What's under the tree ?



Hope you got what you wanted for Christmas



I got 4 new shirts for the office, plus some Blue rays, but did get 2 baseball related items.

2 baseball books, " A Lefty's Legacy", a biography of Sandy Koufax. Also a novel by Stephen King called "Blockade Billy".

No stat books yet, but will order 1 or 2 in a few days for the 2011 season.

I was also please to get my Doctor Who cookie jar, and an album of " A Charlie Brown Christmas"..

So I was very pleased and am looking forward to turning the page of 2010, which saw none of my four fantasy baseball teams make the post season. 

What do you think some teams were hoping they would have for Christmas ?

Toronto - Octavio Dotel signing a contract...geez I would have hoped for more like Adrian Beltre at 3rd myself.
New York Yankees - somebody to pitch in the 4 slot...instead they are back to begging aging Andy Pettitte to come back, don't leave us with Ivan Nova, or Sergio Mitre.
Tampa Bay - just money this year, maybe a few gift cards..
Phillies - good health for our "super rotation " maybe peace on earth, but the good health is paramount
Mets - A new division, cause we're screwed here in the NL East
Angels - a clean up hitter who won't break the bank, the aforementioned Beltre would be better than another year of the Brandon Wood saga.
Texas Rangers - Progression of all their young players, and another Josh Hamilton clone.
Washington Nats - Oh c'mon...this is easy...Starsbourg arms to heal, maybe some socks and underwear.
Chicago Cubs - Maybe this year... Nope...curse continues..goats..Bartman...all gone to hell now.
SF Giants - Still smirking thank you, heck would Prince Fielder take a huge paycut and come here...stop laughing.....LOL

In 2011 we could a few interesting things develop.

1. The Rocket goes to court, we hope, and will capture the attention of the baseball nation, or be the best reality TV since Season One of Survivor.

2. The Dodgers sell the team to Warner Brothers, and the McCourts can divide the spoils.

3. More stolen bases, higher batting averages, and the leveling out of more power hitters, the juice is drying up, and the ERA's might still see a drop.

4. Albert Pujols signs his last contract with St.Louis, the question will become, is it a 10 year mega deal, or 2 year mini deal, and then bolt the midwest. 

5. The Fresh Prince of Milwaukee, will he get dealt at the deadline, or will the improved Brewers with Shaun Marcum and Zack Greinke roll the dice and keep Fielder for a pennant chase.

6. Will the Rays descend in the standings without Carl Crawford, Carlos Pena, and their entire bullpen.
decimated

7.  What rookies will impress, Desmond Jennings, Bryce Harper, Jeremy Hellickson, Sherman Ogando, or JP Arrencebia.

Happy New Year All !!!

2011 is just around the corner, but don't peek

The good folks at TSN have posted the projections for hitters and pitchers and for the top 5 staring pitchers, I would not go there, it is not for the faint of heart. No Jay starter is projected as being under a 4.00 ERA, and 5th man Jesse Litsch is well over 5.

The consensus is that Romero, Morrow, Cecil, Drabek, and Litsch will win 14,11, 10, 10 and 5 respectively. No one hazards a guess as to what the bullpen can add to that total, but that's 50 wins, but the rotations combined ERA is around 4.45, give or take.

The hitters project to mostly do what they did last year, with Lind and Hill's batting averages ascend to the .260's, while Mickey Bautista is expected to drop 20 dingers. Snider and Arrencebia are expected to mature, and Wells to slide back a bit. All tolled, about the same overall batting average, no .300 hitters, no 100 rbi guys, but just solid decent expectations.

Just based on these ZIPS Stats and Bill James editions, ir appears that Anthopolous is a genius, we are not ready for prime time yet, so that 2012 expectation looks better.

A crack bullpen, of Frasor, Purcey, Camp, Richmond, Carlson, Janssen and Octo Man, and well, I agree, just will not say how many wins this squad is capable of.

My opinion is that TSN does not see a repeat of 2010 any time soon, so 85 wins in their minds is a stretch, but nobody gave last years team much of a chance, and there were some 100 loss comments in March.

Marcum gone, Gregg and Downs gone, Lyle's defense gone, no Fred Lewis, and the 4rth starter has 3 games under his belt, that's the downside.

The upside is still Yunel Escobar, a better Aaron Hill , JP Arrencebia, and some speed from the Rajah.

The keys to 2011 are as follows;

1. Aaron Hill returns to 2009 form

2. Romero wins 16 games, his ERA at 3.65

3. Dotel saves 35, keeps his ERA under 3.00

4. Travis Snider......

5. Lind can play defense

6. CC Sabathia breaks his hip and missed 4 months

7. The Red Sox all watch the solar eclipse without eye protetcion.

8. Tampa declares bankrupcy

9. The bullpen blows less than 10 games

10. John Farrell knows where to bat Vernon Wells, and gets Snider 500 at bats.

As we inch closer to 2011, a few topics we will explore.

The deals we made and how they worked out.

Are the Rays pulling a Florida Marlin act.

Big Red, is he closer to induction

Roger's trials and tribulations

Which way is Andy Pettitte leaning today, money, money, money, or a rocking chair.

Closing the deal on the closer

And no, it's not Kyra Sedgwick !

It's Octavio Dotel, and he has to pass his medicals first, then Alex can present him with a jersey, smile nice for the cameras, and looky here, we signed a real live major leaguer, who has closed games in past in Pittsburgh ( they still have a team ?? ) and years back in Colorado and Houston, and various other tranquil stops along the way to his retirement ( very soon coming ). The new Kevin Gregg comes with baggage, and make no mistake, he is signed as the closer, and John Farrell is aware how you treat a veteran pitcher in that role, and one who needs to be stroked and cajoled, and pampered, and well you get the picture.

The Octo man has one pitch, a fastball, and the good thing is, when he locates it, he generally has good movement, it sinks, and away from righties, so he gets ground outs and strike outs. The bad thing happens when his control goes wonky, because his ball flattens out, he presses, and tries to steer his pitches, and hitters know this and they sit on that 3-1 pitch, and well they hit a long way. He has worked on his off speed stuff for years, and has just not harnessed it adequately. This leads to blown saves, hurt feelings, catchers staring at him in disbelief, and managers pulling their hair out. Back in his early years in the Astros organisation, he backed up "lights out" Brad Lidge, not Fragil Lidgey, one hit and he melts or cracks, but the Brad Lidge who was automatic. Well Octo Man was no slouch himself. He recorded back to back years with his strikeouts well exceeding his innings pitched. He was high Octane Octavio !

Now he wavers between unleaded and propane, the propane is the risky stuff that blows past batters, is hit over the right fielders head, and they show the runner slapping hands with coaches, and serve dinner on those flights. I have always liked Dotel, he is quirky, energetic, moody, and surly all in the same day, a poor man's George Bell.  Dotel will save ( if healthy ) 30 plus games, and will blow a dozen, or come damn close to it.

He will approach games in Fenway and New York like Roberto Duran entering a title fight. Honor at stake, and will enter each game with a bullfighters mentality to beat the odds, but he finds Tuesday nights in Oakland, or KC too dull to pay attention, and this is when it gets ugly.

Keep the Purcey kid handy, and Frasor will get some chances, as Octo will not go very often 2 games in a row, and when you tempt fate, you will wind up the the horns of the bull up your a**.  Could be kid's reading this, so keeping it clean. So for John Farrell , just fair warning, this is not the 1999 Dotel, this car has miles on it and you have to check the brakes work, but he'll get you through the season, and that is what he's here for, the next Kevin Gregg, until this magical 2012 season when all this stuff culminates and we win the division, and white puffy clouds will fly over our beautiful pennant flag.

Welcome aboard Octo, what say we sail once around the American League in 2011, and back to port !

