Yesterday’s MVP is Joey Votto, who went 3-5 with a HR.
Honorable Mentions: Nelson Cruz, Yuni Escobar, Greg Holland, Ervin Santana
MVP Standings (under jump):
MVP of Yesterday (April 21, 2013): Joey Votto
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Quote of the Day (April 21, 2013)
Today’s quote is by Connie Mack:
“There has been only one manager, and his name is John McGraw.”
Continuum Global News (Week leading up to April 21): News from Japan, Korea, Mexico, Europe and More
News and Standings from across the wide world of baseball (THIS IS A BIG POST SO THERE IS A JUMP AFTER THE FIRST FEW PARAGRAPHS):
Asia:
In Asia, baseball season is now in full swing, with Japan, Korea and Taiwan all in motion.
In Japan, home of Nippon Pro Baseball, the standings currently look like this (from Yakyu Baka):
As you can see, the teams have already started to spread out a bit, forming into de-facto groups of great, good and bad. The cream of the crop in the NPB, once again, seems to be the Yomiuri Giants, who have 14 wins, 4 losses, and two ties (there are ties in NPB). Only two teams are within five games of them. The Giants, winners of 22 Japan Series and the current defending champions, have several names that would be familiar to baseball fans in North America. Shinnosuke Abe, the team’s captain, is a long-time mainstay of the Japanese national team at the WBC, and former Major Leaguers like John Bowker, Jose Lopez, D.J. Houlton and Scott Mathieson have played for the Giants this season as well. Hayato Sakamoto (another member of the 2013 WBC team) and Shuichi Murata are among the Central League’s HR leaders.
It’s a bit closer over in the Pacific League, but like in the Central League, one team has clearly gotten off to a very good start: The Seibu Lions. Based out of Torozawa, the Lions are being paced at the plate by former MLBer Esteban German, 22-year-olds Hideto Asamura and Yuji Kaneko, and outfielder Takumi Kuriyama. The pitching has also been excellent, and features 2013 WBC pitcher Hideaki Wakui and a young lefty named Yusei Kikuchi, who is 2-1 with a 1.03 ERA in 4 starts.
Also, some interesting news: NPB will open the 2014 season with games in the LA area.
(JUMP FOR MORE)
Picture of the day: Desmond Jennings, Center Fielder, does a unassisted double play
This can only happen when a hit and run play goes horribly, horribly wrong.
MVP of Yesterday (4-20-2013): Bryce Harper… again.
3-for-3. Two homers. 3 RBIs. A walk. All in a close 7-6 Nationals win. Bryce Harper is pulling ahead in the MVP standings (which can be found after the jump).
Honorable mentions: Daniel Nava, Lorenzo Cain, Joey Votto, Chris Davis, Mike Trout, A good chunk of the Cleveland Indians
Quote of the day for April 20, 2013
From Leo Durocher:
“Baseball is like church. Many attend, few understand.”
Picture of the Day: Fenway back in the 1910s
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MVP of Yesterday (April 19, 2013): Matt Harvey
The MVP of Yesterday is the Mets’ Matt Harvey, who out-pitched Stephen Strasburg, going 7 innings of 4-hit and one run ball while striking out seven.
Honorable Mentions: Travis Hafner, Yu Darvish, Wandy Rodriguez, Justin Ruggiano
MVP Standings (below jump):
Quote of the Day for April 19
Today’s quote comes from Bob Feller, on his time in World War 2:
I’m no hero. Heroes don’t come back. Survivors return home. Heroes never come home. If anyone thinks I’m a hero, I’m not.
Picture of the Day: Derek Jeter Scouting Report
By way of Reddit and Twitter, here’s how the Colorado Rockies scouted Derek Jeter of Kalamazoo, Michigan back in 1992:
Let’s see here… this Rockies scout figured he had below-average hitting potential, but good speed, fielding, arm strength and especially “make-up” (INTANGIBLES!) . He noted that Jeter physically resembled Gary Green, then in the Reds organization, and declared that, despite his flaws, he was athletic enough to adapt and improve. He finished by noting that Jeter was a future All-Star and would almost certainly sign out of High School (although he had signed with the University of Michigan as a “security blanket).
Of course, Jeter was gone long before the Rockies’ first pick that year (they had the 27th pick, a result of being a expansion team that was not to start playing until 1993). Still, an interesting look at the early days of one of the game’s great players.
The Baseball Continuum 