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Cubs-Brewers '07...An In-Depth Analysis

2007-03-23T17:30:00.000-07:00

# 1 Starter...Ben Sheets v. Carlos Zambrano.

This has the potential to be a terrific matchup. Sheets is the true X-Factor for the Brewers in 2007. Although his win totals have never been eye-catching, true baseball fans are aware that wins and losses are perhaps the 3rd or 4th most telling stat when it comes to evaluation of a starting pitcher. And Sheets' peripheral stats are truly remarkable. Consider the following...

Over the last three years, two of those he spent battling nagging injuries, Sheets has compiled 521 strikeouts, while walking just 68 in 499.6 innings. That's a 7.6/1 ratio, amongst the best in baseball. Sheets compiled an ERA of 3.13 over that time frame, once again amongst the best in the game. Although Sheets has picked up the dreaded Prior-like "injury-prone" status, Sheets missed a total of 3 starts over his first four full seasons (throwing well over 200 innings in three of them), and still managed to pitch over 250 innings over the course of the last two seasons. And by all accounts, this spring is the healthiest Sheets has felt since 2002.

Sheets put up some amazing numbers last year, despite the nagging injuries that limited him to 17 starts. Jeff Sackman’s brilliant article on hardball times pointed this out that in 106 innings of work last year, he posted 11 walks, while striking out 106 batters. No other pitcher has EVER thrown 50 more innings in a season while striking out a batter per inning, and walking fewer than on per 9. Incredible stuff. If you want a taste of what Ben can do over the course of a full season, refer to 2004, his last fully healthy campaign: He had a stellar ERA of 2.70, struck out 264 batters in 237 innings, and walked just 32, an 8.3-1 K/BB ratio. If the Brewers can coax 200 innings out of Sheets' golden right arm, Milwaukee has a terrific chance at a breakout season.

Zambrano is no slouch himself. Like Sheets, he is a two-time All-Star. Also like Sheets, his best season came in 2004, when he posted an ERA of 2.75 and a WHIP (Walks and hit per innings pitched) of 1.2. Unlike Sheets, Zambrano's durability can't be questioned. He's pitched at least 200 innings (these days the barometer for a workhouse starter) for the last four consecutive years, and his bulldog manor on the mound has served him well for the most part. One thing that might be of concern to Z is that, while his K/9 ratio was a career high 8.8, his BB/9 ratio also marked his highest total since becoming a full-time starter in 2003 at 4.8. Basically, both of those numbers mean he throws a ton of pitches per start. It will be interesting to see if those numbers, combined with the ridiculous mis-use of the pitching staff that characterized the Dusty Baker Era in Chicago, has an effect on Z. Certainly, this is a guy that is a legitimate ace, and looks to have another big year in 2007.

# 2 Starter...Jeff Suppan v. Ted Lilly.

The Brewers are paying Suppan 42 million over 4 years to do what he's done the last eight years...pitch at least 188 innings, provide a better than league average ERA, be a mentor to younger pitchers, and be a stabilizing force. $10.5/year might sound like a steep price, especially for the Brewers, but it was the going rate for those types in the offseason, and Brewers brass felt strongly enough about the rest of the team to invest in Suppan. His remarkable durability and postseason experience (he was the MVP of the '06 NLCS) make him a pretty decent # 2 starter, but certainly his stuff won't blow anyone away. His numbers over the past three years, in almost every category, are basically the same. He is 32 years old, which is a concern with any pitcher. However, because he is not, nor has he ever been, a flamethrower, age issues shouldn't effect him all that much.

The Cubs, meanwhile, shelled out basically the same deal for Lilly (4 years, 40 million). Lilly is a year younger, has never pitched 200 innings, has pitched never won a post-season game, and has a career ERA of 4.60. On the plus side, he's a lefty, had a terrific year in 2004, and pitched in baseball's toughest division over the last three years. While it would be hard to argue that Lilly is worth the $10/year he got, he should provide decent dependability to the rotation.

# 3 Starter ...Chris Capuano v. Jason Marquis

Over the last two years, Capuano has proven to be a dependable starter that shows flashes of brilliance. An All-Star in 2006, the lefty has pitched 440 innings over the last two years, has one of the best pickoff moves in all of baseball, and has a combined ERA of just under 4 for the last two seasons. Cappy made huge strides last season in improving his K/BB ratio. While maintaining his strikeout rate (176 in '05, 174 in '06), Cappy allowed just 47 walks in '06, as compared to 91 in the year prior. He has started 69 games over the past two seasons, and was 7th in the National League in innings pitched in 2006. He finished 6th in the NL in BB/9, with 1.91.

Marquis was signed to a 3-year, 21 million dollar deal despite being so terrible for the Cardinals in 2006 that they left him off their playoff roster. Marquis finished 2006 with a an ERA of 6.02 and struck out just 96 while walking 75. The Cubs have to hope that Larry Rothschild can bring back the Marquis that pitched over 200 innings in both 2004 and 2005, while compiling an ERA of around 4.23. Not stellar numbers, but at least enough to take some pressure off the bullpen and give your team a chance to win the game. Marquis' whip last season was over 1.5.

# 4 Starter...Dave Bush v. Rich Hill

Bush is an interesting story for the Brewers. He went to Wake Forest as a catcher, and was later converted to a lights-out college closer. He was drafted by the Blue Jays in the 2nd round, and quickly rose through the ranks and made his MLB debut in 2004 with Toronto. He had a decent rookie season in 2005, starting 25 games in the tough AL East, and compiled an ERA of 4.49. He was traded to the Brewers as part of the Lyle Overbay deal, and was very dependable in 2006. He pitched 210 innings, and his peripheral numbers were much better than his 4.41 ERA would indicate, possibly meaning he simply pitched in a lot of bad luck. His WHIP of 1.13 was good for 4th best in the National League, and he walked just 1.63 batters per 9 innings, good for 4th in the NL as well. He led the entire National League in K/BB ratio, tying Roy Oswalt with 4.37-1 ratio (Had Sheets pitched enough innings, he would've won in a landslide). For these reasons, I believe that Bush is a strong candidate for a breakout year in 2007, much like the one that Capuano experienced in 2005.

Hill is a pretty decent prospect for the Cubs that has always done well in the minors, but had a horrific big league stint in 2005. Last season appeared to be much the same as after 10 outings, he was carrying an ugly 6.44 ERA. However, Hill put his big, sweeping curveball to work for him down the stretch and ended up with an ERA of 4.17. It appeared as though he had things figured out, so 2007 will be a crucial year for Hill to make the leap. Who is the real Rich Hill? The guy that struggled through his first 20 outings or so, or the one that had terrific success in his last 7 outings in 2007?

#5 Starter...Claudio Vargas v. Wade Miller

Vargas, acquired in the Doug Davis-Johnny Estrada deal, is a fairly league average pitcher that has the ability to pitch a gem from time to time. However, despite his relative success last year, I am a bit skeptical at his abilities. He had a nice home/road split, which in this case means he wasn't very good in the hitter-friendly environs of BankOne Park, but was very decent (4.12 ERA) away from Arizona. I'll take a wait and see approach. He's 29, so it's not like he's going to get a lot better here quickly.

Wade Miller

I project Miller to win the 5th spot, but could easily be wrong, as Guzman and others are challenging. Miller in an interesting project. From 2002-2004, he averaged 184 innings, and compiled a solid 3.57 ERA for the Astros. However, in the three years since he has started merely 36 games, including 5 for the Cubs in late-season duty last year. Since his injury, his K/BB ratio has been atrocious, as he has walked 109 batters while striking out 158 in 199 innings. Last season, he walked 18 and struck out 20 for the Cubs, posting a pretty terrible 1.7 WHIP. While Miller was once a solid pitcher, he's 30 now, and coming off a serious injury. If he somehow returns to form, he will be a nice #5.

6th starter/Long Man/AAA Depth...Carlos Villanueva v. Angel Guzman

Villanueva is one of the pleasant surprises to come out of the Brewers farm system in the past few seasons. Acquired from the Giants for Wayne Franklin in 2003, Villanueva was a little-known rookie ball pitcher with average velocity and a slight frame. Whatever the Brewers brass saw in him, their faith was rewarded as Carlos steadily rose up the system, posting a 3.24 ERA in his minor league career. Villanueva was called up from AA last season after a string of terrible outings by higher touted prospects in the stead of Sheets and Tomo Ohka, who went down simultaneously with serious arm injuries. His 2006 starting debut came against Cincinnati in a very tough ballpark to pitch. He threw six scoreless innings. He ended his 2006 campaign by allowing two runs in 8.1 innings against the Cardinals, who at the time were still fighting for their playoff lives. In between, he strung together several strong outings that belied not only his tender age of 22. Carlos has a terrific changeup, great mound presence, and simply knows how to pitch.

Guzman is a very highly regarded prospect for the Cubs that has seen little major league success. His only stint in the show came in 2006, and like much of the rest of the Cubs staff, was summarily lit up like Clark Grizwald’s Christmas tree. He ended the season with a 7.39 ERA that was actually much worse (9.28 ERA) as a starter. He has solid stuff according to most accounts, but is also advancing in age for a prospect, as he turned 25 in December. His minor league numbers are beyond reproach, as he has compiled an ERA of 2.83 over 7 seasons in the Cubs minor league system. 20027 will be a put up or shut up kind of season for Guzman.

Middle Relief…Turnbow, Wise, Capellan, Shouse v. Eyre, Howry, Novoa, Wood, Ohman

The keys to the Brewers bullpen lay in the hands of Derrick Turnbow. The former Angel castoff took Milwaukee by storm in 2005, posting a terrific 1.74 ERA and franchise record-tying 39 saves. He started out ’06 in the same fashion, recording saves in the team’s first four games of the season to set a MLB record. On June 29, Turnbow had 23 saves and an ERA of 3.28 on the season. That’s when the wheels came off, and Turnbow came unglued. The rest of his season was a nightmare, and his problems appeared to be almost totally mental. He was still throwing 97, but couldn’t locate his breaking pitches, and the fastball then became predictable, and hittable. This spring, Turnbow has been terrific. If he can return to his pre-breakdown stage, the Brewers can play a lot of 7-inning games this season. If not, another reliable setup man will have to emerge. Matt Wise has been a steady presence in the bullpen for the last three years with his nasty changeup. Injuries limited him to 40 games last season, and his health will be a key to the ’06 pen. Big things are expected out of Jose Capellan, who was 2^nd on the club in appearances last season with 61. Another flamethrower, Capellan has lacked consistency, typical of young relievers. Some in the Brewers organization believe that he can become a dominant closer. Brian Shouse is the lefty specialist who came trotting in 59 times out of the pen last year, and held lefties to a .238 average.

The Cubs middle relief was a high point last season, as high dollar contracts doled out to the likes of Bobby Howry (3.17 ERA) and Scott Eyre (3.38) paid off nicely. Other bullpen stalwarts included Will Ohman (4.13 ERA, 78G) and Roberto Novoa (4.26 ERA, 66G), both of whom will be integral parts of the 2007 pen. Neil Cotts has had one decent season, 2005, but posted a WHIP of 1.63 last season, and a 5.17 ERA The X factor for Chicago could be former wunderkid Kerry Wood, who is currently down with an arm ailment. Shocking, I know. No one has ever questioned the stuff of Wood, whose two-pitch repertoire could play very well out of the pen. Should Wood be able to pitch 40-50 times this season, the middle relief could very well be a huge strength for the Cubs.

Closer…Cordero v. Dempster

Francisco “Coco” Cordero was acquired in the Carlos Lee deal, and basically single-handedly kept the Brewers season from completely going in the toilet. He was incredible upon entering the National League for the first time in an 8-year career, 7 of which were spent with the Rangers. He was unscored upon in his first 13.2 innings with the Crew, allowing just 7 hits in that timeframe. He finished 16-18 in save opportunities, and solidified the bullpen down the stretch. Cordero has absolutely nasty stuff, and was terrific, save April of 2006, for the Rangers, 86 games over the course of 2004-2005. Coco is one of the elite closers in the game, and should serve the Brewers well in 2007.

Dempster, a converted starter, had a nightmare 2006. He went 1-9 with a 4.80 ERA and nine saves. Because, save Wood, the Cubs don’t have another candidate for closer, Dempster will at least start the season with the job. He did the job in 2005, saving 33 games while compiling a 3.13 ERA.

Misc. Bullpen comments…

A bullpen’s best friend is a starting rotation that can consistently get deep into games. In this way, the Brewers figure to have a large edge, particularly as the season wears on, and the bullpens wear out. Although there are question marks in the middle of Milwaukee’s pen, if they can keep games in the hands of their top 4 relievers before Cordero, they should be fine.

Catcher…Estrada v. Barrett

In their only trade of the offseason, the Brewers sought to upgrade their catching position that has been a weak spot in the lineup since David Nilsson hit .309 with 21 home runs in 1999, making the All-Star team in the process. Estrada is a guy that is known more for his offense than his defense, but his arm should be adequate for what his bat can provide. He had a terrific 2004 for the Braves, hitting .314 with 9 HR before regressing into a .261 season in 2005, featuring just 4 long balls. He bounced back in 2006 with the Diamondbacks, hitting .302 with a career high 11 home runs. The issue with Estrada is that he doesn’t draw a lot of walks (just 13 in 2006). So when his batting average goes, so too goes his OBP down the tunes. However, at age 31, he shouldn’t be in a quick decline, and hopefully finish somewhere around that .300 mark. He certainly has people taking note of his hitting skills in Arizona, as he is still hovering around the .450 mark just less than two weeks before the season starts.

Barrett has been remarkably consistent in his three years with the Cubs, hitting exactly 16 home runs each season, and always batting between .275 and .307. While his walk rate is better than Estrada, he also doesn’t meet the 1 BB/10 AB standard preferred by OBP mavens. He’s the same age as Estrada roughly, and shouldn’t decline too much in 2007.

1^st Base…Fielder vs. Lee

A position of strength for both teams to be sure. Fielder had a terrific rookie campaign, shaking off an 0-11 start with 27 home runs, and a solid .830 OPS (on-base plus slugging, the preferred offensive metric for most statheads). Seeing that he’s only 23 years old, and 2006 was his first full season of action, there’s absolutely no reason to believe that he won’t exceed his 2006 numbers. His ceiling is virtually unlimited, and he could easily turn into one of the game’s top sluggers. He was very durable last year, playing 157 games, and was better defensively than most expected.

Derrek Lee’s absence from the Cubs lineup was a major contributing factor to their garbage 2006 season. He hit well when he was in the lineup, though not up to the silly numbers he put up in 2005. In that season, his OPS was an astounding 1.080, good for first in the majors. Last season, he regressed back to .842, which was more near his career norms. I certainly think Lee’s a good hitter, but it’s also just as clear when looking at his career stats that the 2005 season was an outlier, and should be treated as such. Still, most teams would kill to have him in their lineup every day, and his defense is simply stellar at the bag.

2^nd base…Weeks vs. DeRosa

Firmly entrenched as the Brewers leadoff hitter, this is a big year in the career of the talented Mr. Weeks. One of the highest touted prospects in baseball, Weeks tore through the minor leagues and made his debut in June of 2005. He got off to a solid start before injuring his thumb and sputtered down the stretch. 2006 was much of the same, as he missed the last 62 games with a wrist injury. It appears to be mostly healed, though in a troubling statement Weeks recently indicated that it still wasn’t 100%, merely good enough to play with. Weeks needs a healthy campaign for the Brewers to excel in 2007. He should steal well over 20 bases, hit at least 15 home runs, and hit around .280 with a decent OBP in 2007. Weeks still has the ceiling to be one of the top offensive 2^nd baseman in baseball, but ’07 is a year to prove his mettle. Defensively, he was a disaster for the first 50 games, and nothing less than stellar his final 45 or so. His range is terrific, but he sometimes struggles with routine plays.

Mark DeRosa was signed by the Cubs in the offseason after spending two seasons with the Texas Rangers. In the offensive haven that is the Ballpark at Arlington, Derosa put up a solid .813 OPS, but spent just 26 games at 2^nd base. A versatile player who has played all over the diamond in his career, he will stay at 2^nd for the Cubs. Before last season, DeRosa had never played more than 108 games in a season, never hit more than 8 home runs, or driven in more than 31 runs. He has no speed to speak of, and is average defensively. Still, if he can put up similar numbers to last season (unlikely since about 70% of his AB’s came against LHP, against whom he hit .342) the Cubs might have a really solid right side of the infield.

SS…Hardy v. Izturis

Much like Ricky Weeks, JJ Hardy has lots to prove as the Brewers SS. A 2^nd round pick with silky smooth defensive abilities, Hardy saw his 2006 campaign cut short with an ankle injury that felled him on May 16. He had a very slow start to his major league career, hitting just .180 in the first half of his rookie campaign. However, the Brewers’ patience was rewarded when JJ bounced back with a .308 batting average in the 2^nd half. He also has a surprising power stroke, hitting 14 homers in 159 career games. A realistic total year for Hardy would be around .270, 12-15 homers, and a solid year defensively. His plate discipline is acceptable, but as a potential #2 hitter in the lineup, more patience would be helpful.

Cesar Izturis was acquired in the Greg Maddox deal from the Dodgers last season, and there is no doubting his defensive acumen. The 2004 Gold Glove Award Winner sees has seen his share of problems as the plate, however. Besides a breakout year in 2004 when he was a National League All-Star and compiled a .711 .OPS, his highest season stands at just .624. That’s thanks mostly to his complete lack of plate discipline. Last season, he drew just 12 walks, and he’s never even came close to the 1BB/10 AB standard. It also doesn’t help that he doesn’t have any power at all, as Hardy (14) has more homers in 159 games that Izturis does (11) in over 650 games. The Cubs obviously feel that they are strong enough elsewhere offensively to overcome his deficiencies.

3B…Graffanino v. Ramirez

This is the one position in which the Brewers are obviously weak offensively. Their best laid plans went to waste once it became apparent that Corey Koskie might never play again after suffering a concussion last summer. At the very least, he’ll be out the first month or so, which left the Brewers with an interesting dilemma at 3^rd base. They gave stud prospect Ryan Braun a look, and his bat wowed, while his glove woahed, which is why he’ll be spending opening day 2007 in a Nashville Sounds uniform instead of facing Derek Lowe and the Dodgers. The 26^th best prospect in the game according to Baseball America, Braun will hone his defensive skills on a lesser stage, but look for him to be up by June 1 at the latest. A positive about him starting in AAA (where he has yet to have an AB) is that the Brewers will gain a whole additional year of Braun’s services, as long as he is in the minors until late April. He will now be Brewers property until 2012, which will take him up to right around his prime. It’s certainly looking ahead a long way, but getting to bide your time another year before having to pay big bucks could be crucial. In the meantime, the hot corner will be manned by Tony Graffanino and Craig Counsell. Hopefully heavy on Graffanino. Graffy was solid after being acquired by the Crew last season, putting up a .750 OPS. However, he simply doesn’t have any power, and that’s a big negative when you’re talking about a corner infield spot. The positives are that he will be more than adequate defensively, hits righties about the same as lefties, and will hopefully be in this spot for just a few months maximum. Counsell is a weak hitting middle infielder who has had pretty decent on-base skills. At this stage of his career, Counsell should start about 40 games, and be a defensive replacement if he plays other than that. I will be extremely disappointed if Yost chooses to do a straight platoon, as Counsell hit lefties about the same as righties, around .255 last season.

Ramirez, meanwhile, is one of the Cubs’ greatest assets. They resigned him to a long-term deal over the winter, a just reward for the guy that has averaged 35 home runs and 105 RBI over the past three seasons, and has played solid defense at the hot corner. His OPS has declined over the past two seasons, but at over .900 all three years, he’s still doing just fine. At 29, he’s still got plenty of good years left, and should be a staple in the Cubs lineup for years to come.

LF…Jenkins v. Murton

The Brewers figure to give Geoff Jeknins the lions share of AB’s in left this season, though there has been plenty of noise about a platoon with lefty-masher Kevin Mench. After playing in left all his career, Jenks moved to right for two years to accommodate Carlos Lee. He was one of the game’s premier defensive LF’s for a long time, and although it appeared his defense slipped in the past couple of years, he should be fine out there. The question is weather he can hit LHP. The answer last year at least was a definitive no. He hit a paltry .133 against them last year, well down from his career mark of .244. He continued to mash against righties, hitting .306 with 15 of his 17 home runs. His season overall last year was disappointing. He limped into September hitting just .250 with 10 home runs, and for the first time in his career, he was benched. When injuries to other outfielders forced him back into the lineup, he excelled, hitting .409 with 7 homers in the season’s final month of action. Jenkins is also in the final year of a contract, and has been killing the ball against all pitchers in spring training thus far. It will be very interesting to see if Yost indeed does use Mench often against LHP. For his career, Mench is hitting .303 against lefties with a very healthy .930 OPS. After coming over from the Rangers in the Carlos Lee deal, Mench, a butcher defensively, struggled mightily, hitting just .230 with one home run in 130 Milwaukee AB’s. Seeing as though he hit 51 home runs in the two years prior in Texas, it’s clear that Mench has some value, particularly against LHP. Strictly going by the numbers (Mench career .930 OPS v. LHP, Jenkins .892 career OPS v. RHP), a platoon makes a lot of sense. However, both of these players have expressed reservations about doing that, which could lead to decreased productivity. One of the biggest choices Yost will have is how to make up his lineup card against LHP. In the past, he has been hesitant to bench or platoon veterans, but all spring long the talk has been platoon. I guess we’ll find out, starting April 2.

Speaking of platoon, the Cubs might go that route as well, though I think it’s silly to take any AB’s away from Matt Murton to give to the aging Cliff Floyd. Murton last season put up solid numbers, hitting .292 with 13 home runs, showing decent plate discipline and putting put a .803 OPS. He hit righties almost as well as lefties (.782 vs. .870) and got stronger as the year went on (last three months over .300). He’s just 25 years old, is decent defensively, and is a player on the rise. Floyd, meanwhile, is 34 years old, bad in the outfield, and had just a .731 OPS last season with the Mets. He hit just .179 against lefties for a putrid .631 OPS, while he fashioned a decent .765 OPS against lefties. I don’t know why they signed him, unless it’s simply for depth on the bench. If that turns out to be the case, and Murton starts 130-plus games, then it’s not a bad signing. If they split the AB’s…not good.

CF…Hall v. Soriano.

Let’s compare some numbers, shall we?

Player A: .270 BA, .345 OBP, .898 OPS, 27 years old

Player B: .277 BA, .351 OBP, .911 OPS, 31 years old

If you had to guess, which player would have just signed a 4-year, 34 million dollar deal, and which player signed an 8-year, 136 million dollar contract, what would you say? Certainly most astute baseball followers would never say give the money to player B, especially when you consider that his normal position (LF) is a spot where you need those kind of numbers simply to stay afloat, right?

Well, if you haven’t figured it out by now, Player A is Bill Hall, and Player B is Alfonso Soriano. Soriano got the money, Bill Hall simply the production.

Hall is a pretty good story. A 6^th round pick out of high school, Hall climbed the ladder pretty quickly and reached the big leagues (well before he was ready) by age 22. He stuck for good in 2004, but he was still without a position when he entered camp in 2005. He bounced around the diamond, playing 66 games at SS, 59 at 3B, and 23 at 2B. He did this while making a huge jump in his offensive game. His OPS jumped from .650 to .837, and his home run total from 9 to 17. He made another quantum leap in 2006, jumping from .837 to .898, and from 17 to 35 home runs. In another positive development, Hall went from walking 39 times to 63 and seems to have made plate discipline a priority in his game. His defense might be interesting to start out with, but Hall’s athleticism makes him a solid candidate for a CF spot.

Soriano, meanwhile, is coming off a good season which saw him mash 46 home run for the Washington Nationals. Plate discipline is neither a strength nor a focus for Soriano, as despite being the only formidable hitter in the Nats lineup, he walked just 67 times in 647 AB’s. That total represented almost double his previous career high. So perhaps he’s getting the hang of it. Or, perhaps he was just pitched around so much with that bad lineup that he couldn’t help himself. He also strikes out a ton, including a career-high 160 times last season. He was among the league’s worst 2^nd basemen defensively with the Yankees and Rangers, and then made 11 errors in LF last season. He has not played a game in center field in his entire career. He has good speed, as evidenced by his 41 steals (he was also caught 17 times, too high of a number) last season, but it remains to be seen weather he can play a passable CF or not. And the contract is just ridiculous. I realize that Wrigley Field is a money-making machine, but do they honestly believe that this guy is going to be worth 17 million for more than a year or two? Studies have shown that the prime of a player’s career is between 27-30. He’s now 31. He will be 39 when his contract expires. He plays a position, or at least WILL play a position that makes offense a premium (remember that the Cubs tried to get a CF so he wouldn’t have to play out there). Overall, a silly deal, but there’s also no question that he represents a significant upgrade for the 2007 Cubs.

RF…Hart v. Jones

Corey Hart has flat-out hit where ever he has gone. In seven minor league seasons, he hit .299, compiled an .855 OPS, and hit 86 home runs. The former 11^th round draft pick was the MVP of the Southern League in 2003, and stole 131 bases. He was switched all around the diamond before settling in the outfield. Last season, Hart hit .283 with nine home runs in 82 games, positing an .798 OPS. I believe that given 500 AB’s, Hart could easily put up a .280, 20 HR, 80 RBI year, with an .830ish OPS and at least 15 steals. He’s got a lot of ability, is just 25, and should only get better as the years go by.

Jacque Jones had a pretty solid season last year, despite his bashing of the Wrigley Field faithful. Jones posted an .833 OPS last season, hitting 27 home runs on the season. He plays a very mediocre right field, making the Cubs defense in the outfield pretty terrible. He has very little plate discipline, striking out 116 times while walking only 35. Jones hit only .234 against lefties last season.

Bench…Counsell, Mench, Miller, Gross, Clark v. Floyd, Theriot, Blanco, Ward, Pagan

The Brewers’ depth in 2007 is one thing that sets them apart from years past. They have a solid backup infielder in Counsell, one of the game’s premier backup catchers in Damian Miller, and a stable of outfielders that, depth-wise, has to be among the best in baseball. Gabe Gross was solid off the bench in 2006, finishing with an OPS of .908 against righties. Brady Clark is a seasoned pro that can play any of the three outfield positions, and get on base at a decent clip. There still is a decent chance of a trade being made with one of the outfielders, most likely Mench, but they have the depth to lose of those guys.

