It isn’t quite the All-Star Break for baseball, yet most of the league’s teams are at or past the halfway point of this year’s grueling 162 game season. With that being said, there are certainly a number of teams and players that have already stood out in a negative way.

Yep, they’re askin’ for it. It’s a special edition of “Throwing Tomatoes”… nah, let’s call it a “special delivery”. So get your ammo ready, and let’s start slingin’…


Throwing Tomatoes – Volume VIII **
SPECIAL DELIVERY: Baseball’s Halfway Point


Colorado Rockies (32-50)
Eight short months ago, this team was the NL’s representative in the World Series. What happened? A lot of things, including first half injuries to Tulowitzki and Holliday, struggles by staff ace Jeff Francis, and little progress from some of their promising young players. Oh, and Colorado’s pitching staff has a team ERA of 4.70. Only Texas and Pittsburgh are worse.

San Diego Padres (32-51)
Injuries to Jake Peavy and Chris Young during the first half certainly didn’t help, but the lack of production by the offense (with exception to Adrian Gonzalez) has been the bigger issue.

Detroit Tigers (41-40)
Sure, they’re above .500 and finally getting their act together, but it’s still been a rough first half for a Tigers team that entered 2008 with a boatload of lofty expectations. Offseason acquisition Miguel Cabrera (.279 average, 11 HR, 47 RBI) has been decent since joining the Tigers. Dontrelle Willis, on the other hand… let’s get back to him in a minute.

New York Mets (40-41) and Omar Minaya
Are the Mets suffering from a hangover after last season’s collapse? That depends on who you ask. Still, this team has way too much talent to be performing this poorly. Fortunately for Mets fans, the Phillies are not running away with the East. By the way, Minaya and the front office deserve a tomato for the way they handled the Willie Randolph firing.

Cleveland Indians (37-45)
One game from the World Series last season, the talented Indians now find themselves in the cellar of the AL Central division. Cleveland’s offense has been abysmal in the first half, batting .246 as a team. That’s good for 27th in the majors.

Seattle Mariners (31-50)
After a promising 2007 campaign, the M’s thought they had the door open to the playoffs after acquiring Erik Bedard during the offseason. Instead, Seattle is by far the AL’s worst team. GM Bill Bavasi and manager John McLaren were first half casualties. Who’s next?

Troy Tulowitzki (.157 average, 2 HR, 13 RBI)
In 34 games this season, Tulowitzki is nowhere near the Mendoza line. That’s a far cry from his 2007 campaign, where he batted .291, with 24 homers and 99 RBI’s.

Barry Zito (3-11, 5.91 ERA)
This is not exactly what the Giants were looking for when they signed Barry “The Green Giant” Zito to a monster deal before the 2007 season. What happens if Barry loses 20 games?

Shawn Chacon (2-3, 5.04 ERA, and 1 violent act)
Chacon didn’t perform well, but more notable was the outburst in which he snapped and threw Houston GM Ed Wade to the ground. Chacon has since been cut by the Astros, and don’t be shocked if he never pitches in the majors again.

Francisco Liriano (0-3, 11.32 ERA)
With Santana departing, the Twins were depending on Liriano to return to his 2006 form (12-3, 2.16 ERA) after being out for the entire 2007 campaign. Instead, Liriano struggled and was shipped back to AAA. The Twins persevered and have played well anyway.

Eric Gagne (1-2, 6.98 ERA, five blown saves)
If you’re like me, you thought the Brewers were crazy to sign Gagne to a ten million, one-year deal, especially after watching him struggle with Boston last year. Salomon Torres has pitched so well in the closer’s role, Milwaukee would be equally as crazy to make a change now that Gagne’s back.

Ryan Howard (.216 average, 113 K’s)
While his twenty homers are only three behind the major league lead, Howard has struggled throughout the year. In fact, he’s on pace to eclipse last year’s horrific 199 strikeout total.

Erik Bedard (4-4, 3.79 ERA)
Bedard hasn’t exactly been what the Mariners have hoped for this season. Then again, he certainly isn’t the only one to blame for Seattle’s woes either.

Phil Hughes (0-4, 9.00 ERA) and Ian Kennedy (0-3, 7.41 ERA)
These were the two young talents that were supposed to help anchor the Yankees’ rotation, while adding youth to an older roster. Neither has panned out at this point.

Bronson Arroyo (4-7, 6.19 ERA)
After two solid seasons in Cincinnati, Arroyo has struggled during the first half of 2008. Most notable was Bronson’s one inning, ten run disaster against Toronto about a week ago.

Homer Bailey (0-3, 8.76 ERA)
I’ve always thought it was a bit of a jinx to be a pitcher named “Homer”. Still, one of the game’s most highly touted prospects continues to underachieve in Cincinnati.

Dontrelle Willis (0-1, 10.32 ERA, demotion to High-A Lakeland)
Willis has been a disaster since joining the Tigers during the offseason. To say Dontrelle (21 walks, 5 K’s) was wild before his demotion to Single A would be the understatement of the year. What’s higher, his leg kick or his ERA?!

Near Misses (Honorable Mentions)
Felix Pie, Victor Martinez, Eric Byrnes, Bill Hall, Richie Sexson, Jim Thome, Robinson Cano, Steve Trachsel, Brad Penny, Tom Gorzelanny, Joe Blanton, Pedro Martinez, and Matt Morris.

Honorary Tomato Throwers of the Week
Because those who found success earn a chance to sling one at their opposition

Asdrubal Cabrera – at the Toronto Blue Jays during his unassisted triple play on May 13th
Jered Weaver – at Mike Scioscia for removing him while having a no-hitter intact
Carlos Delgado – at the New York Yankees after having 9 RBI’s on June 28th
Mark Teixeira – at the Seattle Mariners after hitting three HR’s on June 22nd

If you get a chance, check out this post’s counterpart, “Gold Stars: Baseball’s Halfway Point”.

