As I've mentioned a few times this year, it is quite often the case when major events happen in a short time span. Sometimes monumental moments happen on the same night, or within a day or two of each other. So it was again recently as two Hall of Fame players set career records, and solidified a place in history. Those two players were Milwaukee Brewers' reliever Trevor Hoffman, and Minnesota Twin's DH Jim Thome.
What did these players do to illicit such a response? Well for starters let's discuss Trevor's accomplishment. On Tuesday September 7th, Hoffman threw a scoreless ninth inning for the Brewers to collect his 600th career save. This is remarkable because no one in Major League Baseball history has done this before. Now it is true that saves have been an official statistical category since only 1969, but the style of the game was such that saves were not often collected, especially by a designated 'closer' pitcher. Besides that, websites like Baseball-reference.com have actually gone back and collected unofficial save data all the way back to 1871. So it is conclusive beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Hoffman is the first ever to accomplish this feat.
Consider now how difficult it is to close down another team, especially when only one or two runs separates a win from a loss. One misplaced pitch can be driven over the wall by a power bat, completely changing an outcome. It is a closer's job to come in and completely shut down the opposing team. And that is what Trevor Hoffman was best at. I say 'was' because this year has not been kind to Trevor. With a mere 9 saves and an ERA of 6.09, Hoffman's night was a bright spot in a mediocre send-off season. But let's forgive the man. It is his 18th season after all.
Think about that as well. Eighteen seasons, all but two of them with the San Diego Padres, of dominating opposing batters with a slow, sinking change-up that hitters and other pitchers alike have called possibly the best pitch of its kind, ever. Philadelphia Phillies' starter Cole Hamels actually spent time with Hoffman a few years back, just to learn the art of the change-up from the master pitcher. For years Trevor Hoffman was consistently near the top of the leaderboards, and that is the reason he was celebrated on Tuesday night. His longevity and domination are something that most closers can't match today. There are and have been some fantastic guys with lights-out stuff, but few have been able to sustain that success, whether due to injuries, ineffectiveness, conversion to another role, or just the tolls of age. But Hoffman was able to outlast all that.
It is possible that Hoffman's title may only exist for a short time period, though. Hoffman's career may very well end after this season is over. However, Mariano Rivera, the N.Y. Yankees' historic closer is currently sitting at 555 career saves. Rivera is only two years younger than Hoffman though, and at 40 years old, he might call it a career after 2010 as well. But if Rivera decides that he does want to play for another year, or two, then Hoffman's record will be under serious threat. If it proves that Mariano can't defeat Hoffman, though, I doubt any one ever will. That's how impressive this record is. It will go down as one of the greatest career accomplishments in baseball history, and it guarantees Trevor Hoffman a spot in Cooperstown in the near future.
The other historic event that happened recently was Jim Thome passing Mark McGwire for ninth place all-time on the career homerun record. Big Jim wasn't done there. He then tied Hall-of-Famer Frank Robinson for eight all-time with 586 mashers, and will most likely pass Frank sometime this year. Not only that, but #585 was hit 480ft, the longest homerun of Thome's legendary career. And he's done this while filling a critical role for the American League Central leaders, the Minnesota Twins. That same homerun, it was a walk-off to win the game. That's what Big Jim does, he hits the ball in critical situations, and he hits it hard. He's done it his whole career, but does that punch his ticket to the Hall of Fame?
