It's official.

A.J. Pollock is a D-back. Or at least he's officially on his way to becoming one.

On Tuesday, Pollock, the 17th overall pick in last month's First-Year Player Draft, signed with the D-backs three days after coming to an agreement with the team. He is expected to begin his pro career this week at Class A South Bend of the Midwest League. As a junior center fielder for Notre Dame in South Bend last year, he hit .365 with a .443 on-base percentage and slugged .610.<p>

He said he is sharing a house with outfielder Marc Krauss, selected in the second round out of Ohio University by the D-backs last month.

"It's about two miles down from Notre Dame and I couldn't have scripted out a better start," he said. "I'm excited. Everything about it is working out right now and I just can't wait to play some ball again."

Pollock said he grew up a Mets fan in Connecticut and considers Mike Piazza and David Wright among his baseball heroes. He also followed the Red Sox.

Now, he has a new favorite team.

"I'm just really looking forward to getting going," he said. "It's a dream come true for me."

 

 

The Padres streak is over.

But who's counting? Streaks, like records, are made to be broken and it's not like San Diego was never going to lose again.

Right?

"Streaks are good but the seasons are so long and there is so much time left n the season," Padres outfielder Scott Hairston said. "It's not really our focus. We just want to play one good game at a time and focus on where we are going to be in September."

That's probably a good strategy. To say the Padres have been streaky this season is an understatement. The club started the season 9-3 and then lost 19 of the next 23 games. From May 15 to 24, the Padres went 10-0, the longest win streak since a franchise-record 14-game run from June 18-July 2, 1999.

San Diego's 10-game winning streak ended Tuesday with a 6-5 loss to the Diamondbacks.

"We are keeping it in perspective," Padres manager Bud Black said. "I think guys realize we are the same team now as we were when we went 9-3. We certainly are not the team that lost those games over that three week period. We like to think we are more of what we have going on now and now we just would like to sustain it. We're doing that with very good pitching."

Black is right. The Padres pitchers sported a 2.11 ERA during the 10-game winning streak to drop the team ERA from 5.01 to 4.31. Should the Padres start another streak it's going to be up to the pitching staff to sustain it.

Josh Greer (1-2, 4.53 ERA), Kevin Correia (1-3, 5.11) and Chad Gaudin (1-3, 5.40 ERA) along with staff ace Jake Peavy (4-5, 3.48) and Chris Young (4-2, 4.76) have passed the ball to a bullpen that has watched its ERA drop from 5.09 to 3.99. During the winning streak, Padres relievers posted a 0.27 ERA.

"We got the pitching staff together and talked fundamental things and straightened some guys out," Black said. "We got a little behind the eight ball a few weeks ago and this division has shown that it's always competitive down to the last week. Hopefully, we can be a part of it."

The offensive output could be better. Padres hit .222 during the stretch but still outscored their opponents 44-23.

"We are doing things the right way and I'm a big believer that if you play good baseball, good things are going to happen, especially if you are a talented team the way we are," first baseman Adrian Gonzalez said. "If the pitchers keep throwing strikes and we play defense, and get those timely hits, we are going to win games."

Gonzalez has been doing his part. Despite not starting Tuesday's game because of flu-like symptoms, the slugger has 17 home runs and 31 RBIs..

"Personally, I can't complain," Gonzalez said. "I'm feeling good at the plate. I can always do a better job of not chasing pitches out of the zone but I can't take away from my aggressiveness, either."

The road has been kind to Gonzalez. He sports a .305 batting average on the road and a .259 mark at home. Twelve of his home runs have come away from Petco Park.

"That's just the way it is," Gonzalez said. "We've had a lot of road games. I've been able to connect right now but I'm not able to predict if I'm going to continue to stay on a certain pace, but so far I am thankful that I have been able to hit well."

Gonzalez had a chance to push the Padres ahead on Tuesday when he entered the game as a pinch-hitter with two outs and the bases loaded with the Diamondbacks ahead, 6-4, in eighth. He flied out to right field to end the inning.

Tuesday's loss dropped the Padres' record to 23-23, 8 ½ games behind the Dodgers in the National League West.

"We have a chance if we can get the Dodgers to come down to Earth a little bit," Gonzalez said. "They are playing great baseball, which is expected of them and it's going to be tough to catch them, but if we keep doing our thing and they come down a little, eventually we will be right in the race in the last month or two of the season."

