Baseball Babe #106 Honors Neftali Feliz Texas Rangers Wins Debut Against Mariners Going Seven Innings for the Win!

Neftali Feliz came out shaky walking two batters in the first inning and got a double play to get out of the inning. So, shaky we were wondering if he was going to do the Yu Darvish debut, but he settled down early and went 3 up 3 down with a strike out in the 2nd inning. In the bottom of the 2nd everyday left fielder David Murphy drove in all-star utility man Michael Young off of Texas raised Blake Beaven for what became the only run Neftali Feliz and the bullpen needed for the win. Feliz ended his debut with four hits, two walks, four strikeouts and most importantly the win. The win for the Texas Rangers over the Seattle Mariners helped them get to 4-1 and showed great quality stuff that a starter needs. The closer turned starter came through and so did new closer Joe Nathan getting Feliz' back and picking up the save.

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Baseball Babe #105 Honors Ian Kinsler Texas Rangers signs 5 Year $75M Extension with 6th year option

The 30/30 second base machine Ian Kinsler has signed a deal that will keep him in a Ranger uniform for at least 5 more years for $75 million and a 6th year for $10 million more.

Both sides are happy to get the deal done. The Texas Rangers have their hard working ballplayer that with Elvis Andrus has one of the best double play combinations in all of baseball locked up.

Ian also carries a nice bat and has the speed with two of the last three seasons getting to the 30/30 plateau in home runs and steals.

At 29 years of age he should be going into his baseball prime and have him until he is 34 to 35.

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Baseball Babe #104 Corey Hart Milwaukee Brewers 2 Homeruns Against 2011 World Series Champs Cardinals

The season is early and RF Corey Hart was ready for the best of them on Saturday night when the reigning World Series Champs St. Louis Cardinals were in town. The champs weren't ready for him or the Milwaukee Brewers as they handed them a 6-0 loss. The key to the Brewer win was Corey Hart's bat going deep for a solo shot in the 2nd and following it up with a two run bomb in the 6th driving in 3B Aramis Ramirez.
The loss of Prince Fielder was not apparent in this game with the 6'6" Brewers slugger swinging away.

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Will Tigers "Bash Brothers" Miguel Cabrera & Prince Fielder eclipse A's Mark McGwire & Jose Canseco in home runs playing together?

The 2012 season is under way and the bats of Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder are already making an impact on the American League. As of 4/8/12, Easter Sunday, the Detroit Tigers are getting what they paid for and the dividends are impressive.

Cabrera has already hit three home runs in three games already played slugging two one on April 7th, and on on the 8th. Taking the lead and trying to push Fielder into trying to keep pace. Prince Fielder on April 7th also hit two home runs wanted to show Cabrera he was not the only home run hitter in a Tigers uniform. For the team lead in home runs as a player Miguel Cabrera had a 277 home run lead coming into the season.

The two are on pace to hit 170 home runs in 2012! Ok, hat will not be possible but the fans are in for a firework show night after night with these to home run hitters in the line up. Fielder has a few home runs to catch up to Cabrera for the team lead. Like? 275 home runs!

 We have seen this before in the American League when the Oakland Athletics had the "Bash Brothers" of  Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco. Both were prolific home run hitters in their one right but on the same team we saw some amazing back to back home runs!

Together in A's uniforms the boys hit 612 home runs, let me repeat 612 home runs!

Jose Canseco started with the A's in 1985 a year before Mcgwire and only hit 5 home runs in 96 at bats. Then in 86' when McGwire arrived he went from 85' thru 92' hitting 226 bombs. Then the Texas Rangers came calling and took Canseco him away until 97' when the "Bash Brothers" reunited. In that one year Canseco he hit 23 more long balls for a total of 249 home runs while hitting with McGwire.

Canseco may have been the big brother since he was there first but, Mark McGwire showed Canseco that he wasn't going to be bullied. Big Mac went on to be the Oakland A's all-time home run leader in an A's uniform with 363 home runs. In 97' the brothers broke up again when McGwire went on to the St. Louis Cardinals and hit a record setting 70 home runs in 98'!

The Detroit Tigers are hoping they can see the same results since the "Bash Brothers" and the Cardinals did win a World Series' in 1989 and 90'.

Detroit Tigers "Bash Brothers"  (5) Home Runs

Oakland A's "Bash Brothers" (612) Home Runs

Deficit <607> Home Runs

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Baseball Babe #103 Yoenis Cespedes Oakland Athletics League Leading 2 Home Runs was Mammoth 462 ft

The Oakland Coliseum and Seattle Mariners Jason Vargas had nothing on Cuban defector Yoenis Cespedes and the swing of the bat that produced a missile that landed in the upper deck at 462 feet.

