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Past the 3/4 Pole: The Cubs Have the Horses to WinAugust 26th, 2008
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I recently found myself stuck with a bad car. The brakes went out shortly after the purchase of the beaten fillie. The power windows don’t work right. The engine has a lifter problem. For $500, you get this sort of vehicle. One without the horses to get you home at night.
The Chicago Cubs are not any of that. They are a sleek thoroughbred, a Genuine Risk, that can bring it home in the derby.
Surprisingly, they are a team with more ways to beat you than just the usual bang-it-over-the-fence mashers they implemented from 1998-2005. Read more
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A View From The RavineAugust 26th, 2008
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Finally the curtain has come crashing down on the Rangers 2008 season. And while it was fascinating and gruesome, like a terrible highway accident that you couldn’t take your eyes off of, everyone did just that. They were all watching the Olympics, specifically Fishboy, Michael Phelps. I don’t want to go all Cary Lowry-Big Brown here, but if you will, indulge three quick points:
First, I get that he won a lot of medals, but they were all for the same thing. He swam really fast. Shouldn’t that be the point? I mean, Carl Lewis never had the chance to win 8 medals for running fast. He didn’t get a chance to go for the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash, high jump, 400-meter relay, 100-meter backwards dash, 200-meter left footed hop, 100-meter dash w/book on head, and 400-meter handstand relay.
B, for BORING! Fast in a straight line is okay, protected from the vicious French and the nasty Belgians by plastic lane dividers. But why don’t we smear him in steak sauce and let a couple of sharks loose in the pool. Now, that’s how you decide who’s fast and who’s not.
Third, I love that idea. Americans are watching “So You Think You Can Dance?” and “I’d Eat That For A Buck” in record numbers. Wouldn’t you tune in to a reality show called “Is Michael Phelps Faster Than A Shark?” I’d watch, every single week….
But back to the point, the Ranger’s bus finally teetered over the edge after driving Speed Racer style on the rail for the majority of the season. And April’s bullies, the Tigers and the Red Sox, helped finish it. So now the club is left to play spoilers, messing with the various pennant races while finding out which young prospects can play. The only problem is that Texas has been doing that all season long.
If you are keeping track, (and seriously, you shouldn’t be. Seriously.) the Rangers will be employing player number 52 sometime this weekend. That’s more than two full rosters worth of baseball. We’ve seen Red Hawks and Rough Riders and even a few LumberKings. Really, if you didn’t get called up at some point, you might want to start rethinking career options.
Still, there are a number of questions that need to be examined and addressed over the next five weeks. Among them: Is Chris Davis a 3rd baseman or a 1st baseman? And vice versa on Hank Blalock. And where do you put Ramon Vazquez to keep him in the lineup? The middle of the infield is a little easier with two All-Star, thundering bats in Young and Kinsler, but what about the defense? Is there any way to improve that without sitting someone?
The outfield looks to be settled with Byrd breaking out of his early slump, Bradley proving to be a valuable threat, Boggs and the injured David Murphy maturing nicely. The only question is the Rangers’ ability to sign MVP-Worthy Josh Hamilton to a nice, fat, long-term deal. They simply can’t let him get away.
Behind the plate? Laird is Laird, Salty is less, and Max and Taylor are waiting in the wings. But what about next year? Does anyone feel like one of those folks is the answer at catcher right now?
Luckily we’ve seen about every pitcher in the organization. Unluckily whoever the club hires to be a pitching coach won’t have. He’ll have to waste valuable time judging their strengths and weaknesses for himself. (I’ll help. Strengths: Ability to swivel head 180 degrees repeatedly. Weaknesses: Pitching.) And then he’ll have to figure out if the hurt ones are always going to be hurt. And rebuild the bullpen. And find a reliable long-term solution at closer.
It’s going to be a dangerous looking off-season for Ron Washington and company. Honestly, I’d rather be the guy forging birth certificates for Chinese gymnasts than trying to sort this mess out. Or so I hear. I can’t really say, because I was off watching baseball.
ADDED NOTE: There still may be time to vote for the greatest Rangers player of all time on Baseball Tonight’s online poll. It closes August 24th at 1 a.m. You can vote for Nolan, Ruben, Young, Pudge, Bell, Juan, Raffy, A-Rod, Frank Howard or Mr. Knuckler, Charlie Hough. I tried to write in Curtis Wilkerson and Will Clark, but it wouldn’t let me. If its not too late, go to http://sports.espn.go.com/chat/sportsnation/story?page=bbtnfranchisegreats and cast your vote.
