Juan Uribe is about to sign a 3-year deal with the Dodgers for $21MM. He made $3.25MM with the Giants in 2010, which made him the 13th highests paid player on the team. He played third, short and second base, and was a big reason behind San Francisco's success.
Matt Kemp made $4MM playing centerfield for the Dodgers last season. That placed him 9th in salary on the LA roster. (salary figures from ESPN) He was a big reason behind the Los Angeles Dodges disaster of a season.
The two players had remarkably similar seasons, by the numbers:
Player 1: 28 homers; 89 RBI; .249 AVG; .760 OPS
Player 2: 24 homers; 85 RBI; .248 AVG; .749 OPS
Player 2 is Uribe, who had a fantastic season.
Player 1 is Kemp, who has a fantastic girlfriend.
See, the numbers don't tell you everything
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
The Clever and the Corrupt
Reported on Rivals.com about 1:30 P.M. on Monday, November 30, 2010.
The University of Alabama has fired an employee who played songs aimed at Auburn quarterback Cam Newton before the Iron Bowl.
University spokeswoman Debbie Lane said Monday that the part-time staffer was fired for the unauthorized songs. "Take the Money and Run" and "Son of a Preacher Man" were played while Newton and the Tigers warmed up.
The Tuscaloosa News first reported the firing.
I don't really care whether Cam Newton's dad coerced anyone to get dollars for his son, as BCS football is about as corrupt as any popular sport in this country can be. If nothing else, this was a clever and funny stunt, but obviously not to the Lords of the SEC.
Has anyone noticed that big time NCAA football is starting to look more and more like La Cosa Nostra?
The University of Alabama has fired an employee who played songs aimed at Auburn quarterback Cam Newton before the Iron Bowl.
University spokeswoman Debbie Lane said Monday that the part-time staffer was fired for the unauthorized songs. "Take the Money and Run" and "Son of a Preacher Man" were played while Newton and the Tigers warmed up.
The Tuscaloosa News first reported the firing.
I don't really care whether Cam Newton's dad coerced anyone to get dollars for his son, as BCS football is about as corrupt as any popular sport in this country can be. If nothing else, this was a clever and funny stunt, but obviously not to the Lords of the SEC.
Has anyone noticed that big time NCAA football is starting to look more and more like La Cosa Nostra?
Sunday, November 28, 2010
What pitching costs, so far...
Javier Vazquez signs with Florida for one year and 6-7 million.
I read that he turned down 2 years and 20 MM with Colorado, and a couple of other teams offered him deals close to those numbers.
I've been told that a prime indicator of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different result?
So, I gotta wonder, when the Yankees need starting pitching a year from now, will they be in contact with Vazquez's agent?
It's my guess that Javier has a very nice year for the Marlins, like an ERA of 3.40, and close to 200 K's in over 200 innings. He'll be around .500 in wins and losses, because that's what he does. He has done well in the NL, and he knows it. He'll do well again. I don't know if you heard it hear first, but if I am right or wrong next October, let me know.
Jon Garland signs a one year deal with the Dodgers for 5 MM
Which lucky McCourt gets this guy? We also know another reason why Joe Torre left the Dodgers. Don Mattingly used to chew up pitchers like Garland, and now he'll have to use one every fifth day. Kinda like a curse, isn't it?
Maybe I am being unfair? At the least, Garland will still be able to face the Padres and Giants a lot, and LA isn't that much worse than San Diego.
So you know, it's only 75 days until pitchers and catchers.
I read that he turned down 2 years and 20 MM with Colorado, and a couple of other teams offered him deals close to those numbers.
I've been told that a prime indicator of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different result?
So, I gotta wonder, when the Yankees need starting pitching a year from now, will they be in contact with Vazquez's agent?
It's my guess that Javier has a very nice year for the Marlins, like an ERA of 3.40, and close to 200 K's in over 200 innings. He'll be around .500 in wins and losses, because that's what he does. He has done well in the NL, and he knows it. He'll do well again. I don't know if you heard it hear first, but if I am right or wrong next October, let me know.
Jon Garland signs a one year deal with the Dodgers for 5 MM
Which lucky McCourt gets this guy? We also know another reason why Joe Torre left the Dodgers. Don Mattingly used to chew up pitchers like Garland, and now he'll have to use one every fifth day. Kinda like a curse, isn't it?
Maybe I am being unfair? At the least, Garland will still be able to face the Padres and Giants a lot, and LA isn't that much worse than San Diego.
So you know, it's only 75 days until pitchers and catchers.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Willie, Henry and the Mick
With apologies to Stan Musial, Ted Williams, Duke Snyder, and the entire borough of Brooklyn, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron and Mickey Mantle were the best three outfielders in baseball from the mid-1950’s until 1964.
It’s a no-brainer really, and even though I will always argue for Babe Ruth on any all time team, it’s difficult for me picking the next two. Of the people I have talked to over many years of talking about baseball, Mays invariably plays centerfield on any all time team. Musial can be my utility guy, and back up Gehrig at first, and spell someone in the outfield. Williams is the DH, every day. Duke, well, he’s maybe my top guy in AAA ball. I will always include Ty Cobb and Ken Griffey, Jr. in the discussion too.
Anyway, maybe Willie, Henry and the Mick were the best of all time? I am not just saying this because I’ve read new (published in 2010) biographies of all three in the last 5 weeks, but it probably doesn’t hurt?
I finished the biography of Mickey Mantle a couple of days ago. It’s titled “The Last Boy: Mickey Mantle, and the end of America’s childhood,” by Jane Leavy. It has the best writing of the three books, and it has the best story.
