Kinsler Shuffled Around In Batting Order

Batting leadoff, Ian Kinsler was 2-5 with 1 triple (his 4th), 3 RBIs, and 1 run scored against the Blue Jays.

Gabe Kapler was 0-3 with 2 BBs and 1 run scored against the Tigers.

Sam Fuld was 1-1 against the Astros.

Craig Breslow picked up his 6th win of the year against the Royals. He pitched 2/3 of an inning. His WHIP is 1.19. His ERA is 4.04.

John Grabow pitched 1 inning of scoreless relief against the Astros. He had 2 Ks. His WHIP is 1.37. His ERA is 2.72.

On This Date In 1959

Sandy Koufax fanned 18 against the San Francisco Giants.

Grabow: One Cub Who Hasn't Underperformed

Kevin Youkilis was 2-3 with 1 double (his 31st) and 3 RBIs against the Blue Jays.

Ian Kinsler was 1-4 with 1 run scored against the Twins.

Ryan Braun was 0-4 against the Pirates.

Sam Fuld was 0-0 with 1 BB against the Mets.

John Grabow pitched 1 inning of scoreless relief against the Mets. He had 1 K. He still hasn't given up a run as a Cub yet. His WHIP is 1.40. His ERA is 2.76.

Jack Kerouac, Meet Scott Feldman

Scott Feldman picked up his 14th win of the year against the Twins, which means he now has as many wins as Jason Marquis. Only a matter of time, the way he's been pitching.

Feldman pitched 5 2/3 innings of shutout ball on 4 hits, 4 BBs, and 2 Ks. I guess he was effectively wild with those 4 free passes. Whatever works.

Remarkably, this was Feldman's 10th win on the road. Jack Kerouac may have written the book On The Road, but Feldman is writing the book on how to win on the road. Corny? Yes. But that's how I roll.

Feldman has pitched 12 2/3 scoreless innings dating back to his last start. His WHIP is 1.26. His ERA is 3.72.

Marquis picked up his 9th loss of the season against the Giants. He went 6 innings and gave up 5 runs on 9 hits, 1 BB, and 2 Ks. Not quite the line Marquis put up against Zito and the Giants in his last start. At the plate, Marquis was 1-1 with 1 sacrifice bunt. His WHIP is 1.28. His ERA is 3.60.

Batting 5th, Ian Kinsler was 2-3 with 1 BB, 1 RBI, and 2 SBs (his 27th and 28th) against the Twins. The prospect of a 30/30 season for Kinsler is tantalizingly close.

Kevin Youkilis was 1-3 with 1 HBP and 1 SB (his 6th) against the Blue Jays. Youk has set a career-high with his 6 SBs this season. Of course, he's also approaching a career-high in HBP...

Ryan Braun was 0-2 with 1 HBP and 1 RBI against the Pirates. Braun is tantalizingly close to hitting 100 career HRs; his next HR will make 100.

Brad Ausmus was 1-4 with 1 RBI against the Reds.

Gabe Kapler was 1-3 with 1 SB (his 5th) against the Tigers.

High Fives All Around

Ryan Braun was 2-4 with 1 HR (his 28th), 1 RBI, and 2 runs scored against the Pirates. Braun has scored 93 runs this year. That surpasses the 92 runs he scored last year, which was a career-high.

Batting leadoff, Ian Kinsler was 1-3 with 1 BB and 2 SBs (his 25th and 26th) against the Twins. As a result of the 2 HRs he hit yesterday and the 2 bags he swiped today, Kinsler only needs 2 more HRs and 4 more SBs to get that coveted 30/30 season.

Kevin Youkilis was 1-4 with 1 run scored against the Blue Jays.

Gabe Kapler was 1-1 with 1 HR (his 6th), 1 RBI, and 1 run scored against the Tigers. Kapler has now homered in 2 consecutive games.

Sam Fuld was 0-4 against the Mets.

Craig Breslow pitched 2/3 of an inning against the Angels on 2 hits and 2 Ks. However, Breslow got the short end of the stick on a call, which led to a big inning by the Angels. Bobby Abreu was called safe at 1st when he was clearly tagged out by Breslow before he reached the base.

