When it rains, it pours. And right now it's raining baseball blogs written by yours truly. Two posts in two days, after a three week absence may seem like gluttony. But you'll read it and you'll enjoy it, damnit. Today we are going to focus on some early MVP voting in both the American and National Leagues. So let's get cracking.
In the National League there are some familiar names that come up when discussing this year's Most Valuable Player. There's Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals. He is hitting a beefy .320, which is good for third-best in the N.L. The reigning MVP is also leading his league in homeruns with 35. This might not seem like a whole lot, but considering the power numbers are down all across baseball, 35 is not so bad. Pujols is also leading the N.L. in slugging percentage and RBI. So he's a lock for a repeat of MVP, right?
Well, not so fast there. There are a few other players doing some incredible things this year as well. Take Joey Votto of the Cincinnati Reds for instance. The fellow first-baseman is second in the league in average, hitting .325 in 2010, and he has 32 dingers to boot. Plus, Votto has 93 RBI, which trails Pujols by only two. Meanwhile Votto is leading in on-base percentage. These two players are so close that a two or three-game slump from either player could mean an award lost later in the year. So, if these two guys are so close in the race, does that mean everyone else is out of it?
Hardly. Carlos Gonzalez of the Colorado Rockies might have something to say about it. I know I've gushed about this guy once already this year, but when you see these numbers, you'll understand why. Cargo, as he is referred to in Denver, is leading both Votto and Pujols in average by hitting a fantastic .326. Granted, he's not blowing them away or anything, but a lead is a lead. And he's keeping up in the power department too, having hit 29 bombs already, meanwhile driving in his fair share of runs. He has 90 RBI, just five off of Fat Albert's pace. And while he is in the top five for OBP and SLG, Carlos' real edge is his speed. He has 20 SBs so far, compared with Albert and Joey being tied at 12. Throw in 7 triples for good measure, and Gonzalez holds the speed lead over his competition. Consider also that Carlos did a lot of his damage while fellow star player Troy Tulowitzki was out with a wrist injury. So while Pujols and Votto have been known to carry their teams, they haven't had to do so alone the way Gonzalez has. Does this make Gonzalez the clear-cut winner. Not by a long shot. It just proves that these three players are so closed tied right now, that if MVP voting took place today, I could realistically see a three-way tie. But there is still a month of regular-season baseball to play and anything can happen.
The story is similar in the American League as well. Josh Hamilton, the darling of the Texas Rangers may be turning heads with his .359 average, but it's Miguel Cabrera who is leading in RBI (107), OBP (.437)and SLG (.647) Hamilton isn't far off Miguel's pace, but it's Miggy who is leading. And let's not forget about yesterday's mention, Jose Bautista. True, he really only has the homeruns working for him right now, but he's got a comfortable lead, and don't second-guess how the voting sports writers value homeruns in this game. But is that all their is?
That's a negative. Like I mentioned before, there are other things to consider, like defense and speed. Ok, defense only really shines if a race is insanely close, or if there is almost no league offense to speak of. But speed shows. And in Carl Crawford's case, it puts you into the history books. In yesterday's game, the Tampa Bay Ray became only the 8th player in MLB history to have 100 homeruns, 100 triples and 400 stolen bases. In a quote from NBC Sports, "The other guys in the 400-100-100 club: Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker, Lou Brock, Frankie Frisch, Kenny Lofton, Paul Molitor, and Tim Raines. All but Raines and Lofton are in the Hall of Fame." But does this give Crawford a chance at a MVP award? Not really. While he's having a career year by hitting 15 homers to go with his 41 stolen bags, and a very good .296 average, I severly doubt he'll be bringing home the big hardware come post-season. The likes of Hamilton and Cabrera are just too much of a match this year.
But we have yet to discuss the dark-horse candidates. They're big. They're bad. And most importantly, They're back. First up, Paul Konerko is telling everyone in the American League to watch the hell out, because he is having a comeback year for the ages. While his power was never quite sapped, his homerun production was marginal in the past few years. But with 32 dingers already this year, which compares nicely with his competitors, and his .319 average, Pauly might just get a few sympathy votes and steal away a trophy. And his 92 RBI are just four off of Vlad Guerrero's pace. Vladdy is hitting just under .300 with 24 pops so far in 2010. However, he has the privilege of sharing a locker room with Mr. Hamilton, so he will be looked over quite heavily come voting day. But it's still nice to mention these older fellows that are showing a return to prominence.
So will Hamilton or Cabrera take the A.L. trophy home in November? Can the young Carlos Gonzalez steal some National League thunder from Pujols and Votto? Can an Adam Dunn or a Jose Bautista catch fire in the last month of the season and blow everyone away? It's anyone's game right now. There are favorites, most definitely. I have mine. But awards aren't handed out for doing well most of the season. You have to dominate for 162 games. Now who's got the stuff to win it?
Monday, August 30, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Three Week Notice
Oh, it hurts my heart how long I've been away from you. But I'm here to make up for lost time. I've been keeping track of all the major events that have been taking place during my blogging absence and I hope to cover a few of them with you today. So without further ado, let's get to some baseball news.
