Foreward:
At the beginning of this fine baseball year, Schuyla' and I made a few predictions regarding the fate of the divisions and various trophies. As we all know, these predictions don't always go the way we plan, and the All-Star Break seems as good a time as any to rethink our theories. Now to be clear, for the most part we'll be sticking to our guns, but there are a few glaring errors (mostly on my part), that need to be addressed. --Dyslexia
NL East:
Dyslexia picked Atlanta Braves, now picks New York Mets
Schuyla picked New York Mets, will stay.
NL Central:
Both picked St. Louis Cardinals. Both will stay.
NL West:
Dyslexia picked San Francisco Giants, will stay.
Schuyla picked Los Angeles Dodgers, will stay.
NL Wild Card:
Dyslexia picked New York Mets, now picks Atlanta Braves.
Schuyla picked Milwaukee Brewers, now picks Cincinnati Reds.
AL East:
Dyslexia picked New York Yankees, will stay.
Schuyla picked New York Yankees, now picks Boston Red Sox.
AL Central:
Dyslexia picked Cleveland Indians, now picks Chicago White Sox.
Schuyla picked Chicago White Sox, will stay.
AL West:
Dyslexia picked Oakland Athletics, will stay.
Schuyla picked Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, will stay.
AL Wild Card:
Dyslexia picked Boston Red Sox, will stay.
Schuyla picked Toronto Blue Jays, now picks Detroit Tigers.
NL MVP:
Dyslexia picked Andruw Jones, will stay.
Schuyla picked Albert Pujols, will stay.
AL MVP:
Dyslexia picked David Ortiz, will stay.
Schuyla picked Vlad Guerrero, now picks David Ortiz.
NL Cy Young:
Both picked Pedro Martinez. Dyslexia picks Brandon Webb; Schuyla picks Tom Glavine.
AL Cy Young:
Dyslexia picked Johan Santana, will stay.
Schuyla picked Roy Halladay, will stay.
NL Rookie of the Year:
Dyslexia picked Prince Fielder, will stay.
Schuyla picked Ryan Zimmerman, will stay.
AL Rookie of the Year:
Dyslexia picked Ian Kinsler, now picks Francisco Liriano.
Schuyla picked Joel Zumaya, now picks Francisco Liriano.
NL Manager of the Year:
Dyslexia picked Bobby Cox, now picks Willie Randolph.
Schuyla picked Ned Yost, now picks Willie Randolph.
AL Manager of the Year:
Dyslexia picked Eric Wedge, now picks Ozzie Guillen.
Schuyla picked John Gibbons, now picks Jim Leyland.
NLDS:
Dyslexia had Atlanta over New York in one series; St. Louis over San Fran in the other. He now has New York over Atlanta and St. Louis over San Fran.
Schuyla had St. Louis over Milwaukee and New York over the Dodgers. He now has New York over Cincinnati and Los Angeles over St. Louis.
NLCS:
Dyslexia had Atlanta over St. Louis. He now has the Mets over St. Louis.
Schuyla had New York over St. Louis; he now has the Mets over the Dodgers.
ALDS:
Dyslexia had Boston over Cleveland and New York over Oakland. He now has Boston over the White Sox and New York over Oakland.
Schuyla had Chicago over Toronto and New York over Anaheim. He now has Chicago over Anaheim and Detroit over Boston.
ALCS:
Dyslexia had New York over Boston and stays with that prediction.
Schuyla had Chicago over New York, he now has Chicago over Detroit.
WS:
Dyslexia had Atlanta over the Yankees. He now has a rematch of the 2000 Subway Series with the same result.
Schuyla had New York over Chicago. He stays.
Afterword:
In writing these rewrites, it seems like everyone has a tendency to stick to their guns unless they're obviously wrong. And my co-blogger, though I respect him somewhat, is an overzealous Yankees fan and Met hater. I applaud him for his candor above, though he has apparently not looked at the standings. The Tigers will need a collapse of epic proportions to miss the playoffs and the Yankees certainly have some catching up to do. And while I think he passed the latest round of Dick Pound-approved Crosstown Rivals drug testing, he picked the 40-49 Braves who are 13.5 games out to make the playoffs. For now, his predictions are far more ambitious than mine. And in this case, ambitious means "more likely to be wrong." Just kidding, Dyslexia. --Schuyla
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7.14.2006
2nd Half
Well, the Yanks hope to get back into gear today, at home against the seemingly unbeatable Contreras. The Streak is up to 17 at this point, but in two of his last three starts, he's been less than stellar, left the game in position to be the LP, and had the monstrous White Sock offense bail him out. Against him will be the Big Eunuch, as my Met loving compadre likes to call him, who has been inexplicably moved back up to the top of the rotation. His numbers (10-7, 5.13) are almost laughable coming from an ace, as long as your name isn't Livan. The Mets started off well today with a solid win against the lowly Cubs, not very impressive, but, a win nevertheless. I face a very tough decision tonight as I will be forced to choose between the late innings of NYY CHI or the 2nd episode of USA's new show Psych. It's gonna be a photo finish, let's hope the game is decided early.
It's about time for the 2nd half, so here, I've letter graded each Yankee player and coach, as well as Steinbrenner and Cash. Should be fun.
This 1st segment will include only position players. Tomorrow will be pitchers, followed the next by staff.
Let's dive right in.
Johnny Damon:
I'll be the 1st to admit that I was a naysayer coming into the Johnny Damon regime, but he's managd to shut me up pretty splendidly. He's been around .300 for most of the year, now at .291, with very impressive .367 OBP, 15 points up from his career average. He leads the team in runs scored, just a good leadoff man should, and although it seems like he's been sitting out a good deal, he in fact as only not appeared in 5 Yankee games.
In the field he's been adequate, throwing slightly better than Mary, and I believe he's nailed a few unsuspecting vagabonds at the plate. Impressive 1st year campaign, and an A-/B+.Derek Jeter:
Jeter has been splendid, he ranks 2nd in the AL in batting average, above everyone's lovetoy Ichiro. .345 is nothing to shake your finger at. His power has been down but his hits have been coming, 112 in 81 games. Combine this with the fact that he is making a legitimate run at an 100 RBI season, and we could be looking at Jete's best offensive season in a long time. Unfortunately, I don't know was his FRAA is whatever the hell Schuyla insists on referring to, but I do know that he's been good in the field. He is also being agressive, already with 18 SB, and he's only been caught twice, a very impressive stat. His OPS is an obscene 1.068 against lefties, .888 over all. What does all this info mean? An A/A+.
