ICYMI: Around MLB with Oakland A's Socks Girl

I'm starting up my daily posts with articles from the sites I write for, highlights from my blog and the day's scores! I'm calling it ICYMI: Around MLB with Oakland A's Socks Girl. Please check it out and remember my blog has moved to:

BBSTmlb.com

Please check out my new site! Full of new stories and features! My goal is to make Bullpen, Baseball & Sock Talk your favorite destination for all the day's news from around the league! So remember the NEW address to the blog is of course BBSTmlb.com! Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy it! xx ~ Jen

If you have landed here ...

You are in the wrong place!! BBST has MOVED to it's own domain:

BBSTmlb.com <-------- Just click here!

It's the same stuff you'd have previously found on my blog in a new convenient location! There's a layout and there will be new features ... for example, Relative Replays: Behind the Bullpen Chatter (coming soon) is a weekly series in which there will be a conversation between two life-long baseball fanatics: a mother-daughter discussion that can be about everything and anything related to baseball. Sometimes we will debate, others talk about current events, historical issues, the A's (obviously) ... whatever strikes our fancy. 

Now, I don't know about another mother-daughter baseball blog ... if you have please let me know.

BBST (Bullpen, Baseball and Sock Talk) along with it's sister blog/series (haven't figured that out just yet), Relative Replays, will hopefully be fun, engaging and a first of its kind ... the site is still under construction but everything should be up and running soon! Thanks for reading and I hope you will follow me over to BBSTmlb.com! (it is part of Word Press so if you have a WP blog ... do me a favor! Follow the new BBST!! I hope you enjoy it!! Thanks! xx ~ Jen aka the original Oakland A's Socks Girl! You can find me on Twitter @OakAsSocksGrl

Bullpen, Baseball & Sock Talk has Moved!!

My Blog Has Moved!! 

Thank you for reading my blog over the last year! I'm excited to announce that it has moved to its own domain!! Though the new site is still under construction it was time to launch it! So please check it out by going to:

BBSTmlb.com

All of my previous blog posts have been imported to the knew blog but they will always still be there as well! I hope you will still enjoy my blog at its new location! Thanks again for listening to me rant and ramble, learn and work my way to becoming a legitimate baseball journalist at FanSided's Call to the Pen. I will always have Baseball, Bullpen & Sock Talk but it was time to expand! So please check out the new site! I hope you like it! Thank you!! 

  

Hi there Strangers!! A few announcements & links to articles you may have missed! Let's play catch up shall we? :)

Hey there people who actually read my blog - first off let me say that I am very grateful for each and every one of you!! So thank you so much for coming back and reading the randomness that is me! Your support does not go unnoticed. 

So what's new! Well I got a paying gig (yes, you heard correctly - once I get paid I can call myself a legitimate baseball writer!! I am writing for the FanSided Network's flagship destination for ALL THINGS MLB: Call to the Pen ... did I mention that they hired me not as they usually  from already in-house staff writers but on my own merits as an Editor - so I contribute but I am also now learning new management and editorial skills. It feels like a big step up for me - I won't get paid a lot but money will be exchanged and I still get to write but am in a whole new role learning new things, expanding my horizons and advancing my career! It's all very exciting being that I hadn't written in approximately 7 years when I started this blog a little over a year ago - then moved to Sports Unbiased to being a contributior to an MLB Affiliate Pro-Blog to now being an editor at an established and very professional site  - all within the span of a year. I am grateful and humbled and SOOOOO EXCITED! Every move I have made has been a step forward and I hope to continue learning, expanding my horizons and advancing my career! 

I have one more quick announcement - my blog will be moving soon. I am hoping to get it launched by June but that's really soon and I have a busy week ahead of me but it will be through Word Press yet already has its own domain which is BBSTmlb.com - I will be expanding the blog and adding new features such as a weekly mother daughter take on events around the league or games or the A's. My mom is just as big of a baseball freak and expert as I am - not that I am an expert but ya know what I mean we study it a lot! Anywhoo - that's that! Here's a list of articles that if you haven't run across on social media you may just be interested in reading - mostly coming from Call to the Pen and a few from Outside Pitch MLB! Enjoy!!  

