Off the rails

 I watch the Houston Astros and even I think they will eventually go off the rails, maybe like a crazy train.
Apologies to Ozzy.

I don't see the rotation lasting, there are holes in the line up, they are a deep team, and they have many kids still learning.

The bullpen was patch worked in the off season, and they are a year removed from the high 90's in losses.  So I am just to believe they have turned the corner and are the best team ahead of King Felix / Cano and the Mariners ?  That they will dethrone the Angels and surpass the Athletics ?

Yup, I think that is about right.  But they are in mid May and stilling 2 out of 3 every time out.  They take the lead and hold it, they come from behind, they move runners, they get timely hits and they make plays in the field.  That is a nice mixture.

The only caveat I have is that it is May 15th, and way too early.  I remember saying that 2 years ago about the Orioles, and they led almost wire to wire. O's did not have the starting pitching, no true ace. Winning just those 1 run games, but they made it to the playoffs, and the Astros look similar and look different.

The Astros have no true ace, despite Dallas Keuchel, the rotation does not appear that it can stand all throught the season, and they day today line up isn't as potent as Baltimore's. 

I will check back at the All Star break and see where they are.  If they are still on this wild ride, will they add players, because they have kids coming, but it has been a long time between James Richard and Terry Puhl, even Biggio and crew are long forgotten, but those wild coloured Dis Astros are playing some fun baseball in Texas.

I would love to see them last a while longer, it is adding a new dimension to the game.  KC Royals, Houston Astros , so c'mon Blue Jays,add your name to the mix/

Arod , the Lightning Rod

Not like the Yankees to have a clubhouse controversy, is it ?
So he hits a record tying home run, and the Yanks say they are refusing to pay any bonus money for him reaching this milestone.
Rest easy Willie Mays, the Yanks are not glorifying their carpet bagger 3rd sacker for $ 6 million bucks.

Arod's agent smells some reneging going on and so here is yet the latest episode of the Arod saga in NY.  Say it ain't so !.

Now I have not seen the contract and I rather doubt that they will let me, but on the surface, unless there is absolute certainty that despite reaching that milestone, the Yanks can claim they cannot market him, is just plain ridiculous. The Yanks marketing team can market a rainy day, so a near do well drug induced over bearing blow hard, is just a walk in the park for the Yanks.  

They can sell coal to Newcastle, period, so unless Arod signed in a blood oath or some such nonsense, he will get his money, because that is all is about.  Is he a reviled character, yes, but I have heard Jon Sterling call one of his home runs like the second coming of Babe Ruth.  So let us put down those pitch forks and focus on the smear campaign the Yanks continue to employ, or the legal team of the "Let's screw with Arod Legal Team ".

At some juncture they will have to cough it up like a bad hair ball, but they will have to.  This is the same legal beagles who could not void his contract, because they could prove his guilt in the winter. They were as silent as a library in the summer, until the gave it up and extended Arod the back handed invite to spring training.

The circus has come to Toronto as the home squad faces Arod, and weird stuff seems to happen here in Toronto, so watch the bars and jump jump joints after hours for Messers Rodriguez  & posse. 
He will get booed, of course, but he seems oblivious to the jeers, he gets plenty at home.

I hate the guy, he is a cheater and a fraud, but Yankees gave him this contract and I hope they choke on it.

Bean Ball

Lately players have taken to vigilante actions in the majors.

I mean yesterday Chris Sale was suspended 5 games, the Royals have had 9 suspensions, and we are ending the 3 week of the season.

Baseball is not a violent contact sport, a slow paced methodical game predicted on thought, decisions, sudden actions, reflections and more thought.  Yes there are actions, triple to the wall, double plays, a line shot down the 3rd base line, and home plate collisions, but so much of the game is pitch by pitch combat.

40 years ago, Reggie slugged 47 home runs, a lot in the post 60's high mound era dominated by arms like Koufax, Seaver, Marichal and Gibson, McLain, the great Orioles rotations.  Then the hitter re asserted themselves.  Frank Howard, Killebrew, Reggie, Bench and so on.

Pitchers pitched inside, brush-backs, chin music, the odd plunk on the ass.  Ron Hunt took 56 such free passes. Minoso made a career out it. Rod Carew crowded the plate and dis Don Baylor and others.  Yes there were a few donnybrooks that broke out, but 2015 so far is marked by brawls, retributions, and hit batters, the on purpose type,and the throws behind batters.

We have had warnings, and maybe it will settle down, but I have noticed that batters are crowded the box more. They want reclaim that outside part of the plate. 