 

 

The Rangers have placed Frank Francisco on the disabled list retroactive to May 7 because of right bicep tendonitis. The club has recalled reliever Warner Madrigal from Triple-A Oklahoma.

 

 

Here's the Spanish version of Lopez's story from a few days ago.

 

And the English:

 

PHOENIX - Today is a good day for Felipe Lopez and he wants tomorrow to be a good day, too.

The Diamondbacks second baseman has learned to concentrate on the present. He might venture into the future every now and then but more often than not, he'll shy away from talking about the past.

Asked about his stint with the Nationals last year and the criticism that came his way during his time in Washington, Lopez starts to share his side of the story but immediately stops. He knows better.

The past can't help him hit a fastball today. The past can't help him field a groundball. But focusing on the here and now? Well, that's a different story altogether.

"I'm not the type to ...," Lopez said. "Let's just say I'm just glad to be here."

The serenity-now approach seems to be working. Lopez is Arizona's top hitter, boasting a .327 batting average with three home runs and six RBIs in 24 games.

Lopez is happy and he's letting everybody know about his newfound Arizona joy. Yes, this is the same player that said he let "negativity" affect his effort and focus on the field in Washington. When the Nationals could not trade him last year, they released him.<p>

He signed with St. Louis and hit .385 in 43 games.

"I'm happy to be here in Arizona and that says it all," Lopez, 28, said. "I had a great time in St. Louis. It's a great organization and I have nothing but great things to say about <i>them.</i> With the Nationals, it didn't work out but they are a young franchise and they are trying to get things going."

Lopez has already come a long way. He was born in Bayamon, Puerto Rico but never had a close relationship with his birth mother. He came to the United States as a child because his stepmother was being treated for leukemia, the disease that eventually took her life.
 
Lopez's talent was always on display, even as a kid growing up in Florida. But what everybody couldn't see is what was going on inside of his head as a youth. It became known during his years in Washington that Lopez grew up in an abusive home. In 1998, Lopez was selected eighth overall by Toronto in the First-Year Player Amateur Draft and signed a $2 million contract that August. A few days later, Lopez's father, Felipe Lopez Sr., was sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading no contest to two counts of child abuse

Lopez said he didn't let his father's problems affect his play.

Lopez says the reasons he wears a rosary sent to him by his grandmother under his Diamondbacks jersey every game are simple: "for protection" and because he believes in God. He also says don't make too much of the tattoos all over his upper torso because there is no special meaning to the artwork. No, it's not the story of his life.

"I just like tattoos," he said.<p>

On the field, Lopez has had an interesting career. He combined to play in 134 games for the Blue Jays in 2001 and 2002 before joining Cincinnati for parts of four seasons starting in 2003. In 2005 as a member of the Reds, Lopez made his only appearance on the All-Star team, hitting a career-high 23 home runs. He also sported a .291 batting average that season. In 2006, he .281 in 71 games after being traded to the Nationals and in 2007, he hit .245, playing second base and shortstop. In 100 games with the Nationals last season, he hit .234 before his release.<p>

He signed a one-year, $3.5 million deal with the Diamondbacks last December.

"For a guy that's had to move around and play different positions, he's settled into second base very nicely," manager Bob Melvin said. "He's been great. I didn't know him at all until he got here. You watch what he did in Washington and what he did in St. Louis and you are not really sure what motivates him but he's been a terrific teammate and he's very well liked here."

It's all part of Lopez's plan. The present never felt so good.

"I really love it here. I feel like I'm part of the family," Lopez said. "It's all because the guys here are an awesome group.  They welcomed me and I can't think of a better place to be right now."

______________________________

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PHOENIX -- Since joining the Diamondbacks in 2007, infielder Augie Ojeda has gone from being an extra man on the bench to being the man to root for at Chase Field.

His manager Bob Melvin respects him. The D-backs fans love him. Ojeda even has his own chant: Augie, Augie, Augie, Oy, Oy, Oy!

It's hard to call Ojeda a journeyman when the most of his trips consisted of being shipped back and forth to the Minor Leagues early in his career, but there are at least two certainties in the present -- Ojeda has found a home in Arizona, and he's having a blast in the Valley of the Sun.

Why wouldn't he? Ojeda likes to say it takes only a second to swing a bat or to field a ground ball, so what's not to enjoy?