Well let's take a look at some of Thome's other stats. He has over 2200 hits to go along with his 586 homers. He has 428 doubles, he ranks 30th all-time with 1617 RBI, and he's 46th overall in total bases, which ranks higher than Hall-of-Famers Mike Schmidt, Wille McCovey, and Tony Gwynn. Thome has done all this while never having his name attached to steroid controversy in his 20-season career. Add in a lovable personality and a do-or-die attitude, and you have yourself one of the best all-around players to ever play the game. Now of course, there are people who say that off-the-field stuff doesn't matter, and that Jim's numbers aren't a lock for Cooperstown. But I defy that and say that Jim Thome deserves to have his likeness retired in the halls of greatness. Call me sentimental, call me a fool, just don't call me late for dinner. Congratulations to both Jim Thome and Trevor Hoffman on tremendous accomplishments. Whether your careers' continue to thrive, or this is your curtain-call, it's been incredibly fun to watch you play your game. Thanks.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Monday, September 6, 2010
Back to the Future
Good news everyone! Back To The Future is going to be re-released in theaters for its 25th anniversary. Only not in America. Whaaa? Yup, the American classic will only be seen over seas. Good job Hollywood. But movies are not what this blog is about. It's about baseball, and when I use Back to the Future as a title, it's because there are some stories in baseball about people and organizations taking lessons from the past in order to prosper in the future. I know this is not a literal interpretation of what happened in the movie, but allow me some creative freedom.
Who are these people and organizations, one might ask. Another one, me, might answer for instance with Buck Showalter. Buck is turning back the clock in Baltimore for his latest managerial role. Now that Buck is steering the Orioles' ship, he's been able to make a few course corrections. Since taking over as manager, the O's are 19-13. While this really has no bearing on the 2010 season, as it is already lost at sea, it gives the players, front-office and fan-base reason to hope. And Orioles fans are in need of some hope. The team hasn't had a winning season since 1997 and Buck is the 7th man to manage the team in the last 13 years. What the front-office believes Buck Showalter can bring is a sense of stability, preparation and mentoring that has been missing throughout the years. And perhaps most importantly of all, Showalter does not tolerate drama. He famously feuded with Alex Rodriguez in 2003 while he was the manager of Texas, which just happens to be the same year A-Rod admitted he took steroids. So Buck hopes to learn from his past managerial experience with the N.Y. Yankees, the Arizona D-Backs and the Texas Rangers to improve the Baltimore Orioles club. They have plenty of talent, but can he mold them into a winning team? They are in a tough division to attempt it, but hard-nosed coaches often lead hard-nosed teams into unexpected places. The future is starting to look a little brighter in Baltimore.
One specific player that might have to go back, in order to move forward is Nyger Morgan of the Washington Nationals. This is a young man who needs to go back to the minors, learn how the game is played the right way, grow up, and then come back to the MLB. Bad attitudes come and go in all sports and sometimes they stick around. Unfortunately it seems like every player in the NFL has a bad attitude these days, but I'm sure the drugs they pump into the players have something to do with that. But baseball has always been a little more tame. The game was considered a little more high-brow during its inception, and even today it's considered a more cerebral game than football, hockey or basketball. But from time to time, morons like Nyger Morgan go out and let every emotion they have shine through and bring it onto the field. Now I love when players have passion. But there is a huge difference between passion for the game, and emotional outbursts. For instance, if you have to railroad a catcher blocking the plate, so be it. It's part of the game. But Nyger Morgan blantantly ran into Bryan Anderson during a game with the Cardinals a couple weeks ago, which could have sparked a brawl, had cooler heads not prevailed. And this play actually resulted in Morgan being called out instead of scoring a run, because he never touched home-plate before another Nat player touched him, therefore interference was called. Manager Jim Riggleman then took Morgan out of the next game because he knew that the Cardinals were going to throw at him. Are you kidding me? He's not a child. If he screws with an opposing team, they can screw with him back. You can't hide him away from taking responsibility for what he did. That just encourages him to do whatever he wants and get away with it. You're an idiot Jim Riggleman.
Then while playing in Philadelphia recently, Morgan threw a ball at a fan with what many people think was an intent to hit the person, only to hit someone else instead. Now I'm the first person to admit that some Philly fans are pretty obnoxious, but you don't intentionally try and hurt somebody by throwing a ball at them, especially a fan. He was suspended for seven games after that event, but is appealing it. So if those two events weren't enough to show that Master Morgan needed a time-out in the corner, he decides to run into another catcher, this time Brett Hayes of the Florida Marlins. While this play was a little cleaner, Hayes had the ball and was blocking the plate, it was clear that Morgan had more intention to hurt Hayes then to knock the ball away and score. Hayes was hurt in the process and is now having shoulder issues. Marlins' pitcher Chris Volstad naturally responded the next day by throwing at Morgan to let him know he shouldn't mess with the Marlins. Morgan, again having a head full of steam, charged the mound after a second attempt to hit him missed. After 1B Gaby Sanchez close-lined Morgan, and a bench-clearing brawl ensued. Nyger wasn't done making a fool out of himself, though. He taunted the crowd while he was escorted off the field.