Luckily we have not had the Conigliaro results of fastballs at the heads of batters, but I am worried. That pretty much ended a promising career of Boston Red Sox outfielder Tony C.

But 3 weeks in, it is an almost everyday occurrence.  I am sure new MLB czar Rob Manfred is watching with concern, as he has had umps and officials take managers aside pre game and give them the "talking to" . We will see if it wains but I have my doubts.

Today's athlete is over reacting to his man hood, his lively hood being threatened.  Brett Lawrie's hard slide against KC's SS Escobar brought out the benches,  and he was hit and it has caused a rivaled series with Royals and A's to be potential martial arts display in June when they next meet.

I hope it ends, pitchers need to pitch inside, and batters need to not feel their manhood is at stake every time a pitch approaches them.. It is a part of the game.

So will fights continue, but just after every errant pitch.  Reggie knew it, Bautista does too.

Snow Ball

So when the snow melts, and the spring arrives, and today being -18, trust me it seems a long ways off, we get to evaluate the Jays, and where they are.

Are they ready to compete, or will they have keep a uilding process through 2015.  My guess in mid January is that by late February we will have some but not all the answers, meaning 2nd base and centre field are works in progress. Pompey in centre and Travis at 2nd are kids, but if they appear competant, AA will give them the beneift of the doubt. 

Where they will make moves will be with respect to bullpen.  I don"t think now that there will be a recognizable closer with long track record despite all the rumours and buzz.  They will trade a catcher, but even that is becoming harder and harder.  We all thought the D Backs would be candidates, ex Jay turned GM Dave Stewart is seemingly quite content to hold the course, so Jays and others hoping to deal off excess backstops will have to look elsewhere.

Navarro better learn how to catch the knuckle ball and catch the ball at first base.  Without Lind now, he can back up Encarnacion and Smoak at first, and DH as well.

The Rays are not much different than the Jays, budgets dictate their direction. They are re stocking their farm system and making frugal choices.  I think the Jays will be a team that can finish in the top 3 in their division, Tampa has little offense, good defense and solid rotation ( with Matty Moore returning ). BUt they cannot generate enoough offense and will rely on small ball and timely hitting to win.  I just cannot forsee a top 3 finish for the Rays.

The Orioles want to spend and can, but cannot catch a break.  Chris Davis is a concern, and re signing Delmon Young is like admitting you missed on the ptom queen and took Grizelda.  Steve Pearce will now be expected to duplicate break out numbers. Rasmus is being sought by too many teams with his high strike out ratio, and the Birds have to hope for a healthy Matt Wieters and a very strong encore from many pitchers.  I just don't see, but Showalter had me scratching my head all year long. He may have to do it again.

In the Yanks ranks, boy these guys have done some good work.  Gone is Kuroda, CC has to prove he can put up 200 innings and they have No Mo and No Jeter, but Jeter's defense is easier to replace and Headley's back at 3rd, so I think they will be fine.

Also, they have Pineda & Tanaka ( young guns ) and I think they will rebound, and Eovaldi from the Marlins so while the rotation needs time to gel, they have good pieces there.

Oh the weather outside is frightful, so it makes for more speculation until the snow melts and the birds fly north. 

And it is still just January 13th, and we have a ways to go before pitchers and catchers report, but we are the right side of the calendar now, and less and less free agents and loose ends.

And who doen't like to wax over what the spring will bring, because it brings the spring. 

I will be looking ahead at the Central, the Tigers, the AL champs, in KC, Twins, White Sox and Indians. Is there a new dark horse in the Central. You will be suprised at what I think will happen, but that is for another day.

Back to shovelling and shivering.



Jays need a closer

Jays need a guy still that comes in the ninth inning and gets them 1-2-3, done.

To date, I hear that Krod is being sought, and here is the item.

Jon Heyman reports that Francisco Rodriguez is on the Blue Jays' radar.

Heyman adds, however, that the Jays are trying to trade for a closer first. Rodriguez posted a strong 3.04 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 73/18 K/BB ratio in 68 innings this season for the Brewers while recording 44 saves in 49 chances. He's only 32 years old, so the asking price is probably pretty high. 

 

The above photo is Rollie Fingers, maybe in the discussion of most successful closer, 3 WS titles with the 70's Athletics. 

 

 Mo Rivera is of course the modern age standard for closers, and perhaps the best ever.  Well he had Jeter at shortstop, so he defense behind him. Ha ha , just kidding, makes him even more valuable.