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Why the Wildcard WorksAugust 26th, 2008
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Baseball purists believe the Wildcard rule is untraditional. After all, a pennant is a pennant is a pennant. But I’m here to say, it works. As a Ranger fan, my hopes for post season glory would have been over long ago with the high flying Angels ruling the AL West roost. But instead, there has been hope……possibly dashed recently by losing 10 of 14, but still it is there…..just a mere 10.5 games away. Hopeless? Yeah, probably. Worth watching still? Yeah, definitely.
The Argument Against:
1. Winning the division doesn’t mean anything anymore - I think it still does, since there’s only ONE wildcard team against THREE division winners. 75% of the teams making the MLB playoffs have to win their Division. Compare that to 67% for the NFL, and 38% in the NBA.
2. Wildcard teams are winning World Series - True in the case of Boston, St Louis and Florida have turned the trick recently. But is this bad?
3. Too many teams in the hunt at the Trade Deadline stymies the chance at “the great trade” - While more teams are in it, it certainly didn’t stop big names from changing hands in 2008. Manny Ramirez, Griffey, Bay, Sabathia, among others. Besides, why is it such a good thing to see half the league basically GIVE UP in July and dump their roster? Read more
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Beat L.A., Beat L.A.August 14th, 2008
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In a season without playoff promise, each individual game takes on a heightened sense of importance. The San Francisco Giants can’t salvage the year, but they can play to win each game because that’s all that’s left to do.
A string of August or September victories might not mean much now except to slap a bit of polish upon a dismal year, but they could provide a young team a necessary confidence boost for 2009.
The arrival of the Los Angeles Dodgers in San Francisco with new slugger Manny Ramirez for a weekend set gave the Giants a chance to strike a blow against a rival in pursuit of the pennant. At home, against the Dodgers — the three games were playoff-like baseball and the best it would get for a team playing out the string.
After dumping the first game in depressing fashion, San Francisco won Saturday and Sunday in their final at-bat to sting the Dodgers and send a mob of jubilant Giants out onto the field at AT&T Park. The two victories gave the Giants their first winning series against Los Angeles and homestand of the year. Read more
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Disappointments AboundAugust 7th, 2008
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Could it be new All-Star shortstop Edgar Renteria? What about legendary slugger Gary Sheffield or former 22-game winner Dontrelle Willis? Nate Robertson and Kenny Rogers posted impressive years in 2006, but bullpen stalwarts Todd Jones and Fernando Rodney are certainly strong candidates…
If you’re still oblivious to the topic du jour, or maybe more appropriately, de la saison, who most greatly deserves the designation “biggest disappointment” in Detroit this year? Here are your candidates: Read more
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A Movement Towards YouthAugust 7th, 2008
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The baseball trade deadline expired last Thursday without a peep from the San Francisco Giants (48-65). Sure, second baseman Ray Durham departed for Milwaukee, but the Giants failed to find a home for any of their other veterans. So, what remains will remain unless a waiver deal can be arranged, which is a possibility. In some ways, the lack of trade news is deflating, but with the deadline now in the distance, the Giants have found courage in not feeling obliged to audition older players and can finally proceed with the future.
Friday night in San Diego marked the beginning. San Francisco trotted out a line-up of kids, which delighted many who have clamored for this moment for months. Shortstop Emmanuel Burriss and second baseman Ivan Ochoa formed the Giants’ new double-play combination, which added a much needed dose of excitement and athleticism. Ironically, the Giants won Friday and Saturday with the kids and lost Sunday with the vets. To end Saturday night’s game, Ochoa displayed a bit of fancy footwork as he fielded a ball behind second base, stepped on the bag before a sliding Padre could take him out and zipped a throw to first for the double-play. The game-ending play exhibited a type of dazzling quickness and youth, missing around the diamond. Read more
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Ramirez, Sox End Volatile Relationship: Latest “Manny Being Manny” Antics Swelled Into Selfish Discontent, Forcing Boston To Make A MoveAugust 4th, 2008
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And just like that, he’s gone.
After 1,083 regular season games played, 274 home runs launched into the ether, and 868 runs driven in, Manny Ramirez will no longer stand before the Monster in left field wearing home whites with red embroidery. No longer will he bat behind David Ortiz, forming one of the most prolific offensive combos in the history of the game. And no longer will he stir that fickle cauldron mixed with absolute indignation and pure jubilation.
