Tonight’s starter for the Boston Red Sox is John Smoltz. How weird to see him, as I did last night, in a uniform other than the Braves. For many years, the foundation of the Braves’ success was pitching and no one embodies that more than John Smoltz. As a young, sometimes troubled starter, a fierce reliever and back to the starting rotation, Smoltz was to me a reason to tune in to the Atlanta “superstation” and watch the Braves. The other was Tom Glavine. Both have been discarded by the Braves organization in favor of younger, cheaper talent. How’s that working out for you, Atlanta? Oh, next to last in the NL East with a losing record.
So how will the 42 year old with a surgically repaired shoulder do? All the talk is positive. From present and former teammates and Smoltz himself, the word is all good. I hope they are right. I will hold my breath, root against my hometown Nats and see what happens.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Ah, the All-Star Game
In the days before internet voting, when my children were young enough to consent to go places with me, we used to go to the ballpark and vote for our favorite players to go to the All Star Game. I filled out one, maybe two, ballots as did two of the children. Mostly, they voted for their hometown players regardless of the performance of the players up to that point in the season. All of which is just fine I guess until you get to the third kid who by the end of the game had filled out approximately 1000 ballots, all of which had every Houston Astro punched out. Then he took home boxes full of ballots, so he could continue voting. For years we had those little chads in every corner of the house. Today’s parents are luckier. Their kids can vote incessantly, for every Pittsburgh Pirate or Washington National, and no one has to vacuum. But that doesn’t make the voting any better, only neater.
In the days before internet voting, when my children were young enough to consent to go places with me, we used to go to the ballpark and vote for our favorite players to go to the All Star Game. I filled out one, maybe two, ballots as did two of the children. Mostly, they voted for their hometown players regardless of the performance of the players up to that point in the season. All of which is just fine I guess until you get to the third kid who by the end of the game had filled out approximately 1000 ballots, all of which had every Houston Astro punched out. Then he took home boxes full of ballots, so he could continue voting. For years we had those little chads in every corner of the house. Today’s parents are luckier. Their kids can vote incessantly, for every Pittsburgh Pirate or Washington National, and no one has to vacuum. But that doesn’t make the voting any better, only neater.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Three Men in the Booth
Has the game of baseball suddenly gotten a lot more complicated? How else to explain ESPN's decision to cram yet another talking head into the announcer's booth this season. Steve Phillips, former Mets GM and a studio commentator for several years, is now part of the broadcast team on Sunday and Monday Night baseball. One play by play guy and two commentators to tell me what I'm looking at? I don't think so.
And then there is the weekly abomination which is Sunday baseball on TBS. Perhaps it's because they don't work together often but Chip Caray and his color commentators (who I confess are hard to distinguish) are just awful. It's bad enough when broadcasters don't add anything to the experience of watching a game but when they actually make you cringe, it's time to reach for the remote.
Where is Vin Scully broadcasting alone when we really need him?
Has the game of baseball suddenly gotten a lot more complicated? How else to explain ESPN's decision to cram yet another talking head into the announcer's booth this season. Steve Phillips, former Mets GM and a studio commentator for several years, is now part of the broadcast team on Sunday and Monday Night baseball. One play by play guy and two commentators to tell me what I'm looking at? I don't think so.
And then there is the weekly abomination which is Sunday baseball on TBS. Perhaps it's because they don't work together often but Chip Caray and his color commentators (who I confess are hard to distinguish) are just awful. It's bad enough when broadcasters don't add anything to the experience of watching a game but when they actually make you cringe, it's time to reach for the remote.
Where is Vin Scully broadcasting alone when we really need him?
Sunday, June 21, 2009
NOTE TO METS: YOU'RE NOT THAT SPECIAL
The Fox Saturday game yesterday was the Mets and the Rays, with a detour to Detroit when the rains came to Citi Field. The Mets/Rays game was a good one, well-pitched and exciting with the Rays prevailing 3 to 1. There are some teams who, more often than not, find a way to win and give you the sense that they are winners. The Mets did not play that way yesterday. They wasted an excellent outing by Johann Santana and seemed to lack any spark offensively.
