Saturday, October 8, 2011

Survival guide: Helping the Diamondbacks get back to Milwaukee

Survival guide: Helping the Diamondbacks get back to MilwaukeeWe're hours away from a potential elimination game in the National League Division Series. The Arizona Diamondbacks, who have earned a reputation in 2011 for their resilience and never-say-die attitude, find themselves in their most challenging position yet, trailing the Milwaukee Brewers 2-0.

Obviously not a lot has gone right for Arizona in the first two games, but what has gone wrong is correctable in my estimation. What I've done is put together a short list of suggested adjustments ?�both mental and strategic ?�to help them avoid being the only three-and-out in this year's playoffs, with the ultimate goal of getting the series back to Milwaukee.

Sound good?

Right size, wrong shape: Had Kirk Gibson read my piece on Saturday morning identifying the players who held the keys to their success against Milwaukee, Arizona might not be in this position.

His Game 1 lineup was mind-boggling, primarily because he elected to start Lyle Overbay over Paul Goldschmidt at first base. That went as poorly as you'd expect.�Thankfully, Gibson righted that wrong in Game 2, and, not surprisingly, Goldschmidt rewarded him with a home run. But it was too late to steal Game 1, and Game 2 would also prove to be a lost cause for reasons we'll get into later.

Here's what I think Gibson needs to do now to find a little more offense. With Goldschmidt in the lineup, he has the right eight guys, just in the wrong order. Despite Aaron Hill's three singles on Sunday, I need him lower in the lineup. And I really want Willie Bloomquist out of the leadoff spot.

I would then take what I believe are Gibson's best two tablesetters ?�Ryan Roberts and Gerardo Parra ?�and move them from seventh and eighth, respectively, to first and second. Their impact is being minimized down there at the bottom, and I want them to see better pitches and make life easier for Justin Upton hitting third. I'd also bump a struggling Miguel Montero down one spot to fifth, placing him between Goldschmidt and Chris Young.

These changes will not happen, of course, but I'm just trying to help this lineup reach its full potential.

Survival guide: Helping the Diamondbacks get back to MilwaukeeTame the "Beast Mode": Easier said than done, but finding a way to contain Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun is imperative. The best way to do that is avoiding them whenever you can. That would definitely include walking Fielder with a base open late in a game. (Yeah, don't do this again.) And could be expanded to making smarter pitches and creating better matchups.

We're talking about your survival here. Trusting and supporting your pitchers is fine, but not showing a little fear of these "monsters" will be your downfall.

Keep it together: Bad things are going to happen. You're going to make an error, get picked off, an umpire will miss a call, and your pitcher might even get tangled up in his own windup and commit a balk. But the wheels can't come off as a result of that singular mistake.

We saw how quickly the inning and game spiraled out of control after Brad Ziegler's balk in Game 2. There's no reason for that. Ziegler was still in command of the situation, the game was still tied, but then he compounded his mental error with a mentally driven physical error trying to make a play on Jonathan Lucroy's safety squeeze bunt.

That turned a potentially manageable one-run inning into a game-deciding five-run inning. You simply don't overcome those in October.

Don't follow Ziegler's example.

Short leash for Josh Collmenter: Gibson admittedly showed too much faith in Ian Kennedy in Game 1, allowing him to pitch to Prince Fielder to disastrous results. He also allowed Daniel Hudson to work through early struggles in Game 2, which wasn't so bad. However, facing elimination, he can't afford rookie Josh Collmenter the same wiggle room.

With Micah Owings and Jarrod Parker available in long relief, Gibson has options. You could argue whether or not those are good enough or experienced enough options, but as we've learned in the movies, arguing while in survival mode often proves fatal.

All this said, I'm not anticipating Collmenter struggling. In fact, he tossed 14 shutout innings against Milwaukee over two starts this season. So he's seen them, and he's handled them. But if he starts slow or shows any sign of being off his game, make the move and live for another inning.

Follow Mark on Twitter ? @Townie813 ? and engage the Stew on Facebook

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Survival-guide-Helping-the-Diamondbacks-get-bac?urn=mlb-wp22289

Matt Downs Stephen Drew Adam Dunn David Eckstein

Friday, October 7, 2011

A-Rod and Teixeira break slowly from the postseason gate

A-Rod and Teixeira break slowly from the postseason gateThis warning comes with all the usual disclaimers about it being early and the inherent injustice of small sample size.