Just like that. Like so many of the baseballs that effortlessly smacked off the barrel of his bat. Gone. Long gone, in fact.
With just minutes, if not seconds, to go before the clock struck four on Thursday afternoon, the Red Sox sent the disgruntled Ramirez to the Los Angeles Dodgers via the Pittsburgh Pirates in a three-way deal that landed All-Star outfielder Jason Bay—quite fittingly—in the Bay State.
In a move similar to the Nomar Garciaparra trade of 2004—and for largely the same reasons and under eerily equal circumstances—the player, teammates, manager, and front office all agreed: a point of no return had been reached, and Ramirez had to go; and what better place than Frank McCourt’s SoCal Red Sox Retirement Home. Read more
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Rangers Statistical Month in Review - JulyAugust 4th, 2008
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Where they Stand: At 56-53, the Rangers sit in 2nd place in the AL West, 12.5 games behind the 1st place Angels. However, they are only 5 games out of the WildCard race.
The Offense: Texas is #1, period. #1 in OPS (On Base plus Slugging) which I consider the composite offensive statistic. #1 in Extra Base Hits. #1 in Batting Average at .282. #1 in Runs Scored with 610, 30 full runs over the 2nd place Cubs. #1 in Hits, #1 in Doubles, #1 in RBI. True, they are only 5th in HRs, and 6th in walks…..but this offense is the best in baseball. The offense is led by Josh Hamilton, of course. His incredible league-leading 104 RBI put him on pace for 156 by season’s end…..the second highest total in club history (Juan Gonzalez had 158 in 1998). While it’s hard to say that Josh Hamilton is NOT the MVP…..he is not doing this alone. He’s only knocked himself in 25 times (Ken, those are the home runs….stop scratching your head). Milton Bradley actually leads the team in OPS at over 1.000. The catalyst of the offense is clearly Ian Kinsler with 91 runs scored, 21 more than the next Ranger and 16 more than anyone else in the American League. Oh, and Kinsler also leads the majors in HITS, and is 2nd in Doubles.
STAT OF THE MONTH: Ian Kinsler is on pace to score 136 runs this season. How many is that? All Time Career Runs scored leader in MLB history, Rickey Henderson, only eclipsed that total ONCE in all his years. Ty Cobb had 136 or more only TWICE…..and all time hits leader Pete Rose NEVER hit the number that Kinsler is closing in on this year. Read more
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Teixeira for Kotchman? I Just Don’t Know.July 31st, 2008
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19th in runs scored. 19th in hits. 22nd in home runs. 19th in RBIs. 24th in total bases. 22nd in on base percentage. And 22nd in slugging.
On paper, this doesn’t really sound like a division contending team, let alone the best team in baseball by a fair margin. But when you factor in 8th in ERA, 7th in shutouts, 1st in saves (by ten saves, between first and second), 25th in earned runs against (yes, that’s a good thing), a winning starting rotation, a solid bullpen, a slid defense, a consistent running game, and you get the Angels.
Up until last night at about 5-something eastern time, the Angels were not the media’s favorite team to look at. In fact, the Angels crept slowly into first place without so much as a sneeze. It wasn’t until about three weeks after the Angels took first place that ESPN even took notice on their power rankings. The Angels were clearly the underdogs of 2008, who’s game was so much more old-school than any other teams, besides maybe the Minnesota Twins and a more distant example in the Baltimore Orioles.
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The Big Burning Question: Keep or Trade Slugger Mark Teixeira?July 31st, 2008
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The non-waiver trade deadline soon approaches and there is a growing buzz all around the city. Every sports writer, columnist or blogger out there in the blogosphere has an opinion. Braves general manager Frank Wren is holed up somewhere with a lot on his mind. Braves president John Schuerholz and chairman Terry McQuirk are there, too. Important decisions must be made before July 31st. It’s that time of year in the baseball universe, when almost every GM in the game is scrambling to either improve their team for the stretch run or unload some of their valuable players in order to build for the future.
The Braves organization needs to look to their future. Pending a monumental turnaround, the chances that they will make the postseason in 2008 is slim to none. That’s why they have to make the right decision and trade gold glove first baseman Mark Teixeira by Thursday. Under the grim circumstances of this disappointing season, it’s the only logical move to make. It’s not that Teixeira isn’t a very good player. It’s that the Braves gave up way too much collateral out of their farm system to acquire Teixeira, and they don’t want to see all that potential talent wasted on the fat, free agent contract that he’ll command on the open market this offseason.
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