Jane Leavy is a very remarkable lady. You may recall that she was able to get Sandy Koufax to talk to her at length, and publish his biography in 2002. No one had ever been able to get Koufax to talk before, but Jane Leavy did. Leavy interviewed hundreds of people for the Mantle book, but only spoke directly with Mantle on one long occasion, back in 1983. During that 24-hour period, she became the only author of a baseball biography that I am aware of to have been propositioned by her subject.
There is a very raunchy and very funny story from the book that I will email to anyone wanting it, but you have to email the request to halsteadcb@aol.com.
As sad as the Mantle and story ultimately was, I felt the Mays and Aaron stories were sadder still.
Mays is mostly alone since his wife died a few years ago, and seemingly a little bitter about things. He was almost bankrupt by the time he was traded to the Mets in 1972. He was not close to many of his old teammates after leaving the game as a player. I imagine he has some contact with his Godson, Barry Bonds. (Willie Mays: The life, The Legend, by James Hirsch)
It’s a no-brainer really, and even though I will always argue for Babe Ruth on any all time team, it’s difficult for me picking the next two. Of the people I have talked to over many years of talking about baseball, Mays invariably plays centerfield on any all time team. Musial can be my utility guy, and back up Gehrig at first, and spell someone in the outfield. Williams is the DH, every day. Duke, well, he’s maybe my top guy in AAA ball. I will always include Ty Cobb and Ken Griffey, Jr. in the discussion too.
Anyway, maybe Willie, Henry and the Mick were the best of all time? I am not just saying this because I’ve read new (published in 2010) biographies of all three in the last 5 weeks, but it probably doesn’t hurt?
I finished the biography of Mickey Mantle a couple of days ago. It’s titled “The Last Boy: Mickey Mantle, and the end of America’s childhood,” by Jane Leavy. It has the best writing of the three books, and it has the best story.
Jane Leavy is a very remarkable lady. You may recall that she was able to get Sandy Koufax to talk to her at length, and publish his biography in 2002. No one had ever been able to get Koufax to talk before, but Jane Leavy did. Leavy interviewed hundreds of people for the Mantle book, but only spoke directly with Mantle on one long occasion, back in 1983. During that 24-hour period, she became the only author of a baseball biography that I am aware of to have been propositioned by her subject.
There is a very raunchy and very funny story from the book that I will email to anyone wanting it, but you have to email the request to halsteadcb@aol.com.
As sad as the Mantle and story ultimately was, I felt the Mays and Aaron stories were sadder still.
Mays is mostly alone since his wife died a few years ago, and seemingly a little bitter about things. He was almost bankrupt by the time he was traded to the Mets in 1972. He was not close to many of his old teammates after leaving the game as a player. I imagine he has some contact with his Godson, Barry Bonds. (Willie Mays: The life, The Legend, by James Hirsch)
Aaron has his dignity and a lot of money, due to all of his success in business after nearly being bankrupt before his trade to the Brewers back in 1974. Like Mays, Henry didn’t have many close friends in baseball aside from Dusty Baker, after Billy Bruton died. (The Last Hero: A Life of Henry Aaron, by Howard Bryant)
The Mick was beloved by teammates, and loved them right back. His failing as a father and husband are well documented, he drank himself to death, and many in his family fared just as badly, or worse. Mick was always just about bankrupt, and kept up his pace in part to pay for a son’s cancer treatments, and in part because that’s what he did. He brought other son’s along to be his drinking partners, and often the recipient of the piece of ass their dad could do better than. I think he was the best athlete to have ever played major league baseball, and as the Mick was proud to say, he “led the American League in having the clap for six straight years.”
All three books were great reading.
Mays has always been a favorite of mine, as he was my dad’s favorite ballplayer – no one else was ever close to being in the conversation. Aaron was the guy that just did it, year after year after year. He had a career of consistent excellence, but never seemed to be a consensus #1. The Mick, well, he was only what we all wanted to be – the best player on the best team.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Jeter last, then Collins, Upton and Votto leading off
Joey Votto wins NL MVP
He got 31 of 32 first place votes. Albert Pujols got the other one (no, not the “Dead” song “other one”), and finished second, with Carlos Gonzalez 3rd. It begs me to ask if the baseball writers can continue giving me nothing to gripe about? (We’ll see, as I have Cano over Hamilton for the AL MVP, and prepared to tell you why)
Arizona is trying to deal Justin Upton, and may sign Dontrelle Willis
There is a nice breakdown of this by ESPN’s Keith Law. The only questions I have is Justin Upton a problem in ways off the field, and do they expect him to be as much of an enigma as his older brother BJ? Beyond those two things, and some little injury questions, I can’t imagine anyone not interested in acquiring this kid.
Regarding Dontrelle Willis, well, it’s sad to see what’s happened to this kid, who was such a nice story when he became a star. Seems like a long time ago now. I hope Willis either finds “it” again, or finds something else to do, and be happy with that. Makes me think of Mark “The Bird” Fidrych. The Bird (who died in an accident on his farm in April of 2009) was a great player on a national stage, and when injuries ended his career, he was just as happy back home, being with his wife, his kids, and his buds. (at least 2 types of buds, and maybe 3?)
Terry Collins to be named new Mets manager on Tuesday
A 61-year old white guy with a MLB managerial record 10-games over .500 that few fans in New York knew anything about a short while ago. Now? They know too much!