This has been “Throwing Tomatoes”… now don’t forget to wear red this Independence Day.

** All stats as of Sunday June 29, 2008

The World Series is here…
Grab yourself a beer.

Make it a Sam Adams, or maybe a Coors,
Cheer on pitching or games with high scores.

Didn’t watch football between Denver and Pitt,
Just asked Bill Belichick if he would tape it.

Had to watch Game 7 between the Sox and Tribe,
Manny didn’t care, but I felt my own vibe.

In the end, the Red Sox sent its nation into heaven,
Tallying a run total that reached the number eleven.

Yet, this game was close, the game was tight.
Lofton was safe, and Jake pitched alright.

Pedroia swung a hot bat, and Dice-K did enough,
Drew had no heroics, and Lugo’s defense was rough.

Still, a one-run lead for the Sox left after inning eight,
When Boston’s bats turned from mediocre to great.

As the game ended, Cleveland’s players didn’t roam,
Perhaps because Joel Skinner never waved them home.

Asdrubal’s ‘D’ was clutch, and Victor’s play was stout,
The aces struggled, and “Pronk” almost always struck out.

Again, the World Series has arrived, it’s here.
Game 1 is on Wednesday, so never fear.

It’s the Sox and the Rox on Fox…

Wednesday isn’t a holiday, but just another “Hump Day”,
It may soon be a Denver holiday, because of Matt Holliday.

Colorado will hang a great deal of its chances,
On their ace, the underrated, yet very talented Jeff Francis.

Meanwhile, Boston’s ace has shut every opponent down,
Colorado will have its hands full when Beckett comes to town.

The Rockies came in winning 21 out of their last 22,
But what will eight days off from competition do?

It’s late October, and 70+ degrees before the Boston show,
While in Colorado, the Rockies are dealing with four inches of snow.

Still, it’s the Sox and the Rox on Fox…

Atkins, Tulowitzki, Helton, Holliday, and Hawpe,
A young core of bats, the NL’s cream of the crop.

Ramirez, Big Papi, Youkilis, Pedroia, and Lowell,
Together this Sox offense is clearly on a roll.

We’re only a few days away from the World Series on FOX,
For now, get your kicks by checking the previous game’s box.

As the series approaches, Boston is likely to have the edge,
I’m sure there will be no argument from Cleveland’s Eric Wedge.

But you may hear an argument from Colorado’s manager Clint,
Who has his Rockies not losing in a seven game playoff stint.

On Wednesday, Game 1 of the World Series will begin,
The question remains, who do you think will win?

Both teams are going to throw in everything but the kitchen sink,
Believe me, this will be a better series than many of you think.

It’s the Sox and the Rox on Fox…

Since the beginning of the Wild Card era, there have been numerous surprises and exciting finishes throughout Major League Baseball. From the Diamondbacks winning on the final at bat against Mariano Rivera, to Aaron Boone hitting a walk off against Boston, to the Red Sox erasing a 3-0 deficit, the baseball playoffs have become borderline unpredictable. One could say that predicting the playoffs is no longer as easy as X, Y, Z… until today, but for a different reason.

To help my predictions become “as easy as X, Y, Z”, I looked to three players that will be factors for each team. I first looked to a potential X-factor for each team. In addition, I’m inventing two additional factors: a Y-factor (the player you may not think of immediately, but there are reasons “why” they are a factor more than others) and a Z-factor (symbolizing sleeping - or catching z’s, therefore the player I think each team shouldn’t rely upon during the playoffs). I see each trio of players to be pivotal in each team’s postseason success.

And now… my predictions for each Divisional Series…

American League

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim VS Boston Red Sox

Game 1: Angels – Lackey (19-9) at Red Sox – Beckett (20-7)

Game 2: Angels – Escobar (18-7) at Red Sox – Matsuzaka (15-12)

Game 3: Red Sox – Schilling (9-8) at Angels – Weaver (13-7)

Game 4: If Necessary

Game 5: If Necessary

X-factors:

Boston – David Ortiz: Injury or no injury, Big Papi still has the ability to deliver clutch hit after clutch hit, and Boston will need him to do so in this year's playoffs... more so than ever.

Los Angeles – Vladimir Guerrero: Sticking with the potent bats, I’m going with Vlad here, especially considering the fact that he struggled the last time he faced the Red Sox in the playoffs.

Y-factors:

Boston – Dustin Pedroia: The potential Rookie of the Year in the AL has been a spark for the Boston offense. He will need to get on base to not only distract the pitchers, but also to provide RBI opportunities for the potent bats of Ortiz and Ramirez.

Los Angeles – Reggie Willits: The rookie will be asked to play CF, replacing the injured Gary Matthews Jr. His defensive play and ability to get on base will be key for the Angels in this series.

Z-factors:

Boston – Eric Gagne: Gagne struggled ever since being traded to Boston at the trade deadline, blowing numerous Boston leads over the final months. If I’m the Red Sox, I use him rarely, and not in any close games or tight situations.

Los Angeles – Gary Matthews Jr.: Brought in and paid big bucks, Matthews Jr. was supposed to help give the Angels the extra boost on both offense and defense. However, an up and down season, plus an injury entering the postseason makes him a non-factor.

KP’s Take: Injuries are key in this series, and the Angels seem to have more ”damaged goods” heading into Game 1. If the Angels can earn a split at Fenway, they could have a shot, due to playing so well at home. Either way, I expect this series to go the distance, and I give a slight edge to the Red Sox.

