Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Osho 2 for 2
Osho is 2 for 2 in his sports predictions. Boston and Detroit won in there series championship. Listen to the podcast for yourself if you do not believe me.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Jay Gibbons Letter to all 30 MLB teams concerning his blacklisting from baseball.
Writing this letter is both painful and humiliating. It has been almost six weeks since my release from the Orioles and I am still unable to land any opportunity at a second chance to play the game that I love.
I am young, healthy and determined. I have acknowledged and apologized for the mistake that I made and writing this letter should be proof enough that I have indeed suffered for my mistake.
I have faith and hope that some team will give me the chance to prove that I can not only be a productive player but also be a stellar member of their organization. My faith in a second chance has inspired me to work harder than I have at any time in my life. My faith has gotten me through this most difficult period in my life.
All I need is a chance -- any chance -- anywhere. I am more than willing to begin the process of proving that I can and will be a productive major league player by playing in the minor leagues.
As you know, I have played seven seasons in the big leagues and have hit 20-plus homeruns in three seasons and have hit .277 in three seasons (2003, 2005 and 2006). At 31 years old, I have NO DOUBT that my best baseball is ahead of me.
I know that my agents at ACES have tried to land me an opportunity in the minor leagues but have been met with negative responses by each and every Organization. I am not blind to the fact that I have made a mistake and that mistake has raised doubt about my character and ability. It is important that you know that my indiscretions, while regretful, were made in an effort to heal a nagging wrist injury. I would encourage you to speak with anyone in this game, including players, coaches, front office etc. who know me. I am confident that everyone you speak with will vouch for my character.
I respectfully and humbly request that you grant me the chance to play for your organization.
I am so willing to prove myself as a player, and a person, that I will donate ALL of my minor league earnings to your Club's charity. In the event that I earn the right to play at the major league level, I will gladly donate a significant sum to that same charity.
Once again, all I need is a chance and I will prove that I can be an extremely productive player and a great addition to your organization.
Please feel free to contact me directly [phone numbers redacted].
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Jay Gibbons
I am young, healthy and determined. I have acknowledged and apologized for the mistake that I made and writing this letter should be proof enough that I have indeed suffered for my mistake.
I have faith and hope that some team will give me the chance to prove that I can not only be a productive player but also be a stellar member of their organization. My faith in a second chance has inspired me to work harder than I have at any time in my life. My faith has gotten me through this most difficult period in my life.
All I need is a chance -- any chance -- anywhere. I am more than willing to begin the process of proving that I can and will be a productive major league player by playing in the minor leagues.
As you know, I have played seven seasons in the big leagues and have hit 20-plus homeruns in three seasons and have hit .277 in three seasons (2003, 2005 and 2006). At 31 years old, I have NO DOUBT that my best baseball is ahead of me.
I know that my agents at ACES have tried to land me an opportunity in the minor leagues but have been met with negative responses by each and every Organization. I am not blind to the fact that I have made a mistake and that mistake has raised doubt about my character and ability. It is important that you know that my indiscretions, while regretful, were made in an effort to heal a nagging wrist injury. I would encourage you to speak with anyone in this game, including players, coaches, front office etc. who know me. I am confident that everyone you speak with will vouch for my character.
I respectfully and humbly request that you grant me the chance to play for your organization.
I am so willing to prove myself as a player, and a person, that I will donate ALL of my minor league earnings to your Club's charity. In the event that I earn the right to play at the major league level, I will gladly donate a significant sum to that same charity.
Once again, all I need is a chance and I will prove that I can be an extremely productive player and a great addition to your organization.
Please feel free to contact me directly [phone numbers redacted].
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Jay Gibbons
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Podcast # 4 ( Micheal Procton Carolina Panthers Blogger/ Fanatic/ Rebublican)
The Long anticapated interview with much maligned blogger Micheal Procton is finaly here! Procton gives us startling insight into the Carolina Panthers and his Life! God save us!!
Procton #4.mp3
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Podcast # 2. Ben the Browns Fanatic. ( press Link Below)
A Follow up interview with Ben. We had so much fun we decided to do it again. More interviews soon to follow. Thanks for listening to the Free Radical Show !!!
