What I do During the Off-Season

Hello, MM followers!  You figured I couldn't stay away for the entire off-season, and you were right!  This time of year is actually a pretty busy one for the General Managers and front office staff of all Major League baseball teams.  Players have to be traded, free agents have to be signed, and season tickets have to be sold.  Josh Hamilton still needs to pick a team, the Washington Nationals still need to work out a deal with Gold-Glove winner Adam LaRoche, and Kevin Youkilis still needs to decide if he wants to wear Yankee pinstripes for a year since third base will be open for at least the first half of next season while A-Rod recovers from hip surgery (I wonder if A-Rod received the flowers I sent him - NOT!).

Speaking of Gold Glove, all the post-season awards were handed out shortly after the World Series ended.  You can go to this link to see a complete list of who won which award:

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/awards/y2012/index.jsp

I was happy to see several players from my Washington Nationals on the list - Rookie of the Year Bryce Harper (I was skeptical when they called him up from the minors back in May, but he really did have a great rookie season); Adam LaRoche (who won a Gold Glove, Silver Slugger, and Defensive Player of the Year for first base); Ian Desmond and Stephen Strasburg (who earned Silver Slugger awards for their positions); and NL Manager of the Year, Davey Johnson.  Orioles players were a-plenty as well (except for Buck Showalter, who should have gotten the AL Manager of the Year award), and the Giants' Buster Posey walked away with about 50 different awards (and he deserved every one of them!).

So the awards were handed out, the General Managers have been meeting, and "Dancing With the Stars" is over.  So how have I kept myself busy during the past month without live baseball on TV?  Here is a sampling of what I've been up to:

• I watched "The History of the World Series" on the MLB Network (channel 738 for local Comcast viewers - I bet you didn't even know you had that channel!).
• I watched "A History of the Major League Ballpark" on the MLB Network.
• I organized my baseball card binders and sent some cards to Beckett for encasing and grading (and many of them came back with not-so-good grades - a "4" for the Clemente my brother gave me for Christmas back in 1989?  Really???).
• I watched "Baseball by the Numbers" on the MLB Network
• I raked the leaves in the front yard.
• I decorated the house for Christmas.
• I watched "MLB Tonight" on the MLB Network.
• I went on WalMart's website and checked out their extensive array of Washington Nationals merchandise (and decided that Curly "W" curtains would not look good in my living room).
• I convinced my husband to run the St. Louis marathon with me next October.
• I contemplated going back to school and pursuing a Doctorate in Sport Management and Sport Theory but realized I couldn't do it for free.
• I watched "Baseball's Seasons" on the MLB Network
• I convinced my father to take us to a winter-league baseball game while we are visiting him and my mother in Puerto Rico.

So as you can see, I've kept myself plenty busy since the last out of the World Series was made.  And since pitchers and catchers can start reporting to their Spring Training locations starting on February 12 and the World Baseball Classic is less than 85 days away, I think I'll be fine for the next couple of months.  Stay tuned though, because the 2013 inductees into the Baseball Hall of Fame will be announced in early January, and I'm sure I'll have plenty to say about that!

Felíz Navidad, everyone!

The Top Ten Things I Learned From the 2012 Baseball Season

Another baseball season has come and gone, and as the San Francisco Giants celebrate their sweep of the Detroit Tigers to win the World Series, it is time for me to look back and reflect on what, if anything, I have learned over the past seven months.

1.  One player does not a team make.  The Washington Nationals made it to the playoffs without Stephen Strasburg being available to pitch in the last month of the season.  The Giants won the World Series despite Tim Lincecum's lousy year.  The Los Angeles Angels did NOT make it to the playoffs this year despite having Albert Pujols on their team.  This is why baseball is a team sport - it takes a nine-man lineup and a strong pitching staff (bullpen included) to win (or lose) a baseball game.

2.  David Freese and Marco Scutaro are both very good baseball players.  This past season, Freese hit .293 with 20 homers, 79 RBIs, 70 runs scored, and three stolen bases.  Meanwhile, Scutaro his .300 for the season, with 7 home runs, 70 RBIs, 87 runs scored, and 53 stolen bases.  These two guys are true athletes and also performed very well during the playoffs.

3.  They sell very yummy quesadillas at Nationals Park.  While many people go to baseball games and indulge in the traditional hot dogs or Cracker Jacks, I like trying out new things, and the chicken quesadillas at the "Taste of the Majors" concession stand were delicious!

4.  Baseball umpires really do a good job, and the playoffs were no exception.  While they are human and do make mistakes, there weren't any real major controversial calls this year.  Some may call that boring; I call it effective.

5.  The double play is still my favorite play in baseball.  Never mind the grand slam; never mind a player stealing home (that IS exciting, but it just doesn't happen very often).  Watching a well-executed double play just doesn't get old.  Speaking of double plays...

6.  The "infield fly rule" is dumb.   For those of you unfamiliar with it, the infield fly rule is intended to prevent infielders from intentionally dropping pop-ups in order to turn double or triple plays. Without this rule, a defense could easily turn a pop fly into a double play when there are runners at first and second base. If the runners stay near their bases to tag up, the defense could let the ball drop, throw to third base and then to second, for a force-out at each base.  If any of the runners stray too far from their bases, the defense could catch the pop-up, and double-off any runner who failed to tag up.  What's wrong with that?  It's called strategy, man!  If you are the runner, you need to pay attention; if you get doubled-up, that's your own darn fault!

7.  It is possible to get so consumed and caught up in a team's successes during the season that it affects your moods, your appetite, and your sleep pattern.  Then when that team is done for the season because of a heartbreaking loss during the playoffs, it also affects your moods, your appetite, and your sleep pattern.  Luckily there are four months left until Spring Training, so you have plenty of time to get your moods, appetite, and sleep pattern back to where they should be.

8.  Tim McCarver needs to retire from doing color commentary for the FOX network during the playoffs.  He may be a former catcher, but he's old, crotchety, and he jinxed Ryan Vogelsong's no-hitter in game 6 of the NLCS.  I'm not the only one who thinks so either; Don Cherry of the Huffington Post (www.huffingtonpost.com) said that Tim McCarver "has lost his feel for baseball."  Now, I know that the Huffingon Post is not the top authority in all things baseball, but I had to find someone out there who agreed with me.  Hang 'em up, Tim; your glory days are long-gone!

9.  On the flip side, MASN Sports' Bob Carpenter and FP Santangelo really grew on me this past season (not just because I got to meet them!).  They are funny, lighthearted, knowledgeable, and Santangelo (the former player) doesn't get all anecdotal nor does he bore us with stories of "back in the day when I used to play" (which has been my problem with Jim Palmer and the main reason I have to watch Orioles games on "mute" when he's announcing).  Since the days of Joe Morgan and John Miller doing the ESPN game of the week are gone, Bob and FP are now my favorite broadcast team.

And finally...

10.  Stan Musial (91) and Bobby Doerr (94) are not dead.  Other old basebll players I was surprised to learn are still alive include Ralph Kiner (90), Red Schoendienst (89), and Sandy Koufax (only 76).  Who knew?  Willie Mays is still around too - he's 81 and still saying "hey!"

I hope you enjoyed my blog posts during this past season - I am definitely grateful for you all reading them and therefore putting me above 2,000 views in only two seasons.  I will probably post a few times during the off-season as trades and free-agent signings start happening (and hopefully after Bryce Harper gets the Rookie of the Year award or Gio Gonzalez gets the Cy Young), and I will fill you in on the World Baseball Classic, which is played every 4 years and will be expanded for the 2013 season.  In the meantime, watch some football and enjoy the upcoming holidays with your family.  Signing off for now,

Mudville Mom  :-)

In the Blink of an Eye...

Hello, my friends.  I know I haven’t posted in a while, but I was so caught up in the baseball playoffs that I wasn’t sure what to write about – the surprising Oakland A’s, the feisty Orioles, the Strasburg-less Nationals…  But as a true Nationals fan, I have to accept what happened Friday night, and I’m hoping that by writing about it, I can move on and look forward to next year’s baseball season.