No, You Da Man, Ian Kinsler

Batting 5th, Ian Kinsler had his 5th multi-HR game of the season. Kinsler was 2-4 with 2 HRs (his 27th and 28th), 4 RBIs, and 2 runs scored against the Yankees.

Kinsler now has 73 RBIs on the year. That surpasses his career-high of 71 RBIs set in 2008.

Ryan Braun was 1-5 with 1 run scored against the Reds.

Kevin Youkilis was 0-3 with 1 BB and 1 run scored against the White Sox.

Brad Ausmus was 0-3 with 1 sacrifice bunt against the Rockies.

Sam Fuld was 0-0 with 1 BB against the Nationals. He's drawn 10 BBs against just 7 Ks.

John Grabow pitched 1/3 of an inning against the Nationals.

Grabow Can Hang On

Ryan Braun was 3-4 with 1 BB, 1 double (his 29th), and 1 run scored against the Reds.

Kevin Youkilis was 1-4 against the White Sox.

Ian Kinsler was 0-4 against the Yankees.

Gabe Kapler was 1-3 with 1 BB, 1 HR (his 5th), 2 RBIs, and 1 run scored against the Blue Jays. Prior to tonight's game, Kapler hadn't gone deep since June 16.

John Grabow picked up his 19th hold of the season against the Nationals. He pitched 1 inning of scoreless relief. He gave up 1 hit. His ERA is 2.83.

Breslow Can't Hang On

Ian Kinsler was 2-5 with 2 doubles (his 23rd and 24th) against the Yankees.

Kevin Youkilis was 1-4 with 1 RBI against the White Sox.

Ryan Braun was 1-6 with 2 RBIs against the Reds.

Gabe Kapler was 1-2 with 2 BBs against the Blue Jays.

Sam Fuld was 0-1 against the Nationals.

Craig Breslow picked up his 7th loss of the season against the Mariners. He pitched 1 1/3 innings and gave up 2 runs on 2 hits, 1 BB, and 2 Ks. His WHIP is 1.16. His ERA to 4.14. He has 12 Ks and 2 BBs in his last 11 innings.

The Toast Of Their Towns

Ryan Braun was 1-5 with 1 HR (his 27th), 2 RBIs, and 1 run scored against the Nationals. Braun's HR in the 6th inning put the Brewers on top for good. Braun ranks 2nd in the NL in total bases, 3rd in hits, and 4th in RBIs and runs scored.

Kevin Youkilis was 2-4 with 1 HBP, 1 RBI, and 1 run scored against the White Sox. Youk ranks 2nd in the AL in OBP and OPS. He's 4th in SLG.

Jason Marquis got his 3rd no-decision of the season, although he certainly pitched well enough to get the win against the Giants. He went 8 innings and gave up 1 run on 6 hits, 2 BBs, and 5 Ks. This was the 8th game of the year where he has gone 8 or more innings. Of his last 10 starts, 9 have been of the quality variety. Marquis lowered his WHIP to 1.27 and his ERA to 3.47.

On This Date In 1974

Dave Roberts tossed a 1-hitter against Steve Carlton and the Philadelphia Phillies. He issued 0 BBs and had 4 Ks in the complete game shutout. Nearly pitched a perfect game.

Feldman: 11 Ks Against Rays

In what was the most dominant performance of his career so far, Scott Feldman picked up his 13th win against the Rays. Feldman pitched 7 shutout innings on 4 hits, 2 BBs, and (a career-high) 11 Ks. His previous career-high was 7 Ks.

Not to say I called it or anything, but I have noticed Feldman has been missing more bats of late. I made a point of mentioning this in my last 2 posts about Feldman. Coming into today, he had 21 Ks in his last 24 2/3 innings. Crunch the numbers, and it is now 32 Ks in his last 31 2/3 innings.

Feldman also made a nice defensive play to record the last out of the 7th inning. With runners on 1st and 2nd, Feldman got out of the jam by inducing a chopper up the middle from Willy Aybar. Feldman couldn't quite snare it, but he knocked it down behind him. He then recovered and made an off balance throw to 1st to get Aybar.

