WHO is Pitching on Opening Day???!

Beware, Mudville Mom readers – I am in a bad mood.  I am usually a sunny disposition-type of person, but today I’m not, mainly because I got to work early for a meeting that ended up being canceled and no one told me.  But that’s neither here nor there – I was in a bad mood to begin with, since Max Scherzer was announced as the starting pitchers for the Washington Nationals on opening day this year.  I know; it's only baseball and I should not let baseball matters get me in a bad mood.  I'm trying to work on that.

So what’s the big deal – it’s only the first game out of 162 – why does it really matter who pitches on opening day?  Well first of all, I paid a pretty penny to be at Nationals Park on opening day, so in a way I’m glad they didn’t select Stephen Strasburg to pitch the first game of the season (yawn!).  However, I thought Jordan Zimmermann was a shoo-in for the position, since he’s the best pitcher in the Nationals’ rotation (in my opinion, and as you all know, I have lots of opinions!).

Yes, Max Scherzer signed a gazillion-dollar contract with the Nats this off-season.  Yes, he won the Cy Young award in 2013 when he was with the Detroit Tigers. Yes, Scherzer has a lifetime record of 91-50 with a 3.58 ERA – he’s no slacker.  But Jordan Zimmermann has been the quiet voice of the Nationals’ pitching staff for the past few years, recovering from Tommy John surgery in 2009 and compiling a respectable 57-40 record with an ERA of 3.24 (slightly lower than Scherzer’s).  He pitched a no-hitter in the Nationals’ last game of the regular 2014 season, and pitched 9 2/3 innings in game 2 of the NLDS (which he should have been allowed to complete – I’m still bitter about that one!).  What better way to start what promises to be a successful season for the Nationals than by starting their workhorse on the mound?  He may not even be around to do so next year, since his contract is up at the end of this season.

Jordan Zimmermann is not flashy.  He was not a #1 draft pick like Stephen Strasburg or Bryce Harper.  He is not known for driving fast cars, ranting tweets, or clubhouse antics.  Zimmermann is a quiet and shy midwestern guy who works his ass off and can be counted on every fifth day for a good quality start.  He never complains (even when he gets no run support), and is the most dependable pitcher the Nationals have.  Yes, Scherzer makes for bigger hype ESPN-wise, but true Nationals fans would rather see a familiar face on the mound than some new guy who still needs to prove himself in the National League.  I’m still going to go to the opening day game (since I paid an arm and a leg for good seats), and I’m going to hope that Scherzer doesn’t disappoint, but a part of me is going to wish that I was there watching Zimmermann pitch instead of the new guy.

You know what else disappoints me about opening day?  The ceremonial first pitch will be thrown by the new Commissioner of baseball, Rob Manfred.  Nothing against the guy (even though he took a job that was clearly meant for me!), but I think the first pitch in our nation’s capital should be thrown by the President of the United States.  Regardless of your political views, you have to admit it’s pretty cool to watch the POTUS throw out a first pitch.  I was there in 2012 when Barack Obama threw a terrible first pitch, but that’s probably the closest I’ll ever be to a US President, so I thought it was cool.  It’s no secret that Obama is not a baseball fan, but just like pardoning a turkey at Thanksgiving and having to put up with John Kerry, there are certain things a President must do that he doesn’t like.  Throwing out a first pitch on opening day should be one of them, and it’s not as exhausting as putting up with the Secretary of State (I'll have to share my personal  Kerry story with you all at some other time).  Heck, I'd even take crazy Joe Biden - he would at least be entertaining!

OK, enough ranting for now.  It’s time for me to embrace this Scherzer guy, try to get an updated list of Puerto Rican players in the Majors this year,  and get my curly “W” jersey out of the bowels of my closet in preparation for opening day just 12 days away.  Let’s hope for a great baseball season – there sure has been a lot of hype to live up to, my friends!

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!  :-)

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!

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!

"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.

Pitchers and Catchers and Hope - OH MY!

Hello, baseball fans!  It's the day that we thought would never get here:  The day when Major League pitchers and catchers report to their respective Spring Training venues, just a week before everyone else shows up.  For my Washington Nationals, their temporary home is in Viera, Florida, where they are part of the Grapefruit League.  Other teams play in Florida as well, and others play in Arizona, but by the end of March, they will all be in their respective cities, getting ready for that first official cry of "Play ball!"

I am so excited I just can't contain myself.  My husband and I bought a four-game ticket plan, which gives us a fifth game for free and allowed us to pick the games we wanted.  So we're going to go to Nationals Park for opening day against the Cincinnati Reds, an inter-league game against the Yankees (yes, I do dislike inter-league play, but I wasn't giving up my chance of seeing Robinson Canó in person!), a game against the Mets, and the last home game of the season, which will be against the Brewers (plus our free game, which we haven't picked yet).  Our seats won't be as good as last year, but since Iván Rodriguez is no longer a National, I have no reason to be up-close wielding my Puerto Rican flag (and embarrassing my husband).

So what are people predicting that this upcoming season will be like?  It's being touted as "The Year of the Pitcher," and many teams including the Orioles, Marlins, Nationals and Red Sox have reinforced their pitching during the off-season to try and prove themselves as having dominant arms.  Personally, I predict that the Phillies will NOT win the NL East, the Yankees will NOT win the AL East, and neither the Brewers nor the Cardinals will win the NL Central (I'm giving that one to Cincinnati).  The Orioles will not be last in their division either - that honor will go to the Blue Jays.  And while I normally don't care about the west, I will go ahead and say that the Angels will not win their division despite now having Albert Pujols in their lineup.

Pitchers who deserve some attention in 2012?  Jordan Zimmermann of the Nationals, who will be overshadowed by the return of Stephen Strasburg; the Tampa Bay Rays' Matt Moore, who has a scary curve ball; Yu Darwish of the Texas Rangers, who has a cool name and I think is the first Japanese/Iranian pitcher to ever play in the Majors; and the Cardinals' Shelby Miller, who was their first-round pick in 2009 and should be pretty good this year, despite having the same name as the weird girl in "Steel Magnolias."

Finally, even though this has nothing to do with pitching, it would be irresponsible of me as a baseball blogger to not mention the untimely passing of Hall-of-Famer Gary Carter.  Carter was one of the first baseball players that I liked back when I was a Mets fan, and his smile, charisma and dedication to the game are characteristics that are now uncommon among professional athletes.  Gary died of brain cancer, and will truly be missed (of course we all know that Iván broke all of Gary's catching records, but now is not the time for me to gloat about that).

In my next post, I will talk about this upcoming season's hitting prospects, because as we all know, good hitting stops good pitching.  Stay tuned, my friends!