The Atlanta Braves have a saying that applies to players like Shawn Chacon, who admitted to grabbing Astros general manager Ed Wade by the neck and is now on the way out in Houston:
"Not a Braves-type player."
I heard exactly that a couple of weeks back, when I asked a Braves person about Sidney Ponson. I knew the answer, but I asked, anyway. After all, the Braves were looking everywhere for starting pitching help.
"Not a Braves-type player."
When Ponson had his trouble with the Rangers, causing disturbances and causing Texas to designate him for assignment, officials from several organizations predicted that he wouldn't get another job. Of course, he did, and now he's scheduled to start for the Yankees Friday night against the Mets.
I wouldn't have done it. They did. And when a team like the Yankees is willing to sign a player with as bad a track record as Ponson, you start to figure that almost anyone can get another chance these days.
Anyone but Barry Bonds.
*****
Yes, the Cubs winning this year would be a great story, now that it's been 100 years since they last won. Just don't expect the Cardinals to buy in.
"I feel like our story's just as good as theirs," Cards outfielder Ryan Ludwick said. "There were people picking us to finish fifth. We saw one magazine that said we'd only win 56 games. That'll get your blood boiling."
The Cards survived their two weeks without Albert Pujols, who returned today (a week earlier than expected).
*****
Did you notice that Tigers manager Jim Leyland batted Gary Sheffield, Edgar Renteria and Pudge Rodriguez in the 7th, 8th and 9th spots in his batting order for two days this week?
That's three guys who each have 2,000-plus career hits (and two who have 2,500-plus). That's 897 combined home runs, 3,591 combined RBIs.
Sheffield hadn't hit lower than sixth since 1989, according to research through baseball-reference.com. Before this year, Renteria hadn't hit lower than seventh since 1996. And before this year, Rodriguez hadn't hit lower than sixth since 1995, and hadn't hit ninth since 1992.
In case you're wondering, it's not unheard of for a future Hall of Famer to bat near the bottom of the order, even in the middle of his career. Johnny Bench actually hit eighth for Cincinnati two times in the 1979 season.