Red Sox in 5

New York Yankees VS Cleveland Indians

Game 1: Yankees – Wang (19-7) at Indians – Sabathia (19-7)

Game 2: Yankees – Pettitte (15-9) at Indians – Carmona (19-8)

Game 3: Indians – Westbrook (6-9) at Yankees – Clemens (6-6)

Game 4: If Necessary

Game 5: If Necessary

X-factors:

New York – Alex Rodriguez: A-Rod is the biggest X-factor for any team in the playoffs, and the spotlight will be all over him due to his lackluster playoff performances in the past. After a magical year (possibly his last in New York), something tells me that Rodriguez is going to break out in a big way.

Cleveland – Travis Hafner: Would you call a .266 average, 24 HR’s, and 100 RBI’s a down year? It is for Hafner, and now more than ever, the Indians need him to step up and get hot against New York’s veteran pitching staff.

Y-factors:

New York – Joba Chamberlain: Chamberlain (2-0, 0.38 ERA, 34 K’s in 24 IP) has been dominant thus far, and if New York can keep the games close against Cleveland’s two aces, it will be necessary for the fiery rookie to bridge the gap in the late innings, opening the door for the Yankee bats to take the lead and put the ball in the hands of Mariano Rivera.

Cleveland – Fausto Carmona: Sabathia is more of a veteran, and should pitch well. Last season, Carmona was a young kid, who was painfully wild. This year, he did a complete 180, winning 19 games. However, the playoff atmosphere is different, and in order to knock off the high octane Yankees offense, Carmona will need to keep his composure.

Z-factors:

New York – Johnny Damon: He has played better of late, but if I’m the Yankees, I would use Matsui, Cabrera, and Abreu in the outfield more frequently.

Cleveland – Joe Borowski: I’m not saying “Don’t pitch him”, but if I’m an Indians fan, I worry as while Borowski had 45 saves, he also blew eight save opportunities, and had an ERA above 5 on the season.

KP’s Take: The Yankees were dominant throughout most of the second half of the season. The Indians have the better overall pitching staff, but the Yankees have the consistent playoff experience. If New York can manage to beat either Sabathia or Carmona at “The Jake”, I think New York can manage to escape and advance to the ALCS in a tight, hard fought series. It comes down to experience, and the Yankees have plenty of it… and then some.

Yankees in 5

National League

Chicago Cubs VS Arizona Diamondbacks

Game 1: Cubs – Zambrano (18-13) at Diamondbacks – Webb (18-10)

Game 2: Cubs – Lilly (15-8) at Diamondbacks – Davis (13-12)

Game 3: Diamondbacks – Hernandez (11-11) at Cubs – Hill (11-8)

Game 4: If Necessary
Game 5: If Necessary

X-factors:

Chicago – Carlos Zambrano: Struggling often in the second half, Zambrano is key for Chicago in the playoffs, especially since he will be asked to defeat Brandon Webb once, and maybe twice.

Arizona – Chris Young: Someone needs to spark Arizona’s offense, and while Young hit 32 HR’s during the season, he also batted .237 and struck out 141 times. For the Diamondbacks to have a chance, they need him to put the playoff pressure aside and be efficient at the plate.

Y-factors:

Chicago – Alfonso Soriano: A .299 average, 33 HR’s, 70 RBI’s, and 19 SB’s is a decent year for many, but for Soriano and his giant contract, it’s a disappointment. He has the talent and playoff experience, and that’s why he’s key for the Cubs.

Arizona – Doug Davis: Someone has to help Webb anchor the rotation, and the biggest factor will be Davis, who at times was solid (144 K’s), but also wild (95 walks). The D’Backs need him to produce a quality start (or two) in the playoffs.

Z-factors:

Chicago – Jacque Jones: After having only 5 HR’s and 66 RBI’s over the season, it’s safe to say that Jones was a major disappointment, and expect him to be a potential non-factor in the playoffs.

Arizona – Carlos Quentin: With 5 HR’s and a .214 average over 81 games, Quentin was a major disappointment on offense. Expect Arizona to rely on others to carry the team.

KP’s Take: Arizona had a great season with timely hitting and streaky pitching. Still, Arizona’s youthful offense has never been in the playoff spotlight, and I further see little depth in the rotation behind Brandon Webb. On the other side, the Cubs have veterans with experience, and a manager that can inspire a team and win big games. Therefore, I’ll take the Cubbies to advance to the NLCS.

Cubs in 4

Colorado Rockies VS Philadelphia Phillies

Game 1: Rockies – Francis (17-9) at Phillies – Hamels (15-5)

Game 2: Rockies – TBD (?-?) at Phillies – Kendrick (10-4)

Game 3: Phillies – Moyer (14-12) at Rockies – TBD (?-?)

Game 4: If Necessary

Game 5: If Necessary

X-factors:

Philadelphia – Jimmy Rollins: Utley and Howard are important for the team’s success, but Rollins is the key here, as he’s the spark that can ignite the offense. Keep in mind, Rollins had 30 HR’s, 94 RBI’s, 41 SB’s, and a .296 average during the regular season.

Colorado – Troy Tulowitzki: The obvious choice is Holliday, but I’m not worried about him. He will hit. Instead, I consider the rookie Tulowitzki as the X-factor in the series for the Rockies. As a rookie, there will be a lot of pressure on him, especially since he has put this team on his back on a number of occasions.

Y-factors:

Philadelphia – Brett Myers: While a lot of the talk will be on the Philly offense, there should be focus on Myers. Converted to a closer due to injuries, Myers is key to this series, as he could be asked to come in and shut down one of the best offenses in the league, likely in a tight and high scoring game.