Before some guy in Queens slashes his wrists, he should know that there is a prior connection for Collins with the Mets! It’s been reported (and I recall) that Collins took Mo Vaughn’s side on some issue while Collins managed the Angels. This is also the time when Mo Vaughn was managing to not play for the Angels. This was because Mo was old, fat, and out of shape – just like he was with the Mets! As it originated in Turkey, and as we are so close to Turkey Day, I call this “Kismet” for Mets fans.
In real reporting, I have read that the Angel clubhouse didn’t like the way Collins handled this situation with Vaughn, and within two weeks, Collins quit. It’s my guess is that Collins would have been fired if he hadn’t quit, and that (new Mets GM) Sandy Alderson needs a “place keeper” as manager for the 2-3 years it’ll take to put a good team on the field. A further guess is that Collins doesn’t manage the Mets past his 199th game.
Casey Close gets a ‘Hold,’ but can he get a ‘Save?’
“Close,” what a great name for a ‘closer,’ or better still, if you’re an agent for a baseball player?
Well, it’s not going well for one ball player named (New York Yankee Captain) Derek Jeter, and his agent, Casey Close. So far, all Close is doing for his client is holding on, and acting mystified about the Yankees strategy of offering his client about twice what he’s worth, over more years than anyone will give him. Close has a great resume as an agent, having spent time with CAA and IMG, and did well enough that he struck out on his own earlier this year. Now, he may really strike out in NY. If you can strike out in New York with Derek Jeter, you’ll probably strike out anywhere. (sorry)
(NY Daily News) Mike Lupica sounds like a Jeter/Close apologist in his last column. Lupica brings up A-Rod’s deal, which is the old “if you gave A-Rod a stupid deal you have to give Jeter an equally stupid deal” refrain. Lupica is apparently all for tradition at a huge cost? Meanwhile, (Boston Red Sox captain), Jason Varitek would probably love to sign a deal with Boston for the minimum. He just wants to play second-string catcher and contribute in any way he can. It’s an interesting parallel story, isn’t it?
I’m sorry, I don’t give a rats ass about whether Derek gets another $120 MM, or has to settle for 3 years and $45 MM. I keep saying that it was Hank Steinbrenner that gave A-Rod that deal, and now it’s little brother Hal running the show with Brian Cashman. We hear endless bitching about the Yankees buying every player, and when they finally start to show a bit of financial sanity they are still getting ripped?
Sometimes ‘closers’ get hammered, and take a bad loss. Maybe Jeter should fire Close and hire Mariano Rivera. He’s the best closer in history, and from what I have learned, still has the first dollar he ever made.
Beyond all that BS, I’d bet that if I polled 1000 knowledgeable Yankee fans right now, 99.5% would say that they expect Cliff Lee to sign with the Yankees. If I told those same fans that the Yankees were saving that $120 MM not spent on Derek Jeter, so they could sign Carl Crawford, they’d tell Derek to strike out on his own, and to close the door on his way out of town.
Comments welcomed.
He got 31 of 32 first place votes. Albert Pujols got the other one (no, not the “Dead” song “other one”), and finished second, with Carlos Gonzalez 3rd. It begs me to ask if the baseball writers can continue giving me nothing to gripe about? (We’ll see, as I have Cano over Hamilton for the AL MVP, and prepared to tell you why)
Arizona is trying to deal Justin Upton, and may sign Dontrelle Willis
There is a nice breakdown of this by ESPN’s Keith Law. The only questions I have is Justin Upton a problem in ways off the field, and do they expect him to be as much of an enigma as his older brother BJ? Beyond those two things, and some little injury questions, I can’t imagine anyone not interested in acquiring this kid.
Regarding Dontrelle Willis, well, it’s sad to see what’s happened to this kid, who was such a nice story when he became a star. Seems like a long time ago now. I hope Willis either finds “it” again, or finds something else to do, and be happy with that. Makes me think of Mark “The Bird” Fidrych. The Bird (who died in an accident on his farm in April of 2009) was a great player on a national stage, and when injuries ended his career, he was just as happy back home, being with his wife, his kids, and his buds. (at least 2 types of buds, and maybe 3?)
Terry Collins to be named new Mets manager on Tuesday
A 61-year old white guy with a MLB managerial record 10-games over .500 that few fans in New York knew anything about a short while ago. Now? They know too much!
Before some guy in Queens slashes his wrists, he should know that there is a prior connection for Collins with the Mets! It’s been reported (and I recall) that Collins took Mo Vaughn’s side on some issue while Collins managed the Angels. This is also the time when Mo Vaughn was managing to not play for the Angels. This was because Mo was old, fat, and out of shape – just like he was with the Mets! As it originated in Turkey, and as we are so close to Turkey Day, I call this “Kismet” for Mets fans.
In real reporting, I have read that the Angel clubhouse didn’t like the way Collins handled this situation with Vaughn, and within two weeks, Collins quit. It’s my guess is that Collins would have been fired if he hadn’t quit, and that (new Mets GM) Sandy Alderson needs a “place keeper” as manager for the 2-3 years it’ll take to put a good team on the field. A further guess is that Collins doesn’t manage the Mets past his 199th game.
Casey Close gets a ‘Hold,’ but can he get a ‘Save?’
“Close,” what a great name for a ‘closer,’ or better still, if you’re an agent for a baseball player?
