The Grand Old Game

Buehrle Marches Toward Immortality

After pitching only the 18th perfect game in ML history, LHP Mark Buehrle continued his dominance of opposing hitters well into last night’s game against the Twins, retiring the first 17 batters in succession before losing the perfect game and no-hitter with two outs in the 6th inning. Buehrle walked Alexi Casilla before giving up a single to Denard Span and an RBI double to Joe Mauer. Nick Punto followed with a weak liner to to right, and before it was all said and done Buehrle had been saddled with the loss, as well. 

He did manage to break a 37-year-old record before he was chased from the mound, besting the previous consecutive batters retired mark set by Giants hurler Jim Barr in 1972. Barr retired 41 straight, that year. The old mark was actually tied by Buherle’s teammate, closer Bobby Jenks, in 2007.

This game held perhaps more significance for the Twins, as it moved them into a tie for second place in the AL Central with none other than the White Sox.

Also in team news for the Sox (both Red and White), The Boston Red Sox traded OF Mark Kotsay to Chicago for OF and struggling prospect Brian Anderson. Kotsay started the season on the DL (back surgery), and has played in only 27 games, so far this year. Anderson has had his struggles, as well, having recently been demoted to AAA Charlotte after batting .238 with only 2 homers and 13 RBI in 65 games. Anderson was a 1st-round pick for the White Sox in 2003, and has yet to live up to his potential. Anderson was optioned to AAA-Pawtucket on his arrival. Kotsay will primarily pinch-hit and make occasional starts in the OF and at first base.

My Take:Anderson is only 27, and could still prove to be a valuable 4th OF, at worst. Kotsay has always been an excellent glove man, and has certainly been no liability at the plate, either. He turns 34 in December, and under normal circumstances I’d expect him to be a productive bench player for another 3 years, but I have a feeling that these back problems will lead him to retire by the time the 2010 season ends. The Red Sox got the better of this deal, of course, though that advantage will be measured in Anderson’s ability to fulfill his potential.

Wang To Have Season-Ending Surgery

The New York Yankees suffered a loss to their rotation when it was decided yesterday that RHP Chien-Ming Wang will undergo season-ending surgery on his right shoulder. Wang was examined by orthopedist Dr. James Andrews on Tuesday, and had been on the DL since July 5th.

“It’s a tough loss for us,” Girardi said. “I feel for him. He’s been through a lot the last 14, 15 months. Hopefully this is will be the end of the surgeries for him and he’ll have the rest of his career be real healthy. We’ll be there for him and we’ll help him get through this. We’ll get him back pitching as soon as we can.”

Wang will return some time next season, though the exact date has yet to be determined.

My Take: Wang hasn’t been the same since he hurt his foot in 2008. He’s also had a hip injury to contend with this year. His arm angle has fluctuated a lot, and consequently he’s not had anything near his old sinker and slider. His stuff has tended to flatten out, and so he gets hit pretty hard when he’s healthy enough to pitch. Also, his velocity has dipped, probably due to the hip and foot injuries. I think he came back too soon from both of those injuries, and because of that has altered his mechanics slightly, though enough to cause serious shoulder problems. When he does come back next year, it will be interesting to see if he’s anywhere near the Wang of 2006-07, when he went 38-13 and pitched 417 1/3 innings. My guess is, he’s not going to make it back quite to that level, though he should still be a 13-15 win guy, and average around 180 innings a year. The Yankees should prepare for that contingency now.

Big Unit Down With Tear In Rotator Cuff, Out At Least Three Weeks

“Obviously the first thing I thought is that I won’t be able to do my instructional hitting video. That will be on the back burner for a while.”

That was the response from Randy Johnson when he learned he had a torn rotator cuff in his left shoulder on Tuesday.

Johnson met with team orthopedist Dr. Ken Akizuki after his MRI on Monday. He is expected to miss at least three weeks, and was placed on the 60-day DL. While he’s never had any serious shoulder issues before, he has endured three back surgeries and at least three knee surgeries during his career. The team is hoping to have Johnson back in September, though they have no real idea how quickly he will recover.

My Take: A rotator cuff injury at 45? A shoulder injury even at 25 can be career-threatening in some cases, but at Johnson’s age, doubly so. Even if he managed to return in September, he cannot be counted upon to significantly contribute to the Giants’ postseason aspirations, and thus the Giants have suffered a significant setback in their chase for the playoffs. If he really wants to pitch in 2010, he’d be better off not pushing the envelope this year with his rehab. Problem is, this is Randy Johnson we’re talking about, one tough SOB. He eats nails and gravel for breakfast, and opposing batters for dinner. I’m sure he’s considered how tough it would be to come back from shoulder surgery at his age, and will probably do everything possible to avoid that scenario, but it’s a small possibility that Randy Johnson has reached the end of the road, toughness and determination aside. Everyone reaches a point when all the willpower in the world just isn’t enough. If he’s finally reached that point, he certainly has been a real joy to watch, one of a kind.

Next: The NL Central and the four-team tug-of-war for first place.

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