Don’t Tell Me how to Feel
I absolutely hate being told how I should feel after a win or a loss. A feeling is a naturally occurring phenomenon and if my feelings don’t match the way some clown thinks I should feel, that doesn’t make me an “####.” Following the recent three game sweep that the White Sox handed the Cubs at U.S. Cellular Field this past weekend, an associate claiming to be a neutral—that is, he is a fan of both the Sox and the Cubs—told me I’m an #### for being happier than usual after the three wins.

His reasons? We’ve all heard them before. Because the Cubs are not in the White Sox division—they aren’t even in the same league—so I should be happier if they were to sweep the Twins, Tigers, or Indians. While true that sweeping one of the latter teams benefits the White Sox in the standings more so than the Cubs, that doesn’t mean I can’t put something extra into my celebration.

For the record, I didn’t celebrate any more than I would normally have if it were any other team. After all, the Cubs swept the Sox last weekend at Wrigley Field. But I was happy today that I didn’t have to walk around with my head hanging low, trying desperately to avoid the fans of the other team and their inevitable humiliating comments. You know the feeling. At the office, you walk down five flights of stairs just because if you take the elevator, you have to walk right past the desk of that obnoxious fan of your team’s rival. Sure, you’re out of breath when you return from your smoke break, but at least you didn’t have to hear that annoying guy rhetorically ask with a big silly grin “Hey, how about them Sox?” Guys like him—I’ll call him Loudmouth—make my life hell. What’s great is that when the Sox win I don’t have to say a darned thing to him. My joy is that Loudmouth hangs his head low and tries to avoid me for a change. I love that.

Besides that, who are you to tell me who I can root for and root against, and why the heck can’t I have both? Why is it “Don’t worry about what the Cubs do, just worry about what the White Sox do?” That’s absurd. I hate the Cubs. I love the White Sox. I'm going to be happy when the Sox win, and I’m going to be happy when the Cubs lose. If both happen in the same game, double the pleasure! I root for the White Sox when they don’t play the Cubs, and I root against the Cubs when they don’t play the White Sox. That’s how it has always been, and that’s how it always will be. That doesn’t make me, or anybody else who is the same way, an ####.

What’s interesting, is what would happen if the White Sox and Cubs (who have both dominated their respective divisions and have both been in first place for several weeks) were to meet in the World Series. If the Sox won, I’d be happy that they won the World Series. I wouldn’t be even more happy because they beat the Cubs. But if the Sox lost, I’d be disappointed about the loss, and I’d be even more disappointed that they lost to the Cubs. I'd rather die than face Loudmouth if that ever happens.

Cub’s Chances of Landing Sabathia
From everything I’ve been hearing, the Cleveland Indians are on the verge of trading their Ace, left handed pitcher C.C. Sabathia, to the highest bidder. The Cubs would seem to be in the mix of possible suitors, and there is no doubt that GM Jim Hendry has a strong interest and prospects to deal. But, on second though, does he really have prospects the Indians want?

I’ve heard the names Felix Pie, Eric Patterson, Rich Hill, Shawn Marshall, and Ronny Cedeno thrown around. On paper it sounds like an impressive package of talent. But after much thought, I’ve ruled that the Cubs would have to give up much more if they realistically expect to acquire the services of Sabathia.


The Cubs better be prepared to meet the Indians'
demands.

Pie has been a disappointing prospect up and down between the Cubs and their Triple-A affiliate. When in the majors, he is almost exclusively used as a defensive replacement or spot starter. He has similar problems to former Cub Corey Patterson, such as the big question of whether he is a leadoff hitter with speed, or a middle of the order power hitter. Eric Patterson simply looks lost in the field, and lacks plate discipline. He doesn’t look like an every day major league hitter to me. Hill, like Pie, has been up and down, and can’t find a spot in a starting rotation that features Jason Marquis and his 4.96 ERA. If Hill can’t supplant Marquis, how good is he really? Same goes for Marshall, who is only pitching right now in the majors due to an injury to Ace Carlos Zambrano. Ronny Cedeno has “tools” but he is a career platoon and/or utility player.  Ditto another AAAA outfielder named Matt Murton.

So, if I’m GM Mark Shapiro of the Indians, what does interest me on the Cubs? If I'm Shapiro, the next time Hendry calls me, I tell him, start with your starting SS Ryan Theriot, and build the package from there. Get back to me when you’re ready to include an actual major league player instead of five players you can’t wait to get rid of.

Does Hendry have the sand to agree to such a swap of blockbuster proportions? That I don’t know, but I’m anxious to find out.

It's June 10th and, against all odds, both of Chicago's baseball teams are in first place.  The Chicago Cubs at the beginning of the season seemed like an odds on favorite to take the NL Central crown, but nobody expected them to have the best record in all of baseball.  On the southside, the White Sox, just as they were in 2005 when they won the World Series, were predicted by many to be nothing more than 4th place team.  They sit atop the AL Central and hold MLB's biggest divisional lead.  Here are the top 10 surprises; some for better, some for worse; for both of Chicago's baseball teams.  I also predict whether the player(s) is likely to keep up the pace, fall off a bit, or get better as the season wears on:

10) Kerry Wood.  Not only has he miraculously managed to stay off the disabled list, but he earned the role of closer in spring training and has gone on to convert on 18 out of 22 save opportunities, all the while striking out 40 and walking only 7.  Verdict:  I think Woody can keep up his pace as long as he doesn't get injured.  It's close, but I'll say he keeps going steadily. 

