I'm sorry to all who read this post, because it's mainly going to be me venting my frustration over the consistency of the Yankees and Rays and their battle to maybe someday break the AL East division leader tie.
To be honest, at this point, it's not even that I want the Yanks to overtake Tampa Bay. Both teams are so far ahead of the next closest competitor for the wild card, Boston, that no matter which one leads the division, the other one's got the wild card all but clinched. Long story short, both teams will be in the playoffs regardless. So one of them should just win a damn game when the other one loses. All season, we've watched both teams, without fail, lead each other by no more than 3 games and no less than half a game. It's truly been one of the more exciting points of this already-intense season. The balance of power between these two strong teams has had a few twists and turns that have kept things spicy, vivacious and interesting...and for the past week, they've been in a stalemate, neither gaining ground on their opponent nor giving it. It's been, for lack of a better word, boring. They win on the same days against other teams, and they lose on the same days as well. Couldn't Cano or Teixeira hit home runs on the days that Pena and Longoria don't? Can't Shields give up 3 or 4 runs on the day when Sabathia throws a shutout? Can't managers Joe Girardi and Joe Maddon contact each other and just work out a plan in which, sometime before October 3rd, they don't end their game the same way that the other did? Enough is enough, already. Seriously. Both are 6-4 in their last 10 games, both have a winning streak of 2 games after the Rays won 3 while the Yanks dropped a few, but since August 24th, THEY'VE BEEN DOING THE SAME EXACT THINGS. Both lost 1 game. Both had a day off. Both lost the next game. Both won the next game. And the game after that. And the game after THAT. And I really just can't handle it anymore. I'm praying someone sends a Manny Ramirez to one of their teams, just to throw things off kilter and finally give me a reason to believe in something again. God, if you're reading this post, LET THE TORTURE STOP. Give the Bombers or the Devil Rays a thunderbolt one day this month so that the standings finally show something, anything, any sign of life that could serve as proof that, yes, this playoff race is still exciting!! Because I'm quickly becoming a non-believer, and I could really use some faith in the higher powers that be (aside from Bud Selig).
You want to know what else bothers me this season? Why haven't I heard anything about Aroldis Chapman in a while? I know it's a pressing concern for all of you as well, but fear not: Cincinnati's attempt at a Strasburg-like rookie pitcher is finally getting called up to the big leagues before the week is done. The difference between Stephen H. Christburg and this Cuban delight is that the Reds, while anxious to call their young phenom up, waited just a little longer than the overly-antsy Nationals, giving Chapman more time to prepare in the minors. More importantly, pitching just one month in the majors this season makes him a lot less susceptible to career-changing surgery. With Stephen out for the rest of this season and the majority of the next because of his impending Tommy John surgery (the normal rehab period is between 12 and 18 months), and Bryce Harper's runny mascara-like eyeblack not expected anytime this year, this is the perfect youthful injection for the MLB. It doesn't hurt, of course, that Chapman is joining the team with a 5-game lead on the gasping Cardinals, the NL Central division title wedged firmly in their grasp. All he has to do is throw 2 or 3 good games (at this point in the season, that's probably the most he'll get), help the Reds defensively in the playoffs, and as long as Joey Votto stays hot in the batter's box and surprising youngster Jay Bruce continues to belt home runs with the same frequency that the Kansas City Royals lose games (coming into August, he had hit 10 on the season; coming out of August, he added 8 more to that total, including an incredible 3-3 game this past Friday, all of his hits being homers), suddenly Chappy could have the makings of the better Ohio team's next ace.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
S.O.S. (Save Our Season)
Things aren't looking great for the Red Sox, White Sox, Phillies and Cardinals. All 4 are teams that are considered powerhouses; it's a safe bet that at least 3 of those teams are going to make the playoffs every year, based on the last 10 years. In fact, these 4 teams are the 4 teams that have won the last 5 World Series between 2003 and 2009 that didn't include a Yankees appearance: Boston in 2004 and 2007, Chicago in 2005, St. Louis in 2006, and Philadelphia in 2008 (and they lost the 2009 championship to the Bombers). And yet, all 4 teams stand a good chance at having their postseason hopes destroyed within the next few days. While they may be salvaged, it'd take a lot for any of these teams to make a big comeback.
First, as I've stated in all my posts mentioning Boston, the Red Sox have been plagued by far too many injuries, most of them happening to everyday players that are responsible for the team's strong offense and defense. However, at no point this season did the BoSox have a hold on 1st place in the division after Opening Day when they beat the Yankees. Worse for them, they spent most of the first half behind New York, Tampa Bay, and even the Toronto Blue Jays. THE BLUE JAYS WERE AHEAD OF THE RED SOX. What is this, 1993? Even after overtaking the Canadians in the standings, they found themselves anywhere from 5 to 7 full games behind the two on top. Could this still be the intimidating, dominant team that's won 2 championships in the past 10 years, 2 more than the franchise had won for almost 9 decades beforehand? David Ortiz, for all his power offensively, can't carry the whole team on his shoulders. Offseason acquisition Adrian Beltre could be doing more to help his new team out defensively. Jonathan Papelbon, while recording 33 saves, has also blown 6 saves this year, tying his career high. Beckett, Buchholz, Lackey, Lester and Matsuzaka have all certainly seen better days: while they all have winning records, Beckett's ERA is high enough to keep him out of any Cy Young talks, and Matsuzaka has fallen prey to injury multiple times this season, in the same vein as most of his teammates. With their loss to the Rays tonight (meaning they dropped 2 games in this crucial 3-game stint), it seems Boston is facing the same kind of outcome they became accustomed to in the 86 years between 1918 and 2004: disappointment.
As far as the other Sox go, they finally got Manny Ramirez off waivers and probably expect him to push them past Joe Mauer and the Twins to win the AL Central. Does that make sense to anyone else? Because I don't understand why the Chicago brass believes that an aged, underperforming vet will suddenly create a surge propelling them past Minnesota. The Twins have been unsurprisingly good in the past few weeks and months, even with Orlando Hudson and Justin Morneau spending time on the DL. Carl Pavano has 15 wins, the most he's gained in any season since 2004 (and his ERA, 3.56, at a comparable point). Even Alexi Casilla and Danny Valencia have stepped up with big hits to help the Twins to get to their current 4.5 game lead over the ChiSox. And, of course, it doesn't help Chicago that Joe Mauer has finally found his power source recently and began performing better than he had early in the season. With a floundering rotation (Buehrle, Danks and Garcia all have winning records, but the lowest ERA between any of the 5 starters is 3.65, above average) and a lineup that provides little help (aside from Paul Konerko's best year since 2006, and his batting average at the highest in his whole career, he's getting minimal support from A.J. Pierzynski and Gordon Beckham, two players would haven't been spectacular when it would have been benificial for them to be), it's going to take more than Ramirez's diminishing health and abilities to bring them back to The Show for the first time since winning it in 2005. Although, I can't say I'm sad that things won't work out for old Ozzie Guillen.
