One thing I pride myself in is being able to be such a huge baseball nerd while still making an attempt at being a feminine woman who wears dresses and matching jewelry. But being female seems to put me at a disadvantage when it comes to trying to figure out a male baseball player's psyche and how his childish mind works. Case in point is when a player charges the pitcher's mound after being hit by a pitch. Is such violence necessary? According to most men, yes - it is.
Bench-clearing brawls have been a regular part of baseball for as long as the game has been played, and despite not being as popular as they were in the PED-days of the 1990s, they are still part of "America's Pastime." Several intense ones come to mind - Orioles reliever Armando Benitez hitting Yankee Tino Martinez in 1998; Manny Ramirez trying to go after Roger Clemens in 2003 (Clemens was a punk during his career and was involved in many brawls); and of course, who can forget Robin Ventura and Nolan Ryan going at it in 1993? That's personally my most memorable one, because I used to think Ryan was a god who could do no wrong, and then I learned that he was one to intentionally hit batters all the time. Who DOES that?
So I guess there are two separate issues here. First is the intentional hitting of a batter by a pitcher who seems to have a particular issue with a certain batter or just his team in general. Then there's the issue of whether said hit batter should charge the mound to go after the pitcher who hit him or not. According to my husband, who is the nicest, sweetest, and most non-violent person in the universe, intentionally hitting a batter is ok if you have a good reason to do so. Cole Hamels hitting Bryce Harper on purpose as a "welcome to the big leagues, kid!" in 2012 is not cool (Harper ended up stealing home plate after that). But if a batter is successful against you and seems to have an attitude about it, it's perfectly OK to plunk that batter whenever he comes up to bat. But in my husband's defense, he says he would never do that - pitchers do it because they're jerks. OK then!
This was the case this past Memorial Day, when the Nationals' Bryce Harper went after the Giants' Hunter Strickland after Harper got hit on the buttocks by a 98mph fastball. Now, if you read my previous blog post, you saw how I said nice things about Harper and how he's all grown up now and has a better temper. Yeah. Harper didn't just charge the mound and push Strickland around; he took a few legitimate swings with a right hook akin to the kind Billy Blanks used to teach in Tae Bo classes. Now, there's history between these two players - in the 2014 NLDS, Harper hit two home runs against Strickland, and after the second one, he glared at Strickland like "In your FACE, dude!" Now, that was the childish and immature Harper of 2014; I would have assumed that almost three years later, he would have been over it. But apparently Strickland wasn't over it either, which is what most of Harper's teammates seem to have issue with. Daniel Murphy, who seems almost as nice and sweet an non-violent as my husband (rumor is he doesn't ever swear, which cannot be said about my former-sailor husband!) and Jayson Werth were both surprised that Strickland had not gotten over what happened almost three years ago, and most Giants players (including manager Bruce Bochy) said that Strickland did what he had to do. This is where I shake my head in confusion.
What I can't understand is how grown men who make millions of dollars can act like such babies. My husband agrees that Harper was right in charging the mound - if someone intentionally hits you, what are you supposed to do? However, he thinks the pitcher was a jerk and should have gotten over what happened almost three years ago. Hubby also brings up the point that as a teammate, you HAVE to join the melee and at least pretend to shove somebody from the other team, otherwise you're not a team player and you're unofficially black-balled. I don't get this either - the benches clear, the bullpens empty, and everyone is pushing and shoving. Oh my gosh, grow up, guys! And to make it worse, my 13-year-old son thinks this is the coolest thing ever! Oy! Violence has consequences, son; wait until Major League Baseball issues fines and suspensions - it won't be cool then!
So yeah - according to my wonderful husband, I just don't get it. And apparently I never will. But as long as there's baseball, there will be pitchers intentionally hitting batters and hitters charging at the pitcher without any rhyme or reason. And since when do Mormons act violently? As a member of the Church of Latter Day Saints, Harper should have just shown up at Strickland's house and given him a copy of the Book of Mormon while wearing a white shirt and skinny black tie. I'm sure things will get interesting in August when the Giants visit DC for a series against the Nationals; in the meantime, let's hope everyone can play nicely in the sandbox and no one runs with scissors.
Showing posts with label roger clemens. Show all posts
Showing posts with label roger clemens. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 30, 2017
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Are you Hall of Fame-Worthy?
Happy new year, my friends! 2013 was a great baseball year for me, since I was able to go to 5 Major League games in 4 different ball parks. I'm not sure we'll visit that many this year, but Fenway Park is a definite possibility, so I'm excited about that.
With every new year comes the announcement of new inductees into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and this year is no exception. Over 600 members of the BaseBall Writers Association of America (BBWAA) received ballots this year (unfortunately I wasn't one of them, since they haven't decided to allow me into their exclusive club), and all the votes have been counted. The winners will be announced next week on January 8, and this year's list of inductees promises to be a good one.
Heading the list of new candidates are pitchers Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine, as well as first-baseman/designated hitter Frank Thomas and second baseman Jeff Kent. Maddux and Glavine both get my vote, though I know it doesn't count for anything. Greg Maddux pitched for 23 seasons with 4 teams, most notably the Atlanta Braves (1995 World Champions). He had two 20-win seasons (1992-93) a record 17 straight seasons with at least 15 wins (1988-2004), won four consecutive Cy Young Awards (1992-95), and won 18 Gold Glove Awards, which is the most all-time at any position. Maddux wasn't the most personable guy - he was kind of quiet and serious and very particular about who his catcher was (I didn't like the fact that he never wanted Javy Lopez to be his battery mate), but he was a darn good pitcher, and he deserves to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
Tom Glavine, also a pitcher with the 1995 World Champion Atlanta Braves, pitched for 22 season with the Braves and Mets, won the Cy Young Award twice (1991, 1998), and was pretty good with the bat. Glavine had five 20-game seasons, 14 seasons with 200-plus innings pitched, and six seasons with an earned-run average under 3.00. Two Braves who played together being enshrined into the Hall of Fame together would just be storybook. And you know how sentimental I am; I'm all about storybook!