The Rays, on the other hand, positively beamed when Ben Zobrist hit a homer late in the game as they surrounded him in the dugout. They looked like they were having fun and liked each other. They looked like winners.
The interlude at the Tigers - Brewers game was quite the contrast. Shortly after we joined the game, a barrage of Tiger hits seemed to put the game out of reach. But the Tigers relief corps made it closer than it needed to be by their reluctance to throw strikes despite a seven run lead. Bad baseball. Jim Leyland didn't like it either. The back-up broadcast team of Kenny Albert and Mark Grace is a good one. Low-key and knowledgeable, they don't seem compelled to prove how smart they are after every pitch.
The Fox Saturday game yesterday was the Mets and the Rays, with a detour to Detroit when the rains came to Citi Field. The Mets/Rays game was a good one, well-pitched and exciting with the Rays prevailing 3 to 1. There are some teams who, more often than not, find a way to win and give you the sense that they are winners. The Mets did not play that way yesterday. They wasted an excellent outing by Johann Santana and seemed to lack any spark offensively.
The Rays, on the other hand, positively beamed when Ben Zobrist hit a homer late in the game as they surrounded him in the dugout. They looked like they were having fun and liked each other. They looked like winners.
The interlude at the Tigers - Brewers game was quite the contrast. Shortly after we joined the game, a barrage of Tiger hits seemed to put the game out of reach. But the Tigers relief corps made it closer than it needed to be by their reluctance to throw strikes despite a seven run lead. Bad baseball. Jim Leyland didn't like it either. The back-up broadcast team of Kenny Albert and Mark Grace is a good one. Low-key and knowledgeable, they don't seem compelled to prove how smart they are after every pitch.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
How do you solve a problem like the Phillies
The Phillies lost again last night, at home, looking nothing like the team that breezed through the playoffs and won the World Series last season. They were beaten by the AL East's last place Baltimore Orioles, the team their press corp decided to trash in the day's local newspaper columns.
After jumping on the O's starter, Rich Hill, for two runs in the first inning, the Phils forgot to score through the rest of the game, while the Orioles immediately grabbed the lead in the top of the second and kept adding to it. But since the Phillies are still atop the NL East, which has quietly turned into the weakest division in baseball, this is not a tragedy.
The Orioles, playing in a division in which every other team is above .500, have an interesting lineup. Three rookies, Robert Andino, Matt Wieters and Nolan Reimold are every fan's dream for the team's future. Reimold is particularly heartening .He came up earlier this season with none of the fanfare of Wieters debut and is putting up excellent offensive numbers and doing a credible job in the outfield. The veterans, including the ex-Astros contingent of Aubrey Huff and Luke Scott, are productive and solid. And Adam Jones continues to learn, produce and prove the doubters wrong. They are fun to watch.
And on another note, Roy Oswalt pitched a complete game last night in the Astros loss to Minnesota. Typical Roy, typical Astros.
After jumping on the O's starter, Rich Hill, for two runs in the first inning, the Phils forgot to score through the rest of the game, while the Orioles immediately grabbed the lead in the top of the second and kept adding to it. But since the Phillies are still atop the NL East, which has quietly turned into the weakest division in baseball, this is not a tragedy.
The Orioles, playing in a division in which every other team is above .500, have an interesting lineup. Three rookies, Robert Andino, Matt Wieters and Nolan Reimold are every fan's dream for the team's future. Reimold is particularly heartening .He came up earlier this season with none of the fanfare of Wieters debut and is putting up excellent offensive numbers and doing a credible job in the outfield. The veterans, including the ex-Astros contingent of Aubrey Huff and Luke Scott, are productive and solid. And Adam Jones continues to learn, produce and prove the doubters wrong. They are fun to watch.