In defense of Philadelphia, they have managed to come back within 2 games of the Braves after spending most of the season behind them and, more embarrassingly, the other New York team, and now have a tenuous, 1.5 game lead over the Giants for the NL Wild Card. But with the Reds in the NL Central and the Padres in the NL West both posing big threats, it's hard to imagine that the team that's been to both World Series in the past 2 years and won it in 2008 will even make it to the NLCS to potentially face their NL East superiors. They too have had unfortunate injuries: they had to spend the bulk of August without their best first baseman, Ryan Howard, and lost second baseman Chase Utley in the same manner from the end of June to the middle of August. Jayson Werth and Placido Polanco have both been putting up good numbers, but can't seem to find the power they're known for. If it weren't for Roy Halladay, they probably would be further behind in the standings than they are. In my opinion, that was one of the best moves they could have made this offseason: Doc has always been an incredible pitcher (he's been an All-Star 7 times in the past decade, pitched a perfect game this year, won the Cy Young in 2003 and is poised to be in the running for a second one this season), but you wouldn't know it because he's been not only on the Blue Jays his entire career, but in the hitter-friendly American League instead of the pitcher-dominant National League, where he's really belonged all this time. It didn't hurt that he joined a team that, like I said, has played in the 2 most recent World Series. However, even Halladay's career year may not be enough to push the Phils into the postseason. If they can stave off elimination by not getting too far behind Atlanta (and if San Francisco experiences a major losing streak), they just might make it back to the playoffs for the fourth time in as many years.
Even though I'll always be a Yankees fan, the Twins and Cardinals tie for my second favorite teams, which makes their recent abysmal performance hurt me personally. Now, in a World Series matchup between New York and St. Louis, even the casual reader of this blog knows I'd root for the Yanks, hands down, but I want the Cardinals to win it all against any other MLB team. And really, can you honestly not like this team? Albert Pujols alone is reason enough to be a fan: The Machine recently hit his 34th home run of the season (which, aside from helping him towards a possible Triple Crown with that number being the highest in the National League, also happened to be his 400th career bomb) and still shines in the field; Matt Holliday may be a more mediocre version of Pujols, but considering what that entails, it still makes him a great player; Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright have combined for 31 of the Cards' 69 wins to date and both of them doing it with ERAs lower than 3.00 (2.93 and 2.30 respectively); and Skip Schumaker, Colby Rasmus, Randy Winn and Yadier Molina can all be counted on for run support (that is, when they're all healthy). So why is this incredibly strong team not only 5 games out of the lead in their division, but 3 games behind the Phillies and the Giants for the wild card with only a month left of the regular season? Why are they 4-6 in their last 10 games, despite Pujols' milestone and a moderately good defensive showing? Why is the team that won the World Series in 2006 and made it into the 2009 postseason with 91 wins possibly going to miss the October festivities this year? Until they can address why the past few days have been so unkind to them, their playoff hopes could further slip into the forgotten realm of also-rans this season.
First, as I've stated in all my posts mentioning Boston, the Red Sox have been plagued by far too many injuries, most of them happening to everyday players that are responsible for the team's strong offense and defense. However, at no point this season did the BoSox have a hold on 1st place in the division after Opening Day when they beat the Yankees. Worse for them, they spent most of the first half behind New York, Tampa Bay, and even the Toronto Blue Jays. THE BLUE JAYS WERE AHEAD OF THE RED SOX. What is this, 1993? Even after overtaking the Canadians in the standings, they found themselves anywhere from 5 to 7 full games behind the two on top. Could this still be the intimidating, dominant team that's won 2 championships in the past 10 years, 2 more than the franchise had won for almost 9 decades beforehand? David Ortiz, for all his power offensively, can't carry the whole team on his shoulders. Offseason acquisition Adrian Beltre could be doing more to help his new team out defensively. Jonathan Papelbon, while recording 33 saves, has also blown 6 saves this year, tying his career high. Beckett, Buchholz, Lackey, Lester and Matsuzaka have all certainly seen better days: while they all have winning records, Beckett's ERA is high enough to keep him out of any Cy Young talks, and Matsuzaka has fallen prey to injury multiple times this season, in the same vein as most of his teammates. With their loss to the Rays tonight (meaning they dropped 2 games in this crucial 3-game stint), it seems Boston is facing the same kind of outcome they became accustomed to in the 86 years between 1918 and 2004: disappointment.
As far as the other Sox go, they finally got Manny Ramirez off waivers and probably expect him to push them past Joe Mauer and the Twins to win the AL Central. Does that make sense to anyone else? Because I don't understand why the Chicago brass believes that an aged, underperforming vet will suddenly create a surge propelling them past Minnesota. The Twins have been unsurprisingly good in the past few weeks and months, even with Orlando Hudson and Justin Morneau spending time on the DL. Carl Pavano has 15 wins, the most he's gained in any season since 2004 (and his ERA, 3.56, at a comparable point). Even Alexi Casilla and Danny Valencia have stepped up with big hits to help the Twins to get to their current 4.5 game lead over the ChiSox. And, of course, it doesn't help Chicago that Joe Mauer has finally found his power source recently and began performing better than he had early in the season. With a floundering rotation (Buehrle, Danks and Garcia all have winning records, but the lowest ERA between any of the 5 starters is 3.65, above average) and a lineup that provides little help (aside from Paul Konerko's best year since 2006, and his batting average at the highest in his whole career, he's getting minimal support from A.J. Pierzynski and Gordon Beckham, two players would haven't been spectacular when it would have been benificial for them to be), it's going to take more than Ramirez's diminishing health and abilities to bring them back to The Show for the first time since winning it in 2005. Although, I can't say I'm sad that things won't work out for old Ozzie Guillen.
In defense of Philadelphia, they have managed to come back within 2 games of the Braves after spending most of the season behind them and, more embarrassingly, the other New York team, and now have a tenuous, 1.5 game lead over the Giants for the NL Wild Card. But with the Reds in the NL Central and the Padres in the NL West both posing big threats, it's hard to imagine that the team that's been to both World Series in the past 2 years and won it in 2008 will even make it to the NLCS to potentially face their NL East superiors. They too have had unfortunate injuries: they had to spend the bulk of August without their best first baseman, Ryan Howard, and lost second baseman Chase Utley in the same manner from the end of June to the middle of August. Jayson Werth and Placido Polanco have both been putting up good numbers, but can't seem to find the power they're known for. If it weren't for Roy Halladay, they probably would be further behind in the standings than they are. In my opinion, that was one of the best moves they could have made this offseason: Doc has always been an incredible pitcher (he's been an All-Star 7 times in the past decade, pitched a perfect game this year, won the Cy Young in 2003 and is poised to be in the running for a second one this season), but you wouldn't know it because he's been not only on the Blue Jays his entire career, but in the hitter-friendly American League instead of the pitcher-dominant National League, where he's really belonged all this time. It didn't hurt that he joined a team that, like I said, has played in the 2 most recent World Series. However, even Halladay's career year may not be enough to push the Phils into the postseason. If they can stave off elimination by not getting too far behind Atlanta (and if San Francisco experiences a major losing streak), they just might make it back to the playoffs for the fourth time in as many years.