We lost some friends in 2010

Sparky Anderson, Manager ( Tigers and Reds ) aka Captain Hook
Jim Bibby, Texas Rangers , starting pitcher, pitched a no-hitter
Mike Cuellar, Baltimore Orioles left handed pitcher, great screw ball, multi 20 game winner
Willie Davis, LA Dodgers outfielder, great talent, wasted most of it
Bob Feller, Rapid Robert, Cleveland Indian Ace, pitched at 16, a HOF'er
Al LaMacchia, Scouting Director Toronto Blue Jays, great smile, found Gruber, Clancy and Stieb
Robin Roberts, Phillies 1950's Ace, The Whiz Kids leader
Tommy Underwood, ex Jay, Phillie, amongst other teams, good lefty
Bobby Thompson, "Shot heard round he World" 1951 - hits a game winning home run off Ralph Branca
in a Giants-Dodgers 3 game playoff. It was later made know that he knew the pitch.
Branca remarked, "well, he still had to hit the damn thing"...

Never saw Feller, but before the speed gun existed, his ball was reported to explode into the catchers mitt, and players backed off for fear of getting hit.

I grew up watching Sparky running the Big Red Machine, and if they had the Orioles picthers, they would have rivalled the Yankees for dominance.

I have watched the Thompson home run many times, and still get excited, and I know the pitch that he hits, and it is still a great moment in history.



Four Horseman of the Apocolypse

With the news that Cliff Lee had joined the Philadelphia Phillies, and joined a rotation that currently includes Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels, Roy Oswalt, Joe Blanton, Kyle Kendrick or Jamie Moyer, it occurs to me that their 2011 rotation will rival some of the best ever assembled.

Think 90's Braves with Maddux, Smoltz and Glavine, or A's Hudson, Zito and Mulder, or harken back 40 years to the 4 man rotation of the early 70's Orioles of Mike Cueller, Dave McNally, James Palmer, and Pat Dobson, each won 20 games that season, but had 36-37 starts in those days.

Even the A's of that era had Catfish Hunter, Vida Blue, Ken Holtzman and Blue Moon Odom, not shabby or Tigers of Lolich, McLain, and Earl Wilson were dominant, but then pitchers were dominant then, ballparks were bigger, hitters were smaller ( No PED's yet ).  Reggie was still swinging for the fences, but 47 homers was a lot in that era.

This new rotation sensation startled the baseball world Tuesday because we all were expecting a New York Yankee cap, or a return to home spun Texas Rangers, and be close to the home base for Lee in Arkansas.
Nope, we were wrong, and they both got punked by maybe the "LeBronian" approach of the super rotation.
Despite the Phils scoring dipping in 2010 , they still were a dominant team down the stretch and won the NL East going away.  How much are they prohibitive favourites now with Cliff Lee back ?

Many have had 3 excellant starters, but the rotations don't always stay together lately, salaries, free agency and egos pull them apart.  Even the Braves rotation could not withstand the dollars and sense of moving to greener pastures, so keeping these 4 happy is going to be fun to watch.

Is the over under on Phils wins 100 ?  have read that too, and think they top 100 easily, there run production might dip even lower without Werth, but their ERA just dipped a third of a run, and these are all competitve guys, and there certainly be a " watch what I can do " attitude as they try and out do each other.

2 lefties , 2 righties, very similar to the Orioles 4 man squad, and while I won't quibble that the 2011 Phils 4 dudes are maybe more impressive as a group, remember that in 71', the Orioles starters did their deeds on 3 days rest, these 4 have the luxury of that additional day off.

A reminder that when Lee was asked in 2009 to perhaps pitch on short rest, he grudgingly said " I guess so", but it was evident he did not want to, the 70's Orioles did not have that luxury. Earl Weaver would just ask Boog Powell to remind the guys what the playoff bonuses meant, and they all sucked it up.

I will cast my vote for the O's 71' rotation until I see how the 2011 Phils perform, but I suspect the division was decided by a stroke of the pen, not a fastball on the inside corner.

Twas the night after the Winter Meetings

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the Nation,


Finger pointing, frustration… the Shaun Marcum situation;

Our Blue Jays were hung by the Yanks and Rays last year,

Now Cashman’s wheeling and dealing for another title next year;

Anthopolus was nestled all snug in his bed,

While visions of low risk, short-term deals danced in his head;

Beeston in his ascot, and John Farrell in his old Sox cap,

Had just settled their brains for a long winter’s nap,

When out on the ice there arose such a clatter,

Public skating today?… Did a scalper’s wallet get fatter?

Away to Blu Jay Way we flew like a flash,

Tore open the gates, …then we heard a big crash.



The Rogers sign on the crust of a 4-day-old snow,

Gave luster to the fallen object by the blue line below,

When, what to our wondering eyes should appear,

Paul Beeston, with skates on, but sprawled out toe to ear,

Watching was his wife, so lively and slick,

We knew in a moment, Paul tripped on his stick. ( Still no socks !)



Less rapid than a Zamboni, he called them by name,

Paul whistled, and whispered, he wanted the Leafs to start a game:

"Now, Dion! now, Giggy ! now, Kessel and Wilson!

On, Aulie! on, Mitchell! on, Kabby, put Burke in!

To the center ice line! And let’s see a good brawl,

Now dash away! I’ve got cash to make! Slash away all!



So how ‘bout those Blue Jays, will Romero win the Cy?

And have you seen his curveball? Rickey must be quite the guy;

But who’ll start at first base? Who’s our new guy at third?

Will we miss Johnny Buck? Should we give his agent the bird?

And then in a twinkling, we heard a fan screaming

At his prancing and pawing, she thought she was dreaming.



As she drew in her head, and was turning around,

Down the runway our new first baseman came with a bound.

Lind's hair is so long, it grew over a foot,

And his jersey was dirty with pine tar and soot;

His old jersey # was stamped on his back,

He bought it off e-bay as soon as he unpacked.

His eyes—how they twinkled! His dimples how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard was back on his chin don’t cha know;





Then next spring in Dunedin, with his deal signed and sealed,

With new sunglasses on, he strolled out on the field;

He takes off his shirt, the girls start to scream,

He smiles just like Aaron Hill, a pink hat fan’s dream.



He spoke to the media, and went straight to his work,

He went into the cage; he worked on a quirk;

Then he turned on a ball, his arms coming around,

a loud crack of the bat, the ball took off with a bound;



It’s our old friend Hilly, Aaron’s bat was so quick,

Balls lined one by one, looks like he's made out of brick

He was signed for three more years, Alex just had to bite,

To bring back the ’92 spirit, we’ll see less idiots tonight!



And there stood Vernon, finally fit and trim,

The $125.1 million treasure found his way to the gym;

VW showed up early and looked ready to play,

He won’t make us forget Bell, he’s a fan of the K., and the DL



And then just like before, Lyle made the ball fly,

Snider grinded away, Gonzo hit hard line drives;

With Wells in center, And Esco at short,

They're fine up the middle, still need run support;

Molina had the old stroke back, when he hit ‘em they flew,

They all batted around, Arencebia too !!

The crowd sprang to their feet, to the team gave a whistle,

Jose circled the bases, Cecil threw another missile;

A new year is upon us and our Olde Towne ballclub,

"WHO NEEDS MANNY RAMIREZ! PENNANT FEVER STILL GRIPS US!"

A Winter of Discontent

Crawford signs with the Red Sox, and they also dealt for long sought after Adrian Gonzalez, and oh, will have a healthy Dustin Pedroia, and Kevin Youkilis in their line up.        So who said we have a limited window in Toronto ? 

It just shut tight, and by the way, by the weekend they will be weeping in Arlington that Cliff"the mercenary" Lee signed with the Pin Stripers of New York.

The only team that should feel worse than us is Tampa, but they believe what is left after Pena, Crawford, Soriano and Benoit have departed is strong enough to compete.

C'mon man, they had a hard time scoring with Crawford and Pena in the line up, and they just dealt Jason Bartlett to San Diego for minor league arms, to pave the way for Reid Brignac and a career average of .260 and 9 home runs.         