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Click the Link below to listen to The Free Radical Shows first Podcast
Sorry about the sloppiness ( nerves). Please forgive me. But it is still charming , dark, and informitive. I am having a lot of fun with the Podcast so far, and what I think is funny is always funny. I have been cutting and pasting articles so far, I would like to write something original on the next Post. Stay tuned and Thank you for Listening. Listen while you are surfing the Net or doing the dishes.
001_A_005_jason Treadway_2008_05_20.mp3
Sunday, May 11, 2008
top 10 Offseason MLB moves
Is there anything America loves more than a good old-fashioned baseball trade (OK, with the possible exception of a nationally televised Paula Abdul meltdown)?
Of course not. And never in recent memory have so many offseason trades left such a monumental imprint on a season.
Johan Santana. Dan Haren. Erik Bedard. Miguel Cabrera. Brad Lidge. Miguel Tejada. And we haven't even mentioned the American League's home run leader (Carlos Quentin), RBI leader (Josh Hamilton) and stolen-base leader (Carlos Gomez), or the National League's ERA leader (Edinson Volquez) yet. They were all involved in trades just this past winter. What a concept.
But not all those offseason deals are working out the way we expected when they hit the transactions column. So let's take a look at which trades have had the biggest impact so far:
1. THE DAN HAREN EXTRAVAGANZA
(A's send Haren and RHP Connor Robertson to the Diamondbacks for LHP Dana Eveland, LHP Greg Smith, 1B Chris Carter, OF Carlos Gonzalez, OF Aaron Cunningham and LHP Brett Anderson).
Haren
The whole idea of any trade, theoretically, is to make both teams better. So it's tough to beat this one. Arizona wouldn't have the best record in baseball without Haren. But this deal is just as responsible for the A's being 22-14.
Haren has ripped off six quality starts, so he's been as good as advertised. Meanwhile, the A's have gone 10-3 in games started by Eveland and Smith; Anderson is 5-1 in Class A; Gonzalez is hitting .343, with a .410 on-base percentage, in Triple-A. So this trade has set up the A's to be good for years -- just what Billy Beane had in mind.
"Billy knew we had depth that we'd probably talk about," Arizona GM Josh Byrnes said. "So they came out of this with quality and quantity. And for us to get a starting pitcher at Dan Haren's level without getting into free agency … was something that really fit."
Scout's View: "Probably as good a baseball deal as you'll see. Arizona did a hell of a job recognizing this was their chance to win and going out and getting a guy like Haren, and still keeping their top tier of prospects. And Oakland got guys who can help them for a long time."
2. SANTANA-MANIA
(Mets get Johan Santana from the Twins for OF Carlos Gomez, RHP Phil Humber, RHP Kevin Mulvey and RHP Deolis Guerra).
Santana
True, this deal hasn't propelled the Mets into first place. Also true: Santana is "only" 3-2, with a 2.91 ERA. But he's also tied for the league lead in strikeouts. And his bullpen has already blown two saves for him. And he left one of those two losses trailing the Braves, 1-0, in the eighth inning. So he ought to be 6-1. But even at 3-2, he's still been a definite upgrade on, say, Brian Lawrence.
It's a little tougher to judge the Twins' end, since Gomez -- the only player from this trade currently in Minnesota -- is still just an often-charismatic work in progress. On the one hand, as he proved Wednesday, he's a cycle waiting to happen. On the other, it took that cycle to nudge his on-base percentage to a measly .306. In terms of defense, one scout said, "I don't see a whole lot of difference between him and Torii [Hunter], other than name and reputation." But in terms of offense, the same scout said that he's "like a toolbox without a key."
And there's a sidebar to this story that has left its mark on the season, too. The aftermath of not trading for Santana still hangs over the Yankees -- and will keep on hanging unless Phil Hughes turns into an ace or Santana blows out a rotator cuff. Or possibly both.
Scout's View: "Think about where the Mets would be without Santana. If they didn't have Santana, they'd have been holding their breath, wondering if Pedro [Martinez] was going down, or how many times he'd go down. So just knowing you have a guy this good going out there every five days is a huge psychological advantage."