Even though I'll always be a Yankees fan, the Twins and Cardinals tie for my second favorite teams, which makes their recent abysmal performance hurt me personally. Now, in a World Series matchup between New York and St. Louis, even the casual reader of this blog knows I'd root for the Yanks, hands down, but I want the Cardinals to win it all against any other MLB team. And really, can you honestly not like this team? Albert Pujols alone is reason enough to be a fan: The Machine recently hit his 34th home run of the season (which, aside from helping him towards a possible Triple Crown with that number being the highest in the National League, also happened to be his 400th career bomb) and still shines in the field; Matt Holliday may be a more mediocre version of Pujols, but considering what that entails, it still makes him a great player; Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright have combined for 31 of the Cards' 69 wins to date and both of them doing it with ERAs lower than 3.00 (2.93 and 2.30 respectively); and Skip Schumaker, Colby Rasmus, Randy Winn and Yadier Molina can all be counted on for run support (that is, when they're all healthy). So why is this incredibly strong team not only 5 games out of the lead in their division, but 3 games behind the Phillies and the Giants for the wild card with only a month left of the regular season? Why are they 4-6 in their last 10 games, despite Pujols' milestone and a moderately good defensive showing? Why is the team that won the World Series in 2006 and made it into the 2009 postseason with 91 wins possibly going to miss the October festivities this year? Until they can address why the past few days have been so unkind to them, their playoff hopes could further slip into the forgotten realm of also-rans this season.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Same Sh*t, Different Team.
In the past few days, two big (or at least recognizable) names have been floating around as possible players to be taken off waivers, both being ex-Red Soxers: Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez. Interestingly enough, it was Boston who was trying to get Damon back, while all signs point to the other Sox trying to get Ramirez.
To be honest, I can kind of understand the Red Sox trying to get Johnny back, while at the same time not understanding it at all. On the one hand, he was instrumental in breaking the Curse of the Bambino with his grand slam in the 2004 ALCS that helped his team beat my Yankees, not to mention the home run he hit in their sweep of the Cardinals in The Show to drive Boston to its first championship in 86 years. Considering how their hopes to make it back to the postseason are dwindling faster than Tim Lincecum's chances of getting back-to-back Cy Young awards, it's no surprise they want to get the old gang back together for a late season run at October. On the other hand, though, Damon's on the wrong side of 30 and his abilities, while still impressive, are nothing like they were even in his last season in the Bronx (all of the same could be said about Los Angeles' Ramirez, but I'll get to him in a moment). Even bringing back one of the "Idiots" of '04 probably wouldn't assuage their injury woes (both Dustin Pedroia and Mike Cameron are out for the rest of the season, and Jacoby Ellsbury may as well call it quits as he only played around 10 games this season between extended stints on the DL), which bodes very poorly for their playoff wishes. I think Damon made the right decision by staying in Detroit; aside from the fact that Boston fans hold grudges (remember the shirts they made when he left for New York that said "Looks like Jesus, Acts like Judas, Throws like Mary"? Forgive and forget indeed), he wants to stay with the Tigers not to shine, but rather to help the next generation of players become the best they can be. Coming from someone who hated the caveman when he played at Fenway, I have to say that I really admire that about him (it doesn't hurt that he won a World Series with the Yanks to boost my opinion of him, but I think that goes without saying at this point). Hey, anything that is to the disadvantage of the Red Sox is all right with me.
Speaking of disadvantegous things, even though it's looking like Manny Ramirez might be headed to Chicago, the question is why any team would actually want him now. He's also spent a lot of time on the disabled list this season; even if he were healthy, he's been in a slow decline. His batting average and home runs are both very low for him (I can't believe I'm calling a .313 average low, but he's only batted in 60 games and actually played the field in 45 this year), and let's not forget that he's 38. But no team tries to get any player unless they believe that guy can make enough of an impact to boost their team as far as possible. I just don't really get why the White Sox, who are 5 games behind the Twins but could still feasibly make a respectable run at the playoffs, would want a constantly-injured, almost 40 year old player who's still good but is definitely way past his prime. Even more confusing is what Ramirez would be doing: the ChiSox already have a pretty strong outfield (Juan Pierre, Alex Rios, and Carlos Quentin may not be the first choices for the All-Star game, but they're solid offensively and defensively), so he'd most likely be a designated hitter. At his age, that may not be the worst decision, but he'd have to get a good bit of the power he's lost back somehow. Hell, for all we know, this could just be Ozzie Guillen's newest attempt at shock value: if you put a cocky, obnoxious player on the same team as a cocky, obnoxious manager, you're sure to earn yourself some airtime on the local and national sports networks for something outrageous. But until the deal is done, I wouldn't recommend holding your breath waiting for Ramirez to be the World Series MVP with the White Sox.
To be honest, I can kind of understand the Red Sox trying to get Johnny back, while at the same time not understanding it at all. On the one hand, he was instrumental in breaking the Curse of the Bambino with his grand slam in the 2004 ALCS that helped his team beat my Yankees, not to mention the home run he hit in their sweep of the Cardinals in The Show to drive Boston to its first championship in 86 years. Considering how their hopes to make it back to the postseason are dwindling faster than Tim Lincecum's chances of getting back-to-back Cy Young awards, it's no surprise they want to get the old gang back together for a late season run at October. On the other hand, though, Damon's on the wrong side of 30 and his abilities, while still impressive, are nothing like they were even in his last season in the Bronx (all of the same could be said about Los Angeles' Ramirez, but I'll get to him in a moment). Even bringing back one of the "Idiots" of '04 probably wouldn't assuage their injury woes (both Dustin Pedroia and Mike Cameron are out for the rest of the season, and Jacoby Ellsbury may as well call it quits as he only played around 10 games this season between extended stints on the DL), which bodes very poorly for their playoff wishes. I think Damon made the right decision by staying in Detroit; aside from the fact that Boston fans hold grudges (remember the shirts they made when he left for New York that said "Looks like Jesus, Acts like Judas, Throws like Mary"? Forgive and forget indeed), he wants to stay with the Tigers not to shine, but rather to help the next generation of players become the best they can be. Coming from someone who hated the caveman when he played at Fenway, I have to say that I really admire that about him (it doesn't hurt that he won a World Series with the Yanks to boost my opinion of him, but I think that goes without saying at this point). Hey, anything that is to the disadvantage of the Red Sox is all right with me.