Turns out Reid can play defense, and Bartlett costs more to boot.

Winter meetings just concluded, but the world of blackberries buzzes onward, and signings will cresendo just about the 1st week of January, when the money starts drying up.


That should be when the street sweepers of GM's come back out, looking for what the rich free spenders did not take, and like American Pickers, they will look for bargains.

Last year, the Jays got Alex Gonzalez, and he turned in 3 wonderful months, and I expect Anthopolous and TB GM Freidman will be like others looking to table scraps after the big boys are stuffed and waiting for spring training.

I will tell all you loyal readers that you can expect the Jays to grab one reliever, maybe long rumoured Canadian Jesse Crain, and who knows Russell Martin might opt for playing time and sign in Toronto, hey that would give us 3 potential Canadians that could break camp. Scott Richmond, Crain and Martin, maybe they can create a local identity on the Jays.

Martin is a long shot, and he may not be able to catch, and he has to sell versatility, as his bat has slid south of late. Otherwise, what the Jays have with the metriculation of youngsters in the pen, we have 95 % of the players, maybe 97 %.

If you are buying the Zack Greinke crap about Toronto, I am not buying it, and neither should you. He is both expensive and has not had success playing in eastern power areas like Fenway and Yankee Stadium, so why jump to Toronto and the middle of a street fight, where your guys have sticks, and the other guys have machette's. Not quite the fair fight, better to toddle around in the Central where non descript fans in KC, Cleveland, Minny watch you play with quiet mid western family values still are practised.

To those of you still buying the Rogers bullcrap, I am sorry for you, as some of you are probably Leaf and Argo fans too. 

As read from Shakespeare,

Richard III :


" Now is the winter of our discontent

Made glorious summer by this son of York;

And all the clouds that low'r'd upon our house

In the deep bosom of the ocean buried. "

This winter may yet bring spring fruit, but expect bitter harvest...Jim McCullough,

The over under on Jays wins now stands at 79, sorry fans, a bleak house doth we now inherit......

December in Florida

Winter Meetings

It would be lovely to be in the Dolphin Hotel in Orlando this week, for all the obvious reasons. Weather is better, and the GM's are all making baseball deals, and free agents are signing. Still waiting for Cliff Lee to lift the logjam and cause all the ripple effect.

Back here in Mississauga, we just read about what the Jays are up to, or speculated to be up to, and more speculation than facts.

Young Jays GM Alex A is into his 2nd winter meeting, and has now dealt 2 opening day starting pitching. Watch out Ricky Romero, you may be next. Much baalyhoo has been made of the Marcum deal, and while I always like getting cannot miss prospects like Brett Lawrie, I am in the "show me camp" on Lawrie.  What position does he fit ? Is he a head case ?, does he have a major league bat ?.  Alex answered all those questions to his own satisfaction, and sent Marcum, a year back from Tommy John surgery, and a very fine bounce back to Milwaukee for more "future" stock pilig.

I see many agendas here, one is Rogers have told Alex to monitor the payroll and because they know they have to pay big $$ to Wells, they also see more cash going to Jose Bautista, so this saves some money from what appeared to be a $ 60 million area payroll.

No Encarnacion, no John Buck, no Lyle Overbay, no Scott Downs, and no Kevin Gregg, and no Fred Lewis.  They have been replaced by JP Arenceibia, David Purcey, Rajah Davis, and some internal candidates for Shaun Marcum's rotation gig.

I think Lind will move to 1st , and Hill may move to 3rd, and Davis is the new 4rth outfielder. Jason Fraser, Purcey and perhaps Jesse Crain ( if he signs ) are the back end, with Camp, Janssen and a lefty for the middle, with Romero, cecil, Morrow, Litsch, and Drabek or Richmond or the Zepper rounding out the rotation, or as long relief. 

I think the year Rogers will allow real dollars to be spent might be 2012, since there are not enough bums in the seats yet, and perhaps the Rogers folks have other major aquisitions on their minds ( MLSE )

Meanwhile Jays fans dig their way out of snow drifts, and ponder what is going on in Disney World, will they get all Goofy or the next deal, or are they going to get a Mickey Mouse approach to what should be division chances.

Adrian Gonzalez, plus a healthy Pedroia, and Youkilis will vault the Sox back into contention, despite Josh Beckett's arm, or Papelbon's worst season, as the Rays are in sell mode again, watch out Baltimore, they are the Rays are taking that express elevator to the basement again.

The Yanks hope to sign Cliff Lee, because honestly they have to. After Sabathia, their rotation was pretty crappy last year. Plus the re signed Pinstripe Jesus to play shortstop, until he turns gray.  I am sure at some point if the Yanks get Lee, he will ( as a ground ball pitcher ) wonder if he made the right choice. Elvis Andrus or Derek Jeter.

Jeter, according to the Yankees press machine is the best defensive shortstop, based on how many he got to that the ball went in his glove....okay..that's like saying I am best at getting on an off an elevator, it's the balls he cannot get to more and more, and sooner than later, the slower of foot speed will reduce his range to a phone booth size area.

In London, Ontario they have a job getting rid of the snow, in Florida, we are getting more a snow job from the Jays. Sorry, but I think we are not making the efforts we should right now.

Trip Notes and the Off Season

Scouting Trip

I was on a 11 day - 5 island Carribean cruise, and as you can see the Pittsburgh Pirates were looking for a new manager, another stooge they can blame things on when they 70-92 next year.  The guy to left doesn't look much smarter either, so maybe their choice was better.

A great vacation folks, the wife and I were very happy, and are hoping to plan another one for 2012 I am guessing.  In gthe interim, back to reality, baseball in it's silly season, awards all handed out, and to the right players and managers.

Now we begin with the Cliff Lee dance, but at least there are only 2 teams, NY and Texas, and if he signs in the next 2 weeks, the winter does not drag on wondering what happens to all the other pitchers who have to wait out where Lee lands.

If he gets a 7 year deal from the Yanks, I cannot see Nolan Ryan matching, but 6 years, $130 million , well maybe, with bank financing as well.

Nutzy crazy Derek Jeter is trying to pretend he has any leverage against NY, and CA$HMAN at least has the good sense to try and limit the term to 3 years, and $ 15 million, still too much for a diminishing skills player. Even theYanks knew when to say goodbye and farewell to Babe Ruth.  The modern day Bombers are using the media the same way that Jeter's camp is, playing it tough , he has not place else to go, and will be 40, and a very old slow 40 or older when he completes the next and last deal, so who does Derek think he's fooling.

Who pays $ 17 million for 5 years, I mean c'mon pal, it's the Yanks, or nobody, take the money, show up in Tampa in February and try and wipe that smirk off your face, you still hosed New York.

Later on this month I plan on really looking hard at free agents, new playoff structure, and maybe a few Christmas rants and raves.

Off now, Grey Cup Sunday, Go Green Roughies

Let them eat cake

Every Dog Has his day

Tomorrow I celebrate another anniversary of the day I was born, and I never forget for one minute how damn lucky I am.

Family will be there and that is what's important to me. Presents are nice, but uneccessary, as my best present is life and what you experience in it.

In terms of what life has brought me, it's a wonderful 28 year relationship with my wife, a 26 year marriage, and my kids.

The fact that my father is still going at 88, and my 2 sisters have good families of their own. My workmates enjoy my company, and my company respects my talents, so what else is there ?

Well we can hope for our fave teams and players to do well, win the odd championship, but I have had 4 Stanley Cups, 3 Grey Cups, and 6 Super Bowl wins from my teams, plus of course 2 World Series wins, and fantasy baseball, I have 2 Hockey and 2 Baseball championships to boot.

