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 positive way.

Yep, like a teacher gives her best students, it’s time to hand out some gold stars, this time to the best performers during baseball’s first half.


Gold Stars – Volume III
Baseball’s Halfway Point

Tampa Bay Rays (49-32)
Many prognosticators had these guys competing in 2008, but let’s be honest, did we all really believe it? One thing’s for sure, the Rays are loaded with talent all over the field, and oh yeah… Evan Longoria is for real.

Baltimore Orioles (41-39)
Many critics had the Orioles finishing with the worst record in the majors. Meanwhile, the O’s are finding ways to stay afloat. Baltimore is 17-12 is one-run games, that’s four more one-run victories than all of last season. Their bullpen has been the strong point, posting the fifth best ERA in the majors (3.15). Andy MacPhail also deserves “props” for the deals he made in the offseason, as the players acquired in the Tejada and Bedard deals are making significant contributions to this year’s club (as well as in the minors).

Philadelphia Phillies (44-39)
In recent years, Philadelphia has been a consistent slow starter. However, 2008 has been a different story. While many would point to Chase Utley and Cole Hamels as the main reasons for their hot start, one shouldn’t dismiss how deadly Philly’s bullpen has been, with a major league leading ERA of 2.62.

Boston Red Sox (50-34)
The reigning champs have sustained some injuries, with David Ortiz going down weeks ago and Curt Schilling being lost for the year. Still, the Sox keep picking each other up, and remain in a battle with the Rays and Angels for the AL’s best record.

Chicago Cubs (49-33)
We knew they would likely perform well, but were the Cubbies expected to have a commanding lead for best record in the NL at the midway point? Maybe, maybe not. Either way, it’s going to be interesting to see what Chicago does at the trade deadline, especially with Carlos Zambrano injured.

George Sherrill (3.53 ERA, 26 saves)
Taking over as a full-time closer for the first time in his career, did anyone see these kind of numbers coming out of Sherrill? His 26 saves are second in the major leagues. If this guy doesn’t make the AL All-Star team, it’s a shame.

Carlos Quentin (.288 average, 19 HR, 61 RBI)
Looks like the D’Backs gave up on Quentin one year too early, as he’s putting up MVP-type numbers for the White Sox through the first half.

Nate McLouth (.283 average, 15 HR, 51 RBI)
Pittsburgh’s 26-year old center fielder has already reached career highs in home runs and RBI’s. The real question is, how long can he keep this torrid pace up?

Chase Utley and Dan Uggla (23 HR each – leads MLB)
Who out there had two National League second basemen leading the Majors in home runs? Yeah, I didn’t think so. The real question is, who deserves to start at second in the All-Star game?

Josh Hamilton (.312 average, 19 HR, 79 RBI)
It’s been years since there was talk about a Triple Crown winner. That is, until Hamilton stepped up to the plate as a Texas Ranger in 2008. Currently, he leads the AL in homers and RBI’s, but has dropped to 10th in average. There’s plenty of season left for Hamilton to hit the record books.

Lance Berkman (.364 average, 21 HR, 67 RBI)
Sticking with the Triple Crown theme, Lance Berkman has rustled up similar rumors in the NL this season. On a ridiculous pace in 2008, Berkman is currently second in the NL in average, 3rd in HR, and 2nd in RBI.

Chipper Jones (.394 average, 16 HR, 46 RBI)
It’s nice to once again have a story about someone chasing .400 this far into the season. Then again, do any of us really think that Chipper can pull it off? One thing’s for sure, if he does, Jones will be feeling… well… chipper.

Edinson Volquez (10-3, 2.08 ERA, 110 K’s)
In his first full season, Volquez has been dominant since being traded from the Rangers to the Reds. He doesn’t count as a rookie, but should definitely be considered a candidate for the NL Cy Young award as the season progresses.

Tim Lincecum (9-1, 2.38 ERA, 114 K’s)
In only his second season, the 24-year old Lincecum has been dominant in the young Giants rotation. If San Francisco could just acquire some supporting cast…

Cliff Lee (11-1, 2.34 ERA, 90 K’s) and Ervin Santana (9-3, 3.32 ERA, 99 K’s)
After abysmal 2007 campaigns, Lee (6.29 ERA) and Santana (5.76) were nearly traded by their respective teams. In the end, neither were dealt, and now both are comeback stories of the year.

