The NBA players may have ended their lockout and the NFL may be in full swing, but there has been plenty going on behind the scenes in Major League Baseball, with the winter meetings wrapping up, players being traded and free agents being signed. Albert Pujols signed with the Angels, Mark Buehrle went to the Marlins, and the Red Sox strengthened their bullpen by adding Mark Melancon to their pitching staff. But there's one player out there who remains a free agent, one veteran who still has a few years of ball left in him. No, I'm not referring to Prince Fielder (though I still don't know where he's going to end up). It should come as no surprise to those of you who read this blog on a regular basis that I am referring to future Hall-of-Famer Iván "Pudge" Rodriguez.
"There she goes again!" you're thinking to yourself. "Does she have to mention this old guy in every one of her posts?" Well, I'm sorry, but it's my blog, so I can mention him every time if I want to! :-) Seriously; Iván is currently playing winter ball in Puerto Rico, but after that season is done, he may not have a job. The Nationals are not going to re-sign him, because they currently have four catchers vying for spots on the opening day roster. That has been a stark reality that I've had to accept; I need to cherish the memories of the many times I watched Iván play live at Nationals Park and the time he signed my Puerto Rican flag. I need to put away my Nationals #7 Rodriguez jersey and print out all those pictures I've taken before my old computer decides to die and I lose those pictures forever. I need to move on and find another player for whom to root.
But really, doesn't anyone out there need a veteran catcher who still has a cannon for an arm and can work pitchers better than anyone? He's caught no-hitters, won an MVP and a World Series title, and is so close to reaching the 3000-hit milestone that it would be a crime if he wasn't given the opportunity to do so. How about a player/coach? Isn't there a team out there who could use a part-time catcher who can also serve as a very good bench coach? And while I'm asking, can that team be a National League one so I can go see him play when they come to DC? Don't sign with an AL team; I don't want to go back to Baltimore! There were rumors that the Marlins were interested in signing "Pudge," but those rumors have recently subsided. Iván has a home in Miami, he's a favorite of new manager Ozzie Guillen, and he would be a big draw for Marlins fans, who still remember him from his stint with their team back in 2003 when he helped the Marlins win the World Series. Come on; won't someone sign this highly valuable free agent? Anyone? Please???
So if Iván is forced to retire (gulp!), who can be my next baseball player to stalk - I mean, follow? When I first became interested in baseball back in the 80s, I was a big Ron Darling fan. I admit, not because he was an OK pitcher, but because he was good-looking. Then I followed Jim Abbott, the one-handed pitcher for the Angels. After Abbott fizzled, I became an ardent Kirby Puckett fan. His death at such a young age was very tragic for me, and I sought comfort in #7, the handsome and clean-cut catcher from Puerto Rico who could do no wrong. But now no one really stands out for me. I can't possibly follow Derek Jeter - that's way too "bandwagon." And Pujols is just - I don't know - he doesn't do it for me. Then there's Ryan Braun, but now that he may be suspended for the first 50 games of the season because of allegedly failing a drug test, he's off my list. I'm thinking of Ryan Zimmerman or Michael Morse, both of the Nationals and both really really good players. Zimmerman is too serious though; Morse is a jokester and has a carefree way about him. Hmmm... something to think about.
So while I ponder the thought of who my next baseball hottie will be, I will continue to count the days until the first game of Spring Training. 80 days and counting, my friends, and I can't wait! In the meantime, may you all have a wonderful holiday season this year, and may 2012 fill you and your families with good health and much happiness!
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Why Can't we Just Leave Well Enough Alone?
One difference between baseball and football (and there are many, just ask George Carlin. Oh wait, he's dead, never mind!) is that football has one game to determine the team that will be the champion for a particular season - the Super Bowl. Baseball has the World Series, which is a best-of-seven series as opposed to just one game. If the World Series was reduced to one game only, not only would it make the Series more exciting (actually it wouldn't be a "series" anymore so you'd have to change the name), but more people would watch, more advertisements would be sold at ridiculous prices, and more chips and beer would be sold all over the country. But I don't generally like change (and it would bring up the dilemma of who would be your starting pitcher for that one game), so Wild Card games (best of 5) and two League Championship Series (best of 7) are OK with me. Well, apparently Major League Baseball owners don't agree with me, because they have decided to expand the playoffs starting possibly next year (because no one sees anything wrong with baseball being played until Thanksgiving). Wait, actually it's only one game, which seemed easier to fit into the schedule than a best-of-three first-round series, so there WON'T be baseball played until Thanksgiving. OK, I get it.
This long-talked-about expansion of Major League Baseball's playoffs could be incorporated as soon as this coming season. The new format will expand the Wild Card to a pair of additional teams, one each in the American and National Leagues. The two Wild Card teams will meet in a one-game playoff prior to the three-tiered postseason, which will remain the same. Are you following me? Good! The only good thing about this is that the Washington Nationals have a better chance of making it to the playoffs now, but it also means that 10 of the 30 teams will be in the playoffs. It kind of makes it not-so-special anymore if 1/3 of the teams can make it to the postseason.
The expanded playoffs are linked to the sale of the Houston Astros to some rich guy named Jim Crane and their move from the NL to the AL, effective for the 2013 season. The Commissioner's Office and the MLB Players Association collaborated on those developments during some collective bargaining negotiations, and I must say, I don't really care in which league Houston plays. If Texas fans want both their teams in the scaredy-cat league where the pitchers are too sensitive to bat for themselves, then that's their problem. This does mean that the Astros' shift from the NL Central to the AL West will give each league 15 teams, with five clubs in all six divisions. That actually makes sense now that I think about it, because in the past few years, the AL West only had four teams and the NL Central had 6, while the other divisions each had five. So now every division will have 5 teams and it will look much nicer and more even in the newspaper and on the Internet when we look at the standings.
Adding another Wild Card addresses a common point that baseball players like to bring up, which is that teams dominating over 162 games should be rewarded more and teams clinching a berth at season's end should have a greater obstacle. Sorry, I'm not buying that. If your team wins 100 games in a season but is not first in its division, then too bad. I bet you it was the owners of the Red Sox who came up with that idea, since they would have been in the playoffs this year if they had instituted this expanded Wild Card thing. Those Red Sox fans just can't settle for 2 World Series championships in the past 7 years, can they?
So there you have it (if I haven't lost you already). 15 teams in each league, 5 teams in each division, one 1-game Wild Card for the loser teams, best-of-five Wild Card games for the good teams, one League Championship Series per league and one World Series. If you're still lost and just can't wrap your head around it, just keep reading my blog and come October I will tell you for which team to root. In the meantime, keep reading the newspapers along with me while we play "Where in the world is Albert Pujols going to end up?".
This long-talked-about expansion of Major League Baseball's playoffs could be incorporated as soon as this coming season. The new format will expand the Wild Card to a pair of additional teams, one each in the American and National Leagues. The two Wild Card teams will meet in a one-game playoff prior to the three-tiered postseason, which will remain the same. Are you following me? Good! The only good thing about this is that the Washington Nationals have a better chance of making it to the playoffs now, but it also means that 10 of the 30 teams will be in the playoffs. It kind of makes it not-so-special anymore if 1/3 of the teams can make it to the postseason.
Adding another Wild Card addresses a common point that baseball players like to bring up, which is that teams dominating over 162 games should be rewarded more and teams clinching a berth at season's end should have a greater obstacle. Sorry, I'm not buying that. If your team wins 100 games in a season but is not first in its division, then too bad. I bet you it was the owners of the Red Sox who came up with that idea, since they would have been in the playoffs this year if they had instituted this expanded Wild Card thing. Those Red Sox fans just can't settle for 2 World Series championships in the past 7 years, can they?
So there you have it (if I haven't lost you already). 15 teams in each league, 5 teams in each division, one 1-game Wild Card for the loser teams, best-of-five Wild Card games for the good teams, one League Championship Series per league and one World Series. If you're still lost and just can't wrap your head around it, just keep reading my blog and come October I will tell you for which team to root. In the meantime, keep reading the newspapers along with me while we play "Where in the world is Albert Pujols going to end up?".
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Don't Let the Door Hit You on the Way Out, Koby!
Whoever said there wasn't much going on in baseball during the off-season certainly hasn't been reading the newspapers lately - the Gold Glove awards were handed out, some teams have already made some trades (the Atlanta Braves traded drinkin' and cheatin' Derek Lowe to the Cleveland Indians for a minor-leaguer), and some teams have started courting high-priced free agents. I will address some of these things in a minute, but first let me fill you in on what had me at the edge of my seat for two days last week - the kidnapping and successful rescue of Nationals' catcher Wilson Ramos.
Wilson Ramos had a very good rookie season with the Nats, learning the ropes from veteran Iván Rodriguez (sorry, I just had to mention "Pudge"!). Ramos ended the season with a batting average of .267, which included 22 doubles and 15 home runs. Ramos was playing winter ball in his home country of Venezuela and was kidnapped last Wednesday in his parents' home. Luckily Ramos was rescued only two days later, and he seems to be physically fine though he says the psychological wounds will take a long time to heal. (Thanks to my pal John for breaking the good news about the rescue to me via Facebook!). Now if I were Ramos, I would go play winter baseball somewhere else far from my hometown, like, say, Puerto Rico!
Speaking of winter ball in Puerto Rico, Koby Clemens (son or Roger) was playing for the Mayaguez Indians, a baseball team with a long history of star players, championship seasons, and consistent development of up-and-coming talent. Well because Wilson Ramos was kidnapped in another country that has NOTHING to do with Puerto Rico, Koby's daddy demanded that his son leave the island right away for fear of Koby's safety. He said nothing to his teammates or to anyone else; just got on a plane and left for fear that he too would be kidnapped. Now, I lived in Puerto Rico for over 17 years and never heard of a famous person being kidnapped for ransom, let alone a twenty-five-year-old who has spent 6 years in the minor leagues and is no Prince Fielder at first base. So you know what, Roger? Take your precious little boy and continue to raise him in a bubble - and if he's even half as much of an idiot as you are, I can guarantee you that I will dislike him as much as I dislike you!
(Big sigh!) On another note... How about those Miami Marlins? Yes, they officially changed their name yesterday from the Florida Marlins. They will be opening a brand-new ballpark in the spring, they have a new manager in Ozzie Guillen, and they are woo-ing Albert Pujols like he's the Queen of England. I have also heard that Guillen wants his team to sign the now-unemployed Iván Rodriguez, so the Marlins just might be an interesting team to watch next year. Plus Guillen is one of those passionate managers who actually gets excited and worked up, which I always enjoy. Just what Nationals' fans need - another team in the NL East to rain on their parade! No one has signed anything yet though, so we'll just have to see what happens with Pujols, Fielder, and the other free agents who are floating around out there in baseball limbo.
Wilson Ramos had a very good rookie season with the Nats, learning the ropes from veteran Iván Rodriguez (sorry, I just had to mention "Pudge"!). Ramos ended the season with a batting average of .267, which included 22 doubles and 15 home runs. Ramos was playing winter ball in his home country of Venezuela and was kidnapped last Wednesday in his parents' home. Luckily Ramos was rescued only two days later, and he seems to be physically fine though he says the psychological wounds will take a long time to heal. (Thanks to my pal John for breaking the good news about the rescue to me via Facebook!). Now if I were Ramos, I would go play winter baseball somewhere else far from my hometown, like, say, Puerto Rico!
Speaking of winter ball in Puerto Rico, Koby Clemens (son or Roger) was playing for the Mayaguez Indians, a baseball team with a long history of star players, championship seasons, and consistent development of up-and-coming talent. Well because Wilson Ramos was kidnapped in another country that has NOTHING to do with Puerto Rico, Koby's daddy demanded that his son leave the island right away for fear of Koby's safety. He said nothing to his teammates or to anyone else; just got on a plane and left for fear that he too would be kidnapped. Now, I lived in Puerto Rico for over 17 years and never heard of a famous person being kidnapped for ransom, let alone a twenty-five-year-old who has spent 6 years in the minor leagues and is no Prince Fielder at first base. So you know what, Roger? Take your precious little boy and continue to raise him in a bubble - and if he's even half as much of an idiot as you are, I can guarantee you that I will dislike him as much as I dislike you!
(Big sigh!) On another note... How about those Miami Marlins? Yes, they officially changed their name yesterday from the Florida Marlins. They will be opening a brand-new ballpark in the spring, they have a new manager in Ozzie Guillen, and they are woo-ing Albert Pujols like he's the Queen of England. I have also heard that Guillen wants his team to sign the now-unemployed Iván Rodriguez, so the Marlins just might be an interesting team to watch next year. Plus Guillen is one of those passionate managers who actually gets excited and worked up, which I always enjoy. Just what Nationals' fans need - another team in the NL East to rain on their parade! No one has signed anything yet though, so we'll just have to see what happens with Pujols, Fielder, and the other free agents who are floating around out there in baseball limbo.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
No More "Play Ball" Until March :-(
So how about those St. Louis Cardinals? They won the 2011 Major League Baseball championship in what turned out to be one of the most exciting World Series in a long, long time. To me, it was almost as exciting as the 1991 World Series, which the Minnesota Twins won over the Atlanta Braves in seven games (I was a huge Kirby Puckett fan at the time, and I'll never forget watching him hit a home run during that World Series on a black and white TV in a friend's dorm room while I was in college). Anyway, it was a bit sad to see the Texas Rangers lose (again) and poor Ron Washington, the Rangers' manager who is now loved by practically everyone, has to go home without a championship trophy. But the games were exciting to watch, David Freese did deserve to be the MVP of the Series, and the Cardinals got to walk away with their eleventh World Series trophy.