So should anyone else be inducted this year along with Maddux and Glavine? Nope! Here are the other names on the ballot, with my reasons why they should be excluded.
Mouses Alou, Armando Benitez, Sean Casey, Ray Durham, Eric Gagne, and Jacque Jones - All first-timers on the ballot, but not of the same super-star caliber as Maddux, Glavine, and others. Non-nerds are familiar with the Alou name, but ask a casual fan who Armando Benitez is and he may think you're referring to the guy who mows the neighbor's lawn or the successful owner of the local Mexican food restaurant chain. All of them were good players, but not extraordinary players.
Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio - Both of these guys played their entire careers with the Houston Astros. Bagwell was Rookie of the Year in 1991 and NL MVP in 1994, and Biggio (who still looks like a teenager) ended his career with over 3,000 hits (3,060, to be exact, which puts him 21st in the all-time hits list). I used to have the biggest crush on him! Anyway, both of these guys are Hall of Fame worthy, but not yet. They should have been picked last year, so they could have been inducted together as Astros and had a Texas-sized celebration in Cooperstown. They won't be chosen this year either, so they may have to wait until the Veterans Committee selects them in a few years.
Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Mark McGuire, Rafael Palmeiro, and Sammy Sosa - NO, NO, NO! Need I say more?
Luis Gonzalez - "Gonzo" had a few good years, mainly with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He ranks as the Diamondbacks' all-time leader in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, games played, runs, hits, total bases, doubles, home runs, RBIs, and walks. I remember him best during the 2001 World Series, when he drove in the winning run in game 7 to lift the Diamondbacks to their first World Series title with a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning. It was very dramatic. Gonzo should be in the Diamondbacks' Hall of Fame, but that should be it.
Todd Jones, Jeff Kent, and Paul LoDuca - Also first-timers on the ballot. Jones pitched for way too many teams, Kent was a good hitter but not the best second baseman I've ever seen, and LoDuca was a decent catcher but not the greatest.
Edgar Martinez - Edgar has been on the ballot for 5 years, and while he played all 18 seasons with the Mariners and led the American League in batting several times, he was just not a very popular player outside of Seattle. He was one of those guys who let his hitting do the talking, because no one ever heard him speak. Good guy, great player, but he will never be elected by the members of the BBWAA. That is the sad reality and one of the many reasons why I want to join the BBWAA!
Don Mattingly - Poor Don has appeared on the ballot for like a hundred years now and he still hasn't made it. The problem with Don is that he only played for 14 seasons, which is not as many years as other players on the ballot. He was a very good hitter and first baseman, but he didn't play for the Yankees of the Golden Era of Joe Torre. He's doing fine as a manager; perhaps he can make the Hall under that category someday.
Fred McGriff - When did Fred McGriff retire? I thought he was still playing!
Jack Morris and Alan Trammell - Both former Detroit Tigers have been on the ballot for over 10 years. That makes me feel old!
Mike Mussina - Won't be selected because there are too many first-time candidates who are pitchers, and they were all better than him.
Hideo Nomo - Rookie of the Year in 1995, struck out a gazillion hitters (reached 500 career strikeouts before anyone else) and pitched two no-hitters. Hall of Fame worthy, but not as a first-time candidate.
Mike Piazza - This twelve-time All-Star and 1993 Rookie of the Year was a hell of a catcher. If he was voted in this year I wouldn't complain.
Tim Raines - Played in the Majors for 23 years, and therefore should have had way more than 2,605 hits.
Kenny Rogers - Yes, he pitched a perfect game in 1994 for the Texas Rangers (with Iván Rodriguez as his battery mate, of course!). No, he's not the one who knows how to hold 'em and how to fold 'em. Yes, he was a hero in the postseason with the Detroit Tigers. But again, he wasn't as good as some of the other guys on the pitcher-crowded ballot.
Curt Schilling - Oh, poor Schilling! I love him! He was part of so many dramatic moments - the Diamondbacks' World Series victory in 2001, his bloody sock with the Red Sox in 2004... I'm rooting for Schilling, hoping he makes it in next year or in the near future (especially since his video game company went bankrupt. Curt needs some good news!).
Richie Sexson, J.T. Snow, Frank Thomas, and Mike Timlin - YAWN! None of these guys were interesting to me when they played (except for maybe Thomas, but that was just because he looked good in his White Sox uniform - all big and manly and menacing).
Lee Smith - He's still on the ballot? I swear he played like fifty years ago!
Larry Walker -He won a ton of Gold Gloves at right field and was the MVP in 1997. But poor Larry is cursed with having played for crappy teams (until he reached the NLCS with St. Louis in 2004 and 2005). He's one of those guys whose name will get lost in the shuffle.
So there you have it. If Maddux and Glavine don't get elected into the Hall of Fame this year, I will change my Facebook profile picture to the Atlanta Braves logo for an entire month. We'll find out on January 8th!
With every new year comes the announcement of new inductees into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and this year is no exception. Over 600 members of the BaseBall Writers Association of America (BBWAA) received ballots this year (unfortunately I wasn't one of them, since they haven't decided to allow me into their exclusive club), and all the votes have been counted. The winners will be announced next week on January 8, and this year's list of inductees promises to be a good one.
