Mariano Rivera Reaches Milestone...and Six Others Who Won't

When Mariano Rivera trotted to the mound last Wednesday, it marked the 1000th time he had done it for his New York Yankees...the most by any pitcher for one single team.

And while Rivera has Texas Rangers reliever Arthur Rhodes (second on the active games played list with 866) way off in the distance in his rearview mirror, the accomplishment is still pretty cool and that got me to thinking.

Back in March, when The Hall compiled its annual milestone breakdowns, most of them were in reach...but, here we are, a third of the way through the season and it is obvious that some are not.

What follows are six pie-in-the-sky predictions that are surely NOT going to happen.

Tim Wakefield ties Roger Clemens and Cy Young with most wins (192) in a Boston Red Sox uniform.  Given the ageless knuckleballer has been relegated to the bullpen and with 181 BeanTown victories, he might never reach Clemens and Young.  This season, through 13 games, the 44-year-old has managed two.

Adam Dunn joins the 400 home run club.  Sure, it isn't as prestigious as 500 home runs, but Dunn was expected to exploit the fences at U.S. Cellular and get the 46 homers necessary to reach 400.  Unforunately, a slower than slow start (five homers in 50 games) and appendicitis will make Dunn lucky to reach 30.

Jason Kendall surpasses Don Baylor on all-time hit by pitch list.  The veteran catcher needed to get plunked 14 times (something that has happened nine times in his 15-year career), but shoulder surgery has pretty much made that impossible.  Kendall has yet to take the field in 2011.

Brian Roberts becomes just the second player to notch 50 or more doubles in four seasons. With just seven doubles and the lingering effects of concussion-like symptons...the Baltimore Orioles All-Star won't be joining Hall of Famer Tris Speaker anytime soon.

Bobby Abreu becomes only the eighth player to hit 300 home runs and steal 300 bases.  On paper, it looked like Abreu should easily get those 24 home runs needed to join Barry Bonds, Bobby Bonds, Willie Mays, Alex Rodriguez, Andre Dawson, Reggie Sanders and Steve Finley, but with just two in his team's first 55 games...time will run out.

Jason Giambi gets his 2000th base hit.  Last season, "The Giambino" managed 43 base hits in limited duty.  This year, he came into the season 86 hits (yes, double his 2010 output) shy of the 2000 hit plateau.  Well, two months into the season and nine hits later...it appears as though dude will be lucky to ever get to the milestone.

I know, I know, every season has its fair share of milestone fails and successes.  But in a season where we'll see a Yankees legend reach 3000 hits and the manifestation of Paul Bunyan get to 600 home runs...it sure would have been nice to see guys like "Big Donkey" and Jason Kendall grab some of the headlines as well.

Gary Carter Update

So, yeah, I'm a pretty cynical bastard...my string of nonsensical Jeff Conaway tweets should have proven that by now.

But, I'll be honest...the Gary Carter news is kinda hitting me like a ton of bricks.

Saturday it was reveiled that he had four "small" brain tumors and now, today, the New York Daily News is reporting this:

Stricken Mets great Gary Carter has received ominous news from doctors at Duke University, who say that they are "90% certain" that tumors on his brain are malignant, according to a Carter family website.

According to the family's website, doctors have said that even if malignant, the tumors could be treatable.  Carter won't know the official diagnosis until early or the middle of next week, but, man, I think I speak for everyone when I say...this sucks.

I had a chance to talk with "The Kid" last year at this time.  Feel free to read my interview with the Hall of Famer.

Friday 5: Jose Melendez

I’m going to go out on a limb and concede that you probably don’t know who Jose Melendez is.

Yet.

But let’s not kid ourselves. No one knew who Bill Veeck was until 1947 when he signed Larry Doby…the first African-American to play in the American League.

Sure, Veeck went on to mastermind plenty of baseball’s best publicity stunts…sending a midget to bat in 1951, implementing the “exploding scoreboard at Comiskey Park and, of course, 1979’s Disco Demolition Night. Melendez has already come up with one stunt and, frankly, it is a winner.

This past April, he named Jose Canseco manager of the Yuma Scorpions and, recently, I had the chance to talk with the ambitious general manager.

HOVG: Alright, I’ve gotta start by asking the obvious...how does one get Jose Canseco to come play for and manage his baseball team, much less, get in touch with the former MVP and best selling author?

MELENDEZ: Actually, I have been a huge fan of Jose Canseco my whole life. I grew up watching the (Oakland) A’s and I am still a die hard fan of the team. Canseco always interested me in helping him get back to the game he loves. I feel he has lots to offer. My older brother is the one that actually found his contact information and we worked diligently in getting him to Laredo (Texas) in 2010. In 2011, we came onboard with the Yuma scorpions.

HOVG: Not too long ago, Canseco took to Twitter looking for someone to help him put together a reality show about the Yuma Scorpions. What is the latest?

MELENDEZ: I feel that a reality show depicting the return of the Canseco brothers is something that will be a great success on TV. There are so many interesting factors both bring to the table and the public will be fascinated about how they really are.

HOVG: Is the reality show all part of your plan to bring “Hollywood to Yuma”? I read about some of your plans online...what other ideas are you kicking around?

MELENDEZ: We plan on bringing a lot of celebrities (to Yuma) this season. We are in talks with many celebrities to make appearances and put on a good show for the people of Yuma. It will be fun.

HOVG: I also read a report that said that you’ve invited former Cy Young Award winner Pedro Martinez to join the Scorpions. Where does that stand...have you made any progress?

MELENDEZ: We have extended invitations to a lot of prominent (former) Major Leaguers. We hope things go our way and they agree to come.

HOVG: What’s on the horizon? What can we expect to see you pull out of your bag of tricks next?

