Archive for March, 2008
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Brewers have the lumber, but do they have the arms?March 31st, 2008
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It seems the team in the National League Central that everybody wants to discount is the Milwaukee Brewers. Everybody knows their good, but that talent carries with it a caveat of "Yeah, but…"
That doubt is well-deserved, considering the Brewers haven’t made it to the postseason in 25 years and last year was the organization’s first winning record in 15 seasons. Even with last year’s record, the season was disappointing because of the way the club imploded down the stretch. The criticism and doubt are justified, which is why the overlooked Brewers could be the dark-horses of the National League this year.
What’s undeniable is Milwaukee’s offensive potency. The Brewers boast arguably the best lineup in the NL and would rival that of American League contender Boston. All-star first baseman Prince Fielder and 2007 NL Rookie of the Year Ryan Braun give the Brewers a 1-2 power pop that led the Majors last year with a combined 84 homers.
Manager Ned Yost will bat Braun behind Fielder this year in the cleanup, a reverse from last year. The sixth-year Brewers skipper believes this will deny team the opportunity to pitch around Fielder and open things up for Corey Hart, who will bat fifth, to have a big season.
"They’re going to pitch around Prince because of the intimidation factor," Yost told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "Then they’re going to get to Braunie. If Braunie stays in his game, Corey hart is going to have a hell of a year…The key is Braunie being selective. Because if he’s not, I’ve got to change the order and put him in front of Prince."
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Opening DayMarch 31st, 2008
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The US Capital is within hours of christening another National Shrine, one that is bound to enchant millions.
And this hallowed haven will take its rightful place alongside DC’s monuments and memorials, Congressional halls and landmarks, all steeped in the traditions and nostalgia of Americana.
Mark the date and time: the evening of Sunday, March 30, when the Washington Nationals Baseball Club will enjoy the 2008 home opener at Nationals Park, a brand new ballyard. The Atlanta Braves will be the first team to occupy the visitors’ dugout, bullpen and clubhouse.
Three-plus years after relocating from Montreal to Washington, the Nats’ bats will crack balls in the park specifically built for them. They played the three past seasons at RFK Stadium, one of the main reasons DC was selected for the Montreal Expos’ relocation.
The grand opening coincides perfectly with another annual tradition in DC: the flourishing of the Cherry Blossoms, the yearly display of Spring’s glory. The Cherry Blossoms have begun their peak season as they burst with brilliant red, white and pink petals, the ideal indicator of the onset of warmer weather in the Nation’s capital.
Spring serves as the perfect re-awakening as slumbering souls are invigorated after the Winter hibernation. Baseball begins again!
And the stars are aligned in Washington, where the Home Town Nine will begin settling into its brand new, state-of-the-art stadium that holds more than 41,000 fans. The new stadium is equipped with cutting edge electronics and technology, as well as views of the US Capitol and the Washington Monument.
Nationals Park is sure to establish itself in its permanent home, where the national pastime belongs.
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Opening Day: The Wait is OverMarch 31st, 2008
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In Cleveland, we live by a saying: “Wait till next year.” This isn’t even specific to baseball; the Browns haven’t won a championship since 1964 and the Cavaliers haven’t won since, well, ever. Come to think of it, the school levies can’t pass, jobs are declining, the weather blows (literally), and the people are leaving. But that’s okay, see, because Cleveland is building toward the future. The Flats rejuvenation, the Euclid Corridor revamp, the Cleveland Clinic additions; just wait till next year.
For fans of the Cleveland Indians, we’ve been waiting till next year for 60 years, and in my case, an entire lifetime. But come Monday, March 31, Opening Day means wait till next year is finally here. And, just like every other year, I think this is our year. Pronk could get his swing back and hit 40. Grady could make the move to a 30-30 superstar. CC could be Cy Cy once again. Westbrook could rebound and win 15. Joe won’t blow. And besides, the Tigers can’t pitch, the White Sox are old, the Twins are rebuilding, and the Royals are, well, the Royals. This is the year of the Cleveland Indians.
Yup, this is our year. That is, at least until the Tribe puts up their first loss. Pronk looks awful, Grady strikes out too much, CC’s too heavy, the Tigers are too good… And, before you know it, fans are crying the familiar theme: just wait till next year.
Hopefully though, for the Cleveland Indians and their fans, next year is this year.
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Opening Day: Bring on the Rally Monkey!March 31st, 2008
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It seems like every year the off-season feels longer and
longer to me. But really, it’s probably just my own sense of
anticipation, and my unwillingness to practice patience. This is,
however, the first year I’ve really paid a lot of attention to Spring
Training, listening to games on the radio, watching the few
broadcasted on television, and waiting anxiously for the final stats
via box scores online.