3. OUT ON A LIDGE
(Phillies get Brad Lidge and IF Eric Bruntlett from the Astros for OF Michael Bourn, RHP Geoff Geary and 3B Mike Costanzo).
Lidge
There were lots of people who had their doubts about Lidge -- and his fit for a judgmental town like Philadelphia. Well, never mind. The Phillies, shockingly, have the second-best bullpen ERA in the National League. And it all starts with the closer.
Lidge has spun off 16 straight appearances without allowing an earned run. And since he found his arm slot for his slider two weeks ago, he has been ridiculous. He has faced 31 hitters in that span. Only three have reached base. Meanwhile, the pivotal figure from Houston's end -- Bourn -- is hitting .195 with a .272 OBP.
Scout's View: "Lidge looks like the Lidge of old. Bourn plays great defense. And when he gets on base, it's a double [because he's 13 for 13 in steals]. But is he going to get on base enough? Is he going to hit good pitching? The jury is out on that."
4. JUST JOSHING
(Rangers get Josh Hamilton from the Reds for RHP Edinson Volquez and LHP Danny Herrera)
Hamilton
Was there a more fascinating deal than this one last winter? Hamilton has made it all the way back from self-induced drug oblivion to rank, in one scout's words, as "one of the 10 most talented players in baseball, just in pure tools and raw talent." And clearly, he's located the key to his toolbox. He's leading the majors in RBIs (36), and he's third only to Manny Ramirez and Kevin Youkilis in the AL in extra-base hits (18).
But Volquez, whom Texas initially force-fed into the big leagues at too young an age, has been writing a spectacular comeback saga himself. He leads the league in ERA (1.06) and lowest slugging percentage allowed (just .238). And he has become the first Reds pitcher since the 1912 invention of earned runs to start a season by allowing no more than one earned run in each of seven straight starts. So the only thing that stops us from placing this trade higher on this list is that, despite these heroics, both teams have been massive disappointments.
Scout's View: "I'm not sure how to rate this one. It's a high-impact trade that hasn't impacted either team."
5. ERIK THE GREAT
(Mariners get Erik Bedard from the Orioles for CF Adam Jones, LHP George Sherrill, RHP Chris Tillman, RHP Kam Mickolio and LHP Tony Butler.)
Bedard
Here's another trade that's tough to measure. Outside of a short DL stint, Bedard has been terrific, allowing a total of only seven earned runs in his five starts. But maybe this deal proves there's only so much of an impact one starting pitcher can make. His team is 11-19 when he doesn't start.
Meanwhile, Sherrill is second in the league in saves; Jones is working his way toward stardom; the upwardly mobile Tillman is limiting the Eastern League to a .198 batting average against him. And maybe the biggest impact on the Orioles, said an official of one club, was the culture change: "After 10 years of being stuck in a short-term mind-set, just the commitment to trade Bedard and [Miguel] Tejada, and to bring back some young talent and finally rebuild, is a really important step they had to take."
Scout's View: "I love Erik Bedard. But honestly, I thought Baltimore kicked [Seattle's] butt in this deal. Sherrill has done an unbelievable job. Adam Jones has star potential. And Tillman … I mean, wow. Now if they take Sherrill and move him at the deadline and turn him into something else that can help them, the Orioles made a tremendous deal."
REST OF THE TOP 10
6. Braves-Tigers (RHP Jair Jurrjens and OF Gorkys Hernandez for Edgar Renteria): "At this point, Atlanta has won that deal," said one scout. "Jurrjens [4-2, 2.84] has been their most consistent starter."
TRIVIALITY
Only two active pitchers have started an All-Star Game one summer and then been traded in the following offseason -- and coincidentally, they were once traded for each other. Can you name them? (Answer later.)
7. White Sox-Diamondbacks (OF Carlos Quentin for 1B Chris Carter, who was later traded to Oakland): "He's made a tremendous impact on the White Sox in a short period of time," one NL executive said of Quentin. "He got logjammed in that [Arizona] system a little bit, so he got easy to overlook. But the talent was always there. In my experience, most evaluators look for reasons to cross guys off the list versus reasons to put them on. It's easier to say no than yes. And this guy was a classic case."