So now what? There's still some excitement left for baseball fans - they still have to announce all those post-season awards, like MVP, Cy Young award Winner, Rookie of the Year, etc. Wanna know who I think will win each award? Check it out.
American League Cy Young: This is the biggest no-brainer since people tried to figure out if Ricky Martin was gay. Detroit's Justin Verlander should win the award unanimously in voting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America (they're the ones who vote for these awards - oh, how I would love to be a part of their little group someday!). He finished the season with a 24-5 record and 2.40 ERA, and it didn't hurt that he pitched a no-hitter in there as well.
American League Most Valuable Player: There are some fans out there who think that Justin Verlander should become the first pitcher since Boston's Roger Clemens in 1986 to win the Cy Young and MVP, but the real debate should be between the Yankees' Curtis Granderson (.266 batting average) and the Tigers' Miguel Cabrera, who batted .341 with 29 home runs and 103RBIs. I, of course, the Yankee-hater, think Cabrera should get the award.
American League Manager of the Year: Tampa Bay's Joe Maddon is the hands-down winner. The Rays became the first team to make the postseason by overcoming a nine-game deficit during September, and while I knew they wouldn't make it far into the playoffs, Maddon's leadership was definitely admirable (sorry, Ron Washington; you get my honorable mention!).
American League Rookie of the Year: Some of the names being tossed around are Rays' pitcher Jeremy Hellickson, Angels' first baseman Mark Trumbo, the Royals' Eric Hosmer and the Yankees' Ivan Nova. I say give it to Hosmer for the simple fact that Royals' fans haven't heard any good news since George Brett was inducted into the Hall of Fame (Hosmer's .293 batting average and 19 home runs don't hurt either).
National League Cy Young Award: Lefty Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers is the man, with 21 wins, a 2.28 ERA and 241 strikeouts. Roy Halladay has pitched well for Philadelphia, but since I don't like the Phillies, I think Kershaw should get the award (good thing they don't ask me, eh?)
National League MVP: Tough call between Milwaukee teammates Ryan Braun (.333 batting average, 33 home runs and 110 RBIs) and Prince Fielder (.293, 35, and 114). Braun actually stole 31 bases though (my father can run faster than Fielder), so I think the MVP will go to him.
National League Manager of the Year: Arizona's Kirk Gibson has two strong starting pitchers (Ian Kennedy and Daniel Hudson) and a decent bullpen. I couldn't stand him as a player with the Dodgers when he hit that famous home run against the Mets in the 1988 playoffs (yes, the one where he was fist-pumping as he ran the bases), but in his first full season as manager he led the Diamondbacks with intensity and took them to the playoffs.
National League Rookie of the Year: Braves' first baseman Freddy Freeman (.287 batting average with 21 homers and 76RBIs) is a good candidate, but Atlanta's closer, Craig Kimbrel, has 46 saves, a 2.00 ERA, and 126 strikeouts in 76 1/3 innings. It's safe to say that this award will go to a Brave.
So now we'll see how accurate I am when the awards start being announced in the coming weeks. Between my All-Star picks that didn't make it and my World Series prediction that didn't come true, you all are going to think that I'm just full of hot air! But please keep checking my blog on occasion during the off-season; there's some wheeling and dealing to be had (with Fielder and Pujols headlining the list of free agents), contracts to be signed, and players to be traded. The off-season promises to get interesting!
So now what? There's still some excitement left for baseball fans - they still have to announce all those post-season awards, like MVP, Cy Young award Winner, Rookie of the Year, etc. Wanna know who I think will win each award? Check it out.
American League Cy Young: This is the biggest no-brainer since people tried to figure out if Ricky Martin was gay. Detroit's Justin Verlander should win the award unanimously in voting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America (they're the ones who vote for these awards - oh, how I would love to be a part of their little group someday!). He finished the season with a 24-5 record and 2.40 ERA, and it didn't hurt that he pitched a no-hitter in there as well.
American League Most Valuable Player: There are some fans out there who think that Justin Verlander should become the first pitcher since Boston's Roger Clemens in 1986 to win the Cy Young and MVP, but the real debate should be between the Yankees' Curtis Granderson (.266 batting average) and the Tigers' Miguel Cabrera, who batted .341 with 29 home runs and 103RBIs. I, of course, the Yankee-hater, think Cabrera should get the award.
American League Manager of the Year: Tampa Bay's Joe Maddon is the hands-down winner. The Rays became the first team to make the postseason by overcoming a nine-game deficit during September, and while I knew they wouldn't make it far into the playoffs, Maddon's leadership was definitely admirable (sorry, Ron Washington; you get my honorable mention!).
American League Rookie of the Year: Some of the names being tossed around are Rays' pitcher Jeremy Hellickson, Angels' first baseman Mark Trumbo, the Royals' Eric Hosmer and the Yankees' Ivan Nova. I say give it to Hosmer for the simple fact that Royals' fans haven't heard any good news since George Brett was inducted into the Hall of Fame (Hosmer's .293 batting average and 19 home runs don't hurt either).
National League Cy Young Award: Lefty Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers is the man, with 21 wins, a 2.28 ERA and 241 strikeouts. Roy Halladay has pitched well for Philadelphia, but since I don't like the Phillies, I think Kershaw should get the award (good thing they don't ask me, eh?)
National League MVP: Tough call between Milwaukee teammates Ryan Braun (.333 batting average, 33 home runs and 110 RBIs) and Prince Fielder (.293, 35, and 114). Braun actually stole 31 bases though (my father can run faster than Fielder), so I think the MVP will go to him.
National League Manager of the Year: Arizona's Kirk Gibson has two strong starting pitchers (Ian Kennedy and Daniel Hudson) and a decent bullpen. I couldn't stand him as a player with the Dodgers when he hit that famous home run against the Mets in the 1988 playoffs (yes, the one where he was fist-pumping as he ran the bases), but in his first full season as manager he led the Diamondbacks with intensity and took them to the playoffs.
National League Rookie of the Year: Braves' first baseman Freddy Freeman (.287 batting average with 21 homers and 76RBIs) is a good candidate, but Atlanta's closer, Craig Kimbrel, has 46 saves, a 2.00 ERA, and 126 strikeouts in 76 1/3 innings. It's safe to say that this award will go to a Brave.
So now we'll see how accurate I am when the awards start being announced in the coming weeks. Between my All-Star picks that didn't make it and my World Series prediction that didn't come true, you all are going to think that I'm just full of hot air! But please keep checking my blog on occasion during the off-season; there's some wheeling and dealing to be had (with Fielder and Pujols headlining the list of free agents), contracts to be signed, and players to be traded. The off-season promises to get interesting!
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Are you Serious?
I'm sure I'm not the only person out there who enjoys her sleep. I like getting 7-8 hours of sleep a night, and when I get that many, I am a happy mom/wife/employee/neighbor/friend. So on most nights, I go to bed at 10:00 so that I can wake up at 5:45 the next day and get an early start. Last night was no exception, and because of that, I missed most of game 3 of the World Series. Now you're probably thinking "If you claim to be such a big baseball fan, why didn't you stay up?" and the answer to that is that I knew I would have a busy day today so I wanted to get plenty of rest, and believe it or not, sleep is more important than baseball (but not by much). Plus games 1 and 2 were honestly not that interesting, so I figured I wouldn't miss much. Boy, was I wrong!
When I went to bed in the fourth inning, the St. Louis Cardinals were leading the Texas Rangers 5-3. Cardinals' manager Tony LaRussa had just pulled starter Kyle Lohse and was replacing him with Fernando Salas. Apparently after that, Albert Pujols (who had already had 2 base hits earlier in the game) hit three home runs, tying Babe Ruth and Reggie Jackson as the only players ever to hit 3 home runs in one World Series game. Albert had started the day without having had any hits in the first two games, and had been criticized for not speaking to the media after game 2. In Albert's defense, baseball players are paid to play, not to talk to people. But the media had a field day speculating what was wrong with Pujols, and since he will be a free agent after the World Series is over, there was all kinds of crazy talk about what was going to happen to this player who all of a sudden sucked. I guess after last night he doesn't suck anymore!
So the Cardinals won game 3 by a score of 16-7, and they lead the Series 2 games to 1. Now I'm still not sure which team I'm rooting for - I've been cheering for individual players from both teams - but I'm leaning towards the Rangers mainly because I like their manager. Ron Washington is fiery and animated, just like I was yesterday morning while my son played goalie for his soccer team. Tony LaRussa is just kind of there, unemotional and serious and just kind of blah. Yes, he has a law degree and he's very intelligent and he knows how to manage a winning team (though I think he relies too heavily on his bullpen), but I would have a much better time hanging out with Ron Washington and chatting about baseball. I've said before that I don't care for passive managers - I like the ones who get all riled up and show some emotion. Not Bobby Knight/Billy Martin kind of emotion, but a little bit Lasorda and a little bit Pitino with some Parcells thrown in (See? I can reference other sports too!).
So tonight it's anybody's game - Jackson vs. Holland, Pujols vs. Cruz, Washington vs. LaRussa. I'm going to try and stay up a little bit later this time; hopefully I won't be disappointed and there will be lots of excitement worth the sleep deprivation.
When I went to bed in the fourth inning, the St. Louis Cardinals were leading the Texas Rangers 5-3. Cardinals' manager Tony LaRussa had just pulled starter Kyle Lohse and was replacing him with Fernando Salas. Apparently after that, Albert Pujols (who had already had 2 base hits earlier in the game) hit three home runs, tying Babe Ruth and Reggie Jackson as the only players ever to hit 3 home runs in one World Series game. Albert had started the day without having had any hits in the first two games, and had been criticized for not speaking to the media after game 2. In Albert's defense, baseball players are paid to play, not to talk to people. But the media had a field day speculating what was wrong with Pujols, and since he will be a free agent after the World Series is over, there was all kinds of crazy talk about what was going to happen to this player who all of a sudden sucked. I guess after last night he doesn't suck anymore!
So the Cardinals won game 3 by a score of 16-7, and they lead the Series 2 games to 1. Now I'm still not sure which team I'm rooting for - I've been cheering for individual players from both teams - but I'm leaning towards the Rangers mainly because I like their manager. Ron Washington is fiery and animated, just like I was yesterday morning while my son played goalie for his soccer team. Tony LaRussa is just kind of there, unemotional and serious and just kind of blah. Yes, he has a law degree and he's very intelligent and he knows how to manage a winning team (though I think he relies too heavily on his bullpen), but I would have a much better time hanging out with Ron Washington and chatting about baseball. I've said before that I don't care for passive managers - I like the ones who get all riled up and show some emotion. Not Bobby Knight/Billy Martin kind of emotion, but a little bit Lasorda and a little bit Pitino with some Parcells thrown in (See? I can reference other sports too!).
So tonight it's anybody's game - Jackson vs. Holland, Pujols vs. Cruz, Washington vs. LaRussa. I'm going to try and stay up a little bit later this time; hopefully I won't be disappointed and there will be lots of excitement worth the sleep deprivation.
Monday, October 17, 2011
I'm Baaack!
Hola, everyone! I know it’s been quite a while since I’ve blogged here – life got busy with the kids going back to school and with me writing my Washington Nationals blog (www.prosportsblogging.com). But now that the World Series is about to begin (and my obligations with PSB are less since my team was not in the playoffs), I figured I would come back to my humble little blog and share my thoughts on the upcoming baseball championship.
First of all, I have to admit that I was wrong in my prediction of which two teams would go to the World Series. I wasn’t totally blatantly wrong (I didn’t predict it would be the Tampa Bay Rays against the Arizona Diamondbacks), but I was pretty certain that the Detroit Tigers and Milwaukee Brewers would be the final two teams left after all the playoffs were over. Well, it ISN’T the Tigers (they lost to the Texas Rangers) and it ISN’T the Brewers (they lost to the St. Louis Cardinals), but at least it won’t be a Yankees/Phillies series so I’m OK with that.
It was very interesting watching the League Championship Series games this past week. In the National League series I realized that even I could probably hit a home run in the Brewer’s ballpark; I’m glad the Nationals got rid of Jerry Hairston; and Yadier Molina looks like a gang member with those stupid tattoos on his neck. I mean, I’m not anti-tattoo or anything, but those neck ones are just trashy.
The ALCS was also fun to watch. Not only did I enjoy seeing Nelson Cruz hitting home run after home run (7 total in the postseason, which is a record), but he did that while supposedly having an oblique strain. I’m not fully convinced he had one, but that’s neither here nor there at this point. It was also interesting to see this season’s probable Cy Young winner, Justin Verlander, throwing over 130 pitches in game 4. Tigers’ manager, Jim Leyland, said he would leave Verlander in the game until his arm fell off, as opposed to Cardinals’ manager, Tony LaRussa, whose starting pitchers didn’t last more than 5 innings and he relied more heavily on his bullpen.
