- The All-Star game matters. Home field has been fairly significant in determining the World Series champion recently. Since 1985, the team with HFA has won 17 of the last 20 World Series. Also, the last eight times the World Series has gone to a Game 7, the home team has won each game.
- For the first time in almost 28 years, Major League Baseball played a full day of games with nobody recording a save Saturday. There were six save attempts, and every single one of them was blown.
- Chipper Jones extended his streak of games with at least one extra-base hit to 13 Saturday. The NL record is 14 set in 1927 by Hall of Famer Paul Waner.
- Alfonso Soriano leads all major league outfielders in assists this year.
- The Colorado Rockies lead the majors in fewest homers allowed.
- If you have the roster room, go ahead and stash BJ Upton. Similarly, keep your eye on the White Sox’ rotation; if they do in fact trade either Garcia or Vazquez, Brandon McCarthy would become a starter and be worthy of a pick up in virtually all leagues.
- When Angels pitcher John Lackey set down 27 straight A’s after Mark Kotsay’s leadoff double, he became the seventh pitcher in the modern era to do that. He later ran his scoreless streak to 26 2/3 innings Friday.
- Alex Rodriguez recently collected his 100th homer as a member of the Yankees. A-Rod, who also has more than 100 homers with the Mariners and Rangers, is one of three players to have 100 homers with the three different clubs. Reggie Jackson (A’s, Yankees, Angels) and Darrell Evans (Braves, Giants, Tigers) are the others.
- Chicago’s Kit Kat Lounge and Supper Club, a gay bar, is offering an Effen Ozzie Guillen-tini made with Effen vodka and fresh fruit. The drink will set you back $8.50 but at least it comes with a free copy of the Sun-Times, whose columnist Jay Mariotti started the whole flap with a column critical of the White Sox manager.
- Curt Schilling was 4-1 with a 3.11 ERA against teams with winning records in the first half. The rest of the Red Sox’ starters were 11-14 with a 6.75 ERA.
- Andy Pettitte has the best career winning percentage after the All-Star break in the history of MLB.
- Trot Nixon’s batting average dropped 11 points after his 0-for-9 showing in the Red Sox’ 19-inning loss to the White Sox last weekend. Only five hitters since 1957 have had more hitless at-bats in the same game.
- The Mariners players have spent just 76 days on the DL this year, fewest in the majors. The Nationals lead the way at 846.
- If you’re as bored with TV this summer as I am, give “Rock Star” a try. With Nirvana, The Killers, Coldplay and Franz Ferdinand on the play list, it’s certainly more appealing than “American Idol.” Plus Dave Navarro and Tommy Lee are involved, so high comedy is abundant.
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