Well, it’s not going well for one ball player named (New York Yankee Captain) Derek Jeter, and his agent, Casey Close. So far, all Close is doing for his client is holding on, and acting mystified about the Yankees strategy of offering his client about twice what he’s worth, over more years than anyone will give him. Close has a great resume as an agent, having spent time with CAA and IMG, and did well enough that he struck out on his own earlier this year. Now, he may really strike out in NY. If you can strike out in New York with Derek Jeter, you’ll probably strike out anywhere. (sorry)
(NY Daily News) Mike Lupica sounds like a Jeter/Close apologist in his last column. Lupica brings up A-Rod’s deal, which is the old “if you gave A-Rod a stupid deal you have to give Jeter an equally stupid deal” refrain. Lupica is apparently all for tradition at a huge cost? Meanwhile, (Boston Red Sox captain), Jason Varitek would probably love to sign a deal with Boston for the minimum. He just wants to play second-string catcher and contribute in any way he can. It’s an interesting parallel story, isn’t it?
I’m sorry, I don’t give a rats ass about whether Derek gets another $120 MM, or has to settle for 3 years and $45 MM. I keep saying that it was Hank Steinbrenner that gave A-Rod that deal, and now it’s little brother Hal running the show with Brian Cashman. We hear endless bitching about the Yankees buying every player, and when they finally start to show a bit of financial sanity they are still getting ripped?
Sometimes ‘closers’ get hammered, and take a bad loss. Maybe Jeter should fire Close and hire Mariano Rivera. He’s the best closer in history, and from what I have learned, still has the first dollar he ever made.
Beyond all that BS, I’d bet that if I polled 1000 knowledgeable Yankee fans right now, 99.5% would say that they expect Cliff Lee to sign with the Yankees. If I told those same fans that the Yankees were saving that $120 MM not spent on Derek Jeter, so they could sign Carl Crawford, they’d tell Derek to strike out on his own, and to close the door on his way out of town.
Comments welcomed.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Expanding Playoffs and Contracting Audiences
Anyone who pays any attention to MLB TV ratings knows how pathetic they are when compared to those of NFL or NCAA football. The ratings for baseball playoff games are consistently dwarfed by mediocre football games when they are aired opposite one another, with few exceptions. The NFL draft crushes everything on TV, so much so that the NFL draft is on in primetime and expanding.
In MLB, the Yankees and Red Sox draw big ratings, and generally the Chicago and LA markets do well, but the relatively big increase in ratings for those games is mostly regional, and the NY, Boston, LA, etc. markets are enormous. Plus, there is the residual effect of having star-laden teams that draw people from across the nation. Love or hate the Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers, and Cubs, people will watch them play post-season baseball.
It’s apparently a done deal for 2012 that baseball will add at least one more wild card team in each league for the post-season. We all know it’s being done for the money, which is all right, because after all, we are not communists, and MLB is a business.
I do think that it’s sad that the championship nature of baseball is being further diluted. It began with expansion in 1969, and 4 teams competing in post-season. With each succeeding expansion of MLB, it feels as though we’ve added another layer of teams to the playoff mix. 50 years ago it was pretty easy to figure out which baseball team was the best in a season. Even if someone knew next to nothing about the game, they might be able to recall the World Series winner, and by naming that team, they’d have an excellent chance of naming the “best” team in any given year. Does anyone have a good argument for San Francisco really being the best team in 2010? How about Texas?
All that aside, and as much as I don’t like it, I can’t bother ranting against the inevitable expansion of the post-season in MLB, because it’s a complete waste of energy.
However, I can rant about three other huge problems MLB has.
The first is one millions of people on the East coast have been bitching about for years, namely the late starting times for post-season games. Can anyone reasonably argue with me that adults who are not inclined to watch games to begin with will not watch them if they have to stay up until after midnight to see an entire game. I am inclined, and I won’t (or can’t) stay up that late most nights.
My solution (and the solution for millions of others) is that because the biggest part of the MLB television fan base lives in the Eastern Time Zone, start post-season games no later than 7:30 PM Eastern time. The LA market is an early one anyway, why else would thousands leave Dodger games in the 7th inning?
How are kids going to become fans, if they aren’t allowed to watch the playoffs? It’s absurd – there isn’t any argument here.
The second is the insipid marketing of MLB on a national level. Sometimes I think that MLB hired the idiots that couldn’t get jobs with the National Hockey League, it’s been so bad. The NHL Commissioner is Gary Bettman. He’s a guy who worked for NBA Commissioner David Stern, who was given the credit for what Magic, Larry and Michael are owed, but at least he’s working hard the right way to promote his sport. On the other hand, Bettman, who (many hailed as a “genius”) was handed Gretzky and Lemieux and then managed to get an entire NHL season cancelled, and came back with a TV contract that 80% of the country can’t access. Brilliant!
I need to start bothering the idiots running the MLB Network. If I were in charge, I’d make the MLB Network inexpensive (or free) for cable providers to carry, and pay to advertise the hell out of it in every MLB market. They have the dollars to do this, and it wouldn’t cost that much in relative terms. There is no major sport on TV from mid-June until early August. Show old games (or clips of games) on TV with commentary. Hire Ken Burns and others like him to do a “30 for 30” on baseball. Give kids and other fans reasons to want to see Hanley Ramirez, Felix Hernandez pitch, or Ozzie Guillen rant.
Right away, next season, one thing MLB should do is to start giving away tickets to kids, especially for all those hundreds of games that have “crowds” filling less than half of the park. There is an argument that “if it’s free, it’s not worth anything.” Bullshit. Get kids hooked on the game, and maybe there’s a better chance they’ll be season ticket holders in the future? Give them enough games and I’d bet many of them will watch games on TV. Most will grow up and buy stuff, and a lot of that ‘stuff’ may as well be MLB stuff. Meanwhile, while at these games, wouldn’t someone be buying these kids food and drinks, and other memorabilia? Wouldn’t someone have to get them to the games? I mean buses or trains or cars, which is money spent somewhere, and the adults might be purchasing a beverage or two, but maybe only adult beverages if they aren't driving?