Will Jays get a someone or a committee ?  I would spend to get a someone, but it ain't my money so spend some Rogers. Krod, or someone with a reputation for not blowing up.

The free agent market is pretty thin for quality closers, not to mention the fact that you often have to overpay for pitchers with high save totals. Francisco Rodriguez and Rafael Soriano are both still available as well as recently released Brian Wilson who could be signed for an extremely team-friendly contract. The options through trade are obviously endless, but acquiring a team's closer is often a pricey endeavor.

 

My choice is Brian Wilson, and here is why,

 

The Dodgers officially cut ties on Friday with relief pitcher Brian Wilson, releasing the right-hander, a team source confirmed.

Wilson was designated for assignment on Tuesday to make room on the 40-man roster for Brandon McCarthy. The team had 10 days to try to make a deal for Wilson, or put him on waivers.

"We have had conversations with other clubs leading up to this to see if there is interest out there," general manager Farhan Zaidi said on Tuesday. "We have a few days to sort that out."

The Dodgers are on the hook for Wilson's $10 million salary in 2015, the result of his exercise of a player option for 2015. The right-hander parlayed 19⅔ great innings in 2013 (including playoffs) coming off Tommy John surgery into a one-year deal plus an option that will ultimately pay Wilson $20 million.

Wilson put up a 4.66 ERA and 4.29 FIP in 61 games, with 54 strikeouts and 29 walks in 48⅓ innings.

Should Wilson sign elsewhere in 2015, the Dodgers' financial obligation would be reduced. In other words, look for some other team to pay Wilson no more than the major league minimum of $507,500 in base salary. 

 

Alex would be glad to pay the Beard $ 507,500 and lett he Dodgers pay the balance and let Wilson try to rebound.  Reduce the walks Brian, and watch the ERA plummet. 

 

I would say, give it a shot, why not. What can you lose.  If someone emerges as a better closer, gteat, sign him for 2 years, the second year being a club option.

 

There you go Alex, problem solved.   Next blog I will hope to make sense of second base.

The Trade before Christmas.

It was the trade before Christmas andall throught the house, I was grinning ear to ear.

Happiness is a warm gun, quote the Beatles, but for me it is a wonderful off season fantasy baseball trade.

I finished in the wild card slot, due to a unspectacular September, and the loss of Garrett Richards with a season ending injury, then the Rays shut down Drew Smyly just to make sure my carcas was done.

So we lost an owner after the season ended, it happens, but up sprouts a new owner, eager and looking for deals.

He sends Pedroia for Machado, which I think is okay in my books,  then after a few e-mails, where upon I ask about 23 year old Marcus Stroman,and he offers me Lorenzo Cain, and Stroman for my 8th round pick and Brett Gardner.  I asked the junior partner ( my son ) and faster than Jackie Robinson can say Jackie Robinson, he says make the deal before he changes his mind.

The deal in half an hour is concluded before anyone get get on their kerchielf or night cap and winter's naps have begun.

Visions of a strengthened centre field defense danced through my head, and an ace on the mound, and it's ain't Saint Nick, but young Stroman out on the new fallen snow, gave a lot of luster, despite the lack of snow.

Wax poetic, I do, it is the happiness of a wonderful trade before Christmas.

Now if I can permitted to be a sight Scrooge like in looking for some replacement picks perhaps for young Santiago, and longtime Elephant Matt Holliday.

The Window just shut

The window on the Blue Jays just shut with the report that the Red Sox have added The Panda, and also Hanley Ramirez.   We thought the Sox would re tool after dealing John Lester. and they have.

I can only imagine what those Bronx Bombers are thinking today.  The Red Sox are reported to have snageed 2 large prize additions.  Hanley will play short or perhaps the outfield while The Panda will patrol 3rd base. At least for a year until David Ortiz retires, then The Panda will replace Big Papi at DH. 

And then they will get started at re tooling the rotation. And then let's wait for Steinbrenners kids to start screaming at Brian Cashman, and then those Yanks will start up. Depending on whether they have sent Arod and his contract to the curb. They will need the money, but frankly when has spending money been a problem for New York.

Don't forget about the Birds, they have re sign Nelson Cruz, or get a suitable replacement.  Anyway you slice it, with the Red Sox getting a jump on Black Friday, and Xmas shopping, let's agree that adding Russell Martin was a nice Canadian come home story, and move on.

Let's enjoy the fact we were in first for a stage, and be nostalgic.  The window folks, has just shut on 2015.