One of the bigger stories that caught my eye a few weeks ago was a performance by Brandon Morrow of the Toronto Blue Jays. Mr. Morrow was one out away from his first career no-hitter when Ray's third-baseman Evan Longoria reached base on a single. "That would have been a great feat," Morrow said, "but I'll start at a complete-game, one-hit shutout with 17 strikeouts." You heard right in that MLB.com article. Morrow no only shut down Tampa Bay, but did it while striking out 17 batters, a career-high. And while this is a tremendous feat by Brandon Morrow, it must also be stated that this was the third time this year that Tampa Bay was shutout while having one hit or less. This one-hit gem by Morrow, the no-hitter thrown against them by Edwin Jackson, and the perfect game that Dallas Braden threw back in May. But somehow, they don't let this all-or-nothing failure get to them, because they still are tied with the N.Y. Yankees for the best record in baseball.
Another gentleman making noise up in Toronto is Jose Bautista. The 3B/OF has always struggled to find playing time, and other than a four-year stint with the Pirates, had never found a home before now. But boy is he making the most out of his time in Canada. Jose is leading Major League Baseball with 42 homeruns, and by a comfortable margin I might add. He has nine more homers than the next hitter, Miguel Cabrera. Bautista is also second in the majors with 99 RBI, and while his average hovers around a decent .265, he doesn't struck out that much, which is a good sign for future sucess. In case you are wondering, his previous career-high for homeruns in a season was 16. So while Jose is having probably the best year he will ever have, it should be noted that he has yet to do this consistently over a few years. Toronto hasn't put him on waivers or attempted to trade him, so he will get the chance to do this again in 2011. Then we'll see if this is a flash-in-the-pan year, or a sign of things to come for the 29-year-old.
One event that I missed while away was a little incident that happened between the Cincinnati Reds and the St. Louis Cardinals. On August 9, Reds' 2B Brandon Phillips had some unkind words for the Cardinals organization. Phillips is quoted as saying, "I hate the Cardinals. All they do is bitch and moan about everything, all of them, they’re little bitches, all of ‘em. I really hate the Cardinals." Thanks to LarryBrownSports.com for the quote info. Now usually you hear a guy say something like, 'We don't get along with those guys.' But Phillips decided throw off the kid-gloves and say what was on his chest. And for the fans in the stands the next day it was a real treat, because they got to see a brawl of massive proportions. When Brandon came to bat in the bottom of the first inning, he and Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina exchanged some words, and it didn't take long for the melee to ensue. Benches cleared, bullpens rushed in, Reds' 1B Scott Rolen pushed his former teammates around, Johnny Cueto got pinned against the backstop netting and kicked Chris Carpenter in the back, and while both managers were ejected, not one player was thrown out of the game. It was an incident that many analysts say was good for baseball, because it injected some passion and a sense of rivalry that sometimes is lacking from the sport. And essentially no one was really hurt, so it can't be said it was horrible. True, it may not be the best example for kids to follow, but it will teach them that they have to be passionate in their pursuits and that sometimes they have to stand up for their teammates and friends. So was it a good thing? Maybe, maybe not. But it sure was fun to watch.
Meanwhile, Francisco Rodriguez, also known as K-Rod, decided to go nuts and start his own fight. However, this wasn't on a field with another player. Instead, the N.Y. Mets' closer beat on his children's grandfather in the Mets' locker room after a game. The two men had to be separated by the police and Rodriguez had to appear in court in the following days. And unlike the Reds/Cardinals incident, there was a related injury. K-Rod torn a ligament in a finger and will now miss the rest of the season. The Metropolitan front office is attempting to halt Franky's pay for the rest of the season and may have a case to void the rest of his contract. This, unlike the fight on the field, is a disgrace. Rodriguez, who is known to have a temper and some emotional problems, brought his personal business into his work place, and has now made his team suffer for his irresponsible actions. It shows that he is both an immature person, and a bad teammate and I for one would be glad if the Mets decided to get rid of him entirely.
Also in the National League East, the Atlanta Braves made a little noise. Unfortunately the noise was the sound of third-baseman Chipper Jones' knee snapping. On a grounder that took him past the foul line, Chipper made a jumping throw and landed awkwardly. Sadly, the potential sprain ended up being an ACL tear that required surgery, ending Jone's season and maybe even his career. Chipper, who has been a staple of the Braves' organization for 15 years, has had a multitude of injuries in the past few seasons. Since 2004 he's missed significant time every year and has played 140 games once. This might have been Chipper's last year anyway, as he might have called it quits alongside manager Bobby Cox, who is retiring from baseball this year. And since the Braves have a good chance to make the playoffs this year, it would have been the perfect ending for both men. Unfortunately that is an impossibility, for Jones at least. He has said he doesn't want that play to be the last thing fans remember, but in all actuality, with the various injuries he's been dealing with over the years, and the severity of this last one, the likelihood of Chipper making a comeback is slim. While I used to despise him because he was a Met-killer, Chipper was always a class-act player who never ran his mouth. He let his bat do the talking for him. If this is indeed his last season, then a further segment will be needed to chronicle his wonderful career. For now, get well soon Chipper.
