America’s longstanding tradition of promoting and recognizing higher standards of accomplishment.

Bautista paced the A.L. with a .500 (10-for-20) batting average in his seven games played last week while clubbing four home runs with seven RBI. The 29-year-old slugger also added three doubles and led the A.L. with nine walks and 27 total bases while finishing second with a 1.350 slugging percentage. On August 23rd, the Dominican Republic native provided all the offense for the Blue Jays with two home runs and three RBI in Toronto’s 3-2 victory over the New York Yankees. Bautista, who hit safely in six of his seven games, hit .538 (7-for-13) in a four-game set against the Detroit Tigers from August 26th – 29th, including three straight multihit performances to start the series. The 20th round selection in the 2000 First-Year Player Draft (by Pittsburgh) collected his Major League-leading 42nd home run of the season on August 27th in Toronto’s 11-inning, 3-2 win. The 42 home runs are now tied for the fourth-most in one season by a Blue Jay, just five home runs shy of George Bell’s mark of 47 home runs hit in 1987. In addition, Jose now has 11 home runs for the month of August, tied with Albert Pujols of the Cardinals for the most in the Majors. The 11 home runs are also one shy of Toronto’s club mark for August home runs, set by Jose Cruz, Jr. (2001) and Carlos Delgado (1999). Dating back to September 1st of last season, Bautista leads the Majors with 52 home runs, 11 more than Pujols, who ranks second in that time. This is Bautista’s third career weekly award, all of which have come in 2010 (previously: May 17th and August 2nd).

Other noteworthy performances for the week included Yankees outfielder Marcus Thames (.471, 5 HR, 8 RBI, 1.412 SLG); Detroit Tigers teammates Miguel Cabrera (.357, 2 HR, 5 RBI), Ryan Raburn (.414, 3 HR, 9 RBI) and Rick Porcello (2-0, 0.64 ERA, 14.0 IP, 8 SO); Paul Konerko (.478, 1 HR, 6 RBI) of the White Sox; Boston’s Victor Martinez (.417, 3 HR, 4 RBI); Josh Hamilton (.391, 3 HR, 7 RBI) of the Rangers; and Oakland Athletics left-hander Gio Gonzalez (2-0, 1.38 ERA, 13.0 IP, 11 SO).

Prior to tonight’s game at Cleveland, the Chicago White Sox claimed 12-time All-Star and nine-time Silver Slugger Award winner Manny Ramirez off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers and transferred right-handed pitcher Jake Peavy to the 60-day disabled list.

Ramirez, 38, is hitting .311 (61-196) with eight home runs and 40 RBI in 66 games with the Dodgers in 2010. He is hitting .357 (20-56) with runners in scoring position, .340 (33-97) with runners on base and .323 (51-158) against right-handed pitchers. Ramirez was on the disabled list from July 20-August 20 with a right calf strain, missing 33 games.

A career .313 (2,555-8,158) hitter with 554 home home runs, 1,828 RBI and 1,538 runs scored over an 18-year career, Ramirez has played in 2,273 games with Cleveland (1993-2000), Boston (2001-08) and the Dodgers (2008-10).

Ramirez ranks eighth all-time in slugging percentage (.589), ninth in OPS (1.000), 14th in home runs, 17th in RBI, 23rd in doubles (546), 26th in total bases (4,803) and 33rd in on-base percentage (.411). He leads active players in RBI, ranks second in OPS, slugging percentage and doubles, third in home runs and on-base percentage and fourth in walks.

The 6-foot, 200-pound Ramirez was an American League All-Star in 1995 and from 1998-2008, and he received the Silver Slugger Award in 1995 and from 1999-2006.

Ramirez has 111 games of postseason experience, hitting .285 (117-410) with 29 home runs, 78 RBI and 117 runs scored. His 29 home runs are the most all-time, and his 78 RBI rank second behind Bernie Williams (80). Ramirez was a member of Boston’s World Series championship teams in 2004 and 2007, earning Most Valuable Player honors at the 2004 Fall Classic.