But if Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira don't start hitting, they're going to find themselves in a very familiar place ? the bad end of postseason media attention.

[Video: Uptons have unique problem]

Or perhaps�they're already there?�Over two games of the ALDS against Detroit, the 4-5 combo of the New York Yankees lineup is a combined 1-for-15 with one walk, four strikeouts and one RBI. It's nothing that a nice showing against Justin Verlander in Game 3 won't fix, but don't think they won't face fire if they struggle, the Yankees lose on Monday and the hopes of the season hinge on A.J. Burnett taking the hill for Tuesday's Game 4. �Am I getting a little ahead of myself? Probably.

But it's not like we haven't been here before with both players.

A-Rod, of course, shed the label of postseason struggler with an unreal performance (.384, six homers, 18 RBI) during the run to the 2009 World Series title. But because he's A-Rod and because he occupies such a high-profile spot in the Yankees' lineup, he's bound to face a lot of scrutiny. Not only is he 0-for-8 this series, but he hasn't been himself since having knee surgery in July and suffering a thumb injury after his return. His numbers since returning in August? An average of .191 with three homers over 68 at-bats. He may be struggling with his health, so talk about dropping him to the No. 8 spot isn't the slight that it was during the 2006 postseason. There is reason to be concerned.

[Postseason tickets: Watch your favorite team in action]

Teixeira's struggles, meanwhile, are a little harder to explain. And they're nothing new. The Yankees' first baseman received a lot of criticism after the 2010 ALCS loss to the Rangers, posting an 0-for-14 mark for the series. Though he still managed to post 39 homers during the regular season, almost all of his other numbers have continued the decline since his MVP-type season with the Yankees in 2009. I mentioned him to a Yankee fan ? OK, it was Rob Iracane ? and he responded by calling him "Mr. Pop-Up." A few mentions of A-Rod's struggles on Twitter were met with reminders not to let Teixeira off the hook.

Like I said before, all the usual cautionary statements apply to this situation. And with the way Robinson Cano and Curtis Granderson have produced this season, the pair have a little more leeway when it comes to handing off the load to someone else.

Still, the starts that both players have posted have started swinging the searchlights their way. It's up to them to make sure they're found.

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/A-Rod-and-Teixeira-break-slowly-from-the-postsea?urn=mlb-wp22127

Mark Hamilton Jack Hannahan J.J. Hardy Brendan Harris

Monday, October 3, 2011

Fabio Capello's chance to leave an England legacy tinged with optimism | Kevin McCarra

The manager hankers after a rejuvenation of England but has usually had to limit experiments because of the risk entailed

Fabio Capello must have been the most angry and disconsolate witness of England's mortifying campaign at the 2010 World Cup. As a proud individual, he will have been shuddering ever since at the thought that his managerial career could end in ignominy. Capello, after all, has been adamant that his plan is to retire after next summer's European Championship finals.

England are not sure yet of appearing at that tournament but even if they are unable to take the point they require against Montenegro in Podgorica on Friday they could still top the group or advance as the best runners-up or through the play-offs. The qualifiers should be more of an inconvenience than a challenge. While it would be foolish of Capello to speak about plans for the finals in Poland and Ukraine, his thoughts must turn to games there that will determine the reputation he carries as he walks away.

This manager, like virtually all others, has experienced rejection and was removed from the post at Milan and later Real Madrid but the general sense has been of a person in command of his own destiny. That sort of aura usually dims for people embroiled with England and there was, for instance, a comedy of powerlessness this season when the players enraged him at a training session by ignoring his instructions about throw-ins.

Everything has combined to make it seem as if the football matches themselves are trying to turn their back on him. Montenegro took a point at Wembley, with Capello having no apparent bearing on the goalless draw. Switzerland might well have won there in June, although England did wring some sort of credit from the occasion by recovering from 2-0 down to finish on level terms. The larger and troubled issue is the revitalisation of the team.