To accommodate for the loss of Chipper, the Braves went out and traded for Derek Lee, the former Chicago Cubs 1B. This gives Derek a great chance to make the post-season again. It also made it extremely clear to anyone who doubted it, that the Cubs need to start rebuilding. They have too many hefty contracts and players that aren't performing enough based on what they are paid. And to make matters worse, manager Lou Pinella no longer had control of the team. Carlos Zambrano routinely lost his temper and mind, and players just weren't performing for him. So it was a beneficial parting when Sweet Lou decided to call it quits a few months earlier than he had planned, in order to be with his ailing mother. On Sunday, August 22nd, Lou managed his last game, fittingly against the Braves. And while the Cubs got spanked 16-5, the Wrigley faithful gave Lou a fantastic ovation and sendoff. Pinella was very emotional in the post-game interviews as his life has consisted of either playing or managing baseball for the past 40 years. The three-time Manager of the Year and manager of the 1990 World Series Champion Reds was a sports reporter's dream. His heated tirades both on the field and in the pressrooms made him a legendary character that baseball could hang its hat on. And while he quieted down some over the years, they was never anyone quite like Lou. And there never will be again.
Lots more has happened than I've been able to report. There have been some great games played. The Rockies had a fantastic comeback against the Braves a few days ago. The scores have been steadily rising all over the league due to pitcher fatigue. The S.F. Giant's rotation has been faltering. The Twins added bullpen help in the form of Brian Fuentes, marking an Angels' admission of Ranger dominance this year. The Red Sox are still clinging to hopes that either the Rays or Yanks will start to lose. The playoff race is in the air and meaningful games are plentiful in both leagues. I hope to be able to get into the swing of things again. I'm sorry I've been away. Let me make it up to you.
One of the bigger stories that caught my eye a few weeks ago was a performance by Brandon Morrow of the Toronto Blue Jays. Mr. Morrow was one out away from his first career no-hitter when Ray's third-baseman Evan Longoria reached base on a single. "That would have been a great feat," Morrow said, "but I'll start at a complete-game, one-hit shutout with 17 strikeouts." You heard right in that MLB.com article. Morrow no only shut down Tampa Bay, but did it while striking out 17 batters, a career-high. And while this is a tremendous feat by Brandon Morrow, it must also be stated that this was the third time this year that Tampa Bay was shutout while having one hit or less. This one-hit gem by Morrow, the no-hitter thrown against them by Edwin Jackson, and the perfect game that Dallas Braden threw back in May. But somehow, they don't let this all-or-nothing failure get to them, because they still are tied with the N.Y. Yankees for the best record in baseball.
Another gentleman making noise up in Toronto is Jose Bautista. The 3B/OF has always struggled to find playing time, and other than a four-year stint with the Pirates, had never found a home before now. But boy is he making the most out of his time in Canada. Jose is leading Major League Baseball with 42 homeruns, and by a comfortable margin I might add. He has nine more homers than the next hitter, Miguel Cabrera. Bautista is also second in the majors with 99 RBI, and while his average hovers around a decent .265, he doesn't struck out that much, which is a good sign for future sucess. In case you are wondering, his previous career-high for homeruns in a season was 16. So while Jose is having probably the best year he will ever have, it should be noted that he has yet to do this consistently over a few years. Toronto hasn't put him on waivers or attempted to trade him, so he will get the chance to do this again in 2011. Then we'll see if this is a flash-in-the-pan year, or a sign of things to come for the 29-year-old.
One event that I missed while away was a little incident that happened between the Cincinnati Reds and the St. Louis Cardinals. On August 9, Reds' 2B Brandon Phillips had some unkind words for the Cardinals organization. Phillips is quoted as saying, "I hate the Cardinals. All they do is bitch and moan about everything, all of them, they’re little bitches, all of ‘em. I really hate the Cardinals." Thanks to LarryBrownSports.com for the quote info. Now usually you hear a guy say something like, 'We don't get along with those guys.' But Phillips decided throw off the kid-gloves and say what was on his chest. And for the fans in the stands the next day it was a real treat, because they got to see a brawl of massive proportions. When Brandon came to bat in the bottom of the first inning, he and Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina exchanged some words, and it didn't take long for the melee to ensue. Benches cleared, bullpens rushed in, Reds' 1B Scott Rolen pushed his former teammates around, Johnny Cueto got pinned against the backstop netting and kicked Chris Carpenter in the back, and while both managers were ejected, not one player was thrown out of the game. It was an incident that many analysts say was good for baseball, because it injected some passion and a sense of rivalry that sometimes is lacking from the sport. And essentially no one was really hurt, so it can't be said it was horrible. True, it may not be the best example for kids to follow, but it will teach them that they have to be passionate in their pursuits and that sometimes they have to stand up for their teammates and friends. So was it a good thing? Maybe, maybe not. But it sure was fun to watch.
