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Wednesday, May 30, 2012

[Insert Heartwarming Story Here]

As much as I enjoy the hustle of baseball - the double play, the triple, the base-stealing, the celebration at home plate after a walk-off home run - I am also a softy, and I enjoy the occasional heartwarming story about a baseball player who overcame some sort of odds to make it to the big leagues.  Well here's one I had to share; I dare you to not go "Awww!" at the end of it.

Myriam Preciado and Luis Solano raised 3 children in Colombia, a country not known as a breeding ground for professional baseball players.  Their two boys, Donovan and Jhonatan, were taught the game by their father, an electrician who had played baseball as a little boy.  They were both very talented, but Major League teams did not customarily have tryout camps in a place where soccer is the most popular sport played.  So when Jhonatan (the oldest of the 2 boys) found out there was going to be a tryout camp with Major League scouts in Venezuela, he was determined to get there to try out.  The problem was, he had no way of getting across the border.  So what did he do?  Jhonatan hitched a ride in a van that carried both produce and people.  He ended up riding next to the onions, so now he has been given the nickname of "Onion."

I don't know how Donovan made it to the big leagues (I couldn't find that information anywhere, so it clearly wasn't as dramatic!), but both brothers were signed by Major League teams - Donovan signed with the Marlins in 2005 and Jhonatan signed with the Nationals in 2006.  They both spent many years in the Minors, going from the Pacific Coast Rookie League to A ball and making it all the way to AAA.  Well earlier this month, 24-year-old Donovan got the call.  He made his Major League debut on May 21 as an outfielder for the Miami Marlins, and has gone 4 for 8 so far.  And 26-year-old Jhonatan?  Well he got the call a few days later, on May 28.  He made his Major League debut for the Washington Nationals last night...where?  In Miami!  Myriam and Luis got on the first flight they could get out of Colombia to watch their sons play against each other - mom wearing a Marlins jersey and dad wearing a Nationals one.  Donovan did not play in yesterday's game, but Jhonatan, a catcher, was able to pinch hit in the ninth inning with 2 out... and guess what?  He hit a double!  His parents were crying and cheering and acting all crazy happy like us Hispanics like to do. The only thing that could have made the game more exciting was if the Nationals had come from behind to win the game or if Donovan had played too, but they still have one more game to play tonight, so perhaps mom and dad will be able to watch both boys play at the same time.

So a big yeay for the Solano brothers - only the 12th and 13th players from Colombia to reach the Major Leagues (Edgar Rentería comes to mind as another one).  I hope they both have long and illustrious careers, and that Myriam and Luis can watch their sons play baseball for many years to come.

Aren't they cute?  I stole this photo from www.mlb.com.  I don't know if I'm allowed to do that, but I'm giving them credit and not charging money for people to look at it, so I think I'm OK.

Monday, May 28, 2012

"Harper Hustle"

One player I have been known to criticize often is Washington Nationals’ outfielder and 2010 first-round draft pick, Bryce Harper.  I have been outspoken about his attitude, his arrogance, and his immaturity, based in large part to his behavior off the baseball field since being drafted in 2010.  However, now that Harper has been in the Majors for over a month, I can honestly say that he is a good all-around baseball player.  In the 27 games in which Harper has played so far, he has a batting average of .287 with 29 hits, including 6 doubles, 3 triples, 4 home runs, and 11 RBIs.  He also has 2 stolen bases (including a steal of home plate) and an on-base percentage of .376.  Some other things that are impressive about the 19-year old “phenom” include:
·       Harper is very patient at the plate.  He has 14 walks so far, and batters who are that young often tend to swing at everything (which is probably why he has struck out 19 times so far); so the fact that he has allowed himself to be walked that many times shows that he is disciplined at the plate and selective as to when to swing the bat.

·       Bryce plays the game hard.  His hustle has been compared to that of Pete Rose (my husband agrees with that one), his running style and speed have been compared to those of Roberto Clemente, and his hunger to catch any ball that is hit to the outfield is comparable to that of Torii Hunter (though Harper is far from Gold Glove caliber).  The kid seems to give 100% of his effort all the time, whether at the plate, on the bases, or in the outfield.

·       Harper seems to know the game of baseball.  He’s not just raw talent; you can tell he’s had good coaches throughout his life and it’s obvious that last year’s minor-league experience helped him immensely.  He may be arrogant and cocky, but you can tell that he genuinely likes to play the game and takes it very seriously (now Bryce, honey, if you could only learn to hit the cut-off man when throwing from the outfield to home plate!).