Jason Giambi:
Jason Giambi has also been making his case for MVP of the Yanks, as although his average has now dipped to an unimpressive .260, his power stats are still off the charts. He trails only Ortiz and Thome for HR's in the AL, and is 5th in the AL in RBI's. His slugging percentage is very good at .611, which is good for 4th in the AL. With numbers like these, you have to admire the guy, as of two years ago, he was counted for dead. And of course, we couldn't write a review of Jason Giambi without mentioning his almost ridiculous eye and ability for drawing walks. OBP of .415 is amazing, and he is 3rd in the AL in walks drawn behind Kronk and Manny. All these top 5 appearances can only mean one thing. A 2nd consecutive A.
Alex Rodriguez:
Of course, everything they say about A-Rod isn't true. He's a great player who cannot live up to impossible standards, it's not his fault. But this doesn't detract from the fact that he's having an off year. While on pace for .280/35 HR/120 RBI's doesn't sound too shabby, it's not up to the pace that he's created for himself. His slugging % is down at a .505, and although he does well to get on base, he's just not the gamechanger we expected we were getting the fateful day years ago. Overall, he's useful and plays a mean 3rd, but in the end, he earns a B.
(Plus, as much as it's been blown out of proportion, he can't perform under pressure most of the time, it's just a fact.)
Gary Sheffield:
Sheff was off to a fairly impressive start until that pesky wrist got him 30 days into the season. 19 ribbies in 30 games is pretty good, and a .309 BA is also above average, but I'm gonna have to put the GP minimum at 45, about half of the games we played. Therefore, Sheff earns a N/A.
Hideki Matsui:
Hideki wasn't playing great before the injury, and he certainly wasn't living up to that little contract we gave him, but he too only played in 32 games, and he too gets a N/A.
Jorge Posada:There's no denying that Jorge is heading downhill, but there's also no denying he's still kicking. That homer he hit to beat the Braves was as good a sign as any that Posada's still got a lot of life in him. He's a good offensive catcher who's got a subpar arm. But he's still one of the best, (in my opinion) at getting the strikes that his pitchers need. Whatever Unit has got against him, I wouldn't be surprised if a switch back to Jorge from Stinnett would result in better outings. I look at his .279/11 HR/46 RBI, and his suprising .389 OBP, good for 13th in the AL, and I give him a B-/C+
Andy Phillips/Miguel Cairo/Bubba Crosby:
Yes, they've all played in more than 45 games and yes I'm rolling these 3 role (I slay myself) players into 1. Phillips has obviously been the best of the trio, putting up some impressive numbers and being a relatively effective first base. Crosby and Cairo are a stalemate because although Cairo has been significantly more useful offensively, Crosby simply shined defensively before his untimely injury that led to the failed Terence Long experiment. They all have their purpose and they all fit their part, but none of the three have really made a case that they're a force to be reckoned with. However, they're bench players, and are held to lower standards, so they earn a C+.
Melky Cabrera: Melky has been everything to need him to be: average. Frankly, he's stepped in brilliantly in this team's time of crisis and without him, I personally believe the East would be a romp by now. Now of course he hasn't been a good player, only adequate enough to fill in, but he does play an excellent left field, almost up to par with Matsui, and his catch to rob Manny was incredible. I think about how he has performed when thrown into the fire (literally, his 1st series was against the Sawx), and his decent .358 OBP, and I give him a B.
Bernie Williams: I seem to be the only one left who loves Bernie. I loved him before the season started when everyone was making cracks about his eyes and his weak dribblers back to the pitchers. He has been good. He hasn't been great, he hasn't even been good enough to be a regular starter, I agree, but when we ask him to play, he plays, all out. I'll never forget the day he went 5-5. His fielding has been decent, he hasn't embarassed himself, but he hasn't been good either. A .282 average is nice, and his 17 2B are right up there with the leaders of the team. However, I can't allow my sentimentality to interfere with my objectivity (say that 5 times fast), and therefore Bernie gets a B-.That's all for now, as the game is minutes from starting. A lot of high grades here today on the offensive side, but look for things to get decidedly uglier tomorrow as we move into pitching.
See ya then,
Dyslexia.
Crosstown Rivals is sponsored by JustGreatTickets.com, your home for Chicago White Sox Tickets.
7.13.2006
Blockbuster
So the Astros and D-Rays made a deal yesterday. The Houston squad was acquiring a player who, for those of you not versed in the Tampa Bay lore, is the greatest player in the history of their franchise.
Aubrey Huff is no Hall of Fame legend, like Wade Boggs, who toiled briefly as a Ray.
He's no Fred McGriff, whose 493 career homers put him at least in the general vicinity of Cooperstown.
But make no mistake. Huff was the lone good Ray, hitting 20+ HR in the last four seasons with RBI totals above ninety in the last three. He hit .288 while flying all over the diamond, playing any position Larry Rothschild, Hal MacRae, Lou Piniella or Joe Maddon would let him play.
Not to mention he did this all in pitiful seasons where staff aces included Victor Zambrano and Jeremi Gonzalez. (Nightmare alert.)
He's now going to Houston to supplant underachiever Mike "I'm Very Similar to My Teammate Jason Lane" Lamb at third base.
And that's the gun, boys.
So begins the offseason of trade talk.
Today Reds GM Wayne Krivsky (right) and Nationals GM Jim Bowden had a little powwow. And Krivsky was icing down his head with cold steaks after the hurting Bowden put on him.
Why was this a bad deal already? Well, let's think of some reasons.
Krivsky just made Royce Clayton his starting shortstop. The guy he traded away, Felipe Lopez, was not a good defensive shortstop at all, but he hit the daylights out of the ball last year. An .838 OPS from an SS is pretty good.