Seriously, how cool would it be to have seen a really good Tampa Bay team with 35,000 people in the park? 18,000 boys and girls ages 8-13, amped up on Pepsi and screaming for the Rays, and pledging their everlasting love and devotion for Carl Crawford and Carlos Pena if they’d just stay with the team in 2011?
Third is to speed up the damn game. Forget the thing about giving the pitcher 15 or 20 (or whatever the hell it was?) seconds between pitches until something else is done. I think it was Rick Reilly (who I really like) that had the dumbest suggestion that I’ve heard – limit the number of pick off attempts per runner. Yeah? That’s akin to telling a NFL secondary that the next play is a freakin’ run.
My solution is simple, just tell the home plate umpire to not grant time to the batter after single every pitch! Make the batter stay in the batter’s box unless he is hurt, and then throw a timer on the pitcher to throw the damn ball. I can’t remember exactly when I heard it last summer, and who (or where) I heard it from, but I think it was Jon Miller who had watched a Kinescope of a World Series game from 1953, and the game had taken a little over two hours to play. Can you imagine? These days, 2 hours of baseball gets you into the bottom of the 5th in a Yankee/Red Sox game in mid-May. If its Pittsburgh and Florida, who’d watch four hours of that? I mean, aside from me and a few thousand Pirate fans?
If MLB did that, they could move post-season games to a 7:45 PM start time, because they’d have an excellent shot at having 90% of them end before 10:30. With a 7:15 PM start, most would end well before 10:00 PM. Wow.
This was a rant. Have atcha!
In MLB, the Yankees and Red Sox draw big ratings, and generally the Chicago and LA markets do well, but the relatively big increase in ratings for those games is mostly regional, and the NY, Boston, LA, etc. markets are enormous. Plus, there is the residual effect of having star-laden teams that draw people from across the nation. Love or hate the Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers, and Cubs, people will watch them play post-season baseball.
It’s apparently a done deal for 2012 that baseball will add at least one more wild card team in each league for the post-season. We all know it’s being done for the money, which is all right, because after all, we are not communists, and MLB is a business.
I do think that it’s sad that the championship nature of baseball is being further diluted. It began with expansion in 1969, and 4 teams competing in post-season. With each succeeding expansion of MLB, it feels as though we’ve added another layer of teams to the playoff mix. 50 years ago it was pretty easy to figure out which baseball team was the best in a season. Even if someone knew next to nothing about the game, they might be able to recall the World Series winner, and by naming that team, they’d have an excellent chance of naming the “best” team in any given year. Does anyone have a good argument for San Francisco really being the best team in 2010? How about Texas?
All that aside, and as much as I don’t like it, I can’t bother ranting against the inevitable expansion of the post-season in MLB, because it’s a complete waste of energy.
However, I can rant about three other huge problems MLB has.
The first is one millions of people on the East coast have been bitching about for years, namely the late starting times for post-season games. Can anyone reasonably argue with me that adults who are not inclined to watch games to begin with will not watch them if they have to stay up until after midnight to see an entire game. I am inclined, and I won’t (or can’t) stay up that late most nights.
My solution (and the solution for millions of others) is that because the biggest part of the MLB television fan base lives in the Eastern Time Zone, start post-season games no later than 7:30 PM Eastern time. The LA market is an early one anyway, why else would thousands leave Dodger games in the 7th inning?
How are kids going to become fans, if they aren’t allowed to watch the playoffs? It’s absurd – there isn’t any argument here.
The second is the insipid marketing of MLB on a national level. Sometimes I think that MLB hired the idiots that couldn’t get jobs with the National Hockey League, it’s been so bad. The NHL Commissioner is Gary Bettman. He’s a guy who worked for NBA Commissioner David Stern, who was given the credit for what Magic, Larry and Michael are owed, but at least he’s working hard the right way to promote his sport. On the other hand, Bettman, who (many hailed as a “genius”) was handed Gretzky and Lemieux and then managed to get an entire NHL season cancelled, and came back with a TV contract that 80% of the country can’t access. Brilliant!
I need to start bothering the idiots running the MLB Network. If I were in charge, I’d make the MLB Network inexpensive (or free) for cable providers to carry, and pay to advertise the hell out of it in every MLB market. They have the dollars to do this, and it wouldn’t cost that much in relative terms. There is no major sport on TV from mid-June until early August. Show old games (or clips of games) on TV with commentary. Hire Ken Burns and others like him to do a “30 for 30” on baseball. Give kids and other fans reasons to want to see Hanley Ramirez, Felix Hernandez pitch, or Ozzie Guillen rant.
Right away, next season, one thing MLB should do is to start giving away tickets to kids, especially for all those hundreds of games that have “crowds” filling less than half of the park. There is an argument that “if it’s free, it’s not worth anything.” Bullshit. Get kids hooked on the game, and maybe there’s a better chance they’ll be season ticket holders in the future? Give them enough games and I’d bet many of them will watch games on TV. Most will grow up and buy stuff, and a lot of that ‘stuff’ may as well be MLB stuff. Meanwhile, while at these games, wouldn’t someone be buying these kids food and drinks, and other memorabilia? Wouldn’t someone have to get them to the games? I mean buses or trains or cars, which is money spent somewhere, and the adults might be purchasing a beverage or two, but maybe only adult beverages if they aren't driving?