The Nationals went into the post-season with the best record in baseball – 98 wins that surprised many skeptics who had said that the Nationals were too young, too inexperienced, and relied too much on their pitching.  But regular-season records and statistics are erased come October, when everyone starts with a clean slate (including major-league-leading 21-game winner, Gio Gonzalez, who was less than stellar in his two post-season starts).

In game 1 of the National League Division Series (NLDS), the Nationals beat the St. Louis Cardinals by a score of 3-2.  This despite Bryce Harper going 0-5, Gonzalez walking 7 batters in 5 innings, and 10 runners left on base.  It was Tyler Moore’s 2-run single in the 8^th inning that made the difference, and it was all the Nats needed to squeak by the Cards, who also didn’t play particularly well on that day.

In the second game, the Cards won by a score of 12-4, thanks to two home runs by outfielder Carlos Beltrán.  The Nats left 9 runners on base that night – again, a game they did not play very well.

For game 3, the Nationals came home to DC but still lost 8-0.  The Cardinals had 14 hits, and their starter, Chris Carpenter, pitched 5 2/3 innings very well despite having missed most of the regular season with injuries.  This time, the Nationals left 11 players on base (are you sensing a pattern here with the LOB?).  For sure, the Nationals were playing so lousy that they were certain to be eliminated in game 4.

However, in game 4, after Jordan Zimmermann and Tyler Clippard each struck out their 3 batters in relief, Jayson Werth hit a towering home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Nationals a 3-1 win.  It was one of those moments you’ll never forget, whether you were one of the lucky 45,000 fans to be at Nationals Park that night or whether you were watching at home.  It’s right up there with Kirk Gibson’s home run in the NLCS back in 1988 and Curt Schilling’s bloody sock in the 2004 postseason.  The Nationals were still alive, and all of a sudden everyone thought they could beat the Cardinals in game 5 and move on to face the San Francisco Giants in the NLCS.

But as memorable as game 4 was because of Werth’s home run, game 5 will go down in Nationals infamy as the biggest heartbreak in the team’s short history.  In the top of the ninth inning, with the Nationals leading 7-5 and one more out to go before they could clinch their division, Nationals’ closer, Drew Storen, loaded the bases.  Then the Cardinals’ Daniel Descalso ripped a two-run single off the glove of shortstop Ian Desmond, bringing in two runs to tie the game.  Pete Kozma then followed with a two-run single to right, and before you knew it, the Nationals trailed by two.

The Nationals were unable to get on base in the bottom of the ninth, so just like that, the Cardinals move on to the NLCS.  It was a stunning and crushing loss, and some of us still can’t believe that the team that we supported all season is all done for the year.

So now what?  With both the Orioles and the Nationals being eliminated on the same day, what are DC/Baltimore fans supposed to do now?  Well I, for one, am going to root for the Detroit Tigers (though I seldom root for an American League team).  I’m going to keep watching the next 2 weeks of baseball (hoping that the Yankees choke and that Verlander, Cabrera, and Fielder can put on a good show), and I’m going to look forward to next year, when my husband and I can buy another five-game ticket plan, pitching ace Stephen Strasburg will hopefully be able to pitch for a full season, and most of the players in the Nationals team will be returning next year.  Their fans will still be here (including the new ones who joined the bandwagon this season); wearing our Nationals jerseys with pride and showing off our NATTITUDE. 

So stay tuned, amigos - I'm sure I'll still have plenty to say during the playoffs!  :-)

"You Don't LOOK Hispanic!"

One of the many great things about sports is that people of different races, religions, and ethnic backgrounds can play together regardless of their differences.  Gone are the days when Jackie Robinson was spit on by racist fans. Blacks and whites, Hispanics and Canadians, Christians and Jews - they can all play together in unified harmony.  Rivalries exist between cities and their teams - not races and their skin colors.

But despite integration, some ethnic groups still like to single themselves out, and they do so with plenty of pride.  For example, each February during Black History Month, the media floods us with movies, biographies, and stories of great African-American people in history.  In September, which is Hispanic Heritage Month, different cities around the country have "Latino Festivals," baseball teams have "Hispanic Heritage Day" at their ball parks, and newspapers feature stories of Hispanic activists who have made a difference in their communities.  We like blending in with the masses, but we also take pride in who we are and from where we came.

In commemoration of Hispanic Heritage Month, Major League Baseball polled a "series of experts" to put together the "All-Time Latino Team."  Being a proud Puerto Rican, I was very interested to see how many of my fellow islanders had made the list and if I agreed with everyone who was selected.  As I read down the list, I pretty much agreed with the "experts" on the different legendary players chosen.  It wasn't until I got towards the end that my face got red, my eyes bulged out of my head, and I got downright angry.  I was so taken aback by two of the selections that I had to go down to the basement so my kids didn't see how upset and wound up I was (I know; it's only a list, but you know me - I'm pretty passionate about all things baseball).  Here is the All-Time Latino Team - see if you can guess what set me off:

Manager - 1994 Manager of the Year Felipe Alou.  It was probably between him and Ozzie Guillen, so I was OK with Alou.

Right-handed pitcher - Juan Marichal.  With his career ERA of 2.29, he deserves to be there over Pedro Martinez.

Left-handed pitcher - Fernando Valenzuela.  Yeah, I can see that, even though "Lefty" Gomez and Johan Santana could have made it too.

Relief pitcher - Mariano Rivera hands-down.  That guy is some sort of alien or superhuman or something.  I wouldn't be surprised if he came back after his knee injury and pitched game 7 of the World Series this year.

Designated hitter - Edgar Martinez, whose .312 career batting average and .418 on-base percentage make him worthy of being on the list (though some would argue that "Big Papi" David Ortiz is also qualified).

Catcher - 12-time All-Star Iván Rodriguez.  Hello!  No-brainer!  If "Pudge" hadn't been selected, I would have exploded.  Javy Lopez, Yadier Molina, Jorge Posada and Manny Sanguillen would have also been good choices, but Iván deserves it, hands-down (actually, one hand behind your back and the other  framing the next pitch!)..

First base - Three-time National League MVP, Albert Pujols.  I'm OK with this one.  It would have been nice to see Orlando Cepeda or Vic Power, but Albert is a true talent, so he deserves to be there.

Second base - 2011 Hall of Famer Roberto Alomar.  Another no-brainer, though Robinson Canó is turning out to be just as good.

Third base - Alex Rodriguez.  Sigh!  Whatever.  I was still feeling OK at this point despite not being a fan of A-Rod.  Plus, A-Rod is not worth my time, so I refused to stress out about that one.

Shortstop - Nine-time Gold Glover Luis Aparicio.  That's fine, though Omar Vizquel is the best shortstop of my generation.  Still feeling OK with the list so far.

Right field - Roberto Clemente.  Duh!  Again, if he had not been chosen, I would have had such a fit that I would have requited a massive dose of sedation.

OK, now here's where I have a problem with the list.  The other two outfielders selected were Ted Williams and Reggie Jackson!  Who???  What the heck?!?  Since when are THEY considered "Latinos?"  Apparently Ted Williams' mother was "of Mexican descent," and Reggie Jackson's father was half Puerto Rican.  What about current players like José Bautista and Carlos Beltrán?  Or past players like  Minnie Miñoso, Vladimir Guerrero, Rubén Sierra, Bernie Williams or José Cruuuuuuz?  Ted and Reggie... really???  Ted Williams admitted that he didn't speak Spanish or seek to embrace the Hispanic culture in order to prevent prejudice or tension (a valid point back in the day, if you're a coward!).  Reggie Jackson speaks some Spanish and his first wife was Hispanic, but at no point during his time playing winter baseball in Puerto Rico was it publicly acknowledged that he was a Latino.  I thought "If they're considered Hispanic, then I'm the 'reina de Inglaterra' (Queen of England, for those of you who don't "habla español)."  So I went to bed in a tizzy, promising myself to write about it the next day.