Colorado – Jeff Francis: This team is all about potent offense, and playing at Coors Field, pitching is often not discussed. That’s why I choose Francis, because in order to slow down the Philly offense, Colorado will need someone to keep them in games. Who better than the guy considered ace of the staff, and one that has struggled against Philly. What better time to finally shut down the Phillies?

Z-factors:

Philadelphia – Adam Eaton: Eaton is an obvious choice, since the Phillies chose to leave him off the playoff roster entirely. Either way, Eaton was paid a hefty amount of cash to help the Phillies, and while he pitched 30 starts over the course of the year, he has struggled often in a Philadelphia uniform.

Colorado – Jorge Julio: The former Oriole closer is still wild, and if not for the Rockies offense, he would have blown the extra-innings game the other night. Not only did he give up Scott Hairston’s two-run homer in the 13th, but he also struggled all season, posting an 0-5 record with an ERA above 5. Colorado should focus on other bullpen arms during key moments in the series.

KP’s Take: This matchup could be the most exciting of the opening round, if you like high octane offense. Expect some high scoring and close games. The Phillies came in hot, and the Rockies came in blistering hot. Either way, something has to give here, and the struggles of Francis against the Phillies, plus the emotional high Colorado hit the other night are factors here. Therefore, I give Philadelphia the slight edge.

Phillies in 5

 

That does it for my predictions… who do you have?

Many have seen the classic comedy Office Space, which is filled with memorable lines, among which include “Show me your ‘O’ face”… and that is where the title of this series of posts comes from.  “Show Me Your O’s Face”, a weekly recap of baseball starting in Baltimore, and expanding beyond… but not only to discuss the week in baseball, but also trying to fit in popular culture at times, as well as provide the facial expressions and feelings that come along with each baseball story within the post.  Recapping a week of baseball in Baltimore, and sometimes beyond… it’s time to show me your O’s face…

Show Me Your O’s Face: 2007 Volume I

Today’s focus:  A recap of last week’s performance by the Orioles, along with discussions on Roger Clemens, Josh Beckett, and home run leaders in the American and National Leagues.

Today’s Intro

Losing happens in baseball.  Let’s face it… it happens a lot… even to the elite teams in the league.  A team can win 100 games during the regular season and still lose 62 times.  That’s a heckuva lot of off nights, especially for the really passionate fans to have to take.  I don’t know about you, but when my team loses, I would rather the game be an overall poor performance across the board, say for example, a 10-0 loss.  I understand that you can take positives out of solid pitching performances and what not, and I totally get that.  Yet, it’s still the heartbreakers that kill me.

It’s one thing to lose late in the game… but another to blow a lead in the 9th… and worse to lose it on a walk-off hit… and even worse to blow a 5-0 lead in the 9th inning with one out, on a two-run error that could have ended the game with a victory.  The aforementioned occurrence was the result of what would be a painful 6-5 loss to the division rival Red Sox… and that heartbreaking loss is what happened to the Orioles a week ago yesterday, and worse yet, that wasn’t the first heartbreaking loss of the 2007 season for Baltimore.  Yet, that setback, likely hurt the most.  The real question remained… how would the O’s respond going into this week?

In Baltimore…

Monday May 14:

Blue Jays 5, Orioles 3

I’m not sure how to respond to the first game the O’s had following the debacle in Boston on Sunday the 13th.  I can only say that there was some anger and frustration, and not just on my part, but also that of the Baltimore players.  Specifically, there was a dugout altercation between Melvin Mora and Jay Payton.  Mora made an unnecessary baserunning move late in the game that distracted Payton.  However, what is more puzzling to me at this point are two other topics, one being the rumors swirling that manager Sam Perlozzo could be fired soon, and that his decision to remove Jeremy Guthrie against Boston in the 9th inning was a bad one.  I read on the Baltimore Sun website that Perlozzo stated that he would take out Guthrie if he allowed a man to get on base.  OK, so someone got on base, but it wasn’t Guthrie’s fault… it was a blunder by catcher Ramon Hernandez.  But I digress, and move on to the other thing that grinds my gears, and that is this team’s inability to drive the ball and get clutch hits.  I want to track down a stat that can tell me how many games a team outhits its opponent.  That kind of information has to be out there, and the Orioles have to be near the top of the list in the Major Leagues too.  Anyway, this game featured another wasted quality start by Erik Bedard (7IP, 3 runs, 7 K’s), and another poor outing by setup man Danys Baez, who give up two runs late, including the game-winning home run by Toronto’s Troy Glaus.  Combine this loss with the one on the previous night, and you have a result more painful than Roseanne Barr singing the National Anthem.

Tuesday May 15:

Blue Jays 2, Orioles 1

Any team in baseball would likely have a tough time losing more than half of its starting rotation in the early part of the regular season.  The Orioles lost Kris Benson, Jaret Wright, and Adam Loewen from their opening day starting rotation… and all three for significant time.  However, the current rotation has pitched well enough to win games, but the bullpen and offense have both faltered.  This day was no different, as Daniel Cabrera pitched a complete game, going 8 innings, giving up two runs, walking five, and striking out six.  As for the offense, well, the Baltimore run totals have been about as miniscule as one of Nicole Richie’s dinner plates.  On the other side, Toronto countered with Jesse Litsch, who was having his major league debut.  For some reason, the Orioles are unable to prepare for the “newbies” in baseball, and always make them look magical.  This has happened this year already a few times (e.g. Dallas Braden for Oakland), and to my recollection, it happened in previous seasons too.  I almost want to recommend to every team in baseball to call up three minor leaguers from its AAA franchise to face the O’s in a three game set.  Roy Halladay?  Nah, call up Jesse Litsch.  Roger Clemens?  C’mon, bring on the next Clippard.  Johan Santana?  I laugh at you… bring on… well, you get the idea.  Getting back to Litsch, the kid dominated the O’s, going 8 2/3 innings, and giving up one measely run.  His second start for the Jays?  Litsch went four innings and gave up four runs against the Phillies on Sunday.  Is it the pitcher, or the preparation by the O’s?  Either way, it is frustration with a Capital “F”.