I have everything I could want, so let me use my birthday wish for the following;

1.  How about 10 days of no murders in North America
2.  How about the end to this crap in Afganistan, bring the Canadian boys home for Christmas
3.  While we are at it, can I not offend anyone by saying " Merry Christmas " ??
4.  Can Rob Ford stay on his diet for 2 weeks, the guy looks like a heart attack waiting to happen.
5.  Can the Leafs win enough to make the last month interesting again.
6.  A light snow on Christmas day.
7.  A few more day baseball games
8.  A new puppy in 2011, please....

Playing Catch Up

I had a lot of time between the last blog due to a nice 11 day cruise, whereupon much happened during my absence, so let's try and play a little catch up.

The SF Giants won the series, in 5 games over the Texas Rangers, with relative ease.
The Blue Jays announced a manager, and he in turn announced his complete staff, welcome back Pat Hentgen.
MLB began handing out hardware for Gold Gloves, again to that over hyped guy in New York that plays shortstop.
Manny was sighted in Toronto sparking many tongues wagging about a Manny signing.
Cliff Lee started planning his exit strategy from that sweltering heat in Texas, gezzus christ Cliff, doesn't $25 mill a year buy a peck of AC units.
Brian Cashman trying to live up to his last name, backing up the Brinks truck for said FA Lee.
The game lost a real treasure in Sparky Anderson and then broadcaster Dave Neihaus.

A lot seems to happen when I leave for vacation, but ya know, have to keep the wife happy.

I correspond routinely with Fantasy guru Glen D, now touring France chasing Elliott Murphy from venue to venue. He e-mails that the Toronto Sun report the Jays may be trying to deal with KC for Greinke and Alex Gordon for "can't miss prospects",  does that mean Snider and Drabek ??? C'mon Glen, you're on freakin holidays, lay off the internet.

Chris Bosh continues this Toronto rant with the one about enduring bad cable channels, ah tell this motor mouth to shut the hell up already, he has gone way past annoying, and he's approaching heemoroid territory.

Also of note we see that Jose Bautista can bargain with his Silver Slugger Award in tow, are you paying attention Alex, opening bid is now $ 12 million for 5 years, and if wins the MVP , the $15 million per annum awaits.

A few routine signings, releases, and manager carousel of course in Metland, Pittsburgh and other exotic locales, while Timmy Lincecum has his photos taken in Orlando with Goofy, Mickey and the Duke, no make that Donald Duck, his fave. The G-Men looked like the team with all the mojo, winning with the bat boy in the outfield and the trainer on 3rd, jsut as long as The Freak, Cain and The Beard were pitching, you could have had McCovey at 1st, and Tom Haller catching, and they would have won.

The Rangers edge throught the playoffs seemed to depth of rotation, and timely hitting, and big innings, none of those did they enjoy in the World Series.

Have to say quickly I am enjoying a book called Crazy 08', a time period baseball book my son downloaded that is not a history lesson of 2008, but 1908 no less. A great walk throught the new century's first decade and all the changes that actually began during that year, withn the backdrop of a 3 team National League wire to wire pennant fight between the Pirates, Cubs and John McGraws Giants.

So far it is far from a baseball standard offering, and has capured the spirit of the times, the politics, the race riots, the workers struggles, and how all those elements were mirrored in baseball.

I will write reams on the loss of Sparky, or Captain Hook as he was called during his time as skipper of 2 time Series winner in Cincy. ( 75 and 76' ).

I look at the clock and that means it is time to sign off for now, back to the grind, but will back soon banging on the keyboard with off season speculations, and Free Agent news and notes,

Stay tuned !!

Back fighting the good fight

World Serious Time

Last night the American League and the National League began their annual ritual for the ultimate in baseball prizes, the World Series, and baseball supremecy.

Each team sent it's ace pitcher, the unfatiguable Cliff Lee, the undefeated on, versus the kid they call the Freak, Timmy Lincecum. And they even call him Timmy. Age versus youth, best against best.

The Rangers have the hitters, the Giants have the beards, moustaches, and weird lingerie, so the story lines go.  A game started also when it was still light out, a novel twist for those of us that can recall day baseball.

The game began with all the fanfare, the aged Giants from the past, Monte Irivin at 91 tossing out the first pitch, a strike, as called by Rick Sutcliffe ( still the Charlie Sheen of baseball broadcasters ).

The final score was 11-7, an neither ace lasted even 6 full innings.  The stuff of legends, hah ! Not even close.  MLB was quietly seething as these teams from such places as Arlington and San Francisco mugged for camera time, and the networks pined for New York New York final. Someone tell the Mets about this.

It was a spotty first game, errors, base running gaffs, and it made for more of carnival atmosphere than a traditional World Series game. But that's what we get more of these days, bread and circuses, not 1-0 games picthed by guys named Whitey Ford, Bob Gibson and Orel Hershiser.  We got parity now, and $ 55 million of payroll ( in Texas ) does buy you a nice trip to the west coast.

I am rooting for the Giants, ans I can here Tony Bennett beginning to loosen his pipes and singing about where he left his heart, not because of any hate for Texas, but this Non Barry Bonds squad is just way too appealing with it's collection of great front line pitchers, and odd balls like cast off Cody Ross, red thonged Aubrey Huff, Juan "I hope my belt does not break" Uribe, and rookie catcher Buster Posey, they aren't your fathers' Giants of McCovey, Marichal and Willie Mays, but they have game.

The other interesting side story is that of Ranger ( and ex Giant ) Bengie Molina.  So get this straight, no matter who wins, Bengie gets a ring. He played enough time for both team. He gets a ring even the Giants win. Sit down for that one.

The one story I still laugh over is the one where as the Rangers beat the Yankees, it was suggested that the ALCS MVP was none other than Bud Selig.  Come again ??  Bud Light for MVP, because as you see, when the Rangers were trying to complete the deal for Cliff Lee, they were held in trust ( prior to their sale to Ryan and Daniels ) by MLB. So they needed approval from Buddy. They got it, Lee won every game in the ALDS and ALCS, so if MLB had said no, would the Rangers have beaten the Yankees ?

I am now off until the 12th of November, so likely no blogs until the Series is over.

More Perfection

Doctor Roy

So it was that our former local hero got his chance in the post season against the Cincinnati Reds and he danced through their lineup with effective breaking balls that were set up with a cutter, and fastball that destroyed the Reds confidence. If he were anymore in control they would have given him a saliva test.
    Is this anything new for Jays fans ? C'mon we've watched him for years and have become accustomed top Doc's perfect prescription. The only thing that eluded Halladay here in Toronto was the supporting cast of eager med students to let him reach his Mayo Clinic of baseball, the playoffs.
    So it was that Doc finally got his chance on the big operating room, and surgically and dispassionately carved the Reds up like my Thanksgiving turkey.  Roy, save me the drumstick.....
    A near perfecto, one scant walk, lot's of nice defense, but a lot of Halladay pitches that mesmerized the hitters, but his best pitch all night was Strike 1, which he followed up a lot with his second best pitch, Strike 2.
    Such was the effectiveness we have not experienced in the playoffs sine 1956 and Don Larsen, who when contacted was retrospective that it brought his own memories back, and equally proud to see another pitcher toss a no hitter.
    The commentators joked that as Halladay was going into the clubhouse between innings, perhaps he was on the bike, or stretching, or lifting weights. Roy's regimen is maintained even when he is playing the perfect hand each half inning. No surprise to Jays fans, this one act play we've watched since he started in the majors.
     Since the Reds lost game 2 as well, we might have to wait until the Giants/Braves series ends next week when hew will get another chance to perform in the NL Championship series for the pennant.

    It is Doctober, and the good doctor is definitely in !!!
 

162 and Done

Sunday evening arrives and the last games of the 2010 season have been played, with some predictable results and some surprises.
The Padres went down to the last weekend, the last day, hoping to force game 163, but were sent home packing by their chief nemesis, the Giants from San Fran.
This all started way back in April, all the teams had optimism, every team was 0-0 and tied for first, in the Pirates case it was as close as they'd come.  The Mariners, Royals, Diamondbacks and Orioles all had similar grand expectations but injuries, poor decisions and at time indifferent play put their post season hopes into a clear picture.

