Baseball
Chicks just don’t seem to dig the long ball like they used to. How else to explain the seeming disregard for A-Rod's soon-to-be entrance into the all-exclusive 600 home run club. And can we really be blamed? The fact is, we did care, we really really cared, and we were all dooped. Taken for a ride by the elusive hand of performance enhancers. If these milestones are to be at all restored, America needs a masher to believe in again. Someone to take some of the tarnish off of the four-bagger, to resurrect what was once our most beloved sports achievement. Truth is, we may never have another truly suspicion-free ballplayer to hit 600, or even 500 for that matter. But if you’re, like me, grasping at someone to believe in, these te
n might not be such terrible options to get behind. (Note: Manny Ramirez and Jim Thome will most likely be the next up with 575 and 554, respectively. However, having both come up through the heart of the steroids-era, their prospects for much fanfare are likely to be minimal.)
- Albert Pujols (Age 30) 388 home runs to date
- Miguel Cabrera (Age 27) 233 home runs to date
- Prince Fielder (Age 26) 183 home runs to date
- Ryan Howard (Age 30) 244 home runs to date
- Adam Dunn (Age 30) 338 home runs to date
- Mark Teixeira (Age 30) 260 home runs to date
- David Wright (Age 27) 155 home runs to date
- Adrian Gonzalez (Age 28) 157 home runs to date
- Justin Morneau (Age 29) 181 home runs to date
- Ryan Braun (Age 26) 118 home runs to date
Rejoice baseball fans, for another Midsummer Classic is upon us. Or don’t. But considering that the NFL, NBA, and NHL are all dormant, Lebron has found his new home, and soccer is off the American public consciousness for another four years, what other choice do you really have? Baseball, we’re officially all ears.
While the game doesn’t lend itself to individual stardom that say the NBA does, there are certain players from every generation that just exude all-star through and through. The list of players who have been named to fifteen or more All-Star games is one of the most exclusive in all of sports, more so than the 3000 hit club, the 500 home run club, or the perfect game club. While the election process is by no means an exact science, to be an All-Star year in and year out for that long takes more than just raw talent, more than just being the best player at your position in your league. It’s a blend of consistency and durability combined with popularity and iconicism. Playing in a big market like New York or Boston doesn’t hurt your chances either. These players are institutions of the game. The question is, is it getting harder to be that larger than life superstar in the currently constituted major leagues? For one, the league has gotten progressively larger, making one’s ability to stick out and lock down all-star spots far more difficult. It's been nine years since a player with fifteen or more all-star games to his credit played in the big leagues(Ripken and Gwynn). Still, on the day of George Steinbrenner's passing, three of his beloved Yankees will inch closer to that illusive benchmark. A look at the 15+ club, and at which current players have hopes of one day joining those ranks.
MLB Players with 15+ All-Star Games To Their Credit
Hank Aaron 1954-1976 (25)
Willie Mays 1951-1973 (24)
Stan Musial 1941-1963 (24)
Mickey Mantle 1951-1968 (20)
Cal Ripken 1981-2001 (19)
Ted Williams 1939-1960 (19)
Rod Carew 1967-1985 (18)
Carl Yastrzemski 1961-1983 (18)
Yogi Berra 1946-1965 (18)
Al Kaline 1953-1974 (18)
Brooks Robinson 1955-1977 (18)
Pete Rose 1963-1986 (17)
Warren Spahn 1942-1965 (17)
Tony Gwynn 1982-2001 (15)
Ozzie Smith 1978-1996 (15)
Roberto Clemente 1955-1972 (15)
Nellie Fox 1947-1965 (15)
Next in Line?:
Alex Rodriguez 1994-2010 (13)
Derek Jeter 1995-2010 (11)
Mariano Rivera 1995-2010 (11)
Ichiro Suzuki 2001-2010 (10)
Albert Pujols 2001-2010 (9)
Notes: Vlad earned his ninth all-star bid this year but is not included on this list because another six bids at his age is almost unimaginable. Manny Ramirez has twelve, but being rightly snubbed from this years squad in all likelihood spells the end of his reign. Also, for clarity's sake, the first all-star game was not played until 1933, so you won't see the likes of Babe Ruth or Cy Young in this club.
With roughly one third of the season down and 100 games to go, the 2010 New York Mets are, to quote Dennis Green, “who we thought they were”. Currently, they are sitting in third place in what has quietly become the most competitive division in baseball. I want to say I’m disappointed, I want to call them underachievers, but the bottom line is that most Mets fans had lower expectations than Ron Artest’s publicist; anything less than disaster would be acceptable. With that being said, let’s take a look at the ups and downs that have made this season somewhat watchable.