Seriously, how cool would it be to have seen a really good Tampa Bay team with 35,000 people in the park? 18,000 boys and girls ages 8-13, amped up on Pepsi and screaming for the Rays, and pledging their everlasting love and devotion for Carl Crawford and Carlos Pena if they’d just stay with the team in 2011?
Third is to speed up the damn game. Forget the thing about giving the pitcher 15 or 20 (or whatever the hell it was?) seconds between pitches until something else is done. I think it was Rick Reilly (who I really like) that had the dumbest suggestion that I’ve heard – limit the number of pick off attempts per runner. Yeah? That’s akin to telling a NFL secondary that the next play is a freakin’ run.
My solution is simple, just tell the home plate umpire to not grant time to the batter after single every pitch! Make the batter stay in the batter’s box unless he is hurt, and then throw a timer on the pitcher to throw the damn ball. I can’t remember exactly when I heard it last summer, and who (or where) I heard it from, but I think it was Jon Miller who had watched a Kinescope of a World Series game from 1953, and the game had taken a little over two hours to play. Can you imagine? These days, 2 hours of baseball gets you into the bottom of the 5th in a Yankee/Red Sox game in mid-May. If its Pittsburgh and Florida, who’d watch four hours of that? I mean, aside from me and a few thousand Pirate fans?
If MLB did that, they could move post-season games to a 7:45 PM start time, because they’d have an excellent shot at having 90% of them end before 10:30. With a 7:15 PM start, most would end well before 10:00 PM. Wow.
This was a rant. Have atcha!
Baseball Free Agents...and expensive one's too
Yahoo's Jeff Passan tracks all the baseball free agents each off season, and his blog is one of the best and quickest ways to keep track of how (too few) smart and how (too many) stupid MLB General Managers continue to be.
Here is a sample of some of my favorite Passan player comments:
-Erik Bedard - SP: The new Mark Prior
-Justin Duchsherer - SP/RP: The Erik Bedard of right-handers.
-Nick Johnson - DH: The Justin Duchscherer of hitters.
-Mike Hampton - SP/RP: Patron saint of Harden, Bedard, Duchscherer and Johnson.
-Henry Blanco - C: The baseball Twinkie: fat, white (or at least Blanco) and somehow able to survive for a number of years beyond his expiration date.
Meanwhile, it really is beginning to look like a PR disaster looming in the Bronx with Jeter. It could be a lot of fun watching this play out?
Here is a sample of some of my favorite Passan player comments:
-Erik Bedard - SP: The new Mark Prior
-Justin Duchsherer - SP/RP: The Erik Bedard of right-handers.
-Nick Johnson - DH: The Justin Duchscherer of hitters.
-Mike Hampton - SP/RP: Patron saint of Harden, Bedard, Duchscherer and Johnson.
-Henry Blanco - C: The baseball Twinkie: fat, white (or at least Blanco) and somehow able to survive for a number of years beyond his expiration date.
Meanwhile, it really is beginning to look like a PR disaster looming in the Bronx with Jeter. It could be a lot of fun watching this play out?
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Derek Jeter is looking to fly stand-by
Word out of New York is that Derek Jeter isn't happy with the 3 years at 21MM per year the Yanks are offering. A "source familiar with both sides" indicates Jeter wants at least 4, and more like 6 years at 21 million.
The guy will be 36 in June, and hit .270. Despite winning a Gold Glove, there is no one in baseball that really thinks he's anything other than an average defensive short stop.
If this is a true story, Derek can start booking flights for other cities, and he better cash in that 1st class ticket for coach...or better yet, fly stand-by.
The guy will be 36 in June, and hit .270. Despite winning a Gold Glove, there is no one in baseball that really thinks he's anything other than an average defensive short stop.
If this is a true story, Derek can start booking flights for other cities, and he better cash in that 1st class ticket for coach...or better yet, fly stand-by.
Tiger Woods is a better person, and a worse golfer
During an interview on ESPN radio's 'Mike and Mike Show' this morning, Tiger Woods said he "couldn't become a better golfer until he became a better person."
Hmm. Now he's trying to tell us that banging a waitress from Perkins Restaurant didn't help him win the Colonial by 4 strokes, but making mac and cheese with his kids will help him bag another major?
I think he should re-grow that crappy soul patch, add a porn 'stache, dye his hair blond, and tat up. Meth and vodka for breakfast might help too, because the biggest liars I've ever known are speed freaks and drunks.
Hmm. Now he's trying to tell us that banging a waitress from Perkins Restaurant didn't help him win the Colonial by 4 strokes, but making mac and cheese with his kids will help him bag another major?
I think he should re-grow that crappy soul patch, add a porn 'stache, dye his hair blond, and tat up. Meth and vodka for breakfast might help too, because the biggest liars I've ever known are speed freaks and drunks.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Bochy Livid Over Manager Award Snub
San Francisco Manager Bruce Bochy is upset that he finished second to Dusty Baker in the National League Manager of the Year voting.
Bochy could have been heard to say that "Bud Black (San Diego Manager) was an easy #1 pick, as he had squat, but I only had a little more than squat and finish second to Dusty?"
Bochy didn't like it that (perhaps) Baker's history with Henry Aaron had an influence on voters:
"Just because Dusty is the only guy able to get away with calling Henry Aaron 'Hank Aaron' without getting the big chill (from voters) doesn't mean he should beat me for second place in this vote. If this is all about who your buddy was 40 years ago, well, I knew Larry Dierker."
