Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action, with a quick nod to what is ahead.
You Oughta Know ... The White Sox visited the White House, and apparently the visit was without much drama. You had to wonder if a team led by Ozzie Guillen and including A.J. Pierzynski could get through such a public event without sparking some sort of controversy.
In fact, it was quite a friendly visit the team had with President Obama, a die-hard Sox fan. White Sox reliever Octavio Dotel even got a hug from the First Fan.
"Just to be close to him and have that chance ... I saw the opportunity to ask for a hug. He said, 'Of course.' That was really nice of him. He knows a lot about us. He noticed that we've been playing well lately. He's a big fan. I can tell he really enjoyed [the visit].''
Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the Roto Rush is your double espresso shot of fantasy baseball advice every weekday.
The days where boos rained down upon Kosuke Fukudome seem like a distant memory.
Through nine games on the new season, the formerly-embattled center fielder is batting .375 with three homers, eight RBI, six runs and a steal for good measure. Compare that to his rookie campaign, where he only managed 10 big knocks in 501 at-bats. Should we believe in this new and improved Fukudome, or is it only a matter of time before fans are ripping him to shreds again?
Gotta love it when the WWL is taking a stand for the poor Janet Jackson's and Justin Timberlake's of the world by allowing a pretty freaking audible F-bomb to run a few times on their Sunday Night Baseball replay. As you will see in the video (which is mildly NSFW and should not be viewed by children, of course) A.J. Pierzynski fails to hold onto a high fastball, resulting in Jeff Kellogg catching one in the face. He has a mask on, but as Joe Morgan expertly points out, "it still hurts".
Alright, maybe that's not quiet as bad as an exposed mammalian gland, but they still could have bleeped it out, especially if they're on that delay that they're supposed to be on. But if you notice, John Miller actually points out that the ump is wearing a microphone before throwing it to the replay, as if there wasn't going to be an obscenity coming.
Or, as Awful Announcing pointed out, maybe ESPN is just trying to fight "the man", because they're so edgy and trendy and everything. And yes, for the record, I totally back dropping an f-bomb when you get hit in the face with a baseball.
The Cubs were looking to rid themselves of a clubhouse problem. The Padres were waiting with open arms. As Dex pointed out on Gaslamp Ball, the consensus from Bleed Cubbie Blue was that the Cubs were dumping Barrett in an addition by subtraction move. They may have improved clubhouse chemistry with the move, but they also improved the best team in the NL at the same time.
Credit Kevin Towers, who has already built a heck of a club, for pulling off a deal without giving up much. Michael Barrett is one of the better hitting catchers in the league. Now he's joining a team that hadn't received much offense from the catcher position between Josh Bard and Rob Bowen. Assuming Barrett can get along with the Padres staff, this is a steal by Towers. Besides, when you break down Barrett's recent run-ins, one was with A.J. Pierzynski who isn't the most popular player in the bigs, and the other was with Carlos Zambrano, who was about to use his belt in a fight. Bottom line: I highly doubt Bowen or Burke ever become productive players for the Cubs. I'm certain that Barrett will outproduce both of them combined. The Padres easily won this trade.
Buster Olney just reported the news on Mike and Mike in the Morning that the Cubs have traded disgruntled catcher Michael Barrett to the Padres. He's not sure whom the Cubs received in exchange, but that's sure to come out shortly. This report isn't much of a surprise given all the issues the Cubs have dealt with in regards to Barrett lately.
A few weeks ago, Barrett got into a fight with pitcher Carlos Zambrano. Then last week, he got into it with another teammate, starter Rich Hill. PostmanR later noted that Barrett was being put on timeout by Piniella, raising speculation that all wasn't well with the Cubs and Barrett.