This was Feldman's 9th road win of the year. He lowered his WHIP to 1.25 and his ERA to 3.87.

Kevin Youkilis was 1-4 with 1 double (his 30th) and 1 run scored against the Yankees.

Ian Kinsler was 1-4 with 1 double (his 22nd) and 1 run scored against the Rays.

Ryan Braun was 1-3 with 1 SB (his 12th) against the Nationals.

Sam Fuld was 1-5 against the Dodgers.

Gabe Kapler was 0-2 against the Rangers. Feldman struck him out twice.

Craig Breslow gave up a hit to the 1 batter he faced.

John Grabow picked up his 18th hold of the season. He pitched 1 inning of scoreless relief against the Dodgers. He issued 1 BB. His ERA is now 2.88.

Josh Whitesell was optioned to Triple-A Reno yesterday to make room for prospect Brandon Allen. In 108 ABs this year, Whitesell's line was .194/.346/.287 for an OPS of .633. Not good. In his defense, a lot of those ABs came as a pinch hitter. It would have been nice to see him get consistent starts and playing time, but that was not the case.

Youk Hits Bombs Against Bronx Bombers

Kevin Youkilis was a one-man wrecking crew today against the Yankees. Youk was 3-5 with 1 double (his 29th), 2 HRs (his 21st and 22nd), 6 RBIs, and 3 runs scored. It was Youk's 3rd multi-HR game of the year. It was also the 2nd time in his career that he's driven in 6 runs in a game.

Ryan Braun was 2-6 with 1 double (his 28th), 2 RBIs, and 1 run scored against the Nationals.

Ian Kinsler was 0-4 against the Rays.

Sam Fuld was 0-2 with 2 BBs and 2 SBs against the Dodgers. They were the first SBs of his MLB career, and oddly enough they came against Brad Ausmus. Fuld is a smart player. Running on a knuckleballer like Charlie Haeger isn't quite like taking candy from a baby, but it's not far from it.

Unfortunately for Ausmus, Fuld had more in store for the 3-time gold glover. In the 3rd inning, Fuld made an incredible catch in left field running into the fence to rob Ausmus of extra bases. He also made a nice catch the previous inning on a Mark Loretta drive to the fence.

Fuld Robs Ausmus

The defensive clinic Fuld has put on in Dodger Stadium this series reminded me of Gabe Kapler's unforgettable catch last year when he jumped into the stands at Dodger Stadium in left field to rob Russell Martin of a home run.

Brad Ausmus was 0-2 against the Cubs.

John Grabow pitched 2/3 of an inning against the Dodgers on 1 BB and 1 K. Grabow hasn't given up a run in his first 8 innings as a Cub. His ERA is now 2.93.

Craig Breslow pitched 1 inning of scoreless relief against the Tigers on 1 hit and 2 Ks. His WHIP is 1.11. His ERA is 3.91.

On This Date In 1970

Ken Holtzman tossed a 1-hitter against the San Francisco Giants. He issued 3 BBs and had 7 Ks in the complete game shutout.

Behold Sam Fuld

Ryan Braun was 1-4 with 1 BB and 1 run scored against the Nationals.

Kevin Youkilis was 0-2 against the Yankees.

Batting leadoff, Ian Kinsler was 0-3 with 1 BB, 1 run scored, and 1 SB (his 24th) against the Rays.

Sam Fuld was 0-2 with 1 BB and 1 run scored against the Dodgers. Fuld made a spectacular catch in the 8th inning, robbing Manny Ramirez of a home run to dead center. He also made a diving catch earlier in the game, robbing Casey Blake of a hit. Take it from me, folks. This guy is fun to watch.

Gabe Kapler was 0-0 with 1 BB against the Rangers.

John Grabow pitched 1/3 of an inning against the Dodgers.

An Uneventful Day

Kevin Youkilis was 0-4 with 1 BB and 1 run scored against the Blue Jays.

Batting 5th, Ian Kinsler was 1-5 against the Twins.

Gabe Kapler was 0-2 against the Orioles.

Josh Whitesell was 0-1 against the Phillies.