And yes, he admits the chants are a nice touch.

"I'm just trying to play the game the right way," Ojeda, 34, said. "You always want support from the fans, because they can give you that little push and you appreciate it. I know I have seen guys get booed at their home stadium and I feel bad for them. I can't imagine what they feel like."

It's hard to imagine Ojeda getting booed at Chase Field these days. He's hitting .325 through 17 games. He has three doubles, two RBIs and six base on balls. For his career, which began with the Cubs in 2000, Ojeda is a .240 hitter who can play all around the infield. He will see plenty of action at shortstop until Stephen Drew comes off the disabled list because of a strained hamstring. Josh Wilson made a start at shortstop Thursday because Ojeda was nursing a sore groin, but the Diamondbacks don't expect Ojeda to be out for an extended period of time.

"Augie's strength is to be able to fill in any type of role, whether it's an extended period or whether it's a day off for somebody at third, second or shortstop," Melvin said. "There are very few players that can handle it like he can. He's done a terrific job for us."

But what is the reason for Ojeda's popularity? His numbers are not staggering, and before he played in 105 games for the Diamondbacks last year, his highest number of games played was 78, and that came back in 2001 with the Cubs. Perhaps the D-backs faithful simply love his effort on the field, or his popularity stems from the belief that fans traditionally root for the underdog. Ojeda is listed as 5-ft-9, but he's closer to 5-ft-6. He looks like your neighbor, he talks like your big brother and he plays with the enthusiasm of a child.

The fact that he is Mexican-American in Phoenix, a city with a large Hispanic population, does not hurt. In many ways, Ojeda is a role model for the community. Ojeda was one of many Mexican-Americans to play for Team Mexico in the World Baseball Classic, and although many Mexican fans did not know who he was, he quickly won them over. During the tournament, Ojeda was known to the Mexican fans as Octavio, his given name.

It didn't matter. They cheered his effort.

"He's a hustler and fans like guys that hustle and dive, get dirty and run balls out," Melvin said. "You are never going to get booed if you do that type of thing. You'll have your share of struggles at times, but fans will always relate to a guy who is out there playing hard every inning of every game, and that's exactly what he does."

Ojeda says he'll never change his approach on the field, in part because he feels fortunate to get paid to do a job he loves. He also says he is a professional, and being and acting like a professional means something.

"The way I look at it is that it is a game and you have to have fun, and you go out there and you have four at-bats and enjoy it," he said. "The fans pay a lot of money to watch you play, so you want to go out there and give them what you got all the time. Sometimes the performance is not good enough, but at least the effort is always there."

PHOENIX -- Diamondbacks shortstop Stephen Drew is headed to the disabled list with a strained left hamstring.

 

Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin made the announcement following the club's 5-3 loss to the Giants on Saturday at Chase Field. The Diamondbacks will make a corresponding roster move Sunday, Melvin said.

 

Drew's MRI on Saturday revealed the injury, Melvin said.

 

"I don't know what grade but enough to put him on the DL," Melvin said. "We figured if it's six or seven days before he would be able to play again and rather than go short (on the roster) for that long, go ahead and put him on the DL and get him healthy."

 

Drew is hitting .205 in 13 games this season. He left in the fourth inning of the game against the Giants on April 17 because of left hamstring tightness and was listed as day to day. He returned to the starting lineup the following Wednesday and struck out three times in four at-bats against the Rockies. He went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts Friday against the Giants.

 "I felt like when he was back in the lineup he was ready," Melvin said. "With those type of injuries you want to make sure you are OK and I thought he was."

 

Melvin said Drew tweaked his hamstring on a play up the middle Friday against the Giants. Augie Ojeda started in Drew's place Saturday.

"You never want to see that thing happen, especially with a kid who's only about 22, 23 years old," Guillen said. "That gives you an idea you're not invincible. You've got to pray and you've got to thank God every day for what you have. You've got to thank God every day what your situation is, no matter what kind of situation you have because all of a sudden your life can go.

"You don't know how you're going to die, when you're going to die. I feel for them. I feel most for the family and the organization right now. I think they're going to go through a tough time, especially when you're in your 20s. You're supposed to die someday, but I don't think you should die that way and that young."

ARLINGTON - The Rangers cruised past the Cleveland Indians on Opening Day at The Ballpark in Arlington on Monday but a different type of game started right around the time the fans reached their cars in parking lot and scoreboard stopped blinking, "Hello, Win Column.".