Meanwhile, Francisco Rodriguez, also known as K-Rod, decided to go nuts and start his own fight. However, this wasn't on a field with another player. Instead, the N.Y. Mets' closer beat on his children's grandfather in the Mets' locker room after a game. The two men had to be separated by the police and Rodriguez had to appear in court in the following days. And unlike the Reds/Cardinals incident, there was a related injury. K-Rod torn a ligament in a finger and will now miss the rest of the season. The Metropolitan front office is attempting to halt Franky's pay for the rest of the season and may have a case to void the rest of his contract. This, unlike the fight on the field, is a disgrace. Rodriguez, who is known to have a temper and some emotional problems, brought his personal business into his work place, and has now made his team suffer for his irresponsible actions. It shows that he is both an immature person, and a bad teammate and I for one would be glad if the Mets decided to get rid of him entirely.
Also in the National League East, the Atlanta Braves made a little noise. Unfortunately the noise was the sound of third-baseman Chipper Jones' knee snapping. On a grounder that took him past the foul line, Chipper made a jumping throw and landed awkwardly. Sadly, the potential sprain ended up being an ACL tear that required surgery, ending Jone's season and maybe even his career. Chipper, who has been a staple of the Braves' organization for 15 years, has had a multitude of injuries in the past few seasons. Since 2004 he's missed significant time every year and has played 140 games once. This might have been Chipper's last year anyway, as he might have called it quits alongside manager Bobby Cox, who is retiring from baseball this year. And since the Braves have a good chance to make the playoffs this year, it would have been the perfect ending for both men. Unfortunately that is an impossibility, for Jones at least. He has said he doesn't want that play to be the last thing fans remember, but in all actuality, with the various injuries he's been dealing with over the years, and the severity of this last one, the likelihood of Chipper making a comeback is slim. While I used to despise him because he was a Met-killer, Chipper was always a class-act player who never ran his mouth. He let his bat do the talking for him. If this is indeed his last season, then a further segment will be needed to chronicle his wonderful career. For now, get well soon Chipper.
To accommodate for the loss of Chipper, the Braves went out and traded for Derek Lee, the former Chicago Cubs 1B. This gives Derek a great chance to make the post-season again. It also made it extremely clear to anyone who doubted it, that the Cubs need to start rebuilding. They have too many hefty contracts and players that aren't performing enough based on what they are paid. And to make matters worse, manager Lou Pinella no longer had control of the team. Carlos Zambrano routinely lost his temper and mind, and players just weren't performing for him. So it was a beneficial parting when Sweet Lou decided to call it quits a few months earlier than he had planned, in order to be with his ailing mother. On Sunday, August 22nd, Lou managed his last game, fittingly against the Braves. And while the Cubs got spanked 16-5, the Wrigley faithful gave Lou a fantastic ovation and sendoff. Pinella was very emotional in the post-game interviews as his life has consisted of either playing or managing baseball for the past 40 years. The three-time Manager of the Year and manager of the 1990 World Series Champion Reds was a sports reporter's dream. His heated tirades both on the field and in the pressrooms made him a legendary character that baseball could hang its hat on. And while he quieted down some over the years, they was never anyone quite like Lou. And there never will be again.
Lots more has happened than I've been able to report. There have been some great games played. The Rockies had a fantastic comeback against the Braves a few days ago. The scores have been steadily rising all over the league due to pitcher fatigue. The S.F. Giant's rotation has been faltering. The Twins added bullpen help in the form of Brian Fuentes, marking an Angels' admission of Ranger dominance this year. The Red Sox are still clinging to hopes that either the Rays or Yanks will start to lose. The playoff race is in the air and meaningful games are plentiful in both leagues. I hope to be able to get into the swing of things again. I'm sorry I've been away. Let me make it up to you.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
The Hawk
A lot of discussion goes into Hall of Fame ballots. Who should go in? Who should stay out? The consensus opinion from sports writers who get to vote players in, says that unless a guy is a clear-cut Hall of Famer, he shouldn't be inducted. 'If you have to think about it, then the answer is he isn't a Hall of Famer', the adage goes. But that theory is somewhat flawed, because there are great players out there who fall through the cracks, with great achievements simply forgotten by time. They linger on the HOF ballot for years and years, constantly being passed over, until finally they get in, or are snubbed for the final time. Andre Dawson is a prime example of this. And although most of you already know that he was inducted into the Hall just a few weeks ago, there is still some debate about whether he and others of his ilk, should be there or not. This is something that can only be analyzed on a case-to-case basis, however. So I'd like to take a deeper look at Andre's case in particular, and see if this is a debate we can settle.