9) Jim Thome.  The 38-year-old Sox DH is on pace to have the lowest OPS (.800) in any season in which he has played more than 100 games.  Though that's still above league average, he is still striking out more often and walking less often than he normally does.  And he was demoted from 3rd to 5th in the batting order.  Verdict: Despite an obvious depreciation of talent due to age, Thome will improve at the plate as the season progresses.

8) Scott Linebrink and Octavio Dotel.  If the White Sox are leading after the 6th inning you might as well turn off the lights and go home.  Dotel, who normally pitches the 7th inning, is averaging 12.4 strikeouts per 9 innings with a 2.86 ERA.  Linebrink is the 8th inning guy and has recorded 15 holds with a WHIP of only 0.89.  The White Sox as a team, meanwhile, have the second best bullpen ERA in the majors.  Verdict:  I actually believe Dotel will improve a little bit but Linebrink can't continue to pitch out of this world.  As a whole, I'll average them out and say they keep it up.

7) Alexei Ramirez.  It took some time and an injury to Juan Uribe, but Ramirez has supplanted Uribe as the everyday secondbasemen and has produced in a big way.  He's now hitting .291 with 4 home runs with an OPS of .762.  In addition, he flashed ungodly range with a rifle arm in the field.  Verdict.  It's hard not to imagine Ramirez getting better as he gains experience. 

6) Ryan Theriot.  Many thought that Theriot could never be an everyday shortstop at the major league level, but all he's done so far in 2008 is hit .323 with a .404 OBP.  He's also second on the team with 40 runs scored.  Verdict:  Though his average and OBP will come back down to Earth, Theriot's run production and stolen bases will remain and/or go up.  However, overall, he's due to regress.

5) Gavin Floyd.  The White Sox starter leads the team in wins and has a 3.10 ERA with a 1.07 WHIP.  Amazingly, he's taken a no hitter into the 5th inning, 8th inning, and 9th inning this season!  That's in only 12 starts, folks.  Verdict: Though Floyd seems to have found a longterm home with the Sox, he's unlikely to pitch like this forever.

4) Carlos Quentin.  Not many people had ever heard of the former 25th overall pick out of Stanford before this season, but Quentin may now be the best player in MLB history with a last name beginning with 'Q."  He's near the top of the AL leaderboard in homers (16), RBI (54), OBP (.383), and OPS (.933).  Verdict: Because he's young and plays in a hitter's park, Quentin will continue his assault on AL pitchers.

3) Jose Contreras.  After last season, it was hard to envision Contreras would ever pitch at an elite level again.  But the former All-Star and 30-something Cuban pitcher has regained the forkball, and more importantly the confidence, that made him one of baseball's better pitchers in 2005-06.  He has a 2-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio and a 1.13 WHIP.  Verdict:  Contreras will stay at his current pace for the season.

2) Ryan Dempster.  The former starter who turned closer is now a former closer turned starter.  If that sentence wasn't confusing enough, try reading this one:  In over 80 innings pitched Ryan Dempster is 7-2 with a 1.13 WHIP and a 2.90 ERA.  Verdict:  Dempster is due to wear down due to the comfort level lowering as he approaches 200 innings on the season.  Though he'll still win plenty of games, his runs allowed will increase.


It's early, but Soto has proven to be one of
the best catchers in all of baseball.


1)  Geovany Soto.  Before this season, I predicted that Soto would be a future All-Star.  Little did I know that the future is now!  Soto is now a lock to make the All-Star team in 2008, and is a front runner for the rookie of the year.  Dare I say he makes a run at MVP?  He's got an OPS of .898 with 10 longballs.  Verdict:  The kid is for real.  He'll keep it up.

As currently constructed, here is how I would lineup the 2008 version of both Chicago's baseball teams.

Cubs

1 - LF Alfonso Soriano
2 - SS Ryan Theriot
3 - 1B Derek Lee
4 - 3B Aramis Ramirez
5 - RF Kosuke Fukudome
6 - 2B Mark DeRosa
7 - CF Felix Pie
8 - C Giovanni Soto
9 - (pitcher)

Analysis: While many Cubs fans clamor for Soriano to be moved down in the order, perhaps to the number six slot, I strongly disagree with this move. The only places I would bat Soriano are leadoff or third. Clearly, Soriano's statistics are much higher leading off because of the pitcher's propensity to deal him plenty of fastballs, which is about the only pitch Soriano can hit out of the park. But hitting him third followed by Lee would accomplish the same thing, while also giving him the freedom to steal bases at will. If the Cubs acquire 2B Brian Roberts from the Orioles, the top of my order would be Roberts, Theriot, Soriano and everybody else would move down a slot. I think Pie is currently the Cub's best option in CF, and I have Soto eighth instead of Pie because of his plate patience. Soto's good batting eye allows Pie to be aggressive on the basepaths ahead of him, while also letting him draw plenty of walks in front of the pitcher.