Speaking of disadvantegous things, even though it's looking like Manny Ramirez might be headed to Chicago, the question is why any team would actually want him now. He's also spent a lot of time on the disabled list this season; even if he were healthy, he's been in a slow decline. His batting average and home runs are both very low for him (I can't believe I'm calling a .313 average low, but he's only batted in 60 games and actually played the field in 45 this year), and let's not forget that he's 38. But no team tries to get any player unless they believe that guy can make enough of an impact to boost their team as far as possible. I just don't really get why the White Sox, who are 5 games behind the Twins but could still feasibly make a respectable run at the playoffs, would want a constantly-injured, almost 40 year old player who's still good but is definitely way past his prime. Even more confusing is what Ramirez would be doing: the ChiSox already have a pretty strong outfield (Juan Pierre, Alex Rios, and Carlos Quentin may not be the first choices for the All-Star game, but they're solid offensively and defensively), so he'd most likely be a designated hitter. At his age, that may not be the worst decision, but he'd have to get a good bit of the power he's lost back somehow. Hell, for all we know, this could just be Ozzie Guillen's newest attempt at shock value: if you put a cocky, obnoxious player on the same team as a cocky, obnoxious manager, you're sure to earn yourself some airtime on the local and national sports networks for something outrageous. But until the deal is done, I wouldn't recommend holding your breath waiting for Ramirez to be the World Series MVP with the White Sox.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
In The Twi(Lie)ght Of His Career.
It's been hard to ignore Roger Clemens' newest controversy in the past few days. After his sworn statement in federal court that he did not use steroids at any point in his career, crucial evidence has come to light, thanks to fellow teammate and fingered juicer Andy Pettitte's claiming that Clemens told him their trainer in common, Brian McNamee, had injected him with multiple drugs, that has caused Congress to issue an indictment against him, charging him with making false statements under oath, perjury, and an obstruction of justice.
Whew. Seems like a lot of legal junk to swallow for a sports-related matter. But this has done nothing positive for Clemens' already tarnished reputation. As I discussed in an earlier post, the usage of steroids is considered to be verboten in baseball, and is probably the worst thing a player can do (aside from Francisco Rodriguez's example of beating his in-laws). The fact of the matter is simple: if you're going to make a mockery of the game and basically spit in the face of your teammates, coaches and fans, at least own up to it. Clemens claimed his long career and improved performance later than normal was due to "hard work." That would be somewhat believable, if you were completely detached from reality. As plenty of players who didn't inject themselves during their career (or at least not enough to be caught) will show, you don't get better as your career lasts longer. Physically and mentally, human beings begin to slowly but surely degenerate, and this process is surely sped up if you're constantly keeping your body (especially an important limb like an arm) in rapid motion. That's nature, and any fool with some common sense could tell you that. Clemens' repeated lies, even in the face of evidence not only from unproven but not unfounded assumptions but eyewitness accounts from a former teammate, are an insult to the intelligence of baseball fans everywhere. Your name doesn't get mentioned over 80 times in the Mitchell report unless you've done steroids with a ferocity that shows by his gigantic stature. For me, it's not even the fact that he did do drugs that really upsets me, but purely the consistent lying despite the evidence. And sure, as a diehard Yankees fan, I should probably defend him, but my moral compass won't allow me to. Now, Clemens could always come out in a few years and pull a Mark McGwire to finally tell the truth that anyone with a brain already knew, but by then, saving face would be a moot point. It's possible he'll face jail time for his transgressions, and why shouldn't he? Just because he won 2 World Series, 6 Cy Young awards, and was an 11-time All-Star should not mean he deserves leniency. Even if he does get off with a light sentence or even none at all, his true punishment will be the slim likelihood that he'll ever make it into the Hall of Fame now. Hey, Roger, you should have seen the example Pete Rose set by doing something immoral and told the truth when you had the chance. The consequences would have still been bad, but probably not as bad as they will (or should) be now.
Whew. Seems like a lot of legal junk to swallow for a sports-related matter. But this has done nothing positive for Clemens' already tarnished reputation. As I discussed in an earlier post, the usage of steroids is considered to be verboten in baseball, and is probably the worst thing a player can do (aside from Francisco Rodriguez's example of beating his in-laws). The fact of the matter is simple: if you're going to make a mockery of the game and basically spit in the face of your teammates, coaches and fans, at least own up to it. Clemens claimed his long career and improved performance later than normal was due to "hard work." That would be somewhat believable, if you were completely detached from reality. As plenty of players who didn't inject themselves during their career (or at least not enough to be caught) will show, you don't get better as your career lasts longer. Physically and mentally, human beings begin to slowly but surely degenerate, and this process is surely sped up if you're constantly keeping your body (especially an important limb like an arm) in rapid motion. That's nature, and any fool with some common sense could tell you that. Clemens' repeated lies, even in the face of evidence not only from unproven but not unfounded assumptions but eyewitness accounts from a former teammate, are an insult to the intelligence of baseball fans everywhere. Your name doesn't get mentioned over 80 times in the Mitchell report unless you've done steroids with a ferocity that shows by his gigantic stature. For me, it's not even the fact that he did do drugs that really upsets me, but purely the consistent lying despite the evidence. And sure, as a diehard Yankees fan, I should probably defend him, but my moral compass won't allow me to. Now, Clemens could always come out in a few years and pull a Mark McGwire to finally tell the truth that anyone with a brain already knew, but by then, saving face would be a moot point. It's possible he'll face jail time for his transgressions, and why shouldn't he? Just because he won 2 World Series, 6 Cy Young awards, and was an 11-time All-Star should not mean he deserves leniency. Even if he does get off with a light sentence or even none at all, his true punishment will be the slim likelihood that he'll ever make it into the Hall of Fame now. Hey, Roger, you should have seen the example Pete Rose set by doing something immoral and told the truth when you had the chance. The consequences would have still been bad, but probably not as bad as they will (or should) be now.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
All In The Family (And Out Of It).
The past few days have not been very kind to Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez. First, he's arrested and suspended for two games for physically assaulting his father in law, and almost immediately after his return, he injures his thumb and has season-ending surgery. Now, the Mets have placed him on the disqualified list and do not intend on paying him until he is able to play again, and there have been talks about trying to cancel his contract. Believe it or not, I actually don't condone the Mets' original actions.
Now, don't get me wrong: I'm far from vindicating K-Rod's violent actions. He did something incredibly dangerous and out of line. However, whatever legal matters he faces should be all. His actions didn't take place on the field; therefore, he shouldn't face any baseball consequences for what happened. If you hit someone in your family, you'll certainly get in trouble with the law, but it's not likely you'll be suspended from your job. So the two-game suspension really did little to reprimand him, and it seemed unnecessary until more details came to light. His outrage caused him to break his thumb, virtually ending his season and possibly his tenure in New York, as the Mets are doing all they can to void out the remainder of his contract (he's poised to make around $11 million for the full season this year and next season). Should this further blow up in his face, he'd most likely find it hard to get signed anywhere else in the league. I mean, if you were a manager, would you sign a relief pitcher who beats his family members, which leads him to an injury that takes him off your roster during one of the most important months of the season? The reliability is very low. Hand injuries are bad for any player and could spell the end of the year for a poor soul, but when it's in regards to a pitcher who's called on to save the win for the starter and their team, it becomes catastrophic. So, I wouldn't expect Rodriguez to find much solace if he doesn't do anything about his string of bad luck.