The Good
The biggest surprise so far has been Mike Pelfrey’s stellar performance to start the year. He is 8-1 with a 2.40 ERA in his first 10 starts, not to mention a save to go along with that, and has been more lights out than Shawn Merriman when he was on PED’s. Throw in Johan’s usual brilliance (I know his strikeouts are down but can we get this guy some run support please!) and a great couple of starts by, none other than RA Dickey, and the Mets rotation has been quite the pleasant surprise.
As far as position players go, I retract my sarcastic comment about buying a Rod Barajas jersey and instead legitimately want to buy one now. His 11 long balls account for nearly 25% of the team’s home runs and puts him at a tie for 7th in the NL. I wonder if he is on steroids? Did I just say that out loud? Uh-oh…moving on.
Speaking of steroids, am I the only one who sees the parallel between Jose Reyes and Willy Mays-Hays in Major League II? Jose came back from, whatever it was he was out with, looking like he spent the summer at Globo-Gym. Then Jerry Manuel decided to move him to the 3-hole, where Jose, in turn, tried to hit for power, and naturally, struggled. It wasn’t until recently when he went back to his contact/speed game that he began to show signs of his old self. His 14 stolen bases are good for second in the NL and, hopefully, a sign of things to come.
The Bad
As much as it pains me to say anything negative about David Wright, he is striking out way too many times for a guy that isn’t hitting that many home runs. With that being said, for anyone else this would be a superb season, but for D-Wright? I set the bar a little bit higher. Along those same lines, Jason Bay is playing well but 3 home runs and 24 RBI is not the type of numbers you want from your cleanup hitter (Side note: RBI stands for runs batted in, there is no need to pluralize it. I hate when these so called ‘experts’ mess that up).
Some other quick thoughts: I wish Jeff Francoeur could hit as well as he threw the ball. I get more excited than Rosie O’Donnell around a Big Mac when I see a runner try to challenge his arm. When he is at the plate? Not so much. K-Rod has been ok, but nothing compared to what he looked like with the Angels. I get nervous when he only has a one run lead to work with.
The Ugly
Oliver Perez, John Maine, Carlos Beltran…
Looking Forward
Not much has changed since the start of the year. I still expect them to finish 3rd, I still expect them to miss the playoffs, and I hope, hope, hope that Omar Minaya gets fired.
(Things purposely not mentioned in fear that I might jinx something: Ike Davis, Ruben Tejada, and the Mets ridiculous home record)
Baseball is a game that we all call on to be bigger than us. We infuse it will myth and lore, propped up on the shoulders of giants from eras past. We look to it as a living history, the records and stat lines left behind unassailable truths of past triumphs and heartbreak. And yet when we get right down do it, baseball is merely a reflection of ourselves, capable of greatness and yet instilled with human frailty. I’m brought to this line of thinking by two very distinct stories that hit the sports world yesterday, Jim Joyce’s squandering of Armando Galarraga’s shoulda-been perfect game, and the retirement of Ken Griffey Jr. 
Baseball, more than any other sport is a game in which its records are held in everlasting reverence. We painstakingly monitor of every home run and strikeout, striving to break the game down into math or science, to solve the riddle all the while not realizing (or choosing to ignore) that baseball is played by humans who could never truly be reduced to a simple equation. Part of us wants see the sport as neat and infallible, and what could be neater and more infallible than a bunch of numbers. We invent grand occurrences and track them fervently, the unassisted triple play, hitting for the cycle, the perfect game. Achievements to be remembered and treasured for a lifetime. These occurrences go well beyond the specific player, or his spe
cific city. These are triumphs for baseball itself, and all who love it. Maybe that’s why I still feel so upset about Galarraga-gate. I feel personally slighted, like myself and the sport I love have been robbed of something dear. Armando Galarraga did something that only 20 others in the history of the sport have done (well, since we starting writing stuff down), and because some fraud of an umpire called the 27th batter safe when he was clearly out by a step and a half, Armando and the baseball world at large went to sleep feeling wronged. Jim Joyce’s miscall was nothing less than a complete and utter travesty, a blight on the game. There’s no going back, no rewriting history. It just wasn’t supposed to happen this way. It shouldn’t have happened this way. The sanctity of our record books, of our history, have been tarnished. Armando Galarraga retired 27 batters in a row, and yet somehow was not perfect. Baseball, despite our yearning for it to be so, is not perfect. Last night, human error trumped greatness.