Peavy, 29, was placed on the 15-day disabled list on July 7 with a detached latissimus dorsi muscle in his right posterior shoulder. He underwent surgery on July 14 and will miss the remainder of the season.

There was a popular question that was always discussed in New York during the early 2000’s. The question was simple. The answer was pretty simple too. Who was the most important Yankee player during their championship run in the late 90’s? The debate usually centered around Derek Jeter and the eventual winner, Mariano Rivera. For most teams, this question has a simple answer. Albert Pujols is the most important St. Louis Cardinal player. Adrian Gonzalez is to the Padres as Joe Mauer is to the Twins. And so on.

The question in New York is a little different now. The Yankees seem to be in another World Series run with a foundation of the veterans of the late 1990’s and the new, younger imports. Many will still argue that Rivera is still the most important Yankee as he is the one closer in Baseball who never really has a poor performance in a big spot. While Rivera is still important, the title of most important Yankee falls on different shoulders. It falls on 29-year-old southpaw, CC Sabathia’s shoulders. Without Sabathia, the Yankees do not win the 2009 World Series. Without Sabathia, the Yankees are a third place team in 2010. Without Sabathia, the Yankees are nothing more than an older version of their mid-2000’s teams—flawed yet talented, but without an ace pitcher.

Even with those facts, the grand irony is that CC Sabathia came to the biggest media market in Baseball and has seemingly disappeared from the spotlight. He is the one pitcher who the Yankees signed that didn’t have a typical Yankees’ adjustment period. He is the one pitcher who won the big games he was supposed to win. He is the one pitcher who isn’t governed by pitch count or who is catching him that particular night, or in what environment he is pitching in. It doesn’t matter to Sabathia; he simply takes the ball and pitches as long as he can. The left-hander has dominated over the past two seasons in the Bronx. He is 37-13 with a 3.26 ERA in 424.2 innings over the span of 62 starts. He won three more games in the 2009 post season. He has dominated in the way Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman envisioned when he gave Sabathia $161 million over seven years.

But, Sabathia has dominated so much that he has become “the given” in New York. When dissecting the Yankees’ potential downfall, analysts and fans will point to the instability of AJ Burnett and Javier Vazquez. Andy Pettitte’s health is always a worry. Phil Hughes and his innings restrictions. Sabathia is never brought up. He isn’t an injury risk and his performance has not suffered one bit. Sabathia is the given that few teams can enjoy. As much as Mariano Rivera is thought of as automatic, Sabathia is just as automatic. Sabathia has made the transition of very good pitcher with excellent stuff to an elite level ace with excellent stuff. He is the single reason why the Yankees have a realistic chance at championship 28. He may not be the best pitcher in the game, but he is one of the few true aces in the game who not only gives his team a chance to win on his turn, but he puts the team in a better position on each subsequent night. Instead of being celebrated like a Roy Halladay, Sabathia is simply the Yankees’ “given”. He is the guy they know will win when they need him to.

Defining an ace

Baseball is essentially a sport of classification. It has its leadoff batters, the run producers, closers, middle relievers, and platoon players. The starting rotation is no different. The problem with the classifying a starting pitcher is it is often subjective given the fact that a starter is usually dependent upon his team for his win/loss record. But, everyone knows the difference between a number one starter and a number five starter. There is no doubting the difference. But, a far more interesting discussion stems from further separating the number one starters and the ace starter.

The term “ace” isn’t a new term. Pitchers have long been labeled as the ace of a staff. Bob Gibson and Sandy Koufax are just two of those names in Baseball’s long history. In today’s game, the title is given to a team’s number one starter. But, every team’s number one starter is not equal. One can’t compare a Felix Hernandez to a John Lannan or a Zach Duke. All three are number one starters, but only one is what can be called an ace. Surprisingly, even some contending teams—the Twins, Braves, Reds, Padres, and Rays—don’t have the quintessential ace.

So, what is an ace? Al Leiter, a 19 year Major League pitcher who now works as an analyst for MLB Network and the YES Network, can define it well. Leiter’s work as an analyst cannot be questioned, but his opinion is further validated by the fact that he was once the ace of the New York Mets rotation.