Trailing 5-0 to the Seattle Mariners the 2 run launch was a bright spot for the Oakland Athletics who eventually lost 7-3 opening back home in the United States from Tokyo, Japan. I guess the plane flight didn't crush his style.

I guess he is making a statement to the MLB that his highlight video he produced was no fluke he is the real deal. 

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Baseball Babe #102 Adam Dunn Chicago White Sox gets 8th opening-day HR to match MLB record

Last season is last season right?

That is what 1st base slugger Adam Dunn wants to believe! Opening Day for the big guy did him away in Arlington playing the Texas Rangers he got off to a great start. His sixth inning 400 ft shot over right field into the second deck had to feel like a huge weight off of his shoulders.  The 8th Opening Day home run shot tied Frank Robinson and Ken Griffey Jr. for the most in MLB history. The home run was one bright spot for the Chicago White Sox who took a 2-3 loss to the Rangers.

Hopefully the baseball Gods and the fantasy baseball Gods will be on Adam Dunn's side in 2012! 

Baseball Babe #101 Carlos Pena Tampa Bay Rays 1st Grand Slam of season on Opening Day.

Coming home for Carlos Pena must feel real good. The Tampa Bay Rays fans must have accepted him with open arms. The slugger rewarded the fans with a grand slam that helped the Rays defeat the Evil Empire of the New York Yankees 7-6 at home. The strike out king had two strikeouts but all he needed was the one swing that changed it all in the first inning off of ace CC Sabathia.

Welcome Home Carlos Pena!

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Baseball Babe #100 Ian Kinsler Texas Rangers Opening Day Home Run

The Texas Rangers didn't lock up their prized second baseman Ian Kinsler before opening day. So. he showed them what they will be getting for there money when he hit the first home run of the season for the Texas Rangers in the the third inning. That was after he hit a double in the first inning  and scored off Josh Hamilton's sacrifice fly. Kinsler was the main contributor on offense for them winning over the Chicago White Sox. The Rangers are hoping for another 30/30 plus season and increasing on his .255 BA and opening day started it off on the right "bat".

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Baseball Babe #99 Justin Masterson Cleveland Indians "Masterful" 10 Strikeouts on Opening Day 2012

The Cleveland Indians ace Justin Masterson pitched like one on Opening Day when he went eight strong innings. The strike out pitch like all other was working getting double digit 10 K's before leaving with a 4-1 lead. He only gave up a solo shot to Jose Bautista, a home run hitter of the highest magnitude! That was his really only blemish of his outing. Then closer Chris Perez came to the mound to what was hoped to be a save, but the opening day jitters must have gotten to him and gave up the lead in the ninth. The scored stayed the same until a record 16th inning 3 run homer given up by Jairo Asencio to  J.P Arencibia broke up the tie and overall win by the Toronto Blue Jays.

Indian fans take nothing away from the "Masterful" start of Justin Masterson the "Ace" did put the Indians in the best place to win the game. 

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Baseball Babe #98 Jose Bautista Toronto Blue Jays Outfielder/First baseman homered Opening Day

Let the Fantasy Baseball God's be aware of the possible eligibilty of Jose Bautista as a 1st baseman!

The slugger started off the season against the Cleveland Indians on Opening Day the way he did all last year and that's hitting the baseball and hitting it hard. The day ended with him going 3-for-4 with a home run, 1 run, two rbi's and two bb's one intentional. The switch to 1st base happened in the ninth inning on a switch that also put 45 year old and ageless INF Omar Vizquel in shallow left field for defensive purposes to help produce a double play that eventually got them out of the inning. He went back to left in the 13th when Vizquel took over at first.

But, his home run batting prowless is what the Toronto Blue Jay's fans love about Bautista.

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Baseball Babe #97 Honors J.P. Arencibia Toronto Blue Jays 16th inning 3 Run HR shot for win

The record longest game in MLB Opening Day history happened on 4/5/2012 when the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Cleveland Indians 7-4 in 16 innings. Mark it!

The hero was J.P. Arencibia who with two men on tried an ugly sacrifice bunt went awful decided to swing on the next pitch. The ball was struck and it was bomb over the left field fence that in the top half of the inning took the life out of the Indians.

Arencibia's first home run of the season could not have been more dramatic. They say a win is a winn but opening day 16th inning home run will go down in the history books.

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2012 MLB Opening Day Countdown: Opens today "Play Ball" music! Sexy Fans Cheer!

Sexy Cheering Section: Can't Wait