Marquis Silences Nats' Bats

Jason Marquis picked up his league-leading 14th win of the season against the Nationals. He went 6 innings and gave up 3 runs on 9 hits, 1 BB, and 1 K. His ERA is 3.58. His WHIP is 1.28.

At the plate, Marquis was 1-4 with 1 double (his 3rd) and 1 run scored. Of his 24 starts, 18 have been of the quality variety.

Kevin Youkilis was 1-4 with 1 HBP and 1 run scored against the Blue Jays. Also swiped his 5th bag of the season.

Ryan Braun was 1-3 with 1 BB and 1 RBI against the Pirates.

Batting 6th, Ian Kinsler was 1-4 with 1 run scored against the Twins.

Josh Whitesell was 0-1 against the Phillies.

Craig Breslow pitched 1 inning of scoreless relief against the Yankees. He had 1 K. His ERA is 3.98. His WHIP is 1.12.

I may have been a bit harsh when I referred to Jason Hirsh as a reclamation project last month. Hirsh has responded well to his new surroundings in Scranton, PA. He is 2-0 in 3 starts for the Yankees' Triple-A affiliate with a 1.80 ERA and a 1.267 WHIP. Keep proving me wrong, Jason.

On This Date In 1969

Ken Holtzman hurled his 1st no-no against Phil Niekro and the Atlanta Braves. He issued 3 BBs and had 0 Ks.

Kinsler Thriving in the 6th Hole

Batting 6th in the order, Ian Kinsler was 1-4 with 1 BB, 1 HR (his 26th), 3 RBIs, and 1 run scored against the Twins. Coming off the DL, Kinsler is 6 for 13 with 4 BBs, 2 HBP, 1 double, 3 HRs, 6 RBIs, 5 runs scored, and 1 SB.

In his 1st game back after serving his 5-game suspension, Kevin Youkilis was 1-4 with 1 BB, 1 double (his 28th), and 1 run scored against the Blue Jays.

Ryan Braun was 1-4 with 1 double (his 27th) and 1 run scored against the Pirates.

Josh Whitesell was 0-3 against the Phillies.

Sam Fuld was 0-1 against the Padres.

Scott Feldman got a no-decision against the Twins. He pitched 5 2/3 innings and gave up 5 runs on 9 hits, 1 BB, and 4 Ks. His ERA is 4.06. His WHIP is 1.27. Not his best effort. However, he continues to miss bats (21 Ks in his last 24 2/3 innings).

Braun Walks The Walk

Batting leadoff once again, Ian Kinsler was 1-3 with 1 HBP, 1 BB, 1 double (his 21st), and 2 runs scored against the Twins.

Ryan Braun was 0-3 with 2 BBs and 1 run scored against the Pirates. Also swiped his 11th bag of the season. Braun has now drawn 44 BBs this season. He had 42 last year and 29 the year before.

Sam Fuld was 1-1 against the Padres.

Brad Ausmus was 0-2 against the Cardinals.

Josh Whitesell was 0-1 against the Braves.

Craig Breslow picked up his 12th hold of the season against the Yankees. He pitched 2 innings of scoreless relief on 1 hit and 2 Ks. His ERA is 4.06. His WHIP is 1.14.

John Grabow pitched 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief against the Padres. His ERA is now 2.98. Grabow was in line for the win, but Kevin Gregg blew another save.

Braun And Kinsler Wreaking Havoc

Ryan Braun was 3-4 with 1 HBP, 1 HR (his 26th), 2 RBIs, and 2 runs scored against the Astros. Also swiped his 10th bag of the season. He has 4 HRs in his last 4 games. Braun and Kevin Youkilis have each been hit by pitches 10 times this year.

Batting in the 6th hole once again, Ian Kinsler was 2-3 with 1 BB, 1 HR (his 25th), 2 RBIs, and 1 run scored against the Red Sox. It looks like the Rangers are going to give Julio Borbon a shot at batting leadoff for them.

Gabe Kapler was 1-3 against the Blue Jays.

Josh Whitesell was 1-3 with 1 run scored against the Dodgers.

Kinsler Returns, Has Close Shave

Ian Kinsler returned to action tonight against the Red Sox after missing more than 2 weeks of the season with a strained left hamstring. The hamstring appears to be all better, as Kinsler didn't show any ill effects.