MY MOST RECENT ARTICLES:

Troy Tulowitzki responds to cheating allegations, he saw "The Sign"

Giants Cain, Casilla receive MRI results

A's defeat Rays, recording just one hit

Injury News: Votto to the DL, Sale to make return to Sox

Stephen Drew signs with Red Sox

Oakland A's have finally chosen a closer

CC Sabathia out six weeks according to Cashman

Athletics' history of strange games in Cleveland Continues

How far up the All-Time home run list can Albert Pujols Climb?

Jose Abreu lands on the DL with ankle injury

Rockies turn triple play and then walk-off

Gio Gonzalez headed to the disabled list

Rangers lose two more starting pitchers, both for the season

Derek Norris: All-Star??

Nationals Tanner Roark: The pitcher no one saw coming

** I know its an extremely long l,ist but I did say I've been busy so check it out! I have bolded some of my personal faves or the ones I think are the most interesting! lol**

Thanks again for reading and I hope you take the time to check out some of my articles! xx ~ Jen

New York Mets' Rookie deGrom Ends the Teams' Pitchers' 0-64 Slump

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The New York Mets have had a slight problem with their pitchers this season. Not necessarily with their actual pitching performances, although the Mets have had better years in regard to pitching statistics - the problem was with their bats. Being primarily a fan of the American League and the designated hitter, I really did not see that this was some kind of record. Had I heard mention of the hitless streak? Sure. Did it mean that much to me? Not really. 

A huge proponent for the National League to just give in and adopt the DH, it did not occur to me that anything was amiss. I watch interleague play, of course, but I always assumed that pitchers just did not really put in much effort towards hitting (I have seen that Bartolo Colon has had some interesting at-bats since joining the Mets but I loved watching him literally stand there and look at the opposing pitcher like they were crazy ... I miss him on the A's!).

That the Mets' pitchers were 0-64 to start the season? In my mind was really a "so what, who cares?" type thing. Pitchers, in my little world at least, are just not supposed to hit. Seriously, I sound like a ridiculous baseball fan to some people when I say things like that but I definitely believe it (I do not think that the NL's lack of the DH makes anything THAT much more "strategic" - Am I biased? YES! Grew up an A.L. girl but still this is a "smart persons' sport" which I believe and a smart person should be able to see the merits of the DH vs. anything slightly "strategic- but whatever, that's just my opinion). It opens them up to injury and half of them are not even good at it anyway. Actually I'd say more than half but whatever I'm completely digressing from the story at hand ... one I actually found to be quite cute and interesting.

So as I was saying the Mets' pitchers were a Major League Baseball record 0-64 at the plate to start the season. I'm sure to the Mets' fans that seemed like an eternity and I guess it is. They broke the previous record held by the 1914 St. Louis Browns who opened their season in an 0-45 slump. A century is a long time to hold a record, however random or unpleasant, and the Mets pitchers beat it by being worse by 19 at-bats! Damn! 

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But as all streaks must come to an end the Mets' undesirable one did Thursday when rookie pitcher, Jacob deGrom, singled in the third inning of the final game of the Subway Series against the New York Yankees. The story would still be a good one if I only described deGrom as a "rookie." However, it the first MLB start of this kid's career as well as his first big league at-bat. He was a shortstop and would sometimes come in to pitch, in a relief role, while playing in college at Stetson University. 

The 25-year old was a starting pitcher during his four seasons in the minors going 21-11 in 58 starts with a 3.62 ERA but he would not have been the person you, I or anyone else would have picked to break the Mets' pitchers' hitless streak. deGrom hit .176 in just 34 plate appearances during time in the minors and he had only just been brought up from Triple-A Las Vegas to replace injured Mets' starter, Dillon Gee. Gee is on the disabled list with a right lat strain.

Even though the Mets went on to lose the game to the Yankees by a score of 1-0, I'd consider this somewhat of a win for deGrom - breaking the hitless streak, getting his first major league hit and compiling some good statistics - giving up just one run on four hits while striking out six and walking only two. The one run came on a RBI double in the seventh inning by Alfonso Soriano. I feel for the Mets since they didn't get the win but they will get more wins if deGrom pitches and hits the way he did at Citi Field on Thursday afternoon. The Mets and Yankees split the four game each winning two games apiece.

