With Barry Bonds out of baseball (for now at least), who is the most feared hitter in baseball? Jayson Stark of ESPN talked to all 30 managers and the overwhelming choice was Albert Pujols. The St. Louis Cardinals slugger leaves managers shaking in their boots. Here is an excerpt from the article:

It was actually Sir Albert who inspired this entire project — when a scout who had been following the Cardinals observed one day: “It’s beyond me why anybody ever pitches to that first baseman.”
Pujols has finished in the top four in the NL in intentional walks …read more

“Witch Hunt Backlash” sounds like some crazy dance from the ’60s, but the Cardinals’ Albert Pujols might have other ideas. Seems he “was incorrectly linked to the Mitchell report” and now the media outlet that did the linking has lost the privilege of listening to Pujols speak:
Pujols asked Cardinals media relations director Brian Bartow to make a reporter and cameraman from St. Louis Fox affiliate KTVI leave the room where Pujols’ news conference was taking place on the final day of the Cardinals’ winter warmup.
Not that you can blame Pujols. Assuming he’s clean, someone has tarnished his reputation, which is …read more

I made that last one up. There are no big leaguers I’m aware of named Gesundheit. But I could be wrong…
American League

Mariners at Yankees, 4:05 p.m. PT — I’m contractually obligated to pimp the Yankees game, because no-one else will. Philip Hughes gets the start for New York. He’s coughed up five runs in each of his past three starts, but whatever. Outfielder Wladimir Balentien is up for Seattle. In addition to the great name, Balentien has some of the sickest power I’ve seen in the minors. Dude hit some serious shots when he was in the California League. Big …read more

Not as catchy as “Two For Tuesday,” but it will have to do. Real quick like, here are your games for today:

Tigers at Yankees, 12:55 p.m. PT — Two teams fighting for a playoff berth, Roger Clemens pitching… Clemens’ career ERA by team: Tor, 2.33; Hou, 2.40; Bos, 3.06; NYA, 3.99.
Angels at Red Sox, 4:05 p.m. PT — Same as above, but with Curt Schilling instead of Clemens.
Cardinals at Cubs, 12:55 p.m. PT — Take the NL Central, please. Nobody wants it, and here come the Cards. Gee, I sure hope another 83-win team wins the World Series this year.
Diamondbacks …read more

What are we watching? Whatever FOX wants us to watch, of course.
Unfortunately, two of the three games they’re offering on Saturday (12:30 p.m. PT) are complete dogs. Dodgers at Cardinals? Eh, mild playoff implications there. Pirates at Giants. Ooh, the battle for — what’s the opposite of supremacy? — in the NL Central and West, respectively. With luck, you’ll get the Red Sox at Orioles. This still isn’t the best game on tap (that would be Dan Haren and the A’s at Detroit, which counters with Justin Verlander), but at least Josh Beckett is pitching.
My recommendation? The Tigers …read more

The family of Josh Hancock, the Cardinals’ pitcher killed April 29, is suing several parties as a result of his death. I can’t even begin to imagine the grief Hancock’s family must be feeling, and I’m truly sorry for their loss. That said, how are his actions anyone else’s fault? Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press pretty much nails this one when he notes that “drunken driving is a choice.”
More constructive than trying to lay blame on others would be taking steps to minimize the risk of similar events occurring in the future. Anything less cheapens the value of …read more