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Golden Sombrero: Derrek Lee

D-Lee: Far removed from his famous 2005 season…

Top 1: Derrek Lee called out on strikes against Gavin Floyd

Top 4: Lee struck out swinging against Floyd

Top 5: Lee called out on strikes against Floyd

Top 7: Lee struck out swinging against Jesse Crain

Final Line: 0-4, 4 strikeouts

Notes: After seemingly finding his swing (7-for-21 from April 26 – April 30) Lee kicked off May with a bang, fanning in each of his four at-bats on Sunday.  The performance lowers Lee’s slash line to .228/.304/.287 for the 2011 season, and he has now struck out 27 times in 101 at-bats.

Total 2011 Sombreros: 16

Golden Sombrero: Brett Gardner

The man is scary without a hat

Top 2: Brett Gardner called out on strikes against Jake Arrieta

Top 4: Gardner called out on strikes against Arrieta

Top 7: Gardner flew out to left against Koji Uehara

Top 9: Gardner struck out swinging against Kevin Gregg

Top 11: Gardner struck out swinging against Jason Berken

Final Line: 0-5, 4 strikeouts, 3 LOB

NOTES: Gardner’s golden sombrero on Sunday was another red flag in what has a been a disconcerting start to the season for the Yankees’ left fielder.  The 0-5 performance dropped his slash line to .140/.197/.263 for the season.

Total 2011 Sombreros: 13

Golden Sombrero: Ryan Howard (again)

Two golden sombreros in three days for Howard

Top 2: Ryan Howard struck out looking against Tim Stauffer

Top 4: Howard struck out swinging against Stauffer

Top 6: Howard struck out looking against Stauffer (Really?)

Top 9: Howard struck out swinging against Heath Bell

Top 11: Howard rips go-ahead two-run double off of Chad Qualls.

Final Line: 1-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI, 4 K

NOTES: The golden sombrero on Saturday was Howard’s second in his last three games and second of the season overall.  After starting the season red hot, Howard has cooled off significantly.  As we all have witnessed during previous seasons, the strike outs start adding up when Howard is slumping.  In his 88 plate-appearances this season, the big man has already fanned 23 times (not including Sunday’s results).  Since Mark Reynolds is yet to record a sombrero — although he is 2 for his last 29 with 10 strikeouts — I’ve gone and added a Ryan Howard Sombrero Counter, which can now be found on our left side bar.

Total 2011 Sombreros: 11

Poll: Kyle Drabek vs. Zach Britton

Two of the American League’s top pitching prospects were on display in the first week of the 2011 season, and suffice it to say, they both lived up to their respective hype.

First up was the Blue Jays’ Kyle Drabek, who used his 89-91 mph cutter to befuddle the Minnesota Twins’ offense on Saturday.  He allowed one run in seven innings, while walking three and striking out seven.  Oh yeah, the Sombrero’s No. 33 prospect took a no-hit bid into the sixth.  In his “10 Rookie Predictions” piece, John Sickels even predicts that Drabek will toss a no-no in early May – a bit bold, but definitely not unimaginable.

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The Mark Reynolds Golden Sombrero Tracker

In conjunction with both the start of the 2011 MLB season and our one-year anniversary, The Golden Sombrero is proud to debut the Mark Reynolds Sombrero Tracker. Considering that he has new home with the Orioles, in the fiercely competitive A.L. East, we like the odds that Reynolds surpasses his league leading four golden sombreros from 2010. So be sure to check back with us — and with our friends at Off Base Percentage, who also cherish the always-impressive feat — as we chronicle another year of sombreros. And as for Mr. Reynolds, well, you can track his swing-and-miss prowess via our tracker, which is also affixed on our left sidebar.