Krivsky then shipped away talented outfielder Austin Kearns, who was supposed to be caught in some massive logjam last year, relieved earlier in the offseason, though, by the trade of first baseman Sean Casey. Maybe this was to open up right field for Ryan Freel or prospect Chris Denorfia. I don't think that was the goal though. The Reds got Gary Majewski... who aside from one outlier last year has been a pretty mediocre reliever with a perilously low strikeout rate for a set-up man.
The Mets, though, are ominously quiet. Why's that?
I've got an answer. Because Livan Hernandez, notably of the most abused arm in baseball and of a 5.94 ERA this season, will cost you Lastings Milledge.
And I think that will make Minaya stand pat with the starting pitching, if only because of the potential help that could come from youngsters like Pelfrey, Maine and Bannister, all of whom have pitched well at various levels this year.
But mostly because of the fact that Jose Lima is sitting in AAA, ready to strike at will, whenever the Mets need to end a winning streak or lose a couple games.
Jose Lima is the Barbra Streisand of baseball, where he just keeps going on farewell tours because people will pay a bunch of money to see him (although maybe they wouldn't if they had more advance notice he'd be pitching).
The grand prediction of the day: the Mets stand pat again. They can't really improve in the field by any acquisitions and I will vomit if I see the last name Kennedy on the jersey of a Mets second baseman.
Thankfully, though, now that he's signed with the Yankees, nobody has to see the name Ponson on the back of an XXXXXXXXL jersey. Pinstripes are supposedly slimming though.
I'll be back tomorrow with the return of baseball, but I'll be ranting on steroids rather than previewing Mets-Cubs.
Crosstown Rivals is sponsored by JustGreatTickets.com, your home for Chicago White Sox Tickets.
Last Night
Buster Olney is a genius. I just remembered that I was supposed to write a review of The Last Night of the Yankee Dynasty, but I completely spaced. I don't have it in me right now, and there are more pressing issues, but do yourself a favor; if you are a Yankee fan and you haven't read this book, go and buy it right now. It's that good. The way that Olney works is amazing. First off, it's cleverly arranged so that each chapter covers a key figure in the championship run, household names like Tino or O'neill, or more forgetten players like Irabu and Broscius. The end of the chapter then details one half of an inning of game 7 of the 2001 series against the D'backs, or in other words, the last night.
Olney's details into the inner workings of the Yankee organization are incredible, and you wonder suspicuously how he even got his hands on this type of info. From Gene Michaels to Cash to The Boss himself, after reading Olney's work, you kinda feel like you actually know these people, what makes them tick. Of course it's heartwrenching at the end, but you'll enjoy the read so much it doesn't even matter. The relationships, behind the scene feuds and personalities of the players are exposed in a way that we're unlikely to ever see again. To be a little more concise, you have to read this book.
Oh. Well I suppose I did write a review, short as it may of been. Well at least it didn't include the words riveting, or, a masterpiece.
Also, it appears I've gotten sloppy. It seems that during my baseball hiatus, in addition to picking up this kid Kris Wilson who I have seen, we also got Aaron Guiel off waivers from the Royals. In fact, he got into the game in that romp we had against the Injuns last week. A hit, a walk, three runs scored, very productive. Apparently, he'll be splitting time in right field with Bernie, with Guiel playing against righty starters and Bernie playing against lefties. I don't know if this our permanent solution, but I'm assuming it's the best we can do for now. Guiel is a quality back up and should be pretty servicable. No complaints here. However, in regards to my last article on trade rumors, I wouldn't say this totally negates the prospect of a Sanders deal, although it does hurt it. As long as Guiel doesn't completely crash and burn, he's our new RF for the forseeable future, until Sheff comes back.
See ya later folks.
Crosstown Rivals is sponsored by JustGreatTickets.com, your home for Chicago White Sox Tickets.
Olney's details into the inner workings of the Yankee organization are incredible, and you wonder suspicuously how he even got his hands on this type of info. From Gene Michaels to Cash to The Boss himself, after reading Olney's work, you kinda feel like you actually know these people, what makes them tick. Of course it's heartwrenching at the end, but you'll enjoy the read so much it doesn't even matter. The relationships, behind the scene feuds and personalities of the players are exposed in a way that we're unlikely to ever see again. To be a little more concise, you have to read this book.
Oh. Well I suppose I did write a review, short as it may of been. Well at least it didn't include the words riveting, or, a masterpiece.
Also, it appears I've gotten sloppy. It seems that during my baseball hiatus, in addition to picking up this kid Kris Wilson who I have seen, we also got Aaron Guiel off waivers from the Royals. In fact, he got into the game in that romp we had against the Injuns last week. A hit, a walk, three runs scored, very productive. Apparently, he'll be splitting time in right field with Bernie, with Guiel playing against righty starters and Bernie playing against lefties. I don't know if this our permanent solution, but I'm assuming it's the best we can do for now. Guiel is a quality back up and should be pretty servicable. No complaints here. However, in regards to my last article on trade rumors, I wouldn't say this totally negates the prospect of a Sanders deal, although it does hurt it. As long as Guiel doesn't completely crash and burn, he's our new RF for the forseeable future, until Sheff comes back.
See ya later folks.
Crosstown Rivals is sponsored by JustGreatTickets.com, your home for Chicago White Sox Tickets.
