Jacoby Ellsbury Becomes Boston’s First Ever Member Of The ’30/30 Club’

Jacoby Ellsbury Becomes Boston’s First Ever Member Of The ’30/30 Club’

By Evan Drellich / MLB.com

NEW YORK — He’s one of the only Boston players performing well this month, and on Sunday, Jacoby Ellsbury made Red Sox history.

The center fielder homered twice off the Yankees’ AJ Burnett, both solo shots to right field, making him the first player in team history to hit at least 30 home runs and steal at least 30 bases in a season.

The first long ball came in the top of the fourth in the first game of a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium, cutting New York’s lead to 4-1, while the second came in the sixth to cut make it 5-2.

The latter homer also gave Ellsbury 100 RBIs on the season. Through six innings, he had three hits.

Ellsbury has 38 steals, putting him well within reach of a 30-40 season, which has happened 19 times in MLB history. Only one player in history has hit at least 30 homers, driven in 100 runs, collected 200 hits, stolen at least 40 bases and hit for an average of .320 or better: Vlad Guerrero, with the Expos in 2002.

As Boston continues to stumble as a team, the 28-year-old Ellsbury has done his part. He entered the day with a .358 average, .404 on-base percentage and a .611 slugging percentage in September, and including Sunday, he’s reached base in 58 of 62 games since July 18. He has hits in 33 of his last 36.

An All-Star for the first time this season, Ellsbury started the day with a Major League-best 342 total bases, and in the top 10 of several other American League offensive categories.

 

’30-YOC Top Ten Lists’ – ‘Top Ten Forgotten Stars Of The 1980s’

’30-YOC Top Ten Lists’ – ‘Top Ten Forgotten Stars Of The 1980s’

I had such a good time, and judging by the reader reaction so did you, working on and writing my ‘Top Ten List’ from last week that I wanted to extend the same subject into the 1980′s.

So, that is this week’s theme – ‘Top Ten Forgotten Stars Of The 1980s’.

Again, like last week, you will not find any Hall of Fame players, although there are several that I think deserve more credit in the overall scheme of things.

You will also not find players that still get a lot of attention in the sport and hobby – Don Mattingly, Dale Murphy, Fred McGriff, Cecil Fielder, Eric Davis, etc.

What you will find is a list of players that I really enjoyed watching during their primes.

Are you ready?  Let’s do this!!!

Honorable Mention – Andy VanSlyke, Ruben Sierra, Todd Worrell, Chili Davis, Pedro Guerrero, Willie Wilson, John Franco, and Gary Gaetti.

10 – George Bell.  You can call him George or Jorge or ‘Liberty’, but you better add ‘slugger’ too.  One of the decades best home run hitters, Bell was an offensive machine.  The producer of home runs, RBI, and high batting average led Bell to receive 3 All-Star selections, 3 Silver Slugger Awards and the 1987 AL MVP.

9 – Lance Parrish.  Parrish was the core of the Detroit Tigers for most of the early-to-mid 1980′s.  His skill both at the plate and behind it helped make him a perennial All-Star selection.  Parrish is also a 6-time Silver Slugger winner and has 3 Gold Gloves.

8 – Mike Greenwell.  While there may have been other ‘big’ names in Boston that got national attention, if you ask any Red Sox fan from that era, they will tell you that Mike Greenwell was a key contributor to the team’s success.  Greenwell played 12 years for the Sox and retired with a .303 batting average, which included 7 seasons above the .300 mark.  Greenwell was a 2-time All-Star and runner-up for the MVP award in 1988.

7 – Kent Hrbek.  The anchor of the Twins’ offense and defense, Hrbek played 14 solid seasons with the Twins.  A 2-time World Series champion, he hit 293 home runs during his career while driving in 1,086.  Hrbek was the runner up for the ROY in 1982 and MVP in 1984.