So it's now the next day, and I've had some time to ponder.  What makes one person more "Hispanic" than another?  Is it the quantity of "hispanicness" in your genetic makeup, or the quality of your life and the way you were raised?  I am 100% Puerto Rican, with parents whose ancestors date back to the native Taíno Indians who lived on the island before Christopher Columbus arrived or back to the Spanish "conquistadores" who brought African slaves with them and settled on the island.  But it's not so cut-and-dry for other Hispanics.  My kids, for example, have a Puerto Rican mother and a white-as-can-be father.  Are they any less Hispanic than me?  How about the people I knew when I lived in Massachusetts, whose parents were both Puerto Rican but they themselves were born on the mainland and had never been to Puerto Rico - are they less Puerto Rican than Roberto Clemente, who was of African lineage?  They speak the language, eat the food, and listen to the music of their fellow Puerto Ricans, but are they less "boricua" because they've never been to Puerto Rico?  Don't try to tell them that they are - they will run you out of town while furiously waving their one-starred flags!

I guess what bothers me the most is that, while Williams and Jackson were great players in their time, did they embrace their Hispanic heritage?  Were they Latinos first and foremost?  Do they know the National Anthem of their country and proudly fly its flag?  They don't have to be fully bilingual nor do they have to eat re fried beans (which I don't eat myself); they just need (or needed, in Williams' case) to embrace their culture, take pride in their heritage, and represent their ethnicity with dignity.  While some would argue that ethnicity should not matter, It does matter to those of us who take pride in ours, and if you don't want us to single ourselves out, then don't be putting together an all-time greats list that singles out a certain ethnicity.

Stay tuned for my analysis and opinion after Major League Baseball releases its "All-Time Jehovah's Witness Team" and "All-Time Vegetarian List."

Our Last Trip to the Ballpark (maybe!)

This past Saturday, my husband and I went to our fifth and final Nationals game of the regular season.  It was a warm afternoon, and Nationals Park was packed with over 40,000 fans hoping to watch Nationals’ pitcher Gio Gonzalez earn his 20^th win of the season, this time against the Milwaukee Brewers.  Yes, the “Brew Crew” was in town, the team leading the Majors with 150 stolen bases and an impressive 188 home runs (despite losing Prince Fielder in the off-season).  The team with Ryan Braun, Rickie Weeks, and Jonathan Lucroy.  This was a great day to be at the ball park.

Gonzalez and the Nationals did not disappoint.  Not only did Gio pitch 7 great innings with no earned runs and 5 strikeouts, but the Nationals’ bats were on fire, with Ryan Zimmerman and Ian Desmond both hitting 3-run homers in the same inning against former Nats’ pitcher Liván Hernandez.  Poor Livo’s fastball doesn’t go over 85mph and his curveball travels slower than a car on the interstate at 63mph.  Time for Liván to retire, perhaps?

The Nationals beat the Brewers by a score of 10-4 and have a “magic number” of six in order to clinch the National League East division.  Gio Gonzalez has undoubtedly been one of the reasons the Nationals have spent most of the season in first place in their division, and is a top contender for this year’s Cy Young award.  I did recently hear former Red Sox player Nomar Garciaparra comment on TV that Gio doesn’t deserve the Cy Young award because he pitches for a winning team.  He believes that the Mets’ R.A. Dickey, a “one-trick pony” with a knuckleball that hitters have started to decipher, should get the award because he’s pitched well despite playing for a losing team.  Sorry, Nomar – you don’t know what you’re talking about, you fool!  It’s going to be a toss-up between Gio and the Reds’ Johnny Cueto – who both pitch for winning teams (the Reds just clinched the NL Central). 

So anyway, back to Saturday’s game… yes, it was our last one of the regular season, and we opted to not buy tickets for the postseason just yet, since they’re only selling tickets for the division series and we’d rather spend our money on tickets for the NLCS (one of those unfortunate decisions that responsible adults have to make).  We are very happy that we bought a five-game flex plan for the first time this year, and that we were able to watch baseball greats like Stephen Strasburg, Derek Jeter, Joey Votto, and Ryan Braun.  We always had very good seats, and getting in and out of the park (whether we took Metro or parked in a nearby lot) was never an issue.  Despite Saturday’s sellout crowd, Nationals Park is roomy enough where we did not feel cramped or too crowded (something I don’t suspect happens at Fenway, Wrigley, or Camden Yards) and the lines at the concession stands moved quickly (unless the lady behind you takes your food before you can grab it – that witch!)  If you get a chance to catch a playoff game at Nationals Park, go for it.  You’ll get to watch racing presidents, the atmosphere will be electric, and hopefully, like the Nats’ radio announcer Dave Jageler would say, you will witness the Nationals putting “another curly ‘W’ in the books.”

"Steeee-rike one!"

In the 100-plus posts that I've published as Mudville Mom, I have tried to cover many aspects of the game of baseball - my joy in watching a perfectly-executed double play; the hobby of collecting baseball cards; my fascination (or infatuation!) with catchers; and how much I dislike the Phillies and Yankees.  But there's one topic I haven't covered yet, and watching yesterday's Washington Redskins/LA Rams game gave me the inspiration to write about officiating (I won't get into the terrible job that the replacement refs are doing in the NFL - that's a whole other can of worms!).

According to MLB.com, Major League baseball umpires get around $120,000 per season when they start out in the big leagues, and senior umps can earn upwards of $300,000.  Between spring training, a 162-game schedule, and the postseason, being an MLB umpire is a job that takes up most of the year (unlike NFL refs, who can hold other jobs - and if I'm not mistaken, is one of the issues they're dealing with in these ongoing negotiations between the NFL and the referees' union).   So despite not making as much money as the baseball players themselves, umpires are well cared-for while on the road.  Each ump gets a $340 per diem to cover hotel and food, and when they fly, it's always first class. Working a full postseason can tack on an extra $20,000, plus expenses. They also get four weeks of paid vacation during the regular season, which I think is quite excessive when the season is only six months long (I work a 180-day schedule at a high school - imagine if I asked my principal for four weeks of paid vacation during the school year!).

These guys hang onto their jobs, too; on average, there's only one opening for a new big league ump each season.  Joe West, for example, has been umpiring Major League baseball games since the days of Pete Rose and Johnny Bench (34 years) and Derryl Cousins has been calling plays for 33.  Umpiring can run in the family too - Harry Wendelstedt umpired for many years, and his son, Hunter, is an umpire now as well.

But one thing these guy aren't is perfect.  They have been known for making bad calls countless times, most recently in last Saturday's Nationals-Braves game, where the first base umpire claimed that Adam LaRoche's foot was off the base when Martín Prado reached the base, when we know it really wasn't.  The problem is, the reason we know that LaRoche's foot was indeed on the base is because we saw the replay at least six times, including in very slow motion.  Umpires don't have the benefit of replay (except in home run calls, when a team can appeal the call and the umpires go into their clubhouse and review the tape).  Often times the play is so close that they have to make a guess, and other times they have to judge by the sound of the ball hitting the glove instead of by looking at the play. 

While we love to boo and heckle umpires, I think they do a pretty good job overall.  While some people believe that instant replay needs to be expanded and umpires should be allowed to review calls other than in home run situations, I think having them go off into the clubhouse to review every disputed play would make a baseball game last an eternity.  Instead, I do think that they should show a play on a scoreboard's Jumbotron or Diamond Vision or whatever it's called.  That way everyone, including the umpires, can see a replay in a timely manner and umpires can change the call right away.  This wouldn't take long, but then I wonder if umpires would rely on it too much.   Although nothing shatters an umpire's ego more than having to admit a mistake and change a call.

One of the reasons that many of us die-hard baseball fans enjoy the game so much is that in many ways, it has gone unchanged over the years.  Yes, the Designated Hitter has only been around for 39 years, and yes, the new Wild Card and playoffs formats are ridiculous.  But the managers don't wear headsets or use iPads - they still tap their ball caps, point to their noses and ears, and brush their shoulders to send signals to their players.  And the umpire is still the big guy behind the plate - the one who decides fair or foul, swing or no swing, go to first or go sit down.  Day in and day out (except for those 4 weeks of vacation), whether you like them or not.  boo them or cheer their call, spit on them or kick dirt on them, umpires will always be there to make the call.  Now whether or not it's the right one... well, that depends for which team you're cheering!