And on another note, Roy Oswalt pitched a complete game last night in the Astros loss to Minnesota. Typical Roy, typical Astros.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Improbable Wins and A Predictable Loss
The Washington Nationals beat the Yankees at the new stadium yesterday by the score of 3 to 0. Craig Stammen, the winning pitcher, posted his first major league victory and now has all of 34 innings under his big league belt. I had the pleasure of flipping between this and the Mets – Orioles game which also resulted in a loss for the New York team. This one was a come from behind win by a team which never comes from behind against one of the games best, certainly most expensive, closers, Francisco Rodriguez.
So two of baseball’s worst teams swept series from two of baseball’s richest teams in interleague play.
Now for the predictable loss. Once again, I tuned to WGN to watch the Cubs and White Sox play at Wrigley. It was bound to be a more enjoyable experience than the previous day’s game because the game was being called by the Cubs announcers instead of the dreaded Hawk of the Sox broadcast team.
The game proved two things. You don’t leave a game after seven innings and, unless you are Ozzie Guillen, you don’t pull your starter after seven strong innings and expect to win. But Ozzie indeed pulled Gavin Floyd after seven, turned the game over to the bullpen and watched a 5 to 1 yawner turn into a 6 to 5 loss. Look, folks, there is a reason that some pitchers are assigned to the bullpen and it’s not because they are better than the starters.
The Washington Nationals beat the Yankees at the new stadium yesterday by the score of 3 to 0. Craig Stammen, the winning pitcher, posted his first major league victory and now has all of 34 innings under his big league belt. I had the pleasure of flipping between this and the Mets – Orioles game which also resulted in a loss for the New York team. This one was a come from behind win by a team which never comes from behind against one of the games best, certainly most expensive, closers, Francisco Rodriguez.
So two of baseball’s worst teams swept series from two of baseball’s richest teams in interleague play.
Now for the predictable loss. Once again, I tuned to WGN to watch the Cubs and White Sox play at Wrigley. It was bound to be a more enjoyable experience than the previous day’s game because the game was being called by the Cubs announcers instead of the dreaded Hawk of the Sox broadcast team.
The game proved two things. You don’t leave a game after seven innings and, unless you are Ozzie Guillen, you don’t pull your starter after seven strong innings and expect to win. But Ozzie indeed pulled Gavin Floyd after seven, turned the game over to the bullpen and watched a 5 to 1 yawner turn into a 6 to 5 loss. Look, folks, there is a reason that some pitchers are assigned to the bullpen and it’s not because they are better than the starters.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
June 14, 2009
Yesterday’s games included two excellent pitching performances by unlikely arms. At Wrigley, in interleague play, the Twins beat the Cubs 2 -0. The Twins pitcher was Anthony Swarzak, who blanked the Cubs for seven innings. It was just his 5th major league appearance and ironically he was sent down to the minors after the game. Seems the guy he was filling in for is ready to come off the disabled list. So he was given the game ball and a ticket back to Triple A Rochester.
At Yankee Stadium where routine fly balls are likely to be home runs an Astros cast off called Fernando Nieve easily handled the mighty Yanks. He pitched until two out in the seventh and the bull pen handled the rest. He pitched with confidence, quickly, no big deal.
June 15, 2009
I love complete games. They don’t have to be shutouts, hell, they don’t even have to be wins. I just think starters should finish unless they can’t. Stop with the pitch counts and the seventh and eighth inning “specialists” (what bull!) and pitch nine innings. Yesterday Matt Cain of the Giants, Jared Weaver of the Angels and Cliff Lee from the Indians pitched complete games; Lee, in fact, held the Cardinals hitless until the 7th in his.
Cain went the distance and gave up three runs. It was his third complete game of the year. By contrast, Joe Torre pulled Chad Billingsley of the Dodgers after seven and felt compelled to use two pitchers to pitch two innings. God forbid the closer should have to get more than three outs. So the most ridiculous stat in baseball, the hold, was in play here.