In the victorious Rangers clubhouse, reporters twirled their pens and cameramen checked their batteries. Off to the side, a few television personalities patted their microphones with their palms while their colleagues stood nearby in silence.

The most ambitious - read: pushy -- media-types jockeyed for position in front of the locker of rookie shortstop Elvis Andrus before they really needed to but nobody seemed to care.

Everybody else patiently played the waiting game and it was no big deal.

Andrus has played only one game for the Rangers, a 9-1 win, but if Monday's reception was any indication, he is on his way to winning over those that think a 20-year-old infielder belongs in the Minor Leagues. Andrus has already won over a legion of North Texas baseball fans. The crowd at The Ballpark in Arlington gave him a loud reception during pre-game introductions.

He gave the Rangers' faithful plenty more reasons to cheer during the contest.

"Everybody always talks about his age and how he's going to struggle but like I said before, 'This guy is a baseball player,' Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "I have confidence in him."

Andrus, hitting in the ninth spot, went 1-for-4 in his big league debut. His first hit, a double to right field in the second inning, came in his first at-bat and off of reigning American League Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee.

After the game, Andrus was given the now-sentimental baseball. It's headed for a mantle or a case at his home in Venezuela, he said.

"I tried to let the game to me and everything went good," Andrus said. "After the first hit or the first out you make, everything calms down. ... I'm really not too nervous when I go hit, but maybe a little bit when I'm on defense."

Nervous? The laid-back Andrus appeared just as cool on defense.

In the fifth inning, Andrus showed his range, snaring a sharp groundball up the middle off the bat of Indians right fielder Shin-Soo Choo and throwing him out at first base. Andrus was also instrumental in a pair of nifty double plays.

"You have to know where you are going to play with different hitters," Andrus said. "Sometimes you go 'pull' and sometimes you go 'straight.' I was a little bit in the middle. It's the first day and I was really excited. I got the ball and I made a good play."

When asked about his defense prowess, Andrus confidently shrugged. He expects to make good plays, better plays. Like Washington said, he is a baseball player.

"It's baseball," Andrus said. "It's different being here on this level with professional hitters and they know what they are doing but it's still baseball. It's still groundballs. You just go after it aggressively and get the out."

See? No big deal.

"I've been preparing for this my whole life," he said. "I've always had challenges in my life. I was always the youngest kid in the league every where I played. Sometimes you hear people talk bad about you but that just motivates me to be the best player I can be, to get better. I know things are not going to go perfect this year. There will be good things and bad things, but I'm ready for it. I prepared for it."

Andrus gives credit to his teammates, especially to countryman Omar Vizquel, Kinsler and third baseman Michael Young, for helping him deal with the pressure of opening the season in the big leagues. His teammates are his family - at least for now. Andrus's mother Elvia and  brothers Elrod and Erikson didn't make the trip from Venezuela. He has a sister in New Jersey but Emily didn't come to Texas, either. Emilio, the shortstop's father, passed away in 1996. Andrus is currently living in a nearby hotel provided by the team. He expects to move into his own place soon.

"He's a confident kid and he's always smiling and having fun on the field," Kinsler said. "You could tell last year in Spring Training that he was a little overmatched but not at all this year. Good players make that adjustment fast and he has been able to do that."

Andrus made one major adjustment before the first pitch was even delivered by Lee. Last year before opening up the season with the Rangers' Double-A affiliate in nearby Frisco, Andrus says nerves and anticipation kept him up all night. On Sunday, he slept like a baby.

"Today got here quick," he said. "There are a lot of things going on but I've been able to relax and concentrate on the game, have some fun."

No big deal.

There's a traditional strategy in professional baseball that everybody knows about and almost every manager follows to a tee. This conventional wisdom is employed during certain hitting match ups, pitching match ups, and game situations - on offense and defense. Call it the "book." And it's based on years of baseball games and years of statistics. You either follow it, or you don't. But be prepared, when you don't go by the book, you will be chastised - at least a little - for going against traditional beliefs and following a hunch, your hunch.