Bryce Harper still has a lot of learning to do, especially since he grew up as a catcher and has been converted into an outfielder.  But if he continues to listen to his coaches (don’t try to stretch a double into a triple if Bo Porter tells you to stop running!) and keeps working this hard, Harper may become one of the game’s most exciting players to watch.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Is Carlos the New Iván?

If you're a regular reader of this blog (like Tom, Vic, and Harry - yes, these are real people I know!), it's no secret that I have a "thing" for catchers.  I've written tirelessly about how a catcher is the most important player on a baseball team; how I love watching a catcher nabbing someone during a stolen base attempt; and of course there's my unending crush on future Hall-of-Famer Iván "Pudge" Rodriguez.  Now that Iván has retired, I'm still in search of my new crush - the newest hottie who not only looks good in tight baseball pants, but can hit, field, and be philanthropic and socially aware (sorry, Derek; I can't bring myself to like you in that way!).  And no, he doesn't have to be a catcher - but it would be a plus.

Another thing that regular readers of this blog know is that I am an avid Phillies hater.  You can't possibly be a Nationals fan and like the Phillies - it's like being a Red Sox fan and thinking the Yankees are OK or being a Montague and inviting the Capulets over for afternoon tea.  I don't like Charlie Manuel, I REALLY don't like Cole Hamels, and I don't even really care for the green Philly Phanatic mascot.  But one thing I do like is a good baseball player, and the Phillies do have some of those.  Last year I voted for Placido Polanco for the All-Star Game at third base (no Phillies on my ballot this year), Shane Victorino is the best Hawaiian-born baseball player I've ever seen, and Hunter Pence has provided a solid presence in the outfield.  So there - I said nice things about Phillies players.  But don't get used to it!  :-)

There is one Phillies player though who has gotten my attention lately, especially after this week's three-game series between the Phillies and the Nationals.  Phillies' catcher Carlos Ruiz, who went 3 for 4 in Wednesday's game, is a solid all-around good baseball player.  "Chooch," as he's affectionately known to Phillies fans who scream "CHOOOOOCH" when he goes up to bat, was born in Panamá and is supposedly 5'10 and 205 pounds, (I think that was back when he debuted with the Phillies in 2006; I'd say he weighs more like 225).  Ruiz is third in batting in the National League, with a batting average of .357, 7 home runs, 9 doubles (which could have been triples if he didn't run so slow!), 29 RBIs, and an on-base-percentage of .407.  As a catcher, he has caught 13 runners trying to steal so far this season, which is fourth in the National League, and has 27 assists (third in the NL).  One statistic that I found interesting is that Ruiz leads the NL in being hit by a pitch, which has happened 5 times so far this season (perhaps he needs to move away from the plate a little - I don't think they're hitting him on purpose to get to Victorino).

So there you have it - there's a Phillies player out there that I actually like.  I even like the fact that he got mouthy with the home plate umpire the other day (too bad it got him ejected from the game!).  But there's one problem with Carlos Ruiz:  He looks more like a furniture delivery man or a butcher than a baseball player.  Good looks are not his forté.  So while I continue my quest to find a baseball player who is a "complete package," I will keep rooting for Ruiz, Weiters, Flores, Molina (both of them) and Posey.  And maybe, just maybe, a cute catcher will come along next year.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Time for me to Vote!

It's that time of year again, when www.mlb.com gives baseball fans the opportunity to vote online for their All-Star Game picks (do they even HAVE paper ballots anymore?).  As always, I take my right to vote very seriously, doing my research and trying not to vote for someone just because he's cute or nice or has a good-sounding name (like Coco Crisp or Rod Barajas). I also try to pick players from different teams, though by looking at my ballot you would think I was a die-hard Tigers or Cardinals fan. Oh, and no Phillies players - imagine that!  So here are my choices this year - hopefully you will agree with most of them (and please comment if you do or don't!):