A Tale of Two Teams

Baseball fans in the Baltimore/Washington, DC area have not had much to cheer about in the past few years.  In Baltimore, once Cal Ripken retired, sports fans shifted their attention to football and the Baltimore Ravens.  In DC, the team that came over from Montreal had some pretty lousy seasons, and the hopes of glory faded in 2010 when pitching ace Stephen Strasburg required season-ending Tommy John surgery.

But wait!  Who is that team currently tied for first place in the AL East?  It's the Baltimore Orioles, under the leadership of former Yankees manager, Buck Showalter.  With the never-give-up attitude and 28 home runs by Adam Jones and the recent power surge from the previously-slumping Mark Reynolds, the Orioles are playing meaningful baseball for the first time in about 15 years.  The "birds" are filling their cozy ballpark with excited fans and unveiling statues of past Orioles greats like Frank Robinson, Eddie Murray, and their most recent addition, "Iron Man" Cal Ripken.  Orioles fans, born and bred in the suburbs of Baltimore or in the Charm City itself,  grew up cheering for these legends, and their storied past (forget the 1969 World Series!) has had many loyal fans who love to tell "I remember when..." stories about their team.

Then there's the other baseball team just as far from my house - the First-place-in-the-NL-East Washington Nationals.  They have led the National League in ERA all season long, and the team features superstars like Gio Gonzalez (my pick for this year's Cy Young award - forget the Reds' Johnny Cueto), teen phenom Bryce Harper who has hit 17 home runs in his short time in the Majors, and of course that Strasburg guy who has recovered very nicely from that elbow surgery he had 2 years ago.  But the Nationals don't have a storied past - most people like to forget that the team came here from Montreal, so they have no memories of nail-biting games, pennant races, crazy uniforms in the 1970s (those blue things the Expos wore back then don't count), or slug fests in the early 1990s.  While the Nationals do have die-hard fans, we did not grow up following the hometown hero or the long-time franchise player.  Our only "I remember when" moments refer to the few years the Nationals played at RFK Stadium, which are years we'd rather forget.

Another problem that the Nationals have attracting fans is that many residents of the DC area are transplants from somewhere else.  Many government employees end up here because of work - military personnel from Ohio (who follow the Indians or Reds); NIH doctors who were brought up as Yankees or Red Sox fans; Pentagon employees who can't tell you what team they root for or they'd have to kill you; and IRS employees who don't follow any teams (because they don't have any fun doing anything but auditing us baseball fans).

While the Orioles have no trouble selling out their park, the Nationals have had very few sellouts this season. Go to Philadelphia on a Tuesday night and the park will be full.  Do the same thing at Nationals Park and you're lucky if you have 22,000 people there (and the expensive seats are full of uptight government workers who won't take off their ties and spend the entire time texting during the game).  DC is still lukewarm about the Nationals, which is a terrible shame for a team that has been so consistent and is so talented.  When the Orioles play at Nationals Park, half the stadium is wearing red while the other half is in orange and black.  But when the Nats go to Camden Yards, there is only a handful of Nationals fans who choose to make the quick drive into Baltimore.

Yankees and Red Sox fans are known for being passionate and outspoken.  Orioles fans are notoriously excited any time their team wins anything.  Phillies fans - they're just obnoxious.  But Nationals fans seem to be just "there" - we need to get more excited, more united, more animated.  Why?  Because this team is going to the playoffs, and we need to fill the seats with red shirts and loud cheers.  In this case, quantity is more important than quality - I don't care if you're a bandwagon fan who only wants to root for the Nats when they win (us die-hards will still be here in 20 years).  The team's slogan for this season has been "Ignite your Nattitude," and that's something we need to do more of as the playoffs get closer.

Not Just on the Fence, but WAAAY on the Fence!

I'm the type of person who can't always make up her mind about certain things.  At times, when my husband asks me where I want to go out to eat, I give him the dreaded "I don't care."  When he asks me where I want to go for a leisurely run, I'll say "I don't know; wherever."  That's not to say that I'm always indecisive - when I crave a certain food, that may dictate the restaurant I would like to visit.  Or if I can't decide between which two pairs of shoes to buy, I can usually make up my mind pretty easily (buy both pairs; duh!).  But this situation with Nationals' pitcher Stephen Strasburg has me in a real quandary.

For those of you unfamiliar with "Stras" and his current situation, here's a little bit of background:  The Washington Nationals drafted Stephen in the first round of the 2009 Major League Baseball draft out of San Diego State University.  Stras had two years of collegiate pitching experience and was part of the 2008 US Olympic team that lost to Cuba in the Beijing Olympics.  He was the most closely-watched pitcher in draft history, and when the Nationals signed him ($15 million for 4 years), great things were expected of Strasburg.

So the kid gets to make his Major League debut in June of 2010 and is an instant sensation.  He struck out 14 batters in his debut on June 9 and 32 batters in his first 3 Major League starts.  The guy was practically unhittable!  Well, in August of that year, Stephen ends up tearing a ligament in his throwing elbow, which required Tommy John surgery (a procedure where they take a ligament from somewhere else in your body or from a cadaver and attach it to your elbow).  This surgery requires a lot of rehab - usually a year or so. 

So in August of 2011, Strasburg made his comeback by starting a rehab assignment with the single-A Hagerstown Suns (a game that my husband and I attended).  Stras made 5 other minor-league starts and moved up to the majors in September, where he pitched 24 innings in 5 starts.  Strasburg was doing OK; his elbow had healed nicely and big things were expected from him for the 2012 season.

So how has Strasburg done this year?  Pretty well, thanks.  The rightie is 15-5 so far, with a 2.85 ERA and 183 strikeouts in 145.1 innings pitched (leading the National League in Ks).  Stras was named to this year's All-Star team, and he has even had one home run as a batter.  Now here's the big dilemma:  Because of his recovery from Tommy John surgery, Nationals' General Manager, Mike Rizzo, has said since the beginning of the season that he is going to pull Strasburg after reaching a limit of 160 or so innings.  This is what they did to Nationals' pitcher Jordan Zimmermann last year after having had the same surgery in 2009.  Zimmermann was pulled last August and no one seemed to notice.  However, because the Nationals are in first place in the NL East and are more than likely going to the playoffs, this is, by far, the most heated debate going on in the DC area today (despite being an election year).

So is Mike Rizzo right in pulling Strasburg before the season is done?  (The way it looks now, Strasburg probably only has 2 or 3 more starts left).  This is where many ardent Nationals fans have their definite opinions.  I, however, ardent a fan as I am, am very indecisive as to what the right thing to do is.  Those who agree with Rizzo think that Strasburg is an investment that needs to be managed carefully (like that stock you may have bought in Facebook - don't you feel stupid now?).  If he pitches too much too soon after surgery, he could injure his shoulder or suffer from fatigue next year (Jordan Zimmermann, in this his first full season since his surgery, is starting to exhibit signs of exhaustion, and they will definitely need him during the playoffs).  The Nationals have plenty of pitching depth in the minor leagues, and with other excellent starters like Gio Gonzalez (who is having a Cy Young-type of season), they should be fine in the playoffs. 

On the other side of the debate are those (like my husband and my friend Bernie) who think it's preposterous to sit the guy out during the playoffs, an event that DC fans have been waiting for since the team moved here from Montreal in 2005.  If Strasburg is shut down and the Nationals don't make it too far in the playoffs, the 2013 season will be a long one, and it will be full of high expectations.  The Nationals will be under the type of pressure under which they've never been, and if they don't make it to the playoffs in 2013, a lot of the bandwagon and casual fans will lose interest.  It's a "now or never" attitude that many Nats fans have - pitch him now or we'll never ever be in the playoffs again! 