I've taken the time to highlight all of these transgressions because it's just not enough to say he's a dirty player, or an idiot. The public and more importantly his own team needs to recognize that these plays are the sign of an immature player who can't think clearly enough to know how his actions will hurt the organization. And the Nationals have not responded well. Riggleman actually came out and defended Morgan for charging the mound. Jim Riggleman, you want someone like this on your team? The Nationals need to take a step back, and first realize what kind of organization they want to be before they can move forward. With Stephen Strasburg out for most or all of 2011, the Nationals are not going to be what they thought for next year, which means another season of putting pieces together. Will Morgan be one of those pieces? It's not for me to say, but I know one thing, players of Morgan's ilk need to go back and learn a few things about the game and life in general before they can succeed in the future. Maybe the Washington Nationals do too.
Another organization that needs to get a clue is the N.Y. Mets. I haven't written about my team in a while, so forgive me if I seem a little bias in my comments. This team needs an overhaul, and it looks like they just might get one. In recent days GM Omar Minaya has been making comments that he'd be happy scouting for the club, and that is his true passion and blah, blah, blah. What does this mean? It means that someone told him he will be demoted to scouting next year, or that he won't be the general manager anymore and he's trying to make it seem like it's his choice. This is the kind of childish behavior that the Mets need to part ways with. A professional sports franchise should be more honest. Omar hasn't been a good GM fit for the Mets. I'll admit he brought in some good talent, but in all consideration, the team got worse under Minaya's watch. The Mets ownership should therefore be up-front with the media and the fan-base. 'We aren't going to compete for a year or two. We need to rebuild. We are cleaning house.' But no, they will drag their feet, string the fans along, cut budget and delay the inevitable.
Meanwhile some rookies are showing promise. However, without the right coaching staff behind them, they might flounder, never reaching full potential. Ike Davis, for example, is an athletic first-baseman with a power bat. But unless he gets a good hitting coach, he might stumble in his early years. Years he can never get back. Is hitting coach Howard Johnson the right man to guide Davis? Well, considering that the Mets have the worst average in the game with runners in scoring position, I doubt it. How is this Johnson's fault? When one or two guys struggle, they might simply be in a slump. When the whole team struggles, there is something wrong with the preparation, or the instruction. As further proof, one can point to the fact that the Mets are ranked 24th in baseball in average, slugging percentage and on-base percentage. Meaning, the bats aren't getting it done, something any Mets fan can tell you by watching a game. Am I wrong since the Mets just put up 18 runs and 21 hits against the Chicago Cubs on Sunday? No, that was an anomaly. The facts are that since August 1st the Mets have scored 5 runs or less 25 out of 32 games. This is a sign that the hitting coach isn't doing his job.
While we are discussing coaches, blame can be laid out on Jerry Manuel as well. Granted, he doesn't put the team together in the way Minaya does, but he does have to coach whoever he gets. Manuel is a calm man, and he has lots of calm players around him. There isn't much passion on the Mets bench, especially with Jeff Francoeur out of the picture. So when things aren't going right, as they haven't been for several seasons now, a calm demeanor can be either incredibly beneficial, or extremely detrimental. In the case of the Mets, I think it's the latter. The passion to win and fight and succeed may reside in the players somewhere, but it's repressed. Getting close, but never reaching the intended goal as become such a norm in Queens that the players aren't responding. A new, passionate manager might be enough to stir things up for New York's other team.