Hero Cat Saves Boy from Dog Attack ... (video)

This is for ANYONE who ever said or EVER even thought for a second that cats are somehow inferior to dogs - in their loyalty or their intelligence or in ANY way - ha! Y'all suck! Cats are freakin' AWESOME! I can't believe I didn't see this sooner being a crazy cat lady! Now Tara, the Hero Cat, gets to (with a little help - let's face it people, dogs can't throw baseballs either!) "throw" out the first pitch at the Bakersfield Blaze game (Triple-A Cincinnati Reds' affiliate) on May 20th. Now, when has a dog ever gotten to do that?! (oh and don't get me wrong, I love my dog too but really, cats get a bad rap sometimes. Did you ever stop to think that maybe they are just smarter than you? lol!!)




In memory of my baby boy, Harry James Potter Rainwater, I love you boo bear and miss you everyday!

RIP Harry James

2000-2014

A's Acquire Blanks from Padres

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There had been rumors of this pending trade but it was officially announced Thursday that the Oakland Athletics have indeed traded minor league outfielder Jake Goebbert and a player to be named later to the San Diego Padres for first baseman/outfielder Kyle Blanks. Blanks was just optioned to Triple-A El Paso on Wednesday to make room for Carlos Quentin, who was activated from the disabled list, on the roster. The right handed hitting Blanks is expected to platoon with lefty Brandon Moss at first base.

The A’s new first baseman has hit 28 home runs in just 715 MLB at-bats. In Blanks the Athletics have gotten a potential power hitter. The only problem is that he seems to have had trouble staying healthy. Since making his big league debut for the Padres on June 19, 2009, the most games he has played in, in a single season, was 88 in 2013.

For more on this story CLICK HERE! Brought to you by Outside Pitch Sports Network LLC.

Find us on Twitter @OakAsSocksGrl and @OPSN_MLB

Can a Careless Whisper Cure Reddicks' Batting Woes?

If you are an A's fan and let's face it you probably are because you are actually reading my blog then you're probably well aware of Josh Reddick's new theme song Careless Whisper by Wham ... it's quite the unusual walk up song but since premiering it on Monday in the first of a three game series against the Chicago White Sox Reddick has been hitting. He went 2-4 Monday night with a triple and 2-5 Tuesday night with a two-run home run. The fans in Oakland love it and so do the other players. Here's a longer version of video than just the Vine clip that has been circulating on Twitter.
The big question though is should we be believing that the 2012 Reddick has returned? I'm gonna say, "No," at least not yet. I know that every A's fan wants to believe it and with the song, it's really hard not to. Yet, let's not be too hasty! It's only two games so I am not ready to eat my words just yet. Back on April 6th I said that the A's should send Reddick down to Triple-A Sacramento. The guy couldn't hit, desperately needed to shorten his swing and was basically just fanning everything. His batting average in April? .241. Could have been worse but you'll see that even when we move on to May, it's only gotten worse.

However I did say that I would totally take it all back if he turned it around and no, I am not ready to do that .... YET. These last two games he's appeared to be the 2012 Josh Reddick who hit 32 bombs and batted .241. 

I'm certainly not questioning that his defense is still superior to almost every other right fielder out there. In 2013, while fighting a wrist injury that required off season surgery, he barley lost out on winning the Gold Glove to Boston's Shane Victorino. He made two insane "Spider-man" like grabs to rob San Francisco's Mike Morse of two home runs in the first game of spring training. So I have never questioned his defense but his offense has been pretty bad, really ugly even. As much as you want to believe he's back, I still need more proof.

In the month of May Reddick is batting .216 with eight strikeouts, only two walks and just three RBI. All three RBI came in the last two games against Chicago. So am I NOT ready to take back all of what I wrote about Reddick but I will take back the fact that I thought he should be sent down, for now. Here's what I said about Reddick after the first week of the season in my article on OPSN Five Changes the A's Need to Make Right Now:

"1. Send Reddick Down to Triple-A: Reddick is currently hitting .100 in 22 plate appearances with eight strikeouts. Now some question why I would single out Reddick when Josh Donaldson‘s batting average is similar to Reddick’s. I would answer that by looking at Reddick’s numbers in Boston and his numbers post 2012.  You would see that they are not that different meaning his so-called breakout year could very well have been a fluke. Donaldson’s breakout year was only last season so I would keep him and give him a chance to turn it around. Reddick has had his chances. Let’s be honest, Reddick slumped down the stretch in 2012 and started 2013 on a slow note. Granted he was injured in April slamming his wrist into a wall in a game in Houston. The wrist injury did not affect his defense as he was in the running for the AL Gold Glove in 2013 and his excuse that the injury hindered his swing is worth a grain of salt but he’s repeatedly said that he is 100 percent healthy this season so there is no excuse for batting .100 even in the first week of the season."