Sidney Ponson is Jesus Christ
Sorry to offend those out there that do not share my religious beliefs, but it happens to be the truth. Our season is resting delicately on the overweight and oft drunk belly of Sidney Ponson. Moose and Wang (Wong) have been stellar, but our back end, RJ and Chacon, have been hammered, although both have shown slight improvement. Sidney, who was rendered irrelevant when the Cards picked up former Yankee disgrace Jeff Weaver, will round out our rotation. So far his numbers aren't too much to look at. 4-4 with a 5.24 ERA in 14 starts with St. Louie. However, like it or not, he is the only savior we got for now. If he can put his troubles behind him and win seven games this half, it would go a lonnnng way to cementing our place in October. All he needs to be is a replacement bolt until Pavano gets back on his feet. If this doesn't happen, I suppose Sidney's in it for the long haul. I personally think it's a good fit. Ponson seems to have moved past his disturbed past, littered with DWI's and weight problems, and as evidenced by Strawberries and Cream, a winning environment helps put the issues at rest. Plus, as Cash says, "He's still got a great arm." [ESPN]
In other news, July is here, which can only mean one thing. Trade rumors. One thing we know for sure, is that Hughes is not on the block, unless something spectacular comes along. Thank god for that. The issue with this trade season is that every team seems to be in the thick of the playoff race. I believe the recyled fact is that 19 or 20 teams are within 6 games of a playoff spot, and frankly, if you're not good enough to be in it this year, you probably don't have very much big-league ready talent, which is what the Yanks need. Right now, a replacement for crazy man Kyle Farnsworth would be helpful, as well as a cheap corner outfielder who can play until both of ours heal. We don't need an Abreu, and it's unlikely that the Phils are ready to part with him, considering they're only about 5 out of a WC spot. The 2nd half for us will mean a lot of injured impact players will be returning, among them Sheffield, Matsui, Pavano, Dotel, and the less seriously hurt Damon and Cano. Dotel will help to solve our inability to get to Mo, and Pavano will hopefully add another sturdy arm to the rotation. But these things do not erase all the question marks hanging over our head. Apart from Mo and Villone, who has been surprisingly helpful, our bullpen is questionable. Farnsworth has been erratic, T.J. Beam and Matt Smith are both unproven, Scott Proctor is just plain not very good, and although Mike Myers has been pretty effective up to now, the jury is still out on his worth. The fact is that we're not getting deep into October with this bullpen. We need another arm. A quick fix possibilty for the outfield is Reggie Sanders, who is on a team going nowhere with KC. He would add a little spark to the lineup and be an invaluable bench player when and if the postseason comes to the Bronx. The 5 names that seem to floating around in terms of what Cash is willing to give up are here, [MLB.com] at the bottom of the page. Cabrera, Proctor, and Chacon are among them, as well as Wright and Phillips.
Bigups, folks,
I'll be back later today with more trade talk. In addition to this look for Crosstown's revised picks/predictions somewhere in the near future, now that the break has rolled around.
In other news, July is here, which can only mean one thing. Trade rumors. One thing we know for sure, is that Hughes is not on the block, unless something spectacular comes along. Thank god for that. The issue with this trade season is that every team seems to be in the thick of the playoff race. I believe the recyled fact is that 19 or 20 teams are within 6 games of a playoff spot, and frankly, if you're not good enough to be in it this year, you probably don't have very much big-league ready talent, which is what the Yanks need. Right now, a replacement for crazy man Kyle Farnsworth would be helpful, as well as a cheap corner outfielder who can play until both of ours heal. We don't need an Abreu, and it's unlikely that the Phils are ready to part with him, considering they're only about 5 out of a WC spot. The 2nd half for us will mean a lot of injured impact players will be returning, among them Sheffield, Matsui, Pavano, Dotel, and the less seriously hurt Damon and Cano. Dotel will help to solve our inability to get to Mo, and Pavano will hopefully add another sturdy arm to the rotation. But these things do not erase all the question marks hanging over our head. Apart from Mo and Villone, who has been surprisingly helpful, our bullpen is questionable. Farnsworth has been erratic, T.J. Beam and Matt Smith are both unproven, Scott Proctor is just plain not very good, and although Mike Myers has been pretty effective up to now, the jury is still out on his worth. The fact is that we're not getting deep into October with this bullpen. We need another arm. A quick fix possibilty for the outfield is Reggie Sanders, who is on a team going nowhere with KC. He would add a little spark to the lineup and be an invaluable bench player when and if the postseason comes to the Bronx. The 5 names that seem to floating around in terms of what Cash is willing to give up are here, [MLB.com] at the bottom of the page. Cabrera, Proctor, and Chacon are among them, as well as Wright and Phillips.
Bigups, folks,
I'll be back later today with more trade talk. In addition to this look for Crosstown's revised picks/predictions somewhere in the near future, now that the break has rolled around.
7.12.2006
You Know Me, Bud
To be honest, I don't know that much about baseball. Don't get me wrong, I know a good deal more than Joe baseball fan, but my real forte lies in basketball, or possibly even football. I don't know a lot of things. My co-blogger can often school me in baseball trivia and coversations with his fancy schmancy bp numbers which I refuse to submit to. But there are a few things that I know pretty damn well. And one of those things is steroids.
It's an ugly topic. People say they don't wanna talk about it. Well they do. This is the deepest, darkest, juciest story to hit baseball in about... 87 years. I mean for godsakes, a man playing for the San Diego Surf Dawgs (no, not dogs) called the MLB a mafia. And people listened! The whole thing is spiraling out of control, and everyone seems to have an opinion. Bud Selig has a had a whole deal of good ideas and a good deal of bad ones. Interleague play and the wild card being 2 of the former, while 'this one counts' and of course, how he is dealing with this scandal, would lie with the latter. Either way, steroids will define Selig's reign. Don't get me wrong, they'll be some guy yelling about the wild card and what a great idea it was, but no one will pay attention. The wild card is very small potatoes when compared to 'the integrity of the game'. Selig is a joke. There's no doubt about it. Even if Bonds gets indicted, more on that later, it will be a small moral victory. This goes way deeper than Bonds. Or Palmeiro or Sosa or McGuire or Giambi. This is potentially dangerous to the game of baseball. And honestly, if I were Bud Selig, I couldn't think of a better idea that just hiding this whole mess under the carpet. Because it's his fault. He has brought this upon himself. And no indictments can save him now. This thing has been put into action. Selig was too indecisive. He didn't mean for all this info to get out, but it did, and he couldn't very well let his public image be one of someone who doesn't care. 'Get me an investigaton! Call Congress! Arrest Grimsley, Anderson, do what you have to do. I want this son of a bitch Bonds behind bars or out of this game, whatever comes 1st!' It's too late. This is beyond Bonds now. This is a snowball that is not getting any smaller, and there is a very steep hill covered in snow waiting for it. Bud is in deep shit. So can you blame the guy for hiding it? Can you really call him a mobster? He's making a difficult decision, but ultimately, in his judgment, it's better for the game. And it very well may be. Do you really want a baseball world without Giambi, Pujols, Tejada, Mcguire, Sosa, yes, the never impicated Ortiz, and the list is a whole lot longer than that, all for the sake of truth? Sure, it's easy for you to say, but who are you to put the game's future at risk? Let it lie under the rug, it belongs there. Selig's doing what is necessary. As corny as it sounds, sometimes people have to do things they're not proud of in pursuit of the greater good.