Justin Duchscherer (8-5, 1.91 ERA)
With nearly 200 relief appearances over the last four seasons, Duchscherer was placed in the Oakland rotation this year, and has flourished. Now, he leads the majors with the best ERA, and a start in the All-Star game is certainly not out of the question.

Ryan Dempster (9-3, 3.26 ERA)
Starting for the first time since 2003, Dempster has pitched extremely well for the Cubs. How smart is Lou Piniella looking right now for moving him back into the rotation?

Francisco Rodriguez (2.04 ERA, 31 saves)
Rodriguez is having an incredible season, and well on his way to challenging Bobby Thigpen’s record of 57 saves (set back in 1990).

Silver Stars (Honorable Mentions)
Rich Harden, Jim Johnson, Mike Mussina, J.D. Drew, Adrian Gonzalez, Ian Kinsler, Milton Bradley, John Danks, Joe Saunders, and Aaron Cook

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

This has been “Gold Stars”… let’s see who performs during the second half.

** All stats as of Sunday June 29, 2008

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?

Come on, go ahead and push it.

Come on…

You know you want to.

Just do it.

Do it!  Do it now!

Oh boy, now you’ve gone and done it…

The panic button has been pressed…

Oh no… oh my… Ahhhhh!!

 

Everybody run for your lives!  Hit the deck!  Fire in the hole!  Watch out!  Ohhh the humanity!

Your team lost on Opening Day… you got swept in your first series… you fell to a team like the Pirates or the Royals… your team has already dug a three game hole in the opening week.

A-Rod pops out in one game late, and is a zero.  The next game he crushes a walk-off grand slam, and is the hero.  Pudge Rodriguez hits a go-ahead homer in the 9th for the Tigers.  Jorge Julio falters late to the lowly Nationals.  Schilling pitches a dud on Opening Day.  Barry Zito’s first start as a Giant is far from stellar.  Santana gives up four runs.  The Indians and the Mariners can’t even seem to get a game started.  The list goes on and on...

Calm down people, it isn’t the end of the world here.

Seriously, calm down… we’re gonna get through this.

OK, much better…

While the above may a tad on the dramatic side, doesn’t it feel that way sometimes during the opening week of baseball?  I honestly mean no disrespect to even begin to include such carnage visually when comparing to sports, but in all seriousness, the point I’m trying to make here is that some people act like it’s the end of the world when their team gets off to a slow start in baseball.  In fact, the above image in a way resembles the inside of a rabid fan’s head exploding with rage and frustration, especially after a tough opening week that followed all that excitement that was building up to the beginning of a new season.

Instead, if you want some real comedy, tune in to your local sports radio show and listen to the callers who sound like they’re either foaming at the mouth, their wife left them, or their dog ran away… and all that behavior is often a result of watching one baseball game.

Boston radio shows are a prime example.  It honestly seems like the Red Sox have lost every opening day game since I have lived in Massachusetts.  I’m sure that at some point the Sox won one of them, but I know for a fact that they have dropped a bunch, including the drubbing they took at the hands of the Kansas City Royals a few days ago.  If you are a non-Boston fan looking for some comedy, I would recommend seeing if you can track down the online radio broadcast of WEEI Sports Radio in Boston after a tough loss.  Believe me, you’ll appreciate the above comparison a lot more after tuning in to such a broadcast.

However, this doesn’t just occur in Boston… it’s everywhere throughout baseball, and all of sports for that matter.  I think perhaps some people may need to lay off the caffeine… or keep their eyes off the TV for just a little bit of the day.  Something… anything at all to try to cool down and come to their senses.  Why does everyone get so dramatic, when only one week of baseball is in the books?  Godzilla isn’t chasing you here!  And yes I’m talking baseball, but NO I’m not talking about “Godzilla”, meaning Hideki Matsui.  This is baseball, and it’s a 162 game season.  This isn’t a sprint… it’s a marathon.

There has only been a handful of games played in a very long 2007 season.  In fact, let me channel my “inner nerd” for a moment here.  All teams have played a total number of games that you can count on your hands.  Therefore, consider that many have only played six games of the  full 162 game baseball schedule.  After calculating that out, it is just under 0.04% of the season.  That’s it!  Keep that in mind the next time you announce your team’s season is over after a tough loss or even a tough series during the opening week of the season.