Batting in the 6th hole, he was 2-3 with 1 BB, 1 HBP, 1 HR (his 24th), 1 RBI, 1 run scored, and 1 stolen base (his 23rd).

Unfortunately, in yet another bizarre beanball incident, Kinsler was hit in the helmet in the 8th inning by Fernando Cabrera. Kinsler was thankfully not hurt, but he was none too pleased about it.

Kinsler and Cabrera

Ryan Braun was 0-4 with 1 BB against the Astros.

Brad Ausmus was 2-4 with 1 RBI against the Diamondbacks.

Gabe Kapler was 1-3 against the Blue Jays.

Sam Fuld was 0-3 against the Pirates, but he did make a spectacular catch running into the ivy in left field in the 9th inning to preserve the 3-1 victory over the Bucs.

On This Date In 2001

Shawn Green hit 3 HRs in a game against the Montreal Expos. He had 7 RBIs.

Braun Hits Astronomical Home Runs

Ryan Braun was 2-4 with 1 BB, 2 HRs (his 24th and 25th), 3 RBIs, and 2 runs scored against the Astros. This was Braun's 3rd multi-HR game of the year.

Sam Fuld was 2-3 with 2 BBs, 1 triple (his 1st of the season and his MLB career), and 3 runs scored against the Pirates.

Josh Whitesell was 0-1 against the Dodgers.

Craig Breslow picked up his 6th loss of the year against the White Sox. He pitched 1 inning and gave up 1 run on 1 hit and 1 K.

John Grabow pitched 1 inning of scoreless relief against the Pirates on 1 BB and 1 K. His ERA is now 3.06.

Ian Kinsler was activated off the disabled list. He'll be in the Rangers lineup tomorrow against the Red Sox.

The Wins Keep Coming For Marquis And Feldman

It took him 4 starts to do it, but Jason Marquis picked up his 13th win of the season today against the Pirates. Marquis went 7 innings and gave up 1 run on 3 hits, 3 BBs, and 6 Ks. He lowered his WHIP to 1.26 and his ERA to 3.55.

Marquis is 7-1 in day games in 9 starts with a 2.63 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP. Opponents are hitting just .200 against him. Juxtapose that with his 6-7 record in night games in 14 starts; he has a 4.19 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP. Opponents are hitting .282 against him. The difference is like night and day...

Meanwhile, Scott Feldman picked up his 12th win of the season against the Indians. Feldman went 6 innings and gave up 1 run on 7 hits, 2 BBs, and 6 Ks. His WHIP is now 1.25. His ERA is 3.90.

Feldman has 17 Ks in his last 19 innings (3 outings). All 3 of those outings have been wins. Feldman's record on the road this year is 8-1 in 10 starts; he has a 3.50 ERA to go with that. At home, his record is 4-3 in 11 starts; he has a 4.28 to go with that. This is one guy who does not get homesick...

Ryan Braun was 1-5 with 1 HR (his 23rd), 2 RBIs, and 1 run scored against the Padres. He hit the home run against his former college roommate, César Carrillo. Braun now has 81 RBIs on the year.

The Revolving Door Strikes Again

Kevin Youkilis was suspended for 5 games. Rather than file an appeal, he has decided to serve the suspension immediately. Today marks the 1st game of the suspension.

Ian Kinsler will have 2 rehab starts with Double-A Frisco before returning to the Rangers. He hopes to be back in the lineup on Friday for the series against Boston.

Scott Schoeneweis was placed on the 15-day disabled list because of depression, less than 3 months after his wife was found dead at their home.

Ryan Braun was 1-5 with 2 runs scored against the Padres. Braun might be falling back into old free swinging habits; he hasn't drawn a walk in 12 straight games.

Josh Whitesell was 2-4 with 1 BB and 2 RBIs against the Mets.

Sam Fuld was 1-1 with 1 run scored against the Phillies.

Gabe Kapler was 0-4 against the Angels.

Brad Ausmus was 0-1 against the Giants.

Craig Breslow picked up his 11th hold of the season against the Orioles. He pitched 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief on 1 hit, 1 BB, and 3 Ks.