So now for which team am I going to root? That’s a hard one – they are so evenly matched that I may just root for both teams! The Texas Rangers have excellent pitching, decent hitting, and an owner named Nolan Ryan (though I wish he would smile more and not always look so stoic). The Cardinals have Holliday, Freese, Pujols, and fellow Puerto Rican (and catcher!) Molina. And me being a fan of the National League (and hater of the Designated Hitter), I don’t think I’ve ever rooted for an American League team in the World Series since the days of Kirby Puckett and the Minnesota Twins. So I am torn – completely and absolutely torn! Instead I will root for exciting defensive plays, good calls from umpires (good luck with that one!), and decent renditions of the National Anthem. And I hope the World Series goes seven games – sweeps are boring and the more games they play, the more fans will watch and will buy tickets and hot dogs and souvenirs. So go out and buy your tickets, people of St. Louis and Texas
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Tomorrow's Sighting
Hello everyone! First I want to apologize for not blogging for a while - my "other" blog is turning out to be a bit demanding (check it out at http://www.prosportsblogging.com/, click on MLB and then on Washigton Nationals) and it's been a busy week with swim and tennis lessons for the kids. Anyway, tomorrow is a big day, because Stephen Strasburg is making his first pitching appearance since he underwent Tommy John surgery last August. Not only will he be pitching a couple of innings tomorrow, but he's going to do it for the Nationals' "low A" farm team in Hagerstown. This means that, even though I said I didn't care for the Hagerstown Suns' old stadium when I went there this past June, I will most certainly be there tomorrow (it's 20 minutes away - how could I NOT?). Rumor had it that Iván Rodriguez would be catching for Strasburg as part of HIS rehab assignment ("Pudge" has been on the disabled list for a while with a strained oblique muscle), but the rumors are false and Iván is actually on his way to Philadelphia to see a doctor for a second opinion. But I'm still excited to see Mr. Strasburg, since this is probably the closest I'll ever get to him and the most intimate park in which he'll ever pitch.
Are you wondering what Tommy John surgery is? Well, it was obviously named for Hall-of-Famer Tommy John, who underwent this surgery back in the 1980s. Basically, they take a tendon from somewhere in your body (recently they've been using a hamstring tendon, or sometimes they use one from your opposite forearm) and they use it to replace a torn ulnar collateral ligament (which is in your elbow). It can take up to a year to recover fully from this surgery, and some pitchers actually throw harder after they have had the surgery. There you go - my Bachelors degree in Athletic Training was finally put to use explaining that to you!
So yeah; tomorrow we're supposed to be seeing greatness. I have always thought that Strasburg has been over-hyped, but I am happy to go and see him pitch a couple of innings for only $11 a seat. I hope to take some good pictures and am looking forward to scouting the other minor league players for my "other" blog. I will tell you all about it tomorrow evening!
Are you wondering what Tommy John surgery is? Well, it was obviously named for Hall-of-Famer Tommy John, who underwent this surgery back in the 1980s. Basically, they take a tendon from somewhere in your body (recently they've been using a hamstring tendon, or sometimes they use one from your opposite forearm) and they use it to replace a torn ulnar collateral ligament (which is in your elbow). It can take up to a year to recover fully from this surgery, and some pitchers actually throw harder after they have had the surgery. There you go - my Bachelors degree in Athletic Training was finally put to use explaining that to you!
So yeah; tomorrow we're supposed to be seeing greatness. I have always thought that Strasburg has been over-hyped, but I am happy to go and see him pitch a couple of innings for only $11 a seat. I hope to take some good pictures and am looking forward to scouting the other minor league players for my "other" blog. I will tell you all about it tomorrow evening!
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Top 10 Things I Would Change if I Was Commissioner of Baseball
If I ever became Commissioner of Baseball, there are a whole lot of things I would do and change. I have narrowed down my list to 10, and here it is (in no particular order of execution):
1. I would eliminate the Intentional Walk. As I've said before, it is "chicken" to walk someone on purpose just to get to the next batter. You can go ahead and throw 4 straight balls to a batter, but don't make it so obvious, with the catcher standing 50 feet from the plate. And how often does it even work? The Intentional Walk, GONE!
2. I would eliminate the Designated Hitter. It's only been around for about 40 years, so no one will miss it (except for maybe "Big Papi"). Let the pitchers bat - it's part of the strategy!
3. Fine a player every time he strikes out looking. Don't just stand there; swing! Even if it's an ugly swing and you look like a fool trying to hit a ball that wasn't meant to be hit, you look even more foolish just standing there doing nothing. Just ask Jayson Werth.
4. All baseball parks will have to be retro-fitted so they all have the same outfield dimensions. Why should Yankee Stadium's center field be at 408 feet while Wrigley Field's is at 400? And don't even mention the funky dimensions of Fenway Park! I'm all about the Green Monster, but does there really have to be that weird cut-out in left field? All parks will have to have the same measurements; let the owners worry about how to pay for that!
5. All uniforms will have to be "uniform." White at home and gray on the road. No special jerseys in bright colors; no "weekend" jersey; and for the love of mankind, everyone's last name must be on the back of their jersey. Sorry, Yankees and Red Sox - I know you all haven't changed your uniforms since 1885, but some of us like knowing who the players are from behind!
6. I would eliminate inter-league play. It's unnecessary, and it takes away from the excitement of the World Series. Leave the inter-city "rivalries" for Spring Training, when the Yankees can play the Mets, Pirates can play the Phillies, and Nationals can play the Orioles.
7. All players must look presentable. There is a difference between the long hair of Rickie Weeks and Tim Lincecum and the long hair of Manny Ramirez. If you look like you haven't washed in weeks, get a haircut! And I'm not anti-tattoo, but baseball players should not look like Dennis Rodman. Oh, and get rid of those stupid rope necklaces; they're distracting and just plain ugly! And before you start saying that I sound more and more like Marge Schott, I'm OK with facial hair (which Marge was not); just keep it trimmed and looking nice (not like Brian Wilson).
8. I would revoke the ban on Pete Rose. Yes, he bet on baseball and even on his own team. No, he does not belong in the Hall of Fame (he belongs in the record books, but not in the actual Hall where the player plaques are). But I think the lifetime ban was pretty harsh. I would not let him manage, but he would be a very good commentator/analyst. He would be way better than Dennis Eckersley is for TBS Sports.
9. I would ban the "Tomahawk Chop." I'm all for fans showing support for their team, but that Chop is just downright annoying. Why can't people just clap or cheer? You can hurt yourself making the chopping motions and may even end up with lateral epicondylitis. Stop it, Braves fans!
10. I would ban tobacco products from baseball. Dipping looks ugly and spitting is gross. And why doesn't anyone ever mention the effects of tobacco on oral health? No one has mentioned that Tony Gwynn has had numerous cancerous tumors removed from his mouth. Stick to chewing gum like Adam Jones and Iván Rodriguez - a root canal due to tooth decay is not as bad as losing the roof of your mouth to cancer.
So there you have it - my top 10 list of things I would change if I ever became Commissioner of Baseball. Now if only Bud Selig would read my blog...
1. I would eliminate the Intentional Walk. As I've said before, it is "chicken" to walk someone on purpose just to get to the next batter. You can go ahead and throw 4 straight balls to a batter, but don't make it so obvious, with the catcher standing 50 feet from the plate. And how often does it even work? The Intentional Walk, GONE!
2. I would eliminate the Designated Hitter. It's only been around for about 40 years, so no one will miss it (except for maybe "Big Papi"). Let the pitchers bat - it's part of the strategy!
3. Fine a player every time he strikes out looking. Don't just stand there; swing! Even if it's an ugly swing and you look like a fool trying to hit a ball that wasn't meant to be hit, you look even more foolish just standing there doing nothing. Just ask Jayson Werth.
4. All baseball parks will have to be retro-fitted so they all have the same outfield dimensions. Why should Yankee Stadium's center field be at 408 feet while Wrigley Field's is at 400? And don't even mention the funky dimensions of Fenway Park! I'm all about the Green Monster, but does there really have to be that weird cut-out in left field? All parks will have to have the same measurements; let the owners worry about how to pay for that!
5. All uniforms will have to be "uniform." White at home and gray on the road. No special jerseys in bright colors; no "weekend" jersey; and for the love of mankind, everyone's last name must be on the back of their jersey. Sorry, Yankees and Red Sox - I know you all haven't changed your uniforms since 1885, but some of us like knowing who the players are from behind!
6. I would eliminate inter-league play. It's unnecessary, and it takes away from the excitement of the World Series. Leave the inter-city "rivalries" for Spring Training, when the Yankees can play the Mets, Pirates can play the Phillies, and Nationals can play the Orioles.
7. All players must look presentable. There is a difference between the long hair of Rickie Weeks and Tim Lincecum and the long hair of Manny Ramirez. If you look like you haven't washed in weeks, get a haircut! And I'm not anti-tattoo, but baseball players should not look like Dennis Rodman. Oh, and get rid of those stupid rope necklaces; they're distracting and just plain ugly! And before you start saying that I sound more and more like Marge Schott, I'm OK with facial hair (which Marge was not); just keep it trimmed and looking nice (not like Brian Wilson).
8. I would revoke the ban on Pete Rose. Yes, he bet on baseball and even on his own team. No, he does not belong in the Hall of Fame (he belongs in the record books, but not in the actual Hall where the player plaques are). But I think the lifetime ban was pretty harsh. I would not let him manage, but he would be a very good commentator/analyst. He would be way better than Dennis Eckersley is for TBS Sports.
9. I would ban the "Tomahawk Chop." I'm all for fans showing support for their team, but that Chop is just downright annoying. Why can't people just clap or cheer? You can hurt yourself making the chopping motions and may even end up with lateral epicondylitis. Stop it, Braves fans!
10. I would ban tobacco products from baseball. Dipping looks ugly and spitting is gross. And why doesn't anyone ever mention the effects of tobacco on oral health? No one has mentioned that Tony Gwynn has had numerous cancerous tumors removed from his mouth. Stick to chewing gum like Adam Jones and Iván Rodriguez - a root canal due to tooth decay is not as bad as losing the roof of your mouth to cancer.
So there you have it - my top 10 list of things I would change if I ever became Commissioner of Baseball. Now if only Bud Selig would read my blog...
Friday, July 22, 2011
A Big Day for Roberto and Bert
This coming Sunday, Bert Blyleven and Roberto Alomar will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. With this heat wave that we have going on, I feel sorry for them having to stand there while wearing a suit and reading a speech in front of thousands of people outside in the heat. But if I was being inducted into the Hall, I guess I could deal with the heat for a few minutes. Alomar becomes the third Puerto Rican (and second one named "Roberto") to go into the Hall, joining Roberto Clemente and Orlando Cepeda. Blyleven becomes the first player born in the Netherlands to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Both players are very deserving, and both have a big presence in my baseball card collection.
Roberto Alomar will be going in as a Blue Jay, though I liked him best when he played for the Cleveland Indians. He had a career batting average of .300, won 10 Gold Gloves as a second-baseman, and was selected to the All-Star Game 12 times in his 15-year career. But because he spit at an umpire once, he was not selected in his first year of eligibility. I know; spitting at an umpire is wrong - but you can't blame the guy for being passionate and dedicated. There were all kinds of rumors going on for a while in Puerto Rico saying that Alomar was HIV positive and did not disclose this to his girlfriend, but the rumors disappeared and Alomar is now a national hero. I must say he's been the best second-baseman I've seen in my years as a baseball fan, and I'm very proud of my fellow countryman's induction (the next Puerto Rican elected into the Hall will undoubtedly be "Pudge," and I will surely be in Cooperstown for that one!).
Bert Blyleven threw 242 complete games (including 60 shutouts), a feat that nowadays seems impossible (except for maybe Roy Halliday). Despite his long and successful career, it took 14 tries for Blyleven to be selected by the baseball writers who vote for the inductees. Talk about having to wait and wait! Poor guy! But I agree that he deserves to be there - I always liked watching him pitch and I enjoyed him as an analyst for the Twins. (You think my little blog will someday get me a membership into the Baseball Writers Association? Hey, I would love to be able to select the future Hall-of-Fame-ers! As you all know, I have my opinions!)
So my family and I are back from our vacation, and it's time to get back into the swing of things. Let's hope that Alomar and Blyleven have a wonderful day on Sunday, surrounded by friends, family, and other baseball greats.
Roberto Alomar will be going in as a Blue Jay, though I liked him best when he played for the Cleveland Indians. He had a career batting average of .300, won 10 Gold Gloves as a second-baseman, and was selected to the All-Star Game 12 times in his 15-year career. But because he spit at an umpire once, he was not selected in his first year of eligibility. I know; spitting at an umpire is wrong - but you can't blame the guy for being passionate and dedicated. There were all kinds of rumors going on for a while in Puerto Rico saying that Alomar was HIV positive and did not disclose this to his girlfriend, but the rumors disappeared and Alomar is now a national hero. I must say he's been the best second-baseman I've seen in my years as a baseball fan, and I'm very proud of my fellow countryman's induction (the next Puerto Rican elected into the Hall will undoubtedly be "Pudge," and I will surely be in Cooperstown for that one!).
Bert Blyleven threw 242 complete games (including 60 shutouts), a feat that nowadays seems impossible (except for maybe Roy Halliday). Despite his long and successful career, it took 14 tries for Blyleven to be selected by the baseball writers who vote for the inductees. Talk about having to wait and wait! Poor guy! But I agree that he deserves to be there - I always liked watching him pitch and I enjoyed him as an analyst for the Twins. (You think my little blog will someday get me a membership into the Baseball Writers Association? Hey, I would love to be able to select the future Hall-of-Fame-ers! As you all know, I have my opinions!)