The Cubs counter with Daryle Ward, who can’t play defense or hit lefties but is a solid option as a PH against righties. Ryan Theriot hit well in a brief stint in 2007, and could be given a long look at 2^nd base if DeRosa struggles. Henry Blanco is the definition of the good-field, bad-hit catcher, who actually didn’t do too badly at the plate last season, hitting .266 with seven homers. Angel Pagan is reserve outfielder that could make the team, while Ronny Cedeno has a chance at a backup infielders spot.

Summary…The NL Central is wide open this year. You could make a solid argument that any of four teams could win the division. Conversely, you could also come up with a laundry list of reasons that any one of those teams could end up under .500. I believe that this will be the Brewers best year since 1992…however, I’m just not quite ready to predict a division title, as people from Baseball America (Brewers 1^st, Cubs 5^th) and the Chicago Tribune (Phil Rogers) have done lately. I think the Cardinals will see their manager sober up and their pitching stabilize, and win the division with an 89-73 mark. I see the Brewers just a few games back at 85-77, while the Cubs languish around .500, and end up 80-82. It should be a fun summer of baseball.

Dear Roger: Shit or Get Off the Pot

2007-02-25T13:06:00.000-08:00

The way I see it there are two options for older baseball players who think about retiring: keep playing or retire. That’s it, right? Not if you’re William Roger Clemens, who can keep three (or more) teams in limbo with his annual whining about the “grind” of the baseball season. It’s not often I intensely dislike a future hall-of-famer. But it’s not because he threw at his own kid’s head in a game, it’s not because he threw the broken bat at Piazza in 2000, and it’s not because his wife sells fugly shit like this for charity. It’s because he can’t make up his mind. Sports columnists, analysts, and commentators across America have given their opinion on Clemens’ annual dalliance with the retirement issue. Here’s my six-word advice: shit or get off the pot.

It’s really simple. As any reader of prosportsdaily.com knows, almost every single day someone gives an “update” on his retirement. Sometimes it’s a health issue – Clemens doesn’t feel physically “there” yet and isn’t sure his body will hold up. Sometimes he actually shows up somewhere that might betray his feelings on coming back for another season – see his recent trip to the Astros training facility for one example (or last season when he caused a shitstorm in Houston when he went to a Rangers game). Or, now we can actually quantify the possibility of retirement. In a statement similar to Jordan’s famous “99% sure I’m retired” comment, Clemens recently stated the odds of him retiring were 80/20.

As a professional non-athlete, I don’t know first-hand how athletes feel about retirement, although I’m sure it’s a difficult decision. But seriously, stop making the New York media track your every word, Roger, and just retire. Or show up to spring training like EVERY SINGLE OTHER PLAYER IN MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL. Last I checked the baseball season begins in spring training and ends in the fall. Stop acting like a little girl and make a damn decision.

The rich get richer ... or at least more Japanese

2006-11-15T09:13:00.000-08:00

Ben Godar

Just when you start to think that revenue sharing might be moving The Game toward financial equity, something like this happens: the Red Sox pay $51 million just for the right to negotiate with one player.

For that sum, the BoSox will try to negotiate a deal with Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka through America’s Sweetheart, Scott Boras. If no deal is reached, hell will freeze over and the Sox get their millions back. Otherwise, the cash goes to Matsuzaka’s Japanese team, the Seibu Lions.

It was disgusting to see several Yankee players with a higher annual salary than the entire Marlins team. But the Red Sox bid just for negotiations tops the total salary of five MLB teams. It is more than half the salary of the World Champ Cardinals.

But wait, it gets worse.

Published reports estimate it will cost Boston around $40 million more to sign Matsuzaka. That means Boston is likely to spend $91 million to sign one player. Only nine teams had a payroll of higher than $91 million last season.

And enough of this business of the Red Sox as the lovable underdogs, or the anti-Yankees. The Red Sox play Yankee ball, they’re just not as good at it. And when I say “not as good,” what I mean is “they don’t have as much money.” That’s what it comes down to, and that’s the problem with this whole damn system.

Out with the purple, in with... Another red team!

2006-11-09T08:32:00.000-08:00

Ed McElvain

The Arizona Diamondbacks yesterday made baseball fashion news by trading in their horrible purple and turquoise uniforms for... red. As in the same color that the Nationals adopted after saying bye bye to their less-than-illustrious past playing the Expos blues. As in the same color that the Astros and Angels adopted last decade. As in the same color that the Rangers, Braves, and Red Sox wear (only sometimes...like, at home on a Sunday when a lefty with 3 vowels in his first name is pitching or something). As in the same color that the Cardinals, Reds, and Phillies have always worn.

Next year there will be an almost 1 in 3 chance that at least one of the teams playing in any ball game will be wearing red as their primary color (assuming it is the day that the part-time teams wear their red unis) -- 6/16 in the National League. Red is batting .375 in the NL.

It could be worse, though. In the late 19th Century the game experimented with having unique uniforms by position (rather than team)...to great confusion. No one could tell who played for what team. Luckily, due to road/home jersey differentiation and the fact that most teams today have 3 or 4 different jersey's to choose from, we probably aren't going to have to worry about it getting that bad even if eventually every team wears red.

Negro Leagues Baseball Museum

2006-10-26T13:09:00.000-07:00

T. White

I finally got around to visiting the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum this past weekend, and it only took me about three months of living here – for shame!

It’s quite a place: through a plethora of news articles, photographs, uniforms, memorabilia, statues and interactive exhibits, the museum chronicles the simultaneous progression of Black history, Black baseball and the Major (formerly White) Leagues.

The exhibits are laid out around a scaled down “Field of Dreams”, visitors free to wander and examine bronze statues of heralded players at each position (Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, Judy Johnson, et al). I was surprised how the designers succeeded in combining the dark, solemnity standard in museums with an old weathered-fence sandlot atmosphere.

For a nice hour or so, the NLBM offers a wonderful crash course on the Negro Leagues, although it’s far from canonical. The museum could easily be twice as large, with three times the content, and so it should. I certainly wasn’t disappointed, but I’d certainly love to see more.

Kansas City’s own Dalai Lama, Buck O’Neil (who passed away earlier this month), was a tireless champion and promoter for the museum. Up to his death he was working to help transform an historic YMCA building into a learning center and annex for the museum (now officially the Buck O’Neil Education and Research Center). This project, while under way, is in its early stages.

If you’re ever feeling generous, consider sending a donation to the museum (view their official site, www.nlbm.com, to learn how). Even better, make a pilgrimage to Kansas City and visit the museum (and know that this is NOT, as they emphatically state, a Negro Baseball Hall of Fame). It has so much to teach about an important and fascinating foundation to our great, national pastime.

And my two favorite facts learned over the weekend?

1. Cool Papa Bell once stole 2 bases on a single pitch (well, this is a legend, but still...)
2. Cap Anson was an asshole (this one is true)

A Major League Death

2006-10-19T12:40:00.000-07:00

T. White

The AP reports that MLB is teaming up with Eternal Images, a company in the lucrative funerary industry, to make officially-licensed caskets and cremation urns bearing team logos and colors.

The punchline, actually appearing in the story, is to find out “how many fans have undying loyalty to their favorite team.”

MLB and Eternal Images are tying to capture “the life and the passions of the person that has passed away,” said the Spokesman for the National Funeral Director’s Association. “More and more families are wanting to have something that respects the personalities.”

A funeral director interviewed also mentions that this will have great appeal to blue-collar fans, apparently ‘cause they’re all too willing to make a mockery of their death. But having an official Yankees casket is not respectful. It’s not endearing, it’s not a show of true devotion, and it’s certainly not cute. It’s sad. Sad, sad, sad.

And so the common man can now choose to leave his remains in a receptacle befitting his station in life – namely, a casket emblazoned with a grinning cartoon Indian. Whether or not it smells like beer farts and hot dogs remains to be seen.

Even worse is the douche bag Commissioner wanting a slice of corpse pie. Fans are already annually quasi-fucked by rising costs in tickets, parking and concessions, the absence of a salary cap, bloated player salaries that affect performance and widen the gap between them and the public, owners constantly seeking public funding by threat of relocation, drug scandals…I suppose it’s only a short, shameless step to death profiteering.

And how can we end this grief? Well, as I’m sure Bud Selig would tell you, hopefully by dying in Major League style. After all, stamped on each casket and urn is the embarrassing proclamation that “Major League Baseball officially recognizes (person’s name) as a lifelong fan of (team).”

(There is, I admit, an upside to this travesty…maybe some terminal kid who hates his Cubs-lovin’ father will demand a St. Louis casket as a final “fuck you”.)

According to Jim

2006-10-12T14:00:00.000-07:00

By Rembrandt Q. Einstein

This past Monday I read an interview with Jim Edmonds where he discussed his future, increasing frailty and diminishing playing ability (actually, he and the writer used euphemisms such as ‘ability to play on a consistent basis’, but the savvy reader can read between the lines), all while battling post-concussion syndrome.

After this season, Jim will join the ranks of free agency. The Cards are expected to fork over $3 million buyout, allowing them to void his 2007, $10 million option; although I doubt you’ll hear anybody in the organization say this out loud, it would be folly to keep him around.

What does Jim want? Even if it means hobbling back to the AL, sinking to the lowly role of DH (becoming, I’m sure he hopes, another Jim Thome), he wants to keep playing baseball. His exact words were “That’s the key: I want to play everyday.” But it’s hard to take a man with a concussion seriously on the topic of what he remains capable of doing.

According to Edmonds, he still has his bat, tools and several good years left in him. And you know, he may well at that. But he will never equal his better seasons, and at 37, in his condition, he’s never gonna be a Julio Franco.

It’s sad to say, ‘cause he’s one of my favorite players, but I think it would be folly for him to stick around playing the game. Jim, no matter where he lands, is likely to become the next Jeff Bagwell. And when – doubtfully “if” – it comes to that, he seems like the type of guy that will try to prove us wrong, showing up some spring camp, all worn down, sticking out like a sore thumb, embarrassing our memories of his once great self.

I Can't Wait for 1986

2006-10-05T13:40:00.000-07:00

About two weeks from now will mark the 20 year anniversary of my first – and all-time favorite – World Series.

I remember my brother and I decking out the hide-a-bed with Roadrunner sheets, laying in front of the den TV, permission to stay up way past our bedtime, rooting for the Mets ‘cause they were my father’s hometown team.

I remember the unfamiliar, but instantly contagious, excitement that emitted from the screen. Sure, I didn’t quite understand the game (I’m pretty sure my brother had to narrate a lot of the action), nor fully understand the gravity of the situation. To me it was simply something to see, I loved it all.

I remember the roster. I still run the names through my head like flash cards, making sure I haven’t forgotten anybody. Repeating their names is a sort of TM chant for me – syllables bestowing such a calm and focus to make the Dalai Lama’s head explode. Backman. Carter. Darling. Doc. Dykstra. Fernandez. Hernandez. Knight. Orosco. Straw. And above all, Mookie.

I remember particular moments more than actual games. Dykstra’s lead-off homer in Game Three; Carter’s two homers in Game Four and his goofy-ass expression of joy after Orosco’s struck out the side in Game Seven. That slow grounder of Mook’s that caused Buckner to fall from grace. I’ve seen so many highlight clips over the years that I can barely tell which are my true memories.

I didn’t live near a National League town, so I never got to see my beloved Mets. It wasn’t until 2001 that I finally got caught a Mets game at Dodger stadium. Much about them were different – I think only the name and logo remained the same – but the giddiness I felt at seeing them play was nearly identical to what I remembered from 15 years prior.

Unfortunately, I also remember the 1999 Series, their embarrassing display of ineptness against baseball’s Great Satan. I didn’t root for the Mets as much as watch, as I imagine most fans did, with bemused fatalism; nothing of note except the clean sweep. (In my mind the only series that has approached the excitement of 1986 was when the Diamondbacks trumped the Yankees. My friend Mark and I watched game 5 in a shitty Hollywood cafeteria – a far cry from my parents’ den – and it was the first time since that I felt the same on-your-feet-with-clenched-fists anticipation. Giving credit where it’s due, the 2004 ALCS was pretty kick-ass as well.)

I hope the Mets make it this year – certainly they have the tools and talent. And if they do, I’ll be rooting for and with them whole-heartedly, but not without a touch of melancholy, because I won’t be cheering for the 2006 Mets entirely. I’ll be cheering a team that won’t ever be equaled: a group of belligerent, pill-popping assholes that began my love affair with the game.

Gibbons fights with Lilly, Blue Jays' ship has sunk

2006-08-21T18:33:00.000-07:00

Ed McElvain

Jay Gibbons, manager of the Toronto Blue Jays got into a fight with a player on his team during a game tonight. Yeah. A physical fight. During a Major League Baseball game.

Apparently, Ted Lilly didn't like being taken out in the 3rd inning (after giving up 7 runs) or the way he was taken out and let Mgr. Gibbons know about it on the mound. Gibbons jawed back at him, as expected. Once in the tunnel, either Lilly found the magic word or Gibbons just got fed up with the verbal assault. Gibbons followed Lilly into the tunnel, to come out later with a bloody nose. A cameraman reportedly saw (but did not capture for the rest of us) Gibbons push Lilly first.

This from the man who reportedly challenged Shea Hillenbrand to a fight after Hillenbrand wrote that the Jays "ship was sinking" on the lockeroom message board. My guess is that it's sinking due to having a hotheaded 12 year old at the helm.

In the Hillenbrand situation, Jays' GM J.P. Ricciardi sided with Gibbons and immediately designated one of the team's best hitters for assignment, giving every other team in the MLB a clear sign that it was "rip off the Blue Jays" time.

Last offseason showed that Ricciardi is certainly not afraid to pull the trigger on a big move to help his club. If Jay Gibbons still has a job by the end of the week, let alone next spring, J.P. Ricciardi is an idiot. Fighting with players during a game is not the way you run a winning ball team. This is Major League Baseball...you know, the pinnacle of professional baseball.

Mussina gives up pitching, becomes umpire

2006-08-11T11:36:00.000-07:00

Dr. Uetz

Like many kids in America, I grew up playing baseball. I was lucky enough to play varsity ball in high school, spending my time catching and on the mound. I was not a great baseball player, but I always felt I had an understanding of the game and a calm demeanor that helped me overcome what my lack of tremendous talent.

When I was a freshman my dad shared a great nugget of wisdom with me that helped tremendously in my so-called career. The punchline to his story was a line from an old umpire who says, "Some pitches are strikes. Some pitches are balls. But they ain't nothing until I call 'em."

I thought of that this morning as I read the New York Times piece on the Yankees' loss last night. Here's the line that played catalyst:
"With two outs and no base runners in the sixth, Mussina gave up a double to the left-field corner by Brian Anderson, the No. 9 hitter. Mussina said he thought he had struck out Anderson before that, but (home plate ump) Miller disagreed."

Pull your head out of your ass, Mussina. You thought you had struck out Anderson before that? Really? Then why was he still in the batter's box? Why were you on the mound and not resting in the dugout? Why was the rest of your defense still on the field? You thought you had struck him out?

I get tired of reading crap like that. I'm not sure when it happened, but we sure have become a sorry bunch of excuse-makers. Personally I blame instant replay. While it's fun to watch Bartman try to catch that foul ball over and over again, it gives lazy people too many opportunities to find lame excuses for losing. "We so would have won if the ump had called him out at second. It was obvious on the replay." Yeah, well you might also have won if your team had managed more than 4 hits and 2 runs. Or in the case of the Bartman example, maybe you would have won if Gonzalez hadn't committed an error - something he over which he had total control?

Baseball, like life and everything else we know, is imperfect. Part of the beauty of the game is that unlike any other game you truly control your own destiny. Umps make mistakes. But so do pitchers, so do fielders, so do the batters. Mussina gives up a double in the sixth, but the Yankees still have nine remaining outs of their own to do some damage. And aren't they supposed to be the best team money can buy?

But I'm straying. The fact is a professional ballplayer should know better than to "think they struck out Anderson before that." When you're on the field, you are there to play the game. Leave it to the douchebags in the stands to argue with the umps. We all have a role to play, and the umpire's role is to determine ball or strike, safe or out, foul or fair. So shut up and pitch.

Bud Selig hates you

2006-08-09T14:17:00.000-07:00

Dr. Uetz

Bud Selig doesn't give a shit about you. This may not shock you, but you should be reminded.

I called Bud at home last night to get his input on online fantasy leagues. MLB has been involved in a legal battle with online fantasy companies over the rights to player names and stats and recently suffered a defeated in the eighth circuit court. It's an obvious move by the greedheads to stuff their wallets. God forbid any of us have a little fun without them profiting from it.

So I took a chance and called Bud to see how he felt about the whole thing. He answered and I introduced myself as a "true fan of the game of baseball," and asked if he had just a minute to discuss this whole online fantasy baseball deal. He put down his copy of The Prince, let go a heavy sigh, and reluctantly agreed - it didn't hurt that I had introduced myself as the new PR Director for Rep. Bob Ney of Ohio.

But to the punch-line. Three minutes into our conversation Bud gave me the nugget of truth I had been looking for. At first he discussed MLB's intentions of simply wanting to provide fans with honest and reliable facts. "Who knows baseball better than the MLB?" he asked me. Good point. Not too many people.

"Certainly not the fans," I responded. "Those shitheads are just angling for a piece of the action. My 17 year old cousin Pete just won $150 in his fantasy league; in large part due to the great year Ortiz is having. Is he sending any of his earnings to Ortiz? Hell no. But he sure used his name and stats to win cash."

"Exactly!" Bud yelled. "I hate those fucking fans. They've ruined the game of baseball. This is about the bottom line, you understand. Without rules there is no game. And we write the rules."

I'm sure Judge Medler had the laws of our country and the Constitution in mind when she ruled against the MLB. But there are people out there, the true men of baseball, that she forgot in her decision. People like my friend Bud who rely on that revenue to put food on their table and a Mercedes in their garage. What would happen if we were all allowed to have fun without considering the cost of printing "Ortiz" or "Crede" or "Bonds" in our own Excel files? What about those starving players? Think about that. I for one agree with Bud. Fuck the fans.

Who should be AL MVP? He plays for the Sox, but it's not who you think.

2006-08-08T14:56:00.000-07:00

Ed McElvain

In light of all the Big Papi and clutch hitting worship going on, I have a serious question to ask. Should a DH be MVP? Hell no, are you kidding me. Even if his offensive numbers are head and shoulders above the competition? Still no and here's why:

A DH is not a baseball player. He is a hitter. That’s half the game. To be a baseball player you have to play defense, you have to play baseball. If I go to the batting cages, I don’t tell people I’m going to play baseball. If you're not a baseball player, you can't be MVP.

In a two and a half hour game, David Ortiz spends at least two hours on the bench. While his teammates are playing the other half of the game in the field, he’s sippin’ Gatorade and eating seeds. His only impact on the game comes once every other inning.

But far be it for me to knock the hero down and not offer a replacement. I looked the numbers and I think I've found the man for the MVP job. If what we care about most is a guy who makes an impact on a contending team and who steps up big in the clutch, let’s talk about Joe Crede for MVP.

I’ll admit that his total season numbers, while excellent, are nowhere near as impressive as David Ortiz’s, but in late-inning pressure situations (LIPS) Crede’s batting average is fully 80 points higher than Ortiz, he has scored one more run, knocked the same amount of RBI with just one less homerun, and has only struckout three times to Ortiz's eight. Crede also has the third highest fielding percent in the AL for 3^rd basemen who have played in at least 100 games or logged at least 800 innings at the position so far.

David Ortiz is a likeable guy and a hell of a hitter, I could never argue that. His walkoff home runs have been important to his team and certainly exciting and memorable. But Joe Crede is a baseball player who also gets it done when it counts…in all aspects of the game. For that reason Crede should be frontrunner for AL MVP.

The Worst Trade In Baseball

2006-08-02T10:31:00.000-07:00

Dr. Uetz

I was in Colorado last weekend and happened to be lucky enough to have the time to grab a beer with my old friends Mike Cubbage and Louis Freeh. Both were there for the Carbondale Mountain Fair. I was there to clear my head and do some fly fishing. I needed time away from what was happening in the world.

It didn't take long for the chatter to turn to baseball - I steered it in that direction so I could gloat about the Mets, their 13 game lead, and their pending sweep of the Braves in Atlanta. It was good and it made Mike happy. But leave it to Louis to drag us down with trade talk.

The trade deadline is a strange and twisted border that we approach with a childish curiosity every year. And for several days after we pass it by, we spend countless hours discussing who won and who lost in the world of trades. It's good fodder. Because deadlines, like ultimatum, cause us to do some stupid shit. "You're going to the Michael Bolton concert with my mother and I or there will be no more sex for a month." So you go to the Bolton concert like a dumb ass. Or you send Tom Seaver to the fucking Reds. Ouch.

Baseball and life are full of odd deadlines that cause us to suspend our disbelief and move on with sketchy decisions. The 1:00 AM bar deadline has probably been the catalyst for some of history's worst decisions. (New Year's Eve is even worse, moving decisions up to 11:30 - could be responsible for John Wilkes Booth, Robin Leach, Chris Tucker, Dr. Phil, and Keanu Reeves.)

We will see what happens with the big trades from the '06 deadline. There's no way of telling. Maddux could love the west coast air and return to the form that made him one of the greatest pitchers of the last 20 years - it certainly it won't hurt to get out of Wrigley. Sean Casey, back in a pennant race, could revisit 2004 - he certainly has the skills. The Yankees have no farm system. What? I just wanted to say it, I don't care that it doesn't fit. Eat it. One thing is for sure, Texas will still be Texas with Carlos Lee; he's not a very good pitcher.

There are no guarantees in life; and if you find yourself on the verge of greatness you might make a plunge that would otherwise seem ludicrous. You might find yourself ordering the use of constitutionally questionable tactics on nonviolent protestors. Or you might trade Frank Robinson for Milt Pappas. (Frank Robinson, by the way, could be a great result of New Year's Eve. He was born on Aug. 31. Charlie Parker was born Aug. 29)

Lee Forces Brew Crew to Pull the Plug

2006-07-28T14:23:00.000-07:00

Mike Popelka

Carlos Lee rejected a 4-year, $48 million contract offer from the Milwaukee Brewers today, all but forcing the hand of Brewers GM Doug Melvin. The Brewers sent Lee and their best outfield prospect Nelson Cruz to the Rangers for setup man Francisco Cordero, outfielders Laynce Nix and Kevin Mench, and 21 year old pitching prospect Julian Cordero.

Purely in terms of on the field production, I'm not sure how this move makes the Brewers much better. Kevin Mench is not a bad player, but Carlos Lee was the Brewers' best hitter. Lee can run, drive in runs, and hits with a decent average. Mench has power, but his game is not nearly as well rounded as Lee. Francisco Cordero will be inserted into the bullpen immediately upon arrival, but he's been a little shaky this season-- he's blown 9 saves in 15 chances this year and his ERA is dangerously close to five. Nix, once considered a top Rangers prospect, and Julian Cordero will be reporting to the minors.

Despite my initial knee-jerk reaction, I'll be slow to condemn Brewers management on this trade. I ridiculed the Brewers a few years ago when they traded Richie Sexson to the Diamondbacks for a small army of mediocre players, but I looked pretty stupid when that trade worked out well for Milwaukee. Nix and Mench are both fairly young, and it's possible that Francisco Cordero will regain his 2002-2005 form. He certainly can't be much worse than some of the relievers the Brewers are currently using. If Milwaukee had decided to hang on to Lee, all they would have gotten was a compensation draft pick from the team that signed him away instead of the three major-league ready players they received from Texas.

Any trade where a team is forced to deal a player strictly because of salary concerns is upsetting. Even more upsetting is the tired rhetoric superstar players use when the trade deadline comes around. All along Carlos Lee said he wanted to stay in Milwaukee, but when he turned down $12 million a year he effectively showed us he was full of crap.

Brewers fans, you shouldn't be upset at your team's management. They did what they could with a bad situation. Be upset with Carlos Lee giving you false hope, and be upset with the economic system of Major League Baseball for keeping you and the teams in Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, and the like from fielding a championship team.

An Exciting Guide to the Hometown Hero Race!

2006-07-28T09:46:00.000-07:00

Mike Popelka was unavailable to write today, so staff writer and understudy Lewis T. Buttersby, the hugest baseball fan ever, subbed for him just like Billy used to do for his dad in the hilarious Family Circus comics.

Less than two months to go, baseball fans! No, not the start of the playoffs (duh-- they start in October!), and not the trade deadline (only a few days left!), but the tallying of votes for your favorite franchise's Hometown Hero!

I know you're all very interested in how the voting will be going down, so I thought I'd break down some of the choices. I want everyone who's voting in this contest of monumental importance to really understand who they're voting for. Let's fill the ballot boxes and show Major League Baseball that we love our Hometown Heroes!

Here is my voting guide for Hometown Heroes of the NL Central division:

St. Louis: Lou Brock, Bob Gibson, Stan Musial, Albert Pujols, and Ozzie Smith

Don't vote for any of these guys. The best part of voting in the Hometown Heroes contest is that you can write in votes! I'll be writing in Jose Oquendo, because to me he really epitomizes St. Louis baseball. He even played all of the positions one time! If I lived in St. Louis (which I never have) I'd want him to represent my team as a Hometown Hero. He worked hard and it's high time he's recognized for it. Vote Oquendo!

Houston: Jeff Bagwell, Craig Biggio, Larry Dierker, Nolan Ryan, Jimmy Wynn

Okay this one's easy-- vote for Nolan Ryan. It's not rocket surgery, people; He's everybody's hero. Remember when he beat up Robin Ventura? Since Texans like to remind other people of how tough they are and how everything's big in Texas, Nolan Ryan is the sure pick. He may not be the biggest pitcher in history, but he's definitely the biggest in my heart!

Milwaukee: Cecil Cooper, Rollie Fingers, Jim Gantner, Paul Molitor, Robin Yount

This one's very tough. You should vote for either Gantner or write in for Gorman Thomas. Both of these guys have parts of Miller Park named for them. Either of these two guys could represent Milwaukee very well, but I feel that Thomas should have the edge. Gantner IS Brewer baseball-- he never led the league in anything (except for the number of times hit by a pitch), he never hit more than 11 home runs, and he was pretty mediocre, just like the Brewers. Thomas on the other hand has a restaurant at Miller Park, and he'll serve you food. Folks from Wisconsin like food (especially sausage!), so he is very popular. Oh, also he has a cool mustache and he's kind of fat like some other guys I know from Wisconsin. Go Gorman! I hope the fans pick you!