White Sox

1 - CF Jerry Owens
2 - SS Orlando Cabrera
3 - DH Jim Thome
4 - 1B Paul Konerko
5 - RF Jermaine Dye
6 - LF Nick Swisher
7 - 3B Joe Crede
8 - C A.J. Pierzynski
9 - 2B Juan Uribe

Analysis: This lineup 2-8 is potent, but obviously there are question marks at leadoff and 9 and there are injury questions as well. Without Owens, this team has a terrible problem of having only station-to-station speed, which was a major inhibitor of the Sox's offense last year. Owens stole 32 bases last year, and hit .279 in the second half of the season. Cabrera is the ultimate run producer from the number two hole, so Owens should score plenty of runs. If Crede's back is still hurting, if he can't produce anywhere near his 2005 or 2006 form, or if he is traded (as speculation has), Josh Fields would fill in nicely at number eight, while Pierzynski moves up to seven. The White Sox have deep quantity but little quality at the second base position. At this point in time, I feel Uribe is their best option. Because of all these question marks, this lineup is considered tentative, but if healthy, they could be dominant.

In recent years since steroids have become such a hot topic in sports and especially in baseball I’ve heard many sports writers say or write that they wouldn’t vote for the accused users on the first ballot for the Hall of Fame (HOF) but would vote for them thereafter. Or, some people have predicted that Mark McGuire, who was snubbed in his first year of eligibility in the summer of 2007, will make it.

If you’ve read my blog in the past you may already know that I am firm in my stance that no steroid user should ever make the HOF. I’m going to challenge the seemingly popular public opinion that getting into the HOF after waiting umpteen years is somehow less satisfying than getting in on the first ballot.

Sure, it might be somewhat anguishing waiting all that time, but if you won the lottery at age 45 does it mean any less than if you had won it with the very first ticket you purchased on your 18th birthday? Who cares? You’re still a millionaire.

Using steroids is not on the same moral plane as murder, but what if it was? What if a judge reduced a life sentence down to 5 years because he thought the guy really learned his lesson? That prisoner is saying “hey, that wasn’t so bad, my crimes were well worth it.”

We live in a society that does not reward the bad guys. Baseball should be no exception.


Cheaters don't win, in any sport, or in life.

Using steroids is cheating, and cheaters aren’t supposed to win. Major League Baseball should, by any means necessary, see to it that anybody ever suspected—that’s right, I said suspected, not proven—of using performance enhancing drugs never even sees his name on the ballot.

There is too much left open to subjectivity in this debate, and this is the only way I see that works. You were indicted by a grand jury on charges of perjury, Mr. Bonds? Bye bye Cooperstown. You failed a steroid test, Mr. Palmeiro? No HOF for you. Your name appeared on the now notorious Mitchell Report, Mr. Clemens and Mr. Pettitte? Sorry, no can do.

While in previous posts I have argued that baseball should retroactively pull post-season awards (MVPs, Cy Youngs, etc) from users and erase their stats from the record books, I have now come to the conclusion that even if it did so—a nearly impossible slippery slope to maneuver around in and of itself—not every sports publication would acknowledge such a move. Would ESPN.com actually remove all references to Barry Bonds from its website? No, but the one thing that is constant is that name on a plaque in the halls of baseball glory in Cooperstown, New York.

There are several reasons why I believe that proof of steroid usage is not necessary in enacting this baseball law. The first, and the most obvious, is that baseball law is not synonymous with and is not governed by the court of law. In this regard, users are not “innocent until proven guilty” because they are not being sent to prison. Rare it is that a player actually fails a Major League steroid test for several reasons. First, the Player’s Association has not approved a test involving blood, which would be necessary to detect certain drugs, including Human Growth Hormone (HGH). Other drugs, like erythropoietin (EPO) and insulin, are difficult to detect using any means. Also, many cheaters were able to successfully cover up their usage with other drugs. Norbolethone (aka “The Clear”) is a drug that balances the levels of natural testosterone and epitestosterone, which means, according to Bonds’ currently imprisoned former trainer Greg Anderson in the book Game of Shadows “You can take [the steroids] the day of [a drug test], pee, and it comes up clear.”


Anderson explained how easy it was to beat
the steroid tests.

This is all very important because, for most of the past decade, there has either been no steroid testing in baseball, not a strict enough test, or too many subsidiary drugs to conceal drugs that were being tested for.

There is also precedence for banning cheaters in spite of there being no criminal evidence or intent. The first commissioner of baseball, Kennesaw Mountain Landis, banned all 8 members of the Chicago “Black Sox” even after they were all acquitted of charges by the judicial system. Landis was a real commissioner who ruled baseball with tough love. The current commissioner, Bud Selig, is a cowardly pud who apparently feels no action is obligatory to restore the sanctity of the game.

Many have stated that it is hypocritical for voters to keep Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa out of the HOF when they are same people who voted for these guys to win the Cy Young and MVP. This logic is not valid. Just because they were wrong then doesn’t mean they have to be wrong for the rest of their lives. In the same way, it is asinine to make any argument that says “Player X (Ty Cobb, ####lord Perry) is in the HOF, so Player Y (Bonds, Clemens) should also be.” In hindsight, it was probably a mistake to put Perry, an admitted ball doctor, into the HOF, but that doesn’t mean we have to make the same mistake over and over and over again forever. Times have changed. It’s time to raise the bar. This is the Hall of Fame, not the Hall of Pretty Darned Good or the Hall of Spectacular, but I Cheated.