8. Orioles-Astros (SS Miguel Tejada for OF Luke Scott, RHP Matt Albers, RHP Dennis Sarfate, LHP Troy Patton and 3B Mike Constanzo): Baseball people are all over the map on the quality of the Orioles' return in this deal, although, as one executive put it, "the fact that they got anything good for that guy is amazing." But if the only thing you know about Tejada this season is that he aged two years, pay attention: He was last seen hitting .331. "He's been much better defensively than most people thought, too," one scout said. "Looks like a recharged guy."
Miller
9. Tigers-Marlins (Miguel Cabrera and LHP Dontrelle Willis for LHP Andrew Miller, OF Cameron Maybin, C Mike Rabelo, RHP Burke Badenhop, RHP Eulogia De La Cruz and RHP Dallas Trahern): We won't be able to judge Florida's half of this deal until about 2010. And Willis has been a mess. But the surprise is that Cabrera has been: (a) an offensive disappointment, (b) such a defensive disaster at third base that he had to be shifted to first within three weeks, and (c) so lackadaisical that players on other teams are privately questioning whether he flicked on his cruise-control switch after signing an eight-year, $153.3-million contract this spring. "I expected him to come in there and be superman," said one scout. "He's been anything but that."
10. Rays-Twins (RHP Matt Garza, SS Jason Bartlett and RHP Eduardo Morlan for OF Delmon Young, IF Brendan Harris and OF Jason Pridie): Six weeks into the season, the Garza-Young debate is still raging. "This was one of those change-of-scenery deals," said one scout, "because both clubs had about had it with the makeup issues of both guys. Right now, Garza looks like he's going to be a big rotation piece for that team as they go forward. But I'm not so sure about Delmon anymore. He swings at everything. And he's not a very good breaking-ball hitter. You spin it, and he can't lay off it. And if he hits it, he doesn't do much with it."
Of course not. And never in recent memory have so many offseason trades left such a monumental imprint on a season.
Johan Santana. Dan Haren. Erik Bedard. Miguel Cabrera. Brad Lidge. Miguel Tejada. And we haven't even mentioned the American League's home run leader (Carlos Quentin), RBI leader (Josh Hamilton) and stolen-base leader (Carlos Gomez), or the National League's ERA leader (Edinson Volquez) yet. They were all involved in trades just this past winter. What a concept.
But not all those offseason deals are working out the way we expected when they hit the transactions column. So let's take a look at which trades have had the biggest impact so far:
1. THE DAN HAREN EXTRAVAGANZA
(A's send Haren and RHP Connor Robertson to the Diamondbacks for LHP Dana Eveland, LHP Greg Smith, 1B Chris Carter, OF Carlos Gonzalez, OF Aaron Cunningham and LHP Brett Anderson).
Haren
The whole idea of any trade, theoretically, is to make both teams better. So it's tough to beat this one. Arizona wouldn't have the best record in baseball without Haren. But this deal is just as responsible for the A's being 22-14.
Haren has ripped off six quality starts, so he's been as good as advertised. Meanwhile, the A's have gone 10-3 in games started by Eveland and Smith; Anderson is 5-1 in Class A; Gonzalez is hitting .343, with a .410 on-base percentage, in Triple-A. So this trade has set up the A's to be good for years -- just what Billy Beane had in mind.
"Billy knew we had depth that we'd probably talk about," Arizona GM Josh Byrnes said. "So they came out of this with quality and quantity. And for us to get a starting pitcher at Dan Haren's level without getting into free agency … was something that really fit."
Scout's View: "Probably as good a baseball deal as you'll see. Arizona did a hell of a job recognizing this was their chance to win and going out and getting a guy like Haren, and still keeping their top tier of prospects. And Oakland got guys who can help them for a long time."
2. SANTANA-MANIA
(Mets get Johan Santana from the Twins for OF Carlos Gomez, RHP Phil Humber, RHP Kevin Mulvey and RHP Deolis Guerra).