Heading the list of new candidates are pitchers Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine, as well as first-baseman/designated hitter Frank Thomas and second baseman Jeff Kent. Maddux and Glavine both get my vote, though I know it doesn't count for anything. Greg Maddux pitched for 23 seasons with 4 teams, most notably the Atlanta Braves (1995 World Champions). He had two 20-win seasons (1992-93) a record 17 straight seasons with at least 15 wins (1988-2004), won four consecutive Cy Young Awards (1992-95), and won 18 Gold Glove Awards, which is the most all-time at any position. Maddux wasn't the most personable guy - he was kind of quiet and serious and very particular about who his catcher was (I didn't like the fact that he never wanted Javy Lopez to be his battery mate), but he was a darn good pitcher, and he deserves to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
Tom Glavine, also a pitcher with the 1995 World Champion Atlanta Braves, pitched for 22 season with the Braves and Mets, won the Cy Young Award twice (1991, 1998), and was pretty good with the bat. Glavine had five 20-game seasons, 14 seasons with 200-plus innings pitched, and six seasons with an earned-run average under 3.00. Two Braves who played together being enshrined into the Hall of Fame together would just be storybook. And you know how sentimental I am; I'm all about storybook!
So should anyone else be inducted this year along with Maddux and Glavine? Nope! Here are the other names on the ballot, with my reasons why they should be excluded.
Mouses Alou, Armando Benitez, Sean Casey, Ray Durham, Eric Gagne, and Jacque Jones - All first-timers on the ballot, but not of the same super-star caliber as Maddux, Glavine, and others. Non-nerds are familiar with the Alou name, but ask a casual fan who Armando Benitez is and he may think you're referring to the guy who mows the neighbor's lawn or the successful owner of the local Mexican food restaurant chain. All of them were good players, but not extraordinary players.
Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio - Both of these guys played their entire careers with the Houston Astros. Bagwell was Rookie of the Year in 1991 and NL MVP in 1994, and Biggio (who still looks like a teenager) ended his career with over 3,000 hits (3,060, to be exact, which puts him 21st in the all-time hits list). I used to have the biggest crush on him! Anyway, both of these guys are Hall of Fame worthy, but not yet. They should have been picked last year, so they could have been inducted together as Astros and had a Texas-sized celebration in Cooperstown. They won't be chosen this year either, so they may have to wait until the Veterans Committee selects them in a few years.
Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Mark McGuire, Rafael Palmeiro, and Sammy Sosa - NO, NO, NO! Need I say more?
Luis Gonzalez - "Gonzo" had a few good years, mainly with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He ranks as the Diamondbacks' all-time leader in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, games played, runs, hits, total bases, doubles, home runs, RBIs, and walks. I remember him best during the 2001 World Series, when he drove in the winning run in game 7 to lift the Diamondbacks to their first World Series title with a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning. It was very dramatic. Gonzo should be in the Diamondbacks' Hall of Fame, but that should be it.
Todd Jones, Jeff Kent, and Paul LoDuca - Also first-timers on the ballot. Jones pitched for way too many teams, Kent was a good hitter but not the best second baseman I've ever seen, and LoDuca was a decent catcher but not the greatest.
Edgar Martinez - Edgar has been on the ballot for 5 years, and while he played all 18 seasons with the Mariners and led the American League in batting several times, he was just not a very popular player outside of Seattle. He was one of those guys who let his hitting do the talking, because no one ever heard him speak. Good guy, great player, but he will never be elected by the members of the BBWAA. That is the sad reality and one of the many reasons why I want to join the BBWAA!
Don Mattingly - Poor Don has appeared on the ballot for like a hundred years now and he still hasn't made it. The problem with Don is that he only played for 14 seasons, which is not as many years as other players on the ballot. He was a very good hitter and first baseman, but he didn't play for the Yankees of the Golden Era of Joe Torre. He's doing fine as a manager; perhaps he can make the Hall under that category someday.
Fred McGriff - When did Fred McGriff retire? I thought he was still playing!
Jack Morris and Alan Trammell - Both former Detroit Tigers have been on the ballot for over 10 years. That makes me feel old!
Mike Mussina - Won't be selected because there are too many first-time candidates who are pitchers, and they were all better than him.
Hideo Nomo - Rookie of the Year in 1995, struck out a gazillion hitters (reached 500 career strikeouts before anyone else) and pitched two no-hitters. Hall of Fame worthy, but not as a first-time candidate.
Mike Piazza - This twelve-time All-Star and 1993 Rookie of the Year was a hell of a catcher. If he was voted in this year I wouldn't complain.
Tim Raines - Played in the Majors for 23 years, and therefore should have had way more than 2,605 hits.
Kenny Rogers - Yes, he pitched a perfect game in 1994 for the Texas Rangers (with Iván Rodriguez as his battery mate, of course!). No, he's not the one who knows how to hold 'em and how to fold 'em. Yes, he was a hero in the postseason with the Detroit Tigers. But again, he wasn't as good as some of the other guys on the pitcher-crowded ballot.
Curt Schilling - Oh, poor Schilling! I love him! He was part of so many dramatic moments - the Diamondbacks' World Series victory in 2001, his bloody sock with the Red Sox in 2004... I'm rooting for Schilling, hoping he makes it in next year or in the near future (especially since his video game company went bankrupt. Curt needs some good news!).
Richie Sexson, J.T. Snow, Frank Thomas, and Mike Timlin - YAWN! None of these guys were interesting to me when they played (except for maybe Thomas, but that was just because he looked good in his White Sox uniform - all big and manly and menacing).
Lee Smith - He's still on the ballot? I swear he played like fifty years ago!