Despite all the attention paid to Phil Jones, particularly when he moved from Blackburn to Manchester United in June, the defender is yet to be capped at senior level. At 19, he can afford to be patient but his case typifies Capello's dilemma. It would certainly be good to accelerate his promotion, especially if there is a worry that Rio Ferdinand, who was left out of this week's squad, might have trouble confirming his durability in the severe fitness test of the Premier League programme.

On the other hand, it will be tempting in Podgorica to put a seasoned defender alongside John Terry when there is a need to be wary. Capello should be rueful since a home win over Montenegro or Switzerland would have left him with the sole task of tweaking and, if feasible, refreshing the side for the finals. Had there been a dead game at the end of the group, it would have been brimming with life for those invited to further their education as international players.

The best that can be said now is that it will be a useful examination of the side's temperament, particularly if Montenegro are as effective as ever at staying in contention. Capello is no idealist and the five forwards in his party spoke primarily of a determination not to let the opposition dictate the terms of the match. Three of them are 25 or under and Bobby Zamora alone has hit his 30th birthday.

Out of sheer practicality, this area of the squad is the one that speaks of adventurousness. England seem to have zest in mind and are counting a little less on the knowhow that is usually prized. There was a strong suggestion that the situation involving Steven Gerrard had been misinterpreted. By that account, Capello and his staff were not trying to winkle the 31?year?old midfielder out of Anfield at all costs since they were doubtful that he could be of service after failing to start a match for six months following surgery.

It is pragmatic to draw on youth, as Capello confirmed with the inspired selection of the 19-year-old Theo Walcott who then scored that hat-trick against Croatia in 2008. He has not had the licence to experiment as much as he would have wanted but there are regular hints of a pining to do so. The manager has wanted to give Kyle Walker a debut for some time but only now does it seem that the Tottenham right?back will at last be available.

Capello hankers after a rejuvenation of England but has usually had to limit the experiments because of the risk entailed. Danny Welbeck got his first and, so far, only cap with England in the game with Ghana eight months ago when he was still on loan to Sunderland from Manchester United.

However, the forward is now making his mark at Old Trafford. It is precisely the sort of impact Capello must yearn to see. The manager, with little time left in the post, may never see his side brimming with the kind of promise shown by Germany in the 4-1 defeat of England at the World Cup. With luck, though, he may leave a tinge of optimism as his legacy.


guardian.co.uk © 2011 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2011/oct/03/fabio-capello-england

Jason Bartlett Yuniesky Betancourt Andrés Blanco Geoff Blum

Detention Lecture: Your 2011 Chicago White Sox

Detention Lecture: Your 2011 Chicago White SoxAs the regular season winds down, 22 teams are facing an offseason filled with golf rounds and hot-stove strategery.

But we're not going to let them get off that easy. No sir. No way. In an attempt to bring some closure between franchise and follower, we're giving a blogger from each team the opportunity to detain their squads for the equivalent of a Saturday morning detention stay.

Up next in our series is the incomparable Jim Margalus of South Side Sox. He'd also like to purchase a 62-foot boat in south Florida someday. Who the @#$! wouldn't?

I get it, Chicago White Sox. You don't want to be here. You've shown it all year. I don't want to be here either, but we may as well get something out of it.

The word for today is?

(turns around chalkboard)

ACCOUNTABILITY.

Do you know what it means? Anybody? OK, I'll use it in the sentence:

"I don't get the sense that accountability is a high priority for the 2011 White Sox."

I see a half-smile out of Paul Konerko. He knows what I mean. Sometimes it seems like he's the only adult around.

Bad luck isn't why you're here. Sure, sometimes things don't go as planned. That happens. The problem here is what when bad luck struck, NOBODY REACTED.

You guys spent almost the entire year on the wrong side of .500, and yet nobody's comfort was threatened. Adam Dunn nearly qualified for the batting title eligibility with one of the worst batting seasons ever. Alex Rios, you were right there with him until the Sox were mathematically eliminated. Then you thought it was OK to start hitting.