Santana
True, this deal hasn't propelled the Mets into first place. Also true: Santana is "only" 3-2, with a 2.91 ERA. But he's also tied for the league lead in strikeouts. And his bullpen has already blown two saves for him. And he left one of those two losses trailing the Braves, 1-0, in the eighth inning. So he ought to be 6-1. But even at 3-2, he's still been a definite upgrade on, say, Brian Lawrence.
It's a little tougher to judge the Twins' end, since Gomez -- the only player from this trade currently in Minnesota -- is still just an often-charismatic work in progress. On the one hand, as he proved Wednesday, he's a cycle waiting to happen. On the other, it took that cycle to nudge his on-base percentage to a measly .306. In terms of defense, one scout said, "I don't see a whole lot of difference between him and Torii [Hunter], other than name and reputation." But in terms of offense, the same scout said that he's "like a toolbox without a key."
And there's a sidebar to this story that has left its mark on the season, too. The aftermath of not trading for Santana still hangs over the Yankees -- and will keep on hanging unless Phil Hughes turns into an ace or Santana blows out a rotator cuff. Or possibly both.
Scout's View: "Think about where the Mets would be without Santana. If they didn't have Santana, they'd have been holding their breath, wondering if Pedro [Martinez] was going down, or how many times he'd go down. So just knowing you have a guy this good going out there every five days is a huge psychological advantage."
3. OUT ON A LIDGE
(Phillies get Brad Lidge and IF Eric Bruntlett from the Astros for OF Michael Bourn, RHP Geoff Geary and 3B Mike Costanzo).
Lidge
There were lots of people who had their doubts about Lidge -- and his fit for a judgmental town like Philadelphia. Well, never mind. The Phillies, shockingly, have the second-best bullpen ERA in the National League. And it all starts with the closer.
Lidge has spun off 16 straight appearances without allowing an earned run. And since he found his arm slot for his slider two weeks ago, he has been ridiculous. He has faced 31 hitters in that span. Only three have reached base. Meanwhile, the pivotal figure from Houston's end -- Bourn -- is hitting .195 with a .272 OBP.
Scout's View: "Lidge looks like the Lidge of old. Bourn plays great defense. And when he gets on base, it's a double [because he's 13 for 13 in steals]. But is he going to get on base enough? Is he going to hit good pitching? The jury is out on that."
4. JUST JOSHING
(Rangers get Josh Hamilton from the Reds for RHP Edinson Volquez and LHP Danny Herrera)
Hamilton
Was there a more fascinating deal than this one last winter? Hamilton has made it all the way back from self-induced drug oblivion to rank, in one scout's words, as "one of the 10 most talented players in baseball, just in pure tools and raw talent." And clearly, he's located the key to his toolbox. He's leading the majors in RBIs (36), and he's third only to Manny Ramirez and Kevin Youkilis in the AL in extra-base hits (18).
But Volquez, whom Texas initially force-fed into the big leagues at too young an age, has been writing a spectacular comeback saga himself. He leads the league in ERA (1.06) and lowest slugging percentage allowed (just .238). And he has become the first Reds pitcher since the 1912 invention of earned runs to start a season by allowing no more than one earned run in each of seven straight starts. So the only thing that stops us from placing this trade higher on this list is that, despite these heroics, both teams have been massive disappointments.
Scout's View: "I'm not sure how to rate this one. It's a high-impact trade that hasn't impacted either team."
5. ERIK THE GREAT
(Mariners get Erik Bedard from the Orioles for CF Adam Jones, LHP George Sherrill, RHP Chris Tillman, RHP Kam Mickolio and LHP Tony Butler.)
Bedard
Here's another trade that's tough to measure. Outside of a short DL stint, Bedard has been terrific, allowing a total of only seven earned runs in his five starts. But maybe this deal proves there's only so much of an impact one starting pitcher can make. His team is 11-19 when he doesn't start.