6 – Rick Sutcliffe.  An old-school pitcher that was probably a decade or two late to the game, Sutcliffe embodied the ‘mean’ approach that made several pitchers legends in the 1960s.  Used as both a starter and reliever during his playing days, Sutcliffe retired with a 171-139 record.  He was the Rookie of the Year in 1979 and won the 1984 Cy Young Award with his 20-6 record, 9 complete games, and 213 strikeouts.

5 – Harold Baines.  A 22-season veteran, Baines racked up some very impressive stats during his playing days.  A lifetime .289 hitter, Baines collected 2,866 hits.  He also had a knack for power and run production – 48 doubles, 384 home runs, 1,299 runs scored, and 1,628 RBI.  Baines was a 6-time All-Star.

4 – Willie McGee.  Talk about a perfect for a team..  Willie McGee brought the Cardinals instant offense as a rookie in 1982.  In fact, the 23-year old played a large role in the Cardinals World Series win that season.  In 1985 McGee was unreal – .353 batting average, 216 hits, 56 stolen bases, 114 runs scored, 86 RBI, a batting title, All-Star selection, Gold Glove, Silver Slugger, and MVP!!  In total, McGee was a 4-time All-Star, 3-time Gold Glove winner, and one of the most popular Cardinals in team history.

3 – Tim Raines.  Quite possibly the second best lead-off hitter of the last fifty years, there was nothing Tim Raines could not do on a baseball diamond.  He stole 808 bases during his career, scored 1,571 runs, and has a lifetime batting average of .294.  Raines was a 7-time All-Star and has 5 finishes in the Top 12 for the MVP.

2 – Lee Smith.  Smith ranks in 3rd place on the all-time saves list, and he will not give up that spot any time soon.  He ranks ahead of every Hall of Famer to ever be tagged as a ‘closer’.  Smith played in 18 big league seasons, accumulating 478 saves along the way.  Smith reached the post-season only twice, which translates to his role being even more important as we was closing games for teams that were not very competitive.

1 – Jack Morris.  Morris pitched in the majors for 18 seasons.  He won more game than any other pitcher in the 1980s, totalling 254 wins for his career.  He has 3 20-win seasons under his belt and an impressive 7 finishes in the Top 9 for the Cy Young award.  Morris competed in 3 World Series match-ups, winning all three – for three different teams.  He won the 1991 World Series MVP, and finished his post-season career with a 4-2 record.

And there it is.  I’m a bit exhausted, but that was a lot of fun too!!!

Do you think that I missed anyone?  Are my rankings appropriate?  Let me hear it!!!

And for the record – on this list, numbers 3,2,and 1 all deserve to be in the Hall of Fame.  Just my opinion…

Thanks for reading.

Eddie Murray 2001 Upper Deck Decade 1970′s – ROOKIE

Eddie Murray 2001 Upper Deck Decade 1970′s – ROOKIE

I would have to go back and check the archives of ’30-YOC’, but I believe that this is the third card of Eddie Murray that I have grabbed from the ‘UD Decades’ set.

As Depeche Mode once sang, I just can’t get enough…

The card is a nice one, with strong border colors that were carried out very well by Upper Deck.  And their choices definitely take you back to a decade that was beaming with bright and vivid colors.

Not to be outdone is the great action photo of Eddie Murray.  And while I would prefer for it to be a little more ‘zoomed out’ so we can see more of the action, there is no escaping how nice his swing looks!!

Take a look:

Great Stuff!!!

Dwight Gooden 1989 Upper Deck

Dwight Gooden 1989 Upper Deck

Wow.  All strong as Upper Deck came out of the box in 1989 with their debut in the baseball card business, they certainly left a lot to be desired with their Dwight Gooden card.

One of the game’s best and most highly decorated pitchers from that era, there are a million better photographs that UD could have used than this one…

Happy Anniversary Al Kaline!!!

Happy Anniversary Al Kaline!!!

On this day in 1995, Detroit’s Al Kaline won the American League batting title becoming the youngest player in major league history to do so.

At the age of twenty, and in his third big league season, Kaline hit .340 as he collected 200 hits in 588 at-bats.  He also led the American League in hits that year, and in total bases as well with 321.