Wednesday May 16:

Blue Jays 2, Orioles 1

Déjà vu, the O’s can only score once, yet again, the Jays score two.  I’m a poet, and I didn’t know it.  Right now, the Birds remind me of Steve Carrell’s character in the 40 Year-Old Virgin… they just aren’t scoring.  People want to give them all kinds of advice on how they can score, but right now it just isn’t happening, but you know that eventually they will.  This time, it was A.J. Burnett who would make the Baltimore offense look silly, with Brian Burres again pitching well enough to give the O’s a shot to win the game.  Burnett went through the Baltimore batting order faster than Rosie O’Donnell can say “All-You-Can-Eat-Buffet”, posting a complete game three-hitter, in which he also struck out ten batters along the way.  The result would be the Orioles heading back home with a five-game losing streak, and a number of additional questions.  Next up would be interleague play, in which the O’s have never faired well.  However, this time, Baltimore would be facing the Beltway rival Nationals, who even though the team from D.C. had the worst record in the National League, they were riding an impressive stretch of winning 6 of 7 games, including taking 3 of 4 against the talented Atlanta Braves.

Thursday May 17:

Day Off

With the losses mounting, the frustration adding up, I personally was happy to see an off day arrive.  As for the Orioles, some players likely want to keep playing to try and break out of the funk the team is in, but as a fan… not playing a game today was a victory.

Friday May 18:

Orioles 5, Nationals 4

While it feels great to get back in the win column, the O’s certainly did their best to try and blow this game.  After almost having twice as many hits as the Nats, Baltimore had to hold on for a 5-4 victory.  On two different occasions in the contest, the O’s opened up a three-run lead over Washington, only to have a two-run homer close the gap to one.  The second two run shot was by Ryan Zimmerman, who crushed one off of Danys Baez, who continues to struggle in recent weeks.  Zimmerman would get another shot in the 9th off of closer Chris Ray, and hit one sharply, but the ball was caught in left field by Freddie Bynum, barely sealing the victory.  I have to go back to Baez again though, who was horrible again in the ‘pen.  This guy’s year in Baltimore has been an absolute flop… and I’m talkin’ a Gigli, Ishtar, and Waterworld all wrapped into one type of flop.

Saturday May 19:

Orioles 3, Nationals 2 (11 innings)

Another no-name starter in baseball (Mike Bacsik) posted six shutout innings on the O’s during this game, and Jeremy Guthrie was once again stellar in getting a no decision (7 IP, one run, 10 K’s).  It is like déjà vu all over again.  However, Jay Payton saved the day for Baltimore delivering a clutch hit in the 11th inning that would lead the O’s to a 3-2 victory over the Nats.  The hard fought victory was another in which the Orioles could only score 3 runs, but in escaping with a victory, it left me feeling hopeful that the team could build some momentum, and possibly sweep away Washington in the first interleague series of the season… especially with a red-hot Erik Bedard (who was due for a victory) pitching the next day.

Sunday May 20:

Nationals 4, Orioles 3

This game would be the 5th consecutive one-run game the Orioles have played in this week.  Does anyone in Baltimore or the Nation’s Capital have any fingernails left?  Erik Bedard was dominant yesterday, and not just on the pitching mound.  Bedard went seven strong, giving up one run, and striking out 12 Nationals, which tied a career high for K’s.  He also went 2 for 2 with an RBI single, helping his cause.  However, in the 8th inning, the pricey Orioles bullpen would blow another quality start by a member of the rotation.  Once again, it was Danys Baez, who gave up another chunk of hits, including hitting a batter on a 1-2 count.  When signed to a 3 yr. 19 million dollar deal in the offseason, I clearly thought he was the weakest addition to the bullpen, but also the most expensive.  Still, I didn’t think he was this bad.  I think it’s about time that the O’s pull a “Houston Lidge move” and back this guy up to mopup duty during blowouts.  Heck, even better yet, use that 19 million to buy a boatland of Esskay Franks for the Oriole faithful, and call up Jim Hoey to let loose on the Baltimore bullpen.

Finally, getting back to the talk about firing Sam Perlozzo, what blows me away is that there is no mention of Leo Mazzone here.  Not firing him, but do people realize that these two are best friends?  If Perlozzo is gone, don’t you think that Mazzone will leave with him?  I understand that the pitching has not been perfect, but this guy is still a legend in the game, and has earned more time to work with the staff.

Next Up:  A six game homestand at Camden Yards, with three vs. Toronto, and three vs. Oakland.  The opening game of the week should be a dandy, with two fireballers facing each other, as Daniel Cabrera heads to the mound for Baltimore, and A.J. Burnett for Toronto.

And Beyond…

Here’s what else jumped out at me this week in Major League Baseball…

The Rocket Big Apple Relaunch

Roger Clemens gave up a home run in the first inning of his Single A Tampa debut.  Big deal.  Why is this news?  He did the same thing last year, and still pitched well in Houston!  The guy is 45 years old, and he just keeps on going.  I wouldn’t be worried about Roger’s performance, even though his ERA should be a little higher due to returning to the American League in 2007.  Still, how much can he really help the struggling Yankees?