Larry Walker -He won a ton of Gold Gloves at right field and was the MVP in 1997. But poor Larry is cursed with having played for crappy teams (until he reached the NLCS with St. Louis in 2004 and 2005). He's one of those guys whose name will get lost in the shuffle.
So there you have it. If Maddux and Glavine don't get elected into the Hall of Fame this year, I will change my Facebook profile picture to the Atlanta Braves logo for an entire month. We'll find out on January 8th!
Monday, September 9, 2013
Who's Bad(ass)?
After watching tennis player Serena Williams win her 17th Grand Slam tournament this weekend, I commented on my personal Facebook page that I thought Serena was a "badass." My friends at Merriam-Webster define "badass" as "1. ready to cause or get into trouble : <pretending to be a badass gunslinger — L. L. King>2 of formidable strength or skill <such a badass guitar player — N'Gai Croal>" I was referring to Serena with the second meaning of the word - she is an extraordinary tennis player who can out-play and out-last anyone; someone you just couldn't imagine yourself beating no matter how good you were (like Hussein Bolt on the running track or Lebron James on the basketball court - sheer dominance).
So that got me thinking... Which baseball players, past and present, qualify as "badasses?" Here is my list, divided into three parts: The past, the present, and the wanna-bees (my top five in no particular order).
BADASSES OF THE PAST:
Roberto Clemente - Hello! Who showed "formidable strength or skill" more than this guy? No one dared to try and score from second or third base knowing Clemente was in right field. He was about as formidable as they get.
Pete Rose - Yes, he made stupid decisions in his personal life, but at the plate, on the bases, and on the field he was quite the man. They didn't nickname him "Charlie Hustle" for nothing!
Randy Johnson - At 6'10, "The Big Unit" just had to stand on the mound to look intimidating. His 100-mile-an-hour fastball and hard slider were ridiculous, and he didn't win five Cy Young Awards for being sweet and charming.
Jackie Robinson - Who said badasses had to be flamboyant and arrogant (insert picture of Rickey Henderson here)? #42 got the job done quietly and professionally, and was the classiest badass ever.
Nolan Ryan - He just exuded "badass-ness." He had no problem hitting batters on purpose, throwing no-hitters (7 of them) or striking out bazillions (5,714 in his career, with no one even close to that record). He may look old and haggard now, but he was pretty fearless in his day.
Nolan Ryan - He just exuded "badass-ness." He had no problem hitting batters on purpose, throwing no-hitters (7 of them) or striking out bazillions (5,714 in his career, with no one even close to that record). He may look old and haggard now, but he was pretty fearless in his day.
BADASSES OF TODAY:
Ichiro Suzuki - Ichiro is the most badass current player, hands-down (despite being a Yankee). He can still hit, throw, and run with the best of them, and recently hit his 4.000th hit as a professional (counting his years playing in Japan). Derek Jeter can't even say that (yet).
David Ortiz - He may seem more like a big teddy bear, but "Big Papi" is definitely badass. He knows how to get his teammates and fans worked up and excited, and his passion for the game and charitable work off the field make him one cool dude.
José Fernandez - Who? This guy has such an interesting story that he definitely makes my list. He unsuccessfully tried defecting from Cuba three separate times and spent time in jail after each attempt. On the fourth try, his mother fell overboard in turbulent waters and he jumped in to rescue her. He is my pick for Rookie of the Year, especially since he one-hit the Nationals recently.
Mike Trout - Last year's Rookie of the Year in the American League, Trout has not suffered from the "Sophomore Slump." He's currently batting .338 with 23 home runs and 32 stolen bases, and can make a leaping catch in the outfield to steal a home run off anyone. Seeing him make one of those amazing catches was the highlight of my trip to Camden Yards this season.
Yasiel Puig - Another Cuban defector (though his story isn't nearly as heartwarming as Fernandez's), Puig became the first player in major league history to record at least 34 hits and seven home runs in his first 20 games and set Dodger records for most hits through 20 games. Some people say he's not very friendly, but since this is not a list of guys I'd like to see become the next Pope, I have to include him.
WANNA-BE BADASSES:
Bryce Harper - Bryce has the potential of being one badass baseball player, but his season has been plagued with injuries, so he didn't make the cut.
Prince Fielder - Yes, he's one big dude, but he just doesn't do it for me. He also doesn't look very smart.
Derek Jeter - Sorry, Derek; you're too goody-two-shoes to be considered a badass. I still like you though!
Jayson Werth - Looking like a member of the Duck Dynasty doesn't automatically get you on my list. He's having a great second-half of the season, but has been to inconsistent in the past couple of years to make the list.
Then there are the guys I had to leave out. They're pretty awesome but just not badass enough for me: Justin Verlander (too quiet), Chris Davis (he needs to be this good for a few more seasons), Andrew McCutchen (my favorite current Pirate), and Mariano Rivera (one classy, superhuman guy) - all players I respect and would love to meet, but I had to draw the line somewhere.
Notice I left out Barry Bonds, Mark McGuire, Roger Clemens, and Lenny Dykstra - all of them linked to steroids or performance-enhancing drugs. That, in my mind, does not make you a badass. And Ryan Braun? Even when we didn't suspect him of taking PEDs, he wasn't all that in my opinion.
So there you have it - my just-for-fun list of badass baseball players. Feel free to comment (you know who you are!); I would love to see if you agree with me or not.
Notice I left out Barry Bonds, Mark McGuire, Roger Clemens, and Lenny Dykstra - all of them linked to steroids or performance-enhancing drugs. That, in my mind, does not make you a badass. And Ryan Braun? Even when we didn't suspect him of taking PEDs, he wasn't all that in my opinion.
So there you have it - my just-for-fun list of badass baseball players. Feel free to comment (you know who you are!); I would love to see if you agree with me or not.
