Hibernation

Oh, hi. I haven't seen you in quite some time. You look great. I've been, um, busy with some stuff. You know, this and that. So, I still like you and stuff. Do you like me? Really? You mean it? Oh, we should definitely get together soon and talk. Right now? Hell, now is as good a time as any!

Ok, so I know we are not in a relationship, but I still feel like I need to reconnect. I've been gone for what feels like forever, and I've missed what seems like a crap-ton of baseball goings-on. So forgive the lack of depth in this particular post, but there are many topics I need to touch on. Come join me on a little journey I like to call, the last month and a half I missed.

The Toronto Blue Jays extended shortstop Yunel Escobar until 2013 worth $5 million each year. That takes care of his arbitration years, but the extension also gives the club the option to re-up with Escobar in '14 and '15 for another $5 million a year. Was it worth it? Well, he's only 29 and could potentially have the best year of his career with a great second half. True he's had his attitude problems, but they seem to have faded as he's departed from Bobby Cox. Maybe this guy just needs a little leeway. I think this could be a very good/great deal for the Jays come 2015.

In off-the-field news, Major League Baseball rejected the Frank McCourt/Fox TV proposed deal that would have given the news network a 17-year hold on Dodger baseball, and given McCourt the money to meet payroll for his players. Now that commissioner Bud Selig has laid Mjolnir (look it up) down on this deal, it's only a matter of time before MLB assumes total control of the L.A. Dodgers and sells the team off to an owner who won't completely screw up one of the most storied franchises in all of sports.

Albert Pujols broke his wrist and will be out for 4-6 weeks, which puts a huge damper on the Cardinals hopes for a... What's that you say, he's fixed? Pujols is apparently a magician and has healed his broken wrist is a mere two weeks. Yes, folks, Albert Pujols wrist has defied all medical logic and was ready to go in just 16 days. Of course, the sports critics all over immediately started debated whether Fat Albert took any illegal substance, like a human growth hormone, to cure this ailment. That would be a severe lack of concern for possibly being caught on Albert's part. It's also quite possible that his original diagnosis was just plain wrong. As MLB has no blood test for HGH available, I guess this matter will go unresolved for now. One things for certain, my fantasy just got back to normal.

Then there was the case of Jim Riggleman, the now former manager of the Washington Nationals. I hadn't heard one word of this debacle until Davey Johnson was announced as the Nationals coach for the next two and a half years. Wha? During my baseball absence, Riggleman saw fit to have it out with Nationals ownership and the Washington area press, and either demanded, or simply had a discussion about (depending on which version of the story you are hearing) a contract extension. When everything illuminated for old Jim that his tenure in Washington was not secure over the long haul, he "chose not to work under those conditions any more.” He stomped off, pulled a Charlie Sheen in interview after interview, but now appears more reflective and calm about his departure. Two things are clear after this whole episode has cleared. One is, Riggleman will most likely have a hard time finding another managerial position now, and the second is, 'you don't mess around with Jim.'

Speaking of new coaches, Bob Melvin has taken over for Bob Geren in Oakland after apparently every relief pitcher Geren has ever been involved with said he was a terrible coach. Even if some players may be a little happier with Geren out of the driver's seat, the team still can't hit for crap. The Athletics are ranked 28th overall in runs scored, homeruns, and average, and are 29th in on-base percentage. So unless the hitting coach Gerald Perry is getting replaced soon, this move won't matter much for Billy Beane's boys.

Meanwhile in Florida, grandpa is home. 80-year-old Jack McKeon has come back to the city he won a 2003 title with, to clean up shop. His first day back on the job, old Jack benched Hanley Ramirez because he "said he 'didn't like' the way that Ramirez was running during Sunday's (June 19th) game," according to Yahoo Sports. Jack's presence couldn't turn around a horrific June for the Marlins, as they went 5-23, losing 11 in a row at one point, and set a franchise record for loses in a month. But July has been kinder so far to the stately manager. Since Jack's first day on June 20th, the club has a record of 11-8, and have won their last 5. Only time will tell if Jack has the magic to turn around this team's season.

Speaking of National League East teams, there was a tale of two cities while I was away. In the City of Brotherly Love, Cliff Lee wasn't showing any to opposing hitters, as he threw three straight shutouts from June 16th to the 28th. He came back to Earth with a walloping from Toronto, but then went back to being fabulous in the his last start versus Atlanta. That was a big weekend series as well, as the Phillies retained a healthy lead on their division rival the Atlanta Braves, by taking two out of the three games before the All-Star break. Philadelphia now has a two game lead over Boston for the best record in baseball. Nothing unexpected there.

In New York, the situation was a little different. The much-maligned Mets were scoring runs in bunches. In fact, they broke a franchise record by scoring 52 runs in four games while on an interleague trip. Lead by possible NL MVP Jose Reyes, the lineup seemed to do no wrong, for a while. But then Reyes pulled something while attempted to get back to first base, and once again the Mets are without another star player. It looks like the injury isn't too serious though, and a short DL stint might do the trick. In more recent news for the Mets, following the All-Star game which came and went this past Tuesday, Francisco Rodriguez was traded suddenly to the Milwaukee Brewers for two players to be named later. The coming weeks will tell what holds for the Mets as Carlos Beltran might be traded away, and David Wright, Ike Davis and Johan Santana could all make return appearances for the club.

Some big name roster moves have been made in the past few weeks as well. Before K-Rod was shipped off, J.C. Romero was released by the Phils, and then picked up by the Nats. The Cubs released starter Doug Davis. Ryan Franklin was cut by the Cardinals, quite a dropoff there. Meanwhile, Mike Cameron was cut by the Boston Red Sox. None of these moves should be of any real surprise, as none of these players were playing particularly well. It's just always weird to see guys who have had sustained success suddenly lose it and fall off with one team. Who knows, though, perhaps they can regain the lost magic with another team in time for the playoffs.
br /> I know that was a lot to cover in such a short time, but please indulge me as I'm still trying to catch up on all I've missed. Have I mentioned that I got rid of cable television and thus my beloved MLBNetwork and my ability to actually watch baseball? Well, now you know. I hope to be much more in your face for the foreseeable future. I know you thought you could get rid of me, but it's just not possible. And don't worry, I'll be covering the Home Run Derby and All-Star Game in my next post. And I think something important happened in New York. Something about this guy named Derek Jeter. I don't know, sounds like a bum to me. Until next time sports fans!