Thursday, June 02, 2011

Odds & Ends

Diamondbacks pitcher Armando Galarraga and umpire Jim Joyce have made amends. They shook hands at home plate the day after Joyce's incorrect call at first base cost Galarraga, then a member of the Tigers, a perfect game. They've even co-authored a book together. But one year after the "Call" they've yet to work in the same game. And won't, says Major League Baseball. "The reason it was done was so that there wasn't any appearance of impropriety," MLB spokesman Pat Courtney told USA Today.

Rockies hurler Ubaldo Jimenez was 10-1 with a 0.78 ERA on this date last year. Just last night Jimenez earned his victory of the 2011 season.

The home plate collision between the Marlins' Scott Cousins and Giants catcher Buster Posey remains a hot topic of debate. The hit ended Posey's season. On Thursday Giants general manager Brian Sabean fanned the flames. "If I never hear from Cousins again or he never plays another game in the big leagues, I think we'll all be happy," Sabean said.

The Sporting News, once dubbed the "Bible" of baseball, has released its list of the top 50 current MLB players. Here's their top 10:

1. Albert Pujols
2. Troy Tulowitzki
3. Felix Hernandez
4. Joey Votto
5. Tim Lincecum
6. Roy Halladay
7. Evan Longoria
8. Miguel Cabrera
9. Joe Mauer
10. Josh Hamilton

The Yankees and Red Sox had the most players on the list with five each, followed by the Phillies with four, and the Brewers, Cardinals, Dodgers and Rockies with three apiece. The annual list was voted on by a panel of 21 current MLB executives.

Hey, at least it was a short trip. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim's charter flight had to make an emergency landing when the plane had hydraulic issues. The Angels landed at LAX, quickly surrounded by emergency vehicles. The team took a bus to their intended destination, John Wayne Airport in Orange County. "Nothing like an emergency landing at LAX to scare the crap out of us," said Angels broadcaster Victor Rojas.

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