I had a chance to reread it and I still stand by the majority of my convictions but I will say that my wanting him sent down to Triple-A was, and still is, a bit rash. Can a simple Careless Whisper bring back the 2012 Reddick? I absolutely hope so and the past two nights have shown a marked improvement but two ballgames in the grand scheme of 162 means next to nothing. To believe he's back after two games is just naive.

I will say that I am pleased with his recent success and if he keeps it going then I will take back every negative thing I have said about him, however true it may have been at the time but that, my friends, is still a promise. I want to see our boys in the white cleats win as much as y'all do so ... I'd say let's have fun with the song for sure but don't see it as a sudden cure for Reddick's offensive woes at least not just yet. Let the numbers be your guide. Remember Reddick is still batting a measly .233 on the year with just two homers, so don't let his bravado fool you. In my opinion he still has something to prove at the plate.

Could Oakland's Derek Norris be an All-Star candidate?

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I am pretty positive that right now 95% of you are thinking, “Who is Derek Norris?” I will get to that, don’t worry, but I must also say I wasn’t the first person to come up with this seemingly “crazy” idea. To be honest I have to credit MLB.com’s Anthony Castrovince and Doug Miller for first thinking about the possibility that Derek Norris could earn a spot on the American League’s midsummer classic’s roster since a spot has more than likely being vacated by Baltimore Orioles’ catcher Matt Wieters. Wieters recently saw Dr. Andrews and while he will not be the first catcher of the season to need Tommy John surgery, he is going to spend time on the disabled list. Wieters’ elbow injury opens up the possibility for other names to emerge into the conversation for the A.L.’s starting catcher.

You now have two major clues about Derek Norris. You know he is a the catcher on an American League team, which narrows it down to approximately 15 players. Still curious? Or have you already checked baseball-reference.com?

To find out why Norris could be an All-Star candidate CLICK HERE! Brought to you by Outside Sports Pitch Network LLC

Find us on Twitter @OakAsSocksGrl and @OPSN_MLB

Nationals' Pitcher Tanner Roark .... Wait, Who?

Exactly .... 

Going into tonight’s game between the Washington Nationals and the Oakland Athletics I know I had ever heard of Tanner Roark. Granted I do follow the American League more so than the National League, still I found it odd that I had never heard of the National’s big, although not necessarily tall or heavy, right-hander. The Nationals are a team I have a soft spot for. There’s no real rhyme or reason for it except that they have two of my favorite former A’s, starter Gio Gonzalez and reliever Jerry Blevins. I assumed I would know something about the all of the other pitchers in their rotation besides Gonzalez, which I did with the exception of Roark. When Roark held the A’s to two hits in 7.2 inning, I thought, “alright, what’s with this kid?”

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In a baseball sense he is a kid even though he made his first pitching appearance at the age of 26 last season. He pitched barely over the rookie status limit of 50 innings (53.2) last season in just 14 games, five of them starts. So going into this season he’s like the pitcher he faced Saturday the A’s Sonny Gray. He is still practically a rookie, but is not considered one under Major League Baseball’s official rules. Gray pitched 64.0 innings last season with Oakland. I got a little comfort regarding my ignorance from that, but I still can’t understand why I hadn’t really heard of this guy. Especially since he has already pitched a complete game shutout this year.

To Read More about Tanner Roark CLICK HERE! Brought to you by Outside Pitch Sports Network LLC

You can find us on Twitter @OakAsSocksGrl and @OPSN_MLB.