But the roster needs to change too. Not every rookie that has played this year is doing well. Infielder Ruben Tejada just had a career day versus the Cubs, but he's still batting a pathetic .193. Carlos Beltran either came back from his surgery too early, or just might not have it anymore. Luis Castillo definitely doesn't have it anymore, at least not as an everyday player. And yet the Mets are stuck with these under-performing players in bad contracts. Pitcher Oliver Perez will make $12 million next year, and he has no role. He can't start. He's bad out of the bullpen. He can't be sent down to the minors, and he's almost untradeable. Francisco Rodriguez might serve time in jail for all we know, and his bad attitude has hurt the team in emotional and financial ways. Jose Reyes is a key player, but he's hurt often, and the Mets can't afford to invest in someone that can't play 140 games a year. These are all massive problems. In order to fix things, the Mets need to regroup, understand what kind of team they want to be, and move on from there. For instance, the team just built a beautiful new ballpark, perfect for triples and speedy players, but instead Minaya signed Jason Bay who can only hit 30+ homeruns in a band-box like Fenway. Please, I'm begging as a Mets fan, stop spending money on giant free-agent contracts, and find guys with average and speed. In probably the most obvious case in this blog, the Mets ownership needs to take a step back, in order to proceed to the future.
Who are these people and organizations, one might ask. Another one, me, might answer for instance with Buck Showalter. Buck is turning back the clock in Baltimore for his latest managerial role. Now that Buck is steering the Orioles' ship, he's been able to make a few course corrections. Since taking over as manager, the O's are 19-13. While this really has no bearing on the 2010 season, as it is already lost at sea, it gives the players, front-office and fan-base reason to hope. And Orioles fans are in need of some hope. The team hasn't had a winning season since 1997 and Buck is the 7th man to manage the team in the last 13 years. What the front-office believes Buck Showalter can bring is a sense of stability, preparation and mentoring that has been missing throughout the years. And perhaps most importantly of all, Showalter does not tolerate drama. He famously feuded with Alex Rodriguez in 2003 while he was the manager of Texas, which just happens to be the same year A-Rod admitted he took steroids. So Buck hopes to learn from his past managerial experience with the N.Y. Yankees, the Arizona D-Backs and the Texas Rangers to improve the Baltimore Orioles club. They have plenty of talent, but can he mold them into a winning team? They are in a tough division to attempt it, but hard-nosed coaches often lead hard-nosed teams into unexpected places. The future is starting to look a little brighter in Baltimore.
One specific player that might have to go back, in order to move forward is Nyger Morgan of the Washington Nationals. This is a young man who needs to go back to the minors, learn how the game is played the right way, grow up, and then come back to the MLB. Bad attitudes come and go in all sports and sometimes they stick around. Unfortunately it seems like every player in the NFL has a bad attitude these days, but I'm sure the drugs they pump into the players have something to do with that. But baseball has always been a little more tame. The game was considered a little more high-brow during its inception, and even today it's considered a more cerebral game than football, hockey or basketball. But from time to time, morons like Nyger Morgan go out and let every emotion they have shine through and bring it onto the field. Now I love when players have passion. But there is a huge difference between passion for the game, and emotional outbursts. For instance, if you have to railroad a catcher blocking the plate, so be it. It's part of the game. But Nyger Morgan blantantly ran into Bryan Anderson during a game with the Cardinals a couple weeks ago, which could have sparked a brawl, had cooler heads not prevailed. And this play actually resulted in Morgan being called out instead of scoring a run, because he never touched home-plate before another Nat player touched him, therefore interference was called. Manager Jim Riggleman then took Morgan out of the next game because he knew that the Cardinals were going to throw at him. Are you kidding me? He's not a child. If he screws with an opposing team, they can screw with him back. You can't hide him away from taking responsibility for what he did. That just encourages him to do whatever he wants and get away with it. You're an idiot Jim Riggleman.