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
To Err is Human; to Lie is Stupid
As you may have heard by now, Milwaukee Brewers left-fielder Ryan Braun has admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs and has accepted an immediate suspension from baseball for the rest of the season without pay. While this seemed a little sudden for fans like myself, it wasn't totally surprising, since Braun's name kept popping up in Major League Baseball's ongoing investigation of players linked to the Biogenesis lab in Florida, which allegedly provided PED's to dozens of players.
A five-time All-Star who won the 2007 National League Rookie of the Year Award and the 2011 NL MVP Award, Braun is in the middle of a club-record contract that runs through 2020. He is earning $8.5 million this season and will forfeit nearly $3.5 million during his suspension (which won't exactly put him in the poor house).
What annoys me the most is that for the past year-and-a-half, Braun has denied any wrongdoing and even had a previous suspension overturned because his drug test supposedly wasn't done correctly. Basically, some poor urine collection guy was fired last year because of Braun, who claimed that the guy didn't handle Braun's pee the right way. Well apparently Braun's pee WAS tainted back then, but his legal team was able to get him off on a technicality. In the meantime, poor urine collection guy can never go back to work collecting pee.
So what's better - to have an athlete come clean on his own and admit wrongdoing (like Braun and Lance Armstrong) or to have him caught with his hands in the cookie jar and then be forced to read a lawyer-written statement admitting his guilt? For me, that's a tough one. I remember being devastated when former track star Marion Jones admitted to using PEDs after the 2000 Olympics. It was like a slap across the face; not only had I (and many other fans) been betrayed, but she lied in front of a grand jury, and I just couldn't imagine doing something so legally and morally wrong. The longer us fans are strung along in an athlete's denial, the worse we feel when he or she comes clean. In other words, if we had found out about Armstrong's PED use after only his first or second Tour de France victory, we wouldn't hate him as much now and we wouldn't have spent thousands of dollars on little yellow rubber bracelets.
Then there are the athletes who still won't come clean - the Barry Bondses of the world - and deny it for so long that when they do eventually come clean (Bonds hasn't), it's like "Duh! It's about TIME you admitted it, you idiot!" These are the ones who say they never "knowingly" took anything and end up blaming it on a trainer or coach or other previously-trusted person who did them wrong. They make themselves out to be the poor victim and place the blame on someone else. Really? Shouldn't you be aware of everything that goes into your body? Wouldn't you wonder how you went from weighing 185 pounds in the beginning of your career to 230? How can you stare directly into a camera and tell everyone that you undeniably didn't do anything wrong? Or go before a grand jury like Mark McGuire did and say you "mis-remember" everything? Is it because you've been so awesome your whole life that things have always gone your way and you see no reason for that to change? Well guess what, Roger Clemens - your poop DOES stink, and the fact that you won a million Cy Young Awards does not put you above the law.
Some people think we need to ease up on athletes who do wrong because it's our fault that we idolize them and see them as perfect. We do tend to see them as super-human, but the decision to take PEDs is not a simple mistake like forgetting to turn off the iron or lying to your kids about the playground being closed because you don't feel like taking them. Their decision directly affects their performance, which impacts the amount of money they make (until they come clean or get caught) and turns them into fan-favorite superstars with endorsement deals and lucrative contracts. Other bad decisions, like when Mike Tyson decided it would be a good idea to bite off part of Evander Holyfield's ear, don't affect an athlete's performance in such a direct manner. Changing your name from Ronald Artest to Metta World Peace was a stupid decision, but it didn't affect the way one basketball player performed on the court. But taking PEDs does directly impact being able to hit 60 home runs in a season.
So what now? As far as Ryan Braun is concerned, he can go back home to enjoy some time off and prepare for next season, if he's man enough to return and play despite the boos he's surely going to get. And as far as MLB, they're still investigating the Biogenesis case, with players like Alex Rodriguez and Jhonny Peralta in the mix. Will they really suspend about 20 players, like they say they might? Maybe. Will this impact the game of baseball? Probably, in the short-term. But despite labor disputes, player strikes, and drug scandals, baseball always makes a comeback, because fans (me included) just want to watch baseball. Just don't lie to us about why you play the way you do - keep your nose clean, work hard, and don't always swing at the first pitch. I don't think that's too much to ask.
A five-time All-Star who won the 2007 National League Rookie of the Year Award and the 2011 NL MVP Award, Braun is in the middle of a club-record contract that runs through 2020. He is earning $8.5 million this season and will forfeit nearly $3.5 million during his suspension (which won't exactly put him in the poor house).
What annoys me the most is that for the past year-and-a-half, Braun has denied any wrongdoing and even had a previous suspension overturned because his drug test supposedly wasn't done correctly. Basically, some poor urine collection guy was fired last year because of Braun, who claimed that the guy didn't handle Braun's pee the right way. Well apparently Braun's pee WAS tainted back then, but his legal team was able to get him off on a technicality. In the meantime, poor urine collection guy can never go back to work collecting pee.
So what's better - to have an athlete come clean on his own and admit wrongdoing (like Braun and Lance Armstrong) or to have him caught with his hands in the cookie jar and then be forced to read a lawyer-written statement admitting his guilt? For me, that's a tough one. I remember being devastated when former track star Marion Jones admitted to using PEDs after the 2000 Olympics. It was like a slap across the face; not only had I (and many other fans) been betrayed, but she lied in front of a grand jury, and I just couldn't imagine doing something so legally and morally wrong. The longer us fans are strung along in an athlete's denial, the worse we feel when he or she comes clean. In other words, if we had found out about Armstrong's PED use after only his first or second Tour de France victory, we wouldn't hate him as much now and we wouldn't have spent thousands of dollars on little yellow rubber bracelets.