So my family and I are back from our vacation, and it's time to get back into the swing of things. Let's hope that Alomar and Blyleven have a wonderful day on Sunday, surrounded by friends, family, and other baseball greats.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Prince Sans the Revolution
Last night's All-Star Game was an interesting one. From the touching tribute to Christina Green and the other Arizona shooting victims during the pregame ceremonies to the slide into the pitchers' mound from reliever Heath Bell in the eighth inning; it was a fun game to watch (especially since the National League won by a final score of 5-1, thanks in part to a three-run home run by Prince Fielder). Here are some of my more shallow observations of the evening:
Seattle's Brandon League - I had no idea he was all tatted up. I'm not anti-tattoo or anything, but not everyone needs to look like Rob Dibble or Prince Fielder (or Dennis Rodman!). What would Marge Schott think of this fellow's appearance?
Diamondbacks' Manager, Kirk Gibson - Who knew that Gibson was so bald? (Along with Shane Victorino and Placido Polanco) When you see these guys always wearing ball caps, it's sometimes surprising to see what is (or isn't) underneath!
The Red Sox's David Ortiz - No matter what your opinion is of "Big Papi," Ortiz has the most infectious smile in the Majors. His son D'Angelo is quite a ham as well!
Milwaukee's Prince Fielder - Dude, put a little bend in the brim of your cap; you look like Tony Larussa (and that's not a good look!). Feel free to shave and get a haircut, too!
The Yankees' Robinson Canó - Only in an All-Star game will you ever see Canó batting eighth!
San Francisco's Tim Lincecum - When is he going to stop looking like a sixteen-year-old skateboarder? Someday he's going to look like a creepy old guy with stringy long hair. Don't get me wrong; I like the long hair on Lincecum because it looks healthy and he keeps it nice - it's just that when I was 27, I certainly didn't look that young. I guess I'm just jealous!
American Idol's Jordin Sparks - She sang a very nice rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner." She looked nice, she sang well, and she didn't forget the words. Nice job, Jordin!
Joe Buck - Joe continues to be as annoying as ever. When the Nationals' Tyler Clippard came into the game to pitch to one batter, Buck spent the whole time talking about Adrián Beltre's scout's brother's neighbor or some tangent like that. Clippard came and went without anyone knowing who he was (since Buck never mentioned him) and ended up being the game's winning pitcher. Focus, Joe; focus! And why does his voice sound all different all of a sudden? It's like he swallowed a frog or something!
Tim McCarver - This guy needs to retire. He has been doing commentary for baseball games for about 30 years now, and he's starting to stammer and slow down. Let's hope he doesn't end up like Harry Caray in his later years.
Now for my not-so-shallow note regarding last night's game: Willie Mays was very critical of Derek Jeter for missing the game so he could rest his ailing calf (which didn't seem to bother him last Saturday when he went 5-5). Willie was elected to 24 All-Star teams, and he attended all 24 All-Star Games. He said that Jeter should have shown up, even if he wasn't put in the lineup. That's what José Reyes of the Mets did - he knew he wasn't going to play because of an injury, but he showed up and partook in all the festivities. And I bet if you asked Hank Aaron for his opinion on Jeter, he would have said the same thing. I wonder if Jeter even watched the game...
So now we're ready to start the second half of the season, with the Braves playing well, the Brewers and Cardinals tied for first place in their division, and the Orioles hoping to not lose their eighth game in a row. Let's hope the second half is just as action-packed as the first, except maybe the Phillies can lose a few more games!
Seattle's Brandon League - I had no idea he was all tatted up. I'm not anti-tattoo or anything, but not everyone needs to look like Rob Dibble or Prince Fielder (or Dennis Rodman!). What would Marge Schott think of this fellow's appearance?
Diamondbacks' Manager, Kirk Gibson - Who knew that Gibson was so bald? (Along with Shane Victorino and Placido Polanco) When you see these guys always wearing ball caps, it's sometimes surprising to see what is (or isn't) underneath!
The Red Sox's David Ortiz - No matter what your opinion is of "Big Papi," Ortiz has the most infectious smile in the Majors. His son D'Angelo is quite a ham as well!
Milwaukee's Prince Fielder - Dude, put a little bend in the brim of your cap; you look like Tony Larussa (and that's not a good look!). Feel free to shave and get a haircut, too!
The Yankees' Robinson Canó - Only in an All-Star game will you ever see Canó batting eighth!
San Francisco's Tim Lincecum - When is he going to stop looking like a sixteen-year-old skateboarder? Someday he's going to look like a creepy old guy with stringy long hair. Don't get me wrong; I like the long hair on Lincecum because it looks healthy and he keeps it nice - it's just that when I was 27, I certainly didn't look that young. I guess I'm just jealous!
American Idol's Jordin Sparks - She sang a very nice rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner." She looked nice, she sang well, and she didn't forget the words. Nice job, Jordin!
Joe Buck - Joe continues to be as annoying as ever. When the Nationals' Tyler Clippard came into the game to pitch to one batter, Buck spent the whole time talking about Adrián Beltre's scout's brother's neighbor or some tangent like that. Clippard came and went without anyone knowing who he was (since Buck never mentioned him) and ended up being the game's winning pitcher. Focus, Joe; focus! And why does his voice sound all different all of a sudden? It's like he swallowed a frog or something!
Tim McCarver - This guy needs to retire. He has been doing commentary for baseball games for about 30 years now, and he's starting to stammer and slow down. Let's hope he doesn't end up like Harry Caray in his later years.
Now for my not-so-shallow note regarding last night's game: Willie Mays was very critical of Derek Jeter for missing the game so he could rest his ailing calf (which didn't seem to bother him last Saturday when he went 5-5). Willie was elected to 24 All-Star teams, and he attended all 24 All-Star Games. He said that Jeter should have shown up, even if he wasn't put in the lineup. That's what José Reyes of the Mets did - he knew he wasn't going to play because of an injury, but he showed up and partook in all the festivities. And I bet if you asked Hank Aaron for his opinion on Jeter, he would have said the same thing. I wonder if Jeter even watched the game...
So now we're ready to start the second half of the season, with the Braves playing well, the Brewers and Cardinals tied for first place in their division, and the Orioles hoping to not lose their eighth game in a row. Let's hope the second half is just as action-packed as the first, except maybe the Phillies can lose a few more games!
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Jackie Would Have Loved Watching This Robinson!
Last night was the 2011 All-Star Home Run Derby, and to make things interesting this year, organizers decided to name two captains - David Ortiz from the American League and Prince Fielder from the National League - each one responsible for picking three other players from their league to represent their team. The American League was full of Hispanic players - Adrián Gonzalez, Robinson Canó, José Bautista, and Ortiz. The National League was represented by Matt Holliday, Rickie Weeks, Matt Kemp, and Fielder. I wanted to root for the NL (since I'm not an AL fan), and more specifically for Rickie Weeks, but I couldn't let my fellow Hispanics down (especially Robinson Canó), so I decided to root for the AL (don't get used to it people; I will be cheering for the NL in tonight's game!).
The Derby started with Cal Ripken throwing out the ceremonial first pitch, which was very fitting since Cal had won two previous Derbies in the past. But then it got down to business. I won't go into the details of who hit how many home runs in what round - you should have watched it last night to get all that information! - but I will tell you that the two best parts of the night were watching José Canó pitching to his son, and the 472-feet home run that Robinson hit during the first round. If that airplane-hangar-of-a-park had been an outdoor one, that ball would have ended up in Mexico (of course, I don't know the directional orientation in which that park is facing, so that may not be geographically accurate on my part). It ultimately came down to a Yankees vs. Red Sox rivalry with Canó and Gonzalez in the finals, and Canó edged Gonzalez 12 home runs to 11 to take the Home Run Derby crown. I hope Canó is really as nice a guy as he seems to be; maybe Yankee fans can focus less on Jeter and A-Rod and pay attention to their second baseman (I wonder if now that A-Rod is out due to knee surgery, Joe Girardi will move Canó from second in the lineup to fourth. Oh wait - it's the American League; they do things differently over there!).
So tonight is the All-Star Game, with Roy Halliday starting for the National League and Jered Weaver pitching for the AL. I know Roy is used to pitching nine full innings, but he'll have to give way to others like Lincecum, Clippard and Wilson. I will once again hope that the National League wins (the winner gets home-field advantage in the World Series), and maybe, just maybe, this year I won't be disappointed!
The Derby started with Cal Ripken throwing out the ceremonial first pitch, which was very fitting since Cal had won two previous Derbies in the past. But then it got down to business. I won't go into the details of who hit how many home runs in what round - you should have watched it last night to get all that information! - but I will tell you that the two best parts of the night were watching José Canó pitching to his son, and the 472-feet home run that Robinson hit during the first round. If that airplane-hangar-of-a-park had been an outdoor one, that ball would have ended up in Mexico (of course, I don't know the directional orientation in which that park is facing, so that may not be geographically accurate on my part). It ultimately came down to a Yankees vs. Red Sox rivalry with Canó and Gonzalez in the finals, and Canó edged Gonzalez 12 home runs to 11 to take the Home Run Derby crown. I hope Canó is really as nice a guy as he seems to be; maybe Yankee fans can focus less on Jeter and A-Rod and pay attention to their second baseman (I wonder if now that A-Rod is out due to knee surgery, Joe Girardi will move Canó from second in the lineup to fourth. Oh wait - it's the American League; they do things differently over there!).
So tonight is the All-Star Game, with Roy Halliday starting for the National League and Jered Weaver pitching for the AL. I know Roy is used to pitching nine full innings, but he'll have to give way to others like Lincecum, Clippard and Wilson. I will once again hope that the National League wins (the winner gets home-field advantage in the World Series), and maybe, just maybe, this year I won't be disappointed!
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Is Derek Deity, or Diva?
Yes, he finally did it. Derek Jeter got his 3000th career hit in style today, by hitting a home run in the third inning off the Tampa Bay Rays' David Price. Jeter is only the 28th player (and first Yankee) to reach the illustrious milestone, and the second player to reach 3000 by hitting a home run (can you guess who the other one was? He was a former Red Sox player whose name rhymes with Fade Loggs). It was pretty cool to watch, but I must say that my favorite part of the whole thing was seeing the players in the Rays' dugout clapping for Jeter and giving him a standing ovation. That's the type of sportsmanship that brings happy tears to my eyes.
Us Puerto Ricans are happy for Jeter, but it's a bittersweet milestone for us, because our own Roberto Clemente was not able to surpass the 3000-hit mark due to dying in a plane crash while traveling on a humanitarian mission during the off-season of 1972. Clemente had a little bit of baseball left in him (Jeter definitely does too), and probably would have gone way past 3000 hits had he been given the opportunity. I hope Derek plays for a few more seasons and continues to move nicely up the list of all-time hitters.
But the Yankees captain is not perfect. Some people have criticized Derek Jeter for being a lousy shortstop, some think he can't handle the pressure of playing in New York, and others, like Jeter's boss, Hank Steinbrenner, think Jeter was "too busy building a mansion" to focus on baseball. My only current gripe about Derek Jeter is that he is choosing to skip the All-Star Game because he wants to fully heal from all his injuries. A-Rod is skipping the game too, but in his defense (and I can't believe I'm defending A-Rod!), he is truly injured and will need surgery to repair the torn meniscus in his knee (the same surgery that Chipper Jones just had today). But Jeter? He's getting old and beat up, but it's not excuse to skip the All-Star Game. And if they don't give him his financial bonus for not going to the game, it probably doesn't even make him bat an eyelash. How many people out there bought tickets to the game so they could see Derek Jeter? I think it's inconsiderate and selfish of him. But Americans tend to forget when prominent people make stupid decisions (remember that lady in Alaska who quit her job because she didn't want to be governor anymore? I wonder how many have forgotten that?! But I digress...), and Derek Jeter will forever be baseball's Golden Boy. And yes, he deserves to be a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer, but after going to Cooperstown to watch Iván Rodriguez get inducted in a few years, I think I'll skip going to see Jeter's entry into the exclusive club.
Congratulations to Derek, but may he not pass Cal Ripken on the all-time hits list! :-)
Us Puerto Ricans are happy for Jeter, but it's a bittersweet milestone for us, because our own Roberto Clemente was not able to surpass the 3000-hit mark due to dying in a plane crash while traveling on a humanitarian mission during the off-season of 1972. Clemente had a little bit of baseball left in him (Jeter definitely does too), and probably would have gone way past 3000 hits had he been given the opportunity. I hope Derek plays for a few more seasons and continues to move nicely up the list of all-time hitters.
But the Yankees captain is not perfect. Some people have criticized Derek Jeter for being a lousy shortstop, some think he can't handle the pressure of playing in New York, and others, like Jeter's boss, Hank Steinbrenner, think Jeter was "too busy building a mansion" to focus on baseball. My only current gripe about Derek Jeter is that he is choosing to skip the All-Star Game because he wants to fully heal from all his injuries. A-Rod is skipping the game too, but in his defense (and I can't believe I'm defending A-Rod!), he is truly injured and will need surgery to repair the torn meniscus in his knee (the same surgery that Chipper Jones just had today). But Jeter? He's getting old and beat up, but it's not excuse to skip the All-Star Game. And if they don't give him his financial bonus for not going to the game, it probably doesn't even make him bat an eyelash. How many people out there bought tickets to the game so they could see Derek Jeter? I think it's inconsiderate and selfish of him. But Americans tend to forget when prominent people make stupid decisions (remember that lady in Alaska who quit her job because she didn't want to be governor anymore? I wonder how many have forgotten that?! But I digress...), and Derek Jeter will forever be baseball's Golden Boy. And yes, he deserves to be a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer, but after going to Cooperstown to watch Iván Rodriguez get inducted in a few years, I think I'll skip going to see Jeter's entry into the exclusive club.