Which brings me to the second headline of the night. The Kid has retired. A beacon of unassailable greatest amid an era of cheaters and frauds has taken his final swing. Like Ruth and Dimaggio before him, Ken Griffey Jr embodied the magic and majesty of baseball. Capable of the greatest greatness, and yet you never forgot that he was just a kid having a blast playing his favorite game. Griffey transcended the sport, instilling in us the hope and wonder we all yearned for and sought after in watching baseball. Though his colleagues committed unspeakable afronts against the game through the use of performance enhancers, Griffey always shone above them, ever reminding us what was truly possible in this sport. While countless others of the era were far less than their numbers signified, Griffey was so much more. Though baseball will always be fraught with the inevitable tinge of humanness, Griffey reminded us that that isn’t always such a bad thing after all.
Poor Junior. Now I don't know if the guy was sleeping during the game or not, but part of me shudders with the same kind of horror as if I'd overheard people saying terrible things about an older brother. I grew up with The Kid. I played his video games, adorned my walls with his posters, even tried to imitate that magical swing of his (unsuccessfully, I might add). It pains me to think that anyone could ever speak unkindly of the guy, or worse, that he would ever do something to warrant such discussion.
To be sure, "The Kid" is a kid no longer. But there is at least one reason he may always be a kid at heart. Like any common ten-year-old, Ken Griffey Jr dreams of one day playing in a World Series. Yes, with all his accolades, Ken has the r
are distinction of being one of the nine major leaguers in MLB history that have played in over 20 seasons without capturing a single pennant. Barring a miracle, he will end his career of 22 years this September without ever even catching so much as a glimpse of the Holy Grail. So back off, sportsworld. A kid can dream, can't he?
20+ Seasons Without A World Series Appearance
- Phil Niekro 1964-1987 24 seasons
- Julio Franco 1982-2007 23 seasons
- Ken Griffey Jr 1989-2010 21+ seasons
- Andre Dawson 1976-1996 21 seasons
- Rafael Palmeiro 1986-2005 20 seasons
- Luke Appling 1930-1950 20 seasons
- Mickey Vernon 1939-1960 20 seasons
- Brian Downing 1973-1992 20 seasons
- Elmer Valo 1940-1961 20 seasons
As if the Cowboys and CMT weren’t enough. I am sure by this point you are fully aware that Oakland Athletics super-stud pitcher Dallas Braden tossed a perfecto on Mother’s Day against the newly appointed American League East darlings, the Tampa Bay Rays. In front of a jammed house of 36 people at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Dallas Braden dazzled and marveled, baffling hitters with his ability to attack the zone and work quickly. Braden deserves props, a perfect game is no small accomplishment. I mean there have only been 19 in the 45,000 years of existence of Major League Baseball, so he’s in elite company. Braden dominated the Rays, hugged his Granny and charged his way into the history books, and the television sets of everyone watching ESPN’s Baseball Tonight with this heartwarming tale.
Braden became famous for doing his best Clint Eastwood impression when he told A-Rod to “get off his lawn/mound” when the Yanks visited the west coast not long ago. Braden screamed, holle
red and cursed like an 8-year-old at an ice cream truck, as if the ice cream man drove past him with music blasting, ignoring his wishes for a snow cone. He tossed his glove into the dugout with general disgust, mostly because he knew the Yanks were going win the ballgame. A week ago, Dallas Braden was a walking punch line. Dude would not shut his mouth about the dust-up with A-Rod and was taking guff from every analyst and expert in the game. Braden was talking about engaging in fisticuffs with arguably the greatest player to ever step on to the field; talking about throwing knuckles, putting silly string on A-Rod’s Bentley and toilet-papering his mansion in Miami Beach.
My, how the tables have turned.
Now everyone is praising Braden and his story, as if he didn’t act like a spoiled brat because A-Rod crossed his mound. You have Chris Berman and everyone else on ESPN talking up what a great story he is, what a great kid he is, blah blah etc. A week ago he was a punk, now he’s a hero. It’s all so clear to me now.