In 2005, two Chicago based radio personalities read an all-inclusive list of baseball HOFers. They then spent approximately 45 minutes “kicking guys out” who didn’t deserve to be there, thus reducing the list by at least 40%. Though this was done just for fun, it is something I keep in mind when deciding who should go and who should not. The HOF is too watered down anyway. Phil Rizutto? Bill Mazerowski? Puh-leeze.

(Oh yes, and before you spout off the “Rizutto was a key member of a Yankees dynasty winning many World Series’” argument, you may want to read this July 2006 post stating that Individuals Don't Win Championships, Teams Do).

If baseball has stood firm this long with the decision to ban Pete Rose, there isn’t much in the way of taking it one step further with steroid cheats. What these guys have done; bulking up and hitting jaw-dropping, tale-of-the-tape home runs in awe inspiring quantity, is far worse than gambling. Betting on a game doesn’t affect the outcome.

Just because everyone else was cheating doesn’t mean it was ok for Player X to cheat too. To quote myself when I wrote in August of 2007 in The Difference Between Ruth, Aaron, Maris and Bonds, McGuire, Sosa, “So if 20 guys all get busted robbing a bank does the police let them go because they had strength in numbers? More importantly, and more realistically, if the CEO of a tax firm turns a blind eye to his accountants fudging numbers on purpose would the public brush the incident off its collective shoulders and chock it up to an oversight? Hell no! They’d all be punished, all arrested, all fired. Selig is just as much to blame as the McGuires and Sosas of the world.”

Putting cheats in the HOF is a slap in the face to people who actually deserve to be there. This feeling is equivalent to an injured U.S. soldier going down to the corner Wal-Mart and seeing Purple Hearts on sale for $19.99 plus tax. That act of heroism during battle doesn’t seem all that heroic now that everybody has the medal.

And making a guy wait X number of years before finally letting him in is not punishment enough, either. I wouldn’t let a murderer out of prison early, just as I wouldn’t allow my toddler to have the cookie 10 minutes after saying “no” the first time. Not only should steroid cheats never be voted into the HOF, but their names should never even appear on a ballot.

The one NLDS series that is already set will pit the Chicago Cubs, who emerged from the heap of garbage that is the Central Division, against the Arizona Diamondbacks, the surprising winner of the West.  Neither team really deserves to be there.

The Cubs, who finished the season with a .525 winning percentage (85-77) played in statistically one of the worst divisions in Major League history.  The five teams that the Cubs beat out to win their division combined to finish 62 games under .500.  Playing against these pitiful excuses for baseball teams, they only managed a 45-34 record.  They went 8-4 in interleague play (which includes 5-1 against the awful White Sox), which means their record against other National League teams was only 32-39 (In case you’re wondering, they went 2-4 against Arizona in 2007).


Arizona used magic to win the West

The Diamondbacks won 90 games and went 50-31 at home this year.  However, they were actually outscored 732 to 712 for the entire season.  Using the Pythagorean W-L on baseball-reference.com, they should have finished the year with a 79-83 record, an 11-game swing which would have put them in 4th place.


The Cubs bullied on terrible teams to win the Central

Predictions and Analysis

These are some remarkable statistics against two playoff teams.  They’ll play against each other in the first round, and Game 1 starts Wednesday at Chase Field in Arizona.  Given the D’backs exceptional home record and their home field advantage for the series, my pick is for Arizona.  I believe that the Cub’s decision to leave Jason Marquis off the playoff roster will be a costly mistake.  Manager Lou Piniella has stated that he’ll use a 3-man starting rotation of Carlos Zambrano, Ted Lilly, and Rich Hill, which I agree with.  However, I am a big proponent of using the end of the rotation starters as long relief men in the playoffs.  If Zambrano or Lilly get roughed up and leave the game early, one of the first few games goes into extra innings (say 14 or 15), or if they have an injury to one of those three starters, they are in serious trouble.  Instead of taking Marquis as an insurance policy, they’ll put three catchers on the roster.  I don’t understand that move.  Neither Giavani Soto nor Henry Blanco will able to contain Arizona’s running game and Brandon Webb will shut down the Cub’s offense in Game 1, and Arizona will advance to the NLCS.

But they won’t deserve to be there, either.

 

The Chicago Cubs are potentially on the verge of adding yet another chapter to the book of historical misery; a book of colossal collapses; a book of terribly bad luck.  As of press time (I've always wanted to say that!) the Cubs have lost 3 in a row to the last place Florida Marlins and sit 1.5 games ahead of the Milwaukee Brewers in the N.L. Central Division.  No team since 1962 has blown a lead of more than three games with a week to play in the season (Chicago's lead was 3.5 at week's beginning).

For the record, I do believe the Cubs will hold on to the lead and make the playoffs.  But if I'm wrong and the Brewers should come back, Cub Nation shouldn't consider this as one of the worst moments in franchise history. 