His efforts from the 1955 season were handsomely rewarded – 2nd place in the MVP voting and an All-Star selection!!

Happy Anniversary Mr. Kaline!!!

 

Bob Gibson 2001 Upper Deck Hall Of Fame Gallery

Bob Gibson 2001 Upper Deck Hall Of Fame Gallery

Upper Deck was just a few years ahead of its time with some of the modern cards that they were issuing in the early part of the decade.

Brilliantly designed, and capturing Gibson just as I want to see him, this card is a beauty!!

And I do believe that with the background image, Upper Deck is the only company to capture Gibson smiling.  LOL

Here is the card:

Wade Boggs 1987 Donruss Highlights – Set of Two

Wade Boggs 1987 Donruss Highlights – Set of Two

Oh, yeah!!  2 beauties from the 1987 Donruss Highlights set – both featuring my favorite member of the Boston Red Sox, Mr. Wade Boggs!!!

And while I definitely prefer the Maroon border color from the ‘Opening Day’ set issued by Donruss in 1987 to this Turquoise one, I do love the theme of the set.

Boggs was honored twice – both times for worthy reasons:

1. Left card – honors Boggs’ ‘Player of the Month’ award for his solid June in 1987.
2. Right card - honors Boggs collecting 200+ hits in each of the last five baseball seasons

 

Two solid additions to my Wade Boggs collection.  And they happen to honor one of my favorite seasons in baseball history - 1987!!

 

Happy Anniversary Dave Winfield!!!

Happy Anniversary Dave Winfield!!!

On this day in 1992, Dave Winfield became the oldest player in major league history to collect 100 RBI in a single season.

At the age of 40, and playing for the Toronto Blue Jays, Winfield tallied 108 RBI by the end of the 1990 baseball season.

His efforts were rewarded very kindly – a World Series championship.  Winfield collected three more RBI in the Fall Classic as well.

Happy Anniversary Mr. Winfield!!!

‘Home Run Derby’ Contests Nets 6 Winners!!!

‘Home Run Derby’ Contests Nets 6 Winners!!!

Well, Well, Well…  There were a lot of home runs hit last night.  And a few game cancelations too.  Unfortunately with the 2 games being canceled, quite a few players were unable to compete.  Maybe they should convert Yankee Stadium to a dome??  LOL

The end result?  6 players in my ‘Home Run Derby’ contest are winners!!!

Congratulations Guys!!!

The Winners:
Jacob – Prince Fielder
Matt D – Miguel Cabrera – CLAIMS EDDIE MURRAY
Charley - Josh Hamilton – CLAIMS ANDRE DAWSON
Jeff L – Paul Konerko
Greg Z – Matt Kemp – CLAIMS MANNY RAMIREZ
Jeff P – Alfonso Soriano – CLAIMS FRANK THOMAS

Just as a reminder, here is the prize:

To claim the card  that you want, either leave me a comment on this post with the name of the player you’d like.  Or, you can email me too – bapple2286 AT hotmail.com.

Congrats again guys.  And thanks to everyone that participated.

My next contest is just a few weeks away.  Here is a hint – start studying who you think is going to be taking home the individual year-end awards…  Thanks!!!

Milwaukee Brewers Clinch The NL Central

MILWAUKEE — The Brewers won a game, then clinched their place in the postseason, too. Sound familiar?

It was 2008 all over again on an exhilarating Friday night at Miller Park, down to the eighth-inning, hysteria-inducing Ryan Braun home run and the tense moments that followed while the Brewers’ postseason fate was sealed hundreds of miles away.

A 4-1 win over the Marlins pushed the Brewers to the verge of the National League Central crown and turned Miller Park into a northern outpost of Wrigleyville. With Milwaukee’s magic number down to one, a sold-out crowd of 44,584 turned its attention to the scoreboard and watched the Cubs rally for a 5-1 win over the Cardinals.

With that, Milwaukee’s postseason ticket was punched.

With that, pandemonium.

