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In keeping with the number-themed posts, the NL has a new long-distance HR champion - Carlos Beltran.

.408

The other Mr. Met.

David Wright is hitting .408 to start the day.  Sure, it's May and we all know he has a statistically insignificant chance of breaking the .400 mark this season, but Wright's hot start sent me off in search of the best BA seasons of the recent past.  Below is a table back to 2000 that also includes where that player's season stands in the all-time ranking of season BA (back to 1876):



Aside from his .350 average in 2001, did you remember that Larry Walker hit .366, .363, and .379 from 1997-1999?  I didn't, but I suppose that's what happens to humble heroes.  Coors Field in the 90s was a heady time/place combination.

Astros Under the Radar?

Quick - which team has the fifth-best run differential in the National League?

That's right:  Your Houston Astros.

Ejection Trends

Any new trends in the world of baseball ejections?  Glad you asked, because throwing bench players out of the game has become quite fashionable of late.

Ted Lily is excused from the proceedings on May 5th:

Omar Vizquel gets the boot on May 1st:

This is a trend (two times over a few days constitutes a trend, right?) I hope continues.  Bench players and pitchers who have just been removed from the game are two groups I always felt didn't take full advantage of their opportunity for giving umpires 'the business' without fear of reprisal (for that game, anyway).

Grumpy Old Men

You wouldn't like Chipper when he's angry.

Some great quotes from Chipper about his run-in with Jamie Moyer over being accused of relaying signs.  The best part for me is the naming of names.  Mark Lemke always seemed like that kind of player.

Also, you've got to love the bonus dig on the Phillies franchise.  This feud has it all!

My only gripe, though, is the implication that this is somehow 'cheating' or a lack of 'integrity.'  If you have signs that can be broken and relayed, then that's your own fault.  The line between 'competitive' and 'cheating' is the use of technology.  For example, remember when the Phillies were clearly caught using binoculars from the bullpen in mid-May 2010 and then promptly went into a huge, collective slump in the latter half of May 2010?  I do.  Stay classy, Philadelphia.

Fool's (Black and) Gold?

Pedro Alvarez has been on an absolute tear for the Bucs of late.  Could this finally be the real Pedro Alvarez after years of unfulfilled hype?  The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (unsuprisingly) seems to think so although the team sounds a bit more cautious.  I know James is hoping he hit gold over at the hot corner with El Toro while Zimmerman rounds into post-injury form.

Laughing Stock of the MLB

Once again...no...not the Phillies' offense.

According to Wikipedia, that is how Tim Welke is now described. I'm not sure who was most shocked, Don Mattingly, Todd Helton, or Sims when he logged on to grab Harper and saw he was already gone.

I mean, that is just incredible. How is that allowed? Is he not allowed to ask the Home Plate umpire, (or even the blind woman in section 121) for some help? This isn't just a bang-bang mistake, this is a joke.

BUT...it allows me to finally join the endless Umpire conversations on here, and include a clip from the greatest comedy of all time.

The Newest Wrigley Legend

Already the latest folk hero of Wrigleyville, Bryan LaHair is starting to turn heads nationally.  Sure, the .381/.459/.794 line to start the season helps in that regard - but what the Rick Reillys of the world really lap up (like the starved cliche hounds that they are) is when these numbers are coming from a player formerly thought of as a AAAA placeholder for Anthony Rizzo who is now moving jerseys by the pallet at the Cubs team store.  Allow ESPN's David Schoenfield to take it from here:

"[LaHair's] is a story that goes beyond numbers -- although those are spectacular, too -- one that reminds us of the hundreds of players who toil in Triple-A, on the cusp of playing in the major leagues, hoping to catch a break."

Bull Durham alert!  America loves that story and will never get tired of it.  Phillies fans may not be as fond of this particular version (and if you think I'm just trying to get in your head in advance of the big Nats/Phils series this weekend, then you're correct):

Happy Bryce-Giving!

Happy Bryce-giving everyone!  That's right, it's Bryce Harper's first home game here in D.C.  Fortuitously, it also happens to be $2 Ticket Tuesday and a Jordan Zimmermann start.  The baseball gods have been generous to us on this day.