The Longest Streak Pt I – The Chase for DiMaggio – When Jimmy Rollins’ 38-game hit streak came to a halt back on April 6, Jason Marquis was one of five Cardinal pitchers who helped to keep him hitless.  On Thursday, Chase Utley’s first inning single against Marquis extended the second baseman’s hitting streak to 35 straight games, and pulled him to within one of tying Rollins and Billy Hamilton (1894) for the 9^th longest single season streak in history.  Utley entered the game 4-for-9 lifetime against Marquis and he wasted no time in tying Luis Castillo (2002), Fred Clarke (1895) and Ty Cobb (1917) for the 11^th longest overall hitting streak in major league history, lining a sharp single to center on a 2-2 pitch with two outs and the bases empty in the opening frame.  Utley had 3 hits in 6 at bats in the Phillies’ win and is now batting .408 (62-for-152) with 9 HR and 28 RBI since the streak began.  Joe DiMaggio hit .408 (91-for-223) during his record 56-game streak in 1941.  The Chase for DiMaggio continues in none other than New York City on Friday night as the Phillies take on Orlando Hernandez and the Mets.  Utley is 1-for-2 lifetime against El Duque, doubling against him back on June 14 in Philadelphia nine days before the streak began.   

 

Hit Streak Trivia Question – Utley’s streak began with 7^th inning two-run home run off of Beckett in a 10-2 loss to the Red Sox on June 23rd.  Can you name the pitcher that gave up the hit that started DiMaggio’s record streak? (answer below)

 

The Longest Streak Pt II – Chasing Lefty – The only thing Greg Maddux didn’t have an answer for in his Dodger debut was the rain, pitching 6 no-hit innings against the Reds to help L.A. extend their major league best win streak to 6 straight games.  Maddux did not return after the 46-minute delay, giving way instead to Joe Beimel, who was greeted by a red-hot Scott Hatteberg (.397 since June 27) who promptly singled to end the no-hit bid.  Hatteberg also walked three times in the loss.  Olmedo Saenz gave all the runs Maddux would need, hitting a two-run home run in the first to help him earn the 328^th victory of his career and tie him with John Clarkson for 11^th on the career list.  His next win will tie him with Steve “Lefty” Carlton for 10^th all-time. Maddux has never thrown a no-hitter in his 20-year career. In fact, nobody has thrown a no-hitter in baseball since Randy Johnson’s perfect game against Atlanta on May 18, 2004.  The last Dodger to throw a no-no was Hideo Nomo back on September 17, 1996 in Colorado (pre-Humidor). Los Angeles now trails San Diego by three games in the West and both Arizona and Cincinnati by just 2 games in the Wild Card race. 

 

The Longest Streak Pt III – Chase Utley’s three hits made the headlines, but Aaron Rowand also had three hits (one a home run) to go with Chris Coste’s first career 4-hit game to help back Cole Hamels’ 12 strikeout performance in the Phillies 8-1 win over St. Louis Thursday.  Despite losing for the 7^th straight time, the longest current losing streak in the majors, the Cards remained 3 ½ games up on the Reds, who lost their 5^th in a row in the loss to L.A.  Reigning Cy Young award winner Chris Carpenter (10-5, 2.93) will take the mound to try to end the slide on Friday night at home against the Brewers. 

 

Taking Care of (Draft) Business – The new-look Kansas City Royals announced on Thursday the signing of the first pick in this year’s amateur draft, Luke Hochevar, to a 4-year deal.  Hochevar, who twice spurned the Dodgers including last year when they made him the 40^th overall pick in the draft, gets a major league contract from Kansas City and will be placed on the 40-man roster on Saturday.  Financial terms were not released.  He is just the fourth top overall pick in the last 20 years to get a major league contract.  The others were Delmon Young (2003), Pat Burrell (1998) and Alex Rodriguez (1993). 