FYI

Just letting y'all know that for now at least I am going to be stopping collecting the days articles from the sites I write for & all the days scores/transactions. There just hasn't been enough content produced lately for the time that putting everyday together. If anyone wants to voice their opinion like "Good Riddance, that was annoying" to "It needs to come back" - I will take that into consideration. If it was helpful to people then right on and I would hella bring it back but if no one really minds then it's less work for me - I still have my articles for my sites, other daily responsibilities, baseball games - soon I will be covering a few A's games here and there live from the press box via twitter as well as after in articles and interviews - book reviews, this month I was asked to review Jason Kendall's new book, Throwback, by the publishers at St. Martin's Press and I still a previous review that hasn't been written - I announced it the other day but I will keep bringing it up and once it is launched officially you'll know - but I am revamping my blog, adding a few features etc over on WordPress and it should be pretty cool but I am still a little ways a way from that being ready yet! My fave new feature is going to be weekly called Relative Replays: Behind the Bullpen Chatter. My mom and I will discuss everything from the A's (ok probably like 40-50% A's related stuff or AL West stuff or how much we just don't like the gnats) to 40-50% of issues, big games, whatever issues are going on in the league. I don't know of another mother-daughter baseball blog (if there is one that's awesome!) and my boyfriend thought it was a great idea ... of  course he who does not like baseball had to smirkingly add at the end "like you two do or think about anything else anyway" which while probably a true story, was not meant to be the compliment I'd like to be able to take it as. Well I have now sufficiently rambled .... but I guess that's just what I do! Have a great Sunday! Go A's! xx~ Jen

Why the A's Should Trade for a Starter

The A’s are looking good this season, despite losing their last two series to the Boston Red Sox and the Seattle Mariners. They are sitting atop the American League West with a 20-15 record and a game and a half lead over the second place Texas Rangers. So yes, they are not in any danger right now and are looking like playoff contenders.

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Besides the pitching of former closer Jim Johnson, the A’s pitching has been strong which has been a surprise to many since they lost two of their starters for the year to Tommy John Surgery, Jarrod Parker andA.J. Griffin. However their four and five starters have been slowing down the rest of the team. Not that Dan Straily orTommy Milone have been terrible but look at it this way, the A’s are 16-5 when their top three starters Sonny Gray, Scott Kazmir and Jesse Chavez pitch, when the other two and one time call up Josh Lindbloom have pitched the A’s have a record of 3-10. That means something needs to change at the back end of the rotation.

(*stats do not include Milone's eight inning gem last night, but let's face it ... he can be inconsistent that way and the premise of this story written before yesterday's game still stands*)

To read more of this piece CLICK HERE! Brought to you by Outside Pitch Sports Network LLC

Find us on Twitter @OakAsSocksGrl and @OPSN_MLB

Cutest Kitten gif EVER!

I barely ever but admittedly I do sometimes .... post cat pics but this one is too cute! It's non-baseball Happy Birthday Blog post ... but seriously, how cute is he! He falls asleep standing up! Cutest thing ever!!

Happy Birthday 1st to my Blog!

My blog is now exactly one year old. I have written exactly 260 posts (inlcuding this one) and work now at two different websites Outside Pitch Sports Network and Sports Unbiased (as you may have guessed because I am always promoting them). Today I'm gonna share my very first post with you as well as some others that I have liked as a birthday present to my blog! 

I also wanted to announce a new blog that I am going to have. I will be moving this blog from blogger to Word Press. It's not completed yet but the address of it will be http://BBSTmlb.com I will continue to bring the latest MLB news and updates my self and may or may not keep up with my daily updates (they're tougher to do than you'd think, I may go every other day - unless I just write the headlines so you get the basics of the day. I am not sure! Anyone have any comments?? please leave them! I am terrible at making decisions). Each week on a connected blog called "Relative Replays: Behind the Bullpen Chatter" that I will be co-authoring with my baseball loving mother, Barbara - well I'm not sure yet - we'll probably pick a big headline for the week and either debate or just discuss it .... It's all in the works and as soon as it is ready I will let it be known on this blog!! I'm working on it!

I hope one day to make the new blog much bigger and better than this one! My mom and I can be pretty funny and we both know entirely too much about the game ... I haven't decided on what to do with this one yet ... but I will keep you posted! But I will be doing most of my blogging with links to my articles on the new blog so PLEASE FOLLOW MY NEW WORD PRESS BLOG: BBTSmlb.com. But not yet because it's not fully functional! lol! Thanks! Enjoy my little collection of blog posts ... AND HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY BULLPEN, BASEBALL & SOCK TALK! YAY! 