Aside from game situations, conventional wisdom most often comes into play when making annual predictions for a season. Prognosticators look at stats, health, past performances, talent level, the schedule, the match ups and the etcetera. It all makes perfect sense. I do the same thing. Well, I did up until now. Because today not only will I offer the conventional picks for the 2009 season but I'll also share my hunches. Yes, the hunches count as my official picks. I'm going with my feelings this year. Conventional wisdom has its place in baseball, just not in every single place.

But that's just me.

So without further delay, here are my picks (hunches) for the  2009 season. And if for some reason, I pick against your favorite team, don't throw the book at me. Remember it's just a hunch. I do believe that anything can happen on any given day at the ballpark.

Remember the Tampa Rays?

National League East: Here's where conventional wisdom, going with a hunch and just being a smart baseball fan come together. Who is not going to pick the Phillies to repeat as World Series champions? Yes, Cole Hamels is not completely healthy yet, but that team is loaded. Raul Ibanez was a great addition and I expect catcher Carlos Ruiz to improve his game. Conventional wisdom has them winning the division -- again. They are the champs, you know. I have them finishing in second place behind the Mets. I have a hunch the Mets are not going to disappear in the final month of the season the way they have the past two years. Here's why: Frank Rodriguez makes the entire bullpen better, Gary Sheffield makes the bench stronger and age is a factor. I can't see Sheffield or Carlos Delgado wanting to ride off into the sunset after a solid big league career as losers. And I don't care how much is he beloved in Queens, if General Manager Omar Minaya doesn't win, he will be gone. The pressure is on. That's what the book says or at least it should. That's what I say, too.

National League West: Nobody loves reading more about Manny Ramirez than I do, but it's going to take more than personality, dreadlocks and one Hall of Fame caliber hitter to win the division for the Dodgers. Conventional wisdom has the Dodgers repeating as the division champions. That's just how it goes for a defending division champion. I say they finish in third place behind the Diamondbacks and the Giants. The Diamondbacks and the Giants can flat out pitch and that's the difference and that's why they will win. I do have a hunch that I will buy a Manny wig for my father when I go to Dodger Stadium, so that has to count for something.

National League Central: This is the year for the Cubbies. That's what their fans say and have been saying for the last 100 years. And it's hard to argue their logic (did I call Cubs fans logical?) because one look at the roster and it immediately says "division champion." The Cubs are everybody's pick -- just not mine. I think Mr. Everything Mark DeRosa will be missed at Wrigley and the bullpen is talented but not proven. Even Carlos Marmol, the only reliever returning this year from last year, can be unpredictable at times. You want to go with a hunch? Go with the Reds. The team is loaded with talent up and down the lineup and has enough starting pitching - Edinson Volquez, Bronson Arroyo, Aaron Harang, Johnny Cueto -- to beat any team in any series. Veteran catcher Ramon Hernandez just might be a perfect fit behind the plate. He calls a good game and has an easy-going personality to boot.

American League East:  The Yankees won't make the playoffs. It's just a hunch. The Red Sox won't make the playoffs. That's just a hunch, too. The American League wild card winner will come out of the American League Central which leaves the Rays as the division winner in 2009. Yes, I know it's hard (and unpopular) to pick against the Yankees or the Red Sox but I'm not ready to anoint them the favorites in the division yet. Tampa can still pitch and as long as they can pitch, they will win games. They might also be the most athletic team in the division. And oh yeah, they are the reigning AL champs. I'm not sure what conventional wisdom says about the AL East, but I say it's time for the Rays - again.

American League West: Is it right to even think this? Is this real? Did I just pick the Rangers to win the division on a hunch? No, I didn't. The Angels are back and they will always be the top team until somebody knocks them off. I know John Lackey is out and Kelvim Escobar is a question mark but it's hard to pick against a team as talented as the Angels. Will they make it out of the first round of the playoffs? They sure will. In fact, if the team comes together the way I think it can, it's going to feel like 2002 in Anaheim all over again. But if the Angels are plagued with injuries this summer, the Rangers win the division. There, I said it. Call it a hometown hunch.

American League Central: Cleveland wins the division. Minnesota finishes as the runner-up and still makes the playoffs. The Royals and the White Sox are talented enough to win a lot of games and they will do so - out of the division. Need more? Look at the rosters. I just have a feeling on this one. That's why it's called a hunch.

National League champion: Reds.

American League champion: Angels

World Series champion: Do the winners of the World Series still go to Disneyland? It won't be a long drive for the 2009 champions. The Angels play a few miles away from the happiest place on earth.

 

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