Then there are the athletes who still won't come clean - the Barry Bondses of the world - and deny it for so long that when they do eventually come clean (Bonds hasn't), it's like "Duh! It's about TIME you admitted it, you idiot!" These are the ones who say they never "knowingly" took anything and end up blaming it on a trainer or coach or other previously-trusted person who did them wrong. They make themselves out to be the poor victim and place the blame on someone else. Really? Shouldn't you be aware of everything that goes into your body? Wouldn't you wonder how you went from weighing 185 pounds in the beginning of your career to 230? How can you stare directly into a camera and tell everyone that you undeniably didn't do anything wrong? Or go before a grand jury like Mark McGuire did and say you "mis-remember" everything? Is it because you've been so awesome your whole life that things have always gone your way and you see no reason for that to change? Well guess what, Roger Clemens - your poop DOES stink, and the fact that you won a million Cy Young Awards does not put you above the law.
Some people think we need to ease up on athletes who do wrong because it's our fault that we idolize them and see them as perfect. We do tend to see them as super-human, but the decision to take PEDs is not a simple mistake like forgetting to turn off the iron or lying to your kids about the playground being closed because you don't feel like taking them. Their decision directly affects their performance, which impacts the amount of money they make (until they come clean or get caught) and turns them into fan-favorite superstars with endorsement deals and lucrative contracts. Other bad decisions, like when Mike Tyson decided it would be a good idea to bite off part of Evander Holyfield's ear, don't affect an athlete's performance in such a direct manner. Changing your name from Ronald Artest to Metta World Peace was a stupid decision, but it didn't affect the way one basketball player performed on the court. But taking PEDs does directly impact being able to hit 60 home runs in a season.
So what now? As far as Ryan Braun is concerned, he can go back home to enjoy some time off and prepare for next season, if he's man enough to return and play despite the boos he's surely going to get. And as far as MLB, they're still investigating the Biogenesis case, with players like Alex Rodriguez and Jhonny Peralta in the mix. Will they really suspend about 20 players, like they say they might? Maybe. Will this impact the game of baseball? Probably, in the short-term. But despite labor disputes, player strikes, and drug scandals, baseball always makes a comeback, because fans (me included) just want to watch baseball. Just don't lie to us about why you play the way you do - keep your nose clean, work hard, and don't always swing at the first pitch. I don't think that's too much to ask.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
"It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!"
It's official: Spring Training 2013 has begun! All pitchers and catchers have reported to their respective camps, and regular players are starting to trickle in as well. The off-season wasn't so bad - we had Thanksgiving and Christmas, the Ravens won the Super Bowl, my husband remodeled one of our bathrooms, and Tim Lincecum got a haircut. But it's time, my friends - time for the smell of fresh-cut grass and leather baseball gloves. Tine for "Take me out to the Ballgame" and the seventh-inning stretch. Time for overpriced beer and chili dogs. I know; it may be freezing here in Maryland, but in Florida and Arizona, the players of the Grapefruit and Cactus leagues are ready to play some ball.
So what do we have to look forward to in the 2013 season? Here's a rundown of what's not to be missed:
Another thing that is different from last season is that my husband and I opted out of the 5-game "Flex Plan" that we bought last year. Not only did prices go up (we liked it better when our team sucked and tickets were cheaper!), but the seating choices were lousy. I'm not going to watch 5 games while sitting in the scorching sun in the middle of the outfield seats nor am I going to be able to see anything from the mezzanine level. So we're going the Stub Hub route this year, and hopefully we'll go to three or four games at Nationals Park (including a playoff game, hopefully!). We do have a trip planned to PNC Park in Pittsburgh to watch the Pirates play the dreaded Phillies - can you guess for which team I will be rooting as I wear my Roberto Clemente t-shirt?
And don't forget your local minor-league baseball teams! We will surely catch a handful of games at Harry Grove Stadium, where our Orioles' affiliate Frederick Keys play. They may have gotten rid of their Puerto Rican manager, but the games are still fun to watch and still affordable for our family of four.
Now if the weather would only warm up here...
So what do we have to look forward to in the 2013 season? Here's a rundown of what's not to be missed:
- Before the regular season even starts, the World Baseball Classic will take place in Japan, Puerto Rico, and the US. Baseball teams from sixteen different countries will be competing for the ultimate World Championship. First-round games begin on March 2, with finals being held two weeks later at AT&T Park in San Francisco. These teams feature veterans like Adam Jones and Joe Mauer (playing for Team USA), Yadier Molina and Carlos Beltrán (representing Puerto Rico), and Robinson Canó and Melky Cabrera (for the Dominican Republic), but also include young players who will be getting their first taste of international competition. Stay tuned to my blog, because I will surely have a lot to comment on during the WBC.
- The Yankees' Mariano Rivera looks to be ready for his comeback after last year's season-ending knee injury in May. He is all rehabbed and ready to go, and at 43 years young, he will hopefully be back in pitching shape by the end of Spring Training. He did say that he will decide before Opening Day if this will be his last season as a Major League baseball player, but since his contract with the Yankees is only for one year and he has always been in pinstripes, I'm sure this will be Mo's last season.
- Seventy-year-old Davey Johnson, the manager of the Washington Nationals, has said that this will be his last season managing a Major League baseball team. And with his "World Series or Bust!" attitude, we can hope to see a lot of special moments from our nation's capital this season.