“In 2008, when we went to the postseason for the first time in 26 years, you really realized how special it was to everybody in this city and this state,” Braun said. “Winning the division this time makes it that much more meaningful. This is what we set out to do from the beginning of the year.”

Back in ’08, they won the NL Wild Card on the final day of the season at Miller Park. Midseason acquisition CC Sabathia supplied the pitching gem. Braun snapped a 1-1 tie with a two-run homer in the eighth inning. Everybody — players, fans alike — watched on the scoreboard as the Marlins beat the Mets to seal Milwaukee’s spot in October.

Three years later, the similarities were striking down to the involvement of the Cubs and Marlins. Yovani Gallardo was the starting pitcher this time, working into the eighth inning. A July acquisition (Francisco Rodriguez) earned the win. Braun again snapped a 1-1 tie, this time with a two-out, three-run homer off Marlins reliever Clay Hensley that clanked off the scoreboard in center field.

Then, the wait through the final outs of Cubs-Cardinals. Then, a celebration that began in the clubhouse and worked back onto the field, where the stands remained full of fans.

“I told Corey [Hart] in the first inning, ‘This feels like ’08,’” Braun said. “The anxiety, the excitement from the fans. You could just tell they were waiting for an opportunity to go crazy.”

They went crazy after the Brewers won their division for only the second time in franchise history and the first time since 1982. For only the fourth time in 43 years of existence, the Brewers are bound for the postseason.

Gallardo scattered seven Marlins hits — four of them doubles — but allowed only one run in 7 1/3 innings thanks to 11 strikeouts on a record-setting night. He became the first Brewers pitcher to strike out 10 or more batters in three consecutive starts, with 12 whiffs against the Phillies on Sept. 11 and 13 more against the Reds on Saturday. He topped the 200-strikeout plateau for the third straight season, another club record. Of the seven 200-strikeout seasons in Brewers history, Gallardo owns three of them.

He conjured Sabathia on Friday night.

“You know, one of the things I learned from him, no matter what the situation is, he’d just stay relaxed and go out there and pitch his game,” Gallardo said. “That’s what I tried to do here tonight.”

Prince Fielder’s towering home run in the second inning and Marlins center fielder Bryan Petersen’s bloop single in the fourth accounted for the game’s only runs into the eighth inning, when an error charged to Brewers second baseman Rickie Weeks gave the Marlins runners at first and second base with one out.

Enter Rodriguez, who struck out Mike Stanton and Logan Morrison with 10 tension-filled pitches, pumping his fist into his glove and pointing to the crowd as he worked his way back to the dugout.

“I have no words to describe it, the intensity, the adrenaline that I had when I was walking from the bullpen,” Rodriguez said. “Once I crossed that door, I knew I had to go for two strikeouts. I cannot let them get the opportunity to put the ball in play. That was my mentality.”

The Brewers rallied moments later. After Corey Hart doubled and Nyjer Morgan walked, Braun, 0-for-3 in the game and with only one hit in his last 16 at-bats, connected with a slider from right-hander Hensley and sent it to straightaway center field.

“That’s the difference,” Marlins manager Jack McKeon said. “That’s the pros. That’s what you like to find, the guys who put the good numbers up, but they knock the runs in. Look at Fielder and Braun, more than 100 RBIs. That’s tough back to back, pick your poison.”

With the crowd roaring and a new Cubs-Cardinals score posted on the out-of-town scoreboard — a 1-1 tie had turned into a 4-1 Cubs lead — Brewers closer John Axford pitched the ninth inning. His 44th save tied Francisco Cordero’s franchise record.

Braun also made the game’s defining defensive play, a diving catch in the fifth inning to rob Omar Infante of a hit. Braun jumped up and fired to first base to complete an inning-ending double play.

“At first, I didn’t [think he would get to the ball],” Gallardo said. “But he made an awesome play. He did a great job. And then coming back and hitting that home run, that’s the kind of night he had.”

How did it feel to be the hero?

“It’s not my night; it’s our night,” Braun said. “It feels amazing. It’s something we’ve all done together. You just recognize it, embrace it and realize how hard it is to get to this position.”