For those of you who don't know, Andre "Hawk" Dawson was a tremendous talent that exploded onto the National League scene during the 1977 season with the Montreal Expos (now the Washington Nationals). In that year, he batted .282, hit 19 homers, drove in 65 runs while scoring 64 himself, and stole 21 bags, eventually picking up a National League Rookie of the Year award for his efforts. Over the next few years he proved to be a very adept center/right-fielder and a consistent threat to bash around 25 HRs and have around 25-30 SBs. He was also a great leader and mentor to the players around him. Baseball-reference.com has a great segment on Dawson in its Bullpen link that says, "He tried to keep 2B Rodney Scott from the temptations of drugs, and was successful in rescuing (Tim) Raines from a potential downward spiral when he became addicted to cocaine in 1982. In gratitude for the help given, Raines named his second son Andre Darrell Raines." This goes to show that he was not only a great player on the field, but a beloved character in the clubhouse as well.
Unfortunately for Andre the front office didn't appreciate his roles both on the field and off, even in the slightest. The BR Bullpen goes on to say that after his contract ran out in 1986, management gave him "an insulting offer to sign again. Dawson wanted to leave Montreal because of his knees (a result of the terrible Olympic Stadium turf), but management played the collusion card, discouraging every other team from making an offer to Dawson, with the aim of giving him no other choice but to come back and sign a below-market contract with the Expos." These are the kinds of shady deals that aren't as frequent in today's game thanks to the efforts of the MLB Players Union. Dawson was so insulted by this, he took a pay cut to instead play for the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs GM was given a blank check by Dawson, to which he signed Hawk to a mere $500K plus incentives. But Dawson fulfilled each one of those incentives, making and starting in the 1987 All-Star game, as well as winning the MVP award that year by walloping 49 homeruns and 137 RBIs. He ended up playing 5 more years in Chicago and was a beloved institution there.
Dawson eventually played out his years with short two-year stints in Boston and Florida. He finished his career with 8 Gold Glove awards for his outstanding defense in both center and right. He also collected five Silver Slugger awards and was an 8-time All-Star. But while these achievements are well and good and present a fine case for his Hall of Fame induction, what goes missing here is the character behind the man. And that is something that is often forgotten when it comes to HOF voting. Let's go back to that quote about his time in Montreal where he helped teammates get off drugs. It easy for a player to come to the ballpark, get in his stretching and hitting, play a game, and go home. There are plenty of guys in today's game that do just that. But it takes a special personality to draw others to you and to be a leader. Success is too often measured by numbers and stats, and while they are important, a man's character must also be taken into account. I can remember no player more beloved by the fanbase, commentators and fellow players while I was growing up, than Andre Dawson. He was even one of my favorite players and I didn't even like the Cubs. He just had that great big smile in his pictures that drew people to him. But he could switch on that Hawk stare he was so famous for, on the field.
Now it's a fact that Andre Dawson was not the greatest player ever. He didn't have 3,000 hits, nor did he hit 500 HRs. But he is good company when you can say that he is one of only three players in the history of the game to have over 400 homeruns and 300 stolen bases. The other two players? Oh, only Barry Bonds, the disputed homerun champion and Willie Mays, possibly the great baseball player of all-time. And he was able to accomplish all of this while on bad knees for almost the entirety of his career. His numbers might not smack you in the face, but when you look at them with a wide view, and consider them (not make excuses with) his injuries, you can compare his stats to other HOFers, and he is right there with the best of the best.
But like I've said, the numbers aren't everything. One radio DJ I heard on my old college radio station WTSR complained that Dawson's induction was a result of a "dumbing-down of the Hall of Fame". Too many guys were getting in that didn't belong, he thought. But if you think about it, there are literally hundreds of guys that play each year in both the major and minor, plus the independent leagues, all of whom are trying to prove that they are worthy of greatness. When you take that into consideration, and you think that in 2010 only one, solitary man was inducted into the Hall of Fame for his efforts over a career that spanned 21 great seasons, can you honestly say that the Hall of Fame is too easy to get into? Can you look that man in the eye and say, 'Sorry Hawk, if you had only hit 50 more homers, or swipe a dozen more bases, then maybe I could vote you in.' I say Andre Dawson is as deserving as any man to ever play the game of having his bust forever residing in the Hall of Fame. Not just because of a wonderful accumulation of stats, but because of the quality of the man behind those stats.
Should that count? Is that too subjective to judge? I don't know. I can't speak for others, and more importantly, I don't have a vote for who gets in and who doesn't. But I do know that when I finally visit Cooperstown and I walk down the aisles of the Hall of Fame, I can say about Andre Dawson; I remember him, he was an inspiration, a leader, a purist, a good person. Maybe that doesn't matter to some people, but I still regard those things with respect and awe. And for me, nothing says the Hall of Fame like The Hawk. But let me know what you think.
For those of you who don't know, Andre "Hawk" Dawson was a tremendous talent that exploded onto the National League scene during the 1977 season with the Montreal Expos (now the Washington Nationals). In that year, he batted .282, hit 19 homers, drove in 65 runs while scoring 64 himself, and stole 21 bags, eventually picking up a National League Rookie of the Year award for his efforts. Over the next few years he proved to be a very adept center/right-fielder and a consistent threat to bash around 25 HRs and have around 25-30 SBs. He was also a great leader and mentor to the players around him. Baseball-reference.com has a great segment on Dawson in its Bullpen link that says, "He tried to keep 2B Rodney Scott from the temptations of drugs, and was successful in rescuing (Tim) Raines from a potential downward spiral when he became addicted to cocaine in 1982. In gratitude for the help given, Raines named his second son Andre Darrell Raines." This goes to show that he was not only a great player on the field, but a beloved character in the clubhouse as well.