But enough is enough with Dallas Braden. I mean now even his Grandma is talking smack. “Stick it, A-Rod”, she says. Honestly, somebody increase this woman’s medication. Get her back to the nursing home and have a Ben Stiller-looking orderly sedate her before she says something even more stupid. I get it Dallas, you’re the man. A perfect game is nice. But A-Rod is a multiple time MVP, a world champion, and the third baseman for the New York Yankees. You are a chump who brought your A-game against a Rays team that gets a perfecto tossed against them once a year (Seriously, they do). Please, enjoy the moment by all means. But pipe down, before AJ Burnett throws a 98 mph fastball at Kurt Suzuki’s head for standing in “his batter’s box.”
--Rankings based on 5X5, head-to-head, 12-team leagues.
CURRENT AS OF 6/8/10
atcher since Roy Campanella." After being traded to St. Louis for Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda, Torre would move to third base where in 1971 he would he hit .363 and drive in 137 runs en route to a NL MVP award. Torre wrapped up his career as a player-manager for the Mets. In his seventeen-year playing career, he would play in nine all-star games. AVG: .297, HR: 252, RBI: 1,185.
HR: 102, RBI: 766.
for the whole season. NPB statistics: AVG: .303, HR: 189, RBI: 491.
Scott Schoeneweis isn't just a newfound member of the Nation, he's also a member of the tribe. Yes, with the recent addition of Weissy into the fold, the Red Sox now lead the league in TJ, or Total Jews. Heck, even our general manager has been known to indulge the Manischewitz from time to time (Theo has a Jewish father). Perhaps more than ever before, Major League Baseball is experiencing a virtual renaissance of Jews among its ranks. One need look no further than last year's All-Star Game, which for the first time ever featured three Jewish ballplayers: Braun, Kinsler, and Youk. That's not to say that any of these fine menches are observant, but we tribesmen tend to cast a rather large net when it comes to seeing our brethren in sports. Here, for my own enjoyment, are the top ten Jewish ballplayers of all time.
- Sandy Koufax-Arguably the greatest left-handed pitcher of all time; refused to pitch game 1 of the 1965 World Series due to the fact that it fell on Yom Kippur.
- Hank Greenberg-Rising to promincence in the 1930's, Hammerin Hank had to endure numerous anti-semitic taunts in his day, including the particularly witty imprecation: "Throw a pork chop—he can't hit that!" Oh, those were the days...
- Ken Holtzman
- Ryan Braun, the Hebrew Hammer
- Kevin Youkilis
- Shawn Green, the Bat Mitzvah (alright, my friend just made that one up)
- Ian Kinsler
- Mike Lieberthal
- Gabe Kapler
- Scott Schoeneweis
I remember it like it was yesterday. Twas August of 2007 when Justin Louis Heath Chamberlain burst on to the scene like the Cheesy Gordita Crunch, captivating Baseball fans of all ages and fan allegiances. Who was this chubby Native American from Nebraska, so young and full of energy? He donned a flat brim cap atop his round baby face. More gas behind his arm than a Hess truck. He pumped his fist, slammed on his chest and hollered after a big strikeout or double play ball while simultaneously irritating and baffling hitters. Joba jerseys and t-shirts flew off the shelves like Korbel on New Years Eve. Slogans such as “Joba Rules” and “Joba the Hut” were on every billboard in New York City. Dude threw 101 MPH and was off the field just as quickly as he was on. He drew comparisons to Mariano Rivera, and brought energy to an underachieving Yankee club that lacked a competitive fire unlike the Boston Red Sox, who rattled off two World Series titles in four years. He threw high and tight on hitters, often drilling a foe or two and was not timid around the ever so friendly New York media. Love him or hate him, Joba seemed to have the “it” factor that many ball players spend their careers chasing after. The sky seemed to be the limit for the flame-throwing righty, who won over Yankee fans in less than a month. But nowadays, Yankee fans need to have two Excedrin Migraine handy every time Joba takes the mound. Oh, where hast thou gone, Joba Chamberlain?
It is difficult to pinpoint the exact moment when the wheels fell off the Joba Express. Many would argue that the Cleveland debacle was the beginning of the end, when gnats swarmed the field like it was Normandy Beach. Some would argue that he had too much pressure at the tender age of 21 and could not handle the hype. Others, including myself, blame the Yankee front office for the mismanagement of Chamberlain. The many roles of Joba Chamberlain have played a part in his fall from grace. Starter? Reliever? 8th inning guy? Even Chamberlain has no idea what his role is anymore. The only thing Joba knows is that his pitch count is always around 80 after three innings of work, he gets hit harder than ever before and has become human, all in the span of 3 Major League seasons. The debate will continue of what Joba should be in his role with the Yankees. Everyone and their mother think they know what Joba should be. But the bottom line has never been clearer: The Yankees have ruined Joba Chamberlain, simple as that. No matter what Joba ends up doing with the Yankees, he will be less effective and more disappointing than he ever before. This guy was supposed to be the heir-apparent to the best closer we have ever seen, and now? Well now, who knows? He’s had an awful spring and will start the season in the bullpen, while Phil Hughes takes the fifth starter role. My advice for Joba? Go on a retreat. Rent a cabin for two weeks in the Adirondacks, get yourself a stash of Native American peyote and find meaning again. Because whatever Justin Louis Heath Chamberlain has become in March of 2010 is a headache and a half. For the sake of my team, I hope he figures himself out, and quickly.