- I even downloaded a widget for my mac that gives me day-to-day
scores. I know, ridiculous. I love my mac!
Needless to say, I am completely obsessed with this 2008
season, and it hasn’t even begun yet. A friend of mine coaxed me into
playing fantasy this year, my first time ever playing, and I ended up
drafting six Angels, the ones I could get before the others were
snatched by the other nine teams in my fantasy league.
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Opening DayMarch 31st, 2008
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Dodgers fans have waited the whole winter to hear one man, utter one phrase. “Howdy folks, its time for Dodgers baseball.” That is how Vin Scully opens every game he broadcasts. Scully is heading into his 58th season of calling Dodgers games, having started his brilliant career when the team played in Brooklyn. So it is fitting that he be the announcer who kicks off the 50th season in which the Dodgers call Chavez Ravine their home.
Dodgers stadium has housed many an opening day. Each home opener signals the return of Los Angeles’ greatest culinary treasure….the Dodger Dog. There is no Hot Dog like a ballpark dog, and there is no Hot Dog like a Dodger Dog. When I went to the home opener against the Braves in 2006, the stadium actually ran out of Dodger Dogs in the fifth inning! I am not kidding when I say that a riot almost ensued.
Unlike other cities that might not have the greatest weather for opening day, Los Angeles is paradise. It is guaranteed. The only city that might have a better climate for its home opener is San Diego. Since San Diego isn’t half the city Los Angeles is, the nod for most idyllic setting has to go to the Dodgers.
As true Dodgers fans know, the season doesn’t officially start until the first beach ball is inflated then sent on its way. Dodgers fans love their beach balls. Personally, I will be stunned if an usher hasn’t been booed for confiscating a beach ball in the first three innings.
Needless to say, opening day for Dodgers fans is an event that is filled with tradition. This year brings both tradition and anticipation with the debut of the Joe Torre regime. Torre will be trying to guide the Dodgers to the playoffs while stretching his personal playoff appearance streak to thirteen. Opening day 2008 will also mark the arrival of Andruw Jones in Dodger blue as well as Japanese import Hiroki Kuroda.
This season opening day has a fair amount of drama as well. Not only are the Dodgers playing the hated Giants, but there is still a log jam in the outfield with Andre Ethier making a serious case for taking a starting spot from Juan Pierre. The Dodgers are hoping to get off to a fast start as the NL West is loaded and they do not want to fall behind early. Behind the bats of Russell Martin and Jones the Dodgers should be able to give their pitching staff enough runs to put up some W’s. Now after an endless off-season we get to hear those two great words… PLAY BALL! Or, my favorite, THINK BLUE!
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Opening DayMarch 31st, 2008
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As the last people staggered away from the St. Patrick’s Day Festival on O’Donnell Street, Baltimoreans were already anticipating Opening Day, less than two weeks away.
However, with so many experts picking the Baltimore Orioles to finish in the cellar, is there anything to look forward to besides grabbing a few Natty Bohs at Pickles Pub before a game? If you can look beyond the Win/Loss column, there will be more than enough great baseball to watch throughout the season.
Guiding the Orioles, General Manager Andy MacPhail, with a dearth of subtlety, showed that the franchise is rebuilding and playing for the World Series at the start of the next decade. They will go back to formula and forego the pipedream of overtaking the Red Sox and Yankees by making costly and unwise free agent signings.
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Opening Day Lives OnMarch 31st, 2008
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My opening day routine has changed a little over the years. When I was little, it remained the same for a long, long time — TV turned to WSBK-38, Red Sox hat on my head, my Mike Greenwell t-shirt on, sitting alone on the couch, baseball glove in hand, baseball nestled in the glove, and I wasn’t likely to move for the next three hours. Growing up in New England, there wasn’t any other way I could imagine spending such a day.
The Sox usually opened up on the West coast, and still do, so the game would usually start around 4 p.m., perfect for a kid who stepped off the bus at 3:30. Then, it would be time to catch them take on the A’s, Angels, Mariners or whoever it was that particular year. The baseball cards would be out on the coffee table in front of me, a notebook would be nearby to jot down what number the new Sox were wearing (“Jack Clark, 25, check. Danny Darwin, 44, check.”) After that, it would be dinner time, and then the rest of the week’s games would be moved to NESN, a channel I couldn’t watch until they moved it into a more affordable cable package years later.
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Recollections of Opening DayMarch 31st, 2008
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Recollections of Opening Day - and the anticipation thereof - possess common traits in that they are all rife with references that are, well, common. Seems as though regardless of climate, the air is “crisp.” While the same could be said for the October elements, are these descriptions rooted in the subconscious, which longs for a survival that entails continuing on once the fall has arrived? One is not quick to analyze the intended definitions of such terms, not while another trite expression, that of “hope” is linked to every last assessment on the day that yet another new season is christened.