Then while playing in Philadelphia recently, Morgan threw a ball at a fan with what many people think was an intent to hit the person, only to hit someone else instead. Now I'm the first person to admit that some Philly fans are pretty obnoxious, but you don't intentionally try and hurt somebody by throwing a ball at them, especially a fan. He was suspended for seven games after that event, but is appealing it. So if those two events weren't enough to show that Master Morgan needed a time-out in the corner, he decides to run into another catcher, this time Brett Hayes of the Florida Marlins. While this play was a little cleaner, Hayes had the ball and was blocking the plate, it was clear that Morgan had more intention to hurt Hayes then to knock the ball away and score. Hayes was hurt in the process and is now having shoulder issues. Marlins' pitcher Chris Volstad naturally responded the next day by throwing at Morgan to let him know he shouldn't mess with the Marlins. Morgan, again having a head full of steam, charged the mound after a second attempt to hit him missed. After 1B Gaby Sanchez close-lined Morgan, and a bench-clearing brawl ensued. Nyger wasn't done making a fool out of himself, though. He taunted the crowd while he was escorted off the field.
I've taken the time to highlight all of these transgressions because it's just not enough to say he's a dirty player, or an idiot. The public and more importantly his own team needs to recognize that these plays are the sign of an immature player who can't think clearly enough to know how his actions will hurt the organization. And the Nationals have not responded well. Riggleman actually came out and defended Morgan for charging the mound. Jim Riggleman, you want someone like this on your team? The Nationals need to take a step back, and first realize what kind of organization they want to be before they can move forward. With Stephen Strasburg out for most or all of 2011, the Nationals are not going to be what they thought for next year, which means another season of putting pieces together. Will Morgan be one of those pieces? It's not for me to say, but I know one thing, players of Morgan's ilk need to go back and learn a few things about the game and life in general before they can succeed in the future. Maybe the Washington Nationals do too.
Another organization that needs to get a clue is the N.Y. Mets. I haven't written about my team in a while, so forgive me if I seem a little bias in my comments. This team needs an overhaul, and it looks like they just might get one. In recent days GM Omar Minaya has been making comments that he'd be happy scouting for the club, and that is his true passion and blah, blah, blah. What does this mean? It means that someone told him he will be demoted to scouting next year, or that he won't be the general manager anymore and he's trying to make it seem like it's his choice. This is the kind of childish behavior that the Mets need to part ways with. A professional sports franchise should be more honest. Omar hasn't been a good GM fit for the Mets. I'll admit he brought in some good talent, but in all consideration, the team got worse under Minaya's watch. The Mets ownership should therefore be up-front with the media and the fan-base. 'We aren't going to compete for a year or two. We need to rebuild. We are cleaning house.' But no, they will drag their feet, string the fans along, cut budget and delay the inevitable.
Meanwhile some rookies are showing promise. However, without the right coaching staff behind them, they might flounder, never reaching full potential. Ike Davis, for example, is an athletic first-baseman with a power bat. But unless he gets a good hitting coach, he might stumble in his early years. Years he can never get back. Is hitting coach Howard Johnson the right man to guide Davis? Well, considering that the Mets have the worst average in the game with runners in scoring position, I doubt it. How is this Johnson's fault? When one or two guys struggle, they might simply be in a slump. When the whole team struggles, there is something wrong with the preparation, or the instruction. As further proof, one can point to the fact that the Mets are ranked 24th in baseball in average, slugging percentage and on-base percentage. Meaning, the bats aren't getting it done, something any Mets fan can tell you by watching a game. Am I wrong since the Mets just put up 18 runs and 21 hits against the Chicago Cubs on Sunday? No, that was an anomaly. The facts are that since August 1st the Mets have scored 5 runs or less 25 out of 32 games. This is a sign that the hitting coach isn't doing his job.
While we are discussing coaches, blame can be laid out on Jerry Manuel as well. Granted, he doesn't put the team together in the way Minaya does, but he does have to coach whoever he gets. Manuel is a calm man, and he has lots of calm players around him. There isn't much passion on the Mets bench, especially with Jeff Francoeur out of the picture. So when things aren't going right, as they haven't been for several seasons now, a calm demeanor can be either incredibly beneficial, or extremely detrimental. In the case of the Mets, I think it's the latter. The passion to win and fight and succeed may reside in the players somewhere, but it's repressed. Getting close, but never reaching the intended goal as become such a norm in Queens that the players aren't responding. A new, passionate manager might be enough to stir things up for New York's other team.
