Wade Boggs

Athletics: Oakland has been involved in 25 one-run games, most in the AL.Devil Rays: Wade Boggs went 2-for-4 for the and needs 26 hits to reach 3,000. Shortstop Kevin Stocker was scratched from the lineup because of left knee tendinitis.Pub Date: 7/06/99

Quote: "For J.T. it's been the same all year. We work on things in the bullpen. Warming up before a start he looks good, and then he gets in the game and forgets what he worked on."-- Tigers manager Larry Parrish on Justin Thompson, who gave up six runs in four inningsIt's a fact: The White Sox went 409-492 at Tiger Stadium.Who's hot: Texas (64-42) has its best record in team history after 106 games.Who's not: The Angels lost for the 16th time in 18 games.On deck: Wade Boggs will be pulled from the Devil Rays' lineup if he gets hit No. 2,999 at Safeco Field so he can go for the milestone at home this weekend.

Quote: "When he kissed home plate, I rolled my eyes. That was vintage Wade. That's the reason he doesn't get respect. He's me-me, I-I." -- former baseball star Kirk Gibson, who is now a Detroit Tigers broadcaster, on Wade Boggs kissing home plate after collecting hit No. 3,000.It's a fact: The Athletics, with the majors' top home record, rank 12th in attendance in the American League through Tuesday, having drawn 1,168,366 fans for 65 dates, an average of 17,975.Who's hot: The Indians have won 11 of their past 16 games and finished their six-game road trip 4-2.Who's not: Athletics starter Mike Oquist is 0-3 in seven career appearances against the Indians, including five starts.

LIKE SO MANY others in contemporary professional sport, Major League Baseball's umpires first reached for what they deserved, then over-reached so much that they now appear arrogant and greedy.What's satisfying about their union's apparently self-defeating mass resignation is that, this time, it appears some who over-reached will get their comeuppance. This may help restore order to a game which often seems to have lost its bearings.Twenty-five years ago, many umpires made less than $20,000 a season.

He ran the orange gantlet in from center field in pre-game ceremonies, stroked a pair of crowd-pleasing hits and soaked up the roar of 46,733. Of all the new Orioles, Will Clark may have appreciated the roar of the Camden Yards crowd most."

HittingTim Salmon, Angels: 3 RBIs, HR, 2B.Wade Boggs, Devil Rays: 3 RBIs, HR.PitchingShigetoshi Hasegawa, Angels: 3 2/3 innings of one-hit relief for his second save.Pub Date: 7/28/98

HittingHarold Baines, Orioles: 4-for-4, double.Wade Boggs, Devil Rays: grand slam.Mike Macfarlane, Athletics: 3-for-3, 2 runs.Pitching4 Brian Moehler, Tigers: 7 innings, 1 run, 5 hits.Pub Date: 9/14/98

Quote: "I think he's getting better as the years go by. He's smarter. He knows how to pitch. His best asset is that he moves the ball around." -- Wade Boggs on Toronto pitcher Woody Williams, who took a no-hit bid into the eighth. Boggs was 0-for2.It's a fact: The Tigers have homered in 13 straight games, their longest streak since tying the major-league mark with 25 straight in 1994.Who's hot: Detroit's Damion Easley has a nine-game hitting streak, going 14-for-32 (.438). He has reached base in 24 consecutive games.

Athletics: Oakland is 11-27 against the AL East.Devil Rays: Bobby Smith was spiked in the left hand when he was picked off first base in the first inning. Wade Boggs, who had been given the night off the team facing a left-handed starter, replaced him at third base.Pub Date: 8/05/98

Keys to the game1. Erickson comes up big again: Right-hander Scott Erickson didn't waste any time getting into his rhythm. He retired the side in order in the first and gave up four singles over eight innings in one of the best performances of his career. He was so successful keeping the ball down in the strike zone that the Indians hit just six balls out of the infield.2. Anderson muscles up: Orioles center fielder Brady Anderson sent the first pitch of the night from Cleveland starter Chad Ogea into the temporary bleachers on the flag court for his fifth leadoff home run of the season and his second big moment in the game.