I'll go down the list. Juan Pierre lost two steps and it showed in his defense and baserunning �? but when Kenny suggested replacing him, perish the thought! Gordon Beckham was even worse than the year before. Brent Morel, I get that you're a rookie, but I bet even you might see that a demotion to Charlotte could have helped everybody involved. If not you, then Omar Vizquel could have packed his ornate bags. Nobody doubts he's the best 44-year-old around, but he's a mentor at this point, not a player, and you guys needed to increase production wherever an upgrade presented itself.

Perhaps if the Sox had some semblance of authority from the management or front office, this could have been avoided. Instead, you guys waited months too long to promote Alejandro De Aza and Dayan Viciedo, well after they could have made a true impact.

Even sadder, you guys could only make room for De Aza with a trade-deadline salary dump. For Viciedo, it took a season-ending injury to Carlos Quentin.

You guys went the entire season without making a tough decision ? not even a token hitting-coach dismissal ? because nobody wanted to deal with whatever mild consequences they might bring. Well, you're dealing with some harsh realities now. Attendance is down, a bigger salary slash is on the way, and who knows who the new manager is going to be?

As far as the pitching goes, you did your jobs for the most part. But John Danks can't start another season 0-8, as unlucky as it might've been, and maybe Jake Peavy will finally learn how to control himself. Or maybe the new manager won't be afraid to make him skip a start. Is Gavin Floyd even listening to me? I can't tell anymore.

The pitching seemed to have some order to it. The rest of the franchise? I have my doubts. So we're going to sit down and figure out once who's running the show once and for all. Based on the copious amount of deferring and buck-passing, this is what the chain-of-command currently looks like:

Detention Lecture: Your 2011 Chicago White Sox

We're not leaving this room until we clean this up and have a hierarchy that is reflective of a $125 million enterprise.

Coop, shut the window. I don't want anybody else sneaking out.

Principal Margalus
@JimMargalus
South Side Sox

Read more of Big League Stew's Detention Lecture series here

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Detention-Lecture-Your-2011-Chicago-White-Sox?urn=mlb-wp21429

Luis Valbuena Wilson Valdez Danny Valencia Eugenio Velez

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Marlins pitcher receives surprising package from Kuwait

Marlins pitcher receives surprising package from KuwaitWhen it comes to the plastic tubs that hold mail in the clubhouse, major league ballplayers usually know what to expect: Autograph requests for cards and pictures, pieces of fan-made art varying in quality and the occasional talisman meant to end a slump or heal an injury.

But what Florida Marlins pitcher Chris Hatcher opened before a recent game caught him off guard, reports the Palm Beach Post. Inside a package that arrived from Camp Buehring in Kuwait was an American flag and a picture of a smiling boy holding a baseball. A letter from Sgt. Joseph Hjelmstad of Minnesota accompanied both items, explaining that the package was a thank-you gift for Hatcher's actions back in July.

[Related: 'Moneyball' author rips moviemakers]

That was when Hjelmstad took his son Joey to a Marlins-Cubs game at Wrigley Field. Hatcher and Hjelmstad struck up a conversation about Hjelmstad's continuing military duty and ended it by tossing Joey a baseball ? the same one that was in the picture Hatcher received. Two months later and back on patrol in the Middle East, Hjelmstad wanted to make sure that Hatcher's actions did not go unappreciated.

From the Miami Herald:

The flag came with a certificate of authenticity that said it had been taken on patrol covering 780 miles in Iraq from Aug. 27-30 with stopovers at three different U.S. military bases.

"I remember him giving me the rundown [at the game]," Hatcher said. "He told me he was about to get sent back over. I said 'Are you serious? I've heard that before.' He said, 'When you asked it showed you actually cared about the troops.' So, I flipped his son a ball. Then this (package) showed up today.

"Pretty nice gesture on his part."

We'll say. And it also was nice on Hatcher's part to take time to visit with the Hjelmstads before that game in Chicago. In some of the correspondence I've had with the great military members who read the Stew overseas, they always mention that baseball is one of their great ties to feeling like they're back at home. That one soldier has the opportunity to strengthen that bond with one interested and caring ballplayer really makes me feel good about the sport.

Our best BLS wishes to both men.