To further discuss the panic, let’s take a look around the country to see where the panic buttons likely have been prematurely pressed… and why they could have been set off already.  The map below illustrates some of the teams and locations that get mentioned along the way.

1. San Francisco Giants

With the arrival of Barry Zito to anchor a rotation featuring other talented arms such as young phenom Matt Cain, there are high hopes that the Giants can steal away the NL West division.  As with any other team in baseball, it is way too early to hit the panic button, but a number of San Francisco fans are likely doing just that.  The Giants (1-5) are off to a dismal start, in which all six games played were at home.  Furthermore, San Francisco’s offense was absent during the homestand, only scoring 14 runs, while giving up 31 over that span.  Now, the Giants move on to an eight game road trip in which they take on the Padres, Pirates, and Rockies.  With two more inner division foes coming up, San Francisco will need to wake up, or risk falling further back in the division race during the opening weeks of the season.

2. St. Louis Cardinals

The returning World Series Champions got off to a real slow start, including being absolutely dominated by the New York Mets in the opening series of the season.  New York outscored St. Louis (2-4) in the three game set 20-2.  After getting swept by New York, the Cards rebounded by taking two of three games against another struggling team in the NL Central, that being the rival Houston Astros.  After only posting seven runs in the opening five games of the season, St. Louis exploded for 10 in the sixth game, giving Kip Wells his first win in a Cardinals uniform this season.  I can imagine when the season began, St. Louis fans would be quick to hit the panic button regarding its questionable starting pitching staff, which features a young Anthony Reyes, and two converted bullpen arms in Adam Wainwright and Braden Looper.  However, this Cardinal trio played well in the opening week of the season, and the St. Louis offense just needs to kick it into gear.  To begin this week, St. Louis faces a young Pirates team that is off to a good start.

3. Houston Astros

The Pittsburgh Pirates started the season at 3-0… and the Earth is still sitting on its axis.  Amazing, I know.  But on the side of panic are the fans of the Houston Astros (1-5), who were swept by the Pirates.  Do you think Houston fans are crying out for Clemens to come back?  The Houston fanbase should instead be crying for more offense.  Despite quality outings from starting pitchers Roy Oswalt and Jason Jennings in the opening series against Pittsburgh, the Houston offense could not provide any run support for its pitching staff.  In fact, in its frustrating 1-5 start to the season, the Astros were only able to post 16 total runs over that span.  This was a problem in recent seasons, and so far in 2007, it appears to be a problem again.  In order to stay afloat in the NL Central division, Houston is going to need a solid mix of production from veterans Craig Biggio, Lance Berkman, and newcomer Carlos Lee, along with help from its youngsters.  Houston fans should worry about Clemens later.  Instead, consistency on offense is the key in Houston at this point.  All in all, Houston’s road won’t get any easier this week, as the Astros have to travel to Chicago and Philadelphia.

4. The Beltway Teams (Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals)

Not much was expected out of the Washington Nationals (1-6) this season, especially due to injuries to key players like Nick Johnson, and a starting rotation led by John Patterson, but followed by a group of unknowns.  However, Washington’s front office was hoping the team would play a little better than this in the opening week of the seeason.  Instead, aside of one furious comeback against the Marlins in the 9th inning on Wednesday, the Nationals were unable to produce any other victories.  Instead, it was a 1-6 opening week for the Nats that featured a four game sweep at the hands of the Arizona Diamondbacks.  Furthermore, the road doesn’t get any easier for Washington, as the team now has to travel to New York and Atlanta this week.  As a result, the Washington fanbase is likely already lighting up the phones and asking the local radio shows about next season.