- Speaking of the Nationals, they have added a new mascot to their Presidents Race. For those of you unfamiliar with this DC tradition, the four Mount Rushmore Presidents would race around the field at Nationals Park between the two halves of the fourth inning. Since the Presidents Race began, Teddy Roosevelt would always lose. Well last year, during the last homestand of the season, Teddy finally won, so the Nationals had to come up with a new gimmick. After asking fans to vote for their favorite addition to the Presidents Race, William Howard Taft was chosen. Why? Probably because he was fat, had a cool mustache, and was the first President to throw out a ceremonial first pitch at a baseball game. Let's see how the mascot version of Taft does this season.
- The revamped Toronto Blue Jays are ready to kick some baseball ass. With new acquisitions to their pitching staff (Cy Young winner R.A. Dickey, Mark Buehrle, and Josh Johnson) and offense (José Reyes and Emilio Bonifacio, to name a few), they look very good on paper. Let's hope they can stay healthy this year - injuries have plagued the Jays for the past few seasons - so they can contend like in the days of John Olerud, Roberto Alomar, and Roger Clemens.
Another thing that is different from last season is that my husband and I opted out of the 5-game "Flex Plan" that we bought last year. Not only did prices go up (we liked it better when our team sucked and tickets were cheaper!), but the seating choices were lousy. I'm not going to watch 5 games while sitting in the scorching sun in the middle of the outfield seats nor am I going to be able to see anything from the mezzanine level. So we're going the Stub Hub route this year, and hopefully we'll go to three or four games at Nationals Park (including a playoff game, hopefully!). We do have a trip planned to PNC Park in Pittsburgh to watch the Pirates play the dreaded Phillies - can you guess for which team I will be rooting as I wear my Roberto Clemente t-shirt?
And don't forget your local minor-league baseball teams! We will surely catch a handful of games at Harry Grove Stadium, where our Orioles' affiliate Frederick Keys play. They may have gotten rid of their Puerto Rican manager, but the games are still fun to watch and still affordable for our family of four.
Now if the weather would only warm up here...
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Baseball's Fifty Shades of Gray
Happy new year, my friends! The holidays are over, kids are back in school, and the ballots for the 2013 inductees into the National Baseball Hall of Fame are in. On January 9, the Hall of Fame will announce this year's inductees, which will no doubt cause a lot of controversy and discussion among baseball enthusiasts and non-fans alike.
You see, this year's ballot reflects baseball's "steroid era," featuring players like Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, and Roger Clemens. The list also includes "nice guys" like Craig Biggio, Curt Schilling, and Don Mattingly, and 3 Puerto Ricans (Edgar Martinez, Bernie Williams, and Sandy Alomar, Jr). So what makes a player worthy of being inducted into the Hall of Fame? That's where the gray areas exist.
According to the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA):
"Voting shall be based upon the player’s record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character, and contributions to the team(s) on which the player played." (I copied this right off the BBWAA website).
Baltimore Sun columnist, Peter Schmuck, recently wrote an article in which he said that "Based on any strict standards of ethics or morality, there are plenty of players in the Hall of Fame who must have sneaked in through the back door." So if a player's character is questionable but does not affect the way he plays baseball (is he an alcoholic, a racist, a wife-beater, or does he actively bet on baseball?), should he still be in the Hall of Fame? Again, that's where the gray areas lie (for the record, I don't think Pete Rose should be in the Hall, but that's a whole other blog for another day!). Would the careers of Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens have been as successful without the steroids? For how many years did they actually use performance-enhancing drugs? Were they considered elite athletes before the alleged drug use began? Yet more questions and more gray areas. It doesn't help their cause that both Bonds and Clemens are idiots, but then again, do you vote for the nice guys as opposed to the asses? If that's the case, then Steve Carlton shouldn't be in the Hall of Fame (and I think he's worthy of being there, despite having played with the Phillies). Schmuck (gotta love that name!), who is a member of the BBWAA but cannot vote because of the policies of his employer (I'd change jobs, if I were him), says he would vote for both Bonds and Clemens, as well as for former catcher Mike Piazza, who was never accused of using performance-enhancing drugs, yet he had big biceps and hit tons of home runs during the same era.
If I were a voting member of the BBWAA (which I hope to someday be!), I would vote for the following players (voters can pick up to 10):
(Craig Biggio was on my original list because he was a catcher, he reached 3.000 hits, and he had boyish good looks, but I agree with Peter Gammons on this one - he just wasn't spectacular enough to be a Hall of Famer. Sorry, Craig!)
So yeah, of the current list of players, I only found 4 of them to be worthy of Hall of Fame status (I know, I'm a hard-ass, but I take my fictitious voting very seriously!). No Sosa, no McGwire (I "mis-remembered" to vote for him), no Bonds, and no Clemens. We'll find out next week if any of my selections were actually chosen by the BBWAA writers; for now, if you're a current baseball player reading this (and there are many of you, I'm sure!), hit the ball hard, be nice to the media, stay healthy, and keep your nose clean. And maybe, just maybe, I'll be voting for you someday!
You see, this year's ballot reflects baseball's "steroid era," featuring players like Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, and Roger Clemens. The list also includes "nice guys" like Craig Biggio, Curt Schilling, and Don Mattingly, and 3 Puerto Ricans (Edgar Martinez, Bernie Williams, and Sandy Alomar, Jr). So what makes a player worthy of being inducted into the Hall of Fame? That's where the gray areas exist.
According to the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA):
"Voting shall be based upon the player’s record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character, and contributions to the team(s) on which the player played." (I copied this right off the BBWAA website).