To be sure, the aforementioned shall remain inherent elements. But for the absolute purist, Opening Day transcends the game, itself. With parts not yet well oiled, all combatants take to a diamond that is decidedly level. For on this day - if only on this day - my team is just as good as your team. Following a dismal 1988 season that saw Baltimore lose its first 21 games, 1989 was ushered in with reports that Red Sox ace Roger Clemens had predicted he’d no-hit the Birds in the season opener. I will, of course, recall the 1989 “Why Not?” campaign with great fondness, remembering a million-to-one contender trading blows with the top-grade heavyweights. But above all else, I’ll remember Maryland citizen Joan Jett clad in an O’s jersey, her rendition of the Star Spangled Banner a telling tribute for what was to transpire: a season in which the underdog Waverly residents were to buck all tradition and dare to challenge (loudly, in keeping with Jett’s precedent) for top billing .
It all began on Opening Day.
And each opener has its own flavor. Still broken hearted over a 1979 Fall Classic setback that had transpired in unlikely fashion, I took a seat at Chicago’s Comiskey Park. As if summoned to erase all of the pain with his matinee idol looks and fluid deliveries, Jim Palmer succeeded in making all things right again (albeit only for a day or two). Fast forward to 1987. A first-inning (it may very well have been the first batter) home run off the bat of Texas outfielder Odibe McDowell seemed apropos for the frigid conditions and atmosphere surrounding a team that had finished dead last (for the first time in club annals) the season before. But this was Opening Day, and resiliency was a weapon. The Orioles came back and won, 2-1.
Unable to attend countless other season debuts, I cling to memories of each. Whether working as a dishwasher and hearing details via the AM dial of Sammy Stewart’s clutch pitching to start the ‘81 campaign - or watching from a studio apartment in Chicago’s Wrigleyville neighborhood as Sam Horn put up a month’s worth of stats in the 1990 opener (ESPN was fast approaching deity status) - I liken season openers - all of them - to beautiful girls. Upon initiating that first contact - before anything can possibly go awry and before either party’s faults can be exposed - all is right and all is possible with this creature that is equal parts sultry and winsome.
I am certain that I can expect similar magic this March 31.
I’m absolutely positive.
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Opening DayMarch 31st, 2008
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We all measure time in our own unique ways. Some people take the more traditional path and recognize January 1st as the beginning of the year. Yawn. Others choose their birthdays as when the calendar starts anew. Snore. But for a few, a special few, the year – nay, life – does not begin until . . . wait for it . . . Opening Day.
Opening Day. Like a Hemingway novel, there’s more here than just what’s on the surface. Those two simple words suggest so much: Hope; Promise; Cold beer on a hot summer day. All covered by the tidy phrase “Opening Day.” The past is forgotten, the long, bitter, soul-numbing NFL-filled winter is over, and the only true sports’ season starts . . . now. (by the way, how do I know that baseball is – as the girls say – “the one?” Easy. There was a freakin’ zombie baseball player in the original “Dawn of the Dead.” Any zombie football players? Nope. Zombie hockey players? Unh-uh. Zombie soccer players? Please. You can’t even tell if regular soccer players are alive or dead. The answer, my friends, is clear: even the undead love baseball. Thanks for calling. Click.)
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A Stroll Down Red Sox Memory LaneMarch 31st, 2008
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Over the past few years, there’s one thing I’ve learned for certain from opening day: the first game does not serve as a microcosm to the season, but rather, it acts as a metaphor for the unpredictable journey that lies ahead.
To help prove my maxim true, let’s take a stroll down Red Sox memory lane:
2002: Opening the baseball year at home, the Sox dropped game one of 162 in a slugfest against the Blue Jays. In a season that saw Boston, led by then-first year manager extraordinaire, Grady Little, win over 90 games yet miss the playoffs, the 12-11 defeat, if adhering to the old baseball adage, was no more than one of the 60 plus games all teams lose.
But two individual performances within the opener had Sox fans opining two diverse sentiments—one, a feverish concern over Pedro, who followed an injury-plagued and –shortened ’01 season with a good ol’ wallop from the Jays to start off his’02 campaign; and the second, an impulsive crowning of Tony Clark (3 for 5, HR, 3 RBI) as the club’s ideal five-hole hitter.
Well, as it turned out, Petey adjusted, maintaining his dominance with another 20-win season, remedying, what I like to call, Opening Day Melodramatic Syndrome. And Dan Duquette’s latest Mo Vaughn replacement, Mr. Clark—with his opening day output accounting for a third of his year-end home run total—turned into a $5 million albatross that hung from the lineup’s proverbial neck all season.
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