MLB Weekly Report: Teams Seeking Boston Red Sox Kevin Youkilis; 2012 MLB Draft On Monday
The 2012 Major League Baseball season is now a third of the way complete. Pennant races are starting to take shape in all six divisions, while some teams are scrambling to address key injuries. Here’s what’s going on this week in Major League Baseball:
Will Boston Red Sox Trade Kevin Youkilis?
Are the Boston Red Sox (28-26) considering trading veteran infielder Kevin Youkilis, 33, who is hitting .253 with four homers in 28 games this season.? They say no. Having just elevated their record above .500 for the first time this season, Boston has watched rookie third baseman Will Middlebrooks assert himself in place of Youkilis, after the veteran went on the disabled list for 22 games earlier this season. Middlebrooks is hitting .314 with six home runs and 22 runs batted in since the call-up. The Dodgers, Phillies and Diamondbacks are among the teams interested in Youkilis, who was a member of Boston’s 2007 World Series-winning team.
2012 MLB Draft Is Monday
Major League Baseball’s 2012 First-Year Player Draft is scheduled for Monday. By virtue of their dismal, 106-loss season in 2011, the Houston Astros have the No. 1 pick in the 2012 MLB Draft. It’s the first time the Astros have had the first overall pick since 1992, when the club selected Phil Nevin. The Minnesota Twins, Seattle Mariners, Baltimore Orioles and Kansas City Royals will follow Houston in the selection order. Among the potential top picks in the 2012 MLB Draft are high school outfielder Byron Buxton from Georgia and college players like pitcher Mark Appel of Stanford, catcher Mike Zunino of Florida, pitcher Kyle Zimmer of San Francisco and pitcher Kevin Gausman of LSU. The Pittsburgh Pirates selected UCLA pitcher Gerrit Cole with the first overall pick of the 2011 draft.
New York Mets’ Johan Santana Throws Franchise’s First Ever No-Hitter
A blown call helped pitcher Johan Santana no-hit the St. Louis Cardinals 8-0 on Friday night at Citi Field in Queens. It was the first no-hitter thrown by a Mets pitcher in the 51-year history of the franchise. It almost didn’t happen. In the top of the sixth-inning, former Mets outfielder Carlos Beltran hit a ball down the third-base line, which replays showed hitting the baseline chalk after it crossed the bag, thus making it a fair ball. However third-base umpire Adrian Johnson called the ball foul, and Beltran grounded out on the next pitch. After Sunday’s 6-1 win over the Cardinals, the Mets (31-23) moved into a first place tie with Washington and Miami in the National League East.
Play of the Week: Mike Baxter, New York Mets
Mets pitcher Johan Santana was masterful during his 8-0 no-hit win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday, but he wouldn’t have had the no-no without this spectacular catch left fielder Mike Baxter made in the seventh inning on Yadier Molina. Click the arrow to watch the catch:
Upcoming Series to Watch: New York Mets at New York Yankees
The New York Mets have a three-game series in Washington this Tuesday through Thursday, but they may be looking ahead to the weekend when the latest installment of the Subway Series comes to Yankee Stadium in the Bronx for three games. The Yankees (29-24) have won seven of their last 10 games and are just 1.5 games back of Tampa Bay in the American League East. The Mets have achieved a three-way tie with the Nationals and Marlins atop the National League East thanks to superior pitching performances and a no-name lineup save for third baseman David Wright.
Fantasy Player To Pick Up: Gordon Beckham, Chicago White Sox
Middle infielders with power are always a desirable commodity in fantasy baseball. Chicago White Sox second baseman Gordon Beckham has been red hot, hitting .429 with three homers and seven runs batted in over the past seven days. His seasonal average is still a low .237, but better days are ahead for Beckham.
Fantasy Player To Drop: Robert Andino, Baltimore Orioles
After starting out as a potential sleeper at middle infielder for deep fantasy leagues, Baltimore’s Robert Andino has seen his average drop from .285 on May 14 to .245 after Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays. Andino hasn’t shown much power (two extra base hits) or speed (two stolen bases) during his slide, either.
More MLB News: Matt Kemp Returns and Re-Injures Himself; Roy Halladay and Jered Weaver Head To Disabled List
It was a difficult week for many stars who suffered injuries that may sideline them for significant time and impact their teams’ playoff chances. Los Angeles Dodgers’ outfielder Matt Kemp came off the disabled list on May 29, but went right back on after aggravating his strained left hamstring on May 30. He is expected to miss several weeks… Philadelphia Phillies pitching ace Roy Halladay, who was removed from his last start after two innings, will miss 6-8 weeks with a strained right lat… Los Angeles Angels all-star pitcher Jered Weaver went on the disabled list after injuring his lower back during a start against the New York Yankees on May 28…Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia has a right thumb injury. He has been out of the Boston lineup since May 28, but has yet to go on the disabled list. He is expected to play Tuesday at home against the Baltimore Orioles.