And that's all I have to say for now.
More tomorrow, but no more from me on steroids for a while, I'm getting clean.
It's an ugly topic. People say they don't wanna talk about it. Well they do. This is the deepest, darkest, juciest story to hit baseball in about... 87 years. I mean for godsakes, a man playing for the San Diego Surf Dawgs (no, not dogs) called the MLB a mafia. And people listened! The whole thing is spiraling out of control, and everyone seems to have an opinion. Bud Selig has a had a whole deal of good ideas and a good deal of bad ones. Interleague play and the wild card being 2 of the former, while 'this one counts' and of course, how he is dealing with this scandal, would lie with the latter. Either way, steroids will define Selig's reign. Don't get me wrong, they'll be some guy yelling about the wild card and what a great idea it was, but no one will pay attention. The wild card is very small potatoes when compared to 'the integrity of the game'. Selig is a joke. There's no doubt about it. Even if Bonds gets indicted, more on that later, it will be a small moral victory. This goes way deeper than Bonds. Or Palmeiro or Sosa or McGuire or Giambi. This is potentially dangerous to the game of baseball. And honestly, if I were Bud Selig, I couldn't think of a better idea that just hiding this whole mess under the carpet. Because it's his fault. He has brought this upon himself. And no indictments can save him now. This thing has been put into action. Selig was too indecisive. He didn't mean for all this info to get out, but it did, and he couldn't very well let his public image be one of someone who doesn't care. 'Get me an investigaton! Call Congress! Arrest Grimsley, Anderson, do what you have to do. I want this son of a bitch Bonds behind bars or out of this game, whatever comes 1st!' It's too late. This is beyond Bonds now. This is a snowball that is not getting any smaller, and there is a very steep hill covered in snow waiting for it. Bud is in deep shit. So can you blame the guy for hiding it? Can you really call him a mobster? He's making a difficult decision, but ultimately, in his judgment, it's better for the game. And it very well may be. Do you really want a baseball world without Giambi, Pujols, Tejada, Mcguire, Sosa, yes, the never impicated Ortiz, and the list is a whole lot longer than that, all for the sake of truth? Sure, it's easy for you to say, but who are you to put the game's future at risk? Let it lie under the rug, it belongs there. Selig's doing what is necessary. As corny as it sounds, sometimes people have to do things they're not proud of in pursuit of the greater good.
And that's all I have to say for now.
More tomorrow, but no more from me on steroids for a while, I'm getting clean.
All-Wrong Game
There is a lot wrong with the good ole All-Star Game, especially considering that "this one counts."
And a bunch of it had to do with the big cheese, Bud Selig, Mostly, though, it was the fault of the man on your right, who looks like a cross between Satan and Jeff Bagwell thanks to my photoshopping skills, Phil Garner.
Bud Selig is hunting for additional ways to reach his Sawx-Yanksgasm and by awarding the AL home field advantage in every World Series, he has reached such a goal. Why play four games in the '06 series at Shea when you can play four at the historic 200 bucks a bleacher seat Fenway Pahk.
Then there's the issue of managers. Who conceived the idea of their omnipotence? While BP has noted that the greatest managers are worth at best a win or two per season, does it really make sense for the manager of a 43-46 team to control the World Series fates of teams with records like 53-36 and 48-39, much better bets to make the postseason? On what bizarro planet was Phil Garner authorized to make obviously stupid decisions like batting low-OBP free swinger Alfonso Soriano leadoff while batting David Wright sixth after cleanup hitter Jason Bay (27.8 VORP) and fifth-hitter Edgar Renteria (30.7 VORP). The VORPs of Beltran (38.7) and Wright (36.8) clearly indicate much more productivity than all of the bums that Garner adores. Not to mention that both have out-homered and out-RBIed Renteria while Beltran has out-homered and out-RBIed Bay and Wright is only one homer short of Bay after driving in more runs while hitting and getting on base at better clips.
And don't forget how Garner treated the relievers. Whether or not Hells Bells cared about the outcome of the game (he should; the Padres are a first-place team) is pretty unimportant, and Garner did make the right call, as Hoff is miles ahead of the pack in WXRL, a metric for measuring relievers. He is followed by Tom Gordon, an All-Star, but then by Billy Wagner, an All-Star snub. Why would Garner name Roy Oswalt and Chris Capuano to the rotation (replacing Pedro/Glavine) when his bullpen was weakened by the presence of the Brewer closer Derrick Turnbow (#46 in NL WXRL) and Rockies closer Brian Fuentes (#12 in NL WXRL). While these guys were neither selected by Garner nor did they allow runs when they worked in the game, Garner should have replaced these starters with effective and worthy relievers, like Wagner and Dodgers closer (and favorite of mine) Takashi Saito (#4 in NL WXRL). In matters of hubris, Jason Schmidt takes the cake. He started on Sunday (like Glavine and Jose Contreras, who both withdrew) but because he wanted to put on a show for the Pittsburgh fans who he used to entertain, he didn't withdraw. Same goes for Bronson Arroyo, who threw 105 pitches in getting shelled against the Braves.
I wonder if some of it is all about being spiteful towards the Mets. Not naming Wagner? Leaving in lazy and disaffected Miguel Cabrera at third while letting 6-time Gold Glover Scott Rolen ride pine. And don't get me started about playing Carlos Lee and Matt Holliday in the corner outfield slots while eight-time Gold Glover Andruw Jones is sitting in the dugout. And what says spite more than letting Freddy Sanchez push David Wright? Furthermore, don't make me remind anyone that the Mets accounted for 100% of the NL runs despite Garner's best efforts to marginalize them. Not to mention the fact that David Eckstein, a fan favorite and scrappy player who does not deserve by any statistical measure a spot in the all-star game, actually got into the game. The Deckstein's 15.6 VORP ranks 7th among NL shortstops, making him a far less worthy selection than snubs Bill Hall, Omar Vizquel, Hanley Ramirez and Felipe Lopez, numbers three through six, all of whom, except Hall and Lopez, have out-fielded Eckstein this year.