Now, don't get me wrong: I'm far from vindicating K-Rod's violent actions. He did something incredibly dangerous and out of line. However, whatever legal matters he faces should be all. His actions didn't take place on the field; therefore, he shouldn't face any baseball consequences for what happened. If you hit someone in your family, you'll certainly get in trouble with the law, but it's not likely you'll be suspended from your job. So the two-game suspension really did little to reprimand him, and it seemed unnecessary until more details came to light. His outrage caused him to break his thumb, virtually ending his season and possibly his tenure in New York, as the Mets are doing all they can to void out the remainder of his contract (he's poised to make around $11 million for the full season this year and next season). Should this further blow up in his face, he'd most likely find it hard to get signed anywhere else in the league. I mean, if you were a manager, would you sign a relief pitcher who beats his family members, which leads him to an injury that takes him off your roster during one of the most important months of the season? The reliability is very low. Hand injuries are bad for any player and could spell the end of the year for a poor soul, but when it's in regards to a pitcher who's called on to save the win for the starter and their team, it becomes catastrophic. So, I wouldn't expect Rodriguez to find much solace if he doesn't do anything about his string of bad luck.
The Young And The Restless.
About 12 hours ago at midnight, August 17, the deadline for 2010's draft picks to sign with the teams that selected them came and went. To be honest, aside from the Nats' addition of this year's top pick, Bryce Harper, I don't know a lot about the other players who've signed, but I'll do my best to give my opinion on them, as usual.
Now, to start with Harper himself. Washington must feel pretty lucky: for the second year in a row, they not only got the top pick, but the player they received is supposedly going to turn the franchise around and bring the Nationals to their first World Series championship and save the world and everything we heard about Stephen Strasburg last year. But wait...where's the hype? Why aren't we going crazy over this kid yet? It seems to have something to do with none other than Strasburg himself: last year's Next Big Thing said regarding Bryce, "If he doesn't want to play here," Stephen said, concerning Harper's as-of then unsigned contract, "then we don't want him here." So much for team spirit or welcoming the new kid. Now, after hearing about his high level of cockiness - not to mention his outrageous eye blackening that have many analysts drawing comparisons between him and KISS - I understand a little better, but the numbers don't lie: if this guy can match the numbers he put up in college, he'll be a regular phenom in the bigs. But if he can't win over his own fans, he's going to face a lot of pressure no matter where he goes, especially considering the positions he plays: he should see more time in the outfield than catching, since Ivan Rodriguez is still doing a good job, and the most notable player out of the infield is Roger Bernadina, but that'll still give him plenty of opportunities to shine.
The number 2 pick, Jameson Taillon, went to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Just like Strasburg (why is he now the standard when comparing draft picks?), he's a pitcher that's already being hailed as a savior: baseball website Fangraphs even called him "the next Josh Beckett", some pretty big cleats for an 18 year old to fill. My jealousy about a kid who's 2 years younger than me getting more money and fame than I'll ever garner because he can throw a baseball really well aside, he does already have some impressive accomplishments: he had a 22-6 record through high school, and even pitched a no-hitter a few months ago. It's likely, though, that his high school team had a stronger defense than the major league blooper-makers he'll be joining sometime next season. I just hope his conditioning through the minors doesn't produce the same caliber of mediocrity so commonplace in Pittsburgh.
As I said before, I haven't heard much about the other draft picks yet; something tells me that I'll be writing about them before too long, though.
Now, to start with Harper himself. Washington must feel pretty lucky: for the second year in a row, they not only got the top pick, but the player they received is supposedly going to turn the franchise around and bring the Nationals to their first World Series championship and save the world and everything we heard about Stephen Strasburg last year. But wait...where's the hype? Why aren't we going crazy over this kid yet? It seems to have something to do with none other than Strasburg himself: last year's Next Big Thing said regarding Bryce, "If he doesn't want to play here," Stephen said, concerning Harper's as-of then unsigned contract, "then we don't want him here." So much for team spirit or welcoming the new kid. Now, after hearing about his high level of cockiness - not to mention his outrageous eye blackening that have many analysts drawing comparisons between him and KISS - I understand a little better, but the numbers don't lie: if this guy can match the numbers he put up in college, he'll be a regular phenom in the bigs. But if he can't win over his own fans, he's going to face a lot of pressure no matter where he goes, especially considering the positions he plays: he should see more time in the outfield than catching, since Ivan Rodriguez is still doing a good job, and the most notable player out of the infield is Roger Bernadina, but that'll still give him plenty of opportunities to shine.
The number 2 pick, Jameson Taillon, went to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Just like Strasburg (why is he now the standard when comparing draft picks?), he's a pitcher that's already being hailed as a savior: baseball website Fangraphs even called him "the next Josh Beckett", some pretty big cleats for an 18 year old to fill. My jealousy about a kid who's 2 years younger than me getting more money and fame than I'll ever garner because he can throw a baseball really well aside, he does already have some impressive accomplishments: he had a 22-6 record through high school, and even pitched a no-hitter a few months ago. It's likely, though, that his high school team had a stronger defense than the major league blooper-makers he'll be joining sometime next season. I just hope his conditioning through the minors doesn't produce the same caliber of mediocrity so commonplace in Pittsburgh.
As I said before, I haven't heard much about the other draft picks yet; something tells me that I'll be writing about them before too long, though.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Don't Trade Me, Bro!
Much like a little kid who's forced to leave his childhood home behind for a new place, baseball players take a little time to settle in comfortably once they've been traded to another team. Of course, in both scenarios, it's just a way of life: it's rare for people to live in the same house or town their entire lives, and unless management or the home town loves you, most players don't play for one team their entire career. Clearly, there are multiple exceptions; Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, and Mariano Rivera are, strangely, the only ones I can think of off the top of my head. Albert Pujols, Joe Mauer, and Chipper Jones also come to mind, after a moment of thought. But the average player is not usually a one-team man. Kyle Farnsworth has played 11 seasons for 6 different teams, one of them twice, Alex Rodriguez has played with 3, and even Seattle and Arizona franchise pitcher Randy Johnson played for Montreal, Houston, New York and San Francisco. Plenty of players are members of multiple teams in both leagues in their careers.
In many cases, a player takes some time to readjust when he's traded to another team or league. For instance, Jorge Cantu has struggled a little since he was traded to Texas: although he's an excellent player, and he's had a hit in almost every game he's played in since this, he's only scored a single run in that time. Roy Oswalt finally got his first win after being traded to the Phillies. Lance Berkman has had some good hits for New York, but has yet to hit a home run or play much in the field. Players can't automatically get into the groove with a new team, because it takes time to not only become acclimatized to the new physical setting, but also become familiar and friendly with their new teammates. Like a high schooler who transfers to a new school halfway through the year, it can be difficult for players from another team to come in and suddenly click with everyone. More often than not, it's an important play, a game-changing hit, or throwing a win that makes a new player become popular in their clubhouse. Even then, it may not be that easy: A-Rod has finally passed 600 homers, he played a huge part in bringing the 2009 World Series trophy to New York, and always manages to make spectacular plays...and yet, the Yanks fans still boo him quite often, making it clear that it's Jeter's city until he retires. Some players, though, make a pretty wonderful showing when they show up in a new town that gains them the affection of the home fans; but for the most part, players have to do some big things to make it in a new place.