Chicago: Fergie Jenkins, Ron Santo, Ryne Sandberg, Ernie Banks, Billy Williams

Okay, the obvious choice is Ernie Banks. He played for the Cubs for a long, long time and never won anything. He was really good, too. I say, though, that we fans should go with someone who really and truly represents the futility of Cubs baseball. My vote goes for Bill Buckner. He was a Cub! One time he missed a grounder and his team lost the World Series because of it! Did you know that?! This to me represents what it's like being a Cub fan-- whenever things are looking pretty good somebody gets hurt or drops a ball or something. Based on this criteria, I guess Leon Durham would be a good vote too, but I feel that Buckner's mustache says "I am Chicago" more so than Leon's big glasses.

Cincinnati: Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan, Tony Perez, Pete Rose, Frank Robinson

A sportswriter named Bugs Baer once said "Cincinnati is nuts with baseball! They ought to call this place Cincinnutty!" I think you'd have to be "nutty" not to vote for Pete Rose! He's gritty, hard-nosed, and scrappy, and so is Cincinnati!

Pittsburgh: Roberto Clemente, Ralph Kiner, Bill Mazeroski, Honus Wagner, Willie Stargell

Wow, another tough one. Willie Stargell should probably be the choice here, because he helped the Pirates win a World Series (or should I call it the World Serious?!). Pittsburgh is a tough town, and I don't recall ever hearing a story about someone beating up Willie Stargell for wearing those dorky yellow uniforms with the pillbox cap. You have to be tough to not get beat up for that! I don't know that Stargell will win though, because people from Pittsburgh don't really like baseball. My guess is that Ben Roethlisberger will win.

Well, there it is-- the exciting guide to the exciting race to be a Hometown Hero! I hope you all find this guide useful. Remember people, we need to rock this vote so that our cities are represented well! Get the word out!

Editor's Note: Mike Popelka had absolutely nothing to do with this. He feels that the Hometown Hero contest is a waste of any true baseball fan's precious time. With any luck, there will be no further voting guides to this meaningless contest.

Hostile territory, Billy Bob Thornton and the St. Louis Cardinals

2006-07-27T11:36:00.000-07:00

Ben Godar

As a Cardinals fan living in Los Angeles, I'm often forced into unfriendly territory to watch my team. Thankfully, Redbird Nation stretches from coast to coast, so there's always more than a few wearing my colors in Dodger Stadium.

We give each other a smile and a nod as we file past the throngs of mouth-breathing Dodger fans on our way to our seats. Anyone who's worn team apparel into enemy turf knows that it's rarely pleasant. I've had food hurled at me and been greeted more times with "Cardinals suck!" than I can count. Which isn't to say that I've had it so bad. A Giants fan was killed in the parking lot last year.

The point is, it's always a comfort to see another red t-shirt in the sea of beach ball swatting morons. But it's especially comforting when that face is Billy Bob Thornton.

Whenever a celebrity is at the stadium, their face usually winds up on the jumbo tron. Somewhere around the 6th inning of Friday night's game, Billy Bob Thornton appeared on the screen wearing a St. Louis Cardinals cap. The image drew a chorus of boos.

Now folks, that takes balls - and let me tell you why. Nobody, except perhaps our assbag president, is as succeptible to heckling as celebrities. When your typical Dodger fan sees me at the game, all he's got to work with is "Cardinals suck" and maybe "Pujols sucks." But that's only if he's really clever.

Can you imagine the torrent of abuse that could be unleashed on Billy Bob Thornton? He was married to Angelina Jolie and he was in The Alamo. There's about an hour of material right there.

Billy Bob Thornton doesn't need to wear his Cardinals hat to the game. He could just sit quietly and smile and wave when they put him on the big TV. But Billy Bob knows that wearing your team's colors is the RIGHT THING TO DO.

Now compare Billy Bob to Tom Hanks. Sports Weekly reported that Hanks, who calls himself an A's fan and sold concessions at the stadium as a kid, led a Baltimore crowd in a chant of "O-R-I-O-L-E-S" at a recent game ... while they were playing the A's. Nice work, Tom. I'm sure the crowd all loves you and the team all loves you and America all loves you. But where is your heart, sir?

I think we should all resolve to be more like Billy Bob Thornton.

The Integration of the Sausage Race

2006-07-25T19:18:00.000-07:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, the chorizo has arrived. Often relegated to the “Hispanic” section of grocery stores and denied its rightful place in the pantheon of sausage-like foods, the chorizo will now have a chance to compete with the best—the Italian, Polish, Hot Dog, and Bratwurst Racing Sausages. As of 9:00 pm CDT the announcement had not been made by the Brewers official site, but the sports business columnist at the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Don Walker, is already reporting the news.

Apparently, in deference to the wishes of Milwaukee’s local Latino population, the Milwaukee Brewers will add a fifth sausage, the chorizo, to the already potent stable of white American meats that race around the field. “Adorned with a sombrero and decked out in red, green and white,” the new sausage will make his first big-league appearance on Saturday night.

I’ve always cheered for the Italian myself, but with the addition of Chorizo, I have a new underdog to cheer for who fought through racism and oppression to make it to The Show. Milwaukee has thankfully lifted the longstanding unofficial ban on Mexican sausage and now the rest of the world will find out that chorizos can run in extremely top-heavy costumes with the best of them. My fellow Americans, it’s time to toss aside the prejudice that Chorizo is too “spicy” to compete with a Bratwurst, or too squishy to make it past an Italian Sausage. The face of the game is changing, and so are the sausage races.

UPDATE 7/28: The Brewers officially announced this yesterday. My favorite quote, from the head of the Milwaukee Hispanic Chamber of Commerce: "His skin tone is the actual color of chorizo sausage," she said. "It's perfect." Hooray Chorizo!

Heilman again asks to be traded, this time by playing like a bum

2006-07-24T17:52:00.000-07:00

Ed McElvain

Last Sunday at Shea Stadium, Aaron Heilman and Chris Burke provided a Little League tutorial on the value of hustle for all of the kids in attendance.

In the 8th inning with a runner on third and two out, Chris Burke hit a little swinging bunt off to the first base side of the pitchers mound, Heilman made an athletic play to snag the ball before it got past him and, with his momentum carrying him towards first base, waved off Carlos Delgado to make the out himself. Meanwhile, as Heilman casually jogged over to step on the bag, Chris Burke was running full speed up the line. Everyone in the park saw it coming. Everyone except Aaron Heilman, apparently.

It was a close play, but as umpire Bruce Froemming signaled Burke safe and Willy Tavarez crossed home plate for another run, the exagerated boos coming from the spectators were not directed at Froemming's call. Heilman gave up on the play, assumed it was an easy out, and was simply out-hustled.

Willie Randolph immediately came out of the dugout to remove Heilman from the game. As Heilman shuffled off the field with his shoulders hunched and his head down, 43,000 people (myself included) continued to let him know that there is no excuse for that kind of play. It was not something he will live down easily with the fans in New York.

Coming into this season Aaron Heilman was considered a big part of the Mets' future -- he had proven himself as a set-up man and a reliable option for long relief and spot starts. He wanted to be part of the rotation, but management considered him too valuable in relief to take out of the bullpen. He was vocal in his disappointment, saying he'd rather be traded than continue to work in relief. The Mets basically told him to be patient and perform the role asked of him.

One has to wonder if his erratic and unreliable pitching this year is not the result of his disappointment. Lack of interest in his role is perhaps behind the slips in concentration that result in an ERA up by more than a run over last year and lackadaisical play like last Sunday.

Poor play might get him his ticket out of town, but you have to wonder about the worth of a ballplayer who is only willing to play his best on his own terms.

Angel Hernandez is not Mick Jagger

2006-07-22T07:50:00.000-07:00

Ben Godar

Have you ever gone out to the ballpark explicitly to see the umpires? I mean, instead of going to see Pedro Martinez pitch or something like that, have you ever picked up the morning paper and said to the wife, "honey, let's go to tonight's game, Joe West is umping."

It's a rhetorical question, because of course you haven't. But that doesn't stop Angel Hernandez, the worst umpire in the bigs, from walking onto the field night after night like he's the whole damn show.

Hernandez played his Vince McMahon routine again this week. From his position on the third base line, Hernandez ejected Dodgers coach Mariano Duncan, who was in the first base dugout at the time, for supposedly arguing a check-swing call. It was vintage Hernandez, stopping a game in the first inning to eject someone on the other side of the field.

A few moments of chaos ensued as nobody knew who Hernandez ejected or why. When Duncan understandably flipped his shit and tossed his hat on the field, Hernandez picked it up and gave it to a fan.

Can we please get this grandstanding douche off the field, permanently?

And let me make it clear, I'm not one of these guys who constantly bags on the boys in blue. Calling a game is a very imperfect science, but Major League umps come about as close to perfection as we can expect.

Hernandez has certainly blown his share of calls, and one study ranked him among the worst three umpires in consistency, temperament and respect for players. But what really makes this guy a blight on The Game is his repeated, ego-driven acts of madness.

Among the highlights of the Angel Hernandez Ego Tour was a 2001 Cubs game when he ejected former Chicago Bear and pro wrestler Steve McMichael for commenting on a blown call by Hernandez before singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame."

When Jose Lima accused Hernandez of not giving him the same strike zone as the opposing pitcher, Hernandez reportedly replied "you're no John Smoltz." In 1998, Hernandez ridiculously called Michael Tucker safe at the plate in the 11th inning of a Braves/Mets game. But what made it more than just a blown call was that players have reported hearing Hernandez remark earlier that he had "a plane to catch."

Have you ever been at a rock show when the guitar tech, instead of simply testing the levels before the headliner, plays a few Hendrix riffs? That is Angel Hernandez.

If a ball in play hits an umpire, the play continues, because the umpires are just considered part of the field. That's as it should be. The fact that we know Angel Hernandez by name, that we know his history of arrogance - that's a sign that we have a problem.

Blown calls are a part of the game. Angel Hernandez shouldn't be.

Whoa-- A Yankees Fan Who Isn't a Tool!

2006-07-21T10:25:00.000-07:00

Mike Popelka

Ladies and gentlemen, I've done it. After years of dead ends, red herring clues, and countless frustrations, I discovered a mythical being only whispered about in legends passed down from generation to generation. You may not believe me, but it's true--I finally met the one Yankees fan I don't want to kick in the balls.

I know, my friends--Yankees fans always deserve a vitriolic tirade wherever and whenever they are encountered. To any decent American, the sight of that ungodly "NY" logo on a dark background should trigger automatic and uncontrollable rage, much like a red cape waving in front of a bull. However, in a dive bar Wednesday night I had an actual conversation with a Yanks fan over a few pitchers of PBR.

This fan (who shall remain unnamed) began by apologizing for the conduct of most Yankees fans. I felt a twinge of sympathy to his cause; I usually have to apologize to others for the behavior of moronic Cubs fans. Another thing he had going for him was that there were no visible Yankees logos anywhere on his person. This kept the "red cape" syndrome from popping up. Last, he was born and raised in New Jersey, just outside of New York City. People who root for a team due to locality are always worth a little more than others, so these three things allowed the man a short time to say his piece and to defend himself.

He claimed that there are plenty of real Yankees fans near New York city who actually know the game of baseball. Real fans, he said, could tell you off the top of their heads that Don Mattingly is tied for #83 on the all time doubles list with Dick Bartell (I didn't want to get into the debate of how overrated Mattingly is so I let this one pass). The problem with all Yanks rooters is that their memory is too short. He sadly explained the plight of trying to be true while surrounded by buttholes that believe A-Rod should be batting 1.000 and hitting 92 homers. Yes, he agreed, A-Rod is overpaid, but the man is still one of the best players in baseball. Real Yankees fans wouldn't boo A-Rod for grounding out to second if he hit a game winning home run the night before.

Conversation continued, and he definitely showed rare insight for a fan of the most despicable team in the major leagues. He almost wiped out all of the sympathy I had for him with his answer to my question, "Why are you a Yankees fan?"

His answer: "In 1985, my sister decided to be a Mets fan. So, of course, I had to choose the Yankees."

Poor guy. He made one bad decision for a silly reason and it will haunt him for the rest of his life. His reactionary choice of a team to root for will cause him to be taunted and jeered at wherever he goes. This is the appropriate penance for his action of 21 years ago.

Despite choosing the Yankees to root for, I like the guy. So Yankees fans, let this be a lesson to you. If you want to convince other baseball fans that you're for real, be humble, be knowledgeable, and always pay for the beer. This will drastically reduce the number of times you get kicked in the balls.

Mets, Blue Jays, torment

2006-07-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

Dr. Uetz
I have to admit that I'm beginning to get worried about the Mets; or more so the Mets fans who are about to begin emerging from the woodwork. They'll be harder to handle than the Braves fans I encounter.

It's hell to deal with the bandwagoneers. But they are a fact of life. And we true fans find ourselves defending the truth of our allegiance to idiots and snake oil salesmen. Soon I'll be forced into dropping names like Doug Sisk, Danny Heep, Rusty Staub, Ed Kranepool . . . you understand. It's part of life when you are lucky enough to live and die with a team that's hot. I can only imagine what Tigers fans are going through.

So I'm preparing myself mentally for the hoots and hollers of the world's newest Mets fans, who just last year were White Sox fans, and Red Sox fans the year before, and I'm sure they reveled in the long history of the Marlins at one point, too.

What about Toronto? Well, once again I'm pissed at The Des Moines Register - the world's least informative sports page - Today's transaction list included a mention of Toronto designating Shea Hillenbrand for assignment. The Register included one other sentence about this. One. Seriously, one of the league leaders in hitting is designated for assignment and that's all the coverage we get? Of course this is the same paper that gave us "Casey Watch." THat's right, every day we got to see how native Iowan Casey Blake was doing; that is, of course, until he went into a slump.

On that note, I do believe it's time for a cocktail. Go Mets!

Carlos Lee: To Trade or Not to Trade

2006-07-14T21:20:00.000-07:00

Josh Flickinger

As the playoff race heats up and the July 31 trade deadline nears, the Milwaukee Brewers have a very important decision to make. What will they do with their All-Star LF Carlos Lee?

Lee is in the final year of his contract, and has been a dependable run-producing stalwart in the Milwaukee lineup since he was acquired from the White Sox for Scott Podsednik before the 2005 season. He stands to garner a large payday following the season, as the market for sluggers like him appears to be around 4-5 years at around 12 million per season. He’s 30 years old, and below-average in left. As always with these types of decisions, a lot of factors will play into which way Brewers general manager Doug Melvin goes.

When you talk about a team like the Brewers, payroll has to be a primary concern. At this point, the Brewers have a $56 million dollar payroll. They have 34 million already committed for 2007, including $17 million for pitcher Ben Sheets and outfielder Geoff Jenkins alone. Add in sizable raises in arbitration for All-Star Chris Capuano and uber-utility man Billy Hall, and you are creeping up to 2006 levels already.

Brewers owner Mark Attanasio has already said he expects the payroll to increase for 2007, but it certainly doesn’t figure to approach the $65-70 million mark. Figure in Lee for 12 million, and you’re talking about 29 million, or a little less that half of the projected payroll, for three players.

The other factor is organizational depth. The Brewers are very high on Corey Hart, Lee’s potential replacement. Since being drafted in the 11^th round in 2000, all Hart has done is hit. He was an All-Star at each level, and garnered MVP honors in the AA Southern League in 2003. He hit .296 in the minors, showed good plate discipline, decent power, and good speed. He bounced around for a while in the field, playing some 3^rd base, moving across the diamond to first, before finally settling in the outfield. In limited playing time this season, Hart has hit .333 in 48 AB’s, and performed decently in CF and RF when given the chance.

The other thing to consider, of course, is what the Brewers could do with the money that would have been allocated to Lee. What does $12 million get you these days? Melvin could use that cash to get a premium starting pitcher, a few relievers, or some depth among the position players.

Attanasio and Melvin have both indicated that it would be foolish to trade Lee if the Brewers are still in the race come the end of July. By the looks of it, they certainly will be within five games or so of the Wild Card as the date looms. A trade would be a disaster in that case for credibility among long-suffering Brewers fans, who have seen this act before. Greg Vaughn, Gary Sheffield, Richie Sexson (that worked well) are just a few of the big-time players the Brewers have had to let go because they couldn’t pay them. While Lee will probably not be a Brewer next season, to trade him while within striking distance of their first playoff birth since 1982 is simply not an option.

If I were in Doug Melvin’s shoes, I would take the two compensation picks that Lee will garner them when he signs with another team this winter and let him walk. With this year’s free agent pool being very shallow, Lee very easily could be the subject of a bidding war between teams like the Yankees, Cubs and Angels, all of whom could afford him. The Brewers simply can’t compete with that.

While Lee has said he would love to come back to Milwaukee, he’s certainly not going to give the Crew any hometown discount, nor should he. I believe that Lee would probably be worth his cash for the first year or two of his deal, but also think that in 2008, you’d be sitting with a $12 million dollar, .260-23-80 albatross who is mostly embarrassing in LF. If you’re the Yanks, you deal with it. You could also stick him at DH, thereby cutting your dilemma in half. The Brewers simply won’t have that luxury, especially with the contracts of youngsters like Hall, Weeks, and Fielder getting larger by the season.

Letting Carlos Lee walk in free agency is not a sign of the Brewers giving up, or throwing in the towel. It’s the responsible fiscal decision. It’s then up to Doug Melvin to make good use of the resources available, and Corey Hart to take advantage of the opportunity allotted him. Those two things will go a long way in determining just how bright the future of the Brewers is.

Secret Agent Canseco

2006-07-14T10:22:00.000-07:00

Ben Godar

You couldn't script it any better than this. Jose Canseco, international man of mystery, reportedly asked to work as an investigator with baseball's ongoing steroid probe. According to Canseco's attorney, who was undoubtedly wearing a leisure suit and chain-smoking menthols, "Until someone like Jose is part of the investigation as an investigator, they aren't going to get much cooperation."

Yes folks, nothing will make baseball's steroid users open up like Jose Canseco asking "so, dude, have you ever taken 'roids? Oh, and would you mind talking into my comically oversized lapel?"

Or perhaps Canseco planned to go undercover. You know, just another freakishly muscular guy hanging around the clubhouse. "Hey guys, come meet my new friend with the greasy hair and unrelenting curiosity about the steroid investigation."

I'm sure Jose pictured himself jetting around the globe to exotic locations, sipping martinis and dazzling women with his shriveled genitals. And can you blame the guy?

These aren't exactly the salad days for Jose. He's currently playing for the Long Beach Armada in some of the finest Little League parks of Southern California. He joined the Armada after being cut by the perenial powerhouse San Diego Surf Dogs. And Canseco may be on the move again, recently telling the manager of the Fullerton Flyers that he should have signed with them because they're seven miles closer to his home.

Outside Baseball contributor Travis White saw Jose and sidekick Ozzie at an arcade in Sherman Oaks last weekend, flexing their muscles for all the 14-year-old girls. Just think of the attention he would have garnered if he was also a secret agent.

Advice to Odalis

2006-07-14T07:05:00.000-07:00

Ed McElvain

Last night Odalis Perez, the former ace of the Dodger staff now languishing as the last option in the bullpen, gave up a game winning home run to Albert Pujols in the 14th inning.

His postgame comments weren't the expected, "I missed with my change up, Pujols is a great hitter, I just have to shake this one off and get them next time." According to MLB.com, these were his postgame remarks:

"If I'm at this level, it's because I can pitch at this level, not for people to ignore me. I'm too good for that. I don't know who it's coming from, why I'm in this situation. If I did something wrong, tell me what it is. I'm treated like trash and I don't want to be in this situation. What did I do to these people? Why am I treated like this? I don't have the answer. I want people to tell me the truth."

He went on some more about how his son asks him why he doesn't pitch so much anymore and how it makes him cry and bla bla bla, wah wah wah, look at the big baby.

Well, Odalis, this is an easy one. Here's what you need to do: stop pitching like a bum. And even when you do, suck it up and take it like a man. If you're too good for this, prove it. Because to me, you look like a flash-in-the-pan on his way out of baseball.

If I was paying $24 million dollars to a guy so he could pitch like dogshit and then cry about how it's somebody else's fault, I probably wouldn't put him into many games, either. But, if that guy started taking advantage of the few opportunities given to him, I'd start to have more confidence in him and work him into more and better situations.

Breaking down the Reds/Nats trade

2006-07-13T13:56:00.000-07:00

Edward McElvain

A lot of us scoffed when the Reds opened up the season by trading talented, young power hitter Wily Mo Pena to Boston for Bronson Arroyo, a man whose pitching talent just barely overshadows his status as a alt. rock icon. Well, as it turns out, that has been a pretty good trade for the Reds so far. Arroyo was an All Star in his NL return and WMP has spent a good chunk of the year on the DL.

Today the Reds and Nationals announced an 8-man deal wherein Cincinnati unloads two more of their young, talented hitters and a bullpen prospect for a proven young set-up man, a couple pitching prospects, a middle infield prospect, and an aging defensive specialist shortstop.

Here's what the Reds get:
Gary Majewski - durable, young set up man, nice ERA and WHIP.
Bill Bray - relief prospect projected by some as a potential closer, getting his first taste of the majors, has looked pretty good so far.
Royce Clayton - once one of the best defensive shortstops in the game, now in his 17 th Major League season, he doesn't have the range he once did and his bat is still weak.
Brendan Harris - middle infield prospect will turn 26 in August, projects as an above average major league hitter if he can improve his defense enough to get there.
Daryl Thompson - 21 year old pitcher getting his first professional experience in the Rookie leagues this year, you'd have to be a scout to know much about him.

Here's what the Nationals get:
Austin Kearns - the golden boy of the Reds farm system has been a little injury prone since coming up in 2002, but he's been impressive whenever he's able to play and is on pace for a .275-30-100 season in his first chance to play everyday (thanks to that WMP trade and an injury-free campaign, thusfar).
Felip Lopez - established himself last year as one of the best hitting shortstop in the either league, off the pace a little this year, but still has a very nice power-speed combo.
Ryan Wagner - was a highly-touted closer-in-the-making before stinking up the place every chance he's gotten in the majors the last couple years, had some shoulder problems last year and has been getting shelled in AAA this year.

So who got the better end of this trade?

In the short term, the Nationals just really improved their team as long as they can find someone to step up and replace Majewski. They play in a pitcher's park, so it's likely they can find some less talented arms to fill the role. They get two very nice bats to put around Soriano and take some of the pressure off of Nick Johnson and Ryan Zimmerman.

In the short term, this trade weakens Cincinnati's offense considerably, but shores up their thin bullpen. It's likely that Great American Ballpark's hitter-friendly dimensions will help Royce Clayton find some of the offense that he left in Colorado's thin air, but I doubt very much that he's going to produce on par with Felipe Lopez. Chris Denorfia, who has good speed and hits for average but with little pop, will likely be called upon to replace Kearns.

In the long term, if Bray turns out to be as good as people think (i.e. not the next Ryan Wagner), if Majewski continues to develop as a dominant setup man, and if Brendan Harris figures out how to play defense, maybe the Reds come out looking really good in a couple of years, especially if Thompson turns out to be a major league calibre pitcher. But there's a lot of ifs there.

For the Nationals, they have two more young, talented bats to try to build around, even if they aren't able to hang onto the mercurial Soriano after this year. If the change of scenery turns Wagner around, all the better. What's interesting is that the National's GM Jim Bowden, who as Reds GM until last year was at the helm when each of these three came up through the Reds system. Apparently, he likes these guys.

I'm giving the Reds a B- for this trade, as I feel they took the first, easiest thing offered to them. A little harder work and they surely could have gotten more for Kearns and Lopez. I'll give the Nationals an A-, they show they know their pitcher-friendly home turf and their club's needs and gave up a promising closer prospect to fill gaping holes in their lineup.

Wright as rain

2006-07-12T11:06:00.000-07:00

Dr. Uetz
Well the All-Star game has passed us. I must admit, I was looking forward to it with all the anticipation of a man heading to a Kenny G concert. Seriously, since the inception of interleague play, the mid summer classic has held all the appeal of a Democratic Party fundraiser featuring the comedy of Sinbad. But it still beats any other all-star game.

And the saving grace for me this year was that it turned out to be a well pitched game (except for the top of the 9th). It was nice to see David Wright hit a home run. It couldn't happen to a nicer kid. Really. Have you ever seen an interview with David Wright? You just know he watch Bull Durham and soaked it all in. He probably recites the Great Monologue to himself as he cruises the Long Island Expressway. He's a class act. And so was Crash Davis.

So the AL won again and gets home field advantage in the World Series. Congrats. I'm happy for you. But now that the game is over and we begin our trek down the backside of the season, I feel compelled to make a few predictions for what remains of the 2006 season. Not because I've been aching to look into my crystal ball, but because it's Wednesday and I committed to a deadline.

1. Will Dusty Baker still be wearing Cubby Blue come October? Does it really matter?No it doesn't. And he won't. The next manager? Steve Stone.

2. Mets, Cardinals and Dodgers in the playoffs. Wildcard? Can't tell. Crystal ball is clouded by Makers Mark residue from last night.

3. Scott Kazmir will win the Cy Young so that I can continue to boil in my disgust over the trade that sent him away from Shea.

4. Bud Selig will be eaten by a pack of wild dogs in the remote wilderness of Western Canada. It will be known as the day God returned baseball to the fans.

Amen and good luck to you and your team, unless that team is in the NL East and is not the Mets.

I Never Thought I'd Say This, But I'm Excited to See a Game on TBS

2006-07-11T18:16:00.000-07:00

Just prior to turning on the All-Star game for background filler I came across the news of a change in the broadcast networks for the baseball playoffs. Apparently, it was just decided today that TBS will air the first round, with FOX picking up the All-Star Game, World Series, and one LCS. According to this announcement, the other LCS—which would rotate from NL to AL—is still up for grabs.