Non-Met NLers: 3/21, .142 BA, 0 HR, 0 R, 0 RBI, 4 SO, 5 LOB.
Mets: 3/9, .333 BA, 1 HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, 0 SO, 2 LOB
I think that says a ton. Don't even make me start to suggest that a Met team with a healthy Pedro on the hill and their entire bullpen available could have won this game. Oops. I just did.
So Michael Young somehow made this peachy extravaganza turn sour. He ranks up there with Vernon Wells as the player who is so often talked about as underrated that he morphs into overrated, even though he's been a good fielder and hitter so far in his career playing in an exquisite hitters' park. In all honesty, Glaus and Konerko are two good hitters who racked up some hits against one of the greatest closers of all time. Shit happens.
On the whole, you have to be happy with the Mets at midseason. Don't read what my not-so-useless-anymore cohort has to say about the Mets or his Yankees. He's wrong. About everything.
I'm Getting Too Young for This
First things first.
A little ASG recap.
First off, I'm tired of all this crap about the Yankees and Red Sox taking over the All-Star Game because the fans aren't smart enough to make the right choices.
The Yankees had 4 all stars.
Cano, Rivera, Jeter, and Rodriguez. Tell me which one of those wasn't justified. Which one. Tell me. Don't say Bob, you'll be wrong. None of them.
I'm less learned on the Red Sox matter but I believe they had 4.
Papelbon, Loretta, Ortiz, and "I'm way too good for this shit" Ramirez.
Meanwhile, the Mets have 6!
I'm so sick and tired of hearing that the Yankees receive all the fan bias. EVERYONE HATES THE YANKEES! Hasn't anyone been paying attention! We get booed wherever we go. Moose wasn't even an all-star. He should have been. And here the Mets, everyone's darling, with they're clearly lame up and coming 3B leading the way. "Wait a minute, this isn't pastel!" Six.
Martinez, Glavine, (didn't deserve it, look at his June and July ERA people), Reyes (shouldn't be a starter), Wright, Beltran, and of all things, Paul Fucking Lo Duca. It's a circus show. The Yankees are a good team, they deserved 4, the Mets are a good team, and they got 4 starters!
Screw the establishment, the goddamn Yankees never manage to win (except championships). they booed Derek Jeter! Why? I don't understand. He hasn't done anything wrong! And somehow, the lovable loser Red Sox who aren't losers anymore get all the fanfare. David Ortiz is on more steroids than a fucking bodybuilder. And he just grins real wide and the crowd eats him up. What a disgrace. Whatever. It's not worth it to fight.
Recap:
AL vs. NL
AL 3 - NL 2
Starting Pitchers:
AL: Kenny Rogers (11-3, 3.85)
NL: Brad Penny (throwing 99 mph) (10-2, 2.91)
Good Stuff:
Brad Penny was lethal, striking out the side in the 1st before giving a gopher ball up to Bad Vlad and his 4 foot strike zone. (Oh what a large strike zone he has, I'm Karl Ravech, I'm gonna talk about it some more and then pick the Blue Jays to win the East. Idiot.)
David Wright sent one careening down the left field line. Interview with his father was priceless, as he describes how D-Wright 'once got in a food fight'. Apparently, Wright's favorite show is 24, because it keeps you on the edge of your seat. Good to know David.
Carlos Beltran manafactured the go ahead run. Good for him. I like how Phil Garner couldn't remember his name (he calls him boy) even though he coached him 2 years ago.
Vernon Wells has a cannon. Guns down Fonzi. Wow what a 5-tool player he is. I'm the 1st person to say that right?
Jose Lopez scoring. I like him.
Freddy, "it's fucking pittsburgh i'll do what i feel like" Sanchez knocking Wright out of the way to catch a ball.
Michael Young's 2 run triple off one the most overrated closers in baseball leads to even more remarks about how underrated he is. No but honestly he's a really good player. He's playing out of position and he's still an All Star. Kinda like... no I won't even say it. No one would listen.
Jeter looks silly, A-Rod taps softly out a couple times.
Mo shuts the door.
The fact that Krukky was this close to being redeemed, but no.
Bud Selig glancing at his piece of paper to find out Young's name. Good stuff. You hooligan.
Final Thoughts:
It was an entertaining game. Can't ask for much more than a go ahead hit when you're down to your last strike. It's never been done before. So, in a way, the '06 ASG will probably be remembered. That's good.
It was dominated by pitching just like everyone said it would be, and it amused me that Trevor "hey the NL is actually good we're tired of this crap" Hoffman blew it. Hey, it just means home field for the Yankees, so why wouldn't I be happy? I also gained some respect for Ozzie for not going with Papelbon or the 300 million dollar man, Ryan, Rivera did earn this opportunity, and it's good to see him lock it down. Fun times, and all at a brisk pace. The Clemente ceremony was especially good. I actually never knew he was that talented. Huh. Seems like a great player and a great guy, good for the game. Doesn't get any better than that.
It seems we've gotten to the annual point where all the analysts and all of the country count out the Yankees. Fun. Honestly, it's just fuel for the fire, let them say what they want to, the Yankees are winning this division. Everyone questions their pitching. Look at the Sox. Look at the Mets! An injured Pedro, a declining Glavine, Trax, and this Cuban fellow. That's not a pitching staff. Pelf isn't ready. We are making the playoffs folks, it's just monstrously irritating that you manage to pick some fucking team like the Tigers over us every year. Yea, people think I'm an idiot for saying it. THEY'RE THE TIGERS. I personally saw the Indians coming out of this division, playing the role of Detroit. But one of these days, the Tigers are gonna wake up and realize who they are. And from there, it's nowhere but down. Even with all the injuries we've had to suffer through, the Yankees are still an immensely talented team, and they are most certainly not going anywhere. Sorry.
The AL dominance is for real. But it's not like a freak of nature thing. Every dog has it's day in baseball. It's an integral part of what keeps the game appealing. The AL has better pitching, better hitting, and better fielding, plus 4-5 elite teams. The Mets, meanwhile, have to compete with the likes of the suddenly mediocre Cardinals and the upstart Dodgers, who are practically made of rookies. It's such a wide margin of difference that I believe that if the Mets were playing in the AL, even in the West, the weakest division, right now they would be a 44 or 45 win team. They're not that good. You hear Schuyla prattle on about stats that take into account certain things like park factor and that ERA where you compare it to the rest of the league's that year. Well how about a stat that takes into account how badly the NL sucks? Just a thought.