Unfortunately for Andre the front office didn't appreciate his roles both on the field and off, even in the slightest. The BR Bullpen goes on to say that after his contract ran out in 1986, management gave him "an insulting offer to sign again. Dawson wanted to leave Montreal because of his knees (a result of the terrible Olympic Stadium turf), but management played the collusion card, discouraging every other team from making an offer to Dawson, with the aim of giving him no other choice but to come back and sign a below-market contract with the Expos." These are the kinds of shady deals that aren't as frequent in today's game thanks to the efforts of the MLB Players Union. Dawson was so insulted by this, he took a pay cut to instead play for the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs GM was given a blank check by Dawson, to which he signed Hawk to a mere $500K plus incentives. But Dawson fulfilled each one of those incentives, making and starting in the 1987 All-Star game, as well as winning the MVP award that year by walloping 49 homeruns and 137 RBIs. He ended up playing 5 more years in Chicago and was a beloved institution there.
Dawson eventually played out his years with short two-year stints in Boston and Florida. He finished his career with 8 Gold Glove awards for his outstanding defense in both center and right. He also collected five Silver Slugger awards and was an 8-time All-Star. But while these achievements are well and good and present a fine case for his Hall of Fame induction, what goes missing here is the character behind the man. And that is something that is often forgotten when it comes to HOF voting. Let's go back to that quote about his time in Montreal where he helped teammates get off drugs. It easy for a player to come to the ballpark, get in his stretching and hitting, play a game, and go home. There are plenty of guys in today's game that do just that. But it takes a special personality to draw others to you and to be a leader. Success is too often measured by numbers and stats, and while they are important, a man's character must also be taken into account. I can remember no player more beloved by the fanbase, commentators and fellow players while I was growing up, than Andre Dawson. He was even one of my favorite players and I didn't even like the Cubs. He just had that great big smile in his pictures that drew people to him. But he could switch on that Hawk stare he was so famous for, on the field.
Now it's a fact that Andre Dawson was not the greatest player ever. He didn't have 3,000 hits, nor did he hit 500 HRs. But he is good company when you can say that he is one of only three players in the history of the game to have over 400 homeruns and 300 stolen bases. The other two players? Oh, only Barry Bonds, the disputed homerun champion and Willie Mays, possibly the great baseball player of all-time. And he was able to accomplish all of this while on bad knees for almost the entirety of his career. His numbers might not smack you in the face, but when you look at them with a wide view, and consider them (not make excuses with) his injuries, you can compare his stats to other HOFers, and he is right there with the best of the best.
But like I've said, the numbers aren't everything. One radio DJ I heard on my old college radio station WTSR complained that Dawson's induction was a result of a "dumbing-down of the Hall of Fame". Too many guys were getting in that didn't belong, he thought. But if you think about it, there are literally hundreds of guys that play each year in both the major and minor, plus the independent leagues, all of whom are trying to prove that they are worthy of greatness. When you take that into consideration, and you think that in 2010 only one, solitary man was inducted into the Hall of Fame for his efforts over a career that spanned 21 great seasons, can you honestly say that the Hall of Fame is too easy to get into? Can you look that man in the eye and say, 'Sorry Hawk, if you had only hit 50 more homers, or swipe a dozen more bases, then maybe I could vote you in.' I say Andre Dawson is as deserving as any man to ever play the game of having his bust forever residing in the Hall of Fame. Not just because of a wonderful accumulation of stats, but because of the quality of the man behind those stats.
Should that count? Is that too subjective to judge? I don't know. I can't speak for others, and more importantly, I don't have a vote for who gets in and who doesn't. But I do know that when I finally visit Cooperstown and I walk down the aisles of the Hall of Fame, I can say about Andre Dawson; I remember him, he was an inspiration, a leader, a purist, a good person. Maybe that doesn't matter to some people, but I still regard those things with respect and awe. And for me, nothing says the Hall of Fame like The Hawk. But let me know what you think.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Dramatics and Reciprocity
Saturday was one hell of a day to be a Major League Baseball fan. Not only was it the non-waiver trading deadline for the 2010 season, but there were some fantastic games to be seen in both leagues. Some major impact players were moved to new clubs and while there is no way to cover all of them in one single blog, I will do my best to pinpoint some of the bigger moves made over the past couple of days. So without further ado, let's get to it.