This is the team, after all, that in 1969 led the division by 8.5 games on August 14th and went on to miss the playoffs.  In 1984 the Cubs won the first two games of the NLCS and then dropped the next three to the Padres.  They eventually lost the Series in 7 and held a lead in games 3-5 prior to losing.  In 1998 the Cubs won a one-game, tie-breaking playoff over the Mets only to get demolished by the Giants in the first round of the playoffs.  2003?  Anybody ever heard of Steve Bartman?  They led the NLCS 3-1 over the Marlins, had arguably the two best pitchers in the National League, Mark Prior and Kerry Wood, pitching in Games 6 and 7, at home, and still lost in 7 games.  The next year, they went on a run after acquiring Nomar Garciaparra at the trade deadline, and led the Wild Card race in September before bowing out in heart wrenching fashion.  History has not been friendly to the team playing at the "Friendly Confines."

But enough sob stories.  Missing the playoffs in 2007 would hurt, there is no denying that.  But it's a bruise, not a gunshot wound. 

Those Cub's teams in the past had potential.  The Cubs circa 2007 are playing in a pathetic division, and can still manage to barely stay alive in the division race.  Here's an astonishing statistic:  The opponents the Cubs have faced in their own division this year (Milwaukee, Houston, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, and St. Louis) are a dismal 73 combined games under .500.  Any team worthy of making the playoffs would have clinched 3 weeks ago playing against that (lack of) competition. 

At the risk of using politically incorrect analogies, winning the 2007 N.L. Central is akin to being the tallest midget.  Heck, might as well be the smartest ####. 

That may have crossed the line, but that just goes to tell you how sad this Cubs team is.

Even if they make the playoffs, they'll win no more than 1 game in the Divisional round.  They'll be on the road, most likely facing the Diamondbacks who are a league best 50-31 at home. 

Had the Cubs played in any other division, not only would they have never stood a chance to make the postseason, but their record would have reflected the below average team they are.   Playing against actual Major League teams, a .480 winning percentage would have been likely.  If/When the Cubs play their first playoff game, they should be viewed as a below average and underachieving,  yet very lucky,  team, not a division champion.

They don't stand a chance of making the World Series.  Sure, you can point to the 2006 Cardinals and say that anything can happen once you make it to the playoffs.  But last year was the exception for the ages.  It was the first time in my lifetime that I can legitimately say that the best team didn't win.  The odds are severely stacked against them.  And the Brewers too, for that matter, if they overtake their southern I-94 rival. 

So, Cubs fans.  If your team should disappoint you yet again, you can look back at the season and say "Well, they wouldn't have done anything with the opportunity anyway."

Chicago Bears CB and KR/PR Devin Hester has, rumor has it, shown an unwillingness to play offense since college because “I’m a cornerback,” according to Hester himself.  Scouts and coaches note his lack of fundamental ability to run routes and catch passes on the fly, in addition to his counterintuitive thought process (who wouldn’t want to play both sides of the ball, getting all the glamour, not to mention the increased bargaining power during contract negotiations?) as reasons why the Bears didn’t play him there more often in a rookie season that saw him return SEVEN kicks for touchdowns.

I liken his selfishness to that of former Washington National and current Chicago Cub Alfonso Soriano, who refused to play the outfield even though Nationals coaches thought he would them a better team by switching positions.  Make no mistake, Hester has the potential to be a scary weapon on the offense.  The coaches know it, the fans know it, the media knows it, and Hester has to know it by now.  Hester is a selfish and very stupid person if it is true that he refuses to learn the position.

Few other NFL players in history run better with the ball in their hands.

Bears coach Lovie Smith and offensive coordinator Ron Turner must convince Hester to practice hard in the off-season to learn the basics of running simple routes and improving his mechanics.  He changes the way the opponent gameplans against the Bears.  Exhibit A: Super Bowl XLI.  Hester returns the opening kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown and never sees a kick or punt worth returning the rest of the game.  Hester can do, to a much lesser extent, for the Bears similar things to what Reggie Bush does for the Saints.  Every play the defense must locate Bush and assign somebody to him.  Is he going to run the ball?  Catch it?  Is he a decoy?  No other player on Chicago’s thin receiver corps has that capability.

While it is tempting to argue that any player good enough to play in the NFL is good enough to mentally learn a new position so long as he has the physical skills to play it—and there is absolutely no doubt Hester has the physical skills—I will simply state that Hester only needs to learn the basics: Running the go and the stop-and-go; taking a handoff or a pitch; running a reverse; and catching a screen pass.  Folks, the man is an absolute Demon with the football in his hands.  He has natural abilities to elude potential tacklers and flat out burn defenders unlike any player we’ve seen in NFL history.  Getting the ball in his hands on offense is the next logical step.

Imagine the possibilities!  All Hester has to do is learn three plays (reverse, screen pass, go pattern) and how to fake all three plays as a decoy.  Asking him to perform his hocus pocus on offense for 5-8 plays per game minimum is not asking too much, and Bears coaches are stupid if they don’t make the move for 2007.

