Willy Taveras News

There seems to be a high number of pictures in SBNation's AP photos bank of Dusty defending Willy T. Here is one of them.

If you were told you could have the next Willy Taveras, would you want him? My personal period of mourning for the 2009 Cleveland Indians is over.

Continuing the second half leaderboard series, I give you the NL second half stolen base leaders.

Baseball Prospectus' Pre-season Projection : 79-83, fourth place Current record: 77-84, fourth place Dusty Baker sure wouldn't mind having Barry Bonds at the fourth slot in this lineup.

The Red Sox have an Angel of their own pulling for them. View full size photo uploaded October 6, 2009 Just like with the Angels and Yankees, we continue our series "Two Truths and a Lie" with the AL Wild Card-winning Sawx.

A team that desperately craves success and credibility, the Reds found themselves stuck in the baseball wilderness again.

To get time in the Reds' outfield these days, take a number. With the activation of Chris Dickerson from the disabled list on Wednesday, the Reds found themselves carrying eight outfielders on the roster.

Miguel Tejada will try to extend an 18-game hitting streak tonight in the Houston Astros' opener of a season-ending three-game series with the New York Mets at Citi Field.

In this corner, Homer Bailey was explaining how he bested the great Albert Pujols in a crucial situation.

A quick recap of last night's events: Joey Votto . 3 for 4 with 3 doubles, 3 runs scored, and an RBI.

"Listen, we have to talk..." Hall o' Famer Hal thinks the love affair between Dusty and Willy Taveras is over Here's the way Hal puts it when he asked Dusty about giving Ramon Hernandez the start last night: "He's worked hard to get to this point and I like to reward guys who work hard to get back in there to play." Just reading between the lines ...

For the first time in more than a month, Willy Taveras was in the lineup Thursday and manager Dusty Baker almost was apologetic about it.

For a returning player coming off the disabled list, being compared to Wally Pipp by the manager is never a good thing.

It's impossible to replace Johan Santana, but the Mets are giving veteran southpaw Pat Misch a shot.

Catcher Ramon Hernandez was activated from the disabled list Saturday, and Hernandez hopes his Cincinnati stay lasts longer than the season's final two weeks.

Fly in the face of the ointment? Every season has one or two curiosities on its DIPS% leaderboard, and 2009 is no exception.

Jay Bruce was reinstated from the disabled list Monday. Bruce fractured his right wrist while trying for a diving catch against the Mets on July11. Bruce made 10 rehab appearances for Louisville recently, hitting .212 with five walks, six strikeouts and two steals.

There are just 19 games left in the Reds' season, and manager Dusty Baker doesn't want his players to give one game, one inning or even one at-bat the short shrift.

The past week, Drew Stubbs has played like Willie Mays. The week before, Stubbs played more like Willy Taveras.

It is at the point where Cincinnati Reds manager Dusty Baker sifts through the pile of medical reports on his desk and laughs - laughs out loud and shakes his head and mumbles almost incoherently.