Baseball Bloggers Alliance Connie Mack Award:

American League:

1. Joe Maddon, Tampa Bay Rays
2. Jim Leyland, Detroit Tigers
3. Joe Girardi, New York Yankees

National League:

1. Kirk Gibson, Arizona Diamondbacks
2. Ron Roenicke, Milwaukee Brewers
3. Tony LaRussa, St. Louis Cardinals

–  As a former student of the University of Nevada, I saw my fair share of drugged out women of the night.  Watching CJ Wilson last night brought back memories.  His cutter and curve were as nasty as the workers of Reno’s 4^th street corners.

–  Speaking of the Rangers, who put firecrackers inside David Murphy?  Homeboy is blowing up right now; making the Rangers say “Nelson who?”

–  I really have to wonder what is in those cigs that Jim Leyland smokes.  Detroit has pulled away from the rest of the division by going 15-4 since August 19^th.

–  Erik Bedard has been scratched from his next start…well of course he has, he is Erik Bedard.

–  Jordan Pacheco made it onto Baseball Tonight last night as part of the Rockies highlight.  Big ups to the kid who is a fellow New Mexican.  He was part of the La Cueva High School (Abq, NM) Bears baseball team that held the national record for consecutive wins.

–  Did anybody else realize that since June 18^th, the Vanimal, Vance Worley, has made 14 starts, and the Phillies have won every single one of them?  I hadn’t realized that either.  Impressive.

–  And I don’t care who you are, watching Stephen Strasburg pitch last night was fantastic.  And to think it was a mere 12 months and 3 days since he was cut on.  Mind-blowing to think about.

At this year’s Winter Meetings, the Detroit Tigers struggled to complete a blockbuster trade as they had the previous two seasons.  On a team rich with both young and veteran big-league-ready talent, the first player that every team inquired about was the their prized prospect, Jacob Turner.  In the end, the Tigers were unwilling to hear offers for the 19-year old right-hander, and were forced to pass on several potential trade opportunities.  It seemed that there was nothing offered that could match Turner’s potential impact on both the Tigers’ rotation, as well as the rest of baseball.

After compiling a 20-4 career record and 187 strikeouts for Westminster Christian Academy in St. Louis, Turner was widely considered to be one of the best right-handed pitchers in the 2009 draft class.  Although he had previously committed to play for North Carolina, the Tigers drafted the 6-foot-5, 210-pound Turner in the first-round with the 9^th overall selection.

Continue Reading ‘St. Louis’ Jacob Turner could reach big leagues in 2011′ >>