AGRI Biz

Here’s a look at some unheralded players who played well yesterday.   Marlon Byrd, Chicago Cubs Byrd is heating up again. He went 3-for-4 with a run and two RBI. He has four multi-hit games in a row, hitting .588 over that span. On the year he’s hitting .321 with 33 runs, seven HRs, and 31 RBI.   Carlos Silva, Chicago Cubs Silva continues to be one of the league’s biggest surprises after giving up one ...

Rumors have spread about the White Sox looking to sell , now that it is apparent that the White Sox will not compete this year. The Yankees don’t have any glaring needs. They could use a DH-type to replace Nick Johnson , especially if it turns out Johnson will miss the season. They could also perhaps use some bullpen help or some outfield depth. Neither is pressing, however. So who do ...

Congratulations and welcome to the 3,287th column, article, blog post, essay, profile, feature, kindergarten-free write, and poem you’ll read about Stephen Strasburg this week. Please feel free to check your coat at the door, and be sure to leave your name and address with my secretary. Your parting gifts will be arriving by mail in seven to 10 business days... Just kidding, of course. There’ll be no gifts, at ...

The Yankees made a controversial choice in the first round of the amateur draft last night when they drafted shortstop Chris “Cito” Culver at 32nd overall. The reason why the pick was controversial is because he was not recognized as the best player available left on the draft board. He was also not expected to be a first round draft pick. In fact, Baseball America didn’t even have him listed in ...

I started thinking about the Padres, which is a rarity for many people. They give me an impression of this west coast, easy-go-lucky squad, that Tony Gwynn used to play for. I would be willing to bet that most people couldn't name another Padre player other than Adrian Gonzalez. Normally, that's about as far as it goes. I can't remember the last time they struck me as a team that I was ...

Tonight, one of the most hyped rookies in major league history launches his career. Stephen Strasburg makes his big league debut for the Washington Nationals when he takes the ball to pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The attention and interest focused on him is unprecedented. Besides playing in front of a capacity crowd in the nation's capital, the MLB Network will broadcast the game nationally with their "A" team of ...

Usually, as the weather starts to warm up around the country, so does baseball season. Division races become a little more solid, and the cream of the crop is starting to rise above the bottom of the barrel.  In the Bay Area, the situation is as it always is. The American and National League West divisions are bunched together, with all of the teams seemingly within a nice winning streak of first ...

The Nationals may be in last place in the NL East but they were in the spotlight yesterday when they made Bryce Harper, a 17-year-old slugger, the No. 1 pick in the 2010 amateur draft. They will be in the spotlight again today when Stephen Strasburg makes his major league debut a year after being chosen No. 1 in the 2009 ...

There have many reports which have Kansas City Royals outfielder David DeJesus being available in trade. And why not? The Royals stink and they can do just as badly without DeJesus as they can with him*. *That reminds me of a story in which Ralph Kiner, then a power hitting right-handed hitter for the Pittsburgh Pirates, going into Branch Rickey's (then GM of the Pirates) office before the 1953 season to ...

Jason Heyward is struggling.  Carlos Silva continues to surprise.  Could Daisuke Matsuzaka, Scott Kazmir or Wandy Rodriguez impress?   Let’s look at these stories and all the rest from yesterday’s games:   Hitters: Ryan Theriot (2-3, 4 R, 2 SB) -  This is the type of game you love to see from your leadoff hitter.  He had been struggling for a long time, seeing his average fall from .357 on May 4 ...