Congratulations to Derek, but may he not pass Cal Ripken on the all-time hits list! :-)
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
This Guy is Turning Out to be "Werth-less!"
During this past off-season, the Washington Nationals acquired outfielder Jayson Werth from the Philadelphia Phillies. This was a much-needed move, because the Nats had lost power hitter Adam Dunn to free agency, and they desperately needed a good bat in their lineup. So Werth agreed to a multi-year contract worth a bazillion dollars, and Nats fans got excited. Why? Because last year, with the Phillies, Werth batted .296, led the National League with 46 doubles, and had 27 hone runs and 85 RBIs. Who WOULDN'T want this guy on their team? Aside from his offensive numbers, he can play a mean right field, so surely Werth was going to be worth every penny. Now fast-forward to today, which is pretty much the halfway point of the 2011 season (give or take a game or two). Werth is batting .221 with only 10 home runs, 16 doubles, and 30 RBIs. Granted, he needs to actually have the guys betting in front of him in the lineup getting on base in order to get more RBIs, but overall, Werth has been an offensive disappointment. In last night's game, for example, Werth alone left 7 men on base! All kinds of excuses have been given by "experts" as to why Werth is playing so poorly - from the fact that he has no run support to the fact that his good defense and his presence in the clubhouse make up for his lousy year offensively - but honestly, I can't come up with any good excuses anymore. Even Nationals' manager, Davey Johnson, thinks that Werth needs to relax and not put so much pressure on himself. Others think that Werth himself has been coming up with lame excuses, saying that he had issues with former manager Jim Riggleman and that he needed a better lead-off man in front of him so he could hit better. Blah, blah, blah, Mr. Werth! Even my seven-year-old son rolls his eyes every time you come up to bat now; it's time you live up to that lucrative contract of yours and started doing some serious hitting! And be happy I'm not the current Commissioner of Baseball, because if it were me, I would fine you a hefty amount for every time you struck out looking!
Speaking of hitting, Nats' prospect Bryce Harper was promoted to AA Harrisburg, totally bypassing single-A Potomac. He seems to be right at home in the not-so-minor leagues, collecting two hits in his debut with Harrisburg earlier this week. It's nice to see Harper adjusting so well to life as a professional baseball player - now I feel bad for saying some not-so-nice things about him during Spring Training. Sorry, Bryce!
And those pesky Phillies...they beat the Marlins 14-2 last night; of course, I could beat the Marlins too, and I'm legally blind! But Cole Hamels got win #10, and the Phillies continue to reign in the NL East. And did you see that Albert Pujols is back to playing despite having broken his wrist just 2 weeks ago? He was supposed to be on the Disabled List for 4-6 weeks but surprised everyone with a speedy recovery. That's pretty remarkable! And the Orioles? They lost AGAIN, this time by a score of 4-2 to the Texas Rangers. Poor birds! And finally, the Yankees beat the Indians 9-2, with Derek Jeter hitting #2995 and 2996. History could be made as early as tonight, with Jeter soon becoming the first New York Yankee to reach 3000 hits. That still seems so hard to believe - that a team that had Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Don Mattingly and other greats did not have a previous player who reached 3000 hits! Go figure!
I guess that's all for now, my friends; let's hope that Jayson Werth gets a hit or two tonight (or at least doesn't strike out!), and may Derek Jeter reach his milestone tonight, before heading back to Yankee Stadium tomorrow night to face the Rays. Really, wouldn't it be nice for the Cleveland fans to witness history tonight? They would be nice and would give Jeter a well-deserved standing ovation; let them steal some excitement from Yankee fans for once! (Unless Yankees manager Joe Girardi pulls Jeter from the game if he gets 3 hits so he can get #3000 at home - sigh!)
Speaking of hitting, Nats' prospect Bryce Harper was promoted to AA Harrisburg, totally bypassing single-A Potomac. He seems to be right at home in the not-so-minor leagues, collecting two hits in his debut with Harrisburg earlier this week. It's nice to see Harper adjusting so well to life as a professional baseball player - now I feel bad for saying some not-so-nice things about him during Spring Training. Sorry, Bryce!
And those pesky Phillies...they beat the Marlins 14-2 last night; of course, I could beat the Marlins too, and I'm legally blind! But Cole Hamels got win #10, and the Phillies continue to reign in the NL East. And did you see that Albert Pujols is back to playing despite having broken his wrist just 2 weeks ago? He was supposed to be on the Disabled List for 4-6 weeks but surprised everyone with a speedy recovery. That's pretty remarkable! And the Orioles? They lost AGAIN, this time by a score of 4-2 to the Texas Rangers. Poor birds! And finally, the Yankees beat the Indians 9-2, with Derek Jeter hitting #2995 and 2996. History could be made as early as tonight, with Jeter soon becoming the first New York Yankee to reach 3000 hits. That still seems so hard to believe - that a team that had Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Don Mattingly and other greats did not have a previous player who reached 3000 hits! Go figure!
I guess that's all for now, my friends; let's hope that Jayson Werth gets a hit or two tonight (or at least doesn't strike out!), and may Derek Jeter reach his milestone tonight, before heading back to Yankee Stadium tomorrow night to face the Rays. Really, wouldn't it be nice for the Cleveland fans to witness history tonight? They would be nice and would give Jeter a well-deserved standing ovation; let them steal some excitement from Yankee fans for once! (Unless Yankees manager Joe Girardi pulls Jeter from the game if he gets 3 hits so he can get #3000 at home - sigh!)
Monday, July 4, 2011
I Guess They Don't Know Him From Adam
The baseball players heading to this year's All-Star Game in Phoenix were announced yesterday, and I was mostly happy with the outcome. Although not all the players I voted for were elected (and I knew they wouldn't be), it was nice to see players who really deserved to be picked, like Curtis Granderson, Ricky Weeks, and José Bautista. Notably absent, however, is the Orioles' Adam Jones, who is an excellent all-around player and truly deserves to be an all-star. Fortunately, Major League Baseball is allowing fans to vote for the final player to be included in each league's roster, so please go to http://www.mlb.com/ and vote for Adam Jones as the American League player. You can vote a ton of times, and while you're there, vote for Michael Morse of the Nationals to represent the National League. He's not as good a player as Shane Victorino, but if you're a Philly Hater like me, you'll vote for anyone else so Victorino does not get selected. Thank you!
Another thing I don't like about this year's roster is that Giants' manager, Bruce Bochy, selected like twenty pitchers from his own team. Yes, the Giants have good pitchers, but there are plenty of other guys out there who deserve to be all-stars. The rosters are full of Yankees, Red Sox, and Giants players; good thing each team in the Majors has to be represented by at least one player!
I do like the fact that CC Sabathia was not voted in by his teammates or selected by Rangers manager Ron Washington. Some say it's because he is slated to pitch on the Sunday before the All-Star Game and will not be available to pitch that day; I like to think that people just don't like him.
Oh, and hey, I actually get to watch the game this year, because Placido Polanco was voted as the starting third-baseman for the National League! Now I don't have to do like that one year when Nolan Ryan was not selected and I boycotted the game. I will be rooting for the National League, especially since Puerto Ricans Carlos Beltrán and Yadier Molina will be in the reserves. Other notable players who will be in this year''s All-Star Game include Robinson Canó, Adrián Gonzalez, Lance Berkman, and two of the three Cabreras I voted for (Asdrubal and Miguel). The Orioles will be represented by Matt Weiters - please vote so his teammate can join him! Representing the Nationals will be middle reliever Tyler Clippard, which was somewhat of a surprise (since I thought starting pitcher Jason Marquis would have been selected), but it made me happy because this means I have actually had my picture taken with an all-star! And I must add that Clippard has some rock-hard biceps!
Have a wonderful Fourth of July celebration, my friends (we'll be going to watch some fireworks soon), and enjoy your week!
This was me last year with all-star Tyler Clippard.
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Another thing I don't like about this year's roster is that Giants' manager, Bruce Bochy, selected like twenty pitchers from his own team. Yes, the Giants have good pitchers, but there are plenty of other guys out there who deserve to be all-stars. The rosters are full of Yankees, Red Sox, and Giants players; good thing each team in the Majors has to be represented by at least one player!
I do like the fact that CC Sabathia was not voted in by his teammates or selected by Rangers manager Ron Washington. Some say it's because he is slated to pitch on the Sunday before the All-Star Game and will not be available to pitch that day; I like to think that people just don't like him.
Oh, and hey, I actually get to watch the game this year, because Placido Polanco was voted as the starting third-baseman for the National League! Now I don't have to do like that one year when Nolan Ryan was not selected and I boycotted the game. I will be rooting for the National League, especially since Puerto Ricans Carlos Beltrán and Yadier Molina will be in the reserves. Other notable players who will be in this year''s All-Star Game include Robinson Canó, Adrián Gonzalez, Lance Berkman, and two of the three Cabreras I voted for (Asdrubal and Miguel). The Orioles will be represented by Matt Weiters - please vote so his teammate can join him! Representing the Nationals will be middle reliever Tyler Clippard, which was somewhat of a surprise (since I thought starting pitcher Jason Marquis would have been selected), but it made me happy because this means I have actually had my picture taken with an all-star! And I must add that Clippard has some rock-hard biceps!
Have a wonderful Fourth of July celebration, my friends (we'll be going to watch some fireworks soon), and enjoy your week!
This was me last year with all-star Tyler Clippard.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
?????
The Nationals split a double-header with the Pittsburgh Pirates yesterday, losing the first game 5-3 and winning the second game 3-2. Iván Rodriguez drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, which made me very happy. However, our local paper had the headline "I-Rod's RBI single helps Nationals split twinbill." WHAT??? Don't be calling my man "I-Rod!" Everyone knows him as "Pudge," so why change his nickname? Why even give him a nickname that is so similar to the one of that third-baseman who plays for the Yankees that I do NOT like? His plaque in the baseball Hall of Fame is going to say "Iván 'Pudge' Rodriguez," not "I-Rod!" So what if it was an Associated Press story; you'd think the local paper would use a better headline! It has always been obvious that the Frederick News-Post is an Orioles-oriented paper (especially since our minor league team is an O's affiliate and the Nationals have only been in DC since 2005); but c'mon, paper-people - the Nationals also play in our backyard, so it's time you all became a little familiar with their players! Yet another faux pas for our local fishwrap!
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Changing my Mind (several times!)
Tomorrow is the last day to cast your vote for the 2011 All-Star Game, so I figured I would take this opportunity to update my ballot and vote again (you can vote up to 25 times per email address at http://www.mlb.com/; last year I voted 75 times!). Since my first ballot was submitted back in May, I have made some pertinent changes that reflect the overall performance of some players so far this season. Here is my new and revised ballot:
AMERICAN LEAGUE
1B - Miguel Cabrera (Detroit Tigers) - No change there; he's batting .333 with 15 home runs, so he should get the job over Teixeira.
2B - Robinson Canó (NY Yankees) - No change there either. He's good (despite being a Yankee); what can I say?
SS - Asdrubal Cabrera (Cleveland Indians) - I voted for him the first time because he had a cool first name and I didn't want to vote for Derek Jeter; this time I voted for him again because he's batting .293 with 13 home runs. Derek Jeter can't say that, especially since he's sporting a bad hip.
3B - Kevin Youkilis (Red Sox) - This is a change from my previous ballot, where I voted for Maicer Izturis of the Angels. Izturis is playing OK, but Youkilis is playing better (with his 55 RBIs), plus I felt bad not voting for a Red Sox player. I'm sure A-Rod will still get to start though; whatever!
Catcher - I initially voted for Russell Martin of the Yankees, but I don't like him anymore. Therefore, my vote went to Indians' catcher Carlos Santana, only because he has a "Black Magic Woman" who's got him so blind he can't see. And since I can't see either, he got my sympathy vote!
DH - I'm sorry to say, I knocked Vladimir Guerrero out of my ballot and went with the Tigers' Victor Martinez instead (sorry, O's fans!). He's batting .335 with 46 RBIs, plus I went to high school with a Victor Martinez (not the same one).
Outfield (choose 3) - Melky Cabrera (Kansas City Royals), Adam Jones (Baltimore Orioles), and Ichiro Suzuki (Seattle Mariners) - These three votes did not change. Ichiro is awesome, Cabrera is playing well (plus I wanted all 3 "Cabreras" to remain on my ballot), and Adam Jones, well, he's awesome too!
NATIONAL LEAGUE
1B - Joey Votto (Cincinnati Reds) - This did not change because I didn't want to vote for the injured Pujols or the vegetarian Prince Fielder. Nothing against vegetarians, but how can a guy who weighs 300 pounds be a vegetarian? It just seems wrong!
2B - Rickie Weeks (Milwaukee Brewers) - He got my vote again because he is playing some great baseball (though I really wanted to vote for Danny Espinosa of the Nationals, but voting for a rookie is just not right).
SS - Troy Tulowitzki (Rockies) - He knocked Ryan Therriot out of my ballot because of his .272 batting average, 14 home runs and 50 RBIs. He's no Ozzie Smith yet, but he's fun to watch.
3B - Placido Polanco (Philadelphia Phillies) is again my pick for third base. Yes, I voted for a Philly; but just one! And remember what I said last time: If Polanco does not make the All-Star team, I will NOT be watching the game!
Catcher - Iván Rodriguez (Washington Nationals) - Sorry, I just can't get myself to vote for anyone other than "Pudge." He is certainly not deserving of the position this year, but my mouse automatically clicks on him every time I try to click on someone else. I have no idea why that happens!