In many cases, a player takes some time to readjust when he's traded to another team or league. For instance, Jorge Cantu has struggled a little since he was traded to Texas: although he's an excellent player, and he's had a hit in almost every game he's played in since this, he's only scored a single run in that time. Roy Oswalt finally got his first win after being traded to the Phillies. Lance Berkman has had some good hits for New York, but has yet to hit a home run or play much in the field. Players can't automatically get into the groove with a new team, because it takes time to not only become acclimatized to the new physical setting, but also become familiar and friendly with their new teammates. Like a high schooler who transfers to a new school halfway through the year, it can be difficult for players from another team to come in and suddenly click with everyone. More often than not, it's an important play, a game-changing hit, or throwing a win that makes a new player become popular in their clubhouse. Even then, it may not be that easy: A-Rod has finally passed 600 homers, he played a huge part in bringing the 2009 World Series trophy to New York, and always manages to make spectacular plays...and yet, the Yanks fans still boo him quite often, making it clear that it's Jeter's city until he retires. Some players, though, make a pretty wonderful showing when they show up in a new town that gains them the affection of the home fans; but for the most part, players have to do some big things to make it in a new place.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
If You Can't Beat 'Em, Ruin Their Playoff Hopes.
In the 6 months every year when baseball is in, pun intended, full swing, the dynamic and mission of every team changes drastically. In the first month or so, every team is gunning for the postseason right from the get-go: they play every game with October in mind, all hoping they can get a lead on the other teams in their division and clinch a playoff berth. Then, about 3 months in, the race is starting to take on a different shape: some teams are fighting for the top spot, while others play just to keep their hopes alive. Right around the end of July and beginning of August is when the game changes once again: by this time, there's a clear gap between teams still in the running, and those who will be subjected to hearing the phrase "Better luck next season" until spring training rolls around. However, it's at this point in the race that things become the most interesting, especially in a season like 2010, where every division except the AL West does not have a clear, definitive, predictable winner.
For example, say the Yankees are playing the Orioles. The Yankees are a game and a half in front of the Rays for the division lead right now, whereas the Orioles have the worst record in baseball (just a game or two under the Pirates, which we already know how I feel about them). Let's imagine for just a moment that, by some miraculous act of God, the O's sweep the Pinstripes in a 3 game series, and in that same span of time, the Rays beat the Tigers in a similar 3 game series (not so hard to envision, the Tigers got the first win of the season against Tampa Bay today). This means that the Rays are now ahead of the Yankees by 2.5 games. While Baltimore and Detroit, both already too far behind to make a serious push for the postseason, aren't heavily affected by winning or losing, they've changed the division standings for the AL East pretty drastically for this point in the season. In May or June, a similar situation would be disheartening, but not destructive. However, in mid-August, with New York and Tampa in such a close struggle, this could change the course of the rest of the season.
Then, there are teams that are somewhere in the middle: a few games back of the division leaders, but not so far back that they've been eliminated. While some teams can afford to lose at the top and bottom of each division, it's the team or teams in the middle that cannot. For example, the Red Sox are currently 5 games behind the Yankees for the lead in the division, and 3.5 games behind the Rays for the wild card. If they play a 3 game series with the Twins at the same time as these two other series and win 2 but drop 1, they're in a tight situation: they pull closer to the Yankees in the standings, but unfortunately for them, the Bombers aren't leading the division now since the Rays pulled ahead. Therefore, the Sox have to work extra hard to even stay in the race.
My original point is this: this late in the season, some teams are so far out of 1st place that no matter how many games they win, it's no use...however, they can still trip up some teams that are still in the race. And, in a lot of ways, that's more dangerous than them being serious contenders. If they start winning games against teams that are going for a playoff spot, they can shift the standings so heavily that a favorite may drop too many games and end the season on a disappointing note, so don't stop paying attention to teams who drop below by .500...that's when they're most deadly.
For example, say the Yankees are playing the Orioles. The Yankees are a game and a half in front of the Rays for the division lead right now, whereas the Orioles have the worst record in baseball (just a game or two under the Pirates, which we already know how I feel about them). Let's imagine for just a moment that, by some miraculous act of God, the O's sweep the Pinstripes in a 3 game series, and in that same span of time, the Rays beat the Tigers in a similar 3 game series (not so hard to envision, the Tigers got the first win of the season against Tampa Bay today). This means that the Rays are now ahead of the Yankees by 2.5 games. While Baltimore and Detroit, both already too far behind to make a serious push for the postseason, aren't heavily affected by winning or losing, they've changed the division standings for the AL East pretty drastically for this point in the season. In May or June, a similar situation would be disheartening, but not destructive. However, in mid-August, with New York and Tampa in such a close struggle, this could change the course of the rest of the season.
Then, there are teams that are somewhere in the middle: a few games back of the division leaders, but not so far back that they've been eliminated. While some teams can afford to lose at the top and bottom of each division, it's the team or teams in the middle that cannot. For example, the Red Sox are currently 5 games behind the Yankees for the lead in the division, and 3.5 games behind the Rays for the wild card. If they play a 3 game series with the Twins at the same time as these two other series and win 2 but drop 1, they're in a tight situation: they pull closer to the Yankees in the standings, but unfortunately for them, the Bombers aren't leading the division now since the Rays pulled ahead. Therefore, the Sox have to work extra hard to even stay in the race.
My original point is this: this late in the season, some teams are so far out of 1st place that no matter how many games they win, it's no use...however, they can still trip up some teams that are still in the race. And, in a lot of ways, that's more dangerous than them being serious contenders. If they start winning games against teams that are going for a playoff spot, they can shift the standings so heavily that a favorite may drop too many games and end the season on a disappointing note, so don't stop paying attention to teams who drop below by .500...that's when they're most deadly.
Is This The Real Life? Is This Just Fantasy?
Playing fantasy baseball is the most fun I've had playing baseball since I was 14. If you're a stats-oriented fan, this is the activity for you. The best thing about this game is, obviously, getting to draft players from all teams (if you're in an all-inclusive fantasy league) and collect points based on how well or how poor they do. Where else could you have an infield that consists of Joe Mauer catching, Aubrey Huff at first, Dan Uggla at second, Derek Jeter at shortstop, and Scott Rolen at third (this, if you couldn't tell, is my fantasy infield)? Not even at an All-Star Game would one team with players from both leagues be possible. In a sense, you feel like you're genuinely managing a team: constructing lineups based on real-life injured players or those with off days, wheeling and dealing in the trade market, picking up free agent players if you so choose. You sure get the same excitement or heartbreak as you would watching a regular game: if your players do well, and your points increase, you feel as if they alone were responsible for their real-life team's successes (which, in some cases, they very well may be: one of my fantasy players, Colby Rasmus of the Cards, belted a grand slam this afternoon which helped lift his team 6-1 over the Reds, and into first place in the division), and vice versa.