And then there was Brad Bergeson of the Orioles. Complete game against the Braves. First complete game for the Os since last September! Bergeson is a rookie pitcher for the Birds and has looked good so far. Good to see Trembley let him go the distance.
So it seems that the complete game is making a comeback this season. Let the games, complete that is, continue.
June 16, 2009
Only two games yesterday, a Monday. I saw part of the Indians – Brewers slugfest on ESPN. It was one of those mediocre pitching, whoever hits last will win games. Sometimes those games are okay, sometimes not. Last night, with two teams that I like, it just seemed like endless scoring. Prince Fielder won it late with, drumroll, a grandslam for the Brew Crew. Carl Pavano and Dave Bush were the hapless starters. Neither got a decision; both deserved to lose.
June 17, 2009
The breaking news yesterday was that Sammy Sosa had tested positive for something in 2003, several years before he testified to Congress that he had never injected himself and never done anything illegal. Go parse that one in espanol. Now Sammy was one of the guys whose face and body testified the opposite. He looked bulked up just as Bonds did. So yesterday’s news was not a shock, just another nail in the coffin of the integrity of the game during that era. I must confess that I did enjoy the competition between Sammy and Big Mac during the home run derby season, blithely indifferent to its improbability.
Another two hit complete game last night. Felix Hernandez of Seattle at home against the San Diego Padres did the deed. Part of his newly found seriousness about his craft. Also a completer by Gil Meche of the Royals, also a shutout. Good, good.
In another game of interest, the Rangers beat the Astros 6 to 1. The Ranger’s starter Kevin Millwood, only went seven. But Jason Jennings pitched the final two. The same Jason Jennings who spent a pitiful year with the Stros in 2007, going 2 and 9. The same Jason Jennings who was 0 and 5 with the Rangers last season. More Nolan Ryan magic, I guess.
On the other hand, St. Louis pitcher Adam Wainright was pulled in the seventh with a ten run lead. After pitching exactly 100 pitches. Typical LaRussa. Wonder how many complete games the Cardinals have pitched in the Tony era.
I love Tim Wakefield.
Yesterday’s games included two excellent pitching performances by unlikely arms. At Wrigley, in interleague play, the Twins beat the Cubs 2 -0. The Twins pitcher was Anthony Swarzak, who blanked the Cubs for seven innings. It was just his 5th major league appearance and ironically he was sent down to the minors after the game. Seems the guy he was filling in for is ready to come off the disabled list. So he was given the game ball and a ticket back to Triple A Rochester.
At Yankee Stadium where routine fly balls are likely to be home runs an Astros cast off called Fernando Nieve easily handled the mighty Yanks. He pitched until two out in the seventh and the bull pen handled the rest. He pitched with confidence, quickly, no big deal.
June 15, 2009
I love complete games. They don’t have to be shutouts, hell, they don’t even have to be wins. I just think starters should finish unless they can’t. Stop with the pitch counts and the seventh and eighth inning “specialists” (what bull!) and pitch nine innings. Yesterday Matt Cain of the Giants, Jared Weaver of the Angels and Cliff Lee from the Indians pitched complete games; Lee, in fact, held the Cardinals hitless until the 7th in his.
Cain went the distance and gave up three runs. It was his third complete game of the year. By contrast, Joe Torre pulled Chad Billingsley of the Dodgers after seven and felt compelled to use two pitchers to pitch two innings. God forbid the closer should have to get more than three outs. So the most ridiculous stat in baseball, the hold, was in play here.
And then there was Brad Bergeson of the Orioles. Complete game against the Braves. First complete game for the Os since last September! Bergeson is a rookie pitcher for the Birds and has looked good so far. Good to see Trembley let him go the distance.
So it seems that the complete game is making a comeback this season. Let the games, complete that is, continue.