Some people have even opined that because the world is going to end on December 12 according to the Mayan calendar, he should be allowed to pitch because he's not going to be back next season anyway.  I had to laugh at that one!  Others have said that Strasburg should be shut down now and then brought back in October.  That may work for a veteran pitcher, but remember, this guy is only 24 years old and is still learning how to pitch in the Majors.  You don't just sit there for a month and then be expected to perform at your best right away.

So what do I think?  As a former Athletic Trainer, I understand Mike Rizzo's argument.  He has been crystal clear about Strasburg's pitch count since Spring Training, and he has not backed down from his decision.  He also gets credit for being up-front with the media and with fans, which is something that GMs are not normally known for doing.  But then again, I am a very competitive person (ask my husband, who knows how cranky I get when I lose in "Seinfeld Scene-It"), and I of all people really really want the Nationals to go on to the World Series.  Does one guy make a difference in a 25- or 40-man roster?  I'd like to think not.  Plus the Nationals have a very strong bullpen, so even if the starters can't get it done, the bullpen can save the day.  It's not like I'm neither here nor there about it - that would mean I didn't care.  I'm just weighing the pros and cons and just can't come up with a definite opinion.  I bet Stephen Strasburg will be shut down, and us fans are just going to have to accept it.  Here's to the last six weeks of the regular season, and to the Nationals hanging in there (with or without Strasburg) and making it to the playoffs.  The best of the season is yet to come!

Delay? What Rain Delay?

My fourth trip to Nationals Park this year turned out to be a long but exciting day.  When we arrived at the park on Sunday morning, the sky was ominous-enough that batting practice was canceled.  Around noon, the grounds crew brought out the tarp that covers the infield, because it had started raining pretty steadily.  After a 2-hour and 26-minute rain delay, Gio Gonzalez won his 16th game of the season -- a team record -- as the Nationals defeated the New York Mets, 5-2.  The Nationals improved their record to 75-46 and now have a five-game lead over the Braves, who were shut out by the Dodgers, 5-0, on Sunday. The Nationals next play the Braves in an important three-game series beginning Monday at Nationals Park.

But the rain delay wasn’t so bad, because it wasn’t raining too hard, so we were able to go to our seats in section 133 and take cover under our huge umbrella.  The Nationals people were nice enough to show the Braves-Dodgers game on the scoreboard screen, so we kept ourselves entertained watching that (at least I did, while my husband took a nap).  When Luis Cruz of the Dodgers hit a home run, everyone cheered.  I bet the Dodgers had no idea that they had thousands of instant fans cheering them on in DC!

And who doesn't find entertainment in watching the dozen or so groundskeepers rolling up the giant tarp?  They do it with such skill and precision it makes me want to have that job for just one day.  No more than that though; just one day.  I would trust those guys to fold up a camping tent, a giant road map, or even my fitted bed sheets when they come out of the dryer.   

When the game finally started, Gio Gonzalez took the mound.  It was not his best start (I think he was ready for a 1:35 game and was probably tired of having to stay warmed-up for so long), but he only allowed one run in 5 and 2/3 innings.  Gio is my favorite National this year - he's funny, light-hearted, and his hair always looks perfect.  Offensively, the Nationals’ Danny Espinosa hit a two-run homer that scored best-looking-Nationals-player-this-year Michael Morse, and previously-slumping Bryce Harper hit a solo one as well as a triple that scored Jayson Werth.  Harper scored after that triple thanks to a hit by Ryan Zimmerman.

The funniest part of the day was in the eighth inning, when Mets’ right fielder, Scott Hairston, decided to throw his glove down on top of something that was moving right next to him in the outfield.  We didn’t know what it was – a bird?  A mouse?  A snake?  The way he threw the glove down on that thing you would have thought it was a large creature with large fang-like teeth.  Then he removed the glove that was covering the creature and he tried to kick it.  Then he reluctantly picked it up with his glove, making sure the vicious creature did not inject him with a venomous and lethal bite.  When a Nationals official came to retrieve the creature with a big towel, we realized it was a praying mantis.  Yes, Scott Hairston delayed an already-delayed baseball game because of a praying mantis!  I bet you he’s not the one who empties the mouse traps in his house!

(Espinosa after his home run)

So our fourth visit to Nationals Park this year was a long one, but it had a positive result (You think THAT was a long day?  The Pittsburgh Pirates beat the St. Louis Cardinals yesterday in a 19-inning game that lasted 6 hours and 7 minutes!  With "last call" being after the seventh inning, that was probably a very long game for the fans at that ballpark!).  We will be back to Nationals Park for our fifth and final visit of the regular season in a few weeks, when the Nationals entertain the Milwaukee Brewers.  In the meantime, stay tuned for this week’s 3-game series against the Braves – it promises to be a very good one!

(Bryce Harper after his home run)

Another Reason to Hate the Phillies!

It's no secret that I am an avid Phillies-hater.  I have bashed them many times on this blog, and even though they're a million games out of first place this year and they have a great catcher about whom I've said some nice things (see "Is Carlos the New Iván" on 5/24/12), they're still doing things to piss me off (Can I say that on here?  I guess so; it's my blog!).

The Phillies' most recent move that has upset me (as well as many other Washington Nationals fans) has to do with Nationals' outfielder, Michael Morse.  For those of you who don't know Michael, let me give you a little bit of a background on him.  Morse (known to his teammates as "The Beast") came to the Nationals in 2009 from the Seattle Mariners.  Last season, he led the Nats in home runs with 31 and finished the year with a .303 batting average.  While normally an outfielder, Morse filled in very nicely at first base for the injured Adam LaRoche during most of last season.  This year, he began the season on the Disabled List and returned in June to his familiar spot in left field.   Morse is currently batting .301 in the 65 game he's played, with 14 doubles and 11 home runs.

So in late July, Morse started hitting regularly; every day, in fact, and had himself a nice 10-game hitting streak by the time the Nationals were to play the Phillies on August 2nd.  Morse got a hit at that game, and in fact has hit safely in his last 22 games!  That sounds like a pretty good accomplishment, right?  I mean, he's no DiMaggio, but it's still a respectable streak.  Well, this 22-game hit streak does not exist, because on August 10 (more than a week after that August 2nd game), the Phillies requested that Major League Baseball review Morse's only hit from that game.  The Phillies argued that it was not a hit off their pitcher, Cole Hamels (who already had a "history" with the Nationals, since he had intentionally hit the Nats' Bryce Harper with a pitch in a game earlier this season) and MLB agreed.  So Morse's third-inning single was switched to an error by Phillies' shortstop, Jimmy Rollins.  How lousy is that?!  What the heck were the Phillies trying to accomplish by asking for a review?  Are they that bitter about being in last place?  Such sore losers, I tell ya!  So not only does poor Jimmy Rollins get charged with an error (thanks a LOT, teammates!), but Michael Morse's hitting streak ended at 10 games on August 2nd.  Luckily for Morse, he's been hitting ever since, and now has himself an 11-game streak going (which like I said before, would be a 22-game streak if the August 2nd hit hadn't been reversed).  Let's hope Morse's current streak ends soon, because if it continues, the controversial reversal of August 2nd will keep looming over Morse and may overshadow the tremendous job that the Nationals have done so far this season.

Another Trip to the Ballpark!

The first-place Washington Nationals beat the Miami Marlins on Sunday by a score of 4-1, with pitching ace Stephen Strasburg pitching 6 scoreless innings while striking out 6 batters.  It was a much-needed win for Strasburg, whose last start only lasted four innings after allowing six runs against the Phillies.

It was a great day to be at the ballpark, this being my third visit to Nationals Park this year.   The attendance has definitely picked up (as seen by the longer lines at all the concession stands) and there seems to be a feeling of team pride and excitement that I had not really felt in previous years.  We sat next to a couple of very nice guys who probably don't eat at Chick Fil-A, and they were very pleasant and fun to talk to.  And this being Michael Morse Bobblehead Day, well what more could a fan want?  But wait!  What do my legally-blind eyes see all over the ballpark?  Men wearing khaki shorts, dress shirts, and loafers without socks!  Is that a DC thing, or are tennis shoes and Teva sandals being replaced by sweaty loafers as the footwear of choice for male baseball fans?  Eww!  Put on some socks, man!  And as hot and sweaty as I was by the end of the game, I can't imagine what their slippery-sweaty feet must have felt like (and smelled like!) with those sock-less loafers! 