In past years, I used to think that fantasy baseball was just a vehicle for people who couldn't play the game in real life, or who didn't want to for whatever reason, but now I see that it's not only a fun pasttime based off our nation's, it's a statistician's dream come true. You follow the players at-bats, their runs scored, home runs, runs batted in, stolen bases and averages; and you can also keep track of your pitchers' innings pitched, strikeouts, walks, hits, runs, wins, ERAs, and most other stats commonly used in determining a player's worth. It's also a good way to find out about players you never knew about: Rasmus is now one of my favorite players, as is Uggla, Huff, and Baltimore's Ty Wiggington, all players I never usually hear about. It gives you more players and even teams to root for in real life: without Zack Greinke, I'd never give a care about the Royals except to make fun of my mom when they lose to the Yankees. Fantasy baseball has shown me another side to a game I thought I knew nearly everything about, and I'd recommend it to any fan.
In past years, I used to think that fantasy baseball was just a vehicle for people who couldn't play the game in real life, or who didn't want to for whatever reason, but now I see that it's not only a fun pasttime based off our nation's, it's a statistician's dream come true. You follow the players at-bats, their runs scored, home runs, runs batted in, stolen bases and averages; and you can also keep track of your pitchers' innings pitched, strikeouts, walks, hits, runs, wins, ERAs, and most other stats commonly used in determining a player's worth. It's also a good way to find out about players you never knew about: Rasmus is now one of my favorite players, as is Uggla, Huff, and Baltimore's Ty Wiggington, all players I never usually hear about. It gives you more players and even teams to root for in real life: without Zack Greinke, I'd never give a care about the Royals except to make fun of my mom when they lose to the Yankees. Fantasy baseball has shown me another side to a game I thought I knew nearly everything about, and I'd recommend it to any fan.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything.
This may come as a surprise to some of you, but the Pittsburgh Pirates are the worst team in the MLB. I'll give you a minute to try and comprehend this breaking news.
There, have you gotten over the shock? Good. This may be something you didn't know because you never hear about them, and that's precisely why: the only noteworthy thing they do is perenially stink. The last time they reached the playoffs was 1992, and their last World Series win (they surprisingly have 5 in their franchise history) was in 1979. To put that in perspective: the Florida Marlins were created in 1993, and they've won 2 championships in their time. The Kansas City Royals, another team considered to be one of MLB's worst teams, won it all in 1985. Basically, every team except the Giants, the Indians, and the Cubs have won a title since the Pirates last did (excluding teams that haven't ever won a Series or even appeared). And guess what: the Yankees have won 5 since then. It's just a good thing that Pittsburgh has the Steelers in football and the Penguins in hockey, so you have some other professional sports team to watch and cheer for if you live there. It seems like no Pirate can perform well since Roberto Clemente, and they never seem to bring anyone in the organization, management, coach, or playerwise, to even attempt to be like him. Sure, one or two names stand out this year: Octavio Dotel was an average relief pitcher who's now with a better team (the Dodgers); Andrew McCutchen and Lastings Milledge are, sadly, the power hitters for the Bucs; and that's about it...I really can't think of anyone worth noting on that team. Even teams that have losing or failing seasons can rebound every once and a while and make a splash, but the Pittsburgh crew seems to only get worse every year. It would take a miracle, an act of God, or just a few good players, to turn the Buccos' fate around.
There, have you gotten over the shock? Good. This may be something you didn't know because you never hear about them, and that's precisely why: the only noteworthy thing they do is perenially stink. The last time they reached the playoffs was 1992, and their last World Series win (they surprisingly have 5 in their franchise history) was in 1979. To put that in perspective: the Florida Marlins were created in 1993, and they've won 2 championships in their time. The Kansas City Royals, another team considered to be one of MLB's worst teams, won it all in 1985. Basically, every team except the Giants, the Indians, and the Cubs have won a title since the Pirates last did (excluding teams that haven't ever won a Series or even appeared). And guess what: the Yankees have won 5 since then. It's just a good thing that Pittsburgh has the Steelers in football and the Penguins in hockey, so you have some other professional sports team to watch and cheer for if you live there. It seems like no Pirate can perform well since Roberto Clemente, and they never seem to bring anyone in the organization, management, coach, or playerwise, to even attempt to be like him. Sure, one or two names stand out this year: Octavio Dotel was an average relief pitcher who's now with a better team (the Dodgers); Andrew McCutchen and Lastings Milledge are, sadly, the power hitters for the Bucs; and that's about it...I really can't think of anyone worth noting on that team. Even teams that have losing or failing seasons can rebound every once and a while and make a splash, but the Pittsburgh crew seems to only get worse every year. It would take a miracle, an act of God, or just a few good players, to turn the Buccos' fate around.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Hit Me With Your Best Shot.
Since joining the Red Sox, David "Big Papi" Ortiz has been known best for one thing: making big hits. He has a career 339 home runs (good for a 4-way tie for 85th place all time), he led the American League in homers in 2006, he showed everyone that his power hasn't diminished by winning the Home Run Derby this year with 32, the second most ever hit in the Derby, and most importantly, he's hit 12 walk-off dingers in his career to help his team win the game, second most all time, just 1 behind Mickey Mantle. With his 22 in regular games this year, it's pretty clear that Ortiz still packs a punch, even after 13 years in the big leagues. I'd like to know, how the hell does he still have so much power? Before you state the obvious and tell me it's because of his size (6'4 and a whopping 230 pounds, most of which look to be muscle), consider the fact that he's 34 years old. Even Ken Griffey Jr., one of the best home run hitters in the past 20 years, didn't win a Home Run Derby after 1999, ten years after he first came up. He was 29 when he won his last one. Many players have shown that they can play into their late 30's and even possibly early 40's, but their power greatly diminishes; baseball is certainly a game for young, healthy players. Why don't many players (such as Griffey Jr., Jim Thome, and even Ortiz himself) play any time in the field once they get older? They all stick to designated hitter before fading into the history books...however, it looks like Ortiz refuses to burn out just yet. Even in his 14th season, he's hit more homers to this point than he did in his first 4 seasons combined. And, believe it or not, I doubt the allegations that he tested positive for steroids. Even before their usage became popular, he was still smashing baseballs all the time. While he most likely won't end the season with numbers like his 54 in '06, even this Yankees fan has to admit that he's still one of the most intimidating players in the game.