AMERICAN LEAGUE
First base - Paul Konerko of the Chicago White Sox.  I could have voted for Fielder or Pujols, but why not vote for the guy with the .356 batting average?  He also has more home runs than Fielder and Pujols (7). so he gets my vote.
Second base - Robinson Canó (the only Yankee who ever gets my vote).  I voted for Robinson last year, and once again he deserves it, since he's currently batting a respectable .302.  Dustin Pedroia of the Red Sox is batting .310, but I like Canó better.  Sometimes it's not just about the batting average!
Shortstop - This was a toss-up between Elvis Andrus and Asdrubal Cabrera.  I voted for the Indians' Cabrera like I did last year, because he's batting .325 and I have a history of voting for guys whose last name is Cabrera.  No Jeters; just Cabreras.
Third base - another Cabrera - Miguel Cabrera of the Tigers.  Like HELL was I going to vote for A-Rod; "Miggy" got my vote because he's awesome.  Last year I voted for him at first base, and this year he's just as deserving at third.  His .311 average doesn't hurt either!
Designated hitter - I wanted to vote for David Ortiz, because everyone likes "Big Papi."  But instead, I voted for Andy Dirks of the Tigers.  Who?  Yes, he's a real person, and he's batting .370.  Better than Ortiz, better than Raúl Ibañez of the Yankees, but not likely to get picked because no one knows who he is.
Catcher - Joe Mauer of the Twins easily got my vote.  Not only is he batting an OK .275, but he has 2 stolen bases so far this season, which is admirable for a catcher.
Outfield (pick 3) - The Rangers' Josh Hamilton (duh!), Austin Jackson (my third Tiger), and Adam Jones of the Orioles.  Hamilton is having a crazy-great season, Jackson is batting .331, and Jones is my token Oriole (and deservedly so).

NATIONAL LEAGUE
First base - Adam LaRoche is the only Nationals player who got my vote.  He probably won't get to start (Joey Votto will), but with his .339 batting average, 7 home runs, and 1000 career hits, he deserves a start (even with his lack of personality)
Second base - The Marlins' Omar Infante gets my vote, since he's batting .336 with 6 home runs and has to put up with Ozzie Guillen every day. 
Shortstop - Rafael Furcal of the Cardinals is batting .370 - how could I NOT vote for him?  He's one of 3 Cardinals I chose.
Third base - I did NOT pick the Nationals' Ryan Zimmerman - just because you've been an All-Star before doesn't mean you automatically get my vote.  I had to pick the Mets' David Wright (sorry, Chipper!), because he's batting .402.  I'm pretty certain he will get the start.
Catcher - I had to go with the Puerto Rican, the Cardinals' Yadier Molina.  Despite looking like a thug with those ugly neck tattoos, Molina is a great catcher who is currently batting .301 with 4 home runs.
Outfield (pick 3) - Carlos Beltrán (another Puerto Rican Cardinal), Andrew McCutchen of the Pirates, and Matt Kemp of the Dodgers.  Beltrán is kicking ass this year with 13 home runs, McCutchen got my vote because he's so good against the Nationals, and Kemp - well, he's batting .359 with 12 home runs.

So there you have it, friends!  I hope you don't disagree with me too much - let me know what you think, and I will let you know how I did once the starting lineups are announced in late June.  In the meantime, make sure to check out some of the games between the Orioles and Nationals this weekend - they like to call it "The Beltway Series," and with both teams in first place in their divisions, they should prove to be exciting!

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Yeay Josh!

One of the things that people sometimes forget when thinking about professional athletes is that they are actual human beings.  They have tremendous talent, but also have feelings, have families, and make mistakes just like you and me.  So when you hear of a professional athlete besting the odds and doing something great after facing adversity, you tend to be glad for that person.  This is how I feel today - happy for Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton.  In yesterday's game hosted by the Orioles, Josh became only the 16th player in history to hit 4 home runs in one game (I remember watching the Braves' Bob Horner do the same thing when I was a little girl in the 80s, which is when my interest in baseball started).  Not only did Hamilton hit four home runs, but each one was a two-run homer and then he hit a double as well in the Rangers' 10-3 victory (and Orioles fans, the standing ovation you gave Hamilton despite your team losing at home was classy!).  Hamilton now has the American League single-game record for total bases with 18 and had a total of 8 RBIs.

After battling alcohol and drug addiction in the early 2000s and despite a couple of slip-ups in 2009 and February of this year, the 4-time All-Star and 2010 American League MVP is having a stellar year.  The Texas Rangers, under the ownership of Nolan Ryan and the management of Ron Washington (himself a recovered addict) have the best record in baseball.  I'm rooting for the Rangers in the AL Central and hope that Josh Hamilton continues to have an excellent year.  I know I'll be voting for Hamilton in my All-Star ballot!

Monday, May 7, 2012

"O" What a Game!