• First Post, First Pitch - May 9, 2013
• In Response to Jon Heyman's Comments re: The Coliseum - May 29, 2013
• History of Oakland A's Socks Girl - June 17, 2013
• 2013 Oakland A's Playoff Predictions - October 4, 2013 (I was wrong but whatevs)
• First attempt at a Video Blog! - October 16, 2013
• Shibe Park 1909-1976: A little Athletics History Lesson - January 14, 2014 
• Young to Retire & a whole litany of other things (got a bit off topic) - January 30, 2014
• Salary Arbitration and Hearings Explained - February 1, 2014
• My Prediction Comes True! AJ Burnett to the Phillies - February 12, 2014
• MLB Network's Face of MLB Competition: Just Who Is This Guy With the Glasses? - February 22, 2014
• Bold Prediction: Billy Burns Makes A's Opening Day Roster - March 13, 2014
• A's Prospect Billy Burns is so Fast he'll make you say " Billy Hamilton? Who?" - April 10, 2014
• My First Two Podcast Appearances - April 16, 2014

Ok that's it for now, for today at this point but you never know - if I have more time I will write more! Check back! Thanks for reading! I truly appreciate it!

xoxo ~ Jen

Rumor: Are the Angels setting up C.J. Cron to Replace Raul Ibanez?

Saturday night Los Angeles Angels’ newest member C.J. Cron made his major league debut against the Texas Rangers. He made quite a splash jumping into the big leagues going 3-5 with two RBI in his first game. His first MLB hit and first RBI came in his very first at-bat. He hit a double in his second at-bat and drove in the Angels’ go-ahead run in the 6th inning with a bloop single over the head of Rangers’ third baseman Adrian Beltre.

Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports.

Sure, Cron won’t always have games like he did on Saturday but prior to his call up he was hitting .319 with six home runs and 26 RBI in  28 games with the Angels’ Triple-A Affiliate the Salt Lake City Bees. According to Angels’ manager Mike Scioscia, Cron played just as well in the Arizona Fall League and transitioned from there seamlessly into having a great spring. He also led all of the minors in RBI in 2012. If his track record is any indication then the 24-year old could become a staple in the middle of the Angels’ lineup. Scioscia had no problem putting him there Saturday and it seemed to work.

To read the rest of my article CLICK HERE! Brought to you by Outside Pitch Sports Network LLC

Find us on Twitter @OakAsSocksGrland @OPSN_MLB

MLB News, Videos, Fantasy, Injury Updates and More: May 6, 2014

POSTS FROM SPORTS UNBIASED AND OUTSIDE PITCH SPORTS NETWORK KEEPING YOU UP TO DATE ON WHAT HAPPENED TODAY AROUND THE LEAGUE!!

You can find us on Twitter @SportsUnbiased1, @OPSN_MLB and @OakAsSocksGrl

Links to News Articles & the Day's Highlights: 

• Kershaw Throws Seven Scoreless Innings - OPSN**
• Replay Proves Crucial to Pirates Walk-Off Win - OPSN**
• Rumor: Cron to Replace Ibanez for Angels?- OPSN**
• Kershaw Activate From the DL - OPSN
• Giants' Matt Cain Placed on DL after Injuring Finger while making a Sandwich - OPSN**
• Rivera Still Making Headlines, Appears on The Daily Show - OPSN**
• Peyton Manning and Derek Jeter Talk Retirement - OPSN**

Feature Articles:

• Adopting the DH: 3 NL Teams that Would Benefit From the Rule Change - OPSN
• Joel Hanrahan and the Tigers: A Perfect Match? - SU**
• NL: Contenders or Pretenders: Marlins, Rockies, Brewers - OPSN
• Best Third Baseman in Baseball: SU Best of MLB Debate Continues, Part 3 - SU**
• Vince Lombardi's Week 5 Power Rankings - OPSN

Fantasy Baseball: 

• Three Pitching Prospects Who Could Make Huge Impacts in 2014 - OPSN
• Week Five - Stock Up/Stock Down - OPSN
• Three Trades You Need to Make Right Now - OPSN
• What Do You Do with Charlie Blackmon? - OPSN

Daily Scores:

• Mariners 8 @ Athletics 3
• Dodgers 8 @ Nationals 3
• Twins 2 @ Indians 4
• Blue Jays 6 @ Phillies 5 in 10
• Astros 4 @ Tigers 11
• Giants 1 @ Pirates 2
• Reds 3 @ Red Sox 4 in 12
• Cardinals 1 @ Braves 2
• Orioles 5 @ Rays 3
• Mets 0 @ Marlins 3
• Yankees 4 @ Angels 3
• White Sox 5 @ Cubs 1
• Diamondbacks 7 @ Brewers 5
• Rangers 1 @ Rockies 12
• Royals 3 @ Padres 1 in 11