Although this isn’t quite the seismic change in playoff coverage that I’d hoped for, it does raise some issues. First of all, I hope to God FOX’s stranglehold on baseball is starting to loosen a little. From Tim McCarver’s man-crush for Derek Jeter to the utterly forgettable Jeanne Zelasko/Kevin Kennedy pre-game team, to the obscene amount of graphics that not only block most of the picture but also make sounds as well, FOX has let me down. But perhaps the most unforgivable part of FOX telecasts are the constant and unnecessary close-ups that are supposed to show stock emotions. Pitcher in a jam? Close up of pitcher sweating. Team down by a run at the end of the game? Close up of fan with hands folded on top of the railing.

So what’s the solution? Another network…any network. Yes, yes, I know, TBS isn’t the answer we were looking for. And it is only for the first round (and possibly one LCS), not the entire playoffs. But there’s hope that someday during the playoffs I can choose my own emotions during a game rather than have them given to me by rehearsed and clichéd camera shots. I just hope TBS finds new announcers for the games, particularly one whose name doesn’t start with “Skip” and end with “Caray.” May I enter for consideration Mr. Smooth Talker himself, Bob Costas? Sure he’s employed by another network, but it’s worth TBS’ time to shoot high instead of going with their normal crews. And leave the close ups to FOX.

Edit: Oh my God, did anyone catch that “Heads, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” segment when Vladimir Guerrero came up to bat? And I thought the animated ball that “explains to the kids” what a curveball does was horrible.

Baseball Fans vs. Charles Humphrey

2006-07-07T10:51:00.000-07:00

Mike Popelka

Baseball lost boatloads of fans in the mid 1990's. An avid follower of the game up until that time, I found that beer, girls, and the '94 strike diverted much of my attention from the game. Whether steroid fueled or not, the 1998 baseball season won me back along with many of my friends. Our rediscovered excitement for professional baseball manifested itself in the formation of the Paradise City League, an online fantasy baseball league.

Some folks play fantasy baseball to win money. We, however, play for bragging rights and a homemade trophy consisting of Simpsons figurines and Guns n Roses in-jokes. Unfortunately online fantasy baseball has a chance of being categorized as a form of gambling if the efforts of Colorado lawyer Charles Humphrey are successful. Humphrey recently filed a complaint to the New Jersey courts claiming that fantasy sports are a form of gambling and therefore illegal in many states. Getting the court to agree with Humphrey's definition of what constitutes gambling is crucial to his case.

Defining gambling is tricky, though. Generally a game of chance is considered gambling, but a game of skill is not. Humphrey's argument is that fantasy sports are more chance than skill. The problem with any sport, including the fantasy kind, is that they are games of both chance and skill. Yes, if Jeff Kent injures himself "washing his truck" that's really bad luck for his real life team and his fantasy team. On the contrary, if someone discovered the hot rookie or fireballing closer no one else in the league knew about, that's good research--or skill. I feel that my fantasy team does so poorly mostly because of bad executive decisions. Sure, sometimes my whole lineup is injured, but that's what I get when I choose to ignore the research and draft Ken Griffey Jr. year after year.

The reasons for this lawsuit boil down to one thing: financial gain for the plaintiff (Humphrey himself). Section 2A 40-6 of a New Jersey gambling law will allow Humphrey to take one-half of all the profits of online fantasy baseball companies if courts determine online sports to be illegal. The other half, interestingly enough, would go to the state of New Jersey. Each party would get millions and millions of dollars in this settlement. I know, I know-- if Humphrey is a Colorado lawyer, why is he filing suit in New Jersey? That's where the money is, as he all but admits in a recent story on NPR's All Things Considered.

Humphrey's lawsuit has the potential to set an unwelcome precedent. If fantasy sports are considered gambling, then we'll have to push other things under the umbrella of illicit gaming. No more golf tournaments with a $40 entry fee and prize money for the winners-- the worst golfer could have a lucky day and beat some guys with better skills. Forget about paying money to participate in a Dungeons and Dragons tournament, either. Rolling the dice to see if your knight cuts up an elf is totally based on chance, and therefore illegal gambling.

I am afraid that both the fantasy leagues where participants pay for statistics services and leagues where huge cash prizes can be won will be lumped together despite their inherent differences. I play fantasy baseball because it's fun, it helps me follow baseball, it gives me something to argue about with my friends, and it gives me reasons to watch Diamondbacks/Pirates games. My intentions are about as far away from gambling as can be, yet I'm in danger of losing my hobby.

I really hope that Humphrey never sees a penny from this lawsuit, especially since, according to his official complaint, "Charles E. Humphrey. . . has not engaged in any of the gambling activities described herein." He apparently doesn't even play fantasy baseball. If he wins his lawsuit, I hope that all he receives is a bunch of homemade trophies from fantasy sports aficionados. Well, he can split them with the government anyway.

Who cares if Craig Biggio gets 3,000 hits?

2006-07-06T11:52:00.000-07:00

Ben Godar

If you've watched the Houston Astros even once this season, no doubt you've seen this: Craig Biggio strides to the plate, wearing a ridiculous elbow pad and the filthiest helmet in baseball. Even filthier than Orlando Cabrera's.

As Biggio digs his back heel into the box, and the graphic tells us he’s batting .270 something, the boys in the booth invariably ponder whether or not this is a Hall of Fame player. That subject leads directly to whether or not this catcher-turned-infielder-turned-outfielder-turned-infielder will reach 3,000 hits.

And that leads me to wonder what the hell difference 3,000 hits makes.

3,000 hits, 400 home runs, 200 wins – these milestones provide a great measuring stick to look back across the eras. But as we watch a guy limping towards one of these numbers, they seem downright irrelevant.

Craig Biggio isn’t exactly limping, but if you’re waiting around for him to get 120 or so more hits, you've kind of missed the boat. Biggio went to seven straight All-Star games, ending in 1998. He won three straight Gold Gloves as a second baseman, ending in 1997. He stole 50 bases and batted .325 … in 1998.

For the last six or seven years, he's been a serviceable Major League player. No more, no less. At 40 years old, there’s nothing wrong with that. But why should his legacy be cemented or discarded in the next year, when the significant part of his career was over six years ago?

It's not called the Hall of Longevity, and big statistical totals don’t tell the tale of greatness. I for one am not a fan of inductees like Eddie Murray, in grudging acknowledgment of their statistical production.

I'm not sure if Biggio as Hall worthy or not. But his greatest assets are his all-around game and virtually unparalleled versatility. Those are things that aren’t measured by statistics, so who cares how many hits he piles on in his twilight years?

Patience, Milwaukee

2006-07-06T10:47:00.000-07:00

Ed McElvain

There is a lot of deserved excitement in Milwaukee about the young Brewers. There is talk of postseason baseball in Milwaukee for the first time in over a decade. As a Brewer booster myself, I hate to be the poo-pooing voice of reason, but...well, color me brown. Being in the playoff hunt this year actually makes it more difficult for this team to keep their development goals for contending in 2007-2008.

The major topic when it comes to the 2006 Brewers ability to compete is how injury-decimated the pitching staff is. Still, with excited voices fans say, "but we'll have Tomo Ohka back after the All Star Break!" and "we might get Ben Sheets back by the trade deadline!" Um...huh?

Tomo Ohka was a great addition to this team. By all accounts he is a great guy to have in the clubhouse -- he keeps the players and staff loose and the fans love him. Plus he's a decent pitcher, a pretty solid 5th starter, but if we're pinning playoff hopes on him...well, this team is not ready for FOX.

The Ben Sheets prospect is full of ifs -- it will be a major boost if he is healthy and strong enough to pitch more than two consecutive starts, if he's back to his old self, if he can come back at all. Given the whispers about Sheets' poor diet and lack of commitment to keeping himself in shape, I have my doubts that we'll ever see the Ben Sheets of 2004 again.

Even if Sheets is back to form and Ohka does solidify the bottom of the rotation, the near future is full of difficult decisions for GM Doug Melvin. The biggest delima is that no one seems to know if Carlos Lee is signable for Milwaukee after he becomes a free agent at the end of the season. He says he wants to stay in Milwaukee, "but...." As a small market team, the Brewers probably can't afford his "but." Unfortunately, the Brewers playoff hopes this season and their development for next year hinge on that "but."

If the Brewers trade Carlos Lee, there will be legitimate questions about why a team only a handful of games back gave up. But if they keep him they risk losing a chance to improve the team even while losing their best player. A trip to the postseason would soften the blow, but it would still prolong the development of a team that really is very close to being a serious contender. Even if the pitching staff is healthy in the 2nd half, the Brew Crew's playoff chances this year are dicey at best. They are not in a position to be a buyer at deadline time, but they'll be up against clubs who are.

It's a damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don't scenario. Either way, the Brewers have a good thing building and it would be shameful to let it peak now. They're so close, but they're not quite there yet. Brewer fans need to be patient, enjoy this season but keep our eyes on the bigger prize...next year.

Sorry!

2006-07-04T17:28:00.000-07:00

As I head to an Independence Day BBQ and as we near the middle of the season, let me leave you with a few items. I like to think of mid-season as a kind of cleansing process. So, without further ado, some apologies to certain individuals are in order:

Nomar Garciaparra – I’m sorry that leading the league in batting average does not get you a spot on the All-Star team. Every year pundits decide who was screwed the most by a convoluted all-star balloting process complete with ballot-stuffing that rivals the efforts of Boss Tweed. Honestly, even if snubs are a part of the game and I rarely pay much attention to the All-Star Game anyway, to leave statistically the best hitter off the roster is troubling. And Garciaparra wasn’t the worst snub, which leads me to…

Francisco Liriano – I’m sorry that being one of the most dominant pitchers in all of baseball right now does not give you the chance to go to the All-Star game and break up the Yankees/Red Sox/ESPN circle jerk. A 1.99 E.R.A. and no spot? At least there’s the one representative from each team rule, or God forbid someone like Mark Redman (5.59 E.R.A.) would miss a trip to the festivities.

Minnesota Twins – I’m sorry that winning 19 of your last 20 games did little to change the AL Central standings. Still stuck in third place, and still 11 games back. Don’t you wish you could beat up on NL Central teams every week?

Houston Astros fans – I’m sorry that you thought that the arrival of Clemens was akin to the Second Coming. Instead of lights-out pitching and winning baseball, you hopefully are starting to realize that your team isn’t all that good, and pitchers such as Clemens can only do so much (Didn’t you guys learn anything from last year? How many times was Houston shut out when Clemens pitched?).

Mrs. Brett Myers – I’m sorry your husband is an asshole and a wife-beater. In addition, it doesn’t exactly help that his team is completely retarded as well.

Ozzie Guillen – I’m sorry that you’re batshit crazy and will be out of a job in two years. I’m so sick of the “That’s Ozzie being Ozzie” line. I don’t care how much “energy” or “character” he brings to the White Sox—the guy is a complete idiot and will eventually be found out once he manages a crappy team. You want to know why the White Sox are winning so many games, Mr. Hawk Harrelson? It’s a good team. Shut up about the “intangibles” that Guillen brings to the clubhouse, and talk about the game you’re supposed to be announcing.

Pirates fans – I feel sorry for you guys. But as a Cubs fan, it’s always refreshing to know the Pirates will always be there to cushion a fall in the standings.

Ann E. Ladd – I’m sorry Bob Uecker doesn’t love you. He may call your relationship "intense," but that's not a positive thing. And I’m sorry you’re batshit crazy, too.

Misled by the 1980s

2006-07-01T22:05:00.000-07:00

Mike Popelka

Ahh, 80's baseball; elastic-lined pants, Astroturf, bushy facial hair and cocaine. 80's baseball gave us some memorable World Series moments as well as the sweet taste of lots and lots of stolen bases. As any true baseball fan would readily admit, a well timed steal is one of the most exciting things to happen in a game. Sadly, stolen base numbers are down and home runs are up. Many of us that came of age in the 1980s believe today's station to station, slugging style of play is closer to slow pitch softball than to "real" baseball. Unfortunately statistics prove we are wrong. Although power numbers are up, steal attempts per game are higher now than in two of the five previous decades. It's hard to admit my friends, but the style of baseball we watched as kids was an aberration.

I recently partook in some actual research concerning National League (aka THE League) stolen base statistics on the Baseball Reference website. Adding steals and caught stealing numbers for each year and then dividing them by the number of total games played, I calculated a stolen base attempt per game average (SBA/G) for the decades ’51-59*, ’60-’69, ’70-79, ’80-89, ’90-99, and finally the half decade of ’00-05.*

The highest SBA/G was 1.65 in, of course, the 1980s. This should come as no surprise to us. In the 80s, Tim Raines, Rickey Henderson and Vince Coleman were jointly responsible for 1,893 steals.

Juxtapose this with the 3,502 stolen bases the entire league stole in the 50s. Baseball literature tends to glamorize the baseball of the 1950s, but in reality the slow, plodding style of play would bore most of us to tears. The 50s had a remarkably low SBA/G of only .53. This means that both teams combined for an average of only half a steal attempt in games during this decade. Is it possible for Earl Weaver to have managed every game of every team during the 50s? Apparently.

The total SBA/G for each decade is:
1951-59-- .53
1960-69-- .70
1970-79-- .96
1980-89—1.65
1990-99—1.12
2000-05-- .80

Yes folks, it’s time we come to grips with the facts. 80’s baseball was exciting, fun, and fast, but it wasn’t the norm. Baseball statistics tend to move in cycles, though, so there’s still a good chance that someday soon we’ll be able to cheer on a 100+ steals man again. Let’s just hope that we don’t have to sit through a decade without basepath action before we get there.

*There were no caught stealing stats available for 1950 on Baseball Reference, and I’m too lazy to seek out alternate sources of data for a blog post.
*I realize that Bill James probably already knows about this. I also realize that statistical analysis of stolen bases is most likely readily available elsewhere. I had fun playing with the numbers myself anyway. Math is fun!

Sheets-Wood: A Rebuttal

2006-06-30T18:46:00.000-07:00

Josh Flickinger

If you scroll down the page a piece, you will see my esteemed colleague Ben Godar profer the opinion that Ben Sheets has turned into Kerry Wood. While the injuries to the Milwaukee Brewers staff ace have been well documented, the statement that Sheets’ woes rival that of the fireballing righty from Chi-town are mistaken.

Sheets has missed 28 starts in his six seasons in the big leagues. In eight seasons, Kerry Wood has missed 87 starts. Comparing the two doesn’t do justice to Sheets, at least not yet.

Wood came into the league as a flat-out phenom. After being drafted fourth overall in the 1995 draft, Wood dominated the minor leagues, and made his debut at age 21. His rookie season was little short of spectacular, as he went 13-6 with 233 strikeouts in 166 innings. He garnered Rookie of the Year honors, had a 20-strikeout game against the Astros in just his fifth career start and helped lead the Cubs to their first playoff berth since 1989. It appeared as though a Cubs prospect had actually lived up to their considerable hype.

However, after the magical ’98 season, Wood was bitten by the injury bug. He missed all of the 1999 season after he suffered a ligament tear in his elbow. He came back in May of 2000, and made 23 starts and ended with an ERA of 4.80. The following year, he missed a month of action with shoulder tendonitis, but was solid overall, winning 12 of 18 decisions, and compiling a 3.36 ERA.

2002 and 2003 were the halcyon days of Wood’s career, at least in terms of durability. He didn’t miss a start in those two years, and averaged 212 IP and 241 strikeouts. Impressive to be sure. However, in the two-plus years since then, Wood has made only a total of 45 starts, with his next turn in the rotation being completely unknown.

The Ben Sheets story also began in the first round, as he was the 10^th overall selection by the Brewers in 1999. Sheets also worked his way quickly through the minors, and lead team USA to Gold in a heroic performance against Cuba in the 2000 Summer Olympics.

After making two starts to begin the year in AAA, Sheets made his big league debut in April of ’01, and made 25 starts that year for the Brewers, winning nine games in the first half and securing a spot on the National League All-Star team.

For the next three years, Sheets didn’t miss a start, becoming one of the most dependable pitchers in the league. Over the course of those three years, he averaged 224 IP, and over 11 wins for three truly terrible teams. He was one of the top hurlers in the league in 2004, with a WHIP under 1, and a K rate of 10.3/9 IP.

He signed a huge four-year extension before the 2005 season, and missed 12 starts throughout the season. He had a freak incident with vestibular neuritis, an inner ear infection that sidelined him for two months. When he did pitch, an impressive 3.33 ERA was the result.

So far this season, Sheets missed two starts at the beginning of the season, as he was still rehabbing from a torn muscle in his shoulder suffered at the end of 2005. He came back and made one mediocre start, two terrific starts, and one start where he showed he had nothing left. Following that start, he went on the DL with shoulder tendonitis, and has been there ever since. Sheets is currently getting closer to his return, throwing to hitters in Milwaukee, and should return in about three weeks.

While he won’t be the cure to what ails the Brewers, his return would certainly help to stabilize the rotation. And when Ben Sheets is at the top of his game, there are few pitchers that are better.

A Pennant Race? What's that Like?

2006-06-30T11:06:00.000-07:00

Josh Flickinger

As a long-suffering, and I mean that literally, fan of the Milwaukee Brewers, there are a few things that I've gotten used to. Dissapointing rookies. Underachevieng veterans. Disastrous free agent signings. The staff ace going 11-11. Stuff like that. This year, thanks to an improved team, and more acutely the general malaise that has fallen over the National League, just might be different. Don't look now, but the Brewers are riding their mediocrity straight into the thick of not only the Wild Card race, but the NL Central crown as well.

Most hardcore baseball fans can recall the last time the Brewers were in the World Series: 1982. They lost a terrific seven game series to the St. Louis Cardinals. What people may not realize is that 1982 was also the last year the Brewers were in post-season play. That's right, 24 years ago. Since then, the team had only a couple of years in which they were true contenders: 1992, when they finished four games behind eventual World Champion Toronto, and 1988 when they two games behind Boston. They had their first non-losing campaign since the aforementioned '92 season last year, when they finished even at 81-81. Hopes were high coming into '06, and a 5-0 start only further buoyed fans' expectations.

However, injuries to ace Ben Sheets and solid starter Tomo Ohka left the Brewers scrambling for spots in the rotation. The next guy in line was Rick Helling, a veteran who pitched great down the stretch last season. He went down as well, leaving the Crew to call up two young starters, both of whom fell flat on their face. The injuries and subsequent failures by the youngsters contributed greatly to an eight-game losing streak that left Milwaukee on the outside of the race looking in.

However, thanks to solid starts by rookies Zach Jackson and Carlos Villanueva, the Brewers have slowly but surely crept right back into the race. With the Cardinals, Reds, and about everyone else in the NL faltering, the team finds itself 3.5 games out of the Wild Card, and 4.5 out of first place. While catching the Cardinals is certainly not a reasonable expectation, staying squarely in the wild card fray shouldn't be out of the realm of possibility. The Brewers have Ohka headed out to his first rehab start on Sunday, and expect Sheets back in around a month. Barring a trade of John Smoltz, it would be quite a challenge to match Ben Sheets as a trading deadline acquisition, which is essentially what he would become.

While there are still questions surrounding the depth of the bullpen, the effectiveness of Sheets and Ohka upon their return, and how their many young players would respond to the pressure of the race, this is indeed an exciting time to be a Brewers fan.

Cardinals fans search for, press panic button

2006-06-29T08:44:00.000-07:00

Ben Godar

Two nights ago, I listened long to KTRS, the flagship radio station of Your St. Louis Cardinals, as caller after caller voiced the kind of confusion and despair usually reserved for a Suicide Hotline. Redbird fans have been a pampered lot this millennium, so an 8-game losing streak looks vaguely like the four horsemen of the apocalypse.

But the weak of mind and spirit will always panic, and I'm not swayed by their reasoning. What staggered me were the callers and talk radiobuffoonss who believe nothing is wrong, Walt Jockety has it under control, we're in good hands. These people have truly drunk the red Kool-Aid.

KTRS post game goon John Hadley cut off every caller with criticisms of the team by solemnly repeating the mantra, "trust in Walt, trust in Walt"

I'll defend Cardinals fans every day of the week and twice on Sunday, but if we're guilty of one thing it's smugness. Chalk it up to the annual division title, great personnel moves and that tired "best fans in baseball" tag.

The point is, there's got to be some reasonable middle ground between hysteria and walking calmly off the cliff.

The biggest knock on the Cardinals coming into the season was that they didn't fill holes in left field and at second base. The biggest misconception about the team now is that those positions are the reason for the slide. A rotating cast of Hector Luna, Aaron Miles, John Rodriquez and So Taguchi is producing numbers right on-par with last year's regulars, Mark Grudzialanek and Reggie Sanders.

The biggest change I see in the Cardinals lineup is in Center Field and at Third Base. It's not that we haven't seen Jim Edmunds flailing at the plate before, but at age 36, hitting under .270 with only 7 homers, it looks like his career may have taken the steep decline. Rolen's skills haven't so much deteriorated as shifted. It's hard to criticize a guy hitting .343, but he's suddenly a guy who hits doubles instead of home runs.

During the Cards run of the last several years, that middle trio of Pujols, Rolen and Edmunds had power to rival the mouth-breathing mashers of the American League. Now, it's been reduced to an aging slugger, a contact hitter and the greatest player in baseball. Still, not too shabby.

Yes, the pitching's been abysmal the last few games. But pitching is more fickle than hitting. Jason Marquis is more capable of rattling off a series of quality starts than Jim Edmunds is capable of shaking off 15-years of crashing into the wall.

Part of me thinks these recent struggles aren't all bad. Cardinals fans are nothing if not loyal, but no doubt these last few years have brought some fair weather types into our ranks. If this thins them out, I say good. And we all have to keep this in perspective. Even after dropping eight straight, we're still talking about a first place team.

But after years of climbing the hill and not quite reaching the summit, it's getting harder to believe this will be the team to make it all the way to the top.

Good to see you again

2006-06-28T12:29:00.000-07:00

Dr. Uetz

The celebratory mood in Boston last night must have been something to experience. Watching it on TV, I expelled a half chuckle. I slowed my attack on the cocktail in my hand and thought for a moment about 1986 and the appropriateness of Boston's choosing to honor them before game 1 of their series with the Mets (albeit a meaningless series, not like the 7 gamer twenty years ago). And as the game ended and the Red Sox faithful cheered and jeered, I couldn't help but smile. Because the Mets still won the 1986 World Series. Gary Carter still got his two out single. Ray Knight still skipped down the third base line. A boy named Paul Lo Duca jumped up and down on his bed as the Mets wrapped up the forgotten seventh game.

Yes they were all there last night - "Oil Can" Boyd, Wade Boggs, Jim Rice, Marty Barrett, Bruce Hurst, etc. etc. "We still know what happened," Hurst said. "We know how the whole thing ended."

So it seemed strange to me to celebrate before playing the team that stole your pixie dust and your dreams. They should have celebrated before playing the Yankees. Why the Mets?

But I'm glad they won. They needed it, at least Wade and Jim and Marty perhaps. Maybe it made them feel a little better. But it probably still falls short of getting Mookie out at first.

BTW, Mets are up 12. Cubs are 20 under .500. But only 2 more years and the Cubs can celebrate the 100th anniversary of their last World Series championship. That must feel good. Perhaps they can kick off the celebration by moving back to the West Side Grounds.

Here's to a speedy and full recovery

2006-06-28T07:47:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to post a quick note to express well wishes for Peter Gammons, who suffered an aneurysm yesterday.

Even if he does often feed the misconception that there are only two teams that play professional baseball, Gammons is consistently one of the few voices of reason, knowledge, and journalistic commentary in the din of hyperbole-spewing ex-jocks and anchormen that is TV sports coverage.

The dark days of interleague play are upon us

2006-06-20T11:14:00.000-07:00

Ed McElvain

Here we go again. Just when the weather is heating up, players have shaken off the rust or are proving to be a bust, position battles have been decided or platoons put in place, just as teams are settling into their grooves and baseball is in full swing and the standings start to mean something....thud.

Interleague play destroys the natural momentum of the season. It makes the All Star Game even more of a pointless lark and, worst of all, it tarnishes the shine on the World Series.

So, the Cardinals and the White Sox are facing off this week in what MLB.com tells us could be a sneak peak at a possible World Series matchup. They should be good games, but you'll forgive me if I forget to "whoopdeedoo!" during this break in the action when teams could be playing against rivals from their own league in games that matter twice as much in the standings.

You know what would be fun, though? If the best team from the National League and the best team from the American league were to face each other without having had a "sneak peak," if two champions of their respective leagues were thrown into the arena to test their mettle against an unfamiliar opponent, an opponent that rose to the top without having even played against the same teams.

That would be exciting. That would lead to all kinds of speculation about which team was better based all sorts of apples-to-oranges debate...you know, the kind of thing that sports fans love. That's what made the World Series such a novel idea in 1903 when the upstart American League proved it was worthy of being considered a second major league. That's what could bring interest back to what used to be the most exciting series of the year for what used to be America's National Past Time.

WBC and the World Cup

2006-06-17T11:59:00.000-07:00

We all think of unemployment as a bad thing. Sure, having no cash and nothing to do makes for boring days. But I would have to say that I’m unemployed at the right time. That’s right, baseball fans, I’m watching the World Cup, and unlike most Americans, I have seen nearly every game. Most Americans are busy at work (and apparently Americans are the only ones in the world going to work this next month ), and while they commute to their jobs, I just commute to the living room.

So what does the World Cup have to do with baseball? Not much, since baseball players don’t fake injuries or flop around on the field as much as soccer players. (Well, except for this guy.) Soccer has given me something to watch other than the Local Losers play baseball, and has made me realize the beauty of international tournaments. Specifically for baseball, the World Baseball Classic, which was a good start in bringing a similar World Cup feel to baseball.

Can the WBC ever rise to the level of the World Cup? I highly doubt it. But it could use more support from fans, players, and team personnel. And it needs to change its format. Spring training is not the ideal time to have the tournament. While I’m skeptical of players and managers blaming slow regular season starts on the workloads during the WBC, it is a little weird having a major baseball tournament end about twelve hours after the official end of winter. So here are some suggestions, and things the WBC could learn from the world of soccer/football.

The WBC needs to happen in the middle of the season. This would make it better for players, who would be in prime condition, and better for fans, who would be more into baseball at that time of the year. Plus, attendance would be better due to the weather, and game locations could be all over the U.S. and other countries instead of just in warm-weather locations or indoor stadiums. Besides, isn’t baseball supposed to be a summer game?