This report proves a few things. One, that Zambrano, Hill, and the other pitchers win, while Barrett loses. Two, that there was something more to the comments and timeouts Piniella made for Barrett, as you might have guessed. And lastly, it looks like Michael Barrett is the real bad guy here. He sucker-punched AJ Pierzynski last year, and then got into it with two of his pitchers. I'll say this much, the Padres sure could use Michael's offense. My guess is San Diego got Barrett on the cheap. Be sure to check back to find out the terms of the trade.
UPDATE: I'm hearing now on the Padres flagship station, Double X Sports Radio, that the Padres are sending Rob Bowen, minor leaguer Kyler Burke, and some cash considerations to Chicago in exchange for Barrett.
The Fanhouse's look at the day's most intriguing matchups
Chicago Cubs (18-21) vs. Chicago White Sox (20-17)-2:20PM Est.
Ah, there's nothing like Cubs/White Sox in Chicago. As if the two sets of fans didn't hate each other enough as it is, now they finally get to see whose team is really the best. Unfortunately for Cubs fans, Derrek Lee won't be in the lineup today. That could be a good thing though, because all Derrek Lee would do was give the Cubs a bigger lead to blow in the ninth inning. Also, if there's going to be a Barrett/Pierzynski 2, it will have to wait until Saturday because Toby Hall makes his White Sox debut today.
New York Mets (26-14) vs. New York Yankees (18-21)-7:10PM Est.
It's not often that the Yankees are the team that is coming into this series as the New York team with something to prove. Everybody knows the Mets are good right now, and a bad series for the Yankees could be the start of big changes in the Bronx. Andy Pettite will be taking the mound for God and the Yankees, as he faces off against Oliver Perez. Perez was fantastic in his last start, so I'm pretty sure that means he'll give up at least 35 runs tonight. Los Angeles Angels (24-18) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (25-16)-10:05PM Est.
I know a certain Fanhouse blogger that thinks this series is a World Series preview. (Hint:It's me!) The Angels would like to prove that they're the best team in LA, and the Dodgers would like to remind them they're not even in LA. Brad Penny will be leaving Eliza Dushku's side long enough tonight to try and improve on his 5-0 record and 1.39 ERA. He'll be facing the struggling Ervin Santana, who's 2-5 with a 5.51 ERA, and looks like he could use an Eliza Dushku of his own. Maybe she has friends?
Some highlights from yesterday's games ... Who is this guy? So, apparently there was some guy from Japan that pitched yesterday? Daisuke Matsuzaka? Yeah, I've never heard of him, either. But he looked pretty good after a tentative first inning, finishing the game with six hits, one run and 10 strikeouts in seven innings. From The Feed:
Every pitcher, Japanese or otherwise, should be so lucky to face the Royals in their first game. It's really too much luck to get both the Royals and Greinke, who missed 2006 battling an anxiety disorder. The 5000 photographers following Dice-K's every step are probably good for a guy battling an anxiety disorder.
Greinke actually pitched well (7 IP, 1 ER, 7 K) despite getting tagged with the loss, but that line was too good to just let disappear unnoticed.
One step forward, two steps back? The White Sox won their game against the Indians, but it came at the expense of Mark Buerhle, who left the game early after being struck by a line drive and is listed as day-to-day. Ironically, getting hit by the ball ended up working in the team's favor later in the game, as Indians pitcher Roberto Hernandez beaned A.J. Pierzynski to bring home the winning run.
Ugly homecoming. Andy Pettitte couldn't make it out of the fifth inning in his first start back in the Big Apple. No worries, though; I'm guessing most of the fans will remember Alex Rodriguez popping up with the bases loaded and the winning run on second base in the eight inning. Elijah Dukes, a talented young hitter who's fallen under the radar with all of the attention lavished upon Delmon Young and B.J. Upton, meanwhile, homered for the second time in as many games for the Rays.
For the second time in three games, a White Sox starter wasn't able to make it through two innings. Unlike Jose Contreras, Mark Buehrle's exit from Thursday afternoons game had nothing to do with his performance.