Leiter came to the Mets before the 1998 season as one of the final pieces to a rebuilding team just about ready to contend. Although he was 32 years old, Leiter had found his form as a member of two World Series Championship teams—the 1993 Toronto Blue Jays and the 1997 Florida Marlins. Leiter pitched for seven seasons with the Mets, compiling a 95-67 record with a 3.42 ERA and an average season of 194 innings pitched, 175 hits allowed, a 124 ERA+, and 7.3 strikeouts per nine. He famously threw 142 pitches in the eventual game five loss to the Yankees in the 2000 World Series. With his 19 years of Major League experience, Leiter knows what an ace is.

When asked the question, Leiter is quick to answer. “An ace is a guy who is a premier pitcher who is paid on a premier level. He obviously has to have plus stuff. The last thing, the one that separates aces from everyone else, is that he has to be cognizant beyond his own start. He has to know that the bullpen has been gassed because of the previous two nights or that tomorrow’s pitcher hasn’t been going well.”

Leiter’s definition is one of practicality. First, an ace pitcher has to have everything that goes along with the title. He has to be considered the ace by his opponents. He has to have the pressure of being paid to fulfill those expectations. He must have excellent stuff whether it is a 96 MPH fastball or deadly accurate breaking pitches such as the likes from Roy Halladay. The last point, being cognizant beyond his start, is the real separator. Because of the industry’s reliance on pitch counts and innings limits, the majority of pitchers cannot worry about anything other than staying under 100 pitches. This makes the task of compiling a list of true aces even easier. There aren’t many pitchers who can pitch deep into games on a consistent basis. Roy Halladay can. Felix Hernandez has been. CC Sabathia can. Everyone else misses this requirement.

The Given Ace

By the strictest interpretation of Leiter’s definition, CC Sabathia is the epitome of an ace. He is one of the premier pitchers in the game. He is a headliner, a pitcher other teams alter their lineups for. He also has the responsibility of leading the New York Yankees pitching staff, a staff that not only has major flaws, but also is one that expects to win championships. He makes $23 million per season. There is pressure, intense pressure, to live up to that contract. It is more than pressure; it is a responsibility to live up to the expectations of a team, a contract, and fans. There are not many who can deal with all of that, especially in New York.

He is a left-handed pitcher who throws three plus pitches—a 93 MPH fastball, a slider, and a changeup. That plus stuff translates to a 12 percent swing and miss rate on pitches thrown within the strike zone this season (it was 15 percent last season as well as for his career). Other pitchers may have better strikeouts rates than his 7.40 K/9, but few can match his consistent excellence.

Sabathia is one of the few pitchers in the game who is not governed by a hard pitch count. He has topped the 100-pitch mark in 20 of his 28 starts. He has thrown over 110 pitches in 16 of those starts. He has failed to pitch into the seventh inning of a game just seven times. With AJ Burnett’s instability, Phil Hughes’ restrictions, and the number five starter being a question, Sabathia’s outings allow Joe Girardi to rest certain members of the bullpen. If Sabathia wasn’t able to pitch as deep into games, the Yankees’ relievers would be overtaxed, as no other starting pitcher can be considered reliable enough for Girardi to feel comfortable resting some relievers. There was a reason why the Yankees failed to win a World Series from 2001 through 2008. They didn’t have a true ace. The mid-2000’s teams always had some quality pitchers, but none could go out and give 8 innings in every outing. Sabathia has done that. Last season, he pitched 230 innings in the regular season and added another 36 in the post season. That was a year after he pitched on short rest from August through September to pitch the Brewers, a team renting his services, into the playoffs.