June 16, 2009
Only two games yesterday, a Monday. I saw part of the Indians – Brewers slugfest on ESPN. It was one of those mediocre pitching, whoever hits last will win games. Sometimes those games are okay, sometimes not. Last night, with two teams that I like, it just seemed like endless scoring. Prince Fielder won it late with, drumroll, a grandslam for the Brew Crew. Carl Pavano and Dave Bush were the hapless starters. Neither got a decision; both deserved to lose.
June 17, 2009
The breaking news yesterday was that Sammy Sosa had tested positive for something in 2003, several years before he testified to Congress that he had never injected himself and never done anything illegal. Go parse that one in espanol. Now Sammy was one of the guys whose face and body testified the opposite. He looked bulked up just as Bonds did. So yesterday’s news was not a shock, just another nail in the coffin of the integrity of the game during that era. I must confess that I did enjoy the competition between Sammy and Big Mac during the home run derby season, blithely indifferent to its improbability.
Another two hit complete game last night. Felix Hernandez of Seattle at home against the San Diego Padres did the deed. Part of his newly found seriousness about his craft. Also a completer by Gil Meche of the Royals, also a shutout. Good, good.
In another game of interest, the Rangers beat the Astros 6 to 1. The Ranger’s starter Kevin Millwood, only went seven. But Jason Jennings pitched the final two. The same Jason Jennings who spent a pitiful year with the Stros in 2007, going 2 and 9. The same Jason Jennings who was 0 and 5 with the Rangers last season. More Nolan Ryan magic, I guess.
On the other hand, St. Louis pitcher Adam Wainright was pulled in the seventh with a ten run lead. After pitching exactly 100 pitches. Typical LaRussa. Wonder how many complete games the Cardinals have pitched in the Tony era.
I love Tim Wakefield.
June 18, 2009
I came home yesterday afternoon in time to catch the end of the Cubs – White Sox game. Didn’t like anything about it. Was treated to baseball’s most annoying TV announcer, Ken Harrelson who calls himself “The Hawk” (whatever) and calls his team “the good guys” (spare us). Hawk is a knowledgeable guy but has been driving me nuts with his fawning, biased play by play for many years. I tuned in just in time to see Ozzie Guillen remove his pitcher Johnny Danks after he gave up one hit in the 8th inning of what was a shutout.
Apparently Ozzie felt that Scott Linebrink a journeyman reliever not known for actually throwing strikes was a better option than his starter who had breezed through seven innings, striking out nine. Danks marched off the mound as though he’d just climbed Everest and Linebrink made sure that it didn’t remain a shutout. Of course, he did not pitch the ninth which was reserved for Bobby Jenks who I guess hasn’t killed anyone that we know of yet.
Hawk opined that it was Ozzie’s best managed game of the year. Really.
Compare this with the Nats improbable win against the Yankees where John Lannan, the Nats good young lefty had to be dragged off the mound when he faltered in the ninth after pitching his heart out against the team he loved as a boy. The man wanted to finish the game.
I came home yesterday afternoon in time to catch the end of the Cubs – White Sox game. Didn’t like anything about it. Was treated to baseball’s most annoying TV announcer, Ken Harrelson who calls himself “The Hawk” (whatever) and calls his team “the good guys” (spare us). Hawk is a knowledgeable guy but has been driving me nuts with his fawning, biased play by play for many years. I tuned in just in time to see Ozzie Guillen remove his pitcher Johnny Danks after he gave up one hit in the 8th inning of what was a shutout.
Apparently Ozzie felt that Scott Linebrink a journeyman reliever not known for actually throwing strikes was a better option than his starter who had breezed through seven innings, striking out nine. Danks marched off the mound as though he’d just climbed Everest and Linebrink made sure that it didn’t remain a shutout. Of course, he did not pitch the ninth which was reserved for Bobby Jenks who I guess hasn’t killed anyone that we know of yet.
Hawk opined that it was Ozzie’s best managed game of the year. Really.
Compare this with the Nats improbable win against the Yankees where John Lannan, the Nats good young lefty had to be dragged off the mound when he faltered in the ninth after pitching his heart out against the team he loved as a boy. The man wanted to finish the game.
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