"Look," Bochy continued, "Dusty had Votto, but it shouldn't mean he gets the vote too. I mean, did Dusty have to contend with his number one starter smoking weed all season? I could see it if he (Baker) was hoovering up lines like some guys in the American League, and had a drug addict as his number one hitter -- then I could accept a sympathy vote, but this is a kind of insult. It's almost like Barry is still on my team."
Meanwhile, in the American League Manager of the Year voting, Ron Gardenhire won for the 34th consecutive time, and is closing in on Bobby Cox's MLB record of having the Most Post-Season Blue Balls of All Time.
Ozzie Guillen had a few choice words to say on that announcment, but no one was able to understand any of it except for about 3 dozen swear words.
Bochy could have been heard to say that "Bud Black (San Diego Manager) was an easy #1 pick, as he had squat, but I only had a little more than squat and finish second to Dusty?"
Bochy didn't like it that (perhaps) Baker's history with Henry Aaron had an influence on voters:
"Just because Dusty is the only guy able to get away with calling Henry Aaron 'Hank Aaron' without getting the big chill (from voters) doesn't mean he should beat me for second place in this vote. If this is all about who your buddy was 40 years ago, well, I knew Larry Dierker."
"Look," Bochy continued, "Dusty had Votto, but it shouldn't mean he gets the vote too. I mean, did Dusty have to contend with his number one starter smoking weed all season? I could see it if he (Baker) was hoovering up lines like some guys in the American League, and had a drug addict as his number one hitter -- then I could accept a sympathy vote, but this is a kind of insult. It's almost like Barry is still on my team."
Meanwhile, in the American League Manager of the Year voting, Ron Gardenhire won for the 34th consecutive time, and is closing in on Bobby Cox's MLB record of having the Most Post-Season Blue Balls of All Time.
Ozzie Guillen had a few choice words to say on that announcment, but no one was able to understand any of it except for about 3 dozen swear words.
"Congress pleads not guilty by reason of insanity"
That was a headline in story in the local paper today...seriously...but as it was on page 3, I kinda knew it was some local crime.
Still, that gets your attention. If Jay Leno paid folks for the wacky newspaper stories he uses, this one would be worth $50, at least.
Here's a bit more from the local CBS affiliate website:
"The Essex Junction woman charged with stabbing her niece to death plans to use the insanity defense at trial. Thirty-one-year-old Latonia Congress is charged with first-degree murder in the 2009 stabbing death of 16-year-old Shatavia "CeCe" Alford following an argument over laundry. Congress pleaded not guilty to the charges."
In other Vermont news, I am still upset that after Peter Shumlin beat Brian Dubie in the Vermont governor's election we didn't get a headline or TV promo stating "Shumlin smokes Dubie!"
I'll tell you all something else too, don't bring your dirty laundry up here. It makes people crazy.
Still, that gets your attention. If Jay Leno paid folks for the wacky newspaper stories he uses, this one would be worth $50, at least.
Here's a bit more from the local CBS affiliate website:
"The Essex Junction woman charged with stabbing her niece to death plans to use the insanity defense at trial. Thirty-one-year-old Latonia Congress is charged with first-degree murder in the 2009 stabbing death of 16-year-old Shatavia "CeCe" Alford following an argument over laundry. Congress pleaded not guilty to the charges."
In other Vermont news, I am still upset that after Peter Shumlin beat Brian Dubie in the Vermont governor's election we didn't get a headline or TV promo stating "Shumlin smokes Dubie!"
I'll tell you all something else too, don't bring your dirty laundry up here. It makes people crazy.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Glitch with the vote charts
Sorry about the non-charts in the prior post. Kinda learning as I go along.
Baseball Writers Association picks the ROY's
The writers got the Rookie of the Year winners correct, but they left a couple of guys off every ballot in the National League that may end up being the biggest stars of the Class of 2010.
Here's the actual NL tally. One writer in Pittsburgh had both Walker and Tabata on his ballot -- go figure. The guy with the Pirates that he left off of his ballot was Pedro Alvarez. The other guy was some pitcher from Washington...Sidd Finch, something like that. I hear he may come down off TJS Mountain late next season, but look for 2012 before the hype machine starts again, and the echo of "Mark Prior" is heard?
National League Rookie of the Year Award voting
Player 1st 2nd 3rd Pts
Buster Posey, SF 20 9 2 129
Jason Heyward, ATL 9 20 2 107
Jaime Garcia, STL 1 1 16 24
Gaby Sanchez, FLA 2 1 5 18
Neil Walker, PIT 1 3
Starlin Castro, CHC 3 3
Ike Davis, NYM 2 2
Jose Tabata, PIT 1 1
Jonny Venters, ATL 1 1
-Posey wins because he's a catcher on a division winning team, and was outstanding four 4 months.
-Heyward was very steady for a kid, except for one month. If he hadn't hit .181 in June, he probably wins.
-Garcia was excellent for a rookie. In 18 of his of 28 starts when he pitched at least 6innings, he allowed 2 or fewer earned runs.
-Castro gets lost in the shuffle of some great talent, but he played a decent shortstop and hit .300.
-Which two guys voted Gaby Sanchez #1? That's a bit more than off the freakin wall, isn't it?
American League Rookie of the Year Award voting
Player 1st 2nd 3rd Pts
Neftali Feliz, TEX 20 7 1 122
Austin Jackson, DET 8 19 1 98
Danny Valencia, MIN 1 9 12
Wade Davis, TB 11 11
John Jaso, TB 1 3
Brennan Boesch, DET 3 3
Brian Matusz, BAL 3 3
A no brainer here, not only for the BWA picking Feliz, but my lack of brains for forgetting him when I was trying to figure out who'd win, and who deserved to win.