On This Date In 1966

Art Shamsky hit 3 HRs in a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Youk Throwing Down The Gauntlet/Helmet

What better place for a beanball war than in Beantown? If you remember my post about players getting ejected, then you guys know I like a good old-fashioned bench-clearing brawl. This wasn't exactly a brawl, but players weren't holding hands and singing Kumbaya either. Allow me to set the stage for this one.

Junichi Tazawa, a 23-year old rookie from Japan, was making his debut tonight for the Red Sox as a starter against 20-year old Tigers rookie Rick Porcello. Tazawa, whose command is a little shaky, accidentally hit Miguel Cabrera (who was also hit yesterday) in the 1st inning. Porcello retaliated by going inside on Victor Martinez. At that point you figure it's over, right? Wrong.

Kevin Youkilis, who had already been hit by a pitch yesterday, stepped into the batter's box in the 2nd inning and snapped as Porcello plunked him square in the back. A furious Youk charged the mound and threw his helmet at Porcello, narrowly missing him. Porcello looked like he was about to soil his pants. Youk then tussled with Porcello and they sort of took each other down. That's where the fight got broken up.

Both players were ejected. Youk will likely be suspended for at least 5 games. Was it worth it? You'd have to ask Youk.

Youk Versus Porcello

It should be noted that Youk, Ryan Braun, and Ian Kinsler have all had memorable experiences with the beanball this year.

Ian Kinsler was thrown behind not once, but twice. And both instances occurred within a week of each other. On May 11, Bobby Jenks threw behind Kinsler. He later admitted it was intentional; he was trying to send a message to the Rangers. Then, on May 17 in his 1st start of the year, John Lackey threw behind Kinsler on the very 1st pitch. He hit Kinsler just above his midsection on the 2nd pitch and was immediately ejected from the game.

Kinsler and Lackey

Much like Joba Chamberlain and Youk, there's no love lost between Braun and Jeff Karstens. Karstens hit Braun in the back in April, knowing full well that Braun's back wasn't 100%. Karstens was hit a few months later by a Brewers pitcher.

Braun also had a run-in with Ryan Dempster in May. Braun was squaring to bunt when Dempster decided to go head hunting. Luckily, the ball appeared to hit Braun's bat. Nevertheless, Braun was awarded 1st base and was visibly upset about Dempster's mysterious lack of control.

However, Braun would have the last laugh. Later in the game, Braun took Dempster deep. And I mean deep. Braun stared Dempster down as he began his home run trot and was certainly fired up as he rounded the bases. Pretty freaking cool, if you ask me.

Braun and Dempster

Here's today's rundown:

Kevin Youkilis was 0-0 with 1 HBP against the Tigers. This marks the third straight season where Youk has been hit by 10 or more pitches.

Ryan Braun was 0-4 against the Padres.

Sam Fuld was 1-4 against the Rockies.

John Grabow pitched 1/3 of an inning against the Phillies, getting out of a bases load jam he inherited from Carlos Marmol. Grabow's ERA is now 3.12.

Sporadic Starts for Fuld

Kevin Youkilis was 2-4 with 1 HBP against the Tigers.

Sam Fuld was 2-5 against the Rockies. Fuld has played in 21 games for the Cubs this year, but he's only started in 5 of them. In those 5 games, he is 8-19 with 4 BBs, 3 doubles, and 5 runs scored. As a pinch hitter, Fuld is just 1-12 with 1 run scored.

Craig Breslow pitched 2 perfect scoreless innings of relief against the Orioles. His ERA is 4.27. His WHIP is 1.17.

On This Date In 2002

Mike Lieberthal hit 3 HRs in a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Shawn Green also went deep. They each had 4 RBIs on the day.

Schoeneweis Continues to Struggle

Kevin Youkilis was 1-4 against the Yankees.

Ryan Braun was 1-5 against the Astros.

Gabe Kapler was 0-3 against the Mariners.

Sam Fuld was 0-1 against the Rockies.

Josh Whitesell was 0-1 against the Nationals.

Scott Schoeneweis pitched 2/3 of an inning against the Nationals and gave up 4 runs on 4 hits.