Why did Nomar not play? Jeez Phil, he's the leading vote-getter, get him some action. It's a shame. Druw and Rolen were 2 other significant players who did not get on the field for the NL
For the AL, I believe it was Ozzie's own, A.J., who didn't get to play. Was there anything more priceless than during starting lineups when Pierzinski was expecting to get booed, and when it wasn't too terrible, he turned to Konerko and said, 'ha that wasn't that bad', right into the mike? Magglio Ordonez is one ugly man.
I really like Ryan Howard. Doesn't everyone?
Perennial O.K. player Aubrey Huff is heading to the Stros for a bunch of prospects. Ummm, does Houston really think it's gonna make a playoff push? Really now.
I don't like the Mets. Here's to an epic collapse due to poor pitching.
Cheers!
A little ASG recap.
First off, I'm tired of all this crap about the Yankees and Red Sox taking over the All-Star Game because the fans aren't smart enough to make the right choices.
The Yankees had 4 all stars.
Cano, Rivera, Jeter, and Rodriguez. Tell me which one of those wasn't justified. Which one. Tell me. Don't say Bob, you'll be wrong. None of them.
I'm less learned on the Red Sox matter but I believe they had 4.
Papelbon, Loretta, Ortiz, and "I'm way too good for this shit" Ramirez.
Meanwhile, the Mets have 6!
I'm so sick and tired of hearing that the Yankees receive all the fan bias. EVERYONE HATES THE YANKEES! Hasn't anyone been paying attention! We get booed wherever we go. Moose wasn't even an all-star. He should have been. And here the Mets, everyone's darling, with they're clearly lame up and coming 3B leading the way. "Wait a minute, this isn't pastel!" Six.
Martinez, Glavine, (didn't deserve it, look at his June and July ERA people), Reyes (shouldn't be a starter), Wright, Beltran, and of all things, Paul Fucking Lo Duca. It's a circus show. The Yankees are a good team, they deserved 4, the Mets are a good team, and they got 4 starters!
Screw the establishment, the goddamn Yankees never manage to win (except championships). they booed Derek Jeter! Why? I don't understand. He hasn't done anything wrong! And somehow, the lovable loser Red Sox who aren't losers anymore get all the fanfare. David Ortiz is on more steroids than a fucking bodybuilder. And he just grins real wide and the crowd eats him up. What a disgrace. Whatever. It's not worth it to fight.
Recap:
AL vs. NL
AL 3 - NL 2
Starting Pitchers:
AL: Kenny Rogers (11-3, 3.85)
NL: Brad Penny (throwing 99 mph) (10-2, 2.91)
Good Stuff:
Brad Penny was lethal, striking out the side in the 1st before giving a gopher ball up to Bad Vlad and his 4 foot strike zone. (Oh what a large strike zone he has, I'm Karl Ravech, I'm gonna talk about it some more and then pick the Blue Jays to win the East. Idiot.)
David Wright sent one careening down the left field line. Interview with his father was priceless, as he describes how D-Wright 'once got in a food fight'. Apparently, Wright's favorite show is 24, because it keeps you on the edge of your seat. Good to know David.
Carlos Beltran manafactured the go ahead run. Good for him. I like how Phil Garner couldn't remember his name (he calls him boy) even though he coached him 2 years ago.
Vernon Wells has a cannon. Guns down Fonzi. Wow what a 5-tool player he is. I'm the 1st person to say that right?
Jose Lopez scoring. I like him.
Freddy, "it's fucking pittsburgh i'll do what i feel like" Sanchez knocking Wright out of the way to catch a ball.
Michael Young's 2 run triple off one the most overrated closers in baseball leads to even more remarks about how underrated he is. No but honestly he's a really good player. He's playing out of position and he's still an All Star. Kinda like... no I won't even say it. No one would listen.
Jeter looks silly, A-Rod taps softly out a couple times.
Mo shuts the door.
The fact that Krukky was this close to being redeemed, but no.
Bud Selig glancing at his piece of paper to find out Young's name. Good stuff. You hooligan.
Final Thoughts:
It was an entertaining game. Can't ask for much more than a go ahead hit when you're down to your last strike. It's never been done before. So, in a way, the '06 ASG will probably be remembered. That's good.
It was dominated by pitching just like everyone said it would be, and it amused me that Trevor "hey the NL is actually good we're tired of this crap" Hoffman blew it. Hey, it just means home field for the Yankees, so why wouldn't I be happy? I also gained some respect for Ozzie for not going with Papelbon or the 300 million dollar man, Ryan, Rivera did earn this opportunity, and it's good to see him lock it down. Fun times, and all at a brisk pace. The Clemente ceremony was especially good. I actually never knew he was that talented. Huh. Seems like a great player and a great guy, good for the game. Doesn't get any better than that.
It seems we've gotten to the annual point where all the analysts and all of the country count out the Yankees. Fun. Honestly, it's just fuel for the fire, let them say what they want to, the Yankees are winning this division. Everyone questions their pitching. Look at the Sox. Look at the Mets! An injured Pedro, a declining Glavine, Trax, and this Cuban fellow. That's not a pitching staff. Pelf isn't ready. We are making the playoffs folks, it's just monstrously irritating that you manage to pick some fucking team like the Tigers over us every year. Yea, people think I'm an idiot for saying it. THEY'RE THE TIGERS. I personally saw the Indians coming out of this division, playing the role of Detroit. But one of these days, the Tigers are gonna wake up and realize who they are. And from there, it's nowhere but down. Even with all the injuries we've had to suffer through, the Yankees are still an immensely talented team, and they are most certainly not going anywhere. Sorry.