Meanwhile, Sherrill is second in the league in saves; Jones is working his way toward stardom; the upwardly mobile Tillman is limiting the Eastern League to a .198 batting average against him. And maybe the biggest impact on the Orioles, said an official of one club, was the culture change: "After 10 years of being stuck in a short-term mind-set, just the commitment to trade Bedard and [Miguel] Tejada, and to bring back some young talent and finally rebuild, is a really important step they had to take."
Scout's View: "I love Erik Bedard. But honestly, I thought Baltimore kicked [Seattle's] butt in this deal. Sherrill has done an unbelievable job. Adam Jones has star potential. And Tillman … I mean, wow. Now if they take Sherrill and move him at the deadline and turn him into something else that can help them, the Orioles made a tremendous deal."
REST OF THE TOP 10
6. Braves-Tigers (RHP Jair Jurrjens and OF Gorkys Hernandez for Edgar Renteria): "At this point, Atlanta has won that deal," said one scout. "Jurrjens [4-2, 2.84] has been their most consistent starter."
TRIVIALITY
Only two active pitchers have started an All-Star Game one summer and then been traded in the following offseason -- and coincidentally, they were once traded for each other. Can you name them? (Answer later.)
7. White Sox-Diamondbacks (OF Carlos Quentin for 1B Chris Carter, who was later traded to Oakland): "He's made a tremendous impact on the White Sox in a short period of time," one NL executive said of Quentin. "He got logjammed in that [Arizona] system a little bit, so he got easy to overlook. But the talent was always there. In my experience, most evaluators look for reasons to cross guys off the list versus reasons to put them on. It's easier to say no than yes. And this guy was a classic case."
8. Orioles-Astros (SS Miguel Tejada for OF Luke Scott, RHP Matt Albers, RHP Dennis Sarfate, LHP Troy Patton and 3B Mike Constanzo): Baseball people are all over the map on the quality of the Orioles' return in this deal, although, as one executive put it, "the fact that they got anything good for that guy is amazing." But if the only thing you know about Tejada this season is that he aged two years, pay attention: He was last seen hitting .331. "He's been much better defensively than most people thought, too," one scout said. "Looks like a recharged guy."
Miller
9. Tigers-Marlins (Miguel Cabrera and LHP Dontrelle Willis for LHP Andrew Miller, OF Cameron Maybin, C Mike Rabelo, RHP Burke Badenhop, RHP Eulogia De La Cruz and RHP Dallas Trahern): We won't be able to judge Florida's half of this deal until about 2010. And Willis has been a mess. But the surprise is that Cabrera has been: (a) an offensive disappointment, (b) such a defensive disaster at third base that he had to be shifted to first within three weeks, and (c) so lackadaisical that players on other teams are privately questioning whether he flicked on his cruise-control switch after signing an eight-year, $153.3-million contract this spring. "I expected him to come in there and be superman," said one scout. "He's been anything but that."
10. Rays-Twins (RHP Matt Garza, SS Jason Bartlett and RHP Eduardo Morlan for OF Delmon Young, IF Brendan Harris and OF Jason Pridie): Six weeks into the season, the Garza-Young debate is still raging. "This was one of those change-of-scenery deals," said one scout, "because both clubs had about had it with the makeup issues of both guys. Right now, Garza looks like he's going to be a big rotation piece for that team as they go forward. But I'm not so sure about Delmon anymore. He swings at everything. And he's not a very good breaking-ball hitter. You spin it, and he can't lay off it. And if he hits it, he doesn't do much with it."
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Mauer breaks up Floyd's no-hitter in ninth as ChiSox win
CHICAGO (AP) -- Another near miss for Gavin Floyd. Toying with a no-hitter for the second time in a month, the Chicago White Sox's right-hander watched his latest effort sail away with one out in the ninth.
Joe Mauer hit a high drive into the gap in left-center for a double, ending Floyd's no-hit bid and his outing Tuesday night.
What was he thinking as the ball left Mauer's bat?
No No-Nos
Gavin Floyd flirted with a no-hitter for the second time this season on Tuesday. Here are his numbers for his two gems:
"I hoped that it was an out," Floyd said calmly after ended a six-game losing streak with a 7-1 victory.