But the roster needs to change too. Not every rookie that has played this year is doing well. Infielder Ruben Tejada just had a career day versus the Cubs, but he's still batting a pathetic .193. Carlos Beltran either came back from his surgery too early, or just might not have it anymore. Luis Castillo definitely doesn't have it anymore, at least not as an everyday player. And yet the Mets are stuck with these under-performing players in bad contracts. Pitcher Oliver Perez will make $12 million next year, and he has no role. He can't start. He's bad out of the bullpen. He can't be sent down to the minors, and he's almost untradeable. Francisco Rodriguez might serve time in jail for all we know, and his bad attitude has hurt the team in emotional and financial ways. Jose Reyes is a key player, but he's hurt often, and the Mets can't afford to invest in someone that can't play 140 games a year. These are all massive problems. In order to fix things, the Mets need to regroup, understand what kind of team they want to be, and move on from there. For instance, the team just built a beautiful new ballpark, perfect for triples and speedy players, but instead Minaya signed Jason Bay who can only hit 30+ homeruns in a band-box like Fenway. Please, I'm begging as a Mets fan, stop spending money on giant free-agent contracts, and find guys with average and speed. In probably the most obvious case in this blog, the Mets ownership needs to take a step back, in order to proceed to the future.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Primary Voting
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?
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?
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!
Thursday, July 29, 2010
The Missing
No, I haven't changed forums and become a movie blog reviewer. Although I did see some of The Missing with Cate Blanchett and Tommy Lee Jones, and it wasn't bad. Aaron Eckhart's death was gruesomely awesome. But back to baseball. I am the one who has been missing. It's been far too long since my last blog, but I'm back to make amends to this excellent readership of mine. Before I begin though, you may have noticed a few subtle new changes to my blog. For one, there is an advertisement at the top-right corner, and before you ask, no I have not sold out. Ok, yes I have. I get paid a very, very small amount of money when people click on it, but don't go clicking it just to earn me 10 cents or anything. It's tracked, and if people click on it repeatedly I will lose sponsorship. So click if you want to, but in moderation please. I don't want to get in trouble with the Man. Also, there is a little thing at the bottom of each blog which makes this site easy to share with others, or something. I'm not quite sure what that does yet, but it's new and cool and it's here now. Anyway, baseball!!
The trade deadline is upon us and that means, rumors, rumors and more rumors. There is a play called Rumors as well. You should check it out if you get the chance. While I do love me some theater, I love me a good baseball trade more. It's so interesting to see how general managers plan to help a club succeed in the present without mortgaging the future. The problem with the trading deadline is that it more often rumors than facts. That's the nature of the business. With hype from sources like ESPN, MLBNetwork, MLBTradeRumers.com and endless baseball blogs and sites like this one, I get a little sick of the overindulgence. "Are these the shadows of the things that Will be, or are they shadows of things that May be, only?" Therefore, I will not speculate on any specific trades, mainly because I don't have researchers and insiders working for me. Instead, I will merely comment on things that have actually occurred.
One team making a few ripples in the trade pond is the Los Angeles Angels...of Anaheim. In a matter of a few days, the Angels put together trades for Alberto Callaspo, a versatile infielder from the Kansas City Royals, and pitcher Dan Haren from the Arizona Diamondbacks. Callaspo was a good move because he fits the Mike Scioscia mold of a baseball player. Dan Haren on the other hand was a bit of a shock to me. Just when I thought that Haren would go to a team like the N.Y. Yankees, or maybe the Philadelphia Phillies, the L.A.A. Angels made a huge statement to the first place Texas Rangers, that they aren't quite dead in the water. While Danny Boy isn't having the best year, (a 7-8 record and 4.60 ERA with Arizona) he is a top of the rotation pitcher who can eat innings and strike 'em out with the best of them. In fact, Haren's strikeout/walk ratio is nearly 5/1. That's outstanding. Furthermore, it would have been terrible to see the Angels make this stellar move, just to have their new acquisition get pegged by a line drive and be out for the season. While Haren did actually get hit by a line drive in his first appearance as an Angel, he seems to be doing fine, and should make his next start with no problems. Joel Pineiro on the other hand, isn't so lucky. He hurt an abdominal muscle while warming up for a game the other day, and now it looks like he'll be out for at least 6-8 weeks, and possibly more. The Angels moves may have been all for naught. But we shall see.