The AL dominance is for real. But it's not like a freak of nature thing. Every dog has it's day in baseball. It's an integral part of what keeps the game appealing. The AL has better pitching, better hitting, and better fielding, plus 4-5 elite teams. The Mets, meanwhile, have to compete with the likes of the suddenly mediocre Cardinals and the upstart Dodgers, who are practically made of rookies. It's such a wide margin of difference that I believe that if the Mets were playing in the AL, even in the West, the weakest division, right now they would be a 44 or 45 win team. They're not that good. You hear Schuyla prattle on about stats that take into account certain things like park factor and that ERA where you compare it to the rest of the league's that year. Well how about a stat that takes into account how badly the NL sucks? Just a thought.
Why did Nomar not play? Jeez Phil, he's the leading vote-getter, get him some action. It's a shame. Druw and Rolen were 2 other significant players who did not get on the field for the NL
For the AL, I believe it was Ozzie's own, A.J., who didn't get to play. Was there anything more priceless than during starting lineups when Pierzinski was expecting to get booed, and when it wasn't too terrible, he turned to Konerko and said, 'ha that wasn't that bad', right into the mike? Magglio Ordonez is one ugly man.
I really like Ryan Howard. Doesn't everyone?
Perennial O.K. player Aubrey Huff is heading to the Stros for a bunch of prospects. Ummm, does Houston really think it's gonna make a playoff push? Really now.
I don't like the Mets. Here's to an epic collapse due to poor pitching.
Cheers!
A Spite Posting
So, apart from being called useless these days, my main activities have been lounging, a variety of, as schuyla would call them, un-american sports, and a good deal of sleep.
Now, here at crosstown, both of us skipped out on ASG coverage, either of the selection day or gameday variety.
There has been a significant lull in the posting schedule for myself. no matter how many times they say it, i never seem to get used to the idea that when summer starts, the baseball season kicks into gear. it seems so wrong.
but, i suppose duties are duties.
here, i'll be outlining what you'll be seeing my from my side of the crosstown rivals blog this summer.
1. no previews.
2. recaps. of every yankees game.
3. an editorial every once in a while.
4. some knicks and giants coverage on a subliminal level.
5. series', such as the rarely updated written top ten yankees of all time, # 8 is next, whitey ford. the only pitcher on the list. stay tuned.
6. smack talk. what? schuyla' sucks. so do the mets.
7. my thoughts and opinions on news from around the league.
8. lots of ranting
expect something from schuyla' along similar lines, but you never know.
Now, here at crosstown, both of us skipped out on ASG coverage, either of the selection day or gameday variety.
There has been a significant lull in the posting schedule for myself. no matter how many times they say it, i never seem to get used to the idea that when summer starts, the baseball season kicks into gear. it seems so wrong.
but, i suppose duties are duties.
here, i'll be outlining what you'll be seeing my from my side of the crosstown rivals blog this summer.
1. no previews.
2. recaps. of every yankees game.
3. an editorial every once in a while.
4. some knicks and giants coverage on a subliminal level.
5. series', such as the rarely updated written top ten yankees of all time, # 8 is next, whitey ford. the only pitcher on the list. stay tuned.
6. smack talk. what? schuyla' sucks. so do the mets.
7. my thoughts and opinions on news from around the league.
8. lots of ranting
expect something from schuyla' along similar lines, but you never know.
7.11.2006
David Wright is a lot of things
Just a little update on the status of this blog, since I haven't touched it in a while and my excessively useless co-blogger apparently is allergic to writing for it.
I will resume a daily posting schedule complete with series previews and other fun stuff beginning Monday the 17th. I might work on something before then, but I think I'll be happy enough reading about Captain Red Ass in this week's SI.
And just on another note, does David Wright get a kick out of starting rumors that he's a homosexual?
From Sunday's New York Post Q/A with Steve Serby (you can read the whole article here:
Q: Do you think you'll get married while you're playing?
A: Right now, as cheesy, as corny as it sounds, this is my love. My passion is playing baseball. I have a commitment to this game, and I just couldn't see it happening.
Q: What do you think of those Mrs. Wright T-shirts?
A: (Smiles). I bought my mother one last year, so I guess that's the true meaning of Mrs. Wright for now.
Q: Describe your ideal mate.
A: Athletic. Has to be able to laugh. Beautiful eyes. Intelligent.
Q: Ever think what it would be like going on a double-date with Jeter?
A: (Laughs). I'd love to tag along with Jete for a while and ride his coattails. Have him help me out a bit.
Q: How did you become friendly with Michael Strahan?
A: We did a radio show together in the city and I'm a big Giant fan. I go to as many games as I can."
David, you claim now to be friends with Strahan and you want to go out on a date with Derek Jeter? You adore your mother?
Your ideal mate has to be first and foremost athletic? And you love baseball?
I bet he really does get a kick out of starting these rumors, unlike the Pizza Man who figured he could dye his hair blonde and everyone would think of it as masculine.
Note the most effeminate baseball player photo in history on your right.
I'll see you back here sooner rather than later.
I will resume a daily posting schedule complete with series previews and other fun stuff beginning Monday the 17th. I might work on something before then, but I think I'll be happy enough reading about Captain Red Ass in this week's SI.
And just on another note, does David Wright get a kick out of starting rumors that he's a homosexual?
From Sunday's New York Post Q/A with Steve Serby (you can read the whole article here:
Q: Do you think you'll get married while you're playing?
A: Right now, as cheesy, as corny as it sounds, this is my love. My passion is playing baseball. I have a commitment to this game, and I just couldn't see it happening.
Q: What do you think of those Mrs. Wright T-shirts?
A: (Smiles). I bought my mother one last year, so I guess that's the true meaning of Mrs. Wright for now.
Q: Describe your ideal mate.
A: Athletic. Has to be able to laugh. Beautiful eyes. Intelligent.
Q: Ever think what it would be like going on a double-date with Jeter?
A: (Laughs). I'd love to tag along with Jete for a while and ride his coattails. Have him help me out a bit.
Q: How did you become friendly with Michael Strahan?
A: We did a radio show together in the city and I'm a big Giant fan. I go to as many games as I can."
David, you claim now to be friends with Strahan and you want to go out on a date with Derek Jeter? You adore your mother?
Your ideal mate has to be first and foremost athletic? And you love baseball?
I bet he really does get a kick out of starting these rumors, unlike the Pizza Man who figured he could dye his hair blonde and everyone would think of it as masculine.
Note the most effeminate baseball player photo in history on your right.
I'll see you back here sooner rather than later.
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