When I blogged two days ago the Houston Astros had just dumped one of their best starter pitchers of all-time. Roy Oswalt was traded to the Phillies for J.A. Happ and some other prospects. Happ won his first game for his new team. Oswalt did not. However, that is far from an accurate precursor to how this deal might pan out. Houston was busy again the next day though, sending the last of the Killer B's, Lance Berkman, to the New York Yankees. In case you don't know, the Killer B's consisted of Craig Biggio, Jeff Bagwell, and said Lance Berkman. They combined to make Houston a powerful contender in the N.L. Central for a good part of the 90's and early 00's. Now though, Fat Elvis is wearing pinstripes, and will make the Yankee's lineup even more dangerous. Berkman will most likely hit in the designated hitter spot, occasionally spell Mark Texiera at first, and probably bat second. Which means opposing pitchers now have to look forward to a lineup that reads: Jeter, Berkman, Texiera, Rodriguez, Cano, Posada, Granderson, Swisher, Gardner. The only person on that list who hasn't been an All-Star is Brett Gardner, but forgive him, because he's only in his second full year. On the flip side, Houston received some nice prospects and might prove to be the quickest team to rebound from being sellers one year, to buyers the next. Or may the year after.
In another major move, the St. Louis Cardinals were part of a three-way trade that sent Ryan Ludwick to the San Diego Padres, and bolstered their pitching staff by adding Jake Westbrook of the Cleveland Indians. The Cardinals already have one of the best pitching rotations in the majors with Chris Carpenter, Adam Wainwright, and rookie Jaime Garcia tearing up the competition. But I guess the St. Louis front office didn't think Brad Penny or Kyle Lohse were recovering from injuries fast enough. Westbrook was having a decent year on a very bad team, going 6-7 with a 4.65 ERA. He'll most likely be a fourth starter that can eat some innings late in the season. Ludwick, on the other hand, adds a legitimate power bat to the Padres' offense. Reggie Yinger of BaseballPress.com writes "With the Cardinals shipping Ludwick out, they will now give Jon Jay the everyday right fielder job. Jay, 25, is hitting .429 since the All Star break with a .519 OBP, but with only 126 career plate appearances at the Major League level, it's a huge gamble by the Cardinals." I agree with Yinger's point about Jay only having limited at-bats. However, Ludwick had shown fits of inconsistency over the pass two years, and Colby Rasmus needs more playing time to develop into the perennial All-Star he can become. It's definitely a risky bet, but one that I think will pay off in time for St. Louis.
There were plenty of other moves as well. The L.A. Dodgers made a splash by picking up SP Ted Lilly and INF Ryan Theriot from the Chicago Cubs. I was mad about this trade because I wanted Theriot to go to the Mets so I can get a jersey that says: 'The Riot' on it. But this should work out well for L.A. It gives them veteran depth to a young pitching rotation, and Theriot is a solid fielder and good average hitter that needed a change of scenery. In other news, the Yankees also acquired RP Kerry Wood from the Indians to presumably take over the 8th inning job from Joba Chamberlain. The Atlanta Braves picked up a few valuable additions in OF Rick Ankiel, and RP Kyle Farnsworth. But selling teams made out as well. Teams like the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the aforementioned Astros, and Indians all helped strengthen their respective farm systems with young, hopefully franchise-building talent. It turned out to be a fairly excited trading deadline after all, just not the names we all thought were going to go.
The excitement on the field Saturday was excellent as well. There were four walk-off hits provided on Saturday. David Ortiz hit a walk-off double with the bases loaded against Phil Coke of the Detroit Tigers. Three runs scored, and Red Sox Nation was sent home happy. Carlos Beltran also drove in a run with the bases loaded, but all he needed to do was hit the ball hard enough to score the runner from third. A sacrifice fly walk-off isn't as pretty as a double off the Green Monster, but it gave the N.Y. Mets a win nonetheless. Ryan Zimmerman provided some dramatics by sending a ball deep over the center-field wall versus Brad Lidge. His three-run blast marked a come-back win for the Washington Nationals over the Phils, as the Nats won 7-5. But all of these walk-offs paled in comparison to what Carlos Gonzalez did for the Colorado Rockies Saturday night.
This young man has a mighty bright future ahead of him. Until the ninth inning, Mr. Gonzalez had a single, a double and a triple, meaning he needed only a homerun to get a coveted cycle. There had only been five cycles in Rockies' history up to that point. But on the first pitch in the bottom of the ninth, Carlos sent a ball to the upper-deck in right field that was a no-doubter from the second it left the bat. I love the sound of a 48,000-plus crowd screaming at precisely the same moment, and last night was one of the best I've ever heard. Not only was it Carlos' first career walk-off HR, but "It was the first time a Major Leaguer clinched a cycle with a walk-off homer since Dwight Evans did it for the Red Sox on June 28, 1984." Thank Joey Nowak of MLB.com for that last quote. Carlos has been doing great things like this all season. He's batting a stellar .321 with 21 homers, 68 RBIs and 13 SBs, and he's a solid defender to boot. A lot of talk has been doled out for young talent in both leagues, but Carlos Gonzalez seems to slip through the cracks at times. But leave no room for doubt, this kid has the talent to be a star for years to come. That's enough gushing. See you next time!