So we find ourselves looking ahead at the playoffs, and for some teams, it is a case of what went wrong, why did we do so poorly. Let's look at some teams that the experts had doing better.

The Boston Red Sox -  They finished 3rd, and while that is a credit to Terry Francona, it won't do in Beantown.  A season filled with injuries just piled up on Francona and it never let up. Stars like Mike Cameron, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jason Varitek, Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis all went down for appreciable time. Johnathon Papelbon struggled tot close games, and Josh Beckett was not, well, Josh Beckett.
Victor Martinez can leave as a free agent, so it can get worse for Boston, but the money is there, so expect them back in the AL East hunt come next year.

The Seattle Mariners - were to be the class of the AL West, facing off with the Angels for the division, and again injuries played a part, but they never executed the master plan, Cliff Lee and King Felix plus Eric Bedard were a trio of Cy Young candidates that should have dominated. They got a great year from Felix, but Bedard never surfaced, and the team soon to be free agent Lee to the Cinderella Texas Rangers. Chone Figgins never added the oomph the offense needed, and the hitters were less than productive. Ichiro had another fine season, but there was too little from the other 8 in the line up so they finished last, and changes will be expected in the Pacific northwest.

The St. Louis Cardinals with Wainright, Carpenter and Jamie Garcia , add in Fat Albert and Matt Holliday should have been shoo ins to make the playoffs, and I still look at their team and wonder how did they lose ??  The rest of the team was just okay, and rest of the pitching staff was again, just okay. You cannot win a division with 5 players alone, even those 5 players. The Reds simply had a better 9, and a deeper bench and their MVP won out ( Joey Votto ) over the Red Birds MVP of Pujols.

I could toss the Mets and Cubs in, but that would be silly, they were pretenders not contenders.

8 teams remain, 20 pack up, some finished on an upward note, like the Jays, and Diamnond Backs, the Rockies and the Padres, the team even I had finishing last in the NL West.

Fresh predictions on the playoffs are coming.

Bailey

This is a very personal blog I write this evening, as it involves the recent passing of our last Golden Retriever Bailey, at the rip old age of 14 1/2 years. We came to the decision that Bailey had fought all the fight, and with deteriorated hips, failing eyesight, a lack of appetite, and his other recent obstacles, Cindy, the kids and I all came to the conclusion we could not let him suffer anymore.
To the end, he enjoyed last car ride he watched the cars whiz by, kept nudging my hand to keep petting him, with the breeze coming through the back window.

 He was for me also my baseball pal, as on many walks I would try and engage him in discussion about my many fantasy baseball teams, who should I keep Bailey ?   Maybe Ortiz, Soriano ?? Who ?   Bailey often just continued to sniff the trail, hoping to pick up the scent of another dog, skunk, squirrel, etc. Occasionally he looked up quizzically at some comment about drafting another rookie, I guess at his age he favoured the vets. At his age, I guess he was partial to experience over exuberance.

Bailey was part of the 2 dogs we had from 1996 to 2010, having lost Keon to that bastard called cancer, or whatever the canine version is called. Walking both meant a free for all in a round table discussion on any baseball related topic, with much disagreement between them both.

Bailey was on the DL many times, but kept coming back, seemingly like he would play forever. As you know, not even the superstars ply forever, their time comes as well.  He was born with his testicles not having descended, he had hematomas, bad ear infections, ripped nails, geriatric vestibular syndrome ( twice ) and later on eye problems, and the muscle in the back legs just about disappeared.  He still fought on, tried gamely to navigate the back deck, and even as far back as 10 days ago allowed me to walk him around the block.

My heart is very heavy tonight, my family feels the emptiness, the quiet is too quiet, he is missed from his evening post beside my chair, seeking my stroke, my touch on his head, a scratch of his nose, or chin, a reassuring word, a cookie for being the companion he always was.

He was rambunctious as a pup, jumping up on folks, to lick them, show affection, the opposite of Keon. That prompted many to turn towards the taciturn and friendly Keon while Baily bore the rap of the that crazy puppy, the diamond in the rough. Bailey ran faster, ate faster, challenged Keon more to fisticuffs, and was the aggressor as they grew together, but my best memories are the quieter, more mature dog, who for many years waited at the front door watching for me to walk up to the house, and the howling would begin, the excitement was genuine and never wavered.

He was my personal bench coach,  whatever my suggestions were, if I asked him if he disagreed, he offer his low bark, or short yip of approval or disapproval, he always had a response.

My daughter Kelly taught after much work to offer his right front paw, ah a natural righty !! , Keon could offer either paw, showing his ability to be a switch hitter if necessary.

My kids grew up with both these animals and realised that with Bailey's passing, a bit of their youth was lost on Monday, but have fond memories, of tea parties, dress up, and snuggles.

He was born in Beeton, Ontario in April of 1996, and he will find his rest in Mississauga with his brother.

Bailey was chosen from a good size litter, and essentially Kelly picked him out still wearing a little magenta colored collar, and we were the richer for having in our lives.

Please God, please take of my two boys, they are together again, as it should be in your house.

Bless you Bailey, rest easy,

My Bailey

Special Car Go

Watching Albert Pujols battle Etobicoke native Joey Votto for the National League's MVP award the past 3 weeks, and each of them taking turns with timely runs batted in, long flies, etc has taken the focus off The Other Guy.

The Other Guy is simply leading the batting race, and has inched up in runs batted in, and home runs on Fat Albert and Votto, and so much so, not many have noticed.

Carlos Gonzalez, or Cargo has with his play, and Troy Tulowitzki has lead the Rockies to 8 straight wins, they ran right over the Central Division leaders, the Reds, and are threatening the Giants and Padres for the National League West crown, and don't be too shocked my friends if they just do that very thing. They are getting decent starts out of their rotation, but it is their Gung Ho offense, their bravado, why just the other night, down 5- 0 to the Reds, they battled back, and on a suicide squeeze, where the hitter was ready, the Reds pitcher had his head down and out of the play as Rockies stole home, and the game.

But it is the efforts of Carlos Gonzalez that has been the biggest difference. He hits is when they need that hit. He dives and takes doubles away when defense is called for. He also has very quietly crept up on Pujols and Votto who were locked in a Triple Crown battle royal the last few months. I mean, who is this guy ?

Gonzo is on his 3rd organization in 4 years,  beginning as a "can't miss D-Backs " prospect. Then dealt to Oakland in the Huston Street deal, and then re dealt back to the NL West in the Matt Holliday deal. He struggled upon reaching the Rockies, and as of July 2009 was causing manager Jim Tracy many sleepless nights, and many explanations on why he was still in the line up.  His top 5 position on hrs, ribbies, batting average, runs scored, and slugging is better than anyone else.

The Colorado Kid is riding his hot streak and the Rox right back into what appears to be an interesting final 2 weeks. As the Padres and Giants duke it out, the Rox win and gain ground on whomever loses, and while the Braves play .500 ball, the Wild Card is not out of the question either.

The Cards are done in the Central, and Votto's Reds are home and cooled. The Kid must continue his efforts to keep his team winning.   So far, he's been doing just that.  He finally had an 0 fer so he is mortal, but his team won their 8 th straight, conjuring up the magical run Colorado had , winning 22 of the last 23, and winning a 1 game playoff to get into the post season, and eventually the World Series.
Gonzo's team is on a similar path this year, and if they win the NL West, he is going to get a lot of votes for MVP, and he would have mine.

He is Special Cargo, so try and catch some of his heroics if you can.

No $$ left for Moneyball

Moneyball

Is this still being practised by organisations ? Or have turned directions towards physical athlete's who excel at throwing, hitting, and running. Not standing taking walks, and improving their on base percentage.

After re reading the book, and reflecting the current drop of GM's, I would concede that we are past that era, that it really was spawned out of the Billy Beane forced budget era currently residing in northen California.

