Showing posts with label Bryce Harper. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bryce Harper. Show all posts

Monday, December 15, 2014

MLB Signings of Note This Week

Chase Headley is reported to have signed a 4 year 52 million dollar contract with the NY Yankees. Headley was traded to the Yankees prior to the deadline in 2014 and hit a combined .243 with 13 HRs and 49 RBIs last season.

The Chicago White Sox have signed free agent, Melky Cabrera to a 3 year 42 million dollar contract. Cabrera hit .301 with 16 home runs, 73 RBIs and 81 runs for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2014.

Bryce Harper and the Washington Nationals have avoided a grievance hearing by agreeing to a 2 year 7.5 million dollar contract. In an injury plagued 2014 season, Harper nit .273 with 13 HRs and 32 RBIs.

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Giants Swat 'Nats with 3-2 Win To Advance to NLCS

The San Francisco Giants are moving on to face the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2014 NLCS Series. The winning run in last night's game, that gave the Giants the series win against the Nationals 3-2, scored on a wild pitch. Fitting that the wild card Giants advance on a wild pitch.

As a result of that pitch, thrown by rookie Aaron Barrett, the Giants start their quest for another even-year World Series win. They became the fourth team in MLB postseason history to win a post season series game on a wild pitch. The '27 Yankees, '72 Reds and the '04 Yankees were the other teams to accomplish this. Only the '27 Yankees won the World Series.

Giants pitchers held the Nationals hitters not named Anthony Rendon or Bryce Harper, to a paltry .113 batting average with just 14 hits in 123 at bats. Harper, by the way, joins Miguel Cabrera as the only players to hit 3 playoff series home runs before the age of 22.

Although the final score was 3-2, the Giants could have, and should have, scored more runs. They left 10 men on base and had the bases loaded twice with one out and failed to score.

The Giants scored the first runs of the game in the bottom of the second. With one out, Brandon Crawford singled. Juan Perez followed with a hard hit ball back to the pitcher that Gio Gonzalez misplayed for an error. Ryan Vogelsong then laid down a bunt toward third that Gonzalez overran and Anthony Rendon couldn't get to. Gonzalez walked Gregor Blanco to force in Crawford and Perez scored when Joe Panik hit a slow roller to first.

The Nationals scored a run in the 5th on a single by Ian Desmond and a double by Bryce Harper to narrow the gap to 2-1.

San Francisco loaded the bases again in the bottom of the 5th when, with runners on 1st and 3rd, Hunter Pence hit a ground ball to first. Adam Laroche fielded the ball and threw home in an attempt to cut down the runner from third. But, Gregor Blanco had taken two or three steps towards home and retreated to third. All runners were safe. Fortunately for the Nationals, Pablo Sandoval popped up to first and Brandon Belt struck out to end the inning with no damage.

Bryce Harper launched 3-1 pitch for a home run to right off of Hunter Strickland in the top of the 7th that landed in McCovey Cove and tied the score at two all. Wilson Ramos followed with a single but the Nationals would not score again.

The bottom of the 7th was a wild one. With one out, Joe Panik singled. Buster Posey, who would hit .389 for the series, singled and Hunter Pence worked an 8 pitch walk to load the bases. Aaron Barrett, in relief of Matt Thornton, uncorked a wild pitch to Pablo Sandoval that scored Panik. With a 3-1 count to Sandoval, the Nationals decided to walk him. The pitch went over the head of catcher Wilson Ramos but Posey was out at the plate. Giants manager, Bruce Bochy, challenged the play claiming Barrett blocked the plate. The call on the field was upheld and after Brandon Belt flew out to left the inning was over.

The Nationals would threaten no more and the Giants won the game 3-2 and the NLDS Series 3 games to 1.

San Francisco will travel to St. Louis on Saturday the 11th of October to take on the Cardinals in the 2014 NLCS, with the winner of that series taking on the winner of the Royals/Orioles ALCS Championship in the 2014 World Series.

Here are the top 10 videos of the NLDS final games from Gordon Dixon at Larry Brown sports.

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Nationals Avoid Sweep Take 3rd game 4-1 over Giants

Madison Bumgarner made one mistake in last night's game. It wasn't a pitching mistake, it was a throwing error. With runners on 1st and 2nd, Wilson Ramos laid down a sacrifice bunt between the mound and first base. Bumgarner fielded the ball and threw wide to third trying to get the lead runner. Two runs scored on the error and Asdrubal Cabrera followed with an RBI single that scored Ramos to make the score 3-0 Nationals.

Bryce Harper added a solo home run in the top of the ninth for a 4-0 Nationals lead.

Brandon Crawford hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Pablo Sandoval with the lone Giant run in the bottom of the 9th.

Read the ESPN story here.


Sunday, October 5, 2014

Giants Beat Nationals 2-1 in 18 Innings

The San Francisco Giants and the Washington Nationals played an 18 inning game last night that lasted for 6 hours and 23 minutes. It was the longest game in MLB Playoff history by time and tied the record for the longest game by innings played.

The Houston Astros and the Atlanta Braves played an 18 inning affair in the 2005 NLDS that the Astros would win 5-4 on a walkoff home run by Chris Burke. Roger Clemens picked up the win in relief in that game.

Tim Hudson started both of those games, for the Braves in 2005 and for the Giants in 2014. Adam LaRoche, of the Nationals played first base in both of those games.

Wilson Ramos, Nationals, and Buster Posey, Giants, each caught the entire 18 inning game. Tanner Roark, losing pitcher for the Nationals, was 27 when he gave up the home run to Brandon Belt in the top of the 18th but turned 28 before the Nationals would lose the game.

The Nationals 3 through 6 hitters, Jason Werth, Adam Laroche, Ian Desmond and Bryce Harper were 2 for 28 with 9 Ks. The Giants 3 through 6 hitters, Buster Posey, Pablo Sandoval, Hunter Pence and Brandon Belt were 7 for 27 with 2 RBIs and 7 Ks.

Read the full ESPN story here