Chasing the Babe Pt I – Barry Bonds tied Babe Ruth for 2^nd place All-Time on the home run list when he hit his 714^th career homer against the A’s on Saturday.  Bonds had gone 40 plate appearances since his last homer on May 7 in Philadelphia before connecting off of Oakland’s Brad Halsey.  In becoming the 420^th pitcher to surrender a home run to Bonds, Halsey becomes the present day Jack Billingham who gave up Hank Aaron’s 714^th.

 

Trivia Question – Can you name the pitcher who gave up Babe Ruth’s 714^th (and last) home run?  (answer below)

 

Contract This! – Dream became reality early on Sunday morning for Twins fans when the Minnesota legislature passed by a slim margin, a bill that will give the team a brand new 42,000 seat, open air stadium in downtown Minneapolis.  Guaranteeing the future of baseball in Minnesota is an iron clad 30-year lease.  The stadium, which is expected to cost $522 million, is expected to be ready to host Major League Baseball by 2010. 

 

White Sox pitcher Freddy Garcia became a 7-game winner over the weekend when he beat the cross-town rival Cubs on Saturday while tossing 8 scoreless innings.  The game, however, was marked by a bench clearing brawl after catchers A.J. Pierzynski of the White Sox and Michael Barrett of the Cubs were involved in a collision at home plate.  After Pierzynski scored on a sacrifice fly, he slapped home plate with his hand following the violent impact.  Barrett then grabbed his counterpart and connected with a right cross, prompting both benches to clear.  The two then exchanged more words at the plate on Sunday, though no punches were thrown.  Undoubtedly, Bob Watson will have the final say on this one.

 

In Non-Interleague Action…

 

Jeff Francoeur saw his 16 game hitting streak come to an end when he went 0 for 5 on Friday night in a loss to Arizona.  Francoeur left 7 men on base as the Braves blew a 5-run first inning lead in the 10-9 loss. 

 

Then on Saturday, D’Backs ace Brandon Webb improved his record to 7-0 by defeating the Braves 13-0 on a 4-hitter in which the super sinkerballer, in addition to his 8 strikeouts, got 18 outs on the ground and just 1 via the air.  Webb now has the highest GO/FO ratio in the majors (4.28, 154/36). 

 

In that same game, the National League’s leading hitter, Brian McCann of Atlanta, was injured in a collision at home plate with D’Backs OF Eric Byrnes.  X-rays were negative and McCann is day to day with a left lateral ankle sprain that clearly could have been worse.  “I thought he broke something,” said Braves Manager Bobby Cox. 

 

Notable Transaction Pt I – MLB is down to just one Alex Gonzalez after the Phillies Alex S. Gonzalez announced his retirement on Saturday.  Gonzalez had hit just .111 (4 for 36) before hanging it up.  Replacing him on the roster will be 33-year old rookie C/INF Chris Coste.  Coste, who will be making his first trip to the big leagues, became the feel good story of spring training when he was the last player cut after batting .463 with 3 HR.

 

Notable Transaction Pt II – The Angels on Saturday parted ways with former Met and Giant Edgardo Alfonzo, whom they acquired in the off-season in return for CF Steve Finley.  Alfonzo batted just .100 (5 for 50) with 1 RBI before his release.

 

Notable Transaction Pt III - The White Sox activated Jose Contreras from the 15-day DL on Sunday and optioned lefty reliever Boone Logan to Charlotte.  Logan, a 20th round draft choice in 2002 (600th overall), became this spring's other feel good story by making the club out of camp where he posted a 0.69 ERA in 13 innings.  Success, though, did not follow him to the big league level, where he allowed 18 hits and walked 9 in posting a 5.68 ERA in 12.2 IP. 

 

Over the weekend, the Dodgers swept the Angels in the battle of the LAs by a combined score of 31-7.  Nomar Garciaparra went 7 for 13 with 4 doubles and 4 RBI in the series to raise his batting average to .363.  The shortstop turned first baseman is 32 AB shy of qualifying for the league lead.

 

Scott Kazmir of the D’Rays became yet another 7 game winner on Sunday when he combined with the resurgent Tyler Walker to shut out the Marlins and finish off a three game sweep of their cross state rivals.  Dontrelle Willis pitched well, but took the loss in a complete game effort as Tampa Bay sent Florida to its 7^th straight defeat. 

 

Free Swinger Update Pt I – After seeing his hit streak come to an end on Friday, Francoeur on Sunday did the remarkable and drew a walk.  The free pass was just his 2^nd of the season in 186 at bats.  He is now on pace to draw 8 in 686 AB.  

 

Free Swinger Update Pt II – Fellow Brave Matt Diaz did not draw a walk in the series and now has 0 walks in 59 at bats on the year, the most AB in the majors without a free pass.  He was 3 for 6 over the weekend and after batting just .200 in April, and is now hitting .586 and slugging 1.069 in May to raise his season average to .390. 

 

Josh Beckett, DN&N’s preseason choice for Cy Young, raised his record to 6-1 by beating the Phillies 8-4 on Saturday.  In the win, Beckett went 2 for 4 with a home run and 2 RBI. 

 

The Longest Streak Pt I&II – The St. Louis Cardinals, backed by three Albert Pujols home runs, swept their Missouri rivals in Kansas City over the weekend to run their winning streak to a major league best 5 games.  In doing so, they also extended the Royals’ major league worst losing streak to 9 games.  The Royals will now face the red hot Tigers for four games at home before going on the road to New York.  Kansas City is 2-20 on the road in 2006.

 

Chasing the Babe Pt II – Bonds did not hit a home run on Sunday and his quest for the Babe now continues back home in San Francisco on Monday where the Giants will take on the Pujols and the Cardinals.  Bonds is 7 for 14 lifetime with 3 HR against Monday’s starter Mark Mulder.

 

Trivia Answer – Guy Bush was the pitcher who surrendered Babe Ruth’s 714^th and last major league home run.  On May 25, 1935, Ruth went 4 for 4 with 3 home runs for the Boston Braves against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh.  His last home run was also his last major league hit.

 

Just Noticing – Babe Ruth hit his 714^th and last major league home run in Pittsburgh as a member of the Braves.  Hank Aaron played most of his career with the Braves.  Barry Bonds made his major league debut in Pittsburgh on May 30, 1986.  Babe Ruth played his last major league game on May 30, 1935.