"I wasn't really looking at the ball and then I turned back and I saw Swish and Carlos coming after it. Swish made a great effort -- you know, Superman."
But the ball was too far between left fielder Carlos Quentin and center fielder Nick Swisher, who made a diving attempt but didn't really get close to the ball.
"Not close enough. I didn't make the catch, but you knew I was going for it," Swisher said.
"Unfortunately for Gavin, Mauer hit a ball that was just in a perfect spot," White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski said.
Floyd (3-1) was taken out to a standing ovation after Mauer's double, and Bobby Jenks came on to get the final two outs.
"It motivated me to keep making pitches and just attack," Floyd said of the crowd support. "Hopefully throw a no-hitter. It didn't happen today, but we got a win."
Floyd, who held Detroit hitless for 7 1/3 innings on April 12 before Edgar Renteria singled, walked three and struck out four. The only run the Twins could muster was aided by an error on Chicago left fielder Carlos Quentin in the fourth inning.
With the spirited crowd of 23,480 at U.S. Cellular Field cheering loudly, Brendan Harris struck out looking at a curveball to start the ninth inning. As the tension built, Mauer put an end to the suspense.
Manager Ozzie Guillen then popped out of the dugout and went to get Floyd, his 25-year-old right-hander, who threw 105 pitches.
"I was just trying to get on base and get a hit," Mauer said. "I got a pitch that was up a little bit up and tried to drive it to the gap. ... His ball was moving, his slider was cutting."
After Floyd walked Mauer to lead off the fourth, Justin Morneau hit a slicing liner to left that Quentin got his glove on but couldn't hold for an error. One out later, Jason Kubel's sacrifice fly gave the Twins a run without a hit and cut Chicago's lead to 3-1.
After Morneau reached on the error, the 6-foot-5 Floyd got stronger and appeared on his way to pitching the second-no hitter at U.S. Cellular Field in just more than a year. Mark Buehrle pitched the 16th no-hitter in White Sox's history on April 18, 2007 against Texas.
Asked if he was destined to throw a no-hitter, Floyd said: "Who knows? It's out of your control."
Pierzynski, who caught Buehrle's no-hitter and has been behind the plate for both of Floyd's flirtations, said it's so rare and so difficult to retire 27 men without giving up a hit.
"So many things can go wrong. He came close tonight. He had a great shot," Pierzynski said.
Floyd is a former first-round pick of the Phillies whose career never took off in Philadelphia where he was 7-5 with a 6.96 ERA from 2004-06 when he made 19 starts. He joined the White Sox along with Gio Gonzalez in a trade for Freddy Garcia in December, 2006.
He was 1-5 a year ago when he made 10 starts for the White Sox while splitting time between the majors and Triple-A. But he has found his confidence and his stuff this season as the White Sox's No. 5 starter.
Floyd took his first loss of the season in his previous outing against the Twins in the Metrodome on April 29 when he gave up five hits and three runs in six innings.
He survived a shaky first Tuesday night, walking two of the first three batters before escaping the threat.
And on a comfortable 70-degree night, he kept the Twins in check for most of the night. His only career complete game was a five-inning win over the Mets almost two year ago on May 11, 2006.
Twins manager Ron Gardenhire missed his fourth straight game following the death of his brother last Thursday. He is expected to rejoin the team Wednesday.
Jermaine Dye hit his fourth homer of the season leading off the bottom of the sixth off Nick Blackburn (2-2), who gave up six hits and four runs in six innings. That put the White Sox and Floyd up 4-1. Quentin added a two-run single off Jesse Crain in the bottom of the seventh.
Game notes
The Twins had their five-game winning streak snapped. ... MRI results on Minnesota RHP Scott Baker's sore groin revealed a light strain but no inflammation. While the Twins are undecided on whether Baker will require a stay on the disabled list. It is unlikely he will make his scheduled start on Saturday.
Joe Mauer hit a high drive into the gap in left-center for a double, ending Floyd's no-hit bid and his outing Tuesday night.
What was he thinking as the ball left Mauer's bat?