MELENDEZ: I always like to create a buzz and now with great ownership (Diamond Sports) where they push creativity. I feel this will be an amazing season and something to really look forward to. All I can say is, you haven’t seen anything yet.

Jose Melendez spent the past six years with the Laredo (Texas) Broncos, where he took home the United League's Executive of the Year three times. His current team, the Yuma Scorpions, kicked off their season the past Tuesday by splitting a double-header against the Calgary Vipers.

Stephen Strasburg Throws Off Mound...Can't Hold a Gun

Earlier this week, pitching phenom Stephen Strasburg tweeted some encouraging words to the Washington Nationals faithful.

First bullpen in the books. Felt great! Hopefully time will speed up now!

Of course, that was far better news than what Kevin Kaduk from Yahoo! Sports posted…that the big righty had been taken into custody by red ninjas.

Allow me to explain.

Wednesday…a fella by the name of “Vega” put up a gem of a post over at the Washington Nationals Fan Forum.

It started innocently enough:

I picked up a Mcfarlane Playmakers Stephen Strasburg action figure two weeks ago. I figured that you guys might want to see it, so here's my review.

Then the hilarity ensued...and it included a number of your favorite G.I. Joe figures, a chainsaw, Wolverine and, of course, those red ninjas.

Now, if the exploits if action figure Strasburg is a precursor of what might be on the horizons for a healthy Stras…oh my.

If he can't return from Tommy John surgery…I’m pretty sure homeboy has a second career as an American Hero already lined up!

Marlon Byrd: "I'll Be Back"

Call him "The Byrdinator".

Chicago Cubs outfielder Marlon Byrd recently took to his blog (The Byrd's Nest) and promised to be back following the devastating pitch he took the face over the weekend.

Thanks for the get well messages. I’ll be OK and come back playing as hard as ever! – Marlon

Two things pop to mind after being reminded of Byrd's injury.

One...I never want to see the words "multiple facial fractures" pop up anywhere ever.

And two...if I'm Boston Red Sox pitcher Alfredo Aceves, I'm a little more hesitant opening my door for fear of getting a Terminator-like shotgun blast to the chest.

***A tip of the hat to Ryan from Prose and Ivy for still being a Cubs fan and reading Byrd's blog regularly.***

Let's Make This Happen, Gang!

Not that long ago, I threw out an innocent enough question...could Garner (North Carolina) Magnet High School reliever Scotty McCreery "end up bigger than Bryce Harper?"

The 17-year-old was coming off a sophomore season where he was 6-1 with a 1.04 ERA.  Oh...and dude had just made it past Hollywood Week on "American Idol".

Harper, last year's number one overall draft pick, was still packing his bags for Spring Training.

Now that McCreery has won the the latest installment of the singing competition...I'm curious of something else.  Can we make McCreery the youngest ever member of the Trojan Athletics Hall of Fame?

Why not?

Last year's inaugural class featured, at best, the MVP of the 1993 NCAA champion North Carolina Tarheels and a journeyman outfielder who stuck around in the bigs for 214 plate appearances.

The criteria is the sticky part though, gang. 

Consider this:

"A.  The nominee, if an athlete (and our country-fied crooner is), must have attended Garner High School and have been out of high school for at least ten years."

McCreery is technically a junior, so...moving on.

"B.  The nominee, if a coach, must have coached at Garner High School...blah, blah, blah."

Next!

"C.  The nominee, if an at-large candidate, must be a member of the community who has made a significant contribution to Garner High School."

Ah ha...that's it!

Sorry, Scotty's Mom, but your son isn't going back to high school so his accolades on the field (while impressive) aren't going to get any better.  It is his current standing as a "member of the community" who has made a "significant contribution" that can't be disputed.

Let's face it...no one would know about Garner Magnet High School (much less Garner, North Carolina) if this kid didn't make it to the Finals of American Idol.

So...who is going to do the honors of submitting the nomination form?  There has to be one of you out there that is close enough to this sleepy suburb of Raleigh that can handle the task.

Anyone?

Royals All-Time Wins Leader Dies

Just ten days after announcing he was battling oral and skin cancer, Kansas City Royals all-time wins leader Paul Splitorff has died.

The big lefty spent his entire big league career with the Royals and this past April...began his 24th season in the team's broadcast booth.

"I had the good fortune of knowing Paul and working with him and the amazing thing about Splitt was his ability to relate to people on any level," former Royals closer Jeff Montgomery told The Hall exclusively. "It didn't matter if you were a fan, a player, or a fellow member of the media, Paul was easy to talk to and easy to relate to. He has provided so many great memories for fans across the country both as a player and broadcaster. He will be missed by many."

Splittorff put together a 166-143 career record and a 3.81 ERA in 429 games. He played in four postseasons with the Royals and reached the World Series in 1980.  And not only does Splittorf hold the Royals' career record for victories, he is the leader in starts (392) and innings pitched (2554 2/3). He was also the club's first 20-game winner in 1973.

In 1987, he was inducted into the Royals Hall of Fame.

Paul Splitorff was 64.

And the Winner Is...

Long before the weeklong celebration of Ross Grimsley’s Major League debut hit the site, I made a promise.

I promised all of you that I would be giving away a copy of Dan Epstein’s fantastic book Big Hair and Plastic Grass: A Funky Ride Through Baseball and America in the Swinging '70s.

Plenty of you had great suggestions for who your favorite player of the decade was and kudos to Bill Jacobs who brought Grimsley’s name into the fold.

But, after a random draw, the winner of the book is…Kerry Devine (hence the picture of Chet Lemon above and the video below).

Congrats!

And if you haven’t yet…please check out the interview I did with Epstein. It’s afro-tastic!