Take a good look at the A's now, a squad made up of some talented hurlers, and an odd assortment of positional players, some are cast offs, some are might be's, many are just guys. Daric Barton is a true holdover from the Moneyball philosophy. Mark Ellis is just a hold over from better days.

What keeps the A's at the .500 plateay these days is young pitching that has exceeded expectations, like Trevor Cahill and Brett Anderson, and perhaps Vinny Mazzaro, amongst others.

If you look closer, back in the day when the A's ruled the AL West, they had Harden, or Mulder, Hudson, Zito or more recently Danny Haren. Having Cy Young caliber arms usually means you can stay in contention a long time, and are not going to hit long losing streaks.

They had Giambi, and Chavez, to hit 30 plus home runs, plus the aforementioned Mark Ellis, and at times resembled a pennant contender. But time, and injuries, defections and no PED's have reduced the A's to a squad of hitless wonders. Without the bangers and mashers, the run support isn't there. The On Base Kings are not on base, and when they are, there is no one to drive them in.

The Moneyball theme was to build your team around not only a group who would rather walk to 1st, than chase pitches in hopes of driving them, and add in a few sluggers, and cheap controllable pitchers. When the players got too expensive, they were dealt off, and process continued.
So when you have no mashers, and no one gets on base ( save Barton ), the Moneyball approach falls flat.

It was a them built out of necessity rather than design.  A reduced amount of scouts, who cost more, were replaced by a group of computer aged wannabees who would find a the kid who had a bad body, but a .450 on base. He would come cheaper, and hopefully could be taught how to run faster than a tortoise.

Andrew Brown, who seemed to be a poster boy of who not to draft , a kid who seemingly could not run fast, could not play at catcher, or barely at first , but who who walked 125 times, was the to be a center piece of the A's offense.  Problem was, he could not hit, or hit very much and there was a reason he walked more, he did not like to run fast. You see Brown was tipping the scales at 255-260 and not all that was in muscle. One A's scout claimed they should pass him up, because he was quote "fat". they called him the Fat Kid, and as it turned out, he lacked too many baseball skills to make it higher than Double AA.

So, is there really any validity now after 8 years have past that the Moneyball method can help a team.

Well, a team with a fixed and very limiting budget, maybe you get a diamond once and again, but the game has become leaner, the players train year round, we are emerging from post steroid era, and runs are being scored by the hit and run, and stealing, and less dependant solely on clogging the base paths and hoping for sac flys or seeing eye base hits.

So much the better, the other GM's have seen that players who are bleached from drugs have to learn to hone other skills to stay in the game, and the game will be better for it.

Time is Slipping Away

"Baseball is really two sports - the summer game and the autumn game. One is the leisurely pastime of our national mythology. The other is not so gentile " - Thomas Boswell, Washington Post.

 As the days pass by, they seem to go faster in September than in the previous months, and if you are trailing in your division, time seems to slip away on you even faster. When you watch games in the fall, they always say these games are more meaningful, why, because there are few games left, and if you've squandered April and May and part of June, you are now behind the 8 ball, squarely.

For the White Sox, and Red Sox, they have learned all too well that stumbling out of the gate is not the best route to the pennant. The Phillies and Giants are testament to resiliency as they have overcome large deficits while watching their key opponents begin to lose the gains made throughout the spring and summer. The White Sox are 3 games back of the Twins, so with 24 games left, enough time left to make a last charge, but the Beantowners are all but done, their magic number looking closer in their rear view mirror.

The Padres halted a 10 game slide last night, but are  from from safe territory. If one looks at the key wild card races, the Phils, Giants stake claim, but are within a wisp of their own divisions, and are playing life and death games daily, and if not their division, then the wild card awaits.  The Braves and Padres hold them back, barely this morning, but another slide and they can trade places with their dance partners. And there is only one wild card to go around, so a bad week for the Padres and Braves can spell a September swoon, and all the positive energy sucked out of their year.

While the Reds, Rangers, Rays and Yanks all seem secure, and I would concur, they are all shuffling along at the same pace, no one can seem to be an overwhelming favorite when September ends and the playoffs begin. It may the year that the Yanks get dusted early, and same for the Tampas.  There is some concern for what the Yankee rotation can achieve after Sabathia pitches Game 1. Is Hughes the guy, will perennial playoff hero Andy Pettitte return healthy ? He's been gone almost a month and at 37 , things heal slowly.
The Rays would have loved to spend the month of September resting the back end of their rotation, and might ultimately concede the division in order to protect a shaky 4th and 5th spots. Jeff Niemann and Wade Davis, and James Shields look very beatable and you cannot go far with just Price and Garza.

The Twins though might be set to upset any takers, even with no Justin Morneau at 1st base. They just continue to plug guys in and they succeed.

September games should also be cherished, and I know football and hockey await, but it will be October soon, and the season turns into mini tournaments and then the snow comes, and we have to hibernate until early March. The seasons go very slowly until September, then they just seem to accelerate, and evaporate before my very eyes.

Enjoy September, the last baseball before we sleep.

The Big Doubloon

Down in Pittsburgh they count the take after each game, add up the gold and silver, and hoist their rum, and sing " Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a pirate's life for me "
 The Pittsburgh Pirates are cruising along the shallows, looking for another safe port on their journey to their 18th consecutive season out of the playoffs.

Let's be honest, these eye-patched crew haven't even been close. They have hoisted themselves out of pennant races early in June some years. The agonizing aspect to their fans is that they have been making a boat load of money while they sputter and pilfer their way, and claim the money is being funneled back into minor league teams, parks, programs, etc. The Pirates, like the Cubbies are one of thee oldest National League franchises, once had the great Honus Wagner play for them, Willie Stargell, Elroy Face, Roberto Clemente, and Bill Mazerowski, just to name some of their bygone heroes.  Now, once a player appears to be on the threshold of dipping into their pirate booty, they get shipped off, before you can say " Long John Silver ", the Pirates have turned over their roster. Always developing, looking for the cheaper, cost effective player, if truth be told.
Who had the lowest payroll in baseball the last 3 seasons, the Pittsburgh Pirates did. Who pocketed over
$ 34.5 million from 2007 through to and including last season ?? Any guess.

From the early 60's ( and including a World Series win in 1960 ) , through their heyday in the early 1970's, and another title in 1971 over the Orioles, the Pirates could depend on keeping their talent, as free agency was a pipe dream. Stars like Maz, and Clemente were bound, and perhaps shackled, forced to man the oars, and perform without any choice.
 The Pirates would have one last hurrah in 79', and play and lose to the Braves in the late 80's, but that was the end of their success. New owners emerged, ans they fattened their wallets, their war chests were full, and talent walked or ran of their reservation.  It is a sad state of affairs and the owners responsible should be somehow held accountable, at least by the fans, but like the local hockey fans ( in Toronto ) they continue to buy tickets, pay cable charges, etc.



I do hope the days return when this storied franchise used be " in the hunt" year after year, but I think until the fans stop coming, the team will not be forced into keeping emerging stars. Otherwise, it will be more " pass the rum and count the gold ".

Friday is all thumbs

Friday's thumbs up or down.

My thumb is up for the San Diego Padres, a team seemingly with no chance to win, and ready to trade off Adrian Gonzalez, who desperately wants to play in the post season, looks like he will get his wish. If he had been traded to Boston, who knows if the same wish would have been granted. The Friars own the National Leagues best record, deepest bullpen, a collection of castoffs, and manager Buddy Black, who has convinced the team that they can overcome the odds.

My thumb is also way up for the Texas Rangers and Cincinnati Reds, who are trying to inject themselves into the post season after years of mediocrity. Yes, we'll still have the Braves or Phillies, and likely the Yankees and the Twins, yet again. So the chance to see some new teams make the playoffs is refreshing. No, it's not the LA Dodgers, or the NY Mets, Cubs or White Sox, so some major TV markets will be void, but we'll have the Yanks to root against. So thumbs extended upward to some new blood.