When I blogged two days ago the Houston Astros had just dumped one of their best starter pitchers of all-time. Roy Oswalt was traded to the Phillies for J.A. Happ and some other prospects. Happ won his first game for his new team. Oswalt did not. However, that is far from an accurate precursor to how this deal might pan out. Houston was busy again the next day though, sending the last of the Killer B's, Lance Berkman, to the New York Yankees. In case you don't know, the Killer B's consisted of Craig Biggio, Jeff Bagwell, and said Lance Berkman. They combined to make Houston a powerful contender in the N.L. Central for a good part of the 90's and early 00's. Now though, Fat Elvis is wearing pinstripes, and will make the Yankee's lineup even more dangerous. Berkman will most likely hit in the designated hitter spot, occasionally spell Mark Texiera at first, and probably bat second. Which means opposing pitchers now have to look forward to a lineup that reads: Jeter, Berkman, Texiera, Rodriguez, Cano, Posada, Granderson, Swisher, Gardner. The only person on that list who hasn't been an All-Star is Brett Gardner, but forgive him, because he's only in his second full year. On the flip side, Houston received some nice prospects and might prove to be the quickest team to rebound from being sellers one year, to buyers the next. Or may the year after.
In another major move, the St. Louis Cardinals were part of a three-way trade that sent Ryan Ludwick to the San Diego Padres, and bolstered their pitching staff by adding Jake Westbrook of the Cleveland Indians. The Cardinals already have one of the best pitching rotations in the majors with Chris Carpenter, Adam Wainwright, and rookie Jaime Garcia tearing up the competition. But I guess the St. Louis front office didn't think Brad Penny or Kyle Lohse were recovering from injuries fast enough. Westbrook was having a decent year on a very bad team, going 6-7 with a 4.65 ERA. He'll most likely be a fourth starter that can eat some innings late in the season. Ludwick, on the other hand, adds a legitimate power bat to the Padres' offense. Reggie Yinger of BaseballPress.com writes "With the Cardinals shipping Ludwick out, they will now give Jon Jay the everyday right fielder job. Jay, 25, is hitting .429 since the All Star break with a .519 OBP, but with only 126 career plate appearances at the Major League level, it's a huge gamble by the Cardinals." I agree with Yinger's point about Jay only having limited at-bats. However, Ludwick had shown fits of inconsistency over the pass two years, and Colby Rasmus needs more playing time to develop into the perennial All-Star he can become. It's definitely a risky bet, but one that I think will pay off in time for St. Louis.
There were plenty of other moves as well. The L.A. Dodgers made a splash by picking up SP Ted Lilly and INF Ryan Theriot from the Chicago Cubs. I was mad about this trade because I wanted Theriot to go to the Mets so I can get a jersey that says: 'The Riot' on it. But this should work out well for L.A. It gives them veteran depth to a young pitching rotation, and Theriot is a solid fielder and good average hitter that needed a change of scenery. In other news, the Yankees also acquired RP Kerry Wood from the Indians to presumably take over the 8th inning job from Joba Chamberlain. The Atlanta Braves picked up a few valuable additions in OF Rick Ankiel, and RP Kyle Farnsworth. But selling teams made out as well. Teams like the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the aforementioned Astros, and Indians all helped strengthen their respective farm systems with young, hopefully franchise-building talent. It turned out to be a fairly excited trading deadline after all, just not the names we all thought were going to go.
The excitement on the field Saturday was excellent as well. There were four walk-off hits provided on Saturday. David Ortiz hit a walk-off double with the bases loaded against Phil Coke of the Detroit Tigers. Three runs scored, and Red Sox Nation was sent home happy. Carlos Beltran also drove in a run with the bases loaded, but all he needed to do was hit the ball hard enough to score the runner from third. A sacrifice fly walk-off isn't as pretty as a double off the Green Monster, but it gave the N.Y. Mets a win nonetheless. Ryan Zimmerman provided some dramatics by sending a ball deep over the center-field wall versus Brad Lidge. His three-run blast marked a come-back win for the Washington Nationals over the Phils, as the Nats won 7-5. But all of these walk-offs paled in comparison to what Carlos Gonzalez did for the Colorado Rockies Saturday night.
This young man has a mighty bright future ahead of him. Until the ninth inning, Mr. Gonzalez had a single, a double and a triple, meaning he needed only a homerun to get a coveted cycle. There had only been five cycles in Rockies' history up to that point. But on the first pitch in the bottom of the ninth, Carlos sent a ball to the upper-deck in right field that was a no-doubter from the second it left the bat. I love the sound of a 48,000-plus crowd screaming at precisely the same moment, and last night was one of the best I've ever heard. Not only was it Carlos' first career walk-off HR, but "It was the first time a Major Leaguer clinched a cycle with a walk-off homer since Dwight Evans did it for the Red Sox on June 28, 1984." Thank Joey Nowak of MLB.com for that last quote. Carlos has been doing great things like this all season. He's batting a stellar .321 with 21 homers, 68 RBIs and 13 SBs, and he's a solid defender to boot. A lot of talk has been doled out for young talent in both leagues, but Carlos Gonzalez seems to slip through the cracks at times. But leave no room for doubt, this kid has the talent to be a star for years to come. That's enough gushing. See you next time!
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