As for Baltimore, this is an interesting team that is off to a bizarre start to the season.  The Orioles improved in the offseason, but are still picked by many to finish in fourth place in the stacked AL East division, which is arguably the best in baseball.  The Orioles (2-4) opened the season getting swept at Minnesota in a three game set.  What was more frustrating for O’s fans was the fact that the team put up four runs on ace Johan Santana, but couldn’t hold onto the lead.  In the next game, the offense sputtered, and couldn’t provide any run support for Daniel Cabrera, who pitched very well.  Baltimore rebounded to defeat the Yankees in two out of three games over the weekend.  However, the most memorable moment against the Yankees was one that likely induced panic among the Oriole fanbase.  The new and supposedly improved bullpen was unable to hold onto a 7-3 lead on Saturday, as new reliever Danys Baez gave up a three run homer to Jason Giambi in the 8th inning.  Finally, in the 9th, closer Chris Ray was one strike away from what would eventually be a Baltimore sweep, but the often criticized Alex Rodriguez hit a grand slam that sent the Yankees to victory.  Coming into its home opener today against the Tigers, the Oriole fans are not sure what kind of team they have at this point.  One thing for certain is that the Orioles should see a boost in offense when Ramon Hernandez and Jay Payton come off the DL in the next week or so.

5. Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies (1-5) have been notorious for slow starts in recent years, and this year, the same thing has happened once again.  While it is still very early in the season, there is no doubt in my mind that the phones are ringing off the hook on the local Philadelphia sports radio shows, complaining about the team, as well as inquiring about when the NBA, NFL, and NHL drafts are going to arrive, in hopes that their city can pick a future superstar to help vault one of its other sports franchises to a title.  Every year in recent memory, the Philly faithful are informed that its beloved Phillies should contend for a playoff spot, and every year they are disappointed.  Therefore, you can imagine that this passionate Philadelphia fanbase have already hit the panic button multiple times.  With a talented nucleus, the Phillies should be able to rebound, but the team will need to do so soon, as this week, Philadelphia travels to Shea Stadium to take on the Mets, and a good series against New York would go a long way to building up some momentum, and remaining competitive in the improved NL East division.

6. New York Yankees

It is still the Yankees (2-3), but on the other hand, it is still the Bronx, and the New York fans, who have high expectations every year.  This year, the biggest concern (and reason for some panic) is the slow start of the starting rotation for the Yankees.  Not one of the five starters in New York’s rotation was able to put together a quality start during the opening week of the season against Tampa Bay and Baltimore.  While this is only one start, the team’s pitching performance thus far is likely wreaking some havoc and panic throughout the city of New York.  There is only so much that the talented Yankees offense can do during a season, and at this point, heroics from Alex Rodriguez in the 9th inning on Saturday, along with an explosive offensive comeback against Tampa Bay earlier in the week have resulted in New York’s only two victories this season.  The starting rotation is going to need to settle down and keep the bullpen fresh, or there will be reason for more panic in the upcoming months.

7. Boston Red Sox

Last but certainly not least, there are the Boston Red Sox (3-3)… arguably the kings of radio venting and panic button pressing.  Again, like the Yankees, with the Red Sox comes a passion for baseball and high expectations for its team’s overall performance.  As I mentioned earlier, the Red Sox lost on Opening Day to the lowly Kansas City Royals… and worse, they lost 7-1 in a blowout.  Fans were calling in on opening night venting about Curt Schilling and his poor performance on Opening Day, as well as the absence of the Red Sox offense against Kansas City pitching.  Later, Boston would win the final two games of the series, including a stellar debut from Daisuke Matsuzaka, who struck out ten Royals, and earned the victory.  However, fans should refrain from giving Matsuzaka the key to the city just yet, as this was only one start… and a start against the Royals.  Let’s see how he progresses in a five man rotation over the span o####rueling MLB season. The rollercoaster opening week for Boston would continue, as the Sox would drop two to Texas, including being shutdown by the talented Robinson Tejeda, a young pitcher who is still a relatively unknown player in the Major Leagues.  Last night, Schilling would rebound with a solid performance, and the Red Sox find themselves at 3-3, but fans are likely pushing the panic button due to some very inconsistent play on both offense, defense, and with the pitching staff.

In Conclusion

All in all, it is just opening week.  Remember that baseball is a 162 game season.  162 games!  There is plenty of time to right the ship and mount a charge.  This is nothing like football, where you play 16 games, and an 0-2 start stings more than a Joel Zumaya fastball off the wrist.  One could make an argument for almost any fanbase in baseball at this point to be already pressing the panic button in some way.  Instead, fans should just sit back and relax a little bit.  As I mentioned earlier, the baseball season isn’t a sprint, but instead a marathon.  Keep your sanity and let’s get back to baseball!

 

Step right uppppppppp, hurry hurry hurrrrryyyyyyyyyyy…

Place your votes!  Make your voice heard for the 1^st Annual Krispies!