Another big pitcher on the market, really the only big pitcher left, is Roy Oswalt of the Houston Astros, but it looks as though he may have been snatched up today by the Phillies. Like the Phils need another ace pitcher! Well, apparently they do. And if there are any other dominant pitchers out there who just happened to be named Roy, call up Phillies' GM Ruben Amaro, he'll probably give you a crap load of money. Now that Amaro has realized his monstrous error of not keeping both Roy Halladay AND Cliff Lee, he went looking for another solid starter to bolster this team. Although Oswalt certainly won't come cheap, and the Phillies pursestrings are about ready to pop, it looks as though this trade is all but sealed. I know, I said I wouldn't speculate, but I felt like writing, and I didn't feel like was waiting another couple of hours to get the final OK, when just about every analyst says it's going to happen. But strange things happen in baseball, and it's possible that this deal could collapse at the last minute. Personally, I don't know how Oswalt is going to fare in hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park. I mean, even Halladay gets rocked their sometimes, and he's the ultimate ground-ball pitcher. Again, we shall see.
Trades are not the only things making baseball news. Believe it or not, some actually baseball, played on a field, is also stealing the headlines. And who was making said big news. Well, none other than Matt Garza of the Tampa Bay Rays. Garza pitched his first career no-hitter on Monday versus the Detroit Tigers. The only thing that kept the performance from being perfect was a walk given up to rookie sensation Brennan Boesch. This is a departure from the other two no-hitters pitched this year by Ubaldo Jimenez and Edwin Jackson, who gave up six, and eight walks respectively. Not to take anything away from those great achievements, but there is something to be said for only allowing one baserunner all game as compared to eight. Garza also struck out six on his way to a 5-0 victory, bringing his total for the year to 11-5 with an ERA just north of four.
Elsewhere, there are some great battles taking place all around the league. Both Central divisions and the NL West are hotly contested. As are the NL and AL East divisions. And speaking of the AL East, there is a guy named Alex Rodriguez that you may have heard of. Well, he's gunning for homerun number 600, and when he does get it, he'll join some exclusive company. Only six players have ever hit 600 dingers before, and if A-Rod finishes his season strong, he could pass Sammy Sosa and take over 6th place on the all-time homerun list. Unlike a few years ago though, there are now some strong doubts as to whether Rodriguez will ever catch and/or pass Barry Bonds for the all-time record. Mostly due to recent injuries A-Rod has been dealing with. Personally, I don't care which one of them holds the record, because they are both tainted with the stink of steroids. I'm not saying their homeruns don't count, but I don't have to like it.
Well, I hope I can get back into the swing of things in the next few days and get back to writing more. I'm sorry I was absent for so long. Once again, theater kept me busy, and lately I've not been feeling well. But no more excuses, you need your baseball knowledge, and I desperately need to make 10 cents. Until next time folks!
The trade deadline is upon us and that means, rumors, rumors and more rumors. There is a play called Rumors as well. You should check it out if you get the chance. While I do love me some theater, I love me a good baseball trade more. It's so interesting to see how general managers plan to help a club succeed in the present without mortgaging the future. The problem with the trading deadline is that it more often rumors than facts. That's the nature of the business. With hype from sources like ESPN, MLBNetwork, MLBTradeRumers.com and endless baseball blogs and sites like this one, I get a little sick of the overindulgence. "Are these the shadows of the things that Will be, or are they shadows of things that May be, only?" Therefore, I will not speculate on any specific trades, mainly because I don't have researchers and insiders working for me. Instead, I will merely comment on things that have actually occurred.