Beckett, Oven Mitts, and Pirate Jokes

I don’t know what you think, but maybe Josh Beckett should start wearing oven mitts like George Costanza did in the episode of Seinfeld where he was a hand model.  C’mon, you know the one… it was also the “Puffy Shirt” episode.  “But I don’t wanna be a pirate!”  Ooh, there’s a Pittsburgh joke in there somewhere, but I’ll let it go this time.  This guy Beckett obviously needs to take care of these babies (his hands), because they are definitely hindering him.  Stop using the Palmolive!  Anyway, I would not be surprised if the absence of Beckett (7-0) did slow down the Red Sox the slightest bit, but with a 9 ½ game lead in the division, not enough to notice.

Sell High in Fantasy on New Power?

Has anyone taken a look at the stat sheets in recent days?  Say, Home Run leaders for example?  J.J. Hardy from the Brewers leads the National League with 14 homers, while Prince Fielder and Chipper Jones are not far behind him.  That’s a nice resurgence by Chipper… and nowhere to be seen among the leaders is Ryan Howard.  I’m thinking Hardy may be sellin’ high in a lot of fantasy baseball leagues right now, and quite frankly, I don’t blame people for doing that.  Over in the American League, there are a few other new faces in the mix as well.  Jhonny Peralta (SS – Indians) and Ian Kinsler (2B – Rangers) are tied for third in the American League with 10 home runs.  Not far behind them is Jack Cust, who has 8 HR’s with the A’s in only 46 at bats!  Isn’t this the same Jack Cust who tripped and fell as an Oriole on the way to home plate against the Yankees?  I’m sure Jack would love me bringing up that story, but again, I would sell high there too if you can.  Heck, Cust may still be a free agent in some fantasy leagues.

Final Thoughts

Well… it was another somewhat frustrating week for the Orioles, where the team went 2-4, yet somehow they managed to remain in second place in the AL East for most of the week.  The O’s certainly don’t deserve to be near there right now, but then again, neither do the rest of the teams in the division.  It is clearly smooth sailing for Boston at this point of the season.

Speaking of Boston, Josh Beckett had to go on the disabled list once again, and how much of a hit will that be on the Red Sox rotation?  There is also talk of cancer survivor Jon Lester coming back soon to Boston.  Can you imagine the ovation he will receive when he first steps onto the mound at Fenway Park?  Anywhere for that matter!  Can he regain his form in 2007, and will the early successes of Okajima and the rest of the Boston bullpen continue?  They can’t possibly remain at such a torrid pace, but still, Boston has built quite a cushion so far, with a 9 ½ game lead over Yankees.

Speaking of the Yankees, Roger Clemens will be returning soon, and how will he do back in the AL East?  Can he help push this Yankees team past mediocrity, or is this finally the year that Torre and/or Cashman finally fall out of the good graces of “The Boss”?  In order for New York to compete, the pitching has to get healthy, and the offense has to keep hitting home runs.

Speaking of home runs, there is some new blood atop of the home run lists in both leagues.  Raise your hand if you had J.J. Hardy leading the NL in HR’s this far into the season?  Pipe down and put your hands down… you did not!  How long will these guys stay there?  If you own them in fantasy, should you attempt to deal them away at top value now, or is it wise to keep them for the rest of the year?  I’m thinking you deal ‘em, and get some quality, more stable talent in return.  Don’t agree?  Does the name Chris Shelton change your mind?!

In closing, I would like to encourage you to rant and rave about any team in baseball.  Open this up as a discussion for the progress throughout the week in baseball, whether it is on a team-by-team basis, from a player’s standpoint, or anything at all.  I’m always open for some fun baseball discussions.  So c’mon… show me your O’s face!

 

Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack… and grab me a beer while you’re at it.  Honestly, would Cracker Jack still be made today if it wasn’t for the game of baseball?  I don’t recall ever seeing it stocked at the grocery store, just being sold at a stadium at an exorbitant price from a big fat guy screaming “Crackahh Jack heeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrreeeeeee”.  OK, now I just went and typecast all the stadium vendors in baseball.  I had to be “that guy”.

Now that you have your snacks, sit back and relax.  Baseball season is finally upon us!  If you are as excited as me, perhaps you have a number of thoughts running through your head about Opening Day and the 2007 season.  If not, then let me present you with some random and tantalizing baseball thoughts that will hopefully keep you preoccupied until the first pitch crosses the plate…

Some Baseball Thoughts That Are Off Base

Pete Rose is back in the news, but this time he discusses how he gambled in baseball.  In fact, a few days ago, Rose was on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno discussing how often he gambled.  Rose did so quite nonchalantly I might add… and that struck me as odd.  How many years has this man adamantly stated that he never gambled in baseball?   Now, without any segway at all, Rose tells the story of how he bet on every game that his Cincinnati Reds played when he managed the team.  Hello?  Where have you been the last decade Pete?  I think Rose’s brain may be missing more than Mark Prior and Kerry Wood from the Chicago Cubs lineup.

Speaking of gamblers…

Kenny Rogers, also known as “The Gambler”, is back in baseball news.  Rogers is going to open the 2007 season on the disabled list.  The injury has been labeled as a “tired arm”.  Yeah, so I’m not going to lie to you, having a “tired arm” before the season begins is not exactly a good thing.  At age 42, my diagnosis to Rogers would be that he has an “old arm”.  Who’s “The Gambler” now?  My money is on Detroit’s front office.