Oh, here I go digressing again... So the game itself was fine – not super-exciting, yet it had enough action to keep us all engaged.  The Nationals scored all their runs in the fourth inning, when Strasburg and Adam LaRoche each drove in two runs.  For the Marlins, José Reyes improved his consecutive-game hitting streak to 24 games, second baseman Greg Dobbs drove in a run in the seventh inning, and Ricky Nolasco went 6 innings for the loss (8-11).  Those of us who were hoping that Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen would erupt into an expletive-filled tirade with an umpire were disappointed, though he did come out of the dugout once to question a call.

So Strasburg looked good both on the mound and at the plate yesterday, and Drew Storen looked very sharp in the top of the ninth inning to earn his first save of the year.  The crowd went wild, chanting “Druuuuuuuuuuuuuuu” as Storen so effortlessly closed out the game like he had done so many times last year (43 saves) before going on the disabled list and not returning until last month.  Storen looked like he had never missed a game, and Nationals fans were thrilled.  I, however, couldn’t help but feel bad for Tyler Clippard, who had been doing a fine job as closer while Storen was out with 22 saves so far this season.  But like last year’s “Clip and Save” combination, Clippard can go back to being Storen’s set-up guy and the fans will stay happy.

With a 160-inning limit (and 127 pitched so far) due to his recovery from Tommy John surgery, Stephen Strasburg will likely pitch into the beginning of September.  With a record of 12-5, an ERA of 2.97 and a league-leading 160 strikeouts, Strasburg is a far cry from being “pretty ordinary,” which is what Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune called him in a recent article.  Don’t be a Strasburg-hater, Phil; the kid is still just 24 years old and has not pitched a full season in the Majors yet.  Plus one guy does not a good ball club make – even when Strasburg has struggled, the Nationals have remained consistently in first place.  They will be in the playoffs with or without (OK, probably without) Strasburg, and if they end up playing the White Sox in the World Series (unlikely for either team), we’ll see what Mr. Rogers has to say about that!

I took this picture while Bryce Harper was doing his warm-ups.  Doesn't he look like George Banks doing his dance after he quits his job at the bank in the movie "Mary Poppins?"

Pitchers, or Wusses?

Whether you're a casual observer or a die-hard baseball addict like me, surely you've noticed that pitchers today seldom play for an entire 9-inning game.  Gone are the days of Bob Feller throwing 36 complete games in one season (he did that in 1946); Juan Marichal pitching 30 complete games in 1968; and Warren Spahn completing 26 games in 1951 (www.baseball-almanac.com).  Since the year 2000, James Shields of the Tampa Bay Rays has been the only pitcher who has thrown more than 10 complete games (he pitched 11 of them in 2011) in one season.  Why is that?

I pondered this question after last night's Nationals/Mets game, where Nats' starter Gio Gonzalez pitched seven innings of two-hit ball and was replaced for the eighth inning after throwing only 87 pitchers.  Granted, Gio was supposed to bat third in the bottom of the seventh, but why not let him bat with a 5-1 lead and let him continue pitching?  Nationals' manager, Davey Johnson, did not really have a good reason for taking Gio out of the game, especially since he's always saying how he wants to rest his bullpen (plus Davey is so old that he can put anyone to sleep during press conferences with his droning "my voice sounds like this because I no longer have a prostate" tone).  The day before that, Johnson pulled starter Jordan Zimmermann after only six innings, despite Zim's six strikeouts and four hits allowed.  Time for me to ponder...

One of the reasons that the complete-game pitcher is becoming extinct (Justin Verlander of the Tigers is the exception this year, with 5 complete games so far) is the fact that managers are getting hung up on pitch counts and assuming that high pitch counts lead to injuries.  As soon as a pitcher reaches around 100 pitches in a game, regardless of whether he's winning or not, the bullpen becomes active and the starter is soon removed (especially if a batter gets a hit because of a defensive error that is not the fault of the pitcher - I hate when they do that!).  Well let me tell you, a guy named Nolan Ryan (perhaps you've heard of him) pitched 807 games in his 24-year career, and 222 of them were complete games.  Ryan seldom missed a start due to injury, he never had Tommy John surgery, his shoulder never acted up (though his back did, according to his Advil commercials), and his fastball was sharp until his retirement.  Pitching injuries are due more to mechanics than pitch count; overuse injuries are a reality, but these can be minimized with proper conditioning and technique, not by pulling pitchers after they've thrown only 100 pitches (especially if they're pitching well; I agree when a pitcher is pulled early due to a bad outing).

Then there's the role of the bullpen specialists, the middle reliever and the closer.  One theory in baseball is that pitchers lose their effectiveness the second and third times through the lineup.  This is when they turn to the bullpen and put in a reliever for the eighth inning and a closer for the ninth (especially during a save situation).  Sometimes they even put in a guy to pitch to only one batter - the lefty-lefty matchup, for instance, and you can have two or three pitchers throw to two or three batters in one inning.  This brings a baseball game to a grinding halt, and it makes me very impatient.

Some people argue that pitchers are not allowed to pitch complete games because the season is longer than it used to be.  Yes, but starting rotations used to only have 4 pitchers and now they have 5, so I think they're getting adequate rest.  And don't tell me that Liván Hernandez used to pitch so many complete games in the 90s because his fastball was only about 80mph - Verlander's fastball is in the upper 90s and Roy Halladay (who completed many games for the Blue Jays and Phillies) has a 95mph fastball (OK, Halladay stinks this year, but he has had a great career full of complete games).

I have no sympathy for pitchers.  They make a ton of money, and they should be able to pitch a complete game in 120 pitches or so.  When I become Commissioner, I'm going to pay pitchers for each inning pitched, and if they go less than six innings in one game, I'm going to fine them.  They will also have money deducted from their pay for earned runs and intentional walks, but be given bonuses for strikeouts (sorry for you, ground-out pitchers!) as well as for complete games.  What do you think?  Is that a good idea?  Perhaps I should stick to blogging!  :-)

Halfway Done... :-(

Believe it or not, my friends, the Major League Baseball season is already halfway over.  The trade deadline is fast approaching, and before you know it, rosters will be expanded and the playoffs will soon follow.  But what marks the halfway point of the baseball season?  Well the All-Star Game and all its festivities, of course!
This year's "Midsummer Classic" was held in Kansas City.  Don't know why; other than the fact that it was an American League team's turn to host the game (and the fact that the Royals could use more fans in the stands).  Before the game was even played, there were a lot of exciting events going on - from the FanFest exhibits to the Home Run Derby (won by Prince Fielder) to the Legends and Celebrities Softball Game (Where else can you rub elbows with Rickey Henderson, Ozzie Smith, Rollie Fingers, and American Idol's David Cook?).  If the All-Star Game comes to DC in 2015 like the rumors are saying, I would definitely like to attend the softball game (especially if Iván Rodriguez is invited).  That just looks like a fun time.

So the game itself started after a 45-minute Fox-like pregame show, and no, I don't really like Fox Sports because I can't stand Joe Buck and his big forehead (which looks more like a five-head).  And poor Tim McCarver is getting way too old to be doing color commentary.  John Miller and Joe Morgan have always been my favorites - at least they have personalities and don't talk like they know everything (Joe Buck is second on my list of arrogant announcers I don't like - Bob Costas is number one).

So anyway, the pregame show included a nice segment about the Negro League, which was started in Kansas City back in the 1920s.  Greats like Jackie Robinson and Willie Mays started out playing in the Negro League before Major League Baseball was integrated, and it was a very informative little piece (I will definitely visit the Negro League Museum if I'm ever in Kansas City for some unknown reason).  Also during the pregame show, the National Anthem was sung by some Luke Bryan country singer guy, who stayed on pitch (a hard thing to do with that song) but he sang it WAY too slow.  I was like "Snap it up, dude; we want to watch the game!"  And today he admitted to having the lyrics written on his hand!  My husband suspected it, and I was like "Nah ah; who doesn't remember the words to the "Star-Spangled Banner?" forgetting about Cristina Aguilera in that one Super Bowl a couple of years ago!

