2006
TUESDAY, APRIL 11. 2006
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN 9B
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MLB
Start of season means more home runs
BY JANIE MCCAULEY
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
SAN FRANCISCO — Tim Hudson laughed off his two rough outings to start the season. Atlanta's ace knows he's far from the only one with an extra-high ERA after the first week.
"I think it's just stumbling out of the box from a pitching standpoint," Hudson said after watching his ERA balloon to 12.38 with a weekend loss to the San Francisco Giants. "We just have to get some confidence back. It just executing, that's about it."
Hitters have had little trouble producing so far. The .270 major league batting average in the first week was the highest in an opening week since the expansion era began in 1961, the Elias Sports Bureau said Monday.
Home runs in the first week were up 10.6 percent from last year and scoring increased 5.3 percent.
Teams hit 216 home runs last week and the average of 2.40 per game was the highest in the opening week since 2001's 2.49. Runs per game (10.51) reached a level that hadn't been seen since 2000 (10.68).
"It is unusual." Giants manager Felipe Alou said. "Of course you see no hitters early and shutouts. I don't know, maybe something is going on.
Baseball toughened drug testing last year, suspending first offenders for 10 days. Home runs dropped 8 percent to their lowest per-game average since 1997, and some thought there was a link. This year, first offenders will be suspended for 50 games.
Barry Zito was on the losing end of Oakland's 15-2 rout by the New York Yankees on opening day in which the left-hander lasted only one 1-3 innings — the shortest outing of his career, Zito, tagged for seven runs, was done after 59 pitches, the first time he failed to last two innings.
The 15 runs were the most allowed by the Athletics on opening day, surpassing the 14 the Philadelphia As gave up in a 14-8 loss to the Washington Senators on April 17, 1945.
"Zito goes 1 1-3 and gives up seven earnies and four walks — that's Barry Zito." Braves manager Bobby Cox said.
Then, on Saturday, Zito bounced back to combine on a one-hitter in a 3-0 win at Seattle.
Pitchers gave up 634 walks compared to 573 last year, according to Elias. Braves leadoff hitter Marcus Giles drew 11 free passes and Barry Bonds had seven — two of those intentional.
"You know, in spring training, you go two, three, four, five innings and you almost forget what it's like to go seven, eight innings." Oakland No. 3 starter Dan Haren said. "Some pitchers in April, their arms feel great. They are fresh coming out of spring training. Me, I feel like my command gets a lot better after April."
San Francisco Giants' Moises Alou, left, is greeted by teammate Barry Bonds, right, after hitting a home run off Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Tim Hudson during the first inning of their baseball game in San Francisco on Saturday. Looking on is Braves catcher Todd Pratt. Teams hit 216 home runs last week, a rise from 191 in the opening week last year.
The Giants went 4-2 in the first week without an RBI or home run from Bonds, taking three of four from Atlanta by outscoring the Braves 31-29.
Eric Risberg/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
"We've got a winning record, so it doesn't matter," said Bonds, who is 2-for-12 and was looking forward to the Giants' off day Monday.
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