Speaking of players on the disabled list…

Kenny Rogers isn’t the only player missing from rosters in the early going.  In fact a number of others are missing from baseball as Opening Day approaches.  While players like Rogers hit the 15-day DL, I am left to think of Ugueth Urbina.  Today, I personally placed Urbina on the 14-year DL… but hey, don’t worry Urbina fans, I imagine that it’s probably retroactive to last season.  Therefore, he should be eligible to come off the DL in 2020.

Speaking of players not in the Majors this year…

There are a number of great prospects on the outer edge looking in.  Among the many talented minor league players waiting for his big break include the talented starting pitcher Homer Bailey, who has a career minor league record of 18-11, with an ERA of 3.36 and 290 strikeouts in just under 255 innings (all with the Cincinnati Reds organization).  There is no doubt that Bailey could get his chance real soon with the Major League club.  If you ask me, I think maybe his parents may have jinxed him at birth.  OK, honestly his full name is David “Homer” Dewitt Bailey Jr.  I assume the nickname came from family (to distinguish between father and son), but I’m not entirely sure.  But hey, it’s OK, Homer will mostly get to pitch at Great American Ballpark too.  Poor guy.

Speaking of homers…

Once again featuring talented, powerful, and expensive lineups, the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox will likely be hitting a lot of home runs during this upcoming season.  The real question will remain… “Can either of these two high profile teams translate its giant payroll into a World Series title?”  While watching the Yankees/Red Sox rivalry on TV is entertaining, I think the general baseball fan thinks that it’s getting old to see each of these two teams involved in the playoff chase almost every year.  With exception to the obvious, being the Sox and Yanks fans themselves.  Personally, I would rather see Sanjaya Malakar win American Idol than see New York or Boston take the title in 2007.  And I’m tellin’ you, I’m no Pavarotti, but I would never put that kid in a glass house and tell him to belt out his favorite tune.

Speaking of the Red Sox...

Everyone knows who will be receiving the most attention this year in Boston.  That’s right people, it’s Daisuke Matsuzaka… the new Red Sox hero.  The media has already opened the floodgates with Matsuzaka Mania.  Dice-K, D-Mat, and the list goes on… he’s already being called so many different names, that Daisuke is going to need to get a separate translator just for the nicknames.

Speaking of being lost in translation…

The talk of the season in Seattle is regarding Ichiro, and if this will be his last season in Seattle.  Suzuki could even be moved at the trading deadline, perhaps sign with another team in the upcoming offseason, or maybe make it back with the Seattle Mariners if an extension is signed.  Either way, wouldn’t it be extremely odd to see Ichiro playing in a different uniform?

Speaking of odd uniform changes…

I don’t know about you, but to begin the season, it is going to be difficult for me to see the following: “The Big Hurt” in a Toronto uniform, Alfonso Soriano playing with the Cubs, Andy Pettitte back in New York, J.D. Drew in Boston, Jason Schmidt playing for the Dodgers, and Barry Zito in a Giants uniform.  Then there’s Roger “The Rocket” Clemens.  Will he play again, and if so, will he come back to Houston, or instead travel to Boston or New York?

Clemens is one of those players with a name that makes me think of non-baseball related things.  Do you have players like that, or am I the one losing my mind?  For example, I think it’s fitting for “The Rocket” to remain in Houston because the city itself is a main hub for NASA.  Clemens isn’t the only player that makes me think of other random things.  In fact, there are countless others.  Three more examples are:

#### Bonser (Minnesota Twins) – Bonser will be relied upon heavily to stabilize a Twins rotation that will have lost young phenom Francisco Liriano for the year due to injury.  But when I think of #### Bonser, I just think of the movie Teen Wolf.  C’mon admit it, you know what I’m talkin’ about people.

Coco Crisp (Boston Red Sox) – Yes, you guessed it… I think of cereal.  I think of that goofy bird in the commercials when I was a kid.  However, now I realize I was combining Cocoa Krispies and Cocoa Puffs, so maybe in the long run, I will be able to move on from this.  The question will be, can Crisp move on and improve on a subpar first season with the Red Sox?

Barry Bonds (San Francisco Giants) – While everyone else is thinking of the home run record or any allegations, I just picture Bonds as a tank… but in human form.  Let’s face it, I could work out EIGHT days a week, and I still wouldn’t look like that.

How will all of these players perform in 2007?  Especially the ones that are in new uniforms, as they will be under a microscope for sure.  Will each player’s respective fan base approve of his performance in the upcoming season?

Speaking of approval…

How will the D.C. faithful react to the Washington Nationals this year?  Can anyone out there name the team’s starting rotation without cheating?  Even better yet, bonus points if you are able to name the team’s 25 man roster.  Yeah, I didn’t think so.  Something tells me that the Washington fan approval may hover near the Mendoza line this season.  We’re talking similar to the approval rating of another figure in the Nation’s Capital, that being President Bush.  Don’t worry, I’m not going to go political on you… but hey, you should vote!

Speaking of voting…

Do you have any votes for the upcoming 2007 season?  It can be anything from MVP in the American League to comeback player of the year, biggest free agent bust to Cy Young in the National League, Wild Card in the AL to World Series representative in the NL.  If you were to bet on anything to happen, what would it be?  Bold predictions or minor mild predictions… whatever you wish.  On my side, I’ll come up with one of each, a mild prediction, a bold prediction, and a betting thought…

Mild Prediction: The Toronto Blue Jays are in arguably the most talented division in baseball, that being the stacked American League East.  After finishing in second place in ’06, there are high hopes in Toronto this year for the team to push its game to the next level.  I’m sure Canadians will no longer want to hear any more excuses after this season… you know, such as my prediction of… They’ll be the best team in Canada, eh!