John Grabow pitched 1 inning of scoreless relief against the Rockies on 1 hit and 1 BB. His ERA is now 3.14.

Braun Producing Prodigiously

Ryan Braun was 2-6 with 2 RBIs against the Astros. This was Braun's 5th multi-hit game in a row. He is 12 for his last 25 with 3 doubles, 1 HR, 9 RBIs, and 3 runs scored.

Kevin Youkilis was 1-4 against the Yankees.

Brad Ausmus was 0-3 against the Braves.

Josh Whitesell was 0-3 with 1 BB against the Nationals.

Jason Marquis picked up his 8th loss of the season against the Cubs. He didn't have his best stuff tonight. He went 6 innings and gave up 5 runs on 8 hits, 5 BBs, and 4 Ks. His ERA is 3.65. His WHIP is 1.28.

Touch 'Em All, Josh!

It took him 88 ABs to do it, but Josh Whitesell finally hit his 1st home run of the season tonight against the Nationals. Whitesell was 1-3 with 1 BB, 1 HR, 1 RBI, and 2 runs scored. Had to feel good to get that monkey off his back.

Ryan Braun was 2-5 with 1 double (his 26th) and 1 RBI against the Astros.

Kevin Youkilis was 1-4 with 2 BBs in a marathon heartbreaker against the Yankees.

Sam Fuld was 0-1 against the Rockies. He was robbed of a hit by Troy Tulowitzki.

Craig Breslow picked up his 10th hold of the season against the Royals. He pitched 1 inning of scoreless relief on 1 hit and 1 K.

John Grabow pitched 1 inning of scoreless relief against the Rockies on 1 hit, 1 BB, and 1 K.

Scott Feldman picked up his 11th win of the season against the Angels, in spite of his manager and bullpen letting him down. Feldman labored through the 1st inning, walking 3 and giving up a run, but he settled down after that.

Through 6 innings he had given up 1 run on 5 hits, 3 BBs, and (a career-high) 7 Ks. Feldman's pitch count was up to 110 at that point; keep in mind the most he's ever thrown in a game is 116 pitches. By chance, that was also against the Angels earlier this year. Also keep in mind that the Rangers had an 8-run lead after the 6th inning.

Inexplicably, Ron Washington took a page out of Dusty Baker's book and left Feldman in for the 7th inning. Running on fumes, Feldman gave up 3 straight hits to load the bases. He was then relieved by Jason Jennings, who let in all 3 baserunners on a fielder's choice and a 3-run HR to Maicer Izturis of all people.

Because of Ron Washington's stupidity, Feldman's fatigue, and Jennings doing a piss poor job out of the bullpen, Feldman got charged 3 extra runs to his pitching line. Had he been taken out after the 6th inning like he should have been, his ERA would have been 3.80. Instead, it is now 4.01.

To top it all off, Feldman ended up throwing 121 pitches. And his previous start was on 3 days' rest. Not good.

First Base... Hot Corner... Corner Outfielder?

Kevin Youkilis was 0-2 with 2 BBs against the Yankees. Because Jason Bay is out right now, Youk started in left field for the first time since 2006. And wouldn't you know it, he actually had an assist. As a matter of fact, Youk had 3 assists in the 17 games he started in left in '06.

Josh Whitesell was 0-1 against the Pirates.

Scott Schoeneweis pitched 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief against the Pirates.

Sadowski Sent Down

This is a few days late, but the Giants have optioned Ryan Sadowski to Triple-A Fresno to make room for right-handed reliever Waldis Joaquin. In 6 starts, Sadowski was 2-4 with a 4.45 ERA and a 1.588 WHIP.

Ryan Braun was 2-5 with 2 doubles (his 24th and 25th) and 2 RBIs against the Dodgers. Braun should have actually had another RBI, but Craig Counsel was incorrectly called out at home. The ball beat him, but he made a nifty head first slide to avoid the tag.

Kevin Youkilis was 1-4 with 1 double (his 27th) and 1 RBI against the Rays.

Gabe Kapler was 0-2 against the Red Sox.

Sam Fuld was 0-1 against the Reds.

Josh Whitesell was 0-1 against the Pirates.

