Barry Bonds Is Sad

Bonds Will Miss Another Start


(Compiled by The San Jose Mercury-News)

Barry Bonds took himself out of the starting lineup for a second consecutive night Tuesday, and he won't start today, Giants Manager Bruce Bochy said.

With Bonds claiming exhaustion and leg soreness, Bochy said he would adopt a more conservative approach with his soon-to-be 43-year-old cleanup hitter - especially when it comes to playing day games after night games.

"From this point on, I'm going to avoid that as much as I can," Bochy said. "That's catching up with him more than anything, especially in this hot weather."

Bonds, who lined out as a pinch hitter Tuesday in the Giants' 4-2 victory at Wrigley Field, is in a 0-for-21 slump - matching his worst since April, 2001. His worst streak was 0 for 23 as a rookie in 1986.

He will be available to pinch hit again today, Bochy said.

Bonds was expected to be in the lineup Tuesday but told Bochy that he had too much shin and hamstring soreness to play. He said he hasn't recovered after playing 12 innings Saturday afternoon on the heels of a Friday night game.

Bonds also appeared to need a mental break after going hitless in last weekend's three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, which ended with three losses and an overturned laundry cart.

"How can I take a mental break when you guys are standing at my locker?" Bonds said to a half-dozen reporters. "That's kind of tough.

Phillies Lose 10,000th Game

Phillies First Professional Team to 10,000 Losses

(As reported by the Associated Press)


Never known as lovable losers, cursed, or even affectionately as bums, the Philadelphia Phillies have long held a more pitiable title: The losingest team in sports.

From the Baker Bowl to the Vet and Citizens Bank Park, futility has tailed them like the sound of boos that echo throughout Philly for the disheartenment of every September collapse, every last-place finish, every near miss.

No team has lost quite like the Phillies. Now, make it 10,000 times.

Bad starting pitching, brutal relief, hardly any hitting, it was all in there in Sunday's milestone loss. Albert Pujols hit two of the St. Louis Cardinals' six homers in a 10-2 rout.

"I don't really care about it,'' Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "We haven't been really talking about it. Our players haven't been talking about it.''

Maybe there wasn't much chatter in the clubhouse, but the fans jumped all over the ugly number. They started Web sites that counted down to 10,000, blogged about the memorable defeats and brought signs to the game that poked fun at the unimaginable number.

Baseball Tells ESPN It Can't Broadcast Baseball Tonight Live from All-Star Game

MLB Punishes ESPN After Early Broadcast of All-Stars

Major League Baseball informed ESPN Monday it won't be allowed to broadcast Baseball Tonight live from AT&T Park following Tuesday's midsummer classic, saying the network violated its agreement with the league by releasing the names of the players selected to the All-Star Game too early.

ESPN was told not to release the players' names until a selection show concluded on TBS. ESPN instead announced the players a few minutes early on Baseball Tonight.

"ESPN viewers will receive the same in-depth All-Star coverage they have come to expect," ESPN said in a release. "We have a long and productive relationship with MLB that we value."

Guerrero Outlasts Rios in Derby Action

Guerrero Becomes Homer Hero for a Day

There weren't any splash landings Monday night in San Francisco, but Vladimir Guerrero of the Los Angeles Angels was still able to put on a show for fans around the world, outlasting Alex Rios or the Toronto Blue Jays to win his first Home Run Derby.

"The first time I came in 2000, I swung at every pitch, so you learn," Guerrero said through an interpreter during the derby.

"I came back this year with a different philosophy. I was going to try to take a pitch between, to rest a little bit," he added.

ESPN's Chris Berman, Dusty Baker and Joe Morgan were on hand at AT&T Park while right-handed batters stole the show from McCovey's Cove.

Sluggers Set Aim Tonight for the Bay

Pujols, Rios Final Two Additions to Home Run Derby

Many of Major League Baseball's most powerful home run hitters will face each other in tonight's State Farm Home Run Derby.

Albert Pujols and Alex Rios were the final two additions to the list Sunday of the derby, which will air live Monday night on ESPN from San Francisco's AT&T Park.

Also participating will be Justin Morneau, Vladimir Guerrero, Magglio Ordonez, Ryan Howard, and Prince Fielder.

It's Dustiny

NPSE Zone ESPN Personality of the Day

Dusty Baker, a former Major League Baseball player and manager, began working for ESPN in 2006.

Baker played from 1968 to 1986 with the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants and Oakland Athletics. He became manager of the Giants in 1993 and led them to the World Series in 2002 before becoming manager of the Chicago Cubs.

With ESPN, Baker provides analysis on Baseball Tonight and game telecasts.

*Image courtesy of ESPNtv.com

Sweet Sixty-Two

Wave the Jolly Roger! Yanks Look for Sweep Over Pirates

Clemens Leads Yankees to Victory in First Start

Roger Clemens made his long awaited return Saturday to the New York Yankees rotation in a 9-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The 44-year old pitcher officially began his 24th major league season with seven strikeouts on 108 pitches, allowing only three runs.

"Each start I go through now, I expect to get stronger," Clemens said.

*Sportscenter images courtesy of ESPN.com

Baseball Tonight Loves Nick Markakis

Markakis Carries Orioles Past Rockies

Nick Markakis, a Baltimore Orioles outfielder, has turned up his game all season and has been consistently praised by host Karl Ravech and the crew of Baseball Tonight.

Markakis hit a two-run homer Friday to lift the Orioles over the Colorado Rockies. He made his professional debut last season and is quickly becoming a fan favorite in Baltimore.

MLB Draft Televised on ESPN2

MLB Draft: Histroy in the Makin on TV

For the first time in its history, the MLB first year players draft is being televise, making its debut Thursday afternoon on ESPN2.

Rivaling the coverage of ESPN's coverage of the NFL and NBA Drafts, the network sent Karl Ravech, Peter Gammons and Steve Phillps to Orlando to comment on the players selected.

With the first pick, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays took Vanderbilt pitcher David Price.

Sunday's Yanks/BoSox Matchup Sets Sunday Night Baseball Record

ESPN Draws Record Audience for Sunday Night Game

The New York Yankees defeat of the Boston Red Sox on Sunday Night Baseball this past weekend set a record for the program, averaging more than 3.98 million households watching.

The Sunday broadcast was the fifth largest regular season MLB telecast in ESPN history.

Sunday Night Baseball first aired on the network in 1990 and has been a mainstay of its MLB coverage since.

NFL Live Needs to Find More Offseason FOOTBALL News

Tirade Earns Wellman 3-game Suspension

NPSE Zone Commentary
By Patrick W. Connelly

Monday's edition of NFL Live was so scant on actual NFL news that host Trey Wingo and analysts Mike Golic and John Clayton spent a portion of the program discussing how a tirade similar to Lou Piniella's and minor league coach Phillip Wellman's would translate in disciplinary actions on the National Football League's sidelines.

After arguing calls by umpires over the weekend, Piniella netted a four-game suspension from Major League Baseball, while Wellman was suspended three. Granted, outside of player arrests and the ongoing Michael Vick dogfighting scandal, there's little NFL headlines on a day-to-day basis. I, like everyone else, thought NFL Live 365 days a year would be great, but let's at least keep it on topic guys.

Yes, baseball managers objecting to the calls of an umpire that negatively affect their team are as much a part of the game as sunflower seeds, rosin bags, a mouthful of tobacco or - dare I say - steroids. Its entertaining. Would football be entertaining with coaches throwing hats at referees? Maybe, but I don't really want to find out - and quite honestly, I never even gave it a thought until Golic, Clayton and Wingo brought up the vision Monday.