Bold Prediction: I think the most interesting races of the season will be in both Central divisions, and if I were to make a bold prediction, I would guarantee that there will be one surprise division winner, coming from either the American League or the National League.  There are two teams that come to mind, both of which feature talented young core players along with improved health and pitching.  Therefore, I would not be shocked to see either the Cleveland Indians steal away a playoff spot in the AL Central, or the Milwaukee Brewers earn a playoff berth in the NL Central.

Betting Thought: At the moment, I’m not 100% sure on what I would bet on, as baseball has been becoming more and more unpredictable in recent years.  However, I imagine that if I were to put $1 down on a Pirates vs. Royals World Series in 2007, that with the odds I could get approximately a MILLION in return.  Is that mean to think such a thing?!  Perhaps.  I admit it though, it would be fun to see a surprise team become the World Series champs of 2007.

Speaking of the Champs…

The St. Louis Cardinals come into the 2007 season as the returning champs.  However, with less veteran talent in St. Louis and more need for the younger players to step up their game, Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa is going to have his hands full.  It will be a major challenge for the Cards to repeat.  LaRussa will definitely need to pull some magic with this team and he definitely can’t “fall asleep at the wheel”.  Hmm, maybe that was a bad choice of words.  Anyway, it is going to be an interesting year, not only in St. Louis, but throughout all of Major League Baseball.

With all that being said… is it Opening Day yet?  Let’s get this party started!

 

Yes, you read that correctly.  In recent days, a right handed pitcher by the name of Nigel Thatch was traded for sixty cases of Budweiser beer.  If you don’t believe me, then have a look for yourself.

The first question that came to my mind was, “Bottles or cans?”  Seriously, that would adjust the value of the trade to some degree. 

Before the exchange, Thatch was a pitcher for the Schaumberg Flyers in the Northern League, an independent baseball league that also features other teams such as the Calgary Vipers, Edmonton Cracker-Cats, Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks, Joliet Jackhammers, St. Paul Saints, Winnipeg Goldeyes, among others.  Furthermore, there are a number of recognizable Major League baseball names that have also participated in the independent Northern League at some point during their careers.  Among that list of players include J.D. Drew, Kevin Millar, Rey Ordonez, Darryl Strawberry, Jeff Zimmerman, Matt Duff, Tim Byrdak, and Luis Lopez.

Do you realize the significance of the trade, and why it happened this way?  Thatch was not only a pitcher for the minor league Schaumberg Flyers in the Northern League, but also an actor.  In fact, you would most recently recall him as “Leon” in a series of commercials for Budweiser beer. 

If you still are not sure who I am referring to, let me try and jolt your memory some more.  One particular amusing line from one of the commercials is as follows: “Leon, there is no ‘I’ in team” stated the reporter.  Leon replied, “Yeah, well there ain’t no ‘WE’ neither”.    

Actually, the main reason for the bizarre exchange was apparently due to the fact that the Schaumberg Flyers baseball team has a partnership with Anheuser-Busch, though I’m pretty sure the fact that Thatch has also acted in Budweiser commercials assisted as well. 

Nigel Thatch was moved over to another independent baseball league, that being the Golden League.  Thatch will now be in California playing for the Fullerton Flyers, which will be significantly closer to Hollywood and Los Angeles, allowing him to not only further continue to focus on baseball, but also continue his acting career on the side.

Finally, the news got me thinking that if an exchange like this really can happen in sports, then what are some possible fictional trade talks that I wish were discussed in pro sports at some point in time.  With that thought, I give you…

My Top 5 Trade Talks that NEVER HAPPENED, but SHOULD have

5)

In 2001, former Red Sox pitcher Rich “El Guapo” Garces was almost traded to the Cleveland Indians along with 12 dozen Dunkin’ Donuts in exchange for RHP Bartolo Colon.  Rumor has it that Colon and El Guapo got together before the trade.  Later, the donuts disappeared, were never found again, and the trade was therefore never completed.

4)

In 2004, Shaquille O’Neal was almost traded to the Dallas Mavericks, in a deal that would have included not only multiple players, but also hundreds of copies of movies “Steel” and “Kazaam”, along with CD’s “Shaq Diesel” and “Shaq-Fu: Da Return”.  Dallas owner Mark Cuban was not willing to pick up this part of the deal, and O’Neal was instead eventually traded to the Miami Heat, where he still plays today.

3)

Former Baltimore co-GM Jim Beattie attempted to deal away Orioles owner Peter Angelos to the Chunichi Dragons (from the Japanese Central League) in exchange for a prospect and some sushi.  The other co-GM Mike Flanagan interjected explaining that a trade with a Japanese team isn’t possible, and this would also need owner approval, which makes the deal impossible.  Beattie was later let go and Flanagan eventually earned the job as the lone General Manager of the Baltimore Orioles. 

2)

In the late 1980’s, the Toronto Blue Jays had offered up 15 cases of Molson beer and a slab of Canadian bacon in exchange for the rights to Minnesota 3B Gary Gaetti.  “Do the trade, eh!” Toronto officials had exclaimed.  While the Twins liked the idea of the tasty Canadian bacon, they balked at the Molson, instead having an asking price of Leinenkugels beer, which is more local and familiar to them.  ‘Don-chya-no’ the talks broke-off shortly after, yah.

1)

Before being traded to the Miami Dolphins, the Oakland Raiders had offered the Vikings two draft picks and a free boat cruise throughout the San Francisco Bay in exchange for QB Daunte Culpepper.  This offer did not sit well with Minnesota officials or Culpepper and his agents, and therefore negotiations abruptly ended.

Feel free to come up with your own fictional trade talks, as I would enjoy hearing them. 

Good luck to Nigel Thatch!  Cheers!