Craig Breslow gave up 1 run in 1 inning of work against the Rangers. He picked up his 5th win of the year but also his 2nd blown save.

Youk On A Tear

Kevin Youkilis was 1-5 with 1 BB, 1 HR (his 20th), 1 RBI, and 1 run scored against the Rays. It was Youk's 3rd HR in his last 4 games.

Ryan Braun was 2-4 with 1 RBI and 1 run scored against the Dodgers.

Gabe Kapler was 1-2 with 1 BB against the Red Sox.

Craig Breslow pitched 1 inning of scoreless relief against the Rangers. He had 1 K.

On This Date In 2001

Gabe Kapler stole 3 bases in a game against the Boston Red Sox.

Clarification

For those of you who have read my interview with The Chicago Jewish News, there's just one thing I'd like to clarify. Near the top of the second page it says I offer my assessment of each current JML "in order of their excellence."

While it is true that I did offer my assessment of the current JMLs, I want to make it clear that I did not rank them in any way, shape, or form. The order was quite random. Don't get me wrong: I am grateful for the article in the The Chicago Jewish News. I just didn't want people to have the wrong impression.

Braun FTW

Ryan Braun was 4-5 with 1 HR (his 22nd), 3 RBIs, and 2 runs scored against the Dodgers. Braun hit the home run in the 6th inning to put the Brewers on top.

Brad Ausmus was 2-3 with 1 run scored against the Brewers. He's hitting .328 on the year in 75 plate appearances. Maybe all he needed in Houston was lots and lots of rest in between starts. It's a plausible theory!

Gabe Kapler was 1-3 with 1 BB and 2 runs scored against the Royals.

Josh Whitesell was 0-2 with 2 BBs against the Mets.

John Grabow picked up his 17th hold of the season against the Reds. He pitched 2/3 of an inning and lowered his ERA to 3.26.

On This Date In 2001

Jason Marquis struck out a career-high 13 batters in 8 innings against the Milwaukee Brewers. Gave up 1 run on 2 hits and 2 BBs.

Also, On This Date In 2006...

Ian Kinsler stole 3 bases against the Los Angeles Angels.

Kinsler Lands On 15-Day DL

Ian Kinsler was placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to July 29, with a strained left hamstring. He's eligible to return August 13.

Unfortunately, Kinsler's stints on the DL are becoming a regular occurrence. He dislocated his left thumb sliding into 2nd base his rookie year. In 2007, a stress fracture in his left foot kept him under 500 ABs. And last year he had to have season-ending surgery to repair a sports hernia.

Following his worst outing of the season last week, Scott Feldman made amends against the Mariners. He picked up his 10th win of the year on just 3 days' rest by going 7 innings and giving up 2 runs on 5 hits, 2 BBs, and 4 Ks. His ERA is 3.91. His WHIP is 1.21.

Jason Marquis got his 2nd no-decision of the season and his 16th quality start against the Reds. He went 7 innings and gave up 3 runs on 4 hits, 2 BBs, 1 HBP, and 4 Ks. His ERA is 3.49. His WHIP is 1.25. His record remains 12-7.

Kevin Youkilis was 3-4 with 2 BBs, 2 RBIs, and 2 runs scored against the Orioles. Youk has been on fire in his previous 4 games; he is 12 for his last 16 with 3 BBs, 2 HRs, 1 double, 5 RBIs, and 6 runs scored. His OPS is now 1.002, which is 2nd in the American League behind Joe Mauer.

Ryan Braun was 1-4 against the Padres. He's tied for 2nd in the National League in Total Bases with 221.

Sam Fuld was 0-3 with 1 BB and 1 run scored against the Marlins.

Youk Owns the O's

Kevin Youkilis was 4-4 with 1 BB, 1 HR (his 19th), 1 RBI, and 1 run scored against the Orioles.

Ryan Braun was 0-4 against the Padres.

Ian Kinsler sat out once again.

Gabe Kapler was 1-3 with 1 RBI against the Royals. Also swiped his 4th bag of the year.

Josh Whitesell was 0-1 against the Mets.

John Grabow pitched 2/3 of an inning against the Marlins. He issued 1 BB.