 

In announcing the deal, Royals Senior Director of Scouting Deric Ladnier told reporters, “We are excited to get Luke signed in a timely fashion, which is a tribute to Luke and the Glass family.”  DN&N took that comment with just a slightly raised eye brow.  Among the players taken in the first round with the first 30 picks, Hochevar is one of only 5 who have yet to play in the minors for their club this season and of the top 44, including the 14 1^st round sandwich picks, he was one of the final 9 to get on the field. 

 

With that in mind, DN&N thought we’d take a look at how those first round picks have fared thus far just two months into their professional careers.  Among the more impressive numbers displayed belong to Tampa Bay prospect Evan Longoria (#3 overall) and Dodger pitcher Clayton Kershaw (#7).  Brett Sinkbeil (#19) of Florida has made a good first impression and Giants pick Tim Lincecum (#10) opened some eyes in his first two brief professional starts.  Be sure to check out Minnesota farmhand Chris Parmelee (#20), the Friar’s first-year pro Matt Antonelli (#17) and sandwich pick Kristofer Johnson (40) who have done well so far.  But be sure also not to look past some of the unimpressive numbers posted by Kyle Drabek (#18), Cody Johnson (#24) and Kyler Burke (#35). 

 

2006 First Round Draft Picks – Pitchers

 

PLAYER	TM	#	W	L	ERA	S	G	GS	IP	H	BB	K	WHIP
Luke Hochevar	KC	1	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
Greg Reynolds	Col	2	0	0	3.68	0	5	5	22.0	18	6	14	1.09
Brad Lincoln	Pit	4	1	2	4.76	0	5	5	22.2	30	6	19	1.59
Brandon Morrow	Sea	5	0	0	0.00	0	4	1	7.0	3	4	9	1.00
Andrew Miller	Det	6	3	0	4.28	0	9	5	27.1	24	16	17	1.46
Clayton Kershaw	LA	7	1	0	1.29	0	6	5	21.0	14	4	31	0.86
Tim Lincecum	SF	10	0	0	0.00	0	2	2	4.0	1	0	10	0.25
Max Scherzer	Ari	11	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
Kasey Kiker	Tex	12	0	3	4.50	0	9	8	22.0	19	17	19	1.64
Jeremy Jeffress	Mil	16	2	2	2.95	0	7	3	18.1	12	11	20	1.25
Kyle Drabek	Phi	18	0	2	10.80	0	3	3	10.0	15	5	5	2.00
Brett Sinkbeil*	Fla	19	2	0	2.09	0	8	8	38.2	31	12	34	1.11
Ian Kennedy	NYY	21	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
Colton Willems	Was	22	0	1	2.77	0	4	4	13.0	15	2	6	1.31
Avery Morris	LA	26	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
Daniel Bard	Bos	28	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
Kyle McCulloch	ChW	29	1	2	2.24	0	7	6	24.1	22	11	29	1.36
Adam Ottavino*	StL	30	2	3	3.47	0	8	8	36.1	31	17	35	1.32
Pedro Beato	Bal	32	1	0	3.00	0	8	4	30.0	20	13	28	1.10
Brooks Brown	Ari	34	0	1	4.50	0	4	1	4.0	5	4	5	2.25
Cory Rasmus	Atl	38	0	0	8.59	0	3	1	7.1	7	5	3	1.64
David Huff	Cle	39	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
Kristofer Johnson	Bos	40	0	1	0.57	0	8	7	15.2	11	4	13	0.96
Joba Chamberlain	NYY	41	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
Chris Perez	StL	42	2	0	2.77	4	12	0	13.0	13	8	14	1.62
Steven Evarts	Atl	43	1	2	1.73	0	7	5	26.0	21	5	21	1.00
Caleb Clay	Bos	44	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---

(All statistics through 8/2) *player has played at two levels/statistics are combined totals

 

2006 First Round Draft Picks – Hitters

 

PLAYER	TM	#	G	AB	R	H	HR	RBI	AVE	OBP	SLG	OPS
Evan Longoria*	TB	3	36	143	27	50	12	39	0.350	0.422	0.678	1.100
Drew Stubbs	Cin	8	38	143	27	36	2	14	0.252	0.357	0.378	0.735
William Rowell	Bal	9	19	68	14	19	0	8	0.279	0.375	0.353