Through 5/10/06 -

 

Jason Schmidt, after Tuesday’s victory over Chicago, is 3-0 with a 1.08 ERA in his last three starts.  He has 22 strikeouts and only 2 walks in 25 innings while allowing just 15 hits in a stretch that now includes consecutive complete games. 

 

Phillies top pitching prospect Cole Hamels (a 1^st round pick in the 2002 amateur draft) will make his Major League debut on Friday night in Cincinnati, GM Pat Gillick announced on Wednesday.  Hamels, in 7 combined Double-A and Triple-A starts, is 3-1 with a 1.04 ERA and 65 strikeouts in 43.1 innings while holding opposing hitters to a 1.65 average against. 

 

The last no-hitter in Major League Baseball was Randy Johnson’s perfect game for Arizona against Atlanta way back on May 18, 2004, 1 year and 357 days ago.  The drought between no-no’s is now the longest since WWII.  The longest time between no-hitters in MLB history is 3 years and 41 days.

 

Meanwhile, the Mets’ no-hitter drought has reached 44 years and 30 days…and counting.

 

The winner of the race among all position players in the Majors (who were on the opening day roster and haven’t been on the DL) to be the last one to get a hit this season will be Oakland A’s utility player Antonio Perez, who is 0-21 after going 0-3 on Wednesday. 

 

Free Swingers Pt I – Through Wednesday, the top 5 leaders in strikeouts are: Brad Wilkerson 49 (122 AB / 1 every 2.48 AB), Johnny Gomes 45 (117 AB / 1 every 2.60), Adam Dunn 42 (116 AB / 1 every 2.76), Richie Sexson 40 (129 AB / 1 every 3.22) and Jhonny Peralta 38 (143 AB / 1 every 3.76). 

 

Free Swingers Pt II – As reported yesterday, the Braves Jeff Francoeur drew his first walk of the season on Tuesday and now has 1 in 138 AB.  Others with just one walk with over 100 AB include Detroit’s Placido Palanco (1 in 113 AB), Seattle’s Yuniesky Betancourt (1 in 113 AB), KC’s Angel Berroa (1 in 115 AB), Minnesota’s Rondell White (1 in 118 AB) and St. Louis’ Juan Encarnacion (1 in 128 AB).

 

Free Swingers Pt III – Francoeur’s “increased patience” at the plate leaves Omar Infante of Detroit, the Royals Kerry Robinson and Angel Hernandez of the Mets with the most at bats without a free pass.  All three have 41 AB through Wednesday without taking a stroll down to first.  Trailing closely behind them is another Braves OF, Matt Diaz (0 in 38 AB).

 

The Mets Jorge Julio is striking out batters at an astounding pace of 15.58 per 9 innings pitched.  He has struck out 30 in 17.1 innings (80 batters faced).  The Nationals’ disabled starter John Patterson has the highest strikeout rate in the Majors with at least 100 batters faced (11.22/9 innings). 

 

The highest walk ratio in the Majors (minimum 50 batters faced) belongs to the Marlins Franklyn German who has walked 14 in 12 innings (10.50/9 inn).  German was placed on the DL Wednesday with right shoulder tendonitis. 

 

Reliever Jim Brower had put up some mind-bogglingly bad numbers by the time he was finally released on Wednesday by Baltimore.  In 12.1 innings Brower had walked 13 and allowed 21 hits.  He’d also hit three batters in allowing nearly 3 runners per every inning pitched.  Hitters were battering him at a .389 clip with an on-base percentage of .521 and a slugging percentage of .566. 

 

The Longest Streak Pt I – The Phillies saw their league best 9-game win streak stopped abruptly by the New York Mets in a 13-4 loss on Wednesday.  The Mets came out gunning, scoring 10 times in the first three innings, including a 6 run third, to bring an end to the Phils’ run of good fortune.  Meanwhile, Jeff Kent belted a three run home run in the first inning (his 2^nd HR in as many nights) of the Dodgers 9-6 win as they ran their winning streak to a league best five in a row.

 

The Longest Streak Pt II - For the Astros, it was their 6^th straight loss, the longest such streak in the majors following the Cubs 8-1 win over the Giants which ended their 8-game slide.  In preventing Barry Bonds from tying the Babe on Wednesday, Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano helped to end the Cubs’ run of futility and earned the right hander his first win of the season.

 

Marlins rookie shortstop Hanley Ramirez has been one of the team’s few bright spots and has made himself an early contender for the NL Rookie of the Year award (along with Milwaukee’s Prince Fielder) by hitting .315 through his first 31 games of the season.  His OBP is .387 and he is slugging .484 while being held hitless in just 7 games so far.  He has also stolen 8 bases in 10 attempts and has scored 30 runs as the leadoff man for the Fish.  He was 2 for 5 with a run and an RBI on Wednesday as the Marlins ended a four-game losing streak.

 

The Arizona Diamondbacks do not have a left handed pitcher on their active roster (43-year old Terry Mulholland has been on the DL since April 12 with elbow stiffness).  The Pirates, with 3 southpaws in their rotation and a lefty closer in Mike Gonzalez, sport a total of six as do the Mariners who feature four lefties in their bullpen.

 

A lot was made in the off-season of Alfonzo Soriano’s home and road splits from last year (specifically his differential in slugging percentage which saw him slug.656 at home and .374 on the road) and what effect playing in the spacious RFK stadium might have on him this year.  So far he is hitting higher on the road (.284/.355 on the road, .255/.293 at home) but he is slugging .600 at home against .494 on the road.  He has homered 6 times in 55 AB at home (once every 9.16 AB) but only 4 times in 83 road AB (1 per 20.75 AB).

 

Finally, the Royals are doing their best to try to save GM Allard Baird’s job, completing a sweep of the Indians at home on Wednesday.  The win improved Kansas City’s record to 10-22.  Alas, it may not be enough as Baird is rumored to be on the way out before the weekend with an announcement to come possibly as soon as Thursday’s off day.