The end of March is arguably the best time of the year in the world of competitive sports, simply because of the hype of what is to come. Think about it:
March Madness, the final push for the post-season in the NBA and NHL, NFL free agency, The Masters (more important, the return of Tiger) and above all else, Opening Day 2010. We are a matter of weeks away from Sunday Night Baseball, which will feature Yanks/Sox at Fenway, enough to make even the most somber of folks become giddy. But what is Opening Day without shot-in-the-dark predictions for what is to come in Major League Baseball? Here goes nothing. For now, I’ll try my best to predict the American League, without offending 
too many folks.
American League East
- New York Yankees (Defending champs, strong rotation, fearsome lineup and for once, a headline-free offseason – Thanks A-Rod)
- Boston Red Sox (Fortified rotation which will baffle hitters, but the middle of the lineup should worry New Englanders a bit. Should be a tight race with the Yankees)
- Tampa Bay Rays (Strong lineup, but painfully average pitching. Tough to compete in the East with the two juggernauts mentioned above. But my man-crush on Evan Longoria has me thinking they’ll give teams some problems)
- Baltimore Orioles (Much-improved line up and rotation. A young team that might give Yanks and Sox fans a headache, especially with Wieters, Jones and Markakis. That is until June rolls around and they become exposed)
- Toronto Blue Jays (More departures than JFK on a Friday evening. Doc Holliday and Marco Scutaro gone will make for a dreadful year for the Blue Balls)
American League Central
- Minnesota Twins (Always a contender, which impresses me for a small market club. Joe Mauer is a force to be reckoned with. But an outdoor stadium in Minnesota? April may make for some double-headers in August and September)
- Chicago White Sox (Ozzie Guillen should have his own reality show. Their rotation could be shaky, but they drive in runs year in and year out and have a rowdy fan base which makes the South Side a tough place to play for visitors)
- Detroit Tigers (Verlander, Cabrera and now Damon. On paper, a solid club as always. But after last year’s collapse, they could start slow which may doom them in a competitive division. Plus, Cabrera is probably crushing Cuervo as we speak)
- Kansas City Royals (Zach Greinke is the only bright spot on a club which refuses to spend a dime. It’s only a matter of time until Greinke is wearing pinstripes or a “B” on his cap. Is George Brett Available?)
- Cleveland Indians (I hear Lebron is a free agent this summer. The only shot this snake-bitten franchise has of making a run. Tears for Ohio)
American League West
- Seattle Mariners (Every year I pick the Starbucks City to make noise, and they always leave me scratching my head. But they had a great off-season adding Cliff Lee and Chone Figgins. Will the early love from the writers and experts get to their heads? For once, I think they’ll rise up)
- LA Angels of LA of California of Planet Earth (Some key losses will hurt this perennial West favorite. Lackey is in Boston and Figgins has moved north. But they do have the best manager in the game, which always helps. Hideki Matsui is always solid as a rock)
- Texas Rangers (As always, a lineup that will challenge every pitcher it faces. But also, zero pitching. But hey, their manager likes to party)
- Oakland Athletics (Ben Sheets gave up ten runs in ten minutes the other day, and he’s their ace. Need I say more? Plus I hear they’re moving. My backyard is free for rent, which may draw more fans then their garbage dump of a ballpark)
Some Bold Predictions:
AL CY Young – Jon Lester
AL Batting Champion – Evan Longoria
AL MVP – Mariano Rivera
AL East Champions – New York Yankees
AL Central Champions – Minnesota Twins
AL West Champions – Seattle Mariners
AL Wild Card Champions – Boston Red Sox
Nothing too exciting here, but then again, it’s only March. Injuries will surely change the landscape of things, a steroid scandal will break, and Ozzie Guillen will say something beyond outrageous by May 1st. Getcha popcorn ready.
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