The what?  Krispies?  Are you referring to those tasty treats that are made from a popular cereal?  Noooooo, but you are correct, those are quite tasty.  KRISPIE stands for:

Kevin’s

Rewards for

Individuality,

Specialty,

Playability,

Incredibility, and

Excellence

Here are my awards for 2005.  Feel free to cast your votes and opinions.  There are ten total awards, in which five will be displayed in “Versus” format and five in “Winner/Honorable Mention” format.  I plan to split the awards into two separate postings, featuring five awards in each. 

Hope you enjoy these random awards, and in the spirit of awards to be given, good luck to all participating in the “Next Great Sportswriter” contest.  There are many great blogs out there, and I wish all of you the best.  Unfortunately, the judges may miss reading this one, but I still had a lot of fun writing it.  Enjoy!

And now, without further ado…

The Nominated Krispies for 2005 are: 

<<<<<<< Drum Roll >>>>>>>

 

BAD SEED AWARD

  VS. 

   TERRELL OWENS                  RON ARTEST

My Vote:  Terrell Owens

Thoughts:  Terrell Owens single handedly tore apart a great deal of the chemistry of the Philadelphia Eagles team this year.  All the injuries the Eagles had certainly did not help, but if Owens had been more of a teammate the Eagles may still be in the playoff hunt.  Artest is no doubt a “hothead”, but has solid relationships with many of his teammates.  Now, both of these players will more then likely end up on new teams in the near future.  The real question is: Which teams will take on each of these personalities?

 

FALLEN STAR AWARD (Backup that Responded Best)

  VS. 

   BRAD JOHNSON                 RYAN HOWARD

My Vote:  Brad Johnson

Thoughts:  This one is a tough call with Johnson replacing Daunte Culpepper admirably, and the young Ryan Howard filling in for the injured Jim Thome.  Both the Vikings and Phillies lost superstars, and both bench players responded by helping each team “catch fire" late in the season.  Furthermore, both teams just missed the playoffs.  Therefore, it is a tough vote to make.  I voted for Brad Johnson, as I felt he had more to prove upon being an aging veteran that had lost his starting spot in recent years.  Howard, on the other hand, had the talent but was not yet presented with the opportunity.  Once it was given to him, many figured he would steal the spotlight.    

 

BEST NAME IN SPORTS AWARD

WINNER:  #### Trickle 

I’m not by any means an avid NASCAR fan, but I always knew of the name #### Trickle.  As far as I know, he has since retired but in my mind still deserves the award.  I feel bad for the guy though, as I’m sure he took a lot of abuse as a child.

Honorable Mention:  Albert Pujols

Another great name in the world of sports, Albert will be crushing balls out of stadiums for years to come.  Also, this year, Pujols finally received his first MVP award in 2005

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WORST DRESSED AWARD

WINNER:  Oregon Ducks

This guy (see left) is so ashamed to wear this jersey, he can’t even look at the camera!  I’m mentally preparing myself for Oregon hate mail to come my way.  If it is any consolation Ducks fans, the white jerseys the team had on for the Holiday Bowl were completely tolerable and not painful for my retinas. 

Honorable Mention:  “My Blue Heaven” Tuxedo Baseball Jersey

Here is an obscure movie reference.  Does anyone remember the movie “My Blue Heaven” with Steve Martin and Rick Moranis?  At the end of the movie, Martin’s character builds a baseball stadium for kids, and dresses the team up in baseball jerseys that look like tuxedos.  I tried to find a picture of them, but was unsuccessful.  If I can track one down, I will be sure to include it on this page.  Take my word for it when I say that they were absolutely hideous. 

FASTEST ON THE PLANET AWARD

  VS. 

  MICHAEL VICK              THE ROAD RUNNER

My Vote:  The Road Runner

Thoughts:  Wile E. Coyote could never catch the Road Runner.  Many defenses couldn’t either.  Vick would have been the obvious choice in my mind, but then the Atlanta coaching staff had to go with the plan to try and keep him in the pocket more often.  Let Vick be Vick.  If you do that, maybe he can take the award next year. 

STAY TUNED FOR PART 2 OF THE KRISPIE AWARDS, which will feature the other five awards for the year 2005! 

Happy New Year!!