Outfield - Carlos Beltrán (NY Mets), Matt Holliday and Lance Berkman (St. Louis Cardinals) - Two out of three are the same, with Berkman replacing Justin Upton. Beltrán is having a great year (he even hit a Grand Slam last night), and Holliday and Upton are just dangerous in any batting lineup.
Now if only we could vote for pitchers... Actually, I'm glad we can't, because then I would be forced to vote for the deserving Roy Halliday, and voting for another Philly would just go against my beliefs. I just hope the Nationals' Jason Marquis gets chosen, as well as Justin Verlander and Derek Lowe (despite his drinking issues). In just a few days we'll find out who the starters are - let's see how many of my players get voted in or selected!
AMERICAN LEAGUE
1B - Miguel Cabrera (Detroit Tigers) - No change there; he's batting .333 with 15 home runs, so he should get the job over Teixeira.
2B - Robinson Canó (NY Yankees) - No change there either. He's good (despite being a Yankee); what can I say?
SS - Asdrubal Cabrera (Cleveland Indians) - I voted for him the first time because he had a cool first name and I didn't want to vote for Derek Jeter; this time I voted for him again because he's batting .293 with 13 home runs. Derek Jeter can't say that, especially since he's sporting a bad hip.
3B - Kevin Youkilis (Red Sox) - This is a change from my previous ballot, where I voted for Maicer Izturis of the Angels. Izturis is playing OK, but Youkilis is playing better (with his 55 RBIs), plus I felt bad not voting for a Red Sox player. I'm sure A-Rod will still get to start though; whatever!
Catcher - I initially voted for Russell Martin of the Yankees, but I don't like him anymore. Therefore, my vote went to Indians' catcher Carlos Santana, only because he has a "Black Magic Woman" who's got him so blind he can't see. And since I can't see either, he got my sympathy vote!
DH - I'm sorry to say, I knocked Vladimir Guerrero out of my ballot and went with the Tigers' Victor Martinez instead (sorry, O's fans!). He's batting .335 with 46 RBIs, plus I went to high school with a Victor Martinez (not the same one).
Outfield (choose 3) - Melky Cabrera (Kansas City Royals), Adam Jones (Baltimore Orioles), and Ichiro Suzuki (Seattle Mariners) - These three votes did not change. Ichiro is awesome, Cabrera is playing well (plus I wanted all 3 "Cabreras" to remain on my ballot), and Adam Jones, well, he's awesome too!
NATIONAL LEAGUE
1B - Joey Votto (Cincinnati Reds) - This did not change because I didn't want to vote for the injured Pujols or the vegetarian Prince Fielder. Nothing against vegetarians, but how can a guy who weighs 300 pounds be a vegetarian? It just seems wrong!
2B - Rickie Weeks (Milwaukee Brewers) - He got my vote again because he is playing some great baseball (though I really wanted to vote for Danny Espinosa of the Nationals, but voting for a rookie is just not right).
SS - Troy Tulowitzki (Rockies) - He knocked Ryan Therriot out of my ballot because of his .272 batting average, 14 home runs and 50 RBIs. He's no Ozzie Smith yet, but he's fun to watch.
3B - Placido Polanco (Philadelphia Phillies) is again my pick for third base. Yes, I voted for a Philly; but just one! And remember what I said last time: If Polanco does not make the All-Star team, I will NOT be watching the game!
Catcher - Iván Rodriguez (Washington Nationals) - Sorry, I just can't get myself to vote for anyone other than "Pudge." He is certainly not deserving of the position this year, but my mouse automatically clicks on him every time I try to click on someone else. I have no idea why that happens!
Outfield - Carlos Beltrán (NY Mets), Matt Holliday and Lance Berkman (St. Louis Cardinals) - Two out of three are the same, with Berkman replacing Justin Upton. Beltrán is having a great year (he even hit a Grand Slam last night), and Holliday and Upton are just dangerous in any batting lineup.
Now if only we could vote for pitchers... Actually, I'm glad we can't, because then I would be forced to vote for the deserving Roy Halliday, and voting for another Philly would just go against my beliefs. I just hope the Nationals' Jason Marquis gets chosen, as well as Justin Verlander and Derek Lowe (despite his drinking issues). In just a few days we'll find out who the starters are - let's see how many of my players get voted in or selected!
Monday, June 27, 2011
"Like Mike...if I Could Be Like Mike!"
Mike Schmidt was one of those old-school baseball players that everyone still loves. Even I, the Philly-hater, love Mike Schmidt. I like him even more after reading this article that he wrote for The Associated Press, which basically lists every point I've made regarding interleague play. But since I'm not Mike Schmidt, people won't listen to me. Maybe now that he's expressed his opinion, the "powers that be" at Major League Baseball will take some action and get rid of this interleague thing. The Nationals are now traveling to Anaheim for a series against the Angels, then returning home on the other side of the country. Usually when an east-coast team goes out west, they coordinate it with a visit to San Diego, San Francisco, and LA. In this case, the Nats are going from Chicago to Anaheim and back to DC, which is exhausting and expensive. Another example of the ridiculousness of this interleague schedule is the upcoming series between the Braves and the Mariners. No offense to the Mariners, but why should the Braves travel all the way up to Seattle? And the series between the Red Sox and Phillies? Don't get me started - let Mike tell you how I really feel, because I agree with him 100 percent: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jQLT-hPWRVooWHvLyo5eGnGKnwmw?docId=8d881759be734f5b9714c09c3786b7b6
OK, so that's fine if you didn't click on Mike Schmidt's article; I know some of you just read my blog to be nice and you may have thought his article was too long. Basically, he agrees with me that interleague play is unnecessary, too costly, and it takes away from the excitement of the All-Star Game and the World Series. I guess that, like Mike, I am "old-school."
So the Nationals play their first game tonight with their new manager, Davey Johnson. Davey and I go way back, back to his days as manager of the Mets in the late 80s. He was the first manager I paid attention to, in the days of Darryl Strawberry, Dwight Gooden and Gary Carter. Davey didn't do so well managing the Orioles after that; let's just hope he does OK with Nats' GM Mike Rizzo micromanaging his every move.
And don't forget to go to http://www.mlb.com/ to vote for your all-star picks! I'm going to vote again tomorrow, and I just might change my mind on some of the players for whom I already voted! Stay tuned!
OK, so that's fine if you didn't click on Mike Schmidt's article; I know some of you just read my blog to be nice and you may have thought his article was too long. Basically, he agrees with me that interleague play is unnecessary, too costly, and it takes away from the excitement of the All-Star Game and the World Series. I guess that, like Mike, I am "old-school."
So the Nationals play their first game tonight with their new manager, Davey Johnson. Davey and I go way back, back to his days as manager of the Mets in the late 80s. He was the first manager I paid attention to, in the days of Darryl Strawberry, Dwight Gooden and Gary Carter. Davey didn't do so well managing the Orioles after that; let's just hope he does OK with Nats' GM Mike Rizzo micromanaging his every move.
And don't forget to go to http://www.mlb.com/ to vote for your all-star picks! I'm going to vote again tomorrow, and I just might change my mind on some of the players for whom I already voted! Stay tuned!
Thursday, June 23, 2011
A True Pitchers' Duel...and then a real SHOCKER!
Today was the third and final game of the three-game series between the Nationals and the Seattle Mariners (yes, more of that interleague stuff, I know!). The Nationals had won the first two, winning the first game 6-5 after Wilson Ramos hit a walk-off home run in the ninth; and the second game by a score of 2-1 in a not-as-exciting fashion. Today's afternoon game featured Jason Marquis starting for the Nats (the best starter the Nationals have) and rookie sensation Michael Pineda starting for the Mariners. Pineda is 6'7, which makes him one of the tallest people I've ever seen. Both pitchers had total control of the game - Jason Marquis even had a no-hitter going into the sixth inning that was broken (ironically) by Pineda himself. It was one of those fast-moving, not-so-interesting games, especially since the Nationals left the bases loaded at one point. But in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Nationals' bats came alive and they won by a score of 1-0. There was way more bunting in that inning than I had seen in days, but the Nats won nonetheless. That's 11 wins in their last 12 games, and that puts them one game above .500, solidly in third place. I was one happy baseball fan! But shortly after the game, Nationals' manager Jim Riggleman abruptly resigned, stating that team management never finalized his contract, kept giving him the runaround, and just didn't give him the respect and commitment that he felt he deserved. I always liked Riggleman - I found him to be a little passive, but I know that the fiery, worked-up manager is a thing of the past. Most managers nowadays are more mellow, and Riggleman was definitely calm and collected. I give him major kudos for sticking to his guns and not letting the team's upper management continue to string him along on such a short leash; I just wish the timing had been a little better. His team (now former team) is playing well, Stephen Strasburg will be back next year, and Bryce Harper is up-and-coming. I bet there will be guys knocking each other out of the way to try and get Nats' GM, Mike Rizzo, to hire them. I personally would never work for Mr. Rizzo, but I hope whoever takes over the job continues to lead the Nationals in the same respectable, professional manner that Jim Riggleman did.
In other baseball news, I'm sure you've heard by now that Albert Pujols is out for about six weeks with a broken wrist. It was awful seeing him rolling on the field in pain; not as bad as when Buster Posey was trampled at home plate earlier in the season, but still painful to watch. Not only do I feel bad for Albert, but the poor Cardinals have been playing some lousy baseball lately, and they will surely miss Albert both at the plate and on first base. The only good news that comes from that story is that now somebody else has the opportunity to start at first base in the All-Star Game. Joey Votto maybe? He got my vote, so I hope he's the lucky one. I will miss seeing Albert in the Home Run Derby too; that's always fun to watch.
Then there are those darn Phillies, who still can't seem to lose any games or any ground on the NL East. They won't be playing the Nationals again until August; who knows what the standings will look like then! All I know is their pitching remains solid, their hitters continue to be hot, and they still get on my nerves!
Finally, today's interesting baseball fact (speaking of fiery, worked-up managers): On this day in 1988, George Steinbrenner fires Yankees manager Billy Martin for the fifth time. Talk about a guy who was passionate about the game (Martin) and a guy who was passionate about winning (Steinbrenner)!
In other baseball news, I'm sure you've heard by now that Albert Pujols is out for about six weeks with a broken wrist. It was awful seeing him rolling on the field in pain; not as bad as when Buster Posey was trampled at home plate earlier in the season, but still painful to watch. Not only do I feel bad for Albert, but the poor Cardinals have been playing some lousy baseball lately, and they will surely miss Albert both at the plate and on first base. The only good news that comes from that story is that now somebody else has the opportunity to start at first base in the All-Star Game. Joey Votto maybe? He got my vote, so I hope he's the lucky one. I will miss seeing Albert in the Home Run Derby too; that's always fun to watch.
Then there are those darn Phillies, who still can't seem to lose any games or any ground on the NL East. They won't be playing the Nationals again until August; who knows what the standings will look like then! All I know is their pitching remains solid, their hitters continue to be hot, and they still get on my nerves!
Finally, today's interesting baseball fact (speaking of fiery, worked-up managers): On this day in 1988, George Steinbrenner fires Yankees manager Billy Martin for the fifth time. Talk about a guy who was passionate about the game (Martin) and a guy who was passionate about winning (Steinbrenner)!
Monday, June 20, 2011
All Good Streaks Must Come to an End
In case you hadn't heard by now, the formerly-in-last-place Washington Nationals just ended an eight-game winning streak (which I can talk about now, since the streak is over and I don't risk jinxing anyone). They took 3 games of their 4-game series with the Padres in San Diego, swept the Cardinals at home, and took the first two of three from the Orioles. The streak was in part due to good pitching from starters Liván Hernandez, John Lannan, Jordan Zimmermann and Jason Marquis; good relief work (finally!) from Tyler Clippard, Henry Rodriguez and Drew Storen; and consistent hitting from Michael Morse, Danny Espinosa, and Ian Desmond. The streak also marked the return of former Gold Glove winner, third baseman Ryan Zimmerman. Ryan has been off to a slow start since missing 58 games due to abdominal surgery, but most people agree that just having him back in the lineup gave the team a much-needed psychological boost. It was great watching the Nats play well, and hopefully just because they lost yesterday's game doesn't mean they are done with their winning ways. They are two games under .500, and they look much better as a team. However, they did not get to a third-place tie with the Mets in the NL East on their own. It helped that the Marlins have lost 10 games in a row (their manager, Freddy Rodriguez just resigned so as not to get fired), and that the Mets have been inconsistent. But despite winning 8 games in a row, the Nationals are still 9.5 games behind the Phillies, because as we all know, the Phillies never lose. Sigh!
My husband and I celebrated Fathers Day yesterday with a trip to nearby Hagerstown to see the Suns play the Delmarva Shorebirds. We went because the Nationals' first-round draft pick from last year, Bryce Harper, plays for the Suns and is supposed to be the best hitter since Babe Ruth. Well, first of all, Bryce was not in the lineup yesterday, getting a day off. We did see him a lot, and he does not look like an 18-year-old kid. He looks all grown-up and seems to be fitting in nicely with his teammates. So there was the fact that we went to see Bryce and he didn't play. Also a bit disappointing was the fact that Municipal Stadium is REALLY REALLY old, so the bathrooms smelled like they held 80 years of urine in their floors, and despite having seats practically on the field, there was this plastic bar that went across the fence in front of us that blocked our view. If we had been maybe 3 inches taller, it would have been fine. In this case, the cheaper seats would have been better. But old stadiums have that old-stadium charm, and it was nice to be in a throwback environment where they still have a person manually changing the score in the outfield scoreboard (very Fenway Park-like). It was neat knowing that Willie Mays had played there, and the small size of the stadium made it feel cozy and intimate. We had a good time, and the Suns ended up winning 11-4. As a frequent visitor to our local Harry Grove Stadium, I didn't realize how nice how have it until I went to visit someone else's minor league park!