My thumb is down to fans of the Toronto Blue Jays, who have continued to stay awy in droves, despite an exciting team, the major's home run leader, and the best pitching rotation in 10 years, the fans would rather play golf on the weekend, go cottaging, watch another horrible Will Ferret movie, than go the park. Now I will defend the fans to the extent the ticket prices should have been lowered going into a year where the battle cry was, wait until 2012 or 2013 !!!!  If that is your plan, and you added no payroll during the season, then Rogers should be ashamed for the ticket approach. Of course they thought we'd flock to watch the Bills against anybody, and pay hundreds of dollars for pre season games. Greed triumphed over good customer relations.

My thumb is also down to MLB for the Arizona fiasco, and supporting an unjust law by insisting they will play the All Star Game in Arizona. Insensitive and impractical, and pandering to the state of Arizona looks exactly what it is, shallow, and not at all representative of the groundswell of opposite opinions.

My final digit extends up to my friends here in the office, who all year long have supported both my writings, and their home team, so my thumbs are both up to Luke, Brad, Clark, Andrew, Michael, Bobby and Joe C @ RSA for words of encouragement to me, and to the home squad.

Hey Beeston, these guys believed in your team this year, and should be rewarded with cheaper ticket prices in 2011 !!

Rocket's Red Glare

Can one man be so stubborn, so full of his own self so as to sacrifice his image forever.  It would seem that Roger Clemens some how has convinced himself that he did nothing wrong, or that he is above the law. Rather than admitting he might have taken something, but was not sure what it was, he has and continued to tell the same story, falsehood, memory, what have you to 60 Minutes, Congress, and and via twitter that " he ain't guilty".

If you ask me whether I believe him, I go back to 3 things.

1.  Andy Petitte said he did
2.  Brian MacNamee said he did
3. Chuck Knobluach said he did

Add to that the Mitchell report, and what be the smoking gun, the needles that MacNamee has, that if tested ( and they may already have done so ) have the DNA of Clemens.

Now there is much to dislike about Clemens, he is arrogant, rich, successful, but those by themselves do send you to jail, but it makes the press, and Federal Government ( and Congress specifically ) want to nail this sucker to the cross like he was a witch in Salem, Mass.

He gets no brownie points for stating Andy Petitte "misremembered" , as Pettitte has admitted to taking HGH and accepted his admonishment by baseball and the public, rather his former teammate in NY and Houston has steadfastly stuck with the ploy of deny, deny, deny.

What this will come down to is a very public trial, with both physical evidence and testimony of Andy Pettitte, Chuck Knoblach and trainer Brian MacNamee all singing from the same songbook, while poor Roger Clemens is the only one ( besides his family ) that believes he has not lied his ass off.

In March of 2011, the Congree will lose whatever case they thought they might have against Barry Bonds, as Barry's trainer, Greg Anderson has wired his trap shut, and Barry has always claimed, "He did not what he was taking ". No perjury there, no there there, unless they have some evidence we are all not aware of. That case gets kicked out.

All that does is redouble Congress' efforts to get a high profile lying scum bag, and make an example of him. If you think Clemens is going to walk away Scott free, forget it.  They may have a tough time with perjury, good lawyers can possibly untwist Clemens words or claim he sincerely believes that in his own mind, Clemens is telling the truth, as he sees it. So, is juts nuts, vain, lying, or all of the above. What they will nail him on is obstruction of Congress, and whether he does actual jail time, or not, he is going to have a hard time cleansing his reputation which has taken a shit kicking. HOF baseball writers will not soon forget his avoidance and his arrogance, and I think Bonds gets in before Clemens will.

Folks, Pete Rose lied, you know , I know it, hell the public knows it, he lied about betting, and after awhile he admitted it, and fessed up and has been for many fans, forgiven.  Rose is not in the HOF, nor will be until Bud Selig is gone, and maybe we have the veterans committee rethink his induction.

The Rocket' red glare is his shame, his embarrassment of himself, and unless he pulls off a Houdini like escape, his reputation, and his persona will be crippled for life.  Clemens will not be voted in, and the game's best pitcher in the last half century ( in someones mind, not mine ) as I have a tie between Koufax and Gibson, with Greg Maddux a close 3rd, will have to buy a ticket like everyone else to see the Hall of Fame.

What is ironic is he was not asked to testify, but methinks he knew that there might be allegations, and was proved right. The Mitchell report nailed him, and he must have thought I need to tell my side first. 

Oh Roger, that damn ego of yours.

Raise your right hand, Roger, and repeat after me, I lied, I lied, I lied.  Get it over with.

The shot heard round the world

While the world watched and listened daily for the reports of the Korean war, sorry , it was officially a police action, the baseball world churned along.

The Yankees did what they seemed to bred to do, which is run away and hide from the pack, and with that the only thoughts were, how will a Brooklyn / Yankees World Series play out.

Nobody counted on the New York Giants, and so week by week they marched closer to the Dodgers, past the Phillies, then 10 games, 9, until the last weekend, and they forced what was inconceivable a month before.  A playoff with the Dodgers. A best of 3.

So the Giants won in Ebbets Field, and the Dodgers won at the Polo Grounds, forcing a 3rd and deciding
game. Russ Hodges called the game on radio for the NY Giants, and of course the old Red head, Red Barber called the game for the Dodgers.

The game was a close one, and heading into the bottom of the 9th, Alvin Dark got a single, and down 2 runs, the Giants suddenly had 2 men on, with the winning run at home plate, and Dodger pitcher Ralph Branca set to face Bobby Thompson.  Thompson took a pitch, and with the count 1-1, he hit a Branca fastball into the bleachers and into history. Branca walked slowly off the field, in defeat while Thompson was hoisted on his teammates shoulders and carried off the field as the hero.

They called the miracle comeback that brought the Giants back into this improbable playoff as " The Miracle at Coogan's Bluff.

This week the game and we as fans lost Bobby Thompson at age 86, and the every time I see this clip played, and here Russ Hodges , giddy in the moment, scream out " the Giants win the pennant " repeatedly, I get into the same moment, as the Carter home run in 1993, " touch em' all Joe, you'll never hit a bigger home run in your life". And neither did Thompson. Sadly the Giants Cinderella story ended with a World Series loss to the Yankees, but for one summer, in 1951, New York truly was the capital of all things baseball.

Years later both the Dodgers and Giants would pack up and move to the west coast, and renewed rivalries in LA and San Fran, but for this wild summer, it culminated on a turn of the wrist, and a moment before the pitch, the writers were ready to proclaim the Dodgers as pennant winner, but a second later, the Giants had won, and story re-written. The game can change in an instant.

Farewell Bobby, the game has lost a hero.

Branca clowns it with nemesis Thompson.

Running upHill

Aaron Hill

After 4 months of sucking dirty pond water, second sacker Aaron Hill has unclogged his drain, and begun producing at the rate he did in 2009.

His batting average was below the Mendoza line until shortly after the All Star break, but week by week, it has risen, and his power production along with it. Maybe it's the no pressure scenario of where the Jays stack up, but whatever the reason for the upswing, we'll take it.

If Adam Lind could find similar consistency, and we see John Buck return, the next 3 weeks will be very interesting. I would not have wagered a half farthing on the Jays pennant chances, or wild card hopes.  However, did anyone really think the Jays could lose 2 of 3 to both Royals and Indians, then somehow take 2 of 3 from the Yanks, and all 3 from the Rays in convincing fashion ? Hell no !

If we keep getting pitching performances from Morrow, Cecil and Rickey Romero , and decent efforts from Marcum, and take the upcoming Red Sox series, and a sweep of the Sox would vault them 1 game back of the Sox, and scant games out of a wild card contention, I will be a true believer, but a sweep of the Red Sox is going to very very hard, as their pitching has solidified recently, and they seem immune to the constant injuries ( Ellsbury, Cameron, Varitek, Victor Martinez, Pedroia, Dice K, and Kevin Youkilis)

If by weeks end, the Jays have made up another 2 games, they will might be under 10 games and still play the Yanks back here and maybe we have a meaningful September.