Since baseball and soccer, unlike, say American football, do not require a week between games, the tournament could take place within a few weeks around the all-star break. Hell, if it requires getting rid of the All-Star Game (sacrilege!) I’m for it. Any “all-star” competition that had Lance Carter in the bullpen deserves to be moved out of the way for a much more exciting (and star-filled) tournament.

And the last thing—the players need to participate. This is another place where a soccer-type mentality comes in. All of the major soccer players participate in international competitions. Why can’t baseball players do the same? Hopefully, by the next WBC (2009), players will realize just what this competition is and what it means for The Game.

--And speaking of tournaments, watch out for the Owls. Hoot Hoot Hoot!

Fair Weather from the Northeast blows through AL Ballots

2006-06-16T14:36:00.000-07:00

Ben Godar

The American League has been catering to mouth-breathers for some time, but the Junior Circuit may have reached a new low: Every player (save one) leading the AL All-Star ballot is either a Red Sock or a Yankee.

Sure, Jermaine Dye and Vernon Wells might be on-pace for 40 homers, but Johnny Damon is New Yorky! And Victor Martinez may be a superior baseball player, but Jason Varitek wears a "C" on his jersey and is on TV a lot!

Which brings me to another indictment: ESPN. Based in Bristol, Conn., the network is at the epicenter of the Yanks/Sox rivalry. Which seems to have convinced them that the rest of the country gives half a shit about these overpaid, underperforming teams. We don't. But over the last five years, I've seen national baseball coverage degenerate into a New York to Boston circle-jerk. Surely, an all BoYanks All-Star team would be a crowning achievement.

On the practical side, I don't mind seeing the AL put the worst team possible on the field. Maybe then the NL can win one of these damn things. But as a fan of The Game, it hurts me to see a fanbase so drunk on celebrity and hype.

I think there should be a minimum competency test required before a fan is allowed to vote. I'm not talking about answering obscure baseball trivia, just something along the lines of "name a player who retired more than two years ago." Or maybe, "name a team that isn't located in New York or Los Angeles."

Ben Sheets is the new Kerry Wood

2006-06-14T09:19:00.000-07:00

Ben Godar

I've spent a lot of time bagging on Kerry Wood and Mark Prior. One reason is that, as a Cardinals fan, I drink Cubs futility like sweet nectar. But it's not fair to single the Cubs out when there is another epic Bum just up the I-94 corridor. I'm talking, of course, about Ben Sheets.

Okay, Sheets isn't in the same league as Wood and Prior. At least, not yet. Wood and Prior have been ostensibly MIA since 2003. And since Prior came into the league in 2002, Sheets has logged 220 more innings - equal to one full season.

But like Chicago's dynamic duo, Sheets carries a reputation that far outweighs his production. He was healthy from 2002 through 2004, but '04 was the only season in which he logged 200+ innings and an ERA under 4.00. That's hardly the resume of a #1 starter.

This season, Sheets started only four games, lost three and posted an ERA north of 6.00. Then, in early May, he went onto the same nebulous disabled list Wood and Prior always seem to be on. No clear indication of what's wrong with Sheets, just that he hurts and doesn't know when it will get better. Hey Bucky, everybody hurts.

Brewers fans, we've seen this movie before in a city near you. Few things pull a team under faster than penciling in a supposed ace who just can't get it done. The Brewers have already used 25 different pitchers this season, and you still hear Homers saying it will all work out once Sheets returns. It's just like die-hard Cubs fans who still envision playoffs when Wood and Prior come back, as if that's ever going to happen.

When we've seen a player do great things, it's alluring to think that once they "get healthy" it will all be the same. But just like Shane, once these pitchers walk off into the sunset, they aren't coming back.

Fans 1, Game 0

2006-06-13T11:02:00.000-07:00

Dr. Uetz
Baseball has changed a bit over the years. Okay, so call me Captain Obvious. But it's a role we all play from time to time. And that should be okay.

So the game has changed a bit, or the world of the game. And I know that all things change - ever hear of manufacturing jobs with pensions and benefits? - and baseball is not immune. But that doesn't mean I can't bitch about it.

As a fan of the National League (aka, THE League), I have a natural hatred of the designated hitter and a healthy distrust of anyone who claims to be a "true fan" and defends the DH. I agree with Crash Davis that their "ought to be a Constitutional amendment outlawing Astroturf." (We've already covered the DH.) Even though it might be intriguing to have interleague play when it comes to the Cubs/White Sox, Mets/Yankees, etc, interleague play sucks balls. This weekend the Mets and the Orioles will meet. But they shouldn't. They met in 1969 via the only means they should ever meet, the f'ing World Series (I have Game 5 on tape if you want to come watch it - just bring a bottle of Maker's Mark).

The latest thing is fans voting for the All-Star rosters. Okay, I can see the fun in that. But are fans necessarily the most qualified? Is it really the best way to select All-Stars? It's debatable, at best. I love the game of baseball. I read box scores every morning (at least every morning the piece of crap Des Moines Register decides to actually print box scores). I discuss the game and its players with my friends. I try to educate myself on who's who and what's what. But I'll be the first one to tell you that I am not qualified to select the All-Star team.

And now it's gone even farther, with fans voting on Minor League Baseball's All-Stars. Seriously. I'm not kidding. Real quick, name 5 minor league players. Now quick, give me a reason they are All-Star worthy. How did you do? Exactly.

I'm all for getting fans involved. I'm all for trying new things. But baseball is not the Rubik's Cube of sports. It's America's game. It's a tradition. It's been around since before the completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869(The Cincinnati Red Stockings went entirely pro the same year; that's 100 years before the Amazin' Mets took the O's in 5 games). And it will still be here after rail travel in America is nothing but a one day chapter in US History classes. Let's not cheapen it the way we have let corporations and television cheapen everything else that could be great about this country.

Locked out

2006-05-19T10:30:00.000-07:00

Dr. Uetz

I've just about reached my breaking point, and I feel horrible about it. In case you didn't already know, Minor League umpires have been on strike all season and the strike continues. It's a horribly underreported story for the most part. The umpires make no more than $15,000/year and have gone without a raise for nine years. It seems reasonable to give them a raise. After all, without umpires there is no game. And without GOOD umpires, a game can seem more like going out for a nice night at the movies and instead seeing A Night at the Roxbury.

So to stand in solidarity with Blue I have refused to attend any Iowa Cubs games this season. It's been very difficult. I normally attend at least 30 games throughout the season. But I made the decision to stand with the umpires. They've put up with me for years, so I'm returning the favor. But it's getting harder every day. I think any baseball fan can understand why.

The thing that irritates me most, though, is the absolute lack of concern shown by the media and the general public. This is an important issue that deserves thorough discourse. But this is nothing new. Labor unions have been made out to be groups of greedy children, crying about having to do their job. And it's simply not true. Plants close and move out of town and you read the wise words from the local luminaries, "If the union wouldn't have demanded so much . . . " "Can you blame them for leaving? The union is too strong." But where are the savants complaining of CEO bonuses? Corporate jets taking VIPs on vacation?

Is minor league baseball struggling? Is it on the verge of collapse? Bankruptcy? No, and it's time for those poor bastards who take abuse from every side to get a little more compensation and a little more respect. I encourage you to pick up the phone and make one phone call to Mike Moore, President of Minor League Baseball, at (727)822-6937. Tell him to give the umpires what they want. If you need to get nasty, tell him he looks like his per diem could probably be cut back. If you have time and feel like making some more calls, call the league presidents from A to AAA and tell them it's time to do what's right for the umpires and the game.

Traded for Beer

2006-05-16T13:55:00.000-07:00

Ben Godar

Today, I am proud to be a baseball fan. Despite its scandals, its whining superstars and its gooey sentimentality, baseball is still a sport where a player can be traded for 60 cases of beer.

Yes friends, pitcher Nigel Thatch of Schaumberg in the independent Northern League was traded to Fullerton in exchange for one pallet of Budweiser. As with any transaction, the immediate question that comes to mind is "who got the better deal?" Is this a straight, value-for-value swap, or is it Lou Brock for Ernie Broglio?

My initial reaction was that Fullerton came out ahead on this swap. The market value of 60 cases of Budweiser is around $1,000, which ain't a bad price for a baseball player. And that's if they were buying off the shelf at Safeway. I'd bet with an order that large, you can swing a deal with the brewery. And I wouldn't be surprised if someone in the organization simply "knew a guy" who got his hands on some beer that fell off a truck.

But upon further review, I began to doubt that Mr. Thatch was worth even $1,000 worth of beer. In seven appearances this season, the right-handed pitcher gave up 22 runs, with 24 hits in just 12 and a third innings.

So, the plot thickens. We're not just talking about 60 cases of beer for a pitcher, we're talking about 60 cases of beer for a really lousy pitcher. But there's still one important component to consider in evaluating this trade:

Budweiser is a really lousy beer.

I mean, seriously, would you want 60 cases of Budweiser? Don't get me wrong, I've choked down many cans of the swill at barbecues, dorm room parties and at the homes of unliked relatives. But 60 cases sounds more like a burden than a blessing, even in exchange for a bum arm like Nigel Thatch.

It also makes me wonder if there was negotiation as to the brand of the beer. Perhaps Schaumberg started high with Sam Adams, then Fullerton low-balled them with Tecate. Schaumberg may then have tried for Michelob, but settled for Budweiser when they weren't willing to part with a "player to be named later."

In years to come, we may look back on the Nigel Thatch trade as a mark of the era before player salaries got out of hand. By 2010, I wouldn't be surprised to see a player traded for a pallet of Widmer Hefeweizen.

But it warms my heart to know that America is still a place, and baseball is still a game, where a transaction like this can take place.

These Losers Ain't Loveable

2006-05-10T11:12:00.000-07:00

My patience with the Cubs is wearing precariously thin these days. Now mired in an eight-game losing streak with the Cubs scoring a grand total of 11 runs so far this month, it appears the wheels may be coming off on the Cubs season.

This is not a post where I give up on the entire season based on a few games of a 162 game season, no matter how shitty these last two weeks have been. But I had serious doubts about the Cubs prior to the season, and now these problems are no longer “speculation.” Ladies and gentleman: the Cubs suck, and I don’t know how they’ll get better.

Let’s go through the lineup, shall we? The catcher, Michael Barrett, is actually doing pretty well. Apart from some possible defensive and game-calling weaknesses, I’ll take the .357/.529/.287 (OBP/SLG/AVG) if it means a few more passed balls at this point. As for first base, Christ Almighty, have we got a mess. Todd Walker is ok offensively, but losing the star player on an offensively weak team hurts real bad. Second base? Can someone explain why Neifi Perez starts any game—and has a 2yr, 5 million dollar contract while hitting .222/.231/.192? Shortstop with Ronny Cedeno is pretty solid, but I’m afraid of a rookie year crash by mid-season. At third base, apparently Aramis Ramirez forgot how to swing the bat. Gonna use your player option at the end of the year, ARam? Hey, Cubs fans, if he keeps swinging like this, we won’t have to worry about him leaving. Outfield? Don’t worry, this is where our spectacular free agent and trade additions are, right? Pierre’s noodle arm was the drawback to his “sizzling” baserunning and batting average. Well, it’s hard to steal bases when your OBP is .275. Jacque Jones, meanwhile, is on pace to do what his past statistics told us he would do—hit a little over twenty home runs, bat around .250. All for the price of 3yrs/15.5 million. Matt Murton seems to be a guy who would be alright on a good offensive team, but his power numbers aren’t up to speed for a team that needs some serious production from its corner outfielders.

As for the pitching, I don’t want to continue talking about this sad saga of rejects and perpetually injured and overpaid stars for too long. The line over the last few years has always been, “just wait until we get Prior and Wood back.” Even if they do come back—and at their full “potential”—the lack of offense is still there. Maddux started great, Sean Marshall has been a pleasant surprise, but this team is still relying on potential and break-out-type seasons for them to contend. Why not build a team based on proven talent instead of hopeful projections? Cubs fans, this is going to be a long season. Then again, thank God for the Pirates, right? Once we start putting together things like this then you’ll know we’re really in trouble.

And yes, I'll be willing to eat my words once these jerks win a few games in a row.

26 Titles, Even more Entitlement

2006-05-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

Ben Godar

The great thing about hating the Yankees is that your beliefs are validated on such a regular basis. So if any of you were wavering in your disdain for the Evil Empire, I give you this weekend’s comments by Mr. George Steinbrenner.

It seems the umpiring crew for Sunday’s Yanks/Blue Jays game featured one official who wasn’t a full-time major leaguer, called up on short notice. He tossed both managers and, according to several reports, generally called a bad game. Steinbrenner blasted the kid, but then pointed his finger at Major League Baseball and wondered how they could send a rookie ump to "such a crucial series."

For anyone who doesn’t speak the sleazy language of entitlement, "crucial series" translates to "Yankees games are more important than all others."

"Crucial series" is a bit of a stretch for any match-up in the month of April. It’s an outright joke when the two teams in question aren’t even first in their division.

But whatever the record of the teams involved, anyone who believes in integrity and fair play in The Game would know that all games are of equal importance. But this cuts right to the core of what has been the mantra of Yankee fans and much of the national media for years – Yankee games are in a league separate and above all others.

The Kansas City Royals already start their season with only a fraction of the Yank's resources, but now Mr. Steinbrenner wants them to be saddled with inferior umpires as well. After all, the Royals aren’t involved in many "crucial series."

Friends, we aren’t far from a day when the major league season is little more than the Yankees barnstorming through our modest villages, beating up on whatever local talent they haven’t bought off us already.

Making Steinbrenner’s little tantrum all the more disgusting was the fact that he was signing autographs at the time. Are these serfs so desperate for a feudal lord that they idolize the guy with the money? And what does one ask George Steinbrenner to autograph? Your wallet? A copy of The Prince?

I hope the Yankees play their next "crucial series" with the Devil Rays to determine last place in the division. But I know there’s not enough justice in the world for that.

Baseball, Broads*, and Booze

2006-04-26T07:46:00.000-07:00

Dr. Uetz

"I hate all sports as rabidly as a person who likes sports hates common sense." - H.L. Mencken

A nerve was hit when I read this little gem. I like Mencken, though, so didn't throw the book across the room or vow to never read him again. After all, he's right. Baseball fans often choose emotion over common sense. It's one of the beautiful things about cheering for a team, or against one. One could argue, as I often have, that being a Cubs fan shows an absolute refusal to embrace common sense. But on the other hand, we are led through the world of baseball fandom by our hearts. We often choose our favorite team because of fond childhood memories, we inherit them from our fathers our one of our favorite relatives, we meet a player once and will forever sign on with the team that gives him his last chance.

Have you ever asked, "Hey, Phil, why a Padres fan?" "Oh, because their bullpen had the leading e.r.a. from 1981 - 1987." No. And if you did, you would likely be struck dumb by such a lack of emotion and true "fan-ness."

Mencken is correct, a baseball fan often shows little common sense. But it's part of the spirit of being a fan. We will trash talk a star after one bad performance not because we truly dislike our star player, but instead because we feel betrayed in the relationship and need to unwind. We will boo obviously good strategic moves not because they don't make sense, but because we yearn for the rush that comes with getting the strike out NOW and winning NOW. We will get into heated arguments with our best friends not because we really think they are "full of shit," but because we love our team and the game; we are emotional, for Christ's sake, because we love.

We stay up late listening to radios for any word. We spend our mornings pouring over box scores. We get upset about weddings that fall during an important series. We spend hours on the phone talking about the starting rotation as if they are family members.

And yet some would rather turn this into some analytical journey through second semester statistics class. Why ruin it? Why make it more than the curious and beautiful emotional struggle it is? We choose our teams, we fall in love with women, we develop loyalty to one brand of alcohol; and this can all defy common sense, but that's why it is so wonderful. And that's why we will always want to write about it.

* "Broads" chosen for alliteration purposes.

Rockin' Baseball

2006-04-25T07:52:00.000-07:00

Ed McElvain

There is no doubt that some of the most hilariously amateurish commercial music recordings of all time have been made by athletes turned musicians. Most of you have heard of the 1985 Chicago Bears Shufflin' Crew who were "breakin' it down and doin' it for you." The "Superbowl Shuffle" was a big commercial success, becoming an indelible moment of sports and pop-culture. Fewer are probably aware of George Foster's attempt at cashing in on the perceived post-"Shuffle" gimmick momentum by recording (with Darryl Strawberry, Dwight Gooden, Lenny Dykstra, Rafael Santana, Rick Aguilera, Kevin Mitchell, Tim Teufel, and Howard Johnson) the less successful "Get Metsmerized," a rap song that boldly (and correctly) predicted the Mets 1986 World Series victory.

The advent of the pop-music form of rap probably helped bring some athletes out of their shells, thinking that by simply talking to the beat they could disguise the fact that range on the baseball diamond does not equate with vocal range. Nevertheless, before rap revealed that rhythm and finesse on the field are not related to any musical qualities, some jocks were still willing to step up to the mic.

Four members of the 1981 Dodgers' Big Blue Wreckin' Crew recorded a 45rpm single for Elektra Records -- "We Are the Champions" with the b-side "Theme from 'New York New York.'" Seldom in the history of recorded music, especially major label history, have vocalists sounded so obviously uncomfortable and out-of-place (and out-of-tune).

"Get Metsmerized" was not the first entry in the New York Mets team discography. In 1969 Buddha Records released "The Amazing Mets," an LP of showtunes and pop music as sung by members of the World Series champion "Miracle" Mets squad. It lacked the audacity of the 1986 Mets record, having been recorded after the season. But what it lacks in hubris, it more than makes up for in teamwork -- no less than 30 Mets voices appear on the record.

Despite obvious memorabilic and comedic value, none of these records are exactly essential additions to your collection (unless you're a big sports and record collector dork like me). I'm still working on acquiring the two Mets records, but I have a couple of sources for the 1969 LP. The 1986 record is proving more ellusive, so if anyone out there can help me get my hands on it, please let me know. I also would love to hear about any other records made by sports teams that you are aware of.

Not frustrated? Then take a hike.

2006-04-24T08:46:00.000-07:00

After blowing another game yesterday and once again failing to prove his worth to Mets fans, Victor Zambrano said he's "not frustrated." Really? He should be. Victor must not be familiar with the old phrase, "if you're not pissed off, then you must not be paying attention." If I had an e.r.a. of almost 10, I'd be frustrated. Add to that the fact that the team I played for had traded their top pitching prospect for me, add I would be damn sure to show some public concern for my lack of results.

The situation is only made worse because Kris Benson now calls Camden Yards his home; at least if things had gone south with Kris, we still would have had Anna around. Minaya and Co. better do something about the Zambrano Syndrome soon or it will turn into their own Iraq. Right now there's no apparent exit strategy and innocent Mets fans are in danger of having their dreams shattered.

In other news, it appears that Doug Mientkiewicz has finally given up his fight for his little balls. Okay, that was a cheap shot. But really, how cheap is this bastard? It's not enough for him that he was a member of the 2004 World Series champion Red Sox. It's not enough that he was playing in the field when that historic out was made. It's not enough that he was able to live what so many tens of millions of us could only dream of. No, he needs to piss and moan and play keep away with the ball that was the last out, even joking that it was his "retirement fund." He makes over $2 million a year, people, and he's not very good.

But pissing and moaning is something he does well. He was bitter when the Mets sent him packing. He really never liked being there, he claimed, and was happy to be moving on. I'm sure he's loving life in Kansas City. And I know we really miss him in Shea. All we have is this Delgado guy. Talk about frustrating.

How Fantasy Baseball Ruined My Life

2006-04-20T18:06:00.000-07:00

Chad M

Last night before I was about to go to bed, I opened my browser to check on my fantasy baseball team. My default page contains (among other things) a section with MLB news headlines, and in looking at these last night, one headline stuck out: "Derrek Lee injured in Cubs win."

Now, I'd like to consider myself a Cubs fan. For a year and a half I lived within walking distance from Wrigley Field, and I tried to support my Cubs (though not necessarily all of their fans) on a regular basis. However, I am disappointed in myself to say that upon viewing the aforementioned headline, my first reaction was not "Oh no! Derrek Lee is injured!", or even, "Well, at least the Cubs won." Nope, my first thought was "Derrek Lee is injured? That should really help my fantasy team!"

If you have read any fantasy baseball magazines, you have probably seen sections with general advise on how to win. These sections include tips ranging from the obvious (try to spend all of your allotted money) to the obscure (Pitchers tend to break out in their third year in the majors) to the utterly ridiculous (try to get your friends drunk the night before the draft so they are hung over the next day). One rule common to most any list of fantasy tips is a rule stating that you should not draft a player just because you like him, or just because he plays for your favorite team.

Now, I would not hypothesize that this last tip is a poor one if you're looking for victory in your league. But, I have to say that even though following this rule gives one an advantage in fantasy baseball, it takes some of the enjoyment out of watching a real game. I still cheer for the Cubs, but since I only have two Cubs on my team (and only one who actually plays) a Michael Barrett home run is, unfortunately, just a little less exciting. Call me selfish, but when something positively affects the Cubs and negatively affects me, I feel some conflict.

To give fantasy baseball some credit, if the Reds are playing the Braves on TBS, I can actually watch the game now. Part of it comes from my ability, gained through investment fantasy baseball, to actually cheer for some Reds players that are on my fantasy team, but another part of it comes from my increased knowledge of the players. Because of the necessities of draft preparation (e.g., researching up-and-comers and recent trade acquisitions), I can watch more teams with fewer instances of thinking, "I've never heard of half of these guys."

So, until my fantasy team completely tanks, I'll do whatever I can to try to separate fantasy from reality and put aside my own interests when the Cubs are on. On the bright side, my fantasy team totally sucks, so I'll likely only have to worry about this for another three weeks at the most.

Chad M

2006-04-20T17:19:00.000-07:00

My name is Chad and my bio reads much like an amalgam of the other bios on this site. I'm from the midwest, but I now live in a big city (Phoenix) that I don't really care for because I sometimes prefer to go to establishments that aren't in strip malls. I'm a graduate student in Social Psychology, which doesn't impress many people outside of the field of Social Psychology. Forgive me if my posts read like a research article; that's all I usually write.

I listen to music alot. I drink too much. I work too much but accomplish too little. I sleep from 1:00 to 7:00. I watch baseball when I can.

Albert Pujols and the anatomy of a "boo"

2006-04-20T11:05:00.000-07:00

Ben Godar

Albert Pujols wants us to stop booing Juan Encarnacion, and that’s got me thinking about what the role of a true fan should be when it comes to the Bronx cheer.

MLB.com’s excellent Cardinals reporter, Matthew Leach, reported Pujols’ comments – basically saying he was mad with fans for booing Encarnacion, who is working hard but frustrated. The crux of Pujols argument seems to be that Encarnacion knows he’s struggling, and booing him won’t help him turn it around.

The declaration from H.H. Albert Pujols has touched off a fierce debate among Cardinals fans, but the question is relevant to any follower of The Game.

Booing the home team is generally a classless move born of ignorance. It often comes from fair-weather fans who don’t know a sac bunt from their camera phone. Or it comes from Neanderthals in places like Philadelphia, who take great pride in booing Santa Claus, Jesus Christ, Firefighters and anybody else who has the audacity to step before them.

That said, I don’t buy into this notion that we should never boo the home team. I’m sure booing Juan Encarnacion won’t help him, but blindly supporting even the ineptness of your team is the kind of thing that creates the Chicago Cubs.

Juan Encarnacion has done nothing to warrant my respect. Some argue I owe him my allegiance simply because he wears a Cardinals uniform. But I’ve never bought into that blind Patriotism, "either you’re with us or against us" mentality.

I would never boo Jim Edmonds, even though I’ve watched him strike out with runners on base at least 10,000 times. Why? Because I’ve also watched Jim Edmonds bust his ass for the team and come up with at least as many clutch hits. And shame on the people booing Jason Isringhausen, another veteran who’s shown us he will walk at least two batters but still get the save.

Juan Encarnacion is another story. It wouldn’t be fair to boo just because he’s off to a slow start, but the man is playing bad baseball. Really bad. Pujols only won Sunday’s game with that walk-off homer because Encarnacion gave the Reds the lead by duffing an easy fly ball. A few games before that, he was doubled off first base on a lazy fly to left field. The game before, he was almost doubled off when he inexplicably went halfway to second on a short fly to RIGHT FIELD!

Had I been there when Encarnacion was doubled off first, I would have booed. In fact, I would have asked him where his head was, suggested a location I suspected it was, and asked him to remove it from said place.

If Encarnacion comes around, I’ll be cheering him on – and that does not make me a fair-weather fan. It just makes me a fan who holds even my own team to a certain standard. I’m a Cardinals fan because I like to watch good baseball. It’s the job of the fan to encourage good baseball. We supported this team long before these players arrived, and we will be supporting it long after they are gone. It’s our job to call a bum a bum.

A Marquis Moment

2006-04-20T09:30:00.000-07:00

Ben Godar

Albert Pujols epic walk-off homer, his third of the day, was the story of Sunday's Cards/Reds game. But something even more interesting and unusual happened just before that blast.

With position player Gary Bennett still on the bench, Tony LaRussa brought in pitcher Jason Marquis to pinch-hit ahead of Mr. Pujols. The reason? Marquis can flat out hit - last year, to the tune of .310 in a not-insignificant 87 at bats. The pitcher, who would start the very next day, lined a single into center field. Marquis' hit allowed Pujols homer to end the game.

I don't know that I've ever seen a situation quite like it - a pitcher used to pinch hit, not just to lay down a bunt, with a position player still on the bench. It was an elegant move that highlighted the beauty of the NATIONAL LEAGUE game.

When you play The Game the right way, the pitcher is just another position player, albeit with an extremely demanding role on the defensive side. The light-hitting pitcher is a practical result of a demanding defensive position, not an immutable truth and certainly not something that should ever have been put into the rule book by the Junior Circuit.

You can have your David Ortiz mashers swinging from their heels. I'll take a pinch hit from Jason Marquis.

Jackie Robinson, Radical Abolitionist

2006-04-18T23:23:00.000-07:00

Mr. P

We all pick on the often-ridiculous remarks made on programs like Baseball Tonight. It’s not too hard—really, just pick any night and there’s bound to be something absolutely stupid said by Harold Reynolds or John Kruk. But the other night Buster Olney decided to give his “writer’s” perspective on Jackie Robinson Day celebrated all MLB games last Saturday. And this was beyond ridiculous.