Big BLS H/N: Larry Brown Sports

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Marlins-pitcher-receives-surprising-package-from?urn=mlb-wp20158

Adam Everett Rafael Furcal Álex González Nick Green

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Detention Lecture: Your 2011 Colorado Rockies

Detention Lecture: Your 2011 Colorado RockiesAs the regular season winds down, 22 teams are facing an offseason filled with golf rounds and hot-stove strategery.

But we're not going to let them get off that easy. No sir. No way. In an attempt to bring some closure between franchise and follower, we're giving a blogger from each team the opportunity to detain their squads for the equivalent of a Saturday morning detention stay.

Up next in our series is our own Mark Townsend, the Colorado Rockies' expert around these parts. After another season of watching the best shortstop in baseball, he thinks it should be renamed the "Tullet."

Attention! I said attention Colorado Rockies!

No more!

No, don't you give me that look. You're not getting off the hook this time. No chance. I have been far too lenient with you these past two seasons. Why? Because I believed in you. Because you've shown me in the past you could learn from your mistakes and correct yourself in time for a strong finish.

But no more. My faith in you has not been rewarded. Instead, you have taken advantage of it and probably laughed about it behind my back. You're very clearly a changed baseball team, and I'm not falling for it again. Yes, you fooled me one season. Shame on you. You won't fool me again this season.

I've had it up to here with your cavalier attitude and your willing acceptance of mediocrity. My tolerance for the continued deterioration of your fundamentals will now cease. Your days of taking extended naps ? innings at a time ? are done. I demand better than that. We all demand better than that.

Every time myself, this loyal fanbase, and baseball experts across the country dare raise our expectations of you, you let us all down. You are 18 years old, and you have still never won the National League West. It's time to grow up and achieve something.

No, I'm far from done. You will sit here. You will listen to everything I have to say. You will think about everything I have to say. And you will come back here next spring a better baseball team.

Understood?

The punishable offenses: Gentlemen, I have never seen worse base running at any level of baseball than what you've exhibited this season. I look around this room and I see Dexter Fowler, maybe the best athlete to walk these halls, and he needs a GPS to get from one base to the next. Study! Spend an offseason with a tutor that has a proven track record as a base stealer.

But before you take that step, be sure you can grasp the very basics of base running. For example, never make the final out of an inning ? or game ? at third base.

Ian Stewart, man, what happened to you? This was suppose to be your big leap year into superstardom, and instead you fell off the earth. ZERO home runs? A batting average well shy of the Mendoza Line? Very disappointing, but I guess we should have known you weren't the most alert guy in the classroom.

But it's not just the guys on the field making mistakes here. Yes, Dan O'Dowd, I see you back there. For the second straight offseason, you handicapped your manager by miscasting veterans as utility players. This year, your major gaffes were Jose Lopez and Ty Wigginton. Lopez had absolutely nothing to offer coming off an abysmal 2010 in Seattle, and Wigginton getting starts in left field at Coors Field? How did you expect that to go?

And then you bring in Felipe Paulino. That move I actually applauded initially because he felt like a perfect fit at the back of the rotation. Of course you immediately moved him to the bullpen, where he predictably fell apart and was released by May 22. Since then, he has been reborn with the Kansas City Royals, as a starter, where he belonged all along.

Detention Lecture: Your 2011 Colorado Rockies

Partners in crime: Now, I will acknowledge you haven't been responsible for all of your deficiencies. None of us were expecting Jorge De La Rosa's ulnar collateral ligament to pop back in May. When we first saw the grimace on his face, and heard the news later that evening, we all went into a state of panic.

That was, until Juan Nicasio showed up to take his place and earned my respect quicker than any new Rockie I can remember in a long time. Kid, you really gave us a tremendous lift during that time and were a true bright spot. To then lose you in the manner we did was the lowest point of the season for reasons that go well beyond baseball. We remain hopeful you can resume your career and become an even better story and a bigger fan favorite in the coming years.

Also, I bet there are few teams in history that can boast losing not one, but two different players to hand injuries involving doors. Please, when you leave this room, be careful.

Something to build on: As you know, we've had to expel several players this season. Most of them we couldn't show the door fast enough, but we also had to part with the first and only ace we've known in these parts, Ubaldo Jimenez. That wasn't easy, but unfortunately it was a necessary step in our attempts to rebuild for long-term success.