Wishful thinking maybe, but if we see Hill and Lind and Snider and Jose, and etc etc all hitting on all cylinders. anything can happen. Remember the Astros were well back in 2005, in 3rd place and under .500 and made it all the way, and the Rockies won 22 out of 23 games, so you never know.

Me, the optimist , I know , hard to believe, but just maybe if this young pitching staff can help the team get through August and play .750 ball, and this offense continues, I'm just saying....


  

Mr. 600

Arod and the FEEL GOOD STORY of 2010

Alex, you can relax now, you made it finally to 600 home runs, great job you big fat cheater. Next time get Cameron Diaz to give you a rub down !!


Next climb over Slammin' Sammy Sosa at 609, likely late in August, then onto the next milestone.

I hope you enjoyed all those hugs you were handing out after you dinged Jays Shaun Marcum in yesterday's tilt, as I am sure your surprised team mates were as well.

Only Jeter, the greatest player in modern history not have 3000 hits, and still well below Harold Baines, was thee single Yankee at home plate, no out pouring of team mates waiting to high five you, and allow you to bask in the sunshine.

Certain members of the media are likely going to overlook your admitted 3 year usage of steriods ( in Texas only , of course ) and vote you a first ballot entry into the HOF, but despite the drugs not being banned by baseball, sorry, cheating is cheating. If gambling is cheating, and if you only broke ethical laws and not baseball laws, too frickin bad, you and Barry and Sammy can all take a hike.

The question begs asking, Hey Alex, how many home runs did you hit while sticking the needle in your ass ?  100, 200, how many ???
Aaron and Ruth and Mays still belong as the top 3, and we should acknowledge Junior as well. Consider how much time Griffey missed, gee whiz, maybe he should have taken roids' to improve his recovery time.

Babe did take stuff, it was just it was hot dogs, beer, soda pop, and the odd bourbon.

The more you listen to Arod, the more contrived his responses to questions, he just lacks the genuine emotions, and is a pre packed product of the big money me me me era of sports, and he is just so darn hard to like. Remember he signed his 252 million dollar deal with Texas, and it was 252 mill so he could say he twice the size of the largest contract at that time ( Kevin Garnett's 136 million $ deal ). 

So he got to 600, and if health holds, he should reach 700, and watch folks in NY react to his eclipsing the Babe's 714, I see no huge celebration. He has played ( like Ruth ) since he was a teenager in Seattle, but Ruth started as a pitcher, and might have added to his 714 total. Of course he was not a great " off season " conditioning guru, as many athletes are today, so he squandered a lot of prime time opportunities, and he also started in the dead ball era in parks that were still quite large. Shibe Park,  Tiger Stadium, the old Huntington Station ( pre Fenway folks ), and Old Comiskey were cavernous parks.

Derek and Elmo - discuss being humble

One final reminder Alex, as hard as you try , that Jeter fellow will always come out on top in New York, he just comes across more the hero, he cried when Bob Sheppard past away, as well for The Boss, while Arod just spilled out the pre packaged verbiage, nothing seems real, but The Kid will be revered, you will be remembered.


Maye Alex, see if Big Bird is busy.....

Closer to the Heart

Scott Downs

Joba Chamberlain

Is the news out of New York has the Jays wanting Joba for Scott Downs, and I agree , do it and make him the closer du jour, let him work with Walton and Langford, and in 2011 , the job is his to lose. Gregg has proven to be exactly what Anthopolous thought he was, a 50 -50 shot each night. An average guy, but not dominant closer material.

If not Joba, see if the Red Sox will take John Buck ( who they need ) and Downs for Danny Bard, and Jed Lowrie ( who is almost out of options ). Lowrie plays 3 infield positions and makes peanuts, and the jewel is Bard, a hard throwing righty who has closer aspirations. He like Joba are blocked by Papelbon and Rivera, and the Yanks give the ball more lately to cheaper unheralded David Robertson, and have possibly grown tired of explaining to Joba, to wait until next year.

 Now I honestly do not believe the Yanks will do this, but if the Jays were to toss in John Buck, or Overbay and take back a double AA prospect, I would do it.  Scott Downs, Lyle Overbay and John Buck have expiring contracts, so we should shed a tear, because all will be gone next year. Do you think John Buck ( who leads the majors in homers and ribbies at the catching position ) is going to take a discount here, with Arrencibia in the wings, not a chance, he wants to cash in, and so he should, it will be his only chance to do that. I see him in Texas next year replacing Bengie Molina, as their trio of young stud catchers are all duds so far.

3 days left, and someone just starting warming up the hot stove rumours......

Wednesday Afternoon, listening to Dylan twang and rain falling

Random thoughts for a Wednesday afternoon.

Strasburg shut down now a real possibility, arm fatigue, my aunt fanny, they are worried now about "The Franchise", as they should be. He will get 2 more starts, then the Nats will likely say, enough, great start kid, sit and watch and learn.

According to a USA Today story, Roger Maris gains an rbi and Mickey Mantle lost a run scored. Hard trick to accomplish since both are deceased, and this goes back to 1961. According to Retrosheet, which is 12 geeks still living in their parents basement, the game numbers for Maris and Mantle are incorrect, so who cares ? Maris now has / had more ribbies in 1961 than anyone else in the American League, so again I ask, why does this matter ?  Answer, it does not, but becomes yet another example of the endless pursuit to get things right, regardless if sounds ridiculous.

All signs point to Jose "the sultan of swat" Bautista staying put in Toronto. He clubbed home runs 29 and 30 against the Orioles, who are fodder for the majors home run leading team. Reaching these heights and perhaps getting over 40 homers , for a 4rth place team, ensures it is too hard for Anthopolous to move the fan fave, despite all the experts saying he will not come close to these numbers next year, or ever. 
Would I trade him, depends, what are they being offered ? And who's offering ? If the Rays are offering Desmond Jennings, or Jeremy Hellickson, plus say Wade Davis, I listen, but the Rays don't make these deals, at least they haven't to date. Last year they jettisoned Scott Kazmir ( smart move it appears ).

Are the Red Sox offering Buchholz, then again, I am all ears, but I am assuming that until we see where and what happens to Adam Dunn ( there's a chance he re signs with the Nats ) , he is the bat of choice.
Bautista comes for this year plus next at great and manageable money, so 2 pennat runs, if he's not a flash in the pan. What about the Angels, they have no hope of catching Texas without a bat stimulus package.

Anyhow, onto more random thoughts.....

Young Escobar is making high light reel plays with Aaron Hill, but if he adds a few punds of muscle, he might be the next 3rd baseman.  Consider the Cuban kid is already in Double AA and hitting .310 as of yesterday.
I like what I see so far, but the kid is playing relaxed, no stress, no pressure, so far so good.

Another no hitter ( ho hun ) with Garza's grandoise gem against the Tigers, and this is now for sure The Year of the Pitcher. It is not just a good crop, Eveland is not part of any new wave. Wait, I think we'll have one more, my bet is on Josh Johnson in Miami.

With Rod Barajas injured, will the Mets call asking for a Buck ($) from Toronto ?

What will the Tigers do with no Ordonez for 6 weeks ?

Add Brad Mills to the list of Jays getting starts, are we up to 10 yet, let's see.  Marcum, Romero, Morrow,Cecil, Tallet, Litsch, Zepper, now Mills, well that's 8, so my prediction of 10 is looking good. Did I miss anyone, let me know if I did ?

Jays fans, enjoy tonite's game against the O's, and the upcoming series against the Indians, because we get the Yanks, Boston, Rays, Angels and Tigers in August.

Onto to the links tomorrow with the kids, so enjoy !