I agree with Jackson at 2, but would have had Wade Davis at 3. He and Brian Matusz may be studs before long.
One number to crunch is that Jackson struck out 170 times last season. Holy Tommie Agee! That's a helluva lot for any hitter, let alone a lead off guy, but he still managed a .745 OPS, which is very good for almost anyone but your 3-5 hitters, and even then, it doesn't suck.
Here's the actual NL tally. One writer in Pittsburgh had both Walker and Tabata on his ballot -- go figure. The guy with the Pirates that he left off of his ballot was Pedro Alvarez. The other guy was some pitcher from Washington...Sidd Finch, something like that. I hear he may come down off TJS Mountain late next season, but look for 2012 before the hype machine starts again, and the echo of "Mark Prior" is heard?
National League Rookie of the Year Award voting
Player 1st 2nd 3rd Pts
Buster Posey, SF 20 9 2 129
Jason Heyward, ATL 9 20 2 107
Jaime Garcia, STL 1 1 16 24
Gaby Sanchez, FLA 2 1 5 18
Neil Walker, PIT 1 3
Starlin Castro, CHC 3 3
Ike Davis, NYM 2 2
Jose Tabata, PIT 1 1
Jonny Venters, ATL 1 1
-Posey wins because he's a catcher on a division winning team, and was outstanding four 4 months.
-Heyward was very steady for a kid, except for one month. If he hadn't hit .181 in June, he probably wins.
-Garcia was excellent for a rookie. In 18 of his of 28 starts when he pitched at least 6innings, he allowed 2 or fewer earned runs.
-Castro gets lost in the shuffle of some great talent, but he played a decent shortstop and hit .300.
-Which two guys voted Gaby Sanchez #1? That's a bit more than off the freakin wall, isn't it?
American League Rookie of the Year Award voting
Player 1st 2nd 3rd Pts
Neftali Feliz, TEX 20 7 1 122
Austin Jackson, DET 8 19 1 98
Danny Valencia, MIN 1 9 12
Wade Davis, TB 11 11
John Jaso, TB 1 3
Brennan Boesch, DET 3 3
Brian Matusz, BAL 3 3
A no brainer here, not only for the BWA picking Feliz, but my lack of brains for forgetting him when I was trying to figure out who'd win, and who deserved to win.
I agree with Jackson at 2, but would have had Wade Davis at 3. He and Brian Matusz may be studs before long.
One number to crunch is that Jackson struck out 170 times last season. Holy Tommie Agee! That's a helluva lot for any hitter, let alone a lead off guy, but he still managed a .745 OPS, which is very good for almost anyone but your 3-5 hitters, and even then, it doesn't suck.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Manny being Manny
Nah, not Ramirez...Manny Pacquiao.
The man has 8 titles now.
I think that Floyd Mayweather should keep fighting his wife.
The man has 8 titles now.
I think that Floyd Mayweather should keep fighting his wife.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Chasing the Bambino
I just received Jane Leavy's new book on Mickey Mantle, and the '50's Yankees. I liked her book on Sandy Koufax, if for no other reason than no one had gotten anything form Koufax for decades, but she did. It was a good narrative too, but what really sold me on the new book was an excerpt I read of it in SI, about 3 weeks ago.
85 odd years ago, sports writers didn't write anything about ball players off the field adventures, which was still true when Mantle came up. Back then, baseball writers and ball clubs traveled on the same trains, and clubs often subsidized the papers for the nice publicity they'd get.
This particular story happens one evening, after the writers had finished having dinner, and were settling down in the club car for a little card playing.
Suddenly, a outer door bursts open, and a naked and scared Babe Ruth races through, followed by a nude young lady, wielding a baseball bat.
One writer studying his cards says, "Well, that's another story we won't be reporting."
85 odd years ago, sports writers didn't write anything about ball players off the field adventures, which was still true when Mantle came up. Back then, baseball writers and ball clubs traveled on the same trains, and clubs often subsidized the papers for the nice publicity they'd get.
This particular story happens one evening, after the writers had finished having dinner, and were settling down in the club car for a little card playing.
Suddenly, a outer door bursts open, and a naked and scared Babe Ruth races through, followed by a nude young lady, wielding a baseball bat.
One writer studying his cards says, "Well, that's another story we won't be reporting."
Howard Ulman (AP) in a story about the Red Sox
Boston would like to re-sign Adrian Beltre and Victor Martinez.
Ulman writes that: "The Red Sox stayed in third place in the AL East from July 5, to the end of the season. But despite all the injuries, they weren't eliminated from playoff contention until just four days were left in the regular season. A healthy lineup would make them more dangerous."
"A healthy lineup would make them more dangerous."
And here I thought that the more injuries a team had, the better their chances were? This is a major insight.
I'm not sure about the reference to the "regular season?" Can teams be eliminated from playoff contention in some other season? I mean, aside from teams like the Royals and Pirates, who seem to get eliminated every off season, plus winter, spring, summer and fall, and mud?
Ulman writes that: "The Red Sox stayed in third place in the AL East from July 5, to the end of the season. But despite all the injuries, they weren't eliminated from playoff contention until just four days were left in the regular season. A healthy lineup would make them more dangerous."
"A healthy lineup would make them more dangerous."
And here I thought that the more injuries a team had, the better their chances were? This is a major insight.
I'm not sure about the reference to the "regular season?" Can teams be eliminated from playoff contention in some other season? I mean, aside from teams like the Royals and Pirates, who seem to get eliminated every off season, plus winter, spring, summer and fall, and mud?
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