Baltimore Sun columnist, Peter Schmuck, recently wrote an article in which he said that "Based on any strict standards of ethics or morality, there are plenty of players in the Hall of Fame who must have sneaked in through the back door." So if a player's character is questionable but does not affect the way he plays baseball (is he an alcoholic, a racist, a wife-beater, or does he actively bet on baseball?), should he still be in the Hall of Fame? Again, that's where the gray areas lie (for the record, I don't think Pete Rose should be in the Hall, but that's a whole other blog for another day!). Would the careers of Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens have been as successful without the steroids? For how many years did they actually use performance-enhancing drugs? Were they considered elite athletes before the alleged drug use began? Yet more questions and more gray areas. It doesn't help their cause that both Bonds and Clemens are idiots, but then again, do you vote for the nice guys as opposed to the asses? If that's the case, then Steve Carlton shouldn't be in the Hall of Fame (and I think he's worthy of being there, despite having played with the Phillies). Schmuck (gotta love that name!), who is a member of the BBWAA but cannot vote because of the policies of his employer (I'd change jobs, if I were him), says he would vote for both Bonds and Clemens, as well as for former catcher Mike Piazza, who was never accused of using performance-enhancing drugs, yet he had big biceps and hit tons of home runs during the same era.
If I were a voting member of the BBWAA (which I hope to someday be!), I would vote for the following players (voters can pick up to 10):
- Curt Schilling (Any pitcher with over 3,000 strikeouts and over 200 wins is Hall of Fame worthy, in my opinion. So what if his video game business went bankrupt and he recently had to fire everyone?)
- Mike Piazza (You know how I love catchers, plus his career batting average over .300, 12 All-Star Game appearances, and Rookie of the Year award in 1993 are not too shabby)
- Don Mattingly (How is it that he's not in the Hall yet? I know he's a Yankee, but he's worthy!)
- Edgar Martinez (Not because he's Puerto Rican, but because of his career .312 batting average, 2 batting titles, and overall consistency. Unfortunately, Edgar was a very quiet guy who played for crappy Seattle teams, so he's not as popular as most nominees. I don't think he'll ever get selected.) :-(
(Craig Biggio was on my original list because he was a catcher, he reached 3.000 hits, and he had boyish good looks, but I agree with Peter Gammons on this one - he just wasn't spectacular enough to be a Hall of Famer. Sorry, Craig!)
So yeah, of the current list of players, I only found 4 of them to be worthy of Hall of Fame status (I know, I'm a hard-ass, but I take my fictitious voting very seriously!). No Sosa, no McGwire (I "mis-remembered" to vote for him), no Bonds, and no Clemens. We'll find out next week if any of my selections were actually chosen by the BBWAA writers; for now, if you're a current baseball player reading this (and there are many of you, I'm sure!), hit the ball hard, be nice to the media, stay healthy, and keep your nose clean. And maybe, just maybe, I'll be voting for you someday!
Friday, April 20, 2012
You Don't Look a Day Over 99!
Today is a nostalgic and milestone day for baseball fans, as we celebrate the 100th birthday of Boston's Fenway Park. On April 20, 1912 (just a few days after this one very big ship sank after hitting some sort of large iceberg thing), Fenway Park opened its gates to Boston Red Sox players and fans. With its manually-operated scoreboard and "Green Monster" wall in left field, Fenway Park has been home to many memorable and historic moments in baseball lore. Here is my list of the best Fenway moments, in chronological order:
So as you can see, Fenway Park is full of memories, whether you've been there yourself or are just another baseball fan recalling good times past. If you're ever in Boston, stop by Yawkey Way and wave to the Green Monster. Some people may call it a "dump," but I call it a piece of Americana, a baseball shrine, and a place where history was made.
- On September 28, 1960, Ted Williams hit a home run in his last career at-bat. I wasn't around then, but it must have been very cool to watch. Ted Williams was just awesome.
- On October 22, 1975, Carlton Fisk hit a walk-off home run in the 12th inning of the sixth game of the World Series against the Cincinnati Reds, forcing a game seven (which the Reds won). If you can't picture this in your head, it's that home run where Fisk is shown moving his arms to the side, like he's saying "Come on ball, get out of the park! Come on, move, ball!" while shuffling along the first-base line. You know what I'm talking about - it's one of the most memorable home runs in baseball history. If you still don't know what I'm talking about, Google "Carlton Fisk home run" and you can see it on youtube.
- On April 24, 1986, Roger Clemens struck out a record-high 20 batters. Now, I don't know if this was before, during, or after the steroids, but striking out 20 batters in a nine-inning game is just insane. I was a Mets fan back then, so I certainly remember Clemens and the Red Sox of '86!
- On October 17, 2004, David Ortiz hit a walk-off home run in the 12th inning to help the Red Sox win game 4 of the American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees. (This was also the same Series where Curt Schilling ended up with the famous "bloody sock," but that happened when they were playing in New York, so that game did not make my Fenway list)
- On July 13, 1999, Fenway Park played host to the mid-summer classic, the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. On this night, many of baseball's past greats gathered in the infield to celebrate the game, but the pre-game ceremonies were capped with the appearance of Ted Williams. This turned out to be one of Williams's last public appearances due to his failing health, and despite having to come out on a cart, it was still a very exciting moment. I remember getting goose bumps as they showed Williams shaking hands with Derek Jeter and Ichiro Suzuki - and regretting not getting tickets for that game, since I only lived 90 miles from Fenway Park. Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez was the starting pitcher for the American League that evening (and Iván Rodriguez was his starting catcher!), and Pedro ended up striking out the first two batters he faced. That was a very memorable evening for me, right up there with watching Cal Ripken break Lou Gehrigh's consecutive-game record.
So as you can see, Fenway Park is full of memories, whether you've been there yourself or are just another baseball fan recalling good times past. If you're ever in Boston, stop by Yawkey Way and wave to the Green Monster. Some people may call it a "dump," but I call it a piece of Americana, a baseball shrine, and a place where history was made.
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