Hey young world, the world is yours.  Hey young world, the world is yours.  Young world, young world, the world is yours.  -Slick Rick

Public Service Announcement:  Ok, here we go!  You know what the man says.  The man says pitching wins championships.  The man says you’re only as good as your next starter.  Sparky Anderson says, “If I ever find a pitcher who has heat, a good curve, and a slider, I might seriously consider marrying him, or at least proposing.”  Well, I found some guys.  Sparky better go buy a ring.  Heck, he should go all Big Love and buy five of them.             Read More »

Johnny come lately, the new kid in town.  Everybody loves you, so don’t let them down.  -Eagles

Public Service Announcement:  Ok, here we go!  Lots of good young pitchers out there.  Lots of ‘em!  There’s JA Happ.  JA Happ became the first Phillies rookie to reach double-figures in strikeouts in a complete-game shutout since Ray Culp back in ’63.  There’s Justin Lehr.  Justin Lehr became the first pitcher to throw a shutout for the Reds in either his first or second start in the big leagues since Charlie Leibrandt back in ’80.  And then there’s Rick Porcello.  That old compromisin’, enterprisin’, anything but tranquilizing,  right on Rick Porcello!     Read More »

Johnny come lately, the new kid in town.  Everybody loves you, so don’t let them down.  -Eagles

Public Service Announcement: Ok, here we go!  Rookie rookie, who gets the cookie.  Ricky, that’s who.  Ricky’s the big winner.  Ricky wins.  Ricky won last night.  Last night Rick Porcello won against the Kansas City Royals.   He may have lost three of his first four starts but you can forget about that now.  He’s won five in a row now.  How about that?  How about this?  Porcello, twenty years and 151 days young, is now 5-0 with a 1.50 earned run average over his last five starts.  Yowza!  Only one pitcher in major league history as young as Porcello went 5-0 with an earned run average of 1.50 or better over any five-start span.  Wanna know who that guy is?  Sure you do.  That guy is none other than Dwight Gooden.  Doc, at age 19, went 5-0 with a 1.43 earned run average over a five-start span in 1984.        Read More »