In Olney’s esteemed opinion, the integration of baseball by Jackie Robinson was as significant a moment for the 20th century as the Emancipation Proclamation was for the 19th century. That’s right, someone playing baseball is the historical equivalent of freeing the slaves.

First things first: The integration of baseball is NOT as significant a moment for the 20th century as the Emancipation Proclamation was for the 19th century. We’re comparing apples to oranges here. It’s just not true if you’ve read any history, and comparing the two is honestly offensive. Hey Buster—pull your head out of your ass.

But the point that Olney raises is part of a bigger problem. This myth that baseball was at the forefront of Civil Rights in the 20th century is a bit tiresome. Yes, baseball integrated before the Army did, and Robinson arrived in the Major Leagues before the huge upsurge of Civil Rights protests in the 1950s and 60s. But the story of Robinson is now used by MLB to suggest that Robinson’s integration of baseball solved the problem in 1946. It took decades before African Americans were on all major league teams. And if the MLB is such a great figure of equal rights, where are all the minority managers, owners, and front office people? While declining, the good ol’ boy network still seems to be running fairly smoothly.

We should certainly celebrate Jackie Robinson Day at every ballpark across the United States. But we shouldn’t trip over ourselves to congratulate the game on its “foresight” in racial equality. Branch Rickey brought Robinson up because he could play, and he could play cheap. Celebrate the integration of baseball by all means, but the MLB’s celebration of Jackie Robinson Day in some ways seems a little like the league congratulating itself on implementing a steroid policy in 2005.

Mr. P

2006-04-18T20:40:00.000-07:00

Weight: 185
Height: 5’11’’
Throws: Right
Bats: Right

My name's Tom, and I’m a native Midwesterner, with Chicago as my current adopted home. Although my personal experience with the game of baseball came mostly from the lonely environs of right field and the #9 batting slot, I have managed to stay interested in the game by watching the futility of the Chicago Cubs. I enjoy the NL brand of baseball, the taste of the Brewers' “stadium sauce,” Notre Dame football, and think “team chemistry” and “scrappy” are the two most meaningless phrases in baseball.

Dear friend, please send baseball news

2006-04-18T09:53:00.000-07:00

Dr. Uetz
My local newspaper is not good. It's really a horrible disappointment. How bad is it? They once ran as the headline and feature story the winner of CBS' Survivor. I'm dead serious. I woke up one morning and the front page was plastered with news of who had been the last one on the island. At that moment the Des Moines Register sealed the deal for me. It was officially dog shit and has only continued to get worse. And I was comforted by a story last week on NPR that used the Register as an example of greater concerns.

But before that story I had major concerns. And since the start of this year's Major League Baseball season I have been teetering on the edge of sheer rage. You see the Register now has decided that it only needs to cover baseball teams in the Midwest. Anyone who is a fan of a team other than the Cubs, Brewers, Twins, Cardinals, or Royals is on their own for information. Unless your boys happened to play a game against one of the Midwest teams you are shit out of luck. Yesterday the Mets, my favorite team since I was child, improved their record to 10-2 with a win over their rivals the Atlanta Braves. It was also Pedro Martinez's 200th career win. The Register gave me one sentence about the game, one lousy sentence. And it was the same for every other non-Midwest team. This is a crime. I'm a fan of the game. I want to know what happened throughout the league. But I guess I'm supposed to be grateful to get anything at all from this rag.

This has been the trend for the last few years but it has gotten ridiculous. Midwest teams get a paragraph and every other game gets one sentence. Real newspapers seem to find a way to give you good solid information about all major league games. I recently was in Baltimore for a bachelor party and was blown away by the coverage the Baltimore Sun had of the ENTIRE MAJOR LEAGUE. Obviously there are two MLB teams in the area, so I understand the in depth coverage of the Orioles and Nationals. But the Sun found a way to give me at least one solid paragraph about every game played the day before. And the really interesting games got two paragraphs of coverage.

The Register this year also drastically pared down the amount of information provided in the league standings and day's pitching matchups. Not so the Sun and numerous other papers across the country. And what truly amazes me is that the Register is owned by Gannett who also owns USA Today. The only thing I have ever liked about USA Today was the sports section. What the hell happened? The Register doesn't even list a team's win/loss streak anymore. They sometimes never run the box scores of late west coast games.

The Des Moines Register, of course, still claims to be the newspaper Iowa depends on. Don't believe it. We can do without it. The Register publisher interviewed by NPR used the recent controversy in Iowa over Touchply machines as an example of their hard hitting journalism. She claims they broke the story and changed Iowa's laws. But the gambling industry broke the story. And their campaign contributions changed the laws.

But I'm getting off track here and I have to get going. There's a lot I don't know about what happened in baseball yesterday. The Des Moines Register wouldn't tell me.

Mets fans make it hard to support their team

2006-04-17T08:49:00.000-07:00

Ed McElvain

I caught my first in-person game of the 2006 season yesterday, watching my Brewers overmatched by the Mets at Shea. It was a good game, well played by both teams until the 8th inning, when the Brewers bullpen, already down by one run, gave up a five-spot.

In that 8th inning Jose Reyes drew a lead-off walk. So, the Mets have the fastest man in the league on base with no one out, only up by one run. This is a situation that calls for a few throws to first to keep the guy honest about his lead, right? Right. You and I know that because we understand the game of baseball. However, whenever Brewers' pitcher Jorge De La Rosa threw over to first base, the Mets fans booed. I can understand if the guy is really stalling, throwing more to first than pitches to the plate, but that was not the case.

As this was happening, my girlfriend asked me if I liked Mets fans. Being as they are my local NL team and I plan on rooting them on (whenever the Brewers aren't in town) in person a handful more times this season, I consider myself a Mets fan. Or at least one in training. So, I wanted to say yes, but at the same time I'm sitting in a stadium full of people booing a pickoff attempt in a situation that clearly calls for it.

So, my answer was and is, "I like smart baseball fans, no matter who they cheer for."

Sunday I was surrounded by people who were not smart baseball fans. Since I live here now, I'd like to become a Mets fan. I just hope I don't encounter too many more situations at Shea that make it embarrassing to count myself amongst them. It's hard to support a team whose fans don't seem to understand the game.

New Busch Stadium; same Harold Reynolds

2006-04-11T10:13:00.000-07:00

Ben Godar

Yesterday was a good day to be a Cardinals fan. The new ballpark opened with a who’s who of legendary players: Stan Musial, Bob Gibson, Willie McGee.

But the big question with any new ballpark is, how will it play? We probably won’t really know until at least the All-Star break, but that didn’t stop Baseball Tonight’s Harold Reynolds from making some bonehead predictions.

When designing Busch III, the Cardinals brass decided they wanted a park that played similar to the old park, and if anything skewing toward pitcher-friendly. The fences are slightly deeper everywhere but dead center, and a whopping 18 feet deeper in the power alleys. In other words, this stadium wasn’t designed to be one of these mini-golf parks like in Houston and Cincinnati.

But after exactly one game in the new digs, Harold Reynolds declared that the new park would favor hitters. As with most claims made by the ex-jock panel, HR’s were based on nothing more than the assumption that as a former player he has an innate sense of everything that will happen in The Game.

Reynolds reached further into his own ass to pull out the idea that "they have a lot of fly ball pitchers on that team." The Cardinals? Does this guy watch baseball?

So I thought I’d introduce some research into this flood of ignorance. If you look at ground ball/fly ball ratios, everyone in the St. Louis rotation ranks in the top 20 among starting pitchers. That shouldn’t be surprising, given the team led the league in double plays last season. So no, Harold, the Cardinals do not have a lot of fly ball pitchers. They have the most extreme ground ball staff around.

Nobody is certain how the new Busch Stadium is going to play. But based on the information we do have, it seems likely to play neutral or pitcher-friendly. And based on the lack of information coming from Harold Reynolds, it seems clear he is an idiot.

Witch hunts, smoking guns and other nonsense

2006-04-11T09:10:00.000-07:00

Ben Godar

It’s hard to know where to stand on this steroid investigation. Is this righting a wrong or opening an old wound? Is the Commissioner’s Office asserting its authority or flailing helplessly? I’m not sure what the right answers are, but I do know some of the wrong ones – and I keep hearing them.

Here are a few things about Barry Bonds and steroids that I never want to hear again:

Witch hunt: On several occasions, I’ve heard all the scrutiny around Barry Bonds referred to as a "witch hunt." A witch hunt is when someone faces accusations without evidence. Barry Bonds is swimming in a sea of evidence. There have been suspicions leveled at many players, but none of them saw their personal trainer go to prison for distributing steroids or admitted to a grand jury that they used steroids, knowingly or otherwise.

Racially motivated: A particularly disgusting subset of the witch hunt crowd suggests that race is an issue. That’s only true if by race you mean "volumes of damning evidence." These folks often suggest that a cracker like Mark McGwire wasn’t subjected to such scrutiny. That’s funny, because I seem to remember when Big Mac refused to answer questions in front of Congress he was NAILED TO THE CROSS. But regardless of what happened with McGwire, Bonds is not being singled out because he's black. He's being singled out because his personal trainer is a convicted steroid dealer.

Smoking Gun: Every time someone lays out the volumes of evidence against Bonds, some self-appointed legal scholar will observe "there’s no smoking gun." There may be no videotape of Bonds putting a needle in his ass, but that hardly makes this a he said/she said situation. Even in a criminal court, the standard for guilt is only an absence of reasonable doubt. If you look at the sources behind Game of Shadows, it’s hard to harbor any doubts that could be termed as "reasonable." The fact that Barry Bonds used steroids is beyond rational dispute.

If anyone's ever to make sense of this situation, we at least should begin by dismissing these foolish ideas.

Rollins streak ends on a classy note

2006-04-06T15:23:00.000-07:00

Ben Godar

Jimmy Rollins 38-game hit streak ended this afternoon in Philly. He added two games to that streak this season thanks to a sound baseball decision by Tony LaRussa. Unfortunately, some writers and talking sports buffoons have suggested LaRussa asked his fighter to take a dive.

Check your facts, gentlemen.

LaRussa ordered a strike to be thrown to Rollins on a 3-0 count in the eighth inning on opening day. Then he told reporters he didn’t think Rollins streak should end with an intentional pass, implying some karmic connection to the way teams treated Mark McGwire in his prime. I call that a classy move, but it’s a moot point anyway.

What every story about the 3-0 strike seemed to omit was the fact that, at the time, the score was 13-5 Cardinals. With an eight run lead, you’d be a fool to walk anybody. There’s also a difference between throwing a strike and serving one up. This wasn’t taking a dive, it was sending your best stuff at their best and seeing what happens.

Isn’t that why we watch?

We’re being drowned by this Monday Morning Quarterback mentality. It’s good sport to second-guess the manager, or general manager, but let’s not lose sight of the fact that we’re there to watch the game. There’s something wrong when sportswriters and fans are calling for more intentional walks.

And let’s not forget who we’re talking about here. This is Tony LaRussa, and whether you like him or not, it’s hard to argue he’s a true baseball man who follows a strict code for how the game should be played. When everyone in the league was walking Barry Bonds, LaRussa pitched to him, saying "I don’t want to send a message to our guys that they can’t get somebody out."

That’s old school. That’s how the game should be played. Don’t let anybody tell you different.

Ryan Freel, the scrappy little MVP that no one noticed

2006-04-05T13:09:00.001-07:00

Ed McElvain

I've long been a fan of "super-sub" type ball players. Just ask anyone in my fantasy baseball league, I usually have at least a couple of these guys on my roster. My current favorite is Cincinnati’s Ryan Freel.

Freel can play four positions on the field with competency and can fake his way through two others in a pinch. He's not afraid of having to use a stain-remover on his jersey after a game. He impacts games with his speed and by playing aggressive, head's-up baseball. In other words, he is the very definition of "scrappy."

Today Freel took advantage of a start at secondbase against the Cubs by getting on base three times, stealing three bags, and scoring three runs. Nevertheless, in a game where six baseballs were hit over the fence on the fly, the long ball highlights will overshadow Ryan Freel’s role today.

The Cubs' radio postgame show barely mentioned Freel. The AP game recap (used on ESPN.com, CBS Sportsline, and Yahoo! Sports) doesn't mention him at all. The game recap on MLB.com gives Freel credit for "manufactur(ing) an insurance run," but fails to mention that his three total runs scored were the difference between a win and a loss in the 8-6 game. Not to mention that he actually manufactured two runs.

Was I listening to the same game that these reporters were watching? I'm sick to death of baseball reporters being so homerun happy that they won't give a guy credit for a game-impacting performance unless he hits the ball really, really far.

I think you're in my seat, Roger.

2006-04-04T10:36:00.000-07:00

Dr. Uetz
This morning's paper had a lovely little piece about Roger Clemens. It seems he watched yesterday's Texas game from the stands, still unsure if he will retire or come back for a 23rd season of baseball. Can we let it go already? This guy makes Michael Jordan look more decisive than Hitler. Look, redneck, shit or get off the pot. As much as I enjoyed your snubbing of the Yankees to play for Houston, it's time to leave us alone. The season has started and there are other things for true baseball fans to discuss.

God bless the Cubs for giving their fans at least one more day of hope. They managed to pound the Reds, 16-7. How long will they continue to tease their followers? I'm going to say that June 2 will mark the beginning of the end for Dusty and his poorly managed crew. That's the day they start their 10 game road trip, kicking it off with three in St. Louis.

But I could be wrong. The Cubs are unbeaten right now. This could be the year. After all, the Red Sox and White Sox have had their turns. Isn't it time the Cubs finally kicked the goat off their backs and won the Series? No. Not even close.

I'm not sure who will win it all this year. I'd love to say the Mets but they're not quite there. Watch those Central divisions. They're often undervalued by the media.

Opening Day: Unbridled Optimism, Ceremonial Bunting

2006-03-31T18:40:00.000-08:00

JOSH FLICKINGER

There is just something special about Opening Day. Maybe it's the packed ballpark. Could be the ceremonial bunting. Could be the fact that the Brewers are not yet mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. Whatever it is, there is really no other day during the season like it.

Monday at Miller Park in Milwaukee will mark my 9th opening day, and each one of them comes with special memories. My first opener came in 1988 at frigid County Stadium. 55,887 fans filled the old yard, the third biggest crowd in stadium history. I sat next to a very inebriated man. I was elated when former Brewer five-tool with no production RF Glenn Braggs sliced into the Yankee lead with a solo home run to center in the 2nd inning. The man next to me was angered when his skanky companion woke him up. His mood quickly turned when told of the home run. As I recall, the quote was "Braggs hit a home run? Yeeee-haw!" He went back into his slumber, awaking only for the 7th inning stretch. Good times.

Very simply, opening day breeds optimism. Even when the crew sent out the immortal Rafael Roque as their starter in 1999, I was buoyed by the acquisition of Sean Berry, excited to see the contributions of youngster Geoff Jenkins in his first full season, and intrigued by rookie 2B Ronnie Belliard. Another 74-win season was in the offing, but on April 4, I was fired up.

As stadium employees break out the bunting this weekend in preparation for the most highly anticipated Brewers season in almost two decades, I am even more excited than usual. With a blend of talented youngsters, steady veterans, and a fan base with unbridled enthusiasm, the 2006 Milwaukee Brewers have the chance to be special. And I'll be there Monday afternoon as Doug Davis throws the first pitch of the season, dreaming as always of a time, besides early April in front of a mostly inebriated sellout crowd, that the Crew can display that bunting.

Josh Flickinger

2006-03-31T18:32:00.000-08:00

In the immortal form of motivational speaker Matt Foley, I'm 28 years old, I am married, and I live in a small house in Wisconsin. Before I get my gear, I'll tell you that I worked as a PR Director for a minor league baseball team for four years, and now I make sandwiches for a living. No, I'm not kidding. I am a life-long, forever-suffering Brewers fan, who is excited that there is actual young talent and excitement surrounding the team. I look forward to writing for this site. Also, I love chocolate almond ice cream. That is all.

Couldn't have happened to a classier guy

2006-03-31T14:14:00.000-08:00

Ed McElvain

Julian Tavarez has been fined and suspended for an incident during the last week of Spring Training. This is the sixth suspension of Tavarez’s career and the second for lead-involvement in a bench-clearing incident during Spring Training.

What could have possibly set off such a mild-mannered sportsman like Tavarez, causing him to lose his much-renowned cool? To hear Julian’s side of the story, Joey Gathright somehow placed his arm below Julian's spikes and refused to remove it from this position after a play at the plate. What was poor Julian to do but punch the man before he could get up? Why, he was just defending himself, afterall!

Apparently the league office saw the incident from a different angle. An angle a little less crazy. He was fined an undisclosed amount and suspended for 10 days for "violent and unsportsmanlike actions."

Steroids, former players and Orel Hershiser

2006-03-31T08:38:00.000-08:00

Ben Godar

As Kenesaw Mountain Selig launches some sort of investigation into the "steroid era," finger-pointing seems to be story of the day. Most point toward the Players’ Association, team owners or the commissioner’s office for not doing something sooner. This morning, I even heard one journalist ask another if the baseball press wasn’t at fault for not pressing this issue sooner.

Now, I’m not convinced steroids are "superman pills." And I’m not convinced that steroid use in the 1990s skews statistics any more than other inconsistencies throughout every era of baseball. But plenty of "clean" former players are – and I think it’s about time somebody pointed a finger at them.

The company line from retired players is "steroids are a blight on the game and we all know it’s been going on for years." In fact, that’s almost exactly what Orel Hershiser had to say to ESPN’s Brian Kenney shortly after Selig’s announcement:

"When I lived in the locker room, it was kind of taken care of with a wink and a nod," Hershiser said. "People knew something was going on, but people didn’t always talk about it. It was taboo to talk about it.

"Do you ruin team chemistry? Do you ruin your industry? You don’t want to be the guy that’s alienated out there. And so, it almost needs to come from the rule creators, from the law makers."

So basically, Orel Hershiser says he knew scores of players were cheating, but didn’t want to blow the whistle because he’d have to sit alone on the team bus. What a noble stand. And, clearly the actions of someone who disdains the tarnish of steroids on The Game.

Hershiser is far from alone. Only moments later, Harold Reynolds echoed his righteous outrage.

"The only thing that bothers me is that it took a book for everybody to wake up," Reynolds said.

It is the height of hypocrisy for these players to claim they knew something was going on but why didn’t anyone else do anything about it? Why didn’t you do something, Bubba? These players sound like SS Guards on trial at Nuremberg: "We knew what was going on was wrong, but what could we do?"

I believe these players. I’m sure a walk through the clubhouse revealed a needle in every third ass. So why didn’t anyone blow the whistle? Either they didn’t believe steroids were much of a competitive advantage, or they just didn’t care.

Former players can say steroids are a scourge, or they can say they knew something was up a long time ago. But they can’t have it both ways.

The NL Worst

2006-03-30T08:55:00.000-08:00

Ben Godar

The NL West was the dregs of baseball last season. The buzz here in SoCal is that this season will be different, but if you look and listen to the GMs, it looks like another race for the .500 mark.

Dodger fans rejoiced when wunderkind Paul DePodesta was shown the door, after dumping fan favorites like Paul Lo Duca for Moneybull players like Jose Valentin. But Ned Colletti is only being hailed because of that perpetually greener grass. You know, on the other side?

The biggest problem for the Blue Crew last season was injuries. So Colletti addresses that by acquiring perpetually wounded Nomar Garciaparra and Bill Mueller. Ned, WTF?

Even if Nomar stays healthy, this move is a head-scratcher. What's the best we could possibly expect from Nomar at this stage of his career: .310, 18 homers? That's pretty pathetic production out of the first base position. Not to mention acquiring another middle infielder to play first sends Jeff Kent and his complete lack of range back to second base. If the goal is to minimize your defense by fielding a marginally effective offense, I'd say Colletti has done it.

But in terms of punting defense, even the Dodgers must stand in awe of Kevin Towers and the San Diego Padres. Last year's division champs decided fielding a catcher who can throw out David Wells stealing third was less important than the 15-homer potential of Mike Piazza.

Towers told MLB radio this morning that Padres pitchers were working on their slide steps and other moves to help the defensive liability that is Mike Piazza. This may officially be THE WORST IDEA I'VE EVER HEARD IN MY LIFE.

So the Padres coaching staff actually wants to take their pitchers' minds off the batter by burdening them with doing more than usual to keep runners on-base. When pitchers are distracted, they walk batters, they serve up cookies, they get pulled after three innings. What they don't do is win ballgames.

But not winning ballgames looks to remain the theme here on the West Coast. Hope springs eternal in the spring, but you've got to be a real Homer to think there will be any baseball come October in Southern California.

Time for Kaz to cash his chips

2006-03-29T15:38:00.000-08:00

Dr. Uetz
The $8 million the Mets owe Kaz Matsui this year is a crying shame. And it seems to be interfering with the better judgment of some Mets fans and insiders. I can understand feeling as though you should start they guy, but he's been a bust.

Too often in life we stick with a bad decision because it was such a big decision. But the Mets need to avoid making that mistake. Anderson Hernandez has earned a shot at the big time and should be the starting second basemen in Shea until someone else shows some metal. There is no intention of signing Matsui again, so why waste time with him simply because he's getting paid so much money. Let's admit it, we screwed up; now it's time to move on. With the talent and promise and every other position - including there the hope we place in Lastings Milledge - let's at least put a 2bagger out there who can play better than me.

If Matsui cares to prove me wrong, I welcome that. In the end I want the Mets to end this nauseating string of NL East titles the Braves have amassed. It's the twentieth anniversary of the Bad Guys winning it all and I want to honor that appropriately - by humiliating our opponents. We can start next week with the Nationals. And our odds are better with Hernandez (Anderson, not Keith) at second.

Jimmy Rollins: 20 hits to ... Greatness?

2006-03-28T10:28:00.000-08:00

By Ben Godar

If popular wisdom is to be believed, Jimmy Rollins could be just a few weeks and 20 hits away from the greatest single accomplishment in baseball history. If you think Jimmy Rollins as "all time great" sounds funny, you’re not alone. And you won’t be surprised to learn the clang originates from The Bronx.

Of course, we’re talking about Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak – the latest record to be widely touted as "unbreakable." For most of my life, the magic number was not 56, but 61. Travel back to 1997 and it was Maris’ whose achievement would stand forever. And that’s to say nothing of 714, formerly sacred digits about to be equaled by a side show attraction.

The elephant in this room is the New York Yankees. DiMaggio’s streak is only hallowed ground because too many sportswriters worship at the altar of pinstripes.

Nobody doubts that it takes great endurance and consistency to hit safely in 56 straight games. DiMaggio’s batting average during the streak was a robust .409. But Ted Williams batted .406 for that entire season – nearly 50 points higher than the Yankee Clipper. So even though it’s a statistical anomaly, it would be hard to argue the streak was even the most significant performance that season.

What makes "the greatest record of all time?" Is it just the fact that it’s unlikely to be broken? On April 23, 1999, Fernando Tatis became the first player to ever hit two grand slams in the same inning. That feat may never be replicated, but it’s hardly a mark of greatness. Or what about Dave Dravecky’s arm snapping on the mound? At some point we’ve got to draw a line between great achievement and freak occurrence.

I’d like to think that a few slap hits by J-Roll would send this DiMaggio record the way of Maris and Ruth, but stalwarts have an out. Because Rollins’ streak would be split over two seasons, debate will rage as to whether or not it equals DiMaggio. I’ve heard arguments that the six month break is a clear advantage, while others say it’s more difficult to end one season hot and then get off the schneid just as hot.

I say the fact that this debate even exists is proof positive that this record measures little more than a statistical anomaly. Consider the truly great numbers – 756, 5,714, even a juiced 73 – anyone who breaks these can board a train to Cooperstown. Is Jimmy Rollins on anybody’s ballot?

The odds are great that Jimmy Rollins will not equal DiMaggio’s mark, perhaps by doing something so detrimental as taking a walk or laying down a sac bunt. But just because DiMaggio’s record stands does not mean it’s great.

Author's note: Chan Ho Park gave up both grand slams to Tatis, and yes, he was on my fantasy team at the time. The bum.

Hooray! Soriano Decides to Play Baseball!

2006-03-25T11:33:00.000-08:00

Mike Popelka

Man, if only the full blown confrontation had come.

Alfonso Soriano backed down from his refusal to play left field last week, ending an entertaining stand-off between an all-star player and his team's management. Management wanted him to play left but Soriano refused, claiming he was a second baseman. There were only two problems with this plan: Jose Vidro, a classy veteran, already owned the position and Soriano is a terrible second baseman.

No one denies the incredible bat that Soriano brings to a ballclub; he has been a 30/30 man three times and was one home run shy of being a 40/40 player in 2002. The weakness in his game is his fielding. Compared with Vidro, Soriano has made 41 more errors in two fewer seasons. Which guy would pitchers rather have behind them? Being a mediocre pitcher in a hardball league for washed up high school ball players, I can attest to the fact that pitchers want to know their fielders can handle the hops and turn the double play. Soriano doesn't warrant this confidence. As the Cubs did with Glenallen Hill and the Red Sox do with Manny Ramirez, sticking your defensive liabilities in left field is always the best option if you need their bat badly enough.

One thing that doesn't sit well with me is the idea that, being in the last year of his contract, Soriano wants to play second because his power makes him an extremely desireable commodity in next year's free agent market. Unfortunately, booting routine grounders is never a quality managers look for in a second baseman. Soriano will still be a prime free agent regardless of where he plays. He'll have less opportunity to look bad in the field playing left, and he'll still be a 30/30 or even 40/40 man. How many guys can compete with that? Alex Rodriguez and Jason Bay were the only other players who even came close to a 30/30 season last year. Alfonso would still be a blessing for any team looking to upgrade its offense, and I'm sure plenty of teams will still be willing to pay an ungodly sum for his services next year.

I am dissapointed that the Nationals didn't end up having to put Soriano on the disqualified list. The stand-off between team vs. player could have had larger repercussions in the league. If put on the disqualified list, Soriano wouldn't have collected his salary, wouldn't have been given service time, and would have still been the property of the Washington Nationals until he completed his contractual obligations with them. If this scenario had played out the owners would come out looking "in the right", while Soriano and the players would come out looking like whiners. In short, the owners would have gotten the fans on their side, perhaps causing a shift in labor agreements next time the players' union and the owners negotiate a plan. But, this was all shot to hell when Alfonso Soriano came to his senses.