Videos:

• Jesse Chavez Makes Catch of his Life - OPSN**
• Replay Proves Crucial to Pirates Walk-Off Win - OPSN**
• Brian Wilson's Doppelganger- OPSN**
• Mo Recieves GIBBY & Rivera Ave. Unveiled - OPSN**
• Will Venable's Walk-Off Single - OPSN

Podcasts:

• AL West Discussion - TruLuv Sports Talk: 4/15/14 The AL West (featuring me!**)
• The Ultimate Sports Talk Show: 3/27/14 The Oakland A's (featuring me!**@about 45 min in)

Other MLB Highlights and Transactions:

• *Nationals Recalled RHP Blake Treinen from Syracuse (IL). Optioned RHP Ryan Mattheus to Syracuse.
• *Rangers Sent LHP Joe Saunders to Frisco (TL) for a rehab assignment
• *Padres Sent 3B Chase Headley to Lake Elsinore (Cal) for a rehab assignment.
• *Pirates Optioned LHP Jeff Locke to Indianapolis (IL). Recalled RHP Phil Irwin from Indianapolis.
• *Yankees Assigned RHP Chris Leroux outright to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (IL). Reinstated RHP Michael Pineda from the suspended list and placed him on the 15-day DL. Reinstated INF Brendan Ryan from the 15-day DL.
• *Marlins Released INF Greg Dobbs.
• *Dodgers Optioned RHP Pedro Baez to Chattanooga (SL). Reinstated LHP Clayton Kershaw from the 15-day DL
• *Royals Reinstated OF Lorenzo Cain from the 15-day DL.
• *Tigers Optioned RHP Jose Ortega to Toledo (IL). Selected the contract of LHP Robbie Ray from Toledo.
• *Indians Designated C George Kottaras for assignment. Recalled RHP Josh Tomlin from Columbus (IL).
• *Reds Placed OF Jay Bruce on the 15-day DL. Selected the contract of OF Roger Bernadina from Louisville (IL).
• *Cubs Sent RHP Jose Veras to Tennessee (SL) for a rehab assignment.
• *Orioles Optioned RHP Brad Brach to Norfolk (IL). Recalled LHP T.J. McFarland from Norfolk.

Anything that is written by me will be marked with 2 stars at the end**

*Information regarding player transactions are courtesy of ESPN.com

MLB News, Videos, Fantasy, Injury Updates and More: May 5, 2014

POSTS FROM SPORTS UNBIASED AND OUTSIDE PITCH SPORTS NETWORK KEEPING YOU UP TO DATE ON WHAT HAPPENED TODAY AROUND THE LEAGUE!!

You can find us on Twitter @SportsUnbiased1, @OPSN_MLB and @OakAsSocksGrl

Hope you had a ....

Happy Cinco de Mayo!!!

(and premiere day of 24: Live Another Day! lol)

Check it out: My articles are featured in a new digital magazine! Let me know what you think! I wrote a blog post about it with links and the first edition can be downloaded for free on itunes:
 NEW: Baseball Informer Digital Magazine - BBST**

Links to News Articles & the Day's Highlights: 

• Peyton Manning and Derek Jeter Talk Retirement - OPSN**
• Rumor: Cron to Replace Ibanez for Angels?- OPSN**
• Giants' Matt Cain Placed on DL after Injuring Finger while making a Sandwich - OPSN**
• Rivera Still Making Headlines - OPSN**
• Brian Wilson has a Doppelganger in DC - OPSN**
• Braun to the 15-Day DL - OPSN**
• Pirates send rookie Pitcher Pimentel to the DL - SU

Feature Articles:

• Adopting the DH: 3 NL Teams that Would Benefit From the Rule Change - OPSN
• Chicago Series: Cubs vs White Sox May Produce Some Good Action - OPSN
• Joel Hanrahan and the Tigers: A Perfect Match? - SU**
• NL: Contenders or Pretenders: Marlins, Rockies, Brewers - OPSN
• Best Third Baseman in Baseball: SU Best of MLB Debate Continues, Part 3 - SU**
• Vince Lombardi's Week 5 Power Rankings - OPSN
• How can Yankees' Fans Justify their Reception of Cano? - SU**