After getting one out in the second inning, Ryan Garko hit a line drive right back up the middle that smacked into Buehrle's arm hard enough that the thud could be heard throughout the ball park. After trainer Herm Schneider and Ozzie Guillen came out to check on him, Buehrle quickly left the game with a knot already forming on his arm.
"It just went numb. I didn't know if anything really happened until I looked down and it kind of balled up," Buehrle said. "My heart kind of stopped because I thought it was broken at first. I've never seen anything like that happen."
The x-rays came back negative, and the left-hander is listed as day-to-day.
Before he left the game, Mark made sure to give up the the obligatory lead off home run to Grady Sizemore. Nick Massett came in for Buehrle and lasted for 4.2 innings, allowing four hits and a run.
The White Sox would go on to avoid being swept at home to start the season when Roberto Hernandez hit A.J. Pierzynski in the elbow with the bases loaded and nobody out. Rob Mackowiak scored the final run in the Sox' 4-3 victory.
Of course, it wouldn't be a play involving A.J. Pierzynski if there wasn't controversy. When asked afterwards if he thought Pierzynski did enough to get out of the way, Roberto Hernandez didn't seem to think so.
"Ask him. Ask him. I've played enough against him. That ball wasn't that close," Hernandez said. "But game on the line, bases loaded, free way to get a win."
As a completely biased observer to these events, I feel absolutely comfortable telling you that A.J. did not do enough to get out of the way, and I'm damn pleased he didn't.
The White Sox signed Toby Hall for a few reasons this offseason. First and foremost was to have a catcher they felt could handle a larger role so that they could rest A.J. Pierzynski. Second, there are tons of stud lefties in the AL Central, and A.J. needs a break against them too.
So that's why Toby Hall dislocating his shoulder during the 9th inning of a blowout spring training game on Sunday while playing first base has White Sox fans panicking.
Question of the Day: What former White Sox catcher's cell phone is probably "blowin' up" right now? If you answered Sandy Alomar Jr., you're either (a) a sadist who loves .217 batting averages, (b) Ozzie Guillen's anger management therapist, (c) the artificial intelligence that tabulates Kenny Williams' cell-phone bill, or (d) a White Sox fan for the last six seasons. Luckily there are no reported sightings of Crusty in the skies over Tucson.
Please, Ken Williams, I'm begging you. No Sandy Alomar Jr. I'll catch for you if I have to. Between my job here at the Fanhouse and other time spent being awesome, I'm sure I can fit in a game a week if needed. Just don't bring in Sandy Alomar!!
Of course, this all could be a mute point depending on the severity of Hall's injury. Results of an MRI won't be known until sometime today, and they could show that Hall will be fine in time for Monday's opener against the Indians. Also, Ozzie Guillen went on to say that if Hall can't play, Wiki Gonzalez will most likely take his place until he returns.
Which is fine. As long as it isn't Sandy Alomar Jr.
These are the latest installments of the ongoing rivalry between the Cubs and White Sox in Chicago. Last year it was Juan Pierre and Bobby Jenks terrorizing each other while they slept.
The odd thing is, that last time I saw Pierzynski and Zambrano together, there weren't exactly being very friendly. Pierzynski had homered off of Zambrano, and as he rounded third and headed home he mocked Big Z by pointing to the sky as Zambrano does after he strikes a guy out. This was then followed by Zambrano screaming at Pierzynski in the dugout and then pointing at his own head to let A.J. know where the next pitch was headed.
These commercials are just more proof that these two will stop at nothing to hurt the other.
Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action, with a quick nod to what is ahead. 
Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the 
The Cubs were looking to rid themselves of a clubhouse problem. The Padres were waiting with open arms. As Dex 
Buster Olney just reported the news on Mike and Mike in the Morning that the 
The White Sox signed Toby Hall for a few reasons this offseason. First and foremost was to have a catcher they felt could handle a larger role so that they could rest A.J. Pierzynski. Second, there are tons of stud lefties in the AL Central, and A.J. needs a break against them too.