"You know it makes one feel rather good deciding not to be a bitch." --Lady Brett Ashley to Jake Barnes in Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises.

Rumble in the Bronx

2006-03-24T10:40:00.000-08:00

Dr. Uetz

A coworker of mine arrived at work yesterday wearing a Yankees cap. I reacted immediately with a long string of expletives and rude gestures. "Take that piece of shit off!" was the first thing I said. And it spiraled downward from there. It was some of the most pure rage I had expressed for quite some time. And it felt good. It felt natural. Because hating the Yankees is one of the few things most baseball fans share. And I would add here that most Yankees fans are not baseball fans. Yankees fans - with the likely exception of people geographically allowed to be Yankees fans - are posers and simpletons with no self-respect. They are people who could never explain the farm system, don't know who Branch Rickey was, and couldn't pick Eddie Gaedel out of a police lineup where everyone else was a starting forward in the NBA. Perhaps I'm being harsh. But I hate the Yankees.

When I was young I asked my father how he had become a Mets fan. He explained that he had been a Yankees fan first, but then after 1960 the Yankees fired Casey Stengel and he could never root for a team that fired Casey. So he followed Casey to the Mets and never left. Those are the words of an educated fan of baseball.

There is honor in Yankees history, but one cannot live in the past. And I certainly cannot live with coworkers wearing the logo of Steinbrenner & Co.

Let me end with a plug. If you have not yet read Joe Queenan's "True Believers," I highly recommend you pick it up. It's a fantastic book for any true sports fan that includes a great piece on "die hard" Yankees fans. Queenan hates the Mets. But he's a Phillies fan, so I understand.

Willy Mo Pena for Nothing

2006-03-20T15:53:00.000-08:00

Ben Godar

Outside of the White House, you’d be hard pressed to find more glaring mismanagement than in the Cincinnati Reds front office.

It’s been clear for three years that the Reds had outfielders to spare. But rather than part with Ken Griffey, Jr., Adam Dunn, Austin Kearns or Willy Mo Pena, former GM Dan O’Brien chose to keep one on the bench while his pitchers gave up more souvenirs than a vendor at Disneyland.

After O’Brien was fired, there was reason to believe the Wayne Krivsky regime would yield different results. Krivsky’s willing to play his chips, but the results are far from impressive.
First, face-of-the-franchise Sean Casey was dealt to Pittsburgh so Adam Dunn could be moved to first. A head-scratching move, but one that cleared up the logjam in the outfield. But today, the Reds traded Willy Mo Pena to the Red Sox for third-rate musician Bronson Arroyo. Dunn’s going back to the outfield to make room at first for the spectacularly mediocre Scott Hatteberg.

So after years of interest from most every team in The Game, the Reds end up with Arroyo and Dave Williams. Nice work, fellas.

Among the pitchers rumored to be potentially traded to the Reds over the last few years are: Derek Lowe, Brad Penny, Matt Clement, Erik Bedard, Rodrigo Lopez and Jason Marquis. They shunned these guys for Williams and Arroyo? As recently as a month ago, it was even reported that the Nationals wanted to deal Alfonso Soriano straight-up for Pena.

Are Williams and Arroyo an upgrade over the Paul Wilsons and Aaron Harangs the Reds already sported? Maybe. But it seems like arguing whether McDonald’s or Burger King has the best fries.

If I was a Reds fan, and thank the Lord I’m not, I’d be pretty underwhelmed by these moves. About all they’ve had to keep things interesting these last few years have been the trade rumors. Now all they’ve got is Bronson Arroyo and his Temple of the Dog covers.

Clemens leaves the mound for the last time for the 57th time

2006-03-16T23:31:00.000-08:00

Ben Godar

You may have witnessed history this evening. But probably not.

Another lackluster performance by Team USA in the World Baseball Classic was interrupted by another slow walk from the mound by Roger Clemens for, what Jon Miller reminded us, "could be the last time."

Clemens has called it quits so many times, they actually aired a retrospective of Clemens farewells. Remember the standing ovation from Marlins players during the ’03 World Series? Or the gracious applause from Red Sox Nation?

The Roger Clemens Farewell Tour is making Michael Jordan’s exit look prompt and graceful. Clemens is still on top of his game, but you get the feeling he’s heading for his own stint with the Washington Wizards, so to speak.

But it’s not just all the premature sentiment that burns at me, it’s the absolute ambivalence with which Clemens is leaving the game. While teammate Jeff Bagwell drags his dead arm into camp hoping to play one more season, The Rocket works out on his own and says he’s probably done, but might change his mind. You know, if he feels like it.

This coming from a guy who already stays home on days he’s not pitching. In other words, a team leader, a real clubhouse guy. I don’t put much stock in all that "honor of sports" garbage, but I find it hard to root for a guy who’s about as dedicated as a greeter at Wal-Mart.

If Roger Clemens wants to slowly back out of the game, hedging at every opportunity, I guess that’s how it’s going to be. He’s obviously talented enough. But don’t expect me to care every time he walks off the mound. I’ve said my goodbyes.

The bad guy wins, but what's new?

2006-03-15T14:58:00.000-08:00

Ed McElvain

The Onion has the best coverage of the latest round of Bonds steroid allegations that I've seen in their special report, "No Shit."

We all knew this. Now we just have it detailed for us, maybe with one or two new points of corroborating evidence. But basically, this is nothing new. Barry Bonds has used steroids. A lot of steroids.

The MLB is really in a bind here. On one hand you want to stop a guy who is pretty much universally known to be a cheater (not to mention widely regarded as a prick), who now holds one of the most lauded records on the books, from breaking the single most hyped record in baseball. On the other you want to protect one of the superstars who brought baseball back to popularity after the 1994 strike threatened to place it somewhere between soccer and a trip to the dentist in the hearts and minds of sports fans.

As much lobbying, yelling and screaming as reporters, anchormen, and fans want to do, the single season HR record is probably not going to be taken back or given an asterisk. That would require proof and Bonds has never tested positive for any banned substance. Even if it wasn’t too late, even if the Ghost of Sportsmanship visits Bonds in his sleep, convincing him to admit guilt, MLB probably doesn’t want to push this investigation too far.

The fact is that in the last 10 years the popularity of the game has been inextricably tied to the sensationalism of the home run. Major League Baseball knew that a lot of the most popular and prolific home run hitters in baseball were taking performance-enhancing drugs (as The Onion points out, “any idiot with two eyes” could see it), but they didn’t do anything about it until it was too late. They couldn’t see the long term damage steroid use could do to the game through all the stacks of money in front of their eyes.

It hurts me to see this game and it’s statistical records tarnished. I have loved baseball since I was a young boy. I collected Topps baseball cards and spent hours memorizing and comparing statistics. Major League Baseball players were my superheroes. These guys held superpowers – the ability to hit the ball harder and further than any normal human; to outrun a speeding bullet; to throw the ball through a brick wall or make it disappear in midair.

As I've grown up, I of course now recognize ball players as athletically gifted men - capable of faults and vices (see Pete Rose and Dwight Gooden). I have grown in my understanding of the complexities of the game beyond the stats – the elegance and subtleties of strategy. I’ve also learned (independent of baseball) that often life isn’t fair and that’s just the way it goes; and that very few issues worth spending any brain-power on are black-and-white, if you're capable of remotely complex, rational thought. Oh yeah, and baseball is "just a game" and hardly the most important piece of the human puzzle.

Ty Cobb was a great ballplayer, but ask anyone about him and the first thing they'll talk about is what a bastard he was as a human being. The first thing that people will talk about when the name Barry Bonds is brought up is steroid use and being a surly, selfish, whining prick. The fact is that Bonds will have his name in lofty places in the record book (with or without asterisks) and the Hall of Fame. We can't stop him from hitting home runs. But fans and sports-writers do have the power to determine a large part of his legacy. He will go down as a cheater and one of the most hated villains of the game. No shit.

Slowly step out of your box, sir

2006-03-08T13:08:00.000-08:00

Dr. Uetz

It's easy to get wrapped up in our own Americanized view of everything; and the World Baseball Classic is no different. We certainly have no shortage of media outlets giving us the high energy, short attention span details of what we should think of this event. I'm not immune to this. I had my own doubts about the WBC. Will marquis players give it everything they have? Will it be as exciting without the stars of the MLB? Will it mean less coverage of my beloved Mets' Spring Training? But that's all crap.

We need to step out of our own reality and realize what the WBC means for the game of baseball, not Major League Baseball. Fans around the world have a new found interest in the greatest game ever created. It could mean a resounding resurgence in the popularity of a game that has been given some rather unfriendly labels by our NFL culture in the US. And it's just a hell of a lot of fun to watch these guys play for the love of the game.

I listened to South Korea play Japan and it was great. I didn't know 3/4 of the players - but it's baseball, for Peter Gammons' sake. How can you not love it? It's certainly no worse than a Devil Rays v. Rangers game. And give it rest on the whole "but this is Spring Training time" garbage. I'm a huge fan but I tune in to the Spring Training games with all the regularity of man on the tail end of a cheese binge.

The WBC unites the world's sects of the Church of Baseball. And we need that, especially now.

Clásico Mundial de Beisból

2006-03-07T23:08:00.000-08:00

Ben Godar

If you missed today's games in the World Baseball Classic, it's time to set your Tivo or quit your job.

What happened on the field today was no half-speed, half-ass exhibition game. The action was unlike anything you've ever seen in March, and even rivalling the intensity of what you've seen in October.

I saw Johan Santana barking at the umpire about a narrow strike zone. I saw Carlos Zambrano throw Albert Pujols a 99mph fastball. I saw Big Papi and Adrian Beltre each leave the yard ... twice.

Even more impressive were the fans of the Dominican and Venezuelan teams. It wasn't just their passion and enthusiasm - it was their knowledge. This was a crowd that appreciated moving a runner to third. This was a crowd I wanted to have a beer with. I still had a beer, but I wish it was with them.

Hell, these must be big games - Alex Rodriguez didn't drive in a run.

So while the owners gripe about injuries and the papers detail the women's fertility drugs Barry Bonds is on, I encourage true fans of The Game to check out the WBC. Roger Clemens will be there for his country; I'll just be there for some baseball.

So Long, Kirby

2006-03-06T17:23:00.000-08:00

Mike Popelka

Kirby Puckett died today. I'm sad. When I first became a baseball fan, the Twins were one of my very favorite teams. Kirby Puckett was their best player as well as their leader.

I'll miss Kirby because he played the game with a smile. He was successful because of his work ethic-- 5'8, 210 lb. men aren't known to be exceptionally gifted when it comes to innate athletic ability. He was fun to watch and he played the game right.

I'll miss Kirby because I miss being a kid. The very first baseball game I ever attended was a Twins/Tigers affair in 1988. I clearly remember booing Lou Whittaker (I wasn't sure if the crowd was saying "Boo" or "Lou"). I proudly waved my "1987 World Champions" homer hanky throughout the whole game. I also remember the PA announcer calling out, "Kirrrrrrby Pucketttt!" and going wild, hoping that my favorite player at the time would come through.

Due to the harassment charges (of which he was acquitted) and his astonishing weight gain over the past few years, fans may not remember Kirby Puckett to be the exciting baseball player that he was. Instead of remembering the overweight man in a suit with a bad eye and glasses, try to remember watching him climb up the walls to rob hitters of home runs. Remember him running the bases with that funny waddle he had. Most of all, remember the fun he always seemed to be having.

When compared with other Hall of Fame outfielders, Puckett's numbers aren't quite up to snuff. Keep in mind, though, that Hall of Fame voters tend to vote using three principles: the excellence of a player (numbers), leadership (championships), and character. Although Kirby wasn't the greatest player numbers-wise, he did end his career with a .318 average, 2,304 hits and ten trips to the All-Star game. He had 200 hits in a season five times and won six gold gloves and six silver sluggers. Not bad. More importantly, he led his team to 2 championships (when I say led I mean led-- remember game 6 of the 1991 World Series?) and was a community activist. That's the type of guy that belongs in the Hall of Fame.

Kirby, rest in peace. We baseball fans will miss you. Here's to your career.

Cheers.

Lone Star Lame-Os

2006-03-04T00:09:00.000-08:00

Mike Popelka

I hate Texas. The whole state is confused; residents believe that devil horn salutes are called "hook 'em horns" and that the Texas flag looks great as a pair of running shorts. Lone Star beer tastes like crap, and range fed Texas beef is stringy and gross. Some of the worst things to come out of Texas are its baseball teams. The Astros? Yuck. The Rangers? This franchise is only eclipsed in its boring factor by the Devil Rays.

In an earlier post I called the Devil Rays "the most unremarkable franchise in professional baseball." I feel like I may have been a bit unfair. The D-Rays have only been unremarkable for eight years, while the Texas Rangers have quietly remained the Champs of Chump for over four decades. Have you ever seen anyone wearing a Rangers hat at the mall? Can you name more than a handful of great players from the Rangers? Exactly--The Texas Rangers are mind-numbingly boring.

I began to research the boringness of the Rangers and discovered many uninteresting things. For example, the Rangers have never been to a World Series or even an ALCS. Charlie Hough, not Nolan Ryan, is the team's all-time strikeouts leader (as well as the all-time leader in wins, starts, and innings pitched). The team's all-time offensive leaders list generally consists of a combination of Juan Gonzalez, Ivan Rodriguez, Rafael Palmeiro, Toby Harrah, Pete O'Brien, and Jim Sundberg. If the career of Pete Incaviglia is considered a bright spot in your team's history, changes should have been made long ago.

I do realize that some decent players are on the Rangers' squad this year: Michael Young, Mark Teixeira, and Hank Blalock for example. The major leagues are full of good players who just aren't that exciting, though. Do people really say to each other, "Hey, the Rangers are in town-- I'd really like to go see Mark Teixeira?" Since the A-Rod deal fell apart, Texas is in need of some superstar spark. Maybe they can lure Sammy Sosa out of retirement to hit a few dongs and end his career back where he started. I'd at least watch Rangers highlights on SportsCenter then.

It took the expansion Senators 11 years of rotten attendance before management decided to move the squad to Arlington, which turned out to be a great business move. For whatever reason, attendance figures at "Ameriquest Field/Park at Arlington" or whatever it's called now continue to be decent. I wonder how long northern Texans will spend their hard earned oil money on watching their no pitch, no win, no fun local team. Is this called being loyal to your team, or being a sucker? If I wasn't afraid of being punched in the teeth (which I am), I'd ask a Texan next time I'm there. Until I meet an actual Rangers fan who can explain things to me, here's to rooting for any team that plays against the Texas Rangers in 2006.

Note: ZZ Top is from Texas. I like ZZ Top. Also, Stubb's barbecue sauce is made in Texas. That's some good sauce. See? There's no reason to beat me up, Texans-- I don't hate everything from your state.

Yesterday was a good day

2006-03-03T09:15:00.000-08:00

Ed McElvain

My alarm clock radio went off to the news that Brett Boone had retired. It was sad to hear him say he didn’t have the love of the game anymore, but having baseball news be the first thing I heard in the morning was a really nice way to wake up.

When I got on the subway for my morning commute, I looked up to see David Ortiz, Ivan Rodriguez, Jorge Cantu, and Derek Jeter looking back at me. MLB had purchased ad space covering one side of the car to promote the World Baseball Classic. The ads were targeted more toward my Latino riding partners and my español is a little rusty at this point, but I do know that “béisbol para patria” means “baseball for mother country.”

Before I got to work, before any of the exhibition and WBC games began, I knew it was going to be a good day. It was the first day in many months since baseball popped into my field of vision without me seeking it out. Baseball is back! ¡El béisbol está aquí de nuevo!

The weather was crappy here yesterday, but I knew the sun was shining somewhere…somewhere where baseball was being played again. We still have a couple weeks until the official first day of Spring, but yesterday was the first day of the best season of the year: Baseball Season.

Bonds on Bonds on Mute

2006-03-02T08:43:00.000-08:00

Ben Godar

By now, we've all had the image of Barry Bonds in frat house drag burned into our retinas. But even more disturbing than a faux Paula Abdul with 24-inch pythons is the fact that the whole stunt was staged for the upcoming reality series "Bonds on Bonds."

The show is being produced by ESPN Original Entertainment, the crew that brought you such cinematic classics as "Some Guy Pretends to be Bobby Knight" and "Some Guy Pretends to be Bear Bryant." As dismal as that track record is, they may have reached a new low with this production.

Is there anyone in America who wants to listen to what Barry Bonds has to say? I'm no Bonds hater - I'll always pay a few bills to watch the man play. But listening to that egomaniac talk is like taking a razor blade to your soul. Are fans of arrogant nonsense being so underserved by The Bachelor?

Of course, that's assuming Bonds will actually appear on his own show. How do we know he won't just insist they put the camera on his kid?

If this week's stunt is any indication, those of us who watch Baseball Tonight religiously are in for a long season. We don't know if Barry Bonds is going to break Hank Aaron's home run record or retire in the middle of the season. But now we know that, whatever he does, it will all be one long publicity stunt.

As soon as it began...

2006-02-28T07:55:00.000-08:00

Ed McElvain

What had been some bitchin' and moanin' by Frank Thomas turned into a five alarm bitch fight on the Southside of Chicago over the weekend. Oh yeah, there is nothing better than a prolonged public word war and round one of this one looked like a classic.

It seems the Big Hurt got his big feelings hurt when the White Sox didn’t offer him a new contract this offseason. He’s been a making a few comments to the papers about it, saying he was disrespected by the organization he spent 16 years with.

But Sox GM Ken Williams wasn’t having any of that! To paraphrase, he called Thomas a "whining" "selfish" "idiot" (his words) who isn’t man enough to talk face to face to someone he has a problem with. Williams said the Sox didn’t miss him and that he was "the A’s problem now."

Oh, smack! It’s on!

But just when I’m digging in for a good public scrap…it’s over. Thomas reportedly has called Williams and the two had it out on the phone...to each other...in a private conversation...not in the papers where we could read it and laugh.

Now they’re both being selfish.

All we have left is the hope that this escalates into a classic bench-clearing brawl when the Sox and A’s meet this season.

9 Rules for Attending Baseball Games

2006-02-25T12:24:00.000-08:00

Mike Popelka

With spring on the horizon and players trickling into camp, it’s time for us, the fans of professional baseball, to begin our own preparation for the upcoming season. Athletes are required to learn the rules of their sport as well as comply with some sort of team code of conduct. Fans should also have to follow certain rules if they’re going to attend a ball game. I’m not talking about rules everyone should be expected to know, like “Don’t beat up the Kansas City Royals coach with your son,” or anything like that. I’m talking about simple guidelines to follow at the ballpark so that the game can be enjoyed by everyone. Well, when I mean everyone I mostly mean me, I guess. Here is a list of 9 rules for attendees of Major League Baseball games in 2006:

1. Do not go to a ball game to “hook up” with a hottie. Yes Cubs fans who overpay to sit in the bleachers, I’m talking to you. There are plenty of crappy bars to find some action, many of which are near baseball stadiums. Try to score there. While at the ballpark, watch the game.

2. Leave your baseball glove at home unless you meet one of these conditions: (a) you are 12 years old or less, or (b) you are an ass. Few things are more infuriating than watching a physically fit 24 year old with a softball mitt the size of Arizona snatch a foul ball from the waiting hands of a kid. Who’s going to get more joy out of catching a ball off the bat of Henry Blanco? My guess is that kid will. Self-respecting adults are expected to barehand a ball or dive out of the way—no exceptions.

3. Don’t encourage the guy carrying around a stack of 9 empty beer cups. Why would you advertise that you’re a big enough moron to spend $70 on beer? Power drinking should be done in the parking lot before the game, not during the game.

4. If there is a kid sitting near you when you catch a foul, give them the ball. This one is self explanatory. See rule #2 if you need more clarification.

5. Do not start “the wave”. I hate the wave.

6. Clap for brilliant plays made by either team—even if the other team is the Yankees. Displays of baseball skill should always be appreciated, no matter who you’re rooting for. I hate Derek Jeter, but that relay play to nail the runner at the plate in the playoffs a few years ago was awesome. Come on, admit it.

7. Leave your iPod at home. Why go to a live ball game if you’re going to bring your own soundtrack? Part of the experience is in the sounds of the crowd and the other ambience attending a game provides. If you want the soundtrack of a baseball game to exist entirely of downloaded “Trapped in a Closet” remixes, stay at home and watch the game on TV.

8. Always boo Julian Tavarez. This guy is one of the most classless individuals in baseball. Karate kicking Giants players is pretty cool, though.

9. Stay until the game is over (this means bottom of the 9th, folks). I have to admit, I’ve left a few games early for various reasons, but I always feel really guilty about it. Who wants to watch ¾ of a movie and leave before the resolution? Some fans are more at fault for this than others. Take Angels and Dodgers fans for example. Is there something in the water in Los Angeles? Are people incapable of waiting for the game to finish before heading for the exits? Art Spander once wrote in the San Francisco Examiner, “You know that scene in the movie Gandhi with a cast of thousands marching to the sea? It was filmed outside Dodger Stadium in the bottom of the seventh.” En Garde, Angelenos.

A sham by any other name

2006-02-23T08:42:00.000-08:00

Ben Godar

If a recent court ruling stands, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim will keep its cumbersome name. Fans and writers have already called out owner Arty Moreno, but in this case there is more unsavory business than what’s in a name.

In fact, this whole name thing has been blown way out of proportion. There are many professional sports teams that actually play in a city other than the one for which they are named. Both New York football teams play in New Jersey, for God’s sake. Not to mention that for the first 4 years of its existence, the team was called the Los Angeles Angels.

The Anaheim Civic Fathers like to boast that they are their own community, not part of Los Angeles. My own two cents, having lived in both areas, is that Anaheim is part of the broad Los Angeles area. If nothing else, the city’s identity is more that of Orange County than its own. In fact, I think many would agree Orange County Angels might be the most appropriate name. But this isn’t about what’s appropriate.

The point is that Los Angeles and Anaheim are both reasonable places to associate with the team. What’s unreasonable are Moreno’s subversive intentions and posturing throughout this debate.

Moreno has to retain that "of Anaheim" tag because in 1998 the city footed some of the bill for stadium renovations in exchange for putting the city’s name alongside the team. So changing the name is yet another example of a pro sports team grabbing public funds without honoring its responsibility.

But the slap Moreno is giving City Officials is nothing compared to the backhand he’s hitting fans with. The supposed "People’s Owner" is dangling the threat of moving the team if he doesn’t get his way. Has it really come to this?

I know LA is a bigger name than Anaheim, and I don’t doubt there’s value in all that branding, as the corporate swine say. But I also know that the Angels’ attendance figures are among the best in the game. They have a loyal fan base and a great team. So it’s hard for me to believe that, without an L and an A in the name, the team would be better off in Las Vegas.

Threatening to take your ball and go home is childish in the sandlot. Doing so with a Major League team, over something so trivial as a name, is an insult to the very people who pay your bills.

Carl Crawford, My Only Favorite Devil Ray

2006-02-21T20:29:00.000-08:00

Mike Popelka

Although an ardent supporter of the National League and an avid critic of the wisdom of placing a baseball team in Tampa, I did some soul searching and realized that I can unequivocally say the most exciting lead-off hitter in baseball today is Carl Crawford. My evidence is based solely on the two Devil Rays games I’ve been to in person, as well as a couple of D-Rays games I accidentally watched on TV. Crawford can influence the outcome of a game with his speed like nobody since Vince Coleman (late 80’s Vince, not firecracker throwing Vince).

Crawford hits for average, is a gap hitter with some pop in his bat, can bunt, drive in runs, and most importantly of all, he can run the bases like nobody’s business. At PETCO Park in San Diego a couple of years ago, I watched Crawford bunt for a hit and then tag up from first base on a fly ball to right field. RIGHT FIELD! Brian Giles, playing at middle depth, was caught totally off guard and had no chance to throw out speedy Carl. The very next play he stole third base. Add a couple of triples to the box score and Crawford finished the day 4-5 with 3 runs scored. How often does your team’s lead-off guy do that? I know my Cubbies haven’t had a guy who ignites the offense from the #1 hole since. . .well. . . never (Lou Brock doesn’t count—I wasn’t born yet; and Juan Pierre needs to be tested before I’ll believe he can get the job done).

I know, being a Seattle resident I’m supposed to agree that Ichiro Suzuki is the best baseball player in the game. He did break the hits record in 2004, and he is considered to have one of the best throwing arms in the league, but he’s missing that explosiveness that Carl Crawford brings to his team. Ichiro is on the way down. He’ll still be an all-star for a few more years, but he’s getting older on a team that is treading water in a boring division. Crawford plays for the most unremarkable franchise in professional baseball in a division where he has no hope of ever winning a pennant, but he’s still learning the game. I can’t wait for this guy to hit his prime. Hopefully when that happens the Devil Rays will have been contracted and Carl Crawford will be signing with a National League team, where his vulgar displays of baserunning prowess can be appreciated.

Albert Belle and other Lovers

2006-02-20T16:57:00.000-08:00

Ben Godar

Even with pitchers and catchers reporting to camp, the most amusing story to come out of Scottsdale this week had Albert Belle playing James Bond.

The former slugger was arrested on suspicion of stalking his girlfriend with a GPS system, which he allegedly fastened to the bottom of her car. Stalking and making threats are no laughing matter, but I couldn't help but chuckle at the image of Belle on his back attaching the device to the car. And the fact that it reportedly fell off suggests Belle's rigging consisted of chicken wire and Elmer's glue.

Coming on the heels of Hallmark's St. Valentine's Day, the whole incident got me thinking about ballplayers who have been unlucky in love. In a world where pretty young things seem to rain from the sky, I guess it just stands out when an athlete goes down in flames. But at least it provides some entertainment.

In 1978, Red Sox officials learned Dennis Eckersley's wife was having an affair with the center fielder, also Eck's best friend. As the story goes, the team chose to diffuse the situation by shipping Eckersley out of town. Perhaps the whole thing could have been resolved amicably if Rick Manning had traded a lady friend as well. That's what happened in 1973, when Yankee pitchers Fritz Peterson and Mike Kekitch traded catchers, moving in with each other's wife and children.