Piniella Wrong Fit for Cubs

The Chicago Cubs should have hired former catcher Joe Girardi as their next manager.  While Lou Piniella has the hardware (one World Series Championship and two AL Managers of the Year) he has compiled only a career .517 winning percentage despite owning the luxury of several Hall of Fame players performing under his supervision.  Don Mattingly, Rickey Henderson, Dave Winfield, Barry Larkin, Ken Griffey Jr., Alex Rodriguez, Edgar Martinez, and Randy Johnson are all in the Hall of Fame or will be one day, and all of them played under Piniella with the Yankees, Reds, and Mariners. 

Piniella has a better chance of seeing God than winning a Series with the Cubs

Piniella had many talented young players with Tampa Bay (Rocco Baldelli, Carl Crawford, Julio Lugo, Danys Baez, and Aubrey Huff) and could do nothing to harness their talents and take them anywhere above fourth place.  The Cubs, in a probable rebuilding year, figure to field several young players in 2007, and Piniella has proven he cannot win in the absence of proven Major League veterans.  Girardi on the other hand, took a Marlins team with only one regular fielder (backup utility man Wes Helms) and three regular pitchers (starter Brian Moehler, closer Joe Borowski, and setup man Matt Herges) age 30 or over to within a handful of games of the NL Wild Card.  The Marlins, $15 million payroll and all, played young castoffs like Dan Uggla, Miguel Olivo, and Joe Borchard routinely, and exceeded everybody’s expectations.  It’s hard for me to believe Piniella will win more than 75 games with the Cubs in 2007 while whatever team hires Girardi can expect a major turnaround next season.  As for the ’07 Marlins, they’ll see a 10 or 15 win decrease with new manager Freddi Gonzalez.

 

 

 

Smith Right to Ditch “Victory Monday”

Today Bear’s coach Lovie Smith scheduled a morning practice at 7:00am.  Ordinarily, after a victory, the Bears would have had Monday off.  But they beat Arizona last week 24-23 so ditching Victory Monday looks peculiar.  But it was an ugly win, and coming off the bye week, the Bears could be rusty while playing San Francisco this week.  Both the offense and defense were sluggish against the Cardinals, and Chicago needed a dose of reality.  Getting this past weekend to relax means the Bears have enough energy to practice an extra day this week, and it will pay dividends down the road.

 

 
I have never seen pine tar before, but I know dirt when I see it

Roger’s Game 2 Performance Reeks of Conspiracy

This one is short and simple.  As Tim McCarver pointed out during the broadcast, “If it’s not illegal, then why did they ask him to wash it off?”  And why didn’t he get ejected?  I don’t know what that “foreign substance” on his left palm was, but it wasn’t dirt.  And it wasn’t there by accident.  Kenny Rogers should have been thrown out of the game, and can you imagine what the consequences of that would have been?  Detroit may have gone on to win the game anyhow, but their bullpen would have been forced to pitch eight innings.  That’s quite a big difference.

Here is a list of ridiculous sports motifs I’m sick and tired of hearing about:

 

1)      1) The health of Barbaro.  Folks, it’s a horse.  It’s not an athlete, and it’s not a sport.  I feel bad for the poor little guy, but I don’t want the story of his impending euthanasia polluting my sports page.  One anchor on an ESPN show quipped recently “When will the day come when every single American has as good of a Healthcare package as this horse is getting?”  Until that happens, I don’t want to hear about Barbaro.

 

2)      2) Nicknaming every athlete with a first name of Ben “Big Ben.”  I refuse to acknowledge the usage of this nickname, namely Wallace, Roethlisberger, and Gordon.  Could anybody be a little bit more creative?

 

3)      3) (Speaking of “Big Ben”) Over-hyping Ben Roethlisberger.  I don’t care that he played for the Super Bowl winning team last year.  If Donovan McNabb, Peyton Manning, Jake Delhomme, or Trent Green were quarterbacking the Steelers, they still would have won it all.  Roethlisberger had run of the mill regular season stats in both of his two NFL seasons so far (last year: 2385 yards, 17 TDs, 9 INTs).  If he puts up similar numbers to his 2005 postseason in the 2006 regular season for 16 games, I’ll jump on his bandwagon.  If he does that, I’ll remove him from the group of QBs that contains David Carr and Trent Dilfer and put him in the group containing Manning, Tom Brady, and Carson Palmer.

I readily admit that Roethlisberger is one of my most hated athletes

4)      4) Aaron Boone’s home run in the 2003 ALCS.  I realize that Fox and ESPN are desperate for another ratings-boosting ALCS pitting the Yankees against the Red Sox.  But if I have to suffer through another replay of that homer in Game 7 I’ll never watch another baseball game on whatever network was playing it at the time.  For that matter, if any broadcasters are reading, don’t talk about it either.

 

5)      5) Jon Papelbon as American League MVP.  I’ll put it as plainly and simply as I possibly can.  No.  I don’t care if Boston wins 100 games and he finishes with 55 saves and a 0.25 ERA.  A closer who pitches 75 innings can NEVER be more valuable than any batter who makes 500 plate appearances, even if the batter was a DH and didn’t play the field.  David Ortiz and Jim Thome are neck-and-neck right now and Papelbon wouldn’t finish in the top 5.

