A few weeks back I read an interesting story on Hardball Times that analyzed Bartolo Colon’s bounceback capability. In it, author Josh Kalk discussed the possibility that Colon’s 2007 stats — 6.34 ERA, a 1.62 WHIP, and a .320 batting average against — were the result of an inordinately high BABIP (.364), which is batting average on balls in play. In short, Colon was more unlucky in 2007 that he’d been in the past, when he was a Cy Young winner and weighed less than a Mini Cooper. Given this stat (and many others I didn’t comprehend), Kalk said Colon would be a great risk-reward option for teams like the Rangers and Royals in 2008, because Colon (according to Kalk, anyway) projected to a 4.40 ERA and 120 innings pitched this season. Considering what Julian Tavarez provided in relief of Curt Schilling and Tim Wakefield last year — 23 starts, 6 wins, 11 losses, 5.22 ERA — doesn’t Colon sound like a nice option now that Schilling has gone down again?
Given the dearth of quality pitching in MLB, I can’t believe no team offered him a major-league deal. Then again, if I were Bartolo Colon, who’s never won a World Series and probably doesn’t need the money, I’d prefer signing a minor-league deal with the Sox — with the opportunity to pitch your way onto a playoff-caliber team — than ink a major-league deal with Kansas City or Texas, where quality pitchers go to die.
Topps baseball cards are hitting the market this week, and about one in every 70 packs will include a fake picture of Rudy Giuliani, the former New York City mayor, celebrating with the Red Sox on the field after their World Series win -- a liberty Topps took in creating various mock baseball cards this year, though Giuliani's will be the only one in wide release.
(For the full list of mock cards, see below).
Giuliani, a former presidential candidate, alienated some New York fans back in October by declaring he was rooting for Boston in the World Series -- "I'm an American league fan," he said -- and Topps ran with the idea, according to the Associated Press.
"We took that and thought it would make for a funny card, since the Red Sox won," said Clay Luraschi, baseball brand manager for The Topps Co. "We thought, let's put him in the championship dog pile."
Topps did something similar a year ago, inserting President Bush into the stands and Mickey Mantle into the dugout in the background of Derek Jeter's card.
Beyond the Giuliani card, the following baseball cards were created specially for Topps 2008, and sources tell me these rare and valuable pieces will be popping up in random packs as well.
* Rick Ankiel signing for a FedEx package.
* Kansas City Owner David Glass pushing a shopping cart out of Wal-Mart, filled with free agents who aren't good-value has-beens.
* Johnny Damon, his left arm replaced by the Bionic Woman's.
* Barry Bonds kissing the asterisk ball.
* Matt Holliday standing on first base, refusing to move.
* Moises Alou wiping his hands with a moist toilette.
* Mike Winters laughing at Milton Bradley as he writhes on the ground.
* C.C. Sabathia, his hat held straight by a neck halo.
* Brett Myers getting cold-cocked by his wife.
* Suzyn Waldman having sex with the New York Yankees.
* Eric Wedge burning a white towel.
* Clint Hurdle burning a white towel.
* Willie Randolph smoking a cigar.
* Manny Ramirez reaching into the Monster Seats to make a bare-handed grab.
* Joe Torre awake in the dugout.
* Sen. John Edwards chasing an ambulance.
* Jonathan Papelbon rooting through his dog's ####
The four great teams in the American League Central will beat the snot out of each other all season long and the Red Sox will lick up the scraps in October. The Sox will cruise through the AL East, resting players for October, when the Yankees will be watching from home because their owner is a drunk and they still have no #1 starters.
Order of finish:
AL East: Red Sox, Blue Jays, Yankees, Devil Rays, Orioles
AL Central: Fe, Fi, Fo, Fum, and the Royals
AL West: Not the Rangers.
Awards:
MVP: Vernon Wells
Cy Young: Dice-K Matsuzaka
Rookie of the Year: Probably some overrated hump from a crappy team like the Royals, who'll amount to somewhere between Bob Hamelin and Angel Berroa in three years.
Comeback Player of the Year: Zack Grienke.
Batting champion: Manny Ramirez
Home run champion: David Ortiz
RBI champion: David Ortiz
Singles champion: Derek Jeter
Best cologne: "Driven" by the singles champion
Doubles champion: Wade Boggs
Triples champion: Wahoo Sam Crawford
Wins leader: Konichiwa, Dice-K!
Ks leader: Ibid
Saves leader: Some guy who'll be his crappy team's lone rep in the All-Star game in San Francisco
ERA champ: Kyle Lohse. He in the AL these days, right? Well, he should be.
Cameron Martin. Finalist in Fox Sports Next Great Sportswriter contest. I cover the Red Sox for Comcast SportsNet New England and Major League Baseball for
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