Then there's Red Sox Hall of Famer Wade Boggs, who had a taste for more than just fried chicken on the road. The married Boggs was sued by a woman who claimed she was his "road mistress" for four years.

While Boggs kept on playing long after admitting he was a "sex addict," Poor Denny Neagle's career came to an end over a $40 hummer. Even more unfortunate than the involuntary retirement are the published photos of the trailer court queen Neagle solicited.

But as embarrassing as Neagle's pay-for-play scandal, it's nothing compared to when Dave Stewart pulled to the curb. The former A's ace was arrested in downtown LA in 1985 after picking up a tranny named "Lucille." Stewart claimed he had no idea that she was a he, apparently assuming it was just another 6' 3" lady with a pronounced adam's apple.

But unlike Neagle, Stewart went on to pitch for ten more years and lead the A's to a World Championship. Which just goes to show that for all the "morals clauses", what really matters is what happens on the field.

Happy Valentine's Day.

No talent? Here, have some cash!

2006-02-17T12:22:00.000-08:00

T-Dub

There's a brief in today's Times that back-up catcher Josh Paul lost his arbitration case to the (Devil) Rays, collecting $475K rather than $750K. Paul, who had a hand in losing the '05 ALCS (whoops), feels his '05 performance entitles him to paycheck over sixteen times the national median household income (whereas MLB determined he is worth only ten times that median).

I don't have a problem with Paul, really, but this guy averaged just .189 at the plate last year (.189 BA in 34 games - and that's only 37 ABs, Zeke). That was, to throw yet another link/stat your way, 79 points below the league average. What is his true value? Can he call a good game? Is he a mentor? A team-chemistry kinda guy? Good in the clutch? I don't know. I also don't care.

I may be knee-jerking here, and we can all point to a plethora of more deserving targets for a salary-related rant, but c'mon! I have a lot of annoyances and hatreds towards this game, but the stratospheric salary levels among pro athletes is right up there with owners and tax-supported stadium construction. Even if Paul doesn't play past this season, this dude--along with every other unremarkable back-up with minimal skills--will still have managed to make a hell of a lot more in his short and ultimately forgettable career than the average Joe Salaryman (say, me) will make in his entire life.

Son of a bee-sting!!

Baseball, Weakly

2006-02-16T12:10:00.000-08:00

Ben Godar

A once great baseball publication continues to slide. Here's a copy of my letter to the editors of what used to be Baseball Weekly.

Dear Editors,

There was a time when Baseball Weekly was required reading for baseball fans. I have long been one of those readers. We felt slighted when you added football a few years back. Now that NASCAR is also in the mix, the message seems clear: You no longer have any interest in the true baseball fan.

I could complain about the choice of NASCAR specifically. It seems anyone who roots for an internal combustion engine covered in advertisements would be satisfied reading an auto parts catalog. But believe me, this isn’t about NASCAR. I would be just as disappointed had you added basketball, water polo or ballroom dancing.

I subscribed to your publication because it delivered baseball coverage I couldn’t get anywhere else. Trade rumors, feature stories, fantasy, the minors, college – Baseball Weekly covered it all with depth and insight.

If this week’s issue is any indication, those days are over. My reward for flipping past the football and NASCAR was a Spring Training guide that could have come from a AAA handbook and one page of aggregate news like what runs on page 77 of any sports section.

I assume your research tells you general sports coverage will garner you more readers. But why should I pay for something that already comes inside my daily paper, wrapped around the grocery ads?

By continuing to water-down your coverage, you are trading devoted fans for casual front-runners. You seem to believe you are forging ahead, but I assure you many of your core readers are being left behind.

Disgruntled,
Ben Godar

You heard me, pal.

2006-02-15T10:01:00.000-08:00

Dr. Uetz

Pitchers and catchers are reporting and the natural order of things slowly begins to return. It makes me smile. Soon we can once again grab our 24oz beers and head to the stands with our pencils and wits sharpened.

I don't have the privilege of living in a town with a major league ballclub. But that's fine with me. I can easily hop in my car and drive 3 hours to Minneapolis or Kansas City, 4 1/2 hours to St. Louis, or 5 hours to Chicago or Milwaukee. There are a lot of options, and fortunately my Mets play three of those teams every season. And I make the trip. Usually to Milwaukee because I hate Wrigley (we've covered that) and St. Louis has been better than my boys the last few years. I don't like to drive 5 hours and pay $10 for a beer to watch my team lose.

But let me get back to my hometown and the upcoming AAA season for the Iowa Cubs. While I despise the parent organization, I am a devoted fan of the Iowa Cubs. I spend a good portion of my summer at Sec Taylor Stadium; section 15 row 7, it's about 30 feet from first base. It gives me a good chance to discuss the finer points of the game with the players and coaches. And I take advantage of that opportunity.

My shining moment came last season when Nashville was in town. Corey Hart was playing for Nashville that day. He's always been a favorite of mine, at least when it comes to chit chat. He's a real friendly cuss. And last year he became the first pro player to flip me off. It was a shock at first but I have grown to cherish the moment. As Corey walked back to the dugout after popping out I reminded him "Corey, that's 0 or 3 today. Impressive." That's all it took. There must have been something else going on in his life. I might have expected it from "You'll never amount to a Danny Heep," but that's the joy of heckling. And that's what I love about living in a town with a AAA team. I get personal time with these guys. I can invite Prince Fielder over to my place to watch "Blossom" reruns as he awaits his next pitch. I even had the chance to buy Ruben Sierra a a beer. I drank it for him and described it as he stood on first.

These are moments we all can cherish. These are the times we will remember for the rest of our lives. And as nice as it is to sit around the house during these cold months and watch Game 5 of the 1969 World Series, I'm itching to get to my seat in Section 15.

Good Riddance to Good Players

2006-02-10T10:30:00.000-08:00

Ed McElvain

Many people are upset with the mass exodus of star players from the World Baseball Classic. While I understand their disappointment, I have to say that I'm ok with the stars dropping out. Without them the competition will be fiercer and the baseball better because the players will be there to compete and prove themselves.

Thanks to the YES Network (never thought I’d say that), I watched a couple of games from the Caribbean Series. From what I could see, the non-millionaires were playing in a baseball tournament while many of the MLB players were playing at family reunion softball game speed.

Anyone who thinks that star players in the WBC would bring the level of play up has made one too many plays at the plate in an exhibition game featuring Pete Rose. I’m sorry, and I know their excuses are lame, but most MLB stars are just not going to play balls-out in an exhibition.

But there will still be exciting players to watch. No doubt many international players see the WBC as an opportunity to showcase their talents for the MLB scouts in attendance. Jim Street has highlighted a few of the international players to keep an eye out for in an article for MLB.com.

Other players that can benefit from the star player pullout are younger players already in the MLB system. Case-in-point, Pirates GM Dave Littlefield says he would rather see Yurendell DeCaster play in the WBC than Spring Training, even though DeCaster is competing to make the club this Spring. He thinks his team can learn more by seeing him in a higher-level competition than Spring Training.

If the WBC does turn out to be a full-speed proving ground for international players and prospects, I say good riddance to anyone who is just going to hold the level of the games back. So maybe it won’t be the star-studded tournament that globalizes the game the way Selig & Co. might have dreamed, but it will still be fun to watch. Probably more so.

World Baseball Classic Update or "Wash my Truck"

2006-02-09T13:40:00.000-08:00

Ben Godar

In less than a month, the World Baseball Classic has gone from a star-studded championship to a Double-A All-Star Game. Well, that may be an exaggeration. But give it a couple more weeks.

America’s Sweetheart Barry Bonds was the first domino to fall, but he won’t be the only one watching the games on ESPN. The WBC DNP list will now include Lance Berkman, Robinson Cano, Tim Hudson, Nomar Garciapara, Mark Buehrle, Eric Gagne, Mariano Rivera, Jimmy Rollins … The list just keeps growing. Carl Crawford and Joe Mauer bowed out today, and it’s been widely reported that studs like Andy Pettite and Pedro Martinez will opt to stay home.

There’s still talent to spare on the provisional rosters, but I’ll take the team not on the field against the one that will be. Team USA’s outfield has gone from Bonds, Berkman and Crawford to Ken Griffey, Jr., Johnny Damon and Vernon Wells.

The excuse du jour is fear of injury, and America’s sports pages seem to agree with this wisdom. I don’t.

A ballplayer can be injured during a game, in Spring Training, at practice, even washing their truck. Many players even believe the risk of injury is greater when they're going half speed. Latin American players regularly play in the Caribbean Series, and they somehow manage to survive and play for their Major League clubs. So the idea that these players are putting their careers in jeopardy is more than a bit overstated.

What’s going unsaid is that these hypothetical injuries are only half of the risk/reward analysis. Players and Owners are implicitly announcing that they don’t give a damn about the World Baseball Classic, and that is death for the event.

Everyone’s publicly towing the company line, but it’s clear few people outside the commissioners office are really excited about this tournament. Despite the lip service and Super Bowl commercials, that apathy is seeping into the fans.

If you don’t believe me, check the availability of tickets. Let’s just say you won’t have to find a scalper to get yourself a seat at the World Baseball Classic. In fact, if things continue in the direction they’re already moving, you might be able to get a seat on the bench.

Milwaukee: Rolling out the barrel in 2006, tapping it in 2007

2006-02-06T15:21:00.000-08:00

Ed McElvain

Going far beyond shedding their spot as laughing stalk of the NL, the Milwaukee Brewers could very well be putting together a team that can give the Cardinals a run for their money in the Central. Progress has been slow but steady the last couple of years, but 2006 is when we’re going to see things start picking up.

There’s going to be a lot of intrigue in the Cactus League about the development of Prince Fielder, Corey Hart, and Nelson Cruz; but the only real position battle we’re going to see this Spring will be for the backend of the starting rotation, where there are 5 potential candidates – two young prospects, a two year ex-prospect, a six year vet known for inconsistency, and a ten year veteran trying to resurrect his career after being out of the majors for all of 2004 and the first half of 2005.

Conventional wisdom seems to be that Tomo Ohka already owns the 4th starter job, for some reason. It is probably his to lose, but we’re also talking about Tomo Ohka here – a pitcher who at times looks brilliant, but who has also gone through extended periods of struggling and seems to have a tendency to let it get into his head. He just has never really put it together and I don’t think you can hand a guy like that an automatic rotation spot. It might be his to lose, but lose it he could.

Most fantasy columnists seem to think that one of the kids will come away as the 5th starter, with Dana Eveland or Dave Bush being the favorites due to that term which fantasy columnists love to throw around: upside. However, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Rick Helling emerge with the job. After his performance last September, he deserves the shot. Frankly, it would be best for the Brewers, despite creating a temporary logjam for the progress of the younger pitchers. As a former 20 game winner with a World Series ring, a resurgent Helling would make an intriguing trade chip come July. And what do they have to lose if he’s not performing at a high level in May? A handful of starts for Bush, Eveland, or Zack Jackson – not that big of a deal. Giving Helling a chance is the logical extension of taking a chance on him in the first place – it’s low risk, high reward.

The Brew Crew will have several other short-term answers vs. long-term solutions to sort out over the course of the 2006 season, particularly in the outfield and the corner infield positions. We’re probably a year or two away from the Brewer breakthrough, but by the time the July trade deadline passes and September call up season rolls around, Ned Yost could be getting his first taste of managing the lineup that is going to bring playoff baseball back to Milwaukee.

My Name's Travis White and I'm Here to Say...

2006-02-05T09:55:00.000-08:00

I call 34°8’49”N, 118°14’34”W home, and I'm supposed to introduce myself to y'all. The first draft was overlong and much too boring, so I've shortened it to a small bunch of preferences:

Adult males should be banned from bringing gloves to the stadium. Beach balls, thunder sticks, 'God Bless America' and 'Who Let the Dogs Out' should be banned as well. First forced through the exit, however, would be the moron standing at the bottom of my section trying to start 'the wave'.

So what's to like? Here are eleven of my favorite things: In-the-park home runs, lights-out relief in the ninth, 4-5-3 double plays, bench-clearing brawls, pitching duels, doubles stretched into triples, hustle on easy outs, sausage racing, double-headers, tailgating and squeeze bunts.

Oh, and I once snagged myself a foul off Mark Grudzielanek. Following proper baseball decorum, I gave it to a kid sitting next to me. That'll do.

The best of Fantasy; the worst of Fantasy

2006-02-03T09:25:00.000-08:00

Ben Godar

For the baseball fan that follows the "Hot Stove League" as closely as the World Series, there really is nothing better than Fantasy Baseball. And for that same fan, there’s nothing worse than the countless puds that play Fantasy Baseball.

Based on conversations I wish I’d never had, I’ve determined the majority of Fantasy Leagues must consist of exactly one team. Here's how it goes down: I make the mistake of mentioning I play Fantasy Baseball and Johnny Allstar can’t wait to tell me his outfield includes Manny, Vlad, Miggy, and all the other guys so good they only need one name. I never seem to meet the other guys in these leagues, the guys who must be sweating whether to start or Larry Bigbie or So Taguchi. Oh wait, that’s the Cardinals.

But the truth is the Bigbie/Taguchi debate is exactly the thing that makes Fantasy Baseball rewarding. Any idiot can pick an All-Star team – that’s why they even put ballots in the Bronx. A real fantasy league is won by the guy who finds the best fifth starter, who knows which young stud won’t spend the entire season in AAA.

We tinkered with a few rules in my fantasy league, but we quickly found the closer we stick to Daniel Okrent’s original constitution, the more realistic and competitive the game. You can go draft instead of auction, you can even go non-keeper league if you want. But if you saturate the talent pool, you’re in the slow pitch, beer leagues of fantasy baseball … only without the beer.

I’ve been told by some mouth-breathers that it’s no fun to play in a league where somebody drafts Rich Aurilia. These are obviously the same people who go to the ballpark to see home runs and swat a beach ball.

Fantasy baseball is a great way to deepen your knowledge of The Game and get to know teams outside your comfort zone. But if you just picked up Bobby Abreau off the waiver wire, don’t walk around thinking you’re Billy Beane.

Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!

2006-01-31T15:58:00.000-08:00

Dr. Uetz

It's time for Wrigley Field to go. Throw things at me, if you must. But I am so sick and tired of hearing Cubs fans talk about the "friendly confines." How friendly are they? April 20, 2006, will be the 90th anniversary of the Cubs' first game at Wrigley. How many World Series championships do they have in that span? Oh yeah, right, NONE! ZERO! NADA!

Cubs fans like to gloat about their home. When was the last time you were there? They're giving out free hard hats now and pregnant women aren't allowed for fear that their unborn children will be physically hurt (never mind the mental damage they will suffer should they grow up as Cubs fans).

One of my brothers is a Cubs fan. He likes to give me all sorts of hell because Shea Stadium is a beast, a dump, nothing too pretty to look at. Fine. But you see those two World Series Championship flags flying out there? Yeah, those both happened within the last 40 years, both since Shea opened in April 1964. Thanks for the architectural advice, pal, I'll take the rings. Plus, let's face it, a beautiful ballpark may seem a bit out of place in Queens.

But the fact is that there is no reason for the Cubs management to worry about fielding a good team. As long as they play in Wrigley, they know that the seats will be full, along with their pockets. So if you want a winning team, Cubs fans, you should demand they tear down that dump with the ivy walls. Otherwise all you have is below average club in an historic ballpark. Yeah. Enjoy that. Sounds real fun.

Impossible is nothing

2006-01-31T11:15:00.000-08:00

Ben Godar

Forget this steroid witch-hunt – the biggest threat to the integrity of The Game is still the payroll gap. For years, most baseball writers have acted like it’s not there. Now, some of them actually want to convince us that it’s gone.

It ain’t.

Robert Falkoff guesses that simply because there hasn’t been a repeat champion since 2000, competitive balance is restored. Sure, the last five years haven’t been a repeat of the five previous, when the New York Yankees won four World Series, two Super Bowls and a Stanley Cup. But the gaping hole in Falkoff’s argument opens when even he acknowledges it is still "unrealistic for teams in the lower third of the salary scale to think about hoisting a trophy."

If ANY team starts the season with no realistic hope of winning because of their payroll, the system is flawed – no matter the success of the Marlins or Astros.

A recent feature article in Baseball Weekly went down a similar road, assembling a hypothetical roster of studs for the league’s average salary. It was a fun little exercise, but it has less to do with reality than The Bachelor in Paris. Even with psychic powers to predict player development, no GM could assemble this All-Discount Team. Most of the true values are players too young for free agency and too good for arbitration to catch up. These players, think Victor Martinez or Carlos Zambrano, are exactly the gems that teams who really work within a budget are nearly powerless to keep from cashing out.

What both articles and a growing number of fans ignore is that just because it is hypothetically possible for a lower payroll team to contend doesn’t mean there is parity. Sure, a great GM can do more with less, and George Steinbrenner can certainly do less with more. But unequal resources mean the winner is determined by more than just what happens on the field.

A much more relevant Baseball Weekly article assembled the best team for each franchise made up of current Major Leaguers who came through their system. A few surprising teams, like Hypothetical Kansas City, looked tougher than several real-life contenders. You can chalk a few of the departed up to mismanagement, but the real story is utter lack of cash.

There’s some evidence that the luxury tax is starting to put a drag on the Yankees, but baseball needs more than a slap on the wrist. Until the league enforces a salary cap and a salary minimum, the hopes of a Championship in most small market towns is just a hypothetical fantasy.

A pile of crap by any other name...

2006-01-30T11:53:00.000-08:00

Ed McElvain

So, you’re the new owner of a baseball team with a dismal, albeit short history. In their eight years of existence, they’ve never had a winning record and have finished out of last place only once. To make matters worse, the rest of your division is adding payroll and improving their rosters. And you? Well, considering your team had the worst attendance record in Major League Baseball last season and your caps and jerseys aren't exactly flying off the shelves, it’s tough to throw more money into your investment.

Still, you didn't buy the team just to lose money on the deal. It’s clear something has to change to get this team back on the right track, to put some money into the coffers so you can at least try to compete. But what can you do to improve a baseball team?

Bring in a new manager with a winning reputation?
It’s been tried…still no luck.

Devote more attention to developing talent in your farm system?
Zzzzz.

Rally around the few exciting young stars-in-the-making your club does boast?
Why bother.

More promotional give-away days to get fans out to the park?
Naw.

A new marketing slogan?
Not even.

Try to gloss over nearly a decade of losing by changing the team’s name?
That’s it! Genius!

Yes, new Tampa Bay Devil Rays owner Stu Sternberg is reportedly going to try this can’t-miss brilliant scheme to remake his new ball club. Everybody knows that the Devil Rays are a bad baseball team, but maybe dropping the Devil will help. Yeah, that ought to fool a few people:

“What’s this, a ballpark? Well, I wonder what team plays in this indoor atrocity.”

“Says on the sign it’s the Tampa Bay Rays.”

“I seem to recall once seeing a game played by the Devil Rays – they were quite bad at baseball – but this must be a completely different team. Let us purchase four tickets to this sporting contest for us and our dates, friend!”

“Yes, and once inside let us purchase much official team merchandise in the club store.”

“Huzzah to this plan, my friend!"

“Yes, and huzzah to the Tampa Bay Rays! A team which I have never heard of before and will surely provide us with nine innings of quality baseball.”

C’mon, Sternberg, you can do better than the Rays. I appreciate the sentiment, but you’re really half-assing it. Why not go all the way and name the team something really exciting. Why not the Tampa Bay $5 All You Can Drink? Or the Tampa Bay Nightly Human Sacrifices? That oughtta put some butts in the seats.

Look out Yankees, here come the Tampa Bay Live Nude Girls!

The New Red Scare

2006-01-27T18:47:00.000-08:00

Mike Popelka

Watch out National League; the Cincinnati Reds are going to win the World Series. Although they haven't signed any decent free agents, their GM was fired less than a week ago, and payroll won't be increasing by much for the 2006 season, new owner Robert Castellini has all but guaranteed a championship for Cincinnati fans. Oops.

It's just a bad idea for the chief of a team in shambles to promise anything to the fans other than marginal improvement. At his introductory news conference last week, Castellini said, "I want to make a promise today to Reds fans wherever you are, a promise from one fan to another: We will bring championship baseball to Cincinnati" (quoted by Joe Kay, Reds New Owner Makes Some Changes, AP). Those are pretty bold words for the owner of a team that finished in fifth place at 73-89 last year.

Promises like that can't be bandied about like cheap cigars; especially when they're directed toward sports fans, a demographic that is notoriously manic-depressive. If ownership says "championship", fans assume that means this year. Joe Namath came through with his promise of a Super Bowl victory in 1969, but I have serious doubts as to the validity of Castellini's claim. The Red's most significant free agent signing for this season was --wait for it-- Tony Womack. Tony Womack? If your big spring position battle is between Womack, Rich Aurilia, and Ryan Freel for second base your team is in deep trouble.

I realize that Castellini wisely left out a timeline in his bold statement, but all Reds fans should be concerned. If I remember correctly, the last time the Reds fan base bought into front office hype it was for the signing of Ken "Walking Disaster" Griffey, Jr. The truth of the matter is, Felipe Lopez is currently the Red's most exciting player and he's being paid next to nothing (in athlete salary terms). He's talented, but the team needs 3 or 4 more guys like him in order to be competitive. In addition to Lopez and Griffey, Adam Dunn and Wily Mo Pena will be key cogs in the championship drive of 2006. I sure hope that Reds fans realize they need more talent than this in order to compete in the World Series.

In order to ensure the four or five remaining Reds fans stay Reds fans, Castellini needs to let them know what he intends to do. Will he stock up the farm system? Bump up the payroll to buy free agents? Change the team's color scheme? The Reds have been rebuilding since their almost-playoff appearance in 1999, but there is no improvement on the immediate horizon. Reds management-- it's time to end the labor and deliver the baby. Do your fans a favor; don't make them wait too long for that promised trip to the World Series, or baseball in Cincinnati will continue on its way to becoming the second coming of the Kansas City Royals. Nobody wants that, not even a Cubs fan like me.

Eric Gagne is The Balls

2006-01-27T10:30:00.000-08:00

Travis White

I have an affinity for National League ball and I reside in Los Angeles. Conveniently, I live only a scant twenty minutes from my preferred parking space in Chavez Ravine. Lucky me, this provides the opportunity to watch any and every NL team as my schedule permits. Better still, the Dodgers keep the upper deck tickets at $6 a pop. And the sweetest plum? They employ my favorite in the game, Eric Gagne.

Unfortunately, I really don’t like the Dodgers. I rarely care to see the team win. But I always want to see Gagne rock out to ‘Welcome to the Jungle’. Ever since he became the main attraction, he has been the only attraction (with the exception of former CF Dave Roberts). This made the past season tough for me. With Gagne on the DL and the rest of the team worth exactly nothing, I couldn’t be bothered to see one game. Not one.

Imagine, then, my relief when I awoke to the news that Gagne is feeling top-notch and ready to lay some heavy business on the late innings. God, I hope that’s true. With the tease of his return, I can actually look forward to attending Dodgers games again.

Oh, and what can be described only as "wicked-sweet", new recruits to the Dodgers Blue Crew fan club are given a Gagne "Game Over" trapper-keeper, a Gagne action figure and they are encouraged to wear a Gagne mask to Dodger games (I hear this last item is also excellent for city council meetings, gallery openings and grocery shopping). Lucky bastards. Almost makes me wish I was a kid again.

Yeah, this news put me in a good mood for the day. Hopefully, the euphoria will carry over through the season.

So long, Anna

2006-01-25T13:52:00.000-08:00

Dr. Uetz

By now you probably know that the Mets have sent Kris Benson to the Orioles for Jorge Julio and a new set of Samsonite luggage. It's a sad development for me. I wasn't particularly fond of Kris; but his wife, Anna Benson, was a true asset to the Mets organization. She's a real peach. She lamented the difficult time that terrorists would have decapitating Michael Moore - you know, because he's a bit on the tubby side. She railed against the Mets for signing Carlos Delgado - he turns his back on the flag during the 7th inning playing of "God Bless America." But more importantly, she claimed she would sleep with the everyone in the Mets clubhouse were she to ever catch Kris cheating on her. It was a wonderful moment. My friend Mookie (not that Mookie)told me that job applications at the Mets' front office jumped 315% after the announcement. I was part of that increase. But now Mets fans - certainly all the men and nearly 37% of the women - are saddened. Sure our bullpen has been slightly improved. Sure Kris' bloated salary has been dumped. But Anna has left the clubhouse. Be good, sweetie. And God bless America.

Little runaway

2006-01-24T20:13:00.000-08:00

Ed McElvain

Once there was a child named Theo who, upset with his parents for not appreciating him enough, decided to run away from home. “They’ll appreciate me when I’m gone,” he said, flinging over his shoulder a backpack full of everything he needed to survive in the big world alone -- a couple comic books, a sweatshirt, a pack of gum, pencils and paper, and maybe a few baseball cards to trade for food when the going really gets rough. Before too long, the child’s parents came running after him, whimpering, “Theo, you’ve proven yourself. We want you to know how much we appreciate you and all you’ve done for this family. You can have more control over the family budget.” And so, Theo returned home and all was returned to normal, in this most perfect of all worlds, the Red Sox Nation.

It never worked that way when I tried it. I usually only made it a couple blocks before I came crying back. Once I did stay away long enough, hiding in the garage, that my parents came looking for me. I seem to recall that I got a spanking though, not more autonomy.

The reality here is that as much as Theo Epstein has been played up as Larry Lucchino’s boy wonder, the student has surpassed the master. The Red Sox really did need Theo more than he needed them. As soon as they won a World Series under his watch, he held all the cards as far as the team’s owner and fans were concerned. Theo’s not dumb and he suspected as much. When he and Lucchino had a “falling out” and Lucchino tried to bluff him, Theo called him on it and he left the table carrying the deck with him.

John Henry was right when he said today that bringing Epstein back was a win-win situation. The Red Sox front office did win, in the end, but at the sake of maybe creating a problem child for themselves as parents who I suspect would still like to pull the “under my roof you play by my rules” routine. It doesn’t work that way so well when the boy knows he can kick dad’s ass, and dad's boss agrees.

The big winner in this win-win situation is Red Sox fans, whose team is back in the capable hands of their little Theo – a head strong wunderkind, fresh off the ego trip of a successful power grab. Too bad their roster isn’t nearly as strong as it was before he left 10 weeks ago, though.