Fantasy Baseball: 

• Three Pitching Prospects Who Could Make Huge Impacts in 2014 - OPSN
• Week Five - Stock Up/Stock Down - OPSN
• Three Trades You Need to Make Right Now - OPSN
• What Do You Do with Charlie Blackmon? - OPSN

Daily Scores:

• Mariners 4 @ Athletics 2
• Cardinals 4 @ Braves 3
• Twins 1 @ Indians 0 in 10
• Dodgers 0 @ Nationals 4
• Astros 0 @ Detroit 2
• Blue Jays 3 @ Phillies 0
• Yankees 1 @ Angels 4
• Giants 11 @ Pirates 10 in 13
• Mets 3 @ Marlins 4
• White Sox 3 @ Cubs 1 in 12
• Diamondbacks 3 @ Brewers 8
• Rangers 2 @ Rockies 8 
• Royals 5 @ Padres 6 in 12

Videos:

• Brian Wilson's Doppelganger- OPSN**
• Mo Recieves GIBBY & Rivera Ave. Unveiled - OPSN**
• Wil Myers Hits Inside the Park 3-Run Home Run - OPSN
• Baker's Walk-Off Double, Puig's Injury on the Play - OPSN**

Podcasts:

• AL West Discussion - TruLuv Sports Talk: 4/15/14 The AL West (featuring me!**)
• The Ultimate Sports Talk Show: 3/27/14 The Oakland A's (featuring me!**@about 45 min in)

Other MLB Highlights and Transactions:

• *Diamondbacks Placed RHP J.J. Putz on the 15-day DL. Recalled RHP Evan Marshall from Reno (PCL).
• *Reds Assigned OF Roger Bernadina outright to Louisville (IL).
• *Indians Placed DH Jason Giambi on the 15-day DL, retroactive to Sunday. Reinstated C Yan Gomes from paternity leave.
• *Rockies Optioned INF Ryan Wheeler to Colorado Springs (PCL). Selected the contract of RHP Nick Masset from Colorado Springs. Transferred RHP Tyler Chatwood to the 60-day DL.
• *Tigers Assigned INF Jordan Lennerton outright to Toledo (IL). Optioned RHP Jose Orega to Toledo.
• *Astros Designated LHP Raul Valdes for assignment. Recalled LHP Darin Downs from Oklahoma City (PCL).
• *Royals Optioned OF Jimmy Paredes to Omaha (PCL).
• *Angels Optioned INF Luis Jimenez to Salt Lake (PCL). Recalled RHP Cory Rasmus from Salt Lake. Agreed to terms with LHP Dustin Richardson on a minor league contract. Sent RHP Dane De La Rosa to Salt Lake for a rehab assignment.
• *Dodgers Optioned RHP Stephen Fife to Albuquerque (PCL). Recalled RHP Pedro Baez from Chattanooga (SL).
• *Phillies Sent RHP Ethan Martin to Clearwater (FSL) for a rehab assignment.
• *Pirates Optioned RHP Casey Sadler to Indianapolis (IL). Recalled LHP Jeff Locke from Indianapolis.
• *Padres Designated OF Xavier Nady for assignment. Recalled INF/OF Kyle Blanks from El Paso (PCL).
• *Giants Recalled RHP Jake Dunning from Fresno (PCL). Placed RHP Matt Cain on the 15-day DL, retroactive to April 24.
• *Mariners Optioned OF Abraham Almonte to Tacoma (PCL). Recalled OF James Jones from Tacoma.
• *Cardinals Sent LHP Jaime Garcia and RHP Jason Motte to Springfield (TL) for rehab assignments.
• *Blue Jays Optioned OF Anthony Gose to Buffalo (IL). Selected the contract of RHP Marcus Stroman from Buffalo. Sent 1B Adam Lind to Dunedin (FSL) and RHP Casey Janssen to New Hampshire (EL) for rehab assignments.
• *Nationals Optioned OF Steven Souza Jr. to Syracuse (IL). Reinstated OF Scott Hairston from the 15-day DL. Sent C Wilson Ramos to Harrisburg (EL) for a rehab assignment.

Anything that is written by me will be marked with 2 stars at the end**

*Information regarding player transactions are courtesy of ESPN.com