Monday's six-pack
After ten weeks of baseball, here are some statistical leaders......
-- Batting average: Cano .371/Morneau .350/ Ethier .343
-- HRs: MiCabrera 19/Bautista 18/Hart-Konerko 17
-- RBI: MiCabrera 56/Guerrero 54/Glaus 49
-- OB%: Morneau .460/Youkilis .450/Cano .418/Willingham .417
-- ERA: Jimenez 1.16/JGarcia 1.49/JJohnson 1.91
-- Strikeouts: Haren 97/Lincecum-Jered Weaver 96/Gallardo 94
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Monday's List of 13: Going off on a variety of subjects.......
13) Ted Lilly/Gavin Floyd put on pitching clinic Sunday night; Floyd had his no-hitter broken up in 7th inning, Lilly lost his in the ninth. Cubs got a run in 7th on a Tracy single, then Marmol escaped a bases-loaded jam in the ninth as the Cubs salvaged the last game of a three-game series, 1-0.
12) Last no-hitter at Wrigley Field was Milt Pappas way back in '72. He is probably best known as a guy the Reds got when they stupidly traded Frank Robinson to the Orioles after the 1965 season (O's won '66 Series), but Pappas was 209-164 in major leagues, over a 17-season career. The no-hitter came in his 16th season, at age 33.
Two of the Padres who batted against Pappas in his no-hitter way back on September 2, 1972 were Toronto Blue Jays' manager Cito Gaston and Fred Kendall, the father of Royals' catcher Jason Kendall.
11) Tim McCarver suggested on the air Saturday that Stephen Strasburg should be in the All-Star Game if he is 5-1 or 6-0, "...because people want to see him." No one who makes their season debut on June 8 should be in the All-Star Game that season, no matter what FOX wants.
10) Strasburg allowed a Hafner homer and five walks in 5.1 IP Sunday, in his second big league start, as Nationals whooped Cleveland 9-4, in front of 32,876 fans, Cleveland's biggest home crowd since its home opener.
9) The San Diego State rookie has 22 strikeouts in two starts, the most by a kid in his first two starts since Karl Spooner had 27 back in 1954. Just in case you were wondering, Spooner was 10-6, 3.09 in 16 starts at ages 23-24 in 1954-55, then hurt his arm, never pitched again. Be careful........
8) Caddyshack is 30 years old? Damn, I just read that and felt very old.
7) Almost as old as last Monday, when Delino DeShields Jr got drafted by the Astros; I had his dad on my fantasy team his first three years in the big leagues, with the Expos. 1990-92. Time flies, boy.
6) Isiah Thomas holds the record for most points in one quarter in NBA Finals game, scoring 25 in one quarter in a 1988 game.
5) Kansas City is going to get the 2012 All-Star Game, which is good for Royals' fans. They could use some good news, considering the Big 12 has its headquarters in Kansas City and Big 12 may very well go away soon. The Royals' chances of being good went away a long time ago.
4) Kevin Millwood was signed by Orioles to be the Opening Day starter, their #1 guy; so far this season, he's made 14 starts, with zero wins. Ugh.
3) Severe ugliness in Memphis Sunday, as Robert Garrigus had a 3-shot lead as he stood on the 18th tee, looking for his first PGA win. Both his closest opponents parred the 18th, but in a moment that reminded us of Jean van de Velde at Carnoustie 11 years ago, Garrigus hit his tee shot in the water, his next shot in the trees, and triple-bogeyed 18, forcing 3-way playoff with Lee Westwood and Robert Karlsson. Sad day for Garrigus,as Westwood won the playoff.
2) My brief summation of the NBA Finals: The Celtics are tougher, both mentally and physically. Now, they still have to win another road game, but they're killing the Lakers on loose balls and hustle plays.
1) Vince Young was involved in some kind of an incident in a strip club in Dallas this weekend; he was issued a citation by police. I'll say two things about this and be done with it.........
a) You never, ever, ever want to see your QB involved in something like this, but it seems to be happening more often, which isn't good.
b) How much money does he make? If he likes strippers, can't he bring them into his house, away from potential trouble......how hard is this?