 

6)     6)  FoxSports bloggers basing their opinion of an athlete or team on results from their fantasy league.  Real life and fantasy sports are different.  Just because you traded Johnny Damon for Carlos Beltran doesn’t mean the Yankees and Mets should swap centerfielders.  Just because you benched Aramis Ramirez because of his low batting average doesn’t mean the Cubs should follow suit. 

 

7)      7) Calling the White Sox’s offensive approach anything except “Power Ball.”  They don’t play “smart ball,” “small ball,” or “Ozzie ball.”  They lead the major leagues with 136 homers, 511 RBI, and 532 runs.  They have the highest percentage of runs scored via the long ball.  Hence, “Power Ball.”

 

8)      8) People saying they need to go to Wrigley Field before they die.  It may look pretty on TV, but believe me when I tell you that you ain’t missin’ much.  Parking is horrible, concourses are crowded and dirty, concrete occasionally crumbles from the rafters, the bathrooms are disgusting and small (and you have to wait in line 15 minutes to get in one), and the neighborhood is a frat boy’s party haven, making it unattractive to families.  Besides, Cubs fans don’t want tourists donating dollars to reinforce the Tribune Company’s supplying a garbage baseball team.

 

Wrigley is nowhere near as nice as this; really, it isn't

9)      9) Anything and everything related to #### Vitale.  For the love of God can somebody please assassinate the most annoying man on television?  10 extra credit points to whoever does.  Well, maybe I shouldn’t be saying that.  How about 10 points to the doctor who can shoot him up with an extra large dosage of the strongest prescription strength depressant currently on the market. 

 

Did I miss anything?  Post your ideas as comments to my blog.

Catcher:  Michael Barrett, Chicago Cubs.  Barrett’s offense is much needed in the Cub’s lineup, which is why they are desperately trying to appeal his 10-game suspension for punching A.J. Pierzynski.  Barrett leads all N.L catchers with a .297 average, 7 homers, and 25 RBI.  Runner up:  Paul Lo Duca, New York Mets.

 

First Base: Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals.  Not really much of a challenge by any other player here.  Pujols was on pace to surpass Barry Bonds’ single season home run record before going on the disabled list this week and currently leads the Universe with 25 homers and 65 RBIs.  Runner up: Ryan Howard, Philadelphia Phillies.

 

Second Base:  Jose Vidro, Washington Nationals.  Vidro edges out Chase Utley and Brandon Phillips (of the Phillies and Reds respectively) in large part because of his .992 fielding%.  He’s no hack at the plate either, leading all 2B with a .321 batting average.  Runner up: Utley.

 

Shortstop: Edgar Renterria, Atlanta Braves.  An underrated trade made this past winter has resurrected Renterria’s career.  Hitting .322 with a walk to strikeout ratio of almost 1:1, he has also improved his defense to close to pre-2005 standards.  Runner up: Hanley Ramirez, Florida Marlins.

 

Third Base:  Miguel Cabrera, Florida Marlins.  A 23-year-old who has increased his hitting every year in the league—and yes, this is his third full season in the bigs—he now sits at .343.  Mets and Cardinals fans won’t like this call, but Cabrera has more runs scored and more RBIs than David Wright and Scott Rolen, despite the disadvantage of playing with a bunch of young, inexperienced players in the lineup.  Runner up:  Wright.

 

Outfield 1:  Alfonso Soriano, Washington Nationals.  So much for the power outage after moving to spacious RFK Stadium.  Soriano has 23 homers, a .310 average, and sits .127 points higher than his career average slugging% (at .637).

 

Outfield 2:  Jason Bay, Pittsburgh Pirates.  Hitting .315 with 18 home runs and 50 RBIs this early in June would ordinarily garner MVP consideration.  But Bay plays for the 6^th place Pirates.  An MVP he is not, but an All-Star he is.

 

Outfield 3:  Andruw Jones, Atlanta Braves.  Second in the NL with 54 RBIs, Jones is showing his power numbers from 2005 were no fluke (He also has 15 long balls).  Oh yeah, and he’s the best CF of this current generation, and probably of all time.  Runners up:  Carlos Lee, Milwaukee Brewers; Bobby Abreu, Philadelphia Phillies; Carlos Beltran, New York Mets.

 

Starting Pitcher:  Bronson Arroyo, Cincinnati Reds.  Arroyo is second in the NL with 8 wins and a 2.13 ERA.  He’s struck out 68 hitters while walking only 18.  And since the mid-summer classic will be in an NL park this year, it is also relevant to point out that he has hit 2 home runs in 2006.  Runner up:  Brandon Webb, Arizona Diamondbacks.

A native of Chicago, I’ve attended many games at Wrigley Field and U.S. Cellular Field.  On road trips, I have been to games at Miller Park in Milwaukee and Turner Field in Atlanta.  Hence, all four of these venues are ineligible to make the Best Stadiums I’ve Never Been To. 

The criteria used is a combination of the following: local weather, park decorations, fan atmosphere, field and stadium conditions, fun “stuff” to do, and unique ballpark features.