One of the many things I like about baseball is that for the most part, I know when a game is going to end.  If the home team is leading, the game only goes on for 8 1/2 innings.  If the visitors are leading, you go to the bottom of the ninth and hope that your team can make a comeback.  However, if the home team comes back to tie it, they have to go on to extra innings (not one of my favorite things).  At that point, you have no idea whether the game is going to end in the tenth, the thirteenth, or as was the case in yesterday's Orioles-Red Sox game, the seventeenth inning.  Yes, the first-place O's beat the struggling Red Sox in a six hour marathon, which my cousin-in-law said that at times it felt like watching a cricket match.  And sometimes, when you have these long games, you end up using up all your pitchers and the manager then has to get creative.  In yesterday's game, Orioles' manager Buck Showalter told DH and infielder Chris Davis to warm up and go pitch the sixteenth inning.  Davis had not pitched since his days in junior college back in 2006, but he surprised everyone with a 91mph fastball and a split-finger pitch that confused Red Sox batters.  Davis had gone 0-8 including 5 strikeouts, so why not try pitching, since hitting obviously wasn't going well?  The O's ended up winning 6-9, sweeping the Red Sox and winning their last 5 games.  I am very happy for the Orioles and their fans - I hope the players got a good night's rest and are ready to take on the 18-10 Texas Rangers at Camden Yards starting tonight.  Go O's!

But what about that other team in the DC area?  Well the Nationals (also in first place) had an interesting game last night, losing to the Phillies 9-3.  The game got testy right from the start, when Phililes' pitcher Cole Hamels deliberately hit Nationals' left fielder Bryce Harper on the back in the bottom of the first inning (Hamels admitted after the game that he did mean to hit Harper as a "welcome to the big leagues" gesture).  Harper answered by scoring a run, but not in a traditional fashion.  With Hamels distractedly throwing pickoff attempts to first base, Harper stole home and scored the Nationals' first run.  I was so excited to see such a seldom-done feat that I called everyone into the living room to watch the replay.  When I was a little girl, my father used to tell me how he saw Puerto Rican baseball player Victor Pellot (known in the US as "Vic Power") steal home twice in one game; now my son can tell his kids that he saw Bryce Harper do the same thing.  It was pretty cool!

Unfortunately, the game's excitement pretty much ended there for the Nationals (except for Nats' pitcher Jordan Zimmermann hitting Cole Hamels in the top of the third).  In the sixth inning, right fielder Jayson Werth broke his left wrist trying to field a ball - the same wrist he had broken before that caused him to miss the entire 2006 season.  While Werth's lack of hitting won't be missed, he is an excellent right fielder and will be hard to replace out there.  The Nationals lost 9-3, but they won the series and are still in first place.  Now they go on to Pittsburgh, where I have a bet going with a co-worker.  If the Pirates win the series, he owes me a cookie and vice versa.  I can taste the chocolate chips now...

So this whole thing about hitting batters on purpose... what's that all about?  Despite being female, I like to think that I know as much about baseball as many men out there; but this hitting batters thing, I think that's a guy thing that I'll never understand.  Nolan Ryan was a big bully in his day, hitting batters on purpose or pitching them way inside to make them flinch.  Why is that?  I find that so immature!  And then later in the game, the pitcher from the team whose batter was hit feels obligated to hit a batter too.  Then the umpires are obligated to issue a warning and the fans have to boo.  Is all this really necessary?  At least we don't have bench-clearing brawls anymore, like we did during the "steroid era" - I saw many a fight involving Manny Ramirez, Roger Clemens, and now-in-prison Lenny Dykstra.  Those episodes were considered "entertaining," yet one guy spits at an umpire and his Hall of Fame membership gets questioned!  Just because you're playing a boy's game doesn't mean you have to act like little boys - grow up and stop hitting each other!  That's about as stupid as the intentional walk!

OK, cleansing breath... time to think about more positive things, like the fact that Albert Pujols FINALLY hit a home run and Robinson Canó hit a grand slam yesterday.  See how exciting baseball can still be without people hitting each other?  Let's just all get along, and everything will be fine.

Friday, May 4, 2012

Ouch! That Had to Hurt!

As a former Athletic Trainer, I'm no stranger to sports injuries.  I've seen my share of sprained ankles, shin splints, tendinitis, and even had a gymnast once who showed up in the training room with an index finger that resembled the letter "L."  But there are some nauseating injuries that turn the stomachs of even the most seasoned sports medicine professionals.  While I don't remember Joe Theismann's broken leg in 1985, I do have three memorable sports injuries that have stayed in my mind despite having happened a long time ago.