After the player introductions (this year there were 26 first-time All-Stars), George Brett threw out the first pitch (Surprise!  Who didn't see that coming?) and the game finally began.  Poor Justin Verlander got roughed up right away, with the National League scoring 5 runs in the first inning.  The Washington Nationals were well represented in the bottom of the third, when Gio Gonzalez faced the minimum 3 batters (including the Yankees' Curtis Granderson, who whore high socks in honor of the Negro League).  Stephen Strasburg also had a scoreless inning, pitching in the bottom of the fifth. And of course there was the game's MVP, the Giants' Melky Cabrera (one of the 3 Cabreras for whom I voted) who went 2-3 with 2 RBIs.

If you went to bed after the fifth inning (like I did), you didn't miss a thing, because it was 8-0 at that point and that ended up being the final score.  I am sad that I missed Chipper Jones's base hit, since this is his last All-Star Game due to his pending retirement at the end of the season.  I have always liked Larry Wayne Jones, and it was nice seeing him giving the other NL guys a pep talk in the clubhouse before the game.

So what else was noteworthy about the game?  Oh, there was the Royals' Billy Butler, who got a huge standing ovation when he was introduced during the pregame show.  Royals' fans were upset that Butler was not included in the Home Run Derby the night before, so they showed their appreciation for Butler (who went 0-2 last night).
So that's my recap of the All-Star game - now there is no baseball until Friday.  I will actually have to find something else to watch on TV tonight (good luck with that one!) and hope that the second half of the season is as exciting and surprising as the first half (the Pirates in first place?  Who knew that was going to happen?).  So stay tuned; there are still two-and-a-half months of regular-season baseball to be played!

I Guess There IS an "I" in "Team!"

In baseball, I've always thought that one guy does not one team make.  If one player is struggling, it is up to the other players on the team to step up and play their best regardless of whether one guy stinks or not.  That is why I have always been perplexed when sportscasters and analysts say things like "Once so-and-so breaks out of his slump, the other guys will follow" and "So-and-so is not hitting well in the third spot because he's not gettingany support from the first two batters."  Shouldn't So-and-so's teammates still perform well even if So-and-so sucks?  It was pretty cut-and-dry to me two weeks ago, but now I'm not so sure.

If you're a regular reader of this blog or if you follow me on www.prosportsblogging.com or www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/blogs/ (scroll down to Nationals Inquirer), you've surely read my rants about how the Washington Nationals had not been producing offensively, especially for the 3rd, 4th, and 5th batters.  I've also written about third baseman Ryan Zimmerman's nagging shoulder injury, and the debate whether to place him back on the Disabled List or give him a cortisone shot and let him rest during the All-Star break.  Well, apparently they went ahead and gave him the cortisone shot last Sunday, and ever since then, he has been hitting very well.  His average went up from a lousy .218 to an improved .235 in the past week, which includes 2 home runs hit in Colorado (OK, I know that even I could hit a home run at Coors Field, but still...).

Well guess what?  As soon as Ryan Zimmerman started hitting, the rest of the Nationals' bats woke up as well!  Adam LaRoche and Tyler Moore also had 2 home runs apiece, and the team had 49 hits in their last 3 games.  So what's that all about?  I don't know - I was a Sports Management major, not a Sports Psychology one so I don't have an answer.  But it seems like it is indeed true - when a normally good batter is in a slump, the rest of the team seems to struggle too.  Let's just hope that's not the case for the Phillies, who just got second baseman Chase Utley back from the Disabled List.  He had been there all season due to chondromalacia in his knee (Don't we all have some degree of grinding in our knees?  I think Chase is just a wimp!).  But anyway, Utley hit a home run in his first at-bat since his return, and first baseman Ryan Howard is starting his rehab after rupturing his Achilles tendon in the last game of the playoffs last year.  So if Utley starts out well and Howard makes a comeback, will that spark the Phillies' bats?  Gosh, I hope not!

To go on the Disabled List or not... That is the Question!

The second and final "Battle of the Beltways" series between the Washington Nationals and the Baltimore Orioles was played over the weekend, and the Orioles took 2 of 3 from the Nats. While the Nationals' pitching remained solid (allowing only 5 runs in the 3 games), their offense continued to struggle (they too only scored 5 runs in the series). The aggressive baserunning that we saw in last week's series against Tampa Bay was not present at Camden Yards, mainly because the players just did not get on base much in the first place.  But hey, this series puts an end to inter-league play for the rest of the season - good riddance! 
One of the Nationals' players who continues to struggle offensively is former Gold Glove and Silver Slugger winner, third baseman Ryan Zimmerman. Zim started Sunday with an uncharacteristic .218 and has struck out 42 times in 55 games. One thing that baseball experts and analysts and even fans are wondering is if Ryan's shoulder injury, which sidelined him for a couple of weeks last month, is continuing to bother him. Zim is one of those players who would never admit to being in pain, but many wonder if the nagging injury is affecting his swing. Zim says he does not feel pain or discomfort when fielding, but has not confirmed nor denied if it's an issue while swinging a bat. Earlier on Sunday, before they played the Orioles, there were rumors that Ryan would be placed on the 15-day Disabled List in order for him to strengthen his shoulder some more. Others were speculating whether the Nationals would have Zimmerman receive a cortisone shot in his shoulder and let him get some rest during the All-Star break. So those two scenarios were possible; but then came Sunday's game.

Ryan Zimmerman's performance on Sunday reminded me of when my husband and I had to make the agonizing decision to put down our beloved 12-year-old Shepherd-Collie mix, CJ. She had been suffering from some pretty severe arthritis, and had developed a nerve disorder that made her lose control of her bowels. When the vet told us there was nothing else he could do for her, we made the decision to have her euthanized a few days later. But suddenly, CJ found all this energy and was vibrant and spry for a few more days, which made us question our decision. Similarly, while all these rumors and possibilities about Ryan Zimmerman's shoulder are circling around the baseball world, Ryan decides to go 2 for 4 with an RBI on Sunday, raising his batting average a little bit to .223.

So is Ryan feeling OK? Did he just have a stroke of good luck at the plate? We'll have to see how he does in the upcoming series against the Colorado Rockies - if he can hang in there, I would opt for the cortisone shot and rest during the five-day All-Star break. Because really; if they place him on the 15-day Disabled List, who are they going to bring up to take his place? It's not like Syracuse (the Nationals' AAA affiliate) is brimming with red-hot batters who are going to single-handedly wake up the Nationals' offense. After the Colorado series, the Nationals end the first half of the season against the Atlanta Braves and then open the second half against the other NL East teams. That's when the real contenders will come through, and that's when everyone - not just Ryan Zimmerman - needs to step up and start hitting. Yes, the Nationals continue to lead the Majors in ERA (and for the first time since the 1980s there is a Major League team with 4 of its 5 starters with ERAs of less than 3); but if their batters don't start hitting, the Mets and Braves will kick their butts. Yes, I know I sound like a broken record - but until the Nationals start hitting consistently, I'm going to keep harping on them.

So there you go, Nationals; if you want me to stop picking on your offensive woes, do some hitting and shut me up!

Oh, Those Darn Yankees!

So, what can I as a Nationals fan say about this past weekend's series between the New York Yankees and the Washington Nationals? In one word: Frustrating.

As a baseball fan, I loved going to the game at Nationals Park last Saturday. The weather was perfect, parking was a breeze, the sellout crowd was pumped up, and despite some issues at the Ben's Chili Bowl stand, we ate well and had fun (and we stayed for all 14 innings!).  Oh, and my wonderful husband arranged for us to meet Bob Carpenter and F.P. Santangelo (the MASN Sports broadcasters), which was a great experience!  But as a Nationals fan, the series was not fun to watch - neither in person nor on TV.

