Curveballs for Jobu

Curveballs for Jobu is Off Base Percentage's daily trip around the ballparks.

Today's honorary bat boy: Chris Bosio



Yankees 6, Athletics 2. That's five straight for the defending champions after A.J. Burnett allowed two earned runs in seven solid innings and Mark Teixeira continued a good July with a three-run bomb in a five-run Yankees' fourth. Teixeria is 9-for-25 (.360) with two home runs and 9 RBIs in seven July games. Nick Swisher had a big night as well, falling a triple short of the cycle. This should help Swisher's online candidacy for the final AL all-star spot as it is being reported that Frankie Nostrils late Wednesday got on his computer and voted 11,000,000 times. This time it counts.

Giants 15, Brewers 2. Buster Posey Watch: 4-for-4, 2 HR (1 GS), 6 RBIs. Tim Lincecum also gave up one earned run and struck out 10 in seven innings after allowing 17 earned runs in 27 innings in four previous starts against Milwaukee. Brewers starter Chris Narveson was simple SuperIrabuian, scattering nine hits and nine earned runs in 3 1/3 IP. Milwaukee third baseman Casey McGehee on bouncing back Thursday: "We are not going to go out there defeated before we go out there." McGehee's correct, there's no way Milwaukee can lose before the game begins.

Whitesox 5, Angels 2. Chicago won despite making five errors. That's just OzzieGuillenSmartBall.

Rockies 8, Cardinals 7. The rest of the St. Louis bullpen saw what Ryan Franklin did in the ninth inning Tuesday (1/3 IP, 6 ER) and said anything Ryan can do we can do just as poorly. The Cards, fresh off blowing a six-run, ninth-inning lead and losing 12-9, coughed up a 7-4 cushion in the eighth Wednesday as Colorado won its third straight on Chris Iannetta's lead off homer in the ninth.

Marlins 4, Dodgers 0. Despite the fact that Colorado's Ubaldo Jimenez was given the NL Cy Young award last month, Florida's Josh Johnson can still finish second. The righty was brilliant again Wednesday, limiting LA to six hits in eight fantastic innings. Johnson in his last 11 starts, spanning 79 innings, has given up seven earned runs (0.80 ERA).

Second Round

We've put MTD back in the walk-in freezer to try and preserve him for later on this evening. I've got day two of the draft covered with the second round beginning shortly. The Nationals again pick first, but Washington isn't allowed to pick Bryce Harper again. It would be a huge story if Harper was selected in the second round. I'll keep my eyes open.


51. Nationals - Sammy Solis, LHP, University of San Diego. Quite a journey for Solis, who three years ago was drafted in the 18th round out of Aqua Fria HS (AZ), then made the West Coast Conference all-freshman team in 2008. In 2009 he pitched twice before suffering an injury and taking a medical red shirt. Now, he's the 51st player taken in the 2010 draft.

52. Pirates - Stetson Allie, RHP, St. Edwards HS (Ohio). MTD can get down off the ledge as Allie gets selected early in the second. One of the top arms in the draft.

53. Braves - Todd Cunningham, OF, Jacksonville State.

54. Royals - Brett Eibner, RHP, Arkansas.

55. Indians - Levon Washington, OF, Chipola JC (Florida). This is the 12th consecutive season at least one Chipola player was selected in the draft. Most notable: Dodgers catcher Russell Martin and Toronto's Jose Bautista, who might hit 250 home runs this season.

56. Diamondbacks - James Bradley, RHP, Nitro HS (West Virginia).

57. Redsox - Brandon Workman, RHP, Texas. Perhaps selected a bit low, but Workman is 6-5, 230 with great stuff and he's a great pick for Boston. Just typing that sentence makes me want to vomit tacos.

58. Astros - Vincent Velasquez, RHP, Garey HS (California).

59. Padres - Jed Gyorko, SS, West Virginia. Had a 1.222 OPS with 19 home runs as a first-team all-Big East performer for the Mountaineers. Could be moving from short to third.

60. Athletics - Yordy Cabrera, 3B, Lakeland Senior HS (Florida). And the next phase of Money Ball begins: stockpile Yordys.

61. Bluejays - Griffin Murphy, LHP, Redlands East Valley HS (California).

62. Reds - Ryan LaMarre, OF, Michigan.

63. Whitesox - Jacob Petricka, RHP, Indiana State. The Sycamores have a pretty good track record of getting former players to the big leagues. Of the 69 players drafted from ISU through 2009, 18 have played, or are currently playing (Colorado 2B Clint Barmes).

64. Brewers - James Nelson, RHP, Alabama.

65. Cubs - Reggie Golden, OF, Wetumpka HS (Alabama). One of the best names in the draft, but honestly, no matter what the first name, if it's followed by "Golden" you should be in good shape. Maybe not Rory Golden.

66. Devilrays - Jacob Thompson, RHP, Cal State Fullerton.

67. Mariners - Marcus Littlewood, SS, Pineview HS (Utah).

68. Tigers - Drew Smyly, LHP, Arkansas. Last night pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings to help get the Razorbacks to this weekend's Super Regional against No. 1 Arizona State. MLB.com likes Smyly-108 strike outs in 98 1/3 innings in 2010-as a back-end rotation guy or lefty specialist.

69. Bluejays - Kellen Sweeney, 3B, Jefferson HS (Iowa).

70. Braves - Andrelton Simmons, SS, Western Oklahoma State. Not much size to Simmons-6-2, 170-and I don't know what's going on with his first name, but like that idiot who coached my 8th grade all star team once said: you can't teach desire. Either way, Simmons can hit: in a freshman season that's still going at WOSC, he has a 1.315 OPS.

71. Twins - Cartier Goodrum, SS, Fayette County HS (Georgia).

72. Rangers - Cody Buckel, RHP, Royal HS (California).

73. Marlins - Robert Rasmussen, LHP, UCLA. Rasmussen is me with talent: 5-11, 170 pounds. Oh, and he's five inches taller.

74. Giants - Jarrett Parker, OF, Virginia.

75. Cardinals - Matthew Swagerty, RHP, Arizona State.

76. Rockies - Chad Bettis, RHP, Texas Tech. Was Team USA's closer during last season's world tour. Good size-6-1, 200-and a plus-fastball with good breaking stuff could keep Bettis in a short relief role at the big league level.

77. Phillies - Percy Garner, RHP, Ball State.

78. Dodgers - Ralston Cash, RHP, Lakeview Academy (GA).

79. Devilrays - Derek Dietrich, SS, Georgia Tech.

80. Bluejays - Justin Nicolino, LHP, University HS (Florida).

81. Angels - Daniel Tillman, RHP, Florida Southern College. Since 1975, the Division II Mocs have now had at least one player drafted in every year except 2004.

82. Yankees - Angelo Gumbs, SS, Torrance HS (California). Prediction: best friend once he gets to the Bronx will be Frankie Nostrils.