That durability allows Sabathia to be aware of the rest of the rotation. It allows Joe Girardi to push his ace a litter farther than most Managers are able to push their staff leaders. That benefit allows Girardi to manage differently every fifth day. Girardi tried to limit Sabathia early in the season as a measure to protect his ace, but as the season has worn on, Girardi has used his ace to the maximum of his abilities. That ability also allows Sabathia to take a leadership role on his team. Al Leiter knows this role well, “Yes, there were some nights when I would tell Bobby (Valentine) to just leave me in. I knew our bullpen was gassed and I knew what I could handle.” Sabathia has that ability as well. Most pitchers don’t get that sort of say, but that’s why most pitchers are not true aces.

Sabathia is rare just as Roy Halladay and Felix Hernandez are rare. He is rare in that he fits every aspect of the definition of an ace. He is even more rare because he never gets hurt. Aside from an oblique injury before the 2006 season, Sabathia has never missed a start due to a pitching related inning. He has made 30 or more starts in 9 of his 10 seasons (assuming he makes two more this season, of course). He is on pace to pitch more than 230 innings for the fourth consecutive season. 2010 will mark the fifth consecutive year with ERA under 3.40 and the fourth consecutive season with at least 17 wins.

Unbelievably, there were doubts about Sabathia when he signed with the Yankees two winters ago. Many wondered if he could win the big game despite his performance down the stretch for Milwaukee. Some wondered if he could deal with the pressure of New York and the expectations to win every time out. Even more wondered if his weight would yield health problems. Sabathia has proven all of the doubters wrong. He has handled every challenge that New York has offered, he has lived up to his contract, and he has become one of the most consistent aces in Baseball. He wasn’t the best pitcher in the American League last season—that was Zack Greinke. But, unlike Greinke, Sabathia has been the better, more consistent pitcher over the past two seasons (and add in the two seasons before coming to New York). He is the New York Yankees only reliable answer.

There are other great pitchers in the game, but only a select few match the criteria of being an ace. The New York market may not have caught on just yet, but the reality is that CC Sabathia is the most important Yankee. He is also one of the few who can accurately be labeled as an ace pitcher. Because of Sabathia, the Yankees have a distinct advantage over most other teams. Sure, the Twins have Carl Pavano while the Braves boast a deep staff led by Tim Hudson, but neither are aces. Each of contending teams have pitchers who are putting together great years, but none are true aces. The Rays may have one in David Price, but even he isn’t there yet. Sabathia is there; he is the Yankees’ “given”.

The Washington Nationals today announced they have signed right-handed pitcher Livan Hernandez through the 2011 season. Nationals Senior Vice President and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.

Including this season’s 9-9 mark with a 3.49 ERA in 27 starts, Hernandez is 11-13 with a 3.90 ERA (97 ER/224.0 IP) in 35 starts, 24 of which have been quality starts, since rejoining the Nationals as a free agent on August 25, 2009. In little more than a year with Washington, Hernandez owns a 3.29 ERA (39 ER/106.2 IP) and 13 quality starts in16 road assignments.

In 94 career starts with the Nationals (2005-present), the 35 year-old Hernandez is 35-31 with a 4.27 ERA (293 ER/617.0 IP). Including his days with Montreal, Hernandez is 61-56 with a 3.89 ERA (478 ER/1105.1 IP) in 162 starts (’03-06, ’09-10) while pitching for the Nationals/Expos franchise.

With 35 victories, Hernandez is the winningest pitcher in the six-year history of the Nationals (2005-present). He also remains the Nationals’ all-time leader in starts (94), innings pitched (617.0) and strikeouts (354).

Hernandez owns the distinction of throwing both the first pitch in the history of the Nationals (April 4, 2005 at Philadelphia) and the first pitch in Washington, DC (April 14, 2005 vs. Arizona) after 33 summers without big league baseball. In 2005, he was the first National to participate in an All-Star Game.

Hernandez is 165-160 with a 4.39 ERA in 440 games/439 starts spanning 15 big league seasons with Washington, New York (NL), Colorado, Minnesota, Arizona, Montreal, San Francisco and Florida. He is the only current big league pitcher to have started at least 30 games in 12 straight seasons (1998-present). Hernandez is just three starting assignments shy of extending this streak to 13. His next start is scheduled for Friday at Pittsburgh.