5)      Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan – The fences are a little too deep for my tastes (I prefer more home run friendly stadiums), but the beauty of the park makes up for its cavernous outfields.  A big stadium with a great view of downtown Detroit, Comerica’s upperdeck emits the impression that no matter where you are, you are right on top of the action.  It definitely has that classic look most old timers would appreciate.

 

4)      4) Minute Maid Park, Houston, Texas – Most people don’t like the huge hill in centerfield, the yellow paint representing the homerun line (reminiscent of the elementary school gymnasium) in left field, or the train tracks.  It’s these unique features that put it on my list.  It does lose some points for having an artificial surface, but the short porch in left field is a right handed power hitter's dream (if only the Astros had one). 

3)      3)Ameriquest Field, Arlington, Texas – It makes it so much easier to rank the home of the Rangers this high since its name was changed from The Ballpark in Arlington—perhaps the dumbest name for a park in baseball history.  Take one look at this park from any angle and it's easy agree with this high ranking.  The multiple decks surrounding the park is an architectural splendor.  Beyond the centerfield wall is a three-level concourse of what appears to be luxury seating, restaurants, and possibly even hotel rooms.  A maximum capacity of over 49,000 rowdy Texans makes for an excellent baseball atmosphere.

2) Busch Stadium, St. Louis, Missouri – The Cardinals recent run of regular season and postseason success notwithstanding, its easy to understand why Busch Stadium sold out every seat for every game prior to the team breaking home from Spring Training.  The park features 4 decks from third base and wrapping towards home plate all the way to right field.  The left and right field lines hug the walls, giving fans the opportunity to overlook the action from close proximity.  Of course, no stadium can top the batters eye here—the St. Louis Gateway Arch.

1) Petco Park, San Diego, California – The historic Western Metal Supply building down the left field line has got to be one of the most brilliant ideas in ballpark architecture, both in planning and execution.  Petco gives its lucky fans a scenic view of one of the most beautiful cities in America.  And of course, you have to love how the Padres send their opponent’s relief pitchers to warm up down the right field line while they have the advantage of having a fully furnished bullpen.

After the dust settled from yesterday’s Windy City brawl, Cub’s catcher Michael Barrett stands alone atop the bad guy pedestal. Barrett and manager Dusty Baker have admitted A.J. Pierzynski was playing within baseball’s rules when he bowled over Barrett while scoring what turned out to be the game winning run in the White Sox’ 7-0 win Saturday. Barrett was dejected and embarrassed after the game and confessed his regret.

Pierzynski has the reputation of a fire-bellied instigator, but actually, he’s unlucky. His hustle and “win or die trying” attitude have unfortunately put him in the middle of controversy but he didn’t deserve to get punched in the face following the home plate collision.

Even after slapping the base with his hand—a move Barrett didn’t even witness since he was still on his back—and walking towards the Cub’s dugout to retrieve his batting helmet, Pierzynski couldn’t have expected a swift introduction to Barrett’s fist. Barrett said he thought Pierzynski was coming after him. If so, he didn’t have to throw the first punch. Pierzynski claims he said nothing to Barrett (replays of the fight substantiate this claim), but Barrett took the first swing anyway.

Pierzynski won’t win any sympathy for his role as a victim in this fight, but Barrett’s slate isn’t necessarily sparkling clean either. He has instigated similar incidents the past two years against Houston’s Roy Oswalt and San Diego’s Dave Roberts. A fiery athlete himself, Barrett has a temper problem while Pierzynski often seems to find himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. I understand Barrett’s frustration; playing for a fifth-place team at eight games under .500 and 10.5 games out of first place, Pierzynski’s rough toppling over him was the final spark that set him off. Starting a fight was not the way to handle it, however.

After the league has time to review the incident, I expect a suspension and fine of approximately 8 games and $15,000. A.J. Pierzynski gets nothing.

It seems Major League Baseball is light years behind the times compared to other popular professional American sports leagues, and interleague play is no exception. When interleague play was first established in 1997, one of its most noticeable contributions was an increase in attendance and excitement. USA Today reports that from 1997-2004 interleague games saw an average of 14.3% more fans in attendance compared to intraleague games.

MLB commissioner Bud Selig stresses the importance of divisional play and insists that each team play its divisional rivals some 19 times per season. As a fan, it becomes cyclical watching the same two teams face off so many times annually. Fans demand, and deserve, more variety.

But before baseball expands interleague play, the current “rivalry weekend” must go. As much as I hunger for a good old fashioned White Sox/Cubs or Giants/A’s series, I gag as I’m being force fed a Blue Jays/Rockies or Reds/Tigers “rivalry.” Give me a break! In the course of a pennant race, these series’ also favor certain teams over others. It’s not fair, for example, that the Cardinals get to play six games against the pathetic Royals while the Cubs play their six against the White Sox and the Astros take on the Rangers.

I want to see more interleague play, but I want it equally spread out. Every American League team should play exactly one three-game set against every National League team, and the series’ should alter home and away every year. This gives out of market fans more opportunities to see their team play closer to home, evens out the difficulty of schedule problem, and gives the fans more of what they’ve shown they’ve wanted for the last 8+ years.

The games should be more randomized as well. I don’t like that ALL interleague games happen at the same time. MLB should be able to expand interleague play while still finding a way to play an appropriate number of games within the leagues and divisions.