Also speaking as a Yankees fan, I respect and admire Joe Torre almost as much as I do The Boss (R.I.P.), but let's face it: no matter how good of a coach he is (and, truly, he is), I don't think he'll ever win a championship with the Dodgers. It has very little to do with the fact that he left New York, actually. It has more to do with the fact that the Dodgers, while contenders, are far from being a team comparable to the Yankees, Red Sox, Phillies, or Cardinals. Hell, they're not even the best team in Los Angeles: this season, they're comparatively ahead in the standings, but if you see an LA team in the playoffs, it's likely the Angels. This isn't Torre's fault: with his best player, Manny Ramirez, on and off the disabled list more often than Cliff Lee gets traded to another team, and a supporting cast of Rafael Furcal, Andre Ethier, and the addition of veteran Scott Podsednik and ineffective Ryan Theriot on the field, and pitchers like Chad Billingsley, Hiroki Kuroda, and Vicente Padilla not helping out defensively, this Dodgers team isn't performing anywhere as well as the team that got to the NLDS last season, even though it's basically the same players. This year, though, it looks like they won't even reach the playoffs, unless the San Francisco Giants (the current NL wild card frontrunners), the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds (constantly half a game behind one another), and the Philadelphia Phillies (who are finally making a comeback and are now only 3.5 games behind the division-leading Braves) suddenly going on simultaneous losing streaks while the Dodgers become unfathomably strong and have no injuries. One highlight of their team is new relief pitcher Kenley Jansen, who came out of seemingly nowhere by recording his first save in his second major league game. This 22-year-old wunderkind could add a little more needed defense to this team; if the batters start getting hot as well, the Blue Crew could return to form next year and maybe, just maybe, Joe Torre could win a World Series in a uniform with NY on it.
You know what manager is absolutely crazy? Ozzie Guillen (SURPRISE!). Yet again, he's made the news for saying something stupid and offensive; this time, it's really against his own kind. He's claimed that Latinos are underrepresented in Major League Baseball, that they're not treated like they should be. Hey, Oz, look at your own roster. Over half the players he manages are Latino. You want to know why most of them on his own team aren't recognizable? They're not good, or they don't do anything worth remembering. Mark Buerhle, his star pitcher, is white, and he pitched a perfect game. Their new pitcher, Edwin Jackson, is black, and he just pitched a no-hitter for another team. What have you heard about backup catcher Ramon Castro doing lately? Has Omar Vizquel made a difference in any games so far? Has Andruw Jones even played in half of the games this season? I truly believe, in this day and age, if a player is good, regardless of race, he'll be recognized and famous. Alex Rodriguez, a Latino, is 7th on the all-time home runs list (10 behind the only other Latino left to surpass on that list, Sammy Sosa) and is now a World Series champion. Vladimir Guerrero, a Latino, has helped the Rangers immensely to their first playoff run since 1999. Albert Pujols, a Latino, is by far the best player all around. For Guillen to say that Latinos are not properly represented is ridiculous. As short-sighted as Ozzie may be, this may be his dumbest remark yet. Another part of his idiotic rant claimed that Asian players get more help being translated and understood than Latinos who have a comparable grasp on the English language. As ESPN analyst Bobby Valentine said yesterday on Outside The Lines, the English and Spanish languages use almost all the same letters, and have many words and sounds in common; therefore, it's infinitely easier for Latinos to learn our native tongue than Asian players, who, whether they speak Chinese, Japanese, Korean or otherwise, come from speaking a language with literally thousands of characters, words, sounds, dialects and styles. Is anyone else confused as to why the Asian players need more help than the Spanish speakers? Since Guillen's remarks, players such as Alfonso Soriano have stated that their first few teams helped them learn and adjust very well, completely refuting Ozzie's ideas and making it lose whatever minimal credibility it had coming from him. So, as usual, let's do what we normally do when Ozzie Guillen talks and ignore it, unless he's speaking after a big postseason win.
Also speaking as a Yankees fan, I respect and admire Joe Torre almost as much as I do The Boss (R.I.P.), but let's face it: no matter how good of a coach he is (and, truly, he is), I don't think he'll ever win a championship with the Dodgers. It has very little to do with the fact that he left New York, actually. It has more to do with the fact that the Dodgers, while contenders, are far from being a team comparable to the Yankees, Red Sox, Phillies, or Cardinals. Hell, they're not even the best team in Los Angeles: this season, they're comparatively ahead in the standings, but if you see an LA team in the playoffs, it's likely the Angels. This isn't Torre's fault: with his best player, Manny Ramirez, on and off the disabled list more often than Cliff Lee gets traded to another team, and a supporting cast of Rafael Furcal, Andre Ethier, and the addition of veteran Scott Podsednik and ineffective Ryan Theriot on the field, and pitchers like Chad Billingsley, Hiroki Kuroda, and Vicente Padilla not helping out defensively, this Dodgers team isn't performing anywhere as well as the team that got to the NLDS last season, even though it's basically the same players. This year, though, it looks like they won't even reach the playoffs, unless the San Francisco Giants (the current NL wild card frontrunners), the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds (constantly half a game behind one another), and the Philadelphia Phillies (who are finally making a comeback and are now only 3.5 games behind the division-leading Braves) suddenly going on simultaneous losing streaks while the Dodgers become unfathomably strong and have no injuries. One highlight of their team is new relief pitcher Kenley Jansen, who came out of seemingly nowhere by recording his first save in his second major league game. This 22-year-old wunderkind could add a little more needed defense to this team; if the batters start getting hot as well, the Blue Crew could return to form next year and maybe, just maybe, Joe Torre could win a World Series in a uniform with NY on it.
You know what manager is absolutely crazy? Ozzie Guillen (SURPRISE!). Yet again, he's made the news for saying something stupid and offensive; this time, it's really against his own kind. He's claimed that Latinos are underrepresented in Major League Baseball, that they're not treated like they should be. Hey, Oz, look at your own roster. Over half the players he manages are Latino. You want to know why most of them on his own team aren't recognizable? They're not good, or they don't do anything worth remembering. Mark Buerhle, his star pitcher, is white, and he pitched a perfect game. Their new pitcher, Edwin Jackson, is black, and he just pitched a no-hitter for another team. What have you heard about backup catcher Ramon Castro doing lately? Has Omar Vizquel made a difference in any games so far? Has Andruw Jones even played in half of the games this season? I truly believe, in this day and age, if a player is good, regardless of race, he'll be recognized and famous. Alex Rodriguez, a Latino, is 7th on the all-time home runs list (10 behind the only other Latino left to surpass on that list, Sammy Sosa) and is now a World Series champion. Vladimir Guerrero, a Latino, has helped the Rangers immensely to their first playoff run since 1999. Albert Pujols, a Latino, is by far the best player all around. For Guillen to say that Latinos are not properly represented is ridiculous. As short-sighted as Ozzie may be, this may be his dumbest remark yet. Another part of his idiotic rant claimed that Asian players get more help being translated and understood than Latinos who have a comparable grasp on the English language. As ESPN analyst Bobby Valentine said yesterday on Outside The Lines, the English and Spanish languages use almost all the same letters, and have many words and sounds in common; therefore, it's infinitely easier for Latinos to learn our native tongue than Asian players, who, whether they speak Chinese, Japanese, Korean or otherwise, come from speaking a language with literally thousands of characters, words, sounds, dialects and styles. Is anyone else confused as to why the Asian players need more help than the Spanish speakers? Since Guillen's remarks, players such as Alfonso Soriano have stated that their first few teams helped them learn and adjust very well, completely refuting Ozzie's ideas and making it lose whatever minimal credibility it had coming from him. So, as usual, let's do what we normally do when Ozzie Guillen talks and ignore it, unless he's speaking after a big postseason win.
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