In 1989, I remember watching Super Bowl XXIII and seeing this guy from the Cincinnati Bengals get his foot caught in the turf.  His ankle and lower leg did a full 180 degree rotation, and both bones in his lower leg were shattered (I had to Google the injury to know that the football player was Tim Krumrie).  It was the slow-motion replay that made the injury look so gruesome - everyone in my English class was talking about it the next day.

Also in 1989, San Francisco Giants pitcher Dave Dravecky snapped his upper arm in half after throwing a pitch to the Expos' Tim Raines.  Dravecky had just made a heartwarming comeback after a battle with bone cancer, and apparently his bones were still brittle from all the treatments he received.  Dravecky eventually had his arm amputated and I think his cancer even came back after that.

Then I remember the horse Barbaro breaking his right hind leg during the 2006 Preakness - that was one of those injuries that had you seething between your teeth going "Ooooh nooooo!"  The poor horse ended up undergoing all kinds of surgeries but had to be euthanized in 2007 because even though his right hind leg had completely healed, his other 3 legs had issues.  That had to stink!

Despite all these obvious injuries having a lasting impact on me, sometimes it's the injuries that you don't see that make you feel really bad.  Last year during the post-season, the Phillies' Ryan Howard ruptured his Achilles tendon while trying to run towards first base.  As soon as he fell to the ground, I thought "It's his Achilles, and he's going to be out for a long, long time."  Despite being a Philly-hater, I felt bad for Howard; rupturing your Achilles is no walk in the park.  Just ask Dan Marino. 

And how about Buster Posey's injury early last season after the Marlins' Scott Cousins brutally collided with him at home plate?  You didn't see an obvious injury, but from the looks of Posey writhing in pain, you could tell something was majorly wrong.  Fortunately for Posey, he's all better and playing quite well this year.  And I still think Cousins was a moron for sliding the way he did.

But not all baseball players are lucky enough to make a comeback like Posey.  Before yesterday's game between the New York Yankees and the Kansas City Royals, Yankees' closer Mariano Rivera was catching fly balls in the outfield during batting practice - something that relief pitchers commonly do while their teammates are taking BP.  Rivera lunged for a ball hit by Jayson Nix near the warning track in left-center field when his knee buckled and he lost his footing.  Mariano landed on the dirt and crumpled against the outfield fence, immediately grabbing at his right knee in agony.  Again, we didn't see any obvious body parts snapping or popping or turning every-which-way, but you couldn't help but feel bad when you saw the replay on TV.  He ended up with an ACL tear and a partial tear of his meniscus - the anterior crusciate ligament helps stabilize the knee and the meniscus helps to cushion the joint - and will likely undergo surgery very soon.

The 42-year-old rightie from Panamá is undoubtedly the greatest closer in baseball history.  "Mo" is currently the only player in Major League baseball wearing the number 42, which was Jackie Robinson's number.  Even though the number was retired all over the league, Mariano was allowed to keep his number since everyone knew he would be retiring in the next couple of years himself.  Unfortunately, that retirement may be coming sooner than expected.  Rivera is definitely out for the season, and it is just too soon to predict whether he will ever pitch in the Majors again. 

So here's something you won't see from me too often:  A tribute to a Yankee.  With help from baseball-reference.com, here are some of the highlights of Mariano Rivera's career:
  • played in 12 All-Star Games
  • was the 1999 World Series MVP and 2003 ALCS MVP
  • has a career record of 76 wins and 58 losses with an ERA of 2.21
  • has the most saves ever with 608!
  • has a post-season ERA of .70 with 42 saves!
  • has a career total of 1119 strikeouts (pretty good for a guy who only plays one or two innings a game!)
  • has pitched in 1,051 games, which is #1 for active pitchers and #8 overall
So as you can see, whether he makes a comeback or not, Mariano Rivera is bound for the Hall of Fame.  If he retires this year, he will be eligible for enshrinement in 2017, along with a certain catcher who retired earlier this year.  Hmmm... since I'll be in Cooperstown in 2017 anyway, I guess I'll get to watch Mariano being inducted as well!  And since Iván Rodriguez did play for a little while with the Yankees, he probably caught for Rivera once or twice, so that will be nice to watch!  (I really do try not to mention "Pudge" in every single blog, but it's like "Six Degrees of Separation" - you can't mention a future Hall-of-Famer without Iván's name coming up!).  Mariano will be in my prayers though; a potentially career-ending injury is no fun - even for a Yankee!