No No-Nos
Gavin Floyd flirted with a no-hitter for the second time this season on Tuesday. Here are his numbers for his two gems:
"I hoped that it was an out," Floyd said calmly after ended a six-game losing streak with a 7-1 victory.
"I wasn't really looking at the ball and then I turned back and I saw Swish and Carlos coming after it. Swish made a great effort -- you know, Superman."
But the ball was too far between left fielder Carlos Quentin and center fielder Nick Swisher, who made a diving attempt but didn't really get close to the ball.
"Not close enough. I didn't make the catch, but you knew I was going for it," Swisher said.
"Unfortunately for Gavin, Mauer hit a ball that was just in a perfect spot," White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski said.
Floyd (3-1) was taken out to a standing ovation after Mauer's double, and Bobby Jenks came on to get the final two outs.
"It motivated me to keep making pitches and just attack," Floyd said of the crowd support. "Hopefully throw a no-hitter. It didn't happen today, but we got a win."
Floyd, who held Detroit hitless for 7 1/3 innings on April 12 before Edgar Renteria singled, walked three and struck out four. The only run the Twins could muster was aided by an error on Chicago left fielder Carlos Quentin in the fourth inning.
With the spirited crowd of 23,480 at U.S. Cellular Field cheering loudly, Brendan Harris struck out looking at a curveball to start the ninth inning. As the tension built, Mauer put an end to the suspense.
Manager Ozzie Guillen then popped out of the dugout and went to get Floyd, his 25-year-old right-hander, who threw 105 pitches.
"I was just trying to get on base and get a hit," Mauer said. "I got a pitch that was up a little bit up and tried to drive it to the gap. ... His ball was moving, his slider was cutting."
After Floyd walked Mauer to lead off the fourth, Justin Morneau hit a slicing liner to left that Quentin got his glove on but couldn't hold for an error. One out later, Jason Kubel's sacrifice fly gave the Twins a run without a hit and cut Chicago's lead to 3-1.
After Morneau reached on the error, the 6-foot-5 Floyd got stronger and appeared on his way to pitching the second-no hitter at U.S. Cellular Field in just more than a year. Mark Buehrle pitched the 16th no-hitter in White Sox's history on April 18, 2007 against Texas.
Asked if he was destined to throw a no-hitter, Floyd said: "Who knows? It's out of your control."
Pierzynski, who caught Buehrle's no-hitter and has been behind the plate for both of Floyd's flirtations, said it's so rare and so difficult to retire 27 men without giving up a hit.
"So many things can go wrong. He came close tonight. He had a great shot," Pierzynski said.
Floyd is a former first-round pick of the Phillies whose career never took off in Philadelphia where he was 7-5 with a 6.96 ERA from 2004-06 when he made 19 starts. He joined the White Sox along with Gio Gonzalez in a trade for Freddy Garcia in December, 2006.
He was 1-5 a year ago when he made 10 starts for the White Sox while splitting time between the majors and Triple-A. But he has found his confidence and his stuff this season as the White Sox's No. 5 starter.
Floyd took his first loss of the season in his previous outing against the Twins in the Metrodome on April 29 when he gave up five hits and three runs in six innings.
He survived a shaky first Tuesday night, walking two of the first three batters before escaping the threat.
And on a comfortable 70-degree night, he kept the Twins in check for most of the night. His only career complete game was a five-inning win over the Mets almost two year ago on May 11, 2006.
Twins manager Ron Gardenhire missed his fourth straight game following the death of his brother last Thursday. He is expected to rejoin the team Wednesday.
Jermaine Dye hit his fourth homer of the season leading off the bottom of the sixth off Nick Blackburn (2-2), who gave up six hits and four runs in six innings. That put the White Sox and Floyd up 4-1. Quentin added a two-run single off Jesse Crain in the bottom of the seventh.
Game notes
The Twins had their five-game winning streak snapped. ... MRI results on Minnesota RHP Scott Baker's sore groin revealed a light strain but no inflammation. While the Twins are undecided on whether Baker will require a stay on the disabled list. It is unlikely he will make his scheduled start on Saturday.
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