In return we've landed Drew Pomeranz and Alex White from the Cleveland Indians. If all goes according to plan, those two young men, along with Jhoulys Chacin, will be cornerstones in our rotation for years to come. We've also seen glimpses into our future with the strong performance of Rex Brothers in the bullpen, and we hope that young catching prospect Wilin Rosario and jack-of-all-trades Jordan Pacheco can continue their growth and fill supporting roles in next season's lineup.

And hey, as long as we're penciling in Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez every day, this team has a legitimate chance to contend with anyone. We just need guys around them that share their drive and can feed of off or complement their talents.

Detention Lecture: Your 2011 Colorado RockiesShape up or ship out: If I've already addressed you by name, or your name is Todd Helton and Jason Giambi, you're free to leave right now.

I'm keeping the rest of you here because I don't honestly know what your future holds with the Rockies. I'm expecting a lot of turnover this offseason, and as we currently stand, you're all expendable. I'm just being honest, and I don't feel bad saying that because you've brought it on yourself.

Listen, somehow, someway, an impact bat needs to be added to this lineup. Whether we have to deal one or two of you to receive that, sign one, or better yet, one of you wants to step up into that role, we can't move forward without it. Let's face it, when one or both of Tulowitzki and Gonzalez catch fire, this lineup clicks. But the problem is both of them have gone cold at the same for extended periods the past two seasons.

That, and we have to protect against one of CarGo's inevitable collisions with an outfield fence that knocks him out for three days to three weeks at a time.

We're also in dire need of a veteran starter to serve as insurance in case one or both of De La Rosa or Nicasio can't return to form. To make that happen, we'll probably have to dump at least one of our well paid relievers, in addition to Aaron Cook, As you saw walking here, Cook's locker is already cleaned out, so he knows his days are numbered.

Now I want you to sit there and ponder if your days are numbered. I want you to understand in two seasons, we've gone from contenders to completely irrelevant in a very winnable division. What was your role in that decline? Why were you unable to focus, stay hungry and perform well for six months in a season many people felt this division was yours for the taking?

Right here, right now, is the time to begin your self evaluation and the time to figure out how you're going to contribute positively in 2012. When you think you've found the answer, write it down and put it on my desk on your way out the door.

And yes, you each have to write your own.

Principal Townie
@Townie813

Read more from Big League Stew's Detention Lecture series here.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Detention-Lecture-Your-2011-Colorado-Rockies?urn=mlb-wp19154

Chris Davis Ike Davis Mark DeRosa Daniel Descalso

Sunday, September 18, 2011

TMZ: Manny Ramirez arrested for domestic violence

TMZ: Manny Ramirez arrested for domestic violenceSurprise! Manny Ramirez's first big headline following his sudden retirement from baseball last spring isn't a positive one.

What were the odds?

As first reported by TMZ, Ramirez was arrested at his home in Florida on Monday night after an incident with his wife. The AP later reported that Ramirez was being charged with battery.

From the AP:

Ramirez, 39, and his wife were arguing in their bedroom when he slapped her face, causing her to hit her head on their bed's headboard, according to a police report. She told the deputy she was afraid the situation would escalate and called police.

Ramirez denied hitting his wife, according to the report, telling a deputy "he grabbed his wife by the shoulders and when he shrugged her, she hit her head."

Ramirez has had incidents with the law before. In 1994, he was arrested on charges of drunken driving in the Washington Heights, New York neighborhood where he was raised. During a humorous situation in 2008, he was lectured by a Seattle police officer after jaywalking near Safeco Field.

Police were not involved during a 2008 incident where Ramirez reportedly shoved the team's traveling secretary during a dispute, but the run-in has been generally cited as one of the reasons the Red Sox traded him to the Dodgers that year.

Ramirez retired from the Tampa Bay Rays and baseball the first week of this season after he flunked a second drug test. Ramirez would have been suspended for 100 games had he not retired.

UPDATE: TMZ has a mug shot.

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/TMZ-Manny-Ramirez-arrested-for-domestic-violenc?urn=mlb-wp19271

Jake Fox Juan Francisco Kevin Frandsen Freddie Freeman