My husband and I celebrated Fathers Day yesterday with a trip to nearby Hagerstown to see the Suns play the Delmarva Shorebirds. We went because the Nationals' first-round draft pick from last year, Bryce Harper, plays for the Suns and is supposed to be the best hitter since Babe Ruth. Well, first of all, Bryce was not in the lineup yesterday, getting a day off. We did see him a lot, and he does not look like an 18-year-old kid. He looks all grown-up and seems to be fitting in nicely with his teammates. So there was the fact that we went to see Bryce and he didn't play. Also a bit disappointing was the fact that Municipal Stadium is REALLY REALLY old, so the bathrooms smelled like they held 80 years of urine in their floors, and despite having seats practically on the field, there was this plastic bar that went across the fence in front of us that blocked our view. If we had been maybe 3 inches taller, it would have been fine. In this case, the cheaper seats would have been better. But old stadiums have that old-stadium charm, and it was nice to be in a throwback environment where they still have a person manually changing the score in the outfield scoreboard (very Fenway Park-like). It was neat knowing that Willie Mays had played there, and the small size of the stadium made it feel cozy and intimate. We had a good time, and the Suns ended up winning 11-4. As a frequent visitor to our local Harry Grove Stadium, I didn't realize how nice how have it until I went to visit someone else's minor league park!
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Oh, It's That Interleague Thing Again! :-(
Interleague play in the Major Leagues started in 1997 as a way to get people interested in baseball again after the 1994 strike. It started out with teams from the same geographic divisions playing each other, like the Yankees vs. the Mets, the White Sox vs. the Cubs, and the Indians vs. the Reds. This year there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason as to which teams are playing each other, and it seems like there are more interleague games than ever. Personally, I think teams from the National League should not play teams from the American League unless it's the All-Star Game or the World Series. Now, if two teams who played each other in interleague play face each other in the World Series, the mystery of never having faced a particular pitcher or batter is lost. It'll be old news, like "Oh, I faced this guy earlier this season; I know what pitch to trow to him." That makes the World Series less unique and more predictable. Another reason I don't like interleague play is that the Designated Hitter rule (which I don't like to begin with) applies when playing in an American League park. This is all well and good when the NL visits, because their pitcher doesn't have to bat and you can use a good hitter from the bench. It's easier to manage - no double-switch, no lineup issues. But when the games are in the National League park, the Designated Hitter does not get to play as a starter, and the "Big Papi"s and "Vladi"s of the world just sit there on the bench, unused (except for the occasional pinch hit appearance).
So it's interleague time again, this time with some match ups that don't make much sense. The Mets are hosting the Angels, the Yankees are playing at Wrigley Field, and the Blue Jays are playing in Cincinnati. Really, is Target Field in Minnesota going to have more fans in attendance because the last-place Padres are in town? Does anybody care that the White Sox are in Arizona? Yes, it will be nice for fans at Fenway to get a glimpse of Prince Fielder and the Brewers; but wouldn't it be more exciting to experience that during a World Series instead of during a hot day in June? Luckily the Nationals and Orioles have kept their "beltway rivalry" alive because of interleague play; those are two teams that are so unlikely to face each other in a World Series that if you don't watch them during interleague play, you'll never get to see them play each other!
(I wonder what Kenesaw Mountain Landis would think of interleague play if he were alive today. Don't know who Judge Landis was?! Google him - you'll find out what an interesting life he had!)
Anyway, I'm not going to talk about the results of today's games (or yesterday's or the day before's), for fear of jinxing a certain team who has won 8 games in a row. I will give you my opinion and analysis of this streak when it's over, but in the meantime, I will remain silent regarding this matter. My lips are sealed! (Actually, I'm on my way to my son's Little League championship game - my lips won't remain sealed for very long!)
So it's interleague time again, this time with some match ups that don't make much sense. The Mets are hosting the Angels, the Yankees are playing at Wrigley Field, and the Blue Jays are playing in Cincinnati. Really, is Target Field in Minnesota going to have more fans in attendance because the last-place Padres are in town? Does anybody care that the White Sox are in Arizona? Yes, it will be nice for fans at Fenway to get a glimpse of Prince Fielder and the Brewers; but wouldn't it be more exciting to experience that during a World Series instead of during a hot day in June? Luckily the Nationals and Orioles have kept their "beltway rivalry" alive because of interleague play; those are two teams that are so unlikely to face each other in a World Series that if you don't watch them during interleague play, you'll never get to see them play each other!
(I wonder what Kenesaw Mountain Landis would think of interleague play if he were alive today. Don't know who Judge Landis was?! Google him - you'll find out what an interesting life he had!)
Anyway, I'm not going to talk about the results of today's games (or yesterday's or the day before's), for fear of jinxing a certain team who has won 8 games in a row. I will give you my opinion and analysis of this streak when it's over, but in the meantime, I will remain silent regarding this matter. My lips are sealed! (Actually, I'm on my way to my son's Little League championship game - my lips won't remain sealed for very long!)
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Shhhhh!
It seems like every time I mention that a baseball player or team is doing well or is in some sort of good streak, something happens to end that streak or the team ends up losing or someone ends up getting hurt (like Derek Jeter, who is now on the 15-day disabled list thanks to my continual mention of his chase to reach 3000 hits). So because I tend to jinx everyone, I will not be the one to tell you that a certain team in the National League East has a 5-game winning streak. What I CAN tell you is that Michael Morse hit 2 home runs last night, Iván Rodriguez went 3 for 4, and Liván Hernandez pitched a complete-game shutout. It's been fun watching this particular team beat up on the Cardinals, who all of a sudden are having major issues on defense. I know this un-named team will eventually lose (maybe even tonight), but it won't be because I jinxed them!
Speaking of bad luck, how about those Florida Marlins? They've lost like 50 games in a row, and it doesn't help that they play in the world's crappiest ballpark. The Marlins now share last place with the Nationals, after being in second place back in May. Here is what the NL East standings look like as of right now:
The problem with these standings is that the Phillies have been playing the Marlins, and the Mets have been playing the Braves, while the Nationals have been playing teams from other divisions. So while the other 4 teams switch positions in the standings, the Nationals just stay there at the bottom, not gaining any ground because the Phillies keep winning too. This weekend they will go back to inter-league play (which I HATE, but I won't get into that today), so that won't have much of an impact on the Nationals' place in the standings either (unless they lose and Philly keeps winning, then they'll be like 20 games out!).
And the Orioles? Well they've lost 4 in a row and are the other local team in last place in their division. But things are looking up for the Pittsburgh Pirates though, who are now 1 game above .500 and are only 4 games out of first place. There is no Clemente or Kiner on that team; heck, there isn't even a Bonds, Bonilla or VanSlyke. But they're not the Cardinals or the Brewers, so I will be happy that they are playing well.
Finally, I must brag about my son's Little League team making it to the finals of the city championship tournament! They won 11-10 last night, even though my little guy went 0 for 2. The championship game is this Saturday; let's hope this loud mom can keep her composure and not embarrass herself, her husband, or her kids!
Speaking of bad luck, how about those Florida Marlins? They've lost like 50 games in a row, and it doesn't help that they play in the world's crappiest ballpark. The Marlins now share last place with the Nationals, after being in second place back in May. Here is what the NL East standings look like as of right now:
National League
| East | W | L | PCT | GB | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia | 43 | 26 | .623 | - | ||||||
| Atlanta | 38 | 31 | .551 | 5.0 | ||||||
| NY Mets | 34 | 34 | .500 | 8.5 | ||||||
| Florida | 32 | 36 | .471 | 10.5 | ||||||
| Washington | 32 | 36 | .471 | 10.5 |
The problem with these standings is that the Phillies have been playing the Marlins, and the Mets have been playing the Braves, while the Nationals have been playing teams from other divisions. So while the other 4 teams switch positions in the standings, the Nationals just stay there at the bottom, not gaining any ground because the Phillies keep winning too. This weekend they will go back to inter-league play (which I HATE, but I won't get into that today), so that won't have much of an impact on the Nationals' place in the standings either (unless they lose and Philly keeps winning, then they'll be like 20 games out!).
And the Orioles? Well they've lost 4 in a row and are the other local team in last place in their division. But things are looking up for the Pittsburgh Pirates though, who are now 1 game above .500 and are only 4 games out of first place. There is no Clemente or Kiner on that team; heck, there isn't even a Bonds, Bonilla or VanSlyke. But they're not the Cardinals or the Brewers, so I will be happy that they are playing well.
Finally, I must brag about my son's Little League team making it to the finals of the city championship tournament! They won 11-10 last night, even though my little guy went 0 for 2. The championship game is this Saturday; let's hope this loud mom can keep her composure and not embarrass herself, her husband, or her kids!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
You Can't Make Me Like Someone!
One thing I've tried teaching my kids is that you don't have to like everyone, as long as you're nice to people and treat them with respect. That goes for adults too (although I'm not always nice to my ex-husband!), which means it's perfectly OK for me to not like Alex Rodriguez. I don't have to explain myself either; I don't have to tell you that he's an arrogant yet insecure idiot who just rubs me the wrong way. Last night I watched the Indians and Yankees on ESPN, which the Indians won 1-0. (By the way, it was the first 1-0 game in the new Yankee Stadium, which I found hard to believe!). Cleveland really needed to win that game, because Detroit had won their game and would have been in first place in the AL Central if the Indians had lost. So during the game, Derek Jeter hits a single, which is hit number 2,994. Then the analysts start saying how Jeter's chase for 3000 hits is overshadowing A-Rod's position in the all-time RBI leaders list. Who really cares that A-Rod is number 11 on the list with 1,871 runs batted in? I'm sure a lot of people do, but I really don't. He's only 33 RBIs away from passing Willie Mays, but again, it really doesn't matter to me. Could he someday pass Hank Aaron as the all-time RBI leader? Unlikely, but possible (Aaron finished his career with over 2,200 RBIs). And if it happens, I won't care either. I'm sorry; I don't mean to be callous, but I really don't like A-Rod (or "A-Fraud," like Joe Torre called him in his autobiography). And I'm perfectly fine with that!
Sunday, June 12, 2011
"Does This Uniform Make Me Look Fat?"
No athlete looks better in a uniform than a Major League baseball player getting ready for a game. His clothes are all neat and clean, his cap sits perfectly on his head, and his cleats are shiny and free from any clumps of mud on the bottoms. Even after a game, the dirt on his uniform is indicative of how hard he played and how exciting the game was, so that still makes him look OK. However, no one looks more foolish in uniform than a baseball player sporting a "retro" look. This past weekend, some Major League teams paid tribute to years past by wearing replicas from "way back then." The Nationals and Padres, for example, wore replica uniforms from the 1936 season, when the Washington Senators were the local team and the Padres played in the Pacific Coast League (they didn't join the Majors until 1969, in case you care). These uniforms were dull, ill-fitting, and just plain ugly. From the high stripey socks to the baggy tops, these guys just didn't look good. I guess the only team that would not suffer from wearing retro uniforms would be the Yankees, whose uniforms have remained unchanged throughout baseball history. Then in today's game, the Padres wore their "Sunday Camo" shirts, which are downright hideous. Last I knew, a Padre was a priest, not a soldier or a hunter or a redneck. I couldn't follow the game very well because the Padres players were camouflaged against the grass - who thought of THAT look? Then to make it worse, we thought we'd get a reprieve from the bad uniforms by going to a Frederick Keys game. Boy, was I wrong! The Keys were paying homage to the Negro Leagues, and they wore uniforms from the different Negro League teams. Now I'm all about recognizing the Negro Leagues - players like Satchel Paige and Jackie Robinson who played an integral role in baseball history - but did the Keys have to wear uniforms representing the Choo Choos, the Monarchs, and the Cubans? Plus no one had their names on their backs, and you know how I don't like that! Luckily both the Nationals and the Keys won their games, and it was a lovely night at the local minor league park. I guess it could be worse; the Astros aren't wearing the multi-colored horizontal stripe tops from the late 70s and the Pirates aren't bringing out the ball caps with the flat tops. Let's hope the Braves, Phillies and Royals don't decide to wear the bright blue unies from years past!
In other games today, there is a new leader in the NL Central, because the Brewers swept the Cardinals. They are half a game above the Cards, and 4 games above the Reds, who all of a sudden stink (I think I jinxed them by mentioning them here a few weeks ago). The Cardinals are going to be very angry when they visit DC this coming week; that will be an interesting series to watch. Let's see...what else?... The Yankees beat the Indians 9-1, so the suddenly-struggling Indians are tied with Detroit for first place in the AL Central. Derek Jeter is now at 2,993 hits, so by next week he should be at 3000. The Red-hot Red Sox have won 9 in a row and beat Toronto 14-1. And in Baltinore, the Rays beat the O's 9-6, which included an inside-the-park home run by Evan Longoria. Oh, and Francisco Liriano was 6 outs shy of pitching a no-hitter in the Twins' victory over the Rangers 6-1. It was definitely an action-packed Sunday in the Majors today!