One team making a few ripples in the trade pond is the Los Angeles Angels...of Anaheim. In a matter of a few days, the Angels put together trades for Alberto Callaspo, a versatile infielder from the Kansas City Royals, and pitcher Dan Haren from the Arizona Diamondbacks. Callaspo was a good move because he fits the Mike Scioscia mold of a baseball player. Dan Haren on the other hand was a bit of a shock to me. Just when I thought that Haren would go to a team like the N.Y. Yankees, or maybe the Philadelphia Phillies, the L.A.A. Angels made a huge statement to the first place Texas Rangers, that they aren't quite dead in the water. While Danny Boy isn't having the best year, (a 7-8 record and 4.60 ERA with Arizona) he is a top of the rotation pitcher who can eat innings and strike 'em out with the best of them. In fact, Haren's strikeout/walk ratio is nearly 5/1. That's outstanding. Furthermore, it would have been terrible to see the Angels make this stellar move, just to have their new acquisition get pegged by a line drive and be out for the season. While Haren did actually get hit by a line drive in his first appearance as an Angel, he seems to be doing fine, and should make his next start with no problems. Joel Pineiro on the other hand, isn't so lucky. He hurt an abdominal muscle while warming up for a game the other day, and now it looks like he'll be out for at least 6-8 weeks, and possibly more. The Angels moves may have been all for naught. But we shall see.
Another big pitcher on the market, really the only big pitcher left, is Roy Oswalt of the Houston Astros, but it looks as though he may have been snatched up today by the Phillies. Like the Phils need another ace pitcher! Well, apparently they do. And if there are any other dominant pitchers out there who just happened to be named Roy, call up Phillies' GM Ruben Amaro, he'll probably give you a crap load of money. Now that Amaro has realized his monstrous error of not keeping both Roy Halladay AND Cliff Lee, he went looking for another solid starter to bolster this team. Although Oswalt certainly won't come cheap, and the Phillies pursestrings are about ready to pop, it looks as though this trade is all but sealed. I know, I said I wouldn't speculate, but I felt like writing, and I didn't feel like was waiting another couple of hours to get the final OK, when just about every analyst says it's going to happen. But strange things happen in baseball, and it's possible that this deal could collapse at the last minute. Personally, I don't know how Oswalt is going to fare in hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park. I mean, even Halladay gets rocked their sometimes, and he's the ultimate ground-ball pitcher. Again, we shall see.
Trades are not the only things making baseball news. Believe it or not, some actually baseball, played on a field, is also stealing the headlines. And who was making said big news. Well, none other than Matt Garza of the Tampa Bay Rays. Garza pitched his first career no-hitter on Monday versus the Detroit Tigers. The only thing that kept the performance from being perfect was a walk given up to rookie sensation Brennan Boesch. This is a departure from the other two no-hitters pitched this year by Ubaldo Jimenez and Edwin Jackson, who gave up six, and eight walks respectively. Not to take anything away from those great achievements, but there is something to be said for only allowing one baserunner all game as compared to eight. Garza also struck out six on his way to a 5-0 victory, bringing his total for the year to 11-5 with an ERA just north of four.
Elsewhere, there are some great battles taking place all around the league. Both Central divisions and the NL West are hotly contested. As are the NL and AL East divisions. And speaking of the AL East, there is a guy named Alex Rodriguez that you may have heard of. Well, he's gunning for homerun number 600, and when he does get it, he'll join some exclusive company. Only six players have ever hit 600 dingers before, and if A-Rod finishes his season strong, he could pass Sammy Sosa and take over 6th place on the all-time homerun list. Unlike a few years ago though, there are now some strong doubts as to whether Rodriguez will ever catch and/or pass Barry Bonds for the all-time record. Mostly due to recent injuries A-Rod has been dealing with. Personally, I don't care which one of them holds the record, because they are both tainted with the stink of steroids. I'm not saying their homeruns don't count, but I don't have to like it.
Well, I hope I can get back into the swing of things in the next few days and get back to writing more. I'm sorry I was absent for so long. Once again, theater kept me busy, and lately I've not been feeling well. But no more excuses, you need your baseball knowledge, and I desperately need to make 10 cents. Until next time folks!
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