The Yankees did what they normally do - the batters worked their counts and made Nationals pitchers throw a lot of pitches, they played a solid defense, and they had clutch hits when they mattered most. Even when A-Rod and Jeter didn't produce, you had Granderson, Teixeira and Canó contributing (Teixeira got the 2RBIs in the top of the 14th at Saturday's game). The Yankees undoubtedly have the best lineup in Major League baseball, and they sure proved it this past weekend.

Despite losing all 3 games though, the Nationals hung in there and did not allow themselves to be completely humiliated. In Friday's game, Gio Gonzalez had a decent outing, Saturday's game went 14 innings, and on Sunday the Nationals lost 4-1. No 10-2 games, no major embarrassments (other than Bryce Harper striking out five times in Saturday's game - Andy Pettite, old enough to be his father, completely dominated Bryce), and no loss in the standings (the Nationals are still 4 games above the Braves in first place, thanks to the Orioles taking their series with the Braves this past weekend).

So what was the major problem in the Yankees series? I would like to place the blame on 3 guys - the ones who bat 3-5 in the batting order. In the 3-game series against the Yankees, the 3, 4, and 5 hitters went 7/39, which is completely unacceptable. Former All-Star, Gold-Glover and Silver Slugger third baseman Ryan Zimmerman (the #3 batter) is batting a lousy .229 with only 3 home runs. Outfielder Michael Morse, who has only played in the last 14 games after spending the beginning of the season on the Disabled List, has gone 12 for 57 with no home runs, despite having hit 31 homers for the Nationals last year. And Adam LaRoche, who was hot at the beginning of the season, has been sliding down the leader boards, currently batting .264. If these guys in the middle of the order don't start producing soon, the other teams in the NL East may catch up pretty quickly.

What will hopefully save the Nationals from continuing to lose is the upcoming series against the very injured Tampa Bay Rays. While this is normally a very solid baseball team, they are currently being Band-Aided together and have 9 players on the Disabled List (including Evan Longoria and Luke Scott). The Nationals need to take at least 2 of 3 from the Rays before going to visit the red-hot Orioles, which means that Zimmerman, Morse, and LaRoche need to step up their game.

So I believe our next trip to Nationals Park will be in early August to watch the Nationals host the Miami Marlins.  I'm looking forward to seeing Ozzie Guillen for the first time (hopefully he won't get ejected from the game!) and hopefully the Nationals will still be in first place.

Roberts and Strasburg and A-Rod - Oh my!

If the only baseball news you get come from my blog (because you only read my blog to be nice, not because you're a true baseball fan), there are a lot of newsworthy items that you may have missed.  First of all, the Baltimore Orioles' second baseman, Brian Roberts, returned to his team last night after being on the Disabled List for over a year due to recurring concussion symptoms.  Not only did Roberts get a standing ovation from the fans at Camden Yards, but he went 3 for 4 with one RBI.  Welcome back, Brian!
Another noteworthy event is that the Washington Nationals' Stephen Strasburg became the first pitcher in the Majors to reach 100 strikeouts this season.  He did so in 76 1/3 innings pitched and now has a record of 8-1.  If Strasburg is not selected to be a starting pitcher for this year's All-Star Game, I swear I will run my next marathon in my bare feet with my hands tied behind my back.  The Nationals, by the way, just finished a six-game road trip where they swept the Red Sox and Blue Jays, and are now headed home to face the Yankees this weekend with a franchise-best 38-23 record. 

Also of note (though I wish I could skip this item, but it would be irresponsible of me to do so) is that the New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez tied Lou Gehrig with the 23rd grand slam of his career.  Now, I don't see this as a particularly great individual feat, because it is out of your control as a batter whether the bases are loaded or not when you hit a home run.  Now, if the bases are loaded, no pitcher in his right mind would intentionally walk a batter to walk in a run, so of course they're going to pitch to A-Rod.  On other occasions, pitchers either intentionally walk him or pitch around him ("unintentionally" intentionally walking him), so when they're forced to pitch to him, yes, he's likely to hit a home run.  Not because there are 3 guys on base, but because they don't want to walk him in this case.  So because I'm an A-Rod hater, I'm going to pooh-pooh this otherwise-wonderful feat and hope that someone with the grace and dignity of Lou Gehrig passes A-Rod on this list someday.

Let's see... what else? Oh, sorry Scott, but I have to mention how the Phillies are in LAST place by 10 games in the NL East.  Their 29-24 record is a far cry from that of victorious years past, - maybe their fans will stop being so obnoxious when they visit other ballparks.  And how about those Pirates?  They're only one game back of the Reds in the NL Central, and as much as I like the Cardinals (for having Beltrán and Molina), it's nice to see someone else in the top two spots for a change. 

So yeah, this has been an interesting week so far, and it will only get better on Saturday, when my husband and will I go down to Nationals Park for our second game of the season.  Yankees and Nationals - Jordan Zimmermann against previously-retired Andy Pettite; Harper versus A-Rod; Jeter versus Desmond; the "Curly W" versus pinstriped uniforms that haven't changed since the 1800s.  I'm looking forward to seeing Robinson Canó in person, though I hope he goes 0-4 that day.  I can't wait to tell you all about it!

"Well I'm Proud to be a Puerto Rican, Where at Least I Know we can Play Baseball!"

The 2012 Major League Baseball Player Draft is upon us, and while it doesn't get the hype that the NLF draft does, it's still an exciting time for sports fans.  This year's draft has been a particularly thrilling one for us Puerto Ricans, since seven Puerto Rican baseball players have been selected so far.

The first overall player to be drafted by anyone went to the Houston Astros (that's the perk you get for finishing dead last and having the worst record in baseball last season).  They drafted seventeen-year-old Carlos Correa, a shortstop who just graduated from the island's Baseball Academy High School and is so young he still has traces of acne on his face.  He hails from the small town of Santa Isabel, where they gave him a hero's welcome yesterday.  He had already signed a commitment letter to play at the University of Miami, but I think the only trips he'll be making  to Florida will be to play for the Gulf Coast League.

Other Puerto Ricans selected in the first round of the draft include the fourteenth player, Nick Travieso (he wasn't born on the island but his grandparents were, so we'll gladly claim him as a "native"), who was picked by the Cincinnati Reds and pitcher José Berríos who was thirty-second and picked by the Minnesota Twins.

In the second round, Jesmuel Valentín was picked 51st by the LA Dodgers (speaking of Dodgers, did you hear that Tommy LaSorda had a mild heart attack yesterday?  He's 84 years old, though to me he's looked old ever since I was a kid); Edwin Díaz was picked 98th by the Seattle Mariners, Avery Romero was selected by the Miami Marlins as the 104th player, and Bryan De la Rosa was the Atlanta Braves' selection at 116th.

This is a very exciting time for us Puerto Ricans, because baseball talent on the island had been dwindling in the past few years.  Major League teams have spent millions of dollars in training facilities in both the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, where labor laws are more lenient and "buscones," or scouts, can easily groom little boys to believe they can make it in the big leagues (though many of them don't).  So while there had been a slight lull in the development of Puerto Rican baseball players in the Majors, hopefully in the next few years we will see a new batch of talent comparable to that of the Alomar and Molina brothers, Benito Santiago, José Oquendo, Iván Rodriguez (you knew I had to fit him in somewhere in this post!), Orlando Cepeda, and who knows - maybe a new Roberto Clemente-like Puerto Rican will emerge in the coming years.  So "play ball, fanáticos" - it's going to be a fun and exciting time to follow Puerto Ricans in baseball!

(Also worth mentioning is the second-round draft pick for the Baltimore Orioles, right-handed pitcher Branden Kline out of the University of Virginia.  Kline was a 2009 graduate of Governor Thomas Johnson High School, which happens to be the school where I work.  Hopefully we will see Branden play for our local Orioles' minor-league affiliate, the Frederick Keys, in the next year or so).

[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.

"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.

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.