So now I'm off to finish the laundry, which includes my son's baseball uniform. His regular season has ended, but he will be playing in a tournament tomorrow. Let's hope that Little League doesn't employ some sort of "retro uniform" day anytime soon; I couldn't bear to watch my little boy wearing a bright yellow jersey and green pants, reminiscent of the 1980 Oakland A's.
In other games today, there is a new leader in the NL Central, because the Brewers swept the Cardinals. They are half a game above the Cards, and 4 games above the Reds, who all of a sudden stink (I think I jinxed them by mentioning them here a few weeks ago). The Cardinals are going to be very angry when they visit DC this coming week; that will be an interesting series to watch. Let's see...what else?... The Yankees beat the Indians 9-1, so the suddenly-struggling Indians are tied with Detroit for first place in the AL Central. Derek Jeter is now at 2,993 hits, so by next week he should be at 3000. The Red-hot Red Sox have won 9 in a row and beat Toronto 14-1. And in Baltinore, the Rays beat the O's 9-6, which included an inside-the-park home run by Evan Longoria. Oh, and Francisco Liriano was 6 outs shy of pitching a no-hitter in the Twins' victory over the Rangers 6-1. It was definitely an action-packed Sunday in the Majors today!
So now I'm off to finish the laundry, which includes my son's baseball uniform. His regular season has ended, but he will be playing in a tournament tomorrow. Let's hope that Little League doesn't employ some sort of "retro uniform" day anytime soon; I couldn't bear to watch my little boy wearing a bright yellow jersey and green pants, reminiscent of the 1980 Oakland A's.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
How Can You Mend a Broken Heart?
Trading players is something that has been a part of baseball since the early days of the game. If a team's General Manager feels that his team is lacking in one aspect (be it pitching, hitting, or defense), he will search far and wide for a player who could fill the void and help produce a winning team. Trades don't always turn out equally, with one team ending up with the better end of a trade than the other team. 1997 comes to mind, when the Oakland A's traded Mark McGuire to St. Louis for 3 pitchers that no one ever heard of. Despite McGuire's steroid use, that trade ended up benefiting the Cardinals, who have performed well in recent years and even have McGuire as their hitting coach. Another infamous trade happened in 1991, where the Orioles sent Curt Schilling (before he got blood on his socks), Pete Harnisch, and Steve Finley to the Astros for Glenn Davis. And the 1990 trade where the Red Sox sent Jeff Bagwell to Houston for Larry Andersen? Not a good trade for the Sox! And of course, the most infamous trade of them all happened back in 1920, when the Red Sox sold Babe Ruth to the Yankees for some cash. We all know how that one turned out!
Those of us who follow specific players are inevitably affected by trades. You sometimes feel betrayed, like how could that player be treated like a piece of livestock? How can he just uproot his whole family and get used to playing in a whole new environment? How come no one asked me for my opinion on that trade before they went through with it? I bring up the subject of trades because there is a rumor floating around the Majors that the Nationals are looking to trade Iván Rodriguez. Yes, you heard right; my Pudge just may be finishing his career with another team that is not my hometown Nats! When Pudge signed with the Nationals in 2009, he signed a two-year contract. Everyone assumed that he would contribute to the team's offense and defense while mentoring young catchers. I also thought he would be groomed to become a future manager or coach, because like I've said before, catchers make the best coaches. Iván started with the Nationals with the personal goal of reaching 3000 hits, a feat that only one other Puerto Rican player has ever accomplished (shame on you if you don't know who that is!). But things haven't been going according to plan, with Iván sustaining a few injuries last year and having a terrible offensive season this year. Plus their other catcher, Wilson Ramos, is doing a fantastic job both offensively and behind the plate, and he looks to be holding his own. The "problem" with Iván is that despite being 39 years old, he can still throw out runners trying to steal bases. He can still squat for nine innings (he caught 13 innings last night), and he knows the pitchers and players better than anyone else in the game. While most catchers are relegated to other positions so they can extend their careers (Jorge Posada comes to mind), Iván can still catch and he can still do it well. So the Nationals are in a bit of a conundrum - what do we do with this old guy who grounds into so many double plays? We know he can still catch, but if Ramos is doing the job, why should we keep Iván around? Well, there's a team out west who just lost their star catcher for the rest of the season, and they may just be interested in a natural leader like Iván (that team is the San Francisco Giants, if you hadn't figured it out). And with good catchers being such a rare commodity, other teams might be interested in old Pudge as well. So we'll just have to see how this whole thing plays out - I hope the fact that Iván went 0 for 6 in yesterday's game makes other teams think twice about trading for him! Let Pudge finish out his year with the Nationals, so I can keep wearing my #7 jersey and continue to embarrass my husband during batting practice when I scream like a crazy woman while waving my large Puerto Rican flag. I have acquired a reputation with Iván and Alex Cora (the other Puerto Rican player in the Nationals); don't make me retire my flag just yet!
Those of us who follow specific players are inevitably affected by trades. You sometimes feel betrayed, like how could that player be treated like a piece of livestock? How can he just uproot his whole family and get used to playing in a whole new environment? How come no one asked me for my opinion on that trade before they went through with it? I bring up the subject of trades because there is a rumor floating around the Majors that the Nationals are looking to trade Iván Rodriguez. Yes, you heard right; my Pudge just may be finishing his career with another team that is not my hometown Nats! When Pudge signed with the Nationals in 2009, he signed a two-year contract. Everyone assumed that he would contribute to the team's offense and defense while mentoring young catchers. I also thought he would be groomed to become a future manager or coach, because like I've said before, catchers make the best coaches. Iván started with the Nationals with the personal goal of reaching 3000 hits, a feat that only one other Puerto Rican player has ever accomplished (shame on you if you don't know who that is!). But things haven't been going according to plan, with Iván sustaining a few injuries last year and having a terrible offensive season this year. Plus their other catcher, Wilson Ramos, is doing a fantastic job both offensively and behind the plate, and he looks to be holding his own. The "problem" with Iván is that despite being 39 years old, he can still throw out runners trying to steal bases. He can still squat for nine innings (he caught 13 innings last night), and he knows the pitchers and players better than anyone else in the game. While most catchers are relegated to other positions so they can extend their careers (Jorge Posada comes to mind), Iván can still catch and he can still do it well. So the Nationals are in a bit of a conundrum - what do we do with this old guy who grounds into so many double plays? We know he can still catch, but if Ramos is doing the job, why should we keep Iván around? Well, there's a team out west who just lost their star catcher for the rest of the season, and they may just be interested in a natural leader like Iván (that team is the San Francisco Giants, if you hadn't figured it out). And with good catchers being such a rare commodity, other teams might be interested in old Pudge as well. So we'll just have to see how this whole thing plays out - I hope the fact that Iván went 0 for 6 in yesterday's game makes other teams think twice about trading for him! Let Pudge finish out his year with the Nationals, so I can keep wearing my #7 jersey and continue to embarrass my husband during batting practice when I scream like a crazy woman while waving my large Puerto Rican flag. I have acquired a reputation with Iván and Alex Cora (the other Puerto Rican player in the Nationals); don't make me retire my flag just yet!
Sunday, June 5, 2011
On Purpose, but not Really?
The hit batsman is one of those controversial topics that has sparked many a lively debate among baseball players and enthusiasts alike for as long as the game has been played. Nolan Ryan, one of the best pitchers ever, has admitted to hitting batters intentionally with one of his pitches as a form of retaliation or revenge. Others say that no, pitchers just suffer from instant "control issues" and don't mean to hit anyone (yeah, right!). There hadn't been too much of a punishment for hitting a batter until recently, when Commissioner Bud Selig decided that he wasn't enough of a jerk yet, so he should institute "guidelines" and "penaltiess" for instances where a pitcher hits a batter. It used to be "part of the game," where a batter would get hit, he would glare at the pitcher, and the game would go on (with an occasional bench-clearing brawl). Nowadays, you get a warning, then you get ejected from the game. If your manager does his job and tries to go defend you, he gets ejected too. This is what happened in today's game between the Nationals and Diamondbacks, where 5 players were hit. After Jayson Werth was hit by starting pitcher Ian Kennedy, the Nats' Jason Marquis hit Justin Upton in the sixth inning and was ejected from the game. Jim Riggleman went out to defend his pitcher and was subsequently thrown out too. Then in the eighth, Danny Espinosa was hit for the second time, this time by D'backs' reliever Esmerling Vasquez. So both Vasquez and his manager, Kirk Gibson, were ejected then. It was a wild game, with the Nationals leading going into the bottom of the ninth, only to have the D'backs tie it and send the game into extra innings. How did the game end? With hottie Michael Morse hitting a Grand Slam (his second one this year) in the 11th inning and the Nats winning 9-4. It was one of those games that had everything - good offense, good defense, and lots of entertainment. If only every game could be this exciting!
In other action today, the Pirates lost to the Phillies 7-3 after taking the first two games of that series. Roy Halliday won the game, and is now 8-3. Sigh! And I can't believe I hadn't mentioned this player before, but Antonio Bastardo pitched in relief for the Phillies today - poor guy must have really gotten picked on with a last name like that! Just a little bit east of here, the Orioles lost to the Blue Jays 7-4 after having had such a good game yesterday. The Yankees beat the Angels 5-3, with Derek Jeter going 1-5 and standing at 2,986 hits.
Today was also my son's last game of his first season playing Little League. He had one hit and scored a run. His team didn't win a single game this season, but my son had fun and learned a lot. His team had many nice boys, one mean kid, and a girl who hit better than most boys her age. They learned how to play as a team, how to communicate while fielding, and how to run the bases. And in the entire season, not one of the kids got hit by a pitch!
In other action today, the Pirates lost to the Phillies 7-3 after taking the first two games of that series. Roy Halliday won the game, and is now 8-3. Sigh! And I can't believe I hadn't mentioned this player before, but Antonio Bastardo pitched in relief for the Phillies today - poor guy must have really gotten picked on with a last name like that! Just a little bit east of here, the Orioles lost to the Blue Jays 7-4 after having had such a good game yesterday. The Yankees beat the Angels 5-3, with Derek Jeter going 1-5 and standing at 2,986 hits.
Today was also my son's last game of his first season playing Little League. He had one hit and scored a run. His team didn't win a single game this season, but my son had fun and learned a lot. His team had many nice boys, one mean kid, and a girl who hit better than most boys her age. They learned how to play as a team, how to communicate while fielding, and how to run the bases. And in the entire season, not one of the kids got hit by a pitch!
Friday, June 3, 2011
One Streak, Two Streak, Red Streak, Blue Streak
There are certain streaks out there that I don't care to follow - the streak of gray hairs starting to show up on my head; the streaks of toothpaste on my kids' bathroom mirror; the streak of sunlight that comes in through my blinds and wakes me up on Saturday mornings. But in sports, we love to follow streaks. Consecutive games lost or won; consecutive runs, goals, or touchdowns scored; streaks of perfection and glory or streaks of defeat. Baseball nerds like myself love streaks, whether we follow consecutive-game hitting streaks (like Andre Ethier's 30-game one earlier this year); consecutive scoreless innings pitched (one of the earliest streaks I remember following back in the days of Orel Hersheiser); or consecutive games played (who could forget Cal Ripken's 2131 game?). We get excited with streaks, big or small, long or short. Which is why I am happy to say that Michael Morse of the Nationals has an 11-game hitting streak. You're probably thinking: "If Andre Ethier's streak went all the way to 30 games, why is an 11-game one so important?" Well in the grand scheme of things, it's not. But as a Nationals fan, I'm just going to bask in this one for as long as it continues. Morse is no DiMaggio, but he's a very good hitter and can play whatever position you ask him to play (he's currently in first base since Adam LaRoche is on the disabled list). And like I've mentioned before, he's quite a hottie. So yeay for Mr. Morse - let's hope his streak continues for a little while longer - us Nats fans need the excitement!
Speaking of the Nationals and streaks, they won their third game in a row last night by beating the first-place Arizona Diamondbacks 6-1. This sent the D-backs down to second place, half a game behind the Giants. Jordan Zimmermann finally got the offensive support he never gets, so he finally got a long-deserved win. Everyone is freaking out because Jayson "Werth-less" got hit by a pitch on the elbow, but if he sits out a game or two I don't consider that a big loss (though his fielding prowess will be missed more than his lack of hitting). I give the Nationals credit for hanging in there and playing decent baseball despite all their injuries, and I hope they do well on the rest of this road trip.
Speaking of players with admirable streaks, yesterday in 1941, Lou Gehrig died of Lou Gehrig's disease (he should have seen that coming!). "Sweet Lou" had a great career full of streaks (including a game in 1932 where he hit 4 consecutive home runs in a 20-13 Yankee victory), and is still considered to be one of the classiest players of the game.
Speaking of the Nationals and streaks, they won their third game in a row last night by beating the first-place Arizona Diamondbacks 6-1. This sent the D-backs down to second place, half a game behind the Giants. Jordan Zimmermann finally got the offensive support he never gets, so he finally got a long-deserved win. Everyone is freaking out because Jayson "Werth-less" got hit by a pitch on the elbow, but if he sits out a game or two I don't consider that a big loss (though his fielding prowess will be missed more than his lack of hitting). I give the Nationals credit for hanging in there and playing decent baseball despite all their injuries, and I hope they do well on the rest of this road trip.
Speaking of players with admirable streaks, yesterday in 1941, Lou Gehrig died of Lou Gehrig's disease (he should have seen that coming!). "Sweet Lou" had a great career full of streaks (including a game in 1932 where he hit 4 consecutive home runs in a 20-13 Yankee victory), and is still considered to be one of the classiest players of the game.
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