METS, GIANTS CLOSE ON BELTRAN –Well, I think it’s time to let go of the possibility of trading for Carlos Beltran. That’s not so much of a bad thing seeing as the
Phils didn’t want to part with any good prospects for a 2 1/2 months rental player.
The New York Mets and San Francisco Giants are close on a deal that would send Beltran to the NL West leading Giants.
The deal is said to send Giants right-handed pitcher Zack Wheeler to New York for Beltran and cash. Wheeler, the sixth overall pick in the 2009 First Year draft, is one of San Fran’s top pitching prospects.
Wheeler, 21, is 7-5 with 3.99 ERA for San Francisco’s Class A Advanced San Jose affiliate this season.
The trade will instantly improve the 25th offense in the Major Leagues. Beltran, 34, is hitting .289 with 15 homers and 61 RBIs. He also had a major league leading 30 doubles.
SANTANA’S NO-NO — Ervin Santana was dominant, simply put. The LA Angels’ starting pitcher tossed a no-hitter today, doing so in rare but still dominating fashion. Santana allowed an unearned run came in the 1st inning of Wednesday afternoon’s 3-1 win over the Indians.
Santana, who struck out 10 and walked only one, allowed the run to score on a wild pitch. He actually trailed up until the 5th inning.
It was the first no-no in franchise history since Mark Witt and Mike Lingston combined for one in 1994. Six years prior, Witt threw one all by himself.
PIRATES FILE COMPLAINT — For those who haven’t seen the play:
Pirates manager Clint Hurdle argued the call angrily, obviously getting nowhere on an umpire, the most egotistical breed of idiotic officials in all of sports.
The Pirates released this statement after filing a complaint at 2:30 in the morning:
“The Pittsburgh Pirates organization is extremely disappointed by the way its 19-inning game against the Atlanta Braves ended earlier this morning. The game of baseball and this game in particular, filled with superlative performances by players on both clubs, deserved much better. We have filed a formal complaint with the Commissioner.
“While we cannot begin to understand how umpire Jerry Meals did not see the tag made by Michael McKenry three feet in front of home plate, we do not question the integrity of Mr. Meals. Instead, we know that Mr. Meals’ intention was to get the call right. Jerry Meals has been umpiring Major League games for 14 years and has always done so with integrity and professionalism. He got this one wrong.
“For Pirates fans, we may have lost a game in the standings as a result of a missed call but this game, and the gutsy performances by so many of our players, will make us stronger, more unified and more determined as we continue the battle for the National League Central Division.”
Home plate umpire Jerry Meals blew the call, plain and simple. I don’t know what he saw that made him call the Braves’ Julio Lugo safe but it was the wrong call.
Somewhere, Jim Joyce is happy the baseball world forgot about last season.
TTB 