Don't be surprised this month if baseball fans from Baltimore, Kansas City and Pittsburgh root for the Tampa Bay Rays like pilgrims saying prayers at the feet of a saint. From 1998 to 2007, no franchise seemed more lost than the Rays, who peaked with a 70-91 record during that stretch. Their veteran signings never found the old magic, their pitchers never got anybody out and their fans never cared a lick. But something wild and magical happened this season in baseball's bleakest wasteland.

It's a fact No Giant has won a batting title since the franchise moved west in 1958 - the longest drought in the NL. Milestone Garret Anderson is the first player in the Angels' 42-year history with three straight seasons of at least 100 RBIs. The number 746: games for Nomar Garciaparra to reach 1,000 hits with Boston, fastest in team history. Wade Boggs took 747.

Quote: "When he kissed home plate, I rolled my eyes. That was vintage Wade. That's the reason he doesn't get respect. He's me-me, I-I." -- former baseball star Kirk Gibson, who is now a Detroit Tigers broadcaster, on Wade Boggs kissing home plate after collecting hit No. 3,000.It's a fact: The Athletics, with the majors' top home record, rank 12th in attendance in the American League through Tuesday, having drawn 1,168,366 fans for 65 dates, an average of 17,975.Who's hot: The Indians have won 11 of their past 16 games and finished their six-game road trip 4-2.Who's not: Athletics starter Mike Oquist is 0-3 in seven career appearances against the Indians, including five starts.

LIKE SO MANY others in contemporary professional sport, Major League Baseball's umpires first reached for what they deserved, then over-reached so much that they now appear arrogant and greedy.What's satisfying about their union's apparently self-defeating mass resignation is that, this time, it appears some who over-reached will get their comeuppance. This may help restore order to a game which often seems to have lost its bearings.Twenty-five years ago, many umpires made less than $20,000 a season.

Quote: "For J.T. it's been the same all year. We work on things in the bullpen. Warming up before a start he looks good, and then he gets in the game and forgets what he worked on."-- Tigers manager Larry Parrish on Justin Thompson, who gave up six runs in four inningsIt's a fact: The White Sox went 409-492 at Tiger Stadium.Who's hot: Texas (64-42) has its best record in team history after 106 games.Who's not: The Angels lost for the 16th time in 18 games.On deck: Wade Boggs will be pulled from the Devil Rays' lineup if he gets hit No. 2,999 at Safeco Field so he can go for the milestone at home this weekend.

Athletics: Oakland has been involved in 25 one-run games, most in the AL.Devil Rays: Wade Boggs went 2-for-4 for the and needs 26 hits to reach 3,000. Shortstop Kevin Stocker was scratched from the lineup because of left knee tendinitis.Pub Date: 7/06/99

He ran the orange gantlet in from center field in pre-game ceremonies, stroked a pair of crowd-pleasing hits and soaked up the roar of 46,733. Of all the new Orioles, Will Clark may have appreciated the roar of the Camden Yards crowd most."

HittingHarold Baines, Orioles: 4-for-4, double.Wade Boggs, Devil Rays: grand slam.Mike Macfarlane, Athletics: 3-for-3, 2 runs.Pitching4 Brian Moehler, Tigers: 7 innings, 1 run, 5 hits.Pub Date: 9/14/98

Athletics: Oakland is 11-27 against the AL East.Devil Rays: Bobby Smith was spiked in the left hand when he was picked off first base in the first inning. Wade Boggs, who had been given the night off the team facing a left-handed starter, replaced him at third base.Pub Date: 8/05/98

HittingTim Salmon, Angels: 3 RBIs, HR, 2B.Wade Boggs, Devil Rays: 3 RBIs, HR.PitchingShigetoshi Hasegawa, Angels: 3 2/3 innings of one-hit relief for his second save.Pub Date: 7/28/98